The Founding of Happiness
by Healer Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC! Time travel!
It is my story, and I intend to write it the way I want it. If you don't like it, don't read it.
Reviews are very welcome, as they inspire my muse. Thank you very much for the kind reviews for the previous chapter!
Hermione voiced what all of her friends were thinking, "That's strange. Who knows that you're here, Godiva?"
Godiva threw Harry a questioning look, before she replied, "As far as I know only Professor McGonagall and the headmaster know that I am here."
Harry let out a long sigh. "Well, maybe Dumbledore wanted to make a point, considering that he wanted me to think over my decision again, but why would he send an empty parchment to Godiva? That doesn't make much sense."
"Poison," Godiva suddenly blurted out as she doubled over in pain and gasped, causing Harry, Hermione, and Blaise to gape at her in shock, "I think …your…headmaster…poisoned…me, Harry,…I feel…horrible."
Hermione was the first to get a hold on herself. She ran over to the Head table and told her head of house what had happened while they hurried back to Godiva. Seeing that she couldn't do anything to help the girl, Minerva quickly conjured a stretcher and let Godiva float between her and Harry to the hospital wing, where Harry urgently filled Madam Pomfrey in on what had occurred during breakfast.
The healer did not lose time to wave her wand over the girl several times, before she sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin it's not dangerous. It is poison, the Indeca poison in fact, which will cause her a bad stomach ache accompanied by a high fever for two or three days, but afterwards she will be completely fine. Unfortunately, there is no antidote against this poison."
"But there is an antidote! I had to brew it for my OWLs in the past," Harry said grimly, before he continued in an angry voice, "So this confirms that Dumbledore poisoned her in order to force me into attending the Yule Ball with the minister's daughter."
"I can't imagine that Professor Dumbledore would do such a thing," Minerva contradicted vehemently. "Maybe it was the minister. Let's ask the headmaster if he already spoke to Fudge."
"Very well," Harry replied. "I entrust you with this research, Professor, meanwhile I'll go to my lab and brew the antidote for Godiva. Madam Pomfrey, would you please ask Professor Snape if he could possibly assist me for half an hour? I'd like to finish the antidote as soon as possible, and it will be faster if he assists."
While Pomfrey hurried to the fireplace and Harry strode to his lab, McGonagall spoke with Hermione and Blaise, asking them to stay for the conversation she was going to have with the headmaster. By the time Harry and Severus entered the hospital wing with the antidote, the others were still speaking with Professor Dumbledore, while Godiva was in so much pain that she was barely conscious.
"Hello Ms. O'Connor," Snape said in his soft silky voice as he spelled the potion into her stomach, causing the girl to sigh in relief as the potion took effect.
"Thank you Professor Snape," she whispered gratefully as her eyes drooped and she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.
"Is she all right, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry queried, sitting on the edge of her bed looking on at her concern.
Poppy waved her wand over the girl, before she confirmed, "Yes, she is completely cured; however, her body is exhausted from the ordeal and she needs to rest for a few hours."
"Mr. Potter, I don't believe that the headmaster even knows what the Indeca poison is. The headmaster is adept at many things, but potions are not one of the things that he is very knowledgeable in, especially those that are poisonous," Snape spoke up, raising an eyebrow at Dumbledore, who was still engrossed in a discussion with McGonagall, Pomfrey, Hermione, and Blaise.
"Harry, I told the Minister that you have other plans for the Yule Ball," Dumbledore said gravely, throwing Harry an apologetic look. "I don't mind if you want to question me under Veritaserum."
"I don't think that'll be necessary, Professor," Harry replied softly. "I believe that it was the minister, and I'm looking forward to seeing his face tomorrow at the Yule Ball when he becomes aware of the fact that Godiva is fine in spite of his attempt to poison her. I know for sure that he thinks there is no known cure for the Indeca poison since Professor Snape only invented it a short while ago," he lied, while his eyes searched the Potions Master's dark eyes for confirmation, which the man granted him by unobtrusively nodding his head.
"Thank you, my boy. I'm glad that you have learned to get along with Professor Snape so well," Dumbledore replied, while his eyes began to resume their usual twinkle for a moment, before his expression turned grave. He sighed, before he continued, "However, our problem about the Yule Ball is not solved yet. As I told you yesterday, the Minister is threatening to intervene at Hogwarts."
Harry sighed in annoyance as he reached into his robe pocket, producing the parchment he had received earlier in the past. "Headmaster, I told you that I received a potions manual from Salazar Slytherin for my eleventh birthday. I also got this parchment, which states that the minister can't intervene at Hogwarts."
Dumbledore's eyes widened in surprise. "Excuse me, my boy, will you allow me to check the authenticity of this parchment?"
"Of course, Professor," Harry replied calmly, knowing that his parents had been wise enough to secure the parchment with ancient charms.
The Headmaster pointed his wand at the parchment, causing several letters to emerge from the tip of his wand forming the words, 'Godric Gryffindor, Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts, December 23rd, 994.' He looked at his colleagues as he explained, "According to this parchment, which was obviously written by Godric Gryffindor, the heirs of the four Founders are the legal owners of Hogwarts and have the complete power over the school, even overriding the Board of Governors or other institutions affecting the school. It also states that the Ministry of Magic can't have any influence on Hogwarts and whoever tried would be punished by ancient spells placed upon the castle."
"Maybe it would be wise not to relate this piece of information to our illustrious Minister," Snape threw in, smirking.
"That's definitely a good idea, Severus," Dumbledore chuckled as he returned the parchment to Harry.
"Well, I hope you'll understand my decision to take Godiva to the ball," Harry said quietly, before he returned to Godiva's side, sitting on the edge of the bed until she woke up later that afternoon. 'He didn't tell them that I'm even able to override his decisions,' Harry thought, smirking. 'Professor McGonagall knows though, and I trust her completely. I wonder how Fudge will react and how he'll be punished if he tries to do something against the Headmaster or me.'
Afraid that something else might happen to Godiva, Harry decided not to attend dinner in the Great Hall. Instead he ordered Löwi, who was in his room when he returned with Godiva, to fetch his friends.
"I thought we might have dinner here in my quarters," he told Hermione, Luna, Neville, Blaise, Draco, and Godiva, before he called a house elf and ordered dinner for all of them. As soon as it appeared, he led his friends into the living room of Helga's and Salazar's quarters, making their dinner float in front of them. "Please don't eat just yet," he instructed his friends and quickly explained to Draco, Luna, and Neville that the Minister had tried to poison Godiva. "Let me transform into my phoenix form and check the food first." With that he transformed, knowing that he would be able to sense any kind of poison in his Animagus form, but he couldn't find anything out of order and finally transformed back.
"This place looks really interesting," Hermione spoke up. "I just love the decorations and the furniture. It all looks like a combination from several different centuries."
"Everything is so very colourful and looks extremely delicate and well worked on," Godiva replied in absolute amazement.
"This one was already here in my parents' time," Harry said, pointing to an old looking wooden press. "I like the old things most, because they're relatively plain."
"I know that press," Godiva chuckled. "That's where your Mum Helga always keeps the treats for your younger siblings."
"Exactly," Harry agreed, grinning as he thought of his small siblings. He threw a glance at his watch. "Professor McGonagall invited us to participate in a dancing practice in the Gryffindor common room tonight. Would you like to join us?"
"No thank you," Draco mumbled gruffly, causing everyone to throw him a surprised look. "I don't have a partner, and I'm considering faking sick so I don't have to attend at all," he admitted in a small voice.
"Isn't there anyone you like?" Luna queried, looking at Neville with a dreamy expression.
"Well yes, but no, I don't have a chance anyway, and I can't tell you," Draco replied, setting up an annoyed expression.
"And why might that be?" Harry asked softly.
"Because you'd hate me if you knew," Draco replied grumpily.
"Is it perhaps because it's a boy?" Luna enquired, causing Godiva's eyes to widen. "I guess it's one of the Weasley twins."
"Oh just leave me in peace," Draco groaned as his face turned slightly pink as if he was ashamed. "Harry, can you brew something for me that would help me fake sick for a day?"
When Harry threw him an incredulous look, Godiva began to laugh. "I'm studying Healing and Professor Hufflepuff is teaching me," she explained. "Two months ago, a whole sixth year class fell ill one morning right before they were supposed to take a Transfiguration test with Professor Gryffindor. They had strange green pustules all over their bodies and were running a temperature. We thought of course that it had spread from one to the other and quarantined them all, but on the next morning all of them had recovered. Harry, I think the recipe could be found in the book with the funny potions Professor Slytherin gave you for your birthday."
"Did Mum Helga find out that Dad Salazar was behind the whole thing?" Harry queried eagerly, causing Godiva to laugh.
"Yes of course she did, and Professor Gryffindor found out too. He transfigured Professor Slytherin into a tortoise and kept him in his robe pocket for a few hours. I'm surprised that he didn't tell you about the event yet. Actually, he seemed to enjoy himself while he held Professor Slytherin as a tortoise, not that he would ever admit to it."
"Harry, could you please brew that potion for me? If I take it tomorrow morning, I should appear to be too sick to attend the ball," Draco pleaded with a contented look on his face.
Harry sighed. "All right, but I also have to learn to dance tonight."
"We can teach you," Blaise spoke up. "Hermione, Neville, and I learned from Luna. She's really good."
"Oh Luna, would you mind very much to teach Harry and me as well?" Godiva asked softly.
"Of course I will, I don't mind," Luna smiled. "Harry, how long will it take you to brew the potion for Draco?"
"I have no idea, because I don't even know which potion it is yet. Let me go and have a look at the book and find out," he replied and headed to his lab to retrieve the book. "Oh here, I have it," he spoke up after a few minutes of searching. "It'll take thirty minutes to prepare the ingredients and about an hour to do the actual brewing."
"Harry, can I help you with the ingredients?" Hermione asked, and seeing Harry nod she followed him into the lab, while Luna began to teach Godiva how to dance.
When Harry finished the potion, bottling it into several phials, which he hid in his room, mumbling, "Who knows what it'll be good for later," Godiva turned to Draco.
"Please come here in the morning and take the potion, so we can keep an eye on you and take you to the hospital wing when you begin to feel ill. You're really going to feel sick, so maybe you should think about it a bit more to decide if you really want to go through with it," she told him in a soft voice.
"Thank you, Godiva, but I'm positive I want to go through with it. Thank you Harry, Hermione. Are we going to have breakfast here tomorrow morning?"
"Yes," Harry said firmly. "Eight o'clock sound good to everyone?" he queried, glancing around, and nodded when everyone seemed to agree.
When the friends arrived in the morning, breakfast was already waiting on them in the room where they had eaten dinner the evening before, and Harry had thoroughly checked on the food in his Animagus form after opening his Christmas presents together with Godiva, who had been very surprised to receive books and sweets from all of Harry's friends. After breakfast, Godiva asked Draco to lie down on Harry's bed and cast a diagnostic spell on him to make sure that nothing was ailing him that could worsen due to the joke potion.
"I believe everything is all right. Do you still want to take the potion?" she enquired softly, throwing Draco an expecting look.
Draco sat up and took the phial, downing the potion in one large gulp. "Uh, that was disgusting. Harry, couldn't you have at least added some sugar?"
"Oh shut up and lie down. Godiva, do you have an idea how long it'll take until the potion takes effect?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure, but I suppose something between a few minutes and an hour. Shall we practise dancing a bit more in the meantime? Oh Harry, by the way, what am I supposed to wear tonight?"
"We have to ask Professor McGonagall if she can transfigure you some dress robes," Harry replied, shocked at how he could have forgotten to provide dress robes for his girlfriend.
"Godiva, shall we go and see if Professor McGonagall is in her office? In the meantime Harry, you can take Draco to the hospital wing," Hermione suggested, causing everyone to look at Draco and laugh as they saw the green spots that had appeared all over his face.
Everyone agreed to meet in Harry's room again for lunch, and Harry accompanied a shivering Draco to Madam Pomfrey, while Hermione and Godiva went to look for the Gryffindor Head of House. The Mediwitch frowned, waving her wand over Draco several times, before she asked Harry to go to the fireplace and call for Professor Snape.
"Severus, I have no idea what's wrong with Mr. Malfoy. I've never seen such a rash, and apart from that and a moderate fever he seems fine," Pomfrey told the Potions Master, who merely raised an eyebrow.
"Harry, have you seen this kind of rash before and know an antidote for it?" Snape queried, giving him a sharp look.
"No sir, I've never seen such a rash," Harry replied truthfully and left the room as Pomfrey shooed him out quickly, apparently not wanting him to get sick as well.
ハリーと幸せの願い
In time for the Yule Ball, Harry made his way down to the Entrance Hall, where he met with his friends. "Godiva, you look absolutely gorgeous," Harry whispered in complete amazement at the sight of his girlfriend, who was wearing beautiful green dress robes that matched her eyes exactly and that looked beautiful with her hair.
"Thank you, Harry," Godiva whispered back, blushing deeply as she walked into the Great Hall arm in arm with Harry.
Harry glanced around in amazement. 'This is the first time that I've spent Christmas in the future,' he mused, feeling very excited and glad to have his girlfriend with him.
Following dinner, the three Triwizard Tournament champions and their partners opened the dance, and the Minister, with a girl of about the same age as Harry and Godiva beside him, walked up to Harry.
"Good evening, Mr. Potter. May I introduce my daughter Evelyn," the Minister greeted him with a false smile on his face.
"Good evening Minister. I'd like to introduce my girlfriend, Godiva," Harry replied politely, throwing Godiva a loving smile. "If you would excuse us now, I promised my girlfriend to dance with her as much as possible this evening." With that he pulled Godiva over to the other dancing couples away from the minister, where Hermione and Blaise were waiting for the next dance to begin. 'Oh, I bet he's really angry,' Harry mused as he glanced over to the head table, where the Minister was talking to the headmaster with a furious expression on his face, while Dumbledore slowly unwrapped a lemon drop and popped it into his mouth.
Harry and Godiva enjoyed the evening and were sad to see it end. Everyone easily accepted Godiva as Harry's girlfriend, and when Harry asked her if she wanted to return to the past the next morning or stay a few more days in the future she decided to spend a few more days with Harry's friends.
The day following the Yule Ball Harry was called to the headmaster's office.
"Harry, I'm sorry to bother you again," Dumbledore began their conversation. "I just wanted to inform you of Minister Fudge's plans. He told me that he is going to invent a new class, "Magical Education," in which all students will be required to participate from the beginning of the next school year onwards, and he'll send one of his employees to take up the post of teaching it. Harry, I don't know if we can prevent him from doing so. You are aware of the fact that you're the heir of all four Founders, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir," Harry replied thoughtfully. "According to the parchment I showed you the other day, the castle herself should prevent anyone from intervening at Hogwarts." He let out a pensive sigh. "Professor, I'm going home the day after tomorrow, and I'll do a bit more research concerning my powers within Hogwarts. I promise to work together with you and present you with a solution before the summer holidays in case the castle doesn't prevent the Minister from interfering."
"That's an extremely relieving answer. Thank you very much, my boy," Dumbledore replied gratefully. "Are you going back to the Dursleys, Harry?"
Harry cleared his throat. "Probably not sir, I'll accompany Godiva home and I intend to return in time for the welcoming feast. Good night, sir."
"Take care, Harry," Dumbledore said gently, watching in amazement how Harry playfully stroked Fawkes' head and the phoenix contentedly closed his eyes as he relaxed under the boy's hand.