Chapter Eighteen: Magical Achievements

Harry sat down in his favourite armchair by the fire. He barely registered Ron sitting down in the other one, followed by Hermione in another. He stared straight into the fire, his eyes blinking rapidly as his mind went over what he had just done. He had broken Draco Malfoy's nose. His rich daddy wasn't going to be pleased by that. Frankly, Harry didn't care. Malfoy deserved it.

"Harry?"

He looked up realising for the first time that Ron was there. He was a little red, as if he was embarrassed.

"What do you want?" Harry snapped. He didn't want to be angry at Ron, but his friend's behaviour yesterday had angered him. He sighed heavily before breathing more slowly, trying to abate his anger. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"You don't need to apologise, Harry, it's me who has to," replied Ron.

Harry glanced up, his gaze meeting Ron's. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't mean what I said last night. I was jealous that you had once again got the fame; that you had the chance to prove yourself, whereas I would always be known as the friend of Harry Potter. I didn't expect your reaction last night either or this morning. I'm sorry for the way I acted."

Harry smiled sadly. "That's alright. I shouldn't have shouted at you but you made me so mad. Look," he held out his hand, extending it towards Ron, "let's shake and forget it, alright?"

Ron did so, relieved. "So, who did put your name in the Goblet?"

"We think it was Wormtail," explained Harry. "I had a dream, another vision, which showed me that Voldemort was planning on getting hold of me through the Tournament. He gave Wormtail a mission to place my name in the Goblet. I told Sirius and I know he and Dumbledore discussed it, but things went wrong and my name came out anyway. I still have to compete, no matter how much I don't want to. I know it sounds far-fetched and totally unbelievable that Voldemort is even trying to get me, but it's the truth."

"Why can't Dumbledore find him then?"

Harry shrugged. "No idea. All I know is that he's hiding in a house somewhere." He brushed a hand through his messy hair, feeling agitated. "I started this year with high hopes and now, once again, I'll be fighting to stay alive."

"You'll do it!" Ron said, smiling, sitting forward and placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'll support you. I know I was a jerk before but I hope you will let me."

Hermione chose at this time to add her own thoughts. "Both of us will. If you need anything, we'll be here for you."

All Harry could do was smile sadly and say 'thank you'.

"Harry?" Sirius stepped through the portrait hole glanced round the room for any sign of Harry. There wasn't any. He shook his head. He had gone to the Divination classroom to see if Harry had been there, but seeing Ron sitting with Neville confirmed his suspicions that his godson was not in the mood to see anyone. He hadn't even seen Harry at lunch, only Ron and Hermione sitting quietly at the end of the Gryffindor table. He had been informed by McGonagall at break of Harry's behaviour. Secretly, Sirius was pleased that someone had taught the stuck-up Malfoy heir a lesson but punching the boy was only going to make Lucius mad.

And knowing Lucius Malfoy….Sirius trailed off from that thought, not wishing to think what that slime ball would do. He took the stairs up to the fourth year dormitory and opened the door stepping into the room. He spotted Harry lying on his bed, his eyes staring hard at the ceiling, as if he wasn't really there: his mind occupied elsewhere.

"Hello Harry," said Sirius quietly. "I heard about what happened this morning."

Harry turned his head slowly towards him. "You did? I bet you're disappointed in me."

Sirius smiled lightly. "Partly I'm proud that you taught Malfoy a lesson but hitting him probably wasn't the best idea at the time, however I am disappointed in you because you let him get to you. And you shouldn't have done."

"He said that you would be glad that you wouldn't be burdened with me when I die in the Tournament," said Harry. "I couldn't stop myself. Ron didn't believe me either, until after that fiasco with Malfoy. Ron said last night that he bet you put my name in the Goblet. I was still angry from that and Malfoy just made it worse." Harry shook his head, sighing. "I'm probably going to be expelled."

"Don't think like that. Malfoy did deserve to be taught a lesson but not in the way you delivered it."

"I know," Harry sighed heavily. "I reacted because I want to protect you. Whenever someone says something horrible or places the blame on you, I want to defend you because you don't deserve it. Everyone thinks you are evil and plotting to get rid of me. I hate that they won't give you a chance to prove that you mean to do good."

"Some people can't let go of the past," Sirius replied quietly. "You don't know what it was like in those days, to grow up in the midst of a war. My family was dark - you know that - I nearly wasn't accepted into the Aurors because they figured I was a Death Eater, despite the fact that I lived with your grandparents and James' dad did a personal reference of recommendation for me as well. And I suppose my actions on November 1st proved them right. I was impulsive that day, filled with grief and did something stupid that got me sent to prison for life. The public are not going to accept me easily. I'm trying my best but that damn Rita Skeeter won't stop using that quill of hers. If James was here he'd have snapped it in half and placed a clever little charm on it to prevent her from using it again." He laid a hand on his godson's shoulder. "You don't need to protect me. If someone says something derogatory about me, just ignore them. I have to protect you Harry. I promised your parents I would, and I haven't done an able job of it for the last twelve years, but I have the opportunity to do so now. Let me worry about you, and not the other way around."

"Thanks." Harry sat up, enveloping Sirius in a hug. "I'll try not to lose my temper if anyone says anything about you."

"Good," said Sirius as he ruffled Harry's hair. "And one more thing, I've noticed that other then Lily's eyes, you have inherited her short temper. Unlike your mother, you choose to vent it loose on Malfoy, whereas she screamed at James for six years."

Harry laughed. It was good to know that he could always rely on Sirius. Still, there was a lingering feeling in the back of his head that something was going to happen to his godfather. And he didn't want to lose him.

Over the next few days Harry worked hard at his lessons, knowing that he would need all his knowledge and skills to survive in the Triwizard Tasks. He was quite surprised that during Charms he managed to succeed with the Summoning Charm, after trying at least twenty times before the cushion flew accurately into his hand from the red circle on the floor. He was proud of this achievement. Professor Flitwick also congratulated him on mastering the charm quickly. He was second, after all, to that of a certain Hermione Granger.

Fortunately for Harry, nothing came of 'his punching Malfoy' episode, though he had been aware, by Sirius, that Lucius Malfoy had asked the school governors to expel Harry, and no matter how many bribes they had taken, the Minister of Magic had overruled him. Since Harry was a champion he had to stay in school, otherwise he wouldn't be able to perform well in the Tournament. Thankfully Rita Skeeter managed to not report the story and turn Harry into someone with a violent temper. Harry hoped someone high up in the Ministry had threatened her.

Despite the punch Malfoy had received he had not stopped taunting Harry about Sirius or his imminent death in the First Task. However, with Ron and Hermione's erstwhile help he managed to not get into any bust-ups with Malfoy, but it did not stop Ron from doing so. The ensuring event had caused Snape to award detentions to both Ron and Harry, though he had protested his innocence. Thankfully, Sirius and McGonagall had intervened on that one since Hermione had kindly told them the truth and if they couldn't trust her, who could they? Unfortunately, Hermione had been hit by Malfoy's jinx which had caused her teeth to grow enormously, and Goyle who had been hit with Ron's jink had received boils, which in Harry's mind made him look better then he already was.

In the next Potions lesson which had followed straight after the scuffle with Ron and Malfoy, Harry had been taken out of class by Colin Creevey, saying that all champions had to go for a photo shoot immediately. Thankful, Harry managed to get away from Snape's glare which he had kept trained on Harry throughout the minimal period of time he had been present in the dungeons.

Unfortunately the ensuring photograph session turned out to be one of the worst afternoons of Harry's life.

Harry stepped into the room which Colin had led him to. All three of the other champions were already there, conversing with each other quietly in one corner of the room. A row of five chairs were situated in the centre of the room. Ludo Bagman was sitting in the centre of the row and was talking to a witch he had never seen before, who was wearing magenta robes.

"Ah, here he is! Champion number four! In you come, Harry, in you come. Nothing to worry about, it's just the wand weighing ceremony. The rest of the judges will be here in the moment."

"Wand-weighing?" questioned Harry, feeling a little nervous in his stomach.

"We have to check that you wands are functional and having no problems as they are the most important tools you will have with the tasks ahead. The expert is upstairs with Dumbledore. And there is also going to be a little photo-shoot." He indicated the Witch beside him. "This is Rita Skeeter."

Immediately Harry felt his blood boil to maximum heat and he felt anger settling in his gut. He narrowed his eyes at the witch who only smiled at him in return. He bit his lip trying not to shout out at her, to tell her how she was ruining his life.

"I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry before we start, you know, the youngest champion…to add a bit of colour?" Rita Skeeter asked.

"Certainly!" agreed Bagman, obviously pleased, but he quickly added: "That is - if Harry has no objections?"

"In fact, I do," Harry stated firmly, keeping his narrowed gaze on Skeeter. "I have no desire to be in the same room as her." He realised immediately that he shouldn't have said that, but he hadn't been able to stop himself before the words had tumbled out of his mouth. He watched as Rita made herself look stunned by his words.

"What have I done?" she asked, innocently.

The perfect bait to lure him in and though his brain told him to stop, Harry couldn't for his anger had increased to above the boiling point. That woman had caused too much trouble for him and Sirius. It was time she learnt how much she hurt people.

"You've spent the last few months ruining my chance to lead a happy life with my Godfather! Four articles you have written about him, saying he is guilty, that he deserves to be back in that horrid prison and you know what?"

"What?" she asked slyly. She was baiting him on.

"I'M SICK OF IT!" he yelled in frustration.

"Stop messing with my life and with Sirius'! Because I'm not going to have it anymore! You hear me! If you write one more horrid comment about me or Sirius I will personally make sure you will never write AGAIN!"

"HARRY! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

It was Sirius.

Upon seeing his Godfather, Harry immediately regretted his actions. He had effectively broken his word that he wouldn't lose his temper. And now he had made things worse.

He had just given the story that the sensationalist reporter had been looking for: actual proof that Sirius Black was certainly not the role model that Harry Potter deserved.

And with that thought running through his head, Harry realised that he had completely ruined his future with Sirius.

It was his fault.

He and his stupid temper had ruined everything.

To be continued...