Harry Potter and the Founders Vault
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The Fab Four's First Hogsmead Adventure
Harper blinked at the light as she was looking in the face of Rowena Ravenclaw – but she knew this wasn't the actual Hogwarts founder. This was Hogwarts itself, meaning that this was a dream.
"Hello Harper," Hogwarts as Rowena said with a nod.
"It's been a while since you entered my dreams," Harper said. Hogwarts had welcomed her back in the beginning of the year, but hadn't really talked to her much since.
"I am sometimes busy, and you had some things to work out; I didn't think would be appropriate for me to answer," Hogwarts as Rowena said.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Harper asked, walking closer. "Why didn't you say that Rowena Ravenclaw is my ancestor as well as Salazar Slytherin?" Hogwarts as Rowena head gave a small nod. "Can you tell me more? How? Why?"
"I am sorry, but that is something I am not allowed to tell," Hogwarts as Rowena told Harper. "The Founders forbid it. You are on your own there," Harper groaned but she had a feeling, before she even asked, that was going to be the answer. "But I have come to you for another reason. Today the four who take on the task go into the Forbidden Forest," Harper gave a nod. When she woke up it would be Halloween. "There is a reason that the forest was forbidden – even in the times of my creator."
"You're the one sending us there," Harper pointed out.
"I didn't set where the task is," Hogwarts as Rowena countered, "only the clues. The four who open the Vault must be brave, loyal, intelligent, and cunning. They must be willing to go together, wherever is needed. But even this task the Founders allowed me to give you the exact path. So, follow the directions that will appear in the book exactly as written. Do not deviate from the path."
"Okay. Got it," Harper said with a nod.
"I am serious, Harper," Hogwarts as Rowena said. "There is more in that forest then most even know. Go deep enough and there is even one very old dragon still living there."
"Don't tell Harry that! He'll go looking for it," Harper said quickly at this information, and Hogwarts as Rowena gave a laugh. "We'll stick to the path."
"Good, and have fun in Hogsmead," Hogwarts as Rowena smile. "Cedric Diggory is a nice boy. I quite like him."
"Um… thanks," Harper said, feeling as if she had just gotten a very weird parent approval of a boyfriend she didn't need.
-Harry Potter-
All Third Years had to give their signed permission slips to Professor McGonagall before being allowed to leave and it seemed that no one had a problem getting a parent or guardian's signature.
"Well, I'll see you all at three," Harper said to the others, seeing Cedric, who was waiting for her.
"Can't believe she's got a date," Hermione muttered as the three let Harper and Cedric get ahead of them on the walk out of the castle, so they weren't walking together.
"I can," Harry said with a shrug as they walked the path. "I mean, more than enough boys were willing to take her to dances or out for ice cream this summer with me and Enola. The only reason one of them are not her boyfriend is because she made it clear she didn't want to date someone she only saw in the summer. Said it wasn't a real relationship if they only saw each other for two months, but I mean, look at me and Enola."
"Yes…" Hermione said through gritted teeth – and it almost sounded like a hiss. Harry had received several letters from Enola and sent several back, but Hermione could not figure out why it annoyed her.
"Let's get to Honeydukes," Neville said, they now leaving the castle grounds to head to the adjacent village. "I want sweets."
The sweet shop was easy to find once they reached the village; it was crowded with other Hogwarts students already wanting to get candy of their own. Harry had to admit the shop was impressive with its wide variety of sweets – a lot of which Harry had never seen before, and then there were some brands he had seen in America as well.
Harry decided to buy a wide variety of sweets including a ton of chocolate frogs – some dark, some milk – some fizzing whizzbies, and even some liquorice wands. He really enjoyed the jumping chocolate frogs and the cards that came along with them and had even got a blinder and everything to store them properly alongside his baseball cards. The other sweets were just for experimentation.
Harry smirked when he saw a thing of candy hearts.
"Ah, those I got…" the shop owner started.
"From the muggle world," Harry added, knowing these sugary candies with messages of love on them was a muggle favorite – it seemed the shop owner had taken them out of the original packaging and repackaged them to avoid wizards knowing they were muggle.
"Don't talk too loud. These have become a best seller," the wizard said. "Besides, I enchanted them to change the messages on the front from time to time. Are you muggle-born, do you mind my asking?"
"Half," Harry said, realizing the shop owner didn't realize he was talking to the Harry Potter – it was likely the lack of glasses and scar. "I'll take a pack."
"Wonderful!" The man smiled as he packed them with the rest of the sweets Harry had gotten. "The names Ambrosius Flume. Is that an American accent I detect?"
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Flume, and it is," Harry stated, turning to Hermione. "Mione, put what you want here. I'll pay,"
"I have enough to buy on my own, thanks," Hermione said.
"Didn't say you didn't. But I want to treat you. Nev, you too," Harry said, and Neville easily took the offer – with Harry paying for Neville, Hermione let Harry pay for hers as well and the three walked out of the crowded store with a bag full of treats. "For you," Harry handed the sugary hearts to Hermione, who smiled when she saw them, recognizing them as well as she happily took them.
"We should get a big lunch here today since… well, you know," Hermione said, and the two nodded. "And me and Neville will pay, since you got us the sweets."
"Sure thing," Harry said and paused, his attention going to the mountains. "I can see these mountains from the castle, but they look much bigger here." Harry looked and then pointed. "Did you see something flying over there?"
"What? No?" Hermione said.
"Definitely was something there. Maybe a Threstal or Hippogriff. Wild ones – not like the ones at Hogwarts," Harry said.
"They live in the mountains?" Hermione asked.
"Those actually prefer lower grounds but a lot of magical creatures live in the mountains all over the world. America has a magical ranger department that goes to keep muggles away from areas they live and make sure the wild ones are under control," Harry explained. "Maybe it was a griffin."
"Come on, let's go check out Zonko's Joke Shop," Neville said.
"Um… go ahead," Harry said, and Hermione paused, but then went with Neville to the joke shop.
When they entered, they saw the Weasley twins in the shop and they seemed to be buying as much as they could from the owner who was a large, jolly man.
"For the prank war?" Hermione guessed as she looked at the two. The war hadn't lessened and now that Harper had added Ginny and Luna to her team, it had increased.
"They put some type of powder in our clothes that made us itchy! This cannot go unpaid," Fred said.
"And her use of blood magic against us…" George added
"We need to stock up," Fred said.
Hermione tried not to laugh, knowing Harper had used itching powder. A muggle joke. "Look guys, you got them several times. They got you. Maybe time to be the bigger man and end the war?" Neville asked.
"And why should we?" The two countered at the same time.
"Well, you started it," Neville pointed out.
"She started it with the Slytherin tattoo prank!" Fred said.
"Which was a response to you turning the Slytherin's hair red," Neville added.
"That was because Draco made a comment about our hair," George commented back.
"You prank an entire house to get at one person?" Neville said, not believing he was arguing this.
"Not important," the two said.
"Nev, let it go," Hermione said, putting a hand on Neville's shoulder and leading him away from the Weasleys. "Come on Nev, let it go. They must be desperate if they are going to a joke shop instead of just making their own."
"How do we get this to end?" Neville asked as he and Hermione looked over the joke shop inventory. Hermione didn't have an answer for Neville though so just shrugged.
The friends bought some objects for fun before leaving the shop and going to find Harry.
Harry wasn't far from where they last saw him, but now he was holding a pair of binoculars in his hands and aiming them in the direction of the mountains.
"Where did you get the binoculars?" Hermione asked
"Spintwitches Sporting Needs," Harry said making Hermione pause. "It's right over there," Harry lazily pointed in a direction. "Sells a lot of Quidditch stuff but does hold objects for other things – including climbing. They have maps of the mountain and other equipment."
"You choose a sporting good shop over a joke shop?" Neville said, seeming not to get it. "You know, Fred and George are there buying."
"That's Harper's concern," Harry muttered, not even turning around. "There is definitely a griffin up there. I have never seen a griffin in the wild."
"Did someone say griffin?" A new voice spoke and Ron appeared very fast near them. "Griffin feathers are great for wand cores. Especially defensive magic! I was just talking to the shopkeeper in Ollivanders."
"You went to Diagon Alley?!" Neville asked.
"No… there's a branch of Ollivanders down there," Ron pointed in the same direction Harry had for the sports shop.
"Oh," Neville didn't know what to say to that. He hadn't known there was another wand shop in the village, but then again this was his first time here and his grandmother didn't really explain the place to him.
"Anyway, there's a griffin in the mountains over there," Harry voiced, passing the binoculars to Ron. "Right over there. I saw it flying around. I think it has a nest up there." Ron was looking through the binoculars now.
"Think we could get some feathers?" Ron asked.
"We'd have to go up there," Harry said.
"Okay, I can't believe I have to say this," Hermione said. "But you are not climbing the mountain."
"Very right, we don't have the right equipment or dressed right for it now. No, we need some planning, equipment, and training," Harry said determinedly, and Hermione groaned as Neville laughed.
"Let's go get lunch," Hermione said, grabbing the binoculars. "Ron, want to join us? We'll head to the Three Broomsticks."
"Sure," Ron said as he walked besides the three. Harry giving another look at the mountains before Hermione dragged him away. "Is Harper waiting for us there or joining us…?" Ron was looking around as if he expected Harper to show up at any moment.
"No, she's on a date," Harry said.
"A date?" Ron said – and his face seemed to fall. "With who?"
"Cedric Diggory," Harry said, and Ron looked upset as they reached the Three Broomsticks pub. Harry thinking the boy had a crush on Harper now – possibly because he put credit to Harper on getting him into wand making.
The pub was packed with students and adults alike – residents of the village, no doubt. The four ordered some food and picked up some drinks – butterbeer, a milky, foamy, sweet drink – and found a table by the entrance as they started to drink while they waited for their food.
Neville turned his head as someone entered. "Merlin's beard, that's the Minister of Magic!" Neville said, making Hermione and Harry turn to follow his gaze.
"Yup. That's Cornelius Fudge," Ron said as well, knowing the Minister's face himself. "What is he doing here?"
"Minister?" It was Madam Rosmerta, the owner of the Three Broomsticks, an attractive nearing middle-aged witch with brown hair. "What brings you here?"
"I had a meeting with Albus Dumbledore and thought I would come get the best butterbeer in Great Britain!" Fudge said. "Sometimes I don't understand that man… he has tried to convince me to stop my order that Dementors kiss Sirius Black on sight."
Harry, who was listening over the conversation along with many people since Fudge was talking loudly, tightened his hold on his mug's handle. "Why would he do that?" Rosmerta asked, showing the Minister to a table nearby.
"He says, since there have been questions about his guilt, and now he's out of Azkaban this would be the good time to inspect those," Fudge said. Hermione put a hand on Harry's shoulder to stop him from blowing up.
"Who raised questions?" Rosmerta asked.
"Apparently some lawyer found out that Sirius never received a trial," Fudge said dismissively. "But the man is as guilty as sin."
"Harry!" Hermione called but couldn't stop as Harry jumped up.
"What a stupid backwards way of thinking!" Harry's voice was louder than Fudge had been. "You put a man in jail without a trial and never even consider he could be innocent?! You horrible little man. Not even the muggles in this country do that. The magical world is like some backwards third world country."
"Who do you think you are boy?!" Fudge said, staring at Harry. "That you would talk to me like this?"
"I thought I was your savior. The freaking boy-who-lived!" Harry shouted back and Fudge eyes went wide as his face paled, and he looked Harry up and down. Other people turned to look at Harry as well. "I thank God I was taken out of this way of thinking. I won't say the American justice system is perfect. It can fail, but at least everyone gets a trial. Everyone has the option of testifying under truth potion to their innocence. You won't even give a chance!"
"Harry!" Hermione said taking Harry's arm. "Ron, Neville. Help!"
"It's better 100 guilty go free than one innocent be made to suffer, but this place has it the opposite way," Harry was yelling at the Minister now; Ron and Neville come and starting to drag Harry away, trying to get him out of the pub. "You'd send a man to death not even knowing if he's truly guilty."
At that, Ron and Neville got Harry, who had barely fought against, them out the door.
"Harry!" Hermione said after making sure the meal they had ordered was paid for and coming out. "You can't yell at the Minister of Magic!"
"I'll yell at anyone who's as backwards and stupid as that man!" Harry countered, still angry.
"Sirius never got a trial?" Neville, however, said seeming lost on this fact. "But he's the Lord of the House of Black. How could they not give him a trial?"
"That is odd," Ron added with a nod.
-Harry Potter-
Harper and Cedric had walked into Hogsmead earlier; Cedric halfway down the path took hold of Harper's hand and Harper smiled as they held hands.
Cedric then gave Harper a tour of the village – they didn't walk into the most crowded shops to not be overcrowded, with Cedric just pointing them out. He then showed her the Shrieking Shack, a supposed haunted house that looked like it was falling apart. Harper wasn't too sure how it could be unknowingly haunted when ghosts were real, but decided not to question it.
Then he brought her to a little tea shop called Mrs. Puddifoot's Tea Shop; Harper remembered Tonks pointing it out the year before. It was a nice little place, filled with small round tables, tea served everywhere with Mrs. Puddifoot, a plump little woman, happily serving those couples within. The pair sat at a table near the rear of the shop, having a nice conversation.
"It's cute in there," Harper said as they were leaving.
"You're not the biggest tea person, are you?" Cedric asked.
"I live where it's always very hot, so never got into hot drinks, but here where it is cold it's nicer," Harper reasoned. "I wonder if the shop sells iced tea? I love iced tea."
"We can always ask next time," Cedric asked.
"Next time?" Harper asked, pausing so she could face Cedric. "You think there will be a next time?"
"I think so," Cedric said.
"Me too," Harper said with a smile. "Although the little sandwiches they serve there are not very filling."
"Then maybe next time we should go to The Greasy Hog," Cedric said. "A small restaurant over that way, never as packed as the Three Boomsticks. Good enough food there. A lot of couples who want a nice meal together to go there. It does mean, due to size it fills up fast on Hogsmead special weekends. When we know the date of the next one I better make a reservation."
"Sounds nice," Harper said, taking Cedric's hand again as they walked.
"But if you're hungry for now, we can head to the Three Broomsticks. They have some good food there," Cedric said.
"Sounds good to me," Harper said, and Cedric led her back to the main street of the village, where students were more concentrated. There, they noticed Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville out front of the Three Boomsticks, and Harry did not look in a good mood. "What happened?" Harper asked.
The four's attention went to the two, Ron, Hermione and Neville seeming very happy to see Harper right now. Ron then noticed the hand holding and took a step back.
"Harry just yelled at the Minister of Magic," Hermione said, and Cedric gave a chuckle.
"Sorry, my dad works for the Ministry, and I am sure he would love to do that too," Cedric said. "What did you need to yell at him about?"
"Sending an innocent man to jail without a trial and then demanding they get kissed by a Dementor," Harry said simply, his hand in a fist. Harper was shocked he hadn't punched the man.
"Do we need to get you into anger management?" Harper asked. "That's not our plan to keep Sirius safe. That idiot will dig his feet in more now that he's challenged. Remember last year? He sent Hagrid to jail with no proof at all, Harry!"
"Wait… you think Sirius is innocent?" Cedric asked. "He didn't get a trial?"
"Minister confirmed that himself," Neville said. Only now did they noticed Ron seemed to have vanished, having excused himself soon after Harper and Cedric had turned up.
Harry looked like he didn't want to agree with his sister but knew she was right as Cedric and Neville seemed to be taking in the information.
"I just wish I could tattoo 'Sirius Black is innocent' to his forehead," Harry said. "Hey…" Harry looked at Harper. "You did that to the Weasleys, sort of: Slytherin rules. It didn't come off for a week no matter what the teachers did."
"Yeah, that was a good one," Harper said giving a chuckle and then realizing what Harry meant. "No, no! I am not pranking the Minister of Magic."
"But…" Harry tried.
"No. I'll see you later." Harper put an arm around Cedric and forced him to walk passed the bewildered trio and into the Three Broomsticks.
Cornelius Fudge was still inside, loudly talking about how guilty Sirius had to be.
"…Black was his most loyal follower, that's not disputed," the Minister was saying, now with an audience of a few adults – Rosmerta had since left to attend her clients. "I'm surprised by Potter, though, but honestly, it must be something wrong with his American upbringing. You know how they are over there. That whole 'freedom of speech' and their odd amendments things – whatever they are. Yes, I think his views must have been twisted…"
"You're pranking the Minister of Magic, aren't you?" Cedric asked, noticing the look on Harper face at these words.
"I'm going to need a few things…" Harper said with a nod and Cedric gave a laugh.
"You are truly awesome," Cedric chuckled, deciding to find a seat as far away from the Minister of Magic as possible.
Post-chapter Note: I hope you liked this fun chapter. A different take on the book where Harry found out Sirius 'betrayed' his parents. At least he didn't need to hide in the Invisibility Cloak in this one. Besides, I think my Harry has some serious anger issues regarding his godfather this year. Haha. Oh, what did you guys think of Harper and Cedric? I love their pairing. Next chapter will involve the Ravenclaw task, so look out for that one.
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Karry Master OUT.