Chapter 34 - HE WAS THERE THE ENTIRE TIME!

Harry POV

It was Saturday, Daphne and I were currently at the Three Broomsticks having lunch. She was still ecstatic about her Animagus form.

Honestly, so was I! I was so happy for her! Her excitement had me considering to become an Animagus as well. Maybe sometime later on...

"I guess you can't hide anything from me now Harry".

She smiled flirtatiously at me and batted her eyelashes. I then blushed and was about to respond when she cut me off.

"I am just kidding Harry hahaha, I would never breach your privacy like that! Although, I am not so sure about Godric…"

Oi Godric, what in Morgana's name did you tell her!

"That is between your lovely girlfriend and me Harry" responded Godric cheekily.

We then talked about registering with the Ministry and had a couple more butterbeers before I walked over to Madam Rosmerta and paid. Although she tried to get us the drinks for free, I wasn't going to have any of it today. I paid her in full and with a tip. Daphne and I then promptly left and went on a walk around the outskirts of Hogsmeade.

We usually didn't linger around the central hub area of Hogsmeade for too long, people were still very clingy to me ever since I blew away the hundreds of dementors the first time I came to Hogsmeade. Although Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks could guarantee nobody mobbed me and crowded around, same couldn't be said elsewhere in Hogsmeade. Daphne, clutching on my arm tightly and snuggling her head in my chest, and I approached the ledge where I oversaw all of Hogsmeade. It was the spot where I casted my full body patronus.

It was nostalgic in some sense… This was also where we first kissed and started our relationship… it was where it all began…

I then turned around when I heard movement from behind us. My eyes darted all over the seemingly empty area behind us. I looked closely at the trees and bushes. I reached out magically and sensed an animal hiding in behind a tree, in the shadows.

"Come on out, it is okay… we won't hurt you!"

Then a dog walked out from behind the tree.

It looked familiar… It was the big black dog that barked at me to warn me of the dementors!

However, I noticed that it had gotten thinner since the last time I had seen it. It has been almost six months since when I first came to Hogsmeade. Daphne seemed equally as shocked to see the dog. She then seemed to have read my mind as she took out some of the food we had leftover from the Three Broomsticks and put it on the floor for the dog. The dog quickly jumped at the food, gobbling it up instantly. I knelt down and patted the dog.

"You okay boy? You seemed really hungry… I should've tried to find you after you saved our lives".

The dog then barked at my statement. Daphne then also knelt down next to me to pat the dog. I then turned to Daphne and gave a cheeky smile.

"Wanna keep the dog some company?"

She laughed at me for a while before she shook her head.

"You just want to see me run around don't you?"

I gave her a wide splitting grin.

"Yeah, I do. It is also great exercise, you can't sit and study all…"

"Says the person who locks himself in a room to practice magic all day".

"Hey! I still play Quidditch. I do exercise weekly!"

Then the dog interrupted us with a loud bark. We both turned to look at the dog, which had a stupid smile on its face.

Not the dog as well… Tracey was bad enough usually… Now the bloody dog too? It was a smart little bugger!

We then said goodbye to the dog. Daphne promised the dog that she would run around and play with him next time. The dog barked loudly at this. I don't think it realizes that Daphne will literally with run around and chase after it in her Animagus form.

After that, Daphne and I headed back to the carriages to go back to the castle. Oliver had called off practice today as he had an emergency with one of his family members and had to go to visit them, so that meant I was free for the afternoon. We were going to meet Hermione and Tracey. They both had told me of their improvement with the patronus. Tracey was restless about trying it against her boggart. Daphne was excited as well as she almost grasped her corporeal patronus. Knowing her Animagus form seemed to have helped her take the next step in forming her corporeal patronus. The couple of times I had watched her, I had seen the fox tails starting to form before it broke away back into the mist.

When we finally reached the seventh floor we bumped into Hermione and Tracey. I then looked past them and realized why. I saw Ginny and Ron standing there.

Goddammit, why won't these two just quit it already?

I then having no patience for them whatsoever I stormed over and said in a deadly calm voice.

"Ron, Ginny, leave now, I don't know why you felt the need to give Hermione and Tracey here a hard time… get lost or I will make you".

Ron taking up to my challenge drew his wand out to fire a spell at me.

Sloppy! He drew his wand so slowly! I could have launched two spells in the time he took to draw his wand!

However, I let Ron take his wand out before lifting my hand up to block his spell. Not even seeing a need to pull my wand out, I then launched an expelliarmus spell out of my fingertips and struck Ron's wand out of his hand. I caught it cleanly as it flew towards me in the air. Ron paled at my demonstration of wandless magic. Ginny was about to say something before I cut her off.

"This farce has gone on long enough now Ginny, give up on trying to get me under a love potion or I will report this to Dumbledore and the fact that Ron openly attacked me without my wand drawed! I already given you guys a chance to drop this previously... I am in a relationship with Daphne! Drop it or next time I won't be so kind!"

Ginny and Ron backed away. I then tossed Ron's wand onto the stone cold floor before Daphne, Hermione, Tracey and I walked away and turned at a corner in the corridor. The second we were out of sight, I quickly summoned my wand out of my robes and told all three of them to be quiet and not move. I then casted disillusionment charms on all three of them before taking out my Dad's cloak and putting it on myself.

Tsk Tsk, I knew they would come running. I guess Ron really wasn't my friend... He only was friends with the Boy-who-lived and not actually Harry Potter...

Ron and Ginny both turned the corner. I took off my cloak once Ron and Ginny had passed the four of us and I appeared behind them. I whistled loudly and both of them spun around. Faster than before Ron could even think about eating treacle tarts at dinner, I launched two stunners at both Ron and Ginny. They didn't even have time to think about drawing their wands before they both got hit and slumped to the ground.

After Ron and Ginny were out of the way, we then entered the room.

The two fuckers…

I was incredibly proud and happy for both Hermione and Tracey when they produced patronus shields.

Although they were nowhere near getting out a corporeal patronus, it still was incredible progress!

I then walked over to the boggart chest and then looked at Tracey. Daphne and Hermione both backed away. Tracey gave me a determined nod. I nodded back and waved my hand over the chest. The locks slowly unwinding and the chest lid shot open. The dementor then came out and started gliding towards Tracey.

"Expecto Patronum…" Nothing happened.

Come on Tracey… you just did it! I know you can do it!

Tracey then shouted out with everything she had at the dementor.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Then a familiar silvery white mist then left her wand and formed a shield around here. The dementor was trying to feast on her but couldn't, squirming at the contact with the patronus shield. I started to laugh in joy as I watched Tracey slowly push the dementor back into the chest with her patronus. Once, fully pushed in, I waved my hand and shut the chest and locked it securely.

"Magnificent Tracey! Good job! I knew you could do it!"

She looked up and smiled at me.

"Thanks, Harry, I had a good teacher!"

Daphne quickly ran over and hugged Tracey.

Tracey then asked, "What about you Daph? Last time I saw, you were working on a corporeal patronus".

Daphne smiled and backed away. She then raised her wand and whispered out "Expecto patronum". A silvery-white seven tail fox came out of her wand. Tracey and Hermione both stared at her patronus with shock. Daphne then dissolved it shortly after.

"Amazing Daph!" squealed Tracey.

Hermione ran over to congratulate Daphne as well and the three girls broke into a discussion. Hermione then spoke up.

"Well, Daphne… I was wondering… could you show Tracey and I your Animagus form? We haven't seen-"

"Sure Hermione".

Daphne then winked at her as I said this. This left Hermione very confused and Tracey raising her eyebrows. Daphne then shifted into her Animagus form. The beautiful golden seven-tailed fox emerged. The notice me not charm seemed to be bothering Hermione and Tracey at the start before they finally saw the golden seven-tailed fox. Daphne then ran around the room, causing Tracey to want to chase after her. I laughed as Tracey attempted to catch Daphne. Hermione then spoke up again.

"Amazing… she is a magical animal?! That is unheard of Harry!"

She turned to look at me.

"I know Mione".

Hermione turned back to look at Tracey trying to chase Daphne.

"She even has magical powers when she shifts, imagine that! Being an Animagus already allows you to hide in plain sight and in places that nobody will ever think to look, having magical abilities on top of that is absolutely amazing!"

Then a thought came into my mind. No… It can't be that easy… that can't possibly be it…

I then quickly pulled out the Marauder's Map and found Pettigrew's name.

Hiding in plain sight…

Daphne noticing my worried thoughts shapeshifted out of her Animagus form and walked over to me. I then flipped the Map over to look at the cover.

"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs…"

Peter Pettigrew was part of my Dad's group of friends...could be the rat, Wormtail or the dog, Padfoot… wait… we met a dog… it showed human intelligence as well as it seemed to understand us… wait… then if that dog is Sirius Black… and he didn't try and kill me and Daphne… that means… Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew! He is a rat Animagus! URGH! IT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME THE ENTIRE TIME! HOW DID I NOT MAKE THE CONNECTION EARLIER! HE WAS FRIENDS WITH MY DAD BACK THEN IN HOGWARTS! MERLIN'S BLOODY BEARD!

I shouted out, "Hermione! You're a genius!"

All three of them looked at me slightly confused. I didn't have time to explain.

"Daphne, meet me at Dumbledore's office… Tracey, go with her as well".

I then turned to look at Hermione.

"Mione, come with me to the Gryffindor Tower, I will explain everything once we are in the Headmaster's office okay? C'mon, we got to hurry".