A/N: Harry Potter and his world belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and anyone that has received licensing rights. I am grateful she gives us the privilege of playing in her world.
My awesome readers, I present another installment that I hope you all enjoy.
For those interested, I am starting to plan out my next long FanFic Project. Please go to my profile page to find a poll on it. All the ideas are currently in my Ramblings and Dribbles series if you want to read the initial idea. Warning, they are unfinished and probably will change some before posting. The poll will close out by 14 Nov 21.
Lastly, real life is very busy right now, so the next update may be two weeks away. The good news, I have lots of opportunities to write towards the end of November and December. Trying to complete writing by end of year, if not sooner. (07 Nov 21)
-oOo-
Chapter 24
-oOo-
November 6, 1994
Hogwarts, Scotland
"Ms. Granger? Hermione?" a voice said from across from her. They were in their bi-weekly classes on wizarding society and etiquette. Madam Bulstrode had gone over proper etiquette in the Wizengamot today. The last few classes had all been about the Wizengamot and the Houses of importance. She was starting to go into more detail than she had over the summer, all in expectation they would all attend the Winter Solstice meet. Hermione was going to be invited as a Protected witch of the House of Potter. It was one of the few ways a non-Wizengamot person could hope to attend.
She was going over the notes Madam Bulstrode had given them and comparing them to her own.
"Hermione?"
She blinked, finally realizing the voice was directed at her. She looked up to see Blaise. Most of the others had left, though Harry and Daphne were still waiting for her.
"Yes, Blaise?"
"I was hoping to ask you for a walk this afternoon. I admit being intrigued by the way the Muggle government really works. I know Mr. Bouvier isn't scheduled to go over that for a few more weeks, but you brought up some interesting points today," Blaise said to her.
She blinked a few more times. In the last few weeks, she had found she really enjoyed his dark eyes. "Uhm, yes. Let me just pack up and we can go out. It's still a while before supper." Their two to five PM tutoring sessions had been changed to one to four PM, with an almost two-hour session with Sirius before an hour with Madam Bulstrode. It had been a surprise at the start of the year to find out they were not the only group to get 'extra' tutoring like this, just the largest this year.
When Blaise extended his arm, Hermione looked at it for a moment before slipping her arm around his. She had not done this before and he was a very proper person most of the time. When he meant walk, he meant 'walk'.
"Daphne and I were going to take a walk too. Would you care to join us?" Harry asked.
"Please, Scion Potter," Blaise replied.
She looked at Blaise and Harry a little oddly. This was far more formal than they usually acted around each other. Daphne had a more neutral expression when she sent her a questioning look. She somehow sent the message 'they would talk later'.
Hermione nodded and they took off towards the side bridge that would bring them closer to Hagrid's and the Black Lake. "You wanted to know about the Muggle government?" Hermione enquired.
"Yes. I am curious about why the Muggle government has separate branches and why most of your politicians are voted in. Doesn't that make it more complicated? Most wizarding governments are hereditary with some voted seats by the main law body," Blaise put to her.
"It allows for more freedom and if the populace doesn't agree with someone, they can vote to put a new representative in. It's like a check and balance so that you don't get a separate ruling class," she replied. "Many bad things have happened in the Muggle world when power was held by a few or just one person."
"You don't agree with the way the Wizengamot and other governments let those with a right to rule do so?" Blaise questioned.
"No. Why should the same families be allowed to do so generation after generation? Have you seen what has happened to all the muggle-born and half-bloods? We are not allowed to become members of the Wizengamot unless we marry a half-blood that has old enough blood to be nominated for a voted seat, or to marry an heir of a Wizengamot family. Until recently, I never knew there were taxes on Muggleborn. I also didn't know that even if I married into one of the families, I would not be eligible unless I was presented and took the oaths to uphold our society. I'm sorry, Blaise, but those types of ideas died almost two hundred years ago in many places in the Muggle world," she told him, secretly pleased he didn't back away or outright reject her.
He was quiet for a few. "My family comes from Italy. The Ministry there is still run much like the monarchy was over a hundred years ago. The Prime Minister can only be elected from the Parliament, and the Parliament is only run by the male heirs, all having links back to the old Royal families. Fifty-six people make up the parliament. My grandfather is currently Prime Minister."
She frowned. "Why are you here, instead of Italy?"
"My mother wanted a different life than to be ruled by the old Families. She was the fourth daughter of the second son to my grandfather and was looking at a marriage she did not want. Grandfather wanted to betroth her to a political enemy to make peace. She ran to the British Consulate and asked for sanctuary before the contract could be signed. My father was a staff member and over the months she was held there, they fell in love. He offered to marry her to give her British citizenship. I was born about a year later at St. Mungo's. I am the first to carry the Zabini name born outside of Italy in almost three-hundred years," he confessed.
"Oh, is your mother happy with this? I don't know if I could leave my family like that," she told him.
Blaise looked at her as they walked down the edge of the lake. "My mother does not regret her decision to leave. If we had stayed, and I was born in Italy, my grandfather would have control over me, and he would have used me just like he would my mother. The Zabini's are the current power there and the family does not like 'blood-traitors', as you would call them here. My father's family, the Cromwells, are a highly regarded family here, but he was the third son and had agreed to take my mother's name to circumvent a law that would have kept them in Italy. As a Zabini, even being admonished, gave my father the power to decide my mother's fate, and that was to take her here."
She scrunched her eyebrows. "You make it sound like your grandfather is a king and your father owned your mother," she stated.
"In essence, he did. The only way to get around my grandfather was for her to take a vow of fidelity to my father and declare him Lord over all aspects of her life. From what I hear, he was kind to my mother and never enacted any of the clauses of the oath. He made it so she was released from the oaths on his death. I think my mother still loves him; she just fears to be alone."
She held his arm a little tighter. "That is awful. I could never agree to anything like that. It's barbaric. That is what that is," she said, starting to feel a wave of indignation come over her. "You are telling me that your grandfather essentially owns your entire family? He wanted to sell your mother away to end some type of feud and the only way to save her was to have her willingly accept some type of slavery! God, how behind is most the magical world? It's like some old romance novel from the seventeenth century or something."
Blaise gave her a smile. "As Mr. Bouvier teaches us and I spend more time with you and Harry, I don't think you are far off."
She huffed. "It's not right! Is that why your mother has joined this alliance? Tell me she wants to change things?"
He chuckled. "I didn't get it when she told me over Easter what we were doing. As much as she rebels against some of her upbringing, she is still very conservative, and until recently, has encouraged me to be so as well."
Hermione looked at him, studying his dark face and aristocratic features. She was trying to sift through everything he had said. "Blaise?"
"Yes, Hermione?"
"Do you think things should be changed?" He put a hand over her arm and a thrill went through her.
"I think my opinions on those that I thought below us has changed. I didn't know how much the laws handicapped so many. I have come to see that many of my year mates that think they are superior are nothing compared to you, Harry or some of the other Muggleborn. In the top ten of our year, five are muggle-born, half-blood or muggle raised. I also feel like I have true allies now. Probably even friends. I don't want to see my friends handicapped when they leave Hogwarts," he told her.
They walked a few minutes in silence. When Blaise looked over his shoulder, he let out a breath. "I am not sure Harry trusts me with you."
She looked over her shoulder to see Harry and Daphne still behind them. "Why wouldn't he? Even after what you have told me, I never felt like you have treated me anything less than you would anyone else."
"Unlike others, I have been taught to be polite. As for trusting me, you are protected by the House of Potter. Regent Bones is your magical guardian and Harry is your custodian. It is his responsibility to ensure you are treated appropriately and your modesty protected," he told her.
Her face became set. "I am not a damsel in distress, and he does not need to keep an eye on me that way," she started.
Blaise chuckled. "It is probably Daphne that is pressing it. I have no doubt Harry would do what he needed, but he is not that way."
She cast a stink eye at Daphne who was pecking Harry. "I'll have a talk with her."
Blaise wagged his eyebrows at her. "Two galleons she tells you that she is right."
Hermione snorted. "Do you bet on everything?"
"Only when I am sure the odds are in my favor. Mother doesn't like me betting."
"Is that why you do it?" she asked.
"It is one way I can rebel. Like I said, my mother is very conservative, as much as she rebels against some of her upbringing," he replied.
"No one should be controlled," Hermione stated before shaking her head. "Blaise, do you look down on me because I am a Muggleborn?"
He shook his head. "No. I think it the opposite. You are a force to reckon with when you get going. You earn your position at the top of the class. I also admit you are better at dueling than I am right now, but I intent to remedy that."
She raised an eyebrow at him, a fluttering starting inside her. "How would you feel about changing the Wizengamot? I know you have a title from your mum's third husband. What if we abolish the old seats? Maybe set it so the Prime Minister is voted by the populace, instead of the Wizengamot?"
"How would you go about doing that?" Blaise asked. "I can't see many families willingly giving up their seats. Many have proposed that over the last century and many have paid dearly for it."
She looked at him. "I... I don't know. I haven't thought about that yet, only what I want to see." She started to chew her lip. She usually had plans, but she had not thought that far ahead. She had only thought about what should be in the laws. She figured she would just find a way to pass the laws, not the fact she might have issues changing them. Maybe she was more Gryffindor than she thought?
"It's like the runes. There is often more than one way to resolve an issue, and often times unexpected kickbacks we need to counter," Blaise told her.
She gave him a questioning look. Blaise was brilliant at runes and arithmancy, not as much on some of his other subjects. "How would you go about changing the Wizengamot?"
"Outside of a revolution? I would find a way to convince others it is in their best interest. I think Madam Bones and Lord Greengrass are laying a good base. They have started to circulate much of the research that they have found and intend to use it for groundwork to reverse many laws that discourage the mixing of all the bloods. That could be used to make a more open government by giving everyone a say," he said in his smooth voice.
Hermione was speechless as she thought about what he said. "That is brilliant. I need to write to Madam Bones and ask about this. How do you know about the new laws or changes?"
"Mother. Lord Greengrass tells Daphne at times. I think Susan and Harry might know as well."
"Harry tells me every time Madam Bones gives him information that might impact us. Harr..." she said, turning around. Daphne and him had fallen far behind. Daphne had her arms around his neck and was kissing him rather deeply.
Blaise chuckled. "Looks like Neville owes me a few galleons."
"You bet on them kissing?"
"I bet they wouldn't make it to the lake before they started to snog," Blaise commented.
"You're horrid," Hermione chastised, hitting his arm playfully.
"Guilty as charged. Would you like to continue our walk?"
Hermione turned away. "I think that best," she said, hooking her arm into his again. "When do you turn fifteen?"
"In about two weeks. Why?"
"No reason," she said, thinking she might have to organize something.
He rose a brow at her. "I am not one for big birthdays."
"Then I will keep it small," she told him as they walked away.
-oOo-
November 21, 1994
Along the Irish Sea...
Albus sat at the table. Another autumn storm was raging outside, keeping him from going out. He wanted to leave, but after the Aurors nearly caught him a week ago, he couldn't take the chance.
Severus was out again, looking for some contacts they could use to get information, or maybe find a way to get some of his belongings back. They needed information about Tom. Information he didn't have anymore. The wind howled around the house and the house sounded like it was resisting the wind as it creaked.
"What are your secrets," Albus asked the rock with glowing runes.
Like normal, it didn't answer. It didn't move. There was no pulse of magic. All he could feel was Severus magic on it. He was really starting to believe that almost all the magic had been stripped from Tom. He hadn't thought that possible. Perhaps there were other magics out there that he didn't know?
Looking more intensely at the rock, Albus knew he needed the secrets. In the past two months, Amelia had brought in and either broken his hold on many that supported him or tried them. Five witches and wizards had been walked into the Veil, six to Azkaban and another twenty found in the Ministry that had yet to see a trial. He had no contacts anymore. He had tried to reach out to a few of his allies. Two had sent back owls with tracking charms on them. It was a good thing they didn't come here, instead to safe points he had set up. Otherwise, he was sure the Aurors would have found him. Albus couldn't let that happen until he was ready to destroy Tom.
Albus sighed.
He needed to meet two objectives before he could do that: All the horcruxes needed to be found and confirmed they had been destroyed, then he would have to find a body for this thing that was in the soul container before him. Albus had to be seen defeating Tom.
A particularly strong gust of wind hit the house and caused it to groan. Albus let out his own groan as he shifted and stretched his back. He was starting to face the truth. Losing the elder wand and spending that time in Azkaban had taken its toll. At one-hundred and thirty-eight, his body was starting to tell him it was getting close. Albus still had so much left to do.
He had to regain control and stop the changes that the new Potter-Greengrass Alliance had started. He needed to free more of the Purebloods. Twenty-seven houses were in danger of dying out if they did not produce an heir, and half of them were in Azkaban. He would have to convince the Wizengamot to let them out for 'humanitarian' reasons to sire or birth an heir. The Wizarding world needed those houses to preserve their traditions and to prevent one faction from overpowering another.
He was realizing his own House was going to die with him and Aberforth. Albus had never thought of that before. He was not one to like woman, Aberforth was, but he not been with anyone since his late twenties, when Millicent Worthington was married off to a man she didn't like. Albus had originally rejected the betrothal between the woman and his brother, finding it an abhorrent practice. When Aberforth came to him eight months later to say he was leaving for a while, Albus realized the mistake he had made, but it was too late by then. Aberforth was gone for nearly eight years.
The night Millicent was killed years later, his brother had attacked him, blaming Albus for her death. It was only then that he found out Aberforth had asked her to run away with him, but she had been unwilling to be cast out of her family though, so she married Roger Parrington. The Parringtons were wiped out as one of the first victims of Tom. Millicent, Roger and their three children, ranging from twenty to eleven where all brutally murdered. Aberforth never got over her and never married.
Albus was starting to think he should have at least taken a wife when he was younger. It was his responsibility to look after the family. A responsibility he had failed at. He was starting to realize he had failed at many things. Perhaps Gellert had been right. Albus was too smart and ambitious to just sit back and watch things happen. They had had a grand vision of a resurgent magical world. One that was on the up and up again. One that was generating more magicals. When Albus was born, there were nearly sixty-thousand wizards in Britain. The last numbers he had seen in the Department of Records showed a little more than thirty-nine thousand, and many were aging.
The Great Wizarding War, The Blood Wars, feuds and the way purebloods were pushing out Muggleborn and Half-bloods was slowly killing their society. Many families moved or promising woman were married off to those families that had been decimated on the Continent the Great Wizarding War. It had been costly to let Gellert run free for so long.
Albus had done the same with Tom, thinking he was a convenient crux to the surging equality movement in the sixties and seventies. How many families had paid the price of his games? So many Purebloods that believed in the rights of their blood had only had a single or two children. Many that had died at the hands of Tom and his followers were larger families, many having three or even five. The blood that would have been required to help the repopulation was cut down before it reached its prime, or in their prime.
How foolish had he been?
Now it was proving costly to his homeland.
Looking at the glowing rock, he asked again, "What are your secrets?"
Albus needed to know Tom's secrets. He had to save his world.
"What are you hiding?"
The rock just sat on the table.
Albus pursed his lips. Should he dare? The man was rumored to be the most accomplished mind art practitioner that he had ever heard off. Albus had seen the results of it, but Tom had never tried to push him. Albus was rather skilled himself.
With this thing being little more than a squib now, the formidable magic that would have powered the man's prodigious skills would be severely reduced.
Did he dare it?
This was something he would have to ponder. There were dangers.
The container would have to be opened.
What was left of Tom would be given access to Albus mind if he were to lose control.
He also worried that his magic was not recovering as fast anymore, and he knew he was not as powerful.
It would have to be a last resort. One he was fearing he was approaching as their horcrux hunt kept coming up empty and time was drawing on.
"I will find out your secrets," Albus promised the thing in the rock.
-oOo-
November 26, 1994
Hogwarts, Scotland
The mood in the hall was anticipatory. Most of the conversation was excited and speculative. Word had gotten out that the champions would be facing dragons. Not that it was a big secret, but the organizers hadn't told anyone but the contestants.
As was their normal now, all the fourth-years and Luna were sitting together. Today they were at the end of the Hufflepuff table, all wore a scarf or something else with black and yellow to signify their support of Cedric.
Harry was laughing at the antics of Tracey and Susan as they argued over who would win and that Susan just had a crush on Cedric. It was like when they would do this over the summer. Truthfully, Daphne and Hermione assured him more than half the girls in the school had a crush on the Head boy. When he had asked Daphne, she just said Harry was cute being a little jealous and pecked his lips.
He bristled a little, not feeling jealous at all. The glean in Daphne's eye said she knew, but she was going to needle him anyways. This had most of the others laughing at them.
"So, who do you think will finally be Cedric's girlfriend after today? I can't see anyone not trying to get into his pants at a party tonight," Hannah asked them.
Daphne shook her head. "Should I put five galleons on you?"
Hannah's face brightened. "I'm not that type of girl," she said.
Susan laughed. "Oh, come off it. You were willing to take that bet to streak the common room."
Hannah brightened more. "Only because you and Meaghan said I was too chicken too."
Tracey giggled, grabbing Neville's arm. "I'd pay to see that."
Hannah looked at her. "How much?"
"Twenty galleons. I'll let you keep your knickers on."
Hannah seemed to think about it. "Twenty-five," Hannah countered.
"Oh, Merlin, Tracey. Do you have to start things?" Daphne said and a few laughed at them.
Ernie was looking at Hannah in a way that had her blushing more when she caught his look.
"Tell you what, if Delacour takes first this event, I will streak the great hall," Blaise said. "If she loses, you have to."
The table went quiet. Hannah was beat red now. Susan looked between her friend and Blaise. Harry reached in his pocket and took out a small pouch. "Twenty galleons if you actually do it."
Blaise nodded. "Fair enough."
Hannah still looked beat red. "Hannah, you don't have to do this," Susan told her friend. Tracey took out a pouch and routed around, putting twenty-five galleons on the table.
After a moment, Hannah struck her hand out towards Blaise. "I hope you look nice in your y-fronts."
Blaise laughed and shook her hand. Hermione made a disgruntled sound. "You shouldn't bet."
Harry chuckled. "I'm not betting. I am just giving incentive to follow through with a bet. Either way, I win."
"Are you telling me you just want to see a girl without her clothes?" Daphne's voice was cool.
He swallowed, realizing what he had just said. "Uhm, no. I promise I'll put a blindfold over my eyes if that happens."
"If you have too, I will be at your side. Daddy and mummy always said there is no shame in our bodies," Luna said.
Everyone turned to her. "Luna, you don't have to do this," Hannah told her.
"None of you should do this," Hermione hissed at them.
Tracey had a huge smirk on her face. "I have not gotten up to any trouble yet this year. Fine, Hannah can wear a bra too."
"Do I have too?" Luna asked in her far away voice.
"This is too far," Hermione tried to make them see reason.
Harry wanted to laugh, but felt he was still in trouble with Daphne, so he wisely kept his mouth shut.
"Maybe we should go find seats before it gets too crowded," Daphne suggested.
He took the hint and pushed his chair out. He hadn't realized someone was behind him. The small first-year girl screamed, and he was suddenly covered in what smelled like sickly-sweet pumpkin juice when she through her goblet in fright. "I'm so sorry," Harry said, shaking the liquid off his hands.
The others moved to help the girl up. She didn't say a word, just looking up at him with huge eyes. Neville made sure she was standing before she squeaked and ran off. "I really didn't mean that," Harry yelled after her. "Hannah? Susan? Who was that so I can apologize later?"
"I'm not sure," Hannah said, looking after the girl as she ran out of the hall. She was as covered as he was.
"You should go back up and get changed," Daphne was telling him.
"I think I need a shower."
"I'll go with him," Neville told them. "Save us a seat?"
Tracey nodded and gave him a peck. "Hurry up."
"We will," Harry told them. Daphne reached over just enough to peck him. "You are covered in pumpkin juice," she said with a crinkle to her nose.
"You want a hug then?" He gave her a mischievous look.
"I will not kiss you again today if you do," she told him seriously.
He chuckled. "Wouldn't want that."
While the rest of them headed towards the new path that led into the Forbidden Forest, Neville and him headed towards Gryffindor tower. "I'm all sticky now."
"At least you smell better," Neville teased.
"Berk," Harry groused.
Neville laughed.
Harry didn't want to waste too much time, so he only washed his hands and changed his clothes. By the time they were walking down, there was a heavy stream of adults coming from the main drive and walking along the path to the stadium hidden in the forest. There were many more than he had expected.
"Is your Gran going to be here today?" Harry asked looking at the line of witches and wizards.
"Gran said she would be. Wanted us to meet up with Lord and Lady Davis later," Neville answered.
He nodded. "Amelia is working the security."
"What about Lord and Lady Greengrass?"
He shrugged. "Not sure. I don't think they told Daphne if they were or not."
Neville snorted. "Maybe if you used your mouth for talking when you two are alone you would know."
Harry shoved Neville. "Like you and Tracey are any better? And we do talk."
Neville laughed as he stumbled back to Harry's side. "I am not complaining about how Tracey uses her mouth."
"Something you not telling me?" Harry gave a questioning look to Neville, who seemed to get what he said about ten seconds later. Neville's eyes grew wide and his face took on a nice blush.
"That is not what I mean... I mean if she wanted to... I mean we just kiss. Oh, bloody hell, Harry!"
Harry started to laugh at his cousin's discomfort. Daphne and him had definitely not done anything else but kiss... well, maybe that one time he had slipped his hands down below her waist on her back side and he was slapped for it... Harry was pretty sure that was all that Tracey and Neville had done as well.
He was still chuckling at how uncomfortable Neville looked as they finally found their group of friends towards the top of the stands on a section clearly meant for Hogwarts students. Sitting down, Daphne gave him an eye and sniffed. "You still smell of pumpkin juice."
"I didn't have time to take a shower," he said, chuckling again when Neville muttered next to him, "So you smell better than normal."
Daphne took his arm. "Why are you chuckling, and why does Neville look so flush?"
Neville gave him a glare. "It's a boy thing," Harry told her, giving a shit-eating-grin to one of his best mates. Tracey looked at them curiously when Neville's face went beat root red again.
Daphne rolled her eyes. A breeze wafted over the trees behind then and brushed them as it made its way over the stadium. "So, did I miss anything?"
Daphne moved a little closer, but still sitting tall and proper. "Not really. Blaise wants a pool on who will win."
Harry looked to the boy before them. "Is it the one the Weasley twins are running? I put down ten galleons on Diggory."
"Don't you want Delacour to win?" Hermione asked him.
"It's better to spread around your bets," Blaise told her.
"I didn't think you were actually betting," Susan said.
"I put a few on Diggory too," Ernie spoke up.
"If you all get in trouble, don't look to me to get you out of it," Hermione huffed. Blaise gave her a thoughtful look.
"Tell me you didn't mean that with Hannah earlier," Daphne whispered to him.
He shook his head and tapped Hannah's shoulder. "Hannah, I was joking about earlier."
She gave him a smirk. "I don't back down from dares."
Susan snorted. "That is an understatement."
Hannah stuck her tongue out at Susan, who returned it. "I look forward to it. Nothing is as exhilarating as cold stones under your feet," Luna added. Most of them laughed.
Harry saw Amelia in the judges' box looking over the crowd. There must have been a dozen or more Aurors walking around. With only that one incident with Malfoy, Harry was actually feeling safe for once. He should have known then that that was a red flag...
When the judges came out to announce things were almost set and the first contestant would be Cedric Diggory against a Hebridean Black, an excited foreboding came over the crowd. That was not a docile dragon, or one that should be played around with. Perhaps the Ukrainian Ironbellies or Hungarian Horntails were worse, according to Hagrid. Of course, their half-giant friend found them to be the most 'beautiful and majestic', but Harry figured that was because they were the most dangerous.
"...Mr. Diggory will be required to retrieve a treasure from the dragon's horde in its cave. Like all the three contestants, they will be scored based upon time to complete the task, no permanent harm to the dragon or themselves, and the elegance in which they are able to accomplish it," Ludo Bagman was saying over the crowd.
Daphne tightened her grip around Harry's arm. "You don't think they will get hurt?" she asked.
"I hope not," Neville said from his side.
"That is going to be half the fun," Blaise commented.
"That is awful to say that," Hermione said, hitting Blaise's arm.
"Here they come," Ernie said.
The arena was wide, perhaps a hundred and fifty yards or more in diameter. The average dragon could shoot fire about twice the length of itself, not counting its tail, meaning that left plenty of room to move around the arena, with most dragons being eight to fifteen yards long. of course, the tails were typically five to ten yards long themselves.
The floor of the arena had a shallow cave in the center of it, with about forty yards of open space, then a craggy mixture of rocks, ravines and other terrain. Some of the ravines and shallow dips came close to the cave.
They all watched, lots of murmuring and conversation in the stands, as two groups of wizards came out. One was levitating a wooden platform that had a huge black dragon on it. The dragon was sleeping, but there was still a fine mist of smoke trailing from its nostrils. Eight wizards were levitating the massive wooden platform. Just before them was a group of three wizards. Two were levitating a pile of gold, silver, gems and artifacts. The last was carrying a golden box.
"Someone is going to be killed," Hermione said in fear.
Blaise, sobering for the moment said, "No one is going to be killed, Hermione. I have heard they have taken precautions."
The dragon horde, chest and then the dragon were placed into the cave. Three wizards waited for the others to leave the arena. They took out brooms from some hidden pocket before casting what looked like enervate charms at the dragon. They waited maybe two seconds before mounting their brooms and racing towards the big gates that were closing. About the time they made it to the gates, a roar emanated from the cave, and then a bout of green fire with a black core.
Daphne's grip tightened even more. Harry put a hand over hers. "Blaise is right. No one should get hurt," he said, hoping he was right. These were dragons though...
"The stage is set, and the first contestant can come out at the cannon blast," Bagman said, his excitement evident. A few seconds later, a cannon sounded, and the dragon roared, its head poking out of its cave.
Daphne moved to press herself against his side. He wanted to wrap an arm around her, but it wasn't the place to do so. When Cedric walked out of a tunnel, the crowd went wild, most cheering for him...
It was later afternoon to find Daphne and him walking along the grounds. After leaving Lord and Lady Greengrass, they wanted a little time to themselves and could only find it walking on the grounds. Aurors could be seen here and there, but the castle was busy with excited students and the parents had been allowed to stay and eat in the Great Hall tonight. That was where Daphne's parents were with Astoria and Daphne and him would join her parents at dinner.
The day itself had been exciting. As much as he didn't want to see anyone get hurt, he found himself getting into the event. Cedric had been able to entice the dragon out with some nice transfiguration, disillusionment and scent masking charms. He made it to the exit with only a slight burn on one arm.
Krum had been able to get to the dragon horde only after he had managed to 'disable' the Chinese fireball he had. The poor thing had two broken legs and had been breathing heavily after being pounded with rocks after the Bulgarian's initial attempts had failed. He lost a lot of points for that. Harry didn't feel too bad that the boy had to limp out with a broken arm and leg.
Fleur had been the most impressive, at least by Harry's standards, being able to lull the dragon to sleep. By doing so, she walked in and out of the cave without a scratch, and the highest score.
"So, do you think Blaise will really streak the Great Hall?" Harry asked her as they walked around the back of the Quidditch stadium. Harry had been slowly steering her this way. They had found a small door in the back that let them under the stands. It was a good spot to steal some kisses. Daphne must have known his intention but didn't stop him.
She gave a little laugh. "He will do it. I hope you have the twenty galleons you promised."
"I'm good for it," Harry chuckled, wondering how much detention he might get.
She nodded. "Are you trying to lead us towards that spot we found last week?"
"Maybe," he said, a smirk on his face.
She looked around. "Your hands better stay in a good spot this time," she warned him.
"I promise. Not until you say I can," he told her. He had learned his lesson... until the next time his hormones decided to overrule his promise.
She nodded. "You also need to take a shower. I still smell that pumpkin juice."
"Sorry, I didn't think I had time," he replied. They were getting close when something echoed over the grounds. Harry thought it sounded like an explosion, but when they looked, he couldn't see anything. "What was that?" Daphne questioned, looking around as well.
"I don't know," Harry said, getting an uneasy feeling.
"Maybe we should head back to the castle?" Daphne suggested.
"Yeah." Harry looked around again, putting a hand behind her back and guiding her before him. A wisp of smoke was now rising over the trees towards the arena. "I think we should get back now."
Daphne followed Harry's eye and they both froze for a second when two long shapes with wings rose above the trees. "Harry," Daphne said, reaching for his hand.
"Run."
It was a good thing they ran so much, except the robes Daphne was in was slowing her down a little. Harry willed his wand to his hand. It was a good quarter mile or more between the pitch and the practice grounds gate, and when he looked over his shoulder, one of the small shapes in the distance was getting closer. The other one was flying off towards the front of the grounds.
"One of them escaped," an Auror yelled.
"Bloody hell! Go faster, Daph," Harry yelled at her. It looked like the dragon was coming right for them. A roar rent the peaceful afternoon, as did fire coming from the things mouth.
"I'm trying," Daphne spat at him. "Oh, I am wearing jeans for now on." Her wand was in her hand as she struggled to undo the heavy robes to free her legs. Harry didn't want to wait and just picked her up and put her over his shoulder. "HARRY!"
He didn't reply, trying to run up the hill as fast as he could. Three Aurors went the other way, telling them to get inside. The roar was closer now and Daphne screamed over his shoulder. He didn't stop, but spell fire, a roar, the sound like a flame thrower and then the screams of people came to his ears. He was breathing heavily and almost to the gates when he heard the wings. In less than three minutes, the dragon had caught up to them. He dove for the side of the path and the ditch that was there, trying his best to keep Daphne from landing under him. She screamed and he heard the snap of jaws.
Landing hard in the ditch, he rolled her over and pointed his wand up. "Protego Maxima!"
The semi-solid looking blue shield covered them as the dragon tried to stop itself before crashing into the gate house roof. It got its legs under it and the terracotta shingles made a shattering sound as they broke. Harry was sure the splintering wood was the only thing that had the dragon wiping its head up as a jet of fire came out of its mouth.
"Fuck," Daphne spat out before screaming again. He had never heard her scream like that.
The dragon, stuck in the roof, roared and screeched in anger and pain.
"Go," Harry yelled, picking Daphne up as he got up.
"That's a Horntail," Daphne said in a panic.
"We can talk about it later," Harry snapped at her.
They ran in the ditch on the side of the path, a string of fire still on the ground a hundred yards away. The dragon roared and there was a loud sound as something fell to the ground. It made a crashing sound. He looked to see the dragon had ripped half the roof off the gatehouse and was now steadying itself, making a disturbing rumbling sound. Harry could see its throat shaking as it made the sound.
"Keep going," he yelled at Daphne as he skidded to a halt. He spun his wand and a round shield with a few windows in it came into existence on his wrist. He reached for the hilt of the sword that Amelia had given him. It pulled out of the short scabbard. There was a reason knights of old used goblin steal. It would bight through dragon scales.
Daphne stopped a few feet away. "Harry, you can't!"
"Just go," Harry told her. If he could buy her some time, that was all he needed.
The dragon, seeming to sense this time old tradition, gave a huge roar of challenge, before jumping down. Daphne stepped up beside him, her own shield on her wrist. "You promised me you would not leave me."
"Now is not the time."
"No. It is not," she said. Harry could hear the fear in her voice, but she was probably right. There was little chance he could hold this thing off long enough to let her get away.
The dragon was making the same disturbing rumbling from its throat as it advanced on them. "You cast anything you can at it. If it comes close, I will try to get its neck," Harry told her.
"Don't get that close," she told him.
The dragon roared, rearing up and Daphne cast at a large rock on the side. The four foot long rock tore from the ground and her levitation charm tossed it at the dragon. Harry took the opportunity to start casting stunners and ropes. If they could immobilize it, then they could escape. If Harry had to get in close, he didn't think he wouldn't get hurt, or worse.
The large rock hit the dragon in its wing, half spinning it and his stunner just bounded off it. It turned, fire spewing out of its mouth. "Auqamenti!" It was a torrent of water that met the fire and scalding steam went in every direction.
He gritted his teeth and brought his shield up, protecting himself from most of the steam. The dragon screeched. Daphne launched some more rocks over his head as he cast a freezing charm on the ground. The dragon tried to charge them, slipping on the ice. One of the rocks caught a shoulder as two others flew over it as it fell to the ground. The dragon spun on the ice.
"Freeze my water," Harry demanded. "Auqamenti!"
He sent another stream of water. The dragon was trying to get up. The water was coming out like two or three fire hydrants. Harry had never tried to cast it under such duress and feeling so amped up. Daphne's freezing spell started to ice over the water as it cascaded over the dragon. It broke out of the first layer of ice but found one of its legs stuck.
It roared at the ice, but soon was struggling hard as large blocks collected on it spikes and its wings got caught on the ground. It roared at them, fire coming out of its mouth before it seemed to tire and its head slumped, half covered in ice.
After a few more seconds, Harry stopped. He was breathing a little hard, never having held that spell for so long or poured so much energy into it. The dragon was whining, sounding like it was laboring in its breathing.
He turned to Daphne, not saying anything. Her eyes were still wide as she swayed a slight bit. Her chest was heaving from the exertion of holding the spell. "Are you alright," he asked, seeing some dirt streaks on her face and clothes.
She gave an uncertain smile. "Tell me why I like you so much again? That's twice now something has tried to kill us."
He returned her uncertain smile. "I wish I knew. DAPHNE!"
Her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed. He just managed to catch her before she hit her head. He was feeling tired enough that he fell to his knees. A moment later, four men on brooms landed before them.
"Bloody hell! What did you do!?" a man with red hair asked, looking between them, the dragon and the now black streak on the ground behind them. Harry looked at the shapes of what had probably been three Aurors. His stomach did a small flip. He had to worry about Daphne and the dragon first though.
"It attacked us," Harry said.
"I wasn't talking about you. The bloody dragons went crazy about an hour after everything was done. Merlin, how many died?" The man sounded shaken but calm too.
Harry didn't know. The other three were now approaching the silent dragon. It was laboring in its breathing. "Charlie, we need to get him warmed up or he will die soon," one of the wizards said.
"Where is the Hebridean Black?" the man named Charlie asked.
"We saw another fly off towards the front of the castle," Harry told him.
"Shit. A dragon can do a lot of damage in ten minutes," the red head said, pulling a mirror out of his pocket. "Christoff."
A second later, a man with a Swedish accent came on. Charlie cut the man off. "We have Arthur. No clue where Eric went. Have a sighting off towards Hogsmeade.
Harry wished he understood what the man was saying on the mirror. It sounded like some good swearing. Charlie put the mirror back into his pocket and looked around again. Harry caught him looking towards the arena and Harry saw at least ten specks raising over the trees. "Bloody hell. I hate when this happens. You two alright?"
Harry started to laugh at the way Charlie was so cool about the situation. Maybe he was cracking? "Daphne passed out."
Charlie nodded, then sniffed. "Why are you covered in dragon piss? No wonder it came after you."
"What?"
"Dragon piss. And pumpkin juice?"
Harry looked at him confused, then realized that whatever happened earlier wasn't just some girl spilling juice on him. "Where is my Aunt Amelia?"
He looked to see a few winded Aurors running towards them. When they approached the blackened patch of ground, two of them slowed down. One of them turned a nice greenish hue before they staggered over to the side. The last one came up to them. "What... happened... here."
"Ask the dragon," Harry said.
Charlie snorted. "Something sent the dragons crazy. Then they somehow got out of their enclosures. Not sure how yet, but it wasn't good. We were able to subdue two of them, but two escaped. For some reason this boy is covered in dragon piss. Nothing sets off a dragon protecting its territory like another that pissed on it."
The Auror looked at Charlie for a moment. "Scrimgeour is going to have our hides for this. Let's get you to the hospital. I'm sure Bones will want to know you are alright." Looking behind him, he called out, "Smith. Call for some bags and start the breakdown of the scene."
"Sure, Boss," the man said, his face more emotionless now.
It was starting to hit him that the three Aurors that had been near them were burned alive. He wasn't sure how Daphne and him had escaped that fate. "Come on. I can levitate her while you walk," the man said. "It will be alright. It's all over now."
Harry was between livid and scared to death. Again, someone had tried to kill him. Again, Daphne had been with him at the time.
-oOo-
Hospital Wing
Hogwarts, Scotland
Amelia burst into the room. "Where are they!"
It was a beehive of activity. She caught three lime-green robes, a half-dozen beds with screens around them, someone screaming from the far end of the hall and three bodies on the floor with sheets over them. Two Aurors were just inside the doors, another four outside.
"Head Bones, your nephew and Ms. Greengrass are in the second screen on the far wall," an Auror told her. "Your Aurors are turning everyone else away, including Lord Greengrass."
"If he comes back, let him in. Let in any parents that have children here," she ordered her Aurors. She hadn't meant to keep parents out when she had told them only Healers and DMLE staff.
She rushed past her Aurors looking for Daphne and Harry first. A man was sleeping, half his face and an arm covered in bandages on the first bed. She marched past the second bed and threw back the curtain to walk into the second screened off bed, terrified at what she might find. She came up short. In the hustle of the hospital wing, she was not expecting to find a sleeping Harry and Daphne. Daphne was in the bed, the blankets pulled up to her chest and her arms over the blankets. Harry was sitting in a chair, his hand in hers and his head on the pillow next to hers.
A haggard looking Andi came to her side. "They are just exhausted. Some bruises, but nothing that won't vanish in a day or two with some bruise salve. They both held spells for far longer than they should have."
"Oh, thank the gods," she said in a voice that cracked. Amelia may have been a hardened fighter, but she had never felt so scared since that night her brother had been murdered and she had taken Susan. She found she already loved this boy as much as her niece.
"Two Aurors saw them fighting. I assume that was your training. When they wake in the morning, I'll send them on their way. I just don't have a bed for Harry right now and he refuses to leave her," Andi said.
Amelia took a moment to clamp down her emotions. They were safe and unharmed. "What of the others? I heard...," she had to swallow. "I heard two students were seriously harmed?"
Andi sighed. "The other dragon attacked Hogsmeade. Neville was able to get a shield up, saving Augusta and Tracey. He has some bad burns on his left arm, but that is it. Tracey has some burns to her right leg and foot. Augusta... I'm unsure if I will be able to save her leg. Much of the left side of her body is burned. It's bad, Amelia. I had to have her taken outside the wards and portkey her to St. Mungo's."
Amelia put a hand to her mouth before catching her composure again. "Right. Where is Neville and Tracey? I will take over guardianship for them if they need anything."
"They are both sleeping in the next two curtains. Neither of them should be moved for the night as the burn salves work, and they will be here for two or three days at the least," Andi told her.
Amelia nodded. "How many others?"
"Five dragon handlers and Hagrid are recovering from some severe burns. Two of them will lose one limb each, if not two. Three of your Aurors and two dragon handlers are dead. There was nothing I could do for them," Andi said sadly.
She nodded. She closed the screen with Harry and Daphne and went to the next one. Neville was on the bed, his left arm elevated in a sling and bandaged from his fingertips to his shoulder. "He will be alright for the night?"
"I gave him some dreamless sleep and a calming draught. He isn't moving for a good twelve hour or so."
"Good. Anything you need, Andi."
"He will be taken care of, Amelia."
The curtains closed and she went to Tracey. The girl looked as still as Neville. Her leg and foot could not be seen under the sheet. "They will make a full recovery. Tell me this was a random accident?"
The screaming man was now sedated, and screens were being put around him. "I don't know yet. Have you seen Minerva? I came back as fast as I could."
"She left about fifteen minutes ago. All the students are on lock down and I think she was organizing dinner in the House common rooms," Andi replied.
Amelia nodded. "Did Harry or anyone tell you what happened?"
"Not totally sure. I've been a little busy and once I knew Harry and Daphne were good, I was onto my next patient."
"Thank you, Andi. Let me know the second there is any change in these four," Amelia commanded.
"Of course."
"Healer Tonks, can I have a moment of your time," another Healer requested from the screen behind them.
Amelia made good her leave and caught Captain Shacklebolt in the hall talking with a burly red head man. They both quieted as she stalked up to them. "What the hell happened!?" she snapped at the man she had left in charge of security up here.
"We are getting to the bottom of it, Boss," Shacklebolt told her. "This is Charlie Weasley."
The redhead didn't look happy. "Someone weakened the perimeter fences on the paddocks and then let off a firework with a 'come-fuck-me' spray. It sent the males into a frenzy thinking there was a female in heat nearby. Three of them broke out and the Horntail and Hebridean Black escaped. It was less than ten minutes before we had teams at both sites after the initial scrum. What I don't get is why Harry, Neville and a few others had dragon piss on them mixed with pumpkin juice. Having the males in full rut will have them challenging any other dragon within miles. They went straight for the boys,"
Her lips were pursed and her eyes blazing. "You are saying this was all intentional?"
Charlie gave a dark chuckle. "Seems that way. Our boss is going to be pissed when he gets the butcher's bill for this. The Black was killed by two Aurors. The Horntail will probably not last the night. Harry and his girl did some real damage with that ice. Usually, dragons just shake it off or break it, but they lowered its core temperature too much. I suppose their bodies will be claimed?"
She regarded this man. Working on a dragon preserve was hard work. Obviously, the death of people was something he was used too. He was also worried more about the dragons than the people. Probably also something that was learned on the preserves. "I will leave that decision up to the ones that killed them. How do you know dragon piss was on them?"
"You can smell it. When they are ready to rut, the males' piss smells pretty sweet, while the female's is rather pungent. You could smell how sweet the piss was and the pumpkin juice masked it pretty well. It was like he bathed in it."
"Shacklebolt, I don't care the resources you need, follow up on this right away. Get Scrimgeour and every other Senior Auror if you need. As soon as my nephew is up, get a statement. Find out who else was within him today and get a professor to get them an interview. We need to follow up on this now," she ordered. The man didn't flinch under her anger, but she could see his concern in his eyes. "Also, have whoever it was that took my nephew and Ms. Greengrass to the infirmary here within three minutes. If they are not here before I go find the Headmistress, I'll have both your badges."
"Yes, Boss," said Shacklebolt before turning to the three Aurors that were waiting for him.
"Now, Mr. Weasley, tell me everything you know, including what happened in each fight."