Percabeth Teach at Hogwarts

Chapter Six

Harry

A few weeks into the first term, Harry found himself sinking back into his usual schedule — people still gawked at him in the halls but he found that it was getting easier to ignore them. His favorite class has since become DADA — the professors were unconventional, yes, and the physical fighting was new but Harry found that letting his anger out through it was invigorating.

But better yet, the Quidditch season was starting up again, meaning his first game was in two days. Against Slytherin.

As Harry walked into the Great Hall, finding his way over to Ginny, Ron and Hermione, he frowned a little. Hermione's mouth was set in a hard line and her lips seemed to be quivering a bit; Ron was looking anywhere but at her, his eyes sad but firm.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly, sitting down beside Ginny who looked like she wanted to melt into her plate.

"Ronald," Hermione spat, her eyes teeming with tears of sadness or anger, "has decided that it is best if we take a break."

Harry turned towards Ron. "What?"

Ron winced. "I just . . . " he looked to Harry pleadingly. Harry wasn't going to help him on this one.

"Ron, seriously, what are you talking about?" Harry looked back and forth between Ron and Hermione. "You're kidding right? Right?"

Hermione let out a bitter laugh. "Apparently not," she said, venom dripping from her every word. "Would you like to tell them why?"

"I'm dropping out of school this year. I was thinking about it before we came to school whether I wanted to continue or not, and I realized that I've already taken my NEWT's and I'm of age — I can apply to be an auror any day now. I thought when I got here, maybe I would just have fun, play Quidditch, hang out with you guys but I can't. Just being here is bringing back the pain of losing Fred and the stress from classes isn't helping. I already told my mum and dad."

Harry and Ginny whipped their heads to Ron, already opening their mouths to protest.

Ron held up a hand to stop them. "I love all of you guys but you understand, don't you?"

Ginny practically growled at him. "He was my brother too you dimwit! You don't see me tucking my tail between my legs and running, do you? You're an idiot. And Hermione," she turned to Hermione, "my brother doesn't deserve you."

She stood from her perch on the bench across from Ron, looking like she was about to flip the table or cast a Bat-eyed Bogey hex on him before she stormed out of the Great Hall. Harry stayed quiet for a moment before standing also. "I better . . . " he left when he realized that no one was listening to him. He followed Ginny out of the hall, dragging a hand through his hair.

Leaving? What would move Ron to skip his last year at Hogwarts? Harry figures they had all been happy when invited back for an eighth year, and of course he had noticed some of his classmates hadn't taken the offer, but Ron? Harry had lost people at Hogwarts too — Remus, Tonks, Dumbledore — but no one saw him running.

When had everything became such a mess?

Harry rounded a corner, not even sure if that had been the way Ginny went. Whispers caressed his ear as he approached a fork in the halls — Professor Chase and Jackson were talking to Professor McGonagall in the secluded area by the stairwell.

"How is it coming along?" McGonagall asked the professors.

Harry could hear the smile in Professor Chase's voice as she spoke: "Honestly? It's exhausting. But I think it's going well."