Disclaimer: I don't own or claim any rights to Harry Potter or the characters previously seen in the books or movies.
AN: Thanks again for the reviews. This chapter is a little different so that I can take us in the direction we need to be going. I hope you enjoy as the next should lead into the third task.
Chapter 5
It was three days before Harry woke and when his eyes finally opened, Madam Pomfrey was sitting beside him. She smiled down at him and patted his cheek lovingly. "That's my boy. I was beginning to wonder if you were just going to stay in my care permanently and sleep your life away."
Harry's eyes grew wide and he looked around in panic. She softly said "Relax Harry. You are not at Hogwarts. Dobby came and got me when you took a turn for the worse. You have a very faithful and loyal friend in Dobby who has been agonizing over what you would say to him when you woke up. He has made some broth for you so we can get something besides potions in your stomach."
Harry gave her a small nod.
Still in her soft voice she said "I want you to know that you hurt me terribly when you refused to let me care for you so we will be having a talk before I leave where you will answer my questions and try to help me understand why you felt you needed to run away. I feel I've at least earned the right to an explanation."
Harry reached out and lightly took her hand. In a very gruff and unused voice, he said "It wasn't you Madam Pomfrey. I can't protect myself there. I…it's hard to explain but I will try to tell you what I can."
She nodded and then asked "So, what do you want first? The good, the bad, or the ugly?"
He smiled up at her and said "Well I'm awake and alive so I'll take that as a good start. Just start with the good and work your way down. I'd hate to ruin your good news by moping over the bad."
"Well, the good news is that you'll still be able to play Quidditch." She noticed his frown at that but decided to leave that part for later. She knew this young man well and it would have to figure into his radical actions somehow.
"You'll also make an almost complete recovery but it will take some time. The damage done was pretty bad but not untreatable. The problem was that along with the injuries, there were other things going on that made the situation much more difficult. If Dobby had waited another day or two, we probably wouldn't be talking right now. At the moment, you still have severe tissue damage around your torso. I managed to repair your leg completely but I'm going to need some help and better potions to fix the rest."
He smiled up at her. "Madam Pomfrey…"
"Poppy, all my boys call me Poppy."
"Okay, well Poppy, the fact that I'm alive probably means we should be celebrating. When Viktor bit me, he shook me like a dog with a new chew toy. I could feel him ripping me apart so the trident stuck in my leg was not so bad. By my guess, the mermen probably saved my life even if they did stab me with the trident."
"Yes they did. They are quite upset with what happened and are afraid of what you might do to them for it."
He laughed and said "No, I'd rather find something they like and rarely get and buy them a whole bunch of it to show my appreciation for their efforts. If it hadn't been for them, I would have never made it out of the water."
She chuckled "I once read an author who said they like chunky peanut butter. According to him, they find it heavenly. I'll lend it to you while you recover."
"Dobby?"
He appeared but acted as if he was afraid. "Thank you Dobby. You're good elf and a good friend. There will be no punishment for getting Poppy to come help."
Poppy looked at him strange and said "You speak of punishment when he saved your life."
He shot her a glare. "Poppy, I think I know Dobby better than you and he was looking for a way to go close his head in the oven door for disobeying my orders. Instead of punishment, I think I will assign some more work to you. Get some money and go buy fifty cases of chunky peanut butter. I then want you to deliver it to the merpeople of Black Lake. If you cannot speak with them, go ask Myrtle in the second floor girls' bathroom. I think she can communicate with them enough to tell them I said thank you for saving me from certain death. While you are at Hogwarts, you will contact Cedric or Megan and tell them I am recovering but am alive. If they ask, you can tell them Poppy is with me."
"Yes Harry Sir, thank you Harry Sir." With a loud pop, Dobby was gone.
**LC**
As Poppy fed Harry his broth, the conversation turned to Harry and his reasons for running away from her. After she informed him that she had given Dobby her oath not to betray him, he began to tell his tale starting with life on Privet Dr. He then worked his way up through the years at Hogwarts which she had seen for herself and always ended up dealing with the results. The conversation then turned to this year and everything he had been put through. How his friends and even the staff had treated him so badly that he finally just went into hiding to escape the harassment. He talked of how betrayed he felt that his own head of house wouldn't stand up for him or protect him in any way and how her outburst during class one day had been the final straw that saw any respect he once had for her vanish completely. He talked of Christmas and going to Gringotts and finding out that Albus effectively blocked any chance he had at gaining any measure of control over his own life. He talked of sending Dobby to the Gnomes and then the gift of hope he received in return. As he ended the tale, she was in tears and understood his reactions.
It then came time for her confession. "Harry, there is something I have been dying to tell you for four years but have been ordered not to do so. You see, your grandmother, Dorea, and I were especially close during school. While we both went into healing, she eventually left the program to marry your grandfather. And while I had my fair share of suitors, I felt a stronger calling into healing and never stopped to marry or have a family. I delivered your father and upon his birth was rewarded with the gift of being his godmother. It was then that I finally had the family that I always wanted but never took the time to have. When James came to Hogwarts, it was like having my own child around and made me realize just what I had missed out on. Of course he was a little scamp much like his son but I loved him dearly. Just as I do you. Albus forbade everyone from talking to you about your family and it was especially hard on Minerva and me. It's not my story to tell but Minerva was more than just a teacher to both your parents."
He looked at her with wide eyes as she continued. "So you came to Hogwarts and I could tell that things were not quite right but I couldn't do anything about it or Albus would have me dismissed from the staff. So many times I wanted to tell you everything but I kept silent so I could stay close to you and protect you the only way I could."
"You were my only connection to James and once you graduated, I was planning to retire with the offer to take care of your family as it grew. I know this may not make much sense because I'm babbling but I want you to know that I believe everything you've told me. I also believe that Lily was smart enough to do what she did. I'm just sorry it took this long for you to find out everything."
"It's okay Poppy, I'm still having trouble with some of it but I can understand the decision you made. The one I'm having the most trouble with is Aunt Minnie."
Poppy gasped. He looked up and said "Yes, I have seen my parents will and I know exactly who she is to me. The way she acted towards me is the main reason why I didn't come with you even when I knew it would be for the best. I'm trying so hard to stay out from under Dumbledore's thumb and if I had gone to the infirmary, he would have used my injuries to once again try to gain control over me. I would have already left Hogwarts but the magical contract of the tournament is effectively keeping me tied to the school for now. Now that I've researched contracts, I know that I could have walked away anytime until I did the first task but once I did, I was locked in and whoever put my name in was off the hook. I just keep telling myself that I only have to make it a little bit longer and I'll be free of his control. And even with everyone else against me, knowing this makes me feel better and freer than I ever have."
"The entire castle isn't against you anymore Harry. Many have seen the error of their ways. Your former friends are looking pitiful but I think it's because your lady friend is giving them the devil every chance she gets."
Harry looked at her questionably. Poppy said "Miss Jones reminds me of your mother in some ways. She is fiercely loyal to those she cares about and it's pretty obvious she cares a lot for you. I don't think it was intentional but before I came here, Miss Delacour said something that upset her and it was too much for her to take. She ended up cowing the French champion and at the same time, wreaked havoc amongst your housemates. From the account I heard, Miss Weasley ran from the Great Hall in tears. If she cares that much for you and if you share her feelings, don't let her get away. Once James caught Lily, he was on top of the world and nothing could bring him down. Now, if you'll allow an old lady to be nosy, do you love her?"
He thought for a minute. "I don't really know. I've never had a girlfriend before so I don't have something to judge it by. I've had the love of friends and she is definitely that. My feelings towards Hermione were changing before all this started and it felt different. How do you really know?"
She smiled down at him. "Well, how often do you think about her? What do you feel when you are together? What do you feel when you're apart? If you can answer those questions, I think we can get a better idea"
"Hmm…well, I miss her when were not together and look forward to when I can see her again. We always have a good time when we're together and she's easy to talk to and seems to understand stuff. As far as thinking about her, pretty much all the time but it's more along the lines of Meg would think that's funny or I wish she was here so she could explain it to me."
"Sounds to me like you've come to rely on her much like you did Miss Granger."
"I'd ask her to be my girlfriend but I don't want her to have to go through all the trouble that it would cause. I mean, who would want to be with someone who has all this drama in his life."
"Well, you can't schedule your life around the crap that happens in it. If you care for her then you need to show her and not make her wait. As long as you two are happy then that is all that matters so don't worry about what the rest of the castle says or thinks."
"So my great god mum is giving me relationship advice?"
"Well, yes! You know your father was incredibly thick in this area as well until I straightened him out. Besides, I think she could help you in more ways than you think."
"I'll think about it."
She frowned at his statement but then became a little nervous. "Now that you know I won't betray you, I want you to come back to Hogwarts with me. Before you say anything, there is a second room off my personal quarters that I can convert for you and no one will ever know you are there."
"I don't…."
"This isn't up for discussion anymore Harry. The potions I used have helped but we have a lot more to do before you are back to your old self."
He smirked "Are you going to give me a new nipple as well? It felt good when I rubbed it and I'll miss that."
She chuckled at his light hearted approach. "Merlin you act just like your father sometimes. I'm sorry baby but there only so much we can do. I can rebuild the muscles but I'm afraid that's gone for good."
He sulked "Well I hope he got indigestion from it. When would we need to make this decision?"
"I need to return to my duties so it would need to be quick. The sooner we start, the sooner you can get back to normal and out of my hair. You might be able to be back on a broom before long."
He perked up at hearing that. "How about this, you go back tomorrow morning and get the room ready and then Dobby can bring me the next day. Let's say during breakfast while everyone is busy. Um…Poppy? Will Megan and Cedric be able to visit me?"
She smiled at him and said "I'm sure we can work something out dear. At worst, Dobby can pop them straight into the room so no one gets suspicious." (She paused to look at him.) "I'm really surprised you agreed to it so easily. It's not everyday that you willingly place yourself in my care."
"Well, I've thought about it and I feel I kind of owe you for running off and upsetting you. Besides that, I trust you to do what you say you will. Dobby will be with me so he can always pop me to another location in the castle if they search your ward."
"Yes, there is that. But don't expect me to baby you like I've done here. It just wouldn't be proper in front of the other students."
He pouted at her. "But I love this Poppy. Why can't I keep her?"
She laughed and replied "You can, as soon as you graduate."
"Speaking of that, since I'm going to be locked up for a while, I was thinking that maybe Dobby could get the fifth year books for me to study."
She caught where Harry was going and said "If you can get through them, Griselda Marshbanks owes me a few favors. We might get you tested for OWLS over the summer. If you were to do well, you could walk away from Hogwarts on your birthday and never come back."
"Something else you need to know, when Dobby bonded with me, he said he sensed things wrong with my magic and took it upon himself to fix the problem. Ever since then, my mind has been clearer and I can touch my magic easier. Without Ron and Hermione's distraction and even with the tournament taking a lot of my time, I've already finished this year's books and I think I could take my year end tests now. It's not like I'll be attending any classes for the rest of the year so if I use my time to study next year's stuff, I think I can pull it off."
"I'll make some inquiries when we get back and see what we need to do." She then reached over to the nightstand and handed him a stack of letters. "These came for you while you were out. They look to be from Gringotts judging by the seal on them."
Harry's demeanor darkened as he thought about his last visit with the Goblins. He opened one and began to read.
Mr. Potter,
We at Gringotts would like to offer our apologies for the events that occurred during our last meeting. We also request that you return to our institution so that we can further discuss this matter and try to come to a mutually beneficial arrangement concerning your accounts. We can acknowledge the fact that you were upset with us that day but walking out is no way to keep a good working relationship. We have tried numerous times to contact you since that meeting and every letter has been returned unopened.
We feel that it is not in the best interests of either of us if you won't discuss the matter further. I would like to once again request your presence here. No appointment is necessary as we are here to serve you at your earliest convenience.
Bearclaw
The letter did nothing to soothe the bad feelings he had towards the Goblins. In fact, it just solidified his position towards them. Harry handed the letter to Poppy and her anger rose at what she read.
"Why those tiny little con men. I've never read such a condescending letter in my life. He makes out like the whole thing was your fault."
Harry just gave her an evil grin and asked for a piece of parchment. She sat there as he started writing.
Bearclaw,
Your last letter just reinforced my desire to cut all ties with your institution. I don't know where you learned your business practices from but from where I come from, the fact that it's my money in your bank makes my wishes take precedence above yours in this matter. The fact that you still think we have any kind of working relationship is laughable. There will come a day when House Potter makes a very public break with Gringotts and I hope you are prepared for the fallout from your actions.
Harry James Potter
Harry handed Poppy the letter to read and once she did, she gave him a questioning look. He only replied "If you have money in Gringotts, I'd suggest you move it to the Gnomes before July. The Goblins will probably close their doors once I'm through with them."
She looked at him with wide eyes before nodding her head. He called for Dobby and handed him the letter. "Take this letter to Bearclaw and then put up those mail wards again."
"Dobby already did it. Dobby sorry he didn't hide Harry."
"That's okay Dobby; you were pretty busy at the time."
Poppy asked "How come those letters reached you here? According to them, they have been sending you letters since Christmas. You should have received them while at the school."
Harry smirked "According to Dobby, Dumbledore has wards on Hogwarts and Privet Dr that only allow letters from certain people to reach me. Any others are turned away."
Poppy exclaimed "That's illegal!"
"Just add it to the list. It seems Dumbledore gets away with whatever he wants when it concerns me."
**LC**
Poppy stepped out of the floo and into her infirmary only to see the smiling face of Billy Holston. She smiled and said "You stayed here the whole time didn't you?"
"Of course Poppy, I couldn't trust your ward to just anybody. Besides, it gave me an excuse to get out of the hospital for a few days. Did everything go okay?"
"Yes, thank you. It was pretty bad at first but I managed to take care of it. Is there anything you need to make me aware of?"
He smiled "Well, evidently you are more popular than ever. I don't know how many times the door opened and a student popped their head in to see if you were here and when they saw me, they left. I'm starting to feel like they don't trust me. Also, Minerva came to check on me several times a day for no reason and Albus came by not long after you left and demanded I tell him where you went and how to get in contact with you. Is there something going on that I should know about?"
"Thank you Billy but I think I've got it under control. I do want to thank you for your help and I promise you that you'll be the first person I call if I need anything. The situation is…delicate and the patient needed certain assurances."
Billy eyed her for a minute before saying "I trust you enough to know better than to ask anymore. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to call."
Poppy looked down for a second. "There is something. I need some high powered musculus potions and salve. I could also use some strong skele-gro."
It took a minute before the realization set in. He had been in the castle long enough to get a fairly good idea of the extensive damage Harry had suffered during the second task. He nodded his head. "I'll send it immediately with your normal supplies. If you need any help with the subject, you can count on me. Just so you know there's a rumor going around that you left to take care of Harry Potter."
She looked at hi for a second before replying "Thank you Billy, now would you do me the honor of escorting me to breakfast so I can start the tongues wagging again?"
"Gladly." He offered his elbow which she took as they made their way to the Great Hall. Since breakfast had already started, they didn't pass any students in the hallways and as soon as they opened the door and stepped in, the whole place went silent.
Poppy chuckled at the response and then said "Nice to know I was missed. Now Billy let's go sit so you can tell me what the little miscreants have been up to in my absence?"
As they sat at the head table, Albus turned to her and said "I hope everything worked out to your satisfaction Poppy. We were quite concerned when you ran off they way you did."
"Yes Albus, things are better now which enabled me to come back and resume my duties."
"May I ask what the emergency was?"
"Oh I'm sorry Albus, I didn't realize family issues were a normal topic of conversation but if you must know, my sister's grandson got into something he shouldn't have and it resulted in a bad infection along with a high fever. It was critical for a little while but I think things are well in hand now."
Albus looked at her for a minute before saying "My apologies Poppy, it was not my intent to discuss family matters in public. I'm happy things worked out but with the tournament here, I wish you would have informed me before you left."
"I'll remember that next time I have a family member in critical condition. I don't think I neglected my duties since Billy came and covered for me. Surely you don't mean to suggest that he's not qualified?"
"Of course not, I just like to know where my people are in case I need them."
Minerva was watching the whole conversation but kept her tongue. She had been thinking about these past few years and was quite disappointed in herself. Her actions had probably sealed the fate of her relationship with Harry and she could only hope that he would forgive her one day. No, she realized that she had dug her own grave with Harry and just hoped it wouldn't turn out to be literally.
**LC**
While Poppy was sitting with Harry in the hotel, Cedric Diggory made good on his promise to speak out on the injustices that had been visited upon Harry during the tournament. He had contacted his father and the very next night during dinner, Lords Diggory and Jones made there way into the Great Hall. Upon seeing them, Albus paled but asked "Lords Diggory and Jones, to what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?"
Lord Jones said "Lord Diggory and I have come to retrieve our heirs. We have some family business that needs to be discussed tonight. We will return them before curfew."
Albus replied "Of course, family business. I hope that this doesn't become a common occurrence for you to take two of my students and disrupt their schedules. But I will abide by your wishes."
Amos Diggory responded "They may be your students but they are our children and heirs. As such, family business supersedes your wishes in this matter and quite frankly, you are close to the point of exceeding your authority."
"Yes, of course, I was merely concerned at disrupting their lives. I would never presume to keep your heirs from you."
Lord Jones turned and said "Cedric, Megan, you need to come with us. We have some family matters to discuss."
Cedric and Megan stood and followed their fathers out of the Great Hall. As they walked, Megan started to ask something but was waved off by her father and not a word was spoken until they passed the school gate. Amos Diggory and Reginald Jones stopped and held out an arm. Amos said "Grab hold. We've got someone who'd like to talk to you both."
The kids grabbed their dad's arms and apparated away. From up in the castle, Albus had left his seat in the Great Hall and watched as they walked across the grounds and out of the gate. He had a bad feeling that things were going to start getting worse than they already were. Both the Diggory and Jones families were light sided but tended to be less so than the others. For them, the rule of law spoke more loudly to them than the differences between light and dark. Both men were staunch fighters of injustice and would put every bit of their political weight and efforts into seeing wrongs righted. He wasn't naïve enough to not think that this 'family' business was about none other than Harry Potter. He was lost in thought and headed for his office completely forgetting about his dinner. He needed to find the boy and find him fast.
Cedric and Megan were apparated to Jones Manor where they found Cecelia Diggory and Kathleen Jones waiting for them. After hugs were exchanged, they were led into the sitting room where two more people were waiting for them. Megan saw the woman and ran over to hug her. "Aunt Hestia, I didn't know you'd be here. It's so good to see you."
Hestia kissed Megan on the forehead. "I had to see my favorite niece and find out if your mother was right and you really do have a boyfriend that made it past Cedric."
Megan blushed. "He's not my boyfriend. He's just a really good friend."
"Judging by that blush I'd say that you wouldn't say no if he asked."
Cedric laughed and added. "I don't think she's going to give him the chance whenever he shows back up."
Reginald said "I'd like to meet the lad before that happens. Now, we are here for a reason so I'd suggest we get down to business. Kids, I'd like you to meet Barry Timmons. He's an old classmate of mine that works as a reporter for the Daily Prophet."
Cedric and Megan both scoffed when he said Daily Prophet. Barry held up his hands and said "I understand your reactions. I don't agree with what Rita has written either but I promise you that I will print exactly what you say."
Cedric snarled "If there is anything written that hurts Harry any more, I promise you I will hunt you down. He doesn't deserve any of the crap that has been printed about him."
Amos grinned in pride at his son. He finally said "Its okay son, he's on our side."
Cedric looked at his father for a minute before nodding. "Well Mr. Timmons, the worst of it started on Halloween…."
**LC**
As promised, Harry was brought to the gates of Hogwarts where he was levitated through the gates before Dobby once again grabbed him and popped him into Poppy's quarters. She looked up and said "It was a good thing I was dressed. I would hate to see you scarred even more."
Harry smiled and replied "Oh, Poppy, if I was a lot older or you were a lot younger, you wouldn't be so worried about that. But I think my girlfriend might not like that."
She grinned broadly. "So you're going to ask her?"
"Yes Ma'am. You made a lot of sense and I thought I'd ask her as soon as I see her again if she doesn't kill me first."
"And ruin all my good work? I wouldn't allow that."
She walked over to a door and pushed it open. As she led Dobby with Harry to the bed, she said "It's not as nice as where we were but it should allow privacy. I should be getting those potions today so I will allow a quick visit before I put you back to sleep to let them do their work."
Harry groaned. "I've slept enough these last few days."
She sighed "Harry, you'll be glad you're asleep. This potion will make regrowing the bones in your arm seem like a walk in the park. Not only will it fix your shoulder but it will go through and fix any weaknesses in your bones. So it won't only be your shoulder hurting. After that potion has done its work, I will be giving you the musculus potion and start repairing your muscles. It will do the same thing that the super skele-gro will do and will fix any problems all throughout your body."
"So you're going to rebuild my whole body?"
"In a way yes. This potion is not widely known as it is based on muggle knowledge. What it does is react with your DNA and put your body the way it was supposed to be."
"Wow, I'm impressed that someone in the magical world actually pays attention to the muggle one. With everything that is going on, is it wise to change me too much?"
"I've thought of that and it won't work that fast. It will repair the damage and get you back up and around but the changes will happen over the course of months so it won't be anything sudden. Do you know anything about growth hormones?"
"Not really."
"Without going into detail, they basically stimulate growth in a young person who is not growing properly. This potion will do the same after it corrects the damage so you will need to eat properly and get a lot of rest. I imagine I will be looking up at you by the end of the summer."
"Well if that's the case, let's do it. We should be free of them by the end of summer. Um…how long will I be out?"
"At least for a few days. At the most, I'd say a week."
"Okay, I'd like to see Megan and Cedric before you put me out and then I will do it without any complaints."
She grinned "In a hurry to ask her?"
"No, just want to do it before I lose my nerve. What if she doesn't see me that way?"
"Then she doesn't. Now that you are all settled, I'm going down to breakfast. Have Dobby go get you something from the kitchens and I'll see if I can find your young lady while I'm out."
**LC**
When she made it to the Great Hall, she glanced at the Hufflepuff table and noticed that Megan and Cedric were not there. She sat beside Professor Sprout at the head table and after they greeted each other Poppy asked "I don't see Mr. Diggory this morning. I trust that he is feeling fine and having no ill effects from his last task. You know how young men are in their willingness to come see me."
"Oh no my dear. Lords Jones and Diggory came into the Great Hall during dinner yesterday and took them home stating they had pressing family business. I received an owl from them last night saying their business took longer than expected and that they would return by lunch today." She then leaned over and whispered "My guess would be that Cedric is making good on his threat to Albus. I guess we will see in the paper soon."
Poppy said "If you wouldn't mind, tell Mr. Diggory that I'd like to do a follow up on him to make sure everything is fine. You might as well tell him to bring along Miss Chang as I'd like to check her over as well."
Minerva overheard this and asked "Will you need to see Miss Weasley?"
"Yes, most definitely. Just tell her to come whenever she has time today or tomorrow. (She wiped a fake tear from her eye.) I just wish I could do the same for Mr. Potter."
**LC**
That evening after dinner, the entire contingent of Hogwarts' students that were involved in the second task was in the infirmary waiting to be checked. Cedric brought Cho who in turn brought Mandy and as she had nothing better to do, Megan tagged along. Ginny was escorted there by the twins as they knew they couldn't rely on Ron to do anything responsible.
As soon as they stepped into the infirmary, the tension in the room shot up as they received glares from three of the four other students. With the harsh glares being thrown at them, Ginny quickly moved behind her brothers and said "Come on, we can come back later."
George shook his head and said "Cedric, we've known each other for a long time. We know we screwed up with Harry and there's not a day that goes by that we don't regret it. If there were any way to fix it we would but he won't even give us a chance."
Cedric gave them a look before replying "Do you blame him? He thought of you as his older brothers and he trusted you. In his eyes, you wadded up that trust and threw it in his face. How would you act if he had done it to you?"
George looked down as Fred said "We probably would have pranked the crap out of him and then never had anything to do with him again."
Megan said "So because its only little orphaned Harry, everyone expects him to just take it and then welcome you back whenever you feel like accepting him again. That sounds a lot like your idiot brother talking."
They both flushed at the comment but didn't say anything. Megan looked at Cedric and said "I think I'll wait outside, it's starting to smell like rat in here."
Ginny's eyes grew wide at what she heard as Cho and Mandy were looking back and forth trying to figure out just what was being said. Cedric caught Ginny's expression and said "In case you didn't catch that, Harry places you in the same category as Scabbers and he has learned from his father's mistakes and swears he won't repeat it."
Madam Pomfrey came out to see the Weasley twins with the most somber expressions on their faces that she has ever seen. Poppy knew everything that went on in her ward and was aware of the words that had just been spoken. She stepped up to Ginny and said "Why don't we start with you?"
She waved her wand and ran a quick diagnostic on her and found nothing wrong. She smiled and said "See that was easy enough. Miss Weasley, you are free to go as you are perfectly fine."
The three Weasleys sighed in relief and headed for the exit. As they entered the hallway, Ginny saw Megan and despite her brothers' urges, she stepped over to her. "Whenever you see Harry again, tell him I am sorry for everything. I know there's nothing I can ever do to regain his trust but I just want him to know that if he ever needs anything from me, I will be there."
Megan looked up and replied "I will give him the message. Can I ask a question?"
Ginny nodded.
Megan softly said "I'm not saying this to upset you but I want you to look at it from Harry's point of view. You're coming to me now offering Harry your help. Where were you when he was all alone and he needed the people he thought of as family to be there for him?"
Ginny softly said "I owe him more than anyone but I was too afraid to stand up for him. I'm just a third year. Nobody listens to me."
Megan scoffed "What would Harry have done?"
George sadly said "He would have fought the world to protect us."
Megan nodded her head and stood to walk back into the infirmary just as Madam Pomfrey was finishing with Mandy. Poppy checked Cho over next and upon pronouncing her fine said "Miss Chang, would you escort Miss Brocklehurst back to your dorms, I will need to do a more thorough check up on Mr. Diggory as he wasn't under the effects of a hibernation charm while he was in the water.
Cho replied "Yes, of course Madam Pomfrey." She stepped over to Cedric and gave him a kiss on the cheek before leading Mandy out and into the hall.
Cedric and Megan looked at her warily as she smiled at the both of them. "Now that all that is out of the way, I need you to follow me."
Cedric asked "What no check up?"
Poppy smirked "If you had your heart set on it, I'm sure I could make the time to give you a complete diagnostic."
Cedric paled. "No thank you Madam Pomfrey. I feel fine."
Cedric and Megan shared a glance at each other and with shrugged shoulders followed Poppy into her quarters. Once she closed the outside door, another door appeared on the far wall. She said "I am trusting you with a very precious secret. If you were to betray this trust, I will personally hunt you down and use every bit of my knowledge to make your life a living hell."
They both gulped as they looked at the normally stern but sweet healer. In the end, she smiled and said "Not that I have to worry about that."
She opened the door and said "You have company."
Megan's eyes grew wide and she burst through the door. As she saw Harry lying on the bed, she moved like lightning and was immediately beside him and trying to wrap him in a hug. Poppy had to admonish her to not be too rough with her patient as he was still fragile. It took all of a second before Megan had her lips planted firmly on Harry's. She started talking a mile a minute and saying "We were so scared and worried. Don't you ever do something like that again! What the hell were you thinking?"
Harry smiled sheepishly up at her. "Megs, um…I know everything we've talked about but a wise lady told me I was an idiot so I need to ask you something?"
She snarled out. "Well, what is it?"
"Well, I was hoping that maybe you would you know…um…go out with me?"
She smiled "Are you asking me out on a date?"
He frowned "Not really since I've been told I'm going to be asleep for a while."
She frowned in return. "Then what are you asking?"
"Well, I was hoping that…you know…um…you would…um…bemygirlfriend."
"WHAT?"
Cedric was laughing in the background. He knew it really wasn't funny but just seeing Harry again had lifted his spirits a lot. He knew there were things they needed to talk about before Madam Pomfrey started working on Harry again but he was enjoying the show that two of his favorite people were giving him. He finally chuckled out "Geez Megan, he's asking you to be his girlfriend, go steady, you know, only snog him."
She growled back at Cedric "I know that you idiot. I just wanted him to say it to where I could actually hear the words instead of his mumbling."
Harry groaned "Merlin Megan, would you be my girlfriend and all that stuff he said?"
She turned around sweetly and kissed his lips again. "Of course I will. See that wasn't so hard now was it. It's not like you were asking me to marry you or something."
Poppy was holding her sides from the laughter and finally said "I know you three have a lot to talk about so I will give you an hour as that is how much time there is before curfew. Later tonight, I will be putting Harry back to sleep to undergo more treatment and I will let you know when he awakens."
Megan asked "Madam Pomfrey, could I sit with my boyfriend while he is here? I know he will be asleep but I could do my homework and it would give Cedric and Cho and chance to have some alone time without me around."
"That'd be nice dear as it will also give Dobby and me a break."
She walked out and left them to talk. They told him about all the happenings in the castle since he left and about the scoring of the second task along with Cedric's reactions. Harry grew a little upset when he was told that Krum wasn't penalized in any way for his attack and gave an evil grin when Cedric told him it wasn't against the rules to attack a fellow champion.
Cedric then decided to regale Harry with Megan's campaign of pain against Harry's former friends. As much as he would have liked to laugh at the situation, it just wasn't in Harry to do that and for a brief moment, a flash of pain passed across his face. Megan saw it and regretted it immediately as she thought she had hurt him. He reached out and grabbed her hand and gave her a small smile.
"Thanks, it just still hurts you know."
She leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I know and I wish it didn't. I guess that's what made me so mad. They couldn't see just how much they hurt you."
None of them wanted to go down that path right now so Cedric said "Wait till you hear about the interview."
It wasn't long before Poppy stuck her head back in the door and said that their tie was up. Megan gave him a quick kiss goodbye before saying "I'll try to be here when you wake up."
Cedric grabbed his hand and said "I'm sorry if I overstepped but I think all the crap surrounding you has gone on long enough. Our dads jumped in and are trying to help as well. It will come to a point where you're going to have to trust them and me and let us help you. It might even come to where you need to go under our protection."
Harry smiled up and replied "I trust you Cedric and know you are only trying to help. I'm sure you didn't do anything that will mess up my plans and you might have helped by creating an even bigger diversion. As far as everything else, I'm going to need someone to teach me how to run the Potter family so I'm hoping you guys would do that for me."
Cedric gave him a smile. "I think they would like that but we'll worry about it later. We will talk when this is over and it may mean you have to make some decisions but we will help you with it. Right now, you just need to concentrate on getting better."
As soon as they were gone, Poppy approached him with two vials in her hand. She handed him the first and said "That'll make you sleep until I decide it's time to wake you."
He looked at the vial for a minute before turning it up and draining it. He sighed "Goodnight Poppy. I'll see you whenever."
She chuckled and said "Oh don't be so melodramatic. It won't be long before the new and improved Harry is up causing trouble again.'
He gave her a grin as he drifted off. She poured the other vial down his throat and sat down as the potion entered his system. It wasn't long before she noticed him wince as the potion went to work. She leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead and went back into her chambers.
**LC**
The next morning, the Great Hall was silent as everyone was intently reading their copies of the Daily Prophet over breakfast. All throughout the hall, there were many people who were carrying a look of shame on their faces and knew that once this was read, their little worlds were going to be a little less comfortable. It didn't help that the headline was enough to draw everyone in but what was printed in the article would be felt by quite a few families.
The Boy Who Lied
By: Barry Timmons
As most of you are well aware our very own Harry Potter also known as the boy-who-lived was unusually selected as a fourth champion in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. I know most of my readers would be supportive of Mr. Potter in his efforts in this tournament but that's not the case with his fellow Hogwartians. For most of the students and staff of Hogwarts, the boy-who-lived is now known as the boy-who-lied and has become an outcast in the school.
On Halloween, Mr. Potter's name came out of the Goblet of Fire therefore making him a champion. A question that could be raised is how the Tri- Wizard Tournament, obviously known to be a competition between three witches or wizards and their schools, became a four way contest. I'm no expert but it sounds like there was obvious tampering going on with an ancient magical artifact and if I can see this, how come our esteemed Chief Warlock and Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, did not recognize the signs. He is considered one of the wisest wizards in our society so how did he miss it or did he?
Mr. Potter has maintained that he did not place his name in the goblet or have an older student do it for him from the exact moment that he rose from the table when his name was called. His protests were ignored and he was told in no uncertain terms that he had to compete or else he risked losing his magic. According to ministry records, Albus Dumbledore has been acting as Mr. Potter's magical guardian even since that fateful Halloween in 1981 and in that capacity; he could have prevented this whole situation. My question is why would he allow it if he was supposedly acting in the young Potter's best interest.
From what I have learned today, most of the articles written about the Tri-Wizard Tournament have been based on speculation and hearsay. In fact, the only people who would speak about the tournament were other Hogwarts' students who were only mere spectators to the events that occurred and were very opinionated against Mr. Potter before he had ever been chosen as a champion.
That, my readers, has changed! In an exclusive interview, Cedric Diggory has spoken out on the issue and the tribulations that Mr. Potter has suffered ever since Halloween. When asked his opinions on Mr. Potter, Mr. Diggory had this to say:
"Before this year, Harry Potter and I were just acquaintances and competitive seekers in Quidditch and that was about as far as it went. I already knew him as a relentless but fair competitor but as I have gotten to know him better this year, I find that he is probably the most honorable and noble person I have ever met."
"If there is one thing I have learned, he doesn't lie or cheat. I can admit I was a little upset at him during the selection ceremony but I approached him afterwards and was able to talk to him for a few minutes. At that time, he offered me an oath swearing that he never entered and even went as far as saying he would support me as I was the true Hogwarts' champion. As we walked away from each other that night, I had no idea that these troubles were just the start of things to come."
I asked "What do you mean?"
"From what I understand, as soon as he returned to the Gryffindor common room, he was confronted by his 'best' friend who called him a liar and a cheat as the rest of the house just sat there and followed along. One by one, all of Harry's friends deserted him and left him with no support as he tried to compete in a tournament that was designed for wizards and witches who were of age."
"So the Gryffindors abandoned him?"
Mr. Diggory gave a short laugh before he told me "You could say that but it just wasn't the Gryffindors. Over the course of the next month, Harry was pushed further away by everyone in the school including the staff. I even begged my own house to see reason and give Harry a break but I'm sorry to say they wouldn't listen. It wasn't long before Harry just started shutting everyone out. He quit going to class because he was tired of being mistreated and disrespected everyone especially the teachers. I guess I have been lucky that I could always talk with my head of house Professor Sprout but it really bothered me that he needed help and yet his own head of house refused to do anything for him but I guess that shouldn't have surprised me as no one else did either."
So Mr. Potter was abandoned and left to flounder along?'
Mr. Diggory's close friend, Megan Jones, was sitting through the interview and had this to say "Harry was thrown to the wolves and every single person who had supported him in the past turned their backs on him. Professors, friends, family, you name it. (This reporter notices her staring at Mr. Diggory for a minute before he nodded his head. Her father, Lord Jones, came up and laid his hand on her shoulder and said 'Say your piece Megan.') Harry made two friends when he came to Hogwarts who were Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Mr. Weasley was the one who called him a liar and a cheat and led the other Gryffs into turning their backs on Harry. Miss Granger couldn't take the pressure and after a week, she walked away from Harry too. It wasn't until Harry performed brilliantly during the first task when they tried to make up. It was evident to me that they were opportunists who realized they wouldn't stand out without Harry's spotlight shining on them."
I watched as Miss Jones stopped at this point and took a deep breath. There was obviously an issue that she wanted to discuss but was hesitant to do so. When I pressed her on the matter, she finally said "Harry is a very selfless person who would do anything for someone he thinks of as a friend or family. Harry became very attached to the Weasley family early on and then this year, four of their children withdrew their support of him. It devastated Harry and now I think he feels like a fool for risking his life to save one of theirs. I also know that he did the same for Miss Granger in our first year and had strong feelings for her until she turned her back on him."
Mr. Diggory added "What amazes me is that our parents have taught us that family honor and debts are never to be taken lightly. I don't owe Harry a debt but my honor requires me to speak out for him. Our biggest question is why are we the only ones? There are some old family alliances with the Potters that have been in place for centuries. Why aren't the Longbottom or Bones family standing up for or with the young Potter? Why are two families that have always been friendly with the Potters but not allied having to do this? When Harry becomes of age, I'd hate to think what will happen to the old family alliances because if it was me, I'd declare breach of trust and require restitution. Megan talked to the Bones Heiress about it one day and she basically said that he wouldn't care about stuff that happened during school. I think I know Harry a little better that she does and I can say this, those who have treated him bad and broken his trust will never be able to get it back."
This reporter sat there listening and the only thought that went through my mind was that there would be a shift in the balance of power in a few years... I finally asked "I heard a rumor that Mr. Potter has disappeared. Is there any truth to this?"
"Yes there is. Harry has disappeared and we are quite worried about him. I even wonder if he will come back."
"Why?"
"Well the obvious is that he was badly injured during the second task and we have not heard from him since. For all I know, he could be lying somewhere dying and we wouldn't know about it. "
"How'd he get injured?"
"As I was told during the scoring of the second task, it is not against the rules for a fellow champion to attack another during a task and from what I learned when we received our scores, you can have points deducted by helping another champion or even saving their lives."
"Please elaborate. We were informed of the scores but not any particulars involved with it."
"I have not been able to talk to Harry about his actions during the course of the task, but Miss Delacour got into serious trouble. Harry saw this and reacted just as he always has done and made sure she was safe. He then continued on with the task and in the process, stood up to the mermen warriors because he fully intended to take Miss Delacour's hostage back with him. As he was bringing his and her hostages to the surface, Mr. Krum swept in and in his transfigured half shark form, bit Harry and only released him when the mermen warriors reacted to save Harry from Krum. Along with his wounds from Krum, one of the mermen was trying to attack Mr. Krum and in the chaos, a trident was stabbed through Harry's leg. Even with all this happening to him, Harry fought his way to the surface and delivered the two hostages with a minute to spare on the clock."
"It seems our Mr. Potter is as noble and heroic as you say."
"Yeah he is. When it came time to score the results, Harry was deducted points for saving Miss Delacour, fighting against the mermen in his attempt to rescue the younger Miss Delacour, and last but not least, he was penalized five points for not being able to get himself and his hostages up on the platform by himself after he had received all these injuries. Why wasn't I penalized for pulling him and the hostages out of the water? At this point, the whole tournament has become a joke in my eyes and if it wasn't for the magical contract, I'd have already walked away from competing. It's obvious that there is a hidden agenda that is influencing the judges."
"Those are some pretty strong words Mr. Diggory."
"Yes they are but there's something else that is bothering me. This tournament was promoted as an opportunity to improve international relations and bring us all closer together. I find it strange that behavior completely opposite these goals are being promoted while someone trying to live up to this ideal is being punished."
Do you have any explanations for all this?
"No Sir, I think the ones you should ask are the judges and in particular Professor Dumbledore."
"Mr. Diggory. You made a comment earlier about Mr. Potter may not come back. Is there a reason you said it?"
Miss Jones responded "I came across Harry one afternoon after he told Cedric where he was going to be. He was just sitting in a window and looking at the gates of Hogwarts. I leaned up against him and asked him what he was thinking about and he responded with 'Sometimes I wonder if magic is worth it.' When I asked him what he meant, he said 'I could walk out those gates right now and never look back. I know I'd lose my magic but it'd be better than having to live through this crap.' I'm not sure that I'd really blame him for leaving at this point."
I asked Lord Diggory what he thought about all this and got the reply "I trust my son in all matters. If he has made it a point of honor, then House Diggory will support him in any way. Lord Jones and myself are launching an investigation into the situation surrounding Mr. Potter and if we deem it necessary, we may take House Potter under our protection until it can once again stand on its on but that is when and if he returns. It disheartens me to think of the sacrifice made by the Potter family and how this young man has been made to suffer. I knew James and Lily and they would be appalled at his treatment. I would like to know who is acting in Mr. Potter's behalf and why haven't the allied houses stepped in as is their duty. As we are giving public notice, any actions taken by any individual or house towards House Potter at this point will be seen as a direct attempt to subjugate one of our Most Ancient and Noble Houses and they will be brought before the Wizengamot to answer for their actions."
There were people scattered all around the Great Hall that were thinking 'Oh crap!'
Albus went pale when he realized the things he had done to Harry were going to come to light and he would have to use his considerable amount of favors to weather the storm that was coming.
The Weasleys began preparing themselves for the howler that was sure to be making its way towards them already.
Susan Bones almost threw up her breakfast at the thought of the arse chewing and punishments that were coming her way from her Aunt Amelia.
Poor old Neville did throw up at the thought of his vulture stuffed hat wearing grandmother in a rage. At present, he was trying to figure out where Harry had been hiding so he could go there as well.
Hermione sat with tears running down her face. The thought that she was part of the reason for Harry seriously considering giving up his magic was too much for her to take. She eventually ran to her room where she would spend the rest of the day crying.
There were countless others who knew that their families owed a lot to the Potters be it through loans or other concessions. They were sure that they would soon be hearing from their families as well.
Just as the full impact of their actions were taking affect, Cedric and Megan walked happily into the Great Hall and sat at the very end of the table away from their house mates. Susan was the first to ask her dorm mate "How could you?"
Megan just gave her and evil grin and replied loudly enough for everyone to hear. "I did it for Harry you stupid little bint. I hope every one of you suffers just as much as you caused him to."