Chapter twelve

Sirius, Harry and Hermione ended up in a restaurant in the muggle world. Right now Sirius would get a lot of attention, but so would Harry since it was know that Sirius is the godfather of the-boy-who-lived. The information about Voldemort trying to return and how Harry had a hand in preventing it, would be known soon, so again that would cause more attention.

'So tell me about these diaries James and Lily left,' Sirius said.

'Um, well,' Harry sighed, 'I planned to tell Hermione the truth but after we left Hogwarts.'

'They didn't leave you their diaries.'

'They did, but not the way I made it sound,' Harry ran his hands through his hair, 'Just know I took precautions.'

'What's going on pup?'

'Okay, after you escaped and I had to return to them, I was really depressed. I told them that you were an escaped murderer and my godfather who would be checking up on me. They finally left me alone, they were scared you would turn up and murder them or turn them into rats.'

'I would like to, but I won't, I could get into big trouble using…that on muggles.'

'Yeah, I know, but they didn't, so I used it to my advantage. Anyway, I was able to go for walks without them stopping me. One day I walked into my room and this book appeared on bed, out of thin air it just appeared. I knew the Dursley's couldn't do anything so I knew it didn't come from them. Now after Ginny had that diary that possessed her I was cautious. I didn't touch it but I got close to it. I could feel it was magical. I knew I had to find out if it could harm me and what it was. I called Dobby, his the house elf I helped set free, his loyal to me now. When he helps me I give him some money, he gets all excited knowing he's working for me. Anyway, he checked the diary and said it wasn't harmful in anyway, that it was safe.'

'House elves have powerful magic and if he is loyal to you then he would make sure to use his magic to protect you,' Sirius said.

'Yeah, so after he told me it was okay I opened it. It was written by my parent's, but it wasn't just a normal diary. It had things that were going to happen. Moody, Crouch, it was all in there and how to stop him entering my name in the goblet of fire. They wrote about Voldemort and how he was trying to come back. They said I would be kidnapped from Hogwarts during the tournament and my blood would be used to resurrect him, then I would be killed. They wrote not to trust Dumbledore but they made sure to tell me what to do. I knew the real Moody was in his trunk while Crouch was using polyjuice potion. I didn't mean to lie to you Hermione, but you know what Hogwarts is like. You can't keep anything secret with the portraits, ghosts and house elves reporting to the old man.'

'I understand Harry, that's why we usually go outside to talk.'

'Yeah, but there's no guarantee we couldn't be overheard. My parent's wrote I could trust you, I just couldn't say anything at Hogwarts,' Harry turned back to Sirius, 'There were plans to help you as well, but they knew if Voldemort returned it would be disastrous. We had to work on that first.'

'I get that, I would have as well. Lily must had done this, she was just so gifted. I just don't know how she was able to write things that hadn't happened.'

'I kept trying to figure that out, it was driving me crazy. I decided to just do what they said and forget how it was done. Oh, the ritual to return him to a body, part of it was to use his father's bones. They wrote that I had to remove them and transfigure something else to look like the bones of a man. The goblins told me how we can buy port key's from them. So when I left the Dursley's, for good, the goblins told me about the Bustling Banshee. After I got the port key's I went to the graveyard, removed the bones, transfigured some tree branches into bones then I soaked them in the draught of living death. I replaced them for the human bones, then I vanished the real bones. They wrote different ways to stop him in case one failed. I wasn't expecting Madam Bones or anyone to find Voldemort.'

'So when all that parchment came out of the goblet of fire that was you?' Hermione asked.

'Yeah, see, they wrote that Crouch would use a powerful confundus charm so he could enter my name under a fourth fictitious school. They explained how I could charm the cup and get the names of the students. So I was able to get the book with the names of every student in the school from Dumbledore's office. I had everyone entered, along with the staff, Fudge, Pettigrew, even Voldemort but I used his real name. I added both Crouch's, Umbridge, Malfoy,' Harry shrugged, 'I had to add every name or it would have been suspicious. They wrote they believed it would be cancelled and the three original names would be the only names re-submitted.'

'Where's the diary now?' Sirius asked.

'In my trunk, but it's charmed so if anyone sees it, including Dumbledore, they will only see a diary that my mother wrote. It would only have stuff like what she was doing, her everyday life, stuff like that. I didn't want it at Hogwarts but I also needed to keep it with me. But the trunk I have now has a secret compartment. They wrote that I needed to buy one to keep the diary in but also other things I want to keep private. Oh, did Dumbledore mention the map?'

'No, how does he know about it?'

'It's not the real map, don't worry Sirius. You see, I knew I would be asked about how I found the real Moody. Dad had worked on modifying how the map works, he figured I could use it when I was at Hogwarts. He just didn't know I had the original. The map would work like the other one but it would not show up anyone under his, or my invisibility cloak, nor would it show up Padfoot or Sirius. I could add people to that as well. He said that mum helped him. I was able to add those extra charms to the original map. Anyway, I had both maps on me, but after I took Moody to Pomfrey, I put the real one away and had the other one on my lap. I acted like I had been caught when Dumbledore questioned me. He asked to borrow the map but he did say he would return it. It's fine even if he doesn't, if it's out of my possession for more than a couple of months it disintegrates. Dad said he didn't want to take the chance of it ended up in the wrong hands, like a Slytherin. All this is over but he still hasn't returned it, I had a feeling he wouldn't. He's probably trying to duplicate it.'

'This is just incredible,' Hermione said.

'Yeah, it is, and I'll show you when we're away from Hogwarts. But Sirius, I might get you to take it with you tonight. It might be hidden but I still don't trust that man.'

'I'll keep it safe. I was spelled into Potter manor so I might take it there.'

'Um, Sirius, why don't we live there since it's just sitting there?'

'I wasn't sure you would want to.'

'If I'm going to learn more about my family, than the family home would be the best.'

'That's true, well, I can go check it out. There used to be house elves. Now before you go off Hermione, the Potters always treated their elves like part of the family. They were given bulks and bulks of material to make real nice clothes for themselves. They had really nice rooms and furniture. They were made to take time off, they were even allowed to have children if they wanted. It was the first time I ever saw a baby house elf. If you think normal house elves are strange looking, wait until you see a new born house elf, weird.'

'I know not all witches and wizards are cruel to house elves. But Harry made sense, some just can't live without being owned. I just wish there was some type of law to make people treat them better.'

'Well, if you stay in the magical world you could work for the department of magical law enforcement. Not the aurors or hit wizards, but the part of the department that work on our laws. With most of the Wizengamot made up of people that supported Voldemort, it's been difficult to get rotten laws removed. It might begin to change soon. Amelia is really angry about what Harry wrote in the letter, she is planning on investigating. Now she did tell me she believes she can have Snape removed from Hogwarts, since he's not liked by anyone other than Albus. There will be changes, but if she gets into office she plans to make changes with the governors. There will be equal numbers of purebloods, halfbloods and muggleborns, four of each. But she will make sure that half were raised in the magical world and half in the muggle world.'

'That will mean it's fair for everyone,' Hermione said.

'But how can she get rid of Snape, Dumbledore wants him there and ignores what he does?'

'Once she hears everything you have been involved in she will make sure either Snape goes or they both do. I doubt Albus will risk his job at Hogwarts just to keep Snape.'

'So it would be good to meet with her very soon. I basically stopped trying in potions.'

'Snape deliberately broke Harry's potion when he was able to make it perfectly. He couldn't distract Harry like he normally does so he decided to be spiteful. I felt terrible, I had already cleaned up Harry's stuff so there was no potion left.'

'He really is a bastard. Well, how about this? I write you a permission note stating you are not allowed near Snape including his classroom. In the letter I will write that I'll hire a tutor to teach you during the holidays. As potions is a core subject then Albus either finds someone else to teach you or he could be accused of trying to prevent you from learning. How would it look if the-boy-who-lived wasn't able to learn thanks to the headmaster and one of it's teachers and that I have to pay someone to teach you even though the school is already given money for your lessons.'

Harry grinned at Sirius, Hermione was smiling as well. But it also gave her an idea, she just had to ask Sirius if he would help her. She knew he would, so as soon as they finished eating they were going to take a little trip. The three of them had no idea about the serious discussion going on in the headmaster's office or the office of the department of magical law enforcement.