Chapter 26: The Blissful and the Bothersome

Sunday 27 November 1994.

Viktor palmed the handle of his wand as he walked down the pathway.

He'd seen some of the nasty things the students of this school did to one another when they thought no one was watching, and was not about to let any of them try it on him. Not that his own school was any different at times, but he had certainly learned the value of vigilance.

Yet that still left him confused as to why he was here right now at all. His Headmaster had seen the note and forbidden him to go, but something about it had caught Viktor's interest.

It could have been the summons to the Quidditch Pitch, a surprisingly well-built model for a school in his opinion, that had stirred a longing for his favoured pastime. He'd not sat atop a broom since the end of the World Cup and he missed the freeing feeling of flight.

Or perhaps it was the enigma of the sender. Many rumours filled the halls of all three schools about the boy. And curiosity was a powerful motivator.

"You're here! Excellent." Viktor spun and noticed the smile fell from the boy's face. "Ok, that's unexpected."

Viktor glanced at his now outstretched hand and noted he was holding his wand to bear. The dark-haired boy had caught him off-guard somehow as he had not seen him anywhere nearby as he approached.

So he had reacted as he would back at Durmstrang, where a curse would often be the first warning of danger. He looked back up and saw the girl who never left the boy's side had appeared as if from nowhere as well. Her fingers were twitching as she stared him down.

"You sent note." Viktor offered simply.

"Sure did. Seeing as how I got here late, I figured it would be nice for us all to have a chance to chat. International Magical Cooperation and all that. You did a great job against the Fireball, well, so I'm told. I couldn't see from the tent, as you know."

Viktor's eyes narrowed in confusion. His wand trained to the side as several small pops revealed a pair of tiny elves carrying brooms far too large for their bodies.

"Thank you, Nemea." The girl stated, taking the broom from the elf closest to her without taking her eyes, or her wand now, off Viktor, whose own was pointed at the tiny creature to her left. "Want to put that away? The plan was to have a friendly chat and fly together. You don't have to stay if you feel threatened."

"Pot, meet kettle." The boy whispered as he lowered the girl's wand and stepped closer. "Wrong foot I'd say." He extended his hand and approached. "I'm Harry Potter, it's a pleasure to properly meet you, Mr Krum."

Viktor smirked as he noticed the cleverness the boy showed. While his approach and tone suggested friendship, offering his right hand meant to shake back, Viktor would have to lower his wand.

"Da, wrong foot." Viktor tucked his wand away and took Harry's hand, shaking firmly. "A pleasure."

Harry smiled brightly and gestured the girl forward. "Viktor, may I introduce Hermione Granger, my best friend and girlfriend."

Viktor extended his now empty hand and the girl responded favourably, allowing him to offer a curt bow in greeting. "It is delight to meet you, Miss Granger. Forgive my tvitchiness, Ser Igor is good at making me little paranoid."

"I'll say." A new voice announced, accompanied by a slap on Viktor's back. "How's making friends going, shorty?"

Viktor glanced at the newly arrived person and recognised her at once. Another of his competitors, the girl with the pink hair. Her entire being exuded friendship in waves and Viktor felt it would be very difficult to be around her and not be cheered up.

"Getting a good look?" The girl smirked and gave him a wink. Viktor paled and immediately moved to apologize.

"Nym," Harry warned, though still smiling. "Don't tease my newest friend."

"What fun is life without a little teasing?" Nym winked. "Call me Tonks, or Nym if we're friends." She finished, waggling her eyebrows.

"Eet seems I am ze last to arrive and you 'ave starteed wizout me."

"Fleur, perfect timing. I'm glad you all decided to come." Harry stated, stepping towards the blonde with his hand outstretched again.

"Any plans to let us in on why you invited us?" Nym asked following Harry's greeting of the French Champion.

"The same reason I showed up here at all. Friendship," Harry stated as if it were obvious, returning to the nearby elves and relieving them of their heavy burdens. "Thanks, you lot are the best."

He walked back over to Viktor and extended one of the brooms in his direction. "I know it's no Firebolt, but I'm sure you'll find it better than the school ones here. I'm told they are truly awful."

Krum paused as he assessed the broom. It was indeed not as magnificent as his team broom back home, but it was a very nice piece of hardware regardless. The shaft was a brilliant oak, shined to perfection. The strokes on the lacquer perfectly matched the direction of the grain as it curved to the rear. Each twig in the tail appeared carefully chosen for aesthetics, which would affect its performance compared to his Firebolt, but made for a much more aesthetically appealing design.

As he took the handle from the boy, Viktor smiled at the feel. This model had a slight weight imbalance to the rear which would allow for faster acceleration as your body accounted for the imbalance naturally. "A most impressive design."

Harry smiled even more and Viktor found himself intrigued. "Thanks, it belonged to my dad. He and his friends made a full set. If you don't mind using homemade brooms that is."

"I vould be honoured. Your father, he knew his stuff." Viktor said as he felt over the broom. The more he explored it, the more its homemade nature became evident, and the more impressed he became at its quality.

"Gryffindor Quidditch Chaser from 1974 to 1977. Everyone says I fly just like him." Viktor noted the wistful sound in the boy's voice. In a moment, Hermione was at his side and Viktor watched their interaction curiously. He could not hear what she was saying to him, but it made Harry's smile return in force. "Shall we? I haven't had a good fly since Nym left."

Viktor mounted the broom and with a deft movement was up once more among the birds and clouds. While the broom lacked the raw acceleration of his Firebolt, it was every bit as maneuverable. A true surprise for something made by a man barely out of school.

The air rushing about his face and body took with it all his worries and concerns about the Tasks ahead. As ever, being in the air was a freeing experience like no other.

He pushed the broom harder and found its rather low top speed quickly as he shot across the pitch. The twigs in the rear proved they were for more than just aesthetics as he found it to be the most stable broom he'd ever sat astride.

The Firebolt was raw power waiting to be unleashed, and as a result, always felt a bit like a wild animal ready to strike and toss you into the naked sky. Viktor, however, trusted this broom instantly.

His drifting thoughts centred as he noted he was not alone in his journey. The bushy-haired friend of Harry was at his heels gaining ever so slightly due to her smaller frame and weight. A smile filled his face as he took the challenge and set about trying to lose the girl, pulling some of his favourite seeker moves.

Yet no matter how he flew, she kept right on his tail the entire time. That was when Viktor realized not only was he not concerned with the upcoming tasks, but he was actually having fun again.

He deftly steered the broom about and headed for the trio hovering at the far end of the pitch, Hermione coming alongside him as he travelled, a broad grin on her face as well. Her size advantage saw her arrive moments before him, but it bothered him not a bit as he sat up on his broom in front of the group.

"Sorry, Hermione can be a little competitive. It's how she feels someone out. You should see her challenge Nym on an exam." Harry explained as the girl blushed beside him.

Viktor laughed in response. "Da, I am same. You haff good friends."

"Hope you don't mind if I count the two of you among that number now?"

"Oui, one can never 'ave too many friends," Fleur stated, before she shot off with Nym on her heels, the pair dancing through the air.

Harry laughed as Hermione drifted up beside the boy and Viktor watched with curiosity. The Headmaster had been concerned this was a ploy to undermine him in the competition, yet the Potter boy was as transparent as could be.

Viktor was going to enjoy being their friend.

ϟ

"We own more brooms," Remus stated plainly, as he sat behind him.

Sirius ignored his friend as he watched the aerial display before him. Countless emotions stirred through his body. Nostalgia at the sight of the full set of brooms he and the others had crafted immediately after finishing Hogwarts in use once more. Longing to be up in the air with them enjoying the easy joy of a pointless flight. Sorrow at the thought of Harry needing him less and less as he made new friends and family.

"Stop whining. Harry will never not want you around, you stupid mutt."

Sirius turned to face Remus, his paws making a loud thud on the wood as they dropped from the railing. He transformed back and glared at his friend. "How'd you…"

"Know? You were actually whining, Padfoot. Your form is a lot easier to read than you are. Not that you're particularly difficult to read. This is why we agreed to Minerva's suggestion. The proof is in the pudding, wouldn't you say."

"I know, and I'm glad he's happy. But I worry. We lost so much time with him."

"And what lesson have we learned from that?"

"Never open up to a Marauder?" Sirius groaned.

"How about 'think before doing', and 'never give up on family'."

"I miss him, Moony."

"You still see him nearly every day!"

"Nearly! I used to see him every single day. He came to me for questions about James he didn't want to ask directly. I can't even slee… never mind."

Remus ruffled the hair behind Sirius's ear. "Awww, is Paddy missing his nighttime companions?"

"Yeah, never open up to a Marauder," Sirius growled, changing back to Padfoot in the seat and looking longingly into the sky.

"Don't pretend to be hurt, you stupid lug. You'd do the same if it were me. We all miss him, Sirius. That's the inevitable thing about being a parent. Be it biological or surrogate. Eventually, they all leave the den."

Remus began to pet him lightly as they watched the five children throw a quaffle back and forth, evidently playing keeping off the poor sod in the middle. Sirius couldn't contain the longing whine that escaped his throat.

"I know, Padfoot. Me too."

ϟ

Monday 28th November 1994.

"Your attention everybody." Professor Flitwick called to the room, silencing the movement as the students prepared to depart. "As some of you may be aware, if you've done your research, the Triwizard Tournament consists of an additional event not restricted solely to the Champions; The Yule Ball."

Whispering immediately broke out among the children and Flitwick waited a moment to let it settle.

"The Ball is an event for all students fourth-year and above. A chance to mingle and have fun socially with our visitors and fellow students. It shall take place on the evening of December twenty-fourth, so those who wish to participate must decide whether they shall attend or be heading home for the holiday."

Further discussion spread at this information, but the whispering quieted faster than the first.

"As the event is a dance, you may invite a date. You may also invite someone from a younger year if you like. The Ball is preceded by dinner at seven o'clock, then dancing until we professors decide it's late enough. Curfew rules are obviously being relaxed for the evening, however," Flitwick paused and let his eyes drift across the students' faces. "Do not let that fool you into believing poor behaviour will be tolerated. I'm certain Mr Filch will be spending the next few weeks preparing the most horrible detentions he can muster for anyone caught dishonouring the school.

"That is all, you may leave early, or talk among yourselves. Mr Potter." Flitwick dropped down from his raised desk and walked over to where Harry was seated beside Miss Granger and Miss Patil. "Has Professor Sprout informed you of the event already?"

"Ah, no. Hermione had mentioned that several previous Tournaments had involved a dance. She didn't explain it in detail though."

Flitwick smiled at the girl to his right. "Well done, Miss Granger. I'm sad such a keen desire for research did not find its way to my own house. She is correct. However, there is a fact you may yet be unaware of. The Champions and their dates open the dance."

"And our attendance is mandatory, I assume?" Filius nodded in response and Harry simply looked at him for a moment before nodding himself. The boy turned away and took Miss Granger's hand. "I would do it fancier, but I want to make sure no one else asks. Hermione, will you accompany me to the Ball, and hopefully, prevent me from making a fool of us both in front of everyone?"

Miss Granger smiled openly and leaned over to kiss the young Potter on the cheek. "I don't need fancy, I have you. Of course, I'll go with you, Harry. Though Sirius will be upset we aren't coming home for Christmas."

"That's true. Professor, would we be able to invite our family to attend? If we're not going to be allowed to go home to celebrate with them, it seems only fair for them to be allowed to attend."

Flitwick sighed. "Unfortunately, this is not a school event, so we professors don't truly have a say in that, Mister Potter. You can ask the Tournament committee, but I am fairly certain the answer will be no. It wouldn't be very fair for the Champions families to attend but exclude everyone else. And if everyone were invited, well, we'd need a far larger Great Hall."

Mister Potter nodded, though the look on his face betrayed his true feelings on the matter. "Very well, we'll just have to figure something else out then. Thank you, Professor."

ϟ

Harry finished gathering their things together and slung the bag over his shoulder. Hermione followed immediately with Padma quickly catching up as they wandered aimlessly through the hallways.

"Why did they have to choose Christmas Eve?" He mumbled as they moved.

Hermione wrapped her arm about his left and snuggled tighter to his side. "I don't know. But given how little intelligence seems to have gone into the Tournament so far, I'm not terribly surprised."

"I understand your frustration," Padma said, "We usually head back to India at Christmas to see the family we cannot visit throughout the year. Dad won't be happy we have to skip it this year, or how little warning we were given."

"At least you have the choice of not attending. I don't get a family Christmas because someone thought it'd be a laugh to enter me into this stupid Tournament."

Harry stopped, the girls alongside him as they turned a corner and nearly ran into a small blonde girl who was listening intently to the wall. "Luna?"

"Oh, hello Harry. I was listening for the Humdinger. Their singing is beautiful. But it suddenly vanished when I came down this corridor."

"That's a shame, I'd like to hear it sometime." Hermione offered the girl, who smiled broadly in response.

"Daddy was working on a way to record them, but…" Luna drifted off for a moment. "I guess I can ask mummy if she's made any progress with it recently when I go home for Christmas, seeing as I'm too young to go to the Ball."

Harry frowned at the mention of the holiday, both for his own difficulties with it this year, and for Luna's sake, not getting a choice either.

"I've got an idea." Padma smiled. "If you don't mind, you can go with me."

Luna turned her large eyes on the Indian girl and tilted her head slightly "You'd go with me?"

"Of course. You seem very nice. I'm not a big fan of any of the boys in this school myself. And we can talk about the Humdingers and things. I think it will be a lot of fun. Not to mention the faces on the snooty Ministry officials at two girls dancing together."

Padma and Hermione smiled broadly at the idea of messing with the organisers in return for their scheduling. "I'm sure Harry will even save a dance for you as well." Hermione finished.

Luna seemed to consider the offer for a few moments, her eyes drifting as she did. "Ok," she nodded. "So long as mummy doesn't mind spending one Christmas alone, I accept."

The waifish girl stepped up beside Padma and copied Hermione's hold on her arm, mirroring the image of her friends. "Excellent. Shall we head to the library?" Harry asked the happier group who nodded in reply and departed the corridor.

ϟ

Tuesday 29th November 1994.

"Mister Black."

Sirius halted in place, a shudder ran up his spine as his mind warred with how to respond. Whether he should continue walking the hallway and ignore the voice or turn around and unleash his pent-up fury on them instead.

"You're a difficult man to pin down. As you were in your days here."

This comment only served to fuel his anger at the voice. How dare he refer to the times before his meddling led to Sirius losing everything he held dear in this world. He spun on his heel and beheld the face he'd spent so long avoiding, for their own safety, and at the urging of Remus.

"You've got a bloody cheek, Dumbledore," Sirius growled.

"So I've been told. How have you been, Sirius?" Albus replied plainly.

"How have I been?" Sirius asked, stunned by the gall of the question. "You care now? Not when I was tossed into Azkaban without even a 'how do you do'?"

"While I had nothing to do with your incarceration directly, I am beyond sorry that I didn't do anything to rectify it sooner. I did not know you were innocent of the charges that sent you there. The danger of playing one's cards too close to the vest."

"So it's my own damn fault? Is that what you're saying?" Sirius felt the blood boiling its way into his cheeks. Normally he was very good at hiding his feelings, but years of anger were coming to a head as he saw the man he felt responsible for all the hell he'd endured standing before him with a smile.

The smile vanished as the elderly man replied. "No, Sirius. Not in the slightest. Fate makes puppets of us all at times. What they did to you was beyond unfair. It took a far better man than me to correct those mistakes, and I will never be able to make up for having been party to your suffering."

"On that, we agree." Sirius snarled as he spun on his heel.

"We still need to talk, Sirius. I know you've received my notes requesting a meeting." Albus called as he approached the corner. Sirius had never been much for controlling his baser emotions, but Dumbledore was pushing all the wrong buttons today.

"Sorry, busy right now. Call my assistant and we'll reschedule."

"Too much television can be a bad thing, Sirius. I know you don't like me, and I've earned that ire, but you need to hear what I have to say."

"Like I said," Sirius whirled and faced the man once more, "I'm busy. Try later…"

"We both know that you are off to the Defence classroom, where you will transform into your animagus form and sit in the back of the fourth-year Hufflepuff class, quietly watching young Mister Potter absorb even more knowledge. As you did late last week as well."

"How did you…?"

"I am the Headmaster of this school, Sirius," Albus replied, looking at him as if the answer to his questions was blindingly obvious. "Do you really think I am unaware of who goes about its halls?"

"You certainly never seemed to know when we went here. Letting the bastard Death Eaters attack students in the halls." Sirius advanced on the old man once more, his anger now steaming inside.

"I have made many mistakes during my long life, Sirius. Some I will never ever be able to atone for. But I've had the error of my ways highlighted to me more than once in the past few years. At times very loudly from those whose judgement I've come to value, often more than my own. You will find my attention is now much more focused on the needs of my students."

"That must be hard when you're out of the school every other week at the ICW and Ministry." Sirius smiled at his verbal parry. Let's see the coot counter that one.

"It seems you are somewhat out of touch with recent events. If you followed the local news closer, you'd know I haven't been involved with the Wizengamot in three years. And I tendered my resignation to the ICW the summer before last. I was not doing any further good in those roles. My focus must be the students and the school. They are the future of our world."

Sirius was taken aback at the revelation. He knew Remus kept up with the news, but he hadn't thought it important to share something like that with the group. Or perhaps he'd simply kept it from Sirius alone, given his often volatile nature when the old man was brought up.

"I get it. All the better to spot upcoming talent and groom them for admission to the Order."

Dumbledore sighed once more. "My actions in the past have been poor, that is true. And I do understand your antagonism. You have a right to it. But no, that is not my intention. Children are a gift to this world, Sirius. I seem to have lost sight of that fact for a while. Our purpose is to provide them with the opportunity to embrace this world as they desire. My job is to create a place where they have access to the knowledge they require and the safety in which to study it so that they may build the world of their dreams when they leave.

"It seems that today we are at an impasse. You still need time, and we have some left to us before the worst might happen. Ask whomever you need, I have learned from my mistakes. Young Harry has nothing to fear from me anymore. I hope that, in time, you can see that."

And, with a frustratingly kind smile, the old fart turned and walked away. Leaving Sirius to seethe alone.

ϟ

Wednesday 30th November 1994.

Harry sighed as he laid his forehead gently against the soft skin of his girlfriend's own. His heart still hammered heavily in his chest as he looked into her smirking eyes.

"Mister Potter? How can he…? Helena assured me…" The voice of Filius Flitwick came from nearby.

"I'm beginning to regret our decision to attend. Just when our snogging sessions start getting good…"

"I'm not going anywhere in a hurry, Harry. Go see what he wants." Hermione chastised, loosening her fingers from his ruffled hair.

"Fine." He grumbled in reply, fixing his rumpled shirt and stepping out from behind the suit of armour to find the excitable little professor scanning the hallway before glancing back down at a note in his hand. "Hello, Professor."

The tiny man gave a start and whipped around, stopping as he found his target. "Mister Potter, there you are. Helena had mentioned you seemed to be around here this morning. It seems I need a word with you."

Harry was slightly surprised at the changed expression on the normally jovial face of the charms professor. "About what exactly, sir?"

"It has come to my attention that several of my students have been having difficulties in their classes this week. When questioned, it came out that someone had taken their wands from them and was holding them to ransom."

Harry shook his head as he laughed softly.

"I'm not sure what you find so amusing about the matter, Mister Potter. Would you care to explain?"

"Let me guess. Bel, Eddie, Marcus and Mandy?"

Flitwick's eyes narrowed slightly. "Close, but not exactly. Miss MacDougal has not complained to me about such an issue. Should she have?"

Harry gave a sound of surprise at the news. "Odd. I didn't think she'd be the first."

"The first to what, Mister Potter? I'm going to need those wands returned quickly. And I think an explanation is in order."

"I don't have their wands, Professor. As Bel has already shown, they can retrieve them at any time."

"Retrieve them from where, if you aren't in possession of them?"

Harry smiled at the wee man once more and stepped seven paces further down the hallway before he stopped and stared at the stone wall, lifting his arm to indicate the surface. The diminutive professor quickly followed Harry as he moved. He opened his mouth to question Harry further before he made a comical double-take upon finally noticing several pieces of thin wood poking out of the normally bare stone wall.

"What in the blazes?"

"You walked right past them, Professor. They're all right where they left them."

The short man walked over to the wall and gave a firm tug on one of the wands. When the stone refused to yield it to him, he drew his wand and began casting spells. But after several minutes of spellcasting, not one of the three had shifted even an inch.

"What is this magic, Potter? I've never seen anything like it?"

"Family secret, I'm afraid," Harry replied, cheerily.

"Indeed. Well, undo it, please. And we'll be heading to my office for a chat about such behaviour."

"Can't." Harry offered in reply, no longer sporting the grin he'd worn since the discussion began.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I can't," Harry repeated, making sure to enunciate the words clearly. "The only way they're coming out of there is the way Bel did it."

"And what, pray tell, is that method? Students of Hogwarts are required to have a wand for classes."

"It's quite simple. They just have to apologize. Sincerely."

"Apologize? What exactly do they have to apologize to you for?"

"To me? They didn't do anything to me. It's Luna Lovegood they need to apologize to. I'm surprised Luna didn't mention Bel saying something to her though."

"Luna Lovegood? She is one of my Ravenclaws too. What do you think they have done to her?"

"I thought you said they had apologized and returned her things, Harry?" Hermione questioned, surprising Flitwick in the process as she came up behind him.

Harry gave a soft hum in reply. "They returned her stuff, yes. But out of fear, not remorse. Nor did any of them say they were sorry in any way before I left. It's been almost four days since and only one of them has apologized satisfactorily."

"And you are the arbiter of what counts for satisfactory?" Flitwick questioned, eyeing Harry with suspicion.

The boy sighed heavily. Up until now, he had quite enjoyed talking with the Ravenclaw head of house.

"No. Magic decides what counts and what doesn't. I may have cast the magic that holds them in place, but it's only the pride of those three keeping them from their wands. I cannot overrule the magic now it has been cast, just as I cannot rescind the magic that saw my name come out of a Goblet I've never even laid eyes on."

He walked over to stand beside the tiny professor and gently flicked the end of one of the handles facing him. "Look, Professor. Maybe I overreacted, but I've never been fond of bullies. Luna was on the floor surrounded by four older students heckling and threatening her, poised to do physical harm as well. And who had clearly done similar to her in the past.

"And, who I also soon found out were responsible for the girl navigating the school with two left shoes, among other lost possessions. I do not regret my actions. If you truly think they deserve punishment, I'll accept it, but I highly suggest you take a long hard look at some of the students in your care and how they treat their fellow housemates."

Harry turned and leaned against the wall by the wands and shrugged. "But if I see something like that happening again, especially to one of my friends, I will act." He finished defiantly, staring at the short wizard.

Professor Flitwick eyed him silently for a long time, neither of them breaking eye contact, the corridor silent but for three sets of quiet breathing and the flickering of the nearby torches lighting the hallway.

"Why are you here, Mister Potter?" The question took Harry by surprise. "You are clearly advanced beyond the fourth-year standard we're teaching you in all. I'm told far beyond in your elective classes, where you're both taking the advanced N-E-W-T levels. You are obviously coasting in my class at least. So… what was your purpose in attending?"

Harry smiled at the professor once more as he pushed off the wall and took Hermione's hand as she stood beside him once more.

"It's true, after the tutoring we've had, most of the standard classes are easy. But that allows us time to do that work while continuing to focus on our correspondence studies. We should both be ready to sit our GCSEs in most subjects come March." Harry grinned and Hermione beamed at the idea they were so close to such a goal already. "But really, apart from having to be here for the events thanks to an ancient death chalice, I'm here to make friends, Professor. To meet people in my own age bracket. And I'm already quite proud of the ones I've made in the last week and a bit."

"Making lemonade out of some pretty sour lemons, one might say," Hermione added.

The teacher considered them both quietly once more, intense thought clear behind his clever gaze. "Very well. I shall inform my Claws of the requirements to regain their wands. I shall not penalise you for your actions on this occasion, Mister Potter. So long as what you have said is true. But should you have any further such encounters with members of my house, please come to me."

"Happy to, professor." The boy smiled in response as the short man turned away muttering inaudibly to himself.