He held his arm out to her as they approached the Great Hall. He could tell she was nervous, even if she was a lot more relaxed than she had been at breakfast. She hooked her hand around his elbow and smiled at him, with just a hint of thanks behind it. It still tickled his hearts to be able to read her like that, and he felt a warmth suffuse his chest.
Quiet followed in their wake as they entered the Great Hall and assumed their seats at the empty end of the Gryffindor table. Conversation started anew after they had done so, but they could both tell the new talk was rife with whispers.
Neville came to sit across from them when he arrived, and Luna sat on Harry's open side when she arrived. It made Harry wonder if Daphne would ever have the temerity to come and sit with Neville. Then again, maybe temerity didn't really enter the picture. Maybe it was more a question of escaping the backbiting of her House. There would certainly be some traitorous accusations if Daphne did come sit with them. Would the opposite be true though? It might cause strife for Daphne if Hermione, Neville and himself went to sit with her as long as she wasn't friendly... Unless she claimed afterward that she was just pretending in order to get close to them? That might actually gain her some respect in her house for doing something the rest couldn't. He would have to bring that up to Neville later.
Arielle sat next to Neville when she arrived, and that was the first time Harry saw Daphne take any kind of interest in their table. Apparently getting along smoothly with her house was less important to her than another girl sitting next to Neville. A younger redhead girl sat next to Arielle just before dinner started, though he couldn't recall her name if he'd ever known it. He felt Hermione tense even though she only barely touched his leg with hers. She frowned at the redhead, who blithely ignored it.
Harry quietly put his hand on Hermione's thigh and smiled when she looked at him, and that seemed to calm her some. She still glared at the redhead though.
The Hallowe'en decorations festooned everywhere put a celebratory mood in the air during the meal. There was an occasional scream followed by laughter when one of the bats flying around the Great Hall landed on a student and pretended to bite his or her neck.
When the meal had ended and the food disappeared once again from the tables, Headmaster Dumbledore took up position in front of the lectern once again, though he was shortly flanked by Headmaster Karkaroff and Headmistress Maxime. The three of them waited patiently for Mister Filch to wheel out the heavy cart whereupon sat an ornate goblet brimming with blue flames.
"This is more tournament business, isn't it?" He whispered to Hermione.
"Choosing of the Champions. The Goblet of Fire will choose which names get to be Champions. I'm surprised you didn't read more about it." She whispered back.
"I had other things on my mind." He whispered, then kissed just behind her ear.
"You have all had a month," Dumbledore began, his voice clearly amplified to reach the far end of the Hall where they sat, "To decide whether or not you wished to participate in the Triwizard Tournament as a Champion, and to then place your name in the Goblet of Fire." Pause two beats for dramatic effect. "It is time for the Champions to be chosen!"
Applause echoed around the hall. Dumbledore drank it in.
"If your name is called, proceed to the antechamber on my right for a short conference on what comes next." He made a gesture with both arms, and the lights in the Great Hall dimmed to leave the blue fire of the Goblet as a flickering beacon.
Noise in the hall dimmed with the lights as the students and staff waited. Tension mounted as everyone stared at the flickering blue flame, until a hissing roar sounded briefly from the Goblet as the flames turned bright orange-red. A slip of parchment, charred around the edges, launched out of the flames high into the air over the cup. The parchment piece floated downward like a leaf on a breeze, and was caught by Dumbledore.
"The Durmstrang Champion will be...Viktor Krum!" Dumbledore bellowed.
All eyes turned to the far end of the Slytherin table where the boys from Durmstrang sat. One of them stood and pumped his fist into the air as the others around him clapped him on the back. The chosen Champion walked purposefully toward the antechamber and disappeared from sight.
The Goblet flared again, and another slip of parchment spat into the air. This one was caught by Karkaroff, who handed it to Dumbledore.
"The Beauxbatons Champion will be... Fleur Delacour!" Dumbledore shouted.
Fleur rose from the Ravenclaw table and sashayed with deceptive speed toward the antechamber. When she had vanished into the other room, again all eyes turned back to the Goblet. It sat quietly for a long moment, as though deliberating its choices. The quietly dancing sapphire flames changed quickly, and spat the last bit of parchment into the air. Madam Maxime caught this one and handed it to Dumbledore.
"The Hogwarts Champion will be... Cedric Diggory!"
Thunderous applause and cheering broke out at the Hufflepuff table as Cedric stood and endured a gauntlet of slaps to his back and shoulders before he too disappeared into the antechamber.
Dumbledore raised his hands to the Hall to call for quiet. It took a moment, but everyone settled.
"We will now retire to the antechamber to discuss the First Task of the tournament with the Champions. You are all free to-"
He was cut off as the Goblet flared to red-orange again, and another slip of parchment spat into the air. Silence gripped the Hall as all eyes watched the parchment piece drift lazily downward as the Goblet returned to a dull blue.
Dumbledore managed to catch the piece of parchment and looked out over the student body with shock and disbelief on his face.
"Duncan MacFusty!" Dumbledore called.
Hermione's hand gripped his thigh in fear. "Don't go." She whispered. "This is a setup."
He kissed her cheek. "Of course it is. We know it is, and we'll be ready. At the very least, I'll go find out who put my name in."
She kissed him deeply. "Come back to me." Fear turned her plea to a whisper.
"Duncan MacFusty!" Dumbledore repeated.
"You're my Mate. My wife. Nothing can keep me from you. Nothing." He whispered back as he stood.
He turned and sauntered casually toward the antechamber. He frowned as he walked, and it was only seconds before the whispers started. He couldn't hear what they were saying of course, but it was likely something to do with how he'd cheated the selection process. The Goblet's slowly dancing blue flames extinguished as he walked past, and the Goblet went dark.
Viktor, Cedric, and Fleur all looked confused as he opened the door and entered the antechamber. There was a Ministry official in the room as well, a greasy-looking man with a very unbecoming moustache.
"Who are you? What is this?" The official demanded. Harry ignored him and held the door open for Madam Maxime, Karkaroff and Dumbledore, then closed it behind them.
"What is going on Dumbledore?" The official started to sound angry.
"His name came out of the Goblet, Barty." Dumbledore sighed dramatically.
"That cannot be!" Barty shrilled. "It's the TRIwizard Tournament! TRI! Three!"
"Nevertheless, it has happened. He was chosen, Bartemius."
"This is outrageous!" Karkaroff shouted. "If Hogwarts has two Champions, I demand we be allowed two as well!"
"That would be fair." Harry agreed. "Or I could just leave and let you get on with it, since I don't want to be here at all."
"What is the Goblet doing?" The official asked. "Is it still giving names?"
"Ze Goblet is extingueesh." Madam Maxime said.
The official began to sweat then. "He must stay. He must compete. The Goblet is a binding magical contract."
Harry smiled at that.
"Zat is most unfair, Doombleydoore." Madam Maxime sighed.
"I quite agree, Madam. However, the path is set. All those named must compete."
"Look at his smiling!" Karkaroff put his own face an inch from Harry's and shouted at him. "You did this! How did you cheat, boy?! Confess!"
Harry's smile fell and he stared back into Karkaroff's eyes. "Your breath stinks." He said.
Karkaroff grabbed the front of Harry's robes.
"Don't touch me." Harry said.
Karkaroff ignored him.
Harry broke his hand.
"Aaahh!!" Karkaroff screamed and clutched his broken hand to his chest.
Dumbledore got into Harry's face then. "What did you do?" He demanded.
"I told him not to touch me. He didn't listen." Harry replied calmly.
Dumbledore gave him a hard glare, and then guided Karkaroff out of the antechamber.
"Vat you do to Kheadmaster?" Viktor demanded angrily.
"Viktor, right?" Harry asked.
Viktor nodded.
"You heard me tell him not to touch me. He didn't listen." Harry held up his left hand in a fist, then wrapped his right hand around it. "I squeezed his fist and broke this bone here." He pointed to the bone that connected his index finger to his wrist.
"Khow?" Viktor frowned.
"I'm very strong." Harry answered.
Viktor glared at him for a long moment, but didn't say anything else.
"Mister Bartemius?" Harry asked.
"Yes? What is your name, boy?"
"MacFusty. Duncan MacFusty. Are you absolutely certain that I have to compete in this tournament that is specifically limited to students who are of age? I'm only fourteen."
"What? You're only fourteen?! How did this happen?!" Mister Bartemious looked to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, so Harry refrained from any other questions.
"Yes." The ragged official said eventually. "Yes, you must compete, regardless."
Harry nodded. "My thanks, Mister Bartemius. That's what I thought you were going to say."
Fleur came to stand next to him then. "You didn't do this, did you? You really don't want to be here." She whispered in French.
Harry smiled back at her. "No, I really didn't and no I really don't." He replied in French. "I would wager either Dumbledore did it directly, or more likely he arranged for it to happen. I don't have any proof, but that's my feeling."
"Why though? What would he have to gain from including you?"
Harry shrugged. "He tried to read my thoughts the first night I was here. Maybe since he couldn't, this is another way for him to find out what I'm capable of. I honestly don't know why."
"But... You are only fourteen! Is it not a crime to read the thoughts of a minor in Britain?"
Harry nodded. "As far as I know it is, yes. There's no proof, of course. it would be Albus Dumbledore's word against a nobody's. Besides, I have defenses. He paid for his mistake with three days in the Hospital wing."
"Zree days?! Defense magnifique!" Fleur slipped into English in surprise.
"He wasn't expecting me to have any and left himself unguarded."
"Still..." She sidled a little closer to him and whispered breathily in his ear. "I would like to get to know you betteur, Duncan. You seem... interesting."
Harry smiled at her. "Thank you for your interest, Fleur, it's incredibly flattering. Unfortunately I am very taken, and will remain faithful ever and always."
Fleur sighed and pouted then, but plucked herself up after a second. "Of course you are." She whispered with a chagrined smile. "The good ones always are."
"Not all of them." Harry whispered back. "Cedric's girlfriend and three of her friends tried to potion me so they could get me into a broom closet. You can ask Luna or most of the other girls if you want proof. She didn't even have the decency to dump him first, she was just going to cheat on him. Cedric is a good man and doesn't deserve that. If I was going to point you at good men, I would give you two names in this castle - Neville Longbottom, who is also taken, and Cedric Diggory, who is but shouldn't be. Get to know him, see how it goes. Invite me to the wedding." Harry grinned.
Fleur chuckled warmly and stole a glance at Cedric. "He is certainly pretty." She whispered after a moment.
"And he deserves better than Cho Chang." Harry whispered.
"I have heard of this Chang girl from the others. You are right, he deserves better. We shall see if he is good enough to deserve me."
"I don't think you'll be disappointed. Susan and Hannah were both after him last -"
The door opened again and Dumbledore and Karkaroff returned, so he dropped their whispered conversation.
"Well," Dumbledore said once the door was closed, "If we can proceed without any further violence..."
Harry scowled. "I told him not to touch me."
Dumbledore glared at him.
"What was it you wanted to tell us, Headmaster?" Cedric asked.
Dumbledore assumed his grandfatherly mien again, like it was a cloak he struggled into.
"Yes, Mister Diggory, my apologies. We simply wished to inform you that the first Task of the tournament will occur at the end of November, you have that long to prepare.
"Prepare for vat?" Viktor frowned. "Khow ve prepare vhen ve not know vhat Task is?"
"That is why it is a Challenge, Mister Krum." Dumbledore replied.
"Vhy zhen you force boy to take Challenge for men?" Viktor kept his frown. "Vhy is tournament now mockery? Is no glory for man to beat child. Is only shame."
"I agree wiz Viktor." Fleur said. "Zis ees already un traveste."
"Isn't there some way we could nullify that choosing and do it over?" Cedric asked.
"No, no. You don't understand!" Bartemious wrung his hands. "The Goblet is a binding magical contract! If things don't proceed as they are, you will all lose your magic."
Silence gripped the room as that sank in.
"You dare use such a thing on one of my students, Albus?!" Karkaroff growled.
"Come, Fleur." Madam Maxime ordered, then headed for the door. "Zis is on your head, Doombleydoore." She glared down at him as she passed, then exited the room followed by Fleur.
"Are we done then? Can I go back to my seat?" Harry asked.
"I would like to see you in my office, Mister MacFusty." Dumbledore said.
"Why? So you can try to read my mind again?"
"That's enough, Mister MacFusty." Dumbledore said, warning evident in his tone.
"Enough of what? I don't mind if Cedric hears what you have to say. Or Viktor, or anyone else. Why the need for privacy, Headmaster?"
"That will be one month's detention with Mister Filch, Mister MacFusty." Dumbledore said, all traces of his grandfatherly disguise gone.
"No." Harry said flatly.
"Excuse me?" Dumbledore said, and stepped closer to Harry in a feeble attempt to intimidate, as Karkaroff had done.
"I said no. If you wish to punish me for breaking Headmaster Karkaroff's hand, then you are exceeding your purview. I have read the Hogwarts charter, Headmaster. I've read the detailed outlines of every professor's position, including yours. You may not punish me for defending myself when someone - anyone - lays hands on me. You may also not punish me for not getting your own way. So no, I will not be going to detention with Mister Filch at this or any other time, and I will be happy to discuss the situation with Susan's Aunt."
Dumbledore burned hatred into his eyes, but turned and left the room without a word.
"Daaaaamn." Cedric let out a long breath when Dumbledore had gone. "Are you sure that was wise, MacFusty?"
Harry grinned at him. "You can call me Duncan, Heir Diggory. We're going to be friendly rivals now, after all. Maybe it wasn't so wise, but I - " He paused to look into Karkaroff's eyes. "Hate bullies. In any form."
Karkaroff scoffed and left the room as well.
"Vat is bully?" Viktor asked.
Harry quirked one corner of his mouth as he thought. "I don't know the Bulgarian... En francais?"
"Oui." Viktor said.
"C'est bon! Bully est brute. L'Intimidateur."
"Ah." Viktor smiled in understanding. "Je comprends. Au revoir, MacFusty."
"Duncan." Harry said with a smile.
"Au revoir Duncan." Viktor nodded back, left the room and he was alone with Cedric.
"Was all that true? What you said about the Hogwarts charter and such? And, call me Cedric, please." Cedric asked.
"Yes, absolutely. By law all that information has to be made public, but it doesn't by law have to be made easy to get to. I wandered around the Ministry for three hours before I found where they keep it."
"That's... typical."
"So I'm coming to understand..." He tried to gauge Cedric's mood, but decided just to get it over with and spit it out. "I don't mean to intrude on your private business Cedric, but would you take a bit of unsolicited relationship advice?"
"As long as it's not anything I have to fight you for." He smiled, half-joking.
"I would never." Harry replied with a smile. "You seem like a good guy, Cedric, and I hate seeing good people lied to. Ask Miss Chang about the four idiots."
"Four idiots?"
"Yeah. I won't go into it because it's not my place, but she's keeping things from you if you don't already know about it."
Cedric looked a bit confused and frowned at the same time.
"Alright. That's... a bit weird for conversation."
"I understand, believe me. I'm sorry to intrude, it shouldn't be necessary and I hope you won't hold it against me later, but you deserve the truth."
"Thanks, I guess?"
Harry grinned at him. "And, speaking of women, she's probably about to tear the castle down with her bare hands, so I should go."
"Actually, who is that, if you don't mind me asking?" He followed Harry to the door and through, into the Great Hall.
"That's Hermione." Harry said with a proud grin.
"Seriously? The top student, frizzy-haired girl with a limp?"
Harry nodded. "She got her knee fixed, started working out, gained some confidence. Between you and me, I am so gonna marry her."
Cedric laughed at that and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck, Duncan."
Harry smiled at him as they separated to go to their respective tables. "You too, Cedric."
He was right about Hermione, she looked ready to start flipping tables and tearing stones out of walls. She didn't even wait for him to sit down, she jumped out of her seat, grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the exit.
"You alright, Hermione?" He asked once they were in the halls.
"No. I'm freaking out and I don't really know why and that's making me freak out more." She didn't slow her pace one atom between the Great Hall and the Gryffindor common room. "Get all your things." She whispered in his ear, "You're moving in with me so I can be sure you're safe."
That put a smile on his face, and he did as she bid him. He gathered up his toiletries, clothing, and trunk, and put his shrunken trunk in his pocket before he returned to her. She hadn't even sat down, she paced back and forth near the portrait door. She stopped when she saw him and frowned.
"Where's your stuff?" She asked when he reached her.
"My trunk shrinks, it's in my pocket." He said.
"Oh." She half-smiled, then gripped his hand again and pulled him along with her. Once they were out of sight of anyone in the halls, she disillusioned and silenced them both. She led him by the hand to the same place he kept losing her when he'd followed her before, the study room on the fourth floor. She closed the door behind them, then dropped the Silence.
"Oberon." She told one of the bookcases, and it swung silently outward.
No wonder he kept losing her!
She pulled him into the hallway behind the bookcase and closed it behind them before she continued. A hundred feet or so down that hallway, she stopped, and cancelled the Disillusionment. She tapped her wand on one of the wall stones, and a section of the wall swung smoothly and silently inward.
"That's brilliant!" He boggled. Beyond the wall was a large room, the size of one of the transfiguration classrooms. There was a sink stuck to the wall high up in one corner that had also been screened off from the rest of the room, two dressers, a loveseat, a bed, and a dozen bookshelves all filled to capacity.
Hermione pulled him inside and the door shut behind them, and only then did she seem to relax at all. She took a deep breath and sighed.
Harry put his arms around her and held her close. "Sorry for making you worry, Hermione. You'll want to hear everything that happened, of course."
She wrapped her arms around his ribs and squeezed while she buried her face in his robes and nodded. Without warning, she bent and picked him up, carried him to the bed and dumped him on it, then lay on top of him and kissed him deeply for a long moment.
He smiled up at her and tucked an errant curl behind her ear. "Better now?"
She smiled and blushed at him, but nodded. Most of the tension had gone from her face.
"I think so. Now tell me everything."
He went over everything in detail, but had to stop and wait for her laughter to subside when he told her about his refusal to submit to detentions.
"We are so going to the Ministry over Christmas. I have to have a copy of that!" She beamed.
"That actually brings me to the up side of all this. I apparently absolutely have to compete in this tournament that is only for of age students, so by the ministry's own laws..."
She gasped as her eyes went wide and her hand curled into a claw on his chest. "You have to be considered an adult!"
"That was my thinking. Which means, if that's true, then we can stop by Gringott's as soon as we're off the train, I can pick up my new ring, and we could have a house ready and waiting for us to stay in, assuming there are any properties associated with House Potter, of course."
"Oh Harry, that would be so nice. To not have to put up with my parents and the same tired Christmas nonsense... To not be treated like I'm five years old, that would be just wonderful."
He kissed her again. "You're wonderful."
"You're not so bad yourself." She smiled at him, and the look in her eyes made his chest squeeze.
"You keep looking at me like that, you'll make me fall in love with you."
She kissed him again. "Remind me to do it a few thousand times a day then."
He grinned at her. "So... I notice there's only one bed..."
She bit her lip. "Is that okay? I mean, we could make another if you want. I just thought... I had the best sleep ever last night, and I just -"
"I did too, Hermione. I really, really enjoyed it. If you're alright with..." He looked away as he felt heat rise into his cheeks. "The embarrassing thing that happens when I'm asleep, then definitely."
"You have nothing to be embarrassed about with me, Harry. You'll witness plenty of embarrassing things about me too. I want to know everything about you. Everything... Tell me something about you I don't know."
"Hmm something you don't know... Whenever I brought a goat or deer back to the Nest, I would always give Mother the guts. The heart, organs, stomach... I call them the slithery bits. She loves them, but I never liked them."
Hermione made a face. "That's gross... but also makes me kind of hungry in a weird way."
Harry chuckled. "Mother's Nest is all hard stone, so I would breathe on a patch of floor near my hoard and throw a leg on there to cook and eat that."
"That actually makes me feel kind of bad for feeling sorry for myself. I had clothes and food and relative safety and never had to kill to eat."
"I liked those times. Everything was simple. The down side of course is that I wasn't learning anything. Once I started to learn things I couldn't get enough. Still can't." He smiled. "Your turn. Tell me something nobody knows about you."
"Yours was the first hug I can remember." Her face went partly sad and partly stony.
"But... you have both your parents!" His brows knit together as he tried to understand a parent not hugging a child. Even Mother showed affection! It wasn't warm soft hugs, but it was all the affection she had nonetheless.
Hermione smiled the way people do when they're trying to downplay something. "Technically."
He wrapped his arms around her. "Well I like hugging you. I'll give you all the hugs you could ever want. Any time, any where."
She smiled and nuzzled into him. "Must be why it's such a nice sleep."
He smiled back at her. "Sleepy now?"
She shook her head a little and spilled some of her curls across his face. Her hair smelled of butterscotch and jasmine and the dust from old books. Harry breathed it in with a contented smile and thrummed happily deep in his chest. Hermione giggled and held him tighter, and at that moment he had never been more satisfied.
Kneescythe settled into his chair and pulled out the Business Accounts ledger. With Lord-presumptive Potter's new status, he'd had the opportunity to diversify some of his holdings and managed to increase revenue by almost a third of a percent. He was anxious to see what the night's foreign trading had wrought, particularly the Australian market. Big things were happening there.
He immersed himself in the numbers as he always did, and was not disappointed with the evening's trading. There had been no significant gain, but no losses either, and that was still a win. He pulled a quill from his desk as he prepared to make notes for the day's tasks, when a runner opened his door, dashed into the office, dropped a letter in his hands, and dashed out again.
Neat script adorned the front of the letter, addressed with just 'Kneescythe'. The back bore the seal of the Potter Heir's ring. He broke the seal and opened the letter, eager to see what the unconventional young wizard had to say.
Dear Accounts Manager Kneescythe,
I would first like to thank you for your efforts regarding my mail problem, and your continuing efforts on behalf of my family accounts. You have my ongoing gratitude.
Something completely unexpected and wholly illegal has happened to me while here at school. Have you heard of the Triwizard Tournament? It's a contest to pit three students against deadly tasks. The Ministry has decreed that only OF AGE wizards and witches can be allowed to take part, and yet somehow my name came out of the Goblet of Fire. I didn't enter my name, I didn't ask anyone to do it for me, and yet my name came out of it.
I was told that even though I'm underage - and I was very specific about this - that I absolutely had to compete. The official said the Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract. So I got to thinking - The ministry says I have to compete in a tournament that the Ministry says is only for 'of age' students, so isn't that the same as the Ministry saying I'm of age?
The more I thought about it, the more I thought I should ask you since you and your colleagues at Gringott's know a great deal more about the Ministry than I do. Is there some paperwork I need to fill out to get recognized as being of age?
Any assistance you or your colleagues could render me in this instance would be greatly appreciated.
May your gold flow in mighty rivers,
-Harry James Potter.
P.S. I've been reading about Goblin customs, but there's not much information available, I hope I didn't mess it up!
Kneescythe re-folded the letter and placed it on the shelf to his right. His instincts had been completely correct, this Potter did not disappoint. Part of him felt giddy at the thought of what this Potter might bring in the future.
He pushed the black metal plate on his desk.
"Yes sir?" Spinegrip's voice came from the plate.
"Get me forms EM forty-three and forty-seven."
"Yes Sir."
Spinegrip entered his office a few minutes later with the forms and deposited them on his desk. "Anything else sir?"
"I'll want to send these by owl after I fill them out, otherwise it's a slow day."
Kneescythe filled out the relevant parts of the forms and penned a short letter to Lord-presumptive Potter, and put everything in a large envelope. He called Spinegrip to take the package and owl it to Potter, and when he was alone in his office again he steepled his fingers and cast his mind forward. Whoever it was in the government that had redirected Potter's mail would likely seek to block his emancipation. That meant keeping things quiet. Keeping things quiet meant he had some people to see.
He placed the ledger back where it belonged, and plucked his battleaxe from its place on the wall.
Fucking jumped-up, arrogant little shit! How dare he say no? He was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore! Leader of the Light! Living Legend! Dark Lord Defeater! Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, Headmaster of the only Magical school in Britain! He was the Utimate Authority! And the little fucker had the temerity to threaten him with the head of the DMLE?! Little shit should have just died when Tom killed him, all the bloody affrontery would have been avoided.
Dumbledore swept into his office and closed the door with a satisfying slam. Fawkes looked up from his perch and sensed his mood as he always did. Instead of offering a soothing balm however, the stupid fried chicken laughed at him. The mocking sing-song tones jarred his already ragged nerves and pushed him from merely angry and annoyed into rage.
"That is enough out of you." He growled. His backup wand was in his hand before he realized what he was doing. A part of his mind warned him not to, but he was angrier than he had been in decades. Nobody said no to him! Nobody mocked him! He was Albus bloody Dumbledore! A jet of pure cold shot from his wand and struck the precious bird square in its chest. It let out a horrified squawk and fell from its perch onto the tray beneath and didn't move. The glorious vibrant red of his plumage grew dull and lifeless as a coating of ice spread over his rigid body.
"Who is laughing now?" Dumbledore growled.
He frowned at the scene before him, and realized he was still far too angry for careful rational thought. He cast notice-me-not on himself, and Apparated to downtown Aberdeen. He didn't normally take his fury out on helpless muggles, but his anger at the Potter brat had been magnified by his familiar and demanded action. No-one would miss a few ignorant muggles, so he indulged his enraged control issues.
It took several hours for his anger to bleed away and his mind to regain focus. He took a deep breath and let it out when he realized he was finished, and immediately felt the loss of his bird. It had been decades since he felt so drained. Overextended, weak, and emotionally drained, he Apparated back to his office and sat down with a grunt.
"Rozi." He said aloud. An aged House Elf appeared immediately in front of him.
"Headmaster." It replied.
"Clean up the dead bird and bring me some tea."
"Right away, Headmaster." The Elf clicked its fingers together and Fawkes' entire perch stand, including his carcass vanished. A steaming cup of tea appeared on the desk in front of him, and the Elf vanished.
"At least someone is loyal." He told the teacup bitterly. Speaking of which, it would be about time to renew the loyalty potions on certain individuals. He made a mental note to get those distributed tomorrow, then turned his mind to the task at hand.
What to do about Potter.
It was too early to see if Step Two had borne any fruit yet, but he had a sneaking suspicion it would not be as effective as he hoped. To augment it, the most effective solution was to start a few select rumors.
The boy was clearly violent, that much was without doubt. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to weave a history of violence into Dark Lord ambitions. That may be a step too far too quickly though - better to keep that as a finishing blow. What then? He sighed. There simply wasn't anything. Damn that stupid fat muggle for terrorizing the child into accidental Apparation. If he'd just done the bloody job he'd intended, none of this shit would have happened.
He sighed again. The boy had no glaring insecurities, no obvious character defects, no deformities, no suspect associations. It would be down to Albus to serve the Greater Good once again, as that afternoon's muggles had done. He would have to manufacture a situation to exploit, and that meant choosing a patsy. Luckily, he already had one of those. A stupid, lazy one prone to anger, jealousy, and unreasoned action. One who luckily had a younger sister. It would take a chance meeting, a quick altering of memories, and young Ronald would fly at Potter like a loosed arrow.
Yes, that was a sound plan. He relaxed into his chair and sipped his tea.
"Phineus, would you be so kind as to let me know when and where young Ginevra Weasley is alone in the halls?"
"I sense a plot in the making, Albus. Very well, I shall do as you ask."
"Thank you, Phineus."
"Quite welcome, Albus." Phineus grinned with a sidelong glance.
A loud CRACK echoed through the room. Harry and Hermione were both on their feet before the echo faded. Adrenaline pumped through them both as they searched the room for threats.
"Mistress!" Lammy called. "Mistress bes helping Lammy please?" Harry sat down on the bed and let out a large breath. Hermione jumped off the bed and knelt in front of Lammy.
"Of course, Lammy. What's wrong?"
"Old Hogwarts Elf Rozi bringed poor pretty bird to put in trash. Mistress can fix pretty bird?" Lammy held up a stiff red-plumed body, mostly encased in ice.
Harry jumped off the bed to look as well. "What kind of bird is it?" He asked.
"It looks like a phoenix. Lammy, do you know this bird? Is this Dumbledore's phoenix?"
"Lammy doesn't knows for sure, Mistress."
Hermione retrieved her wand from the nightstand and flicked it at one of the bookshelves. A book floated to her waiting hand, and she tucked her wand behind her ear before she flipped through the book. It took her a few moments, but she pointed at a page with a tight grin, then showed it to Harry.
"It IS a phoenix." He looked at the page she indicated, and the picture was indeed identical to the frozen bird.
"Alright, so... should we set it on fire?" He asked. "If they're reborn from their own ashes..."
"Good thinking." She nodded. "Theoretically that should work. You want to breathe on it or should I?"
"Let's both do it, but we shouldn't do that in here." He looked at the walls lined with books. "Bad idea. Outside maybe?"
"Let's go." Hermione nodded and pulled her coat from the rack by the door. "The courtyard near the kitchens you think?"
Harry nodded. "As good a spot as any." He took the frozen bird from Lammy's outstretched arms. "Could you get a large bowl please Lammy? We'll need something to keep the ashes in."
Lammy nodded and disappeared with a pop.
Harry followed Hermione out of the hideyhole and downstairs to the courtyard. He placed the frozen bird on the stones in the center of the courtyard, and stood back to hold Hermione's hand.
"Together?" She asked.
He smiled at her. "Burn with me."
She smiled back at him and began to Resonate. He seized his own power and did the same.
"Three. Two. One." Hermione counted down, then breathed gently on the bird. Harry matched her power and aim a split second later, and their fire mixed to form a blazing white and aquamarine hemisphere centered on the frozen phoenix. They breathed for the space three heartbeats, and by mutual handsqueeze stopped.
The ice, the red plumage, the stiff body - all were gone. In their place was a pile of soft, dry ash. Lammy stepped forward with a large ceramic bowl, then clicked her fingers and the ash appeared inside the bowl.
"Thank you Lammy." Hermione said softly and knelt to hug the Elf. "For your help and for alerting us to the poor phoenix. Brilliant work."
Lammy beamed at her. "Lammy bes happy to help friend Mistress. Lammy bes thanking friend Mistress for helping poor pretty bird."
Hermione looked at Harry then, her eyes full of tentative question. Harry nodded once and took the bowl from Lammy.
"I would like to talk to you for a while Lammy, if you have time?" Hermione asked.
Lammy nodded emphatically. "Lammy can takes time now. Duties bes light after dinner."
They went back to the hideyhole and by the time they arrived, Harry noticed movement within the ashes in the bowl. He set the bowl on one of the dressers and brushed ashes gently from the moving mound within. The black beak and face were first to be revealed, followed by snow-white plumage with bright aquamarine banding on the crown and tailfeathers. Most of the white feathers had faint aquamarine on the very tips. There was a small patch of azure feathers around the face, and Fawkes's belly had turned to wintergreen feathers with white tips.
"Wow." Hermione breathed and came over to brush the soft feathers. "What happened?" She looked at Harry.
Harry looked back at her and made his eyes wide as he shrugged. "I don't know anything about phoenixes except they're magical."
"Are you alright?" Harry asked it.
The bird gave a short, high-pitched trill of happy exuberance.
"Well, that answers that." Hermione smiled. "I think you're beautiful." She took the bowl and put it on the dresser that had her mirror on it. "There, now you can see if you like the new you as well.
The bird trilled again, turned to the mirror and began to preen.
"Certainly didn't expect that." Harry said.
"I'm just happy it worked and the poor thing is alright." Hermione replied.
"Lammy bes amazed! Lammy not knows Mistress and Master breathes fire like dragons."
"That's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about, Lammy." Hermione sat on the loveseat, forward with her elbows on her knees. "I would like to know why Elves serve. Why are Elves not free? Why do you enjoy being slaves to wizards and witches?"
Lammy cocked her head to the side, like she didn't quite understand the question. "Lammy bes free, Mistress. Lammy only bes alive because Hogwarts lets Lammy serve."
"Hm." Hermione frowned. "Let's try a different angle. You know that wizards and witches do whatever they want whenever they want and don't answer to anyone, right?"
Lammy shook her head. "But that not bes true, Mistress. Wizards and witches all tries to be the ones other wizards and witches answers to. Mistress answers to Headmaster and to Ministry. Ministry answers to International Ministry. Lammy listens to Headmaster because Headmaster bes in charge of Hogwarts. Lammy needs Hogwarts to live, so Lammy answers. Mistress needs Ministry to live, so Mistress answers."
It was Hermione's turn to cock her head to the side. She hadn't considered any of that. Did Lammy see her own situation better than she did? Was she really free herself? She needed money to live, she couldn't just make food from nothing. She couldn't just decide to live wherever she felt like. She couldn't even escape the fucking school. Was it really just down to a choice of where and who to serve? Lammy had that choice, and she didn't. Was Lammy really more free already?
Harry crossed the room and sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She had begun to feel adrift, as though she floated above her loveseat, and his arms grounded her again. She turned to look at him.
"I thought I was free." She said in a small voice. "I thought we could do whatever we wanted, I didn't even think of laws as chains."
He rested his forehead on hers. "That's why my time as a dragon was so nice, despite having nothing. There were still laws to obey, but I was more free than I am now. I traded that freedom for learning and additional privileges. I found you, and I'm looking forward to being chained to you forever. None of us are truly free, Hemione. That would be really, really lonely. Isn't the most important thing how happy you are?"
She looked into his eyes. His soft, green, supportive eyes, and realized he was right. "I was so concerned with how free Elves weren't I didn't stop to think how free we aren't." She sighed and kissed him. "Thanks, Harry. I'm looking forward to being chained to you too." She smiled, pleased and humbled by the warmth that bloomed in his eyes.
She pulled her head back from his and turned to Lammy then.
"I want you to make me a promise, Lammy." She said.
"If Lammy can, Mistress." Lammy looked confused and a little worried as she shifted from foot to foot anxiously.
"I want you to promise me that if you are ever not completely happy that you come and talk to me about it. Or Harry. We both want you to be very happy. Can you make that promise?"
Lammy nodded and smiled. "Yes Mistress. Lammy promises to come and talk to you or Master if Lammy bes not completely happy."
Hermione smiled and nodded. "Good. Then how would you feel about being part of our family?"
Lammy's ears raised as her eyes went wide and she gawped at Hermione. "Mistress would bond to Lammy?" She asked softly.
"I wanted to make sure that it means you are not our slave, Lammy. I hate slavery. I want you to be happy and fulfilled and know that you are not just our friend, but part of our family. That means you eat with us, you celebrate with us, you talk with us, and live with us. Can you do that?"
Lammy nodded hard enough to make her ears flap, though she bit both her lips.
"Okay good. You're my friend, Lammy, part of my family just like my parents and Harry's family and Luna. The words Mistress and Master are subservient words, they mean when you use them that we are above you in importance, and that is not true. I would like you to not use them anymore. If you have to use something other than just our names, Mister and Missus would be alright I guess, but I would prefer if you just call us Harry and Hermione."
"Lammy can says Mister and Missus. Harry and Hermione not bes respectful."
"You don't need to be respectful, Lammy. We're your family, not your owners. You're our equal."
"Lammy not bes equal when Lammy needs Mister and Missus to live." She argued.
Hermione sighed. "I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree on that for now. How exactly do we make you part of the family? I don't know how."
"Just makes connection with Lammy. Reach out with magics and accept Lammy, then Lammy bes family."
Harry slipped his hand into Hermione's and began to Resonate. She smiled at him quickly and followed suit. She could feel his Resonance harmonize with her own, and she gently, carefully, pushed their Harmony toward Lammy. Lammy's eyes went huge immediately and she went rigid. A high keening note issued from her throat. Hermione backed off immediately, and Lammy collapsed like a wet noodle.
Harry changed his Resonance and levitated her onto the bed. Hermione felt him do it, understood how he did it. It was so simple when they were like that, so easy. Almost sadly she let go of their Harmony as she stopped Resonating and moved to the bed to examine Lammy. Her pulse was strong and steady, her breath easy. She ran her hands over Lammy's head, and there was no damage. No soft spots, no blood. Whatever had happened to her, it was magical in nature and she was unconscious.
"I can't tell if there's anything wrong." She told Harry. "Physically she seems okay, but magically? I don't know enough about how she should be to be able to tell if she is or not."
"Do you know anyone who could look after her? Not sure Madam Pomfrey would know how either."
Hermione shook her head and bit her lip as she looked at the unconscious Elf.
"If she hasn't woken by morning I'll go to MacMillan House and see if I can borrow Brin to come check on her."
Hermione nodded. "Thanks, Harry." She pulled her wand out and enlarged her bed, then hung up her coat by the door again. She took her shoes off again and put them by the door, then climbed into bed on the far side of Lammy. She lay down but propped up on one elbow while she looked at Harry over Lammy's unconscious form.
Harry hid a smile as he understood, and re-readied himself for bed, then climbed in on the other side of Lammy. Only then did Hermione actually lie down. She put her arm over Lammy and quested with her fingers until she found him and pulled his arm over Lammy until she could interlace her fingers with his. She let out a small sigh then, and went still.
Harry smiled to himself as he got comfortable and turned out the lights.
When they awoke, Hermione's back was against Harry's chest, his arm wrapped around her, and her arms wrapped around his. Harry woke first to the smell of butterscotch, jasmine and parchment, and buried his face further into her curls with a deep breath.
She woke then and hugged his arm closer to her with a deep breath. "Mmmm. Now that's how to wake up." Her voice was cracked and thick from sleep, and she cleared her throat.
Harry kissed her head and cleared his own throat. "You feel wonderful."
She let his arm go and propped herself up on her elbow to look around. "Where's Lammy?" She asked anxiously. "Lammy?" She called.
A soft, barely-audible pop sounded in the center of the room.
"You called, Missus?" Lammy asked. Her voice had grown deeper and smoother. It was a girl's voice, rather than a nervous squeak. Her ears were no longer floppy things, but had shrunk and grown stiff and lay against the sides of her head at an upward angle. Her eyes seemed appropriate size for her head, and her face had become more streamlined. She looked almost half-way between human and House-Elf, with a little dragon thrown in. She was also nearly four feet tall.
"Yes Lammy, I was worried about you. You collapsed last night. You look different now, are you feeling alright?"
Lammy smiled. "I feel wonderful, Missus. Thank you for asking. The connection you offered to your magics was overwhelming, that's all. I needed to sleep while I adjusted to your power."
"Your speech is different too." Harry noted.
"It just seems easier to understand now." Lammy shrugged.
"I don't suppose you can talk to Fawkes now too? Find out what happened with him?"
Lammy shook her head. "I can't, Mister and Missus. I'm sorry."
Fawkes perched on the lip of the bowl he'd been in from last night, his feathers clean and gleaming brightly. He sang a few happy notes, and while Harry and Hermione had no clue what he had actually said, they both found that they understood the meaning behind his voice.
Thank you for saving me.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other and then back to Fawkes.
"What happened to you?" She asked.
Freedom. Bond broken. Fawkes sang joyfully.
"That's a good thing?" Harry asked.
Hermione crossed to the tiny bird and brushed her fingernails through the soft feathers. "You poor thing. You can stay with us as long as you want. Are you hungry? What do you eat?"
Fawkes trilled happily, with a warble at the end that gave them the impression of large wobbling rats, or maybe slithering snakes.
"I agree Fawkes, you are free to stay with us for as long as you want, and we'll be happy to call you a friend. I'll go get you some rats right now." Harry said, and paused to hug Lammy on his way to get his coat. "Glad you're alright, Lammy."
"Mister Harry, please relax and prepare for your day. I will fetch some rats." Lammy said with a smile just before she disappeared with a soft pop.
"Lammy's part of our family too, Fawkes," Hermione explained, "You're welcome in our family as well, or we can transport you somewhere else if you'd rather."
Fawkes sang of honour and contentment. You are Light. I will stay.
Harry threw a smile at the singing bird. "Welcome to the family," He said, "This is great, you must be some kind of magic, Hermione."
"Me? What's Fawkes got to do with me?" She frowned at him.
"I just found you, and already our family has grown by two." He grinned cheekily.
Hermione laughed as she blushed and swatted his shoulder. "Prat."
Neville fell in beside them as they made their way to Defense class. "Missed you two at lunch." He said.
"Are you sure you weren't just catching a nap instead?" Harry grinned wryly.
"I only did that a couple of times, and the last was two weeks ago." Neville bristled. "I'm mostly used to getting up for training by now."
"Relax, mate, I'm only teasing. We missed lunch because we were out for a soar." Harry grinned.
"What were you doing to make yourselves sore? Or is this something I don't want to know?"
Hermione stifled a giggle. "No, Nev. We weren't sore, we were out for a soar. Harry took me flying out over the hills. It was a lovely time."
"Oh. That's nice then. I thought you might have been strategizing over the impending Tournament task next week."
Hermione frowned and glared at Harry, who frowned and sighed. "Without knowing what it is, there isn't much I can do to prepare. We're already practicing the entire seventh year charms and defense curriculum in our spare time. I don't know what else to do. Unlike some people, I refuse to sacrifice sleep and grind myself into the ground out of worry."
"It was only an extra half hour or so." Hermione sniped.
"And that would be fine for the first few days. After getting a half hour less sleep for three or four days, we'd be braindead and so tired we wouldn't even able to focus on the regular classload. It's a losing proposition, Hermione. We're better served by being well-rested, fresh, sharp, and able to think on our feet."
Hermione pouted. "I know! It's just..."
Harry's tone softened and he put an arm around her. "I know, Hermione. I know. I don't feel I know enough either. I don't feel I've prepared enough either. You just can't let that feeling drive you to sacrifice your ability to perform. You know I'll do my best, but it isn't like I actually wanted to enter. I'm not trying to win."
She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked. "I keep forgetting that bit, to be honest. I'm not really worried you'll die, you're too good for that. I guess I get a little competitive."
"Dragons are the masters of their domains. It's only natural for you to feel that way. Just keep reminding yourself you're not establishing a territory." Harry whispered to her before he pressed a kiss to her temple.
"Still no leads on who entered your name?" Neville asked when they'd finished whispering.
"No." Harry answered. "I have my suspicions, but there's no proof yet."
"Damn." Neville said under his breath.
Harry smiled at him. "No worries. It'll come out and justice will be served. It's just a matter of time.
"Hunh." Neville grunted. "Not sure I could have your confident attitude about it. People die in this tournament, every single time. I'd be worried someone was trying to kill me."
"Oh they are." Harry replied, "Absolutely that's what it is. The moment my name was called Hermione grabbed me and said 'don't go, it's a setup'. It's absolutely a trap meant to kill me, but we know that. They don't know that we know though, so with diligence and a little luck we'll be able to turn the tables."
Neville nodded. "Alright, good. That actually makes me feel a little better about it. Anything I can do to help, just ask. You know I'm behind you."
Harry chuckled. "We know, Nev. You don't need to keep saying it."
"I know. I just... it would be nice to be able to do something for you for a change." Neville quirked one corner of his mouth ruefully.
"Keep being my big brother and we'll call it even." Harry grinned.
"That's a given." Neville grinned back, "Even if I do feel like the younger brother most of the time."
"To quote Indiana Jones, it's not the years, it's the mileage." Harry told him. Hermione chuckled, but Neville frowned.
"Who?"
"Character in a Movie. Muggles make plays out of books and record the staging of those plays, and show them all over the world. They're called Movies. I'll show you once summer rolls around. I would say over Christmas, but I'm pretty sure we'll be busy over Christmas. I have some meetings at Gringott's to go to."
"Oh. I've heard some of the Muggle-borns talking about them, but I've never seen one." Neville replied. "We get some time at Easter too, maybe then?"
Harry nodded. "That sounds like a plan. Maybe you could bring Daphne?" He looked at Hermione to see what she thought of the idea. She looked back at him and smiled, but they didn't have time for more conversation, as they had reached the Defense classroom.
They filed inside and took their seats, Harry next to Hermione, Neville in front of them next to Lavender. There were only a few students there before they arrived, Daphne among them. Harry took one look at the chalkboard at the front of the class and his brows knit into a frown. The heading at the top of the board, in Moody's hasty scrawl, was UNFORGIVABLES.
The rest of the class filed in and took their seats as well, followed by Moody himself. When he reached the front of the classroom he pointed his wand at the door, and it slammed shut and locked itself just as Ronald Weasley's face appeared in a flat out run in the corridor.
"Aw no, shit!" Came Ronald's plaintive voice as the door closed in his face. Most of the class chuckled, as it was not a rare occurrence.
"Today," Moody bellowed over the laughter, "We will be doing something different!" He stomped over to the chalkboard and tapped the word UNFORGIVABLES with a piece of chalk. "Who can tell me why the unforgivable curses are so named?"
Lavender put her hand up.
"Miss Brown?' Moody pointed at her.
"Because each of the Unforgivables constitutes a heinous crime and carries an automatic sentence in Azkaban." Lavender said.
"Precisely!" Moody shouted back. "The Ministry thinks you're too young to know about them, thinks you should all be coddled and raised ignorant, pliable little sheep. I say different! Wipe the smirk off your face, Mister Finnegan and name me an Unforgivable!"
"Uhh..." Finnegan's face fell out of its smirk and into a puddle of panic.
"That's what I thought!" Moody shouted at Seamus. "You can think about it when you join Mister Weasley in detention tonight!"
Seamus muttered curses under his breath as he pouted.
"Miss Greengrass, an Unforgivable if you would be so kind!" Moody growled.
"The Imperius Curse." Daphne supplied in her cold, dispassionate voice.
"The Imperius Curse!" Moody echoed, louder. "An insidious piece of work, designed to usurp the will of the victim and replace it with the will of the caster." He opened a jar on the desk that contained a grasping spider, and enlarged it to the size of a dinner plate with a quick "Engorgio", then jabbed his wand at it and shouted "Imperio!"
Hermione's hand gripped Harry's tightly, and he returned her squeeze as his brows fell.
The spider leapt onto Neville's desk and began to dance as Moody's wand directed it, then it suddenly leapt onto Lavender's chest and crawled up her robes as she squealed. The spider leapt onto Neville's head, and from there across the aisle onto Dean Thomas, and from him onto Draco Malfoy seated behind Thomas. Most of the classroom laughed at its antics and the reactions of those it touched. After Draco's high-pitched voice cried "Get it off, get it off!" to Pansy who was seated next to him, Moody directed the spider with a few hops back to the front desk where it crouched over a beaker of water.
"What should we have her do for her next trick?" Moody asked with a smile that slowly fell, along with the joviality of his voice as he spoke. "Drown herself? No? How about bite her own legs off? I know, let's have her eat her own children!" The very temperature of the room seemed to drop as all the students realized that Moody wasn't playing games with a spider, but with them. Smiles dropped from faces and laughter seemed a stranger. "The Imperious curse makes all that possible and more. In fact, there were a great many who claimed they only did You-Know-Who's bidding because they were under the Imperius. Mister Malfoy! Give us another Unforgivable!"
"The... Cruciatus curse." Draco said softly, as though he knew what his words would bring.
"The torture curse." Moody said grimly as he nodded. He pointed his wand at the spider again and growled "Crucio!" The class was completely silent, and his growl seemed to echo loudly in the room.
The spider jerked and shivered and didn't stop contorting itself in hideous, unnatural ways. After an eternity of being forced to watch the spider twist and writhe, Moody looked up at the class. "Who knows the last Unforgivable? Mister Goyle!"
"Uh... Killing Curse." Goyle answered.
"There you have it." Moody glared at the class, his lips pulled back in a rictus grin. "The favourite curse of You-Know-Who." He pointed his wand at the spider. "Avada Kedavra!" A sickly green bolt shot from the end of Moody's wand and the spider went suddenly, finally still. Sepulchral silence owned the classroom and allowed not a sound until Moody spoke again.
"The Killing curse. Instantly, Irrevocably, and Always fatal. Only one creature in history has ever survived it, and he died at the hands of a mugglebarely a day later. You know who I'm talking about don't you, Mister MacFusty." Moody had stopped prowling the front of the room and stood stock still, his eyes locked onto Harry's.
"Actually sir," Harry replied, "There's no evidence one way or Expelliarmus!" Moody's wand jumped out of his hand and into Harry's. "Petrificus Totalus!" Moody's arms and legs locked together and he pitched forward onto the floor.
The class erupted into chaos.
"The fuck are ya doin' MacFusty!?" Finnegan yelled.
"You can't do that to a Professor!" Someone else shouted.
Harry ignored them. "Ask Lammy to find Susan please. We need her Aunt." He whispered to Hermione. He then promptly vanished along with Moody.
"Where'd he go?!" Someone shouted.
"We're not allowed to Apparate yet!" Someone else yelled.
Hermione paused to look at Neville before she applied her nondetections and vanished as well. Someone opened the classroom door and ran out, and others saw that students were leaving and left themselves. In a matter of minutes the class was empty.
Harry picked Moody up and carried him to the fourth floor, to classroom four F. He transfigured three of the desks into a long table, and laid Moody on top of it.
The door opened a few minutes later, then closed again by itself.
"Duncan?" A whispered voice asked. It was Hermione.
Harry pointed his wand at Moody and stunned him. He was harmless at that point, but he didn't want the man overhearing their conversation.
'Here." He answered. He removed the bodybind from Moody and glued him and his wand to the tabletop instead. it would last longer.
Hermione appeared in front of him with a tense look on her face. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
He cancelled his own nondetections and smiled at her. "He cast all three Unforgivables in a classroom full of kids. Casting just one gets you a one-way ticket to Azkaban, and the law doesn't care why you cast it. Moody would know that. You heard him introduce himself at the beginning of the year. He's an ex-Auror."
"So you think he's gone mental?"
"Either Moody has gone mental and is a danger to the students, or this isn't Moody. Either way, it's a job for the DMLE, not us."
Hermione nodded. "That's sound. He's a danger either way and needs to be removed. I'm not really surprised though, someone did let a Troll into the castle first year, and Dementors last year. Hogwarts just isn't a safe environment."
"Not with its current Headmaster, at any rate."
"You think he had something to do with it?"
"Whether he did or not..." Harry began,
"He knows about it and allowed it to happen. Right."
Hermione glared at Moody like she tried to see under his skin.
"Where are we meeting Susan's Aunt?" He asked her.
"Here. I hoped you'd bring him here, it worked out well the last time with your Godfather and Pettigrew."
"You're so brilliant." He grinned at her.
"You're a bit of alright yourself." She smiled back.
They held hands while they waited, but each seemed reluctant to start tongue wrestling when they knew the head of the DMLE and Aurors were on their way.
"Do you think he knows?" Harry asked her in the quiet. "I mean, it seemed really pointedly about me there at the end."
Hermione frowned as she thought. "It's possible. We know his magical eye sees through the back of his own head, maybe it can see through your hair to your scar too."
Harry sighed. "Yeah, that does seem likely, since the back of his head is covered in hair."
The door opened again a few minutes of thoughtful silence later, and two red-robed Aurors instantly swept the room with their wands as they scanned for threats. Harry and Hermione stood next to Moody's still unconscious form, all four of their hands raised.
A dour-looking woman entered after them, and motioned for them to lower their wands. Dumbledore entered after her, followed by McGonagall.
"Assaulting Professors now, are you Mister MacFusty?" Dumbledore tut-tutted.
"If that's what you think." Harry replied. "I prefer to think of it as arresting a criminal who cast all three Unforgivables in a class full of students."
The dour-looking woman spun her head to look at Harry instantly. "You mean to say that this man, Alastor Moody, actually cast all three Unforgivables? In a class?"
Harry and Hermione both nodded. "There's his wand. Check it." Harry pointed to it.
The dour-looking woman tried to pick up Moody's wand from the tabletop, but couldn't.
"Ah, I glued it down, sorry. Thought it would be prudent." Harry said. Amelia just flicked her own wand at it, then picked it up.
"Come now Amelia, you can't seriously believe the accusations of a child -" Dumbledore began, but the dour-looking woman, Amelia - presumably Susan's Aunt - cut him off.
"Alastor Moody was my mentor for a decade, Albus. It was a point of pride with him that had never cast an Unforgivable, and yet he casts all three at once for a demonstration? Either this man is not Alastor Moody, or he's gone right 'round the twist and is a danger. Either way, these two students have done your job and kept the castle safe."
Dumbledore closed his mouth and stared hard at Harry and Hermione, all trace of twinkle gone from his eyes.
Amelia tested Moody's wand and found all three Unforgivables in a row, Killing Curse, Cruciatus, and Imperius.
"The evidence says these students are right. Arrest Moody." She told the Aurors.
The Aurors removed the sticking charm on Moody as well, and sat him up.
"Your wands too." Ameila held her hand out to Harry and Hermione. When they handed their wands over, she checked them as well. She found Disillusionment, Silence, Odorless, Stun, Bodybind, and Sticking charms from Harry's, and Disillusionment, Silence, Odorless, Drying, and Mending charms from Hermione's.
Amelia handed them back their wands as the Aurors fastened manacles around Moody's wrists, and then barked an order. "Everyone back away!" She shouted as she pulled her wand and pointed it at Moody. "Something's happening to his face!"
Harry and Hermione held hands as they backed away as ordered. Moody's face had begun to bubble, so Harry began to Resonate, ready to throw a shield up in front of Hermione. Thankfully, his face merely bubbled and changed instead of exploding. The horrific bubbling continued for a long moment, and then as it subsided, Moody turned into someone they'd never seen before.
Amelia immediately stunned the ex-Moody again and whirled on Dumbledore. "You had a known Death Eater teaching classes in your school?!" She demanded.
"You saw it yourself, Amelia. He used Polyjuice. How was I to know?" Dumbledore replied with his hands out sideways and his shoulders up.
Amelia narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes, clearly the fact that you've known Alastor most of his life would give you no basis on which to ascertain his validity."
The Aurors fastened a second set of manacles around the ex-Moody's ankles.
"Nevermind him." Amelia told them. "I'll take Junior. You two go arrest Barty Crouch Senior."
The two Aurors nodded in acknowledgement.
"Aye aye."
"You got it boss."
They both left the room and disappeared down the hall.
"Minerva? If I could impose upon your floo once again?"
"Of course, Amelia. Whenever you need." McGonagall replied.
"Thank you." Amelia smiled at McGonagall, then floated Moody off the table and out through the door.
Dumbledore didn't even bother to look at them as he left.
McGonagall gave them both a small smile and said "Twenty points each to Gryffindor," before she left to follow the headmaster.
"Is it just me or was Dumbledore offering pathetic excuses for housing a danger to everyone in the castle?" Harry asked sourly.
Hermione grunted in reply. "Susan's aunt seems alright, but I learned early you can't trust a single word that comes out of their mouths. Any of them." Her voice dripped venom. "Especially not the Headbastard. He's playing some kind of game with the lives of everyone in the castle. Do you know what he said to me after Ronald pissed in my bookbag? That I should forgive him. That everyone deserved a second chance - except me, of course. I got a month's detention for standing up for myself. I heard him chuckling about it later to Snape. Called me 'that ugly little dirtblood'."
Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione from behind and kissed the top of her head. "Sorry I wasn't here to help with that."
She snorted, even as she snuggled backward into him. "Hardly your fault the people who are supposed to have our utmost trust are actually villains. They all seem nice and on your side, but the instant they have to make a decision, they go to the Headbastard and all of a sudden you're the arsehole who's kicked puppies instead of an injured girl. They're worthless, every last one."
"Should I be making a list of people in need of recompense?" He asked her with an edge to his voice.
"No need, I memorized it."
"Of course you did." He chuckled, and squeezed her tight.
"The only reason I'm even here is because I couldn't escape. You know that."
"That'll change in a month. You'll be Lady Potter and we could transfer to France, Germany, Italy, or Switzerland with equal ease. Anywhere you want to go, Hermione, say the word and we're out of here."
She spun in his arms to face him and kissed him. "I still can't believe that you're you, much less that we're married and I'm some kind of noble Lady."
"I can scarcely believe I'm me, and I'm me. I still think I'm just some lucky sod who got rescued by a good Mother, and I'll be back to hunting goats for breakfast when school is over. I don't even know who this Harry Potter person is."
"Good thing you have Sirius to show you then."
"There is that, yes. I should write to him, I haven't even thought about him since the Three Broomsticks."
"Well, I have done my best to keep you occupied." She grinned at him through lowered lashes and sucked on his lower lip.
"Mmmnng." He moaned as he kissed her back. "As only you can."
"Only me!" She grinned. "Mine." She kissed him. "Mine." Again. "Mine. All mine." She smiled up at him.
He captured her lips again, softly and tenderly and looked into her eyes. "Still think I'm getting the better part of that deal." He smiled.
"Delusional." She scoffed. "You know, since there's no Defense class anymore, it strikes me that we have a bit of free time before dinner. Let's go flying again."
"You're just a fiend for it now. Honestly I think it was just an aversion to brooms before."
She giggled. "Hardly! It's thanks to your gift that I can't fall, and thanks to your birthday gift that I'm not cold, so now it's just endless fun and beautiful views."
He bent and nuzzled noses with her. "Now you know how I feel all the time." He looked into her eyes. "Nothing but beautiful views, and I can't fall because I'm already falling."
She bit her lip as she looked back into his eyes, and hers seemed to glow with amber intensity. "That is getting you snogged half to death... but later. I want to go flying first." She kissed the end of his nose and flounced her curls in his face as she strode off toward the astronomy tower.
Scant minutes later they each Resonated and fell from the tower, only to laugh as they swooped east over the Forbidden Forest. They spiralled around each other as they came together slowly, until they finally touched and held each other as they danced across the sky. They waltzed, they tangoed, they spun and dipped and soared. Their laughter rang out and was lost to the fluffy grey clouds, until Hermione had finally had enough and wrapped her arms around him. She lay her head on his shoulder and held him against her.
"I never could have imagined this last year, Harry. I'm so happy right now I can barely contain it." She sighed quietly.
"I'm just happy to be here with you, Hermione. You're so smart and so strong and so brilliant. Tender and sparkling and warm and wonderful. I'm proud and humbled to be your Mate."
They weren't just words. She knew they weren't. She knew he meant every syllable, and that was a step too far. Her tears escaped and pooled in the hollow of his clavicle. "I don't deserve you, Harry." She cried. She had tried desperately to hold it in, to make believe as long as she could, but that truth simply slipped out and left her open, vulnerable, and afraid.
He just held her closer and stroked her hair and kissed her teary cheek. "Magic says you do." He said tenderly. "I don't think I deserve you either, but Magic knows better than I do. Magic says we belong to each other, so what choice do I have but to believe?"
Her tears renewed themselves as she squeezed him tighter still, but the fear and doubt that lived in a tangled knot in her stomach grew warm and began to melt away. The words were there on her lips, but she was still afraid to let them out. Still afraid something would take him away. Still afraid she would wake up with a busted knee and a piss-stained bookbag. She did note with a small internal smile that she wasn't afraid she would overhear him laughing with Neville about how he had duped her. The thought was laughable.
They drifted through the air slowly, standing on nothing for a long moment, when something bright caught her eye below. The sun had fallen mostly behind the hills to the west and nestled their surroundings in a peach and lavender blanket of twilight. The trees below them were only barely lit at their tips, and the darkness beneath provided the contrast on which the sudden brightness bloomed.
"Did you see that?" She asked him, then sniffed.
"Where?" He asked.
"In the forest, just there." She pointed. As she did, the brightness bloomed again briefly.
"Saw it that time. Looked like fire, just for a second."
She wiped her face on her sleeve and sniffed again as she let go of him - except for his hand - to descend slowly toward the intermittent light.
They dropped silently into a clearing in the trees. The clearing was filled with four enormous cages and an army of witches and wizards, most of them wearing dragonhide clothing. As they watched the carefully directed ballet, a huge gout of orange flame sprayed out from one of the cages.
"Dragons." Hermione whispered. "I can hear them talking. They're angry and upset. Something about their eggs."
Harry nodded. He could hear them too, of course. "I think we just found out what the first Tournament Task is." He said.
Cedric had a smile for a change. It had taken three weeks, but he'd found a reason to smile again, and in an odd sort of way he had Duncan to thank for it. Of course, he had Duncan to thank for his lack of a smile in the first place, but only indirectly. Nobody had forced Cho to do what she did or intend what she'd intended.
Thinking about it chased his smile away again, but he took a deep breath and let it out. It was over. The wound was still fresh, but talking to Fleur about it had helped. She had ironed out some of his pain - partly with logic, partly just by offering a sympathetic ear and not judging him for his hurt. He hated to admit it, but MacFusty had been right about her. She had a ready wit, a smile he could feel, and she didn't take crap from anyone. He had admired that about Cho too, except now he had to wonder how much of it was real and how much of it was facade.
'Actually,' He reminded himself, 'That doesn't matter now, and I don't want to know anyway. I probably dodged a curse there. Who knows what she would have done behind my back.'
His smile returned as he forced thoughts of Cho out of his mind, and when he arrived in the Great Hall for dinner he decided to go sit with Fleur and thank her for being there for him when he was low. If nothing else, she'd already proven herself a good friend.
He waved to his housemates as he entered, but walked instead to the end of the Ravenclaw table where the Beauxbatons ladies usually sat. Sure enough, Fleur was there seated next to her friend Arielle.
"Bon soir, mademoiselles. Would you mind if I sit with you?"
Fleur looked up at him and smiled like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. "Cedrique! Please, seat weez us! Bon soir mon ami!"
He found himself grinning as he sat. Her enthusiasm was infectious. "How was your day?" he asked.
He only understood half of her reply, but he counted that as doing well, since her reply took ten minutes. He smiled the whole way through, asked questions about the parts he did understand, and then asked if Arielle had a similar day. She had, since she and Fleur were together for most of it.
"'Ow are you feeling today?" Fleur asked him.
He drew a breath to reply, but all that came out was "Haaa!" as something poked him in the ribs. He might have been more embarrassed by it, but something apparently poked Fleur in the ribs at the same moment, and she let out a short, sharp "Eeep!"
Two pieces of parchment materialized on the table in front of them, one in front of Fleur and one in front of him.
He paused to look around, and didn't see anything out of the ordinary until Duncan simply appeared out of thin air at the Gryffindor table and winked at him.
He nodded back, and picked up the parchment.
Was out flying around just having a lark, saw something interesting in the Forbidden Forest.
Dragons. The first task is Dragons.
-Duncan.
He stared at it in disbelief for a moment before he looked up at Fleur. She had her note in her hand as well and her face had gone white as snow.