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Chapter Fifty-Two: The Second Tasks & Return of Sirius Black
After the whole Yule Ball event Vanessa had started working on her plan with the second task. She has been looking at her family spellbook to get some ideas. While doing her research she had noticed that Harry wasn't putting any effort into figuring out the clue. Harry saw her disappointing stare and knew it was about the egg. He told her that he had plenty of time before February. Vanessa could only roll her eyes and walked away. She can't mother hen him all the time but Hermione was okay in doing that. The princess witch smirked every time when she hears Hermione asking him if he has figured out the clue yet.
When classes restarted, Malcome handed her the Daily Prophet. In the front page there was an article with a picture of Hagrid looking extremely shifty. Somehow that bitch of a woman, Rita Skeeter, found out that Hagrid was a half giant. She made him out as a blood thirsty beast that scares and harms students. What ticked her off the most is when she saw the comments that a few slytherins made about him.
"That's it…I'm gonna kill Draco." She muttered
Seeing that deadly glare in her eye Malcome, Jay, and Uma did everything they could to hold her back.
"V, that's just what they want." Uma said
"Yeah, just let Hunter handle him." Malcome said "He has easier access to the bloody git."
He wasn't wrong. Hagrid was one of Hunter's favorite teachers after all. When it was time for Care of Magical Creatures class they saw that he was replaced with a substitute teacher, Professor Grubbly-Plank. Thanks to this, Draco got a nasty surprise the next morning. With the help of Fred and George, Hunter pulled a prank on Draco and his friends that lied for Rita. The next morning Draco and his friends were soaked in liquid of the ultimate stink. Neither Professor Snape or Madam Pomfrey couldn't get rid of the stink right away. It took them nearly two weeks to find a potion to get them clean. Hunter didn't mind because he knew the stink embarrassed Malfoy enough. Draco and Snape knew the stunt had to be Hunters' doing but neither had proof.
For the next few days Vanessa and her friends had tried to talk to Hagrid but he wouldn't answer to anyone. Not even Harry, Ron and Hermione could get him to talk to them. Halfway through January Vanessa and Harry had finally got a break through with him. They were able to talk to him with the help of Dumbledore. They told him that they didn't care if he has giant blood in him and that he's the best teacher they had. That he shouldn't care what others think of him. This cheered Hagrid up and ended up showing a picture of his father and told them stories about him.
"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts, Dad was dead chuffed…thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum…well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really…but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see me second year…Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went." Hagrid said "Got me the gamekeeper job… trusts people, he does. Gives 'em second chances… tha's what sets him apar' from other Heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren'...well…all tha' respectable. But some don' understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh…there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say – I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed', my ol' dad used ter say, 'there some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with'. An' he was right, I've bin a idiot. I'm not botherin with her no more, I promise yeh that, Big bones…I'll give her big bones."
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at one another nervously. From what Hermione told Vanessa the boys ended up over hearing Hagrid talking to Madame Maxime about his heritage. Now they were embarrassed.
"Yeh know wha', you two." Hagrid said, looking at Vanessa and Harry. "When I firs' met you, you both reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you both felt like yeh wouldn't fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it…an' now look at yeh two! School Champions!" He looked at them for a moment before saying in a serious tone. "Yeh know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love for either o' you ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all… yeh don't have ter be pureblood or an all wizard ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you two doin' with that egg?"
Both said that they were doing great but only one was telling the truth. Harry still hasn't figured out what Hunter's hint meant. It was Hagrid's smile that made him buckle down and work on the egg.
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When he told Hermione what Hunter told him she believed that he must open it underwater. Their Common Room bathrooms only have showers and no bathtubs so he couldn't use them. Once Vanessa saw that he was finally getting it she told him to try and use the Prefects bathroom as they had a tub in there that was big as a pool. She told him where it was and what the password is before handing him the Marauder's Map for safety reasons. Though, she regretted it later. After Harry finally figured out the clue he spotted Barty Crouch on the map and went investigating. He nearly got caught by Professor Snape. Thanks to the invisibility cloak and Professor Moody he was safe. By showing thanks, Harry let Professor Moody use the Map for his search. Vanessa was pissed off that he gave the map to a Professor but Harry promised that Moody would give it back soon.
When February came close Harry was having a hard time trying to find a way to last an hour underwater. Even Hermione and Rons' were having a hard time helping him. When Ron noticed Vanessas' spellbook he asked why Harry couldn't use it. Knowing Ron wouldn't shut up about it she showed them the book and they all saw that it was blank.
"Only those that have the power of the white witch can read what's' on it." Vanessa said before walking off.
Two days before the task Vanessa and Harry were given great news. In the Daily Prophet, Sirius was on the front page. After all the evidence and Peter's confession Sirius Black was a free man. He had sent letters to Harry, Vanessa, Dawn and Hunter to meet him on their next Hogsmeade trip. Wanting to see him, Harry writes down their next trip and sends it onto the owl's leg.
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The next day Vanessa had made a potion that could help her but because of her vampire side she wasn't sure it would work. So she had gone to Professor Snape if her formula was correct and safe. Even though he didn't show it Professor Snape was impressed with the potion but did suggest a few ingredients to help it mix well with her vampire side. She was able to finish it before the second task and kept it hidden before going asleep. On the day of the task Vanessa had breakfast before changing into her bathing suit, placing her wand holder on and a knife holder on her ankle for her blade, just in case. After placing her school cloak over her she placed her potion in her cloak's inner pockets before leaving.
"Fred. George. Have you guys seen Harry?" Vanessa asked
"Not since last night in the library." Fred said
She didn't have time to look for him and just hoped he gets to the lake soon. They all got to the lake and she still didn't see Harry anywhere around. Not even that but neither was Hermione, Ron or Mal anywhere around. When the last remaining students arrived, so did Harry. Vanessa guessed that he must have slept in the Library the whole night as he came running in his school uniform.
"I'm…here…" Harry panted
"Where have you been?" Percy glared. "The task's about to start!"
Mr. Crouch had failed to turn up again so Percy Weasley was taking his seat at the judges' table.
"Now, now, Percy!" Ludo Bagman said "Let him catch his breath!"
Harry bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath; he had a stitch in his side that felt as though he had a knife between his ribs. He didn't have time to get rid of it as Ludo moved him among the champions as they stood near the bank of the lake.
"All right, Harry?" Bagman whispered. "Know what you're going to do?"
"Yeah." Harry panted
Bagman nodded before returning to the judges table. He pointed his wand at his throat and said "Sonorus", making his voice boomed out across the dark water toward the stands.
"Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One…two…three!"
The whistle echoed shrilly in the cold, still air; the stands erupted with cheers and applause; without looking to see what the other champions were doing. Vanessa took out the potion from her cloak before taking off and drinked it. She, Hunter, Fluer and Krum had already hurried into the water. The moment she dived in she started to feel the potion change her body. Her legs had turned into a mermaid's tail, her hands had web-hands with claws and gills. She didn't bother where the others went as she needed to focus on her own task. Uma had informed her where the mermaid village was as she had been there before. Vanessa had been swimming for a couple of minutes when she saw Fluer getting chased by a Kelpie. Fluer was using the Bubble-head Charm to breathe and tried to use her wand to defend herself. The Kelpie was too fast for the spells to hit it. Against her better judgment Vanessa swam towards them to save the French girl. Thanks to Artism and the Fantastic Beast and where to find them book she knew how to deal with Kelpies. She grabbed a hold of the Kelpies mane before placing a Placement Charm on it.
"Go!" Vanessa yelled, as she did her best to handle the beast.
Fluer nodded and swam away as fast as she could.
Taming the Kelpie wasted a few minutes but it helped in the end. Vanessa was able to use the Kelpie to hurry towards the mermaid village much faster than she would have. She had to let it go as she didn't think the mermaids would like the Kelpie near their village. The creature wanted to stay with Vanessa but she was able to send it off and continued swimming around the village. With her eyes she was able to find the hostages in the village square. The merpeople stared at her as she made her way towards them. She saw that the hostages were Ron, Hermione, Mal, and her brother Ben. There was also a girl who looked no older than eight, had the same silvery hair as Fleur Delacour. Vanessa believed it had to be Fleur's little sister. She didn't understand why Fleur wasn't around as she got a head start. The witch princess looked around and saw no one for a while till she saw Harry swimming their way. Not wanting to waste anymore time she took out the blade her father gave her and cut the binds from her brother and swam away. She nodded towards Hunter (who also had the Bubble-head Charm) as he swam by. Once she was out of the village range the Kelpie came back and helped her and her brother towards the surface. When they hit the surface Ben had woken up from his sleep and everyone cheered.
"Looks like we're the first ones back." Ben said
"Yeah, let's hurry before you freeze to death here." Vanessa said
They swam towards the surface and once they got to the bank Vanessa's body started to transform back to normal. On the bank she saw why Fleur wasn't at the village square. She arrived without her hostage as she was attacked by Grindylows after the Kelpie attack. By the time Madam Pomfrey had given them a potion to warm them up Hunter and Mal resurface just before the timing went off. Ben quickly went to help Hunter with Mal as she still didn't know how to swim well.
"What took you so long?" Vanessa asked
"Got lost." Hunter said, after getting a towel from Madam Pomfrey.
"Where's Harry?" She asked "Is he right behind you?"
"I thought he was. He was already there before I did and cut down Ron."
A minute later, the next champion that resurfaced was Krum and Hermione.
"Oh no." Vanessa whispered
"Don't worry, Vanessa, I'm sure Harry did his best." Ben said
"It's not that. I'm worried that he took the warning seriously." She said
After a few more minutes Harry finally resurfaces with Ron and Fleur's little sister.
"Yup, he took it seriously." Mal said
The three swam towards the bank where they received help from Percy, Fleur and Madam Pomfrey. The head healer hurried everyone to the medical tent so she could treat them.
"Harry, well done!" Hermione cried "You did it, you found out how all by yourself!"
"Well…" Harry said but stopped when he saw Karkaroff watching them.
He didn't want to tell them the truth in front of Karkaroff and just agreed saying he did. Vanessa saw Krum getting a little jealous of how Hermione was showing Harry more attention than him. He tried to get her attention back on him when he pointed out a water beetle in her hair. Hermione brushed the beetle away and continued talking to Harry.
Back at the bank Dumbledore was crouching at the water's edge talking to the chief merperson. Clearly he could speak Mermish. After a couple of minutes he straightened up and turned to his fellow judges.
"A conference before we give the marks, I think."
While the judges were talking, Fleur walked over towards Vanessa and thanked her for saving her from the Kelpie when she didn't have to. Then she turned to Harry and thanked him for saving her sister Gabriella. She kissed both him and Ron on their cheeks for their actions. Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice boomed out beside them, causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows…"
"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."
Everyone applauded from the stands.
"I deserved zero." Fleur said
"Vanessa Potter, who made a perfect mermaid-transformation potion. Was the first to return with her hostage, with five minutes before the time limit of an hour. We therefore award her forty-eight points."
A huge applause erupted from the Gryffindor crowd. Fred and George let out some fireworks.
"Hunter Hades, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was the second to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour. We therefore award him forty-seven points."
There were enormous cheers from the Slytherins crowd. Hunter was tied up with Vanessa.
Harry's heart sank. If Hunter had been outside the time limit, he most certainly had been.
"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was third to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."
Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, looking very superior.
"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect." Bagman continued "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own. Most judges…" Bagman gave Karkaroff a nasty look. "Feels that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However… Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."
Harry couldn't believe it. He wasn't last. He was in third place. Ron and Hermione stared at Harry, then laughed and started applauding hard with the rest of the crowd.
"There you go, Harry!" Ron shouted over the noise. "You weren't being thick after all – you were showing moral fiber!"
Fleur clapped very hard at this while Krum didn't look happy at all as he kept trying to get Hermione attention again.
"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June." Bagman continued "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."
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A couple of days have passed since the second task. Ron had enjoyed the limelight he got for being a hostage. Hermione not so much, because a lot of haters were making fun of her for being the very being Krum will miss the most. Then Rita Skeeter wrote another article, this time for Witch Weekly. She wrote it as if Hermione was stringing both Harry and Krum along. That didn't bother the muggleborn witch at all but was wondering how Skeeter overheard their conversation when she or anyone else was around.
When their trip to Hogsmeade had come, Harry and his friends had gone to Gladrags Wizardwear first as he needed to buy a present for Dobby. Dawn wanted to see her father right away so Vanessa, Hunter and her had gone to the Three Broomsticks where Sirius had told them to meet. When they got inside they saw that he was sitting in the back waving at them. He looked better than the last time they saw him. He was cleaned up, beard trimmed, wasn't wearing rags anymore and didn't look like a dried up corpse.
"Daddy." Dawn smiled
She ran up to the free man and hugged him.
"It's good seeing you too." He said
"How does it feel being a free man?" Hunter asked
"Alive." Sirius smiled and hugged both him and Vanessa. "Where's Harry?"
"He'll be here. He wanted to buy a gift for someone that helped for the second task." Vanessa said "It won't be long."
"Well, then. Come. Sit down. Let's eat while we wait." Sirius said
They sat down at the booth he was sitting at and talked for a bit before Madame Rosmerta came over to take their orders. She gave him a warm smile and before writing down their orders she said that she was grateful that she was right about him. Deep down she knew that he wasn't a killer or a death eater. This just made him smile. When she left Sirius asked how things were and how they did with the second task. Hunter and Vanessa explained how they figured out the clue, what their plans were and what happened during the task as it happened. By the time Harry, Ron and Hermione had arrived, so did their drinks and meals. Sirius got up and hugged Harry before they all sat down. Once they were all fed and finished talking school and the task Sirius got serious.
"Now about your last letter…Vlad gave it to me the moment I got out. Well, let's just say things are getting fishier. I've been reading the paper every time I could in the prison, and by the looks of things, I'm not the only one who's getting worried." He said
He took out a rolled up Daily Prophet and handed it to Vaness who was sitting next to Harry. She opened it and the two read where he had it highlighted. One bore the headline Mystery Illness of Bartemius Crouch, the second, Ministry Witch Still Missing — Minister of Magic Now Personally Involved.
Harry scanned the story about Crouch. Phrases jumped out at him: 'hasn't been seen in public since November…house appears deserted…St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries decline comment… Ministry refuses to confirm rumors of critical illness…'
"They're making it sound like he's dying." Harry said slowly. "But he can't be that ill if he managed to get up here…"
"My brother's Crouch's personal assistant." Ron informed Sirius. "He says Crouch is suffering from overwork."
"Mind you, he did look ill, last time I saw him up close." Harry said "The night Vanessa and mine names came out of the goblet…"
"Getting his comeuppance for sacking Winky, isn't he?" Hemione said before taking a sip of her Butterbeer. "I bet he wishes he hadn't done it now – bet he feels the difference now she's not there to look after him."
"Hermione's obsessed with house-elves." Ron muttered to Sirius.
Hermione gave him a dark look. To everyones' surprise, Sirius looked interested.
"Crouch sacked his house-elf?"
"Yeah, at the Quidditch World Cup." Harry said
He told him the story of the Dark Mark's appearance, and Winky being found with Harry's wand clutched in her hand and Mr. Crouch's fury.
"Let me get this straight." Sirius said in a low tone. "You first saw the elf in the Top Box. She was saving Crouch a seat, right?"
"Right." Harry, Ron and Hermione said together.
"But Crouch didn't turn up for the match?"
"No." Harry said "I think he said he's been too busy."
"Harry, did you check your pockets for your wand after you'd left the Top Box?" Sirius asked
Harry shook his head, no. He, like the others, were watching the Quidditch match the whole time. He told him that he only realized his wand was missing when they were in the woods.
"Are you saying whoever conjured the Mark stole my wand in the Top Box?" Harry asked
"It's possible." Sirius said
"Winky didn't steal the wand!" Hermione hissed
"The elf wasn't the only one in that box." Sirius said "Who else was sitting behind you?"
"Loads of people." Vanessa said "There were the Bulgarian Ministers…Cornelius Fudge…"
"Oh…and the Malfoys…" Hunter said
When Hunter said that, Ron piped in as he believed that it had to be Lucius Malfoy that took Harry's wand. Sirius wasn't so sure but asked if anyone else was there. Dawn remembered and said that Ludo Bagman was also there. Vanessa explained how Bagman keeps trying to help Harry with the tasks and Hermione reminded them that they saw him in the forest just before the Dark Mark appeared. Ron didn't believe it was Ludo but before another argument could happen Sirius put up his hand to silent everyone. He asked how Barty Crouch reacted when his elf was found with the wand. Harry told him that he went to the bushes.
"Of course…he'd want to pin it on anyone but his own elf…and then he sacked her?" Sirius said
Hermione was about the rant again but Dawn flicked her wand and tossed a roll in her mouth.
"Yes, we get it. Winky didn't do it. Can we continue on without another rant about elf rights?" She said
Ron and Harry did their best to hold in their laugh as Hermione glared at her.
"All these absences of Barty Crouch's…he goes to the trouble of making sure his house-elf saves him a seat at the Quidditch World Cup, but doesn't bother to turn up and watch. He works very hard to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament, and then stops coming to that too…It's not like Crouch. If he's ever taken a day off work because of illness before this, I'll eat my wand." Sirius said
He knew a little about Crouch because he was the one that sentenced him without a trial. How he was almost the next Minister instead of Fudge because of how he was trying to take down the Death Eaters and Voldemort. It had all gone down for him when his own son Barty Crouch Jr. was caught with a bunch of other Death Eaters. Told them that he didn't show any mercy towards his son and sentenced him with the rest of them. From what Sirius told them the son died in Azkaban and a couple of days after Crouch's wife died as well. That's when Crouch lost all his glory for becoming Minister of Magic.
Harry informed him that Moody told him that Crouch is obsessed with catching Dark wizards. Sirius nodded to this as he believed Crouch is still trying to bring back the old popularity by catching one more Death Eater. Ron believed that's why he went to search Snape's office. Sirius didn't believe it because if Crouch wanted to investigate Snape, he could have done it as a judge and kept a close eye on him. This led to Hermione and Ron to argue again. Ron believed Snape was a Death Eater while Hermione didn't because Dumbledore trusted him. It was Hunters turned to shut them up with a flick of his wand and silenced them.
"What do you think, Sirius?" Hunter asked
"I think they're both got a point." Sirius said "Ever since I found out Snape was teaching here, I've wondered why Dumbledore hired him. Snape's always been fascinated by the Dark Arts, he was famous for it at school. Slimy, oily, greasy-haired kid, he was. Snape knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year, and he was part of a gang of Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters."
Sirius held up his fingers and told him the names of people who he knew are Death Eaters. Rosier and Wilkes were killed by Aurors the year before Voldemort fell. The Lestrange couple who are locked up in Azkaban. Avery had wormed his way out of trouble saying he was under the Imperius Curse. Then there was Snape, who Sirius believes was clever and cunning enough to keep himself out of trouble.
"Snapes knows Karkaroff pretty well, but he wants to keep that quiet." Ron said
"Yeah, you should've seen Snape's face when Karkaroff turned up in Potions yesterday." Harry said "Karkaroff wanted to talk to Snape, he says Snape's been avoiding him. Karkaroff looked really worried. He showed Snape something on his arm, but I couldn't see what it was."
"He showed Snape something on his arm?" Sirius asked
He ran his fingers through his hair and shrugged again.
"Well, I've no idea what that's about…but if Karkaroff's genuinely worried, and he's going to Snape for answers…" Sirius said "There's still the fact that Dumbledore trusts Snape, and I know Dumbledore trusts where a lot of other people wouldn't, but I just can't see him letiting Snape teach at Hogwarts if he'd ever worked for Voldemort."
"Why are Moody and Crouch so keen to get into Snape's office then?" Ron asked stubbornly.
"Well, I wouldn't put it past Mad-Eye to have searched every single teacher's office when he got to Hogwarts. He takes his Defense Against the Dark Arts seriously, Moody." Sirius said "I'm not sure he trusts anyone at all, after the thing he's seen, it's not surprising. I'll say this for Moody, though, he never killed if he could help it. Always brought people in alive where possible. He was tough, but he never descended to the level of the Death Eaters. Crouch, though…he's a different matter…is he really ill? If he is, why did he make the effort to drag himself up to Snape's office? And if he's not…what's he up to? What was he doing at the World Cup that was so important he didn't turn up in the Top Box? What's he been doing while he should have been judging the tournament?"
He took a sip of his Butterbeer before looking at Ron.
"You say your brother's Crouch's personal assistant? Any chance you could ask him if he's seen Crouch lately?" Sirius asked
"I can try." Ron said doubtfully. "Better not make it sound like I reckon Crouch is up to anything dodgy, though. Percy loves Crouch."
"And you might try and find out whether they've got any leads on Bertha Jorkins while you're at it." Sirius said
"Bagman told me they hadn't." Harry said
"Yes, he's quoted in the article there. Blustering on about how bad Bertha's memory is." Sirius said
"She an old girlfriend?" Hunter joked
Sirius scoffed.
"She wished. She was a few years older than me. Well, maybe she's changed since I knew her, but the Bertha I knew wasn't forgetful at all – quite the reverse. She was a bit dim, but she had an excellent memory for gossip. It used to get her into a lot of trouble; she never knew when to keep her mouth shut. I can see her being a bit of a liability at the Ministry of Magic… maybe that's why Bagman didn't bother to look for her for so long…"
Sirius let out an enormous sigh and rubbed his eyes.
"What time is it?" He asked
Vanessa looked at her watch and said that it's half past three.
"You all better get back to school." Sirius said and looked at Harry and Vanessa. "Now listen…I'm gonna stay in town until the tournament is over to keep an eye on things. But I don't want you lot sneaking out of school to see me, all right? Just send notes to me here. I still want to hear about anything odd. But you're not to go leaving Hogwarts without permission; it would be an ideal opportunity for someone to attack you."
"No one's tried to attack me so far, except a dragon and a couple of grindylows." Harry said
This led Vanessa to slap him upside his head.
"I told you to not take things too lightly this year." She glared
"She's right, Harry. I'll breathe freely again when this tournament's over, and that's not until June." Sirius said