And Then Some Fire Whiskey

Gerard, using the floo network, ended up in Florish and Blotts of Diagon Ally. It wasn’t so much as he needed any new books for this year at Hogwarts, for some reason they had been told not to bother. It just so happened that he wanted a few spell books and an extra wand for just-in-case reasons. Being the cluts he was, an extra wand was a good thing. As for the spell books, well, you never know, Mikey could always start up Dumbledore’s Army again and it would be great to have a little extra practice.

Skimming through the spells, curses, and hexes section, Gerard started wishing more and more for the DA to start up again. Word had just come up that Snape was the new headmaster at Hogwarts and Gerard was more and more glum about it. No matter how much his grandmother nagged him to perk up and be the son his parents would want him to be. He restrained himself from informing her that his parents wouldn’t have minded him the way he was and they, too, would probably be mad that Snape was attempting to fill the hole Dumbledore left.

“Excuse me, sir,” said a small, old witch wearing a Florish and Blotts apron. “Do you need any help? You look a little out of place.”

“I’m fine,” he said, then turned and grabbed a few books from the spells, curses, and hexes section and walked promptly over to the herbology section. He’d forgotten, he really wanted a book on devil’s snare and his grandmother gave him money for it since it was his seventh year at Hogwarts, meaning his birthday was three weeks ago. Gerard still wasn’t used to wearing the watch he got for his birthday, normal for all wizard men to receive when they come of-age.

He paid for his books (three galleons, two sickles and a knut) and went back home, deciding an extra wand wasn’t absolutely necessary.

“Oi! You took your time. I was thinking you’d help with dinner but noooo,” drawled his grandmother the minute Gerard spun out of the fireplace. He nodded solemnly but secretly was glad he didn’t have to help her cook.

Dinner was quiet, for once, because Gerard was too focused on ways to kill Snape, or at least escape his wrath. His grandmother sent him to bed early because tomorrow he was leaving for Hogwarts and there was no need to not get a proper night’s sleep, even though he told her multiple times that his trip would consist of him sitting on a train the whole time and it’s not like he would be able to sleep anyway. Not with what the next day was sure to hold for him.

Since he was right in his prediction that he would not be able to sleep, he looked over his stack of new books, deciding which one to read.
Hell’s Own Breed: Devil’s Snare
Jinxes for the Jinxed
Curses in a New Light
The Antijinx: A Complete Works on the Theory of Every Antijinx necessary

But just trying to decide made him tired and before he knew it, he was in a deep state of sleep.

“Be safe!” Gerard’s grandmother shouted from platform nine and three quarters. He rolled his eyes and went to sit with his friends, Ray, Frank, Ginny, Mikey, Ron, and Hermione.

“Hey!” Frank said brightly.

“Hey, guys,” Gerard said, looking around at Frank, Ray, and Ginny. Ginny smiled genuinely back at him. “Where’s Mikey, Ron, and Hermione?”

“Ummm... Well...” Ginny was shaking her head. “They won’t be here this year.”

“I guess they’re on the run then?” Ray said.

“No, actually. They say they’re working to fight You-Know-Who.”

“Ginny, are you feeling alright? I’ve never heard you call him You-Know-Who,” said Gerard.

“Dad reckons the name’s been jinxed. Said that Kingsley said it and a load of Death Eaters apperated into his living room. Bit of a shock for him but you know Kingsley,” she said. Gerard nodded knowingly but Ray looked confused.

“Who’s Kingsley?”

“I’m sure you must have met him,” Ginny said. “He worked for the Ministry. Tall, dark bloke. Used to guard the muggle prime minister.”

“Hmm. Sounds a bit-” Ray started, but was stopped mid-sentence by a loud SNAP. “I didn’t think anyone could apperate onto the train?”

“Maybe...” Franks thought trailed off. A few compartments slammed open and shut, followed by much screaming and two sets of dark chuckles. Gerard slid open his compartment door and looked out to see a couple of unmasked death eaters he didn’t recognize checking each group.

“Oi!” Gerard shouted with a lot of power in his voice he didn’t know where it came from. “He’s not here. I reckon Harry Potter would be mad to try and go back to Hogwarts, but even if he did, a couple of morons like you wouldn’t be able to find him!”

“Gerard!” Ray half-whispered, half-shouted.

“No, let him,” Ginny said, poking her head out of the door to watch.

“If you think he’s here, you’re stupider than you look, which is pretty stupid,” Gerard continued. The first death eater, who was a head shorter then his companion, stepped forward.

“CRUCIO!” But before he could properly hit Gerard-

“Everte statum!” Ginny shouted then pulled Gerard into the compartment and slid it shut. Muttering a few charms under her breath at the door, Ginny turned toward the others.

“So. I think they’re a bit angry. Think they’d kill one of us?”

“Nah,” Ray said, “ I doubt they’d want to spill magical blood if they didn’t have to. Besides, they know we’re all either half-bloods or pure-bloods and that gives us a bit of protection. They checked for anybody of non-magic blood. I think... Well, I think they killed them all. Or as many as possible.”

“My dad says that a lot of pure-blood families are hiding muggle-borns in their basements and houses. He says that we would too but he’s planning an trip to see a crumple horned snorkack as soon as I’m done with school.” Ray rolled his eyes but Gerard nodded and Ginny smiled.

“That sounds fun. I’m glad people are helping the muggle-borns though. I mean, I’m pretty sure we would, but my mum reckons our family is in nearly as much trouble. No one would want to be associated with us if they didn’t have to.” They heard a loud crack much like before and assumed the Death Eaters had gone. This year the trolley didn’t come through, which was much to Gerard’s disappointment. Either way, the ride to Hogwarts was much less festive and a lot more stressful then it usually was.