There were only two days left until the last trial, Harry had already studied and practiced so many spells and incantations that he doubted his brain had room for other things, plus he also had to keep up with his usual classes, but he always did a good job, even in potions although his teacher would never admit it to him. At that moment a group of Slytherins led by Flint and other hooligans that Harry detested threw a newspaper at him, where in the headline Rita Skeeter had written an article about his headaches and fainting, in addition to his ability to speak Parseltongue, calling him "unstable", "dangerous".
-¡That harpy!- Hermione shouted.
-Don't pay attention to her. I don't even care anymore- he said, pointing her wand at the newspaper and transforming it into a paper snake which slid towards the fireplace and set itself on fire.
-I do care ¿How does he know that you faint sometimes? ¿Or the fact she know that you can talk with snakes? -
-Some of my classmates know about it because of what happened in second year, maybe they send him letters with information-
-Even so, I find it difficult to...-and the girl was silent for a moment.
-¿What's going on?-
-I think... I think that I already knows how she gets information without anyone seeing it. I'll go to the library, I'll see you later- and she ran out of there, like a detective looking for clues and information.
-¿Is she always like this?- Daphne asked, smiling -I'm surprised she's not in Ravenclaw, she's very smart and loves books. Now I see why Krum likes it so much - and at that comment Harry noticed how Ron and Draco change their faces. Then he was called by the vice principal telling him that the champions had to present themselves with their families before the last trial, he thought that it must be a mistake since since he left the Dursley house years ago, he never had contact with them again. Was a big surprise was when he saw Mrs. Weasley, accompanied by her husband and Ron's older brother, Bill.
-¡Harry!- the woman said and gave him a big hug, which always left him breathless, but was well received.
-¿How are you doing Harry?Charlie told me you gave the dragon a great fight- said Bill, who had all the appearance of a rebel, with his leather jacket, his earring in his ear, and his long hair tied in a ponytail. He noticed Fleur looking at him from afar, it seemed like she wasn't bothered by her appearance but quite the opposite.
-I can't believe Dumbledore let you participate! Being so young...-
-Molly, Harry has already faced worse things and has overcome. Now he only have one more test left and that's it- Soon Draco and Ginny arrived, accompanied by Ron.
-¡Mom, Dad, Bill! ¿What are you doing here?-
-Support Harry of course- she said, greeting his children and then she approached Draco and held his hand in an almost maternal tone -¿How are you, dear? ¿Are you still taking care of our daughter?- said smiling, which surprised the Weasleys present.
-She knows how to take care of herself perfectly well...but it doesn't hurt to have an eye and ear close to her, to make sure she doesn't touch cursed objects-
-¡Mom! I know how to take care of myself, I'm not the same inexperienced first year girl - said embarrassed - I've gotten excellent grades in all subjects, unlike Ron -
-That must hurt- Draco commented and bumped knuckles with Ginny.
-We'll talk about your notes later, Ronald Weasley. Now we're going to go support Harry, and speaking of that, I think it's time for you to go- the woman said as she saw the other champions saying goodbye to their families.
-¡Good luck Harry!-
-I promise to do my best- he replied. They left there towards the Quidditch pitch which was now completely transformed by a huge labyrinth several meters high, the champions were reminded that they could not use brooms or spells that defy gravity, they had to navigate it in muggle style and Just use magic to overcome the obstacles that stand in your way. Cedric and he entered first since they were the ones with the highest score, they began to run almost at the same time, after a while they heard the sound that gave the signal that Viktor and Fleur had already started. They were running for only a few minutes while they illuminated the path with their wands, when they came to a fork that showed two options, he went on the left side and Cedric on the right.
He began to walk around his side, making several turns and looking for signs of an exit that would lead to the end -¡Guide me!-
The wand turned and pointed to the right, that was north, and she knew that she had to go northwest to reach the center of the maze. The best option was to take the street on the left, and turn right as soon as he could. He was beginning to suspect that it was too easy, or he had taken the wrong path or the labyrinth wanted him to trust and then surprise him. She ran into Cedric who told her not to go in that direction because the explosive-tailed scurvy that Hagrid had shown them in class would be waiting for him, but those were huge. After facing a Boggart who posed as Dementor he ended up in a dead end. When he returned it seemed to him that the path was different as if the maze itself had changed shape, ahead there was a thick golden fog that obstructed the path. . He thought that if he breathed that would leave him unconscious and he would not be able to continue, he held his breath and ran hard, and instead of fainting from the contact he ended up upside down, with the ground above his head and the sky at his feet, he felt solid.
He supposed it must be a spell to confuse his sense of direction - "What would happen if I tried to walk? Will my senses continue to be altered or would something worse happen?" he thought and then cursed telling himself that he couldn't hesitate and that after his previous test he learned that the risks and dangers were not as deadly as those they are led to believe, so he took a few steps forward and felt as if he were falling to the floor on his knees, when he got up he saw that everything was normal again. He continued on his way, during which had to deal with one of the giant escogrutos that Cedric mentioned but he had no problems with it, he stopped when he heard some voices.
-¿What are you doing? Are you crazy? - said Cedric's voice.
-"¡Crucio!" And Harry ran towards where the screams could be heard loudest. When he arrived, Krum pointed his wand at him but stopped. It was as if he were fighting with himself, like Crouch. "¡Desmiaus!" Harry shouted and the boy it was knocked out.
-Thank you Harry...I can't believe it. I thought Krum was honest-
-He is not himself, someone cast a spell on him to attack you-
-¿You're sure?-
-Yes- he said without knowing how, but there was a feeling. After leaving it aside and throwing sparks into the air so that they would come and pick it up, each one continued on their way. He turned several times until he entered the darkness, thinking that he was lost until he came across a creature that he had read about in his book of beasts from the magical world. A sphinx, with the body of a lion and the head of a woman, approached him - You are near the end, this is undoubtedly the fastest way, you can pass if you solve the riddle, if you make a mistake I will attack you and if you don't say anything you can leave-
-Go ahead- he answered, somewhat nervously since Hermione was good at this kind of thing.
"I am fragile even though I have no limits
A little of me doesn't hurt, but too much would poison you.
I make men rise but I also cause them to fall
¿What I am?"
Harry felt that all the training before had been for nothing, he had to ask the creature a few more times, he didn't know whether to retreat and find another path, or fight the beast. He was about to choose the second option, until he saw the snake symbol on his clothes and then a spark ignited in his mind -¿The pride?-
The creature smiled and let him pass. -Thank you!- He shouted at him as he ran.
He glimpsed the cup at the end of the path, resting on a stone shelf, just at that moment in another of the paths. Cedric appeared again, he had to hurry to catch up with him. At that moment a huge spider came out of the bushes and out of surprise his rival dropped his wand. The huge spider began to grab his legs and drag him. Harry didn't know whether to continue or help him, but seeing how the creature seemed to delight in his prey, his Griffindor side prevailed - ¡Depulso! - but the spell had barely hit the enormous spider, it barely received any discomfort, as if he had only thrown a rock at it. Harry understood that he had to go for everything - ¡Maximum Bombarda! - And the front half of the beast exploded, leaving traces of its body and blood everywhere.
-Thank you, I thought you would go get the cup-
-Me too- he answered sincerely while make an expression of pain.
-¿What's wrong Harry?- He asked worriedly and Harry showed him his leg. When the animal exploded, one of the pincers had hit him. His blood was beginning to show on his clothes and the pain increased. Cedric was closer to the cup than him but he was not moving forward.
-¿What are you doing? Take it once and for all, so I can go to Madame Pomfrey- he told him but his rival was hesitating and Harry understood -Don't do something heroically stupid Cedric, I did it in the second trial and I was lucky they didn't give me a zero-
-You helped me with the dragon clue, with Krum and now you did it again-
-And you helped me with the egg, plus I stole Professor Snape's gillweed which was the craziest thing anyone has ever done, especially for a Slytherin. You are giving up a once in a lifetime opportunity, think of the joy of your housemates and your parents-
-I wouldn't have beaten him at all- he said, looking at him without continuing to advance.
-¿What if we both take it?-
-¿You're sure?-
-It would be a tie, Hogwarts and both houses would win just like I did with Griffindor in my first year.
-Maybe next year you'll do it with Ravenclaw- Cedric joked as he helped him walk since his injured leg didn't make it easy for him.
-Not a bad idea- he said, trying to maintain his balance. Once they approached the pedestal they took the object at the same time.
They both disappeared from there.
The moment Harry and Cedric touched the cup, they disappeared from there and ended up in a dark and gloomy place -¿Did they tell you that the cup was a portkey?- asked their rival.
-Not at all, maybe it's part of the rial or...-and suddenly the scar started to hurt, like it had never happened before. He felt like he was being stabbed with a red-hot sharp object, it felt like his head was going to explode.
-¿Harry! What's wrong with you? - Cedric asked scared and a hooded figure appeared, holding a bundle that seemed to be a baby or an animal wrapped in a black robe, which made a cold, sharp sound
-Kill the other one... -
-¡Avada Kedavra!- and Cedric Diggory's body ended up on the ground, lifeless. The man conjured ropes that bound him and being dazed by the wound on his leg, the pain of the scar and the shock of seeing his partner murdered, he did not have time to block his attack. When he noticed that the man was missing a finger he realized that it was Wormtail, the man who had betrayed his parents and blamed Sirius, and then the being he was carrying was the person he never expected to meet there. .
-¡Hurry up Wormtail! his master told him. Wormtail threw a wasted and skeletal body into a cauldron and then began a ritual of what seemed to be very dark black magic, first he conjured the bone from the grave that had "Tom Riddle" written on the tombstone, then he amputated his hand and then The latter cut Harry and poured his blood into the contents. Harry prayed that nothing would happen, that it was all a bad dream, but unfortunately that was not the case. The cauldron boiled more and more and after a small explosion and watching the black fog dissipate he could see the white, naked body of an adult, it had small slits instead of a nose and blood red eyes. Voldemort had returned.
After a few moments that seemed eternal, the figure dressed, made a sign to his servant who was pleading out of fear and pain for having his hand amputated, and touched the tattoo that the little man had with the tip of his wand. on his arm which began to move like the images in the photographs of the magical world.
-Hello Harry, how long, the last time we saw each other. Things went a little wrong for me, but it doesn't matter Lord Voldemort always knows how to get out of the worst situations, even death ¿Do you know that you are on my father's grave? ? A dumb and idiotic muggle, who abandoned my mother when he found out she was a witch, leaving her alone and me to grow up in a Muggle orphanage plus I had to bear the burden of bearing his despicable name, but I took revenge on him and even after he died I managed to get some use out of it. Ahh here comes my real family- he said when he saw some dark figures in the sky appearing in front of him.
For a moment no one said anything until Voldemort spoke, bringing up how his vassals abandoned him, casting the Cruciatus curse on some who screamed in pain and begged for mercy. When it seemed that the person in front of him was going to be next, he stopped for a moment -My dear Lucius, it seems that you are a respectable man, you dedicate your fortune to charitable causes and to "clean" your name, very useful, but wouldn't it have been Better to use your resources to find your master and lord?
-My lord- said the voice hidden behind the mask -If I had even the slightest sign I would have come to your aid immediately, my wand and my resources are at your disposal- he responded, kneeling before him. He continued to blame the mistakes of other, like that called Avery, Mc Nair, the same executioner who tried to kill Hagrid's hippogriff, and many others, while naming those who had not shown up, some out of fear, others dead, and others in Azkaban, etc . After a quick explanation about how he recovered his body thanks to the ancient black magic ritual he had done and that because he used Harry's blood he could now touch him without feeling the pain of the protection of his mother's sacrifice, at the moment When he put his finger on his forehead the scar hurt a lot again.
-It's time for me to show them that no one can surpass Lord Voldemort's powers, much less this weak child who is just a beginner who got very lucky. Wormtail give him his wand, it's time for the duel - and the man whose amputated hand had been replaced with a silver hand thanks to his master, freed him from his ropes and left the wand at his feet -But first a bow to your opponent. Manners are important, Harry," and with a wave of his wand he made Harry bend over as if a hand was pushing him down.
Voldemort attacked first -¡Crucio! - he shouted and the pain he felt was even more intense than that of the scar, Moody was not joking when he said that it was worse than feeling a thousand blades on his body -¿Too much for the first blow? A little break, if you need it. Or do you want me to repeat it? - Voldemort said and everyone laughed. Harry was sure that he would die just like Cedric, but he would do it standing, he was not going to bow down to that monster.
-I asked you a question ¡Imperio! -And he tried to control him through the unforgivable curse, making him feel like he was flying on a cloud of painless happiness -¿Should I repeat it? Say "no please my Lord" - Voldemort ordered him. Any wizard would obey, but they had already been taught about that curse in Defense class and Harry learned well -¡Go to hell Tom!- he shouted at him and the sensation of pleasure that the spell produced was replaced by the pain of his wounds and the back to reality.
-Dumbledore would be disappointed in your lack of manners- No one was laughing that time. Harry understood that the games were over and it was time to finish, but even if he had no chance he would do it like his father, standing until the end, they both signed up and cast both curses, one to disarm and the other to murder. The impact of the wands caused a kind of connection to form between the two, causing their owners to rise into the air. The red and green light coming from the wands was replaced by a golden line. They were getting farther from the ground and Voldemort tried to maintain his composure and ordered his followers not to intervene unless he ordered it.
-¿What's that sound?- Voldemort asked. And Harry recognized it right away, it was the song of a Phoenix, it reminded him of Fawkes, of Dumbledore and that gave him hope. Some stones had appeared between the golden line that connected both wands and as soon as they approached his side, his own began to burn and there he understood that he had to send them to the other side, so he used all his willpower on that. After a slow movement, when it made contact with Voldemort's wand it made a screech of pain and what seemed to be ghosts began to emerge from the tip, but with a very human shape, first Cedric's, then an old man and the missing witch named Bertha Jorkins, and just when he thought it couldn't get any stranger her parents showed up. Lily and James Potter.
-¡Mom, dad!- He said with his eyes open and with an ocean of mixed feelings, both joy and surprise and the desire to cry, but he should not forget where he was and against whom.
-Everything will be fine Harry, we are very proud of you! ¡So brave and noble! -His father told him, who was an adult version identical to him, except for the color of his eyes, which rested on his clothes -¿A Slytherin? Just like Sirius you break with family tradition-
-I get excellent grades and I make Professor Snape very angry- he replied and both father and son smiled knowingly. His wand seemed to expel more and more energy than Voldemort's. His enemy was growing paler as he saw his old victims in front of him, while Harry felt stronger and stronger.
-When the connection is broken we will leave but we will try to buy you some time, you must recover the portkey ¿Do you understand?- his mother told him -Harry, we love you very much, and I hope you always remember that we will be with you, when you need us most, remember that- she told him smiling.
-Harry, please take my body to my parents, please ¿Will you? - Cedric's ghost said to him. Harry nodded to him and as soon as he broke the link between both wands he ran out of there, using his seeker reflexes to avoid the different curses that were thrown at him. He was close to Cedric's body, but he needed to buy time and pointed back -¡Serpensortia Duo! -And two huge snakes came out of his wand who hissed menacingly at the Death Eaters, which surprised them. Voldemort laughed loudly - ¡Move aside my little children! - he said in an almost paternal tone to the reptiles, who of course obeyed at the same time that he managed to reach the corpse of his companion - Harry, Harry ¿Do you forget who I am? ? I am Lord Voldemort, heir to the great Salazar Slytherin, the snakes will always be faithful to me-
Harry smiled as he slowly secured his left hand on Cedric's body -Of course I know, Tom. They shouldn't attack you, just distract you- he responded in Parseltongue, leaving both him and the hooded men astonished, and he took advantage of the situation by raising his wand -¡Accio Cup!- and the enchanted object reached his hands, making him and Cedric disappear from there. As he was sucked into the object, he could hear Voldemort scream as he realized that the duel had not ended the way he thought it would.
After both teenagers were swallowed by the portkey, they both fell on the grass, they had returned to the maze. Suddenly the enormous walls of leaves and branches began to sink into the ground, it seemed the test was over. Harry was so tired and in pain that he could only hear voices, first applause, screams of joy that were then replaced by horror and cries for help.
-¡Harry! ¡Harry! ¿What happened?- said the voice he recognized as Dumbledore's.
-¡My God! ¡Diggory! He's...he's dead!- He heard Fudge, the minister.
-He wanted me to bring him... He wanted me to bring him to his parents-he said in shock and on the verge of crying -He has returned, Voldemort has returned-
-Calm down Harry ¿What are you saying?"
-He has returned, Voldemort returned... he used very powerful black magic...-
-¡Amos Diggory and his wife are coming! Albus, you must take charge of the situation and Potter should go to the infirmary -
-I'll take it to my office, I have a lot of medicines there. Come on boy- said Moody's voice. When they got there he made him drink something that burned his throat but at the same time cleared his mind and brought him out of his lethargy -Tell me what happened, with details-
Harry didn't feel like talking but he listened to him -The cup was enchanted, we ended up very far from here. It was a trap- he answered and star to tell him what happened, how Voldemort came back and how they had a duel.
-¿Did you fight the dark lord? Impressive boy ¿And what happened to the Death Eaters who came there? ¿Did he forgive them for abandoning him or did he give them their punishment?-
-¿What?-
-I ask you if he forgave those cowards who told hundreds of lies in order not to go to Azkaban, while the true faithful endured years locked up with the dementors. Tell me that they received at least the Cruciatus curse and were writhing on the floor of that cemetery- he said with a macabre expression.
-I...-and the potion he had drunk, began to make his brain work -I didn't mention any cemetery... and from what I know, most people call him "The Unmentionable" or "He-Who-Shouldn't be-named", few call it as you did- he said seriously.
Moody smiled big as his magical eye turned toward the door, probably to make sure no one came, and before Harry could take his wand out of his pocket, the man cast the disarming spell on him, causing it to fall to the ground -Very well, Potter very good. A very agile mind. And to think that Snape didn't want you to participate because he was afraid you wouldn't be smart enough and would get seriously hurt. Smart, but you were also too dumb to try to save the Delacour girl's sister, too dumb to never wonder why I helped you so much-
-¡You didn't help me at all! ¡You just gave me some advice!
The man seemed upset, as if something in his stomach and face hurt. As he tried to drink from his flask, he realized that it was empty and cursed, his magic eye rested on him so as not to lose sight of him while he searched for potion bottles that he had on his desk, the man spoke more to himself than to Harry -¿Who put your name in the Goblet? ¡Me! ¿Who told Diggory about the egg clue? ¡Me!, I knew he would pass it on to you to pay off the debt for helping him with the first test. Even in the third test you had it easy as I stunned the Beauxbatons girl and put the Imperius Curse on Krum to make him attack everyone except you. And most importantly: ¿Who gave you to the dark lord so that he could use you and come back to life? ¡ME! And now I have the opportunity to carry your lifeless body. He will reward me with all honors! I will be your most loyal Death Eater, more than the Lestranges or Lucius Malfoy...-
-¡You are crazy! ¡Insane!- He shouted at him and when the adult was going to finish him off, several curses broke the door, impacting the man's body, leaving him unconscious. When the dust cleared he saw Snape, Vice Headmistress McGonagall and Dumbledore himself. Seeing that face with such seriousness and imposingness he understood why it was said that he was the only man Voldemort feared. There were no smiles or friendly gestures, just an icy stare hidden behind his half-moon glasses, almost frightening. After the director knocked Moody unconscious, he applied a charm that caused his face and body to begin to deform until he took on the appearance of another person, younger and without scars, someone he had already seen: Barty Crouch. Jr.
-¡By Merlin's beard!- said Professor McGonagall. Meanwhile, the director checked the trunk that was there and then opened each of the locks (which gave access to different places, such as a potion storage room, another with magical devices, and the last one was a kind of dungeon, where another one was. Moody unconscious, but more wasted and thinner than the one next to him). Harry couldn't believe his eyes.
-He is weak but fortunately he will live, the impostor kept him alive and under a spell to remove his hair and take the polyjuice potion. Very clever since no one would suspect, because everyone knows that Alastor always drinks from his own flask as a precaution and always carries it with him. Although it couldn't have been easy to remember to take the potion all the time and every hour for the entire year. Now we know who was taking things from your office, Severus- he said, handing the man a small canteen which Snape sniffed and grimaced. The headmaster sent Snape to find the strongest truth potion he had and to find an elf in the kitchens named Winky and bring her back, and the vice headmistress to look for a black dog that is usually hidden behind Madame's bar. Rosmerta and send him to his office and tell him to wait for him to return to Harry. Both teachers were surprised for a second and left quickly, leaving them alone.
-¿Sir, how did you know?-
-The real Alastor wouldn't have taken you away from me, besides the infirmary was closer and as for giving you his medicines...my friend is very good with attack and defense spells, but he always had problems with potions, because that's why he always asked Madam Pomfrey for some when he came to visit. It would have been a waste to give you his with such a good healer around so he would have taken you directly to her. They are the small details that help recognize an ally or a spy-
When both adults returned Harry could hear the elf's screams as he saw his former master's son passed out, believing him to be dead. Dumbledore calmed her down saying that he was just unconscious and after they poured the potion on him to force him to tell the truth, the man told everything: how he had escaped from Azkaban thanks to his father doing it as a last wish to his late wife who in at that time she was sick and dying, they exchanged places using a polyjuice potion and taking advantage of the fact that the dementors are blind and they only noticed that a healthy and sick person entered and the same ones left there. He also said that it was his father who cast a spell on Bertha Jorkins, permanently damaging her memory and leaving her semi-stunned for life, only because she accidentally discovered that he was still alive one day when he had gone to her house to take some papers to her father.
-¿Did you make the Dark Mark appear in the World Cup?-
-Yes, it was during that day that I managed to get out of my father's spell and stole the wand of a wizard who was near me, he was so happy and drunk that he didn't even realize that I had taken it from him. After teaching a lesson to those traitors who were walking around while our lord suffered, I stayed hidden under the invisibility cloak, waited for the aurors to disperse, and attacked my father, casting a spell on him in the same way he had done to me. But like me, he started to free himself from the Imperius curse little by little and when he escaped he went in search of help. It was there that he met Potter and Viktor Krum, I waited for him to leave to stun the boy and then I killed my father, I turned his body into a bone and buried him near the forest wrapped in the cloak.
-¡Nooooo! ¿Master Barty, how could you do that to his father? ¿HOW?! - said the elf, screaming hysterically and sobbing non-stop. Harry understood that poor creature had already heard more than enough.
-¡Dobby!- Harry said and after a "Crack" the elf who once served the Malfoys and now worke in Hogwarts appeared -Dobby, Winky is very bad, she just found out that her previous master died ¿Can you get her out of here? - Harry told him, all the adults looked at him surprised that Harry knew the school elves.
-Dobby will do it immediately- and when he turned around and saw the headmaster and the teachers he seemed shocked and scared -Dobby regrets not having properly introduced himself to the Great Dumbledore and the teachers ¿Can Dobby take his friend sir?- he asked, making bowing and trembling.
-Of course. Take care of her Dobby, she needs a friend now more than ever- Dumbledore replied and they both disappeared.
Just at that moment Barty Crouch Jr began to free himself from the effects of the potion and despite being trapped with no way out, he smiled -I will be welcomed with joy in Azkaban, I was the one who brought the Dark Lord back to life and when he comes for me I will be honored with his blessing and he will treat me as the closest to him, more than a son. You lost, Potter, you lost...- he said with the enthusiasm of a child at Christmas. Harry was so disgusted and furious that he could no longer contain himself, he quickly grabbed his wand from the ground and pointed it at his face, ready to eliminate him.
-¡Potter! ¿What do you think you are doing? - Professor McGonagall said, scared and surprised. She made a gesture to try to stop him but Snape and Dumbledore stopped her with a wave of their hands.
-Go ahead Potter, you know the unforgivable curses very well, you are the only one who experienced all three and is still alive, but do you think you have the guts to perform them? I really doubt it. You may be a member of Slytherin, but deep down you are as stupidly noble as a Griffindor, just like your father and your dirty impure mother- he told him, laughing.
The hatred deep inside Harry grew more and more, he wanted to tear him apart, cast the Killing Curse on him or at least the Cruciatus... but then he remembered his parents. They always tell him how much he is like them, and he felt that his parents would not have murdered someone in cold blood and unarmed. And he also remembered that for the first time in his life he was able to see them, talk to them, feel them, they didn't care that he wore the Slytherin colors, they told him that they were proud of him and that they loved him. That helped him move on, just as he felt they did now even though he couldn't see them anymore.
Harry lowered his wand and the man continued to mock, but Harry was smiling which left him confused -¿Do you really think HE cares about you? Voldemort only uses people and then destroys them, he already did it with the poor creature from the Chamber of Secrets, with Bertha Jorkins and many others. You never mattered to him and certainly not to your own father who let you rot with the dementors so as not to dirty his name and ruin his career. By the way, I'm sure that your jailers will be eager to see you again... "Mother, please, don't let him take me with them, please!"..- he said, imitating his voice as in the memory of the pensieve, and at those words the boy was speechless and the smile faded from his face. Harry continued -And I think you should remember that you had the chance to kill me and you blew it miserably. Voldemort hates incompetence, think about what excuse you will give to your master if you ever see him again - and he turned to the director telling him that he wanted to see the dog in his office, the man smiled and asked him to see him. will accompany
They were both going down the stairs towards the headmaster's office where Sirius was waiting for him. The two were silent until Harry spoke. -Do you think I should have given him what he deserved?-
-I think that a true son of James and Lily Potter would not have attacked someone who had no chance of defending themselves and I must certainly admit that the way you responded to him was ingenious. Sometimes the right words and a memory can cause much greater damage than a spell, just as they are also capable of healing wounds and giving us the courage to continue.
When Harry and Dumbledore entered the office, Sirius was waiting for them. He looks better than the last time, although his clothes were a little old and threadbare. When he saw them enter he jumped out of his seat and placed both hands on his shoulders and asked him if he was okay. Harry had to recount again and in detail everything that had happened in the cemetery, Voldemort being reborn, how he could touch him without feeling pain like when he shared a body with Quirrel and how the wands were connected.
-¿Why did that happen?-
-Because both wands have the same Phoenix core, in fact that Phoenix- he said, pointing with his finger at the bird that was resting on its perch and flew towards his knees, while the director continued, he was astonished to find out that the core of both wands were from Fawkes -When a wand meets its sister they do not work correctly, one will force the other to vomit the last spells that it performed in reverse, I imagined that Cedric appeared there, but not really him but a kind of echo or ghost that preserved his appearance and personality-
-Yes, and then an old man appeared, Bertha Jorkins... and my parents- he said in a choked voice. At that fact, Sirius squeezed his shoulder so hard that it hurt. At that moment the bird approached where he had the wound on his leg because of the labyrinth insect, he shed some tears on it causing it to close, he had been cured.
-You have shown great bravery tonight Harry, few wizards could have maintained courage and a cool mind in the face of such dangers, you have carried a great weight and you handled it incredibly, we are very proud- he said, placing his hand on the other shoulder –You have already had too many emotions tonight, we will take you to the infirmary. You can accompany him in your animal form Sirius- he said to his godfather and he took the form of the black dog and followed him to where Madame Pomfrey, Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Hermione and Daphne were waiting for him. Draco and Ginny weren't there, which seemed strange to him.
-¡Harry! ¡Oh Harry! - the woman shouted. The headmaster stopped her by telling her that Harry had been through a lot and needed to rest, they could accompany him, but without making a fuss. Mrs. Weasley stood like a sergeant in front of his friends and ordered them to be completely silent. After giving him a potion to sleep without dreaming, her eyes closed instantly and she fell into a deep sleep, where there was nothing, only the infinite void...
-¡HOW COULD HE DO THAT!? ¡YOU HAS LOST THE JUDGMENT!-
Harry began to hear voices and screams. He opened his eyes, he didn't know how much time had passed, but he already felt much better than before he fell asleep and although he still had to rest he sat up and put on his glasses, no one noticed since everyone was looking at the door. He could hear Professor McGonagall telling the principal that a dementor had entered the school. Apparently the minister had taken him as an escort, who gave the fatal kiss to Barty Crouch Jr, taking away his soul, leaving him worse than dead and furthermore in that state he would no longer be able to testify, probably not even be able to speak. Mrs. Weasley had to tell his friends to leave as the other adults were entering the infirmary.
-I don't see what all the fuss is about, he was a lunatic escaped from Azkaban who murdered innocent people because he believed he was following the Unspeakable's orders- he said calmly. They had to explain to him that everything was true, that all those deaths were part of a plan and that thanks to them Voldemort had returned and that both the Death Eater and Harry's testimony attested to this.
-¿Are you going to believe that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named came back just because a deranged person said that and a child who...? Well...- he said trying to contain himself. Harry understood that the man doubted his word because of the things Rita Skeeter had published about him, such as his headaches and the fact that he could talk to snakes. He tried to convince him by naming some of the hooded men who were there such as Lucius Malfoy, Avery, McNair and others.
–All of those men work for the Ministry, they were already accused of those charges 13 years ago and dismissed by an impartial jury. Besides, they belong to noble families who do great charitable acts ¡For Merlin Albus! This child invents increasingly fanciful stories and you believe him. This all seems crazy to me, and you're also asking me to believe him too. I came for the ceremony at the end of the Triwizard Tournament and I ended up witnessing the corpse of a student, then you tell me this nonsense and you want to create panic among the people, in addition to arresting highly renowned wizards and witches-
-It is now when we must act Cornelius. I suggest you send messengers to the Giants because he will likely try to recruit them, as well as the centaurs. Plus there's the matter of the Dementors. You must throw them out of Azkaban as soon as possible, it is a matter of time before they accept his offer, which will surely be more beneficial for their appetites, just like the werewolves, we should approach them too-
-¡That would be crazy! ¿Making deals with giants, centaurs and lycanthropes? ¡People hate them! ¿And on top of that, throw out the dementors!? It's crazy, half of us are happy that the dementors guard Azkaban. If I did that it would be the end of me, my career and... –
-¡You are blinded by the fear of losing your position! None of that will matter when the dark forces attack. If we don't act now it will be increasingly difficult to stop it. It is now when we must prepare for what is coming, act as you see fit Cornelius and I...I will also do the same-
-¿Are you planning to go against me? -He said surprised.
-My only enemy is Voldemort- he responded and the man made a gesture, backing away, repeating that it was impossible for him to return, even when Snape showed him the tattoo on his arm, telling him that it was the Dark Mark which all Death Eaters carry and that that night everyone felt it, including Karkaroff. And that was why he had fled the school since he betrayed many of his former comrades. But still the man refused to accept the truth, he left the prize of a thousand Galleons on the table and left quickly.
-Well, I guess we have to take care of it ourselves, with or without his help. Sirius, you can now take your human form- said the headmaster, and when he changed his form, Mrs. Weasley and Madam Pomfrey were scared and raised their voices when they saw a fugitive from Azkaban, but they calmed her down by telling her that he was on her side and he was innocent. Snape was the only one silent and looked at him with contempt, asking the headmaster what he was doing there.
-It is time for both to put aside your differences. I trust both of them completely and I am not asking them to become great friends, I am content with a cessation of hostilities for a time. Shake hands- he said seriously. Both adults hesitated for a while but shook hands, although they separated them almost immediately.
-¿How about a kiss of reconciliation?- Harry said without being able to contain himself, knowing that he wouldn't have another chance. Everyone laughed except Snape who looked at him the same way he looked at Sirius.
-Careful Potter, don't push your luck. Not today- he told him coldly before leaving there. The healer insisted that he should drink the rest of the sleeping potion. Meanwhile, Mrs. Weasley helped him get settled in bed and stroked his hair, comforting him by telling him that what happened with Cedric had not been his fault. She was the first person besides Sirius to give him that kind of treatment, almost as if he were her son. It was a warm and very comforting sensation. After a few seconds, his eyes closed again, while small tears came out of his eyes and fell onto the pillow.
The next day his strength had returned and his wounds healed, but it was still very difficult for him to be able to look Cedric's parents in the eyes and talk to them about their son -Cedric helped me with the second test, he didn't want me to be at a disadvantage. He also wanted to share the cup with me so we would both win and the school would too-
-He was very noble, very brave- the woman said, sobbing while her husband took off his glasses and tried to dry his eyes -Take care of yourself now- she told him, resting her hand on her shoulder. Harry wanted to give them the prize but they refused. Just as he returned to the Common Room he saw Draco and Ginny, his friend seemed a little nervous but the girl gave him a little push and left them alone.
-I'm sorry I wasn't in the infirmary. I was... busy...- he said, avoiding looking him in the eyes.
-I understand- he responded and then decided that it was better to speak bluntly -Your father was there when Voldemort returned and probably already told you what happened, or at least part of it. Maybe he didn't tell you that he stood there while I suffered the effects of the Cruciatus Curse and that two years ago he was the one who put Riddle's cursed diary in Ginny's cauldron, that day we went to Diagon Alley. Because of him Ginny and I almost died in the Chamber of Secrets- he said seriously. His friend was surprised by this information although he tried to contain his emotions, which was very difficult. Harry took a breath and continued -I just wanted you to know and also tell you that it doesn't change anything between us, I'm not going to judge you for the things your father has done, you're still my friend Draco- he said smiling and resting his hand on his. shoulder and the blonde seemed more relieved to hear that.
-¿Are you sure my father was there and that he put...?- and Harry nodded.
-¿Do you already know where you will go during the summer? It's obvious that you can't be in my house anymore. My mother sent our new elf to drop off a couple of things you had left there-
-Sirius and Dumbledore are trying to resolve that issue since I can't stay at school and I wouldn't go back to the Dursleys' house, but I'm sure they will come up with something ¿Have you seen the others? -
-There they come- and he saw Daphne, Hermione and Ron. When they were all there they went to say goodbye to Fleur and Krum who were already about to leave. The girl kissed everyone on the cheek, Draco and Ron were the most excited about it, which made the girls roll their eyes.
-It was a pleasure to meet you. We are sorry about Diggory, he was a good person and he always treated us well- the Bulgarian told him. They shook hands in a friendly manner and in the end Ron ran to ask for his autograph, Hermione and Draco smiled at his change of attitude.
-It's strange that they haven't published anything about the tournament, not even Rita Skeeter's tabloid press-
-Ahh, that's because Rita Skeeter won't be posting anything for a long, long time- Hermione said, showing him a jar with a beetle in it. She told them that the insect there was the journalist, that apparently she is an unregistered illegal animagus and that thanks to her insect form she managed to sneak into private places or other people's conversations and then publish them - I put an unbreakable enchantment on this, she must remain silent until next year as punishment. It's horrible but better than a sentence in Azkaban -she said, shrugging her shoulders. The boys were surprised at the intelligence and creativity of the punishment, Harry noticed a small smile on Draco's face but said nothing. Considering the thing with his father, his friend wouldn't have many of them.
-¿Where are Fred and George? The train will be here soon. Always are late-
-¿Maybe they're still blackmailing Ludo Bagman- said Ginny and everyone looked at her in surprise -I overheard them talking about sending him a threatening letter and other enchanted objects to give him a hard time. I told them that if they didn't tell me who they were talking about I would accuse them of our mother, obviously they had no choice but to tell me. Apparently they bet their savings in your favor in the first test, Harry, and they won a lot since at first almost everyone thought that you would be the least successful because you were the youngest and they bet on the other three. The problem is that he paid them with Leprechaun gold that he had taken from who knows where, which disappears after a few hours-
-Maybe it was a mistake. Did they go to complain to him?
-Yes, and apparently they are not the only ones he owes money to, many others lent him money that he never returned. Recently some goblins grabbed him and took everything he had from him and it still wasn't enough, so he bet the third test that you would win-
-That's why he always wanted to help me. Well I imagine that now they got the money back from him- but both the girl and Malfoy shook their heads. The blonde explained that goblins are quite tricky with business and if you make a deal or a bet you must be very specific and read even the smallest print or you will lose.
-So now he's on the run and penniless and they lost their money. Oh look, here they come- said Ginny, motioning with her chin. Harry went to look for them in his carriage and gave them the tournament prize money. He had to insist and tell them that if they didn't accept it he would flush it down the toilet and that he hoped to see a lot of magic joke items, something that would make next year more fun.
-Give us a few months and you will see high quality material, like never before-
WEEKS LATER
Harry was finishing filling some garbage bags with Doxy excrement, a magical creature usually found in abandoned places. It was noticeable that no one had occupied that place in years but the good thing was that he already had practice doing chores during his time living with the Dursleys. Since he couldn't return to his old house and the school was closed for vacation, he moved with his godfather to the Blacks' old house,
Dumbledore had cast the Fidelio Charm on him, which meant that only trusted people could locate and enter if the guardian, that is, he, gave them the location. Sirius did not feel comfortable there since he did not have good memories of that place and being a fugitive from the law he could not go out often to help the other allies of good and had to stay there. The first few days all they did was take out old things that were no longer useful and cast cleansing charms all over the place. While Harry helped with basic chores, the adults reinforced security and renewed the protections of each room and window. While they worked Sirius told him the story of the place where he had grown up. Apparently he hated being there because of the bad memories, he hated his parents with their "pureblood" mania and their belief in feeling superior to others. When he was more or less his age she ran away and went to live at the Potter house for a while and when he came of age his uncle sent him a large amount of money with which he became independent. .
-My mother never forgave her, surely he must be on the list of names burned from the family tree along with my cousin Andromeda who married a Muggle. Anyone who did anything decent or progressive was disowned-
At that moment they began to hear a woman's screams -Someone must have removed my mother's portrait, again...- he said sighing.
-I'll go- and when he got to where there was a painting of a woman who was cursing non-stop.
-¡SCAINS! ¡THIEVES! ¿How dare they invade my property and dirty it with her unworthy presence?
-This house was already dirty when we came-
-¿Are you Harry Potter? Yes, it's obvious. You are the spitting image of your father, I still remember the day he came here. It was only once luckily, that boy never showed pride for his legacy, he preferred the company of beasts and mudbloods...-
-Don't use that word in front of me- he told her coldly.
-It's my house kid, I can do whatever I want-
-It WAS your house, now you are in a box feeding larvae and your ancestral home is now the refuge of Muggles, werewolves and blood traitors- Harry replied before covering her face with the curtains. After eating they continued with the cleaning and throwing away worthless objects such as a cigar box that bit anyone who tried to open it except its owner, a first class Order of Merlin named after Sirius's grandfather, awarded for services rendered to the Ministry.
-It means that he gave a lot of gold to politicians for their campaigns and bribes- his godfather told him. And he just caught the house elf named Kreacher, smuggling a gold ring from Sirius's father. "Give me that!" He said, taking it off while the elf cursed and cried.
-Nice ring-
-A useless junk, I was never one for the ostentation and swagger of the upper class-
-You preferred to cause problems with my father,-he said while adjusting his messy hair that had a little soot on it. Sirius smiled.
-I've lost count of the number of times James ran his hands through his hair like you just did-
Harry liked to hear things about the time when his parents were young and carefree. He found some bottles of liquor and other empty jars and there he remembered that there was something he wanted to ask his godfather but he had not had the opportunity until that moment -Sirius, there is something I want to know-
-¿Yeah?-
-Why does Professor Snape hate you?- and the adult looked at him in surprise as Harry continued -He always shows favoritism towards the Slytherins, except for me. For some reason he shows rejection or aversion towards me, but I feel it has to do with my father, since everyone says that I am just like him. And I also know that the marauders had problems with him when they went to school-
The man gave a long sigh -It's a long story, we were idiots and immature. Remus not so much, he was the one who made us take things seriously the most. We played pranks on everyone, not just the Slytherins if that's what you think, you don't know how many times they took points off us for making trouble in the Griffindor common room or interrupting McGonagall's class, but we made up for it by getting good grades in the exams. and James always won the Quidditch matches. I would say that Snape was envious of him, your father was intelligent and popular, especially with girls. While he was a weirdo who was fascinated with the dark arts, many of his classmates ended up being Death Eaters.
-¿Like Draco's father?-
-Yes...and also my brother-
-¿Really? ¿Is your brother one of them?
-It was, he died years ago-
-¿The aurors?-
-No, Voldemort killed him, or probably sent someone to do it. I doubt Regulus was important enough to get his hands dirty himself. From what I know at some point he tried to leave them and as you can imagine he didn't like it. It's a lifetime of service or death-
-I'm sorry. Maybe he realized he was wrong and wanted to make amends.
-That doesn't matter, anyway, we're done here. Better rest a little-
That same night he went to bed exhausted from all the work they had done. Although he preferred to continue doing it since he did not want to sleep due to the dreams he had lately, sometimes he saw Cedric being killed by Wormtail, other times he saw a hallway where at the end there was a closed door that he could not access. He always woke up with a strong pain in his scar. That morning he got up early and after a quick breakfast he went to continue cleaning, although there wasn't much left since together they had managed to leave the place habitable and safe. Although they couldn't eliminate the horrible family tree of the Black family and the picture of Sirius's mother who every so often screamed like Mrs. Weasley when she got angry.
-¡THIEVES! ¿In addition to usurping, my home, do you throw away great treasures and heirlooms of the Black family as if it were garbage?
-Keep your voice down, it's still early- Harry said, approaching while he finished eating a cookie.
-You are an insolent child with no manners. How dare you...?-And the woman stopped when she saw her clothing, which was a simple home clothes. The top part had a drawing of a snake and matched the colors of the bottom part -¿Which house do you belong to, child?
-¿Isn't it obvious?" She responded, making a face and touching her clothes.
-You could be more of a gentleman when talking to a lady-
-Says the person who screams like a hippogriff while some are trying to have a peaceful breakfast before starting the long day- he said, pointing with his thumb towards the other room where some members of the Order were, along with Sirius eating something -Its no very polite to interrupt them-
-¿A Potter in Slytherin? That is not a common thing, I hope you live up to your name and your house and do not make the mistakes of your parents-
Harry began to lose patience -My best friend is from Griffindor and is a Muggle-born, I am friends with the ranger who is a half-giant, and I treat elves and other "inferior" creatures with the respect they deserve. I don't care about someone's status or whether they are "pure or impure" beings but rather their personality. My parents were the same and I am proud of them. And as for my house... -and he smiled -I get the best grades, I'm a great Quidditch seeker and I competed with students two years older than me in the Triwizard Tournament- he finished. He actually won, but he wasn't proud of it. Cedric should have been named the winner, even if he was dead, the remaining judges should have announced that Cedric Diggory had won. A victory that the Hufflepuff house had not received in centuries, and his rival was a good boy who deserved it, since he had helped him with the second task.
-Awesome. Although I still wonder if the sorting hat was right to send you there. You give the impression that you don't fit in there-
-The hat sent me to Slytherin because I asked him to, he told me that he could have sent me to any other one if he had asked him, but I preferred this one because I feel that the Griffindors are too strict with the rules. I prefer to do things my way, that's something the founder of my house would appreciate-
-If you say so...-
uddenly Harry's scar began to burn, he felt a lot of pain and also an inexplicable rage and that was when he couldn't contain himself and let out a hiss -I'm not just any Slytherin student, I'm the best of all! ¡Shut your damn mouth and leave those of us who are STILL alive alone!- He told her in Parseltongue. Even though he knew that the woman couldn't understand him, he felt that she needed to vent.
The woman couldn't believe what had just happened -You...you...-
-Yes... Now lower her voice, if she stops screaming like a mad dog all the time there is no reason why we should cover her with the curtains- he said, closing his eyes and running his fingers over his forehead. When the pain passed he was waiting for the woman to scream again but she simply stayed silent - Good. We understand each other. Good morning, she told him.
The woman in the portrait remained silent until she was alone and she muttered to herself -Interesting...-
End of the 4th year of Harry. I hope you enjoyed