A.N.: So Ellaria Scamander is inspired by Lisa Bonet in looks, and by Oberyn Martell in dangerousness! The scars are my own addition, and I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do.
Eldest of the Pleiades
The Third Task
"…Harry, come on, they're waiting for you!" Cedric called, and Harry started, bewildered. Surely the Dursleys hadn't come to Hogwarts, had they?
The sound of voices enthusiastically talking - in numerous languages - drew Harry into the chamber. Inside, he saw Viktor Krum, talking in fluent Bulgarian with his parents, more enthusiastic than Harry had ever seen him; and Fleur Delacour, eyeing someone over her beautiful mother's shoulder as her portly, moustachioed father beamed, bouncing on the heels of his boots. Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, waved to Harry as he wandered past, and he waved back. Cedric Diggory stood with his ruddy-faced father and his mother, who was talking to a young, very pretty woman in lilac-grey robes cut in an elegant 1930s style, her soft brown hair piled onto her head in a loose coil; she had beautiful eyelashes, a delicate flush to her cheeks, and ink stains on her thumb and forefinger. She carried a notepad and pencil - Harry recognised her as a reporter immediately. Talking to Cedric's mum, she nodded and frowned thoughtfully as she scribbled; she laughed suddenly, and Harry was struck by what a pretty smile she had. Cedric flushed at something his father said, which made Cedric cast an uncomfortable look toward Harry; the woman frowned delicately as she glanced over her shoulder at Harry, but didn't write anything down, giving Mr Diggory a cool look.
Since the moment he had first set foot inside Hogwarts, Harry had been under scrutiny; and after a year's worth of articles from Rita Skeeter, Harry was rather desensitised to curious eyes and scathing remarks.
Wandering past Krum and his family, giving Mrs Krum a polite smile and nod when she glanced at him, nudging her husband with her elbow, he saw, standing by the fireplace, Mrs Weasley, Bill and Remus.
They were smiling, and accompanied by a strange woman and an enormous bear-like black dog, who wagged his tail enthusiastically and launched himself at Harry, huge paws on Harry's shoulders. Harry laughed, staggering under Padfoot's weight.
"Surprise!" Mrs Weasley beamed, as Padfoot dropped to all fours, dragged away by a beaming Remus, who told him to behave in an undertone. Mrs Weasley leaned in to kiss Harry's cheek. "We thought we'd come to watch you, Harry."
"You alright?" asked Bill, grinning easily, shaking Harry's hand. "Charlie wanted to come, but he couldn't get the time off work. He said you were incredible against the Horntail." Harry noticed Fleur eyeing up Bill; apparently she had no aversion to long hair and be-fanged earrings.
"This is really nice of you…" Harry said, flabbergasted. He hadn't been expecting… He beamed as Remus Lupin approached, and grinned as he hugged his former professor and mentor. He had been writing to Professor Lupin - Remus now, at his insistence - for the better part of a year, ever since he had left Hogwarts. Shortly before he had left the grounds, suitcase and Grindylow tank in hand, Padfoot wagging his tail and waiting at the Dementor-free gates for him, Lupin had made Harry promise to write to him, about anything and everything; and so Harry had. There wasn't a week that went by where Harry didn't receive a letter from Remus, and Harry liked to write to him; Remus hadn't been officially named his godfather, like Sirius had, but he took his adopted status as mentor and father-figure seriously.
In another life, Harry would have grown up with Remus as a favourite uncle, and he never forget that as he wrote to him.
Having Remus and Sirius was like having parents. Harry could tell them anything, and they always gave excellent advice.
But Harry hadn't been expecting to see Remus here, or Padfoot, not right under the Minister for Magic's nose, though, he supposed, Sirius would think it amusing to run around in full view, the last place anyone expected him to be, and Fudge's position was tenuous at best. While the international spotlight was on Britain due to the Triwizard Tournament, they needed to maintain the appearance of strength and stability, and that meant the Minister was in a very fragile position.
Even at Hogwarts, where they were sheltered from the real goings-on in the Wizarding world, they knew the truth: That in actual fact, things were unravelling. Thanks to a brand-new newspaper rivalling - and embarrassing - the Daily Prophet with its content and the quality of its reporters, Harry knew there was a quiet revolution going on across Britain.
The revelation about Peter Pettigrew's betrayal had shaken the nation. Sirius Black's innocence had turned the Ministry on its head: It had ripped open wounds people believed had mended with the defeat of Lord Voldemort. In no time at all, public outcry and intense scrutiny had turned into full-scale enquiries and 'Ministry restructuring'; tension had escalated to duels within the Ministry and widely-publicised destruction in Knocturn Alley in one of several riots against Dark magic and those who were still permitted, by obscure pro-pureblood laws, to purvey its relics; and never before had there been such vicious backlash against Ministry legislation Fudge and his followers had attempted to push through the Wizengamot - legislation which protected purebloods and simultaneously stripped part- or non-humans of their rights, lands and votes, and attempted to place Muggle-borns and half-bloods under scrutiny and absurd restrictions.
Pettigrew's escape from Ministry custody had humiliated Fudge.
The incompetence of the Ministry, historical miscarriages of justice and Fudge's inability to confirm any progress had been made with regards to open missing-persons cases had him under a lot of pressure, and many in the Wizarding community were calling into question Fudge's effectiveness as Minister.
According to Hermione, it was a powder-keg, and only a spark was needed to ignite it.
The only Ministry Departments not making their collective stance known were the Department of Mysteries, an obscure Department no-one knew the true workings of, and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which included the Wizengamot and the Auror Office.
With his focus on the Tournament - and staying alive - and his near-constant headaches and visions of Voldemort, Harry…simply didn't have the time or energy to devote to worrying about the Ministry. Hermione fretted enough for the three of them; Ron wondered whether his dad might get a promotion or even his own dedicated Office out of the 'restructuring'.
For the moment, Fudge was still clinging to power by his fingertips: But he appeared harried and short-tempered and Harry remembered the argument he had overheard between Fudge and Professor Dumbledore. He was unravelling, and his true character was becoming known. Fudge was becoming nasty.
After the revelation of Peter Pettigrew's true allegiance, the Wizengamot had had to concede that Sirius Black's case be reopened by the Auror Office, and there were many flaming cheeks, embarrassed over the criminal misconduct. They were getting pressure from the International Confederation of Warlocks: Sirius wasn't the only person thrown into Azkaban without trial after the abrupt and unexpected defeat of Lord Voldemort. And after the story of the hundred-odd Dementors running rampant on Hogwarts grounds, in spite of Ministry reassurance to parents, the Ministry's use of Dementors was being called into question.
Still, Harry was anxious about Sirius being back on school grounds. There were no longer Dementors floating about, but Mad-Eye Moody was a famous Dark Wizard catcher and Sirius hadn't officially been exonerated; Hermione was of the opinion that, to preserve their own dignity and cover their backsides, the Ministry would drag it out as long as feasibly possible. One of the fundamental flaws of human-nature was the inability to admit when mistakes had been made. So Sirius existed in a sort of half-life, the greater wizarding community accepting of and supporting the evidence of his innocence, but unable to wander down Diagon Alley at his leisure due to the institution of the Ministry refusing to publically acknowledge its role in imprisoning an innocent man.
Still, the public knew what Harry did; that Sirius had never betrayed Lily and James, that he was innocent, and that he had escaped Azkaban to protect Harry.
"Harry…" Lupin released him, smiling. He looked happier and not nearly as thin and tired as Harry remembered him, though his hair was still streaked with grey. He was wearing the new robes Harry had gifted him for Christmas; Hermione had helped pick them out, and she and Ron had sent Remus a variety box of sweets and chocolates from Honeydukes and a card signed by most of the students who still held Remus as their favourite teacher. Harry was fairly sure Hermione was writing to Remus independently, asking for tips on homework assignments - and counter-curses and spells Harry might need in the Third Task.
"I had no idea you'd be here," he grinned. "Wait 'til everyone sees you're back! Professor Moody's good, but his lessons aren't like yours." Remus chuckled.
"I'm glad you've got Alastor Moody teaching you this year," he said, smiling, "if anyone can teach you what you need to get through this last Task in one piece, it's Mad-Eye. Weren't you one of his, Ellaria?"
The woman at the fireplace drifted forward, her movements as elegant and beguilingly unassuming as a predator. Harry was simultaneously mesmerised and repulsed by her appearance. With skin the colour of honeyed cocoa and beautiful bone-structure, her molasses-brunette hair was thrown carelessly over one shoulder in skinny dreadlocks past her waist, and her hair was over one shoulder, Harry saw, because the right side of her head was shaved above her ear, revealing three old, wicked, puckered pinkish scars, one of which had slashed across her eye and nose, leaving her blind in that eye, her iris foggy white and eerie. The other eye was beetle-black and sharp, and seemed to hold the cosmos in its depths, dark and glittering. She wore unusual jewellery and her clothing would not have looked out of place on a grungy punk-hippie fashion-show catwalk, her trousers of dragon-hide and her sleeveless fluffy black vest embroidered with colourful beads and threads and ancient coins that chimed and sang as she moved. Intricate tattoos were inked on her bare, scarred arms, and on her hands and wrists, which were decorated with unusual bracelets dangling with sea-shells and silver things that glinted, one thick bracelet made of a boar tusk tipped with silver, her rings set with onyx, opals and bone. She wore a necklace from which a wicked talon dangled, tipped with silver; beneath it, her breastbone was tattooed with colourful runes that dipped below the neckline of her sheer black blouse.
She was stunningly beautiful and scarred; and Harry got the impression of coolness drifting from her, as if she would always be the calmest person in the room - and the most dangerous.
"Harry…this is Ellaria Scamander, your godmother. We thought it was about time that you two met," Remus said, smiling warmly at the woman. She was…and there was no other way to describe her…cool. There was something edgy, almost disdainful, and utterly unapologetic about her. She looked severe and dangerous, especially with the scars, and the milky white eye - but the moment her lips twitched into a smile, her entire face warmed up. She was beautiful, so beautiful the scars went unnoticed; warmth radiated from her, and she approached Harry, cupping his face tenderly with her elegant, ringed fingers, and rested her forehead against his. It was unnerving, being so close to a stranger, especially one with mismatched eyes that gazed unblinkingly at him. It was unnervingly intimate.
"Your mum would be vomiting with worry, even as she'd be proud you've come this far," she declared, and her voice was as rich and sharp as the rest of her. For some reason, Harry had expected a sultry accent from an exotic foreign country, but her voice was crisp upper-class English. Her beautiful plump lips twitched into another smile, this one touched with sadness. "But your dad… He would've likely been responsible for hoodwinking the Goblet of Fire to enter your name - if not his own! The Triwizard Tournament…" She winked that blind milky eye, and Harry stifled a shudder, still unused to her shocking appearance - the contradiction of intense beauty and horrifying damage scarred onto her face.
Stepping back, Harry's godmother smiled sadly. "You do look ever so like James…but Moony tells me you've more of Lily's nature… I'm very sorry we haven't met until now, Harry."
"I didn't know I had a godmother," Harry said in an undertone, the others quite forgotten. This was Ellaria Scamander…Harry's godmother. She sighed heavily, shaking her head. Her dreadlocks and tiny braids swayed.
"You were born into a world very different from the one you re-joined when you came to Hogwarts," she said sadly, her expression sorrowful. Lines fanned from the corners of her eyes, as if, despite her severe, cool appearance, she spent a lot of time laughing, and when she smiled sadly, those lines deepened. They made her look, if possible, more beautiful. "If it would have been best for you, I would have taken you in after your parents died, in a heartbeat, regardless of whatever else was going on." She exchanged a sorrowful look with Remus. Changing the subject, Ms Scamander asked him, "How do you feel about the Third Task, Harry?"
"Er…well, I've been working on as many spells and counter-curses as I can," he said anxiously.
"What've you been focusing on?" Ms Scamander asked. She smiled at the look on his face. "I'm an Auror, I don't know if Remus has told you…" So he told Ms Scamander what he, Ron and Hermione had been working on; Mrs Weasley seemed satisfied that at the very least, Ron was getting in some good practice for his Defence Against the Dark Arts exam, and Remus listened and nodded, and they were still laughing over a story Bill told them about an ineffective Shield Charm that had unintended and very uncomfortable side-effects in a tomb in Egypt, when the reporter Harry had seen talking to the Diggorys appeared.
"Uh - Harry, this is Ziggy Wodehouse," Bill said, grinning fondly, as he gave the woman a one-armed hug.
"Hullo, Bill," she smiled warmly, embracing him. She reached up and flicked the fang dangling from his earring. "I like this. What on earth are you doing here?"
"Came to see Harry in the Third Task, same as everyone," Bill grinned easily. He glanced around the room. "Been making the rounds, Zig?"
"I've made a start," Ms Wodehouse said, raising her notepad, and she smiled around at them all. She jumped at the sight of Ellaria Scamander. "Ell?!"
"Hello, Ziggy."
"Do you two know each other?" Bill asked, looking highly surprised.
"Ellaria got me out of a pretty hair-raising situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a couple of years ago," Ms Wodehouse told Bill sombrely.
"The Congo? …That wasn't when you were reporting on the child-soldiers?"
"It was," Ms Wodehouse confirmed, nodding. Bill glanced at Harry.
"Ziggy's a reporter, Harry, and a heavyweight activist," he explained. "I'm surprised you're here, Ziggy."
"I'm reporting for The Phoenix now," Ms Wodehouse said, smiling. "I've been given complete freedom, and resources."
"You've never had those before," Bill said, looking impressed. "People who'll stop you getting hexed, I hope?"
"I work by the same principal Aurors do," Ms Wodehouse intoned to Harry. "If I don't incur curses, I'm not getting to the good stuff." She glanced at Harry, looking contrite, and Bill rolled his eyes, amused. "I know you're likely sick to death of reporters, after the harassment from Rita Skeeter, Harry, but if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions? I'm interviewing all the Champions, just about what you've enjoyed, what you've learned while training for the Tournament, about yourself, what your aspirations are. Have you spent much time with the foreign representatives? That sort of thing."
"Er…I suppose," Harry said uncomfortably.
"You don't seem keen," Ms Wodehouse laughed easily. "Five minutes, I swear it'll be painless. And then you can enjoy the rest of the day."
"Alright," Harry agreed hesitantly. Ms Wodehouse smiled, her eyes twinkling.
"So, who's come to see you today?"
"Well…you know Bill…and Ms Scamander. This is Remus Lupin; he was our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor last year, and he's the best teacher we've ever had," Harry beamed. "He taught me how to produce a Patronus."
"A - a Patronus? Really? That's N.E.W.T.-level magic. I still struggle with it," Ms Wodehouse said, gazing curiously at him.
"Well, it was… I have a reaction to Dementors," Harry said, flushing.
"Don't we all?" Ms Wodehouse said grimly. "They were stationed at Hogwarts last year, I heard." She glanced up at Remus, who nodded solemnly. "Well, I'm impressed. A Patronus is advanced magic - is that why you entered?"
"Ziggy -" Bill warned, frowning at her, but the young-woman ignored him.
"I didn't enter. I don't know how my name ended up coming out of the Goblet of Fire, because I didn't put it there!" Harry blurted, glancing at the others, feeling flushed.
"It would take very complicated magic to interfere with a powerful magical object like the Goblet of Fire…"
"Well, then, I definitely didn't do it, because I can't do anything like that. The Patronus Charm's the hardest thing I can do! I'm only good at Quidditch and getting detention and performing the Patronus Charm."
"Have you enjoyed anything about the Tournament?" Ms Wodehouse asked suddenly, looking amused.
"Well…not really. I didn't enjoy thinking I was going to be eaten by a dragon; I definitely didn't enjoy swimming in the lake or seeing Ron and Hermione under the enchantment…" Ms Wodehouse chuckled at his deadpan expression, and her pretty features softened as she saw the shiver flit across Harry's face at the memory of Ron and Hermione, surrounded by merpeople. "I suppose it's been good learning new spells we haven't covered in Defence Against the Dark Arts yet."
"What about the Yule Ball?" Ms Wodehouse asked, smiling.
"That was worse than being in the lake." She laughed.
"You don't like dancing?"
"I prefer Quidditch."
"You certainly captivated the audience during the First Task. I've heard you play for your House."
"Yeah, we won the Cup last year for the first time since - well, since Charlie Weasley left Hogwarts," Harry said proudly, grinning at Bill. "But - they cancelled the Tournament this year."
"Would you have preferred the Quidditch Cup to the Triwizard Cup?"
"I think - if they could've had both, then I could play Quidditch and just watch Cedric in the Triwizard Tournament," Harry said earnestly. "I shouldn't be in the Tournament; I don't know why I am. I'd rather be playing Quidditch."
"Do you follow a particular team?" Ms Wodehouse asked.
"Not really; my best-friend Ron loves the Chudley Cannons. Last summer Mr Weasley got tickets to the World Cup; we saw Viktor Krum play in the final against Ireland!" he said enthusiastically. "I didn't know people could fly like that!"
"That sounds like a little bit of hero-worship, Harry."
"He was brilliant! After the First Task, Krum said I fly very well!" Harry grinned, and Ms Wodehouse laughed at his expression.
"I've heard that your father was a keen Quidditch-player."
"He was a Chaser."
"Does it get to you, Harry…that everyone you meet seems to know your parents, better than you do?"
"People tell me I look just like my dad…but I have my mum's eyes. I don't remember them."
"Today, the families of the Champions were invited to watch the Third Task… Were you surprised to see Mrs Weasley, Bill, Ms Scamander and Remus Lupin?"
"I didn't expect anyone to be here," Harry admitted, shrugging. "I thought I would just get some more practice in, as I don't have to sit end-of-year exams."
"What's your relationship like with Remus Lupin, and the Weasleys?" Ms Wodehouse asked.
"Well…Remus was best-friends with my dad when they were at school; he was my teacher last year. He's the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had. We've been writing to each other, he gives me advice and helps me with some of my homework," Harry said. "I met Ron Weasley on the Hogwarts Express, but Mrs Weasley told me how to get onto the platform, because I didn't know how… She sent me a green hand-knitted jumper and homemade fudge my first Christmas at Hogwarts. I've been to stay with the Weasleys a couple of times since. They're brilliant."
"Does Mrs Weasley send you an Easter egg?" Ms Wodehouse asked, and Harry stared at her, before nodding.
"Yeah…"
"When I was going out with Bill, I got homemade mince-pies and an Easter egg stuffed to bursting with toffees. I won't tell you what Mrs Weasley sent when I dumped him," Ziggy said, pulling a face, and Harry grinned. "But I never got a Christmas jumper…you're really part of the family… What about Ellaria Scamander?"
"She's my godmother, but I only just met her, today."
"Well, with recent events I'm sure you've experienced a few changes in your life," Ms Wodehouse said succinctly. "The case being reopened against Sirius Black, your godfather. It's widely known he escaped Azkaban to protect you..."
"Yeah…"
"Don't worry, I'm not going to try and delve," Ms Wodehouse smiled, "no matter how curious we all are. But it seems like you've got quite a number of decent people stepping in for your parents, giving you guidance and support."
"I have, now," Harry nodded, agreeing, giving Remus and Mrs Weasley a grin. He thought Mrs Weasley's eyes were glinting with tears, but he blinked and they were gone, and Ms Wodehouse was asking him another question.
"I've been asking what the other Champions aspire to, once the Tournament ends, but you're in a different position than the others; Fleur Delacour will be leaving school this summer, and is hoping to remain in England to hone her language skills; Viktor Krum obviously has his Quidditch career, though he seems to have taken a great interest in Hogwarts. He mentioned he has a younger cousin he desperately wants to attend Hogwarts, perhaps he'll start while you're still here, Harry. Cedric Diggory has his seventh and final year at Hogwarts to complete his N.E.W.T. exams…but you've not yet sat your O.W.L.s. What do you hope the future will hold for you, Harry?"
"Well…the only thing I've really ever thought of doing is becoming an Auror," Harry confessed.
"Not a Quidditch star?"
"I don't think so," Harry said, frowning. He grinned, "I'm definitely not as good as Krum. The first time we won a match, I almost swallowed the Snitch!" Ziggy laughed.
"So who will be cheering you on tonight, Harry?"
"Er, well, besides Bill and Mrs Weasley, and Remus and Ms Scamander - Ron and Hermione, my best-friends, definitely. They've been helping me train for weeks," Harry said. "And Gryffindor House is always brilliant, whether it's the Triwizard Tournament or the Quidditch Cup."
"There seems to be some tension between Gryffindor House and Hufflepuff, owing to there being two champions."
"I don't blame them; Cedric's the first person to bring Hufflepuff glory in ages," Harry said, shrugging. "Gryffindor's won the House cup for three years running…and last year when I fell off my broom because of the Dementors, Cedric caught the Snitch but wanted a rematch, said it was fair… I think Cedric could win."
"Not you?"
"I'll give it my best," Harry said uncertainly, "but the others have got years on me."
"They don't have your experience," Ms Wodehouse said thoughtfully. "What goes on at Hogwarts is a complete secret - so everyone knows, of course! The Philosopher's Stone…ending the Basilisk attacks on Muggle-borns…your integral part in capturing Peter Pettigrew… Objectively speaking, and off the record, I'd say you're leaps and bounds ahead of the others when it comes to practical application of your skill."
"Will you be cheering me on with Bill?"
"Oh, no, Harry, I'm a Hufflepuff! It's Diggory all the way for me!" Ziggy laughed, winking. Harry smiled, deciding he liked Ziggy Wodehouse much more than Rita Skeeter. Being interviewed by her felt like just talking. He wondered what she'd write about him. "One last thing, Harry…I hope you don't mind - I've got pictures of all the other Champions with their families. Please?"
"Oh, if you insist," Mrs Weasley flushed, and started fussing with her hair.
"Mum, don't fuss, you look fine!" Bill chuckled easily. "Everyone will be more concerned with my long hair and the dirty great fang dangling from my ear!"
"Well…very true, dear," Mrs Weasley said, giving her eldest son a look. From inside her pocket, Ms Wodehouse pulled a battered Muggle camera, winding on the film, and Mrs Weasley took the time to fuss over Harry's appearance, fruitlessly dragging a comb through his hair, straightening his robes, as Remus looked on, smiling indulgently. The four adults grouped around Harry, Mrs Weasley and Remus flanking him with Bill and Ms Scamander either side - Mrs Weasley dragging Ms Scamander into the frame despite her protests - and Sirius sat back on his haunches beside him; Harry smiled, and the picture was taken. Not nearly as painful as the Daily Prophet's photographer.
"Thank you," Ms Wodehouse beamed. "Well, enjoy your day, Harry - and good luck!"
"You didn't tell me Ziggy was back?" Mrs Weasley said immediately, as soon as the pretty reporter had drifted off to join the Krum family, making a halting attempt at Bulgarian.
"I didn't know," Bill said, watching Ziggy Wodehouse. He caught the look on his mother's face. "Mum, she's far too busy chasing down the 'lions of injustice', travelling all over the world…"
"There is buried treasure all over the world, Bill," Mrs Weasley said pointedly. "With your talents, you could go anywhere you wanted."
"I'm not going to chase after someone who doesn't want me to chase her," Bill said stubbornly.
"All women want to be chased by someone who's interested in them, Bill," Mrs Weasley said disparagingly. Harry caught Remus' eye, and they set off, Sirius bounding down the length of the House tables, his delighted barks echoing around the Entrance Hall. Mrs Weasley and Bill were still arguing about Ziggy Wodehouse as they entered the grounds; before long, Mrs Weasley was in discussion with Remus about Ron and Ginny and the twins' performance during his tenure as Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Bill seemed to be soaking in every bit of Hogwarts he had missed in the years since he had left the school; but Harry noticed that Ms Scamander looked grim as she stared around, as if she was the only one not happy to return to Hogwarts.
"Um…is it alright if I ask why you came today?" Harry asked quietly.
Ms Scamander squinted at him in the sunlight; she had to turn her head fully, as he walked at her right side, her blind eye. He wondered briefly why she didn't get a replacement like Mad-Eye's. And then he flushed, embarrassed that he hadn't thought to walk on her other side. "Dumbledore has a gut-instinct, and in spite of everything, when he's worried, I take notice. Today is the last chance someone has to get to you."
Harry's stomach cramped. "Remus said you're a freelance Auror."
"That's right. I'm not affiliated to any one particular institution; I go where I'm needed. Usually where others don't want to go," Ms Scamander said.
Harry blurted, unthinkingly, "Are all Aurors as scarred as you and Professor Moody?"
Ms Scamander chuckled richly, and her entire face transformed, suddenly hardly intimidating at all. She had a beautiful white smile, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. "Only the good ones. The ones who don't end up with scars are dead."
"Oh."
"I'm very interested to hear that you've been thinking about becoming an Auror. It's not so surprising, given your background…although it's appalling someone so young has a background." She shook her head. He frowned, remembering something that Ziggy Wodehouse had said.
"There are wizard child-soldiers in the Congo?"
"I'm afraid so. It's criminal," Ms Scamander sighed heavily. "I'm not a person easily shocked, Harry, but…the Congo shocked me… Realising that you are battling against children who haven't even reached double-digits… Being an Auror isn't just about defeating Lord Voldemort - there's far out there worse than him."
"Worse than Voldemort?"
"Everything is relative, Harry… Which is worse, a Dark wizard who kills everyone, or a witch who convinces brothers to turn on each other, mothers to give up their children to fight for a cause they never believed in to begin with, turns an entire culture on its head?" Ms Scamander sighed, looking suddenly as tired as Lupin. "It's at times like that…when just catching one Dark wizard isn't enough…when you could get very despondent about your life's work."
"Do you - get despondent?"
"I try not to allow myself the luxury," Ms Scamander said. She looked Harry right in the eye, and Harry felt like he had been turned into a statue, unable to move or even to look away. "It's ten times harder to put yourself back together again than to fall apart." He nodded, not truly understanding, and they walked on in silence for a few minutes. Ms Scamander glanced at him. "Tell me about your friends, Harry. Ron and Hermione were their names, yes?"
Harry had a thoroughly enjoyable morning. In the sunshine, enjoying a gentle breeze, he gave a tour of the grounds: Mrs Weasley was fascinated by the Whomping Willow, which had been planted after her time at the school, and Harry noticed Ellaria listening closely as Remus grudgingly told the story of the unveiling of Peter Pettigrew. That her son Percy's pet rat was in fact an Animagus, and the traitorous, cowardly right-hand of Lord Voldemort, seemed to be taken as a personal insult by Mrs Weasley: Ellaria told Harry in an undertone as they walked around the lake that Mrs Weasley's two brothers, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, had been murdered by Death Eaters during the War. They had known and fought alongside Harry's parents, Sirius and Remus, among others.
Lunchtime saw them return to the Great Hall, where Ron and the twins were all flabbergasted - and unnerved - to see their mother sitting at the Gryffindor table, content that she didn't have to do the cooking. Padfoot allowed Ron and Hermione to scratch his ears, as Lee Jordan told Harry he had a "cool dog"; and half the school came over to say hello to Lupin, who listened to their news and dispensed thoughtful advice as Ms Scamander looked on, watching him with a wistful smile on her face. Ginny ran for Bill as soon as she saw him, elbowing Fred out of the way, and it felt almost like being back at The Burrow.
Harry wanted to tell Ron and Hermione what Mrs Weasley and Bill had mentioned about Percy being in trouble at the Ministry; and to ask whether Hermione was going to tell them about her brainwave this morning, when she had run off to the library. He didn't have time; and it was so noisy around them, with students constantly darting over to see Professor Lupin. Even some of the Slytherins made their way over, to general surprise.
After lunch, they whiled away the afternoon by going for another long walk. Padfoot played his part admirably, allowing Lupin to levitate sticks and tearing after them, barking joyously and gambolling around. If Harry didn't know any better, he might have thought Padfoot was…flirting with Ellaria. She had given the enormous bear-like black dog a few curious, startled frowns the first time he bumped against her legs and licked her palm, and Harry glanced at Remus, wondering whether she knew the secret. Wondering about how Ms Scamander was his godmother, he asked her where she had met his parents.
"Oh, here, of course. Hogwarts… Lily was in the same year as my favourite sister, they were in the same House. She even came to stay with us, one summer, they were about fifteen…and of course, James and Sirius were closer than brothers, we were bound to become friendly during the War," Ellaria said, and Harry started.
"Er - Sirius…?"
Ellaria paused, her dreadlocked, braided hair swaying over her shoulder, glossy in the sunshine, as she gazed at him, with an almost birdlike tilt to her head.
"Did neither of them tell you?" she asked, and smiled to herself. "Harry, Sirius and I were married - are… Are married…"
Harry gaped. "You're -"
"Married." Ellaria nodded, sighing heavily. She gazed out over the lake, shimmering in the sunlight. When she glanced back at Harry, her expression was deeply wounded. "It's…part of the reason we've never met, Harry, not since you were a baby. Had things been different, I would have raised you. As it was…no-one was going to trust me with your life, not when all the evidence pointed to my husband having betrayed your parents."
"But he didn't."
"No. Whatever his faults, it has never been in Sirius' character to be disloyal. And James…he was one of the loves of Sirius' life." Harry raised his eyebrows, and her lips twitched, and her eyes warmed at a memory. They grew sad again. "He would have endured any torture the Death Eaters could devise, rather than give up your dad…as James would have for him….a trait you seem to have inherited, or so I've been led to believe. If your mum and dad would be proud of one thing, Harry, it's how lucky you have been in your friends - and how loyal you are to them."
Harry was spared trying to find something to say in response to that by Remus, who wandered over, asking Harry what spells he had learned for the Third Task; they spent the walk back to the castle practicing. Ellaria tested Harry's Seeker reflexes with some minor jinxes, which he deflected with his Shield Charm, and Ellaria and Bill, a curse-breaker by profession, commended Hermione's choice in counter-curses and charms to help him through the maze.
He was still reeling that Sirius had a wife when they returned to the Great Hall; but he suddenly understood Ellaria's predatory stillness, the watchful fury in her face as she saw Cornelius Fudge at the top table, with the other judges. There was no sign of Percy, or of Barty Crouch; Bagman beamed and waved at Harry, giving him an encouraging thumbs-up, as Harry climbed into a seat at the Gryffindor table. The Weasleys gathered for another family meal, and Harry noticed a lot of pretty older girls trying to get closer to Bill, who ignored them in favour of talking quietly with Ziggy Wodehouse, who joined them.
Lupin still drew attention, kids bemoaning their Defence Against the Dark Arts exam questions, and wanting his opinion on whether their answers were satisfactory, but it was nice that Harry wasn't the centre of people's attention. There were more courses than usual, but Harry found himself losing his appetite almost entirely as the enchanted ceiling started darkening to a rich sapphire and then a luxurious deep plum, the stars twinkling beguilingly.
When Dumbledore stood, and asked the Champions to make their way to the Quidditch pitch with Mr Bagman, Harry found his legs had turned to lead. The riot that exploded like a bomb-blast at the Gryffindor table as he pushed to his feet was deafening, though not unexpected; he grinned sheepishly, and Mrs Weasley beamed with pride, as Bill shook his hand. Ellaria winked her blind eye and smiled; and Lupin stood, so Sirius could bump against Harry's legs and wag his tail before leaping up, enormous paws on Harry's shoulders. Those bright grey eyes pinned Harry's, as Sirius' tongue lolled, and Harry got a face-full of dog-breath before Remus frowned and nudged Sirius, warning him to "act more like a dog" in an undertone that Harry was pretty sure no-one heard, especially Sirius, due to the noise. Remus clasped him in a tight hug, very briefly, and smiled warmly before wishing him good luck.
Harry saw the solemn look he exchanged with Ellaria as he re-joined the table, and Harry tried to put it out of his mind that Ellaria was here because Dumbledore had a "gut feeling"; that Sirius, who had a wife, had returned to the country because he had pieced together the clues and signs of Voldemort's increasing strength; that Percy was in trouble over Mr Crouch's disappearance; and Hermione might have figured out how Rita Skeeter knew Harry's scar kept hurting him.
They watched Harry enter the maze, the youngest and slightest of all the competitors.
In what felt like no time at all, Harry reappeared, clutching a cup. And a corpse.
A.N.: It is the season of giving, after all, so I thought I'd upload a second chapter for you!