Hi, everyone! Sorry for the delay in getting this out to you!
So, 2023 hasn't exactly been my year. It started with my dad getting Covid, then his heart acted up and he went to the hospital before my mom got Covid and now he's back in the hospital again. I'm so sad and that has resulted in a slightly shorter chapter this time. Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers (if you believe in that).
Lori94
Chapter 38
"Why should I go along with this, Luna?" Draco asked his cousin as they waited for Harry to join them in the hallway. "I didn't really want to spend the day exploring Helga's quarters."
"Cedric has invited Cho, Draco! Don't you understand, we can start working on her part in all this!" Luna gripped his wrist. "It moves our plans up!"
Draco sighed. His plan would still work but he would have to tweak it a bit. He hummed to himself as he considered the turn things could take.
"Not only that..." Luna baited him.
Draco growled. "What, then?"
"She knows something. She just needs to be inspired to share it." Luna told him in a sing-song voice and, as Harry and Ron came closer, she danced away.
"Yes!" Draco breathed. "It can work!"
"What can work?" Ron asked.
Draco quickly filled the other two in on his new plan and sent Ron off to find his boyfriend.
"Do you really think this will work?" Harry asked.
"Of course!" Draco smirked. "Besides, I did kind of want to see the painting in person."
"And the bed..." Harry waggled his eyebrows.
"Yes, that too." Draco rolled his eyes but his smirk remained steady. "Now, let's get to Hufflepuff. Shall we?"
When they arrived at the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room, Draco took the observer's role, just wandering around while Harry greeted some of the house's inhabitants. Then, Susan Bones came down from her dorm and sat on a checkerboard cushion beside the fireplace to wait on the rest of the group.
"You should talk to Bones." Draco whispered.
"What?" Harry blinked and looked over at her. "Oh... yeah. Ok...sure."
"She looks stressed and sad and lonely..." Draco murmured as he glanced around the room trying to guess where the entrance to Helga's room was located because Harry refused to reveal it before Cedric and Cho arrived. "Talk to her...do your thing."
Harry chuckled but agreed and walked over while Draco started a conversation with Zack, who had just arrived.
"Thanks so much for joining us this time, Susan." Harry grinned as he perched on an armchair near her cushion. "Between the six of us, we'll be sure to find any hidden spots we've missed."
"I'm so glad you asked again, Lord Potter!" Susan's grin was strained and Harry felt so bad for her. No contact with her family was clearly wearing on her. "I was so disappointed to miss the other visits into Helga's rooms but one must keep one's word."
"I think we're past the 'Lord Potter' stage, Susan." Harry patted her shoulder gently.
"Really?" She asked, smiling softly. "Ok, then... You can call me Sue...if you want."
"Alright." Harry nodded. "How are you holding up, Sue?"
"What?" Susan blinked. "Oh, I'm fine."
"Not hearing from your aunt in three days isn't stressing you out?" Harry asked softly.
"I guess it is..." Susan sighed sadly. "But I feel like I have to be strong because I'm related to the head of the DMLE. You know?"
Harry nodded sympathetically. "I do know."
"Oh, look who I'm talking to!" She gasped, looking up at him. "Of course you would know! I'm sorry. Of course..."
"It's alright." Harry attempted a smile. "People tend to forget about someone else's pain when they're going through something of their own. It's human nature."
Susan nodded thoughtfully. "I guess that's true."
The doors opened and Cedric led his girlfriend into the Hufflepuff common room.
"C'mon! I think we're late!" He was saying.
"No worries, Cedric." Harry called as he stood up. "Shall we?"
"Actually, Blaise Zabini is outside." Cedric told them as he faced the group. "Says he needs to see Malfoy."
Draco, who knew this interruption was coming, walked briskly towards the door.
"Draco, wait!" Harry called, sounding cautious. "What if it's not him? What if he's-"
"Harry, I'm sure it's fine." Draco said, turning back. "Stop worrying. I'll ask our security question to be sure and I'll be right back... besides, we can't go in without Zack and he's disappeared again."
Harry nodded unhappily and sighed heavily when he was out of sight.
"Why are you so worried, Harry?" Cedric asked hesitantly. "I mean... it's probably none of my business but you mentioned a few things last night, and..."
"Not here!" Harry shook his head and looked around. "It's too open. Once we're inside Helga's quarters, I can speak more freely."
That's when Draco returned. "See? It was nothing. A relationship issue with Weas- Ronald. Shall we go in?"
"Not without me!" Zack called as he came out of the restroom.
"I wondered where you'd gotten off to." Harry nodded tightly and drew back the tapestry to reveal the wooden door for his companions.
Susan went first with Cho and Cedric directly behind her. While Draco went straight to the painting, the others fanned out. Harry smiled and stepped up behind him, wrapping his arms around Draco's slim waist.
"It's beautiful." Draco murmured. "I can't believe I've been here and didn't see it from this angle."
Harry grinned and murmured. "Next time..."
"You actually own this house?" Susan asked in awe as she saw it.
"Yes. It was passed down through Helga's barony title." Harry told her. "There are actually several properties I inherited as the lucky winner of the bloodline lottery."
Susan grimaced. "I guess that's one way to put it, Harry..."
"Sorry, Sue, I tend toward sarcasm while discussing my lack of family. I'll try to be more sensitive." Harry prompted the group to look at every possible piece of furniture in case there was a hidden passage or room.
When they found a hidden compartment with a few random trinkets in the first room but no access to a larger space, Zack suggested moving on and Harry agreed.
Draco entered the next room - the room the plants had originally been stored in - and looked around. Realising it was big enough to pull off the next scene of their play, he strolled quickly and quietly to the far end and waited for Harry to catch up.
"Draco, didn't we agree that the group should stay together." Harry pointed out. "Don't forget what happened in Slytherin's rooms."
Cedric was intrigued. "What happened?"
"Blaise went to open a door but triggered the wall to spin. It was a good thing we were all together, Harry's right. A bit overprotective..." Draco smirked, playfully narrowing his eyes at his fiance. "But right."
"You could've died at King's Cross station, Draco." Harry snapped softly. "I think I'm entitled to be a little worried!"
Susan and Cedric just stared at them. Cho gasped.
"It's true." Zack nodded quietly. "I saw a bit of it... as Harry and Mal- Draco came toward the train carriage our group had claimed, they got separated and I lost sight of Draco."
Cho bit her lip. She'd heard this story already - as it was being whispered in the Ravenclaw common room on the night in question.
"Our escorts split up and one got me on the train while the others went through the crowd to find Draco." Harry told them quietly. "He got pushed, pulled and turned around... and along the way, someone blinded him with a spell."
Draco sighed but nodded to confirm the story.
"That must've been so frightening!" Susan's eyes were wide.
"I..." Draco gritted his teeth and went against everything he'd been taught to share this secret for the good of the other students. "I guess it was...but somehow I managed to get hold of the railing on the train carriage and keep myself above the rails until someone could pull me back onto the platform."
"So that ordeal combined with the next morning's incident..." Cedric pursed his lips and looked at Harry. "I'd be worried too."
Susan nodded.
"Enough about my woes." Draco muttered, feigning embarrassment. "Let's look around."
No hidden doors were found in that room, so they moved on to the next where Cedric showed Cho the loom that was the model for the one he'd begun building for his mom.
The rest of the group spread out to inspect the walls and the other assorted furniture.
Spinning wheels of various sizes were along the far wall while ancient skeins of wool and other materials were in a large bookcase that looked like a tilted tic-tac-toe board.
"Come on, Harry." Draco pulled Harry toward the next door, leading to where he'd been told they found Helga's bedroom. "Let's go into the next room. They're alright here and we haven't seen much that you didn't find the first time!"
"Go on, Harry!" Zack nodded. "We'll call you if we find something and you do the same."
Susan smirked at the couple, suspecting that Draco was probably just bored and wanted a little attention from his boyfriend. As they opened the door on the other side of the room, she ran a finger along the thread in the spinning wheel she had been inspecting and gasped as a static charge zapped her. "Uhm, Harry?!"
With Draco on his heels, Harry rushed over and repeated her actions. The wheel spun and the wall next to it slid to the side. He grinned and looked at his companions. "You definitely found something, Susan!"
She grinned, her troubles momentarily forgotten in the face of the current adventure.
Harry led the way and was about to cast Lumos when he saw shimmering light along the walls.
The group followed him in and looked around in awe.
"Bioluminescent lichen?" Draco murmured as he slowly entered the room.
Cedric laughed. "This is amazing!"
Susan's grin widened. "Harry, Neville would be fascinated!"
Harry nodded. "I'll have to bring him here soon."
Zack pointed. "There's vines over in that corner."
"Are they magical or moving?" Draco asked, suddenly cautious.
"They're among the glowing items in the room." Zack said, pointing. "But they don't seem to be moving."
"Nothing for it, now... Dobby!" Harry called. "Bring Professor Sprout and Neville. Quickly, please."
Dobby didn't waste time appearing with the group first, he just did what was requested and popped in with Professor Sprout before hurrying off to find Neville.
"Oh!" Professor Sprout looked around at the spectacle. "Oh my! Oh, it's lovely!"
"The vines in that corner are interesting, aren't they, Professor?" Susan asked.
"Indeed!" Professor Sprout nodded. "I think I know what they are but I need to do a little research."
In contrast, Neville arrived a moment later and stared in wonder. "Do you know what you found, Harry?"
"No." Harry smirked. "I was kind of hoping you would be able to tell me."
"Please, tell me I'm seeing this correctly, Professor?" Neville breathed. "The leaves are shaped like six pointed stars and they're giving off a white glow... It's a Creeping Starlight... isn't it?"
Professor Sprout smiled softly at him and nodded hesitantly. "I believe so, Mr. Longbottom, but we should do some research before we announce it to the world."
"Announce it to the world?" Harry asked, startled.
"Harry, nobody has seen a Creeping Starlight in over two hundred years!" Neville whispered, eyes shining with wonder. "And I've never seen anything in reference to bioluminescent lichen."
"I didn't even know lichen could be bioluminescent." Susan reached out to touch it but Neville stopped her.
"That's not a good idea." Neville warned her. "We don't know what it's capable of."
She nodded and tucked her hand in her pocket.
"Good thing Dobby made me grab my bag before I left the dorm." Neville went on as he pulled out his tiny tool kit and several vials for the samples.
"Speaking of the dorm, how's it going with Dean and Seamus?" Harry asked quietly as Professor Sprout took a small kit out of her pocket as well and joined in the efforts.
"It's been better, Harry." Neville sighed. "Ever since they joined the Ministerial Squad they've been insufferable. Seamus is of the opinion that you lied about Voldemort being back to get more attention and Dean just thinks you get too much attention in general."
"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Harry asked. When Neville shook his head, Harry continued. "You know I wouldn't normally ask this of you considering our long-time agreement that the dorm is sacred territory and whatever happens there stays there..."
Neville sighed as if he'd been expecting this. "Last night, right? No...Thursday night."
"What happened Thursday night?" Susan asked softly, sensing that it might be a sensitive subject.
Professor Sprout came to say her goodbyes and told Neville to check in with her later.
He agreed and gave her the samples he'd collected as well before going back to his conversation with the others.
"Umbrage searched my suite." Harry growled when she was gone. "She brought her Ministerial Squad with her and let them help."
Susan's jaw dropped momentarily. "Surely, you're joking!"
"Dean and Seamus were happy enough to be the door guards." Neville shook his head. "They talked about it all night."
"Really?" Harry was very disappointed in them.
"They're upset that you've got your own space and, now that you've taken Ron and his family, they feel like you've left them behind." Neville grimaced. "They were only too happy to use their positions in the Squad to have a bit of power over you."
"Have they said anything specific?" Harry asked him.
"Just little comments here and there. Like you're uppity and you think you're better than everyone else." Neville growled. "I don't even know why they're in that squad, you know? Brightest minds - my arse!"
"Are you talking about Umbrage's Ministerial Squad?" Cho asked as she and Cedric moved toward the entrance.
"Yes. Where does she get off calling people like them the brightest minds?" Draco huffed in agreement. "Dean Thomas is at least adequate in classes but Finnegan? He's a menace!"
"Has anyone noticed the imbalance between the houses?" Zack asked innocently.
Harry nodded and looked around at the others who also began nodding.
"You know... I don't think there's a single Hufflepuff among them." Draco frowned.
Cedric blinked rapidly as if waking up. "I ... I think you're right."
Susan sighed. "I didn't want to make waves but I did notice."
"There's only three Gryffindors." Harry muttered bitterly.
"Yes..." Draco paused for effect. "It's mostly Ravenclaws and Slytherins in her little army."
"That's not fair!" Susan replied indignantly. "Someone ought to do something!"
"Like what?" Cedric asked.
"I don't know!" Susan protested. "But it needs to get Umbrage out of Hogwarts!"
Cho sighed, eying the young lord. "I think Harry has a few ideas which is why we're all here."
"I do actually have bits and pieces of a plan..." Harry took a deep breath. "But it's vague and it needs to be put into play by different people at different times."
"So... Did any of those things happen or were you just making stuff up?" Cedric asked with a grimace. "The King's Cross attack?"
"No, that happened, Ced." Cho confessed quietly. "I heard some of my housemates talking about it."
Cedric gasped. "And you've kept it to yourself?"
"Yes, but only because they don't know that anybody heard them and I didn't want to draw their attention, Ced!" Cho protested. "They're clearly dangerous!" She rushed back into the room with the loom and tried to calm down.
Most of the others followed her but Neville remained behind to continue marvelling at the ancient vines.
"They are dangerous, Cho." Harry clenched his jaw and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying to keep from upsetting her further but desperate to find out more about the people behind the attack. "They are - and we understand that you didn't want to alert them to your knowledge of their actions! Do you know who was involved at the station?"
"I didn't see their face, I just heard a voice I didn't recognize talking about it - well actually it sounded more like the person was reporting to him." Cho replied, looking down at her hands. "It might have been one of the upper years that I don't socialise with much."
"Him?" Harry asked, glancing at Draco who had pulled the bench out so Cho could sit down.
Cho sat, nodding as Cedric stood behind her. "Roger Davies."
"Did they mention anything leading to the Revelio incident?" Draco asked, livid that his ex-boyfriend had been involved.
"Yes." She nodded again. "They didn't quite buy that you got offended at the welcome back feast and stormed off. Was that you?"
"No." Harry felt chagrined.
"It was Percy Weasley." Draco revealed. "I had to get to the hospital wing without anyone seeing me."
"That makes sense." Cho murmured. "Well, they suspected an imposter and told her. That's what triggered the Revelio."
"Right. So, we've proven that some of the things you've said are true." Cedric began.
"You want to know if you've been manoeuvred." Draco deadpanned. At Cedric's nod, he continued. "Well, the answer is... a little. Dobby, please ask Neville to join us?"
Nobody spoke while they awaited Neville's arrival, but Harry looked around. "Come on. This room doesn't have much seating and I think we should be comfortable for a conversation this heavy."
The room he'd described to Draco a few months before didn't fail to impress when Harry opened the door.
Other than the bed, which looked like four trees coming together to form the mattress support and the canopy, the elves had set up enough patio furniture for a much larger group so they all had their choice. Some, like Cho and Susan, picked loungers while Cedric just lowered himself to the ground and crossed his legs. Zack and Neville chose to sit on swings, but Draco just leaned against the bedpost and smirked at Harry who continued to stand.
"To be perfectly transparent, I did arrange for this specific group to meet in private today.I did it because I want to talk about us forming a rebellion against Umbrage." Harry met each person's gaze. "There were two exceptions. Neville and Cho, I was planning to bring you in later anyway but it just worked out to approach you early. So, what do all of you think about the idea of rebelling?"
"Well, I guess my first question has to be... Why me?" Cho asked. "I mean...Cedric and Susan - I get."
"As I said, I have bits and pieces of a plan...but I can't do it all by myself. I'm going to need help to see it through." Harry looked right at Cho before glancing at Cedric who was pointing to himself in surprise. "Yes, Cedric, you especially. You had the whole school rooting for you last year - including me."
"Both Susan and Cedric are known for something else, however." Draco told the group seriously. "In their respective years... they're each known to have friends - or perhaps civil acquaintances would be the right words for it - in all houses. Do you see where I'm going with this?"
Neville nodded and blurted out. "You and Cedric are in an inter-house relationship. You have friendships in more than one house."
"Neville, I happen to know that you're well thought of in most houses as well." Harry smiled at his friend and scanned the group. "So our plan requires the involvement of certain types of people. One type is that friendly, personable individual who is able to work with many different personalities... That's all three of you to a T and Neville has gotten a lot better at it." Then he switched his gaze to Susan. "Susan, I know it's stressful at times but it's well known that you're related to Amelia Bones - head of the DMLE... I'm sorry but that's a big reason I think you should be involved. It would give our movement more credibility."
"It makes sense." She sighed heavily but nodded before declaring her answer to Harry's invitation. "And we need the movement to be as widespread as possible."
"We?" Harry asked with a smirk.
She nodded. "Yes. I'm in."
Cedric frowned. "Really, Sue?"
"Yes!" She asserted. "C'mon, Cedric! You've got to admit that she's a tyrant!"
The older boy sighed and looked worried.
"That's great! Ron's family has already agreed." Harry informed them.
Draco told them. "Me and Luna are in on it too."
"And me." Zack stood up and put himself in a flanking position behind Harry.
"Count me in too, Harry." Neville interrupted confidently. "My Gran checked the wards on the greenhouses and found that they weren't accessed in the greenhouse itself, the day we were sabotaged."
"They weren't?" Zack asked, sounding curious.
Neville shook his head. "Guess where the only other access is located?"
"The Headmistress's office?" Harry smirked.
Neville nodded silently.
"But why would she want to destroy the plants?" Cedric protested. "They'll help the entire wizarding world!"
Harry turned to meet Draco's gaze.
Draco shrugged and motioned for him to continue.
"We believe it's part of a vendetta against me." Harry confided sadly as he turned back.
"Normally, I'd point out that not everything is about him..." Draco smirked, noting that Cedric seemed to be considering all the information before making a decision. "But... well, just look at the things she's done since she arrived."
"She's been going against everything you've been vocal about... hasn't she?" Cho murmured, glancing at her boyfriend. "To start with, she's kept the houses separated during mealtimes when you and Malfoy had been visiting each other's tables for almost a week before she arrived."
"She's messing with house unity from all corners, isn't she, Harry?" Neville pointed out. Harry nodded but the others didn't seem convinced so Neville continued. "Look! She excluded Hufflepuff from her Squad and continues to foster bad feelings between the members of the Squad and the rest of the students... Right?"
Susan frowned but nodded. "Harry is the one who started SSSHEEP which is a collaborative effort and it was sabotaged... effectively shutting down the program."
Neville nodded. "And although we can't prove who did it, we know that the sabotage was performed from her office which isn't proof itself but it certainly looks bad."
"It's the same thing with the attack on the wards of our suite before the holidays..." Zack asserted. "We know only that they were attacked and that the attack came from the office of the Headmistress. There was no way to determine the person behind it..."
Harry completed the thought. "And then she dared to search it when we got back from the holidays."
"Let's not forget that she publicly denounced Dumbledore's use of magic on children but then she insisted on casting Revelio at me." Draco snorted derisively.
"That's not the only example of her using magic on children." Harry nodded grimly. "Look what happened with Jonathan Langford."
The others looked confused.
"Who's that?" Cedric asked.
"Is that the little firstie you told me about, Harry?" Susan frowned. "The one who got a huge number of points taken from Slytherin and detention besides?"
"Yes." Draco told them through his teeth. "It was Harry and I that found him after his detention, you know. He was magically injured."
Gasps were heard.
"Yes. Her punishments are unnecessarily harsh. Criminally harsh, if you ask me." Harry nodded sadly. "Draco's father told me - confidentially, of course - that the school's board of governors is in an uproar about it."
Draco shook his head. "He was forced to write mundane and irrational promises with a blood quill and Langford's father wrote the governors complaining."
"At eleven?!" Cedric asked, horrified. "That's as bad as asking for an unbreakable vow!"
"That's horrible!" Cho frowned.
"I've heard that the only way to reverse anything written with a blood quill is to break the quill they were written with and burn the paper the words are written on." Susan said sadly.
"Still..." Cho bit the cuticle of her thumbnail. "I-I don't know..."
Harry held his breath for a moment but let it out in a whoosh as Cedric nodded slowly.
"It seems to me that this witch has offended every house in Hogwarts..." The older boy muttered unhappily but still didn't commit.
"And I am here to stand up for all four of them." Harry told the group quietly.
"Whatever that means...?" Cedric looked at him, confused.
"I apologise if that seemed vague, Cedric. Let me spell it out." Harry told him curtly. "I am the founders' heir and the 'lost son' spoken of in the Hat's prophecy..."
Cedric, Cho, and Susan looked startled.
"The one the Hat spoke on the first day of school?" Susan breathed and looked at Cho. "What was it about again? Crumbling or puzzles?"
"Sort of..." Harry nodded, staring at them intensely as he reminded them of the hat's words. "The time has come to crumble or unite! The missing puzzle pieces will soon be found. Sleeping powers awaken when the lost son comes 'round. Choose what is easy or do what is right. Crumble or unite!"
The girls looked at each other and Cho shivered causing Cedric to curl his arm around her.
"I hate to say it but, I stopped thinking about it when Dumbledore said the staff was going to handle it." Neville grimaced.
Cedric nodded slowly. "Me too."
"Well, I haven't. Nor has Draco. We've discussed it at length and included my godfather and a few others besides." Harry started again. "The consensus is that I am the lost son and I'm working on finding the puzzle pieces... but the biggest part of all this is that something is crumbling and Draco and I believe we know what it is."
"Really?" Cedric asked, shocked. "What is it?"
"The ideals behind Hogwarts' creation are what's crumbling." Draco frowned.
Susan gasped. "Oh, no!"
Cho shook her head in denial, gripping Cedric's hand as he looked at her.
"Merlin!" Neville whispered softly. "That's terrible..."
"I mean... I guess it's better than what everybody was thinking." Cedric frowned. "Y'know - That it was the castle crumbling."
Everyone started nodding but Harry shook his head.
"But it's not better! Don't you see?" He asked intently. "Hogwarts isn't just a physical place - it's an idea! If the idea behind something crumbles, the thing itself becomes unstable!"
To keep the energy going, Draco took up the narrative. "We believe that uniting the houses against a common enemy such as Umbrage will help bring those ideals out and perhaps even encourage a blurring of house lines."
"What does that mean?" Neville asked.
"Have you ever noticed that some people seem to show obvious traits of houses other than the ones they were sorted into?" Draco asked them. "We want to point out to everyone that the traits of every house can appear in anyone if they look closely enough."
"Look at Hermione Granger." Zack said, taking everyone's attention. "If she hadn't gone to Gryffindor, there's nobody who would belong in Ravenclaw more than her... and Harry himself has been showing off some distinctly non-Gryffindor traits recently, as well."
Cho couldn't argue with that so she found herself nodding slowly. "Cedric was brave to enter the tournament last year."
The man in question blinked.
"That's true." Harry grinned at him. "It showed bravery and daring."
"You're brave too, Cho." Zack pointed out. "You play seeker on your house quidditch team."
"Quidditch is a dangerous sport..." Cho murmured. "I suppose I am..."
"You are! Y'know, the Gryffindor kid who always has his camera in hand has creativity and ingenuity. That's Ravenclaw..." Cedric reminded the others. "And there's Hufflepuff in him as well, because he also has patience and isn't afraid of hard work."
"Colin Creevey, yes..." Harry nodded. "So, what d'ya say? Will you help me bring the houses together?"
When Cedric and Cho remained silent, Zack and Draco shared a look. "Perhaps we should mention that we're prepared to sweeten the pot."
Cedric looked over at them. "How's that?"
"We have a way to communicate with the outside world." Draco lifted his chin. "We will make it available to the leaders of each house and, of course... in an emergency, we'll use it to summon the cavalry."
"Which consists of a mixture of several families... mine...Draco's and a few key others." Harry informed them quietly before looking over at Susan. "Sirius is also supposed to approach your aunt."
Susan's eyes widened. "We'll have her input?"
Harry nodded.
Cedric's jaw visibly tightened. "I'm in."
"I suppose I am, too..." Cho piped up but seemed nervous.
"Thank you." Harry replied softly. "Draco, will you speak with Cedric and Susan? I need to talk to Cho."
Cho followed Harry across the room.
"Cho..." Harry grimaced. "Are you sure you're up for this? I only ask because you need to realise that you're going to have it the hardest of all of us."
Nodding, she bit her lip. "I sort of guessed that."
"In order to be our eyes and ears in Ravenclaw, you may have to hide your association with the more visible members of the group." Harry told her seriously. "And Luna can help somewhat but only in the beginning because she's much more visibly in my corner than you are right now."
"So if I'm seen with her too often, they will begin to suspect I'm no longer neutral." Cho murmured.
"Cedric is also going to have to be visible for this to work." Harry watched her carefully.
Cho's jaw dropped. "So I'm screwed..."
"Yeah, I didn't think you'd realised that and I want you to make an informed decision so I needed to bring it up." Harry muttered. "Now, I want you to think this through from all directions. We can protect you and get you out of the school if you don't want to be directly involved."
She sighed. "Give me a little time?"
"Phase one goes down Monday morning... but until I know where you stand, I can't tell you more." Harry explained. "Talk it over with Cedric if you want. Is lunchtime tomorrow too soon?"
"I don't know. Why?" Cho asked.
"We have to factor in your exit and arrange for an imposter if you want to leave." Harry told her frankly.
"But the imposter will be caught if Umbrage insists on a Revelio again!" Cho gasped.
"Not this imposter." Harry assured her. "I can't tell you more. I'm sorry."
"I understand." She sighed. "I'd be a liability if I knew too much."
"Cho?" Cedric called. "Do you want to go or keep helping here?"
"I think you should take her somewhere and talk, Cedric." Harry patted his shoulder.
Cho nodded and took his hand as he led her out toward the Hufflepuff Common room.
Harry heard a noise and looked over to see Susan hovering by the opposite door. "Is everything alright?"
"I'm not sure Cho's really built for rebellion, Harry." Susan grimaced.
"I'm beginning to agree with you." Harry sighed. "Where are the others?"
"Neville wanted to go back into the lichen room." Susan smiled. "Zack and Malfoy went with him."
Harry chuckled. "So, do you have ideas on who we can count on in Ravenclaw house?"
"What about the imposter you were talking about?" Susan asked.
"The person I'm thinking of might be able to keep up appearances but they were in a different house and I'm just not sure they could pull the whole thing off." Harry confessed.
"I'd suggest Padma Patil or Mandy Brocklehurst." Susan suggested. "They're both friends of mine and I'd trust them with my life but Padma's twin is in Gryffindor so I think she might hold up better under pressure."
Just then, Draco walked in. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." Harry smirked. "I just confirmed that Cho wasn't my destined mate."
Susan looked surprised so Harry explained that he'd fancied her briefly the year before.
"Oh?" Draco blinked innocently at him. "What was your first clue?"
"We don't think she'll be good under pressure." Susan shook her head at the Slytherin's attitude.
"I predict that she'll go home. I even told Cedric that, if she did go home, they should fake a breakup so it won't look weird if they aren't hanging out when the imposter takes over." Draco told them.
"Harry!" Zack's voice called, sounding excited.
The three of them rushed through the room with the spinning wheels and loom, into the hidden lichen room and looked around.
Draco pointed to the vines where Neville was collecting more samples.
"What is it, Zack?" Harry asked.
"Longbottom says there's something behind the vines!" Zack explained. "I thought I saw a bit of gold."
"You mean..." Harry looked up sharply to see Zack nodding.
Susan glanced between them. "What?"
"A puzzle piece!" Harry divulged excitedly.
"Really?" Susan asked, leaning in just in time for Neville to pull a vine away.
"I thought it was a door but it actually seems like the lid to an old fashioned trunk!" Neville told them. "The gold Zack saw was the hardware."
"It seems to have been buried on its side so it should open to show the inside as a tall compartment!" Harry commented.
"Can you open it?" Zack asked.
"I'll try..." Neville replied as he reached out to dig around for the latch. "I think I've got something! Help me!"
Harry pushed his fingers into the dirt and something strange happened. He felt suddenly and profoundly connected to the earth element. The roots of the Creeping Starlight and the dirt were surrounding the wooden trunk and metal fittings so Harry wondered what he could do to wiggle it loose and something in the back of his mind told him to tell the dirt to fall away with his thoughts. Harry frowned, mentally pushing the dirt until it loosened which allowed the trunk to be removed. The latch lifted easily and once Harry opened the lid, they saw a golden cup supported by yellow and black cloth.
When they returned to the suite after their adventure, Harry filled Ron and his siblings in on his trip to Hufflepuff.
"Wait! How did the cup get into the buried trunk?" Ginny asked, incredulously as she handed Harry some letters. "Fred visited the store and these were in a basket in the office."
"George will make the next visit tomorrow morning." Fred commented. "We'll take turns running the mail."
"That's a great idea, Fred." Harry smirked at him. "As for the cup, after the others left, Dobby told us that Tom gave it to him in the trunk and told him to find a place to hide it in Helga's quarters so that it would be safe until we 'found' it."
"He thought it would make Susan and Cedric feel more invested in the prophecy and more connected to Harry - friendship-wise and it looks like he was right - here's the letter from Susan to her aunt." Draco held out the envelope toward George. "And Cedric will send his later."
"Probably with Cho on her way out." Harry shook his head.
"Aww, poor Potter!" Draco smirked. "You found out your first crush wasn't up to the challenges of being with you!"
"Never mind that they're both with other people!" Ginny snickered to Fred who just laughed.
Harry huffed, glaring at all three of them. "I'm just disappointed that I misjudged her so badly."
Draco chuckled, shaking his head. "Finish the story so we can all go to dinner, Harry."
"Yeah, mate! So Dobby waited for you all to leave the room and magically implanted the trunk to be found later?" Ron laughed. "That little elf is sneaky!"
"Yes, and that may be good now but let's not forget how much trouble it caused for us back in second year." Harry nodded. "Anyway, at that point Cedric and Cho had only been talking in the first room of Helga's quarters so, when they heard all of us making a ruckus, she left to 'think' and he came back and got to see the cup as well, before we had Dobby bring it to my office."
"Where it is waiting for us to put it in its case." Draco reminded everyone. "So if we can all continue this gathering in there...?"
Everyone followed Harry into his office where the glass cases were once again visible along with the rectangle shadows that showed where the portraits belonged.
Gryffindor's sword seemed to twinkle in the candlelight as Harry picked up the cup and passed it on his way around the desk. Harry approached the empty case where the cup would be displayed and a shelf appeared. It was draped with a silken banner bearing a floral paisley pattern in Hufflepuffs colours. Harry took pleasure in noting that the large block at the centre of the case was made of Zebrawood as he set the cup on it, waiting silently to see what would happen.
The case sank into the wall ...
One of the empty cases lit up briefly but then the cup's case lit up and a female voice spoke.
"With help from diggers long forgotten..."
Draco took a deep breath to ask a question as the other empty case lit up but then the sword was highlighted and his question was answered before it left his lips.
"When four houses become one, darkness will enlighten."
"Did that happen last time?" Draco asked, startled. "The lights?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't think so."
"Ron? Luna?" Draco prompted them.
"I don't remember." Ron told them apologetically.
"No." Luna murmured, looking around. "It was just the words, Draco."
Draco turned to face him with a strange look in his eyes. "Harry?"
"Guys, we'll let you know when we figure things out." Harry told his cousins. "Mind giving us a little privacy?"
They looked confused but they left without argument and headed to the great hall for dinner. When they were gone, Harry asked for an explanation.
"I think... No, I know that the puzzle is the prophecy that was smashed - the one Fudge showed you and Father that day in the ministry - and that means this is older than we thought." Draco told him excitedly. "The Founders' objects are not only the puzzle pieces referred to in the Hat's recent prophecy... They're leading us to the lines of the lost prophecy... one by one."
"What does that have to do with the lights?" Harry wanted to know, but then it clicked in his mind and they spoke the words together. "The lights are the order in which they are arranged." Their eyes met momentarily and Harry broke the silence by running for his journal. "Which case lit up first?"
"That one." Draco pointed to the one that was directly next to Helga's portrait space. "I'm sure of it."
"Helga's cup was next..." Harry murmured as he wrote it all down.
"And then, the other empty one." Draco's eyes were drawn to the next one. "And then the sword of Gryffindor."
"Is there any hint as to which one of the cases belongs to which founder?" Harry frowned. "Wait, what's going on? Why are the other cases moving around?"
"Oh, for the love of Merlin!" Draco grimaced. "They've combined and there's a faux person inside!"
"Or half of one at least. No, it actually looks like an antique dress form. The kind a seamstress would have. My aunt's friend had one." Harry sighed. "Alright, I guess this whole thing just has its own timeline and we're not allowed to rush it."
"Fine." Draco pouted. "What's the next object we'll get, do you think?"
"Well, we know Ravenclaw's is still in the castle somewhere." Harry pointed out. "But it needs to be released so even if we find it, it can't be interred here until it's clean."
"True." Draco murmured. "So it'll have to be the locket."
Harry nodded thoughtfully. "So... What do you think Susan's told her aunt?"
"Actually, she told me that when she gave me the letter." Draco chuckled, relaxing into the new train of thought. "She gives an objective account of the Revelio incident and all her reasons for becoming a member of our little movement. She also tells Madam Bones that Lord Black will sometimes have information for her from you."
"Well, that's helpful!" Harry grinned. "Neville is going to give Ron a letter at breakfast for his grandmother and Cho will tell us by lunchtime whether or not to arrange the imposter."
"Do we have a few minutes to just be together?" Draco asked lightly.
"I thought you'd never ask!" Harry smiled, opening his arms.
Draco welcomed the contact but quickly fell into his own thoughts once again. "Do you think the prophecy is a positive one or negative?"
Harry sighed. "From the two lines we've gotten, and without context...?"
"Don't be like that." Draco huffed. "I mean, I want to know what your gut is telling you."
"It sounds contradictory at the moment, Draco." Harry said, shaking his head. "It mentions help from someone in one line but, in the other line it talks about darkness... I don't know what to think."
"That's fair." Draco nodded, chagrinned.
Thinking harder, Harry had to admit there was some hope. "But it says 'darkness will enlighten', so I suppose it's not all bad news."
Draco relaxed a little at this. On one hand he didn't want to be patronised but, on the other, it showed that Harry wasn't as jaded as he sometimes seemed. The blonde decided to let it go for now and changed the subject. "So maybe we should talk about other things..."
"Like what?" Harry asked lightly.
"Like dinner." Draco smirked. "Should we go meet the others or stay in?"
Harry grinned. "I'd like to stay in but we should be seen."
Draco sighed but agreed and accompanied Harry to the great hall.
During the meal, Harry noticed that Cho was huddled close with her friend and by the looks of things the friend wasn't eating much. Not thinking much of it, he started a conversation with Ron because the next quidditch match was coming up.
Not a moment later the whole hall heard a shout. "Just leave me alone, Cho!" The girl yelled before rushing out the door.
Cho looked devastated but then she noticed everyone looking at her and her cheeks turned pink as she hurried out after her friend.
Luna's eyes were waiting when Harry looked at her. She nodded, knowing they were thinking the same thing, and when several of her yearmates left the great hall she followed.
Harry and Draco stayed up late to read their mail and hoped Luna would bring news. "Lucius sent along a copy of the Daily Prophet to let us know what was happening on the outside." Harry smirked as he handed over Madam Bones' letter. "Amelia Bones says that she's on board."
"Huh..." Draco read. "Apparently, she's spoken to my father and Mr. Langford about Umbrage's actions. My cousin Tonks is approved to help out if necessary. Also, she wants to monitor the situation but as long as the Daily Prophet is the only news the public is getting it's unlikely to change. She wants us to write."
"Luna has plans for an underground newspaper. We'll put her on it." Harry replied. "Sirius and Remus have recruited Lee Jordan's father to visit the store and send letters on from there three times a week until no longer necessary."
"Tom sent a sealed message for Uncle Sev. I'll take it to him at lunch tomorrow." Draco lifted it in the air. "Oh, and the out of town guest we're expecting will arrive in February."
"Brilliant!" Harry grinned. "It's late. Let's go to bed."
The next morning came quickly and Luna was waiting in the sitting room when Harry and Draco were ready to go down for breakfast. She patted the seats on either side of her and waited for them to sit before telling them what she'd found out.
"The girl was Marietta Edgecombe - which I knew... She's been friends with Cho since before Hogwarts, Harry." She said with a sad sigh. "She's lost a lot of weight in the past few weeks and Cho is worried sick. What everyone witnessed last night was the last straw for the poor thing's nerves. Cho was badgering her to eat but she refused and yelled and ran out. Cho wants to talk to you again, Harry. After breakfast."
"I can do that." Harry nodded. "Tell George to hold off on the mail run, just in case Cho wants to send a letter."
Sitting across the great hall from each other was difficult but Harry and Draco usually managed to do it by distracting themselves with their friends. Today, Harry became watchful as soon as the food appeared on the tables.
His Weasley cousins began eating immediately; Ron stuffed his face like the food would disappear any second but the others contained themselves. Hermione was picking at her plate.
There were sad faces on a number of first and second year kids as the usual post time passed silently for the third day in a row. Although nobody said anything, the Headmistress seemed quite smug to Harry and he couldn't wait to wipe the smirk off Delores Umbrage's face.
Colin Creevey winced as he stood up a little ways down the table.
"You alright, Colin?" Ginny asked from her place next to Harry.
"Stomach cramps." He muttered. "I'll see myself to the hospital wing. Tell Dennis I couldn't wait for him, will you?"
She nodded sympathetically. "Of course!"
"We'll walk with you, Colin!" Luna called as she guided the first year girl who she'd lent her cloak to back at the beginning of the year. "This little one has a bad headache."
"Something must be going around." Hannah Abbott frowned while helping a second year boy who was trembling and sweating. "Taylor, here, has some serious body aches and pains."
"I'm also really tired." Taylor yawned and followed the older students out of the hall.
Harry frowned when he realised that all of these could actually be symptoms of anxiety or depression which were common side effects of the isolation Umbrage had inflicted upon them all. That's when he noticed that most of the first year Hufflepuffs were missing from their breakfast table. A quick glance at Cedric confirmed that, although the plan was supposed to kick off tomorrow, this was Hufflepuff making their first move. He nodded in acknowledgement and flicked his eyes toward Cho questioningly.
She tilted her head toward the doors before gathering her things to leave.
Harry let a few minutes go by before getting Ron's attention. "See you back at the suite? Wait for Draco, yeah?"
Ron looked up from his plate. "Yeah, mate. Sure."
Harry made his way out of the hall and toward Ravenclaw Tower's entrance where Cho shook her head and went another way, leading Harry into an empty classroom. Harry cast a muffling charm at the door and turned to see that she'd begun to pace. "What's going on, Cho?"
"So I've thought about it..." She bit her lip and faced him. "In depth, like you said - and I was going to go home but then my friend - Marietta... you saw her last night. She's really been stressed. Not eating isn't helping but she also vomits if she does eat in that mental condition. So anyway, last night was really rough for her after we left dinner. She tossed and turned and then, well she woke up with nightmares and... I mean, it's only been three days so how is she going to handle months?! And I just can't help but think that maybe... maybe she should go home and I should stay!"
Outwardly, Harry stayed calm but inside he was grinning ear to ear. He hadn't misjudged her after all. "If that's what you want, I'll set it up."
"What should I do? How would we tell her?" Cho began to fret.
"Hmmm..." Harry frowned. "I know! I can visit Ravenclaw Tower this evening. I was planning to wait a few days but that's alright. Just play along when I get there and with the elves' help, we can have her switched out by curfew. The replacement is ready. She just needs to be informed of whose place she's taking. Does Cedric know?"
Cho nodded. "I told him before breakfast."
"And?" Harry asked softly.
"We understand what this means, Harry. We're planning to publicly stay together until it's too dangerous for one or the other of us to be seen consorting." She admitted. "Then we'll have a huge fight and break up...but only for show."
Harry nodded along and sighed. "I'm sorry to ask so much of you both, Cho."
"I just wish it wasn't necessary." She sighed, turning away. "I'll see you at the tower."
Harry nodded and called Dobby to be transported to the suite. "Luna!" He shouted. "I need you!"
"I can't wait to visit the tower with you, Harry." She giggled as she hurried into the sitting room and flopped gracefully onto the couch. "Ginny's coming with us. I can show her my old room!"
Harry grinned. "Great. Maybe she can shed some light on a question I have."
"What's the question?" She asked.
Harry smirked, holding up a folded piece of parchment. "Who is Audrey Barrows?"
"My girlfriend." Percy replied curtly as he reached for the letter.
"I thought you were on a break." Harry smirked, holding it behind his back.
"I wrote to her over break and sent the letter off before leaving for the train station." Percy glared at Harry. "Now I'm feeding her information and she helped get Madam Bones the information that convinced her to trust Lord Black and his connection to you. I'm hopeful that Susan's letter will help further her trust."
"That's great!" Harry grinned. "Seriously, Percy, I'm glad you're back together."
"Me too. It just wasn't the same without her in my daily routine..." He sighed sadly but then shook his head and was suddenly back to business. "Anyway, when I heard about the owls flying in circles, I knew she'd worry if I didn't find a way to get in touch. Then you started making all sorts of plans and I realised she could help."
"Oh?" Harry asked, finally giving up the letter into Percy's waiting hands. "How?"
"She's an unspeakable at the Ministry." Percy told him matter-of-factly. "I thought she might be able to break the lockdown protocol or find a secret that can be used as leverage to bring Fudge to his senses."
"Interesting." Harry blinked rapidly. "How did she end up playing informant instead?"
"She suggested it." He told Harry proudly. "She said she thought the best way she could help was to remain anonymous and just ferry information across the wardlines. She said something about being a wild card we might need to win the game. It was quite strange."
Harry frowned for a moment. There was something odd about those words but he couldn't put a finger on it. He resolved to think it over later because he had wheels to put in motion and people to write letters to..
"Tonks and Madam Bones, I should imagine..." Luna whispered dreamily. "But Sirius and Remus would be happy for a warning that Marietta will need an escort to her grandmother's house."
"Luna, we've talked about this." Harry sighed. "I can't see things the way you can so I need more details and I think those should come from the people that have them."
"I have them too but it takes less time if you just trust me." Luna smiled. "You can write the letters and have everything planned out for her before she even knows she's going home!"
"Alright, but why her grandmother's house? Why wouldn't she go back to her parents' home?" Harry asked gently. "Is it not safe for her? If it isn't safe then what about her parents? Are they safe?"
Luna frowned. "I suppose some context is necessary."
Harry's eyebrow rose. "Well?"
"Her father was an auror who died in the line of duty. It's his mother we'll be sending her to because her other grandparents are also dead and her mother will be busy with work." Luna explained patiently. "In addition, Marietta can't be seen in the vicinity of the ministry or her home otherwise it'll give the game away!"
"Alright." Harry sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "And where does her grandmother live?"
"Kirkwall." Luna blinked innocently. "It's a large town in the Orkney islands."
With more of the larger picture visible, Harry began to write his letters and, within the hour, all four were on their way.