Chapter 20 - Prelude to War
It was Moody. Everything. His forced participation of the Triwizard Tournament. The hints and assistance. The incident in the Third Task. The Portkey. It was all a calculated plan and behind the smoke and mirrors stood the puppet master he least expected.
Then again, it wasn't really Moody, just an impostor. Barty Crouch Junior, a man thought to be long dead. Dumbledore led Harry to the Hospital Wing, leaving behind Professor McGonagall to watch over Barty Crouch. A firm hand guided him towards an anxious Madam Pomfrey, who laid him gingerly on a bed and began running diagnostic spells on him and healing up the various cuts and bruises he had suffered.
Slowly, the reality hit him hard. Cedric was dead and Voldemort was back, he could already feel it, war was just over the horizon. The peaceful days that he once had were now numbered. He was too tired to do anything, the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse still stung his body, causing him to twitch every now and then.
Regrettably, there were no methods to mitigate such aftereffects, he did not need Madam Pomfrey's sympathetic words to know, the essay 'Moody' had assigned them during his first lesson taught him that. All he could do was to try and sleep it off, which he fail to do when the doors of the Hospital Wing flew wide open. The Weasley family who had been present, along with Hermione, immediately swarmed over him.
Mrs Weasley was the first to reach Harry, drawing him into a tight hug and sobbing hysterically. The others hovered around him, watching him with great concern in their eyes. Dumbledore placed a hand on Mrs Weasley's shoulder, getting her attention.
"Molly, please listen to me," said Dumbledore. "Harry has just been through a rough ordeal, please allow him to rest and relax. We still need him to relay to the events that has happened during his disappearance."
"Understood, Dumbledore," Mrs Weasley nodded and unwillingly released Harry, feeling as though the boy needed more care and affection. "Should we leave the two you alone?"
"It's alright Molly, I daresay you have cared enough for Harry to deserve listening to what he has to say."
Mr Weasley took out his wand and summoned several chairs for everyone to sit on, helping his still worried wife onto a chair.
"Uh... excuse me, Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione asked tentatively, seeing as Dumbledore had yet to prompt Harry into speaking. "May I ask what we are waiting for?"
"A few more people of importance, Ms Granger," Dumbledore answered, glancing at the entrance of the Hospital Wing. "I had sent for him when the Observation Charms failed and Harry had disappeared for far too long, he should be arriving shortly."
As though on cue, the doors of the Hospital Wing opened to reveal Snape leading in a great black dog. Despite his exhaustion, Harry snorted softly, Snape was in for a surprise.
"Ah, that should be everyone," said Dumbledore before turning to Madam Pomfrey. "Poppy, would you be very kind, and go down to Professor Moody's office, where I think you will find a house elf called Winky in considerable distress? Do what you can for her and take her back to the kitchens. I think Dobby will look after her for us."
"V-very well," said Madam Pomfrey, looking startled but nonetheless she left the Hospital Wing.
Dumbledore made sure that the door was closed before he continued.
"And now," he said. "It is time for two of our number to recognise each other for what they are. Sirius, if you could resume your usual form."
The great black dog looked up at Dumbledore, then, in an instant, turned back into a man.
Mrs Weasley screamed and leapt back from the bed.
"Sirius Black!" she shrieked, pointing at him.
"Mum, shut up!" Ron yelled. "It's okay!"
Snape had not yelled or jumped backward, but the look on his face was one of mingled fury and horror, especially so when he realised that he had been the one leading Sirius into the castle and Hospital Wing.
"Him!" he snarled, staring at Sirius, whose face showed equal dislike. "What is he doing here?"
"He is here at my invitation," said Dumbledore, looking between them. "As are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other."
Harry thought Dumbledore was asking for a near miracle. Sirius and Snape were eyeing each other with the utmost loathing.
"I will settle, in the short term," said Dumbledore, with a bite of impatience in his voice. "For a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth do not stand united, there is no hope for any us."
Very slowly – but still glaring at each other as though each wished the other nothing but ill – Sirius and Snape moved toward each other and shook hands. They let go extremely quickly. Dumbledore nodded in satisfaction and turned to Harry.
"Now, Harry if you are feeling up to it," Dumbledore said soothingly. "Can you share with us what happened when you were gone?"
Harry nodded firmly if a bit tiredly, and began speaking, recounting the events that had followed when he grabbed the Triwizard Cup. With each passing sentence, the atmosphere got thicker and thicker with dread. Cedric's death, Voldemort's resurrection, the return of the Death Eaters. When he got to his duel with Voldemort and how he had been subjected to the Cruciatus, Mrs Weasley broke into fresh tears and Sirius rested his hand comfortingly on Harry's shoulders.
Then, Harry got to the part where his wand and Voldemort's connected upon casting spells on one another. Dumbledore revealed that the wands were brother wands, both sharing the phoenix feathers belong to Fawkes, Dumbledore's familiar.
"Cedric appeared. An old man," Harry said, his throat still constricted. "Bertha Jorkins. And..."
"Your parents?" said Dumbledore quietly.
"Yes," said Harry.
Sirius's grip on Harry's shoulder was now so tight it was painful.
"The last murders the wand performed," said Dumbledore, nodding. "In reverse order. More would have appeared, of course, had you maintained the connection. Very well, Harry, these echoes, these shadows... what did they do?"
"They surrounded us, they spoke to me and to Voldemort too I think," said Harry, the memories of his parents' words to him resurging. "And then mum and dad... they... they spoke to me."
"What did James and Lily say?" Sirius asked.
"That they were so proud of me and..."
And Anne. Harry found it strange that the shadows of his parents randomly called out to Anya, but he figured that they were probably omniscient.
"And that they love me," Harry finished, despite the trauma of the graveyard, Harry knew that he was not going to betray Anya's trust anytime soon.
"Rightly so," Dumbledore nodded. "Please carry on."
"The shadows... they began to swarm Voldemort when I broke the connection. Then the strangest thing happened."
Everyone looked at Harry with anticipation as Harry tried to find the correct words.
"His head blew open," said Harry lamely, unsure of how he should phrase his words.
"What!?" cried Ron from the side who had been thus far, listening quietly.
"Please elaborate, Harry," Dumbledore coaxed gently.
"I don't really know it myself," Harry explained. "But it was like as if something invisible smashed against Voldemort's head, his just toppled onto the floor."
"He died!?" Sirius gasped.
"No," Harry shook his head. "He came back up. Whatever it was didn't kill him. It wasn't just him, two other Death Eaters got hit as well, they died."
"Maybe, it was you" Mr Weasley suggested. "I've heard that in moments of great distress, people could perform impossible feats of magic. After all, you were the one who defeated You-Know-Who."
"It wasn't me," Harry said flatly, shaking his head vehemently. "I didn't even know what was going, I simply wanted to survive and get out."
"Maybe you thought you didn't, but you actually did," said Sirius.
"No, it wasn't me. How could I have even-"
"Harry, it's alright," said Dumbledore calmly. "There's no need to say anymore, you have already shown great bravery by telling us what you have witnessed. For now, rest, Madam Pomfrey would be back later and I believe that a Potion for Dreamless Sleep would be in order."
"Fine, how are the other champions?" Harry asked, thinking of Anya. "Moody didn't end up killing anyone else right? He had confessed to placing Krum under the Imperius Curse after all."
"All the other champions are roughed up from the task itself but otherwise fine," Dumbledore replied. "Well... all except for Ms Seryy, she has been missing ever since the Observation Charms fell."
"What!?"
Both Harry and Sirius yelped at the same time, with Harry shooting up from his bed. Sirius made for the door, turning the knob with only rattled in response. Dumbledore had magically locked the door when Madam Pomfrey left.
"Dumbledore, open the door!" Sirius barked. "I need to go!"
"Where to Sirius?" Dumbledore asked, confused by both Harry and Sirius' reactions, as was everyone else in the room. "You can't just leave like that, you'll get caught."
"I can turn into my animagus form, no big deal," Sirius waved off Dumbledore's concern, still twisting the knob with all his might. "Just open the damn door."
"Does this have to do with Ms Seryy?"
"Of course it does!" Sirius snarled. "Door. Open. Now."
"Sirius, calm down," Dumbledore tried to placate Sirius who was growing more frustrated with each passing second. "I don't understand why this is such a big deal but rest assured, the Tournament officials will find her. Voldemort has just been resurrected and we need to begin preparing-"
"She could be dead for all we know! Harry and Cedric were missing and look what happened!"
Everyone swung their heads back and forth between the two men who were each engaged in verbal tennis match that was growing more heated. Harry was torn between rushing out with Sirius to make sure his sister was safe and keeping up the promise of not revealing her. Snape had enough with what he assumed to be Sirius' nonsensical ramblings and faced his old rival.
"Black, learn to show some restraint in front of your betters and keep you mangy mouth shut, you have clearly lost your mind."
Snape seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back.
"DUMBLEDORE!" Sirius roared, slamming against the doors, prompting Mrs Weasley to give a shriek of fear and panic as everyone backed away from him. "I want the doors open, NOW!"
"Sirius-"
"No," said Sirius. He had lowered his voice, but each syllable was dripping with venom. "You don't get to do this to her again. You do not abandon her again. You hear me?"
"Sirius, just what are you talking abo-"
The words drowned in Dumbledore's sudden realisation as his eyes widened at the revelation that had hit him. For everyone in the room, it was the first time they had seen Dumbledore stumped.
"You can't possibly mean-"
"You know damn well what- no, who I mean," said Sirius bitterly, narrowing his eyes in anger. "You also owe me and Harry an explanation too. Now open the door."
"Sirius, you'll get caught," Hermione pleaded from the side.
"I. Don't. Care."
"Sirius, I understand the circumstances now," Dumbledore began but Snape cut him off with a sneer directed at Sirius.
"Dumbledore, Black has made it repeatedly clear that he is willing to risk his neck on this crusade of his, whatever it is. By all means, let him do so."
Sighing, Dumbledore unlocked the door with a flick of his wand. Sirius threw it open and gasped in shock as the doorway revealed two Tournament officials supporting an Anya who was barely able to walk on her own feet. The two Tournament officials looked up and their jaws dropped in panic and surprise. The one on his right released his hold on Anya to draw his wand while the other pulled Anya back in an attempt to shield her from Sirius.
"Stupefy."
The words came from Anya's mouth as she drew her wand out and aimed it at the armed Tournament official collapsed without the chance to utter a spell. Simultaneously, the arm that had been around the other Tournament official's shoulder for support tightened around said official's neck. A flick of her wrist and a snap of her fingers sent an electric shock coursing through the Tournament official.
His body went into a spasm as the electricity rushed through muscle, sending him onto the floor. Anya's exhausted state meant that she fell onto the floor as well, flopping on cold stone with a soft grunt. She swung her wand around and sent another Stunner straight at his chest. The Tournament official gave a slight gasp before going unconscious.
Nobody moved as Anya clawed her way up onto her feet, casting Memory Charms and concealment spells on both Tournament officials. With both Tournament officials dealt with, Anya finally left herself go, dropping back onto the floor and shaking uncontrollably.
"Anne!" Sirius cried out, rushing over to the girl.
Dumbledore's face paled upon Sirius' confirmation while everyone else looked completely flummoxed, except for Harry who realised what Sirius had done.
"Sirius!" said Harry in a tone that was part aghast and part warning. "You can't..."
As Sirius knelt down to help Anya up, the girl shot out an arm which grabbed the collars of Sirius' robes, pulling him down to eye level. The girl stared at Sirius, her eyes hard as diamonds.
"Just what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Anya growled, struggling to not pass out on the spot. "I thought Harry made it very clear that you do not-"
"I don't care, Anne," Sirius retorted furiously. "You can't expect me to care about that when you come in here half dead. I almost failed you and I'm not letting that happen again. You and Harry's safety is my top priority. Come, you need medical assistance."
"Kind of rich talking about ensuring my safety when you're revealing my identity to that man behind you who looks like he has just seen a ghost."
Sirius glanced back at the pale-faced Dumbledore and turned back to Anya with a grimace.
"I'll take care of it," Sirius muttered.
"You'd better," said Anya, her grip on Sirius slowly slipping. "And that goes for everyone in the room as well. I don't care if you have to bury their dead bodies later."
With her last words spoken, Anya finally lost her grip on Sirius' robes. She would have fallen back onto the stone floor had Sirius not caught her. Lifting her up into his arms, Sirius carried Anya into the Hospital Wing and laid her onto one of the bed.
"Where were you?" Sirius asked. "You've been missing for almost an hour."
"In the maze," said the girl tiredly, her eyes threatening to shut. "Bit off more than I could chew and tired myself out."
"Why did it take so long for the Tournament officials to find you?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Anya mumbled before falling unconscious.
Taking Anya's wand, Sirius perform a few diagnostic spells, trying to remember the basic first aid training he had received as a Hit Wizard years ago. Several numbers simmered into the air as he cast the spells. Sirius took a look at the numbers before sighing in relief.
"Thank Merlin," said Sirius as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Just magical exhaustion."
"Just what the bloody hell was that all about?" cried Ron, earning a cuff on the back of his head from Mrs Weasley for his language.
Ron's words broke Sirius from his trance. Aiming Anya's wand at the Hospital Wing door, he magically shut the door and locked it. Everyone who had been staring recoiled as Sirius turned to face them, the dark look on his face giving them the impression that he had been a mass murderer all along.
"No one, no one, is to speak of the events that had just occurred. Is everyone clear?"
The words that left his mouth was soft, but that was an edge to it that made sure that everyone heard it crystal clear.
"And I want an Unbreakable Vow from each of you to make sure of it."
"Really, Black?" Snape sneered. "I may not know just what is going on but it is apparent to everyone here that this outburst is completely due to your own folly. Please, do not shackle all of us down because of your shortcomings."
Sirius took an angry step towards Snape who in response moved his arm closer to the wand in his robes. However, Dumbledore stepped in between the two men who were moments away from starting a fight.
"Severus, Sirius, remember the words 'lack of open hospitality'?" Dumbledore reminded the two men who begrudgingly backed off, moving to opposite sides of the Hospital Wing. "Also, be reasonable Sirius. It is impossible for everyone here to take an Unbreakable Vow, the magical strain will kill you."
"Then I want all of you here to swear that you would not reveal the events that had just transpired," Sirius demanded, gnashing his teeth in anger. "Dumbledore, you owe her. Everyone else, do it for Harry's sake. And Snape... if this ever leaks out, I'll kill you."
"Sirius, what's going on?" Hermione asked timidly, afraid that Sirius might lash out at her. "Why does Dumbledore owe her? Why Harry's sake? Why did you call her Anne?"
"That's because she is Anne," Harry answered with a sigh, watching his unconscious sister resting on the bed next to his. "My guess at the start of the year was right, Hermione. She is my sister."
There were cries of surprise at his declaration. Dumbledore continued staring at the girl, ashen faced. Snape had an expression that was a mix of horror and bewilderment.
"Sirius," Harry sighed, turning to his godfather. "You know she trusted me to keep this a secret, she trusted both of us..."
Sirius' anger deflated at his words and he hung his head in shame.
"I know... I was just too worried to think. I was very glad that she turned up to be alive, but the threat of losing her all over again was just..."
"Why did she want her true identity kept a secret?" Hermione asked.
"I have a very good guess as to why that was the case," Sirius shot Dumbledore a nasty glare. "And I think he owes me and Harry, and maybe even Anne, an explanation."
"Why would he-" Harry's words were cut short as he was struck with a realisation. Sirius had passed Anya and him to Hagrid who in turn passed them to Dumbledore. His memory from the end of his third year reminded him of Hagrid mentioning Anya's demise according to Dumbledore. How did Dumbledore even make such a mistake of determining whether or not one was alive, and how did Anya end up in Russia, he had always asked her but she never answered the question. Somewhere down the line, Dumbledore resulted in Anya growing up in Russia where Harry was sure Anya received all her scars from.
Sirius was right. Dumbledore did have some explaining to do.
"In private, Sirius?" Dumbledore pleaded wearily. "Voldemort is back, we have pressing matters at hand."
Flickering his eyes towards the Weasleys and Snape, Sirius gave Dumbledore a firm, if cautious, nod. It was there, that the Order of Phoenix was reactivated, Dumbledore immediately gave out orders for Sirius to recall all the former members. Dumbledore himself left the Hospital Wing to deal with the unconscious Tournament officials that Anya had left behind and to prepare himself for a meeting with the Minister of Magic.
Sirius brushed away a loose lock of hair from Anya's face, giving her forehead a soft kiss. Then, he gave Harry a firm hug.
"I'll see you soon Harry, and watch over Anne, will you?"
Harry nodded, watching Sirius transform back into his animagus form. The black dog, stood on its hind legs and turned the knob to the Hospital Wing door before trotting out.
Watch over Anne, will you? Because she is doing the same right now, for you.
The words of his mother echoed in his mind, it sounded so similar to Sirius' words. No, he did not mind watching over her, he had promised himself to take care of her when he had first noticed her scars.
However, the second half of his mother's words seemed to hint something, but he could not place his finger on it. Maybe his sister was watching over him, the Third Task certainly provided good evidence. But other than that, Anya's actions gave him the impression that an acquaintance was the highest degree of relationship she would ever offer him.
The doors of the Hospital Wing opened to reveal a returning Madam Pomfrey, who promptly gasped at the sight of Anya and proceeded to treat her immediately. As for Harry, she gave him a vial of Potion for Dreamless Sleep, stating that he needed the rest. Harry drunk the potion and the sleepy sensation descended upon him within moments. Soon, he was lulled into a deep sleep.
When Harry woke up, it was still night time. It appeared that the Weasley family, along with Hermione, had stayed in the Hospital Wing. How Madam Pomfrey allowed such an act was a puzzle that Harry tried to solve, but he was interrupted by the loud noises of furious screaming.
"They'll wake him if they don't shut up!"
"What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?"
"That's Fudge's voice," Mrs Weasley whispered. "And that's Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?"
The sound grew louder and more distinct, enough for Harry to pick up snatches of the conversation, or argument.
"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva-" Cornelius Fudge was saying loudly.
"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" yelled Professor McGonagall. "When Dumbledore finds out-"
Harry heard the Hospital Wing doors burst open. Unnoticed by any of the people around his bed, all of whom were staring at the door as Bill pulled back the screens, Harry sat up and put his glasses on, someone had removed them when he slept. He took a quick check on Anya to find her still sleeping, undisturbed by the noise.
That, or she was pretending to be sleeping. In the short span of knowing her, Harry wouldn't put it pass her to do such a thing. After all, she gave him absolutely no hint in being his sister until she was unwillingly forced to.
Fudge came striding up the ward. Professors McGonagall and Snape were at his heels.
"Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded of Mrs Weasley.
"He's not here," said Mrs Weasley angrily. "This is the Hospital Wing. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to-"
But the door opened, and Dumbledore came sweeping up the ward.
"What has happened?" said Dumbledore sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch-"
"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she shrieked. "The Minister has seen to that!"
Harry had never seen Professor McGonagall lose control like this. There were angry blotches of colour in her cheeks, and a hands were balled into fists, she was trembling with fury.
"When we told Mr Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," said Snape, in a low voice. "He seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch-"
"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall fumed. "I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but-"
"My dear woman!" roared Fudge, who likewise looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him. "As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous-"
But Professor McGonagall's voice drowned Fudge's.
"The moment that- that thing entered the room," she screamed, pointing at Fudge, trembling all over. "It swooped down on Crouch and- and-"
Harry felt a chill in his stomach as Professor McGonagall struggled to find words to describe what had happened. He did not need her to finish her sentence. He knew what the dementor must have done. It had administered its fatal kiss to Barty Crouch. It had sucked his soul out through his mouth. He was worse than dead.
The conversation that followed left Harry more and more shocked. He had never placed much stock into politicians and although Harry found Fudge to be a run-of-the-mill politician, he had never expected him to act like this. Fudge's vehement denial of Voldemort's rebirth, along with his pushing of blame and personal attacks on him and Dumbledore – intentional or not – left a sour taste in Harry's mouth. Then again, this was the man who placed Hagrid in Azkaban and allowed Dumbledore to be removed from Hogwarts during his second year, Harry felt like he should have seen this coming.
To top off the ignorance of Fudge, he refused to take a freshly activated Dark Mark on the arms of a proven Death Eater – Severus Snape – as evidence that Voldemort was resurrected. He would not even view that as something worth investigating.
At the end of the argument, Fudge dropped Harry's Tournament prize at the nightstand and muttered an awkward congratulations before scurrying out of the Hospital Wing. As he left, he gave Dumbledore a pointed glare and slammed the doors shut. It was a grim notice to Harry and those in the Hospital Wing.
War was coming and the Ministry was far from ready.
By the next morning, Harry woke up to see the Hospital Wing empty. It appeared that Madam Pomfrey finally got the Weasleys out. He checked the bed on his right to find Anya awake, nursing a vial of orange potion. She was staring blankly at the opposite wall, a haunted, tired look etched clearly on her face. Harry remembered Sirius' words when he did a check on Anya, just magical exhaustion. He heaved a sigh of relief, at least there was no actually damage on her. Cedric dying had been enough to ensure future nightmares, if Anya had went along to the graveyard to be killed as well, the guilt would have swallowed him whole.
Still, the fact that his sister looked like she had been through an ordeal just as bad as his did not bode well. After all, following mom's, Sirius' and his own promise, he had to take care of her. He got up from his bed and went to sit on Anya's bed, the girl did not acknowledge his presence.
"How are you?" Harry asked softly.
Anya did not respond to his question, choosing to finish her vial of potion instead.
"I'm sorry on Sirius' behalf. He shouldn't have done that, it's just that he was worried for you."
"And now a great deal of people know the truth," Anya murmured, setting the vial by her night stand.
"What are you going to do now?"
"Place what trust I have left in our godfather to do his job."
What trust I have left.
Those words stung harder than it should have and Harry knew why. Both during the Third Task and when her identity was revealed – two moments when the stakes were high and she could not afford to act – she relied on trust in one another. Harry felt that in Anya's eyes, trust was paramount, and Sirius failed her in that aspect. He, by extension, had failed too.
"And... Dumbledore," Harry asked. "What did Sirius mean by Dumbledore owed you?"
A shrug was her response. Harry sighed, maybe she was truly tired from the Fourth Task.
"Rest, you need it," Harry told Anya gently as he went back to his bed, awaiting Madam Pomfrey's diagnosis and judgement.
Madam Pomfrey deemed Harry healthy enough to be discharged from her realm, but Anya had to stay for another day. Madam Pomfrey refused to take any chances for magical exhaustion, especially when it was the girl's second time here for the very same reason.
The rest of Harry's time in Hogwarts was subdued, there was no peace in the classes or corridors. Whispers followed him as they once did in his second year, rumours and theories sprouting up in the hundreds as he went by. Peace came instead from the time he could spend isolated from the school, together with Ron and Hermione. Hagrid, too, had managed to offer him some semblance of serenity.
"So... you were right, huh?" said Hermione shortly after Harry was released from the Hospital Wing. "Anya Seryy being Anne Potter. How long have you known?"
"Since after the Third Task, Madam Pomfrey unknowingly removed her glamour charms when treating the acromantula venom. Revealed the scar down her eye."
"She seemed friendly enough towards you. At least now it's not just Snuffles who's your family."
His sister, on the other hand, recovered much better than him. Harry could see her occasionally, hanging out with the younger Greengrass and sometimes with Zabini and Nott, it appeared that the Fourth Task had done little to change her.
Then again, she wasn't there to see Voldemort resurrected.
This time, the End-of-Year feast had a much more melancholic and morose atmosphere. House colours were replaced with a mourning black in service of Cedric. Dumbledore took the opportunity to drop a bombshell on the students, announcing the return of Lord Voldemort and commending Harry for his bravery in facing Voldemort. Harry did not want any of it, he just wanted some peace, and peace was scarce. And in the coming days, it would only grow more scarce.
Soon, the schooling year had ended and the dormitories began to clear, the students stuffing their belongings back into the trunks. They always seemed to leave Hogwarts with heavier trunks, mainly due to knick-knacks slowly accumulated throughout the year from Hogsmeade or other students. Once again, Harry found himself in front of the Hogwarts Express, the final stretch before returning to the mundane.
"Harry," Ron prodded his back, catching his attention. "Your sister's there, want to invite her along?"
Harry looked at where Ron had pointed. True enough, Anya was down the Hogsmeade Station platform, chatting with Astoria.
"I don't know."
"Just talk to her," Hermione urged while Ron nodded supportively. "You always wanted to."
"Fine," Harry sighed, making his way towards Anya.
As he approached, the younger Greengrass said something to Anya and pointed at him. Their conservation stopped as Anya turned to face him, giving him a polite nod.
"Harry, see you after the summer I guess."
"Yeah, see you too," Harry smiled wanly. "Do you have any plans over the summer?"
"Nothing much," she shrugged. "Astoria invited me to stay over at her place sometime in the summer. Other than that, I suppose it's just spending time with my family."
"Why?" Anya lifted an eyebrow. "Are you thinking of inviting me over too?"
That sounded very good to Harry. The idea of spending time with his real family, what little there was left of it, felt like a dream come true. And from the looks of Anya, she did not mind coming over. Ironically, being trapped in the dungeons with a horde of acromantulas was the best thing to have happened this year, it allowed his sister to relent into having a warm if not cordial relationship with him.
However, the Dursleys would never allow this, so Harry found himself shaking his head at Anya's question.
"No, just curious," he wanted to ask her to sit with him on the ride back to King's Cross Station, but looking at Astoria as well as Nott and Zabini coming along from the back, he decided that she should be with her friends. Maybe next year. "Bye then."
Harry headed back to Ron and Hermione, picking up his trunk and boarding the Hogwarts Express. It was going to be another long summer.
AN: Well, that's twenty chapters done and the first year done. Hope you all here enjoyed it and a big thanks to those that have been sticking it through this story. Special thanks to JohnMonty and siriuslydany for the reviews throughout the chapters, letting me know how the story has been in the eyes of the audience.
Next year in the story will be one big fiesta with many new additions, especially lore and worldbuilding cracked up. If those redacted DoM documents were your thing and you wanted to see more of my worldbuilding, hopefully fifth year will be your cup of tea. Pacing will most likely change, so do let me know how it feels when it starts.
Some AN trivia that I forgot for the Third Task: Bauzuk, the spell Anya used to scare the acromantulas, is basically Cantonese for 'firecracker'. Cause, you know, that dialect is phonetically more similar to ancient Chinese and I thought it would be nice to add some foreign spells.
The stuff below is just pure trivia, skip if you desire.
Also, some quick explanation on my thought process in my worldbuilding for this story for those of you curious. A lot of things will be tethered to J.K. Rowling's canon, but anything in between is free real estate. Take how I handle underage magic for example, many fanfics just use the tracked wand reasoning which is fine but following canon, Dobby's levitation spell in Second Year and Harry's wandless inflation spell on Marge in Third Year are both detected by the Ministry which means wands don't matter. However, Tom Riddle Jr. going around Little Hangleton casting spells left and right is not detected by the Ministry simply due to his uncle's presence in the village.
This provides two facts regarding underage magic. One, Ministry detects magic from caster, not wand (I'll assume Ministry officials were just lazy with Dobby and pinned it on Harry cause I'm pretty sure underage magic and elvish magic are very different). Two, Ministry cannot detect underage magic when there is magic of an adult nearby. With these upper limit and lower limit provided by canon (which is which I don't know). My creative free real estate, Ministry can detect underage magic because underage wizards and witches generate a certain type of magical signature when casting, but said magical signature is easily concealed by nearby adult magic if any.
Hence, when Anya activated the runic disc that generated neutral magic before going to the graveyard, she is basically smothering herself in 'adult magic' so that her underage magic is masked, thus avoiding detection.
That's basically my worldbuilding process for this fic, take an upper limit and lower limit from canon and fill up the middle, don't really have to do this but I want a challenge. Which is why I'm not going to be doing those magical oath things cause I personally feel that those are outside the self-imposed limits. The only binding-to-life things in canon is the Unbreakable Vow which requires three parties (and is probably limited in usage or they would have been abused in courtrooms all over) and the Goblet of Fire which involves a powerful magical object. With those as limits, magical oaths ain't happening :( and those things create too many plot holes.