Change the Future

GOF 10

Rory, the twins and Lee jumped down from the carriage and dashed up the steps too, looking up only when they were safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit entrance hall, with its magnificent marble staircase. Rory noticed Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville in front of them.

"Blimey," Ron said, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, Rory notices Peeves floating above him with a water balloon so she nodded at him then towards Ron as he smiles at her. "if that keeps up the lake's going to overflow. I'm soak - ARRGH!" A large, red, water-filled balloon had dropped onto Ron's head and exploded. Drenched and sputtering, Ron staggered sideways into Harry, just as a second water bomb dropped narrowly missing Hermione, it burst at Harry's feet.

"Really that was your fault" Ron says glaring at Rory.

"Yep" Rory says smirking as she leans into Remus's side, resting her head on his shoulder.

People all around them shrieked and started pushing one another in their efforts to get out of the line of fire. Harry looked up and saw, floating twenty feet above them, Peeves the Poltergeist, a little man in a bell-covered hat and orange bow tie, his wide, malicious face contorted with concentration as he took aim again.

"PEEVES!" yelled an angry voice. "Peeves, come down here at ONCE!" Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor House, had come dashing out of the Great Hall; she skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione around the neck to stop herself from falling. "Ouch - sorry, Miss Granger"

"You okay Minnie" Rory ask her as Hermione speaks.

"That's all right, Professor!" Hermione gasped, massaging her throat.

"I'm fine Rory thank you. Peeves, get down here NOW!" barked Professor McGonagall, straightening her pointed hat and glaring upward through her square-rimmed spectacles.

"Rory didn't get scolded for calling her Minnie that's not fair" Sirius moans crossing his arms across his chest.

"Not doing nothing!" cackled Peeves, lobbing a water bomb at several fifth-year girls, who screamed and dived into the Great Hall. "Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Wheeeeeeeeee!" And he aimed another bomb at a group of second years who had just arrived.

"I shall call the headmaster!" shouted Professor McGonagall. "I'm warning you, Peeves " Peeves stuck out his tongue, threw the last of his water bombs into the air, and zoomed off up the marble staircase, cackling insanely. "Well, move along, then!" said Professor McGonagall sharply to the bedraggled crowd. "Into the Great Hall, come on!" They all slid across the entrance hall and through the double doors on the right, Ron muttering furiously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face. The four long House tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here. They all sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors at the far side of the Hall, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost.

"Good evening," he said, beaming at them.

"Says who?" said Harry, taking off his sneakers and emptying them of water. "Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'm starving." The Sorting of the new students into Houses took place at the start of every school year. A highly excited, breathless voice called down the table to Harry.

"Harry's moody" James says laughing with Sirius.

"Hiya, Harry!" It was Colin Creevey, a third year to whom Harry was something of a hero.

"Hi, Colin," said Harry warily.

"Harry, guess what? Guess what, Harry? My brother's starting! My brother Dennis!"