Heroes Come In All Shapes And Sizes

"Heroes Come in All Shapes and Sizes."


Harry dropped his books on the table in front of him and collapsed in a chair next to the fire of the Gryffindor common room. Ron and Hermione copied him, also too tired for words. They had just come from another Potions class and Snape had been in a particularly bad mood, assigning them a huge paper to write on top of the potion they had already been asked to complete by their next class. Harry's eyes glanced around the room, watching the rest of his class file in, but finally settled back on Hermione and Ron. Ron was now complaining that he would never get his essay done and if Hermione would just help a little bit, he could get started. Hermione, as always, flat out refused, telling him to look up the information in a book. Harry smiled. Not feeling inspired enough to start his own work, he let his mind wander.

It must have been cold there in my shadow,
to never have sunlight on your face.

"Oh Harry, isn't it obvious?" Hermione said despairingly. "He's jealous."

"Jealous?" Harry said incredously. "Jealous of what? He wants to make a prat of himself in front of the whole school, does he?"

"Look, " said Hermione patiently, "it's always you who gets all the attention, you know it is. I know it's not your fault," she added quickly, seeing Harry open his mouth furiously, "I know you don't ask for it.....but--well--you know, Ron's got all those brothers to compete against at home, and you're his best friend, and you're really famous--he's always shunted to one side whenever people see you and he puts up with it, and he never mentions it, but I suppose this is just one time too many....."

You were content to let me shine, that's your way.
You always walked a step behind.

 

"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses!"

He handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, Impervius!

"There!" she said, handing them back to Harry. "They'll repel water!"

Wood looked as though he could have kissed her.

"Brilliant!" he called hoarsely after her as she disappeared into the crowd.

So I was the one with all the glory,
while you were the one with all the strain.

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think--let me think....."

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

"Yes...." said Ron softly, "it's the only way....I've got to be taken."

"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted.

"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices!"

A beautiful face without a name for so long,
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.

Mrs. Weasley was close by him. She hugged Harry very tightly when she saw him and whispered in his ear, "I think Dumbledore will let you come to us late in the summer. Keep in touch, Harry."

"See you, Harry," said Ron, clapping him on the back.

"Bye, Harry!" said Hermione, and she did something she had never done before, and kissed him on the cheek.

Did you ever know that you're my hero,
and everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
for you are the wind beneath my wings.

But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat---

"No," he hissed, "I've waited too long--"

The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew.

Then he saw Hermione's foot swing out of nowhere. Black let go of Harry with a grunt of pain; Ron had thrown himself on Black's wand hand and Harry heard a faint clatter--

 

It might have appeared to go unnoticed,
but I've got it all here in my heart.

 

"I didn't know leprechaun gold vanishes," Ron muttered. "I though I was paying you back. You shouldn't've given me that Chudley Cannon hat for Christmas."

 

"Forget it, all right?" said Harry.

Ron speared a roast potato on the end of his fork, glaring at it. Then he said, "I hate being poor."

I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.
I would be nothing without you.

"Harry," said George weakly, weighing the money bag in his hands, "there's got to be a thousand Galleons in here."

"Yeah," said Harry, grinning. "Think how many Canary Creams that is."

The twins stared at him.

"Just don't tell your mum where you got it.....although she might not be so keen for you to join the ministry anymore, come to think of it......"

"Harry," Fred began, but Harry pulled out his wand.

"Look," he said flatly, "take it, or I'll hex you. I know some good ones now. Just do me one favor, okay? Buy Ron some new dress robes and say they're from you?"

Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be.
I could fly higher than an eagle,
for you are the wind beneath my wings.

Without knowing what he was doing, he started forward, but there was a sudden movement on either side of him and two pairs of hands grabbed him and held him back......."No, Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black.

 

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.

Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes.

"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"

Did I ever tell you you're my hero?
You're everything, everything I wish I could be.
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle,
for you are the wind beneath my wings,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.

Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.

 

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row--Snape would never know what happened.

It was enough. Up in the air, Harry had suddenly been able to clamber back on to his broom.

Oh, the wind beneath my wings.
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings.
Fly, fly, fly away. You let me fly so high.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.

"Please, Professor McGonagall--they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I---I thought I could deal with it on my own--you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?

Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets.

Fly, fly, fly high against the sky,
so high I almost touch the sky.
Thank you, thank you,
thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings.

"Harry? Harry? Are you all right?" Hermione and Ron were both staring at Harry.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, just thinking about things," he answered. They both exchanged concerned glances at which Harry inwardly grinned.

"We were asking you," Hermione said, "if you wanted to go visit Hagrid. Even I can't concentrate on my essay right now, and we thought it would be nice to get outside. Are you coming?"

"Yeah, of course." Harry got up and followed his best friends out of the common room, smiling.