Harry Potter and His New Standards

* Chapter 6 - Signs, Signals, & Snarled Complications *

It seemed Holly couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. She was so ecstatic about Harry's trouble with girls that it made him absolutely sick. "What about Gin? And 'Mione?" she had asked immediately afterward. Harry sighed and looked up at her, just waiting for her to read his thoughts. "Ohhhh you've got troubles, my dear boy!"

He rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah I guess so. 'Least Ron isn't mad at me about the Quidditch thing anymore... I don't think anyway... it would only complicate things further."

"Well don't think about if because if he is - you'll never realize because you're a boy and boys are stupid," Holly said cheerfully.

"Thanks, Holly," he said dully.

After a silence as they drew nearer to the portrait of the fat lady, Holly began singing under her breath. She always seemed to have a song for the moment. "Hmm hm hm hm hm and make things so complicated - I see the way you're actin like you're somebody else gets me frustrated - Life's like this..." she looked at Harry, sighed, and quit singing.

"Cheer up, you're boring. I bet girls would gravel at your feet to just see you smile as if you're enjoying your life... but you'd rather look all nasty, ya damn Slytherin."

"Draco is a Slytherin..." Harry said in a nasty tone.

"Draco can... I don't know he can do something," Holly said. Harry grinned and shook his head. "See, there you go, just that... I would like a picture of you smiling to send to my friend Jo so she can pass it around the school - bet you they'd all be like "YOU'RE GODBROTHER IS HARRY POTTER?! Oh my gawd, Holly, Oh. My. Gawd. He is soooo hot, wow..."" Holly said mockingly, rolling her eyes.

"I thought your friend's name was Jackie," Harry said.

"Yeah I have a friend Jackie and a friend Jennie and a friend Jo... they're all the same," she said, waving a hand as though friends weren't necessary, she only needed herself. Harry actually laughed at this. "There, do that more."

"What, do I look "hot" when I laugh?" Harry asked.

"If I hadn't gotten used to the thought of you being my brother, I might be able to judge that," Holly said, cringing at the very thought of complimenting the closest thing she had to a brother on his looks other than the "Yeah, you look nice-" trying to encourage him if he were going out or something...

Harry smiled right as they found themselves facing the portrait of the fat lady. "Pinzestinclee," Holly said, still marveling at how it would swing forward to admit them at the pronunciation ridiculous word.

They entered the bustling common room. Harry waded through all the Gryffindors over to Hermione, and Ginny. Holly kept right behind him. She looked around. "Where's Ron?"

"He went off to the kitchens to knick some food for us. Supper in the common room for his "celebration". He was practically skipping when he came in," Ginny replied, rolling her eyes.

"What's he so happy about?" Harry asked as they sat around one of the round wooden tables.

"Being partnered up with some girl in his Warlock Literature lessons or something," Hermione said.

"Who is she?" Harry asked.

"Probably some Quidditch groupie with a mattress strapped to her back," Holly said under her breath, resting her chin on her hand.

Ginny and Harry snorted but Hermione didn't show a sudden need to giggle. "That's not very nice, Holly," she said.

"I know it's not," Holly replied, watching as Gryffindors slowly started to leave the common room.

"What is it with you and Ron?" Harry asked. Holly glared at him.

"What is it with you and Parvati?" she shot back.

"There's nothing between Parvati and me," Harry said, looking suspicious.

"Exactly, and there's nothing between me and Ron either," she said, turning her head the other way. Harry continued to watch her for a moment's time, wishing that he had the ability to read minds.

"Who is she?" Harry repeated.

"I don't know... some 7th year girl named Almeda... I think she's a Ravenclaw," Ginny said.

Harry looked at Holly, expecting her to blurt about he being doubled with the 7th year Ravenclaw Cho Chang but she just looked at him briefly and looked away. "How was Shaveire studies?" he asked Hermione.

"It was fine... I imagine I'll like it more once we actually get into the process of studying, not going over grading standards, rules, and the like," she replied.

Holly sat in silence for a while, then stood up and left to the dormitories, coming back laden with books, parchment, a quill and ink then sat down at a separate table and began to work.

As the rest of the house left for supper, Ron came in carrying enough food for the 5 of them to feast. After a while he said, "Come on, Holly, come and eat something."

"I'm not hungry, but thanks," she replied, turning a page in her Transfiguration book.

"Don't starve yourself, c'monnnn!" Ron pleaded, smiling slyly.

"I'd rather not. What are you celebrating, again?" she asked, looking up from her book and staring Ron down.

"My sharing a desk with Almeda Darrels," he said, sighing.

"I'm sure you've been dreaming about this since your first growth spurt," she replied before looking back down at her homework.

"Well, not quite," he said. Holly started blotting her homework and wiped away the dots angrily. Ron watched her for a moment and had a strange feeling he had been here before... deja vu at it's strongest. Holly sensed him looking at her and glanced up.

"Ron, you either give me a good reason for your standing there gawking at me as if I'm something foul growing under your bed or I'll spear you with my quill," she snapped. He looked at her for a couple moments and had enough time to realize she had very intense eyes when he realized he was goggling at his best friend's 'sister' and she wasn't liking it.

He shook himself out of the trance and said, "I don't know, just kind of lost my wit there..." Holly continued to glare. "What the hell are you doing, Ron?" yelled his head in agony. "What kind of emotional roller coaster are you riding anyway? Why don't you just run off and screw around with Malfoy in some enchanted room with soundproof walls? You seem to care more about him than spending time with your friends."

Ron couldn't decipher what kind of look crossed Holly's face next. It wasn't the outraged stare he expected, but whatever look it was he couldn't see it for long because she was soon looking down at her papers again, but this time she had her elbow resting on the table and her hand on the back of her head. Her hair hanging down along with this made it impossible to make out her face. Ron's ears went red and he turned back to the rest, then sat down to eat.

They pretended they didn't notice that Holly hadn't joined them, and was now shielding her face from view. "So what does this Almeda Darrels look like, anyway, Ron?" Hermione asked, "I don't think I've ever seen her before."

"She has blonde hair and brown eyes... she's very pretty... about as tall as Gin, here," Ron explained, pushing Holly and her unreadable features to the back of his mind.

"Sounds like a winner," said Harry slowly. "So what's the celebration of being able to sit next to this girl for anyway? What's so great about this?"

"What's so great about this?" Ron repeated, looking stunned. "I am sitting next to a beautiful girl for the rest of the semester, and we'll have to do projects together, and we can talk when Professor Trophtain isn't watching... it's Hogwarts Heaven!"

They chuckled. "Oh, Ron, don't be so sure, I bet you could be a much happier guy. Honestly, is the best thing that could happen to you here sitting next to a girl you think is cute for a couple months in a literature class? You're mental," Ginny said sounding more like Ron than she did herself.

"I'm not, it is the best thing that's happened to me so far at this school... other than getting kissed on both cheeks by Fleur Delacour-although that doesn't count," Ron said.

"Notice he didn't specify which cheeks," Hermione said. Ron stuck his tongue out at her playfully and they all laughed. At this Holly had apparently finished her homework. She stood up with all of her books, rolls of parchment, and her quill and ink and walked up the stairs to her dormitory.

"Let's clean up this food before the house gets back..." Harry said. They all grabbed the leftover food and disposed of it as quickly as they could. Hermione found Holly mid-way through changing into her pajamas.

"Oh, sorry Holly," she said, turning to her own four-poster.

"That's okay," Holly mumbled. After she had finished changing, Hermione turned to face her, who was brushing through her hair rather quickly, not caring how it looked which was most unlike her.

When she looked up at Hermione she didn't look as though she had been crying, enraged, or nothing. On the contrary she had a show of no emotions at all, although she did look a bit blotchy. "Are you going to bed already?" she asked cautiously.

"Yeah... I'll see you in the morning," Holly replied, smiling weakly at her. Hermione smiled and exited the room, shutting the door behind her. Holly sighed and dropped her hairbrush on her trunk. She turned off the lights and crawled under her covers.

She tried to doze off but she wasn't tired, as it wasn't very late. "Don't say goodbye, Don't turn away, It doesn't have to end today..." she sang quietly. She turned over to her stomach and turned her head to face her left. She closed her eyes and tried to drown out the steady drone of people coming back into the common room.

Hermione walked downstairs and decided against herself that she wouldn't say anything about Holly. "She'll be fine tomorrow... that's just how Holly is," she thought to herself.

She laughed with Harry and Ron until later that night until she was so wore out she could barely get herself up the stairs to her dormitory, it seemed. When Harry and Ron ascended the stairs to their dormitory at the top of the tower, Ron turned to Harry. "I think Holly's mad at me," he said simply.

"Well, Ron," said Harry in a matter-of-fact tone, "You're going to have to sort that out." Ron, who seemed to be looking for something on the lines of guidance wasn't pleased-but he didn't make a big production of it.

They changed into their pajamas and climbed into the separate four posters. "Who's fault is it?"

"What?" said Ron, drawing back his hangings to look at Harry.

"Who's fault is it?" he repeated, although more slowly this time.

"I don't know... she brings things on herself but I'm never a help to it." Harry nodded and closed the hangings. Ron sighed and did the same.

From then on, it seemed, time flew. Holly and Ron never exactly sorted out their "issues" although it was the least of anyone's worries. Holly spent more and more time with her fellow female Gryffindor 6th years along with Ginny, and Harry and Ron became 'the inseparables' (A/N: sounds like either a band name or a replacement for "the sopranos" to me...) again.

October approached and the air began to chill. They were getting more and more homework from their teachers, and the stress level was teetering on the edge of stacking up. It wasn't until Professor McGonagall posted the new Quidditch team a week following tryouts that Harry realized this year was just not going to be as easy as he had hoped.

"I made the team!" squeaked Ginny.

"Ginny, that's great!" Hermione said, excitedly. Before Holly congratulated her, she ran over to where a crowd had gathered around the bulletin board. She stood on her tiptoes to look over the heads of everyone, then squeezed her way through a small winding path through the people to read the list.

Seeker: Harry Potter (team captain)

Keeper: Ron Weasley (assistant captain)

Beaters: Seamus Finnigan, Cameron Haynes

Chasers: Holly Black, Ginny Weasley, Brandon Emerson

Practice starts on October 7th at 7:00 P. M.

First game-Gryffindor versus Slytherin, November 2nd 11:00

She trotted back over to Hermione and Ginny, grinning from ear to ear. "I was going to tell you that you made the team," Ginny said smiling at her.

"Oh well, I found out for myself. Who's Brandon Emerson and Cameron Haynes?" she asked.

"Umm... Brandon is that 4th year over there with the sort of shaggy brown h air... yep that's him," Hermione said.

"Okay, and Cameron...?"

"He's in my grade," Ginny said, "right over there in the group next to Neville, the tall one..."

"Ooooo he's buff," Holly said, giggling, "The one with the dark hair, right?"

"Yeah, that's him."

Harry and Ron "overheard" this conversation. But, more or less, it was Ron eavesdropping and Harry sitting there, not being able to talk to him because he wouldn't listen. "Gosh she thinks everyone is good looking..." Ron mumbled.

"Yeah she states who she thinks looks nice but notice she hasn't really attatched her heart to someone yet," Harry said. Ron nodded his head and missed the meaningful look from Harry as he still was staring over at the group of girls.

"We get to finally try out our Romirity charms today," Harry said, trying to draw Ron's attention away from the group of girls. It worked.

"I know!" said Ron, "I bet I'll never get mine... I've been working on correctly pronouncing that incantation for ages, I've got that, but still..."

"Don't worry Ron, she'll probably use me as an example, you won't have to see your own death yet," said Harry. "I'm so glad it's almost Friday!"

In fact, he was even happier it was Thursday. The time he'd been spending with Cho in the Astronomy Tower once a week had definitely brought them closer, although it took him awhile to stop blushing every time she said something to him. They talked things over when they were marking their charts, writing down answers...

Holly, Hermione, and Ginny made normal visits down to Hagrid's hut to visit with him about school and help him out with his new creatures. He still had Reldov, because the zoo had been considering sending a couple more re'ems over so they could breed in Europe. Hagrid had received a license so he could watch over Reldov legally until then.

Snape had grown steadily more gruesome towards Holly and Harry in the past year. Seeing now that Sirus was happily living with his daughter and godson seemed to make Snape furious. They, and the rest of the Gryffindors, found them subject to being tested by potions daily, now. "I think he's just hoping one of us messes up and the one taking the stuff kicks the bucket..." Ron mumbled as he watched Parvati drinking a bit of Neville's Quietude Draft, which caused her to be unusually untalkative and calm for the rest of the hour.

Holly didn't like Malfoy too much anymore. Then again, she had never really liked him in the first place. It seemed that he had a knack for making her angry... sort of like Ron. "He's still painfully gorgeous, though," she explained to Ginny. "I'd still love to winch with him..." she continued, giving an involuntary shiver, "I can feel the bacteria spreading through my body already." Ginny laughed.

By the time Ron and Harry were making their way to Divination Ron was panicking. "What if I conjure it wrong, Harry? What if it shows me things I don't want to see? What if it links things together that aren't supposed to be? I bet you I'll do it wrong and it will show me things that aren't even going to happen... or link happenings wrong... just watch."

"RON! Shut UP!" Harry said. And so Ron heeded him. They proceeded to the North Tower with Parvati, Dean, Seamus, Lavender, and Neville. As they entered the dimly lit room Harry, for once, was glad there was a fire in the grate. He wasn't sure about the perfumed fumes wafting toward them... but he was cold so this fire was welcome.

They sat down around the tables, really anticipating Professor Trelawney to seemingly formulate out of the dark shadows in the corners of the room. When she came in and announced that they would finally be conjuring the Romirity charms that day, everyone seemed tense and excited.

"I've seen that all of you have been practicing with wrist movements and the correct incantation, and I predict you will all be doing well. I'd like to choose one of you to conjure their charm in front of the class to see how it works... how about... you, Mr. Weasley?"

Ron looked a bit shocked. "O-okay..." he stammered as he stood up and wove his way through the tables next to the fire where Professor Trelawney was standing.

"Give it a try, my dear, and concentrate," she said airily as she stood back to give him room.

Ron closed his eyes, held his wand up to shoulder-height and said "Romiairista!" giving his wand a sharp twist.

A jet of silvery-white light shot out of it. The class watched in shocked amazement as it formed itself into a cube. There was a burst of light from it, and the images began to show. First it showed what Harry must have supposed was the infant Ron. There were many small noise-less videos of Ron's youth with half-second flashes of what they were linked to in the future. Harry didn't recognize these shows of Ron's past, but Ron clearly did as he stood, open mouthed, not even blinking as he watched his Romirity charm do its work.

Then Harry saw him and Ron sitting on the train when they were both only 11, followed by some adventures they had engaged in throughout their days. The rest of the class gasped as they watched some of the more spectacular and frightening things that had happened to the two of them. Harry watched his and Ron's time together being merged together as if it were only a summery of a chapter in their lives they had written for school with a video to match. It felt really strange.

Harry watched as the time being shown in Ron's Romirity charm was gradually making its way to that past summer. When it got to the point where it showed him meeting Holly... it was a little weird. It showed Harry's birthday when Holly had, apparently, opened the door with a wide grin. It showed her massive fire she accidentally made in potions, and then the last time Harry had seen them actually talking with each other... when Ron had been celebrating sitting by Almeda Darrels in his class (which he still was happy about, a month later). Then, Harry tried his hardest to register what the next flashes were... first he thought he saw Ron lunging towards someone in rage, then he saw himself talking with Ron, and they must have been outside somewhere because it looked like it was raining. Next came stranger things... Harry thought he saw Holly at the break of tears although the stranger part of this was that he almost thought Holly didn't look the same... And then he watched one last image of his godsister flicker past... she had turned her head and looked over her shoulder and seeming absolutely terrified.

Harry tried to take everything in... everyone else that he knew had flashed on that charm but their flashes of future didn't seem as long as Holly's were. Harry wondered why as he watched the charm finish itself off. Harry tried to recollect everything he had just seen... and only certain parts stood out in his mind. Holly, Hermione, and Ginny all looking terrified, and a much older Harry lookin' good. There was a shocked silence that proceeded. "Very good, it seemed to work quite well, you'll have to keep an eye cast on those close to you, dear," Professor Trelawney said quietly. Ron made his way back to his seat, his eyes wide as though he was still watching the Romirity charm. Obviously some things stood out vividly to him that were frightening.

"How about you next, Harry, dear?" Professor Trelawney said mistily. Harry was rather reluctant, but he made his way to the front of the class anyway. He did the same as Ron, and the silvery cube formed, just above his head, as it had done for his friend. Harry shook as it started showing him the beginning of his life... the silence was breathtaking.

He saw a tiny black-haired baby, with no scar, sleeping in his mother's arms. His mother's face shone with tears of happiness as she smiled down at the tiny baby in her arms. He saw his father playing with him, and could truly see why everyone said he looked spectacularly like him... it was true. Before he could bathe in this happy memory much longer he saw his James yelling at his mother... pointing down the hallway. Lily, rather reluctantly, ran where he was pointing with Harry in her arms. There was a flash of green light, and then the Dursleys.

Harry's childhood wasn't shown very often until he got his letter to Hogwarts. A bunch of flashes went past, so quickly, it was just as though different combinations of light had only flickered past before he saw himself meeting Ron and Hermione for the first time, followed by a couple short flashes of the future that he didn't quite catch. Then he saw himself standing in front of the Mirror of Erised, gazing at his parents. Next he saw himself and Quirrell standing at the face of the same mirror but in a different place... and this picture merged with Tom Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets, Cedric being hit with the Avada Kedavra curse, Lord Voldemort rising again and their duel... he saw Mad-Eye Moody threatening him then turn into Barty Crouch Jr., he watched Sirus turn from the great shaggy black dog into his human form and glare at Snape... after a while it was all merged.

Then, more clearly than the rest, he saw himself fighting the Dark Lord only the year before. It was in the mountains outside of the school of where he had managed to send Voldemort to unknown whereabouts with a very strange happening with his wand... it was a long story.

Following all these encounters there were so many flashes of light that for a couple seconds Harry thought it wouldn't stop. Now, as though it had only covered the 1st and 2nd years of his schooling he saw himself with Sirus for the first time. That jumped to his meeting Holly... and then to when Sirus had last talked to him before he got on the Hogwarts Express. After that there were several flashes of light, and the Romirity charm vanished.

Most of the class was a bit pale or shaky. Harry didn't realize that they had all just seen Voldemort for the first time... and other horrific things that they had never truly realized Harry had gone through. Harry didn't care much about this though... the things that stuck with him was re-seeing Sirus' warning with the flashes of the future linked to this... and, of course, seeing himself with his parents. Seeing their true emotions instead of their faces in pictures, the Mirror of Erised, or their characteristic ghost-like forms that erupted from Voldemort's wand was a very different thing for Harry. It was just so different.

Professor Trelawney looked a bit shocked as Harry wordlessly made his way to his seat. The class seemed to be wondering why Professor Trelawney allowed them to see Harry's Romirity charm... why they had even taught them this practice with Harry, who had never seen his parents and had enough trouble in his life in the first place, was with them...

Harry rarely saw Ron looking so sober. "Are you all right?" he asked cautiously as Harry sat down. Harry nodded, feeling as though he had had his esophagus stuffed with cotton balls. The class went on with all the others conjuring their charms right at their tables. After she watched Parvati get on with making her own, Professor Trelawney glided over to Harry's table.

"Harry, my dear, how are you?" she asked. This had to be the first time Harry had heard true concern in her voice... she sounded more stunned and scared when she predicted his death every lesson. Even when he had awoken from a nightmare rolling on the floor and clutching his scar she saw it as a great opportunity to ask Harry of his 'visions'.

"I'm okay," he said. Although he didn't feel it. Her large misty eyes looked down at him with sorrow.

"Not all Romirity charms show us happiness... because sometimes the joyous parts of our lives aren't going to affect our future in the slightest," she sighed, "I hope you don't become too troubled. All I could predict from seeing your charm is that you will have many more encounters with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but to what result - I have only theory."

She left after Harry sat silently. Ron cleared his throat and looked at Harry. "I can tell you another thing... whatever Sirus told you to do before you got on the train - er - you're probably going to have a time of doing it." Harry looked at Ron for a long time. He knew that this was probably true... Holly hadn't done it yet but she was bound to get into trouble. And whether these trials and tribulations were life-threatening or not... there was no way Holly would come out of each one cheerful and unscathed. Harry knew that in his gut, no matter how hard he tried to fight it.

"Do you know what Sirus asked me to do before I got on the train?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head. "He told me to watch over Holly. He said that as tough as she may pretend to be-she's not tough at all, I guess."

"He had only known her for a month...!" said Ron, "How would he know?"

"Maybe it's a fathers' sort of 6th sense... maybe that's how her mother was."

Ron saw this as a wonderful opportunity to start a new flow of conversation. "What was her mum's name?" he asked. Harry though this was a very good question.

"I don't know... I've never seen a picture of her. I imagine she looked like Holly does now, though," he said. And that was the end of that subject. It wasn't until the end of the hour when Harry was ready to talk to anyone, only, just not about his Romirity charm.

"Holly," asked Harry after supper that night. She looked up from her book. "Have you ever seen a picture of your mum?" There was a pause when Holly gave Harry a funny look, as though this wasn't what she had been expecting of him.

"No," she answered. "All I know is her name was Charisse and she was friends with your mom. Why?"

"You never talk about her," Harry said shrugging. "I was only curious."

"You don't talk about your parents either. I don't know anything about my mom... that's all," she replied, looking back down at her book. Harry only had a split second to wonder why in the world Sirus had never told Holly anything about her own mother when he had a sudden idea. He got up and ran up to his dormitory.

Ron and Holly, who were sitting in chairs across from each other, exchanged very brief looks of wonder before Holly busied herself with reading again. Harry came back downstairs with a leather-bound book in his hand and opened it up, and began flipping through the pages. "Harry, I seriously doubt my mom did anything to get herself into a book I-" but he cut her short as he held up a hand to silence her. She sat back in her chair, looking at him in a bemused sort of way.

He found his parents wedding picture and started looking at the faces of each laughing female on the side of his mother. He didn't recognize the Maid of Honor, but next to her... that had to be Charisse. A tall young woman stood there with long curly hair, laughing along with the others. She looked identical to Holly; there was no mistake. In this picture she only looked a few years older than Holly's age right then. He stood up and walked over to Holly, placing the album in her hands. "Look... right there," he said, pointing to the woman Holly was identical to, and she gasped. Now Ron came over to have a look.

Hermione and Ginny came down from the dormitories with a small bottle of nail polish. "All done, Holly, thanks for lending that - what are you looking at?" Hermione said. Holly stayed silent. The two girls came over to have a look along with the rest of them, and Ginny gasped sharply after only seconds of looking at the picture.

"Hermione, look at that woman right there... Holly is that your mum?" Ginny questioned.

"We think so," answered Harry. "It's a very good guess." It was a while before Holly shut the book of photos and gave it back to Harry.

"Who gave you that?" she asked.

"Hagrid. He had old friends of my parents send pictures in to him," Harry explained.

"That was very nice of him," Holly said, smiling a little.

"It was." There was a brief silence, which was borderline uncomfortable.

"You look just like your dad... except you have different eyes," Holly said, squinting to see clearer through his glasses. Harry smiled.

"As said previously you're identical to your mum-I think you must have had the very same amount of hairs on your head... anyway, I think the only thing you inherited from Sirus was your attitude," Harry said. Holly laughed.

"Um-thanks." Harry grinned at her again and turned to talk to Ron, who had sat back down in the chair across from Holly.

"You know what, I think I'm going to ask Almeda out," Ron said.

"What makes you think you have a chance," said Holly, who was now looking back down at her book.

Ron glared at her. "Because I'm tall, built and available!" he exclaimed as though this was plain and easy to see.

"Where did you find the Mirror of Erised?" asked Harry, raising an eyebrow at him. Ron's eyes narrowed and Harry smiled a less-hurtful malevolent grin.

"I did not find any Mirror of Erised, Harry Potter, I found self confidence!"

"You sound like one of those stories for CosmoGIRL! Of The Year," Holly said, turning a page in her book. Harry only had seconds to marvel at how she managed to read and listen in on Harry and Ron at the same time before he was absorbed in the conversation again.

"Anyway..." continued Ron giving a both Holly and Harry a warning, disgruntled look. "She's been, I don't know, giving me signals."

"Like you could read signals," Holly mumbled.

"What kind of signals?" Harry prompted.

"Well...I don't know I'd say she hits on me... she compliments me all the time - "

"On what? Your teeth!?" Holly said, eyes wide. She seemed not to believe there was much to compliment Ron on.

"No...other things. Like, well, she said I'm really nice. And she said that she's really glad that I'm her partner in that class because she said there isn't another soul in there that's 'half decent' which is kind of funny because Dean and Parvati are in that class..."

"And it could also mean that to her you are only 'half decent' and since she didn't seem to comment on her standards under that..." Holly suggested balefully.

"Holly, be nice..." said Harry. She raised her eyebrows at him then looked back down at her book, reading on. "Well, Ron, I reckon you have a chance with this Almeda. So, when are you going to ask her out?"

"I have no idea-I'm a little nervous," he admitted, blushing slightly.

"Well that doesn't surprise me," Harry said. "I'd push Holly, the born matchmaker, forward to help you... but she'd probably make a hash of it..." Holly looked up and smiled very sinisterly at Ron.

"Nothing suspicious there..." Ron said, watching Holly closely. She winked and looked back down at her book, once again. "I was thinking if I did ask her out... where would I take her?"

"Straight to the sheets, serpent tongue," Holly said airily, turning a page in her book, and not looking up. Harry snorted and even Ron smiled reluctantly. She glanced up, put her tongue between her teeth, and hissed. Harry wondered why Holly had suddenly been light and easy-going... usually when Ron talked about girls (especially Almeda) around Holly she'd go crazy. Then again, Harry knew little of what was going on in girls' minds.

"I don't think Almeda is like that..."

"Oh come on," said Holly. Now Harry sensed that she was about to start ripping on Ron angrily. "I bet she's landed on her back more than the American Gladiators!"

"What?" said Ron, dumbstruck.

"Never mind... well... actually, what I'm trying to say is that she's probably a man leech with an airbag in her headboard! I'm sure she's got 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me!' plastered all over her..."

"Just because you're jealous that girls like me and you have not a date in sight doesn't mean you have to... to... DEGRADE me so much," Ron said.

"Degrade you? What the hell are you talking about? Since when do I degrade you? And besides, I could get a boyfriend EASY!" Holly said. Harry sighed and looked at the ceiling.

"Yeah right, you don't seem to be making any efforts. Where's Malfoy when you need 'im?" Ron said.

"I'll say it again, then I'll put it on bumper stickers-I do NOT like Malfoy!" Holly exclaimed, looking on edge.

"Yeah right... you seem the type to not mind sleeping with danger no matter how pale and primped it may be!" Ron said.

Holly stood up so quickly that Harry was almost sure she had been doing so the entire time. "Just because you think you're reading Estelle's signals, Ron Weasley, doesn't mean that you're reading them all!" she exclaimed before bolting up to her dormitory.

"It's Almeda, Holly," he said under his breath. Harry heaved another sigh. "Harry, could you please explain that nutter to me?"

"Nope," Harry said, sitting back in his chair and looking at the fire.

"If you ask me, she's lost her mind. She doesn't know what she wants from anything... but wasting her time on Malfoy..." Ron said.

"I think she's made a point at saying she doesn't like him," Harry said.

It was then when Hermione plopped herself down into the chair Holly had been in. "Just finished my Shaveire! I never thought I'd enjoy homework so much!" she said. Ron looked as though he were about to throw up.

"I never thought anyone who hadn't taken leave of their senses would like doing homework in the first place... then again, that's just you Hermione," Ron said in a fake-bright voice. Hermione didn't seem to notice.

"Harry, aren't you scheduled to be in the Astronomy Tower with Cho tonight?" she asked. Harry gave her a funny look.

"Not for another 2½ hours..." he said.

"I think you should dive in for the kill, Harry, she seems to like you an awful lot!" Ron exclaimed. Harry felt himself go a very bright shade of red.

"I don't think so, Ron..." he mumbled.

"I can just see you trying to butter her up, Harry," Ron said, sniggering. He continued with a mock impression of Harry, "Er... Roses are... are... well they could be a lot of colors... well, this one's red. Vi-violets are blue... erm... Most poems rhyme, This one doesn't."

"Thanks for the encouragement, buddy," Harry said, shifting in his chair and straightening out his glasses.

Meanwhile Holly was up in her dormitory, changing into her pajamas and trying hard not to kick things around. Ron made her just... so... mad! But she didn't want to admit, even to herself, why that was.

She looked absentmindedly at the mirror as she brushed her hair. "Dear, dear, you don't look too happy," the mirror said suddenly.

"Thanks, Willow, for the honest truth," Holly said angrily. "Sending him signals my ass..." she mumbled.

"What's been troubling you?" the mirror asked.

"Boys, my mirror, boys," Holly answered simply.

"Don't let them get to you," Willow the Mirror replied.

Holly moved out of the mirror's view before saying, "Great, all I need is advice from a framed reflective object..."

Harry walked into the Advanced Astronomy classroom and saw that Professor Sinistra and Cho were already there. "Ready for your assignment?" Professor Sinistra questioned as he made his way inside.

"Yep. What is it?" he asked, walking over to them.

"You will be using these chart descriptions to scope out different constellations with the telescopes... I want you to write down their placement in the skies and draw a diagram of each," she said.

Cho and Harry both nodded shortly. "Okay," Cho said, "When is it due?"

"Next Thursday...I figured you'd need longer than an hour to finish it up," Professor Sinistra stated. "If you need help, just ask for it. I'll come and fetch you when your time is up."

Harry and Cho walked up the twisting staircase to the top of the Astronomy Tower. It was a tower with a large window encasing it. You could see in every angle, and it seemed that all the stars were much closer when you were up there. Harry smoothed his chart out on the wall and said, "This looks complicated..."

"It probably won't be too bad once we get started," Cho stated, shrugging. "You look for Dratelma and I'll try to find Kaymanceake," she said.

Harry took a telescope on his right leaving Cho to find choose one. A few minutes later Harry said, "Oh! I think I found it..." and held his telescope in place as Cho came to have a look.

"Yeah, that must be it-good job, write it down..." she said. They found all the constellations in no time, and she had been right in saying that it would probably get easier once they began.

They finished up their charts, and tried to draw out their diagrams to perfection. When they finished they still had half an hour left. They sat against the window and talked. It started with simple small talk like "How have your classes been going?" and "Any new members on the team?" but gradually became a more absorbing conversation.

"What exactly do you look for in a girl?" Cho asked suddenly. Harry felt as though his heart might stop.

"Well uh..." he said, turning such a shade of red that he was sure it broke some sort of record, "I don't know. I guess I'll find the right one when I do..." he said. Immediately he thought he shouldn't have said that because it made it sound like he didn't think she was the one for him...then again he didn't exactly want to tell her the way he'd felt towards her since he first set eyes on her when he was 13 years old. "I guess I couldn't pick out a certain quality or something, I can't fine-tune my taste." But that statement didn't sound right either.

Cho nodded thoughtfully. "I guess that's a good way to look at it. All the boys around here... it seems they set their mind to one thing... brains, beauty, maybe they like girls who can cook heck if I know! But they set their standard and don't bother trying to look for something else they like. It drives me crazy... but you, Harry... you seem to be more open. I like the way you weigh out prospects."

This just kind of flew past Harry in a whir of speech and he didn't at all understand. She liked the way he weighed out prospects? What in hell's name was that supposed to tell him? "Erm...thanks, Cho. What about you? What do you search for in a guy?"

"I don't know. All I want is for them to appreciate me for who I am... and not put me down. I wouldn't say no to black hair and green eyes either," she said. Harry flushed again and grinned to himself-having not a clue what to say.

They started leaning in... and although Harry was very nervous he had some sort of craving to be closer to the girl next to him than ever before. They were inches away... and then footsteps echoed through the room and they pulled apart quickly.

Only a split second later Professor Sinistra came into the tower. "Finished already?" she asked seeing their finished papers on the floor. They nodded, scooted away from each other and stood up, looking awkward. "Goodness you finished them quickly, but they look good... I'll have them graded by the time the weekend is over, in case you want to drop by to see your score. But, times up, and now this tower is out-of-bounds to the two of you so I suggest that you each go to your dormitories and get some sleep."

Harry and Cho bid her goodnight then descended the stairs and started off to their common rooms. "I'll see you later," Harry said as they reached the point where they headed off down separate corridors. Cho nodded.

"Goodnight, Harry," she said quietly. They walked apart, Cho wondering why she hadn't kissed him right then and there, Harry thinking that he needed to sort out his thoughts.