Ecstasy of the Heart ~ H.P. AU

Y2- Howler Mayhem

_______________

Let it be known that howlers are basically signing your own death warranty. Howlers received by mothers, however, are a one way ticket to the Wizarding After-Life. Then there are the howlers sent by Molly Weasley and Lily Potter, which are literal death threats of your deepest and worst nightmare.

After crashing a flying car into the Whomping Willow, that is what Ron and Harry had to go through, courtesy of Snape who felt the honor to let their parents know. Lily was left quite disgusted by the additional comments left in her letter. Although they were on somewhat- keep in mind somewhat- good terms, Snape still had his infatuation and Lily.... Lily still hated his guts, to put it in simpler terms.

But from that day on, were when things had started to go down hill.

"Mail's due any minute — I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot." Neville said, quite cheerfully, at the Gryffindor table during breakfast the next day after Harry and Ron's eventful arrival. Although the pair had already received detention on the first day back, Hermione was still a bit sour on the subject.

Harry had only just started his porridge when, sure enough, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd.

A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers. Harry, oblivious to the spillage, was scouring the hall for a specific Snowy White owl, and sighed in relief when he couldn't find her.

'Maybe they don't know, maybe I might not die after all..'

"Errol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Errol slumped, unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.

"Oh, no —" Ron gasped.

"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.

"It's not that — it's that."

Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to her, but Ron, Harry and Neville were both looking at it as though they expected it to explode. Due to personal experience, they all knew it would though.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked, not picking up on the radiating fear from the three boys next to her.

"She's — she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.

"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" — he gulped —"it was horrible."

Hermione looked from their petrified faces to the red envelope, not even bothering to acknowledge Harry's terrified expression on if he'll get one. Knowing his mother, he knew he was going to get one. But when...

"What's a Howler?" she questioned.

But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners. "Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes — " Harry timidly nodded in agreement, fearing the worst of Mrs. Weasley's wrath.

Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. Harry, ever the best friend, wanted to hear how Ron was going to get told off.

"RONALD WEASLEY -"

He thought for a moment it had exploded; a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.