CHAPTER THIRTEEN: FINAL PLANS AND MEMORIES.
Hermione Granger sat at the Gryffindor table on the morning of the third task listening to Harry and Elphaba giggle over some childhood memories that Daphne and Susan asked them about. Hermione began filling in all the details Harry left out during the other times he had talked about his childhood and his summer holidays and she realised how much Elphaba actually meant to him and how much Harry edited to maintain his friendship not only with Elphaba but with Herself and Ron as well. Hermione felt a rush of guilt over many things she'd ever thought and said about Elphaba Hardbroom. The memories mainly turned to staying in hotels both in England and abroad as well as going to theme parks with a few of Elphabas cousins and Mother plus one very awkward holiday in which several members of the Royal Family had arrived part way through.
"You met the Royal Family?" Hermione asked in surprise as Harry and Elphaba turned to her tilting their heads "How?"
"My Grandfather was an advisor to the Queen before he passed away" Elphaba admitted going quiet and sad for a brief moment "They knew each other very well and I'm a hundred percent positive they were best friends too"
Hermione nodded at the awncer and didn't ask anything else she didn't want to impose on the still obviously painful passing of Elphabas grandfather to satisfy her knowledge.
"If I ever get invited to some fancy dinner or gala event I'll make sure to bring you" Elphaba said after a moment "and maybe you can get more awncers to those questions bubbling in your head"
Hermione brightened up and smiled
"Thank you Elphaba" Hermione replied feeling peppy about a remote possibility "though you don't have to do it"
"Hermione" Elphaba said with a solid determination "If I didn't want to do it I wouldn't have"
Hermione nodded again looking flushed and buried herself into her notes for the tests that morning.
Harry watched the conversation with a grin on his face before Elphaba turned back to the group with a smile
"So feeling ready?" Elphaba asked munching on a fourth round of cereal smiling at Harrys grin
"As I can be" Harry replied before finishing off his milk "Ready for your tests?"
"Nervous" Susan replied with a smile
"Remaining positive" Daphne continued straight faced
"Pretty sure something could go wrong but will work through it" Neville finished arriving at the table with Luna close behind
"It's off putting when you do that" Harry replied chuckling "Elphaba what about you?"
"Nervous but I think we'll be ok, thanks to helping you champions I believe we'll all pass DADA" Elphaba replied with a giggle as Minerva appeared behind her
"Mr Potter" She said with a smile "the Champions are required to go to the room off the great hall after breakfast"
"Really?" Harry replied "How come Professor?"
"The champions families will be there" Minerva replied grinning now "Sirius, lady Augusta and Gaby are there, Amelia said she'd be here tonight with a group of Aurors just in case. Arthur and Bill Weasley are here too"
Harry nodded and got to his feet just as Fleur, Victor and Cedric did from their groups of friends
"We'll see you at lunch Harry" Luna called out getting up and leaving for her classes
"Tell my Grandmother hello and we'll see her at lunch" Neville added tapping Hermione on the shoulder to remind her of the outside world after waving to Luna.
"See you at Lunch Harry" Susan replied grabbing her stuff and double-checking everything as she left.
"Tell Sirius I expect a kiss later" Elphaba muttered to Harry giving him a hug as she did so.
"I love you" Daphne whispered in his ear before she kissed him and left with the others. Harry chuckled at his friends and Wifes antics before joining the champions near the doorway.
"Have I ever mentioned I think that your friends have a weird sense of saying bye to you?" Cedric asked tilting his head slightly
"They always do" Harry awncered chuckling as the group walked through the door to greet their families.
Fleur almost ran over her parents and sister as she went to meet them as Victor heartily embraced his mother
"Hey how are we all?" Harry asked as he reached Sirius, Bill and Arthur talking to Cedrics dad Amos as Gaby and Lady Augusta was talking to Cedrics mother Alison.
"Hey trouble" Sirius said sharing a Hug with Harry as Cedric shook hands with Arthur and Amos before hugging his mother. "I'm sorry I didn't mention anything this morning wanted it to be a surprise"
"That's fine" Harry replied receiving a hug off of Gaby and Lady Augusta "It's a nice surprise Good Morning Mrs Diggory how good to see you again and you Mr Diggory"
"The pleasure is ours Harry" Amos replied shaking Harrys hand before taking his son and wife aside Harry noted the slight frown around the eyes of Mr Diggory.
"We're all well Harry" Arthur replied as Bill gave harry a hug "Ginny sends a good luck and Ron...well...Ron is being Ron for now"
"I hope he learns this lesson he's meant to learn, befriending you was the best thing to happen to him" Bill awncered solemnly before perking up again "How's life been in Hogwarts with the tournement around? We would all like to hear about it"
Harry shared a look with Cedric before Fleur and Victor joined them
"We can all tell you about it if you want" Harry awncered as Fleur and Victor lead their families over to join the group "And you can get to know each other better Hey Gabrielle"
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Until lunchtime the champions group wandered the castle sharing anecdotes of how their training went and what they had been doing to chill out and what they thought of the hotel and Mall Harry and Elphaba funded and voiced any thoughts of the future. Harry passed on all the hellos his friends have given him for their family members as they did so, during this time Harry noted Amos Diggory getting increasingly more uncomfortable and as the group headed to the great hall Harry murmured about it to Cedric and the two of them pulled Amos Diggory aside
"Dad are you ok?" Cedric asked concerned "You look a bit harassed"
"I am ok" Amos replied raising an eyebrow looking offended "Why do you ask?"
"You looked a bit uncomfortable whilst we were walking around the school Mr Diggory" Harry awncered for Cedric "We were wondering if you were alright or annoyed about something"
"Thank you for your concern Mr Potter" Amos began rather icily "But how I feel is none of your concern"
"If you saw so Mr Diggory" Harry replied straight and stony faced "I merely wished to know if you needed Madam Pomfrey but if you're ok I'll merely go to have lunch with my family"
Harry walked into the great hall listening to Cedric whisper angrily with his father before Cedric joined him
"My dad's an idiot" Cedric replied as they approached the champions, their families and friends.
"Really I never would have guessed" Harry replied sarcastically before they both giggled and sat down at the table
Cedric's mother raised an eyebrow at her son before shaking her head and turning back to her conversation with Gaby.
"Hey Daph how was the tests this morning?" Harry asked his wife giving her a kiss as he did so.
"I'm sure we pretty much aced them" Daphne said gesturing to the whole group of students "though we did have to calm Granger down with the threat of stealing her notes until the end of the year"
Harry chuckled at Hermiones look of horror and indignation before taking a sip of pumpkin juice
"Don't panic Hermione I'm sure you did well" Harry assured her before tucking into the food Daphne and Elphaba loaded onto his plate
"Thanks you two" Harry muttered before everyone fell back in to their conversations with ease.
'Mr Diggory ok, or was he being an uptight jerk?' Elphaba mentally asked maintaining her conversation with Sirius as she did so Harry felt a small twinge of jealousy then pride
'Both' Harry awncered in his head 'pretty sure he'll be back for the events this evening I believe he's gone to cool off'
'will keep an eye on him when we sit in the stands' Elphaba replied 'by the way Luna and the house elves have gotten closer to unmasking Moody their going to do it tonight during the task '
'Sounds like a good idea' Harry said 'quick question about the hotel should we offer the champions and their families first choice of rooms when we open next week?'
'Definitely' Elphaba replied 'as long as you me Daphne and Sirius get two of the three penthouse suits and Susan, Luna Neville and Hermione get the other one'
'Fair play' Harry finished pulling himself back to the conversations around him. Harry saw the subtle shift in Elphabas eyes and they both grinned
"What are you two grinning about?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow eyeing both his wife and god son
"Nothing worry worthy" Elphaba replied in a purr a glint of cheekiness in her eyes
"We'll tell you later" Harry added quickly before turning to the whole group "Have you guys ever heard of the anything walks into a bar/pub joke set up?"
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Hermione couldn't help but feel happy and included within Harrys now very close circle of friends and intermediate family but something didn't feel completely alright. Hermione pondered about it between tests and between conversations with the Cabal and the other Champions families. As she got up with her fellow students to go to their afternoon tests Hermione realised exactly what it was as she witnessed Elphaba say goodbye to Sirius...She had never honestly apologised to Elphaba never said a heartfelt I'm sorry to her. Hermione caught up to Elphaba and Daphne as they left the great hall and began walking towards their next test.
"Elphaba" Hermione called out gasping for breath slightly "I have something to say and please hear me out"
"Hey are you ok?" Elphaba asked seeing Hermione out of breath "Take a minute Ganger and breathe"
Hermione calmed down and slowly resumed normal breathing patterns
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry" Hermione said after a moment "I fucked up with you when we were kids and I never even said I was sorry about it I am truly sorry and I always will be"
Elphaba looked to Daphne then back to Hermione looking slightly confused
"Hermione I forgave you back in first year don't you remember?" Elphaba said with a tilt of the head "I said I forgave you for the crap you gave me but that I would never forget and I told you again this year when you apologised to Harry then...Come on Hermione keep up"
Elphaba chuckled then headed back towards her tests leaving Daphne standing in the Hallway with Hermione
"You really don't remember do you" Daphne said in surprise "You really are silly sometimes aren't you Granger" Daphne took Hermione by the arm and lead her towards their final two tests of the day "Come on the quicker we could do the tests the quicker we can go over the final stuff with the champions"
Hermione followed Daphne towards the end of year tests they needed to take feeling a bit stupid for not seeing it earlier and feeling much more released for saying she was sorry.
AUTHORS NOTE:
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OMG THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE FAVOURATED (not a real word I know) THIS STORY...YOU SERIOUSLY DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT ACTUALLY MEANS TO ME.
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THANK YOU ALL FOR READING CHAPTER THIRTEEN OF THE HOGWARTS CABAL.
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN UP SOON.
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CONSTRUCTIVE REVIEWS WELOME ALL FLAMERS WILL BE SENT TO FRANK IN HELL.
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ALL READERS AND REVIEWERS KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DOING.
I LOVE YOU.
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Since this story HAS NO BETA it will have spelling mistakes and Grammar errors the spell-check or I will miss so bare with me.
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THANK YOU ALL I'M OFF TO RULE A KINGDOM.
