The next day, just before breakfast, in the Great Hall
-at the Gryffindor table-
Owl post had just started arriving, and everyone looked at the owls, hoping for a parcel from home or a letter from an Angel.
Hermione, however, was looking at Harry from the corners of her eyes, while pretending to look at the owls. I wonder what Harry's reaction to my letter will be...
Harry was quite surprised when an owl dropped a letter into his hands. He examined it closely, and found that it was from his Angel. Finally! Harry tried not to show his excitement as he started to read the letter. It looks like I have a rather nice and interesting Angel... I can hardly wait for lessons to end... I want to reply this letter as soon as possible... No, I'll use the ChatterParchment! That will make things even more interesting...
Ron grinned as he saw Harry reading his letter intently. "What's that, Harry? A letter from your Angel? What does it say?"
Harry hurriedly kept the letter and was about to say something when Hermione spoke.
"Honestly, Ron. This doesn't concern you, you know. I'm sure you wouldn't want me or Harry to see what's in your letters too, right?" Hermione reproached Ron, all the while feeling pleased that Harry seemed happy about the letter.
"Actually, I won't really mind..." Hermione shot Ron a 'what-did-you-just-say' look and Ron suddenly found buttering his toast was very interesting indeed.
Harry chuckled at his two friends, as he thought about what he would chat with his Angel about...
-at the Ravenclaw table-
Cho was about to tuck into her breakfast when an owl dropped a letter onto her lap. A letter? I wonder who it's from... Oh, it's from my Angel... She took the letter out of the envelope and started reading...
Er.. hi Cho. This is your Angel here. Well... I don't really know what to say, but I'm glad I got you as my Mortal. I don't know you very well, so this is a good chance to get to know you.
Like I said, I don't know much about you. I only know that you're in your sixth year, and that you're the Ravenclaw Seeker. I've watched you at your games, you're a pretty good Seeker. In fact, there aren't many female Seekers, so you must really be quite good. I'm really interested in Quidditch, maybe we could discuss that some time? Using the ChatterParchment, I mean.
I'm in the fifth year now, so I don't really know what are your lessons like... I wonder, is the sixth year very different from the fifth? I guess it should be, it's the second-last year of schooling at Hogwarts...
Anyway, I wish you luck in your studies and Quidditch. Do reply soon.
From,
Your Angel
Cho chuckled to herself as she put the letter aside. What a funny Angel... I can't reply soon though, what with Quidditch practice and the homework the professors are piling us with... I guess he or she will just have to wait...
-later, in the Potions dungeon-
Ron groaned inwardly as his potion refused to change to bright orange, the colour it was supposed to be, despite his continual stirring. He glanced over at Hermione to see how her potion was like, and found that she had already finished her potion, and was... staring into empty space? He followed her line of sight, and saw it rest on Harry. What...? Why is Hermione looking at Harry? Don't tell me... No, that can't be it... Ron shut his eyes and continued stirring his potion vigourously.
Ron stirred harder and faster, until his cauldron toppled, spilling its contents onto Hermione.
"Ron! What were you doing? Look..." Hermione's voice suddenly disappeared.
"Mr. Weasley! What did you just do to Miss Granger?" Snape examined the dull green liquid and looked coldly at Ron. "Do you call this a Voice-Restoring Potion? The colour's all wrong..."
"I know that..." muttered Ron.
"...and you obviously didn't put the ingredients in the right order. And now the potion has the reverse effect - it's now like a Voice-Losing Potion! Twenty points from Gryffindor, for a poorly-made potion!"
Snape looked at Hermione and looked nastily at Ron. "Do you realise that Miss Granger will now have to spend a night or two in the hospital wing? You'd better hope that the voice loss is not permanent! Another ten points from Gryffindor for your clumsiness, Mr. Weasley!"
"Hermione? Are you all right? Do you want me to accompany you to the hospital wing?" Harry asked, with a look of concern on his face.
Hermione opened her mouth to say "Yes, I'm all quite all right," but no voice came out.
Draco Malfoy could be heard laughing at the other side of the Potions dungeon, saying "Let's see Granger cast charms... without a voice!"
Ron clenched his fists angrily, but he knew better than to go up to Draco Malfoy and punch him in the middle of Snape's lesson. He, however, couldn't resist retorting "You want to try it, Malfoy?".
"Enough, Mr. Weasley! Another word out of you and it's fifty points from Gryffindor! As for Miss Granger, you can go to the hospital wing... after the lesson. I don't think Mr. Weasley can produce a potion potent enough to make your lose your voice permanently." Snape went back to commenting on everyone's potions.
"That git... He'll pay if anything happens to Hermione!" Harry muttered under his breath.
The lesson finally ended, and the trio rushed to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey examined Hermione, gave her something to drink and said that Hermione would have to spend a night or two in the hospital wing, due to the side-effects of the restorative.
Harry and Ron went to get Hermione's things and when they returned to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey refused to let them in.
"Now, now... Miss Granger needs lots of rest, the both of you are not to visit her. Are those her things? I'll bring them in for you both. Now run along, you two."
Madam Pomfrey took the things and went off before either of them could even say a word.
"I guess we can't visit Hermione then," Ron said gloomily. "I can't afford to lose any more points for Gryffindor..."
Harry nodded, his mind on Hermione and his Angel. Hermione should be all right... Lessons are over... I guess I can go use the ChatterParchment now...
-in the Gryffindor common room-
Harry settled comfortably at a corner of the room, and took out his ChatterParchment and wrote 'Angel' on it. After the word disappeared, he wrote 'Hi, are you there? This is your mortal, Harry.'
-in the hospital wing-
Hermione was going over her Transfiguration notes when her ChatterParchment appeared before her. Who could want to chat with me? My Angel? Maybe... it's Harry!
She quickly read the words on the ChatterParchment and smiled. She took out her own quill and started writing.
Angel: Hi, Harry.
Harry: Hi! Am I disturbing you from any work?
Hermione glanced at her Transfiguration notes and wrote again.
Angel: No, not at all... You've received my letter, right?
Harry: Yes, I received it this morning and decided to try using the ChatterParchment. Well, to answer your
first question... Yes, there's more to me than defeating Volde... I mean, You-Know-Who, and Quidditch. I think.
Angel: You think? Of course there's more to you than that! So, how was your day today?
Harry: Well... it would have been quite fine, if not for an accident during Potions today.
Angel: An accident? What happened?
Harry: Ron (Ron Weasley, one of my best friends) accidentally spilt some of his potion on Hermione
(Hermione Granger, my other best friend), which caused Hermione to lose her voice. And Snape, I mean, Professor Snape,
was all nasty about it as usual.
Angel: That's quite terrible... Honestly, I dislike Snape too. I mean, who'll like him?
Besides the Slytherins and his mother, of course. Is Hermione all right?
Harry: I think so... Madam Pomfrey said she needed to stay in the infirmary for a night or two, so she
should be okay... But I can't help feeling worried though.
Hermione couldn't help smiling at this. He does care about me... It's hard pretending that I don't really know him though... I feel like I'm lying, but it would be too obvious if I know stuff only the three of us should know...
Angel: She'll be just fine... She sure is lucky to have such a good friend.
Harry: Er... I think so.
Angel: I think you're too modest, Harry.
Harry: Er... I guess so... I'm looking at your letter now... Hmmm, you like swimming?
Angel: You can say that... I'm not very fast, but I just like it. I really love the feeling of
freedom it gives me...
Harry: Yeah, it's like flying on a broom... You feel like you can do anything up in the air... No
rules, nothing.
Angel: Exactly! That's the way I feel when I'm swimming. If only I didn't have that phobia
of heights...
Harry: You mean you've never flown on a broom?
Angel: Well, only for a few moments during flying lessons... It felt pretty good... but I can't go
too high, I'll just freak out...
Harry: I can understand that... Everyone has something they're afraid of... What about this,
I'll teach you how to -really- fly on my Firebolt after I know your identity?
Angel: That's really nice of you, Harry... I guess I can try... Thanks. =)
Harry: You're welcome... What's that... The '=)' thing, I mean.
Angel: Oh, that... It's one of many icons Muggles use when they 'speak' online... It's
used to express emotions,
thus they're called 'emoticons'. That one is a kind of smiley... used to represent a smile, of course.
Harry: That's really interesting... I live with Muggles during the holidays, but I didn't
even know that... I guess that shows how ignorant I am...
Angel: No you aren't... After all, you -are- a wizard, you can't be expected to know
everything to do with Muggles, even if you do live with them.
Harry: Thanks... The Muggles I live with aren't exactly nice, if you know what I mean. They just
refuse to admit that magic exists...
Angel: How terribly odd... My parents took it quite well... They even went to Diagon Alley with me
once.
Harry: Well... You're lucky... The Dursleys (that's the Muggle family I'm with) aren't
like that... And my parents... Well, they're not here...
Angel: I'm sorry about that, Harry... But I think you're really strong, to be where you are
even without... them.
Harry: Thanks again. =) Well... I've got to go now, I still have some homework to complete. And
worse luck, I
haven't got Hermione to help me... Anyway, it was fun chatting with you, I'll write you another time.
Angel: It was fun chatting with you too, and I'll be waiting for your letter. See you then,
Harry.
Hermione put her quill down, feeling a sense of euphoria. Well... That certainly was pretty fun... I wish I could talk to Harry like that more often... She thought as she drifted into sleep, the medicine taking effect on her.
-in the Gryffindor common room-
Harry smiled to himself as he kept his ChatterParchment. I wasn't wrong, my Angel really is nice... She does sound kind of familar though... Nah, it's just my imagination. I'd better get to that Potions essay now, or Snape will have my head for this... I wish Hermione was here... She'll know what to write, and... she's getting to be really good company.
In another part of the common room, Ginny was frowning as she wondered if she should try writing to Draco again. Why is he so mean anyway? Maybe it's the way his parents bring him up... Wait a minute... this isn't any of my business... Why should I care about that git? I've got better things to do, anyway.
With that, Ginny went back to doing her homework, but half her mind was still focused on her dilemma. I'm not going to care about that git! Man, he's annoying even if he's not here... I can't take this anymore, I'm going out for a stroll...
Ginny left the Gryffindor common room and headed for the Herbology greenhouses. Just as she turned round a corner, she spotted Draco Malfoy and his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. Oh great, just my luck... Just ignore him Ginny, and hope that he'll go away.
Unfortunately for Ginny, Draco did not go away. "What's up Weasley... Not faithfully following your Potty?" he said in his drawling voice, with an added edge of nastiness.
Ignore him, ignore him, ignore him. Ginny walked as quickly as she could, hoping to meet someone else in the hallway.
"Oh, I forgot... Potty's busy taking care of Granger... Voice-less Granger, that is... It was hilarious!" Draco snickered, and as if on cue, Crabbe and Goyle did the same.
That git... Ignore him and walk away... Ignore him... It took nearly all of Ginny's self-control not to go up and slap Draco. She continued walking quickly, finally meeting two of her brothers.
"Ginny! We're going to the common room, coming along with us?" said Fred (or George), after they glanced at Draco.
"Er... yes, I'm coming with you both," Ginny couldn't help feeling thankful that her two brothers had come - almost in the nick of time.
Draco glared at the three Weasleys and stalked off with Crabbe and Goyle. Darn, if only the two idiots didn't come... I would have had fun insulting that Weasley... Oh well, there are always other chances... Draco thought as he went back to the Slytherin common room.
Author's note: And... that's all for today! It's a little short... but at least I was nice enough to give you all this chapter for Christmas =) And yes, due to 'popular demand' I have included Harry's letter to Cho (Like I said, ain't I nice? Hehe...). And like I promised, the ChatterParchment was used.
And oh... This chapter is dedicated to all my friends - Merry Christmas! Hehe. And to all reviewers too. I notice that I haven't really credited all those reviews... 77 reviews for 3 chapters is actually quite a lot... Haha. What about a 100 reviews then? ;)
And since I've updated sooo quickly this time, don't go hoping for another chapter soon... Hehe. I've got to complete my holiday homework, you know?
Lynn: I've tried to add in more emotions like you said... Not a very good attempt... But an attempt
nevertheless! Hehe.
Pei: Sorry this chapter can't be as long as you want... I've already 'dragged' it, you know!
Fel: Well I did try to make the end un-cliffhangerish... I think it's better than the previous chapters already...
Hehe.
jy: Argh you're a tough one... You want more cliffhangers... Faster pace... I guess I'll have to alternate
cliffhangers... Hehe. As for faster pace... I'm a slow person. =P Man... You're -really- demanding! More focus
on other characters? This -is- H/Hr you know... Hehe. Oh well, I'll try... =)