I read somewhere that Sir Ian McKellen was originally asked to play Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies instead of Richard Harris but turned it down. Man that would have been awesome, kind of funny too considering he also played Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movies and now the Hobbit movies as well. I could see it now. "You shall not pass…..the exam!" Lol. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this and as always I do not own Harry Potter!

Chapter 8

Harry sighed in content as he lay on the couch in the Slytherin Common Room with his head in Ginny's lap. He had always appreciated the fact that Ginny never wore any perfume to cover up her natural scent, a flowery smell that he could pick out from a crowd. He also rather enjoyed it when she ran her hand through his hair so at the moment, he had a content smile on his face as she ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp while he lay in her lap. That contentment was destroyed when Crabbe and Goyle came stumbling in. "Professor Snape wants to see you Harry."

Harry sighed in annoyance. Severus Snape had taken to calling upon him at all sorts of odd hours in the several weeks following the second task. It was now April and with less than a month until the final challenge, Harry hated to be interrupted in whatever he was doing. He liked Snape well enough, but he was getting on Harry's nerves. He reluctantly stood up to go as he gave Ginny one last look that conveyed every bit of his annoyance which only made her smile. He's so sexy when he's pissed. She glanced at Crabbe and Goyle who stumbled out of Harry's way as he made his way out. Hmm, I bet it'd be fun watching him torment those two buffoons, but Harry hates being manipulated. She sighed but grinned. They've pissed him off before so there's no doubt they'll do it again.

Minutes later, Harry made his way to the office of his Head of House and knocked. "Enter." Harry walked in to find Severus Snape sitting in his chair at his desk, reading a book. "Ah Harry, you've come."

Harry arched a brow. "When my Head of House calls for me then it is only right for me to find out what he wants."

Snape arched his own brow before waving his hand. "Let us dismiss the formalities I've known you since you were a baby Harry, just Severus is fine." Harry had to smile at that, Severus only forced the students he hated, which was almost everyone, to call him Professor or Head of House. Harry, Ginny, and Draco were the only students allowed to call him by his first name.

"So what do you need of me Severus?"

Snape reached down and pulled a package from his desk and placed it on its surface. "I've been meaning to get this to you for years now but Dumbledore hasn't wanted to let it go. It belonged to your father so it's only right that you get it."

Harry was surprised, indeed to say that he was surprised would be an understatement. He knew that Severus Snape and James Potter had hated each other with a fiery passion and had in fact, fought over Harry's mum Lily on more than one occasion. Harry was quite glad that James had won out because he rather liked his looks and shuddered to think of looking anything like Snape.

He held the package in his hand gently, unwrapping it slowly to reveal a shimmering cloak. His breath caught as he put it on to find that his body had disappeared. He took it off and held it in front of him. "It's an invisibility cloak! But these are so rare and for this thing to be as old as you suggest the charm hasn't worn off."

Severus shook his head. "Dumbledore figures it is one of the Deathly Hallows, it's the only way that the cloak still works like new the way it does, and it even keeps people from hearing you when you're under it." Harry was in awe. "So I take it that you like it?"

Harry could only nod. "Thank you! I don't have anything of my parents. I know they were traitors-" He thought he saw Severus flinch and filed that away for later. "-but they were still my parents and to have anything of theirs is…gratifying." Severus nodded in understanding. In truth, Severus didn't understand, his father had beaten him as a child while his mother sat and watched so he had always hated his parents.

"So how did you convince the old fool to let me have it?" Harry loved the cloak but he was curious. He knew Snape was a spy for the Dark Lord and while he didn't think Snape would betray them, he knew that Snape had had a thing for his mother Lily so it wasn't a stretch to see why he might betray the Dark Lord to get revenge for Lily's death.

Snape paused before answering. "I told him that it was only right that you have it and that the Dark Lord has been pushing for me to acquire it to give to you for some time now. The old fool bought it."

Harry nodded, satisfied with that answer as he turned to leave. "Well, thank you Severus, I shall make good use of this."

Harry walked back to the common room to find both Crabbe and Goyle on the floor screaming while large bat wings beat their faces bloody. Harry looked to see and enraged Ginny pointing her wand at them. "That'll teach you to make leering jokes at me you perverted sasquatches!"

Harry could fell the pride for his fiancé grow and the love he felt for her –Did she say they made leering jokes? His eyes narrowed at the two boys as he felt his anger rise to the surface. "I can't leave you two idiots alone for ten minutes and you're already doing something that pisses me off!" Harry roared at them. "Crucio!" Crabbe and Goyle screamed in agony as the two curses worked together.

While they screamed, Ginny's face brightened while she looked at Harry, keeping the curse going. "So Harry, what did Severus want?"

Harry's face also cleared but he too kept his curse going. "He gave me my father's old invisibility cloak. He was able to get it from Dumbledore."

Ginny looked thoughtful. "But I thought those charms wore off over time?"

Harry shrugged. "The old codger figures it's a deathly hallow, Death's own cloak."

Ginny's eyes brighten mischievously before growing irritated with the screams. "Will you two babies shut up?" With a wave of her wand she silenced them while they writhed in agony. Harry grinned at her. "Harry, imagine the things we could do with that cloak! If that's Death's cloak then we'll not only be invisible, but silent! Oh yes the pranks we could pull are innumerous!" Harry could only grin at her thinking. "Oh yes we are going to have loads of fun with this!"

Harry laughed. "Plus there are the possibilities during the third task."

Ginny nodded with a smile. "You'll win the tournament for sure!"

12 Grimmauld Place….

Albus paced back and forth waiting on some word from Severus that he had been successful in giving Harry his father's invisibility cloak.

As he paced, Sirius and Amelia Black walked in. "Did it work?"

Albus shrugged. "I haven't heard yet. I want to assume but I don't want to assume."

Amelia nodded. "It's never good to assume Albus. The muggles have a saying. To assume is to make an arse out of you and me." Albus couldn't help but smile at that.

Suddenly, the floo flared to life and Severus Snape stepped through. "I don't have a lot of time Albus but to be frank, Harry has it."

Albus nodded, a relieved smile on his face. "Thank you Severus, now you need to get back before you're missed." Severus nodded and said his goodbyes before stepping back through the floo. Albus sighed in relief. Everything was going according to plan. As he sat down in the armchair, Amelia looked at him curiously.

"Albus why do you care so much? I understand this is James and Lily's son we're talking about here, but if he's as nasty as Severus says, why bother? Don't get mad Sirius, but what makes you two think that they want redemption?"

Albus smiled at the woman. "My dear Amelia, don't we all deserve a second chance? Harry was raised to believe his parents to be traitors and all he has ever known is the way of Lord Voldemort. But I believe if we show him kindness, then maybe, just maybe, they can be saved."
Amelia frowned. "They?"

Albus nodded sagely. "Indeed, I have a feeling that if Harry comes to us, then young Ginny is soon to follow. Even though her parents did a horrible thing, if we show her that not all of us think so little of their lives, then she too may be swayed. Those two have so much love for each other that I just cannot imagine two beings capable of such powerful love to be as evil as you may believe."

Amelia nodded deep in thought. "How do you know this Albus?"

Albus thought of what to say. "I observed them in the form of a beggar at King's Cross the year Ginny started at Hogwarts. They cared about each other so deeply. It gave me hope, hope that I haven't felt in years." Amelia had a small smile on her face as she too, dared to hope.

Hogwarts the day of the Third Task…..

Harry had a grin on his face as he walked towards what was once the quidditch pitch. He could care less that there was a large maze on it. He was looking forward to the challenge as he loved mazes. There was one at Lestrange Manor that he and Ginny used to run as children. It changed daily so it was always a challenge. He gave Ginny one last parting kiss before making his way to the other champions. He touched the necklace that held the ring that he'd wear after Ginny's fourteenth birthday when they got married. He always felt close to Ginny. There were times when he could feel the emotions that ran through her. He hadn't had any doubts about Ginny's level of affection for him in years since he began to feel these emotions. And these instances had been getting more frequent over the last year although he never acknowledged them. He wondered what it meant, if she could feel his emotions sometimes. He shrugged, she probably could but like him, didn't want to say anything until she knew more about it. He came out of his thoughts as he came to where they would exit into the maze. There were three entrances and they each had their own.

Harry stood in front of his, waiting for the show to get under way. He absently patted his pocket where his invisibility cloak sat ready for use. Finally he heard Bellatrix explain the rules of the maze as well as frighten the students with whatever dangers lurked inside. Finally the whistle blew and he was off. As he wandered through he pulled his invisibility cloak out and wrapped himself up in it. He grinned as he took out a piece of parchment from his cloak and muttered a phrase. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Suddenly the blank piece of parchment became a map. He had found the marauders map in Filtch's office. While it had been a blank piece of parchment then, he could feel the magic imbedded in it. After several days trying to figure out how to use it, he had accidently cut himself and a drop of his blood fell on it, activating the map and showing it all its secrets. It welcomed him as the son of Prongs whom Harry figured must have been his dad. It told him the password as Harry didn't really want to cut himself every time he wanted to use it. He had no idea who Padfoot and Moony were but he knew exactly who Wormtail was, Peter Pettigrew. Harry resolved to ask Peter about it later.

Harry looked at the map to see Krum and Delacour running through the maze but were no closer to the center than he was. Harry had added a few other charms to the map. As well as making it fire resistant, he also made it to where he could see the location of every creature on the grounds so that made the map useful plus it showed the maze and where the center was. Quickly memorizing the path to the center as well as every creature on it, he muttered a quick "Mischief managed" and stowed the map away, rushing forward. After a few minutes of running he ran into an acromantula and disposed of it quickly, taking advantage of the fact that it couldn't see him. A few minutes later, he ran into a centaur and after a quick fight, he finished it off.

About twenty minutes later he saw the trophy but in his way was none other than a sphinx. He thought to creep around it but was foiled. "Come out traveler, I can see you." Harry cursed. Not even Death could fool a sphinx. He unveiled himself and shoved his cloak back into his pocket awaiting the riddle. After a moment, the creature spoke.

"The man who invented it doesn't want it. The man who bought it doesn't need it. The man who needs it doesn't know it. What is it?"

Harry thought for a moment before answering. "It's a coffin." The sphinx grinned, flashing its sharp teeth before stepping aside.

Harry walked forward cautiously, looking for his fellow contestants. When he was a few feet from the trophy he ducked to avoid a stunner. "Not so fast Potter!" Harry rolled to his feet and fired a stunner at Krum, who had to dodge his and Fluer's stunner. Harry fired off several stunners in succession before growing tired of the dance. He hit Krum with a sectumsempra, causing deep gashes to appear on Krum's body causing him to collapse. He then shot three stunners at Fluer. She dodged the first two but the third hit her square in the chest, knocking her unconscious.

Harry snorted as he shot up red sparks to signify that two were out. He then reached forward and grabbed the trophy. Oh bloody hell. He felt the pulling sensation at his naval and he was gone.

In the stands….

Ginny was apprehensive and ready for the tournament to end. She had full faith in Harry's skills but the tournament had proven dangerous and she didn't want to lose Harry. She bit her lip when she saw the sparks but knew a moment later that it wasn't him by the reief she could feel coming from him. She smiled before frowning when she caught his confusion and the comprehension. Then something happened that she'd never dreamed of. Oh bloody hell. Her eyes widened. That had never happened before. She had been able to sense his emotions since the year before but she had never heard thoughts before. Oh Harry I wonder what's wrong.

Gin?

Her eyes widened considerably at that point. H-harry? You can hear my thoughts?

And you can hear mine. This is new.

I'd say. I thought it was just me.

So did I. So what's wrong?

The trophy was a damned portkey. I'm outside of what looks like the remains of an old house. Wait a second! I recognize this place from pictures in the Prophet. This is the Burrow where the Weasleys used to live. This is where you were born Gin!

Ginny was shell-shocked by this point. Who would set up a portkey to take Harry to the Burrow?

I was wondering the same thing. Go tell your Mum and see what she says.

"Ginny what's wrong?" Ginny looked up to see Bellatrix looking at her in concern.

She shook her head. "Harry's not in the maze anymore." The shocked look that came upon the headmistress' face would've been funny any other time. "I can- well we can talk to each other telepathically. He said the trophy was a portkey. He's currently at the Burrow, where my former family used to live." If Bellatrix's face registered anymore shock it'd break. She actually wasn't surprised by the telepathy part. She had known for a while that their bond was powerful, powerful enough to bond their souls. Her master called it a soul bond and had said that when it activated, Harry and Ginny would truly be a force to be reckoned with.

What did surprise her however, was the fact that the trophy was a portkey. Who could have- "Severus! He's the one that placed the trophy into the maze!" She turned to see the Dark Lord behind her.

"What's going on Bellatrix?"

"My Lord, the trophy was a portkey and it took Harry to the Burrow!" Voldemort's face contorted into a mask of fury. He turned to see that he couldn't find Snape.

"He has gone! Of course I should have known that he would betray me for Dumbledore!" He turned to Ginny. "Use your ring to locate him and go to him. If I know that old fool then he's already there. Help Harry until we get there." Ginny nodded before focusing on her fiance's location before the power of the ring teleported her to Harry.

The Burrow….

Harry wandered into the ruins of the old building, wondering why he had been brought there. Suddenly a flash of red light hit him in the chest and he was on the floor. "That was only a mild stunner boy! Move again and it'll be much stronger!"

Harry glared at the source of the spell. "Weasley." He spat the name. "Of course you'd be behind this!"

"Actually Harry, I'm the one who brought you here although I did have help." Albus Dumbledore stepped into the light and frowned at Molly. "Was that really necessary Molly? A simple disarming spell would have sufficed."

"Ha! And let him stand? I don't think so!"

Harry frowned as Gini moved over his chest, cooling the bruise where the stunner had hit. Mild stunner his arse. Suddenly the air shifted and Ginny was standing in front of him, wand aimed at her mother. "Back away from him!" And with that he was on his feet, wand back in hand and aimed at Dumbledore.

I know, I know a soul bond is so clichéd in Harry Potter stories but it's a concept that really captures my imagination. I originally hadn't planned on one but it makes sense for the story right now. Plus it'll make them a more formidable team in the future. Snape's betrayal has been uncovered! I'm sure he'll find a way out of it! He's good at that. I hope you guys don't mind the cliffy but I figured that was the perfect spot to end the chapter. I look forward to writing the standoff as well as the ensuing dialogue. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! If you have any comments, compliments, questions, concerns, or suggestions, feel free to PM or leave a review and I'll get back to you! I'm trying to interact more with the reader from now on. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter as well as the rest of your week!