As always, I'm only playing with JK Rowling's toys.
All credit goes to JK Rowling, her publisher and all the other people involved in bringing her work to life.
#
Amelia Bones was a battled hardened Auror; she learned from the best and played for keeps. In her experience, the softly softly approach didn't work too often. She was from the school of Hit fast, Hit Hard and, Hit Frequently. She sat in the headmaster's office listening to the tale that a fourteen-year-old boy was telling her; her first thought was to scoff at the lad in question. It wasn't until she looked up and glanced at the scar on his forehead that she realised that everything that he was saying was not only plausible but very likely to be possible.
'Albus, can you explain to me why you failed to report these incidents to the authorities?' Madam Bones demanded.
'I, unfortunately, found myself bound by the bureaucracy of the board of Governors; more specifically, Lucius Malfoy. The governors' received a report after the Troll incident, but as the threat was dealt with by Mr Potter and that the victim was a Muggle-born student, they took no notice.' Replied the headmaster
'And the incident in the second year?' Madam Bones asked.
'Lucius petitioned the governors to have me removed from my position, and the Minister himself was here not only to remove a member of staff accused of opening the Chamber but also to see that the supposed wishes of the governors were carried out.' Said the headmaster.
Amelia sat in contemplative silence as she listened to Dumbledore speak. It appeared that the school had followed procedure and with the minister being here at the time of the petrification of the students, she couldn't argue that the Ministry was not aware of it.
'Explain to me then, Headmaster how an escaped mass murderer was not only captured on the grounds of this school but also managed to escape from a locked tower?' Amelia asked the tone of her voice gave little doubt of her anger.
'Director Bones' interrupted Harry 'Sirius Black is my Godfather and innocent. The fact that he never received a trial should be evidence enough to show that something smells off about the whole thing.'
Before Amelia could respond, Harry said 'The real reason I requested this meeting is because I have some grave concerns and I would appreciate your advice.'
The director to give Harry a double-take.
'You mean you didn't want to tell me about these other incidents?' she asked incredulously.
'With regards to the Troll attack, I could not in good conscious stand by and let an innocent girl get hurt. Hermione had no idea what was happening and if anything had happened to her...' his voice faltered as he recalled how close Hermione had come to losing her life.
'Strong people stand up for themselves, but stronger people stand up for others. My friend was in danger, and I had to act, and I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had too. As you know Director, this school will host the tri-wizard tournament; I fear that someone will make sure that my name comes out of the goblet of fire.'
'Harry expressed these same concerns to me at the sorting, Director and given everything that has happened over the years I am inclined to agree that this is the most logical turn of events' Offered Hermione.
'Mr Potter, surely you don't think that there is anyone that would be stupid enough to try and infiltrate the school to attempt an assassination of you via this tournament?' The Director scoffed.
'That is what I think. Can you help?' said Harry
'Well I can arrange for Aurors to be stationed in shifts at the goblet until the names are selected, perhaps that will ally your concerns, Mr Potter?' Asked Amelia.
Harry considered this for a moment before looking towards Hermione for some assistance, to most the look shared between the two young people was nothing more than a simple glance. To the people that knew them, the look was a wordless conversation; it was instinctive, subtle and, informative. They said more in that one look than any two people could in a ten-minute conversation.
'Thank you, Director Bones, I would greatly appreciate that.' Harry said with a genuine smile.
'Madam Bones?' Hermione asked 'I don't wish to sound presumptive, however perhaps it would be advisable to have the goblet checked over in the first instance, just to ensure that no tampering has happened?'
'Ms. Granger, Mr Crouch advised me that he made sure that the goblet was checked and double-checked to ensure that only of age Witches and Wizards could enter the tournament. I should hope that his word will be sufficient?' asked the Headmaster.
'Well, at least I know who to blame when my name makes an appearance.' Said Harry his tone one of resignation.
##
The term was only a few days old, and so far the Slytherin common room was the quietest it had been in many a generation. Some pupils were trying to come to terms with the events of the world cup and the dark mark that made an appearance; while others were wondering about the tournament, if they should enter and how they would go about making sure that they won.
In front of the central fireplace, Draco Malfoy sat contemplating the events of the last few days. Something had changed in Potter, and this unnerved him. Normally Potter was easy to wind up; a comment about the weasel, a barb about the mu- about Granger and he would do something rash.
On the train, the look in his eye was soul-chillingly cold, not even his father's most bloodthirsty friends had that look. It was a look that suggested that he had seen and done things that would make even the Devil baulk.
As Draco sat watching the flames dance he thought back to the chat they had on the train; the speed and ferocity of the way that Potter had grabbed him by the throat and the way he said: "Consider this your Gypsy's Warning Draco". The Pure-blood prince was afraid; afraid of what his father would say, afraid of what his house would say, and ultimately afraid that everything Harry had said was true.
Perhaps if he spoke with someone discretely, then he could get a better handle on things, but in Slytherin, there were not many people that could be trusted not to betray a trust.
#
The rest of the weekend progressed as normal, Ron was his usual uncouth self; Ginny was still pinning for Harry and Neville could be found pouring over some obscure Herbology text. The only real difference in the Gryffindor common room was that Harry and Hermione were missing.
If anyone cared enough to look, they would have found the golden duo in the library researching wand lore; Wizarding law and the rules of past tri-wizard tournaments. Various things had become apparent; firstly the tournament was designed to test the skills of all the competitors, in the most barbaric way possible.
The second interesting piece of information was that under current legislation if Harry's name were chosen as a competitor then, in the eyes of the Wizengamot, he would be, for all intents and purposes, an adult. It was something that could not be overturned without having several pieces of key legislation, that specifically promoted the pure-blood agenda, being repealed.
While Hermione had found these first two items, Harry was working on helping Neville. Somehow Harry instinctively knew that the reason Neville was having issues was don't to the want being his fathers.
'I've got it!' beamed Harry.
'what? the plague?' sniggered Hermione'
'Oh, you made a funny.' was the unenthusiastic come back from the green-eyed teen.
'well?'
Harry pretended to read and said without looking up. 'No you mocked me and cut me to the bone with your caustic wit, wounded, I am. Oh, Madam Pomfrey! Won't you save me from the razor-sharp repartee of Lady Granger.' The smile spread across his face.
'Pillock' giggled Hermione.
'Well, If you must know Mia. I, the great and all-knowing Harry Potter, have single-handedly worked out what is wrong with Neville wand and how to fix it. I am a next level Genius.' He boasted.
'Really? What did you figure out them, smart-arse.'
Harry's eyes shot up from the page he was supposed to be reading and locked them on to hers. 'Mai! Language! There are innocent books around that you could psychologically damage with your industrial language.' A smile danced on both their lips as they tried to retain their composure.
'I blame you entirely, Potter. You're a bad influence. First, it was Trolls and three-headed dogs; then it was smuggling Dragons and then assaulting teachers and attempting to wrestle werewolves and then to top it all off you go and declare your undying love, exactly what is a girl supposed to do?' Hermione dead-panned back at him.
'Well, Mia, you could always say it.' Harry batted back at her.
The silence was deafening; what was meant to be friendly batter had suddenly gone rocketing towards the danger zone.
Hermione was stunned, was he expecting her to reciprocate his feeling after a few days after saying that he didn't expect anything from her? What was kind of game was he playing?
'Say what exactly, Harry?' Hermione asked while trying not to sound panicked.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed before you come up with another clever idea to get us killed or worse… expelled!" Harry said in a mocking high pitched voice.
The effect was instant, Hermione's eyebrows disappeared into orbit, and her hands shot to her mouth as she snorted a laugh.
'What the hell was that?' said Harry between fits of laughter.
Hermione shook her head and chucked a balled-up piece of paper at his head.
After the hilarity died down, Harry explained that Neville was using a wand that wasn't suited to him, 'that was why his Lumos was so bright when he used my wand, Mia. Being used to forcing so much of his magic into a spell that when he used a wand that was more compatible with his magic, the effect was dazzling.'
'This will completely boost his confidence and his performance with the practical aspect of spells. You are a great Wizard Harry.'
With that, Hermione put her arms around him to hug him before pulling back and planting a kiss on his lips. For a brief moment, Harry did nothing before he returned the hug and the kiss.
The kiss its self was chaste and lasted no longer than a heartbeat, but the relationship between them had changed.
Harry's heart soared, he had wanted to kiss her on the train, but he didn't think it appropriate.
For Hermione two things happened, she felt instantly alive in a way that she had never experience before, but she also began to regret kissing him, not because it was a horrible kiss but because it complicated her feelings even more. How on earth was she supposed to figure things out now?