A Cadmean Victory by DarknessEnthroned

Chapter 67: Second Chances

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine; everything is J K Rowling's.

On we go, no long author's note this time.

Chapter 67

It felt strange to be back in the Great Hall after everything that had happened. Even with their exams right around the corner he found it hard to take education and school seriously. It seemed rather trivial in comparison to all his other problems, and some of the exams were quite trivial indeed. He'd long since surpassed the standards of OWLs in some of their subjects.

The rest of the student body had descended into pre-OWL panic. Mandy Brocklehurst, an excitable Ravenclaw Harry had seen once or twice at the DA, had needed to be taken to the infirmary three times in one day for calming draughts, and he had overheard in the common room after returning from Beauxbatons empty handed that Hermione had all but completely moved into the library.

It really didn't surprise Harry that Hermione had suddenly started isolating herself in the room with the most books. It probably wasn't very healthy, but he had little doubt that she would excel in her every exam, even if she was sleeping as little as Parvati believed. Personally Harry felt it was more likely she just napped in the library instead of coming back to Gryffindor Tower.

There was a loud clatter as Katie swung herself in next to him, knocking his fortunately empty goblet over with her bag.

'Morning Harry,' she yawned. 'Long time no see.'

'I've been busy,' he answered vaguely, standing the goblet back up again.

She made a noncommittal noise somewhere between a sigh and another yawn, then leant an elbow on his shoulder to use her arm as a pillow. 'Where's McGonagall?' Katie asked sleepily.

'No idea,' Harry shrugged, gently displacing her off his shoulder and onto the table, as the food had arrived, and he needed both arms to be able to eat.

'Food,' Katie realised, perking up a bit and stealing the toast rack that Harry had just been about to reach for.

He wandlessly summoned it to him before she could take anything, enjoying the look of outrage that passed across Katie's face at the loss of her breakfast.

'You're annoying,' she pouted. 'First you disappear for a week, then you steal my breakfast!'

'I would feel a great deal guiltier if I didn't know you considered the latter the more heinous a crime,' Harry commented, passing back the toast now he was finished with it.

'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,' Katie remonstrated mockingly. 'Ron understands,' she giggled, pointing down the table to where the red-head was fiercely guarding his own toast rack from Seamus and Dean.

'You should be encouraging me to eat then,' Harry countered, swiftly helping himself to bacon. He knew all too well what would happen if he left the plate unattended for too long. Katie's sandwich would grow precariously tall if she thought she could get away with eating all the bacon herself.

'I am,' she childishly stuck out her tongue, 'just not from my food.'

'The bacon-'

'-Katie deariest-'

'is for everyone on the table.'

'Nobody ever told me that,' Katie denied hotly.

'We tell you that every mealtime we're with you, don't we, George,' the leftmost twin reminded.

'We do,' the other agreed. 'Quidditch practise is tonight,' he continued, 'Angelina organised an extra one.'

'Right before exams?' Katie asked curiously.