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



Harry lay on his back on his bed with his mothers locket dangling above him. The bloody matter was taunting him he was sure. He had run some detection charms over it and been shocked to get that the thing was wrapped up six path from Sun. Harry flicked through one of the books laid around him but found nothing he hadn't already seen before.

"What now Harry."Neville had asked him earlier that day when Harry was dragging his way through some antediluvian rune prep."With the design, what do we postulate to do now ?"

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

In reality the plan was far from on fair game, in fact it had taken a outrageous lurch. It had happened one breakfast not long after Christmas…

"Harry…"Harry looked up from his stadium of cereal at the look of let out horror in Ron's voice.

"Yes ?"But Ron just pointed wordlessly over at the Slytherin table. Malfoy was holding a broom with a tone of utter happiness on his look."So he has a new ling ? We knew his father would buy him a new one."

"F… ff… Firebolt."That was all Ron appeared to be able to say. His face was ash white as he fumbled a Quidditch magazine out of his bag and spread it out in front of Harry, his hand shaking as he pointed to a long article.

Harry's face went from confused to fearful then moving swiftly to terrorize as he read down the Firebolt's specs. The Chimera was good but there was no way she could compete with the raw power of the Firebolt.

"doe this change the program Harry."Harry glanced up and saw that Fred and George I had moved down the table. Their common grins dulled to worry frowns."I, mean… It ‘ s a Firebolt."Harry tossed the powder magazine back at Ron and shake up his head.

"The Calluna vulgaris only as skilful as the passenger. We can still commit this off."Harry tried to make his voice comforting and steadily. He form of succeeded."We will."

But the Slytherin Ravenclaw game gave them ample evidence that even with a bad passenger a professional person broom still kicks ass. When the fink finally appeared Malfoy was at the other end of the pitch and flying much turn down than it and he had still snatched it comfortably before Cho could get anywhere near it. That, coupled with the aureole 2001s the rest of the team had had equaled a devastate loss for the Ravenclaw team.

The most irritating thing was that he really could do goose egg right now. They needed to wait at least until after the next lucifer before the architectural plan could move on. Waiting and watching helplessly was suffering. When he had been working on the Chimera it had been like there was a big puzzle laid out in strawman of him and he could work at it until it was finished. Waiting was much harder because there was zero to do. Yes he had homework and yes some Slytherins had mysteriously had their brake shoe filled with frogspawn while they dried beside a fire but he had no puzzle to solve. He had tried to concentrate on practicing with his guitar but it wasn ‘ t enough. Then he remembered the locket.

So now he worked on finding elbow room to short-circuit its many charms and go. Working on that difficult ( but eventually solvable ) trouble kept his mind off other apparently unsoluble problems. Like why he had had role of finis Monday twice. Twisting the locket up near the light he tried a few things.

"Lilly. Petunia. Prefect. clear Sesame."The locket remained locked and he dropped his hands in frustration. At least he had worked out that it was a parole and not some former method of opening but that was about all he had discovered. He had thought of swallowing his superbia and asking prof lupin his advice. The teacher hadn't known it was a locket but he might take had some musical theme or at least be able to collapse him the gens of her childhood pets."St. James. Canicula. Peter. Rose."Harry tried then gave up and overgorge the matter back into his pocket.

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

And fell twenty understructure onto cold stone.
*


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

"Yes very much so."A pleasant lilting voice sounded out of the shadows down the hall."New, but not finished as yet."A marvellous man with a spacious whiskers and a mane of red fuzz, barely held down by a battered hat, moved into view and knelt down by Harry. His speech pattern was archaic and his dress matched that description as did the jeweled blade in his hand. A deep suspicion seeped through Harry.

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

"You've heard tell of me."The man seemed pleasantly surprised. He whipped his hat off his school principal then stuffed his sword into it, appeared to rummage around for a minute then drew out a shortly rod topped with a quartz ball. As he waved the sceptre over Harry it emitted a tender light and Harry felt the bruise of his declination disappear even quicker than Madam Pomfrey could have managed."There, all better."The man smiled and dropped the rod back into his hat.

"You got a hare in there too."Harry quipped. Falling back on flippancy as the more sane portions of his brain waved little lily-white flags.

"A rabbit ? Why would one go along a rabbit in a headpiece."The founder smiled."Wouldn ‘ t it make rather a mess on the head ?"

The sparkle center reminded Harry of Dumbledore, comforting him somewhat.

"How did you come to be here ?"Gryffindor asked as he helped Harry to his feet."Or more accurately speaking ; How did you derive to be a well thirty straddle above here ?"

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

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

Godric Gryffindor appeared to care a unspoilt enigma as often as Harry and pulled what looked like a jewelers eyeglass out of his hat before using it to prove the piffling slip of silver. Without appearing to notice what he was doing he reached into the hat again and pulled out what looked like a Cornish pasty. Munching on it he turned the locket over and over in his other hand."Have you attempted a peeling yet ? It would certainly be effective."

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

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

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

"Truly ?"Gryffindor sounded sad for a consequence and looked at him through the jewelers field glass. His eye fell on Harry's chest on the left side and he let out a big sigh."Oh, I am truly sorry my boy."

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

"You can not experience it because you have not suffered it yet."Gryffindor bowed his head word, a tear blooming in the corner of his eye."Also you will only see it when you are out of your true time. You are caught in the flood of age now and there is no way to survive. It will get regretful and worse until the effect that caused it in the first of all piazza occurs. I wish I had better tidings minuscule one, but I am afraid you are doomed."

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

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

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

"fountainhead I don ‘ t buy it."Harry shook his headland and crossed his arms angrily."I will not eat up this crap you ‘ re peddling. And I want to go back !"Harry felt his furor revolt, a flare-up of accidental trick made a flag fracture."I want to go back to my own time, NOW !"Harry pushed his eyes closed then snapped them open up. Gryffindor was gone, and the castle was whole again.

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

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU COME FROM !"

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

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

Still staring at him in shock the fat ma'am nodded and opened for him. Harry went quickly through the hollow night-time common room and slipped back up into the third-years bedroom.

Gryffindor's discussion troubled him though, even though the hale experience still felt variety of surreal. Should he go to Dumbledore ? Would the headmaster supporter or just say the same thing as his long-time harbinger ?

Suddenly Harry remembered something and smiled. He did get person eminently qualified to suffice questions about meter and destiny. Grabbing a quill and parchment Harry jotted down a long note to his Hellenic pen-pal. Originally he only meant to ask about the downpour but as he wrote he began to include everything that had happened since his final stage letter of the alphabet until the missive was several sheets long.

"digger will not be happy."Harry chuckled as he got out of bed for the second metre that night. Not wanting to inflame the fat noblewoman again after the scare he'd given her he padded over to his favorite window, climbed through it and set off in the commission of the owlery.
*


"Is that a pilus growth potion Potter ?"

"No sir."

"It isn ‘ t ?"

"No sir."

Snape took a cryptic breather, he was going to enjoy this.

"For the starting time fourth dimension ever in my course of study you are correct. You have not brewed a hair growth potion. You have not even attempted to brew a hair growth potion. Can you explain to me why you have brewed a different potion, from a different book. Brewed what appears to be a diviners broth that is not even on the Hogwarts course of study. And can you explain why, even when you have chosen your own potion, you have still managed to utterly fail."

The insufferable boy glanced at the scummy dark-green mess that filled his cauldron.

"I blame society sir."

"club ?"

"Yes sir."

"Fifty points from Gryffindor."

"well deserved sir."
*


Almost a workweek later Harry was out hunting for an apple. He had finally acquired some fair to middling diviners broth by the childlike dint of asking any of the marauders if they could puzzle it out. The potion wasn't that hard, it was just beyond Harry's abysmal degree of skill. Somehow the two Seth to Twin had puzzled it out. Harry smiled to himself, had he just referred to Fred and George II as marauders ? Well, they almost were, but Vinca minor didn't like them because they had throw a bucket of treacle through her once so they'd have to apologize before they could be officially sworn in.

But now he was tromping through the rain, looking for an apple. Or at least an apple Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, he knew a charm to micturate it abide a fruit out of time of year. When he'd record up on the peeling it had said that it worked best when you picked the fruit yourself so Harry had asked Hagrid where all the Malus pumila tree's on the ground were ( the unity on the safe side of the Ward obviously ). Unfortunately what he hadn't counted on was that they were mostly low rampantly tree with fruit not nearly declamatory enough to raise a good Peel. He needed a big cooking Malus pumila or something.

Harry preformed the good luck charm on another sodden rosiness only to be rewarded by another tiny Cancer the Crab apple.

"Sod this."Harry grumbled and pulled his robe closer around himself. On inborn reflex he checked the peel on his left side of meat, knit stitch and unblemished, to reassure himself that he was still in the proper time. His finger moved to his pendent hanging on its new chain. Pythea hadn't written back yet, but then it took a while for an owl to fly to Hellenic Republic and back and Harry had asked power shovel to stay there until the seer had a reply for him to hold open her making four trips.

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

"Bugger."Thomas More small-scale fry. Harry was about to release away and walk back up to the palace when he saw a splash of color on the far banking concern. Scrambling out on the roots of the old tree to get a just look he bit back an oath. There was a minuscule little girl lying on the east bank, half in and one-half out of the chaparral near the border of the forbidden timberland. She wasn't moving and she was facedown in the water.

"HEY !"Harry yelled for anyone hearing."mortal ! HAGRID !"But the steer took his tidings away."Oh my god. Why does this stuff always happen to me ?"

Harry looked around for an alternative option but saw nothing.

"I hate my life."Harry said before tugging his brake shoe and robe off and leaping into the dark water.

For a moment the water closed over his head and he breathed in a mouthful of water in shock and terror but he bobbed to the surface and coughed it up before striking out for the stricken image on the far money box. He had to go a fiddling way out from the bank to deflect the sharpness of the Barbara Ward but then he could come back in and eventually dragged himself up onto the far bank.

"I am never doing that again."Harry breathed as he staggered towards the young woman."No more lakes."

As he neared the girl the half of her that had been hidden in the bush came into eyeshot and he stopped in daze. She wasn't a girl at all, she was a Centaurus. And she had a massive bite on her incline, red and scabbed. Harry moved forward and dragged her facial expression out of the water.

"Girl ?"Harry slapped her face and tried to heed for breathing. She was still warmly."Wake up !"

Suddenly the Centaurus eyes stroke open and she coughed up a good deal of lake piss into Harry's lap.

"You alright ? Hey ?"

"Of course, I am alright."The missy vocalization was light but she seemed to be working her leg as if trying to get up."We are not fragile like humans."

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

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

"will you… I mean are you…"

"Infected ?"She used the Word like a slur."Of grade not. Lycanthropy is a homo illness."

"Shall I get Dumbledore ? Or Hagrid ?"

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

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

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

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

"I do not require Humans."

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

"Shut up foal."

Harry frowned but followed the lame centaur deeper into the woodland. After half an 60 minutes or so Harry heard something huge approaching and tensed. But then relaxed as three Centaurus emerged from the undergrowth.

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

"Of grade father."The girl replied devil and pushed him away.

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

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

"Bane, we need to kill him now !"The third Centaur said jar and veneration dripping from his voice. Lachesis and her founder were standing off to one slope."We can not risk him living."

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

"He is an exception."The tertiary spoke."Do you ravel live how aberrant he is ? How severe ?"

"Um…"Harry's point just kept flicking from side to side, trying to follow the conversation. track was impossible, he was in their forest."Is this about the torrent…"But Lachesis interrupted him.

"He saved my life beginner. The herd has life history debt to him."They did ? low gear Harry had heard of it. The leading centaur had still not spoken but grimaced and lowered his bow.

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

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

"Damwain, show him to Hogwarts."Bane was already turning and moving off through the undergrowth. Harry was relieved to see that Damwain was Lachesis'don and not the third centaur who had been so intent on killing him. Damwain set off the way Harry had come and Harry had to trot to keep up. After a while the silence began to rankle on Harry and he decided to reveal it.

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

"Not other."The Centaurus said curtly.

"What ?"

"Not former centaurs. I also want to shoot down you, but I will keep to the legal philosophy of our sort that prohibit harming the youth and I acknowledge my daughters debt to you."

"But why ? What have I done to so royally micturate off the integral centaur body politic ?"

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

"It this about the torrent of eld ?"Harry guessed. The centaur looked up and the stars and sighed.

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

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

"What potential connection could there be between those matter ?"The centaur scoffed."No the werewolves gather for an altogether different reason."

"Which is… ?"

"Their leader had come."Damwain sounded furious now."A man almost as much an abomination as you. He has gathered them here. He seems to think he has some way to insert Hogwarts."

"Does he ?"Harry asked.

"I seriously doubt it."Damwain scoffed."The Hogwarts wards have stood against the greatest minds in multiplication. They will not lessen to something little more than an animal."Damwain fell unsounded then came to a stoppage. He turned to Harry and said…

"Leave now."Harry started, then realized that he could see the castle through the trees. They had returned by a much more direct mob than he had left."Take Bane ‘ s warning seriously, to be caught in the forest again means death for you."And with that the Centaur turned and galloped off into the wood.

"Do you think I want to keep visiting the bally forbidden timber !"Harry yelled after him.
*


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

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

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

Harry stuck his clapper out at her.

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

"You're telling me. The centaurs want to kill Harry !"Ron said, aghast.

"I meant about the werewolves !"

"But the wards hold back them out."Ron narrowed his eyes. Harry groaned, an contention was about to start."I think a whole species who want to take Harry with arrow is Sir Thomas More important."

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

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

"That doesn ‘ t make it a in effect affair ! We should…"Hermione continued talking as Harry gently stood a expectant book up on its bound between the arguing twain and the rest of the marauders. The controversy safely contained Harry turned and asked…

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

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

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

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

Reluctantly the marauders nodded.

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

"Oh !"A noise came from beyond the book barrier and a mo later Hermione pushed it down."Maybe he did."

"What do you mean ?"

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

"Wards would quit it getting in."Ron said dismissively.

"But if it was already inside the wards."

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

"I think that Professor Lupin is a werewolf."

The defer went silent in shock. Then…

"Of grade ! It all scene, he ‘ s ‘ chuck'during full phase of the moon moon. His bogart is the fully moon ! It all fits !"Anapurna snapped her fingers.

"I wonder if Dumbledore knows."Neville said.

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

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

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

"Do you cerebrate he ‘ s gathered the werewolves."Parvati said in a quiet tone.

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

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

"Doing what Harry ?"Ron asked.

"I have had enough déjà vu this class without intentionally repeating last year. We. Will. Not. saltation. To. Conclusions."Harry punctuated each word by poking the hold over hard."net year we went off all righteous against prof Michelson and we turned out to be dead haywire. We won't do that again."

"Harry…"Ron said as if explaining something to a child."We have a loup-garou, we have a assembly of lycanthrope. That's not jumping to termination that's putting two and two together."

"You all think its Lupin."Harry said it flatly. Most of the predator seemed indecipherable as to whether it was a question or not. Ron nodded quickly, Parvati as well. Neville seemed to be trying to keep off being looked at but shook his head, Padma smiled at him and also said no. Harry turned to Hermione."Two votes yes, two votes no. Ginny ‘ s at praxis and Vinca minor ‘ s not here. You ‘ re the terminal un-voted marauder."

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

"No ?"Harry stood up suddenly."Lashkar-e-Toiba ask him."

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


"prof Lupin listen…"Harry pushed open the door to the teachers agency without knocking and began talking as soon as he was over the threshold."…we know you're a werewolf."Lupin went from tempestuous to gob-smacked in a fraction of a second. His rima oris began working but no sound came out.

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

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

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

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

Damn.

"Um… There was a centaur injury, at the side of the lake. I went to see if I could facilitate. She was face down in the water."Harry was fast to add."If I had gone to get somebody she could have died in the intend prison term. Ask Damwain, or… or nemesis. They were there."Harry had though centaur-name dropping might lend credibility to his story. In fact neither Dumbledore nor Lupin reacted to his statement.

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

"It ‘ s just…"Lupin began, his voice catching."… he looks so like him."

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

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

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

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


"The whole castle ! ?"Ron squeaked.

"Every square column inch of corridor."Harry repeated to the dumfounded marauder."With this."He held up a pocket-sized hand brush.

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

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

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

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

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

"I ‘ m could get hitched with that ghostwriter !"

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

"seed on, make out on."Harry urged, looking at the clock. When the needed five minutes were up he fished both items out of the broth and reached for a silver knife. He had to be deliberate now, a mistake would have in mind he had to start all over. Slowly, carefully he peeled it in a unity tenacious coil that ended up all over the tabular array. He'd cut quite deep so the peel wouldn't breaking and now wondered if that was a problem.

"Only one way to find out."Harry moved so that the table was behind him and threw the Sir Robert Peel over his result berm. Turning he saw the peel snaking around violently, kinking and twisting as it formed placeable letters. A tenacious countersign for an Malus pumila peel, it had had to stretch and still only just managed it.

Harry picked up the locket and, with some trepidation, spoke the password. The locket fell loose in his hand and he held it up to his eye to get a better look at what was inside. And snapped it shut, dropped it back into the box, locked the box with the strongest spell his suddenly beleaguered mind could come up with, slid the box into his bag, grabbed the Sir Robert Peel, tore it up so no one else could read the password then, to be sure, threw the skin in the fire and then sat down.

"I hate mysteries."Was all he said.



Ooooo ... Mysterious ! Please review.


Disclaimer ... blah blah claptrap ...



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

Harry rolled his oculus, Ron would be talking about this all calendar week. The Chimera's operation had been impressive though, he had to cede. Ginny had slipped past Cedric Diggory, using her brooms improved manageability to body-swerve him, and had left him floundering in the core of the pitch while she snagged the snitch.

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

"I ‘ m just glad its over."Harry sighed and put his script behind his forefront."It means we can make a motion on with the plan."

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

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

"Why does that fail to fill me with confidence."

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

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

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


"Pathetic ceramist. Absolutely Pathetic."

Harry leaned over and looked at the set mess at the backside of his cauldron.

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

"20 points from Gryffindor for your insolence Potter and ten more than for the potion. Honestly potter, having you in this classroom is zippo more than than a barren of metre and potion ingredients."

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

"WE WERE NOT MAKING A quiescence POTION !"

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

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

"water supply !"He said at the retreating potion masters back."That must have been a correct factor, that's in every potion !"

Snape turned around, his gaze screamed crashing murder.

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

Harry sighed theatrically then stiffened as he felt another abominable twinge at the backrest of his learning ability. He tore his centre away quickly and mumbled.

"Yes sir."Snape turned away.

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

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


The day of the Gryffindor Ravenclaw plot dawned mucky and wet. A steady soaker that patterned neat dark filth across the palace walls and made it look like it was crying.

Harry was a screaming testis of nerves as he sat with the early marauders near the top of the Gryffindor stand. Anything could go incorrect, absolutely anything, but that was normal. What was making him so insane was that there was now nothing he could do about it. The metaphorical arrow had left the bow, it would either hit or it wouldn't, there was nothing he could do.

"Will the rainfall screw up the design ?"Neville was muttering beside him."Will the wet ? Will…"

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

"How can you say that ?"

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

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

"Stop saying that."Padma was grinding her teeth together."It doesn ‘ t help."

"Shh ! Here they come."

"woodwind instrument ! Dr. Johnson ! toll ! SPINNET ! WEASLEY, WEASLEY AND WEASLEY !"

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

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

"How much do we need to win by ?"Harry heard a vocalism say below him and looked down. On the row beneath him Colin Creevey was leaning over to talk to Luna Lovegood."The canary is Charles Frederick Worth one hundred and fifty so…"

"We have to have at least twelve goals when Ginny catches the snitcher or we lose to Slytherin."The second year said dreamily."Ravenclaw have to have 30 seven goals before they catch it. Its as plain as frackswhiskers."

Harry smiled, how wrong she was.
*


"Another goal for Ravenclaw !"Ginny saw the blue incision of the standstill erupt in sunniness beneath her.

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

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

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

Ginny scanned the crew through the rainfall, searching for any hovering glint of gold. The snitch had to occur out sometime, not that it would do either team any full. Gryffindor needed another destination and Ravenclaw needed twenty or something. She craned her neck opening around and saw it. Fluttering behind her, nearer to Cho than to her. Trying not to seduce it obvious Ginny turned away from the snitch. But Cho must give sensed something was legal injury and a moment later had spotted it herself. The aged searcher tore after it and Ginny was forced to dog her, cursing.

Ginny tried to get between Cho and the snitch to block up the older seeker. Ginny knew she couldn't catch it yet, they'd win the match but lose the cup. But Cho wasn't letting her in, they were shoulder to shoulder with the snitch tantalizingly close in front line of them. Cho reached out and Ginny knocked her hired hand away. So close, Gryffindor just needed one More goal. Cho was reaching again and Ginny shoulder barged her to make her misfire. Ginny tried to pull ahead but whatever she did Cho seemed to be able-bodied to match her. However voiceless she pushed Cho seemed to be capable to stay just a little bit ahead of her. It was just a matter of prison term, she couldn't keep the Ravenclaw off forever. Cho was reaching out again…

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

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

"I know Ginny."King Oliver Wood looked resigned."I don ‘ t blame you."

"Cheer up Olli !"Fred floated past, strangely jubilant.

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

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

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

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

Ginny's eye went wide and she looked over at the Slytherin bandstand and caught a insensate Second Earl Grey gaze staring back at her. It could make been her mental imagery but she could have sworn she saw Malfoy mouth the word of honor ‘ rematch ’.

"Do you know how the Duel works Ginny ?"Oliver wood sounded like he could barely keep the joy from his voice.

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

"Not quite, the rules are unlike than in general gambol. Specifically the normal for fouls."

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

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

Ginny's eyes went spacious with fear.
*


"Are both searcher cook ?"Madam Hooch asked, looking between them. Ginny took her broom from Harry and nodded, he ‘ d been giving it a last minute look-over before the duel. Malfoy just scoffed."Very well then."She opened the box that contained the sneak and held it in her hands. Ginny looked over to see the almost feral look in Malfoy's eyes.

"On, your marks."

He'll shoot down me…

"Ready…"

Oh god…

"Set…"

I'm going to die !

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

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

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

"You shot yourself in the foot Malfoy."She thought triumphantly."You can ‘ t handgrip that broom at these speeds."

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

"Good girl."She urged the broom on. The snitcher was tantalizingly close."Just a piffling more."But she felt something brush her leg. Malfoy had managed to pussyfoot to her slope ! In another second he would be in forepart of her !

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

"vengeance snake-boy !"She thought as she slammed her infantry into his boldness as hard as she could. She saw a squirt of parentage that was quickly lost in the wind instrument and rain then Malfoy peeled off and spiraled away, holding his face in both hands."Yes !"

She looked back up and caught sight of the golden Lucille Ball. Straining up she reached…
*


"YES !"The Gryffindor stand erupted in cheers. Harry even leapt to his feet and yelled himself horse. Not so very much for the cup, but for the fact that everything had gone perfectly. Harry and the marauders rushed down the stands and reached the pebbled beach just as the Gryffindor team was landing. Oliver Wood was floating down with his limb wrapped around Ginny whispering…

"Thank you, thank you."And the repose of the team were clustered around them.

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

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

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


Damn.

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

To feature come down to an exact draw, of all the abysmal hazard. Then being forced to rely on a seeker that had bribed his way onto the team. The slight slip of a Weasley daughter had humiliated him. And he could not even charge this red on Potter ( he refused to believe the ridiculous rumor that Potter had made the girlfriend Calluna vulgaris ).

Then why was Potter looking so triumphant ? Snape recognised that verbal expression, he had come to hate that expression all seven years of his time at Hogwarts. The Potter boy caught his eye and shifted to a mystical grin, then nodded towards the scoreboard. Snapes eyes followed.

What were the hazard that it would add up to an exact hooking ? Snape felt a horrible sure thing rise inside him. And the Weasley counterpart who, for all their ineptness in the classroom, were not bad beaters. But they had performed horribly in that match, hitting or just missing their own team-mates. Stopping Gryffindor from getting that last finish. The Chang young woman, missing the stoolpigeon three times ? Even for a Ravenclaw that was unlikely. Even the last biz with Hufflepuff. Cedric Diggory had shown no guile, he had practically shown Malfoy where the stoolpigeon was. Of grade he had, Snape realised, if the game had gone on too long and Slytherin had won by too very much Gryffindor could not hold been able to equalize.

Snape's optic were once again drawn to the Potter boys green ones.

Legilimens

He cast non-verbally and after a moments resistor a remembering floated to the surface…
*


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

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

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

"Cho ! Cho wait up."Harry trotted up to the older girl, who had just left Charms grade."Been looking for you."

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

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

"What kind of favor ?"

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

Cho stared at him indignantly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"How ?"

"I want to pass water it so that Ginny can humble him in front of the integral school. Not the whole team, just him. One on one."

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

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

"But Harry there ‘ s no way you can take sure the game will occur down that way."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Two points. One : Fred and George will be stopping Gryffindor from getting that last-place goal. Two : I built The Chimera especial for this."Harry grinned evilly."There's a little surprise on there that I ‘ ll remove before the duel. Trust me, she can't offer you."

"She did OK in the Hufflepuff game."

"I removed it for that too."

"I still don't know…"

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

"Well, he ‘ s agreed to help oneself me. minuscule thank you for the whole snake-army incident in the cellar last year."Harry smiled knowingly at the honest-to-god girl."If you did want to help us then we should probably coiffure for you to satisfy up with him. Discuss… strategy… and stuff."

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

"I know."
*


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

"You !"He pointed at the boy.

"Me ?"Potter put his hand to his chest of drawers in simulate innocence.

"You… you… you…"

"Me, me, me !"Potter was grinning in his unacceptable way. By Merlin he was exactly like James Potter !

"You will not get away with this !"

"With what pray Tell ?"

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

"Really ? And you can prove it how ?"Potter smiled and knocked away his hand."heading in idea that Legilimency on scholar is illegal."

Oh the Potter boy thought he was smart did he.

"Well Potter perhaps you are correct."Snape's anger changed from a raging infernal region to an icy, vengeful ache."But I am still your teacher and I can make your four more class here a living hell."

"Was that an invitation to subscribe your newt class prof ?"

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


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


"Do you ring this a shut up gulp thrower ! ?"

"I…"

"I DO NOT send for THIS A SILENCING DRAUGHT !"

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

"This is a despicable mess Potter !"

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

"And you won ‘ t ! I will not possess any more emaciated ingredients !"Snape vanished the table of contents of Harry's cauldron."You will be doing lines for the rest of this lesson James thrower. You will write ‘ I will not be an incompetent, pathetic, halfwit and a castaway on this school.'in the Leslie Townes Hope that perhaps the proffer will subside in."

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

Harry motioned to Padma who held out her arm without speaking. Harry groaned, they had barely had fifteen minute of a two time of day lesson. Harry pulled out a quill and a sheet of paper of parchment.

Snape had been making good on his ‘ living the pits'promise since the lucifer but Harry was beginning to consider that the potions master had more deep seated emergence than a simple plot of quidditch. The fact that he kept calling him St. James was a definite clue. Snape seemed to be taking out baker's dozen class of pent-up, un-sated furor on Harry.

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

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

"Lines Sir."Harry had been trying to keep his assuredness in Snape's classes. With espy success.

"These chicken scratchings ? This scrawl ? !"

"Would you like me to refashion them Sir ?"Harry had to bound back as his sheepskin caught on fire and burnt away before his eyes.

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

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

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

"And they ‘ ll ask what I did to get him so angry in the initiatory place."Harry shifted his bag higher on his articulatio humeri."And that will conduce to unfortunate questions."

"He ‘ s right Hermione."Ron said from the former English, then added to Harry."Don ‘ t worry mate, you can drop his class after OWLs."

"That's not the right attitude."Hermione said shrilly."Harry needs to learn at least basic knowledge of potions to function in thaumaturge companionship and prof Snape is stopping him from even participating. You ‘ ll have to analyse really strong if you want to pass the end of twelvemonth examination at this rate."

"I ‘ m beginning to imagine I won ‘ t be live that long."Harry joked.

The piranha laughed but Harry stiffened as he realized the true statement in his words. He still had the torrent of ages hanging like a guillotine above him. He hadn't had any major clip parachuting lately, just a few arcminute here and there. For the love life of Merlin why hadn't Pythea written back ?

As if his sentiment itself had been a spell digger dropped out of the good afternoon sky clutching a letter in his claws. Harry grabbed it and hastily made an excuse to the startled vulture before slipping out onto the dope outside Hogwarts. Harry sent Digger back to the owlery, promising him treats later to thank him for the long slip. His workforce shaking, Harry tore receptive the gasbag and pulled out the letter inside.

dear Harry

It is so good to hear from you. I am sword lily you have taken up my suggestion to con Occlumency, you will ascertain it a useful skill I assure you. I can easily conceive of you with a guitar, wandering Hogwarts or sitting in your common way entertaining the other student with songs and tales. You are good at spinning a good tale you know, I can tell from your letters.

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

I learnt to bring the mouth organ as component part of my apprenticeship here…

Harry quickly looked ahead through the letter, scanning down and down. There was no mention of the torrent or fourth dimension travel anywhere. Harry fell to the floor in desperation, had she simply abandoned him to his circumstances ? She had been his last hope. Pythea's letter ended without so much as a hint that his own letter had contained the threat of his inevitable death.

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

Your Friend
Pythea

Quaker ? Ha ! That was a joke.

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

"Yes Neville I ‘ m fine."Harry said quietly, but he could sense the lump in his throat and the tears beginning to form in his oculus. Neville's eyes flickered to the letter still clutched in Harry's hand but he scrunched it up and overindulge it in his pocket.

"Well DoD class is starting now."Neville pointed back towards the castle."You sure you ‘ re alright Harry ?"

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

"Anything you want to utter about ?"

"Not now. Maybe when it ‘ s a picayune less fresh."Harry pushed open the door to the defense classroom. At least he could be assured of a calm lesson, Professor lupin tended to ignore him in classes.

"wellspring Potter, I see you decided to grace us with your presence."

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


Harry tried to obliterate behind his book as Snape stalked around the class. He could still feel the ice in his chest and the lump in his pharynx, if Snape provoked him he would never be able to confine back.

"Potter…"

No.

"…Is this your essay ?"

Please no.

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

"It displays no perceptiveness into the subject…"

amercement, I had no insight.

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

Did I ? Who the hell cares.

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

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

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

"I ‘ m glad you made that appraisal Sir."Harry kept his eyes down on the book in nominal head of him."It ‘ s the same one as Professor Lupin made."

"But of course of study hero ceramist doesn ‘ t want to learn United States Department of Defense against the dark arts."Snape scowled down at Harry."You don't need to larn how to duel someone properly if you and your three piffling ally sneak up behind them and attack from ambush like cowards."

I have more than three friends.

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

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

"You are zip but a second-rate wizard at best and a worst you are a disgrace and yet you are under the impression you are untouchable. How I wish this class gave me the opportunity to prove you precisely how amateurish you truly are."

"Alright."Harry set his quill down.

"What ?"

The whole course was watching by now.

"I said alright. Show me."Harry didn't sports meeting Snape's heart but moved out to the front of the class.
*


"semen on Professor."The Potter boy was just standing there holding his scepter and looking at his horseshoe."Show me."

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

"Are you sober Potter ?"Snape asked.

"Yes."Was all the boy said.

"You will lose."

"Try me."

"You do not sustain a chance."

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

Snape felt the anger that was his constant companion rising again as he moved to select a spot face-to-face Potter.

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

"Um… Three."The anxious Hufflepuff boy Wayne Hopkins began to count.

ceramist was not even in a dueling stance. Pathetic.

"Two…"

ceramicist looked up suddenly, his middle confluence Snape's.

"One…"

A memory floating to the aerofoil, ceramicist in the Gryffindor common room holding a shining object. Lily's pendent ! He would know that little slip of silver anywhere. Potter bending over the chandelier in his mitt and whispering something. The pendent splitting spread out. Looking inside, a picture. Lily Evens bundled up against the snow for a Hogsmeade weekend, the Charles Percy Snow even still falling in the motion-picture show, and holding her by her shoulder joint keeping her warm… his own face… himself… that flick had been taken in fourth year.

She had worn it around her neck the wholly clock time. Even after she had married, she had worn it the unhurt time.

"Duel !"

"Expelliarmus !"



Review please.


The gerbille made me do it.







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

Harry watched, waiting for the plosion, but none came. Harry, with much trepidation, knelt down and tried to await at the teachers face. Which was why he was the entirely one in the grade to notice the buck fall down from the end of Snape's long hooked nose and free fall onto his knees.

"Oh my god."Harry thought in suppressed cushion."I ‘ ve gone too far this time."Harry turned to the division and spread his hands.

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

The students needed no more incentive and quickly scrambled for the proportional safety device of the corridor.

"Stop !"Harry yelled at some of them as they tried to escape away."I need to let the cat out of the bag to all of you."Harry closed the classroom door behind him and corralled the scholar within earshot.

"None of you will observe this lesson to anyone."Harry said, looking each scholarly person in the eye as he did so."None of you will babble out about it, even to each other. None of you will cerebrate about it the next prison term you have Snape for your moral. In defense or potions. For each and every one of you, this deterrent example Did. Not. Happen. Don't think I won't find out if you do talk, I find out everything. Remember Malfoy ? You have all seen what happens to citizenry who cross me. Understand ?"

Harry didn't let them provide until he had looked each student in the eye and heard them promise to that effect. They began leaving in ace and deuce, scurrying off along the corridor. Harry turned back towards the classroom.

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

"I kind of throw to."Harry answered.

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

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

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

"I am so sorry."Harry said."I didn ‘ t realize it would do this to you. I thought it would just cark you, you know… freak you out for a bit so I could unarm you. I never thought it would move you like this."

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

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

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

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

Snape stayed motionless for a moment Sir Thomas More then slowly brought the silver locket up to his mouth. Then, in a croak, dolourous voice he said…

"Spinners end."

The locket cracked open. Snape seemed to break all at once and started sobbing. His altogether, long, lanky body shaking with each sob. Harry didn't really get it on what to do, he certainly couldn't comfort this man who had tormented him so much.

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

He kept going until the box was empty. Giving a few words each to tell Snape what it was he was giving him, an essay, a letter, a prefects badge. Harry hid the love letters from his father back in his bag. By the time zilch was left Snape had stopped crying, he was even breathing a trivial gentle, bass breathes instead of the racking breathlessness that had plagued him a moment ago.

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

The potions headmaster took it and blew his olfactory organ on the sheepskin. After doing so he brought it away from his nose, a shadow of peculiarity crossing his face, and looked at it. After a moment of reading the ( now hideously smudged ) letter of the alphabet his optic flickered up and met Harry's. It could have been his imagination, but for a moment Harry thought he saw a flicker of a smile.

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

"You mentioned that you told the rest of your class to keep silent."Snape's articulation was almost monotone.

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

"Why ?"The potions master regained a fiddling of his old nastiness and sneer.

"I just…"Harry licked his backtalk and started again. As unwilling as he was to give Snape ammunition to use against him…"Last year I broke down completely in the hospital wing. right hand on the floor. It was after Colin Creevy got petrified, it all just got too much for me. At the time I remember wishing everyone there would just forget it ever happened. I thought you might feel the same."

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

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

"Sir ?"Snape's head snapped towards him."Can I severalize you something I ‘ ve noticed about wizards ?"Harry took Snape's secrecy as an approbative."Wizards… wizards use quills."

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

"And they use trunks even when they can enamour bags to hold more. You use a steam train to get to Hogwarts. This year a steam-boat. We live in a medieval castle, the shop class I bought my verge in predates Jesus Christ Christ and we write on rolls of sheepskin. But its to a greater extent than just that, portion of sorcerer are named after members of their kin. A lot more of them than muggles. Even portraiture and spectre ; half the time we seem to be surrounded by people who died 100 ago. What I ‘ m getting at is…"Harry swallowed in apprehensiveness at what the chemical reaction to his following point would be.

"… mavin seem to pass a lot of time sustenance in the past."Harry forced himself to meet Snape's eyes."Maybe it ‘ s meter you moved on."

Snape just stood there, his leer seemed to bear frozen on his lips but his eyes just seemed confused, even a lilliputian lost. Harry opened the door and left quickly.

He managed to get almost halfway down the corridor before his nerve broke and he made a mad style for Gryffindor tower. When he was through the portrayal hole he leaned against the rampart and caught his breath.

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

"We honestly thought you were a toast Harry."Ron said, shaking his head. But then his face broke into a grinning."But that was crashing glorious what you did !"

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

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

"I won ‘ t say. I won ‘ t ever say."

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

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

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

It was only as Harry got into bed that night that he remembered the letter from Pythea, the duel and its aftermath had blown it completely out of his capitulum. He dug it back out of his gown and read it again, trying to find some steer of a clue. But there was naught. nil at all.
*


professor Snape dropped the picture back onto the oak mesa of his twenty-five percent and held his head in his hands. The lone light in the room came from the guttering candle before him and faded into the swarthiness around him. Snape refilled his ice with alertness potion and tried to make himself sip it this time. Sleep was not an alternative, not at least until he was too timeworn to dream.

"Move on."Snape growled into the shadow."Were it that sluttish ceramist, everyone would be doing it."

The idiocy of the boy, telling him to travel on spell at the Saami clock time giving him a pile of photos and a locket that proved she loved him all along. Snape gave up and knocked back a taste of the searing potion.

The locket lay on the table in front of him. He hadn't dared open it again for awe of breaking down once more. He picked it up and trailed its Ag mountain range through his fingers. Stupid thing. Snape smacked it back down onto the tabletop. But even then his fingers instinctively curled to protect the thing and he ended up skinning his brass knuckles. His movement blew the candle out too and he was left in acrimonious swarthiness clutching the damn thing so operose it hurt.

Snape drew his scepter out to relight the standard candle but stopped with it held loosely in his hired hand. Another spell was floating in the front of his mind.

No.

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

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

You abandoned me.

No. Snape curled his hands over his typeface and tried to wedge the memory down using Occlumency. But in his shape he could barely defend it back and another surfaced just as quickly.

You chose your friends Sev.

I did, but it was always you.

They hate me.

There was no one else.

You hate me.

Never. Why will you not give me peace ?

You were my full friend.

Be silent.

But you betrayed me.

Please.

I can't pretend anymore Sev.

I just want to forget.

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

Snape curled his fingers around his capitulum, trying to stop hearing to his own mind. He knew what came next.

I can ‘ t roll in the hay this you, not even as a friend. Goodbye Severus.

Snape threw his head word back and howled in pain. Oh why fight it. Snape pointed his wand out and yelled…

"Expecto Patronum !"

The elbow room was lit once more than by silver light as the spell erupted from Snapes wand. The silver doe just stood there cocking her head at him. Snape felt bout running down his face again.

"I love you."

The doe said nothing, she never did, but she walked over on her still hooves and rested her head in his lap. She felt warm but Snape knew it wasn ‘ t actual, if he tried to pertain her she ‘ d just experience like mist.

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


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

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

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

"You don't say ? You ‘ ve been kind of… um…"Ron waved his deal as if searching for the right word."…muted… for workweek. Ever since Snape."

Harry nodded, he had been a footling smooth. Intentionally in the offset, he had known that he needed to proceed a low visibility. But Snape seemed to be pulling a Lupin and ignoring Harry in his object lesson. Not that he was paying a lot attention to the quietus of his class either, Snape spent nigh of his lessons at his desk and had large traveling bag under his eyes.

But lately the torrent had been getting worse. He had thought that it getting worse would mean he'd jump further back but in fact it was the antonym. He kept jumping s, instant or hours back and forth, several times a day now. Sometimes the world would simply vibrate like a bell and he'd be left spinning as he flickered between meter so fast he couldn't even catch it. And then there were the time like this morning when he simply slipped back and forth like a metronome, the wound on his chest opening and closing like hideous sphincters.

Even regretful were the clip when he didn't even agnize what had happened. He'd be going to lunch then be asked why he wasn't at breakfast. He'd sit down to dinner and find cereal and goner appear in front of him. Lessons were even regretful, they could be twice as long as rule or the bell shape could go when Harry had barely put his book down. His marks in category were falling, homework was hard to hand in on time when you didn't know what day it was. Harry knew he should recount Dumbledore or McGonagall or Hermione even, but somehow he couldn't conscription the energy. They'd only tell him what he already knew.

He was doomed.

"You sure you ‘ re alright Harry ?"

Harry was drawn back from his sentiment by his Friend voice.

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

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

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

"No just… I mean why would I…"

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

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

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

"seed on Harry, sneak out again."Ron wheedled."It ‘ ll make you feel better. Get some sun, you ‘ re getting all clean and pasty like Snape."

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

"I might get caught."Harry said lamely.

Harry rightly deserved the horrified public eye Ron gave him.

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


Harry dragged himself out of the lake and gave himself a drying charm before wandering up towards townspeople. After meeting up with the early piranha the first place they visited was Zonko's joke shop.

"Pretty sound don't you think ?"Harry grinned through the magic mask that made him depend like an old man. He had a big grey moustache too and a putting surface felt hat.

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

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

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

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

"So all they'll see is individual obviously disguised walking around with all Harry Potter ‘ s friends ? I think they might function it out Harry."

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

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

"Just about time for the threesome broomsticks before we head back."Annapurna said cheerily as they walked down a backstreet, away from the master multitude."We all need some butterbeer !"

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

"Buttery ?"Harry wheedled, grinning.

"well yeah."

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

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

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

"Honestly Ron it just means…"

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

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

"It ‘ s not all nice."Padma commented."There ‘ s kick downstairs chicken feed here."

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

Perhaps it was the want of quietus, perhaps some latent talent as a prophesier or perhaps some gist of the waterspout but right at that moment Harry felt his tummy pitch. There was something terrible behind that demote window.

"Wait here."Harry said quietly. The marauders heard his tonus and fell silent. Harry slipped in through the garden gate and felt the stones of the paries. Rough, like Hogwarts. Harry gripped the auction block with his fingers and clambered slowly up to the window. He pushed aside the heavy drapery but inside the way was empty. A dim storeroom piled with boxes with the door heart-to-heart onto the wellspring lit corridor behind.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and began to climb down. When he was about halfway he heard a auditory sensation from inside the house. He stopped, his finger's breadth gripping the Rock tight. There it was again. Harry scrambled back up and thrust his head word back through the window.

Harry just had time to see yellow teeth streaked with grease and smell rancid breathing place before he was thrown backwards off the bulwark. He landed with a thud in the garden and looked up in metre to see a tangle man, covered in dirt and dressed in spoilt rags leap from the windowpane with something clutched in his hands. Harry rolled out of his way and the man hit the flat coat running, panting like a dog as he dashed out through the gate and down the street.

"Stop !"Harry looked up and saw a wizard leaning out of the window franticly sending dash of red brightness after the take flight form."Stop him ! He took my son !"

Harry jolted himself off the reason and vaulted the rampart after the fleeing man. He could listen the marauders trying to keep pace behind him.

"Parvati ! Go to Hogwarts ! Go and secernate them what's happened !"Harry felt his words carried away by the wind and had no thought whether he was being heard."Neville ! Go warn the village ! Get help ! Or Scots heather !"

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

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

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

Harry aimed and shot a bludgeoning hex at the man, now little Sir Thomas More than a smudge of dark on the removed purple heather. The smear dodged and scene sideways behind a large rock before the other predator charm could connect.

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

Harry cursed and began running forwards again. He should have known that ! Harry felt like he was passing acid through his lungs instead of air by the time they reached the rock. The panting and gasping he heard behind him told him the piranha were in even poorer configuration. Worse, the trope was nowhere in sight and there was no solve track to follow.

Ignoring the annoyance in every muscle Harry pulled himself to the top of the boulder and looked around. From here he could see the dark soma of the forbidden forest spreading out to the Confederacy. A wall, like the bulwark of Hogwarts, sealed it off from the rest of the human beings. Harry squinted through his glasses and just made out a glum human body silhouette against the brighter wall before it disappeared. Harry tore off the mask to get a respectable aspect but there was nothing more, just blank wall.

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

"Harry are we really going to follow it into the interdict forest ?"Padma was clutching her stomach and wheezing."We should mark where it went and delay for help."

"He ‘ s going to cause as much hassle with the timberland as we are."Harry argued."We can still catch him !"

"But Harry it ‘ s a werewolf !"

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

"When ‘ s the following wax moon ?"Harry asked quickly."When is it ?"

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

Harry shook his head.

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

NO !

He hired hand clenched around his pendent and he squeezed his eyes shut. He did not give birth clock time for this ! When he opened his centre again his Quaker looked solid, but confused.

"Harry you alright ?"Ron asked.

"I ‘ m fine."Harry forced himself to block off gripping the small shell.

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

"Fine, fine. Lets go."Harry started off at a run towards the forest again and heard the others follow.

In Harry's head he could see the words ‘ We can't hold for help. Its us or no one'repeating over and over like a amulet against the threat rising inside him. That terror itself had its own spokesperson saying ‘ We are following it into its forest where it knows its way around and we don't and you can't even stay on in your own time for five min. And that's not even mentioning the centaurs… ’. Harry was forced to take that that interpreter as well was right. What they were doing was pudden-head and dangerous. But as the 1st interpreter said, there was no one else.

As Harry neared the paries a third little voice piped up. Spiteful, sarcastic and whiney but, like the other two voices, essentially right.

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


They reached the bulwark and Harry instantly saw how the werewolf had gotten over. A huge tree had fallen over the wall, crushing the top part of it and resting on the remaining time of kooky stonework. Everywhere else the paries was at least two storeys marvellous of blank grey stone. Unscalable.

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

Again Harry felt like a soft touch. Obviously it would be warded. His brain seemed to be in a fuzz. Harry grabbed some of the lower branches of the tree diagram and pulled himself up.

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

"Look, I know this is unhinged but there ‘ s no one else here to facilitate. I ‘ m not leaving now. Any of you who don ‘ t want to play along me go back and order them where the fix in the wards is."Harry pulled himself on to the tree automobile trunk and looked down at his Quaker."Anyone else shut up and get in the tree."

Harry began climbing along the trunk and felt it shake as someone else began to mount. When Harry reached the other end he climbed down by the origin and dropped onto the mulch of the forest floor. He turned and looked up at the tree, a second later Padma pushed her way through the subdivision. Harry waited a mo to a greater extent but no one came. Harry felt a lump form in his pharynx, first gear Pythea abandoned him then them.

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

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

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

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

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

Harry's face fell and he looked around for some obvious polarity. There was nix, now that they were in the woodland the werewolf knew how to cover his trail better.

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

He had been able to moderate the waterspout at bay a few multiplication. Could he force it to come to him ?

Harry undid the front of his shirt and looked down at his unblemished dresser. He splayed one hand across where he knew the wound would appear and clenched the other around his pendent.

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

Harry forced everything he was into that one thought. For a moment he felt blood well on his pectus but it was gone a moment later.

"Harder !"He thought desperately. His fingers were slick on his bureau but it wasn't origin, it was sweat."Come on !"

Harry saw his friends fade in front of him. Ron turned back towards him and yelled in surprisal. But the sound was like a distant whisper and Harry gripped his bloody chest tighter. He could still hear his friends as wraith on the wind but couldn't see them anymore.

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

Then, just for a import, a shadowy figure of speech dropped out of the air above Harry and scampered away into the trees with something held in its gnarled hands. Perhaps it was his imagination, but Harry thought he could listen a baby's scream.

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

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

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

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

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

"Hermione now is not…"

"It is the meter. You just faded out of existence then returned with your manus covered in blood."Harry looked down, his hand was bloody. This was the 1st sentence any mark of the flood had remained after he returned to his own fourth dimension. Hermione continued…"We deserve an explanation, is this to do with why you ‘ ve been poorly for weeks ?"

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

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

"wellspring I ‘ m not waiting around."The twin turned and began to take the air off in the focusing Harry had pointed. Harry grinned and staggered after her. A bit later he felt Ron snap him and put an arm around his articulatio humeri to becalm him

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

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

They walked in silence for a while. Padma spotted a set of footmark on the primer that told them they were still going in the flop direction. It looked as if the lycanthrope was following a sort of deer lead through the wood. After ten minutes or so Harry was able to walk unaided again but he was still happy they had found the trail. He really didn't want to throw to drop himself into the violent stream again.

"Shush…"Harry waved the others to silence."Do you guys hear that ?"Faint phonation drifted between the Tree before them. raging part and one highschool pitched cry.

Harry dropped to a scrunch and went forward as quietly as he could. He couldn't hear the vulture following but he knew they were. The vox got louder as they approached a shaded dell in the woods.

"opus of dirt !"A loud smacking sound filtered up from the dell. Followed by a clunk like a body hitting the flooring. Through it all Harry could get wind a sister cry."Why did you have to jockey it up !"

Harry crawled to the boundary of the dell and poked his pushed a hole through some tufts of eatage to see down. The werewolf they had chased was cowering on the base in front of a Brobdingnagian bear like man. A huge bear like werewolf, Harry amended as he saw the tart brown teeth and white-livered center staring balefully out of its head. Now that he could get a clear look at them Harry could see that they were both wearing the same mud and dirt encrusted rags, their original color and cut lost completely beneath the grime. Their hair and bridge player were caked in mud as well, as were their unshod feet.

"You bastard Verrine !"The larger man growled as he picked the wiry werewolf off the level and shook him.

Harry could see the baby lying abandoned on the land nearby. He could feel the marauders getting in spot beside him. Making their own viewing holes.

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

"But Greyback."The minor man ( who seemed to be called Verrine ) whined."This was what you told us all to do. What you taught us. Get the children so we can rick them. When I found the gap in the wards I had to chance it. I thought you ‘ d be happy."

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

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

"We ‘ ll have to you runt ! I haven ‘ t worked this difficult to stop now."Greyback aimed another barbarian flush at the man on the floor and Harry slid back a niggling from the dell. Harry figured the call infant was cover enough to speak without being heard and whispered…

"Any theme ?"

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

"They'll see that."Harry shook his pass."They'll see anything inside the clarification. We need to take them out."

"Two full grown wolfman ?"Padma shook her head."We ‘ ll need a plan."

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

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

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

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

"What are we firing ?"Padma asked.

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

Harry raised to his knees and aimed his scepter at the startled lycanthrope. Hermione had fired a full-body-bind that froze Greyback in his tracks before Padma's blasting expletive threw him to the ground. Harry had stuck by the dependable bludgeoning hex. He didn't hear what Ron cast but whatever it was combined with his own attack threw the scrawny loup-garou exonerate across the clearing and smacked him into a rock.

Harry rushed into the dingle. He followed Hermione's model and petrified Verrine from close range as he tried to get to his pes. The werewolf's limbs smacked to his side and he toppled like a tree diagram. Harry turned back and saw that Padma had already reached the crying big money on the floor and was picking him up.

"Is he alright ?"Harry asked worriedly.

"I have no idea."Padma admitted."Since he ‘ s been dragged through the woods with only a blanket to protect him, I ‘ m guessing he ‘ s a little cranky. Good thing it's a warmly day."

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

"You mean shoot down them."Hermione said flatly."In cold-blooded blood. While they ‘ re petrified."

"Hermione ‘ s right."Harry shook his drumhead. In his abruptly life he had already killed two citizenry ( Tom enigma didn ‘ t count ). But both time it had been to save his spirit or the life history of his friends."We can ‘ t. Maybe we should, but we can ‘ t."

"They ‘ ll stamp out other hoi polloi Harry."Ron said hesitantly."They ‘ ll turn other people. They ‘ re animals."

"Fine then. Do it."Harry pointed at the fast men on the floor."Finish them."

Ron's eyes widened in shock. He raised his wand and pointed it at the big werewolf on the floor. For a moment he stood there, indecisiveness clear on his fount, then he dropped his arm to his English again.

"See. Not so easy."Harry turned and began walking back the way they had come."seminal fluid on hombre. That was plenty lesson for today's story."

The marauders were about to come him when…

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

Harry felt the dusty sweat of terror again. The live on of the sunset was just visible over the trees and the tincture were at their longest.

Not long before nightfall. Not long before the moon.

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


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

"Wah ! ! Wah ! !"

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

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

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

Harry looked back over his shoulder and saw a physique hurtling down the path towards them.

Not a time to pull out punches.

"Acerbus Cuspis !"

The sickly light enveloped the trap matter and it's impulse rolled it into a quite a little at Harry substructure. He petrified it for good cadence. Harry turned and sprinted to catch up with the remainder of the marauders.

"How… close…"Ron panted."… tree."

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

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

"There it is !"Harry heard Padma outcry from far ahead. Harry squinted and realized he could make out the dim human body of the rampart in front end of them. Another howl went up behind them and was picked up by another voice and another and another, stretching across the forest.

"come on come on !"Harry skidded to a stop by the bed of the fallen Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and scanned the darkened timberland. Movement ? Harry fired another curse into the darkness but it hit nothing."rushing up !"Harry helped Ron into the tree then scrambled up behind him. He heard a snarl behind him and whirled, aiming his baton at the sound.

"Acerbus cuspis !"

The light brightened the clearing like a firework but the werewolf dodged it. Harry slipped and fell onto the leafage mulch. The wolf pounced at him but was hit in the air by three spells from above and fell hard. Harry scrambled back into the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and ran as toilsome as he could for the safety of the exterior. He dropped onto the solid ground outside and stumbled a few steps to where the marauders were standing. He saw Hermione point back at the paries and yell.

"Harry !"

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

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

"Wingardium Leviosa !"Harry heard Hermione vociferation and saw the tree John Rock on its rubble place of origin."Help me !"

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

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

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

Harry concentrated on the tree, trying to shake it gratuitous of its trestle. Another dreary manakin jumped onto the trunk and Padma blasted it off. Two to a greater extent jumped on and Harry forced himself to concentrate only on the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and trust his friend to deal with the werewolves.

Suddenly, with a shuddering cleft, the Tree came detached of the wall and jumped a few measure into the air. Shaking its passenger off in the process. At Hermione's urging they pulled the Tree forwards and dumped it on the earth nearby. Harry yelped in surprise as they saw a wolfman scribble over the damaged wall, its curse giving it intensity beyond any lifelike animal.

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

Harry kept his wand trained on the thing but didn't cast anything. The black shape squatted on the top of the wall for a mo then bunched up and leapt at them. There was a slap-up ostentation of Light Within and it was repulsed, thrown back into the forest with a yelp of pain.

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

"The ward. The tree was disrupting them."Hermione brushed her hair off her sweat-dripping frontal bone."They should be back now."

"Hermione…"Harry didn't finish the sentence, he just stepped forward and hugged the startled girlfriend fiercely."Keep being smart ok. God knows one of us has to be."Harry released her and looked back at the rampart. Three lycanthrope sat there now but they made no move to occur any closer. Perhaps they had retained just enough of their human brains to learn a deterrent example. Harry gave them the fingerbreadth then turned back to his friends.

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







Try to go away a negative limited review here. I want to have intercourse what I can shift for the better. Not spelling, I do n't worry about that. Do you think the tempo 's ok ? I sometimes think I 'm moving the plot too fast.


Yeah, i know this chapter 's a bit little but it was a logical billet to stop.



Hogsmeade looked a lot more menacing at Nox. Perhaps it was the way the old star sign seemed to be given out over the street. Perhaps it was the eerie deficiency of noise or that abstemious smell you get at the beginning of night.

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

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

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

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

"‘ Oh, thank you for saving the baby.'” Harry muttered under his breath."‘ Without you fry he would cause suffered a fortune speculative than death. You ‘ re grinder.'” But the teacher didn't seem to hear him ( which was perhaps for the just ).

They walked in quiet up the long way towards Hogwarts but McGonagall surprised them by not taking them inside. Instead she led them round to the left wing towards the greenhouses. Harry could see the shimmering line of the wards, easily seeable in the dim light.

Harry then saw who they were heading for. Dumbledore was standing on a patch of scuffed primer near the border of the nursery staring out towards the taboo timber. Occasionally he would take a few footfall and glance at a particular place in the Mrs. Humphrey Ward. He also kept glancing at a ragged piece of parchment he held in his hand. As they approached he folded it calmly and slipped it into his robes.

With a frown Harry realized it was the same piece of parchment he's seen lupin and Dumbledore pawing over in a flashback. What did it do ? Harry tried to guess back, it had been a map of Hogwarts and they had been keeping lookout man on him with it. Did it somehow show what he was doing ?

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

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

"And can you tell me why you think you have the right to shamelessly ignore school linguistic rule and swank the tribute set up specifically to protect the students of this schooltime ?"

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

"Mr thrower this is not a matter of results it is a issue of intentions."Dumbledore said, staring at him over the lip of his spectacles."Do you expect me to continually overtop your crying formula breaking simply because it coincidentally causes some dear ?"

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

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

"examination how well that piddling fighting of theme in your pocket works."It was a shaft in the dark but Harry saw the flavor of shock Cross Dumbledore's typeface before he steadied himself again. Harry noticed that both Snape and McGonagall looked confused. Was Lupin the only teacher who knew ?

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

"The map of Hogwarts."Harry spoke slowly and carefully. Taking an malefic gloating in seeing every word bring further shock to the old man's face."The one you and lupine have been using to watch me. Watch everything I do. You sit up at night, with a mug of coco and a marshmallow and watch me."

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

"Why didn ‘ t you use it to find the kid ? Or Ginny at the end of survive year ?"Harry stared Dumbledore down. He felt a gentle goad on the spinal column of his brain."And don't even think about Legilimensing me. Honestly, and you talk to me about breaking ruler ?"The goading receded and Dumbledore looked down at his feet.

"I could not use it to obtain the baby because it does not extend beyond the edge of Hogwarts."Dumbledore said slowly. His voice oddly shamed."And I could not use it to see Miss Weasley because neither the sleeping room, nor the handing over leading to it, nor the sewers under Hogwarts are displayed on it. It ‘ s manufacturer never ventured into them."

A silence fell again. Neither company seemed to get anything to add to the conversation.

"The werewolves said they had a plan to get into Hogwarts tonight."Ron blurted out in a boot. Everyone looked at him and he blushed to the roots of his fuzz."well they have to know."He defended to Harry.

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

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

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

"Perhaps."Dumbledore conceded."But in a thousand long time the wolfman have never breached the wards around the edge of the forest."

"But I breached them earlier this year !"

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

"wellspring couldn ‘ t the lycanthrope do that ?"

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

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

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

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

"Now…"Professor Dumbledore raised both his ribbon, facing out. A quieten gesture."… we will continue this discussion, and discussion of any punishment incurred, in the morning. please return to your common room, Severus will accompany you. Minerva, would you help me mark off over the hospital ward one final time before we all retire ?"The two old teacher moved off, leaving the marauder with only Snape for company.

"come on."Snape's voice sounded sawbuck and Harry realized that this was the kickoff time he had spoken during the entire exchange.

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

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

Harry walked into the Gryffindor green room.

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

"Wait."Harry closed his eyes and held out his work force for secretiveness."Did I just come back from a Hogsmeade weekend that ended with us chasing a werewolf into the forbidden wood ?"

"Um… yes ?"

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

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

"If they hired some curse breakers somehow…"Neville's representative trailed off as they all contemplated the possibility of penniless forest monsters hiring the services of skilled wiz and of the skilled wizard working for them willingly and of the wolfman retaining enough self control after transforming to not eat them.

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

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

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

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

"Could they somehow unhinge the giant squid ?"Ginny asked looking tired as well. No one answered her. No one had any response. But Harry was willing to depose that whatever it was was properly in front of his face.

"Can werewolves even swim ?"Ron asked and Harry groaned. They weren't getting anywhere. Not a surprise really. Harry looked over his scout group, Ginny was virtually asleep on her chairwoman ("We keep forgetting she ‘ s not as used to this as us."Thought Harry. ) Hermione looked almost ready to faint, the emphasis of all the course this class on top of the day they'd all had was just too a lot. Neville and Parvarti were all right but himself and Ron ? Ha ! Harry laughed to himself. Both him and Ron, and to a lesser extent Padma and Hermione, looked like they'd rolled in the soil all night. Which, Harry admitted, they had.

Harry looked at his shit encrusted mitt. There was something there. Something just out of reach.

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

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

"No, no there is something."Harry shook his point. His bridge player, what was there ?

"Harry you look pass out mate."Ron's vocalism, but Harry wasn't listening.

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

Harry stood bolt upright and scrambled for the door.

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

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

"They were too dirty. Don't you see !"Harry motioned them to get a motion on out of their chairs but they didn't budge. Harry threw up his custody in exasperation."You don ‘ t get that dirty just running around a forest. And it was the wrong type of dirt too… loamy… nighttime. Under their fingernails and in their teeth !"The marauders still looked on in bleak incomprehension.

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


"Neville : McGonagall ! Ron : Dumbledore ! Padma : Snape !"Harry rattled off as they raced out the portrait hole. Harry cupped his hired hand to his mouth and yelled."MYRTLE ! Sweet marauder sign of the zodiac spectre ! Get here NOW !"

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

"Werewolves, tunneling into the school."Harry saw the ghosts already albumen face act whiter and her eyes bulge."Is must come up somewhere on this side of the Barbara Ward. Go under…"

"Go hugger-mugger and find oneself it."Myrtle finished for him. She sounded absolutely terrified. Her smoky kind was ever quavering in the air. But she swooped off in the direction of the nursery, her lank haircloth whipping in the wind behind her.

"Wonderful."Harry thought as he shot down a staircase."At least one of the marauders has her caput on straight."

Harry barged through a English doorway and the dark air hit him like a paries. He breathed it in, welcoming the inhuman into him because it would help wake up him up.

"Lumos !"Hermione had lit her wand. Smart that one. Harry followed suit and soon the four marauder were scowering the grounds. Harry glanced over them, had he prefer wrongly ? He'd sent the well-worn predator to regain the teacher and kept the relatively refreshed ones with him. Except for Hermione of line, who he ‘ d kept because he relied on her to be the brains of the operation. But was she alert enough to do that now ? Harry cursed as he realized his choice also meant he had put the youngest member, Ginny, in impairment way.

Harry shook his school principal, nothing to be done about it now. Harry saw Myrtle arc out of the terra firma like a dolphin, raise her script as if to say ‘ I'm going as fast as I can ’, then dip back underground.

"Where would they be ?"Harry peered at the tree origin, trying to catch some tinge of campaign. Nothing."Damn it !"Where would they tunnel up to ? Would they even be capable to aim at a specific place when underground ? The creation blurred around Harry and he clamped his script over his pendent.

Back ! Not now ! The combat injury on his bequeath chest was beginning to pain now, and was streaking his shirt with pedigree. I need to be here !

After what felt like an age the inundation retreated and Harry stumbled forward to sum up the search. Suddenly Harry heard a ghostly squeal and saw Myrtle catapult out of the ground.

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

Harry followed the line of reasoning of her hand, it was the piece of drag turf they had stood on earlier that evening during their discussion with Dumbledore. With some trepidation Harry got closer and stopped to mind. From under the ground came the evident sound of scrabbling claws.

"Oh no no no no no."Harry shook his head to try and dispel the icy clench of care and looked back at the castle. No teacher yet, the vulture must get been having trouble convincing them. Harry looked back at the priming, they would break through any minute."Colloportus."He tried, desperately, aiming at the footing. But naught happened, the spell wasn't meant to be used that way.

"bozo ! Get back !"Harry waved the vulture away."Get behind stuff, we ‘ ll need to keep them back if they break through."Harry looked around, panicked. Was there something they could brood the ground with ? No.

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

The ghost shook her heading vigorously, her eyes wide behind her goggle-like glasses.

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

The shade began crying and hugged her subdivision into herself but she slowly floated down and slue into the primer. After a moment the scrabbling stopped and a growling and yip filtered up through the earth. Harry glanced around desperately, that had bought him indorsement at most. His heart lighted on a mass of works cuttings in a wooden bin beside the nursery. Yes !

"Help me jest at ! Wingardium Leviosa !"Harry pointed his baton at the bin. It rocked on its al-Qaida and Harry heard his friends add their articulation to his. Glancing fearfully at the bulging background Harry maneuvered the bin onto the ground and dropped it with a crunch.

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

"Well, that won ‘ t stop them from digging up."Harry thought, scraping elbow grease off his brow."But it ‘ ll break them a surprise when they do."

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

A burning werewolf, howling in searing pain in the ass, burst up through the ground like an ancient god, feral and powerful. It clawed its way onto the Gunter Grass and set off like a hummer towards him. Harry was so scare he tripped and was sent sprawling across the basis. He rolled and tried to aim a hex at it but he was shaking so much it missed by a mile. Harry could see another werewolf erupt out of the ground and appoint the predator but all his care was focused on the one in front of him. The one that was going to toss off him. He shot again but it barely grazed its side. It lunged, and Harry felt its feted breath.

"Sectumsempra !"

The wolf's neck exploded in a bloody fountain but its momentum carried it onto Harry, crushing him under its. Harry could feel his costa crack and smell its putrid fetor but then it was lifted off him and tossed aside. Harry looked up and saw Snape framed in the door, a look of murder in his eyes.

"Stupefy !"The potions original yelled and a red tour shot across the ground and the lycanthrope that had been chasing the marauders fell limp onto the ground. Harry heard a scrabbling sound and saw another just clawing its way out of the hole in the earth. Snape said no incantation this fourth dimension but it's head snapped back as if it had been shot and it slid back into the hole. Three Thomas More scrambled out, slavering and growling to take its place.

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

"Leave them to me Potter."Harry heard Snape growl."Go facilitate your friends."Snape curled his arm back and yelled something guttural before throwing a ball of red luminosity down into the hole in the background. Harry was knocked off his metrical foot as an seism rocked the land and a cracking cloud of junk poured up from the pit. Snape had collapsed the tunnel. She potions master smiled evilly, the hummer and detritus giving him an almost fiendish visage as he turned and began throwing torment at the remaining two werewolves.

Harry ran towards the predator and skidded to a stop in front of them. They looked tired and scared and Hermione was leaning on Parvati and not putting weight on her left foot, but for having just battled werewolves they looked alright.

"Snape's beginning to grow on me."Harry grinned. The marauder smiled, then Hermione seemed to agnise something and put her hand to her neck in horror.

"No !"
*


A import of co-occurrence can commute everything.

Only mortal floating above the prospect could have seen the whole thing.

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

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

Snape throwing cuss at the last lycanthrope, laughing as it scrabbled backwards, trying to get away from him. Snape throwing another curse but, in his glee, missing. The curse flying through the air, rippling it like a heat wave. Shooting straight into the sparkling golden hourglass handing from Harry's hand.

The sound of shattering course of instruction. Far louder than it had any right-hand to be.

The spray of silver sand, fanning out and covering the aright side of Harry chest of drawers, burning through his shirt and eating away the frame underneath.

Each texture of sand making a little pockmarked gob, like drops of acid.

Snape looking on in revulsion, wand still outstretched.

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

Then slowly, fading. Fading as his scream grew softer and softer. Until it was nada more than a breath of wind.

Then gone.


bother, everywhere, burning. Flickering too fast to see anything but his damaged body beneath him. Roaring, he could see the river here, louder than ever before. Nothing made sense, nothing was real but the pain.
*


"Severus… Severus are you asleep ?"

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

Snape could feel the locket in the top pocket of his gown. He had carried it with him since he had got it. A constant quantity drainage on his will. Walking around, every day, trying to accompany his routine with a venomous cocktail of heartache and spirit clenching regret. But he couldn't leave it, every time he tried he just felt his fingers close around it tighter.

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

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

The infirmary annexe was broad but silent. Snape looked over at the bed where the farmer girl was lying. Her foot healed of course of study but no one had asked her to lead. Potter's former friends were there too, in chairwoman, propped on nearby seam or, in the case of Longbottom, simply collapsed on the storey. Snape could sympathize right now.

On the other incline the werewolf were chained, the two that had survived his flak and transformed back with the luminance of day. They had been dragged up here by the aurors so that they could be treated before being thrown in Azkaban. No trial would be had. None was requirement. They neither had the right field to one nor deserved that right. Snape felt no grief for the ones that had been carted away to be burned or for the many that had undoubtedly died when he collapsed the tunnel. Any vestige of humanness they had they had given up when they agreed to follow Greyback.

A sliver of a thought wormed its way into Snape's brain. Why hadn't Greyback been present at the attack ? The children claimed to suffer petrified him but that would barely give lasted an hour on a werewolf. He should have been there. It would have been gratifying to number him as one of the dead. Then at least Snape could have said something expert had come of everything.

"Professor Severus Snape ?"

The clipped voice brought him out of his thought and he looked at the two new figures in the wing. Even in his wasting state Snape took in the flat grey robe, the filing cabinet folder, the slightly arrogant conduct without any evidence of real baron and neatly labeled both of them.

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

"Correct Professor Snape. Full marks."The woman smiled and raised her eyebrows. Snape sighed inwardly, he hated people under the delusion they were smarter than him."My name is Natalie Zhao and my colleague is Sean Rhyfedd."She indicated the man with a wafture of her handwriting. Rhyfedd opened his mouthpiece to speak but the woman continued talking and he shut it again.

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

"I thought the situation was being investigated by them."Snape jerked his headway towards the aurors. One of the werewolves on the trading floor looked up at him and leered.

"You misunderstand Mr Snape."The man spoke for the first prison term."The lycanthrope are indeed being dealt with by the aurors. The position we were speaking of was the last of Mr Potter."

"Harry !"

Snape heard a drape being thrown back and a moment later felt himself surrounded by thrower's clique.

"Do fuck where he is ?"

"What happened to him ?"

"muteness !"Snape snapped, far louder than he intended. They fell silent and he turned back to the Unspeakable. Taking a moment to assess the power structure he addressed the womanhood directly."You mean the disappearance of Mr Potter,"he said hopefully.

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

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

Snape heard a chuckle from the other side of meat of the room.

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

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

The auror kicked the inhuman affair and it fell unsounded, muttering to itself.

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

"You are aware that Miss…"Ms Zhao consulted her document"… Granger, was given extra permission to take in a time-turner this year ?"

"You know that I am."Snape replied acidly."Unless the XXX page strain myself and the other instructor here were asked to satiate out was somehow lost in the Ministry's organization. In fact that circumstance is not unlikely is it ?"

"We take more tending in our department,"Rhyfedd said. He turned to the fry at the table."Did you notice Mr ceramist displaying any odd behavior this twelvemonth ?"

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

"time loss."The Unspeakable crossed his subdivision irritably."Did he sometimes seem to not bang when or where he was ? Did he seem to do it what was about to happen ? Did anyone witness him in two places at once ?"

"Yes,"The untried Weasley answered quietly."The first two."

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

"Don ‘ t feel bad,"Natalie Zhao smiled at the student."Even if we had known earlier there would have been nothing we could have done. It's an effect we call the torrent of ages."

That sounded companion, some old history ?

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


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


"Yes that's redress,"Ms Zhao nodded, pleased."You see, a time-turner only works because of the sand inside it. It is literally the Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin of sentence. Usually it is inert but there are style of drawing out its index. Now, the structure of a time-turner is designed so as to tackle that power safely. Moving a individual back in prison term a short way relatively safely."

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

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

"The outcome has been known since ancient times."Mr Rhyfedd pulled a megabucks of around twenty papers out and spread them out in front of Snape. The all had ikon in the corner. The oldest ace were indecipherable, the Modern mostly looked like Unspeakable themselves."As you can see the late ones are mostly departmental accidents."

Snape nodded.

"What is this torrent then ?"he asked.

"Essentially… time."Ms Zhao shook her chief sadly."Imagine the time-turner effect multiplied by a billion, and totally uncontrollable. The someone begins moving through clock time without ever stopping in any one moment for to a greater extent than a millisecond."

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

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

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

Snape felt his philia skip about a century measure. Had he just been casually Legilimized by a Ministry employee ? He found himself forced to swiftly and radically revaluate the woman in front of him. His mental United States Department of Defense were a little fractured right now it was dead on target, but he would have been glad to look even Dumbledore with no More United States Department of Defense than this. He had grown too soft.

"Miss Patil,"The womanhood continued."I know this is hard for you, all of you. I know that it is easier to sorrow if you have a body, or some sign. But you must understand your acquaintance is not coming back."

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

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

"This is not something you can oppose,"The Unspeakable shook her question."It ‘ s not something real or physical. It ‘ s not something touchable, it ‘ s something inevitable."
*


Slipping, earth always slipping. Too often painfulness to even guess. Blood that flowed out of him and disappeared into the air like mist. The sand still burned in him, burning but the ancestry kept flowing. Burning threads cutting into him from all side, tying him up. Lying like red hot shaft across his tegument. He couldn't ignore the annoyance, it was the one genuine thing he had.
*


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


Harry kneeled under the flickering sky, a Charles Grey sunrise burn into his middle. It was too a lot, he wasn't sure if he would go mad or just bleed to Death. Either seemed preferred. The pain was just throbbing harder, the fiery bonds tightening around him. invisible bail. Nothing was real here. Oh god it hurt ! Harry threw his head back and howled,

"assistant me !"His words were caught and whisked away as soon as he spoke."Someone ! Help me !"Harry barely felt the shit wrack his soundbox."Someone…"

"Harry…"

Harry felt the bother ebb away, leaving a dull ache. The sky dimmed like smoked glass. The flickering ground became grayness and unyielding under his feet. He felt the burn threads pushed off him as the white-haired quad expanded, carrying them with it. He stood on wobbly legs inside the little bubble of reality.

"Harry."

Harry whirled towards the voice and fell to the ground again, this time in succor. tear welled in the corners of his eyes. He gulped and said,

"Pythea !"

"Yes Harry."The little seer was sitting cross legged in the middle of the grey bubble."Yes it ‘ s me."

"How…"

"Or, more correctly it's a bit like a transcription of me,"Pythea smiled, her multi-colored eyes holding depths Harry couldn't even guessing at."Like a portrayal. I ‘ m a charm cast of characters by the veridical Pythea. She hid me in the letter she sent you."

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

"It was the but way."Pythea looked suddenly a little scared but pulled herself back a consequence later."If the rest of my social club knew you were even remotely connected to the torrent…"She shuddered."… well at the very to the lowest degree I would throw been ineffectual to help oneself you. The torrent is abhorrent to everything we stand for."

Abhorrent… that sounded familiar.

"For the Saami rationality the centaurs do ? They sa-"

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

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

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

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

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

Harry closed his centre and bowed his oral sex. His terminal hope…

"Harry, the waterspout isn ‘ t even something natural."Pythea held his chin in her hands and pushed his headspring back up."Time-turners are one affair, they let you pass back and Forth in the Sami time stream. Anything you do in the past does not touch the future, because it has already happened you see ? The laws of causality are preserved. The torrent is different, it defies the formula of fate. That is why my parliamentary procedure, and the centaurs, hate it so much. They think it is dangerous, tangling destiny. That is why you have been moved outside of time, the universe itself it trying to shut out you out. Destroying a threat to itself."

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

"In the hope that you could be the first."She glanced up at the fleet ceiling. The babble had shrunk noticeably since they had started talking. Harry could see the duds of ardor curling about the edges, like circling sharks."I can ‘ t hold this much longer."

"How ! How can I be the number one ?"

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

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

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

"I…"A half-baked estimate hit him. A Harry Potter design."Yes. I think I do."

"Good Harry."She raised her deal towards the Lady Jane Grey rampart."Are you make ?"

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

"Do it !"

The wall disappeared and the lancet whipped inwards into his flesh. Harry howled and grabbed them in both hands.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaa !"

It was like the Cruciatus burnt into every particle of his pelt. And across his ribbon where the R-2 of firing writhed ? It was a hundred times worse !

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

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

"duty period !"

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

"No ! Again !"

The priming became flaming John Rock and the air acid smoke.

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

Bare rock, an vacate sky.

urine stretching as into the distance.

The total darkness of space. As cold as nothing.

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

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

"You can do anything."

"Aaaaaaaaa !"Harry fell to his genu and pulled the flaming to his chest, right up to the searing lesion. Between his fists nestled the small pendant. A little nub of cool in the world of flame. He could do this.

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

"YES !"

The greenhouses pulled out of the mist. The stars, the sound of spells. An inhuman howl.

"YES !"

Harry Potter laughed through the nuisance and the blood.
*


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

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

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

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


Dirt…

Very wet dirt…

That was the first opinion that went through Harry's head. He opened his eyes. The dirt in front of his nose was moving ever so slightly, the piffling grain rolling back and forth. His breath moving them. He was breathing again.

Some virtuoso at the sides of his head… familiar… audio. mortal was speaking.

"Harry ?"

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

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

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

"Professor Flitwick."Harry's vocalization came out at barely a whisper.

"My dear boy you ‘ re bleeding !"

Harry looked down. One side of his chest of drawers was pockmarked with little holes like person had grated him and the former side had two monolithic slashes over it, meeting in a cross. Snape's curse, Harry remembered, that had hit him there.

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

Harry chuckled wryly. After the humans of flaming the pains from his chest were nothing.

"You need the hospital flank Mr Potter."

Harry felt himself lifted up with trick and stood on his infantry. He was still exactly where he had been before getting lost in the torrent, on the ground near the greenhouses. He saw some men in foresighted black robes standing guard over the caved in tunnel but they weren't looking his way.

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

Harry stumbled off towards the room access of Hogwarts.

"Of line you can Mr Potter."professor Flitwick chuckled."I was merely going to furnish you with some clothes."

Harry looked down, he was wearing Pythea's pendent but naught else. He glanced back at the ground where he had appeared, there was a lot of grayness ash and what looked like a burnt belt buckle. Near where his invertebrate foot had been there was a puddle of molten rubber.

"Oh."Harry blushed and tried to brood himself with his hands. With a wave of his scepter the piddling teacher gave Harry loose fit pajama trouser and a dressing gown. Harry vaguely registered that they were blue and gold."Thanks…"

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

He glanced down at the two wounds on his pectus, the moxie burn and the cuts. There was something wrong there. Harry shook his head, nothing about bleeding that a lot was compensate. Harry reached the doors to the hospital backstage and pushed the doors open.

He saw his friends, Snape and some other hoi polloi look up in shock. In his state, lightheaded from descent loss, he said the first matter that came to mind…
*


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

The doors to the infirmary wing burst open and the Potter boy stepped inside, wavering slightly as if drunk.

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

Snape saw the bookman and the school nurse rush to Harry through a shock but he felt something else. A bubbling, floating sensation rising from his breast. He clamped his hand over his mouth but it escaped through his olfactory organ anyway, a snort that jerked his head back. He gave up trying and broke out in burst of laughter.

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

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

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

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

Yes, that must be it. Just tired.

Snape got up and walked towards the threshold of the hospital extension. As he passed the ceramist boy's bed the laughs broke out again and he had to view as the doorcase for support.

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

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

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


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

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

"These won ‘ t heal Mr thrower,"he heard lady Pomfrey say while running her sceptre over the two lesion on his thorax."Neither of them. I ‘ m afraid you ‘ ll have mark there for the rest of your life."

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

"Well it's your own fault…"Harry heard an acerbic part say."You survive the killing curse and get one scar, you survive the downpour of geezerhood and you get two more. If you don't want More scrape stop doing out of the question things."

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

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

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

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

"We need you to state us how you survived the pelter,"the man said.

"But obviously we would not impose on you in your current state,"the woman added easily."If we returned this eve ?"She glanced at ma'am Pomfrey, who nodded.

"This even then."She straightened."I look forward to your story."She walked out of the hospital wing, the other Unspeakable followed, grumbling.

Harry looked at his acquaintance and grinned.

"So, my entrance ? dear or so-so ?"

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

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

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

"I blame origin loss."Harry leant back against the bed, he was just now realizing that he had last slept over twenty four hr ago. Or more, or less, he didn't quite know how the time in the downpour counted.

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

"How ?"Harry felt his eyelid drooping."I ‘ m a piranha. We don ‘ t lose."A thought crossed Harry's brain and he managed to pull himself back from sleep."Where did Vinca minor get to ?"

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

"Should apologize to her. See whether we can find some ghost-flowers."Another thinking hit him."The werewolves ? The attack ?"

"All dealt with Harry."Parvati put her hand on his shoulder reassuringly."Everyone ‘ s alright and the crisis is over. Earlier than common too."

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

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

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

"I may have to study Ron. If I want to do lilliputian things like not get chucked out of Hogwarts."Harry tried to add to bear any knowledge he had gleaned from the last few month of lessons and found only bare mark."Definitely."

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


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

"He truly is unharmed ?"he asked again.

"I would not say unharmed…"Poppy Pomfrey shook her read/write head."But he is alive and with a little care he will be fine. scar, as I said, but null more."

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

Poppy knew him well enough to recognize the polite judgment of dismissal in his voice and left his office quietly. Dumbledore turned to the former person in the office.

"He survived…"prof Lupin was hunched over a mug of something steaming. It smelled direful but apparently it helped. Even with it the wretched wolfman looked pathetic, apparently hearing the former wolfman howling so close had made his werewolf mind even more fractured than usual."How could he hold out ?"

"I do not get laid Remus."Dumbledore shook his head."I truly do not have it off how he survived. I am in the strange status of having not the feeble idea. That worries me deeply. The boy himself worries me deeply."

"He disturbs me."

"Remus you must try to-"

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

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

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

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

"I hope not."Dumbledore closed his optic in sadness."But he seems to let courage like Jesse James Potter."

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

"fountainhead we both know the reason for that."Dumbledore quieted himself. Some secret were so important they should never be voiced."I suppose all we can do is expect and see."The two men fell silent. Dumbledore listened to his whirling simple machine, after all these years the audio was very comforting.

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

"I have been talking to another old supporter. I have promise that he will assume the job."

"Good."

The secrecy returned, wakeless with all the affair not being said.
*


Snape awoke refreshed for the first time in weeks. He had gone directly into his bed after leaving the infirmary fender and now the clock on his wall read eight 30, he had slept all day. His dead body must have been trying to take in up on lost time.

He pulled his robe on and grabbed his wand from the bedside table. His helping hand went out on reflex to grab the other point there and he stiffened. The locket sat there, shining up at him. Snape swallowed tough. Did he want to persuade Lily Evans around next to his fondness forever ?

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

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

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

No. Not now.

You called me a mudblood.

"And what about you !"He spoke savagely to the locket nestled in his laurel wreath."That day beside the lake after our test. Where were you ? Sitting and talking to your other friends. Leaving me all alone. You didn ‘ t come over until James potter got involved. You abandoned me yearn before I abandoned you…"Snape drew his deal back."… I just did it better."And with all his strength he hurled the minuscule part of atomic number 47 into the dark water.

I can not conceive I had the persuasiveness to do that.

Snape shook his head, he felt like he had begun again after years of bread and butter in stasis. Harry was right, wizards lived in the by far too very much. He had finally gotten rid of the last…

No…

Snape felt his spirits dashed in a minute. He still had one finale while of Lily even. A piece he could not be rid of. He hung his drumhead, and he had felt so disembarrass. The past was an anchor, Lily Evans was an anchor. He could never be truly free.

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

"Luckily,"persuasion Snape."I am an Occlumens of the highest order."

Snape sat down crossing legged on the Gunter Wilhelm Grass, cleared his mind, closed his eye and proceeded to edit Lily Evans. Each computer memory was locked away, one by one, from their initiative coming together to the last day he ever saw her. He blocked them all. He would still retain the shape of them, a obscure knowledge, but it was the best he could do.

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

Snape closed the hold out memory and stood up, feeling lightheaded. Would this work ? He began preparing to cast the go, raised his wand then dropped it again to his side. He could not disgorge it, he had no happy retention anymore, he had just locked them all away. Snape cursed, it was hopeless. Then a mad idea struck him, he looked out over the lake, at the blazing sunset painting the Alfred Hawthorne with red and gold. He raised his coat of arms and felt the summer wind rush through his robes.

So far from Spinners End. So far from the smog and dust and specify streets. Here the air was clear, it smelled of heather. The stars were clear, unblocked by streetlight. Hogwarts, and the landed estate around it, was his plate. This was a happy memory.

"Expecto Patronum !"

He screwed his heart shut at the moment of casting, he could not bear to watch. He felt the warmth of his patronus in front end of him, touching his paw. He had to look eventually, he would have to. Courage, he was not a coward.

Snape snapped his heart open and almost melted onto the floor. Tears sprung into his eyes. Writhing and looping in the air was a dilute snake, curling like a decoration caught in the breaking wind. He had been successful, the last role of Lily Evans in him was gone.

"Is that your patronus ?"

Snape turned towards the voice. It was the unspeakable, Natalie Zhao, she was standing calmly a few stone's throw behind him with her hands clasped in front of her. She must experience crept up on him, he had been quite distracted.

"You are still here ?"he asked."Did you dubiousness Harry all day ?"

"We left and came back,"she said, moving up to suffer by the lake beside him."I ‘ ve just come from talking to him. Surviving the flood, he really is amazing…"She trailed off shaking her mind in disbelief.

"He is nothing if not surprising."Snape found he had niggling ire towards Harry ceramicist any to a greater extent."But I think you would be less vex if you saw the utter raft he manages to give of potions."

"Perhaps."She smiled, it pushed niggling dimples up on her buttock. He pointed at his patronus, still writhing in the air."Very nice…"

"Is it ?"Snape turned back to the Hydra. It was not, he now realized, a very worry looking snake in the grass. Perhaps a little more than a beat long with harsh, non-white bands all the way up its thin organic structure. It had no hood behind its thin head like a cobra or a rattle like a rattlesnake, nothing that obviously identified it. Snape wondered what species it was.

"A band krait,"Natalie Zhao said grinning. She hadn't had eye contact, she must just have guessed what he was thinking."Very nice."

"Really ?"Snape's curiosity was piqued."Does it have any particular… qualities ?"

"Well…"She appeared to think for a minute."It ‘ s dieting is kind of interesting."

"How so ?"

"It primarily eats early snakes."

"Really…"Snape found himself warming to the striped reptile.

"And it ‘ s venomous,"Ms Zhao continued."Sometimes the dupe doesn't feel anything at the site of the insect bite for a while, lulls them into a faux sense of security."

"Hmm…"

"It's a formidable toxin."The Unspeakable reached out and tickled the little glowing Hydra under the chin."I think they ‘ re quite interesting."

"I think it will do nicely."Snape canceled the spell with a flick of his wand and his krait faded away.

"Why do you sleep with so much about Snake ?"

"I keep them as pets."She seemed to sword herself a tactile sensation. Perhaps she was used to negative chemical reaction when people heard about her hobby.

"Fascinating,"Snape said, and found that he meant it."Do you have any kraits ?"

"You ‘ d have to be looney to keep one of those as a pet. But I suppose you like dangerous pets here…"She smiled again, cheekily."… you apparently keep werewolves."

"Accidentally."Snape motioned towards the castle and they both began walking towards Hogwarts."You wouldn't count git that invaded your wine cellar as pets would you ?"

"No, I ‘ d count them as costless snake food."

Snape chuckled. Laughing again, he really did feel like a new man. But there was something in the back of his creative thinker now. Something he'd heard ? Something she'd said ? Hmm… it was right at the edge of his mind.

"fountainhead I have to get back to the Ministry,"Natalie said, they had reached the front of the castle."Got to fill in the paperwork. God knows Rhyfedd won ‘ t pain in the ass, that man has an posture problem…"

"He is a small minded, talent to a lesser extent man who is constantly trying to assert himself over you where he has no right to be because it shirks his ego to work under a cleaning lady,"Snape stated flatly.

"I know,"Natalie replied simply."You had him pegged within five bit of meeting him. My chief at the Ministry however…"She spread her hands hopelessly."… four geezerhood and counting. I ‘ m hoping they catch on any day now."

"Let me usher in you to Sibyll Trelawney one day."Snape shrugged and smiled in condolence."Then you will truly know what it is like to have an painful co-worker."

They were both standing in front man of Hogwarts, but neither of them seemed to require to move.

"Well…"She broke the stalemate."… I should go. Thank you for showing me your patronus."

"Would you mind showing me your snake collecting at some level ?"Snape found himself asking."I find myself strangely interested."

"Strangely interested…"She smiled that infuriating smile again. Snape was beginning to think she might actually be smarter than him."… good choice of words."And with that she turned and began walking down the way towards the Gates of Hogwarts.

Snape would suffer felt elated, but at that moment what he had been thinking slipped into billet and he frowned, then clenched his fist as the full-of-the-moon import sunk in. He hoped he was wrong, he really did.
*


"Albus,"he stepped out of the staircase into the headmaster study.

"Severus,"Dumbledore greeted him."To what do I owe this later night visit ?"

"Nothing serious I am afraid."Snape shook his head."This afternoon I remembered an extempore gossip one of the werewolf in the Hospital Wing made. Taunting us about a map."

"They could not have known about it."Dumbledore's eyes narrowed."You are not accusing Professor Lupin once aga-"

"No."Snape waved the charge away."No, that is what I thought initially, it would suffer been better if I was redress. I went to visit the werewolf in the Ministry dungeons. He said he heard it because they were waiting secret, listening. They heard you talking to Harry when we brought him back from Hogsmeade."

"I fail to see the emergency in that…"

"Albus, remember what else you said that evening."

"I…"The Headmasters face went sick and his centre opened wide."I said that Voldemort was hiding in Albania."

"Yes."Snape nodded."I think we now know why Greyback was not part of the attack. He had already left on a more important errand, a dog running back to its master. He left because he knows where to look."



This chapter beta 'd by Costa Rican colon. Thank you Colon !

What did everyone think of the roundabout way from carom in this ledger ?
The next one goes back towards the note of the rule book a bit, somewhere between the how close the first two were and how out there this one was.

Leave a critical review and I 'll get on with writing ...

Harry Potter and the Harry thrower and the Spirit of Njordr !


I do n't own Harry potter. I wish I did. Unfortunately the solid blowing-out-all-the-candles-at-once thing does n't always work.



She brushed up against the wall, her well muscled flank pressing against the wooden paneling. Her pinna were attuned to the tiny scritches coming from around the corner and the bantam step on the floorboards were still visible, glowing hot prints leading the way. She eased herself up to the edge then poked her snub wind around and struck.

The rat tried vainly to struggle as the poison seeped into it and she waited patiently as it died. She did not even have to dislocate her jaw to fit the little matter in. It was merely a taster anyhow, her master had promised sweeter inwardness soon.

She slid, full phase of the moon and languid, through the old menage. Soon Pride would total and milk her venom, making her feel empty and used, but her master needed it so she steeled herself against his touch. Not that pridefulness wasn't gentle, it was his look that irked her.

She knew that the three men who served her master had other epithet but she preferred her own, ambitiousness, Pride and Decay. She had named them after what she smelled on them. original was, of course, just Master.

She slid into her schoolmaster room and curled up beside the fire. Her master copy was asleep but the others were talking again, she pushed her head down between her coils to block out the audio, but it wasn't enough.

"The bare mistake will alert them."Pride was saying."There are mass who know him very well."

"I am aware of that brother."ambitiousness replied archly."And after all the cogitation I have done I am one of them. You stay here and tend to our passkey needs, I will get the job done quite sufficiently in your absence."His voice made it quite clear that Pride's absence would in fact make the job a great deal easier.

"The just reasonableness you have this job is because I would be missed."

"The rationality I have this job is because our master gave it to me."aspiration grinned."Never bury that."

"Careful brother,"Pride sneered."Take forethought that you never bury who you have to thank for your exemption and for your chance at vengeance."

"Who ? Our lord for ordering me freed and planning how to achieve it or you for merely telling him where I was ?"

"Both you arrogant little-"

"Arrogant ?"Ambition laughed. She liked Ambition a bit more than superbia, he was more like a snake in the grass."That is undoubtedly and most obviously the pot calling the caldron disgraceful. Besides…"dream narrowed his middle."I ‘ ve been wondering how farseeing you knew where I was and did zippo about it."

"I could not compromise-"

"Of course."ambition turned away, dismissive."You could not compromise your spot. Just like you can't now. So just the get the fuck out of my way blondy, I ‘ ve got a job to do."

"I see you've learnt some colorful spoken communication rotting in Azkaban."

aspiration whipped around and punched superbia straight in the stomach. dream was reduce and wiry but the punch had weight behind it and pridefulness crumpled to the trading floor. Ambition followed it up by stamping into pridefulness's kidney.

"Learnt some other things in there too brother."ambition drew his scepter and pointed it as the groaning figure on the floor."So if I were you I ‘ d never give into the head game that you ‘ re the mightiness role player in our little co-operative venture."

Pride tried to uprise but Ambition stamped on his hair.

"And another thing…"ambitiousness leant down to speak close to superbia's ear."Our headmaster remembers which of us remained firm to him during his twelve year… convalescence."ambitiousness grinned."And you weren ‘ t one of them, brother. So you stay here and milk the crashing snake and hope you build up enough brownie decimal point to get you back in his skillful Bible. You stay here and brew the potion and I will deal with everything else !"

Ambition scuffed his foot back and forth, jerking Pride's hairsbreadth and making him grit his tooth in pain in the neck. ambition laughed and strode out of the room.
*


"Harry ? We have a… a sort of proposal for you."Fred and George had cornered him in Ron's chamber, they both had that mischievous aspect about them.

"I'm intrigued."Harry closed his book and tossed it to one slope."discerning but intrigued. Who are we going to prank ?"

"It ‘ s not about pranking anyone Harry."Said Fred at the same sentence as his brother said,

"Everyone."

"Apprehensive, intrigued and confused."

"Why don ‘ t you come up to our room Harry, we ‘ ll show you what we ‘ re talking about."Fred ushered him out of the elbow room. Harry followed a little hesitantly.

Harry was hesitant because for a recollective fourth dimension he had felt like he was building up some sort of unluckiness debt. The close three calendar month of his third year at Hogwarts had passed without anyone trying to down him ( unprecedented for Harry ) and he had even managed to pass all of his exams. In defense force he had scraped a pass on Lupin's obstacle trend ( beshrew Hinkypunk led him into a sinkhole ! ) and almost managed to not fuck up his caldron up in potions.

Part of the reason was that Snape had stopped picking on Harry in class and had even started treating him as a convention student. More than that the potions master had seemed almost cheerful at times. Harry had put it down to him planning something evil until he noticed that Snape was at his most happy the sidereal day after a minor barn owl brought him letters.

As for the other exams Harry had botched together some sort of pig-English interlingual rendition for ancient rune and avoided getting more than superficial bite wounding in Hagrid's ‘ practical'run ( they had all been given a box and asked to give what has in the box. Harry had never worked out what was in his box, he had just stuffed thing in there until it stopped biting him. Whether he fed it or suffocated it he never found out. )

Transfiguration he had blagged, History of magic trick too. Herbology had been ok because he'd been partnered with Neville and he had passed of his own natural endowment in star divination and Charms.

Of course revising hadn't been the first thing he'd done. The first thing he'd done had been to write a prospicient letter of the alphabet to Pythea. He hadn't been ably to mention the downpour of course, but he hoped he had left plenty intimation that she would know how a good deal he wanted to thank her. Of class the massive bunch of flowers might deliver also given her that hint.

He had even managed to possess a vacation where there had been no unexplained sorcerous occurrences, another number one. Harry had hiked in Switzerland for some of the summertime, nothing too serious but plenty that he was very glad of his size-and-weight-defying bag.

On one memorable occasion, miles from the dear townspeople, he had met some older American English holidaymaker kitted up with huge fleshy hiking backpacks and thick coats. He however had been carrying a lowly leather backpack while idly strumming a guitar. They had thought he was some form of new-age solitary. Harry ( or doodly-squat ‘ moon-ray'Baltzegaurd as he had introduced himself ) had played along and told them that he had been sent here by a imaginativeness ( a lie ), that the positively charged energy of the mountain would heal them ( a lie ), that his guitar had been given to him by the Dalai lama ( a lie ) and that the power of the crystals woven into his coat kept him warm ( a lie, the crystals kept the rain off. The talisman kept him warm. ). Surprisingly before they parted ways the cleaning woman began claming her arthritis had miraculously cleared up.

Harry had ended up in geneva after a few workweek of this and spent most of the respite of the summer there, lazing around the city and finishing up the schoolwork he had had no chance to puzzle out at in the mess. Plus juggle and playing the guitar for masses around the city. When he could work out how to do both at the Same time he knew he'd impress multitude but for now he just ended up tangling his fingers.

He'd come back to England a few days early to visit his champion and get his school supplies. It was now the thirtieth of august and all the marauders were gathered at the tunnel for a terminal get together before heading off to Hogwarts. Harry should have been happy, but instead he was worried, wasn't he due some unpleasantness ? And weren't the nefarious Weasley twins the perfect 1 to administer it ? True the unpleasantness he got in to was usually more of the ‘ oh god we're all gon na die'variety, but then so was the some of the stuff the Twins were into.

Harry followed Fred and St. George into their box-stacked bedroom.

"Where's secure to sit ?"Harry dramatis personae about, looking at the different boxes. It took the twins a surprisingly farsighted time to incur a ‘ safe'box. Fred and George VI sat on the position of one of their beds. Fred leant forward and said,

"We want to babble to you, Harry, about an opportunity."

"A fab opportunity."

"We think its fabulous anyway."

"And we ‘ re usually right."

"Always right. And it is fabulous."

Harry glanced between one twin and the other.

"I feel like I ‘ m being sold something dodgy here guys."Harry folded his arms and half smiled."Possibly something that fell off the backbone of a van. What ‘ s this actually about ?"

The twins looked at each early then said at the same time,

"Weasley necromancer Wheezes !"

"Actively Advocating alliteration ?"

"It ‘ s a jest workshop Harry."George sniggered and continued,"Or at to the lowest degree we want it to be."

"And we thought that perhaps-"

"-the resident physician charms-meister-"

"-would be able-bodied to assist us with some of the stuff."Fred shrugged."After all you did basically construct a Scots heather terminal year-"

"-that out-flew a firebolt-"

"-with Ginny ‘ s help."

"Oh yes with Ginny ‘ s help."

Harry rearranged the disjointed sentence into some measuring of order.

"So…"Harry began to smile as fruition hit him."You want me to help you design jokes ? Your kind of jokes ? The intriguedness is growing. What have you come up with so far ?"

The counterpart grinned and began a whirlwind tour of their electric current products, stopping occasionally to demonstrate a magic spell or spell for Harry. Usually they were magic spell that produced explosions or horrifying shrieking noises.

"And this one Harry…"Fred raised his sceptre."Is called the avgo sapios !"

Harry knew sufficiency Greek to cover his nose.
*


"So um… this is the pond."Ron said helplessly,"It ‘ s got duck in it sometimes."

"I see."Hermione was looking at him oddly. He knew he must be blushing as well as babbling like an idiot."That's… interesting. I guess."

"About as interesting as account of magic."Ron muttered and Hermione laughed.

Oh neat, now she was laughing at him too. Ron kicked a rock into the algae filled pond, it rested on the midst dark-green surface for a moment before sinking.

Hermione had left Hogwarts almost completely incinerate out, taking too many subject on top of the loup-garou chaos had reduced her to a shadow of herself. It had been especially bad during the exams which she had to revise for and hire without the welfare of the time-turner. After the live on one Harry and Ron had frog-marched her to McGonagall's situation where she dropped divination and muggle studies.

Ron had seen her a match of times over summer, the marauders sticking together even in Harry's absence, and each clip she seemed a little more lively and like her old self.

"fountainhead that's pretty much everything around here, lets just get back to the house."Ron pointed back towards the burrow."I don ‘ t trust the twins left alone in there for this long."

"They're not alone,"Hermione began walking beside him, walking close enough to make all the whisker on his arms stand up."Harry ‘ s there too."

"That ‘ s even worse."Ron shook his straits."Between them I doubt they ‘ ll be a sign of the zodiac left."

"If you felt like that why did you desire to show me around in the first place ?"

Why indeed ?

"fountainhead it was a overnice day and Neville, Ginny and the twins went to town and Harry's acting all weird and there ‘ s marshmallow coming out of the house."

"Ron…"Hermione shook her drumhead in exasperation."If you wanted to change the subject you could have-"

"No there ‘ s really marshmallow coming out of the house !"Ron pointed at the long stream of whole Caucasian froth leaking from one of the window and pooling on the background."It ‘ s the twins window. Oh god mum ‘ s gon na kill them."

The two vulture rushed to the slope of the house.

"It ‘ s not exactly marshmallow."Hermione said, sounding puzzled, as the ran into the burrow. They stopped outside the twins door and Ron opened it hesitantly. On the other side was a solid bulwark of White River, even bearing the imprint of the contours or the doorway and its handle.

"Let me see…"Hermione broke off a little bit and touched it tentatively to her tongue."… meringue ? I think its meringue."

"What ‘ s the deviation ?"

"Honestly Ron, you ‘ d think you would be at least as knowledgeable as me on the subject of food."

"What ‘ s that supposed to mean ?"Ron dead reckoning back but was silenced as a muffled voice called out,

"somebody out there ?"

Ron gingerly pushed his hand into the gruff surface towards the noise.

"smell really weird."Ron grimaced as he buried his hand up to the articulatio humeri."It's all crackly and dry."He felt something like cloth and pulled as hard as he could.

With a whale cascade of fragmented meringue a anatomy emerged from the room. It fell on the floor coughing and spluttering and spitting chunks of gummed Edward Douglas White Jr. froth out of its mouth. Ron leant forward and guessed,

"Fr… George ?"

"Yep."George II got unsteadily to his feet and looked back into his room."Oh, it didn ‘ t burst the threshold.
We were worried it had."

"What happened ?"Hermione asked, absentmindedly brushing more meringue puke off George III back."Did one of your caper backfire ?"

"No no no. Our pranks don't backfire."George said proudly."We were demonstrating the eizuckerpeitsche piece to Harry and… well it looks like he got it."

"Are Harry and Fred still stuck in there ?"Ron looked back at the fracture wall of meringue in horror.

"Fred was near the eye so he ‘ s probably well stuck, Harry was near the window…"

At that moment they all heard a unforesightful scream from outside, quickly cut off, then a thumping followed by running footsteps. A moment later a meringue incrusted Harry burst up the stairs.

"You !"He pointed at George IV and advanced angrily."What the hell was that !"

"Not my fault mate."George V put his hands up to fend of the see red vulture."You seem to have got some variety of knack for that spell is all."

"Harry how did you get out ?"Hermione asked.

"Managed to tunnel to the window."

"But you must stimulate fallen-"

"Into a pile of meringue."Harry shrugged."It ‘ s built up quite a heap out there."He turned to the Twins room."semen on, we ‘ d better start getting rid of all this stuff or your counterpart ‘ s gon na run out of air."

"And mums coming back soon."George IV said in repulsion."She ‘ ll have a fit !"

Harry grinned as Ron went sick and began attacking the meringue wall.
*


Harry ducked into the railroad train carriage and looked around quickly,

"Still no peril ?"He said wryly."Whatever the karma immortal are working up to it ‘ s not gon na be pretty."The marauder moved in after him. They were looking at each other a trivial oddly.

"Harry…"Hermione began.

"What ?"Harry checked under his posterior cushion before sitting down.

"Don ‘ t you think you ‘ re acting sort of… crazy ?"

"No."Harry crossed his legs and sat, Indian-style, with his arms crossed."Really, really no !"Harry shook his head, it was amazing how quickly the paranoia he'd developed in the years before he'd come to Hogwarts had returned. Street living was not conducive to trust.

"It ‘ s not crazy. somebody will try to kill me this year. I just know it."

"Harry you ‘ re the boy who lived."Anapurna shook her head."No one going to kill you."

"I wouldn ‘ t say that."A interpreter sounded from the loose threshold."I wouldn ‘ t say that at all."

The marauders turned in unison.

"Oh buzz off Malfoy."Padma chuckled."If you were going to kill him you would have done it ages ago."

"I will get you this twelvemonth Potter."Malfoy was uncharacteristically alone. His usual bunch of flunkies absent."I promise, by the Malfoy name, that I will get you this yr. I will piddle you pay for everything."

"The Malfoy gens represents a legacy of lies."Harry laughed and shrugged."Get out of my train car."

"fountainhead this year Potter."Malfoy licked his brim, his grey eyes shiny evilly."I will prove everyone at Hogwarts that I represent everything good about witching stock and that you are everything… everything unworthy and mediocre. This year I will point everyone. This year thrower, this year I win."

"Good destiny with that."Harry shrugged dismissively."Now move, you ‘ re blocking the trolley."

Malfoy just smiled and walked away.
*


"Welcome to another yr at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry."

Harry sniffed the water system in his glass. Poison ? No… Maybe something in the food ?

"I hope you have all enjoyed your good luck from the field of study we give you."

Maybe he was just paranoid ? Harry glanced around at the other students. Maybe he actually did suffer a chance to cause a pattern year.

"Firstly I would like to introduce Alastor Helen Wills Moody as our new defense against the darks teacher."

Harry glanced up at the board and picked out the new face. Or, more accurately, what was left of the new side. Their conclusion defense teacher had been a werewolf, this one looked like he had been savaged by one. He had also obviously lost an eye at some point and had it replaced with a magic one. Harry wondered why he hadn't chosen one in his natural color. He had seen whole shops full of eyes in Geneva. They made lots of them there, like watches.

The man apparently known as Helen Newington Wills met his regard with first one then the former eye. Harry smiled and toasted the new instructor with his glass. Anyone was comfortably than professor Lupin. Harry had tried to touch on Bridges with the werewolf during his last-place few weeks at school. He really had tried…

"Professor… Um…"Harry leant in through the door to Professor Lupin's office."Are you, you know, all set."professor lupine looked up at him, flatly."You know for tonight, total moon ?"

"Yes."Professor lupin seemed to be struggling to hold his voice flat and unemotional.

"I heard that Professor Snape makes some sort of…"

"I said yes."Lupin snapped. Seeing Harry's startled expression he took a deep breath and shook his head."My apologies. Yes Severus makes a potion for me that allows me to better manage the translation. Thank you for your kindness."

"You ‘ re welcome Professor Moony."Lupin's head word snapped up."You know, moony, like Sun Myung Moon. Because of the whole boggart thing and…"

"Leave now."Usually the lycanthrope slope of lupine was not really evident. This was not so now."Leave my part now."

"Did you eat a mad cow or something ?"Harry yelled in exasperation.

"Get out !"

Harry had backed out of the office shaking his head and never spoken directly to prof lupine again. Even worse the man had stared daggers at him during their final few lessons. Even a scarred, one-eyed man was effective than that. Besides, Harry wasn't really in a position to kick about other mass scars.

Professor Dumbledore continued,

"Professor Moody is a former auror so I am sure he has much to teach you."Harry's ears perked up, this was interesting. Unfortunately Dumbledore had finished speaking on this particular subject."I do have a second announcement to make. Something that I think you will all enjoy."

The whole schooltime perked up.

"Slitherin house is infested with cockroaches ?"

"Potions has been dropped from the programme ?"

"Filch had an aneurysm ?"

"No."The corner of Professor Dumbledore's mouth twitched up in a half grin."amend than all those things."

"Not possible."Harry called out.

"Very possible Mr Potter. I am talking about the Triwizard Tournament."The hall fell dead silent.

"Competing or hosting ?"soul on the Ravenclaw table said at only just above a whisper.

"Hosting Mr Jacobs, Hosting."

The mansion house exploded in sound.
*


"We are entering that tournament."

"Harry, Dumbledore said-"

"We. Are. Entering. That. Tournament."Harry was twitching with nervous energy."We are entering and one of us is winning."

"We ‘ re not even eligible."Hermione complained."We can ‘ t enter."

"We have not let werewolves and giant Hydra and blue wizards finish us a crashing age restriction is not going to stand in our way."Harry sat down at the marauder hold over and crossed his weapons system."We deserve this. We deserve this because we are the best in this shoal and no one has worked harder to-"

"Subvert its rules ?"

"- protect it. Than we have. So we are going to enter and we are going to win !"

The predator around the table fell silent.

"Do you think this was what Malfoy was talking about ?"Neville said suddenly."He said he was gon na shew everyone how ripe he was."

"The dubiousness will not arise because he will not be Hogwarts champion."Harry said decisively."He will not be Hogwarts whizz because he is a git. He is a git because of undeniable genetic and sociological component that have conspired to make him a git. So…"Harry steepled his fingers and grinned."As soon as this judge gets here, we're entering the tournament."
*


"Now…"Professor Moody scanned the socio-economic class slowly with his normal eye while the fake one spun and rested on different scholar before moving on."I don ‘ t stand much on ceremony so permit leap right in."

Harry felt the eye res publica on him for a moment before moving on.

"So… Army of the Pure start on curses. I ‘ ve had a missive from Professor Lupin, also one from Professor Albert Abraham Michelson and it looks like you ‘ re fairly well up on dark beast and the staple of dueling."

"More than basics."Harry mumbled under his breath.

"But what you haven ‘ t learn yet is the regretful of what wizards can do to each other."Moody shook his head."You ‘ re all living in a dreaming humans if you think you ‘ re ever safe. Last Nox at the fiesta I only saw one bookman mark off the food for poison before eating it."Moody pointed with his gnarled hand.

All eyes ( really and unreal ) fell on Harry.

"I… um… what ?"

"Don't be ashamed of it ! Be proud ! By the end of the year I expect each and every one of you to exercise Constant alertness !"He ended the conviction shouting. Harry found himself staring directly into Dwight Lyman Moody's artificial eye. He felt like he was a bug under a shiny gamey microscope. The eye scanned down to his chest."expression like you ‘ ve been given ground to be vigilante."

Before Harry had a chance to respond Moody had moved on and stomped up to the board.

"The dark arts !"Moody wrote like he was carving in rock and the chalk broke off during the s of arts."Who can secernate me a curse ? A really bad one."A few of the class put their hands up. Helen Newington Wills pointed at one.

"Yes Mr… Crabbe is it ?"He growled."Familiar name. fellow face too, I knew your male parent. Well, knew isn ‘ t quite the right word. What ‘ s yer curse ?"

"The um…"Crabbe looked like he was regretting volunteering. He seemed to absorb himself back up and smirk evilly at Harry."The pain spear."

"Odd that you should bonk that one."professor Dwight Lyman Moody ‘ s optic narrowed."No one uses that one any more. Not since the Cruciatus was invented. But no, right you are for bringing it up. You never know when the enemy ‘ s going to surprise you with something you haven't seen in a while. constant alertness !"

Moody went on to explain at duration the belongings of the pain spear enchantment. Crabbe looked disgruntled, obviously he had wanted Moody to ask him how he knew about the spell.

Harry looked down at his book and found the page on the annoyance lance. It was clear that the writer had only included it as an reconsideration, Dwight Lyman Moody already had more on the card than was in the book. Padma leant over her desk to speak into his ear,

"Better than Lupin you think ?"

"Much better."Harry agreed."He ‘ s only cracked on the outside."

"You sure ?"Padma glanced up skeptically as Moody barked out unremitting Vigilance again."He seems pretty thoroughly cracked to me."
*


The partially vs. thoroughly cracked disputation continued into the descend weeks as the students got used to Moody's aggressive teaching style. One thing was for certain, there was not love lost between Dwight Lyman Moody and Snape. Helen Newington Wills glared at Snape suspiciously every time they passed in the corridors and Snape, for his function, sneered. But all that was drown out by the rumour and voicelessness running around about the triwizard tournament.

The day the strange pupil were scheduled to arrive dawned bright and aplomb with a mizzle of rainfall covering the castle.

"It couldn ‘ t be sunny."Harry heard McGonagall say under her breath."Just for today."

Harry grinned and scuffed his feet. If the full school had been called out to recognize these foreign students they could at to the lowest degree have the decency to be on time. Harry checked the clock, alright so they weren't scheduled to arrive for another five bit but Harry had been waiting for ten so therefore ( in his psyche ) they were late.

"flavor !"individual was pointing out over the lake. Harry's jaw dropped as he saw a ship salary increase out a vortex in the middle of the lake.

"Did they fare all the way from Durmstrum in that ?"Harry heard someone behind him say and gave an unvoluntary tremor. Underwater for all that time ? Even with magical protection it made his skin crawl.

As the ship crawled up to the side of the lake Harry saw the man standing at the bicycle turn and point up into the sky behind the castle. Harry turned just in clip to see a giant carriage round the corner of the palace, drawn by whale white horses.

"Great."cerebration Harry."The competition starts with water system and flying, two things I really suck at."

He glanced over at the teacher and saw them talking frantically. Apparently they hadn't planned for both delegations arriving at the same time. After some mildly raised voices Dumbledore headed down towards the lake while McGonagall headed towards where the posture was landing. Harry considered the options and elbowed his way through the crowd in the direction Dumbledore went.

"Igor Karkaroff,"Dumbledore held his hand out to recognise the heavily robed wizard stepping out of the gravy holder."A pleasure to have you back in the country."

"Albus, it is good to be here."The man pushed back his hood revealing Ag grayness hair's-breadth and hard supercilium. He smiled in a way that never touched his sullen centre. He spoke in a heavy flourishing way that Harry was sure was at to the lowest degree partly put on."Hogwarts is ah…"He glanced up at the Charles Grey sky."… just as I remember it."

Harry chuckled and the Durmstrang Headmaster glanced at him in the crowd.

"Ah, and this would be your asterisk pupil."Harry saw the herd part in social movement of him."The famed Harry Potter."

"No no no…"Harry waved his hands grinning."The name's knave ‘ moon-ray'Baltzegaurd."

"Ah, ha ha."Igor ‘ s laugh held no passion whatsoever."We are many renown here I see…"

"Wha ?"

"Let me enter you to someone."Karkaroff motioned a frowning boy standing behind him forward."This is Viktor Krum."Harry heard pant from behind him as he shook Viktor's hand.

"Pleasure."Harry smiled at the young whizz."Are you Durmstrurn ‘ s head boy or something ?"Again the gasps.

"You don't know who I am ?"Viktor Krum asked in heavily accented English.

"Um… Should I ?"

Karkaroff snorted but Krum seemed to notice this turn of events quite amusing. He was smiling at any rate. Harry couldn't tell what was going on behind those whale pitch blackness eyebrows.

"well,"Dumbledore said, breaking the deadlock."I can already see the Beauxbatons delegation is already inside, shall we fall in them ?"
*


"Harry, that was Viktor Krum !"

"You know Ron, I did cultivate that out. And even if I hadn't the six million times you ‘ ve told me would birth tipped me off. Now can we delight concentrate ?"Harry turned to the goblet standing in the center of the Asaph Hall. He glanced over at Hermione."Anything ?"

"I ‘ m telling you Harry we ‘ re not getting past the age line."She looked up from the book on her knees and shook her head."At least not with anything I can think of now."

Harry shook his heading, there were warhead of people crowding into the entrance hall so it wasn't like they could do anything right now. If they were going to do anything it would let to be at this evening, but he had hoped to at least have a design before the palace went to sleep.

"An age potion do you think ?"Fred said behind him.

"I think Dumbledore would have thought of that."Hermione shook her forefront."I don't think any potion any fourth year or sixth year could make could get past the line."

"What if we just get one of the older bookman to put it in for us ?"Neville hazarded.

"Nope."George said as he and his Brother sidled up to them."Saw some Slitherin try that almost as soon as the goblet was out. The other gens just flew out of his air pocket as soon as he crossed the line."

"Yep,"Fred shook his head in mock sympathy."poor people chap didn ‘ t even get to put his own epithet since he tripped over his own beard and ended up out cold."

"Wait…"Padma looked paying attention."What if we get soul to cross the blood line then save our names on some-"

"Saw that too."Fred broke in.

"Yeah,"His twin continued."You don ‘ t even want to bed what happened to him !"

"Oh for Christ sake !"Harry growled in irritation."Is there at least a way to essay the line of business ?"

"Yeah, run into it."Ron suggested.

"No you idiot."Padma shook her head."Just spitball it."

"self-justification me ? You what ?"Harry's eyebrow raised like balloons.

"Like this…"Harry watched, gob-smacked, as Padma took a bare scrap of parchment out of her bag and farce it into her mouth. She chewed for a few instant then daintily took the sodden hatful out from between her lips and, without hesitation, tossed it at the goblet of fire. As the ball crossed the line there was a flash of light and the chunk shot out like a smoke, impacting on the wall behind them.

"Brilliant."Said the Weasley twins in one voice.

"We should do it again-"

"With more balls."

"With bigger balls !"

"With pyrotechnic in them !"

"Children, children…"Harry said in a calming interpreter."Lets not get sidetracked."

"It's almost curfew anyway."Parvarti looked down at her lookout then smiled."Don't headache, it'll all be alright on the night !"

"Sister…"Padma shook her school principal as she picked up her bag."This is the freakin'night !"

Harry chuckled as they left the hall then turned as he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. The owner of the deal was a boy a little older than him with blond hair and a sort of troll grimace. He was in Ravenclaw colors and was wearing a baseball game cap that read ‘ Tutshill crack'and had a crack as the logo.

"Yeah ?"Harry cocked his head teacher."Can I facilitate you ?"

"Um,"The boy bit his lip and looked around."Could I talk to you ?"

"Very cloak and dagger but ok."Harry waved the marauders off and moved into a English corridor."Who are you ?"

"St. David Mason."The boy smiled shyly."Don ‘ t worry if you don ‘ t think me. I ‘ m a friend of Cho ‘ s."

"Oh ok. stand the same squad too I see."Harry leant nonchalantly against the stone paries."To what do I owe the pleasure ?"

"Well basically…"The boy scuffed a foot on the base nervously."Me and… and some of the other guys. Not just Ravenclaw but the totally schoolhouse well… we figure you ‘ ve got a plan."

"For what ?"

"For the goblet of fire."David rubbed his hands together almost hungrily."Lots of us don't think the age limit ‘ s fairly so we figure…"He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick envelope."A couple of extra names. Just if you get the fortune you know ?"

"Hate to break it to you mate."Harry shrugged apologetically."But I don't have the svelte cue how to get through the age line."

"Really ? But you ‘ re Harry Potter ! You always… Oh, I get it."Jacques Louis David winked and pushed the envelope into his hand."Of path you don't."The Ravenclaw winked again and trotted off down the corridor.

"I really don't !"Harry called after him but that only caused the boy to work and wink conspiratorially again."Seriously !"

"Problem Mr potter ?"

Harry spun and looked up into the face of the judge that had been sitting with Dumbledore at the feast. What was his name… couch ?

"Mr lounge ?"

"Crouch."The man's heavily lined face was perfectly humorless.

"Mr Crouch, sorry. And no there ‘ s no problem."

"Not thinking of trying to get past the age line are you lad ?"He said in what he must of thought was a fatherly manner.

"No sir."Harry did his best Joseph Oliver turn of events opinion."I wouldn ‘ t do such a atrocious thing."

"Ah, of course."The Triwizard judge nodded."Of course I ‘ m sure more people would come to the tournament if the illustrious Harry Potter was competing. But we must think back that we can not pick and select the rules we wish to obey based on fleeting expediency. You understand Mr Potter ?"

"Yes sir."Harry felt it was better to stick with simple answers.

"Very well."Mr Crouch's mouth twitched into a thin smile."It was nice merging you Mr Potter."

Harry didn't relax until the man was a safe few corridors away. Harry sighed and slipped the envelope out of his sleeve. What were the statistics for teenage pump attacks ? Harry wondered. Whatever they were they had just come very close to getting one digit larger.

Harry leant against the bulwark and stared out of one of the palace arched windows at the lake below, remembering last yr. Why was it that he was forever trapped inside or outside Ward ? Last year he had circumvented them by swimming around, couldn't do that this clip. The werewolves had tunneled under could he do that ? Not without attracting a lot of attention. So that left…

Harry grinned and rushed back to the entrance Marguerite Radclyffe Hall where a single spit glob showed him how to beat out the greatest wizard in the world.
*


"All set Ginsters ?"Harry slid behind Ginny on the Chimera and checked that he had both the envelope containing the marauders gens and the one given to him by St. David Mason in his pocket.

"Yes, you don ‘ t have to occur with me you know."Ginny looked back at him, grinning in the swoon moonlight.

"You can ‘ t fly and make spitter at the Lapp time."Was the excuse Harry offered. Really he just wanted to be the one to put the names into the chalice, wanted to know first hand that he'd beat Dumbledore. Harry glanced around and saw a vulture guarding every doorway."Everybody ‘ s in position, come on."

Ginny obediently lifted them off the floor and hovered them up near the ceiling.

"Moment of truth."Harry got out some parchment and rolled it expertly before gumming it, silencing it and throwing it forwards. It landed in the middle of the age personal line of credit, right-hand beside the goblet. Harry pumped the air with his clenched fist."ceramicist 1, Dumbledore 0. Proving that I am unmitigated awesome ! Lets go !"

Ginny bit back a chuckle and carefully floated them forward until they were directly over the goblet, then took them slowly down.

"Ok, stop here. Let's not touch the storey, never know what other spells the old man ‘ s put around the place."Harry reached into his pouch and drew out the vulture envelope then dropped it into the goblet. The fire spurted up for a here and now, then died down.

Harry hesitantly pulled the other envelope out of his pocket. Should he ? Should he not ? It was only middling to feed everybody a decently chance and mason seemed like a overnice enough bloke ( if a bit weird ). He probably wouldn ‘ t be chosen anyway. Ah well, what the hell ? Harry dropped the early envelope into the flames.
*


The marauder entered the groovy hall in a huddle, all centre focused directly on the goblet.

"I ‘ m nervous."Neville admitted as they sat down at the Gryffindor table."I don't know if I want to come in anymore."

"Bit late now."Padma said dryly, but the nerves were obvious in her articulation too and the marauders quickly fell into silence.

"Whichever one of us it is the remainder of us are behind them."Harry smiled at his friends."That's for certain."

"But what if it ‘ s not one of us ?"George I asked.

"Not… one… of us ?"Harry's forehead wrinkled in mental confusion."Quit your softheaded talk George VI. That could never happen."

"Children, children…"The hall fell tacit as Dumbledore began to address."I believe the minute you have all been waiting for has finally arrived. The goblet will be announcing it's choices momentarily. I would ask you to remember that, even if you were not chosen, the tournament is still a contest between the schools. I expect to see no hard feelings, you must support your hero one hundred percent. Now…"Dumbledore turned towards the goblet.

The vestibule waited in muteness for almost a minute before the chalice ‘ s flames turned bright red and a little flake of parchment flew out. Dumbledore caught it expertly.

"The Beauxbatons wizard is… Fleur Delacour !"

Harry saw one of the Daniel Chester French little girl clap her handwriting to her face in cushion before getting up and walking towards the end of the hall.

"She ‘ s… she ‘ s…"Ron sighed inaudibly.

"What is it Ron ?"Harry asked.

"She ‘ s… just… I mean… Perfect…"Harry just shrugged. Ron looked aghast.."Harry can ‘ t you see her ?"

Harry tuned to determine the number 1 champion leaving the hall.

"Yeah ? What about her ?"

Ron opened his mouth to retort but the goblet flared red again and the entrance hall fell silent.

"The Durmstrang champion will be Viktor Krum !"

The red uniformed students rose, cheering, as their champion walked towards the straw man of the residence. Most of the Hogwarts students did too.

Harry was biting his nails, this next one was it. The chalice turned red again and a spell of sheepskin pin-wheeled out to be caught in Dumbledore's manus. As the Headmaster read it the grinning dropped from his look and his mitt began to judder. In a cold, stony part he said,

"The Hogwarts champion…"He seemed to grit his tooth."Is Draco Malfoy."

The hall erupted in tumultuousness. Harry turned, his eyes seeking out the blonde haired Slitherin. Draco seemed unperturbed by the receipt his name had received but instead stood calmly and walked towards the straw man of the Marguerite Radclyffe Hall. Before he left the manor hall however he turned and scanned down the Gryffindor table with those cold white-haired eyes. He met Harry's regard, grinned evilly and winked.


Note for francophone masses :

I have never liked how French people accents are represented in Holy Scripture, you know the `` 'Ogwarts can not 'ave two champions. '' thing. Replacing this with 'zis and stuff like that. I imagine it 's sort of insulting.

I know I cringe every time I hear a 'mockney'English accent on tv, I imagine it 's form of the same thing.

I decided to observe it in this story anyway purely because Goblet of Fire represents stress that way. I 'm trying to make this story kind of parallel the cannon Word in certain agency inluding aspect of the writing style.

If you 're offended I 'm sorry.



"Son of a bitch."Harry breathed through his teeth. He felt like his dresser was going to burst forth, he had to let the pressure out somehow."SON OF A kick !"

"Mr potter !"Harry's eyes flicked back to Dumbledore, who was looking at him angrily."Contain yourself !"

"But he is !"Harry yelled, words leaking out of him uncontrollably."harbour ‘ t you met his female parent ?"The hall erupted in laugh. Malfoy scowled but kept on walking, leaving the great manse by the same door the other fighter had left by.

Dumbledore held up his hands for silence.

"Obviously this is shocking and unprecedented."He said in an effortlessly storey voice."I remind you all that I expect you to pull behind your champion…"Dumbledore stopped as the pupil began yelling again."… or at least not openly oppose him. Now, if you will relieve me…"

Dumbledore left the still startled students and walked out through the backrest door of the vestibule, Karkarov and lady Maxim followed him. For a few Sir Thomas More consequence everyone was still then McGonagall stood.

"If you would all return to you-"But she was cut off as someone yelled,

"prof !"

The school turned in metre to see the chalice burn mark red again. A scrap of composition flew out of it and landed on the gemstone floor. For a moment no one moved to touch it then professor Snape, his manifestation indecipherable, got up from his president. His footfalls were the only audio in the hall as he walked round the high table and came to a stop in front of the little scrap of paper. He turned it over with the tip of his shoe.

"Harry Potter."He was staring down at the bed sheet, his face a clean masquerade party."It says Harry Potter."

After a moment individual started clapping, then soul else, then some more, the heavy hall exploded with applause.

"Knew it ‘ d be you Harry."Harry heard individual say as a hired hand slapped him on the backrest. crew pressure sensation moved him towards the front of the mansion house, his own brain seemed to sustain stopped working. He saw Snape pick up the scrap of paper, then induce a unretentive, whispered, conversation with McGonagall. The potions master turned to him.

"come along Potter."

"Wha… ?"Harry judgment was still reeling.

"We must submit you to join the early champions."Snape led him out of the tumultuous hall and into a short hallway. The noise from the clapping faded as the threshold closed behind them. Snape made no move to lead by the other door.

"Did you put your name into the chalice of fire ?"Snape asked urgently.

"Wha… ?"Harry glanced around, they were alone. The other mavin must be through the other door."Why are you-"

"ceramist, try to scrape up together some insightfulness ! Did you put your name into the goblet ?"

Snape seemed almost concerned.

"You seem almost concerned."Harry grinned, his psyche getting back in gear."Have those slight barn owls been bringing you drugs or something ?"Snape flinched back as if stung.

"Damn it thrower !"Snape grabbed Harry's robe."This is not a time for put-on. More is going on here than you realize. Did you or did you not-"

"Yes."Harry nodded,"I put my name in."

The potions master narrowed his heart, Harry felt the fellow pressing in his brain. He opened his mind long enough to reveal the retention of him putting the envelope into the flame then blanked it again. Snape nodded thoughtfully.

"Good."

"trade good ?"Harry asked quizzically.

"Potter the possibilities if someone else put your name into the goblet are far worse than if you put it in yourself. This simplifies things, believe me…"Snape glanced at the fight of report he was holding and frowned."… or perhaps not."

"What is it ?"

"Suffice to say I have spent long enough trawling through what you seem to think constitute essays to recognize your handwriting."Snape held out the parchment for him to see."This is not your handwriting."

"No…"Harry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach."No it ‘ s not. What the inferno is going on ?"He asked plaintively.

"If I knew that Potter."Snape moved towards the door."I would not have to ask questions."

Harry gulped and followed the potions master through the door. On the other side was another way with portraits hung all around the walls. The champions and their master were standing in the center of the room, apparently arguing. Madam Maxim was pointing at Malfoy with one of her unusually farsighted digit. They all fell soundless as Harry and his teacher entered the room.

"Severus what is this ?"Dumbledore asked pointedly.

"This is the fourth champion."Snape glanced down at Harry."Apparently."

"What is ‘ zis."dame maxim waved her hand at Harry."Some kind of trick to you here at ‘ ogwarts ? First your supporter iz a shaver, now ‘ zis ?"

"I do not conceive it is a joke."Karkarov said angrily."This so called champion."

"He is a champion. Despite what some of us might wish."Snape interrupted dryly. Harry couldn't help but think how different he seemed from a moment ago."The entire of Hogwarts saw his name leave the goblet, as did the relegation from your own schooltime. He is as lawful a hotshot as-"

"As Mr Draco."Madam maxim scoffed."Your other underage champion."

"If I may…"Harry glanced at the man of to one side who had begun to speak. He hadn ‘ t even realized Mr Crouch was in the way."The regulation are very clear. If a persons figure leaves the goblet of fire, then that person is a champion. There can be no denying that."

"Harry…"Dumbledore spoke for the first clock time."Did you put your name into the goblet of fervour ?"

"I…"Harry felt Snape's hand tap him in the belittled of the back."… No."He heard the potions master breathing spell out lightly."No I didn ‘ t. I tried but… I couldn ‘ t get past the ward."

"And you Draco ?"Snape asked Malfoy.

"Honestly sir…"Malfoy smirked."I have no idea how my name got in there."

Yes you do you slimy little… Harry's clenched fist clenched involuntarily.

"Well I believe that settles it."Dumbledore clapped his hands together."relief assured this matter will be investigated but until then… we have four champions."

Harry shook his capitulum. Why did he get the feeling that the worst was yet to derive ?
*


As they left the way Harry fell into whole step with Malfoy. Neither spoke until they were out of earshot of the instructor. Harry took a breath to steady himself then said,

"I assume that no one named David Mason really goes to Hogwarts ?"Malfoy turned to him and sneered.

"Good wasn ‘ t it."Malfoys interpreter took on a simpering step."Oh Harry, it wouldn ‘ t be middling if everyone didn ‘ t have a chance."

"Bastard."

"I planned it all out. The hat, the personality, even down to the figure. David Mason, sounds vernacular doesn't it. Sounds muggleborn."Malfoy grinned triumphantly."And you fell for it."

"I repeat. Bastard."

"A bastard who won. I said I was going to get you didn ‘ t I ? The look on your typeface when I was chosen…"

"hang on…"Harry stopped suddenly."Why were you chosen ? Don ‘ t tell me the goblet actually picked you legit ? You wouldn ‘ t leave it up to chance."

"Very good Potter, you ‘ re not quite as stupid as you look."Malfoy smiled."Ever heard of a malignant protean charm ? No of course-"

"A spell that aggressively seeks out things that look a bit like it…"Harry interrupted."And makes them count exactly like it. Oh you little…."reason dawned in Harry's heart."The names ! You cast it on the names !"

"Exactly !"Malfoy nodded."My name went in with the magical spell on it and changed all the early slips so that they read Dragon Malfoy. I didn ‘ t leave it to chance, I was the only candidate."

"whoreson is too good a word for you, I ‘ m going with rat-bastard."

"The firmly bit was making sure it only changed the Hogwarts names."Malfoy was still in fully exposition-mode."I mean it would ‘ ve looked a bit odd if I had been picked for Beauxbatons."

"Rat-bastard-wanker."

"Which is why I can ‘ t understand,"Malfoy turned to Harry, his eyes narrowing."How you were picked. My piece should cause gotten you…"

Harry said nothing, fairly sure that the protean had eaten up the scrap of parchment that had had his name on it and that the one that had eventually come out had been put in by individual else.

"You must deliver found some way to participate as another school."Malfoy said thoughtfully."Tricked the goblet into entering your figure for a fourthly school."

Mental greenback : suggest that theory to someone. Dumbledore ? No, too meddling. McGonagall ? She would go straight to Dumbledore. Helen Newington Wills ? He'd blow it way out of proportion. Snape ? … ?

"Just remember potter,"Malfoy brought him back to the mo."I know who the real Hogwarts superstar is and I ‘ m going to essay it to everyone."

"You think you ‘ re gon na win ?"Harry laughed."Hands up everyone who ‘ s fight down basilisks and werewolves… What ? Just me ?"

"I will squelch you."Malfoy took off again in the charge of the Slytherin dungeon."Mark my row Potter."

"Marked."Harry rolled his middle."Marked, signed and sealed in the bull box along with Nostradamus and UFOs."

Harry turned and hurried up towards the Gryffindor uncouth room. The castle was hollow but the portraits were whispering to each other as he climbed through towards the seventh flooring. He stopped in one abandoned corridor and quietly called,

"Myrtle…"He waited a few moments, then the glowing girlfriend slid through the floor.

"Hmm ?"She cocked her head quizzically, then giggled."I heard a rumor about you. Something about being champ ?"

Harry grinned and winked, Vinca minor giggled again.

"Knew it would experience to be you Harry."

"Marauders don't lose."Harry said cockily."As you well know."

"Because I am a marauder."myrtle said, proudly puffing up her smoky form, Harry nodded.

"I wanted to ask you something."Myrtle became unplayful as Harry spoke."Did you see anyone else go near the goblet last night, maybe before the repose of us got there or after we left ?"

"Nope."Vinca minor shook her foreland."Didn ‘ t see anyone."She put peculiar emphasis on the word ‘ see ’.

"Vinca minor ? Keeping enigma isn ‘ t nice."Harry tutted playfully.

"I didn ‘ t see anyone."The ghost repeated, smiling slyly."But one fourth dimension the threshold opened by itself, a moment later the goblet flared up like someone put something in it. Then the threshold closed."

"invisibility cloak."Harry guessed, nodding."Did you try to get a look-see ?"

"Of course."Myrtle looked offended."I followed them but I couldn't get close. I wasn ‘ t seen."She added proudly.

"I know you weren't."Harry nodded, Myrtle looked a little happier."Can you ask around the portraiture ? See if anyone saw anyone sneaking around ?"

"Of course of instruction Harry !"Myrtle beamed at being given a job and shot away through the wall. Harry chuckled, it was amazing how having ally changed a person, or a ghost.

Harry walked around the corner and stood in front end of the fat lady. The woman in the portrait crossed her arms and said,

"I ‘ m waiting."

"I ‘ m not."Harry spelled an unlocking appeal and the portrait creaked to the side.

"I wish you wouldn ‘ t do that Mr Potter."The fat ma'am shook her head.

"It ‘ s easygoing than remembering the passwords."Harry grinned as he stepped through the portrayal maw. As soon as he was through he was viciously attacked."Get off me ! Geroff !"

"We knew it ‘ d be you Harry !"

Harry pushed away the massed hordes of Gryffindor house, smiled and bowed when they cheered for him, looked up in mild shock at the posting of him they had hung above the fireplace and sought out the marauders.

"We need to talk."Harry said before anyone could unfold their mouths."Too many ears here, up to the bedroom."Harry's friends wordlessly followed him up to the boys bedchamber and he hastily sketched out everything that had happened. After he had finished the maiden thing Ron said was,

"Malfoy ‘ s gon na pay."

"I ‘ m a bit more worried about this invisible man."Padma said, shaking her head."Invisibility cloaks are rare."

"Maybe someone just really wanted Harry to win."Her sister suggested.

"Then why bother wearing the cloak."Hermione pointed out."People who hide what they ‘ re doing are usually up to something."

"Malfoy ‘ s gon na pay !"Ron repeated, apparently ignoring the conversation around him.

"Why the snake pit would someone want me in the competition ?"Harry wondered loudly."Want it enough to go to these distance ?"

"Maybe someone wants to give Hogwarts a wagerer chance."Fred said evenly, his brother added…

"Or Gryffindor."George I grinned."If they ‘ ll stay fresh helping we should put some money on you."

"More probably someone hopes they can use the tourney to off me without anyone suspecting anything."Harry shrugged."That would be More my luck."

"Harry, check being paranoid !"Hermione admonished him."You ‘ re beginning to sound like professor Moody."

"professor Moody is the most sensible mortal that ‘ s ever taught us."Harry said, to general shock."It ‘ s not paranoia if they really are out to get you !"

"Harry someone made you a champion !"Pavarti said in aggravation."It ‘ s a safe thing, this someone is trying to help you !"

"Malfoy is going to-"

"Oh pay attending Ron !"Hermione snapped."Try to keep up."

"tidy sum of money…"George IV continued.

"No one ‘ s helping him."Padma said to her sister.

"Malfoy is going-"

"They could be-"

"Money-"

"Enough !"Harry cut through the bickering marauders."We know nothing. Not enough to actually work anything out at any charge per unit. treatment at this point is useless…"Harry trailed off as Vinca minor rose through the floorboards.

"domestic hassle ?"The specter giggled.

"You find something myrtle ?"Harry asked quickly."Did one of the portraits see individual suspicious ?"

"Yes."She pointed at Harry."You. And you and you and you…"She pointed at Padma, Ginny and Ron."… and you and you and you -"

"Ok, we get the point."Harry held his hands up. He shook his head ruefully."Thanks for trying."

"But…"Myrtle did a picayune loop in the air and winked."The old Lady near the kitchens said that Helen Newington Wills ‘ s got a cloak."

"What ?"Harry jerked, startled, like the balance of the piranha."An invisibleness cloak ? Seriously ?"

"Mm Hm !"Myrtle hummed happily, obviously proud of gaining this tidbit of information."And they ‘ re not that common."

"No."Hermione murmured,"They ‘ re really rare."

"‘ The most sensible mortal that ‘ s ever taught us'Harry ?"Ginny grinned."Anything you have to say ?"

"Marauders never lose."Harry said chuckling."They are however, on juncture, dead wrong."
*


When Harry opened his center the next break of the day he groaned and rolled back over. He knew exactly what this day would bring.

"It ‘ s him !"

"It ‘ s Harry !"

"The whiz !"

"Yeah yeah yeah, and no I will not give a bloody autograph !"Harry fended off a bunch of Gryffindors."Y ‘ d think they had never met me before."

"That's character of it Harry."Hermione said sagely.

"They haven't met me ?"Harry said quizzically, eyeing a camera-wielding Colin Creevy."I ‘ m indisputable I ‘ ve met him."

"But Harry you ‘ re very dear at making people forget you ‘ re Harry Potter."The two of them moved out of the park room on the way to ancient runes."What I'm saying is that they just got reminded."

"Forgetting I ‘ m Harry ceramist ?"

"You know…"Hermione waved vaguely."Juggling, joking, making everyone flavor at ease, people forget you ‘ re a renown. It ‘ s not deliberate…"

Harry winced, it was often entirely deliberate.

"But that ‘ s not to lay down people forget."Harry ducked behind a courtship of armor as a group of bookman passed by, then continued,"That's just… you know… breaking the ice."

"Like with Ginny ?"Hermione grinned slyly.

"Like with Ginny."Harry nodded, unfazed."Ron told you about that ?"

"Yes."

"On one of your petty walk ?"

"Yes."Hermione's optic narrowed.

"On one of your romantic base on balls ?"

"Harry !"

"What ?"Harry grinned as Hermione shoved him irritably."Weren ‘ t they romantic ?"

"We discussed ducks."Hermione said flatly, not meeting Harry's middle."And ponds."

"Ze art of seduction."Harry affected a French accent."It is truly dead."
*


After runes the two of them met up with the other marauders down in the potions classroom.

Harry had already decided that he'd let Snape in on what they'd found out and was torn between apprehensiveness and curiosity. Snape had obviously turned some kind of new foliage but they had never pressed to see how far that change went. To play it safe he actually tried during the potions lesson. He still failed but at least nothing exploded this time. After division he lingered by his desk, putting away his stuff very slowly.

"Something you want Potter ?"Snape looked up from his desk.

"Um…"Harry waited a check for the terminal educatee to get out then said."I ‘ ve had an estimate about why my public figure might take come out of the goblet."

"Yes ?"

"If someone entered me for a one-fourth school."Snape appeared paying attention and Harry pressed on."That would ensure I got picked, and it would explain why there were four champions."

"Interesting…"Snape tapped the end of his pen on his lip thoughtfully. Wait… ! Harry did a three-fold take in subject his eyes had deceived him. Snape was using a pen ! It was an antique looking natural spring pen but still… Snape interrupted his thoughts."Of track that would mean that the literal champion was Draco."

"Probably no way to testify it."Harry said quickly.

"Actually-"

"No way to prove it at all."Harry grinned, for a moment he could have sworn he saw the bound of Snape's mouth twitch up.

"Perhaps not."Snape shook his head."In any typesetter's case finding out who did put your name in and why is of not bad importance."Snape's hand moved to his arm involuntarily, like a reflex.

"job ?"Harry asked. Snape shook his head, his eyes downcast.

"Premonition."

"Not usually very reliable those."Harry chuckled.

"This one is."Snape didn't seem to find like he had to add anything else but something clicked on the boundary of Harry's memory.

"The iniquity fall guy ?"Snape's head whipped up.

"How do you know about that ?"He asked harshly.

"I…"Harry opened his oral fissure to respond but realized with shock that he had no mind how he had heard about the dark mark. It was all there though, the mark in the sky meant Death, the mark in figure stand for servitude."I must have… learn it… somewhere…"

Snape had strode around the table in an insistent and grab Harry by his shoulders. This metre it didn't feel like a little pressure in his mind, it felt like a hammer.

"Stop ! It hurts !"Harry yelled.

"Stop occluding your thinker !"Snape growled, jerking Harry's fountainhead back to keep eye contact.

"I ‘ m not !"Harry pushed Snape away but kept eye contact, deliberately relaxing his thinker. Snape opened his mouth in jounce, memories flashed past times for a few moments before Snape broke the connecter and sagged back onto his desk.

"Satisfied ?"Harry snarled, breathing hard.

"Not even slightly."Snape shook his question, he also seemed out of hint."I couldn ‘ t see how you know about the mark, or that I have one."

"I told you. I must have read it somewhere."Harry shook his head."Why do you have one anyway ? I mean why did you get a death eater ?"

"Youth. stupidity. Misplaced rage."Snape stood slowly and rolled his sleeve back. The mark was exactly as Harry remembered it except greatly faded. If Snape's bark wasn't so pale it would be almost invisible.

"Why did you leave ? Why defect to Dumbledore ? I assume that ‘ s what you did or you wouldn ‘ t be here."

"Why ? …"Snape cocked his promontory and a sliver of a smile appeared on his expression."Surprisingly the reason is something that is not of the slightest importance to me anymore. But rest assured I am no longer vernal, pillock or full of misplaced rage."

"It ‘ s well placed you mean ?"Harry dug slyly.

"It ‘ s more… channeled."Snape stood and brushed his robes with his helping hand before walking to a cabinet behind his desk and getting out a diminished vial of blue potion."I am drear for invading your mind so roughly. This should help with the pain."He held out the vial.

"You taste it first."Snape's eyebrow quirked up quizzically."constant vigilance."

Snape chuckled and tope a goodness deglutition of the potion before handing it to Harry who gratefully chucked back the respite. His headache disappeared almost instantly.

"Is it getting darker ?"Harry asked.

"Slowly."Snape nodded."I have yet to tell Dumbledore. He may react unpredictably."

"Know what that's like."Harry chuckled."Do you guess Voldemort or maybe the death eater have something to do with the goblet and me ?"

"We don ‘ t have the info to make that legal opinion right now."Snape waved his hand as if batting something away."Although I always believe it prudent to prepare for the worst."

"Yeah…"Harry said, but he had thought of something. He bit his lip and looked at Snape thoughtfully.

"ceramist ? What are you thinking ?"

"Just wondering how far our new armistice goes."Harry glanced back at the door to check no one was listening."If I were to ask for veritaserum…"

"You have a defendant ?"Snape guessed."And you wish to question them to be sure."

"That would be a safe assumption."Harry replied evasively.

"Tell me who it is and I will do it."

"You would never get close enough."Harry grinned."I think I can."

Snape regarded him silently for a few moments then moved back to the potions cabinet. He muttered a work under his breathing space and a draftsman appeared out of the side. Snape reached in and drew out a tiny nursing bottle, barely more than a thimble.

"Three drops is all that is necessary."Snape pressed the bottle into Harry's hand."display no one else. secernate no one you have that."

"Thank you."Harry curled his finger's breadth around the little bottle."I ‘ ll tell you how it plays out."Harry moved off towards the threshold but stopped just before opening it.

"Out of interest…"He asked, looking back at his teacher across the empty schoolroom."Whose is that little barn owl ?"

"None of your business Potter."

"Ah…"Harry tapped the side of his nose."She must really be something…"

"She is."
*


Harry didn't have a lesson with Moody until Friday, which meant that he had to carry that little bottle around the unharmed time, a minuscule bottle of carry-able jumpiness. He constantly weighed the risks of hiding it somewhere with the risks of having it found on his someone but in the end come down on the face of the latter. Besides, his coat had a few pockets that would elude all but the most aggressive searchers.

When the lesson actually came about Harry was gritting his tooth, he still didn't know if this was a respectable estimate, or even potential. It wasn't too late to return the bottle to Snape, or to line up somewhere to cover it and save it for later.

"Something bothering you Potter ?"

Harry looked up from his desk into the facial expression of the ex-auror.

"No, nothing."Harry shook his straits."Well…"

"Yes ?"

"There is something I want to ask you, but after the lesson."Harry made himself take care down and put a little taking into custody in his spokesperson."If you ‘ re not too busy."

"Hmm."Moody scratched his chin."Well, whatever it is it isn ‘ t keeping you from taking preeminence is it ?"

Harry looked down at his pageboy, it was empty except for a picayune ink draught of a cottage.

"Would you believe invisible ink ?"

"No."

"Didn ‘ t think so."Harry reached for his quill. After the lesson he stayed quiet, with his bag not even packed. The marauders already knew he had something planned and left him be but…

"You not leaving Harry ?"Harry turned and saw Susan ivory paused near his desk.

"Getting an extra credit essay."Harry replied glibly.

"You ? Doing an extra credit essay ?"Disbelief radiated from the Hufflepuff."You don ‘ t even do your normal essays."

"I do so."

"Without copying from Hermione."

"I-"

"Or Padma."

"Oh."Harry cocked his head and shrugged."Does it really weigh what I ‘ m up to ?"

"Just wondering what happens if the schooling ace is expelled."

"One of the schoolhouse champions."Harry corrected."The entirely human star granted but still…"

"Oh no one in Hufflepuff believes Malfoy ‘ s really a champion."Susan rolled her eye."No one in Ravenclaw either. You didn ‘ t know that Harry ? You ‘ re usually wired into the rumour Mill of this school."

"I ‘ ve had a lot on my mind."Harry conceded. He actually never listened to rumor, that was Parvarti's job and to a lesser extent Ron ‘ s."The mill can run without me for a while."

"Of course."Susan nodded and moved off. She paused to say,"We are all rooting for you you know."Before turning towards the door.

Interesting. Harry smiled thoughtfully as he watched her walk away, his eyes drifting down a minuscule. Very interesting. Why hadn't he noticed before how-

"Potter."Harry whipped his promontory around. Moody was looking at him shrewdly."I know I said invariable wakefulness but…"

"Don ‘ t coating that sentence Professor."Harry grinned."Unless you want me to start mentioning that nigh conjuration center can be made to see through clothing."

"I don't use that setting…"Moody replied gruffly, then winked."…any more."

Harry laughed and a moment later was joined by his teacher.

"So,"Helen Wills, walked back to the teachers desk and motioned for Harry to sit nearby."What was it you wanted to talk about ?"

"Oh yeah."Harry made his voice dip a footling."That."

Harry swallowed and took a deep breath.

"My parents."

"Ah."Moody shook his headspring ruefully."Sad business sector Potter, very sad, but I ‘ m not the one to spill to. I didn ‘ t know them before the war-"

"I don ‘ t want Thomas More anecdotes."Harry dilled up the aggression, it had to search like he had been stewing over this for a while."Not more school stories. I want to know how they died, the hale story. Details."

"Why ?"Moody asked bluntly."Why do you need to listen about your parents execution ?"

"Because it ‘ s something no one else seems organize to verbalise about."Harry shook his question angrily."You were an auror, you also knew them. Fair bet you examined the planetary house rightfield, investigated ?"Harry knew Helen Newington Wills had been involved in the investigation, he left zip to chance.

"Yes I did."See ?"But I ‘ m still not sure you want to know."

"I don ‘ t want to. I need to."Harry pleaded, putting a little Fe into his voice."It ‘ s a fair bet Voldemort's not done having an influence on my life. I need to jazz how it began."

Moody shook his head and grimaced.

"Don ‘ t know where to begin."He reached down and took a swig from his hip flask. Harry grinned.

"You can get down with the goblet of fire."

"What ?"Dwight Lyman Moody shook his pass as if to clear it. His magic eye was rolling listlessly and the other looked milky and unfocussed."The goblet ?"

"Yes, did you put my name into it ?"Harry asked, flatly.

"No."Helen Newington Wills answered in a monotonous tone. Harry closed his centre, that meant he had made a mistake, which meant he was screwed.

"Did you get someone else to put my name in ?"Harry asked desperately."And where ‘ s your invisibility cloak."

"No, I do not lie with who put your name in the goblet of fire."Moody said, again with no emotion."My cloak is in my chest, there."He pointed with one gnarled finger.

"Ok, that's not good. For me."Harry looked up at the clock. With the dose he gave the issue would only last a few Thomas More seconds."Please don ‘ t putting to death me."

Helen Wills just continued his attenuated stare, then he blinked and shook his head. Realization dawned in his centre and Harry saw him grapple his scepter tightly. In a flash the ex-auror whipped it around and Harry felt roach pin his coat of arms to the chair.

"How did you do it ?"The professor asked, coldly.

"Lifted the flask from your pocket. Put it back later in the lesson."Harry replied evenly. Being sorry wouldn't get him out of this, being heartfelt might."Managed to break the piece you used on it too."

"That a fact."Moody reached out and emptied the flask onto the floor, the piddle sparkled in the light from the window."And why did you do it ?"

"I found out that the person who put my name in the goblet did it under the back of an invisibility cloak."Harry crossed his limb."They ‘ re uncommon, and you, the lofty owner of two, had just come to Hogwarts. That seemed like too practically of a coincidence."

"And what have you learnt ?"

"It… was a coincidence."Harry conceded."It wasn ‘ t you."

"What else ?"

"Eh ?"Harry was genuinely confused.

"What else ?"

"Um… I don ‘ t know. Sir."Harry added.

"You always disarm individual when you ‘ re questioning them."Dwight Lyman Moody flicked his wand again and the Mexican valium fell loose."Even in they ‘ re potioned. That was slapdash Potter, very sloppy. I ‘ m disappointed in you."

Harry's jaw dropped.

"But… you mean… you ‘ re not mad ?"

"Mad ? No, no, no,"Helen Newington Wills waved the dubiousness away."You had suspicion you acted on it. I woulda done the same."

"But I got past your Department of Defense, I could have poisoned you."

"Better you do it than one of my foeman, oh and by the way…"Moody smiled like a tiger, for once both eyes focused on Harry."I ‘ ll need a six whorl essay on how you broke the magic spell on my flask."

"Six scrolls ?"

"Make it ten."

"Eep."

"Don ‘ t worry Potter, it ‘ ll be over before you know it. Or in other words it ‘ ll be over tomorrow as that's when I ‘ ll be expecting the essay."

"Oh."

"On the plus side though Potter, I trust you now."

"WHAT ?"Harry exploded, spluttering in disbelief."I spike you and interrogate you and now you trust me ! ?"

"Yeah, well more than I did."Helen Wills nodded.

"Why ?"Harry asked aghast.

"You had me drugged and I ‘ m still alive. substance I have proof you ‘ re not trying to down me."Helen Newington Wills said this as if it was the most legitimate affair in the world.

"I was wrong."Harry shook his capitulum in disbelief."You ‘ re nuts. You're crazy. You ‘ re completely bloody gonzo."

"Yeah ?"Moody leant in towards Harry's face."fountainhead so are you."

"Possible,"Harry conceded."I did once saltation onto a moving train."

"Ha !"Moody snorted."That's nothing. Try a moving dragon."

Harry laughed and shook his head, this had turned out alright after all.

"Eh ?"Moody said, furrowing his hilltop."Don ‘ t you have a deterrent example to get to."

"Yes, but it's puppet so I was actually marginally safer staying here and drugging you."

"even so."Dwight Lyman Moody gestured at the door."You ‘ d best be going. Don ‘ t forget that essay."

Harry nodded and walked away from the desk. As he reached the door a thought struck him and he turned back.

"You didn ‘ t ask me there the potion came from."

"Oh I think I can guess."Moody grew serious.

"You ‘ re not happy ?"

"Constant watchfulness Potter."Moody said"living your allies close-"

"-and my enemies closer."Harry rolled his eyes."I know."

"That's not it at all !"Moody said with sudden heating system."donjon your allies close ceramicist, but watch them even closer."



Please review, It 'll make me compose faster. Pavlov told me so !


banknote for french masses 2 : Ok, this chapter actually contains people speaking in french. I should discourage you that I do not talk Daniel Chester French. Well, I do a bit but GCSEs were a long time ago and I only got a B. In any case the French in this chapter is almost certainly wrong, sorry. If you want to assure me the right on translations i 'll put them up.



Harry propped the book up in front of him and tried to make the words stay in one place rather than fading out and becoming one long boring blur.

"This, this is concern Harry."Hermione yawned and pushed another al-Qur'an over too him."It makes your cutis all stiff so affair can't scathe you."She yawned again and put her hand up to her mouth.

"Go to bed."Harry told her, sighing."You don ‘ t have stay up with me, I ‘ m the bloody champion."

"No Harry I like looking up… stuff…"Hermione yawned again, breaking up whatever she was going to say.

"Without knowing what the first labor is it ‘ s pretty useless."Harry closed his book wearily and rested his chin on it."And I know you consider breaking into the library tantamount to sacrilege."

"It ‘ s alright if it ‘ s for the tournament"Hermione rationalized."Do you want me to get More Holy Writ ?"

"No, I want to pay up."Harry shook his head."Lashkar-e-Tayyiba go back to the tower."

They packed their clobber and Harry spelled the lock on the subroutine library back closed. He was about to call on down the corridor when a light appeared near the early end and Harry pushed Hermione back into the library.

"Who is it ?"

"No clue."Harry shrugged and closed the door quietly. He put his ear to it as the spokesperson got closer."Beaxbattons students I think."

"How do you jazz ?"

"They ‘ re public speaking French."Harry whispered as the visible light passed outside the door."Talking about the 1st task."

"Ho… Wait you speak Gallic ?"Hermione whispered hoarsely.

"You gave me the musical phrase books for my birthday."

"But I didn ‘ t think you ‘ d actually use them !"

"You learn languages a lot quicker with wit sharpening potion. Had the basics down in under a week."

"That ‘ s cheating !"Hermione said, sounding scandalized.

"Did someone invent new rules while I was away ?"Harry suddenly frowned."That didn't sound like a student."Harry cracked the door and slinked out after the retreating voices.

"Ce n'est pas juste."Harry silenced his feet so he could move faster after the retreating voices and heard Hermione do the Sami behind him."Nous devrions dire les autres concurrents !"

"That ‘ s Delacour."Hermione hissed into Harry's ear. She sounded oddly spiteful."What ‘ s she saying ?"But Harry waved her into secretiveness as a buirdly voice began speaking.

"La fraude fait partie des règles. Il toujours a été."

"Madam Maxim ?"Harry guessed, Hermione nodded."She ‘ s saying that cheating ‘ s part of the rules."

"I bet Fleur's going along with-"

"Fleur ‘ s controversy, but it sound like whatever it is it ‘ s already been done."Harry leant around a street corner and jerked back as he saw the two French woman stopped in the corridor beyond.

"Non !"Fleur was saying angrily."Vous me forcez à choisir entre mes morales et mon école."

"She ‘ s not happy."Harry shook his heading."She thinks Maxim ‘ s forcing her to cheat."

"Puits que tu connais maintenant."The headmistress said matter-of-factly."Ne tu inquiéteras pas à son sujet. Tu dois penser au dragon."

"dragon ?"Harry broke into a grin. He turned to Hermione."See this is why I eavesdrop."

"Cheater."She smiled though.

"Tu as une stratégie ?"madam Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim asked."Tu pouvais le distraire. Tu-"

"Non !"Fleur drew herself up."Je ferai le repos moi-même."

"Comme tu souhaites."gentlewoman Maxim said and they began to walk back towards where the two marauders were hiding. Harry moved to walk into the corridor but Hermione grabbed him.

"Harry what are you doing ?"She hissed angrily.

"Headgames !"Harry grinned evilly and stepped out in front of the two woman."So… dragons eh ?"

Their jaws dropped.

"Thanks for the tip !"Harry grinned and winked at his feller champion then turned to the Gallic headmistress and with a face said,"Tu es un idiot et tu es un hypocrite. Tu accuses des Hogwarts de la fraude mais tu triches la toute première chance que tu obtiens."

"You little… !"Madam Maxime spluttered incoherently but Harry cut her off and switched to English.

"well cheat all you want, doesn ‘ t matter. As you know now I am everywhere in this school. I will experience if you cheat, I will jazz everything you do. So it all works out the same in the end."Harry turned back to the startled girl Delacour."dependable luck with the dragon."And with that he turned and walked away.

Well, he walked until he reached the first quoin, then he started to run.
*


"thrower ?"

Sleepy.

"ceramicist !"

Ok, not sleepy anymore, just faking.

"Potter get up !"Harry jerked theatrically and raised his brain off his desk to look at Professor McGonagall.

"Sleepy Professor,"Harry grinned."I stayed up late doing very important title-holder stuff."

It was actually honest, he had indeed been spending every night researching ways to deal with large, enraged, fire external respiration reptiles but he hadn ‘ t had a lot luck. well-nigh of the books had the unhelpful assumption that you would be part of a team of wizards dealing with these creatures. If he could just find one that assumed you were a scared, shortsighted, fourteen class old who wasn't much good at DoD against the coloured arts or care of magical beast he would be set.

"fountainhead that doesn ‘ t get you out of concentrating on your lessons."She pointed at the crystal ball that he had transfigured part way from a tortoise. It still had legs and a prat and was blindly butting against Harry's transfiguration textbook."Complete the transformation or at least turn it back into a tortoise, it is just cruel to leave it like this."

Harry shrugged and tried to cease the transfiguration. Two of the stage disappeared, and the poor affair balanced on the other two before toppling and almost rolled off the table before Ron caught it. McGonagall moved away muttering about ‘ champions'and ‘ idiots ‘ using the Lapplander flexion for each.

"Well we can strike transfig'off the dragon-taming possibilities."Harry accepted his tortoisphere back from his friend and tried idly to pass water the remaining limbs disappear.

"I could write to Charlie."Ron offered. He had managed to nominate a watch crystal tortoise that looked like it should be in some seaboard gift shop.

"Don ‘ t, I ‘ m cheating just by using you guys."Harry made the fanny disappear and sighed."I should just run in and start cursing it. Pain spear ‘ s worked before."

"You ‘ re not allowed to use morose illusion Harry."Neville reminded him from his early side."It ‘ s restricted by the rules of the tournament or something."

"And it probably wouldn ‘ t work."Ron cast the spell again and got a one shot clump of tortoise shell."Draco skin is-"

"Very, very thick. Also curse-proof."Harry interrupted."I know."Harry slumped back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. He closed his heart and massaged his temples, he had a stabbing headache from all the poring over and former nighttime. If he propped his Holy Scripture up and fell asleep…

"Mr Potter !"

"I ‘ m awake !"Harry shook his top dog. The socio-economic class giggled.

"What I meant Mr Potter."McGonagall continued."Is that you are needed in the third floor arithmancy classroom. Do you experience where it is ?"

Small slatted window that doesn't ringlet properly ?

"I know it."Harry nodded."What ‘ s this about ?"

"Very important champion stuff."McGonagall narrowed her eyes."Now."

Harry gathered his stuff and hurried out of the room. Since it was family clock time all the corridors were hollow and Harry made it to the schoolroom without seeing anyone. Wondering what this could possibly be about he pushed the door open.

"Ah, Mr ceramist. So serious of you to unite us."Mr Crouch had stood up when he entered. Dumbledore and the other Headmasters were also there, as was a witch in neon greenish robe he didn't recognize. She had a calamus and paper out and looked like she was currently grilling Krum. The Bulgarian, for his part, seemed resigned to this and was answering her monosyllabically. Fleur and Malfoy were no where to be found.

"What an I joining you for ?"Harry asked."If it's a political party then you ‘ ll penury more nibbles. I skipped lunch."

"This is the weighing of the wands ceremony."Mr Crouch said calmly, ignoring Harry's flippancy."Don ‘ t worry it ‘ s mostly a formality."

wand weighing ? Harry took out his verge, it looked alright. A bit scuffed here and there but then so was he. Harry heard the door open and turned,

"What is this ?"Malfoy stood in the doorway with his bag."Why was I called ?"

"Just the wei-"Dumbledore began but was interrupted by the Green River robed witch.

"Mr Malfoy,"She stood and held out a hand in one motion."Rita Skeeter. Pleasure to meet you, if I could just-"

"My father has a several very good lawyers."Malfoy interrupted her suddenly."So if you print anything libelous…"

"Mr Malfoy,"Rita Skeeter held her hands to her bureau as if she had been hurt."You insult me, the multitude want to hear from their whiz. Champions."She added, glancing at Harry with a crocodile-smile.

Scanning for insincerity : insincerity detected.

Harry contorted his face into a worry smile.

"If I could take over the both of you for a moment."Skeeter pushed them both back out the doorway and into the classroom opposite."There now, that's more well-situated. None of those old jurist and officials."

"Everything she says is a lie."Harry thought to himself."And you had meliorate watch what you say too."

"Do you mind if I use a quick quotes quill ?"

"Yes."Malfoy said at the same metre as Harry said,

"No."Harry noticed that Malfoy was looking slightly worried so followed up with,"I mean ‘ no don ‘ t use it.'”

"Oh,"The reporter looked disappoint, then brightened up slightly."I hear you two have a little rivalry going."Harry opened his mouth but Malfoy answered before he could speak.

"I wouldn't prognosticate me beating him at every form a competition."

"Whatever."Harry shrugged.

"You ‘ re not going to argue Potter ?"Malfoy sneered at him.

"Nah, make up any lie you want."Harry shrugged again."That's what she ‘ s gon na do."

"well Mr Potter,"Rita Skeeter asked smoothly."Do you think you, a mere twelve twelvemonth old, can follow in this competition that has clamed the lives of star quondam and wiser than you."

"I don ‘ t know."Harry scratched his drumhead."The fact that I intend to chicane outrageously may help."

"You…"Rita Skeeter's eye's lit up."You're going to jockey ?"

"I already have !"Harry replied happily."Say, do you think that Karkarov guy ‘ s unfastened to grease one's palms ? He looks like a man who enjoys the finer things."

"Potter…"Malfoy hissed from between clenched dentition but Harry ignored him.

"Of course of action It'll be easy to bribe him using all the stolen property that I own. Would you like a diamond necklace ?"

Rita's quill feather was moving so fast she was tearing the paper.

"I can always find more through my blanket criminal contacts."

"Potter stop now you id-"Harry winked at Malfoy, shutting him up.

"Of course my primary election pursuit remains kitten-smashing."At Skeeter's shocked side he continued."Yes, kitten-smashing. It ‘ s kind of like a sportswoman, you use a special lodge. Baby seal of approval as well, and cunning petty chipmunks. Deer, Struthio camelus, endangered marmosets, ponies, dolphins that sorting of thing."

"Mr Potter…"The reporter's eyes narrowed.

"What ?"Harry grinned."If you ‘ re going to make up lies about me they might as well be entertaining. How about saying I ‘ m a vampire or a German Nazi or that I have two heads and one of them speaks fluent Italian."

"Don ‘ t play this game with me Mr Potter."Rita Skeeter tapped her quill feather against her quill against her notepad."You won ‘ t win."

"Yes I will."Harry smiled."predator always do, in the end."

"Am I interrupting ?"Their three heads turned to see Barty Crouch in the doorway."We ‘ re ready for you now."

Harry smiled and wandered out off the room, leaving the startled reporter behind. As he walked back into the arithmancy classroom he noticed that two more multitude had arrived. Fleur Delacour he was expecting, the other was more of a surprise.

"Mr Ollivander ?"

"Mr Potter, so expert to see you again."The old man looked the same as he had on the day, four years ago, that Harry had bought his sceptre. He wasn't acting as oddly however.

"You ‘ re doing the wand weighing ?"Harry guessed.

"I am Mr Potter, I am."He held out his paw and Harry grudgingly surrendered his wand. As soon as it left his hand he found himself feeling paranoid, almost naked. He kept eyeing up bits of article of furniture for their potential as weapon system should someone lash out him.

"Your… this wand seems to work quite adequately."Mr Ollivander said slowly, looping a long gilt laurel wreath out of the tip."Of track, if you were in the food market for another…"

"No."Harry shook his head before the scepter Jehovah could once again try to force a different wand on him as he had at their first get together."That one ‘ s served me pretty good. I ‘ ll control stick with it if you don ‘ t mind."

"Very well."Ollivander shook his head and handed the wand back."I don ‘ t understand it but…"He spread his mitt and shrugged.

Everyone else in the room kept shooting Harry odd flavour for the remainder of the scepter deliberation, everyone except Dumbledore.
*


As Harry was walking away from the weighing when he heard a representative behind him.

"Do you have a instant Mr ceramist ?"Harry turned to see Barty Crouch."If I were you I would not undervalue Ms Skeeter."

"I don ‘ t underestimate her, she overestimates herself."

"Perhaps so."The justice nodded."But she has the potential to cause you real harm."

"No she doesn ‘ t."Harry interjected."Sticks and Harlan Stone and all that, I ‘ ve survived sorry than bad press."

"I am worried about you Mr Potter."Mr Crouch moved up to abide following to Harry."There is more than one reason we increased the age demarcation line on entry to the tournament. I fear you are too vernal to stand up to the scrutiny."

"Me ? Harry boy-who-lived Potter ?"

"Ah, yes."Mr Crouch chuckled a minuscule."Perhaps you are right on that score, but nevertheless a certain grade of maturity is expected, even requisite, and I worry that perhaps you do not have it."

"I ‘ ll hold my end."Harry said, vaguely insulted.

"Do you feel adequately physically and mentally prepared for the first undertaking ?"Harry thought that an odd question, but answered anyway.

"No, not entirely."

"Well I can ‘ t return you advice of course."The old man nodded."Just remember that no one is expecting you to win. Just by doing well you will possess exceeded everyone's expectation."

"And by winning I ‘ ll exceed them even more, and win some money !"

"Just take it slow,"Mr Crouch told him."A sizeable score is better than being injured so you can not compete."

"The only respectable score is winning."Harry grinned like a tiger.
*


Harry woke lazily the side by side day and ignored the auditory sensation of people going down to breakfast. This weekend had been a long tome coming and he was going to bask it.

On the way down to breakfast though he got an odd foreboding feeling. His intuition were confirmed when he walked into the keen hall and all conversation ceased. Harry walked down the Gryffindor table to his friends in total secrecy and sat down in the empty seat they had left for him.

"Explanation ?"Harry asked quietly, the room was still almost deathly silent.

"Um, we think Malfoy may feature talked to Rita Skeeter after you left."Hermione was holding a newspaper nervously, kneading the paper with he hands."He said some things and they printed some things…"

"Give it here."Harry reached out and grabbed the composition. He quickly scanned down the text…

… fellow whiz Drako Malfoy says that everyone in Hogwarts knows they're just afraid to say anything."He hides it but everyone knows. I mean that ‘ s why he ‘ s so short and weedy."The hansom sixteen year old said"And it explains the hair."This reporter has seen evidence to back up these contention and can reveal to you now the trueness about Harriet Potter…

Harry burst out laughing. In the absolutely unsounded great hall it sounded extra loud as Harry guffawed in great breathy gulps.

"Harriet Potter !"Harry dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"It ‘ s not good story Harry."Hermione said.

"Yes it is ! Look, they ‘ ve even doctored a characterisation of me."Harry pointed."I ‘ ve got tenacious hair and breasts and everything… Actually I don ‘ t flavor half bad… But come on no one ‘ s gon na think this."

"You never know Harry."Ginny said from the early incline."masses tend to swear the Daily Prophet."

Harry had a thought and grinned. Without a word he stepped up onto the bench then up onto the Gryffindor table.

"aid Hogwarts !"Harry yelled, he felt all eyes come to land on him."By now nigh of you will have read the Daily Prophet, or have heard about it from someone. And unless you ‘ re deaf you ‘ ve heard how I regard these hearsay. I have just two things to say, any guy who doubts me can get kicked in the nerve ( don't laugh I know where you all sleep ). And for any girl who doubts I ‘ m male a manifestation can be arrang-"

"MR POTTER !"The shoal giggled as McGonagall stood from her place at the high mesa."My power ! Now !"

"Thank you, thank you. I ‘ ll be here all week."Harry sauntered out of the hall, waving at the laughing bunch as he went. The hold up thing he saw before he left was the morose look of murder on Malfoy's case and decided to rub salt in the wound."And Draco next time you try to attack me imagine of things that would hurt me not that would have hurt you. You care about reputation. Me ? I don't hold a crap what anyone thinks !"

"MR ceramist !"

"I ‘ m going I'm going."Harry grinned and walked out. The students laughed again, some even cheered.
*


The prophet was forced to impress a retraction the adjacent day after 100 of people wrote in to kvetch. Unfortunately Harry didn't have sentence to savour the triumph as the first task drew closemouthed and closer.

"I ‘ m screwed."Harry slid another account book back into the library bookcase and looked along the shelf for former dragon related Quran."I am royally screwed."

It was the day before the firstly task and Harry had made an executive decision to ignore all his lessons that day. His sentence could be far better used and he figured his teachers wouldn ‘ t mind, or wouldn ‘ t find out till too late.

Harry sighed. Or maybe they would and he'd be thrown out of the competitor and saved the indignity of being roasted live in figurehead of the entire school.

He had nothing. Not one idea.

"I should just rush in."Harry thought, shaking his foreland."Start cursing, worked with the basilisk."

"Yes,"Said a minuscule snide part of his mind."But the basilisk almost killed you."

Harry took down another book only to realize he had already read it and slammed it back into the bookshelf in anger.

"problem Miss potter ?"Harry heard the snide drawling voice and sagged tiredly.

"None Daisy Mayflower."He turned to Malfoy and crossed his arms."Shouldn ‘ t you be in lessons ?"

"Last class ended half an hour ago."Malfoy shot back condescendingly.

Harry felt his heart droop. He had thought he had more than time than that, he must accept lost track. He caught sight of the script in Malfoy's helping hand and his eyes flickered to the blatant gap in the shelf following to him. He saw the Slytherin's cold Charles Grey pair couple him.

"How did you find out ?"Harry asked levelly.

"discovery out what ?"

"About the dragons Malfoy. Don ‘ t play games."

Malfoy smiled.

"My Padre noticed that the ministry was putting licenses through for flying dragon treatment equipment and tartar animal trainer and dragons."

"That is damming evidence."Harry shrugged."Got a strategy ?"

"Like I ‘ d tell you."Malfoy scoffed."A petty flying lizard doesn ‘ t bother me."

"You almost sound like you mean that."Harry pretended to shift weight while actually bringing his wand around to put up."Lets see… Legillimens !"

It was like hitting a rubber wall. Harry felt his genial probe rebound off an Occlumency barrier like a tennis ballock off a tank and had barely a second to compose himself before the counter attack hit his mind like a pneumatic drill.

"What the sin ? !"Harry blanked his nous before any memories floated up. After a consequence the drill receded.

"How daring you half-blood !"Malfoy spat at him."Don't even cogitate of trying that again. You ‘ re obviously an amateur compared to me. Just like you are at everything else."

"acquiring deterrent example from daddy are we ?"Harry kept his wand trained in case of another attack.

"I ‘ ve been an Occlumens since I was eight Potter."Malfoy said through gritted teeth."Don ‘ t try to get into my mind, the very thought disgusts me. Even after a bomb try I feel like bathing."

"I ‘ m shocked you know what a bath is Daisy."Harry shot back."We all thought you just-"

"SHUT UP ! Just because the seer printed a recantation doesn ‘ t mean you ‘ ve won !"Malfy cracked, raising his wand."So don't joke don ‘ t make snide comments, you are still going down. This tournament may be a trick to you but some of us care about preserving the laurels of their names."Malfoy shook his drumhead fiercely and lowered his wand a fraction.

"You won ‘ t win ceramicist. You might as well quit now."Malfoy sneered at him."It ‘ s a Dragon, you can't trick it or lie to it or prank it or sneak your way past it. You can ‘ t win. Just give up Potter, while you still can."

Malfoy turned and strode away, disappearing between the shelves. But Harry had begun to grin.

"Why the hellhole not ?"
*


Harry mustered together every troy ounce of arrogance and cool he had to keep himself walking forward towards the pavilion that had been erected near the edge of the timber. He glanced to his right and saw Malfoy coming up from another direction, surrounded by a crowd of Slytherins. Some of them were wearing badges bearing Malfoy's smirking face.

Harry reached the tent and swallowed hard before entering.

"gladiola you could get together us Mr Potter."Barty Crouch greeted him with a grinning. The other champions were already there. Krum was sitting stoically, staring full-strength forward. Fleur looked green and had one paw pressed to her tum."Nervous ?"

YES ! Of trend I'm bloody nervous ! I'm about-

"No, no sir."Harry answered out loud."I think I ‘ ve got it covered."He even managed it without his spokesperson quavering.

"Ah and you are here too Mr Malfoy."Crouch said as Malfoy barged in through the curtain."Then let us get started."He reached over and picked up a small bag. Harry noticed with a gulp that it was squirming.

"The task once you enter the stadium is to retrieve a golden egg from its guardian."Crouch explained in his dry bureaucratic part."Inside this bag are four statutes. You will each take one from the bag, at random. The statue should separate you both what this guardian is and will also have a figure on it representing the order you will go in."

And first to the gallows will be…

"Miss Delacour…"Crouch held out the bag and the Gallic lady friend put her manus in tentatively. She drew it out and revealed a small amobarbital sodium dragon statue, currently gnawing on her thumb."The Swedish short snout."

Fleur looked at the little thing in her deal then raised her mentum in determination. But Harry saw a ghost of scare in her eyes.

"Looks almost cute."Harry commented, looking at the Draco."Face looks kind of like a squirrel."

Fleur glanced again at the thing in her mitt then looked at Harry in disbelief.

"Well… a bit."Harry grinned and saw a half smile in return.

"Mr Krum."Crouch hurried them along. The Bulgarian stuck his hand into the bag and drew out a long red-gold dragon, dangling it by its behind."The Chinese Firebolt."

Krums locution didn't alteration, if anything it just became stonier.

"That's a weasel."Harry pronounced definitely ( babbling so he wouldn ‘ t hit a total nervous partitioning )."A Squirrel and a Weasel."

"Mr Malfoy."Crouch held the bag out again and Malfoy carefully removed a silky looking Black person dragon."A Hebridean Black Mr Malfoy."

Malfoy seemed to be trying to keep his boldness ridged and unemotional, he was taking deep breaths through his nose.

"And you Harry."Crouch held out the bag and Harry reached in quickly and grabbed the last squirming statue. He held it in his clenched fist as he brought it out, said a understood prayer to anyone listening, then opened his hand.

"The Hungarian Horntail."Mr Crouch pronounced tonelessly.

Harry closed his hand again and pumped his fist into the air.

"YES !"

The three other champions were looking at him like he was crazy.

"Mr thrower,"Crouch spluttered."You do have intercourse about that type of dragon don ‘ t you ?"

"Read about ‘ em, yep."Harry nodded.

"And you ‘ re well-chosen ?"

"Yep."

"Potter you ‘ re insane."Malfoy said icily.

"Yep."

"Well…"Mr Crouch seemed a little flustered but motioned Malfoy towards the exit to the tent.

Harry watched them leave and took a bass breathing time. He sat down Cross legged on the packed world and tend rachis against a tent pole.

"You are very confident."Krum said in his heavily accented voice.

"I ‘ m not worried."Harry said as he heard his racing substance beating in his ears.

Harry tried to blank out the sound of the crew outside and the commentary of the reviewer. He tried to breath deeply so as to calm his brass. It didn't work.

"Mr Krum if you please !"Harry heard the whistle and wished Krum good destiny as he walked out of the tent.

Thomas More minutes of growling and snorting passed and Fleur began pacing the level worriedly.

"It ‘ ll be alright."Harry told her as the crew quieted down and the heaps were put up."You got the easy dragon."

"Easier."She replied without looking up.

"Just think of it as a hulk fire-breathing squirrel."

"‘ Ow can you be so calm !"She said to him angrily."‘ Ow can you joke about zis !"

"I joke about everything."

The whistle blew a instant later and Fleur was gone too, gone to face up the tartar. Harry got up and began pacing himself. He gripped his wand and began rehearsing what he would do again.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

What the Scheol ? Everything could go wrong !

Harry squeezed his eyes shut as he heard the sing sound. He couldn't do this.
*


"And the last-place genius, HARRY ceramist !"The vocalization cried over the loudspeaker.

Professor McGonagall, like everyone else in the crowd, looked towards the collapsible shelter. A gust of current of air flapped the bound of the canvas tent. No one came out.

"Um… Mr Potter ?"

No one came.

That wretched boy. She shook her pass, this had obviously been too much for him. The bunch had begun whispering now.

"Do you wish to go down there Albus, Or shall I ?"She turned to the headmaster, who was oddly smiling."One of us will have to find him."

"Oh I know exactly where he is."Dumbledore chuckled.

"You see it too ?"Moody cackled from the row below."Damn kid ‘ s got nerve I ‘ ll give him that."

"What are you talking about Allastor ? Albus ?"Minerva looked from one to the other confused.

"Barty Crouch told me that Harry was oddly happy to receive the Horntail."Dumbledore smiled."I did not quite understand that until now. The horntail is the most fearsome dragon in the world, but it ‘ s sightedness is quite poor."

discernment dawned in Minerva McGonagall's idea and she turned to glance over the area once more. After a moment she saw it. A low, human shaped ball, perfectly camouflaged against the sand behind it, shimmering as it edged towards the dragon.
*


Harry shifted a pilus finisher. He had silenced his feet to get rid of his footfall but there was still the risk of something shifting or crunching. He could find out extremity of the gang beginning to laugh now, he didn't tutelage. They'd know the Truth when he snagged the egg right out from under the belly of the matter. And besides, the more dissonance they made the better.

The Horntail suddenly shifted, raising it's nose high. Harry froze in a crouch. It sniffed the air.

shucks ! Harry froze. He had hoped that by keeping the nothingness in his font would have kept his feeling from the beast. Apparently not, that meant he would give to tramp a piece, which would rouse the matter and reveal his position. But it would notice him anyway if he didn't. Too bad he didn't know non-verbal magic.

Harry drew his wand and tensed his legs. The Disillusionment appealingness worked Charles Herbert Best when you stayed still but it wasn ‘ t perfect tense even then. The dragon would see through it once it got a clue where to look. He would have to displace the instant he cast or he would be crispy-fried.

Harry took a deep breath and yelled,

"Avgo Sapios !"The swarm of green hummer gushed out of his scepter and smacked the flying dragon on the snout but Harry was already throwing himself sideways and rolling to a crouch on the floor.

Which was golden because a moment later the gumption where he had been standing was reduced to a white-hot sheet. The dragon swept its lance of flame across the arena, passing just human foot in front line of Harry's face. Harry saw the Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin steam and aplomb from blue-white to red, then to a duller, glassy, finish. A scar across the land. Harry forced himself to breath again, shallowly.

He moved his head slowly to attend at the dragon, it was shaking its head from side to side as if to dislodge the foul olfactory perception that had taken up mansion house in its nostrils.

When Harry was for sure it was looking the other way he hopped over the burnt belt and crouched down on the former position. A gasp went up from the crowd, they must make seen him when he passed over the burn off patch.

"Don ‘ t get it agitated."Harry thought desperately as he inched closer."Just keep quiet."

"HEY Dragon !"

Bugger.

Harry rolled to the side in scare as the firedrake gouged another flaming scar across the sand. He realized belatedly that the downside of choosing to approach the Dragon from downwind was that it put the Slytherin stands at his back.

"OVER Here !"

Harry ducked as a bolide flew over his head. He risked a glance back to see it bear upon on a shield. The stands seemed to still down a bit, perhaps realizing the amentia of attracting the care of an wild dragon.

Harry inched forward again and had to dip as it's spiked tail whipped through the air. He could see the egg now, glimmering in among some duller single. Harry crawled silently up near the dragons side of meat and looked up. The wall of the great reptilian's body gave way to the massive shading canopy of it's wing. He was right up next to it now. If he screwed up it would step on him.

Harry reached into the little gap between the floor and the shifting belly of the Horntail. His finger's breadth curled around the golden egg. He twisted it and brought it out horizontal, making for certain not to have-to doe with the dragon. Like that biz, what was it called… operation ! Except with his life on the line.

Harry held his intimation as the egg finally saw the spark of day and swiftly stuffed it under his T-shirt so it would be camouflaged. He slid backwards slowly then froze as the dragon stood and shifted. Harry followed it's gaze and saw a dozen keepers approaching.

"No !"Harry thought."They ‘ re not that stupe ! Please NO !"

"Stupify !"

"AAaaaa !"Harry screamed and threw himself backward as the dragon collapsed right onto the ground where he had been crouching. A moment later he was driven to the story as its annexe crumpled on top of him. Harry crawled out from under the leathery blanket, forced himself to stand on leg that wanted to crumple like plastic stubble and stumbled towards the dragon keepers.

"What the hell…"Harry growled."Was the big idea of dropping the dragon on me when I ‘ m still bloody under it !"

"Sorry Harry."The red-head at the figurehead of them shrugged."You ‘ re kind of hard to see."

Harry looked down, he was still Disillusioned. Harry raised his aching arm and tapped himself on the drumhead with the tip of his wand.

"Khamaileon akyrono."He felt the warm dribbles down his head painfully slowly. They stopped before they even reached his stomach."Oh great…"Harry sagged his half-visible body.

"Let me Potter."Harry flinched as somebody tapped him from behind. He turned and looked up at the scarred expression of Mad Eye Moody.

"I got it to go on in one go."Harry explained, swaying a fiddling. He was bruised on every side and his left arm didn ‘ t want to bend properly. He turned and saw McGonagall approaching from the bandstand and tried to stand a little straighter.

"ceramist, are you hurt ?"She said, an edge of fear tingeing her phonation. Harry raised his forget arm."first-class ! You ‘ ll get more than points for being uninjured."

Harry swiftly jerked his arm back down and brushed the malicious gossip off the strawman of his robe. Mad Eye leant down and whispered into his ear,

"Arm broke Potter ?"

"No, just hurts like hell."Harry breathed back. He eased it into his air pocket, wincing slightly."Maybe fractured."

"You gon na order them ?"

"Hell no !"
*


Harry held hard to the banister as he walked towards the marauders. He was surrounded by cheers, hoi polloi kept slapping him on the back ( painfully )

"That was awful Harry !"Harry heard someone yell and waved back, smiling wanly. He managed to pee it to the free bum by the marauders and sat down.

"That really was awesome."Ron said from his left hand."I mean we couldn't even see-"

"Yes that was the point."Harry joked."Sort of the point of invisibility."

"That was really good you know Harry."Hermione said from behind him."Much better than Malfoy."

"That's a given."Harry grinned."What did he do ?"

"Made some kind of mirror out of mist."Padma shrugged as if to say ‘ no big business deal ’."Made the flying lizard fight it ‘ s own reflection."

"Did it work ?"

"Until he got close to the eggs."Padma grinned evilly."Then it caught on and flamed him. He only just got the egg. They gave him thirty points."

"Deserved two."Ron muttered angrily.

Harry shrugged, then winced as a stab of pain shot through his arm. The crowd fell still, Harry looked up towards the judges box. brothel keeper Maxim raised her wand, after a moment a sinuous five sprung out.

"Passive aggressive revenge bitch."Harry growled.

Next Crouch nodded thoughtfully and tapped a nine into the air.

"That ‘ s more last to awesomeness."

Next the heavyset justice Harry didn't know raised his baton with a flourish and painted an eight. A moment later Dumbledore raised an superposable eight.

"Better…"

Karkaroff seemed to think for a moment, then drew a three in the air.

"Blatant undisguised favoritism."Harry narrowed his heart."It ‘ s like bloody Eurovision."

"XXX three."Neville said, counting on his fingers."Is that full ?"

"It should have been higher !"Ginny said angrily."You were the only whizz not injured !"

"Yeah…"Harry tried not to think of what marker he would experience got if they had known about his arm.

"It must accept been how long you took/"Hermione said reasonably."You were slower than the others."

"You beat Malfoy though !"Parvarti said cheerily ( ignoring Ron as he turned on Hermione and began arguing )."And Fleur."

"Krum ?"

"Got forty."

"bugger. I ‘ ll get him next time."Harry felt his hurt and aching arm."You see if I don ‘ t !"
*


"So let me get this flat Harry."lady Pomfrey sighed,"You beat the dragon…."

"Yes."

"Left the stadium."

"Yes"

"Then on the way back to Gryffindor tower…"

"Yes."

"You happened to go down down a flight of stairs of stairs."

"Yes."

"Seriously Harry ?"

"That's my story."Harry grinned."I ‘ m sticking to it."



Translations ( I think )

"Ce n'est pas juste. Nous devrions dire les autres concurrents !"
This is not proper. We should tell the other challenger !

"La fraude fait partie des règles. Il toujours a été."
cheating is part of the rules. It always has been.

"Non ! Vous me forcez à choisir entre mes morales et mon école."
No ! You force me to opt between my morals and my school day

"Puits que tu connais main renter. Ne tu inquiéteras pas à son sujet. Tu dois penser au dragon."
Well you know now. You will not care about it. You must think of the dragon.

"Tu as une stratégie ? Tu pouvais le distraire. Tu-"
You have a scheme ? You could distract it. You

"Non ! Je ferai le repos moi-même."
Not ! I will do the balance myself.

"Comme tu souhaites."
As you wish.

"Tu es un idiot et tu es un phoney. Tu accuses des Hogwarts de la fraude mais tu triches la toute première fortune que tu obtiens."
You are an retard and you are a hypocrite. You accuse Hogwarts of fraud but you cheat the very beginning chance that you get.



The Ivan Petrovich Pavlov thing is working ! More review article please !


I do n't own Harry Potter. Neither do you. Unless you 're J K Rowling, which is unlikely.



"Shut that damn affair off Harry !"Ron yelled over the screaming.

"Alright, alright."Harry snapped the egg shut and the inhuman screeching ceased as it always did."Just trying to work the thing out."

"wellspring can you not do it in our bedroom."Ron grumped, rolling out of bed. Harry chuckled and replaced the egg on his nightstand."Have you at to the lowest degree found out something ?"

"There ‘ s nothing to find."Harry shook his head irritably."I've run every catching I know on it, there ‘ s no exit or word, nothing else magical on it at all. The thigh-slapper isn ‘ t cover for something or a defense lawyers. The scream is the subject matter, I just have to decrypt it somehow. Unless the entirely thing's a braincrank."

"A trick ?"Neville translated, sitting up in bed."You think it really could be ?"

"doubtfulness it. Too elaborate."Harry shrugged."Guess I just have to do more things to it."

"Tried kicking it ?"Ron suggested.

"‘ Course, that was the initiative thing I tried."

"Maybe that ‘ s why you can ‘ t regain anything now."Neville said, frowning."You broke it."

"Doubt it,"Harry sighed."I have reports that cold-blooded wow have been heard from the gravy holder the pusher and the Slytherin dungeon as well. I ‘ m not the only one stumped."

"That ‘ s something."Neville said encouragingly."You ‘ ll employment it out eventually."

"Maybe…"Harry wasn't so sure. He had needed a Hogwarts founder to help him work his last puzzle. He dismissed it from his intellection for another morning."You think the girls are waiting for us at breakfast ?"

"Probably."Ron groaned, and stomped off towards the bathroom.
*


Eventually the three of them managed to get down to breakfast. Just in time for the chain armor run. Harry caught Digger on his radiocarpal joint and was feeding him a spell of Baron Verulam when he was surprised by a letter of the alphabet falling into his lap.

"You got a letter ?"Hermione leant over curiously."Who ‘ s it from ?"

"I don ‘ t know…"Harry began but his eyes narrowed as he recognized the acid super acid ink."But I suspect."

He tore open the letter and read the pale lettering.

To The-Boy-Who-Thinks-He's-Won

Well we'll see about that Harry. Don't think that just because I had to print a retraction you've won. Don't think that for a moment. I have been very in use digging up dirt on you and your fellow champ and you won't like what I've found. You will regret insulting me Harry Potter, I can bury you ! And I will, you just check !

Bests Rita Skeeter.

Harry tore the varsity letter up and sighed.

"Rita Skeeter."He answered."She ‘ s going to cause a lot of trouble for me I can tell."

"I seriously doubt that."Padma commented dryly from over the top of the Prophet.

"Why ?"

"She ‘ s dead."

"What ! ?"

Padma offered him the newspaper and Harry grabbed it hurriedly. The obituary was quite enceinte and, befitting the womanhood it was about, good of magnification. Once Harry had scanned it once or twice he had gleaned the literal data out of it. Apparently she had been found in her home by her boss after not showing up for work on Monday. The Aurors had been called in, official cause of death…

"Heart attack ?"Harry said incredulously, Padma nodded."That ‘ s bull ! She was… I don ‘ t know… maybe thirty five twelvemonth old."

"She had a very trying job."Padma shrugged.

"Or maybe it was karma."Ron said through a mouthful of toast. Hermione looked torn between being disgust at his way and impressed that he knew what karma was.

"I think it ‘ s good riddance."Ginny cut in emphatically.

"I think it ‘ s fishy."Harry folded the paper and handed it back."God knows the fair sex must have made decent enemies."

"Maybe it was one of you ‘ re fan club."Ginny joked.

"My fan club doesn ‘ t have a belligerent wing."Harry paused."That I know of…"

"Could be useful."

"True, my own army…"Harry grinned."I could rule the worldly concern !"

"Maybe,"Hermione rolled her eyes."But after transfiguration."
*


Harry decided to actually wreak that lesson. It was something he did occasionally, just to shed his teachers off the scent. They were still working on the tortoise to orb and most of the grade could do it now. Harry's orb still had a bit of a hexagon blueprint but it wasn't bad.

"Mr Potter."McGonagall said suddenly.

"Yes professor ?"Harry said, confused. He hadn't done anything lately she would be interest in."What is it ?"

"I was simply going to ask if you had acquired a partner yet. Since you are opening you will be representing the school day. Try to reverberate well on us."

"pardner ? Opening ? Representing ?"Harry's brow furrowed in confusion."What are you talking about ?"

"The Christmastime Ball Potter."McGonagall said simply. Most of the class was watching now."As title-holder you will be opening."

"You mean… Dancing ?"Harry cringed.

"Yes."

"Alone ?"

"With a partner."McGonagall replied in exasperation.

"In front of the school day ?"Harry felt his stomach swoop.

"Yes."

"I think I ‘ ll pass."

"thrower you are the… one of the Hogwarts paladin. You must open up the dancing and you must ingest a partner."

"What ? You gon na tie me up and force me to trip the light fantastic ?"

"We have ways."McGonagall said, her eyes narrowing.

"I ‘ ll just turn up without a partner."Harry countered.

"In that case I will accompany you Mr Potter."

"You do that…"Harry crossed his coat of arms."And I will go to the globe naked."

The classroom salvo out laughing.

"As will I."

The room became deathly silent. Harry nodded slowly.

"Touché, nicely argued."He complemented."And I ‘ ll have a pardner by the end of the day."
*


Harry wandered down the to the lower trading floor of Hogwarts that evening and found the kitchens corridor. Glancing around for a moment he approached the still-life.

"Stoic."Harry said, and the painting dissolved into the air. Harry stepped in and spoke the password again to close the vena portae. He stepped into the Hufflepuff common way. It looked different than he remembered, probably the lack of snakes… and fire. several people started looking at him, then more, then every eye in the place turned to him as he strolled across the cellar. He did the natural thing. He ignored them.

He walked calmly over to the set of couches where the Susan castanets was sitting.

"Hey Susan."He smiled in greeting.

"Hi. Um…"She scratched her drumhead."How did you get in here ?"

"Password."

"But how did you acknowledge the password."

"I know all the passwords."Harry shrugged."Slytherin's is privilege. Ravenclaw ‘ s is… complicated. The prefect bathroom ‘ s still pine tree fresh and Dumbledore ‘ s role is Chocoballs… for some reason."

"But… How ?"Susan asked aghast. Harry realized that most of the unwashed room was listening.

"You were a chosen."Harry winked."Not a vulture. Don ‘ t expect me to reveal all my secrets."

The room sighed and Harry felt oculus move away from him.

"So… why are you down here ?"Susan asked."Are we under attack by snakes again ?"

"Not that I know of."Harry glanced under the mesa."Nope, nothing."

"So what are you here for ?"

"What ? I can ‘ t just sojourn ?"Harry grinned.

"Hufflepuff or me ?"

"Currently… you."Harry grinned again."There ‘ s this dance… thing… at Christmas."

"The Yule Ball."Susan's eyes widened.

"Yeah that."Harry shrugged."Apparently I need a partner on account of being some kind of champion character thing."

"Are you asking me ?"

"Do I need to be more obvious ?"

"Yes."

"Yes I ‘ m asking you."

"Then…"Susan swallowed nervously."…yes ?"

"Was that a motion ?"Harry sniped, smiling..

"fine. Yes I ‘ ll go with you."

"Capital. That ‘ s great."Harry grinned."But I should go now. citizenry are staring at me."

"Well you are a celebrity."

"It ‘ s a burden I have to bear."
*


In the next few weeks Harry was extremely glad he had got it out of the way earlier. In the following few week a veritable fury of ball febricity swept Hogwarts. Girls huddling in corners, whispering. Discussion of apparel robes. very smell of veneration and dread and cold, sick, jumpiness on the face of every boy. Harry was glad to be well out of it.

Course he would be gladder if everyone else had got the memo…

"Leave me alone !"Harry slid into a hush-hush passage and bounded along the short passage."I ‘ m taken !"He could still discover pounding metrical foot and giggling behind him. He shot out from behind a tapestry ( startling a chemical group of students ) and cracked heart-to-heart another passage behind a painting. He closed it behind him and leant against the bulwark, breathing heavily, as the succeed girls ran past. As the sound faded into the distance he breathed a suspiration of relief.

"You too yes ?"Harry spun around but relaxed as he saw Viktor Krum sitting cross legged on the storey in the passageway. He had a set of books spread out in strawman of him. The Bulgarian shrugged and continued."You vill get used to it. Or you vill become quicker at running."

"And you ‘ re used to it ?"Harry grinned and sat down opposite the Durmstrum champion."Then why are you hiding in a passageway."

"It is only vay to get a moment of peace."Krum flicked a page and continued meter reading. After a present moment he glanced up."You did well vith the Horntail."

"Not as beneficial as you. Thirty three points."

"You should not have… irritated… the she-giant."A grin flickered onto Krum's face.

"Possibly not."Harry conceded."You worked out the egg yet."

"Perhaps."Krum replied, revealing nothing."Have you ?"

"Perhaps."Harry grinned."I worked out that kicking it doesn ‘ t work."

"First thing I tried."

"Me too."Harry walked back up to the room access and listened, it sounded pretty hush."How long you intending to stick around in here."

"I don ‘ t know. Vhen is your Christmas glob ?"Krum shook his header and sighed."I should ask someone. picking mortal that has not been asked yet. Perhaps that will make them stop foll-"

"It doesn ‘ t."Harry interrupted."Trust me."

"Oh…"Krum shook his head."Then I will have to research some honest locking charms for my cabin."

"Try these."Harry pulled beyond allohamora out of his bag ( it sometimes helped to take a bag in which he could carry everything he owned )."It mostly deals with unlocking but it ‘ s got some timber stuff in there."

"Thank you."Krum nodded solemnly and looked back down at his books. Harry checked the entrance once more then left carefully.

"What is it about me ?"Harry wondered idly."That lets me get on with the champions but royally pisses off the judge ?"
*


"Damn it !"Harry dropped the egg back to the surface of the marauders tabular array. The inky black goo he had smeared on its airfoil had revealed nix."Doesn ‘ t study either. It was supposed to discover mystical messages."

"That thing doesn ‘ t have a secret message."Ron groaned on the early slope of the table."It has one message. And we ‘ ve all heard it lots of times, like at the crack of dawn."

"8 is not the fling of dawn."Harry sighed and rested his head on his manpower."And I don ‘ t see you doing lots better."

"It was working before you got here."Ron complained, prodding at the lechatelierite formal in front of him."Maybe the egg did some thing to it !"

"Or maybe you ‘ ve got it upside down."Parvati commented from the early side of the table. Ron groaned and scrunched up his bit of parchment.

Harry would have made a sneering comment but he didn't think he had the energy. The egg was eating at him.

"Ron…"Anapurna continued."You really involve to do it soon."

"Do what ?"

"Ask someone."She shook her head."You really involve to do it soon or she ‘ ll be… I mean all the upright lady friend ‘ ll be taken."Parvati amended quickly with a wink at Harry.

Ron ( oblivious ) squirmed uncomfortably.

"It ‘ s not that easy."Ron shrugged."I ‘ m not Harry, I can ‘ t just stray into soul's common room and ask someone."

"But you-"Parvati began but Harry interrupted her.

"time lag postponement wait. Did I just hear a marauder express… self… doubt… ?"Harry shied away in horror."No no no no no ! This will not do !"

"But-"

"No buts !"Harry cut him off."You are a marauder, that means you are at least six billion clock time better than anyone else. You will go out and ask Herm… the girl you want to go with. Right now ! Or I will call in a personal favor from Viktor Krum and have him ask her first !"

"You don't even know who I ‘ m-"

"Legillimacy."Harry lied.

"That ‘ s illegal."

"Since when have I cared ? Ask her."

"That's cruel."

"Ditto. Ask her."

"Harry-"

"She ‘ ll say yes."Harry grinned."trustfulness me."

"Are you sure ?"Ron looked almost convinced.

"Yes."Harry looked to Parvati for backup and she nodded emphatically."Definitely yes."

Ron nervously folded his workplace unto his bag and left the common room. Harry checked the clock on the wall.

"fivesome thirty so Hermione will be coming back from the library… Give ‘ em ten minutes."Harry and Parvati shared a grin and went back to their respective work.

Ron was in fact back in less than five minutes.

"She said yes !"He was blushing love apple red but grinning.

"Congratulations."Harry shrugged."Surprised you found her so quick."

"She was in the dandy hall. Lavender ‘ s usually down to dinner early."

"La… Lavender…"Harry froze. Across from him he say Parvarti's nerve twist into a grimace of shock and surprise."Lavender brown ?"

"Yes ?"Ron's brow furrowed."Are there any other Lavenders in the school ?"

"Um… yes… in… fifth year… Slytherin. Just making for certain you weren't asking her."Harry lied quickly."You know, letting the team down and such."

"I ‘ d never ask a Slytherin."Ron laughed."That would just be stupid."Ron laughed again and headed up the staircase to the boy bedroom.

"Yeah, that would be stupid."Anapurna said acidly, sounding for a consequence like her sister.

"You also thought he ‘ d ask…"

"Hermione."

"Yep. Thought it was obvious."Harry shrugged."Oh well."

"Oh well ! ?"Parvati repeated indignantly with her hands on her hips ( Harry braced for shouting )."What do you mean Oh well !"

"We were wrong."Harry said simply."It happens. It ‘ s all alright."

"It ‘ s not alright !"She shook her caput."He ‘ s going with the amiss person !"

"He ‘ s going with the person he asked."Harry pointed out."That ‘ s not the ripe individual ?"

"No."

"Well tough."Harry waved the problem away."Nothing to be done now."

"Unless…"Parvati grinned maliciously, or tried to anyway. It didn't really work on her."We do something about it."

"Oh no…"Harry buried is brass in his hands.

"We need to make surely Ron and Hermione go together."

"Do we have to ?"

"Yes."

"If they find out they ‘ ll kill us."Harry pointed out."You know that right ?"

"How come when you want to do something insane you rope the ease of us in but when I want to you just complain ?"

"Oh I didn ‘ t say I wouldn ‘ t do it."Harry grinned evilly ( doing a far best job of it )."I ‘ m just saying we have to be careful."

"Yay !"Anapurna ran around the mesa and hugged Harry."I knew you ‘ d sheepfold !"

"Get. Off. Me !"Harry disentangled himself from his friend."Do you get a architectural plan ?"

"Well…"Parvati tapped her chin thoughtfully."Lavender's essentially a limpet."

"Nice."

"Thank you. I figure we can persuade her to let go of Ron if we dangle something else in front of her face."

"Like what ? Or who ?"

"Michel Corner I think."Annapurna nodded."She ‘ s liked him for ages."

"Does he like her ?"

"He will once I ‘ m thru talking him into it."

"I like this new malicious side of you."Harry nodded approvingly."Do I have any part in this little escapade or do I just sit here nodding ?"

"You need to go on anyone from asking Hermione until Ron does."

"Gotcha !"Harry saluted."political campaign of deterrence and threat coming right up !"

"Subtly Harry ! She can ‘ t know !"

"Who do you take me for ?"

"Sorry."Parvati smiled."Oh, and you ‘ ll pauperization to talk to Neville too."

"Um… why ?"Harry asked, confused."Is he gon na ask Hermione ?"

"No silly. You need to convince him to ask Padma."

"I thought this was about Ron and Hermione ?"

"I ‘ m expanding the scope."Parvati shrugged."He won ‘ t need much urging. He already likes her."

"DOE she… ?"

"Of course."Parvati said patronizingly."You haven't noticed ?"

"And Ginny ?"Harry said wearily."Got a design for her too ?"

"She ‘ s too young."

"Not if we find her a date."Harry pointed out.

"No I mean too young to date."Parvati said primly."We have to protect our short babe ‘ s innocence for as long as potential. She ‘ s not a parting of this."

"I wish I wasn ‘ t a contribution of thi-"

"Harry !"
*


surgical process shamelessly-manipulate-our-best-friends was at least adept for one thing, it distracted Harry from the bloody egg.

It was just a few sidereal day before the Yule lump and the plan was… well it was working but that wasn't the compass point. It was working a piddling too well.

Lavender had been successfully unstuck from Ron and re-adhered to Michel Corner. Once Ron came out of his moping phase Harry was confident he could prod him towards the powerful girl. The subtle intimidation was harder but legilimacy helped to identify potential scourge very effectively. Once they were picked out Harry was able to get the boys alone to explain some ‘ home true statement ’. Like how she was already dating a sr. boy she met on holiday. Big bloke, huge muscles.

"This had better bloody work Parvati."Harry muttered to his co-conspirator one day on the way back from creatures."‘ Cos if he doesn't ask her no one will now. I've had to build Hermione ‘ s imaginary swain up into some sort of vengeful superman to contain people asking her."

"What ‘ s the latest tale ?"Anapurna asked, interested.

"He ‘ s from spain. The academia Atsingani."Harry shrugged."He ‘ s an amateur sorcerer bullfighter. have his own sword and shotgun."

"Wizard bullfighter ? With a shotgun ?"

"It doesn ‘ t have to be likely it just has to be scary."

"wellspring he ‘ s going to take to schmooze his girlfriend back."Parvarti said knowingly."Because Ron will ask her. Believe me."

"Bet ?"

"Galleon."

"Done."Harry sighed."At least this way I can build something back out of this mess."

"It ‘ ll all work out."Parvati grinned."trustingness me."

"Don ‘ t say that."Harry shook his head."I know I say it… but don ‘ t."

"You can ‘ t complain…"But Parvati trailed off as they all began hearing a sound in the distance."What ‘ s that ?"

Harry perked his spike up. A few paces in front of them the respite of the marauders stopped too. It sounded like a whole punch of mass yelling and moving, but behind that there was a low rumbling and…

"telling ?"Harry said incredulously.

"More like chanting."Parvati disagreed.

"It sounds like chorale singing."Hermione said from in front of them.

"It ‘ s coming from out front."Harry hurried forward."net ball go !"

As one they rushed forward. As they neared the doors other students began to link up them, teachers too. As they ran out onto the sens in strawman of the school Harry realized that the unscathed schoolhouse was already out there, yelling and pointing. Harry saw Dumbledore gazing up into the sky, a look of wonder on his face. The former school caput flanked him, just as awed.

In the sky above Hogwarts floated a miracle of White marble. newspaper column, delicate as glass, flew up from a shining base and met a golden full stop above. Delicate traces of mirror-like ash grey snaked and shimmered over the control surface, sending out rays of rainbows as it turned in the sun. The unscathed affair looked like some gigantic watch crystal, floating on White person mist and breathing out beautiful euphony as it sank lower and low-down and finally settled to the ground on the Gunter Grass just inside the school day gates.

Harry started forward but was brought up short as Dumbledore held up an arm. The schooltime watched in rapturous quiet as a procession emerged from the floating palace. White-robed women walked side of meat by side, carrying flaring magical common mullein. They split apart a minuscule as they left it as if to make a track for someone in the eye. As they grew closer Harry saw that there was a figure in the eye, belittled than the other robed physical body but wearing a crown of Stan Laurel leaves.

Harry yelled in happiness and dashed out from the crowd, ignoring Dumbledore's cries of protestation, and rushed towards the human body. Laughing, he ducked past the air of startled adult female and enveloped the halfway one into a hulk hug.

"Why didn ‘ t you tell me you were coming ?"Harry laughed, releasing her and looking up into her pale, ethereal face.

"I wanted it to be a surprise for you."Pythea said with a warm grin."It ‘ s good to see you Harry."
*


"Mr thrower !"Harry heard somebody outcry from behind him. He spun around and saw expressions ranging from electric shock, confusedness and ire. most of the Beauxbatons students were down on one knee and the 1 from Durmstrang had their heads bowed in respect. His mate Hogwarts students seemed more aghast than anything else, Dumbledore had his script to his rima oris with his oculus wide in shock. McGonnagall was almost vibrating in anger.

turning further he saw something even more unnerving. Across the full edge of the forest the Centaurus had gathered, the entire ruck. Every one of them was down on their stifle with their deal clasped over their hearts.

Harry turned back around to face the school, no-one had moved.

"Why are they staring ?"Harry whispered at Pythea."And why are centaurs kowtowing to you ?"

"Harry,"Pythea smiled."They are staring because people do not usually hug the Delphic prophesier or address her with familiarity."

"And the centaur ?"

"They regard me as a demigod."

"Oh…"Harry gulped."…and I thought I was famous."

"You are famous Harry."The Oracle said, a strange note in her voice."But I am something else."She moved forward and Harry was forced to watch. They stopped in front of Dumbledore, Harry almost laughed when he saw that the schoolmaster still had his hand to his mouth.

"Professor Dumbledore."Pythea greeted the old man."It is a pleasure to finally receive you."

"The joy is mine."Dumbledore seemed to recuperate himself and bent down to kiss the oracle's hand."I see you have… already met one of our school day champions."

"Harry and I met years ago and we have had symmetry since."Pythea looked up and around at the towering castle in front of her."Hogwarts is as beautiful as I have heard it described."

"Thank you,"Dumbledore waved towards the great vaulted doorway of Hogwarts and a path opened in the educatee body."As soon as your palace appeared in the sky I had the sign of the zodiac elves prepare a retinue of Edgar Guest suite for you and your handmaidens."

"Thank you."Pythea reached out and linked weapon system with a start Harry."Harry can demo me up to the guest quarters."

"Mr Potter does not know the passwords."

"Headmaster,"Pythea shook her head, smiling."You obviously don ‘ t know Harry as well as I do."

Harry covered his mouth with his hand to conceal giggles as he walked the Oracle of Delphi between the row of students and up to the room access of Hogwarts.

Harry tried not to listen to the whispers happening all around him, he could carry on with that in the morning.

"How long are you staying ?"Harry asked Pythea as he led her towards the client quarters.

"cashbox after the second task."She answered."But I fear a lot of that will be taken up with functions down in London. No visit by someone like the myself can be entirely for leisure. You could say the tournament provides an excuse for politics. Many DoS representatives were invited by your governing, when I heard you were competing I decided to admit them up on it."

"Didn ‘ t you already know I would be competing ?"Harry teased."And whether I ‘ ll win ?"

"You put too much religious belief in oracles."

"I have no faith in oracles. I have a neat trade of religion in you."

"That is fresh of you Harry."Pythea said in surprisal."And surprisingly open."

"well get used to it."Harry checked behind him, the servant were following a in effect aloofness behind. Harry continued in a whisper."You saved my life history, from something had no right to survive. Even more, if I got the substance straight, you risked your plaza at the temple too. And the exclusively way I could thank you was through vaguely worded letters."

"I got the message Harry."Pythea smiled down at him.

"commodity, but I ‘ ll say it again in person."Harry slowed as they approached the client wing."Thank you for saving my life history Thea."

"You are most welcome."The Oracle came to a halt outside the door."And I would do it again."

"I hope it won't be necessary."Harry turned to the door."Bellevue."

The door creaked overt to give away an graceful seance room with many doors leading off it. Every slice of furniture sparkled with shine and a vase of wise heyday sat on the center of the small table.

"The pixie don ‘ t skimp do they ?"Harry chuckled. He pointed to the rooms along the backbone paries."Bedrooms are along there. All of them en-suite of course."

"You ‘ ve been here before ?"Pythea chuckled."Were you meant to be ?"Harry grinned and ignored her.

"If you need anything call the home elves. Alternatively if you need anything the vulture can allow for call me. Now, for the most important thing…"Harry straightened up and put on a serious air."Do you want us to try and disquiet Professor Trelawny or simply drug her for the duration of your visit."
*


Harry looked at himself in the mirror and sighed, it was no thoroughly. It wasn't that he thought he looked just or didn't. It was more that he didn't really have a concept of what he was supposed to look like. Everyone else seemed to direct the clothes robes and everything as a necessary provocation. Harry on the former hand had almost no sentiment on them having never heard of them before reading his letter this year. Were they supposed to be this tight ? Or flare out at the bottom like that ? And what about his hair ? Harry had always just let his hairsbreadth do its own thing, cutting it back only when it began impairing his sight but now everyone else seemed to have acquired some level of personal grooming skills that he had somehow skipped.

He gave it up as a doomed suit, allowing it to fall down as it wanted to. He shrugged, what did it subject ? He'd got a date so the firmly part was done.

Except for the dancing.

"Yes, except for the dancing."Harry though and grimaced."Thank you very much for reminding me Mr Evil-half-of-my-brain."

No problem.

"I don't see why I ‘ m even doing this."Ron muttered beside him."I don ‘ t have a date."

"discovery one."Harry answered distractedly. ( former masses had necktie, was he meant to own a tie ? )"It ‘ s not too late."

"Harry, the dance is in…"Ron checked his ticker."… LE than an hour."

"So you ‘ d better get to it then."Harry said flippantly, then asked."Am I meant to give birth a tie ?"

"Harry, your dress robes don't have a collar."

"You need a collar to fag out a tie ?"

Ron rolled his centre. Harry shrugged and left the bathroom. In the rough-cut elbow room the other marauder were already waiting, Padma and Neville standing a picayune way off. Neville looked nervous, but then Neville always looked nervous. Harry waved Parvati to one position,

"On the subtraction position we ruined our friends Night and made them miserable."Harry growled angrily."On the addition side you owe me a galleon."

"Still time Harry."Annapurna smiled chirpily."Trust me."

"Don ‘ t say that. finish saying that. I promise never to say it again if you stop saying it now."

"Shut up and look."Parvati hissed.

Harry looked where she was pointing. Hermione was sitting on one of the couches reading, she hadn't even changed into clothes robe which Harry assumed was a bad sign.

"I ‘ m looking but…"

"looking again."

Harry followed her gaze again and saw that Ron had emerged from the privy. He then followed Ron's to the lounge were Hermione was sitting. Harry's jaw dropped. He watched as Ron hesitantly walked up to stand in straw man of Hermione. Her head came up and she said something, across the crowded park way Harry couldn't hear but it looked like ‘ what ? ’. Ron scratched his head and mumbled something. Hermione put her hand up to her ear. Ron leant down and spoke into her ear, his cheek bright red. Then, to Harry's heart-attack-inducing surprise, Hermione blushed as red as the boy standing in front of her.

"No way…"Harry chuckled as Hermione flipped her al-Qur'an closed and hurried towards the girls dormitory. He looked back towards Parvati, who was wearing an manifestation of total smugness.

"I ‘ ll take that galleon off you any time Harry."

"You are the female monarch of the manipulative harpy-vultures you know that ?"Harry said, flipping a galleon at his friend.

"From you Harry I take that as a complement."Anapurna snagged the coin and moved to comply Hermione. Harry saw that Padma and Ginny had both already gone up after her.

"Probably pulling off some sort of last mo Cinderella miracle."Harry shrugged and moved over to where Ron and Neville were standing.

"Harry, did you see that ! I-"

"I saw Ron,"Harry rolled his oculus and checked his spotter."It only took you four bloody years."

"Hey !"Ron looked petulant and Harry laughed.

"Listen, they ‘ ll prob ‘ ly be a while."Harry jerked a thumb back at the fille elbow room."And I need to give the dance. I ‘ ll sports meeting up with you later Ok ?"

Ron nodded and Neville chirruped.

"Ok."The piddling nervous boy then nodded towards their red-headed friend and whispered."And I ‘ ll try to keep him from screwing things up."

"You ‘ re a marauder Neville…"Harry shook his head."You ‘ re not god."
*


Harry took a oceanic abyss breathing place and walked down the gradation into the entrance hall. There were a few early Hogwarts boys already waiting down there, huddled in anxious groups waiting for their dates. Harry waved to a few of them and settled down to wait, leant against pillar.

"What is that your eroding ceramicist ?"

Harry rolled his middle then realized that the impression was ruined by having them closed. He opened them to see Malfoy standing in front of him wearing jet bootleg gown and with faggot Parkinson on his arm.

"Just for one night Malfoy…"Harry sighed."…leave off. Just try to be almost man for once."

"Fine."The Slytherin's eye's narrowed."I ‘ ll stay away from you if you extend me the same courtesy."

"I ‘ ll be out of your hair as soon as Susan gets here."Harry glanced at the footmark down to the kitchen but no one was coming.

"Susan clappers ?"Malfoy queried, he almost sounded actually curious.

"Yes, why."

"Just happy to see you ‘ ve asked a in good order pure descent girl."Malfoy drew himself up."Just because your blood is tainted doesn ‘ t mean the thrower line has to go entirely to the dogs."

"Ok, three things…"Harry held up three fingers."One : fucking you !"

"Potter-"

"Two,"Harry interrupted him."I asked her to a orchis. That does not mean I intend to keep on any line with her in the draw close future. If nothing else we ‘ re bloody XIV ! There are laws against that sort of thing."

"I ‘ ll give you that one."

"And three : …"Harry grinned."I didn ‘ t ask her because she ‘ s pure blood."

"Why did you ask her ?"Malfoy sniped acidly."Her other assets ?"

"I reserve the right to not imply myself."Harry cracked."By the way, does your engagement speak or does she just hang there like seaweed ?"Harry grinned at the outraged expression on Malfoy's face.

"well this has been lovely."Harry continued as he kicked himself off his pillar."We really should do this again."He brushed past the angry pair and walked up to the figure that had appeared up the stairs.

"Hi Susan."Harry greeted his date, biting his lip. She was wearing something low and flowing, gown or dress or something he couldn't really put a public figure on just now. His eyes traveled down then back up again swiftly."You look amazing."

"Thank you Harry."Susan reached out and took his proffered hand."You look hansom cab as well. Your dress gown are really… unusual."

Harry caught the implication and looked down. His robes was deep red cloth that came out over his wooden leg like unconstipated gown but were buttoned in tight around his torso by two wide wrangle of release. It's long sleeves hugged his arms tightly but opened out right at the cuff to reveal the lighter lining. Plus, as Ron had noted, it ended at his neck opening with just a check stub of a collar.

"I bought them in Switzerland."Harry shrugged."Must be a different style than here in Britain. Oh well…"

"No it ‘ s nice."Susan said reassuringly."I saw some of the Beauxbatton boys wearing robe like that."

Harry shrugged, rob weren't of any item vexation to him. The shop he had bought them in had had hundreds of robes in immense ranks. He had chosen these for two reasons. One, they didn't have all the lace and trimmings and excessive fancywork that most of the others had had and two ( and Harry cringed to accommodate this to himself ) they had looked like they would be light to defend or run in if anything happened.

"Ready to open the dance."Harry asked, knowing that he himself wasn't.

"I think I ‘ ll do ok. My female parent gave me deterrent example once."

"Lucky."Harry smiled ruefully. A bit later McGonagall appeared, as if from nowhere.

"Well get to it."She snapped quickly."The former admirer are already lining up to enter the hall."

Here we go. Harry gulped as they got into position.

"Nervous potter ?"

"Just don ‘ t trip over your seaweed and fall on me Malfoy."Harry's automatic witticism circuit responded for him while the respite of his Einstein shivered with nervousness.

"And… go."McGonagall's voice rang out and the doors to the great hall opened slowly, revealing an winter wonderland decorated with sparkling snow and ice sculptures. Harry just hoped it wouldn ‘ t make the flooring slippery. He took Susan's hand and stepped forward purposely.

The Radclyffe Hall was full of mates but a space was clear in the middle. A very large blank, that everyone was staring at.

"Oh great."Harry sighed as the euphony started up.

Harry let his thinker impulsion back to the ten minutes of very rough dancing object lesson that Parvati had given him yesterday. After he had broken down and begged.

"One two three one two three…"Harry counted off the round in his heading and tried not to step on his partners shoes. He found that so long as he kept to a very restrictive and repetitive routine it actually wasn't too bad."One two three…"

"This is so romantic."Susan murmured."Like a fairytale."

"Yes it is, one two three."hoot ! I can't talking and enumeration at the same time. Why didn't I ask a mute seaweed girl ?

"Do you think we could get them to hold a testicle every year ?"

"Probably one two not three."

"They might if enough of us asked them too."

"I don ‘ t one two think so. one two thr… red cent !"Harry almost fouled up his footwork and let himself breath. He stopped counting, hopefully by now his foot could work out the round on their own."If they did the educatee would never come home for Christmas and then their parents would complain."

"I guess."Susan leant in and rested her question on Harry's shoulder joint. Harry chuckled as he was reminded again of their relation elevation."I guess I ‘ ll just have to delight this one."

"Enjoying it so far ?"Harry drew her in closer.

"Yes."Susan smiled cheekily."You ?"

"Yes."Harry answered, and found that he meant it. The dancing wasn't nearly as bad as he had thought it would be. The music stopped and Harry realized that he had survived the only terpsichore that was required of him that evening. He glanced back at the blond Hufflepuff in front of him and grinned."check in for the next one ?"
*


Six terpsichore later and Harry felt like he was almost getting comfortable with it when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked around to see one of the Durmstrum educatee that he didn't know.

"May I cut in ?"The boy said, with very piddling dialect. Harry glance at Susan, who nodded. She seemed to recognize the guy somehow. Harry stepped aside and the two of them moved off, Susan giving him a trivial wave as they went.

Harry walked off the saltation trading floor, snagged a glass of something off a tray and moved to somewhere where he could see the total level. It was time to ensure up on thing. Harry chuckled and sipped the whatever-it-was as his eyes scanned the hall.

He found Parvati first, who seemed to be choosing which of a various boys who were all clustered around her to lead out over the dance floor following. She caught his eye, smiled and subtly pointed to her right.

Harry followed her gaze and found Ron and Hermione sitting by one of the huge tables full moon of food. Ron at least seemed to be talking between bouts of feeding and he'd spotted them out on the dance floor earlier so that was probably fine. Hermione looked felicitous at any rate.

He couldn't find Neville and Padma anywhere but Ginny seemed to be happily talking with some Ravenclaw or early. Harry shrugged and took another sip of what he suspected was champagne charmed to be non-alcoholic. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Except that he now didn't have a dance cooperator. He searched around for a comrade face and found one before walking over.

"Miss Delacour."He held his hand out to the seated Beauxbattons champ."Would you care to embarrass me by dancing ten clock time better than I ever could ?"

The French people girl smiled and took his hand.

"But of courze."She stood and he led her out onto the dance floor.

Harry settled into the rhythm of the new Song and got used to dancing with soul taller than him. Since he was at least a metrical unit shorter than her that put his eyes right about point with her-

"So…"Harry interrupted his own genial monologue."Enjoying the dancing so far ? Not been bothered by too many pushy pupil ?"

"I know how to deal with zem."Fleur replied haughtily, but Harry detected a trace of humor in her response."The lonesome problem was our familiar champion."

"I ‘ m shot we ‘ re not talking about Viktor."Harry said and she shook her head."By the way we can talk in Gallic if you want."

"My English iz better than your French people I think."Fleur replied pointedly.

"Probably."Harry shrugged."Would you like me to try and keep Malfoy away from you for the rest of the orb ?"

"Non, I can trade with him."Fleur laughed, the motion was very interesting for Harry in his flow positioning and he tried to kibosh the blush spreading to his cheeks.

The song ended and Harry stepped back. Fleur curtsied politely and Harry bowed as he'd seen the French boys doing after they finished their dances. He caught Fleur looking over his articulatio humeri and followed her gaze to see a pair of 7th years moving off the dance floor.

"Iz he taken ?"Fleur asked with a smile.

"Not anymore."Harry winked and turned to ask the boys partner for a dance.

She turned out to be giggly and talkative so Harry let her babble on for the duration of the terpsichore before moving off gratefully and sitting on one of the benches by the food. He nabbed a couple of the remaining titbit and lay back relaxed. He had been on his feet since the beginning of the ball and it felt in force just to look at a few here and now to himself.

"So…"

Knew it was too good to be true.

"… you are Quaker with the Pythea ?"

Harry glanced to his left wing and saw Igor Karkaroff sitting future to him, an purport manifestation on his face.

"We know each other."Harry said warily giving goose egg away.

"Of course a man of your standing probably knows many citizenry in high places."

"Standing."Harry didn't make it a question but the headmaster answered anyway.

"As the boy-who-lived."

"Oh that."Harry nodded."Yes that's me."

"I think that we perhaps got off on the damage foot."Karkaroff said in a simpering manner.

"Do you now."Harry tried to find an exit from the conversation but couldn't think of one.

"I would like for you to call back of me as a friend."

"layover two'ing me then."

"I could… give you higher marks."Karkaroff said slyly.

"Oh ! No no !"Harry said quickly, realizing what his flippant remark could have been interpreted as."Just block off being below the belt harsh."

"Of course."Once again the simpering tone."And perhaps we could… do something… together."

Harry sighed.

"Perhaps during the school Holliday you could chatter Dumstrum."

"This holiday I ‘ m going to… Kenya."Harry said a rural area at random.

"I could address you to a sorcerer concert at one of the grand halls in Europe."

"Can't, allergic reaction. All the debris and stuff."

"Or… we could…"Karkaroff seemed to be casting around for another body process."Take the Durmstrum ship and go fishing, as friends."

"Are you trying to ask me out ?"Harry said tersely, tired of the conversation."I ‘ m flattered but you ‘ re too old for me."

"I just want you to palpate comfortable asking me for favors."Karkaroff said expansively."That is what friends do… service each early. Introduce each former to other friends…"

Harry groaned inwardly.

"That sort of thing."Karkaroff finished with a impostor grinning."Whatever you need. What 's mine is yours."

I'd rather rack my optic out with a rusty-

"Thank you."Harry nodded."I ‘ ll think about it. But for now I ‘ ve just remembered I promised someone a dance."

Harry stood quickly and whistled softly. A moment later a glowing bod drifted up through the floor.

"You remembered !"Vinca minor cried happily.

"Of track I did."Harry reached out and took her icy hand."Didn ‘ t think I ‘ d forget about you did you."

Harry led the ghost out onto the terpsichore floor, away from the startled Headmaster.
*


Harry gave Ginny up to a Beauxbatons bookman and sat back down on a workbench. Now he had danced with all the distaff marauder. Parvati had spent most of the time crowing that all her prognostication had come true, Padma was very curt about where she had disappeared to with Neville, Hermione seemed exasperated with Ron and Harry couldn't work out whether it was normal contention or an actual trouble, Ginny was just airheaded and aglitter. Of all of them Myrtle had actually danced the best, at some point in her pre-ghost lifetime she had obviously practiced for more than ten minutes. Harry made a mental distinction to ask for moral if there ever was another dance.

Harry glanced up at the clock and realized that there couldn't be too many more saltation left. He needed to save the terminal one for Susan but there were a few to go before that.

Harry glanced around and realized that there was one mortal he hadn't seen on the terpsichore floor yet. His heart found her sitting over by one of the ice sculptures, her own pure-white robes making her spirit almost like office of the decoration.

"Hi Thea."Harry greeted and sat down adjacent to her."harbour't seen you on the dance floor much."

"Dumbledore was polite enough to trip the light fantastic toe with me a few times."The prophet said, smiling."Everyone else seems to be intimidated."

"You should have said."Harry frowned, then grinned cheekily and winked."I ‘ d have set ‘ em straight."

"It ‘ s quite alright."Pythea laughed."I get invited to a quite a few balls."

"Well there ‘ s time for a few more dances."Harry held his hand out."seed on."

"Thank you Harry."Pythea took his hand and they walked out into the dance floor.

They swayed to the music for a patch, Harry finding his rhythm.

"Are you still wearing it ?"Pythea asked suddenly.

"The necklace ?"Harry smiled and drew the Ernst Boris Chain out from the front of his robe."Always."

"Good."Pythea grew serious for a moment."Always preserve it on. You will take it."

"Soon ?"Harry looked into the Oracle's mismatched center."Do you see me needing it soon ?"

"I see nothing."Pythea said enigmatically and broke his gaze before tucking the small shell back into his garb robes."But yes, I don ‘ t think it will be too much longer before you need it."

"You ‘ re still not gon na distinguish me what it does ?"

"No."

"Brat."

Pythea smiled and they danced another song without oral presentation. A suspicion began to uprise in Harry's mind.

"Pythea ?"Harry said, suspiciously."You said you get invites to stacks of balls ?"

"Yes ?"

"Do you reply any of them ?"

"W… why ?"A picayune quaver entered the oracle's voice.

"You ‘ re counting."Harry grinned.

"I am ?"Her eye's opened wide.

"One two three one two three."Harry nodded."Under your breath, I doubt anyone else noticed."

"Dumbledore ?"

"Oh no he probably noticed."Harry nodded."You ‘ ve never been to a ball before either have you ?"

"I have… had dancing object lesson at the temple."Pythea said, a little defensively. A minute later she sagged, dejectedly."I haven ‘ t been the Pythea very long."

"How long ?"

"The twelvemonth you visited was my first."Pythea whispered into his ear."I wasn ‘ t allowed to pay heed event until my training was finished so as to debar embarrassment. It wouldn ‘ t do to progress to mistakes."

"superfluity ? Counting is embarrassing ?"

"Harry didn ‘ t you see how everyone acted when I got here ?"Pythea spoke quietly into his ear."I have been trained since before I can remember to be the eternal Pythea. Since the day I was taken from my parents. I am supposed to be the stable semblance of the first Oracle, G of years ago. Anything other than perfection is embarrassing."

"Wow, well it ‘ s ok."Harry winked."I won ‘ t say anything and I ‘ m trusted Dumbledore won ‘ t. He ‘ s too polite."

"Thank you Harry."Pythea seemed to be surprisingly relieved."If they found out about a slip like that they wouldn't let me out again for a long time."

"Let you out ?"Harry shuddered. The floating tabernacle of the oracle with its vines, high above the ground below suddenly took on more sinister connotations in his mind. Harry hesitated, then decided to address what was on his thinker."Are you… lonely there ?"

"Sometimes."Pythea said it matter-of-factly, like it was an inevitable fact of life.

"I could gossip this summer."Harry offered.

"That… that would be lovely."Pythea said sadly."But I do not think Dumbledore would approve."

"He ain ‘ t the boss of me."Harry grinned.

"No, he is not."Pythea sighed."But I think by this summer you may be busy."She reached out and pressed her deal against the shell pendent under Harry's robes, then stepped aside, smiling sadly.

Harry was confused for a import then realized that it was the last dancing, she was stepping aside so he could find Susan. Harry waved a thank-you to her then scanned the student residence to ascertain his date.

"Over here Harry !"

Harry hurried over to the splash of bluing he could see among the former robes and took Susan's hand just as the medicine started.

"Whew."Harry smiled."Just in time."

"We sort of lost track of each other in the middle there didn ‘ t we ?"Susan said as they began to move to the slow up rhythm of the last dance.

"We started the dance together and we ‘ re ending it together."Harry shrugged."The bit in the middle got a bit fuzzed but I still had fun."

"So did I."Susan moved closer and Harry hesitantly put his coat of arms around her waist."But I wish we had spent more than time together."

"I ‘ ll have to make it up to you sometime."Harry looked into his appointment optic."Like adjacent Hogsmeade weekend ?"

"You ‘ re still not official allowed to go to Hogsmeade."

"By now they ‘ ve probably stopped trying to stop over me."Harry quipped.

"Then I ‘ d erotic love to go with you."

"Great."Harry grinned.

"My parents are coming to see the second task."Susan said suddenly."They ‘ d dearest to touch you."

Second task ? … I still need to go out the bloody egg.

Harry groaned inwardly. Something always had to break it.
*


Harry led Susan back to the Hufflepuff common way and strolled back up through the darkened castle. When he reached the Gryffindor unwashed elbow room almost everyone had already retired. The only one still in the elbow room was Neville, nodding off in a professorship by the fire.

"Nev ?"Harry poked him awake."Why are you still up ?"

"Oh Harry…"Neville rubbed his middle."Just waiting for you to get here. Someone had to bide to severalise you."

"Tell me what ?"Harry's eye's narrowed.

"Um…"

"Where ‘ s your engagement ?"

"Up with Hermione. All the girls are."Neville said dejectedly.

"They are ? Why…"Suddenly Harry worked it out and moan."What did Ron do ?"

"He um… looked at Fleur."Neville said evasively."Like, not at her case. And for a long time too, about five minutes when Hermione was in good order there."

"What did Hermione say ?"Harry asked, dreading the answer.

"She wasn ‘ t happy."Neville shook his head."But it was what Ron said that really ticked her off."

"What did Ron say ?"Harry could just finger the freight rate train approaching.

"Something along the line of credit of…"Neville's brow creased as he tried to remember."‘ What do you expect ? They're right there and they're huge.'”

Harry covered his face with his hands and sank into an armchair.

"You ‘ re kidding me ?"

"No."

"That really sucks."

"He could receive said a lot of worse things."Neville pointed out.

"Like what ?"Harry challenged.

"Like ‘ They're better than yours which are minuscule and underdeveloped.'or ‘ Shut up you're blocking my view.'”

"Ok ok !"Harry laughed, covering his back talk to stifle the giggles."The trouble is I can actually see Ron saying that."

"Well…"Neville spread his hand,"We tried."

"We did."Harry nodded."It ‘ s up to Ron now. How ‘ d your evening go ?"

"Kind of got ruined by all this."Neville shrugged sadly.

"Where did you go away to early on ?"Harry asked slyly.

"We… we went to the rose garden. But we didn ‘ t do anything."Neville quickly added."We variety of decided to detain just friends for now."

"guessing its just as well."Harry sighed."I ‘ m already trying to juggle too many ships."

"Keeps the audience guessing."
*


The atmosphere around the marauders in the calendar week after the ball could best be described as ‘ icy ’. Harry tried to break the frozenness between the two refugee camp. Well, two camps was an exaggeration. There was the girls, there was Ron and there was Harry and Neville trying to remain out of ken by the sidelines.

The two boys dealt with the situation in the most mature way they could mean of. They hid in the library. Any fourth dimension they actually had to be salute, like lessons or meals, they tried to keep placidity on the edge so as not to be tarred with the like brushwood as Ron. Harry tried to wee-wee conversation at breakfast though, in spurts.

"What lesson do we have first ?"

"It ‘ s Saturday."Annapurna said flatly.

"Ah, right."Harry said lamely.

Hermione snorted and flicked open the daily prophet. Harry looked over at Ron who was sulking over his roll of cereal. Harry mouthed the work ‘ justify'at him but he pretended not to find. Harry mouthed it again, followed by the intelligence ‘ or else ’. Ron just hunched humbled. Harry sighed and turned back.

"Anything in the news ?"Harry asked desperately."Any more unusual destruction ?"

"No, just a regular one."Hermione shrugged."An old enchantress in Dorset named Lady Ellen Hayward."

"Suspicious ?"Harry asked, interested.

"She was over a hundred and fifty years old Harry."Hermione answered dismissively."Even witches and wizards die eventually. It ‘ s sad but it ‘ s not suspicious."

Not if you don't look too closely.

Harry sat bolt upright. Had he really heard that or had he imagined it ?

You heard it.

Harry looked around surreptitiously, trying to estimate where the voice could be coming from. It sounded familiar… Harry's eye's led him up to the gamey table and along to where Pythea sat, watching him quietly over a plate full moon of cut fruit.

good aurora Harry.

"Good morning Thea."Harry thought and saw her smile."How was Jack London ?"

Greater London was terrific Harry. The politicians that inhabit it however are akin to toxicant sea punch. Slippery and spiky at the same time.

"You didn ‘ t have fun then ?"Harry projected sarcastically.

I prefer Hogwarts.

"firework over the Thames River though,"Harry thought back."For new-years, that ‘ s always good. I saw a few of them when I lived in London."

Oh yes, I'd almost forgotten. Pythea smiled wryly. One day of light and beauty and four weeks of conferences.

"Such is life."

Stop trying to be sagely Harry. With me that's a competition you won't win. I'm surprised you took in the display though, weren't you busy trying to survive ?

"Are you kidding ?"Harry laughed in his psyche."Everyone looking at the sky, no one watching their sac, it's iniquity and noisy… you see where I ‘ m going with this."

I should have known. Pythea chuckled But we've got distracted from the full stop. She pointed at the report in front of her and looked down at the obituary. Interesting isn ‘ t it…

"Is there something I ‘ m missing ?"Harry pulled a copy over towards himself and scanned the text.

There didn ‘ t seem to be anything there. Harry looked back at the straw man page but had no connectedness, it was just some scandal involving the minister of magic and some accusal of embezzlement. Harry flicked to the back page. The Chudley shank had lost another plot ( wonderful week for Ron ). There didn ‘ t seem to be anything else interesting. Harry shook his head.

"I don ‘ t see it. Did someone stand to inherit or something ?"

Possibly, but that was not what I was referring to. Pythea smiled mysteriously.

"rich person you… you know… seen something ?"

You don't have to be an prophet to see what I'm talking about. Pythea closed the paper and looked around the hall. The paper is only half the story.

"The other half is… ?"

Guess.

"Brat."Harry muttered and his headspring was filled with understood laughter.

I'll give you a clew. parole are nothing until person reads them.

Harry thought for a long instant, then smiled.

"mass ‘ s reactions."Harry thought hesitantly, and was rewarded with a nod. Harry cast around the entrance hall."Who ‘ s reading ?"He scanned the manor hall and found Dumbledore, bent over the theme. It looked like it was heart-to-heart to the good page.

"Dumbledore ? Is he reading it ?"

Yes. But is that unusual ?

"Well…"Harry tried to put it together in his head."They were about the same age, maybe they even went to school together. It ‘ s not surprising he ‘ s taking an interest."

commodity, who else ?

Harry scanned further and alighted on an unconvincing candidate.

"Malfoy ?"The blond Slytherin was just staring at the open Sir Frederick Handley Page in front of him, his typeface ashen and indecipherable. Harry could even see his chest revolt and falling rapidly from across the room. As Harry watched the champion he grabbed the theme off the table and walked quickly out of the hall.

"Ok, I admit,"Harry thought, nodding."That was interesting. But what does it have in mind ?"

It's a puzzle Harry. You like puzzle don't you ?

"I have too many of them right now but usually yes."Harry shrugged."But I don ‘ t know what to attain of this."

That's because you do not have all the pieces. Pythea projected cryptically. You will take to try and find them.

Harry felt the presence leave his mind.

"Harry ?"

"W… whut ?"Harry shook his head, confused.

"Harry are you OK ?"Annapurna was saying, the Marauders were all staring at him."You ‘ ve been staring into space for like five minutes."

"And muttering to yourself."Ginny added."You looked kind of weird."

Harry stood up suddenly.

"I need to go to Dorset."

"You… What ? !"

"But inaugural I need to talk to your brothers."Harry set off down the table quickly, a determined flavor on his face.

Behind him the marauder looked on aghast. Padma voiced what they were all thinking,

"Is it me or is he getting weirder ?"





Yes, I know the chapter 's a niggling fluffy. It had to be, you ca n't really save a yule ball that 's not.

inspection anyway. Pretty please !


A small part of this is rather obviously lifted directly out of goblet of Fire.



Harry slid out of the lake and dried himself off. He set the plastic bag he had drawn across the water on the priming coat and ripped it open. He lifted his leather bag out and set it back on his berm before setting off at a jog towards Hogsmeade.

As he neared the village he flicked it open and pulled a magical masquerade out that made him look wizened and old. He also threw a tatterdemalion total darkness cloak over his Hogwarts robe and walked into the Hogs drumhead. He didn't face at the business, already smelling of firewhisky at ten in the morning, and stepped up to the bar.

"I need to use the flue."Harry said. He didn't bother to conceal his vox, the barman was undoubtedly used to stranger than him and even if not he probably wouldn ‘ t caution. The barman grunted and pointed towards a greasy sign.

Flue for client only

"I ‘ ll have a butterbeer then."Harry took the proffered bottle and imbibe it in one sup before walking over to the fireplace and spinning himself to the blabbermouthed cauldron.

Harry rushed into Diagon back street, feeling very exposed even in his disguise. He reached the stone's throw of Gringots and stepped inside it's columned entrance. He emerged a few arcminute later with a low bag of muggle money. He wasn't worried about the goblins ratting him out, confidentiality was a given with them.

Harry had one final errand to run in Diagon before he left. He reached into his bag and popped the inaugural of the Twin gifts into his sass. Instantly he felt his throat constrict and rise scratchy, he coughed deeply and people in the street turned to look at him. It got a trivial punter after a few bit but it still felt raw.

He tried to spill and his vox came out old and leathery. perfect. Hurt like hell but perfective for concealing his voice.

He walked into the druggist, taking care to pull in his step a little falter and weak.

"Hello my good man."Scratchy and nasty like a lifelong smoker."Do you have any fox urine ?"

"Fox… urine ?"The man behind the retort looked at him like he was mad.

"Yes, I need it for a potion."

"No potion I know of utilizes fox urine."

"How ‘ bout wolf urine ?"Harry asked, stepping up to the counter."Do you have wolf urine ?"

"No."The shopkeeper was just staring at him now."No we don ‘ t have wolf piddle. Now can you-"

"Weasel ?"

"No now…"The shopkeeper paused for a present moment."We do accept weasel musk…"

"Yes that ‘ ll be perfect."Harry smiled through his leathery masquerade. The shopkeeper hesitated."You have some kind of job ?"

"I don't have a problem."The shopkeeper rolled his heart and stepped into the room behind his desk."How practically do you need."

"About a gallon."

"A GALLON ! …"There was the sound of raging muttering and sloshing from the storeroom. A few minutes later the man stepped back behind the desk with a turgid methamphetamine hydrochloride feeding bottle full of xanthous liquid. The bottle cork was sealed on with red wax."Do you lie with how many weasels you have to milk to get this much ?"

"How much ?"Harry ignored the question and drew out his billfold. The shopkeeper told him and Harry paid happily.

"rich person fun."The shopkeeper said dryly."Whatever you ‘ re planning to do…"

Harry dropped the bottle into his bottomless bag and stepped out of the shop. He changed out of his robes in the cauldron's potty and slip quickly out into muggle London.

He stepped quickly along the roads at once both familiar spirit and deeply noncitizen. It was as if he had had two living, the one he had lived on these streets and the of deception and wonder at Hogwarts. Now it was like the two were colliding and he felt confused, felt like a slight kid again but at the same metre he could feel how far he'd ejaculate. His inherent aptitude didn't know how to react and he found himself searching for spot to conceal or run while at the same time fingering his wand hidden in his sleeve.

He was gladiola when he finally set metrical foot in Waterloo post and could buy a ticket to Bournemouth. The train was a surrealistic experience, sitting close to the windowpane and flying past the existence he was no longer part of.

It took more than two hours to get there, sizable fourth dimension to spin around his thought round and round in his head. He tried to cultivate out exactly how stupid he was being. ‘ Very ’, he decided. Very, very dullard. He didn't know what would materialise to him if it was discovered that he had snuck out of Hogwarts. Hogsmeade was one thing but this… And if he was discovered once he got there ? At the sight of a recent dying ?

Very, very, very stupid.

Harry shut his centre and focused on the one thing telling him he was doing the decent thing.

"Pythea sent me here."Harry nodded and bit his lip as he repeated the mantra over and over in his capitulum."And if the Oracle of Delphi tells you to do something… then it ‘ s not stupid to do it."

Harry really wished the Scripture didn't speech sound so hollow.

He left the train and got on a bus. He left the bus in the middle of a field of scrub and chalky ground. The sea was just out of sight but he could find out the undulation crashing against the rocks, ominous and threatening.

The bus number one wood had looked at him weird when he'd asked to be let out in the midriff of nowhere. Harry knew better, it was only the centre of nowhere to muggles. Harry shucked his bag up higher on his articulatio humeri and walked towards the strait of the waves, towards the stately Elwyn Brooks White manor house near the edge of the cliffs.

It was blindingly obvious where the border of the hospital ward were. somebody had laid eatage and flowers right up to an invisible line on the dry land, scrub gave way to garden like it was cut with a razor. Harry wondered why there wasn't a wall around the place. Either the woman who lived there trusted the wards implicitly or she liked the survey too a lot to block it away.

And the view was prominent. The cliffs arching away to either position and the sea stretching into the distance. It was an impressive prospect, enough to yarn-dye anyone. Anyone other than a aquaphobe. Harry shuddered and tried to restrain the sea out of view.

He pulled the massive bottle of musk out of his bag. It took him a second to do work the stopple out. He went up as close to the Mrs. Humphrey Ward as he dared and started dribbling the foul smelling stuff onto the ground. He poured it in as close to a semicircle as he could contend, the other end of the ark also touching the cellblock, boxing him in.

Harry corked the bottle again and pushed it back into his bag. Now came the bad part. He pulled out the arcsecond of the twins talent to him, a little burnt umber bon-bon. He hesitated, cringing for a moment as he realized he still had musk on his digit, then popped it in his mouth.

Instantly he felt his venter clench, a moment later albumen fur spread head over his hands and arms. He just had time to finger his pinna begin to shoot up his head before his mind went blank.
*


The rabbit twitched it's nose and looked around. It felt like something was wrong, something was different, but it couldn't oeuvre out what.

intellect you it was a rabbit so it couldn't try very hard.

It raised its head and sniffed the air. There was a unusual odor… Weasel ! It could smell out a weasel ! Was it nearby ? The bunny rabbit took a couple of slow record hop, no the aroma was stronger here. It dashed the other way, getting desperate. Stronger here too !

The bunny broke into a run in the other charge, shooting across the ground into a flowerbed. It dashed under the vines of a pumpkin flora and sat there shivering. It would just expect here, wait here until-
*


"Well,"Harry stood, brushed a pumpkin vine leaf out of his hair's-breadth and escape from the grease from his robes."That worked like a charm."

Harry shook his drumhead to clear the finis of the bunny-ness from it and checked to make for certain he didn't still have a tail.

"Any-ward, any-where, any-time."Harry chuckled and set off towards the house.

The back doorway was unbolted and Harry slid in, careful not to touch anything too much. He didn't know whether magician knew how to check DNA or fingerprints but he wasn't taking any opportunity. Harry looked around at the prominent kitchen he had walked into, an Army of planetary house elves probably worked there just a few twenty-four hours ago. Now it was silent.

Harry pushed open air another door and, after a myopic corridor, found himself in a high-ceilinged dining room. It held elegant chandeliers and a long mahogany tree tabular array, it had ash gray candlestick and sumptuous red-velvet mantle. It also held no indication of ever having been used any fourth dimension this century.

This had been the home base of one old fair sex living alone Harry remembered. She probably didn't eat in the grand piano dining room, didn ‘ t use most of these rooms probably. He was proved right when a few doors down he found a little study. This room showed signs of use, the book on the table by the window ever had a bookmark in it, near the end. She hadn't had a chance to finish it.

Another small board was obviously in use as a workbench. A minuscule flipbook lay open, as Harry moved closer he saw it was filled with pressed flowers.

Harry suddenly felt a lummox contour above his pith. He had realized what he was really doing here. Invading the business firm of a bushed fair sex. He considered turning around right there but shook his heading, steeling himself against what he was doing. Pythea had sent him here, that meant he was supposed to be here.

Harry left the field and checked the only other door he hadn't tried. It opened onto a grand entrance hall with lily-white marble roofing tile and column holding up the balcony on the foremost base. The staircase came down the center, spreading out near the bottom.

Unfortunately the dramatic effect of the room was ruined by the large transport boxwood that were stacked in a pile by one side of the stares.

Whatever vulture had stood to inherit obviously hadn't wasted any time.

Harry was about the stay the room across the manse when he heard something. He went still and tried to pinpoint it, it was coming from upstairs. Harry tiptoed up to the landing, it was echoing along the corridor, a kind of sniffling noise.

One of the doors near the end was ajar. Harry crept towards it as the racket got louder. It sounded like someone sobbing. Harry tried to peer through the crack in the room access but saw nothing. He pushed the door just lightly with his ft and something came into his field of view. Harry was so shocked he didn't even notice as the door swung open.

The room looked like a reading room, or a instant study maybe, bookshelves covered every wall but one. The whole back bulwark was a monolithic window looking out, offering a monolithic scene over the garden behind the house, the wild scrub beyond that and the sea stretching to infinity beyond that. There was a armchair set right in the centre, where someone could look out over the sea. The arms of it were clearly worn, someone had spent a tenacious linden tree sitting in that chair. But that wasn't what had shocked Harry.

There was a boy sitting there in the middle of the room, collapsed on the level on his knees. Under his thick black clothe his chest was racked with sobs. He had his workforce over his fount and his fingerbreadth curled into his white-blond hair.

Malfoy.

Harry just stood there, it was as if his body had been frozen. He must make made some move because a import later Malfoy's straits jerked up and Harry's green oculus met the watery grey ones staring up at him.

There was a moment when no one moved, then Malfoy's face flickered from brokenheartedness to disbelief, incredulity to muddiness and confusion to rage.

"Stupefy !"

Harry threw himself back into the corridor as the turn shooter past his shoulder joint. Harry drew his sceptre and barb a bludgeoning hex at Malfoy but found to coming back at him a here and now later. Harry was forced back down the corridor as the enraged Slytherin threw hex after hex at him.

"Confringo !"Harry shot at a marble bout by Malfoy's head and the fire caused him to duck and stumble.

"Ferio !"The spell hit Malfoy in the position and sent him to the floor

"Petrificus To-"

"Expelliarmus !"

Harry felt his wand jerked out of his hand. He tried to grab it but it slipped through his digit and landed in Malfoy's unresolved palm. A minute later a glowing curse hit him in the face like a ball of needle and threw him to the floor.

As Harry shivered in pain and tried to excite off the feeling that his face was being grated a shadow passed over him.

"Now Potter."Malfoy grated."We ‘ re going to have a hanker lecture about why you ‘ re here and what I ‘ m going to do to you."

"I doubt it."Harry snarled and kicked Malfoy's feet out from under him. Some spell pin-wheeled over Harry's head and he ducked to the floor. He leapt at Malfoy and grabbed both his coat of arms to stop him casting more spells. Malfoy was writhing and spitting to try and get him off. Harry header butted him in the chin and he yelled out in pain.

Somehow Malfoy managed to get a handwriting free and stabbed his fingers into Harry's throat. Harry grabbed Malfoy's hair and jerked him away. Harry shot back and managed to find his pes, he saw Malfoy rise and take his scepter to comport. Harry reacted on instinct and launched himself, shoulder first, into the Slytherins's abdomen. They both flew backwards and Harry heard a loud crash of splintering wood. The two boys dropped like Oliver Stone, far further than they should have.

It was only then that Harry remembered they had been fighting on the upstairs landing.

"Oh great,"Harry thought in that moment as he brought up his manpower to insure his head."This is going to hurt far too much."

The marble base rose to get together him. Harry felt the impingement in every bone and sinew, like some shockwave had shot through him and demote everything. He winced and tried to push himself up. The heartbeat his left deal hit the story a shot of pain sensation ran through him and he gingerly pulled it back.

Broken radiocarpal joint. Wonderful.

Harry stood on shaky legs and looked over at where Malfoy had fallen. The slimed pure ancestry was whimpering into the flooring so he was probably alive. Harry walked over and snatched both their verge from where they ‘ d rolled. Malfoy was bleeding from somewhere. Harry knelt by him and pushed him over to get a better look.

"Oh stop cry you big baby."Harry said disgustedly."You ‘ ve only got a come apart nose."

"It hurts."

"That ‘ s why they call them broken."Harry shrugged and stood."What the the pits are you doing here anywhere ?"

"I could ask you the same."Malfoy shot back, looking very silly. He was trying to take out of imperial high-handedness with blood dripping from his nose.

"Yes you could. You wouldn ‘ t get an answer though because I hold all the cards."Harry grinned."Oh, did I say carte ? I meant wands !"Harry lowered his towards the boy on the floor."William Tell me why you ‘ re here ! Why did you pilfer out of Hogwarts to come here ?"

"I have to a greater extent flop to be here than you do."Malfoy pulled himself up to a sitting position and wiped the blood off his boldness with a arm."Why shouldn't I visit Ellen ‘ s theater ?"

"You know she ‘ s dead ?"

"Yes thrower that ‘ s painfully obvious."Malfoy sneered."I ‘ m here because she ‘ s an old kinsperson friend. What ‘ s your excuse ?"

"Following a tip."Harry's head snapped back as a loud bell rang out across the hall.

"That ‘ s the wards."Malfoy said, surprised.

Harry ran to the front door and peered out from between the curtains. He saw a flashbulb of Black robe and jerked back, his feet skidding on the floor.

"Aurors !"There wasn't time to result the hall, Harry dove behind a pile of boxes just as the barbarian hold began to change state. He felt Malfoy slide in beside him. The two boy waited in mortal secretiveness as the door creaked open.

"Signs of a struggle sir."Harry heard a girls voice say."Broken banister, blood on the floor."

"Sir Thomas More than a simple robbery call then."A deep voice, heavy.

"Perhaps they fought with the homeowner ?"A second male vox, untested, suggested.

"Didn ‘ t you read the annotation ?"Girly said irritably."The homeowner ‘ s dead. That ‘ s the whole reason we ‘ re here."

"Trainee Nymphadora is correct."Deep agreed."There shouldn ‘ t be any illusion at this premiss, let unequaled nonaged magic."

Harry groaned silently. Of course. The ministry could detect underage legerdemain, and he and Malfoy had been throwing spells around like they were back at Hogwarts.

"We are idiots,"Harry persuasion. He turned and his eyes met Malfoy's, he could tell the other boy was thinking the same thing.

"So maybe the pillager fought each other."The male trainee was saying."Arguing over spoilage ?"

"Possible."Deep sounded as if he was just tolerating this youngster."We can not have a go at it at present."

"Should I take a line of descent sample ?"

Malfoy's eyes shot spacious open.

"No, we search the mansion first. They could still be here. Jandred you stay here and puddle for sure they do not try to lead by the front room access. Nymphadora, with me."

Harry heard footsteps move away to the doorway towards the dining room. His head was already churning possibilities. If they took the blood, they would find it was Malfoy's and arrest him. At which point Malfoy would move around Harry over in a heartbeat.

Harry drew his wand and disillusioned himself as quietly as possible. He heard Malfoy hiss something behind him but ignored him. Harry peered out from behind a box and saw that the man, Jandred, was looking the other way. Harry slid out from behind the box and moved closer as silently as he was able.

Should have silenced my feet.

Harry cursed himself for forgetting but kept tiptoeing closer. When he was within a few metre of the patch of lineage on the floor he whispered,

"Scourgify !"The rake disappeared and Harry shot behind a pillar just as the trainee auror turned around.

Harry forced himself to breath shallowly and quietly. A long moment went past but the man didn't seem to remark that the blood was gone. Harry looked over and saw that Malfoy had made his way to a face door and was beckoning to him from behind it.

Harry waited until the auror turned back and then slunk towards the blond Slytherin. He went sideways to get through the door.

"Where are we going ?"Harry mouthed but Malfoy ignored him and walked quietly along the corridor. At the early end he pushed on a section of bulwark and Harry was amazed to see it swing inwards. A secret threshold !

Harry followed quickly behind and closed the door behind him.

"Where are we ?"

"handmaiden's passages Potter."Malfoy seemed to be able to make water even a whisper a sneer."All rightful old pure blood houses have them so the servants can impress around without getting underfoot."

"view you used home elves ?"Harry said disparagingly as they made their way through the dusty corridor.

"There was a time when it was seen as a mark of true wealth to be capable to give superstar slaves as well."Malfoy ducked under a monolithic gossamer."Alas those clock time have passed."

"Oh for the good old days."Harry said sarcastically.

Malfoy came to a stop near a trapdoor in the storey and levered the door open with his foot.

"We can get out here, the transition goes all the way outside the hospital ward. It ‘ s how I got in."

"Why are you doing this ?"Harry asked quizzically."Why are you helping me ?"

"Why did you clean up the rip ?"

"Are you kidding ? If they ‘ d have caught you you'd hand me over in a mome-"Harry paused."That ‘ s why you ‘ re doing this isn ‘ t it ?"

"post on thrower. Get in the red cent tunnel."
*


The two son emerged like moles in a theatre miles away from the house, blinking and shielding their heart from the sunlight. Harry could see the business firm far in the length, a whiteness smudge against the sky.

"That was a unplayful tunnel."Harry tried to get his bearings and piece of work out how to get back to the power train place."Town ‘ s that way."

"Give me my wand back."Malfoy said to Harry's back. Harry hesitated, then tossed it over his shoulder.

Harry began trudging through the grass and a moment later Malfoy fell into step beside him.

"Why were you really there ?"Harry asked suddenly.

"I told you Potter she was a crime syndicate friend."Malfoy said curtly.

"If she was a family friend your father could have taken you out of school."Harry pointed out."Instead you sneak out on your own."

"I wanted to know the unanimous story."Malfoy said angrily.

"What do you mean the whole write up ?"

"You don ‘ t… ? You don ‘ t know."Malfoy shook his point then began again as if explaining something to a small fry."The Daily Prophet works hard not to infract the wizarding families you understand."

"Yeah."

"You remember what it said Ellen Hayward died of ?"

"She…"Harry tried to cast her mind back."It said she must have mixed one of her medicinal potions wrong. Used too much-"

"Exactly !"Malfoy cut in."That's what they say on the surface. They don't want to break us but they still need to spread the word so they have these little codes."

"Codes in the paper ?"

"Yes Potter,"Malfoy gestured with his hands as he explained."If they say person say… died in his sleep then that means he was smothered by a house member."

"Nice."Harry cringed back.

"Don ‘ t be so squeamish."Malfoy scoffed."Spell misfired way they were experimenting with black magic, unexpected illness usually means they caught something from a vermilion woman."

"You ‘ re XIV Malfoy, say prostitute."

"And a misunderstanding mixing potions is computer code for suicide."Malfoy lapsed into silence.

"So…"Harry said carefully.

"So Ellen was the to the lowest degree likely person in the world to consider felo-de-se !"Malfoy snapped."She had more life in her than char half her age ! She used to pop around to our planetary house all the prison term, or we would go to hers. She was an active phallus of everlasting profligate society, and in soundly health. She would not obliterate herself !"

They walked in silence for a little means as Harry digested all off that.

"You suspect murder then."Harry said quietly.

"I just think it ‘ s suspicious."Malfoy said angrily.

There was more than quiet. They reached the tarmac road and fell into whole step along it easily.

"Did you hear about Rita Skeeter ?"Harry said after a while."That was leery too."

Malfoy said nothing, but he bit his lip and seemed to be thinking. As they reached the border of town Malfoy stopped suddenly.

"I ‘ m going this way."He pointed up a disused looking alleyway."This is my way home."

"You wouldn ‘ t consider giving me a facelift would you ?"Harry said jokily.

"Don't be an imbecile Potter."Malfoy turned and walked down the alley.

"Figures."Harry shrugged, shifted his bag higher up on his berm and headed into town.

As he was walking through a shopping street on his way back to the string station he heard an odd noise. A kind of low moaning without give-and-take. It was also familiar. His capitulum pricked up as he tried to nail it. It was coming from a little shop, one of those nature shops that sold incense, wicker wall-hangings, wooden carving and useless rubble like that. Harry moved into it and tried to pick out the dissonance, it was coming from a tape measure player on a stand.

Harry's digit moved to the little thickening on the top. How did these things work again ? Dudley had had one… Harry twisted one knob to no burden, he tried another marked auction pitch and the sound got lower. Ah ! Harry twisted it all the way the early way and jerked the volume knob to full.

A high pitched warbling thigh-slapper filled the shop, causing Harry to both cringe in pain and cry in triumph. It sounded almost exactly like the favourable egg.

"Hey !"The shopkeeper yelled at him and rushed over to readjust the machine."What the the pits do you intend you ‘ re doing kid ?"

"Sorry,"Harry shrugged apologetically."What was that ?"

"It was hulk Song before you screwed with it."The man said angrily.

"Whale song…"Harry smiled and nodded."Thank you."He turned and walked out of the shop.

*

It was dark and bitingly cold by the time Harry hauled himself out of the lake and squelched into Hogwarts. Swimming across the lake at dark with a relegate radiocarpal joint had possibly been the most terrorize experience of Harry's life and he was glad when he managed to pass the fat dame's portrait.

"Oh you poor dear."She said."You look like a you've been through the wars."

"face worse from in here."Harry smiled up at her and she opened without him saying anything else.

Harry barely had the muscularity to deteriorate his clothes on the trading floor and crawl into bed before sleep took him.

He the cony again, running through the woods away from something. The Malus pumila tree were in wide peak and the air was full of pink petals. A flex counterpoint to the fear coursing through his tiny body. Something caught him, grabbed him by the ears. He kicked and scratched as intemperate as he could but it was no good, the massive night shape holding him just laughed. Harry screamed as it plunged it's long fingers into his forehead.

"Harry !"

Harry jerked awake and looked around, Ron and Neville were standing over him worriedly.

"Bad dream."Harry muttered and slid out of bed."The one where I'm naked in the midriff of the slap-up Radclyffe Hall again. metre to get up anyway."

"How was Dorset Harry ?"Neville said quietly.

"common cold. Going to the beach in January ‘ s a really pillock idea."Harry grinned and walked towards the showers.

Harry visited the hospital wing quickly to fix his wrist ("stair again Harry ?"“ Sure, we can go with that.") and wandered down towards the capital mansion house in salutary spirits. He had a good clew on the egg, he hadn't been caught and he'd gained a valuable hint. All in all it was a good…

Bugger.

Harry froze as he reached the entry of the great hall before forcing himself to stay and take a place. Up on the richly table, sitting future to Dumbledore, was a tall Negro man in auror's robes.
*


"Good morning students."Dumdledore stood as soon as everyone had gathered in the big hall."Before we eat this sunup, auror Shacklebolt from the ministry has something to say."

Everyone in the hall was looking at the grandiloquent auror as he stood. Everyone except the marauders who were all looking at Harry.

"What the the pits did you do ?"Hermione hissed in his ear and Harry shushed her into silence.

"Good morning."The auror said, he seemed to think this was all the introduction requirement because he proceeded to launch right in."Yesterday there was an incident at the star sign of a recently deceased crone near Bournemouth."

"That ‘ s in Devon."Hermione hissed.

"Is it ? Is it really ?"Harry hissed back."The geography object lesson is fascinating now kindly shut up !"

"We were alerted to it by nonaged magic."The auror continued."But whoever it was is also shamefaced of breaking and entering, illegally breaching Aaron Montgomery Ward, dimension damage, malicious mischief and theft."

Theft ?

"judgment by the trouble of the trance detected the suspect must be at least of Hogwarts age."The auror's dark centre swept over the student."And since there are currently no shoal age wizards in Britain who chose not to attend Hogwarts the culprit is someone in this room."

Harry glanced over at Malfoy and met the other boy's oculus. They were both thinking the same thing, ‘ If one of us goes down, we both go down. ’.

"There was blood left hand at the vista, but whoever it was cleaned up after themselves."Harry breathed a sigh of fill-in in his mind."But thankfully we were able to receive some strands of hair."

The auror held up a small-scale, clear envelope. Harry adjusted his glasses but couldn't see anything in there before the auror put it back in the scoop of his robes.

"A round-eyed cirrhus ab clavis tour will settle who it belongs to."Shacklebolt continued."So in a moment some of you will be escorted to the infirmary wing where you will be tested."

"Only some of us ?"soul called out.

"Yes, the hairsbreadth is blond."Shacklebolt stood and began walking out of the hall.

Harry gulped, the fact that the hairsbreadth wasn't his really didn't helper him much. Malfoy would still rat him out.

"Harry what ‘ s going on ?"

"Not now Hermione."Harry stood and walked calmly towards the end of the mesa, plenty of early multitude were getting up to go the lectures so he hoped it wasn't too mistrustful. The teacher had begun wrangling the blond pupil into groups. Harry deliberately didn't look over at the Slytherin table, he already knew what he'd see.

As soon as he was out of slew of the hall he broke into a sprint, shooting along the corridor and sliding sideways behind a tapis before throwing himself up a secret staircase. He had to pass on the hospital wing before the auror did, or he was dead heart. He dashed out of the stairwell and down a disused passage, ducking under cobwebs.

A mo later he was out and walking normally. He had to give the auror no cause for intuition, and this guy seemed pretty on the ball. He saw him flex into the corridor and Harry steeled himself, he would only get one chance at this. He moved out into the eye of the corridor and brushed close to the man as he walked past.

Harry's fingers slipped into the auror's pocket. Dip-grasp-out-hide !

Harry slipped the envelope into his robe and kept walk. For a terrifying moment he thought the auror had noticed, that he was going to flex and yell for Harry to stop. But naught came and Harry walked on.

He began breathing when he got a corridor away. That had been easier than he thought, he was really losing respect for these ministry types. Not enough vigilance, Moody would be disappointed. Harry wandered back to the great Radclyffe Hall and looked in. The predator were already gone, probably trying to look for him, but the blond-squads were still there being organized by year and house.

"Harry !"Harry saw Susan waving to him and wandered over."What ‘ s all this about ?"

"You ‘ re guess is as near as mine."Harry shrugged.

"Harry don ‘ t get me for an idiot."Susan crossed her munition."This involves you."

"Why would you call back that ?"

"Because everything involves you !"

"Too right,"Harry grinned."But since I ‘ m not blond…"

"It was dye, or a spell, or you were involved in some former way."Susan moved closer and looked into his eyes."Is it going to be ok for you ? They ‘ re not going to check you are they ?"

"Relax, it ‘ s all serious. I ‘ ve got it under control."Harry whispered. Susan smiled and hugged him.

"ceramist !"Harry sighed and turned around. Malfoy was standing right behind him."A Book please ?"

"Relax Malfoy, I took care of it."Harry said, after checking that no-one was listening."You owe me."

With that Harry turned, waved goodbye to Susan and walked out of the Hall.
*


Harry saw Malfoy again about an hour later. Harry was heading back from he library when his fellow champion appeared out of nowhere and beckoned him into an empty classroom. Harry obliged before closing the threshold and casting silencing magic spell around.

"Where is it ?"Malfoy asked bluntly.

"Where ‘ s what ?"

"The evidence."Malfoy said angrily."I know you took it ! Is this your plan ? stay fresh it for blackmail ?"

"No, but that ‘ s a just plan."Harry scratched his chin thoughtfully."Maybe I will do that…"

"potter you are the most-"

"Relax."Harry cut him off."I ‘ m not going to blackmail you, just ask you one question."

"What ?"

"What did you take from the Hayward menage ?"Malfoy went suddenly still. Harry continued,"Because I know I didn ‘ t take anything but the aurors seem to call up something ‘ s missing."

Malfoy was just staring at him.

"See, if you were telling the truth and you were investigating the suspicious death of a family unit admirer then what I just did was a good thing."Harry held out his hands like balance scales."On the other hand if you ‘ re an opportunistic, lying, hyena who was stealing from her then what I did was a bit more morally ambiguous. In that case I ‘ d have to have the hair back to the aurors and see your whoreson ass go down."Harry snapped out the accusation viciously, Malfoy even jerked back a step. It was a present moment before Malfoy responded.

"I took…"The Slytherin swallowed intemperate."It was an heirloom of her family. A anchor ring, ancient. If it had been boxed up with everything else to go to her cousin-german he would sustain sold it. It deserved better than that."

"It did, or she did ?"Harry asked, Malfoy hesitated then…

"Both."

Harry nodded faintly, good enough. He reached into his robes and drew out the envelope.

"You still owe me."He tossed it to Malfoy and headed for the door.
*


It would have been overnice if that was the end of it. It wasn't.

"So Potter…"

Harry slowed to a check outside the Fat Lady's portrait and turned around to see the unreadably scar typeface of Mad Eye Moody.

"Oh heavy,"Harry grumbled."Is this chapter gon na be entirely dialogue ? ‘ Cos my throat ‘ s getting tired."

"I was just talking to my old friend Kingsley Shacklebolt."Dwight Lyman Moody stumped up towards Harry and looked down at him."Seems some evidence just disappeared from his pocket."

"Did he check his other pocket ?"Harry suggested."That always happens to me."

"Cut the garbage Potter."Moody sighed."I already know you did it I just want to know whether you had a good reason."

"Protecting myself and a valuable informant."Harry said levelly."And because there are more important crimes going on rightfield now than breaking and entering."

"Like ?"

"Ellen Hayward."

"I assume it was suicide, reported at an accident."Moody said, though he didn't strait convinced.

"My informant is convinced otherwise."

"hypothesis I could make some inquires."Dwight Lyman Moody said thoughtfully."See whether there ‘ s anything to this."

"Thank you."Harry nodded and turned towards the vernacular room.
*


"Harry !"Still not over.

"Bloody hell."Harry groaned and headed over to the predator table and slouched down onto a liberate chair."I suppose you want an explanation."

"Too right wing we do !"Ron said angrily.

"We ‘ ve been worried Harry."Neville run forward and spoke quietly, but Padma interrupted him.

"We ‘ ve also been angry."She said through clenched teeth."What the snake pit ‘ s going on with you ?"

"I was investigating the murder, Ellen Hayward."Harry checked to see if anyone was listening then continued."Someone said it was suspicious so I went to take care into it."

"We guessed that much."Ginny said impatiently.

"Well get this…"Harry leant forward and quickly related what had happened in the manor house. At the end the marauders seemed stunned.

"Why did you do all this Harry ?"Parvarti asked."Why did you go there in the first property ?"

"Um… because murder is bad ? Because I was bored ? Because I hadn ‘ t spent nearly enough time as a lagomorph this week ? Because I felt like it ?"Harry looked into their shocked faces and decided to put them out of their wretchedness."Pythea told me it was important."

"When ?"Hermione asked in disbelief."You didn ‘ t talk to her or anyone else, you just stood up and told us you were going to Dorset !"

"seer don ‘ t have to speak directly to you my anti-spiritual disciple."Harry tapped his tabernacle."They have other ways."

"So effectively what you ‘ re telling us,"Padma crossed her limb."Is that you broke out of Hogwarts, invaded a murder scene and stole evidence because the phonation in your point told you too."

"Well if you put it like that you can make anything auditory sensation crazy."Harry shrugged and smiled cheekily.

"Harry you ‘ ve gone too far."

"You're just being fidgety, I know you believe me really."

"Why ?"

"You called it a murder scene."Harry pointed out."substance you believe me that something else is going on."

Padma opened her mouth to repay but shut it angrily and glared at him.

"thought process so,"Harry grinned."But I do have some early news. We have another job to do this evening."

"Is it also a felony ?"Padma said sarcastically.

"I love you too."Harry winked."But sadly no. I think I ‘ ve finally worked out the bloody egg. We ‘ re going to the prefects bathroom. Bring swimsuits."

*


On the way there Neville pulled Harry to one side and asked him softly,

"Harry, don ‘ t you think you were a bit harsh on everyone ? I mean worse than normal."

"Yes Nev I do."Harry nodded and winked.

"You did it on purpose ?"

"Yep."

"Why ?"

"Well I don ‘ t know if you ‘ ve noticed Nev,"Harry grinned like a devil."But they ‘ ve completely forgotten about Ron."
*


Harry slid into the water gingerly and pulled the egg in after him. The former marauders were already waiting amongst the house of cards. He motioned them down and they all slipped underwater. Harry swallowed his revulsion and twisted his head just enough to put one ear under piss then opened the egg.

‘ ejaculate seek us where our voices sound
We can not sing above the ground
And while you're searching, ponder this
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An time of day long you'll have to look,
But past an time of day - the prospect's fateful
Too late, it's gone, it won't fare back..'

Harry pulled his headland back up the same moment the other marauder emerged. Several of them were spluttering or red-faced from the water. Harry was the only one who was ashen grey.

"fountainhead that ‘ s easy."Hermione said excitedly."You just give birth to go somewhere and get something back in under an hour."

"Probably in the lake."Padma chimed it."It ‘ d make sense if it was submerged ‘ we can not sing above the ground ‘ and all."

"We just need some charm or something to let him breath-"

"Harry,"Neville interrupted Hermione, earning a looking at of irritation."Are you ok ?"

The vulture turned to Harry, who still hadn't moved. He was shaking despite the warm water.

"Harry…"Ginny reached out to match his shoulder and he flinched away from her hand.

"Guys…"Harry spoke slowly and weakly, like his pharynx didn't want to move."You remember the boggart in thirdly class ?"

"Yes it… Oh !"Hermione clasped both hand over her mouth in electrical shock."Yours was H2O ! Your afraid of urine. But we knew that didn't we ? You can get through it, you ‘ ve been in the lake before ? You ‘ ve swum over it-"

"That's different, when my head ‘ s above pee I can cope. Just."Harry shun his eyes and bowed his nous, he felt wretched to be admitting this."But as soon as it closes over my psyche I lose it. My creative thinker just goes blank, I can't think, can ‘ t control myself. I start trying to breath in the water system, start strangulation. I don ‘ t even have the horse sense to try and swim back up to the surface."Harry felt like iron weights had been hooked to the sides of his heart but he kept going.

"I can push a dragon again, or werewolf, Voldemort. But I can ‘ t swim."Harry shook his top dog, trying to agree back teardrops."I can ‘ t swim."

The room was silent, the docile sloshing of the urine against the bathroom, and the seven teens, sounded unnaturally loud.

"Ah,"Padma said dryly."That could pose a problem."

"Could you um…"Ron flapped his hands vaguely."Wear something over your head ? Like a bucketful or something ?"

The other predator shared a feeling and Ron fell silent.

"Ok…"Hermione rubbed her hands together nervously."That ‘ s ok. We can conduct with this. We ‘ ll get you better, maybe get you used to it slowly. ingress therapy. We ‘ ve got almost three workweek before the moment task, we can get you ready."

"Yeah !"Ron brightened up."See, like this !"He jumped forward and pushed Harry's head underwater.

Harry screamed and felt water rush into his airway. A second later he was dragged out of the water and he collapsed against the edge of the bath, coughing up the foamy, multicolor, bathwater.

"What… the hell…"Harry gasped out."Is ill-timed with you !"

"S…Sorry."Ron mumbled."Thought it would help."

"Let ‘ s go back to the tower."Parvati suggested suddenly. Even she was finding it severe to be cheerful right now."Maybe we can come in up with something in the morning."

Harry nodded, it took too a good deal energy to do anything else.
*


Harry had strand around his ankle, an anchor on the other end. Pulling him mysterious and deeper down into the lake. He tried to scream but nothing came out. It was getting darker and darker… blackened. Harry kept screaming but the shameful water filled his mouthpiece like a gag. It was everywhere.

Harry woke up sweating and shakiness and stumbled out of bed. He felt, and smelled, like he had run a marathon. He reached the bathroom and shed his sodden pajamas quickly before spinning the tap for a cascade. The nebuliser fell into the footling tile cubical but Harry didn't enter, instead he stood outside it shaking.

He hesitantly put a hand forward but as soon as the spray splashed it he jerked back. His heart was racing. He turned the shower off and grabbed his verge, he ran a cleansing charm all over his body before changing into his robes and scurrying out of the bathroom.
*


"Harry are you OK."Someone asked him for the 50th time that day.

Harry growled at him and the bookman scurried off. Harry sighed, it was too much to take.

He had another nightmare that night, again trapped in the lake. This metre in a John Cage that was bolted to the lakebed. He kept trying to get out but the prevention were made of steel.

Once again he couldn't bring himself to shower and made do with a cleanup spell. When individual offered him a looking glass of water at breakfast he almost cursed them into oblivion.

Harry buried his face in his hands, it was getting worse. It was like every nightmare left a little musical composition of itself in him. Bulking fear on top of care until he self-destructed.

"Harry…"vocalization ? Harry looked up and saw Parvarti's worried face."We ‘ ve got creatures now… but I ‘ m sure Hagrid won ‘ t thinker if you miss it."

Harry shook his oral sex and stood up. Maybe something trying to gore him would take his mind off his phobia.

They walked down to Hagrid's cabin. Harry didn't say anything, neither did anyone else.

"goodness cockcrow all,"Hagrid was his usual jolly self."We ‘ re having today ‘ s lesson down by the lake."

No !

Harry almost collapsed on the supergrass. Hermione and Padma moved off at a run, trying to intercept Hagrid as he strode off towards the blue air expanse.

Harry leadenly put one metrical foot in movement of the other. He was vaguely cognisant of Ron and Neville trying to tattle to him but he blanked them out. He stopped as the sess sloped down towards the water. There were some things in penitentiary near the waters surface, Hagrid was opening one while Hermione and Padma talked to him. Harry couldn't hear what they were saying but the bridge player campaign were pretty emphatic.

Harry felt his frontal bone get slick with sweat. He tried to step confining to the lake but the sound of it filled his ears. The gentle sloshing waves echoed somehow in his header and became a raging cataract, making it impossible to concentrate on anything. The water seemed to rise while staying in the Lapplander place, creeping airless to is eyes.

Harry's nerve broke and he turned and ran back towards the castling. He heard cry behind him but ignored them, he needed to get away. It felt like the lake was proper behind him, like a chasing beast. He hit the footfall of Hogwarts at a sprint and kept going. He had to hide !

All the while the water kept rushing in his ears.
*


The marauders begged out of Hagrid's deterrent example to go chance him. They spit into team and searched the castle. It was nightfall before they found him. Neville and Ron stumbled on him in the dungeons, in a tiny, dead-end corridor. It didn't feeling like it had been used in years. Harry was just slouched against the back wall, his blazonry tucked into his robes.

"Harry ?"Ron approached carefully.

Harry didn't answer, his gaze was fixed of a little dripping part of the ceiling. His eyes followed each droplet as it grew, dropped and splashed into a mossy patch on the floor.

"Harry ?"

dribble, trickle, drip.

"Are you Ok ?"

Drip, drip, drip.

"Is there anything we can do ?"

drip, drip, drip… Harry looked up and his middle met Ron's. The redheaded woodpecker almost flinched back, his friends gaze was empty and dull, like all the biography had been sucked out of him. But even so it seemed to hold barely contained fury.

"Yes,"Harry's vocalisation sounded like it was seeping out through stone."I do require your help."

"Ok ? What do you call for us to do ?"

"I need us three to go back up to the prefects bathroom."Harry clenched his hands, he even seemed to be trembling."And you ‘ re going to try that submergence therapy matter again. Except this clip you ‘ re gon na bind me under."
*


Harry turned the taps to full and forced himself to watch as the bath filled to the brim. He didn't add any liquid ecstasy, he had a feeling he would be inhaling a thoroughly sight of this water.

"Are you sure you want to do this Harry ?"Neville said nervously.

"I have to."Harry tensed himself and slipped one leg down into the H2O. He felt like his pelt was tightening up, like his whole leg had pin and needle. He gritted his teeth and dropped the rest of his body in. Already he felt like screaming, the pee was everywhere.

"Ok, Neville you ‘ ve got a lookout man ?"Harry said through chattering teeth that had nothing to do with the temperature.

"Yes."

"Ok,"Harry began taking recondite breather in cooking."Keep me under for five seconds, whatever I do. We ‘ ll push it up from there."

"Are you su-"

"stop asking me if I'm sure !"Harry snapped. He turned to Ron, who was already in the bath."Do it !"

Harry closed his optic and felt men close around his shoulder joint. A moment later he was dunked down. He tried to hold open his mouth shut but as soon as the water system closed over his top dog he panicked and breathed in a slap-up gulp of water. His lungs and pharynx burned and he flailed helplessly.

After what felt like a life he was pulled to the surface. He collapsed against the position of the bath and lay there, coughing up his lungs onto the tiles. He weakly realized that there was blood fuse in with the water, he must of bit his natural language trying to breathe.

"Was that five secondment ?"Harry said rickety once he had stopped coughing.

"Yes."

"Make the next one ten."

"Harry !"Ron protested."I can ‘ t do this to you ! The tournament ‘ s not worth this !"

"It ‘ s not even about the tournament any more."Harry shook his mind."It's got so very much risky I can't occupy a exhibitioner, I can ‘ t go near the lake. I ‘ m dehydrated because I don ‘ t even want to salute a meth of water. I can ‘ t live like this. Please mate… ten seconds."

Harry felt Ron move towards him through the water system and draw in him to his feet. Harry took a late breath and closed his eyes.

Again he was plunged into infernal region. Harry broke again and gulped in body of water. He saw illumination flashbulb on the inside of his eyelids. He felt like the bath had become a eddy spinning him around and around. Every muscularity clenched and released like he was having a seizure. The lighting faded, and darkness replaced it.
*


Harry woke confused. He was lying on a bed, with sheets over him. He wasn't wearing his shabu so the globe in front of him was blurred. His chest felt dense and breathing was hard.

"Where am I ?"He croaked out.

"The infirmary wing Mr Potter. You stopped breathing. Mainly because your lungs were full of water."A white blob appeared into Harry's view and a second later his spyglass were returned. ma'am Pomfrey straightened and shook her headland."You've been here two day repairing the scathe, your lungs were damaged. You were really remarkably stupid, I don ‘ t even love what to say this time."

"At least I can ‘ t blame this one on stairs."Harry smiled weakly. The school nurse snorted.

"You ‘ re friend is over there."She jerked her head at another bed where Ron lay."He hasn ‘ t left since you were brought in. He seems to feel hangdog over something."

"Sorry."

"Don ‘ t say it to me, say it to him."dame Pomfrey turned to leave then asked."Do you take anything ?"

"My throat hurts."

"I ‘ ll get you something for it."lady Pomfrey bustled off.

Harry cleared his throat,

"Ron !"At the auditory sensation of Harry's interpreter the piranha stirred."Ron wake up."

"Harry ? Harry you ‘ re awake !"Ron rubbed his oculus and slid out of bed."I ‘ m so grim Harry, you stopped moving but I kept you under. I thought you were getting used to it… I didn't know you ‘ d blacked out. I almost killed yo-"

"Because I told you to."Harry broke in."You didn ‘ t screw up, I did. And if I wasn ‘ t so screwed up in the first place none of this would be necessary."

"You ‘ re not screwed up Harry. You ‘ re just… Harry."

"I jump onto trains."Harry shook his head and laughed, but here was no witticism in it."I ‘ m fourteen and I ‘ ve murdered two multitude you can ‘ t order me that ‘ s normal."

"But that was self defense."

"And I didn't even hesitate ! I just stabbed them !"Harry continued."I have nightmares, I ‘ m aquaphobic and I remember things I shouldn ‘ t know. Something ‘ s amiss with me."

"But-"

"I manipulate people, I have no sense of when I ‘ ve gone too far, I potioned a teacher, dueled another one, I lie, I cheat, I steal. You can ‘ t tell me I ‘ m normal, not with a neat face."

"But Harry,"Ron moved up and put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly."All that stuff's what makes you you."

"Being me sucks."Harry rolled over away from Ron. Madam Pomfrey returned with a glass of water supply and a minuscule tumbler of blue liquid.

"Drink all of it. It ‘ s quite bitter."She disappeared into her power again.

Harry reached out and gulped down the aniseed flavored potion. He reached out for the water glass but his finger stopped an column inch from the deoxyephedrine. Harry sighed deeply and dropped back onto the bed.

"What is it Harry ?"Ron asked.

"It didn ‘ t work."Harry breathed faintly."It didn ‘ t even work."
*


"Bellevue."Harry spoke the watchword then knocked on the door.

"semen in."

Harry turned the hold and stepped into the guest tail of Hogwarts. A few of the synagogue handmaidens were sitting at the table interpretation, they looked up pointedly as he entered. He tried to ignore them. He walked over to where Pythea was sitting by the windowpane on a little cast. Harry pulled over a hot seat and sat.

"Are you feeling better ?"Pythea asked, though she didn't sound concerned.

"Yes. Thank you."

"I looked in on you in the hospital offstage, but I couldn't stay."Pythea's eye's flickered to the Theodore Harold White robed women around the table.

"That ‘ s alright."Harry smiled."That ‘ s not what I came here about. I need advice."

"About the indorse project ?"Pythea smiled faintly."You fear it."

"Yeah."Harry answered, not bothering to wonder how Pythea knew."I don ‘ t think I can do it. I mean there are spells and things, bubblehead appeal, Neville suggested gillyweed. But none of them ‘ ll work for me, not if I go crazy the flash I hit the piddle. I don't know what to do. I ‘ m scared Theia, I need help."

"Are you asking for my advice as an vaticinator ?"Pythea cocked her psyche."Or as a friend ?"

"Please Thea,"Harry begged."Just give me something."

"I have advice for you Harry."Pythea took his hand in hers."But you may not care it."

"Tell me."

"Give up."

"What ?"Harry frowned, confused.

"Don't compete in the second job. You can still win on the one-third even if you get zero for this one."

"But… The goblet ‘ s a binding contract."Harry shook his headspring."I have to compete."

"You have to compete in the tournament."Pythea corrected."There have been various times in the past where a superstar has skipped a task for medical reasons. And a phobia is a legitimise medical examination reason."

"But… I ‘ d have to tell them."Harry bit his lip."The unit school would know."

"You fear that happening ?"

"Yes."

"more than than you fear the lake ?"

"No."Harry shuddered and shook his drumhead."Why are you telling me this ?"

"Because I hate to see you hurt Harry."She was rubbing her fingers unconsciously on his hand."But even Thomas More I hate to see you scared."

Harry nodded faintly. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea.

"But I still have hope."Pythea smiled suddenly."You always think of something."

"Ok, that was your friend answer."Harry smiled."What ‘ s the Delphic one ?"

There isn ‘ t one Harry. There never is with you.

Harry was about to resolve but Pythea put a digit to her lips and smiled.

"Would you like a secret plan of chess while you ‘ re here ?"She said out loud.

"Chess with a mind-reading seer."Harry rolled his eyes."This should be fun."
*


Harry took Pythea's spec of Leslie Townes Hope that he would think of something and clung onto it like a line of life. He spent every availably second in the program library trying to find some early way into the lake. He researched astral projection, animagi, freezing and boiling spells and obscure charms. He got his friends to brew a potion of courage to try to overcome the fear but it wasn't enough and the effect only lasted a few moment anyway.

So it came to be the night before the job and Harry was still in the library, sitting behind a pile of record book, despairing.

There was no response, he should just give up.

"electrocution the midnight oil Potter ?"Harry heard Malfoy's vocalization and jerked his head word up to see the boy walk out from behind a bookshelf, a pile of Quran under his arm.

Harry's brow furrows as he worked back through Malfoy's prison term. It took him a few s to work out what was bothering him about it. There hadn't been an insult in it ! It had been a elementary, normal question.

"Yes, I see you are too."Harry pushed some of his own book aside and the Slytherin sat down. The books he had all had similar titles to Harry's own."You have a plan for tomorrow ?"

"Yes."Malfoy nodded."Just making certain nothing can go wrong. You ?"

"No."Harry admitted shaking his head."No I ‘ ve got nothing."

quiet reigned in the dark, mouldy library.

"You must sustain something."Malfoy said, shrugging."A little charm or so-"

"No."Harry shook his brain again."Nothing that will work for me."

"But wh…"Malfoy leant back in his chair. Harry could almost see the gears turning in his chief."The Boggart in third year…"

Harry said nothing, he didn't have to.

"You ‘ re afraid of piddle ?"

Silence.

"That ‘ s… not expert for you then."Malfoy smiled."But very just for me."

"Screw you Peroxide !"Harry sneered and knocked over a mess of books into Malfoy's lap."And get off my table !"

"You invited me here."

"I un-invite you."

"Too bad, I ‘ m settled now."Malfoy leant back and flipped a Quran open, balancing on the backbone two leg of his chair. Harry had the unbearable impulse to tip him over.

Harry gritted his teeth and ignored him, pulling another record book over. A few hour passed in silence then…

"thrower, what the hell is Peroxide ?"

"Muggle thing,"Harry muttered."Come to think of it it wasn ‘ t much of an insult."

"You must be stressed then,"Malfoy said without looking up from his book."If you can ‘ t even insult correctly."

"Would you like me to try again ?"Harry jabbed."I ‘ ve got lots."

"I tend to stick with mudblood."

"Evidence of a profound lack of imagination."Harry shut his Word of God and picked another."Is it possible you're parents accidentally lobotomized you as a child."

"No."Malfoy replied coldly.

"Is it possible you're parents intentionally lobot-"

"jailer you shortarse !"

Harry chuckled despite himself and dropped his eyes back to the text in front end of him. It had some entropy about an ancient necromancer who was able to part seas. It also said the knowledge of how to do so had been lost millennium ago. He dropped that one as well and grabbed another.

"Really scared of urine ?"

Harry ignored Malfoy and sank bass into the book.

"And you can ‘ t think of a way around it ?"

Harry sighed and looked up. Malfoy was staring at the roof, deep in thought.

"Courage potion… ?"

"Tried it, effect doesn't live long enough."

"A transformation of some kind ?"

"Any transformation that keeps my idea integral keeps my phobic disorder intact as well."

"How about charming an animal to get whatever-it-is for you ?"

"Against the rules of the contest."

"Some sort of diving ship's bell ?"

"Now you ‘ re just scraping the bottom of the barrel."Harry sunk onto his hands on the mesa."brass it, if I ‘ ve had weeks to get up with an response you ‘ re not gon na get it in one night. I ‘ ve been racking my brains trying to conceive of some way that's within the convention but it just isn ‘ t there."

"Well how about away them."Malfoy shrugged."You said you were going to cheat anyway."

"In front of the entire school ? And the judge ?"Harry shook his head."I ‘ d never get away with it."

"Is this Harry Potter I ‘ m talking to or some sort of imposter."Malfoy laughed dismissively."You don't worry about how to get away with affair. You do them and get away with them later."

Harry opened his rima oris to object but a light-bulb came on in his mind. He stood suddenly, driving his chair back.

"I need different books."He stated suddenly before turning and walking away. After a second base he turned and said,"Thank you."

"I owed you one."Malfoy said, his eyes back on the book in figurehead of him.
*


"Ginny !"

Why is he shaking me ?

"Ginster wake up !"

"Harry ?"Ginny woke slowly and groggily."Harry it ‘ s still the middle of the night."

"I know."

"How did you even get up the stairs ?"

"Listen Gin, I need to borrow the Chimera."Harry was whispering but he sounded insistent.

"Sure Harry."Ginny shook her headway, clearing cobweb."What do you necessitate it for ?"

"Can ‘ t tell you."Harry smiled evilly."If I told you you ‘ d be an accessory."

"An accessory to what ?"Ginny was wide awake now.

"A Harry Potter program !"Harry grinned in the wickedness, then disappeared.
*


"Mr Potter…"Minerva McGonagall licked her lips and stopped speaking. All around her the various adults were starting to giggle, the students too. Dumbledore was giving Harry an appraising smell, axiom was laughing openly, Crouch just looked scandalized.

They were standing by the edge of the lake, the second project was about to start and all but one of the champions were wearing bathing suit. Those three were the ones giggling at the fourth.

"Mr Potter…"She tried again, pointing at what thrower was carrying."That is a broomstick."

"Yes, I am aware of that."

"Is it possible you misunderstood what the task before you consists of."

"Anything ‘ s possible."thrower shrugged.

"You realize that the broomstick will not even influence underwater ?"

"Yes."

"Is there any fortune that you will tell me what you ‘ re planning."

"No."

McGonagall shook her headspring and turned back towards the pedestal. Behind her the champions moved into melodic line by the edge of the lake. She shook her heading as Bagman read out the dominion in his loud boom out voice, then…

"One… two… THREE !"

Harry shot into the air like a slug and careened backwards towards the stands. Audience members scattered but Harry managed to regain dominance at the last minute and pulled up to blast over and out, following the curve of the lake until he disappeared behind a hill.

"Did he run away ?"

"Where did he go ?"

Muttering broke out around the stands. McGonagall shook her head, they had said the same things last meter and Harry had come through.

Her eyes were drawn to the top stand, to the sliver of white amongst the dark robes. The Pythea was standing before her seat, her eyes fixed in the instruction Harry had disappeared. A second later she started laughing, a assoil Chrystal laugh that flowed over the stands.

McGonagall looked out to try and see what she was seeing but saw nothing. A moment later a material body appeared in the lake, rounding the hill that had hid it from view and pushing out quickly into the open water.

One by one the crowd fell silent, every eye fixed on the thing in the lake. McGonagall put her hand to her back talk, even given a thousand years she would never stimulate thought of this.

Karkaroff was the first to die the silence. Shooting from his chair, his face red with rage he raised his fist and yelled,

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



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