AUTHORS NOTE! :P
Well, my lovely readers, this is the last chapter :(
But I should have Year 5 started very soon, so don't worry.
I have loved writing Year 4, but I'm looking forward to writing Year 5. Out of all of them, I think Order of the Phoenix would be my favourite, even though I love them all.
LONDON WAS AMAZING! I love that city! And the Harry Potter studios was literally the best day of my life! I'm sure if any of you guys went, you'll know what I'm taking about! Everything was so amazing and beautiful and magical and I want to go back there hahaa :)
I got a very mixed reaction about Hax or Marry, so let's just go with both for now... I might do a poll or something, if I figure out how...
Now, I shall answer some reviews!
Arkell26: Did I really say that? Oops sorry! Yeah I know the scar is on Harry's head haha, that was just a mistake :)
gmbookworm: Thanks :D
PatrickNotStar: Hahaa that's a good idea! :)
almp15: Aw thanks :) I'm sure your stories are great :)
insaneshadowfangirl: I'm sure you'll just have to wait and see...
blazeice9967: Thank you :)
Random Person: Well, it was mostly girls that reviewed with their gender, some people didn't, but I think it's safe to say that I have more females reading this than males. I haven't played the 5-7 one, but I have 1-4 and it's awesome!
BethZ: Well they're on episode 8 now :P Have you watched all of season 2? As I said above, it was AMAZING! I really liked London, it's an awesome place. How did you like your stay?
BookLuver458: Aw thanks :)
The Angel From Above: I thought about that before actually, and it just made me realise that Fudge and the Ministry were even stupider than I thought. Aw really? Thanks so much, that really means a lot :)
FayeAllerion: Your review actually made me laugh hahaha :)
no name: No sorry, I haven't. What is it?
Now, on with the chapter!
Enjoy!
-Rach ;)
Max's POV
When I looked back, even weeks later, I found that I only had a few scattered memories of the next few days. It was as though I had been through so much, that I simply couldn't take in any more.
What I could remember was quite painful. The worst was the meeting with Cedric's parents the next morning. Mr Diggory sobbed openly through the meeting, and Mrs Diggory's grief seemed to be beyond tears and sobbing. But they didn't blame me or Harry for Cedric's death. Actually, they thanks us both for bringing his body back to them.
"He didn't suffer much then," she said, when me and Harry told her what happened to Cedric.
"And after all, Amos...he died just after winning the tournament. He must have been very happy."
When they got to their feet, she looked down at the two of us and said, "You two look after yourselves, okay?"
I nodded, and managed a small smile, while Harry reached over to his bedside table and grabbed the sack of gold there.
"You take it," he muttered. "It should have been Cedric's, he got there first, you take it-"
But she just backed away. "Oh no, dear, it's yours... I couldn't... you keep it."
Me and Harry spent the rest of the evening in the hospital wing, and at the end of the evening, Hermione, Ron, Fang, Iggy and Nudge came to visit us.
We both returned to Gryffindor tower the next evening, completely healed (well, physically at least) and from what the others told us, Dumbledore had spoken to the school that morning at breakfast. He had merely requested that the other students leave me and Harry alone, and not to ask us questions on what happened. I noticed that most people were avoiding us in the corridors, trying not to make eye-contact. Some even whispered behind their hands as we passed. It was like when everyone found out about the wings all over again- but only ten times worse.
I guessed that most people believed Rita Skeeter's article about how dangerous and unstable we were. Maybe people were evening coming up with their own theories about how Cedric died. I was slightly surprised to find that I didn't even care. I liked it better when I was sitting with the flock, and Ron, Hermione and Harry. Neither of us had talked about what happened that night, and for that I was grateful.
It was like we had all reached some sort of understanding that we didn't need to put into words; that we were all waiting for something, some sign, or word, of what was happening outside Hogwarts- and that it was useless to speculate about what might be coming until we knew anything for sure. The only time we really talked about it was when Ron told Harry about a meeting Mrs Weasley had with Dumbledore before going back to the Burrow.
"She went to ask him if you could come straight back home with us this summer," Ron told us. "But he said that you have to go back to the Dursley's, at least for a few weeks first."
"Why?" I asked.
"Yeah, what's the point in that?" Harry asked. We made eye contact, and I looked away, my face pink. We hadn't talked to each other on our own properly since the kiss, and I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I was too scared to ask him about it, because I didn't want anything to happen to our friendship, but now it was always slightly awkward whenever we looked at each other, or walked too close to each other. It was starting to get frustrating.
Ron shrugged, bringing me away from my thoughts. "Dunno," he said, "she said Dumbledore has his reasons. I suppose we've got to trust him, haven't we?"
The only other person I felt like we could talk to was Hagrid.
As there was no longer a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, we all had those lessons free to do what we wanted. We used the free class on Thursday to go visit Hagrid in his cabin.
Hagrid's dog Fang bounded out of the open door as we walked over, barking and wagging his tail.
"Who's that?" Hagrid asked, coming to the door. "Harry! Max!"
He strode out to meet us and pulled me and Harry into big hugs, ruffling our hair and said, "Good ter see yeh, kids. Good ter see yeh."
We saw two bucket-size cups on the table when we walked in.
"Bin havin' a cuppa with Olympe," Hagrid said. "She's jus' left."
"With who?" Nudge asked.
"Madam Maxime, o' course!" Hagrid said, and I could of sworn he blushed.
"You two made up then, have you?" Iggy asked, sitting down at the table.
"Dunno what yeh're talkin' about," Hagrid said, fetching more cups from the dresser. When he made the tea and offered around a plate of cookies (that were surprisingly tasty) he leaned back in his chair and surveyed me and Harry through his beetle-black eyes.
"You two all righ'?" he asked.
"Yup," I said, popping the `p'.
"Yeah," Harry said.
"No, yeh're not," Hagrid said, and I looked up at him, surprised. "Course yeh're not. But yeh will be. Eventually."
Me and Harry looked at each other. We didn't say anything.
"Knew he was going to come back," Hagrid said, and me, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fang, Iggy and Nudge looked up at him, shocked. "Known it fer years. Knew he was out there, bidin' his time, gettin' stronger. It had ter happen sometime. Well, now it has, an' we'll just have ter go with it. We'll fight. Migh' be able to stop him before he get's a good hold anywhere. That's Dumbledore's plan anyway. Great man, Dumbledore. S'long as we've got him, I ain't too worried."
Hagrid raised his bushy eyebrows at our disbelieving expressions.
"No good sittin' worryin' abou' it," he said. "What's comin' will come, an' we'll meet it when we does. Dumbledore told me what you two did, Harry, Max." Hagrid's chest swelled as he looked at us both.
"Yeh did as much as yer parents would of done, the both of yeh, an' I can't imagine a higher praise than that."
I smiled back at him. It was the first time I smiled properly in days.
"What did Dumbledore ask you to do, Hagrid?" Harry asked. "He sent Professor McGonagall to get you and Madam Maxime to meet him- that night."
"Got a little job fer me over the summer," Hagrid said. "Secret though. I'm not s'pposed ter talk about it, not even ter you lot. Olympe- Madam Maxime ter you- might be comin' with me. I think she will. Think I persuaded her."
"Is it to do with Voldemort?" I asked.
Hagrid flinched at the name.
"Migh' be," he said slowly. "Now... who'd like ter come visit the las' skrewt with me? I was jokin'- jokin'!" he added, chuckling at the looks on our faces.
It was with a heavy heart that I packed my clothes into my trunk, and my guitar into my case in the dormitory the night before leaving Hogwarts. I wasn't looking forward to the Leaving Feast, which was usually for celebration, when the Inter-House Championship would be announced. Both me and Harry would avoid going to the Great Hall when it was crowded ever since we left the hospital wing, preferring to eat in silence and without the stares of the other students.
When we all entered the Hall, we saw that the usual decorations weren't there. The Great Hall was normally decorated in the colours of the winning House for the Leaving Feast, but not this time. This time, there were black drapes decorated around the Hall. I knew instantly that they were there as a mark of respect to Cedric.
The real Mad-Eye Moody was at the staff table, his wooden leg and fake eye back in place. He was twitchy, jumping every time someone spoke to him. I couldn't say I blamed him- his paranoia and fear to being attacked must have increased by his ten month imprisonment in his own trunk. I noticed that Professor Karkaroff's chair was empty. As I sat down, I wondered where Karkaroff was now, and whether or not Voldemort had caught up with him.
Madam Maxime was still there, sitting next to Hagrid. They were talking quietly to each other. Further along the table, sitting beside Professor McGonagall was Snape. He eyes flickered between me and Harry for a while. His expression was hard to read, but he looked just as sour and unpleasant as ever. I continued to watch him, long after Snape looked away.
I looked down at the table. What was it Snape had done on Dumbledore orders the night Voldemort came back? And why the hell was Dumbledore so willing to believe that Snape was on our side, was to be trusted? Dumbledore had said in the Pensieve that Snape was a spy, that he had turned against Voldemort, `at great personal risk'. Was that what he had to do again? Was he a spy once more?
My musings were ended when Dumbledore stood up at the staff table. The Great Hall, which was quieter than usual, fell silent.
"The end," Dumbledore said, "of another year."
He paused, and his non-twinkling eyes fell upon the Hufflepuff table. Theirs had been the most subdued table before he got to his feet, and theirs were the saddest faces in the Hall.
"There is much I would like to say to you all tonight," Dumbledore went on, "but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting right there looking forward to the summer holidays," he gestured towards the Hufflepuffs, "and enjoying the feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand and raise your glasses to Cedric Diggory."
We all did it, all of us; the benches scraped as everyone in the Hall stood, and raised our goblets, and echoed in one, loud, low, rumbling voice, "Cedric Diggory."
I caught a glance of Cho through the crowd. There were tears pouring down her face. I looked back down to the table as we sat down again.
"Cedric was a person who projected many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff house," Dumbledore continued, "He was a good and loyal friend, he valued fair play, he was a hard worker. I can see here now, that his death has affected every one of you, whether you knew him well or not. This is why I believe you have the right to know exactly how he died."
I raised my head and looked at Dumbledore. Beside me, Harry was staring at him too, a slight frown on his face.
"Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."
A panicked whisper swept through the Great Hall. People were staring at Dumbledore in shock, disbelief, and horror. However, Dumbledore looked perfectly calm as he watched us whisper ourselves into silence.
"The Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore continued, "does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be shocked and horrified that I have done so- because they believe that Lord Voldemort has no returned, or because they do not want me to tell you this, young as you are. I believe, however, that the truth is preferable to lies, and any attempt made by anyone to pretend that Cedric's death was an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, would be an insult to his memory."
Stunned and scared, every face was turned towards Dumbledore... or nearly every face. Fang tapped my elbow and when I looked at him, he nodded towards the Slytherin table. I saw Malfoy muttering something to Crabbe and Goyle. I felt a hot, sick swoop of anger in my stomach. Before looking back to Dumbledore, I saw that Harry had noticed as well, and his fists were clenched tightly on his lap.
Without looking at him, I reached over and took Harry's hand, linking my fingers through his. At first, Harry didn't react, his hand was just limp in mine, but then he tightened his hold, and started rubbing circles over my knuckles with his thumb. I tried to ignore the fact that I instantly felt a hundred times better.
"There are two other people who must be mentioned in connection to Cedric's death."
I tightened my grip. He wasn't going to mention us. He couldn't. Not right now. Not in front of everyone.
Dumbledore went on. "I am talking about Harry Potter and Maximum Ride, of course."
You've got to be kidding me.
A kind of ripple went through the Great Hall as a few heads turned to get a good look in our direction before flickering back to Dumbledore. I didn't even bother trying to hide the fact that me and Harry were holding hands.
"Harry Potter and Maximum Ride escaped from Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said. "They risked their lives to return Cedric's body back to Hogwarts. They both showed, in their own ways, the sort of bravery that few wizards had ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honour them."
Dumbledore turned gravely towards us, and raised his goblet again. Nearly everyone in the Great Hall followed suit. They muttered our names, as they had Cedric's, then they drank to us. I felt wrong about it. Cedric was dead and they were drinking to us, especially after drinking to him just moments earlier they had done the same to him.
I noticed that Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and many of the other Slytherin's remained in their seats, their goblets left untouched. Dumbledore didn't seem to notice.
When everyone had resumed their seats, Dumbledore went on. "The aim of the Triwizard Tournament was to further and promote magical understanding. In the light of what has happened- the return of Lord Voldemort- such ties are more important than ever."
Dumbledore looked around at Madam Maxime, and Hagrid, to Fleur and her fellow Beauxbatons students, to Viktor Krum and the Durmstrangs at the Slytherin table. I noticed that Krum was looking wary, almost frightened, as though he expected Dumbledore to say something harsh.
"Every guest in this Hall," Dumbledore said, his eyes lingering upon the Durmstrang students, "will be welcomed back here at any time, whenever they please, should they wish to come. I say to you all, again- in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of language and habit are absolutely nothing at all if our aims aren't the same and our hearts aren't open.
"I believe that we are all facing dark and dangerous times. Some of you in this Hall have suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort, and some of you have suffered greatly at different hands," at this, his gaze lingered on the flock. "A week ago, a student was taken from our midst. Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time comes when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was honest, and true, brave and kind, because he strayed into the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."
My trunk was packed; Freedom was back in his cage on top my guitar case. We were all waiting in the entrance hall with the rest of the fourth years for the carriages that would take us back to Hogsmeade station.
"'Arry!"
Fleur Delacour was hurrying up the stone steps of the castle. Behind her, way across the grounds, I saw Hagrid helping Madam Maxime put the giant horses back into their harnesses. The Beauxbatons carriage was about to take off.
"We will see each uzzer again, I'ope," said Fleur as she reached Harry, holding our her hand. "I am 'oping to get a job 'ere, to improve my Eenglish."
"It's very good already," Ron said in a strangled sort of voice. Fleur smiled at him and Hermione scowled.
"Good-bye, 'Arry!" Fleur said, giving Harry a quite hug. I tried to ignore the way my stomach churned when he hugged her back. "It 'az been a pleasure meeting you!" Then she hurried back across the lawns towards the carriage.
"Wonder how the Durmstrang students are getting back," Iggy said, "D'you reckon they can steer that ship without Karkaroff?"
"Karkaroff did not steer," said a gruff voice. "He stayed in his cabin and let us do the work."
Krum had come to say goodbye to Hermione. "Could I have a vord?" he asked.
"Oh...yes...all right..." Hermione said, looking flustered, and followed Krum through the crowd and out of sight.
Harry stared after them, then he turned to me. "I need to talk to you."
My eyes widened. Was it about the kiss? Was he going to say that it was too awkward now?
I nodded. "Yeah. Okay."
I followed Harry through the crowd, with Ron shouting behind us, "You'd better hurry up! The carriages will be here in a minute!" But whether he was shouting at me and Harry, or Hermione, I don't know.
Harry lead me away from the crowd, and when he made sure no one could hear us, he stopped and turned to me.
"We need to talk," he said, rushed.
I raised my eyebrows. "Yeah, I gathered that."
Harry blushed. "Yeah well... It's about...eh... you know..."
It was my turn to blush. "The... kiss?"
Harry nodded. Then he blurted, "Do you like me? I mean, that way?"
I blushed even deeper. "Eh... Well, I guess I do... I mean yeah, yeah I do... Why, do you like me? That way?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah I do. You're amazing Max. And when we kissed... And I was going to ask you out and everything, but after what happened..."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
Harry looked down at his feet. "I don't think we should be together. Not that way. We can still be friends, but nothing more. Not for now, at least. Not with Voldemort back..."
I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. "Really? That's your reason? Because Voldy came back?" He nodded. I closed my eyes and sighed.
"You're such a noble prat," I said, laughing a little. I opened my eyes and saw Harry grinning, but the smile didn't reach his brilliant green eyes.
"It's make sense, right? It'll keep you safer. All the stuff that happened to you since we became friends, what do you think would happen if you were my girlfriend?"
"You think all that happened just because we were friends?" I said. "No, Harry, all that happened because I care about you and I chose to be with you during all that crazy crap. I chose to do that, no one else. Yeah, okay, I didn't choose to open the Chamber of Secrets, but that doesn't count! It doesn't matter whether we were going out or not, that still would of happened!"
Harry sighed. "I'm sorry Max. I just think this will be safer for all of us. But let's make a deal, okay?"
I frowned. "What kind of deal?"
"If we're both single when Voldemort goes down, we'll be together. If not, we'll try our hardest to be happy for each other. Deal?"
I smirked. "Deal." I stuck my hand out for him to shake it, but instead, he pulled me into a tight hug, his arms wrapped warmly around my waist, just under my wings. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried to ignore the butterflies in my stomach.
When we let go of each other, I saw that Hermione and Krum had returned to the others, and they must have asked where me and Harry were because Iggy pointed over in our direction, but they couldn't actually see us with all the other students around.
"We should go back before they start thinking we're up to something," I said, starting to walk back to the others. But Harry grabbed the sleeve to my robe and pulled me back, then he kissed my cheek.
"I really am sorry. But I do think this is for the best," he said, his lips still against my cheek, making my heart race in my chest.
I nodded. "I know. And it probably is for the best," I said, trying to stop my voice from shaking. Why did this boy have this effect on me?
Harry pulled away from me (I tried not to feel disappointed) and smiled. "Come on. We don't want to miss the carriages."
So we walked back to the others, feeling slightly sad but also strangely relieved and happy.
We reached the others just as Fang was asking Krum whether they had a new headmaster yet.
Krum shrugged. "I do not know. Probably von't know until we go back."
Then he turned to Harry and said bluntly, "I liked Diggory. He vos alvays polite to me. Alvays. Even though I vas from Durmstrang- with Karkaroff," he said, scowling. He held out his hand like Fleur had done, shook Harry's hand, than all of our hands, Ron looking like he was suffering from some sort of painful internal struggle.
Krum had already turned around and was walking away when Ron burst out, "Can I have your autograph?"
I grinned, and saw Hermione turning her head, smiling, at the horseless carriages that were now coming up the lawn, as Krum, looking both surprised by gratified, signed a piece of parchment for Ron.
As we walked to the carriages, Hermione let the boys go ahead, then whispered to me, "What happened with you and Harry?" I had told her the first night I was back at the dormitory that me and Harry had kissed, but she hadn't brought it up since then.
"Later," I muttered, and gave her a smile to know that whatever it was, I wasn't upset.
There wasn't a single cloud in the sky on the way back to King's Cross. The six of us, plus Nudge, managed to get a compartment all to ourselves.
Pigwidgeon was once again under Ron's dress robes to muffle his hooting; Hedwig, Freedom, Grenade and Stygian were all sleeping in their cages, and Crookshanks was curled up on Nudge's lap like a big, fluffy ginger cushion. Me, Fang, Iggy and Nudge all had our wings out as much as we could without suffocating anyone.
We all talked more freely and fully than we had all week. I felt as though Dumbledore's speech as the Feast had unblocked me. It wasn't as painful to talk about had happened. We broke off our conversation about what Dumbledore might be doing, even now, to stop Voldemort, when the lunch trolley rolled around.
When Hermione returned from the trolley and put her money back in her school bag, she dislodged a copy of the Daily Prophet that had been in the bag. I saw Harry looking at it uncertainly, and so did Hermione because she said, "There's nothing in there. You can look yourself, but there is literally nothing. I've been checking it everyday. Just a tiny piece the day after the task saying you won the tournament. They didn't even mention Cedric. Nothing about you. If you ask me, I think Fudge is trying to keep everything quiet."
"He'll never keep Skeeter quiet," Iggy said, "Not with something like this."
"Oh, Rita hasn't written anything since the third task," Hermione said, her brown eyes twinkling. "As a matter of fact," she added, her voice trembling slightly, "Rita Skeeter won't be writing anything for a long time, not unless she wants me to spill the beans on her."
"What's are you talking about?" Harry asked.
"I figured out how she's been listening in on private conversations, and being in places where she shouldn't," Hermione said in a rush.
I got the impression that Hermione had been dying to tell us all for days, but had restrained herself in light of what had happened.
"Well? How was she doing it?" I asked.
"How'd you find out?" Fang said.
"Well it was really you, Fang, that gave me the idea," she said.
Fang's dark eye's widened slightly. "Me? What did I do?"
"Bugging," Hermione said happily.
"But you said that didn't work-"
"Not electronic bugs," Hermione said, "No, you see... Rita Skeeter,"- Hermione's voice trembled with triumph, "is an unregistered Animagus. She can turn-"
Hermione pulled a small sealed glass jar from her bag.
"-into a beetle."
"You're kidding," I said. "You've had that in our room since the night of the task! I thought you just found a random beetle and decided to keep it!"
Hermione grinned, brandishing the jar at us. Inside were a few twigs and leaves, and one large, fat beetle.
"That's never... you're joking..." Ron whispered, lifting the jar to his eyes.
"No, I'm not," Hermione said, beaming. "I caught her on the windowsill in the hospital wing. Look really closely, and you'll notice the markings around her antennae are the same as those foul glasses she wears."
"There was a beetle on the statue the night we heard Hagrid talking to Madam Maxime about his mum!" Harry said.
I gasped. "The night I told Ethan about us, there was a beetle around my shoes. As soon as I started talking about the School and everything, it stopped moving. I thought it just died or something."
"Exactly," Hermione said, smiling. "And Viktor pulled a beetle out of my hair after we'd had our conversation by the lake. And unless I'm mistaken, Rita was sitting on the windowsill on the Divination classroom that day. She's been buzzing around looking for stories all year."
"When we saw Malfoy under that tree..." Ron said slowly.
"He was talking to her, in his hand," Hermione said. "He knew, of course he did. That's how she's been getting all those nice little interviews with the Slytherins. They wouldn't care if she was doing something illegal, and long as they were giving her horrible things to write about us and Hagrid."
Hermione took the glass jar back from Ron and smiled at the beetle, which buzzed angrily against the glass.
"I've told her I'll let her out as soon as we get back to London," Hermione said, putting the jar back into her bag. "I've put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, so she can't transform. And I've told her she has to keep her quill to herself for a whole year, see if she can break that terrible habit of writing lies about innocent people."
The door of the compartment slide open.
"Very clever, Granger," Malfoy said.
Crabbe and Goyle, the stalkers that they were, were standing behind him. All three of them looked more pleased with themselves, more arrogant and more menacing than I've ever seen them.
And the fact that Draco's own father had tortured me was at the very front of my mind.
"So," Malfoy said slowly, advancing into our compartment and looking around us, a smirk on his pale face. "You've caught some pathetic reporter, Potter and Ride are Dumbledore's favourites again. Big deal."
His smirk widened. Crabbe and Goyle leered.
"Trying not to think about it, are we?" Malfoy said softly, looking around at all of us. "Trying to pretend it never happened?"
"Get out," I said standing up.
I hadn't been this close to Malfoy since I saw him muttering to Crabbe and Goyle at Dumbledore's speech about Cedric. I gripped my wand under my robes.
"You've all picked the losing side! Remember, Potter, I warned you! I told you to stay away from these kind of people. When we met on the train, first day of Hogwarts? I told you not to go making friends with the wrong sort of people like this," she said, pointing to the flock, Ron and Hermione. "Too late now, Potter! They'll be the first to go, now that the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods, Muggle-lovers and freaks first! Well- second- Diggory was first-"
It was as though someone had exploded a box of fireworks in the compartment. Blinded by the blaze of the spells that had blasted from every direction, deafened by a series of bangs, I blinked and looked down at the floor.
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were all lying on the ground, unconscious. Me, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Harry, Ron and Hermione were on our feet, all of us having used a different hex. Most of us missed though, judging by the marks on the wall opposite the compartment. But we weren't the only ones to have hexed them.
"Thought we'd see what they were up to," Fred said matter-of-factly, stepping onto Goyle and into the compartment Both he and George had their wands out, and George was careful to walk on Malfoy as he followed Fred in.
"Interesting effect," George said, looking down at Crabbe. "Who used the Furnunculus Curse?
"Me," Harry said.
"Strange," George said lightly. "I used Jelly-Legs. Looks like those two spells shouldn't been mixed together. He seems to have sprouted little tentacles all over his face. Well, let's not leave them here, they don't add much to the decor."
Fang, Iggy and George kicked, rolled and pushed the unconscious Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle- each of whom looked distinctly the worse for the jumble of jinxes in which they had been hit- out into the corridor, then came back in the compartment and closed the door.
"Exploding Snap, anyone?" Fred asked, pulling out a pack of cards.
We were halfway through our fifth game when I decided to ask them.
"You ever going to tell us?" I asked Fred and George. "Who you were blackmailing?"
"Oh," George said. "That."
"It doesn't matter," Fred said, shaking his head impatiently. "It wasn't anything important. Not now, anyway."
"We've given up," George shrugged.
But we all kept asking and asking, and finally Fred said, "All right, all right... If you really have to know... It was Ludo Bagman."
"Bagman?" Harry said sharply, "you saying he was involved in-"
"Nah," George said. "Nothing like that. Stupid git wouldn't have the brains for something like that."
"Well, what then?" Nudge asked.
Fred hesitated then said, "Remember when we made that bet at the Quidditch World Cup with him? About how Ireland would win, but Krum would catch the Snitch?"
"Still don't know how you two knew that was going to happen," Iggy muttered.
"Well the git paid us in leprechaun gold he'd caught from the Irish mascots."
"So?" Fang said.
"So," Fred said impatiently, "it vanished, didn't it? The whole lot was gone the next morning."
"But- it could've just been an accident, right?" Hermione said.
George laughed bitterly.
"Yeah, that's we thought at first. We thought if we wrote to him, explaining what happened, that he made a mistake, he'd cough it up. But nothing happened. Ignored our letter. We kept trying to talk to him at Hogwarts, but he was always making some excuse to get away from us."
"In the end, he turned pretty nasty," Fred said. "Told us that we were too young to be gambling and he wasn't going to give us anything."
"So we asked for our money back," George said, scowling. This was the angriest I'd ever seen the twins.
"He didn't refuse!" Hermione gasped.
Fred nodded. "Right in one."
"But that was all your savings!" Ron said.
"Tell me about it," George said grimly. "Course, we found out what was really happening in the end. Lee's dad had had a bit of trouble getting money off Bagman as well. Turns out he's in big trouble with the goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off them. A gang of them cornered him at the end of World Cup and took everything he had off him, and it still wasn't enough. They followed him all the way to Hogwarts, kept a close eye on him. He lost everything gambling. Hasn't got two Galleons to his name. And you want to know how the idiot tried to pay the goblins back?"
"How?" I said.
"He put a bet on Harry," Fred said. "Put a big bet that you'd win the tournament. Bet against the goblins."
"So that's why he kept trying to help you!" Iggy said, looking at Harry.
Harry frowned. "Well- I did win, didn't I? So he can pay you your gold?"
"Nope," George said, shaking his head. "The goblins play just as dirty as him. They say you drew with Diggory, and Bagman was betting that you'd win. So Bagman had to run for it. He did a runner after the third task."
George sighed deeply and started dealing the cards again.
The rest of the journey passed pleasantly enough. I wished that it could of gone on all summer, and we never arrived at Kings Cross... But I was also looking forward to seeing Angel and the Gasman again, the rest of the Weasley's, and even Total.
All too soon, the Hogwarts Express was pulling into platform nine and three-quarters. The usual noise and confusion filled the corridors as the students rushed to get to the platform. We struggled past Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, but I noticed that Harry had stayed behind.
"Fred- George- wait a minute," I heard him say.
I frowned. What did he want with the twins?
It was then that I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around and saw Ethan St. James standing behind me.
"Oh, hi Ethan," I said. I hadn't spoken to Ethan properly since the Yule Ball. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You know, after what happened," Ethan said.
He was staring at my face, where I knew there were still a few bruises and cuts from the graveyard.
I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Madam Pomfrey fixed me up in no time," I said, smiling.
Ethan rolled his eyes. "You know that's not what I meant. You don't walk away from seeing You-Know-Who be reborn, and someone killed, and be fine."
"So you believe that he's back?" I said.
Ethan nodded. "Of course I do. I saw you and Harry when you got back to the maze. None of that stuff happened by accident."
I smiled for real this time. "Thanks. Not many people believe it," I said. "It's nice to know one more person does."
Ethan smiled, then pulled me into a hug. "I wish I could stay and talk, but my parents are waiting for me. See you Max."
"Bye, Ethan," I said, and he left onto the platform to his parents.
I turned back to the compartment that Harry and the twins were still in, and heard Harry saying, "Look, take it, or I'll hex you. I know some good ones now. Just do me a favour, okay? Buy Ron some new dress robes and say they're from you."
Then he left the compartment and almost ran straight into me.
"What did you give them?" I asked him.
Harry grinned and said, "I'm sure you'll figure it out sooner or later."
The two of us crossed through the barrier back into the Muggle world. I spotted Mrs Weasley standing close to Harry's relatives, with Angel, Gazzy and Total standing close to her.
Seeing Harry's relatives, an idea sparked in my mind.
We walked over to Mrs Weasley and while she hugged Harry and told him that he could visit over the summer, I got hugs from Angel and Gazzy.
While Ron, Fang and Iggy was saying bye to Harry, I hugged Hermione. "I'll try and write soon, okay?" I told her.
Hermione nodded. "Are you going to tell me what happened with you and Harry?"
Looking over my shoulder, and saw that Harry was still talking to the others, and I told her quickly what me and Harry had talked about earlier that day. Hermione's eyes widened. "He was going to ask you out?! Oh Max! Are you okay? I mean, are you sad that he didn't?"
I laughed at her reaction. "No, I'm fine. Really," I said.
I looked over my shoulder again and saw that Harry was about to walk off with his relatives. I ran up to him and stopped him.
"Max? What are you doing?" he asked.
"I know what you said earlier today, but do you want my help to make the Dursley's flustered and confused?" I said in a rush.
Harry gaped at me. "What are you talking about?"
"Do you trust me?"
He nodded.
I kissed him.
In front of the Dursley's.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my fingers through his thick, dark hair. He put his arms around my waist and kissed me back. My stomach was doing flips and my heart was hammering in my chest. I didn't even care if Mrs Weasley saw us.
After a few seconds (the best few seconds in my life) we broke away from each other, blushing and breathing heavily.
"Why did you do that?" he asked.
I smiled and nodded my head towards the Dursley's. Harry's uncle looked both angry and confused, and his face was slowly going purple. His aunt was as pale as a sheet, and her hands were trembling. And Harry's cousin just looked mad and annoyed.
Harry laughed a little. "That's brilliant!"
I shrugged. "It's also supposedly our last kiss until Voldemort's gone, so... had to make it worth it."
Harry laughed again, and said, "I'll see you over the summer, Max."
"See you, Harry."
"Bye Harry!" Ron shouted.
"Take care, Harry!" Hermione called.
"Later, Harry!" Iggy said.
"Try not to get killed, Harry," Fang said.
"Harry- thanks," George said, and Fred nodded.
After Harry had gone with his relatives, Mrs Weasley marched over to me. "Maximum Ride, what were you thinking kissing Harry in front of everyone?"
"Sorry, Mrs Weasley. But did you see his families faces?" I said, smirking.
I saw Mrs Weasley's lips twitch, and she didn't mention it after that.
I knew there was no point worrying yet, I told myself as I followed the Weasley's.
Like Hagrid had said, what would come, would come... and we would all have to face it when it did.
THE END!
Sorry if the ending the bad, but I'm really sick and tired. And thanks to PatrickNotStar for the idea of having Max kiss Harry in front of the Dursley's!
I will add another chapter to this one once the first chapter to Year 5 is up, so keep an eye out for both! Should have it started within the next few days.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and put this in their favourites and alerts. It really does mean a lot to me that you guys are so awesome. So thanks!
AND WE GOT 500! WHOOP! Thanks to Jabby who was the 500th reviewer, and to sherlockholmeslover who wanted to be the 500th, but missed out. Thanks though!
So, like always, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! for cookies and butterbeer, and for a faster Year 5!
Love you guys!
-Rach ;)