Chapter 23: The Documentary

Harry didn't know what was worse, avoiding the cameras or knowing everyone would be able to see the documentary that night. As Harry and Ron walked down the dormitory stairs, they could hear banging and the sound of furniture shuffling around. When they turned the last corner into the Common Room they saw Professor Flitwick moving the couches around as two muggle teachers installed a television. Ron stopped to watch for a moment, as he had never really watched television. Harry on the other hand couldn't care less. He didn't want to see the documentary, he was worried there would be a piece about him even though he had been able to avoid an interview.

"Morning Mr. Potter."

"Morning Professor."

"Are you going to watch with everyone tonight?" Flitwick asked as he gently lowered an armchair to the floor, facing the tv. Harry shrugged.

"Not sure. I think everyone will want me to." Professor Flitwick smiled as he configured a new chair from thin air.

"I hear Hagrid has a segment on magical creatures." Harry perked up at the thought. He had completely forgotten that Hagrid had mentioned the interview.

"I'll probably at least watch that part. See you in class Professor." Harry said as Ron joined him.

Class ended early so that everyone could watch the documentary in Common Rooms and Great Hall. The Common Rooms were open to everyone until 10pm. If Harry had wanted, he could have watched from the Slytherin Common Room. Could have, being key. While Harry and Malfoy were no longer archenemies, he still didn't want to deal with him often. Instead, tonight Luna was able to join them. As Ginny, Luna and Vivian entered the Common Room Harry smiled. The group sat on the extra large pillows, Flitwick had left. The Common Room filled up quickly as the airtime approached. Harry noticed his roommates enter and Dudley. They along with everyone found places on the couch, chairs or floor. The room was becoming quite crowded, but everyone, wizards and muggles, seemed to be in a great mood.

"Shhh!" Someone shouted from the front. Turning Harry could see a newscaster introducing the documentary.

"Put it up!"

"How?"

"The volume."

"Well yes, but how -?"

Harry chuckled as Dudley waddled up to the front and put the volume up. On the screen was the words "Hogwarts, a documentary." The documentary started with a slow moving scene outside the castle.

'Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded centuries ago by four witches whose names still take hold in the school. At eleven years old, students are sorted into the respected houses. The houses are Hufflepuff' a shot of a few Hufflepuff girls waving at the cameras appeared.

'Ravenclaw' Two boys sat unaware of the cameras in the library.

'Gryffindor' Fifth years appeared on the screen practicing blocking spells.

'And Slytherin.' Draco Malfoy appeared on the screen. While you couldn't hear him, it was clear he was speaking to the interviewer. Harry wondered what he had to say.

The documentary continued to show different corridors and rooms as it explained the history of Hogwarts. After a few minutes Harry couldn't help but smile as Hagrid walked onto screen. The interviewer turned to Hagrid holding his microphone close to Hagrid.

"This man with me is Rubeus Hagrid, Professor of Magical Creatures and Grounds Keeper of Hogwarts. Hagrid is an expert in magical creatures and has a few to show us." Hagrid beamed with pride as he began walking towards Buckbeak.

"I do, this beautiful creature is a hippogriff. The firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud. Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one. You always let the hippogriff make ter firs' move. To show politeness." Hagrid bowed low towards Buckbeack, who bowed back. Hagrid smiled as he moved towards him.

"His name is Witherwing. He's-." Harry laughed with the rest of the group as Witherwing tried to nip away one of Hagrid's ferrets, who gladly obliged.

"Would you like to ride him?"

"Me? No! No, thank you." Harry laughed remembering how terrified he was when Hagrid lifted him up to Buckbeak in third year. He could imagine how the reporter felt.

"Yer sure?"

"Quite. What other creatures do you have for us?"

"Yeh in for some luck for today I came across a Bowtuckle." Hagrid lifted his large hand to his vest pocket.

"Come on out, they not a hurt you." Slowly a long green twig like creature emerged from Hagrid's pocket. It looked around shyly.

"A Bowtuckle is a tree dwelling creature. They are immensely difficult to find. They live in the forest of Britain and Scandinavia. They can be abou' eight inches tall and have tiny claws, which they use to gouge the eyes of an attacker if they fear their home is in danger. –"

"This em is a thestral. Many people can not see them because they can only be seen by those who have seen death. For those who can't, a thestral looks similar to a horse, though there is something repetilian abou' them too. They are complet' black and their coats stick to their bones. This skeleton appearance is why many people fear em, but they are quite gentle. Harry noticed Luna smile as the two saw the thestral nuzzle Hagrid for an apple.

"Are there any creatures that you feel nonmagical people would be surprised to know exist?"

"Well sure. Dragons! Dragons are beautiful creatures, I myself owned a dragon for a little while, but sadly had to give him up."

"Yea sadly." Ron leaned over to whisper sarcastically to Harry, who chuckled.

"You owned a dragon?" The reporter asked in alarm.

"Yea, his name was Norbert. Had him from an egg. He's a Norwegian Ridgeback. Me friend Charlie is looking after him in Romania. Here's him now." Hagrid held up a photo of a black and brown dragon with long venomous fangs.

"Excuse me. I just miss him so much." Hagrid pulled out a large handkerchief to blow his nose. Ron shook his head.

"There is also the Hungarian Horntail, Ukrainian Ironbelly, Chinese Fireball Peruvian Vipertooth and more. And there are unicorns, beautiful white creatures, trolls, ugly stupid being and giants."

"Giants?"

"Yep. Giants are large creatures that can be twenty five feet tall and look like a tall human."

"If giants are so big and there are so many magical creatures, why haven't nonmagical folk seen them?"

"We been hiding them for their protect."

"Ha! Their protection." Seamus called out, interrupting Hagrid.

"Broaden your minds! Look deep within the orb." Twelawney glided over her students as they stared into crystal balls. Harry could hear the eyeroll coming off Hermione as she sighed. She had never liked Divination.

"Look into the orb's infinite depths. Relax your conscious mind and external eyes."

"Must have been an interesting class. Seeing the future and such." Dudley whispered as he leaned over to Harry.

"Ah, yea, interesting is one way to put it." Ron who was sitting on the couch with his arm around Hermione, snorted.

"Interesting, Twelawney predicted Harry's death weekly…" Ron stopped in thought for a moment. "Maybe she did predict something right for once." Harry and Ron shared a bewildered look. They had always laughed at Twelawney for predicting Harry's imminent death, but in actuality, Harry had died and come back.

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb? Twelawney crooned over the clinking of her bangles.

As the students left the room, Twelawney and the reporter sat at a round table, a crystal ball in between them.

"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art." Twelawney said dreamily. "I do not expect my students to See the first time they peer into the Orb's infinite depths. You must relax the conscious mind and external eyes as to clear the Inner Eye."

Harry covered his face as the documentary began to show his potions class. He could see how clearly he was trying to hide from the camera. Seamus was cackling behind him in laughter.

"You stink at hide and seek Harry." Dean laughed. Harry couldn't help but let out a small laugh as he watched himself move behind Ron on scene.

The Common Room became quiet as the documentary began to show the destruction that still remained at Hogwarts from the war. Harry noticed from the corner of his eyes a few people turned to look at him, including Dudley. He couldn't help the blush that rose to his face.

'The war now known as the Wizarding War ended here on Hogwarts property. The enemy was a man many are too afraid to say the name of. Instead, they call him He Who Must Not Be Named or You Know Who.' The camera moved over to trace the outskirts of Hogwarts and moved slowly towards the lake.

'The First Wizarding War began in 1970 when You Know Who first began his reign of terror. You Know Who's followers were known as Death Eaters and many of them did not like or want non-magic people around. They believed they were better than all other races. They used what witches call "Dark Magic" to control people and cause chaos around England. They also used magical creatures to attack fellow witches and non-magical people. This included zombies.' Without Harry noticing Dudley had come closer.

"Zombies?" Dudley looked worried as he whispered his question.

"Inferi, they are kind of like zombies but they can't make you a zombie too. They're more like empty dead bodies a wizard can control." Harry tried to whisper, but through the quiet everyone could hear him. Many younger students and muggles shared the same worried look as Dudley.

'The end of the war came on Halloween in 1981.' Harry looked down as a photograph of his parents and him appeared. How did they find that photo, he hadn't even seen it.

'You Know Who attacked an infant named Harry Potter and his family. His parents unfortunately died in the attack, but somehow Harry Potter survived, earning himself the title The Boy Who Lived.' Harry looked up to see the photo on screen again. He hated how his parents faded away and they made him bigger and brighter.

'Many years later the Second Wizarding War began – "

The documentary continued to explain the recent war. Harry had not been the only wizard to leave in the middle. The documentary showed more scenes of destruction around England, explained some events the muggles had witnessed. Harry stood up to leave as a portrait of Dumbledore appeared. He stood quickly and nearly ran for the door. He had felt Ginny reach for him, but he couldn't right now. He couldn't handle this anymore.

Harry walked briskly through the halls. He didn't have a place in mind, just away from all the televisions. He hardly noticed as the ground changed from stone to grass. When he finally stopped, he found himself standing next to a large oak tree by the Black Lake. If he hadn't been so distracted, he wouldn't have jumped at the voice that came by the tree.

"Didn't want to watch either Potter." Harry spun around to see Draco Malfoy sitting alone with his back to the tree.

"No. I've seen enough." Draco nodded looking back over the lake.

"Did you miss my interview?" Harry turned back to Malfoy, unaware he had stepped closer.

"I saw you in the beginning." Draco turned back to Harry.

"Not it. They asked me about the war and Dumbledore." Draco and Harry remained silent for a minute. They stared out to the lake as a breeze blew by.

"I didn't tell them everything, but I did explain blood status and why Dumbledore was a threat to-to him." Without really knowing what he was doing, Harry sat down next to Draco.

"You don't owe anyone an explanation." Harry said without really looking at Draco. Draco turned to face Harry. His face nearly blank of all emotion, except for a raised eyebrow. "You didn't have a choice in all this. Neither of us did." Draco leaned back at Harry's words. The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Draco spoke.

"I never thanked you for keeping me out of Azkaban."

"I never thanked you for not turning me in when you had the chance."