Harry Potter and the Loss of Innocence

Chapter Seventeen:
The Quidditch Game From Hell

Every cloud has a silver lining.
~Proverb

Harry spent the next two weeks training the Quidditch team for their game on the second Saturday of the month. The weather had turned nasty again the week of the game and Ron was complaining every moment he got. Katie and Harry were worried about the conduct of the Slytherin team. There had been no attacks among the supporters as there normally were. The Slytherins were actually all behaving themselves. The Slytherin Quidditch team ignored all Gryffindors. They would walk wide circles around any Gryffindor in the hallways and sat as far from them as possible in class.

The D.A. still met once a week, though Harry had to cut training with Thia down to one day both weeks. In class they were going over the rules and basic techniques of dueling. Thia had told him that the actual dueling wouldn't start until after the game. She didn't want any of the aggression between the two houses to come out in the class.

The Thursday before the game was their last practice. Draco was furious, because Katie had booked the pitch for that day back in September. The Slytherins were going to practice the night before the game. Harry hoped they all caught colds.

Friday came and went. Their homework was surprisingly light. Harry thought it was because of the games, but he had no proof. But Professor McGonagall wished Ron and Harry good luck at the end of their Transfiguration class that morning. (Harry had successfully changed his hand into a basket also. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with that knowledge, but he did manage to do it.)

That evening Harry made his way up to the hospital wing. He wanted a dreamless sleep potion that night so that he would get a decent sleep. He didn't want to be tired.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked, looking around for her.

"Yes, dear?" Madam Pomfrey asked popping her head out her office door. She smiled at him and asked, "Here to make sure I have a bed ready for you?"

"No," Harry answered embarrassed. He somehow managed to spend more than a week in one of those beds every year. "I was, um, wondering if I could, um." Now that it came to asking for it, he found he couldn't.

"What is it, dear? I have a potion brewing that I must get back to."

"I was wondering," Harry replied strongly, convincing himself that he could do this, "if I could get a Dreamless Sleep Potion for the night. I have trouble with nightmares and I wanted a decent sleep for the game tomorrow."

"A decent sleep so that you can get yourself knocked off your broom one minute into the game and spend the next three days fighting for your survival?"

"No," Harry answered with a smile. Madam Pomfrey could always find the danger in the activities of life. "So that I can stay on my broom and see the bludger coming for my head. A good sleep would greatly improve my chances of not being injured."

"Yes, that's true," she added thoughtfully. "If you have trouble with them, why haven't you asked me for one earlier?"

"Because I read that you can build up a resistance to it. I don't want to build a resistance, so that I can take it when I need it. Normally, I can deal with the nightmares." She seemed slightly impressed and told him to wait.

"Here you go. Take this nine to ten hours before you want to be up or you'll sleep through the game."

"Thank you, Madam."

"It's nothing, Harry. You beat those Slytherins," she added smiling.

"You were a Gryffindor?"

"Of course, now go!"

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Harry woke up at eight the next morning. He noticed that everyone else was already up and tried to remember the last time that had happened. It was the first day of classes and that had been caused by a potion also.

Harry hurried down to the Great Hall and made sure his team ate something. Natalie was in pieces. This was her first game and Harry couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He had been a wreck his first game too.

They headed down early to check the pitch conditions. The ground was soggy, but the rain had stopped and the wind had dropped. The grey would make the quaffle stick out, but the dimness of the day would make it hard to see the snitch.

Back in the locker room everyone changed for the game. They wore scarlet red Quidditch robes and Harry felt the calm before a game settle over him. He loved flying; he belonged in the air. He would catch the snitch right from under Malfoy's nose.

"Ok, conditions aren't perfect, but they're better than we had hoped for," Katie started nervously.

"So, we spent all that time in the rain for nothing?" Ron complained loudly.

"No you, idiot," Harry said, hitting Ron's head. "It could still rain and you needed all the help you could get."

"Thanks, Harry," Katie said appreciating his help. "As I was saying, the conditions aren't great. I think the snitch will be hard to see, right Harry?" Harry nodded. "That means we need to score and run the total up. And Ron, don't you dare let one quaffle through or I'll have you practicing every night, regardless of the weather."

"Oh, thanks, Katie," Ron mumbled mournfully.

"Madam Pomfrey told us that she wanted us to win," Harry said, taking over from Katie. "She was a Gryffindor, back in her day. I know McGonagall would love it if we won. And to beat Draco will be a huge pleasure. Especially since he's the Slytherin captain. Now, he picked a team more on the huge, moronic side of the scale. So watch out for foul play. Don't expect a whistle, because if Madam Hooch isn't looking in the right direction, she won't see it."

"Just play your hardest," Katie continued, "and do what you do in practice. Harry will try to catch the snitch as soon as possible. Now, let's go."

They walked out onto the pitch, Dean calling out their names, "Sloper, Kirke, MacDonald, Weasley, Weasley, Bell, and Potter!" The Slytherins, dressed in their green Quidditch robes, were already on the pitch waiting for them in the center.

"Ok, captains shake hands," Madam Hooch instructed the three players. Katie shook Draco's hand first and Harry could tell he was trying to break her fingers. Then Harry and Malfoy shook hands and they had a nice little fight. Harry was happy to see Malfoy wince. "Ok, I want a nice fair game. On three. One. Two. Three." She threw the quaffle and Harry pushed off and was in the air.

"And Bell with the quaffle. She passes to Weasley. Weasley ducks around the bludger hit at her by Goyle. She passes to MacDonald. MacDonald with a break away. It's just her and the Slytherin keeper, Bletchley. She's flying for the right goal post. Wait, it's just a feint; she scores in the left one! Gryffindor with the first points of the game!"

Harry clapped and then concentrated on finding the snitch. He was flying high above the pitch out of the way of the game and circling slowly. Draco was copying him, but was on the other side of the pitch. Harry hoped that Malfoy would stay there.

"Pucey with the quaffle, he throws it to Pritchard. Ooo, that bludger had to hurt." Kirke had sent a bludger at Puecy, but it hit him too late. Puecy seemed to be all right, but he rubbed his shoulder painfully. "Pritchard throws to Bole. Weasley tries to intercept, but has to duck a bludger sent by Crabbe. Bole throws to Pucey, Puecy passes it quickly off to Pritchard but it's a weak throw. Seems that shoulder's a bit tender."

It was just Ron and Pritchard now. Harry stopped the nearly hopeless task of hunting for the snitch and watched. Pritchard was flying to the left, but Ron stayed right in front of the middle goal. That was a good idea, because Pritchard quickly changed direction and shot it at the right goal. Ron caught it with ease and passed the quaffle to Katie.

Harry looked closely at the Gryffindor goal posts. Was that the snitch? Harry flew slowly toward them and then saw that it was the snitch flying just inches below the middle hoop. He put on a spurt of speed and shot at it. "It seems Harry Potter has seen the snitch. Get out of the way, Ron!" Ron didn't move quickly enough and Harry had to swerve to miss a collision with him. Harry turned his broom sharply and that's when it started.

Harry felt something connect with the back of his head. He heard Madam Hooch's whistle as he shook his head, trying to clear the stars in his vision.

"Harry, you all right?" Ron asked worriedly. Madam Hooch was yelling at Crabbe.

"Yeah, what happened?" His vision cleared and he flew over to the huddle his team had made.

"Crabbe took a swing at your head," Katie answered. "It's one of their favorite ploys. Hear him saying that he thought it was a bludger?"

"Who should take the shot?" Natalie asked nervously.

"Katie or Ginny," Harry answered quickly. He spotted Malfoy using the time to find the missing snitch. "You girls choose. I'm going hunting." Harry zoomed away from the huddle and started flying circles above everyone. Katie took the penalty shot and made it.

"That's 50-0 Gryffindor!" Dean's voice floated over the cheers. Harry watched as Goyle hit the tail of Katie's broom. Luckily, it was a good broom and took the impact well, but it sent her spinning and Madam Hooch blew her whistle. Ginny took the penalty and, "60-0 Gryffindor!"

Harry's jaw dropped as Bletchley, their keeper, flew right at Ginny and swung at her. Unfortunately for him, he hit and Madam Hooch blew again. Natalie took this shot and Dean's voice screamed, "70-0 Gryffindor. Ginny Weasley has the quaffle. Yes folks, that's blood coming from her nose. That cheating scum..."

"Dean," McGonagall's warning voice carried over the pitch.

"Come on, Professor, he took a swing at her."

"I don't care. If you can't be unbiased I'll take that microphone away."

"Yes, Professor. So, Katie Bell scored just a little bit ago, so that makes it 80-0 Gryffindor. Natalie MacDonald with the quaffle she stole from Bole. She's flying toward the goal, no one's in front of her. She... she... You bloody cheater!" Puecy had flown right into Natalie and grabbed her flying hair. He pulled her from the broom, but she had grabbed the stick just before she fell.

"Mr. Pucey," Madam Hooch's voice carried over the silent pitch, "that is one of the most pathetic fouls I have ever seen. Miss MacDonald, please take your penalty shot." Natalie scored and Pritchard took possession of the quaffle and shot toward Ron.

"Pritchard's gaining ground on, no wait, where'd Bell come from. She's ahead of him and turning around to challenge him. What the... He can't do that!" Madam Hooch's whistle blew once again and Harry was about ready to forfeit the game just to protect his chasers. Goyle had sent a hex at Katie and she was sporting a nice boil on her cheek.

"Katie Bell takes the penalty shot for Gryffindor and she scores! That's 100-0 Gryffindor!"

Harry decided that it was time he took Malfoy down a few pegs. He flew nearer to the Slytherin seeker and went into a nosedive. Harry loved this feeling, but he was concentrating on the Wronski Feint. He watched the ground approach quickly. With any luck, Malfoy was on his tail. Just before he hit he pulled up from the dive and shot straight up in the air. He heard Draco crash.

"And that folks is the Wronski Feint. An excellent Feint, in my opinion. The game is paused to see if the ferret..."

"Mr. Thomas, once more and I'll take that away!"

"Yes, Professor. And the Slytherin captain is all right. Madam Hooch gives the quaffle back to Ginny who had it, you cheating scum!" McGonagall didn't even say anything to Dean. Bole had punched Ginny in the face, for the second time that game. "Madam Hooch awards Gryffindor a penalty shot and the score's... 110-0 Gryffindor. Bole with the quaffle. He passes to Pritchard. Pritchard to Pucey. Pucey back to Pritchard. Pritchard shoots and... scores. 110-10 Gryffindor."

Harry had spent the whole time looking for the snitch, but he couldn't see it. He watched Bole punch Kirke, but Madam Hooch didn't see it because Goyle had taken a swing at Natalie's broom and had broken a few twigs from the end. Madam Hooch called a referee's time and helped Natalie fix it. Then Natalie scored her penalty shot.

Katie took the quaffle from Puecy, but he elbowed her and Madam Hooch called another penalty for cobbing. This was just ridiculous. The game couldn't go anywhere, because there were too many penalties.

The game went on for an hour; the score was now 240-100 Gryffindor. Most of the Gryffindor points were penalties. The Slytherins wouldn't give them a chance to score otherwise. All three girls had bloody noses at one point. So had Ron, when Goyle had sent an illegal bludger at him. Kirke had two black eyes from punches Madam Hooch hadn't seen. Sloper's left eye was swollen shut from taking Crabbe's beater club. The back of Harry's head was bleeding from another hit from Goyle.

But in that whole time, the snitch remained hidden. It was starting to worry Harry. He needed to end this game. He motioned for a timeout and Madam Hooch gave it to them.

"Is everyone all right?" Harry asked as soon as everyone was near enough to hear.

"Sure," Katie replied grumpily. "They should make Slytherin forfeit!"

"Here, Sloper, let me heal that eye a bit." Harry motioned for him to fly closer and pulled his wand from his robes. He said a quick healing charm and Sloper opened his eye. "Just keep fighting back. I'm looking hard. Do you think Malfoy will fall for the Feint again?"

"Change it up a bit," Ron answered thoughtfully. "Fly at the stand base. He won't think you'd do the Feint like that."

"Ok, everyone, time to start again." Madam Hooch handed Ginny the quaffle and blew her whistle. That was when Harry felt the first drop of rain. Soon it was pouring like it had been all week. The wind picked up and Harry started to get cold.

He waited for Gryffindor to score three times before he went sprinting at the wall. Ron was right and Malfoy was quickly on his tail. Harry pulled up and heard the sickening crunch as Draco collided with the wall. He hoped Draco had broken several bones.

Draco was, unfortunately, unhurt and circled Harry angrily. He yelled something, but the wind took the words away before Harry could hear them. Malfoy flew closer and Harry caught his words. "You mudblood! Stop with your tricks and fight me fair and square!" Harry ignored the taunts, even the indecent ones about his mum. Thia had taught him ways to keep his temper in check.

Another hour passed and the score was 480-270 Gryffindor. Katie sported a dislocated shoulder from Bletchley grabbing her hand as she flew after Bole going the other way with the quaffle. Ginny's right hand was broken from getting her finger's caught between Goyle's club wielded by Pritchard and her broom. Natalie had lost her temper when Crabbe had swung his club at her and had punched him between his eyes. Crabbe was already in the hospital wing, unconscious with a broken nose and skull. Kirke had needed to go get another bat after Malfoy had blown up his first one. Sloper's left eye was swollen once more and his left arm hung limp at his side broken because he hadn't seen the bludger sent his way. Ron was pissed beyond reason, because they kept haversacking (having their hand still on the quaffle as it goes through the hoop) and he was about ready to blow up if they hit his sister one more time.

Harry had tried the Feint twice more, only catching Draco off guard once. He was starting to get angry. They were up by 210 points and injured beyond belief. Why wouldn't they call the game?

The weather wasn't helping anyone's mood. It had been two and a half hours of the crudest Quidditch Harry had ever played. The last hour and ten or so minutes were some of the worst weather he'd ever played in. It rivaled with the game he lost in third year.

A half hour passed and the crowd had thinned out to just Gryffindors and Slytherins and a few others. Harry circled the pitch hoping for the briefest of glimpses of the snitch. He was flying past the Slytherin's goal posts as Ginny scored their five hundred fiftieth point. That's when he saw it; down below him almost directly. When he was right over it he nosedived at it.

"Potter, I'm not falling for that again!" Draco shouted down at Harry as Draco flew over him.

Harry knew he had it the second he started that dive. He was almost there. Just a few more inches and the game would be over. He reached out his hand and felt his hand wrap around it. He pulled out of the dive, just feet from the ground and held it up in the air. There must have been cheering, but Harry couldn't hear it over the thunder. The game was finally over. The score was 700-310.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That was the foulest, sloppiest, most pathetic game I've ever played!" Katie shouted when she entered the locker room. She threw her boom at a wall. "Why didn't they just call it so that the Slytherin's wouldn't have the chances to kill us that they did?"

"You guys did great," Harry said after Katie sat angrily on the bench. "Let's see, Jack can't see and doesn't have a usable left arm. Ginny's nose is broken and so is her hand. Katie has a dislocated shoulder and a broken nose. Natalie is my new role model. You took out Crabbe. I've been meaning to do that for years! She also has a broken nose. Ron, you're black and blue and I don't think it's just from the cold. So are you, Andrew. I think you still have a little wood in you. And me, well, I'm bleeding and bruised and pissed that they let my team get hurt like this!"

"As am I, Potter," McGonagall said waspishly. "Unfortunately, there is no way we can call a game. Not after it has started at least. I will make sure the Slytherin team is put on probation. Get changed and shower to warm up a bit. Then head straight to the hospital wing and make sure Poppy writes all of your injuries down." She turned and walked to the door. Once there, she stopped and turned. "Thank you for keeping your tempers. It makes getting them suspended much easier."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At dinner that night all the school could talk about was the fact that Slytherin's team had been disbanded until further notice. Several of the D.A. Slytherins and their friends had already appealed the decision, asking for a new captain and a new team. The staff was considering it.

The other houses were impressed with Gryffindor's play and attitudes. Any other year, the team would have attacked those Slytherins and beat them into a pulp. This year, Harry had told them to give the Slytherins the silent treatment.

Not only had the Slytherin team been suspended, but they also had lost 50 points each, for a total of 350 points. Slytherin had a total of 39 points in their hour cup; the lowest they'd had for years. Gryffindor on the other hand had gained 200 points for the game. Harry couldn't believe it.

The next day at noon Harry headed to train with Thia. The Gryffindors wanted him to stay and celebrate some more, but Harry knew that he needed to train. He also wanted to see if Tonks was here this week. She had still been out of it over the last weekend, but she had woken up last Monday. Remus was excited about that, and had sent a letter telling Harry about how some anonymous tipper had told them the counter curse. Harry couldn't help but wonder if it had been Snape.

"Harry!" There was Tonks, sitting comfortably in a squashy, fluffy armchair. Remus was sitting on the desk next to her and Thia was at her desk correcting. Tonks looked... Well there wasn't any other word but normal. She had the Black looks. She had long black hair, a beautiful face structure, and gorgeous black eyes. She looked a lot like Sirius had before Azkaban, only more feminine. "Congratulations on winning yesterday. Remus told me all about it. I wish the doctors would have let me go." She was hyper-sounding, but Harry could tell she didn't have that much energy.

"You were there, Remus?" Harry asked the smiling man.

"Yes," he replied. "My sister invited me and I couldn't turn down the chance to watch you play again. Those were some nice Wronski Feints."

"Thanks, diving comes naturally, so Draco didn't have a chance," Harry answered slightly embarrassed.

"I'm proud of how you kept your temper, Harry," Thia said proudly.

"Yeah, I'm glad I did too. Professor McGonagall said it made it easier to punish the Slytherins."

"It sure did," Thia answered solemnly. "And it got you those extra points. What do you think about the appeal?"

"I think they should give the team to Blaise or maybe Sephra, 'cause she's played before. They aren't going to cheat like that. And Slytherin is so far out of the playing; we don't need to worry about them."

"I wouldn't say that," Remus said meditatively. "They scored a nice amount, also. And as it always goes for long games, your points are doctored slightly, to make it fair for the other teams that won't be playing such long games. It'll be interesting to see how this year ends."

"Now, back to business, Tonks is here to observe," Thia stated. "She doesn't have any magical reserves, so she can't duel even if she wanted to. Remus is going to duel with you first."

Harry enjoyed his duels with Remus. Remus was quick, much faster than Thia and his quickness helped improve Harry's reflexes. He also fought completely differently. Whereas Tonks and Thia were both Ministry trained, Remus learnt most everything he knew through real duels with the Death Eaters during the first war. After Hogwarts Remus couldn't join the Ministry because he was a werewolf, so he had devoted his whole time to the Order.

Harry woke up slowly from the stunner Remus had hit him with. He sat up and looked at the laughing Tonks. "Glad someone's amused," he mumbled grumpily. He watched her laugh and couldn't help but smile too. She clapped at the bowing Remus and Harry noticed something glitter on her finger. "What's that?" he asked pointing at her left hand.

Harry couldn't understand why Remus had blushed scarlet or why the two women were laughing even harder.

"It's called a ring, Harry," Thia said in a voice one would use with a three year old. "People wear them on fingers as jewelry."

"I know that!" Harry irritably said. "But, why is she wearing it on her left hand. Unless..." Harry looked at the blushing Remus, the beaming Tonks, and laughing Thia. "You didn't?" Harry asked Remus surprised.

"And why shouldn't he?" Tonks replied sharply. Harry realized his mistake and apologized to Tonks.

"I'm sorry, that came out wrong. I just never thought Remus would actually ask."

"I asked her the first time they let me see her on Tuesday." Remus shrugged at Harry. He walked over to Tonks and hugged her. "When she was in her coma, all I could think of was what would happen if she died. I decided that when she awoke, I would ask her to marry me. She's too important to me to let her die without telling her. I bought the ring last week. What do you think?"

"I only have one question: When's the wedding?" Harry laughed at Remus's expression. "You did know that you have to marry her now, right?"

Remus hurled himself at Harry and they wrestled for a moment on the ground. Harry ended up winning, with Remus pinned to the ground. "You're getting old, old man."

"When did you get so strong, Harry?" Remus asked getting up. The girls were laughing hysterically.

"Don't change the subject. And I've been lifting weights all summer and fall. Now, when's the wedding?"

"We aren't sure," Tonks answered once she got herself under control. "Neither of us have a lot of cash at the moment. But we don't want to wait too long."

"Your parents got married," Remus went on, "much sooner than your grandparents had wanted. They hadn't been dating for more than a year when they got engaged. But they told their parents that as fighters in the war, they didn't want to wait until it was too late. They ended up getting married June 21 one year after they got engaged."

"Sirius and I got married," Thia started when Remus finished, "about six months after our first date. Of course we both had crushes on the other at several different times during school and after, but never at the same time. It's a good thing, because we were married a little over two years when he was sent to Azkaban."

"Oh," Harry said thoughtfully. "So if you had the money, when would you get married?"

"Summer," Tonks said.

"Christmas," Remus said at the same time. Harry and Thia laughed at the couple. "Whenever the bride wants to," Remus answered courteously. "That's what James and Sirius both did and they surprisingly had good marriages."

"That's only because they had good wives," Thia added. "Without Lily and me they would have been lost."

"So Tonks, this summer or next?" Harry asked, a plan shaping in his mind.

"This summer, why?" she asked suspiciously.

"Because if I don't know these things, Ginny and Hermione are going to hang me upside down by my toes. And I definitely don't want to do that."

"Ok, enough chit chat. Ready Harry?" Thia asked pulling out her wand.

"Wait, aren't we going to talk about the last duel?" Harry asked looking at Tonks. He wanted to hear her opinion.

They spent the rest of the time talking about the duels and actually dueling. Harry enjoyed working with these three people immensely. They had a good sense of humor and knew a lot about fighting the dark arts. Harry left the room sore but happy. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He what?" Ron asked choking on his food.

"He proposed to Tonks," Harry repeated with a smile.

"That's so sweet," Ginny said, squeezing Harry's hand under the table. Harry was glad that Madam Pomfrey was able to heal it perfectly. He would have missed holding it.

"When?" Hermione asked, pulling her nose out of the Runes textbook she was reading.

"Tuesday, when he first saw her awake."

"When are they getting married?" Ginny asked happily.

"They aren't sure yet," Harry answered, wondering if he should tell them his plan. "They don't have enough money saved for a wedding, so they're going to wait." He took a bit of potatoes. "They don't want to wait too long though, just in case."

"Just in case of what?" Ron asked around some vegetables.

"In case they die fighting, you idiot," Ginny answered teasingly. "What are you thinking, Harry?" He looked at her surprised and then kissed her cheek. Ginny was surprised by his action; he had never kissed her so publicly. Harry just smiled; he was glad Ginny was surprised and pleased by the simple action.

"I was wondering if I should help pay for it. You know as a thank you gift for everything they've done." He shook his head. "With the money my parents left me and the money from the WWW that Fred and George are trying to shove down my throat, I have more than enough for myself. I haven't seen Remus so happy before. I don't want them to miss out on this."

"That's a great idea, Harry," Hermione said quietly. "But they aren't going to take that money willingly. You'll have to convince them."

"I know. I was thinking we'd surprise them with it," Harry replied.

"And how would you do that?" Ginny asked curiously.

"By having you ladies and Thia find out what Tonks wants, and then us guys figuring out what Remus wants." He took a sip of juice. "I think we could get your mum to help, and Thia would for sure. Bill and the twins would help too, I think."

"That's a great idea," Hermione said brightly. "But when would we have it?"

"Tonks wanted to have it this summer," Harry answered before eating a spoonful of stew. The two girls looked at him strangely. "I knew you two would want to know that so I asked."

"Harry, when did you get so smart?" Ginny asked perplexed. Harry blushed and looked at her strangely. "Ron would never even have thought about asking."

Harry shrugged. "You want to do something next weekend?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"Sure, this time I get to plan it though," Ginny answered with a strange smile.

"I don't want to see that smile on your lips, missy," Ron answered disgustedly. "I don't even want you to think about using that smile."

"But why not, Ron?" Ginny answered sweetly. "I thought you like it when Hermione uses it?" Both Hermione and Ron blushed, Hermione's cheeks turning red and Ron's ears turning redder. "Tsk, tsk. Double standards."

"Ginny leave them be," Harry whispered in her ear. He raised his voice so that Hermione could hear the next sentence also, "Why don't you girls write Tonks asking all about it. She won't be so suspicious if you start finding out all about how he proposed."

"Who proposed to who?" Lavender asked from next to Hermione. She had just sat down.

"Remember Professor Lupin?" Ginny answered. Lavender nodded. "He asked an Auror friend of ours to marry him. She was the Auror that survived protecting Fudge."

"Oh, that's sweet," Lavender said, buttering a roll. "How do you know her?"

"Family friend," Ginny answered briefly. "She works in the Ministry and so does my dad. Her dad was muggle-born, so my dad likes to ask her questions about muggle things."

"Oh," she answered absently. "Hey Parvati, Professor Lupin's getting married."

"Oh, I'm glad," Parvati answered. "He was such a nice man, even if he was a werewolf. To who?"

"You know that Auror that was in St. Mungo's? He's marrying her."

"Oh, that's nice. Hey, Mary do you understand that Transfiguration homework?"

"Yeah, I'll explain it in the library later."

Harry shook his head as Mary (a Hufflepuff) and Parvati started talking about Remus and Tonks; by tomorrow morning everyone at Hogwarts would know.