Hey everyone! I am back after a long, long, looooooomg time! I know you all have been waiting for the next chapter for a long time so here it is! I am sorry for posting so late but COVID crisis has kept me very busy. Deaths and injuries everywhere. Well I got a few things to say.

First of all, I am blown away by the response to this fic. My last fics had barely 2 or 3 views so this is a major up for me and I would like to thank those who reviewed my fic and would encourage others to do so as well.

Secondly, my fic updates will be irregular so those who want to know when each update comes just put me in your alert list or whatever it's called.

And finally, I need a beta reader so if anyone is willing pm me, and I will reply in a week.

Now without further ado let's begin with the third chapter of Betrayal!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I am merely toying with its characters. I also don't make any $$$ of this. Enjoy!

Continuing from where we left off

As soon as Harry and his group entered the hall everyone fell silent. Ignoring everyone else the group went and sat at the end of the Gryffindor table and started eating. The hall filled up with whispers.

"We don't want filthy cheating scum sitting on our table!" shouted Ron, a few other Gryffindors nodded their heads while the others shouted insults.

The group just ignored them and kept on eating. They quickly finished their breakfast and went to each of their respective classes.

Harry and Hermione made their way to Potions.

On the way there, they were insulted in the corridors by many students junior and senior. They had tripping jinxes being cast at them and many more. They finally reached the Potions classroom five minutes late.

Upon entering, Snape sneered," Tsk Tsk Potter arriving five minutes late. Make sure it never happens again. Now, go to your seat!"

Harry and Hermione both went to bench and looked at each other in surprise. They had a similar thought. He didn't take points away nor did he give them detention.

The rest of the class continued in its usual way with Snape terrifying the Gryffindors and randomly awarding Slytherin student's points. But the unusual thing was his behaviour towards Harry and Hermione. He didn't try to sabotage Harry`s potion and didn't make any nasty remarks when Hermione answered a question. Most surprisingly, when he peered over Harry`s cauldron and looked at the potion, which was aqua blue and thick as it was supposed to be, he didn't say anything but muttered something which Harry could swear he heard something similar to, "Hmmm, not bad coming from Lily`s son." After marking something on the parchment which looked suspiciously like a double E he left to look at others work.

He heard Snape say to Ron, "Weasley when will you grow a brain?! It clearly says on the board that Asphodel powder has to be added after stirring the potion five time counter clock wise on low heat! Do you realise that you could have blown the whole classroom up if you had stirred the potion clock wise one more time you great dunderhead! A T for your work!"

He then dismissed everyone saying class was over and the Gryffindors couldn't leave any faster.

Harry and Hermione slowly packed their bags and made their way to Transfiguration. On the way they contemplated Professor Snape`s behaviour.

"Hermione why was his behaviour with us off in class?"

"I don't know Harry but I have a hunch."

"Hmmm well Transfiguration is in ten minutes so we better hurry."

They hurried off to Transfiguration and entered the classroom just in time. They sat down at their seat and started taking notes as Professor McGonagall showed them how to transfigure a bird into a water goblet.

After the class finished they had a free period so they decided to go take a walk around the Lake.

The rest of the day went smoothly except for students insulting them and trying to jinx them.

After dinner the whole group sat in the arm chairs in their common room.

Everybody was talking about random topics when Harry mentioned Snape`s behaviour.

Fred said, "What?! He didn't give u detention nor take points? That's suspicious."

George nodded signalling that he agreed with his twin.

"Anyways the first task is coming soon Harry. Do you know what it is?" asked Oliver.

"I don't but I the organisers told all the champions it will test your Courage, Power and Knowledge." Harry said looking forlorn.

Harry continued, "Maybe it will be for the best if I die in this tournament. No one cares about me anyway. I don't have any family except for Sirius who is on the run. I mean no offence but I can't even see him or owl without taking a huge risk. Maybe God doesn't want me to be happy. Whenever I think I will die I get saved. One year I am a hero next year I am an arrogant, attention-seeking boy. What's next? I am in cahoots with Voldemort? I don't know why I think that I might have a peaceful year because it seems that wherever I go death, destruction and tragedy follows me. Sometimes, I wish I died that night. At least I would be with my parents…"

Harry got cut off because Hermione suddenly got up and slapped him with all her might.

Harry, caught off-guard, fell out of his armchair onto the floor.

There was pin drop silence as no one said anything. They were shocked as to why Hermione would slap Harry.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Hermione shouted.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT?! HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT YOU HAVE NO FAMILY! HOW DARE YOU!" Hermione then continued in a less loud tone which made everyone shiver as she looked very scary when she was angry.

"Look around you! Why are we all here? Why do you think we walked out of Gryffindor with you? Because of your money? Your fame? To take advantage of you? NO! None of these. We came here because you are like family to us. Hell, you are more of a brother to Fred, George and Percy than that red-headed prat of a pig is. So never ever repeat those words Harry. NEVER!" Hermione finished.

She sat down and tried to slow down her heart rate as she took deep breaths. The other all silently agreed with Hermione.

Percy got up and helped Harry up and onto his armchair as he was still in shock.

It didn't last any longer though, as seconds after he sat down he started apologising to everyone.

George said, "Harry we know you are feeling depressed. It`s ok. We forgive you."

Everyone else nodded.

"Thank you guys. I don't know what came over me. I just had to vent it out. I am feeling lighter now. I am going to bed. Thanks again everyone."

"It`s ok Harry we are family and we forgive each other eventually." Hermione said softly.

Harry smiled and said goodnight then went up to the dorm.

The others also decided to go sleep as it was quite late now. They said their Goodnights and went to their respective beds and quickly fell asleep.

Harry on the other hand laid wide awake. He layed there for what felt like hours when he saw something shiny come in through the window. He reached for his glasses and wand and slowly crept out. To his astonishment he saw a Patronus. It was a doe and it looked majestic and beautiful in the darkness. He looked at the other beds and saw that they were all fast asleep. The doe started jumping around him beckoning him to follow her. Harry put on his invisibility cloak and started following it. He followed it out of the castle at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Harry had been shocked before. He was shocked when he learnt he was a wizard. He was shocked that he could now make new friends in this world. He was shocked when he saw the Basilisk. He was shocked that he was selected for the Triwizard tournament. There were many others but right now he was feeling very shocked and confused. At the edge of the forest stood Professor Snape in an Emerald cloak.

"I know you have arrived Potter." Professor Snape said, whispering smoothly.

"How did you know?" Harry asked, bewildered.

Snape answered with a smirk, "I had been your father's enemy for a long time to know some of his tricks. I saw that whenever the invisibility cloak was on, you could see a slight shimmer. So I practiced trying to see it so that I could prevent you Father and his friends from pranking me."

Harry simply nodded and then gave him a questioning stare.

"You're wondering why I called you here."

Harry nodded, signalling yes.

"Well I made you come here to see what you have to face for the first task."

Snape signalled for Harry to follow him.

They went through the forest but they didn't have to walk long. They reached a clearing where four cages were set up inside which were four dragons.

"Doomed" Harry uttered softly.

Snape chuckled and said, "You may as well be but, try to survive for Ms. Granger and your other friends. I don't know what will happen to Ms. Granger if you happen to die."

Harry`s mind didn't register what Snape said. He was too busy thinking on how he was going to train. He saw Snape turn around and decided that he would think about it tomorrow. He put on his invisibility cloak and followed him out of the forest. Then they went their separate ways, Snape to his chambers and Harry to his dorm.

After reaching the dorm, he sat on the bed and thought for a minute. He took out a pen and a piece of parchment. He admired the pen for a few moments. He borrowed it from Hermione because he felt using a quill all the time is useless and also the pen works more efficiently.

He wrote down all he had to do.

Tell everyone in the group about tonight

Decide on what training he should do.

Study rules carefully

Increase body strength

Get armour to wear underneath his competition cloak

He looked through the list again and felt satisfied.

He had gotten pretty efficient at making after falling in Hermione`s company.

He turned over and tried to clear his mind so that he could fall asleep.

He fell asleep after an hour.

The next morning he woke up quite early. He felt as though he was forgetting something and then, he remembered last night.

Sorry for such a short chapter. I will make sure that the next chapter is longer. Please bear with me for now. Thanks again for the response to this fic. Love yall!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~{SoulOfHarmony}~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~