Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again.
Chapter 10. The actual calm before the Storm of the Third Task.
31/12/18 Beta by alix33. Thank you.
I don't own the Harry Potter verse. Just playing.
Thank you for all your kind reviews.
- Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again. -
Slowly, the Magic of the Night continued to fight back against the evil of the Greater Good and the desperate attempts of the Minister of Magic to be seen as doing something.
There was hope that appeared when Harry and Fleur had combined their resources to survive the second task and save the lives of their loved ones who had been put in danger by the manipulative devious headmaster.
Their courageous example was not lost on the other two champions who decided to join forces to survive.
The champions' courageous example to put aside their aspirations and work together to survive was not lost on the students from all three schools, and certain Professors, and they could see an opportunity to make a difference as the winds of change were growing in strength.
And the Magic of the Night would never give up!
Never surrender!
- Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again. -
As the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, together with the Headmistress and Headmaster of the other two schools, the ICW and the Ministry of Magic of both the British and French, had formally banned the Pure-blood witch, Molly Mollywobbles Weasley née Prewett from Hogwarts for the remaining duration of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Professor McGonagall ignored the headmaster's fears, concerns and sad disappointed eyes, and went out of her way to officially invite and bring Hermione's parents to Hogwarts to be Harry's family on the day of the third task. She was glad to see that they had nice dress robes to wear which would keep the old manipulative headmaster from finding an excuse to interfere.
Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna with the Quibbler's official photographer, Colin, and Anastasia, AKA Tonks the undercover Auror, gave Dan and Emma the grand tour of the school and they loved to see the castle full of magic, music and happy students.
Anastasia used the Marauder's Map to avoid accidentally meeting the Manipulative Old Fool. Remus had shown Harry and Hermione some of the features of the map and they had shown Anastasia and she was using the Cat and Mouse tracking feature to set the map to follow and give warning if a nominated person, such as the headmaster, had got too close to them. A couple of times the map warned them and provided an escape route to avoid a close call which added to the excitement as the group enjoyed the cat and mouse game with the headmaster. The Marauders had used this feature to avoid being caught during their pranks. Unfortunately the one drawback of the Cat and Mouse tracking feature that they were unaware of was that the map's focus was on the nominated person and not on where you were or who else was around you.
Hermione's parents were amazed as they recognised the gigantic mounted photo of the Waltz of Love, on the wall in the entrance hall of the castle. It was so big that they could clearly see the faces of everyone there and even see the ghost of the Grey Lady dancing alone in the background. While Harry was happy they didn't notice who was dancing with the Dragon in the other photo mounted on the wall behind them as he was sure Emma would want to see the dragon. The Tri-Wizard Tournament photos from the Quibbler were another thing the headmaster had been unable to remove though he had tried really hard.
Peeves was the only one they met who expressed a negative thought when he saw Emma and Hermione together, and ran away screaming in terror.
"No, Sweet Merlin No! There are two of them!"
Harry was so proud of his Hermione and rewarded her with a kiss while the Slytherin House ghost, the Bloody Baron, came to meet the only living person Peeves was afraid of and had a lovely chat with Emma, he even told her his sorry tale. Then the Grey Lady came and told her side of the sad tale and Emma suggested that after all this time that they forgive each other as they couldn't change the past and their failure to forgive was continuing to punish each other. After almost a thousand years, it was time to start a new friendship and then the Grey Lady would have a dance partner for the monthly balls and could start to be happy again. They decided to try and the two ancient ghosts left smiling and holding hands.
As the happy group toured the castle the various Professors gave them a presentation of the subjects they taught and had Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna demonstrate the magic they had learnt. Professor McGonagall had them demonstrating the various transfigurations, Professor Flitwick had them do charms while Professor Moody gave an impressive display of defensive magic as he had the students duel him, four on one.
With his cry of. "Constant Vigilance!" Professor Moody was easily winning against the Golden Quartet and he seemed to have the stamina of a much younger wizard. Until Harry remembered how effective Prongs had been at distracting in his last battle against the Toad and her Death Eaters, so he thought of Hermione, cast his Patronus and sent the silver stag charging at the one and half leg professor. The distraction allowed the Golden Quartet to finally bring down the old Auror with stunners. Emma thought it was an unfair advantage but the old Auror dismissed that with a grumbled as he still had to play his undercover role.
"All was fair in fighting dark wizards that were trying to kill you and that was a brilliant bit of thinking outside the box, Potter. Your parents would be so proud of you."
Harry was rewarded with a kiss from Hermione and a hug from Emma, Luna and Anastasia, while Moody, AKA Barty junior, again wondered why his master was so insistent on using the boy for his rebirth. He knew the boy was a powerful wizard but his unorthodox brilliance could make him very dangerous.
Professor Snape was very proud to show off his new Potions Lab. He had tried for years to move out of the dungeon but the headmaster wouldn't hear of it. So Severus had waited until the Manipulative Old Fool was completely distracted by his schemes to regain control the boy and two weeks after Harry had returned to the school, the Slytherin Potions Professor asked again during the evening meal in the Great Hall. The headmaster quickly agreed to the request of the Potions Master just so he could be free to focus on the boy. The other Professors were surprised that the move had finally been approved and followed Severus example to get their own special needs and projects approved. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, was very quick to ask the distracted annoyed headmaster for new brooms for the school. And she got them. While Professor McGonagall nicely asked the frustrated demented headmaster and got access to all the gold the headmaster had squirrelled away in his secret vault for his Special Projects for the Greater Good. She was one very happy Vengeful Kitty and took the lot to pay for a new living History of Magic professor and to fund the other professors' special needs and projects. Even Hagrid had a special project he needed the headmaster to approve and for the Vengeful Kitty to fund.
Professor Snape had moved the Potions Lab to the third floor opposite the room where Fluffy was kept. The new classroom was big, bright and airy with plenty of space, light and fresh air and was a major improvement over the old dungeon. He led Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna in a demonstration to make one of his own special pain killer potion he had called the Draught of Innocuousness that he thought might be of interest to Dan and Emma. It was a potion he had developed to help treat the effects of the Cruciatus Curse in his fellow Death Eaters but it wasn't powerful enough to be a complete cure as the curse also had a mental effect as well as muscular pain. He had let St Mungo's use the potion to help relax their patients suffering cramps from the Cruciatus Curse. Hermione and Luna were very happy that Harry and Neville made a perfect potion. Dan and Emma were particularly interested in the potions as they didn't require any silly wand waving. Dan tried a drop of the Draught of Innocuousness on his tongue and it went complete numb. Dan and Emma though that the cherry flavoured potion would be great for children as it didn't need to be applied with a needle. Severus was happy to discuss various potions with Emma as Dan couldn't speak clearly and they exuberantly discussed potions for pain management, infections and the big one, instant fresh breath.
Seeing that this new Professor Snape was happily answering questions and discussing potions with her parents, made Hermione and Harry realised just how much the school had changed and Harry was very happy that he had saved the Professor from Azkaban. They didn't want to think what the old professor Snape would have done with all of her mother's questions.
Dobby and Winky supplied a picnic lunch on top of the Astronomy Tower which gave them a spectacular view of the castle and grounds, and they could see the Black Lake and the Forbidden Forest. They shared lunch with Severus as that was what he had asked Emma and Dan to call him and he was happy to continue discussing potions while he caught some rays.
Severus had gotten a little quiet and reflective when there was a break in the conversation and he took the opportunity to address some important issues between himself and Harry.
"Mr Potter." He started.
"Harry, please Sir, when we are not in class." Harry responded.
Severus smiled. "Thank you, but I need to discuss some important issues with you."
Harry nodded.
"First I need to thank you for speaking to the Minister on my behalf and saved me from going to Azkaban. I was a Death Eater.." Severus spoke slowly but Harry cut him off.
"Yes, you were a Death Eater but you were also the only one who has really made an effort to reform and redeem yourself. Particularly since the Yule Ball." Harry replied. "You have done so much to stamp out the bullying and hatred between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Even Draco is being civil to Hermione and me even though I am partly the reason why his father is missing. You couldn't continue to do that in Azkaban."
"Thank you." Severus whispered.
"And your warning about the headmaster before Umbridge happened on the Night of the Toad, gave us time to prepare, and you distracted and delayed him so he couldn't interfere." Hermione added.
"And you did that alone without being asked." Neville added. "My family was there too that night."
Luna continued. "That was one of the bravest things I have ever seen. The headmaster's head is full of Wrackspurts."
"So thank you Severus, and please keep up the good work." Harry finished.
Severus was stunned. "You truly are your mother's son."
"You knew her?"
"Yes, we, your mother and her sister, Petunia, grew up in the same village and we were friends which made Tunie so jealous and even more so when I told Lily that she was a witch and then Tunie really hated it when I told her that she was a squib."
"Squib?" Emma asked.
"A squib is a witch with a very weak magical core." Severus explained. "It is a growing issue with the inbreeding of Pure-bloods and the lucky squibs are cast out."
"Cast out?" An annoyed Emma asked as Severus nodded.
"At least they lived."
"Oh?"
"If they were lucky in a couple of generations they had powerful magical children like your mother." Severus paused for a moment as he remembered the good times, but he needed to deal with other issues. "Your mother was so full of life and I could tell you so many stories, but at another time. I need to apologise for the way I have treated you."
The group was silent as they waited for Severus to continue.
"I really didn't like your father from the moment I met him and it deteriorated after he was sorted into Gryffindor and I in Slytherin. We just seemed to bring out the worst in each other." Severus stated. "That was my problem and I took it out on you. I am sorry."
"But you also saved my life back in first year when Quirrellmort tried to kill me by cursing my broom." Harry replied to a surprised Severus.
"Quirrellmort?"
"Yeah, Voldemort had attached his wraith form to the back of Quirrell's head." Harry explained.
"Oh? The headmaster hadn't shared the secret of how the dark lord had entered the castle." Severus said slowly with a hint of annoyance towards the headmaster and his secrets. "He was here all year?"
"Yes. Quirrellmort had broken into Gringotts to steal the Philosopher's Stone at the beginning of the year and then followed the stone to Hogwarts." Hermione added.
"Oh, damn!" Severus said slowly. "So the dark lord was on the back of Quirrell's head when I interfered in his attempt to kill you?"
"Yes."
"Oh? Er. You wouldn't happen to know how my robes caught fire, would you?"
"Sorry, sir. I didn't see anyone as I was trying to hold on to my broom." Harry answered carefully while Hermione coughed and looked anywhere but at the Professor.
Harry continued quickly to change the subject. "Well, anyway, Quirrellmort told me about how you countered his curse during the broom incident. I was surprised to find Quirrellmort in the last chamber when we were so sure that it was you who had gone after the Philosopher's Stone at the end of first year."
"Oh?"
"So I am sorry too. Could we be friends now?" Harry asked.
"Thank you, I would like that but it may take me a long time to get over my issues with your father." Harry nodded as Severus took a deep breath. "Sadly, I have one more very important issue to deal with."
They waited for him to continue.
"Has the headmaster told you why the dark lord targeted your family and tried to kill you?" Severus questioned quietly.
"No, I asked him after the Quirrellmort incident but he said I was too young and should enjoy my childhood." Harry snorted in disdain at his childhood in Durzkaban.
"Yes, well the headmaster likes to keep his secrets." Severus replied bitterly.
"Sounds like this headmaster likes to control the information so he can control and manipulate the situation and people." Emma scoffed. "In our world, that is what the far left Marxist radicals and Postmodernist are doing by controlling Political Correctness all under the claim of compassion and not offending anyone, and use their ideology to determine what words cause offence and which made-up words shall not offend you. Once they control our language and even the very words that they demand that we must use, we lose the ability to communicate freely. Anyone that says something they don't like is targeted by their trolls. Our conservative politicians are too afraid to speak out. While the far left are free do even more outlandish things to justify their existence and take great offence if anyone says no."
Severus looked at Emma. "Very astute of you, Emma! It is sad that both sides use the same fear tactics and made-up words; He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and You-Know-Who and the Greater Good and even Lord Voldemort."
"Voldemort?" Emma wondered. "You know that means; flee from death, in French?"
"Does it really?" Severus wondered. "The dark lord is not known to have a sense of humour."
"He was very upset with me last time we met." Harry chuckled darkly.
Severus chuckled darkly and added. "What chance do the sheeple have who are caught in the middle?"
Emma replied. "Well what makes you think that they were ever given a chance? It is a sad fact of life that someone always wants the power to control others and spend our taxes on themselves, their ideology, and their friends."
"Quite." Severus agreed as he had seen Dumbledore and Lucius do that for years with the corrupt Ministry. "But, sadly, I am also caught up in the reason why the dark lord targeted your family and you."
"Oh?"
They waited as Severus took a deep breath.
"You see there is a prophecy that was given to the headmaster before you were born. The prophecy herald a hero's birth, someone who had the power to vanquish the dark lord being born as the seventh month dies to parents who have defied him thrice." Severus paused and then continued. "I only overheard the first part before I was discovered and thrown out. I didn't hear the whole prophecy nor did I know who it would apply to as they were not yet born, but I took what I had heard and." He paused to gather his nerves. "And I reported it to the dark lord."
He paused again to see their reaction and they were quietly watching him with concerned eyes.
"Sadly, it transpired that there were two possible boys, you and Neville. The dark lord chose you." Severus whispered as he hung his head in shame. "I am so sorry."
Dan and Emma looked at each other as the children didn't know how to react. They knew the children had had an eventful history with Severus but they only just met the man today and so far he had been very helpful and so they knew there was a lot more to this plus they were more concerned about their experience so far with the devious headmaster.
"The headmaster was involved?" Dan asked carefully.
"Yes, he was interviewing Professor Trelawney, she became the new Divination teacher, at the Hog's Head Inn. It is a disreputable pub owned by the headmaster's younger brother, Aberforth." Severus answered slowly. "Professor Trelawney was the one who gave the prophecy."
"Oh? He didn't hold the interview in his office?" Emma asked. "I thought there was a civil war going on at that time."
"Yes, practically almost." Severus said sadly. "The headmaster was losing quite badly and it was odd to go to the Hog's Head Inn as his brother hates him."
"Oh? So he would be desperate enough to want a prophecy about a hero who would save them from this dark lord being overheard?" Dan reasoned as he could speak after the effects of the potion had faded. "Particularly a prophecy that would justify the headmaster for not facing this Voldemort directly himself?"
"Er?" Severus said as he forgot to flinch at the name while he had never really thought about the timing of the prophecy or what it could mean for the headmaster. "You doubt the prophecy?"
"Severus, the headmaster was losing the war and didn't have any time for the hero to be born and grow strong enough to defeat this monster before the monster had destroyed everything." Dan replied. "You needed the hero then and there."
"Oh?"
"And it was what my mother did that stopped Voldemort." Harry added as he began to doubt.
"Oh? But, she was born at the end of January?" Severus wondered out loud.
"What would have happened if this Voldemort hadn't been stopped at that time?" Emma asked.
Severus mind raced at all the disastrous possibilities and concluded. "If Dumbledore didn't act to stop the dark lord, everyone would be dead including me."
"So the hero was needed then and there, and would have no time to grow strong." Dan repeated. "And this prophecy focused this Voldemort's attention on the Potters."
"Oh?"
"How did you only hear the first part?" Hermione asked as she could see where her parents were going.
"Well, Aberforth caught me listening outside their door and dragged me into the room and interrupted them. I trying to make an excuse and was waffling about having come the wrong way up the stairs as I was there to see the headmaster about the Potions position." Severus answered and then wondered how he could have come the wrong way up the stairs when there was only one way.
"The headmaster had arranged to see you at the Hog's Head?" Dan asked and Severus nodded. "And he knew you were a Death Eater?"
Severus nodded and replied, "A poor half-blood Slytherin didn't have much of a career choice and most of my friends became known Death Eaters before they had left Hogwarts. Aberforth had held up my left arm for all to see as he knew who I associated with in his pub."
"And the headmaster just let you go after he was made aware that you had been eavesdropping?" Emma asked and Severus nodded.
"Without obliviating you of the information of the prophecy?" Harry asked as he remembered what Lockhart had tried to do. "What was the headmaster expecting you to do?"
Severus nodded as he slowly realised. "Damn! He used me to make sure the dark lord heard enough of the prophecy to force him to act."
They were stunned into silence as they realised what the despicable headmaster was capable of while the poor Potions Master reacted badly.
"Damn, Damn!" Severus continued to curse as he remembered that cold, dark, forlorn hilltop meeting with Dumbledore with the bitter wind whistling. "He even had the nerve to ask me how much of the prophecy I had told the dark lord when I came to warn him! He knew I had to tell the dark lord everything and he had the audacity to be disgusted in me when he had setup the whole incident!"
"Powerful Machiavellian men like Dumbledore always use disinformation, fear and half-truths to manipulate others to do their bidding. Particularly if they claim to be doing it for some undefined Greater Good." Emma explained to ease Severus' disgust and pain of being used so despicably. "But what you are doing now, you are doing for the right reasons and you have already saved our lives when you gave us that warning and distracted the headmaster."
Severus gave a half hearted snort of disgust. "I had tried to warn the headmaster in an attempt to save your family and he, somehow, managed to get them to leave the safety of Potter Manor and hid you and your parents in his old family home in Godric's Hollow. I even tried to bargain with the dark lord, but.." His voice failed him.
"Did the headmaster know that Peter Pettigrew was a Death Eater before this happened?" Hermione asked to answer a question she had since the night they had saved Sirius.
"What? Er Yes, I told him all the names of all the Death Eaters I knew as part of the information I gave him when I had warn him about the threat to Lily. He already knew most of the Death Eaters before they left Hogwarts including Pettigrew and he became the dark lord's spy in his Order of the Phoenix. I don't know how the headmaster could give him a second chance but it got a lot of good people murdered." Severus answered as he thought. "Black really wasn't their Secret-Keeper was he?"
Harry shook his head. "No, Sirius was a decoy as he said that he was too obvious to be the Secret-Keeper, and they wanted to prank Voldemort so they used their other friend, Wormtail, to be the Secret-Keeper."
"Damn!" Severus cursed. "The headmaster kept his secrets to give Wormtail a second chance and it got your parents murdered. I am so sorry Harry."
Hermione hugged Harry as Neville and Luna joined in and Harry remembered the other prophecy. "Trelawney gave a second prophecy to me, it was at the end of the Divination examination in third year."
Harry chuckled as he remembered. "The examination was to see the future in her large crystal ball. All I saw was a swirling white fog and she was so disappointed so I made something up. I said I saw a shape like a Hippogriff and she was expecting me to see Buckbeak's brutal execution which really annoyed me, so I said the Hippogriff kept his head and flew away."
"Indeed, Mr Potter?" Severus questioned slowly as he remembered the events on the night that Sirius and the Hippogriff escaped. "Did you, by any chance, any chance at all, happen to play a part in fulfilling your own prophecy?"
Harry suddenly remembered who else was there that night and froze as Hermione answered. "How could we sir? We were locked in the Hospital ward by the headmaster."
"Smooth. Very smooth." Severus said as he remembered that he was trying to get Harry's forgiveness and whatever action they had done had saved two innocent lives that night. And that was a lot better than what he had managed to do.
Harry continued to move things on. "Anyway, Trelawney's second prophecy was about the servant of the dark lord who had been chained twelve years, would break free that night and rejoin his master. Then he will help his master rise again to be greater and more terrible than ever he was!"
Severus paled.
"At the time I thought it applied to Sirius Black but it really applied to Peter Pettigrew." Harry continued.
"Wormtail really is still alive?" Severus asked as Harry and Hermione nodded.
"Yeah, Wormtail is caring for Babymort at the moment with another Death Eater." Harry explained as Severus gave him a questioning eye. "I have a nightmare over summer."
"Babymort?" Severus asked.
"Yeah, he is possessing a young child at the moment." Harry explained.
"And the other Death Eater?"
"I don't know his name but Babymort called him his most faithful servant. He was about your age or younger, brown hair and a wild-eye sneer." Harry remembered the nightmare.
"Barty Crouch junior?" Severus wondered as he was the only one that was so keen to serve the dark lord to spite his father. "But he is dead."
"So was Pettigrew, but he is an Animagus and had been hiding for twelve years as a rat for Percy Weasley and then for Ronald." Hermione explained as Neville paled as he remembered Ronald's disgusting rat in their dorm and the way it would look at them.
"Did you inform the headmaster of this other prophecy?" Severus asked.
Harry's mind went blank as he tried to remember.
"Damn!" Severus cursed. "A sure sign that you have been obliviated. Your mind is trying to find that memory but it is gone."
Hermione hugged Harry while Emma asked the obvious question.
"What game is the headmaster playing?"
Severus just shook his head and whispered. "I don't know."
As they paused in silence and wonder what was really happening around them and asked themselves the obvious unasked question. Who was the real dark lord?
Harry summons his courage as he spoke next.
"They say Hogwarts is the safest place after Gringotts, but I have faced Voldemort twice inside the castle under the headmaster's nose and now, he is using me for bait in this Tri-Wizard Tournament. I am beginning to think he has his own agenda concerning me and I don't think it has a happy ever after for me." Harry stated as he thought about the headmaster's protection while Severus slowly raised his head.
"But you have already tried to save me twice. Once against Quirrellmort and once against the Toad and Dumbledore." Harry looked at Severus in the eye. "So, I forgive you and my mum and dad would forgive you too."
"Thank you." Severus whispered slowly and softly with a tear forming in his eye as Harry hugged him. Then Hermione and Luna joined in.
While Neville reasoned it out in his mind. Severus actions had led Voldemort and his Death Eaters to target his family but Severus had tried to redeem himself, he had advanced Luna, his Potions classes were ten times better, and his warning had also saved his family on the Night of the Toad and gave his Grandmother and his parents a chance to regain their old swashbuckling selves and make a big difference. If Harry could forgive Severus, so could he.
So he did.
"Severus, I forgive you too." The brave Gryffindor said slowly as he joined the group hug.
Severus could only whisper as he looked Neville in the eye. "Thank you, Neville."
"You're welcome but you still have to face my Grandmother and make peace with my parents!" Neville replied as Severus swallowed drily and slowly nodded. He was not looking forward to facing Augusta Longbottom or Alice for that matter. "Your warning had also saved my family on the Night of the Toad and putting down those despicable Death Eaters was just the confidence boost they needed and gave them back their self-esteem. You gave my Grandmother and my parents a chance to make a big difference. So thank you."
Severus nodded a thank you as he felt a lot better about facing the old battle-axe and Alice if his warning had really helped them that much.
After the moment had passed Emma spoke. "That was very brave of you to reveal those secrets and now the headmaster can't use them against you."
"But I still have a long way to go to repair the damage Dumbledore has done with this useless rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor to divide and conquer." Severus said.
"Just like all other despots, but you are also helping to break down this bigotry between Pure-bloods and the Muggle world." Emma said. "We have a lot that can help each other."
Dan summed up the situation as he said. "If these potions prove to be as useful as we hope, I can see this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."
"Yes." Emma agreed as she turned to Severus. "And if you are really nice I may introduce you to my twin sister."
"Oh, you mean that there really are two of you?" Severus asked.
"Yes." Hermione answered. "Aunty is off in Africa saving the world."
"Oh?"
"Yes, I married the quiet cute one." Dan said with a smile.
Anastasia chuckled at the joke but she kept her thoughts to herself about what the headmaster knew and when as she started her own investigation into the actions of the Leader of the Light that led up to the attack on the Potters and the disappearance of Voldemort.
Meanwhile the disappointed frustrated headmaster was waiting for them to arrive for lunch in the Great Hall.
- Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again. -
Sadly not everyone was seeking redemption and Arthur received an urgent message to go to Gringotts. Molly had gone there to get some gold out but unfortunately she had brought the wrong key and tried to access the wrong vault. Arthur had managed to get Molly out with just a warning to be more careful while the Goblins kept the key so they could return it to its rightful owner. Also they had detected the potions in her and didn't want to poison their dragons by feeding her to them. The very last thing they needed was have their dragons go postal while hyped up on Amortentia.
Arthur took his wife directly to St Mungo's to have a mind healer check her out. Sadly they found that Molly was suffering from the long term effect of brewing Amortentia in a confined space that is her kitchen cupboard, and had breathed the fumes of pure Amortentia which had bound the potion to herself and resulted in a pathological case of extreme narcissistic personality disorder.
Sadly Arthur couldn't afford a long term care in St Mungo's, so he opted to have Molly medically obliviated of the last twelve years back to just after Ginny was born to remove the worst of her excessive motherly behaviour. He cleaned out all the potion ingredients from the Burrow and quickly brought her up to date as they both took the antidote to Amortentia.
- Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again. -
In the afternoon Harry's family went outside of the castle and walked down toward the Quidditch Pitch where they met up with the three champions and Harry introduced Dan and Emma to them and their families. The champions were showing them their final preparations for the last task. While Cedric's father, Amos, was making a nuisance of himself by telling everyone how his boy was going to win. Emma respectfully disagreed and said they all needed to work together to survive. Then she started to ask Amos questions and Amos suddenly saw some old friends that he needed to talk to and left them alone for the rest of the afternoon. Cedric thanked her as he loved his Dad but he could see that his biggest fan was getting on everyone's nerves.
The champions had been working together in secret with Padfoo and Moony to devise the best strategy to survive the Tournament. Fleur, Cedric and Viktor decided to take a break and go flying with Harry's family and enjoy the warm afternoon.
Harry took Emma for a ride on his Firebolt broom, while Fleur, Viktor, and Cedric wanted an excuse to try out the new school brooms. So they with Hermione, Neville and Anastasia used six of the new school brooms, the new Nimbus 2002X model with variable performance levels, autopilot, ground proximity warning system (GPWS), airborne collision avoidance system (ACAS, usually pronounced as ay-kas), and super strong impact air bag charms as standard features.
Fleur doubled her sister, Gabrielle, Cedric doubled Cho, Viktor doubled his two beautiful witches from Beauxbatons, Hermione doubled her dad and Neville doubled Luna while Anastasia doubled Colin so he could take photos as they followed Harry at a safe distance as he flew Emma around the castle grounds and over the Forbidden Forest except for the Quidditch pitch where the maze was. Cedric, Fleur and Viktor were surprised at the performance of the new brooms as they pushed them to their limits as they tried to keep up with Harry.
Hermione's mother loved it and wanted to go again only faster while her father kneel down and kissed the ground after his ride with Hermione. (Dan was more afraid of heights than his daughter.) While a refreshed Cedric, Fleur and Viktor returned to their preparations with a strong desire to convince their parents to get them the new broom as a bonus for surviving the Tournament.
- Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again. -
Harry's family went to see Hagrid and he showed them the herd of Hippogriffs and Collin took a beautiful photo of Harry and Hermione flying on the back of a new Hippogriff called Buckwheat, as the proud magical creature refused to answer to Witherwings, (quite a silly name,) and Collin took another photo of Harry and Emma flying while Dan was happy to watch.
As Harry had been flying all afternoon and was a little tired and Dan was happy to keep both feet on the ground. So Harry thought it would be nice for Neville to take Luna for a ride on Buckwheat, and he hopped off the Hippogriff to help Emma down, but Emma was very keen to go again, so she hit him with the sad puppy eyes. Even Buckwheat wanted to go again and copied the same sad puppy eyes. Harry almost caved but he was saved by a giggle from Luna as she took Anastasia and Hermione's hands and the three of them climbed up on the Hippogriff behind Emma. With a big smile, they held on tight as Buckwheat reared up on his hind legs and charge off into the sky as Emma cried.
"Hi Ho Silver! Away!"
And they could hear the William Tell overture played by the Castle in the background. Then Chariots of Fire as the Hippogriff skimmed across the water. Followed by a haunting Ride of the Valkyries as they flew up into the mountains.
Hagrid put Colin on a young Hippogriff called Hothoof, and he flew off to take some brilliant photos of Buckwheat as he took his favourite girls on the ride of their lives. They could hear Hermione and Emma squeal all the way on the far side of the Black Lake as Buckwheat effortlessly skimmed across the surface of the lake with one hind leg just touching the water as Luna stood up behind Anastasia on Buckwheat's rump in her bare feet, lent forward with her arms stretched out and her robe billowing with her blonde hair streaming back in the breeze as she surf the Hippogriff. Anastasia thought it was wonderful to have such cool friends and stood up in front of Luna as Luna held her arms out to steady her as she screamed.
"Woo Hoo! I'm Queen of the World!"
Then Emma, Hermione and Luna joined in with Anastasia and screamed. "Woo Hoo! We are Queens of the World. Hear us roar!"
From Hothoof, Colin was able to capture the whole moment.
Then they sat down quickly as Buckwheat with a few beats of his powerful wings they flew up to the mountain tops that surround Hogwarts where the last bits of snow was. They were gone for almost an hour but when they returned the smile on Emma, Hermione, Luna and Anastasia's faces was priceless.
While Dan, Harry and Neville waited, Hagrid's took them to feed the Thestrals as Harry could see them now after the Dementors' attacks the previous year had made him relive his mother's murder, and Dan had witnessed death during his residency, while Neville had witnessed the death of his favourite toad when Ronald sat down in a chair without bothering to look. They found feeding the Thestrals calming though a bit spooky.
Fortunately and rather ominously there were no Blast-Ended Skrewts to be seen.
- Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again. -
Hagrid took them all into his hut for afternoon tea and to warm the girls up by the fire. The children politely refused to take one of Hagrid's weapons grade fighting rock cakes and thankfully Dan and Emma followed their lead as Hagrid gave one to Fang and they watched as the poor dog tried to eat it. The unfortunate oversized boarhound sounded like he was eating concrete. But the tea was hot and Hermione had got very good at conjuring up a fine English Tea set for them to use as all of Hagrid's cups were way too big. Dobby and Winky popped in with plates of delicious cakes and sandwiches.
After they had eaten and warmed themselves, Hagrid proudly showed them what he had obtained from a friend for his Care of Magical Creatures class.
It was an egg.
Near the fire.
And it was bigger than the last one.
A lot bigger!
The shell of the over-sized egg had an iridescent shimmer with cloud-like patterns with the colours shifting from various shades of gold to electrifying blue, to grey and silver, to white, and even to deep navy.
Dan, Emma, Luna, Anastasia and Colin looked at the beautiful egg in wonder while a concerned Neville, Harry and Hermione looked at Hagrid, but he was oblivious to their anxiety as he explained and pointed.
"Newt, an old friend of mine sent it to me as part of my new conservation project that the headmaster has finally approved. That there is the egg of a North American Thunderbird."
Then as if Hagrid had just announced its arrival.
The beautiful egg shell cracked.
And then cracked some more as it opened up to reveal a beautiful large bird having a head like a Hippogriff with three pairs of powerful wings, and the feathers that shimmer and change patterns with the same iridescent colours of the egg shell.
"Aw."
They all said together as Hagrid placed his hand in front of the bird and it hopped onto his large fingers. He lifted it up and they could see the length of his tail as he spread out his six wings to balance, and Hagrid saw he was a boy. He wanted to make sure this time before he gave him a name.
"I shall name you, James." Hagrid said proudly. "After Harry's father, he was a very good friend of mine." And he turned to look at Harry. "If that is okay with you?"
Harry smiled as Hermione hugged him. "I think that is brilliant, Hagrid." And he looked at the beautiful Thunderbird. "Hello, James."
James, the Thunderbird, bowed to Harry who bowed in return to show respect and honour. It just seemed right and he knew his father would have loved to be a Thunderbird.
"Oh, James has accepted his name." Hagrid said excitedly as everyone greeted James, the Thunderbird and he bowed to each one in turn as they bowed or curtseyed to show honour and respect. Then Hedwig flew in to greet the newest member of Harry's growing circle of friends and landed on her Harry's shoulder as James hopped onto Hagrid's shoulder, and they could see that the newborn James was already bigger than Hedwig. Only Luna had an idea of how big James would grow while Colin took some brilliant photos of the whole event for a new article for the Quibbler.
Then James started to sing a hauntingly beautiful melody that raised everyone's spirits just like a phoenix which they are related to.
- Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again. -
Hagrid gave the pieces of the iridescent coloured eggshell to Emma, Hermione, Luna and Anastasia so they could make them into beautiful magical necklaces, bracelets and brooches, as they left to return to the castle.
Anastasia checked the Marauder's Map to find the headmaster pacing in his office so Hermione suggested that they go and relax in the Prefects' Bathroom to freshen up before evening feast in the Great Hall as the map showed that it was empty and Hermione remembered the password. They were later joined by the other champions and their families.
The bathroom was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier and there was a single golden-framed stained glass painting on the wall. It featured a blonde mermaid who was happily waving to them. Emma loved the white marble bathroom with the rectangular swimming pool and Moaning Myrtle came to join in the fun and explain what all those golden taps were for that stood all around the edge of the pool, each with a differently coloured jewel set into its handle. Emma couldn't resist trying all the taps as they carried different sorts of bubble bath to mix with the water. One tap gushed pink and blue bubbles the size of footballs; another poured ice-white foam so thick that Emma thought it would have supported her weight if she'd cared to test it; (And she did!), a third sent heavily perfumed purple clouds hovering over the surface of the water.
Emma, Hermione, Luna and Anastasia with Fleur, Gabrielle and Chou, loved the last golden tap which was in an odd position as it didn't reach over the pool but was mounted on the wall about five feet above the floor. Moaning Myrtle wasn't sure but Luna worked it out first as she sat cross-legged under the tap and a great big pink bubble came out and poured over her as it grew bigger and bigger until it was large and buoyant enough to float in the air with Luna inside. All the girls had a great time floating around the bathroom in their very own giant floating pink bubble as they waved their arms to control the direction they floated. Until the boys discovered that they could push the giant floating pink bubbles around like jumbo beach balls and send them spiralling around the bathroom with a giggling girl inside. Then girls found that they could float a little higher and out the reach of the boys with a little help from Winky.
Dan, Harry, Neville and Colin with Cedric and Viktor, loved the diving board and lying on the long fluffy white towels as Dobby and Winky gave them a relaxing massage. Well Winky may have shown her disapproval of the way the boys had pushed around her girls' giant floating pink bubbles by putting her hands in very cold water before massaging their backs a little too rigorously but for some reason Viktor asked her to try harder.
Soon it was time to dress for the feast in the Great Hall in honour of the Third Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Kreacher had been busy washing, cleaning and pressing their finest dress robes, so Harry's family could make a spectacular entrance into the Great Hall that was worthy of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter and Black.
- Harry Potter, I will never make her cry again. -
Thank you for reading.