Part 1
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Minerva Mcgonagall and Percy Weasley sat across from each other in the Hogwarts Transfiguration classroom. They could barely see each other over the stacks of papers on the desk between them.
Mcgonnagall looked through the notes on a student's current progress. "Wow. This is really thorough. Should help a lot this coming semester."
She flipped through a few more papers. "Problems students are having with material, most difficult spells, areas of discomfort among students." Mcgonnagall sighed. "I see you've noticed how much of a problem that is.
"Yeah. You mentioned it to me before I started teaching. But I never realized how much trepidation some students had about it."
Mcgonnagall nodded. "While transfiguration doesn't hurt any of the animals it's used on if done correctly. Some students have legitimate concerns about what happens if they mess up."
"You're reading Ms. Menet's comments I assume." Mcgonnagall nodded. "She's decided not to continue to the NEWT transfiguration courses."
"That's too bad, but not surprising." Mcgonnagall and Percy kept talking for a little while. Percy talked about students concerns anyone who'd done better or worse than expected.
Mcgonnagall looked over files for Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny Weasley. "So your youngest siblings improved, while the twin pranksters did worse. Granted, last year Mr. Fred and George Wealey did much better than I'd expected."
Percy nodded. "Yes. I've been offering tutoring to students outside of classes. Ron came to a lot of sessions, it really surprised me."
"Well Mr. Weasley. Thank you for watching over my students in my absence. Have you considered becoming a teacher permanently?"
"It was my pleasure. Though I doubt I have what it takes to do this long term. I don't know how you find the stamina to do this every year." Percy stood up.
"Oh, just the ubermensch sleep cycle. Quite useful. Enjoy the beastmaster show."
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Part 2
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Ron, Hermione, and Lupin waited outside while Harry and Sirius talked. Sirius still had trouble keeping up a conversation while standing, so Harry just sat next to his bed. Cornelius Fudge had given Percy several tickets to a beastmaster show in London, and would be headed there after the hospital visit.
I'm the time he'd been there, Sirius's room had gotten painted to show images of lions and hippogriffs. No one else was sharing the room, so Sirius could do what he wanted with it. Rooms that were bigger on the inside were really convenient, much better than muggle hospitals.
Sirius hadn't been able to talk for very long without getting tired, but he did seem to be improving. He was up to about 2 hours and could even walk around for about a half hour at a time.
"It sounds like they'll be releasing me from the hospital soon."
"Do you know when?"
"End of next week I think. They've created a spell to continuously replace my blood. It's not perfect so I'll still need treatments every couple days to make sure my blood pressure isn't too high or too low."
"Wait…too high?"
"Yeah. A nurse tried a really strong spell to counteract my curse, but it stretched out my veins and arteries enough to concern the medical staff watching over me. So they undid it."
"They had a counter spell to something that specific?" Hermione poked her head out from the door.
Sirius nodded. "Seems they've got a counter spell for every treatment they have here. Something about do no harm and all that. Anyway, isn't that beastmaster show about to start?" Sirius pointed at a clock on the wall.
Harry looked at the clock. "Yeah…we should get going." Harry jumped out of his seat heading out the door.
Lupin activated a port key in the shape of a ticket bringing Harry, Ron, and Hermione to a large field. The group was next to a set of tents. They entered one, coming to a set of metal stands and sitting down. The stands towered at least 20 meters above a dirt circle large enough to hold a blue whale. Most of the seats in the stands had already been filled, but there was a spot next for them next to the Weasley family.
After about a minute a blonde man in a black trench coat phased out from the floor of the dirt circle. He bowed as a massive lion-like creature with bat wings came out from a separation between the stands. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Beings of all shapes, sizes, and species, welcome to the beast show. I'm Grant Scamander and this is Naga, she's a manticore."
Grant scratched the manticore's neck on the lion head which purred. The snake head shaped tail touched the floor letting Grant step onto it. The snake head lifted him up on Naga's back side. Grant climbed up the beast until he stood on her head.
Naga let out a roar, spitting blue and purple flames up to the now retracted tent ceiling. Grant patted Naga as a roasted bull fell into her mouth. Grant jumped off her head, falling slowly like a feather to the ground.
Naga gulped down the bull in one bite before flying up into the air. She spun a few times, closing her wings to fit through a few hoops of fire. Then she landed, slamming her paw down on Grant.
"I'm ok." Grant stood up dusting himself off. "As you've just witnessed, Manticores are jerks." Naga blew a puff of smoke at him. "See what I mean. They never do what you want." Grant laughed along with several audience members. Naga wandered out of the stage.
"Wait, where are you going?" Grant sighed. "We'll, on to the next act. Send out the pixies." Several pixies came from the opening in the tent roof. Then they picked Grant up by his coat.
"Pixies are weirdly strong. And…not there!" The pixies bumped into a floating ring of water. Grant spat out water and wiped his face. "But, they tend to be pranksters." The pixies laughed.
Fred and George smiled at each other. "We need to get some of those." The pixies kept flying around, flipping Grant around in some cases.
Throughout the show there were a variety of different creatures. There was a minotaur, a kelpie in a floating bubble of water, a hippogriff, and a story telling acromantula.
By that point everyone under thirteen had left the tent. Parents took their kids to a petting zoo outside with baby dragons and ghouls. No one knew what the last part of the show was supposed to be, but apparently it wasn't fit for children.
Two men in black uniforms carried in someone who wore prison clothes on a stretcher. He was tied to it, unable to move his wrist or ankles at all. Harry couldn't quite tell who he was from a distance, but he swore he knew his face.
Grant looked at the prisoner with what looked like confusion. He pulled out a paper reading it over. The Weasleys all looked at each other, along with Harry, Hermione, and Lupin.
The men dropped the stretcher on the ground, the man in prison clothes wincing from the impact. One of the uniformed men walked over to Grant whispering something in his ear. Grant instantly smiled, facing the crowd.
Hermione whispered to Ron and Harry. "Did you see that guard's arm move? It looked like he pulled something out of his pocket and put it back. Thin like a wand."
"What? Why does that matter?" Harry and Ron looked at each other confused.
"Ladies and gentlemen. We have a surprise treat for you tonight. Though I warn you, it will be quite gruesome. For anything schemish in the audience, there's no shame in leaving right now." Grant took a bow, with a smile on his face that seemed a little off.
Hermione spoke again. "And it's like the host's personality changed."
A few people left, but most stayed as Grant kept talking. "I've been given special permission tonight for a most unusual event. As you may have already guessed. This man is a criminal. One who has committed some of the most unspeakable crimes imaginable, with dark magic that would be best forgotten."
A chill spread through the tent. Murmurs spurred in the crowd as more people began to leave. Grant kept going, his voice going manic. "This scum of the earth is about to be given a dementor's kiss."
Horror covered several people's faces as a man shaped creature covered in black cloth floated down from the tent hole.
The prisoner screamed as the dementor got closer. Harry hadn't been able to think before he reacted. Just an image of Sirius almost having his soul sucked out and he drew his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"
A white stag erupted from his wand, so bright many people had to cover their eyes. It rammed the dementor, blasting it so far it away that even its presence could no longer be felt.
Harry stood near the bottom of the stands, gasping for air. He put his wand away as several people began to clap for him. Then a spell hit his stomach and he fell, losing consciousness.
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Part 3
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Voldemort sat at the desk of the minister of magic laughing. "Crouch you've outdone yourself this time." The dark lord looked over an article from the daily prophet talking about the expulsion and possible arrest of Harry Potter for underaged wizardry. There were also remarks calling for Cornelius Fudge and several members of the Wizengamot to step down after attempting to have a prisoner executed in a "public spectacle." The article claimed the actions of the minister of magic were greater human rights violations than even many muggle governments allowed. "I'll be able to kill Harry Potter once and for all."
Crouch grinned, having the minister of magic jump around like a ballerina. "True. If Potter is locked in Azkaban, there will be no one to interrupt your duel. Though I wonder." His face turned more serious. "If Fudge loses his office. He won't be very useful anymore, quite unfortunate to lose such a powerful pawn."
Voldemort shrugged. "We can have him hold on to power for a little while without raising too much suspicion. Though his previous attempts at staying within the accepted actions of a prime minister would make any sudden abuse of power a risk to our cover."
Massive snakes moved in the background of the walls. The minister's office had been set to look like the chamber of secrets. A smaller snake slithered next to the coming up to Voldemort's hand and crawling up. He thought for a few moments, petting the snake. "No…even if the public didn't figure it out. Dumbledore would."
"That bastard always seems to know everything that's going on around him. He probably even knows about the horcruxes. But perhaps…" Voldemort turned to Crouch. "I want to test a theory. Can any death eaters forge handwriting?"
Crouch hesitated for a moment. " Forgery?" He thought for a moment. "Well…not forging specifically. But Goyle is a skilled painter. He likely has the hand control to mimic someone else's writing. Should I contact him?"
"He is good." Voldemort closed his eyes in thought. After a few minutes he finally responded. "Yes. Tell him I want a letter matching Gellert Grindelwald's handwriting and that he should meet me at my father's gravestone." Crouch bowed and apparated. Lord Voldemort pulled out a letter from Grindelwald about gaining support in the United States, Mexico, and Panama. A sinister smile formed on his face. He dipped a quill in ink and wrote something on a piece of paper.
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A/N
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What's up with dementor's kisses to punish criminals? Killing curse, unforgivable, sucking out someone's soul, legal form of punishment. Was Rowling friends with the producers of Yugioh?
