CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Quiet when I'm coming home, and I'm on my own
I do not own Harry Potter, that being said, please don't steal what I write
-o0o0o0o-
There was a particularly irksome moment in time when during a full moon, Severus Snape had been the substitute teacher for the third year DADA class.
He entered the room, shuttling the windows shut, in a blur of black robes and greasy hair. Harry truly thought it was the most dramatic entrance he had ever seen in his life.
"Turn to page 394." Snape snarled at the students, who rushed to do as told, many of them grim that Remus Lupin had taken sick as they now had to deal with Snape.
Harry and his friends knew better, as his eyes narrowed considerably once he saw what was on the page. Werewolves.
"But we've only just covered redcaps and hinkypunks!" Hermione protested, her eyes filled with panic. They knew what Remus was. "We're not meant to start nocturnal creatures for weeks."
"In this classroom we do as I say, Ms. Granger," Snape sneered. "15 points from Gryffindor."
"But sir–"
"You will raise your hand in this class, Granger."
Hermione narrowed her eyes, loathing flashing through her soft brown gaze.
The class went on with Snape teaching them about the 'barbaric', 'disgusting', 'loathsome', 'dangerous,' 'beasts'. It took all of Harry and their friends to sit in their seats and not kill the man right in front of them.
Snape assigned essays to everyone instructing them to talk about all the ways to kill a werewolf. Harry was damn close to bursting.
At one point, during a horribly bigoted tangent, he did burst, by calling Snape a disgusting bigot. Snape cringed as he took 30 points from his own house.
After class, Harry and friends threatened their yearmates not to write the essay. Truth be told, they didn't need to be told twice.
Nobody turned in the essay when it was due. Snape was livid. Remus was thankful.
-o0o0o0o-
The school year had passed in a blur of coursework, laughs, and Quidditch for the group save for the beginning of the year.
Hagrid was being put on trial by Asterion Selwyn for his Hippogriff project. He had asked Harry and the others if they could come down to be with him before the execution of Buckbeak was to take place.
But as they were making their way down to the hut, Theo spotted a grey and fat rat missing a toe running along the field.
Theo followed it, his friends, not knowing what made him begin to run with such inhumane speed did their best to catch up, but the sight of the rat blurred out of Theo's vision as it ran towards the Whomping Willow and disappeared within its crazed branches and the trunk of the tree.
"What the bloody hell were you running for?" Harry gasped, clutching a stitch in his side as he now realised how dangerously close they stood to the magical tree.
"I–I thought I saw," Theo gasped. "Pettigrew."
"Pettigrew?" Daphne asked sharply. "Where did he go?"
"Underneath the tree," Theo whispered, perplexed as he stared at the violently swinging branches in wonder.
Neville muttered something under his breath and levitated a branch, weaving it through the splinters and branches to touch a knot at the base of the tree. It immobilised immediately. None of them questioned how he knew to do that, not even missing a beat, George spoke.
"Let's follow him then." George said simply, and they all silently followed, each in their own thoughts. Each of them wanting to avenge the Potters, but even moreso, wanting to be there for Harry. Their Harry.
Harry, who is there for everyone. The Harry that loves them. Harry, who they need as much as they need air. Harry, who needs them just as much.
Harry's mind was running at such intense speeds he did not have time to even focus on one single coherent thought, that is, if he had any.
They reached the trap door into the shrieking shack, and he saw the tiny paw prints of a rat scuttling across the dusted ground turned into footsteps of a man.
When they all walked in, Pettigrew sat there with a crazed grin.
"Harry, Harry Harry. I knew you'd find me." The look in his eyes was haunted and broken, as if only the mere months he had spent in Azkaban had taken whatever inch of sanity the man had left. Perhaps it had. Theo felt shivers go down his spine at the sheer insanity emanating from the man. His mind had broken.
"What do you want, Pettigrew?" Harry spat, the anger within him so strong, so visceral. Like a hot wave of pure fury washing over his frame. Before Peter could say any more, Remus walked in with Sirius and Frank behind him.
"Get away from our kids, Peter." Remus said, his wand trained onto his old friend. Looking into Remus' eyes, Hermione realised there was nothing within them. No emotion. No betrayal. No past love or friendship glistening in the kind man's eyes. They were just dead. Hollow.
Sirius and Frank looked much the same, but Sirius had a fierce anger hiding behind his storm grey eyes.
He would never forget that Peter was the one that effectively killed their best friends. He had only used Voldemort as the wand to do it.
"Ickle little Peter," Sirius sneered. "Always a follower. Never as talented, as smart, or as handsome as the rest of them."
Peter's manic grin began to falter as he looked at Sirius, his eyes showing he was registering the words as they darkened. For one moment, his eyes looked like the innocent little boy Sirius knew.
"And yet, it was I who broke the Marauders." He sneered, the manic glint in his eyes returning as a malicious smile spread across his lips. "Ickle little Peter, able to turn friend against friend. Untalented, poor, Peter, Secret Keeper of Lily and James Potter. Peter Pettigrew, the reason James and Lily died." he spat.
Sirius ditched his wand, holstering it and tackling Peter with his bare hands. "I'll kill you," Sirius spat.
"What are you waiting for?" Peter croaked out. "Do it, Padfoot." Sirius staggered back at the use of his nickname. Memories seemed to be playing in his mind of Peter bringing each of them their favourite desserts from the kitchens when he thought either of them were sad. Peter smiling and cheering them on. Peter turning into his animagus for the first time.
Peter lay on the ground, coughing so much blood stained his hands, then he began to laugh.
"You're a coward. You were too much of a coward to be their secret keeper, and you're too much of a coward to kill me, Sirius. Face it."
Harry could see Sirius begin to crumble, word after word.
"Don't listen to him, Sirius!" Daphne called out before Harry could. "You're not a coward! You're not the one who betrayed your best friends."
"I may as well have been," Sirius whispered, frozen in shock, his eyes staring at Pettigrew but as if he were looking through him rather than at him.
Peter was enjoying the way he made Sirius squirm, but Remus Lupin and Frank Longbottom – ever the unwavering and the brave – had their wands firmly trained on him.
"Give me one good reason not to kill you right now." Frank spat, loathing reflected in his eyes.
"I'll give you four words," Pettigrew said with a grin. "It's a full moon." As if it was on cue, as if he was waiting for it, it happened.
The moonlight bathed over Remus Lupin, who had neglected to take his wolfsbane potion that night.
"Oh no," Frank murmured. "Remus..Remus!"
Remus had keeled over, groaning in pain as every joint and bone in his body broke and reshaped itself. The children felt their eyes tear up watching their beloved teacher, one they had called Moony in their heads, be in so much pain. The depression, anger, hatred, hurt in Remus' very eyes as he began to turn.
"Kids! Out! Get out!" Frank began to usher all the children out, and Harry had been the last out the door. Waiting, wanting, to help the man who helped raise him. But he knew his efforts would be futile, for he was not an animagus, and Remus injuring him would hurt the man to the point that he may run away.
Run away rather than face the pain he caused Harry. And he would think himself a monster for the rest of his life. Harry could not do that to Remus, so he left.
An Earth shattering howl broke through the quickly slammed door, and the growl of a dog. The scuttling of a rat had been drowned out in all of the chaos. Frank had barely managed to shut the door of the Shrieking Shack, but not without everyone bearing witness to the sight of a bloodthirsty werewolf leaping towards them, only to be stopped by a large, black dog.
The kids were quiet the rest of the night as they allowed Frank to walk them all to the Gryffindor common room.
"Goodnight," Frank whispered softly. "I love you all."
Only Neville, Harry, and Draco mustered up a small 'I love you too.'
The friends sat in the Gryffindor tower in a seemingly catatonic state. There were no thoughts running through their minds. They didn't realise the blazing warmth of the hearth in the tower was causing them to sweat and their cheeks to flush.
Harry sat in silence, bathed in the company of his friends. It was all he had left, truly. He registered the howl of a werewolf in the distance. He couldn't help the small quirk of his lips as he recalled his fathers memories of him prancing around after a dog and a wolf.
Harry had lost Pettigrew once again. He didn't kill the traitor. He didn't know what irked him more. The fact that he didn't kill Pettigrew, or the fact that he wasn't sure what was going to happen next.
-o0o0o0o-
The summer holidays passed in a blur, and it was finally time for the Quidditch World Cup.
Harry had gone through quite the growth spurt, as had the rest of his friends. Blaise Zabini was now 179 centimetres (about 5'10) as were Harry, Draco, Neville, and Theo. Fred and George were taller, as they were entering their second to last year at Hogwarts. The twins stood at a whopping 188 centimetres (about 6'2). Harry's face had matured, his features now more angular, his eyes more vibrant. His lips were full, his cheekbones high and aristocratic, inheriting that from the Black side of his family. His hair was messy as ever, obsidian in colour and he had recently had it cut so it looked more tousled than usual.
Draco's white hair was slicked back and gelled as always, but he was beginning to like the messier hair look as well. Neville did nothing with his hair, as it just fell gracefully on his head in dirty blonde, almost brown, locks.
Harry looked at his friends and noticed the way they all matured, and could tell they have been training over the summer. They were toned, not muscled to the point of burliness, but lean and fit. He could feel their magical signatures expanding as their cores began getting larger as they are nearing their magical maturity more and more everyday.
Harry had not seen his favourite girls all summer, as the Greengrass family and the Grangers went on holiday together in France. The boys' families were invited as well, but as they were concerned for Harry's safety and his training was beginning to get more gruelling than ever, they decided he was safest behind the walls of Potter Manor for the time being.
The Quidditch World Cup would be the first time he was travelling outside of the Manor all summer, and Harry felt incredibly jittery. They would be taking a personal portkey, though Harry felt quite bad for the Weasley family as he felt he had stolen the twins away from what was to be a family bonding outing.
The twins assured him that their mother and father were alright with it, but Harry could not help the sad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Daphne and Hermione arrived, and they squealed as they saw their friends, running to each of them.
Harry could not help but notice how beautiful the girls became. Daphne's silky inky black hair fell to her lower back in soft waves, her pale jade coloured eyes more piercing than ever. Her body was beginning to fill with curves, and her smile seemed bigger.
Hermione was softer in all places that Daphne was angular. Her soft features offset Daphne's sharp pureblood features. Hermione's cheekbones accented her face, her light brown eyes seeming amber, liquid gold in the light. Her hair now soft ringlets of brown instead of bushy. Her buck-like teeth are now even.
"You both look beautiful," Harry said as a greeting, pulling away from Hermione's bone-crushing hug and embracing Daphne who had just stepped away from Neville. As he pulled away from her, he felt his heart pounding as he allowed his arms to linger around her waist for a moment longer. She smiled a breathtaking smile at him, and he could not help but smile back.
"You all changed so much!" Hermione said in shock, smiling slightly at Theo, who seemed to have more heat in his cheeks than he did a moment ago. Harry smirked.
"You all look incredibly handsome," Daphne amended, with a smile to her male friends who smiled at her back.
"Oh no, Georgie," Fred said in mock anguish. "They went and got beautiful over the summer!"
"We'll have to be beating the boys back with our beaters bats, Freddie." George said, with a mock stern look at the girls who attempted to glare at the twins but could not fight the smiles rising on their faces.
"Oh shut it!" Hermione groaned, her cheeks bright red.
"Never." Fred winked cheekily, kissing her on the hand. She rolled her eyes and batted him away with said hand.
"Alright everyone!" Sirius said with a grin. "Are we ready?"
Everyone nodded eagerly as they gathered around the portkey that was going to take them to the very entrance of the World Cup stadium. In a bright flash of blue and the familiar pulling of the navel, as if travelling through a tube, they arrived, each of them gracefully landing. Completely gracefully.
Hermione definitely did not fall face first into the ground.
Theo chuckled as he helped her up, holding her hands gently. She gazed into his blue eyes that somehow held such warmth in them, and smiled.
Theo Nott had definitely gotten handsome over the summer, but she always thought he was handsome. With his angular aristocratic features, his neatly combed brown hair, and his kind smile. He towered over her now, casting a shadow over her to the point she felt nobody could touch her in his presence.
They checked in with the poor muggle that kept being obliviated, and walked to the tent.
Because there were so many people, they had decided to use the Black family tent in all its grandeur and beauty.
Harry cringed seeing it, feeling as if it was a castle and not necessary. He watched as eyes followed them to the largest tent in the entire yard, eyes filled with wonder, hatred, envy, and more.
He didn't want to feel like a show off, but it was truly the only tent that would fit him and all of his guests comfortably.
Inside was even more grand than outside. Walls, kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, everything beautiful, crisp, and clean, somehow gilded in gold and glamour.
He set his pack down onto the bed he had claimed as his and collapsed into it, waiting for the rest of their party to arrive.
Slowly but surely their friends began trickling in.
"Harry!" Blaise called out, annoyance lacing his tone.
"What?" Harry groaned waspishly.
"I've been calling your name for the past fifteen minutes." Blaise scolded, as if he was a mother-hen telling Harry the state of his room as abhorrent and to clean it.
"You only said his name three times." Theo rolled his eyes. Blaise flipped him off before promptly turning to Harry.
"We want to go take a look around, coming?"
"Oh." Harry mumbled, getting up from bed. "Yeah, let's go."
And so the party of teenagers, full of Gryffindors and Slytherins, an unlikely party, began wandering the grounds between the Irish and the Bulgarians.
Witches and Wizards from around the world were milling about, talking animatedly in accents and their native tongues. Harry was completely mesmerised.
"I've never seen so many of us in one place," He said in awe, smiling at the crowds, the celebration. The hustle and bustle of people in shops and buying souvenirs.
"It's magical, isn't it?" Daphne whispered to him, a coy smile playing on her dark pink lisps.
"I couldn't have said it better myself." Harry grinned back at her.
A/N: i hope you guys dont hate me for the late update. Everything has been insaaaneee! I have lost inspiration, but i've come this far and i refuse to give up on this story. I know it's going incredibly fast paced, i will (attempt to) slow it down for fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh year. I'm honestly debating on ending the war at the end of sixth year instead of seventh, because of simply how advanced and ahead harry and friends and family are. Anywayssss, please please review. It keeps me motivated and keeps me wanting to write. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint and honestly i'm horrified writing the world cup next. I do hope i don't disappoint haha. Get ready to be introduced fully and completely to mr cedric diggory, newest member of the current team. and mr viktor krum and fleur delacour, who will have quite the impact on our young hero and friends. anyways, please review with ideas, thoughts, even criticisms haha. much love, xoxo