Hey everyone,
I owe some people an apology, specifically one of my characters. I forgot Colin – AGAIN! Seriously, I have a real issue with forgetting who my characters are, I always focus so much on a few of them, that I forget the rest of them. And last time, I was sure I had them all, only to forget Colin was there as well.
Anyway, Colin will be with Luna and Ginny exploring the castle, but that won't be part of this chapter. This chapter will feature Hermione, Cedric, Severus and the two Malfoys. And yet again, I will definitely be trying my hardest to flesh out both the environment and any possible OC characters as much as I can.
Have fun reading,

Venquine1990
PS. Inspiration comes from Leonette, check out their stories.

Chapter 13
Books, Duties And Coming Clean

Around the castle
Hermione's POV

"This library actually makes the one at Hogwarts look just tiny. I can't believe there is actually a library that can do that. So many books. I – I don't know where to start." Goes through my mind as I look at the amazing entirety that is the Castle's Library, a room that actually takes up four floors and has ladders all over.
There are bookcases all over the room, some of them only a story or two high, others reaching all the way to the ceiling – which is up so high I can't even see it – and each story has a balcony going all around the bookcase alongside a ladder to reach the higher shelves and a single circular staircase leading to the floor.
The room is also about double the size of the Great Hall in length and the size of the Quidditch pitch in width, making me all the more obvious to the fact that Elves lived way longer than humans as else there could have never been this many books in just one place and also making me feel as if I was five years old all over again.
The room also has walls that have paintings and portraits hung on them and some are even painted on themselves, showing battles, dances, meetings and other events I have never seen in any history book, which actually helps me find what I want to start with and making me wonder at the same time on how to find it.

I walk around all of these walls with books, paintings, portraits and walls covered in paint, until suddenly one of the portraits speaks up and says: "I say, what is a human female doing in this section of the castle?" Making me wonder if I am dealing with an Elven version of the Malfoy family before my guard says:
"Lady Hermione has His Excellency's permission to find her peace within these walls of knowledge. She is known for her intelligence, apparently, and desires to find peace of heart within the pages of our sacred books." The man nods and asks: "Is she betrothed?" Yet while I hate how he speaks as if I'm not here, does the guard say:
"No, sir, Lady Hermione is a close confidant of the newly found Prince Hari of Valivial, the son of our Crown Prince and one of the several humans who have been send back to this era by his Grace, Lord Merden, the Time Elf." And this apparently makes the man on the painting gasp in shock before he says: "Well, I'll be."

I look between the Elf standing near me and the Elf in the portrait and then decide to take my chance as I say: "Excuse me, sir, I – I have a question I wish to pose to you." The Elf nods and I decide that this is my best chance to get what I want as I say: "You see, my good sir, in the time where I came from, my friend was alone.
His parents, the great Crown Prince Jaurion and his Nienna Lindilwen had been assassinated by the Dark Wizard known as Lord Voldemort and because this happened before the Prince could form conscious memory has he always had a very strong desire to learn of what makes his family as special as they are.
Currently his highness is meeting with a tailor to prepare him for when His Excellency announces his arrival to the people, so I decided to take the duty of learning of the family history upon my person, which is why I am here and why I would like to ask upon your person if you know any books that can help me in my quest."

And while I wonder when I learned to speak like this, do I keep this thought to myself as I look at the painted elf, who sends me an appraising smile as he says: "You, my lady, are definitely a fine specimen of human intelligence. Take this corridor, go left at the first chance and then the fourth bookcase on your right.
Pass that and you will find exactly what you need. Though be careful, a magic spell might be required. You are smart, but perhaps not very strong." And while I wonder what about my speech made the man think this, do I keep the anger from my face as I bow to the man in gratitude and say my goodbye to him.

"Your magic adapts very well to our environment, Lady Hermione." The guard then suddenly says once I have moved to turn at the fourth bookcase and I ask: "What do you mean?" And the Elf answers: "Ariador blesses her subjects with magic thanks to our lands being as old as they are. And with that age comes sentient magic.
This magic has been influencing our lands for generations. Not just giving us the ability to be certain Elves, but to also develop those Elven abilities into sub-abilities and even further. It also helps humans form to our ways – such as our traditions and our ways of speech – but only if they themselves are open to it."
This speech worries me and I say: "But – but I always tried proving that, while I could fit it, I wasn't any lower than any of those who grew up in the Magical World longer than me. I always tried standing out with my intelligence and my magical skill. I always tried proving myself. So, why am I willing to conform to this?"
The man hums at this and asks: "Your motivation, perhaps. You said that in the other world, your motivation was the Pureblood Wizards scorning you if you didn't prove yourself. We have no such issues, so perhaps your magic has recognized that and changed your motivation for doing what you desire to do."

"That – does make sense. I – I mean, I don't feel inferior to any of you, even though your talents are way beyond my reach and – and right now, all I care about is doing exactly what Merden wanted when his future-self got in contact with his present self. To help Harry get a better chance at life than he had the past several years."
At this the Elf nods and says: "And that is a very different kind of motivation. Your previous one was more self-based, more inverted. This one is very much extraverted and very caring to boot. That is why the magic of our lands is helping you; the basis of our lands magic is helping those that reside within it."

This makes me smile at the man, glad that he had been appointed as my guide and then, as I leave the end of the aisle I was directed to, do I indeed see exactly what I had been hoping for – though I have to admit, I wasn't looking for it like this. A huge pedestal in the middle of a raised dais has a gorgeous tome resting upon its top.
"The Valivial Manual. Written by the first of the Valivial line to be crowned royalty and being evened only by a magical copy lying in wait in one of the Potter family vaults. That will definitely help you learn all you could ever desire to share with our young prince. Sir Duke Ellaware is never wrong when he decides to help one out."
The elf mutters in reference and my eyes are wide as I cannot believe where the painted Elf has led me to, yet then his words resound through my mind and I think: "You are smart, but maybe not very strong. He meant that my physical strength wouldn't be enough to lift a tome as ancient as this one. And I thought he insulted me."

This makes me shake my head and I pull my wand from the same spot it has been at for the last year, in the confines of my left robe sleeve with a small bit of fabric sowed into the sleeve to keep it there. I then aim my wand, but then a hand falls onto my wand and I look up to the elf that has been guiding me as he says:
"Before you cast any magic, let your wand be aimed at the very center of the book. If you feel something pull at the other end, then you can cast your spell. If you don't wait, the magic of the tome will make your spell effect you instead of it." This makes me feel a little stupid for not thinking about that and I nod.
I then put my focus back on my goal and with a single eye closed for better focus, do I aim the tip of my wand at the very center of the tome before taking a deep breath, yet just when I release this breath, do I feel it. A pull on my wand and a strange kind of force trying to guide my magic towards it from deep within me.
This startles me, but the Elf that guided me smiles and I take this as a sign that what I felt is exactly what he just described. This makes me smile myself and I softly whisper: "Mobilicorpus." Waving my wand and causing for the ancient looking tome to float off of its pedestal for a few inches before zooming my way.

Yet the actual weight of the book is more than I thought I could handle, causing me to stumble before the Elf is behind me, his strong arms steadying me before he takes the ancient tome and says: "Come, I will guide you to a table where you can read and call on whoever you require if you find something you don't understand."
This makes me smile at the gentle helpfulness of the elder male Elf and a few minutes later I am seated at a table that is stationed around a corner of the same aisle where I found the painted elf that helped me find the tome I am currently reading, the elf that guarded me telling me that the painted one will answer any of my questions.
The tome itself is absolutely amazing, yet at first I had found a true hurdle as the written text had been in a language that I had never seen before. Yet the magic of the tome itself had apparently recognized my problem as its pages had lit up bright enough to startle me and when the light had vanished had the texts been translated.

I had rushed for the painted Elf, who had smiled as he told me: "The tome is ancient and as magical as our kingdom, fair lady, yet it has always been known as the one source of guidance to all those chosen worthy. It'd be hard for that to be possible if the text were one language only, no?" And I had smiled and nodded in agreement.
By now I must have been reading this text for at least a good hour and a Library Elf had even provided me with several bits of writing equipment, both quills as well as pencils and pens and while I had needed a bit of practice – mostly by reminding myself not to dip the pen into the ink bottle – am I now writing tons of notes.
Notes on how male Elves became King and how female Queens taught themselves how to be proper Ladies, Queens and Princesses. What Elves did to learn a craft specified to their Element and what happened to the few that had tried practicing a craft or profession that was like the mirror opposite to their born element.
I read of Rules that had been created, banned, changed and fought to be kept as they are. I read of a few of the dangers and threats that have caused havoc at Ariador, yet constantly make sure not to look at possible wars or heavy conflicts due to my own most recent memories. And as I read, do I find a single name constantly returning.

Valivial. The name Hari was supposed to have been born with. The name that connects him to all of the people I have so far read about. The name that I know my best friend will work himself into an early death just to prove his worth. And the name that would have made his Boy-Who-Lived look like a simple nickname.
This last thought more than anything makes the emotions that have been coming up from deep within me come up with the power of a giant and I quickly push the notes, writing equipment and the tome away before I lie my head in my crossed arms and lie them both onto the hard-wooden table as I start to sob and cry.

Cry for the sake of my friend. Cry for all he has lost. Cry for all of the amazing opportunities of happiness that have been taken from him. Cry for all the sorrow, heartfelt pain, loss, anger and grief that my friend has had to feel ever since the two people most important to a child had been taken from him at way too young an age.
"All these people. All these incredible people. Hari should have had the chance to know about them and learn about them since the day he could read. He should have been raised here, not in a country that was just destined to be thrown into three wars in less than a century. Oh Hari, you never deserved any of what happened to you."
And while I think this and while I can feel the Elf that has been guarding me come over and take the seat next to mine before he pulls me in his arms and holds me in a gentle embrace, do I let all of the pain and fear and concern I have been feeling for my best and dearest friend since we were in our fourth year of school out.

In their room
Draco's POV

"I can't tell you too much." I start our talk after father, Uncle Sev and I have returned to the room I chose for myself last night and while the latter curls his lip at this, does father prove himself for the caring, intelligent man I have always known him to be as he says: "Because you are close to our new prince, I presume?"
Yet I shake my head and say: "Potter – or Valivial – and I have had a near similar bond as Uncle Sev and Valivial's father, though I will be the first to admit that this was more due to my own behavior, arrogance and beliefs. I was often the one that started our arguments and I, more often than not, crossed the line of proper behavior."
"And you did this why?" Uncle Sev asks, even though a flicker of shock had crossed his face when I named him and I calmly say: "Partially because of what I said, I was arrogant and had beliefs that I held in more value than I really should have. However, I also had an external factor that played a role in me believing I could."

The two males look politely curious and I turn to the younger of the two as I say: "You, Uncle Sev. In 4 years from now you will become the new Potions Teacher and a year after you will succeed Horace Slughorn as Head of Slytherin. However, you often went a little far in your need to protect us and your methods."
The teen thins his lips as he hears how I pause there and Lucius asks: "Allow me to make a guess. He treated each Gryffindor that he believed had crossed the line as if they were the reincarnation to one of the Marauders, correct?" I nod at my teenage and then decide to prove just how far Uncle Sev went to prove Slytherin's priority.
"Uncle Sev, you not only bullied one of them – not Valivial, but Longbottom – bad enough that you became his Boggart by age thirteen, four point seven times out of five, you even turned a blind eye to one of us Snakes when we decided to sabotage the potions of one of the Gryffindors." This shocks the teen and I sigh as I say:
"I'm sorry, Uncle Sev, but in your need to get back at your former rivals, you allowed us Snakes to take their place amongst society, bar the need to pull pranks that anyone bar we ourselves could consider amusing." And just like I fearfully expected, does the teen look ready to lose his breakfast and faint after that.

My father instantly responds and hugs the man closely, while I myself lower my head in shame, proving I was one of the Snakes who joined in on this kind of behavior and then Uncle Sev asks: "But – but why? Why would I allow for such a thing? Why would I allow for such behavior to be considered acceptable?"
And I silently answer: "Because you had been bullied for so long by one House, your loyalty to your own made you blind to the faults of your own and made you convinced such behavior was – as you often called it – typical Gryffindor behavior. And because you believed Snakes and Lions to be polar opposites, were you just blind to the truth."

The teen looks devastated with self-loathing, yet I focus instead on my father and say: "I could have saved your future self before my return here, father, but I believed this method to have more positive results in the long run." The teen looks at me curiously while still holding Uncle Sev close against his side and says:
"I don't believe you mean telling Severus this harsh truth about his own future?" I shake my head and say: "I mean that I could have taken either you or mother with me. Valivial even offered it when he heard of the fact that I had been invited alongside his friends, yet mother and I never had much in common and you – well –."

Here I look at the teen in his arms with a dead look in my own eyes and from the corner of my eye do I see father looking shocked before he asks: "Draco, how – how long have you known?" To which I roll my eyes and say: "Since I was six, when I started wondering why my father spent his free time with either me or Uncle Sev.
You were only with mother if you and her had to be seen somewhere official and it was shortly after my sixth birthday that I discovered that, while you and mother did leave for the Master Bedroom if you had guests staying over, you never did so when it was just the three of us. I asked you one day and you answered the truth."

The man nods and then Uncle Sev asks: "What does he mean?" Yet while the question refers to me, is Uncle Sev himself looking at father, who looks troubled and says: "There is no love between me and Narcissa, even if there is the wedding contract that father and Lord Cygnus set up for us after my graduation six years ago.
To make matters worse do I actually take after my mother, Alimea, when it comes to romance and bonds, yet my father – like many in my family – doesn't believe in fate and believes that bonds like that can be influenced when enough Pureblood magic is used. Obviously, Draco's story just proved him utterly wrong."
My godfather nods, yet while he looks less devastated, does he still look curious and father says: "Severus, I'm a Veela. A Light Veela, unlike my mother who was a Dark one, but I am one nonetheless. And two years ago, when my mate went into his first stage of magical maturity, did I start recognizing him."
Here my father turns Uncle Sev's face to face his and while I feel like I should turn around and give the two their sense of privacy, do I just simply turn my face as father says: "That mate – is you, my Severus Tobias Snape." And before the Junior Potions Master can respond, does father seal his lips with a searing kiss.

At this I do turn away, standing up and moving over to the balcony of my room. I close the doors it has silently and lean over the banister with my arms crossed, gazing out into the incredible land that is the Elven Kingdom as I silently think: "Father has his chance and I'm just going to continue believing that these books are my chance.
You better watch yourself Hari Jaurion Valivial, because the more we read of the horrors that you have had to face, the more I just want to transform, embrace you and wrap you within the safe confinement of my wings. Father has been held back by others and so have I, but no more, my Raven, no more."
And with that do I happily smile with the arrogant pride that my family has been known for over the centuries that we have existed, knowing that, if I wasn't supposed to get this chance and be with the young prince, Merden wouldn't have assured me that he was determined to take me with him; a pleasing thought, indeed.

In the Gardens
Cedric's POV

"This feels so bizarre. I mean, just this morning I felt as if I had to go and get ready for the Third Task, but – that already happened and yet, at the same time, it won't happen for at least a decade and a half. Man, I wonder if the others that Merden saved feel as strange about being saved and being here as I do."
Goes through my mind as I walk through one of the many sections of the gardens, knowing full well that there is an Earth Elf that guards me at every turn, yet I really don't care about this, even though I did decide to venture into one of the many mazes that the elf told me make up the vast expense of the Royal Gardens.

The reason I had done this was to give myself the feeling as if I am actually participating in the Third Task and when I had told my Guard this, had he thoroughly questioned me about said task before calling on and conversing with another Elf in their native tongue before sending the other Elf on his way with several orders.
The Guard had then asked me to wait where I was and after about 30 minutes had he received a sign from the elf he had called on before telling me that the other Elf had retrieved a very exquisitely carved wind-chime goblet from one of the Royal Storage chambers and set this artefact in the center of the maze.
This had made me smile at my Guard in gratitude and afterwards I had started sprinting, pretending that I was in a race with Viktor, Fleur and Harry and that it was my job to reach the center before them. The Guard had also told me that, instead of spells and creatures, Elves would use their Elements against me.
This had startled me, yet when the Guard explained: "We can provide you with challenge, yet you are guest and does require protection, so we can only provide challenges that we ourselves can control and overcome." Had I nodded at the Elf in understanding before the two of us had started our sprint, both of us with purpose at heart.

I had drawn my wand a few times, asking at what point I was and at what point of the four winds I could find the Cup and after hearing that I was at the center of the South Eastern part and that the goblet could be found in a more north-western direction, had I started using the Point Me spell to guide me through the maze.
Yet other than actually encountering several Wind, Water and Earth Elves that had tried to block my path with various methods of using their element, had there also been another problem that I haven't foreseen, but that is becoming progressively more difficult to handle the closer I actually get to the goblet itself.
Flashes of something. Of something dark and creepy. Of Harry trying to urge me into doing something. Of Harry screaming in pain somewhere besides me. And of a green light that becomes increasingly brighter the longer I draw closer to my end goal and when I am finally within reach does it happen.

The Goblet is gorgeous as I can see it from the other side of a long and winded maze path, yet the way that the sun shines down on it instantly reminds me of my last moments alive before my soul had been saved and transported through time and for the first time since feeling that pull behind my navel does everything become crystal clear.
The feeling of the Port Key. The roughness of landing on a gravel path. The sight of being in the middle of an old and – by the looks of it – forgotten graveyard. The way that Harry had clutched at his forehead in pain. The chubby man moving the cauldron. The bone chilling voice and finally the method of my death.
"Kill the Spare – Avada Kedavra!" Those five words bring me to my knees just like the strange sudden pain in Harry's scar had done him and I clasp at my own head as the memory of what was supposed to be my final moment keeps rushing back at me and replaying itself within my mind, causing for tears to spawn in my eyes.
Yet, as the memory becomes more and more clear, do I also notice something I wouldn't have known had I not been saved and while tears slowly start rolling down my cheeks, do my eyes also widen as I suddenly notice a shockingly dangerous and scary similarity between my killer – and one of the newly arrived teens.

"Hari's father is – is – is friends with – with – with a murderer? Wait, Jaurion Valivial used to be friends with Sirius Black, the man that supposedly betrayed him, yet Hari cares more for Snuffles than he does anyone else. Does – does that mean that – that Prince Valivial's other friend was the actual traitor? Did he kill them too?"
And while I wonder if Hari knew of this and, if so, how long he knew of it and why he never spoke of it, do I then sigh as I suddenly get a moment of clarity and while I can sense the presence of my guard, the Elf ready to comfort me if need be, can I only think: "The king won't be happy when he reads about this."
And while part of me wonders what the punishment to betrayal of royalty is in this country – and while another wonders if the traitor would have still committed his crime if he knew – do I again stand up, push the memory to the back of my mind and restart my jog, dashing for the cup and ready to get out of here.

"Out of the maze and back into Hari's life. And this time I'm going to do exactly what I should have done after we had been kidnapped. I'm going to prove that I'm an adult and the one responsible for his own near-death as well as one of, I can only guess, many who is ready to take responsibility and better their future."
Yet while my mind sings in glee with these thoughts and while I happily dash for the goblet, again feeling a pull behind my navel as I touch it, do I pay little attention to the strange rat that has been following me since I came into this maze and that actually made a running leap in order to bite into my robe before I vanished.

And there we go.
Wait, why is Peter in rat form? What motive could he possibly have to want to follow Cedric of all people? The answer? NO! He is not doing it out of loyalty to the Death Eaters. He will have his own little role in the next chapter and I promise, the reason will show why he was sorted into Gryffindor House.
Now, next chapter will have Ginny and Luna, Peter and the Weasley Family. I might pair Ginny up with Luna, they definitely have a solid backstory, but I might just keep it to either a one-sided crush or a short-timed crush that has developed due to several crazy and traumatic experiences overwhelming the two girls.
Like I said, Peter will definitely have a very valid reason for wanting to remain in rat form and the Weasleys – wow, that one might be very hard as I will have 6 characters in a single room, several of which who are known for both their temper and their sense of pride. And yes, Percy's betrayal will come up in that chapter.
Have a blast,

Venquine1990
PS. As always, if you find any inconsistencies, grammar or spelling errors, let me know. Just please add a bit of the paragraph alongside the error. Thanks in advance.