yoink mine now
Chapter 15.
Yoink, Mine Now
the Hogwarts Express whistles loudly telling our little rag tag group of misfits that we have to hurry our arses up before we end up missing the train even though I was one of the first ones here. We all rush in and try and find a compartment that we can all fit in. Me and Hermione head off in one direction with Alice in tow. The twins were with seeing there family off and were not far behind us followed by Ron and Ginny. Yeah I know right! We have come to an understanding and I know longer have him on my prank on sight list. However I wouldn't say I would go out of my way to be friends with him. I’m to much like an elephant and I never forget. I may forgive but the forgetting… not really a me thing.
The rest of the summer was a bit up and down. Sam and me are no longer speak at all and the group is fractured beyond repair. Mickey and Sash are gone. Heading to Spain to start a new life over there. I saw them off about a week ago. It was all teary and sentimental but it was nice. I will miss them they have helped me so much. It was hard to get my head around it really. I mean, it still is. These people I called family and now there is a good chance I might never get to see them again.
I can imagine what people would think. What would make our gang split up in such a short amount of time. Well it was a combination of many things. Me and Sam no longer being able to be in the same room caused a bit of a divide. It was me and Sash v Sam and Mickey. How mickey was agreeing with Sam I don’t know. He knew more about it from Sam’s side so I guess Sam put on the sob story or something. I don’t know and really don’t care. Mickey made his choice. When I saw him and Sash off he didn’t even say goodbye. Sash left because she’s been feeling like going off and doing something is better than staying in England and just doing what we always had. In short she wanted a break from the life and I get that we are always on edge so I get it.
Sam moved out of the flat and Ive but it in my name. The fact they think im 19 may have something to do with a little confusion charm on the land lord. He will get his money so he wont bother me and with all the warding Ive done to the place I wont have to worry about noise complaints. I had the twins around pretty much every day. So I haven't been feeling that bad. I get definite vibes from Fred and while a little bit of fun might not be off the cards I don’t think I am quite ready for that I think I might just enjoy my own company for a while as Ive been enjoying this little bit of 'independence Im experiencing. So I’m just going to go with it. Ginny has been a regular addition as well. Turns out when she’s not with her mother and under the influence of starry eyes she actually pretty sound. She got some quick wit and she can be a right hoot. Add some smoke or booze to the mix and then we have one whale of a time. Ron turned up a couple of times but I don’t think he really enjoys the vibe. He really hates it when me and gin start talking about guys.
Hermione! Oh my God what a girl. Turns out your really do have to keep and eye on the quiet ones. I caught her necking on with Ron when she was pissed off her head and it was the single greatest photograph I have ever taken and sits pride of place on my mantel. I have no idea what the girl was thinking when she did it but I thank that par of her brain. The look on Ron’s face was just priceless. He had this dreamy look like he just came in his pants. Just the image makes me laugh. And yes I did bring a copy of it with me as I think it will bring the familiarity of home to school with me. And the many laughs I will get when people notice and start to wind her up about it has nothing to do with it, I promise. Scouts Honour. Hermione isn't the only one who has been getting lucky either. Alice and George have seem to have taken a liking to each other. Neither of them have asked each other out but I have seen the flirting and saucy looks. They aint as swave and smooth as they like to think they are. Not like I mind or anything I just wish they would stop beating around the bush already.
Now lets get down to the nitty gritty shall we. The Heist! That fucking statue was the same fucking size as me. But I’m getting ahead of myself now. After getting the blue prints and a little bit of re-con we had a clear idea on how I was going to do this because in the end it was all me. Not to blow my trumpet or anything. The plan was for me to use my invisibility cloak and sneak onto the grounds. Apperate into a room I could see and use my study on the blueprints to make my way to their gallery. I shit you not they have a fucking gallery just for all the shit they have collected. They had paintings, statues and ornaments dotted all over. They even had a giant library. Honestly I was salivating at the thought of the value of their book collection and the knowledge it held.
What we were after though was some stupid statue. That along with some of the other stupidly valuable items of unique interest are kept in the centre of the large gallery where they had their own little circular room that was locked up to within an inch of its life. That is where I was to go, get the statue and get the fuck out of there.
The first two steps were easy. We went at the shift change and I jumps the giant ass wall that surrounded the place. I kid you not this place is a mansion. I think they call it an estate or something. Either way it was stunning. Very old English. Vines covering a lot of the magnificent granite stone walls. Perfectly white windows framing the spotless glass panes that reflected the moons light like they were mirrored. Lush flowers, of all different shapes and sizes dawned the perfectly manicured lawns and beds leading up to the front of the large house.
A quick pop and I'm next to one of the windows on the ground floor, around the back of the house. At the moment I can only apperate where I can see or have been there before. So I have to sorta hop skip and fucking jump past the guards. Most of which were concerned with just starting their shifts or ending them. Its only 11pm so its not late so they are all a little relaxed. Once I was into, what I think is their ‘drawing room’. Pretentious pricks. I’m quickly out of there and heading up the giant stairs that wrap around the ‘foray’ or something. I don’t know I don’t even want to. I just needed to know this was the room in needed to get upstairs. I was expecting there to be guards in here to but there wasn't by the looks of it.
Getting to the top of the stairs I notice a maid with one of those little cleaning trollies you see at hotels. I though this to be a bit weird but the more I think about it the more having one of those trollies makes sense. I mean the place is huge. There should be more cleaners if that was the case but we saw only one cleaner go in and out over the week we were watching. So unless the home owners come back magically out of no where, which we can all conclude is possible but in this sinario unlikely, we should be golden.
Walking down this hallways takes me straight to the gallery. If I take the right it leads to the family's sleeping quarters. So onward I press. At the end of the hall was the gallery and the entrance was this grandiose marble carving on an arch covered in vines. I kinda like it even if it was a bit much. The gallery expanded out by an almost unnatural amount. The House was big but I had no idea a room, no scratch that, a hall this big could fit in. shrugging and not wanting to get distracted I carry on. Making my way slowly towards the round room at the centre of the hall. The door is closed and locked but then I knew that already that it would be. Not wanting to make a stupid mistake, I take my little rock out of my pocket and push my magic through it. I had spent some time using my newly acquired skills in runes and Arithmancy to help make a little ward stone. One that when active will give anywhere it is complete and utter privacy. It creates a magical barrier in a full 360 degrees circle. It basically stops anyone being able to hear or see anything that's going on in it. Placing it beside the door on the floor I get ready. We couldn’t find anything about how this door was locked or alarmed. We managed to find out pretty much everything else but this was a complete mystery. A quick point at the door from my wand I half heartedly spelled it open and with a satisfying click. No alarm to suppress, no rushing in from the guards outside. It nearly unlocked. Nice and simple. Feeling like I may have over engineered this plan a little I use my gloved hand to open the door, I walk in. The room is decorated in the same manner as the rest of the gallery. Sort of romonesk with hits on old English country. What was weird was the statue that I expected to see in the centre pride of place where we were told it was going to be it wasn't. It was still there but it was off to the side. Getting a bit curious I go and see what has managed to top this apparently priceless piece of stone.
It looks like its one of those things that the priest stands in front of when people go to church. But that isn't the thing that catches my eye its the book that rests on top. When I first see it I catch a glimps at the title and I see ‘Biblia Sacra’. Which I think is just the Latin for bible but as I get closer though, it changes to ‘Bahram discipulus Merdyn’. Now my Latin has gotten a lot better in the last year with some of the older books in the Hogwarts library are only in Latin it became a bit more important for me to learn it and with me not needing to practice wand movements and stuff like that I tend to have a bit more time on my hands than the average student but its still not perfect. So it was understandable that I did a double take. Taking some time to centre myself I take some deep breaths. Ive seen books like this before. They are in the forbidden section of the library. They aren't common by any stretch but not to unusual. They are warded against muggles and its normally potion books. Its so muggles don’t by happen stance pick one up and accidentally decide to try brewing something and happen to actually do it. I imagine that could be bad. What got me excited about it was the whole Merdyn thing. Wasn't that the original spelling or Merlin. As in thee Merlin. As in Advisor to Arthur, Merlin. The fact that its hidden under the disguise of a really old bible written in Latin makes me sway towards the idea that this is the same Merlin I’m thinking it is.
Catching my breath not realising Ive been holding it in, I take a walk over and satisfy my curiosity. Looking at it closer I see nothing remarkable about it. At least to someone less sensitive to the magic in and around them. Luckily I’m not one of them. I can sense the magic rolling off this book like a continuous waterfall. Its cascades over the stand disaperating before hitting the ground. Deciding there and then that this book is going to be on my shelf by the end of the day. I couldn’t just leave it here to rot. Owned buy people that couldn’t even read what it truly is even if they knew Latin. Leaving it behind would be a crying shame. The knowledge locked up in there with no one able to gain it and use it ever again. Yep this is mine now. But first I need to get the statue. If I don’t then I wouldn't have a life to go back to the guys will kill me. Not while I don’t really give a shit about Sam right not doesn’t mean the others have to suffer so. I painfully pull myself away from this magnificent example of why rich people shouldn’t have nice things and head to the statue. A wave of my hand and I don’t sense anything stopping me just picking up the statue and walking away. Maybe apart from the fact that it is literally the size of me. No I know I’m not the biggest but my size in solid stone is heavy as all hell and I have no where near the strength to haul this thing off its stand let alone apperate it back but lucky for me, I be a wizard. Pulling my wand out again I make the statue the size of my forearm and made it feather light. I place it in the inner pocket of my jacket and turn to face the book once again.
I’m quickly upon it and disappear the glass and snatch it up. That's when the loudest alarm starts to go off. I don’t know what set it off and I’m not exactly going to stand around to try and figure it out. I quickly walk over to the door to grab my ward stone and get the fuck out of dodge. I know they cant here the alarm going off in this room but I think it may have set every other alarm off too. As a quick glance to the window and see many faces turned in my direction and other running to, what I assume if the nearest entrance. The guys still looking in the window seem to be scanning it trying to see who was there. Obviously with my invisibility cloak I’m completely unseen.
Smiling to myself and bending over to grab my ward stone I draw all the power back out of it and set it in my jeans pocket. Now I can hear the alarm ringing all over the house and gardens. Well fuck! I’m out of there though I got what I came here for plus more. With a little pop I’m outa there just as armed men come rushing through the door. It was all very exciting, if not a little easy.
The guys were a little bit pissed when I came back with the book as it wasn't what we went in for but they couldn’t really complain when I showed them the statue. Mickey met up with his connection and we all got paid. Jobs a gooden as one would say. Shame it was the last one we would ever do together. It feels like its the end of an era. You just know things are going to be different and there is nothing you can do about it. Its hard to fugue out where I’m going to go from here. It feels like I’m missing a piece of me. I know they say time heals all wounds but some feel very deep.
From what little I could get out of Mickey, Sam has been telling him that I’ve been ignoring him and that I was just not into him any more but to scared to leave as I wouldn't have anywhere to go if I left him. I tried to point out that I had more than enough money and the ability to get myself my own place had I wanted but he just seemed to think I was making excuses. How he came to that conclusion I have no idea but who am I to tell the idiot how to feel. Its not my fault he has the emotional range of a teaspoon.
Anyway, moving on. Its a new school yeah so I’m making a new me. A new independent, capable and just down right sexy fucker that's what I am. At least that's what I’m telling myself. So we have me Hermione, Ginny, Nev and Alice all nattering away about some useless topic when we get some visitors. Not the good kind either.
“Hey, Scar head! Have a good summer?” The question was less and genuine and I’m not sure if he actually wanted me to answer or not. I know we came to a form of resolution last year. He did seem to stop being such an arse and became a bit tolerable. Well as far as a rich silver spoon having aristacock daddies boy could be tolerable.
“Okay… I guess. What do we owe the pleasure?” Its very obvious by my tone that I seem a bit sceptical in my answer.
“Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see if you enjoyed your summer. This year Hogwarts may not be so safe for a… certain sort.” He said its so sickly sweet I could have gotten dubieties. Not to mention to make a point of looking directly at Hermione when he finished. This immediately go me to turn my lip up at this. Sash used to say it made me look feral. I know that all his lot have this lets hate on the muggles shit but honestly I just find it pig ignorant. It doesn’t take much to see what inbreeding does to families. There have been a number of examples through history. You would think they would welcome the diversity not shun the people that are helping to decrease the likelihood that your child is born with two heads. I did a bit a reading on the history of pure bloods last year, along with some or their more obscure rules and traditions. Some are just ridiculous. Like arranged marriages and stuff like that still goes on. In fact its actually common. There are three people in our Griffindoree class that are in arranged marriages. Natalie Common is one, poor girl has to marry a thirty year old.
They do have some cool stuff like they do what I can only describe as a debutante thing. Where they showcase the girls and guys to try and incorporate a relationship. Which forgive me for being a bit of a sap but I think that's kinda cute, especially as it seems voluntary. Some Families seem to treat the rules to it as a guild for how to get a got partner. That might be taking it a bit too far though. It has given me a few funny notions. The thought on should I wear a suit or a dress comes to mind. I mean I would obviously be after guys and considering how archaic the wizarding world can be, my guess is, if they became okay with it (Which I highly doubt), then I would probably get thrown in with the girls. At least that's what the Romans would have done.
My Wand is in my hand before I have even finished extending my arm to point it at Malfoy.
“You after a repeat of last year?” Draco and his two cronies visibly gulp at the notion. I don’t think they forgot how I one uped them. A smile starts to appear on my face. I can smell blood in the water and this shark is hungry. I probably look sadistic but its working so I will keep going with it. “You do not threat me or mine! Don't you get that? This is the last chance I give you. Last year you got a free pass. This year no freebies. Everyone in this roo…” He goes to interrupt me so I silence him and emphasise my next words so he has no excuse not to understand. “EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, is completely off limits to your or yours friends little stress relief. Take your shit elsewhere.” With that I banish him back slightly, not enough to make him fall on his arse but enough to make him stumble a bit… okay it was more than a bit but he stayed on his feet. He dusts himself off and tries to regain his composier. I’m almost a little impressed.
“I tried to warn you Potter!” Then off he went. He actually looked a little saddened as he walked away. The two brutes just looked on aimlessly. I don’t think they have much going on upstairs.
I close the compartment door and I sit back down. The guys just look at me a bit wide eyed. I never told them about the stunt Malfoy pulled last year.
“That was scary!” Was what finally broke the silence and it was by none other than Nev. People are really impressing me today. Maybe I’m having a positive influence on people. Ha! Who am I kidding its probably in spite of me.
“What happened last time?” Hermione was look thing at me now and I don’t think I rained in my smile in time. “What? Did? You? Do?” Yeep!! they say I’m scary have they seen the look she’s giving me now?
“What? Hey, they tried to jump me.” Honesty I’m not sure if it was or not but I’m not going to tell her that. It could have been me if I got to pissed off at him. Might have to check my diary on that.
“I’m sure.” very curt of her and her look has changed to something a kin to complete disbelief so I don’t think she s buying it. But hey, she doesn’t have to. There isn't anything she can do anyway so lets just move on.
“That was pretty cool though.” Alice finally joins in.
“Thanks. My aim is to please… you guys at least.” a little laugh later and the Goons are no longer the lead topic of discussion. It goes towards more lucrative subjects like how they could get a Walkman like mine. I knew it wouldn't take long to garner some interest. So before we even get back to Hogwarts I have a few orders under my belt so I plan to crack on with these in my spare time.
The twins come back at some point and the girls go off to get changed while we change here. I cant help but feel the gaze on my as I’m changing. Fred seems to be trying to take a mental picture of something. He only stops when George finally spots it and hits him in the stomach with the back of his hand. Not hard but enough to gain his attention.
“Get changed. Stop being a perv!” he whispers to him but if I can hear it then there is a good chance that Nev heard it too. With a little smirk on my face I just get ready like I didn’t hear. Its nice to be appreciated even if I don’t really want to go down that road.
Once the girls are back it all goes pretty chill till we are arrive at Hogwarts. We get onto these carriages that apparently pull themselves, which is pretty cool. A little different from the first time. Maybe that's just to mesmerise the first years. It was impressive so I will give credit where its due. We all see a few faces we all recognise when we are heading to the great hall. I see Cedric. Damn he just gets better looking as time goes on.
I head off to get back with the guys as we walk through the front doors to the castle and I spot a lone snake looking a little down. Not knowing what came over me but I'm guessing its because Ive been a bit down recently too so maybe I’m being all sympathetic or some shit but I walk up to here say hi. She's kind of stumped and nearly comes to a stop just missing the Hufflepuff girls walking behind her. The girls walking by give her the hackiest look Ive seen.
“See! She cant even walk in a straight line. I wouldn't expect anything else from the likes of that.” two girls with her laugh and continue on. I get a hold of Tracy Greengrass’s wrist
“Come. Keep up.” I pull her with me and catch up with the Hufflepuff’s. “Hey Bimbo.” The main mean girl turns around. She gives me a side eye then realises who I am.
“Oh Hey Harry. How was your summer?”
“Don't Hey Harry me bitch. What were you saying bout Tracy?” She looks over my shoulder at the girl just behind me. Then she looks at me and then where my hand is. From her angle it probably looks like we are holding hands. She goes wide eyed for a second. Now I'm annoyed so I’m not thinking about what it looks like so her reaction was a bit of a surprise to me.
“I. I… didn’t know she was your... I’m sorry Harry, I, I…”
“Look!” I cut her off “I don’t care who your talking about or to have no right to speak to people like that.” She's practically bug eyed. It would be funny if I wasn't so pissed off. She doesn’t speak she just meekly nods her head. “Good. Now fuck off.” She toodels quickly into the great hall.
Tracy pulls me to one side stopping me from going in.
“Why did you do that. I’m not your Girlfriend of anything. Why did you make it look like that?” She's standing in front of me with a not so pleased deminer on her face and her arms crossed. If she didn't look so adorably cute to where I just wanted to pinch her cheek and speak like she’s a baby it would be intimidating.
“For one I didn’t mean for it to come across that way. As to why. Well, I just wanted to say hi and she was being a bitch so… I just… you know. Did what I would normally do. Not much more to it than that really.” I feel like I’m under scrutiny from one of the teachers it takes all my effort to not twist my foot and go ‘ahhh shuks mam. I was just a playin.’
“Why do you want to talk to me?”
“You were walking on your own, so was I.” I just shrug “just like to meet new people.”
“Your not bothered by what I am?”
“Well girls are a bit yuk but I have other friends that are girls and they don’t seem to bad.” I just have a big cheesy grin on my face as she gives me a sceptical look. “I don’t want to fuck you if that's what your asking?” her look is even better now. I often wonder how I have the ability to make people make ll kinds of weird and wonderful faces at me. The hanging jaw seems to be my speciality.
She shakes herself off and gives me a genuine smile. “Your different, aren’t you?”
“Baby girl, you have no idea. Now come on, before we’re late.” I head into the great hall just as some of the last stragglers make there way in. Tracy just behind me. She heads off to the Slytherin table while I go my to usual place at mine.
Its a good night. I managed to bring a hip-flask I got from Diagon alley. It holds like 5 gallon of whatever liquid I put into it. Best Hip-flask ever. It currently hold about 4 at the moment. Never before have I ran out of rum filling a bottle. Either way we all got sloshed a bit had a giggle, some food and Dumbledick said something about something. I really don’t know I wasn't listening. I was a bit far gone by that point.
Going back to the common room and heading straight for our room the guys and some of the girls partied till the wee hours. Ron even managed to get in on it and have a laugh though he kinda got a bit sour after, like, the third prank that got him. We all got pranked at some point that night but he managed three. I may have had a hand in all of them but he blamed the twins so I wasn't saying anything. When I finally woke up around 7, the whole room was practically covered with people. Most beds had at least two and the floor was riddled with snoring bodies. Thanking the pink and fluffy lord that I’m young and don’t feel bad at all, I head to the toilet and crack on with the morning.
I Stepped over Nev being spooned by Ginny and regretted not having a camera then I remembered that kid that was taking photos of everyone. What was his name. Cody or Collin or something with a c I dunno. Being the handy little wizard that I am I I summoned his camera and took a picture. The flash was so bright with the curtains closed and the sun just coming over the horizon, it blinded me for a bit. But out pops a photo to which I will use for my amusement later.
Once I was finished I went down to the common room. I was hoping to find Hermione as I couldn’t see her in the tangled mess that was the boys dormitory. Which to no surprise at all, she was.
“What time did you leave last night? I know you were there I wasn't that drunk.”
“Oh yes you were!” I smile, I cant help myself but I say nothing. “Uh fine. I left to go see Ron that last prank you guys pulled was a bit much.”
“Yeah I knew that the moment we did it. I kinda feel bad now, I had no idea he was so upset. I mean, I knew he wasn't happy but that just Ron. Isn't it?
“No that was a bit far. He did well taking the first two but that last one even some of the others said so.”
“Oh shit really. That's not good. Okay I over stepped the mark. I’ll talk to him and say sorry.”
“Go easy on him this year please.”
“You got iky feelings for him or something.” This gets me a roll of the eyes and a frustrated smile. I hate it when she’s mad at me. I know I can be a bit of a handful at times but I don’t want to hurt people and I wouldn't do something I wasn't willing to have done to me. If you don’t catch the prank in time then you kinda deserve it. At least next time you’ll make sure your quicker. That's what I do anyway. I suppose if you get hit time after time it would get a bit too much. And in all fairness we did kinda keg him. But both me and George did it at the exact same time and one got his trousers (which were the original target) and someone got his undies. Which were… lets just say there were some marks. With no one wanting to look at his ding a ling then that was kinda the only place to look and he did have everyone laughing at him. We did try to say sorry at the time but he just shouted at the twins and ran off. I had no idea Hermione had gone after him.
“No I do not! But I felt bad so I wanted to make sure he was okay. He sort of opened up to me. Told me what's been going on. He’s been getting a lot of flack from the twins.”
“I will tell them to back off a bit. They should listen.”
“Its not just that Harry. He’s had his mother getting angry at him because he hasn't become your friend. He said she is annoyed that the twins are but they wont help her and she knows it so she hasn't even asked them.”
“Asked them what?”
“She wants you to be friends with her kids so she can bring you ‘under her wings’. Her words apparently.” I mull this over a bit. What is it with people and wanting to get in on my life.
“If this is what celebrities have to deal with they can take it back people are fucking weird.” I sit down next to her lay my head on her shoulder. She’s used to me now so this doesn’t faze her.
“You know what's weird?”
“You?” The indignation of it all. I raise my head back up and look at her with an over dramatic dropped jaw.
“How very dare you.” This gets the laugh that I’ve been after. “After that I have half a mind not to tell you.”
“No! You have to tell me now. You cant do that.”
“Uh fine. What's weird is that Dumbledork said something similar to that when we talked last year. You think she and him may be in cohoots?”
“I doubt it but in this world nothing is impossible, I guess.”
“Yeah I guess.” I spark a tab and sit back.
“Harry. I told you go to the window when you do that.”
“Yeesh. Sorry Moooom.”
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