Hey everyone,
So I will be honest with you guys. I actually forgot that there was an update planned for this and the other stories at the end of the month until halfway through the second week. And when I realized that, I was almost tempted into taking a break from this month's update date and just bringing out TWO chapters next month.
However, there are a few important chapters that really need to be brought out and this story is definitely one of them. Also, another reason I couldn't get myself to start writing is because another new story has been bugging me. However, this new story WON'T come out anytime soon as I am still debating parts of it.
Now back to this story. In my last chapter I said that there would be certain individuals who will disagree with the fact that Sirius feels like celebrating their latest Christmas miracle. However, before they can voice these disagreements, there is a little something else that needs to be brought into the picture.
Or someone?

Venquine1990


Chapter 11
A Late Night Meeting

26th of December 1996
Healer Room, Ministry London
Harry's POV

Kingsley went with us after I reunited with my parents outside of the courtroom, the latter two calming down as they see us. And personally I feel glad about this greatly as it proves that Kingsley really is ready to take on the role Sirius wants him to have and because he seems to know more about the spells I am suffering than even I do.
And to hear him report all of these spells to the Healer we went to after the Wizengamot released us for me to get here is almost too much for me after everything else that happened today. And so, instead of that, do I focus inward and mentally revise the entire day, going over everything that happened since the Guardians' arrival.
Yet this is made both a little harder and a little easier by the way that the Healer works on me as I feel better and better every time the Healer takes a spell off of me, yet it also constantly reminds me of what is going on and makes it harder for me to concentrate on my little mental task. Still I sigh in great relief at the end.

"Mr. Potter, let me just say, you have my respect. From the strength of the spellwork, you should have turned into either an Obscurus or a Squib somewhere around Halloween at the soonest to at the end of November at the latest. Yet if you take it easy with your spells for the next three months, you will be back to perfect health after that.
And yes, I will be happy to give you a Healer's Note that will exempt you from the harsher practically portions of your classes or have Madam Pomfrey give you one if you'd prefer that. Also, Mr. and – well, Lord James and Lady Lily, considering how you returned, I would recommend you start your own spellwork up slowly as well."

The Healer then tells me and the people who will be my brother and sister in just a few hours from now and while I wonder what an Obscurus could be, do I still feel quite amazed that I managed to keep strong for so much longer than should have been possible and I ask: "And – Umbridge's latest – well – attack?" To which he answers:
"I won't say it didn't have any affects, Mr. Potter, which is why I recommend three months instead of two and a half, but as long as you find someone you can confide in on how you felt when those spells affected you, you should be alright and should make a full recovery." At this I sigh in relief, yet then something happens.

Headmaster Dumbledore enters the Hospital room of the Ministry and has a look of great concern and concentration on his face. Instantly I feel my face whiten and the Healer asks: "Headmaster, may I ask why you come in looking so unlike your usual self, upsetting my patient?" And the man looks startled before he says:
"Forgive me, Healer Boward. I just wanted to let Harry be the first to know that Hogwarts will be closed for indefinite time." This shocks me and I notice the Healer look at me shortly before he asks: "Could you give a brief explanation? Perhaps, some of the details you are, I assume, going to share with the public?"
And the man sighs as he says: "Let me just say that, apparently, Umbridge's pride and arrogance was much greater than I anticipated and that she dared to go even there where I believe certain others wouldn't dare to go. That she was willing to backstab people who have been supporting her, believing she won't be caught.
Because of this and with the focus now being on many, many of the other students, will Hogwarts be closed for an indefinite time." This makes me get down from the cot I was on and I ask: "What about those – at London?" And the man sighs as he says: "Have Arthur take the kids here later today, if you would my boy?"

And this makes my grip the fabric of my shirt with at chest height and look at the man in great concern. Then the Healer steps forward and says: "Headmaster, thanks for letting us know this. However, you have students and teachers to worry for and my patient needs his rest. Not to mention it's getting quite late."
And only then do I realize that, while I had been trying to think back on everything that happened today, I had been ignoring how much had actually happened and how tiring it all has been. And instantly fatigue hits me like the Bludger that broke my arm in my second year and I feel my legs starting to slightly shake.
Sirius is instantly at my side, his arm under my arm pits and his other hand grabbing the one still holding my shirt and he says: "If you want, we can have Healer Boward put you under a Sleeping spell and use special means to get back to London." But I shake my head and tense my body to steady my legs and say:
"I – maybe later. We need to be seen walking out together. You need to be seen doing so to prove that you really are innocent and I need to be seen to prove that, even with all that the public now knows, I won't be taken down too easily. The public needs to see our strength, if only for those that are probably in the Atrium."

And while I hate this decision, does Lily then ask: "Are you sure? I mean, won't it give off the same if people see Sirius carrying you out?" Yet to this I shake my head and say: "I know it's not right or anything, but it'd be better if I be seen depending on you guys after we performed the ritual, not before it is performed."
And while the others all grimace at this, does Kingsley sigh and say: "I don't like it, but Harry is right. Let him be seen as someone strong and victorious one last time before you guys take that spot. If you do that after we complete the ritual, it will make it easier for the public to accept that their hero has lost reason to be that, a hero."
And while I silently think: "Not to mention, I need to get some of my power back and this is the only way. I need to get back the trust and belief of the crowd if I want to be able to stand up to Voldemort, especially if he is indeed actually Pitch or has Pitch working for him." And with that do we leave the hospital room of the Ministry.

A little later
At London

As I had believed had the entire Atrium been filled to the brim with people, some portions even so full that witches and wizards were using levitation charms on themselves to give themselves room and a chance to be present. Yes, while the article has only been out for little over an hour, it has obviously had a lot of effect on our world.
Yet while the whole Atrium was filled to the brink and then some, did it also seem as if my message came across with great strengths. This was proven by the fact that, as we walked, Sirius and me in the front, my siblings behind me and Kingsley behind them, the crowd parted, people forming a wide circle around us.
And while I had heard voices starting, had they all been further at the back as those at the front had been too shocked to see us, me looking the way I did when I feel ready to win a Quidditch match, Sirius looking carefree and having his once infamous charming smile on his face, as we move towards the exit of the Ministry.

Luckily enough the rest of the journey was a lot easier as I felt like just relaxing and calming down again once we were on the subway heading to Grimmauld Place and yet, the whole journey was met with silence and when we finally got there, the first thing that comes out of me is: "I – I think I'm going to bed."
At which every one of the others nod and Sirius, James and Lily give me a warm hug and mutter: "Merry Christmas, Harry." Before I head upstairs, making sure to be as quiet as possible as I pass the portrait of the woman who will be my grandmother come the ritual. This thought makes me suppress a heavy shudder as I move on.

Yet the minute I grab the doorknob to my bedroom, the hairs on the back of my neck raise up and I realize that something is horribly wrong. And when I open my bedroom door to an empty room, can I only think: "Where's Ron?" And while I hope that he is just downstairs waiting for news, do I move into the room.
I head over to my bed, yet as I do, do I feel a shudder wanting to run through me as I pass the right front corner of my room. Yet I don't let this show and think: "I guess today is just a day of vocal spats and confrontations." And instantly I decide to take all of this with the same levelheadedness I did when confronting my friends.
And so I move over to my bed, open my trunk and while I take out my night cloths, do I say: "You're not fooling anyone, you know?" And a voice that sounds as if it could fit a Dementor says: "I don't know what you mean." And while my arm muscles tense, do I try to make sure he doesn't know this and say:
"I know you're here. Just show yourself." And from the shadows, which I suddenly notice are in the wrong corner, considering there is a streetlight shining a faint light from the right bottom corner of the window on the furthest right and while I want to shudder, do I just turn my head and turn to face this new arrival.

And just by looking at the man, do I instantly know who I'm dealing with. A long black robe with a v-neckline, shadows running down his arms and causing his body to be obscured in shadow. Eyes colored like an eclipse and looking me up and down and black hair slicked up like spikes to the back of his head.
"Pitch Black, I presume?" I ask, feeling glad beyond words that I managed to meet with the guardians before this and the being twitches only one of his eyebrow a little before he says: "And you – are the newest choice made by that old timer up there." This makes me grimace as I had hoped he wouldn't know this of me.
The being snickers shortly and then says: "I must say, you're a worst choice than Frost was." Yet instantly I smirk and say: "And yet, it was Jack who managed to beat you last time. So what does that say about me?" And the man glares at me for a short second, yet then seems to regain his composure and even smoothens his robe.

"You may think you have one over me, but you don't. In case that fool and the others didn't know this yet –." But by now he reminds me too much of Riddle back at the end of my Second and I state: "You're with Voldemort." The man halts, but the grin that grows on his face after this instantly sets my concerns on high alert.
"You are both right – and you are so very wrong, little boy." He smoothly tells me and I ask: "What do you mean?""Your words would imply that, in some way, I work for that simple mortal. But the truth. Oh-ho-ho-ho, the truth is so much worse – for you. The truth, little guardian, is that that mortal – works for me."

And while I instantly feel as if all of my victories today and of the last year have been made useless and for nothing, do I only tense my body to show off my shock, but not my concern and instead, I focus on something else and say: "You can stop your efforts, you know. They're not working." Startling Pitch into asking:
"What do you mean?" And I strongly answer: "You really don't know me, do you Pitch? You think I didn't notice? You've been trying to suppress my natural Guardian ability with your own this entire time. You just chose the worst time ever.""Really now? Did I? Because North isn't here right now, you know?"
Yet I smirk at this and say: "I don't need North to show off my natural ability. It doesn't come from him. It comes from the public belief in me. And in case you didn't know this yet, Pitch. My victory over what was published earlier tonight has really reestablished and once more strengthened public opinion and belief in me."
And while he has been showing off a calm, smooth, confident form so far, does Pitch now look troubled and ruffled and I happily make sure to stand right in front of him. Yet while he is much taller than me, do I not let this matter as I just hiss: "Get out, Pitch Black. You're not welcome in the House of Black."

And while he glares at me, does the being step back, the shadows once again growing and eclipsing his form once again before it goes back to its rightful shape and place. And finally do I let my tense form go, sigh in relief and all the fear that I had been holding back and rush for the door of the bedroom, wanting out.
Yet at the other side, do I run into Mrs. Weasley and Ron and the two barrel into me, obviously having tried to get into the room all this time. We fall over and while the two yell, fall, break my fall and then start asking questions, do I only feel capable of speaking three words, my emotions overwhelming me: "Get the Guardians."


Well, that happened,
So this was a pretty short chapter, but I didn't really have anything big planned for the first confrontation between Pitch and Harry. I did want it to come out in Harry's favor, but I also wanted to be a bit of a troll and not let it feel as if Harry really was the victor of this first of probably many other fights.
And because of that, did I have Pitch reveal that HE is the one playing Voldemort. But while Harry knows this now, does he not know how Pitch is playing Voldemort. He got too scared of hearing this to think straight and dig deeper. That might not be something he does in the books or movies – but this isn't either of those.
Next chapter: Jack and the others hear about Harry's first meeting with Pitch and about the startling, unsettling news. Yet Dumbledore comes with some surprising news that might be received either positively or negatively. And of course certain "smart" people will feel the need to give their own two knuts to all this.
Oh eh joy,

Venquine1990