Harry dragged himself into the Great Hall along with a haggard looking Ron and a not-so-pleased Hermione. It was the first week of their second year at Hogwarts and Harry had already gotten himself in trouble. It wasn't even his fault! Platform 9 3/4 wouldn't let him and Ron through. They ended up having to take the Weasley's car and flying to the school.
The Great Hall got quiet as the Golden Trio walked in. Harry looked around at the students. The prefects in each house had money split up into two piles. Hermione sighed as she looked around. Apparently she was the only one who knew what was happening, as always. They went and sat down awkwardly as the rest of the school stared at them expectantly. As they were eating the owls came with the mail. The Weasley and Potter owls flew in together, both with bright red cards attached to their legs. Oh.
The owls landed on the table in front of them and then perched on the edges of a fruit bowl, as if waiting to watch the show as well. Ron looked over at his friend with pity. That's when Harry noticed that, not only did he have a Howler, he had two! He worriedly wondered if there was a time limit on the cards. Oh God, my mother must be pissed if her yelling spilled over into another card.
He looked at Ron. Ron looked at him.
"You wanna open yours first?"
"No chance, mate. My mother has sent enough Howlers to Fred and George to let me know how she is on these things."
"And I got two. You go first."
"Fine" Ron whined as he tore open the envelope. Almost instantly the voice of a very angry Molly Weasley rang throughout the Great Hall.
"RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR? I AM ABSOUTELY DISGUSTED! YOU'RE FATHER'S NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT!" Ron visibly paled as he learned of his fathers predicament. The Howler continued. "IF YOU PUT ANOTHER "TOE" OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!" The Howler flew toward a blushing Ginny. Harry watched as the youngest Weasley prepared herself. "And Ginny, dear, congratulations on making it into Gryffindor. Your Father and I are so proud. "
Harry looked at Ron puzzled. "Howlers can have good messages?"
Ron nodded. He looked over at a muggle born at the Ravenclaw table that got a Howler that looked excited, if not confused. "Nerina seems to know what she got." The Fifth Year smiled as she opened the Howler.
"WHAT TEAM?" the Howler yelled.
"WILDCATS!" Every muggleborn in the Hall yelled as loud as they could. Ron and Harry jumped as Hermione yelled it as well.
"WHAT TEAM?"
"WILDCATS!"
"WHAT TEAM?"
"WILDCATS!"
"WILDCATS!"
"GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!" All the muggleborns and few half-bloods that recognized the call cheered and laughed. The pure-bloods just sort of sat there and wondered what the heck was going on. A couple of Hufflepuff first years were singing some song at the end of their table. Even the Slytherin table had a few members who were laughing and smiling in recognition.
"What the bloody hell was that Hermione?" Ron yelled over the cheers. The girl looked over at Ron and smiled.
"It's a muggle thing." Ron groaned as he realized that she wasn't going to say anything else. The Great Hall calmed and then looked over at Harry. He saw a couple students throw a few galleons in this pile or that.
"It's your turn mate. Which do you want to open first."
Harry looked down and saw that one was from his mom, and one was from Prongs and Padfoot. Harry smiled. His dad couldn't be too mad if he sent it under his nickname. He tore open the Howler with slight caution, but he wasn't too concerned.
"HARRIET POTTER THAT WAS BRILLIANT!" He cringed at Sirius's nickname for him. He heard some laughing from the other students, but he smiled anyway.
"FLYING A CAR?! WITH NO LICENSE?!" His father asked in mock anger. "I WISH WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT EH MOONY?"
"You really should have left the boy to Lily, James."
"Nah, the poor boy would be deaf."
"NOT TRUE!" Harry flinched as his mother yelled. He wasn't sure if he wanted to open the other Howler.
"Yes it is dearest."
"HE'S GETTING A HOWLER FROM ME ANYWAY!"
"Moony, will you handle her please?"
"HOW IRONIC THAT THE ONE HANDLING ME IS THE... oof"
There was a pause before shuffling was heard on the other end of the line before a loud thud.
"SIRIUS BLACK YOU DID NOT JUST HIT ME WITH A PILLOW!"
"RUN, MATE, RUN!" He heard his father yell as Sirius was running up the stairs. A loud bark was heard signifying that Sirius had changed into his animal form.
"Sorry about that Harry," came Remus's calm voice. James's laughter, Lily's yelling, and Padfoot's barking was still in the background. "It really was quite funny reading about your little escapade. But you do need to be more careful. No need to have any Muggle's shooting you out of the sky. Have a good year, and tell Professor Snape good luck." He chuckled and the card burst into flames. Harry looked up to his potions professor who, though pale skinned already, had visibly turned even paler. Harry looked away and toward his next Howler. Everyone seemed to be waiting with breath held in anticipation. He cringed and opened the card.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER HOW COULD YOU! HOW DID YOU EVEN MANAGE TO MISS THE TRAIN WE DROPPED YOU OFF OUTSIDE THE STATION AN HOUR EARLY! I DONT CARE WHAT JAMES AND SIRIUS SAY THAT WAS NOT FUNNY. YOU CRASHED INTO THE WHOMPING WILLOW! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! NOT TO GREAT AND END FOR THE BOY WHO LIVED HUH?! AND SEVERUS! " The Howler flew over to Snape, who was now trying to wiggle his way out of the Great Hall trying to get down to the safety of the dungeons.
"I ASKED OU TO WATCH AFTER MY BOY AT THAT SCHOOL AND ALREADY HE'S ALMOST BEEN KILLED! I WANT HIM SCRUBBING THE GREAT HALL FLOOR WITH NO MAGIC, AND RONALD CAN JOIN HIM! MOLLY HAS TOLD ME ALL ABOUT ARTHUR'S INQUIRY" at this point the Howler flew over to Ron "AND YOU BETTER HOPE HE KEEPS HIS JOB OR I WILL PERSONALLY COME TO HOGWARTS AND DRAG YOU HOME BY THAT RED MOP YOU CALL HAIR. SAME GOES TO YOU HARRY! IF I HEAR YOU SO MUCH AS HIT ANOTHER STUDENT WITH A PAPER AIRPLANE YOU WILL BE COMING HOME!" The Howler burst into flame. Harry could swear he saw Dumbledore pass five Galleons to Professor McGonagall.
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A/N I got this idea from a tumblr post. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own HSM
I know that High School Musical happened after Harry Potter but I couldn't resist.