AN: I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling.
Chapter 18: Easter in Hogsmeade
By the time Harry got back to Hogwarts, it was well past lunchtime. Professor McGonagall warned him not to say too much about what happened at the Ministry. She told him again how proud she was. Harry, embarrassed, tried to wave off the professor's compliment.
"Professor, it wasn't that impressive. I was just trying to keep my wand," he admitted and rubbed his neck.
"You did an admiral job, even if you purposefully let yourself get burned," the professor said in an angry tone. "Do not do it again," she warned and narrowed her eyes at him. "Now, it's well into your fourth class of the day. Go relax, you've earned it. Tomorrow shouldn't be as bad but you need to be mentally prepared for the questions they may ask."
Harry squinted into the crackling fire and rubbed his left forearm. "Master Ogata taught us to think and question what we learned. He answered every question we posed to him, even the... questionable ones that aren't taught in the coursebooks," he admitted with a grimace.
"An example?" Professor McGonagall inquired with a frown. She gazed at Harry with an intense look in her eyes.
Harry tried not to grimace. "Master Ogata was going over the Aqua Eructo Charm and explained how dangerous it was for an unskilled witch or wizard to use. I questioned him about using the spell to encase a target in water before freezing it. He described in great detail the terrible damage it would do to someone's body," he answered in a quieter voice. "Master Ogata didn't try and dissuade us from thinking three and four steps ahead of an opponent."
"What do you mean by 'great detail'?" the professor asked with pursed lips.
"Detailed enough that Crabbe could understand how to cast the correct sequence of spells and know exactly how it would affect the body of whoever the spell combination hit," Harry admitted.
Professor McGonagall gave Harry a sour look. "I do not approve of who you used as an example," she chastised. "I would... shy away from that example if the questioners pose a similar question. I am debating if I should question you more myself," the professor admitted with a strange expression.
"He just answered our questions," Harry said, trying to assure the professor.
The stern witch hummed at him, her lips pursed once more as she eyed him. "Go on, Mr. Potter. Enjoy your day," she said at last and waved her hand toward the door.
Harry thought about wandering the corridors but thought better of it when he remembered Filch might not believe him if he said Professor McGonagall told him he could enjoy the rest of his day. When he walked in the study classroom, he caught Astoria practicing the Disarming Charm against one of the dummies. Her blue spell hit the wooden target and made it drop a piece of wood resembling a wand.
"Harry?" Astoria questioned as she did a double-take. "Harry!" she cried and ran over to him.
"Hello, Astoria," he answered with a smirk as he dodged her hug.
Astoria's red face glared at him. "You have your wand? You aren't expelled? Daph was so worried," she babbled as she looked him over. "Your robes! The sleeve is all burnt," she said with a gasp.
"Ah, right," Harry muttered and looked at his robes. The cursed fire would make it impossible for him to fix them with magic. "Ah, I have the answer," he joked and drew his wand. He made two slashing motions toward his sleeves. Both sleeves, cut near his shoulder, slid off his arms and pooled around his elbows. Astoria gasped and blanched. "Ah, right," Harry muttered and looked down at his exposed, scarred skin.
"You're burned, everywhere?" the young witch asked in a soft tone as she reached out to touch his bicep.
"Eh," Harry grunted and stepped away. He focused hard and conjured a cloak from his trunk. With a smile, he clipped the fastener around his neck and flung the cloak out behind him.
Astoria eyed him and rolled her eyes. "You should have kept the look," she mused and stuck out her tongue. "Do you want to teach me the Freezing Charm?"
"Why should I want to teach you anything?" Harry questioned as he moved over to his table.
"Because you're feeling generous," Astoria replied and flashed him a bright smile.
"What makes you think you're ready to learn the charm?" he questioned, looking the young witch in the eyes.
"Because!" she answered with a petulant look. "I just want to."
"Tell me what you know about the Freezing Charm and I'll decide if you're ready to try to cast it," Harry challenged with a raised eyebrow.
The door crashed open a little more than an hour later. Ginny looked around the room with wide eyes, Hermione hot on her heels. They froze when they saw Harry, wand in hand, banishing cushions toward a red-faced Astoria. The young witch's concentration broke with the sudden noise. A purple and white cushion crashed into her face, sending her sprawling onto the floor.
"Harry!" Ginny and Hermione cried as they came over to him.
"You still have your wand," Hermione breathed out, her nostrils flaring. "You could have come to class! Professor Babbling was worried about you," she accused.
"I didn't get back until after the fourth class started," Harry said at the same time as Ron said, "you didn't have a class with Professor Babbling."
"I'm glad they didn't expel you," Neville said as he entered the room with Zoe beside him.
Harry smirked as he looked between Neville and his girl friend. "I met your gran, Neville. She seemed rather interested in yours and Zoe's relationship," he teased.
Neville blanched and froze, mid-step. "Wwwww-what?!" Neville spluttered, his eyes wide.
"Mrs. Longbottom questioned me about Zoe," Harry announced with a wide smile.
"What did you tell her?" Neville said in a quiet voice.
"That you enjoyed spending time with your girlfriend," Harry joked and watched the two splutter and deny Harry's words.
"We aren't together," they said at the same time. Neville and Zoe looked at each other with wide eyes.
Harry couldn't help it and burst out laughing. Neville gave him a sour look. "What did you really tell Gran?" he questioned.
"That you two were enjoying each other's company, nothing more."
Neville grumbled and made his way over to his seat. Zoe shot Harry a withering look before joining her friend. Astoria watched on with a smirk. Hermione's eyes twinkled as she watched Neville and Zoe before turning back to Harry. "What are you wearing?" she questioned with a laugh.
"He's hiding where he got hurt," Ginny reported with a dark look in her eyes.
Harry blinked and looked at Ginny. "It was just some cursed fire," he said with a shrug.
Ginny's expression froze as the blood drained from her face. "What?" she gasped. She wasn't the only one. Everyone's eyes turned to Harry.
"Out with it, mate," Ron demanded. "How did you get burned by cursed fire in the Ministry?"
Harry shook his head and told everyone an edited version of events during his trial. Everyone gasped when he told them that a Ministry official destroyed the evidence in front of him, causing the burns. Ginny stared hard at Harry's forearm, biting her lip. He thought he could feel her eyes boring a hole into his covered arm. Hermione cursed under her breath when he told them all about Fudge's actions and demands.
"Gran always said that politicians tried to make you bleed to death," he supplied in a lull in the conversation. "They try and suck every bit of happiness out of you."
"A bit like Dementors, then," Harry said with a smirk. "They all wore dark robes and hats so maybe they really were Dementors trying to disguise themselves as witches and wizards. Kind of like wizards trying to dress up like Muggles; most do a terrible job of it."
It took a little time for everyone to settle back into their routine of doing homework before going off to do their own thing. Ron finished first and told everyone he'd be at the Quidditch field with the team. They had their match with Hufflepuff on the first week in March and Oliver Wood wanted to get an early start on going over strategies to beat them.
Neville shot Harry another dirty look before announcing he and Zoe were going to the greenhouses to look at a new plant Professor Sprout found for them. Astoria tried to get Harry to continue helping her with her spellwork but gave up when Ginny offered to send tables and chairs at her as extra motivation.
Harry noticed Ginny and Astoria's passive-aggressive comments toward each other but didn't know if he should say anything. Hermione ignored them as she questioned Harry about everything the Minister of Magic said or did. She wore a dark expression as she wrote everything Harry said down.
"I know that look. This will help us if we ever have to deal with him again," she said when Harry gave her an exasperated sigh. "As long as you've remembered his words correctly, we can throw them back in his face if we get the chance," she said with a savage grin.
"It's over," Harry said with a sigh. He didn't believe it but by saying it out loud, he hoped it might come true. Hermione shot him a strained smile.
"When Dumbledore arrived, what do you remember? Be precise," she prompted and narrowed her eyes at him.
Harry recounted the unedited version of his trial when he was sure no one was listening in. Hermione forgot to take notes as she followed his story, her eyes wide. She demanded to see his arm when he told her about the new burns. Her eyes glowed with a dark light as she stared at him. "Harry, you are a bellend," she hissed. "I can't believe you did that, even if you didn't know it was cursed fire."
"I told you my reasoning," Harry said in an even voice. "What is another burn anyway?" he finished with a shrug.
Hermione looked like she wanted to throw her book at him but stopped herself. "We'll discuss this later," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Now, tell me what happened again," she ordered in a bossy tone.
Draco's face froze when he saw Harry descending the Grand Staircase, flanked by Hermione and Ginny. "Draco," Harry greeted, trying to keep the smile off his face. "A nice evening isn't it?" he questioned and watched with amusement as the blonde ponce's face went red.
"You won't keep your wand forever, Potter," he hissed. His eyes slid from Harry's face to Astoria who was following along behind Hermione. "Why are you with him!?" he asked with a sneer.
"I am free to go wherever I want," Astoria said and jutted her chin out at Draco. "Stop me if you can, pretty boy."
Draco's face reddened further as he stared at Astoria. His eyes turned murderous as he looked at Harry. "I'll make sure you are expelled, Potter. Even if you didn't cheat, I'll make sure you lose your wand!" he promised, his voice rising.
"No one likes a blow-hard," Astoria said with a casual wave of her hand, dismissing Malfoy and his cronies with a snort.
Draco's face contorted as he looked from Harry to Astoria. Harry wondered if it was possible for fire to erupt from the blonde ponce's nostrils. Draco's eyes blazed as he turned away and muttered something under his breath. Astoria was about to say something when Hermione spoke over her.
"Let's go in for dinner," she prompted and eyed Astoria with a warning look.
Professor Snape stepped out of the shadows by the staircase leading to the dungeons and glared at Harry. Professor Lupin appeared in the doorway to the Great Hall, his eyes flicking between Snape, Draco, Harry, and Astoria. Hermione led the way in silence into the Great Hall and winked at Harry when they found a seat at the Gryffindor table.
"Harry Potter: Liar or Genius?" one twin said aloud as he sat down beside Neville. Harry turned to the twin with a raised eyebrow. "It's in the Daily Prophet, evening edition."
"You're on the front page, mate," the other twin chorused as he took a seat beside Ginny opposite Harry. "Here, read for yourself," he said and passed Harry a folded paper.
"Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, was tried by the Wizengamot early this morning, led by the Minister of Magic, for cheating on his end-of-term exams," Harry read aloud and shook his head. "It was supposed to be an inquiry, not a trial," he commented with a shrug. "Fudge changed it at the last minute yesterday. Funny how it doesn't mention that."
"Go on," the twin opposite Harry prompted while rolling his eyes.
"The closed-door trial went on for three hours before the Supreme Mugwump, Albus Dumbledore, arrived unannounced and brought a cabal of officials from the International Confederation of Wizards. Shortly after his arrival, all charges against Harry Potter were dropped by the Ministry. In a surprise twist, the Minister of Magic is under investigation for corruption and evidence tampering. Neither side is commenting. The Daily Prophet will strive to keep everyone informed of these latest events. Read more about Harry Potter on page 7. Read more about Harry Potter's imprisonment in Azkaban on page 11."
"I don't like how that was worded," Hermione commented with a scowl.
"It's the Daily Prophet," Harry said with a laugh. "They'll print whatever the Minister tells them to."
"Which is why you should only read the Quibbler," a dreamy voice said as she took a seat beside Ron, who was stuffing his mouth with potatoes.
"Hey, Luna," Harry greeted with a smile. "You might be on to something," he said with a shrug. He ignored the eye roll from Hermione.
"Fred here thinks the Minister will weasel out of whatever trouble he is in," George said with a laugh. He nudged Neville. "Could you pass the rolls?"
That night, Harry spent time with his friends while going over the questions he would make for Daphne's flashcards. It seemed Ginny didn't want to leave Harry's side and asked him questions about each of the answers he wrote down. Ron tried to get Ginny to go away but the young witch ignored him.
"Will you get any sleep tonight?" Ginny asked in a low voice as she watched Neville and Ron play wizard chess in an alcove near the fire.
"I suppose so, why?" Harry answered with a raised eyebrow. Hermione looked up from her book and watched them with an unreadable expression.
"You slept in that chair last night," Ginny said, pointing to another chair by the fire. Lee Jordan, sitting in the chair, was talking to the twins in an animated voice.
"I did," Harry admitted with a raised eyebrow.
"I... picked up your parchments that fell," Ginny admitted with a blush. "I couldn't wake you to go to bed though." She paused and bit her lip. "What were you reading? Half of it was in runes like Bill used to practice at the kitchen table. The other half," she said, her voice trailing off. "Harry, it talked about how curses latch onto a witch or wizard's magic."
Hermione sat upright in her chair, looking at Harry. Her eyes darted back and forth before she stared at Harry. "The information Astoria got you?" she questioned.
Harry raised an eyebrow, surprised his friend figured it out so fast. "Yeah, and you'll want to read what I learned. Some of the runes I don't know yet and didn't have time to look them up, so I didn't understand everything. I also want to get a book dedicated to the human body. Some of the terms sounded technical and the wording made it seem like it was talking about specific areas of the body," he said in a rush.
Hermione nodded and looked down at her book. "We're almost done with the Advanced Course list," she mused. "I have one or two things I want to work on too. At the rate we're going, we should be done before Easter. From there, we can just review the material."
Ginny's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" she asked in a quiet voice. "That huge list of things to learn and you've completed it?"
Harry glanced at Hermione. "We had a lot of help, Ginny," he admitted. "Master Ogata saved us a lot of time and explained things in excruciating detail sometimes. We might have been done now if the Ministry hadn't made our mentor leave the country."
"Hey, Harry, want a go?" Neville asked as Ron's knight knocked over Neville's king, ending the game.
"Sure," Harry answered with a shrug. "It's been a while since I've played."
Ron grinned at him and reset the board. Neville collected his injured and surly chessmen while Harry went to get his own. Harry lost but enjoyed his game with Ron. His friend was competitive but wasn't aggressive nor did he make fun of him for losing. "Great game, mate. You had me worried for a while there," the red-headed wizard admitted with a wry chuckle. After they cleaned up the board, Ron looked at him with a frown. "How are you doing?" he asked in a low voice.
Harry blinked at his friend in surprise. Ron never asked how he was. "I'm alright," Harry answered in a low voice.
"Good," Ron answered, looking a little flustered. "Just making sure, you know. A lot has been going on."
"Who are you telling," Harry muttered. "Thanks though, mate," he continued and clapped his friend on his shoulder.
Hermione, Ginny, Angelina, Katie, Alicia, Fred, George, and Lee all wished Harry good luck during the next day. Surprised but pleased, Harry thanked them before going to bed. The next morning, he woke without Dobby's help. He'd asked the helpful house-elf to wake him if he somehow didn't get up on time. The conversation with Mr. Greengrass came back to him but he decided to wait before questioning Dobby about protecting him.
Ron and Neville woke up in time to see Harry off. They jokingly told him to curse anyone who got in his way. Professor McGonagall, Professor Lupin, and Arthur Weasley waited for him in the professor's office. "Good luck," Professor Lupin said in a low voice.
"We'll get you back before you know it," Arthur said with a strained smile. "Harry, before we go. Not everyone will be happy to see you. The, ah, recent article in the Daily Prophet has caused some internal strife within the Ministry," he admitted after a moment. "Just be you and don't let anything someone might say bother you."
Harry raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. He nodded and watched Mr. Weasley breathe out. "Your lead," Professor McGonagall instructed as she watched Harry with narrowed eyes. "Remember to be polite," she warned again.
Harry tried not to roll his eyes as he followed Mr. Weasley into the green fire. After stepping out into the Ministry of Magical Atrium, he was almost knocked down by two wizards rushing toward the golden gates. "You never want to be late," Mr. Weasley said in a low voice as he drew closer to Harry. "A mark goes against your record every time and it might prevent you from moving up," he said as he looked around. Professor McGonagall appeared in a fireplace closer to the fountain.
"Eric," Mr. Weasley greeted as they stopped in front of the security desk.
"Arthur," the unkempt wizard greeted, his eyes locked on Harry. "Here for your trial?" he spat. Harry blinked but didn't respond. He drew out his wand and placed it on the small lip of the counter without a word. "Heh, you know how to treat your betters," Eric muttered as he snatched up Harry's wand. He waited as if seeing if Harry would say anything as a response. When Harry didn't speak, he sneered and registered Harry's wand. "Reason for visiting the Ministry?" he questioned in a bored voice.
"To speak reason with those who have none," Harry answered with a grin.
Eric froze and so did Mr. Weasley. "Ah, what?" the desk guard questioned. The drawer popped out to reveal a silver badge with Harry's name across the top and the words "To speak reason with those who have none" embossed in large letters under the logo for the Ministry of Magic. Gleaming in the light, the logo was a large letter M inside a circle with 'Ministry of Magic' across the top and the letters 'Ignorantia Juris Non Exusat' across the bottom.
Harry took the badge with a smile and pinned it on his robes. Eric stared at Harry until Professor McGonagall coughed to get his attention. "If you will," she prompted with a stern look at Harry.
Mr. Weasley led them through the golden gates and shot Harry a disapproving look. "What? He asked," Harry said with a shrug.
Mr. Weasley just gave him a strained smile and led them into the lift. When people read Harry's visitor's badge, he got a mixture of looks and comments. Some people greeted Harry with warm expressions and praises while others glared and sneered at him. "Shouldn't you see to yourself before you speak reason to anyone," a stout witch commented with a haughty laugh.
"Floris, you need all the help you can get to do simple tasks," a grim-looking witch called out as Harry entered the lift. "Show'em who's boss, Harry."
"Quite the entrance," Professor McGonagall mused as the grille closed in front of them.
"Level Five," Mr. Weasley announced in a strained voice. "Harry," he said in a low voice before breaking off. "Never mind, just keep your head about you."
"Level Five, Department of International Magical Cooperation," a feminine disembodied voice announced as the grille opened. Mr. Weasley stepped off the lift and fast-walked up the wide corridor. Harry followed behind the middle-aged wizard and looked around at the numerous paintings, portraits, and ornate sculptures lining the walls. Stout oak doors with large bronze nameplates were in small alcoves between the decorations. The corridor fed into a massive room with a forest of blue and white cubicles in the center of the chamber. A wide, railed walkway went around the outside of the cubicle cluster and had more wooden doors with people's names on it. Dozens of witches and wizards rushed around the office, talking in low voices.
"This way," Mr. Weasley prompted and led them up the short stairs onto the walkway. He led them halfway across the large room and knocked on a gilded door. "This is Meeting Room Nine," he announced and pushed open the door. "I can't go in," he said with a frown.
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Weasley," he said before entering the large room. The layout was similar to how Madam Bones set up the interrogation room except the walls were colorful with a mural of a medieval siege battle on one wall and a large group of wizards holding off a massive wall of water on the other. Nine Ministry officials sat behind a long, mahogany table with several parchments in front of them.
Harry strode into the room and stood in front of the brass chair in front of the table, his hands clasped behind him. "Harry Potter, here for the inquiry about what Seitaro Ogata taught me," he announced.
"We know why you are here," the wizard with the toothbrush mustache, seated at the center of the table, said in a curt voice. "Sit down," he ordered.
Harry raised an eyebrow before taking a seat in the uncomfortably hard chair. He waited, eyeing each of the adult witches and wizards in front of him.
"I am Barty Crouch," the curt wizard announced and motioned to the two wizards beside him. "This is Edmund Rosier," he continued as he gestured to a stout, older wizard with tired eyes," and this is Harrold Burke," he finished with a wave to the reedy wizard with a pinched face. "Everyone on this panel is an expert in at least one field of study."
Harry looked at them all and nodded. "A pleasure," he said and sat forward, ignoring how the unpadded chair scraped against his backside.
"Mr. Potter," Crouch said, emphasizing the pronoun with an exaggerated drawl. "We will ask you questions about what your mentor, Mr. Ogata, taught you. Do not lie to us as there is an enchantment on your chair that will grow hotter the more you lie."
Harry snorted but didn't comment. "I will begin," the reedy wizard announced and put on a pair of small spectacles. "You acquired the services of a one, Seitaro Ogata in your second year at Hogwarts and your first year on the Advanced Course. Is this true?"
"False," Harry declared. The seat grew a little hotter. "What is the meaning of this?" he questioned with a glare. "The chair got hotter but I am not lying. I hired Master Ogata one week before the start of term. I passed so I was in my third year at Hogwarts," he spat.
Crouch blinked and looked at his companions. "This doesn't match the information the Ministry has," he said in a hard tone. "Do not lie to us."
"I have statements from Gringotts," Harry spat.
Crouch frowned before asking, "you have them with you?" he questioned.
"Naturally," Harry said and sat back in the chair. "If you'll allow me to use magic," he asked.
"This I would like to see," a wizened witch said as she sat forward. Her dark robes stood out against the azure wall. "You have my permission."
Harry nodded and drew his wand. Seconds later, a stack of parchments appeared in front of him. Hermione spent a lot of time helping him gather the information together and had the idea of using his banking records from Gringotts as proof. "This is the one you want," he said and floated one of the parchments over to Crouch.
The Head of the Department frowned as he read the parchment. "It has the official seal from Gringotts," he allowed. "This is a lot of money, Mr. Potter."
"I wanted the best and got the best," Harry said with a shrug. The chair grew hotter but he didn't mention it.
"That was a partial lie," a witch with a cone-like hairdo announced. "What is the truth?" she questioned.
"I didn't want a mentor from the Ministry. Everything I've seen of the Ministry reaks of corruption," Harry said with a shrug. The chair didn't grow any warmer.
"I see," Crouch said in a low voice.
"He told the truth," the witch confirmed with a twisted expression. "Not everyone is the same," she said in an imperious tone. "I, for one, will never be bought."
"Because no one could afford you," a gruff wizard joked, his eyes narrowed. His short bristly hair did little to hide the discolored spots in his hairline.
"Why did you chose Seitaro?" Crouch questioned with a pointed look at his coworkers.
"Hermione, my friend, wanted to go with a wizard from Africa. I chose Master Ogata because of the number of subjects he had mastered," Harry answered with a shrug.
"How did you know who to choose?" a scarred wizard asked with narrowed eyes.
"Alastor Moody gave me a parchment with a list of mentors he recommended," Harry answered. The name of the ex-Auror caused a small, heated discussion to break out among the panel.
"You trust Alastor to chose a mentor over the Ministry?" Crouch questioned in a hard voice. "A lot of consideration is put into choosing the best mentors available for you," he continued in a disapproving tone.
"I don't trust you lot," Harry said with a shrug. "I don't trust Moody either but I respect him a lot more than I do the Ministry."
His words were greeted by angry responses that Crouch suppressed with a wave of his hand. "Were you aware Mr. Ogata had a dark mark on his record?" Crouch questioned, his eyes narrowed.
"I didn't even know what a dark mark was," Harry answered. "My concern was finding someone willing to teach us and knew the material. At first, we weren't even sure Master Ogata was right for us. Now? I'd leave Hogwarts to learn with him full-time in a heartbeat."
Again, his words were met with angry retorts from the panel. "He teaches better than all the professors in Hogwarts? I think not," a sour-faced witch declared with a snort. "You're just playing up what he knows."
"The chair did not heat up," a voice said, silencing everyone else. They all stared at Harry.
"What does this Seitaro Ogata have that the professors at Hogwarts lack?" Crouch asked with a frown.
"Two students," Harry answered with a grin. "Two students and a willingness to push us to question what we know about magic."
The room was silent as they digested Harry's words. "That is true," the bristly haired wizard commented with a nod. "It has been proven that dedicated tutoring produces better results in young witches and wizards than mass training."
"We know that, Gaust," the scarred wizard grumbled. "What did your mentor teach you?"
"Exactly what we asked him to," Harry answered with a shrug. "He taught us from the checklist the Ministry gave us."
"Elaborate," Edmund prompted with a frown.
Harry nodded and looked through the parchments Hermione prepared. He made a mental note to get Hermione something special for all the effort she put in for him and Master Ogata. "Like in class, we take notes, except the notes we take are after the class is over. Every weekend since the start of term, we've learned from Master Ogata the entire day; from breakfast to dinner. The house-elves in Hogwarts gave us food for lunch and Master Ogata allowed us rest when we became too tired to continue," he said and shuffled the parchments.
"Are you mental?" Harrold questioned with a dazed expression.
"I just want to learn magic and be left alone by you lot," Harry answered in a hard voice.
"Continue," Crouch prompted with a frown.
Harry told them everything he was comfortable revealing. Professor McGonagall's words hung in the back of his mind as he told the panel about the methods and subjects Master Ogata drilled into their heads. The panel stopped his monologue multiple times to question him about particular topics. "You say the Stunning Spell paralyzes the brain?" Gaust questioned in a hard tone.
"It does, by cutting off the information sent to the body," the witch with the cone-shaped hairdo confirmed. "Juliet," she said as she turned her attention back to Harry. "I work with the Committee on Experimental Charms."
Harry nodded to her before continuing to speak. "While safe to use, the Stunning Spell can cause damage to the target if something unforeseen happens. Master Ogata ensured we understood the dangers of each charm, spell, potion, and laws," he said with a hard look at Crouch.
"I find it hard to believe you achieved all this," the sour-faced witch commented in a raspy voice.
"I'm simply telling you what Master Ogata taught us," Harry answered with a shrug. "Do I have a firm grasp on the subject material, yes. Am I a master at it? No. We spent most of our time not in class studying what Master Ogata prepared for us. If we failed to answer his questions to his satisfaction, he would reteach the same topic again. It only happened twice."
"Weren't you tired?" Harrold questioned in a deep voice. He sat forward in his chair. "I have a prominent role in the Department of Magical Education. The health and wellness of every student are factored into the material we require young witches and wizards to learn before leaving Hogwarts."
"Exhausted," Harry reported with a wry grin. "I don't recommend it for most students, but we wanted to learn everything we could."
"Why?" Crouch questioned with a frown. "I understand searching for knowledge but why push yourselves that hard?"
"Because magic is amazing," Harry answered with a laugh. "I don't just want to learn it all, I want to understand how it works. While it took some getting used to, Master Ogata taught us what we wanted and more. He taught us how to think and question."
"Question the Ministry?" Edmund asked in a hard tone.
"Question why something was," Harry answered with a glare. "If a law is created to suppress a person or community I wanted to see why it was created. Goblins are a warring race by nature. It is in every aspect of their lives. I understand why the Ministry denies them the use of a wand. If I hadn't asked why, I wouldn't have looked deeper into the issue to discover a darker truth. Wizards experimented on goblins in the twelfth century, creating a blood feud in the mind's of the goblin societies."
A hushed silence descended over the panel. "That isn't in the course material," Harrold said in a low voice.
"That is because I read books that you can find outside of Hogwarts too. I ask myself why a book is recommended by the Ministry and look for multiple interpretations of the same information. Kronka, the author of the book I read, made some disturbing parallels between what is taught in our coursebooks and his accounts of his culture's history."
"He could be lying," a raspy voice argued.
"He could be telling the truth," Harry shot back with a raised eyebrow. "Master Ogata taught us to look at things from every perspective. We've suppressed the goblins and have control over how we write history. To the victor the spoils," he quoted. "The winners write the history they want."
"A dark outlook," Crouch said in a curt voice. "However, I'm not here to debate goblin policy. Did your master teach you Dark Magic?"
Harry snorted and shook his head. "No, he didn't teach us what the British Ministry of Magic classifies as Dark Magic. You do realize the Blasting Charm can be considered dark magic, right? That was on the list of things to learn," he questioned.
"It is in a gray area," Juliet commented with a raised eyebrow. "If you understand that, you know the requirements to create and use dark magic then," she stated. The room went silent as they stared at Harry.
"Yes, I do," Harry confirmed with a nod. "Miranda Goshawk explains the dangers of dark magic and what to look for in unknown spells in her grade-seven book. We questioned Master Ogata, who isn't our master, by the way, it is a form of respect to a teacher in his culture. Master Ogata hates being called sensei," he said with a hard look at Crouch. "He expounded on why dark magic was dangerous," he continued.
"So he is a dark wizard then?" Gaust questioned.
"Only as dark a wizard as you are," Harry retorted with a glare. "Juliet seems to understand how to make dark spells. Does that make her a dark witch?" he questioned before they could stop him.
"Such knowledge in one so young is dangerous," the reedy wizard commented.
"I have no use for dark magic nor do I plan on using it on anyone," Harry answered truthfully. The panel looked at Harry's chair before breathing again.
"He tells the truth," Juliet commented with an arched eyebrow. "I for one believe him."
"You believe everyone we question," Edmund growled.
Juliet smiled at him before turning back to Harry. "What do you plan on using the knowledge for then?" she questioned.
"Honestly, no idea," Harry answered. "I like to learn about magic. I'm good at Charms, great at Potions, and have a quick wand when it comes to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Master Ogata said I think on my feet well but need to learn how to plan better. If I improved, he said I might be a skilled duelist one day."
"He's winding you up," the reedy wizard commented with a snort.
"He doesn't give compliments lightly," Harry disagreed. "You've already questioned Master Ogata. What more do you gain by questioning me?" he asked in a hard tone.
The panel went silent before Crouch answered. "You, a British Citizen, are less likely to lie to us and being as young as you are, are less likely to be able to evade our questions," he admitted in a curt voice. "While this is a formality, this is still a serious inquiry."
Harry nodded and smirked. "You got nothing out of him because he's a skilled Occlumens," he mused in a bored voice.
"We noticed," Crouch said in a hard tone. "Each of us will question you on several topics, ranging from theoretical knowledge to practical applications. Do not lie. If you don't know the answer or don't understand the question, say so. This will help us understand the depth and scope of information your mentor provided you."
Before Harry could nod, the scarred wizard growled, "how is the Killing Curse performed?" The room went silent.
"Having stared Voldemort in the face and taken the curse full-on I think I know how it is cast," Harry said in a hard, deep-chested voice. His anger, bubbling below the surface of his thoughts, started to rise.
"Answer the question," the official demanded.
Harry stared at the scarred wizard in the eyes and told him the exact movements Voldemort used to kill his mother and then attempt to kill him. An uncomfortable silence lingered in the air once Harry finished. "Does that answer your question?" he spat with a glare.
"You didn't explain how the curse is cast," the scarred wizard promoted with a neutral expression.
"I don't know it," Harry growled. He became aware of the crisp smell of magic in the air as he tried to reign in his anger.
"You don't respond well to hard questions, do you Mr. Potter?" the sour-faced witch commented.
Harry gave her his best scathing look and pointed to his badge. "I'm indulging your idiocy, ma'am," he shot back. The witch bristled as she glared at him.
"You believe this to be a waste of time?" Crouch questioned, an unreadable expression on his weathered face.
"This is the only inquiry I understood. Fudge's attempt to discredit me and get me expelled was laughable at best. I understand it but find it pathetic," he said, ignoring the angry mutters from the panel. "Every bit of information I could find on my own. If I wanted to become a dark wizard, I have enough money to buy every dark book in Nocturn Alley several times over. Every bit of information is out there. This is a waste of time but I understood why you needed to have it. Now, I just see a bunch of sad government officials trying to find fault with an excellent mentor."
Harry's words brought the panel to an uncomfortable silence. He heard Professor McGonagall, somewhere behind him, shift in her seat. "Who was the primary instigator in the dark wizard uprising of 1944?" the reedy wizard questioned in a bored voice.
"The one in Austria or Italy?" Harry questioned with a frown. He struggled to remember his History of Magic as he stared down the official.
The reedy wizard's eyebrows rose. "Italy," he answered in a quiet voice.
"I think it was Germana... Germana Bonacci or Durando. History of Magic is my worst subject. It doesn't interest me much," Harry answered with a shrug.
"A pity," the wizard commented with a sigh. "The younger generation wants to practice pretty spells and charms but forgets the importance of learning about the past so we don't make the same mistakes."
"What is the incantation and wand-movement for the Blasting Curse?" Juliet questioned a moment later.
"I only know this because of Peter Pettigrew, but it is an under-handed flick upward of your wand while focusing on exploding the target. Most often, a firey explosion emits from the point of impact but sometimes gouts of flames erupt from the wand to hit the target. The incantation is Confringo," Harry answered, his mind focused on his duel with Peter.
"Peter Pettigrew?" Crouch asked in a shocked voice. "What does he have to do with anything? He's dead... ahh, Black. You read about his attack on the Muggles," he said.
"If you say so," Harry answered with a shrug.
Juliet froze and looked at Harry, her eyes searching his. "I believe... that is a conversation for another time," she announced and looked down the table.
"What is an Inferius?" Gaust questioned in a hard tone. "How are they created?"
Harry blinked and looked at the abrasive wizard. "Inferi are reanimated dead bodies. A sign of the highest level of Dark Arts known to wizards. I have no idea how to create them but you destroy them with light and fire," he answered with a frown.
"Did your mentor give you any gifts before he left?" Edmund questioned.
"You mean before you lot chased him out of the country?" Harry commented with a sneer. "Yes, a sigil."
"We'll need it then," Crouch said with a raised eyebrow.
"No," Harry answered in a hard tone. "I'm not giving up something that is mine."
"This isn't up for debate, Mr. Potter," Crouch demanded. "We can force you to hand it over if necessary."
"You have no right," Harry growled, his hand clenched on his wand.
"It could be cursed," the scarred wizard said as he shifted in his seat.
Harry had a feeling the wizard reached for his wand. "I've played twenty questions with you. No matter what I say you'll try and twist it to your own agendas. I am not handing over anything Master Ogata gave to me. If you take it by force, by Merlin I will make sure you pay," he promised. "Maybe not today, but I will never forget this and ensure you pay."
"Dark words," the sour-faced witch commented.
"Dark wizards," Harry spat. "Theft of personal property by government officials. The mass of the wizards in Britain will believe whatever the Daily Prophet tells them but I wonder how other countries will react when they learn the truth. I'll happily give them testimony and the memory of this inquiry."
"By law, you can't," Crouch replied in a crisp tone. "Hand it over, Mr. Potter."
"Take what is rightfully mine away from me by force, Death Eater," Harry challenged.
The room grew tense as the panel waited for Crouch's orders. "If we promise not to take it from you, will you agree to show it to us?" Juliet questioned with a scowl.
"I don't trust you enough to take you at your word," Harry answered, setting his shoulders.
"Stop being a child," Harrold scolded.
"Stop trying to steal what is mine," Harry shot back.
"Now, I'm positive it's cursed," the scarred wizard said and stood, his ebony wand pointed at Harry.
"All of you calm down," the sour-faced witch ordered. "Mr. Potter," she said in a gentle voice. "Relinquish the sigil. I will hand it back to you once we clear it of any dark magic."
Harry felt like his thoughts were swimming until he wrenched his focus back to the present. He realized his hand was in his pocket, wrapped around the disk. "You tried to charm me," he accused.
The sour-faced witch's eyes widened. "Remarkable willpower, Mr. Potter," she praised. "You have your hand on the sigil, take it out," she prompted.
"I think not," Harry growled and clenched his fist around the stone disk.
"Accio, Sigil," the wizened witch called, pointing a light-brown wand at Harry.
The disk jerked in Harry's hand, but he gripped it tighter and tensed the muscles in his arm. He fought against the magic. "Finite," he growled, waving his left hand across him. The pull on the disk vanished.
The room went silent as they stared at Harry. "Wandless magic," the scarred wizard said in a low, slow cadence. "You know wandless magic."
"I know enough," Harry admitted and stood up. Five wands pointed at him at the same time. "I'm leaving. Curse me if you dare," he growled. "I will ensure everyone knows what kind of people you are," he promised.
"We aren't done here," Crouch demanded, rising from his chair with a snarl.
"We're done. Nothing I can say will prove to you bias lot that Master Ogata is a good man and a better wizard. Nothing you say will convince me you aren't corrupt hypocrites," Harry spat and turned his back to the panel.
"Mr. Potter, sit back down," Juliet ordered. "If you leave, we will be forced to take action," she threatened.
"Against who?" Harry questioned, turning back again. "Master Ogata? You've already demanded he leave the country. He has a dark mark on his record that seems to trump anything he will ever do. It sounds like he could save the world and you'd still shun and curse his name. Against me? Do it, I dare you. The more I look at this country, the more I want to leave it. Let me show the world what really lurks in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic."
"A little dramatic, aren't we?" Gaust commented with a raised eyebrow.
"Am I wrong?" Harry spat and turned to leave again.
"We could expel you from Hogwarts," Crouch said.
"On what charge? Knowing more than I should? Hah! Hypocrites. Each of you asking those questions already knows the answer. Dark witches and wizards indeed," Harry mocked.
"Take a deep breath, Mr. Potter. We will not take the sigil from you. However, Albus Dumbledore will need to be informed of the situation," Edmund said. He was the only member of the panel to remain calm. "Out of curiosity, what is it? Does it have some special meaning to you?"
"It is the only thing I have of Master Ogata. I worked hard to achieve this token of his acceptance. I learned what he tried to teach us. How to think," Harry growled.
"Acceptance? Interesting," the scarred wizard commented and looked at Harry. "You've been through a lot. Recently, and in your past," he stated. "While I am one of the few on this panel who knows what happened last term, I cannot condone your current behavior."
The wizard got questioning looks from most of the panel. "I will say this only once, so listen close," the scarred wizard growled. "I speak to you as Mad-Eye's mentor. If you have a shred of respect for him, understand that I trained him. I too know what happened, far better than the rest of this lot. Moody warned me it might go this way when we started questioning you harder. So, listen to me out of everyone else here. What is the symbol, rune, or design on your sigil your mentor passed you? I'm not asking you as a member of this panel but as Moody's mentor. You of all people know the dangers a cursed object could pose on others."
Harry eyed the scowling wizard. "It has an upside-down triangle in the center with an elongated U above it, separated by a sliver of blank space. Around it is images of a bear, wolf, snake, bandage, circle, and crooked staff," he answered with a frown.
"Is your family by any chance Slavic?" the reedy wizard asked, sitting down again and pocketing his wand.
"I don't know much about the Potters," Harry admitted. "My parents being dead and all."
"You could still read a book," Juliet scolded with an arched eyebrow.
"It sounds like the Slavic Runic Symbol for Veles, or Volos. He is a major god to their culture and governs the earth, waters, and the underworld. Jannik is right to worry for you, Mr. Potter," the reedy wizard commented with a frown.
"If I promise to give it back to you, will you allow me to see it?" Jannik questioned, his scars across his forehead whitening as he narrowed his eyes.
Harry eyed the scarred wizard. He snarled and fought against his anger. Without a word, he pulled the stone disk out of his pocket but refused to approach the table. Jannik seemed to not be bothered by Harry's glare as he strode around the table. With the stone disk in Harry's hand, he muttered under his breath and waved his wand in a figure-eight over the face of the disk.
"There was a weak Compulsion Charm on the disk in the recent past but it has long since dissipated. Otherwise, it is just a stone sigil," Jannik reported the others and gave Harry a searching look. "Moody was right to be troubled. Potter, focus on yourself before you delve too deeply into the secrets of magic," he warned in a quiet voice before returning to the table.
Professor McGonagall was not happy with Harry as they left the meeting room. Each of the members on the panel questioned Harry, who stood by the door, one last time before allowing him to leave. Crouch informed him that the results of their findings would be available to him in the coming week. Harry left the room with a word.
Arthur tried to question Harry and then Professor McGonagall. The professor told Mr. Weasley she would discuss what happened once they were away from the Ministry. Once they were back in her office at Hogwarts, she rounded on Harry. "I thought I made myself clear, Mr. Potter. You should keep your head at all times," she chastised.
"I am not handing this over," Harry retorted with a glare.
"Had it been a dark object, something cursed, would you have turned it over then?"
"This was a gift from my mentor and teacher," Harry hissed. "He wouldn't have cursed something he gave us."
"I suggest you take the rest of the day to think over your actions and behavior today," the professor said with a stern look. "You may have made more enemies today. Everyone on that panel was a respected member of the community and their words will have significant weight when they tell others how you acted."
"They didn't like me anyway," Harry said in a petulant tone.
"You need to learn how to differentiate between a professional stance and a personal one, Mr. Potter. Think on what I have said," the professor said, turning away to talk to Mr. Weasley.
Harry recognized the dismissal for what it was and left without a word. His anger still burned in his stomach as he made his way toward the study classroom. He knew it wasn't time for lunch yet and he could rejoin his friends for class but after thinking about it, he decided to take the day to relax and study the stone disk.
Astoria woke him when she came into the classroom. He blinked as she looked him over. "Harry, that's an odd way to sleep," she commented as she dropped her bag on the table next to his.
Harry grimaced, his muscles cramped from sleeping half off the chair. "I was tired," he mumbled and rubbed his back. "Is it already after three," he muttered.
"Well past," Astoria replied with a grin. "Since you're here all alone with nothing to do," she teased as she looked at the stack of parchments in front of him. "Can you help me with the Freezing Charm again? I've been practicing."
Hermione goggled at Harry when she finally got the story out of Harry. "Do you like causing trouble for yourself?" she questioned in amazement. "It didn't sound like they were going to steal what Master Ogata gave you."
"You weren't there," Harry maintained, clenching his jaw. "It sounds worse than it was."
"It sounds exactly as bad as it is," she argued. "They could say whatever they want about how you acted and they'd be right to do so! Harry, you could have done so many things differently."
"They weren't going to take what Master Ogata gave me," Harry growled.
The argument raged for twenty minutes before Ginny inserted herself into the exchange. "That is enough, both of you," she demanded. "Some of us are trying to do our homework and you two bickering isn't helping our headaches. As punishment, help me and Luna with getting this essay for Transfiguration done. I don't understand how you make a bird turn into a goblet."
The results of Harry's inquiries came out in the Daily Prophet the next week. Fudge officially cleared Harry of all charges for cheating but the wording made it seem like there was still some doubt. Barty Crouch released a surprising article about Harry's advanced knowledge in multiple subjects and that his mentor, Seitaro Ogata, was a black-marked wizard.
Harry's fame within the school skyrocketed for a week to new heights as his name was spoken in conjunction with a dark wizard and his genius-level intellect. Fred and George did their best to distract Harry with pranks and new ideas of their joke shop. Hermione refused to comment when people questioned her about Harry.
"Why don't they realize you're the real genius," Harry grumbled as he passed a group of whispering first-year Hufflepuffs.
"They'll know one day when my name is on hundreds of technical books and laws," the bushy-haired witch answered with a sniff. A small quirk to her lips told Harry she was joking.
Harry pranked Daphne by sending a howler with her flashcards. The red letter exploded in the Entrance Hall, screaming "debt paid" in Harry's muffled voice. It had taken him some time and experimentation to get the Howler Charm to work as he wanted it to. She glared at him in Potions to which he responded by grinning at her.
Ron spent every waking moment focused on Quidditch as the Gryffindors prepared for their second match of the year. Banners with Ron's face, gazing into the sky, appeared one morning in the corridors. Harry thought the twins did a good job making their brother look like a prat. Days later, Cedric Diggory's face appeared on a Hufflepuff banner, his jaw set and his eyes squinted, as he stared at anyone who passed.
Professor Lupin told Harry that he'd gone over the book and released it back into their care. He did warn Harry to not practice most of the spells in front of the other students. "No need to draw more attention to yourself," the professor mused with a smirk. "Your father would have eaten up the attention but you're like your mother. She hated any unwanted attention."
Life returned to normal for Harry by the end of February. His fame vanished like smoke on the wind in the face of the upcoming Quidditch matches. Every student talked about who they thought would win. Harry missed the match between Slytherin and Ravenclaw but heard that Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker, beat Malfoy to the Snitch but lost due to points.
Ron had a manic look in his eye as he chanted to himself in the mirror one morning. "I've got this, I've got this, I've got this," he repeated over and over.
"You're going mental," Harry commented with a laugh as he used his wand to dry his shirt. He would never show his skin if he could help it while taking a shower and would wait longer if necessary to have the bathroom to himself when he had time.
"I just have to win," Ron growled and rounded on Harry. "Everyone is counting on me!"
"Ron, the team has been working hard to prepare for this match. Trust in them and yourself," Harry said with a smile. "You got this, mate. Go out there and win for Gryffindor."
Ron nodded, his eyes set as he walked out of the bathroom with his trousers unbuckled. Harry decided not to let his friend know about his wardrobe malfunction. Wood led the Gryffindor team to an overwhelming victory against Hufflepuff. Cedric was a skilled flyer but Fred and George harassed him all game by sending Bludgers at him at random times. It limited what the Hufflepuff Seeker could do and the Hufflepuff Beaters struggled to counter the chaotic twins.
Elated, Ron milked his fame for a week. He gloated and strutted around the school with a cocky grin. Fred and George took pleasure in pranking Ron at the worst times. After being pantsed in the Entrance Hall by one of the twin's spells, Ron became significantly more subdued.
Harry and Hermione didn't get a chance to look at the book Master Ogata gave Hermione. Their focus was on completing the last bit of the checklist. Instead of Hermione pushing them to study harder, it was Harry. He wanted to rub all Outstanding scores in the Ministry's face if he could. Hermione scolded him multiple times for reviewing their checklist during class times.
Professor McGonagall remained polite with Harry but he noticed her eyes on him a lot during and outside of class. Professor Lupin watched Harry as well, but his expression was friendlier and he took every opportunity to question Harry about various subjects.
"Harry, a word?" the shabby professor questioned as the class got up to leave.
"Yes?" Harry said as he approached the desk, his mind on the Charms homework Professor Flitwick gave him.
"Have you made any progress on your Patronus Charm?" Professor Lupin questioned as he stared at Harry.
Blinking, Harry wrenched his thoughts back to the present. "Uh, I keep meaning to but I've been focused on review. I know I want to but I just don't have enough time in my day," he complained.
"After Easter, set aside your evenings on Tuesdays. As you know, a certain... event is coming up toward the end of the month. By then, I'll have recovered enough to see if I can't help you."
Harry nodded, excitement rising in his chest. "Thank you, professor. I'd love to work on the charm!" he said with a grin.
"How are you coming on the other assignment I gave you?" Professor Lupin questioned with a smirk.
"I'm struggling," Harry admitted. "The Gouging Spell is easy to use but within the confines of your requirement," he continued, trailing off. "How do you remove a tiny portion of a vase with a spell used in mass excavation? It really has given me a lot of trouble."
Professor Lupin smiled at him. "You'll figure it out," he promised. "Remember to take the whole vase into consideration when attempting to remove a section. That is the only hint I will give you," he said and drew out a parchment from the stack in front of him. "I wanted to talk to you about your last essay. There is something that stood out to me. You mentioned curses staying with the wizard forever. What is your source?" he questioned.
Harry blinked. "Uh, it's from an excerpt from a book in the Greengrass private library. I traded the youngest Greengrass, Astoria, for some information on healing someone who's been cursed," he admitted with a frown. "Why?"
"Because what you mention in passing is considered Dark Magic," the professor said in an unusually heavy voice. "May I see what you read?"
Harry shrugged and drew his wand. He'd made a copy of the information to give to Hermione one morning and hadn't had a chance to pass it to her. "Here," he said and conjured the stack of parchment to him from his trunk.
The professor blinked and looked up at Harry slowly. "You can read all this?" he questioned in a low voice.
"Not everything," Harry admitted. "Some of it I can't find the right Ancient Runes for but I get the general gist of it, yes."
"Interesting," Professor Lupin mused, his eyes flicking over the top parchment. "It seems my estimation of your knowledge needs to be reassessed, yet again," he said with a small grin that faded. "I'm going to ask you to wait to continue studying this. Not because I don't think you are ready, but because this first page alone is an alarming read."
"You know all the runes?" Harry asked, his eyes widening.
"Yes," Professor Lupin answered in a soft voice. "We'll go over this as well... after you master the Patronus Charm. Harry, do not mention what you've read here in other classes. They don't understand you as I do and may take some of your conjectures as a budding Dark Wizard."
"That bad?" Harry asked with a grimace.
"No, not yet," the professor admitted as he lay the stack down on his desk. "However, if you continue to delve deeper into magic, you will learn that there are many gray areas between what is seen as light and dark magics. You and Hermione both need a real mentor. Yes, I know Mr. Ogata was a real mentor, don't get upset. I mean someone who can be with you during your studies and guide you both."
"I don't know how I feel about that," Harry admitted with a frown.
"Just an observation," the professor said after a moment. "If it were someone you trust, like Dumbledore, would you consider it then?"
Harry blinked and looked at the professor. "He has no time," he said after a moment. "However... maybe. My answer is maybe," he allowed after a moment.
Professor Lupin smiled and nodded. "I'll speak to Dumbledore to see if we can't get both of you some much-needed guidance. Mr. Ogata started your path. Now, let others help you along as well," he counseled with a friendly smile. "Your father would never turn down wise counsel from your mother. He rarely followed her advice, to his chagrin later, but he always listened. Nothing prevents you from listening to someone who has already walked the path you're on now."
For Harry, time seemed to disappear as the end of the term drew closer. The fifth and seventh-year students buckled down for their important O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams coming up. Percy still refused to speak to Harry and ignored him in the corridors and common room. Fred and George stopped their pranks and jokes to focus on studying. One afternoon before Easter break, the twins appeared in the study classroom and took a table by Neville and Zoe. They said the library was too stuffy for them to study in.
"Are we really going to Hogsmede together?" Ron questioned in an excited voice. He, Neville, and Zoe had gone every weekend they could while Harry and Hermione holed up in the castle to attend class with Master Ogata or focus on their studies.
"I don't see why not," Harry said and looked over at Hermione. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes. They'd spent every waking moment studying and the added pressure of extra classes weighed down on them. Harry noticed that morning that the dark bags under his eyes had darker bags.
"Wicked," Ron breathed and pumped his fist. "We can show you the awesome places we've scoped out for you," he said with a look at Neville.
"I need to pick up some supplies," Neville said in a low voice and glanced at Zoe who was sitting with Luna and Ginny.
"Isn't it her birthday soon?" Harry questioned with a grin.
Neville's face reddened as he walked away from them. Ron snickered but Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. "It's sweet," she said with a glare at Ron.
"Right, right," Ron muttered as he rubbed his ribs.
Harry breathed in the fresh, crisp air as he walked down to Hogsmede with his friends. The mid-morning sun peaked around the darkened clouds but even the chance of rain couldn't dampen his mood. Ron grinned the entire time as he showed them around the little village. Neville and Hermione spoke in low voices for a bit before Neville left the group with a wave.
Harry shot a knowing look at Hermione who rolled her eyes at him. "Just ahead is the Three Broomsticks! They have the best Butterbeer. I think it's where the twins get their stash," he mused with a shrug.
He followed along behind Ron and Hermione and looked around. He almost ran into a signpost on the sidewalk when he spotted a familiar large black dog down an alley. "Hey, I just remembered something," he called. "I'll meet you two in the Three Broomsticks in a few!" he said and turned down the alley.
"What? Oh, I'll order you a Butterbeer then," Ron called out in a confused voice.
Harry followed behind the black dog for a bit until he realized the Animagus wizard was leading him toward an abandoned house with the windows and doors boarded up. He thought the building might collapse in on itself at any time. Sirius disappeared around the side of the house and Harry followed. The boards around one window on the ground floor lay on the small, wrap-around porch. Harry clambered through the window and squinted his eyes to see into the darkened room. Muddy brown Paper peeled from the walls, decorated with dark spots from water damage. Strange stains covered the wooden floor and every piece of furniture was broken.
"Harry," a deep voice called as Sirius appeared in the light. The escaped convict looked lively and spirited, considering he'd been captured and imprisoned in Hogwarts until Madam Bones could come to collect him. "How are you? Remus has kept me informed of your troubles with the Ministry," he questioned as his grey eyes searched Harry's green ones.
"I'm alright," Harry muttered and looked Sirius over. The emaciated, half-dead, dirty wizard was gone. In his place was a tall, confident wizard with combed, lustrous black hair. When he looked closer, he noticed Sirius' waxy complexion and sunken eyes. Yellowed teeth flashed a grin at him.
"I figured you'd say that," Black said with a wink. "I heard more about your duel with Wormtail. By Merlin, I would have loved to see that," he breathed, a boyish grin stretching his haggard face. "Granted, I would have killed Peter before he had a chance to hurt you."
Harry noticed the maniacal look in Sirius' eyes and believed him. "Have you finally wisened up and escaped the castle to leave the country?" he questioned with a smirk.
Black's grin faded. "No, I'm here to stay; here to protect you. For good or for ill, I'll wait for my trial with the Ministry. I knew Amelia before the war," he said with a faraway look. "She's actually mellowed out some," he remarked with a boyish grin.
"What do I need protection from?" Harry questioned as he narrowed his eyes at Black.
"Everything and nothing. Harry, I messed up when I went after Peter. The mistake I made was worse than trusting Wormtail in the first place. Do you know what it was?" Sirius questioned in a low voice. Toward the end, it sounded like he was speaking in almost a whisper.
Harry pondered the question a bit before shaking his head. "What more could you have done?" he asked after the silence stretched on.
"I left you alone," Black said, just above a whisper. "My best mate, my brother in all but blood, asked me to be your godfather when you were born. Protect him if we can't. That is what your father told me the day you were born. I forgot that in my rage and pain. I forgot that a defenseless baby, who'd just lost his entire world, was alone. Yes, Dumbledore sent Hagrid to collect you, but, I was your godfather. I should have taken you away. Like James wanted. Like Lily wanted," he said with tears filling his eyes.
"You aren't my father," Harry said after a moment. "You had no obligatio," he tried to say but Sirius cut him off.
"I had every obligation! My brother and his wife were dead. The one thing they loved more than life was alive. I failed them. It was you I thought about as much as James while I was in Azkaban. I had to hold onto the belief Dumbledore had you protected. Wormtail showing up again reawoke me to the danger you were and are still in. Until Peter is dead, you are in danger."
"Why? He's a failed wizard that joined Voldemort," Harry said with a frown.
"Harry, you almost died to that failed wizard, twice now," Black chastised with a glare. "Remus told me everything he knew. Had Wormtail not been caught by surprise and choking, you would be dead. Your friends would be dead."