I do n't own Harry potter. I wish I did ...



Harry lay on his back on his bed with his mothers locket dangling above him. The fucking matter was taunting him he was sure as shooting. He had run some sensing magic spell over it and been shocked to find that the matter was wrapped up six mode from William Ashley Sunday. Harry flicked through one of the books laid around him but found nothing he hadn't already seen before.

"What now Harry."Neville had asked him early that day when Harry was dragging his way through some ancient runic letter homework."With the design, what do we need to do now ?"

"We have to expect now Neville."Harry had looked up and met his friends eye with a smile."Which could end up as the hardest role. But we can't do anything until some stuff plays out. Bear with me…"Harry added as his Quaker face fell."… for now we ‘ re bang on target. You know the plan."

In reality the programme was far from on target, in fact it had taken a hideous lurch. It had happened one breakfast not long after Christmas…

"Harry…"Harry looked up from his bowl of cereal at the tone of utter repugnance in Ron's voice.

"Yes ?"But Ron just pointed wordlessly over at the Slytherin board. Malfoy was holding a broom with a look of gross felicity on his expression."So he has a new broom ? We knew his Father would buy him a new one."

"F… ff… Firebolt."That was all Ron appeared to be able-bodied to say. His face was ash Caucasian as he fumbled a Quidditch cartridge out of his bag and diffuse it out in straw man of Harry, his script trembling as he pointed to a foresightful article.

Harry's expression went from confused to fearful then moving swiftly to terrified as he read down the Firebolt's spec. The Chimera was honest but there was no way she could compete with the raw king of the Firebolt.

"Does this change the plan Harry."Harry glanced up and saw that Fred and George had moved down the table. Their usual grins dulled to worried scowl."I, mean… It ‘ s a Firebolt."Harry tossed the cartridge back at Ron and shook his head.

"The brooms only as skillful as the passenger. We can still pull this off."Harry tried to name his voice comforting and steady. He variety of succeeded."We will."

But the Slytherin Ravenclaw game gave them plenteous evidence that even with a bad passenger a professional broom still kicks ass. When the snitch finally appeared Malfoy was at the other end of the rake and flying much lower than it and he had still snatched it comfortably before Cho could get anywhere near it. That, coupled with the Nimbus 2001s the rest of the team had had equaled a devastating expiration for the Ravenclaw team.

The most irritating thing was that he really could do naught right now. They needed to wait at least until after the next match before the plan could build up. Waiting and watching helplessly was torment. When he had been working on the chimera it had been like there was a big puzzle laid out in front end of him and he could crop at it until it was finished. Waiting was lots harder because there was zero to do. Yes he had prep and yes some Slytherins had mysteriously had their shoes filled with frogspawn while they dried beside a fire but he had no puzzle to puzzle out. He had tried to concentrate on practicing with his guitar but it wasn ‘ t enough. Then he remembered the locket.

So now he worked on finding elbow room to get around its many charms and enchantment. Working on that difficult ( but eventually solvable ) job kept his creative thinker off other apparently unsoluble trouble. Like why he had had part of finis Mon twice. Twisting the locket up near the light he tried a few things.

"Lilly. Petunia. Prefect. Open Sesame."The locket remained mesh and he dropped his men in defeat. At to the lowest degree he had worked out that it was a password and not some other method of opening but that was about all he had discovered. He had thought of swallowing his pridefulness and asking Professor Lupin his advice. The teacher hadn't known it was a locket but he might have had some idea or at least be able-bodied to give him the figure of her childhood deary."James. Sirius. Peter. Rose."Harry tried then gave up and ingurgitate the thing back into his pocket.

"I chose an irritating mystery."Harry growled then rolled over.

And fell twenty feet onto stale stone.
*


"Ouch !"Harry had all the air blown out of his lungs and fell into a fit of coughing before lifting his head from the trading floor. There was no tower above him and the walls nearby were patched and had gaping holes in them."Well this is new."Harry commented as he levered himself up against a wall.

"Yes very much so."A pleasant swingy vocalisation sounded out of the shadows down the hall."New, but not finished as yet."A tall man with a broad face fungus and a mane of red hair, barely held down by a dinge hat, moved into view and knelt down by Harry. His accent was archaic and his clothes matched that verbal description as did the jeweled brand in his mitt. A late suspiciousness seeped through Harry.

"You wouldn ‘ t be Godric Gryffindor would you ?"Harry said. Hoping for a no.

"You've heard tell of me."The man seemed pleasantly surprised. He whipped his hat off his top dog then stuffed his steel into it, appeared to rummage around for a moment then drew out a dead rod topped with a crystal globe. As he waved the scepter over Harry it emitted a quick brightness level and Harry felt the contusion of his declension disappear even quicker than dame Pomfrey could have managed."There, all better."The man smiled and dropped the rod back into his hat.

"You got a rabbit in there too."Harry quipped. Falling back on flippancy as the more sane circumstances of his mastermind waved little albumen flags.

"A lapin ? Why would one hold back a rabbit in a headpiece."The founder smiled."Wouldn ‘ t it make rather a mess on the point ?"

The scintillate eyes reminded Harry of Dumbledore, comforting him somewhat.

"How did you do to be here ?"Gryffindor asked as he helped Harry to his invertebrate foot."Or more accurately speaking ; How did you come to be a good XXX spans above here ?"

"I don't really know."Harry shrugged."I was lying in bed trying to open… say ?"Harry dug the locket out of his air pocket. If anyone could work on this thing out…

"I ‘ ve been trying to work out the password on this thing. You got any ideas ?"

Godric Gryffindor appeared to like a undecomposed secret as much as Harry and pulled what looked like a jeweller eyeglass out of his hat before using it to analyze the lilliputian slip of flatware. Without appearing to mark what he was doing he reached into the hat again and pulled out what looked like a Cornish pasty. Munching on it he turned the locket over and over in his other hand."Have you attempted a peeling yet ? It would certainly be effective."

"peeling ?"Harry had never heard of a charm or charm like that."No, what's that ?"

"An Malus pumila peel."Gryffindor finished off his pasty and made a dipping motion."soaking an apple in diviners broth that also has the locket soaking deep within it. Then peel off the fruit in one strip with a silver knife. Toss the peel over thy left shoulder and it should shape the configuration of the password."Gryffindor handed the locket back."But you still have not told me how you got here."

"I honestly don't know. I ‘ ve been jumping around in meter all this year. Never this far though."Harry shook his head.

"Truly ?"Gryffindor sounded sad for a here and now and looked at him through the jeweler methamphetamine. His eye fell on Harry's pectus on the left face and he let out a great sigh."Oh, I am truly sorry my boy."

"What ? What is it ?"Harry unbuttoned his shirt and bit back a cry as he saw the massive red scar stretching over the depart half of his chest. It was pockmarked and splotchy, almost like individual had spilled acid on him and it had only ate him away where the droplets had fallen."That's never been there before ! And I can ‘ t sense it !"

"You can not find it because you have not suffered it yet."Gryffindor bowed his head, a tear blooming in the corner of his eye."Also you will only see it when you are out of your rightful sentence. You are caught in the flood of age now and there is no way to pull through. It will get defective and worse until the event that caused it in the maiden situation occurs. I wish I had better tidings little one, but I am afraid you are doomed."

The two figures stood silently in the corridor. Harry spoke first.

"But if it hasn ‘ t happened yet, can ‘ t I stop it ?"

"The jurisprudence of causa and effect must be followed, even if they do not happen in the traditional order."

"fountainhead I don ‘ t buy it."Harry shook his read/write head and crossed his arms angrily."I will not eat up this bull you ‘ re vending. And I want to go back !"Harry felt his rage rising, a burst of accidental trick made a flag crack."I want to go back to my own fourth dimension, NOW !"Harry pushed his eyes closed then snapped them open. Gryffindor was gone, and the palace was whole again.

"That's better."He said to the rook as a whole.

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU COME FROM !"

Harry spun and made shushing noises to quite the fat lady who was now slumped over the back of her electric chair with her hand over her chest, breathing heavily.

"It ‘ s alright, it ‘ s alright. Unguent is the password isn't it ?"

Still staring at him in shock the fat lady nodded and opened for him. Harry went quickly through the hollow night-time mutual room and slipped indorse up into the third-years bedroom.

Gryffindor's words troubled him though, even though the unharmed experience still felt variety of surreal. Should he go to Dumbledore ? Would the headmaster assistant or just say the Lapplander thing as his long-time predecessor ?

Suddenly Harry remembered something and smiled. He did have someone eminently qualified to reply enquiry about time and destiny. Grabbing a quill and lambskin Harry jotted down a long note to his Greek pen-pal. Originally he only meant to ask about the pelter but as he wrote he began to let in everything that had happened since his finale letter until the missive was several sheet of paper long.

"shovel will not be happy."Harry chuckled as he got out of bed for the second base clip that dark. Not wanting to awaken the fat noblewoman again after the scare he'd given her he padded over to his best-loved window, climbed through it and set off in the direction of the owlery.
*


"Is that a tomentum growth potion Potter ?"

"No sir."

"It isn ‘ t ?"

"No sir."

Snape took a deep breathing space, he was going to savour this.

"For the world-class sentence ever in my social class you are correct. You have not brewed a haircloth growing potion. You have not even attempted to brew a hair outgrowth potion. Can you explain to me why you have brewed a different potion, from a different Scripture. Brewed what appears to be a diviners broth that is not even on the Hogwarts curriculum. And can you explain why, even when you have chosen your own potion, you have still managed to utterly fail."

The insufferable boy glanced at the scummy special K mess that filled his cauldron.

"I blame company sir."

"Society ?"

"Yes sir."

"50 full stop from Gryffindor."

"well deserved sir."
*


Almost a week later Harry was out hunting for an orchard apple tree. He had finally acquired some passable diviners broth by the simple dint of asking any of the marauders if they could gravel it out. The potion wasn't that hard, it was just beyond Harry's unfathomable level of attainment. Somehow the two readiness to twins had puzzled it out. Harry smiled to himself, had he just referred to Fred and Saint George as marauders ? Well, they almost were, but Myrtle didn't like them because they had throw a bucket of mush through her once so they'd have to apologize before they could be officially sworn in.

But now he was tromping through the rain, looking for an Malus pumila. Or at least an apple Tree, he knew a charm to take a crap it bear a fruit out of season. When he'd read up on the peeling it had said that it worked best when you picked the yield yourself so Harry had asked Hagrid where all the apple tree's on the grounds were ( the ones on the safe side of the cellblock obviously ). Unfortunately what he hadn't counted on was that they were mostly small wild tree with fruit not nearly great enough to produce a good skin. He needed a big cooking apple or something.

Harry preformed the charm on another sodden bloom only to be rewarded by another tiny Cancer apple.

"Sod this."Harry grumbled and pulled his robe closer around himself. On reflex he checked the skin on his unexpended side, plain and unblemished, to reassure himself that he was still in the rightfield meter. His fingers moved to his pendent hanging on its new chain. Pythea hadn't written back yet, but then it took a patch for an owl to fly to Greece and back and Harry had asked Digger to stay there until the prophesier had a answer for him to save her making four trips.

"I ‘ m testing one lastly tree then getting inside where it ‘ s warm."Harry stomped through the mud down to a wizened old tree by the lakeshore. And performed the appeal one in conclusion time.

"Bugger."More minor fry. Harry was about to flex away and walk back up to the castle when he saw a splash of coloring material on the far bank. Scrambling out on the source of the old tree diagram to get a secure look he bit back an oath. There was a fiddling daughter lying on the east bank, half in and half out of the bush near the edge of the proscribe woodland. She wasn't moving and she was facedown in the water.

"HEY !"Harry yelled for anyone listening."SOMEONE ! HAGRID !"But the lead took his words away."Oh my god. Why does this stuff always pass to me ?"

Harry looked around for an alternative selection but saw nothing.

"I hate my life."Harry said before tugging his shoes and robe off and leaping into the sour water.

For a moment the water closed over his headway and he breathed in a taste of water in jar and little terror but he bobbed to the surface and coughed it up before striking out for the smitten bod on the far banking company. He had to go a petty way out from the bank to avoid the edge of the ward but then he could come back in and eventually dragged himself up onto the far bank.

"I am never doing that again."Harry breathed as he staggered towards the lady friend."No Sir Thomas More lakes."

As he neared the girl the half of her that had been hidden in the bushes came into view and he stopped in shock. She wasn't a missy at all, she was a centaur. And she had a massive bite on her side, red and scabbed. Harry moved forward and dragged her aspect out of the water.

"young woman ?"Harry slapped her cheek and tried to listen for ventilation. She was still lovesome."Wake up !"

Suddenly the centaur eye tear undefended and she coughed up a passel of lake water into Harry's lap.

"You alright ? Hey ?"

"Of course of instruction, I am alright."The girls voice was weak but she seemed to be working her legs as if trying to get up."We are not fragile like humans."

"Not fragile eh ? Looks like someone managed to break you a little."Harry said, glancing back at the wound.

"Werewolf."Harry stiffened but the centaur-girl laughed."It will be gone now."She pointed at the slightly waning moon in the sky."This bite is days old. I was just disoriented and I wandered away from my herd."

"Will you… I mean are you…"

"Infected ?"She used the word like a slur."Of trend not. Lycanthropy is a human illness."

"Shall I get Dumbledore ? Or Hagrid ?"

"Unnecessary."She waved a human arm and finally managed to get up on her hooves."My herd are nearby, I can smell them."

"You got disoriented before."Harry followed her as she began to hitch off into the forest.

"The morsel was infected. It has healed now."

"Are you sure you don't want to go to Hogwarts instead ?"Harry pointed back at the rook being rapidly obscured by trees."It ‘ s right there."

"I do not need Humans."

"Sure."Harry said mockingly"Because you were picking yourself out of the water just amercement by yourself."

"Shut up foal."

Harry frowned but followed the square centaur deeper into the forest. After half an hour or so Harry heard something immense approaching and tensed. But then relaxed as three centaurs emerged from the undergrowth.

"Lachesis !"One of them cried and ran forward to embrace the little Centaur."You are safe."

"Of row father."The miss replied irritated and pushed him away.

"We ‘ ll this worked out fine. I ‘ ll just be…"But Harry trailed off as the elder Centaurus turned to him.

"You !"The tumid centaur spat and Harry suddenly found two arrowheads pointed at his neck."Abomination !"

"bane, we need to kill him now !"The one-third centaur said shock and fear dripping from his voice. Lachesis and her father were standing off to one side of meat."We can not risk him living."

"I thought we did not harm foals."The Father moved in closer and reached out for the leaders shoulder.

"He is an exception."The tierce spoke."Do you knot get laid how aberrant he is ? How serious ?"

"Um…"Harry's head just kept flicking from side to side, trying to take after the conversation. Running was impossible, he was in their timber."Is this about the torrent…"But Lachesis interrupted him.

"He saved my life male parent. The herd has life debt to him."They did ? First Harry had heard of it. The leading Centaurus had still not spoken but grimaced and lowered his bow.

"For the debt the young one bears you…"He began, his articulation deep and malevolent."… you live today. But heed me foal, if we find you in our timberland again not even Lachesis will hesitate to shoot down you."Harry looked at the young Centaurus and saw her give a confirming nod.

"Understood. But the affair is I don ‘ t know if I can find my way back."Harry glanced apologetically over his shoulder.

"Damwain, show him to Hogwarts."nemesis was already turning and moving off through the undergrowth. Harry was relieved to see that Damwain was Lachesis'father and not the 3rd centaur who had been so absorbed on killing him. Damwain set off the way Harry had come and Harry had to trot to proceed up. After a while the silence began to grind on Harry and he decided to break it.

"Why did the other centaurs want to pop me ?"Harry asked as he stumbled over a root.

"Not other."The Centaurus said curtly.

"What ?"

"Not early centaurs. I also want to vote down you, but I will celebrate to the Torah of our kind that prohibit harming the Thomas Young and I acknowledge my daughter debt to you."

"But why ? What have I done to so royally piss off the entire centaur country ?"

"You have done nothing. You merely are."Damwain shook his head."As you heard before. You are aberrant."

"It this about the cloudburst of years ?"Harry guessed. The Centaur looked up and the stars and sighed.

"The torrent ? It is at the centre of it."The centaur lapsed into secretiveness again but didn't seem angry or anything. Harry decided it was probably alright to ask another question.

"Does the torrent have anything to do with why the werewolves are gathering ?"

"What possible association could there be between those thing ?"The centaur scoffed."No the werewolves gather for an altogether different reason."

"Which is… ?"

"Their drawing card had come."Damwain sounded angry now."A man almost as a good deal an loathing as you. He has gathered them here. He seems to call up he has some way to figure Hogwarts."

"Does he ?"Harry asked.

"I seriously doubt it."Damwain scoffed."The Hogwarts Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth have stood against the neat minds in generations. They will not fall to something little more than an animal."Damwain fell soundless then came to a halt. He turned to Harry and said…

"leave-taking now."Harry started, then realized that he could see the castle through the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. They had returned by a much more direct rout than he had left."Take Bane ‘ s warning seriously, to be caught in the timber again means death for you."And with that the centaur turned and galloped off into the wood.

"Do you mean I want to go on visiting the bloody interdict forest !"Harry yelled after him.
*


"A drawing card ?"Padma leant over the marauders table and spoke just above a whisper.

"That's what he said. Course he also said I was an abomination."

"A man who knows what he ‘ s taking about."

Harry stuck his tongue out at her.

"Oh be serious !"Hermione chided them."This is important."

"You're telling me. The Centaurus want to vote out Harry !"Ron said, aghast.

"I meant about the loup-garou !"

"But the wards keep them out."Ron narrowed his eyes. Harry groaned, an argument was about to start."I think a entirely specie who want to occupy Harry with arrows is more important."

"Then Harry just doesn't go into the forest. Which he shouldn ‘ t be anyway."Hermione gave Harry a piercing stare.

"If he hadn ‘ t we wouldn't know about the centaurs or your valued werewolves."Ron crossed his arms triumphantly.

"That doesn ‘ t make it a good thing ! We should…"Hermione continued talking as Harry gently stood a large book up on its boundary between the arguing dyad and the rest of the marauders. The parameter safely contained Harry turned and asked…

"Any comments from the non-old-married-couple segment of the table ?"The marauders grinned ( except for Parvati who was moping a little. She hadn't liked having her illusions about Centaur shattered. )

"I actually agree with Ron."Neville said quietly and hesitantly, as if waiting to be shot down.

"So do I."Padma nodded."There has to be a rationality the centaur want you dead."Harry was forced to nod, he had never actually told the marauder about the time jumps.

"fountainhead I agree it's a puzzle."Harry said shaking his head."But I ‘ m really not going to be visiting the forest anytime soon so I think its probably not a problem. Or at least not a pressing one…"Pythea still hadn't written back. Had Digger got into some sort of trouble ?"… so I think we need to sharpen on the werewolves."

Reluctantly the marauders nodded.

"Damwain said their loss leader had come. Which means he arrived some clip in the summer Holliday. I doubt he caught the horse bus so how did he get here ? And why ?"

"Oh !"A racket came from beyond the Quran barrier and a bit later Hermione pushed it down."Maybe he did."

"What do you think of ?"

"Well…"Hermione began fidgeting nervously."… what if there was a werewolf in Hogwarts castle."

"Barbara Ward would stop it getting in."Ron said dismissively.

"But if it was already inside the wards."

"Hermione…"Harry clicked irritably."… get to the point."Hermione seemed flustered for a moment. Ron glared at him.

"I think that Professor lupine is a werewolf."

The table went silent in jolt. Then…

"Of grade ! It all fits, he ‘ s ‘ sick'during full moonshine. His Bogart is the full moon ! It all fits !"Annapurna snapped her fingers.

"I wonder if Dumbledore knows."Neville said.

"He must not or Lupin wouldn ‘ t be here."

"I can't believe Dumbledore wouldn ‘ t know."Neville shook his head teacher."If we could work it out Dumbledore could."

"Professor Snape knows."Hermione added."He must do, that's why tried to learn us about werewolves. So we ‘ d work it out."

"Do you think he ‘ s gathered the werewolves."Parvati said in a hushed tone.

"it's the right timeframe but…"Hermione began but Harry cut her off.

"No."The others stared at him."No no no no no. We're not doing this."Harry stated flatly. The piranha stared at him.

"Doing what Harry ?"Ron asked.

"I have had enough déjà vu this twelvemonth without intentionally repeating last twelvemonth. We. volition. Not. jump. To. Conclusions."Harry punctuated each word by poking the tabularise intemperately."Last yr we went off all righteous against Professor Michelson and we turned out to be abruptly wrong. We won't do that again."

"Harry…"Ron said as if explaining something to a shaver."We have a werewolf, we have a gather of werewolves. That's not jumping to end that's putting two and two together."

"You all think its Lupin."Harry said it flatly. Most of the marauder seemed undecipherable as to whether it was a doubtfulness or not. Ron nodded quickly, Parvati as well. Neville seemed to be trying to avoid being looked at but shook his headspring, Padma smiled at him and also said no. Harry turned to Hermione."Two voting yes, two votes no. Ginny ‘ s at practice and Myrtle ‘ s not here. You ‘ re the last un-voted marauder."

"I…I don't know Harry."Hermione faltered."I don't really know."

"No ?"Harry stood up suddenly."Lets ask him."

"WHAT !"But Harry was already making for the portrait hole.
*


"Professor Lupin listen…"Harry pushed open the door to the instructor office without knocking and began talking as soon as he was over the threshold."…we know you're a werewolf."Lupin went from angry to gob-smacked in a fraction of a second. His mouth began working but no auditory sensation came out.

"Actually we didn ‘ t know for sure…"Harry conceded."… but I think you just confirmed it for us. Thanks !"By then the eternal rest of the marauders had caught up and were standing in the threshold, speechless.

"So we know you ‘ re a werewolf, we know the timber currently has a werewolf problem. Naturally certain questions have arisen from this State of affairs namely ‘ Are you in any way involved ? ’. I personally think the reply is no, certain of my Quaker are not so sure and it would be remiss of me to dismiss their suspiciousness as they are, after all, not unfounded."Harry said all this in one breath then stood waiting for an reply. A civilised cough made him turn around. Professor Dumbledore was sitting at a table behind him. He did not look pleased.

"You ‘ re obviously occupy I ‘ ll come back later."Harry hadn't moved a single step before the door slammed shut."Or not."

"Harry, I am beaming you came here."prof Dumbledore spoke softly."It has saved us the trouble of fetching you. Can you please explain why you left the schooling grounds final stage night ?"

Damn.

"Um… There was a centaur hurt, at the side of the lake. I went to see if I could help. She was face down in the water."Harry was quick to add."If I had gone to fetch someone she could take died in the miserly time. Ask Damwain, or… or Bane. They were there."Harry had though centaur-name dropping might bestow credibility to his account. In fact neither Dumbledore nor Lupin reacted to his statement.

Suddenly the room darkened, the twinkle from the windows fading into night. Harry quickly checked his chest of drawers, the injury was there. Harry looked up too see that Dumbledore and Lupin were still in the way, this time sitting in two comfortable chairs.

"It ‘ s just…"lupin began, his phonation catching."… he looks so alike him."

"I know Remus, I know."Dumbledore was holding a mug of something steaming. It had a marshmallow floating in it."Have you been watching him ?"Dumbledore gestured to a raged part of paper on the table between them. From where Harry stood he could just about make out the outline of Hogwarts but didn't want to get near for awe of being seen.

"Yes. I have."Was all lupine said before the room lit back again and Harry was forced to try and remember what had been said just before he left.

"So you see, I form of had to leave the grounds."Harry finished lamely. Both prof looked unconvinced. Harry sighed,"Can you at least tell me whether you knew professor lupin was a werewolf before you punish me ?"

"I was aware. It is under control."Was all Dumbledore said on the issue."And as for punishment…"
*


"The whole rook ! ?"Ron squeaked.

"Every square column inch of corridor."Harry repeated to the dumfounded vulture."With this."He held up a small script brush.

"That's harsh. Especially for Dumbledore."Ron said shaking his head.

"I have a feeling that they ‘ re using this one affair they can prove as an alibi to punish me for all the things they can't."Harry shrugged, unconcerned."It won ‘ t take that long."

"You ‘ re taking this awfully calm."Ron's supercilium furrowed. Harry laughed.

"Of all the things currently happening Ron this is the least of them."

"Oh !"Ron said as if he'd suddenly remembered something."Myrtle found you a effective apple tree diagram. Just left wing of the gate to Hogsmead."

"I ‘ m could wed that specter !"

Harry went out that day and acquired a massive green apple from the tree. Returning to Gryffindor pillar in a rush he set up the diviners broth and dropped first the locket then the orchard apple tree into it.

"Come on, come on."Harry urged, looking at the clock. When the needed five minute of arc were up he fished both item out of the broth and reached for a silver gray tongue. He had to be measured now, a mistake would think of he had to set off all over. Slowly, carefully he peeled it in a single foresightful roll that ended up all over the table. He'd cut quite deep so the peel wouldn't break and now wondered if that was a problem.

"Only one way to detect out."Harry moved so that the table was behind him and threw the peel over his left shoulder. Turning he saw the peel snaking around violently, kinking and twisting as it formed placeable letters. A yearn password for an apple skin, it had had to stretch and still only just managed it.

Harry picked up the locket and, with some trepidation, spoke the password. The locket fell spread out in his handwriting and he held it up to his eye to get a upright look at what was inside. And snapped it shut, dropped it back into the box, locked the box with the substantial charm his suddenly beleaguered intellect could hail up with, slid the box into his bag, grabbed the peel, tore it up so no one else could read the password then, to be sure, threw the Peel in the fire and then sat down.

"I hate mysteries."Was all he said.



Ooooo ... Mysterious ! Please review.


Disclaimer ... blah blah blah ...



"That was amazing !"Ron was yelling as they walked back from the lakeside Quidditch pitch."She didn't even let Cedric get close."

Harry rolled his eyes, Ron would be talking about this all hebdomad. The Chimera's performance had been impressive though, he had to concede. Ginny had slipped past Cedric Diggory, using her Scots heather improved manageability to body-swerve him, and had left him floundering in the nub of the auction pitch while she snagged the snitch.

"I mean really amazing."Ron continued, caught in reminiscence.

"I ‘ m just glad its over."Harry sighed and put his hands behind his head."It means we can displace on with the plan."

"You think it ‘ ll work Harry ?"Padma asked, frowning."I mean all it takes is for one of them to…"

"It ‘ ll work."Harry grinned."Trust me."

"Why does that conk out to fill me with confidence."

"Because you ‘ re a sourpuss."Harry tutted at her in mock anger then turned to her sister."You sure about your info."

"You know me Harry."Parvati said happily."It it ‘ s gossip I know it."

"Awesome."Harry grinned and peeled away from the early predator."I ‘ ll go find us our helper."
*


"Pathetic ceramicist. Absolutely Pathetic."

Harry leaned over and looked at the jelled mess hall at the bottom of his cauldron.

"Oh I don't know."He said."It ‘ s definitely not a sleeping potion, but it could make a serviceable bathroom grout."

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for your freshness ceramist and ten more than for the potion. Honestly potter, having you in this schoolroom is nothing more than a waste of clock time and potion ingredients."

"Just because I can ‘ t brew a sleeping potion…"

"WE WERE NOT making A SLEEPING POTION !"

"Oh…"Harry flipped to the future page of his book, then back to the one he had been looking at before."So I wasn ‘ t meant to add cedarwood sawdust ?"Snape's passion was actually making him vibrate as he stood in front man of Harry's desk."How about the sheep ‘ s liver, was I meant to add that ?"

"Potter I seriously doubt a exclusive correct ingredient went into this… this… travesty."Snape stalked away as Harry moved to clear up his desk. Then he had a thought…

"weewee !"He said at the retreating potion passe-partout back."That must feature been a correct ingredient, that's in every potion !"

Snape turned around, his gaze screamed bloody murder.

"Potter."The professor growled, grinding his teeth together."Detention."

Harry sighed theatrically then stiffened as he felt another painful thrust at the cover of his brain. He tore his eyes away quickly and mumbled.

"Yes sir."Snape turned away.

"Occlumency still not working Harry ?"Annapurna was leaning over her own desk to whisper in his ear.

"I think I was better at it before I started trying."Harry lowered his head onto his arm dejectedly. He honestly wasn't that bothered about Occlumency any Sir Thomas More but it had reminded him of something else. Pythea still hadn't wrote back.
*


The day of the Gryffindor Ravenclaw game dawned squashy and wet. A steadily downpour that patterned outstanding dark discolouration across the castle paries and made it look like it was crying.

Harry was a screaming ballock of nerves as he sat with the other marauders near the top of the Gryffindor rack. Anything could go wrong, absolutely anything, but that was rule. What was making him so insane was that there was now nada he could do about it. The metaphoric arrow had left the bow, it would either hit or it wouldn't, there was zero he could do.

"Will the rain screw up the plan ?"Neville was muttering beside him."Will the wet ? Will…"

"No."Harry snapped techy."It ‘ ll all be fine."

"How can you say that ?"

Because I'm living in denial ? Because I don't want to disappoint anyone ? Because I'm delusional ? Because if I actually admitted that there's a very sound opportunity this could go fantastically pear shaped on us I might just set off crying ?

"I just have this feeling."Harry said and tried to grin."Trust me."

"occlusion saying that."Padma was grinding her dentition together."It doesn ‘ t help."

"Shh ! Here they come."

"wood ! Dr. Johnson ! BELL ! SPINNET ! WEASLEY, WEASLEY AND WEASLEY !"

The team swept onto the pitch, their gown quickly becoming spattered and sodden.

"Here we go."Thought Harry as he tugged his coat closer around him.

"How much do we want to win by ?"Harry heard a voice say below him and looked down. On the row beneath him Colin Creevey was leaning over to lecture to Luna Lovegood."The snitch is worth one hundred and fifty so…"

"We have to experience at least twelve goals when Ginny catches the snitch or we lose to Slytherin."The secondly year said dreamily."Ravenclaw have to have thirty seven destination before they catch it. Its as plain as frackswhiskers."

Harry smiled, how wrong she was.
*


"Another goal for Ravenclaw !"Ginny saw the bluing section of the stands erupt in sunshine beneath her.

"Sorry Angelina ! I was aiming for Hunt !"She heard Fred cry their team-mate shoved two finger up at him.

"Gryffindor now ahead by just four finish !"Yelled Lee Jordan."Wake up Twin ! What are you doing out there !"

Ginny shook her head. Gryffindor had had a prosperous six goal lead but now they were down to just four. And they still didn't have enough to beat Slytherin. She could see Cho out of the corner of her eye, shadowing her. She liked to do that, Oliver had told her, it was her favorite tactic.

Ginny scanned the crowds through the rain, searching for any hovering glint of gold. The stoolpigeon had to arrive out sometime, not that it would do either team any good. Gryffindor needed another goal and Ravenclaw needed XX or something. She craned her neck around and saw it. Fluttering behind her, nearer to Cho than to her. Trying not to make it obvious Ginny turned away from the snitch. But Cho must get sensed something was amiss and a present moment later had spotted it herself. The sure-enough searcher tore after it and Ginny was forced to tag her, cursing.

Ginny tried to get between Cho and the stool pigeon to stop the onetime seeker. Ginny knew she couldn't apprehension it yet, they'd win the match but lose the cup. But Cho wasn't letting her in, they were articulatio humeri to shoulder with the sneaker tantalizingly close in front of them. Cho reached out and Ginny knocked her hand away. So close, Gryffindor just needed one More goal. Cho was reaching again and Ginny shoulder barged her to take a crap her miss. Ginny tried to rend ahead but whatever she did Cho seemed to be able to rival her. However hard she pushed Cho seemed to be able to stay just a niggling bit ahead of her. It was just a thing of sentence, she couldn't keep the Ravenclaw off forever. Cho was reaching out again…

"Sorry Oliver."She thought, and grabbed the stoolie. A cheer went up around the lakeside stadium.

"I had to."She said as she hovered down by her team-mates."Cho was going to get it. I thought it was better to at to the lowest degree win the match."

"I know Ginny."Joseph Oliver woodwind looked resigned."I don ‘ t blame you."

"sunshine up Olli !"Fred floated by, strangely jubilant.

"Yeah, we didn't lose to Slytherin. We were only one goal shy, we drew."George III flew around the other side.

"What does that mean ?"Ginny frowned. But it was as if a light had just gotten switched on in King Oliver Woods head."What happens when we draw ?"

"Hasn ‘ t happened in over two hundred years."Fred had his arm on one of her shoulders now and was smiling down at her."The normal ‘ s so old they never bothered to repeal it."His twin came up, placed his arm on her other shoulder and said….

"It ‘ s decided, once and for all, by a seekers duel."

Ginny's eyes went wide and she looked over at the Slytherin bandstand and caught a cold grayness regard staring back at her. It could have been her resourcefulness but she could stimulate sworn she saw Malfoy mouth the password ‘ replay ’.

"Do you love how the duel works Ginny ?"King Oliver wood sounded like he could barely continue the joy from his voice.

"We both go for the snitch ?"She guessed.

"Not quite, the rules are unlike than in general play. Specifically the convention for fouls."

"No magic and no interfering with the other seekers broom."Angelina said, off to one slope."Everything else is on the table. He could really hurt you up there Gin."

"Ginny…"King Oliver Wood was talking again."I didn ‘ t want to ask this of you, but this is my last prospect at the Quidditch cup. My very last chance, so captivate the sneak or die trying."

Ginny's eyes went blanket with fear.
*


"Are both seekers gear up ?"gentlewoman Hooch asked, looking between them. Ginny took her Calluna vulgaris from Harry and nodded, he ‘ d been giving it a last second look-over before the duel. Malfoy just scoffed."Very well then."She opened the box that contained the snitch and held it in her helping hand. Ginny looked over to see the almost feral look in Malfoy's eyes.

"On, your marks."

He'll kill me…

"Ready…"

Oh god…

"Set…"

I'm going to die !

GO !"She tossed the snitcher straight up and the seekers shot after it.

Ginny felt fingers curl into her hair and try and yank her backwards, she kicked out savagely and managed to displume away. The snitch was still shooting upwards and the searcher followed it. Malfoy was scratching and punching at her and she responded by elbowing him in the kidneys. Having six brother gives you a lot of training in brawling. Malfoy jerked instinctively and Ginny swerved in presence of him.

She had to stay ahead, with the firebolt's magnate she knew that if she let him get in front she'd never be able to catch up. He swerved left wing, she blocked him. He swerved right, she twitched in front line again and heard him cry out in frustration.

"You shot yourself in the metrical unit Malfoy."She thought triumphantly."You can ‘ t handle that Scots heather at these speeds."

Once more he tried to pass her and she used The Chimera's hair-trigger turning power to cut him off again.

"Good girl."She urged the broom on. The snitch was tantalizingly close."Just a footling more."But she felt something brush her leg. Malfoy had managed to sneak to her side ! In another bit he would be in social movement of her !

With the prospect of losing the cup filling her mind she did the only thing she could suppose of. She pulled back her leg and aimed with her cad. She just had time to register the shock hit Malfoy's face.

"Payback snake-boy !"She thought as she slammed her pes into his facial expression as hard as she could. She saw a jet of parentage that was quickly lost in the wind and rainwater then Malfoy peeled off and spiraled away, holding his typeface in both hands."Yes !"

She looked back up and caught mess of the golden glob. Straining up she reached…
*


"YES !"The Gryffindor tie-up erupted in cheerfulness. Harry even leapt to his feet and yelled himself Equus caballus. Not so often for the cup, but for the fact that everything had gone perfectly. Harry and the marauders rushed down the rack and reached the pebbled beach just as the Gryffindor team was landing. Oliver Wood was floating down with his limb wrapped around Ginny whispering…

"Thank you, give thanks you."And the rest of the team were clustered around them.

"Se ‘ oke'I nose !"Malfoy was floating down nearby, holding a hand to his face to stem the flow of blood.

"Perfectly legal in a searcher duel Malfoy."Fred said airily.

Harry just stood their laughing as the Quidditch cup was brought out.
*


Damn.

Professor Snape clenched his hands into fists and he saw the cup being brought out. And Slytherin had been on such a winning streak. He had got so used to the cup being in his office that he even had a little shelf in his cabinet for it.

To let come down to an accurate draw, of all the abyssal luck. Then being forced to rely on a quester that had bribed his way onto the team. The little gaffe of a Weasley girl had humiliated him. And he could not even pick this deprivation on Potter ( he refused to believe the ridiculous rumour that ceramist had made the girls broom ).

Then why was Potter looking so exultant ? Snape recognised that expression, he had come to hate that grammatical construction all seven twelvemonth of his prison term at Hogwarts. The Potter boy caught his eye and shifted to a mysterious grinning, then nodded towards the scoreboard. Snapes eyes followed.

What were the chances that it would total to an exact attractor ? Snape felt a horrifying certainty rise inside him. And the Weasley twins who, for all their ineptitude in the classroom, were not bad beaters. But they had performed horribly in that match, hitting or just missing their own team-mates. Stopping Gryffindor from getting that last goal. The Chang girl, missing the snitch three times ? Even for a Ravenclaw that was unlikely. Even the last game with Hufflepuff. Cedric Diggory had shown no guile, he had practically shown Malfoy where the snitch was. Of line he had, Snape realised, if the plot had gone on too recollective and Slytherin had won by too often Gryffindor could not have been able to equalize.

Snape's eyes were once again drawn to the Potter boys gullible ones.

Legilimens

He cast non-verbally and after a moments resistance a memory floated to the surface…
*


"You know me Harry."Parvati said happily."It it ‘ s gossip I know it."

"Awesome."Harry grinned and peeled away from the other piranha."I ‘ ll go find us our helper."

Harry wandered up into the castle. If he was right about her schedule she should be right… Ah !

"Cho ! Cho wait up."Harry trotted up to the older young woman, who had just left appeal year."Been looking for you."

"Me ?"She turned, looking peculiar."Why ? It can't be to ask me to Hogsmeade, I know you're not allowed to go."

"As if that could stop me."Harry rolled his eyes."No, what I was going to say was that I kind of pauperization a favor."

"What sort of party favor ?"

"A big one. Listen I ‘ ve never cashed in on the whole saved-everyone-from-Voldemort-before-I-knew-how-to-walk-and-then-twice-again-in-the-last-two-years thing but I really need your help."Harry motioned Cho into the now vacuous classroom and closed the door."Firstly we need to get some things clear. You can ‘ t win the Quidditch cup, can you ?"

Cho stared at him indignantly.

"I'm just saying you have to win with how many end ? Thirty-four or something ?"He knew it was exactly xxx four but he wasn't gon na say that.

Cho held out a here and now longer, then her shoulders slumped.

"You 're right, it ‘ s not going to happen is it. It ‘ s your shift you know."Cho pointed at him."When Ginny broke her broom and didn't get a new one straight away I thought we were in with a chance."

"I know."Harry nodded, not believing his fate that Cho had brought this up of her own accord."atrocious business that wasn ‘ t it ?"

"Malfoy should be hogtied !"Cho said hotly."It was disgusting what he did !"

"God I must be the luckiest man on the planet."Harry thought, then continued out loud."I agree. And that's kind of what this is about."

"How ?"

"I want to make it so that Ginny can humiliate him in strawman of the entire schooltime. Not the completely team, just him. One on one."

"Harry the teachers won ‘ t allow a challenge secret plan like that."Cho shook her head."And even if they do no-one will get to watch."

"Not if it happens at a match."Harry smiled."There ‘ s an old prescript that says that if two theatre tie for the cup the result is decided by a searcher duel."

"But Harry there ‘ s no way you can establish sure enough the games will descend down that way."

"I can ‘ t."Harry held out a hand to her."You can."

"No !"Cho's eyes suddenly narrowed with understanding."I won ‘ t do that ! Even for you Harry."

"You said yourself Ravenclaw can ‘ t win the cup."Harry pleaded.

"But we can still put in a good showing."Cho said primly."I won ‘ t throw the peer. I'm surprised at you Harry."She added."I didn ‘ t think you wanted the cup this badly."

"The cup ? I don't give a scalawag's about the cup !"Harry shook his head."If I did don't you think I would be telling you to throw the plot totally instead of just letting us suck ? This is about what Malfoy did to my friend, your friend too after last year, and letting her get even."

"Ginny doesn ‘ t know about this does she."Cho said as if suddenly realizing.

"No. She ‘ s going to outwit Malfoy on her own."

"I ‘ m not even sure I can thrust Ginny to catch the snitch."Cho said, biting her lip."She might just pull in nominal head of me until Gryffindor have the goals they need."

"Two distributor point. One : Fred and St. George will be stopping Gryffindor from getting that last end. Two : I built The Chimera especial for this."Harry grinned evilly."There's a fiddling surprise on there that I ‘ ll remove before the duel. faith me, she can't pass you."

"She did OK in the Hufflepuff game."

"I removed it for that too."

"I still don't know…"

"Well…"Now this is where the little known benefit of having gossip-queen Anapurna as a marauder comes in."… I ‘ ve already got Cedric Diggory on my side. You know him, right ?"Cho's eyes widened a footling and she nodded.

"fountainhead, he ‘ s agreed to aid me. piddling thank you for the altogether snake-army incident in the cellar last year."Harry smiled knowingly at the sr. missy."If you did want to help us then we should probably coiffe for you to fulfil up with him. Discuss… strategy… and stuff."

"You ‘ re a bad person Harry Potter."Cho shook her head, but she was smiling.

"I know."
*


Snape tore his eyes away. He could feel the rage bubbling up in his bloodstream.

"You !"He pointed at the boy.

"Me ?"Potter put his hired man to his chest in feign innocence.

"You… you… you…"

"Me, me, me !"thrower was grinning in his insufferable way. By Merlin he was exactly like James potter !

"You will not get away with this !"

"With what pray Tell ?"

"You know exactly what"Snape strode forward and grasped the front of the son robes in his clenched fist."You will not get away with this !"

"Really ? And you can prove it how ?"Potter smiled and knocked away his hand."Bearing in mind that Legilimency on bookman is illegal."

Oh the ceramist boy thought he was smart did he.

"wellspring ceramicist perhaps you are correct."Snape's anger changed from a raging inferno to an icy, vengeful aching."But I am still your teacher and I can take in your four more years here a living hell."

"Was that an invitation to take your NEWT class professor ?"

"Potter…"Snape released him and turned away."… you will regret this. patsy my words, you will regret this."
*


Harry gulped as the potions master strode away. Perhaps he'd overdone things this time. Harry glanced over at the still celebrating team. No, it was worth it. Whatever Snape did couldn't be that bad could it ?
*


"Do you call this a silence draught Potter ! ?"

"I…"

"I DO NOT call up THIS A SILENCING DRAUGHT !"

"Maybe that's because you ‘ re yelling."Harry said through clenched teeth.

"This is a despicable mess thrower !"

"It ‘ s only barely started, I haven't even added…"

"And you won ‘ t ! I will not have any more skeletal ingredients !"Snape vanished the contents of Harry's cauldron."You will be doing argument for the eternal rest of this lesson James Potter. You will write ‘ I will not be an incompetent person, pathetic, halfwit and a pariah on this school.'in the promise that perhaps the suggestion will lapse in."

"My epithet is Harry."Harry muttered under his breathing time but Snape didn't seem to hear him as he strode away.

Harry motioned to Padma who held out her arm without speaking. Harry groaned, they had barely had fifteen moment of a two hour lesson. Harry pulled out a calamus and a sail of parchment.

Snape had been making good on his ‘ life hell'promise since the match but Harry was beginning to think that the potions master had more abstruse seated issues than a simple biz of quidditch. The fact that he kept calling him James was a definite clue. Snape seemed to be taking out thirteen years of pent-up, un-sated fad on Harry.

"Thanks dad."Harry thought sarcastically as he dragged the quill across another line."Thanks a lot."

"What are these Potter."Oh no. He's back.

"pedigree Sir."Harry had been trying to go along his cool in Snape's course. With discern success.

"These chicken scrape ? This scrawl ? !"

"Would you like me to redo them Sir ?"Harry had to chute back as his sheepskin caught on fervency and burnt away before his eyes.

"Please."Snape blew the lambskin ashes into Harry's face before stalking off across the dungeon.

Harry got another piece of sheepskin out and got to writing.

"How long are you going to put up with this Harry ?"Hermione asked him after the moral."This is beyond unjust, you should go to McGonagall. Or Dumbledore."

"And they ‘ ll ask what I did to get him so raging in the first place."Harry shifted his bag higher on his shoulder."And that will conduct to unfortunate questions."

"He ‘ s compensate Hermione."Ron said from the early position, then added to Harry."Don ‘ t worry partner, you can drop his division after OWLs."

"That's not the right attitude."Hermione said shrilly."Harry needs to learn at to the lowest degree staple knowledge of potions to function in virtuoso society and professor Snape is stopping him from even participating. You ‘ ll have to consider really severe if you want to overstep the end of yr examination at this rate."

"I ‘ m beginning to call back I won ‘ t be alive that long."Harry joked.

The marauder laughed but Harry stiffened as he realized the truth in his words. He still had the torrent of eld hanging like a guillotine above him. He hadn't had any major fourth dimension jumps lately, just a few proceedings here and there. For the beloved of Merlin why hadn't Pythea written back ?

As if his thought itself had been a spell Digger dropped out of the afternoon sky clutching a letter of the alphabet in his pincer. Harry grabbed it and hastily made an excuse to the galvanise marauders before slipping out onto the grass outside Hogwarts. Harry sent Digger back to the owlery, promising him treats later to thank him for the tenacious trip. His hands shaking, Harry tore capable the envelope and pulled out the varsity letter inside.

Dear Harry

It is so good to pick up from you. I am glad you have taken up my suggestion to learn Occlumency, you will find it a useful accomplishment I assure you. I can easily imagine you with a guitar, wandering Hogwarts or sitting in your common room entertaining the other students with Sung dynasty and tales. You are good at spinning a in force story you know, I can differentiate from your letters.

Harry almost scrunched the letter of the alphabet in frustration. Usually he enjoyed letters from the footling seer but wasn't it about time she got to the stage ?

I learnt to play the harp as part of my apprenticeship here…

Harry quickly looked ahead through the letter of the alphabet, scanning down and down. There was no mention of the downpour or time travel anywhere. Harry fell to the floor in despair, had she simply abandoned him to his circumstances ? She had been his stopping point hope. Pythea's letter ended without so much as a breath that his own alphabetic character had contained the threat of his inevitable death.

I hope it the weather is a pleasant where you are as it is here.

Your Friend
Pythea

Friend ? Ha ! That was a joke.

"Harry ?"Harry looked back towards the castle. Neville had come after him and was not standing just a few invertebrate foot away."Are you feeling ok ?"

"Yes Neville I ‘ m fine."Harry said quietly, but he could feel the goon in his throat and the binge beginning to shape in his middle. Neville's centre flickered to the letter of the alphabet still clutched in Harry's hand but he scrunched it up and gourmandize it in his pocket.

"Well Department of Defense stratum is starting now."Neville pointed back towards the castle."You sure you ‘ re alright Harry ?"

"No."Harry pushed himself up and trudged towards the palace."To be dependable I ‘ m feeling a little… abandoned. Betrayed."Neville fell into step beside him.

"Anything you want to talk about ?"

"Not now. Maybe when it ‘ s a small lupus erythematosus fresh."Harry pushed open the door to the Department of Defense classroom. At least he could be assured of a placidity lesson, professor Lupin tended to ignore him in classes.

"Well Potter, I see you decided to embellish us with your presence."

Standing arrogantly at the front of the class was prof Snape. Harry felt like a block of ice was settling into his chest of drawers as he sat down in his usual chair, he couldn't take this right now.
*


Harry tried to shroud behind his leger as Snape stalked around the class. He could still feel the ice in his bureau and the stumblebum in his pharynx, if Snape provoked him he would never be able to take for back.

"Potter…"

No.

"…Is this your essay ?"

Please no.

"Yes Sir."Harry managed to say while breathing deeply to go along himself under control.

"It displays no sixth sense into the subject…"

amercement, I had no insight.

"…for most of the essay you seem to get Kappas and Grindylows mixed up…"

Did I ? Who the Scheol cares.

"…certain enactment were clearly lifted from a textbook…"

They weren't, they were lifted from Hermione's essay.

"…and you could not bear mangled the spelling and grammatical rules of the English language language more if you had tried. All in all…"Snape slapped the essay onto the desk beside Harry angrily."… a true up T if I ever saw one."

"I ‘ m sword lily you made that judgment Sir."Harry kept his eyes down on the script in front of him."It ‘ s the same one as prof lupin made."

"But of path hero ceramist doesn ‘ t penury to memorize defense against the drear arts."Snape scowled down at Harry."You don't need to learn how to duel someone properly if you and your three little friends sneak up behind them and attack from ambush like cowards."

I have Sir Thomas More than three friends.

"You are arrogant Potter."Snape continued."A trait shared by all Potters apparently."

Oh, so now you've remembered who I am.

"You are zippo but a mediocre ace at best and a tough you are a disgrace and yet you are under the printing you are untouchable. How I wish this class gave me the opportunity to show you precisely how amateurish you truly are."

"Alright."Harry set his pinion down.

"What ?"

The whole class was watching by now.

"I said alright. appearance me."Harry didn't meet Snape's eyes but moved out to the front of the class.
*


"seminal fluid on Professor."The ceramist boy was just standing there holding his scepter and looking at his shoes."Show me."

The grade was deathly quiet. Not a student dared motion or speak. Out of the corner of his eye Snape could see Potter's little friends, wide eyed and frightened, in their seats.

"Are you serious ceramist ?"Snape asked.

"Yes."Was all the boy said.

"You will lose."

"Try me."

"You do not bear a chance."

"Try me."Was all the Potter boy said again but he mouthed under his breath ‘ coward ’.

Snape felt the anger that was his constant companion rising again as he moved to take a post contrary Potter.

"Mr Sir Anthony Hopkins you will count us in."Snape gripped his wand. He would end this with one spell. The Potter boy was still looking at the floor.

"Um… Three."The nervous Hufflepuff boy Anthony Wayne Gerard Manley Hopkins began to count.

thrower was not even in a dueling posture. Pathetic.

"Two…"

ceramist looked up suddenly, his eyes meeting Snape's.

"One…"

A computer storage floating to the surface, Potter in the Gryffindor common room holding a shining object. Lily's pendant ! He would have a go at it that little slip of silver anywhere. potter bending over the pendant in his hand and whispering something. The pendent splitting unfold. Looking inside, a picture. Lily Evens bundled up against the blow for a Hogsmeade weekend, the snow even still falling in the picture, and holding her by her shoulder keeping her warm… his own face… himself… that picture had been taken in fourth year.

She had worn it around her neck the unhurt fourth dimension. Even after she had married, she had worn it the completely time.

"Duel !"

"Expelliarmus !"



critical review please.


The gerbils made me do it.







Snape's wand clattered to the trading floor but the teacher didn't seem to have noticed. Harry watched as the potions master fell to his knees on the floor, nous bowed, his face hidden by his lank greasy hair.

Harry watched, waiting for the plosion, but none came. Harry, with a great deal trepidation, knelt down and tried to look at the teachers face. Which was why he was the solely one in the category to find the tear fall down from the end of Snape's long hooked nose and drop curtain onto his knees.

"Oh my god."Harry thought in strangled shock."I ‘ ve gone too far this time."Harry turned to the course of instruction and spread his hands.

"Everyone out."He snapped, brooking no argument."Corridor now."

The pupil needed no more bonus and quickly scrambled for the congener safety of the corridor.

"Stop !"Harry yelled at some of them as they tried to take to the woods away."I need to talk to all of you."Harry closed the classroom room access behind him and corralled the educatee within earshot.

"None of you will mention this lesson to anyone."Harry said, looking each student in the eye as he did so."None of you will talk about it, even to each other. None of you will think about it the next time you have Snape for your lesson. In defense or potions. For each and every one of you, this lesson Did. Not. Happen. Don't think I won't find out if you do blab out, I find out everything. Remember Malfoy ? You have all seen what happens to the great unwashed who cross me. translate ?"

Harry didn't let them pass on until he had looked each student in the eye and find out them promise to that upshot. They began leaving in 1 and twos, scurrying off along the corridor. Harry turned back towards the classroom.

"You ‘ re not going back in there are you ?"Susan finger cymbals asked, amazed.

"I kind of have to."Harry answered.

"He ‘ ll kill you."She said matter-of-factly.

"I may deserve it."Harry shrugged and slipped back through the door.

Snape was still where he had been before they left. Harry took a cryptic breath and sat down cross legged in front of his teacher.

"I am so sorry."Harry said."I didn ‘ t realize it would do this to you. I thought it would just distract you, you know… freak you out for a instant so I could demilitarise you. I never thought it would affect you like this."

Snape still said zip, he just stared at the floor.

"I told all the students not to say anything."Harry glanced back at the door."I think they ‘ ll do it."

Snape was still not moving. Harry began to wonder if he had been rendered catatonic or something, but there was still an occasional drip-drip of teardrops from behind the interference fringe of hair.

"Maybe…"Harry dragged his bag off his back and pulled the box out. He opened it and placed the locket in Snape's unresisting deal."You take it. I don ‘ t want it. You saw the password right ?"

Snape stayed motionless for a moment more then slowly brought the silver locket up to his mouth. Then, in a choked, tearful vox he said…

"spinster end."

The locket cracked open. Snape seemed to break all at once and started sobbing. His completely, long, gangly eubstance shaking with each sob. Harry didn't really know what to do, he certainly couldn't comfortableness this man who had tormented him so much.

Harry dug into the box again and grabbed a photograph, it was his mother and her sister when they were youth, but obviously over eleven since the picture was moving. He wordlessly handed it to Snape, who took it and kept crying. He grabbed another photograph and poked his founder out of the frame before handing that too over.

He kept going until the box was discharge. Giving a few Holy Scripture each to separate Snape what it was he was giving him, an essay, a alphabetic character, a prefects badge. Harry hid the love letters from his father back in his bag. By the time nothing was left Snape had stopped crying, he was even breathing a niggling easygoing, deep breathes instead of the racking sobs that had plagued him a moment ago.

Snape sniffed loudly and put his helping hand into a pocket of his robe but drew it back empty. He searched another pocket while sniffing louder. Harry realized he was searching for a tissue. Struck by a twinge of mischief Harry grabbed something back out of his bag, scrunched it between his hands and handed it to Snape.

The potions master key took it and blew his nose on the lambskin. After doing so he brought it away from his nose, a phantasma of oddity crossing his face, and looked at it. After a moment of reading the ( now hideously smudged ) varsity letter his eyes flickered up and met Harry's. It could have been his imagination, but for a moment Harry thought he saw a flicker of a smile.

"Seemed appropriate."Harry said and shrugged. Snape chucked the letter away and glanced at the door.

"You mentioned that you told the balance of your class to go along silent."Snape's voice was almost monotone.

"Yes."Harry nodded."They ‘ ll do it too. I threatened to do to them what I did to Malfoy."

"Why ?"The potions master regained a little of his old malice and sneer.

"I just…"Harry licked his backtalk and started again. As unwilling as he was to render Snape ammunition to use against him…"last yr I broke down completely in the hospital wing. Right on the floor. It was after Colin Creevy got petrified, it all just got too lots for me. At the clip I remember wishing everyone there would just blank out it ever happened. I thought you might find the same."

Snape snorted. He seemed to be recovering himself. Harry took this as his cue to provide. He picked himself up off the flooring and headed for the door. Snape made no move to stop him. When Harry reached the threshold he turned back for a moment.

"I probably shouldn ‘ t say this…"Harry thought."But if I don ‘ t it ‘ ll just eat at me."

"Sir ?"Snape's principal snapped towards him."Can I state you something I ‘ ve noticed about thaumaturgist ?"Harry took Snape's silence as an affirmative."Wizards… wizards use quills."

"Fascinating Potter…"Snape sneered, but Harry interrupted him.

"And they use trunk even when they can entrance traveling bag to hold up more. You use a steam wagon train to get to Hogwarts. This class a steam-boat. We live in a medieval castle, the shop I bought my wand in predates the Nazarene Christ and we write on rolls of parchment. But its More than just that, lots of thaumaturge are named after members of their home. A lot More of them than muggles. Even portraiture and ghosts ; half the time we seem to be surrounded by people who died centuries ago. What I ‘ m getting at is…"Harry swallowed in dread at what the reaction to his next distributor point would be.

"… wizard seem to spend a lot of clip living in the past."Harry forced himself to conform to Snape's eyes."Maybe it ‘ s clock time you moved on."

Snape just stood there, his leer seemed to have frozen on his lips but his centre just seemed confused, even a little lost. Harry opened the room access and left quickly.

He managed to get almost halfway down the corridor before his spunk broke and he made a mad dash for Gryffindor column. When he was through the portraiture hollow he leaned against the wall and caught his breath.

"You're animated !"Harry turned and saw that the marauders were waiting on their usual table. He staggered over to them and sat down.

"We honestly thought you were a goner Harry."Ron said, shaking his head. But then his face broke into a grin."But that was bally splendid what you did !"

"You wouldn ‘ t say that if you knew how I won."Harry said waving his Quaker to hush."It was cruel, just cruel."

"What spell did you…"Hermione began but Harry shook his head.

"I won ‘ t say. I won ‘ t ever say."

"Snape deserved it whatever it was."Parvati said."However cruel it was he ‘ s been horrible to you for three eld. You can't tell me it was unfit than what he ‘ s done to you."

"No, it probably wasn ‘ t. But it was worse than I ever want to do to anyone else."Harry leant down and laid his head on his crossed arms."I don't want to be like them."

The marauders assured him he was not but Harry just sighed. Impending death aside if he jumped back in time now he'd moot it a blessing.

It was only as Harry got into bed that night that he remembered the letter from Pythea, the affaire d'honneur and its aftermath had blown it completely out of his pass. He dug it back out of his robes and read it again, trying to find some confidential information of a hint. But there was nothing. Nothing at all.
*


Professor Snape dropped the photograph back onto the oak table of his one-quarter and held his principal in his work force. The only light in the way came from the guttering candle before him and faded into the darkness around him. Snape refilled his glass with sharp-sightedness potion and tried to pull in himself sip it this prison term. Sleep was not an option, not at least until he was too tired to dream.

"Move on."Snape growled into the iniquity."Were it that easy potter, everyone would be doing it."

The amentia of the boy, telling him to travel on piece at the Sami time giving him a passel of photo and a locket that proved she loved him all along. Snape gave up and knocked back a mouthful of the searing potion.

The locket lay on the tabular array in front of him. He hadn't dared open air it again for fear of breaking down once more. He picked it up and trailed its silver Ernst Boris Chain through his fingers. Stupid affair. Snape smacked it back down onto the tabletop. But even then his finger's breadth instinctively curled to protect the thing and he ended up skinning his metacarpophalangeal joint. His bm blew the wax light out too and he was left in bitter duskiness clutching the blame matter so hard it hurt.

Snape drew his sceptre out to relight the candle but stopped with it held loosely in his hand. Another charm was floating in the nominal head of his mind.

No.

He shouldn't do it. He was already sickening himself with his wallowing in brokenheartedness. He was acting like a Gryffindor. Ha ! He shuddered, he was acting like a Gryffindor and the ceramicist boy was acting more and more like a Slytherin. thrower boy… James Potter… who took Lily away. Snape could still find the edges of the locket cutting into his palm.

"Why…"Snape forced himself to open his mitt."Why wear this but marry him ?"What sense did that make.

You abandoned me.

No. Snape curled his manpower over his look and tried to hale the memory down using Occlumency. But in his condition he could barely hold it back and another surfaced just as quickly.

You chose your Friend Sev.

I did, but it was always you.

They hate me.

There was no one else.

You hate me.

Never. Why will you not impart me peace treaty ?

You were my best friend.

Be silent.

But you betrayed me.

Please.

I can't pretend anymore Sev.

I just want to forget.

You've changed. You've changed too much.

Snape curled his fingerbreadth around his ear, trying to stop listening to his own mind. He knew what came next.

I can ‘ t love this you, not even as a Friend. good-bye Severus.

Snape threw his head back and howled in bother. Oh why fight it. Snape pointed his baton out and yelled…

"Expecto Patronum !"

The room was lit once More by silver medal light as the spell erupted from Snapes wand. The silver doe just stood there cocking her brain at him. Snape felt tears running down his cheeks again.

"I love you."

The doe said cypher, she never did, but she walked over on her silent hooves and rested her fountainhead in his lap. She felt lovesome but Snape knew it wasn ‘ t existent, if he tried to tinge her she ‘ d just feel like mist.

Snape laid his heading down on his munition and closed his eyes. Later he finally fell asleep like that, leant over the table with his face in his munition, the doe warming him like a pet dog and the locket still held soaked in his hand.
*


Harry stared down at his dresser and tried hard to retain his breathing in check as the vast wound faded in and out. Harry gritted his teeth and concentrated on staying in this time. The wound began to fade more, after a few mo if vanished completely. Harry breathed a suspiration of relief, but it was one tainted with concern. It was getting worse.

"Harry you ok in their ?"Ron's voice sounded from the bath door.

"Yeah Ron I ‘ m fine. Just think I ‘ m coming down with something."Harry almost chuckled to himself, that was the understatement of the century. Harry looked up into the mirror in figurehead of him, even without the injury he looked like a shipwreck. Harry opened the door and smiled at his friend."Probably flu or something."

"You don't say ? You ‘ ve been sort of… um…"Ron waved his manpower as if searching for the aright word."…muted… for calendar week. Ever since Snape."

Harry nodded, he had been a fiddling quiet. Intentionally in the beginning, he had known that he needed to retain a low visibility. But Snape seemed to be pulling a Lupin and ignoring Harry in his example. Not that he was paying a lot attention to the rest of his course of study either, Snape spent most of his moral at his desk and had large bags under his eyes.

But lately the torrent had been getting worse. He had thought that it getting worse would imply he'd saltation further back but in fact it was the opposite. He kept jumping sec, minutes or hours back and forth, several times a day now. Sometimes the worldly concern would simply oscillate like a Alexander Bell and he'd be left spinning as he flickered between times so fast he couldn't even catch it. And then there were the times like this morning when he simply slipped back and Forth like a metronome, the wounds on his thorax opening and culmination like hideous sphincters.

Even worse were the times when he didn't even realize what had happened. He'd be going to lunch then be asked why he wasn't at breakfast. He'd sit down to dinner and find cereal grass and goner appear in front of him. object lesson were even worse, they could be twice as long as normal or the gong could sound when Harry had barely put his book down. His brand in course of study were falling, homework was toilsome to manus in on time when you didn't know what day it was. Harry knew he should tell Dumbledore or McGonagall or Hermione even, but somehow he couldn't muster the energy. They'd only say him what he already knew.

He was doomed.

"You sure you ‘ re alright Harry ?"

Harry was drawn back from his thoughts by his friends voice.

"Yeah."Harry nodded again."Fine."

"That just proves you ‘ re not alright."Ron said triumphantly."You ‘ re usually meretricious, talking and wisecracking all over the seat, you're never monosyllabic."

"You want a wisecrack ? Ok…"Harry grinned evilly at his Friend."‘ monosyllabic ‘ ? Been reading the dictionary Ron ? Or just spending more time with Hermione ?"Ron blushed and began spluttering…

"No just… I mean why would I…"

"It ‘ s alright Ron. Never mind."Harry shook his straits, smiling wanly as he wandered away.

"You coming to Hogsmeade Harry ?"Ron called after him.

"You know I can't."Harry turned back, frowning quizzically.

"come on Harry, sneak out again."Ron wheedled."It ‘ ll make you feel better. Get some sun, you ‘ re getting all Patrick Victor Martindale White and pasty like Snape."

"Probably because I haven't been sleeping much."Harry thought."Haven ‘ t been eating practically either… My body clock ‘ s all screwed to hell by the jumps."

"I might get caught."Harry said lamely.

Harry rightly deserved the horrified glare Ron gave him.

"Alright."Harry shrugged."I ‘ ll seminal fluid. At to the lowest degree the water ‘ ll be warmer this clock time !"
*


Harry dragged himself out of the lake and gave himself a drying charm before wandering up towards town. After meeting up with the other marauders the first place they visited was Zonko's trick shop.

"Pretty safe don't you think ?"Harry grinned through the magic masquerade party that made him look like an old man. He had a big greyness mustache too and a green felt hat.

"You ‘ re not actually going to buy that garbage are you Harry ?"Padma asked him shaking her head.

"Of course. And I ‘ m wearing it all day."Harry said from behind the wrinkled face.

"Why ?"She shook her head."Why would you do that ?"

"So that no Slytherin will say that they saw Harry thrower in Hogsmeade."Understanding dawned on Padma's face then she suddenly frowned.

"So all they'll see is mortal obviously disguised walking around with all Harry potter ‘ s friend ? I think they might work it out Harry."

"These are Slytherins we ‘ re talking about."Harry said, paying for the merchandise."Don't expect bully mental feat of them, you ‘ ll just be disappointed."

Harry found that he was enjoying the day despite himself. He had only jumped a few kid prison term and he did like the town ( having not really had a chance to see it on the last visit ).

"Just about clock time for the Three broom handle before we head back."Annapurna said cheerily as they walked down a backstreet, away from the primary concourse."We all need some butterbeer !"

"You ‘ ll lovemaking butterbeer Harry."Neville said to the disguised Harry."It ‘ s all warm and smooth and… and…."

"pantry ?"Harry wheedled, grinning.

"well yeah."

"I don't know. A boozing based on a fat spread doesn ‘ t exactly level-headed appetizing."Harry grinned to picture that he was joking."Or healthy !"

"It ‘ s fine Harry."Hermione said laughing."My parents went mad when they heard about it but it turns out its actually pretty full for you. It contains antioxidants."

"Anti-oxygen…"Ron's brow furrowed."That sounds bad for you."

"Honestly Ron it just means…"

Harry rolled his middle as Hermione started into an account. Ron's eyes glazed over after about the third word.

"I really like this place."Harry said over the explanation."I ‘ ll have to find some way to come here more often."

"It ‘ s not all nice."Padma commented."There ‘ s broken meth here."

Harry looked down. There was fall apart glass, he looked around and saw that it had come from the upstairs window of a nearby house.

Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, perhaps some latent gift as a visionary or perhaps some impression of the waterspout but right at that minute Harry felt his stomach lurch. There was something dire behind that broken window.

"waiting here."Harry said quietly. The vulture heard his tone and fell silent. Harry slipped in through the garden gate and felt the stones of the wall. Rough, like Hogwarts. Harry gripped the blocks with his finger's breadth and clambered slowly up to the window. He pushed aside the heavy drape but inside the way was empty. A dim storeroom piled with boxes with the doorway open onto the well lit corridor behind.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and began to climb down. When he was about halfway he heard a sound from inside the business firm. He stopped, his fingers gripping the rock tight. There it was again. Harry scrambled back up and thrust his school principal back through the window.

Harry just had time to see yellow teeth streaked with grime and smell rancid breathing spell before he was thrown backwards off the wall. He landed with a thud in the garden and looked up in prison term to see a frowzled man, covered in dirt and dressed in spoilt sheet leap from the window with something clutched in his work force. Harry rolled out of his way and the man hit the background running, panting like a dog as he dashed out through the gate and down the street.

"halt !"Harry looked up and saw a thaumaturgist leaning out of the window franticly sending bolt of red brightness after the fleeing figure."Stop him ! He took my son !"

Harry jolted himself off the ground and vaulted the rampart after the fleeing man. He could take heed the piranha trying to keep pace behind him.

"Anapurna ! Go to Hogwarts ! Go and differentiate them what's happened !"Harry felt his words carried away by the idle words and had no idea whether he was being heard."Neville ! Go warn the village ! Get assistant ! Or ling !"

They had reached the end of the short road now and hit the field of study beyond. Harry jumped the fence and fought his way through the heather after the distant anatomy. Their stone pit had made it easier for them by flattening a route but it was still heavy going. They were not gaining on the man. Not by a long shot.

"We're… can ‘ t…"Hermione panted."We're… not…"

"Whatever it is, we are !"Harry yelled back as they crested a little hill."Try to hit him !"

Harry aimed and shot a bludgeoning hex at the man, now little More than a blot of contraband on the distant purple heather. The spot dodged and dig sideways behind a vauntingly rock before the other marauders spells could connect.

"Harry what are you doing !"Hermione screeched angrily."A bludgeoning hex ? It ‘ s carrying a baby !"

Harry cursed and began running forwards again. He should have known that ! Harry felt like he was passing Lucy in the sky with diamonds through his lungs instead of air by the time they reached the rock. The panting and gasping he heard behind him told him the marauder were in even poorer soma. Worse, the anatomy was nowhere in sight and there was no exculpate trail to follow.

Ignoring the pain in every brawniness Harry pulled himself to the top of the Boulder and looked around. From here he could see the dark shape of the forbidden forest spreading out to the Confederacy. A wall, like the wall of Hogwarts, sealed it off from the sleep of the world. Harry squinted through his glasses and just made out a night shape silhouette against the brighter wall before it disappeared. Harry tore off the masquerade party to get a better look but there was goose egg more, just blank wall.

"He ‘ s gone into the forest."Harry called down, trying not to hold his eyes off the home where the man had disappeared."Let ‘ s go."Harry slid off the rock and landed beside Ron, Hermione and Padma.

"Harry are we really going to follow it into the prohibited timberland ?"Padma was clutching her abdomen and wheezing."We should mark where it went and postponement for help."

"He ‘ s going to birth as much problem with the forest as we are."Harry argued."We can still hitch him !"

"But Harry it ‘ s a werewolf !"

Harry was jolted back by her words. Of course it was a lycanthrope and not just some unwashed kidnapper. And it had gone straight back to its plate. Harry shook his head word, once again he wasn't thinking straight.

"When ‘ s the next full moon ?"Harry asked quickly."When is it ?"

"Tonight."Hermione answered, pained and breathless, but also resigned.

Harry shook his head.

"Then we can't wait for assistance. We have to bump them before fall or that little kid is going to get one hell on earth of a lovebite. We can ‘ t waiting for help, its us or no one."Harry looked back at the marauders and saw them shimmer and fade.

NO !

He hand clenched around his chandelier and he squeezed his center shut. He did not induce fourth dimension for this ! When he opened his eyes again his friends looked hearty, but confused.

"Harry you alright ?"Ron asked.

"I ‘ m fine."Harry forced himself to hold on gripping the picayune shell.

"Are you sure Harry ?"Padma added."You sort of… blurred."

"Fine, amercement. Lets go."Harry started off at a run towards the timber again and get word the others follow.

In Harry's head he could hear the words ‘ We can't wait for avail. Its us or no one'repeating over and over like a amulet against the panic rising inside him. That panic itself had its own vocalisation saying ‘ We are following it into its forest where it knows its way around and we don't and you can't even persist in your own sentence for five minutes. And that's not even mentioning the centaurs… ’. Harry was forced to take that that phonation as well was right. What they were doing was stupid and unsafe. But as the first phonation said, there was no one else.

As Harry neared the wall a one-third little representative piped up. Spiteful, sarcastic and whiney but, like the other two vocalization, essentially right.

"Why me."Harry thought."Why is it always me."
*


They reached the wall and Harry instantly saw how the werewolf had gotten over. A vast tree had fallen over the rampart, crushing the top theatrical role of it and resting on the remaining meters of cracked stonework. Everywhere else the wall was at least two story improbable of white grey stone. Unscalable.

"The tree…"Hermione had caught up to him but her and the former two marauders were still very meander."Must have weakened the wards."

Again Harry felt like a fool. Obviously it would be warded. His Einstein seemed to be in a fuzz. Harry grabbed some of the down in the mouth outgrowth of the tree diagram and pulled himself up.

"Are we…"Hermione began again but Harry cut her off.

"Look, I know this is crazy but there ‘ s no one else here to serve. I ‘ m not leaving now. Any of you who don ‘ t want to espouse me go back and tell them where the hole in the Aaron Montgomery Ward is."Harry pulled himself on to the tree trunk and looked down at his supporter."Anyone else shut up and get in the tree."

Harry began climbing along the trunk and felt it shake as individual else began to climb. When Harry reached the other end he climbed down by the antecedent and dropped onto the mulch of the forest floor. He turned and looked up at the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, a moment later Padma pushed her way through the limb. Harry waited a mo more but no one came. Harry felt a lump form in his throat, first Pythea abandoned him then them.

"Did they…"Harry began but was cut off as Ron and Hermione pushed their way in through the branches.

"We were marking the spot."Hermione said upon seeing Harry's boldness."If we ‘ re going to do this we should do it right and cave in ourselves a prospect of getting out alive."

"We weren ‘ t gon na let you do this alone mate."Ron scratched the back of his head and shrugged."And after all we ‘ ve been in worse scrapes than this."

"Did you think any of us wanted to see a kid turned into a werewolf ?"Padma added to cut him off with a shake of her head and began to climb down. Harry helped her down the last few foundation then moved to do the Same for the others.

"Just one matter Harry."Hermione said once they were all down."How are we supposed to live which way it went ?"

Harry's face fell and he looked around for some obvious sign. There was nothing, now that they were in the forest the werewolf knew how to enshroud his tracks better.

"Spread out and look. Don ‘ t go too far."Harry said and the predator obediently fanned out. Harry was about to unite them when his mind fixed on a disturbed idea.

He had been able-bodied to harbour the flood at bay a few times. Could he force it to come to him ?

Harry undid the front of his shirt and looked down at his unblemished dresser. He splayed one deal across where he knew the combat injury would look and clinch the former around his pendent.

"About five minutes ago."Harry thought as he gritted his teeth down hard."That's where I need to be."

Harry forced everything he was into that one idea. For a moment he felt blood well on his chest of drawers but it was gone a instant later.

"Harder !"He thought desperately. His fingers were slick on his chest but it wasn't line, it was stew."Come on !"

Harry saw his friends fade in front of him. Ron turned back towards him and yelled in surprisal. But the sound was like a aloof susurration and Harry gripped his bloody bureau tighter. He could still hear his friends as ghosts on the steer but couldn't see them anymore.

He was swaying with the effort and fell to his knees on the forest trading floor. The leaves that were kicked up by his motion only swirled in the air for a moment before pass as he pushed himself further back.

Then, just for a moment, a shadowed form dropped out of the air above Harry and scampered away into the trees with something held in its gnarled hands. Perhaps it was his imaginativeness, but Harry thought he could pick up a sister's scream.

Harry let go with both deal and collapsed into the leafage. A instant later he felt custody pulling him up. As his brain was tilted back for him Harry saw his friends shocked faces.

"What the blaze was that Harry ?"Ron asked fearfully."You just disappeared ! We couldn ‘ t find you anywhere !"

"You can ‘ t have Apparated."Hermione sounded just as dash."You aren ‘ t old…"

"That way !"Harry cut her off and raised a shaky finger."Went that way."Harry grabbed Ron's shoulder and managed to pull himself to his understructure."We need to hurry."

"No Harry !"Hermione crossed her coat of arms."You need to evidence us what you just did !"

"Hermione now is not…"

"It is the prison term. You just faded out of being then returned with your hand covered in blood."Harry looked down, his helping hand was bloody. This was the first time any foretoken of the cloudburst had remained after he returned to his own metre. Hermione continued…"We deserve an explanation, is this to do with why you ‘ ve been poorly for week ?"

"Yes."Harry gulped in some air and nodded."And I promise I will tell you later but just now we don't have sentence. Please Hermione, it already has too much of a capitulum start on us."

Hermione still looked stubborn but Padma took the situation out of her hands.

"Well I ‘ m not waiting around."The counterpart turned and began to walk off in the direction Harry had pointed. Harry grinned and staggered after her. A moment later he felt Ron gimmick him and put an arm around his shoulder to brace him

"You ‘ re in really bad shape mate."He commented.

"Tell me about it."Harry quipped to his taller friend as they stumbled forward."I ‘ d like to end just one year without ending up a wreck of one kind or another."Harry turned back and saw Hermione following and smiled.

They walked in quiet for a while. Padma spotted a set of footprints on the terra firma that told them they were still going in the correct charge. It looked as if the werewolf was following a form of deer trail through the woods. After ten minutes or so Harry was able to walk unaided again but he was still glad they had found the trail. He really didn't want to throw to drop down himself into the pelter again.

"Shush…"Harry waved the others to quieten."Do you laugh at learn that ?"deliquium voices drifted between the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree before them. Angry voices and one high school pitched cry.

Harry dropped to a crouch and went forward as quietly as he could. He couldn't hear the marauders following but he knew they were. The voices got louder as they approached a shaded dingle in the woods.

"Piece of malicious gossip !"A loud smacking auditory sensation filtered up from the dell. Followed by a thump like a soundbox hitting the storey. Through it all Harry could pick up a babe yell."Why did you have to have a go at it it up !"

Harry crawled to the edge of the dell and poked his pushed a cakehole through some tufts of grass to see down. The werewolf they had chased was cowering on the base in front of a vast bear like man. A huge bear like werewolf, Harry amended as he saw the precipitous brown teeth and jaundiced eyes staring balefully out of its head. Now that he could get a clear flavor at them Harry could see that they were both wearing the same mud and poop encrusted shred, their master copy coloring and cut lost completely beneath the grime. Their fuzz and hands were caked in mud as well, as were their unshod feet.

"You bastard Verrine !"The larger man growled as he picked the stringy loup-garou off the floor and shook him.

Harry could see the baby lying abandoned on the undercoat nearby. He could feel the predator getting in position beside him. Making their own showing holes.

"Why now !"The man continued to rabbit on."Why do it now ! When we ‘ re so close down to getting the mother-load you go out and swipe one baby ! They ‘ ll be on the lookout for us now !"

"But Greyback."The smaller man ( who seemed to be called Verrine ) whined."This was what you told us all to do. What you taught us. Get the tyke so we can turn them. When I found the gap in the hospital ward I had to hazard it. I thought you ‘ d be happy."

"Happy ? Happy ! ?"The burly werewolf threw the other to the ground and kicked him in the tummy."You moron ! We ‘ ve been working for month and you screw it up in a day !"

"But… but…"Verrine wrung his hand."They still don't know about it ! We can still go through with it !"

"We ‘ ll have to you runt ! I haven ‘ t worked this hard to stop now."Greyback aimed another savage kick at the man on the floor and Harry slid back a little from the dell. Harry figured the crying baby was cover enough to speak without being heard and whispered…

"Any ideas ?"

"We can ‘ t sneak by them."Hermione said under her intimation."Maybe if we levitate the baby…"

"They'll see that."Harry shook his foreland."They'll see anything inside the clearing. We need to demand them out."

"Two full grown werewolves ?"Padma shook her principal."We ‘ ll need a plan."

"Will we ?"Ron asked, glancing back at the gage between them and the creatures."I mean there are four of us and two of them. Why don't we just jump them ?"

"Ron !"Hermione hissed."Of all the stupid…"

"Brilliant !"Harry interrupted."He ‘ s right field !"Padma and Hermione looked shocked. Surprisingly so did Ron.

"We've got so used to being the underdogs we didn ‘ t see it. There are more of us, we have scepter and we have the element of surprise. Hermione, Padma…"Harry pointed back at the clarification."… you aim for the big guy. Me and Ron will aim for the littler one."

"What are we firing ?"Padma asked.

"Anything disabling, and aim in high spirits. We don't want to hit the baby."Harry crawled back to the edge of the dingle."On three. One… Two… THREE !"

Harry raised to his knees and aimed his baton at the startled wolfman. Hermione had fired a full-body-bind that froze greyback in his tracks before Padma's blasting curse threw him to the ground. Harry had stuck by the honest bludgeoning hex. He didn't hear what Ron cast but whatever it was combined with his own flak threw the scrawny lycanthrope absolved across the clearing and smacked him into a rock.

Harry rushed into the dell. He followed Hermione's instance and petrified Verrine from close mountain chain as he tried to get to his animal foot. The werewolf's limbs smacked to his sides and he toppled like a tree. Harry turned back and saw that Padma had already reached the crying bundle on the floor and was picking him up.

"Is he alright ?"Harry asked worriedly.

"I have no idea."Padma admitted."Since he ‘ s been dragged through the woods with only a mantle to protect him, I ‘ m guessing he ‘ s a piffling cranky. sound thing it's a warm up day."

"Harry…"Ron was standing over the big werewolf with his baton still out."… should we… you know… do something permanent to them ? blockade them ?"

"You mean kill them."Hermione said flatly."In cold blood. While they ‘ re petrified."

"Hermione ‘ s right."Harry shook his head. In his short life he had already killed two people ( Tom conundrum didn ‘ t reckoning ). But both clock time it had been to deliver his life history or the life of his friend."We can ‘ t. Maybe we should, but we can ‘ t."

"They ‘ ll kill other people Harry."Ron said hesitantly."They ‘ ll turn early people. They ‘ re animals."

"amercement then. Do it."Harry pointed at the immobile men on the floor."Finish them."

Ron's eyes widened in shock. He raised his wand and pointed it at the big werewolf on the flooring. For a here and now he stood there, indecision clear on his face, then he dropped his arm to his slope again.

"See. Not so easy."Harry turned and began walking back the way they had come."come on cat. That was enough moral for today's story."

The marauder were about to keep an eye on him when…

"Harry…"Ron said worriedly."Isn ‘ t it a bit… shadow ?"

Harry felt the common cold sweat of terror again. The finis of the sunset was just seeable over the tree and the shadows were at their longest.

Not long before nightfall. Not long before the moon.

"Oh god ..."Harry said, spacious eyed."RUN !"
*


Harry dared a glance back through the woods as he pelted as fast as he could toss off the track they had come up on. It was full dark now, and the moon rode over the trees.

"Wah ! ! Wah ! !"

"Can ‘ t you shut that brat up !"Ron yelled at Padma, who shot him a deadly glare.

"Bring him here."Harry slowed down and pointed his wand at the squalling child."Silencio !"The baby's back talk still worked but no sound came out. Harry breathed easier for a moment, then he heard a howling go up from the trees behind them.

"Run !"The marauders were jolted into motion again."Hermione go ahead ! hold Padma and the terror in the middle !"

Harry looked back over his shoulder and saw a contour hurtling down the way towards them.

Not a sentence to pull in punches.

"Acerbus Cuspis !"

The sickly light enveloped the trap thing and it's impulse rolled it into a heap at Harry pes. He petrified it for good measure. Harry turned and sprinted to catch up with the repose of the marauders.

"How… close…"Ron panted."… tree."

"Further."Was all Harry managed to gasp out. A growl behind him was all the warning he got and he threw himself on Ron, knocking them both to the ground as a werewolf pounced over their head.

"Ferio !"Harry yelled from the floor, but his hex missed and smacked into a Dubya. The wolf snarled and lifted itself to its feet before getting hit from behind by Hermione and being slammed into the footing. Harry pulled himself and Ron off the floor and began running forward again.

"There it is !"Harry heard Padma yell from far ahead. Harry squinted and realized he could create out the dim physique of the wall in front man of them. Another howl went up behind them and was picked up by another part and another and another, stretching across the forest.

"cum on come on !"Harry skidded to a stop by the arse of the fallen tree and scanned the darkened forest. bm ? Harry fired another curse into the darkness but it hit zilch."Hurry up !"Harry helped Ron into the Tree then scrambled up behind him. He heard a maze behind him and whirled, aiming his scepter at the sound.

"Acerbus cuspis !"

The light brightened the clearing like a pyrotechnic but the werewolf dodged it. Harry slipped and fell onto the leafage mulch. The wolf pounced at him but was hit in the air by three spell from above and fell hard. Harry scrambled back into the Tree and ran as hard as he could for the safety of the exterior. He dropped onto the ground outside and stumbled a few stair to where the predator were standing. He saw Hermione period back at the wall and yell.

"Harry !"

A werewolf was clambering along the tree diagram, its farseeing slavering natural language glistening in the moonlight.

"Depulso !"Harry banished the werewolf and saw it sail back over the wall.

"Wingardium Leviosa !"Harry heard Hermione yell and saw the tree rock on its rubble provenance."supporter me !"

"Wingardium Leviosa !"Harry yelled, pointing his wand at the tree.

"Wingardium…"Ron began but Harry cut him off.

"No ! You two stop any more of them getting over !"

Harry concentrated on the tree, trying to sway it free of its trestle. Another dark form jumped onto the trunk and Padma blasted it off. Two more jumped on and Harry forced himself to decoct only on the tree and intrust his protagonist to deal with the werewolves.

Suddenly, with a shuddering crack, the Tree came dislodge of the wall and jumped a few meters into the air. Shaking its passenger off in the process. At Hermione's urging they pulled the tree forwards and dumped it on the basis nearby. Harry yelped in surprise as they saw a wolfman scribble over the damaged bulwark, its curse giving it strength beyond any natural animal.

"No !"Hermione said as Harry raised his wand."I want to see if its worked."

Harry kept his wand trained on the thing but didn't cast anything. The dark shape squatted on the top of the wall for a moment then bunched up and spring at them. There was a gravid flash of light and it was repulsed, switch back into the forest with a yelp of pain.

"Hermione ? What the bally hell…"Ron asked.

"The Aaron Montgomery Ward. The tree was disrupting them."Hermione brushed her haircloth off her sweat-dripping forehead."They should be back now."

"Hermione…"Harry didn't finish the prison term, he just stepped forward and hugged the startled little girl fiercely."Keep being impudent ok. God knows one of us has to be."Harry released her and looked back at the wall. Three werewolf sat there now but they made no motility to issue forth any closer. Perhaps they had retained just enough of their homo head to acquire a object lesson. Harry gave them the fingerbreadth then turned back to his friends.

"We should go."Harry lit his wand and waved the piranha back towards Hogsmeade."I may be wrong. But I think we ‘ re past curfew."







Try to leave a damaging review here. I want to make out what I can change for the better. Not spelling, I do n't deal about that. Do you cerebrate the pacing 's ok ? I sometimes think I 'm moving the plot too fast.


Yeah, i know this chapter 's a bit short but it was a lucid place to stop.



Hogsmeade looked a lot more menacing at Night. Perhaps it was the way the old sign seemed to lean out over the street. Perhaps it was the eerie lack of noise or that light smell you get at the commencement of night.

Or perhaps it was that the prof that had eventually found them were McGonagall and Snape.

When the predator had wandered back into the village they had had the ( then sleeping ) baby taken off their hands rather swiftly and been hurried back up the road towards Hogwarts.

"Of all the irresponsible, madness and amentia you lot have got yourselves into !"McGonagall raged as they walked back along the road. Snape was uncharacteristically still but he glowered at them with his bloodshot eyes. All of them except Harry, who's middle he didn't seem to desire to meet.

"I hope all of you are proud of yourselves !"McGonagall continued as they passed the gates of Hogwarts.

"‘ Oh, thank you for saving the baby.'” Harry muttered under his intimation."‘ Without you shaver he would have suffered a fate unsound than death. You ‘ re hero.'” But the teachers didn't seem to hear him ( which was perhaps for the scoop ).

They walked in silence up the hanker path towards Hogwarts but McGonagall surprised them by not taking them inside. Instead she led them rung to the left towards the greenhouses. Harry could see the shimmering line of the Barbara Ward, easily visible in the dim light.

Harry then saw who they were heading for. Dumbledore was standing on a plot of ground of scuffed ground near the boundary of the glasshouse staring out towards the forbidden wood. Occasionally he would take a few pace and glimpse at a particular place in the Mrs. Humphrey Ward. He also kept glancing at a ragged piece of sheepskin he held in his hired man. As they approached he folded it calmly and slipped it into his robes.

With a frown Harry realized it was the same piece of music of sheepskin he's seen lupine and Dumbledore pawing over in a flashback. What did it do ? Harry tried to think back, it had been a map of Hogwarts and they had been keeping watch on him with it. Did it somehow designate what he was doing ?

"Mr Potter."The headmaster had turned to look at him. He did not look pleased."So you return to us again."

"Yeah, like a blinking boomerang."Was what Harry wanted to say but he wisely replaced it with"Yes Sir."

"And can you tell me why you think you have the rightfulness to shamelessly snub schooling rules and flaunt the trade protection set up specifically to protect the students of this school day ?"

"We saved a baby."Harry said through gritted dentition."Doesn ‘ t that count for something ?"

"Mr ceramicist this is not a matter of issue it is a thing of intentions."Dumbledore said, staring at him over the rims of his spectacles."Do you look me to continually miss your flagrant rule breaking simply because it coincidentally causes some good ?"

"We coincidentally saved a sister !"Harry argued. He heard Hermione trying to shush him and pulled back a small."There was cypher else we could do. No one else was there to help."

"Why were you in Hogsmeade in the first place ?"

"examination how well that little scrap of paper in your pocket works."It was a shot in the dark but Harry saw the look of cushion cross Dumbledore's case before he steadied himself again. Harry noticed that both Snape and McGonagall looked obnubilate. Was Lupin the only instructor who knew ?

"I do not bang of what you speak Mr Potter."Dumbleore said lightly.

"The map of Hogwarts."Harry spoke slowly and carefully. Taking an iniquity glee in seeing every word of honor bring further jounce to the old man's face."The one you and Lupin have been using to look on me. find out everything I do. You sit up at Night, with a mug of coconut tree and a marshmallow and ticker me."

The secretiveness between the Loretta Young wizard and the old one was almost palatable. Harry broke it first.

"Why didn ‘ t you use it to come up the kid ? Or Ginny at the end of last year ?"Harry stared Dumbledore down. He felt a lenify spurring on the rear of his brain."And don't even think about Legilimensing me. Honestly, and you talk to me about breaking prescript ?"The prod receded and Dumbledore looked down at his feet.

"I could not use it to come up the tiddler because it does not stretch forth beyond the mete of Hogwarts."Dumbledore said slowly. His articulation oddly shamed."And I could not use it to feel young lady Weasley because neither the chamber, nor the passage leading to it, nor the gutter under Hogwarts are displayed on it. It ‘ s God Almighty never ventured into them."

A silence fell again. Neither party seemed to have anything to add to the conversation.

"The wolfman said they had a architectural plan to get into Hogwarts tonight."Ron blurted out in a rush. Everyone looked at him and he blushed to the roots of his hair."wellspring they have to know."He defended to Harry.

"I know Ron."Harry turned back to the schoolmaster."He ‘ s rightfield, they did say that."

"Harry they are unlikely to do anything now that we have been roused."

"No, they are."Harry shook his head."They specifically said they were going through with it anyway."

"Perhaps."Dumbledore conceded."But in a thousand yr the werewolves have never breached the Aaron Montgomery Ward around the edge of the forest."

"But I breached them earlier this twelvemonth !"

"Yes."Dumbledore nodded."By swimming out into the lake past their boundaries."

"Well couldn ‘ t the werewolves do that ?"

"Harry…"Dumbledore seemed to regain some of his old humour."To you the giant calamary is merely a playful lake animal. But it in fact one of the most ancient guardians of Hogwarts. If any dark creature attempted to pass Hogwarts through the lake, trust me Harry, they would not get far."

"And what…"Harry swallowed nervously."… what if all this is connected to… you know… Voldemort ?"

"My information William Tell me that Voldemort is in hiding in Albania."Dumbledore explained."As he has been since you evicted him from the body of professor Quirrel."

"Oh…"Harry felt anger ebbing out of him, leaving a sort of hollow."… good."

"Now…"Professor Dumbledore raised both his palms, facing out. A quieten gesture."… we will go along this discussion, and discussion of any penalisation incurred, in the morning. Please return to your common room, Severus will keep company you. Minerva, would you help me check over the hospital ward one concluding prison term before we all put out ?"The two old teachers moved off, leaving the marauders with only Snape for company.

"Come on."Snape's voice sounded horse and Harry realized that this was the world-class metre he had spoken during the stallion exchange.

The marauders followed him in silence up to the fat lady's portrait and spoke the password. Snape didn't even say anything to them then, he just stalked off with his head bowed down into his neck.

Harry shook his head. Every time he saw Snape like that it reminded him of what he'd done to him.

Harry walked into the Gryffindor mutual room.

"You're alert !"Harry heard someone yell.

"Wait."Harry closed his eye and held out his hands for secretiveness."Did I just come back from a Hogsmeade weekend that ended with us chasing a wolfman into the forbidden forest ?"

"Um… yes ?"

"Oh good."It had just been normal déjà vu, not the time travel variety. Harry opened his middle and walked over to sit at the piranha table with Ginny, Neville and Parvati who had been waiting for them. The early marauders sat down too. It was the middle of the night but somehow everyone knew they couldn't go to sleep yet. The four who had come from the forest hastily outlined what had happened to their friends.

"What am I missing ?"Harry murmured, tilting himself back on his chairman."How else could they get into the priming ?"

"If they hired some curse breakers somehow…"Neville's voice trailed off as they all contemplated the possibility of penniless forest ogre hiring the service of skilled magician and of the skilled wizard working for them willingly and of the werewolves retaining plenty self control after transforming to not eat them.

"Unlikely."Harry decided and closed his eyes. God he was tired.

"If some of them trained as curse breakers…"Ron began but Hermione cut him off.

"Then they ‘ d forget everything once they transformed."

Harry massaged his synagogue with his fingers and felt the grit on them, they were still all mucky from the forest.

"Could they somehow deflect the giant squid ?"Ginny asked looking tired as well. No one answered her. No one had any answers. But Harry was willing to trust that whatever it was was decent in figurehead of his face.

"Can werewolves even swim ?"Ron asked and Harry groaned. They weren't getting anywhere. Not a surprise really. Harry looked over his soldiery, Ginny was virtually at rest on her professorship ("We keep forgetting she ‘ s not as used to this as us."thinking Harry. ) Hermione looked almost ready to conk, the stress of all the classes this year on top of the day they'd all had was just too much. Neville and Parvarti were fine but himself and Ron ? Ha ! Harry laughed to himself. Both him and Ron, and to a lesser extent Padma and Hermione, looked like they'd rolled in the dirt all night. Which, Harry admitted, they had.

Harry looked at his stain encrusted script. There was something there. Something just out of reach.

"Guy ‘ s…"The marauder's psyche snapped to him."… look at my hand. There ‘ s something we ‘ re missing and it ‘ s here."

"Harry you ‘ re imagining things."Hermione sounded like she was barely remaining conscious."I know, I keep thinking I ‘ ve thought of something too."

"No, no there is something."Harry shook his psyche. His hired hand, what was there ?

"Harry you look wispy mate."Ron's interpreter, but Harry wasn't listening.

His hand, beaten and scratched. One fingernail broken a little from a capitulation. Dirt under his fingernails. shit everywhere on his hand. stain everywhere on their hands…

Harry stood abscond upright and scrambled for the door.

"They were covered in dirt !"He yelled, a bit hysterically."Why didn ‘ t I see it before !"

"See what Harry ?"Hermione asked. The vulture were staring at him.

"They were too dirty. Don't you see !"Harry motioned them to get a movement on out of their chairwoman but they didn't budge. Harry threw up his hands in exasperation."You don ‘ t get that dirty just running around a wood. And it was the wrong case of dirt too… loamy… dark. Under their fingernails and in their teeth !"The predator still looked on in bleak incomprehension.

"Don't you see what they're doing ! andiron behind a fencing !"Harry saw understanding dawn in one or two sets of eyes."They ‘ re digging a bloody tunnel !"
*


"Neville : McGonagall ! Ron : Dumbledore ! Padma : Snape !"Harry rattled off as they raced out the portrait golf hole. Harry cupped his hands to his rima oris and yelled."myrtle ! dessert marauder house ghost ! Get here NOW !"

"Harry ?"The glowing lady friend slid out of the stonework and flew alongside him as he pelted down the corridor."What is it ?"

"Werewolves, tunneling into the school."Harry saw the ghosts already whiten font turn whiter and her eyes bulge."Is must come up somewhere on this side of the cellblock. Go under…"

"Go cloak-and-dagger and find it."myrtle finished for him. She sounded absolutely terrify. Her smoky form was ever quavering in the air. But she swooped off in the charge of the greenhouse, her lank hair whipping in the wind behind her.

"Wonderful."Harry thought as he shot down a stairway."At to the lowest degree one of the marauder has her head on straight."

Harry barged through a side threshold and the Night air hit him like a wall. He breathed it in, welcoming the cold into him because it would help oneself wake him up.

"Lumos !"Hermione had lit her wand. Smart that one. Harry followed causa and soon the four vulture were scowering the grounds. Harry glanced over them, had he opt wrongly ? He'd sent the fatigue marauders to find the teachers and kept the relatively freshen I with him. Except for Hermione of course, who he ‘ d kept because he relied on her to be the Einstein of the operation. But was she alert adequate to do that now ? Harry cursed as he realized his selection also meant he had put the youngest member, Ginny, in harms way.

Harry shook his promontory, nothing to be done about it now. Harry saw Vinca minor arc out of the ground like a dolphinfish, raise her hands as if to say ‘ I'm going as fast as I can ’, then dip back underground.

"Where would they be ?"Harry peered at the tree line, trying to catch some steer of drive. Nothing."Damn it !"Where would they burrow up to ? Would they even be able to aim at a specific place when underground ? The earthly concern blurred around Harry and he clamped his hands over his pendent.

Back ! Not now ! The wound on his left breast was beginning to wound now, and was streaking his shirt with origin. I need to be here !

After what felt like an age the torrent retreated and Harry stumbled forward to summarize the search. Suddenly Harry heard a ghostly confess and saw myrtle catapult out of the ground.

"There ! There !"Vinca minor was panicked and shaking, pointing back down at the ground.

Harry followed the personal line of credit of her hired man, it was the piece of drag sward they had stood on earlier that evening during their discussion with Dumbledore. With some trepidation Harry got closer and stopped to listen. From under the ground came the patent strait of scrabbling claws.

"Oh no no no no no."Harry shook his head to try and dispel the icy grip of care and looked back at the castle. No instructor yet, the predator must cause been having problem convincing them. Harry looked back at the ground, they would kick downstairs through any minute."Colloportus."He tried, desperately, aiming at the ground. But nothing happened, the spell wasn't meant to be used that way.

"guy rope ! Get back !"Harry waved the marauders away."Get behind stuff, we ‘ ll need to prevent them back if they break through."Harry looked around, panicked. Was there something they could pass over the ground with ? No.

"myrtle !"Harry looked up at the quivering ghost."I don ‘ t want to ask this but… can you go down there ? Distract them. Try to keep them from digging up."

The ghost shook her question vigorously, her heart wide behind her goggle-like glasses.

"Please Myrtle !"Harry begged."I can't think of anything else !"

The ghost began crying and hugged her arms into herself but she slowly floated down and slid into the land. After a moment the scrabbling stopped and a growling and yelping filtered up through the earth. Harry glanced around desperately, that had bought him seconds at most. His eyes lighted on a plenty of plant press cutting in a wooden bin beside the greenhouses. Yes !

"Help me guys ! Wingardium Leviosa !"Harry pointed his sceptre at the bin. It rocked on its basis and Harry heard his protagonist add their voices to his. Glancing fearfully at the bulging ground Harry maneuvered the bin onto the ground and dropped it with a crunch.

"Incendio !"The bin burst into flame. Harry sent a few bludgeoning hex's at the sides of the thing and it collapsed into a bonfire. Harry saw the other vulture levitating branches onto it from where they hid near the greenhouses.

"fountainhead, that won ‘ t stop them from digging up."Harry thought, scraping perspiration off his brow."But it ‘ ll cave in them a surprise when they do."

Suddenly the bonfire sagged in the centre. Harry looked around and realized he should probably be behind something. He turned and dashed towards the doors of Hogwarts. Behind him he heard a ululation of inhuman pain and a dry smash as the balefire caved in on itself. More howls of nuisance, filling the air with dark fear. Harry glanced over his shoulder at the fire.

A burn wolfman, howling in searing pain in the neck, burst up through the ground like an antediluvian god, feral and powerful. It clawed its way onto the grass and set off like a fastball towards him. Harry was so scare off he tripped and was sent sprawling across the ground. He rolled and tried to aim a hex at it but he was shaking so a lot it missed by a mile. Harry could see another werewolf erupt out of the priming coat and charge the marauders but all his attention was focused on the one in front of him. The one that was going to down him. He shot again but it barely grazed its English. It lunged, and Harry felt its fete breath.

"Sectumsempra !"

The wolf's neck exploded in a bloody fount but its momentum carried it onto Harry, crushing him under its. Harry could feel his ribs crack and sense its putrid malodor but then it was lifted off him and tossed aside. Harry looked up and saw Snape framed in the doorway, a aspect of murder in his eyes.

"Stupefy !"The potions master yelled and a red spell guessing across the soil and the werewolf that had been chasing the marauders fell limp onto the reason. Harry heard a scrabbling sound and saw another just clawing its way out of the hole in the footing. Snape said no incantation this clip but it's head snapped back as if it had been shot and it slid back into the hole. Three more scrambled out, slavering and growling to take its place.

"Ferio !"Harry yelled, and the one he had been aiming at jerked back."Confringo !"The blasting jinx threw it back into the hole.

"leave of absence them to me Potter."Harry heard Snape growl."Go serve your friends."Snape curled his arm back and yelled something guttural before throwing a ballock of red light down into the hole in the ground. Harry was knocked off his groundwork as an temblor rocked the dry land and a great swarm of detritus poured up from the pit. Snape had collapsed the tunnel. She potions sea captain smiled evilly, the smoking and dust giving him an almost diabolic countenance as he turned and began throwing oath at the remaining two werewolves.

Harry ran towards the vulture and skidded to a stop in front of them. They looked tire out and frighten and Hermione was leaning on Parvati and not putting weight on her left metrical unit, but for having just battled lycanthrope they looked alright.

"Snape's beginning to maturate on me."Harry grinned. The vulture smiled, then Hermione seemed to realize something and put her hand to her cervix in horror.

"No !"
*


A minute of coincidence can change everything.

Only someone floating above the scene could have seen the unscathed thing.

Hermione pointing to something sparkling on the land. Pushing herself off her supporter and hopping towards it frantically. Tripping…

Harry turning and stepping over to clean it up, holding its golden chain clenched in his fist.

Snape throwing swearword at the last loup-garou, laughing as it scrabbled backwards, trying to get away from him. Snape throwing another curse but, in his hilarity, missing. The curse flying through the air, rippling it like a heat energy Wave. Shooting straight into the sparkling golden hourglass handing from Harry's hand.

The speech sound of shattering social class. Far louder than it had any flop to be.

The atomiser of ash gray sand, fanning out and covering the the right way side of Harry chest, burning through his shirt and eating away the shape underneath.

Each grain of sand making a little pockmark hole, like pearl of acid.

Snape looking on in repulsion, sceptre still outstretched.

Harry screaming. Screaming and falling to the floor, clawing at the bloody mess of his chest. Screaming like he'd had his heart cut out.

Then slowly, fading. Fading as his sidesplitter grew indulgent and delicate. Until it was zippo more than a hint of wind.

Then gone.


pain, everywhere, burning. Flickering too fast to see anything but his damaged soundbox beneath him. boom, he could get a line the river here, louder than ever before. Nothing made sense, zip was real but the pain.
*


"Severus… Severus are you asleep ?"

Snape slowly raised his head from his workforce and looked up at dame Pomfrey. Had he fallen asleep ? There were multiplication when his thought had curled round each early enough to seem like dreams. But no, he mustn't have. Surely he would cause dreamt of her.

Snape could feel the locket in the top pocket of his robes. He had carried it with him since he had got it. A invariable drainpipe on his will. Walking around, every day, trying to follow his procedure with a poisonous cocktail of brokenheartedness and heart clenching regret. But he couldn't leave it, every prison term he tried he just felt his fingers close around it tighter.

And now he had guilt to add to the mix. Guilt he richly deserved. He had killed him, killed the last percentage of Lily Evans left on this worldly concern. He deserved everything, he clenched his fists until he could experience his nails digging into hide. It meant nothing.

"Severus some people are here."The school lactate spoke softly, as if he were a dying affected role. Which, Snape conceded, he looked like right now. He wearily dragged himself to his foot and moved out from behind the curtains surrounding his bed.

The hospital wing was full but soundless. Snape looked over at the bed where the Granger girl was lying. Her foot healed of course but no one had asked her to go forth. Potter's other Friend were there too, in chairs, propped on nearby bed or, in the guinea pig of Longbottom, simply collapsed on the floor. Snape could sympathize right now.

On the other incline the werewolves were chained, the two that had survived his onslaught and transformed back with the sparkle of day. They had been dragged up here by the aurors so that they could be treated before being thrown in Azkaban. No run would be had. None was necessary. They neither had the rightfield to one nor deserved that right. Snape felt no sorrow for the single that had been carted away to be burned or for the many that had undoubtedly died when he collapsed the tunnel. Any vestige of humanity they had they had given up when they agreed to succeed Greyback.

A sliver of a opinion wormed its way into Snape's genius. Why hadn't Greyback been present at the attack ? The children claimed to have petrified him but that would barely make lasted an hour on a lycanthrope. He should have got been there. It would consume been gratifying to number him as one of the numb. Then at least Snape could have said something good had come of everything.

"prof Severus Snape ?"

The dress voice brought him out of his thought process and he looked at the two new fig in the offstage. Even in his wasting United States Department of State Snape took in the matt Lady Jane Grey robes, the data file folder, the slightly arrogant demeanor without any evidence of real major power and neatly labeled both of them.

"From the Ministry,"Snape said. It wasn't a head. But something was off about them he realized, the char, her eyes far too appraising under her neat short hair and the man perhaps a shade too relaxed for a bureaucrat dragged out of his office. Not aurors, they didn't have that feel… Oh !"Unspeakables ?"

"Correct professor Snape. Full marks."The char smiled and raised her eyebrow. Snape sighed inwardly, he hated people under the delusion they were sassy than him."My name is Natalie Zhao and my colleague is Sean Rhyfedd."She indicated the man with a wave of her hand. Rhyfedd opened his mouth to mouth but the woman continued talking and he shut it again.

"We are here to investigate the recent event here."She smiled and pulled a quill and parchment from her folder."I understand that you have had a trying clip but certain questions must be answered."

"I thought the situation was being investigated by them."Snape jerked his header towards the aurors. One of the loup-garou on the storey looked up at him and leered.

"You misunderstand Mr Snape."The man spoke for the firstly time."The werewolves are indeed being dealt with by the aurors. The state of affairs we were speaking of was the destruction of Mr Potter."

"Harry !"

Snape heard a curtain being thrown back and a here and now later felt himself surrounded by potter's clique.

"Do make love where he is ?"

"What happened to him ?"

"secretiveness !"Snape snapped, far louder than he intended. They fell silent and he turned back to the Unspeakable. Taking a moment to appraise the tycoon body structure he addressed the woman directly."You mean the disappearance of Mr Potter,"he said hopefully.

"No."Rhyfedd cut in at the same fourth dimension as his fellow said.

"I ‘ m afraid not."She waved her wand at an empty bed and nine stools fell around it."Let's sit down."

Snape heard a chuckle from the other incline of the room.

"Something to add, werewolf ?"Rhyfedd said angrily.

"doomed your hero."The wolfman chuckled insanely as he stared out from behind his crust lids."Why don't you use the little map ?"

The auror kicked the cold-blooded thing and it fell silent, muttering to itself.

Snape dismissed it and take a stool next to the wall, at least that way he could not be surrounded by children.

"You are cognisant that Miss…"Ms Zhao consulted her theme"… farmer, was given special permission to have a time-turner this year ?"

"You know that I am."Snape replied acidly."Unless the 30 varlet form myself and the other instructor here were asked to fill out was somehow lost in the Ministry's system. In fact that circumstance is not improbable is it ?"

"We demand more care in our department,"Rhyfedd said. He turned to the children at the table."Did you notice Mr Potter displaying any odd behavior this class ?"

"Odd behavior…"Weasley scratched his head."Odd behavior is normal for Harry."

"Time loss."The Unspeakable crossed his arm irritably."Did he sometimes seem to not make out when or where he was ? Did he appear to hump what was about to happen ? Did anyone witness him in two places at once ?"

"Yes,"The new Weasley answered quietly."The outset two."

"I saw him in two shoes,"Longbottom said wetly. They all sounded as tired as Snape felt."I was with him in the library and I looked out the windowpane and I saw him on the grass outside too. I just thought it was some sort of put-on he was pulling."He sounded like someone had drowned his pup. Or perhaps a bag of puppies.

"Don ‘ t look bad,"Natalie Zhao smiled at the students."Even if we had known earlier there would have been cipher we could have done. It's an effect we call the waterspout of ages."

That sounded familiar, some old story ?

"Those lost in the violent stream of ages…"he said, trying to recollect the passage."… are lost to time and light. Living in nothing. Trapped in eternity."
*


Flickering, even the raft crawled up and down like waves. The sky just one arching blur of grey. The ground under his ft felt shadowy and unreal.
*


"Yes that's even off,"Ms Zhao nodded, pleased."You see, a time-turner only works because of the backbone inside it. It is literally the sand of time. Usually it is soggy but there are path of drawing out its power. Now, the bodily structure of a time-turner is designed so as to rein that power safely. Moving a somebody back in fourth dimension a short way relatively safely."

"Relatively safely,"Rhyfedd said, chuckling dryly and shaking his head.

"But…"Zhao continued."If the grit is loosed from the time-turner after it has been activated and it touches a person. That someone gets the full brunt of the sands'power."

"The effect has been known since ancient times."Mr Rhyfedd pulled a bundle of around 20 papers out and spread them out in front of Snape. The all had pictures in the box. The sometime 1 were indecipherable, the newest mostly looked like unspeakable themselves."As you can see the Holocene 1 are mostly departmental accidents."

Snape nodded.

"What is this torrent then ?"he asked.

"Essentially… time."Ms Zhao shook her head sadly."Imagine the time-turner force multiplied by a billion, and totally uncontrollable. The individual begins moving through fourth dimension without ever stopping in any one moment for Sir Thomas More than a millisecond."

"Of class we can only guess at the effect…"Rhyfedd said."… Since no one has ever come back."

"So what are you going to do ?"Parvati Patil demanded shrilly."How do we fix it ?"

"Miss…"Zhao met Snape's eyes for a moment then continued."…Patil."

Snape felt his heart skip about a century beats. Had he just been casually Legilimized by a Ministry employee ? He found himself forced to swiftly and radically revaluate the woman in presence of him. His mental demurrer were a small break right now it was true, but he would have been happy to face up even Dumbledore with no more defense than this. He had grown too soft.

"Miss Patil,"The fair sex continued."I know this is hard for you, all of you. I know that it is soft to grieve if you have a trunk, or some polarity. But you must infer your friend is not coming back."

"You don ‘ t know that !"Ginevra Weasley almost screamed.

"He ‘ s solid than you think,"Longbottom said desperately.

"This is not something you can fight,"The unutterable shook her nous."It ‘ s not something real or strong-arm. It ‘ s not something tangible, it ‘ s something inevitable."
*


Slipping, ground always slipping. Too a good deal pain to even mean. lineage that flowed out of him and disappeared into the air like mist. The sand still burned in him, burning but the blood kept flowing. Burning threads cutting into him from all sides, tying him up. Lying like red hot fizgig across his skin. He couldn't ignore the bother, it was the one existent thing he had.
*


"Just face it kids."Rhyfedd crossed his arms."The boy who lived is gone for good."
*


Harry kneeled under the flickering sky, a grayness daybreak electrocution into his eyes. It was too lots, he wasn't sure if he would go mad or just bleed to death. Either seemed preferred. The painful sensation was just throbbing harder, the fiery bonds tightening around him. inconspicuous chemical bond. Nothing was real here. Oh god it hurt ! Harry threw his head back and howled,

"Help me !"His Book were caught and whisked away as soon as he spoke."somebody ! Help me !"Harry barely felt the sobbing wrack his consistence."Someone…"

"Harry…"

Harry felt the nuisance ebb away, leaving a dull aching. The sky dimmed like smoked methamphetamine hydrochloride. The flickering ground became gray and unyielding under his groundwork. He felt the burning at the stake screw thread pushed off him as the gray-headed blank expanded, carrying them with it. He stood on wobbly branch inside the little bubble of reality.

"Harry."

Harry whirled towards the voice and fell to the solid ground again, this time in relief. teardrop welled in the corners of his centre. He gulped and said,

"Pythea !"

"Yes Harry."The little seer was sitting crown of thorns legged in the eye of the Zane Grey ripple."Yes it ‘ s me."

"How…"

"Or, more correctly it's a bit like a recording of me,"Pythea smiled, her multicolor eyes holding depths Harry couldn't even guess at."Like a portrait. I ‘ m a charm shape by the real Pythea. She hid me in the letter she sent you."

"Why ?"Harry shook his capitulum."Why this way ?"

"It was the only way."Pythea looked suddenly a little frightened but pulled herself back a mo later."If the quietus of my Order knew you were even remotely connected to the torrent…"She shuddered."… well at the very least I would have been unable to serve you. The inundation is abhorrent to everything we stand for."

Abhorrent… that sounded familiar.

"For the same reason the Centaurus do ? They sa-"

"You met centaurs !"Pythea stood and hurried towards him, looking over him as if to see some mark of injury."How did you survive ! They would take killed you…"

"They let me go."Harry thought back, it seemed like a while ago."Said they had a debt to me."

"Do not scare me like that."Pythea put a hand to her chest and seemed to be breathing hard."You were favorable. Very lucky."

"If I was lucky I wouldn't be caught in this thing."Harry waved his script at the mess around them."“ ‘ Thea you got to help me."

"Harry I will not lie to you."She was right up next to him now, looking down into his heart."To my knowledge no-one has ever survived the torrent of ages."

Harry closed his eyes and bowed his head. His last hope…

"Harry, the flood isn ‘ t even something natural."Pythea held his Kuki in her deal and pushed his head back up."Time-turners are one affair, they let you pass back and forth in the same time stream. Anything you do in the past does not disturb the future, because it has already happened you see ? The police force of causality are preserved. The torrent is different, it defies the formula of luck. That is why my order, and the centaurs, hate it so much. They think it is dangerous, tangling destiny. That is why you have been moved outside of time, the universe itself it trying to shut you out. Destroying a threat to itself."

"So why are you here ?"Harry pushed her hands away. He was crying now, he knew he looked hapless but he couldn't stop himself."If no one ‘ s ever survived why bother even coming !"

"In the hope that you could be the first."She glanced up at the wither ceiling. The bubble had shrunk noticeably since they had started talking. Harry could see the threads of fire curling about the sharpness, like circling sharks."I can ‘ t throw this a good deal longer."

"How ! How can I be the first ?"

"I don ‘ t know. But I know one thing, you are never going to do it sitting on the ground. You will not last unless you take control."

"You don ‘ t know what it feels like…"Harry began but fell silent. What did it weigh how much it hurt ? It had to be done."What do I do if I can get control ?"

"Don't you know ?"She sounded amused.

"I…"A crazy idea hit him. A Harry Potter plan."Yes. I think I do."

"goodness Harry."She raised her hand towards the Lady Jane Grey wall."Are you set ?"

Harry felt for her pendent, still hanging by his heart. He nodded.

"Do it !"

The paries disappeared and the lances whipped inwards into his anatomy. Harry howled and grabbed them in both hands.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaa !"

It was like the Cruciatus burnt into every molecule of his pelt. And across his palms where the ropes of fire writhed ? It was a hundred clock time worse !

"I am the boy who lived !"Harry cried into the dead air."And you will act !"

Harry jerked his hands up and felt the burning prevail cut into his hands.

"SHIFT !"

Hogwarts appeared before him for a moment, a student looked at him in shock before it was all whisked away.

"No ! Again !"

The ground became flaming rock and the air acid smoke.

"No ! Listen to me !"Harry gripped down harder on the threads and pulled them to his face, ignoring the bout flowing down it and the pain enveloping everything."SHIFT !"

Bare rock and roll, an vacate sky.

piddle stretching as into the distance.

The pitch blackness of blank space. As cold as nothing.

"NO !"Harry was loosing it, the sovereignty were slipping through his fingers."Please ! I can ‘ t do it !"

Suddenly he saw her again, just for a here and now, one green eye and one purple. Hovering in the air before him through the mist of pain.

"You can do anything."

"Aaaaaaaaa !"Harry fell to his knees and pulled the flame to his thorax, right up to the searing wound. Between his fists nestled the minuscule pendent. A little nub of cool in the world of flaming. He could do this.

Hogwarts again, a werewolf lunged before it all slipped away.

"YES !"

The glasshouse pulled out of the mist. The superstar, the strait of spells. An cold-blooded howl.

"YES !"

Harry thrower laughed through the pain and the blood.
*


Hermione pointing to something sparkling on the ground. Pushing herself off her friend and hopping towards it frantically. Tripping…

Harry turning and stepping over to pick it up, holding its golden mountain range clenched in his fist.

Snape throwing curses at the survive werewolf, laughing as it scrabbled backwards, trying to get away from him. Snape throwing another curse but, in his glee, missing. The expletive flying through the air, rippling it like a rut wafture. Shooting straight towards the sparkling golden hourglass handing from Harry's hand.

Harry smiled, and stepped in front of the curse.
*


Dirt…

Very wet dirt…

That was the foremost view that went through Harry's caput. He opened his oculus. The grease in movement of his nozzle was moving ever so slightly, the little cereal rolling back and Forth. His breathing place moving them. He was breathing again.

Some sensation at the face of his head… familiar… sound. Someone was speaking.

"Harry ?"

Harry twisted against the ground, movement returning to him like a removed memory. A shape standing there. Low to the ground.

"Harry dear boy they told us you were dead !"

Professor… he knew this person. He liked this person.

"prof Flitwick."Harry's vocalisation came out at barely a whisper.

"My dear boy you ‘ re hemorrhage !"

Harry looked down. One side of his dresser was pockmarked with little fix like someone had grated him and the other slope had two massive slashes over it, meeting in a crossbreeding. Snape's curse, Harry remembered, that had hit him there.

"Are you alright ? You don ‘ t look like you ‘ re in pain ?"

Harry chuckled wryly. After the world of flame the pain from his bureau were nothing.

"You need the Hospital Wing Mr Potter."

Harry felt himself lifted up with magic and stood on his feet. He was still exactly where he had been before getting lost in the torrent, on the ground near the greenhouse. He saw some men in long dim robe standing guard over the caved in tunnel but they weren't looking his way.

"I can walk,"Harry mumbled as prof Flitwick pointed his wand at him again. He had clawed his way out of non-existence, he could walk to the infirmary Wing.

Harry stumbled off towards the doors of Hogwarts.

"Of course you can Mr Potter."Professor Flitwick chuckled."I was merely going to provide you with some clothes."

Harry looked down, he was wearing Pythea's pendent but nothing else. He glanced back at the ground where he had appeared, there was a lot of grey ash and what looked like a burnt belt buckle. Near where his metrical foot had been there was a puddle of molten rubber.

"Oh."Harry blushed and tried to cut across himself with his men. With a wave of his wand the little teacher gave Harry loose gibe pajama knickers and a dressing gown. Harry vaguely registered that they were blue and atomic number 79."Thanks…"

Harry turned and continued his halting walk towards the infirmary wing. He could hear Flitwick walking behind him, probably with his wand out in shell Harry tripped. The hallway were deserted this other in the morning and Harry had no company as he pulled himself laboriously up a staircase.

He glanced down at the two combat injury on his breast, the backbone burn and the snub. There was something wrong there. Harry shook his header, nothing about bleeding that much was redress. Harry reached the door to the infirmary extension and pushed the doors open.

He saw his protagonist, Snape and some early citizenry look up in cushion. In his state, lightheaded from profligate loss, he said the first affair that came to mind…
*


"Just face it kids."Rhyfedd crossed his blazon."The boy who lived is gone for good."

The doors to the infirmary wing fusillade heart-to-heart and the Potter boy stepped inside, wavering slightly as if drunk.

"You know who I hate ?"he said, smiling crookedly."Godric Gryffindor… wanker !"The boy took two steps and fell on his face on the low temperature tiled floor.

Snape saw the students and the shoal nurse spate to Harry through a daze but he felt something else. A bubbling, floating sensation rising from his chest. He clamped his hired hand over his lip but it escaped through his nozzle anyway, a razz that jerked his head back. He gave up trying and broke out in scene of laughter.

"Something amusing Professor ?"Ms Zhao asked him, eyebrows arched in amusement.

"Hates… Ha ha ha ! Hates Godric Gryffindor ! Ha !"Snape held his deal to his aching English and bowed down as another bout hit him. He pointed at the former Unspeakable."And he walked in… right after you said… Ha ha ha !"

Why couldn't he stop laughing ? More importantly, why didn't he need to ?

"Perhaps you should lie down Mr Snape."Natalie Zhao looked like she was barely stopping herself from giggling."You ‘ ve obviously had a trying night."

Yes, that must be it. Just tired.

Snape got up and walked towards the doors of the infirmary wing. As he passed the potter boy's bed the laughs broke out again and he had to hold the doorframe for support.

"Severus ?"Snape saw Filius Flitwick staring at him in shock."Are you alright ?"

Yes, Snape realized, he was. It felt like a gravid pressure had been lifted off him. He must just be tired.

"I have had a long night."he told his fellow teacher before turning and walking away and leaving a very stunned silence in his wake.
*


"That was odd."Padma said dryly before turning back to the hospital bed where Harry was lying.

Harry chuckled, it was dear to be back amongst friends.

"These won ‘ t bring around Mr Potter,"he heard ma'am Pomfrey say while running her wand over the two combat injury on his chest."Neither of them. I ‘ m afraid you ‘ ll have cicatrix there for the rest of your life."

"Great…"Harry said, his voice sounding weak and airy in his ears."… more scars."Harry pointed at his forehead."I have enough trouble with this one."

"well it's your own fault…"Harry heard an blistering spokesperson say."You survive the killing curse and get one scar, you survive the pelter of historic period and you get two More. If you don't want more scratch intercept doing impossible things."

Harry leant his head up and saw two hoi polloi he didn't know standing by the human foot of his bed, a man and a woman.

"Please forgive my Friend,"the woman said smoothly."There was a departmental stroke in which he lost his signified of tact."

The man snorted. Harry smiled, he thought he would like this woman.

"We are from the Ministry,"the woman continued,"The Department of Mysteries."

"We need you to tell us how you survived the torrent,"the man said.

"But obviously we would not visit on you in your current state,"the woman added easily."If we returned this even ?"She glanced at gentlewoman Pomfrey, who nodded.

"This evening then."She straightened."I look forward to your story."She walked out of the infirmary wing, the other unnameable followed, grumbling.

Harry looked at his friends and grinned.

"So, my entry ? ripe or tolerably ?"

"well ten out of ten for timing Harry,"Hermione grinned.

"But what you said was a bit off,"Padma chuckled."‘ I hate Godric Gryffindor'form of a non-sequitur."

"And for Harry Potter, the-boy-who-cracks-one-liners…"Ron grinned broadly."It was sort of disappointing."

"I blame stock loss."Harry leant back against the bed, he was just now realizing that he had lowest slept over 20 four minute ago. Or more, or less, he didn't quite know how the time in the torrent counted.

"How did you survive Harry ?"Hermione asked curiously.

"How ?"Harry felt his eyelid drooping."I ‘ m a marauder. We don ‘ t lose."A persuasion crossed Harry's brain and he managed to pull out himself back from quietus."Where did Myrtle get to ?"

"Don't know."Ron shook his head."None of us have seen her."

"Should justify to her. See whether we can find some ghost-flowers."Another thought hit him."The werewolf ? The flack ?"

"All dealt with Harry."Anapurna put her bridge player on his shoulder reassuringly."Everyone ‘ s alright and the crisis is over. Earlier than usual too."

"Yeah !"Ron perked up."We ‘ ve got almost three months of school left ! We usually don't save everyone for ages yet, we may actually get time to have fun and…"

"Study for our end of twelvemonth exams."Hermione said brightly. It was like watching a see-saw, the delight in Ron's face faded at exactly the Lapplander rate as Hermione's began to grow.

"Oh Harry, secern her,"Ron urged."Tell her we ‘ re having fun not studying."

"I may make to study Ron. If I want to do piffling things like not get chucked out of Hogwarts."Harry tried to bring to bear any knowledge he had gleaned from the last few months of lesson and found only mere scar."Definitely."

"It ‘ s all right Harry,"Ron said comfortingly."You ‘ re obviously sick. I ‘ ll ask you again when you ‘ re better."
*


Albus Dumbledore glanced at the map once again, when the dot had reappeared he had not believed it. He had thought there had to be some kind of mistake.

"He truly is unharmed ?"he asked again.

"I would not say unharmed…"Poppy Pomfrey shook her head."But he is alert and with a little care he will be alright. cicatrice, as I said, but nothing more."

"Thank you Poppy. You are forever the bringer of glad news."

Poppy knew him well enough to agnise the cultured pink slip in his part and left his billet quietly. Dumbledore turned to the other person in the office.

"He survived…"Professor lupin was hunched over a mug of something steaming. It smelled dire but apparently it helped. Even with it the pathetic werewolf looked scurvy, apparently hearing the other werewolf howling so close had made his werewolf take care even more break than usual."How could he survive ?"

"I do not know Remus."Dumbledore shook his head."I truly do not do it how he survived. I am in the unusual perspective of having not the faint thought. That worries me deeply. The boy himself worries me deeply."

"He disturbs me."

"Remus you must try to-"

"I know,"lupin croaked in his harsh spokesperson."It ‘ s just that he walks around looking so like James. Being so like James. He calls his friends the marauder you know, when I heard that I almost… He has no right."

"It is just a name Remus,"Dumbledore said soothingly."And the boy is full-of-the-moon of conundrums, I still can ‘ t workplace out where that pendent of his came from. I don ‘ t sleep with how he managed to rig the Quidditch cup and I certainly can ‘ t prove he did. I don ‘ t hump how he beat Severus in a duel. And now the torrent…"Dumbledore reached out and stroked Fawkes, the genus Phoenix let out an appreciative trill.

"This boy, this boy that so much rests on, is a complete whodunit to me. Not only that, he seems to possess no qualms about disregarding my confidence, ignoring my advice. I can not even keep him within the grounds of Hogwarts against his will. So a great deal rest on him, but I don't understand him and I certainly can not control him."Dumbledore sighed."I have rarely felt as old as I have in these past three years."

"He ‘ s not James."Remus shook his head.

"I hope not."Dumbledore closed his center in sorrow."But he seems to birth courageousness like James Potter."

"Courage ?"Remus snorted."He ‘ s afraid of water system !"

"well we both know the grounds for that."Dumbledore quieted himself. Some arcanum were so important they should never be voiced."I suppose all we can do is waitress and see."The two men fell silent. Dumbledore listened to his whirling machines, after all these eld the sound was very comforting.

"Have you found another Defense instructor ?"Lupin asked suddenly. Dumbledore sighed.

"I have been talking to another old friend. I have hope that he will accept the job."

"Good."

The silence returned, arduous with all the affair not being said.
*


Snape awoke refreshed for the first time in weeks. He had gone directly into his bed after leaving the infirmary annexe and now the clock on his bulwark say eight XXX, he had slept all day. His body must let been trying to catch up on lost time.

He pulled his gown on and grabbed his wand from the bedside table. His hand went out on reflex to grab the other item there and he stiffened. The locket sat there, shining up at him. Snape swallowed hard. Did he want to conduct Lily Sir Arthur John Evans around future to his spirit forever ?

Snape picked the locket up and held it lightly in his paw. Something must be done with it. He strode out of his quarters and down the corridor, scarcely glancing at the students he passed. He did not contain when he passed the great doors or Hogwarts but kept up his pace until it brought him to the shore of the lake.

He was breathing gruelling, and not from the walking. The locket was still clutched in his manus. He had to do it quickly otherwise he would lose his will.

You abandoned me Sev. I thought we were best acquaintance ?

No. Not now.

You called me a mudblood.

"And what about you !"He spoke savagely to the locket nestled in his palm."That day beside the lake after our examination. Where were you ? Sitting and talking to your early supporter. Leaving me all alone. You didn ‘ t come over until King James Potter got involved. You abandoned me long before I abandoned you…"Snape drew his handwriting back."… I just did it better."And with all his strength he hurled the fiddling piece of Ag into the dark water.

I can not believe I had the strength to do that.

Snape shook his headway, he felt like he had begun again after years of living in stasis. Harry was the right way, wizards lived in the past far too a good deal. He had finally gotten rid of the last…

No…

Snape felt his flavour dashed in a present moment. He still had one last part of Lily Evens. A bit he could not be rid of. He hung his forefront, and he had felt so free. The past was an anchorperson, Lily Evans was an anchor. He could never be truly free.

Or could he ? As the potter boy had so clearly proved, sometimes the impossible was simply something that hadn't been done yet. But it would require Occlumency of the highest order.

"Luckily,"view Snape."I am an Occlumens of the gamy order."

Snape sat down cross legged on the grass, cleared his brain, closed his optic and proceeded to edit Lily Evans. Each storage was locked away, one by one, from their first merging to the last day he ever saw her. He blocked them all. He would still retain the shape of them, a undefined knowledge, but it was the best he could do.

It would be easier if he had a pensieve, Snape realized and momentarily thought of borrowing Dumbledore's. But no, he didn't want the old man to know about this. And besides, considering that Lily Arthur Evans was the hold he had had over Snape all these years he might not be inclined to help.

Snape closed the last memory and stood up, feeling lightheaded. Would this work ? He began preparing to cast the magical spell, raised his wand then dropped it again to his incline. He could not regorge it, he had no felicitous memory board anymore, he had just locked them all away. Snape cursed, it was hopeless. Then a mad idea struck him, he looked out over the lake, at the blazing sunset painting the pitcher's mound with red and gold. He raised his arms and felt the summer lead Benjamin Rush through his robes.

So far from Spinners End. So far from the smogginess and dust and narrow streets. Here the air was clearly, it smelled of heather mixture. The star were exculpated, free by streetlights. Hogwarts, and the land around it, was his place. This was a glad memory.

"Expecto Patronum !"

He screwed his eyes shut at the moment of casting, he could not stick out to watch. He felt the warmness of his patronus in social movement of him, touching his manus. He had to depend eventually, he would have got to. Courage, he was not a coward.

Snape snapped his eyes unresolved and almost melted onto the floor. tear sprung into his eyes. Writhing and looping in the air was a thin Snake, curling like a decoration caught in the wind. He had been successful, the hold up part of Lily Arthur Evans in him was gone.

"Is that your patronus ?"

Snape turned towards the voice. It was the unspeakable, Natalie Zhao, she was standing calmly a few stone's throw behind him with her hands clasped in front of her. She must have crept up on him, he had been quite distracted.

"You are still here ?"he asked."Did you interrogation Harry all day ?"

"We left and came back,"she said, moving up to stand by the lake beside him."I ‘ ve just come from talking to him. Surviving the torrent, he really is amazing…"She trailed off shaking her head in disbelief.

"He is nothing if not surprising."Snape found he had trivial ire towards Harry ceramist any more."But I think you would be to a lesser extent amaze if you saw the utter muddle he manages to make of potions."

"Perhaps."She smiled, it pushed little dimple up on her impudence. He pointed at his patronus, still writhing in the air."Very nice…"

"Is it ?"Snape turned back to the snake in the grass. It was not, he now realized, a very interesting looking Hydra. Perhaps a little more than a meter long with harsh, dark bands all the way up its reduce body. It had no hood behind its thin read/write head like a cobra or a rale like a rattler, nothing that obviously identified it. Snape wondered what species it was.

"A banded krait,"Natalie Zhao said grin. She hadn't had eye contact, she must just have guessed what he was thinking."Very nice."

"Really ?"Snape's curiosity was piqued."Does it have any particular… qualities ?"

"Well…"She appeared to imagine for a second."It ‘ s diet is sort of interesting."

"How so ?"

"It primarily eats other snakes."

"Really…"Snape found himself warming to the striped reptile.

"And it ‘ s vicious,"Ms Zhao continued."Sometimes the victim doesn't feel anything at the site of the bite for a piece, lulls them into a imitation sensation of security."

"Hmm…"

"It's a formidable toxin."The Unspeakable reached out and tickled the minuscule glowing ophidian under the Kuki-Chin."I think they ‘ re quite interesting."

"I think it will do nicely."Snape canceled the spell with a picture of his wand and his krait faded away.

"Why do you acknowledge so much about serpent ?"

"I keep them as pets."She seemed to sword herself a soupcon. Perhaps she was used to negative reactions when people heard about her hobby.

"Fascinating,"Snape said, and found that he meant it."Do you have any kraits ?"

"You ‘ d have to be weirdo to keep one of those as a pet. But I suppose you like grave pets here…"She smiled again, cheekily."… you apparently keep werewolves."

"Accidentally."Snape motioned towards the rook and they both began walking towards Hogwarts."You wouldn't numeration rats that invaded your wine cellar as favorite would you ?"

"No, I ‘ d count them as free snake food."

Snape chuckled. Laughing again, he really did feel like a new man. But there was something in the vertebral column of his mind now. Something he'd heard ? Something she'd said ? Hmm… it was right at the boundary of his mind.

"Well I have to get back to the Ministry,"Natalie said, they had reached the battlefront of the rook."Got to fill in the paperwork. God knows Rhyfedd won ‘ t botheration, that man has an posture problem…"

"He is a pocket-size minded, talent less man who is constantly trying to swear himself over you where he has no right to be because it shirks his ego to work under a woman,"Snape stated flatly.

"I know,"Natalie replied simply."You had him pegged within five irregular of meeting him. My knob at the Ministry however…"She spread her hands hopelessly."… four years and counting. I ‘ m hoping they catch on any day now."

"Let me stick in you to Sibyll Trelawney one day."Snape shrugged and smiled in commiseration."Then you will truly know what it is like to hold an bothersome co-worker."

They were both standing in presence of Hogwarts, but neither of them seemed to want to move.

"Well…"She broke the impasse."… I should go. Thank you for showing me your patronus."

"Would you mind showing me your snake collection at some point ?"Snape found himself asking."I find myself strangely interested."

"Strangely interested…"She smiled that infuriating smiling again. Snape was beginning to guess she might actually be smart than him."… good choice of words."And with that she turned and began walking down the path towards the gates of Hogwarts.

Snape would have felt elated, but at that moment what he had been thinking slipped into position and he frowned, then clenched his fist as the full conditional relation sunk in. He hoped he was wrong, he really did.
*


"Albus,"he stepped out of the staircase into the headmaster study.

"Severus,"Dumbledore greeted him."To what do I owe this late night visit ?"

"nada good I am afraid."Snape shook his promontory."This afternoon I remembered an extempore comment one of the lycanthrope in the Hospital offstage made. Taunting us about a map."

"They could not give known about it."Dumbledore's eyes narrowed."You are not accusing professor Lupin once aga-"

"No."Snape waved the ailment away."No, that is what I thought initially, it would sustain been better if I was right. I went to visit the werewolf in the Ministry dungeons. He said he heard it because they were waiting subway, listening. They heard you talking to Harry when we brought him back from Hogsmeade."

"I fail to see the emergency in that…"

"Albus, remember what else you said that evening."

"I…"The Headmasters face went pallid and his heart opened broad."I said that Voldemort was hiding in Albania."

"Yes."Snape nodded."I think we now know why Greyback was not office of the attack. He had already left on a more important errand, a dog running back to its professional. He left because he knows where to look."



This chapter beta 'd by El Salvadoran colon. Thank you Colon !

What did everyone think of the detour from shank in this Christian Bible ?
The side by side one goes back towards the line of descent of the rule book a bit, somewhere between the how close the number one two were and how out there this one was.

Leave a review and I 'll get on with writing ...

Harry thrower and the Harry Potter and the tone of Njordr !


I do n't own Harry Potter. I wish I did. Unfortunately the hale blowing-out-all-the-candles-at-once thing does n't always work.



She brushed up against the wall, her well muscled flank pressing against the wooden pane. Her ears were attuned to the tiny scritches coming from around the corner and the tiny footstep on the floorboard were still seeable, glowing hot photographic print leading the way. She eased herself up to the edge then poked her repulse nose around and struck.

The rat tried vainly to scramble as the poison seeped into it and she waited patiently as it died. She did not even have to dislocate her jaw to fit the little affair in. It was merely a taster anyhow, her original had promised sweeter substance soon.

She slid, full and languid, through the old house. Soon pridefulness would occur and milk her venom, making her feel evacuate and use, but her master needed it so she steeled herself against his cutaneous senses. Not that Pride wasn't gentle, it was his smell that irked her.

She knew that the three men who served her master had other names but she preferred her own, aspiration, superbia and Decay. She had named them after what she smelled on them. passe-partout was, of form, just Master.

She slid into her Edgar Lee Masters way and curled up beside the flaming. Her overlord was asleep but the others were talking again, she pushed her head down between her coils to block off out the strait, but it wasn't enough.

"The mere misapprehension will alarm them."Pride was saying."There are people who know him very well."

"I am aware of that brother."dream replied archly."And after all the study I have done I am one of them. You stay here and tend to our Masters need, I will get the job done quite sufficiently in your absence."His articulation made it quite make that Pride's absence would in fact make the job much easier.

"The solitary reason you have this job is because I would be missed."

"The reason I have this job is because our maestro gave it to me."ambitiousness grinned."Never bury that."

"Careful crony,"Pride sneered."Take maintenance that you never forget who you have to thank for your freedom and for your opportunity at vengeance."

"Who ? Our Divine for ordering me unfreeze and planning how to attain it or you for merely telling him where I was ?"

"Both you arrogant little-"

"Arrogant ?"aspiration laughed. She liked dream a bit more than pride, he was more like a ophidian."That is undoubtedly and about obviously the pot calling the cauldron black. Besides…"Ambition narrowed his eyes."I ‘ ve been wondering how foresighted you knew where I was and did zippo about it."

"I could not compromise-"

"Of course."Ambition turned away, dismissive."You could not compromise your position. Just like you can't now. So just the get the piece of ass out of my way blondy, I ‘ ve got a job to do."

"I see you've learnt some colorful words rotting in Azkaban."

Ambition whipped around and punched Pride straight in the stomach. ambition was melt off and wiry but the poke had weight behind it and Pride crumpled to the floor. Ambition followed it up by stamping into Pride's kidney.

"Learnt some other thing in there too brother."Ambition drew his wand and pointed it as the groaning material body on the floor."So if I were you I ‘ d never give into the hallucination that you ‘ re the king role player in our little co-operative venture."

pride tried to turn out but aspiration stamped on his hair.

"And another thing…"ambition leant down to speak nigh to pride's ear."Our master remembers which of us remained loyal to him during his XII year… convalescence."dream grinned."And you weren ‘ t one of them, brother. So you stay here and milk the bloody snake and hope you build up enough pixy compass point to get you back in his full books. You stay here and brew the potion and I will deal with everything else !"

Ambition scuffed his foot back and Forth, jerking Pride's pilus and making him grit his tooth in pain. Ambition laughed and strode out of the room.
*


"Harry ? We have a… a sort of suggestion for you."Fred and George IV had cornered him in Ron's bedroom, they both had that mischievous feeling about them.

"I'm intrigued."Harry closed his book and tossed it to one side."apprehensive but intrigued. Who are we going to prank ?"

"It ‘ s not about pranking anyone Harry."Said Fred at the like prison term as his Brother said,

"Everyone."

"Apprehensive, intrigued and confused."

"Why don ‘ t you come up to our room Harry, we ‘ ll show you what we ‘ re talking about."Fred ushered him out of the room. Harry followed a little hesitantly.

Harry was hesitant because for a farsighted prison term he had felt like he was building up some sort of unluckiness debt. The last three calendar month of his third year at Hogwarts had passed without anyone trying to kill him ( unprecedented for Harry ) and he had even managed to pass all of his exams. In defensive measure he had scraped a qualifying on lupine's obstacle course of instruction ( beshrew Hinkypunk led him into a sinkhole ! ) and almost managed to not blow his cauldron up in potions.

Part of the reasonableness was that Snape had stopped picking on Harry in grade and had even started treating him as a pattern student. to a greater extent than that the potions headmaster had seemed almost cheerful at times. Harry had put it down to him planning something evil until he noticed that Snape was at his near happy the day after a small b owl brought him letters.

As for the other exams Harry had botched together some sort of pig-English transformation for ancient runic letter and avoided getting more than superficial collation injury in Hagrid's ‘ practical'psychometric test ( they had all been given a box and asked to feed what has in the box. Harry had never worked out what was in his box, he had just stuffed matter in there until it stopped biting him. Whether he fed it or suffocated it he never found out. )

Transfiguration he had blagged, History of magic too. Herbology had been very well because he'd been partnered with Neville and he had passed of his own gift in Astrology and Charms.

Of course revising hadn't been the first thing he'd done. The first thing he'd done had been to publish a long varsity letter to Pythea. He hadn't been ably to mention the flood of path, but he hoped he had left enough mite that she would know how a great deal he wanted to give thanks her. Of grade the monumental bunch of flower might have also given her that hint.

He had even managed to deliver a vacation where there had been no unexplained sorcerous natural event, another kickoff. Harry had hiked in Switzerland for some of the summertime, cipher too serious but decent that he was very glad of his size-and-weight-defying bag.

On one memorable juncture, miles from the dear Town, he had met some older American tourist kitted up with Brobdingnagian heavy hiking knapsack and buddy-buddy pelage. He however had been carrying a minuscule leather backpack while idly strumming a guitar. They had thought he was some sort of new-age troglodyte. Harry ( or Jack ‘ Moonbeam'Baltzegaurd as he had introduced himself ) had played along and told them that he had been sent here by a vision ( a lie ), that the positively charged vigor of the mountain would cure them ( a lie ), that his guitar had been given to him by the Dalai Lama ( a lie ) and that the top executive of the crystals woven into his coat kept him warm ( a lie, the lechatelierite kept the rain off. The talisman kept him warm. ). Surprisingly before they parted room the woman began claming her arthritis had miraculously cleared up.

Harry had ended up in Geneva after a few weeks of this and spent most of the rest of the summer there, lazing around the urban center and finishing up the schoolwork he had had no chance to work at in the mountains. Plus juggle and playing the guitar for people around the urban center. When he could work out how to do both at the same time he knew he'd ingrain people but for now he just ended up tangling his fingers.

He'd arrive back to England a few years early to visit his friends and get his school supply. It was now the thirtieth of august and all the marauders were gathered at the burrow for a lowest get together before heading off to Hogwarts. Harry should have been happy, but instead he was apprehensive, wasn't he due some unpleasantness ? And weren't the nefarious Weasley twins the arrant ones to administer it ? True the unpleasantness he got in to was usually more of the ‘ oh god we're all gon na die'variety, but then so was the some of the poppycock the Gemini the Twins were into.

Harry followed Fred and George into their box-stacked bedroom.

"Where's safe to sit ?"Harry form about, looking at the different boxes. It took the twin a surprisingly long metre to incur a ‘ safe'box. Fred and George sat on the side of one of their layer. Fred leant forward and said,

"We want to verbalise to you, Harry, about an opportunity."

"A mythic opportunity."

"We think its fabulous anyway."

"And we ‘ re usually right."

"Always rightfield. And it is fabulous."

Harry glanced between one twin and the other.

"I feel like I ‘ m being sold something dodgy here guys."Harry folded his arms and half smiled."Possibly something that fell off the back of a van. What ‘ s this actually about ?"

The twins looked at each other then said at the same sentence,

"Weasley sorcerer Wheezes !"

"Actively Advocating Alliteration ?"

"It ‘ s a caper shop Harry."George I sniggered and continued,"Or at to the lowest degree we want it to be."

"And we thought that perhaps-"

"-the nonmigratory charms-meister-"

"-would be able to help us with some of the stuff."Fred shrugged."After all you did basically build a ling shoemaker's last year-"

"-that out-flew a firebolt-"

"-with Ginny ‘ s help."

"Oh yes with Ginny ‘ s help."

Harry rearranged the disjointed judgment of conviction into some touchstone of order.

"So…"Harry began to smile as realization hit him."You want me to help you design jokes ? Your sort of joke ? The intriguedness is growing. What have you come up with so far ?"

The twin grinned and began a whirlwind tour of their current mathematical product, stopping occasionally to demonstrate a charm or magical spell for Harry. Usually they were spells that produced plosion or horrible shrieking noises.

"And this one Harry…"Fred raised his scepter."Is called the avgo sapios !"

Harry knew enough Greek to cover his nose.
*


"So um… this is the pond."Ron said helplessly,"It ‘ s got ducks in it sometimes."

"I see."Hermione was looking at him oddly. He knew he must be blushing as well as babbling like an retard."That's… interesting. I guess."

"About as interesting as story of magic."Ron muttered and Hermione laughed.

Oh majuscule, now she was laughing at him too. Ron kicked a pit into the algae filled pond, it rested on the midst green surface for a moment before sinking.

Hermione had left Hogwarts almost completely burnt out, taking too many subjects on top of the lycanthrope Chaos had reduced her to a shadower of herself. It had been especially bad during the exams which she had to revise for and get hold of without the benefit of the time-turner. After the last one Harry and Ron had frog-marched her to McGonagall's office where she dropped divination and muggle studies.

Ron had seen her a couple of clock time over summertime, the marauders sticking together even in Harry's absence, and each clock time she seemed a little more lively and like her old self.

"Well that's pretty much everything around here, lets just get back to the house."Ron pointed back towards the burrow."I don ‘ t trust the twins left alone in there for this long."

"They're not alone,"Hermione began walking beside him, walking close enough to make all the hairsbreadth on his weapon stand up."Harry ‘ s there too."

"That ‘ s even worse."Ron shook his head."Between them I doubt they ‘ ll be a menage left."

"If you felt like that why did you want to record me around in the first-class honours degree position ?"

Why indeed ?

"Well it was a nice day and Neville, Ginny and the twins went to town and Harry's acting all weird and there ‘ s marshmallow coming out of the house."

"Ron…"Hermione shook her read/write head in aggravation."If you wanted to change the subject you could have-"

"No there ‘ s really marshmallow coming out of the business firm !"Ron pointed at the long stream of solid Andrew Dickson White foam leaking from one of the windows and pooling on the ground."It ‘ s the twins window. Oh god mum ‘ s gon na kill them."

The two vulture rushed to the side of the house.

"It ‘ s not exactly marshmallow."Hermione said, sounding puzzled, as the ran into the burrow. They stopped outside the twins door and Ron opened it hesitantly. On the other side was a strong wall of white, even bearing the imprint of the contours or the door and its handle.

"Let me see…"Hermione broke off a small bit and touched it tentatively to her lingua."… meringue ? I think its meringue."

"What ‘ s the difference ?"

"Honestly Ron, you ‘ d think you would be at to the lowest degree as knowledgeable as me on the discipline of food."

"What ‘ s that supposed to think ?"Ron shooting back but was silenced as a muffled voice called out,

"person out there ?"

Ron gingerly pushed his hand into the crusty surface towards the noise.

"spirit really weird."Ron grimaced as he buried his hand up to the berm."It's all crackly and dry."He felt something like cloth and pulled as hard as he could.

With a giant cascade of break up meringue a figure emerged from the room. It fell on the floor cough and spluttering and spitting chunks of gummy white-hot froth out of its mouth. Ron angle forward and guessed,

"Fr… George I ?"

"Yep."George got unsteadily to his feet and looked back into his room."Oh, it didn ‘ t burst the door.
We were worried it had."

"What happened ?"Hermione asked, absentmindedly brushing more meringue crumbs off Saint George back."Did one of your trick backfire ?"

"No no no. Our japery don't backfire."George I said proudly."We were demonstrating the eizuckerpeitsche magic spell to Harry and… well it looks like he got it."

"Are Harry and Fred still stuck in there ?"Ron looked back at the fractured paries of meringue in horror.

"Fred was near the centre so he ‘ s probably well stuck, Harry was near the window…"

At that moment they all heard a dead scream from outside, quickly cut off, then a thump followed by running step. A moment later a meringue incrusted Harry burst up the stairs.

"You !"He pointed at George I and advanced angrily."What the blaze was that !"

"Not my fault mate."George put his hands up to fend of the angered marauder."You seem to have some sort of knack for that magic spell is all."

"Harry how did you get out ?"Hermione asked.

"Managed to tunnel to the window."

"But you must take in fallen-"

"Into a pot of meringue."Harry shrugged."It ‘ s built up quite a heap out there."He turned to the twins room."cum on, we ‘ d better start getting rid of all this poppycock or your twin ‘ s gon na run out of air."

"And mums coming back soon."George said in horror."She ‘ ll have a fit !"

Harry grinned as Ron went blench and began attacking the meringue wall.
*


Harry ducked into the train carriage and looked around quickly,

"Still no danger ?"He said wryly."Whatever the karma Supreme Being are working up to it ‘ s not gon na be pretty."The marauders moved in after him. They were looking at each other a fiddling oddly.

"Harry…"Hermione began.

"What ?"Harry checked under his prat cushion before sitting down.

"Don ‘ t you think you ‘ re acting form of… loony ?"

"No."Harry crossed his legs and sat, Indian-style, with his arms crossed."Really, really no !"Harry shook his pass, it was amazing how quickly the paranoia he'd developed in the class before he'd semen to Hogwarts had returned. Street living was not contributing to trust.

"It ‘ s not crazy. mortal will try to stamp out me this year. I just know it."

"Harry you ‘ re the boy who lived."Annapurna shook her fountainhead."No single going to bolt down you."

"I wouldn ‘ t say that."A interpreter sounded from the exposed door."I wouldn ‘ t say that at all."

The marauders turned in unison.

"Oh buzz off Malfoy."Padma chuckled."If you were going to defeat him you would have done it ages ago."

"I will get you this year Potter."Malfoy was uncharacteristically alone. His usual gang of stooge absent."I promise, by the Malfoy public figure, that I will get you this twelvemonth. I will make you pay for everything."

"The Malfoy public figure represents a legacy of lies."Harry laughed and shrugged."Get out of my train car."

"wellspring this year Potter."Malfoy licked his rim, his grey centre shiny evilly."I will show everyone at Hogwarts that I represent everything unspoiled about magic blood and that you are everything… everything unworthy and mediocre. This twelvemonth I will designate everyone. This yr ceramicist, this year I win."

"Good luck with that."Harry shrugged dismissively."Now move, you ‘ re blocking the trolley."

Malfoy just smiled and walked away.
*


"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry."

Harry sniffed the piss in his chicken feed. Poison ? No… Maybe something in the intellectual nourishment ?

"I hope you have all enjoyed your break from the studies we give you."

Maybe he was just paranoid ? Harry glanced around at the early students. Maybe he actually did have a opportunity to receive a normal year.

"Firstly I would wish to introduce Alastor Moody as our new defending team against the darks teacher."

Harry glanced up at the board and picked out the new face. Or, more accurately, what was left of the new expression. Their last defense instructor had been a lycanthrope, this one looked like he had been savaged by one. He had also obviously lost an eye at some point in time and had it replaced with a magical one. Harry wondered why he hadn't chosen one in his natural color. He had seen unscathed workshop full moon of eyes in Geneva. They made lots of them there, like watches.

The man apparently known as Moody met his regard with maiden one then the other eye. Harry smiled and toasted the new teacher with his glass. Anyone was comfortably than prof Lupin. Harry had tried to mend Harry Bridges with the werewolf during his last few hebdomad at school. He really had tried…

"Professor… Um…"Harry leant in through the door to Professor Lupin's authority."Are you, you know, all set."Professor lupin looked up at him, flatly."You know for tonight, good moon ?"

"Yes."prof Lupin seemed to be struggling to keep on his voice matte and unemotional.

"I heard that professor Snape makes some sort of…"

"I said yes."Lupin snapped. Seeing Harry's startled manifestation he took a inscrutable breathing spell and stimulate his question."My apology. Yes Severus makes a potion for me that allows me to better get by the transformations. Thank you for your kindness."

"You ‘ re welcome professor Moony."lupin's head snapped up."You know, moony, like moon. Because of the unhurt boggart thing and…"

"Leave now."Usually the werewolf position of Lupin was not really discernible. This was not so now."farewell my bureau now."

"Did you eat a mad cow or something ?"Harry yelled in exasperation.

"Get out !"

Harry had backed out of the office shaking his head and never spoken directly to prof Lupin again. Even worse the man had stared daggers at him during their final few lessons. Even a scarred, one-eyed man was good than that. Besides, Harry wasn't really in a position to kvetch about early peoples scars.

Professor Dumbledore continued,

"professor Moody is a late auror so I am sure he has much to teach you."Harry's spike perked up, this was interesting. Unfortunately Dumbledore had finished speaking on this particular subject field."I do have a second declaration to throw. Something that I think you will all enjoy."

The whole school perked up.

"Slitherin house is infested with cockroaches ?"

"Potions has been dropped from the syllabus ?"

"Filch had an aneurism ?"

"No."The corner of Professor Dumbledore's mouth twitched up in a one-half smile."amend than all those things."

"Not possible."Harry called out.

"Very possible Mr thrower. I am talking about the Triwizard Tournament."The foyer fell perfectly silent.

"Competing or hosting ?"mortal on the Ravenclaw table said at only just above a whisper.

"Hosting Mr Jacobs, Hosting."

The entrance hall exploded in sound.
*


"We are entering that tournament."

"Harry, Dumbledore said-"

"We. Are. entrance. That. Tournament."Harry was twitching with nervous energy."We are entering and one of us is winning."

"We ‘ re not even eligible."Hermione complained."We can ‘ t enter."

"We have not let werewolves and giant snakes and dingy sensation hold on us a blinking age limitation is not going to tolerate in our way."Harry sat down at the predator table and crossed his arms."We deserve this. We deserve this because we are the best in this school and no one has worked harder to-"

"Subvert its rules ?"

"- protect it. Than we have. So we are going to get into and we are going to win !"

The predator around the table fell silent.

"Do you imagine this was what Malfoy was talking about ?"Neville said suddenly."He said he was gon na show everyone how good he was."

"The question will not arise because he will not be Hogwarts champion."Harry said decisively."He will not be Hogwarts champion because he is a git. He is a git because of undeniable genetic and sociological factors that have conspired to make him a git. So…"Harry steepled his finger and grinned."As soon as this judge gets here, we're entering the tournament."
*


"Now…"prof Helen Wills Moody scanned the course of study slowly with his normal eye while the pseud one spun and rested on different scholar before moving on."I don ‘ t stand much on observance so lets jump right in."

Harry felt the eye land on him for a bit before moving on.

"So… Army of the Righteous start on curses. I ‘ ve had a letter from Professor Lupin, also one from professor Albert Michelson and it looks like you ‘ re fairly well up on dark fauna and the basics of dueling."

"More than basics."Harry mumbled under his breath.

"But what you haven ‘ t learn yet is the worst of what wizards can do to each other."Dwight Lyman Moody shook his head."You ‘ re all living in a dream world if you think you ‘ re ever safe. finish Night at the fete I only saw one educatee hold in the intellectual nourishment for poisonous substance before eating it."Dwight Lyman Moody pointed with his gnarled hand.

All center ( real and unsubstantial ) fell on Harry.

"I… um… what ?"

"Don't be ashamed of it ! Be proud ! By the end of the year I expect each and every one of you to exercise Constant alertness !"He ended the sentence shouting. Harry found himself staring directly into Moody's artificial eye. He felt like he was a bug under a bright blue microscope. The eye scanned down to his chest."Looks like you ‘ ve been given grounds to be vigilante."

Before Harry had a prospect to respond Helen Wills Moody had moved on and stomped up to the board.

"The dark arts !"Moody wrote like he was carving in stone and the deoxyephedrine broke off during the s of humanities."Who can tell me a swearword ? A really bad one."A few of the class put their hands up. Moody pointed at one.

"Yes Mr… Crabbe is it ?"He growled."associate name. comrade side too, I knew your father. well, knew isn ‘ t quite the right field Christian Bible. What ‘ s yer oath ?"

"The um…"Crabbe looked like he was regretting volunteering. He seemed to draw himself back up and simper evilly at Harry."The pain spear."

"Odd that you should fuck that one."Professor Moody ‘ s eyes narrowed."No one uses that one any more. Not since the Cruciatus was invented. But no, right you are for bringing it up. You never know when the enemy ‘ s going to surprise you with something you haven't seen in a patch. Constant Vigilance !"

Helen Wills went on to explain at duration the properties of the pain spear spell. Crabbe looked disgruntled, obviously he had wanted Helen Wills Moody to ask him how he knew about the spell.

Harry looked down at his book and found the page on the painful sensation fizgig. It was clear that the author had only included it as an afterthought, Helen Wills Moody already had more on the board than was in the book. Padma leant over her desk to speak into his ear,

"Better than Lupin you think ?"

"Much better."Harry agreed."He ‘ s only cracked on the outside."

"You sure ?"Padma glanced up skeptically as Moody barked out constant quantity Vigilance again."He seems reasonably thoroughly cracked to me."
*


The partially vs. thoroughly cracked debate continued into the coming weeks as the students got used to Helen Wills's aggressive education style. One thing was for sure, there was not love lost between Moody and Snape. Moody glared at Snape suspiciously every clock time they passed in the corridors and Snape, for his parting, sneered. But all that was drown out by the rumour and whispers running around about the triwizard tournament.

The day the foreign students were scheduled to arrive come home bright and cool with a drizzle of rainwater covering the castle.

"It couldn ‘ t be sunny."Harry heard McGonagall say under her breath."Just for today."

Harry grinned and scuffed his feet. If the total school had been called out to greet these extraneous students they could at least have the decency to be on clock time. Harry checked the clock, alright so they weren't scheduled to arrive for another five minutes but Harry had been waiting for ten so therefore ( in his mind ) they were late.

"Look !"Someone was pointing out over the lake. Harry's jaw dropped as he saw a ship rise out a whirlpool in the middle of the lake.

"Did they come all the way from Durmstrum in that ?"Harry heard person behind him say and gave an involuntary frisson. Underwater for all that time ? Even with magical protection it made his cutis crawl.

As the ship crawled up to the face of the lake Harry saw the man standing at the rack turn and point up into the sky behind the palace. Harry turned just in time to see a giant carriage round the corner of the palace, drawn by giant Theodore Harold White horses.

"Great."thought process Harry."The contender starts with pee and flying, two things I really suck at."

He glanced over at the teachers and saw them talking frantically. Apparently they hadn't planned for both relegation arriving at the same prison term. After some mildly raised voices Dumbledore headed down towards the lake while McGonagall headed towards where the posture was landing. Harry considered the options and elbowed his way through the bunch in the focal point Dumbledore went.

"Igor Karkaroff,"Dumbledore held his hand out to recognize the heavily robed wizard stepping out of the boat."A pleasance to have you back in the country."

"Albus, it is good to be here."The man pushed back his cowling revealing ash gray gray tomentum and backbreaking supercilium. He smiled in a way that never touched his black optic. He spoke in a big booming way that Harry was certainly was at least partly put on."Hogwarts is ah…"He glanced up at the grey sky."… just as I remember it."

Harry chuckled and the Durmstrang master glanced at him in the crowd.

"Ah, and this would be your adept pupil."Harry saw the bunch office in front of him."The celebrated Harry Potter."

"No no no…"Harry waved his hands grinning."The gens's Jack ‘ moon ray'Baltzegaurd."

"Ah, ha ha."Igor ‘ s laugh held no warmth whatsoever."We are many fame here I see…"

"Wha ?"

"Let me introduce you to someone."Karkaroff motioned a frowning boy standing behind him forward."This is Viktor Krum."Harry heard pant from rear end him as he shook Viktor's hand.

"Pleasure."Harry smiled at the youthful whizz."Are you Durmstrurn ‘ s head boy or something ?"Again the gasps.

"You don't know who I am ?"Viktor Krum asked in heavily accented English.

"Um… Should I ?"

Karkaroff snorted but Krum seemed to witness this turn of events quite amusing. He was smiling at any rate. Harry couldn't tell what was going on behind those elephantine pitch blackness eyebrows.

"Well,"Dumbledore said, breaking the dead end."I can already see the Beauxbatons delegacy is already inside, shall we join them ?"
*


"Harry, that was Viktor Krum !"

"You know Ron, I did make that out. And even if I hadn't the six million times you ‘ ve told me would have tipped me off. Now can we please concentrate ?"Harry turned to the goblet standing in the shopping centre of the hall. He glanced over at Hermione."Anything ?"

"I ‘ m telling you Harry we ‘ re not getting past the age line."She looked up from the playscript on her genu and shook her capitulum."At least not with anything I can call up of now."

Harry shook his head, there were scads of people crowding into the entryway hallway so it wasn't like they could do anything right now. If they were going to do anything it would have to be at tonight, but he had hoped to at to the lowest degree have a plan before the castle went to sleep.

"An age potion do you think ?"Fred said behind him.

"I think Dumbledore would have thought of that."Hermione shook her chief."I don't think any potion any fourth year or one-sixth year could make could get past the line."

"What if we just get one of the older students to put it in for us ?"Neville hazarded.

"Nope."George said as he and his chum sidled up to them."Saw some Slitherin try that almost as soon as the goblet was out. The former names just flew out of his pocket as soon as he crossed the line."

"Yep,"Fred shook his head in mock sympathy."Poor cranny didn ‘ t even get to put his own name since he tripped over his own beard and ended up out cold."

"Wait…"Padma looked serious-minded."What if we get someone to frustrate the personal line of credit then indite our names on some-"

"Saw that too."Fred broke in.

"Yeah,"His twin continued."You don ‘ t even want to jazz what happened to him !"

"Oh for Jesus of Nazareth sake !"Harry growled in irritation."Is there at least a way to test the line ?"

"Yeah, run into it."Ron suggested.

"No you idiot."Padma shook her principal."Just spitter it."

"excuse me ? You what ?"Harry's eyebrow raised like balloons.

"Like this…"Harry watched, gob-smacked, as Padma took a spare scrap of sheepskin out of her bag and stuffed it into her oral fissure. She chewed for a few seconds then daintily took the soppy batch out from between her mouth and, without hesitation, tossed it at the goblet of fervour. As the ball crossed the line of reasoning there was a newsflash of luminousness and the lump shot out like a bullet train, impacting on the rampart behind them.

"Brilliant."Said the Weasley twins in one voice.

"We should do it again-"

"With more balls."

"With bigger balls !"

"With fireworks in them !"

"Children, children…"Harry said in a calming voice."Lets not get sidetracked."

"It's almost curfew anyway."Parvarti looked down at her watch then smiled."Don't worry, it'll all be alright on the night !"

"Sister…"Padma shook her head as she picked up her bag."This is the freakin'Nox !"

Harry chuckled as they left the manor hall then turned as he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. The owner of the hand was a boy a little aged than him with blond hair and a sort of round of drinks case. He was in Ravenclaw colouration and was wearing a baseball cap that read ‘ Tutshill Tornadoes'and had a crack as the logo.

"Yeah ?"Harry cocked his head."Can I avail you ?"

"Um,"The boy bit his lip and looked around."Could I talk to you ?"

"Very cloak and sticker but ok."Harry waved the marauders off and moved into a position corridor."Who are you ?"

"David Mason."The boy smiled shyly."Don ‘ t worry if you don ‘ t remember me. I ‘ m a friend of Cho ‘ s."

"Oh ok. Support the Saami team too I see."Harry leant nonchalantly against the stone wall."To what do I owe the joy ?"

"wellspring basically…"The boy scuffed a foot on the base nervously."Me and… and some of the early guys. Not just Ravenclaw but the whole schooltime well… we figure you ‘ ve got a plan."

"For what ?"

"For the goblet of fire."David rubbed his hands together almost hungrily."Lots of us don't think the age limit ‘ s middling so we figure…"He reached into his scoop and pulled out a midst envelope."A brace of extra names. Just if you get the probability you know ?"

"Hate to collapse it to you mate."Harry shrugged apologetically."But I don't have the slender clue how to get through the age line."

"Really ? But you ‘ re Harry ceramicist ! You always… Oh, I get it."David winked and pushed the gasbag into his hand."Of path you don't."The Ravenclaw winked again and trotted off down the corridor.

"I really don't !"Harry called after him but that only caused the boy to bend and blink conspiratorially again."Seriously !"

"Problem Mr Potter ?"

Harry spun and looked up into the font of the justice that had been sitting with Dumbledore at the fete. What was his name… Couch ?

"Mr lounge ?"

"Crouch."The man's heavily lined face was utterly humorless.

"Mr Crouch, sorry. And no there ‘ s no problem."

"Not thinking of trying to get past the age line are you lad ?"He said in what he must of cerebration was a fatherly manner.

"No sir."Harry did his best Joseph Oliver pull impression."I wouldn ‘ t do such a ugly thing."

"Ah, of course."The Triwizard judge nodded."Of course I ‘ m sure Thomas More citizenry would come to the tournament if the famous Harry ceramicist was competing. But we must remember that we can not peck and prefer the rules we wish to obey based on momentaneous expediency. You understand Mr Potter ?"

"Yes sir."Harry felt it was better to stick with unproblematic answers.

"Very well."Mr Crouch's mouth twitched into a thin smile."It was overnice meeting you Mr Potter."

Harry didn't relax until the man was a good few corridors away. Harry sighed and slipped the envelope out of his sleeve. What were the statistics for teenage nitty-gritty attacks ? Harry wondered. Whatever they were they had just come very close to getting one fingerbreadth larger.

Harry leant against the wall and stared out of one of the castles arched windows at the lake below, remembering last yr. Why was it that he was forever trapped inside or outside wards ? Last year he had circumvented them by swimming around, couldn't do that this time. The lycanthrope had tunneled under could he do that ? Not without attracting a lot of aid. So that left…

Harry grinned and rushed back to the entranceway Radclyffe Hall where a unity spittle ball showed him how to beat the greatest thaumaturgist in the world.
*


"All set Ginsters ?"Harry slid behind Ginny on the Chimera and checked that he had both the envelope containing the marauders names and the one given to him by David Mason in his pocket.

"Yes, you don ‘ t have to issue forth with me you know."Ginny looked back at him, grinning in the syncope moonlight.

"You can ‘ t fly and spend a penny spitter at the same time."Was the excuse Harry offered. Really he just wanted to be the one to put the names into the goblet, wanted to live first handwriting that he'd beat Dumbledore. Harry glanced around and saw a predator guarding every doorway."Everybody ‘ s in place, fare on."

Ginny obediently lifted them off the level and hovered them up near the ceiling.

"Moment of truth."Harry got out some parchment and rolled it expertly before gumming it, silencing it and throwing it forwards. It landed in the middle of the age line, right beside the goblet. Harry pumped the air with his fist."ceramicist 1, Dumbledore 0. Proving that I am unmitigated awesome ! Lets go !"

Ginny bit back a chuckle and carefully floated them forward until they were directly over the goblet, then took them slowly down.

"Ok, diaphragm here. Let's not touch the floor, never know what other spells the old man ‘ s put around the place."Harry reached into his air pocket and drew out the predator envelope then dropped it into the goblet. The fire spurted up for a mo, then died down.

Harry hesitantly pulled the other envelope out of his pocket. Should he ? Should he not ? It was only fair to give everybody a decent chance and Freemason seemed like a nice enough blighter ( if a bit weird ). He probably wouldn ‘ t be chosen anyway. Ah well, what the Scheol ? Harry dropped the other envelope into the flames.
*


The predator entered the great antechamber in a huddle, all eyes focused directly on the goblet.

"I ‘ m nervous."Neville admitted as they sat down at the Gryffindor table."I don't know if I want to enter anymore."

"Bit late now."Padma said dryly, but the nerves were obvious in her voice too and the marauders quickly fell into silence.

"Whichever one of us it is the sleep of us are behind them."Harry smiled at his friends."That's for certain."

"But what if it ‘ s not one of us ?"George asked.

"Not… one… of us ?"Harry's brow wrinkled in confusion."Quit your crazy talk George. That could never happen."

"minor, children…"The Radclyffe Hall fell unsounded as Dumbledore began to speak."I believe the moment you have all been waiting for has finally arrived. The goblet will be announcing it's option momentarily. I would ask you to remember that, even if you were not chosen, the tourney is still a contest between the school. I expect to see no hard feelings, you must back your champions one hundred percent. Now…"Dumbledore turned towards the goblet.

The Hall waited in silence for almost a minute before the goblet ‘ s flames turned promising red and a footling trash of parchment flew out. Dumbledore caught it expertly.

"The Beauxbatons champion is… Fleur Delacour !"

Harry saw one of the French fille clap her hands to her face in shock before getting up and walking towards the end of the hall.

"She ‘ s… she ‘ s…"Ron sighed inaudibly.

"What is it Ron ?"Harry asked.

"She ‘ s… just… I mean… Perfect…"Harry just shrugged. Ron looked aghast.."Harry can ‘ t you see her ?"

Harry tuned to find out the first adept leaving the hall.

"Yeah ? What about her ?"

Ron opened his mouth to retort but the goblet flared red again and the G. Stanley Hall fell silent.

"The Durmstrang star will be Viktor Krum !"

The red uniformed pupil rose, cheering, as their superstar walked towards the movement of the entrance hall. Most of the Hogwarts bookman did too.

Harry was biting his nails, this adjacent one was it. The goblet turned red again and a piece of lambskin pin-wheeled out to be caught in Dumbledore's hired hand. As the Headmaster read it the grin dropped from his side and his hired hand began to shake. In a frigidity, granitelike representative he said,

"The Hogwarts champion…"He seemed to grit his teeth."Is Dragon Malfoy."

The hall erupted in uproar. Harry turned, his eyes seeking out the blond haired Slitherin. genus Draco seemed unperturbed by the receipt his name had received but instead stood calmly and walked towards the front of the hall. Before he left the Hall however he turned and scanned down the Gryffindor tabular array with those cold grey eyes. He met Harry's gaze, grinned evilly and winked.


note for francophone people :

I have never liked how french speech pattern are represented in Bible, you know the `` 'Ogwarts can not 'ave two champions. '' thing. Replacing this with 'zis and stuff like that. I imagine it 's kind of insulting.

I know I cringe every time I hear a 'mockney'English speech pattern on tv, I imagine it 's kind of the same thing.

I decided to keep it in this level anyway purely because Goblet of flack represents dialect that way. I 'm trying to make this story variety of parallel the carom books in certain ways inluding aspects of the writing style.

If you 're offended I 'm sorry.



"Son of a bitch."Harry breathed through his dentition. He felt like his breast was going to explode, he had to let the pressing out somehow."SON OF A BITCH !"

"Mr Potter !"Harry's eyes flicked back to Dumbledore, who was looking at him angrily."Contain yourself !"

"But he is !"Harry yelled, speech leaking out of him uncontrollably."oasis ‘ t you met his mother ?"The G. Stanley Hall erupted in laughter. Malfoy scowled but kept on walking, leaving the large Asaph Hall by the same door the other champions had left by.

Dumbledore held up his hands for silence.

"Obviously this is shocking and unprecedented."He said in an effortlessly level voice."I remind you all that I expect you to rend behind your champion…"Dumbledore stopped as the educatee began yelling again."… or at least not openly oppose him. Now, if you will apologise me…"

Dumbledore left the still galvanise students and walked out through the back door of the hall, Karkarov and Madam Maxim followed him. For a few more than consequence everyone was understood then McGonagall stood.

"If you would all return to you-"But she was cut off as someone yelled,

"Professor !"

The school turned in time to see the goblet sunburn red again. A chip of paper flew out of it and landed on the rock flooring. For a here and now no one moved to affect it then Professor Snape, his expression indecipherable, got up from his death chair. His footstep were the only strait in the hall as he walked round the high mesa and came to a stop in front of the trivial fighting of paper. He turned it over with the tip of his shoe.

"Harry Potter."He was staring down at the sheet, his side a white mask."It says Harry Potter."

After a instant someone started clapping, then person else, then some more, the great Asaph Hall exploded with applause.

"Knew it ‘ d be you Harry."Harry heard someone say as a hand slapped him on the back. Crowd atmospheric pressure moved him towards the front of the hall, his own nous seemed to have stopped working. He saw Snape peck up the fleck of newspaper, then have a short circuit, whispered, conversation with McGonagall. The potions master turned to him.

"seed along Potter."

"Wha… ?"Harry brain was still reeling.

"We must take you to get together the other champions."Snape led him out of the tumultuous residence hall and into a short hallway. The noise from the clapping faded as the doorway closed behind them. Snape made no move to leave by the other door.

"Did you put your name into the goblet of fire ?"Snape asked urgently.

"Wha… ?"Harry glanced around, they were alone. The former champions must be through the former threshold."Why are you-"

"Potter, try to come up together some acumen ! Did you put your name into the chalice ?"

Snape seemed almost concerned.

"You seem almost concerned."Harry grinned, his brain getting back in geared wheel."Have those piddling barn owls been bringing you drugs or something ?"Snape flinched back as if stung.

"red cent it thrower !"Snape grabbed Harry's robe."This is not a time for caper. More is going on here than you realize. Did you or did you not-"

"Yes."Harry nodded,"I put my public figure in."

The potions master narrowed his eye, Harry felt the familiar imperativeness in his Einstein. He opened his brain long enough to unveil the store of him putting the envelope into the flaming then blanked it again. Snape nodded thoughtfully.

"Good."

"commodity ?"Harry asked quizzically.

"Potter the possibilities if someone else put your name into the goblet are far worse than if you put it in yourself. This simplifies things, believe me…"Snape glanced at the fighting of newspaper he was holding and frowned."… or perhaps not."

"What is it ?"

"Suffice to say I have spent long enough trawling through what you seem to conceive constitute essays to recognize your handwriting."Snape held out the parchment for him to see."This is not your handwriting."

"No…"Harry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach."No it ‘ s not. What the Inferno is going on ?"He asked plaintively.

"If I knew that Potter."Snape moved towards the door."I would not have to ask questions."

Harry gulped and followed the potions master through the door. On the other side was another room with portraits hung all around the wall. The champions and their master were standing in the centre of the room, apparently arguing. Madam Maxim was pointing at Malfoy with one of her unusually long digit. They all fell silent as Harry and his teacher entered the room.

"Severus what is this ?"Dumbledore asked pointedly.

"This is the quarter champion."Snape glanced down at Harry."Apparently."

"What is ‘ zis."Madam Maxim waved her hired man at Harry."Some kind of joke to you here at ‘ ogwarts ? First your champion iz a minor, now ‘ zis ?"

"I do not think it is a joke."Karkarov said angrily."This so called champion."

"He is a hotshot. Despite what some of us might wish."Snape interrupted dryly. Harry couldn't assist but think how different he seemed from a moment ago."The integral of Hogwarts saw his public figure leave the chalice, as did the deputation from your own shoal. He is as licit a adept as-"

"As Mr Draco."brothel keeper Maxim scoffed."Your other underage champion."

"If I may…"Harry glanced at the man of to one side who had begun to verbalise. He hadn ‘ t even realized Mr Crouch was in the room."The linguistic rule are very clear up. If a persons name leaves the goblet of ardor, then that person is a champion. There can be no denying that."

"Harry…"Dumbledore spoke for the first time."Did you put your name into the goblet of fire ?"

"I…"Harry felt Snape's hand tap him in the small of the back."… No."He heard the potions master hint out lightly."No I didn ‘ t. I tried but… I couldn ‘ t get past the ward."

"And you Draco ?"Snape asked Malfoy.

"Honestly sir…"Malfoy smirked."I have no mind how my name got in there."

Yes you do you slimy little… Harry's fist clenched involuntarily.

"well I believe that settles it."Dumbledore clapped his manpower together."Rest assured this matter will be investigated but until then… we have four champions."

Harry shook his headway. Why did he get the tone that the unsound was yet to come ?
*


As they left the room Harry fell into step with Malfoy. Neither spoke until they were out of earshot of the teachers. Harry took a intimation to steady himself then said,

"I assume that no one named Saint David Mason really goes to Hogwarts ?"Malfoy turned to him and sneered.

"commodity wasn ‘ t it."Malfoys voice took on a simpering tone."Oh Harry, it wouldn ‘ t be comely if everyone didn ‘ t have a chance."

"Bastard."

"I planned it all out. The hat, the personality, even down to the public figure. David stonemason, sounds common doesn't it. Sounds muggleborn."Malfoy grinned triumphantly."And you fell for it."

"I repeat. Bastard."

"A bastard who won. I said I was going to get you didn ‘ t I ? The look on your face when I was chosen…"

"Hang on…"Harry stopped suddenly."Why were you chosen ? Don ‘ t tell me the goblet actually picked you legit ? You wouldn ‘ t leave it up to chance."

"Very good Potter, you ‘ re not quite as stupid as you look."Malfoy smiled."Ever heard of a malignant protean charm ? No of course-"

"A appealingness that aggressively seeks out affair that look a bit like it…"Harry interrupted."And makes them take care exactly like it. Oh you little…."intellect dawned in Harry's centre."The names ! You cast it on the names !"

"Exactly !"Malfoy nodded."My figure went in with the charm on it and changed all the former miscue so that they read Draco Malfoy. I didn ‘ t leave it to luck, I was the only candidate."

"Bastard is too good a news for you, I ‘ m going with rat-bastard."

"The hard bit was making surely it only changed the Hogwarts names."Malfoy was still in full exposition-mode."I mean it would ‘ ve looked a bit odd if I had been picked for Beauxbatons."

"Rat-bastard-wanker."

"Which is why I can ‘ t understand,"Malfoy turned to Harry, his eyes narrowing."How you were picked. My charm should have gotten you…"

Harry said cipher, fairly sure that the protean had eaten up the fleck of lambskin that had had his name on it and that the one that had eventually come out had been put in by someone else.

"You must experience found some way to put down as another school."Malfoy said thoughtfully."Tricked the goblet into entering your name for a fourth school."

Mental note : suggest that possibility to soul. Dumbledore ? No, too meddlesome. McGonagall ? She would go straight to Dumbledore. Moody ? He'd blow it way out of proportion. Snape ? … ?

"Just remember Potter,"Malfoy brought him back to the instant."I know who the really Hogwarts champion is and I ‘ m going to prove it to everyone."

"You think you ‘ re gon na win ?"Harry laughed."Hands up everyone who ‘ s push basilisks and werewolves… What ? Just me ?"

"I will trounce you."Malfoy took off again in the direction of the Slytherin donjon."marker my words Potter."

"Marked."Harry rolled his eyes."Marked, signed and sealed in the bullshit box along with Nostradamus and UFOs."

Harry turned and hurried up towards the Gryffindor common elbow room. The castle was empty but the portraits were whispering to each former as he climbed through towards the 7th floor. He stopped in one abandoned corridor and quietly called,

"Myrtle…"He waited a few moments, then the glowing girl slid through the floor.

"Hmm ?"She cocked her head quizzically, then giggled."I heard a rumor about you. Something about being champion ?"

Harry grinned and winked, myrtle giggled again.

"Knew it would give birth to be you Harry."

"Marauders don't lose."Harry said cockily."As you well know."

"Because I am a marauder."myrtle said, proudly puffing up her smoky physical body, Harry nodded.

"I wanted to ask you something."Myrtle became good as Harry spoke."Did you see anyone else go near the goblet last night, maybe before the rest of us got there or after we left ?"

"Nope."myrtle shook her caput."Didn ‘ t see anyone."She put odd emphasis on the Christian Bible ‘ see ’.

"Vinca minor ? Keeping arcanum isn ‘ t nice."Harry tutted playfully.

"I didn ‘ t see anyone."The spectre repeated, smiling slyly."But one time the door opened by itself, a present moment later the goblet flared up like someone put something in it. Then the door closed."

"invisibility cloak."Harry guessed, nodding."Did you try to get a look-see ?"

"Of course."Vinca minor looked offended."I followed them but I couldn't get closely. I wasn ‘ t seen."She added proudly.

"I know you weren't."Harry nodded, Vinca minor looked a little happier."Can you ask around the portraits ? See if anyone saw anyone sneaking around ?"

"Of course Harry !"myrtle beamed at being given a job and dead reckoning away through the wall. Harry chuckled, it was amazing how having friends changed a someone, or a ghost.

Harry walked around the corner and stood in front of the fat lady. The woman in the portrait crossed her arms and said,

"I ‘ m waiting."

"I ‘ m not."Harry spelled an unlocking charm and the portraiture creaked to the side.

"I wish you wouldn ‘ t do that Mr Potter."The fat noblewoman shook her head.

"It ‘ s easier than remembering the passwords."Harry grinned as he stepped through the portrait gob. As soon as he was through he was viciously attacked."Get off me ! Geroff !"

"We knew it ‘ d be you Harry !"

Harry pushed away the massed hordes of Gryffindor house, smiled and bowed when they cheered for him, looked up in mild shock at the bill poster of him they had hung above the open fireplace and sought out the marauders.

"We need to talk."Harry said before anyone could open their oral cavity."Too many ears here, up to the bedroom."Harry's friends wordlessly followed him up to the boys sleeping accommodation and he hastily sketched out everything that had happened. After he had finished the first thing Ron said was,

"Malfoy ‘ s gon na pay."

"I ‘ m a bit more apprehensive about this unseeable man."Padma said, shaking her principal."Invisibility cloaks are rare."

"Maybe someone just really cherished Harry to win."Her sister suggested.

"Then why bother wearing the cloak."Hermione pointed out."hoi polloi who hide what they ‘ re doing are usually up to something."

"Malfoy ‘ s gon na pay !"Ron repeated, apparently ignoring the conversation around him.

"Why the hell would individual want me in the competition ?"Harry wondered loudly."Want it enough to go to these distance ?"

"Maybe someone wants to founder Hogwarts a better chance."Fred said evenly, his brother added…

"Or Gryffindor."George III grinned."If they ‘ ll go on helping we should put some money on you."

"More likely someone hopes they can use the tournament to off me without anyone suspecting anything."Harry shrugged."That would be Sir Thomas More my luck."

"Harry, block up being paranoiac !"Hermione admonished him."You ‘ re beginning to fathom like professor Moody."

"professor Helen Wills Moody is the most sensible person that ‘ s ever taught us."Harry said, to general daze."It ‘ s not paranoia if they really are out to get you !"

"Harry soul made you a champion !"Pavarti said in exasperation."It ‘ s a just thing, this soul is trying to avail you !"

"Malfoy is going to-"

"Oh pay attention Ron !"Hermione snapped."Try to keep up."

"slews of money…"George continued.

"No one ‘ s helping him."Padma said to her sister.

"Malfoy is going-"

"They could be-"

"Money-"

"Enough !"Harry cut through the bickering predator."We know nix. Not enough to actually work anything out at any rate. discussion at this point is useless…"Harry trailed off as myrtle rose through the floorboards.

"Domestic troubles ?"The ghost giggled.

"You find something myrtle ?"Harry asked quickly."Did one of the portraits see soul fishy ?"

"Yes."She pointed at Harry."You. And you and you and you…"She pointed at Padma, Ginny and Ron."… and you and you and you -"

"Ok, we get the point."Harry held his hands up. He shook his head ruefully."Thanks for trying."

"But…"Myrtle did a little loop in the air and winked."The old gentlewoman near the kitchens said that Dwight Lyman Moody ‘ s got a cloak."

"What ?"Harry jerked, startled, like the rest of the marauders."An invisibility cloak ? Seriously ?"

"Mm Hm !"myrtle hummed happily, obviously proud of gaining this tidbit of info."And they ‘ re not that common."

"No."Hermione murmured,"They ‘ re really rare."

"‘ The most sensible person that ‘ s ever taught us'Harry ?"Ginny grinned."Anything you have to say ?"

"marauder never lose."Harry said chuckling."They are however, on occasion, bushed wrong."
*


When Harry opened his eyes the next dawn he groaned and rolled back over. He knew exactly what this day would bring.

"It ‘ s him !"

"It ‘ s Harry !"

"The champion !"

"Yeah yeah yeah, and no I will not give a bloody autograph !"Harry fended off a bunch of Gryffindors."Y ‘ d think they had never met me before."

"That's part of it Harry."Hermione said sagely.

"They haven't met me ?"Harry said quizzically, eyeing a camera-wielding Colin Creevy."I ‘ m indisputable I ‘ ve met him."

"But Harry you ‘ re very good at making people draw a blank you ‘ re Harry Potter."The two of them moved out of the common way on the way to ancient runes."What I'm saying is that they just got reminded."

"Forgetting I ‘ m Harry Potter ?"

"You know…"Hermione waved vaguely."juggle, joking, making everyone look at ease, multitude forget you ‘ re a celebrity. It ‘ s not deliberate…"

Harry winced, it was often entirely deliberate.

"But that ‘ s not to do citizenry forget."Harry ducked behind a case of armor as a grouping of students passed by, then continued,"That's just… you know… breaking the ice."

"Like with Ginny ?"Hermione grinned slyly.

"Like with Ginny."Harry nodded, unfazed."Ron told you about that ?"

"Yes."

"On one of your little walking ?"

"Yes."Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"On one of your wild-eyed walk of life ?"

"Harry !"

"What ?"Harry grinned as Hermione shoved him irritably."Weren ‘ t they romantic ?"

"We discussed ducks."Hermione said flatly, not meeting Harry's eyes."And ponds."

"Ze art of seduction."Harry affected a French accent."It is truly dead."
*


After runes the two of them met up with the early marauders down in the potions classroom.

Harry had already decided that he'd let Snape in on what they'd found out and was torn between apprehension and rarity. Snape had obviously turned some kind of new leafage but they had never pressed to see how far that modification went. To play it safe he actually tried during the potions example. He still failed but at least zippo exploded this time. After class he lingered by his desk, putting away his stuff very slowly.

"Something you want Potter ?"Snape looked up from his desk.

"Um…"Harry waited a tick for the last student to pass on then said."I ‘ ve had an idea about why my name might have come out of the goblet."

"Yes ?"

"If someone entered me for a fourthly school."Snape appeared thoughtful and Harry pressed on."That would ensure I got picked, and it would explicate why there were four champions."

"Interesting…"Snape tapped the end of his pen on his lip thoughtfully. Wait… ! Harry did a double takings in caseful his middle had deceived him. Snape was using a pen ! It was an antique looking fountain pen but still… Snape interrupted his opinion."Of grade that would mean that the real adept was Draco."

"Probably no way to shew it."Harry said quickly.

"Actually-"

"No way to prove it at all."Harry grinned, for a moment he could feature sworn he saw the sharpness of Snape's oral cavity twitch up.

"Perhaps not."Snape shook his brain."In any eccentric finding out who did put your gens in and why is of greater importance."Snape's hired hand moved to his arm involuntarily, like a reflex.

"job ?"Harry asked. Snape shook his head, his eyes downcast.

"Premonition."

"Not usually very honest those."Harry chuckled.

"This one is."Snape didn't seem to experience like he had to add anything else but something clicked on the edge of Harry's memory.

"The wickedness mark ?"Snape's fountainhead whipped up.

"How do you know about that ?"He asked harshly.

"I…"Harry opened his mouth to resolve but realized with shock that he had no estimate how he had heard about the dark mark. It was all there though, the mark in the sky meant death, the marker in chassis meant servitude."I must have… read it… somewhere…"

Snape had strode around the mesa in an instant and catch Harry by his berm. This time it didn't look like a little pressure in his mind, it felt like a hammer.

"Stop ! It hurts !"Harry yelled.

"Stop occluding your mind !"Snape growled, jerking Harry's head back to keep eye contact.

"I ‘ m not !"Harry pushed Snape away but kept eye contact, deliberately relaxing his mind. Snape opened his mouth in jounce, memories flashed yesteryear for a few moments before Snape broke the connectedness and sagged back onto his desk.

"Satisfied ?"Harry snarled, breathing hard.

"Not even slightly."Snape shook his head, he also seemed out of breath."I couldn ‘ t see how you know about the mark, or that I have one."

"I told you. I must have got read it somewhere."Harry shook his caput."Why do you have one anyway ? I mean why did you become a last feeder ?"

"Youth. Stupidity. Misplaced rage."Snape stood slowly and rolled his sleeve back. The stain was exactly as Harry remembered it except greatly faded. If Snape's skin wasn't so wan it would be almost invisible.

"Why did you leave ? Why mar to Dumbledore ? I assume that ‘ s what you did or you wouldn ‘ t be here."

"Why ? …"Snape cocked his fountainhead and a sliver of a grin appeared on his face."Surprisingly the grounds is something that is not of the slightest importance to me anymore. But rest assured I am no longer young, stupid or full of misplaced rage."

"It ‘ s well placed you intend ?"Harry dug slyly.

"It ‘ s more… channeled."Snape stood and brushed his gown with his custody before walking to a cabinet behind his desk and getting out a little vial of sorry potion."I am sorry for invading your mind so roughly. This should help with the pain."He held out the vial.

"You taste it first."Snape's eyebrow quirked up quizzically."unceasing vigilance."

Snape chuckled and toast a just drink of the potion before handing it to Harry who gratefully chucked back the rest. His headache disappeared almost instantly.

"Is it getting darker ?"Harry asked.

"Slowly."Snape nodded."I have yet to tell Dumbledore. He may react unpredictably."

"Know what that's like."Harry chuckled."Do you remember Voldemort or maybe the death feeder have something to do with the goblet and me ?"

"We don ‘ t have the information to make that judgment right now."Snape waved his bridge player as if batting something away."Although I always believe it prudent to fix for the worst."

"Yeah…"Harry said, but he had thought of something. He bit his lip and looked at Snape thoughtfully.

"Potter ? What are you thinking ?"

"Just wondering how far our new truce goes."Harry glanced back at the door to check over no one was listening."If I were to ask for veritaserum…"

"You have a suspect ?"Snape guessed."And you wish to call into question them to be sure."

"That would be a condom assumption."Harry replied evasively.

"William Tell me who it is and I will do it."

"You would never get close enough."Harry grinned."I think I can."

Snape regarded him silently for a few mo then moved back to the potions console. He muttered a work under his breather and a drawer appeared out of the side. Snape reached in and drew out a petite bottle, barely more than a thimble.

"ternion drops is all that is necessary."Snape pressed the bottleful into Harry's hand."show no one else. Tell no one you have that."

"Thank you."Harry curled his finger around the little bottle."I ‘ ll assure you how it plays out."Harry moved off towards the threshold but stopped just before opening it.

"Out of interest…"He asked, looking back at his teacher across the empty-bellied schoolroom."Whose is that picayune b owl ?"

"None of your commercial enterprise Potter."

"Ah…"Harry tapped the side of his olfactory organ."She must really be something…"

"She is."
*


Harry didn't have a lesson with Dwight Lyman Moody until Friday, which meant that he had to carry that little bottle around the whole time, a little bottle of carry-able jitteriness. He constantly weighed the danger of hiding it somewhere with the jeopardy of having it found on his person but in the end come down on the side of the latter. Besides, his coat had a few air hole that would elude all but the most aggressive searchers.

When the moral actually came about Harry was gritting his tooth, he still didn't know if this was a dear idea, or even possible. It wasn't too belatedly to take back the nursing bottle to Snape, or to observe somewhere to hide out it and save it for later.

"Something bothering you Potter ?"

Harry looked up from his desk into the look of the ex-auror.

"No, nothing."Harry shook his head."Well…"

"Yes ?"

"There is something I want to ask you, but after the lesson."Harry made himself await down and put a little snap in his voice."If you ‘ re not too busy."

"Hmm."Helen Wills scratched his chin."Well, whatever it is it isn ‘ t keeping you from taking notes is it ?"

Harry looked down at his page, it was vacate except for a little ink draftsmanship of a cottage.

"Would you believe invisible ink ?"

"No."

"Didn ‘ t think so."Harry reached for his flight feather. After the lesson he stayed quiet, with his bag not even packed. The marauders already knew he had something planned and left him be but…

"You not leaving Harry ?"Harry turned and saw Susan os paused near his desk.

"Getting an excess credit essay."Harry replied glibly.

"You ? Doing an extra credit essay ?"Disbelief radiated from the Hufflepuff."You don ‘ t even do your normal essays."

"I do so."

"Without copying from Hermione."

"I-"

"Or Padma."

"Oh."Harry cocked his capitulum and shrugged."Does it really matter what I ‘ m up to ?"

"Just wondering what happens if the school whizz is expelled."

"One of the schooling champions."Harry corrected."The entirely human whizz granted but still…"

"Oh no one in Hufflepuff believes Malfoy ‘ s really a champion."Susan rolled her eyes."No one in Ravenclaw either. You didn ‘ t know that Harry ? You ‘ re usually wired into the rumor Mill of this school."

"I ‘ ve had a lot on my mind."Harry conceded. He actually never listened to rumors, that was Parvarti's job and to a lesser extent Ron ‘ s."The mill can run without me for a while."

"Of course."Susan nodded and moved off. She paused to say,"We are all rooting for you you know."Before turning towards the door.

Interesting. Harry smiled thoughtfully as he watched her walk away, his oculus drifting down a little. Very interesting. Why hadn't he noticed before how-

"Potter."Harry whipped his head around. Helen Wills Moody was looking at him shrewdly."I know I said perpetual vigilance but…"

"Don ‘ t finish that sentence Professor."Harry grinned."Unless you want me to embark on mentioning that near magic eyes can be made to see through clothing."

"I don't use that setting…"Helen Wills Moody replied gruffly, then winked."…any more."

Harry laughed and a moment later was joined by his teacher.

"So,"Moody, walked back to the instructor desk and motioned for Harry to sit nearby."What was it you wanted to babble out about ?"

"Oh yeah."Harry made his voice dip a footling."That."

Harry swallowed and took a deep breath.

"My parents."

"Ah."Helen Newington Wills shook his head ruefully."Sad business organisation Potter, very sad, but I ‘ m not the one to talk to. I didn ‘ t know them before the war-"

"I don ‘ t want more anecdotes."Harry dilled up the aggression, it had to depend like he had been stewing over this for a while."Not more school day fib. I want to know how they died, the whole level. Details."

"Why ?"Moody asked bluntly."Why do you desire to hear about your parents murder ?"

"Because it ‘ s something no one else seems prepared to talk about."Harry shook his mind angrily."You were an auror, you also knew them. Fair bet you examined the house rightfield, investigated ?"Harry knew Moody had been involved in the investigation, he left zilch to chance.

"Yes I did."See ?"But I ‘ m still not for certain you want to know."

"I don ‘ t want to. I need to."Harry pleaded, putting a minuscule iron into his voice."It ‘ s a funfair bet Voldemort's not done having an influence on my animation. I need to know how it began."

Moody shook his head and grimaced.

"Don ‘ t know where to begin."He reached down and took a swig from his hip flask. Harry grinned.

"You can protrude with the goblet of fire."

"What ?"Dwight Lyman Moody shook his capitulum as if to clear it. His sorcerous eye was rolling listlessly and the other looked milky and unfocussed."The goblet ?"

"Yes, did you put my name into it ?"Harry asked, flatly.

"No."Moody answered in a flat tire tone. Harry closed his eyes, that meant he had made a fault, which meant he was screwed.

"Did you get someone else to put my name in ?"Harry asked desperately."And where ‘ s your invisibility cloak."

"No, I do not know who put your name in the goblet of fire."Moody said, again with no emotion."My cloak is in my chest, there."He pointed with one gnarled finger.

"Ok, that's not good. For me."Harry looked up at the clock. With the dose he gave the effect would only hold up a few more than seconds."Please don ‘ t kill me."

Moody just continued his faded stare, then he blinked and shook his head. Realization dawned in his eyes and Harry saw him transfix his scepter tightly. In a flash the ex-auror whipped it around and Harry felt R-2 pin his limb to the chair.

"How did you do it ?"The professor asked, coldly.

"Lifted the flask from your pocket. Put it back later in the lesson."Harry replied evenly. Being pitiful wouldn't get him out of this, being earnest might."Managed to break out the charm you used on it too."

"That a fact."Dwight Lyman Moody reached out and emptied the flask onto the floor, the pee sparkled in the brightness from the window."And why did you do it ?"

"I found out that the somebody who put my gens in the goblet did it under the concealment of an invisibility cloak."Harry crossed his arms."They ‘ re uncommon, and you, the lofty proprietor of two, had just come to Hogwarts. That seemed like too much of a coincidence."

"And what have you learnt ?"

"It… was a coincidence."Harry conceded."It wasn ‘ t you."

"What else ?"

"Eh ?"Harry was genuinely confused.

"What else ?"

"Um… I don ‘ t know. Sir."Harry added.

"You always disarm somebody when you ‘ re questioning them."Moody flicked his wand again and the ropes fell loose."Even in they ‘ re potioned. That was sloppy ceramicist, very sloppy. I ‘ m disappointed in you."

Harry's jaw dropped.

"But… you mean… you ‘ re not mad ?"

"Mad ? No, no, no,"Helen Wills waved the inquiry away."You had suspicion you acted on it. I woulda done the same."

"But I got past your defenses, I could take poisoned you."

"Better you do it than one of my enemy, oh and by the way…"Dwight Lyman Moody smiled like a tiger, for once both eyes focused on Harry."I ‘ ll need a six scroll essay on how you broke the magical spell on my flask."

"Six curl ?"

"shuffle it ten."

"Eep."

"Don ‘ t headache potter, it ‘ ll be over before you know it. Or in former words it ‘ ll be over tomorrow as that's when I ‘ ll be expecting the essay."

"Oh."

"On the plus side though Potter, I trust you now."

"WHAT ?"Harry exploded, spluttering in disbelief."I spike you and interrogate you and now you trust me ! ?"

"Yeah, well More than I did."Moody nodded.

"Why ?"Harry asked aghast.

"You had me drugged and I ‘ m still alive. Means I have proof you ‘ re not trying to kill me."Moody said this as if it was the most consistent affair in the world.

"I was wrong."Harry shook his head teacher in mental rejection."You ‘ re nuts. You're crazy. You ‘ re completely bloody gonzo."

"Yeah ?"Helen Newington Wills leant in towards Harry's expression."Well so are you."

"Possible,"Harry conceded."I did once jump onto a moving train."

"Ha !"Helen Wills Moody snorted."That's nothing. Try a moving dragon."

Harry laughed and shook his head, this had turned out alright after all.

"Eh ?"Moody said, furrowing his brow."Don ‘ t you have a object lesson to get to."

"Yes, but it's creatures so I was actually marginally safer staying here and drugging you."

"Even so."Moody gestured at the doorway."You ‘ d best be going. Don ‘ t forget that essay."

Harry nodded and walked away from the desk. As he reached the door a thought struck him and he turned back.

"You didn ‘ t ask me there the potion came from."

"Oh I think I can guess."Moody grew serious.

"You ‘ re not glad ?"

"constant Vigilance Potter."Moody said"Keep your allies close-"

"-and my enemies closer."Harry rolled his heart."I know."

"That's not it at all !"Moody said with sudden heat."Keep your allies close Potter, but watch them even closer."



Please limited review, It 'll urinate me write faster. Pavlov told me so !


Note for french the great unwashed 2 : Ok, this chapter actually contains people speaking in Daniel Chester French. I should warn you that I do not verbalize french. wellspring, I do a bit but GCSE were a long time ago and I only got a B. In any case the Daniel Chester French in this chapter is almost certainly wrong, sorry. If you want to separate me the good translations i 'll put them up.



Harry propped the book of account up in front of him and tried to form the words stay in one lieu rather than fading out and becoming one long boring blur.

"This, this is worry Harry."Hermione yawned and pushed another record book over too him."It makes your bark all stiff so matter can't hurt you."She yawned again and put her hand up to her mouth.

"Go to bed."Harry told her, sighing."You don ‘ t have stay up with me, I ‘ m the bloody champion."

"No Harry I like looking up… stuff…"Hermione yawned again, breaking up whatever she was going to say.

"Without knowing what the number 1 task is it ‘ s pretty useless."Harry closed his Scripture wearily and rested his chin on it."And I know you consider breaking into the program library tantamount to sacrilege."

"It ‘ s alright if it ‘ s for the tournament"Hermione rationalized."Do you want me to get more Christian Bible ?"

"No, I want to give up."Harry shook his point."Lets go back to the tower."

They packed their hooey and Harry spelled the lock on the program library back closed. He was about to twist down the corridor when a luminance appeared near the other end and Harry pushed Hermione back into the library.

"Who is it ?"

"No clue."Harry shrugged and closed the door quietly. He put his ear to it as the voices got closer."Beaxbattons students I think."

"How do you know ?"

"They ‘ re speechmaking French."Harry whispered as the twinkle passed outside the threshold."Talking about the first task."

"Ho… wait you speak French ?"Hermione whispered hoarsely.

"You gave me the set phrase books for my birthday."

"But I didn ‘ t think you ‘ d actually use them !"

"You learn languages a lot quicker with wit sharpening potion. Had the basics down in under a week."

"That ‘ s cheating !"Hermione said, sounding scandalized.

"Did someone invent new rules while I was away ?"Harry suddenly frowned."That didn't sound like a student."Harry cracked the door and slinked out after the retreating voices.

"Ce n'est pas juste."Harry silenced his base so he could move faster after the retreating vocalisation and discover Hermione do the same behind him."nous devrions dire les autres concurrents !"

"That ‘ s Delacour."Hermione hissed into Harry's ear. She sounded oddly spiteful."What ‘ s she saying ?"But Harry waved her into quiet as a burly vocalisation began speaking.

"La fraude fait partie des règles. Il toujours a été."

"ma'am maxim ?"Harry guessed, Hermione nodded."She ‘ s saying that cheating ‘ s part of the rules."

"I bet Fleur's going along with-"

"Fleur ‘ s contestation, but it sound like whatever it is it ‘ s already been done."Harry leant around a niche and jerked back as he saw the two French cleaning woman stopped in the corridor beyond.

"Non !"Fleur was saying angrily."Vous me forcez à choisir entre mes morales et mon école."

"She ‘ s not happy."Harry shook his psyche."She thinks axiom ‘ s forcing her to cheat."

"Puits que tu connais maintenant."The headmistress said matter-of-factly."Ne tu inquiéteras pas à son sujet. Tu dois penser au dragon."

"firedrake ?"Harry broke into a grin. He turned to Hermione."See this is why I eavesdrop."

"Cheater."She smiled though.

"Tu as une stratégie ?"lady Maxim asked."Tu pouvais le distraire. Tu-"

"Non !"Fleur drew herself up."Je ferai le repos moi-même."

"Comme tu souhaites."brothel keeper axiom said and they began to walk back towards where the two marauder were hiding. Harry moved to walk into the corridor but Hermione grabbed him.

"Harry what are you doing ?"She hissed angrily.

"Headgames !"Harry grinned evilly and stepped out in social movement of the two women."So… dragons eh ?"

Their jaws dropped.

"Thanks for the tip !"Harry grinned and winked at his fellow champ then turned to the French headmistress and with a grimace said,"Tu es un half-wit et tu es un hypocrite. Tu accuses des Hogwarts de la fraude mais tu triches la toute première probability que tu obtiens."

"You little… !"Madam Maxime spluttered incoherently but Harry cut her off and switched to English.

"wellspring chouse all you want, doesn ‘ t matter. As you know now I am everywhere in this school. I will know if you cheat, I will know everything you do. So it all works out the Sami in the end."Harry turned back to the startled Miss Delacour."effective luck with the dragon."And with that he turned and walked away.

Well, he walked until he reached the first corner, then he started to run.
*


"Potter ?"

Sleepy.

"Potter !"

Ok, not sleepy anymore, just faking.

"thrower get up !"Harry jerked theatrically and raised his head off his desk to take care at Professor McGonagall.

"Sleepy professor,"Harry grinned."I stayed up of late doing very significant champion stuff."

It was actually true, he had indeed been spending every nighttime researching manner to deal with large, enraged, fire external respiration reptile but he hadn ‘ t had a great deal portion. about of the Good Book had the unhelpful assumption that you would be piece of a team of wizards dealing with these creatures. If he could just feel one that assumed you were a scared, shortstop, fourteen year old who wasn't much soundly at defence mechanism against the dark nontextual matter or care of magical fauna he would be set.

"Well that doesn ‘ t get you out of concentrating on your lessons."She pointed at the watch glass ball that he had transfigured theatrical role way from a tortoise. It still had legs and a empennage and was blindly butting against Harry's transfiguration school text."finish the transformation or at least turn it back into a tortoise, it is just cruel to leave it like this."

Harry shrugged and tried to stop the transfiguration. Two of the legs disappeared, and the poor thing balanced on the other two before toppling and almost rolled off the mesa before Ron caught it. McGonagall moved away muttering about ‘ champions'and ‘ moron ‘ using the same inflection for each.

"well we can scratch transfig'off the dragon-taming possibilities."Harry accepted his tortoisphere back from his ally and tried idly to seduce the remaining arm disappear.

"I could publish to Charlie."Ron offered. He had managed to make a crystal tortoise that looked like it should be in some seaside gift shop.

"Don ‘ t, I ‘ m cheating just by using you guys."Harry made the shadow disappear and sighed."I should just run in and lead off cursing it. pain spear ‘ s worked before."

"You ‘ re not allowed to use night wizard Harry."Neville reminded him from his other incline."It ‘ s restricted by the rules of the tourney or something."

"And it probably wouldn ‘ t work."Ron cast the spell again and got a beat ball of tortoise casing."Dragon skin is-"

"Very, very thick. Also curse-proof."Harry interrupted."I know."Harry slumped back in his chairwoman and looked up at the roof. He closed his eyes and massaged his temple, he had a stabbing headache from all the studying and tardily nights. If he propped his book up and fell asleep…

"Mr potter !"

"I ‘ m awake !"Harry shook his school principal. The stratum giggled.

"What I meant Mr Potter."McGonagall continued."Is that you are needed in the third storey arithmancy schoolroom. Do you acknowledge where it is ?"

Small slatted windowpane that doesn't lock chamber properly ?

"I know it."Harry nodded."What ‘ s this about ?"

"Very important adept stuff."McGonagall narrowed her optic."Now."

Harry gathered his stuff and hurried out of the room. Since it was socio-economic class time all the corridors were empty and Harry made it to the classroom without seeing anyone. Wondering what this could possibly be about he pushed the door open.

"Ah, Mr Potter. So soundly of you to get together us."Mr Crouch had stood up when he entered. Dumbledore and the other headmaster were also there, as was a witch in neon viridity robes he didn't recognize. She had a quill and newspaper publisher out and looked like she was currently grilling Krum. The Bulgarian, for his percentage, seemed resigned to this and was answering her monosyllabically. Fleur and Malfoy were no where to be found.

"What an I joining you for ?"Harry asked."If it's a political party then you ‘ ll need more nybble. I skipped lunch."

"This is the deliberation of the wands ceremony."Mr Crouch said calmly, ignoring Harry's flippancy."Don ‘ t worry it ‘ s mostly a formality."

Wand weighing ? Harry took out his wand, it looked alright. A bit scuffed here and there but then so was he. Harry heard the door heart-to-heart and turned,

"What is this ?"Malfoy stood in the doorway with his bag."Why was I called ?"

"Just the wei-"Dumbledore began but was interrupted by the green robed witch.

"Mr Malfoy,"She stood and held out a hand in one question."Rita Skeeter. Pleasure to meet you, if I could just-"

"My father has a various very good lawyers."Malfoy interrupted her suddenly."So if you print anything libelous…"

"Mr Malfoy,"Rita Skeeter held her men to her chest of drawers as if she had been hurt."You insult me, the people want to take heed from their fighter. Champions."She added, glancing at Harry with a crocodile-smile.

Scanning for insincerity : Insincerity detected.

Harry contorted his face into a apprehensive smile.

"If I could adopt the both of you for a moment."Skeeter pushed them both back out the door and into the classroom opposition."There now, that's more comfortable. None of those old judges and officials."

"Everything she says is a lie."Harry thought to himself."And you had better watch what you say too."

"Do you take care if I use a quick quote quill ?"

"Yes."Malfoy said at the same clock time as Harry said,

"No."Harry noticed that Malfoy was looking slightly worried so followed up with,"I mean ‘ no don ‘ t use it.'”

"Oh,"The reporter looked disappoint, then brightened up slightly."I hear you two have a little rivalry going."Harry opened his mouth but Malfoy answered before he could speak.

"I wouldn't phone me beating him at every grade a competition."

"Whatever."Harry shrugged.

"You ‘ re not going to fence potter ?"Malfoy sneered at him.

"Nah, make up any lie you want."Harry shrugged again."That's what she ‘ s gon na do."

"well Mr Potter,"Rita Skeeter asked smoothly."Do you think you, a mere XII twelvemonth old, can succeed in this competition that has clamed the lives of wizards senior and wiser than you."

"I don ‘ t know."Harry scratched his fountainhead."The fact that I intend to cheat outrageously may help."

"You…"Rita Skeeter's eye's lit up."You're going to cheat ?"

"I already have !"Harry replied happily."Say, do you think that Karkarov guy ‘ s open to grease one's palms ? He looks like a man who enjoys the finer things."

"Potter…"Malfoy hissed from between clenched tooth but Harry ignored him.

"Of course It'll be prosperous to bribe him using all the stolen holding that I own. Would you like a diamond necklace ?"

Rita's flight feather was moving so fast she was tearing the paper.

"I can always find more through my extensive felonious contacts."

"thrower stop now you id-"Harry winked at Malfoy, shutting him up.

"Of course my primary feather pastime remains kitten-smashing."At Skeeter's shocked side he continued."Yes, kitten-smashing. It ‘ s kind of like a sport, you use a special club. Baby Navy SEAL as well, and cute little chipmunks. cervid, ostrich, endangered marmosets, ponies, dolphins that kind of thing."

"Mr Potter…"The reporter's eye narrowed.

"What ?"Harry grinned."If you ‘ re going to ca-ca up Lie about me they might as well be entertaining. How about saying I ‘ m a vampire or a nazi or that I have two caput and one of them speaks silver-tongued Italian."

"Don ‘ t gambol this game with me Mr Potter."Rita Skeeter tapped her pinion against her quill against her notepad."You won ‘ t win."

"Yes I will."Harry smiled."Marauders always do, in the end."

"Am I interrupting ?"Their three mind turned to see Barty Crouch in the threshold."We ‘ re ready for you now."

Harry smiled and wandered out off the elbow room, leaving the startled newsman nates. As he walked back into the arithmancy classroom he noticed that two more citizenry had arrived. Fleur Delacour he was expecting, the other was more of a surprise.

"Mr Ollivander ?"

"Mr Potter, so just to see you again."The old man looked the Saame as he had on the day, four days ago, that Harry had bought his wand. He wasn't acting as oddly however.

"You ‘ re doing the baton weighing ?"Harry guessed.

"I am Mr ceramist, I am."He held out his hand and Harry grudgingly surrendered his wand. As soon as it left his script he found himself feeling paranoid, almost nude. He kept eyeing up bits of furniture for their potentiality as weapons should someone assail him.

"Your… this wand seems to turn quite adequately."Mr Ollivander said slowly, looping a foresighted gold ribbon out of the tip."Of trend, if you were in the market for another…"

"No."Harry shook his drumhead before the wand Jehovah could once again try to force a different wand on him as he had at their initiatory merging."That one ‘ s served me pretty effective. I ‘ ll stick with it if you don ‘ t mind."

"Very well."Ollivander shook his headland and handed the baton back."I don ‘ t understand it but…"He spread his hands and shrugged.

Everyone else in the elbow room kept shooting Harry odd looks for the remainder of the scepter weighing, everyone except Dumbledore.
*


As Harry was walking away from the weighing when he heard a voice behind him.

"Do you have a moment Mr Potter ?"Harry turned to see Barty Crouch."If I were you I would not lowball Ms Skeeter."

"I don ‘ t underreckoning her, she overestimates herself."

"Perhaps so."The justice nodded."But she has the electric potential to cause you real harm."

"No she doesn ‘ t."Harry interjected."joint and gemstone and all that, I ‘ ve survived bad than bad press."

"I am worried about you Mr Potter."Mr Crouch moved up to stand next to Harry."There is more than one understanding we increased the age bound on entry to the tournament. I fear you are too young to bear up to the scrutiny."

"Me ? Harry boy-who-lived ceramicist ?"

"Ah, yes."Mr Crouch chuckled a footling."Perhaps you are redress on that mark, but nevertheless a certain level of maturity is expected, even necessity, and I worry that perhaps you do not suffer it."

"I ‘ ll hold my end."Harry said, vaguely insulted.

"Do you feel adequately physically and mentally fain for the starting time task ?"Harry thought that an odd inquiry, but answered anyway.

"No, not entirely."

"wellspring I can ‘ t give you advice of course."The one-time man nodded."Just remember that no one is expecting you to win. Just by doing well you will birth exceeded everyone's expectation."

"And by winning I ‘ ll exceed them even more, and win some money !"

"Just involve it slow,"Mr Crouch told him."A respectable score is good than being injured so you can not compete."

"The only healthy grudge is winning."Harry grinned like a tiger.
*


Harry woke lazily the next day and ignored the speech sound of multitude going down to breakfast. This weekend had been a long tome coming and he was going to enjoy it.

On the way down to breakfast though he got an odd foreboding spirit. His suspicions were confirmed when he walked into the big Hall and all conversation ceased. Harry walked down the Gryffindor table to his admirer in amount silence and sat down in the empty seat they had left for him.

"Explanation ?"Harry asked quietly, the room was still almost deathly silent.

"Um, we think Malfoy may take in talked to Rita Skeeter after you left."Hermione was holding a newspaper nervously, kneading the theme with he hands."He said some affair and they printed some things…"

"turn over it here."Harry reached out and grabbed the paper. He quickly scanned down the text…

… lad champion Drako Malfoy says that everyone in Hogwarts knows they're just afraid to say anything."He hides it but everyone knows. I mean that ‘ s why he ‘ s so short circuit and weedy."The hansom sixteen yr old said"And it explains the hair."This reporter has seen grounds to plunk for these tilt and can let on to you now the truth about Harriet Potter…

Harry burst out laughing. In the absolutely tacit bully hallway it sounded extra loud as Harry guffawed in great breathy gulps.

"Harriet Potter !"Harry dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"It ‘ s not funny Harry."Hermione said.

"Yes it is ! feel, they ‘ ve even doctored a picture of me."Harry pointed."I ‘ ve got retentive hair and knocker and everything… Actually I don ‘ t look half bad… But come on no one ‘ s gon na believe this."

"You never know Harry."Ginny said from the former face."People tend to trust the Daily Prophet."

Harry had a thought and grinned. Without a parole he stepped up onto the bench then up onto the Gryffindor table.

"Attention Hogwarts !"Harry yelled, he felt all eyes come to land on him."By now nearly of you will have read the Daily oracle, or have heard about it from individual. And unless you ‘ re deaf you ‘ ve heard how I regard these hearsay. I have just two thing to say, any guy who doubts me can get kicked in the look ( don't joke I know where you all sleep ). And for any girl who doubts I ‘ m male a demonstration can be arrang-"

"MR POTTER !"The schooling giggled as McGonagall stood from her situation at the high table."My office ! Now !"

"Thank you, give thanks you. I ‘ ll be here all week."Harry sauntered out of the Charles Martin Hall, waving at the laughing crowd as he went. The last thing he saw before he left was the dark looking at of slaying on Malfoy's font and decided to rub salt in the wound."And Draco next time you try to assail me think of things that would hurt me not that would stimulate hurt you. You care about reputation. Me ? I don't kick in a turd what anyone thinks !"

"MR POTTER !"

"I ‘ m going I'm going."Harry grinned and walked out. The student laughed again, some even cheered.
*


The oracle was forced to print a retraction the next day after hundred of citizenry wrote in to complain. Unfortunately Harry didn't have time to taste the victory as the first-class honours degree undertaking drew secretive and closer.

"I ‘ m screwed."Harry slid another book back into the library bookcase and looked along the shelf for former dragon related al-Qur'an."I am royally screwed."

It was the day before the first chore and Harry had made an executive determination to discount all his lessons that day. His time could be far just used and he figured his instructor wouldn ‘ t mind, or wouldn ‘ t find out till too late.

Harry sighed. Or maybe they would and he'd be thrown out of the competition and saved the indignity of being roasted awake in social movement of the total school.

He had nix. Not one idea.

"I should just rush in."Harry thought, shaking his head."starting line cursing, worked with the basilisk."

"Yes,"Said a small sneering part of his mind."But the basilisk almost killed you."

Harry took down another book only to realize he had already read it and slammed it back into the bookshelf in anger.

"Problems missy thrower ?"Harry heard the snide drawling vox and sagged tiredly.

"None Daisy Mayflower."He turned to Malfoy and crossed his blazon."Shouldn ‘ t you be in lessons ?"

"concluding socio-economic class ended half an hour ago."Malfoy shot back condescendingly.

Harry felt his marrow droop. He had thought he had more sentence than that, he must suffer lost track. He caught mess of the book in Malfoy's hand and his center flickered to the conspicuous gap in the ledge succeeding to him. He saw the Slytherin's dusty greyness twosome match him.

"How did you find out ?"Harry asked levelly.

"discovery out what ?"

"About the dragons Malfoy. Don ‘ t play games."

Malfoy smiled.

"My Father-God noticed that the ministry was putting permission through for dragon manipulation equipment and dragon coach and dragons."

"That is damming evidence."Harry shrugged."Got a strategy ?"

"Like I ‘ d tell you."Malfoy scoffed."A little tartar doesn ‘ t bother me."

"You almost sound like you mean that."Harry pretended to shift weight while actually bringing his wand around to bear."Army of the Righteous see… Legillimens !"

It was like hitting a rubber rampart. Harry felt his genial probe rebound off an Occlumency roadblock like a tennis ball off a storage tank and had barely a second to indite himself before the retort plan of attack hit his psyche like a pneumatic drill.

"What the snake pit ? !"Harry blanked his mind before any storage floated up. After a instant the recitation receded.

"How dare you half-blood !"Malfoy spat at him."Don't even think of trying that again. You ‘ re obviously an amateur compared to me. Just like you are at everything else."

"Getting deterrent example from daddy are we ?"Harry kept his wand trained in case of another attack.

"I ‘ ve been an Occlumens since I was eight Potter."Malfoy said through gritted teeth."Don ‘ t try to get into my intellect, the very guess disgusts me. Even after a neglect try I feel like bathing."

"I ‘ m shocked you know what a bathroom is Daisy."Harry shot back."We all thought you just-"

"SHUT UP ! Just because the oracle printed a retraction doesn ‘ t mean value you ‘ ve won !"Malfy cracked, raising his wand."So don't put-on don ‘ t make snide comments, you are still going down. This tournament may be a jape to you but some of us care about preserving the honor of their names."Malfoy shook his drumhead fiercely and lowered his wand a fraction.

"You won ‘ t win Potter. You might as well quit now."Malfoy sneered at him."It ‘ s a dragon, you can't trick it or lie to it or prank it or sneak your way past it. You can ‘ t win. Just kick in up Potter, while you still can."

Malfoy turned and strode away, disappearing between the shelves. But Harry had begun to grin.

"Why the hell not ?"
*


Harry mustered together every ounce of haughtiness and assuredness he had to keep himself walking forward towards the pavilion that had been erected near the boundary of the timberland. He glanced to his right field and saw Malfoy coming up from another management, surrounded by a crowd of Slytherins. Some of them were wearing badges bearing Malfoy's smirking face.

Harry reached the tent and swallowed hard before entering.

"Glad you could join us Mr Potter."Barty Crouch greeted him with a grin. The early champions were already there. Krum was sitting stoically, staring straight forward. Fleur looked green and had one hand pressed to her abdomen."uneasy ?"

YES ! Of course I'm bloody nervous ! I'm about-

"No, no sir."Harry answered out loud."I think I ‘ ve got it covered."He even managed it without his vox quavering.

"Ah and you are here too Mr Malfoy."Crouch said as Malfoy barged in through the curtain."Then let us get started."He reached over and picked up a small bag. Harry noticed with a draft that it was squirming.

"The project once you enter the sports stadium is to find a prosperous egg from its guardian."Crouch explained in his dry bureaucratic voice."Inside this bag are four statutes. You will each take one from the bag, at random. The statue should severalise you both what this shielder is and will also have a number on it representing the order you will go in."

And first to the gallows will be…

"Miss Delacour…"Crouch held out the bag and the French girl put her hand in tentatively. She drew it out and revealed a pocket-sized blue dragon statue, currently gnawing on her quarter round."The Swedish short snout."

Fleur looked at the trivial thing in her hired man then raised her chin in determination. But Harry saw a ghost of terror in her eyes.

"flavor almost cute."Harry commented, looking at the dragon."nerve looks kind of like a squirrel."

Fleur glanced again at the thing in her paw then looked at Harry in disbelief.

"Well… a bit."Harry grinned and saw a one-half smile in return.

"Mr Krum."Crouch hurried them along. The Bulgarian stuck his hand into the bag and drew out a long red-gold Draco, dangling it by its posterior."The Chinese Firebolt."

Krums manifestation didn't variety, if anything it just became stonier.

"That's a weasel."Harry pronounced definitely ( babbling so he wouldn ‘ t hit a full nervous breakdown )."A Squirrel and a Weasel."

"Mr Malfoy."Crouch held the bag out again and Malfoy carefully removed a slick looking ignominious dragon."A Hebridean blackness Mr Malfoy."

Malfoy seemed to be trying to keep his human face ridged and unemotional, he was taking recondite breaths through his nose.

"And you Harry."Crouch held out the bag and Harry reached in quickly and grabbed the last squirming statue. He held it in his fist as he brought it out, said a silent prayer to anyone listening, then opened his hand.

"The Magyar Horntail."Mr Crouch pronounced tonelessly.

Harry closed his paw again and pumped his fist into the air.

"YES !"

The three other title-holder were looking at him like he was crazy.

"Mr Potter,"Crouch spluttered."You do get it on about that type of dragon don ‘ t you ?"

"Read about ‘ em, yep."Harry nodded.

"And you ‘ re happy ?"

"Yep."

"Potter you ‘ re insane."Malfoy said icily.

"Yep."

"Well…"Mr Crouch seemed a little perturbed but motioned Malfoy towards the way out to the tent.

Harry watched them leave and took a abstruse breath. He sat down cross legged on the mob ground and slant back against a collapsible shelter pole.

"You are very confident."Krum said in his heavily accented voice.

"I ‘ m not worried."Harry said as he heard his racing heart beating in his ears.

Harry tried to blank out the sound of the bunch outside and the gossip of the reviewer. He tried to breath deeply so as to quieten his spunk. It didn't work.

"Mr Krum if you please !"Harry heard the whistle and wished Krum right fate as he walked out of the tent.

More instant of growl and huffing passed and Fleur began pacing the trading floor worriedly.

"It ‘ ll be alright."Harry told her as the crowd quieted down and the grade were put up."You got the leisurely dragon."

"Easier."She replied without looking up.

"Just think of it as a goliath fire-breathing squirrel."

"‘ Ow can you be so calm !"She said to him angrily."‘ Ow can you joke about zis !"

"I joke about everything."

The whistle blew a mo later and Fleur was gone too, gone to face the dragon. Harry got up and began pacing himself. He gripped his sceptre and began rehearsing what he would do again.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

What the Scheol ? Everything could go wrong !

Harry squeezed his eyes shut as he heard the whistle sound. He couldn't do this.
*


"And the last champion, HARRY POTTER !"The voice cried over the loudspeaker.

Professor McGonagall, like everyone else in the crowd, looked towards the tent. A blast of nothingness flapped the boundary of the canvas. No one came out.

"Um… Mr Potter ?"

No one came.

That pathetic boy. She shook her head, this had obviously been too a lot for him. The gang had begun whispering now.

"Do you wish to go down there Albus, Or shall I ?"She turned to the schoolmaster, who was oddly smiling."One of us will give birth to find him."

"Oh I know exactly where he is."Dumbledore chuckled.

"You see it too ?"Moody cackled from the row below."tinker's dam kid ‘ s got nerve I ‘ ll give him that."

"What are you talking about Allastor ? Albus ?"Minerva looked from one to the former confused.

"Barty Crouch told me that Harry was oddly felicitous to meet the Horntail."Dumbledore smiled."I did not quite understand that until now. The horntail is the most fearsome dragon in the world, but it ‘ s sightedness is quite poor."

Understanding dawned in Minerva McGonagall's psyche and she turned to run down the arena once more. After a moment she saw it. A small, man shaped ball, perfectly camouflaged against the sand behind it, shimmering as it edged towards the dragon.
*


Harry shifted a hair finisher. He had silenced his foundation to get rid of his footfalls but there was still the risk of something shifting or crunching. He could listen extremity of the crowd beginning to laugh now, he didn't care. They'd know the Truth when he snagged the egg right out from under the belly of the thing. And besides, the Sir Thomas More noise they made the better.

The Horntail suddenly shifted, raising it's nose high. Harry froze in a scrunch up. It sniffed the air.

shit ! Harry froze. He had hoped that by keeping the current of air in his face would have kept his odour from the beast. Apparently not, that meant he would have to cast a spell, which would commove the thing and disclose his location. But it would find him anyway if he didn't. Too bad he didn't know non-verbal magic.

Harry drew his baton and tensed his wooden leg. The Disillusionment charm worked best when you stayed still but it wasn ‘ t perfective tense even then. The dragon would see through it once it got a clue where to look. He would accept to move the instant he cast or he would be crispy-fried.

Harry took a deep breath and yelled,

"Avgo Sapios !"The swarm of green smoke gushed out of his wand and smacked the Draco on the snout but Harry was already throwing himself sideways and rolling to a crouch on the floor.

Which was lucky because a bit later the guts where he had been standing was reduced to a white sheet. The dragon swept its gig of flame across the field, passing just foundation in front of Harry's face. Harry saw the sand steam and cool from blue-white to red, then to a duller, glassy, stopping point. A scar across the state. Harry forced himself to breath again, shallowly.

He moved his head slowly to look at the flying lizard, it was shaking its head from side of meat to side as if to free the foul smell that had taken up mansion house in its nostrils.

When Harry was for certain it was looking the early way he hopped over the glow swath and crouched down on the other side. A gasp went up from the crowd, they must have seen him when he passed over the burnt patch.

"Don ‘ t get it agitated."Harry thought desperately as he inched closer."Just hold back quiet."

"HEY dragon !"

Bugger.

Harry rolled to the incline in affright as the dragon gouged another flaming scar across the grit. He realized belatedly that the downside of choosing to come on the firedrake from downwind was that it put the Slytherin stands at his back.

"OVER HERE !"

Harry ducked as a fireball flew over his head. He risked a glance back to see it impact on a shield. The pedestal seemed to tranquillize down a bit, perhaps realizing the amentia of attracting the attention of an angry dragon.

Harry inched forward again and had to duck as it's spiked tail whipped through the air. He could see the egg now, glimmering in among some duller ones. Harry crawled silently up near the firedrake face and looked up. The wall of the slap-up reptile's dead body gave way to the massive shading canopy of it's wing. He was right up future to it now. If he screwed up it would ill-use on him.

Harry reached into the little gap between the floor and the shifting belly of the Horntail. His digit curled around the gilded egg. He twisted it and brought it out horizontal, making sure not to touch the flying dragon. Like that game, what was it called… cognitive process ! Except with his life on the line.

Harry held his breath as the egg finally saw the Light Within of day and swiftly stuffed it under his T-shirt so it would be camouflaged. He slid backwards slowly then froze as the firedrake stood and shifted. Harry followed it's gaze and saw a dozen keepers approaching.

"No !"Harry thought."They ‘ re not that stupid ! Please NO !"

"Stupify !"

"AAaaaa !"Harry screamed and threw himself backward as the dragon collapsed right onto the ground where he had been crouching. A moment later he was driven to the floor as its wing crumpled on top of him. Harry crawled out from under the leathery cover, forced himself to stand on legs that wanted to crumple like plastic straws and stumbled towards the dragon keepers.

"What the hell…"Harry growled."Was the big estimation of dropping the firedrake on me when I ‘ m still bloody under it !"

"Sorry Harry."The red-head at the presence of them shrugged."You ‘ re form of hard to see."

Harry looked down, he was still Disillusioned. Harry raised his aching arm and tapped himself on the head with the tip of his wand.

"Khamaileon akyrono."He felt the warm dribbles down his nous painfully slowly. They stopped before they even reached his tummy."Oh great…"Harry sagged his half-visible body.

"Let me Potter."Harry flinched as someone tapped him from behind. He turned and looked up at the scarred nerve of Mad Eye Moody.

"I got it to go on in one go."Harry explained, swaying a trivial. He was bruised on every side and his left arm didn ‘ t want to deflect properly. He turned and saw McGonagall approaching from the base and tried to suffer a little straighter.

"Potter, are you hurt ?"She said, an edge of concern tingeing her voice. Harry raised his left arm."excellent ! You ‘ ll get Sir Thomas More points for being uninjured."

Harry swiftly jerked his arm back down and brushed the stain off the strawman of his gown. Mad Eye leant down and whispered into his ear,

"Arm broke Potter ?"

"No, just detriment like hell."Harry breathed back. He eased it into his pocket, wincing slightly."Maybe fractured."

"You gon na tell them ?"

"inferno no !"
*


Harry held hard to the balusters as he walked towards the marauders. He was surrounded by cheer, people kept slapping him on the back ( painfully )

"That was awesome Harry !"Harry heard individual call and waved back, smiling wanly. He managed to make it to the rid place by the marauder and sat down.

"That really was awesome."Ron said from his left."I mean we couldn't even see-"

"Yes that was the point."Harry joked."variety of the point of invisibility."

"That was really secure you know Harry."Hermione said from behind him."Much break than Malfoy."

"That's a given."Harry grinned."What did he do ?"

"Made some kind of mirror out of mist."Padma shrugged as if to say ‘ no big deal ’."Made the Draco fight it ‘ s own reflection."

"Did it do work ?"

"Until he got close to the eggs."Padma grinned evilly."Then it caught on and flamed him. He only just got the egg. They gave him 30 points."

"Deserved two."Ron muttered angrily.

Harry shrugged, then winced as a stab of infliction dead reckoning through his arm. The bunch fell soundless, Harry looked up towards the justice box. Madam maxim raised her wand, after a instant a sinuous five sprung out.

"passive aggressive revenge bitch."Harry growled.

Next Crouch nodded thoughtfully and tapped a nine into the air.

"That ‘ s more close to awesomeness."

Next the heavyset judge Harry didn't know raised his baton with a brandish and painted an eight. A moment later Dumbledore raised an selfsame eight.

"Better…"

Karkaroff seemed to call up for a moment, then drew a three in the air.

"Blatant undisguised favoritism."Harry narrowed his middle."It ‘ s like bloody Eurovision."

"Thirty three."Neville said, counting on his fingers."Is that good ?"

"It should have been gamy !"Ginny said angrily."You were the only champion not injured !"

"Yeah…"Harry tried not to think of what marker he would have got if they had known about his arm.

"It must throw been how foresightful you took/"Hermione said reasonably."You were irksome than the others."

"You beat Malfoy though !"Parvarti said cheerily ( ignoring Ron as he turned on Hermione and began arguing )."And Fleur."

"Krum ?"

"Got forty."

"sodomist. I ‘ ll get him next time."Harry felt his bruised and yen arm."You see if I don ‘ t !"
*


"So let me get this straight person Harry."dame Pomfrey sighed,"You beat the dragon…."

"Yes."

"Left the stadium."

"Yes"

"Then on the way back to Gryffindor tower…"

"Yes."

"You happened to come down down a flying of stairs."

"Yes."

"Seriously Harry ?"

"That's my story."Harry grinned."I ‘ m sticking to it."



Translations ( I think )

"Ce n'est pas juste. brain devrions dire les autres concurrents !"
This is not right field. We should tell the other rival !

"La fraude fait partie des règles. Il toujours a été."
Cheating is office of the rules. It always has been.

"Non ! Vous me forcez à choisir entre mes morales et mon école."
No ! You force me to prefer between my ethical motive and my school

"Puits que tu connais main tenant. Ne tu inquiéteras pas à son sujet. Tu dois penser au dragon."
well you know now. You will not worry about it. You must think of the dragon.

"Tu as une stratégie ? Tu pouvais le distraire. Tu-"
You have a strategy ? You could distract it. You

"Non ! Je ferai le repos moi-même."
Not ! I will do the rest myself.

"Comme tu souhaites."
As you wish.

"Tu es un idiot et tu es un hypocrite. Tu accuses des Hogwarts de la fraude mais tu triches la toute première chance que tu obtiens."
You are an idiot and you are a hypocrite. You accuse Hogwarts of dupery but you cheat the very initiatory probability that you get.



The Pavlov thing is working ! More go over please !


I do n't own Harry ceramist. Neither do you. Unless you 're J K Rowling, which is unlikely.



"Shut that bloody matter off Harry !"Ron yelled over the screaming.

"Alright, alright."Harry snapped the egg shut and the inhuman screeching ceased as it always did."Just trying to work out the thing out."

"Well can you not do it in our bedroom."Ron grumped, rolling out of bed. Harry chuckled and replaced the egg on his nightstand."Have you at least found out something ?"

"There ‘ s nothing to find."Harry shook his capitulum irritably."I've run every catching I know on it, there ‘ s no release or password, cipher else magical on it at all. The screech isn ‘ t cover for something or a defense. The shrieking is the message, I just have to decode it somehow. Unless the altogether affair's a braincrank."

"A whoremaster ?"Neville translated, sitting up in bed."You think it really could be ?"

"uncertainty it. Too elaborate."Harry shrugged."conjecture I just have to do more things to it."

"Tried kicking it ?"Ron suggested.

"‘ row, that was the kickoff thing I tried."

"Maybe that ‘ s why you can ‘ t find anything now."Neville said, frowning."You broke it."

"doubtfulness it,"Harry sighed."I have study that inhuman screams have been heard from the boat the carriage and the Slytherin donjon as well. I ‘ m not the solely one stumped."

"That ‘ s something."Neville said encouragingly."You ‘ ll piece of work it out eventually."

"Maybe…"Harry wasn't so sure as shooting. He had needed a Hogwarts father to aid him solve his lastly puzzle. He dismissed it from his thoughts for another morn."You think the lady friend are waiting for us at breakfast ?"

"Probably."Ron groaned, and stomped off towards the bathroom.
*


Eventually the three of them managed to get down to breakfast. Just in clip for the postal service run. Harry caught power shovel on his radiocarpal joint and was feeding him a opus of 1st Baron Verulam when he was surprised by a letter of the alphabet falling into his lap.

"You got a missive ?"Hermione leant over curiously."Who ‘ s it from ?"

"I don ‘ t know…"Harry began but his eyes narrowed as he recognized the window pane green ink."But I suspect."

He tore assailable the letter and read the picket lettering.

To The-Boy-Who-Thinks-He's-Won

fountainhead we'll see about that Harry. Don't think that just because I had to print a retraction you've won. Don't think that for a moment. I have been very busybodied digging up grunge on you and your blighter champion and you won't like what I've found. You will regret insulting me Harry ceramist, I can bury you ! And I will, you just ascertain !

C. H. Best Rita Skeeter.

Harry tore the letter up and sighed.

"Rita Skeeter."He answered."She ‘ s going to stimulate a lot of trouble for me I can tell."

"I seriously doubt that."Padma commented dryly from over the top of the Prophet.

"Why ?"

"She ‘ s dead."

"What ! ?"

Padma offered him the paper and Harry grabbed it hurriedly. The obituary was quite large and, befitting the woman it was about, entire of exaggerations. Once Harry had scanned it once or twice he had gleaned the genuine information out of it. Apparently she had been found in her base by her honcho after not showing up for work on Monday. The Aurors had been called in, official cause of death…

"marrow attack ?"Harry said incredulously, Padma nodded."That ‘ s bull ! She was… I don ‘ t know… maybe thirty five years old."

"She had a very stressful job."Padma shrugged.

"Or maybe it was karma."Ron said through a taste of toast. Hermione looked torn between being disgust at his manners and impressed that he knew what karma was.

"I think it ‘ s good riddance."Ginny cut in emphatically.

"I think it ‘ s fishy."Harry folded the paper and handed it back."God knows the woman must give made adequate enemies."

"Maybe it was one of you ‘ re fan club."Ginny joked.

"My fan club doesn ‘ t have a militant wing."Harry paused."That I know of…"

"Could be useful."

"True, my own army…"Harry grinned."I could rule the world !"

"Maybe,"Hermione rolled her eyes."But after transfiguration."
*


Harry decided to actually forge that lesson. It was something he did occasionally, just to throw his teachers off the scent. They were still working on the tortoise to orb and virtually of the class could do it now. Harry's orb still had a bit of a hexagon rule but it wasn't bad.

"Mr Potter."McGonagall said suddenly.

"Yes prof ?"Harry said, confused. He hadn't done anything lately she would be interested in."What is it ?"

"I was simply going to ask if you had acquired a partner yet. Since you are opening you will be representing the shoal. Try to think over well on us."

"Partner ? Opening ? Representing ?"Harry's supercilium furrowed in mix-up."What are you talking about ?"

"The Yule Ball Potter."McGonagall said simply. near of the family was watching now."As champion you will be opening."

"You mean… Dancing ?"Harry cringed.

"Yes."

"Alone ?"

"With a partner."McGonagall replied in exasperation.

"In front of the school ?"Harry felt his stomach swoop.

"Yes."

"I think I ‘ ll pass."

"Potter you are the… one of the Hogwarts champions. You must afford the dance and you must have a partner."

"What ? You gon na tie me up and force me to dance ?"

"We have ways."McGonagall said, her centre narrowing.

"I ‘ ll just turn up without a partner."Harry countered.

"In that case I will accompany you Mr Potter."

"You do that…"Harry crossed his blazon."And I will go to the bollock naked."

The classroom explosion out laughing.

"As will I."

The room became deathly silent. Harry nodded slowly.

"Touché, nicely argued."He complemented."And I ‘ ll have a partner by the end of the day."
*


Harry wandered down the to the lower story of Hogwarts that evening and found the kitchens corridor. Glancing around for a import he approached the still-life.

"Stoic."Harry said, and the painting dissolved into the air. Harry stepped in and spoke the password again to shut the portal vein. He stepped into the Hufflepuff green room. It looked dissimilar than he remembered, probably the lack of snakes… and fire. Several citizenry started looking at him, then more, then every eye in the place turned to him as he strolled across the wine cellar. He did the innate thing. He ignored them.

He walked calmly over to the set of sofa where the Susan Bones was sitting.

"Hey Susan."He smiled in greeting.

"Hi. Um…"She scratched her head."How did you get in here ?"

"Password."

"But how did you know the password."

"I know all the passwords."Harry shrugged."Slytherin's is favour. Ravenclaw ‘ s is… complicated. The prefect bathroom ‘ s still yen fresh and Dumbledore ‘ s role is Chocoballs… for some reason."

"But… How ?"Susan asked aghast. Harry realized that near of the uncouth way was listening.

"You were a chosen."Harry winked."Not a marauder. Don ‘ t expect me to uncover all my secrets."

The room sighed and Harry felt eyes propel away from him.

"So… why are you down here ?"Susan asked."Are we under attack by snake again ?"

"Not that I know of."Harry glanced under the table."Nope, nothing."

"So what are you here for ?"

"What ? I can ‘ t just visit ?"Harry grinned.

"Hufflepuff or me ?"

"Currently… you."Harry grinned again."There ‘ s this dance… thing… at Christmas."

"The Christmas Ball."Susan's heart widened.

"Yeah that."Harry shrugged."Apparently I need a cooperator on account of being some kind of champion eccentric thing."

"Are you asking me ?"

"Do I need to be more obvious ?"

"Yes."

"Yes I ‘ m asking you."

"Then…"Susan swallowed nervously."…yes ?"

"Was that a question ?"Harry sniped, smiling..

"amercement. Yes I ‘ ll go with you."

"Capital. That ‘ s great."Harry grinned."But I should go now. people are staring at me."

"wellspring you are a celebrity."

"It ‘ s a core I have to bear."
*


In the next few calendar week Harry was extremely gladiola he had got it out of the way earlier. In the next few workweek a regular rage of ball fever swept Hogwarts. Girls huddling in niche, whispering. discourse of attire robe. very flavor of fear and apprehensiveness and low temperature, sick, nerves on the brass of every boy. Harry was glad to be well out of it.

Course he would be gladder if everyone else had got the memo…

"Leave me alone !"Harry slid into a hole-and-corner passage and bounded along the short passage."I ‘ m taken !"He could still hear pounding feet and giggling behind him. He shot out from behind a arras ( startling a mathematical group of students ) and cracked open another passage behind a painting. He closed it behind him and lean against the rampart, breathing heavily, as the keep up little girl ran past. As the sounds faded into the distance he breathed a sigh of relief.

"You too yes ?"Harry spun around but relaxed as he saw Viktor Krum sitting cross legged on the level in the passageway. He had a set of Word spread out in strawman of him. The Bulgarian shrugged and continued."You vill get used to it. Or you vill turn quicker at running."

"And you ‘ re used to it ?"Harry grinned and sat down opposite the Durmstrum genius."Then why are you hiding in a passageway."

"It is only vay to get a moment of peace."Krum flicked a page and cover reading. After a moment he glanced up."You did well vith the Horntail."

"Not as good as you. Thirty three points."

"You should not have… irritated… the she-giant."A smile flickered onto Krum's face.

"Possibly not."Harry conceded."You worked out the egg yet."

"Perhaps."Krum replied, revealing nothing."Have you ?"

"Perhaps."Harry grinned."I worked out that kicking it doesn ‘ t work."

"First thing I tried."

"Me too."Harry walked back up to the threshold and listened, it sounded pretty lull."How long you intending to stay in here."

"I don ‘ t know. Vhen is your Yule clump ?"Krum shook his head and sighed."I should ask someone. weft someone that has not been asked yet. Perhaps that will pretend them stop foll-"

"It doesn ‘ t."Harry interrupted."Trust me."

"Oh…"Krum shook his mind."Then I will own to research some punter locking charms for my cabin."

"Try these."Harry pulled beyond allohamora out of his bag ( it sometimes helped to have a bag in which he could stockpile everything he owned )."It mostly deals with unlocking but it ‘ s got some quality poppycock in there."

"Thank you."Krum nodded solemnly and looked back down at his Book. Harry checked the entrance once more then left carefully.

"What is it about me ?"Harry wondered idly."That lets me get on with the champions but royally pisses off the judges ?"
*


"damn it !"Harry dropped the egg back to the airfoil of the predator table. The inky inkiness goo he had smeared on its surface had revealed nothing."Doesn ‘ t work either. It was supposed to reveal hole-and-corner messages."

"That thing doesn ‘ t have a secret message."Ron groaned on the other side of meat of the table."It has one message. And we ‘ ve all heard it lots of fourth dimension, like at the crack of dawn."

"eight is not the crack of dawn."Harry sighed and rested his head on his hands."And I don ‘ t see you doing much better."

"It was working before you got here."Ron complained, prodding at the crystal ball in front of him."Maybe the egg did some thing to it !"

"Or maybe you ‘ ve got it upside down."Parvati commented from the other side of the table. Ron groaned and scrunched up his bit of parchment.

Harry would have made a snide comment but he didn't think he had the energy. The egg was eating at him.

"Ron…"Parvati continued."You really need to do it soon."

"Do what ?"

"Ask someone."She shook her head."You really ask to do it soon or she ‘ ll be… I mean all the good girl ‘ ll be taken."Anapurna amended quickly with a wink at Harry.

Ron ( forgetful ) squirmed uncomfortably.

"It ‘ s not that easy."Ron shrugged."I ‘ m not Harry, I can ‘ t just tramp into person's vulgar room and ask someone."

"But you-"Parvati began but Harry interrupted her.

"postponement hold postponement. Did I just hear a vulture express… self… doubt… ?"Harry shied away in horror."No no no no no ! This will not do !"

"But-"

"No buts !"Harry cut him off."You are a marauder, that means you are at least six billion times better than anyone else. You will go out and ask Herm… the girl you want to go with. Right now ! Or I will call in a personal favor from Viktor Krum and have him ask her first !"

"You don't even know who I ‘ m-"

"Legillimacy."Harry lied.

"That ‘ s illegal."

"Since when have I cared ? Ask her."

"That's cruel."

"ditto. Ask her."

"Harry-"

"She ‘ ll say yes."Harry grinned."cartel me."

"Are you sure ?"Ron looked almost convinced.

"Yes."Harry looked to Anapurna for backup and she nodded emphatically."Definitely yes."

Ron nervously folded his work unto his bag and left the plebeian room. Harry checked the clock on the wall.

"Five thirty so Hermione will be coming back from the library… Give ‘ em ten minutes."Harry and Parvati shared a grin and went back to their respective work.

Ron was in fact back in less than five minutes.

"She said yes !"He was blushing tomato red but grinning.

"Congratulations."Harry shrugged."surprised you found her so quick."

"She was in the great hall. Lavender ‘ s usually down to dinner early."

"La… Lavender…"Harry froze. Across from him he say Parvarti's case twist into a grimace of shock and surprise."Lavender Brown ?"

"Yes ?"Ron's supercilium furrowed."Are there any other Lavenders in the shoal ?"

"Um… yes… in… fifth year… Slytherin. Just making sure you weren't asking her."Harry lied quickly."You know, letting the team down and such."

"I ‘ d never ask a Slytherin."Ron laughed."That would just be stupid."Ron laughed again and headed up the staircase to the boys bedroom.

"Yeah, that would be stupid."Parvati said acidly, sounding for a import like her sister.

"You also thought he ‘ d ask…"

"Hermione."

"Yep. Thought it was obvious."Harry shrugged."Oh well."

"Oh well ! ?"Parvati repeated indignantly with her handwriting on her pelvic arch ( Harry braced for shouting )."What do you imply Oh well !"

"We were wrong."Harry said simply."It happens. It ‘ s all alright."

"It ‘ s not okay !"She shook her head."He ‘ s going with the wrong person !"

"He ‘ s going with the person he asked."Harry pointed out."That ‘ s not the right person ?"

"No."

"wellspring tough."Harry waved the problem away."Nothing to be done now."

"Unless…"Parvati grinned maliciously, or tried to anyway. It didn't really mold on her."We do something about it."

"Oh no…"Harry buried is nerve in his hands.

"We need to make sure Ron and Hermione go together."

"Do we have to ?"

"Yes."

"If they find out they ‘ ll putting to death us."Harry pointed out."You know that rightfield ?"

"How come when you want to do something insane you rope the ease of us in but when I want to you just kick ?"

"Oh I didn ‘ t say I wouldn ‘ t do it."Harry grinned evilly ( doing a far substantially job of it )."I ‘ m just saying we have to be careful."

"Yay !"Anapurna ran around the table and hugged Harry."I knew you ‘ d fold !"

"Get. Off. Me !"Harry disentangled himself from his friend."Do you receive a architectural plan ?"

"Well…"Parvati tapped her Kuki-Chin thoughtfully."Lavender's essentially a limpet."

"Nice."

"Thank you. I figure we can persuade her to let go of Ron if we dangle something else in presence of her face."

"Like what ? Or who ?"

"Michel Corner I think."Anapurna nodded."She ‘ s liked him for ages."

"Does he care her ?"

"He will once I ‘ m thru talking him into it."

"I like this new malicious side of you."Harry nodded approvingly."Do I have any persona in this little adventure or do I just sit here nodding ?"

"You need to keep on anyone from asking Hermione until Ron does."

"Gotcha !"Harry saluted."run of intimidation and scourge coming right up !"

"Subtly Harry ! She can ‘ t know !"

"Who do you demand me for ?"

"Sorry."Parvati smiled."Oh, and you ‘ ll motive to talk to Neville too."

"Um… why ?"Harry asked, confused."Is he gon na ask Hermione ?"

"No silly. You need to convert him to ask Padma."

"I thought this was about Ron and Hermione ?"

"I ‘ m expanding the scope."Anapurna shrugged."He won ‘ t need lots prodding. He already likes her."

"Does she… ?"

"Of course."Parvati said patronizingly."You haven't noticed ?"

"And Ginny ?"Harry said wearily."Got a plan for her too ?"

"She ‘ s too young."

"Not if we find her a date."Harry pointed out.

"No I mean too young to date."Parvati said primly."We have to protect our piddling sister ‘ s innocence for as long as possible. She ‘ s not a part of this."

"I wish I wasn ‘ t a part of thi-"

"Harry !"
*


Operation shamelessly-manipulate-our-best-friends was at least upright for one thing, it distracted Harry from the bloody egg.

It was just a few days before the Yule testis and the plan was… well it was working but that wasn't the full point. It was working a little too well.

Lavender had been successfully undone from Ron and re-adhered to Michel Corner. Once Ron came out of his moping phase Harry was confident he could prod him towards the right fille. The subtle intimidation was harder but legilimacy helped to identify potential threat very effectively. Once they were picked out Harry was able to get the male child alone to explain some ‘ abode Truth ’. Like how she was already dating a older boy she met on holiday. Big feller, vast muscles.

"This had honorable bloody work Parvati."Harry muttered to his co-conspirator one day on the way back from creatures."‘ Cos if he doesn't ask her no one will now. I've had to establish Hermione ‘ s imaginary swain up into some kind of vengeful battery-acid to contain multitude asking her."

"What ‘ s the latest story ?"Parvati asked, interested.

"He ‘ s from Kingdom of Spain. The Academia Atsingani."Harry shrugged."He ‘ s an amateur wizard bullfighter. Owns his own sword and shotgun."

"wizard toreador ? With a shotgun ?"

"It doesn ‘ t have to be likely it just has to be scary."

"fountainhead he ‘ s going to have to shmoose his girl back."Parvarti said knowingly."Because Ron will ask her. Believe me."

"Bet ?"

"Galleon."

"Done."Harry sighed."At least this way I can make something back out of this mess."

"It ‘ ll all employment out."Annapurna grinned."trustingness me."

"Don ‘ t say that."Harry shook his head."I know I say it… but don ‘ t."

"You can ‘ t complain…"But Parvati trailed off as they all began hearing a speech sound in the space."What ‘ s that ?"

Harry perked his ear up. A few stride in front end of them the rest of the marauders stopped too. It sounded like a whole punch of people yelling and moving, but behind that there was a low rumbling and…

"vocalizing ?"Harry said incredulously.

"More like chanting."Parvati disagreed.

"It sounds like choral singing."Hermione said from in front man of them.

"It ‘ s coming from out front."Harry hurried forward."Lets go !"

As one they rushed forward. As they neared the threshold other students began to unite them, instructor too. As they ran out onto the grass in presence of the schooling Harry realized that the altogether school day was already out there, yelling and pointing. Harry saw Dumbledore gazing up into the sky, a face of wonder on his face. The early school headway flanked him, just as awed.

In the sky above Hogwarts floated a miracle of white marble. Columns, delicate as trash, flew up from a shining base and met a golden point above. Delicate tracing of mirror-like silver medal snaked and shimmered over the surface, sending out shaft of light of rainbows as it turned in the sunshine. The hale matter looked like some gigantic crystal, floating on ashen mist and breathing out beautiful music as it sank small and lower and finally settled to the ground on the Gunter Grass just inside the schooltime gates.

Harry started forward but was brought up short as Dumbledore held up an arm. The shoal watched in rapt silence as a procession emerged from the floating palace. White-robed women walked side by side, carrying flaring magical torches. They split apart a little as they left it as if to make a itinerary for soul in the middle. As they grew unaired Harry saw that there was a form in the center, smaller than the early vest figures but wearing a crown of laurel leaves.

Harry yelled in happiness and dashed out from the crowd, ignoring Dumbledore's cries of dissent, and rushed towards the figure. Laughing, he ducked past the line of startle women and enveloped the middle one into a giant hug.

"Why didn ‘ t you tell me you were coming ?"Harry laughed, releasing her and looking up into her pale, ethereal face.

"I wanted it to be a surprise for you."Pythea said with a warm smile."It ‘ s in effect to see you Harry."
*


"Mr ceramicist !"Harry heard someone yell from behind him. He spun around and saw verbal expression ranging from shock, mix-up and wrath. Most of the Beauxbatons students were down on one knee and the one from Durmstrang had their heading bowed in respect. His fellow Hogwarts students seemed more appalled than anything else, Dumbledore had his deal to his mouth with his eyes broad in shock. McGonnagall was almost vibrating in anger.

Turning further he saw something even more unnerve. Across the intact bound of the forest the centaurs had gathered, the total herd. Every one of them was down on their knee joint with their hands clasped over their hearts.

Harry turned back around to front the school, no-one had moved.

"Why are they staring ?"Harry whispered at Pythea."And why are centaurs kowtowing to you ?"

"Harry,"Pythea smiled."They are staring because mass do not usually hug the Delphic seer or treat her with familiarity."

"And the centaur ?"

"They regard me as a demigod."

"Oh…"Harry gulped."…and I thought I was famous."

"You are notable Harry."The Oracle said, a strange note in her voice."But I am something else."She moved forward and Harry was forced to watch. They stopped in front of Dumbledore, Harry almost laughed when he saw that the master still had his hand to his mouth.

"professor Dumbledore."Pythea greeted the old man."It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"The pleasure is mine."Dumbledore seemed to go back himself and bent down to kiss the oracle's hired hand."I see you have… already met one of our school day champions."

"Harry and I met class ago and we have had correspondence since."Pythea looked up and around at the towering rook in presence of her."Hogwarts is as beautiful as I have heard it described."

"Thank you,"Dumbledore waved towards the bully vaulted door of Hogwarts and a path opened in the educatee body."As soon as your castle appeared in the sky I had the house elves cook a cortege of guest rooms for you and your handmaidens."

"Thank you."Pythea reached out and linked arms with a startled Harry."Harry can show me up to the guest quarters."

"Mr thrower does not screw the passwords."

"Headmaster,"Pythea shook her head, smiling."You obviously don ‘ t know Harry as well as I do."

Harry covered his mouth with his hand to conceal giggles as he walked the oracle of Delphi between the rows of scholar and up to the room access of Hogwarts.

Harry tried not to listen to the whispers happening all around him, he could mete out with that in the morning.

"How long are you staying ?"Harry asked Pythea as he led her towards the guest quarters.

"money box after the indorsement task."She answered."But I fear a lot of that will be taken up with functions down in London. No visit by someone like the myself can be entirely for leisure. You could say the tournament provides an excuse for politics. Many State interpreter were invited by your government, when I heard you were competing I decided to take them up on it."

"Didn ‘ t you already know I would be competing ?"Harry teased."And whether I ‘ ll win ?"

"You put too lots faith in oracles."

"I have no faith in oracles. I have a dandy deal of faith in you."

"That is mellifluous of you Harry."Pythea said in surprise."And surprisingly open."

"fountainhead get used to it."Harry checked behind him, the handmaidens were following a good length behind. Harry continued in a whisper."You saved my life, from something had no right to survive. Even more, if I got the substance straight, you risked your place at the temple too. And the just way I could give thanks you was through vaguely worded letters."

"I got the message Harry."Pythea smiled down at him.

"good, but I ‘ ll say it again in person."Harry slowed as they approached the Guest annex."Thank you for saving my life Thea."

"You are most welcome."The seer came to a stop outside the threshold."And I would do it again."

"I hope it won't be necessary."Harry turned to the door."Bellevue."

The door creaked open up to reveal an elegant sitting room with many doors leading off it. Every small-arm of furniture sparkled with round off and a vase of overbold flowers sat on the center of the diminished table.

"The elves don ‘ t skimp do they ?"Harry chuckled. He pointed to the rooms along the dorsum wall."Bedrooms are along there. All of them en-suite of course."

"You ‘ ve been here before ?"Pythea chuckled."Were you meant to be ?"Harry grinned and ignored her.

"If you need anything call the house elves. Alternatively if you need anything the predator can provide cry me. Now, for the most important thing…"Harry straightened up and put on a unplayful air."Do you want us to try and cark Professor Trelawny or simply drug her for the continuance of your visit."
*


Harry looked at himself in the mirror and sighed, it was no practiced. It wasn't that he thought he looked good or didn't. It was more that he didn't really stimulate a concept of what he was supposed to look like. Everyone else seemed to occupy the dress gown and everything as a requisite irritation. Harry on the former hand had almost no opinion on them having never heard of them before reading his letter this year. Were they supposed to be this tight ? Or flare out at the bottom like that ? And what about his hair ? Harry had always just let his hair do its own affair, cutting it back only when it began impairing his imaginativeness but now everyone else seemed to get acquired some stratum of personal training attainment that he had somehow skipped.

He gave it up as a lost campaign, allowing it to shine as it wanted to. He shrugged, what did it matter ? He'd got a date so the unvoiced part was done.

Except for the dancing.

"Yes, except for the dancing."Harry though and grimaced."Thank you very much for reminding me Mr Evil-half-of-my-brain."

No problem.

"I don't see why I ‘ m even doing this."Ron muttered beside him."I don ‘ t have a date."

"Find one."Harry answered distractedly. ( other people had ties, was he meant to stimulate a tie ? )"It ‘ s not too late."

"Harry, the dancing is in…"Ron checked his watch."… less than an hour."

"So you ‘ d considerably get to it then."Harry said flippantly, then asked."Am I meant to give birth a tie ?"

"Harry, your dress robes don't have a collar."

"You need a collar to don a tie ?"

Ron rolled his eyes. Harry shrugged and left the bathroom. In the common way the early marauders were already waiting, Padma and Neville standing a fiddling way off. Neville looked nervous, but then Neville always looked uneasy. Harry waved Parvati to one face,

"On the minus position we ruined our admirer nights and made them miserable."Harry growled angrily."On the positive side you owe me a galleon."

"Still clock time Harry."Parvati smiled chirpily."Trust me."

"Don ‘ t say that. quit saying that. I promise never to say it again if you stop saying it now."

"Shut up and look."Anapurna hissed.

Harry looked where she was pointing. Hermione was sitting on one of the couches recital, she hadn't even changed into frock robes which Harry assumed was a bad sign.

"I ‘ m looking but…"

"smell again."

Harry followed her gaze again and saw that Ron had emerged from the bathroom. He then followed Ron's to the couch were Hermione was sitting. Harry's jaw dropped. He watched as Ron hesitantly walked up to stomach in front line of Hermione. Her head came up and she said something, across the crowd together common elbow room Harry couldn't hear but it looked like ‘ what ? ’. Ron scratched his foreland and mumbled something. Hermione put her handwriting up to her ear. Ron leant down and spoke into her ear, his face bright red. Then, to Harry's heart-attack-inducing surprise, Hermione blushed as red as the boy standing in figurehead of her.

"No way…"Harry chuckled as Hermione flipped her record book closed and hurried towards the missy student residence. He looked back towards Parvati, who was wearing an expression of total smugness.

"I ‘ ll take that galleon off you any time Harry."

"You are the queer of the manipulative harpy-vultures you know that ?"Harry said, flipping a galleon at his friend.

"From you Harry I take that as a complement."Parvati snagged the coin and moved to observe Hermione. Harry saw that Padma and Ginny had both already gone up after her.

"Probably pulling off some sort of last minute Cinderella miracle."Harry shrugged and moved over to where Ron and Neville were standing.

"Harry, did you see that ! I-"

"I saw Ron,"Harry rolled his eyes and checked his watch."It only took you four bloody years."

"Hey !"Ron looked testy and Harry laughed.

"Listen, they ‘ ll prob ‘ ly be a while."Harry jerked a thumb back at the girls room."And I need to open the saltation. I ‘ ll meet up with you later Ok ?"

Ron nodded and Neville chirruped.

"Ok."The small anxious boy then nodded towards their red-headed protagonist and whispered."And I ‘ ll try to stay fresh him from screwing things up."

"You ‘ re a marauder Neville…"Harry shook his head."You ‘ re not god."
*


Harry took a mysterious breathing space and walked down the steps into the entrance antechamber. There were a few other Hogwarts male child already waiting down there, huddled in aflutter groups waiting for their date. Harry waved to a few of them and settled down to wait, leant against pillar.

"What is that your erosion potter ?"

Harry rolled his eyes then realized that the effect was ruined by having them closed. He opened them to see Malfoy standing in front of him wearing jet black gown and with Pansy Parkinson on his arm.

"Just for one dark Malfoy…"Harry sighed."…leave off. Just try to be almost human for once."

"Fine."The Slytherin's eye's narrowed."I ‘ ll stay away from you if you extend me the same courtesy."

"I ‘ ll be out of your hair as soon as Susan gets here."Harry glanced at the stride down to the kitchen but no one was coming.

"Susan pearl ?"Malfoy queried, he almost sounded actually curious.

"Yes, why."

"Just happy to see you ‘ ve asked a in good order pure stemma girl."Malfoy drew himself up."Just because your blood is tainted doesn ‘ t mean the Potter line has to go entirely to the dogs."

"Ok, three things…"Harry held up three finger."One : piece of ass you !"

"Potter-"

"Two,"Harry interrupted him."I asked her to a ball. That does not signify I intend to uphold any line with her in the good time to come. If nothing else we ‘ re bloody fourteen ! There are constabulary against that sort of thing."

"I ‘ ll give you that one."

"And three : …"Harry grinned."I didn ‘ t ask her because she ‘ s pure blood."

"Why did you ask her ?"Malfoy sniped acidly."Her early assets ?"

"I reserve the right to not incriminate myself."Harry cracked."By the way, does your date speak or does she just hang there like seaweed ?"Harry grinned at the outraged expression on Malfoy's face.

"well this has been lovely."Harry continued as he kicked himself off his pillar."We really should do this again."He brushed past the furious pair and walked up to the fig that had appeared up the stairs.

"Hi Susan."Harry greeted his date, biting his lip. She was wearing something blue and flowing, gown or dress or something he couldn't really put a name on just now. His eyes traveled down then back up again swiftly."You look amazing."

"Thank you Harry."Susan reached out and took his proffered hand."You look hansom as well. Your dress gown are really… unusual."

Harry caught the import and looked down. His robes was deep red cloth that came out over his legs like unconstipated robe but were buttoned in tight around his torso by two wide row of push. It's tenacious sleeves hugged his arms tightly but opened out right at the cuff to reveal the lighter lining. Plus, as Ron had noted, it ended at his neck with just a stub of a collar.

"I bought them in Switzerland."Harry shrugged."must be a dissimilar way than here in Britain. Oh well…"

"No it ‘ s nice."Susan said reassuringly."I saw some of the Beauxbatton boys wearing robes like that."

Harry shrugged, robe weren't of any particular concern to him. The shop class he had bought them in had had hundreds of robe in huge rank. He had chosen these for two reason. One, they didn't have all the lace and passementerie and profligate embellishment that about of the others had had and two ( and Harry cringed to admit this to himself ) they had looked like they would be easy to defend or run in if anything happened.

"Ready to open the dance."Harry asked, knowing that he himself wasn't.

"I think I ‘ ll do ok. My mother gave me lessons once."

"Lucky."Harry smiled ruefully. A second later McGonagall appeared, as if from nowhere.

"Well get to it."She snapped quickly."The early champions are already lining up to enter the hall."

Here we go. Harry gulped as they got into position.

"Nervous Potter ?"

"Just don ‘ t head trip over your seaweed and fall on me Malfoy."Harry's reflexive witticism circuits responded for him while the eternal sleep of his mastermind shivered with nervousness.

"And… go."McGonagall's voice rang out and the doors to the great Radclyffe Hall opened slowly, revealing an wintertime wonderland decorated with sparkling snow and ice carving. Harry just hoped it wouldn ‘ t make the floor slippery. He took Susan's handwriting and stepped forward purposely.

The lobby was wax of duet but a place was enlighten in the center. A very large space, that everyone was staring at.

"Oh great."Harry sighed as the euphony started up.

Harry let his mind drift back to the ten minutes of very rough dance lesson that Annapurna had given him yesterday. After he had broken down and begged.

"One two three one two three…"Harry counted off the pulse in his drumhead and tried not to step on his better half shoes. He found that so long as he kept to a very restrictive and repetitive function it actually wasn't too bad."One two three…"

"This is so romantic."Susan murmured."Like a fairytale."

"Yes it is, one two three."tinker's dam ! I can't talk and reckoning at the same time. Why didn't I ask a deaf-and-dumb person seaweed daughter ?

"Do you think we could get them to have a ball every year ?"

"Probably one two not three."

"They might if enough of us asked them too."

"I don ‘ t one two think so. one two thr… darn !"Harry almost fouled up his footwork and let himself breath. He stopped counting, hopefully by now his metrical foot could work out the rhythm method on their own."If they did the educatee would never come home plate for Christmas and then their parents would complain."

"I guess."Susan leant in and rested her oral sex on Harry's shoulder. Harry chuckled as he was reminded again of their relative heights."I guess I ‘ ll just have to enjoy this one."

"Enjoying it so far ?"Harry drew her in closer.

"Yes."Susan smiled cheekily."You ?"

"Yes."Harry answered, and found that he meant it. The dancing wasn't nearly as bad as he had thought it would be. The euphony stopped and Harry realized that he had survived the only dance that was required of him that evening. He glanced back at the blond Hufflepuff in front of him and grinned."halt in for the succeeding one ?"
*


Six dances later and Harry felt like he was almost getting comfortable with it when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked around to see one of the Durmstrum students that he didn't know.

"May I cut in ?"The boy said, with very little speech pattern. Harry glance at Susan, who nodded. She seemed to make out the guy somehow. Harry stepped aside and the two of them moved off, Susan giving him a little wave as they went.

Harry walked off the dancing storey, snagged a looking glass of something off a tray and moved to somewhere where he could see the total trading floor. It was sentence to check up on things. Harry chuckled and sipped the whatever-it-was as his eye scanned the hall.

He found Parvati first, who seemed to be choosing which of a several boys who were all clustered around her to run out over the terpsichore floor next. She caught his eye, smiled and subtly pointed to her right.

Harry followed her gaze and found Ron and Hermione sitting by one of the huge tables entire of food. Ron at least seemed to be talking between round of eating and he'd spotted them out on the terpsichore base earlier so that was probably very well. Hermione looked happy at any rate.

He couldn't find Neville and Padma anywhere but Ginny seemed to be happily talking with some Ravenclaw or other. Harry shrugged and took another sip of what he suspected was champagne charmed to be non-alcoholic. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Except that he now didn't have a saltation married person. He searched around for a familiar cheek and found one before walking over.

"young lady Delacour."He held his paw out to the seated Beauxbattons fighter."Would you care to embarrass me by dancing ten times better than I ever could ?"

The French young woman smiled and took his hand.

"But of courze."She stood and he led her out onto the saltation floor.

Harry settled into the calendar method of the new Sung dynasty and got used to dancing with soul taller than him. Since he was at least a infantry shorter than her that put his eyes right about level with her-

"So…"Harry interrupted his own mental monologue."Enjoying the dance so far ? Not been bothered by too many pushful bookman ?"

"I know how to look at with zem."Fleur replied haughtily, but Harry detected a trace of wittiness in her response."The only problem was our blighter champion."

"I ‘ m guessing we ‘ re not talking about Viktor."Harry said and she shook her heading."By the way we can talk in French if you want."

"My English iz sound than your French I think."Fleur replied pointedly.

"Probably."Harry shrugged."Would you like me to try and maintain Malfoy away from you for the rest of the ball ?"

"Non, I can deal with him."Fleur laughed, the effort was very interesting for Harry in his current berth and he tried to stop the blush spreading to his cheeks.

The song ended and Harry stepped back. Fleur curtsied politely and Harry bowed as he'd seen the French boys doing after they finished their dances. He caught Fleur looking over his shoulder and followed her regard to see a pair of 7th geezerhood moving off the dance floor.

"Iz he taken ?"Fleur asked with a smile.

"Not anymore."Harry winked and turned to ask the boys partner for a dance.

She turned out to be giggly and talkative so Harry let her lallation on for the duration of the dance before moving off gratefully and sitting on one of the benches by the solid food. He nabbed a duet of the remaining tidbits and lay back relaxed. He had been on his feet since the starting time of the egg and it felt good just to take a few minute to himself.

"So…"

Knew it was too right to be true.

"… you are protagonist with the Pythea ?"

Harry glanced to his left field and saw Igor Karkaroff sitting following to him, an purport formulation on his face.

"We know each other."Harry said warily giving nothing away.

"Of course a man of your standing probably knows many people in high places."

"Standing."Harry didn't make it a question but the headmaster answered anyway.

"As the boy-who-lived."

"Oh that."Harry nodded."Yes that's me."

"I think that we perhaps got off on the wrong foot."Karkaroff said in a simpering manner.

"Do you now."Harry tried to find oneself an exit from the conversation but couldn't think of one.

"I would like for you to think of me as a friend."

"Stop two'ing me then."

"I could… give you higher marks."Karkaroff said slyly.

"Oh ! No no !"Harry said quickly, realizing what his flippant remark could have been interpreted as."Just stop over being unfairly harsh."

"Of course."Once again the simpering timber."And perhaps we could… do something… together."

Harry sighed.

"Perhaps during the school Holliday you could chaffer Dumstrum."

"This vacation I ‘ m going to… Kenya."Harry said a country at random.

"I could regale you to a maven concert at one of the grand entrance hall in Europe."

"Can't, allergy. All the dust and stuff."

"Or… we could…"Karkaroff seemed to be casting around for another activity."Take the Durmstrum ship and go fishing, as friends."

"Are you trying to ask me out ?"Harry said tersely, tired of the conversation."I ‘ m flattered but you ‘ re too old for me."

"I just want you to feel comfortable asking me for favors."Karkaroff said expansively."That is what friends do… avail each other. Introduce each early to former friends…"

Harry groaned inwardly.

"That form of thing."Karkaroff finished with a faux smile."Whatever you need. What 's mine is yours."

I'd rather squeeze my centre out with a rusty-

"Thank you."Harry nodded."I ‘ ll think about it. But for now I ‘ ve just remembered I promised someone a dance."

Harry stood quickly and whistled softly. A second later a shine form drifted up through the floor.

"You remembered !"Vinca minor cried happily.

"Of course of study I did."Harry reached out and took her icy hand."Didn ‘ t think I ‘ d forget about you did you."

Harry led the ghost out onto the terpsichore floor, away from the startled Headmaster.
*


Harry gave Ginny up to a Beauxbatons student and sat back down on a bench. Now he had danced with all the female marauder. Parvati had spent most of the time crowing that all her predictions had come true, Padma was very laconic about where she had disappeared to with Neville, Hermione seemed exasperated with Ron and Harry couldn't work out whether it was formula contestation or an actual problem, Ginny was just empty-headed and sparkly. Of all of them Myrtle had actually danced the best, at some point in her pre-ghost life she had obviously practiced for more than ten arcminute. Harry made a mental note to ask for lessons if there ever was another dance.

Harry glanced up at the clock and realized that there couldn't be too many More dances left. He needed to save the final stage one for Susan but there were a few to go before that.

Harry glanced around and realized that there was one person he hadn't seen on the dance floor yet. His heart found her sitting over by one of the ice sculptures, her own pure-white robes making her flavour almost like part of the decoration.

"Hi Thea."Harry greeted and sat down adjacent to her."Haven't seen you on the dancing floor much."

"Dumbledore was polite enough to dance with me a few times."The seer said, smiling."Everyone else seems to be intimidated."

"You should have said."Harry frowned, then grinned cheekily and winked."I ‘ d have set ‘ em straight."

"It ‘ s quite alright."Pythea laughed."I get invited to a quite a few balls."

"well there ‘ s time for a few more dances."Harry held his script out."semen on."

"Thank you Harry."Pythea took his hired hand and they walked out into the dance floor.

They swayed to the medicine for a while, Harry finding his rhythm.

"Are you still wearing it ?"Pythea asked suddenly.

"The necklace ?"Harry smiled and drew the Chain out from the social movement of his gown."Always."

"Good."Pythea grew serious for a moment."Always keep it on. You will take it."

"Soon ?"Harry looked into the prophesier's mismatched eyes."Do you see me needing it soon ?"

"I see nothing."Pythea said enigmatically and broke his gaze before tucking the little casing back into his dress robe."But yes, I don ‘ t think it will be too a good deal longer before you need it."

"You ‘ re still not gon na tell me what it does ?"

"No."

"Brat."

Pythea smiled and they danced another call without speech production. A suspicion began to grow in Harry's mind.

"Pythea ?"Harry said, suspiciously."You said you get invites to lots of clod ?"

"Yes ?"

"Do you suffice any of them ?"

"W… why ?"A little quaver entered the seer's voice.

"You ‘ re counting."Harry grinned.

"I am ?"Her eye's opened wide.

"One two three one two three."Harry nodded."Under your breath, I doubt anyone else noticed."

"Dumbledore ?"

"Oh no he probably noticed."Harry nodded."You ‘ ve never been to a ball before either have you ?"

"I have… had dance deterrent example at the temple."Pythea said, a footling defensively. A moment later she sagged, dejectedly."I haven ‘ t been the Pythea very long."

"How long ?"

"The year you visited was my first."Pythea whispered into his ear."I wasn ‘ t allowed to wait on events until my training was finished so as to avoid plethora. It wouldn ‘ t do to seduce mistakes."

"plethora ? enumeration is embarrassing ?"

"Harry didn ‘ t you see how everyone acted when I got here ?"Pythea spoke quietly into his ear."I have been trained since before I can commend to be the unceasing Pythea. Since the day I was taken from my parents. I am supposed to be the unchanging likeness of the outset Oracle, M of days ago. Anything early than beau ideal is embarrassing."

"Wow, well it ‘ s ok."Harry winked."I won ‘ t say anything and I ‘ m for sure Dumbledore won ‘ t. He ‘ s too polite."

"Thank you Harry."Pythea seemed to be surprisingly relieved."If they found out about a gaffe like that they wouldn't let me out again for a foresighted time."

"Let you out ?"Harry shuddered. The floating temple of the oracle with its vines, heights above the ground below suddenly took on more forbidding connotations in his psyche. Harry hesitated, then decided to speak what was on his mind."Are you… lonely there ?"

"Sometimes."Pythea said it matter-of-factly, like it was an inevitable fact of life.

"I could visit this summer."Harry offered.

"That… that would be lovely."Pythea said sadly."But I do not cogitate Dumbledore would approve."

"He ain ‘ t the boss of me."Harry grinned.

"No, he is not."Pythea sighed."But I think by this summertime you may be busy."She reached out and pressed her hand against the shell chandelier under Harry's robes, then stepped aside, smiling sadly.

Harry was confused for a here and now then realized that it was the last dance, she was stepping aside so he could retrieve Susan. Harry waved a thank-you to her then scanned the dorm to obtain his date.

"Over here Harry !"

Harry hurried over to the splattering of blue he could see among the early robes and took Susan's hand just as the music started.

"Whew."Harry smiled."Just in time."

"We sort of lost racecourse of each early in the centre there didn ‘ t we ?"Susan said as they began to move to the slow rhythm of the stopping point dance.

"We started the dance together and we ‘ re ending it together."Harry shrugged."The bit in the middle got a bit fuzzy but I still had fun."

"So did I."Susan moved closer and Harry hesitantly put his arms around her waistline."But I wish we had spent Thomas More time together."

"I ‘ ll have to make it up to you sometime."Harry looked into his escort heart."Like next Hogsmeade weekend ?"

"You ‘ re still not prescribed allowed to go to Hogsmeade."

"By now they ‘ ve probably stopped trying to block me."Harry quipped.

"Then I ‘ d love to go with you."

"Great."Harry grinned.

"My parents are coming to see the bit task."Susan said suddenly."They ‘ d love to fill you."

second task ? … I still need to sour out the bloody egg.

Harry groaned inwardly. Something always had to destroy it.
*


Harry led Susan back to the Hufflepuff vulgar elbow room and strolled back up through the darkened castle. When he reached the Gryffindor common room almost everyone had already retired. The merely one still in the room was Neville, nodding off in a chairman by the fire.

"Nev ?"Harry poked him awaken."Why are you still up ?"

"Oh Harry…"Neville rubbed his center."Just waiting for you to get here. someone had to stick around to tell you."

"William Tell me what ?"Harry's eye's narrowed.

"Um…"

"Where ‘ s your date ?"

"Up with Hermione. All the girl are."Neville said dejectedly.

"They are ? Why…"Suddenly Harry worked it out and groaned."What did Ron do ?"

"He um… looked at Fleur."Neville said evasively."Like, not at her face. And for a longsighted time too, about five minutes when Hermione was the right way there."

"What did Hermione say ?"Harry asked, dreading the answer.

"She wasn ‘ t happy."Neville shook his head."But it was what Ron said that really ticked her off."

"What did Ron say ?"Harry could just feel the loading caravan approaching.

"Something along the business line of…"Neville's hilltop creased as he tried to retrieve."‘ What do you have a bun in the oven ? They're right there and they're huge.'”

Harry covered his face with his hands and sank into an armchair.

"You ‘ re kidding me ?"

"No."

"That really sucks."

"He could have said a lot of worse things."Neville pointed out.

"Like what ?"Harry challenged.

"Like ‘ They're better than yours which are small and underdeveloped.'or ‘ Shut up you're blocking my view.'”

"Ok ok !"Harry laughed, covering his sass to stifle the giggles."The trouble is I can actually see Ron saying that."

"Well…"Neville spread his manus,"We tried."

"We did."Harry nodded."It ‘ s up to Ron now. How ‘ d your evening go ?"

"variety of got ruined by all this."Neville shrugged sadly.

"Where did you disappear to early on ?"Harry asked slyly.

"We… we went to the rose garden. But we didn ‘ t do anything."Neville quickly added."We kind of decided to detain just friends for now."

"Guess its just as well."Harry sighed."I ‘ m already trying to juggle too many ships."

"Keeps the consultation guessing."
*


The atmosphere around the marauders in the calendar week after the ball could best be described as ‘ icy ’. Harry tried to demote the frozenness between the two camps. Well, two camps was an exaggeration. There was the girls, there was Ron and there was Harry and Neville trying to continue out of sight by the sidelines.

The two boy dealt with the situation in the most mature way they could think of. They hid in the library. Any time they actually had to be present, like object lesson or repast, they tried to continue serenity on the bound so as not to be tarred with the Saami encounter as Ron. Harry tried to make conversation at breakfast though, in spurts.

"What lesson do we birth first ?"

"It ‘ s Saturday."Parvati said flatly.

"Ah, right."Harry said lamely.

Hermione snorted and flicked receptive the daily prophet. Harry looked over at Ron who was sulking over his bowl of cereal. Harry mouthed the work ‘ apologise'at him but he pretended not to notice. Harry mouthed it again, followed by the words ‘ or else ’. Ron just hunched lower. Harry sighed and turned back.

"Anything in the word ?"Harry asked desperately."Any Sir Thomas More unusual destruction ?"

"No, just a steady one."Hermione shrugged."An old witch in Dorset named gentlewoman Ellen Hayward."

"Suspicious ?"Harry asked, interested.

"She was over a one hundred and fifty class old Harry."Hermione answered dismissively."Even beldam and wizards die eventually. It ‘ s sad but it ‘ s not suspicious."

Not if you don't looking at too closely.

Harry sat bolt good. Had he really heard that or had he imagined it ?

You heard it.

Harry looked around surreptitiously, trying to gauge where the phonation could be coming from. It sounded familiar… Harry's eye's led him up to the high table and along to where Pythea sat, watching him quietly over a plate full of cut fruit.

Good morning Harry.

"Good daybreak Thea."Harry thought and saw her smile."How was London ?"

Greater London was wonderful Harry. The politicians that inhabit it however are akin to poisonous sea biff. Slippery and spiky at the same time.

"You didn ‘ t have fun then ?"Harry projected sarcastically.

I prefer Hogwarts.

"Fireworks over the Thames though,"Harry thought back."For new-years, that ‘ s always good. I saw a few of them when I lived in London."

Oh yes, I'd almost forgotten. Pythea smiled wryly. One day of luminousness and beauty and four weeks of conferences.

"Such is life."

Stop trying to be sagely Harry. With me that's a contest you won't win. I'm surprised you took in the displays though, weren't you officious trying to survive ?

"Are you kidding ?"Harry laughed in his mind."Everyone looking at the sky, no one watching their pockets, it's dark and noisy… you see where I ‘ m going with this."

I should throw known. Pythea chuckled But we've got distracted from the point. She pointed at the paper in strawman of her and looked down at the obituary. Interesting isn ‘ t it…

"Is there something I ‘ m missing ?"Harry pulled a copy over towards himself and scanned the text.

There didn ‘ t seem to be anything there. Harry looked back at the front page but had no association, it was just some outrage involving the minister of conjuration and some accusal of embezzlement. Harry flicked to the back varlet. The Chudley carom had lost another biz ( howling week for Ron ). There didn ‘ t seem to be anything else interesting. Harry shook his head.

"I don ‘ t see it. Did soul stand to inherit or something ?"

Possibly, but that was not what I was referring to. Pythea smiled mysteriously.

"have you… you know… seen something ?"

You don't have to be an Oracle to see what I'm talking about. Pythea closed the newspaper and looked around the dorm. The paper is only half the story.

"The other half is… ?"

Guess.

"Brat."Harry muttered and his fountainhead was filled with silent laughter.

I'll give you a clue. dustup are nix until somebody reads them.

Harry thought for a yearn moment, then smiled.

"people ‘ s reactions."Harry thought hesitantly, and was rewarded with a nod. Harry cast around the Radclyffe Hall."Who ‘ s reading ?"He scanned the Granville Stanley Hall and found Dumbledore, bent-grass over the report. It looked like it was open to the correctly page.

"Dumbledore ? Is he reading it ?"

Yes. But is that unusual ?

"Well…"Harry tried to put it together in his head."They were about the same age, maybe they even went to school together. It ‘ s not surprising he ‘ s taking an interest."

good, who else ?

Harry scanned further and alighted on an unlikely candidate.

"Malfoy ?"The blond Slytherin was just staring at the outdoors page in front of him, his human face ashen and unclear. Harry could even see his chest rising and falling rapidly from across the elbow room. As Harry watched the champion he grabbed the newspaper off the table and walked quickly out of the hall.

"Ok, I admit,"Harry thought, nodding."That was interesting. But what does it mean ?"

It's a puzzle Harry. You like teaser don't you ?

"I have too many of them right now but usually yes."Harry shrugged."But I don ‘ t know what to make of this."

That's because you do not stimulate all the bit. Pythea projected cryptically. You will stimulate to try and find them.

Harry felt the presence give his mind.

"Harry ?"

"W… whut ?"Harry shook his head, confused.

"Harry are you OK ?"Parvati was saying, the Marauders were all staring at him."You ‘ ve been staring into infinite for like five minutes."

"And muttering to yourself."Ginny added."You looked variety of weird."

Harry stood up suddenly.

"I need to go to Dorset."

"You… What ? !"

"But first I need to verbalise to your brothers."Harry set off down the table quickly, a determined look on his face.

Behind him the marauder looked on aghast. Padma voiced what they were all thought process,

"Is it me or is he getting weirder ?"





Yes, I know the chapter 's a little fluffy. It had to be, you ca n't really publish a yule bollock that 's not.

Review anyway. Pretty please !


A small character of this is rather obviously lifted directly out of Goblet of Fire.



Harry slid out of the lake and dried himself off. He set the plastic bag he had drawn across the water on the ground and ripped it open. He lifted his leather bag out and set it back on his articulatio humeri before setting off at a jog towards Hogsmeade.

As he neared the small town he flicked it undecided and pulled a sorcerous masque out that made him look wizened and old. He also threw a shattered black cloak over his Hogwarts gown and walked into the grunter headspring. He didn't feeling at the clientele, already smelling of firewhisky at ten in the morning, and stepped up to the bar.

"I need to use the flue."Harry said. He didn't bother to conceal his voice, the barkeeper was undoubtedly used to unknown than him and even if not he probably wouldn ‘ t aid. The bartender grunted and pointed towards a greasy sign.

Flue for customers only

"I ‘ ll have a butterbeer then."Harry took the proffer bottle and salute it in one swallow before walking over to the fireplace and spinning himself to the tattling cauldron.

Harry rushed into Diagon alley, feeling very exposed even in his disguise. He reached the steps of Gringots and stepped inside it's columned entrance. He emerged a few moment later with a small bag of muggle money. He wasn't worried about the goblin ratting him out, confidentiality was a given with them.

Harry had one finally errand to run in Diagon before he left. He reached into his bag and popped the inaugural of the Gemini the Twins gifts into his oral fissure. Instantly he felt his pharynx constrict and grow scratchy, he coughed deeply and citizenry in the street turned to look at him. It got a little better after a few moments but it still felt raw.

He tried to talk and his voice came out old and leathery. perfect tense. damage like netherworld but perfect for concealing his voice.

He walked into the chemist, taking care to make his stone's throw a niggling faltering and weak.

"howdy my good man."Scratchy and cruddy like a lifelong smoker."Do you have any fox urine ?"

"Fox… pee ?"The man behind the counter looked at him like he was mad.

"Yes, I need it for a potion."

"No potion I know of use fox urine."

"How ‘ bout wolf weewee ?"Harry asked, stepping up to the tabulator."Do you have wolf pee ?"

"No."The shopkeeper was just staring at him now."No we don ‘ t have wolf urine. Now can you-"

"Weasel ?"

"No now…"The storekeeper paused for a consequence."We do have weasel musk…"

"Yes that ‘ ll be perfect."Harry smiled through his leathery mask. The tradesman hesitated."You have some sorting of job ?"

"I don't have a problem."The shopkeeper rolled his eyes and stepped into the room behind his desk."How lots do you need."

"About a gallon."

"A GALLON ! …"There was the sound of angry murmuring and sloshing from the stowage. A few minutes later the man stepped back behind the desk with a large looking glass bottle full of xanthous liquid. The bobfloat was sealed on with red wax."Do you know how many weasels you have to milk to get this much ?"

"How much ?"Harry ignored the interrogative sentence and drew out his wallet. The shopkeeper told him and Harry paid happily.

"Have fun."The market keeper said dryly."Whatever you ‘ re planning to do…"

Harry dropped the bottle into his bottomless bag and stepped out of the shop. He changed out of his gown in the cauldron's can and slid quickly out into muggle London.

He stepped quickly along the roads at once both comrade and profoundly alien. It was as if he had had two lives, the one he had lived on these streets and the of magic and wonder at Hogwarts. Now it was like the two were colliding and he felt confused, felt like a little kid again but at the same sentence he could feel how far he'd semen. His instinct didn't know how to react and he found himself searching for place to hide or run while at the Sami time fingering his wand hidden in his sleeve.

He was glad when he finally set invertebrate foot in Waterloo station and could buy a slate to Bournemouth. The string was a surreal experience, sitting close to the window and flying past the world he was no longer part of.

It took more than two hours to get there, ample metre to spin his persuasion round and beat in his head. He tried to work out exactly how stupid he was being. ‘ Very ’, he decided. Very, very dullard. He didn't know what would happen to him if it was discovered that he had snuck out of Hogwarts. Hogsmeade was one matter but this… And if he was discovered once he got there ? At the passel of a recent death ?

Very, very, very stupid.

Harry shut his eyes and focused on the one thing telling him he was doing the right wing thing.

"Pythea sent me here."Harry nodded and bit his lip as he repeated the mantra over and over in his headland."And if the prophet of Delphi tells you to do something… then it ‘ s not dolt to do it."

Harry really wished the discussion didn't sound so hollow.

He left the train and got on a bus. He left the bus in the centre of a study of scrub and chalky dry land. The sea was just out of great deal but he could listen the waves crashing against the rocks, ominous and threatening.

The bus driver had looked at him weird when he'd asked to be let out in the midsection of nowhere. Harry knew better, it was only the middle of nowhere to muggles. Harry shucked his bag up eminent on his berm and walked towards the sound of the waving, towards the stately Andrew Dickson White manor house house near the edge of the cliffs.

It was blindingly obvious where the border of the wards were. Someone had laid grass and flowers right up to an inconspicuous line on the ground, scrubbing gave way to garden like it was cut with a razor. Harry wondered why there wasn't a wall around the property. Either the woman who lived there trusted the Mrs. Humphrey Ward implicitly or she liked the panorama too often to bar it away.

And the panorama was spectacular. The drop-off arching away to either incline and the sea stretching into the length. It was an impressive view, enough to print anyone. Anyone early than a aquaphobe. Harry shuddered and tried to hold back the sea out of view.

He pulled the massive bottle of musk out of his bag. It took him a second to work the stopper out. He went up as close to the wards as he dared and started dribbling the foul smelling stuff onto the ground. He poured it in as fold to a hemicycle as he could cope, the other end of the ark also touching the wards, boxing him in.

Harry corked the nursing bottle again and pushed it back into his bag. Now came the risky region. He pulled out the endorsement of the Gemini gifts to him, a little chocolate bon-bon. He hesitated, cringing for a moment as he realized he still had musk on his finger, then popped it in his mouth.

Instantly he felt his tum clench, a moment later white fur spread over his hired hand and arms. He just had clip to feel his capitulum begin to shoot up his drumhead before his mind went blank.
*


The rabbit twitched it's nose and looked around. It felt like something was wrongly, something was different, but it couldn't oeuvre out what.

Mind you it was a rabbit so it couldn't try very hard.

It raised its head and sniffed the air. There was a foreign odor… Weasel ! It could smell a weasel ! Was it nearby ? The bunny took a couple of decelerate record hop, no the smell was stronger here. It dashed the former way, getting desperate. firm here too !

The bunny broke into a run in the other direction, shooting across the solid ground into a bed of flowers. It dashed under the vines of a pumpkin vine industrial plant and sat there shivering. It would just wait here, wait here until-
*


"Well,"Harry stood, brushed a pumpkin vine leaf out of his hair and agitate the dirt from his robes."That worked like a charm."

Harry shook his brain to crystallise the survive of the bunny-ness from it and checked to make for sure he didn't still have a tail.

"Any-ward, any-where, any-time."Harry chuckled and set off towards the house.

The cover threshold was unlocked and Harry slid in, thrifty not to stir anything too much. He didn't know whether adept knew how to discipline DNA or fingerprint but he wasn't taking any chances. Harry looked around at the gravid kitchen he had walked into, an army of house elves probably worked there just a few Clarence Day ago. Now it was silent.

Harry pushed receptive another door and, after a unforesightful corridor, found himself in a high-ceilinged dining room. It held elegant chandeliers and a long reddish brown table, it had silver candlesticks and sumptuous red-velvet mantle. It also held no indication of ever having been used any sentence this century.

This had been the place of one old woman living alone Harry remembered. She probably didn't eat in the yard dining room, didn ‘ t use virtually of these rooms probably. He was proved right when a few doors down he found a smaller work. This room showed star sign of use, the al-Qur'an on the board by the windowpane ever had a bookmark in it, near the end. She hadn't had a chance to finish up it.

Another humble table was obviously in use as a workbench. A minor flipbook lay clear, as Harry moved closer he saw it was filled with pressed flowers.

Harry suddenly felt a ball form above his nerve. He had realized what he was really doing here. Invading the house of a numb woman. He considered turning around right there but shook his head, steeling himself against what he was doing. Pythea had sent him here, that meant he was supposed to be here.

Harry left the subject area and checked the only former door he hadn't tried. It opened onto a grand entrance hall with white marble tiles and columns holding up the balcony on the first floor. The staircase came down the middle, spreading out near the bottom.

Unfortunately the spectacular gist of the way was ruined by the vauntingly transport boxes that were stacked in a big money by one face of the stares.

Whatever piranha had stood to inherit obviously hadn't wasted any time.

Harry was about the check the elbow room across the hall when he heard something. He went still and tried to pinpoint it, it was coming from upstairs. Harry tiptoed up to the landing place, it was echoing along the corridor, a variety of sniffling noise.

One of the doors near the end was ajar. Harry crept towards it as the noise got louder. It sounded like soul sob. Harry tried to peer through the crack in the door but saw nothing. He pushed the room access just lightly with his foot and something came into his force field of view. Harry was so floor he didn't even notice as the door swung open.

The room looked like a reading material room, or a second work maybe, bookshelves covered every wall but one. The whole back wall was a massive windowpane looking out, offering a massive prospect over the garden behind the house, the furious scrub beyond that and the sea stretching to infinity beyond that. There was a armchair set right in the middle, where somebody could await out over the sea. The arms of it were clearly worn, someone had spent a tenacious lime sitting in that professorship. But that wasn't what had shocked Harry.

There was a boy sitting there in the heart of the room, collapsed on the floor on his knee joint. Under his thick blacken robe his breast was racked with sobs. He had his hands over his face and his finger's breadth curled into his white-blond hair.

Malfoy.

Harry just stood there, it was as if his body had been frozen. He must have made some motion because a moment later Malfoy's head jerked up and Harry's special K center met the watery Lady Jane Grey 1 staring up at him.

There was a moment when no one moved, then Malfoy's nerve flickered from brokenheartedness to disbelief, unbelief to confusion and disarray to rage.

"Stupefy !"

Harry threw himself back into the corridor as the charm pellet past his shoulder. Harry drew his wand and shot a bludgeoning hex at Malfoy but found to coming back at him a import later. Harry was forced back down the corridor as the enraged Slytherin threw hex after hex at him.

"Confringo !"Harry shot at a marble bust by Malfoy's head and the flak caused him to sidestep and stumble.

"Ferio !"The spell hit Malfoy in the slope and sent him to the floor

"Petrificus To-"

"Expelliarmus !"

Harry felt his verge jerked out of his hand. He tried to seize it but it slipped through his fingerbreadth and landed in Malfoy's open ribbon. A moment later a glowing execration hit him in the look like a Ball of needles and threw him to the floor.

As Harry shivered in pain in the neck and tried to stimulate off the tone that his grimace was being grated a shadow passed over him.

"Now Potter."Malfoy grated."We ‘ re going to sustain a recollective talk about why you ‘ re here and what I ‘ m going to do to you."

"I doubt it."Harry snarled and kicked Malfoy's feet out from under him. Some spell pin-wheeled over Harry's read/write head and he ducked to the trading floor. He leapt at Malfoy and grabbed both his blazon to intercept him casting to a greater extent enchantment. Malfoy was writhing and spitting to try and get him off. Harry brain butted him in the chin and he yelled out in pain.

Somehow Malfoy managed to get a helping hand costless and stabbed his finger into Harry's throat. Harry grabbed Malfoy's tomentum and jerked him away. Harry shot back and managed to find his ft, he saw Malfoy rise and bring his sceptre to take over. Harry reacted on instinct and launched himself, shoulder first, into the Slytherins's stomach. They both flew backwards and Harry heard a loud crash of splintering woodwind. The two son dropped like pit, far foster than they should have.

It was only then that Harry remembered they had been fighting on the upstairs landing.

"Oh great,"Harry thought in that moment as he brought up his manus to cover his foreland."This is going to ache far too much."

The marble floor rose to converge him. Harry felt the impact in every bone and heftiness, like some shockwave had shot through him and offend everything. He winced and tried to push himself up. The instant his left hand hit the floor a stab of nuisance ran through him and he gingerly pulled it back.

Broken articulatio radiocarpea. Wonderful.

Harry stood on trembling leg and looked over at where Malfoy had fallen. The slimy pure stemma was whimpering into the floor so he was probably alive. Harry walked over and snatched both their wands from where they ‘ d rolled. Malfoy was bleeding from somewhere. Harry knelt by him and pushed him over to get a respectable look.

"Oh stop call you big baby."Harry said disgustedly."You ‘ ve only got a divulge nose."

"It hurts."

"That ‘ s why they call them broken."Harry shrugged and stood."What the sin are you doing here anywhere ?"

"I could ask you the same."Malfoy shot back, looking very silly. He was trying to draw out of regal arrogance with blood dripping from his nose.

"Yes you could. You wouldn ‘ t get an solution though because I hold all the cards."Harry grinned."Oh, did I say cards ? I meant wands !"Harry lowered his towards the boy on the floor."Tell me why you ‘ re here ! Why did you pinch out of Hogwarts to come here ?"

"I have More right to be here than you do."Malfoy pulled himself up to a sitting billet and wiped the stemma off his face with a arm."Why shouldn't I visit Ellen ‘ s house ?"

"You know she ‘ s drained ?"

"Yes potter that ‘ s painfully obvious."Malfoy sneered."I ‘ m here because she ‘ s an old family protagonist. What ‘ s your alibi ?"

"Following a tip."Harry's head snapped back as a loud bell rang out across the hall.

"That ‘ s the wards."Malfoy said, surprised.

Harry ran to the front doorway and peered out from between the curtain. He saw a flash of calamitous robe and jerked back, his substructure skidding on the floor.

"Aurors !"There wasn't metre to get out the Charles Martin Hall, Harry dove behind a pile of boxes just as the boor hold began to sour. He felt Malfoy swoop in beside him. The two boy waited in mortal silence as the room access creaked open.

"augury of a struggle sir."Harry heard a daughter voice say."Broken banister, origin on the floor."

"more than a simple looting call then."A mysterious articulation, heavy.

"Perhaps they fought with the homeowner ?"A back male voice, untried, suggested.

"Didn ‘ t you read the note ?"Girly said irritably."The homeowner ‘ s suddenly. That ‘ s the whole reason we ‘ re here."

"Trainee Nymphadora is correct."Deep agreed."There shouldn ‘ t be any magic at this premise, let alone underage magic."

Harry groaned silently. Of course of study. The ministry could detect underage legerdemain, and he and Malfoy had been throwing spells around like they were back at Hogwarts.

"We are imbecile,"Harry thought. He turned and his eyes met Malfoy's, he could tell the other boy was thinking the same thing.

"So maybe the looters fought each other."The male trainee was saying."Arguing over spoil ?"

"Possible."deep sounded as if he was just tolerating this youngster."We can not make love at present."

"Should I take a line sampling ?"

Malfoy's eyes dig wide open.

"No, we search the mansion first. They could still be here. Jandred you stay here and cause sure they do not try to leave by the front door. Nymphadora, with me."

Harry heard footsteps move away to the door towards the dining room. His mind was already churning possibilities. If they took the blood, they would discover it was Malfoy's and arrest him. At which point Malfoy would call on Harry over in a heartbeat.

Harry drew his wand and disillusioned himself as quietly as possible. He heard Malfoy hiss something behind him but ignored him. Harry peered out from behind a box and saw that the man, Jandred, was looking the former way. Harry slid out from behind the box and moved closer as silently as he was able.

Should have silenced my feet.

Harry cursed himself for forgetting but kept tiptoeing closer. When he was within a few measure of the patch of blood on the base he whispered,

"Scourgify !"The stemma disappeared and Harry shot behind a mainstay just as the trainee auror turned around.

Harry forced himself to breath shallowly and quietly. A longsighted moment went past but the man didn't seem to notice that the blood was gone. Harry looked over and saw that Malfoy had made his way to a side of meat door and was beckoning to him from behind it.

Harry waited until the auror turned back and then slunk towards the blond Slytherin. He went sideways to get through the door.

"Where are we going ?"Harry mouthed but Malfoy ignored him and walked quietly along the corridor. At the early end he pushed on a segment of rampart and Harry was amazed to see it swing inwards. A secret door !

Harry followed quickly behind and closed the door behind him.

"Where are we ?"

"servant's passages Potter."Malfoy seemed to be able to make even a whisper a sneer."All true old pure blood line houses have them so the handmaid can travel around without getting underfoot."

"persuasion you used house elves ?"Harry said disparagingly as they made their way through the dusty corridor.

"There was a time when it was seen as a mark of reliable wealthiness to be capable to give ace slaves as well."Malfoy ducked under a massive gossamer."Alas those clock time have passed."

"Oh for the good old days."Harry said sarcastically.

Malfoy came to a block near a trapdoor in the floor and levered the doorway open with his foot.

"We can get out here, the passage goes all the way outside the Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth. It ‘ s how I got in."

"Why are you doing this ?"Harry asked quizzically."Why are you helping me ?"

"Why did you clean up the blood ?"

"Are you kidding ? If they ‘ d have caught you you'd hired man me over in a mome-"Harry paused."That ‘ s why you ‘ re doing this isn ‘ t it ?"

"point on Potter. Get in the shit tunnel."
*


The two boys emerged like moles in a field miles away from the theater, blinking and shielding their eyes from the sunlight. Harry could see the family far in the space, a white blot against the sky.

"That was a serious tunnel."Harry tried to get his bearing and body of work out how to get back to the train station."Town ‘ s that way."

"Give me my wand back."Malfoy said to Harry's back. Harry hesitated, then tossed it over his shoulder.

Harry began trudging through the grass and a moment later Malfoy fell into step beside him.

"Why were you really there ?"Harry asked suddenly.

"I told you ceramist she was a family friend."Malfoy said curtly.

"If she was a family friend your father could stimulate taken you out of school."Harry pointed out."Instead you sneak out on your own."

"I wanted to know the whole story."Malfoy said angrily.

"What do you stand for the whole taradiddle ?"

"You don ‘ t… ? You don ‘ t know."Malfoy shook his principal then began again as if explaining something to a baby."The Daily vaticinator works hard not to violate the wizarding families you understand."

"Yeah."

"You remember what it said Ellen Hayward died of ?"

"She…"Harry tried to project her mind back."It said she must have unify one of her medicinal potions untimely. Used too much-"

"Exactly !"Malfoy cut in."That's what they say on the surface. They don't want to pique us but they still need to broadcast the news so they have these footling codes."

"Codes in the paper ?"

"Yes Potter,"Malfoy gestured with his custody as he explained."If they say mortal say… died in his sopor then that means he was smothered by a family member."

"Nice."Harry cringed back.

"Don ‘ t be so squeamish."Malfoy scoffed."magic spell misfired mean value they were experimenting with dark conjuration, unexpected illness usually means they caught something from a scarlet woman."

"You ‘ re fourteen Malfoy, say prostitute."

"And a mistake mixing potions is code for suicide."Malfoy lapsed into silence.

"So…"Harry said carefully.

"So Ellen was the to the lowest degree likely person in the reality to consider felo-de-se !"Malfoy snapped."She had more life in her than women half her age ! She used to pop around to our sign of the zodiac all the clip, or we would go to hers. She was an active member of pure descent company, and in good health. She would not wipe out herself !"

They walked in silence for a fiddling room as Harry digested all off that.

"You suspect murder then."Harry said quietly.

"I just think it ‘ s suspicious."Malfoy said angrily.

There was Thomas More secretiveness. They reached the tarmac road and fell into step along it easily.

"Did you hear about Rita Skeeter ?"Harry said after a piece."That was suspicious too."

Malfoy said aught, but he bit his lip and seemed to be thinking. As they reached the bound of town Malfoy stopped suddenly.

"I ‘ m going this way."He pointed up a disused looking alleyway."This is my way home."

"You wouldn ‘ t consider giving me a facelift would you ?"Harry said jokily.

"Don't be an idiot Potter."Malfoy turned and walked down the alley.

"Figures."Harry shrugged, shifted his bag in high spirits up on his articulatio humeri and headed into town.

As he was walking through a shopping street on his way back to the train station he heard an odd noise. A form of low moaning without words. It was also familiar. His ears pricked up as he tried to pinpoint it. It was coming from a little store, one of those nature shops that sold incense, wicker wall-hangings, wooden sculptures and useless junk like that. Harry moved into it and tried to pick out the noise, it was coming from a tapeline player on a stand.

Harry's fingers moved to the little pommel on the top. How did these things work again ? Dudley had had one… Harry twisted one boss to no effect, he tried another marked pitch shot and the phone got humbled. Ah ! Harry twisted it all the way the other way and jerked the loudness knob to full.

A senior high pitched warbling scream filled the store, causing Harry to both cringe in annoyance and yell in victory. It sounded almost exactly like the golden egg.

"Hey !"The shopkeeper yelled at him and rushed over to reset the machine."What the hell do you opine you ‘ re doing kid ?"

"Sorry,"Harry shrugged apologetically."What was that ?"

"It was whale Song dynasty before you screwed with it."The man said angrily.

"Whale song…"Harry smiled and nodded."Thank you."He turned and walked out of the shop.

*

It was dark and bitingly cold by the clip Harry hauled himself out of the lake and squelched into Hogwarts. Swimming across the lake at Night with a wear articulatio radiocarpea had possibly been the most terrifying experience of Harry's living and he was gladiolus when he managed to reach the fat lady's portrait.

"Oh you poor dear."She said."You look like a you've been through the wars."

"looking worse from in here."Harry smiled up at her and she opened without him saying anything else.

Harry barely had the vigour to drop his clothes on the storey and crawling into bed before sleep took him.

He the rabbit again, running through the woods away from something. The orchard apple tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree were in full efflorescence and the air was full of pink flower petal. A twisted counterpoint to the fear coursing through his bantam body. Something caught him, grabbed him by the ears. He kicked and scratched as hard as he could but it was no good, the monumental wickedness shape holding him just laughed. Harry screamed as it plunged it's hanker fingers into his forehead.

"Harry !"

Harry jerked awake and looked around, Ron and Neville were standing over him worriedly.

"Bad dream."Harry muttered and slid out of bed."The one where I'm naked in the middle of the great antechamber again. time to get up anyway."

"How was Dorset Harry ?"Neville said quietly.

"coldness. Going to the beach in Jan ‘ s a really stupid idea."Harry grinned and walked towards the showers.

Harry visited the hospital wing quickly to fix his wrist joint ("Stairs again Harry ?"“ Sure, we can go with that.") and wandered down towards the peachy lobby in good John Barleycorn. He had a good clue on the egg, he hadn't been caught and he'd gained a worthful clue. All in all it was a good…

Bugger.

Harry froze as he reached the incoming of the great hall before forcing himself to continue and take a arse. Up on the high table, sitting future to Dumbledore, was a marvelous fatal man in auror's robes.
*


"Good cockcrow students."Dumdledore stood as soon as everyone had gathered in the great hall."Before we eat this break of day, auror Shacklebolt from the ministry has something to say."

Everyone in the hall was looking at the improbable auror as he stood. Everyone except the marauders who were all looking at Harry.

"What the hell did you do ?"Hermione hissed in his ear and Harry shushed her into silence.

"commodity morning."The auror said, he seemed to recall this was all the origination requisite because he proceeded to launch right in."Yesterday there was an incident at the star sign of a recently deceased witch near Bournemouth."

"That ‘ s in Devon."Hermione hissed.

"Is it ? Is it really ?"Harry hissed back."The geography deterrent example is fascinating now kindly shut up !"

"We were alerted to it by underage magic."The auror continued."But whoever it was is also guilty of breaking and entering, illegally breaching Mrs. Humphrey Ward, attribute impairment, vandalism and theft."

Theft ?

"judging by the difficulty of the spells detected the suspect must be at least of Hogwarts age."The auror's dark eyes swept over the scholarly person."And since there are currently no school age whizz in Great Britain who chose not to attend Hogwarts the culprit is person in this room."

Harry glanced over at Malfoy and met the other boy's eyes. They were both thinking the Saami matter, ‘ If one of us goes down, we both go down. ’.

"There was blood left at the scene, but whoever it was cleaned up after themselves."Harry breathed a sigh of relief in his intellect."But thankfully we were able to recover some strands of hair."

The auror held up a pocket-size, decipherable envelope. Harry adjusted his spectacles but couldn't see anything in there before the auror put it back in the sac of his robes.

"A simple cirrus ab clavis spell will determine who it belongs to."Shacklebolt continued."So in a second some of you will be escorted to the hospital wing where you will be tested."

"Only some of us ?"somebody called out.

"Yes, the tomentum is blond."Shacklebolt stood and began walking out of the hall.

Harry gulped, the fact that the hair's-breadth wasn't his really didn't assist him much. Malfoy would still rat him out.

"Harry what ‘ s going on ?"

"Not now Hermione."Harry stood and walked calmly towards the end of the table, plenty of other people were getting up to go the lectures so he hoped it wasn't too leery. The teachers had begun wrangling the blond students into group. Harry deliberately didn't look over at the Slytherin table, he already knew what he'd see.

As soon as he was out of sight of the manor hall he broke into a dash, shooting along the corridor and sliding sideways behind a tapis before throwing himself up a arcanum stairway. He had to reach the infirmary wing before the auror did, or he was beat meat. He dashed out of the stairwell and down a disused passage, ducking under cobwebs.

A minute later he was out and walking normally. He had to give the auror no lawsuit for suspicion, and this guy seemed pretty on the ball. He saw him turn into the corridor and Harry steeled himself, he would only get one hazard at this. He moved out into the midriff of the corridor and brushed close to the man as he walked past.

Harry's digit slipped into the auror's scoop. Dip-grasp-out-hide !

Harry slipped the envelope into his robe and kept walking. For a terrorize moment he thought the auror had noticed, that he was going to turn and yell for Harry to stop. But cypher came and Harry walked on.

He began breathing when he got a corridor away. That had been easier than he thought, he was really losing obedience for these ministry types. Not enough vigilance, Moody would be disappointed. Harry wandered back to the great hall and looked in. The marauder were already gone, probably trying to look for him, but the blond-squads were still there being organized by year and house.

"Harry !"Harry saw Susan waving to him and wandered over."What ‘ s all this about ?"

"You ‘ re guessing is as good as mine."Harry shrugged.

"Harry don ‘ t take me for an idiot."Susan crossed her subdivision."This involves you."

"Why would you intend that ?"

"Because everything involves you !"

"Too right,"Harry grinned."But since I ‘ m not blond…"

"It was dye, or a piece, or you were involved in some other way."Susan moved closer and looked into his heart."Is it going to be ok for you ? They ‘ re not going to arrest you are they ?"

"Relax, it ‘ s all good. I ‘ ve got it under control."Harry whispered. Susan smiled and hugged him.

"Potter !"Harry sighed and turned around. Malfoy was standing right behind him."A news please ?"

"Relax Malfoy, I took forethought of it."Harry said, after checking that no-one was listening."You owe me."

With that Harry turned, waved goodbye to Susan and walked out of the Hall.
*


Harry saw Malfoy again about an minute later. Harry was heading back from he library when his fellow adept appeared out of nowhere and beckoned him into an empty classroom. Harry obliged before closing the threshold and casting silencing charms around.

"Where is it ?"Malfoy asked bluntly.

"Where ‘ s what ?"

"The evidence."Malfoy said angrily."I know you took it ! Is this your program ? Keep it for blackmail ?"

"No, but that ‘ s a good plan."Harry scratched his Chin thoughtfully."Maybe I will do that…"

"Potter you are the most-"

"Relax."Harry cut him off."I ‘ m not going to blackmail you, just ask you one question."

"What ?"

"What did you take from the Hayward home ?"Malfoy went drained still. Harry continued,"Because I know I didn ‘ t take anything but the aurors seem to think something ‘ s missing."

Malfoy was just staring at him.

"See, if you were telling the truth and you were investigating the leery end of a family friend then what I just did was a good thing."Harry held out his hands like balance scales."On the early hand if you ‘ re an opportunist, lying, hyena who was stealing from her then what I did was a bit more morally equivocal. In that fount I ‘ d have to give the fuzz back to the aurors and see your bastard bum go down."Harry snapped out the accusation viciously, Malfoy even jerked back a step. It was a bit before Malfoy responded.

"I took…"The Slytherin swallowed surd."It was an heirloom of her folk. A band, antediluvian. If it had been boxed up with everything else to go to her cousin he would have sold it. It deserved better than that."

"It did, or she did ?"Harry asked, Malfoy hesitated then…

"Both."

Harry nodded faintly, practiced enough. He reached into his robes and drew out the envelope.

"You still owe me."He tossed it to Malfoy and headed for the door.
*


It would stimulate been prissy if that was the end of it. It wasn't.

"So Potter…"

Harry slowed to a stop outside the Fat peeress's portrait and turned around to see the unreadably scarred face of Mad Eye Moody.

"Oh great,"Harry grumbled."Is this chapter gon na be entirely talks ? ‘ Cos my throat ‘ s getting tired."

"I was just talking to my old friend Kingsley Shacklebolt."Helen Wills Moody stumped up towards Harry and looked down at him."Seems some evidence just disappeared from his pocket."

"Did he check his former sack ?"Harry suggested."That always happens to me."

"Cut the garbage Potter."Moody sighed."I already know you did it I just want to fuck whether you had a thoroughly reason."

"Protecting myself and a valuable informant."Harry said levelly."And because there are more important crimes going on right now than breaking and entering."

"Like ?"

"Ellen Hayward."

"I assume it was suicide, reported at an accident."Moody said, though he didn't phone convinced.

"My informant is convinced otherwise."

"dead reckoning I could make some inquires."Dwight Lyman Moody said thoughtfully."See whether there ‘ s anything to this."

"Thank you."Harry nodded and turned towards the common room.
*


"Harry !"Still not over.

"Bloody hell."Harry groaned and headed over to the marauder tabular array and slouched down onto a detached death chair."I suppose you want an explanation."

"Too redress we do !"Ron said angrily.

"We ‘ ve been worried Harry."Neville leant forward and spoke quietly, but Padma interrupted him.

"We ‘ ve also been angry."She said through clenched tooth."What the hell ‘ s going on with you ?"

"I was investigating the slaying, Ellen Hayward."Harry checked to see if anyone was listening then continued."Someone said it was suspicious so I went to seem into it."

"We guessed that much."Ginny said impatiently.

"Well get this…"Harry tend forward and quickly related what had happened in the manor sign of the zodiac. At the end the predator seemed stunned.

"Why did you do all this Harry ?"Parvarti asked."Why did you go there in the beginning place ?"

"Um… because murder is bad ? Because I was bored ? Because I hadn ‘ t spent nearly enough prison term as a lagomorph this week ? Because I felt like it ?"Harry looked into their aghast faces and decided to put them out of their miserableness."Pythea told me it was important."

"When ?"Hermione asked in disbelief."You didn ‘ t talk to her or anyone else, you just stood up and told us you were going to Dorset !"

"vaticinator don ‘ t have to speak directly to you my anti-spiritual disciple."Harry tapped his temple."They have other ways."

"So effectively what you ‘ re telling us,"Padma crossed her arms."Is that you broke out of Hogwarts, invaded a murder picture and stole evidence because the interpreter in your mind told you too."

"Well if you put it like that you can make anything auditory sensation crazy."Harry shrugged and smiled cheekily.

"Harry you ‘ ve gone too far."

"You're just being antsy, I know you believe me really."

"Why ?"

"You called it a murder scene."Harry pointed out."mean you believe me that something else is going on."

Padma opened her oral fissure to retort but exclude it angrily and glared at him.

"Thought so,"Harry grinned."But I do hold some other news. We have another job to do this evening."

"Is it also a felony ?"Padma said sarcastically.

"I love you too."Harry winked."But sadly no. I think I ‘ ve finally worked out the bloody egg. We ‘ re going to the prefects bathroom. Bring swimsuits."

*


On the way there Neville pulled Harry to one English and asked him softly,

"Harry, don ‘ t you think you were a bit harsh on everyone ? I mean worse than normal."

"Yes Nev I do."Harry nodded and winked.

"You did it on purpose ?"

"Yep."

"Why ?"

"Well I don ‘ t know if you ‘ ve noticed Nev,"Harry grinned like a Satan."But they ‘ ve completely forgotten about Ron."
*


Harry slid into the piddle gingerly and pulled the egg in after him. The other marauders were already waiting amongst the bubbles. He motioned them down and they all slipped underwater. Harry swallowed his horror and twisted his head teacher just enough to put one ear under water then opened the egg.

‘ Come seek us where our voices sound
We can not babble out above the solid ground
And while you're searching, ponder this
We've taken what you'll sorely misfire,
An hour long you'll have to wait,
But past an hour - the prospect's fatal
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back..'

Harry pulled his head back up the Sami moment the other marauders emerged. respective of them were spluttering or red-faced from the piddle. Harry was the only one who was ashen grey.

"Well that ‘ s easy."Hermione said excitedly."You just have to go somewhere and get something back in under an hour."

"Probably in the lake."Padma chimed it."It ‘ d make sense if it was underwater ‘ we can not peach above the priming coat ‘ and all."

"We just need some charm or something to let him breath-"

"Harry,"Neville interrupted Hermione, earning a look of irritation."Are you ok ?"

The vulture turned to Harry, who still hadn't moved. He was shaking despite the warm water.

"Harry…"Ginny reached out to concern his berm and he flinched away from her hand.

"Guys…"Harry spoke slowly and weakly, like his throat didn't want to run."You remember the boggart in third base year ?"

"Yes it… Oh !"Hermione clasped both handwriting over her mouth in stupor."Yours was body of water ! Your afraid of water. But we knew that didn't we ? You can get through it, you ‘ ve been in the lake before ? You ‘ ve swum over it-"

"That's dissimilar, when my head ‘ s above H2O I can grapple. Just."Harry shun his eyes and bowed his head, he felt wretched to be admitting this."But as soon as it closes over my head I lose it. My nous just goes blank, I can't think, can ‘ t control myself. I start trying to breath in the water, start strangling. I don ‘ t even have the sense to try and swim back up to the surface."Harry felt like smoothing iron weightiness had been hooked to the sides of his meat but he kept going.

"I can defend a flying dragon again, or loup-garou, Voldemort. But I can ‘ t swim."Harry shook his head, trying to take back teardrops."I can ‘ t swim."

The room was dumb, the gentle sloshing of the pee against the bath, and the seven stripling, sounded unnaturally loud.

"Ah,"Padma said dryly."That could pose a problem."

"Could you um…"Ron flapped his hands vaguely."Wear something over your head ? Like a pail or something ?"

The former marauder shared a look and Ron fell silent.

"Ok…"Hermione rubbed her hands together nervously."That ‘ s ok. We can deal with this. We ‘ ll get you better, maybe get you used to it slowly. concentration therapy. We ‘ ve got almost three weeks before the second task, we can get you ready."

"Yeah !"Ron brightened up."See, like this !"He jumped forward and pushed Harry's pass underwater.

Harry screamed and felt water haste into his airway. A import later he was dragged out of the weewee and he collapsed against the edge of the bathroom, coughing up the foamy, multicolor, bathwater.

"What… the hell…"Harry gasped out."Is incorrectly with you !"

"S…Sorry."Ron mumbled."Thought it would help."

"Let ‘ s go back to the tower."Parvati suggested suddenly. Even she was finding it gruelling to be upbeat right now."Maybe we can add up up with something in the morning."

Harry nodded, it took too much zip to do anything else.
*


Harry had chain around his mortise joint, an anchor on the other end. Pulling him bass and rich down into the lake. He tried to cry but nothing came out. It was getting darker and darker… lightlessness. Harry kept screaming but the mordant water filled his mouth like a gag. It was everywhere.

Harry woke up sweating and shaking and stumbled out of bed. He felt, and smelled, like he had run a marathon. He reached the privy and shed his sodden pajamas quickly before spinning the tap for a shower. The nebuliser fell into the little tiled cubical but Harry didn't enter, instead he stood outside it shaking.

He hesitantly put a hand forward but as soon as the spray splashed it he jerked back. His marrow was racing. He turned the shower down off and grabbed his wand, he ran a cleaning spell all over his consistence before changing into his robes and scurrying out of the bathroom.
*


"Harry are you OK."Someone asked him for the fiftieth time that day.

Harry growled at him and the pupil scurried off. Harry sighed, it was too a great deal to take.

He had another nightmare that night, again trapped in the lake. This time in a coop that was bolted to the lakebed. He kept trying to get out but the bars were made of steel.

Once again he couldn't bring himself to lavish and made do with a cleaning charm. When mortal offered him a Methedrine of water at breakfast he almost cursed them into oblivion.

Harry buried his face in his hands, it was getting worse. It was like every nightmare left a small piece of itself in him. Bulking fright on top of fear until he self-destructed.

"Harry…"Voice ? Harry looked up and saw Parvarti's disturbed face."We ‘ ve got creatures now… but I ‘ m sure Hagrid won ‘ t head if you miss it."

Harry shook his straits and stood up. Maybe something trying to gore him would withdraw his idea off his phobia.

They walked down to Hagrid's cabin. Harry didn't say anything, neither did anyone else.

"trade good morning all,"Hagrid was his usual jolly self."We ‘ re having today ‘ s lesson down by the lake."

No !

Harry almost collapsed on the grass. Hermione and Padma moved off at a run, trying to intercept Hagrid as he strode off towards the blue sky expanse.

Harry leadenly put one foot in front of the former. He was vaguely aware of Ron and Neville trying to talk to him but he blanked them out. He stopped as the grass sloped down towards the piss. There were some matter in penitentiary near the piss surface, Hagrid was opening one while Hermione and Padma talked to him. Harry couldn't hear what they were saying but the manus motion were pretty emphatic.

Harry felt his forehead get slick with lather. He tried to step closemouthed to the lake but the sound of it filled his auricle. The gentle sloshing undulation echoed somehow in his head and became a raging cataract, making it out of the question to concentrate on anything. The water seemed to get up while staying in the same place, creeping closer to is eyes.

Harry's face broke and he turned and ran back towards the castle. He heard shout behind him but ignored them, he needed to get away. It felt like the lake was right behind him, like a chasing animate being. He hit the measure of Hogwarts at a sprint and kept going. He had to veil !

All the while the H2O kept rushing in his ears.
*


The marauders begged out of Hagrid's lesson to go retrieve him. They spit into squad and searched the castle. It was nightfall before they found him. Neville and Ron stumbled on him in the dungeons, in a tiny, dead-end corridor. It didn't look like it had been used in years. Harry was just slouched against the back wall, his arms tucked into his robes.

"Harry ?"Ron approached carefully.

Harry didn't answer, his regard was fixed of a fiddling dribble part of the ceiling. His eye followed each droplet as it grew, dropped and splashed into a mossy patch on the floor.

"Harry ?"

Drip, trickle, drip.

"Are you Ok ?"

dripping, drip, drip.

"Is there anything we can do ?"

Drip, drip mould, drip… Harry looked up and his eyes met Ron's. The redhead almost flinched back, his protagonist gaze was dig and damp, like all the life had been sucked out of him. But even so it seemed to confine barely contained fury.

"Yes,"Harry's voice sounded like it was seeping out through stone."I do postulate your help."

"Ok ? What do you demand us to do ?"

"I need us three to go back up to the prefects bathroom."Harry clenched his hands, he even seemed to be trembling."And you ‘ re going to try that ducking therapy matter again. Except this clock time you ‘ re gon na hold me under."
*


Harry turned the taps to full and forced himself to watch as the bath filled to the brim. He didn't add any goop, he had a impression he would be inhaling a good deal of this water.

"Are you sure you want to do this Harry ?"Neville said nervously.

"I have to."Harry tensed himself and slipped one leg down into the piss. He felt like his skin was tightening up, like his whole leg had thole and acerate leaf. He gritted his teeth and dropped the rest of his body in. Already he felt like screaming, the water supply was everywhere.

"Ok, Neville you ‘ ve got a watch ?"Harry said through chattering teeth that had cypher to do with the temperature.

"Yes."

"Ok,"Harry began taking cryptical breaths in provision."Keep me under for five second base, whatever I do. We ‘ ll push it up from there."

"Are you su-"

"Stop asking me if I'm sure !"Harry snapped. He turned to Ron, who was already in the bath."Do it !"

Harry closed his eyes and felt custody close around his shoulders. A bit later he was dunked down. He tried to keep on his mouthpiece shut but as soon as the water closed over his head he panicked and breathed in a nifty gulp of water. His lungs and throat burned and he flailed helplessly.

After what felt like a life he was pulled to the open. He collapsed against the side of the bath and lay there, coughing up his lungs onto the tiles. He weakly realized that there was ancestry mixed in with the water, he must of bit his spit trying to breathe.

"Was that five seconds ?"Harry said weakly once he had stopped coughing.

"Yes."

"brand the next one ten."

"Harry !"Ron protested."I can ‘ t do this to you ! The tourney ‘ s not deserving this !"

"It ‘ s not even about the tournament any more."Harry shook his head."It's got so much speculative I can't take a shower, I can ‘ t go near the lake. I ‘ m dehydrated because I don ‘ t even want to wassail a trash of piss. I can ‘ t live like this. delight mate… ten seconds."

Harry felt Ron move towards him through the water and pull him to his human foot. Harry took a deep breather and closed his eyes.

Again he was plunged into hell. Harry broke again and gulped in pee. He saw lights blink of an eye on the interior of his eyelid. He felt like the bath had become a vortex spinning him around and around. Every muscle clenched and released like he was having a capture. The luminousness faded, and darkness replaced it.
*


Harry woke confused. He was lying on a bed, with shroud over him. He wasn't wearing his glasses so the world in front of him was blurred. His breast felt heavy and breathing was hard.

"Where am I ?"He croaked out.

"The infirmary wing Mr Potter. You stopped breathing. Mainly because your lungs were full of water."A snowy blob appeared into Harry's prospect and a moment later his glasses were returned. lady Pomfrey straightened and shook her head."You've been here two days repairing the damage, your lungs were damaged. You were really remarkably stupid, I don ‘ t even recognise what to say this time."

"At least I can ‘ t blame this one on stairs."Harry smiled weakly. The school nurse snorted.

"You ‘ re friend is over there."She jerked her point at another bed where Ron lay."He hasn ‘ t left since you were brought in. He seems to find shamefaced over something."

"Sorry."

"Don ‘ t say it to me, say it to him."Madam Pomfrey turned to pass on then asked."Do you postulate anything ?"

"My throat hurts."

"I ‘ ll get you something for it."gentlewoman Pomfrey bustled off.

Harry cleared his pharynx,

"Ron !"At the sound of Harry's vocalism the marauder stirred."Ron fire up up."

"Harry ? Harry you ‘ re awake !"Ron rubbed his eyes and slid out of bed."I ‘ m so sorry Harry, you stopped moving but I kept you under. I thought you were getting used to it… I didn't know you ‘ d blacked out. I almost killed yo-"

"Because I told you to."Harry broke in."You didn ‘ t screw up, I did. And if I wasn ‘ t so screwed up in the low place none of this would be necessary."

"You ‘ re not screwed up Harry. You ‘ re just… Harry."

"I jump onto trains."Harry shook his head and laugh, but here was no wit in it."I ‘ m fourteen and I ‘ ve murdered two people you can ‘ t evidence me that ‘ s normal."

"But that was self defense."

"And I didn't even hesitate ! I just stabbed them !"Harry continued."I have nightmares, I ‘ m aquaphobic and I remember affair I shouldn ‘ t know. Something ‘ s haywire with me."

"But-"

"I manipulate people, I have no mother wit of when I ‘ ve gone too far, I potioned a teacher, dueled another one, I lie, I cheat, I steal. You can ‘ t tell me I ‘ m pattern, not with a straight face."

"But Harry,"Ron moved up and put a deal on his berm comfortingly."All that stuff's what makes you you."

"organism me sucks."Harry rolled over away from Ron. lady Pomfrey returned with a glass of water and a small tumbler of sorry liquid.

"Drink all of it. It ‘ s quite bitter."She disappeared into her spot again.

Harry reached out and gulped down the anise seed flavored potion. He reached out for the water shabu but his fingers stopped an column inch from the crank. Harry sighed deeply and dropped back onto the bed.

"What is it Harry ?"Ron asked.

"It didn ‘ t work."Harry breathed faintly."It didn ‘ t even work."
*


"Bellevue."Harry spoke the password then knocked on the door.

"ejaculate in."

Harry turned the handle and stepped into the client quarters of Hogwarts. A few of the temple handmaidens were sitting at the table reading, they looked up pointedly as he entered. He tried to ignore them. He walked over to where Pythea was sitting by the windowpane on a petty couch. Harry pulled over a professorship and sat.

"Are you feeling substantially ?"Pythea asked, though she didn't phone concerned.

"Yes. Thank you."

"I looked in on you in the hospital wing, but I couldn't stay."Pythea's eye's flickered to the white robed woman around the table.

"That ‘ s alright."Harry smiled."That ‘ s not what I came here about. I need advice."

"About the back job ?"Pythea smiled faintly."You fear it."

"Yeah."Harry answered, not bothering to wonder how Pythea knew."I don ‘ t think I can do it. I mean there are spell and thing, bubblehead spell, Neville suggested gillyweed. But none of them ‘ ll work for me, not if I go disturbed the instantaneous I hit the piddle. I don't know what to do. I ‘ m scared Thea, I need help."

"Are you asking for my advice as an prophesier ?"Pythea cocked her head."Or as a friend ?"

"Please Thea,"Harry begged."Just give me something."

"I have advice for you Harry."Pythea took his hand in hers."But you may not like it."

"Tell me."

"spring up."

"What ?"Harry frowned, confused.

"Don't compete in the second task. You can still win on the third even if you get zero for this one."

"But… The goblet ‘ s a binding contract."Harry shook his head."I have to compete."

"You have to compete in the tournament."Pythea corrected."There have been assorted time in the past times where a champion has skipped a job for medical reasons. And a phobia is a legitimatise medical reason."

"But… I ‘ d have to state them."Harry bit his lip."The whole school would know."

"You fear that happening ?"

"Yes."

"to a greater extent than you fear the lake ?"

"No."Harry shuddered and shook his head."Why are you telling me this ?"

"Because I hate to see you hurt Harry."She was rubbing her digit unconsciously on his bridge player."But even Thomas More I hate to see you scared."

Harry nodded faintly. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea.

"But I still have hope."Pythea smiled suddenly."You always think of something."

"Ok, that was your admirer answer."Harry smiled."What ‘ s the Delphic one ?"

There isn ‘ t one Harry. There never is with you.

Harry was about to serve but Pythea put a finger to her mouth and smiled.

"Would you like a plot of Bromus secalinus while you ‘ re here ?"She said out loud.

"Chess with a mind-reading seer."Harry rolled his eyes."This should be fun."
*


Harry took Pythea's spec of hope that he would think of something and clung onto it like a life line. He spent every availably moment in the program library trying to find some other way into the lake. He researched astral projection, animagi, freezing and boiling piece and obscure good luck charm. He got his friends to brew a potion of courage to try to have the best the fear but it wasn't enough and the effect only lasted a few minutes anyway.

So it came to be the night before the task and Harry was still in the subroutine library, sitting behind a pile of books, despairing.

There was no solution, he should just give up.

"Burning the midnight oil Potter ?"Harry heard Malfoy's vox and jerked his head up to see the boy walk out from behind a bookshelf, a pile of Word under his arm.

Harry's supercilium furrows as he worked back through Malfoy's sentence. It took him a few seconds to work out out what was bothering him about it. There hadn't been an insult in it ! It had been a simple, normal question.

"Yes, I see you are too."Harry pushed some of his own record aside and the Slytherin sat down. The books he had all had interchangeable titles to Harry's own."You have a architectural plan for tomorrow ?"

"Yes."Malfoy nodded."Just making sure enough goose egg can go wrong. You ?"

"No."Harry admitted shaking his forefront."No I ‘ ve got nothing."

muteness reigned in the night, fusty library.

"You must give birth something."Malfoy said, shrugging."A piddling magical spell or so-"

"No."Harry shook his question again."Nothing that will work for me."

"But wh…"Malfoy leant back in his president. Harry could almost see the gears turning in his head."The Boggart in third gear year…"

Harry said nothing, he didn't have to.

"You ‘ re afraid of water ?"

Silence.

"That ‘ s… not good for you then."Malfoy smiled."But very good for me."

"shtup you Peroxide !"Harry sneered and knocked over a wad of Scripture into Malfoy's lap."And get off my table !"

"You invited me here."

"I un-invite you."

"Too bad, I ‘ m settled now."Malfoy leant back and flipped a account book open, balancing on the stake two legs of his chairman. Harry had the unbearable impulse to tip him over.

Harry gritted his teeth and ignored him, pulling another playscript over. A few hour passed in secrecy then…

"Potter, what the underworld is hydrogen peroxide ?"

"Muggle matter,"Harry muttered."ejaculate to intend of it it wasn ‘ t much of an insult."

"You must be stressed then,"Malfoy said without looking up from his rule book."If you can ‘ t even revilement correctly."

"Would you like me to try again ?"Harry jabbed."I ‘ ve got lots."

"I tend to amaze with mudblood."

"grounds of a unsounded lack of imagination."Harry shut his book and picked another."Is it potential you're parents accidentally lobotomized you as a child."

"No."Malfoy replied coldly.

"Is it possible you're parents intentionally lobot-"

"Screw you shortarse !"

Harry chuckled despite himself and dropped his optic back to the schoolbook in movement of him. It had some information about an antediluvian necromancer who was able-bodied to voice seas. It also said the knowledge of how to do so had been lost millennia ago. He dropped that one as well and grabbed another.

"Really scared of water ?"

Harry ignored Malfoy and sank deeper into the book.

"And you can ‘ t think of a way around it ?"

Harry sighed and looked up. Malfoy was staring at the ceiling, thick in thought.

"Courage potion… ?"

"Tried it, effect doesn't last long enough."

"A transformation of some sort ?"

"Any transformation that keeps my intellect intact hold my phobias intact as well."

"How about charming an beast to get whatever-it-is for you ?"

"Against the formula of the contest."

"Some sort of diving bell ?"

"Now you ‘ re just scraping the butt of the barrel."Harry sunk onto his deal on the mesa."brass it, if I ‘ ve had calendar week to amount up with an answer you ‘ re not gon na get it in one night. I ‘ ve been racking my brains trying to think of some way that's within the convention but it just isn ‘ t there."

"Well how about outside them."Malfoy shrugged."You said you were going to wander anyway."

"In front of the entire school ? And the evaluator ?"Harry shook his head."I ‘ d never get away with it."

"Is this Harry ceramist I ‘ m talking to or some sort of imposter."Malfoy laughed dismissively."You don't worry about how to get away with things. You do them and get away with them later."

Harry opened his mouth to object but a light-bulb came on in his mind. He stood suddenly, driving his president back.

"I need different books."He stated suddenly before turning and walking away. After a second he turned and said,"Thank you."

"I owed you one."Malfoy said, his eye back on the Christian Bible in nominal head of him.
*


"Ginny !"

Why is he shaking me ?

"Ginster wake up !"

"Harry ?"Ginny woke slowly and groggily."Harry it ‘ s still the middle of the night."

"I know."

"How did you even get up the stairs ?"

"Listen Gin, I need to borrow the Chimera."Harry was whispering but he sounded insistent.

"Sure Harry."Ginny shook her drumhead, clearing cobweb."What do you call for it for ?"

"Can ‘ t Tell you."Harry smiled evilly."If I told you you ‘ d be an accessory."

"An accessory to what ?"Ginny was panoptic awake now.

"A Harry Potter design !"Harry grinned in the dark, then disappeared.
*


"Mr Potter…"Minerva McGonagall licked her rim and stopped speaking. All around her the respective grownup were starting to giggle, the bookman too. Dumbledore was giving Harry an appraising face, axiom was laughing openly, Crouch just looked scandalized.

They were standing by the edge of the lake, the second task was about to get and all but one of the champions were wearing swimming costume. Those three were the unity giggling at the fourth.

"Mr Potter…"She tried again, pointing at what Potter was carrying."That is a broomstick."

"Yes, I am cognizant of that."

"Is it possible you misunderstood what the task before you consists of."

"Anything ‘ s possible."thrower shrugged.

"You realize that the broomstick will not even work underwater ?"

"Yes."

"Is there any hazard that you will recount me what you ‘ re planning."

"No."

McGonagall shook her head and turned back towards the stands. Behind her the champions moved into line by the edge of the lake. She shook her head as Bagman read out the rules in his tatty booming vocalization, then…

"One… two… THREE !"

Harry shot into the air like a slug and careened backwards towards the viewpoint. Audience members scattered but Harry managed to regain control at the hold up minute and pulled up to shoot down over and out, following the bender of the lake until he disappeared behind a hill.

"Did he run away ?"

"Where did he go ?"

Muttering broke out around the sales booth. McGonagall shook her head teacher, they had said the Sami affair last meter and Harry had come through.

Her eyes were drawn to the top base, to the sliver of Patrick White amongst the night robe. The Pythea was standing before her buns, her eyes fixed in the focus Harry had disappeared. A here and now later she started laughing, a clear Chrystal laugh that flowed over the stands.

McGonagall looked out to try and see what she was seeing but saw nothing. A moment later a shape appeared in the lake, rounding the hill that had hid it from position and pushing out quickly into the outdoors water.

One by one the crowd fell silent, every eye fixed on the matter in the lake. McGonagall put her helping hand to her oral fissure, even given a thousand years she would never have thought of this.

Karkaroff was the start to break the secrecy. Shooting from his chairman, his brass red with passion he raised his fist and yelled,

"THAT LITTLE mother fucker ! HE ‘ S STOLEN MY BLOODY SHIP !"



brushup, please. Reviewing is good for you, it 's got Ca in it !