A/N: Thanks to my amazing beta, Super MKatR, who is doing an excellent job with this story.

Chapter 17 – The Boy-Who-Told-Jokes

The next day, Harry chose to go to the library to browse through the old newspapers and magazines in search of any information available related to Peter Pettigrew's death. He would begin his search from the date when his parents were murdered, because he knew that the case he wanted to clarify had happened shortly after. Throughout the day, Harry checked the map for Pettigrew whenever he had the chance, but he hadn't shown up again. When Harry came to the library's entrance, he was met by the sight of Draco Malfoy tormenting the poor Neville Longbottom.

'How is it that a worthless coward like you end up in Gryffindor?' Malfoy asked the chubby boy, who was cornered by the two gorillas that followed the blonde boy everywhere he went. 'I thought you needed to be brave to be sorted there.'

'And what do you know about bravery, Draco?' Harry interrupted, who had quietly approached. 'You, who wouldn't even dare to threaten a little bunny unless you're followed by your lovely watchdogs to protect you.' He completed.

Draco turned around, shocked to find Harry there, but he quickly recovered.

'Well, look who just came to join the poor fellows' club: Harry Potter, the-boy-who-does-not-have-parents. Why don't you come here, Potter? To join the boy-who-does-not-have-a-brain?'

'How funny!' Harry sneered. 'Do you annotate all those little jokes on your notebook, Draco?' If you don't, you should do it soon. Because, as useless as you are, soon you'll be only known as the-boy-tells-jokes… Not that they're any good, of course.'

'Shut up, Potter! You think you're smart, but you're going to end up in a very bad way.'

Harry was already used to threats like that from Draco Malfoy. 'And who's going to make that happen, you? Don't make me laugh.'

Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it to Harry's face. Crabbe and Goyle copied the movement.

'I'm going to make you swallow those words, Potter!' Draco shouted in rage.

'Very well, Draco, but be careful…'

'Be careful about what?'

Harry focused for a second, then he thought, "Levicorpus."

Neville was startled when suddenly the three Slytherin were hoisted into the air by their ankles.

'Be careful, because your knickers are showing.' Harry completed, smirking.

It was a comical scene when the three boys started struggling in the air, trying to hide their underwear.

'How did a bunch of morons end up in Slytherin?' Harry dramatically asked. 'I thought you needed to be cunning to be sorted there.'

For a moment, Neville lost his fear and guffawed.

'Shut up, Longbottom! I'll get you, Potter, you'll see!'

Draco's wand fell onto the pavement in the middle of the agitation and Harry bent down to get it.

'Without a wand?' Harry laughed and, with quick seeker's moves, he took the wands from Crabbe and Goyle, whose faces were as red as beets. 'How about this,' Harry proposed. 'We're on the fourth floor. I'll walk up to the window and levitate these wands of yours down to the third floor and then I can release you.'

'Bu-but that's the forbidden corridor!' Crabbe looked horrified.

'Oh! Really? Damn! But what can I do? If you stay like that for too long, all that blood of yours will drain down to your heads and your brains will swell and swell until they explode, have you thought about that?'

'OH, NO!' Goyle put his hands on his head desperately, and his underwear was showing again.

'Yes, terrible!' Harry laughed and went to the window. After doing what he had promised, he returned. 'Done!' He said. "Liberacorpus."

The three boys fell into the floor. Immediately, Crabbe and Goyle clumsily stood up and ran as if a Troll was after them. Draco tried to the remains of his dignity to say, 'You'll pay for this one, Potter,' before standing up and leaving somehow more quickly than normal. When the boys were gone, Harry chuckled and glanced at Neville, who had an expression stuck somewhere between fear and humour.

'Everything alright, Neville?' Harry asked.

'I-I guess so…' He seemed to be thinking. 'Will they come after us again?'

'Maybe, but not for a while.' Harry said, feeling a bit sorry for the lonely boy. 'But for the moment, I need to do some research. Would you like to help?'

Neville was astonished. 'You want my help?'

'Sure, maybe then I bet I'll find what I need much quicker.'

Neville wasn't sure, but said, 'Ok.'

Harry didn't share with Neville all the details about what he was doing. He only told him he needed to discover what happened to an old friend of his dad, Peter Pettigrew.

'They said he was murdered,' he was explaining, 'but I want to know the whole story.'

Harry went to Madam Pince's desk and asked her for some copies of the Daily Prophet from the time period he needed. Then, the two boys began their work in silence. It didn't take too long to find what Harry was looking for. They started their research from October 31st 1981. It was depressing to read the headlines. It was all news of attacks, murders and disappearances that filled the pages. Harry didn't read them all in detail, but he had a good idea of the terror that haunted those days. Neville was quietly analysing the edition of the first day of November when Harry looked up from his own copy and asked him if he had found anything. A pale Neville stared at the newspaper page, lost in thoughts. Harry quickly glanced at the newspaper, it was the first page and three headlines stood out.

"Potter heir survives the Killing Curse and You-Know-Who vanishes"

"Dark Wizard exterminates friend and thirteen Muggles at the centre of London"

"Aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom are sent to St Mungo's Hospital with permanent brain damage:

Death Eaters arrested confess the use of the Torture Curse"

'Neville, can I see that newspaper?' Harry tried to ask delicately. 'I think you found what I'm looking for.'

Neville stared at Harry wide eyed and glanced down to the newspaper like just now he had realized there were other news on it.

'You can keep the other part of the newspaper if you want,' Harry tried to appease him, 'but I really need to read this portion.'

Neville nodded in agreement. He removed the newspaper's part related to him and gave Harry the rest. Harry couldn't say he didn't understand what Neville was feeling. No one like to have the wounds exposed for someone to poke about. He knew the feeling from personal experience. So, he wore his best poker face and focused on his own reading. Harry just wanted to go straight to the news that talked about Pettigrew and Black without brooding over painful details of the past. However, he wasn't strong enough to resist and began reading the top headline.

"Potter heir survives the Killing Curse and You-Know-Who vanishes"

Memphis Baker, corresponding reporter

Mysterious events occurred last night in the famous Godric's Hollow. A very big and sudden explosion surprised the wizarding and Muggle inhabitants of the area. The explosion's origin was a cottage that belongs to the Potter family, an old and noble line in the wizarding world.

'There was a huge green flash.' One of the residents reported. 'A huge explosion, I didn't even know that house was there.'

Reports say James and Lily Potter's house was hidden by a Fidelius Charm, because of recent threats from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It is suspected that James Potter (pureblood) and Lily Potter (Muggle-born) had s close relation with the secret organization known as the Order of the Phoenix, supposedly led by Albus Dumbledore (Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and current headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry). According to official reports, the Potter family was personally attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The lifeless bodies of James and Lily Potter were found at the scene. According to the DMLE, the couple was unarmed at the moment of the attack, the wands of both were found in other rooms.

'They thought they were protected under the Fidelius. Trusted too much! Constant vigilance is what I always say!' Auror Alastor Moody commented.

The mystery of the whole case is related to the only child of the couple: Harry James Potter (half-blood), one year and three months old. Reports say that little Harry was hit with the Killing Curse, but he survived with only one injury, a scar on his forehead.

'The injury did not cause severe damage, luckily,' Albus Dumbledore declared to the press. 'The boy is safe and will be handed to the closest blood relatives.'

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has not been seen since then. It is suspected that he was wounded or weakened somehow by the failed curse or some accidental magic produced by the child. Since the disappearing of the most dangerous dark wizard of the last decade, there have been registered dozens of attacks all across the country by his followers, seeking his location. Some already claimed young Harry as the saviour of the wizarding world, while others already fear him.

'If that boy is that powerful now, how dangerous will he be when he's older?' An old witch questioned this reporter in Diagon Alley.

'The Potters are famous light supporters. Charlus Potter was a leader in the war against Grindelwald, and now his grandson has ended the war against You-Know-Who.' A wizard called Dedalus Diggle affirmed after being caught by the ministry dropping shooting stars in Kent.

It is suspected that Sirius Black (pureblood) was the Secret Keeper of the Potter's location, and so he's suspected of having connections with Death Eaters. The suspect was caught in Muggle London, close to Diagon Alley, after killing thirteen people. (For more on this, see page 3)

Memphis Baker's article didn't add much new information to what Harry already knew. However, three things called his attention. First, his parents were unarmed when Voldemort attacked. Second, what was that Order of the Phoenix? Third, it was Dumbledore, who declared that he was safe and would be sent to his aunt and uncle. Harry quickly commited that last bit of information to memory, also remembering some other things.

"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot…" Hagrid had said when they had first met.

The article said that the Order of the Phoenix was led by Dumbledore and his parents were partofo that order…

"Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well."

Suddenly, Harry knew who had sent him his most valuable Christmas present.

After taking a deep breath, Harry prepared himself to read the next article. His intuition said he was about to find out something very important.

A/N: Hello! I'm so sorry for the wait, but I've been incredibly busy lately and I'm starting school next week.

Congratulations to everybody, who guessed right who the-boy-who-told-jokes was!

I hope you like this chapter. The next one is Badly Told Tale.

scrappy8: Thank you! It is great, isn't it?