Hermione came over and sat down in Parvati's empty chair. She was a bit pink in the face from dancing.
"Hi," said Harry. Ron didn't say anything.
"It's hot, isn't it?" said Hermione, fanning herself with her hand. "Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."
Ron gave her a withering look. "Viktor?" he said. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"
Hermione looked at him in surprise. "What's up with you?" she said.
"If you don't know," said Ron scathingly, "I'm not going to tell you."
Hermione stared at him, then at Harry, who shrugged.
"Ron, what -?"
"He's from Durmstrang!" spat Ron. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You - you're -" Ron was obviously casting around for words strong enough to describe Hermione's crime, "fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!"
Hermione's mouth fell open.
"Don't be so stupid!" she said after a moment. "The enemy! Honestly - who was the one who was all excited when he saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?"
Ron chose to ignore this. "I s'pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?"
"Yes, he did," said Hermione, the pink patches on her cheeks glowing more brightly. "So what?"
"What happened - trying to get him to join spew, were you?"
"No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he - he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!"
Hermione said this very quickly, and blushed so deeply that she was the same color as Parvati's robes.
"Yeah, well - that's his story," said Ron nastily.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with… He's just trying to get closer to Harry - get inside information on him - or get near enough to jinx him -"
Hermione looked as though Ron had slapped her. When she spoke, her voice quivered.
"For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one -"
Ron changed tactic at the speed of light.
"Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions -"
"I'd never help him work out that egg!" said Hermione, looking outraged. "Never. How could you say something like that - I want Harry to win the tournament. Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?"
"You've got a funny way of showing it," sneered Ron.
"This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!" shouted Hermione hotly.
"No it isn't!" retorted Ron. "It's about winning!"
People were starting to stare at them.
"Ron," said Harry quietly, "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum."
But Ron ignored Harry too.
"Why don't you go and find Vicky. He'll be wondering where you are," said Ron.
"Don't call him Vicky!"
"Why? I can call him whatever I want." Ron yelled again.
More people where starting to stare at them. All that was going through Harrys mind was all the times they have fought and when he had been in the middle of it. That, plus the combined stressed of the tournament and worrying about Sirius, was really getting on his nerves. The worse part is that he did not have flying to calm him down.
"Ron you are the most …" Hermione started yelling back. That was when Harry had enough.
"WILL YOU BOTH JUST SHUT UP ALREADY? I AM SICK AND TIRED OF ALL THE FIGHTING YOU TWO HAVE BEEN DOING EVER SINCE FIRST YEAR. IT HAS BEEN ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER AND I AM ALWAYS IN THE MIDDLE." Harry stood on his feet staring at them while shouted, not caring that they were in the Great Hall and everyone was listening to him. Both Ron and Hermione looked shocked.
"EVERY YEAR, IT IS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER. FIRST YEAR, BEFORE WE EVEN BECAME FRIENDS, HERMIONE YOU WHERE TELLING US WHAT TO DO. AND YOU RON, YOU WERE JUST BEING A JERK TO HER WHEN EVER YOU CAN. EVEN AFTER YOU, HERMIONE, WERE STILL ON OUR CASE ABOUT WORK. EVEN WHEN WE TRED TO SAVE THE STONE! YA YOU GUYS HELP BUT I WAS ALONE IN THE END" Harry did not see his team mates coming to the front of the group.
"SECONED YEAR, WELL THERE WAS NOT THAT MUCH FIGHTING 'CAUSE THE CHAMBER WAS OPENED AND A BASILISK WAS ROAMING THE HALLS WHILE PETRIFING PEOPLE. INCLUDING YOU HERMIONE. AND WHAT ABOUT YOU RON? DID YOU FORGET THAT GINNY WAS TAKEN DOWN THERE AND ALMOST KILLED? AND WHO HAD TO SAVE HER? ME AND RON, BUT JUST LIKE FIRST YEAR, I WAS ALONE AT THE END. AGAIN!" Harry did not care who heard them right now. All that he cared about was getting all of this off his chest. The professors and everyone looked shocked as Harry yelled at his best friends.
"THIRD YEAR! OHHH, I LOVED THAT YEAR. NO ONE TOLD ME THAT SIRIUS BLACK WAS AFTER ME. NO! THEY ONLY TOLD ME AFTER HE BROKED IN TWICE. NOR THAT HE WAS MY GODFATHER AND MY FATHER'S BEST FRIEND. ALL YOU TWO CARED ABOUT WAS YOUR CAT, HERMIONE, AND YOU'RE RAT, RON. AND WHEN I GOT MY FIRBOLD, YOU, HERMIONE JUST WENT AND TOLD MCGONAGALL AND THAT GOT TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. THAT STARTED A FIGHT SO BIG THAT THE WHOLE SCHOOL KNEW. THEN WHEN I GET IT BACK, WE HEAR ABOUT SCABBERS. THE FIGHT GOT EVEN BIGGER! ONLY WHEN WE FIND OUT BUCKBEAK WAS TO BE KILLED DID YOU TO STOP. "Harry took a breath to continue.
"Harry…" they both said but he cut them off.
"NO, I'M NOT DONE. WHEN WE WENT TO HAGRID'S TO SEE HIM BEFOR IT HAPPENED, GUESS WHAT RON? YOUR BLOODY RAT WAS THERE! BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT IS THE ONLY GOOD PART 'BECAUSE I FOUND OUT WHO REALLY BETRAYED MY PARENTS AND IT WAS NOT SIRIUS BLACK! IT WAS YOUR RAT RON OR DID YOU ALREADY FORGET THAT PETER BLOODY PETTIGREW WAS SCABBERS." The crowd was shocked at the news.
"THIS YEAR IS BY FAR THE BEST. FIRST THIS STUPID TOURNAMENT HAPPENED WHERE I GET ENTERD AGAINST MY WILL AND I AM FORCED TO PARTICIPATE. YOU, RON ABANDONNED ME WHEN MY NAME CAME OUT OF THE CUP. THE WHOLE SCHOOL TURNED ON ME. ONLY AFTER THE FIRST TASK DID YOU COME BACK. WHILE YOU, HERMIONE, WOULD NOT SHUT UP ABOUT THAT STUPID EGG I KNOW I HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO. BUT CAN I GET A BREAK AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUN, PLEASE? PLUS I AM WORRIED ABOUT SIRIUS BEING CAUGHT. I DON'T EVEN HAVE QUIDDITCH TO TAKE MY MIND OF THINGS. SO WILL YOU BOTH JUST SHUT UP FOR ONCE PLEASE?" Harry finally stopped yelling at them. He did not care that they have both started crying. He turned around and walked over to Fred and George.
"Can you guys help me calm down, please?" Harry asked them in a small voice.
"Sure Harry let's change and..." Fred said as he pointed his wand at him.
"..Get what we need. Girls, want to come?" George finished as he looked at the girls on the Gryffindor team. When they nodded their heads, he pointed his wand at himself. The room looked at the team as they changed from their dress robes to their Quidditch practice robes.
"Where do you six think you're going?" Professor McGonagall asked walking up to them along with the rest of the staff.
"Harry needs to calm down and this is the only way we know how. He has not been like this since his third year." Katie said as they all pointed their wands at the door to call their brooms.
"Potter, will you explain more about all this stuff you were shouting about?" Someone asked.
"No. If you want to know more, ask Dumbledore. He will tell you." Harry said as the brooms flew into the room. All six got on them and raced out the door to the pitch, leaving the room in a stunned silence.
"Professor Dumbledore. Can we go help Harry to calm down, sir?" Cedric asked as him and Cho walked over along with some other Quidditch players, Including Krum and Fleur.
"Yes, you may. All the Head of Houses will go with you so they can set up the lights." The Headmaster acknowledged as he watched approximately twenty people change from dress robes to practice robes, and calling their own brooms. When they all had them, one by one, they shot out the door followed by the Heads of Houses who walked instead of flying.
"As for everyone that wants to know what happened, I will tell you." Dumbledore took a seat and watching everyone do the same. Ron and Hermione were still sitting there, just staring into space.
*~*~*~*~* At the Pitch*~*~*~*~*
The team was starting to put some lights up when they heard more people flying towards them. They turned and saw Cedric, Krum, Fleur and Cho leading the group of player over to where they were.
"Hey guy, we thought you can use some help." Cedric said as they all landed. It was then the Gryffindor team saw people from all three school dressed in their practice robes with the Heads of House behind them
"Yes please that will help us a lot. Last time, it took about five hours to calm our little bro down." Katie said throwing an arm around Harry's shoulder. Harry was looking at everyone a little shocked.
"Yep, Harry needs us. We would love for you guys to help." Alicia told them as Professor Sprout came over with the balls.
"Harry how about a rematch, after what happened last year. Maybe Viktor, Fleur and Cho can join us?" Cedric proposed.
"Yes that would be good." Harry said in a kind-of-dead voice that had his teammates look at him with worried faces.
"Harry, why don't you and the rest of the seekers start flying and we will let the others know what to do, ok? If you need anything just ask one of them or one of the Heads of Houses." Angelina told him and the other four seekers. Harry was in the air and halfway across the pitch before the others were on their broomsticks. All the rest of the players could see where five people flying around doing stunts.
"Man, this is bad. You guys, we might need to be here for a while. Fred, George go tell Professor McGonagall that we might need to use the mike again." Katie told her team and they flew off to where the teachers were keeping watch in the stands.
"Ok you guys we are going to be playing a mock game as well as something else, ok? So if we ask that you leave to the stands, just please do so and you guys might get a surprise." Alicia told them.
"Let's just hope this will not be like last time." Angelina sighed, then louder. "Ok people, let's get started."
*~*~*~*~* With the Teachers*~*~*~*~*
Flitwick had just put the last of the lights up when they all saw Harry shooting in the air with the other Seekers behind him. The Professor's all looked to the Head of his House and saw that she too was worried.
"Professor McGonagall" They turned and saw the twins flying to them with the rest of the team getting into the air.
"Professor, we might need the mike again." George stated landing in front of them.
"It's not like last time but just about. Is there a way to talk to his dorm mates? We need something from Harry's trunk." Fred said landing next to his twin.
"Yes there is. Who would you like to talk to?" She asked, getting ready to send the message.
"Anyone of them except Ron and Hermione, Harry is a little mad at them right now." George told them as they watched the message get sent. About two minutes later a house elf popped up in front of them.
"Master Harry Potter's dorm mates need to know what is it that you need? So they asked Dobby to come." Dobby told them.
"Dobby tells them that we need the Black and Silver box on the bottom of his trunk." Fred instructed him and Dobby popped away again.
"Messer Weasley, what do you guys need to get from Mr. Potter's trunk" Professor Sprout asked while they waited for the house elf to get back.
"His music case, he asked a seventh year to charm it to play while in certain parts of the castle and the pitch is one of them. Found that out during his first year." They said together. Then, Dobby can back without the case.
"Master Harry Potter has password on box. It can't leave his trunk. Dobby needs the password so he can help."
"Damn." They said together as one. They grabbed the mike.
"Harry. We need the password to get your case. What is it?" They watched as he told Cho something and next thing they know, she is flying towards the group on the stand.
"Harry said it is the same one as to activate a map?" She said looking confused as the Heads of House. The twins whispered something into Dobby's ear. The House Elf nodded his head and popped away again.
"Thanks Cho. Can you ask Harry which CD he wants because I know he will not stop flying to tell us?" Fred asked and she nodded her head and left to speak with him.
*~*~*~*~*with the rest of the schools in the Great Hall*~*~*~*~*
All three schools had just watched all of the fourth year Gryffindor boys run to their dorm for something.
"So you mean to tell me, that we had a murderer in our house and we did not even know about it?" Parvati looked a little green, as well as well as the rest of the Gryffindor's in the hall.
"Yes you did and I am sorry about what has happened. Is there any more or would you like to go to the pitch to watch the others?" Dumbledore asked. Everyone said they wanted to go watch the players.
"Ok well let's go. I would like to see how they plan to calm Mr. Potter down and what the other boys needed to get." As he said this they heard the boys heading down to the pitch from the dorms. They got covered up and left the hall.
*~*~*~*~*Back at the Pitch*~*~*~*~*
The Players were having so much fun they did not even see the rest of the schools coming out to see them. Harry and the rest of the seekers were having a race around the pitch and the rest were tossing the Quaffle around, the beaters just making sure no one got hurt. Harry won the race and headed over to the stands where the twins were waving him over.
"Harry, you told Cho the silver and red cd but you have two of them." Fred said hold the case out to him.
"Which one was the one you wanted?" George asked when he pick up the case.
"This one same as last time, I wish Oliver was here we could do those moves again and it would be good to see him." Harry said as he handed the CD to Lee who had made his way to the booth.
"See you guys in the air." And with that he left.
"Professors can we get Oliver here for the night please? Harry really looked up to him like a brother. The whole team is family ever since Harry got on." The twins asked at the same time to the Heads and Dumbledore. They all looked at them in shock.
"Yes boys I will see to it that Mr. Woods can get here as soon as he can. And I might have to get his Godfather to come to if he cannot calm down in an hour." He said to the twins then the rest of the people around him.
"Boys go play and we will get Mr. Woods."
"Thank you sir, you might want to send Dobby he thinks of Harry as his master." With that they left to play.
"Dumbledore we don't even know where Mr. Black is right now." Sprout said looking him.
"I know where he is right now he wanted to be close to Harry while he was a champion. I believe that Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger will be able to meet him at the gate and walk with him up here." Dumbledore said as he sent a message to Sirius, then Oliver to get his Gryffindor team practice robes and broom as he was needed at the school, and an elf would be getting him. He called Dobby and told him to let Hermione and Ron knows they had to go down to the school gates to get Sirius and bring him to them, and then had him get Oliver. The teachers were just looking at him in shock.
*~*~*~*~* With Sirius*~*~*~*~*
Sirius was getting ready to go to sleep as he had just gotten back to the cave where he was living till the tournament was over. He had just laid down when a bright phoenix patronus lite up the cave.
"Sirius, we need you to come down to the school. Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger will meet you at the gate." Dumbledore's voice said thou out the cave. Sirius shot up and out of the cave before it disappeared. Changing into is animagus form at the mouth and jumping down the side of the cliff. When he was down he shot off to the school gates. To meet his godson two best friends.
*~*~*~*~*With Oliver Woods*~*~*~*~*
Oliver had just put away his photo album of the Gryffindor team when a phoenix patronus lite up his room.
"Mr. Woods you are needed at Hogwarts, a house elf will be there soon to get you. Please have your Gryffindor practice robes and broom ready and anything else you might need." Dumbledore's voice said in his room before disappearing.
"Who upset Harry this time? Whoever it is they're in trouble." Was all he said as he got his stuff ready and grabbed his broom, album and the gifts for his team he had gotten that day and put them in his bag, he had just gotten done when a house elf popped in.
"Dobby has come to get Master Harry's team keeper." Dobby said. Oliver looked at him and nodded his head, with that they left.
*~*~*~*~*with the teachers and players*~*~*~*~*
Lee was getting the cd into place when Oliver was popped into the booth with the professor. He saw all three schools in there dress robes and the players on the field, as he turned to the teachers he saw the case and got bad.
"Who was the one to make my little brother so mad he needed to do this?" Oliver asked in a controlled voice they have never heard before.
"His friends started to fight at the ball tonight, in front of everyone." Snape told him. They watched as he looked to the cd they were going to listen to. When he turned back around they saw he was madder than ever. He dropped the bag that he came with and grabbed his broom.
"Sir Can you call the twins over here please." He said to Flitwick who nodded, he watched as they flew over to him. When they landed they saw Oliver and backed away and started shaking a little for their brother.
"Hi you two know your brothers dead right." Oliver said in the voice they had not heard since Harry's first year and the team got caught calling him "The Seeker". The twins paled and started nodding their heads.
"Mr. Woods what are you going to do?" McGonagall asked as they started shaking a little bit more. The teachers were watching in aw they have never seen the Weasley twin act like this.
"Nothing right now. You two get the rest of the players off the field but the team, you know what to tell the others" He told them as he got on his broom.
"Yes sir. Lee when we give you the sign play number 5. Then let it play from there." Fred said as Oliver went to Harry, and George when to the girls. As Lee nodded he took off.
*~*~*~*~*With Harry*~*~*~*~*
Harry was flying by the goal post not paying attention to anyone. So he did not see people flying to the stands or someone right behind him.
"So Harry how you been?" a voice said making him turn so fast he almost lost him seat. Their flying right behind him was his caption and brother.
"Oliver." Harry said rushing over to give him a hug.
"I missed you, what are you doing here?" He asked as he pulled away.
"Got a message saying you needed to calm down and was at the pitch, ready to fly?" Oliver asked as he saw the pitch empty and the team flying over. When Harry looked around and saw the stands full with Teachers and students alike he looked shocked. All he did was nod. That was all the team needed to get into their places; the twins raised their wands and shot red and gold sparks into the air. As the music started he had to smile he loved what they were about to do. As one the team shot into the air.
*~*~*~*~*with professors and players*~*~*~*~*
"Oh merlin" was all the teachers could say as they watch the Gryffindor team.
"No wonder we can never win against them. They look like they have been flying together their whole lives." Said one of the Slytherin chasers, all the rest just nodded.
"They are better than most of the people and teams I have played against." Krum said as they watch the Gryffindor team following Woods into the air then a steep dive pulling up at the last second. They saw them passing the stands they were in and saw the smiles on all their faces. The students in the rest of the stands did not say anything they were in a stunned silence.
"You know they could all go pro and be on the same team with how well they fly together." Cedric told them. When the next song came one, one of the twins broke away and grabbed the Quaffle from the crate and shooting back into the air.
"And play" Cho said as they all started tossing it back and forth to one another while flying and doing stunts.
"And to think if his two friends didn't start fighting tonight we might never have seen this at all." The Ravenclaw Keeper said everyone in the booth just nodded their heads.
"They did what?" a voice said behind them. They all turned to see Sirius Black standing there. No one moved they were in shock.
"Aww Sirius I see you made it. And where are Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger at" Dumbledore asked going over to shake his hand.
"Ron and Hermione said they were going back to the stands, they did not say what the matter was" He said looking at his godson pulling out of a dive with the Quaffle in his arms.
"I think they are upset that Harry yelled at them in front of the students at the ball. Kind of like Lilly did to you guys when you guys were in school." McGonagall said looking at him. Sirius turned to her and got a big smile on his face.
"Minnie I missed you." He said as he walked over to her and gave her a big hug. He saw the other heads and his smile grew.
"Sprouty! Flitter!" he cried and gave them hugs two. When he pulled away the players saw that they all had tears in their eyes.
"Sirius would you like us to get Harry for you." Dumbledore asked as the teachers all hugged him one last time.
"Pup, No I will wait to call him in a couple of minutes. I like what they do with the next song." He said turning back to the pitch, not seeing the shocked looks on the faces around him.
"And how would you know that Black?" Snape asked him looking smug.
"If you must know Snape, I saw him practicing from the forest right after Minnie gave him back the broom I got him for Christmas." Sirius said turning to glare at him.
"I also saw your godson Draco trying to cheat in the cup match."
"Mr. Black was there any other games you watch last year?" Cho asked.
"Yes all the ones I could, you two play pretty good. Watch this it shows there team work and trust in each other." And with that they all turned to the pitch to see Fred and George with their bats and the bludgers out, hitting it back and forth around the other players. Twice they had to throw the clubs to other players so they could hit it when it got away from them. It didn't matter what position they played they just did what they wanted. Harry was looking for the Snitch that they charmed to light up in the house colors.
"Wow" was all they said as Harry saw the Snitch and when to go after it. One of the bludgers got lose and shot after him. Harry grabbed the snitch and ducked as Oliver hit the bludgers to the ground. The song ended and they put all the balls away and started to fly around the pitch again, that was when Sirius grabbed the mic.
*~*~*~*~*With the Team*~*~*~*~*
Harry was feeling better now that they had played. Oliver pulled up next to him with the rest of the team following when the balls were away.
"Harry are you ok now?" He asked as they started flying around the pitch again with Fred and George behind them and the girls in front of them.
"Kind of, I am still worried about something but that can wait." Harry told him the truth.
"Ok, if you need me I am always an owl away-"Oliver was cut off by the music going low and a voice.
"Yo Pup!" Harry stopped dead and looked at the stands were the teachers and other players. There standing in front and holding the mike was his godfather.
"Sirius" Harry whispered but the whole team heard him and looked.
"What I can't get a hug. I have not seen you for a while." He laughs into the mike that was all it took for Harry to bolt. As one they watch as he shot to the stands.
*~*~*~*~*With Sirius*~*~*~*~*
"Someone get ready to catch his broom" He told the players. As Harry came closer they could see he had tires in his eyes.
"Padfoot" Was all the warning he had before Harry launched himself from his broom into the arms of his godfather. Krum summoned his broom as it started falling.
"I missed you pup." Sirius told Harry as clung to him like no tomorrow. Harry was starting to cry into his shoulder.
"Me to, Please don't go away again you don't know how worried I've been, that you had been caught and killed. I already saved you once." Harry said as he looked him in the eyes. Harry's team landed behind him.
"I won't. I promise, plus if I do you know Moony would kill me right. He just found out himself the rat betrayed us all." Fred and George looked shocked when they heard Moony.
"So pup will you introduce me to your friends behind you." Seeing the twin's faces, Harry looked around them and nodded.
"Ok, first is Oliver Woods's ex-keeper of the Gryffindor team now with Puddlemere United; we have the Chasers, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet, lastly the beaters, Fred and George Weasley. Guys meet my Godfather Sirius Black." He watched as they all just nodded.
"Oh yeah Fred, George, Lee I will like you to meet Mr. Padfoot of the Marauder's." Harry smirked as all three fainted on the spot.
"Let me guess pranksters right?" He looked over at McGonagall.
"Yes they could give your group a run for your title as school pranksters." Was all she said waking the team.
"You're really Padfoot?" George
"Who are the others?" Fred
"Can we meet them?" Lee
"Ok first, yes I am Padfoot. Third, you already have. Second Prongs was James Potter, you know Moony that is Remus Lupin. And last Wormtail who is the traitor Peter Pettigrew, but you guys will know him as Scabbers" Sirius said looking at them. Their faces went from sad to ecstatic to fury when each name was called.
"Why do you guys take this inside so we all can come back in and get warm. And you Sirius need to go see Madam Pomfrey, you and the rest of the players need to make sure you guys aren't getting sick from being out and flying in this weather." McGonagall told them while Dumbledore told the students to go back to the ball.
"Yes Minnie we will go" Sirius grabbed Harry's broom that Krum was holding out for him.
"Come on guys, it will be better if we fly will get there faster. Harry Get on." Harry and the others got on their brooms with him behind his godfather, and they took off to the castle doors.