Renouncing Magic's Child

The pub was as crowded as ever ... listened to the egg wailing after all.

Hermione couldn't resist feeling a little bit smug.

"Doesn't he ever go ... looking rather menacing.

"That's never a good sign," young Bill said.

It was indeed odd ... a weekend

"Wait. It's the weekend." Sirius laughed loudly. "Hermione, you do realise that most people working at the Ministry take the weekend off right?"

Hermione blushed. "Well, yeah but he was always around. He must work sometime."

"I'd take that bet," Remus smirked. "Ludo isn't really known for his work ethic."

when there was no Triwizard event, ... his boyish grin back in place.

Sirius's smile disappeared.

"Harry!" ... Everything going all right?"

"Because that's not creepy at all," Seamus said.

"Fine, thanks," ... went off to find a table.

"Yup. Definitely creepy," Dean said with a sharp nod.

Bagman led Harry along ... slanting eyes.

"That's suspicious," young Bill muttered. There was only one reason goblins would be paying so much attention to a wix. Gold. Bill would bet a year's wages that Bagman was in debt to the goblins.

"Absolute nightmare," ... I'm threatening them."

That's not true," Bill said angrily. "Goblins are master linguists. I don't think there's a language they don't all seem to know."

He gave a short, booming laugh ... they're looking for Barty Crouch."

Moody sat forward. He recognised a lie when he heard one.

"Why are they looking ... gone missing like Bertha Jorkins."

"Merlin, this man is an idiot," Hermione complained.

"Have you heard anything ... getting on with your golden egg?"

"Why is he so interested?" Blaise asked, his eyes narrowed shrewdly.

"Er. . . not bad," ... well, just say the word."

"And this man was supposed to be a judge?" Fleur complained, before ranting away in French.

Harry stared up ... breaking the rules.

Sirius smirked at that. Severus chuckled. Definitely a secret Slytherin.

"Well. . . well, yes," ... offered Cedric help?" Harry said.

Amos smiled gratefully at Harry.

The smallest of frowns ... Just thought I'd offer. . . "

"Stranger danger," Dean said loudly, causing all the muggle raised to burst out laughing.

"Well, thanks," ... advice from Ron, Hermione, or Sirius.

"That's because it is," Lucius said. "Asking friends and family for help isn't against the rules at all. Accepting help from a teacher or one of the judges however."

Bagman looked almost affronted, ... "no, thank you, boys. . . "

Mrs Weasley eyed George with suspicion. Just what were those boys up to?

Fred and George looked ... exited after him.

Yup. He definitely owed the goblins gold, Bill thought to himself.

Harry went to rejoin ... worked it out - haven't you?"

Hermione glared at Harry. Why had he lied?

"Er. . . nearly," ... still looking deeply disapproving.

Albus gave Hermione an odd look. Cheating was expected. He really didn't care one way or the other. And he imagined his older self would just want Harry to survive. Or at least he hoped so.

"I hope he's trying ... Harry privately agreed.

Hermione looked affronted. Cedric however just laughed.

"Those goblins ... "What were they doing here?"

Bill frowned. "They have just as much right to be there as you. The Three Broomsticks caters to magicals of all kinds. Not just wixenkind."

"I didn't mean..." Hermione sighed.

"Of course, you didn't," Bill said with slightly less censure in his tone. "But you have to be careful Hermione. The words you use when talking about other beings are important."

"Looking for Crouch, ... International Magical Cooperation."

"RONALD!" Molly screeched. No calming techniques would work this time. "That's a terrible thing to say about your brother."

Ron sighed when he saw that Percy did look hurt. "I'm sorry, Percy. I know you'd never  do something like that."

Percy nodded, unable to respond.

Hermione gave Ron ... Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

"And that right there is one of the reasons the goblins and other beings know you all look down on them," Harry said angrily. "Regulation and control? Just who wix think they are, trying to control other beings like that? There should be two departments. One for dealing with Magical Creatures and another for relations with non-human and part-human magicals."

"Crouch can speak loads ... Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?"

Bill was not impressed and started ranting about showing respect.

"Ha, ha, ha," ... who never stick up for themselves."

"Did you just call house elves stupid?" Draco asked. "Because I can tell you that they're really not. My nanny elf has been helping me with my summer homework since first year."

"Uh-oh," ... looking very satisfied about something.

Everybody groaned.

"... didn't seem very keen to talk to us, ... someone else's life?" said Harry loudly.

Sirius grimaced. Harry shouldn't make an enemy of Rita Skeeter. Especially since in the old timeline he didn't realise just how powerful he was. In the new timeline, if he wanted to take her down, Sirius would support him one hundred percent, but talking to her like that was reckless.

A few people looked around ... I am merely doing my-"

Young Rita sighed. She was going to have to do some major clean up if she had any hope of gaining a good working relationship with the prince. She was going to have to have words with her older self. Either that or request Mother Magic stick her older self whether she left You Know Who. She wouldn't even let her older self get in the way of her ambition.

"Who cares if he's half-giant?" ... Would you call him a father substitute?"

Sirius growled, glaring at the woman in question.

Hermione stood up ... eyeing Hermione's bushy hair.

Sirius sighed. It was easy to guess who would be Skeeter's next victim.

"Let's go," ... they walked quickly back up the street.

Sirius nodded his agreement. 

"Let her try!" ... First Harry, then Hagrid... "

Severus sighed. That temper would get her into trouble.

"You don't want to go ... the grounds to Hagrid's cabin.

"I really think you should calm down before you go and say something you shouldn't," Minerva said. "Hagrid was fragile. He didn't need to deal with your temper tantrum. Even if it was well intended."

The curtains were still drawn ... but with Albus Dumbledore.

Hermione blushed. This was just too embarrassing.

"Good afternoon," ... "Hi, Hagrid," said Harry.

Everyone eyed the book in concern.

Hagrid looked up ... attempting to break down the door."

Mrs Weasley tutted. Hagrid was a teacher and should have been treated as such. She couldn't imagine them doing that to Minerva.

"Of course we still want ... staring at the ceiling.

Multiple people laughed.

"Er-right," ... they would have something to say about it -"

"I wrote to the headmaster," Blaise's mother said.

"As did I," Arthur said.

"I may have done so anonymously," Lucius coughed.

"Not all of 'em," ... refuse to talk to anybody?"

Albus nodded. That was certainly true.

"Yeh - yeh're not half-giant!" ... "Look at the Dursleys!"

Several people swore angrily at the mention of the Dursleys.

"An excellent point," ... so that may not have been bravery... "

"Of course, I can read!" Abe grumbled. "And you know as well as I do that all I did to those goats was turn them pink. It's not my fault they belonged to Lord Lestrange."

"Come back and teach, Hagrid," ... great man... "

Aberforth grimaced. He did not agree.

"Yeah, he is," ... he looked hardly older than eleven.

Several of the younger kids grinned, imagining themselves with their own parents on their shoulders. Fred and George exchanged looks. Now that was an idea for a prank.

"Tha was taken jus' ... Died, see, in me second year..."

Hagrid pulled out a large handkerchief and blew his nose.

"Dumbledore was the one ... Big bones... I'll give her big bones."

No one said anything about Madam Maxime. Especially Harry and his friends. They were quite certain Hagrid had kept in touch with her. Well, as much as you could during a war.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ... School champion!"

Harry smiled sadly at Hagrid.

He looked at Harry ... How you doin' with that egg, Harry?"

Harry grimaced. It had been a lot harder lying to Hagrid.

"Great," ... Cedric's hint was worth anything.

Sirius nodded, pleased that Harry was finally accepting Cedric's help.