Jupiter | Harry James Potter

lviii ; a lesson in flying

    "He got off!"

Mr. Weasley came merrily walking into the kitchen with Harry behind him. "Cleared of all charges!"

A wave of relief flooded over the kitchen as everyone stood up from the table, the dreary conversation of slightly less confidential order matters ending quickly. I felt a breath of air escape my lungs at the sight of Harry. The fear that he wouldn't return was odd and confusing, yet strong.

"I knew it!" Ron yelled, punching the air. "You always get away with stuff!"

"They were bound to clear you." Hermione said, who had looked positively faint with anxiety when Harry had entered the kitchen and was now holding a shaking hand over her eyes. "There was no case against you, none at all..."

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering they all knew I'd get off." Harry said jokingly, his eyes darting around the room until he met mine. If he wasn't already happy, he positively lit up at the sight of me. I felt my heart give a flutter at the thought.

I looked to the chair next to me, and he instinctively, pushed through the crowd of people to sit by me.

"Thanks for not... you know... ambushing me." He whispered as Fred, George, and Ginny were doing a kind of war dance to a chant that went "He got off, he got off, he got off!"

"That's enough, settle down!" Mr. Weasley shouted, though he too was smiling. "Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry-"

"Of course." I said, keeping my voice low. "I know that's the last thing you'd want, especially today."

"Although, I wouldn't mind if it were you." He shrugged, his green eyes barely meeting mine. "Anyone attacking me right when I walk in is a little much, but if it was you, I'd be a little relieved."

"Yeah?" I smiled, keeping my hands tucked away in my lap as we both avoided each others eyes. It was an odd moment for our nerves to suddenly kick in, but it felt nice. It felt like we were fourteen again, seeing each other in the burrow for the first time that summer. "Why am I so different?"

"Here, Harry, dear, have some lunch." Mrs. Weasley interupted, happily placing several sandwiches on his plate before squeezing his shoulders then rejoining the furious conversation between Mr. Weasley and my dad.

"Thank you." Harry said, giving her a polite smile as she walked away before returning his focus back to our conversation, his voice lowering again. "You're always different to me. You know that."

"I know." I smiled to myself, absent-mindedly picking at the sandwich laying abandoned on my plate. "I just wanted to hear you say it."

"What're you two talking about?" Ginny asked from down the table. "You're very... 'whispery' today."

Harry and I both fell silent, our mouths falling open slightly. I felt my lungs constrict within me as people's eyes flickered between Harry and I. I could feel the guilt flooding into my stomach. I imagined what they were all thinking, about me, about Harry, about Cedric.

"Yes, please enlighten us."

My dad had taken a sudden interest in the conversation, his somewhat bony fingers clasped together as he stared at the two of us.

"Sirius..." Remus said softly, but my dad ignored him.

"Quiet yourself, Remus." He said, keeping his eyes locked on Harry and I. "I would like to know as well."

"Nothing, we were just talking about..." I started to explain, and I looked over to Harry for help.

"Quidditch." He answered blankly, his mind defaulting to its usual thought process. I nearly let out a sigh of disappointment at his unsurprising topic of choice.