The Great Gale

The Great Gale

“Slow down,” screeched Ron, “this thing’s almost as old as Dumbledore!” Harry whizzed past his friend and nearly knocked him off of his broom. “Just because you’ve got a Firebolt doesn’t give you an excuse to run me over!”

“Sorry, Ron, but you’ve got to get used to it if you’re going to be on the team!”

Ron was a reserve beater on the Gryffindor quidditch team. Over the summer his brothers, Fred and George, were practicing quidditch in a clearing by their house when George ran into a tree. His arm was bent at an odd angle and it appeared to be broken. This went unnoticed until Mrs. Weasley saw that her son’s arm was purple and as thick as his neck. Their fears had proved true: George’s arm was broken. Back at school the twins were reprimanded for using magic over break, and George was off of the team until he was well. Right at this very moment he was enjoying a bottle of skelegrow with Madam Pomfrey in he hospital wing.

“I don’t feel sorry for him one bit,” said Hermione when Ron and Harry told her what had happened, “He knew what he was doing. He got the letter about prohibited use of magic over break just like the rest of us.” She then gazed out the window of the common room into the great storm that began to brew over Hogwarts. The murky clouds crawled across the sky above Hagrid’s hut. Harry could see the rain pelting down into the Dark Forest. Hopefully everything would clear up before practice tomorrow. Harry really didn’t want to fly through the rain. It stung when it hit his cheeks, and, unless Hermione put a repellant spell on his glasses, water would cloud the lenses of his glasses.

“Honestly, Hermione! Can’t you show a little bit of compassion?” sighed Ron.

“I can show compassion! I’m a caring person! I just think that he deserved his punishment.” Hermione said.

Harry began to tire of Ron and Hermione’s constant bickering. Sometimes he thought that if they had to agree and be pleasant towards each other for one hour or die, they would most likely die. Just then Professor McGonagall stepped out into the common room from behind the portrait of the Fat Lady.

“Students! Your attention, please.” Said Professor McGonagall. She did her best to speak over the student's loud drone. “Your attention!” she looked around the room at the students sitting around the fireplace with their backs to her.

“Attentus givernius” she muttered under her breath. Immediately the children turned to face her. They were silent, as if someone had given them all treacle tarts to cement their mouths shut.

“Thank you. In case you hadn’t noticed, the storm outside is amounting to something powerful, and we may soon be required to move to the dungeons for our own well being…” Just then a gust blew through the fireplace, putting out the fire and plunging the students into complete darkness. Suddenly a crash was heard and Hermione shrieked, along with many of the other Gryffindor girls. A bolt of pain shot through Harry’s head. He clutched his forehead for what seemed like hours until the pain subsided. He looked around to see if anyone was staring at him. Then he remembered that the fire had gone out and that there was no light.

“It’s just a window, ladies. Now, prefects, please lead your house to the dungeon. I’ll be down in a moment.” Professor McGonagall then walked over to the window and whipped out her wand. That was the last that Harry saw before he left the room, leading his peers to the lowest floor of the school along with his fellow prefects. He ran up so that he was walking next to Hermione. He was still holding his forehead. Hermione looked at him questioningly.

“It’s just my scar. Don’t worry.”

“Harry, every time your scar bothers you something bad happens.”

“It’s nothing, I swear.” Whispered Harry, even though it felt like he was sprouting a horn in the middle of his forehead.

“Come on, now.” Said Hermione to the rest of the students, “Don’t dawdle.” Harry looked over at her. He could tell she was trying to be strong, but he could see that her lower lip was quivering as if she would burst out in tears at any moment. She was easily spooked.