NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7 A Howler
Chris saw Harry and Ron standing middle of the Common room. Everyone was patting their back encouragingly and clapping for them. Percy angrily walked past Chris.
Harry looked up at the stairs and saw Chris. He smiled a little but then he noticed Percy. He nudges Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Then in a few seconds, they made their way towards their dormitory.
Chris saw them leaving and turned towards Ginny, "I guess, they are not expelled, then."
"They are certainly not. That's a good thing." A voice said behind Chris. She turned around and saw Hermione coming towards them.
"What happened?" Ginny asked Hermione.
"They arrived in a flying car but luckily Professor Dumbledore didn't expel them." Answered Hermione. She was clearly annoyed. Ginny sighed with relief.
"Goodnight both of you," Hermione said and ran upstairs.
They silently walked back to their room and heard their other two roommates talking.
"Well, I think Harry Potter did that for attention." One girl said.
"No. He is already famous. You know after what he did last year." The second girl replied.
They both giggled.
Suddenly Ginny became red with anger and ran towards the bathroom and slammed the door. Chris was very surprised, Ginny wasn't the type of person who shows her anger in front of people, she barely talked in front of people.
The other two girls snorted.
"What's her problem?" The second girl asked Chris.
"Yeah. Isn't she a Weasley? Isn't her brother Harry Potter's sidekick?" The first girl asked looking at Chris.
"I think her brother is Harry Potter's FRIEND," Chris said and gave a fake smile.
She had many friends like those girls in her old school. She was not going to repeat that mistake.
After Ginny came out, Chris changed into her sleepwear and fell into bed.
Next day, Chris got up first and got ready. She wrote a letter to her father describing how she felt about Hogwarts and which house she is in. She sent the letter by Leon.
After that, She asked Ginny to get ready while she will be waiting for her in the common room.
When Chris came downstairs she saw Harry and another boy (obviously Ron) was leaving the common room.
"Hermione is really angry. Percy is definitely going to catch us today." Chris heard Harry saying, with a worried face.
"When do you think Hermione was not angry? I think her lecture was enough for us, yesterday. What does she want now?" Ron snorted.
"I think, she deserves that much," Chris said walking towards them.
They turned around to face Chris.
Harry grinned.
"Chris. You are in Gryffindor."
"I think so," Chris answered.
But Ron interrupted, "What do you mean by she deserves? And Who are you?"
Harry tried to answer but Chris replied cooly, "Christina Norton, First-year Gryffindor. Your sister, Ginny's friend and roommate. And I think, after looking every compartment in the train, almost twice, Hermione deserve to be angry."
"She searched the entire train for us?" Harry asked surprised.
"Yes. Not to mention how much worried she was. She tried to look for you two again when I stopped her. And Ginny was so worried that she barely ate anything yesterday."
Ron's face looked worried.
"Is she ok now?"
"I hope. She really didn't talk much after last night, after you two showed up." Chris said looking at Ron. Then she noticed Harry was looking very guilty, so she added, "Just say sorry to them and say you've realized how much they were worried about you."
"We will. Thanks for telling us, Chris." Harry said smiling.
"And Mr Weasley, a piece of advice, try to care about those people who care about you," Chris said to Ron with a smile.
Though she only knew Ron and Harry via Ginny and Hermione's talk, she realized she was becoming good at understanding people's mind.
After Harry and Ron left, Chris saw Ginny was coming downstairs. Together they left the portrait hole but soon got lost in the moving staircases. At last, after following few seniors they found the way to the Great Hall.
Chris saw the enchanted ceiling was dull and cloudy grey inside the Great Hall. There were mountains of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon.
They sat on the Gryffindor table and Chris noticed Hermione, who was talking to Harry and Ron. Judging by her face she was not looking very angry.
'Maybe Harry and Ron apologized to her.' Chris thought when suddenly hundred or so owls streamed in circling the hall and dropping letters and packages.
"I send my letter this morning with Leon. I hope he delivers it to my Dad. I never used a pet as a messenger. Do think it will be alright?" Chris said to Ginny.
"Yeah. If you bought it from Diagon Alley then yes. They are trained. So don't worry. We have one family owl. I think he...." but before Ginny could finish a loud roar filled the hall.
"... STEALING THE CAR,...." Chris and Ginny turned towards the source of the sound and saw, a red envelope was screaming at Ron. It continued ".....I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE ..."
It scolded Ron in every way possible, then the red envelope burst into flames and curled into ashes.
A pin-drop silence fell over the Hall. Everyone was stunned. Then few students were laughing loudly. But the Gryffindors were still in shock.
"What was that?" Chris asked finally recovering from the effect of that sound.
"A Howler. It was my mother's voice." Ginny murmured miserably.
'A Howler? What is that? That is not important. It's the voice which was scary. Was that the same sweet and kind Mrs Weasley whom I met?' Chris thought as she shivered.
"Remind me to never upset your mom. Never." Chris said loudly. "And also never ever explain to my Dad what a Howler is. Or he is going to send one every day for fun."
After coming back to her senses Chris started eating breakfast. Then she saw Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out something to everyone. She took one and saw it was their school course schedule. Their first-class was Charms by Professor Flitwick with Slytherins.