Lizzie Heart and the Years after Hogwarts.
Chapter five: Research.
Hogwarts – 1998.
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lizzie were all sitting in the library skimming through as many books as they can muster before dinner about Hogwarts and the all the pupils who have been on the Hogwarts Express.
Lizzie had got the idea whilst staying at her sister's flat one weekend. It was something Remus had said to her when they were talking about Lizzie's favourite subject, Quidditch.
"But the Tornados are going to win the league this year, I know it." Said Lizzie, sitting at the table, sipping her after dinner coffee.
"You never know, the Cannons might have a come back." Said Remus, sipping his own coffee delicately.
"Yeah right. The Tornados are too strong for the Cannons." Lizzie said, defeatously.
"But they make their weaknesses too well known. If you know someone's weaknesses, they are easier to defeat." Said Remus wisely and sipping his coffee once more.
After Lizzie told Harry about what she had realized, they both told Remus and Alex about it. And so, the researching started.
Alex looked at the Ministry for them but made the point that Voldemort probably has no weaknesses but Tom Riddle probably did. After that the seventh year friends were looking up and down the library for any mention of the name.
"Here's another reference about him." Ron said giving an open book to Hermione for her to read.
"Riddle, Tom Marvolo excelled in most of his classes as Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry and also received a Special Services for the School award for identifying the Heir of Slytherin when the Chamber of Secrets was opened in 1942." Hermione read out loud to the other three.
"Well that's nothing new – we already knew all that." Harry moaned.
"Don't worry we'll find something." Lizzie comforted, squeezing Harry's hand. Harry strained a smile.
But they all knew all this researching wasn't working. They had been looking for three months already and hadn't found much about Voldemort's weaknesses.
"Well, maybe we already have. It's probably right in front of our noses and we just can't see it." Hermione stated, surveying the many open books in front of her.
"Yeah, thanks Hermione. That makes me feel a whole lot better." Harry said sarcastically. Hermione scowled. At this, Lizzie stood up and ran her fingers down the spines of hefty red volumes of the school records.
"We've looked there," Ron said from the table, taking another book from the pile. "The only mention of Riddle is his school report when he finished his NEWTs."
Harry and Hermione looked curiously at one another, speculating what Lizzie could be thinking.
"Yes, but I wonder," She said vaguely, pulling of the R-Ru volume and walking back over to the table. Hermione looked expectantly as she flicked through the many school reports and eventually found Ton Riddle.
"You wonder what?" Harry asked, looking intrigued and leaning over Lizzie.
"Well we knew that he excelled in most of his classes, it says so in that book that Hermione just read out, I was just wondering which classes." She said, scanning the report.
"How will that help us?" Ron asked.
"Well, if he got moved up classes, then he wouldn't have…learnt the basics." Hermione said vaguely, understanding where Lizzie was heading. Both Harry and Ron looked confused.
"Ah ha!" Lizzie exclaimed, eyes wide, "Voldemort was the top student of the year and when he was a third year, he was taken out of his Defence Against the Darks Arts class and was taught OWL level by a Mr. Johnny Ferdinand, who was an Auror and specialized in dueling! He did the Defence OWL early!"
Lizzie looked up at the others. Hermione's eyes were in realization and you could see the cogs working in Harry's brain.
"And what does that mean?" Ron asked, still obviously confused.
"It means that Riddle didn't learn anything that we did in third and fourth year." Hermione said witheringly. "We learnt how to duel and the dueling curses in fourth year by the Moody imposter." Stated Harry."But what about in third year. What Remus taught us, there must be something." Said Hermione, thinking.
"We learnt how to defend ourselves against Dark Creatures. You know, Redcaps and Hinkypunks." Ron declared.
"I can't remember everything. We need Remus here." Harry sighed.
"Well, third year, what sticks in our minds about third year?" Hermione asked the boys.
"You punching Malfoy." Ron said.
"Falling one hundred and fifty foot off a broom." Harry said.
"Buckbeak"
"Dementors"
"Hogsmeade"
"The Marauder's map"
"Scabbers being Peter Pettigrew"
"Sirius Black"
Ron was about to say something else, but stopped himself. Harry was still mourning his late Godfather, but not as much as his was this time last year.
"Come on, what else?" Lizzie questioned.
With a side glance at Harry, Ron carried on. "That blasted cat, Crookshanks." Hermione glared at Ron.
"Boggarts." Said Harry and after a second, his face lit up. "That's it! Boggarts!" he exclaimed which made Madam Pince stare fiercely at him.
&&&&&&&&&
Lizzie, Ron and Hermione were sitting on one side of the table in the back room of the conference room at the Ministry, whilst Harry, Remus and Alex sat on the other side, silently. They were all nervous and anxious about what was going to happen when the walk through that door. A mass of reporters and journalists could be heard mumbling outside excitedly about what was going to be revealed, everyone knew that this was the day, that the History of Magic was change forever. Children will learn about these past twenty years for many years to come. They will do essays on the subject, analyzing every little detail and making constructive decisions on why it all had to happen. The past twenty years will actually make the History of Magic lessons in the future fun and interesting, despite always going to be taught by a ghost.
Remus gently placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, "You don't have to do this," he began, "You can change your mind now and walk away."
Harry shook his head, "No, it's time for everyone to know."
"But why now?" he asked.
"Nearly nineteen years, they have been waiting to hear everything. They want to know how I survived with only a scar, how I got away in total six times and why he came after me. Only few know the truth because many refused to hear and believe it. I have lost many people to Voldemort; I am not the only victim of the last two wars. Everyone has lost someone close to their hearts and they have a right to know why." Harry finished and there was awe around the table.
"Well said mate, well said." Ron applauded. The door opened and a Ministry Official walked through.
"Mr. Potter, they are waiting."
Harry stood up and looked in turn at everyone and his look lingered just a second longer on Lizzie.
"I know, they have been waiting too long. Come on guys," said Harry, "it's show time."
(A/N: I so wanted to end here. But I think you lot deserve a little but more…)
Harry led everyone through the door and a blaze of white flashes hit them as they sat at a long table. The mass of reporters and journalists were in front of them, all looking eager. Each seat was filled and many others were standing all around. The Ministry Official walked directly in front of the table.
"Ok, no more photography please. Mr. Potter has kindly agreed to hold this conference with his colleagues, Miss Lizzie Heart, Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger, Miss Alexandra Heart and Mr. Remus Lupin." He said pointing to each in turn as reporter jotted down their names. "Ok, Mr. Potter will tell his story and questions will be at the end." He turned and looked at Harry, "Ok, go ahead."
Harry cleared his throat and glanced sideways at everyone. He breathed and began, "When I was one, my parents, James and Lily Potter were murdered by Lord Voldemort. I was sent, by Albus Dumbledore to my Aunt Petunia Dursley's home to be raised. Professor Dumbledore knew that I would be safe there because of the blood-tie spell," Harry paused as many reporters gasped at the revelation.
"Because my mother selflessly died for me, an ancient bond was performed without her knowing so. The Avada Kevada that Voldemort cast rebounded because of this. I grew up thinking the muggle way because – let's just say my Aunt and Uncle weren't exactly wizard friendly and wanted all things as muggle as could be. I got my Hogwarts letter just before my eleventh birthday and at first I could not believe it, but when Hagrid came and got me, I realized that this was what I was – a wizard. Hagrid only told me little about Lord Voldemort, just to explain why everybody knew me and was greeting me in the street." Harry paused again to see the reporters taken in every word that he was saying,
"On September first, 1990, I was on the Hogwarts Express where I met my best friend, Ron," Harry looked down the table at Ron, whose ears were turning red in embarrassment, "and he has been my best friend ever since. On that first train ride I also met Hermione, who at the time I thought was arrogant, but after a troll incident on Halloween we all became good friends. At the end of my first year I came face to face with Voldemort himself, not in body but in living in another's, Professor Quirrell, my first Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He wanted the Philosopher's Stone, which was under the protection on Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore at the time. I managed to acquire it and Voldemort, once more, ran away into hiding.
"In my second year, the Chamber of Secrets was opened. There was so much speculation as to who was the Heir of Slytherin and I was the one to find out that it was a sixteen-year-old boy who had preserved himself in a diary for fifty years. It was Tom Riddle. After the basilisk was struck with Godric Gryffindor's sword, I destroyed the diary was the basilisk's fang and Tom Riddle was gone.
"In my third year, I did not come across Lord Voldemort, but learnt a lot about my father's history. Thanks to one man, Remus Lupin," The photographers snapped a couple of pictures, "He took over the Defence against the Dark Arts job and taught me and my classmates more then we could imagine. That was the year there was uproar about Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban. During the school year, I found out about what Sirius had allegedly had done. I swore I was going to kill him when he came after me, but I learnt something much more when I did meet him. He did not," Harry seemed to put more empathsis on the words, "betray my parents and he was not one of Voldemort's supporters. But was my Godfather." There was another gasp as the journalist's scribbled down what Harry had said.
"And so, we come onto my fourth year and as you all know, that was the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament. I have already given an interview about what happened when I was transported away from Hogwarts and met Voldemort again when I was in fifth year to The Quibbler. I think you can all dig up that from your files somewhere." Harry took a breather, when he repeated all that had happened to him, it brought back memories of the emotions he felt.
"In 1995, I was introduced to The Order of the Phoenix, the organization started by Albus Dumbledore, and to Occlumency lessons, given by Professor Snape. Those didn't really work well and they led for me and five other students, which included Ron, Hermione, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottam. The latter two unfortunately died at the final battle. As I was saying, my lack of concentration in Occlumency led for us to abruptly go to the Department of Mysteries, as I saw a vision in which Voldemort was torturing Sirius. There, several Death Eaters attacked us. The Order came in the nick of time and saved us. But," Harry's eyes watered slightly, "Sirius was murdered by Bellatrix LeStrange. That was the worst moment of my life. I learnt shortly afterwards about the prophecy, which stated in a nutshell that I was destined to kill Voldemort or he was destined to kill me. Be murdered or become a murderer." Harry took another breath and carried on,
"My sixth year was quite interesting. I met Lizzie and Alex, who are sisters and moved over from Italy that summer. Lizzie started Hogwarts with me, Hermione and Ron and Alex taught Defence Against the Dark Arts. In that year, the Death Eaters forced entry into the school and took Lizzie and I to the shrieking shack. I can't remember exactly how but we got away. Regrettably, the beloved Professor Dumbledore died. And it only made me more determined to defeat Voldemort." Harry breathed again, and another flash shone in his eyes.
"Seventh year was research. Every spare moment myself, Lizzie, Ron and Hermione were in the library skimming books for any mention of Tom Riddle. You see, as Remus once wisely said, if you know someone's weaknesses, they are easier to defeat. The solution came to us one day as Lizzie found his school report. It was simple and it was right in front of us. The way to defeat Voldemort was with a boggart."
Most of the reporter's jaws dropped and some even laughed unbelievingly.
"Oh come on! A boggart!" One shouted from the back.
"Oh but it is true, all of it." Alex said in reply.
"That's how it was done." Ron added.
"Alright then, how?" Another guy questioned who was sitting down.
"Remus," Harry said, nodding at him to explain.
"Right, a boggart is a shape-shifter. It shapes whatever the person fears the most thus making it so terrifying. So, if I was to take my friend Ron over here as an example, if he was faced with a boggart, it was shift into a giant spider, would it not?" Remus asked Ron who sheepishly nodded. "Ok, so how do we fight a boggart?" he asked rhetorically, "by laughter. So say, what if a boggart faced someone who didn't know how to laugh? Someone who was so unhappy and so isolated that he never learnt how to laugh?"
The mass of reporters just stood there silenced and in awe.
"Also, we found his school report which was written about his whole school career at Hogwarts." Harry stated, "Hermione." He pointedly said, motioning her to read the school report.
"Yes, well this was written in 1945 by Professor Armando Dippett, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She took a deep breath and began to read, "Tom Riddle was the top student of the year. He is determined and very bright. He excelled in most of his classes and even did his Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL early. Mr. Johnny Ferdinand, an Auror of the Ministry, tutored him for it and emphasized the dueling aspect of Defence." Hermione finished and looked up, "And then it goes on about his Special Services Award."
Most of the reporters gave confused looks.
"He wasn't taught anything that was on the curriculum for third and fourth year," Lizzie put blankly, "Therefore, wasn't taught how to fight a boggart."
"Any questions?" Harry asked the bemused faces of the nation's wizarding reporters.