Chapter Seven: Is That a Firebolt?
This question resonated in their minds at the beginning of the break as the four boys left the train and went with Voldemort to Harish's manor. While they were leaving, Ron and Neville were sitting in the common room, bored. Ron got Scabbers out and inspected him, giving him some of his rat tonic. That maniacal cat tormented Ron day and night. He was afraid that the stress was making Scabbers worse. Currently the boy was petting the rat, as he had nothing better to do.
"Do you want to play gobstones?" Neville asked.
"We've already done that," Ron whined.
"What about Exploding Snap?"
Ron shook his head. "Hey! It's not dark yet. Why not visit Hagrid?"
"I'm game with that," Neville said, standing up.
They walked down to the giant man's hut. Neville knocked on the doors and there stood there in silence for a moment.
"Is that Fang?" Neville asked.
Coming from behind the door was a series of odd, low moans.
"Think we'd better go and get someone?" Ron asked nervously.
"Hagrid!" Neville called, thumping the door with his foot. "Hagrid are you in there?"
There was a sound of heavy footsteps, and then the door was pulled open. Hagrid stood there, his eyes bloodshot, tears splashing down his front.
"Yeh've heard?" he bellowed, flinging himself onto Neville's neck.
"Since Hagrid was over twice his size, this was a serious matter. Neville was about to collapse when he was rescued by Ron, who seized Hagrid and managed to hoist him onto his feet. Hagrid allowed himself to be steered into a chair and slumped over the table, sobbing uncontrollably.
Neville spotted an official-looking letter lying open on the table.
"What's this, Hagrid?" he asked.
Instead of replying, Hagrid's sobs redoubled. He shoved the letter toward Neville, who picked it up and read aloud:
Dear Mr. Hagrid,
Further to inquiry of the matter of the conduct of the hippogriff, Buckbeak, we have accepted that you bear no responsibility. However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. It had been decided that it is unsafe to leave the beast near our own young. The matter will be taken to the Committee of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated.
Yours in fellowship…
There followed a list of school governors.
"What exactly happened with Buckbeak?"
"'E went insane. I've never seen anythin' like it. 'E was flying in loops an' into trees…An' poor Harish Blake was stuck on 'is back."
"Blake was there?" Ron asked.
"Along with yer twin brothers. It was the fifth year Slytherin class."
RONNIE-MAKE—GRUMPY-CAT-FACE
Harish, the twins, and Draco held so many two-on-two Quidditch matches that they were sick of either sitting on a broom or losing. Then, they played so many different games that they were so bored they had nothing left to do. One day, just a few days before Christmas, they were all slouching down in chairs in Harish's sitting room.
"I want to do some sort of prank," George said.
Harish grunted in reply.
"Yeah, it's too quiet…" Fred said, trailing off.
"Do you just pull pranks whenever it's too quiet?" Draco asked.
"Yes," the trio replied.
So, after a day of planning, Harish walked up to Bellatrix.
"Hey, Father wants you," he said, leaning nonchalantly on the wall.
"Wants me?" Bellatrix asked.
Harish nodded. "He wants you to wait on him in the dining room."
"Why the dining room?" Bellatrix asked.
Harish shrugged.
"It was convenient, I guess."
He watched Bella walked down the corridor and then turn toward the kitchen. Then, he dashed out of her wing and to the main wing where he and Voldemort stayed. He entered his father's study and said.
"Quick, you're going to be late!"
"Late?" Voldemort asked uninterestedly. "For what?"
"Dinner!"
"How can I be late for dinner? This is my house."
Harish groaned. "Just go and eat dinner!"
It said a lot that this behavior didn't even cause the Dark Lord to become angry. He simply smirked at his son's antics.
"Fine," he replied. "I was just about to send an elf for a snack anyway."
He set his newspaper down and stood up, walking out of his study.
"Yes!" Harish exclaimed. The Dark Lord shot him a look. "Sorry—I mean. That's good. I hope you enjoy your food."
"You are not coming with me?" his father asked, stopping and turning to look at this insane teenager.
"I fixed the food okay!" Harish exclaimed, acting as if he did not want to divulge this information. "That's why I want you to go eat."
Voldemort shook his head and headed for the dining room. Harish grinned behind his back and turned to go to his bedroom. From there, he snuck back toward the dining room collected the twins and Draco, who had just finished fixing the room for them.
"This is the oddest sort of prank I've ever pulled," Fred whispered to him as they walked back.
"Agreed," George said.
"Yes, but you have to admit it is fun," Harish said.
"Why exactly are you trying to get them together?" Draco asked. They entered Harish's bedroom again.
"I dunno," Harish mumbled awkwardly, looking down at his bedspread. "I've always wanted a real family."
They there for a moment and then Harish seemed to snap out of some sort of wistful state. "Anyway. It's fun messing with them. My father especially."
The twins shot each other a look. They were the only ones there that didn't understand Harish's want for a real family. They had too much family in their opinion. This caused them to feel slightly awkward. Draco, on the other hand, didn't think anything of it. He was ignored by his own parents anyway. Not to mention he was an only child.
Harish then started talking with the other three boys to distract them from what he had just said. He most likely hadn't meant to say it at all.
The next day they got dressed and ready for the party. Harish had to do some serious planning the day before, wondering what he was going to do with who. He was inviting everyone's families. In most parts this wouldn't be a problem, but Harish knew that his father was going to have Death Eaters coming through the whole time.
So, in case of the Weasleys, he would have to keep them distracted.
People were due to arrive at three o' clock. Harish was then going to show them into his father's meeting room. That was the main room that was big enough for a large party of people. Harish and his three friends threw some streamers over some dark looking artifacts, his the throne at the front of the room, and no one could tell what the room was really used for. Harish had the elves set tables up along the side of the room for food and a couple round tables in the center to sit at. Then, there was still a rather large open space where people could move around.
The first person to arrive was Dean. He was alone, as Harish thought it a bad idea to invite his Muggle mother. Harish directed him to the ballroom, and stayed by the door to greet his other guests. Dean walked up and stood awkwardly next to Draco. Both of them were painfully aware that they belonged to enemy houses.
Then, after Dean, Hermione arrived (also by herself). Once Hermione found her way to the correct room, Ginny showed up with her parents. Harish was glad to notice that Ron hadn't come. He didn't know what he would have done if that idiot had showed up.
Next, Luna Lovegood and her father arrived, followed by Angelina Johnson and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Hannah Abbott came as well along with Amelia Bones and her niece. Finally, Daphne came with both of her parents and her little sister, Astoria. As they were the last guests Harish had invited, he walked with them to the ballroom.
Then he, Daphne, and Astoria joined the other kids while the older Greengrasses joined the gaggle of parents. Harish was pleased to see that all of his guests (the children, anyhow) were getting along quite well. Dean was talking with the twins about joke products. Hermione was talking with Ginny about Muggle inventions. Draco was talking with Luna (though he looked a bit confused). And the Hufflepuffs were keeping to themselves.
They spent the time eating and catching up with each other. They all did not do much more than talk the entire party.
After the party ended, the twins and Draco still remained at Harish's house for the rest of the break. The day after Harish's Christmas Eve party, he was woken up by a pillow being thrown in his face.
"Harish! It's Christmas!" Draco exclaimed, throwing another pillow at his friend.
Harish groaned and flicked his wand. There was an odd popping sound and the next moment, Draco was hanging in the air by his ankle.
"Will that teach you to not wake me up again?" Harish asked, releasing his friend.
The blonde boy laughed. "Whatever you say, Harish."
Harish shook his head, but went down to the sitting room nevertheless. The twins were already down there, opening their presents that were under the tree. Harish and Draco joined them. The three older boys got sweaters from Mrs. Weasley along with a tin of homemade fudge, come Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle. As Harish moved all these things aside, he noticed a long, thin package.
"What is that?" Draco asked, looking over, a box of chocolates in his hand.
"I don't know…"
Harish ripped the packaging open and gasped as a magnificent, gleaming broomstick rolled out onto his lap. Draco gasped and the twins dropped a pair of silver knitted socks they were each holding. The other three boys hopped up for a closer look.
"I don't believe it," the twins whispered in awe.
It was a Firebolt, the latest model of broom that had come out that summer. Its handle glittered as he picked it up. He could feel it vibrating. The teen stood up and let go. The broom hung in midair at the perfect height for Harish to mount. His eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top handle, right down to the perfectly smooth birch twigs that made up the tail.
"Who sent it to you?" Draco asked in a hushed voice.
All four boys ripped through the wrappings, looking for a card of some sorts. There was none. All there was, was a little tag with the name Harry scrawled on it.
"It's addressed to Harry," Harish murmured.
"We don't know any Harrys," Draco said. "Maybe they just misspelled your name."
Harish nodded.
"Or maybe it's a nickname or something," George said.
"But who would spend this much money on you?" Draco asked incredulously. "Because I can tell you, it wasn't me. We could afford something like this, but I would totally have one first."
Harish shook his head. "I don't know who could've sent it…"
"You don't think…" Fred wondered aloud trailing off.
"What?" Draco and Harish asked.
"You don't think Sirius Black could've sent it, do you?"
"Why Sirius Black?"
"I dunno…He may think that Harry Potter is still alive."
"Yeah," George said, catching on. "So he sent a jinxed broom addressed to Harry, trying to get rid of him. But since there is no Harry in Hogwarts, the owl got confused and brought it to you because your name is close enough."
"That is the most far-fetched story I have ever heard in my life," Draco said doubtfully.
"Draco is right," Harish said. "It was probably a secret admirer of mine, or something, that sent it…It doesn't matter anyway…" he paused, looking down at the shining, brand new broom. "Who wants to have a go on it?"