Chapter 29: The Watch
Harry looked in the mirror nervously; he had given up trying to flatten his hair. He was supposed to be meeting Katie at the Leaky Cauldron in an hour. He had gotten her white lilies and a bell shaped medallion with her initials engraved on it on a silver chain. He sat down on his bed and kept looking at the clock anxiously. Hermione was watching him from Ron’s bed with a patronizing look.
“Harry, calm down,” she said. “It’s Katie...”
“Yeah,” said Ron. “You know “ your girlfriend?”
“I know, I know “ I’m being stupid...”
He couldn’t calm down, though. He spent a half-hour pacing the bedroom, before deciding to go ahead and leave. He went downstairs, told Mrs. Weasley he was going to Diagon Alley (“Have a nice time, dear...”) and grabbed a handful of floo powder, throwing it into the fire. The flames turned bright green, he stepped in, taking a deep breath “ “Diagon Alley” he said. He felt the familiar whirling sensation and in a few moments he stepped out into the Leaky Cauldron.
Well, at least I’m getting the hang of it, Harry thought to himself. He dusted himself off and ordered a butterbeer from Tom. He looked at the clock on the wall “ Katie was supposed to be there in 10 minutes. Just as he was noticing this, she walked in the door.
“Hi Harry,” she said smiling. She had worn her hair down again and was wearing bronze colored robes that, again, brought out the color of her eyes.
“Hey,” her arrival seemed to finally bring Harry to his senses, and the nervous feeling in his stomach subsided. He handed her the lilies.
“They’re lovely,” she said, kissing his cheek. “So, where do you want to go?”
“I was thinking we should go to Florean Fortescue’s for some ice-cream...” he said.
“And maybe some hot chocolate?” she asked sweetly.
“And some hot chocolate,” Harry agreed, laughing.
They went out to back and through the entrance to Diagon Alley.
“So, how have your holidays been going?” she asked.
“Very interesting,” he said. “Ron’s brother, Percy, came back a few nights ago “ he kind of left a year ago, he thought that Fudge was right and his family was wrong to be hanging around with Dumbledore and me...”
“Wow, that must have been emotional,” she said.
“Yeah, there was some shouting, and crying “ some uncomfortable silences. Things seem to be getting back to normal now, though.”
“Speaking of back to normal, Hermione and Ron are back together?”
“Yeah...” Harry said rolling his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, laughing.
“It’s sickening. I told you in my letter about Ron’s ‘poem’ right?”
She nodded.
“Well since that night they’ve been all over each other “ feeding each other, going to sleep in each other’s arms, running upstairs to snog every chance they get; it’s quite annoying really...”
“It sounds cute,” Katie said.
“Wait until you have to see it yourself...Even Ginny’s starting to get annoyed...”
“Leave them alone “ they’re in love...”
“Well they should be in love somewhere where I don’t have to watch them...” he said.
They sat down at a table outside Fortescue’s and ordered sundaes and hot chocolate.
“I have something for you,” he said, taking the box with the chain out of his pocket.
“Oh, you didn’t have to...” Katie said.
Hermione told him that she would probably say this, and that she would probably be lying. He handed her the box, and she accepted it excitedly.
“Oh, it’s lovely...” she said. “Thanks, Harry.”
She pulled out something from her own pocket.
“I got this for you.”
She handed him a small box, much like the one Harry had given her. He opened it curiously, wondering what it could be. It was a silver watch. The face was black, and there was an engraved image of a large black dog behind the moving hands. The words “In loving memory of the courageous Sirius Black, a beloved friend and godfather,” were engraved in script around the edge. Harry was completely speechless; it was one of the best gifts he had ever received.
“Katie...I-I don’t know what to say...”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
From that point on, the date went wonderfully. At eight, he kissed her goodbye and she left for home. He left for the Burrow through the fireplace, wondering why he had been so nervous in the first place. When he got to the Burrow, he showed them all the watch Katie had given him. Mrs. Weasley left the room because she ‘got something in her eye.’ Her eyes were red when she returned. Clearly, despite the differences she had with Sirius, his death had upset her quite a bit.
“This was really thoughtful of her,” said Hermione.
“And it’s so beautiful,” added Ginny
They were interrupted by a loud crack outside, and Mr. Weasley came in looking apprehensive.
“Another Ministry employee was attacked today,” he said, sitting down tiredly. “I don’t see an end to this anytime soon...”
“I know what you mean,” agreed Charlie, who was reading from the Daily Prophet. “It seems everything is just Death Eaters running around killing and destroying “ I don’t see how anyone’s going to get to You-Know-Who at this rate. And until someone finishes him “ this will never be over.”
Hermione and Ron glanced over at Harry, looking worried. Mrs. Weasley put a cup of tea down in front of her husband.
“So... what?” asked George. “They’re not doing anything but going on killing sprees? I always thought You-Know-Who had a bit more class than that...”
“I think they’re trying to get power by intimidation,” said Mr. Weasley. “It’s what happened last time. At first it was just random killings “ but soon they started trying to get political power, got people inside the Ministry; got rid of loads of Muggle borns and Half-Bloods, got laws changed...”
“This is all Fudge’s fault; if he had just come to his senses...” she stopped and looked at Percy, guiltily.
“It’s alright, Mum...” Percy said.
Harry looked at Mr. Weasley.
“Do you know if the Order’s found out what the Death Eaters were after when they kidnapped the Unspeakables back in September?”
Arthur threw a look at Molly, Bill, and Charlie, before turning back to Harry.
“How did you know...?”
“Dumbledore told me.”
Molly sighed.
“Dumbledore did say to tell Harry anything he wanted to know, Arthur...” she said, somewhat sniffily as though she thought it was a bad idea.
“No, Harry “ we don’t know anything yet. Ophelia and Kenneth are still missing,” Mr. Weasley said seriously. There was a tense silence.
“I’ve invited Remus for Christmas,” said Mrs. Weasley clearing her throat. Obviously she wanted to change the subject.
“Lupin? That’s great,” said Fred.
“Yeah “ he’s back teaching at Hogwarts now, isn’t he?” asked George.
“Yeah,” said Ron. “It’s a good thing too... I couldn’t have put up with any more of Umbridge.”
“Speaking of teachers,” said Hermione. “We have a new potions teacher, Professor Alchemina. She’s really nice “ she’ll be replacing Professor Snape until the end of February.”
“Yeah “ it’s nice to be rid of Snape for a while,” added Harry.
There was another tense silence among the older members of the family.
“What?” he said suspiciously.
Nobody said anything.
“Is Snape doing something for the Order?” he asked. “Is that why he’s not teaching?”
Still, nobody spoke.
“What’s going on? You just said that Dumbledore told you to tell me anything I want to know “ where’s Snape?” Harry demanded.
“We don’t know, Harry,” said Charlie finally.
“Snape disappeared a few weeks ago. Dumbledore just told Alchemina ‘the end of February” because ‘indefinitely’ would sound too suspicious,” added Bill.
“So what do you mean “ has he been kidnapped? Killed?”
“We really have no idea, Harry” said Mr. Weasley.
A lump formed in Harry’s throat. He had imagined Snape leaving so many times before “ but now it felt like a dark cloud had formed over his head. If something really had happened to Snape, they were all in serious trouble.