Chapter 69
A couple days after the trials were completed for some of the trainees, a meeting in the ceremonial chamber was called so the council could finally indoctrinate them as a full Magus. Rows and rows of benches spread throughout the chamber, with the council members standing at the altar. The High Magus was standing in the center of them. The aged man nodded to the council members to his right, telling them it was time to begin. A couple of them moved to dim the chamber's lights while another went to sound the gong.
Everyone immediately stood up to address the High Magus. "For generations, the Magi have protected the magical world and its inhabitants. Through our bravery, we have won battles after battles to ensure our world's peace, order, and justice. Unfortunately, however, there are those who threaten the balance of the magical world…in which it calls upon us to either put these monsters away or silence them," he continued without a pause. "And now it is time to elevate a group of trainees into our ranks."
Another gong was sounded, and the chamber doors opened. The room's occupants turned their attentions to the now opened entryway to see the trainees wearing their white ceremonial robes with their hoods covering their faces coming forward. One by one, they made their way to the benches in the front and took their seats. Once they were all seated, the High Magus continued.
"These fifteen Magus trainees have demonstrated the true qualities of what our order stands for." He spoke without pausing. "Now, as your name is called, you will come up here to receive your sashes from your masters."
The High Magus called them one at a time along with their mentors and would recite a few words. Five minutes later, he finally got to the 'P.' "Harry Potter, Hayato Yamamoto." Both master and apprentice came forward, with Harry removing his hood and taking a knee. "By the right of the council. By the will of magic. Magus of the magical world. You may rise!"
He watched as the boy stood up, and Hayato placed a red, black sash with the Magus symbol on his left shoulder.
Harry respectfully bowed to them before retaking his seat. Finally, after him, three others were called to receive their sashes, and after ascending them to the ranks of a Magus, they all stood up.
"From this moment onward, you are all brothers and sisters in anarchy. You all are now charged with protecting and maintaining the balance of the magical world. Now, if all of you would join the other, we can continue."
Twenty minutes later, the ceremony was completed, and the new Magi's returned to their barracks for a little celebration.
As June dwindled down, Harry continued to train hard, practicing and sparring with the others. While at the same time trying to obtain Magical Instinct. The process, however, continued to be bitter work, and at times it would drain him because accessing the fundamentals of the form always hurt. Finally, Dayvee concluded that it might be possible for him to obtain the power, but it would only be subconsciously given how young and inexperienced he was.
Initially unhappy with that, he didn't let that get him down as he continued strengthening his magic and improving his other fighting styles in other ways. This was essential since Dumbledore and Voldemort had years of knowledge and experience in magical combat, and he had to be prepared for the worse.
(0^0)
During the week of the final task, Harry was allowed to head back to Hogwarts; he spent his time in the chamber of secrets with the four founders, who continued to monitor his progress. If not there, he would be in the room of requirement to meditate in peace.
He also called Amelia and Alex, asking if they could provide some additional security for the final task. The two did not hesitate to agree with him as the events of the last few months sent shivers down their spines. Alex even provided him with the intel about the fourth task. His blood boiled as he skimmed through the documents as there would be a series of traps and several guards, along with class-XXXX and XXXXX creatures.
Since this tournament began, he'd seen how reckless the judges had been, and none of the competitors would survive. Even if they managed to make it out of the maze in one piece, something dangerous might occur and cost them something precious. Not willing to let this happen, he got up and left the room of requirement with the hope of running into the others.
Luckily, he found Cedric and Viktor near the great hall entrance talking about Quidditch. The latter may already play professionally, but the former didn't, as he was only a sixth-year.
"Hey, Harry guess what?" Cedric had a big smile, and his eyes became big. Basically, he looked like a kid who had just entered a candy factory.
"A scout for the Puddlemere United came to the castle earlier today and offered me a position as a reserve seeker for the team." It was a dream come true and a first step as Cedric wanted to qualify and play for the English National Quidditch Team.
"Congratulations. I know they're your favorite team." Harry shook the Hufflepuff's hand. "Though, that is not why I am here. Have you guys seen Fleur? I have information about the final task."
Cedric and Viktor shared a knowing look as they knew this was important.
"She and some of her friends went out to the courtyard," Viktor replied.
The three went to the courtyard, where they found Fleur talking with three other girls from her school.
"Afternoon, ladies, would you mind if I borrow Fleur?" His question was rewarded, with two of them staring somewhat hungrily at him. Harry was already used to the female population staring at him with hungry looks.
Fleur shook her head at her friends and told them she would see them in the great hall later. The four went back inside to find an unused classroom; luckily, they managed to find one on the third floor. After they were all inside, Harry locked and silenced the door with a wave of his hand.
"I have to learn how to do that." Fleur and Viktor nodded in agreement as they couldn't perform wandless magic. "How are you able to perform wandless magic so skillfully?"
"I practice and understand my magic," Harry explained to Cedric. "Now to business," sucking in a breath, he pulled out a black folder and placed it on the table. "As you already know, the final task involves a maze."
The expression on Diggory's face looked like someone had kicked a puppy.
"Oui. We saw the quidditch pitch yesterday, but that was it.
Nodding his head, Harry continued. "Everything we need to know is in here, and trust me, it's not pleasant."
"I was afraid you would say that," Cedric commented as Viktor opened the folder and pulled out the documents. Then, he read through them so the others could hear.
Almost five minutes later, everyone went pale.
"This is bad! If the judges actually go through with this, then we might as well start planning for our funerals." The fear could be seen in Viktor's eyes.
"I was just as shocked as you were," Harry began "that's why I asked my uncle and Madam Black to provide security. Though that is only part of it. We're going to need a strategy if we want to survive."
"Oui. This maze is more like a death sentence." Fleur gulped in fear as she wished the tournament would end already. Gabrielle was almost killed during the second task and had nightmares immediately after. If one thing could be certain, the young veela was livid and moments away from burning the judges to cinders.
Pulling out a picture of the maze, Harry continued. "There are four entrances. One for each of us," pointing to the entrances, "here, here, here, "the entire maze will be swarmed with guards or traps, so we'll have to meet up before getting into the dangerous parts."
Cedric chuckled a bit. "You sure know how to strategize," looking at the map. "But you're right, as we won't know where the cup will be. So, we'll be playing it by ear. We have a better chance of surviving by staying together," he rationalized. "No amount of money is worth this, and I plan on marrying and having kids one day."
"Da," Viktor joined as he wanted to see his brother and sister grow up. Being seven years over, he rarely got to see them save for special holidays. He had seen how Harry interacted with his sister Emily and couldn't help but admire and be slightly envious of how close they were. Unlike most older siblings who barely paid attention to their kid siblings, Harry would do anything for his. The fifteen thousand galleons could go straight to hell as it would mean nothing.
"I've read through the rules, and we're allowed to have a standard potions kit with us," he would have to thank Nicole as she made sure he read through the rule book. "Though we can only take up to six potions with us. We're going to need to be careful on how we use them."
"Right," Cedric groaned, not taking his eyes off the map. "However, I see few problems," bringing everyone's attention to him. "Like, how are we supposed to signal each other if we need help? How will we know if an Auror is impersonating one of us? And where will we converge?"
"Hm," Harry tapped his chin as he made some good points. Then he suddenly got an idea, "red sparks mean surrender, so why not use a blue and yellow? If we send those sparks in the air, then that should be a way to let everyone know that we're inside. As for the phrase, maybe, we can use it as a symbol for unity." Looking at the others.
"It can show the judges and the rest of the students that we're standing together, and we can use it to identify each other." The others nodded in agreement. "To your last question, we can meet up right here," he pointed to a section of the maze where all points converge. In theory, there shouldn't be any trouble or distractions in that area, but there was no way of knowing for certain.
"But we won't know what might be lurking," Cedric seemed skeptical.
Understanding the concern on his face, Harry sympathized. "I understand your concern and agree with you, but it's the only way for all of us to meet up. Unless you would rather run into the traps and whatever might be lurking around."
"Point."
They spent the next half-hour reviewing the plan offering suggestions, and trying to find the shortest routes without running into any uglies. Eventually, it was agreed that they would spend the next few days debating on the best course of action. Whatever it might be, they needed to figure out a game plan and fast.
Walking through the corridors, the four champions separated and went their separate ways. Harry checked his watch to see that it was five minutes till six. Since classes were done for the day, he figured that most of the students would push and shove each other to get outside and soak up as much sun as possible. From what he had seen, several of them were relieved to be done with final exams, especially the fifth and seventh years. He understood how the seventh years felt as they finished their NEWT exams and looked ready to collapse. A feeling he knew all too well, having completed his own.
True to his prediction, more than a third of the student body was outside relaxing. When he spotted Padma in the courtyard with her boyfriend and friends, an idea popped into his head. Making his way across the courtyard, he approached them "evening Terry, ladies."
"Hey Harry," Terry turned around, and though he was slightly intimidated by Harry's presence, he regarded him with a small smile. "You ready for the year to end? I can't wait for the summer."
Harry merely chuckled. Terry was no slouch in his work when it came to academics as he got exceptional grades that said the Ravenclaw did want to get out of the castle and relax. "Believe me when I say that I am ready for school to end. NEWT classes can take a lot out of a person," even though the NEWT exams were draining, they were nothing compared to what he had to deal with compared to what the four founders and council had him working on. He then turned to Padma.
"Ms. Patil, would you do me the honor of taking me on in a chess match?"
Padma was briefly stunned by his request but quickly recovered. "The honor would be mine. Since the beginning of term, I've wanted to challenge you, but you're hardly ever seen around the castle."
"I've been busy," shrugging his shoulders. "So, is tomorrow after classes good for you?"
"That's fine with me," she answered. "Though, can I talk to you about something private? It's something that I don't want the others to hear."
Harry saw the confused expressions on Terry, Lisa, and Li's collective faces and theorized that not even they knew what was running through Padma's head. Then taking a chance, he gave a curt nod, and the two walked to the other side of the courtyard.
Padma took out her wand and erected a privacy ward around them. Being unsure what she was planning, Harry had his wand in its holster and was only a moment away from summoning it should anything unexpected happen. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but he learned years ago to be cautious.
"Harry, what I'm about to ask you is important," she began nervously, "as you already know, you are one of the most desired boys in Britain. And girls are competing to try and get your attention."
He carefully nodded as this was hardly any news to him. However, the people who wrote Teen Witch Weekly and Witch Weekly seemed hellbent on putting him in the spotlight. They've apparently dubbed him: Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor. Something that slightly annoyed him as they made assumptions about what kind of female would be best suited for him. If that wasn't bad enough, those leeches started naming and taking pictures of girls who they thought should end up on his arm. Harry absolutely loathed the attention they brought to him.
"To my shame, Parvati is a big supporter of them and has fancied you for over a year now. Even after the first task, her feelings for you have increased," she explained, albeit a little embarrassed.
"I am already aware of what she thinks of me," admitting the truth. He'd known that Parvati had a crush on him like most of the other girls at school, but unlike some, she wasn't crazy about it. Although he felt like he knew where this conversation was going, he let her continue.
"Despite how she is most of the time, she is still my twin, and I don't want her to get her hopes up over some lost cause." She held up a hand as he was about to speak. "I know you don't see her as a potential girlfriend or soulmate. But I would at least like to ask you to let her down as gently as possible. Or more gently than you've let down girls in the past?"
It seemed like a reasonable request as he had nothing against the Patil girls.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Harry noticed that she breathed a sigh of relief at his promise. "However, there is something I need to confirm first. I've heard that Finnegan seems to have the hots for her whenever he and Dean are together. He would prattle on how great they would be together." Neville explained how sometimes he would overhear Seamus and Dean talking about girls and rating their assets. Seamus had been the most vocal and went into depth about Parvati's great body.
Padma immediately scowled when he mentioned Seamus. "You can stop your train of thought," feeling like she knew where he was emphasizing. "Let me stop you right there as my sister cannot stand that pig and would rather be buried alive." The older twin internally groaned as she lost count of how often her sister complained about the Irish boy.
"She hates him that much?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Seamus is nothing more than a pig whose only interest is getting in a woman's pants." Harry already knew where this conversation was going, having heard from Dora how some of her ex-boyfriends treated her (Charlie Weasley). He also heard a few stories from Fleur as her allure would often make a lot of men lust after her. This both angered and sickened him. "I cannot count how many times I've caught him either checking her out or trying to look up her skirt."
He let her rant for a couple minutes. "From what I've heard, he's a lot worse when in the common room." He would be doing a thorough background check on his sister's potential boyfriend. There was no way in hell he would just give Emily to anyone. The same went for Miwa.
"For what it's worth, I won't go into details about what he says or talks about." Inhaling a breath. "That aside, the next time Parvati tries to ask me out, I'll let her down as gently as possible."
"Thank you," giving a genuine smile. Then, deactivating the wards, the two walked back to the others. Almost immediately, Lisa started bombarding them with questions about what they were talking discussing. Neither, of course, said anything nor remained quiet until the topic of conversation changed to the chess match tomorrow.
Padma had won the Under-16 tournament and would soon be entering the Under-18 division this summer. Being the supportive boyfriend, he was Terry wished her the best and believed that she could beat Harry. Something that earned him a kiss on the cheek.
After talking with them for a while, Harry went inside the great hall, where he found his friends at the Ravenclaw table. Since it wasn't dinner time, they had a little time to relax and enjoy each other's company.
As the others talked about the final task and what they had planned for the summer. Harry was in deep thought. The past three tasks were challenging, borderline a death sentence, but still manageable. He could not shake the feeling in his mind that something else was at play and something horrific would happen. It also didn't help that Greyback, Dolohov, and the other escaped death eaters were free. The Ministry claimed they were doing everything to find the escaped prisoners, though Harry did not believe them. Amelia was still fighting an uphill battle with the budget committee to release some more money to her department. Each time she would request more funding, the funds would either be transferred to other departments, or Fudge would say that they didn't need any extra Aurors.
Complete bullshit as this was a matter of national security, and Magical Britain was vulnerable, and any dark wizards, witches, or whatever could invade. The last war proved to be disastrous, and Trelawny's prediction about Voldemort being worse than before sent shivers down his spine. Thirteen years ago, the bastard had huge numbers at his command; witches, wizards, and the Darkest of creatures at his disposal. Even worse, many of them were from old traditional families, so the death eaters were met with little resistance.
Dumbledore's order of phoenix group may have been able to keep them at bay, but they were on the losing side. If they had used lethal force and not been so defensive with their approach, then maybe so many innocents wouldn't have had to die.
Just thinking about Dumbledore and Voldemort made his blood boil as the two seemed content with fighting a never-ending battle. He mentally cursed both sides. Dumbledore's group blindly followed his orders without questioning him as he moved them like chess pieces. They fought without any knowledge or understanding of what the war was about. Fighting an enemy you don't fully understand is foolish and practically asking to be killed. The Order of Chickens didn't even stop to ask the right questions. Voldemort's movement was entirely built upon a lie as he may have preached about preserving pureblood rights. But he was only using them to take out his unhappiness, and he executed them the moment they were of no further use. The rewards he would give paled in comparison to his punishments should they fail him.
No matter how powerful wizards and witches were, the fact remains that muggles far outnumber them. He was raised to respect the ancient traditions and laws of the magical world. Still, he also wished for it to advance and evolve into something greater. Their world didn't need any of their ideas or technologies. They needed their offspring. He mentally scoffed at how shortsighted the wizarding world (mainly Britain) had become, as anyone with eyes and a brain could tell that constant inbreeding was dangerous and detrimental.
He would have continued thinking, but a tap on his shoulder courtesy of Emily brought him back to reality. "Harry," she began, "you have that look again," a twinge of nervousness was laced in her voice.
The dark look on his face evaporated somewhat. "It's nothing for you to worry about. I'm only thinking about the recent events regarding the tournament." While not completely a lie, he didn't want her to worry as she was still young.
Emily grabbed his hand underneath the table and leaned on his shoulder.
"I can tell you are worried," she replied through their link. "What's bothering you?"
Harry sometimes cursed the link he shared with her as she could always tell when something was wrong with him. Then releasing a breath, he mentally told her what his thoughts were and how there was darkness approaching.
"I will be in deep meditation later and try to find out what I can. If I can't get any answers that way, we will need to prepare for the worst."
Before she could speak, a hawk-owl flew in with a letter attached to its leg and landed near the two. Harry removed the letter from its outstretched leg, pulled out some owl treats, and sent the creature on its way. Opening the letter, he silently read through it.
Dear Harry
I hope this letter finds you well. I would first like to say that I am sorry for how my siblings have acted, as their behavior is unacceptable. Ginny, with her obvious infatuation with you and Ron's constant jealousy and complaining about how you have this and that. That brother of mine needs to grow up and focus on what he does have rather than doesn't.
Listen, I know you've been busy with the Tri-wizard tournament, but I hope we can meet before the final task. My bosses in Cairo, Egypt, were disappointed to hear that you did not want to become a curse breaker, but they understood. A little warning though the goblins here are very stubborn and are relentless when trying to find potential workers. So, expect to receive a couple letters soon.
Anyway, I have been sent to Britain to negotiate a working relationship with the Gringotts London Branch. I would like to discuss a possible business venture with you. My bosses have only given me nine days before I have to return. If you choose to meet with me, then I can arrange for goblins to let us use a private conference room that will be completely protected where only we can speak. So please keep an open mind and decide.
Sincerely, William 'Bill' Weasley
After reading, he put the letter on his watch and began contemplating what to do. Bill was nothing like his siblings nor like his mother. He seemed genuine, and Dora vouched for him that he was the complete opposite of his brother Charlie who was an ass. Bill was loyal, hardworking, courageous, and rea realist. Quickly weighing the pros and cons, he made up his mind.
"Are you going to meet with him?"
Turning his head. "Yeah, I'll send my reply later and hear what he has to say," he mused. "Bill may be their older brother, but he's nothing like them." Tomorrow was also Friday, meaning that classes will end at around four.
Originally he intended to spend a couple hours in the chamber of secrets with the four founders as he wanted to improve his fighting styles and go through the texts. Some of the spells used during the last task came from the Gryffindor and Slytherin grimoires. Their spells were extremely dangerous when utilized to their full potential and had the power to destroy entire cities and even some islands. Hell, those spells would make the Avada Kedavra curse look like the incendio charm. He started looking through Rowena's family grimoire and couldn't believe how brilliant the woman was. Calling her smart would be an insult. She was exceedingly intelligent. Speaking of which, he pulled Ravenclaws grimoire from his bag.
The black leather book was left in the ancestral home of Ravenclaw. The same with Godric's family grimoire. He ordered his house-elves to inspect all three of the founder's manors and see if they needed to be cleaned. It took some time, but Harry was finally able to view the manors and managed to bring Emily along.
After spending a couple minutes reading through the book, dinner was finally served, and everyone began eating.
"It feels good to finally have some downtime," Aaron wore a big smile.
"Here, here," Katie agreed. "I still can't believe you took twelve O. ." She thought he grew a second head when he first told her what he intended to test in. Not only that, but he chose to take the O.W.L exams in Government and Dueling.
"You and me both. For the record, I blame Harry and Daphne for that," mockingly glaring at the two.
Turning a page in his book, "and how is this our fault?" He asked without looking up. Daphne just raised an eyebrow at her fellow Slytherin.
"Spending time with the two of you rubbed off on me…now I desire to do more."
"Stop being such a baby," Daphne replied, "it will look good on your resume when you try to get a job."
"Wait, you can test in subjects not taught at school?" Hannah exclaimed.
"Yeah. There has never been a rule in saying that we can't?" Blaise answered. "That's why I am testing in Business, Dueling, and Curse breaking and Warding. My grandfather has been teaching me what I might need to know so that I can run the family business."
Tracey was the next to respond, "Government and Business for me."
Harry was slightly taken back as he didn't know that his friends were even considering taking extra O. .
"The same for me," Susan came in. "I want to be a lawyer after graduation. So, I'll be taking additional O. in Government and Law."
Hannah was completely gobsmacked as she could hardly believe what they were saying was true. Susan, her best friend, began striving for more and started thinking about long-term goals. She always wanted to be a professional healer if she was completely honest with herself. Her mother is an accomplished Auror Healer who holds the rank of senior. However, she was still torn between either working for St. Mungo or the I.C.W. The latter makes a lot more money, but their training was a lot more strenuous.
Meanwhile, the others students sitting near them began considering taking other subjects for their future jobs. They had no idea that they could test in subjects that were exclusive to their future places of employment. Neville even wrote to his parents stipulating that he wanted to take his O. in Dueling and Business. Padma wrote to her parents saying that she wanted to become more. She wanted to make a name for herself. The additional exams she wanted were Government and Business.
"We're a new generation," Harry began, "and it's time to prove who we are and why people should take us seriously."
Several others wholeheartedly agreed with him.
After dinner was over, everyone went their separate ways save for Harry and his friends, who went to the room of requirement. Adrian, however, went to spend time with his girlfriend, Cecelia. A student from Beauxbaton and one of Fleur's only three friends.
Sitting at his desk, he pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote his response to Bill. As if by coincidence, Hedwig came flying in, ready to deliver the letter. The beautiful snowy owl was smart and could instantly tell that she was needed. When she was about to take off, an eagle owl arrived with another letter for him. The golden wax seal of the Duelist Guild caught his attention. Immediately he ripped the envelope opened, pulled out the letter, and read it. He couldn't believe what he was reading and thought this was simply a dream. Then quickly composing himself, he summoned a rat and gave it to the bird, who gratefully accepted it and left.
"What was that about?" Lilith asked.
"The Duelist Guild wants an audience with me on the 17th and 18th of August," which got their attention. "Apparently, I'm being considered for the rank Master in both Charms and Transfigurations."
"What? Seriously?" Blaise's jaw hit the floor.
"I'm just as surprised as you, but that's what they said," levitating the letter to him.
Daphne threw her arms around his neck "wow, Harry, I'm so proud of you."
"Who's endorsing you?" Nicole's eyes were full of surprise. To be considered a Master Duelist at such a young age is not one but two branches of magic are rare and hard to come by.
"Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt."
"It's like he said, we're a new generation," Neville quoted him.
"We're hungry!" Blaise commented.
(0^0)
Two days later, Harry apparated to the Gringotts apparition point wearing a business robe with his family crest on his right breast. Making his way inside, he went to one of the tellers.
"Speak your name and business here today," the goblin spoke in a monotone voice without looking up from his papers.
"Harry Potter, here for a meeting with Griphook and William Weasley," he respectfully replied.
The goblin immediately snapped his head away from his paperwork. "My apologies Heir Potter. I did not realize you would be coming today." The boy was a friend of the goblin nation. King Ragnok himself even praised the young heir on more than one occasion as he brought a lot of money into their vaults and helped them in the political sphere of the Wizengamot.
"No apologies are necessary," Harry waved him off. "As I'm pretty sure you are busy, I won't keep you. May I please see Griphook?"
"Yes. I will get him right away." He immediately hopped out of his chair and went to get his colleague. A moment later, the goblin returned with Griphook.
"Hello, Griphook. I hope you are having a good day." He gave a respectful bow.
Griphook bowed back. "Yes, it's a good day. May your gold flow and your enemies crumble beneath your feet. If you would follow me, I will lead you to the conference room."
He led Harry to the elevator and pressed the floor number. Almost immediately, they arrived on the third floor. Exiting the elevator, they walked to one of the conference rooms at the end of the hall. Griphook opened the door to see Bill sitting at one of the chairs at the conference table.
Not a moment later, Bill saw the person he was waiting for. "Harry? You made it. Thanks for coming."
"No problem, Bill." They shook hands and took their respective seats, with Griphook sitting next to Harry. "I should at least hear your proposition. So, I only have two words: Impress me."
"Right," schooling his features, Bill spoke in a business voice. "Well, Mr. Potter, to get right to the point, I like to speak with you about my brothers Fred and George… I'm aware you don't have a high opinion of them. But even you can't ignore that they are brilliant when they want to be." Harry had to grudgingly admit that Bill was right. For all their jokes and pranks, the twins were indeed creative with their inventions. "Anyway, the two have no desire to work at the Ministry of Magic like Percy and our dad. So, that is where this proposition comes in."
"For the longest time, the twins have always wanted to open a joke shop in Diagon Alley, but they lack the amount of gold to make the dream a reality."
Intertwining his fingers together, Harry raised an eyebrow, "continue."
"If you would be alright with giving them a loan to start up their business, and if it becomes a success, they will be able to pay you back with interest. After that, you claim a third of the business for yourself. This would, in turn, bring you more money as you will own a good portion of the store." He continued explaining how the income from the shop would help not only the twins but also Harry himself.
Twenty minutes later, he handed Harry documents that would include everything the shop might need and its potential earnings.
Quietly Harry read through the files and had to admit that he was impressed. However, while the shop did seem promising, there were a few concerns.
"All right, I will consider it," leaning back into his chair. "However, there are things that you and I will need to consider first. Starting with their grades and level of maturity." His cool voice and expressionless mask were present. "Bill, while I do like you and your presentation. Your brothers don't exactly fill me with much confidence. No one can deny that Fred and George are smart and creative, but despite that, they act like children and, worst of all, bullies. They might not see it, but that is how several of the students view them. Not only that, but their grades are also severely lacking."
He raised a hand when Bill was about to speak. "That said, I am willing to give them the chance to prove me wrong… starting with their N.E. . At the minimum, I want them to earn at least five N.E. each. Next, I want them to prove that they can run a shop. The money I give them I expect back with a ten percent interest; one year will be my expectation. Then, if the business is a success, I'll want a third of it in my name. And finally, I want you to serve as my proxy as the General store Manager, meaning they will answer to you. Naturally, you will have your own salary as you'll be acting on my behalf. Is that fair?"
Bill had to think for a few minutes. "Deal! So does this mean that you're willing to fund their store?" He had a look of hope on his face.
"I didn't say that." Bill's face fell a bit. "Give me until the end of August, and we'll finalize the agreements and talk about how much I should lend along with the other necessities."
"Brilliant," Bill mentally breathed a sigh of relief as he thought Harry would reject the proposal.
"I trust this will remain between the two of us?" He narrowed his eyes.
"Absolutely. The only ones who will know will be the three of us."
"Good." Harry turned to Griphook. "You may leave, my friend. Please proceed with our other business. Time is money, is it not?"
"Indeed. I will be on my way," leaving the two wizards to their business.
Bill took a seat and poured a glass of water. "This went a lot better than I thought it would."
Shrugging his shoulders, "a part of me did not want to come, but I figured why not. It also got me away from the castle for a while. So, what is the real reason you're here? It can't just be to negotiate with the goblins."
Chuckling, "you haven't changed at all, my friend. I came here because Dumbledore sent me a letter requesting that I transfer back home and provide more security for the final task." His former headmaster's letter seemed more like a demand than anything else, which threw him for a loop as he was unsure why Dumbledore would seek him out of all people.
Harry replied, "Bill, I know your family is staunch supporters of his, especially your mother. But take a little advice from me. Be careful around the old man as he is not all he appears to be. Take a good look at him, and you'll see what I'm talking about."
Dumbledore was planning something as he wouldn't waste his time on just anyone without purpose. It's possible that he could be trying to gain international allies. Perhaps after what happened with Barty Crouch Jr being proven alive and Karkaroff leaving in fear. Either that or he knew something about Voldemort returning soon. Whatever it is, Dumbledore knows or wants something.
"Harry, I know you and him have your differences, but do you think he has an ulterior motive for wanting me back?"
"Believe me, Bill, I don't trust Dumbledore as far as I can throw him," Harry explained. "The only thing I can say is to watch your back around him and use caution. Have you heard of legilimency before?
Bill coughed up some water as it went down the wrong pipe.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"You're saying that Dumbledore can read my mind," the thought of that scared him as he didn't want anyone looking through his thoughts.
"Take it from me, learn some occlumency while you can, and above all, avoid looking him in the eyes." They say that eyes are windows to the soul. "All Dumbledore needs to do is make eye contact with you, and the next minute, he has access to your memories.
He got up and left the conference room with the paper. After exiting the room, he made his way to the elevator and rode up to the floor Griphook's office was. The purpose of why he was here was two-fold. One to meet with Bill. Two speak with Griphook about a few personal matters.
Three and a half hours later, a thoroughly exhausted Hadrian left the bank via apparition and appeared in Hogsmede. Walking through the little village, he checked his watch to see that it was two-thirty. Figuring it was lunchtime, he went to the Three Broomsticks. There he found the others at a table near the fireplace.
"About time you got here," Blaise took a bite of his sandwich. "I was starting to wonder if you were coming or not. Viktor and I had to entertain the ladies," pointing to Susan, Tracey, Nicole, Lilith, and Daphne.
"What's the matter can't control your hormones when surrounded by such lovely ladies," he teased.
"Hardly. But five against two isn't fair. Especially when they drag you into clothing stores," Blaise shot back.
"Da," Viktor agreed. He may not have any siblings, but his mom and aunt would force him into clothes when he was younger.
"Oh, really," Nicole looked imperiously at her boyfriend with a cold yet sweet smile. "Would you like to leave and go to Madam Puddifoot's Tea shop?" The other girls just glared at Blaise, and both boys instantly paled. "Didn't think so."
Harry idly chuckled at the startled expressions on their faces. One of the waiters eventually came over to take his order and left for the kitchen.
When the man returned with Harry's sandwich, he thanked him and left. While eating his lunch, he and Blaise started going over the plan for tomorrow. Along with Neville, Adrian, and Aaron, they would be heading to the town in magical Ireland to pick out some motorcycles.
"These things are going to be great. Hopefully, the shop does custom orders," Blaise said.
"They should," Harry nodded his head. "It's the same place where Sirius bought his. According to him, they can make it happen but will cost a considerable sum."
"Worth it…" looking over his friend's shoulder, "…you got company." Gesturing to Parvati, who was approaching them.
Having a feeling he knew what she wanted, Harry turned around to see Parvati wearing a cream-colored striped V-neck shrunken tee with a striped pattern, a matching skirt that showed off her legs, and a blue denim jeans jacket. That and she was wearing a little too much makeup. Truth to tell, she looked pretty, but her beauty was nothing compared to Daphne's. Speaking of his girlfriend, he grabbed her hand underneath the table and felt her tense up.
"Hello, Harry…you look very handsome in those robes," giving him a once over and admiring how he looked. "Can we talk in private?" Her cheeks became pink.
Daphne didn't like how Parvati looked at Harry and looked a moment away from freezing the girl. Then, without knowing, she tightened her grip on his hand. Feeling her nails enter his skin, Harry sent a small amount of magic to help ease her.
"Of course," he replied, "and there is something that we need to talk about." Releasing Daphne's hand from underneath the table, Harry led Parvati to the bar.
Once they sat down, Parvati took a deep breath and gave him a good view of her cleavage. "Harry, I was w-wondering if you would-"
"Let me stop you right there," he cut her off, "as I already know what you're about to say. Look, Parvati, you're very pretty, and I'm flattered that you like me. But you and me, we would just not work." The smile on Parvati's face fell. "It's not that I don't like you as a person, but the fact remains that I don't know you well enough, and I'm interested in someone else."
Parvati was now sad. "Do you think that we could have ever worked out?" She gave him a pleading look.
He let loose a breath and shook his head. "I'm willing to be your friend but nothing more. We're just too different from one another."
"I understand," she said, "thank you for being honest with me," a sad smile appeared. "So, friends," holding out her hand.
"Friends," the two shook hands. "Don't worry. One day, you will meet a guy who will sweep you off your feet. All you have to do is be yourself and never give up hope."
"For someone who is only fourteen, you are very wise," Parvati commented, to which he chuckled.
"Also, there are two more things," Harry neutrally said. "It would probably best if you didn't dress like that unless you are with friends less you draw attention to yourself." Gesturing to a long table where Seamus, Dean, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were sitting. Finnigan was not so subtle at checking Parvati out with his eyes, sometimes looking at her chest.
Parvati frowned in disgust and found his constant stares to be vexing. She, unlike Lavender, never liked the Irish boy as he was a perverted chauvinistic pig. Every time he tried to make a pass at her, Parvati would shoot him down.
Turning her attention back to Harry, "is there anything I can do to keep him from asking me out again?"
"Three solutions," holding up a hand. "One: you can use the pepper spray spell to temporarily blind him. Two: since Padma is the heiress to the Noble House of Patil, she can forbid him from talking to you. And three: speak with McGonagall and tell her that he makes you feel uncomfortable and that something needs to happen." He allowed that to sink in and resumed, "personally, I speak with your sister as she has some influence."
Parvati was familiar with the power an heir or heiress possessed, but there were limits. Then again, Harry was right, stating that her sister could help with this issue.
"Thank you, Harry," she gave him a quick hug and left to find Padma.
Harry silently returned to the table, ignoring the hateful glare Seamus was giving him. The boy's face was red with jealousy as he didn't know what Potter said to Parvati, but it was probably something he wouldn't like. In his anger, he tightened his grip over the glass of butterbeer and broke it, which spilled the contents over his lap. Meanwhile, Ginny's face was crossed between anger and jealousy. Anger that Parvati had dared to hug her potential husband and jealousy that he was adamantly talking with that Greengrass slut. One way or another, Harry would be hers, and the so call Slytherin Ice Queen would be out of the picture.
After informing his friends about what he discussed with Parvati finished the last of his sandwich. Lilith was surprised at how gently he turned the Patil girl down. "It's hard for me to believe that you let her down so gently."
"I know, right," a smirking Tracey gave him a mischievous look. "That's rather unusual from how you normally reject girls. You are not going soft on us, are you?"
Harry had to cough up some butterbeer at what she asked. Daphne patted him on the back. "Too much, Tracey, and I was only doing it because Padma asked me to." Then, wiping his eyes, "but enough about me. Why is it that you don't have a boyfriend yet? Are you not attracted to people from the opposite sex, or do you just lack the confidence to ask that certain someone?"
That immediately shut her up. Harry knew it was a sensitive subject, but he didn't want to be outdone.
Throughout the rest of lunch, the teens remained in the pub, talking about various things they had planned over the summer. Eventually, they paid for their meals and left the establishment. However, instead of following the others around the village, Harry and Daphne hid behind the candy store, and Harry apparated them to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in muggle London.
At least nobody will be able to recognize them, and they could be alone without any interruptions. After a couple hours of walking through the gardens, the two shared a healthy dose of snogging and went to have dinner at a nearby restaurant.
(0^0)
Back at Hogwarts, the atmosphere had completely changed, with the students from all three schools spending time in the break room or wandering the corridors. The break room had been filled with several different students who were either on the dance floor or playing cards.
At one of the tables, Susan, Hannah, Padma, Terry, and Ernie were at a table with two others playing Poker. Even when the table was hot. Padma noticed that Hannah's mind was elsewhere.
"Something on your mind?" Padma rearranged her cards.
"Just thinking about what we discussed a few days ago," Hannah replied. "It's surprising that we can take exams that aren't taught at school. For the longest time, I've always wanted to be a… Healer. Though, I'm having a hard time deciding whether to work for either St. Mungo, the Ministry, or the I.C.W."
The people at the table exchanged glances as she did raise a point. All three professions were in short supply and needed more healers. Terry then grunted, bringing the attention to him, "why not work for the I.C.W? You can earn more money that way and get some much-needed experience."
"Terry does have a point," Susan chimed in. "Do you know what other exams you'll want to test in?"
"Just one," Hannah turned to her, "healing. I even talked to Madam Pomfrey, and she's agreed to teach and let me volunteer in the hospital wing next term. Mum said I can even do an internship at St. Mungo's over the summer."
"Brilliant," a sixth-year Ravenclaw said. "By becoming an intern over the summer, you can gain some experience and probably gain a couple letters of recommendation."
"That's what I'm doing," Padma took another card from the dealer. "My part-time job at Javier's Jewelry Store begins this summer." The shop was in Diagon Alley and very high-class, not to mention the owner was an old friend of her mother's. Also, she would be taking part in the Under-18 Chess Tournament. Her match against Harry was incredible as he proved to be a formidable opponent. In total they had seven matches with two ending in ties, three wins for her, and two for him.
Terry grabbed her hand and kissed her temple. "This summer is going to be really interesting," a wry grin was on his face. "Remind me to thank Harry for everything he's done."
"Noted. I also need to thank him for his help with Parvati," she mused. Looking over her shoulder, she saw a furious Seamus Finnegan against the wall with Dean Thomas and Ron Weasley. The Patil sisters spoke with Parvati laminated about what he said, and after a lengthy discussion. Padma went to find the Irish boy to give him a piece of her mind.
She eventually found him in Honeydukes with Dean and several other students stocking up on sweets. Not caring about the witnesses, she slapped the boy across his face and told him to stop asking her sister out, or she would ruin his life and the life of his parents. Seamus tried to defend himself, saying that he didn't do anything and, after making a crack about her, Padma him again. As the heiress to the House of Patil, she could make life very difficult for him and his parents. She then called him a chauvinistic pig with zero worth, zero respect for women, and even less charm. Seamus then stomped out of the shop and was furious at how she embarrassed him in front of everyone.
The other sixth year spoke, "We all owe Potter a thank you," she stated as if it was obvious. "Relations between the four houses have changed, and my grades have improved drastically. I'm not saying that we would ever be friends, but he deserves some gratitude."
"And that's the problem," Susan continued, "despite his tendency to be antisocial. Harry does, in fact, care about people. After everything Britain put him through, I'm surprised he hasn't retaliated and burned it to the ground." If anyone deserved vengeance, then it would be him.
(0^0)
The last few days before the final task, several students all from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherins who weren't a part of Draco's group or loyal to his father surprised Harry by thanking him for his help with not only their grades but also improving relations between their houses. When they offered to buy him presents he told them no as he didn't want anything from them.
Blaise, Adrian, Harry, Aaron, and Neville ventured to magical Ireland to pick out the motorcycles they wanted along with different functions. The bikes built there were top of the line and bigger than the ones muggles used not to mention more pricey. This also included the custom made orders. However, the cost didn't matter to the boys as they carefully chose the modifications they wanted and paid in full. The owner Damian Parker said he and his team could have their orders done by the 4th of August.
On the day of the last task, Harry sat at the Ravenclaw table with the other champions and ate breakfast. The teens went over the last couple of details for the task when Professor McGonagall came over to say that the champions would congregate in the chamber of the Hall after breakfast to meet their families.
"Professor, I would like to request that you excuse my sister from her classes today?" He asked in a respectful voice. McGonagall looked at him for a moment before giving her consent.
The four quickly finished their breakfast and left for the chamber. Before they arrived, Harry sent a mental message to Emily saying that she didn't have to attend classes today. She thanked him and replied that she would be there soon. Then, the four champions went to their respective families to exchange greetings. Lord Black, Sirius, Jack, and Sarah were present for Harry. Cedric had his mother and father. Fleur's parents and Gabrielle were there for her. And finally, Viktor was in the company of his mother and aunt. Mr. Diggory, on the other hand, was outright glaring at Harry and the other Blacks.
Dumbledore came in with Emily, Bill, and three other curse breakers a moment later. Emily immediately went over to her family as Dumbledore explained when and where the final task would be. After that, they were free to leave. When Dumbledore left, Harry noticed that Bill and Fleur adamantly talking with one another.
"So, pup, you ready for tonight?" Sirius had a look of caution as he made sure to have Amelia place several guards around the maze for security.
Before Harry could reply, a little bullet wrapped him in a hug. "Gabrielle," Apolline groaned, "you know better than to behave like that," she chided her youngest daughter, who blushed furiously and went to stand by her father.
"I am so sorry, Mr. Black."
"It is fine, Mademoiselle Delacour," Sirius kissed her knuckle before turning to her husband. "Mousier Delacour, I trust you are well?"
"Yes, very well," Lucas replied. "I only wish this tournament was over. Harry, I would once again like to thank you for saving my daughter. Not many people would ever risk their lives for others and not expect anything in return." It was the truth as the boy canceled the life debt Gabrielle owed him.
"Lord Delacour, that is not necessary," Harry said. "I just hope that we can make it out of this tournament in one piece."
"Why are you hoping to increase the number of favors owed to you?" Much to Cedric's embarrassment, Amos Diggory came stalking over with a glare. "What makes you think you even have a chance of winning?"
Arcturus stepped forward, not at all pleased. "I do not appreciate you talking to my nephew in that tone. Learn to mind your tongue before spouting off nonsense… less, you won't be speaking at all."
Amos visibly gulped.
Next, Jack came in, "and I will have you know that Harry never wanted to compete in this tournament. But, despite being forced into it, he wound up in first place."
"That is only because he knows about the tasks and how to overcome them," Amos accused. "Cedric told me that Potter had knowledge of what the task was."
"Are you accusing me of cheating?" The fire in Harry's eyes burned. "Because you might want to consider a few things, first. Even though I found out about the task, I made sure to tell your son and the others so they could be prepared. If I didn't, you would have likely been attending your son's funeral by now. Cedric is above average when it comes to magical abilities, but against this task, he would have been dead."
At hearing that, Amos instantly paled and looked to his son, who agreed. "Harry's right, dad. The first and third tasks were brutal, and I am lucky to have survived with my limbs intact."
"Da," Viktor entered the conversation, "it was his decision that we stick together and help one another during the tasks. This is about survival, not money. No amount of money or fame is worth getting killed over."
"Oui, and that is what I wanted to talk to you three about," Fleur's English had improved greatly. "I propose that we split all the money we've earned while competing in this tournament in four ways. That includes the money we got from the first task. Any way you look at this, none of us knew the full contents or history of the Triwizard Tournament. So far as I see it, we should all be compensated for putting our lives in danger."
"I'm good with that. Money doesn't even mean that much to me." Cedric was the first to speak.
"Same with me," Harry agreed, as the notion has logic.
Viktor grunted in agreement.
With the agreement, everyone would get 5,800 gallons. Leaving it at that, they went their separate ways, Harry apparating Emily to Potter castle with the adults following behind. The two changed into their swimsuits and went to the large body of water near the castle. Harry made sure to bring two vials of his dad's potion with him. Together brother and sister spent a good portion of the day exploring the deep blue sea, playing games like tag, or using their abilities to control water to create massive waves or surfing. The two even made use of their animagus forms.
Later that day, they had dinner on the beach with the adults. Then, the three gods decided to go hunting and were soon off.
The wind blew across his face as he looked a the night sky, checking his watch only an hour and a half remained before he had to return for the final task. Even with the way today went he couldn't shake the pit in his stomach. Something was going to happen during the task and it wasn't going to be pleasant. A roar pulled him out of his thoughts.
Not bothering to turn around, "hey guys did you enjoy yourselves?"
"This place is paradise," Naga slithered from around his companion to the boy. "The food is incredible."
Dayvee took a look at Harry and could tell that he was tense. "Something troubles you. What is it?" She rubbed against his leg.
Debating on whether or not to say anything he spoke "something about the last task concerns me. It's hard to explain but there's a darkness approaching." The feeling sent chills down his spine.
Suzaku flew to his shoulder "do not worry young one," trilling a beautiful melody to soothe him. "We will always be there for you."
"Thanks Kai. That means a lot," scratching the phoenix's underbelly. His visage quickly turned seriously, "however, there is something that I need the four of you to do…"
A/N: Again Sorry this chapter is late I've been dealing with two summer classes so updates will take longer. Fleur, Viktor, Cedric, and Harry have finished strategizing and will soon enter the maze. Good luck to them. The four have reached an accord of whoever wins they will split the profits between them. This seems perfectly fair to me as they were either tricked, coerced, or forced to compete.
As for Parvati's crush on Harry, he put that to an end and even managed to help her with Seamus. Truthfully, I never liked him neither in movie or book.
The students at Hogwarts are starting to realize that they need to go beyond what they think and soar to new heights. A majority of them are lazy and unmotivated an utter disgrace. Now that they see the potentials in striving to attain their goals they're more likely to take shit more seriously and are willing to try.
Bill's proposal of the Joke shop for his brothers is commendable, but I feel like the twins should earn it as they got it too easy in the book. The twins need to prove that they're capable of running a business.
Next Chapter: Deadly Maze and my Rebirth!