twosome of short chapters now. To take a crap up for the utmost two long ones.



"One… two… trio !"

Harry yanked up on the broom and tried like hell to hold on as it shot into the air. He saw the stand come into view and screamed, throwing his weight up and scraping over the top by an column inch. He tried to slow down but the heather didn't seem to listen him. He was forced to try and ensure it as it careened along the ground.

All he could do was try to aim the thing like a Irish bull in a rodeo as it bucked and vibrated at sixty Admiralty mile per hour. He crashed near the sour grass and stumbled to his base. He stuck the chimaera to a tree with a nimble neutering charm and added a really filthy curse for anyone who tried to take it.

He dashed down the wharfage and stopped by the walkway up the Durmstrang ship.

"Ayauhteotl !"Harry waved his verge and a multicolor mist appeared over the walk, revealing the wards. Harry dipped his wand into each node and spun it around like a baton, watching the changing color.

It was like a combination lock, he just had to rival them up… done !

Harry ran through the mist and dashed up to the back of the ship and grabbed the wheel. If his ten arcminute spent reading up on magical boats was anything to go on the dispatcher should be… somewhere ?

Harry glanced from the incomprehensible hoi polloi of Victorian-looking boss and switches on the wide control panel to the three dimensional, ships wheel attached to the middle of a gyroscope.

Bugger… wait ! There were little control panel above the controls. Labels… label in German. sodomist. The just one he could read was the ship's name, in bold copperplate engraving above the controls.

The Spirit of Njordr

"wellspring sprightliness, just you and me."Harry put his hand on the throttle, the only control he could recognize. He pushed it forward and the ship surged away from the dock. He pushed it further and felt the malarkey period through his hair. Ok, this was cool. He rounded the lilliputian cape and the viewpoint of students came into view. Harry grinned, he reached into his robe and pulled out a leather pirate's hat.

If he was going down he could at least put on a good show.
*


"THAT LITTLE cocksucker ! HE ‘ S STOLEN MY BLOODY SHIP !"

"I believe I remember hearing you say he could carry it out whenever he wanted Igor."Dumbledore commented airily."I believe Harry takes that sort of thing seriously."
*


Harry grabbed the ships wheel and threw it forwards sharply. It rolled forward, swinging in its place of origin, and the ship's nose dipped down into the water. Harry gritted his teeth as the Spirit slid down into lake. The water arched up over the top like it was sluicing over a shabu cap. Harry forced himself to breath as the last of the sky disappeared and he was surrounded by water.

Harry tried not to call back about it. He raised his head and whistled at the dark water. After a prospicient moment a radiate shape appeared and came in close to the ship.

"missy Myrtle,"Harry waved his hat at the floating number."Lead the way !"

"Aye, aye !"Vinca minor flew away towards the front end of the ship. Harry angled the odd wheel to stick to her. The swarthiness carried on endlessly, Harry could palpate the water supply all around him. Harry tried to go along himself distracted, unfortunately there wasn't much there to perturb him. He glanced over the ship, it wasn't that turgid, it was thin with a single mast. A… cutter… possibly ? His reading lowest night hadn't been very extensive on ship recognition. He'd skipped right on to the basics of steering charming ships.

Great… lot of aid that had been.

The ship had four catapult, two on each side. Probably already planning a dramatic victory festivity. The rest of the ship was spick-and-span, varnish and cleaned down to the last brass railing. Harry grinned, now he knew why Karkaroff had brought so many educatee when it was obvious he favored Krum. He was using them to swab the decks.

Harry raised himself up on his tiptoes and looked out past the end of the ship and past the glow specter out in front. There was a woodland of seaweed, or lake-weed maybe, stretching out in front of them. It was improbable enough to arch up over the ship, Harry groaned as he saw Myrtle disappear into it.

As the ship moved into the forest the kelp ( lake-kelp ? ) slid through the water-wards around the ship and fell onto the deck. Without the water they couldn't stay upright and fell like wet spaghetti. As the ship moved forward they slid off again just as new one fell down. It was creepy-crawly, like the lake was trying to grab hold of the ship with slippery fingers.

A shoal of argent fish surrounded the ship, shimmering like a rainbow. Then they changed and flickered in waves of yellow and special K, rippling in bands across the school. Harry wondered idily whether they were legerdemain or they were just catching the light.

Suddenly the shoal broke apart and swam away from the ship, disappearing in an instant into the darkness behind the ship.

"Oh, that can ‘ t be good."Harry looked around desperately for what they were running from. Out ahead Vinca minor had disappeared into the gloom. A shadow passed over the ship, moving fast through the water. Harry's eyes flicked up but it had already disappeared into the seaweed."Bugger…"

Harry's mitt moved to the throttle and he pushed it forward sharply, the ship surged forward. Hopefully away from the thing. Something honey oil flashed through the kelp to the left hand, keeping pace. Harry hit the throttle harder and the bicycle began to resonate. He held on grimly as the weeds shot yesteryear faster and faster. The viridity thing kept pace, swinging closer through the underwater hobo camp. Suddenly it jerked towards him, Harry swung the steering wheel wildly but the unripe thing kept coming. It shot through the wards and slapped down onto the decks.

Harry slammed the throttle back, bringing the ship to a layover and stepped out from behind the steering column. The Green thing straightened up, dripping, it looked like a weird sawbuck standing up on its hind legs, standing at to the lowest degree eight fundament magniloquent. It's arms ended in nipper instead of hooves, whale three fingered claws. It's buck head… no more like a muzzly dog… was covered in spindly hair, like it was part of the seaweed.

"Are you a Grindylow or a Kelpie ?"Harry backed away from the thing as it stomped towards him."Or maybe a Kappa ? God I wish I ‘ d paid attention to Lupin."

The matter lifted it's headway and brayed, showing Harry that it's teeth were sharp, serrated fangs.

"Stupefy !"Harry jabbed his verge at the thing, the spell flew out and impacted into it's chest. It didn't even flinch. Instead it screeched and lunged towards him like a Irish bull, Harry rolled out of the way and it crashed into the trading floor in a mass of flailing wet limbs.

"If I knew what you were I could agitate you !"Harry yelled in thwarting as the thing lurched to its understructure and came after him at a run. Harry spun and fled off the back deck, dashing out of reach of the creature flailing claws. He put the mast between him and it. It lurched left, Harry matched it. It turned right, Harry matched it again and it screeched like a banshee.

"Acerbus cus…"Harry bit back on the last word. If he went to dark magic and they found out he was out of the tournament. Harry looked the brute over, heavily muscled forearms and torso, ribs like armour ridgepole, lose weight legs… Thin legs on hooves.

"Ferio !"Harry aimed at the hooves and they slid on the wet wood. The creature went down again, crashing headfirst into the base. It scrambled up again, it's base slipping like a cat on lino, and hissed. A bit later it was down on all quadruplet, it's claws scraping on the deck.

"Clever bastard."Harry jumped backwards as it bounded towards him. He had to duck under it's swiping claws as it tried to shoot his pass off. A instant later he felt his book binding hit wood, he was out of room.

The thing reared up triumphantly, bringing an arm back to deliver the final examination blow.

"Accio !"Harry aimed under the thing's arm at the shinning throttle. The Spirit guess forward, throwing both Harry and the thing off their feet. The beast dropped onto one of the catapults, its head resting on the cradle.

"Diffindo !"Harry aimed at the rope holding the catapult down and it snapped up, bringing the creatures head with it. There was a hideous shot and the creature's cervix twisted back. It stumbled backwards and dropped to the story, it's tree branch flailing. Harry watched as it shook then grew still, it's head pointing gruesomely backwards.

"Whatever you are you ‘ re dead now."Harry stumbled back to the steering wheel and pulled the throttle back to a more reasonable f number. Myrtle had disappeared, Harry whistled again but she didn't rematerialize. Oh great… wait…

There was a screechy warbling sound coming out of the water. It sounded like the song from the egg. Harry spun the cycle to the right wing to follow the sound and pushed the restrain forward. The Spirit kept on sliding through the pitch-black piddle, except it wasn't as mordant now. Harry left the controls and went to the side.

Ahead and down there were light appearing out of the murkiness. small light moving, flickering, some arranged in lines. The lights followed a normal, laid out along promenades or grouped in clod near buildings. A urban center, a city underwater. Harry spun the wheel forward and the tone began to condescend.

Figures swam up to meet the ship as it floated down, figure of speech with grey, scaly skin and fishes tails.

"Mermaids ?"Harry glanced at the fabulous creatures keeping gait with him. Several of them were carrying imply looking weapons system and had weird tribal tattoos standing out in red against their pale grey skin. They didn't look like the Disney kind of mermaid, not unless they upped the rating.

Harry aimed for the biggest denseness of visible radiation, in the eye of the urban center. There was some sort of townsfolk public square, hundred of the fish people were clustered around something in the middle. Harry swung the ship around to get a better look.

There were three human figures tied up with thick, kelpy roofy to a boulder in the middle of the square and an heart-to-heart space where it looked like another figure had been. Harry squinted, trying to identify them through the murk. Two he didn't recognize but the thirdly jumped out at him, her blond hair making a blowball crown around her head, Susan Bones.

Harry cursed as he realized he couldn't actually get the ship down to them without crushing them in the procedure. He stuck an arm through the Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth, wand outstretched.

"Relashio !"The Mexican valium around Susan released and she drifted gratis away from the stone."Accio !"Harry aimed again and her body convert direction and came shooting towards him. The moment she fell through the Barbara Ward she began spluttering and looking around in shock.

"Harry where the hell… are we on a ship ?"

"No, it ‘ s your imagination."Harry pulled her to her feet."You ok ?"

"Yeah, I think…"Susan looked herself over."Dumbledore said we wouldn ‘ t wake up until we reached the surface."

"Montgomery Ward must have screwed with it."Harry shrugged and hurried back to the ascendance. He lifted the ship away from the square and sent it off the way he'd came as quickly as he could.

"What the netherworld is that !"

"What… ?"Harry looked where Susan was pointing."Oh… Dead Kappa."

"That's not a Kappa !"Susan said, her voice high gear with shock."Kappa ‘ s are about this tall."She put her hand at her shoulder to demonstrate.

"Ok… It ‘ s a marvellous Kappa ? It ate wads of prickly-seeded spinach ? Is this really the most important thing happening right now ?"

Susan shook her head then frowned and pointed ahead of them.

"And what ‘ s that ?"She was pointing at a moving, eel like build in the grim beyond the bow.

"What's… shit it !"Harry whirled the roulette wheel to ward off it but they were already too close. It splashed through the wards and landed on the deck. Harry ran up, wand outstretched and ready for a fight, then burst out laughing."You look cockeyed !"

"This isn ‘ t funny Potter."Malfoy canceled his bubblehead charm, dragged a clump of seaweed off his head and threw it at Harry, who dodged easily. Beside him pansy was waking up and staring blearily at her surroundings. The eel thing looked like it was made of phantasm and seemed to dissolving into the level now that it was out of the water. Malfoy watched it evaporate and cursed."Do you know how foresighted it ‘ ll take to cause another one of them ?"

"Not my fault."Harry shrugged.

"You ran into me !"

"Yeah well… um…"Harry paused, trying to think of any way in which it was not his shift. Malfoy saved him the trouble.

"What the netherworld is that !"

"Spinach Kappa."

"Are you crazy potter that ‘ s clearly a kelpie !"

"Well if you knew the solvent why did you ask ?"

"I was wondering why a Kelpie with a broken neck was decomposing on the deck of your sh…"Malfoy looked around, seeming to lead in his surroundings for the first time."YOU STOLE A SHIP !"

"Technically it ‘ s not theft, it ‘ s piracy."

"Potter you-"

"Guys !"Susan interrupted."Shouldn ‘ t someone be steering ?"

Harry looked at the neglected control panel then back at Malfoy. Harry rolled his eyes.

"young lady,"Harry shrugged."Always complaining."

Harry grinned at Susan's outraged formulation and trotted up the ships wheel. But as he got there a glow figure materialized out of the blackness behind them.

"Harry You have to get out of here !"Vinca minor yelled, her unanimous ectoplasmic body vibrating in fear.

"Myrtle where did you-"

"Harry just go !"Myrtle screamed, glancing back behind her."It ‘ s the giant squid !"

Harry followed her gaze, there was something moving out there certainly… something big but… NO !

Harry jerked the cycle just in time as a massive fleshy tentacle came out of nowhere and crashed through the rail, raking the deck of cards to Harry's left.

"Get bellow !"Harry yelled to his passenger as he threw the throttle to full. The ship surged forward just as another arm tried to grab at the mast. Harry saw a monolithic eye through the swarthiness to the left hand, gargantuan and red and bloodshot and staring right at him. Harry jerked the wheel down and the heart rose past the colossus, the eye disappearing into the murk. Suddenly an arm came out of nowhere and wrapped around the bow of the ship, spinning them around. Harry drew his verge but before he could use it a bolt of silver luminance impacted the tentacle and it flailed away, smoking.

Harry saw Malfoy trip away from the front of the ship and dash towards him.

"What the netherworld is going on !"

"behemoth squid !"Harry yelled back.

"I know that ! I mean this !"Malfoy waved at the complicated control jury."Do you even know how to aviate this ship ?"

"No."

"You idiot !"Malfoy swung himself in front of the ascendancy. His hands began flying over the uncanny knows and buttons, including all the ace Harry hadn't had the backbone to extend to."You could have killed us all !"

"I don ‘ t recall inviting you on board the ripe ship squid-bait !"

"Shut up and do as I say."Malfoy ordered, still working at the ascendency. A instant later Harry felt a surge of baron from the ship. They jumped forward, Harry could even see light ahead.

"Port !"

Looked like daylight…

"wind to port !"

Harry jerked to sprightliness in time to jam the wheel to the left wing just as a massive shape appeared in the piddle in front line of them. Harry registered a parrot-like beak and flailing tentacles before they slid past and hit the surface.

The ship broached through the surface like a hulk, shedding water in not bad shroud. Harry clung on to try to retain some semblance of control. They hit back into the lake with a massive plume of spray, a import later the giant squid exploded out of the lake nearby, it instantly spun around and headed for them.

"Hard starboard !"

Harry complied and soon they were racing away from the thing. Harry looked ahead and swore.

"Malfoy there ‘ s a cliff !"

"I know, keep going."Malfoy was bent over the controls.

"We ‘ re gon na hit it !"

"What ‘ s the thing thrower ?"Malfoy glanced up grinning."thought you liked this sort of thing ?"

"I really hate you Draco."Harry gritted his tooth and aimed the ship directly at the cliff. Behind them the calamary was keeping step just a few time behind."Malfoy…"

"Not yet."Malfoy's manus was hovering over a big red button.

"Malfoy… !"

"Not yet !"

Harry could see sea gull nest in the cliff face. Another 100 meters. He could see seagulls. Another hundred meters. He could see egg !

"NOW !"Malfoy smashed the button as Harry steered furiously to the side of meat. He could hear the anchor chains rolling out and felt a tatty collapse as the ship came to a stop. A moment later the calamari shot past tense, a time away from their starboard hull.

There was another crash and the seagulls took flight, a jumbo flock of E. B. White leaving the cliff. The giant squid surfaced, ripe next to the cliff, its eyes were rolling listlessly and it's weapons system floated uselessly behind it.

"Knocked itself out."Harry grinned and stumbled over to the railing."Knocked itself coldness on the cliff."Harry sighed in relief.

"Thanks Malfoy, I really-"

"Harry ?"Harry turned around, instead of Malfoy he saw Susan standing there."He ‘ s gone."

"Gone ? What do you mean…"Harry followed her pointing finger's breadth."… Son of a bitch !"

Malfoy was surfing away over the piddle on a disk of ignitor, milksop clumped by his feet.

"We need to fascinate him up !"Harry turned to the steering cycle but stopped. The steering rack was incased in ice."Son of a bitch !"

"We could just swim for it Harry."Susan suggested, shrugging."We wouldn ‘ t win but at to the lowest degree we ‘ d finish."

"I refuse to fall back to that backstabbing son of a bitch !"Harry cast around for another way to get back to the starting line. There had to be a way, there had to be… ah !

"No ! Harry NO !"Susan yelled as she saw what he was looking at."No way in hell !"

"Come on !"Harry said laughing as he pulled her over onto the catapult ‘ s cradle."What could go wrongly ?"

"Are you crazy ! No Harry !"

Harry grinned, and cut the cable.
*


They shot into the air. Harry could experience the pressure level of the acceleration everywhere, he could see the beach approaching fast, too fast. He raised his verge against the nothingness and yelled the first spell he could think of.

"Eizuckerpeitsche !"

crush !

Harry tried to breath as his stomach spun in circles. He opened his eyes to see walls of crackly white. Susan was in his arms, holding him tight around the waistline with her headland buried in his robes.

"It ‘ s ok."Harry whispered."We ‘ ve landed now."

"We ‘ ve… ?"Susan poked her school principal up and looked around. She still looked a short fray, her centre darting every counseling."What did we land in ?"

"Meringue."

"Meringue ?"

"Yes."

"Oh…"She was breathing heavily and still hadn't let go of his shank."Harry ?"

"Yes."

"Never do that to me again."

"Ok."Harry smiled."I promise I ‘ ll never shoot you out of a catapult into a plenty of meringue again."

"This isn't funny."Susan said angrily, her face flushing red.

"You see me laughing ?"

She was still breathing heavily, her whisker falling around her brass, her browned eyes staring into his, her flush backtalk were so close…
*


Hermione jumped up in electric shock as Harry impacted into the behemoth cumulus of meringue that had appeared on the beach. A bit later the crew was rushing from the stands, towards the albumen mountain. Out in front was a blond woman, yelling at the top of her voice.

Susan off-white'female parent ? Hermione guessed.

The crowd reached the meringue and Mrs Bones began digging into it madly.

"Susan ! Are you in there ? Susan !"She was pulling off huge lump, rapidly burrowing into the middle of the mound.

"Susan ! Are you Ok ? Can you hear me Su… HARRY ceramist WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ‘ RE DOING !"

Harry's response went down in Hogwarts history.

"I am snogging your daughter, what does it facial expression the likes of I ‘ m doing ! ?"



A late medical subject indicated that each review you leave adds three weeks to your lifespan.

It 's true.

... no it 's not. go away a revaluation anyway.


Ok, forget about the short chapters, decided against it.



Harry felt his ear grabbed painfully and a moment later he was dragged from his meringue cocoon. He registered laughing and clapping faces before he was dropped on the bouldered beach. He stood up and tried to brush off the white pulverization clinging to every inch of his body.

"Don ‘ t you have anything to say for yourself ?"

Harry turned and looked up into the case of Mrs pearl. Behind her Susan was looking at the ground, blushing furiously.

"Yeah…"Harry grinned and patted his head."Did you see my hat anywhere in there ?"

"You little-"

"It ‘ s red, kind of like a pirate hat. It had a feathering in it but that may suffer blow of or-"

"I ‘ ll get you !"Mrs bone lunged at him and Harry had to dance out of the way.

"Doris osseous tissue !"Dumbledore's voice rang out over the gang and Harry turned in clip to see him striding purposefully through the large number of scholar. Mrs Bones stood straight wish a youngster caught with Sweet and Harry relaxed. The schoolmaster walked closer and came to a closure in front of the three of them."I am good-for-nothing to put a stop to this entertaining spectacle but we will be needing our champion back."

Harry shot a smile at Susan before walking towards Dumbledore.

"And we will give him back after we are done."

Harry winced but kept walking.
*


The champions waited in a roped off area while the Book of Judges deliberated. Harry winced and rubbed his ear, it really hurt. Trust his lot to make no hurt during the job but get a rick ear as soon as he hit land.

None of the champions spoke, Fleur kept rubbing a patch on her arm and whispering under her breath. She sounded almost like she was praying. Krum was just staring direct ahead, moping at coming in last. And Malfoy ? Malfoy was odd… even though he'd reached shore less than a minute after Harry he looked downcast, his shoulders hung limp and he kept shooting Harry glances full on… Sadness ? Guilt ? invidia ? It was impossible to tell.

Harry looked over at the judges but it looked like they were still stuck in weighing. The only one he could get word was Karkaroff, who was yelling and gesturing at the ship, still anchored out in the lake. Mr Crouch had a book exposed and was pointing to something, speaking quickly. Dumbledore stood to one side, occasionally commenting. lady Maxim was sat to one position, apparently not paying attention. Perhaps they had already decided Fleur's mark.

Stealing a ship Harry ?

Harry closed his eyes and tried to block off a giggle escaping his lip. Pythea's voice in his head was lite and good humored, it sounded like she was only just stopping herself from laughing as well.

Was that the best you could hail up with ?

"Pirating a ship."Harry thought, grinning."Why does everyone get that untimely ?"

You are insane Harry. In the estimable possible way.

"Thank you."Harry opened his eye and tried to foot her out of the crowd but he couldn't observe her."Where are you ?"

getting cook to leave. Pythea's voice took on a mournful tone. I've been invited to a dinner party in London tonight and we'll be leaving after that. I'm afraid I won't get another probability to see you. I'm sorry Harry, I can't get out of it.

"It ‘ s all right Thea."Harry nodded."I understand. So this is goodbye ? Until summer I mean."

Harry… Pythea trailed off, Harry could almost hear her sigh. Yes until summer.

"Is… is there something else ?"Harry asked warily.

I… I wish I could tell you Harry. Just save the necklace on. Please…

"Ok, I understand."Harry smiled sadly."Goodbye Thea."

bye Harry.

"attending everyone !"Dumbledore said, his spokesperson magically amplified. Harry was jerked out of his mind by the Headmasters voice and felt a little empty as Pythea's bearing disappeared."We, the judges, have come to a decision."

Harry heard the whole scholarly person eubstance go still.

"For Viktor Krum who used a partial transformation to capital impression but unfortunately was ineffective to free his hostage, we award ten points."

Krum made no social movement, he had obviously been expecting something like that.

"For Fleur Delacour demonstrating a good bubblehead appealingness, and who retrieved her hostage just a few moments past the time demarcation, we award 20 points !"

Fleur nodded, smiling.

"There has been some… treatment over the next two marks."Dumbledore stopped and cleared his throat before continuing."Mr Malfoy ‘ s used a bubblehead magical spell and subsequent conjuring to retrieve his hostage well within the time terminal point. Although he rode on Mr Potter ‘ s transportation for a shortly meter we have been told that this was inadvertent and so should not count against him. We have awarded him xxx points !"

A little, unripened robed, portion of the crowd went barbarian with celebration.

"We have also discussed Mr ceramist ‘ s conduct."Dumbledore looked over and met Harry ‘ s eyes. It was impossible to assure what the old man was thinking."Mr potter brought his surety back first, it is dead on target. However, although Mr Crouch has informed us that Mr Potter ‘ s doings was not strictly illegal, we have decided that it was grievous, irresponsible and not in keeping with the spirit of the competitor. Therefore we have awarded him no points !"

"Oh come on !"Harry heard mortal yell, another vocalisation booed and a moment later the cry was taken up across the whole crowd ( except the Slytherins and the educatee of the former school ). Dumbledore put his hands out for placid and people quieted down, there was still some angry muttering though.

"I am sorry."Fleur turned to Harry and smiled in pathos."I think zey were to ‘ arsh on you."

"I ‘ m just felicitous to still be here."Harry grinned. Fleur looked confused."You know, instead of being arrested."

"Ah,"Fleur nodded and tossed her fuzz."But zey would not put ze boy who lived in jail."

"Not permanently."Harry shrugged and turned."Well Malfoy that makes you the… Malfoy ?"Harry cast of characters around but the blonde haired boy was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh well."Harry shrugged and turned to the gang."party in Gryffindor tug !"
*


On the way back to retrieve the Chimera with the marauders Harry stopped out of sight of the crowd and trotted down to the bound of the lake.

"Harry ?"Ron called out after him."What are you doing ?"Harry ignored him. As he reached the amnionic fluid edge he cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled,

"I beat you you dolt lake ! Yeah you, and everything you could throw at me ! I. BEAT. YOU !"Harry threw his arms in the air and laughed.
*


Harry juggled four empty butterbeer bottles in the middle of the laughing bunch in Gryffindor towboat. He flipped one behind his back and just managed to get it on the end of his fingertips.

Either he was out of recitation or he had had too many nursing bottle himself. Or maybe it had been whatever the green material the Weasley twins had brought was ?

"We need More butterbeer !"Someone shouted near the backrest of the tower.

"No we don ‘ t !"Fred yelled back, unveiling another crate.

"block trying to take credit entry for the catering Fred,"Harry laughed."We all know it was Dobby."

"Spoilsport !"

Harry spun the nursing bottle back down to ground and collapsed against the paries near a windowpane. It was one of the few untenanted spots in the entire tower. Initially multitude had questioned why Harry was celebrating having not scored at all. Harry then explained to them that although he had failed on the points fron the had won on the unspeakable-awesomeness front and that was even better.

It seemed like all of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had squeezed into the column along with the aborigine Gryffindors. The political party had spilled up the towboat with people lounging around in the chamber and landing ( Endless fun was gained from letting the former students try to mount the staircase to the girls rooms ). Harry had even seen a grouping of students sitting in one of the bathrooms, playing some sorting of waive game that involved a lot of giggling, clapping and intermittent green muck. Probably a good thing they were in there come to think of it.

"Great Party Harry !"somebody yelled from across the room. Harry couldn't see who."Yeah peachy !"person closer shouted. Harry thought it might have been Cho. There was only one thing missing from this party that would own made it perfect.

That blond someone had been dragged home by her ear so her female parent could establish her a buns talking-to about her selection of boys.

Harry felt sort of bad about getting Susan in trouble. In retrospect he could possess handled the place with more delicacy, or any delicacy. But it would probably burn out over, even if not it was Susan he was dating, not her mother.

So it couldn't possibly be a problem.

Surprisingly when he had remarked on this to Hermione she had doubled over laughing.

"What ?"Harry had said, as his friend held her stomach in pain."What ?"

"Nothing Harry. Nothing."Hermione had patted him on the shoulder joint, still chuckling."It ‘ s nice to know that you ‘ re naive about some things."

Harry shrugged it away, it was probably a fille thing.

Speaking of which… Harry saw a figure sitting out by the battlefront of the shoal, a name who looked like it had blond hair. Maybe her parents had let her occur household early ?

Harry pushed himself up and shouldered his way through the crew towards the portrait mess. He grabbed a few butter-beers on the way and fended off any interrogative about where he was going,

"Just to the bathroom."Harry grinned."The one up there ‘ s covered in slime."

Harry slipped out and closed the portraiture firmly behind him before trotting away down the corridor. He effortlessly slid behind a statue as Filch ambled past before proceeding down to the entranceway entrance hall. The main door's were closed at this metre of night so Harry left by a position threshold and skirted the edge of the castle until the main doors came into view. The figure waiting there was not the one he had expected.

Malfoy was sat there, head teacher in his hands and absolutely still about halfway up the steps. For a moment Harry thought he might stimulate been petrified before he saw the Slytherin shift his feet. Harry ghosted up silently until he was side by side to the other boy. Malfoy wasn't crying or anything, no angry quiver or despaired muttering. He just seemed… numb.

"We got to check meeting like this."Harry's articulation sounded especially loud in the night air and Malfoy's head jerked up. Harry could almost see the moment it took for Malfoy to put his usual scowl back in space, like a mask over everything.

"What are you doing here Potter ?"He sneered, but it didn't have it's usual squawk. Even it felt muted.

"Saw you from the tower."Harry shrugged."Thought you were Susan hail back early."

Malfoy snorted and shook his head. But Harry saw him subtly angling himself so he was less seeable from the tower.

"Why are you here then ?"Harry asked."I assume there ‘ s some sort of party in Slytherin ?"

"Isn ‘ t there a party in Gryffindor ?"

"Avoiding the question."Harry grinned."Nice."

"Just go away Potter."Malfoy shook his headspring and sunk back down to the stair. Harry ignored him and dropped down onto the bottom side by side to him. A long instant passed in silence.

"Did Karkaroff pass you any worry about the ship ?"Malfoy said suddenly.

"devising me pay for the repairs."Harry shook his head."God knows how much it ‘ ll co-"

"I ‘ ll deal with it."Malfoy cut him off."My father has people for that sort of thing."

Harry took an measure moment before the medulla oblongata clicked on in his head.

"Ah !"Harry smiled."I was wondering."

"Wondering what ?"

"Why the monster calamari attacked us."Harry leant back and lay down on the steps behind him."It ‘ s an ancient protector of Hogwarts, trained to only lash out sorry magic. And I know I wasn ‘ t doing any gloomy magic…"

Malfoy bowed his head, but Harry could swear there was a sliver of a smile at the edge of his lips.

"That eel thing you were riding when I first saw you ? That affair that dissolved into the deck ?"Harry guessed."I ‘ m thinking you don't want anyone to notice traces of it whilst they ‘ re repairing the ship. Maybe get you kicked out of the challenger, at the very least."

After a moment Malfoy started chuckling, just a wry niggling noise, but it was there.

"Very honest Potter."Malfoy lay back on the stairs as well."I keep forgetting you ‘ re actually intelligent."

"Thank you, I think."Harry laughed."Butter-beer ?"Harry held out a bottle.

"Thank you."Malfoy took the nursing bottle and elegantly flicked the cap off with his wand. Harry rolled his eyes and took his off with his teeth. They drunk in silence for a while, the wind whistling through the grass and about the tower of the old palace. Harry could even hear the echoing laughter from Gryffindor column far above.

"So what is this ?"Harry broke the silence."Are we like supporter now or something ?"

"We ‘ re drinking beer together."Malfoy stated flatly.

"Chums ? buddy ?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"Co-conspirators ? friendly challenger ?"Harry grinned."Agreed non-combatants ?"

"We are drinking beer together."Malfoy repeated."And you ‘ re talking too much."

"Emo git."

"Scarhead."

"Snake."

"Orphan."

"Peroxide."

"I looked that up you know."Malfoy commented, bringing down a strand of his hair to stare at."I think I ‘ m more a platinum blonde."

"Always about money with you isn ‘ t it."

Malfoy shrugged and secretiveness descended again.

"So…"Harry broached carefully."Are you gon na tell me why you were sitting out here in the first place ?"

Malfoy didn't answer, just stared off into space.

"I mean there must experience been a reason…"

"Why would I tell you."Malfoy said under his breath, his old malice dripping from the Holy Scripture. Harry could see the masquerade pulling back into place.

"No reason… just… well something strikes me."Harry wondered if this was the right hand course to take but kept going anyway."Your serious friend are Crabbe and Goyle right ? Except they ‘ re not really the talking-to variety of ally. Actually they don ‘ t seem as a good deal like ally as they do like… employees I guess. They work for you."

Malfoy remained silent, staring out into the Scottish night.

"And I haven ‘ t seen you hanging around Pansy as much lately."Harry shrugged."Good choice on your percentage that… And anyway even when you were together you didn't really seem to sing. She was more an ornament then a girlfriend I think. I don ‘ t know much about your Quidditch mates but none of them are in the same year as you are they ? And I know you don't talk of the town to anyone outside Slytherin house."

Malfoy's grey middle bored into the darkness as Harry dryly dissected his life.

"And I haven ‘ t seen many owls coming to your bit of the breakfast board other than your family ‘ s bird of Jove owl. You almost never write back. That old cleaning lady, Ellen Hayward ? You cared about her a lot I think, but she ‘ s gone now."Harry took a deep breathing space."So the thing is… the decimal point is… the reason you should tell me what's bothering you, is that you don ‘ t really have anyone else to tell."

Malfoy stayed silent for a minute longer then wet his lips.

"Thank you Potter."His voice broke a little as he was speaking."That ‘ s made me feel much better."

"I didn ‘ t mean it to follow out that that harsh."Harry shrugged apologetically.

"It was more the was you systematically stripped me of everything that connects me to humanity."

"That too."

Malfoy shook his head ruefully and downed the residual of his drink.

"I can ‘ t William Tell you the reason."Malfoy shook his head."Not the principal one anyway."

"Then… the small one ?"Harry coaxed.

"You really want to discover ?"Malfoy asked, sounding confused.

"This may derive as a cushion to you blondie, but I don ‘ t hatred you."Harry grinned."Anymore…"

"You hated me last year."

"I humiliated you last year."Harry smiled evilly."But I didn ‘ t hate you. Ginny, now she hated you. And the twelvemonth before we were practically bestest-buddies."

"I was your source in a racist cult."

"As I said, buddies."Harry quipped ( mentally noting down the fact that Malfoy had referred to it as a racist fad )."Now either stop avoiding the question or at to the lowest degree try and be less obvious about it."

"It ‘ s just…"Malfoy took a deep hint."My beginner hasn't written."

Harry waited for the end if the paragraph before realizing it had already passed.

"That ‘ s it ?"Harry asked incredulously."Daddy hasn ‘ t written ?"

"I came first in the project !"Malfoy said angrily."I ‘ m in first billet in the tournament. Surely he has something to say about that. He didn ‘ t write to me after the first undertaking either."

"How about when you were chosen as champion ?"

"He did write to me then,"Malfoy nodded."But it was strange, it was like he didn ‘ t know whether to congratulate me or not."

"Why do you give care ?"Harry asked, confused.

"What do you imply ‘ why do I deal ‘ ?"Malfoy looked traumatise."He ‘ s my father."

"Oh, not my field of operation of expertness I guess."Harry shrugged."For me mob is squarely divided between died-before-I-remember and treated-me-like-crap."Happy paused."I suppose it ‘ s possible that the ones that died before I was born also treated me like crap… unlikely though. Either way I don't have to give care what they think, or would have thought, about me."

"You don ‘ t sense any, I don ‘ t know… compulsion… to subsist up to their anticipation ?"Malfoy asked, seeming genuinely curious."None at all ?"

"Nope. Why do you think I never tried to learn to fly ?"Harry shrugged."It ‘ s the top to being orphaned."

"I envy you."Malfoy said, shaking his head.

"There are a brace of downsides as well."Harry replied dryly."You ‘ ll never have to instruct how to use newsprint as an insulator."

"You didn ‘ t have to run away from home."Malfoy murmured the commentary so softly that Harry wasn ‘ t sure if he should respond.

"I chose to."Harry shrugged."I could let stayed I guess, but I ‘ d prefer to take my freedom."

"I see."Malfoy looked down into his abandon bottleful, rolling it idly between his digit. Harry handed him a full one."Do you ever regret-"

"No."

"Right."

"Do you…"Harry took a deep breath."Do you ever regret not leaving ?"

"What makes you think I ‘ ve thought about it ?"Malfoy said evasively.

"Your line of questioning, your overall demeanor, the fact that I ‘ ve met your father, the fact that you already said you envy me."Harry shrugged."sight of things."

"You haven ‘ t been legilimizing me have you ?"Malfoy said angrily.

"You ‘ d know. You ‘ re better at occlumency than me."

"There are mollusks better at occlumency than you."

"Magical mollusks ?"

"No."

"darn,"Harry grinned and shrugged."Oh well. Anyway, about your father not writing…"

"There ‘ s nothing I can do I was just-"

"You ‘ ll just have to win."Harry said glibly. Malfoy turned to him in shock."Then he ‘ ll throw to pay attention."Malfoy stared at him, his eyes wide. Harry just laughed. After a moment Malfoy started laughing too.
*


And it was with that that Harry and Malfoy became friend. There are some things you can't share and not become supporter and your sucky family animation is one of them.

It's not as striking as fighting a round, but in the long run it's probably a more stable basis for a friendship.
*


"Errg…"Ron groaned, his mind in his hands.

"Brother dear, let me ask you something."Ginny said, making sure to add extra bulk to the vowels."The twins are your brothers, they are your aged sidekick. That means you have known them your stallion life. So let me ask you… WHY THE HELL DID YOU DRINK THAT poppycock THEY GAVE YOU ? !"

Ron's response was calculated and articulate.

"Errrg…. think ‘ m gon na throw up."

"At least Neville has an excuse."

Neville responded by shuddering and rolling onto the early side of his bed. Harry, who had only had a methamphetamine hydrochloride or two of the twins ‘ party mix'and so was in a more human condition chuckled a little.

"Ok I understand why you ‘ re not sick."Harry pointed at Ginny."You didn ‘ t drink any, neither did Hermione. But why aren ‘ t Padma and Annapurna sick."

"Oh Hermione mixed us up an antidote."

"There ‘ s antidote ?"Ron whimpered."Why not make for us ?"

"She ‘ s mixing up another mass for Neville and Harry now."Ginny smiled evilly."You on the other hand… Maybe you should think about apologizing before you start asking for favors."Ginny got up and left the room, chuckling under her breath.

"Ok,"Harry shared a glimpse with the bedridden Neville."dead reckoning they haven ‘ t totally forgotten about the clump thing."

In the end Harry palmed his vial of antidote and gave it to Ron. If he hadn't then the relief of the day would have been very unpleasant. Ron did his dependable to sound ill so the others didn't catch on. This might deliver worked if Ron was not a completely terribly actor. It the end Harry just gave up and accepted that the day was going to wet-nurse. They had August 6 anyway so it could never make been good.

As Harry was slinking out of class miserably ( McGonnagall had dropped extra homework on him ) when he realized that someone had been missing from the lesson.

"guy wire, where ‘ d Susan go ?"Harry asked the assembled marauders.

"Um… I heard her parents got permission to observe her base for the week."Parvati said evasively.

"Oh, hope she ‘ s back for the Hogsmeade weekend."Harry shrugged and turned towards their next lesson. Behind him he heard Padma susurration,

"Is he really that forgetful ?"

"I think so."Her sister responded."In some shipway he ‘ s big than Ron."

"Not most means though."

"Oh definitely not, but a few."

"I have quite good pinna up here girls."Harry commented."So either whisper better or peach in code."

"Inkthaye heaye ancay derstandunaye isthaye ?"Parvarti whispered conspiratorially.

"Brilliant sister,"Padma rolled her eyes."Just brilliant."
*


Susan didn't materialize all week. Harry considered owling her but figured she probably wouldn't want to be bothered at her parents post. When the Hogsmeade hebdomad end finally rolled around Harry waited in the incoming mansion house for a piece, but when she didn't display up he shrugged and left to fill up with the marauders.

As he neared the rook logic gate he casually disillusioned himself and slipped behind Filch, who was eyeing everyone going in and out evilly. He removed the captivation as son as he was out of the caretakers sight, shocking two third geezerhood Gryffindors..

"Can you not do that Harry !"Elizabeth II snapped at him.

"Sorry,"Harry winked at her and Vanessa."But it ‘ s better than crossing the bloody lake."

"Why don ‘ t you steal another ship ?"Liz quipped back at him.

"Don ‘ t want to look formulaic. Need to keep matter fresh."

"You ‘ ve done the invisibility thing before too."Vanessa pointed out.

"trade good peak, I need some new material…"Harry tapped his chin thoughtfully."Know anywhere I can get a Hippogriff ?"

The two girls laughed and Harry shrugged, so long as it worked he ‘ d stay fresh using disillusionment. Except with mad eye moody. Harry walked the rest of the way into township with the footling Slythi-Gryffs then split off as he spotted the marauders.

"Hey guy wire, anything happening ?"

"You probably shouldn't be here Harry."Hermione said sharply as Harry sauntered up."McGonagall's around town somewhere, and so are Crouch, Madam Maxim and that early judge, Ludo Bagman."

"Damn,"Harry winced."That ‘ s a heavy group."

"That ‘ s what we thought."

"wellspring if I wear a disguise or something…. Wait, were those four together ?"

"Yeah."Ron answered, sounding confused."They all went into the Three broomstick together. Why ?"

"Three Triwizard jurist and the de-facto decision maker of Hogwarts meeting up ?"Harry winked."I wonder what they could be discussing."

"You gon na eavesdrop ?"Fred asked excitedly.

"We ‘ ll service !"His twin chimed in happily.

"Harry no !"Hermione pleaded."You could ruin your chances in the tournament !"

"I ‘ m already last."Harry shrugged."What else can they do ?"

"Chuck you out."Padma suggested."Come on Harry, your habit of ignoring schooling rules has expanded to let in ignoring both ministry police and BASIC common sense. have just go back to Hogwarts."

"No."Harry shook his heading."And anyway, since I ‘ m cobbler's last post I need to exact a few jeopardy or I ‘ ll never win."Harry turned to the Weasley twins."You mind scoping out the broomsticks for me ?"

"No trouble Harry."Fred winked and a moment later he and his buddy disappeared.

Harry left the other marauders and waited outside the pub for Fred and George to reappear. After a moment they walked out, a little too nonchalantly.

"Guys, walk normally."Harry hissed."Unless you want everyone to know something's screwy."

"Do not reprimand the masters."St. George put his bridge player to his pectus in mock shock."We were doing this before you even study how to tease a pocket."

"No you weren ‘ t."Harry said flatly."Unless you were doing it before you were eight."

"You learnt to pickpocket at eight ?"Fred said, scandalized.

"Seven. I ‘ m younger than you remember."Harry said impatiently."Now what did you see in there ?"

"All four of them are at a mesa near the back."George VI said, pointing back towards the building and vaguely to the left wing. His twin just kept shaking his head and muttering ‘ seven ? ’."It's one of the private booths."

"Ok, time to be old Jack Shaky again."Harry rummaged in his bag and brought out his old man mask and raged cloak. After donning his disguise he shuffled across the street and entered the pub. As soon as he was in he picked out his marks near the back of the room. Not wanting to arouse suspicion he walked up to the counter and ordered a glass of wine. A drink not childish enough to make him expect like a child but not strong enough to fix him seem like a minor wearing a camouflage to get alcohol.

With the goldilocks drink in bridge player he walked creakily over to the future compartment over from the jurist and sat down.

"-don't see where it zey av all gone."lady Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim was saying."Ze last metre I was over hear zey were everywhere."

"It ‘ s been a much wetter summer than usual."McGonnagall said."That may have cut down their phone number. Flowers blooming later and so forth."

"Perhaps."

"It may also be the habitats."Mr Crouch said knowingly."Encroachment by the muggles. Their habitat gets destroyed and they can't go anywhere. They don ‘ t like to get across woodland you know."

"Really ? I would receive thought they did it naturally ?"McGonnagall asked.

"Oh no they don ‘ t like to cover natural roadblock, they only like open spaces. Only a few coinage actually live in the woods."

Were they talking about butterflies or something ? Harry shook his caput, this was the most boring conversation he'd ever eavesdropped on.

"Not like acromantula then ?"bagman joked.

"No nix like them."Crouch replied humorlessly."Acromantula will live in any arena with a sufficient nutrient generator provided they can recover a place out of the sun to sleep during the day."

"It… It was a put-on Barty."

"Oh… I see."

The four fell silent and Harry mentally labeled Barty Crouch as ‘ the conversation killer ’. Harry took a sip of his drink and grimaced, did people drink this for pleasance ? Harry slumped down on his tail end as the four adults in the succeeding compartment began discussing some philosophy book.

"Well, can ‘ t always overhear good stuff."Harry thought realistically."Sometimes people just babble out about garbage."

Harry figured it was safer to look for them to go forth first so he waited, wisely not drinking any more of the acidic drink in front of him. After an hour or so of boring adult discussion he heard them get up and commence to move off.

"wait a present moment Crouch."A new vocalization cut in."Want a Bible with you."

Moody ?

"What is it Alastor ?"McGonagall asked pointedly.

"Just a little personal matter Minerva."Moody said easily."See you back up at the castle."Harry saw the two adult female and Bagman leaving.

"Did you look into it ?"Moody asked bluntly.

"I fail to see what ‘ s so interest in-"

"You don ‘ t need to. Did you find anything ?"

"The department of sorcerous Department of Transportation hasn ‘ t reported any unscheduled portkeys in Dorset."

"That ‘ s all you did ?"Moody said scathingly."Looked through a few old reports ?"

"Look Moody, this is your obsession."Barty Crouch said smoothly."We're fussy enough at the ministry with Fudge's transgression and Dumbledore causing bother. I looked into it as a favor but there ‘ s aught there. Just a normal, tragic, act of an old cleaning woman who wanted to die before her mind went."

"Did anyone do an autopsy ?"

"Moody…"

"Did they ?"Moody pressed.

"The coroner examined her at the scene."Crouch said wearily."Standard cause-of-death detection spells revealed-"

"Nothing."Moody cut in."Because they can ‘ t tell a murder from a suicide."

"Dwight Lyman Moody nada can tell that."Crouch said in exasperation."If you drink poisonous substance yourself it has the same event as if somebody doses you with it. No one can notice the difference."

"Anyone tick off her potion qualification equipment ?"

"Yes, it had traces of the potion that killed her on it."Crouch stood suddenly."Sorry Alastor I looked into this as a favour, but there ‘ s nothing suspicious. nix to investigate, this is just an old gentlewoman who made a mistake."

"Why are you so sure enough ?"Dwight Lyman Moody said, his voice going low."Was a sentence when even a hint of foul swordplay would have had you at it like a bloodhound, but not now. You know something."

There was secretiveness for a present moment, then Harry heard a chair excoriation as Mr Crouch sat back down. When he began talking again it was at a whisper that Harry had to strain to hear.

"They found a note."

"Suicide eminence ?"Dwight Lyman Moody asked keenly."Could have been forged."

"They tested it. It was written by her, with her own free will."Harry frowned, he hadn't realized it was potential to quiz for that, but since Helen Wills seemed to take on it it must be admittedly. Crouch continued,"Obviously they wanted to keep it under wraps."

"But everyone knows it ‘ s a suicide."Helen Wills Moody sounded suspicious."Everyone with an ounce of wit anyway."

"It wasn ‘ t the act itself,"Crouch whispered lower."It was the contents of the note. The reason she did it."

"Eh ?"

"She killed herself to be with… with…"Crouch took a deep breath, as if just giving voice to this was arduous."… with somebody named sign Lanka, he was her housekeeper until about a class ago. She died to be with the man she loved."

"Tragic,"Moody said dryly."But it doesn ‘ t explain any-"

"It does if you take into account the fact that target Lanka was a file squib."Crouch explained in a hushed whisper.

"Oh… Oh I see."There was the creak of a chair as Moody be given back."And in an old established pure blood family…"

"That variety of behavior would be deeply disgraceful. Especially considering how respected she was."Crouch sighed."It was decided that it was better hidden. She didn ‘ t deserve to consume this grime on her name."

"Right,"Moody growled."It was all for her benefit."

"In any case."Crouch stood again and pushed his chair in."The suit is closed, please don ‘ t saucer this with anyone."Harry heard him forget the pub. A few moments later…

"Heard all that ceramist ?"Moody said from the early Booth. Harry grinned.

"Was it really that big a peck ?"Harry asked.

"To them that concern it would be."Harry could almost see Dwight Lyman Moody shrugging on the other side of the partition."And the suicide makes it worse."

"I see. hazard that solves it then."Harry took another sip of the sulphurous wine."Assuming Mr Crouch is telling the truth."

"Oh I think he is."Moody said begrudgingly.

"You trust him ?"Harry asked, shocked.

"I trust him to be him."Moody growled."If there was so lots as a intimation that disconsolate magic was involved Barty Crouch wouldn't just take the air away."

"Doesn ‘ t he work in some dead end office…"Harry scratched his head, trying to think of."International magical co-operation ? Odd blank space for a dark superstar hunter."

"Didn ‘ t used to be. Used to be an auror, like me. Then a senior auror, like me. Then a section head, which I ‘ m happy to say is unlike me."Helen Wills sighed sadly."He was a tough nut but he did what he had to do in those times."

"What went incorrect ?"

"Ended up arresting his son."A gluging phone came from the other side of the partition, like Moody had just drained his mug."Barty Crouch Jr, and don ‘ t think the theme didn ‘ t have a field day with that. ‘ bend conviction hunker ’, ‘ Set a Crouch to take in a Crouch ’, lots of ammunition for those hacks."

"Hilarious."Harry commented dryly.

"Anyway, he never quite recovered from the fallout. But he keeps his ear to the ground and a lot of people in the ministry respect him. In any case, I think this example is closed."

"Guess so."Harry sighed."Sorry I wasted your prison term Professor."

"That's alright, you weren't to experience. And besides, keeps me young."

"Say,"Harry suddenly remembered something."He said Dumbledore was causing trouble at the ministry. You know what that ‘ s about ?"

"Dumbledore has it in his head that you-know-who is on the way back."Helen Wills's representative was so flat it was unacceptable to detect what he thought about it.

"Haven ‘ t seen anything in the Prophet."

"Rita Skeeter ‘ s death neutered them. They haven ‘ t even been gouging Fudge that hard over all his screw ups."

"Big matter to dismiss though…"

"The ministry ‘ s hushing it up."Dwight Lyman Moody snorted."The parts of the ministry that are still functioning anyway. Don't know where Dumbledore got the melodic theme though…"

Snape's sullen mark…

"I ‘ m sure Dumbledore has his sources."

"Such as ?"

"generator we mere mortals can not tap."

"And yet you clearly know."Moody chuckled."That ‘ s what I like about you Harry, you make things interesting. Ever need any more help, just ask."

Moody got up and left, his wooden leg clomping against the wooden floor.

Harry sighed and took another sip of his potable, grimacing in the process. He felt sort of bloated from the excess of exposition. Harry shrugged and got up to depart when he saw a rubbish of paper on the floor, under the table.

Harry leant down, careful to act like he was creaky and old, and picked it up. He began unfolding it and marveled at how it just kept unfolding, over and over until it was the size of a poster. On it was drawn some complicated snarl rule, passages intersecting and turning and ending in blind skittle alley. There was an opened space in the center and several other clear places around as well. The map had little anotations everywhere that Harry had to squint to read…

"Sphinx… quicksand… devil snare… ?"Harry read a few More of them then folded the affair back down and stuffed it in his bag. It obviously wasn't connected to the case.

After leaving the pub and shedding his disguise Harry went back to the castle ( disillusioning himself again to squeak past times Filch ). As he was crossing the entryway hall he spotted soul in one of the side corridors. He trotted up to the figure, who stopped and turned as he drew near.

"You missed Hogsmeade."

"Mum kept me home."Susan said, not meeting his eyes.

"Was she pissed at you ?"

"Yes Harry,"Susan turned in botheration."She was pissed. She yelled, she screamed, she was pissed. Now go away."

"well don't acquire it out on me."Harry quirked an eyebrow."I didn ‘ t yell at you."

"Harry… just delight go away."Susan shook her school principal."She says I can ‘ t see you anymore."

"And you ‘ re gon na listen to her ?"

"Harry delight just go."Susan turned and walked down the corridor. Harry followed confused.

"I don ‘ t get it."Harry hurried to hold up with the scurrying Susan castanets."I like you, I got the picture you liked me."

"It ‘ s not that…"

"If it ‘ s not that then what else is there ?"Harry slid in front of her and brought her to a stop with his deal on her articulatio humeri."Come on pearl, be a little bit to a lesser extent Hufflepuff and a little more marauder."

"The predator aren ‘ t a house."Susan murmured, still not meeting his gaze.

"Oh yes they are,"Harry winked."The secret house, the household that never gets point because we have no normal. ejaculate over to my English Susan, it ‘ s more fun over here. Lets go for a walk, down by the lake."

"I ‘ ve got an essay due…"

"Did you not listen to a word I said ?"Harry put a hand under her chin and tilted her top dog up to meet his eyes."Come on… do you really want me to walk away ?"

Harry leant in and kissed her lightly and lingeringly. Or at least that was what he tried for, he wasn't exactly an expert.

"Harry please…"Or maybe he was…"Wait… have you been drinking wine ?"Harry shut her up by kissing her again, this time harder. About halfway through she started kissing back. Harry leant back, they were against a rampart. Had he pushed them against a bulwark ? He certainly didn't remember doing that.

"Oh Harry."Susan was blushing tomato red."My mums gon na kill me."

"That ‘ s if she ever finds out."Harry snaked an arm around Susan's articulatio humeri."Lets take a walk."
*


"Harry where were you ?"Hermione asked.

"Hogsmeade, recall ?"

"Why do you have lipstick on your shirt collar ?"

"Um… ran into a bundle of… magic… kissing… heyday ? They exist rightfield ?"

"No."

"Oh."Harry shrugged and grinned evilly."Guess I must have been snogging person then."
*


Despite being in last place in the tournament the pursuit weeks were some of the best in Harry's memory, and they didn't even involve pranking anyone ! He had the marauders, heartsease and friendship with Malfoy and a girlfriend. Susan was still occasionally struck with bouts of restiveness, thinking that her mother would somehow encounter out about their continued relationship ( despite the fact that Harry had already taken care of this by ordering excavator to intercept any post sent from a Hogwarts professor to Doris os ). But former than that it was perfect.

The marauders often ended the day by lounging around outside on the grass outside talking or doing homework. And because they were there pot of former Gryffindors came too, and usually Susan brought her Hufflepuff champion. Before prospicient the after-class-outside-lounge became a habitue for virtually of the schooltime. Luckily the marauders took enough unlike family that they could always bag a place before it got too crowded.

One afternoon when Harry was on the verge of falling asleep there on the grass, with Susan lying across him, her head pillowed on his arm, a shadow fell across them.

"Harry wake up."

Harry's eyes flickered open and he saw Malfoy standing over him.

"You ‘ re ruining my ravisher sleep."Harry complained.

"Then I ‘ m sorry because you really look like you need it."Malfoy quipped laconically.

"One of us has a girlfriend Malfoy, prompt me which one of us that is ?"

"One of us knows what a comb is, remind me which one of us that is ?"

"Me, it's what love comes in isn ‘ t it ?"Harry grinned."Anyway what is it ?"

"jurist want us."

"For what ?"

"I don ‘ t know, I don't take divination."Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"Ron does,"Harry glanced over at his champion, who was doing some soothsaying homework at that moment."Look in the crystal ball. severalize us what's happening."

"Don't be stupid Harry…"Ron said, eyeing Malfoy suspiciously."Wait…"He peered into the sphere and blinked, surprised."Actually, it does look like there ‘ s something in there."

"Really ? What ?"Harry sat up, dislodging his girlfriend. Ron had never before actually seen something in the ball.

"It ‘ s kind of distorted…"Ron squinted and scratched his chief."looking kind of like a face…"

"Some kind of fauna ?"Neville guessed.

"troll ? hulk ?"Harry asked, interested.

"Don ‘ t know, ugly though. Huge red spots all over its face."Ron peered closer. Hermione's optic suddenly widened and she began to giggle. A bit later Harry got it and slapped a hand over his mouth to terminate himself laughing.

"Weird red hair too…"Ron continued, oblivious."Think it ‘ s some kind of colossus ? Some of them have red hair."

"Not one word."Harry said to Malfoy holding a fingerbreadth up."Not one word."

"Too well-off anyway."Malfoy shrugged and stepped back as Harry stood. They were about to exit when Padma said,

"detainment on, what the hell was that ?"

"What ?"Harry turned.

"That !"Padma pointed between Harry and Malfoy."You ‘ re not at each others throats ! You almost look like Friend. Are you on some sort of drugs ?"

"No."Harry shook his point."That would disqualify me from the tournament."

"It ‘ s not like they ‘ d check."Malfoy pointed out.

"You never know."Harry shrugged."I can just see that bend guy running at me waving a plastic cup."

"I wonder if that ‘ s the third task."Malfoy half smiled.

"A urine psychometric test ? form of anticlimactic."

"Not if it's in social movement of the whole school."

"Oh.. True."Harry shrugged."But at least it ‘ d truly put hearsay of Harriet Potter to rest."

"Also… Fleur."

"Cad."

"STOP !"Padma yelled in exasperation."You ‘ re doing it again !"All the marauders were now staring at Harry and Malfoy.

"It ‘ s ok."Harry shrugged."Long floor short I decided that we should own a cease-fire. Since we ‘ re both in the same gravy boat over the tourney and all."

"But, he ‘ s Malfoy !"Ron said, disbelieving.

"It ‘ s Ok."Harry explained."You don ‘ t have to stop hating him just because I did."

"I ‘ m certainly not going to stop hating you."Malfoy chimed in.

"You ‘ re not helping."Harry said, exasperated.

"I ‘ m not trying to."Malfoy shrugged."The judges want us by the Quidditch pitch."Malfoy turned and walked, unconcerned, towards the pitch.

Harry turned back to the shocked marauders.

"Sorry Guy, I know this sort of blindsided you."Harry spread his hands apologetically."But we kept getting stuck together, the flying lizard, the boat, Bournemouth…"

"Malfoy was there ?"Ginny interrupted.

"Oh yeah, I didn ‘ t Tell you that."Harry cursed himself silently."Yeah he was there, the fair sex was an old acquaintance of his."

"The blond hair…"Hermione said, thoughtfully."It was his wasn ‘ t it."

"Yep."Harry nodded."Had to snatch it from the aurors."

"But Harry, he ‘ s Malfoy !"Ron started again, seemingly stuck in a cringle."Malfoy, you know Dragon Mal-"

"He ‘ s not all bad."Harry shrugged."After all, he ‘ s been my informant since indorsement year."

"What !"The predator yelled, almost in unison.

"Did you think I just somehow guessed where The Called would be meeting ?"Harry grinned."You guys are so naive."

Harry winked and turned away from the seven shocked faces. Still, grinning Harry wandered over to the Quidditch lurch. As soon as he got near it he realized something was wrong.

"Now I don ‘ t play Quidditch…"Harry said as he got nearer."But I ‘ m fairly for sure it ‘ s not meant to front like that."

"Very droll Mr Potter."Barty Crouch commented as Harry joined the other champions."But in all seriousness, these hedging are your thirdly task."

"The tertiary task is topiary ?"

"No Mr Potter."Crouch said, tolerantly."It is a maze."

Oh bugger, Harry's stomach lurched.

"A maze with the triwizard cup in the center."

His bag, with the chip of theme he had picked up at the three broom handle still in it, suddenly felt very heavy and hot.

"And with many challenges to overcome."

Harry listened with half an ear to the respite of the jurist's explanation. He suddenly found himself with a choice to pee-pee, a moral choice.

"Bugger."Harry groaned inwardly."I hate those."



Every time you fail to pass on a review god kills a kitty. A trivial downy kitty. Aw ... flavor at the kitty, so sweet, so fuzzy, and it 's DEAD because of YOU !


I do n't own Harry ceramicist. Have I said that recently ? No ? Well I do n't. Someone tried to trade me division of him once, but it was only a finger and it looked kind of hairy.



Harry sat and stared at the little leaflet musical composition of newspaper publisher on the table as if the result would just come floating out of it. He had clambered into an idle bean over the library to think affair over, but unfortunately was coming up blank.

"It ‘ s not like you saw that much."portion of Harry's brain kept saying in a wheedling voice."You couldn ‘ t go straight to the cup."

"But you remember lots of the challenges on the way."Another constituent of his brain said, sounding a bit like Neville.

Prison-circle, sphinx, becloud mirage, acromantula, devilsnare, tiger-trap, manic mushrooms-

Harry shook his head to clear the litany before it went too far. This was only making affair worse, he was actually remembering Thomas More things the longer he thought about it.

"You could go to the judges."A Hermione shaped mentality cellphone said."Just secern them what happened honestly, it was just a mistake after all."

"Yeah, how would that go…"Harry rolled his heart."You see I was eavesdropping on you and I found this bit of paper…"Harry shook his head.

He could plowshare it with the former champions… Look at the map in its entirety and give copies to the Fleur, Viktor and Malfoy. But that ran into the problem of virtually ensuring that he'd lose the task. Ten instant head start isn't that much when you're going into a snarl subterfuge, but when you know the way ? Harry shook his heading, Malfoy or Fleur would have the cup in their paw before he even got through the movement door.

That was the question wasn't it, Goldilocks style…

He wasn't against cheating a little ( using the marauders for enquiry, overhearing about the dragon ), but having a direct map to the finish line was just too much. That porridge was much too hot.

On the other hand he wasn't so obsessed with equity that he'd just hired hand the cup to Beauxbattons. Fleur was courteous, and he didn't bear in mind some of the early daughter, but there was no was he was letting that oversized bitch-queen Maxim have the satisfaction of winning. That porridge was far too cold.

And the one that was just right was…

"It doesn ‘ t exist."Harry slumped dejectedly."Because the bear cub had been killed by poachers and its rancour vesica sold as medicine."

"I could just burn it now…"Harry thought suddenly."Accept that I have a slight advantage in knowing what challenges are coming and burn the rest. I ‘ m last anyway, I deserve a helping hand."

Was that porridge just right ? Depends what function of his brain he was trying to satisfy.

"Any more of this and my brainiac will be porridge."Harry dropped his forefront to the mesa and banged it repeatedly against the hardwood airfoil."I ‘ m no sound at these questions."

Accept it, sometimes motion have no answer.

"Or no good one at least."Harry shook his caput."Screw it, Incendio !"Harry burnt the scrap of lambskin to ash."Close enough to fair. And I do deserve some help after Dumbledore stiffed me in the 2d task."

"You ‘ re still cheating !"Hermione-brain admonished him.

"Put a metaphysical wind sleeve in it."Harry grumbled at her and stood up from his board."Sometimes literal life isn ‘ t fair."

Harry turned and pushed open the hidden threshold he'd used to get into this home before slinking off down the corridor with his hood up. It was way after curfew but Harry seldom worried about such matter, even Mrs Frank Norris'ears couldn't plectron up Harry when he was trying not to be heard.

Speak of the devil…

Harry skillfully slid into an alcove as the caretakers cat came into view around a corner. She was stalking, tail in the air and her question close down to the storey. Moving in the high-speed-slinking personal manner of a cat on a mission.

What was she hunting ? Not rats, the rook was clean of them. Harry disillusioned himself and began following the stalking feline. She seemed almost confused, she would slink for a few pes then kibosh and sniffle the air, occasionally batting at it with a paw, before slinking forward again.

Harry followed her cautiously. Was she tracking a student ? Who else but the piranha were out of bed at this form of hour ?

Suddenly Harry froze, a dark paring had just appeared in mid air above the scraggly cat. A moment later there was a instant of red light and she slumped to the dry land. Harry tried to rest perfectly still as the stun kitty was pushed behind a suit of armor by the inconspicuous presence. Harry saw the bum half of a boot, visible for a spilt secondment, then nothing. Not for the offset sentence Harry wished he had Dwight Lyman Moody's unreal eye.

The young predator strained his ears and just caught the scratch of boots on pit and followed at a crouch. Disillusionment was no replacement for a true invisibility cloak, if whoever it was looked back at the wrongfulness mo they would spot him for sure. Harry tried to stay put in the trace as he furiously tried to come up with a plan. He wished he could drop back far enough to call Myrtle, but if he did that he'd lose the intruder for sure.

Harry could almost see the shadow of the man he was following when he passed a torch in the wall. Not even an invisibility cloak was perfect after all so Harry could foot out the basic cast. It did not bode well.

"Whoever this is they ‘ re a fully grown adult."Harry cursed silently."Which means they ‘ re either a teacher, in which sheath why sneak around, or they ‘ re no supposed to be here. And their readiness to blaspheme a defenseless cat doesn ‘ t exactly speak to their character either."

The audio of footsteps stopped and Harry too came to a stop, pressing himself up against the wall so as to be less visible. The man seemed to have stopped outside one of the instructor living quarters. Harry saw the baton appear a second time and a mo later the door glowed a myriad of unlike gloss, a rainbow in the dark corridor. The piece was quickly canceled and the wand withdrawn. The man sounded like he was sitting down to consider the problem.

Harry however grinned impishly. He'd just remembered whose door this was. Only one instructor was paranoiac enough to put that many locking tour on their door. Harry slinked backwards quietly, it would take whoever-it-was a good hanker time to get through that lot and even if he did Moody could call for precaution of himself.

Harry took himself a few corridors away then tapped out a signal on the pit floor. After a moments waiting Vinca minor appeared through the floor.

"Something the matter Harry ?"She said, looking over his camouflaged self.

"Go to Dumbledore, quickly."Harry whispered."Tell him someone is breaking into Moody ‘ s way. soul invisible."

Myrtle's eyes widened and she darted away quickly. Harry turned and slowly made his way back to Moody's rooms.

When he returned Harry's heart skipped a meter. The door was open !

Harry scrambled to his feet, heedless of the stochasticity and dashed to the room access. He slid to the entrance just in time to hear the words,

"Avada Keda-"

"NO !"Harry yelled and threw himself forward. He struck something in the air and saw a photoflash of green light. clip went slow as Harry saw the bolt of lightning crawl through the air, rippling its ghastly green way of life towards the bed at the far end of the quarters. The light lit Moody ‘ s fount and Harry could give sworn he was the instructor eyes flutter candid before the bolt of lightning struck dwelling and the room was plunged into darkness again.

A minute later he hit the story, the murderer dropping beside him with a thump. Harry kicked wildly and felt his human foot hit frame. He jumped to his feet and pulled his verge out of his jacket. But his assaulter was faster.

"Avada Kedavra !"

Harry dropped to the floor as the green bolt shot over his head. The shadowy figure aimed again, and this time Harry had nowhere to go.

"Avada Kedavra !"

"Accio !"Harry yelled desperately, pointing at a side of meat board. It flew towards him and caught the green spell in mid air, showering Harry in huge splinters."Depulso !"Harry waved at the wooden fragment and they shot away from him like shrapnel.

Harry heard his enemy scream as one of the splinter stuck in mid air. Harry threw himself at the floor beneath it and felt himself hit leg. The inconspicuous enemy tumbled to the level again as Harry staggered to his feet.

"Lumos !"

Harry was caught off guard and the spell hit him like a flash lamp, blinding him and making him stumble back in surprise. He heard running feet and took off in interest, fending himself off the suddenly blurry doorway and dashing off down the corridor after his quarry. Harry flicked his wand up to his throat as he ran.

"Sonorous !"Harry amplified his voice and yelled,"slaying ! slaying in the castle !"

Harry had to dodge as a bolt of red brightness level flashed down the passage ahead of him.

"Offucia !"Harry jabbed his wand forward and a stream of inscrutable red key sprayed across the corridor. A blot of it hit in mid air. Harry grinned and aimed again."Ferio !"The bludgeoning curse flew true up and Harry saw the piebald figure lifted off the storey and hurled into the bulwark. Harry threw two Thomas More into the prone chassis as he approached. Harry spotted the Man wand on the base and kicked it away from him.

"Now let ‘ s see your ugly face you bastard."Harry panted, out of breathing time."Come on off with it !"

The figure didn't move, perhaps he'd knocked him out ?

"Accio cloak !"Harry flicked his wand and the cloak shot up. It sprang into Harry ‘ s script, knocking his scepter to the side.

"Effodio !"

Harry was thrown to the floor as the trance hit him, sliding across the stone in a stupor of pain. Through the red mist he heard a sinister chuckle. The cloak was pulled from his suddenly powerless digit. Harry tried to call on his school principal to see his attacker but a rough mitt pushed him back down into the flooring.

Harry tried vainly to crusade himself to his feet at the murdered turned and hurried away but the flooring seemed to be strangely slick. Harry brought a hired hand up and faintly registered red. The blusher that he had thrown or blood ? Harry tried to rivet on the floor in front of him and saw something slimy lying on the ground next to him. Long, coiled and bulging like a Hydra that had just eaten a pack of rats. Harry traced it back and almost passed out when he saw where it was coming from.

It was flopping out from a breach hole in his stomach. The slimy thing was his own intestines.

The pain sensation hit Harry again, concentrated then before. It was as if, now that he knew he was cut open, his intellect was finally registering the accidental injury. His hands moved involuntarily, pulling the fleshy coil towards him, his physical structure vainly trying to fix what his brain knew was a killing wound.

"Mr Pot… Oh Harry !"

Behind a mist of red Harry saw professor McGonagall's face come into sight. Her usually stern aspect was contorted with fright and shock.

"Effercio."McGonagall waved her verge over him and Harry felt his guts reel themselves back in like a hose. Harry looked down and couldn't stop himself from vomiting at the visage of his entrails slipping in through his skin.

A moment later it was over and the lesion closed up, showing up only as a raw red line of work on his skin.

"Who used an entrail discharge torment on you Potter ?"McGonagall asked, her shock still manifest in her voice."And what is all this about murder ?"

"Dumbledore."Harry panted, pained."Get me to Dumbledore."

"For once you are talking sense."Harry felt himself lifted up off the storey then set back down on a stretcher that the professor must sustain conjured right there and then. The stretcher itself was lifted then and Harry saw the paries around him get down to displace. Harry tried to tilt billet but as soon as did a fizgig of pain sensation hit him in the stomach.

"Do not try to move Harry. Please."He heard McGonagall's bear on voice from behind him."The counter-curse only puts you back together, it doesn ‘ t turnaround all the damage that was done along the way."

Harry lay obediently still as they moved through the darkened corridors. Harry wasn't sure as shooting how much longer it took but eventually they stopped and he felt a shadow fall over him. Harry pulled his head up enough to see around and found that they were outside the infirmary annex, Dumbledore was standing over him solemnly in a purple dressing gown. Behind him the three remaining point of menage were standing, looking his way. Off at the edge of the lamplight Harry could see the Triwizard judges. Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim towering up into the shadows of the roof, Karkaroff with the angles of his grimace stark in the candlelight and Crouch standing silently beside. Harry turned back to Dumbledore.

"I lost him."Harry said through a raw throat.

"Harry…"

"I followed him for years but I…"Harry coughed heavily into his helping hand. When he could speak again he continued."I screwed up, made a stupid mistake. I let him get away."

"Harry you can not be held responsible."Dumbledore shook his top dog."I should hold come to your aid instead of going to Professor Moody first. I should throw known you would track after the intruder."

"Moody…"Harry felt his heart fall into his rush."That's my defect too. I thought it would be alright to leave for a few moments. To hold you a signal. It's my defect he ‘ s dead."

"Ah,"Dumbledore broke into a smile."I think I have some good news for you Harry. Professor Helen Newington Wills is not dead."

"Wha…"Harry shook his read/write head in confusion."But it was the killing curse !"

"As near as Madam Pomfrey can tell either the castor had no experience with Unforgivables or he was unable to complete the spell."

"I hit him."Harry cast his idea back."Before he could finish."

"Well there it is then."Dumbledore patted him on the shoulder."You almost certainly saved his life."

"Wait…"Harry's optic widened."Map ! Your map ! If you look it-"

"My thoughts exactly Harry. And my fault as well,"Dumbledore shook his head."I waited to clear certainly prof Moody was alert before checking the map and by that time whoever it was must already have left."

"No,"Harry shook his head."A followed him ages and I must take in hurt ‘ im. He couldn ‘ t have left that quickly."

"The fact that our enemy knows of the macrocosm of the map may explain that."Snape said, detaching himself from the phantasm. Dumbledore shot his potions master a surprisingly raging look. Perhaps this was a fact that Dumbledore did not want Harry to go aware of. Snape continued, unperturbed."Maybe the wickedness lord has found a way to circumvent it."

"We do not jazz that Voldemort is directly involved Severus."

"We do not make love that he is not."Snape crooked an eyebrow.

"Perhaps."Dumbledore conceded."But in any grammatical case he can not circumvent the map. There are very few matter I am confident in the infallibility of, but one of them is the mar-… the map."

What had that been ? Harry wondered. That slight pause before ‘ the map ’.

"Then an illegal portkey perhaps ?"Snape was saying.

"Could ask Mr Crouch to take care into it."Harry suggested."What with his ministry cont-"

"Thank you Harry,"Dumbledore cut him off."I will study it."

"Had any luck with the ministry yourself ?"Harry asked pointedly, mainly to see the smell on Dumbledore's face. He was not disappointed.

"How did you… ?"

"Persuading them he ‘ s on the way back I mean."

"I… I do not know how you have heard of that Harry."Dumbledore said, he sounded like he was keeping some trench anger in check."But it is none of your worry. Right now you need to be seen by gentlewoman Pomfrey."

"But-"

"This is not a give-and-take Harry."Dumbledore flicked his wand and the coping stone began moving.

As he floated into the hospital wing the last thing he heard was Snape turning to Dumbledore and saying,

"Now do you think we should monish the order ?"

Dumbledore's response was too calm down to discover but his nod said enough.
*


"Potter."

Hm…

"Oy Potter !"

Sleepy…

"Wake Island up !"

stupid Hospital. Harry cracked his hat undefendable and saw Dwight Lyman Moody staring at him from the next bed over.

"I ‘ m up."Harry rubbed the eternal sleep out of his eyes."What is it ?"

"Sloppy thrower, very sloppy."Dwight Lyman Moody shook his forefront."You let him get away."

"Sorry,"Harry hung his foreland."I made a lot of mistake last night."

"tilt ‘ em."

"What ?"

"You heard me ceramicist, list ‘ em."Moody lay back on his hospital bed.

"Well…"Harry thought back."I thought it would take prospicient for whoever it was to break through your door."

"Underestimating your opponent."Moody shook his promontory."dolt, first mistake."

"He tricked me with a Lumos spell, blinded me."Harry continued.

"Inattentive. Unprepared."

"And I made the stupid misunderstanding of getting my hands tangled when I summoned his cloak to me."

"Clumsy."Helen Wills tisked."Wouldn ‘ t have thought that of you Harry."

"You're right, I was hurt but that's no excuse."Harry shook his head and frowned."I kicked his sceptre away but he must have had a spare."

"Always assume they have a spare."Helen Wills Moody said sternly."Accio wands or Expelliarmus. Use them whether you think he ‘ s got a baton or not."

"Right, I shoulda known that."

"constant quantity vigilance."Moody said harshly."You can never be too careful."

"constant vigilance."Harry repeated."I know, and I ‘ m sorry I got you involved in this."

"You assume this has something to do with you ?"Moody said, a piddling chuckle in his voice."I had enemies before I met you."

"How many have invisibility cloaks."

"More than one."Moody said pointedly."And More that have the funds to get one if they needed it."

"I thought they were rare."

"They are Potter."Moody grinned."I just tend to make expensive foeman. One of the risks of the job."

"Ok,"Harry closed his eyes."How many of them are about six feet tall, skinny and bony with night embrown hair who fights smart and has experience with espionage and breaking through wards."

"brown hair's-breadth ?"

"Think I saw a flashing of it when the cloak came off."

"Doesn ‘ t mean much. Could have colored it."

"Why disguise yourself then wear an invisibleness cloak ?"

"True."Dwight Lyman Moody frowned thoughtfully."Still doesn ‘ t mean he ‘ s connected."

"Still, bit of a coincidence."

"Oh don ‘ t think I ‘ m dismissing it."Moody shook his top dog."Not for a moment."Helen Wills Moody tried to campaign himself up on his hand then winced in pain sensation and settled back down.

"Still feeling a little damned Professor ?"

"I ‘ ll be fine."Dwight Lyman Moody grunted."I ‘ ve had risky. Least the killing bane doesn ‘ t scar."

"Um…"

"Not for most of us."Moody laughed, then broke into a loud, wet coughing."Maybe I will be out of charge for a while."

"That means we ‘ ll have Snape again."Harry sighed."And well… He ‘ s not so bad any more."

"He ‘ s tall, and has dark hair."Moody pointed out suspiciously.

"I ‘ d know his voice."Harry dismissed the accusation with a undulation of his hand."Besides he ‘ s not evil."

"constant quantity vig-"

"Not evil. Used to be evil, not malevolent now."Harry held a finger up."Besides, he ‘ s had all yr to try and pour down you. Why now ? And why with turn in the middle of the nighttime when he ‘ s had admission to your food all year."

"Good point. But I still don ‘ t trust him."

"You don ‘ t have to,"Harry shrugged."Just accept that I do."

There was silence for a consequence as Moody regarded Harry pointedly.

"What ?"

"Nothing Potter."Moody lay back, an diverted smile on his face."Just reminded me of individual is all."

Harry shrugged and incline back too. He had enough puzzles without trying to act upon out what that meant.



Leave a review. If you do n't then revengeful nobleman Xenu will strike you down !


Due to the fact that the queue has been so long recently I have concatenated two previously severalize chapters into one whopper. Hope you like it.

Oh, and I do n't own Harry ceramicist. You ca n't own a person, that 's slavery.



Harry was let out of the hospital wing a few days later with orders to take it slowly and only eat smooth food for a week or two until his insides settled down. Harry was alright with this except that the periodic thrust of painful sensation from his midsection rather got in the way of him training for the third gear task. Harry adopted the loft above the library as his own and sealed the doorway with the parole cheating scumbag so he and the predator could have a buck private plaza to train.

Harry gutted the elbow room as efficiently as he himself had been gutted to leave a great dueling infinite in the middle. While his crew searched the library for anything remotely utilitarian Harry practiced anything they found against the Twins or against the broken bookshelves they had found up there. Harry accepted that he would never be an awesome duelist but at least he could aim for competent. It did eat into the clip he could spend with Susan but unfortunately it was inevitable.

given that Harry had totally ignored Madam Pomfrey's advice to take it promiscuous it was perhaps also inevitable that he would end up back in the hospital wing after throwing up bloody vomit.

"Mr ceramist you idiotic…"Pomfrey spluttered incoherently as she dosed him with assorted potions."In all my years… never… so stunned ! Not even your founding father with all his pranks was in here so a good deal. At least he seemed to infer that the human eubstance has sealed limitations ! You can not just stay fresh heaping insult on it and await it to keep working properly !"

"At least I'm giving you a challenge."Harry grinned.

"A challenge ? More like a stroking !"

Harry was once again discharged a few Clarence Day before the third labor, finally fully healthy. Of course not everyone treated him as such.

"You sure you ‘ re alright Harry ?"Ron repeated for about the one-billionth time as they walked to lunch.

"No Ron,"Harry rolled his eyes."I ‘ ve miraculously had a relapse during the last twenty seconds."

"Harry you throwing up blood."Padma pointed out."You don ‘ t just bounce back from that."

"I ‘ m not bouncing."Harry shrugged."Or bounding, or any other b-words. I ‘ m just eating lunch."

"You ‘ re boring."Harry turned to see Malfoy standing behind him."That ‘ s a b-word."

"I ‘ m many thing Malfoy."Harry responded sardonically."But boring isn ‘ t one of them."

'' Is bastard ? ``

"Anything in particular bothering you Malfoy,"Harry asked."Or did you just come to insult me ?"

"Yes,"Malfoy grew serious again a moment later."Mind if I speak to you in private…"Malfoy jerked his head towards an evacuate classroom.

"This isn ‘ t going to be one of those good treatment is it."Harry hung his headspring dejectedly.

"No I don ‘ t think so."

Harry sighed and followed the blonde Slytherin into the empty classroom.

"meet you in Charms."Harry nodded to the disturbed looking piranha before closing the door and turning to his lad champion.

"Anyone absolutely ?"Harry asked bluntly.

"Not yet."

"Ominous."

"You don ‘ t know the one-half of it."Malfoy shook his head."I finally got that letter from my father."

"I assume that ‘ s not the live of it."Harry sat down at a desk and braced for the worst.

"He told me to suffer. forged, he told me to make for certain you win."

Harry leant back against the desk and covered his boldness with his hands. Sometimes all this was too much.

"What exactly did he say ?"Harry rubbed his temple."Or beneficial yet sacrifice me the letter."

Malfoy handed over the missive. Harry flipped it open and read the curt content within.

Draco

I know that you are to enter a snarl in the third gear undertaking. You will make every effort to halt the progress of Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour. Use the spell I taught you if necessary. Do not worry about the consequences, I will protect you. micturate sure the ceramist boy wins the tournament. You do not have to empathise to obey.

There was no signature. Harry handed it back, resting his head on his arm.

"The spell I taught you ?"Harry asked tiredly.

"Dark magic."Malfoy answered, sounding just as worn out."He means don ‘ t be afraid to anguish them. ‘ You do not make to understand to obey.'”

"What does that signify ?"

"It was one of his favorite things to secernate me when I was young."Malfoy shook his nous."It tended to end discussions."

"Why ?"

"Because it told me that he wanted the give-and-take to end."Malfoy snapped.

"Look Malfoy I don ‘ t know what to do with this."Harry admitted."I ‘ ve already got enough on my plate."

"I know what that feels like."Malfoy sat down beside him and bowed his head, making his floppy blonde hair drop down down and cover his face."I don ‘ t know what to do."

"What do you-"Harry jerked back in stupor."You ‘ re not thinking of listening to him are you ?"

"He ‘ s my father !"

"He ‘ s a git who makes you low-down !"

"You don ‘ t understand."Malfoy snapped angrily."You just don ‘ t. Maybe if you had a founding father you ‘ d get it, but you don ‘ t so shut up !"

"If you ‘ re trying to get rid of me it won ‘ t work."Harry crossed his coat of arms."Or at the very least you ‘ ll have to try harder."

"But you don ‘ t understand."Malfoy said more reasonably, but still with an sharpness of desperation in his voice."I ‘ m sorry Harry but you just don't. This isn ‘ t about getting a flaming pat on the head. This is about family unit. It ‘ s about family honor."

"No, family honor would be getting your name on that cup. family unit honor would be seeing the newspaper headline ‘ Malfoy wins triwizard cup ’."Harry shifted closer."But forget about that, how about your own honour. Can you live with knowing you could have won the triwizard tourney, but gave it up ? Can you survive with that ?"

"The family is what ‘ s important."Malfoy shook his head."Sometimes we have to do things we don ‘ t like. You don't have to understand-"

"You ‘ re like a parrot."Harry interrupted, changing stable gear to go for a riskier plan."Aren ‘ t you tired of repeating his crap ?"

"You don ‘ t understand !"Malfoy yelled, pushing him back violently.

"Oh corking,"Harry scoffed."The cry the moody teenager. Nice to know you ‘ re like everybody else."

"Screw you Potter !"Malfoy stood angrily, his fists bunched at his position. Harry could see the faint glistening lines of split of his cheeks.

"You gon na cry about it."Harry slouched back, chuckling."Way to preserve the Malfoy honor."

"Shut up !"

"Is this what you did with that Ellen womanhood ? Cry into her apron ?"

"I told you to shut up !"Malfoy drew his wand and held the shaking point to Harry's cervix. Harry just laughed.

"Like you ‘ d actually do it."Harry rolled his heart."You ‘ re too very much of a coward to-"

"Praefoco !"

Harry was thrown backwards as the piece hit him and was left gulping for air as the curse closed his air duct. From behind a haze of floating spots Harry saw Malfoy stalk off out the door. Harry managed to grab his verge and get out a strangled finite before collapsing on the base and trying to refill his lungs in big gasps.

"You deserved that."Harry looked around for the germ of the racket. A moment later myrtle floated slowly up through the floor."You definitely deserved that."

"I know."Harry croaked out, managing a half smile."What are you doing here ?"

"The others sent me down because they were worried about you ?"Myrtle put her hands on her insubstantial hips."You really were incredibly insensitive."

"All part of the plan."Harry winked.

"How so ? You don ‘ t even know what he ‘ s going to do."

"I know one thing he ‘ s not going to do."Harry grinned."There ‘ s no way he ‘ ll let me win now."
*


The day of the tierce project finally arrived. Harry got out of bed and dressed in a sort of odd trance. People said and did thing around him, patting him on the back and speaking to him but it was almost as if the universe had become backcloth noise, though background to what he couldn't say.

His mind was… well not blank but certainly not thinking along formula lines. It was almost as if he was floating in a mist that blurred out his thoughts into the air. Instead of the Saratoga chip, semi-schizophrenic, edge they usually had they were vague and cloudy. Primitive, he decided, was the best discussion for them. A throwback to when humankind thought with feelings and pictures instead of words.

Also he was being introverted, he was never introspective.

"Are you sure you ‘ re O.K. Harry."person asked him. Harry had to concentrate quite hard to work out it was Neville.

"I ‘ m fine Nev."Harry nodded slowly."Just in a bit of an odd berth right now."

"You look kind of… well recall terminal year when you kept skipping through clip ?"

"I remember."Harry shook his brain."That ‘ s not this. Believe me, I ‘ m fine."

As the other competitors went to the majuscule hall to converge their household Harry wandered back up to the attic over the library and flicked through the Same Quran he had been going through for the retiring few week. It was sort of pointless really, Hermione always said that finally second revision didn't pin in your mind like it should. Not that she didn't do it anyway. Harry sat down on the barmy floorboard with the record book strewn around him and tried to pull his view together.

He failed utterly.

"Enough."Harry growled at himself."Get your drumhead together."

"rich person you been moping up here all break of the day ?"Harry's head flicked up and he saw Susan Bones standing in the doorway.

"I have not been moping."Harry said, from his position on the level."I have been studying."

"You never study."Susan smiled.

"I never study schoolwork."Harry grinned."My sovereign work however are pretty extensive."

Susan walked up to him with her helping hand behind her back coquettishly and sat down beside him. Harry flicked his leger closed and shifted closer. He momentarily wished for a softer floor.

"You know studying at the last minute rarely helps."

"You have something you ‘ d rather I be doing ?"

"Yes."
*


As it was Harry almost missed the job. It was only the sound of social movement from the floors below that prompted Harry to push his girlfriend off him and shin for his glasses. Rushing downstairs he managed to managed to blend into the crowd without looking too conspicuous.

"Nice hicky Harry !"

Damn.

Harry flicked his collar up and kept walking, throwing an evil public eye at the snickering students. As he walked towards the pedestal he felt an component of the old fuzziness slipping back into his judgment. He shook it off, a in force snoging sitting had been just what he needed to bring in him back down to earth. He noticed Malfoy making his way to the quidditch auction pitch alongside an older blond woman. His mother ? So his Fatherhood hadn't turned up. Interesting.

Harry pushed his way through the crowds to where the early champions were waiting.

"wellspring this looks fun."Harry grinned up at the towering hedges.

Fleur shared a grin with him. Krum just grunted and stayed silent. Fleur's eyes flickered to his arrest and after a moment she laughed quietly. She drew her baton and beckoned him closer.

“'arry, lean down."Harry obliged and she tapped her wand on his cervix where the purplish bruise disappeared with a immediate pop

"Use that one a lot ?"Harry teased.

"Any man who bruises my skin does not partake it again."Fleur replied haughtily.

"I mean on former people."

"Oh,"Fleur winked cheekily."Then yes, quite often."Harry laughed.

Harry watched the subdivision of the tangle as the fat judge ( commercial traveler ? ) explained the pattern. Harry listened with half an ear. The wind was picking up, making the hedges shift ominously. Harry closed his heart and tried to summon everything he'd learnt over the past few weeks. Scratch that, over his full life.

Harry heard a whistle auditory sensation and felt the drift of the air as someone ran past him. It must hold been Malfoy. Harry lowered himself to the primer, sitting cross legged on the grass.

Another whistle sounded. Fleur.

Prison-circle, sphinx, bogart, fog mirage, flagrante curse, acromantula, devilsnare, tiger-trap, manic mushrooms. Harry went through the list in his head along with the defenses against them.

Third whistle, Krum.

Harry lay back on the grass and blocked out the sound of the crowd. He was going to win, then he was going to sort out everything else. The crowd was chanting, ‘"seven-spot ! ”,"Six ! ”,"Five !"…

Harry breathed deep.

"quaternity !"

This wasn't so hard.

"Three !"

Ok it was hard, but it was doable.

"Two !"

On the other hand this green goddess was pretty comfy.

"One !"

Oh well, here goes…

"Go !"

Harry shot to his feet and dashed directly into the shadow of the maze. The randomness of the crowd was gone almost instantly and he was totally alone. Well, alone except for the Sphinx and acromantula and bogarts, but they weren't there yet. Harry drew his wand and tapped his foot.

"Theseus."Harry said clearly. The fillet of sole of his horseshoe glowed. Harry dropped it back to the level and saw it bring in a radiance red step."spot me."Harry held his wand flat and saw it spin to luff vaguely forwards.

Harry sent prayers of thanks to genus Zeus and Hermione before setting off at a run down the sour musical passage. He reached a junction, looked behind him to insure that he was still leaving a trail, then did the item me spell again and ran off down another passage.

He was moving so fast he almost didn't see the folio covering a component of the pathway. Harry skidded to a hitch just before it, his charge scraping at the bound. Harry carefully lifted a minuscule arm and looked down into the dark pit underneath, it seemed like the bottom had been coated with something awkward and goopy. dearest ? Nah… they wouldn't have filled the pit with beloved, plus he would be able to smack it. Something like that though. Harry carefully replaced the branch incase another champion happened by and skirted around the outside before continuing on his way.

Another turn landed him on a recollective straight stretchability that went generally in the right steering. Harry followed it to the end then realized that he might have gone all the way past it. Harry cursed and holstered his verge before pushing his blazonry into the hedge and lifting himself off the story. He climbed up until he could put his forefront over and scout out the marrow. Almost due north. Harry scrambled back down and set off at a run.

Another colligation passed without event, then another, then ano- Damn it !

Harry rolled under the massive hand as it swatted the air above him. Harry took one look at the hulking winged animal that has swung at him, ( looking something like a Cross between a trolling, an alligator and an eagle covered in ivy and gunk ) and decided it wasn't worth fighting. Harry sprinted away to clear some distance then spun and yelled,

"Eizuckerpeitsche !"The chasing thing disappeared in the expanding ball of fluffed egg Cartesian product. Harry grinned and kept running.

Harry reached the side by side conjunction and slowed to a crawl. Two of the entree had unusual archway over them. Harry stopped, he didn't think back this from the map. He hadn't recognized the mutant beast either, perhaps this was role of the map that he'd just failed to look at.

Harry cast the spot me spell and groaned as it pointed almost directly at one of the arch. He cast a revealing charm over the archway and found several tripwire hexes. Harry picked up a nearby branch and brushed them away like spider webs, ignoring the pops and flashed of the spell as they triggered. Then he threw it aside and stepped through. Nothing happened. Harry grinned and stepped forward before stopping and looking back.

It shouldn't have been that easy.

Harry stepped back up to the arch and realized what was wrong. His red step began at this arch like he'd appeared out of thin air. Looking back into the junction Harry saw his footprint trailing up to the former arch.

"Ah, tricky."Harry grinned and knocked the tripwires from this arch as well before stepping through it back into the court and walking through the early arch.

The point me spell told him he had indeed guessed right and he walked on. He was beginning to get apprehensive though. This was taking longer than he had thought it would. He turned a box and was met with a shocking sight.

Draco was down on his human knee with his spine to one of the hedges. He seemed to be trying to crawl back into it, his skid scrabbling ineffectually against the ground. Advancing on him was Lucius Malfoy in wide-cut back gown, a silver scull mask hanging around his neck. The father and son were locked onto each centre neither of them looking away. Harry wasn't certainly either of them were even blinking.

"Ferio !"Harry shot his ducky hex at Lucius. But somehow it just flew through him like he was mist. Lucius turned on Harry and he saw the improbable wizard wavelet before he was incased in a column of water.

Some part of Harry's brain screamed that it was a boggart, that tried to force him to utter the spell to banish it. But the rest of him was panicking as hard as it ever did and wouldn ‘ t listen. He gulped in a long taste and felt himself choking.

"Ridiculus !"

Harry fell to the flat coat as the water became party balloons. Harry looked up to see Malfoy, still crouched on the floor, with his wand out.

"Thank you."Harry croaked out.

"How in Merlin's public figure did you survive the second project ?"Malfoy said breathlessly.

"Blind arrogance."Harry forced himself to his feet and offered a hand to help Malfoy do the same. Harry dusted himself off and set off towards the finish. Malfoy fell into step beside him.

"Did you foregather the Bugbear."Malfoy said, glancing behind them to see whether the boggart was following.

"Nope."Harry shrugged."Met what I think was a Jabberwocky though."

"Really ?"Malfoy seemed impressed in his dry way."What did you do ?"

"Encased it in meringue."Harry grinned, then frowned."I ‘ ve noticed you ‘ re not cursing me. Last prison term we spoke you were cursing me."

"Oh that, did you really think I ‘ d fall for that for long ?"Malfoy shook his head."I worked out what you were doing the minute I got back to my uncouth room."

"shot I ‘ m not as hurt as I thought."Harry shrugged."So does that mean you ‘ re going to… what was it… halt the progress… Of Fleur and Krum ?"

"harbor ‘ t met either of them."Malfoy replied, then added dryly."It ‘ s like a tangle in here."

"Oh ha bloody ha."Harry rolled his middle."Well if you… stop walking."

Harry threw a hand out in front of Malfoy, who stopped instantly, raised his sceptre and began scanning the corridor of leaves they were walking along.

"What ? Where ?"Malfoy asked tersely, glancing around.

"You hear that ?"

Scrit… scrit…

"That little… metal… speech sound ?"Malfoy stepped back, secretive to Harry's back.

Scrit…

"Like mortal sharpening a knife ?"

Scrit…

"Yes."

Scrit… scrit…

"Oh great."Harry tried as hard as he could to pinpoint the sound but it seemed to be coming from everywhere."I think there ‘ s more than one."

"More than one what !"Malfoy's head was now jerking from side of meat to side like a dog watching a tennis match.

Scrit… scrit…

"stop still and listen !"Harry gritted his tooth. The noises sounded… high school ? Harry's center flicked up to the high branch. Not for the showtime time he wished he had Moody's eye.

Was that a flash bulb of movement ? Harry concentrated, it was like trying to see through that peep one-way glass. The hooey that's just habitue glass with strip of mirror threaded through it. There was a magic trick to it, you just focused behind the glass… behind the leaves.

"Oh bugger."Harry's centre widened."RUN !"As soon as Harry moved the hedges exploded.

darts rained down, peppering the two fleeing son. Harry screamed as the acerate leaf hit his flesh and jerked his hoodlum up over his straits. It didn't assistance much.

"Waito monkey !"Malfoy yelled, following behind him."Damn ! … Ow ! … Bloody ! …"

Harry dashed away, the litany of swearwords following close behind. He at least tried to manoeuver towards the center of the maze but it was firmly when running at to the full tilt.

Scrit !

"Aaah !"Harry cried in pain as a dart stabbed into his cheek, the head going straight through. Harry pulled it out with another wild cry."right ! That DOES IT ! Malfoy, back to plump for !"

Harry felt the Slytherin move into position.

"INCENDIO !"Harry slashed his verge in a wide swathe, burning the dry branches.

"Incendio !"Malfoy yelled behind him.

"No !"Harry held up an arm to lug another volley of darts aiming for his head."You shield !"

"Protego !"Malfoy made no attack to contend, a fact Harry truly appreciated.

"Incendio !"Harry cut another swathe through the branches and apparently hit something this time as a mad squeaking cry went up and another moody rainbow of darts flew up to send packing on the two teenagers. Harry forced himself to commit Malfoy and made no attempt to obturate them. Instead he aimed directly at where they had come from.

"Confringo !"Harry saw the curse hit the burning ramification and explode in a fireball, raining sparks down on them. Both the sparks and the darts bounced easily off Malfoy's shield. The screeching grew gimcrack and more panicked ( like a violently squeezed guinea pig ) then grew fainter as the elf retreated, scurrying and swinging through the hedges like Hylobates lar. Harry's shoulders sagged and he let his baton arm pearl to his side.

"That was a right plan."Malfoy said breathlessly."salutary plan."

"wellspring you know my cuticle couldn ‘ t keep off rain let alone this."Harry pulled a dart out of his upper arm where he hadn't noticed it."You think these are poisoned ?"

"Unlikely."Malfoy shook his headspring, still trying to pick up his breath."Waito imps aren ‘ t really that smart. Cruel, but not smart."

"Smart enough to use a whetstone, these darts… woah…"Harry had glanced down the hedged corridor and spotted what was at the end, sparkling on a pedestal.

The triwzard cup.

"We made it."Harry breathed."And I only had to get my cheek pierced."

The two of them began to take the air forward, not speaking. Neither of them wanted to think about what they'd do once they reached the cup.

Unfortunately the population provided a beguilement for their quandary in the soma of something infinitely more awful.

They both saw her at the same mo, patrician robe falling over her slight bod and her blonde hairsbreadth spreading out in a fan around her. She was sprawled at the far incline of the clearing, one manus stretched out towards the cup as if she had been reaching for it as she fell.

Fleur ...

Harry moved first, pushing her up on her side and putting two finger's breadth to her neck for a heart rate. He waited there a long time, the light draining out of his center as it already had from hers. When he finally turned back to his associate it was almost too much effort to speak.

"She ‘ s dead."

Absolute silence reigned for a moment.

"No… no she can ‘ t be."Malfoy shook his mind."You did it wrong."

"Malfoy she ‘ s not even warm."Harry rolled her onto her front end and crossed her arms across her thorax. He eased her pilus off her face, breaking the caked on scandal, and closed her eye. Harry closed his centre too, it didn't even seem real.

"Half an hr ago she was healing a making love bite off my neck."Harry could still see her twinkling in his thinker."She was smiling."

"This isn ‘ t happening."Malfoy interrupted behind him, shaking his drumhead manically"It ‘ s… it ‘ s like a trick ! It ‘ s the live on challenge before we take the cup."

"THEN yield THE BLOODY CUP !"Harry raged out, feeling hot rip streaking down his face as he spun around to face Malfoy."Just fill it so we can get out of here !"

"I…"Malfoy stepped back hurriedly, then turned to the cup."But don't you want it ?"

"I wan na go home."Harry said, a niggling pathetically."Just guide the cup. Please."

"N…no."Malfoy stepped back."You take it."

"Draco…"Harry shook his head."Don ‘ t listen to your father, for once just… take something for yourself."

"You deserve it more."

"I cheated."

"So did I."

"I cheated more."Harry shook his head, the tears coming freely now."I had a map."

"You ‘ re trying to play me again."Malfoy said, still sounding panicked."If you ‘ d had a map you ‘ d have got here quicker."

"Just require the blooming cup !"Harry wailed."Can ‘ t you see I don't want it anymore !"

"I…"

"Here !"Harry grabbed his arm."Like this !"

Harry pushed the Slytherin's hand onto the cup and suddenly the world disappeared. Instead it was replaced by a swirling vortex of coloration and light.

Portkey ! Oh god oh god oh god.

Harry just about had sentence to substantiate how badly he'd screwed up when he was dumped on a common cold gem floor.
*


Harry pushed himself up on pain weapons system and looked around. He was in the middle of a vestibule, marble floors and columns, all in opprobrious and bloodless marble. Even the enceinte door at either end were pitch blackness, ominous portals twice as tall as a person. The only color in the room came from the vase of roses on a table near the threshold, and a massive tapestry that hung up one monolithic paries. It was a kinsperson tree he realized, must suffer stretched back centuries, fancifully decorated with birds and dragons and other range. Harry took all this in in a moment but still only had one thing to say.

"I just wanted to go home."

"The foreign thing is Potter."Draco said warily."I am."

"Eh ?"

"This is Malfoy manor."

"Quite correct young Malfoy."

Harry whirled towards the sound of the voice but a turn took him in the dresser and he was thrown back down to the backbreaking stone story. Through the fuzz of tears he saw three attired physique approaching from the top of a staircase.

On the left hand knot lopped, his savage centre trained on Harry. On the right, Lucius Malfoy, absentmindedly fingering a long albumen boxing glove he was wearing. And in the middle…

"Oh my god."Harry put his hand to his mouth."You ‘ re back."

"Yes Mr Potter I have returned."Voldemort smiled his reptilian grin."I said I would did I not ?"

"I believe a told you to come back prettier."Harry said, slowly raising himself up from the floor."I see you failed to take that to heart."

"A defiant view that would be perhaps more heroic if your grimace wasn ‘ t lined with tears."Voldemort stepped towards him, passing his two servants. As he brushed by them Lucius gave a piddling shudder and rubbed his gloved hand. A giant Hydra, like a python, curled on the undercoat nearby but made no motion to follow the dark lord. Voldemort reached the storey and stopped, he made a curve motion in the air and Harry's wand skittered across the marble tiles and jumped into his hand.

Harry cursed under his breath, he hadn't even realized he'd lost it. It must have been knocked out of his manus when he fell.

"heroics don't interestingness me."Harry found his feet, his eyes already darting around. Trying to happen an exit."But you could at least have fixed the nose."

There were the two huge doorway but he'd be dead before he reached them. A smaller room access by the stairway but that meant running straight towards them. The staircase itself didn't bear thinking about. Harry's heart flicked to Malfoy, frozen on the floor, his face an unreadable mask. Voldemort followed his gaze and turned to the Slytherin.

"I am surprised to see you here Young Malfoy."The dark overlord said, towering over him."You were ordered to piss him learn the cup, not to take it yourself."

"Ung…."Malfoy swallowed, his back talk working wordlessly.

"ejaculate now, you have cypher to fear."Voldemort bent down, bringing his head closer to Draco's."You have done me a great service."

"He… he… he wouldn ‘ t take the cup."Malfoy stammered."He must have thought something was up. I had to grab his arm and push him into it."

Harry prayed that none of the smuggled robed wizards had noticed who had been hanging onto who's arm when they had tumbled to the story a minute ago.

"Why do you intend he suspected ?"Voldemort was staring directly into Malfoy's eyes.

"We found Fleur."Malfoy said, still apparently frozen to the storey."She was lying dead next to the cup. He thought it must have been the cup that killed her, some kind of curse."

Not bad Malfoy, not bad at all.

Voldemort stared into the boy grey optic for a moment longer, then nodded, apparently pleased.

"Our agent at Hogwarts must stimulate had to kill her to stop her taking the cup."Voldemort placed a hanker finger under Malfoy ‘ s mentum then stood, bringing the boy up with him."A shame he could not dispose of the body but I suppose he was having to engage from outside the tangle. And in any case the result is the same, Harry Potter is here. You have done your master key a great help young Malfoy, almost as great as the one your father performed for me."

Again that twitch towards the glove. Maybe some sort of weakness he could work ?

Voldemort turned to Harry and he suddenly felt Legilimency like he'd never felt it before. It was like an axe was being applied to the back of his brain.

fight back ! He screamed at himself. If Voldemort worked out that he and Malfoy were anything early than worst enemy then the blond would die along with him. Harry tore his eyes away but a mo later his human face was jerked back forwards. Voldemort was holding him with magic somehow, his psyche felt like it was stuck in a vice.

Blank psyche ! Harry repeated to himself. Blank ! His hand found the shell necklace under his robe and he hung onto it in desperation, pouring every thought process into the little nub of whiteness. Slowly, ever so slowly, the tongue receded.

"Amateurish Mr Potter."Voldemort released him and he slumped to the trading floor."But unfortunately effective."

"Screw… you… snakeface."Harry panted.

"It does not matter."Voldemort dismissed it with a wave of his hand."Your childish antic will not redeem you this time."

"Tricks like stabbing you through the heart ?"Harry grinned evilly."I never got a chance to tell ya, but when they squished all this stark goop came out. Honestly, it was like popping two immense blackhead. Squish…"

"And yet I live."Voldemort spread his men."And will uphold to do so. I am deity Harry Potter. All you did was soften me and push me back to being a bodiless soul."

"Squish…"

"I had to outlast again by possessing lesser creatures. animate being beneath me, vermin and snakes. Until Greyback found me, sniff me out in the wilderness of Albania."

"Squish… squish… pop…"

"Realizing I needed a more competent servant I had him bring me to Lucius, my servant of old."Voldemort glanced back at the Malfoy patriarch, still standing on the stairs."Who did me three great religious service. First he was able-bodied to make me a first potion that restored me some level of physical form, but one that was wretched and sapless. A disgusting and disfigured lampoon of my former power."

"So you did come back prettier."

"Secondly…"Voldemort ignored his quip like a tolerant father while smiling a grinning that never reached his eyes."He made me aware of another handmaid I could use, one that would be able-bodied to-"

"Infiltrate Hogwarts."Harry interrupted."Put my name in the cup ?"

"Five decimal point to Gryffindor Mr ceramist,"Voldemort drew his verge."But minus ten for interrupting. Crucio !"

Harry had metre to brand himself before the painful sensation hit and rally it out without too a good deal trouble. It still left him gasping and buck but his judgment was clear of the common dark and confusion left by the extreme annoyance. At least he was well practiced at that.

"It all becomes clear."Harry said, picking himself off the floor."So you ‘ ve been here, light, the all time. At Malfoy manor."

"Until Lucius was capable to complete the second potion, a few months ago."Voldemort smiled."And he was able to try his almost personal service."

The twitch to the glove was not even subtle this time. Suddenly Harry had a thought.

"Ellen Hayward."Harry saw all eyes, especially Dragon's on the floor, flick to him."That was you wasn ‘ t it. She was a admirer of this family. This god forsaken family."Harry added, in case anyone started wondering how he'd come by this information."The kind that pops by unannounced. Did she pop by at the haywire time ?"

"Yes, a fact I regret."Voldemort shook his question, though Harry would be dammed if he saw a tracing of remorse on that twisted face."She was of a lawful pure bloodline business firm, and an institution in her own right. She will be sorely missed."

"I ‘ m sure you ‘ ll shed a tear every yr on the day you poisoned her."Harry spat back, then smiled a another nerve cell fired."And Rita Skeeter ? She was looking for a pocket on the triwizard champion. Tried to sneak in."

"Was that her name ?"Voldemort twitched his head to the side as he smiled self indulgently. It struck Harry as a wholly snakelike gesture."I do not cease to ask the figure of dirt ball I kill. And besides, in her character I did you a party favor. You should thank me."

"I ‘ ll send some flowers."Harry replied acidly.

"And now I am finally fix to come out of the darkness."Voldemort said rapturously."And I have just one question to ask you."

"Boxers."

"You have been a stimulating enemy Harry."Voldemort held out his handwriting."And the Potter kinsperson is old and proud. Your mother origin is an issue but… not an unsurmountable one. I can offer power beyond your baseless dreams Harry, if you join me."

"Ok."

"You… what ?"

"Ok. The robe comes barren right, I don ‘ t have to buy it ?"Harry began to chuckle, unsuccessfully hiding it behind his hand."Got good promotion prospects ? Where do you see me in three days ?"Harry began laughing in earnest, the only audio in the mortal silent hall.

"So I take it you refuse."Voldemort said coldly.

"Yes, you snake faced, impotent, wanker !"Harry choked out between giggles."Did you honestly believe my answer would be yes ? And anyway, what demented logic makes me thwarting you a good reservation for joining your social station ?"

"I thought you might be persuaded to see reason."Icicles could hold grown on Voldemort's words.

"Well Tom, I guess we were both wrong."Harry grinned."Oh no hold ! Just you."

"What did you ring me !"Voldemort stepped forward, bristling with anger.

"What… Tom ?"Harry smiled."Tom Marvolo Ri-"

"Crucio !"

Harry hit the level but blanked his mind at the Sami prison term. He watched his body writhe dispassionately from a point behind his centre. After a hanker, longsighted sentence the writhing stopped and he allowed himself back in.

"Don't try to speak."Voldemort was saying."I took you almost to the limit of what a mind can take."

"That was the limit ?"Harry pushed himself up from the storey. He knew it was masochistic but…"Then why not go for the record… Tommy."

"You… !"

"Tommy boy."Harry grinned."Is that really the outflank you got ?"

"Crucio !"

Harry couldn ‘ t honesty say how long he lay there behind his own eyes. farseeing than the start time certainly. But eventually the pain stopped and he allowed himself back in. It took him a few mo to reorientation himself, his muscles ached and his throat was raw. His soundbox had suffered even though he'd managed to buffer his mind.

"You see my friends."Voldemort was saying, his back to Harry."I have broken his mind just as I will bust the wizarding universe to my will."

Harry tried to think whether he had a weapon system on him, with the serpent's back turned he might have a chance.

"Sire ! He ‘ s awake !"Greyback barked. tinker's dam werewolf eyes.

His covering fire broken, Harry slid up onto his stifle and looked up into the appalled red center of Voldemort.

"I… hav…"Harry couldn't get the words out. He licked his lips and tried again."I have been burned by time itself, Tom Riddle. Don ‘ t ever think you scare me. Not ever. You ‘ re nothing."

The room was deadly silent. Voldoemort stared at him, confusion evident on his face, then smiled and let out a little laugh.

"Oh how melodramatic."Voldemort mimed clapping."Quite well done, I could almost think you had some power over the cruciatus. But you don ‘ t do you, you ‘ re simply using occlumency. Sealing the pain sensation away, or sealing yourself from the pain. Very well done, I didn ‘ t think you had that degree of skill."

"Your mistake."Harry tried to smile but the muscles in his mouth didn't seem to require to so he settled for a rictus smiling."You make a lot of mistakes don't you Tommy ?"

"Do not say-"

"And that ‘ s the early intellect I can ‘ t workplace for you."Harry did negociate the grin this fourth dimension."I ‘ d get tired of unskilled management."

"Really."Voldemort's voice was silk over razors."Then perhaps I should evidence you the true major power of lord Voldemort. Perhaps I will show you that your will means nothing !"The word nothing cracked like whip and Voldemort drew his wand. Harry felt his arm pulled forward against his will.

"Let me give you something you can't block out."Voldemort stabbed his wand down onto Harry's arm."Morsmordre !"

Harry stared at his arm in blow, at first there was zilch, just a blackening of the skin. Voldemort stepped away, smiling. Then, slowly but surely, the chump faded out of nothing. Growing blacker and more defined by the moment. Then Harry felt his hand clinch, the marker seemed to worm on his forearm. He watched as the darkness spread, like tentacles down every nervure, making his hand look like it was encased in Shirley Temple Black ivy.

The iniquity advanced, following the blood up his arm. Harry couldn't period himself from scratching at it furiously, trying to slow its progress. Voldemort laughed. The blackened lines came up his shoulder, across his breast. Then they hit his backbone, and the torment began.

rod cell of hot iron, knife of fervidness stabbing into his back. Reaching higher and gamey as the cuss curled up into his mind. Couldn't occlusion it out, it was coming in under everything. It was everywhere. Harry saw spiderwebs grow across his centre as the nemesis worked its way into the bantam nervure. The painful sensation was everywhere now, pulsing up his spine and into every screaming little synapse. It couldn't be stopped.

Harry escaped the bother the only way he could see how. He lowered himself down and smacked his forehead against the level as hard as he could.

He heard Voldemort laugh before it all went black.
*


Severus Snape leant back in his chair and considered the folly of an full schooltime, Edgar Albert Guest, ministry officials, wardrobe and assorted early hangers on turning up to stare at a hedge.

"It ‘ s not as if they can even see anything."Snape muttered under his breath.

"Eh, what was that Severus ?"Flitwick turned to him from the backside to his left.

"I said I was wondering how a lot yearner Mr Malfoy intends to keep us waiting."Snape said, without missing a beat.

"Still pinning all your hopes on your own family ?"Flitwick said slyly.

"Well why wouldn ‘ t I ?"Snape rolled his oculus. He had reconciled with the ceramicist boy but that didn't variety the fact that he was a Slytherin to the core.

"I personally think Potter will stick him to it. Not a student like him."Flitwick said proudly. Snape rolled his eyes, hearing Flitwick crow about Potter's charms ability was a constant irritation.

"What is taking them so long ?"prof transmitter said from the other side.

"The fact that it is a maze and not a foot race ?"Snape said irritably."There are obstacles in there you know and in any case it has only been…"Snape pulled his sleeve up to look at his watch.

"What is that ?"Filius leant his bantam frame over.

"A wristwatch. They are… quite useful."Snape said faintly.

"Oh… But shouldn ‘ t you be looking at the other side ?"

"other side…"Snape stared at his radiocarpal joint, the watch forgotten as his centre bored into the calamitous material body standing proud against his pale cutis."No… no no no."
*


Harry came to lying in something embarrassing. origin or regurgitation ? It was beige and it looked like it had peas in it. Probably vomit.

Harry raised his aching head and looked around. His glasses were lying a few inches away, he reached for them and drew them up to his face. Be blinked a few times, at first he though he had gone cross-eyed, then he realized that there really were more than three garmented fig in the room.

They were all around him, arranged in a circle, all with deaths head masks on except for Voldemort himself. Harry's heart found Draco, standing a small outside the lot, he seemed to be expending a lot of crusade hard to restrain his face blank.

Harry turned back to Voldemort and tried to take a shit his mouth work.

"Still not as bad as the Torrent."A dark grumbling went up from around the rope. Harry found a dry part of the floor, set his hand against it and pushed. He managed to rear himself highschool enough to jerk a foot up and lay it flat on the level. Slowly, surely and against the dissent of his aching muscles, Harry stood.

"Well done Harry."Voldemort folded his arms."And I thought you would be all out of striking, noncompliant and pointless gestures."

Harry's leg spasmed and he was almost tipped back onto the floor. He staggered for a instant then found his base again. He lifted his arm and stared at the mark on his arm before letting it drop to his side.

"That means nothing."Harry shook his head, causing shooting striving to run up and down his back."You put a pretty tattoo on my arm it doesn ‘ t mean anything."

"It means I own you Harry Potter."

"I ‘ ve got a Magyar horntail on my pectus does that mean it owns me too ?"Harry grinned, his gumption of witticism was coming back. He couldn't stand up straight but he could one-liner for England. Harry looked down at his shaking eubstance."I notice I ‘ m not dead yet ? Do you still actually think I ‘ ll seminal fluid over to your side ?"

"You are still active for one cause only."Voldomort drew his sceptre."To evidence me something."

"I already told you boxers."

"Crucio !"

Pain. Block. fading. Floor. Blankness. Time…

"Well…"Harry stood again, working the twirl out of his shoulders."We ‘ ve established that you don ‘ t learn quickly."

"potter I have humored you thus far."Voldemort stepped snug."It stops now, how practically does Alasor Helen Wills sleep with ?"

The question caught Harry off guard.

"Wha ?"

"Crucio !"

Harry waited then sunk back, finding that this prison term he'd landed with his face squarely in the vomit puddle.

"Lovely."Harry wondered if it was Worth standing. It was fairly sack he wasn't leaving this room alive, unless by some miracle Helen Wills, Snape, Dumbledore or maybe the ministry found him. He certainly couldn't leave by his own steam, not the build he was in. Not without a wand. In that vitrine the secure thing he could do was stall the psychotic in front of him for as long as potential, and that meant…"time lag on, I ‘ m getting up…"Harry lurched to his feet.

"I know Moody was investigating pathetic madam Hayward ‘ s death-"

"Her murder."Harry corrected.

"Cru…"Voldemort raised his wand angrily, then let it fall, the curse not even fully formed. He hissed in botheration."I know he was investigating it. I know he was doing so at your urging. How a great deal is he aware of ?"

"Why the inferno would I recount you snakeface ?"Harry shrugged."We ‘ ve already established that you ‘ re incapable of torturing me."

"Really, well let us see how you cope with this."Voldemort smiled evilly."Imperio !"

Harry felt the jinx enter into like a sponger, shooting into his brain and wrapping it in candy-floss. He tried to deflect it out but it was tricksy, it found col in his blocks. Little wiggling tendrils like beginning, finding a little gaps then growing, splitting his psyche apart.

Tell me everything.

Harry tried to shake it away, vainly,

How much does he know ?

Why not tell him ? Harry drew his manus up to his top dog, he knew that spokesperson was wrong but he couldn't remember exactly why.

Tell me.

William Tell him ?

Tell me.

"Don ‘ t !"The Neville voice in Harry's mind broke through the fuzz. Waving it's short mental arms and shaking it's head."It ‘ s Voldemort Harry ! Voldemort !"

You will separate me !

"Are you being intentionally dense Harry ?"Hermione shouted at him from the other side.

But the skillful man wants me to tell him something. Harry blinked like an owl and rubbed his oculus, too a lot was happening in his head.

Tell me now !

"It ‘ s Voldemort Harry ! VOLDEMORT !"Padma hissed in his ear.

How much does Alastor Moody know !

"He killed your parents !"

William Tell ME !

"Can ‘ t you see him ?"

YOU volition recite ME !

"ALL OF YOU plosive speech sound YELLING !"Harry shouted and dropped to his knees. The spokesperson disappeared and Harry was just left as he was. A scared teen in a room wide of murderers.

"All of who Potter ?"Voldemort said in his slimy patronizing voice."No one is talking."

Harry just stayed on the level and tried to breath.

"What is the matter Potter."Voldemort slid closer."No antic, no witticisms ?"

headspring smell like concrete.

"Maybe now you will distinguish me what I want to know."Voldemort stepped up so he was right on top of Harry."Maybe now-"

"Please."Harry muttered through clenched teeth.

"What was that Mr Potter ?"Voldemort leant down.

"Please no more."Harry shook his school principal and held a hand out towards the dark lord.

"Are you ready to tell me ?"

"Yes… yes…"Harry stretched his arm out further, pawing at Voldemort's robes pathetically."I ‘ ll tell you… THIS !"

Harry's fingers clamped down on a boney leg and he pulled, putting all his weight behind it. Voldemort fell backwards, his face contorted with fury and choler. Cries of horror came from all around but Harry ignored them. He grabbed up and caught Voldemort's scepter out of the air and yelled,

"AVADA-"

Harry was hit from all face by curses and was thrown back into darkness.
*


Snape's brain snapped to the side as he saw a shining lynx saltation through the wall.

"He ‘ s not at any known positioning from the finally war."Shacklebolt's thick voice came from the patronus."I ‘ ll go on looking."

Dumbledore shook his header and lowered himself back down behind his desk.

"We should be doing something."Minerva was pacing back and forth across the story of the headmaster's role. If she had been transformed her shadower would have been twitching irritably.

"She is right."Snape shook his header."I could answer the process, maybe incur a way to warn-"

"No."Dumbledore shook his headway."We have discussed this."

"And you have unreasonably dismissed it !"Snaps snapped."You clearly intend for me to spy for you in the time to come anyway so why not-"

"Severus ! I have made my decision."Dumbledore stood sharply, slamming his hands down onto his desk. In the background Fawkes trilled sadly."We need to reconvene the lodge. Minerva, see if Alastor has recovered yet and contact the Weaseys, Lup-"

"For what ?"Snape interrupted."So we can receive even more people sitting on their hands while Harry dies ?"

"Severus…"

"No Dumbledore. No…"Snape stood to face the old maven and crossed his implements of war."You have ten minute to give me a compelling intellect why I should not go to the boy 's aid. Otherwise I am leaving."

"Severus there is no need-"

"Nine."

"threat will not-"

"Eight."

"You are being unreasonable."

"As are you. Seven."

"I forbid it !"Dumbledore said through gritted teeth.

"Six. It is not yours to forbid."

"You are risking your life !"

"It is mine to adventure !"Snape snapped cutting his handwriting through the air like a scythe."And you are down to five."

"This could ruin everything Severus."Dumbledore said, suddenly seeming panicked."If we truly have war on the way I will call for eyes among the death-eaters. By doing this you risk exposing yourself."

"Also my choice to pee. Not yours."Snape shook his head."And have you thought of how will the loss of the boy who lived effect this war ? Perhaps spared a thinking to what it would do to people ‘ s morale to see the living evidence of Voldemort ‘ s death rate die ? Have you thought of that ?"

"Trust me Severus."Dumbledore's voice was harsh and low, with serious tinge."That the fact that Harry gives mass hope is never far from my judgement. But-"

"By rights you ‘ ve had ten s by now."Snape interrupted."But I ‘ ll give you one hold out chance."

"Severus please…"

"Not good enough."Snape turned and stalked towards the door.

He kept expecting to be stopped, some spell or last ditch argument, but none came. He closed the door behind him and allowed the moving stairway to take up him down. As it moved he summoned his patronus, it's little pointed fountainhead and it's bantam forked natural language sniffing the air.

"I ‘ m about to do something very dangerous."Snape said to it softly, pushing his password into it."I don ‘ t know if I ‘ ll return, but it ‘ s something I feel I must do."

Snape licked his back talk, this wasn't going well. He should just keep it short.

"I love you."Snape cursed his bluntness."I realize this is a strange time to bring it up but… but… well I just feel like it should be said."

Snape waved the Hydra away and it sparkled through the wall, heading south towards London.
*


"Albus ?"Minerva asked softly after the Potions master had gone. Dumbledore hadn't moved or spoken, he was just staring off into infinite."Albus ?"

"Look in on Alastor."Dumbledore repeated."And contact Lupin. I will do the rest."He was still staring at the door, his acuate oculus boring into the old wood.

"I understand."McGonagall stepped towards the room access, then paused. This was not slowly to do but…"Albus…"

"Hmm ?"

"He ‘ s not wrong you know."Dumbledore stared at her. McGonagall couldn't grasp that gaze for long and turned to leave the room.
*


"Potter… Oh Potter… Time to stand up again."

Harry's eye cracked spread and he looked up into Voldemort's grimace. His unscathed consistency ached from the layer patty of swearing that he had suffered over the shoemaker's last hour. Or was it longer ? He had such a wonky grasp of time when he was unconscious mind. Harry managed to raise his head and look around.

Yep, still in the Lapplander place, surrounded by nasties. Or… wait… was there one more than of them than before ? Harry's eye's scanned around the dress circle of dark garbed flesh. Maybe it was his imagery. That or the botheration was making him hallucinate.

There was one difference, Draco was no longer lurking idily behind the crease. He was standing in the shopping mall, just a few paces from Voldemort. He was facing Harry and he had his wand.

"Come on Potter."Voldemort urged."Up ! Up ! Where's that Gryffindor disembodied spirit ?"

"I ‘ m not a Gryffindor."Harry muttered."I ‘ m a marauder."But apparently Voldemort didn't hear him.

"Now we can ‘ t have you lazing around all day Potter. Up !"

Harry felt himself lifted off the storey and dropped back onto his feet. His knees buckled and he stumbled, only to be pushed upright again by the invisible force play. He fell the early way, his workforce coming up to end himself but again he was caught and toss out upright. He tottered but managed to hold his equaliser on shaking legs.

"That ‘ s better."Voldemort said indulgently.

"Why the hell haven't you killed me."Harry groaned weakly."Is it just sadism ?"

"Oh you will die Mr Potter."Voldemort smiled."There was never any interrogation of that. I intend your demise to be the terminal planetary house to the worldly concern that I have returned, the seal for my immortality and retribution for what happened on Halloween XIV old age ago."

seal for my immortality.

Seal for my immortality ?

What the perdition did that mean ? Harry filed it away for later.

"So yes Harry you will be killed. I was going to give you the gift of a painless death, and I would have killed you myself after your ill advised escape attempt."

"execution attempt."Harry said darkly."I never expected to last. Just hoped to take you down."

"The Gryffindor disembodied spirit returns."Voldemort smiled."But you would be numb except for one thing. I would still like to know how a great deal the old auror knows. And young Malfoy here seems to think he can get to you assure me."

Voldemort stepped back and let Draco get forward.

He has a plan. Harry overrode all doubts in his head. Every little sly voice saying that Malfoy had betrayed him was squashed in an heartbeat. It didn't affair if he was wrong, it didn't topic if he was being too trusting, because if he was wrong he was utterly anyway. Harry decided he would rather hope.

"You really should tell him Potter."genus Draco said."You know that. I don ‘ t really want to do this to you."

"Just do what you have to do."Harry dropped his fountainhead to his thorax and waited for whatever was coming.

"Depulso !"Harry flew through the air and impacted onto one of the marble walls with a painful clunk."Adhaereo !"Harry sagged as the sticking charm took essence, hanging a clear invertebrate foot above the floor.

"fellow ceramist ?"Malfoy smirked as he sauntered over."I think a bit of retribution is in order."

He has a program. He has a plan.

"Bullabazooka."

The bubble head spell ? What the he… Oh no !

"Augmenta !"Malfoy stuck his wand through the guggle and Harry felt water system begin to satiate the shimmering sphere.

"What are you doing boy ?"One of the death eaters called out harshly. But Voldemort silenced him with a wave of his hand.

The water was up to his nose and Harry was beginning to panic. He jerked his mind frantically, trying to dislodge the bubble. But it didn't work and the body of water closed over his head sending him spiraling into insanity.

He tried desperately to keep some shred of willpower or sentience as he breathed in the H2O in swell gulps. But anything he had went out the window as waves of pain coursed out from his chest, settling into every cell of his body. With his idea in tatters he was ineffective to block it out.

A minute later the bubble popped and Harry was left coughing and wracked with pain.

"You see I had this brilliant idea."Malfoy was saying cheerfully."Just because you an pulley block out the cruciatus curse doesn ‘ t mean we shouldn ‘ t use it. It just means we have to rule some way to weaken your mind. A proficient STD of paralyzing awe for example."

Harry didn't corporate trust himself to speak. He just hang up there and panted.

"So just tell apart your Creator what he want ‘ s to know and this suffering can end."

Why not ?

"Just evidence him !"Malfoy yelled."mulct then, lets try this again !"

Harry screamed as he was swim then plunged into a world of pain once more. By the end he couldn't even move. Didn't have the will. He really was betrayed, all Leslie Townes Hope was gone.

"I don ‘ t want to suffer to do this Potter."Malfoy smirked."But you ‘ ve insulted my master, and I take such thing seriously. After all, this is a on-key old pure blood house."

A illumine came on in Harry's brainpower. That stopping point phrase, ‘ old pure blood theatre ’, why use that idiomatic expression ? Where had he heard…

When he'd hit the wall… had it sounded a little… hollow ?

Harry breathed deeply. If he was right he would have to hope that willpower could supplant effectiveness and pigheadedness, muscle because in a few import he would take to run. Harry tried to move his stage as much as he could on the wall, working the cramp out in preparation.

Why hadn't Malfoy done it yet ? Harry lifted his head up. Malfoy was just standing there waiting.

He needs a reason, Harry realized. He can't just do it out of the blue, he needs a reason.

"Malfoy…"Harry licked his lip."Old pure blood menage ? That 's a joke. Your father did n't tell you ? Your mother was a whore."

"Reducto !"

Harry braced himself and screamed as the magical spell hit his dresser. The marble sail behind him shattered and he was thrown into the musical passage beyond.

MOVE NOW !

Harry found some brawn and, as hex started sparking against the wall above his head, started to run.



critique, please. Or I 'll obliterate this small fluffy animal. No not that one the other one.


"Where is Harry !"Ron yelled."Why the hell won ‘ t you tell us ?"

"Mr Weasley calm air down."Professor McGonagall spread her mitt calmingly. The piranha had ambushed her outside Dumbledore's office. Normally she would get taken house points for the bad speech, but this seemed like an surpassing circumstance."If I knew I would tell you."

"You ‘ re trying to find him though."Neville asked desperately."Dumbledore ‘ s doing everything he can ?"

"Everything that can be done is being done."McGonagall answered."No get out of my way-"

"Please Professor."Padma stepped in front of the teacher."We ‘ re not useless. depend at all we ‘ ve done. We know this is serious. We know this is awful, Fleur is already idle. We know you ‘ re trying to aid but so are we. And we ‘ re not useless. So use us."

McGonagall took a thick breathing spell, set up to reproof them. prepare to brush them aside.

"Please,"Miss Weasley pleaded."There must be something we can do."

"We just want to help."Padma added with the others nodding behind her."We need to do something."

McGonagall took another breath, this time to ready herself.

"Go to the hospital wing."She could see the brightness level come on in their eyes."If Dwight Lyman Moody is able to be moved have him taken to the schoolmaster spot. Then corral the prefects together and avail them get everyone back to their common rooms."

"Is that it ?"Ron asked hurriedly.

"Yes."McGonagall paused, in for a penny…"No. Mr or Miss Weasley, one of you go to my office and flue your parents. Tell them Dumbledore needs them. Tell them it's for ‘ The Order ’."

"Dad ‘ ll be at work."

"Get them wherever they are."McGonagall snapped."make nuisances of yourselves until you get them. You know how to do that. And find Viktor Krum and watch him. He was the only other one in that maze, if he tries to run off. blockage him."

"Got it."Ron nodded and McGonagall strode off. As she went she could take heed them breaking themselves into groups to take the different tasks.
*


Harry's foot skidded on a feeding bottle as he pelted down the dusty corridor holding his aching chest.

"Which way ‘ d he go ?"

"split up up !"

Harry slowed down enough to become silent and ducked under a low beam. He took another turn. And another.

"Another bloody maze."Harry thought as he reached a pocket-sized stairway down. It ended in a massive underground storage room, piled high with boxes and crateful. There was a suit of armor, nail with sword, in one box and what looked like a stuffed alligator shoved up against the back wall. Even stranger things were piled haphazardly all over the place, unknown devices, giant bones and artifacts covered with motheaten dustsheets. Everything was covered in a thick stratum of dust.

Harry managed to get behind a box and collapsed down on the storey. He couldn't run anymore, not without passing out again. The words of Madam Pomfrey floated out of his subconscious…

The man dead body has sealed limitation. You can not just keep heaping ill-usage on it and await it to keep back working properly.

He had reached those limits. He had passed those limits. Harry leant his capitulum back against the rough Sir Henry Wood. Unless he found a way out of here soon and got some medical attention there was very real hazard he would die anyway. If there was a way out of here. If he hadn't just escaped the frying pan for the nonexistent safety of the fire.

Harry's eyelids drooped. So tired…

"period you !"

running play feet !

Harry jerked awake in a moment. Someone was in the elbow room. more than one someone.

"Got you you little… Petrificus Totalus !"Something thumped against the trading floor. They weren't after him ? Harry leant out from around his box.
*


"Petrificus Totalus !"

Draco was caught off guard as the magic spell smacked him from the side. In that heartbeat he knew he was drained. He felt his lapidify body abrasion along the floor as his impulse carried him into a pile of rotted bags.

"well little boy…"genus Draco saw a dissemble face come into view. A moment later the mask came down and the barbarous typeface of Walden Macnair."You ‘ re like a little rat aren ‘ t you. Well you ‘ ve reached the end of the run…"

Dragon could only stare at the wickedness smirking man leaning over him.

"We ‘ re going back to the dark lord boyo."Macnair stood and flicked his wand down towards genus Draco."And then you can see what happens when you try to put one over on the dark lord. Oh you ‘ ll… oh… oh… o…"

Macnair had frozen, footling draught of sound popping out from his back talk. His wand fell from his limp fingers as a sparse trickle of blood began seeping from his mouth. He blinked in confusion, and turned towards the door.

Revealing both the foot long blade embedded in his rear and Harry Potter.

Malfoy could only follow as Harry dropped to one knee and scraped Macnair's wand off the floor. He stood again, with obvious elbow grease and croaked,

"Finite Incantatem…"

Malfoy felt his limbs go slack and he pushed himself to his feet.

"Harry are you allr-"But that was all he got out as Harry stumbled forward and collapsed into his arms.

"You ‘ d comfortably bang some healing charms."
*

Harry hadn't meant to collapse onto his friend, his human knee had just refused to exploit anymore. He found himself unable to do anything other than hang limply as Malfoy dragged him behind a box and propped him against the wall.

Harry couldn't even speak as Malfoy left again. A moment later he returned, dragging the body of Macnair.

"Thanks."Malfoy whispered.

"Owed you one."Harry felt his breath coming in ragged pant."Why was he trying to get you ?"

"What do you mean why ?"

"I mean I…"Harry had to break in off as he was struck with a wracking cough. When he brought his paw back from his oral fissure it was spotted with blood."I assumed you would try to overhaul my escape off as an accident."

"Harry…"Malfoy shook his head."Do you know what Voldemort does to people who make that kind of mistake ?"

"Evisceration…"Harry grinned."I ‘ m betting evisceration."

"As a start."

"So we ‘ ve become squealer in the walls."Harry tried to move his legs again, they jerked a little."Does this wall have an exit ?"

"tunnel that goes to a arena south of here."Malfoy nodded."My male parent doesn't know about it."

"But you do ?"

"Oh please. I practically lived down here before I came to Hogwarts."Malfoy hesitated."You got my hint didn ‘ t you ?"

"‘ Old pure blood business firm'?"Harry chuckled painfully."Old pure blood planetary house used to bear whiz handmaiden. virtuoso servants need servants passage. I got it."

"commodity. Good…"Malfoy nodded again. He seemed to be looking for something. Hoping…

"Shall we go then ?"Harry grabbed the wall and tried to stand. He got about a animal foot off the floor before his legs gave out and he fell back to the floor."Did you have to reducto me so hard ?"

"You ‘ re blaming this on me ?"Malfoy stepped closer and lifted Harry's arm over his shoulder."You were the one who kept calling Voldemort Tommy Boy."

"It was irritating him."

"Exactly."

"Wait…"Harry stopped as they staggered out from behind the wadding crate."Can you get me to a sky ?"

"A… a what ?"

"I mean a window."Harry shook his cobweb infested head."A window or a skylight or something. I just need a… way to see upwards."

"Alright Harry."Malfoy started moving them forward."I ‘ ll humor you."

Harry saw where they were headed, a large chimney. When they reached it Harry dropped to his stifle in front man of it.

"What are you doing Harry ?"Malfoy asked."We need to prompt, they ‘ ll find us."

"We need people to know."Harry slid himself onto the dotty roofing tile."We need to get Dumbledore or somebody or Moody or mortal or-"

"I get it."Malfoy sounded confused."But they ‘ ll have closed the flues."

"Not what I ‘ m planning."Harry stabbed his stolen wand into the air."Just giving them a sign they can ‘ t ignore.

"What si-"

"Morsmordre !"

Harry was bathed in sickly Green Light Within as the spell erupted up the lamp chimney. As it hit the sky Harry saw it blossom out and take shape the glowing scull.

"There,"Harry grinned. The parentage on his expression and the Inner Light filtering down from above gave him the look of a drown stiff."Now we can go."

"You ‘ re insane Harry."

"So I ‘ m told."
*


"Let me through !"Krum tried to push past the twins and was thrown back.

"Nope."

"I just vant to go to the bathroom."

"Nope."

"I vill not try to run !"

"Nope."George shrugged."Sorry pal."

"Don ‘ t you know who I am ?"

"Yep."Fred folded his coat of arms."You ‘ re Viktor Krum."

"Quiditch hero."

"Triwizard champion."

"baby magnet."

"achiever of Witch Weekly's least charming smile award."

"Moody bastard extraordinaire."

"Now ask who we are."

"You… you…."Krum spluttered incoherently."Who do you think you-"

"gladiola you asked."George grinned."We are part of the marauders."

"We are Harry Potter."

"We are his eyes and ears."

"His good right hands."

"And if you think you ‘ re getting past us."George drew his sceptre."You ‘ ve got another thing coming."
*


"We have not found them master."Crabbe lowered his mind in shame.

"Obviously you have not as they are not here."The iniquity Jehovah snarled and turned his wand on his cowering servant."Crucio !"

Snape tried to stay dispassionate as the expiry feeder screamed in painful sensation. It was far far harder than he remembered. He was very grateful of the masque that covered any trip in his expression.

"And you Lucius ?"The dark lord turned on the blonde whiz."Surely they can not cover from you in your own family ?"

"I have asked the house elves to-"

"House elves ? menage elves ! You leave a task I gave you to planetary house elves ? !"

Snape felt his stomach clench and sent a tacit petition that it was not him at the receiving end of that anger, or the penalisation that followed it. Had it always felt like this ? Surely not… he remembered being almost eager for this work, gaining a sensation of triumph that he had hoodwinked the dark lord. Now he just felt scared, mark and small and freeze out like a rat. He just wanted to get out.

"And you Severus…"

No…

"You who come crawling back to me late and unapologetic."

"I have explained Master-"

"And I have excepted your explanation."Dismissed with a wave of his hanker pale hand."Or else you would not be here. I am not displeased that you can remain my spy in the order."

"I live to please you my lord."Oh master let me result this lieu safely.

"And you have taught Harry Potter and the traitor Malfoy for the past four years."The darkness God Almighty said thoughtfully."Where would they go ?"

"Malfoy I can not utter to."Snape shook his head."His renunciation came as a unadulterated surprise to me-"No pauperization to lie there."-so I do nor presume to predict his future actions."

"And Potter…"Impatient, soon to be anger.

"thrower is a rat. He will go to ground."Snape lied quickly."We have searched the secret passage but ceramicist has also shown a preference for the rooftops-"and is not stunned enough to hide there where there is no escape."-we should check up on there."

"maestro !"Snape was interrupted as frantic wizard dashed in from the garden."The dark mark has been cast !"

"What ! I gave no orders to mold the bull's eye !"

So who… Oh smart boy. Snape felt the muscles in his typeface twitching, wanting to break into a foolish grin.

"captain,"Snape felt those red eyes turn on him."thrower may have cast it himself to discourage the ministry. It is the kind of thing he would do."

"That…"The nighttime God Almighty looked almost print."That is surprisingly resourceful."

"You are… delight my lord ?"

"It is pleasing to make an opponent who is not an old fool."The darkness Maker smiled."I almost feel new. And besides this is only one aspect of my plan."

"My lord the ministry will-"Snape began but was cut off by a curt moving ridge of the dark lords dilute hand.

"The ministry will obtain us."The dark lord looked off into the distance, his eye narrowing."Good."
*


"Thank you all for coming at such poor notice."Dumbledore was speaking from behind his desk looking out over the berth."But the fact is that what I have feared has come to pass. Voldemort had returned."

The hoi polloi crowding the function didn't speak, didn't murmur, they had expected this. McGonagall shook her fountainhead, if it wasn't for the horror of the berth it would almost be like old times.

"And Harry ceramicist and Mr Malfoy are both most likely in his clutches."Dumbledore shook his head."We need to be ready as soon as we know where they are."

"How can we find him ?"Molly Weasley said from the back of the room.

"Severus is trying to encounter out. If he can safely contact us he will."Dumbledore didn't stagger over the evasion.

"And if not ?"

"Shacklebolt is also looking into it."Dumbledore held up a helping hand to check any further objections."Now you all remember what to do. Be ready to bequeath the moment we get the word."

The room was filled with nervous shuffling and muttering as hoi polloi began shucking off any heavy or restrictive clothing or transfiguring them into garments more accommodate to combat.

McGonagall herself checked that her hair was securely out of the way before casting some safe charms against small hexes. She glanced towards the room access to the tug. A marauder would undoubtedly be stationed outside, waiting for tidings. She thought of going out there, but what was the use if they knew goose egg more.

"They know."Minerva turned to see the tired facial expression of Mad Eye Moody."They ‘ re good kids."

"They know what ?"

"That we ‘ re doing everything we can."

"Are we ?"Minerva felt like a treasonist for voicing that though.

"Can you think of anything else ?"Moody shook his head and sighed. He was leaning rather heavily on a cane. McGonagall had seen him when Longbottom had lead him up here. The auror had practically been leaning on the kid. Moody noticed her looking and growled."I ‘ m fine. Nothing a picayune engagement wo n't heal. warm up the old muscles up."

"Surely you yourself don ‘ t intend to-"

"If we can hang back bureaucrat from their desks and homemaker from their kitchens and expect them to fight like aurors then this real auror is trusted as hell going too."Helen Wills Moody shook his head."We ‘ re not ready."

"We should be. We ‘ ve had months."

"wellspring we ‘ re not. And it ‘ s too recently now."Moody sighed."You think we ‘ re too old for this ?"

"If the old don't fight it falls to the young."Minerva glanced back at the door, thinking of a little black-haired boy with too many scars for his age."And none of us want that."

"Guess not."

"Minerva !"McGonagall turned to see Dumbledore behind her."Where is lupine ? I asked you to get him."

"It is full moon Albus."She saw a flicker of something foreign cross the headmasters lined face."You knew that. Didn ‘ t you…"

McGonagall was interrupted by the glowing lynx that burst in through the wall of the office.

"The dark fool was raised over Malfoy manor !"Shacklebolt sounded hurried."Aurors have already been dispatched."

"Guy Fawkes !"Dumbledore held out his helping hand and the Phoenix fluttered over onto it."Everyone submit a tail plume. Be ready to struggle the consequence we arrive. Our basal task is to find Harry."

If he's still alive. Minerva found herself praying as she grasped a hanker feather.
*


Harry pushed the heavy wooden door open and felt the farting hit his face.

"We ‘ re out."Harry smiled as he leant against the doorcase, gulping in the Nox air.

"And you ‘ re walking on your own."Malfoy said encouragingly.

"Yeah."Harry rolled his eyes."spring me a few more hours and I ‘ ll be running marathons."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Oh. So was I."

"I know."

"I was more obvious."Harry chuckled, then froze as he looked up at the sky."Oh shit."

"What ? Wha… Oh…"

The two stripling stared at the full Moon hanging just over the horizon. Harry reacted first.

"movement !"Harry pushed Malfoy away from the threshold and pushed it shut before slamming on three malign locking charms and an eviler curse.

"My dad doesn't know about-"

"Doesn ‘ t need to."Harry cut him off."Rebel ‘ ll track us, probably already behind us."

As if on cue a rough bark sounded, echoing from deep down the tunnel.

"Then what do we do ?"Malfoy had his scepter out and was backing away from the door.

"Run."Harry ignored the ache in his legs and started towards the edge of the field and a small stand of trees."Maybe we can turn a loss them."

"Lose a werewolf ? At night."Malfoy was easily keeping pace with him.

"We can try."

"We ‘ ll fail."

"Do you want to die right here ?"Harry hissed angrily."Fine, stay and get mauled !"

"We need a better plan."

"Well we don ‘ t…"Harry shook his head."You ‘ re good. They can outrun us easily. We try to escape this way we ‘ re dead."

"So what ?"

"I don't know !"Harry grabbed his chest as a thrust of nuisance shot through him."I don ‘ t know Malfoy… I ‘ m sorry."

Harry felt a shoulder pushed under his and allowed himself to be supported. They would go faster like this anyway. Wait…

"Malfoy you go."Harry felt the early teenager slow down to a halt.

"What ?"

"If you drop me they ‘ ll find me. Take me back. Chance they ‘ ll ignore you."Harry let his head cliff, he was just slowing them down."It ‘ s the best chance for one of us to get out of this."

There was a long present moment of silence. All Harry could find out was the sound of his own grind breathing.

"Stupid Gryffindors."Malfoy muttered under his breath before yanking Harry forwards.

"Malfoy…"

"Don ‘ t say it again Harry ! Just don ‘ t !"Malfoy shook his head."We ‘ re getting out of this ! We have to because otherwise my father ‘ s won. You understand me Harry ? And I didn ‘ t spitting in the boldness of the wickedness lord just to see my sire win."

Harry let himself be led in silence. A heartbeat of scant came from behind them, lighting up the dark field. Harry craned his neck opening and saw the doorway in the hill glowing a deliquium blue.

"How long do you think it ‘ ll charter them to get through ?"Malfoy panted.

"Not long enough."Harry shook his head."We can ‘ t run. Won't employment. We need to do something else."

"Like what ?"

"Like fight."

As Harry began explaining he saw Malfoy's expression go from hopelessness to a vicious grinning. They pushed further into the forest as another flashing of light slashed out behind them.
*


"What the sin was that ?"Auror Dawlish scowled.

"I didn ‘ t see anything ?"Jandred said irritably.

idiot never see's anything. Tonks found herself thinking and only just stopped herself from saying it out loud. Instead she said,

"I saw it too Dawlish."

"Of course you did."Dawlish rolled his oculus as if he assumed she was lying."Just centralise on the gate."

"Yes sir."Tonk's turned back to the logic gate of Malfoy manor house, trying to ignore the glowing scull in the sky. She tried the normal unlocking spells, not really expecting them to work.

"Oh motility over."Dawlish pushed her out of the way."You ‘ ll never open it that way."

"I ‘ d just starte-"

"placidity trainee."

Tonk's gritted her teeth. Whenever Dawlish called her trainee he made it sound like an insult.

"If you ‘ re not going to do anything utile you might as well investigate that light."Dawlish sneered."The one you saw."

"But sir the dark ma-"

"Probably vandals."Jandred shrugged.

"Sir ?"

"I gave you an order missy."Dawlish smiled at her."Go investigate the ignitor. Leave this to us."

Tonk's didn't trustfulness herself to talk. She just turned and apparated for the approximative locating of the Light Within. She appeared a few ft above the ground and fell backwards as she landed.

"Ow !"Tonk's picked herself up and looked around. It was obvious where the light had come from. There was a door lying on the flooring, blown off its hinges. Tonk's lit her wand and glanced over the area of bare dirt around the rough tunnel entering. There were caterpillar tread all around, human and dog.

No… not dog.

Tonk's looked closer and cursed under her breath. Werewolf. And some of the other shoeprints looked like baby. She sent a spray of red sparks into the air and set off in the direction of the hunt. She ran as fast as she could through the tall sess and only slowed as she reached the border of the trees.

She had to, or she'd have crashed into the expiry eater.

Tonk's had her sceptre out and cook to anathemise before she realized he was in no shape to fight. One of his legs was trapped in a abide trap, he was writhing on the dry land, his mouthpiece open to yell. Silenced she realized. Tonk's stunned him and conjured ropes to bind him just in slip. More red spark in the air, not that she thought they'd be heeded, and she picked her way deeper into the forest.

Not a mile further she found another. This one a tree had engulfed. Only his legs were seeable, hanging limply. He was clearly utter, suffocated.

Tonk's swallowed and kept going, carefully.
*


"Do you think Harry ‘ s alright ?"

"I don ‘ t know Herm."Padma shook her head as she shepherded some number one geezerhood towards their class fellow."I don ‘ t know."

"He usually gets out ok."Pavarti said with a weak grinning."I don ‘ t know… I just kind of always assumed he could pull round anything."

"Everyone has boundary. Even Harry."

"Then why has he never reached them ?"
*


Harry pushed open the disused farmhouse doorway and staggered inside.

"Razorcurse on the doormat."Malfoy said quickly, breathing in niggling gasps."Maybe collapse the plaza with them inside."

"No."Harry wrenched open a press and pushed it's contents on the floor before shoving it against the room access."We can slim them out with booby traps and scourge but we ‘ ll have to fight them somewhere. Here ‘ s as skilful as anywhere. It ‘ s defendable, doesn ‘ t facial expression like anyone lives here anymore."

"But Harry…"

"I ‘ d rather meet them on ground I chose than in the middle of nowhere."Harry ducked into another elbow room and pulled open a chest of drawers.

"What are you looking for ?"Malfoy was nervously eyeing the surrounding woods.

"Anything we can use."Harry leant against the doorframe before pushing away and looking in what looked like the bedroom."I don't even know… I ‘ m just keeping moving."

"Shall I block up the windows ?"

"Do it."Harry nodded."Add something filthy if they try and get in. Then get upstairs."

"You think we can really get them ?"

"Bob Hope so."Harry grinned evilly."I want to get me a wolfskin rug."
*


McGonagall fell out of the phoenix fire and instantly became her cat form. After scanning around with skunk far advantageously than her own she transformed back and nodded to Dumbledore.

"Alastor in front. Minerva, if you would stake him up."Dumbledore motioned them forward."Kingsly, bring up the rear."

McGonagall let Helen Newington Wills go through in front of her, his eye gyration in its socket as he tried to take in everything. She knew her function and transformed again to follow him. Her raw ears picked up the other extremity of the gild following unaired behind.

The gate of the manor was broad spread out. Minerva saw Moody pause and mutter a few spells before stepping cautiously over the threshold. She slinked after him. They probably looked very much like Filch and Mrs Frank Norris McGonagall realized.

The wide courtyard fanned out in movement of them, a outpouring quietly tinkling away in the center. There was a isthmus of crushed rock around it, then grass, then flower bed. She saw Moody instinctively move to the side where the shrubs would feed him cover.

Smell…

McGonagall lifted her nose to try to nail it. Coming from the early side of the outflow. She pressed her belly down close to the gravel and slinked around the sharpness. She poked her short monotonic head around the corner and saw black cloth. Black robed sprawled on the ground. Vacant formula. Wand fallen from outstretched handwriting. They were aurors, or had been. Her eye landed on the sand next to the bodies and she shied back in surprise. A wing shape was scratched there in the dirt as if with a boot, a symbol the order used. She darted back in jounce and transformed back.

"It ‘ s a ambuscade !"She yelled, crouched behind the stonework."The auror's are absolutely ! He ‘ s-"

She was cut off as the fountain exploded, throwing her to the floor. She felt herself pulled sharply out of the way as the curses began flying.
*


"Ferio !"Harry shot out a window and ducked as the answering curse blew a lump out of the bulwark. He looked across at Malfoy who was crouching under another window."How many of them are there ! ?"

"I don ‘ t know ceramicist I ‘ m not trying to count them !"

"Bugger !"Harry popped up and aimed a spell at a patch of duskiness before being thrown backwards as a fireball engulfed the windowpane."Depulso flames !"

The fire exploded outwards and Harry was pretty trusted he heard someone scream in infliction. Harry dashed to another gap in the rampart and shot a stunner at a crouching pattern on the ground.

"I think there ‘ s five of them !"Malfoy shouted at him."Plus Greyback !"

Harry was about to serve but had to throw himself forward as the whole back wall of the house was ripped away. He had to duck as a storm of spells flew at him from the now unprotected back. Harry looked back and grinned in sadistic pleasance as he aimed his wand at the floating wall.

"Finite !"The expanse of brickwork dropped and Harry heard mortal cry out. A cry that ended in the crunch of stone hitting terra firma, and flesh."Got one !"

"At the disbursement of a wall !"

"Still got one !"Harry ducked behind a dresser and tried to neglect the way the floor was slanting. Harry looked out in meter to see a physique trying to climb the stairway."Stupefy !"

The expiry feeder blocked his tour but Malfoy's caught him in the side and pitched him off the building. Harry was about to holler something encouraging when he was driven to the flooring by a falling shaft of light. He looked up in fourth dimension to roll out from under another. He looked up further to see the red eyes and hooked hook of the werewolf burrowing through the ceiling.

Harry raised his sceptre but was blown to the English as the assault from outside stepped up.

"genus Draco little assistant !"Harry looked over but the blonde boy was nowhere to be found."No no no…"

Harry clutched his wand and prayed as Greyback fell in front end of him.
*


"Harry !"Draco tried to shout but was cut off as a strong arm wrapped around his caput. His wand was pried from his digit as he was dragged backwards. He tried to contend but he was lifted off the land and carried. Dragon kicked as hard as he could but his captor only grunted. He felt the heat of the burning wood grow further away.

He was dumped, baton less, onto the story. He rolled and looked up at his kidnaper. His father.

"Padre I-"

"Listen you fool."His father reached down and grabbed him by his hair."You have made a mockery of everything I taught you. You are a disgrace to the Malfoy name."

"No…"Dragon found himself trying to shake his head.

"Shut up !"The Slytherin felt his jaw clamp shut. His father continued."You are a walking corpse while you are within the gloomy master reach. And whatever else you have done you are still my son. My solitary heir."

"sire I-"

"You will go into hiding."Lucius continued hastily."You will go where he can not find you."

"No !"Malfoy found himself saying. Not as strongly as he'd have liked but still…"I won ‘ t go."

"This is not a game Draco !"His father cuffed him with the back of his hand, sprawling him on the trading floor."You must keep the sept line. recover something out of the mess hall you have made of everything."

"I don ‘ t care !"

"Listen to me !"Lucius grabbed him by his ear and pulled him painfully to his ft."I risk the wickedness lord ‘ s displeasure just by doing this much. You will obey me !"

"No ! Let me go !"Malfoy punched out blindly and felt his fist hit flesh. He was dropped to the floor and tried to scramble away. There was a fallen demise eater on the former side of the farmyard. His verge near his limp digit. Malfoy dashed towards it.

"Crucio !"

Malfoy felt ail beyond imagining. Flames ran up and down every face. How had Harry survived this ? Occlumency ! Malfoy tried to blank his nous but the torment was already over.

"Maybe now you will listen to me !"His founding father yelled, the flames from the farmhouse painting his pale visage a demonic red."Maybe now you will-"

"Drop the sceptre !"

Both Malfoy's turned to the new articulation coming from the edge of the forest.

"drib it now !"
*


Tonk's advanced on the Death eater. Trying to tilt his attention from the kid onto her.

"Drop the sceptre or I ‘ ll be forced to suffer you."She tried to remember the exact phrasing the auror handbook had taught her but her creative thinker was a blank."And step away from the child."

"This is my son young lady."The destruction eater said with a smirk."I will discipline him how I see fit."

"Not with an unforgivable you won't."Without taking her eye's off him she dipped one hand into her pocket and pulled out her badge."You are under arrest for-"

"Avada Kedavra !"

Her training kicked in on instinct and she threw herself to the incline. Her reception was in the air before she even hit the background and it hammered her opponent back towards the farmhouse despite his raised shield.

Tonk's pushed herself up and ran between the dying eater and the kid, who was still sprawled on the floor.

"spring up !"She yelled."Sir Thomas More aurors are coming !"

The destruction eater responded with a battery of torment that she was forced to dedicate ground to counter.

"Reducto !"Tonks blew up the reason near his feet and saw him stagger away, blinded."Stupefy !"

"Protego !"He cast blind but it worked, making her duck to forefend her own trance."Crucio !"This one went wide and she grinned, this was almost over.

"Imperio !"

It caught her by surprise. The spell taking her over, covering her. She tried to fight it off but it was useless. She could already see his wand coming back up. It was an old dark wizard prank, the next spell would be-

"Avada K-"

"Expelliarmus !"The spell hit the Death eater from the side and threw him into the side of the farmhouse. Already weakened beyond repair the wall caved in, burying the death feeder in junk. With a hideous clangour the eternal rest of the house teetered, then fell sideways, almost like it was folding. As it crashed to the ground a huge swarm of dust was thrown up, covering everything.

Tonk's looked in the direction the magical spell had come from. The boy was standing there, the sceptre of the fallen death eater in deal. His face contorted in horror.

"Father…"He ran to the side of the rubble plenty and began levitating Brobdingnagian glob of brickwork off."forefather I didn ‘ t mean…"He stopped and stumbled back, tripping over a rock and falling to the ground.

From where she was Tonks could just see what he could. The dying eater she had fought, with a opus of wood clear through his chest of drawers. Dead.

The boy was shaking, his hands clasped over his mouth. Tonk's was about to go to him when something shifted in the pile of dust. A ray of light was pushed aside and a disheveled design crawled out from under it, his digit barely managing to find leverage as it clawed its way free.

"Harry !"The boy was up on his feet and running towards the number. He managed to throw the relaxation of the rubble off the one called Harry and pulled him away from the wreckage. Tonk's watched as he leant him up against a rock."Harry are you ok ?"

"Fine."Harry croaked, his skin covered in Shirley Temple ash."Just fine. Need water."

The boy conjured some and doused Harry with it, making him search almost man. Tonk's jumped as the pee revealed a scratch on his forehead. Could it be that Harry ?

"This is blood."The other boy was saying."Did greyback get you did-"

"Nah,"Harry waved a charred deal."I ‘ m an old hand at the wolfman fighting thing."

"Is he dead ?"

"If he ‘ s not he ‘ s got the long, most invisible, cervix in the world."Harry grinned, his tooth were stained with blood.

"Are you sure you ‘ re ok ? Harry look the aurors are here."The other boy said encouragingly."We ‘ re safe. We ‘ re alright we can go back-"

"No !"Harry grabbed the early boy's arm."What you need to do is make shammer of us !"

"What ? I don't unders-"

'' I need you to make sham corps so it looks like we 're deadened ! ``

'' W ... Why ? ``

"Because I worked it out. Who it is."Harry was talking fast now, his optic desperate."Who killed Fleur. Who tried to kill Moody. Who put my name in the cup in the first place. It ‘ s so simple it all comes down to the map. So unsubdivided I should have… Dumbledore should have… Anyone could give birth worked it out ! Even worse if he ‘ s smart, and I know he is, I know what he ‘ ll try to do next."

"But why do I have to make fak-"

"Because right now he thinks he ‘ s safe."Harry grabbed the early male child shoulder."And a man's animation is at stake along with the sleep. He thinks he ‘ s rubber but if we survive he won't so he ‘ ll move him and we won't find him. That ‘ s why we have to die Draco. We have to die."

"I…"The boy Draco paused, the flames of the burning mansion still popping in the nighttime."I can ‘ t do it."

"Malfoy you ha-"

"I know what you ‘ re asking I just can ‘ t."Draco shook his head."That sort of transfig if beyond me. I can ‘ t do it."

"I can."Tonks'part caught in her pharynx. Why had she said that ? The two son turned to her. Harry's eyes broad as if only now really noticing she was there.

"Who the Hell are you ?"Harry tried to tolerate but collapsed back on the floor."And why are you purple ?"

"I ‘ m Tonks. Auror Trainee Tonks. Hi !"She made a variety of waving. It was a unusual introduction, amidst dead body and a burning house.

"You know her ?"Harry turned to Malfoy, clearly confused.

"She tried to fight…"Malfoy swallowed and glanced towards the ruin."She crusade them."

"You trust her ?"

"Well I think."Malfoy glanced at her squinting."I think she ‘ s my cousin."

What ! Tonks'jaw dropped.

"Well well well."Harry grinned his bloody smile again."I guess we need three bodies."



Thomas More reviews please, if I reach 100 I get a charge card toy !


I do n't own Harry Potter, but ( hopefully soon ) I will own a small plastic toy.



"We found them near the ruin of a house nearby."Shacklebolt said tonelessly.

McGonagall felt something prison-breaking inside her and she squeezed her centre tight shut against the tears.

"There was one of my Trainees there too. Nymphadora Tonks."

"I remember her."Minerva murmured.

"It looked like she was caught by greyback."Kingsley shook his head."Perhaps a blessing she died."

"Never say that !"Dwight Lyman Moody snapped. Shacklebolt flinched, then nodded,

"We found Potter in the wreckage and Malfoy a few yards away."Shacklebolt continued."It looks like he got out of the wreckage but someone cursed him and…"He shook his head sadly.

mollie Weasley was sobbing, her married man trying to comfort her. The sleep of the order was locked in silent grief, avoiding one another's gazes as eye grew red.

"They went down fighting though."Kingsleys oceanic abyss voice, usually so calming, now sounded funereal."Did better than us really. Found Cramore stunned in the forest, Kirrimson was absolutely nearby. We pulled what was left of grayback and Malf… Lucius Malfoy from the wreckage. Two were stunned behind the house Gibbons and Goyle, one former utter and burnt beyond realisation. We ‘ re working on identifying him."

"Those kids leave three stunned and four dead."Helen Newington Wills took a long pull from his hip flaskful."And we walk straight into a trap and get sent home with our butt between our legs."

"We ‘ re still alive."McGonagall was shocked to find out those words slipping from her lips.

"Wish it were the former way round."Helen Wills grimaced.

"What do we do now ?"Dadelus said looking to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore said nothing. He was just sitting at his desk, staring into space.

"Dumbledore ?"

Fawkes hopped off his perch and flapped down to bring on the desk. The phoenix nuzzled up against Dumbledore ‘ s cheek, trilling softly. The old Headmaster slowly raised his head.

"We go on."Dumbledore's wrangle were holler in the unsounded elbow room."We go on."

"Specifically ?"An acrid voice said from the threshold. Snape was standing there, looking more than a little haggard.

"Severus why are you here ?"Dumbledore asked angrily.

"I am here because the nighttime God Almighty ordered me to be."Snape strode forward."Shall I remind you, lest the detail have slipped your psyche, that he believes I am his spy."

"I had not forgotten that."The headmaster said evenly.

"Good. Now specifically what are we going to do ? Other than ‘ go on ‘."

"A piddling respect Severus."Chester Alan Arthur Weasley said from the former face of the room."Harry Potter is all in and-"

"I am aware of that."Snape cut in."The tragedy of three young lives snuffed out is not lost on me. But what you all seem to let ignored is that they have given us a gift as they went. They struck the dark nobleman forces a heavy blast, their numbers and morale have suffered thanks to our champions and we should not let that ritual killing simply disappear. We need to use this clip to mobilize our forces. We can wreak the ministry to heel, two respected aurors saw the end eater and five mass are dead. Including the boy who lived. They can not ignore that. We can either live with that Harry is gone and use his death as a catalyst to cement the ministry behind us or we can sit here and wallow in guilt."

Snape's mouth snapped shut and he stared down the schoolmaster who returned the gaze evenly.

"We can not use Harry ‘ s death as a political bargaining chip."Albus said, a obliterate threat in his words."It is sick to even indicate it."

"Oh please,"Snape scoffed."It's is simply a means to an end. Harry himself would have been for it."

Probably straight, Minerva admitted to herself. How did she feel about this plan ? It chilled her to her very core to think about it. Making Harry a martyr was an insult to him. But if it ensured that the ministry was working with them instead of at cross determination like in the last war…

"I will not provide Harry's sacrifice to be used this way."

"It is not yours to allow."Snape shook his head teacher."The prophet will get the story sooner or later. Do you call back Fudge, beset as he is by dirt, will not try to use it to his advantage ? All we can do is do so first."

Dumbledore's mouth snapped shut. Minerva, and everyone else in the room, could see that he'd been backed into a corner.

"It is wrong."Dumbledore murmured softly."We will regret doing this."

"Not as much as if we don't do it."

"I know."Albus was once again staring into space, seemingly lost in his own mind."We go to the ministry. Molly, Arthur if you would take on the job of informing Harry ‘ s friends ?"

"Of course of study Albus."King Arthur nodded.

"Minerva, Kingsley, Alastor and Severus, we should depart for the ministry. The rest of you, go home. I am sure that we will fit again soon."As the order began to travel the threshold burst open to reveal Bartemius Crouch.

"Is it lawful ?"The outstandingly aroused man asked."They are saying that Potter and the Malfoy boy are dead and that the wickedness overlord has returned. Is it true ?"

"It is."Dumbledore said simply.

"Then… what you have been saying all year…"Crouch bowed his oral sex."If only we had listened."

"It would have made little difference."

"But it would have made some."Crouch looked up."Are you going to the ministry ?"

"We are."

"Then so am I."
*


Harry felt like he was being passed through an intestine. The squeezing-pressing-rippling from every side hit every bruised and battered persona of his dead body. Which right now was most of him. He dropped onto carpeting and felt individual lift him up and lay him gingerly on a couch. Tonks'couch he assumed, mostly because it was pink.

"So that was apparation was it ?"Harry coughed painfully."It felt a bit like being born."

"Don ‘ t try to tattle Harry."Tonks began running her wand up and down his arms. She grimaced as she saw impairment under his skin."You ‘ re too badly injured Harry. You need St Mungos."

"Just get me walking. We don ‘ t have time for more anyway."Harry twitched with major nervous get-up-and-go, or minor brainpower damage."We have to get going."

"Harry a building fell on you, don ‘ t be a complete idiot."Malfoy said, pushing a glass of piddle into Harry's charred hand."Besides, you already died once today."

"We ‘ ve got no time to waste."Harry shook his head."They ‘ re probably already moving. We should- OW !"

"Sorry !"Tonks shrugged and grinned impishly."Had to pop your shoulder joint back in. Get prepare for the ribs…"

Harry bit down hard as his costa snapped back into Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe one by one. He felt his hired man shaking and water splashing everywhere. He just lay back and tried not to scream as various theatrical role of his organic structure were patched up. He looked away, desperate for something to trouble him. His optic found genus Draco, hovering nearby. No doubt freaked out more than a bit by the squirming surface of Harry's skin.

"How are you holding out ?"Harry asked through gritted teeth.

"How am I-"

"I mean about your father."Harry closed his eyes as the skin on his right leg began to bubble."How are you dealing ?"

"I ‘ m…"Malfoy sighed."I ‘ m trying not to think about it. I… I killed my own father."

"You had to."Harry winced."He woulda killed you."

"No. He wouldn ‘ t."Malfoy sounded low-spirited. Harry opened his eyes. His friend was crouched on the floor with his knees drawn up to his chin."He was trying to save me from the dark lord. He was going to blot out me. Even though he would have risked his piazza in the dark lord ‘ s dress circle, maybe even his life, to do it. He was trying to search after me."

"That's bollocks, he used an inexcusable on you."Tonks said from near Harry's foundation."Did you hear him ? ‘ Family note ‘ and all that. He wasn ‘ t trying to save you. He was just looking after the family name."Tonks broke off then popped up, looking contrite."Sorry, didn't mean it like that."

"It ‘ s alright."Draco said quietly. He had drawn his knee up closer to his chest.

"Draco come on."Harry reached out with his newly repaired arm and tipped Malfoy's principal back up."This is a completely screwed up situation. You want to enshroud. Unfortunately I need to save the worldly concern again and I need your aid. So you have xxx seconds to be emo in then we ‘ re back to business."

"You ‘ re a bastard Harry."Malfoy shook Harry's hand away.

"I ‘ m not. I ‘ m just in a hurry. Alright that ‘ s enough."Harry pushed off the couch and stood. His body… sort of worked."We ‘ re going now."

"You ‘ re still not better you idiot."Tonks snapped at him."You need to remain !"

"I ‘ ll rest when I ‘ m dead."

"You are dead."Malfoy pointed out acidly.

"Only temporarily"Harry drew out his stolen wand and grinned."Now lets go break Sir Thomas More rib. Preferably not mine."
*


The word had apparently already pass around to the wizarding populace and the anteroom of the ministry was packed with people. As the social club appeared in a fireplace it set off a ripple of masses that ended with a splash as someone tripped into the fountain. The sound was barely audible over the screaming riotous disturbance coming from the crowd.

Riotous… that was the watchword wasn't it. Snape thought as Dumbledore prestiged his way through the crowd. It was nearing a rioting, when you pushed this many people together, gave them a reason to hate, to rage… this could become violent.

A glimpse at the other order extremity showed him that they realized it too. They had instinctively pulled together defensively. Moody's eye was virtually a fuzz, searching out threats.

Snape even saw that some of the crew had conjured placards or simply burnt their charge into the air. Cornelius Fudge's name figured prominently, and not in a flattering light.

The order reached the elevators, a ring of aurors looking nervous around them. It took Snape a moment to take in that they were actually having to retain a shield in place to keep the crowd back. Dumbledore stepped forward and gestured to be let through. The head word auror, shook his head.

"Can ‘ t let anyone through."The grey haired man shouted over the noise of the crew."order of magnitude of the Wizengamot."

"Of which I am head."Dumbledore seemed to have no difficulty making herself heard."I do not mean it was in the tone of their Holy Order to keep myself, two decorated aurors, a section head and two Hogwarts teachers from entering."

"I can not tolerate anyone to enter."

"Oh… That ‘ s unfortunate."Dumbledore drew his baton and tapped the Aaron Montgomery Ward lightly. It dissolved. The fiat pushed forward ahead of the puppy love of people and got into the lift. Kingsley jammed the grating shut just before the push crashed against it. One of the aurors was thrust into the metal bars. Snape saw him mouth ‘ help me'as the lift slid up and away.

Snape tried to breath evenly. The itch to squeeze the button for storey nine was surprisingly firm. Snape felt a niggling groan as the aerodynamic lift rose further away from the section of mystery and up towards the government agency of the minister.

"Do we actually have some sort of programme ?"Snape said over the clanking machine.

"We will feature to gauge the situation."Dumbledore said after an uncomfortable pause.

Oh how I wish I was on storey nine.

"I think we can safely assume what that the situation is."Snape saw level four scar yesteryear, office workers stared into the departure lift. The hope in their eyes as they saw the headmaster was palatable."The Wizengamot will induce heard that crowd out there and be looking to relieve their own skins. They will no doubt be politely throwing Fudge to the beast. And why not ? He ‘ s had it coming all year."

"unstableness is hardly what we need correctly now."Minerva commented.

"And you think Fudge is what we need ?"

"Fudge has let Rome burn."Crouch said with wickedness anger."We can not allow him to remain in office."

"You are not in the order."Snape snapped at him.

"And you are not in the Wizengamot."He retorted.

"But I am."Dumbledore said quietly.

"So what do you purport we do ?"Snape eyed the brass needle of the lift as it clicked towards one.

"If Fudge is prepared to take on what has happened we should try to keep off a the shock of a new minister."Dumbledore had his eyes closed, he looked tired."If not… we shall see…"

The lift clicked up in silence. Dumbledore's lips were moving soundlessly, twitchingly.

"Would you be rector ?"Shacklebolt voiced the silent question.

Click… click…

"… too many mistake. All wrong…"Dumbledore muttered under his breath. He seemed to be swaying with the movement of the raising. His heart were still crocked shut."I should never…"Dumbledore trailed off, leaning against the metal of the wall.

The others in the lift shared shocked glance. Crouch had his hands to his face in electrical shock and Moody, for once, had both middle fixed on one office. Their leader, apparently broken down. The cosmetic surgery jerked to a point and a little Alexander Melville Bell dinged. No one moved.

Snape bent down in social movement of the headmaster, putting their faces level.

"We ‘ re here Albus."He said sharply. The old mans eye flickered open.
*


"Harry ‘ s… dead ?"Hermione shook her head."No…"

"The aurors said it was quick."Mrs Weasley was sat across the table from them in an unused schoolroom."He didn't suffer."

"Liar."Ginny hissed with surprising anger.

"Ginny ! I know you ‘ re an-"

"Any way Harry would go down wouldn ‘ t be quick."Neville agreed.

"What really happened ?"Padma pressed.

"He…"mollie Weasley looked down, her hands silently running up and down the edge of her robe. When she began speaking again it was softly."He was buried under a farmhouse. He fought off seven of them and left them dead or stunned. He went down like a Hero of Alexandria. His parents would have… would have been so…"

"Angry."Padma broke in, grinding her teeth."Angry that Dragon sold him out like that."

"Don't you dare say such matter !"Mrs Weasley's head jerked up and she shouted. Hermione could see her eyes red with tears."The Malfoy boy died too. It looked like they escaped together. Who knows how many of those seven were him !"

Hmm…. Hermione felt a wanton seed on in her fountainhead. But if they didn't know…

"He crawled out of the wreckage. Probably looking for aid !"

Maybe…

"And someone cursed him for it !"

Who ? And why didn't they-

"I…"Padma stepped back."I… I didn ‘ t know."

"We ‘ ll you shouldn't have judged."Molly took out a handkerchief and patted her eyes."They took their body to St Mungo ‘ s. You can visit if you want. I know how-"

"Wait… Um Mrs Weasley."Hermione raised her hand un inherent aptitude before realizing that it looked stupid."What do you mean looked like ?"

"What ?"

"You said it looked like they escaped together."

"wellspring no one saw them obviously. The aurors only got there later."

"Who killed them ?"She pressed hurriedly.

"girl Granger that macabre tal-"

"Please !"Hermione pleaded. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Padma sit bolt upright. She'd got it too.

"We don ‘ t know."mollie Weasley was obviously very flustered."They had obviously left by that time."

"Without taking their injured with them ?"

"Well…"Mrs Weasley went silent as she searched for the reply."Maybe they were scared off."

"Herm…"George said excitedly."You ‘ re not thinking that Harry-"

"Well doesn't it sound just like him ?"Hermione said with a full grin.

"What are you lot talking about ?"Ron asked, confused. Hermione ignored him

"Mrs Weasley, where is everything happening."On seeing the onetime woman's confused expression she elaborated."Where is the… the focal detail of all the stuff going on now."

"wellspring the ministry but-"

"Then that ‘ s where we need to be."
*


Dumbledore nodded and stepped slowly out of the raise. make a cryptical breather and seemed to brace himself.

"Albus if you are not up to this-"

"I am fine Severus."

Snape let the old adept go ahead. He was pushed aside a moment later as Crouch pushed past, a look of utter determination on his face. Snape and the other three remaining order members shared a worried glance.

"well occur on then."Minerva broke the silence and strode forward. Snape followed her out of the lift and into the farsighted gallery, the long base on balls to the office of the diplomatic minister of magic.

One side was opened bay windows ( not material ones of course ) filling the rouge-carpeted lobby with blazing sunlight. On the former side was a progress of life sized portrayal, one for each preceding minister of magic. A base on balls through history from the very maiden minister of conjuration Janakarah the thaumaturgist to the former in the wrinkle digit of diplomatic minister Bagnold. Corpulent and useless to the highest degree of them, the few with any skill had used it for there own benefit. When Fudge stepped down or died the corridor would be extended and one Thomas More painting would be hung.

Snape had never been here before. But anyone who actually paid attention in history of magic knew about the famous hall.

There was a sinister edge to the air and Snape had trouble placing it until they passed the 1500s and the portrait of Fenchurch the sickly. There was the sound of raised voices coming from the far end of the corridor, the end with the rector's office.

"Hyenas."Snape muttered."Can listen them feasting."

"I thought they were wolves."Moody muttered from behind him.

"Of course,"Snape sneered."My changing metaphor is the most important thing happening here."

"Harry trusted you."Helen Wills said quietly. Snape started and almost missed a step. That had come out of the blue.

"Your decimal point ?"Snape asked, to buy time.

"Why ?"

"Why do you need to screw ?"

"Answer the bloody question."

"His reasons were his own and it seems rather pedantic at this point."Snape bicker back.

"I should ‘ ave looked out for him better."Moody shook his head."He saved my life."

"The past is meaningless."Snape held his fountainhead up and took a abstruse breath."Regrets are rude, and only right given the circumstances. Allowing them to paralyse us however is not. That is the worst affair we could do."

"Who are you talking about ?"Moody asked shrewdly."You ? … Me ? … someone else here ? …"

"All of us."Snape replied acidly, then sighed."thaumaturgist expend too lots prison term living in the past."

"That doesn't speech sound like something you ‘ d say."Moody grunted in surprise.

"It ‘ s not."Snape looked over at the grizzled auror."It was something Harry said. And it ‘ s the solution to your side by side question."

"Which is ?"

"Why did I trust him."Snape took another hint. He felt a gawk climbing his pharynx and squashed it down."We ‘ re here."

The order came to a stop before the heavy door. The diminished secretarial desk beside it was hollow, the usual auror safety were gone too. With all the yelling it sounded like a quidditch friction match was being held on the other position of the door. One where both sides were loosing.

"We shall see what they ‘ re saying."Dumbledore waved one hand and the stud room access began to groan inwards. As the order came into survey the yelling subsided into muteness. Snape could see what looked like the entire c crowded around the mahogany desk in the center of the room. A beleaguered looking Fudge had frozen with his hands out in social movement of him. Caught in mid apology. The Wizengamot made a track them as Dumbeldore walked slowly forward towards the ministers desk. The Headmaster cleared his throat."Cornelius, you must know-"

"You are a ignominy !"All optic turned to Crouch as he interrupted the old whiz, his mustache quivering as he shook with furore."You are a ignominy Cornelius ! How daring you sit up here while Voldemort rises ?"

"But Barty I-"

"SILENCE !"Flecks of spit flew from bow's mouth."The boy who lived is dead ! The heir of a big superstar family is abruptly ! One of our own aurors is drained ! The mavin of Beauxbattons is dead ! Three impeccant lives lost and you sit here desperately trying to keep your own skin. How daring you ! ?"

"There was nothing I could do !"

"If you had listened to Dumbledore we could have stopped this."Crouch smashed his fist down onto the desk."Instead you were embezzling !"

"I never-"

"Whoring !"

"Accusations-"

"And securing a cushy job for your cousin !"

"Rupert is qualified for-"

"SHUT UP !"Fudge flinched back from the onslaught of Barty Crouch."I call an immediate meeting of the Wizengamot !"

"Why ?"Fudge spluttered.

"I call a vote of no confidence."The room gasped at Crouch's Good Book."I call for the contiguous removal of diplomatic minister Cornelius Fudge !"
*


"How much longer Harry ?"Malfoy hissed down the nighttime Stone steps of the cellar.

"I don't know Dracs why don't you keep interrupting so ‘ s I don't feel lonely."Harry's sarky interpreter filtered up from the darkness. Still with the trenchant bound of helplessness and infliction. Draco looked over at Tonks who was guarding the threshold from the other English. She gave a harried shrug.

Malfoy tried to guess what this was like for her, caught up in Harry's plan like a foliage on the wind. Not unlike him really. Harry tended to traverse multitude along. But you couldn't say no really, not when you saw what he himself was going through. Draco could see him down there now, propped up against a wall breaking down layer after bed of hospital ward on the threshold beyond. The door that was banded with branding iron, smelt like a cesspit and that had made Tonks curse like a sailor when Harry lit it up with a revealo.

"Am I really your full cousin ?"Tonks whispered across the doorway.

"If your mother was Pieris japonica Black."Malfoy hissed back, still watching his incline of the corridor.

"Yeah… wow."Tonks sounded distant."I mean I knew you existed my mum differentiate me."

"My female parent didn ‘ t. I found an old version of the family Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that still had Andromeda on it."Malfoy was one of the few citizenry who knew why the main family unit Tree tapestry was so fancifully decorated. Every firedrake, swan and oak tree covered the name of someone who had proved undesirable to the kinfolk. Andromeda Tonks was a vase of tulips."I found out the residue from fib at school."

"naught good I hope."

"Oh please,"Malfoy rolled his eyes."From what I hear your roguery was prosy at best."

"What !"

"Me and Harry pranked each other worsened over breakfast."

"Those weren ‘ t pranks."Harry called out from below."That was guerrilla warfare."

"What's a gorilla got to do with it ?"Malfoy's brow furrowed and he heard both Harry and Tonks stifle chortle."Well I always thought you weren't human but…"

"Muggle thing."Tonks grinned."Sorry little cousin !"

"Little c- !"Malfoy snarled and turned back to watching his corridor. The seconds ticked on as Harry mumbled and cursed from down in the cellar.

Suddenly Malfoy's verge jerked in his hand. He glanced over at Tonks and saw her looking down at hers too.

"The doors…"She whispered reaching into her air pocket. She drew out a small mirror and snapped it open. Even Malfoy could see the night hooded figures growing closer."last eater. They ‘ re coming."

"Harry !"Malfoy turned and hissed down."They ‘ re coming ! We need to hide !"

"Can ‘ t stop."Harry's sawhorse vox breathed back."Too many togs. If I let it loose I ‘ ll never get it back."

"There ‘ s four of them !"Tonks hissed down, glancing down at the mirror."We can't take-"

"You know where they ‘ re heading."Harry said quickly."They're coming here. Go back to that big corridor with the armor. Set a hole like in the woods."

"Harry…"

"They won ‘ t be expecting us to be here. Any you can ‘ t catch just hit them when they ‘ re panicked."

"There are five of-"

"I can't leave !"Harry sounded panicked."You're an auror and a champion. You two need to do this."

"He ‘ s right."Tonks was nodding, her hair turning a stealthy nigrify."Let ‘ s go cuz."

Malfoy glanced down the dark stairway as he followed the crouching girl. She was slipping professionally along the wall, her baton leading. Dragon looked down at his own wand, it's tip was shaking. He looked down further and saw that his script was drenched in sweat.

"Useless."He shook his headway and gripped the wand tighter.
*


"Apposed to the remotion of Cornelius Fudge, twenty."

Courtroom ten held its breath.

"In favor of the removal of Cornelius Fudge. XX nine."The dry court stenographer cleared his throat."One abstained."

Snape felt his fingernails unclench from the chair.

"It ‘ s done."

"Is this in force for us ?"Kingsley asked softly."It should be, but it feels like it was not."

"It depends on what happens next."Minerva was sitting ramrod straight."Who steps in to fill his place."

"I wonder if it does."Snape murmured."Something feels wrong."

"He ‘ s right."Moody growled under his breath."Someone ‘ s toying with us."

"Who ?"

"If I knew that I wouldn ‘ t be sitting here."Moody was twitching, his eye gyration in its socket.

"I nominate Garcia Grechkoff !"A Grey haired witch in the purple gown of the Wizengamot shouted. A few wizards nodded thoughtfully, others booed.

"Who is he ?"Snape hissed.

"department of Magical Yransportation."Moody rattled off."Bought off by Nimbus."

"If he's clear to bribe by companies he may be open to corrupt by Death eaters."Minerva shook her head.

"But we don't know."Snape cursed.

"His grandmother is a muggleborn."Shacklebolt rumbled."Could sustain him on our side."

"But we don't know."

"I nominate Deloris Umbridge !"A portly man yelled to oecumenical hissing.

"Close to Fudge. They won ‘ t chose her."Moody shook his head.

"And everyone knows that."Snape snapped, glaring at the man who had yelled."So why suggest her ?"He tried to take in the man's eyes but had no luck.

"I nominate Urstwise Innisting !"

"virtuoso of anti-werewolf legislation."Moody sneered.

"This is madness."Snape struck the arm of his chair.

"I nominate Barty Crouch !"

The room went mum for a moment, then erupted in cheers.
*


"It ‘ s set."Tonks hissed."Get back."

Malfoy nodded and shot behind a tower just as the heavy doors to the hall slammed open.

"Can't believe we ‘ ave to do this."A throaty grumbling spokesperson said loudly."Takin ‘ out his trash."

"Let ‘ s just get on with it."Another voice grumbled as they came nearer.

Draco could see their wand luminance growing brighter. As soon as they crossed the line… Draco gripped his wand tightly. The hole would get all of them, why wouldn't it ? He tried to breath evenly, the footfall drawing closer and closer…

walkover ! A burst of light filled the corridor and Draco heard cries of pain.

"Stupefy !"Tonks voice cried out.

A flare of red pierced the blinding whiten. Draco jerked to liveliness, he was supposed to be helping ! He spun out from behind the pillar while going down on one knee. There was a obscure wickedness contour in movement of him, stumbling blindly forward.

"Stupefy !"The shape dropped.

"Stupefy !"Tonks yelled again. A thud told genus Draco that she had hit home.

Draco aimed blindly into the smartness and fired off a few more peach. He kept firing even while the sunburst faded to a fizzle and finally popped into mist. The floor and walls were cracked and pitted with the magic spell and the paries right near the eruption were still cracked and sizzling. The demise eaters were sizzling too, the skin on their faces was cracked and blistered from the heating plant and one looked like his robes had actually caught blast. Probably the one that had tripped the trap.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief, it had worked. Tonks had insisted on using something nonfatal, against his wishes. He had even had to contend her up to this.

"Where ‘ s the one-fifth one ?"Tonks'voice cut into his head. She was still crouched by her pillar, remaining covered.

"What ?"Draco scanned the bodies again. One… two… three… four… Oh merlin !"Are you sure there were five ?"Draco asked desperately.

"Definitely."Tonks stood and moved cautiously forward."You sure there weren ‘ t any other paths down to the cellar."

"I think… yes."Draco swallowed."Maybe the last one ‘ s watching the entrance ?"

"dungeon watch."Tonks ordered him as she snapped spread her little mirror, then flicked it closed again."No."

genus Draco glanced around, there was nowhere to hide at this point in the corridor other than the pillars they had used. That was why they had chosen it.

"You go back to Harry."Tonks waved him back."I ‘ ll sniff him out. He ‘ s got to be between here and the main entrance."

"I'm coming with you."Dragon tried not to cringe at the palpitation in his vox."I can serve you."

"There might be another way around."Tonks said hurriedly."You should go look after Harry."

"You ‘ re making excuses."Draco challenged."Harry can take care of himself."

"You think I can ‘ t ?"

"You think I can't ?"Draco challenged.

"amercement, we can both take care of ourselves."Tonks hissed angrily."Except Harry who should be on life reinforcement right now. Let me spell this out, kid, Go Protect Harry ! If he dies for very everything we ‘ ve done is worthless !"

"I…"Draco bit back a tight rejoinder. She was right."Fine you win. Have fun."He turned and stalked back past the astounded maven. He realized he was being stupe but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of admitting it.

He stopped near the end of the corridor. He was being stupid, worse he was being arrogant. He was being a Malfoy. He turned and called out.

"Ton…"Malfoy felt his throat freeze up."… ? … !"He tried to move, his understructure felt like they were bolted to the floor. In fact… his unhurt body was paralyze ! Malfoy tried desperately to move… speak… cast a spell… anything that would attract attention.

The air in strawman of him rippled. A present moment later a skein of nihility was pulled aside and Malfoy saw the smirking face of Locusta pus. He put one blistered digit to his lips, glanced down the corridor at Tonks and grinned before sliding the nothingness back and disappearing.

No no no no no !

He watched as Tonks slid further away and his minds eye filled in the space in between with a stalking figure growing ever closer. He felt the wand still clutched in his hand, still giving out a wan brightness level. Malfoy tried to shout a charm, if he could deal to do it wordlessly he could still monish her.

"Stupefy !"He yelled through gritted dentition and benumb sassing. Nothing happened, he tried it again. Nothing.

Don't do it that way, Malfoy tried to tranquilize down. You didn't do tacit magic by forcing it through closed lip, you just thought it.

Stupefy.

Again.

Stupefy !

Malfoy was rocked on his firm feet as a atomizer of red sparks spat weakly from the end of his wand.

"Kid ?"Tonks voice carried from the other end of the lobby."You still there ?"

Stupefy !

Another sprayer of sparks.

"I told you to go assist Ha-"Malfoy saw her freeze as she took in his immobile state then whip her wand around and yell."Harenosus !"

A tornado sprang out of her outstretched wand spraying moxie out. For a moment it outlined a figure. Malfoy saw Tonks'optic springiness wide-cut open.

"Crucio !"

Tonks sprang to the side as the spell whistled past her and threw something wickedness and red back. It missed and hit the bulwark. The pink haired auror glanced around sharply, the figure had disappeared into malarky again.

"Haren-"

"Avada Kedavra !"Draco felt his essence hit his throat but Tonks hit the storey and the tour sailed over her head.

"Augmenta !"She yelled and gripped her wand with both hands as a powerful jet of piddle shot out and struck Locusta, outlining him in shining droplets and toppling him over onto the floor.

"Stupefy !"Tonks yelled at the prone figure and the force play behind the enchantment was so with child that it slid him across the floor and out of his cloak.

She summoned his verge and walked over to him, checked that he really was stunned, before grabbing the cloak off the base and running over to Draco.

"Finite !"

Draco felt his consistence sag and staggered before his muscles caught up with him and brought him back upright.

"Thank you."

"Thanks for the warning."Tonks shrugged.

"Aw… you two have been bonding."A sarcasm drifted from behind Draco and he spun to see Harry leaning tiredly against the doorframe.

"Did you spread out it ?"Tonks asked breathlessly.

"We got want we came here for."Harry grinned and pushed himself erect, wincing in painful sensation."Now lets get to the ministry. I feel a denouement coming."
*


"Children be reasonable."King Arthur Weasley was saying."We need to get you back to Hogwarts."

"He ‘ ll be here."Hermione said definitely, standing up on the edge of the fount to get a better look around."He has to be."

"I know you feel like he has to be alive."The Weasley paterfamilias shook his mind."But denying it isn ‘ t going to-"

"Harry ‘ s died before dad."Ginny pointed out stretching up on tiptoes."Twice."

"You were even there one of the times Mr Weasley."Neville said reasonably."You both were."

"They found his body."Mrs Weasley grabbed Ginny and lifted her, kicking and struggling, off the fountain."We are leaving now. We should never have got come he-"

"The telephone set box !"Anapurna yelled and pointed. Several former the great unwashed in the crowd turned as the glass box descended and slid afford revealing three form inside.

"It ‘ s Dumbledore."Hermione breathed, not wanting to give away that a small spark of Hope had just been extinguished.

"Hey didn ‘ t he already come through ere ?"Someone in the crowd muttered as the old wizard walked calmly towards the lift.
*


"Oh nether region no !"The hurt auror yelled on seeing Tonks disguised as Dumbledore."We only just got the Ward back after the last sentence you broke through !"

"And I can do so again."Tonks lied easily."So you may as well let us through freely."

"No all-fired way !"

"Please,"Tonks smiled in a very Dumbledoreish way."I do not wish well to blockade you in straw man of all these people."

"Bit recent for that."The auror shook his fountainhead."If you so much as upgrade your verge I ‘ m arresting you !"

"And taking me into detainment ?"

"Yes !"

"And before the Wizengamot ?"

"Yes !"

"Well in that case-"

"Don't get smart with me !"The auror shook his verge menacingly."You ‘ re not getting past that easily !"

"Bugger."Harry thought, scratching his fake beard."This guy not an idiot, and if it actually comes to it we don't have a chance of breaking through all of them."

Harry looked surreptitiously over his shoulder joint looking for another way through… hang on !
*


"Um do you feel that ?"Fred asked suddenly.

"Feel wha… oh !"Hermione dug her wand out of her sack and felt it vibrating in her hand."The mico… Did one of you do that ?"

The marauders shook their caput, a moment later the wand went still. Hermione licked her sassing and quietly whispered,

"Mico Harry."For a moment nothing happened, then the verge started buzzing again."He ‘ s here !"

"Where ?"Ginny scrambled back on the outpouring and looked around frantically. Hermione jumped up with her and a moment later all the marauders were perched on the lip of the water, scanning the crowd."I don ‘ t see him."

"He must be one of the one with Dumbledore."Padma hissed."Too much of a coincidence otherwise."

"Right."Ron agreed."Which one ?"

"The short one."Fred said knowingly.

"Does it matter ?"Hermione said in exasperation."He needs help ! count, the aurors aren ‘ t letting them through."

"What does he thing we can do ?"Neville scratched his head and added disbelievingly."Does he desire us to attack them ?"

"No…"Padma said thoughtfully."There ‘ s a substantially way…"

Hermione frowned, then suddenly it hit her.

"You mean-"

"Obviously."Padma turned to the other marauders."Disperse into the bunch and espouse my lead."

Hemione herself dropped down off the lip of the jet and hurried past the outrage Weasley parents before pushing her way into the crowd saying ‘ Excuse me !'to everyone she bumped out of her way. Once she thought she was far enough away she stopped and waited for the signal. It didn't take long.

"Let him through you idiots !"Padma's part cut clear across the crowd."If Voldemort really is back then Dumbledore ‘ s our only chance !"

"She ‘ s right !"Hermione yelled."Let Dumbledore through !"

"Let him through !"Someone else yelled from across the room, sounded like one of the twins.

"Let him through !"Another piranha took up the chant.

"Let him through !"Had that been a marauder ?

"Le him through !"That definitely wasn't.

Hermoine yelled her lungs out as the whole crew took up the chant. The aurors were pushed back, looking to a greater extent and more harassed. The chant grew in strength as people began to clap, then stamp.

"Let him through !"Hermione heard an old withered dame near her chanting. Knocking her mutter walking stick on the tiled floor.

From where she was she could see the caput auror hold up his hands and yell something. A moment later a cheerfulness went up as the shimmering mantle of the hospital ward was pulled aside. Dumbledore and his two associate stepped through and entered the lift.

Hermione could have sworn one of them winked at her as the barroom slid closed.
*


"You have some very smart friends Harry."

"I know."Harry grinned as Tonks canceled the trick."And in a few minutes we ‘ ll pauperization to be just as smart. Or smarter."

"And are we ?"

"trend we are."Harry grinned."We ‘ re marauders."

"We ‘ re what ?"Tonks asked.

"Marauders."Harry clapped her on the back."It means we ‘ re unstoppable."

"Invincible bastards."Malfoy commented dryly.

"Exactly !"Harry nodded as the grating slid open."invincible cutthroat bastards ! Now lets get to work."
*


"The votes are in."The dry tourist court shop assistant said in a shivering voice."The overwhelming majority have voted for Bartemius Crouch. So it is my gallant tariff to proclaim him the new minister of religion for magi-"

The threatening court door burst undecided with an explosion of light.

"I object !"A voice called out from the middle of the halo of brilliance.

"Who do you remember you are !"Crouch sprung to his base."This is a meeting of the Wizengamot ! Only those invited by penis may-"

"Shut up !"The voice called.

"Who are you ?"Someone called out.

Beside Snape Alastor Helen Wills was staring open mouthed at the door. A moment later he threw his head back and laughed.

"Moody ?"Snaoe questioned."Who is that ?"

"Who do you think ?"The old auror croaked out."That kid ‘ s brilliant I ‘ ll give him that."

"That… kid ? …"Snape turned back to the door, looking directly into the light. Slowly it faded and the courtroom was left with the tableau behind it. Three robed physical body stood, one far marvellous than the others with his hood up, the others with theirs thrown back. The fig to the left was a young woman with strange tap hair, he remembered her a former student. Nymphadora Tonks. And the number in the figurehead, evident, hands on articulatio coxae, his hairsbreadth thrown back to unveil the scar. His robes tattered and stained and his skin just this side of deathly, Harry potter stared down the Wizengamot with arrogance only he could conjure.

"Hi,"The boy grinned cheekily."Am I late ?"

"You !"An irate Fudge screamed from the recess."You ‘ re dead !"

"Rumors, exaggerated, you know the drill."Harry stepped into the court, cracking his neck as he went.

"Trainee Tonks !"Shacklebolt had stood and crossed his arms angrily.

"Sorry sir."Nymphadora shrugged."I was only following orders."

"Whose ?"

"Mine."Harry answered for her and overspread his weaponry extravagantly."I ‘ m the boy-who-lived. I outrank you."

"Harry…"Crouch said from the podium, seemingly recovered."This is clearly wonderful word. Seeing you live brings teardrop t-"

"Crocodile tears no doubt."Harry turned on the older man like lightning."Should give birth known you were a reptile. Do it Tonks."

"Bartemius Crouch."The pink haired young lady stepped forward."I am arresting you for the murder of Fleur Delacour."

"What !"The Wizengamot exploded. All except Crouch, who went very still.

"These accusations are boundless."The new minister said flatly."Obviously this is not Harry but an imposter taking his pl-"

"Interesting that you should observe imposters."Harry interrupted."Let me tell you all a small confidential, everyone here. Dumbledore… yes that guy there, that Dumbledore… Has a charming map. Yes everyone, a special infallible map One that shows the names of everyone in Hogwarts, and where they are, all the time."

The courtroom had gone still, every eye was on Harry.

"The master assured me that it could not be tricked, and I believed him. But here's the nasty bit, you all know that Alastor Moody was attacked a few calendar week ago ? Yes… good. I knew the perpetrator couldn ‘ t have left the grounds that fast, but Dumbledore assured me that no one was on the map. But he was, he was right there, in front end of the hospital wing. There ‘ s no sorcerous way to trick the map, but that doesn ‘ t mean there ‘ s not way to trick it. One person could impersonate another if they had the like name. Like Barty Crouch and… Barty Crouch… Jr."

The room gasped, but Snape's thinker was already moving. They had to bring in surely Crouch couldn't leave. They had to catch him. He shifted in his chair but felt a toilsome arm grab his shoulder.

"Stay where you are."Helen Wills growled."ceramist ‘ s got it under control."

"He can just apparate out !"Snape hissed hurriedly.

"No he can ‘ t."Moody grinned."darn that boy ‘ s good."

"These accusal are mad !"Crouch was yelling.

"They ‘ re brilliant."Harry shook his head."Got to fall in old snake face his props, it ‘ s pretty devious. I ‘ d bet anything that you ‘ re the source of all the rumors that have been attacking Fudge all yr. De-stabling his position enough that you can swoop in and knock him off his perch. Of form you'd need something to prompt the transition. Something dramatic, like the return of Voldemort. He was going to use his own rebirth as a accelerator to put his puppet on the throne. That was why he waited to disclose himself. He was waiting for the opportune moment."

"You have no proof !"

"I do."Harry raised his finger and clicked. The third figure raised his shaking helping hand and pushed his hood back. Anyone who hadn't already clicked on to what had happened gasped.

The gaunt and scarred face of Bartemius Crouch stared back, his left eye twitching in anger.

"We couldn ‘ t give him a wand."Harry said in flatbed rage."His judgment ‘ s not all there anymore. Probably all the torture."

"This is another imposter."Crouch said haltingly."My son is in azcab-"

"impart it up."Harry barked a harsh laugh."You knew you were rumbled the mo I got here. Even if you convince them I ‘ m a fake you ‘ ll have to kill this bloke-"Harry jabbed his pollex at the cadaverous crouch."- then you ‘ ll have no polyjuice. Then you ‘ ll be screwed. But it ‘ ll never come to that, because there are at to the lowest degree four people in this room who already believe me. And none of them are going to let you leave."Harry drew his baton, holding it lightly in his hand.

Snape drew his as well and saw Minerva reach for hers too. Dwight Lyman Moody stayed still, a lowly grin on his face.

"Potter… Harry."The Crouch on the podium licked his backtalk."You are a very lustrous boy Harry. But you are dead."

"Faking."

"You will be dead."The voice of Barty Crouch went ice cold."You all will be. The shadow Lord has said he will ruin you, and so he will. I only pray he lets he watch."

"I see the masque has fallen."Harry seemed unperturbed by this development."So lets try the next trick."Harry raised his wandless hand.

"No more illusion !"Crouch flicked out his wand and spun…

Harry clicked his fingers…

"Stupefy !"

The burst of red light caught Crouch from behind and slammed him into the lectern. He slid to the trading floor and fell like a rag doll, splayed against the ground.

"Nice shot."Harry complemented the empty air.

"Well,"Malfoy appeared out of nothing, throwing back an invisibility cloak."I had a good distraction."
*


"Harry you promised !"Tonks grabbed his arm and tried to drag him out of the antechamber."I ‘ m taking you to St Mungos !"

"I said I ‘ d go when all my jobs were done."Harry shook her off and turned back towards Dumbledore."I ‘ m not finished."

"What ‘ s left then ? Someone else to unmask ?"The trainee auror put her hands on her hips."practiced do it quick, you ‘ re running out of time."

"I do my best work with home bleeding."Harry shrugged looked around. Moody and Shacklebolt had left, trying to celebrate parts of the ministry from totally collapsing after the deprivation of two minister of religion in a row. McGonnagall and Snape were still there, standing behind the Headmaster and Malfoy was standing by Harry ‘ s incline."I need one final answer."

"Harry Miss Tonks is right."Dumbledore smiled."You need medical avail soon or-"

"Why did he number after me ?"Harry cut in, silencing the headmaster."Why me now. Why me fourteen class ago. Why me ?"

Dumbledore stayed silent, his finger twitching and his eyes suddenly bereft of their usual sparkle.

"He said I was the ‘ Navy SEAL for his immortality ‘."Harry pressed."What does that mean ?"

"Harry you are sick decent now."Dumbledore held up a hired man."trustingness me that I will separate you the truth in good time."

"No !"Harry barked a laugh."faith you to tell me ? That ‘ s likely ! separate me now you old lying bastard."

"Mr Potter !"McGonagall stepped forward angrily but her arm was caught by Snape.

"Albus,"The potions professional licked his lips."Perhaps you should simply severalise him."

"Severus !"The headmaster snapped angrily.

"Do you know ?"Harry tuned to the Slytherin, ignoring the way his vision blurred when he moved."testament you tell me ?"

"Say nix Severus !"

"He deserves to know."

"I am still the head word of the order."

"Did the order just economise you all from a death eater becoming parson of magic ?"Harry yelled angrily."No ! That was ME ! You just sat there like an idiot !"

"You will not talk to me this way."

"I ‘ ll speak any way I damn well like you igno-"

"There was a prophecy."Snape said softly. Strange how soft words can sometimes submerge out yelling.

"A what ?"Harry felt his oral fissure go dry.

"Severus don ‘ t."The schoolmaster shook his head."You don ‘ t know what you ‘ re do-"

"It said something particular about you Harry."Snape continued, ignoring Dumbledore."The half I heard said, The one with the office to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Max Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the one-seventh calendar month dies."

The small elbow room grew deathly silent. Harry felt his psyche trying to act over what he had just heard. It was failing.

"It doesn ‘ t have to be true."Harry heard Malfoy say through a fog of twisting thoughts."Not every divination comes true."

"It doesn ‘ t even have to be Harry."McGonagall said, shaking her head."Mr Longbottom also fits those criteria."

Harry shook his head, Neville ? Could it be…

"I… it is not Mr Longbottom."Dumbledore said haltingly."The early one-half of the prophecy confirms it."

Other half… Harry put his hand to his head. Everything was so fuzzy.

"What former one-half ?"Draco demanded.

"I do not think-"

"Do you really want to give birth this disputation again ?"Draco shook his head angrily."Just assure us."

"It concluded with, And the Dark Divine will mark him as his equal, but he will suffer power the darkness Almighty knows not. and either must die at the paw of the other for neither can populate while the other survives."Dumbledore was speaking quietly now, almost defeatedly."The first gear half of the vaticination unmistakably refers to Harry."

"And… and the other half ?"Tonks gulped."It means…"

Dumbledore just shook his head and looked to the floor.

"It means it is inevitable."Snape whispered in shocked breathlessness."Harry is the only one that can vote down him. It is inevitable. They have to contend, and one of them has to die."

No… Harry felt his work force shaking as the password fell like slabs of granite in the silent room.

"But… but he's only a child."McGonagall shook her head, a trivial glisten of a tear in the corner of her eye."We can ‘ t let it happen."

Harry tried to speak but the words caught in his throat.

"He doesn ‘ t have to do anything !"Draco slashed the air with his manus."Not all prophecies come confessedly !"

Harry raised his hired man to his mouth… why couldn't he speak.

"Not all of them begin."Dumbledore said, with painful hesitancy."But once they do they almost always run their course."

"Almost always !"Dragon yelled."You want him to face the dark Almighty on an almost !"

Should ask Pythea. The little illusionist floated into Harry's mind but dissolved in the fog. His head teacher hurt. His ear was wet. What was this…

"If there is a chance he can down him."Snape said, his head down like he was ashamed."If it is our salutary chance…"

Blood…

"You as well !"Draco turned on his oral sex of firm, who looked away.

"You can ‘ t use him like that."Tonks stepped up beside her cousin.

Draco… Harry tried to snuff it, but the reality was spinning. He reached out a wobbly bridge player towards the male child back. He fell short, there were too many paw and too many backs.

"Harry ?"Dumbledore noticed his reaching and stepped forward.

"I… I…"Harry swayed, his legs too weak. He wet his lips and tried again."Thirsty…"

The faces before him disappeared downwards and he felt the floor hit him everywhere before he blacked out.
*


Harry was dimly aware of the hospital room. The therapist standing around saying affair he wouldn't have understood at the best of clock time. Snape was there for a piece, then gone, then there, then gone, fading in and out. Dragon was definitely there, a white bandage on his arm, ignoring it, standing by Harry's bedside. Was Dumbledore there ? He could hear his voice, see his eyes from behind silver light. The light was falling, hitting his eyes.

Where was he ?

He was… home.

Privet driveway ?

Hogwarts ?

Godrics… Hollow…

He was standing outside the cottage. He was right there, it was all there. But he had never been here, at least since he was too Pres Young to remember.

He had to get out. He wasn't supposed to be here. It felt improper. It was under his skin. Falling off like snowflakes, showing the shadows underneath. Had to get away !

Harry ran away from it, as fast as he could. The dark were chasing him, wanting to get into him, in his head. He ran until he could blot out behind a tree. The apple had grown now. century. Green. Right over his head.

He could hide here.

It was much better here.

Everything but this was shadow.
*


"I was wondering when you ‘ d display up."Natalie Zhao pushed the door fully open and let him in. She pushed it shut behind him and stood there, munition folded, waiting for him to speak.

"I ‘ m not dead."Was the foremost thing that came to Snape.

"I gathered that."The abominable didn't move."Don ‘ t you have an explanation ?"

"An account ?"

"For your message. Your patronus."Her even voice edged to anger."You somehow send off a subject matter by patronus. Which I've never seen. You said you loved me. Which you ‘ ve never said. Then you said you could die. Which I know you would not overstate. You said you were about to do something dangerous. Then the ministry explodes, people are saying Voldemort has returned. Saying that Harry Potter is perfectly. Fudge is removed. Crouch is elected. Crouch is removed, by Harry potter. Crouch is arrested. The ministry is in turmoil, they only got the crowds to go menage an hour ago. They only sent the unspeakables home because our department can't do anything at this breaker point. No one knows what ‘ s going on. The necromancer Wireless just keeps playing the same recording of what happened in courtroom ten. Everything is broken down. So pick something Severus. Anything. fall in me an explanation for anything that ‘ s happened over the retiring day or I swear I ‘ ll hex you into oblivion."

Snape answered the only way he could. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Natalie, resting his head on her berm. He pulled her as tight as he could, reminding himself for a moment that at least one part of the mankind wasn't broken. Breathing her in, being where he'd wanted to be since the starting time of this gloomy plenty. At least this struggle was over.

"This isn ‘ t an explanation."Her vocalisation came from somewhere near his breastbone, muffled by his robe. But her sleeve were around him, gripping him at to the lowest degree as hard as he was her.

"I know. Just a moment more."Snape pulled himself together and stepped back, releasing her and looking down into her perfect eyes."Here, this should evidence you what you need."

He let his mind drift, letting every mental vindication fall. The intrusion was subdued, Light and swift. The memory she needed were right on the surface.

"Oh my god."She put her hired man to her mouth."It ‘ s all… true ?"

"All of it."Snape nodded.

"The prophecy… even that ?"

"Yes."

"That poor boy."She shook her fountainhead."How can he do this ? Does he even have a opportunity ?"

"He must have at least a chance."Snape sighed."The prophecy says he has the mightiness to get the better of the iniquity lord. If there was no chance at all it could not say that. However small it is, he has a chance."

"What can we do ?"She had gone from incredulity to iron conviction in a import."How can we keep him ?"

"I need to…"Snape licked his sassing. This was harder than anything else."I can not see you anymore."

Natalie bit her lip and looked at him calculatingly.

"It ‘ s for some stupid noble reason isn ‘ t it ?"

"I know what I have to do. How I can outdo assist the order… and help Harry."Snape closed his oculus, it was easier if he didn't look at her."I have to be a spy again."

"In the decease eaters."It wasn't a question.

"While I am there I can not expose any indication that I am anything other than just like them."Snape explained."I can not ever slip. Even the flimsy hint… I couldn't do it… I am not a skilful enough actor to hide you. Hide the change you've made in me. I have to end it. I ‘ m so sorry Natalie."

"You can ‘ t afford any distractions."

"Yes."

"And I ‘ m a distraction."

"Yes."

"Love is a distraction."

"Yes."Snape breathed, his close chapeau the solitary thing keeping back teardrop. He felt breath on his cheek, she was moving closer. A moment later he felt her wet-silk rim on his.

"No…"He murmured, but she had captured him. Her manpower behind his forefront, her sass on his. Intoxicating, making everything he had said fly out of his mind.

He had to stop.

He couldn't.

He lost himself in the kiss, breathing in every here and now of it. He couldn ‘ t stop, his mentality was full of her. If his oculus had been undetermined even the sapless adept would have been able-bodied to read his every cerebration. He was open… euphoric… free…

As she pulled back he opened his middle. He had thought the charm would be broken then, that the feeling would go away. But it wasn't going, it only felt stronger.

"Firstly…"Natalie held a finger up to his wet lip."layover being imposing, it doesn't suit you. Secondly… Who do I talk to about joining this order ?"
*


"Why can ‘ t we see him ?"Parvarti moaned.

"Because he ‘ s in a come together ward."Mr Weasley said calmingly."You couldn ‘ t see him even if we went to St Mungos."

"We can be there for him."Neville said quietly.

"You wouldn ‘ t be able-bodied to utter to him or even be in the same room."

"He ‘ d know we were there."

"No he wouldn ‘ t. He ‘ s unconscious."Mr Weasley shook his head."You kids need to go back to Hogwarts. You ‘ ve already been out of schooling for too long."

"School !"Fred threw his hands up."Who cares about school ! Harry ‘ s in hospital and You-know-who is back !"

"All the more rationality for you to be back at Hogwarts."Mrs Weasley pushed the marauders towards one of the open fireplace."It ‘ s the dependable place."

Ginny shook her head, she knew when it was pointless to argue with her mother.

"child's play the little sister card."She heard mortal whisper in her ear. She looked back in meter to see Padma blink at her."One of us should be there, and it ‘ ll be comfortable to leave the burrow."

Ginny grinned, then put on her advantageously scared-six-year-old face.

"Mummy, I ‘ m scared."Her mother turned to her."Do I deliver to go back to Hogwarts ?"

"Your father told you. You can't see-"

"No, that ‘ s not what I meant."Ginny shook her head."Can I total hone tonight ?"Her female parent's facial expression softened instantly.

"Of course dear. I ‘ ll clear it with the teachers."Ginny found herself enveloped in a hug."There ‘ s no motivation to be scared."

"I know."Ginny felt a piddling bad for manipulating her female parent. And very dear for not getting caught.

"I ‘ m also scared-"Ron began, before Fred elbowed him in the kidneys.
*


It was near midnight before Ginny could swipe down to the front room of the tunnel. She slid out of the front door and broke into a run as soon as she was out of the garden. It took her only a few minutes to jog to the Lovegoods'household. She stepped in ( the door was never locked ) and went straight to the fireplace. Mr Lovegood slept right at the top of their odd sign of the zodiac and she could probably lie her way out of hassle even if she was caught.

"St Mungos."She said clearly as she tossed the powder and stepped into the fire. After a rocking and spinning few minute she fell out into the waiting room.

At this time of day it should have been discharge. It wasn't, ten or so newsman were dotted around the way dictating into immediate quotation quills or jotting short letter down the old fashioned way. Ginny went straight to the stairs ( the desk staff would no dubiety inquiry a minor alone in the middle of the night ) and ran up a few flight of stairs before stopping by a portrait of a helpful looking old man.

"Excuse me,"The old man perked up at the sound of her voice."Do you know where the close Mrs. Humphrey Ward are ?"

"Are you a reporter ?"The old man asked suspiciously.

"Do I look like a reporter ?"

"Hmm, you're right a small Brigham Young maybe."The old man nodded."You want the quartern flooring. End of the hallway."

"Thank you."Ginny smiled and trotted up the last few flights before pushing the door open and walking confidently down the corridor.

Confidence was the key. I have to look like I'm meant to be here…

Or I could steal that nanny robe off the back of that chair.

Ginny scuttled over and quickly threw it over her shoulders. She pulled her hair down to cover her grimace and picked up a nearby clipboard with a piece of parchment stuck to it.

‘ authority and a clipboard is a universal disguise ’, Ginny chucked at the memory. proficient advice Harry.

She lowered her oral sex and pretended to be checking her notes as a healer walked past then quickly pushed open the door at the end of the hall and stepped in.

It was unlit, the patient role were meant to be sleeping, but there was a little streetlight filtering in through the windows. Ginny moved from bed to bed quietly, they all seemed to be abandon. They must accept emptied the Aaron Montgomery Ward for Harry.

As she stepped nigher to the moment to live on bed in the row she was that it was occupied. Harry… He looked pale and wan, and he twitched in his rest. He looked awful. It was the illumination from the window, that was it. It was yellowish and harsh, making him look sicker than he was. That had to be it.

Ginny stepped finisher, trying to see what specifically was hurting him.

"Don't move."

The voice came out of nowhere and Ginny jumped back in surprisal. A instant later she saw the figure lying on the side by side bed over. She had been so focused on Harry she hadn't noticed. The chassis sat up and she saw white blonde hair framing it's face.

"Malfoy."She was caught between ire and relief.

"W… Weasley ?"The Slytherin moved into the illumination and Ginny could see that he had a bandaged arm."What are you doing here ?"

"I could ask you the same question."Ginny tried to summon some confidence. And clutched her clipboard.

"Well this is a hospital."Malfoy sneered."And I ‘ m injured. Why do you think I ‘ m here ? Your turn."

"I ‘ m here to see Harry."She lifted her Kuki."I ‘ m his friend."

"So you are.."Malfoy slid his invertebrate foot to the floor and stepped over to stomach on the other side of Harry's bed."Get behind the curtain. They can see you from the corridor."

Ginny quickly stepped towards the paries, away from prying eyes. She wouldn't thank him though. Not Malfoy.

"Is he gon na be ok ?"

"He ‘ ll recover. They said there won't be any last forcible effects."Malfoy snorted quietly."Whatever that means. He ‘ ll have a few more scars to add to his collection."

"So he ‘ ll be finely ?"Ginny wasn't sure why she was asking for reassurance, she just knew she needed it."The healers can-"

"Fix almost everything."Malfoy's eye drifted down to a minor bandage on Harry's wrist.

"What is it ?"

"See for yourself."

Ginny reached down and gingerly pulled the bandage down. Underneath was a gruesome tattoo, a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth.

"What is this ?"Ginny ran her finger over the mark. It wasn't even raised, it just felt the likes of skin. A hand engulfed hers and lifted her digit off.

"I wouldn ‘ t touch it if I were you."Malfoy released her and pulled the patch back up."It ‘ s the dark mark. The iniquity Jehovah mark. All his servants have it."

"But Harry's not his servant !"

"bread and butter your voice down."Malfoy hissed angrily."Do you require to get caught ? Idiot."

"Tell me what it means."Ginny whispered softly."Please."

"The wickedness Jehovah marked him because Harry wouldn ‘ t give in."Malfoy shook his head."Harry was tortured. For a long time, longer than anyone should have lasted. He just laughed. He was insane."

"That ‘ s Harry."Ginny let her hand dip into Harry's.

"He just kept fighting. He was… he didn't…"Malfoy bit his lip and looked away."Eventually the dark lord just snapped, marked him. Maybe it was just the only way he could think of to actually cause Harry tangible pain."

"But you got out ?"Ginny asked."You both escaped ?"

"Barely. We got into the passages in the walls."Malfoy added, his voice low and anguish."Managed to get out through a tunnel. We had to fight them in this… stupid muggle farmhouse. Harry fought them off. All of them, even Greyback. home fell down… he crawled out of the rubble."

"Wow…"

"He kept going. keep us going. Forced us, till he started bleeding from his ears."Malfoy shook his capitulum sadly."Is it always this operose ?"

"What ?"

"Being his friend."

"Oh…"Ginny chuckled wryly."Sometimes…"

"moldiness be even harder being him. ``

They stood there in silence for a piece, Harry twitching uncomfortably. Ginny leant down, idly wondering whether he could hear them.

"You'd better Bob Hope he can't."Malfoy answered out of the wild blue yonder."If he can hear he can feel, which means he ‘ s still in pain."

"How did you… ?"

"You ‘ re predictable."

Ginny didn't have the time to retort as the doors to the ward salvo undefendable. She quickly grabbed her clipboard and turned to hide her human face. Footsteps approached the bed.

"Nurse,"The cushy interpreter of Dumbledore wheel spoke from behind her."We need to get him to Hogwarts. Is he well enough to be moved ?"

"I… um…"

"The healer said he shouldn ‘ t move until tomorrow."Malfoy came to her delivery."Said it could tear his wounding capable again."

"Really…"The Headmaster didn't seem convinced."Would you turn around delight young lady Weasley."

Erg… well marauder regulation. If you're caught, no apologies. Attack back.

"how-do-you-do Professor."Ginny turned."Do you need to excuse why I could just walk into the Montgomery Ward where Harry was kept ? I could'a been a death eater."

"You think I left him unguarded ?"Dumbledore chuckled and nodded towards a nearby bed. A import later a shock absorber unfurl and arched it's back, yawning widely. The cat hopped off the bed and unfolded into Professor McGonagall.

"Satisfied Miss Weasley ?"The animagus arched an eyebrow.

"Did you know she was there ?"Ginny muttered to Malfoy.

"Yes."

"Why didn ‘ t you tell me ?"

"This way was more funny."

"Too right it was."The vox was low and guttural, but unmistakably Harry. The two bookman and two teacher crowded stave as Harry slowly opened his eyes."Hi."

"Hi yourself."Ginny smiled."Welcome back."

"Didn ‘ t go anywhere."Harry muttered."I was unconscious."

"I am glad you are awake Mr Potter."Dumbledore said with false jollity."But we must move you to Hogwarts."

"Something ‘ s happened."Harry stated flatly.

"We will talk about it once you are safely in Hogwarts."

"No. We won't."Harry folded his arms."We ‘ ll lecture about it now."

"Harry-"

"No more secrets."

"No more secrets…"Dumbledore repeated quietly. Maybe it was her resourcefulness, but Ginny thought she could pick up a catch in his vocalism."Very well then. Voldemort has made a move, we need to take you somewhere safer in event he tries to strike at you."

"Made his motility ?"Harry frowned."What ‘ s he done ?"

"He had attacked Azkaban."Dumbledore glanced back at the door of the ward."He led the attack himself. The guards of the island simply let him choke. I think it is evenhandedly to assume they work for him now as well."

"Azkaban is unguarded !"Malfoy's eyes were wide-eyed and shocked."But what about the other captive ? They could also esca-"

"There are no other prisoners Mr Malfoy, and indeed no Azkaban."The Headmaster spoke in cut back timber."Perhaps I was not shed light on. Azkaban is no more. It was blasted away, down to the bedrock. Voldemort took his followers and any of the hundreds of other petty criminal that would willingly join him off the island and left the repose to admit their chance in the sea."

"How many ?"prof McGonnagal asked in hushed tones.

"We think at least twenty or thirty wizards joined him, not counting the 1 that were already demise eaters."Dumbledore announced this as if it was the every week Quidditch scores."As for the others ... They are still dredging bodies out of the north sea but it is safe to assume quite a few pass on land safely, they were magic after all."

"What about Crouch ?"Harry said suddenly."William Tell me he wasn ‘ t transferred there yet."

"I ‘ m sorry Harry."Dumbledore bowed his mind."The aurors office didn ‘ t think there was any point delaying."

"So he ‘ s free ?"

"He is."

"It was all for nothing."A niggling choked jest came from Harry's throat."It was all for nothing."

"Harry…"

"Worthless…"Harry was staring at the cap."For nothing."

"We stopped him becoming minister."Malfoy said sadly."That ‘ s something I guess."

"He killed Fleur."Harry closed his eyes."He tried to defeat Helen Newington Wills. And now he ‘ s free. Should have killed him."

"Harry !"McGonagall stepped forward angrily."We can not drop to their level. We are not murderers !"

"Maybe you ‘ re not. I killed at least four people yesterday."Harry painfully slid his stage off the bed."Maybe more… I forget. Energy Department grayback count as a person ? Never thinker, come on then, lets go."

"I can levitate you-"Dumbledore began but then trailed off into secrecy as Harry stepped onto the common cold infirmary floor. Harry held out both weapons system wordlessly, Malfoy stepped under his leave alone instantly. Ginny dropped her clipboard on the bed and took his right.

"I know you can levitate me. You ‘ re Dumbledore after all."Harry smiled and stepped forward, leaning heavily on his friends.
*


There was a monument service for Fleur the succeeding day in front of the forest at Hogwarts before she was brought back to her parents in Anatole France. Harry didn't say anything, he couldn't cartel himself to. Her killer was still out there because of the folly of the Ministry.

He'd get him. One day, he'd get him. Harry dug his fingernails backbreaking into his palm.

"I ‘ ll get him for you."Harry whispered, glancing up at Fleurs coffin."I promise. I ‘ ll putting to death him."

Harry watched as the Triwzard cup was brought out and placed adjacent to the poor girl. She was the Triwizard champion, he and Malfoy had insisted on that. It was official and everything. Small comforter for her parents.

"You alright Harry ?"Neville asked him quietly.

"No Neville."Harry shook his head."I ‘ m not very well, but this is basically a funeral. I ‘ m not meant to be right now. If I was alright I ‘ d wonder what was improper with me."

"It wasn ‘ t your fault."Harry didn't answer. The ‘ fault'conversation was too predictable, and unhelpful.

The ceremony ended and the students began filtering back to the palace. Harry didn't join them, he couldn't expression them all. The rustle had already begun. Everyone knew Voldemort was back, most even knew that Azkaban was gone. They also knew that Harry had died, add up back from the bushed and invaded the ministry to unmask a expiry feeder. Harry sighed, everyone thought he was some sort of hero. If they turned out to be redress it would take a weight off his mind.

Harry reached the sharpness of the lake and looked out over it's glassy open. It still felt threatening and malignant, his fear pulling at him like vertigo. He ignored it, it was easier now, he had more pressing concerns.

"You sure you ‘ re ok ?"Harry looked back, Neville had followed him."You don ‘ t seem ok. I mean I don ‘ t-"

"What did your parents do Neville ?"Harry said out of the blue.

"I… they…"

"You never told us."

"They… they were aurors."

"Ah…"Harry nodded."Probably fought death eaters… Voldemort… lots of times."

"Yeah, I guess."Neville shuffled his feet, staring at the floor."Nan told me they were pretty dear so probably."

"And they ‘ re bushed ?"

"They ‘ re… well… they 're in St ... yes. Yes they ‘ re dead."Neville swallowed."A expiry eater called Bellatrix did it."

"That ‘ s what I thought."Harry nodded, still looking out over the lake."I wonder if you ‘ d have done better…"

"Harry you ‘ re scaring me a little. What ‘ s all this about ?"

"There was prophecy Neville."Harry watched the sun as it slowly set so as to debar looking at his acquaintance's face."Long story light it predicted the birth of the solitary someone who could destruct Voldemort. It could have been either me or you, turned out to be me."Harry lapsed into silence. Behind him he could see Neville breathing in gasping gulps.

"You did hear me say it ‘ s not you ?"Harry clarified."You don ‘ t have to fight him."

"But you do !"

"Apparently."Harry tried to shrug, tried to look uncaring. Unfortunately it was so counter to how he was really feeling it was hard.

"Do you know when ?"

"Nope."

"Do you know how ?"

"Nope."

"Well…"Neville scratched his headland."What do you get it on ?"

"I know I ‘ m gon na lose."Harry said dryly. At Neville's shocked saying he threw his custody up."Well what do you gestate ! spirit at me, I ‘ m a teenage wizard, a fourth yr ! He ‘ s the most unsafe superstar awake and I ‘ m barely making acceptable in defence against the dark arts."

"Harry you know grades don't matter."Neville shrugged."If they did then how come you ‘ ve survived this farsighted ?"

"I know that ! But this is different !"Harry shook his head."Up till now I ‘ ve got through by a combination of luck, lying, wit, brutality and stubbornness. Not to refer that I ‘ ve always had supporter. But this is different, it ‘ ll just be me, him and two wands. I can ‘ t rhythm him like that, don ‘ t even stand a chance."

"You don ‘ t know it ‘ ll be like that."Neville said reasonably.

"I know it will. Don ‘ t you see ? This is where the entirely thing ‘ s been headed. I ‘ m going to fall back and I can ‘ t. I can ‘ t let myself lose."Harry realized something and laughed wryly."She was right… of course she was right."

"Who was ? About what ?"

"I won ‘ t be able-bodied to visit her this summer."Harry's deal twitched to the cord around his neck."I ‘ ll be fussy. I ‘ ll be very busy."
*


genus Draco hitched his legs up onto the windowsill and rearranged his robed behind him to be a bit more easy. When it got later he'd try to attain his room in the Slytherin dungeon. Right now his apparent abandonment made it impossible to get past his former friends without a violent response.

He shifted his shoulders and turned the Thomas Nelson Page on the course of action Quran he was reading. For now he could ignore everything, just be a little nub of equanimity on the windowsill, reading in repose. But eventually he'd consume to face his housemates, then in a few Clarence Shepard Day Jr. he'd let to go domicile and face… nothing.

His hired hand moved to his pocket where the letter of the alphabet from his mother was. It hadn't been raging, no expressions of undying hatred. It had simply stated that she was moving back into the planetary house she grew up in and that she would prefer if she never saw him again.

Draco had considered burning it, or tearing it up and laughing. That was what Harry would do. Draco just wanted to kink up in a corner and make believe it didn't exist.

"Wotcher, kid !"

What the… ? Malfoy looked down the corridor and saw Tonks standing just a little way off with her bridge player on her hips.

"Oh,"Malfoy turned back to his script."What do you require ?"

"Hello to you too."Tonks shrugged and shoved his stage off the windowsill roughly so she could sit down.

"Hey ! I was sitting there."

"You were moping there."Tonks corrected."Anyway I was talking to my mum earlier."

"Was she angry at you for dying ?"Draco asked.

"A little."Tonks said sarcastically."She also said she had heard that her sister was moving back to her old home."

Draco didn't say anything.

"Is that why you ‘ re sitting out here ?"

Silence.

"Or is it that you helped arrest-slash-kill respective of the Church Father of your old friends ?"

"What do you remember ?"Malfoy answered acidly.

"I think I should show you a small something I found in my sixth year called the ‘ room of requirements ’."Tonks stood and winked at him cheekily."So you won ‘ t have to log Z's on a windowsill."

"The room of requirement ? Is that a bedroom ?"

"It can be a bedroom."Tonks answered mysteriously."By the way, did I ever thank you for saving my spirit ?"

"It ‘ s fine. You probably saved me too."

"Yeah, probably…"Tonks nodded grinning."Anyway my mum says that you should come over to dinner so we can give thanks you properly."

"It ‘ s fine-"

"She always makes too much anyway."Tonks went on."You can come over a few times if you want. Every dark even, over the summer."

"You don ‘ t…"Dragon felt his throat go a petty dry."You don ‘ t have to do this for… for…"

"For what ? For category ?"Tonks laid a hand on his shoulder."Yeah, I do."



fountainhead ... that was a farsighted journey. Long and epic ! Anyway ... Hope you liked it. Leave a review, come up on ... it's the end of the book. Go on.

Anyway, prepare for the succeeding book. If you thought this one was a wild ride then the next one will blow your freekin psyche ! Cannon can go hang itself, we ‘ re taking our own path from now on. consider me when I say that everything is about to change. Prepare for darkness ... prepare for action ... prepare for everything you know to wither and die. Prepare for ...
Harry ceramist and the half-wit tiddler