A/N: After scourging through Rita's reports in GoF, I finally figured out what she writes in the Prophet about Harry! And I forgot to mention in the last chapter about her seeing Sirius there. He is still a wanted man ye know! *slaps forehead and thumbs through GoF again*
Disclaimer: I own the plot and Saerry Snape. Everything else is JKR's.
Harry Potter and the Dark Defenses
Chapter 14 ***Everything Hits the Ceiling Fan***
Hermione was awoken from sleep by a tapping. Opening her eyes she saw the tawny owl that normally delivered the Daily Prophet to Malfoy Manor outside her window. Letting the owl in, she paid it and opened the paper to the front page.
Promptly dropping her jaw in surprise when she read the headline.
Harry Potter
The Boy Who Betrayed
For seven years, Harry Potter, the boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had no contact with the world, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. It seems that he has returned and the rather eccentric Headmaster of Hogwart's, Albus Dumbledore, has given him the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.
But where has Potter been for the last seven years? The truth is quite shocking.
It seems that just a few weeks after graduating from Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Potter joined forces with You-Know-Who himself.
One would think that the Boy-Who-Lived would never have done such a thing but it is truth. Your Daily Prophet reporter had proof of this as she has seen the Dark Mark on Potter's arm.
This may be a shock to the wizarding world but it should be known. No sane person would have thought this possible but its true. This reporter would rather not take sides but she suggests that those that have children at Hogwart's swiftly get them home before Potter decides to return to his old ways.
Hermione gaped at the paper.
How the hell did she get out of the jar? It's unbreakable!
Shaking herself, she threw on her robes and headed for the door of her chambers. She had to let Harry know about this.
Paper clutched in hand, she opened the door and gasped.
Harry stood in her doorway, his green eyes blazing. A rumpled issue of the Daily Prophet was in his clenched fist.
Hermione goggled at him, unable to say a word.
"How?"
The word was forced out between Harry's clenched teeth as he glared at Hermione.
He snarled, "You said that jar was unbreakable."
"It was."
"Then explain to me how in the hell she managed to write a report!"
Harry threw the paper at Hermione's feet. Every line in him spoke of intense anger and his eyes reflected it. Hermione couldn't look into the emerald orbs that she had loved over seven years ago.
She had betrayed her best friend.
By now every wizard and witch that read the Prophet had read Rita's report and were probably having heart attack's at that very moment. The thought of what was in that paper was absurd to most of them.
Harry Potter, a Death Eater.
But Hermione knew it was true. She was one of the few who did.
Suddenly there was a bang from down the hall and they both looked to see McGonagall glaring at them, her eyes half filled with anger and the other half with fear.
Harry turned to Hermione and hissed softly, "Goodbye Hermione. I'm afraid this will be the last time we see each other as I am now out of a job and more than likely hunted as we speak. Take care."
In a swirl of black robes he turned and strode down the hall to his room past a flustered McGonagall, who backed away from him.
Hermione looked after him for a moment then fell to her knees, her body wracked by sobs.
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Harry stormed into his room and looked around. He didn't have much time before Fudge and a group of Aurors, or worse, Dementors, came storming into Hogwart's, looking for him.
Quickly he stuffed his wand into his robes then walked over to his old school trunk. Opening it he pulled out his father's invisibility cloak and his old Firebolt. The former was thrown over the back of a chair while the latter was shrunk with a quick spell and tucked into the same pocket as his wand. He also pulled out the Maurauder's map and stuffed it into his pocket.
Taking up the invisibility cloak he looked around the room one last time. Sadness quickly took the place of the anger surging through him as he did.
It would be the last time he would see it.
Swinging the invisibility cloak about his shoulders he hurried out of the room.
He had to see Dumbledore before he left.
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Cornelius Fudge laid his copy of the Daily Prophet down on his desk and frowned. He thought, I always knew Potter would cause trouble one day.
Rising, he stormed out of his office, yelling something about Aurors and Hogwart's.
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Harry hurried along the corridors to Dumbledore's office. Luckily no one was in the hallways as it was a Saturday and around 7:00 in the morning, with no Hogsmeade weekend planned. So most of the students were either still asleep or doing something in their common room.
He hurried over to the gargoyle statue and muttered the password (Chocolate Frog). Bounding up the stairs he burst into Dumbledore's office, throwing back the hood of the invisibility cloak as he did.
Luckily the headmaster was alone.
The normally twinkling blue eyes looked at him sadly.
"Hello Harry. I presume you saw the paper."
Harry nodded and replied, "I did. What I'm wondering is how that bloody woman got out of the jar Hermione had her in."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Jar?"
"Hermione caught Rita in her Animagus form at the end of fourth year. She kept her in a jar that was supposedly unbreakable."
Dumbledore was silent for a moment. Then he said, "I doubt Mrs. Malfoy let Ms. Skeeter out."
Harry growled, "Then who did? The jar was sealed as well!"
"I don't have the foggiest idea Harry but," Dumbledore glanced out the window then continued, "you might want to be going now. Minister Fudge and a group of Aurors are here. Mr. Weasely is with them."
"Oh hell. I never wanted this."
"Your friends know you did not Harry."
"Sirius doesn't believe me."
Dumbledore smiled gently and placed a hand on Harry's still invisible shoulder.
"He will understand Harry. Just give him time."
Harry looked down at the floor and muttered, "I don't have time."
Dumbledore nodded and said, "No, you do not. Hurry Harry. And good luck."
Harry smiled and said, "Thank you for everything Professor."
"Go."
Pulling the hood back over his head, Harry fled from Dumbledore's office. Just as he came out from behind the gargoyle he saw Fudge and the Aurors coming down the hall. Ron was stone-faced, but his eyes were darting from side to side. Harry thanked God that Mad-Eye Moody was retired or else he'd have already been caught.
Fudge pounded on the now closed gargoyle then was invited up into the office by Dumbledore, Harry moved close to Ron. Fudge growled out orders for the Aurors to search the school then vanished after Dumbledore. As Ron went past him, Harry tapped him on the shoulder and whispered, "Moody would have been helpful in this."
Ron jumped then relaxed when he heard his voice.
"Harry, your either very stupid or very brave to stay here."
"Yea, I know Ron. You read the paper?"
"Of course."
Harry nodded to himself and sighed. After a moment he said, "I've got to get out of here fast before they find me."
Ron leaned against the wall by the gargoyle and asked, "Where?"
"Lupin's I think. It might be slightly suicidal but I'll give it a go anyway. After all, I was in Voldemort's company for seven years. There's nothing more suicidal than that."
"I agree with you there."
Harry smiled and squeezed his friend's shoulder. He whispered, "Tell Hermione I'm sorry for yelling at her this morning. It wasn't her fault."
"I understand. Good luck Harry."
"You too Ron."
Harry turned away from his friend and fled.
A/N: *stretches* AGH. Four pages of work. Dear old Voldie will show up soon and Harry's going to get some revenge on Rita. *evil grin* And boy am I going to enjoy writing that! The woman is my least favorite char, along with Fudge. Bloody annoying gits the both of um. Anyway, its 10:47pm here in good ole Mississip and I'm thinking of writing Chapter 15. Now, what am I going to do in it….?