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Harry potter and the Trip to the Past
The wonderful World of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.
Chapter – 30
"Well? Did you meet him? What did he say? Was he alright or was he sprouting Pureblood nonsense?" whispered Hermione.
Harry had just returned to the Gryffindor Common Room after meeting with Draco, where he was tackled by Hermione who had waited with Neville, both of them a touch anxious and worried for some reason. Apparently, Harry thought with dark amusement, Neville's suspicions had serious takers in Hermione.
"Was he the same Draco we knew Harry?" asked Neville hesitantly.
Harry nodded with a touch of annoyance, though he honestly could not blame them. If he had not known of the future and Draco very well, not to mention the elder Malfoys, he, Harry, may well have joined them in their suspicions of a family that was dark and loyal to Voldemort, and had pleaded Imperius in the first war, which fooled no one except the self-serving idiot Fudge. The good thing about today's meeting with Draco, apart from all the information/assumptions he received about Bellatrix, was the information about Lucius Malfoy. If the elder Malfoy was seriously thinking of a change so early, it could benefit Harry enormously, provided of course they acted on that negative feeling towards Voldemort that Draco was sure they had. Narcissa, crying and uncaring about how she looked, and Lucius Malfoy not noticing tears on Narcissa's face was shocking and Harry knew that only Voldemort/Bellatrix troubles in a big, big way be the reason for that. The last time he had seen Lucius so dishevelled was in Malfoy Manor and later he had learnt that he had been without his wand at the time. For a wizard of his stature that would have been an insult next only to the loss of his life, perhaps even more than the loss of his life. He turned his attention to Hermione and Neville.
"I am sure Draco is on our side and if necessary he would go even against his parents to give information. In fact that's what he's done today. Remember we can't officially do anything with it, unless it's very important, then I'll make sure Dumbledore hears about this somehow. He needn't say anything to us, but I am sure he wants to help Hermione, Nev. He did not see or hear anything worth reporting to Dumbledore, but from what he can understand of conversations where he has been present like at breakfast or dinner, he thinks his parents are being coerced into following Voldemort..." he hesitated and then added, "this time."
He smiled when Neville snorted and Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "Wasn't his father the one who placed that awful Diary into Ginny's Transfiguration Book? Merlin, Harry you almost died because of that and now you believe Draco about his father? That he may have changed for the better? All of a sudden?"
Harry nodded. "I believe it Hermione. It's fine to be arrogant and uncaringly selfish and evil even when things are going your way, but from what Draco says things are not going the Malfoys way. So, maybe all his past actions have come to bite the elder Malfoy in the ass and now he realises what a grave mistake he made when he chose Voldemort. Yes Neville," Harry added seeing Neville's expression, "I certainly don't think Malfoy was under the Imperius in the last war. However, I understand from what Draco says, he values family over everything. Which might mean that what he chose in ignorance and a bigoted attitude, he may not want for his son, and even himself now, and there, his path may differ from his Master's or Bellatrix's. Well time will tell."
"I hope you're right Harry." Said Neville rather doubtfully.
"I hope I am too Nev." Said Harry and they sat in silence for a short while before Harry spoke again.
"I told Draco, you and Hermione will want to meet him too and that you did not think he'd turned into a little death eater or something suddenly. Is that ok?" Harry gestured asking whether it was okay in the light of what both had just expressed about Draco. It had surprised Harry, who thought Neville and Hermione would be more accepting, well Hermione at least, more than Neville. But from what they said, it looked as if they were having serious reservations about Draco. He hoped they would follow his lead; he couldn't blame them for fearing Lucius Malfoy after what they'd seen of him first hand with the Diary, but he had hoped they would not judge Draco by what they'd seen of his father. It would hurt Draco and harm their relationship with him irreparably and Harry did not want that.
"Are you really sure that Draco will stand up to his father Harry?" asked Hermione, raising an eyebrow, looking a little surprised. "I mean, it's okay differing from your parent on little things, but this stance of his which you say he has taken, would mean standing opposite his father, if he is not right about his father's change. Can he really do that? Would he be able to stand opposite his father? Frankly, I find it hard to believe."
Harry countered it with a question of his own. "Bellatrix has been outside for many months now. What makes you think that she influenced Draco now, when, if she wanted to, she and the Malfoys could have done it so much earlier?"
Hermione blushed. "I know Harry." She said in a confused tone. "I know Draco, until we left School was our friend." Seeing Harry's look, she amended hastily. "Is our friend, I should say. Only when Neville and I were discussing it, I felt that she and Mr. Malfoy could have turned Draco's head right around during the holidays. And I just want you to be careful, that's all." She finished pleadingly.
"I am not going to stop being Draco's friend, Hermione. I won't force you or Neville to meet him or be with him, but I will be friends with him, until I know for sure he is a little Death Eater in the making and right now there isn't anything to show that. I know what he said today and how he said it are true, even if I can't explain why, and Hermione, if you look at it, in a way, he's very brave. Even at this age he's going against his parents and all that he has been taught, because he chose to do the right thing. I'm sure his parents wouldn't Draco to say what he did to me, tonight. I can't walk away from that."
He shook his head, gave a half smile and a shrug, and stood up, more than a little upset, but unable to do anything about it, since he could understand where Hermione and Neville were coming from. Harry said goodnight and left his two close friends behind, who looked as dismayed as Harry felt.
Harry cursed a bit as he walked up to his dorm; he had not seen this coming. While he could understand that Neville and Hermione felt that Draco could have been brainwashed and that he could use his friendship with Harry and others to do them harm, Harry knew that was not true, but could see no way to tell them both about it; he sighed angrily, helpless. He wanted all of them to be friends. He had already lost Ron, and now it seemed Hermione and Neville would move away from him as well.
He walked dejectedly into his dorm and flopped on his bed, after securing the curtains in a way that spelt he did not want company. A second later, he heard Neville coming after him and stopping, seeing his curtains closed, then to Harry's surprise, the curtains parted and he saw both Neville and Hermione there; Hermione looked anxious and a touch angry, and, Neville, concerned and anxious.
"Harry..." Hermione started, when Harry got up and hugged her and threw an arm around Neville and interrupted her with a wry smile.
"I can't say I am disappointed, mainly because I never saw it coming, but Hermione I would never, never ever say you and Neville aren't entitled to your opinions. I am not going to break off my friendship because you say so, and I know you'll respect that. I'll return the gesture, without it affecting our friendship." He paused for a moment, and then softly ended, with a whisper. "Our friendship is very important to me."
"Oh Harry!" Hermione said weakly, her eyes overflowing with tears, "Our friendship is equally, if not more important to me and I am sure Nev feels the same way."
Neville nodded. "You were my first friend Harry and at a time I thought I was nothing more than a squib. I know we have sprung this issue on you suddenly, but Hermione and I discussed it a lot, when you were with Snape doing your detentions last year, before bringing our concerns to you. It's difficult Harry, to go against one's parents and family. Believe me, I know. It would take a lot for me to go against Gran and I am not sure I can the way you do with Sirius and Remus about Snape and Draco. Wait!" he said when Harry opened his mouth to say something. "I know it means a lot to you to be friends to prove a point and that you are doing this for Sirius's sake, even then Harry, you know what I am saying is true. Especially in the Wizarding World! To go against one's family is almost unheard of. In fact the only two persons who have done it are Sirius who ran away from his own family and you who are keeping friendships against the wishes of your Godfather."
Harry interrupted Neville who was still explaining. "I agree with everything you say Neville. But I still don't understand. What has this got to do with Draco? And I was really not going against Sirius's wishes as much as trying to make everyone see that just because Sirius came from a very Dark family, he was not evil. Being Bellatrix's cousin does not make Sirius a Bellatrix. You know him and you know he would never do anything like that evil maniac. That's exactly the case with Draco. His father may not smell of roses, but Draco has never been anything other than a good friend until now. To all of us. He has never betrayed what we said to him, and he even gave up the snitch because his friendship with us mattered more to him than winning a match for Slytherin."
"I know." Neville sounded pained. "I know I can never compare Sirius to that hag, and Draco so far has been a good guy, but he is very young Harry."
Harry interrupted him once again. "Sirius was 16 when he ran away from home leaving everything he knew behind, including his wealth."
Neville fell silent and there was nothing said between the three friends for a while as they sat in quiet contemplation and then Neville spoke again very quietly. "I promised myself that I'd have your back no matter what Harry. You represent something very important to me. I can't explain more. But while I may disagree with you, there is no way I am going to let you face anything alone, including Draco. So, unless you tell me to get lost, I'll always be here for you; and even then I'd watch your back Harry; it's not that I am asking you to make a choice; it's more that I am concerned you'll get hurt badly, if he lets you down."
"Oh Neville!" Hermione said tearfully before Harry could say a word. "It's the same for me too Harry!" and threw her arms around Harry and Neville and clutched them tightly as if afraid to let them go.
Harry found he could not say a word to save his life. He struggled to control his feelings and put them into words. He had never quite realised how much Neville and Hermione's friendship meant to him until that time, when he had thought for a frightening moment it meant choosing between them and Draco. He wrapped his arms awkwardly around both of them and they stayed that way for a while, before Harry cleared his throat, swallowed a couple of times and smiled weakly.
"Thanks Nev. I hope you won't be surprised or think it arrogance on my part if I say I knew you and Hermione will always be my first and best friends no matter what. While I was surprised you felt so about Draco, I never felt or doubted you said all this because you were concerned. I know, because it was the right thing to do for a friend, even though it might mean a fight between us. I swear I'll be careful and I swear I'll protect myself when I meet with him."
Neville grinned obviously relieved Harry had not taken his and Hermione's concern in the wrong way. "Oh no you don't Harry. From now on, when you meet with Draco we're coming too. We'll watch your back there too. Especially there."
Harry laughed and the three friends relaxed and chatted for a while, before Hermione left for her dorm, and Neville to his bed to sleep the sleep of the relieved, Harry once again closed the curtains and considered what had just happened. He trembled a little as he realised the fear that had crept inside him for a few minutes when he thought Neville and Hermione would issue an ultimatum; but like always they had come through and in such a way it humbled him. Harry felt a lump form in his throat as he recollected what Neville had told him. I promised myself that I'd have your back no matter what Harry. You represent something very important to me. I can't explain it more. But while I may disagree with you there is no way I am going to let you face everything alone, including Draco. So, unless you tell me to get lost, I'll always be here for you and even then I'd watch your back Harry. Harry found that he had to swallow hard and blink hard a few times to stop his emotions get to him. No matter what! Neville had not even qualified his words by saying words "Unless you become a death eater or you go on a murdering spree; he had given an unconditional promise to watch his back. Harry never felt as blessed as he did at that moment. Basking in the glow of the happiness created by his friends, it took Harry a while before he could calm down to do what he had wanted to do in the first place. Check the Map for Barty Crouch Jr.
Smiling happily, Harry opened his bag and took out the Map and searched for Barty Crouch Jr. There he was! Harry thought triumphantly. Barty Crouch and Mad-Eye Moody, shown on the Map in the same room. The last time they had not thought much about it, if anything at all actually, because they had all thought Barty Crouch meant Barty Crouch Sr, who they thought had come to meet with Mad-Eye Moody about the Tournament or some such thing. Harry sat for a while as he thought of the various things that would happen that year and how he could change them in such a way he did not change the overall picture. Harry grimaced; he was beginning to sound like Dumbledore when he thought of the big picture. He bent down to his Map and saw Barty Crouch Jr puttering about his room, while Mad-Eye Moody was still, in one place, probably under the Imperius and unconscious. Harry wondered for a moment whether he could rescue Moody earlier this time, but he really did not know how, so he left it after thinking about it for a few minutes. Even if he did nothing Moody would be safe in the end. That more than anything comforted Harry.
The next day Harry woke up refreshed and fit for the first day of classes. Chatting with Hermione and Neville he walked down with them to the Great Hall for breakfast. Both seemed relieved to see Harry was as usual and made no reference to what happened last night. Harry sat with them at the Gryffindor table, where Harry nodded at Ron and Ginny, before turning to the Twins.
"Going to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" he asked them, smiling slyly.
"Sure Harrykins,"
"We are going to compete,"
"For the glory and honour,"
"And a thousand galleons!"
They finished gallantly. "How about you?" they asked in unison.
"Am I of age?" he asked back laughing.
"But why should that stop you my Ickle Harrykins?" said a twin grinning.
Harry shuddered. "No thanks. I don't want to participate in a Tournament where people have died. I am perfectly content to be a spectator." He finished and turned to his breakfast piling eggs, toast and bacon on his plate. Turning to the Head Table he saw all the Professors present and seeing both Dumbledore's and Snape's eyes on him, he gave a smile and a small wave. Dumbledore smiled back, while Snape scowled and turned his head away. Harry grinned and turned his attention to the chattering at his table and all too soon breakfast was over and McGonagall was handing out new schedules.
"Herbology first,' Neville said happily with a large smile on his round face, "followed by Transfiguration and Charms. Packed day today."
Hermione smiled enthusiastically as well. "I can't wait to start. We are just a year away from our OWLS." She said, ignoring the astounded expressions on Harry and Neville's faces. "What?" she demanded. "Our OWLS are just a year away and we should concentrate this year, as I'm sure what we learn will help us understand our lessons better next year. Come on, else we'll be late for Herbology." They lifted their bags and strolled out of the Castle to the Greenhouses, where they would have their Herbology lessons with Professor Sprout. Harry vaguely remembered removing Bubotuber Pus the first time, and he smiled to himself in satisfaction when he was proved right. He pulled on his dragon gloves and started removing the Pus from the Bubotuber Pods, after Professor Sprout finished explaining about them.
After their class, the three of them stomped back to the Castle for their Transfiguration class when suddenly Harry bumped into someone. He groaned as he rubbed his chest and looked up to see who had banged into him, and his eyes widened. It was Snape! Snape hissed, his eyes glittering in mild amusement, though no one, Harry was sure, would be able to discern that, looking at Snape's sneering face.
"Detention Potter!" his voice rang in satisfaction.
"Sir!" Harry protested. "I never meant to bang into you and I swear I did not see you coming."
"Are you accusing me of walking into you deliberately Potter?" Snape asked slowly, his eyes boring to Harry's.
"Oh no Sir." Harry started, when Snape straightened and said. "Detention tonight, unless you want another one tomorrow?" he asked, as his eyebrow rose questioning him.
Harry shook his head in a show of dismay. Snape was already striding away as he said, "No need to bring your dragon hide gloves Potter!"
"He's really mean." Hermione said with a frown. "I swear he was not there, when we came in. How on earth did he bang into you Harry?"
Probably with a disillusionment charm, Harry thought with a roll of his eyes, even as he said. "I really don't know Hermione. I swear he was not there one second and the next we go, Bang! Into each other. I think I am meant to have detentions with Snape. I don't think he's forgiven me yet for being related to him. Oh well" he sighed copiously.
"I don't know how you can take it so well Harry." Neville said with a scowl. "He's being unfair and mean."
"I like him." Harry shrugged. "And I think he doesn't like me liking him. But I'm determined to win this battle." He grinned.
"I don't know how you can take it so well, especially when you are looking up to him and all he does is rebuff you, treat you like you are the most worthless scum." Said Neville.
Harry did not say anything. What could he say to that. What Neville and Hermione felt was very true. Snape was rude to him, but he could not be anything else. He had a dangerous game to play; the war had started the day Voldemort possessed Quirrell to come to Hogwarts for the Stone, when a sudden thought stopped him blind. He groaned loudly as Neville, who was walking a step behind, managed to bump into him, nudging him hard on his side.
"Merlin, I'm sorry Harry; everyone seems to be banging into you today." Neville giggled. "Why on earth did you stop so suddenly?"
"I know." Harry groaned, as Neville continued to giggle. "I dunno why I stopped walking; I was thinking about Snape and the way he banged into me and I guess I stopped walking." Harry replied lamely and it was evident from Neville's face he did not believe him. Being Neville he kept quiet and walked on, switching topics and starting a conversation about Bubotuber Pus trivia. Harry was thankful for that and gratefully accepted the change in conversation, even as he knew both Hermione and Neville would discuss his apparent fascination with Snape, when he was gone for yet another detention with him. But he could do nothing about it, unless it was to tell them everything.
Making all the right noises, as he listened to Neville, Harry's thoughts went back to the thought that had suddenly stuck him out of the blue and he berated himself for not being more intelligent and aware. This was sheer negligence that could not be forgiven if something occurred because of his non-action. He decided to talk to Snape, when he met him in the evening, and walked into the Transfiguration classroom for his lesson.
The day went slowly and it was with some impatience that Harry walked off to his detention with Snape.
"Come in." A low voice ordered him and Harry walked into his Potion Master's office. Snape had a parchment with an essay on the difference between chopping, slicing, crushing and their impact on Potions in Harry's handwriting ready.
"Why did you have to bang into me so hard? Hi" greeted Harry impishly.
"I do not Hi anyone Potter." Snape said as if on autopilot.
Harry laughed, before he became serious. "I have made a big, big mistake Snape. I don't know how I missed it, except that in the first time I never dealt with it, the decision was made by others."
Snape looked alarmed at this confusing statement. "What's the matter Potter? Explain properly."
"The Flamels, Snape. Nicolas Flamel and his wife Perenelle. They chose to die the first time, destroying the Stone, after putting their affairs in order. Dumbledore told me when I was in the infirmary after having burnt Quirrell." Harry looked stricken. "I hope they are not already dead, because they could not access the Stone. If they are, it would be because of my negligence." Harry looked at Snape with determination. "I want to return the Stone to them somehow, assuming," he added sombrely, "they are alive."
Snape was silent for a while as he processed what Harry said. Then, "How can we return the Stone to them? And I'm sure they are alive. I would have known if they had died. Dumbledore would have mentioned it. So don't worry about that. But, we don't know where they live and even if we do, I doubt we can get in without their knowledge to place the Stone in their home and it's too dangerous to send it by owl, even if no one will expect a Philosopher's Stone to be sent that way."
Harry nodded, relieved by Snape's words that the Flamels were alive. It was indeed true. Dumbledore would have mentioned something about them to the staff at the very least. He turned to Snape. "Not by owl." He said in reply to Snape's words and thought for a while. "How about by phoenix?" he asked. "I wonder if Fawkes will agree to do this for me.'
"How will you ask him?" Snape countered. "He sits with the Headmaster all the time."
Harry did not say anything for a minute, then he said, "I can call him and ask him. I think he'll come."
"Then that's what we'll do. We'll retrieve the Stone this Saturday," he raised an eyebrow at Harry who nodded, and then continued, "and then call Fawkes and ask for his help. Now, what happens this year?"
Harry sighed. "Voldemort returns this year."
"What?" Snape whispered, horrified.
Harry nodded. "A lot of things happen this year. This year was the starting point of the Second War. Most of what happened this year had an enormous impact on the war to come."
Snape had overcome his horror and terror and he was all business now. "What happens?"
Harry started speaking. "Okay. First of all, Alastor Moody is a polyjuiced death eater. The real one is currently in his own trunk, being kept alive for the Polyjuice Potion. The false Alastor Moody is none other than Barty Crouch Jr. so you be careful of him."
Snape blinked. "Barty Crouch Jr.?" he drawled, unable to keep the surprise from his voice. "I thought he died in Azkaban?" he inquired.
"He was supposed to have. But his dear father,' said Harry bitterly, "while strict and a perfect justice giver to everyone else, even to the extent that he threw people like Sirius into Azkaban without a trial, was unable to refuse his wife, who loved her son so much she wanted him out of Azkaban, never mind he was a Death Eater who tortured and killed good people. So she took his place and died there inside Azkaban within a year, while dear Junior was with his Death Eater hating father, kept under his father's control with the help of an unforgivable, the use of which earns other people a one way ticket to Azkaban. But not for Crouch Sr. of course."
Snape was silent for a minute. "Are we going to expose him? We should, you know."
"Dumbledore could have easily got a trial for Sirius. He should have, you know, before he threw him into Azkaban." Answered Harry randomly.
"Is that why you don't trust the Headmaster?"
"I trust the Headmaster," said Harry impatiently. "I just don't trust him to sit quiet until necessary to act, if he knows everything."
"What else did Dumbledore not do?"
"Many things." Harry said his eyes distant as he thought of his life with the Dursleys the first time and sighed. "No use crying over split milk."
Snape snorted softly, his eyes still intently on Harry.
"So," Harry continued. "First, Crouch Jr. is a Death Eater."
"You say we can't do anything about it." Snape raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." Harry nodded. "We need him." Harry stopped abruptly. He could hardly tell Snape right then, that he needed Barty Crouch Jr to take Harry to Voldemort, so that Harry could donate blood and thereby live after Voldemort's killing curse hit him. He would need to brief Snape later on, but there was no need to put Snape in a panic from now on, Harry thought as he shrugged mentally. Harry had thought long and hard and he had come to the conclusion that even though he would not be in a similar frame of mind, his mother's sacrifice would always work against Voldemort and in doing so, would help him survive the killing curse.
"Second I'll be chosen as the Fourth Champion at the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Barty Crouch Jr. put my name into the Cup last time under a different School and I was chosen; I guess that'll happen this time too. The other three, if the whole thing goes as it did last time, are Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts, Victor Krum for Durmstrang and Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons."
Snape remained silent as he processed this. After a minute he asked, "Is there's no way we can avoid your name being placed in the Cup?"
"I'm not sure we should avoid it", Harry said uncomfortably, "it would help me in a lot of ways; particularly if things happened as they did the last time. I hope they do." He murmured to himself.
"Why?" asked Snape impatiently.
"I'll tell you later." Harry evaded and continued. "Shall I call for Fawkes now and ask him?"
"What for? We get the Stone, then you call Fawkes, request him to deliver it to the Flamels and that's that. Plus, of course you request him not to reveal anything to the Headmaster." Said Snape.
Harry nodded. "Ok; that's what we'll do then."
They spent some more time together, with Snape unsuccessfully quizzing Harry about more events that happened in the past, before Snape reluctantly dismissed Harry. Harry bid goodbye to Snape, which brought a scowl to Snape's face and a smile to Harry's, before he ambled out.
That Saturday, Harry woke up just a little before dawn and he finished his ablutions in record time. At the last minute, he decided to go on his own, because it would be quicker to travel in his Animagus form, than it would be with Snape. He could save a lot of time. If he did this quickly, he could be back in time for breakfast and no one would be the wiser. Accordingly, Harry changed into a phoenix and flashed to a small, narrow alley near Diagon Alley. Changing back, he threw up his hood and walked swiftly to Gringotts. There was hardly any one inside the Bank this early and Harry was soon in and out of his Vault, with the Stone safely warded inside his robes. The moment he was back in the small alley, Harry cast an invisible charm on himself, changed and flashed to his room. Thankfully no one had even woken up in the forty five minutes it took Harry to go into Gringotts and back, and too restless to sleep, Harry, with the Stone safely warded inside his robes left his dorm and walked down. Since it was a Saturday, there was no one in the common room and Harry after a moment's hesitation walked to the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was empty, and Harry walked right out, and decided to deal with the Stone straight away, before too many students and Professors were up and about. Casting a wandless notice-me-not charm on himself, Harry walked down to the dungeons and sent a Patronus to Snape, since he was not sure whether Snape was up and about in his office or was still in his rooms. Having sent his Patronus, Harry sat down to wait by Snape's office and sure enough, twenty minutes later, the door opened silently and Harry walked in to see Snape glaring at him.
"You couldn't get up earlier?" he sneered. "Come on let's go."
"I've already been there and back; I woke up a lot earlier and couldn't sleep; so I decided to go to Gringotts by myself, and bring the Stone. I won't have time to escape Neville and Hermione during the day and who knows how crowded Gringotts would be or who would be there on a Saturday. Is it ok?"
Snape sneered and reluctantly nodded, pulling back his angry words, when Harry added, "I was very careful Snape. I took no chances. It was way too early; otherwise I would have come to get you."
"You will, the next time, even if it is the middle of the night. No gallivanting alone, understood?'
"Yup!" Harry grinned and removed the wards and brought out the Stone.
"We need to write a letter." He said.
Snape nodded and walked towards his desk.
"Hide your handwriting."
"I never knew." Snape said sarcastically and set about writing a brief letter to the Flamels.
Dear Mrs and Mr. Flamel,
I have managed to take the Stone before Voldemort got his dirty hands on it. Please keep it safely, just as you have all these centuries.
"Very brief." Harry nodded approvingly. Then his face turned thoughtful. "I wonder though, Snape, why on earth would Flamel, who has kept the Stone so carefully with him all these years without any harm coming to it, would hand it over to Dumbledore the year I came to Hogwarts. I can't help think it was all a ruse to smoke out Voldemort."
Snape's face pinched in anger. "A ruse that would have put you and the other students in the gravest danger. Dumbledore should be..." He stopped abruptly, calming himself. "Well, are you going to call Fawkes?" He growled, seeing Harry's amusement, though he did not notice that it was tinged with bitterness at the thought of the pawn he had been in his first life. Innocent and completely directed unnoticed by Dumbledore.
"Fawkes!" he called softly and was rewarded with a flash of flames as the phoenix flashed into the room, a second later. Flying around the room once with a soft trill, Fawkes landed on Harry's shoulder. Harry stroked the bird, petting it and making it croon.
"Fawkes, can I ask a favour from you?"
Fawkes looked at him inquiringly.
"I need you return the Stone, the Philosopher's Stone I mean, to Nicholas Flamel or his wife, without anyone knowing about it. Yes" he added, seeing Fawkes, tilt his head to one side. "Even your companion Dumbledore. Can you please help me with this? You see," he continued explaining, feeling that the bird could, not unlike Hedwig, understand every single word he spoke, "the Flamels are dependent on the Stone for their lives and I," he lowered his voice, a little shamefaced, "completely forgot that little detail, when I hid the Stone to protect it against Voldemort."
Fawkes stared at him for a long moment, before he trilled pleasantly and held out his leg.
"Thank you Fawkes. You're brilliant." Harry grinned, relieved as tied the letter to Fawkes's leg along with the Stone wrapped tightly in a little bag. Fawkes gave another trill and vanished in a burst of flames.
Harry sighed in relief. "So that's that. I'll leave now, before anyone misses me," he grinned at Snape's sneer at anyone missing Harry, before making himself invisible. He walked out of the door, went to a lonely corridor, turned into a phoenix and flashed to his bed. And heaved another sigh of relief. No one had even woken up. Harry changed back, made himself visible and taking his bag, walked out of his dorm to go down to breakfast. He was feeling very hungry after all that work.
The common room was still empty, and Harry decided not to wait for his friends, but walked briskly once again to the Great Hall and sat down for his breakfast, which soon appeared on the Gryffindor Table. This time nearly all the Professors including Snape were there at the Staff Table having their own breakfast. Ravenous, he sat down and soon filled his plate and was halfway through his meal, when two people walked briskly inside the Great Hall. Harry gave a startled gasp when he recognised them as Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel. Dumbledore stood up at the sight of them, and beaming in welcome, he walked down the aisle to greet them.
"Need to talk to you Albus. Very important." Nicolas said scowling, which promptly removed the beaming smile from Dumbledore's face. He straightened and simply nodded, before walking out of the Great Hall the Flamels following them. Harry looked at them, before glancing at the Staff Table; Snape was scowling deeply and meeting Harry's eyes, glared. McGonagall was frowning too, looking at the doors through which Dumbledore and the Flamels had left, and Harry quickly finished his breakfast. He was about to leave, when Hermione and Neville ran in and stopped at the sight of him.
"When did you get up?" Hermione asked, slowing down to a walk. Harry sat down again. "Early. I was pretty hungry, so decided to come down." He said apologetically.
"That's alright Harry." Hermione smiled and soon the three friends ambled out of the Great Hall to the library, where they spent a good amount of time, before going back to the Great Hall for a leisurely lunch. Harry wondered about Nicholas Flamel, but there was nothing to be learnt that afternoon, except that McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore were all absent for lunch and dinner that day. Moody was there and so were Professors Sprout and Flitwick, and Hermione remarked on their absence, but since no one could guess why, they gradually turned their attention to other things. Sunday passed by in a wonderfully lazy manner and Harry relaxed completely. He could not help wondering though about what had happened with Flamel and the Stone. He hoped it would all blow over. For him, seeing the Flamels alive and well was a relief and Harry did not think further than that.
"I wonder who the Hogwarts Champion would be?" asked Hermione thoughtfully, as they sat beneath a large oak tree, near the lake that Sunday afternoon.
"Hope it's a Gryffindor." Said Neville.
"There are many students in the Upper Classes to choose from. There's that Seeker Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff; he seems capable; there's Roger Davies from Ravenclaw; there's, there's ... hmm ...who else, who else, yeah, that guy from Slytherin, Adrian Pucey? ... plus our Gryffies, Angelina is one mean witch with a wand." said Harry, fading away into silence as he thought of more names, but knowing that Cedric would bag the honour nicely for Hogwarts.
"Diggory?" asked Neville with a doubtful look. "He's a Hufflepuff; not that I mean anything negative, but I don't think there's ever been a Hufflepuff Champion so far. It would be brilliant if he was chosen. That would get rid of the name 'House of Losers' if he was chosen, at the very least."
Harry nodded, while Hermione looked impatient. "Harry, you have been saying names of Quidditch players; not that I disagree with you Neville, or you Harry, for that matter; only are there no one else capable? Really?"
'Well there's that girl in Slytherin, Zeltor, Adrienne Zeltor, who I've heard is brilliant, but I really can't think of any other. Pathetic really, isn't it? That in a castle so full of students, we can't pick more names." Harry said.
"I know." Said Hermione. "What about that girl in Hufflepuff, Tara Carp?"
"I don't even know who you're talking about." Harry shook his head ruefully, as did Neville, while Hermione muttered about boys and their ignorance. They spent that day happily, doing nothing much.
Monday started well and by lunch the talk of the School was Professor Moody's class. The fifth years had had him that morning and Fred, George and Lee could talk of little else.
"He was fantabulous Harry. He was about the real world out there and no mollycoddling. Oh no!" Fred shook his head as George and Lee nodded violently. "He started off with the Unforgivables and went on to teach us about offensive curses. Really, really offensive. The stuff Aurors throw at Death Eaters." George added.
"I can't wait." Said Ron who had been hanging on to his brothers' words, his eyes wide and mouth open in shock. "At long last; we finally have a Defence Professor who is not scared of his own shadow or pixies." Everyone snorted as they remembered Lockhart and his Cornish Pixies.
"I can't wait either, now that I've heard all this, Harry said. "When do we have Defence?" he pulled out his schedule and groaned realistically. "Oh, too bad; not until Thursday."
They trooped out and it was not until Wednesday that Harry managed to land a detention with Snape. He walked in, threw his bag on the ground, flopped into his seat and asked. " Hi! What happened with the Flamels?"
"Do not presume familiarity with me Potter." Hissed Snape, glaring at Harry's grin, before he replied with a growing smirk on his own face. "Well it seems the Flamels received the Stone out of the blue on Saturday morning, with Fawkes of all birds; naturally they were shocked and then upset because they did not know what to believe at first. They had believed the Headmaster when he told them the Stone was stolen and here after a few years the very Stone is returned to them, oh dear, by the Headmaster's own phoenix. What are they to assume? They were considerably shaken and they did not know what to do, especially, when they tested the Stone and found that it had not been used."
Harry stared at Snape and then burst out laughing. "Oh my God, I never thought of that when we sent Fawkes. He was the only one, apart from the few witches and wizards, who were keyed into the Flamels' place and who could the damn Stone safely to them. They suspect Dumbledore? This is too funny."
Snape grinned and Harry was startled at how young he looked. "Well they don't suspect Dumbledore. He is their good friend and after six hundred odd years, I guess one is sufficiently shrewd to analyse and categorise people into good, bad and evil. Especially with the Stone in their custody. They wouldn't be able to protect is so well all these centuries otherwise. But they and Dumbledore spent the whole day wondering who could command Fawkes to do this for them. Luckily for us, the bird flamed out every time he was asked this by them." Snape suddenly laughed, shocking Harry once again. "It was funny to see them go around in circles, and at the same time to pretend to be as worried about the fact there was another person or persons out in the world who could order Fawkes to do his bidding."
"I can see how that can be worrying." Harry frowned. "Knowing that your beloved familiar is actually attending to other's calls can be terribly betraying."
Snape nodded. "If I did not know about this, I would not have been able to sleep properly; another person having control over the Headmaster's phoenix would have been frightening."
"Well, we can't do anything much about it. Since they know the Stone wasn't used, it obviously wasn't a Death Eater or Voldemort himself." Said Harry.
"That's what they ultimately concluded. They decided it was a good person; a sixth or seventh year witch or wizard who stole it and then did not know how to return it, until they thought of Fawkes and called him to do the honours, and that Fawkes did, because the person was a Light Witch or Wizard and that he or she meant no harm to the Phoenix, the Stone, the School or the Headmaster." Said Snape.
"Well that's that." Harry concluded and they spent the rest of the detention in amicable silence; Snape grading his papers and Harry reading about specialized wards in the Self-Updating Book of Spells.
The next day Harry woke up gearing for his Defence Against The Dark Arts Class. As he washed and dressed, he thought about how he should play the Imperius Curse that the false Moody was sure to throw at him. He was still wavering between breaking the Curse as he could, very easily now, and not revealing too much to Moody. He mentally shrugged as Neville called him and decided he would do whatever he felt like at that moment and went down to breakfast. There was a charged atmosphere and heavy anticipation amongst the Fourth years that morning, and Harry convincingly shivered in anticipation along with the rest.
"I'm sure class is gonna be great today." Ron whispered and Harry nodded. "If he's half of what Fred and George told us, it's bound to be brilliant."
The fourth years had Care of Magical Creatures first that morning, followed by lunch and then a double class of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry, Hermione and Neville trooped off to the Care of Magical Creatures class that was held near Hagrid's Hut in the Hogwarts grounds. Harry tried to remember what Hagrid had taught them; he remembered with a groan when he saw the open wooden crates on the ground near Hagrid's feet. Ugh! Blast Ended Skrewts!
Hagrid greeted them happily. "Well you all are goin' to study a new creature, these are the Blast Ended Skrewts!" he declared and Hermione peeped into the wooden crates only to draw back in disgust, which she tried to school into a neutral face for Hagrid's sake. The lesson went by and Harry and others were glad to get out of there. They had this class with the Slytherins, who after a look at the slimy creatures that smelt of rotted fish, refused to go anywhere near it. Harry nodded to Draco and got a half hearted glare in turn, followed by a furtive glance around and then a quick smile. He smiled back and turned away.
"Ugh! Eww! What was Hagrid thinking of?" Hermione exclaimed when they were out of the range of Hagrid's hearing. "All they are fit for is to be stomped upon and killed."
"And they grow up to six feet apparently." Neville said with some horror. "Why can't we study some nice harmless creatures?" he moaned, thinking of future classes with Blast Ended Skrewts.
"Because Hagrid's got no sense of what's harmless." Harry laughed. "He named a Cerberus Fluffy, for Merlin's sake!"
"I know." Hermione agreed. "If only we could do something about it." Sighing, the three friends walked into the Great Hall for lunch and soon they were lining up near the Defence Against the Dark Arts class.
A few moments later the door opened with a bang and Moody gestured them inside with one gnarled finger.
They had the class with the Slytherins as usual and all of them shuffled inside and found their places and sat down quickly and quietly, looking up at Moody's face in anticipation and just a touch of fear.
"Well," Moody started off without much ado. "I have received a letter from Professor Jim Tim and I've a fair idea of what you've learnt the previous two years before Professor Jim Tim, which is not a lot. Though, you seem to have learnt all about Kappas, Grindylows, Redcaps, Hinkypunks, Werewolves and Boggarts, last year."
He looked around the class in a fairly menacing manner; his Mad-Eye resting upon Harry every two minutes. "This year we will learn about curses and the evil they can do to another." He started on his lecture about curses and why the Ministry wanted them to only learn about counters and why Dumbledore thought it would be beneficial to learn about how dark wizards could attack others and harm them. It was much the same, if not identical to last time, Harry thought. He sat alert and wide eyed, listening to the Death Eater in disguise and watched as Moody asked about the Unforgivables and showed them what the curses could do on three spiders.
"Now I am going to place you all under the first of the Unforgivable Curses, the Imperius and I want you to try and understand how it feels like. I also want all of you to try your best to throw off the Imperius if you can. Ready?" Moody said.
The class nodded nervously.
"Well come on then." He started and Harry watched as one by one they all did the most unbelievable things. Neville's gymnastics was something he could have never done on his own and all too soon it was Harry's turn.
"Imperio!" cried Moody and Harry at once felt a floating sensation, calm and a wonderful feeling filling him, even as Moody said. "Jump on to the desk." Harry deliberated only for a second, before he obediently jumped on to the desk keeping his eyes carefully blank and blissful, but upon Moody's person. He saw a flicker of disappointment, before Moody cried once again, "Jump down!" Harry jumped down at once and was grateful; Moody did not ask him to do some body twisting gymnastics. He would have had to show Moody that he could break off the Imperius then.
"Well then," Moody said as the last student clucked like a hen, "This is what an Imperius feels like. Now I am disappointed that none of you could even try to break out of it." His eye settled on Harry, who grimaced, "but I will ask permission from Dumbledore to cast the curses upon you'll once again. We'll see if any of you develop a resistance, now that you know how an Imperius feels like. Dismissed."
Harry trooped out with the rest listening to the others chatter away excitedly. "I'm sure our class was even better than the Twins'." Ron chortled gleefully. "I can't wait to tell them Moody put us through real curses and Unforgivables at that."
The days went by swiftly and there was no repeat of their first class from Moody, so Dumbledore had apparently not given the required permission. All too soon, it was time for the Schools from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang to be upon them and Harry watched expressionless as he saw the horse drawn carriages arrive and Madame Maxine alight along with her students from them. Greeted by a beaming Dumbledore, she chatted a few minutes with him, before going up the steps, even as the students turned to see how the other School would arrive. They did not have long to wait and soon were rewarded with Durmstrang ship rise from the waters of the Black Lake.
Harry grinned as Ron recognised Krum and soon all of them were enjoying a grand feast, and then Dumbledore stood up. Harry noticed Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch Sr. and also noticed for the first time, Moody's eye flickering once in a while towards his father, not very obviously, but Harry noticed it, since he was looking for it.
The Great Hall quietened down as Dumbledore began to speak. He introduced Bagman and Crouch to everyone, gave a brief history about the Goblet and then had Filch bring the magical artifact inside the Hall. There was a huge murmur of excitement as the students saw the Goblet of Fire and after telling them how to place their names in the Goblet and how he had drawn an age line, so that younger students could not cross it to place their names, he dismissed them.
"What I wouldn't give to participate and win. A thousand Galleons!" Ron moaned and that seemed to be the general tone in Gryffindor.
"Well I wouldn't, for all the Galleons in the World, Ron. What use are they if we get hurt so badly that we won't be able to enjoy them, assuming we're alive at the end of it. Participants have been killed before, and I like to live as healthy as I can be, thank you very much." Harry retorted and was pleased, when many others agreed with him. Ron was unconvinced though as were the Twins.
"Well, we are going to try Harrykins. We are going to use an Age Potion to make us older." Said one of the Twins, with a huge grin on his face.
"I think Dumbledore is smarter than you two." Harry laughed and on that note all of them went to bed.
The next morning, Harry, Hermione and Neville entered the Great Hall and were greeted by the Twins in their long beards and started laughing. "Couldn't manage it?" Harry asked chortling.
The Twins laughed. "Well it was worth a try."
The whole School and their guests sat down to their second feast in two days that Halloween night, and Harry tried hard not to fidget or look nervous. He chatted with his friends and observed that Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Moody were all looking more alerter than usual, as they let their eyes rove over Great Hall every minute or so.
At long last the agonising feat came to an end and Dumbledore stood up and the whole Hall went silent, tense and excited.
He slowly walked over to where the Goblet stood and turned to face the students. "I think in a minute the Goblet will be ready to make its decision. When the Champions names are called, I request them to please come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table and go into the next chamber. They will receive their instructions there. Thank you."
With that, Dumbledore made a swish of his wand and then a sweeping movement of his arm and all the lights dimmed in the Great Hall showing the bright glow of the Goblet. Everyone waited with baited breath as the Goblet shone brighter and brighter and then a small wisp of parchment flew out of it and Dumbledore caught it quite neatly.
"The Champion for Durmstrang will be Victor Krum!" he announced as the Great Hall clapped loudly. They quietened when the Goblet threw another parchment.
"The Champion for Beauxbatons will Fleur Delacour." Huge cheers rose as the slim and beautiful Veela stood up and started walking to join Victor Krum in the next chamber.
"The champion for Hogwarts is Cedric Diggory!" the whole Hall erupted as Cedric stood up, flushed with excitement, happiness and pride shining on his face. Hufflepuff House was ecstatic as they stood up to cheer their hero, thrilled that at long last, their House was finally getting its due, finally a champion from Hufflepuff!
Dumbledore beamed and nodded to Cedric as he walked along the Staff Table clapping with the rest of the students, when another parchment flew out of the Goblet. Dumbledore startled, took a step back, but still managed to catch the slightly smoking parchment. He read the name on it, scowled and then looked up, all traces of happiness gone from his face. He eyes swung to the Gryffindor table, "Harry Potter!" he said, watching Harry's reaction, even as he peeped into Harry's mind.
Harry was expecting this, and so he was prepared both for his name to come out of the Goblet and for Dumbledore to intrude into his mind and he had his thoughts all ready. Dumbledore felt the extreme disbelief and then saw Harry's thoughts swing wildly as he thought of how this had happened. The culprits who made this possible ranged from the Twins to Snape and Dumbledore himself. That disbelief was firmly etched in Harry's mind and face as Dumbledore withdrew and felt just a bit relieved that Harry had not placed his name into the Goblet.
That brought a whole lot of problems for Dumbledore. If Harry had not done this, then he had to find who did and for what purpose. Dumbledore's lips thinned into an impossible line as he thought of the only reason that made sense to him. Voldemort! He was sure that Bellatrix was involved in this somehow too. How to find out though? He was distracted by the sound of hissing and low murmuring in the Hall, as the Hufflepuffs looked enraged as it seemed their glory was now being supplanted by this boy; the Slytherins were not far behind; it was not that they supported Cedric Diggory, but that they did not like an underage Gryffindor to become another Hogwarts Champion. Ravenclaw looked unhappy, but they were more or less silent, waiting to see how everything played out in the end.
The said boy looked stunned and angry as he did not seem to hear what Hermione and Neville were whispering to him in a very worried manner and letting his eyes roam quickly through Gryffindor. Dumbledore noticed many students were shocked, angry and even envious for what Harry had managed to do.
Suddenly Harry stood up, shaking off Hermione's words and her hands on his arm. The whole Hall fell silent, though the Hufflepuff House and their Head Professor Sprout were glaring at him with undisguised anger.
"I am not going to compete in this Tournament, Professor Dumbledore." Harry proclaimed in a loud voice. "I did not put my name inside this Goblet and I did not ask any other student to put my name into the Goblet for me. I am willing to swear on my magic to that effect. I don't care the Goblet threw out my name; I am not the Hogwarts Champion and I am not going to compete." He sat down and just a minute later, he stood up shakily and glared at Hermione. "I don't care if I lose my magic," he said fiercely. "I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to be manipulated like this. I can live without magic Hermione. After all I never knew about magic until I received my Hogwarts letter. I can easily forget these three years." He jumped up, threw his wand on the table and ran out of the Great Hall.
End of Chapter - 30