Percy Jackson and the Department of Mysteries

81) So Many Subjects, All In One Chapter

Harry sat there for a moment, and in a change of subject (or maybe just a change of thought), he voiced some concerns. He was worried the Sirius would come meandering down to Hogsmeade in spite of our protests, and that good ol' Malfoy would see him. It was quite in character for Sirius to do such a thing, and the possibility made my stomach churn. I knew Draco wouldn't care to tell, but the connection between Sirius and Harry was too close. Harry would, at some point or another, find out that Draco hadn't spilled. This would not be good for Draco, so, he would spill. He had offered us warning by letting on that he, and his father, knew of the Animagus prowling around. We couldn't expect for him to do anything more.

"Well, you can't blame him for wanting to get out and about," Ron said, not looking particularly worried. "I mean, he's been on the run for over two years, hasn't he, and I know that can't have been a laugh, but at least he was free, wasn't he? And now he's just shut up all the time with that lunatic elf."

Hermione's face soured, but she didn't acknowledge the hate on Kreacher otherwise, and instead said, "The trouble is, until V-Voldemort — oh for heaven's sake, Ron — comes out into the open, Sirius is going to have to stay hidden, isn't he? I mean, the stupid Ministry isn't going to realize Sirius is innocent until they accept that Dumbledore's been telling the truth about him all along. And one the fools start catching real Death Eaters again it'll be obvious Sirius isn't one... I mean, he hasn't got the Mark, for one thing."

"I don't reckon he'd be stupid enough to turn up," I said, knowing fully well that Sirius was certainly stupid enough to do just that. "Dumbledore'd be miffed if he did, and Sirius listens to Dumbledore, even if he doesn't always like what the guy's got to say."

Harry continued to look worried, so Hermione changed the subject back to the previous subject, "Listen, Ron and I — Percy, don't look so put out, you were busy with whatever it is you've been talking to Snape about — we've been sounding out people who we thought might want to learn some proper Defense Against the Dark Arts, and there are a couple who seem interested. We've told them to meet us in Hogsmeade." Hermione was staring too intently at Harry to be telling the complete truth. I got the feeling that it was more than a couple who were interested.

Harry, mind still on the other subject, spoke vaguely, "Right."

"Don't worry, Harry," I pleaded lightly. "You've got enough on your plate without Sirius too."

Harry looked at me for a long moment, biting his lip. He just nodded slowly, and I guess that was the best we were going to get.

***

The Hogsmeade trip came too fast. I hadn't had time to prepare insults for the people I thought might be coming.

We waited queued up in front of Filch, who made sure to give Harry and me a great sniff before marking us off.

"Er, why was Filch sniffing you?" Ron asked us as we made our way down the cobble steps towards the village.

"Prolly checking us for Dungbombs," I snorted. "Dummy. I don't keep mine on me."

Harry went on to explain the owelry incident with Filch, neglecting to mention the blush on his face when Cho had walked in, as well as hesitating before telling them about Draco being involved.

Hermione actually seemed to find the fiasco much more interesting than the rest of us, "He said he was tipped off you were ordering Dungbombs? But who had tipped him off?"

"I dunno," Harry shrugged. "Maybe Malfoy, he'd get a right laugh out of that, and he was there."

"No, he was annoyed, had a headache after it for, like, an hour," I shook my head. "His pranks do not involve the owelry, unless he can avoid it."

"Why does he get a headache from the owelry?" Harry asked curiously.

"He can understand owls. There are many owls in the owelry, thus, the name."

"Yeah, but why's he get a headache from it? It's like being in the Great Hall for a feast, lots of voices, but it doesn't really bother you."

"Actually, the Great Hall during a feast is an instant migraine. It's a bit... stimulating. Also, for the owl thing, imagine every voice in the Great Hall talking over one another, screeching My Lord, My Liege, we are starting our performance soon! A dear happiness to women; they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor! And it's all in your head. All of it."

"Ew," Harry said, looking very uncomfortable with the image (sound?) that had popped up in head head with my description.

"Ew," I agreed. "At least they're not fish. All they do is ask me if I know where there son is."

Aha! This chapters is very nearly late, but fret not, I finished it on time, all thanks to my love for you guys! Ahahahah. It would have been completed earlier, but I wanted to finish The Shining tonight, and decided I would do so even if it meant I was late to post (we're starting a new book for English, and I didn't want to be in the middle of one while we started it). It was really good. I'm not so excited for the sequel of it, for mentions of Danny drinking, because Danny is too perfect to drink. Maybe I'll think of it as a separate entity. There was a lot I expected to be in the book that wasn't. (Don't keep reading if you don't want spoilers). A lot of iconic scenes in the movie are barely even existent. There's no "Heeeeere's Johnny!" There is Jack hitting a mallet against the bathroom door, though. Also, it's a mallet in the book, not an axe. There's no maze scene. In fact, there is no maze. There are hedges, but they are in the shape of vicious animals (plus a rabbit). My understanding of Jack's death was that the cold got him. He killed himself with the mallet in the book. In fact, the cold was hardly a problem in the book, most of the events taking place inside the hotel. There's no ominous twins at the end of a hallway that fills with blood. There are twins, though we never see them. I think they're twins. The daughters of the previous caretakers. It's also awesome that I didn't hate Jack throughout the book, not even once. He's a bad guy, in a sense, but none of what happened is his fault, except for the fact that the ended up in the hotel in the first place. The only issue is the hotel digging it's fingers into him, gripping, grabbing, all cruel and monstrous. It's a damn good book.

Anyway, I hope you guys have had a shiny Monday, and I'll maybe see you on Wednesday CT. Love ya!

PS. Please remember what was in the AN of the last chapter. I may not post on Wednesday. Thank you!