[a/n0]Yes Snape gave Harry points, but it's an aberration. And remember the Gryffindors, well the boys at least, cheered when Snape sent Mr. Best Smile across the room.
Harry Does Different CCCX
World Cup
"Krum! He's like a bird!" Ron was extoling the virtues of his hero.
Ginny threw a pillowcase over her brother's head and taunted "I think you're in love Ron."
"Ronny and Krummy" began Fred
George continued "sitting in a tree"
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G" Harry even joined in the chorus
A burst of orange a red filled the tent's window "Looks like the Irish are really pouring on the party." Said George.
"Put out the lights. Get dressed. Everyone keep together." Mr. Weasley suddenly came in and commanded sharply. There were several more bursts of light and this time they were accompanied by explosions. Close too. The festive mood vanished in a heartbeat. He watched them and nodded approvingly "Wands out. Excellent! Fred, George, your sister will be your responsibility. I'll have to check in with other Ministry personnel."
Earlier
"But father! I want to participate!" Draco Malfoy complained.
Narcissa cuffed him, none too gently either "At least you have the sense to address your father under the cone of privacy. But you are not thinking boy!" she cuffed him again "The trace in your wand will go straight to the Ministry! Your place is beside me this night."
"Obey your mother Draco." Ordered the Malfoy lord curtly as he subtly dug into his robes prepatory to moving off.
Abcij
The blasts were getting louder. The ceiling of the tent was sheared off and an impossible wind whipped through. All the Weasley kids panicked. Percy tripped over a chair. Ron and George crashed into each other. Fred pushed Ginny under the table and covered her body with his.
"This is a load of bullshit!" growled Harry. Even Hermione was too scared to object to his language. He whipped out his wand and, rather foolishly, charged outside. It was fortunate for him that the black-robed silver-masked troop had gone past the Weasley tent. It wasn't much but he fired his best "Incarcerous!"
The spell hit the second-to-last-attacker whose legs were tangled in ropes. The last, however, landed decidedly wrong. The group continued, completely unaware two of their fellows dropped. One struggled violently, but futilely, the other was very still.
"Stop! Drop it! Who cast it!" the Ministry, in the form of Barty Crouch Sr., had his wand out and was accusing everyone in sight.
Harry's head was aching "What's he talking about?"
"Up there" Hermione pointed into the sky "You-Know-Who's mark."
Mr. Weasley slapped away the threatening wand "Barty! You idiot! MY children didn't cast it! And do you see who that is? It's HARRY POTTER! You think HE would?"
"Winky!" the wizard shouted accusingly at a forlorn creature "What are you even doing with a wand? This means CLOTHES! Get out of my sight you rotten THING I never want to see you again! And now that Aurors are present, let's deal with who we've caught in Death Eater garb. Right. First, who did the deed?"
Fred and George each seized one of Harry's hands and held them high "The man…the myth…the legend."
"Cut it guys." He complained bashfully.
Mr. Crouch flicked off the mask of the struggling "Well well Waldon Macnair. Guess his Imperius claim might not be all it was cracked up to be. You will have to give a formal statement Mr. Potter. And who is our casualty?" He rolled over the body and removed the mask.
"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Ron "Lucius Malfoy!"
Mr. Weasley bustled into action "All of you! Out of here! NOW! Percy, take your sister home at once. Tell your mother I will be here until further notice. The other boys will be sent by portkey as soon as their statements are recorded. Harry probably won't be permitted to leave for quite some time."
"Yes Father." The oldest boy agreed taking the girl's elbow and leading her away. She was in shock "Come Ginevra. Mum'll know best."
Abcij
Harry's wand was checked for spells. He was cleared of any wrongdoing even if he felt guilty over the result. Lucius had crashed into Macnair and landed face-first on a large rock. The impact sent parts of his nose into his brain. Only two Aurors and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement spoke to Harry about what he in particular did. Though he brooded for much of the rest of the summer, he was mostly cheered up by the time of the Hogwarts Express ride.
A more than surprising, but most welcome, non-event was the lack of a visit from Draco Malfoy. This however, was a false peace, because the Malfoy influence was good for learning what really occurred and the new Malfoy lord wasn't known for subtlety. The instant he could break away from his guards he charged his father's hated murderer, drove his wand into his back and snarled "Crucio! Suffer Potter!"
"AHHHHHHHH!" and Harry cried out in agony. Initially from the simple stab wound, which by itself would be no trifle. But he hadn't just been hit with the torture curse, the spell had erupted inside his body.
Abcij
Ginny was doing her Potions essay while on duty at Harry's: A job she took very seriously. In fact, her grade would probably suffer a bit because one eye would be one him while the other would be going between textbook and scroll. Snape would certainly not accept the explanation given the cause. At the patient's slightest stirring, homework was swept to the floor "Madam Pomfrey! Harry's awake!"
"Gin? Tha uu?" his voice was faint, very weak. "Apen na me? Ow!"
She had been stroking his hand, eased off, set it on the bed and only covered his with hers "Draco Malfoy stabbed you with his wand and used a real nasty spell. You've been asleep almost a week."
"Ron? Mione?" he asked faintly.
She grinned "Don't ever change hero. He only targeted you. Found out about the World Cup incident. Snape, believe it or not, set Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott to keep him away from you. They swear it was only a second. Might even be true." She ended with a shrug, noting his yawn.
"I warned you not to stress him Miss Weasley." Madam Pomfrey bustled in and scolded the younger Gryffindor.
Harry only smiled "I did ask. How are Ron and Hermione?"
"They're fine." Answered Ginny with a touch of concern.
The Mediwitch waved it off "He'll probably be fuzzy on much of what is said for the next few days."
Abcij
"Mr. Potter about time you could finally join my class." Defense started off much to the amusement of the Slytherin contingent "No clas - -"
In ignorance, or possibly uncaring of consequences, Harry cut her off "Might've had to do with a certain junior Death Eater trying to murder me."
"You are clearly used to different rules Mr. Potter." Said Umbridge in sugary tones "So just this time I will only deduct 25 points from Gryffindor for interrupting a professor. Of more importance at the moment is the disparaging of young Mr. Malfoy's reputation. By the end of this class I want a formal letter of apology for your remark."
Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he was cleared for classes, but still impaired. His response was monosyllabic in its elegance "No."
"I beg your pardon?" the Professor demanded sweetly.
He didn't look at either of his closest friends. Mostly to keep them out of trouble. "Wasn't I clear?" his tone hardened "Borrow from an old school mate, piss off!"
Hermione squeaked and clamped a hand over Ron's mouth. Barely did she manage to hide the action from the teacher.
"You …will…leave…my…class…at…once…Potter." She ordered, it was clear to every pupil that Umbridge was keeping a tight reign on her temper "And…you…will…give…this…note…to…Professor…McGonagall."
"Thought our tuition paid for these rooms." Harry walked up, took the note, snatched it from her hand, performed a Benny Hill salute, declared "See ya, shortie!" and marched out. Using the cover of his back to wink at his friends.
Abcij
"I would assume you not being in Defense has some significance Mr. Potter?" the Head of Gryffindor said to the opened door. The roomful of younger students giggled.
To which Harry gave an unabashed salute "I declined Professor Umbridge's first writing assignment."
"Could you be a little more specific?" she asked with arched eyebrow.
He shook his head "In front of First Years ma'am? I don't think so. Did borrow some words from my favorite school chum."
"I see." Was her clipped response, abruptly McGonagall marched through her classroom and pulled the door shut behind them "Note please…I don't believe you would refuse an assignment for no reason."
A bit of tension left Harry's shoulders "Thank you. Yes. She expected me to apologize to Malfoy. First for not liking he nearly murdered me, then for the whole saving lives at the World Cup. Dunno I'm rather proud I took out a couple Death Eaters. Got a few wins against Voldemort too!"
"I do not…Potter…had I…my suggestion would have been" the Head of Gryffindor was uncharacteristically doubtful of herself "No, Delores would not have allowed you to keep a low profile. And I was too far away to do anything other than witness what Mr. Malfoy did, I would not expect you to offer any sort of apology."
Another layer of tension sloughed off, but not all "Thank you Professor. But ma'am this is going to get ugly. I know it. She's gonna take points after points and give me one detention after another. I can't do anything about the points, but if what my friends told me is any indication her class is useless and there's no reason I should goto even one. And her detent- -"
"I shall…after my classes…be discussing this with Professor Dumbledore." She promised.
Harry just muttered under his breath and walked off. She didn't hear him say "Didn't even visit me once."
