#Cornelius fudge was a little bit right | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

saintsenara · 1 month

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I come to you with this question because, having read all your other metas, I think you'd be the right person to ask. Id love to know what you think about Regulus because I have a very hard time understanding his character. Partly because of fanon characterization of him makes him seem like some secret rebel against Voldemort and partly because I just can't really understand any of his motivations. But regardless, I think what we know about him in canon is so interesting - i just can piece it all together. I'd love to know what you think!

(Sorry for the longish ask)

thank you very much for the ask, @hauntingpercival! regulus is a character i also find a bit of a mystery, and so thinking through this answer was really fun.

i'll start by being clear that i'm certainly not a regulus fan. by which i not only mean that i don't vibe with the fanon!regulus of the marauders fandom, who is essentially an original character - and you can read my views on jegulus here... [spoiler alert: i do not back it] - but that when he appears in my own writing in ways i'd like to hope feel influenced by his canon form, i always find myself focusing on aspects of his character which are rather unlikeable.

there is a little bit of a discourse-y reason for this, which will be pertinent to the rest of this answer...

i really don't like the sort of "omg aristocracy is so hot and sexy and interesting" tropes which are so prevalent in writing around the black family. this is firstly because i don't think that aristocracy is in any way these things - and i find it distasteful to imply otherwise - which is because i'm a prole who lives somewhere still bearing the scars of british colonisation who also went to the sort of university where one sometimes encountered aristocrats and they were all cringe and unbearable.

but it's also because it's not - and i will genuinely die on this hill - an accurate reflection of how the blacks are presented in canon. not only does it take sirius' comment that his parents considered themselves "practically royal" to be a statement of fact [sirius is quite clearly taking the piss out of his parents' pretensions], but it also misses that the purpose sirius' discussion of orion and walburga's politics serves in the narrative of order of the phoenix is to show how mainstream their blood-supremacist views were.

sirius tells us that his parents were not death eaters, but that they nonetheless thought voldemort's overtly sectarian political aims were correct. in this, they hold the political views order of the phoenix emphasises belong to cornelius fudge - unimaginative, deferential to the class system, casually prejudiced, and so on. orion and walburga function as a way of showing us just how entrenched the death eaters' manifesto is, how close voldemort came to winning the first war, and what an uphill struggle the order faces to unravel the roots blood-supremacy has in the wizarding world.

[and they also show that the baffling vibes of grimmauld place - while these are made worse by it being three different gothic literature tropes in a trenchcoat - are wizarding norms, rather than evidence that the blacks were uniquely immersed in dark magic. the decor at grimmauld place - and the family's collection of dark artefacts - is the same as that found in malfoy manor, even at a time when lucius malfoy is considered eminently socially respectable. this is a point we will come back to...]

i think, then, that it's crucial to approach regulus not as a swaggering aristocrat, but as someone from an upper-class background which - while still posh, rich, inferring enormous social capital, well-connected - was unremarkable within the circles in which he moved.

by which i mean that hogwarts is based on real-world institutions - britain's elite boarding schools - which are so exclusive and expensive to attend that the student body are from a class-background which seems inhumanly exclusive, affluent, and powerful from an outsider perspective [i.e. from the perspective of someone from the majority middle- and working-classes] but which seems completely normal within the student body itself.

[i.e. nobody at eton with princes william and harry will have been astonished to have been at school with a royal, because they will have been familiar with their social circles, cultural experiences, level of wealth, and expectation of knowing someone with considerable social influence from childhood.]

while hogwarts appears to be a state-funded school [although it also expects an enormous amount of financial investment on the part of parents - such as buying all the textbooks], the fact that its real-world parallels are so elite [and, therefore, come with a specific "look" in the british cultural imagination] means that the student body is incredibly well-heeled and working-class students stand out enormously in a way very rich students do not. hogwarts also exists - like real-world elite schools and universities - as a way of propping up the status quo of the class system by which the wizarding world functions. its pupils have an expectation of procuring jobs in the civil service and other influential professions - using not only connections established at school but connections they possess through their [male] relatives. many hogwarts students we meet in canon are related to someone who occupies an elite position in the wizarding executive or is otherwise socio-politically influential.

at school, then, regulus would have been completely, perfectly average in terms of social position. i also like the idea of him as perfectly average in terms of intellect - and as a good, but not exceptional, seeker. this provides a really interesting point of contrast with sirius, who - while he's also not socially unusual in terms of class [and i will never vibe with tropes like him being followed by whispers going "omg, he's a black, that means he's important"] - stands out in that he's the first black in generations not to be in slytherin, that he's precociously intelligent, and that he - and the rest of the marauders - are class clowns and show-offs.

and i like the idea that this would give regulus a desire to stand out - to be considered the most important person in the whole school. we can get a hint of this in canon - the picture of sirius and his friends harry sees in deathly hallows is immediately contrasted with a picture of regulus sitting in the seeker's position in the team photo. the seeker who acts alone.

and i think this desire for notoriety is what drives him to sign up to become a death eater - that he decides he's sick of having parents with the perfectly normal level of social influence and a brother who is more popular than him, and that he thinks that he's cleverer and more worthy of attention than everyone else in the castle and the world better start showing it.

[and i've never bought - i'm afraid - the idea that he and sirius are close. it's clear from canon that regulus had no issue being thought of as "a much better son" than sirius, and that he colluded with his parents against him. sirius can love him - and miss him, and regret how they were never able to repair their relationship - but i don't think this means that he feels he's lost a bestie.]

that he holds sincere blood-supremacist views is a given - because within the world in which he lives, these are completely normal and held completely casually [i.e. that slughorn is shocked lily could be muggleborn because she's clever]. the more virulent expression of these views - saying "mudblood", etc. - is clearly considered ill-mannered, but not something which might have any real impact on one's social standing [draco malfoy uses the term with impunity while at school, and nobody ever considers that informing a teacher of this would result in him being punished; equally, nobody from the crowd who witness the event reports snape for calling lily a mudblood].

and so i think it's clear that he becomes interested in joining the death eaters - and starts putting together his terrorism pinterest board - because his mainstream belief that being pureblood is better crashes into his desire to be special to form a conviction that riding the coattails of voldemort's ostentatious malevolence is the way he can become famous.

[in this, he is very like snape.]

my assumption is that regulus is one academic year below sirius, meaning that he was born in 1960-1961. my assumption is also that he receives his dark mark while still at school - probably at some point in his newt years [so the academic years 1977-1978 and 1978-1979].

the standard view - expressed vehemently by various order members in half-blood prince - is that voldemort has no interest in death eaters who are still at school.

the order is wrong about this, obviously - not only when it comes to their refusal to accept that harry's right about draco malfoy being marked, but also in the fact that several of the death eaters who are very young at the end of the first war, barty crouch jr. [who is still young enough to be described as a "boy" in 1982 at the earliest], chief among them, must have been taken on by voldemort prior to graduating.

but it seems fair to say that admitting teenagers into his inner circle is unusual for voldemort, especially when those teenagers don't really offer him anything useful. crouch, for example, could be put to work informing on his father's movements. regulus is - as i've said - just ordinary.

and so my view has always been that regulus is marked by voldemort as a favour to bellatrix. i think this partially because i'm bellamort trash, partially because i think it's a nice narrative parallel between regulus and draco [who are very similar] to have bellatrix be responsible for regulus' recruitment when she's canonically vociferously in favour of draco's, and partially because realising that voldemort thinks of him as just some guy who warrants [essentially] a pity dark mark would be a big blow to regulus' conviction that joining the death eaters would make him impressive.

[i also think regulus is recruited before 1978 because i think there has to be a shift in voldemort's modus operandi at about this point, in order for the fact that sirius says that his parents got cold feet about what the dark lord was prepared to do after regulus became a death eater to make sense. my view has always been that voldemort's violence prior to c.1978 overwhelmingly targets state institutions and people connected to them and/or people with known anti-voldemort political views, meaning that ordinary citizens can regard these people being killed or injured as reasonable risks of their jobs and/or behaviour. and then that after c.1978, the dark lord begins targeting civilians - including upper-class pureblood civilians - indiscriminately, which makes his casual supporters start to waver a bit.]

so, let's suppose that regulus leaves hogwarts in june 1979 and finds himself expected to participate as a full death eater, after having been let off all the dirty work by virtue of being at school...

as i've said, regulus has an enormous number of narrative parallels with draco malfoy. and i think that the best way to think about him is to write him as sharing draco's canonical attitude to voldemort's cause - that he believes whole-heartedly in the message of blood-supremacy the dark lord promotes and that he has no problem with people he considers subhuman [mudbloods and blood-traitors] or unimportant [faceless families massacred in their own homes] being subjected to violence in the name of that message, but that he lacks the character traits necessary to perform that violence himself, to see it done to people he likes, or to witness what it actually involves versus the image he has of it in his head.

and so i imagine he starts struggling pretty quickly with the fact that being a death eater isn't quite as easy as he thought it would be when he was making voldemort fancams on tiktok. and that part of the reason he's primed to turn against the dark lord is because of the tension he feels warring within him at the fact that he's still a blood-supremacist, still desperate to be important, and yet growing disenchanted.

i don't however, think this is why he does what he does... so let's get into that:

why does regulus turn against voldemort?

let's be clear about one thing - regulus turning against voldemort has nothing to do with him having some sort of damascene conversion against blood-supremacy.

[or, at least, that's what i think.]

the outline of regulus' defection that we get in canon goes as follows:

voldemort asks someone to lend him a house elf. we know that regulus volunteers kreacher, because he told kreacher so - and so i imagine voldemort mentions at a meeting that he wants to procure an elf [although, of course, he doesn't elaborate on why] and regulus immediately jumps up and says "pick me, my lord" because he sees this as an opportunity to get voldemort to finally notice him.

his assumption must be that voldemort will use kreacher for a purpose which is considered normal in wizarding society - i.e. that he will require him to do something akin to domestic service, perhaps preparing potions ingredients.

it evidently does not occur to him that voldemort would transgress this social boundary and harm kreacher. not - to be clear - because i think that regulus was some kind of abolitionist legend, but because we see several characters express the view in goblet of fire that how barty crouch sr. treats winky is his own business, and that it is impolite for respectable wizards to comment on how anyone else treats his slave. this sort of social behaviour will have a second part - that it is impolite for respectable wizards to treat anyone else's slave in a way which goes beyond what wizarding slaveowners see as normal.

or: that it's fine to be lent a slave to serve you, but very much not fine to nearly kill that slave [someone else's property!] for your own gain.

kreacher informs regulus what voldemort asked of him, which makes regulus suspicious about what the object voldemort deposited in the cave was. regulus then decides to investigate.

kreacher tells us that regulus goes away for an indeterminate period of time and then returns to grimmauld place "disturbed in his mind".

dumbledore claims in half-blood prince that voldemort appears not to wear or display the objects the horcruxes are made from after he turns them into horcruxes. i think we can agree with this or not without it affecting the story - i quite like the idea that voldemort doesn't make the locket until the later 1970s [maybe after the murder of dorcas meadowes, the only person in the first war other than james and lily to have canonically been killed by him personally], but we can also say that he might have worn or displayed it when it was already a horcrux. certainly, regulus must have seen the locket - either on voldemort or somewhere in his lair - and, after kreacher tells him what happened, he goes to see if it's still there.

when he discovers it isn't, he comes to an important conclusion. one which requires a little detour...

how does regulus know what a horcrux is?

i complained at the start of this answer about the black family being portrayed as unusually immersed in the dark arts - rather than some sort of familiarity with the dark arts being perfectly normal for people of their social class.

and i am sure that you might think I'm about to have to eat my words, since i'm not going to try and deny that regulus was able to identify a horcrux all by himself...

but, actually, i'm just chucking malevolently at the opportunity to clamber onto my soapbox and say:

horcruxes are canonically not magic which only a handful of people know about. where voldemort goes beyond the theory of horcruxes which a wizard of regulus' class-background would be familiar with is that he makes seven.

this doesn't mean - to be clear - that i think it was ever common to make a horcrux [i don't think the wizarding world is quite that lawless...], but that it was reasonable to know they exist, in the way that we might have some general understanding of something macabre - like techniques for disposing of a body - which would enable us to suspect if we saw a neighbour behaving strangely while doing one of those things...

after all, slughorn can suggest [even if he doesn't believe this is what he wants to do] that voldemort could justify his interest in horcruxes by using the excuse that he's working on a project for defence against the dark arts.

that harry, ron, and hermione don't know about them is a result of a combination of their own lack of interest in the theory of the dark arts, the information blackout instituted by dumbledore at some point after voldemort graduates [and my theory as to why dumbledore hates horcruxes even in the forties? grindelwald made one - hence why dumbledore is so hopeful at king's cross that the rumours of his repentance might have been true...], and the fact that they don't discuss their mission with anyone [tonks, kingsley, and moody, who literally have to specialise in dark objects as part of their jobs, would one hundo have known what a horcrux was].

[what they would not have known is what voldemort's horcruxes were likely to be made of and where they were likely to be. it's this - rather than the idea that horcruxes are completely unknowable magic - that is why it has to be harry in charge of hunting them down: he's the only person in the series who knows voldemort well enough to realise that, for example, he'd have hidden one in gringotts because of his jealousy at being excluded from this pillar of wizarding normality.]

so, regulus has a little rummage, works out the locket has disappeared, and has no trouble - especially because voldemort mentions in goblet of fire that he'd told his death eaters he couldn't die [which regulus might not have thought was him speaking literally] prior to 1981 - guessing what it's being used for.

and so, regulus turns against voldemort.

and i think that he does this because the horcrux makes it impossible for him to pretend any longer that voldemort's aims are - when the ministry is forced to the negotiating table by his paramilitary activities - an oligarchy in which upper-class pureblood families benefit and muggleborns and blood-traitors become second-class citizens, but which doesn't deviate too much in terms of its overwhelming norms from the way wizarding society functioned at that time. instead, he is confronted with the undeniable fact that voldemort intends to reign forever as an immortal absolute monarch, and that he has never had any intention of elevating regulus and people like him to the positions of importance he so craved.

[we see something similar happen to draco, whose increasing fear of voldemort throughout half-blood prince and deathly hallows is clearly driven by him realising that voldemort isn't joking when he says that he'll kill him and his parents unless he obeys orders, but is joking when he says he'll be considered a valuable servant should he manage to kill dumbledore...]

and so his death - and his threat to destroy the horcrux - is a repudiation of his beliefs. but, specifically, it is a repudiation of his conviction that voldemort was a primarily political figure who would act as a champion of the pureblood class-system. it's him recognising that voldemort would not stop with a takeover of the ministry - he would kill and kill forever, concerned only with how much further he could venture beyond the norms of magic.

#asks answered #asenora meta #regulus black

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awyeahitssam · 8 months

Text

A cold male voice rang across the courtroom.

“You’re late.”

Harry considered his response as he stepped farther into the room, head tipping up to take in the fifty some-odd witches and wizards that made up the Wizengamot. They were all watching him keenly, some with open derision and others with curiosity. His head pulsed faintly at the weight of the attention on him, their emotions eagerly battering his Occlumency shields. Harry worked to think through the sensation even as he reinforced his mental defences. He could already tell by the sweat beading on his back that this would be a trying experience. The fact that this section of the Ministry was deep enough to obstruct the weight of all other presences did not make up for the fact that he was in front of fifty people rather than the expected four to six. He hasn't practised for this, has had no means to.

Fudge sat in the middle of the first row, and the smugness he and the witch to his right were emanating made it rather easy to pinpoint who had been responsible for the sudden change in the time of his trial.

"Am I?" Harry asked, and the jolt of astonishment, annoyance and fury that swept through various members of the court almost had him gritting his teeth. Harry imagined that Fudge's anger and embarrassment would have been obvious to him even without his abilities. The man had turned faintly red at the question, face pinching.

"You were sent notice of the change in time this morning," the Minister barked out. "It is not the Wizengamot's fault you are late. Now sit down."

Harry allowed his eyebrow to quirk, slow and incredulous. This version of Cornelius Fudge was far different from the one he had met two years ago.

“While I would hardly blame the Wizengamot as a whole, it sounds as if whoever is charged with correspondence is at fault. Per a standing law written in 1839, all changes in time and venue must be completed in excess of twenty four hours prior to a trial's start time. Said correspondence must have been confirmed as seen by the person or persons on trial and their representatives at least sixteen hours before the scheduled start time.”

“That is for an official trial,” the Minister returned, voice sharp despite the fluster and anxiety Harry could sense beneath it.

“Apologies for my presumption, then,” Harry said dryly. “I assumed that any trial which our entire governance presided over would be considered official.”

“Besides which, there is no such specificity to that law,” A broad, square-jawed witch to the left of Fudge said, giving the Minister a quelling look.

The Minister did not respond to the implied reprimand, instead puffing himself up a bit and saying, “Now that we’re all here, let’s begin. Are you ready?”

“Yes, sir,” Harry was surprised to see Percy Weasley, horn-rimmed glasses perched on his nose as he stared down at a piece of parchment, quill poised to write. Unlike most everyone else in the room, his attention did not seem to find sole focus on Harry. Harry didn’t expend any effort to attempt to see how Percy felt about the entire situation, his focus drawn to an approaching presence. It was a whirlwind of concern, faint annoyance, and a dash of enjoyment.

“Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August,” said Fudge in a ringing voice, emphasising the word hearing, and Percy began taking notes at once, “into offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.”

Fudge continued on, listing interrogators, and Harry’s attention was distracted from Fudge’s words, the approaching presence, and his Occlumency shields by a jolt of glee and greed. His gaze flickered up to meet the icy grey eyes of Lucius Malfoy. The realisation dawns quickly that the Dursleys address was now a matter of public record. Harry had already decided he wouldn't go back, and this only provided more incentive.

He hesitates around the thought of whether the Dursleys will be targeted. Whether he should warn somebody that they need to be moved. Whether he cares enough to, after so many years of their oppressive hatred.

Behind him, the door presses open.

“—Witness for the defence, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.” Dumbledore’s voice isn’t projected like Fudge’s, but there is no doubt that he is heard. The press of the Wizengamot’s emotions is momentarily overwhelming: annoyance, bemusement, fear, anger, respect, deference, joy… Harry’s own anger is hardly a blip amongst the cacophony.

When he strides into Harry’s view Dumbledore's expression is serene, but Harry can feel his spiteful enjoyment at the reception his disruption has created. He looked up at Fudge through the half-moon spectacles that rested halfway down his crooked nose.

A few of the Wizengamot members muttered to one another, but most were quiet, eyes locked on Dumbledore.

While Harry’s presence had invoked interest and curiosity, the reactions to Dumbledore were far more substantive. Perhaps it was that the Headmaster had interacted with all of these people personally, socially, and they knew him by more than reputation. They had personal feelings and opinions fully developed about Dumbledore, while Harry was still, largely, an unknown.

“Ah,” said Fudge, thoroughly disconcerted and flustered by Dumbledore’s presence. “Dumbledore. Yes. You—er—got our—er—message that the time and—er—place of the hearing had been changed, then?”

“I must have missed it,” said Dumbledore cheerfully. “However, due to a lucky mistake I arrived at the Ministry three hours early, so no harm done.”

It was a lie, Harry recognized, and one the Headmaster took a good deal of amusement in stating. Some of Dumbledore’s lingering frustration seemed to melt the longer he watched Fudge, the genial cast to his face a farce. He took joy in Fudge being wrong-footed, and the longer he fumbled, the more Dumbledore’s contentment with the situation grew.

“Yes—well—I suppose we’ll need another chair—I—Weasley, could you—?”

“Not to worry, not to worry,” said Dumbledore pleasantly; he took out his wand, gave it a little flick, and a squashy chintz armchair appeared out of nowhere next to Harry. Dumbledore sat down, put the tips of his long fingers together, and looked at Fudge over them with an expression of polite interest.

Harry had never thought of Dumbledore as anything approaching petty before, and perhaps he typically was not, but there was no denying that he was fond of making Fudge feel foolish. Well, his name had been dragged through the Prophet by the Minister's word; Harry couldn’t be surprised by a grudge. Seemingly omniscient or not, Dumbledore was only human.

The Wizengamot was still muttering and fidgeting restlessly; only when Fudge spoke again did they settle down.

“Yes,” said Fudge again, shuffling his notes. “Well, then. So. The charges. Yes.” He extricated a piece of parchment from the pile before him, took a deep breath, and read, “The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a Muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of a Muggle, on August the second at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offence under paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under section thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards’ Statute of Secrecy.”

“You are Harry James Potter, of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?” Fudge said, glaring at Harry over the top of his parchment.

“Yes,” Harry agreed, not looking at Malfoy this time.

“You received an official warning from the Ministry for using illegal magic three years ago, did you not?”

“Yes, but—”

“And yet you conjured a Patronus on the night of the second of August?” interrupted Fudge. Harry felt his vindictive pleasure at cutting him off—even with Dumbledore here, he was finding his footing—but as Harry failed to answer this question, his irritation rose to overtake it.

“You are expected to answer,” the witch to the left of Fudge said, raising a brow at him. She had been the same woman to defend the law he had parrotted.

Harry lets his silence linger for a moment, feeling the anticipation of the Wizengamot build, before returning, “Will I be allowed to do so in full?”

His voice is perfectly respectful, but Fudge’s outrage still blooms. Dumbledore, a glance away, feels of surprise-concern-suspicion, and it makes the hairs on Harry’s nape stand at attention.

“Yes,” the woman gave the Minister yet another quelling look, “of course you will.”

“Thank you. To your last question, Minister, I did receive an official warning three years ago. The warning was,” it took a moment for Harry to recall the right term, said by three other representatives in three other trials, but the momentary pause has the interesting effect of focusing attention on him all the more, “improperly dispersed. The magic that triggered it came from a visiting House Elf. Being the only known magical in Little Whinging and without the supervision of an adult witch or wizard, the charms used to enforce the Statute of Secrecy were triggered. If anybody would like to see a memory of the event in question, I would be more than happy to provide it, assuming there is a pensive available.”

“There is no pensive,” a man with dark hair and an austere demeanour said, then emphasised again, “This is no trial.”

“Isn’t it?” Harry asked, eyebrows raising as he glanced tellingly down at the chair in which he sat, wrapped in chains. “Very well.”

“Either way, it is rather late to be blaming your troubled past on elf magic,” Fudge dismissed, and let out a short laugh, as if he expected others to join him in it. At his side, the woman still cloaked in shadows let out a titter. “A unique and unprecedented excuse, as, I suppose, we should have expected from a young man trying to squirm out of trouble.”

It is Fudge’s tone, a mix of condescension and chiding, even as his emotions are anything but, that does it. Behind his Occlumency and building headache, Harry realises that he's angry. He is disgruntled, disgusted and dissatisfied. He had accessed the public records available, he had pulled transcripts from previous underage trials, and this—this is a farce.

This is Fudge, afraid to believe that Lord Voldemort is alive and smearing Harry’s name because he can. Because Harry has nobody looking out for him, and he’s been fair game since nobody stepped in the first time Rita did it. Beside him, Dumbledore is perfectly silent.

Harry is a symbol, but he's also fifteen, and it's an odd thought that reeks of his Godfather.

“You're fifteen, pup,” Sirius had insisted mere days ago, like it meant something, like it mattered. “You deserve the chance to be a boy without all of this added pressure.”

The glimmer in his eyes had been just as telling as the mingled pain-grief-exhaustion-despair. He was speaking from experience, Harry had thought, throat tight. It made Harry want to fight for his Godfather, for the boy that he once was. Where, then, was that impulse to fight for himself?

“You matter, Harry. What you want matters.”

Harry does not want to play their games, though he has already begun to. He does not want to use the information he's researched, as he sits in a chair with chains, and struggles through polite phrasings. He won't let his research go to waste, though. He knows something for once, and he'll use that knowledge.

The look he levels to Fudge, then, is faux-concerned. “I understand you've had no reason to research this, Minister,” he says, voice kind in a way that is mockery and can not be called such, “but I take the threat of having my wand snapped very seriously. According to public records, the Statute of Secrecy charms have been proven defective in the exact scenario I've discussed once before, in the case of Richard Pike, who’s classmate had an elf deliver things on multiple occasions until he was brought between a five-panel jury to plead his case.”

“Mind you, the Ministry hadn't been running a campaign to discredit Richard Pike,” Harry added casually. The reaction from a simple remark didn't disappoint; Fudge spluttered, the woman beside him leaned out of the shadows, revealing an overwhelmingly pink ensemble, and someone burst out, “Now see here, young man—!” before being abruptly silenced. “He was fifteen, too, but he actually had adults willing to advocate on his behalf.”

Dumbledore’s concern is growing beside him, but Harry doesn't turn to meet the man's eyes, and Dumbledore does not speak out, despite Harry’s accusation.

Harry’s rage is bubbling at the back of his throat, and he wants to shout, but he had learned about the ineffectiveness of screaming his ire long ago. That lesson had only been reinforced after his outburst at Ron and Hermione, and he is more than willing to try something else now.

He takes a moment to consider his approach, and then goes with something that feels natural, a release that will keep his shouts in check; Harry laughs.

“Something funny, Mr. Potter?” A cold voice comes.

“Not really, Something is ridiculous, though, and I’m sure you’d all rather I laugh than deal with a moody teenager's temper tantrum.” He lets his smile go a little sharper, and feels the good his reminder does. There is a particularly keen sense of culpability from a woman he faintly recognizes from his research; Head of the Panel for Underaged Sourcery, Irena Covey. Is the guilt for allowing this to spiral so out of hand, into a room meant for criminal proceedings, or something else?

“I have before me the entire government of magical Britain, wasting their time at a hearing for underaged magic which is typically handled by an empaneled jury of four. We are in the bowels of the Ministry, in a room that has not been used for anything but trials of the most dangerous criminals, and yet this is not a trial, but a hearing to decide disciplinary methods, as if there is no doubt of my guilt and I must be punished.”

“My ‘crime,’” he uses the air quotes readily, “is using the Patronus Charm to protect myself and my cousin from a dementor. My cousin, who knows about magic and does not count as a breach in the Statute. If you'd like to see the memory of the encounter, I give full permission to have it pulled from my head. If you'd like to give me veritaserum—well, I have no parent to consent to the use of a regulated substance, but that's never stopped anybody before. I’ll submit myself willingly to that as well. And if,” he smiles sharply, “you'd like to handle this especially quickly, and get back to your doubtlessly busy lives, I will swear upon my magic that I'm telling the truth. How's that?”

It’s nothing that can be compelled or asked for, not ever, but the offer is a powerful thing. Vows on your magic can be taken as irrefutable testimony, and are rarely given, as they rely on objective rather than subjective fact, a twist that always leaves one with the slightest chance of turning squib.

He feels the shift in the air, the reconsideration of biases, the sharpening curiosity.

“I find your tone disrespectful, boy,” says a man with the longest straw-coloured hair Harry has ever seen. It lies in neat curls, soft and touchable, but the man’s face is cold and his tone hard, and Harry can’t pinpoint his intention with so many other people in the room.

“Perfectly understandable, sir. I find this entire theatrical display disrespectful. You are all very important and busy people, so I can understand that you are frustrated with having your time wasted. However I hope you'll forgive if my frustration outweighs your own, as I am being treated like a war criminal rather than an underaged child due to a bewildering grudge that our Minister seems to be harbouring.”

“You want to snap my wand?” Harry asked the Minister if Magic, eyes blazing but posture relaxed, “Then you can be certain I will put up a fight.”

He let his eyes trail over the rest of his jury, the heady, odd feel of their captivated attention allowing his shoulders to relax into something looser and more confident.

“Magic is the only thing I have of my mother and father. So forgive this fifteen year old orphan for his sentimentality,” Harry bared his teeth, “but I plan on keeping it. Especially considering that I have broken no laws, and there are clear caveats in place that allow an underaged witch or wizard to use magic when in fear for their life.”

He let his gaze slide over the Wizengamot and paused to meet every set of eyes that were not looking away. His point has been well and truly made. Dumbledore is surprised by his outburst, or perhaps by its effectiveness, and faintly suspicious for some reason.

“Strong words prove nothing,” a man larger than Harry’s uncle says when Harry’s gaze lands on him, and he doesn't believe Harry, but he is used to that.

Harry thinks back to the books on magical vows he had studied during the tournament, and the book in the Black Library that he had read two days ago. He thinks of the vow that he had carefully drafted, under Sirius’ supervision. His godfather has emphasised the importance of his wording, so that there could be no mistake.

“Harry, wait.” Dumbledore’s order comes curt and harsh, but Harry pays it no attention. He knows what has caught the Headmaster’s attention; the golden glow that had encapsulated Harry the moment he chose his words. It hazes around his form, and Harry looks down at his hand with interest and curiosity.

There is a sudden murmuring from his audience as they catch on.

“I, Harry James Potter, vow on my magic that on the night of August 2 I used a patronus charm to ward off dementors in Little Whinging, Surrey, in fear of losing my soul.”

The golden glow retreats. Several people gasp at the act, but it is no mere dramatics; the shock he feels pulsing through the room is genuine. He allowed the pause to linger for a moment before saying, “I would cast a spell to prove my claim, but this is a disciplinary hearing for underaged magic.”

Dumbledore cleared his throat, but before he could speak a worn voice sounded from the top tier of the gallery. “I vote an exception be made. Raise your wands if you are in agreement.”

It was nearly unanimous, and Fudge’s expression was taut. His emotions were hard to pinpoint, though multiple people were radiating fear, stomach-churning and vile. Madame Bones glanced around the gallery, expectant. “Mr. Potter, if you would?”

Obediently, Harry drew his wand and murmured a spell under his breath. It was a rather cheeky choice, but Harry was a Gryffindor for a reason. His patronus burst into existence and lifted its head regally, sightless eyes fixed on the Wizengamot. After a moment it turned to Harry and met his gaze before bowing its head. Harry bowed his head back in respect, tension lessening as he felt the warmth and serenity his patronus gave to him, deeply soothing. It took a step forward and pressed its head to his chest, and Harry smiled.

“Fantastic,” Madam Bones murmured. “Very impressive.”

She said it, but Harry could feel it radiating from all around the room; respect, wariness, keen interest. A couple of people even seemed amused by his gall, which, he supposed, was better than offended. Fear was regulated to an undertone in the room, pervasive but not overpowering.

Harry’s patronus raises its head, a huff ruffling his hair. He raised a hand to brush over its snout, feeling the warm, welcoming peace it emanated more than its fur. It stares into his eyes for a long moment, grounding Harry, before lowering its head one last time and glimmering out of existence, purpose served.

“Well then,” the shift in the room was abrupt. With two words the attention of the Wizengnot had been captured by a dark-haired woman, whose brown eyes were cataloguing Harry. The abrupt pull and shift of emotions might have been startling had his patronus not left him so balanced. “I might have agreed that all of our time was wasted on this day, Mr. Potter, if not for this exquisite demonstration of a mastered patronus. That it is tactile as well as spiritually corporeal is a rare and impressive feat, especially given your age.”

Beneath her intrigue and open interest, the turn of her emotions had an odd chill to them. Her fascination is detached and clinical. Her regard had the effect of sharpening the interest towards Harry all the more. Dumbledore’s emotions pulsed behind him, an odd mix of wary, vexed and rueful.

“Perhaps, Lady Laurier, it would be most appropriate to turn our attention to how a dementor managed to make its way to Little Whinging in the first place.” Dumbledore said pleasantly.

Bones clears her throat. “That is certainly a matter that needs attention. First, however, Mr. Potter’s verdict.”

“I believe that Mr. Potter’s vow constitutes irrefutable proof, and this tria—hearing should be closed.” Covey spoke up, her slip made all the more apparent by its correction.

“So it shall be,” agreed Bones. “As Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I accept into the record Harry Potter's magical vow. In combination with his subsequent proof of magic, this vow is considered irrefutable evidence. As such, all charges against the accused are dismissed with the Ministry's sincere apologies. I put forward my professional recommendation that future cases of underaged sorcery are dealt with by the bench traditionally empaneled.” She added pointedly.

#my writing #Empath Harry #I'm desperate to start writing this story again #but as in love as I am with the premise I've set up and other scenes that've been written #writing this is like pulling teeth #Harrymort #unless I'm incapable of continuing

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lemongrass77777 · 11 months

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@lynxindisguise, @impishtubist, and @spindrifters I finished deep-frying my corndog for youse, but I’m pretty sure I accidentally used vegetable oil instead of lard.

Word count: 1.1k

**********************

Sirius Black sat down on a bar stool, it was late at night.

He ordered firewhiskey from the barman. It burned down his throat. He had just returned from an Order mission with Remus and Edgar.

The door of the darkly lit pub opened, and a man in a dark trench coat entered. Sirius watched him from the corner of his eye. From what little he could see of the man’s face, he appeared to be middle-aged, and blond. He looked familiar, though Sirius couldn’t exactly place him.

His eyes seemed to focus on Sirius for a bit longer than necessary, in an almost hunger way.

The man sat on a stool next to Sirius, and it clicked. He had seen him at the hearing of Evan Rosier Sr., as the court scribe.

It was the Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge.

“Mr. Fudge, you know, I’d never think to meet you in a place like,” Sirius gestured to the people behind them, who were conversing in low tones.

Fudges eyebrows shot up.

“Mr. Black, I wasn’t expecting anyone to notice me here. You’re Pollux’s grandson?” Fudge asked.

“Yes, Sir,” said Sirius tautly. He knew he ought not to lie to a government official.

“I had a meeting with him and Arcturus the other day, did either of them tell you about it,” Fudge fiddled with his fingers.

Sirius was about to snarl a reply, when something occurred to him.

Grandfather Pollux had always tried to foster political ambition in him and his cousins.

It would be the paramount blow to the knees to assert his political ambitions by shagging the minister’s assistant.

“Yes, Mr. Fudge, my Grandfathers, Pollux and Arcturus had a conversation about the new Werewolf regulations with me,” said Sirius unimportantly. He had to sell the illusion, at least for the first night.

“Right, so neither of them will have any problems with me being here with you?” Asked Fudge.

“No, they will not, sir,” Sirius nodded.

Fudge seemed to relax, and ordered two shots of Pogrebin-vodka.

It would be worth it in the long run, and Fudge wasn’t that unattractive, compared to Remus, at least.

Sirius downed his second drink of the night, deciding he might have to be drunker for this to work.

**********************

Two hours later, Sirius rushed out of Cornelius’ fireplace, onto his patterned rug, and then onto his bed.

“Sir, where’s your wife?” asked Sirius.

“She and I don’t share a room,” he replied.

Cornelius took off his clothes, revealing his fleshy body.

Sirius let his eyes rest on Cornelius’ naked form.

“Sirius, come here,” commanded Cornelius.

Sirius obeyed.

**********************

Whimpering, crying, and giggling filled the amorous congress of Cornelius’ bedroom that night.

Sirius awoke partially naked, his trousers were on the floor and covered in cum.

Cornelius was lying next to him starkers.

The sheets were made of linen, comfortable whilst not being too hot.

Cornelius snored loudly.

His forehead was pounding, but he had to think.

Now that’d grinded corn with the man, how would he make Cornelius help him in his mission of making sure the new regulations on the parents of underage werewolves didn’t get passed?

Sirius used a cleaning spell on his clothes, got dressed, then reapplied the raspberry chapstick he always kept in his pocket.

Remus' favourite flavour was raspberry, Sirius shook his head, he doesn’t deserve to still be in my thoughts.

**********************

It took an hour of waiting before Cornelius awoke from his deathlike slumber.

“Siri, you’re still here?” Asked Cornelius, getting up.

“Yes, I was waiting for you to give me the all clear,” replied Sirius.

“Before you go, can we make an arrangement… for you to come back next Saturday?” said Cornelius.

Sirius shook his head.

“Sorry, I have to babysit a friend’s offspring for the weekend, and the week after that. she’s gonna be in the Netherlands, looking for a house because of the new regulations on underage werewolves,” said Sirius.

“Well… technically the laws haven’t been passed yet,” said Cornelius slowly.

“She’s getting a head start, it’s only a matter of time, everyone knows it’s guaranteed a majority vote,” replied Sirius.

“I think I might be able to do something about that,” Cornelius had a guilty look on his face.

“Really, Niels,” Sirius kissed him on the lips.

Cornelius blushed.

“Now, Sirius, you better leave, I have to get to work,” said Cornelius.

Sirius checked his watch, it was 8:15.

“Oh..you sure we don’t have time for one more thing?” Asked Sirius innocently.

**********************

Several minutes later, Sirius and Cornelius were in a tight shower together.

Soap suds washed down Sirius’ legs as he was fucked.

Moaning, intermixed Sirius’ shrieks seemed to be the revealing atmosphere.

Eventually Niels decided that he really ought to be at work, and Sirius was getting dressed again.

When the flames in the fireplace turned back to red, Sirius opened the bedroom door, and sauntered out of it.

He walked down the stairs two at a time, in the sitting room a six year old girl was drawing a picture. A woman was sitting on one of the sofas, presumably her mother.

“Who are you?” She shrieked, grabbing for her wand.

Sirius didn’t blame her, he’d probably be alarmed too if a strange man entered his house without his knowledge.

“Mrs. Fudge, I work with your husband, I was sleeping in the guest room,” said Sirius.

She seemed to calm down at that.

“Oh, thank Morgana. He’s always having co-workers drop over for the night,” she said, more to herself than to Sirius.

“I’m Elaine,” she set her wand back down.

Sirius sat next to her on the couch, and attempted to make small talk.

A large ginger cat meandered into the sitting room, and sat down next to the little girl.

“Crookshanks, look! I made a drawing of you,” the girl presented the picture to the cat.

“Oh, Rosalie, let me see it,” said Elaine.

“Wow, even I couldn’t draw a cat better than that,” said Sirius, which was half true, as he was horrible at drawing.

“Thanks,” said Rosalie.

Crookshanks jumped into Sirius’ lap, and he almost screamed.

Sirius hesitantly pet the furry cat, letting it sniff his hand.

The cat moved to Elaine’s lap, and Sirius said his goodbye, holding back a snicker.

**********************

Later that evening, Sirius went to Godrics Hollow.

He had just gotten done explaining his affair with the Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic to James.

“…Sirius, I don’t really blame you, I mean if I wasn’t engaged to Lily, Amelia Bones would be on my bucket list,” said James.

Sirius laughed.

“Don’t let Edgar hear you say that,” Sirius replied.

“Or Lily, for that matter,” he added.

Sirius ran his hand through his hair, and sat down.

Just a normal, inconsequential day in the life of Sirius Black.

#Sirius black #marauders fanfiction #marauders #cornelius fudge #my fanfiction

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squibstress · 5 months

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HP Rec Fest - Day 24

Prompt: A holiday fic @hprecfest

A Christmas Fairytale with Sex and Goats

Pairing: Aberforth Dumbledore/Minerva McGonagall

Creator: dueltastic

Rating: M/R

Word Count: 13,500

Summary: In years to come, 1984 would be remembered as the Christmas with all that snow.

Why You Should Check It Out:

Dueltastic has both these prickly characters down to a T. This is a fabulous take on the "snowed-in" trope, which manages, somehow, to be completely in-character and sweetly romantic without being at all sappy. McGonagall is all practicality and no sentimentality, and Aberforth is amused and, despite his brusque demeanor, entirely enthralled.

Four Christmases Pomona Sprout Loved and One She Hated

Characters: Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Pomona Sprout

Pairing: Aberforth Dumbledore/Pomona Sprout

Creator: kellychambliss

Rating: K+/PG

Word Count: 6,800

Summary: For Pomona Sprout, Christmas is always a wonderful time. Well, almost always.

Why You Should Check It Out:

This story is just right for the holidays, with its warm coziness, spiced up by a a little tang in the form of gruff Aberforth and tart Minerva adding to its pleasures.

I have a soft spot for Pomona, and this fic is a perfect example of why. Smart, competent, and caring is such a winning combination, and the odd couple of Aberforth and Pomona is just so right in the author's hands.

Filus Flitwick's Christmas

Characters: Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore, Argus Filch, Cornelius Fudge, Filius Flitwick, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minerva McGonagall, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape

Creator: therealsnape

Rating: K+/PG

Word Count: 12,999

Summary: “Right,” said Kingsley Shacklebolt, as Minerva and he sat in her study, now fully cleared of the dinner things. “There’s the five of you, there’s the House Elves, there’s Argus Filch. And there’s one hell of a mess, with a spoiled painting. This wants clearing up."

Why You Should Check It Out:

A wonderful Hogwarts locked-room mystery with insightful characterizations and a bit of well-earned revenge. I especially love how the author has drawn a much-matured Ron, who is becoming quite a clever fellow!

The Rose That Lived

Characters: Aberforth Dumbledore, Augusta Longbottom, Filius Flitwick, Hannah Abbott, Irma Pince, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Luna Lovegood, Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Original Character, Pomona Sprout, Poppy Pomfrey, Severus Snape

Pairings: Aberforth/Kingsley, Filius/Pomona, Hannah/Neville, Minerva/Severus

Creator: Milotzi

Rating: K+/PG

Word Count: 5,055

Summary: Augusta Longbottom wants to see her grandson properly appreciated. All else follows.

Why You Should Check It Out:

Fic as song cycle. This set of vignettes combines humor and wonderful obeservations of some of my favorite characters.

#minerva mcgonagall #pomona sprout #aberforth dumbledore #filius flitwick #augusta longbottom #hp fic rec #hprecfest2023 #hprecfest

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braveclementine · 15 days

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Chapter 15

Warnings: None, Readers under 18 can read this book. It is solely fluff- nothing sexual

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

.💚💚.

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖉 different when I woke up and over the various weeks. There was no Hagrid on the grounds. Dumbledore was no longer sitting in the high seat. Even though McGonagall was supposed to have taken his place, his seat was left empty. Madam Pomfrey had stopped visitors from coming to the hospital wing. Fear was spreading through the castle like wildfire. I had stopped hanging with Harry and Ron and Ginny as much, isolating myself from people. There was no more Quidditch, private lessons, or clubs.

I had contented myself with being by myself unless in class. I spent my days studying in Hagrid's cabin. It was abandoned, Fang enjoyed the company, and I could be in peace here. There were some times I didn't even go back to the castle and just stayed in Hagrid's bed overnight.

On some days, I performed Hagrid's tasks that I'd been used to helping with. I tended to the hens- Hagrid hadn't had times to get new roosters- pulled the weeds in the garden, and other miscellaneous things.

My visions seemed to have been backed-up over the winter and were now reacting. I was getting visions every hour. Usually, it was stupid stuff like Draco in potions telling Snape to apply for the headmaster position. Or that we were still getting exams. Nothing extremely important.

The forest also became a sanctuary and I started spending a lot of time in there, exploring, taking notes, finding new places and discovering which trees held fairies and Bowtruckles and so many other things.

A letter from dad came. Sadie found me reading a book on the floor of Hagrid's cabin. It was a new book, one of the Muggle books that Trang had sent me for Christmas. I looked up and took the letter from her beak.

"You can stay in here for a little bit if you'd like." I offered. "It's nice and cozy, just stay high enough, I don't know how Fang will react to you."

She flew about the room and settled on the back of the chair while I opened and read dads' letter.

Dear Elizabeth, I'm getting worried. I haven't heard from you for a long time. I've heard rumours from the school. Is it true that Dumbledore was removed? What is going on, you haven't told me nearly anything since Christmas. If I don't hear from you soon, I will approach the Professors. I'm sure they'll tell me something. Love, Dad P.S. I'm worried, did I mention that?

I sighed, setting the letter aside. Pulling parchment out of my bag and I grabbed my Fwooper quills and started writing to dad.

Dear Dad, I haven't been well. I don't mean I've been sick, just a bit depressed. Cornelius Fudge took Hagrid away because he doesn't have any other suspects for the Chamber of Secrets being open again. Did I mention that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened? I don't know if any of that has made the news yet. It's horrid. Yes, Lucius Malfoy got the twelve Governors to sign a piece of paper saying Dumbledore was to be removed. McGonagall's headmistress right now. Hermione was one of the victims of the chamber. The mandrakes are almost ready though so they should be up in a month or so. I miss her. I suppose I haven't been my cheerful self as much. I got caught up with boys for a time period but I quickly shed that part of me so I could focus on schoolwork. Quidditch has been canceled which was horrid luck because we might've won the cup this year. I've been spending a lot of time in Hagrid's cabin. I haven't slept in my dorm in some time. I feel safer in Hagrid's cabin. Whatever the menace is, it's in the castle, not out of it. It kind've feels like I'm living on my own almost. I didn't realize how lonely it can be, living alone, and it makes me miss you all the more. I still have Harry and Ron but it's just not the same. But, I'm just trying to press on and only focus on grades. I know you've been asking for sketches so I included some. These I drew in the Forbidden Forest. I've met a nice centaur called Firenze. Sometimes I talk about philosophy and the stars with him. (I've known him since my first year actually). Stop being worried, I'll be quite alright. I just hope Dumbledore and Hagrid come back soon. Right, well, I'm off to go to the Forbidden Forest again. I found a nice patch of purple and pink flowers that I want to draw and color before the sun goes down. I miss you horribly too. Much love, Elizabeth

I quickly tore a couple of drawings out of my sketchbook and used a shrinking spell so that they would fit into the envelope. Then, I sealed it and poked a small hole through it. I found some nuts for Sadie to eat while I tied the envelope to her leg.

"Is that okay?" I asked softly as I tied it tightly to her leg. She hooted softly and bobbed her head up and down. I gave her a sad smile, and smoothed her head feathers. She ruffled her head and nibble my ear.

"Safe flight Sadie." I whispered, kissing her head. "I'll get you some treats when you come back, okay?"

She hooted again and flew out Hagrid's open window. I closed it after she left and grabbed my sketchbook and went out to where I wanted to go.

I got back at dusk and headed up to the castle to eat. I ate with the subdued Hufflepuffs (nobody talked to me). Then, I headed back out to Hagrid's cabin. I closed the door behind me, put food in Fang's bowl, turned off the lights, made sure the window was tightly closed, and laid down to fall asleep.

.💚💚.

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖊𝖝𝖙 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌, I got dressed and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast and then made my way to Transfiguration. I dully transformed my two rabbits into slippers and was reminded of Sushi who was at Trang's parents house right now. I wished that he was here with me. The wish made me transform my slippers back into rabbits so I could pet them. I felt some of the depression wash away as the rabbits licked my face and cleaned themselves.

Then, Professor McGonagall had to walk us to Herbology. I trailed behind, not watching where I was going. Professor Snape had led the Gryffindors there as well. I didn't even notice if he'd left or not as I filed into the Herbology greenhouse.

I absentmindedly went to a random station so that I could start working at pruning Abyssinian Shrivelfigs. I usually got a whole plot to myself because I did more than any of the other students working together.

I did notice through my stupor however, that Ernie and Hannah were talking to Harry. I supposed that Ernie had apologized. I finished pruning twenty Shrivelfigs before the class was over and Professor Sprout awarded me with 15 house points. I thought it was a bit generous but then again, without the Quidditch match, the houses had to make up for lost points.

I left the greenhouse and caught up with Harry and Ron since we were going to Defense Against the Dark Arts together.

"Hello Elizabeth." Harry said, somewhat cheerfully as I approached.

"Long time no see." Ron said, sounding a bit grudgeful.

"Sorry." I apologized, not feeling sorry at all and also sorry at the same time, "I realize I've been a bit distant. I haven't been a very good friend recently."

"It's alright." Harry said, sounding earnest. Perhaps he thought that if he said the wrong thing I'd stop hanging around again.

"It's not." I said, matching his friendly tone. "But thanks for saying so. I'll be much better after this is all over. To bad we can't pin it on Draco. . ."

We took our usual spots in the back of the classroom. Ron asked me what sorts of creatures were in the Forbidden Forest. I wasn't entirely sure why he was asking but I answered, "Well, there are centaurs, who are very distant creatures. Always treat them with the highest respect. There's also unicorns, though they're quite shy of humans. Bowtruckles, fairies, imps, all sorts of things."

"Any. . .bad things?" Ron asked nervously.

"Sure," I said, pulling my Muggle book out of my bag so that I could read it throughout class. I found that Gerald's Game certainly took my attention away from Lockhart's foolishness. "There's Gytrashes-"

"What are those?" Ron asked.

"They're a spirit like animal. Most like a dog or wolf." I answered, flipping the book open. "The only thing that drives them away is light. They'll hunt in packs and eat you."

Ron gulped nervously, "What about werewolves?"

"Only on a full moon." was my answer.

"Anything else?" Ron asked.

I sighed, looking up from the sentence I'd read about three times now, trying to find my reading groove. "Perhaps. It's a large forest and I haven't explored all of it."

Ron opened his mouth to answer when Lockhart bounced into the room, practically radiating with cheerfulness. We all gaped at him, even me, lowering my book to stare at him. (Though I must admit my expression was more in disgust than anything else).

"Come now. Why all these long faces?" Lockhart cried, beaming. "Don't you people realize? The danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away-"

"Says who?" Dean asked loudly.

"My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he hadn't been one hundred percent sure that he was guilty." Lockhart said in a tone as though talking to a young child who didn't know anything.

"Oh, yes he would." Ron and I said together, much louder than Dean.

Lockhart turned his attention to Ron. I was starting to feel my blood boil. This class was useless anyways, why had I come in the first place? "I flatter myself I know a touch more about Hagrid's arrest than you do, Mr. Weasley." Lockhart said, sounding satisfied.

I got up from my seat, my chair screeching. I ignored all the shocked looks, grabbed my bag, and strode out of the room. It was official, that was my last class for Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. I stopped by the Great Hall, filled my bag with food, and walked out of the castle.

There were other students out and about on the grounds today. The older students who had free periods. It was a nice day, warm, and also it seemed safer outdoors than in the castle. I strode close to the Forbidden Forest and then slipped inside the cabin that I was starting to call home.

Fang's barks were loud and I quickly filled his dog bowl with food. He ate away messily while I closed the curtains and ate at Hagrid's table myself. Then, I pulled out my Transfiguration homework and started on it.

I worked late into the night, ate some fruit for dinner, made sure Fang's bowls were full, made sure the windows were locked, the curtains were pulled, and then turned out the light, and climbed into bed.

.💚💚.

𝕬𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉 𝖒𝖎𝖉𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙, 𝖘𝖔𝖒𝖊𝖔𝖓𝖊 entered the cabin, which woke me up, and I rolled over quickly to grab my wand as the lights flashed on.

"Elizabeth?" came a shocked, but familiar voice.

"Harry?" I asked, shielding my eyes from the sudden light.

"What are you doing here?" We all asked at the same time.

"I've sort've lived here since Hagrid left." I said, sitting up, feeling all embarrassed. "I feed Fang and do some of what Hagrid would've done if he'd still been here. Now, what are you doing here?"

"Ron and I are going into the Forbbiden Forest." Harry said, laying his invisibility cloak on the wooden table. "We're going to follow the spiders."

I nodded, pushing my hair back and tied it into a ponytail. "Good lead."

Fang bounded up to Harry. "C'mon Fang, we're going for a walk." Harry said, patting Fang's leg. "D'you want to come? You'd be a good guide."

I shrugged. "Sure, I've got nothing better to do." I grabbed my wand off the table. I had a onslaught of visions as I grabbed my journal and then left it on the table. Alright, we were going to be running for our lives tonight.

I turned the lights out in the cabin and followed Ron and Harry out of the forest.

"Lumos." Harry said. His wand light up like a Muggle torch.

I did the same.

"Good thinking." Ron said. "I'd do the same but it'd probably blow up or something."

I giggled and felt my heart lighten. I'd forgotten how much I loved Ron's stupid jokes and comments.

"So, Elizabeth." Harry said as we searched the grass for spiders. "Is this why you've been so distant?"

I nodded and then remembered that it was dark and we were looking down at the grass. "A bit. I've been really upset about Hagrid and Dumbledore of course. Lockhart's getting on my nerves. I have no Quidditch or private tutoring sessions. My only sanctuary now is Hagrid's house. Plus, since all the attacks happen in the same place, I've assumed I'm actually safer in Hagrid's tiny little cabin."

"Wow." Harry said.

"I know it's not fair and it's extremely selfish." I continued, feeling guilty. "After all, everyone's going through the same thing as me so I shouldn't be reacting so badly."

"No." Harry said, sounding just a little awed. "I've felt real horrible about the whole ordeal. I just never thought about leaving the castle and staying anywhere else. Quite frankly, I don't think I'd have the guts."

I blushed with a bit of pride. Harry thought I was brave!

I scoffed, "You're extremely brave Harry. Think about last year."

Harry said nothing as he found the spiders and we started following them. Fang scampered around the three of us, sniffing tree roots and leaves.

"You've been in here a lot, right Elizabeth?" Ron asked hesitantly. I knew he was frightened of the forest.

"A bit." I lied. "Okay, a lot. Though I've never gone far in this general direction. I prefer the lighter part of the forest near the Centaur camp."

"Perhaps you should lead then." Ron said. "Plus, you know the most spells."

I shrugged, not scared at all. Though I would've liked Firenze to accompany us. "Sure."

I led the way, keeping my wand low to the ground so that I could keep track of the spiders. We were getting into the parts of the forest that were unsafe, I could feel it. It was extremely dark- much darker than I 'd ever been in. The centaurs lived deep in the forest too, but the trees were never this close. At least we were still on the path. . . until the spiders left the path.

I hesitated.

"What d'you reckon?" Harry asked breathlessly. He'd just jumped back onto Ron's foot because Fang's nose had touched his hand.

"We'll be fine." I said, keeping my voice cool and collected. I left the path all the time and technically, the spiders were a type of path. "C'mon."

We moved much slower now. We had to move through the thick trees and hop over tree stumps. I also had to crouch more often to find the trail of spiders and then lead in the general direction. After some moments, we started to travel at a downward slope and I was starting to regret coming.

I could be sleeping. I complained in my head. For some reason, sleeping made me think of Professor Snape, and I quickly returned my thoughts to the mission.

Then, Fang let out a great booming bark. All three of us jumped.

"What?" Ron nearly shouted out. I noticed he was gripping Harry's elbow very hard.

"There's something coming." I whispered, holding my wand a little higher.

"Sounds like something big." Harry said nervously.

We listened very carefully and I lifted my wand higher. The sound was coming towards our right and I turned slightly to that direction. Was it a pack of Gytrashes? The wand light should've scared them off though. . . No, it couldn't be Gytrashes because there was the sound of snapping branches. Gytrashes were spirits, they didn't make such noises.

So what was it?

"Oh, no. Oh, no, oh, no, oh-" Ron was whispering frantically under his breath.

"Shut up." Harry said frantically, starting to panic a little. "It'll hear you." Well, at least he still had some common sense.

"Hear me?" Ron asked, his voice extremely high. "It's already heard Fang!"

"I don't think it's dangerous. . ." I said slowly, starting to walk towards the sound. I had a good feeling about this.

"Are you crazy?" Harry hissed.

I reached the top of the hill and quickly ran back down again, making Harry and Ron panic, and start to run in to the opposite direction "Wait!" I shouted, "Come back."

I stopped and turned back around as the car flew up the hill and stopped up there. It's head lights glowed brightly, showing up the entire area.

"It's our car!" Ron cried in relief.

Ron and Harry came back, nearly running up to the car. Fang however, had run into a thorn bush so I went over and helped him out. Then, I joined Ron and Harry by the car.

The car was completely empty on the inside. The sides of the car were scratched, dented, and smeared with mud. I supposed that it had been exploring the forest on it's own. To bad it hadn't flown back to Mr. Weasley although I supposed it may be a good thing for us.

"And we thought it was going to attack us!" Ron said. He seemed much happier than he had only moments earlier. "I wondered where it had gone!"

I hadn't. I tried thinking about it as little as possible. Perhaps after the end of the year I would go and deposit about 300 Galleons in their vault as repayment. I wondered how much Mr. Weasley had been fined. . . had the newspaper mentioned it? I'm sure I could find a copy of the article somewhere.

"We've lost the trail." I heard Harry say from behind me. "C'mon, let's go and find them."

Ron didn't answer and I looked up from studying the car. His eyes were fixed on whatever was behind me and his face was full of terror. My heart stopped, and then sped up, and I went to turn around to see what it was.

I was suddenly picked up and I shrieked out in terror. I didn't struggle (because the drop would've done some serious damage to my body), but moved my head around to see what had grabbed hold of me. Large. Spiders.

I whimpered softly, terrified. I had forgotten how much I hated spiders. I closed my eyes, feeling the swaying motion as the spiders carried me. I would've scrunched my body up in a ball to protect myself if I thought it would've helped. Instead, I shivered with nerves and fright, my eyes squeezed tight and feeling like I might be seasick. I'd never been a boat before, I'd never seen the ocean before but I was fairly certain that this was the sensation that sailors called seasickness. I could hear Fang squealing and barking and fighting to free himself.

We were in the spider's clutches for about twenty-seven minutes before we reached a place where the darkness was lifted. I peeked one eye open, noticing the shift in light behind my eyelids. I looked upwards in shock. There were no more trees and the stars shone through, bright and fierce. I looked down at the ground, both eyes open now.

There was a hollow, the kind that would've been in a story book. The kind of hollow where you would set up a cottage and a little garden and never be bothered for years. But no one in their right mind would set up a little cottage here. There were hundreds of spiders as large as horses, waiting. There were many spider webs too and I shivered. Imagine getting that in your hair!

But this would've been a nice place to draw. I looked around, hoping to soak in details to draw when I got back to the cabin.

The spiders closed around as the three spiders (one was carrying Harry and me) slowly made their way down into the valley. The one carrying Harry and I dropped us onto our knees.

I heard the spider say, "Aragog! Aragog!" It was hard to understand the spider because it had to click its pincers to speak.

From the domed web, a spider came up out of the gigantic hole. I stared in shock and horror. The spider was nearly the size of a small elephant. He was obviously very old. His eyes were milky white, a sign that he was blind. He also had gray fur mixed in with his black hair.

"What is it?" He asked, his pincers clicking as he spoke.

"Men." the spider said simply.

"Is it Hagrid?" Aragog asked, moving closer. His eyes wandered randomly.

"Strangers." A different spider said, dropping Ron onto the floor. The third spider followed suit, dropping Fang- almost delighted to drop his squirming package. Fang ran and cowered between Harry and I. I put a hand out on his head to comfort him.

"Kill them." Aragog said, sounding a bit fretful. Perhaps he was worried why Hagrid had not come and visited in a while. "I was sleeping. . ."

Understandable. I would want to kill anyone who woke me while I was sleeping too. Yes, yes totally understandable. . .

"We're friends of Hagrid's." Harry said suddenly.

The pincers in the hollow went wild and then quieted down.

Aragog paused. "Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before." he said slowly.

"Hagrid's in trouble." Harry said, his breathing seemed very shallow. "That's why we've come."

"In trouble?" It sounded as though the aged spider actually cared about Hagrid. Maybe. "But why has he sent you?"

Right! Why the hell had Hagrid sent us?

Harry, I realized, was still sitting where the spider had dropped him. So was Ron. I was standing. I wondered if I should be sitting. I decided not to move.

"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting a- a- something on students. They've taken him to Azkaban."

Aragog clicked his pincers madly. I wondered if he knew what Azkaban was. It was like applause, I realized. That's what the sound reminded me of. "But that was years ago." Aragog said fretfully. He really was worried. That was sweet. "Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."

"And you. . . you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked, sounding a bit confused.

"I!" Aragog cried indignantly. Yep, we were going to die. "I was not born in the castle. I came from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, and a good man. When I was discovered and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness. . ."

Awww! So maybe we weren't going to die!

"So you never- never attacked anyone?" Harry asked, his breathing a bit deeper.

"Never." The old spider croaked more calmly. "It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet. . ."

I gave a start and looked at Ron. The girl had been killed in a bathroom?

"But then. . ." I turned my attention back to Harry. "Do you know what did kill the girl? Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again-"

The spiders interrupted, clicking their mandibles angrily and shifting their many legs. I shivered and looked about me nervously. My hand immediately went into my pocket where my wand was at the moment. We were totally dead.

"The thing that lives in the castle, is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school."

"What is it?" Hagrid asked, a bit urgent and yet, a bit excited.

The spiders hissed. "We do not speak of it." Aragog said angrily. "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of the dread creatures, though he asked me, many times."

Harry got to his feet, helping Ron up. The other spiders were closing in and I drew my wand, keeping it pressed closely to my body. Aragog was back away into the domed web.

"We'll just go, then." Harry called desperately to Aragog.

Aragog answered slowly, "Go? I think not. . ."

"But- but-" Harry seemed to be racking his brain for an excuse to not die.

"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid."

Harry and I spun around. The spiders were closing in. I reacted quickly, shooting spells as the spiders all around us. They backed up a little but I knew it was hopeless. There were too many of them, Ron's wand was broken, and Harry was drawing his much to slowly.

I shot spell after spell at the spiders. If I could keep us alive long enough. . .there! There was the loud noise. I turned, expectantly as Mr. Weasley's car came down the hill, headlights glaring, horn hoking, knocking spiders aside. It screeched to a halt in front of us and its doors opened.

I kept shooting spells while Harry dived into the front seat, yelling at Ron to grab Fang and for me to get into the car. Like I didn't know that the car was the safe place! I made it into the passenger seat, slamming the door behind me. Ron tossed Fang into the car and before the doors were even shut the car was driving away. I clutched the arm seats and closed my eyes, my heart pounding.

"Are you okay?" I heard Harry's voice asking.

I nodded, feeling that if I answered, I may throw up, and I didn't think the car would react kindly to that.

"That was quick spell work Liz." Harry said again.

"Thanks." I murmured.

The car stopped at the edge of the forest and we all climbed out. Fang shot off back towards Hagrid's cabin. I made sure my legs wouldn't collapse underneath me and I made my way back to the cabin as well. I certainly wasn't going to be staying here tonight. I gathered up my things while Harry came in and grabbed the invisibility cloak.

"Going back up to the castle?" He asked.

I nodded, "I can't stand the idea of staying out here alone. I retract my earlier statement. It might not be safer out here than in the castle."

Harry laughed but it sounded strained. He went out to check on Ron and I checked on Fang. He was alright and I covered him with his blanket. I double checked the food bowls and then turned the lights off and headed outside.

Ron was violently sick in the pumpkin patch and I cleaned up his mess with my wand. I certainly wasn't going to work on the garden with vomit in there.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" Ron said, continuing a conversation that they'd been having. He thumped his fist against the wall of his cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where its' got him! A cell in Azkaban! What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?"

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets." Harry said, clutching the invisibility cloak in his arms and motioned me over so that we could start walking under it. "He was innocent."

Ron snorted. I supposed that he didn't find Aragog as an innocent case.

"Riddle got the wrong person." I whispered out loud. We reached the castle and stopped talking. Harry pushed open the large front doors and we slipped inside. There were many sentries walking about and we had to take it slowly. I slipped out from under the cloak as we approached one of the corridors near Hufflepuff common room.

I made my way carefully through the hallways, turned the last corner before the common room, and bumped into Professor Snape of all people. I fell backwards and would've fallen to the ground if he hadn't caught my arm and pulled me back up again. The pull was so violent our noses touched.

"What are you doing out of your dorm!" He hissed angrily.

My tongue twisted. He was still touching my arm. He quickly let go. "Are you mad?" He asked, still extremely angry.

"I- um-. . ."

"What!" he glared at me.

I took a deep breath, feeling strangely defensive. "I've er- been sleeping in Hagrid's cabin." My cheeks turned red.

Professor Snape stopped being angry for two seconds and asked in surprise, "Why?"

On the defensive I said, "I think better there. I don't know, it's peaceful there. I feel less lonely when I'm there. Safer."

"You're lonely?" He repeated, sounding a bit confused. My cheeks flushed red again.

"It's not so bad." I muttered.

We stared at each other for a moment. Then he said, "Go to bed Elizabeth."

"Aren't you going to take house points from me?" I asked curiously, as he walked past me.

"No. Go to bed- Now."

Confused, I slipped inside the Hufflepuff Common room and headed up to my dorm. I set my bag down by the bed and collapsed on it, fully dressed, kicking off my muddy shoes. I fell asleep quickly, feeling that something horrible was going to happen. . . and soon.

⬅️➡️

#Braveclementineworks #BraveclementineNovels #Novel #ElizabethKane #ElizabethKaneseries #ElizabethKaneandtheChamberofSecrets #Chamber of Secrets #Hufflepuff #Hogwarts #Harry Potter sister #HermioneGranger #Harry Potter #Ron Weasley #Aragog #Hagrid #acromantula #Forbidden Forest #Protective!SeverusSnape #Gilderoy Lockhart

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prettyvampiress96 · 3 years

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The Malfoy Secret - Chapter 4

Excitement buzzed through the halls of Malfoy manor, with Draco home on break, Lucius and Anastasia had been invited by Cornelius Fudge himself to the Quidditch World Cup . Bulgaria VS Ireland. Of course once Draco had heard the news it became a family outing. Draco was thrilled Anna was tagging along. "Draco darling just because your home from school , does not mean anna can shy away from her work. Your father and Anna will have reputation's to uphold as do we?" Narcissa warned him yet again. " But mother that's barbaric, Anna is my friend . Mine and I want her to watch the match with me" Draco whined turning on his heels to pout up at Anna. Lucius , Narcissa and Anastasia all shared a look to each other which Draco completely missed. Keeping this a secret would be that much more difficult yet all the more so exciting.

The Malfoy's and Anastasia apparated to the match and they proceeded to walk through the crowds in order to reach their private box , stopping to greet others along the way. Lucius and Narcissa began walking up the flight of stairs first followed closely behind were Anna and Draco. "Ah here's Lucius now. I'm positive most of you know each other " came the voice of Cornelius Fudge. Anastasia tensed when she laid her eyes on who Cornelius was conversing with. The Weasley's. Anna tensed and her jaw locked into place, her hand reaching towards her wand. After her last run in with Percy, Anna was certainly taking no chances. Draco noticed the change in Anna and turned looking confused at the situation. Anastasia narrowed her eyes completely having zoned out of the conversation , until Arthur Weasley held his hand out towards her . Instead of shaking his hand Anna chose to not take notice. "Anna" Narcissa scolded as if Anna was one of her own. "Oh that's quite alright Narcissa truly, Percy did say some rather unforgiveable things, it's bound to be hard for her to forgive. No hard feelings. Right lets get to our seats shall we?" Arthur said clapping his hands , he began rushing the children up the stairs. Draco took Anna by the hand and proceeded to drag her to their box, very nearly pulling her over . The private box even had a adjoined balcony with slightly more spacious seats than the original. " Look Dray, As spectacular as this view is these shoes are not made for me to be on my feet leaning over a railing for the whole match , so I'm going to fetch a seat by your parents" Anna said her cloak swishing behind her. Spying the two elder Malfoy's seated alone in the back row with a seat saved between them.

Anastasia sidled her way to the spare seat squeezing herself past Narcissa , whose fingers trailed up the smooth skin of Anna's bare leg. The entire arena suddenly erupted into applause and cheers. The Bulgarian team came flying out along with their mascots. Veela's. Veela's were stunningly beautiful creatures capable of entrancing any male in their presence. At the sight of the many Veela's Anastasia eyes Lucius watching his reaction, her hand grasps the top of his thigh squeezing hard. Lucius jumped at the unsuspected contact, his actions gaining the attention of Narcissa. " Oh Darling I do believe our princess wants to play" Narcissa cooed. " Yes it would certainly seem that way. It is rather brave of our babygirl if you ask me. Tell us babygirl is that what you want ? You want us to make you scream our names for everyone to hear ? Does our dirty little princess want an audience to watch her beg ?" Lucius teased , his voice low enough for both women to hear. The effect of his words had Anna squirming in her seat. With her hand still on Lucius's thigh Anna could feel his length hardening beneath her touch, deciding to test the waters ,Anna began slowly undoing the zip . " Don't start something you can't finish baby " Cissa whispered into Anastasia's ear while sliding her hand to cup Annas throbbing heated , panty-less sex . At the discovery of no panties, Cissa was in two minds to whether to take Anna over her knee right there and then or completely fuck her senseless later. Deciding on the latter Narcissa began dragging her index finger through the slick folds of Anastasia's wet folds, reaching the bud of nerves she began rubbing slow circles. Anastasia bit down on her lip in an attempt to keep their cover being blown. With Lucius's erect shaft free from its clothed prison, Anna wrapped her hand around the base. Anastasia moved her hand up to the red swollen tip swiping her thumb across the tip spreading the glistening pre-cum over her thumb. Anna made eye contact with Lucius as she popped the cum covered thumb into her mouth humming in approval at the salty taste it provided. Lucius stared in disbelief at his little princess's bold action. Leaning to her slightly Lucius whispered.

" You do that again princess and I'll take it upon myself to personally destroy the beautifully tight cunt of yours and mummy wont be able to save you" Lucius smirked with a glint in his eye. " You promise daddy" Anna whispered back.

Anastasia felt a rush of adrenaline surge through her , whether that was due to him or to the fact Cissa was still launching her attack on anna's clit she didnt know neither did she care. Anna's hand picked up the pace around Lucius whilst she ground down against Cissa's fingers . Narcissa's fingers curling inside of anna hitting the spot each and every time she thrust , her thumb hitting the bud of nerves driving Anna so close to the edge. The closer she got to her big finish the harder and faster she gripped Lucius. Narcissa felt Anna's walls constrict around her fingers. Cissa removed her fingers from Anna lifting them up for both Anna and Lucius to see Anna's juices dripping from her fingers. "I'd offer you a taste my love but I really dont want to " Cissa smiled warmly at the pair as she cleaned each finger with her tongue one by one making a rather erotic show for the pair. " Fuck Cissa ! I'm so close babygirl I highly suggest taking your hand away before we make a mess " he warned , Anna chose to disregard his warning and continued her ascent, hell bent even to make her daddy feel as good as he makes her. Anna felt Lucius's cock twitch in her hand signalling he was about to cum and boy was she ready for it. Lucius with his eyes momentarily clenched shut, he missed as Anastasia bent her head down, with one last pump on his twitching penis Lucius rode his orgasm out shooting white shots of cum. Surprisingly Anna caught the majority of it in her mouth leaving little to no mess. Anastasia rose back into her seat laughing lightly. Narcissa placed her hand on Anna's thigh. " You did such a splendid job darling and you taste so sweet . Our sweet babygirl " Cissa commented softly. Lucius hummed in agreement. " Indeed she did my love , I must admit it does make me wonder how her lips would feel wrapped around it, perhaps her lips on you too my dear . The possibilities are endless wouldn't you say?" Lucius replied quietly. Anna blushed furiously. In the background the arena erupted in to applause. Draco and his friends turned from the railings and ran approaching Anna and his parents. "They lost , the Bulgarians lost by 10 points 10 freaking points. What a match though Anna? " Draco asked. "Oh yes It was definitely quite the match. Had me on the edge of my seat the entire game" Anastasia enthused back. Draco looked pleased at her response. " Oh father , mother Blaise invited me and the others to go back to his tent for a while , Would that be alright with you" Draco asked them politely his hands clasped in front of him. "Yes Draco that's fine by us , you know where our tent is should you need something. Be safe" Lucius allowed , secretly happy that Draco would be elsewhere giving him and Cissa time with their babygirl. Draco fist pumped the air in pure excitement. "Anna you want to come I'm sure everyone would love to see you again you are everyone's favourite head girl after all " Draco asked his eyes wide and hopeful. Anna shuffled her weight from foot to foot . " Oh um Draco that's rather kind of you but in fact I'm rather tired . I figured I might just go and get some sleep" she replied scratching her neck at the awkwardness silently praying Draco wouldn't see through her lie. Draco nodded at her response waving and leaving with his friends in tow. With Draco gone , Anastasia, Narcissa and Lucius walked side by side back to the tent . " Are you actually tired little princess or can mummy and I convince you to join us in what I do believe you started earlier this evening?" Lucius asked with every intention of keeping the promise he made her earlier. " Well I suppose theres a chance I could be persuaded" Anna shrugged lightly, spotting their tent she turned to them with a small giggle and took off running . Leaving Lucius and Narcissa to watch in complete awe. Narcissa curled into her husband's side. " My god I love her " Cissa whispered softly . Lucius planted a soft kiss to the temple of Cissa's head smiling at her comment after all he too felt the same way. " Me too my darling me too , let us hurry I do

believe our precious girl would not fare well being kept waiting." Lucius said taking Cissa by the hand and into the tent. As they entered their room of the tent , they both froze in complete and utter shock , the sight of their princess already on their bed completely naked . Her long hair pulled back into the high ponytail that Lucius seemed to adore . Her hands on her knees patiently waiting . " You and mummy kept me waiting daddy, that's not very nice of either of you. I thought I'd have to try and start things all on my own . It wouldn't have been as good as mummy's but you were taking too long" Anna pouted . Narcissa felt instantly guilty , Lucius however was plagued with the image of his babygirl on the bed pleasuring herself without them. That thought being more than he could take , he strode over to a pouting Anna turning her by the cheekbones to look at him. " Oh Is that so little one ? You would start without us ?Really, is that so?" he taunted her. Anastasia looked from him to Narcissa who watched on with an arched brow, embracing in the confidence their princess had today. Lucius didnt like the attention shifted from him and pulled her back to look at him by her ponytail. " Touch yourself princess I dare you and I'll take you over my knee and give you the spanking of my dreams. Only mummy and daddy get to fuck you with our fingers. Wouldn't you agree darling?" Lucius asked pulling Anna to stand in his arms turning them to look at Cissa who had also now gotten rid of her clothes. " Oh I absolutely agree my dear of course unless we tell her otherwise" she caressed Lucius's cheek placing a kiss to the corner of his lips , leaning over Anna's head in the process. Narcissa then stood looking Anna dead in the eyes. " Although I might add that I will spank you myself should you ever leave the house without panties on again my baby" Cissa warned , Anna silently cursed in her head. Lucius's arms tightened around her bare waist placing her down on the bed with Narcissa close behind , their hands roaming over Anna . Lucius let his left hand cup her cheek while his right hand gently held her throat. " No panties ? Really ? In that case perhaps a punishment is needed hmmm?" Lucius thought out loud to Narcissa. Anastasia gasped at the sudden surge of pleasure rushing through her just from his hand on her throat . Before he could apply pressure , loud noises of explosions and screaming interrupted. Leaping up Anna and Narcissa quickly dressed using magic while Lucius went to see exactly what the commotion is. When he returned , he had a panic stricken look on his face. "Death eaters we need to leave" Lucius said sternly. He knew all too well the damage they were capable of. Narcissa's hands flew to her mouth. " DRACO" Anastasia and Narcissa shouted together. Anna wasted no time hurrying out of the tent with her wand drawn ignoring the shouts and cries of Lucius and Narcissa behind her. Curses were being thrown from every direction. Anastasia spots Blaise and his friends leaving but no Draco. " BLAISE , where is Draco ? He was with you" Anna asked frantically .Blaise nodded. "He was until they started attacking , we got split the last I saw he was by my tent" Anna didnt wait to listen the rest. Running as best she could in a dress and heels, Anna began calling Draco over and over until she saw him . Draco was doing his utmost best to defend himself against three Death Eaters. He was doing so well until he tripped over an abandoned backpack. "Stupefy" Anna cast knocking the death eaters back, Anna helped Draco to his feet keeping him tucked behind her back. She now stood facing the Death Eaters. " Protego" Anna shouted blocking their attacks. "SECTUMSEMPRA" Anastasia cast leaving two of the three Death Eaters bleeding to death on the floor. A flash of green hit the third . The Killing Curse. It was an unforgiveable spell. Lucius and Narcissa appeared from behind Anna and Draco , grabbing onto them , they apparated back to Malfoy Manor. Draco broke into sobs at how close he came to death. Narcissa rushed to him

cradling him like the child he was. Narcissa took Draco upstairs and let him talk his way through what happened before they found him. Upon hearing Draco's side of things, Narcissa would be forever in debt to Anna for saving him the way she did. Meanwhile in the master bedroom Lucius pulled Anastasia into him , needing to hold her in his embrace. Never had he felt the amount of fear and panic that he had when he saw her trying to defend herself and Draco against three ruthless Death Eaters. Tomorrow he would absolutely scold her so bad but for tonight both her and his son remained in one piece . No physical damage. " Princess you have no idea how relieved I am that your not harmed . Myself and Cissa can never lose you babygirl. We need you" Lucius almost cried into her hair. A single tear rolling down his face. Narcissa entered the room. " He's okay he's sleeping poor boy is shaken though, We owe you a thousand thank yous darling , without you I fear our Draco may not be here tonight so thank you our beautiful Anna . Now we've had enough for one night wouldn't you say ? How about a bath and some much needed cuddles in bed hmm?" Cissa suggested. Anastasia and Lucius nodded in agreement. All three of them now submerged in a bubble bath both Narcissa and Lucius refused to let go of Anna's hand . The events of tonight really shook everyone to their core. Narcissa offered to wash Anna's hair while Lucius just wanted to hold her a little longer. After they were all bathed and ready for bed Anna had yet to climb in with them instead hesitating by the door. " Darling girl are you not coming in with us? Is something wrong?" Narcissa asks panicked at the possibility Anna could have seriously hurt herself. " No nothing is wrong it's just with Draco home shouldn't I be in my guest room?" Anna asked looking to the floor. When Draco was usually home Anna usually stayed in a guest room down the hall to keep their secret. " Darling come and cuddle with us for a while, we all need it , I can carry you to bed later princess" Lucius persuaded. Anna didn't need to be asked twice . She jumped straight up onto the bed crawling into Lucius's open arms, Anna settled down and held hers open for Cissa to crawl into. Lucius began playing with Anna's hair twirling it around his fingers. Kissing the crown of his head as he twirled each piece. Anna wrapped her arms around Narcissa holding her against her chest. Something about being stuck between the two made Anna feel safe, the safest she had ever felt. " I love you Lucius and I love you Narcissa "Anastasia said sleepily, her eyes fighting to stay open. Lucius and Narcissa both tensed at those words. The first time their Anastasia had said that she loved them and with their names well it just melted them both. " We love you too darling so much " Narcissa whispered gently moving to kiss her forehead , catching the smile on her face from her words brought tears to Cissa's eyes again. Anna drifted peacefully to sleep surrounded in a loving embrace .

#lucius malfoy smut #narcissa malfoy smut #draco malfoy #harry potter smut #narcissa malfoy #lucius malfoy #narcissa x lucius x oc

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heavenwontbethe-same · 3 years

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Clandestine Meetings

Pairing: surprise harry potter cursed pairing

Wordcount: 632

Warnings: some smutty themes so please be careful, really really cursed ship

A/N: this is written as a joke y'all. don't come for my neck

A/N 2: this pairing does not deserve a good fic title, dude, but whatever. initially planned to write this over a course of a few weeks but a little bit of inspo struck and this was born in 20 minutes! enjoy the (slightly) cursed shit ahead

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she clung desperately to his back as he finished up inside her. she never would've thought he'd look at her, that she'd get to call him hers. she didn't mind the secret meetings; in fact, he said it was to protect her and she took strange pride in that. so what if it was almost always in a broom cupboard, her hands tied behind her back, with a wig over her hair and him sometimes moaning something that sounded disturbingly like "filch"? she... liked him, as much as someone like her could like someone. they believed in the same things and the knowledge of these clandestine meetings only made their romps more passionate.

as passionate as it was, she knew it would crash and burn sooner rather than later. still, she held some hope inside her heart. maybe they could make it still.

he had different plans, however. that night, he finished inside her again, before going to...

going to...

kill harry potter

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

umbridge had risen quickly through the ranks in the past few years. the secret? learning the secret kinks of the high ranking officials in the ministry and then offering it up on a platter. cornelius fudge had been a nervous, difficult-to-crack mess. she'd managed it, however, by buying long wizard robes, a silver wig, a silver beard, cat ears, all neon colours of lingerie (worn over the robes), and the shiniest pair of stilettos galleons could buy. she was, dare she say, happy. after all, who doesn't like torturing little kids at hogwarts?

that happiness was ruined the moment a pale figure flew through the open window in her office. she'd heard that he had returned, but hadn't wanted to believe it to save her broken heart. no. it was not broken. she wouldn't give him that power. he smiled that snake-like smile, hands undoing the robe to reveal the hot pink custom ordered snake head nipple clamps he'd preferred back in the day. she tried to remain stoic and contain her body's natural reaction to him as the light glinted off of his bald head.

"dolly, dear. won't you greet me after so many years?"

"why do you think i'd do that, tommy? why, when i have a much better life right now sucking cornelius' tiny lollipop? why, when the first thing after you came back was see him, that disgusting potter boy? why, when you encouraged that abomination lestrange's advances when we were together? why, when you've now gone and got her pregnant?" she screamed.

his pale face twisted in anger. just like she didn't understand then, she didn't understand now. she didn't understand that he adored the very pink ground she walked on. he worshipped no one but himself. if she didn't believe it, fine. but he was horny and since he was already here...

"i know you never really wanted me, i was just easy. it was easy to figure out when you moaned filch's name."

"come on, dolores. i can sense how much you want me. i may not have a nose, but i can still smell. and i can smell you. let me prove you, just for tonight, how much i need you just for this moment."

her will to stand up against him was crumbling. truth be told, she was tired of cornelius and all the things she had to do for him, including imitating that ghastly dumbledore's voice in bed. if she could have him, her former lover, just for tonight, then she would.

and it went just as it went all those times before, but it lasted much shorter. it felt like he came in under a minute, her pleasure be damned.

and he left just as fast as he had come, leaving her thighs covered in his green spend...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A/N: i'm sorry y'all, don't kill me

this taglist is from a post very long ago, and you're here if you said you wanted to be tagged whenever i wrote this cursed thing :)

@for-verisimilitude @queenies-randomness @shays-shenanigans

#sunny writes #harry potter #harry potter fandom

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yletylyf · 2 years

Text

Holiday fluff day 9!

Ok, so the drabbles are no longer “vaguely” chronological. Actual story/plot wormed its way in here somehow! It’ll make the most sense to read the posts tagged with HP De-stress December starting from Day 1 at the bottom of the page.

December 9: Christmas Tree

Roger telephoned Severus the next morning to talk about Ginny Weasley.

"I brought up the idea of meeting my family," Roger explained, "and she loved it. She's very excited. She doesn't even care about the possibility that the Malfoys might be rude to her. She has a thick skin from being the only Weasley in Slytherin and everything her family's said to her about that. In fact, she's possibly a little too excited at the idea of being a guest at the Malfoys' Christmas dinner and all that entails."

Severus absorbed all of this for a few seconds.

"Well," Severus said. "She won't be rude to the Malfoys if they are polite to her, will she? That doesn't sound like her."

"No, she wouldn't. And I keep forgetting you know her pretty well as her Head of House," Roger said, sounding embarrassed. "You won't make this awkward, will you?"

"I will do my best," Severus promised.

"And what about Tom?"

Severus paused again, staring out the window into the back garden. "What about Tom?" he asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I don't know," Roger said, sounding a bit aggressive. "Why should I worry about bringing her to Christmas dinner with Tom? He only killed her uncles and sabotaged her House Sorting and terrorized the wizarding world for ten years."

Severus rubbed his forehead. He had no idea that Roger had known about the Sorting sabotage. Tom had indeed fixed Ginny's Sorting to be in Slytherin, as a strange favor for Lucius: misplaced revenge against Arthur Weasley for his laws that targeted old families like the Malfoys. Severus hadn't liked the notion at all, but that was back when Severus was too scared of Voldemort to express any such sentiments to his face.

"Does Ginny know about that?" Severus finally asked.

"No," Roger answered curtly. "But I do, and Tom does, and—is he going to be nice to her?"

"Yes," Severus answered carefully. "He doesn't have any problems with Ginny Weasley."

"All right," Roger said, but he still sounded upset about it all. "All right, well, talk to the Malfoys and let me know what they say."

"I will," Severus promised. "We're going over this afternoon to find a Christmas tree." The Malfoys, of course, had their own grove of fir trees on their land so they did not have to stoop to buying commercial trees. "Would you like to come?"

"Not at all," Roger said. "Draco is doing our duty on that front to appease his mother. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Oh, you're going to the party?" Severus asked, very pleased to hear it.

The Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had never quite decided whether Tom was Lord Voldemort or not. He had utterly refused to accept that Lord Voldemort could be alive, but ever since Dumbledore had accused Tom of being Lord Voldemort, Fudge had become extraordinarily sycophantic around Tom. Like Tom was a bomb waiting to go off if Fudge did not handle him just right. So Severus and Tom had been invited to the Minister's 'exclusive' holiday parties for a few years now. Roger had declined to go, in previous years.

"I'm a Quidditch star," Roger said, boasting, but in a naïve sort of way that made Severus feel inordinately fond of him. "Of course I'm going to the Minister's holiday party."

"I'm glad," Severus said, the fondness coming through in his voice. "I'll see you there."

"See you there, Dad," Roger said, and hung up.

Severus was still smiling about the conversation when he and Tom were getting ready to head to the Malfoys'. "Hey," Severus said as he exchanged his shirt and pants for wizarding robes. "Did I tell you that Roger is dating Ginny Weasley?"

"No," Tom said, running a comb through his hair. It was really such nice hair, thick and wavy. Severus loved it. "How nice for them," Tom said, in the tone of someone who didn't care, but was willing to indulge his partner on the subject anyway.

"Will you be all right with it, if he invites her to Christmas at the Malfoys'?" Severus asked.

"Of course," Tom said easily, no hint of discomfort on his face or in his tone. "They're that serious already, huh? When did they start dating?"

Severus shrugged. "This summer, maybe? Roger didn't say exactly."

Tom gave a noncommittal hum, and turned to get his sweater out of the cupboard.

"You don't have a problem with the Weasleys, do you?" Severus asked tentatively.

"I don't have a problem with anyone," Tom said, a faint, ironic smile on his face. "Don't worry, love. 'Blood traitor' is not in my vocabulary anymore."

"I know that," Severus said, stepping over to give Tom a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks."

Severus and Tom bundled up in gloves, scarves, and cloaks, and Apparated to the Malfoys' estate. Lucius and Narcissa were already outside, along with Draco. They greeted Severus and Tom kindly, looking genuinely glad to see them.

Severus was never really convinced that Lucius and Narcissa had forgiven Tom for being Voldemort, and then coming back to life refusing to wage a war, but apparently everyone was determined to be cheerful and festive today.

“I have some news,” Severus announced as they made their way to the grove of fir trees. “Well, Roger has news, but he asked me to share it.”

Draco shot Severus an alarmed look, like he knew exactly what Severus was about to say.

“Oh, do tell,” Narcissa said, all smiles. She had been the driving force to have Harry Potter raised in the Malfoys’ home, after Severus had taken him from Godric’s Hollow on that Halloween night. She loved Roger dearly, like her own son.

“He’s dating someone, and wishes to bring her to Christmas here,” Severus said. “It’s Ginny Weasley.”

“Oh,” Narcissa said, visibly taken aback, while Lucius stopped in his tracks and Draco got an apprehensive look on his face.

“She’s a very polite girl,” Severus said. “She did well in Slytherin and made good friends in that House and she is interested in following in Roger’s footsteps and playing Quidditch professionally.”

“Well,” Narcissa said, her smile a little more fixed than it had been before. “If she and Roger are serious enough for him to invite her to Christmas, we’re delighted to have her.”

She nudged her husband in the ribs. “Delighted,” Lucius echoed, still looking shocked.

“I like her,” Draco piped up. “She’s not like the rest of her family at all.”

Narcissa made a non-judgmental sound, giving her son a distracted nod.

“Right,” Lucius said. He was eyeing Tom, perhaps hoping to take his cues from Tom’s lead. All these years Tom had been back, and Lucius still sometimes managed to forget that Tom was not actually a blood purist. “Right.”

Tom just gave Lucius a cheerful smile.

Narcissa deliberately, and blatantly, changed the subject to finding Christmas trees. No one brought up Ginny Weasley again.

Narcissa was very picky about finding the perfect trees to go inside her home, and Tom and Severus eventually drifted off from the main group to find their own.

"I like this one," Tom said, coming to a stop in front of a tree that was shorter than he was.

"It would never be allowed inside Malfoy Manor," Severus observed. Narcissa always found trees that were twelve feet tall and matched each other perfectly.

"That's why I like it," Tom said, with a wink.

Severus laughed. "Done," he agreed.

Tom and Severus stepped back, and with a graceful wave of his wand, Tom felled the tree. They said their farewells to the Malfoys, and then Apparated back to their cottage, balancing the tree between them.

"I'm glad we didn't get a taller one," Severus said, laughing a bit as Tom stood it up in the corner. "Narcissa's brand of tree would not fit in here at all."

Not only were their ceilings not twelve-feet tall, but the eclectic mix of holiday decorations already in the room certainly did not work for anyone with exacting standards.

"I think it's perfect," Tom said, taking a step back to look, and Severus could not disagree.

#my fic #sniddle #Severus Snape/Tom Riddle #hp de-stress december #holiday fluff #drabble

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slyttherins · 3 years

Text

Unexpected flame (part 5) | Fred Weasley x Sirius Black’s daughter

Hermione - along with Crookshanks - arrived at the start of August. She had brought her whole trunk and school stuff, having no plan to return home before the start of the new school year.

As expected, Ginny didn't waste time filling her in on the latest gossip inside the house. Juliet wished she had kept it to herself, as there was really nothing to tell, but according to Ginny, it was big news.

The three girls were sitting in Ginny and Hermione's room, eating freshly baked pumpkin cookies and catching up when Ginny brought it up.

''So...are we gonna ignore the elephant in the room?''

''Yes.''

''No.''

Juliet glared at Hermione. She usually didn't pay interest in gossip, which left Juliet surprised.

''What? I want to be let in on the juicy gossip too. All I know is what Ginny told me, which isn't much.''

''Because there isn't much to tell.''

Ginny rolled her eyes. ''Rubbish.''

''Come on, Juliet. You kissed Fred, there must be something to tell,'' Hermione encouraged.

Perhaps they did a little more than kissing, but she figured Ginny didn't need - or want - to know that. No one wants to hear that their brother fingered their best friend while they were asleep next door.

Juliet shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Ginny. ''Don't you think it's a bit weird that I tell you this? He's your brother.''

''But you're my best friend and I want to know about your love life...even if it involves my brother. There's things I do not want to know, but I trust you to not add too much details I don't want to hear.''

Juliet had no intentions of telling them all the details - she wanted to keep some parts of her night with Fred private -, but told them just enough to satisfy their curiosity.

''How was it? The kiss,'' Hermione asked.

Ginny scoffed. ''I bet they did more than kissing.''

''We did not.''

''You're lying!''

''Am not.''

''Quit it. Fred told George already and George told me-''

''He told George?! I can't believe him-''

A mischievous grin broke on Ginny's face. ''Got you. I knew you were lying!''

Juliet gaped.

Just then, George walked down the hallway and stopped at her door. ''What is she lying about?'' he asked, stopping in the doorway.

''She and Fred had sex.''

Once everyone had gone to bed, Fred slipped in Juliet's bedroom. It had become their night routine.

They'd sit on her bed and talk until late, until one of them started to feel sleepy. Sometimes, like tonight, clothes were removed and kisses were exchanged, but that didn't change their status. Juliet and Fred were friends. Or, perhaps a little more.

Hermione didn't approve of their arrangement, not a fan of these ‘friends with benefits’ thing, but Juliet had simply shrugged. They weren't doing anyone harm, they were just two friends having fun behind closed doors.

They rolled on their sides, facing each other as Fred caressed the pale skin of Juliet' shoulder in the half moon's glow. ''Funny how we didn't tell anyone, but somehow they all know.''

''All but our parents,'' Juliet corrected.

''Thank Godric! Mom would murder me.''

Molly wasn't against her children having sex. She knew they'd get to that at some point in their life, but she'd rather they waited till they were old enough to be responsible and safe. As in, responsible enough to not get a girl pregnant or catch an STD. She'd also rather it doesn't happen under her roof.

Although Fred was of age and that Grimmauld Place wasn't her house, Mrs. Weasley was sleeping on the floor above and she'd be livid if she knew what Juliet and him were up to while they were asleep.

''Same for my dad, but he'd murder you.''

''Murdered twice? What a heavenly way to die.''

Juliet laughed.

''Where do you think you're going, young ladies?'' Molly asked, catching Juliet and Ginny laughing as they came down the stairs, small purse on their shoulders and shoes on, looking like they were heading outside.

''Shopping,'' Juliet replied, passing her purse over her head to wear as a crossbody. ''We're meeting up with Luna in Diagon Alley.''

Juliet was hoping to get her hands on that quick-dry ink Remus told her about. Being a left handed, ink always smudged on her parchemin and got on her hands and it annoyed her.

''By yourself? While V- the Dark Lord has returned?'' Molly shook her head. ''That's not happening. Please take your shoes off and send a letter to Miss. Lovegood to inform her that you aren't going.''

''Mom! Are you being serious?'' Ginny asked,

''We didn't move here

''Juliet and Luna will be there. I'm not gonna be by myself.''

''What's the matter, Molly? I'm hearing you scream from the end of the hallway,'' said Sirius, coming out from the office.

For once, Molly was relieved to see him, assuming he'd be on her side. ''Your daughter and mine want to go to Diagon Alley,'' she informed Sirius.

Unfortunately for Mrs. Weasley, Sirius didn't react the way she had hoped him to.

''Oh, have a lovely day. Bring me back some ice cream from Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour, will you Juliet?''

Molly looked at Sirius with a scowling look on her face. ''Is that all you have to say?''

Sirius looked confused. ''Do you need any money?''

Wrong answer.

''You're allowing her to go out? Have you forgotten why the Order has been reconstituted?'' Molly was fuming at, according to her, his his irresponsibility and lack of common sense.

''Of course not,'' Sirius said with a dry, almost angry tone. Voldemort was a soft subject for him. How could Molly think he could forget about that tragic night? ''But, I'm not gonna shelter her inside this bloody house. I'm the only one who is in hiding, not her. Juliet can go out if she pleases.''

''You know she can't use magic outside school, right? What if they get attacked by him or his followers? They know who she is.''

''I trust that Remus taught her how to defend herself. And, I'll go to Cornelius Fudge myself if they punish her for using magic as self defense while underage.''

Diagon Alley was bonded with people. Being one of those hot summer days, the queue at the ice cream parlour was really long so the girls decided to go to Obscurus Books instead, by Luna's request.

''It's unfortunate that Ginny couldn't come.'' Luna adjusted her funky looking, pink sunglasses.

''Her mom wasn't keen on letting her go to Diagon Alley knowing that You-Know-Who has returned. I get that she's protective of her children, but it's unlikely that the dark wizard will show up in the middle of the day,'' Juliet explained.

Luna stopped in front of a less busy shop. ''It's here.'' She pointed at the sign over the shop's door. Obscurus Books.

They walked inside and an old man greeted the girls at the front of the shop, informing them on their latest book releases.

Juliet had never been to this place before. It was nothing like Flourish and Blotts. Much smaller and not filled to the brim with books. According to Luna, this place had a much better selection of books about magical creatures.

Luna immediately strolled to her favorite section and began skimming through books. ''Oh! I almost forgot to tell you, I received a letter from Neville this morning.''

''Neville?'' Juliet repeated, cocking an eyebrow.

''Daddy and I were having trouble with one of our plants so I wrote to Neville about it last week. Turned out he simply forgot to water them...'' Luna explained, not surprised by her father's defective memory. ''Neville also told me about the new, very rare plant he got for his birthday. A Mimbulus mimbletonia, I believe? I've seen on in a book, it looks fascinating.''

A Mimbulus mimbletonia? Juliet had no clue what that was. Perhaps she should pay more attention in Herbology this year?

#fred weasley #fred weasley x reader #fred weasley fic #sirius black daughter #fred weasley x sirius black daughte #harry potter fic #unexpected flame

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isimp4yts · 4 years

Text

Needing You

draco x hufflepuff!OC

A/N- hi! this is my first chapter of my Draco fanfic that’s on wattpad. It’s called Needing You by isimp4yts. hope you enjoy it! it’s pretty much slow burn and idk if i’m gonna make it spicy yet but it’s definitely gonna be a lot of angst.

Word Count: 1.7k

Talia was woken by her brother, Cedric, throwing a pillow at her while stifling a laugh knowing full well that the ‘attack’ would aggravate her as she wasn’t really a morning person. As she groaned into the pillow that was thrown at her she sat up a little bit, throwing the pillow to the side.

Glaring at Cedric she barely grumbled, “I was just about to get up you know” and dangled her legs off of her bed reaching for her slippers.

“Yeah, sure you were, either way you’re up now. Come on dad wants you to hurry up and get ready, he doesn’t want to be late”, he said with his voice echoing more as he walked out of Talia’s room.

So that’s what she did, she got dressed and brushed her long brunette hair trying to control the fly aways. Of course there was no need to make too much of an effort in her appearance as she could sort herself out at the Quidditch World Cup when she gets there. She went downstairs and saw her father holding two backpacks, knowing one was hers and Cedric with his own backpack already on.

“Come on darlin’, we have to get there on time, we don’t want anyone to be waiting on us do we?” her father said while rushing her out the door, with Cedric, giving her her backpack.

~~~

Talia, Cedric and her father were waiting in a woodland area for some friends of her fathers to meet up with them, well Cedric was sitting in a tree. The boy couldn't sit still for the life of him. Talia kept switching the weight from each leg as they started to get tired, from waiting for so long. In the distance some voices could be heard and Amos stepped forward, greeting the voices.

“Arthur! It's about time son” Amos says to a ginger man with several people following, Talia recognised all the people behind the man but one, however she had never really spoken to any of them even though three were in her year. The ginger man whose name must be Arthur apologised for their lateness and introduced her father to the others. Talia smiled at the three who were in her year, giving them a small nod.

“This is Amos Diggory everyone, he works with me at the ministry”, Arthur explains then moves to gesture Talia just when Cedric jumps down from the tree making her flinch and slap his arm. Arthur reaches his hand out to Cedric for him to shake it, saying “And this strapping young lad must be Cedric, am I right?”.

Cedric lets out a small laugh at the compliment, as does Talia, just what he needs, more fuel to his growing ego. Although Cedric is seen as a sweetheart to most, he truly is a nuisance to his younger sister when he wants to be.

“And of course Talia, you must know the kids since you’re all in the same year” Arthur smiles at her, also reaching to shake her hand. Talia smiles sweetly at him taking his hand and simply nods at the older man.

“Merlin’s beard, you must be Harry Potter” Amos says while stepping towards the brunette boy with glasses. Talia knew him purely from the gossip that goes around Hogwarts, apparently the first year he was there he saw You-Know-Who and the second year he killed the Basilisk. All with the help from his friends Ron and Hermoine, to which the students gave them the name ‘The Golden Trio’. Talia stopped listening to their conversation, eager to get going, the group of wizards and witches walked up a hill looking for the portkey, which was a boot. They all held the boot, while Amos counted down. When he reached three Talia felt her head spinning then she let go and gracefully made her way to the ground along with Arthur, Amos and Cedric, while the others landed with more force. The young girl looked at her surroundings while taking a deep breath of air, using portkeys always made her lightheaded. She turns to see Cedric helping Harry up and the boy taking his arm with a smile and thanking him.

The group started making their way to a large field with several tents and Arthur exclaimed “Welcome to the Quidditch World Cup!”. Talia, Cedric and Amos separated from the rest of the group to get their tent ready. The three went inside the tent which was larger on the inside with a bunk bed for the siblings and a normal bed near it for their father. Talia sighed and threw herself on the top bunk bed while shouting “Dibs!” watching her brother shake his head as he headed towards the bed, taking off his jacket and throwing it onto his sister's face.

“Dad! Did you see that! Icky tried to suffocate me with that hideous jacket of his!” Talia shouted, trying to get her father’s attention but failing as he waved his hand at her while he was putting on the kettle, showing that he couldn't bother with the siblings bickering.

“I think you should stop calling me that childish name now Lia, since some people consider me to be rather strapping”, Cedric responded with a cheeky smile. Talia stuck her tongue out at him then climbed down the bunk bed with Cedric’s jacket and proceeded to shove him and his jacket into the bottom bunk and then run away. Cedric jumped back up almost immediately, chasing after his younger sibling but he wasn’t quick enough as she had shut herself into the bathroom catching her breath.

“I knew that comment would go to that big head of yours, do you really want that forehead to get bigger since it looks like that’s where your ego is?” Talia joked while looking at herself in the mirror and patting down her hair.

“Big talk for-”

“That’s enough from you two. Talia come out and have some tea, you too Cedric, I really can’t be dealing with the both of you pissing about” Amos says as he unlocks the bathroom door with his wand pushing Talia out.

The two siblings giggled at how quickly they managed to annoy their father and sat down to have a cuppa tea before they got ready for the Quidditch game. Both the Diggory children misplacing each other's belongings while doing so.

~~~

The Diggory’s went into the stadium, to find their seats when they saw Arthur and the others also looking for their seats. They could hear Ron asking how far up they were when an arrogant voice could be heard from below them. The Diggory’s went to catch up with the Weasley’s and Co. when they saw Lucius Malfoy making a comment to the lot.

“Father and I are in the minister’s box, by personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge himself” a voice next to Lucius said. Draco Malfoy, quite the peculiar child, found it incredibly entertaining to make others' lives miserable with snide comments on anything from their appearance to their upbringing. Harry, Ron and Hermoine gave him a cold look, while Talia just stared blankly at him. She didn’t really have a problem with Malfoy since they were partnered together in Potions in second year for a project. Of course at the start she wasn’t too fond of the boy but she didn’t want to judge him from the way he treated her and everyone else in first year, she knew people could change. A problem with Talia was how she was very optimistic and gave almost everyone too many chances to prove themselves to be a better person. Draco also wasn’t too fond of the hufflepuff at the start, as she was too happy all the time and it made no sense to him that someone could be so joyful. But the two warmed up to each other, well as much as Draco can warm up to someone, he didn’t pester her and was no longer mean to her. In fact he didn’t really say much to her unless it was related to schoolwork. What neither wanted to admit was they found each other rather interesting as they both lived such different lives and treated people so differently, they didn’t realise people like the other existed. They both had mutual respect for each other as they went on with their lives both being studious and having their separate friend groups and going on with their lives without bothering one another.

Lucius snapped at Draco telling him to stop boasting, and put his head down with a grim look on his face, brows furrowed. The elder Malfoy then told us to enjoy ourselves and went off to the minister’s box while Talia and the others made their way to their seats. Cedric nudged his sister while they continued up, and said “pleasant bloke that Malfoy is isn’t he” to which Talia replied “which one?” and snickered at her remark. After being blessed with the presence of Lucius Malfoy she understood why Draco was, well Draco. She decided to forget about the encounter and Draco’s interaction with his father and got herself riled up for the game.

~~~

After the game Talia decided to go to bed early since she was exhausted from all the travelling she had done that day, but the early night didn’t seem to happen since she was shaken by Cedric so she’d wake up.

“Icky, piss off would you-”

“Get up now, we need to get out of here” her brother interrupted her, his eyes wide. She sat up and saw her father worrying and telling them to hurry up. Cedric pulled her down and held onto her arm running as fast as he could into the woods, dragging his sister with him. Their father barely catching up to them, Talia kept looking back to make sure he was still behind them and that they didn’t lose him and saw black figures flying in the air. Cedric finally stopped, pulling his sister behind a tree and signalling his father to join them as they all crouched. Cedric noticed his sister shivering and he didn’t know if it was from fear or being cold. Either way he engulfed her in a hug making sure she was safe while looking at his father who looked back at the field trying to figure out who caused the attack.

“Dad, do you have any idea what that was?” Cedric questioned while trying to calm down his breathing.

“I have no idea son” Amos replied then placed a firm hand on his daughters shoulder to try and comfort her.

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twoidiotwriters1 · 3 years

Text

Written In The Stars CXLII (Harry Potter xF!Oc)

A/N: I think this week’s chapters are the most boring out of all the book, but hang in there it gets better -Danny

Words: 4,940

Series’ Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Chapter Four: Horace Slughorn.

Mel stumbled onto a bench and inhaled sharply.

"Wizards should just drive!" She panted.

"We drive," Erick said. "I drove you here, didn't I?"

"I was there during your lessons, don't try to show off with me," Mel grumbled.

"Dumbledore and Harry are over there — C'mon..."

"Professor?" She heard Harry asked once they caught up with them.

"Harry?"

"Er — where exactly are we?"

"This, Harry, is the charming village of Budleigh Babberton."

"And what are we doing here?"

"Ah yes, of course, I haven't told you! Well, I have lost count of the number of times I have said this in recent years, but we are, once again, one member of staff short. We are here to persuade an old colleague of mine to come out of retirement and return to Hogwarts. I sent Erick and Mel to look for his whereabouts and they told me he'd be here, let's hope they're right."

"How can I help with that, sir?"

"Oh, I think we'll find a use for the three of you," Dumbledore replied. "Left here."

Mel scoffed and Erick nudged her arm muttering a warning.

"Professor, why couldn't we just Apparate directly into your old colleague's house?"

"Because it would be quite as rude as kicking down the front door. Courtesy dictates that we offer fellow wizards the opportunity of denying us entry. In any case, most Wizarding dwellings are magically protected from unwanted Apparators. At Hogwarts, for instance —"

"— you can't Apparate anywhere inside the buildings or grounds," said Harry. "Hermione Granger told me."

"And she is quite right. We turn left again."

The clock behind them announced midnight, Mel felt a chill ran down her spine and held Erick closer. She was abruptly reminded of the dementors, and she had no wish to see one right now.

"Sir, I saw in the Daily Prophet that Fudge has been sacked..."

"Correct," said Dumbledore, "He has been replaced, as I am sure you also saw, by Rufus Scrimgeour, who used to be Head of the Auror office."

"Is he... Do you think he's good?"

"An interesting question. He is able, certainly. A more decisive and forceful personality than Cornelius."

"Yes, but I meant —"

"I know what you meant. Rufus is a man of action and, having fought Dark wizards for most of his working life, does not underestimate Lord Voldemort."

"And... sir... I saw about Madam Bones."

"Yes... A terrible loss. She was a great witch — Just up here, I think — ouch," Dumbledore looked down to his injured hand with disinterest and lowered it.

"Professor, what happened to your —?"

"I have no time to explain now," said Dumbledore. "It is a thrilling tale, I wish to do it justice."

"Sir — I got a Ministry of Magic leaflet by owl, about security measures we should all take against the Death Eaters..."

"Yes, I received one myself... Did you find it useful?"

"Not really."

"No, I thought not. You have not asked me, for instance, what is my favorite flavor of jam, to check that I am indeed Professor Dumbledore and not an impostor."

"I didn't..." Harry turned to look at her with mild panic, Mel found it amusing.

"Oh well, he came to my house first and I didn't ask him either, but Erick was the one who let him in."

"I'm sorry I put you all in danger," Erick replied playfully.

"For future reference, children, it is raspberry... although of course, if I were a Death Eater, I would have been sure to research my own jam preferences before impersonating myself."

"Er... right," Harry shrugged. "Well, on that leaflet, it said something about Inferi. What exactly are they? The leaflet wasn't very clear."

"They are corpses. Dead bodies that have been bewitched to do a Dark wizard's bidding. Inferi have not been seen for a long time, however, not since Voldemort was last powerful... He killed enough people to make an army of them, of course. This is the place, just here..."

"Like zombies?" Mel said.

"Those things are stupid and slow," Erick replied. "The inferi are nothing like that, trust me."

Once Mel caught sight of the house, she gasped.

"Oh dear. Oh dear, dear, dear." Dumbledore got closer and examined the scene:

Harry followed his gaze up the carefully tended front path and felt his heart sink. The front door was hanging off its hinges.

"Wand out and follow me," He said. "Mr Flint, keep guard on the entrance..."

"Of course," He walked away, Mel wanted to stay and watch over him, but she knew that would hurt Erick's ego, so she held onto her own wand tightly and walked away from him.

"Lumos..."

Everything was wrecked inside the house, but there was something weird about it... it was too peaceful.

"Not pretty, is it?" Dumbledore asked. "Yes, something horrible has happened here."

Mel got closer to the stain on the wall and gawked at the smell. It was really strong and brought back a clear memory of Hagrid holding a chunk of dragon meat to his swollen eye.

"Maybe there was a fight and — and they dragged him off?" Harry said behind her, his voice trembling a little.

"I don't think so..." said Dumbledore. "Mel, what do you think?"

"This isn't human," She said, pointing to the bloodstain, "and the place is empty, if a fight had taken place here the muggles would've come to check on their neighbours, so either this just happened or he's..."

"Still here somewhere?" Dumbledore concluded. "Yes. A very good observation."

Then, without a warning, the old man stabbed the armchair next to him.

"Ouch!" It yelped.

"Good evening, Horace."

"There was no need to stick the wand in that hard," He huffed. "It hurt."

The wandlight sparkled on his shiny pate, his prominent eyes, his enormous, silver, walruslike mustache, and the highly polished buttons on the maroon velvet jacket he was wearing over a pair of lilac silk pajamas. The top of his head barely reached Dumbledore's chin.

"What gave it away?"

"My dear Horace," said Dumbledore, "if the Death Eaters really had come to call, the Dark Mark would have been set over the house! And of course, the non-magic people would've come to see what was happening, as Mel kindly explained a moment ago."

"The Dark Mark," Horace hit his forehead with one hand. "Knew there was something... ah well. Wouldn't have had time anyway, I'd only just put the finishing touches to my upholstery when you entered the room."

"Would you like my assistance clearing up?"

"Please..."

They moved around the room and fixed everything in a matter of seconds as if this was the kind of stuff a wizard would normally do on a Friday.

"What kind of blood was that, incidentally?" asked Dumbledore.

"Dragon's," Mel replied.

They stared at her.

"How did you know?" Her uncle questioned.

"Hagrid used its meat last year to heal his eye," She explained, scrunching up her nose. "It has a very distinctive smell."

"These," said Dumbledore, smiling at her, "are Harry Potter and Mel Dumbledore. Children, this is an old friend and colleague of mine, Horace Slughorn."

"Oho! So that's how you thought you'd persuade me, is it? Well, the answer's no, Albus," Slughorn pushed past them avoiding eye contact. He froze and stared out the window. "Oh dear — Albus, I think you were followed!"

"You mean that young man?" Dumbledore glanced out to the garden. "Mel, could you please bring Erick inside?"

"Sure," She replied.

As soon as Erick heard her, he turned.

"What happened in there? Is he..?"

"Alive," Mel brushed it off. "Apparently this whole act was a security measure — Dumbledore said you could come in but I recommend you to fix yourself first."

"Why?"

"We're bait," She explained while adjusting his coat. "I know why he brought us... Slughorn must be important if he's playing this dirty..."

"What do you mean?"

"Just act as posh as possible," Mel sighed, patting his cheek lovingly. "It should be easy for you."

Erick followed her inside and both sat next to Harry on the couch, the three of them displayed in plain sight so Slughorn had to look at them.

"Hmpf," He studied them before forcing his eyes to look away. "Here —"

He gave the drinks to Dumbledore and then put the tray on Harry's lap rather forcefully. He looked at Erick again.

"I should introduce you," Mel said. "Mr Slughorn, this is Erick Flint, a very good friend of mine. Erick, this is Horace Slughorn, a very dear friend of my uncle's."

"Nice to meet you," Erick stood up and shook the man's hand with a firm grip and a confident tone.

"Hmpf," Slughorn said again.

"Well, how have you been keeping, Horace?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not so well," said Slughorn. "Weak chest. Wheezy. Rheumatism too. Can't move like I used to. Well, that's to be expected. Old age. Fatigue."

"And yet you must have moved fairly quickly to prepare such a welcome for us at such short notice — You can't have had more than three minutes' warning?"

"Two. Didn't hear my Intruder Charm go off, I was taking a bath. Still," He added hastily, "the fact remains that I'm an old man, Albus. A tired old man who's earned the right to a quiet life and a few creature comforts."

"You're not yet as old as I am, Horace," Dumbledore commented.

"Well, maybe you ought to think about retirement yourself," said Slughorn, quickly glancing at Dumbledore's injured hand. "Reactions not what they were, I see."

"You're quite right," said Dumbledore showing a bit more of his hand to them. "I am undoubtedly slower than I was. But on the other hand..."

He shrugged and spread his hands wide, as though to say that age had its compensations, and Harry noticed a ring on his uninjured hand that he had never seen Dumbledore wear before:

It was large, rather clumsily made of what looked like gold, and was set with a heavy black stone that had cracked down the middle. Slughorn's eyes lingered for a moment on the ring too, and Harry saw a tiny frown momentarily crease his wide forehead.

"So, all these precautions against intruders, Horace... are they for the Death Eaters' benefit, or mine?"

"What would the Death Eaters want with a poor broken-down old buffer like me?"

"I imagine that they would want you to turn your considerable talents to coercion, torture, and murder... Are you really telling me that they haven't come recruiting yet?"

Mel felt Erick tensing next to her, she was sure Slughorn wouldn't appreciate knowing that they'd managed to take down two death eaters outside his house a few hours ago, all because Dumbledore had sent them to spy on him.

"I haven't given them the chance. I've been on the move for a year. Never stay in one place more than a week. Move from Muggle house to Muggle house — the owners of this place are on holiday in the Canary Islands — it's been very pleasant, I'll be sorry to leave. It's quite easy once you know how, one simple Freezing Charm on these absurd burglar alarms they use instead of Sneakoscopes and make sure the neighbors don't spot you bringing in the piano."

"Ingenious," said Dumbledore. "But it sounds a rather tiring existence for a broken-down old buffer in search of a quiet life. Now, if you were to return to Hogwarts —"

"If you're going to tell me my life would be more peaceful at that pestilential school, you can save your breath, Albus! I might have been in hiding, but some funny rumors have reached me since Dolores Umbridge left! If that's how you treat teachers these days —"

"Professor Umbridge ran afoul of our centaur herd," said Dumbledore. "I think you, Horace, would have known better than to stride into the forest and call a horde of angry centaurs 'filthy half- breeds.'"

"That's what she did, did she?" Slughorn scoffed. "Idiotic woman. Never liked her."

Harry let out a short laugh and everyone looked at him.

"Sorry," He said. "It's just — I didn't like her either."

"No wonder why," Mel nodded. "She mistreated all of her students — We had to teach ourselves! It's a wonder how I even passed my O.W.L. for that class."

"As if you didn't know you'll get an 'O' in every subject," Erick replied with amusement.

"If I did it wasn't thanks to her," She shrugged.

Dumbledore stood up.

"Are you leaving?" asked Slughorn.

"No, I was wondering whether I might use your bathroom..."

"Oh," Slughorn visibly deflated. "Second on the left down the hall."

After ten seconds of heavy silence, Slughorn got to his feet and turned his back on them, staring into the fireplace.

"Don't think I don't know why he's brought you," He said.

Harry stared at the man silently, Erick remained in place while Mel stood up and looked around the room.

"You look very like your parents," Slughorn told them.

"Yeah, I've been told," Harry replied.

"Except for your eyes. You've got —"

"My mother's eyes, yeah."

"Hmpf. Yes, well. You shouldn't have favourites as a teacher, of course, but she was one of mine. Your mother, Lily Evans. One of the brightest I ever taught. Vivacious, you know. Charming girl. I used to tell her she ought to have been in my House. Very cheeky answers I used to get back too."

"Which was your House?"

"I was Head of Slytherin," Mel turned abruptly in surprise. "Oh, now, don't go holding that against me! You'll be Gryffindor like your folks, I suppose? Yes, it usually goes in families. Not always, though. Ever heard of Sirius Black? You must have done — been in the papers for the last couple of years — died a few weeks ago — Well, anyway, he was a big pal of your fathers at school. The whole Black family had been in my House, but Sirius ended up in Gryffindor! Shame — he was a talented boy. I got his brother, Regulus, when he came along, but I'd have liked the set."

"I wasn't judging you," Mel replied. "Erick's a Slytherin, and he's our friend. He's a Prefect as well, and bound to be the Headboy this year..."

"I see," Slughorn eyed him up. "Eliot Flint's grandson? I met him during my school years... great man he was, I'm sorry to hear about his passing, how are your parents?"

"I wouldn't know, Sir," Erick smiled tensely. "They threw me out of the house after they discovered my correspondence with a muggle."

"He's living with me," Mel added.

Slughorn nodded.

"I remember when your mother made peace with Miss Evans, the two of them were a thing to fear! Your mother was Muggle-born, of course, Harry. Couldn't believe it when I found out. Thought she must have been pure-blood, she was so good."

"One of our best friends is Muggle-born," said Harry. "and she's the best in our year."

"Funny how that sometimes happens, isn't it?"

"Not really," He said coldly.

Slughorn looked at them like he'd just realized his mistake.

"You mustn't think I'm prejudiced! No, no, no! Haven't I just said your mother was one of my all-time favourite students? And there was Dirk Cresswell in the year after her too — now Head of the Goblin Liaison Office, of course — another Muggle-born, a very gifted student, and still gives me excellent inside information on the goings-on at Gringotts!"

He pointed to the bunch of photographs on the dresser.

"All ex-students, all signed. You'll notice Barnabas Cuffe, editor of the Daily Prophet, he's always interested to hear my take on the day's news. And Ambrosius Flume, of Honeydukes — a hamper every birthday, and all because I was able to give him an introduction to Ciceron Harkiss, who gave him his first job! And at the back — you'll see her if you just crane your neck — that's Gwenog Jones, who of course captains the Holyhead Harpies... People are always astonished to hear I'm on first-name terms with the Harpies, and free tickets whenever I want them!"

"And all these people know where to find you, to send you stuff?" asked Harry with curiosity.

Mel knew he wasn't doing it on purpose, but he was poking in all the right places.

"Of course not," He said gloomily. "I have been out of touch with everybody for a year."

"You must miss it," She said carefully, "your life was really active before you had to hide..."

Slughorn stared at her as if he'd just realized she was right, although he was quick to cover it.

"The prudent wizard keeps his head down in such times. All very well for Dumbledore to talk, but taking up a post at Hogwarts just now would be tantamount to declaring my public allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix! And while I'm sure they're very admirable and brave and all the rest of it, I don't personally fancy the mortality rate —"

"I gave up my old life to help the Order," Erick replied. "I don't think I'll ever regret my decision, I do something worthy, I'm valuable to them."

"And you don't have to join the Order to teach at Hogwarts," Harry sounded upset. "Most of the teachers aren't in it, and none of them has ever been killed — well, unless you count Quirrell, and he got what he deserved seeing as he was working with Voldemort. I reckon the staff are safer than most people while Dumbledore's headmaster; he's supposed to be the only one Voldemort ever feared, isn't he?"

Slughorn pondered their arguments.

"Well, yes, it is true that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has never sought a fight with Dumbledore... And I suppose one could argue that as I have not joined the Death Eaters, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can hardly count me a friend... in which case, I might well be safer a little closer to Albus... I cannot pretend that Amelia Bones's death did not shake me... If she, with all her Ministry contacts and protection..."

"You know, people think that I'll be safe forever thanks to my blood relations," Mel smiled in the same ironic manner her uncle did. "But in the end... a bloodline, a connection... it's not as efficient as watching your own back. I think you should take every precaution."

Dumbledore walked into the room and Slughorn jumped.

"Oh, there you are, Albus — You've been a very long time. Upset stomach?"

"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines, I do love knitting patterns. Well, we have trespassed upon Horace's hospitality quite long enough; I think it is time for us to leave."

Erick and Harry jumped to their feet, Mel calmly made her way to where they were standing.

"You're leaving?" asked Slughorn, this time sounding a bit hurt.

"Yes, indeed. I think I know a lost cause when I see one."

"Lost..?" He stared at Harry closing his jacket and Dumbledore putting on his travelling cloak.

Mel picked up her coat and Erick helped her put it on.

"Well, I'm sorry you don't want the job, Horace," said Dumbledore. "Hogwarts would have been glad to see you back again. Our greatly increased security notwithstanding, you will always be welcome to visit, should you wish to."

"You could've been one of my favourite teachers," Mel sighed, trying to look disappointed. "Well, what can we do?"

"Yes... well... very gracious... as I say..."

"Good-bye, then."

"It was a pleasure to meet you," Erick nodded.

"Bye," said Harry simply.

Mel had barely reached six in her silent countdown when Slughorn stopped them.

"All right, all right, I'll do it!"

She smiled down at her shoes, Dumbledore turned to see him.

"You will come out of retirement?"

"Yes, yes. I must be mad, but yes."

"Wonderful," said her uncle brightly. "Then, Horace, we shall see you on the first of September."

"Yes, I daresay you will," Slughorn huffed.

As they reached the garden, Slughorn shouted the last demand.

"I'll want a pay rise, Dumbledore!"

Her uncle chuckled.

"Well done," He told them.

"We didn't do anything," said Harry frowning.

"Oh yes, you did. You three showed Horace exactly how much he stands to gain by returning to Hogwarts. Did you like him?"

"That's why you said we were bait?" Erick smiled at her. "You clever girl..."

"You say that a lot," Mel replied, clearly pleased with his compliment. "It wasn't that hard to guess after hearing him speak for like, ten seconds... he likes flashy stuff and the three of us are quite dashing..."

"Horace likes his comfort," Dumbledore nodded. "He also likes the company of the famous, the successful, and the powerful. He enjoys the feeling that he influences these people. He has never wanted to occupy the throne himself; he prefers the backseat — more room to spread out, you see. He used to handpick favorites at Hogwarts..."

Dumbledore explained all of Slughorn's way to them, Mel was absently hearing his voice while also looking around anxiously, every dark corner seemed to be watching them, she didn't feel safe. The Slytherin noticed her apprehensive attitude and walked closer to her, their hands brushing.

"Smart," Erick admitted after Dumbledore finished his explanation. "Though a bit... opportunist, may I say..."

"I tell you all this not to turn you against Horace — or, as we must now call him, Professor Slughorn — but to put you on your guard. He will undoubtedly try to collect you. You would be the jewel of his collection; 'the Boy Who Lived'... or, as they call you these days, Harry, 'the Chosen One.' And he wouldn't say no to teaching you, Mel, after all the rumours surrounding your upbringing — As for you, Erick, I daresay it only took one conversation for him to realize you're one of a kind."

They continued until they reached the church, where Dumbledore stopped walking.

"This will do. If you will grasp my arm, Harry. Erick, you know what our next stop is?"

Erick nodded, offering his arm to Mel once more.

"I've only seen the burrow in pictures, so you'll have to hope for the best here, " He told her.

"Brilliant," Mel grimaced. "Can't wait."

She crashed against Harry when landing, both of them fell harshly on the ground and were quickly lifted by the people accompanying them.

"If you don't mind," said Dumbledore. "I'd like a few words with Harry and Mel before we part. In private. Perhaps in here?"

Erick stayed out, making sure no one was close to hear what Dumbledore had to say. Harry and Mel followed the Headmaster to the little closet where the Weasleys used to keep their brooms. Dumbledore conjured a light and smiled at them.

"I hope you will forgive me for mentioning it, but I am pleased and a little proud at how well you seem to be coping after everything that happened at the Ministry. Permit me to say that I think Sirius would have been proud."

Mel fixed her gaze on her feet, she wasn't proud of the way she'd acted during the last term. She'd been selfish and arrogant, and now she was trying her best to make up for it. She didn't feel like she was coping well with her loss either, more like ignoring all her thoughts to remain sane.

"It was cruel," Dumbledore continued, "that you and Sirius had such a short time together. A brutal ending to what should have been a long and happy relationship, and a loving family."

The silence lasted for a few seconds, then Harry spoke:

"It's just hard," He said, "to realize he won't write to me again..."

She stared at the poorly lit face of her friend, his eyes were looking up to the ceiling, suddenly she remembered that Harry was, perhaps, lonelier than her. Maybe that was one of the reasons why he wanted to keep their lifeline, it was nice to have something tying them together.

She wanted to tell him they didn't need the connection for that, but if she was honest, she wasn't sure.

"Sirius represented much to you that you had never known before. Naturally, the loss is devastating..."

"But while I was at the Dursleys'..." Harry interrupted in a firmer voice. "I realized I can't shut myself away or — or crack up. Sirius wouldn't have wanted that, would he? And anyway, life's too short... Look at Madam Bones, look at Emmeline Vance... It could be me next, couldn't it? But if it is, I'll make sure I take as many Death Eaters with me as I can, and Voldemort too if I can manage it."

The feeling she'd get whenever Harry would step into his role of the tragic hero fell upon her like a kick in the face — She couldn't blame him for being brave, but she was a tad upset that he wasn't making things easier for her troubled heart.

"You still have a family, though," Mel reached out for his hand shyly and held it. "You have reasons to stay alive."

"Spoken both like your parent's children and Sirius's true godson! I take my hat off to you — or I would, if I were not afraid of showering you in spiders... Now, Harry, on a closely related subject... I gather that you have been taking the Daily Prophet over the last two weeks?"

"Yes."

"Then you will have seen that there have been not so much leaks as floods concerning your adventure in the Hall of Prophecy?"

"Yes. And now everyone knows that I'm the one —"

"No, they do not. There are only three people in the whole world who know the full contents of the prophecy made about you and Lord Voldemort, and they are standing in this smelly, spidery broom shed. It is true, however, that many have guessed, correctly, that Voldemort sent his Death Eaters to steal a prophecy, and that the prophecy concerned you. Now, I think I am correct in saying that you have not told anybody that you know what the prophecy said?"

"No," said Harry.

"Of course not," Mel said with a bit of outrage.

"A wise decision, on the whole. Although I think you ought to relax it in favor of your friends, Mr Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger. Yes, I think they ought to know. You do them a disservice by not confiding something this important to them."

"I didn't want —"

"— to worry or frighten them? Or perhaps, to confess that you yourself are worried and frightened? You need your friends. As you so rightly said, Sirius would not have wanted you to shut yourself away. On a different, though related, subject, it is my wish that you take private lessons with me this year."

"Private — with you?" Harry's eyes widened. "Like Mel?"

"Yes. I think it is time that I took a greater hand in your education. And fortunately, Mel has completed her lessons with me, so that gives me enough time to focus on you."

"What will you be teaching me, sir?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," said Dumbledore.

"If I'm having lessons with you, I won't have to do Occlumency lessons with Snape, will I?"

Mel snorted, but she quickly turned it into a cough.

"Professor Snape, Harry — and no, you will not."

"Good, because they were a —"

Mel stepped on his foot, successfully shutting him up before he could continue.

"I think the word 'fiasco' would be a good one here," Dumbledore sighed.

"Well, that means I won't see much of Professor Snape from now on," He said happily, "because he won't let me carry on Potions unless I get 'Outstanding' in my O.W.L., which I know I haven't."

"Don't count your owls before they are delivered," said Dumbledore. "Which, now I think of it, ought to be some time later today. Now, a few more things before we part. Firstly, I wish you to keep your Invisibility Cloak with you at all times from this moment onward. Even within Hogwarts itself. Just in case, you understand me?"

Harry nodded.

"While you stay here, the Burrow has been given the highest security the Ministry of Magic can provide. These measures have caused a certain amount of inconvenience to Arthur and Molly — all their post, for instance, is being searched at the Ministry before being sent on. They do not mind in the slightest, for their only concern is your safety. However, it would be poor repayment if you risked your neck while staying with them. This goes to you too, Mel, since they agreed to take in Emily and young Regulus for the rest of the year."

"I understand."

"Me too," Mel nodded.

"And lastly," He looked at them carefully. "Have you made a decision on the lifeline?"

"Yes —"

"— No."

Harry and Mel looked at each other again, both exasperated.

"What do you mean 'no'?" The boy frowned.

"I—I," She stammered. "I... need more time."

"But you —"

"We haven't talked," She insisted. "We can't just make the decision without talking first, can we? Otherwise, who knows if the spell might work?"

Harry wanted to argue against it, but he knew she was right.

"Very well, then," Dumbledore opened the shed door. "I see a light in the kitchen. Let us not deprive Molly any longer of the chance to deplore how thin you are, Harry."

Next Chapter —>

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braveclementine · 4 days

Text

Chapter 27

Warnings: Mentions of nudity

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

------------------By Order of-----------------

The Ministry of Magic Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-nine. Signed: Cornelius Oswald Fudge MINISTER OF MAGIC

This was an insulting decree of course considering that Professor McGonagall- as deputy Headmistress- should have taken over.

"Dumbledore will be back before long." Ernie said as Ernie, Hannah, Susan, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I were walking from Herbology. Harry had been recounting the story from his point of view which was a bit more descriptive than mine had been. I'd never been good with details. "They couldn't keep him away in our second year and they won't be able to to this time. The Fat Friar told me that Umbridge tried to get back into his office last night after they'd searched the castle and grounds for him. Couldn't get past the gargoyle. The Head's office has sealed itself against her. Apparently she had a right little tantrum. . ."

I laughed out loud. "Amazing!"

"Oh, I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the Head's office. Lording it over all the other teachers, the stupid puffed-up, power-crazy old-"

"Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?" Malfoy asked. "Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff." He drawled out, looking maliciously at me.

"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy." Hermione said.

"Yeah, we're prefects too, remember?" Ron snarled.

"I know prefects can't dock points, Weasel King, but members of the Inquisitional Squad-"

"The what?" Hermione asked darkly.

"The Inquisitional Squad, Granger." Draco pointed to a second badge that was underneath his prefect one. It was silver with the letter I on it. "A select group of students who are supportive of the Ministry of Magic, hand-picked by Professor Umbridge. Anyway, members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points. . . So, Granger, I'll have five from you for being rude about our new headmistress, five for contradicting me as well. . . Five because I don't like you Potter. . . Weasley, your shirt's untucked, so I'll have another five for that. . . Macmillan, five for talking about our headmistress as well. . . oh yeah, I forgot, you're a Mudblood Granger, so ten for that. . . and Kane, your not expelled and your a werewolf brat so 15 points for that." He ignored Susan and Hannah whom he didn't seem to be able to find a punishment for.

Ron pulled out his wand, but Hermione pushed it away, whispering, "Don't!"

"Wise move, Granger. New Head, new times. . . Be good now, Potty. . . Weasel King. . ." Draco said and moved away with Crabbe and Goyle following him.

I snorted, "'Select group of students'. They're probably all Death Eaters."

"He was bluffing." Harry said, "He can't be allowed to dock points."

"It would completely undermine the prefect system." I agreed, "But look. . ." I pointed to where the house points were. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had been tied for second this morning, Hufflepuff in first. Now, Hufflepuff had dropped to second, Ravenclaw in first, and Gryffindor in third.

"Noticed, have you?" Fred's voice said. We all looked over at him.

"Malfoy just docked us all about fifty points!" Harry said furiously.

"Yeah, Montague tried to do us during break." George said.

"What do you mean, 'tried'?" Ron asked quickly.

"He never managed to get all the words out due to the fact that we forced him headfirst into that Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor." Fred said and I laughed.

"But you'll get into terrible trouble!" Hermione gasped.

"Not until Montague reappears, and that could take weeks, I dunno where we sent him. . ." Fred said coolly. "Anyway. . . we've decided we don't care about getting into trouble anymore."

"Have you ever?" I asked with a grin.

"Course we have." George said. "Never been expelled, have we?"

"Good point." I muttered.

"We've always known where to draw the line." Fred agreed.

"We might have put a toe across it occasionally." George corrected.

"But we've always stopped short of causing real mayhem." Fred continued.

"But now?" Ron asked.

"Well now-" George said.

"- what with Dumbledore gone-" Fred continued.

"-we reckon a bit of mayhem-"

"- is exactly what our dear new Head deserves."

"You mustn't! You really mustn't! She'd love a reason to expel you." Hermione whispered, looking around.

"You don't get it, Hermione, do you? We don't care about staying anymore. We'd walk out right now if we weren't determined to do our bit for Dumbledore first. So anyway, phase one is about to begin. I'd get in the Great Hall for lunch if I were you, that way the teachers will see you can't have had anything to do with it." Fred said, smiling around at all of us.

"Anything to do with what?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"You'll see, run along now." George said.

He and Fred turned to walk away. I hesitated and then ran after them and called, "Fred!"

Fred turned and I said, "It's going to go great!"

Then I turned and ran back into the Great Hall. I sat down at the Gryffindor table and to my surprise, Susan and Hannah sat down with us. I saw Filch was taking Harry with him. "Where's Ernie?" I asked.

"He went to the library to do transfiguration homework." Susan said. "I think he wants to be as far away from whatever the Weasley twins are going to do."

"What are they going to do?" Hermione asked nervously.

I grinned mischievously. "Why would I spoil the surprise?"

We quickly bolted down lunch and then, there was a large BOOM. Many students in the Great Hall looked around but Hermione, Ron, Susan, Hannah, and I all jumped to our feet and sprinted out the door. I led them to the first floor and we stared in amazement. It was much better than the visions.

There were Dragons that were made up of green-and-gold sparks, flying up and down the corridors emitting fiery blasts. There were pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameters, whizzing around the corridors like saw blades. Rockets were bouncing off walls and sparklers were writing swearwords in midair. Firecrackers were sounding like mine explosions. Every so often, a firework raced after a student and they would run, screaming their heads off.

Umbridge showed up a moment later along with Filch and then Harry appeared behind her too. There were a handful of students that were observing the fireworks and I noted that some of them were escaping out into the rest of the rest of the school.

"Hurry, Filch, hurry! They'll be all over the school unless we do something- Stupefy!" Umbridge shouted as the dragons started down the door she'd just come through.

A jet of red light shot toward a firework which exploded with a much larger force, shaking dust from the ceiling.

"Don't stun them, Filch!" Umbridge shouted angrily as though Filch was the one who'd made the suggestion.

"Right you are, Headmistress!" Filch said and grabbed a broom to swat at them. The broom head caught on fire. Ron was roaring with laughter and even Hermione looked pleased.

"Try vanishing them!" I shouted towards Umbridge and then ducked behind a column. I supposed she tried just that because the fireworks suddenly multiplied by ten. "Come on." I said to the others. "We're going to be late for class."

We hurried away to our separate classes. We rushed into potions, nearly two minutes late. Professor Snape looked up as did the other students.

I sat down in my seat. Suddenly however, a bunch of firecrackers came hopping into the room, exploding. The students looked at Professor Snape, wondering how'd he react and also trying to keep their eyes on the firecrackers so they didn't explode near them.

"Right!" Professor Snape shouted over the bangs, "Firecrackers and Potions don't mix. Class dismissed."

The entire class rushed from the room as a firecracker exploded against a cauldron. I dove to the floor so that I didn't get in the way of the explosion. I felt Severus hands helping me to my feet and dragging me over to where his office was.

"And now-" He said, hungrily against my throat. "We have about an hour and a half together."

"Good." I murmured as he started unbuttoning the front of my shirt, his mouth moving from my lips to my neck. We didn't even make it to the bed.

Umbridge spent the entire day, running around to the summons of the other teachers who didn't seem to be able to get rid of the fireworks alone. And considering the fireworks were making such a distraction, it was hilarious that none of the teachers seemed to care about them.

Professor McGonagall for instance watched a dragon firework fly around her classroom and then said sardonically, "Dear, dear. Miss Brown, would you mind running along to the headmistress and informing her that we have an escaped firework in our classroom?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I were walking up to Gryffindor Tower when we watched a tottering, sweaty-faced Professor Umbridge come out of Professor Flitwick's office.

"Thank you so much, Professor! I could have gotten rid of the sparklers myself, of course, but I wasn't sure whether I had the authority..." he said in his squeaky voice, and beaming, he slammed the door in her face. We quickly hurried passed her and then burst into laughter as we neared the portrait.

I congratulated Fred and George on their fireworks and wrote my name down on an order sheet and gave them 20 galleons for my order. I knew one day I was going to use it and it would be worth it.

Since I knew Umbridge was going to be exhausted from the long day, I headed back to Severus' office. He was already laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling and he smiled warmly when he saw me. "Couldn't get enough this afternoon?" He asked, jokingly.

I blushed, locking the door behind me on instinct. "I just wanted to spend the night with you." I climbed into bed and he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

I was dreaming about walking down a corridor, a plain black door at the end. I reached the door, opening it and stepped inside. I was now in a circular room lined with doors and I walked towards the one in front of me. It opened too. I was in a long, rectangular room full of an odd, mechanical clicking and there were dancing lights on the walls. There was another door at the end of this room too.

"Wake up!" A worried voice said. I bolted straight up. Severus had shaken me awake again. I felt pale and clammy and my clothes were sticking to me.

I gasped for breath and swung my legs out of the bed, standing up. I felt disgusting and I needed a shower.

"Are you alright?" He asked, still sitting on the bed.

"No." I protested, my cheeks going red. "I feel disgusting. I need to go take a shower."

He sighed, pulling me into his arms again. "The shower can wait for a few more hours."

"What time is it?" I asked, looking around for a clock.

"3:43." He whispered.

"At least let me change clothes." I mumbled back. "I feel disgusting in these sweaty clothes."

He let me up and I tore them off, still feeling clammy and sweaty. How embarrassing! It was just my luck that it had happened tonight! Severus was tapping the bed with his wand and then stood up, coming over to me and tapped me with his wand too. I immediately felt better, much cooler.

"You don't need clothes." He whispered and I laid back down in the bed. The sheets and comforter were much, much cooler. It felt so much better and I laid my head on his chest like a pillow.

"Thank you." I mumbled, holding myself to him for comfort. One of his hands wrapped around my waist, holding me to him.

"Anything for you." he said softly, stroking my hair and that was the last thing that I felt.

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝕴 𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙 back the next night, he was absolutely livid. His face was white, his lips pulled back thin as Professor McGonagall's. I froze. "Er-" I racked my brain and then realized that Harry would have been here tonight. What had happened?

I tried to concentrate on the future and then found what I was looking for. So, tonight Harry had gone into the pensieve. Oh dear. I looked further into the memory and was able to see what he had seen. It was a memory of Snape as a boy. And Wormtail and Sirius were there too. Sirius was extremely handsome. Lupin and Dad were there too. I watched the memory through Harry's eyes as James flipped Severus upside down. And mum had come too, yelling at James to let him down, asking what Severus had ever done to him. All because Sirius had said he was bored. And Dad- Lupin- just sitting there under the tree, reading a book. And Severus calling mum a Mud-blood.

"Elizabeth?"

I looked up at Severus. I didn't know how long I'd been standing in the doorway but I realized that there were tears falling from my eyes. I quickly wiped them away, turning from him.

"Elizabeth, what's wrong?" He asked, turning me back to face him.

"I- I saw what Harry saw." I said reluctantly, watching his face turn white again. "The scene by the lake with dad and mum and Lupin. . . I. . . you were always right. . . dad was always arrogant. . ."

I felt horrible and I wished I'd never looked into that future bit. I sat down in the chair, looking at the floor. "And then Lupin was just sitting there. . . doing nothing. . . and I. . ."

Severus didn't say or do anything. He just watched me struggle, trying to accept the reality that my parents weren't. . . mum had been decent. How could dad have just sat there though? How could James have done that, just because Sirius was bored?

Finally, Severus sighed and then said, "That wasn't the only memory he saw."

I looked up, frowning, wiping the tears away. "But that was the only one-"

"Because he saw a memory about me and you." Severus said reluctantly now.

I froze. "Oh no."

Severus still looked extremely angry. "He didn't see much of it. . . though. . ."

I put my face in my hands. I'd been hoping for a nice night and now. . . well who knew what was going to happen now. "I'm gonna. . . I'm gonna go to bed, I think." I said weakly, standing up. Severus grabbed my arm.

"I'm sorry." he pleaded. "I don't want you to be-"

"I'm not mad at you or anything." I said softly, touching his hand. "I just. . . I didn't want you to be right about my dad. . . that's all. . . and I think I need to be alone to cope with that fact. . ."

I turned around and I walked back out of the room, leaving him behind, and headed to the Hufflepuff common room. I laid down on my bed for a long time, thinking.

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

𝕴 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖔 talk to Harry. I wanted to converse about our parents and I couldn't. Every time I opened my mouth to tell him I was his sister, my throat closed up and I ended up saying something else. So I assumed now wasn't the right time to tell him.

Harry and I did, however, talk about the second vision- the one of Severus and me.

"He wouldn't tell me what you saw." I said, partially honest. "What'd you see?"

"Er- you two were just kissing really. I mean, it was weird to watch, obviously. It was at Grimmauld place." Harry said awkwardly.

I was much relieved to hear this. "Sorry you had to see that." I muttered. Then we looked at each other and burst out laughing.

But he was distracted too. I knew he was thinking about the other vision too. I overheard him muttering to himself the words, ". . .force her to marry him?"

I hated the idea that Dad might've forced mum to marry him. I didn't think that was it but at the same time. . .

But I had the memory from the dementors. Lily had been scared that James was going to die. So something must've happened so that they fell in love, right? And Severus had called her a Mudblood even though he loved her. . .

I groaned, slamming my head down on my book.

"You alright Eliza?" Ginny asked. I looked up, not having noticed her at first.

"No." I muttered.

"Harry, I'm talking to you, can you hear me?" Ginny asked, snapping her fingers under Harry's nose. Harry was sitting next to me? I'd definitely been lost in thought.

"Huh? Oh, hi."

"A package just arrived, it's only just got through Umbridge's new screening process. . ." Ginny said. She hoisted a brown box up on the table. A red note was scribbled across the top that said INSPECTED AND PASSED BY THE HOGWARTS HIGH INQUISTOR. "It's Easter eggs from Mum. There's one for you. . . there you go. . ." Ginny said, handing him a chocolate egg decorated with small iced snitches. She handed me over a milk chocolate egg with iced chicks on them. Apparently it contained sour gummy worms inside of it.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Harry said gruffly.

"You seem really down lately. You know, I'm sure if you just talked to Cho. . ." Ginny said.

"It's not Cho I want to talk to." Harry said and I nodded unconsciously.

"Who is it, then?" Ginny asked.

"I. . ."

"Dad." I whispered. "I want to talk to dad."

"Sirius." Harry said, putting a piece of chocolate in his mouth. I put a piece in my mouth too and felt better. Dad was right, chocolate was a healing agent.

"Well, If you really want to talk to Sirius, I expect we could think of a way to do it. . ." Ginny said.

"Come on, with Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?" Harry asked dully.

"The thing about growing up with Fred and George, is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve." Ginny said.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" An angry voice shouted.

"Oh damn, I forgot." Ginny said, jumping to her feet. I shoved my things into my bag as Madam Pince swooped down on us.

"Chocolate in the library! Out- out- OUT!" Madam Pince said, wiping out her wand and making Harry's things chase us out of the library, hitting us over the head as we ran.

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

𝕬 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖕𝖑𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖞𝖘 before Easter holiday ended, there were pamphlets and brochures that describe all the different possible jobs that could be done outside of Hogwarts. I briefly wondered why they didn't show these to us when we were choosing our classes in second-year because there were certain careers that required certain classes and if you hadn't signed up for the class before third-year. . . tough luck to you.

There was a notice on the board that read:

CAREER ADVICE All fifth years will be required to attend a short meeting with their Head of House during the first week of the Summer term, in which they will be given the opportunity to discuss their future careers. Times of individual appointments are listed below.

I looked and found myself in the middle of the list. I was supposed to meet Professor Sprout in her greenhouse office at 11:20 on Monday. This meant I would be missing Care of Magical Creatures but at this point, I was okay with not seeing Umbridge for a little bit.

"Well, I don't fancy healing." Ron said, perusing through the brochures. "It says here you need at least an E at N.E.W.T. level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. I mean. . . blimey. . . Don't want much, do they?"

"Well, it's a very responsible job, isn't it?" Hermione asked. "You don't seem to need many qualifications to liaise with Muggles. . . All they want is an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies 'Much more important is your enthusiasm, patience, and a good sense of fun!'" She read from one of her brochures.

"You'd need more than a good sense of fun to liaise with my uncle. Good sense of when to duck, more like. . . Listen to this." Harry said, "'Are you seeking a challenging career involving travel, adventure, and substantial, danger-related treasure bonuses? Then consider a position with Gringotts Wizarding Bank, who are currently recruiting Curse-Breakers for thrilling opportunities abroad. . .' They want Arithmancy though. . . you could do it, Hermione!"

"I don't much fancy banking." Hermione said.

"Hey" A quiet voice hissed. "Ginny's had a word with us about you. She says you need to talk to Sirius?"

It was Fred and George. George, keeping a lookout and Fred talking.

"What?" Hermione asked sharply.

"Yeah. . . yeah, I thought I'd like-" Harry said casually.

"Don't be so ridiculous." Hermione said and I avoided her eyes. "With Umbridge groping around in the fires and frisking all the owls?"

"Well, we think we can find a way around that. It's a simple matter of causing a diversion. Now, you might have noticed that we have been rather quiet on the mayhem front during the Easter holidays?" George asked.

"What was the point, we asked ourselves, of disrupting leisure time? No point at all, we answered ourselves." Fred continued and I giggled. "And of course, we'd have messed up people's studying too, which would be the very last thing we'd want to do." He nodded toward Hermione and put a hand on my shoulder.

"But it's business as usual from tomorrow. And if we're going to be causing a bit of uproar, why not do it so that Harry can have his chat with Sirius and Elizabeth with her dad?" Fred continued. I blushed, wishing he hadn't mentioned me.

"Yes, but still, even if you do cause a diversion, how is Harry supposed to talk to him?"

"Umbridge's office." I said promptly. "It'll be the only fire that isn't being watched."

"Are- you- insane?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.

"I don't think so." Harry said, shrugging his shoulders.

"And how are you going to get in there in the first place?" Hermione asked, looking between Harry and I.

"Sirius's knife." Harry said.

"Excuse me?"

"Christmas before last Sirius gave me a knife that'll open any lock. So even if she's bewitched the door so Alohomora won't work, which I bet she has-" I said.

"What do you think about this?" Hermione demanded to Ron.

"I dunno." Ron said, looking uncomfortable. "If Harry wants to do it, it's up to him, isn't it? And Eliza?"

"Spoken like a true friend and Weasley." Fred said, clapping Ron so hard on the back the pamphlets went flying off Ron's lap. "Right, then. We're thinking of doing it tomorrow, just after lessons, because it should cause maximum impact if everybody's corridors- Harry, Eliza, we'll set it off in the east wing somewhere, draw her right away from her own office- I reckon we should be able to guarantee you, what, twenty minutes?" Fred finished, looking at George.

"Easy." George said.

"What sort of diversion?" Ron asked curiously.

"You'll see, little bro. At least, you will if you trot along to Gregory the Smarmy's corridor round about five o'clock tomorrow." Fred said with a wink.

My stomach twisted as I watched them go and a sick feeling filled my stomach. But I wanted to talk to Dad, didn't I? I wanted to ask him why he didn't stop James from messing with Severus. . .

But before I had time for the real nerves to set in, I was sitting in front of Professor Sprout the next day in the greenhouse office. I'd never been in here before. It looked a lot like the Hufflepuff common room. It was round rather than square or rectangular shaped. There were plants hanging everywhere and dirt was on the floors. It was like a garden office.

In the corner was Professor Umbridge with her stupid little clipboard, but both Professor Sprout and I were determinedly ignoring her.

"Well Elizabeth," Professor Sprout said in a cheerful manner, "this meeting is to talk over any career ideas you possibly are thinking about and I'm here to help you decide subjects that you should continue with in her sixth and seventh years. Have you any ideas about what you want to do?"

"Well. . ." I said slowly. "I've had a couple. I'm trying to decided between becoming an Auror, a Healer, or. . . or um. . . an experimental potioneer."

Professor Sprout looked a bit surprised. "Really?"

"Well an Auror would be a great career considering the times we're in." I explained. "but I also love helping people which I could do as a Healer and. . . well ever since I was a little kid I wanted to make a cure for. . . for werewolf bites. I know it'll be difficult but I think I really could do it."

Professor Umbridge made a very small cough and we both ignored her. Professor Sprout smiled, "I think those are all wonderful career options. Now, let's go through the careers one by one, we'll start with Auror. It is a difficult career path, of course, because you'll have to study once you leave school as well. I don't see that being a problem for you at all though."

Professor Umbridge coughed a little louder and Professor Sprout raised her voice a bit. "Of course, you'll need to take most of the main courses like Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Potions, and Charms-"

"Not Herbology?" I asked.

"No." She said, shaking her head. "It's an option, of course, but not a necessary one. However, if we move on to healing-"

Professor Umbridge coughed very loudly and Professor Sprout turned to her and said, "Are you quite alright Professor?"

"Oh yes, but I just wanted to inquire if you believe that Miss Kane here has the right er. . . temperament for becoming an Auror?"

"Oh yes." Professor Sprout said, nodding and still smiling. "Miss Kane is a sweet girl, very brave, extremely smart. No doubts at all that she will succeed no matter what career she goes into. Now," she turned back to me, "You'll have to take Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Charms for Healing. After all, it's an incredibly important job- one that should not be taken lightly as there can be consequences for inept healers."

"Like the healer who was supposed to be taking care of Bode." I said, nodding.

"Exactly. Now with the experimental potioneering, that's not really an official-" Professor Sprout was interrupted by an extremely loud cough. Her smile flickered, becoming extremely annoyed and said, "yes?"

"Well, experimental potioneering is a very dangerous job and I don't believe that Miss Kane here will be employed by the Ministry for the job."

I gritted my teeth. "I'm trying to create a cure for werewolves, of course they'll employ me."

"The Minister certainly will not." Professor Umbridge said, smiling.

"Well!" I said hotly. "Fudge isn't going to be Minister anymore by the end of the year."

Professor Umbridge jumped to her feet, "I knew it! I knew Dumbledore-"

"Dumbledore isn't going to be Minister either." I said bitingly. "Granted, the next Minister is going to be a bit better but nothing like Dumbledore."

Professor Umbridge looked a bit unnerved and Professor Sprout quickly claimed my attention back, "I think a cure for werewolves in a wonderful idea." She said sweetly. Professor Sprout's sweet voice was so much different from Professor Umbridge. "It'll give so many people their lives back. Do you have any questions?"

I shook my head, "I don't think so."

"Alright then. You may go back to class." Professor Sprout said, marking something down on a piece of parchment and stacking it onto of a small pile on her desk.

I stood up and left the room without looking back. Stupid Professor Umbridge.

I wanted to hear Harry's interview with Professor McGonagall and knew that I'd have to be there sometime around half-past two. I went back to Care of Magical Creatures where we were still working on Knarls. Bloody boring.

I went up to the castle for lunch and then sat through charms. Potions was after that.

Severus held me back after Potions though and I felt my anxiety increase. "Look, are you mad at me?" He asked quietly as Hannah left the room.

I looked at him blankly, "Mad at you? Why would I be mad at you?"

"I don't know!" He said, sounding a bit exasperated. "You haven't been down once in nearly a week and a half though."

"Sorry." I whispered. "I've been busy- which isn't an excuse, I know. . . I thought you'd be er- mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?" He asked, bewildered.

"Well you were pissed at Harry. . ." I said quietly. "And I'm his sister and James was my dad and lily was my mum and. . ."

"Oh." Severus said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his robes. I wrapped my arms around him.

"I'll come back tonight, I promise." I got up on my tiptoes and kissed his lips. I turned to leave and found I couldn't.

He'd grabbed my tie and drew me back to him, pushing me down on the desk and kissing me fiercely. I forgot where I wanted to be at that moment and wrapped my arms around him. We heard footsteps outside the door and we pulled apart. I grabbed my bag and passed Draco on the way out.

I hurried to where Professor McGonagall's office was and listened outside the door.

"Yes." Harry was saying, "Defense Against the Darks Arts, I suppose?"

"Naturally." Professor McGonagall said in a crisp voice. "I would also advise-"

There was a cough and I knew that Umbridge was in the room too.

"I would also advise Transfiguration, because Aurors frequently need to Transfigure or Untransfigure in their work. And I ought to tell you now, Potter, that I do not accept students into my N.E.W.T. classes unless they have achieved 'Exceeds Expectations' or higher at Ordinary Wizarding Level. I'd say you're averaging 'Acceptable' at the moment, so you'll need to put in some good hard work before the exams to stand a chance of continuing. Then you ought to do Charms, always useful, and Potions. Yes, Potter, potions. Poisons and antidotes are essential study for Aurors. And I must tell you that Professor Snape absolutely refuses to take students who get anything other than 'Outstanding' in their O.W.L.s, so-"

Professor Umbridge coughed even louder.

"May I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?" Professor McGonagall asked curtly. I grinned, only able to imagine the look on her face.

"Oh no, thank you very much. I just wondered whether I could make the teensiest interruption, Minerva?" Professor Umbridge's voice was farthest from the door.

"I daresay you'll find you can." Professor McGonagall said through what sounded like gritted teeth.

"I was just wondering whether Mr. Potter has quite the temperament for an Auror?" She asked sweetly the way that she had in Professor Sprout's office a couple hours ago. I wondered if she was only sitting in mine and Harry's interviews.

"Were you? Well, Potter, if you are serious in this ambition, I would advise you to concentrate hard on bringing your Transfiguration and Potions up to scratch. I see Professor Flitwick has graded you between 'Acceptable' and 'Exceeds Expectations' for the last two years, so your Charms work seems satisfactory; as for Defense Against the Dark Arts, your marks have been generally high, Professor Lupin in particular thought you- are you quite sure you wouldn't like a cough drop, Dolores?"

Susan and Ernie came over. "What are you doing?" Susan mouthed. I put a finger to my lips, still listening. I was joyful too- Professor McGonagall had mentioned dad. I loved hearing people talk about dad- for good, of course

"Oh, no need, thank you, Minerva. I was just concerned that you might not have Harry's most recent Defense Against the Dark Arts marks in front of you. I'm quire sure I slipped in a note. . ."

"What, this thing?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply and Susan, Ernie, and I heard the sound of parchment rustling. "Yes, as I was saying, Potter, Professor Lupin thought you showed a pronounced aptitude for the subject, and obviously for an Auror-"

"Did you not understand my note, Minerva?" Professor Umbridge interrupted, forgetting to cough.

"Of course I understood it." Professor McGonagall's sounded muffled as though her teeth were glued together.

"Well, then, I am confused. . . I'm afraid I don't quite understand how you can give Mr. Potter false hope that-"

"False hope? He has achieved high marks in all his Defense Against the Dark Arts tests-"

"I'm terribly sorry to have to contradict you, Minerva, but as you will see from my note, Harry has been achieving very poor results in his classes with me-" Professor Umbridge interrupted.

"I should have made my meaning plainer. He has achieved high marks in all Defense Against the Dark Arts tests set by a competent teacher." Professor McGonagall said coldly.

Ernie and Susan dropped their mouths in shock and I grinned broadly. We all looked at each other.

"A werewolf is not a competent teacher!" Professor Umbridge said angrily.

"Well Professor Lupin was the most competent teacher that we ever had for the class so I must contradict you. Any questions, Potter?"

"Yes. What sort of character and aptitude tests do the Ministry do on you, if you get enough N.E.W.T.s?" Harry asked, sounding as though he was trying not to laugh.

"Well, you'll need to demonstrate the ability to react well to pressure and so forth, perseverance and dedication, because Auror training takes a further three years, not to mention very high skills in practical defense. It will mean a lot more study even after you've left school, so unless you're prepared to-" Professor McGonagall answered his question.

'I think you'll also find that the Ministry looks into the records of those applying to the Aurors. Their criminal records." Professor Umbridge said in a cold voice. Susan shook her head.

"-unless you're prepared to take even more exams after Hogwarts, you should really look at another-"

"-which means that this boy has as much chance of becoming an Auror as Dumbledore has of ever returning to this school!"

"A very good chance, then." Professor McGonagall said.

"Potter has a criminal record!" Professor Umbridge practically shouted.

"Potter has been cleared of all charges!" Professor McGonagall said even louder than the Umbitch.

"Potter has no chance, whatsoever, of becoming an Auror!"

"Potter." Professor McGonagall said in a ringing tone. "I will assist you to become an Auror if it is the last thing I do! If I have to coach you nightly I will make sure you achieve the required results!"

Susan, Ernie, and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows and shocked expressions.

"The Minister of Magic will never employ Harry Potter!" Umbridge said in a trembling voice.

"There may well be a new Minister of Magic by the time Potter is ready to join!" Professor McGonagall shouted so loudly, students passing by looked at us curiously.

"Aha! Yes! yes, yes, yes!" Professor Umbridge shouted and I motioned to Susan and Ernie that it was time to leave.

"Wow." Susan said in a shocked voice. "I would never have thought Professor McGonagall would say things like that."

"My Dad was a good teacher, wasn't he?" I asked, pleased, still basking in that memory.

"Professor Lupin was the best." Ernie assured me.

Harry bolted out of the office at that moment, rushing to whatever class he was supposed to be going to. Professor McGonagall and Professor Umbridge were now yelling at each other, the door still open. Students started to look up as they passed, some of them slowing to listen in.

"Let's get out of here." I muttered to them and we hurried off the library.

I finished up a majority of my homework and then said good-bye to Susan and Ernie and made my way stealthily to Umbridge's office. I waited around a corner until I heard footsteps and saw Harry. He threw the Invisibility cloak over us and unlocked the office door and we hurried inside.

Harry pulled off the cloak, grabbing floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place." Harry said loudly. We both stuck our heads in at the same time. I'd never done this before. There was the familiar spinning sensation and then I was seeing the kitchen.

Dad was sitting at the table, bent over a piece of parchment.

"Sirius?" Harry asked.

Dad jumped and looked around. "Harry! Elizabeth! What are you- what's happened, is everything all right?"

"Yeah. I just wondered- I mean, I just fancied a- a chat with Sirius." Harry said awkwardly. I was looking down at the kitchen floor, unable to look dad in the face.

"I'll call him. He went upstairs to look for Kreacher, he seems to be hiding in the attic again. . ." Dad hurried from the room.

"He must've gone to the Malfoy manor." I muttered. "Sirius keeps telling him to get out."

"This is painful." Harry muttered and I knew what he was talking about. My knees were starting to seize up. Dad returned moments later, Sirius at his heels.

"What is it?" Sirius asked and I thought of how handsome he was and looked back down at the kitchen floor. "Are you all right? Do you need help?"

"No, it's nothing like that. . . I just wanted to talk. . . about my dad. . ." Harry said. He immediately launched into the story about Severus' pensive and what he saw inside of it- not talking about my part of course.

"I wouldn't want you to judge your father on what you saw there, Harry." Dad said and somehow, I knew he was including himself in that. "He was only fifteen-"

"I'm fifteen!" Harry and I said together in heated voices.

"Look, Harry. James and Snape hated each other from the moment they set eyes on each other, it was just one of those things, you can understand that, can't you? I think James was everything Severus wanted to be- he was popular, he was good at Quidditch, good at pretty much everything. And Snape was just this little oddball who was up to his eyes in the Dark Arts and James- whatever else he may have appeared to you, Harry- always hated the Dark Arts." Sirius said.

I gritted my teeth but said nothing.

"Yeah, but he just attacked Snape for no good reason, just because-"

"Because you said you were bored." I said, attempting to sound sorry for accusing Sirius but wasn't entirely capable of doing it. My voice was to tense, to angry, and both Dad and Sirius flinched slightly.

"I'm not proud of it." Sirius said quickly and I snorted.

"Look, Harry, what you've got to understand is that your father and Sirius were the best in the school at whatever they did- everyone thought they were the height of cool- if they sometimes got a bit carried away-" Dad said.

"If we were sometimes arrogant little berks, you mean." Sirius said.

Dad smiled.

"He kept messing up his hair." Harry said, sounding pained. Both dad and Sirius laughed.

"I'd forgotten he used to do that." Sirius said affectionately.

"Was he playing with the snitch?" Dad asked in an eager voice. I felt like I'd faded into the background but said nothing. Dad's attention didn't have to be on me 24-7 and James had been his friend too.

"Yeah. Well. . . I thought he was a bit of an idiot." Harry said, sounding like he couldn't comprehend why Sirius and Dad looked so reminiscent.

"Of course he was a bit of an idiot! We were all idiots! Well- not Moony so much, that's where Eilís gets her brains too."

Dad shook his head. "Did I ever tell you to lay off Snape? Did I ever have the guts to tell you I thought you were out of order?"

So dad hadn't stopped James because he believed he wasn't brave enough. I supposed that made sense. If Harry had done the same to Malfoy. . . would I have told Harry to lay off? Of course, Draco's dad had also tried kidnapping me so that was a bit of a different story. Ron wouldn't have said anything either- but Hermione. . .

"Yeah, well, you made us feel ashamed of ourselves sometimes. . . That was something. . ." Sirius said.

So dad had rebuked them, just not in Snape's memory. I felt properly ashamed of judging dad so harshly and I felt tears sting my eyes.

"And, he kept looking over at the girls by the lake, hoping they were watching him!" Harry exclaimed.

"Oh, well, he always made a fool of himself whenever Lily was around. He couldn't stop himself showing off whenever he got near her."

"How come she married him?" Harry asked in a miserable voice. "She hated him!"

"Nah, she didn't." Sirius said.

"She started going out with him in seventh year." Dad said.

"Once James had deflated his head a bit." Sirius said.

"And stopped hexing people just for the fun of it." Dad said.

"Even Snape?" Harry asked.

"Well, Snape was a special case. I mean, he never lost an opportunity to curse James, so you couldn't really expect James to take that lying down, could you?" Dad said in a very slow, cautious voice.

"And my mum was okay with that?" Harry asked and I snorted again.

"She didn't know too much about it, to tell you the truth. I mean, James didn't take Snape on dates with her and jinx him in front of her, did he?"

Harry looked unconvinced and I felt miserable. This talk wasn't helping at all, they were just defending their best friend.

"Look. Your father was the best friend I ever had, and he was a good person. A lot of people are idiots at the age of fifteen. He grew out of it." Sirius said.

"Yeah, okay. I just never thought I'd feel sorry for Snape." Harry said heavily.

"Now you mention it, how did Snape react when he found you'd seen all this?" Dad asked, frowning.

"He was so angry when I went to see him the same night." I whispered, "I'd never seen him so angry before."

Sirius face contorted.

"He told me he'd never teach me Occlumency again, like that's a big disappoint-" Harry said indifferently.

"He WHAT?" Sirius shouted and I jumped, smacked my head against the fireplace, and then inhaled ashes. I coughed spasmodically, tears in my eyes and then pulled my head out of the fireplace to find some water. I could hear Harry making noises in the fireplace but not the full context of words.

Once I'd drank a bit of water, I stuck my head back in.

"Harry, there is nothing so important as you learning Occlumency! Do you understand me? Nothing?" Dad asked sternly.

"Okay, okay." Harry said.

"Harry, Filch is coming." I said, my eyes half glazed over, "He just got an order to. . . to whip misbehaving students. . . oh that's just lovely."

"Stay out of detention Elizabeth." Dad said sternly.

"Yeah that's a bit difficult." I said and then pulled my head out to throw the Invisibility cloak over myself and Harry. I was still a bit annoyed with dad and was trying to push that feeling away.

We made it out of Umbridge's office, just as Filch came around the corner. We slipped past him and made our way to the Entrance hall. Harry threw the cloak off of us, tossing it into his bag.

Students were standing around the entrance hall just like the night of Professor Trelawney's sacking, some of them covered in some sort of substance. I could see ghosts and teachers scattered throughout the mix. Peeves was floating up close to the ceiling and Fred and George were standing in the middle, looking exceptionally pleased with themselves.

"So!" Umbridge said triumphantly. "So. . . you think it amused to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"

"Pretty amusing, yeah." Fred said, catching my eye and winking.

'I've got the form, Headmistress !" Filch said, nearly crying with happiness and rushing towards Umbridge. 'I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting. . . Oh, let me do it now. . ."

"Very good, Argus. You two, are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."

"You know what?" Fred asked. "I don't think we are. George, I think we've outgrown full-time education."

"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself." George said lightly.

"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" Fred said.

"Definitely." George said and as one, they lifted their wands and said "Accio Brooms!"

There was a crashing sound and Harry and I ducked along with a few other students as Fred and George's brooms- having broken through Umbridge's door the iron pegs and chain still attached- came hurtling towards them.

"We won't be seeing you." Fred said, swinging his leg over his broomstick. I grinned at him, catching his eye again, blowing him a kiss, and winking.

"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch." George said.

Fred looked around and then said. "If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley- Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Our new premises!"

"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat." George said, pointing at Umbridge.

"STOP THEM!" Umbridge screamed.

"Give her hell from us, Peeves." Fred said and Peeves swept his hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George flew out of the Entrance Hall.

Students ran out of the castle and down onto the lawn to watch them fly far away into the sunset.

⬅️➡️

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bush-viper-cutie · 3 years

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“No One Listens” || YEAR 3 – Ch.40 (HP au)

Chapter List

<-- Last Chapter Next Chapter -->

Day posted: 2/6/2021

Word count: 2,888

Relationship: EVENTUAL severus X oc (slow burn)

Rating: E for everyone

Warnings: none

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A/N: This is my first fan fic I’m writing mainly as a way to practice. This is a retelling of the hp books with an inserted character. Although most every character will be written about, this is mostly for the pro snape fandom. Please do not fear, although this is a severus x oc story, it is an incredibly slow burn as I do not intend for them to get together at all until after the final book events. Chapters will be posted twice a week.

This derivative work follows the events of the Harry Potter books by Jk Rowling and is intended as a fun way to practice my writing. Thank you for reading :D

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Heather and Hermione followed Madam Pomfrey as she moved Harry into a bed next to Ron. He looked pale and there were beads of sweat trickling down his temples.

“When will he wake up?” Hermione asked.

Madam Pomfrey placed a cold towel on his forehead and sighed. “Soon I suspect. How many where there?”

“Dozens, maybe hundreds… or more…” Heather tried to count all the misty cloaks in her memory but they all morphed into one nightmare-ish cloud of anguish and torment.

“Oh dear.” Madam Pomfrey shook her head and moved onto Ron again.

Heather and Hermione sat on the chairs by Harry’s bed and waited for something to happen. Hermione seemed to be waiting for Harry and Ron to wake up, but now that Harry was safe under Madam Pomfrey’s care, Heather waited for Professor Dumbledore to show up like he always did after these events.

She would settle everything with Professor Dumbledore as soon as he arrived and save Sirius, their only chance at a better home. She and Hermione would tell him everything that happened and their reputations as good students should at least warrant an investigation into it all.

“Shocking business…” a grim voice sounded from outside the hospital wing, just barely audible enough in the quiet chamber. “Shocking…”

Heather turned and strained her hearing.

“Miracle none of them died…”

Heather turned to Hermione and whispered, “I think that’s Fudge.”

Hermione nodded. “Is he alone?”

The voice was growing louder. He must be walking down the hall towards them! Heather moved to stand at the foot of Harry’s bed, ready to face the Minister of Magic with the unbelievable truth they’d all learned tonight.

“Never heard the like… by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…”

“Thank you, Minister,” Snape said courtly.

Heather’s courage began to diminish. If Professor Snape was the one he was conversing with, then her reputation as a good student would surely be ruined if he mentioned her attack on him to Cornelius Fudge. She wondered if it was possible for her school file to transfer to a ministry file. Would her future employers be able to open up a file and know all the reasons for her detentions? Maybe she should hide again…

“Order of Merlin, Second Class, I’d say. First Class, if I can wrangle it!”

“Thank you very much indeed, Minister.” Professor Snape had never sounded more kindly.

Heather and Hermione exchanged wide-eyed looks. Although Professor Snape had done nothing for uncovering Peter Pettigrew and his whereabouts or listened to Sirius plead his innocence OR saved them all from Professor Lupin’s werewolf attack… She supposed she could look the other way, considering Harry was safe in bed next to her and not at the mercy of hundred or more soul-thirsty dementors.

“Nasty cut you’ve got there… Black’s work, I suppose?”

Her courage drained completely.

“As a matter of fact, it was the Potters.” He now sounded right on the other side of the hospital doors.

Furdge gasped. “You don’t say! Why, I wouldn’t have thought Harry to be the kind to – ”

“Black had them bewitched. I recognized it immediately. A Confundus Charm on each one, Weasley and Granger included, judging by their behavior. They seemed to believe there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren’t responsible for their actions… However, their interference might have led to more serious consequences had I not regained my consciousness in time. I believe they thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. Had their previous bad behavior not been excused, I’m sure they wouldn’t have even attempted it. They’ve gotten away with a great deal before now… I’m afraid it’s given them a rather high opinion of themselves… And of course the Potters have always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the Headmaster – I can hardly manage the girl with the boy being permitted just about anything.”

Heather closed her gaping mouth and crossed her arms. ‘Manage’? Her frown was as deep as Hermione’s. How were they to convince him if Professor Snape was going around saying they had been Confunded!

“Ah, well, Snape…. You know how it is, with Harry Potter and of course his sister… We’ve all got a bit of a blind spot where they’re concerned.”

“And yet – is it good for them to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try to treat them like any other student. And any other student would be suspended – at the very least – for leading their friends into such dangers. Consider, Minister… against all school rules set in place for them, after all the precautions the Ministry put in place for them, they found themselves out-of-bounds, after hours, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer – and I have reason to believe they’ve been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too – ”

“Yes, yes, well… We shall see. We shall see… They have been undoubtedly foolish – ”

“Foolish. Half-witted. Irresponsible. Imprudent – ”

“They are children after all – say, you’ve really no idea what made all the dementors retreat?”

“No, Minister… By the time I had come ‘round, they were all heading back to their positions at the entrances.”

“Oh dear… Their behavior both amazes me and frightens – to be perfectly honest. You don’t think Black had commanded them in any way before he fell to their effects?”

“Trust me, Minister, Black hasn’t the skill or capacity for the knowledge. He is merely a dangerous murderer through sheer excitement for chaos and his atrocious disregard for lives. Potter is lucky to be alive. If the dementors hadn’t exhausted Black half to death – ”

Heather jumped. Was Sirius really half dead? But he wasn’t being treated in the hospital wing… Hermione looked to her with concern. She hoped Professor Snape would leave already so they could have the Minister’s ears to themselves.

“I am sure this night would have ended quite differently,” Professor Snape finished.

“Ah, you’re awake!”

Heather turned to Madam Pomfrey and saw her looking down at Harry. She was carrying the largest brick of chocolate she’d ever seen.

She took out a little wooden mallet from her nurse’s apron pocket and began crushing it on Harry’s bedside table. “Belgian dark chocolate, only used for emergencies. And don’t mind the cocoa solids if you find any, those’ll perk you right up – What do you think you’re doing, Mr. Potter?”

Harry sat up and slid his glasses up his nose. “How’s Ron?”

“He’ll live – Just one moment, Potter – ” She tried to push him back into bed but he wiggled out before she could.

“We need to see the Headmaster,” Harry said hoarsely.

“Fudge is right outside,” Heather told him. “When he comes in here we can, but first – hey!”

“Good then let’s go tell him right now.” Harry pushed passed Hermione and Heather and headed for the door.

“Potter,” Madam Pomfrey said as soothingly as possible. She had come around the bed and planted herself in his way. “It’s all right. They’ve got Black. He’s likely already locked away upstairs. The dementors should be performing the kiss any moment – ”

“WHAT?” all three of them yelled.

Madam Pomfrey angrily sushed them. “Mr. Weasley is resting – as you should be, Mr. Potter.”

The hospital doors swung open and Professor Snape and Cornelius Fudge stepped in, having heard their exclamation. Fudge didn’t look very pleased, seeing Harry out of bed and trying to get around Madam Pomfrey.

“You should be in bed, Harry.” He turned to Madam Pomfrey, “Has he had any chocolate?”

“Excuse me, Minister, please,” Heather cut in before Madam Pomfrey could drag Harry away. “Please, its important – ”

“Sirius Black is innocent,” Harry began talking over Heather. “We saw Peter Pettigrew tonight! He faked his death – we can’t let the dementors do that thing to Sirius! He’s – ”

Hermione joined in the explanation. “He was Ron’s rat, Scabbers, of course we didn’t know that – he’s an animagus you see and – ”

Fudge was shaking his head and waving his hands around, trying to halt their talking. “Harry, children – Please, you’re all very confused. This dreadful night has been far too much, hasn’t it? Let’s get you back in bed, Harry. Madam Pomfrey, please. Don’t worry, we have everything under control, children – ”

“BUT YOU HAVEN’T!” Harry yelled. “YOU”VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!”

Heather clasped her hands together pleadingly, desperate. “It’s true, please believe us, he’s innocent and Peter Pettigrew is getting away – ”

Professor Snape approached from behind Fudge’s shoulder. “See, Minister?” he whispered. “Completely confunded… Black’s done quite the job on them all.”

“NONE OF US ARE CONFUNDED!” Harry roared, throwing his arms up angrily.

“Minister! Professor! This conversation is distressing my patients and I must insist that you both leave.” Madam Pomfrey now began motioning them both away. “Mr. Potter, Miss Granger – this way to bed, please.”

“No! I’m not distressed! I’m trying to tell them what happened if they’d just listen!” Harry said furiously but Madam Pomfrey had found the perfect opportunity at the last word and stuffed a chunk of dark chocolate in his mouth.

Madam Pomfrey pulled Harry by the arm and forced him into bed. She turned back around and pointed at the door. “Now, visiting hours are over, please, Minister.”

But before Madam Pomfrey could shoo them out, the door opened and Professor Dumbledore came in, spotting them immediately.

Heather ran up to him and walked by his side as he approached the group. “Professor! Peter Pettigrew is gone – and Sirius Black is – ”

He walked on, ignoring her completely without even a look her way. Her heart dropped. Everyone was ignoring them! An innocent man was about to die and not a single person in the room was willing to hear them out!

“Headmaster, I’m trying to deliver the proper care to these students. I must insist that everyone leave so that they may calm down – ”

“Of course, Poppy, my apologies. However I do need a word with the Potters and Miss Granger for just a moment.” Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry, “I’ve just been talking to Sirius Black – ”

Professor Snape scoffed in revulsion. “And is he still telling the same fairy tale he’s planted in their minds? Something about a rat and Pettigrew being alive – ”

“That very one,” said Professor Dumbledore, regarding Professor Snape closely over his half-moon glasses.

“And does my evidence count for nothing?” Professor Snape spat. “Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds.”

“That was because you were knocked out!” Heather said too quickly to rethink her words.

“And who’s fault was that!” he snarled.

“But it’s true,” Hermione began, sounding like she often did in class. “If you had only arrived in time to hear – ”

“Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!”

The Minister jumped at Professor Snape’s tone. “Now, Snape. They are clearly disturbed in the mind. After what happened, we must make allowances – ”

“I would like to speak to Harry, Heather, and Hermione alone,” Professor Dumbledore cut him off. “Cornelius, Severus, Poppy – Please leave us.”

“Albus! But they need rest and – ” Madam Pomfrey frowned at Professor Dumbledore’s polite smile and huffed. She marched off across the room and slammed her office door shut.

Fudge took out a large golden pocket watch from his waistcoat and consulted it. “The dementors should have arrived by now.” He looked out the window and shivered, turning back to Professor Dumbledore. “I’ll meet you upstairs.” He walked to the door and held it open for Professor Snape.

Professor Snape made no intention to leave and Fudge walked out, letting the door close on its own.

“You surely don’t believe a word of Black’s story?” Professor Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Professor Dumbledore’s half-lidded eyes.

“I wish to speak to Harry, Heather, and Hermione alone,” Professor Dumbledore repeated politely.

Professor Snape took a step closer. “Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen,” he breathed. “You haven’t forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven’t forgotten that he once tried to kill ME?”

“My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus,” Professor Dumbledore said quietly. He stared down at Professor Snape for several seconds until he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door louder than even Madam Pomfrey.

As soon as it turned quiet, the three of them began speaking at once.

“Sirius is telling the truth! We saw Peter Pettigrew escape – ”

“ – he’s an animagus and ran when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf and – ”

“ – a rat with only four fingers – ”

“ – is completely innocent and it’s really Pettigrew who – ”

Professor Dumbledore pressed his finger to his lips and they immediately stopped talking.

“You three must listen very closely, and there is no time for interruptions,” he said calmly. “It is your word – the word of three thirteen year olds who have already been accused of being confunded – and the word of a convicted criminal against the Minister’s and a member of my staff – a head of house no less – with no shred of proof to discredit the street full of eyewitness accounts who swear they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potter’s Secret-Keeper.”

“But Professor Lupin can – ” Hermione was cut off by Professor Dumbledore’s hand held up to stop her.

“Professor Lupin is currently running deep within the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will have been too late for Sirius. Even if Professor Lupin could give his account to the details of tonight it would count for very little. Werewolves are deeply mistrusted by most of our kind and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends – ”

Harry was shaking his head. “But – ”

“Listen to me, Harry. It is too late for explanations. By the time you get anyone to listen to you, Sirius will be worse than dead. Professor Snape’s version of events is far more convincing than any of yours.”

“He refuses to listen because he hates Sirius!” Hermione wiped the tears that had started running down her cheek. “That’s why he refused to listen in the shack. All because of some stupid trick that Sirius played on him YEARS AGO – ”

“Sirius’ actions this year have not helped his reputation. The attack on the Fat Lady, entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife, none of those are actions of an innocent man. We would need Pettigrew, alive or dead, to have any chance at overturning Sirius’ sentence.”

Heather frowned. “But if you believe us, Professor… Can’t you – ”

Professor Dumbledore shook his head. “I have no power to make these men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic.”

Heather’s lips began to tremble as she ran out of ideas. What could they do? Their word didn’t matter. Sirius’ word didn’t matter. Professor Lupin couldn’t give his word and even if he did it wouldn’t matter. In a matter of seconds Sirius could be given the kiss and not even Professor Dumbledore could save him. Do they just give up?

She hugged herself and squeezed tight, wishing she could go back in time and act more enthusiastic about possibly living with Sirius. She regretted feeling so cautious about him and not participating in their special moment in the tunnel, godfather and godchildren reunited. “So then, what can we do? What do we do?”

Professor Dumbledore’s tone changed and he spoke very slowly, “Sirius is locked in a prison cell inside Professor Flitwick’s office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. To save Sirius… we’ll need – ” His eyes moved to Hermione. “more time.”

Heather stared at Hermione intensely as she pieced together what Professor Dumbledore was saying.

“But – Oh!”

Professor Dumbledore smiled. “Keep in mind, you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law – and you know what’s at stake… Do – not – be – seen.” He turned on his heel and was already across the room by the time Harry had realized their conversation had ended.

“B-but what – I don’t – ” Harry sputtered.

Professor Dumbledore opened the door and looked at them over his shoulder. “I’m going to lock you in. It is – ” he pulled out a pocket watch and flipped it open, “five minutes to midnight. Three turns should do it. Good luck.”

He closed the door and a click echoed through the chamber. Harry whirled around and stared at Hermione with Heather – who was crossing her arms over her chest, still staring but with an added frown.

Hermione ignored them and pulled on a golden chain around her neck, pulling a little trinket out from under her sweater. “Come here, both of you, quick!”

Harry moved towards her and Heather was pulled into them before she could open her mouth to start her long string of complaints. Hermione threw the chain around the three of them.

“Ready?” Hermione didn’t look up at them for confirmation. She picked up the trinket – it was a tiny golden hourglass with sand that sparkled with the light – and began twisting.

Heather watched her closely. “And when were you going to tell us about – ”

At the third twist, the hospital chamber dissolved.

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#harry potter #heather potter #pro snape #severus snape x oc #severus x oc #snape x oc #severus snape x reader #severus x reader #snape x reader #snape fanfic #snape fanfiction #snape fan fiction #fanfic #fanfiction #fan fiction

20 notes · View notes

bbyx · 4 years

Text

ripple effect - part four

Summary: During her fourth year at Hogwarts, (y/n) Deauxville falls for none other than Cedric Diggory. But it's not easy when you have to deal with protecting your family's fortune, keeping your father's illness a secret and having two of your closest friends catch feelings for you.

Pairings : reader x cedric, reader x draco, reader x harry

"(y/n), my dad wants to know if you want to come over for the rest of the summer?" Ron asks, running after you as you near the portkey station.

"Really?"

You had heard all about the Burrow from your friends over the years. It sounded like a wonderful place. You had been friends with the so-called "golden trio" since your first year at Hogwarts but it was hard to really get close to them because of your different houses.. You were overcome with joy because this invitation meant that they enjoyed spending time with you as much as you did with them.

"Yeah, my dad agrees with us, you shouldn't spend your last two weeks of school alone in a big manor."

"I would love to!"

When (y/n) arrives at the Burrow, the first she notices is how cheerful and welcoming it looks in the dawn light. Then she notices a little woman with the signature ginger Weasley hair burst out of the front door and sprint towards Mr.Weasley.

"Oh Arthur- I've been so worried- so worried"

She then seizes the twins and gives them the tightest hug.

"Ouch! Mum, you're strangling us!"

The woman then goes on into a rant about how she shouted before they left and would never be able to forgive herself if anything happened. You couldn't help but smile at how wholesome the entire exchange was. Then the woman glances at you and is taken aback.

"Hi! Mrs.Weasley i'm (y/n) Deauxville, i've heard so-"

She cut you off excitedly.

" You're (f/n)'s daughter. Your father and I went to Hogwarts together. You look just like him with that hair! How is he these days?"

"He's alright. He's decided to take a couple years to travel around Europe and expand his business now that me and my brother are old enough to look after ourselves." You lie while flashing her an extra bright smile.

"Good for him! You know, your father was quite the charmer during his Hogwarts day, In fact he used to date my best friend at the time, Cassidy Blavatsky, and -"

She dove headfirst into a story about your father serenading a girl next to the black lake while she ushered you into the kitchen. Fred and George grab the newspaper from Mr. Weasley's hands. The group argues about a false article concerning the death eater attack published by Rita Skeeter.

"Blimey, Ron, looks like (y/n)'s stolen the love of your life." George says, staring at the paper, hiding a smile.

"Always knew those bulgarians had a thing for veelas." Fred comments, his eyes never leaving the newspaper. You yank it out of your twin's hands.

"The fuck are you talking about?"

Your eyes scan the paper until you find it. It's that picture that Rita Skeeter took of you and Krum shaking hands after the game. Below it reads:

HAS BULGARIAN QUIDDITCH STAR FALLEN FOR REAL ESTATE HEIRESS?

After his defeat last Sunday, Viktor Krum was spotted canoodling with millionaire (f/n) Deauxville's daughter. Witnesses say that they saw her trying to cheer the seeker up after Bulgaria's staggering loss . Miss Deauxville is currently in her fourth year at Hogwarts while Viktor Krum is in his last year at Durmstrang. The Daily Prophet has reached out but both of them have declined to comment on the matter. Could this be the wizarding world's new power couple? Stay tuned for more information.

"You've got to be kidding me! I'm going to fucking murder her!"

"Murder who?" Harry says as he grabs the paper from your clenched fists.

"Rita Skeeter. She's the one who wrote this bullshit article."

"That picture looks pretty real to me." Ron asks, eyebrows slightly raised. You glance at Harry and he looks hurt, you brush it off.

He's probably just tired.

"Yes, but all we did was shake hands after the game. Everyone was shaking hands with everyone and I was trying to get out of there and-"

Hermione cuts you off.

"You don't have to explain yourself (y/n), we believe you." You smile relieved.

"Mrs Weasley, Hedwig hasn't delivered any letters, has she?" Harry asked.

"No there hasn't been any post at all dear."

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other then at you. Ron grabs your hand.

"C'mon, let me give you the royal tour."

You head up with them but instead of showing you around they go straight into Ron's attic bedroom.

"What's up, Harry?" says Ron.

"There's something I haven't told you." He starts. "On Saturday morning, I woke up with my scar hurting again."

Ron and Hermione's faces contorted between expressions of terror, shock and worry.

"What scar? It's probably just infected or something." They look at you incredulously.

"Oh shit you mean like the scar!"

"It hurts whenever Harry is near You Know Who." Hermione says.

Ron looks dumbstruck. "But - he wasn't there, was he? You-Know-How? I mean - last time your scar kept hurting, he was at Hogwarts, wasn't he?

"I'm sure he wasn't in Privet drive" Harry said "But I was dreaming about him ... him and Peter - you know Wormtail. I can't remember all of it now, but they were plotting to kill ... someone."

Hermione and Ron looked horrified. You were very lost.

You Know Who? At Hogwarts? Worm tails? Are they high?

They kept talking, forgetting about you. You were lost in thought trying to piece what they had just said together. They said something about Professor Trelawney, a prediction, more about the worm tails and something about being serious. Hermione gasped and dropped Crookshanks. They all looked at you with worried expressions.

" I am being serious." You answer quickly. Ron almost dies trying to stifle his laugh.

"No not serious, Sirius, as in Sirius Black." He chokes back.

"Like the murderer?" You say, confused.

"He's not a murderer! He's my godfather." Harry says defensively.

"What are you talking about Harry?"

He sighs and looks at Hermione and Ron.

"I reckon we should tell her." Ron answers.

" Tell me what?"

Harry starts "Well,um, last year, you remember Profesor Lup-"

Hermione interrupts him. "No, Harry, you have to start from the very beginning."

For the next two hours, you sit barely saying a word as they recount their adventures from the past three years. When they finish, Harry slightly shakes your shoulder.

" You okay (y/n)?"

"Yeah, yes i'm okay it's just a lot to take in." You answer shakily.

"Yeah um sorry for dumping all that on you" Harry says looking straight into your eyes.

" No, I'm honored that you would trust me with all of this. But why? I mean why tell me?"

Ron and Hermione look away from your eyes while Harry blushes.

"No.. um no reason we just wanted to burden you with this information for the rest of your life." He stutters a little bit.

"C'mon Harry let's go play some Quidditch. We can do three on three, Bill and Charlie, Fred and George too. You can try out the Wronski Feint..."

"Ron! Harry doesn't want to play Quidditch! He's worried about Sirius and.. And" Hermione fumbles for words.

" Yeah, I want to play Quidditch!"

She rolls her eyes at him and mutters "Boys".

The last two weeks of summer spent at the Burrow were wonderful. You had grown so much closer to Harry, Ron and Hermione and were almost sad to go back to Hogwarts because it meant seeing them less. As Mrs.Weasley hugs you goodbye on the platform you hear Charlie and Bill mumble something about " it's gonna be an interesting year at Hogwarts".

You, Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed on the train and went hunting for an empty compartment.

Almost as soon as you sit down in your compartment do you hear a familiar snobby voice coming down the hallway.

"...Father considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts you know. He knows the Headmaster..."

The sound of Draco's voice made your blood boil. You were still angry with him about what he had said during the attack at the world cup.

Just then Neville and Seamus walked into your compartment.

"Did you two go to the World Cup?" Ron asks the boys.

Seamus nods and Neville sighs.

"Gran wouldn't let me get tickets."

Seamus pipes up "Hey (y/n) I heard you were dating Krum, think you could get me his autograph."

"Oh god I'd forgotten all about that. Seamus it's not true, just some gossip columnist having some fun."

Seamus looked deeply disappointed.

"We saw him right up close, as well," Ron said. "We were in the Top Box-"

"For the first and last time in your life, Weasley."

Draco slid into the doorway.

"Don't remember asking you to join us Malfoy" Harry said coolly.

"Not here for you Potter I want to speak to (y/n)" He looks at you with those icy grey eyes. " Why aren't you sitting with us? Why are you hanging around these-" He stops.

"What is that?" Draco points to Ron's second hand dress robes draped over Pigwidgeon's cage. He seizes it before Ron has a chance to put it away. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle start making fun of it while poor Ron turns beet red.

You tune it out trying to think of a simpler time when Draco wasn't such an asshole when he says something that catches your attention.

"So... going to enter, Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know... you'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won..."

"What are you talking about?" Snapped Ron.

"Are you going to enter?" Draco continued. " I suppose you will, Potter? Never miss a chance to show off, do you?"

"Either explain or go away, Malfoy." Said Hermione. A flash of delight swept across Draco's face.

"Don't tell me you don't know? You've got a father and a brother at the Ministry and you don't know? My father told me about it ages ago... heard it from Cornelius Fudge himself. But then maybe your father's too junior to know about it, they probably don't talk about important things in front of him. If you really want to know, just ask your dear friend (y/n)."

"Draco, leave." You say looking him straight in the face. His smirk slightly falters and he slides out the compartment. Ron breaks the glass in a fit of anger.

"What was he talking about (y/n)?" Hermione snaps.

" I have no clue, I swear."

"What about that deal with the minister? What did he want?" Harry asks you.

You tell them about the deal, about Fudge's strange words and the ridiculous price they paid. After that the ride was strangely silent. Hermione was reading, Harry was sleeping and Ron was still too furious to speak.

"I'm gonna go see Daphnee and Millicent." You whisper to Hermione.

"Allright, say hello to them for me."

You head down the hallway and hear the voice of the last person you want to see right now, Draco Malfoy. Without thinking, (y/n) throws herself into the nearest compartment and hits someone with her elbow. One of your brother's friends, Jeremy, you think his name is. Red liquid starts seeping out of his nose incredibly fast.

" Merlin! I am so so so sorry. Oh god, is it broken?"

"Ah if it isn't my famous little sister, breaking hearts and noses, I see?" Nick chuckles.

Of all the compartments in this goddamn train, I just had to jump into his.

There are six boys in there: Nick, the unfortunate Jeremy, two seven year Slytherin boys playing wizard chess, one Ravenclaw boy sleeping and Cedric Diggory.

"How's Krum doing, by the way?" One of the Slytherin boys asks, not looking up from his game.

"Bloody Hell!" Jeremy mumbles as blood streams out of his nose.

" You look like a bloody hell." Says the Ravenclaw boy, having just woken up.

"Fuck you, Xavier" Jeremy says while spitting out blood.

" I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do to help?"

"You can start by getting the fuck ou-" Jeremy looks at you in the eyes and stops. His face softens. "Nevermind."

" What are you doing in here anyways?" Asks your brother.

"Hiding." You say quickly.

" He looks like an extra in The Shining, let's get him cleaned up." The Ravenclaw says while yawning. Everyone looks at him for a second before he elaborates.

" It's a muggle horror movie."

All the boys leave the compartment with a trail of blood following them, except Cedric.

" So you and Krum, huh" He huffs.

" Don't tell me you actually believe that crap."

" I don't know, could happen, he's famous and all." Cedric mumbles. Why was he acting like this? What did it matter to him?

"Well it's not happening, all Krum does is sulk and play Quidditch."

"What about our date, is that happening?" He flashes you his signature lopsided grin and your mind blanks.

"Date? What date?" You say slowly as you remember that night and the campfire. "Oh right! I didn't think you were serious about that."

He cocks his head slightly to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I thought it was just a conviennent way to get out of that dare because, you know, i'm part ve-"

"First weekend at Hogsmeade?" Cedric blurts out, giving you a shy smile.

"Sure." You answer while sliding the door open. Something hits you in the back of the head. You pick it up, it's a chocolate frog. You look back up at Cedric who's grinning.

"Heard they're your favourite." He says.

(y/n) laughs. You're taken aback by his thoughtfulness because chocolate frogs are your absolute favorite candy. "Chocolate frogs are everybody's favourite."

" No, I'm more of a licorice wand type of guy."

You pretend to gag. "Cedric! Ew no. That's disgusting, licorice is horrible. I might have to reconsider this whole date thing." You tease. He shakes his head and smiles.

"But anyways, thank you, for the frog." You walk out and set off trying to find Daphne and Millicent.

Finally you stop at a compartment at the back of the train. As soon as the door slides open a flash of bouncy red hair sweeps you into a hug.

"(y/n)! Where have you been! We thought you missed the train!" Millicent shrieks at you. You peel out of her hug and go over to hug Daphne. You stop when you notice a third girl with thick chestnut hair in the compartment.

"This is my little sister Astoria, she's starting Hogwarts this year." Daphne

" Oh hello Astoria, I've heard all about you. Are you excited about going to Hogwarts?" You offer the girl a welcoming smile. Except for her hair colour, she looked like a clone of Daphne with her cyan blue eyes and her small round mouth.

" Is it true?" The small girl asks, her eyes full of curiosity. Daphne looks slightly embarrassed.

"About Krum? No! God has everyone on the planet read that dumb article?"

"No, about you being a Veela." Astoria says very fast.

"Oh, uh yeah. Well part Veela anyways. My grandma on my dad's side was a Veela."

"That's fascinating." She says dreamily.

"Not really, I can't do any of the cool shit." Daphne shoots you a look. " I mean any of the cool...stuff. I can't turn into a bird creature or" You start waving your hands in an overly mystical way. " Enchant men into falling in love with me. The only thing I got is glossy hair, I guess."

"How tragic!" Millicent snorts sarcastically.

"Sorry (y/n), we saw a Veela on vacation in Germany and my horribly annoying little sister" Daphne says while tickling her sister. " has been obsessed with them ever since."

" Speaking of vacations" You perk up. " How was your summer with the Parkinsons, Milli?"

Millicent turns pale. "Dreadful." She says, over exaggerating every syllable.

"Oh god, say no more." You reply dramatically clutching your chest as the girls burst into laughs.

Millicent's parents had decided to go renew their vows in Tahiti and had left her with Pansy Parkinson's family for the holidays. It wasn't a secret that you and Pansy couldn't stand the sight of each other and you felt terrible that Millicent had been stuck with her all summer.

"Sooo (y/n), I read that article about Viktor Krum and you." Daphnee says with a sly grin.

" You know it's bullshit, right?" You look at her worriedly. All the girls laugh hysterically.

"Of course! I can't believe people actually believe that crap." Daphne gasps between laughs.

" And to make things worse, he is SO not my type." You bleat.

Millicent shakes her head. " I actually think he's quite attractive." Yet again, all the girls start laughing uncontrollably.

The rest of the train ride is giddy and happy as you laugh at Millicent's stories about Pansy and think about Cedric and his perfect lopsided grin just as Hogwarts comes into view.

#cedric diggory #harry potter #draco malfoy #hp and the goblet of fire #cedric diggory x you #cedric diggory x reader #cedric x you #cedric x reader #harry potter x reader #draco malfoy x reader

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