Chapter 4: Fourth Year Begins
A/N
This is more of a bridge chapter to cover the ground between the end of third and beginning of fourth year, but it is important nonetheless and I am currently in the process of writing the first task already!
Thank you to all who are supporting me. Producing this and my original work at the rate I am would not be possible without each and every one of you.
Love always,
TBR
This chapter is dedicated to Austin Truong, my second higher tier patron x
An open letter from Sirius Orion Black?
Barnabus Cuffe
In all my years as both a journalist and editor, I have never been willingly contacted by a man on the run, and certainly not one with the infamy of Sirius Black. Imagine my surprise when I was readying myself to leave the office only last night when I was stopped by an owl insisting I read the missive it carried. My dear readers, I cannot believe just what this little creature carried, though, I find myself questioning the authenticity of such. Nevertheless, you the public deserve to read this letter and decide for yourself. Dated only yesterday, I give you the alleged words of the notorious murderer -or perhaps not- Sirius Orion Black.
To the magical community of wizarding Britain,
I write this in the hope that one may hear my plea, hear of the injustice served against myself by those supposedly my peers and those that are supposed to uphold the laws of our land.
For twelve years I was left to rot in a cell for a crime I carry no guilt for nor ever sentenced for. That's right, I was never put on trial for what I am accused of committing. I was unjustly thrown in a cell and forgotten about. I am not guilty of the crimes I am accused of committing. I am not guilty of any crime other than putting my trust in the wrong person.
I urge you all, go to the Ministry of Magic. Request to see a trial transcript or evidence of my sentencing, because you will find that such a thing does not exist. I am not asking to be let off, but just the chance to prove that I am innocent, in a court of law, as should have been my right some twelve years ago.
Faithfully and forever yours,
Sirius Orion Black
"Very well done," Harry praised before he stood and clapped for the man who bowed dramatically. "Pathetic and desperate. You pull them off so well."
Sirius frowned whilst Remus laughed at his friend.
"You wrote it," the former grumbled.
It was strange for Harry being with the two. Since they had met in the Shrieking Shack, Sirius had taken up residence in his former family home and had reached out to the werewolf when he had left his position at the school. The man had been guilt-ridden for what had happened and apologised profusely to the teen.
Harry had taken it in his stride. He had come to accept that his life at Hogwarts was a hazard, each year having been filled with something or someone that could kill him.
When school had finished for the summer, he had returned to his usual haunt in Knockturn Alley, only to receive a letter from what he discovered was his godfather, inviting him to spend the summer.
He had not been keen on the idea initially, had far too much to do before his return to the school to considerate it, but Tom had other ideas.
"The magic of House Black would be a boon. It is knowledge that Voldemort does not have. Not only that, you deserve this, Harry, as does Black. Both of you have suffered for things you should never have. You need people, Harry, and Sirius Black was one of the closest people to your parents."
"I don't need people," Harry denied with a sigh.
"Perhaps not, but Black does. He has spent over a decade in Azkaban, Harry, for a crime he did not commit. Do you not think he deserves a chance?"
Harry could find no argument, and in truth, he was not regretting his decision. Despite being exposed to the Dementors for so long, the man was in surprisingly good spirits, respected his need for privacy and was trying to piece his life back together. Were it not for Remus and Harry, he doubted the man would show so much care towards himself.
"Anyway, I'm going to the alley tonight," he announced as he stood from the table. "I'll be late so don't wait up."
"Why would you go to Diagon Alley at night?" Remus asked.
"Knockturn," Harry corrected. "I sneak into The Hag to watch the fights."
"Excuse me?" the werewolf pressed with a frown as Sirius snorted.
"I've been doing it for two years," Harry shrugged.
"Are you hearing this?" Remus questioned Sirius.
"Harry has asked me to respect what he does," the man replied. "I'm not going to stop him, Remus, bloody hell, he doesn't need that from me."
"You're his godfather," Remus pointed out.
"Who has been locked up for twelve years," Harry broke in. "I've been taking care of myself since I was seven. If you knew everything I did, you'd probably have a heart attack. Watching some duels is the least of your worries," he finished as he swept from the room.
"Are you surprised he turned out like this?" Sirius sighed. "Look what he's been through with the muggles. That's enough to have ruined him for life."
Remus nodded.
Hearing what Harry had endured at the hands of the Dursleys had provoked a rather furious response from himself and his fellow marauder. Harry had to intervene to stop them from paying the family a visit.
"It's hard, Padfoot," Remus muttered. "He might look like them, but that's as far as it goes. It's sad to see their son like that."
"He's been alone, he's had to fend for himself," Sirius responded unhappily. "He's not done so bad as far as I'm concerned, Moony."
Remus could only nod. A lesser person would not have had the resilience Harry had demonstrated and he had shared very little of his life experiences. The werewolf dreaded to think what else had been left unsaid.
(BREAK)
Amelia Bones frowned at the latest article published regarding the Sirius Black debacle. She was no fool. She did not ascend to her position without being able to read through the lines, without being able to piece different things together to create an accurate picture.
Potter was in contact with Black, of that she had no doubt. Had she not received the letter from the boy earlier in the year, it may have been something she missed. But there was too much to merely be a coincidence and she was the only one in the know.
She shook her head as her eyes drifted to the letter Black had drafted to the prophet. The day it had been published had been the start of a very long and painful headache.
Fudge had all but demanded she contact the newspaper to demand they retract the letter and correct them on the misinformation they had printed.
The man had erupted when he had been informed that there was no record of a trial or a sentencing. Even Azkaban had only his arrest record. The Minister had been fuming, had shut himself away and seemingly pretended the letter had never been printed. He would not be able to ignore the one from Harry Potter.
It brought a smirk to her lips as she began counting down the minutes until he became aware of it. Her office would be his first port of call. He would rant and rave, make his demands and eventually realise he had no choice. A trial for Black would have to be arranged, and if he was to be proven innocent, the man would have severe reparations to make.
She silently applauded the Black and Potter duo for their cunning. Now, she could sit back and watch it all unfold. Anything that caused Cornelius to turn that shade of puce she had come to enjoy was a welcome commodity.
(BREAK)
"Don't you think you lad it on a little thick?" Sirius questioned as he skimmed over Harry's reply in the Daily Prophet.
Harry shook his head as he helped himself to some eggs, courtesy of the miserable elf that served the Black family, not forgetting to check it had not been tampered with in any way. Kreacher was a loathsome elf who spent much of his time scowling at the trio or cursing under his breath.
"No. They need to believe that I am serious, don't even do it," he warned as the man opened his mouth to offer a name-based quip.
Sirius pouted as Remus snorted at the man.
"Well, they'll certainly believe it," the werewolf commented. "Dumbledore will oppose you on principle."
Harry shrugged uncaringly. He didn't dislike the headmaster, but they shared differing views on many things, the justice system being just one of them.
"It wasn't his parents who were murdered," he retorted as his eyes scanned over the front cover of the morning edition.
Potter Responds to Black: Calls for Harsh Judgement
By Barnabus Cuffe
In a bold move, Harry Potter of all people has contacted us at the Daily Prophet to offer his input on the Sirius Black plea for a trial. For those of you that do not know, Black is accused of betraying the Potter family, leading to the death of James and Lily Potter on Halloween 1981. Black allegedly went on to murder twelve muggles and a fellow wizard by the name of Peter Pettigrew.
The young Potter, 14, was unapologetically ruthless with his response to the man thought to be responsible for the death of his parents and equally so with the Ministry of Magic. His full response is as follows:
To wizarding Britain,
To find myself writing to you is not something I ever thought I would be doing but felt it necessary. If anyone has the right to offer their thoughts on the situation involving Black, there is none with more than me.
With that being said, I offer this message personally to Sirius Black.
Surrender yourself for a trial. If you are innocent as you claim to be, then prove it. Consent to being administered Veritaserum, consent to being questioned by your peers. Until then, you will get no sympathy from me.
And to the Ministry of Magic,
If Black is lying, then where is his trial transcript? Where is his record of sentencing? For the peace of mind of us, the wizarding public, these should be published for all to see. Or is it that they truly don't exist as Black claims?
I am calling upon you to do your job, to prove there was no incompetence or neglect of duty when handling the matter. To you, it may be little more than a clerical error, but to me, this is the truth as to what happened to my parents. Were they murdered because of the actions of one they considered a friend?
I implore the Ministry to do the right thing. If mistakes were made, come out in the open and admit it.
I offer this as my final word.
Whomever it is responsible, whether it be Black or another party I call for the guilty party to be treated with no mercy. I call for them to face the harshest punishment available. I demand suitable justice for my parents.
Do the right thing, Cornelius Fudge. Either come forward with the needed information or rectify the ineptitude of the former administration.
I await your response.
Harry James Potter
Now, the question remains just what will Minister Fudge do now that he has personally been dragged into the picture? We will keep you up to date with how this story develops.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to the world cup?" Sirius questioned, pulling him from his thoughts.
Harry shook his head.
"No, I don't enjoy Quidditch enough to justify that much money for tickets," he answered.
"I told you I would pay for it," Sirius huffed. "I have more money in Gringotts than I will ever be able to spend. Just let me do something for you."
"You already brought me a Firebolt," Harry pointed out.
That gift had been a surprise. He had been pondering buying his own broom for some time, but Sirius beat him to it and had given him the best on the market. The difference between it and the old school broom he had been using was incredible. He had spent much of his birthday zooming around the Kent countryside under a notice-me-not charm getting used to it.
"How can he not want to go the world cup?" Sirius asked, turning his attention to Remus.
Remus gave him a pointed look.
"What part of it do you think appeals to him? Big crowds?"
Sirius frowned but nodded his understanding.
The amount of time Harry spent on his own couldn't be healthy, but anything he had tried to prevent it, had fallen flat. Harry was an introvert who avoided people at all costs, even himself and Remus when they were not sharing a meal. It was concerning, especially as he had no idea what he got up to.
"I know, it was just a thought. Sorry, Harry."
Harry nodded gratefully. He certainly was no social butterfly and that was unlikely to ever change.
"Are you expecting another Owl?" Remus asked as a rather majestic screech landed on the window ledge.
Sirius shook his head as he opened the window to allow it entry. He had reluctantly dropped the mail ward on Grimmauld Place so that Remus could receive his correspondence and the newspaper he seemed to enjoy in the morning.
"It's for you, Harry. From the Ministry," Sirius announced.
"That was a quick response," Remus frowned.
Harry took the letter and opened it before pulling out the slips of parchment inside and reading.
Dear, Mr. Harry James Potter,
Please find enclosed you Ordinary Wizarding Level results for the academic year 1993-1994. Classification is as follows:
O – Outstanding
E – Exceeds Expectations
A – Acceptable
P – Poor
D- Dreadful
T – Troll
Should you wish to appeal your results, then please do write to the Department of Magical Education within 30 days of receiving them.
Your results are as follows:
Charms – O
Transfiguration – O
Congratulations, you have achieved two Ordinary Wizarding Levels graded at Outstanding.
I wish you luck in your future endeavours,
Griselda Marchbanks
Senior Examiner
Department of Magical Education
Ministry of Magic,
London
"Bloody hell," Harry chuckled, "I didn't think they were actually assessing me for real."
"Assessing you?" Sirius probed.
"OWLS for Charms and Transfiguration," Harry replied, a slight frown marring his features.
"You've done your OWLS already?" Sirius asked. "Did something change when I was locked up?"
"No," Remus answered. "Harry is very gifted in both. I didn't know you were being entered for them."
"Neither did I," Harry shrugged. "McGonagall dragged me into her office and made do the written part and then Marchbanks did the practical for both and then sent me to Flitwick. I didn't even get the chance to study for it."
"Not that you needed it," Remus pointed out as he nodded towards the parchment. "An outstanding in both."
Harry nodded.
"Well done," Sirius praised. "I am really proud of you, Harry."
"As am I," Tom added. "You earned those grades."
The teen was grateful for the kind words but had no idea how to react to them. No one had ever been proud of him for anything, other than Tom, but that was different. Hearing it from Sirius and Remus confused him and made him feel rather awkward.
"It only means I have two less to study for," he said dismissively.
"Harry, getting even one OWL at any level before fifth year is a big achievement," Remus returned.
"I suppose. Anyway, I have to go and do my shopping for the school year," he added, more as an excuse to end the conversation. "There's only a couple of weeks left before I go back, and I don't want to get caught up in the crowds because I left it."
Remus nodded and held up a hand to prevent Sirius from commenting.
"Have fun, Harry."
The boy nodded and hurriedly left the room.
"Did I say something wrong?" Sirius asked when he heard the front door shut.
Remus shook his head.
"I doubt anyone has ever congratulated him on anything. He doesn't know how to deal with things like that."
"If James and Lily could see him, they would raise hell."
Remus nodded his agreement.
"They'd be proud of him though," he countered. "He really is brilliant, Sirius, better than we ever were."
"He is," Sirius agreed, his thoughts wondering to the godson he didn't know and the two people that brought him into the world.
(BREAK)
Harry managed to once again secure a compartment to himself on the train and locked himself inside, as had become his usual practice, not that it ever prevented anyone from disturbing him.
The last two weeks of the holidays had positively flown by and it had been mostly spent dealing with the fallout of the letter he had penned to the prophet. He had expected some backlash for his offering, but he had not expected to be personally summoned to the office of the Minister himself for a discussion on the matter.
Flashback
He arrived at the Ministry at the requested time and was led through the atrium by a team of three aurors that had been waiting to greet him. A short ride later in a golden lift, he found himself outside the office of the man that had requested this meeting, having his wand seized and being searched by the entourage.
When they were satisfied he had nothing that could pose a threat to the leader of the country, one knocked on the door and entered.
Harry waited impatiently, ignoring the stares of the three remaining aurors until the office door opened and he was beckoned to enter.
He did so and was greeted by the sight of a paunchy man wearing a green pin-striped suit fiddling with a black bowler hat. He, however, was not alone.
Stood to one side was a tall blonde, his hands resting atop an ornate cane, his eyes narrowed in his direction in a mixture of curiosity and distaste.
"Please, take a seat, Potter," the minister requested as he took the one on the other side of the desk. "Drink?"
Harry shook his head in the negative. He hadn't come to exchange pleasantries with the man and the presence of Lucius Malfoy had set him on edge.
Fudge sighed dramatically as he shook his head.
"Oh, Harry, Harry,Harry. What are we to do about this situation?"
"Well, providing the proof of Black's guilt would be a start," Harry returned evenly. "If that doesn't exist, then the man should be brought to trial. Is not one of the laws of this country? Every man has the right to a fair trial, despite what accusations are made against him. He is to be judged by the Wizengamot who will act as the jury and they will ultimately decide whether he is innocent or guilty."
"I-in most cases, you would be correct," Fudge conceded. "This, however, is a special case. Black is a proven danger to society. We do not want dangerous people wandering our streets, do we?"
"I suppose not," Harry agreed. "That is why I am in support of a trial. The only danger the man has posed is all alleged. I have seen no proof from yourself or any other that he is guilty."
"Mr. Potter," Lucius intervened before Fudge could speak once more, "I would like to begin by saying that my son speaks highly of you. He has found you to be respectful and a rather intelligent young man," he offered with a bow. "With that being said, there is much more to consider here than just Black. I too had accusations made against me and still, although I was proven innocent, that stain upon my reputation remains to this very day, and that was for something I did not do under my own free will. I worry that your own reputation will suffer for your association with the man. If he were to be proven guilty, I daresay, your own reputation would be in tatters. My son will one day be the head of this family and he could be quite the ally to you. However, as a Malfoy, we cannot afford to associate ourselves with those that have chosen the wrong side in the past. Our own reputation is one I have worked tirelessly to remedy. I do not wish the same fate upon you."
"I appreciate your kind words, Mr. Malfoy. Draco has carved quite the reputation for himself at Hogwarts already," he offered with a slight bow. "I understand the position I am in, and you're right, my reputation could suffer. I will take what you have said under advisement. Words of wisdom are always greatly appreciated by a man of your station. If not granted a trial, then what would you suggest happens to Black?"
"I would stand firmly by your own suggestion. Whomever is responsible for the death of your parents should face the full force of our legal system. The man has escaped Azkaban once before, so I would recommend he be the recipient of the Dementors kiss. Your parents deserve justice."
"And that is all I ask for," Harry replied. "I find myself convinced that you are correct in this instance, however, public opinion is what matters here. Already there are many calling for a trial to be granted. How do you appease them?"
"We will grant the trial," Fudge broke in with a grin, "but it will be one that favours the beneficial outcome for ourselves. You simply have to leave it with us, and we can handle the rest."
Harry nodded as he stood and offered his hand.
"Then I shall leave it in your capable hands, Minister."
Fudge shook his hand as did Lucius Malfoy before Harry took his leave.
Tom and Sirius had both warned him that something like this would transpire and that Harry had to be careful. Now he knew what he was dealing with, he could act accordingly, well, he could ensure that those in a position to do so could act accordingly.
END FLASHBACK
He had already written to Dumbledore informing the man of the meeting he'd had and had been assured that he would take the necessary steps to prevent any undue political manoeuvring taking place. Having the Chief Warlock on side was certainly an advantage, though, he still felt nervous for Sirius.
Once could never be sure of anything when dealing with the likes of Malfoy. Especially when the Death Eaters were seemingly active once more. The aftermath of the world cup had left him even more pleased he had not attended. He doubted his temper would have held when confronted by those responsible for so much misery, his included.
Both Sirius and Remus had shown great concern at the re-emergence of Voldemort's supporters, a concern that only increased when Harry informed them of the encounters he had with the man since starting Hogwarts.
They hadn't said as much, but they had begun preparing for the eventuality of his return. Harry just hoped he had more time before that happened.
"You will be ready, Harry, I can promise you that."
(BREAK)
The Great Hall was awash with chatter about the impending Triwizard tournament. Students discussed what the tournament would include, the other visiting schools and who they thought would be a good representative for Hogwarts.
Harry couldn't care less about such things. He wanted little more than to focus on his studies and continue opening his options for when he finished his schooling. As far as he was concerned, so long as he had a year where he was left alone, everyone else could get on with whatever they wanted.
"The tournament is an exciting thing, Harry," Tom broke in. "It will be quite the spectacle to witness. I do however recommend caution. It presents others with opportunities to harm you. The tournament is the perfect time to strike. There will be many unknown people here. You must be vigilant"
Harry nodded his agreement to the latter. He would likely attend the events to see why such a fuss was caused about it, but he had no other vested interest, particularly if Roger Davis was selected as the school champion. Something about the older boy continued to annoy him, and that was likely to never change.
He stood to take his leave of the hall when the students had been dismissed. As he reached the door, he was stopped by Professor Flitwick who gave him a warm smile.
"I wished to congratulate you, Harry. Both myself and Professor McGonagall were exceptionally please by your results."
"Thank you, professor," Harry replied.
"I would say that this year will be your toughest yet. We are quite keen to see how far we can push you."
With the ominous words ringing in his ears, Harry left the man relishing the challenge coming his way. Truly, he had not been pushed to his limits n the two subjects, and he hoped he would finally get the opportunity to see what he was capable of.
(BREAK)
There was something very disconcerting about being taught defence by Mad-eye Moody. The man undoubtedly knew his stuff but was, by all accounts, a paranoid lunatic. Thus far, he had demonstrated the three unforgivables had continually screamed the words 'constant vigilance' and seemed to loath everyone and everything about the castle.
"He is a veteran auror and an excellent fighter. It is unsurprising he is as paranoid as he is with all he has seen and endured," Tom had defended the man.
Despite his seemingly volatile nature, he was an effective instructor and Harry couldn't help but agree his appointment was a good one overall, even if he did terrify everyone that entered his classroom.
"Alright, listen up," the man growled as he paced back and forth at the front of the classroom, every other step sounding a dull clunk, reminding all of his missing limb. "Today, I am going to be testing your mental strength, your resilience to outside forces trying to influence and control your actions. If your mind is weak, it doesn't matter how tough you think you are. Bones! Get yourself up here."
The redhead nervously approached as the man gave her a feral grin.
"Defend yourself," he demanded as he raised his wand, "Imperio."
Harry looked on as the girl started doing cartwheels around the room against her own volition before she came to a stop and flushed in embarrassment.
"Pathetic," Moody declared. "Your aunt should have taught you better. You, Macmillan, you're up."
Susan was almost in tears as she took her seat once more and Ernie stood to take her place.
He didn't fair any better than the girl, nor did any other member of the class for that matter. Moody made several of them sing, dance and even had Michael Corner declaring his undying love for Anthony Goldstein.
"Potter," Moody called. "Let us see if you can do better."
"You will be fine, Harry. Your mind is strong, there is nothing to fear."
Before Harry could ready himself, he heard Moody's voice and strange sense of calm washed over him, almost as though his mind had been submerged into a warm bath. He felt unnaturally at ease as the peace of mind lulled him into a dreamlike state.
"Dance for me, Potter…. I want to see your best moves… DANCE NOW!
"No," Harry refused as his mind cleared of the invasion and he came to his senses. He found Moody staring at him with a brief look of wonder before he shook himself from it.
"Merlin, you fought it off," he declared before he smiled, the gesture doing nothing but making him look more sinister. "Did you see? Potter fought it and he won. People will have a hard time controlling you, lad."
Some of the class members mumbled as Terry gave him a thumbs up.
"Homework. I want a foot on what you just experienced and how you can improve your performance and I want it a week from today. Dismissed," Moody finished as he entered his office and slammed the door shut with a bang.
"Excellently done, Harry," Tom praised as he left the room.
Harry nodded mutely. The school year was in its' infancy yet and past experiences had taught him that something was brewing as it had in the three years prior. Still, he had a week until the other schools arrived and when they did, he hoped the rest of the castle would be too swept up in the festivities of the tournament to concern themselves with him, though, it would be the ones who cared naught for the tournament he needed to watch out for.
Before then, however, he was waiting for either Sirius to write to him or an announcement to be made in the Daily Prophet. Having notified the headmaster of the conversation he'd had with Fudge and Malfoy; the idea of a full trial had been scrapped pending the results of an interview with representatives of the DMLE.
Amelia Bones had insisted upon due process and a trial could not be held until Sirius had been formerly interviewed and given a statement, something that would certainly work in his godfather's favour.
Once the interview had taken place, it was up to Bones to decide how she wished to proceed. If enough evidence of guilt is provided, the trial would go ahead. In the case of lack of evidence, she could choose to release Sirius without charge.
According to Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge had been most displeased by the development, though he only had himself to blame. Madame Bones had been in favour of the trial until the Minister had dug his heels in. It was then that she went against his wishes and found an even less favoured approach, one that did not involve the Wizengamot nor the Minister. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was hers and she would run it how she saw fit. Unless Fudge found a way to negate her power through legislation, it would remain that way.
Either way, Harry had not had to endure any repercussions. Fudge had only himself to blame for his own incompetence.
(BREAK)
"Quicker this time, Harry," Tom commanded.
Harry nodded, panting as sweat ran from his hair and down his cheeks. He wiped it away, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he waited for the dummies to become active.
He dodged a sickly orange curse as he batted another side before going on the offensive. With a wave of his wand, a powerful gust of wind sent the three opponents sprawling, giving him the time and space he needed. Chanting in a tongue not commonly spoken for centuries, he finished with a gentle blow into his cupped hand and any icy serpent formed in the air, growing as it bored down on its' targets.
A wall of flame halted the snake, surprising the teen. Never had he been able to use the same trick twice within the room, and this was no exception. Steam filled the room as the two elements battled for dominance, none seemingly getting the upper hand.
Releasing a deep breath, he reverted to what he did best and a trio of blades and sent them at his enemies whilst they were distracted with keeping their defence against the ice going.
All three missed their target and he growled before resorting to some of newest spells in his arsenal. With little more than a thought, a trio purple jets of light slipped through the fiery wall and landed where intended. The wall collapsed and the icy serpent claimed its' victims.
"Good, Harry, very good. You demonstrated ruthlessness and adaptability," Tom hissed gleefully.
Harry released a deep breath as he approached the targets, all frozen solid with their mandibles missing, the spell found in the Black library living up to the family reputation. It was not often he would use them, but he could not deny the effectiveness, and this was one of the more pleasant ones.
"But there is more from you to come," Tom continued. "You're progressing at an astounding rate, but it isn't enough. Not to destroy your enemies when needed."
Harry nodded his agreement.
Completing the set of rituals in the summer had been a relief as much as a benefit. The first twelve had been designed to expand his capabilities and the thirteenth to link them all together. He had learnt early on that the rituals in themselves wouldn't give him great power or turn him into the next Merlin. They would give him the capability to reach his full potential, but he still had to work hard to achieve it, mentally, physically and magically.
He did all three in abundance on daily, and his hard work was truly showing. At the age of fourteen, he was showing incredible potential and he was improving with each passing day.
"I know, but I will get there."
"Yes, Harry, you will. Your final ritual will be on the winter solstice. You will truly understand the benefits of all the hard work and sacrifice you have made these past few years. I can promise you that. For now, you must shower and prepare yourself for the arrival of the other schools."
Harry nodded as he summoned a towel and wipe the perspiration from his face. He had forgotten the other schools would be arriving today. It mattered not, but his presence would be missed. Flitwick had insisted he be there to greet them and assured him that he would be watching. He was expected to represent the house, whatever that meant.
Instead of pondering the words of his head of house, he stepped into the shower the room provided to clean up. It wouldn't do to greet strangers with the array of smells wafting from him.
A/N
Next up, we begin with a Fleur POV and she will be a central character to the story from now on.
In the past week, I have again managed to upload three chapters of this onto my other page, and two here along with two chapters of my original work. It truly is you guys that makes this possible, so please do head over to my other social media and subscribe where possible.
You all humble me with your kind words and support. I truly cannot put into words how much doing this as I am means to me.
TBR