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Ch 4: A Sirius Confrontation

It was after midnight when Harry Potter suddenly sat up in his bed and took huge gulps of air to satisfy his burning lungs. He was completely drenched in sweat and his entire body was cold. Goose bumps were raised on his skin as he tried to control the shivering and rubbed his palms together.

For once, it had been a normal nightmare. If you could even call it that. But yes, it wasn't a vision. He was sure of that. It was much much creepier.

In the nightmare, he was fighting with a horde of ugly creatures, birds really, the most awful looking birds. They had super human strength as they threw whatever they could get their hands on at him, including rocks, cars, tanks, helicopters, and innocent bystanders. Along with big black balls of fire. He himself had a peculiar sword in one hand and a wand in another. He tried whatever he could but he knew he couldn't push them forever. He was tired. Hungry. He knew he would lose. And then they would eat him. Probably when he was still a little alive.

Then, out of nowhere, a huge dragon roared its head and fried the birds. Only to come after Harry himself. He ran like hell and threw all kinds of spells at the seemingly angry dragon. But nothing worked. Just as he realized that the wand in his hand wasn't actually a wand but a carrot, the ground below him shook and he fell in an endless abyss. He screamed and screamed and screamed.

And then he saw a face. A horrible grotesque face with no nose and mouth, instead thin slits on their place. It had red eyes and pale skin and an expression of utter rage. A green light filled his vision and then he was drowning. Black mucky water filled his lungs and darkness became his world when something grasped his neck. He tried to pull the creature away but it was a loosing battle. He kicked and pushed but it just wouldn't work. He could no longer breathe. He felt a blunt instrument connect with his head and blood pouring.

He was sure he was going to die.

But then, somewhere from above Lightning struck.

And he was awake.

Shewwww…Harry exhaled his breath as he wiped the sweat off his forehead…Weird dream.

He looked around himself and noticed with a sigh of relief that his dorm mates were still fast asleep. No one had woken up.

The sound of fluttering wings made him look towards the windows and he saw his beloved Hedwig perched on the ledge, looking at him with an angry expression.

Oops. Maybe that's what woke me up.

He quickly got up and undid the knob on the window to allow the entrance to his owl. Hedwig quickly flew inside and perched herself on his bedside table. He went over to her and took the package she had for him.

"All right, girl?" he asked her.

She hooted once sullenly and went to sleep.

Harry sighed and opened the package. It oddly contained a small mirror along with a short note.

Just say my name in front of the mirror.

"Sirius Black"

As soon as the words left his mouth, his own reflection in the mirror was replaced by the image of a wooden roof. Harry understood what the mirror really was and not for the first time, marveled at the sheer power of magic. It was a pity that the wizards were so interested in pointless things rather than use such a great gift for some great purpose.

Harry had to wait five minutes before Sirius's face finally appeared in the small mirror.

"Harryyyy…" he greeted him with a shout.

Harry winced and quickly looked out for his wand. Throwing up a silencing charm around himself, he pulled the curtains closed around the bed. Hopefully, Sirius hadn't woken up anyone.

"Sirius" he finally said to his Godfather and grinned. "How are the vacations?"

"Absolutely fantastic. It wouldn't have been much without the galleons you keep sending me."

"No problem. I did not like the idea of you eating any more rats."

Sirius grimaced.

Harry noted that Sirius looked rather healthy compared to the haggard broken form he had seen at the end of last year. He had shaved and seemed to be having regular baths. He didn't look dirty and grimy anymore.

"Yeah. I too realized that not all rats are Peter."

Harry chuckled.

"So, what's this about you needing urgent help?" asked Sirius.

"Didn't you read the newspaper?"

"Oh, I did. Still, they don't print everything. Tell me exactly what happened."

"That's the point Sirius. I bloody don't know what happened. We were sitting in the Great Hall at Halloween waiting for that thrice damned cup to spout off the names of three champions from these three bloody schools. And lo and behold, a fourth name appears and Dumbledore shouts 'Harry Potter' like I wasn't about to lose my soul just last year along with you." ranted Harry with an angry expression.

"Then?"

"Then what? Everyone keeps asking me whether I put my name or not. I keep saying no. And I have to compete anyways. Otherwise, I'll probably lose my magic and go on a permanent coma or some such shit."

"What did Dumbledore do?" asked Sirius.

"Besides convincing me to participate. Nothing."

"That old man has a plan." muttered Sirius.

"What?" asked Harry furrowing his brows.

"I realized Harry, after so many years in Azkaban, that the key to peace is to learn from your mistakes and the best way to do that is to introspect. So I did. I replayed each and every detail of the last war in my mind. Looking backwards, I can say that Albus Dumbledore, our leader, is a flawed man."

"I don't understand Sirius."

Sirius sighed. "Harry, he is a good man with good intentions. But he has a habit of cooking up convoluted plans, within plans, within plans. And the logic behind these three layered plans can be understood by no one but him. He either doesn't make mistakes or his mistakes eclipse all others. That makes him flawed. "

"So you are saying he knows who put my name in the Goblet?" asked Harry.

"Most probably. But he most definitely has at least a guess. And his guesses are usually correct."

"What should I do?"

Sirius rubbed his forehead. "Live."

Harry made a face. "I am in no hurry to die Sirius. Can you please explain a little bit on how to live?"

"I don't know Harry. I can't help you without entering Hogwarts and you know I can't do that. Damn Fudge."

"What would you do if you could enter Hogwarts?" asked Harry.

Sirius looked at him as if he was particularly daft. "I would train you, of course. I would protect you."

"So I need to find someone who would train me?"

"Yeah, I suppose. You are basically a third year Harry. This year has just started. Fighting against what they throw at you is a feat only few with all seven years of education can pull off. You need to understand that you have to live at the end of the year, not win."

"I do understand. Who should I ask?"

Sirius thought for a bit. "I heard Mad-Eye is teaching you Defence this year."

"He is a teacher. Not allowed."

"Who else is there beside a teacher who could train you?"

Harry bit his nails and exhaled a breath. "There is a girl."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Elaborate."

"Well, she is the chosen Beauxbatons champion. Very intelligent, funny and she called Snape a pig today."

Sirius chuckled. "Well that's a plus point. What else?"

"She definitely knows magic. She says she is a prodigy. She practically spits at everyone but me for some reason. And she is extraordinarily lazy."

"Why would she help you? I mean, being a competitor and all that."

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. She doesn't seem to care for the competition much either. And she…sort of helped me today."

"How?"

"She said I will die." Harry deadpanned.

Sirius' eyes widened. "What?"

"Yeah. She was direct and to the point. She took me to the library. Brought me some books and asked me to go through them. Each and everyone contained a detailed inspection of how many participants, in what circumstances and by what mistakes, if any, died in the Triwizard Tournament? Did you know that this stupid shitty tournament started in Rome as a means of entertainment by killing off slaves?"

Sirius shook his head.

"Not one tournament has gone by without at least one death. Once, the judges themselves were killed by the remaining runner up in a fit of rage." said Harry.

Sirius sighed. "I didn't know it was that bad. I have an idea as well. Let me check it out."

"And the girl?"

"Any help Harry is Merlin's gift at this point. Any help. Besides, she is a girl."

"So?"

"If she agrees to help you, naturally you will spend time with her. And she's French. All lovely birds in France. Got it?"

Harry nodded. "Where exactly are you?"

Sirius smirked. "France."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing there exactly?"

Sirius laughed. "There is this brilliant Veela colony where I have rented my flat. And then there is this particular beautiful Veela." Sirius sighed. "She is a creature of love Harry, I tell you. I am almost positive that she is Aphrodite reincarnate."

"What's the catch?" asked Harry.

"I don't know. She probably has a husband."

Harry's eyes widened. "What the fuck, Sirius?"

Sirius blanched. "I didn't know that before I fell in love with her."

"That's lust, idiot. Infatuation. Libido. Sex drive. Desire. It has nothing to do with love."

"Hey! Where did you learn those things?" Sirius yelled. "You are fourteen. And talk to me with respect." He added wiggling a finger.

"You cannot seriously be thinking about breaking up a family." said Harry, scandalized.

"Of course not. I just want her to love me a little, that's it. I want to be her cupid. I want to grab her and suck-"

"SHUT UP! That's what I am talking about. You just cannot think like that about a married woman. It's wrong. It's pathetic. It's amoral."

"Everything is fair in love and war, Harry. Remember that." said Sirius. "I thought you'd be happy for me. That I am finally living my life."

"I would have been. If you weren't fantasizing about a married woman. She might have children Sirius. You are better than that. Think about it."

Sirius sighed heavily and Harry had an impression that he had finally listened, until he opened his mouth. "I'll talk to you later Harry. I have to find my Aphrodite. Padfoot signing off."

With a salute, the mirror was showing Harry's own refection again.

"Fucking Fantastic." Harry muttered and went to sleep.

~X~X~X~X~

The next morning, Harry waited for Fleur to show up at breakfast. He himself preferred eating in the Kitchens these days, what with the constant murmurs, whispers and sometimes outright glares being shot at him from all the four directions. It wasn't that Harry felt particularly emotional at such times, just that he generally favored the company of elfs who fawned over him better than the ridiculousness of humans.

Plus, he had to be careful not to lose his temper.

After waiting for nearly an hour, Harry decided that Fleur probably wasn't coming and made his way over to the library. Just as he was about to pass the gates of the Great Hall, a hated voice which never failed to grate on his nerves reached him.

"Potter."

There stood, Malfoy and his cronies. Alongside Crabbe and Goyle, Parkinson and to his surprise, a few Hufflepuffs were also standing by his side.

Harry yawned a bit in a bored fashion. "What, Malfoy? I am really not in the mood right now."

"Oh no, Potty. I am here to show you this. My own creation." said Malfoy proudly, pointing towards an ugly badge on his robes. Harry noted that the others also wore the same badge. It read 'Support Diggory – Hogwarts True Champion'.

Harry rubbed his forehead. When would this dunderhead stop trying to irritate him. If it weren't for the fact that he was so chummy with Parkinson, Harry would have thought that Malfoy was gay and he himself was his object of affections, and these were signs he kept throwing in an order to pursue his crush.

Harry shuddered at the thought. And made a mental note to bath as soon as soon as he was out of here.

Malfoy, oblivious to Harry's thoughts continued, "And see here. It does more."

Harry watched as the writing changed to Potter Stinks and he couldn't help but sigh when the group started laughing collectively. It was so…flat.

"Really, that's the best you can do, dear Draco?" asked Harry as if he were instructing a child. "You do know that I am the son of the greatest prankster Hogwarts had ever seen. I am sure your father also told you about my escaped murderer godfather, who I am in frequent contact with. Do you want me to add your name to his list?"

Everyone in the hearing range gasped and Malfoy paled.

Harry came face to face with the annoying bully and smirked. "I am above petty childish concerns, Draco dear. I am thinking of a new policy these days. If I am to die because of this fucking tournament, I shall take as many with me as possible. Do you want to have the honor to be number one on my list, Poncy?"

Draco visibly gulped and it seemed as if he would be the one stinking soon but before he could answer, another much hated voice drawled from behind Harry. "Threatening students now, Potter. Should have expected something like this from you. After all, you are the spawn of your father-"

"My Father was a great man Snivellus who died protecting his son and wife. You don't have any such credit on you, is there?"

"You dare-"

"Snivellus. Snivellus. Snivellus. Or do you like cochon better, you swine?" spat Harry as his features twisted into a hateful mask. He wouldn't take any more insults to his father from this man.

It was a scant second before Snape could utter the incantation of the curse, his wand pointed at Harry's chest, that Harry moved forward and punched him in the nose with all the power he had. Snape went down in a heap.

Before Harry could look around himself and see the widened eyes of his original perpetrators, another voice, a female this time shrieked.

"MR. POTTER-"

"Fuck off."

McGonagall's eyes widened as well and her lips formed into a thin line. "You will apologise to Professor Snape this instant or you are expelled."

Harry took a deep breath to reign in his anger. It was getting really difficult this days. Letting out that same breath, he repeated the process once more. Then he said, "My shoe will apologise to him, Professor McGonagall. I would like to see what you do when I insult your parents. That bastard has been doing that from my very first class in this school. Enough."

"Violence is not the answer-"

"Ha!" scoffed Harry. "He was about to throw a curse at me first."

Snape finally got up from his prone position on the ground, pressing a white hanky to his bloodied nose and glared at Harry with such intensity that Harry was sure he would have died if Snape was capable of wandless magic. "James Potter was a pathetic ugly bul-"

This time Harry did not stop. He punched and punched and punched. He ignored the yellings and exclamations and shouts from the nearby students and teachers for him to stop. He poured his entire frustration of four years on the greasy haired fucker in front of him until his entire body stiffened and he realized McGonagall had petrified him from behind.

"Mr. Malfoy. Take Professor Snape to the Hospital Wing. Now."

A very frightened Draco hurried off with a now significantly more broken and bloodied Snape floating behind him.

Once they were gone, McGonagall dispersed the lurkers and levitated him to her office. Harry saw as the students from the other schools as well as Hogwarts gaped at his form. The news of a student assaulting a professor was seldom heard. Once inside, she lifted her spell. "Are you insane, boy?" she asked with such fury in her voice that anyone in their proper senses would have winced.

That was the point, really. Harry wasn't in his proper sense. He was angry. Very angry. So, he glared at her instead.

"Never in my fifty years at this school, have I seen such reprehensible behavior from a student. The son of Lily Evans no less." she said sharply.

"Don't drag my mother's name into this as well, Professor."

"What will you do otherwise? Punch me as well? Assault me?" Harry looked down and sealed his lips shut. "Look at me when I am talking to you, Potter."

Harry looked up.

"I did not expect this from you. Your parents were Head students. Your mother was the most kind girl I had ever seen. I thought you were like her. But this. Beating up a Professor. Shame on you."

Harry remained silent.

"You will apologise to Professor Snape in front of the entire student body. That will be your punishment."

Harry still remained silent.

"Well, say something." said McGonagall.

"What?" he asked. "I am not sorry for my behavior. I won't apologise to Snape. I won't attend his classes."

"Is that your last decision?" asked McGonagall, fuming.

"Yes."

"Don't attend my classes either then. And detention for the entire year." she ruled.

"Forget it. I won't attend any detention either. If I am being dragged into this thing, I will take as much advantage as I can."

McGonagall scowled. "Fine. Get out. I will talk to the Headmaster."

"Do whatever the hell you want. As I said earlier, this already is my last year here with you all." And Harry walked towards the door.

"Harry…" McGonagall called just as he was about to leave. "I am very disappointed in you."

Harry answered without turning to face her. "And I am disappointed in you, Professor. I don't know if my parents would be proud of me for what I did today or not. But they certainly won't be proud of you seeing you never actually support me when I have to fight for my life in this cursed school year after year." At McGonagall's sharp intake of breath, he added. "And I bloody well know my godfather would be proud of me for punching the shit out of Snivellus."

Then he left leaving a stunned Gryffindor Head of House behind.

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