AUTHOR's-------------More filler. I have about 17 minutes to write, so sorry if it's short.
Within the space of thirty minutes, everyone in the house who had recieved a Christmas gift from Harry were thanking him profusely. He was very shy about the amount of thanks that he got, especially Dobby. Dobby was broken down completely and lay at Harry's feet sobbing, until Ron finally pried him off by telling him that the bathroom ghoul was rampant again and needed a good tousing.
Hermione's thanks was much better; she was nearly in tears and gave Harry a big hug and kiss. Mr. Weasley cricked Harry's wrist, he was shaking his hand so hard.
"By any chance, how much did you spend on all of our presents?" Ron asked him, over an armful of wrapping paper.
"All in all?" Harry asked, thinking. "About fifty galleons!"
Ron gave an unearthly sound, like a small chickadee being squeezed to undesirable limits.
"I know it's a lot of money, but oh well." Harry said shortly.
"Fifty galleons isn't just a lot," Ron said hollowly. "It's a small fortune."
Harry did not comment, knowing Ron's attitude towards money.
"What did you send Luna?" Harry asked, deliberately changing the subject.
"I sent her a medallion," Ron said, now slightly anxious. "I don't know if she'll like it - "
"She'll like it," Ginny said, coming in. Harry was cheered by the fact that she was showing off her bracelet. "I know her just as much as you do, Ron - and she likes jewellery. She's probably doing a little dance right now."
Harry and Ginny laughed over this idea, but Ron didn't.
Dark,I wud like to say something if you would not mind.. I thnk if it was JKR, She wud have started giving vital information by the time it reaches Chapter 16...I thnk yu shud start going deep in to the mysteries rather than sticking in to same old happy days.....its my opinion only... Just dont mind.... 🙂
AUTHOR'S REPLY----To Seb: Yep I know...that's why I threw in the present from Dumbledore there. I just don't know how to introduce it in the story yet. Here's more for the moment.
Hermione entered the room, and dragged Harry outside. "What's with Ron?" she said under her breath, after she had closed the door.
"Pig came back." Harry whispered.
Hermione's face twisted comically; she was torn between great joy and great confusion.
"How? And why's Ron all upset about it?"
"It might be Pig, but the Order thinks that the Death Eaters have tampered with him. Made him a spy."
Hermione's face fell.
"Yeah, I know," Harry muttered. "It was almost like having Ron have a fresh start with Pig here."
"Tell me about it," she sighed. "Pig was lovely, he was so cute."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Pig was a good owl, but he isn't cute, and he most certainly is not lovely."
Hermione smiled.
They re-entered the room. Ron was still facing the wall like some kind of wax statue. Ginny raised her eyebrow at Harry and Hermione.
"Were you two snogging?"
Hermione shook her head quickly, and looked at the immobile Ron meaningfully. Ginny caught on.
"Come on, Ron, cheer up," she repimanded him. "It's Christmas."
"It's just not the same without good ol' Pig."
Harry was suprised to hear a response at all.
"Well, you never know," Harry shrugged. "It might just be the Pig we all know and love after all. McGonagall's just had the need to put him through a few tests, that's all."
"And if she finds something with him, then what? What'll she do to him?"
Harry, Hermione, and Ginny glanced at each other. They were lost for words. In Harry's honest opinion, he didn't like the outcome.
***
Christmas Day was normally an enjoyable affair for all. Ron's gloominess almost seemed contagious. The twins bullied him cheerfully, Ginny and Hermione chided him ruthlessly, and Bill and Charlie tried to reassure him to no avail.
"As they always say, 'misery loves company'." Charlie said, shaking his head.
"When's Professor McGonagall going to get here?" Ginny asked her mother.
"I would say at four o'clock. And we'll know whether Pig is himself or not by the end of the holidays."
Harry glanced at Ron in the corner, who had heard his mother's words. He sank back onto a large cushion with despair.
"Well, we're still going to go back up to Stoatshead Hill an hour after lunch with the twins," Charlie said. "Coming?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Hermione said, while Ginny nodded.
Ron didn't answer.
"Poor bloke," Fred said. "Wish he'd snap out of it."
AUTHOR's REPLY-----I have a not-so-brilliant idea for mystery intro, but it'll get the job done well enough. This bleeds my reserves of creativity a lot though, sorry. I have a bit of time on my hands, so....
Harry felt that it was wrong to be miserable on Christmas Day, so he led Hermione to his bedroom, remembering something.
She sat down. "What is it, Harry? Do you want to snog?"
This last enquiry made Harry stare at her. "Well, that hadn't occured to me, but...."
He reached under his bed and pulled out the book that Dumbledore had given him. Hermione scooted over to his side and looked at it.
"Let me guess....Dumbledore gave it to you."
"That's right."
She snatched the book out of his hands.
"Can I read it?"
Harry laughed. "Funny you should ask that. I came to you because I wanted you to take a look at it."
"Well, you came to the right person," she leaned against him. "Want to read for a bit?"
Harry shrugged. "Why not?"
"Why not, indeed." she dug a Chocolate Frog out of her pocket, bit the head off shamelessly, and passed the rest to Harry.
"Let's see...this is rather a thick one, for only one legend. Chapter One.....
"There are many who respect and know the Egyptian's ability for magic. However, few know that this was so because of the voyage of Godric Gryffindor, many years ago.
Godric Gryffindor is known and famous for co-founding Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But there are rumors that there was more to Mr. Gryffindor's journey than he testified. The Ancient Egyptians denied any sightings or aquaintences relating to Mr. Gryffindor. Since there were no exceedingly powerful truth potions back in the day, the Magic Royalty commanded a full investigation in the country of Egypt.
"Shall I go on?"
"Huh?" Harry realised he was nearly drooling with boredom.
"Harry!" she whacked him over the head. "Did you not hear anything I just said?"
"Sorry, no. Seems like another History of Magic class to me."
"Harry, you can be hopeless sometimes." she sighed.
"Yeah, only in reading boring things," he replied, smiling easily. "Those I let you do."
She flipped through the volume rapidly. "That was the boring part...the rest gest a bit more interesting."