Life and Love After Voldemort

All three crowded around the letter. On the top part of the single page of parchment, a miniature Chaser kept throwing a black Quaffle through two hoops, which then morphed into two orange capital "C"s. Harry began reading the typed letter aloud.

Greetings from the big leagues, Mate!

I'd expected a note from you by now after the international coverage of my record-setting deal that has me "flying with the Cannons!" I got a bit steamed until I remembered about Hedwig and figured you might need some time to deal with that. When you're ready, you can send an owl to the team's traveling secretary or to my new pad, the penthouse suite at the Chudleighton Hotel and Casino just outside downtown Chudley, which you've got to see when I'm in town. The suite is almost as big as the Burrow, no joke! (The local Muggles think the place is a slaughterhouse and a bunch of grain silos, can you beat that?)

I admit that I had a bit of a rocky start, but I'm really coming into my own now.

(Harry had indeed read of some improvement on Ron's part. It had not been a pretty scene when co-owner/manager Ludo Bagman had benched Chudley's veteran Keeper in favor of his team's new "King" and even named him team captain before Ron had even participated in a team practice. However, Ron had actually kept the last few matches respectable -- at least by Cannons standards, which meant within 200 points of the other team when the Snitch was caught. As a result, the fruit that the rowdy "Cannon Fodder" section of the home crowd pelted Ron with after each loss appeared fresher and softer with each subsequent match.)

The way Ludo's done everything to make me the face of this franchise, I've been busting my hump to show that he was right to back me. It's great to finally see some Galleons from my hard work, and that's what big-time Quidditch is, not just fans and banquets and money and fame. It's also about giving back to the community when you've been given so much by the sport [Harry snorted], but more about that another time.

Tell Hermione that I am well, and that I hope that she is well as well.

"What a clod," Ginny spat. "Are you well as well, Hermione?"

"Shhh, Ginny! Keep reading, Harry."

Ludo isn't keen on extracurricular distractions, so I won't be swooping in to visit unexpectedly, but let Hermione know that I will let her know when my schedule will allow for a meeting at a proper time and place.

Wish the Cannons luck, Harry, and don't study too hard!

King Weasley

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

"'KING' WEASLEY?!?" Hermione screamed, grabbing the letter from Harry. "'KING' Weasley will deign to see me at the 'proper time'?!? Oh, if he thought my Avis-Oppugno bird attack was painful, let's see how "well" our King feels when I accio every red hair on his body until he feels worse than a plucked chicken, and I mean EVERY hair!!!"

Hermione proceeded to rip the letter to shreds, only to have the blank bottom portion of the page stay completely intact.

"That's odd," Harry said. Hermione paused for a moment and then whipped out her wand, pointing it at the letter and saying "Reparo!" and "Revelio qui es absconditus!" The bottom of the letter now contained several lines in Ron's barely-legible scrawl.

Harry, I had to add this note in Shrinky Ink, courtesy of George. If anyone but the addressee tries to read it, all the lines shrink into a tiny dot, and I don't want anyone else finding out the news I have for you. I wrote that rubbish above saying I wasn't coming by soon in case Hermione grabbed this letter before you got it.

"Why, I never!" Hermione exclaimed.

Actually, Ludo's arranged with McGonagall to have a charity exhibition match at Hogwarts between the school All-Stars and the Cannons to raise money for repairs. This is gonna be my best chance to square things with Hermione. I thought she'd write and congratulate me, and I almost went mental when she didn't. Ludo told me to channel all of my anger and frustration into my training regimen, and that helped a heap. After a while, I tried writing her a note, but I couldn't finish it and I had a million other things to take care of. Then one day, I realized it'd been months since I left. I don't see how I could've screwed things up any worse, Harry. I want to just fly over and apologize, but you remember how she almost murdered me after I left you two alone in the countryside. I think it's better that I first meet her in public at an official event that's important to the school so she doesn't blast me into oblivion before I can say anything. I'll send you another note when I know more.

Ginny shook her head. "So his majesty is coming here to show us how to play Quidditch! I'd fly a banner saying WEASLEY IS YOUR PRAT at his next match if I didn't have the same last name!"

Hermione looked worn out and overwhelmed, but her expression betrayed nothing of what she was thinking. "I'm going to take a walk outside, get some food from Winky, and go to bed." She muttered something as she touched her wand to her mussed hair and tear-stained face and instantly looked like a new person. "Thank you both for your support tonight, and I'll see you tomorrow."

Her friends both moved to say something, but Hermione stopped them. "I'll be fine, guys. Really." She hugged them both, gave a thin, resigned smile and walked towards an exit to the courtyard. Harry and Ginny watched her disappear into the night air, then walked hand-in-hand back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

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

"What do you think she's going to do?" Ginny wondered.

"We probably won't know until he gets here," Harry concluded. "King Ronald the First needs to come down to earth, or I won't blame Hermione if she blasts him off his throne."

Harry's temper had cooled somewhat after reading the hidden part of Ron's letter, but he was still riled about the self-inflating swill that Ron was spewing. And that nickname! He's given himself a bloody coronation! Harry was glad to move up the timetable of knocking some sense into Ron, and he had no intention of leaving that task solely to Hermione after she'd promised to control herself. It's better if I'm the one taking Ron down a peg to start, Harry thought, shuddering as he imagined a hairless Ron streaking away from the pitch, holding onto his broomstick for dear life.

As they arrived at the portrait hole, Harry turned to Ginny and made her a proposition. "I'm guessing you'll be the Hogwarts captain since you're captaining the last House to win the Cup. Need a Seeker, Ginny?"

Chuckling, Ginny didn't miss a beat. "You don't know how bad I need a Seeker, Potter. Applications are being accepted tomorrow evening under the stadium seats at 8 o'clock sharp, so don't be late... Mmmm..."

Their lingering kiss was broken up by an unexpected sigh. "Young love!" squeaked the Fat Lady. "How precious it is after the horrors I've seen."

Ginny blushed and Harry squirmed. "Uh, thanks, I guess," Harry replied, then remembered something. "Say, can you tell us the password just this once? We got pulled away from the Welcoming Feast to help a friend, and -"

"Anything for you and your lady love, my valiant boy! It's 'Wulfric.' Ta ta!"

As Harry and Ginny settled down beside the fire and waited for their friends to return from the feast, Harry wondered which would be end up being harder: fighting the dark forces or getting Hermione and Ron to overcome their tempers and show their passion with kisses rather than curses.