"Oh honestly not this again" Hermione complained at breakfast the next.

"What?" He asked looking at her curiously. She didn't reply and instead handed over the newspaper she'd been reading.

Harry's eyes scanned until he found what she'd been looking at. An article by Rita Skeeter about Hermione, him and Viktor.

"I didn't even go to ball with him this time. We only danced once!" She said angrily.

"I'm sorry Hermione" He said, knowing how upset it was making her.

"It's alright. I don't have to put up with it this time" She got up from her seat.

"Where are you going?"

"To find a beetle" She muttered walking off. Harry shook his head and smiled.

"Hey Potter" Harry turned to see Cedric approach. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Uh sure" He tried to act surprised when Cedric pulled him aside and told him to take a bath with his egg then thanked him.

Harry decided not to bother with the egg this time. After all he knew what would happen and he really did not want to run into Moaning Myrtle while bathing again. It had been so awkward and embarrassing.

It was strange to think the second task was already approaching, and then Sirius would arrive. Harry wondered if Hermione would be his hostage this time around. It was the most obvious choice after all, especially considering they went to the ball together and he hadn't even spoken to Ron in ages.

Hermione return soon after looking triumphant and he knew from her thoughts that she had been successful.

What are you planning to get to her to do this time?

Well for one publish a second article that Hermione Granger is dating Harry Potter NOT Viktor Krum. But more importantly prevent her from writing about Hagrid being a half giant. She probably already has it in mind after overhearing at the ball.

Harry blushed. It's not that he didn't want people to know he and Hermione were together, but putting in the paper for the world to see was a little embarrassing.

Oh Harry I won't do it if you don't want me to, she assured him having picked up on his thoughts.

No it's alright Hermione. I just need to get used to the idea. Besides if we do it soon enough hopefully you won't get sent a bunch of hate mail for 'playing with two celebrities feelings'. Hermione grinned.

I don't know that it will completely prevent it. After all it's bound to leave more than a few girls jealous that the famous Harry Potter is taken, she teased lightly.

I'm glad you thought of this. I'd hate for Hagrid to go through what he did last time.

I am too. It may be small compared to the other things we have to change but it's just as important as far as I'm concerned. Thank you for giving me my memories, Harry.

It's good to know I'll have you by my side through all this.

She kissed his cheek affectionately. I always will be.

The second task passed much like the first time except that Harry had been correct in assuming Hermione would be his hostage. A few days after that Rita Skeeter published an article about them (that had been pre-approved by Hermione). It didn't come as much surprise to the rest of the school, they'd already know they were together. Cho had been spreading it around since the day after Yule ball. Besides that, people had thought they were together even before then.

And so at long last the day came when Sirius had finally arrived. Harry and Hermione spent the morning going over their plans.

What if he doesn't believe us?, Harry questioned, beginning to feel nervous.

I don't know. Hopefully he will with me there to back up your story. Besides how else could we have acquired the information we're telling him?

You're right. He'll believe us, he has to.

"And how are the love birds doing this morning?" They both looked up from the breakfast table to see the Weasley twins giving them a teasing mischievous grin.

Harry and Hermione had discussed at length what to do about the Weasleys. They knew neither Molly or Ron could be trusted, but what about the others? Harry reasoned that the man he'd met after dying, would have explicitly warned him if the others were a problem. Hermione agreed but still advised caution.

And so in the end they had decided to enlist the twins to help with the plan they were putting into action later today.

"We're doing fine, thanks. And you?"

"Never better!" Fred and George chorused together. They had been in a remarkably good mood ever since winning the betting pool they'd had running of when Harry and Hermione would get together this year. So naturally they were more than willing to help them out with this.

"Great! You remember your mission?"

"Of course. We've been wanting to get at Moody all year" One of the twins replied.

Harry had long since decided that Sirius was not going to be stuck in that cave for the remainng school year, living off rats. The plan in question was to smuggle Sirius into the castle under the invisibility cloak and have him hide out in the Room of Requirement. This way he'd also be much closer to Harry and could start helping research the horcruxes.

The only hitch in this plan was Moody aka Barty Crouch Jr, which is why they enlisted the twins to prank him, thus providing ample distraction so that he did spot Sirius under the cloak. Harry had also decided that as soon he cleared Sirius of being innocent by capturing Pettigrew when he went through the third task this time around, he would introduce the twins to the one and only Padfoot.

Hermione slipped her hand into Harry's, sensing his apprehension as they followed Sirius in dog form down to the cave. Any minute now they'd be meeting him face to face. Their first time seeing him after his death in the previous timeline.

Harry tried to compose himself when it happened, he was determined not to cry at least, but he ran forward and hugged his godfather fiercely the second he turned to human form.

"All right there Harry?" He asked in surprise.

"It's so so good to see you" Harry's voice was hoarse with emotion.

Sirius laughed. "It's only been a few months."

"Years actually" He whispered softly. Sirius then noticed Hermione and greeted her too.

"Where's Ron?" Sirius asked next.

"Er well, we had a bit of a falling out with him" Harry admitted awkwardly.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks. Listen we've figured somewhere for you to stay." They explained about the Room of Requirement and their plan.

"We can talk more privately once there" Hermione added which Sirius readily agreed to do.

The plan went off smoothly, as soon as they made it to the castle Harry gave the twins his signal and while Moody was distracted, they got Sirius safely inside.

Harry pictured a nice living quarters for Sirius to stay in, something small but cozy, with a bathroom and bedroom, and then made sure to add the security feature, that no one could see the door leading into it but the three of them. He had arranged earlier with Dobby to bring Sirius meals from the kitchen, swearing the house elf to the utmost secrecy.

"This is amazing" Sirius whistled upon entrance. "I can't believe we never found this place when we were in school. I can think of so many uses." Harry and Hermione sat on the sofa while Sirius took the arm chair. "So shall we discuss further about who put your name in the goblet and what they might be planning for you?" His godfather asked, assuming that's where the conversation was headed. Harry glanced at Hermione for reassurance and she nodded. Then he took the plunge.

"We already know. Barty Crouch Jr. is polyjuiced as as our defense teacher, Mad Eye Moody. He's transfigured the trophy for the third task into a portkey that will take me to a graveyard where Voldemort will use my blood to resurrect and create a new body himself." Sirius stared in disbelief.

"What?!" He exclaimed. "How on earth did you figure all that out? What have you done about it so far? Have you told Dumbledore?" The questions tumbled out one after another.

"Well that's where this next bit gets…tricky to explain" Harry admitted.

"But we swear to you that every word we're about to say is true" Hermione added. They had his full attention now. Harry took a deep breath and began recounting everything from all that had happened in the previous timeline past this point in the current one, to dying and being sent back in time.

Sirius stared dumbfounded for a several minutes after he finished. Then he burst out laughing. "Not a chip off your old man are you? have to say you really had me going for a few minutes there. But really Harry, as much as I love good joke, this whole tournament situation is serious business." He smiled a bit when he used the word 'serious'.

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks of disappointment. Now what? Fortunately when Sirius saw their grave expressions, his smile dropped. "You-you're not joking? You really…but that's impossible."

"I'd have said the same thing if Harry hadn't given me my future memories" Hermione replied.

"But as crazy as it all is, I'm glad it happened" Harry said, voice beginning to crack with emotion. "You died Sirius, I mentioned it briefly a bit earlier in my explanation, but you really truly died at the end of my fifth year. I thought I'd never see you again but now here you are." He couldn't hold back the tears any longer and Hermione wrapped her arms around him in comfort.

"Harry…I don't know what to say but I can see you're telling the truth. I have no idea how this happened but I'll just choose to be grateful for it." Harry wiped at the tears with his sleeve and pulled himself together after hearing this.

From there things went much smoother. Harry explained about how Voldemort coming back was a fixed point, so while he couldn't prevent it completely he did at least plan to change things by preventing Cedric from dying and taking the opportunity to nab Pettigrew so they could clear his godfather's name.

Next Harry talked in length about the horcruxes. Which ones had been found and destroyed and what still remained unknown. When he talked about the locket, Sirius perked up.

"Well that's one we'll be able to get quite easily at least then, since Mundungus Fletcher hasn't been able to steal it from Grimmauld place yet in this point in time. Once I'm a free man I'll be able to go after the ring as well. From there we'll start looking for the ones we don't know about. But it makes the most sense to do the ones we can get to first."

"We still haven't figured out a way to destroy them yet" Hermione then explained. "But we had a thought, basilisk venom! It destroyed Riddle's diary which was a horcrux, it makes sense that it would work on the others."

"Which reminds me, we still need to venture down into the chamber at some point while we're still at school to try and collect some of the venom" Harry replied.

"Lend me the cloak and I can go for you" Sirius offered. He looked much happier to finally feel of use for a change.

"You can't. Not without me anyway, I'm the only one who can open it since I'm a parselmouth."

"Plus we don't know what to collect the venom in yet" Hermione added. "I'm sure Snape must have a container for such a thing in his own personal stores somewhere."

"Hermione that's a brilliant idea. I'll ask Dobby to look for it, after all he got me the gillyweed for the second task there." She gave him an affectionate smile which he returned.

Suddenly Sirius gave them a knowing look. "You two would happen to be dating by any chance would you?" He smirked. Harry and Hermione both blushed at this.

"You are then! Good, otherwise I'd have felt obliged to suggest the idea of you two getting together myself."

Should we tell him?, Harry asked Hermione.

Might as well, there's no reason to hide it from him. And maybe he'll know something about this whole thing. They turned back to Sirius.

"It's a little more than just dating" Harry admitted, feeling his face reddening. "When we had our first kiss, well um. It bonded our souls."

Sirius' eyes widened at this. "Then that means…" He stood up slowly and walked over to Hermione. His face broke into the biggest grin. "You're part of the family now!" He clapped Harry on the back and embraced Hermione.

"You mean you've heard of it?" Harry asked in astonishment.

"Heard of it! James and Lily were soul bonded too! Of course they kept it secret from everyone except me. Most people think it's a myth these days, but old pureblood families like mine still believe in it. I didn't of course, at least that is not until I saw it for myself with James and Lily. Do you two have the telepathic connection as well?" He asked eagerly.

"We do" They answered in unison. Sirius laughed loudly in response.