15 November 1994
Sirius decided he would come to the school on weekends to help Harry work through some advanced magic. The problem was that they had only three weeks from the night Harry's name was drawn to try and give Harry some kind of advantage over the other champions. The old marauder was so desperate to help his godson, he went to the one place he swore he would never go, his family home. He returned the following Saturday with a bag full of borderline dark tomes from his family library. Hermione and Harry brought him to Winky's corridor, where Luna had already moved in, happy to not have to deal with her housemates.
Winky and the other house elves certainly outdid themselves. Upon learning that Harry would need to use the corridor for his training they immediately set to remodeling, merging two of the empty bed chambers into a dueling room with plenty of space. After the insistence of Hermione, Winky built herself a small potions lab. It wasn't anything too elaborate but it was certainly better than trying to brew in the Gryffindor dorm room while the girls were in class. The red head wondered where her house elf could have possibly gotten the potion ingredients but wisely chose to remain ignorant, something's were better left unsaid with her house elf.
The school was divided in hostile lines, the visiting schools felt Hogwarts population as a whole were nothing but cheaters and refused to interact with them. Ministry officials looked on with trepidation as the their guests only came into the castle for meals and then ignored all attempts at conversation from Hogwarts students. Slytherin quickly joined their champion as he confidently swaggered though the school, presenting a united front. Most Ravenclaws adopted a wait and see attitude when it came to choosing sides, as with the hostile rivalry between the lions and snakes, the 'Claws had experience in sitting on the fence. The Hufflepuffs separated themselves completely, as the house of hard work and loyal, they refused to stand beside cheaters.
The Gryffindors collectively stood behind Harry, even if they didn't believe him when he said he didn't enter. In the corridors, the lions were quick to stand in front of their champion in the face of adversary. However, in the common room, whispers of dissent and accusatory glares were common as Harry made his way to bed each night. Fred and George were some of Harry's biggest supporters, attempting to silence all those who would question their unofficial little brother. Even if they had their doubts on the night of the drawing, a furious Hermione quickly changed their minds, unlike some.
Ron and Eloise seemed to have formed a tight friendship overnight. Both of them sat together in classes and in the great hall, feeding each others ire. While to most Ron's anger was obvious, he was jealous and felt betrayed that his best friend would enter the tournament without telling him. Eloise was a mystery to Hermione, the tall girl would glare venomously at Harry as if he personally wronged her. Unfortunately, Hermione couldn't be around Ron for long before he interrogated her on where she and Harry disappeared to.
"Charlie sent you a letter." Ron stopped Hermione as she was headed to her dorm room. She left Harry in the corridor with Sirius, where he was taught to conjure transmuted shield. It was far beyond Hogwarts level, in fact Moody taught Sirius the shield when he was auror corps but he was positive that Harry would be able to master it.
"Thanks, Ron." Hermione smiled warmly as she eagerly ripped the seal on the letter. Her brown eyes grew wide as she read that her brother would arrive two days before the first task for work but couldn't give any details. Hermione sent him a letter asking about what kind of runes he thought would be used on the cup because of her brief talk with her godfather. While Charlie was definitely skilled in ancient runes and enchanting, their brother Bill was the obvious expert. It only made sense if Charlie was bringing dragons...
"-ignoring me too?" Ron's harsh tone made her jerk back as she realized she had not even known he was talking to her. Eloise stood beside him, looking at Hermione sternly, obviously displeased that Hermione's lack of focus.
"I'm sorry, Ron. I'm not ignoring you...I just Charlie's coming." Hermione blinked owlishly as she looked up at her gangly brother.
"Yeah, why did you write to tattle on me to Charlie?" Ron demanded, looking frustrated. Eloise looked between the two of them with a smug grin, Hermione's eyes narrowed at her friend suspiciously.
"I didn't...I told Charlie about the tournament and what are you looking so smug about?" Hermione tried to say patiently but something about the look on her doormats face made her turn and snap at the girl. Eloise took a step back in shock, looking between the siblings with trepidation.
"Don't try and change the subject, 'Mione. You've been like a ghost chasing after your boyfriend, completely turned your back on us." Ron cut in quickly, he took a few calming breaths, not wanting to lose his temper on his sister.
"I haven't turned my back on you, Ron. You're my brother, I wrote to Charlie about the rune scheme on the cup. I didn't even mention you...why are you ignoring Harry? I thought he was your best mate?" Hermione asked softly, forcing herself not to look at Eloise.
"He knew I wanted to enter but he didn't tell me. Now, he's off snogging my sister all over the castle and doesn't have time for me anymore." Ron said petulantly, Hermione snorted as she crossed her arms, looking at him in disbelief.
"Ronnie, that cup was enchanted hundreds of years ago, you had better scores than Harry last term." Hermione said slowly, biting her tongue to stop herself from thanking Percy out loud. Ron's eyes widened slightly as he thought about what she said. "Neither of you took runes, do you think you could have gotten around the enchantments on the cup?"
"He could have just entered behind Warrington. Obviously that snake did something to the cup to choose him." Eloise interjected quickly, looking between the siblings nervously.
"Even so, then it would have just been an opportune moment but he was never alone!" Hermione snapped, her brothers faced closed off, he glared at something over Hermione's shoulder. "Ron he was with us all morning then spent the afternoon with me. He didn't enter his name."
"He's still been bloody avoiding me, that's guilty behavior that is." Ron glowered, Hermione huffed impatiently.
"You glare at him or leave the room when he comes anywhere near you!" Hermione groaned, exasperated. Ron's face started to turn red in embarrassment, Eloise sputtered behind him but was silenced by Hermione's glare. "I don't know what your bloody problem is Eli, but you better stuff it!"
"But-" Ron started but closed his mouth quickly when Hermione turned her glare onto him.
"You say he's your best mate but you haven't even asked him what happened." Hermione said after taking a deep breath. Looking over his shoulder at the hovering girl, she wondered again what her problem was but decided she needed to focus on her brother.
"I would take your side." Ron grumbled miserably. Hermione actually cracked a smile as her shoulders relaxed.
"No, you wouldn't." Hermione snickered and shoved him playfully, a sheepish smile bloomed on his face as he shoved her back. Eloise stood beside them, a strained smile on her face as she shuffled her feet awkwardly.
-0-
"What did you do to him?" Hermione demanded hours later when she came back to the corridor to find Harry dripping in sweat as he lay on the floor. Her boyfriend looked to be in pain and she was regretting leaving them alone so long just to play a few games of chess with her brother.
"He's fine!" Sirius snorted as came back from Winky's potion lab with a phial of pepper-up potion. Th bespectacled boy instantly hopped to his feet after he downed the potion. "The shield requires a lot of magic, I think we should work on something else for now."
"No, I almost got it." Harry shook his head quickly and raised his wand.
"I think it's dragons!" Hermione blurted just as Harry started to wave his wand. She looked nervously between the two as they stared at her as if she lost her mind.
"That's not funny, Hermione!" Sirius said sternly after a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Trust me, I know playing a prank is all about timing and this is not the time to making jokes."
"It's not a joke, Charlie is coming to Hogwarts on the 22nd." Hermione retorted quickly, Harry lost all the color in his face as his wand arm dropped.
"It's illegal to slay a dragon!" Harry blurted, looking terrified.
"For entertainment purposes I'm sure the ministries of France, Bulgaria, and Britain would gladly buy four dragons." Sirius sneered as he sat heavily on a worn arm chair, Dobby appeared beside him with a butter beer. "I could really use something stronger."
"Dobby is sorry Master Harry's Dogfather but Dobby not be having anything." Dobby shook his head furiously.
"If only my house elf wasn't totally bat shite and wouldn't try to poison me." Sirius grumbled as he drained the bottle in one go.
"You have a house elf?" Harry asked curiously after a long, tense silence. The only house elves he knew were Dobby and Winky who were always around.
"Yeah, he's an old family elf, a blood purist elf." Sirius snorted as he absently accepted another butter beer from Dobby. "Out of his bloody mind, I saw him when I went to Grimmauld, briefly. He was lurking about, snatching old family heirlooms and hiding them in his cupboard."
"Your house elf believes in blood purity?" Hermione asked slowly, as if she couldn't believe him. After all, Dobby lived with the Malfoys for over a decade and didn't believe in it, he was also a house elf and on that grande scale, he was ranked lowest.
"Yep. Bloody insane, always has been, ever since I was a babe. Used to sing lullabies about enslaving the mudbloods and being a regal Prince Black." Sirius snorted derisively, obviously disgusted. "I need to go, I'll look up some books on dragons that the school doesn't have..."
"Bye Sirius!" Harry grumbled unhappily, not wanting to think of dragons at all at the moment. Sirius wrapped his arms around Harry in a brief, tight hug before turning and doing the same to Hermione.
"Come on, Harry." Hermione reached out and took her boyfriends hand to get his attention. She lead him out of the room and sat him down on an over stuffed couch. Winky was there immediately with sticky toffee pudding, treacle tart, and hot chocolate with cinnamon.
"What are you doing all the way over there?" Harry asked after finishing his dessert. He had not even realized that Hermione was sitting on a stuffed arm chair across from him rather than by his side like she normally did.
"Uh..." Hermione hedged, her face turning red as she avoided his gaze. He looked concerned as he reached out for her hand across the table. Hermione smiled sheepishly as they laced their fingers together. "Harry don't take-"
"Harry you smell like you've been blessed by an archtaze windwillow!" Luna scrunched her nose in disgust as she came into the room, Neville right behind her.
"What's that?" Harry sat back and watched as his friends sat on the opposite couch.
"Oh, they look like a winged bowtruckle...but they lead lost travelers to treasures." Hermione shrugged absently.
"So, is it a bad thing I smell like one...?" Harry asked slowly, he noticed his girlfriend fighting a smile and relaxed a bit.
"They make their homes in dragon dung." Luna smiled happily as she reached out for a bowl of pudding. Hermione and Neville exchanged a glance over Luna's head before bursting into laughter. Harry's eyes widened as he looked down at himself, his shirt still damp with sweat.
"I'll have you know this is what a man smells like." Harry said loftily as he rose from his seat with a haughty smirk. Luna leaned over and curiously sniffed Neville's shoulder.
"Oh! I think your right, Harry!" Luna smiled brightly as Neville flushed, Hermione nearly fell to the side of her chair giggling at her friends antics. She wasn't paying attention to her boyfriend who was slowly edging close to her. By the time she noticed Harry by her side it was too late, he reached down and pulled Hermione roughly to her feet, wrapping her in a tight hug. While normally, Hermione enjoyed being wrapped in Harry's arms, she squealed as he buried his face into her curls.
"No!" Hermione squeaked and tried to squirm away as she felt surrounded by her sweaty boyfriend, Harry chuckled as he held her tightly, curling his body to cover as much of her as possible.
-0-
"Mad Eye!" Sirius shouted as he made his way towards the entrance hall. Professor Moody just exited a classroom with a grin look on his face. The decorated auror stopped and spun on his heel when he neared his name.
"Black! What do you want?" Moody grunted irritably as Sirius swaggered up to him with a tight smile on his face.
"Dragons, Moody." Sirius said smoothly, watching Moody's face closely.
"Yeah, I hear they are bringing them in from Romania." Moody said dismissively. "Potter come up with a strategy?"
"Just found out. How the fuck is a fourteen year old wizard supposed to slay a dragon?" Sirius bit out angrily.
"Slay?" Moody smirked cruelly, his eye brimming with mirth and his tongue darted out to moisten his lips. Sirius took a step back from his one time mentor in alarm. Moody must have noticed because he schooled his features to an impassive mask before turning around and hobbling away briskly. Sirius watched him for a moment before shaking his head and making his way to the headmasters office.
"Enter." Dumbledore called before Sirius could even raise his hand to knock on the door. Albus sat behind his cluttered desk, reviewing a very long parchment, not even bothering to look up. Sirius bristled as he walked forward and smoothly sat in one of the comfortable chairs across from the headmaster.
"Albus, there's something wrong with Mad Eye." Sirius said bluntly. Albus's head snapped up and furrowed his brow in confusion.
"What do you mean, Sirius? I'll admit, Alastor does seem a bit out of sorts since coming out of his retirement but he has been living as a bit of recluse these last few years." Albus said slowly, his long parchment pushed to the side and forgotten for the moment.
"He call me Black..." Sirius frowned, trying to find the words to justify his suspicions.
"Well, you're not a young boy anymore, Sirius. I'm sure it's just age catching up to Alastor." Albus said dismissively with a small smile, turning back to his parchment.
"No, Albus. Mad Eye was a mentor to me and James, practically adopted us...well, as far as Mad Eye can...when we joined the auror corps! He always called me a mutt...flea bitten mutt, mangy mutt, shite eating mutt...you get the picture." Sirius said with a fond smile, thinking back to the days of him and his best friend training to hunting dark wizards.
"Oh, what did he call James?" Albus asked with an amused smile. Internally rolling his eyes at their antics, just because Alastor wasn't as quick with his retorts anymore didn't mean anything was wrong.
"Bambi, Prancer, Doe-eyes...admittedly, he was much better than us at making up names." Sirius smiled toothily before his expression turned grim when he saw the amusement in the headmasters eyes.
"Sirius, at my age...I'm surprised I can remember half the names of former students." Albus nodded his head sympathetically, making Sirius scowl.
"Albus, I was told that Harry's friends came to you with their suspicions days before that rat was captured." Sirius said in a low steady voice. Albus recoiled in his chair at the menacing look on his face. "I watched from the tree line as they turned him in. If you had not been there, I would have finished what I started in '81. I wasn't in my right mind, I was consumed with my need for revenge for over a decade. What do you think would have happened if I had it my way?"
"I-" Albus started but then closed his mouth quickly, a look of understanding dawned his features and he slumped back in his chair. He recalled dismissing his students somewhat compelling theories as ludicrous because they went against what he knew only to be proven wrong. "Very well, I will keep an eye on him. Let's focus more on Harry's progress." The headmaster sighed after a long, contemplative silence.
"That's all I ask, Albus." Sirius grinned triumphantly, his shoulders relaxing as he sat back in his chair.
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I know, you're probably thinking...why is Eloise such a bitch, right? Well, I don't know if you knew but when girls go through puberty 2 out of every 3 girls lose their fucking minds, then half those crazy girls turn into bitches. Making them crazy bitches, I really wanted to show the dynamic. :) I don't know what it is. Seriously though, teenage girls are a pain.