Tragedy avoided

Harri was moved to go sit between Hermione and Ron next. She patted Neville on the shoulder hoping this chapter would be far easier for him before she went to her new seat. Terry Boot offered to read next and started as soon as Harri and Remus, who had moved back to sit with Sirius, were situated. 

Early next morning, Harri woke with a plan fully formed in her mind, as though her sleeping brain had been working on it all night.

“A galleon says it doesn’t work,” Ron snorted rudely as he nudged Harri in the side.

“You're on. My plans aren't that bad,” Harri snapped as she swatted his hand away. She could be convincing if she wanted to!

Dear Sirius,

I reckon I just imagined my scar hurting, I was half asleep when I wrote to you last time. There's no point coming back, everything's fine here. Don't worry about me, my head feels completely normal.

“You might as well give Ron the money, because I am not going to fall for that,” Sirius chuckled with a shake of his head. He wasn’t born yesterday. He was sure his counterpart would appreciate Harri’s worry but would still come.

“You could,” Harri defended herself weakly. She didn’t think Sirius would fall for that either, but she didn’t want to admit this plan would fail. Ron was looking too smug next to her for her to just give in and admit he was right.

She then climbed out of the portrait hole, up through the silent castle (held up only briefly by Peeves, who tried to overturn a large vase on him halfway along the fourth-floor corridor), finally arriving at the Owlery, which was situated at the top of West Tower.

McGonagall sighed to herself. She knew which vase the book was talking about. It had been at Hogwarts when she was a student. She would have to charm it to make sure Peeves couldn’t smash it to bits.

It took her a while to persuade her to wake up and then to look at her, as she kept shuffling around on her perch, showing Harri her tail. She was evidently still furious about her lack of gratitude the previous night.

“Knew that was going to come back to bite me,” Harri groaned. Hedwig could really hold a grudge. She should have been nicer to her.

 In the end, it was Harri suggesting she might be too tired, and that perhaps she would ask Ron to borrow Pigwidgeon, that made her stick out her leg and allow her to tie the letter to it.

“You’re owl sure is prideful,” Charlie whistled. He had never encountered an owl he had to coax into doing its job.

“Tell me about it.”

"Just find him, all right?" Harri said, stroking her back as she carried her on her arm to one of the holes in the wall. "Before the dementors do."

“I’m sure I’m fine,” Sirius tried to assure. He could see how anxious Harri was over the fact the books hadn’t told her where he was yet. 

“But you don’t know that,” Harri argued back. “You could have been Kissed right now because you came back for me and we wouldn’t know.”

Guilt raced through Sirius over how much pain he was putting both his Harri and the books. 

Harri watched her fly out of sight with the familiar feeling of unease back in her stomach. She had been so sure that Sirius's reply would alleviate he rworries rather than increasing them.

Sirius sank in his seat. He wasn’t doing too great a job at being Harri’s godparent in these books. All he had done so far was make her worry. He didn’t know how he was supposed to convince Harri he would be alright either. He made a mental note to ask Cassandra if she had any ideas on how to work with Harri over her anxiety on his behalf. He was supposed to look after her, not the other way around.

"That was a lie, Harri," said Hermione sharply over breakfast, when she told her and Ron what she had done. "You didn't imagine your scar hurting and you know it."

"So what?" said Harri. "He's not going back to Azkaban because of me."

"Drop it," said Ron sharply to Hermione as she opened her mouth to argue some more, and for once, Hermione heeded him, and fell silent.

“It was a lie,” Hermione scrowled. “Harri shouldn’t be lying to Sirius.”

“She’s worried about him,” Ron retorted, leaning against Harri. “You getting on her case for trying to protect him isn’t going to help.”

Harri was grateful for Ron at that moment. She couldn’t even begin to describe the pit in her stomach when she thought Sirius could have been caught. She knew the books weren’t happening right now, but that didn’t stop the dread she felt. This book would have happened. If they weren’t in this room Sirius would have come back for her and it would have been all her fault if she lost him.

“And how often have you been truthful to us about what you get up to through the school year?” Nick Granger cut in, his conversation with Cassandra Diggory fresh in his mind. “Don’t you think you should practice what you preach?”

“I…”

Harri did her best not to worry about Sirius over the next couple of weeks. True, she could not stop herself from looking anxiously around every morning when the post owls arrived, nor, late at night before she went to sleep, prevent herself from seeing horrible visions of Sirius, cornered by dementors down some dark London street, but betweentimes she tried to keep her mind off her godfather.

Sirius was sure this was the exact opposite of what he would have wanted. He didn’t want Harri spending weeks constantly in a state of worry. He could only hope he wrote back to Harri soon. 

Cassandra thought she understood where Harri’s concerns were coming from. After seeing Sirius surrounded by dementors and almost kissed the idea it could still happen must terrify her. As far as Harri would be concerned in these books Sirius was her last piece of family. The only person who loved her. The idea of losing him after just finding him must have the girl wrapped in fear. 

To their surprise, Professor Moody had announced that he would be putting the Imperius Curse on each of them in turn, to demonstrate its power and to see whether they could resist its effects.

“You really did it,” Sprout gasped, shooting all the students' worried looks.

“Of course I did. It’s the only way they’d learn,” Moody replied, standing by his decisions. “As I said, I won’t be the reason they aren’t prepared for what’s to come.”

“They’re just children!”

“Death Eaters won’t care. Neither will Voldemort.”

"But - but you said it's illegal, Professor," said Hermione uncertainly as Moody cleared away the desks with a sweep of his wand, leaving a large clear space in the middle of the room. "You said - to use it against another human was -"

“It is,” Madam Bones stressed, sending a smoldering glare at Moody and Dumbledore. “By using that curse on you, both Dumbledore and Moody are playing a dangerous game.”

“I assure you we aren’t playing a game,” Dumbledore replied calmly but his blue eyes shined defiantly. “I can tell you every student I lost during the last war. Would you like to hear their names? Would you like to know how many of them were put under that tainted curse and forced to kill those they swore to protect? If you want to bring me up on charges for preparing my students for the worst then so be it, but I will not apologize for wanting them to live.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Madam Bones said grimly. “You haven’t allowed it to happen yet, and I’m sure we could work something out after we leave here. If war really is on the horizon I want these children to have the best chance of survival we can give them.”

“War…” Fudge began but was cut off by Madam Bone’s icy look.

“You can pay the children their knut,” Madam Bones informed him sniffly. “I used it on behalf of the Ministry after all.”

"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Moody, his magical eye swiveling onto Hermione and fixing her with an eerie, unblinking stare. "If you'd rather learn the hard way - when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely - fine by me. You're excused. Off you go."

“I wouldn't force anyone to allow me to use that curse on them,” Moody agreed with himself. “I’m not a monster. While I encourage you all to learn how to fight against it, I won’t take your will away without your consent.”

Several students shared looks. Would they really need to know this? Did Dumbledore really think that war was the only way the future was headed?

“Are you going to teach us how to do this during our lessons in this room?” Harri found herself asking.

“I’ll teach anyone willing.”

He pointed one gnarled finger toward the door. Hermione went very pink and muttered something about not meaning that she wanted to leave. Harri and Ron grinned at each other. They knew Hermione would rather eat bubotuber pus than miss such an important lesson.

“Don’t let anyone, not even a teacher, talk you into doing something you are not comfortable with,” Nick Granger told his daughter firmly. “Consent is very important. Don’t let anyone bully you into giving your consent when you don’t want to. It’s your mind he’d be messing with. You have a right to say no, and if the school punished you for it they’d hear from me.”

“Well said,” Dumbledore smiled. “You may also come to me. Hogwarts takes those matters very seriously.” 

Dumbledore was forced to remember when James Potter had threatened to expose Severus to the school. He had never been so disappointed and furious. James was lucky he had not actually gone that far for he would have found himself out of Hogwarts faster than he could say lemon drop. Dumbledore could remember the way he had made James and his friends shrink as he gave them a dressing down. He had revoked James spot on the Quidditch team the year after too for the first two games on top of detentions.

Moody began to beckon students forward in turn and put the Imperius Curse upon them. Harri watched as, one by one, her classmates did the most extraordinary things under its influence. Dean Thomas hopped three times around the room, singing the national anthem. Lavender Brown imitated a squirrel. Neville performed a series of quite astonishing gymnastics he would certainly not have been capable of in his normal state. Not one of them seemed to be able to fight off the curse, and each of them recovered only when Moody had removed it.

The screen rolled down allowing the students to watch as they were forced to do ridiculous stunts against their will. Not one person thought this was funny. The idea someone could make them do anything they wanted didn’t sit right with any of them. The idea was terrifying.

It was the most wonderful feeling. Harri felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in her head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. She stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching her.

Harri thought that actually sounded nice. It would be great to have all her stress she was going through right now and in the books just vanish. She honestly couldn’t remember the last time she was ever that relaxed. There was always something she had to worry about. This room might not put her in danger, but it did put her through emotional hell. A break from it all would be appreciated.

Harri bent her knees obediently, preparing to spring.

Jump onto the desk....

Why, though? Another voice had awoken in the back of her brain.

“You’re fighting it on your first go?” Kingsley breathed in awe. “That’s almost unheard of.”

“Of course you want to know why, it's always why with you. Why is the third corridor forbidden, why are muggleborns being attack? Why was the chamber opened? Why does the Ministry care about my safety because Sirius Black has escaped?” Hermione huffed as she smacked Harri’s shoulder playfully.

“What can I say,” Harri shrugged, “I’m a curious person.”

Stupid thing to do, really, said the voice.

“You do stupid things all the time. Why is this different?” Fred asked, ignoring the dirty look Harri sent him.

“Because I don’t have a reason to jump on the desk,” Harri guessed, as she thought about it. It could be because she didn’t think jumping made any sense. The fact she was so relaxed could have also made her think something was wrong.  Any time she had been truly happy something always came along and ruined it. She honestly didn’t know why her brain had chosen this hill to die on.

Jump onto the desk....

No, I don't think I will, thanks, said the other voice, a little more firmly...no, I don't really want to....

“Only you,” Fred shook his head while a grin stretched across his face. Harri really was just amazing. Who sassed the person trying to control them?

The next thing Harri felt was considerable pain. She had both jumped and tried to prevent herself from jumping - the result was that she’d smashed headlong into the desk knocking it over, and, by the feeling in her legs, fractured both her kneecaps.

“Impressive,” Blaise gasped, eyes wide. How strong was Harri?

Narcissa eyed the girl curiously. First the patronus and now this? How far would Potter go? Her decision to switch sides was starting to look up. She was starting to believe Potter might actually have what it took to defeat the Dark Lord. She had to wonder if Potter was placed anywhere but with those muggles if she would be much further along by now.

"Look at that, you lot...Potter fought! She fought it, and she damn near beat it! We'll try that again, Potter, and the rest of you, pay attention - watch her eyes, that's where you see it - very good, Potter, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling you!"

“Don't you think you should have given her a break?” McGonagall fretted, shooting worried looks at her lion. She was just a child. The mental strain had to be exhausting.

“I don’t need to be coddled,” Harri sniffed, crossing her arms. “If he thinks I can do it, I deserve the right to try. If I thought it was too much I’d say so.”

“You heard the girl.” Moody nodded, liking Potter’s spirit.

Remus seriously doubted Harri would have said anything. She would have practiced casting a Patronus until she dropped if he let her.

"The way he talks," Harri muttered as she hobbled out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class an hour later (Moody had insisted on putting Harri through her paces four times in a row, until Harri could throw off the curse entirely), "you'd think we were all going to be attacked any second."

“You got it in one class?” Tonks said, not really believing it. It had taken her weeks. But Harri had done it after four tries. How strong willed was the girl?

“She never did like people telling her what to do,” Ron joked, despite the way Harri elbowed him.

“Bullhead, that one is,” George nodded, with a wide grin. 

Sirius and Remus sighed in relief at least they would never have to worry about Harri in this regard.

"You are now entering a most important phase of your magical education!" she told them, her eyes glinting dangerously behind her square spectacles. "Your Ordinary Wizarding Levels are drawing closer -"

"We don't take O.W.L.s till fifth year!" said Dean Thomas indignantly.

“Where your homework load will be even worse.”

"Maybe not, Thomas, but believe me, you need all the preparation you can get! Miss Granger remains the only person in this class who has managed to turn a hedgehog into a satisfactory pincushion. I might remind you that your pincushion, Thomas, still curls up in fright if anyone approaches it with a pin!"

“Not surprising,” Harri stated, proud of her friend. “Hermione always gets it first.”

“You got fighting off the Imperius curse first,” Hermione pointed out. “Which I think is far more important than turning a hedgehog into a pincushion.”

“I doubt you’ll be too far behind me,” Harri shrugged in return, not really seeing the big deal. “And I still won’t be able to turn a hedgehog into a pincushion.”

“Don’t sell yourself so short, Miss Potter.” Madam Bones, still looking at Harri, intrigued. “What you did was no small feat. There are several grown wizards who can’t do what you just did.”

Harri and Ron were deeply amused when Professor Trelawney told them that they had received top marks for their homework in their next Divination class. She read out large portions of their predictions, commending them for their unflinching acceptance of the horrors in store for them 

“Told you it works,” Ron muttered under his breath. He didn’t care what his mum said, he was going to continue to make up his homework for Divination. It was the only way he was going to pass.

Professor Snape was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this one seriously, as he had hinted that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked.

“He most certainly will not,” McGonagall snarled, sending a look towards Snape. “If I hear you poison any of my students I promise you will end up at the other end of my wand.”

“It’s not as if I wouldn’t have given them an antidote,” Snape drawled, not taking her threat seriously. It was his class. He would do as he pleased.

“We. Do. Not. Poison. Students.”

Even Hagrid was adding to their workload. The Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at a remarkable pace given that nobody had yet discovered what they ate. Hagrid was delighted, and as part of their "project," suggested that they come down to his hut on alternate evenings to observe the skrewts and make notes on their extraordinary behavior.

Harri was not looking forward to that at all. She knew she would do it because she loved Hagrid but wanted to put it off as long as possible. She was not jealous of her counterpart at all. 

"I will not," said Draco Malfoy flatly when Hagrid had proposed this with the air of Father Christmas pulling an extra-large toy out of his sack. "I see enough of these foul things during lessons, thanks."

Hagrid's smile faded off his face.

"Yeh'll do wha' yer told," he growled, "or I'll be takin' a leaf outta Professor Moody's book....I hear yeh made a good ferret, Malfoy."

“We don’t threaten to turn students into Ferrets,” McGonagall cried as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Honestly I’m going to sit both you and Severus down and thoroughly go through what is acceptable and isn’t.”

“I don’t appreciate you threatening one of mine,” Molly snapped, sending a cold look at Hagrid. “While Draco was rude, a detention would have sufficed.”

Harri, Ron, and Hermione returned to the castle at the end of the lesson in high spirits; seeing Hagrid put down Malfoy was particularly satisfying, especially because Malfoy had done his very best to get Hagrid sacked the previous year.

“We’d be safer if I had gotten him sacked,” Draco sulked in his seat.

“Shut your mouth,” Harri snapped in return.

“Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t think he’s putting us all in danger by having us take care of those beasts of his in this book,” Draco demanded, daring Harri to lie with his gaze.

“He wouldn’t knowingly put us in danger.”

“That’s not what I said and you know it.”

"Brilliant!" said Harri. "It's Potions last thing on Friday! Snape won't have time to poison us all!"

Cassandra thought it said a lot that Harri really did think Snape would poison them. Not that the man had even tried to deny the fact. She had thought it was an empty threat when she heard it. She wondered if Snape enjoyed the fact students feared him.

"Only a week away!" said Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him...."

“You’re going to enter?” Harri asked as she looked over at Cedric in both worry and excitement.

“I don’t know.”Cedric answered as he rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s crossed my mind, I’ll be old enough, but  I don’t think I’ll do it now. My counterpart might.”

Amos thought Cedric was being ridiculous over this whole thing. Of course he was going to enter. After Cedric cooled down he would see reason. He’d see he would be a fool to let his feelings for Potter stop him from achieving greatness.

"Cedric?" said Ron blankly as Ernie hurried off.

"Diggory," said Harri. "He must be entering the tournament."

"That idiot, Hogwarts champion?" said Ron as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd toward the staircase.

“Hey,” Harri smacked Ron on the arm rather hard. “You take that back.”

“I can’t take something back I haven’t said!”

“Then apologize!” Harri demanded as she smacked him again.

“Alright alright I’m sorry. Now stop hitting me woman.”

Cedric sent Harri a grateful smile, though he could have stood up for himself.

Amos glowered at Ron. His son would be Hogwarts champion.

"He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch," said Hermione. "I've heard he's a really good student - and he's a prefect."

Harri didn’t think Cedric being good at school mattered that much. She took offense at Ron’s comment because Cedirc was her friend and didn’t deserve to have Ron badmouth him like that.

“He’s also really nice and funny,” Harri added, feeling like she needed to give humanizing reasons why Ron shouldn’t insult Cedric instead of things that involved school that felt superficial.

“Thanks,” Cedric grinned glad to see Harri stick up for him even in the books. He knew the Weasleys weren’t his biggest fans, but he knew how much they meant to Harri. He knew the fact she was willing to go against them for him meant he meant a great deal to her too.

"You only like him because he's handsome," said Ron scathingly.

"Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" said Hermione indignantly.

Ron gave a loud false cough, which sounded oddly like "Lockhart!" 

“You’re such an ass,” Hermione sniffed as she turned away from Ron.

“Oh come on, it's true. You don’t even know Diggory! Harri’s the only one that’s spoken to him in these books.”

Harri raised an eyebrow at Hermione. Did she have a crush on Cedric?

“You can stop looking at me like that,” Hermione huffed indignantly “I don’t like Diggory.”

“I never liked Lockhart and I’m friends with Cedric.” Harri pointed, out crossing her arms. “And I’m not going to stand by and let you just insult him. He certainly could be champion.”

“You think I could really be Hogwarts champion?” Cedric questions his gaze intent on Harri. 

“Of course you could,” Harri nodded, agreeing with her counterpart. “If you entered you’d get picked I’m sure. The Judge is going to love you. Besides, if you can beat me, you can do anything.”

“You know that was almost sweet of you,” Cedric replied drily as he attempted to guilt her into letting his dad’s comment go by looking as if she had just kicked his puppy.

“I aim to please.”

Cedric chuckled and looked away from her, remembering he had wanted space from her. His heart hadn’t stopped hammering in his chest since she had said she believed in the fact he had what it took to be Hogwarts champion. Part of him wanted to enter to prove to her that belief wasn’t misplaced despite wanting to spite his dad by not entering at all.

During the following week, there seemed to be only one topic of conversation, no matter where Harri went: the Triwizard Tournament.  Harri had found very few moments she got to share with Cedric. One of which was fresh on her mind.

“Hey Harri,” Cedric waved to her from where he sat on one of the many benches Hogwarts had.

“Hey,” she greeted making her way towards him.

“Got time?” he asked as she neared.

“Yeah. Ron and Hermione aren’t expecting me right now,” she said as she sat next to him. “Are you going to enter the tournament?”

“Nosy,” Cedric scolded with no real heat. He, too, wanted to know if he was planning to enter in this book.

“That’s the plan,” Cedric grimaced as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “All my Housemates think I’ll get chosen.. I just don’t know. There’s so many more people who could and should get chosen instead of me.”

Harri sent him a dubious look and smacked him on the shoulder lightly.

“You’re disrespecting my friend and I need you to stop because he’s a really great person who absolutely deserves to be Hogwarts champion.”

“You really think so?” Cedric questioned and Harri could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

“You beat the great Harriet Potter. Of course you’ve got what it takes to be champion,” she scoffed, hoping joking about it would ease some of his worry.

Cedric chuckled before shoving her lightly, “You’re ridiculous, you know that, right?”

“My point still stands,” she grinned up at him when he turned to face her.

Her cheeks reddened when he reached out his fingers brushing her cheek.

Cedric’s heart stopped. Was his counterpart going to tell Harri how he felt? It was clear to him he was into her in these books too. He prayed that this wasn’t how Harri found out.

“You got a piece of hair in your face,” she heard him say, but could only focus on where he touched her as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Thanks,” she squealed out and stood in a rush. With her cheeks still flaming she leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and rushed out, “I’ll be rooting for you.” 

Harri fled before he could get another word out, leaving him sitting there bewildered.

“I don’t squeal,” Harri grumbled cheeks flushed. It sounded like her counterpart might fancy Cedric. She hadn’t been that flustered when she had kissed his cheek last night. She had just been comforting a friend in need. Though she had fled in the same way because it had been a little embarrassing.

Cedric sighed in relief. He hadn’t told her, and it sounded as if the feelings were mutual. It brought him a great deal of hope. As much as he was dreading it he was going to have to tell Harri how he felt before his counterpart did. He wanted to tell her away from everyone else. If everyone else didn’t already know how they felt about each other in these books they did now. He wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of watching him mortify himself by allowing his counterpart to blindside Harri with his feelings.

"Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that you can't even perform a simple Switching Spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!" Professor McGonagall barked at the end of one particularly difficult lesson, during which Neville had accidentally transplanted his own ears onto a cactus.

“That's a little harsh,” Sprout frowned and McGonagall. “ You’re adding quite a bit of pressure on Mr. Longbottom.  You seem to have forgotten that the other schools are only bringing a selection of who they think are the best students who will be top performers most likely. Whereas Hogwarts as host school is showcasing all students by default. You should be helping your student master his spell rather than shaming him for it.”

Harri, Ron, and Hermione sat down beside Fred and George at the Gryffindor table. Once again, and most unusually, they were sitting apart from everyone else and conversing in low voices. Ron led the way over to them.

“You two are definitely up to something,” Harri stated, sending curious looks at Fred and Goerge.

“Can’t prove that.”

"It's a bummer, all right," George was saying gloomily to Fred. "But if he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hand. He can't avoid us forever."

“Because that doesn’t sound shady,” Harri snorted, thinking she might in fact be able to prove they were up to something.

“Mind your business,” George suggested with a shrug. “Then you wouldn’t have to guess if we were being shady or not.”

"Who's avoiding you?" said Ron, sitting down next to them.

"Wish you would," said Fred, looking irritated at the interruption.

"What's a bummer?" Ron asked George.

"Having a nosy git like you for a brother," said George.

“Defensive much?” Ron scowled. That had been uncalled for.

“Shouldn’t be a nosy git.”

“Boys.”

"I asked McGonagall how the champions are chosen but she wasn't telling," said George bitterly. "She just told me to shut up and get on with transfiguring my raccoon."

“That sounds right,” Fred nodded, though he had to wonder why this made George bitter. Why did they want to participate in the tournament so much? Sure the money would be nice but they would have been sitting pretty after winning their bet at the Cup.

"Not in front of a panel of judges, you haven't," said Fred. "McGonagall says the champions get awarded points according to how well they've done the tasks."

“Bet we could still do them,” Ron grumbled thinking the age limit was unfair.

“I’ll probably end up forced to do them,” Harri complained, crossing her arms. There was too much build up to the age limit for her to believe she didn’t end up competing. Why bring up the age limit so many times otherwise? The books were trying to trick her into relaxing and she was having none of it.

"Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel," said Hermione, and everyone looked around at her, rather surprised, "because all three of them were injured during the Tournament of 1792, when a cockatrice the champions were supposed to be catching went on the rampage."

“And you're bringing this back, why?” Josephine Granger questioned. She hadn’t heard one good thing about this tournament so far.

She noticed them all looking at her and said, with her usual air of impatience that nobody else had read all the books she had, "It's all in Hogwarts, A History. Though, of course, that book's not entirely reliable. A Revised History of Hogwarts would be a more accurate title. Or A Highly Biased and Selective History of Hogwarts, Which Glosses Over the Nastier Aspects of the School."

“Galleon says this is about the Elves,” Tonks bet, looking around the room for any takers.

“I’ll take that bet,” Ron said, eyeing Hermione confused. This was the first time she had gone against Hogwarts A History. Surely it was over something far more important than Elves.

"House-elves!" said Hermione, her eyes flashing. "Not once, in over a thousand pages, does Hogwarts, A History mention that we are all colluding in the oppression of a hundred slaves!"

“Ha! Pay up!” Tonks gloated smugly.

“You’ll have to get it from Harri when she loses our bet,” Ron grimaced, sending Hermione a dirty look. He trusted her to care about important matters. He didn’t have a Galleon to give to Tonks. He was just glad Harri sucked at planning.

Her and Ron's lack of enthusiasm had done nothing whatsoever to curb Hermione's determination to pursue justice for house-elves. True, both of them had paid two Sickles for a S.P.E.W. badge, but they had only done it to keep her quiet. 

Hermione winced. They had only joined to shut her up. It hurt knowing they wouldn’t have told her they didn’t want to join.

“Would you have listened?” the Voice asked.

“Of course I would…” Hermione stopped, remembering the last chapter when Ron had tried to tell her what he thought about Elves and how she had just spoken over him. “But the Elves need someone to fight for them.”

“I’m not discouraging your endeavuor, just questioning how you’ve gone about it so far,” the Voice replied. “Just think about what I’ve said.”

“Sorry,” Harri apologized, drawing her attention to her friends.

“Next time just tell me you don’t want to join.”

“I can do that.”

Hermione crossed her arms. Why was she the only one who cared about the Elves?

She had been badgering Harri and Ron ever since, first to wear the badges, then to persuade others to do the same, and she had also taken to rattling around the Gryffindor common room every evening, cornering people and shaking the collecting tin under their noses.

“You can’t force people to join your cause,” Josephine Granger said softly. “It’d only make them resent it.”

“I just don’t understand why no one wants to help the elves.” Hermione cried. “It’s a good cause.”

“People have to want to change. It takes time and determination to get others to change their mind. If this is something you truly want to do it’s going to take a lot of effort to make the changes you want, but you’ll never get there by forcing your views on others.”

"You do realize that your sheets are changed, your fires lit, your classrooms cleaned, and your food cooked by a group of magical creatures who are unpaid and enslaved?" 

Some people, like Neville, had paid up just to stop Hermione from glowering at them.

“Hermione,” Josephine scolded, looking at her daughter in disappointment. “You’ve gone to far. You can’t frighten people into believing what you do.”

“I haven’t done it yet,” Hermione said guiltily. 

 A few seemed mildly interested in what she had to say, but were reluctant to take a more active role in campaigning. Many regarded the whole thing as a joke.

“With the way you're going about it, that doesn’t surprise me,” Tonks muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"Listen, have you ever been down in the kitchens, Hermione?"

"No, of course not," said Hermione curtly, "I hardly think students are supposed to -"

"Well, we have," said George, indicating Fred, "loads of times, to nick food. And we've met them, and they're happy. They think they've got the best job in the world -"

“George, why?” Ron moaned. “She’s never going to let this go.”

“I haven’t done it yet, and I won’t now. Didn’t know she was a basket case!”

"That's because they're uneducated and brainwashed!" Hermione began hotly, but her next few words were drowned out by the sudden whooshing noise from overhead, which announced the arrival of the post owls. Harri looked up at once, and saw Hedwig soaring toward her. Hermione stopped talking abruptly; she and Ron watched Hedwig anxiously as she fluttered down onto Harri’s shoulder, folded her wings, and held out her leg wearily.

“Thank you, Hedwig,” George sighed, glad the bird had stopped whatever rant he was about to receive about house Elves.

Harri pulled off Sirius's reply and offered Hedwig her bacon rinds, which she ate gratefully. Then, checking that Fred and George were safely immersed in further discussions about the Triwizard Tournament, Harri read out Sirius's letter in a whisper to Ron and Hermione.

“Privacy charm I know, I know,” Harri rushed to say before Moody could lecture her again. She knew they weren’t being very careful. She could have gotten Sirius caught with her lack of care.

Nice try, Harri.

I'm back in the country and well hidden. I want you to keep me posted on everything that's going on at Hogwarts. Don't use Hedwig, keep changing owls, and don't worry about me, just watch out for yourself. Don't forget what I said about your scar.

Sirius

“I told you! Pay up,” Ron exclaimed gleefully.

“You mean pay me,” Tonks injected, holding her hand out.

Harri gave Tonks what Ron owed her. Harri’s brows pinched together. Hedwig wasn’t going to like her using anyone else to send letters. Harri doubted that would end well at all.

Harri rolled up the letter and slipped it inside her robes, wondering whether she felt more or less worried than before. She supposed that Sirius managing to get back without being caught was something. She couldn't deny either that the idea that Sirius was much nearer was reassuring; at least she wouldn't have to wait so long for a response every time she wrote.

Sirius was glad that he could bring Harri a little comfort. It was nice to know him being closer made Harri relieved. He wanted to be there for her as much as he could. He hoped Harri felt this way now too. As if his presence was reassuring.

"Nearly six," said Ron, checking his watch and then staring down the drive that led to the front gates. "How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?"

“Oh no,” Dumbledore chuckled amused, “they’ll want to show up with some flair. It’s tradition.”

"A Portkey?" Ron suggested. "Or they could Apparate - maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?"

“For the last time you can’t apparate inside Hogwarts,” Hermione snapped. “Honestly, when will you learn.”

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

Fleur perked up, wondering how they would arrive.

Dennis's guess was closer....As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powderblue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.

The screen rolled down and showed everyone Beauxbatons entrance. Several gasps of amazement were heard as the students watched.

A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully. Then Harri saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sled - followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman he had ever seen in his life. The size of the carriage, and of the horses, was immediately explained. A few people gasped.

“Our Headmistress Madam Maxime,” Fluer explained to the several puzzled looks she received.

Harri had only ever seen one person as large as this woman in her life, and that was Hagrid; she doubted whether there was an inch difference in their heights. Yet somehow - maybe simply because she was used to Hagrid - this woman (now at the foot of the steps, and looking around at the waiting, wide-eyed crowd) seemed even more unnaturally large.

“Is her size an issue for you?” Fluer asked defensively, her hackles raised. She had always hated how rude people could get about how large Madam Maxime was. Her size did not make her any less beautiful.

“Of course not,” Harri shook her head, “I’m friends with Hagrid after all.”

 They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks. A few had wrapped scarves and shawls around their heads. From what Harri could see of them (they were standing in Madame Maxime's enormous shadow), they were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces.

Fleur made a note to bring a coat or charm her clothes to be warm. She would not freeze. She would have to remember to tell her classmates too.

"As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked.

Sirius' mood soured. Karkaroff would be near Harri? He didn’t like it at all.

Moody thought things were about to get interesting. Two former death eaters would be inside Hogwarts walls. One with access to Potter daily and the other who could gain access to her through his own students.

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," said Dumbledore, "the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation that has arisen with some of his other - er - charges."

Hargid couldn’t wait to handle the horses. They looked magnificent.

"My steeds require - er - forceful 'andling," said Madame Maxime, looking as though she doubted whether any Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts could be up to the job. "Zey are very strong...."

"I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job," said Dumbledore, smiling.

Pride filled Hagrid to hear Dumbledore praise him. He wouldn’t let him down. He would show Madam Maxime that Dumbledore hadn’t misplaced his trust.

"Well, if they're any bigger than this lot, even Hagrid won't be able to handle them," said Harri "That's if he hasn't been attacked by his skrewts. Wonder what's up with them?"

"Maybe they've escaped," said Ron hopefully.

“Don't say that,” Hermione moaned.  It’d be a bloodbath.”

“I wouldn't have let them hurt anyone.”

Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It had a strangely skeletal look about it, as though it were a resurrected wreck, and the dim, misty lights shimmering at its portholes looked like ghostly eyes. Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide toward the bank. A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank.

The students were once more amazed as they watched this all on the screen. It was so cool.

Karkaroff beckoned forward one of his students. As the boy passed, Harri caught a glimpse of a prominent curved nose and thick black eyebrows. She didn't need the punch on the arm Ron gave her, or the hiss in her ear, to recognize that profile.

"Harri - it's Krum!"

“So I do go to Hogwarts,” Viktor mused, wondering how he and Harri would get to know each other in this book.

“Harri, can I have a word before the next chapter?” Cedric asked nervously, as Terry asked who wanted to read next.

“Sure,” Harri agreed, wondering what could be so important Cedric was already breaking the space thing. She followed him into a side room and watched him pace back and forth agitated.

“Are you alright?” she questioned after watching him cross the room for several minutes now.

“Yes.. no… I don’t know,” came Cedric’s reply coated in anxiety.

“Do you want me to just go?”

No,” he shook his head frantically. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

“Is this because you feel like you have to? Because you really don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” she reminded him gently as she approached him cautiously. “Is it okay if I touch you?”

When Cedric nodded, eyeing her wearily, she slowly reached out to place an arm on his arm and suggested, “Come on, let's get comfortable.” 

She pulled them down onto a blanket she summoned and changed the sky into stars.

“Why don’t we just stargaze for a little bit and you can calm down. If you want to tell me what’s going on after that I'll listen and, if not we’ll go back out.”

“I don’t have much of a choice. If I don’t tell you these books will,” Cedric muttered as he followed her example and laid back to stare up at the ceiling.

“I’m sorry,” she said, not knowing what else to say. She hadn’t meant for these books to invade anyone’s but her own privacy.

“It’s not your fault,” Cedric sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

Silence followed and Harri relaxed against the ground enjoying the stars. She didn’t have to wait long until Cedric was shifting until their shoulders touched. She had noticed he seemed to touch her almost subconsciously as if he couldn’t stop himself.

“Are you ready to talk or you want to keep looking at stars?” She inquired hesitantly. She didn’t want to push him.

“It’s for the best if I just get it over with,” Cedric stated tiredly before rolling on his side to face her, Harri followed suit.

His hand reached out to cup her face and she could feel her face redden.

“I like you Harri,” Cedric confessed softly. “Have for a while now.”

“I…” Harri froze eyes wide. “But…”

“I just wanted to be the one to tell you that,” Cedric continued, not taking mercy on her and allowing her brain to process what he had just said. “I don’t know how you feel and I’m not going to demand you tell me either. I just know my counterpart is going to tell you because he fancies you too and I think your counterpart might fancy him in return. I didn’t want this to blindside you.”

“I don’t understand,” Harri finally managed to say. “Is this why you wanted space?”

“Yes,’ Cedric admitted guiltily. “I don’t know how to just be your friend, but I want to. I wanted time to figure out how to like you and not want more from you or be hurt if it never happened. Part of me wishes these books never happened because it sounds like it’s a lot less confusing liking you in the book.”

Harri reached up to squeeze his hand before she revealed, “I think it’s better like this though.”

“What do you mean?”

Harri paused as she tried to put how she felt in words before admitting, “I don’t think we know each other very well in the books. Like sure we’re definitely more comfortable around each other, but this room has given us a lot more time to really get to know each other. I think our friendship is better for that. I mean, don’t get me wrong I can see myself liking you both in and outside of the book.”

“You can?” Cedric asked and she could hear the hope in his tone.

“You’re really easy to talk to, you make me laugh, and I don't know you just have this way of putting me at ease, so yeah I can see it.”

“But you don’t feel that way right now.”

“I don’t,” Harri admitted guilty, “this would be easier if…” she trailed off not wanting to say Fred’s name.

“If Fred Weasley wasn’t in love with you?”

“Was I really the only one who didn’t know?” Harri moaned as sat up, letting Cedric's hand fall from her face.

Cedric followed suit as he answered, “Afraid so. Is he who you..”

“I don’t know,” Harri cut him off, embarrassed everyone knew before she did. “I’m still figuring that out. And now you’ve gone and made it all complicated.”

“Because you could like me too?”

“Yeah,” Harri sighed as she leaned forward to rest her forehead on his shoulder. What was she going to do? How was she going to choose? She lifted her head as an idea floated through her thoughts.

“Can I kiss you?’ she asked before she could second guess her decision. Best not to think about it too much.

Instead of answering Cedric cupped her cheek again and leaned in. When their lips touched everything else ceased to exist. Harri lost herself in the kiss, happy to follow Cedric lead. He was far less clumsy than she was and when he gently coaxed her to open her mouth she did so readily. It was like a firework had gone off inside of her as they kissed. It was so much different than the kiss she had shared with Fred. At the thought of Fred, Harri pulled away panting. She blinked several times not sure if she had climbed in Cedric’s lap or he had pulled her into it.

“We should stop.”

“Right,” Cedric agreed and Harri was happy to note he looked as dazed as she felt. 

When she made no effort to get off of him he cleared his throat before saying, “If you don’t move I don’t think I’m going to be able to resist kissing you again.”

Harri scrambled off of him,her face burning. She let herself fall back against the floor and groaned, “That didn’t help make any of this any easier.”

“How was snogging supposed to help?” Cedric asked, nudging her when she didn’t answer.

“I thought if I kissed you and didn’t feel what I felt when Fred kissed me I’d have my answer,” Harri admitted. “Now I’m even more confused than when we started this conversation because I really liked kissing you.”

“I don’t know how I feel about you kissing me as an experiment.” Cedric frowned down at her. “If you’re going to kiss me it should be because you want to.”

Harri grinned sheepishly up at him before reaching up to tug him down to her their mouths connecting again; she had to push him away when the kiss threatened to get out of hand again. “Better? That time it was because I wanted to.”

“I guess I can live with that,” Cedric grinned down at her.