Chapter 19: Rita's Big Day.
While Harry and Hermione were recovering from their ordeal at her parents house, Rita Skeeter was just sitting down in her office to write what she was sure would be the biggest story of the tournament, and perhaps the year.
She was about halfway through her opening paragraph when a very familiar black owl landed on her table. 'Today keeps getting better and better,' she thought to herself, as she untied the note from the owl's outstretched leg. The now familiar, loopy, handwriting was clearly visible on the front of the envelope.
With a smile, she tore open the note from her anonymous source and began to read. When she finished memorizing the note, it burst into flames. All of her attempts to save prior notes had ended with them destroying themselves in some fashion as well.
Quickly grabbing her cloak, quill, and notepad, she rushed out of her house and Apparated to Hogsmeade. She took shelter behind a building and when she was sure that no one was watching, she transformed into her Animagus form.
The tiny water beetle made its way to the Great Lake next to Hogwarts unnoticed. When she reached the shore, she settled onto a branch to wait.
Her source said that something big was going to happen down by the shore in the early afternoon. After waiting for fifteen minutes, she saw the Headmaster heading towards the shore with a worried look upon his face.
She flew down to the water's edge and landed on a rock near Albus Dumbledore so she could hear what was going on.
Dumbledore bent down and to Rita's surprise, he stuck his head in the water. A few seconds later, he stood back up and dried his face and beard with a casual flick of his wand. He appeared to be waiting for something.
A moment later the water rippled and four merpeople surfaced a few feet from shore with something floating in between them.
There was a flash of a spell from Dumbledore's wand and then he spoke, "Greetings, Elder. Thank you for coming to the surface." He said politely before continuing to speak. "One of your people mentioned that you had some grave news for me?"
The Elder looked up at Dumbledore before speaking in a solemn voice, "We have risked, and lost, too much Dumbledore."
With a small hand gesture, she waved the two guards that were each holding something forward.
When they reached the water's edge, they removed the cloth that was covering their bundles.
If Rita had been able to scream, her shriek would have sounded up at the castle. Floating between the two mermen was a body, a body in two separate pieces.
Dumbledore peered down at the body over his half-moon spectacles. 'A Severing Charm,' he thought as he examined the wounds. After a few moments, he asked the Elder, "What happened?"
The Elder turned to the guard on her left and waved him forward so that he could speak.
There was a frightened look in his eyes as he moved forward to speak to the wizard on the shore. He was understandably wary after what he had witnessed down in the lake. Being around someone that could end his life with a thought and a flick of a wand was not a pleasant experience.
His voice had a raspy quality to it as he spoke. "The smallest boy arrived just after the hour mark and we had already moved the girl from the dais and into a hut. He blew open the door and demanded that she be released. I wanted to let him take the girl and leave, but my partner refused."
His gaze shifted to the Elder for a moment, when she nodded to him, he continued speaking; "The boy slashed his wand once, and before my partner could move, he was cut in half."
The look on Dumbledore's face was one of regret and resignation. He bowed his head to the Elder and said, "I apologize for your loss. Young though he is; Mr. Potter has a certain disregard for life if he feels threatened. Is there anything that I can do to help his family?" Dumbledore indicated to the deceased merman with a casual wave of his hand.
The Elder knew that there was more to this entire situation than Dumbledore was revealing to her. Deciding that her people's best interest was putting this mess to rest quickly, she replied, "No thank you. The village will manage, we always do. Thank you for your time." Before Dumbledore could reply, she gestured to her guards and they all disappeared beneath the surface of the water, eager to put as much distance as possible between them and the games that the land-walkers were playing.
Stepping back from the water's edge, Dumbledore sighed and wearily said, "Where did I fail you Harry?"
Rita watched, transfixed, as Dumbledore conversed with the Elder. She couldn't believe her ears! The Boy-Who-Lived had killed a merman when he tried to retrieve his hostage late. This was such a huge event that she couldn't wait to get the story to the Prophet.
When Dumbledore turned to go up to the castle, Rita flew from her spot as quickly as she could. As soon as she reached the edge of the wards, she transformed and Apparated back to house so that she could write down everything that she had just witnessed.
While Rita was franticly writing her articles, Dumbledore was relaxing in his high backed chair. He was congratulating himself for a job well done. His plan to use Rita Skeeter to drive Harry back under his influence was proceeding as he had figured.
Rita was so predictable and Dumbledore was using her to get what he wanted. Now, he had to find a way to bring Remus and Sirius back into the fold. Popping a lemon drop into his mouth, he leaned back in his chair and began thinking up ways to bring them under his control.
Harry and Hermione were reluctant to part when it was time for bed. Their emotions were still a bit raw but the day's events. Their time away from Hogwarts had done a lot to help them along, but only time would truly heal their wounds.
They awoke the next morning after a fitful nights sleep. They stayed noticeably closer than usual during their walk to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Just as they were sitting down to eat; the post owls began delivering the mail and the morning edition of the Daily Prophet.
A feeling of dread welled up in Harry when the students all around him began to murmur, some even had the audacity to point. With trepidation, Harry reached over and pulled a copy of the Prophet towards him.
The headline and accompanying picture that greeted him was enough to make him want to bang his head on the table in frustration.
There, above his picture, were the words 'The-Boy-Who-Kills.'The first words out of Harry's mouth upon reading the headline were, "Oh, bugger." Glancing over at Hermione, he said quietly, "We have to get out of here," when she did not move right away he grabbed her hand and said, "Now."
They left the Great Hall quickly. People were openly pointing, and gossiping, about them now. Just as they reached the doors, they heard someone shout out "We don't want any murderers in our school."
Hermione cringed when she heard what the person had shouted at Harry. She had felt him flinch at the parting accusation.
They reached their spot down by the lake and Harry threw up Silencing and Notice-Me-Not Charms as a precaution. Too angry and upset to think rationally, he took to pacing around the garden.
Hermione was thinking furiously. She knew that Remus wouldn't tell anyone about what had happened down in the lake. That left on y one person alive that had witnessed the events, the other Mermish guard. The question was how had Rita Skeeter found out about him?
The only, and very disturbing, answer that she could come up with was that Dumbledore had somehow talked to the merpeople and spoken with the guard. The fact that he told Rita worried, and puzzled, Hermione.
Standing up, she walked over to Harry and pulled him into a hug. While she was holding him, she whispered, "It will be okay. You were protecting me."
"I know. I'm just upset that people will think of me as a murderer. What if the ministry agrees and tries to arrest me?" He asked worriedly.
"Well, one thing about the Wizarding world's views on non-humans is that they aren't considered worthy of having rights." she said bitterly before continuing in a harsh tone. "I mean, look at the way my parent's wishes were ignored and I was placed into the lake?"
"I know, and that bothers me too, but it still worries me because so many people don't see a problem with that belief." He sighed in frustration before speaking again, "If it weren't for you, I would probably do my best to disappear forever from the Wizarding world, consequences be damned."
"Me too." she agreed softly. "If I wouldn't miss using magic so much, I mean. What about going to a different school or something next year?"
Harry drew in a sharp breath; this was something that he had been considering for a while now. He was just a little reluctant to broach the subject because he knew how much Hermione loved learning about magic, and if he really thought about it, he was the same way. "I would miss Hogwarts terribly. This was the first place that I can remember ever being happy." he whispered.
"I know. It's just a thought, but it is something that we should at least discuss with my parents, Sirius, and Remus when the year is out. You can't say that Hogwarts has provided us with the best educational experience possible." Hermione said slowly, as if she was trying to convince herself of the truth of her statement at the same time.
Harry paused for a moment, lost in thought, before he replied, "I know what you mean. One teacher tried to kill me in my first year and in my second, another tried to wipe my mind clear."
Their current issues with the headmaster and a good portion of his staff really didn't lend themselves to returning to Hogwarts for their OWL year but neither of them wanted to voice that opinion just yet. However, they were both thinking about it.
Changing the subject to one that was just as uncomfortable, Hermione said, "What really bothers me is that Dumbledore found out what happened in the lake somehow and let Rita Skeeter know too."
Harry's face took on a truly horrible countenance as he thought through the ramifications of what Hermione had just said. His mind had been turning over the article in his subconscious while they were talking and he knew, without a doubt, that Hermione was correct. His voice was full of loathing as he practically spat out, "What is he playing at? Did I do something to deserve all of this?"
Hermione clung to him tighter as she felt his anger burst through their bond. She tried to pour feelings of serenity back to him, but because she was just as angry as he was at the situation, it was almost impossible for her to do so. The anger lacing her voice as she spoke was frightening, "If I ever find out how that horrible woman is getting those stories, I will make her pay."
"Thanks. The same goes for me too." Harry said as hatred burned in him towards that miserable shrew, Rita Skeeter. Her antics were quickly launching her to the top of the list that he had been compiling of the people that needed to be taught a lesson, or two, or three, in humility.
Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the morning outside, talking about the pros and cons of Hogwarts. By lunchtime, they had quite the list on both sides of the issue.
Feeling that they were not going to make any more headway without talking to the adults, Hermione stood up and pulled Harry to his feet. "Why don't we eat in the kitchens?"
"Sounds good to me. We could eat with Dobby and Winky too." Keeping an arm around Hermione, he guided them up to the castle and towards the kitchens.
They had just rounded the corner to head down towards the kitchens when a spell hit Harry from behind, knocking him down. Since he was unprepared for the assault, he didn't have time to break his fall. There was a loud cracking noise and pain flared in Harry's right wrist.
Hissing in discomfort, he pushed himself up to a sitting position in time to watch Hermione turning her wand on his attacker.
Hermione had been quietly contemplating what they were going to do about the situation in school when she felt something hit Harry. She spun around in time to see Pansy Parkinson putting her wand back into her robes.
Through the bond, there was a flash of pain and anger, followed by resignation, as if he had accepted the situation as normal. A rage began to burn in Hermione, white hot in its fury, and it needed an outlet.
She gave it one a few seconds later.
Pansy saw the look upon Granger's face and began to pull her wand back out of her robes. Before her wand could clear her sleeve, she saw the tip of Granger's wand glow for a second before her world exploded in pain.
Hermione stabbed her wand at Pansy, hot fury over-charging her spell. The Bone Breaking Hex connected with Pansy's leg with a sickening snap that led to a shriek of pain from the foolish Slytherin student.
Sweeping her steely gaze across the remainder of the assembled crowd, Hermione snapped, "Does anyone else want to take a shot at us?"
Receiving no response, she turned to check on Harry, only to find him already standing off to the side and with his wand pointed directly at the gathered crowd.
Pansy's shrieks had drawn the attention of a passing professor, one Severus Snape. He stepped into the midst of the chaos and surveyed the scene. Potter and Granger both had their wands drawn and pointing at the group of students surrounding Pansy Parkinson.
Looking directly at Harry and Hermione he said "Wands away. Turning to face the group by Pansy, he said, "What is going on here?" He casually waved his wand and conjured bandages that wrapped themselves around Pansy's injured leg.
When no one felt brave enough to answer, Snape turned his attention back to Potter and Granger. "Detention tonight, for fighting in the halls and twenty points from Gryffindor."
Before Snape could continue with his tirade against them, Hermione turned away from him and said to Harry, "Let's get you up to the Hospital Wing. I'm sure that your wrist is broken."
Angrily, Snape said, "Where do you think that you are going? Twenty more points for walking away from a teacher. Now get back here."
"Hermione replied in a voice that was calm and collected, "No. Please feel free to have Professor McGonagall meet us in the Hospital Wing since you don't seem inclined to provide Harry with any medical care."
Harry noticed that Professor Snape was having a very hard time controlling his temper. Deciding to see if he could take advantage of the situation, he asked, "Are you going to take any points and assign a detention to Parkinson for attacking me from behind?"
When he finished speaking, he looked directly into Professor Snape's eyes. He knew that if Snape were a Legilimens, this would be a temptation that he could not pass up. There gazes locked, and after a couple of seconds, Harry felt the probe begin. 'Gotcha!'he thought happily before pulling his wand and shouting, "Get out of my mind you Greasy Git!"
His voice low, and dangerous, Severus said, "Detention, Potter. Be in my office at seven tonight."
Politely, Harry replied, "No thank you, sir. I'm afraid that I'll be unavailable this evening."
Students were openly gaping at the scene unfolding in front of them. No one had ever stood up to Professor Snape before. Their mutterings was getting louder as they whispered back and forth to each other about what Harry had meant about Professor Snape reading his mind and his rejection of reporting to detention.
Deciding that discretion was the best tactic right now, Harry said, "If you will excuse me, I really need to get my wrist fixed. Perhaps you should send Parkinson up to see Madam Pomfrey too. It looks like she passed out from the pain. It's not good to deny students proper medical attention."
Snape was seeing red by this point. He had just been played, by Potter no less, he was sure of it. "You two will report to the Headmaster's Office as soon as your arm is fixed. Take Parkinson up to the Hospital Wing with you." He spun around and headed off towards the Headmaster's Office in a towering temper.
"Come on, Harry. I'll bring the pug." Hermione said as she levitated Pansy in front of them.
They both knew hat the entire school would know of both encounters by dinnertime.
When they reached the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey was nowhere in sight. 'How backwards are these people?' Hermione fumed angrily to herself. Seeing the portrait watching them again, she walked over to it and said, "Go fetch Madam Pomfrey. Harry Potter is injured and needs assistance."
Without a word, the portrait walked out of the frame, leaving it empty, to find Madam Pomfrey.
Turning to Harry, Hermione said, "Watch that painting and the door please. I would like a quick word with our friend here."
Harry nodded and leaned his back against the empty canvas, effectively blocking its view of the room, and kept his eyes on the door. He stretched his senses out to their maximum to warn him if someone was coming and wondered what Hermione had in store for the Parkinson bint.
Hermione Ennervated Pansy, after taking her wand, and quickly clamped her hand over the girl's mouth. The fear in Pansy's eyes gave Hermione a bit of a rush. She leaned in and whispered in a harsh tone, "If you so much as look at either of us again, I will make this broken leg seem like a vacation." Not seeing the response that she was looking for, she grabbed Pansy's broken leg with her other hand, and squeezed as hard as she could, before hissing, "Do you understand?" Pansy's muffled squeals were like music to her ears.
Pansy nodded her head in agreement, willing to do almost anything to make the pain stop.
"Good." Hermione stepped back and stunned the pathetic girl in front of her.
Harry had watched the scene with a sense of pride. He thought to himself 'Was this how Hermione felt when I took out Malfoy?' He stepped over to her and said. "Thanks you. You were brilliant." Tilting his head slightly to the side, he focused on something far away and said, "Someone is coming."
The return of the portrait to its frame preceded Madam Pomfrey's arrival. In an officious voice, the portrait said, "She should be here in a moment."
When the matron finally arrived, she was a bit more businesslike in her treatment of Harry than usual. Harry knew that this was because of the article in the Prophet, but it still hurt.
When she was finished fixing Harry's arm, she asked, "What happened to Miss Parkinson?"
Hermione looked into Madam Pomfrey's eyes and said, "She picked on the wrong person."
There gazes locked for a second but Madam Pomfrey did not seem to want to ask who Miss Parkinson had picked on.
"Thank you for fixing my arm, Madam Pomfrey." Harry said sincerely before they turned to leave.
"You're welcome, Mr. Potter. Do try to be more careful in the future." As she was mending Pansy's broken leg, she wondered what Miss Granger had meant when she said that Miss Parkinson had 'picked on the wrong person.' She decided that she would find out what happened when the girl awoke in a couple of hours. She busied herself tidying up the Hospital Wing until her puttering interrupted when two students came in seeking medical care, causing her to forget her plans.
As Harry and Hermione were making their way to Professor McGonagall's office, Harry asked her, "Do you know how the second task finished?"
Surprised by his question, Hermione said, "Oh. Yes, I do. Parvati and Lavender filled me in last night before bed. Viktor finished first in just under one hour and received forty-eight points. Cedric came in next just over the one-hour mark and earned forty-five points. Fleur retrieved her hostage but was waylaid by the Grindylows and had to be rescued. She received 25 points. You received thirty points for making it back late with me."
"So, I'm in third place then?"
Yes, just above Fleur. Krum is in first, followed closely by Cedric."
Harry said quietly, "I'm just happy that you are okay and that I'm still alive. I could care less about the points, but I think that I wouldn't mind winning this blasted tournament if I can. That would really tick whoever put my name into the Goblet of Fire if I did that."
They finally arrived, and knocked on Professor McGonagall's office door. When they heard their head of house call out, "Enter." They stepped into the room to ask her to attend the meeting with Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape.
Chapter 20: Dumbledore's dirty little secrets.
Harry and Hermione settled themselves into two of the chairs in Professor McGonagall's office after following her inside. They waited for her to seat herself and get comfortable before Harry broke the silence, his voice low, and even, as he spoke, "Professor, would you please accompany us to the Headmaster's Office for a meeting with Professor Snape? We don't think that our Potions Professor is too happy with us right now."
Minerva knew that this must be somewhat serious, especially if the two teens were in her office asking for her to attend a meeting about something that they must have done. Her Scottish brogue was a touch thicker than normal due to her suspicion, she replied, "What have you done this time to make Severus upset with you?"
Harry detected no anger in her words, so he replied with a touch of mirth in his voice,
"Perhaps it would be better if we told you and the Headmaster at the same time, Ma'am."
Her stare was penetrating, yet Mr. Potter did not shy away from it. Most students quailed and began talking immediately when Minerva turned it upon them. Intrigued by this development, she said, "Very well. Shall we head up to this meeting now or is there anything else that we should discuss first?"
The two teens shared a glance to see if the other had anything to add. "No, Ma'am. We can head up there now if you would like." Harry said in that same, low, even tone that was almost melodious in its timbre.
Hermione had noticed the change in Harry's voice and she made a mental note to ask him about it later.
As Minerva McGonagall let her two students up to the Headmasters Office, she was deep in thought. She was curious about the change in Mr. Potter's voice and attitude. Just a couple of weeks ago he sounded completely different and he was much more open emotionally. Something had changed, and she couldn't quite figure it out, even though she was sure that it was familiar somehow.
When they arrived at the statue guarding the stairs to the Headmasters Office, Minerva said, "Ice Mice."
After a couple of seconds, the statue moved aside and she led them up the stairs. The heavy door to the office was made of oak with iron bands. There was a large Griffin knocker made of brass about head height.
Harry and Hermione were a bit puzzled when Professor McGonagall didn't knock on the door. In fact, she just stood there as if she were waiting for something. After a few seconds, the professor turned around to face them. Instead of looking at them, she looked up above the archway that they had just passed beneath. There, directly above them was a blank canvas, its occupant gone.
Comprehension dawned quickly for them and they looked away from the empty frame. Another one of Professor Dumbledore's secrets confirmed.
Minerva was a bit surprised when neither teen asked her about the empty portrait or why she didn't knock. Not many students really paid attention to the portraits in the castle. The fact that Mr. Potter and Miss Granger looked away from it immediately told her all that she needed to know.
Her thoughts were interrupted when a muffled voice sounded through the heavy door, "Enter."
Harry had been in this office before, but he had not paid attention to detail then. He had been too distracted at the time. This time, he had a plan.
Stretching out his senses, he stepped into the room after Hermione and Professor McGonagall. He was not surprised at the number of enchanted objects in the office, the headmaster was quite old, but it was only a few specific ones that he was looking for.
His gaze swept the room, taking in everything slowly so he wouldn't miss something during his scan. His eyes finally came to rest on the shelf just to the side and behind the desk. He felt a pull on his magic and thought triumphantly, 'There you are!'
Hermione and Professor McGonagall had seated themselves in two of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. They were both surprised when Harry continued past them, heading straight for the shelf behind the desk, a look of deep concentration upon his face.
Severus Snape was watching Potter closely when he entered the room. There was no look of apprehension on his face. In fact, Potter's countenance looked devoid of emotion, except for his eyes. They narrowed briefly when the boy looked at the bookshelves behind Albus's desk before returning to their normal size.
Curious, Severus swept his eyes across the bookshelf in question. All he saw were those odd, silver instruments whirring and occasionally emitting puffs of smoke, and the Sorting Hat. 'What did the boy want with the hat?' he thought idly.
Dumbledore's focus never shifted, it stayed upon Harry Potter as soon as he entered the office. He seemed to be scanning the room for something. The question in his mind was, 'What is he looking for?'
As Harry approached the shelf behind his desk, Albus felt the hairs on his neck stand on end in alarm. Thoughts were flying rapidly through his head, the most prevalent of them being, 'How does he know about those spells?' Deciding to begin the conversation before Harry could reveal something best left in the dark, he said in his best grandfatherly voice, "Please take a seat, Mr. Potter, we have much to discuss."
To everyone's complete surprise, Harry stepped forward and plucked all of the silver instruments off of the shelf and set them on the small end table next to the last remaining chair. Only Dumbledore and Harry knew what these instruments really did, but Hermione was quickly putting the pieces together in her sharp mind.
McGonagall snapped out of her stupor when Harry set the silver instruments on the table in between them. She was appalled that he would just pick up Albus's things without permission and everyone could easily hear it in her annoyed tone as she snapped, "Mr. Potter! Why did you pick up the Headmaster's effects and bring them over here?"
Dumbledore was just about to wave the issue aside but Harry cut across him, dashing his hopes.
Harry's tone was carefully modulated, not a hint of emotion could be found in his voice as he spoke, "These," Harry indicated with a graceful wave of his hand, "are precisely why we are here, Professor McGonagall."
Confused, Minerva turned her focus to Albus. She saw his eyes flinch just a bit and then his usual mask slipped back into place. That was all of the confirmation that she needed. She knew now that Albus had done something underhanded to Harry. The questions burning in her mind were 'How bad is this going to be and why did Dumbledore do it?'
Hermione understood almost immediately what Harry meant when his hand swept over those innocent looking baubles. This was the perfect opportunity to remove the Monitoring Charm in such a way that Professor Dumbledore would never be able to deny what he had done in the first place.
Severus had enough of these petty games that Potter was playing, in frustration, he growled out, "Enough of this nonsense, Potter. Let's get down to the real reason why you two are here today. Attacking another student in the halls is a serious breach of the rules." His anger palpable, he turned to Albus and said, "Headmaster, they should be suspended."
Harry and Hermione both remained silent through Snape's accusations. Hermione had attacked a student in the halls but it was in defense of Harry.
When neither student denied the accusation, Snape pressed his advantage. His voice returned to its usual low, silky, tone when he spoke, "You see, Headmaster? They don't even deny their guilt. Surely, you must agree that they should be suspended?"
Harry's voice was low, almost a whisper, when he spoke, "Have you forgotten that I was attacked from behind, Professor? Surely, you talked to the other students that witnessed the entire encounter?" When Snape didn't reply, Harry continued, "No? Would you like their names? I'm sure that they could all tell you the truth about what really happened in the hall earlier today. Finally, why don't we talk about the fact that you tried to read my mind using Legilimency, without my permission."
Minerva had heard enough to piece together a very good idea of what had happened earlier in the hall from Harry's explanation. She knew that her two Gryffindors should not be suspended for what had happened. Perhaps Miss Granger should receive a detention or two, but only if Miss Parkinson received the same punishment. She was torn from her thoughts when Mr. Potter mentioned Severus using Legilimency on him.
Angrier than she had ever been with him in the past, she rounded on Severus and snarled, "How dare you use Legilimency on a student! If I so much as hear that you have used that on another student, I will see to it personally that you are terminated immediately." Her voice had a menacing quality to it as she completed her rant; there was a promise of more than just a sacking in her voice.
Snape's only response to Minerva's tirade was a quirked eyebrow. He was not concerned about the threat. Dumbledore told him to keep an eye on Potter and that is what he was doing. Using Legilimency just furthered his ability to keep tabs on the boy.
Dumbledore already knew all about the entire encounter. It had happened in front of an occupied portrait that had informed him of every detail. He had been intending to use the event to forgive Hermione in order to indebt her to him.
He had not counted on a few things. First, when Severus made such a big deal out of the altercation and second, Harry's insistence that Professor Snape didn't interview the witnesses before passing judgment and his lack of providing Harry immediate medical care if needed. The part about using Legilimency did not faze him in the slightest because he did it to everyone around him on a regular basis. He was just far better at the skill and hadn't been caught; besides, he justified that it was for the Greater Good that he used his skills.
Coming to a conclusion, he said to Miss Granger, "Even though you were defending Mr. Potter, you did injure another student. The loss of points shall stand and you will have a week of detentions with Professor McGonagall.
He paused to study the young witch sitting in front of him. She did not seem contrite at all, if anything, she looked a bit defiant. Albus quickly realized why Miss Granger looked so defiant and he made sure to correct the issue before she truly despised him. "Miss Parkinson will also loose the same number of house points and have the same number of detentions with Professor Snape.
Hermione's posture relaxed a bit as the headmaster passed judgment. She really didn't care about the points or the detentions; she just didn't want to be separated from Harry.
Had Dumbledore realized that fact, he would have suspended her. Then he could have let her come back to the school early under certain conditions. Instead, he missed a golden opportunity.
Deciding that the meeting was at an end, Dumbledore said, "Minerva, if you could return Mr. Potter and Miss Granger to Gryffindor Tower, we have other things to discuss."
Surprising her superior, Minerva said, "Not yet, Headmaster. I believe that Mr. Potter has some questions about these trinkets." as she waved her hand towards the items on the table next to her.
In his most persuasive tone, Dumbledore said, "Perhaps we should continue this later. My schedule is very full today."
A voice that was as hard as granite cut across the gap in conversation, "No. We are going to talk about why each one of these items is tied to me through a Monitoring Charm in some way, shape, or form."
The silence in the room was palpable it was so complete. The only noises were from the few items in Dumbledore's office that moved on their own. After a few tense seconds, Professor Snape, with sarcasm dripping from his voice, scoffed, "Do you honestly believe that these tiny baubles are tied to you through a Monitoring Charm? Your arrogance truly knows no bounds."
Minerva had been watching Dumbledore during Severus' tirade, looking for any type of reaction. When he didn't even move to reject Mr. Potter's suggestion, she decided to act. Her voice was formal in its tone when she asked, "Mr. Potter, would you mind if I checked you for any spells upon your person?"
'This is going better than I thought it would.' Harry thought to himself before he answered his teacher, "Please check, I would like to know what has been done to me against my will." Harry had been watching the headmaster out of the corner of his eyes and he saw him shift nervously in his seat.
Trying to head off the coming disaster, Dumbledore calmly said, "Perhaps it would be best if I perform that spell, Professor?", while pulling his wand out in preparation.
McGonagall's voice was sharp as she replied, "I believe that I am more than qualified to cast the Detection Spell, Albus."
Defeated, Dumbledore returned his wand to his robes and slumped back into his chair.
He was thinking quickly, trying to come up with a plan to salvage the situation before it got too far out of control.
Before Professor McGonagall could cast the spell, Harry held up his hand and said, "Please wait a moment, ma'am." Turning to Professor Snape, he said, "Are we finished with our part of the discussion, sir."
"We are, Mr. Potter. Now please get on with this charade, I have important things to do today." Severus snapped in response to Harry's question.
Harry replied, his voice low, but commanding, "Since this doesn't really concern school matters, please leave."
Snape bristled at being dismissed by a student, especially this particular one. Turning his gaze to the Headmaster, he looked to him for support. He was surprised when none came and silently swept from the room without so much as a, 'Goodbye.'
Politely, Harry said, "Please proceed when you are ready, ma'am."
Minerva shifted in her seat to face Harry. She was thinking about what types of spells might have been cast and how to detect them all. When she was ready, she said, "There are a few different types of spells that I would like to try to determine what may have been cast upon you. Is that alright with you?" When she saw him nod his ascent, she drew her wand slowly and began casting.
A few tense moments later, the silver instruments began to stop moving and Professor McGonagall had a look of fury etched onto her face.
Her Scottish brogue made her almost impossible to understand and in her anger, she growled out, "What is the meaning of this, Albus!"
Albus Dumbledore was still trying to think of a way to salvage the situation. If things weren't handled carefully, it could set his plans back years. In a placating voice, he replied to her accusation, "I placed the charms on Mr. Potter when he was a child for his protection in case he was injured or in grave danger."
Hermione felt Harry's emotions burst through their bond. His fury was so strong that it was stifling. As best as she could, she sent her calm emotions back to him, trying to reduce the flame that was powering his anger. Then she noticed it, that feeling of power beginning to swirl around, as he lost the battle with his temper.
She was just getting up from her chair to go to him when the silver instruments next to him broke apart and the table that they were sitting on cracked. Softly, she moaned, "Oh, Harry.", as she stepped over to him and pulled him into a hug.
Minerva was puzzled by Mr. Potter's reaction. She didn't understand why he was so angry. Professor Dumbledore had placed some of those charms on him for his protection, the others, well, she was angry about one of them herself. A Monitoring Charm that she had disabled because she felt that it removed one's privacy.
For the first time since they had entered the Headmaster's Office, the emotion rang true in Harry's voice for everyone to hear. It was pain and longing all rolled into one as Harry's strangled voice called out in a whisper, "What was the address on my first Hogwarts letter?"
Minerva was confused, Hermione was angry, and Dumbledore was nervous after Harry asked his question. Hermione had heard all about the cupboard under the stairs so her anger was understandable. Minerva had never seen Harry's first Hogwarts letter so she had no idea, but by her two student's reactions, it must be bad.
Dumbledore knew he was on thin ice, no matter what he said, he was doomed. Hoping for the best, he said quietly, "It read the cupboard under the stairs as your bedroom." He didn't have to wait long for the other shoe to drop as some of his plans came crashing down around his ears.
Minerva was seething, the headmaster knew what Harry's home life was like and he didn't intervene! She turned her anger on him and hissed out, "What did I tell you about them all of those years ago?"
With a sigh, Dumbledore answered, "That they were the 'worst sort of muggles imaginable,' I believe is what you said. In my defense, I thought that things would have been worse for you if I had stopped by for a visit."
Harry was having a very hard time keeping his temper in check. He was finally getting some answers and he didn't like them one bit. Sometimes the truth was a terrible thing to behold. He had been abandoned, not placed, at his relatives. His emotions roiling, Harry croaked out, "Why did you leave me with them?"
"They were your only remaining family that could take you in and keep you safe." Dumbledore said solemnly.
"Safe?" Hermione practically shouted. "I would hate to see your idea of dangerous! Why couldn't someone from the Black family take him in? They are related distantly on his father's side according to Sirius."
"Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall snapped, when she saw that Hermione had calmed down, she asked, "And what do you mean about the Blacks and the Potters being related?"
His plans were in complete disarray now; there was no way that he wanted that question answered. An answer that he feared would come in a few moments.
Hermione continued in her classroom voice that she used when she was answering questions, "Cygnus Potter was married to Dorea Black. That would make Harry and Sirius related, and by extension Harry is related to a few of the other Blacks and could have gone to one of them as a child instead of the Dursleys."
Minerva turned to face Albus and asked, "Is this true? Harry could have gone to one of the Black family members instead of his mother's sister?" She was too angry, at herself for not checking on him before, and at Albus for not sending him to a better home.
Sighing, Dumbledore replied, "Yes, Mr. Potter is distantly related to some of the Blacks. However, he could not have gone to them for different reasons."
"What are you talking about, Albus!" McGonagall cried out. "He most certainly could have gone to a member of their family. Not the Malfoys', Rosiers', or Lestranges' obviously, but Andromeda could have easily taken him in. Why did you place him with the Dursley's instead?"
Harry and Hermione were riveted to the conversation taking place in front of them. Their Head of House was doing a good job of asking all of the questions that they wanted answers for. Those questions that she didn't ask the headmaster, they would.
Dumbledore had been dreading that very question. It was the one that he least wanted to answer. Resignedly, he answered her, "Lily's sacrifice was a powerful thing, so strong that I could place him in the house where her sister's blood resided without fear of a Death Eater finding and harming Mr. Potter. I used that sacrifice to create Blood Wards that will keep Harry safe until he is of age, provided that he calls that place home and returns there every year to recharge them during the summers."
Mt. Hermione was about to explode again, Harry could feel her indignation through their bond. Not wanting to interrupt the conversation just yet, he placed his hand on her lower back and began rubbing in small circles to calm her down.
'What in the world are Blood Wards and why didn't they work?' Harry thought curiously to himself. After a few moments silence, he realized why they never worked properly and he finally entered into the conversation. Quietly, he said, "They never worked right, the wards. I have never considered that horrible place home."
Albus Dumbledore was shocked, could something so simple have undone the entire set of wards? "What do you mean that you haven't considered that place home?" he asked.
Harry shot Dumbledore a nasty glare before replying, "You know exactly what I mean, that Monitoring Charm told you all about my health. Didn't any of that information that you received warn you about what was going on there?"
Sidestepping the question, Dumbledore spoke with a reassuring tone in his voice, "Those wards protected you from witches and wizards that meant you harm. Voldemort himself could have been in the area and he could not have touched you."
In a voice with a hard edge to it, he said, "Answer the question, please." After a few seconds where the silence stretched out between them, Harry accusation was almost a hiss it was so low, "You can't can you? You knew exactly what happened to me in that house and you left me there." There was bitterness in his voice by the time he finished speaking.
Professor McGonagall had a sinking feeling in her gut. Something was very wrong with this picture but she couldn't quite place her finger on what.
Harry was frustrated with the Headmaster's dodging his questions. He knew that there were a few other questions that he could ask that would further clarify the situation and make things difficult for Dumbledore at the same time. With that thought in mind he asked, "Why did my parents go into hiding and what gave you the right to have Hagrid keep me from Sirius?"
Hermione perked up at that last series of questions. Those were two points that had really bothered her for a while now and perhaps they would finally get some answers.
This entire conversation was not going well at all. Albus felt besieged from all sides as uncomfortable questions were asked. Deciding that it was time to end this conversation, he gave a subtle hand signal to one of the portraits to summon him away for an emergency.
The portrait of Everard got the signal and came to his aid. In a voice laced with importance, he said, "Headmaster, you are late for your meeting at the Wizengamot and people are getting antsy. Shall I tell them that you will be there shortly?"
With a look of surprise etched on his face, Dumbledore hastily replied, "Thank you Everard, I had completely forgotten the time. Tell them I shall be there in five minutes."
Standing up from behind his desk, Dumbledore looked at each of the occupants of his office and said, "I must get going. Perhaps we could continue this conversation in the future?"
Knowing that Dumbledore wouldn't make any effort to resume this uncomfortable topic, Harry decided to twist the knife in a bit deeper. "Of course, sir. What time would you like us to come back tomorrow?"
In a kind and pacifying tone, Dumbledore said, "Perhaps it would be best if I contacted you with a date and time. My schedule is going to be very busy for the next few weeks with my Wizengamot duties, the final tournament task, and the end of year items to wrap up."
Realizing that they weren't going to get anything out of Dumbledore at this moment, Hermione decided to rejoin the conversation, "I can come by your office tomorrow, sir. I'll bring our calendars so we can make sure that everyone is free to meet again.
"That is a splendid idea, Miss Granger. What time would you like us to drop by tomorrow to coordinate schedules, Albus?" Professor McGonagall said triumphantly, driving the final nail into Dumbledore's proverbial coffin, rendering further attempts at dodging the issue moot.
Appearing to check his desk calendar, Dumbledore half muttered, "Five o'clock would be the best time. Now if you will excuse me, I really must get ready for my meeting."
The trio had returned to Professor McGonagall's office after their enlightening conversation with the headmaster. Once they were all seated again, Minerva set out tea and biscuits.
Harry's mind was still swirling with the details of their recent conversation with Dumbledore. He still didn't get an answer to the question that he wanted but he did get many things clarified. The issue now was to see where things went from here. He sat back in his chair and took a sip of his tea, trying to reign back in his emotions.
Hermione felt the shift in Harry's emotions when he relaxed into his chair. Looking over at him, she was pleased to see that he was calming down so quickly. Then it hit her, 'He's practicing Occlumency! That's why his voice and emotions changed!' Happy that she had figured it out she looked back up at Harry, only to see him smirking at her over his cup of tea.
His voice was back under control and had returned to the low, even, tone as he spoke up, "Finally figured it out, didn't you?"
There was a hint of pride in his voice that Hermione easily recognized and it made her insides warm. "Yes, I did. How long have you been able to do that?"
Professor McGonagall was a touch confused but the more the two teen's spoke, the more the pieces started to fit together. She decided to wait them out and enjoy her tea.
"A few days ago I started to understand it. I'm getting better at it each day. I think that in a few more months I'll be really good at it." Harry said as he reached for another biscuit.
Minerva had figured out what they were talking about. Curiously, she asked him, "Where did you learn about Occlumency, Mr. Potter?"
Harry's gaze was piercing as he looked into his professor's eyes. He didn't sense any deceit from her so he turned his attention to the room, looking for portraits.
"You won't find any portraits in my office, Mr. Potter. I am well aware of what Professor Dumbledore uses them for."
He nodded in understanding before saying, "I learned it from a book that Sirius sent me."
McGonagall was surprised, learning Occlumency from a book was very difficult and she told him so, "That is very impressive, Mr. Potter. Why would you need to learn that skill?"
She got another piercing look for her question, but something was different this time. McGonagall saw Mr. Potter's face close off as the emotionless mask from Occlumency slid into place.
"It was to keep my thoughts private. I have always suspected Professor Snape, and Headmaster Dumbledore, of knowing a bit too much when they stare into my eyes. Today just confirmed what we suspected."
Minerva knew that there was more to it than Harry was letting on, but she didn't press him for details. It was a good skill to have for any witch or wizard; she just didn't like what his reasons were for learning it.
With nothing further to talk about, Hermione and McGonagall confirmed when they would meet tomorrow to head up and corner the Headmaster.
When they were done, Harry and Hermione bid their Head of House goodbye and went out to take a walk down by the lake and to discuss what went on in the meeting away from prying eyes.
Chapter 21: A little bit of growing up.
While Harry, Hermione, and Professor McGonagall were still in Professor Dumbledore's office, Severus Snape was heading down to his dungeon office. He was silently ranting in his head about Potter and his know-it-all girlfriend, Granger.
He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he was on autopilot. His feet were carrying him on his usual path down from the Headmaster's Office to his office in the dungeons.
Years of having students scurrying away from his approach had made him complacent in their midst. He never thought that he would be attacked within the confines of Hogwarts as an adult.
That is why it was a total surprise when he felt something smash into the back of his head.
The force of the blow rendered him insensate. He was fighting to stay conscious as he fell to his knees. Turning his head slowly, he tried to spot his attacker. Instead, he was greeted with the sight of a heavy boot sailing directly towards his face.
Severus was too woozy to dodge the incoming blow. The last thing that he remembered seeing before the blow rendered him unconscious was the trim of an elegant cloak flapping near the leg of his attacker. The trim was a very familiar shade of green.
With a sickening crunch, the boot connected with the jaw of Severus Snape. Since he was at the top of a flight of stairs when he was knocked unconscious, he fell backwards. His limp body slid down the stairs, breaking a few more bones before coming to rest in a heap at the bottom.
It was a terrified first year Slytherin student that discovered a very bloody, and broken, Professor Snape ten minutes later. The sight of her head of house sent her screaming in terror back to the common room where she quickly alerted her housemates to the situation.
The assailants had left the area as soon as Snape's body began tumbling down the steps. They had been warned about the portraits and as a result, they had taken precautions to avoid being discovered. Their escape from the scene of the crime went completely unnoticed by person, portrait, or ghost.
By the time Madam Pomfrey arrived on the scene, all of Slytherin House was present and they were convinced that Harry Potter had something to do with it.
Ignoring the muttering students, Madam Pomfrey began scanning Severus for internal injuries. Relief flooded through her when she didn't find any internal bleeding. Quickly, she began checking over the rest of his injuries to make sure none of them were life threatening.
There were numerous broken bones, cuts, and contusions all over his body. Stone steps were very unforgiving.
With nothing immediately life threatening, she conjured bandages for most of the injures and began levitating him up to the Hospital Wing. He was going to be a patient of hers for the next few days.
The portrait network would not catch wind of the attack until Madam Pomfrey had Professor Snape back in the Hospital Wing, treating his injuries, some twenty minutes later. By the time that the first portrait reached Dumbledore, Harry and Hermione were walking hand in hand down by the lake, oblivious to the goings on inside the castle.
Harry and Hermione had entered their garden by the lake after a short walk down by the shore. It was fast becoming a habit for Harry to stretch out his magical senses as he entered a new area. This whole tournament had him on edge and if he wasn't careful, he could end up like Professor Moody, jumping at every little noise or movement.
"Constant Vigilance, indeed." Harry muttered darkly under his breath when he found an Eavesdropping Charm on one of the benches.
He was just about to remove it when Hermione's tiny hand came to rest upon his forearm, forestalling his spell. He turned to face her so he could see what she wanted.
Hermione had placed a finger to her lips to indicate that she wanted him to stay quiet. When she saw Harry's nod in understanding, she pulled out her wand and silently cast a Silencing Spell around the entire bench that he had indicated.
When she turned back to face Harry, he surprised her by pulling her into a hug and kissing her passionately. After a few blissful kisses, he pulled back a tiny bit to look into her eyes and said, "I love you. Thank you for standing up for me today."
Hermione's brain had yet to recover from those kisses. Her lips were slightly parted and a bit puffy. She was vaguely aware that Harry had said something to her a second ago. With no conscious thought, her tongue slowly licked the contours of her swollen lips before she closed her mouth.
Harry was about to ask Hermione a question when he saw her tongue slowly lick her lips. It was perhaps the most erotic thing that he had ever seen in his short life. Deciding that there was nothing better than seeing that look on Hermione's face, he leaned back in and began kissing her just as passionately as before.
Hermione's thoughts and emotions were just calming down from the best snog ever when Harry's lips returned. Their gentle, passionate, warmth made her body respond by molding itself to his as she deepened the kiss.
Harry heard the soft moan escape Hermione's lips and it fueled his passion and drove the hungry kisses that they were sharing to new heights.
It could have been minutes or hours later. Neither teen had any ability to comprehend the passage of time when they broke the embrace. Somehow, Hermione's hands had found their way beneath Harry's jumper and were slowly rubbing his chest. Harry's hands were still outside of her clothes but they had done a bit of exploring as well. One of his hands was entwined in her hair, gently rubbing the base of her neck and head. His other hand was resting just below the waistline of her skirt, just above the gentle curvature of her bum.
Both of their hearts were pounding and their breathing was irregular. When they looked into each other's eyes, there was no awkwardness, just adoration and love. Their bond was practically humming with emotions. It was difficult to sort out which emotions belonged to whom they were so similar.
In that brief moment, Hermione saw the man that Harry would become reflected in his eyes and she loved what she saw. The one thing absent from those emerald orbs was something that she would miss most, their innocence.
Harry was holding onto the most important person in the world to him. He would move heaven and earth for Hermione if need be. He had made peace with his inner demon's desire to keep her safe at all times and at any cost. Her defending him finally conquered that fear.
He knew that this tournament had cost them both deeply. They were on the cusp, caught somewhere between adulthood and childhood. It was a childhood that neither of them could ever return too, they had seen and done too much.
Silently, Hermione pulled Harry over to a bench and sat him down before she snuggled into his side. She was content to sit there all day and watch the world go by while letting the troubles of the day wash away like grains of sand in the changing tides.
They were still sitting side by side, cuddled together, when Neville and Ginny finally found them.
When they had sat themselves down on the bench near Harry and Hermione, they shared a look before Ginny spoke.
Her voice was laced with concern as she said, "Are you two okay? We heard about what happened in the hall this morning."
Harry gave Hermione's shoulder a gentle squeeze with his arm that she was tucked under, letting her know that she could tell them about it.
"Pansy Parkinson jinxed Harry from behind and he broke his wrist when he fell. I hexed her in return and then Professor Snape showed up. After we got Harry's arm fixed, we had a meeting with the Headmaster, Professor Snape, and Professor McGonagall." Hermione finished speaking in her classroom voice.
"And?" Ginny prompted, "Did you get into trouble for hexing that cow?"
"Pug." Harry corrected her as he broke out into a low chuckle.
"What's a pug?" a confused Neville asked.
Hermione supplied, "It's a dog with a squashed face that is popular in the non-magical world."
The mirth still present in his voice, Harry said, "And Parkinson's face is about as flat as you can get. I mean, look at her nose! It looks like it got smashed when she was a baby or something."
After the laughter had died down Neville looked over at Hermione and asked, "Did you get in trouble?"
There was an edge to Hermione's voice when she replied, "Yes, I lost forty points and I have a week of detentions with Professor McGonagall. I'm not sorry though, Parkinson got what she deserved, and her punishment is the same as mine."
His voice had returned to the low, well modulated, timbre that Hermione was getting used to, "You were brilliant."
In truth, that tone of voice made her insides squirm in a good way. She knew that it masked the emotions and desires that he would let loose when they were alone. It may have been selfish, but she liked that there was now a side to Harry that only she was allowed to see.
Harry could feel the smugness through their bond and he guessed what it was about. Leaning down a bit, he planted a soft kiss on the side of her head, before turning his attention back to the other couple present. "How was your day then?"
Neville smiled before he spoke up, "Pretty good, actually. We explored the castle a bit and then headed out to the grounds to look for you two. I think that we may have found out what the next task is going to be too."
That peaked Harry and Hermione's interests. Any information on the Third Task was extremely valuable and could quite possibly save Harry's life.
Eagerly, Hermione asked, "What did you two discover?"
Ginny piped up, her voice full of pride, "Neville actually figured it out after I noticed that something was different about the Quidditch pitch."
Neville was blushing slightly from the praise, but his voice was firm in its conviction when he spoke, "It's a maze. Hagrid is growing hedgerows. They are only two or three feet tall right now but my guess is that Hagrid will have them twenty feet tall in no time."
"Harry," Ginny said in a small voice. When his emeralds eyes turned their focus upon her, she almost shivered. They seemed to bore right into her soul. Her voice quavered a tiny bit as she spoke, "I made a drawing of the maze from one of the towers. It's not great or anything, but I hope it will help."
Harry took the offered piece of parchment from Ginny's outstretched hand, a true smile plainly visible for her to see. His voice rang with gratitude when he said, "Thank you, Ginny. This is probably the best drawing ever. It may very well save my life." Gently disentangling himself from Hermione, he stood up and pulled Ginny into a hug while placing a chaste kiss on the top of her head in thanks.
Turning to Neville, he held out his hand. When they shook hands, he said, "Thank you too, Neville. Hang on to her, she's a keeper."
Both teens blushed at the praise and rare showing of affection towards them from Harry. It was something so rare and it was a precious thing to them.
The two couples spent the next hour discussing the Third Task. How to best utilize the map to Harry's advantage was thoroughly covered in their talks. By the time they all headed back up to the castle, they had a rudimentary plan in place to handle the maze.
Their good moods were going to come crashing down around them when they entered the Great Hall for dinner.