Harry Potter and the Battle of Heirs

~Harry Potter and the Battle of Heirs~

~By Rachie.V.~

                

~Author's Note: Here's Chapter 3! Are you enjoying this fic? Review and tell me! Please, NO FLAMES! Just compliments and constructive criticism. Thank you! DO NOT READ THIS BEFORE CHAPTERS 1 AND 2!!! :)

~Disclaimer: I only own Rachel, the plot and the Graduation Ball. Everything else belongs to the MASTER: J.K.Rowling.

On with the story… :)

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Chapter III

"Okay! Everybody, off to bed! We will sort this out!" Dumbledore said to the students who had started to come over to where the commotion was. "You three, please take the Weasleys up to Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore said to Harry, Hermione and Rachel. The trio obeyed Dumbledore's orders and helped the Weasleys through the castle.

"Oh my! They've been found! Oh, dear. Look at the state of them all," Madam Pomfrey muttered, as everybody trudged into the Hospital Wing. "Let's fix you up, now." With a wave of her wand, all the dirt and twigs had been removed from the Weasleys' robes and they looked a little healthier. Then she examined them one at a time and fixed them up.

"Oh, Ron! We were so worried! I thought that you were…" Hermione didn't finish her sentence, as tears suddenly poured out of her already red and puffy eyes.

"I'm okay, just a broken ankle. But Madam Pomfrey fixed it," Ron said walking over to them.

"I'm glad you're okay. But I need to introduce you two," Harry said, indicating Rachel and Ron. "Ron, this is Rachel Hay. Rachel, this is Ron Weasley."

"Hi! I'm glad that you and your family are okay," Rachel said politely, shaking Ron's hand.

"Nice to meet you too," Ron said, smiling. But Harry knew that Ron didn't have a crush on her, he liked Hermione. And Hermione didn't have a crush on Harry; she liked Ron. Harry didn't like anybody…

"Yet," thought Harry, sneaking a glance at Rachel. Harry suddenly hated Cho; he was glad that she had disappeared from Harry's life, since she had graduated the year before. She had been Head Girl.

~*~

"So, do you like Quidditch?" Harry asked Rachel.

It was the next day at breakfast, and Harry learned some things about Rachel. She was English, but had moved to Australia as a baby, and loved being back in England. She was a good student, and read a lot of books in her spare time. She loved school, and was popular. She also loved to have friends. She was already Harry, Ron and Hermiones' best friend. They hung out together just like the trio did the past years.

"Oh, yeah! I love the sport. I'm a really good Keeper," Rachel replied, drinking off her glass of orange juice.

"Maybe you could try out for the part. You see, our proper Keeper, Oliver Wood, was the captain of the team in my first 3 years. Well, when he left, we didn't play Quidditch in our fourth year, because of the Triwizard Tournament, but after that, we had to use a reserve, Pete Riverson. But we haven't got an actual player," Harry explained.

"Hey, cool! I'd really love to. Didn't you get on the Quidditch team in your first year?" Rachel asked him.

"Er…yeah," Harry replied, blushing.

"Well, congratulations, Potter! Ya Dad would've been proud." Rachel shook Harry's hand. Harry blushed even more furiously and felt a pang of sadness about his Dad. Suddenly, there was a rush above them, and the owls came swooping in.

"Geez, what is this? Why do the owls fly in here so early in the morning?" Rachel cried.

"What, don't they come in at breakfast at your old school?" Harry asked her.

"No way, man! They come into your room and wait for you while you go back upstairs from dinner!" she answered.

"Oh. Sorry they scared you," Harry said, watching Hedwig come to him. She landed, and Harry tore open the letter at once. Before he read his letter, Harry grinned at Rachel's amazement as Hedwig started eating Rachel's cornflakes.

"Friendly one, you've got there," Rachel laughed, as Hedwig put her head down to be tickled on the neck. "She's beautiful too. She's like a ball of snow in  the Summer," Rachel murmured, tickling Hedwig.

Harry read his letter and gasped.

"What?" Ron and Hermione asked together. They had been talking together while Harry and Rachel talked together.

"Look, read this," Harry showed them the letter.

Dear Harry,

                   I'm also glad that I'm a free man. But there's something I want to ask you. Would you like me to adopt you? I'll understand if you don't, but it was just a suggestion.

About your dream, well, all I can say is that it was unusual, but, well, if your scar didn't hurt, then I don't think that it could be linked to Voldemort, but I can't be sure.

Please write back to me, with your answer about the adoption.

Your Godfather,

Sirius.

P.S. I heard that the Weasleys are okay. Say hello to Ron for me!

Harry took out a quill, turned the letter over and wrote:

Sirius,

        You know that I want my parents back so much, but I really don't want you to adopt me. It's not that I don't like you; I'd risk my life for you! But, well, I don't want to push Dad aside. Or Mum for that matter. It would be lovely to have a father back again, but I only want my real Dad back. But don't take this the wrong way. I love you, but I'd like you to stay as my godfather.

Your caring godson,

Harry.

"Harry!" gasped Hermione. "What did you do that for? He'll be so upset now!"

"Like I said in the letter, I don't want to push Dad aside. Nor Mum. Sirius is like a father to me, but I'd rather stay as his godson," Harry replied, folding up the letter and tying it to Hedwig's leg. Hedwig flew off.

"But this was your one chance to get a dad back," Ron argued. "Forget about your parents! They're dead and they will never live again!" Ron was nearly yelling. The whole Great Hall had gone silent and was listening to the argument. Professor McGonagall had tried to get up and stop the argument, but Dumbledore had lad a hand on her arm and prevented her from stopping the dispute.

Ron didn't know how mad he had just made Harry by saying his foolish words. Harry shook with uncontrollable anger. Every single pair of eyes was on Harry as he stood up pulled Ron up by the front of the collar of his robes, so that Ron's face was level with Harry's.

"YOU'RE PARENTS HAVEN'T BEEN MURDERED! YOU'RE MUM AND DAD DIDN'T DIE TO TRY AND SAVE YOUR LIFE! YOU STILL HAVE A FAMILY TO LOVE YOU! I DON'T! SO HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOUR PARENTS WERE DEAD AND SOMEBODY WANTED TO TAKE THEIR PLACE? NOBODY CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR REAL PARENTS! IT ISN'T THE SAME!" Harry yelled those words so loud that the house-elves from the kitchen were peeking around the wall to the Great Hall to see what was going on. Ron was shaking with fear and his face was pale. Harry dropped him to the floor and Ron ran back to his seat and Hermione gave him a hug. Harry suddenly fled from the Great Hall. Rachel threw Ron an angry look and ran after Harry. They both ran through the castle and up to the Gryffindor dormitories. Being the Head Boy, Harry knew what the password was, and Rachel followed him into the Gryffindor Common room. Harry flung himself into a couch and closed his eyes. Rachel sat down next to him without saying a word. He wasn't crying and Rachel wondered why.

"I know something about his past that his parents and their friends knew about. But Mum made me swear not to tell him. And being the best friend of Lily Potter, Mum knows quite a few things that Harry doesn't," Rachel thought to herself. "But he has a right to know! He needs to know! I've got to tell him…"

"Er, Harry?" Rachel spoke up tentatively, putting her hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry's eyes flew open and he twisted around to see who had spoken, and when he saw Rachel, he jumped. Rachel giggled.

"Yeah?"

"There's something I need to tell you about."

"Wait. Before you speak, I need to tell you something. The night before I came to Hogwarts, I had this dream."

"Go on."

"Well, I was in Hogsmeade, in a blizzard without my cloak. And – and you appeared, and you told me that one day, I would meet you, and you would tell me something important – something I have been longing to hear. Then Voldemort came up behind you, laughed, there was a flash of green light and then I woke up."

When Harry had mentioned that Rachel would tell him "something he had been longing to hear", she had gasped.

"What?"

"Well, I need to tell you something. My –"

Rachel was cut off by the portrait of the Fat Lady, which swung open in a bang and Hermione stormed in.

"I can't believe that just happened!" Hermione cried. Then she noticed Harry and Rachel staring at her and realized that she had caught them talking, and Harry didn't look so angry anymore.

"Did I interrupt something?" she asked.

"No," Rachel said quickly. Suddenly, the portrait opened again with such force that it fell of and shattered.

"Repario," Hermione said, pointing her wand at the portrait. It flew back into its usual state, and the Fat Lady called out, "thank you!"

Ron stormed in, but the moment he saw Harry, he stopped dead in his tracks, turned pale and started to shake. Harry, noticing this, was amused.

"Oh, where have you been, Ronniekins?" Harry asked, using the name that Ron hated the most. "Have you been off telling the other Gryffindors that they're better off with godparents instead of parents?"

"No, Harry! I – I'm sorry I said that, I guess I just wanted you to be happy. I mean, I wanted you to have a father and not be an orphan."

"Well…" Harry said slowly, thinking of whether to accept the apology or not. He hadn't been expecting Ron to apologize so soon.

"Oh, Harry! Just accept the apology! I don't want to repeat our fourth year trying to get you two to be friends!" Hermione snapped.

"Oh, all right. I'm sorry, too, Ron. I guess that talking about my parents is a touchy subject," Harry told Ron. They slapped each other on the back as a way of being friends again. Hermione rolled her eyes. Rachel giggled.

"Okay, now. Harry, while we are Head Boy and Girl, we need to set a demonstration of how Gryffindor students should behave…" Hermione started. Harry and Ron groaned, and Rachel just sat there, wondering why the boys were groaning.

"It's the first day back, and she's already started," Ron said to Harry. Harry grinned in reply.

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    Author's Note:  Okay, first of all, I'm trying not to put too many cliffhangers in, and I'm typing these out as fast as I can, so please be patient! Secondly, somebody pointed out that it was way too soon to start asking for dates to a ball when it was being held at the end of the year. But I put it that way because some students were so excited, they started asking and they set everybody else off! Oh, and I apologize for putting Cho Chang in a previous chapter, since she's a year older than Harry. Thank you to the people who point out these mistakes! I'll try and watch out next time! Thirdly, thank you so much to the people who read and review! You know who you are, but I'll mention the people that I can remember. Starlight (she hasn't actually had the time recently to read or review, but she's promised to review soon, so thank you to her), Caitlyn, Jilliana and Elani Wrapdon. Those are the only people that I can remember, but if you have read and reviewed, THANK YOU!!!! J

Next, PLEASE review!!!! It really makes my day, so please; compliments and constructive criticism are appreciated! (NO FLAMES!!!)

If you want some good fics to read, check out my "Favourite Stories" list, or "Favourite Authors" list. I highly recommend Starlight's "Harry Potter and the Mirror's Gift" and the sequel to it, "Harry Potter and the Jade Dragon". Also, check out the stories of the people I mentioned who had reviewed, and the other people I cannot remember who have also reviewed!

I encourage people to put a plug in for themselves at the end of their review, so please do! I don't mind! I'll check out your stories if you do! (If you don't I will still read your fics anyway, but some people might think that if you don't ask, you don't want them to read the fics!)

Oh, and if you think that this is totally rubbish, feel free to throw fruit and vegetables at me! But make sure you include grapes, because I love 'em!

And if you have read all the way through this Author's Note, give yourself a pat on the back for listening to me rambling on and on and on and on and on and on and on…

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