I certainly have no rights to Harry Potter, but this won't stop me writing this story. However, you probably already know this. As it is my specialty, and as in my other big stories, this shows how things go if something went different right at the beginning. Please note that I'm not a fan of bashing and also don't expect the two main pairings to differ from canon. However, the path to them certainly will be quite different. I also want to try and subvert certain plots and things that became common in the fandom over the years.
For now, the story will update every second Saturday, until I say otherwise.
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Chapter 48: Darkening Clouds
Normally, those who knew better didn't give much on the Daily Prophet as a reliable news source. They only still read it in order to read between the lines and get a laugh at how bad their style of 'journalism' really was. However, this morning the headlines were not at all about the tournament itself, but instead about someone connected to it, or better, no longer connected to it.
LUDO BAGMAN ARRESTED!
Yesterday the Ministry of Magic was shaken, when Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, was arrested and subsequently removed from his position. Besides rumors of incompetence, what led to his arrest was said to have been massive fraud during the finale of the Quidditch World Cup, misusing his position in the Ministry for said fraud.
No official comment has been made yet by the Ministry, but it is most certain that many people will want to know how this situation will continue...
"Interesting, they've written nothing about him trying to rig the tournament, nor why he wanted to do so," Neville said while putting down the newspaper.
"Of course they didn't," Hermione said with a dose of cynicism. "After all, they have to deflect harm from the tournament that is meant to make the Ministry look good. Though it's easy to imagine why he tried to rig it."
"In the end money is most often the root cause of such behavior," Luna agreed while trying to solve a crossword puzzle in her edition of the newspaper. At least that was a good part of the Daily Prophet.
"Take a look at Moody. He looks like Christmas and Easter have fallen onto the same day," Harry commented.
It was easy to see that Alastor Moody had somehow been involved in the fall of Ludo Bagman. While it could hardly be called a smile, Moody still showed an expression of deep satisfaction when observing the students read about Bagman's arrest. Considering that enforcing law and order made the man happy, as Harry had learned during his Patronus lessons, his mood was little wonder.
"It's not only that," Hermione commented. "I read up about Bagman's past after reporting him. He got into trouble with the law during the war and while he most likely was not guilty of the crime he was accused of, he got off by using his popularity, making a mockery of the justice system in the process."
"No wonder Moody doesn't like him, only now Bagman got caught for real," Ron said while putting his second helping of bacon onto his plate. "You think this will put Moody in a better mood for our lessons?"
"No way. Granted, he is toning it down since this is not the Auror Corps, but he still won't relax our lesson plan. Remember, Constant Vigilance," Ginny reminded the others, citing Moody's motto. She then noticed something. "People, we're getting company."
Looking up, they saw Fleur and her two friends approach them. They had sadly not exchanged more than a handful of words with Fleur over the past months, the girl having shied away from further contact. Her two friends on the other hand had been much more talkative and explained why Fleur had difficulties with opening up to people. Sabrina and Marc now clearly felt they had to be a bit more insistent.
Fleur right now still looked reluctant to approach them, but her friends didn't seem to accept a no as an answer and were taking her along. The other Gryffindors watched, waiting to see what would happen.
"Oh, hello. Kind of a surprise to see the three of you come over here. Don't misunderstand, but for Fleur to approach us after keeping her distance for all this time..." Harry greeted them.
Fleur seemed reluctant to say anything, so Sabrina took over. "To make a long story short, Fleur's parents asked her back after the second task why she is keeping the six of you at a distance and they got no good answer from her."
Fleur gave Sabrina an annoyed look. "Et puis tu as décidé de leur dire..." [And then you decided to tell them...]
"You know, Fleur, it's a bit rude to speak in a language they can't understand," Sabrina reminded her friend, making Fleur realize her faux-pas.
"Yes, once they knew, they encouraged Fleur to be less closed-off, but it's only now that we managed to convince Fleur that she should open up a bit more," Marc added.
What they were not telling them was the fact that Fleur's parents had also been very interested in whatever she had with Bill. Fleur had forced her friends to keep silent about that interrogation with the threat of turning them into earthworms. Sabrina and Marc both knew that despite being her friends, there were things were Fleur drew the line.
"Oh, that is very nice," Luna said, observing Fleur blush a little. She guessed it had to be because her friends spoke fluent English, even though with a French accent. That was most likely due to them interacting a lot with the Hogwarts students.
Fleur finally spoke up in English. "Yes, I would like very much... to learn more about you. Bill encouraged me... to do so. He has confidence... that I can keep my allure in."
Looking to where Bill was sitting at the faculty table for his own breakfast, they guessed that he felt Fleur needed to interact more with others in order to have her control grow better until it would be natural for her to do so. They however also guessed that Bill encouraged her because of whatever was going on between them.
Bill is so transparent... Ginny thought, though she did also remember Bill not being amused about her telling Fleur's parents about the Yule Ball. She was still alert for some kind of revenge prank from her oldest brother.
Fleur then looked a bit embarrassed. "I'm... sorry. Had to ask my friends... what all your names are. I didn't ask you for them."
"We won't hold that against you. Let's move a bit so all three of you can sit down and start from the beginning, all right?" Hermione offered.
They didn't mind because they saw how socially awkward she was.
...Hogsmeade, March 4th...
The next Hogsmeade weekend had arrived and like usual the students were all too eager to leave the castle grounds and have some fun in the village. Thankfully, compared to last time the weather had also improved, the sow having melted and the temperatures no longer being bitingly cold. That was good for the shops in Hogsmeade, as it meant more business.
The Six, as usual, had split into their respective pairs and were off to doing their own thing before they would meet at the Three Broomsticks. To them Hogsmeade visits were now business as usual and no longer anything to get excited over. As they had told Colin Creevey, the whole thing does lose its novelty factor after a while.
Harry and Ginny, while doing some window browsing before they would do their purchases, were using the time to muse over the unspoken arangements.
"You know, it's still a bit weird to realize how we paired off for Hogsmeade like we did right from the start. Did you girls do so intentionally?" Harry asked Ginny.
"What gave you the idea? Remember that Neville chose Luna on his own," Ginny asked with a giggle. "All right, I admit it. I've already had a crush on you by that point, wanting to walk through Hogsmeade with you was a bit of self-interest. Not that you minded."
"No, I didn't mind at all," Harry agreed. "Though, is it normal that girls get these thoughts so early?"
Ginny couldn't help but blush a little. "Luna once told me that nature wants us girls to start looking for potential mates as soon as possible. It was a little frustrating for us that you boys didn't understand the signals we were sending. Though that has now changed."
"I think we all have to thank the Yule Ball for that. It changed things a lot between all of us... there is no going back." Harry thought back to how that night had opened his eyes about Ginny being more than his friend who just happened to be a girl.
"I still remember my old crush on the Boy-Who-Lived... You are way superior to him. You feel me being a tomboy doesn't make me any less of a girl," Ginny admitted, feeling how warm her face had become at this admission.
"To be honest, after seeing girls like Lavender, Ginny the tomboy actually became even more attractive to me." Harry had little idea about flirting, but saw he's hit the right spot when seeing Ginny's smile.
"Yes, but as we agreed, we are taking things slow. No need to hasten things after all," Ginny said, being quite satisfied with how things were progressing slowly.
"Though I have to admid, it does look nice when you stretch on a broom to catch a quaffle. You also are quite flexible," Harry admitted, looking a bit flustered that he admitted that to Ginny.
"Oh, so you like watching me when I'm being athletic?" Ginny asked playfully, knowing very well she herself also watched Harry and how athletic he was wehen trying to catch the snitch. She then looked ahead. "Oh, looks like we wandered off a bit. That raises memories... even if they aren't the best."
Harry understood when seeing the Hog's Head, the pub that students were told not to go to due to its rather adult nature. The goat head made that building unmistakable. Harry remembered that day, since it was when Greyback had ambushed them in Hogsmeade. That had been almost exactly a year ago and also was the day when he finally understood what he needed for his Patronus to work.
"Yes, but wanting to protect you also gave me the final push to get my Patronus to work," Harry said.
"Now that you know better, you think besides thinking of those who care for you there is a bit more about me holding your hand doing the trick?" Ginny asked, looking a bit hopeful.
Harry knew he couldn't lie. "I guess deep inside it also was my perspective on you already having started to shift. Not that I was aware of it at the time."
"I know it's not like in these sappy love novels Lavender likes to read, but I can't help to feel of it as a turning point," Ginny confessed to Harry while they started their way back to the main streets.
They walked around a corner... "Stupefy!"
"Ah!" Harry barely managed to let out a gasp when a jet of red light hit him from behind, stunning him instantly. He collapsed to the ground.
"Harry!" Ginny gasped at the sudden attack, but had no time to react when a second stunner nailed her in the back as well, causing her to collapse beside Harry.
Walking out of his hiding spot, Peter Pettigrew looked down at both stunned teenagers. It honestly had been too easy, these two not having expected any kind of attack at all. In a way it was a bit disappointing, but would make his task so much easier. It would be so easy to kill Potter now, but his orders from the Dark Lord were clear: only the Master was allowed to kill Potter.
"You got lucky, brat. The Dark Lord's word is law, so you get to live another day. Though that's not too long of a time span." Pettigrew then went on to get done with the task he was here for.
"You should feel honored... You will be instrumental for a great thing," Pettigrew gloated while pulling an ordinary syringe from his pocket.
To be honest, he felt very little about what he was about to do. There once had been a time he would have been conflicted about what he was about to do, but all these years of being together with the Carrows put an end to that. Instead, Pettigrew now projected his grown dislike and jealously of James onto the son, feeling this was revenge by proxy.
He then did what he was here for. Pulling up Harry's sleeve, he found the ideal spot on Harry's arm and inserted the needle . He then carefully drew blood from Harry until capacity was reached. Pulling out the needle, he pocketed the Syringe and then used a small spell that closed the puncture mark and cleaned up the few drops of blood he did spill, before he pulled Harry's sleeve back down.
"And done... forcibly taken." Pettigrew then looked to the unconscious Ginny and snorted. "All Potter men are the same... having the hots for redheads. You allow that I sample the goods?"
In a disgusting move, Pettigrew slid his hand between the legs of the unconscious girl, touching and rubbing her at this most private place. "You are well-developed for your age. Too bad that you are not a good girl, otherwise you would wear robes or at least a skirt for easier access. These trousers are too troublesome."
"Yes, someone saw them going in that direction" "Their friends insist they are in trouble!"
Hearing voices, Pettigrew knew the time for his personal amusements was over. Casting a silent cutting curse at Potter's coin pouch, he allowed the coins to spill onto the ground, making it look like an interrupted robbery. Then deciding it was time for him to leave for good, he disapparated away with a loud -crac-.
Moments later three Aurors stormed around the corner, only to stop when spotting the two stunned teenagers. They took in what they saw, including the spilled coins, and drew their conclusions. "Too late, the robber escaped. Quick, check them!"
The other two Aurors checked the life signs of the teenagers. "Alive, thank goodness. They are only stunned. Still, let's better get them to the school nurse. You can never know with stunners."
o
Molly Weasley wondered how much more her heart could take, since this already was the second time in mere months that one of her children had been in considerable danger. Not to speak of the events of the previous school year, with that monster Greyback endangering her children and disfiguring Percy. She had thought the antics of the twins were causing her gray hairs, but this was a completely different level.
Granted, Harry and Ginny had not suffered any actual harm, but the fact alone that someone had stunned them from behind to rob them was causing her to worry to no end.
Madam Pomfrey almost had made Harry and Ginny stay in the hospital wing, but since they had come out of it without injury, it now was an interesting gathering in the office of the Headmaster. Besides her and Arthur, Thomas and Veronica had also come as Harry's guardians. Thankfully, their son right now was in the magical preschool and would only learn about the whole thing later on. Sirius also was present, which was little wonder considering how protective he was of Harry, apart from the fact that he anyway was responsible for all things magical until Harry came of age.
What was surprising was, that Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna were present as well. They had insisted, and the Headmaster seemed intrigued by something. She knew the Headmaster was deep in thoughts about something, the signs being obvious.
"Mum, please stop that. My health didn't change in the last three minutes," Ginny finally complained when Molly was again visually checking her daughter.
"Ginny, once you are a mother yourself, you'll understand why I'm doing this," Molly told her daughter, knowing the girl wouldn't understand yet when hearing her sigh.
I know she does it because she loves her children, but man I'm glad my parents give me room when I need it, Neville thought when seeing that.
Ginny then sighed. "At least Dad isn't constantly hovering over me."
Arthur knew Ginny misunderstood his restraint. "That's only on the outside. I have to restrain myself from hugging you right now."
"Please don't hug me..." Harry told Thomas, feeling he was too old for such things.
Thomas knew it would terribly embarrass Harry and he instead talked about the ramifications of the incident. "While we can hardly blame the school for some criminal attacking them from behind, it does create certain security concerns."
"Yes, we honestly start to wonder if Hogsmeade should get a permanent security presence. That's already the second time in a year that something nasty almost happened there," Veronica meanwhile told the Headmaster, not wanting to embarrass Harry by fussing over him like Molly did with Ginny.
"I understand why you think so, but let's first wait what the official conclusion is," Dumbledore answered, knowing they should get the report any moment. However, there was something else he was wondering.
As if called, the door to his office opened and Dora walked in. It was likely that Dumbledore had pulled some strings so she would be their contact to the Aurors. "I guess you all want to hear the official conclusion about what happened?" she asked when seeing everyone looking to her.
"Please go ahead Ms. Tonks," the Headmaster told her.
"Well, it's a whole lot of nothing," Dora then reported. "It was officially concluded that this simply was a robbery gone wrong, as there is no evidence that it was anything else but that. Considering there is no usable evidence, they decided it was pointless to try and investigate further."
"And we all know that's a big pile of crap," Sirius commented, not being impressed with that so-called investigation. Molly didn't even bother to call him out for his language.
Thomas couldn't help but to snort. "They didn't even try. No offense, Dora, but the Aurors seem to lack in investigative skills."
"None taken. I heard Mad-Eye complain about it often enough. Man, will he be pissed once he learns of this." Dora could imagine his reaction. "To be honest, the whole thing is fishy. The robber had more than enough time to grab both their coin pouches and leave, but didn't. Harry's pouch was cut open using a spell, but Ginny's wasn't touched. Just ripping the pouches off their belts and then leaving would have taken mere seconds. Things don't add up."
"That's why they need more people like you in the Aurors," Harry told Dora, who was a bit like a big sister to him. "So, what could this really have been about? Eh, and how come the Aurors came so fast?"
"No idea what it was about, but I have a feeling it's nothing good. Why attack both of you, but steal nothing?" Dora asked the important question.
Dumbledore for his part also was puzzled about that. It made no sense, unless the attacker had been after something else. Yet, the fact that Harry and Ginny were unharmed, apart from having been stunned, made it very confusing. He however had a hunch that more was going on than they knew about right at the moment.
Dora then gave Harry's friends a strange look. "As for the other point... It was reported your friends told a patrolling Auror that both of you are in danger, but no details. Is there something you want to tell us?"
Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna looked at each other, then Hermione decided to speak for them. "We talked about it... Thing is, all of a sudden we knew that Harry and Ginny were in danger and needed help."
"You know, you are awfully vague about that..." Veronica remarked, knowing this was very unlike Hermione, who was always looking for a logical explanation.
"We honestly can't explain it, but..." Hermione now looked a bit hesistant. "It's not the first time this happened. Some weird things happened over the past years."
The adults looked a bit surprised at that admission. "Could you please elaborate what you mean with that?" Sirius finally asked, hoping it wouldn't tax his heart.
"When the staircase went wild, we somehow also knew our friends were in danger. I have no idea how we did that," Hermione admitted.
"Then there are these strange, combined Patronus last year. No idea how we did that," Neville admitted.
"When Hermione and Luna got petrified, it felt for a moment like something stabbed us into the heart," Ron remembered.
Luna didn't contribute an example, but instead drew a conclusion. "Once could be seen as a coincidence, but four times creates an interesting question: What is going on?"
Dumbledore gave a very faint physical sign to Sirius, who nonetheless understood right away. They had been theorizing for some time that the prophecy of the 'Chosen Six', whose identity by now was no longer in doubt, related to more than just the Six having to battle Voldemort due to their connection to Harry. There definitely was more at work and connected to the prophecy.
"That indeed can not be a coincidence. Rest assured we will attempt to find out what could be behind these phenomena," Dumbledore promised.
"I sincerely hope there isn't more for me to worry about. I don't know how much more I can take," Molly admitted, hoping despite all evidence it was just a coincidence.
"Yes, all of you already have a lot to deal with. You honestly don't need some sort of mystery on top of it," Arthur agreed with his wife.
"Perhaps you could escort the children back to the Gyffindor dorms?" Dumbledore then asked.
"We won't let them out of our sight for a little longer. We ourselves also need to get over the scare," Thomas admitted.
"I have to tell Mad-Eye what happened." Dora then sighed. "I can already imagine how disappointed he'll be that something like that was allowed to happen."
When everyone turned to leave, Dumbledore added "Sirius, there are some points we need to discuss."
No one felt it was anything strange for Sirius to discuss things with the Headmaster and they guessed it was about the aftermath of the incident and something only Sirius could do. Thus they left, Sirius promising he would join them later on. Once the two men were alone, Sirius asked the important question.
"You believe this incident has something to do with Voldemort?" Sirius asked directly. "I swear, should there be more security breaches that put Harry in danger, I'll turn you into a goat."
"Sirius, please don't use such promises, and yes. Nothing is adding up, so we have to expect that incident to be part of some kind of plot of his," Dumbledore said, looking a bit unsettled. "However, we both also know the way the Aurors came so fast does create questions."
Sirius grimaced. "The prophecy of the Chosen Six. Albus, I don't like whatever is going on. That a prophecy says they are to fight against Voldemort is bad enough, but these strange things that always happen when they are in some kind of danger honestly make me wonder if there is more behind the prophecy."
"Maybe not the prophecy itself. I have a hunch, that at some point before they started attending Hogwarts, they somehow evoked ancient magic that bound their fates together. It might have been something unremarkable to them and thus they wouldn't remember. I'm only certain of the time frame, since I have no other explanation why the Sorting Hat demanded Ms. Lovegood and Ms. Weasley to start Hogwarts early," Dumbledore explained his theory.
Sirius looked a bit tired while thinking about it. "Wonderful. If you are correct, we are dealing with an unknown form of magic. When are we telling them about that?"
"Not yet, but soon enough." Dumbledore looked to Fawkes, who had followed the whole conversation with interest, showing that he was way smarter than a normal bird. "Darkness is rising and our grace period is coming to an end. Those six children lost their innocence during their first year inside Hogwarts. Trying to keep them ignorant for much longer would be a huge insult to them."
It left both men with the sad reality that thanks to Voldemort these six children had been denied to enjoy what was supposed to be the best time of life in all its innocence.
...that night, Little Hangleton graveyard...
The small graveyard of Little Hangleton, located right next to the church, normally was a place of deep peace during the night. However, this night the peace was disturbed. In the light of several blue fires several people were being busy with setting up a ritual which would mark the start of doom for Magical Britain.
"And you have ensured that no one will disturb us?" Voldemort asked the man who was carrying him, not very keen on having this important event interrupted by some nosy Muggle.
"Yes, Master. Until dawn no one will give the graveyard any attention at all. We could set everything ablaze and they would think nothing is wrong," Barty reported to Voldemort, looking quite proud of his accomplishment.
"Good..." Voldemort then looked to Pettigrew while the Carrows were being busy with positioning a huge cauldron next to a big marble headstone. "You did exactly as ordered, Pettigrew. I'm very pleased that you learned to follow any order without question."
"Thank you, my Lord!" Pettigrew said, looking at the syringe in his hands. "The ritual only asked for the blood of the enemy to be forcibly taken, with no time limit specified, meaning the brat doesn't even have to be present for this. Quite ingenious, Master."
Voldemort looked quite smug when hearing that. "It was easy to deduce that the blood doesn't have to be fresh out of Potter for the ritual to work. Waiting until Potter would feel very safe and then strike to take what I need is much more pragmatic."
"Yes, but from what I heard, you were almost robbed of that opportunity, Master," Barty remarked while watching the Carrows light up a fire underneath the cauldron.
Now Voldemort looked displeased. "I know who is responsible for that. If he thinks that brings him back into my good graces, he is very wrong. If anything, I now only have more reason to make an example of him."
"Too bad for Karkaroff, but that's the price for being foolish enough to not know the Dark Lord's wishes," Pettigrew commented.
The Carrows finally returned. "The potion is heated up properly. Everything is ready," Alecto reported, then looked around. "Still weird that we are the only ones here."
"I don't want any of those who recently were returned to my services to be here. Only those I do trust will have that privilege." Voldemort then looked to the four of them. "Now, for this ritual I need a volunteer." All of them raised their hand, except for Barty, whose hands were occupied.
While he was pleased, Voldemort knew he only needed one volunteer. "No hesitation at all. Very good. Hmmm... Amycus, you are selected to serve Lord Voldemort."
"I feel very honored my Lord!" Amycus said, truly feeling he was about to make a sacrifice for something great.
No more words were exchanged when Amycus took Voldemort from Barty. Unwrapping him from the protective robes, he carefully put him into the cauldron so that Voldemort was bathing in the bubbling potion. Stoically, Amycus then went on to start the ritual that would return Voldemort to his proper state.
Holding up his wand, he pointed at the grave with the marble headstone. "Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"
The surface of the grave cracked. A fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Amycus' command and fell softly into the cauldron. The surface of the water broke and hissed; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous-looking blue. Amycus however was not yet done, putting away his wand, he pulled out a silver dagger.
"Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master." He then swung the dagger, and...
Alecto honestly had to say she was impressed. Her brother had not hesitated to cut off one of his own hands, her watching the removed hand fall into the cauldron with a splash. Even better, while Amycus clearly was in tremendous pain, he was clamping down on it in order to not mess up the ritual. She had to admit that she had underestimated her brother's devotion to the cause.
Dropping the dagger, Amycus took the syringe from Pettigrew with his remaining hand. Turning to the cauldron with the now burning-red potion, he ejected the blood from the syringe into the potion. "Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe."
-voooooosh-
The potion inside the cauldron turned a bright white and lots of white steam was ejected from the cauldron, the cloud for some moments looking like a skull, before it started to dissipate. The whole graveyard for some moments looked like it was shrouded in thick fog. When they could see again, they saw a man rise from within the cauldron.
Lord Voldemort had returned to life.
"It worked... very good. Barty, my robes," Voldemort said, otherwise being unconcerned about his current state of nudity.
Barty at once gave Voldemort his clothes and moments later Voldemort stepped out of the cauldron, his black robes contrasting harshly with his pale skin and snake-like nose. Barty held out Voldemort's wand and the Dark Lord accepted it. Sparks emerged from the wand, as if being in joy that its master again was whole.
Voldemort then looked to Amycus, who was trying to kneel like the others, but clearly was in tremendous pain from his cut-off left hand. "A true follower, who literally has given his hand for the cause. Lord Voldemort recognizes your sacrifice."
Voldemort did cast a silent spell and Amycus' arm stump stopped bleeding, before a metal hand appeared, attaching itself. Amycus looked in wonder how it worked like a normal hand. "I.. Master, I could never express..."
"No need..." Voldemort waved it off, then indicated to the other Death Eaters to rise. "Lord Voldemort lives again. Much has already been done... and yet so much is still to be done."
"Indeed, Master. There are those who had been too low on the ladder who now need to be collected. And then there are those who never renounced you," Barty agreed.
"All in its time. While we soon will collect the grunts, those that have stayed loyal to me have to wait a little longer. Their patience will be greatly rewarded once the time has come..." Voldemort then noticed Nagini. "Nagini, you seem excited."
"Voldemort, you look sharp. It is times like these when I mourn having lost my human body," Nagini said, sounding disappointed.
Voldemort actually was amused. "Sad indeed. But it also relieves you from the need to get jealous once I start my own dynasty with my most loyal follower."
"She must be impressive if you speak so highly of her," Nagini said, trying not to sound bitter.
Voldemort looked to where he could clearly see the Riddle House. "Now let us return. It is late and there will be much to do once day dawns. Bringing Magical Britain to heel will be a long-term task and there will be no time to waste."
...the Riddle House, March 7th...
Voldemort was sitting alone at the desk in his rooms - a place that no one but him and Nagini were allowed to enter. Nagini herself was currently having a little digestion nap after eating some little snot of a girl that Pettigrew had delivered. Due to her being magical in nature, she digested faster than a natural snake, so her hunger was understandable.
It had been three days since his full resurrection and it had been surprisingly easy to again get used to having his normal body back. Interestingly, he still was the same physical age as the day his old body got destroyed - though that didn't have to say much since his insurance had made him stop aging somewhere in his late thirties. Not that you could easily tell anyway, since he had lost all of his hair many years ago.
Looking back to his desk, Voldemort snorted.
People might think being an evil overlord meant dumping all the mundane work on others, but that most certainly was not the case. Even now, while still being in hiding, there were tasks that only he himself could do - and trusted no one else to do. He had no illusion that once he'd taken over, he also would have to manage running the nation.
At least my years as a store clerk prepared me for mind-numbing paperwork... Voldemort thought while putting down a fresh parchment, remembering his years working at Borgin & Burkes.
Writing things down helped organizing his thoughts. His current task: re-defining how his cause would be presented to his followers and the public in general. That goat Dumbledore had revealed the blood status of Tom Marvolo Riddle to the public while helping that oaf Hagrid. Despite the press trying to bury that fact and many not believing it, Voldemort didn't want to take any chances this could be used against him.
Think, Tom, think... he thought. He had never managed to fully banish that name from his thoughts and years ago accepted he could slip up and refer to himself with his old name. Yes... Too bad I can't thank Grindelwald for it, considering where he is right now. Too bad for him.
While Voldemort felt that Grindelwald had done several things wrong, resulting in his downfall, his ideology was very compatible with his own cause. Granted, in the end it all was about Voldemort getting all the power, but every movement needed a rallying thought. In the past he had picked the blood-ideology not only because he himself hated his own past, but also because there were many who believed in it.
Now however a change was needed and he felt it would not be too difficult to switch to Grindelwald's style of magical supremacism - magic makes right. It overlapped nicely with his original agenda yet put the focus away from such things should his own parentage be used against him. Part of the blood-ideology of course would stay, but the focus would be far less on it.
After all, the mudbloods can still be accused of something and forced to serve us, Voldemort thought while writing down his thoughts.
Now that the idea was there, re-inventing himself as a magical supremacist quickly took shape and the words flowed down onto the parchment.
-bing ding ding-
Looking up, he saw that it was the small bell that announced some more lost sheep were being returned to the fold. He then remembered that today was the start of also collecting the grunts.
Feeling Nagini wouldn't be needed for this - not that she was very intimidating anyways right now due to just having eaten - Voldemort let her sleep and quickly walked into the throne room, where he sat down and waited. Almost none of those being brought here - and that meant right inside the secret - knew of the secret and thus wouldn't be able to tell where the house was.
Most of them would be brought here once, but then business would be done in other places - especially now that he was back to full power. This house, this secret, was only for a select few to know, and many who had disappointed him would never know where this place was they had been brought to. He didn't have to wait for long before the door opened.
That's one thing Lucius is good for, Voldemort thought when seeing Malfoy escort in the rather confused looking Crabbe Sr. and Goyle Sr., both men being notorious for being imbeciles.
If not for the need to have grunts to do all the footwork, Voldemort would have gladly ignored these families full of imbeciles. While the Crabbes and Goyles were not on the same level as the Gaunts, the way wasn't far anymore, especially after what Lucius had relayed from his own son about the sheer level of idiocy the sons of the two men before him were showcasing.
"Well, well, well... Crabbe and Goyle," Voldemort finally said coldly.
Both men paled significantly when finally realizing what was going on - more evidence they were not very bright - and then fell to their knees. "Please, Master! We honesty thought you were gone..." Mr. Goyle stammered.
"Silence! Who told you to think?" Voldemort snarled, stopping the excuse. "Both of you couldn't renounce me fast enough once you thought I was gone. Both of you are not smart enough to pretend you were forced into it. How did you convince everyone otherwise?"
Malfoy managed to look to his Master. "My Lord, I helped them out. That also is why their sons are still being around Draco in school."
"Ahhh, so you made them indebted to you, Lucius?" Voldemort asked.
"Yes, my Lord. I felt it was a good way to ensure their loyalty," Lucius admitted, knowing that Draco was ignorant of that fact.
"A nice little plot..." Voldemort returned his attention to the two other men. "That however does not absolve both of you from the fact that you abandoned Lord Voldemort."
"Please, Master!" Mr. Crabbe begged, losing any kind of dignity.
Voldemort was unmoved. "Both of you will beg louder than that once I'm done with you... Crucio."
Malfoy watched stoically while the two dimwits screamed in pain, but deep inside he felt a satisfaction. The Crabbe and Goyle families, due to all of them being morons, were little more than pawns. He had used them as pawns and now his Master was using them as pawns. Draco however had complained multiple times how useless Vincent and Gregory were.
Well, now that he no longer needed the Crabbes and Goyles to be indebted to him, he would soon enough tell Draco that he no longer needed to humor those two and instead could start to treat them as he saw fit, as long as he still could reliably use them for future tasks.
...Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, March 11th...
The day of the only Quidditch match of the school year had arrived. In it, an all-star selection from Hogwarts would play against a combined Beauxbatons-Durmstrang selection. Many students wondered how the game would go, as this was something new to them. There also was a massive case of confused loyalties, as many were fans of Viktor Krum and had difficulties who to cheer in the game.
Inside the changing rooms, the Hogwarts selection was getting ready and the players talked while doing so.
"It still feels weird; all of us playing for the same team instead of against each other," Dudley remarked while everyone was getting ready for the game. "If not for Ron working so tirelessly, I doubt we would have become cohesive enough."
"Yes, Weasley did really well," Raymond Humblebush from Slytherin had to agree. "He... he managed to help me overcome my nervousness. I even apologized for all the things I said about him last year."
Said Ron hoped his head wouldn't burst from how flustered he'd become from all the praise he was hearing. Instead, seeing everyone was fully suited, he addressed the team. "People, I know we are all excited. However, we also know this is mainly about raising the price for their victory as high as we can."
"Yes, despite us not lacking in confidence, it's an uneven fight," Harry admitted, knowing what his friend was playing at.
The fact alone that they were playing against Viktor Krum - a professional Quidditch player - lowered their chances significantly. Also, all the other players from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang also were older than most of them with more experience. What they had seen when observing their training had made it clear this was not about winning but about trying to lose gracefully.
"That might be, but we'll give them the best we have! Let's show them the Houses united won't just roll over for their victory!" Ron told the team.
"Yes, let's do it!" Angelina agreed loudly.
"Let's make them work hard for it!" Dudley agreed.
Soon, the entire team was fired up. Deep inside, Ron was relieved. Thank all goodness. After how Charlie told me he was horrible at giving speeches, I managed to not fumble it.
On the stands meanwhile, anticipation was rising.
"Feels a bit weird to be up here instead of down there," Ginny said while everyone waited for the teams to appear.
"Not only to you," Millicent agreed. "Will be a bit strange to again watch Dudley play from the stands instead of from down on the pitch."
"Are you sure... you want us here?" That question came from Fleur, who was sitting next to them together with her friend Marc, but not Sabrina, who was part of the combined team.
They knew the question didn't come out of nowhere. Years of a stunted social life after all had left their mark on Fleur. While the girl was several years their senior, she was quite insecure as soon as she was out of her comfort zone. It was a bit bizarre that she had taken faster to having Bill around than them, but maybe it was due to not having to fear she could affect Bill with her allure.
Hermione couldn't help but to sigh. "We would hardly have invited you if we wouldn't want you here. Please think a bit more highly of yourself."
Marc also sighed. "Please excuse her. She is great with formal stuff, but years of only having Sabrina and me as friends left their mark."
"Speaking of Sabrina... I still have difficulties to wrap my head around the fact that a petite girl like her plays as a beater of all things. She looks like hitting a bludger would throw her off her broom."
Marc actually laughed. "That's what we all thought. After all, aren't beaters always big and bulky? Sabrina makes up for that by how vicious she is. Also, she has not even once fallen off her broom over the years."
"It is fascinating to see proof that outer appearance can be deceptive," Luna commented.
Daphne on the other hand laughed. "I'll only believe that when I see it."
Millicent gave her friend a look. "Better be careful what you wish for. After all, not every beater has to be built like me."
Hermione meanwhile looked to Fleur. "Still comfortable with holding it in?"
"Yes... It has become easier to do so. All of you were a great help." Fleur told Hermione.
Hermione had theorized that Fleur's troubles with holding her allure in was a psychological problem. Since it got her intro trouble in the past, she was clamping down on it hard, in turn causing her body to rebel. After all, no one had ever volunteered for her to experiment with a better way to control her powers. The boys had been very understanding and the girls had kept their jealously in check, since this was about helping Fleur.
It had taken numerous rather embarrassing experiments, but now she clearly was on the correct path. She was actually relaxed right now and yet was not letting anything leak out. At the beginning after the World Cup, despite being thankful she had still thought of them as little kids, but now she knew that would be insulting and they deserved more respect.
Suddenly the excitement in the crowd rose and Neville called when seeing why. "There they are!"
Indeed, both teams were entering the pitch, while Ron, who was not directly part of the team, took his place at the empty team bench. He observed the opposing team and knew that of the three Durmstrang and four Beauxbatons students, he only knew more than just the play style about two of them. One of course was Viktor Krum, the other surprisingly was Fleur's friend Sabrina. It was a bit intimidating that someone as petite as her was such an effective beater.
Harry meanwhile talked with Dudley while they entered the pitch. "I know this will be really hard on you, Big D. Still, good luck."
Dudley knew what Harry meant. "Yes, they'll score really big. Let's hope our chasers can make up for it."
Unlike with normal games, due to its rather prominent nature longer pledges were given by both teams. Considering that unlike with normal games lots of press was present, it was little wonder the schools paid more attention to make a bigger production of the whole thing.
"Finally, they are about to start," Neville observed when seeing the players rise on their brooms. "Eh, people, isn't that Professor Snape acting as the referee?"
They used their omnioculars, and indeed saw that Snape was holding that position, causing Marc to ask the obvious question. "Why is that professor acting as the referee seen as unusual?"
"Professor Snape never did so before. It's well-known that while he likes positive results for his house, he is not the biggest fan of the game. Makes me wonder why he's accepted the job for this game?" Daphne wondered, finding it strange.
"It's not that strange," Ginny then said. "They want to make sure that the rules are enforced, so they asked Professor Snape. They want a hard-ass who does the job properly. I think that's why they asked him."
-trriiiiiiit- That was the signal from Snape; the game had started.
It took only minutes before one thing was clear - the combined Beauxbatons-Durmstrang team was better and that was being reflected in the score. True, it was not as bad as it could have been, but the Hogwarts students were shown that a team consisting entirely out of students who already were adults who had years of more playing experience was simply superior. And that was without Krum actually being that active in the game.
"I take it all back! That girl is a good beater," Daphne said while watching in astonishment how the petite Sabrina was hitting bludgers hard with her bat and not move an inch off her broom.
"All right, this is not like the World Cup, but it's still bad enough..." Hermione said while watching the game unfold.
"Yes. It's no slaughter, but it still makes us look bad in comparison." Ginny had no illusions that the Hogwarts selection would lose this game. There simply were too many factors going against them.
"Don't be... disheartened," Fleur reminded them. "Your team is doing... quite well with the hand they were dealt with."
Needless to say, those actually playing on the Hogwarts side felt differently about it.
We're getting slaughtered, Dudley felt while doing his best to not let too many quaffles through. This was a completely different level.
Krum is not even doing his best and is not even using his professional broom, yet he blocked every of my attempts to get the snitch, Harry meanwhile thought, gaining even more respect how good Krum was at his job.
It went like that for some time longer and on the stands the opinion was clear.
"What a difference in skill. We really have a long way to go," Millicent said, feeling quite humbled when seeing how much better compared to them a team of students was who all were already adults with more years of experience.
Granted, the Hogwarts team was doing what it could to make sure the score wouldn't get too uneven, but the difference simply was too big. The game really was more about the Hogwarts team trying to give a good show of how much they could resist the inevitable before it happened.
Then, it did happen.
Crap, he spotted it! Harry tried to catch up with Krum, but the Durmstrang student simply was too fast and caught the snitch, ending the game.
Of course, while the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students felt happy - and had someone watched Karkaroff one would have seen a pleased smirk - the Hogwarts students felt humbled at seeing how much better a team of students who all were close to leaving school could play. That also was the mood when Harry, Ron and Dudley left the changing rooms and met with their friends.
"I feel like we got lectured that we shouldn't get too proud of what we already accomplished," Dudley remarked.
"This seems to be the whole intent behind the whole game. Perhaps Headmaster Dumbledore wanted to ensure we would not become too arrogant?" Luna speculated. Knowing the Headmaster, that was a possibility.
Harry meanwhile looked around. "Fleur and Marc left to celebrate with their schoolmates?"
"Yes. They said it would be very unfair to them if they weren't present," Neville told Harry.
"Ah, wait a moment!"
They were a bit surprised to see Viktor Krum approach them. However, he most certainly didn't look like he was about to gloat over his victory. Instead, he rather looked impressed and approached Ron of all people - perhaps knowing that all the tactics in the game had been thanks to him.
"You made all the tactics in the game?" he asked Ron, talking a bit slow so he wouldn't have to pause to find the correct words.
Ron was a bit overwhelmed by the fact that Krum was talking to him directly, but tried hard not to make an ass of himself at this important moment. "Eh... yes. I made the tactics, oversaw the training and made them into an actual team."
Krum if anthing looked quite a bit impressed. "Very impressive. Your strategy was excellent."
Now Ron was confused. "Please don't get me wrong, Mr. Krum. But didn't my team lose this match?"
However, Krum didn't seem offended at all. "Your team might have lost, but the chances had been highly unfavorable for your team from the start. Instead, you took the bad hand you were dealt with and did all you could to improve on it. It shows, the final points were much less to your disfavor than they could have been."
"I actually didn't do that much, Mr. Krum..." Ron tried to play it down.
"Please call me Viktor. Mr. Krum is my father. And there is no need for so much modesty..." Krum started to say and the conversation continued from there.
"I think we've lost them for them moment..." Hermione whispered when seeing how Ron got totally absorbed into the conversation. "Let's leave them in peace," she then suggested, feeling that was something that Ron needed.
By silent agreement they started to walk away. However, they had only walked about thirty meters, when suddenly... -Goooaaaiik!- They were caught completely by surprise when suddenly a wild boar ran towards them! They barely managed to jump aside and the boar missed them. However, the animal looked wildly at them, its mouth foaming, before it started a new attack.
"Crap!" Harry cursed when seeing it was aiming for him. He barely managed to jump aside again, but fell, while his friends were only now coming out of the shock caused by the sudden attack and fumbled to get their wands out.
The boar made another run for him and this time it would hit its mark... -zooot- A jet of red light suddenly blasted the boar with enough force to blast it away for several meters. It then fell silent and laid there, not moving.
Looking around, he saw Krum with a drawn wand. That the man had managed to hit the boar from over thirty meters away was a small wonder - a wonder which had saved Harry from serious injury.
Everyone, Krum included, looked a bit pale at what just had happened.
Twenty minutes later, while adults were being busy with clearing the situation and trying to determine why the boar had entered the school grounds - wild boars which otherwise had been hunted to extinction in Britain but still lived in this area due to the magical protections keeping away hunting parties over the centuries - Igor Karkaroff was cursing in his cabin.
His second attempt had been sloppy, but he had seen an opportunity and went for it. The whole thing not even had been sure to kill Potter and he probably would have been healed easily enough. No, the whole thing had been spur of the moment.
Ironically, it was Viktor of all people who had ensured that nothing worse had happened to Potter. As proud as Karkaroff was of his star student, there were things he should stay out of. At least this time nothing would look suspicious, especially since Krum's stunner had evaporated the magic he'd put onto the animal to make it go amok and attack Potter specifically.
His next attempt needed to be made with more care, and not just in the spur of the moment.
...the evening of March 15th...
"Draco, we are cutting it close to curfew," Pansy reminded Draco.
Draco had to admit that she was right, especially when looking out of the window and seeing how dark it was getting outside. They had gotten into the habit of writing the rather sensitive letters to Skeeter and other people outside of the Slytherin dorms, since there they felt too many eyes were watching them. That of course at times meant that they were outside the dorms at rather unusual hours.
"You are right. let me pack up and then we can leave... Too bad, I already had written up about Potter almost getting mauled by that wild boar," Draco answered while rolling up the parchment.
"Too bad it didn't gore Potter. He has more luck than brains, that's for sure," Pansy agreed. After all, having to be rescued by Viktor Krum in her mind didn't speak for Potter's skill in magic.
"Father made it clear to me we have to think realistically," Draco said with a shrug.
It was kind of disturbing how they were disappointed about a fellow student not having been maimed or killed, but they were not really thinking about what that truly meant. To them it simply was a way to get even with people they had developed a hatred for. They were trying their hardest subconsciously to ignore what such thoughts would mean in final consequence. It was a consequence of their upbringing.
Starting their trek back, they soon were close to the entrance hall.
Then however Pansy had to lean against the wall, her breathing having become heavier. "Draco, I feel kind of dizzy..."
"Pansy, what...?" Draco then felt it himself and tried to get hold of his wand. "Someone is..."
Both of them then collapsed to the floor, unconscious. A bit behind them, someone suddenly became visible. It was Harry, wearing his invisibility cloak, his head covered in a transparent bubble and holding what looked like a spray can. Looking at the two unconscious teenagers, Harry then made a short whistling sound.
Moments later his co-conspirators emerged from a side room. "It actually worked. I take it back, involving Fred and George was the right idea, especially considering the sacrifice they made today," Ron admitted when seeing that things had went according to plan.
"I'm more concerned how they managed to create such a fast-working sleeping gas in mere days," Hermione said, still feeling a bit uneasy with that development.
"Relax, they promised us that it was custom-made for us and they would never sell such things to others," Ginny reminded her friend.
Harry meanwhile had completely taken off his cloak. "Thanks for teaching me how to make the bubble, Hermione. This all would have been pointless if I had been affected as well."
Right then there were steps, then Dudley, Daphne and Millicent appeared from the entrance hall. "I see you got them..." Dudley said when seeing the sleeping Draco and Pansy.
"Yes. How does it look over there?" Harry asked.
It was Daphne who answered. "It's all coming together nicely. Filch and his cat are being busy with keeping an eye on the twins during their punishment. Mr. Hagrid is visiting Maxime in the Beauxbatons carriage. The teachers will only start their patrols in about two hours, the Prefects in one. The Aurors are busy with guarding the guest building. We are clear."
"Better let's make sure..." Ron said, taking a look at the Marauders Map. They had felt using it for this was allowed. "Yep, all clear."
The plan was all about timing. They knew about the patrolling schedules of the teachers and prefects after some covert observations and knew of Draco and Pansy having developed the habit of cutting it close to curfew to do their secret correspondence. So when such a day came today, Fred and George made enough trouble to land in detention with Filch instead of a teacher in order to remove him as a factor. That Hagrid was being 'busy' this evening was a coincidence, but helpful.
"I hope this works. While they deserve what's now coming to them, it IS quite mean. Also, it will be really difficult to keep a straight face for various reasons," Neville remarked while they prepared to carry Draco and Pansy away.
"Oh, would you rather see me in Pansy's place in that position?" Luna asked innocently, causing Neville to blush and stammer.
"It's moments like these that show Luna is far from being innocent..." Ron whispered to Harry.
"I think that goes for all girls..." Harry did remember a few times where he felt like Ginny was intentionally showing off her backside to him.
Now that you say so..." Ron did remember something from a few days ago.
He'd thought Hermione dropping that book and then bending over to pick it up had been coincidential. Now however, considering it had given him a great view of her skirt-covered backside, and that Hermione had blushed a little after it, he guessed it had been intentional. Truth to be told, he quite enjoyed the signals she was sending.
Harry then looked up. "Let's better hurry. After all, Fred and George said the gas will only last for about twenty minutes. Oh, and better make sure that once everything is done, these two won't see you three once they wake up."
"Do we look that stupid to allow them to see us?" Millicent asked. "After all, we still have to live together with them for three more years. Them getting an even bigger hateboner against us than they already do is something we can't afford."
They then carried Draco and Pansy to the entrance hall and the doors to the outside grounds.
They knew perfectly well that what they were about to do normally would cross the line, but after all the shit Draco and Pansy had caused by making that deal with Skeeter, they honestly didn't care anymore.
...
...
"Mmmph..." Pansy felt weird while slowly waking up.
Whatever had happened to her, her senses were only returning slowly and for the moment she was confused at what had happened. She remembered feeling dizzy all of a sudden and then... total blackout. She felt it a bit difficult to open her eyes yet and at first she only knew she felt a bit cold. However it, was when she registered that she was lying on grass and felt some wind that she realized something.
Wait a minute... I feel all of that on bare skin! Suddenly being very alarmed, Pansy forced her eyes open, and... "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
She was outside, lying next to Hagrid's hut. Next to the hut while being utterly naked! Feeling around in a panic confirmed it; not a single piece of cloth was covering her naked body. Pansy's face was starting to imitate the color of a tomato, when all of a sudden it became way worse.
"Nnnggh? Pansy, why are you screaming?" That was Draco, who was only a meter away from her and in the same state of nudity as her!
Pansy put her hands over her important frontal areas to cover up at least a bit, before letting out a wail of horror. "Draco! No, don't look! I'm not ready for that yet!"
Only now did Draco notice Pansy's situation and her desperately trying to cover her private areas with her hands, then he noticed his own state of undress. "SHIT!" Horrified, he quickly tried to cover his junk with his hands. "What the hell is going on?!"
"Don't ask me!" Pansy said in a panic. "I only remember suddenly blackout out and then... this!"
Draco tried to make sense of it, then ground his teeth together. "Potter... It has to be Potter and his little gang! Did he find out and this is some sort of sick revenge?!"
"Right now I don't care!" Pansy's blush had spread from her face down to her chest area. "We need to get covered up. Maybe in the hut...?"
"Are you nuts? No way we can set a foot in there as long as the oaf's big dog is in there," Draco reminded Pansy, though he was pretty ignorant of Fang's true and rather docile nature, cursing how this was limiting their options.
"Crap, crap, crap... What do we do now?" Pansy clearly was not in a good place right now.
To be honest, Draco was a bit at a loss as well. "We can't stay out here... We've got a better chance at getting anywhere inside the castle."
Pansy was not thrilled by the idea, as it would rise the danger of running into someone, but what choice did they have? "Walk beside me. Right now I don't need you looking at my arse." She left unsaid that the opposite applied as well.
It was slow going, especially since walking over the grass with bare feet meant they had to be careful, not to speak of keeping their hands to cover up properly. They had almost made it to the front gate, when... -flash-
They went still when hearing a camera flash and for a second everything was illuminated with a white flash. "I had no idea today is a double full moon." That sarcastic voice wade them turn around -flash- only to almost get blinded by another camera flash. Thank all goodness they'd resisted using their hands to protect their eyes. When the spots vanished from their vision, they were confronted with Potter and his friends, Lovegood holding a camera.
"Out for a little evening stroll?" Ron asked, barely managing to keep down his glee at seeing those two in such a humiliating position.
To Draco it was pretty obvious who was responsible for their situation. "YOU! I'll..."
"What do you want to do? Run crying to daddy for help? Would be a little difficult right now," Ron mocked him, still trying to not let his emotions become too obvious.
Draco and Pansy both trembled in humiliation. Finally, Pansy spat out "What's the meaning of this?!"
"Are you kidding?" Ginny snorted, looking not umoved at their predicament. "You didn't honestly think you could keep your little arrangement with that Skeeter woman secret, do you? And by the way, we also made photos of both of you together in the grass in your birthday suits before you woke up."
"Now, here is what will happen next..." Harry told them, pointing at two bags at his feet. "All your stuff is in here. We'll leave, you get dressed and then you call off your deal with Skeeter and never talk to her again. If you don't do that, then the photos of both of you in all your 'glory' will appear throughout the student population."
Draco and Pansy were shocked at the possible destruction of their reputation, as that would turn them into laughing stock. "That's blackmail!" Pansy complained.
"Of course it is blackmail, but after all what you've done to us, you deserve it," Neville said, feeling not a shred of sympathy for them.
"And what if we take the risk?! How will those photos be explained?!" Draco hissed, hoping he could corner them.
"First off, they would hardly believe you such a wild tale and the Headmaster is not in the habit of looking into memories unless a serious incident has happened," Hermione lectured them, remembering Millicent telling her how Dumbledore had looked at her memories. "And should you try to blab after the photos started circulating to get back at us for doing so..."
"Not only would your own role in that months-long smear campaign against us be revealed in the course of the investigation as our motivation, thus getting you in much deeper trouble than we would ever be, but we would accept the hit. One way or another, we win," Luna explained coldly, remembering all the hurtful things that had been written about her.
Ginny then threw the bags in front of their feet. "Now get dressed. We have no wish to see your naked arses any longer than we have to."
That said, the Six left towards the entrance gate.
"These damn §%$#*&!" Pansy cursed while they tried to get dressed as quick as possible.
"I know, we will remember this, but right now we have little choice. Our reputation is at risk. However, the day will come we'll get back at them," Draco told Pansy. "We need to end our ties to Skeeter and cut our losses."
In the entrance hall meanwhile, the Six met Dudley, Millicent and Daphne.
"We watched everything while staying hidden. You really got them into an impossible situation. No way they can get out of this without severely hurting themselves," Dudley said. "Though I already see enough of Malfoy's pale arse in the showers, not to speak of Crabbe and Goyle."
Harry looked a bit sickened. "I was exposed to the sight of Malfoy's ass for only a short time. Hearing that however, I now understand what you have to go through on a regular basis."
Daphne couldn't help but snort. "Same goes for Millicent and me with Parkinson. Only that she always flaunts it around in the showers like she is Venus reborn."
"Yes, it was great to see how for once she didn't want to show her body off," Millicent added.
"I have to thank Colin again that he allowed me to borrow his camera," Luna said, looking at the camera. "Daddy taught me how to use a camera and develop photos. I'll do that tomorrow and duplicate them before storing them away together with the negatives."
"Still, I hope I can scrub my mind of the sight." Hermione looked a bit sickened. "You think they will talk or will they do as we said?"
"Considering how much these two worked to get a reputation with their circles, they hardly want to become laughing stock. But let's better part ways for now. No need to tempt fate..." Millicent suggested.
They did part ways and walked back to their respective dorms, feeling that things were going the right way for once. There also was the satisfaction that Malfoy and Parkinson finally got what was coming to them.
...the next day, Defense class...
After the events of the previous evening, getting back to normal lessons was quite welcome. Seeing at the morning how subdued Malfoy and Parkinson were had been proof that there was no way they would ever talk about the whole thing. Additionally, the threat of these pictures 'appearing' would ensure to keep them in check. Only too bad the Six could never tell anyone of their victory.
Now however it again was time for one of Alastor Moody's lesson in Defense. The man was a good teacher, which was little wonder when remembering that as part of his former job he also has been training new Aurors. Also, considering what Dora had told them, the man was really keeping a lid on his harsher training methods, not wanting to use those in a school environment.
"It feels like he's trying to squeeze the contents of two years into one, if you consider our workload," Ron commented while they took their seats.
"Guess he wants us to be extra ready just in case. Though the workload is indeed quite high," Harry agreed, though thankfully all of Moody's lessons and homework were actually useful, unlike the junk they got in their first two years.
"Not that it bothers you," Hermione commented. "I don't know how you do it, Harry, but Defense seems to come naturally to you, while even I struggle at times with Professor Moody's densely packed lessons."
"I don't know, it just clicks for me," Harry admitted his ignorance why he was so good in Defense.
Ron for his part bit down a comment about him wondering that there is a subject Hermione is struggling with. No way I say that. She most certainly would not appreciate it...
That moment Moody entered and after roll call, he addressed the class.
"Now, before I come to the actual meat of today's lesson, there is something the Headmaster asked me to convey to all of you. He said it's important to know and I agree with him." Moody's rotating magical eye stopped any questions. "The Headmaster wants me to tell you some things about curses that permanently disfigure."
Seeing how students tried not to look at his face, he knew what they were thinking. "I'm not a good example. I got this in straight battle, when Evan Rosier cast an explosion spell right into my face." Seeing he got his point across, he then continued "No, I talk about curses that are meant to leave irreparable damage like scars or other disfigurements."
"Sir... who would do such a thing?" Lavender asked, looking a little green at the idea of permanently disfiguring someone.
"More people than you might think. Besides the usual suspects of psychos and criminal scum, there is a surprising number of unthinking morons who don't waste a thought on what kind of damage they are doing," Moody explained. "I had to personally arrest a witch who did that just because of an unanswered love letter. of all things."
The students looked a bit unsettled at that revelation.
Moody however then continued. "But the worst are the ones that try to rationalize it away. Saying things like 'they deserved it'. Wrong! Disfiguring someone for life outside of life-or-death situations can't be excused and lands you in prison... Weasley, and I mean the male one! You look like you want to say something?"
Ron was startled at being singled out, but quickly caught himself. "It reminded me of an incident a few years ago. It was nothing permanent... My brother Bill had a pen pal in Brazil, but when he told him that he couldn't afford travel to Brazil, the bloke went amok and sent Bill a cursed letter that shriveled his ears. Thankfully, the damage was fixable."
Moody looked highly unimpressed. "Your brother was very lucky, since his so-called friend clearly is a criminal in the making if he does such things."
Hermione for her part looked highly disturbed because she had a realization. I would have totally used something like that and rationalized it away in some way. Hermione, you are not as mature as you think you are.
Moody then went on and gave some more examples and why it was wrong to do such things, before he finally started the actual lesson.
After class was over and the students started to leave, Hermione's friends gave her a few concerned looks.
"Hermione, are you all right? You look a little pale," Ron then asked.
She knew she should be honest about it. "When Professor Moody gave his lesson on disfiguring curses... I realized I also am one of those people who would try to rationalize it away. I would have disfigured someone for life and not thought it's wrong to do so."
Her friends looked surprised and a little disturbed. "Hermione, are you sure you would have done so?" Neville asked carefully.
"If the stakes were high enough I would have explained it away with 'deserved it' or 'it's for the greater good'. God, that makes me sound like Grindelwald..." Hermione groaned with a sudden realization.
"You are too hard on yourself," Luna said calmly, giving Hermione an intense look. "You are a better person than you think you are, otherwise you wouldn't have had that realization and now feel so bad over it."
"It's still uncomfortable for me to realize I'm capable of such things and especially such thoughts," Hermione confessed, being a bit afraid at the implications.
"You know none of us are perfect, right? Now you know about it and you want to be better than that. Cut yourself some slack," Ron asked Hermione, looking even more concerned for her than the others.
Others might scoff at it, but he's right. He's no intellectual for sure, but he's really smart in other ways, Hermione thought. "Thanks, Ron... I guess that's what I needed to hear."
No one said anything, but seeing how Ron was walking right next to Hermione and tried to stay close to her was quite telling. Ron obviously wanted to reassure Hermione and seemingly was not realizing he was doing so. They also didn't comment on it due to their own difficulties with changing relationships at their current age.
One old wisdom proven correct again. Despite all the good things it brought, puberty sucked for those going through it.
to be continued...
Next Episode:
"Secret Wars"
Notes:
Here the notes.
Yep, that's it for Ludo. The guy was pretty much an idiot and made too many errors. However, as you've seen, the damage is already done and the goblins are quite angry that they are burdened with the loss.
I decided to finally have Fleur made an effort to learn more about the Six (or better, she is made to make that effort). Since Fleur here sees no need to keep up her mask, her relationship with them will be considerably better than in canon.
Aren't I the master of mood whiplash? We have Harry and Ginny enjoying Hogsmeade, and then suddenly Pettigrew throws a wrench into it. We now see how Voldemort planned to get the blood - simple and efficient. It does bring the strangeness shared between the Six to the front and even they are now putting together that something happened.
Of course Voldemort used the opportunity to revive himself now, giving him even more preparation time, as we see. I hope I made the point how he's reinventing himself into a magical supremacist. His final line against Crabbe and Goyle Sr. I couldn't help but to borrow from the DCAU.
I realized I'm not good at writing Quidditch games, so it's mostly reactions to the events on the pitch. Of course they had no chance, but the point was for them to do their best, as Krum pointed out. We also see a second attmept on Harry, but this one being sloppy, as Karkaroff himself admits.
The big one of course is what is done with Draco and Pansy. What do you think?
And Moody's class I added after some feedback, feeling Moody had to make this point, as it is part of his duties.