The Choice
The next day, as he sat listening to Snape talking about chemistry, he discreetly looked at the text on his phone.
I can’t think of any other way.
Can you?
No
What are we going to do?
“You know my way is the only way.” Harry startled and looked down into the desk’s open draw to see Hedwig staring at him.
“Don’t talk!” Harry hissed at her.
“Is that a cat?” Snape asked. Harry gulped.
A student stood, looking at something, “What’s that?”
“Sit down this instance!” Snape told them
Another student saw something too, “Oh, God. Is she going to jump?!”
Neville stood too, looking ill, “Greengrass?”
Pansy jumped up, “Daphne…?”
The students rushed outside despite Snape’s protests.
Pansy pushed a student out of the way and pressed her face against the glass.
As they stared at the window, they saw Daphne Greengrass falling.
Pansy held a hand to her mouth, looking like she was going to cry, “No… Daphne! ”
She rushed to the courtyard. Ron and Harry were quick to follow, both worried about Daphne.
As they entered the courtyard, they saw the girl on a gurney. Pansy rushed to her,
“ Daphne ! Oh, why…” She weeped.
“P-Pans…? I’m sorry…I just…Couldn’t take it…Anymore…” Harry could hear her whisper.
Pansy lent down to hear Daphne’s whispers.
Her head shot up, “ Crouch?”
The two of them were driven away in the ambulance. Longbottom looked like he’d seen a ghost and took off running.
“He knows something.” Harry told Ron.
Ron gritted his teeth, “We’re going to make him talk.”
They ran after him and cornered him. He backed himself into a corner.
“Why did you run?” Harry asked.
Longbottom cowered, “I didn’t-”
Ron slammed his fist into the wall, “A girl just tried to kill herself!”
“I-I-” Longbottom stumbled.
“Just tell us,” Harry pleaded, “We won’t tell anyone.”
Ron nodded, “We just want to know.”
Longbottom cracked, “Crouch called her out.”
“What?”
“When we’re called out by him to the Teacher’s room, he knocks us around. I’ve been there a few times too. But Greengrass didn’t do anything wrong yesterday. He seemed more irritated than usual, though. I think it,” He hesitated, “I think it was worse than usual.”
Harry and Ron's eyes widened. Ron clenched his fist.
“He-That son of a bitch!” Ron growled out before running off. Harry and Longbottom looked at each other for a moment before rushing after him. They followed him into the Teacher’s office.
“You bastard!” Ron shouted, “What the hell did you do to her?!”
Crouch played dumb, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Ron kicked a chair, “You know exactly what I’m talking about!”
Crouch stood from his chair, “That is enough!”
“What you did to us…” Longbottom began softly, “Wasn’t coaching!”
“What was that?” Crouch’s voice was cold and calm.
“You ordered me to bring Greengrass here. I can only imagine what you did to her!”
The adult crossed his arms, “You say these things with such confidence, yet you have no proof. This is because you can’t be a regular on the team, isn’t, Longbottom.” He scowled.
“That’s not what this is about!” Longbottom protested.
“Even if what you’re saying is true, hypothetically, you can’t do anything about it. We got a call from the hospital. Miss Greengrass is in a coma,” He gave a false look of sorrow, “That poor girl has a low chance of recovery. How can she make such a statement?”
Longbottom placed a hand over his mouth, “No…”
Ron’s hand curled into a fist, “You goddamn-”
Crouch got into his face, “Do we need another self defense case?”
Ron went to hit him, but Harry grabbed his wrist, “Why are you stopping me?”
“Calm down.”
Ron pulled his wrist free, “But still!”
Crouch looked shocked, “You’re stopping him? No matter. I will personally make sure you three will be expelled. I’m reporting all of you at the next board meeting.”
“What!”
“You can’t do that!”
Harry was silent, but dread built up in his stomach. If he was expelled…
“I can do whatever I please. You threatened me, Longbottom. You act like you’re a victim, but you leaked his criminal records, aren’t I right?”
Ron turned to him, “Longbottom…?”
“He told me to.” Longbottom fell to the floor.
Crouch’s wicked laughter permeated the room as he sat back down, turning his back to then, “We’re done here. You’re going to be expelled. Your futures is mine to take.”
“He can’t get away with this!” Ron said through gritted teeth.
“He’ll eat his words.” Harry assured.
Ron’s eyes widened, “You’re right. We still have that option.”
“Get out!” Crouch shouted.
Harry and Ron headed out to the courtyard and met up with Hedwig.
“We can’t waste any time!” Ron told them, “We have to go to that other world and we have to beat the shit out of the asshole!”
“We’re not beating him up.” Hedwig rolled her eyes, “We’re just going to steal his desire. So, it seems you made up your minds. You’re okay risking him shutting down?”
Ron shook his head, “Someone nearly died because of what he did to them! I don’t gave two shits about what happens to him anymore!”
Harry nodded, “I agree.”
“It’s settled,” Hedwig nodded her little head.
“Is getting rid of a Palace hard?” Ron asked, “You’ve tried it before, right?”
Hedwig looked confused, “I never said that.”
“What?!”
“Were you just pretending to know?” Harry asked.
“Is it true you’re getting expelled?” Parkinson asked in a quiet voice. They turned to look at her. She looked like she’d been crying. She must have returned from the hospital, “Everyone’s talking about it.”
“That asshole…” Ron muttered before he huffed, “So you came all this way to tell us that?”
“If you’re going to get revenge on Crouch…I want in.” All three of them startled at that, “I can’t just sit back and not do anything after what he did to Daphne!”
Ron shook his head, “This has nothing to do with you-”
“But it does!” She insisted, “Daphne’s my-”
“I said don’t get in our way!”
Parkinson’s face scrunched up in clear frustration and anger and she ran off.
“That was harsh…” Hedwig commented.
Ron sighed, “We can’t take her to that place.”
Hedwig nodded, “Let’s hope she doesn’t do anything insane. Women can be bolder than men at times.”
“Let’s just deal with Crouch!”
They headed to the little alleyway by the school.
“Once we’re there,” Hedwig began, “We’ll treat each other like Phantom Thieves. Be ready.”
“Phantom Thieves?” The boys questioned.
“Those who covertly sneak in and steal Treasure with style! That’s what we become!”
“I see.” Harry said, although that was far from the truth.
“That actually sounds cool!” Ron grinned.
As Ron was setting up the app, he commented, “I wonder…Someone had to have made this.”
Hedwig sighed, “We don’t have time for this.”
Ron nodded, “Okay, let’s get to it.”
.
.
.
.
.
“Alright!” Ron said, “Let’s get in there and-”
“What the hell?!” The group spun around to see Parkinson standing there, looking confused and shocked.
“Parkinson?!” Ron shouted.
She recoiled, “Weasley?! Wait, that means,” She turned to Harry, “You must be Potter!”
“Why are you here?!”
She scowled, “How the hell should I know?!”
Hedwig looked between them, “I think…because she was close by when we used the app, she tagged along.”
Ron shook his head, “It doesn’t matter, she needs to leave.”
“No way!” She told him.
“We shouldn’t make a scene,” Hedwig tried to placate, “The Shadows-”
Parkinson let out a shout, “Monster cat!”
“Why does everyone-” Hedwig mumbled before being interrupted.
“You better explain what the hell’s going on!” Parkinson yelled, “I’m not going to leave until you do!”
Ron looked at Harry, “We should push her out.”
The black-haired boy grimaced, “I kinda feel bad about it.”
“Come on, mate!” Harry reluctantly nodded.
As they approached the girl, she backed away, “What-”
“We explain after we’re done.” Ron promised as they shoved her back the way they came. Ron slumped as she went back through the entrance and turned to Harry, “We need to be more careful using that app.”
Harry nodded.
Hegwig sighed as she guided them to hide behind a pillar, “The Shadows seemed to have noticed us. Brace yourselves.” She turned to Harry, “We’re counting on you, Joker!”
The boys frowned, “Joker?” Ron questioned.
“It’s a codename.” She explained, “Phantom Thieves don’t use their real names. Plus, we have no idea the effect yelling our real names in a Palace will have. It’s a precaution.”
Ron nodded, “We should call you Heddie.”
Hedwig seemed to shrug, “If Joker thinks it’s good enough…”
Harry nodded, “That should work.”
“I should be Harbinger!” Ron exclaimed.
Hedwig hummed, “Because your Persona is the god of messengers. Smart.”
As they slipped back into the Castle, they noticed guards in the main hall.
“Praise be to King Crouch, ” They said in unison, “ Death to the intruders! ”
“Holy shit!” Ron hissed in surprise.
“Those intruders the other day were quite…entertaining.”
The three looked at each other. Ron spoke, “That’s-”
“Crouch.” Harry finished.
“But we can’t risk them messing things up! Strengthen the security and kill them on sight!” Crouch told the Shadows. The Shadows cheered.
“Looks like they’re out for blood.” Hedwig commented, “Let’s proceed with caution.