The Summoning
"What the hell are we going to do?" Tonks questioned.
Harry took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across the gathered Aurors and members of the Order. All of them, including him, were out of their depths. The righteous fear emanating from them was understandable.
Only a fool would throw themselves willingly into such a predicament.
He chuckled humourlessly as he retrieved his Firebolt from within his robes.
"You can't be serious?" Cedric snorted.
"No, I'm Harry," he replied dryly.
Cedric took hold of his arm and shook his head.
"It's suicide."
"Maybe," Harry agreed.
"I'm in," Cedric declared with a grin as he removed his own broom.
Harry quirked an eyebrow at his former Quidditch rival.
"You're both insane," Tonks chastised.
"What the hell are you two thinking?" Mrs Weasley asked.
Harry shrugged.
He had one idea and there was certainly no guarantee it would come to fruition. He would be relying a lot on something he'd yet to explore.
"It's probably best to get a message to Dumbledore," he urged. "The rest of you get transfiguring whatever you can into projectiles. Magic will be useless against them. Aim for the knees and eyes if you can."
"We don't have our brooms," one of the Weasley twins said a little disappointedly.
"Help the others," Harry instructed. "If you have anything that can be used as a distraction, it would be appreciated."
"I think we can manage that, don't you, Fred?"
"That we can, George. That we can."
Harry nodded gratefully as he turned to Cedric.
"Ready?"
Cedric eyed the rampaging giants.
"No," he snorted. "Let's go."
"No!" Tonks said sharply. "Diggory, I forbid you from going."
Cedric offered her a mischievous smirk.
"We're not on duty, Tonks," he pointed out as he mounted his broom and kicked off from the ground.
"Send for Dumbledore," Harry repeated, following Cedric, the chastisement of the metamorph ringing in his ear as he soared above the giants, contemplating just how to approach this problem.
With his grip tightening around his wand, he dived, aware of Cedric doing the very same a short distance away. The man was right. This was likely a suicidal endeavour, but given the circumstances, it would take a mixture of boldness and cleverness to triumph this evening.
And luck.
Harry could not forget about the element of luck he was relying on.
(Break)
The attack had been quelled quickly, though the damage had already been done by the time the Death Eaters had fled shortly after the Order and Aurors arrived.
They'd laid waste to several buildings, and the screams of the muggles trapped within could be heard. Frantically, the two groups came together to begin rescuing them, and Albus sent a patronus to Sirius to send additional help.
What Tom hoped to achieve here, he didn't know, but if it was simply to cause mass chaos and death, he'd succeeded.
Albus had never gotten used to the horrors of war: the whimpering of the wounded, the broken bodies strewn haphazardly, and the smell of blood and other bodily fluids that permeated the air.
"The Magical Catastrophes Squad is here," Elphias Doge informed him.
Albus nodded.
Now, it would be up to the Ministry to clean up the mess, though he expected that most others would remain to assist them as he would.
"What of the Healers?"
"They're on their way," Elphias assured him. "They'll see them right, Albus."
The headmaster surveyed the scene, longing for the days to come when such things no longer happened. The world had much ugliness, and he'd grown tired of it throughout the duration of his life.
First, it had been Gellert and his ambitions, and then Tom had followed shortly after. Who would be next?
There would always be another. History had such a way of repeating itself in such unnecessary ways.
Why was peace little more than a fever dream?
Albus wished he could believe otherwise, but his own experiences would not allow him to, despite the slither of hope he clung to that he could leave the world better than the one he'd been born into.
From what he saw around him, that hope was foolish.
He was pulled from his musings as a dozen or so Healers rushed into the street and began administering the urgent care the injured muggles required. The dead were already being removed, and the debris cleared.
In a matter of an hour or so, it would appear that no violent altercation had taken place at all.
Until the next one inevitably occurred.
Albus frowned as a sudden burst of light clouded his vision and once more, he felt his heart sink as the Jack Rabbit spoke to him.
'Albus, there are giants here, along with werewolves and those Death Eater things. Harry is here, but we need you. He's on his bloody broom with Diggory!'
This was not a welcome development, and with little time to waste, Albus reached upwards, urging Fawkes to take him to Truro, where it appeared those there were somehow having a much worse experience than here.
"MINERVA?" he called. "WE ARE NEEDED IN TRURO!"
The woman nodded and Fawkes arrived quickly to transport the headmaster, though he was not prepared for what awaited him.
As he arrived, his thoughts were confirmed, and he sent another urgent message to Sirius as he took in his surroundings.
Here, the members of the Order and the Aurors were intermingled with some transfiguring nearby debris whilst the other banished the projectiles towards the giants.
It was an ingenious technique against the creatures that were highly resistant to magic.
"PROFESSOR!"
Albus hurried to where Nymphadora had situated herself. Her robes were torn in several places, and she was sporting a few minor wounds.
"Where is Harry?"
"Up there," the woman answered, pointing towards the night sky.
Albus could not see the young man but could not miss the flashes of spellfire being aimed at the giant's faces.
It was a risky approach, but Harry and Cedric were succeeding in providing an effective distraction. Whilst the giants were occupied with them, they were not simply destroying everything in sight.
"What do we do?"
"You are already doing what is best," Albus murmured, his gaze still fixed on the aerial antics of Harry and Cedric Diggory. "The others are coming, and I have sent a message to Sirius to send reinforcements. For now, we have to hold them off."
"What about Harry and Cedric?"
Albus released a deep breath.
He did not like that they were taking such a risk, but he could not deny that their efforts were invaluable.
"There is nothing we can do for them," he sighed. "We must simply hope they prove themselves to be as worthy fliers as I believe them to be."
(Break)
It was a rather perilous undertaking being in the air amongst the giants. They certainly did not take kindly to what they likely deemed to be buzzards flying around their heads, firing spells towards one of the few vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
The behemoths were faster than Harry had anticipated, and though not known for their intelligence, they knew how to defend themselves well enough. Already, he'd almost been swatted from the sky three times, barely avoiding the flailing limbs.
What Harry did ascertain quickly was that their approach was not working. It served to distract and annoy the giants, but zooming past them at more than one hundred miles an hour made it all but impossible to be accurate enough with their spell work.
No, he and Cedric would need to adopt a different approach if they were to have any lasting impact on their progress.
He gestured for the man to join him, and the two met in mid-air, a safe distance from where the giants could reach them.
"It's no good, Harry," Cedric panted. "I can't get my aim off and we'll be splattered if we slow down."
Harry nodded his agreement.
"Their legs," he suggested. "If we fly around their legs, we may be able to tie enough rope around to bring them down."
"Do you think it will work?"
Harry shrugged.
"It's worth a try."
"It is," Cedric murmured as he eyed the giants. "Which one first?"
"How about the ugly one?"
"They're all ugly," Cedric snorted. "The one with the scar across his chest."
"That works for me," Harry agreed. "Let's fly around it in opposite directions. I take the ankles, and you take the knees."
"You didn't strike me as an ankle man, Potter," Cedric chuckled, offering Harry a wave as he took off on his broom.
"Git," Harry muttered as he followed, heading towards the giant they had decided to target first.
As viable as their approach appeared to be, putting it into practice was another matter entirely. No matter how thick the ropes were that either of them managed to conjure, they simply would not take hold as intended, or the giant broke them by simply taking a step.
Harry had expected the creatures to be formidable, but it seemed that they could not be stopped no matter what was attempted.
Once more, he gestured for Cedric to join him.
"It's not working," the man huffed.
"I know," Harry observed as he wracked his brains for another approach.
"Dumbledore's here."
He looked towards where the headmaster was directing the attack against the giants from the ground and nodded, an idea forming that was more than a little foolish.
"I've got something," he sighed. "Can you act as a distraction?"
"What are you thinking, Harry?"
"Not anything good," he grumbled. "Can you do it?"
Cedric frowned and looked at him speculatively before nodding.
"Is this the part where you do something monumentally stupid?"
A smirk tugged at Harry's lips. He could see no humour in the situation, but he found it somewhat amusing that his proclivity towards finding himself in such situations is what he was becoming known.
It was not that he could be irked by Cedric jumping to that very conclusion here. Given his past, it was understandable.
"It is," he confirmed.
With Dumbledore and the others barely managing to keep the giants at bay, something drastic had to be done.
"Alright," Cedric agreed. "I'll do what I can."
"Thanks," Harry offered gratefully as he once again barrelled towards the giants, looping around them as he chose his target.
He decided on a particularly vicious male who was swinging a telephone pole he'd torn from the ground, using it as a makeshift club as he attempted to bludgeon the members of the Order and Aurors below.
Releasing a deep breath, Harry hurtled forward. Relying on the instincts and ability he'd been honing for almost six years now, he landed on the giant's shoulder, seizing a handful of its hair to steady himself.
He shook his head.
Of all the stupid things he'd done, this was close to the top of the list.
At first, the giant didn't notice him and continued swinging its makeshift club until it bellowed as Harry drove the Sword of Gryffindor into the back of its neck.
It began thrashing wildly, swiping at Harry in a bid to remove him from where he was perched.
As he had during his first year when he'd jumped on the troll's back, Harry clung on for dear life.
"Having fun?"
"Do I look like I'm bloody well having fun?" Harry returned to the smirking Cedric, his heart sinking as he caught sight of the enormous hand that was swung towards the man.
"MOVE!"
His warning came too late, and Cedric was sent hurling through the air, his body limp. Someone below screamed fearfully, but Harry wasted no time looking to see who it was.
"Mallory!"
The Thestral burst from within him, her wings flapping frantically as she raced to catch up.
Harry was not granted the reprieve to see if she was successful as the giant continued to thrash, and he needed to focus on not facing a similar fate to Cedric.
Keeping hold of the pommel of the sword that was buried in the giant's neck, he removed the blade with a sharp tug, eliciting another roar from his foe. Unable to steady his footing enough to stab it again, Harry began hacking, cursing with every blow he landed as he did his utmost to fall the volatile, dangerous creature.
(Break)
Slowly but surely the damage caused by their attacks began to accumulate. It was no easy feat to fend off one giant, let alone as many as the group that was here.
Much to Albus's relief, the reinforcements had arrived quickly and set to work, transfiguring and banishing a myriad of objects towards the giants. Although much of the damage was minor, t was beginning to wear the colony down, and Albus hoped that soon enough, they would abandon their efforts in favour of retreating.
It was a scream that pulled him from his thoughts, and his gaze drifted to where Nymphadora was staring.
Evidently, he'd missed something of note, but spotted Harry's Thestral barrelling through the air in pursuit of something else.
"What is it, Nymphadora?"
"It got Cedric," the woman whispered in a state of shock.
"Oh dear," Albus murmured, shooting a glance towards Amos Digory who had not noticed what had happened.
"I need to find him!"
Albus placed a hand on the metamorph's shoulder to prevent her moving within range of the giants and pointed towards the sky.
"There is no need," he assured her.
Harry's Thestral had already retrieved the man and was flying towards them. Even from such a distance, Albus could see Cedric was unconscious. Nymphadora was the first to reach him as the Thestral landed and she checked him carefully.
"He's alive, but he needs a Healer, now!"
Albus nodded.
"Fawkes, take Mr Diggory to Poppy immediately!"
With a trill, the phoenix complied and Albus found himself distracted by a sudden roar of agony. He turned to find one of the giants gesticulating, turning on the spot as it reached behind its own head.
"Dear lord, is that Harry up there?" Arthur questioned worriedly.
It was, and Albus could only look on as he swung a blade again and again at the giants neck until a gout of blood erupted from the wound he'd opened. Even so, Harry continued until the giant began swaying and tripped over its own feet and crashed to the ground, it's partially severed head flopping from side to side nauseatingly.
"Goodness me," Albus murmured, shuddering from a sudden influx of cold magic.
At first, he thought it was radiating from Harry, but a large shadow blocked out the light of the full moon, darkening the streets.
"It's the Dementors," Tonks whispered worriedly, trembling from the sheer presence of so many of the creatures.
The giants were affected too, and they roared in protest.
"This is the last thing we need," Arthur groaned through trembling lips. "We can't hope to…"
He broke off as the Dementors began swarming the giants in droves, both angering and frightening the creatures in equal measures. Albus had never heard one whimper fearfully, nor sprint away from a foe when all seemed to be in their favour.
Amongst the marauding guards of Azkaban stood Harry Potter, atop the giant he'd slain with his wand raised as he directed the Dementors towards the fleeing giants.
It was quite the sight to behold, and such sentiment was not lost on any of the members of the Order of the Phoenix, nor the Aurors in attendance.
Again, when all had seemed so bleak, Harry had come through when he was needed most, and now with no enemies to face, the clean-up could begin, though Albus could not help but think this would be one of many such battles ahead of them.
"Unbelievable," he whispered as he watched the Dementors return and form around Harry, offering him a bow of deference before they took to the sky once more.
The cold left with them, and the young man approached, ignoring the questioning looks aimed his way.
"Cedric?" he asked.
Harry had sustained only minimal injuries, a miracle in itself, and he was certainly not going to explain what had just occurred to any who were hoping for it.
"He is alive," Albus assured him, "but in a bad way. He is already with Poppy at Hogwarts."
Harry nodded and surveyed the demolished streets around them.
"I'll help clear up before I go to him. Go on, Tonks. He's your partner."
The woman nodded gratefully before apparating away, and Albus once again sent a message to Sirius as those already here set about the thankless task.
"CEDRIC? Albus, where is my boy?"
(Break)
He felt as though he was being crushed beneath a great weight. It tore the air from his lungs and he found he couldn't draw breath. Sometimes, he could hear muffled voices in the void or smell something unpleasant, but mostly, he was alone here with his pain.
Over time, days, weeks, perhaps even months, it slowly ebbed away and he would catch brief flashes of something bright above him before the darkness would fall once more.
Even when most of the pain had subsided, he remained here, doing his utmost to remember just how he'd come to be. His own name escaped him, and it almost drove him mad trying to remember it.
The voices he'd heard were familiar to him, but he couldn't remember to whom they belonged. They were just like everything else in this miserable hole. He knew them, of that he was certain, but the faces eluded him.
Still, they came along with the flashes of light more frequently, and the unpleasant aromas made his nose wrinkle in disgust.
"Cedric?"
"He's still sleeping."
"I saw his hand twitch!"
"He's not ready yet."
He wanted to protest, but he could not even raise his own arms nor find his tongue.
"How is he?"
"Nothing has changed."
The second was a woman's voice, her tone much more feminine than the first.
"He'll wake up."
"What if he doesn't?"
"He will."
Now, he wanted to scream, to proclaim that he could hear them, but still, he could not find his own voice amongst the others who spoke.
"How much longer?"
Soon," the male voice assured the female.
He shuddered at the wave of sudden coldness that washed over him, but instead of shying away, he clung to it as though it was a lifeline.
"Very soon," the male added.
He couldn't be certain how much time passed, but he felt that same coldness again, and instead of needing to cling to it, it took hold of him, and he felt himself being guided out of his personal hell.
"I can feel him."
"He's waking up?"
"He is," the male voice confirmed.
His lungs ached in protest as he took a deep breath, and the bright lights burned his eyes. Everything was tender, all the way to the marrow of his bones. He was glad to be awake, but he wished he was not in so much pain.
"Where am I?"
"St Mungo's."
Cedric frowned confusedly as he attempted to piece together what had led to him being here.
"The giants," he whispered. "I was flying, and then…"
He broke off as he remembered the brief but excruciating agony he'd endured before he'd lost consciousness.
"You're damned lucky."
Cedric snorted, wincing at the discomfort that spread throughout his chest.
"There were more broken bones than whole ones. The damage to your organs was worse, but they patched you up. It's going to take a while before you're back to feeling yourself."
Cedric nodded.
"How long have I been here?"
"A little over a week. I've come to check on you every day, and Tonks only leaves when she has to work. She'll be pissed she wasn't here for this. Is there something going on between you?"
"What, no, I don't think so," Cedric answered.
He could feel the smirk of the young man.
"I was just curious. I think she likes you, and now you're not with Cho…"
"How do you know that?"
"I sent for her," Harry sighed. "I didn't know."
Cedric nodded his understanding.
"My parents?"
"Left an hour ago. I've already sent a message to them."
"Thanks, Harry."
"You should thank Mallory. If it wasn't for her, they wouldn't have been able to fix you. She caught you before you hit the ground."
"Mallory?"
"My Thestral."
Cedric frowned as he yawned deeply.
He vaguely remembered being caught after the giant had struck him, but most other things were a blur.
"I don't remember much," he sighed.
"That's probably for the best. It didn't look good."
"What about the giants?"
"We managed to send them away," Harry replied tiredly. "They will be dealt with soon enough. I tried to encourage them not to join in, but that hasn't worked."
Cedric nodded, wincing at the discomfort in his neck.
"It was a stupid idea, wasn't it?"
"It was," Harry agreed. "You did well, mate."
Cedric smiled as he felt his hand being squeezed.
"I only did what you would do."
"That's not exactly a ringing endorsement, and I'd rather you didn't say that to anyone else," Harry chuckled.
Cedric's own laughter only caused another wave of pain to wash over him.
"Am I in one piece?"
"Yes," Harry answered. "You're no uglier than you were before."
"That's a relief. I could have ended up looking like you."
He yawned again, the fatigue he felt making it difficult for him to keep his eyes open. It was a relief that it seemed he would indeed make a full recovery, but things could have gone so differently.
"Sleep," Harry urged. "I'll wait for your parents and tell them to cancel the funeral."
Cedric didn't need telling twice, and he allowed himself to be consumed by the prevailing darkness once more, though this time, he wasn't drowning, and when he heard the familiar voices, he recognised each of them.
It was those voices that woke him once more. This time, however, the hospital room was lit dimly, and night had fallen. It was much easier on his eyes, and when he opened them, they no longer burned.
"Ced!" his father choked.
"I'm alright, Dad."
The man nodded at him, fighting the urge to pull his son into a tight embrace.
"Does it hurt, Son?"
"Not so much anymore," Cedric assured him. "I'm still here."
"You almost weren't."
Cedric released a deep breath.
"I know."
They fell silent for a moment and Cedric knew that what he and Harry had done was, as he described himself, 'monumentally stupid'. Nonetheless, he did not regret the decision he'd made in the moment, despite being where he was now.
"I'm proud of you, son. We both are."
Cedric smiled.
That was all the validation he needed that he'd done the right thing. It had ended badly for him, but ultimately, the attack had been repelled and that was what mattered the most.
"I'd rather you didn't repeat it," his mother added.
"I won't if it can be avoided," Cedric snorted. "What happened after…well, you know?"
His father released a deep sigh.
"Harry," he said simply. "The boy all but decapitated one of them with a sword of all things, and then, the Dementors came."
"Dementors?"
"They chased the giants off," his father explained. "He hasn't confirmed it, but it looked as though Harry summoned them. They listened to him, Ced."
"That's not really a surprise," Cedric murmured. "When they were at Hogwarts during my sixth year, they were scared of him. I don't know what that means, but so long as they're not on Voldemort's side, I suppose it is a good thing."
"It is," his father agreed. "I won't profess to know the boy well, but everything I've seen speaks of someone who wants better for our world."
"He does," Cedric returned confidently. "No one really knows him, but I've spent enough time with Harry. He'll defeat Voldemort."
"And then he will likely be the most influential person in the country," his father mused aloud. "If he isn't already. The world knows what he did to that giant, amongst everything else he has done. He's going to leave quite the legacy behind."
Cedric nodded.
"Do you think he'll want to be Minister of Magic? I expect he'd get just about every vote on the Wizengamot one day."
Cedric shrugged.
"I don't know," he said tiredly. "That's up to him."
His father nodded.
"You're tired. You should rest more."
"I will," Cedric answered, falling asleep the moment his eyes closed.
He was atop his broom again, darting in between large figures who were swinging their arms at him. His breathing became laboured from the effort of avoiding the blows.
It was no good.
The arms came faster and seemed to only increase in number. Eventually, there was barely a gap for him to slip through, and something collided with him, sending Cedric spiralling towards the ground.
He woke with a gasp, a cold sweat across his brow.
The hospital room was still darker and it took him a moment to control his breathing.
"Are you okay?"
Cedric nodded, becoming aware that someone was holding his hand.
"You were having a bad dream."
"You're telling me," Cedric groaned, turning towards the woman. "Is this the part where you tell me I was an idiot?"
"Do I need to?"
"It might make me think twice about doing it again," he answered with a grin.
Tonks shook her head at him exasperatedly.
"You're such a prat, Diggory, but I'm glad you're okay."
"Could be worse," Cedric returned.
"Oh, you've not seen anything yet," Tonks grumbled. "If you ever scare me like that again, being here will be the least of your worries."
"I think after facing giants, you're not so scary anymore."
Tonks hummed; her eyes alight in amusement.
"We'll see about that."
(Break)
"I am pleased to hear he is awake, at last. I will make a point to visit him tomorrow," Dumbledore declared with a smile. "Now, to the reason I asked you here, Harry. You have completed your NEWTs, and I am assured that Madam Marchbanks has been most impressed."
"I haven't received my results yet," Harry pointed out.
The exams had been sprung on him rather suddenly. Madam Marchbanks had arrived with the other examiners and had cornered him, insisting he take the last of his NEWTs.
Seeing no reason to delay them, Harry had done so.
"I do not think we need to be concerned about your results. Griselda would not have allowed you to sit them if she had any doubts," Dumbledore replied, "though I expect Wilkie Twycross has caught up with you."
"He wrote to me," Harry explained. "He asked why I didn't attend the apparating lessons. I told him I didn't need to, and he's booked me in for my licence over the summer. I still can't take the test until I'm seventeen."
Dumbledore chuckled.
"There are some rules that cannot be navigated, but back to what happens next. Do you intend to return next year?"
Harry shook his head.
"Without any classes to attend, there's no reason to."
The room on the seventh floor was un invaluable tool, and he would need to return to spend time with the basilisk. Harry already knew he could not convince her to leave. Hogwarts had been her home for close to a thousand years, and he would not see her uprooted.
"Well, I'm certain Severus would appreciate if you retained your current teaching responsibilities, and your Defence Club is proving to be most beneficial. What I am saying, Harry, is that you are most welcome here. Even if you choose to reside away from the castle."
Harry nodded thoughtfully.
"So, you would like me to teach and run the Defence Club?"
"Indeed."
"And I can leave the castle as I wish?"
"Don't you already?" Dumbledore returned, his eyes sparkling merrily. "It just means that you are not required to board here any longer. Your education, officially, is at an end."
Harry pondered the offer.
His teaching was only a matter of six hours a week, as was the Defence Club. It was not an imposition on him, and he had worked both into his schedule well enough, along with the classes he was attending.
In essence, he'd retain his access to the castle and have additional free time without his NEWT classes.
"I'll do it," he agreed.
"Excellent!" Dumbledore proclaimed happily. "That leaves only one other thing. You will be turning seventeen shortly. Do you intend to take up your seat on the Wizengamot?"
Harry nodded.
"I will," he sighed.
Despite the memories of his ancestors, he still felt wholly unprepared to delve into the world of politics. In truth, it was not something he'd put much focus into, but coming of age in a matter of weeks, he knew he should.
"Then I expect this will be of use to you," Dumbledore said with a smile, offering Harry a large tome that was resting next to him. "It is a most excellent work on politics and one I found invaluable. You have my apologies; it is rather heavily annotated throughout, highlighting what I found to be most poignant."
"Thank you," Harry replied gratefully.
He could use all the help he could get, and he wasn't concerned that the headmaster would try to use him for any influential gain.
"The water of politics is often murky, Harry, but I have always stood on the principle of standing for what I believe in. I would urge you to do the same, even if those you consider your friends are not of the same opinion on a matter. I am sure your own career will be most successful."
Harry nodded as he stood, shrinking the book and placing it within his robes.
"That remains to be seen," he snorted before taking his leave of the office.
It had been a rather turbulent ten days since the attack in Truro.
Having investigated just how the giants had been able to function in such a vicious manner, he'd been puzzled. The water source they drank from remained poisoned, but Harry had not considered that the creatures would develop an immunity to the aconite.
A mistake on his part that would not be repeated.
They had returned to their camp, and already, Harry was taking measures to ensure they would be unable to carry out further attacks. The traps he'd laid should they attempt to leave would not merely leave them feeling under the weather.
No, his approach was much more deadly now.
He'd thought that the sickness would discourage the giants from participating, but he'd been wrong.
They had done so with such violence and willingness that drastic action needed to be taken.
Soon enough, it was likely they would indeed leave Britain, or their remains would simply fertilise the ground where they fell.
Neither option was more preferable than the other to Harry, not after he'd seen what they were capable of for himself.
"Hello, Potter."
"Bloody hell, you scared the crap out of me, Greengrass," Harry gasped. "What are you doing sneaking around?"
Daphne smirked at him.
"I learnt from the best," she replied.
"Funny," Harry snorted. "Is there a reason you were waiting for me?"
"Maybe," Daphne replied, her smugness fading. "I suppose since you've finished your NEWTs, you won't be coming back next year."
"Would you notice?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, you've been off with me all year," Harry pointed out.
Daphne opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself from doing so.
"It's stupid," she huffed. "And I'm sorry. I don't want us to part on bad terms."
"Did I do something?"
Daphne shook her head.
"No, you didn't do anything wrong, Harry. I just…"
"You just?"
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"I saw the article in the French newspaper. The one with you and the Veela girl."
Harry frowned confusedly before he remembered what she was referring to and burst out laughing.
"Gabrielle," he said amusedly. "What about it?"
"Well, she's your girlfriend, isn't she? That's what it looked like."
"And when has any newspaper been a reliable source for the truth?" Harry asked. "Gabrielle is still unwell from what happened to her in the lake. She was having a funny turn and I was helping her. That's all."
"Oh," Daphne replied embarrassedly. "I didn't know."
"Is that why you were off with me?"
"Kind of."
Harry quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Fine, I was a little annoyed with you," she admitted. "You were quite flirty with me and then I saw that. I thought you were either messing her around or making fun of me."
Harry could only shake his head in response.
"So, you just didn't ask me?"
"How was I supposed to just ask you?" Daphne returned. "It would have made me look pathetic."
"No, it wouldn't have," Harry sighed. "It would have been better than you being an arse to me all year."
"I deserve that," Daphne murmured, "and I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Harry said dismissively.
Daphne offered him a weak smile.
"I suppose this is it then?"
"No, I'll be back in September," Harry informed her. "Dumbledore has asked me to continue with my teaching and running the Defence Club."
Daphne nodded and smiled a little brighter this time.
"Can we continue with our lessons?"
"If you don't act like you've got a broom shoved up your arse, I'll think about it."
"Maybe I'll have t think about it, Potter," she replied airily. "I have been meaning to ask you; do you know what happened to Nott? It's like he's just vanished?"
"I have no idea," Harry replied with a frown. "Maybe he decided to leave Hogwarts after what happened to Malfoy. Sirius hasn't said anything about him being wanted by the Ministry."
Daphne eyed him speculatively before nodding.
"If you say so, Potter," she said suspiciously. "So, I'll see you in September?"
"No summer training?"
"I didn't know that was on offer."
"I'll write to you."
With a final smile, Daphne made her way back towards the staircase she'd emerged from and paused. Turning back to look at him once more she shook her head.
"Maybe I was a little jealous when I saw that article," she admitted before continuing on her way.
Harry said nothing.
He liked Daphne. She was a beautiful girl, witty, and intelligent, but equally as stubborn, and very much the epitome of a pureblood witch, for the most part. There was a fun side to her too, and in truth, Harry hadn't gotten to see much of that this year with how she'd been towards him.
Shaking his head of the typically teenage problem, he made his way towards the Chamber of Secrets.
The basilisk needed to be fed before he left for the summer, and he was never short of things that required his attention whilst away from the castle.
Tonight, however, he was going to visit Sirius.
It wasn't often enough the two of them were able to meet, and with the school year coming to an end, he had no homework nor anything else to occupy.
As things stood, he could think of no better way to spend what little free time he had.