“I don't know. Perhaps we'll find out once I read about it,” Hermione said, politely mentioning that the chapter would most likely have that information in it.
“Oh, right,” Harry said, blushing lightly.
Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend.
“How nice,” Harry said, frowning.
He didn’t argue or complain,
“Probably because I knew I wouldn't win,” Harry said.
but he wouldn’t let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand. He knew he was being stupid, knew that the Nimbus was beyond repair, but Harry couldn’t help it; he felt as though he’d lost one of his best friends.
“I think you might be a bit too attached to your broom, though, if you think about it, it's possible that it's because its a present from someone,” Hermione said.
“What do you mean?” Luna asked.
“Well, Professor McGonagall did get him the broom,” Hermione said. “It was a present, in a way, his first, to be exact. And, since he doesn't get presents all that often...”
“Then he's most likely treasure the ones he does get,” Luna said.
“And the he your talking about is sitting right next to you, so you should just ask him if that's true,” Harry said.
“Wouldn't count,” Hermione said. “As you've mentioned before, after all, you're not your book self. You don't know what he's thinking exactly.”
“I think I can figure it out in this case,” Harry said dryly.
“True,” Luna said. “Just because your not exactly like your book self doesn't mean that you don't have some of the same thoughts.”
“Exactly,” Harry said. “And I think Hermione is right. I think my actions are because, subconsciously, as a present, I don't want to actually lose it.”
He had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering him up.
“That's good to know, as it'll keep your mind off of what the Dementors made you hear,” Luna said.
“Too back that won't work when night comes,” Harry said
“True,” Hermione said.
Hagrid sent him a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages
“That sounds...interesting,” Hermione said.
and Ginny Weasley, blushing furiously, turned up with a ‘get well’ card she had made herself, which sang shrilly unless Harry kept it shut under his bowl of fruit.
“Nice of her to make me a get well card, but did she have to make it sing?” Harry asked.
“What I'd like to know is if it was her own voice singing or not,” Hermione said.
“It's very possible,” Luna said. “Ginny isn't the best singer, unless she does it calmly. In truth, I think quite a bit of her problem is the fact that, on her mother's suggestion, she looks towards Celestina Warbeck as an inspiration, and Celestina's not the best singer. Of course, it's not like the wizarding world has a lot of people who're willing to sing.”
The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning, this time accompanied by Wood, who told Harry, in a hollow, dead sort of voice, that he didn’t blame him in the slightest.
“He'd be in trouble if he had,” Hermione said.
“Though it doesn't sound like he was very convincing, does it?” Luna said.
“No, it doesn't,” Harry said. “But then, I doubt I was the only one the Dementors affected. I was just the one they affected the most.”
“That's known of,” Hermione said. “You've also have fame, so it's possible that what happens to you is watched more than what happens to anyone else.”
Ron and Hermione only left Harry’s bedside at night. But nothing anyone said or did could make Harry feel any better, because they only knew half of what was troubling him.
“Let me guess, you've left the seeing the dog out, didn't you?” Cedric said.
“Most likely, though, right now, it does seem more like it's the Grim,” Harry said. “I mean, each time it appears, I almost get killed.”
“But the Grim doesn't work that way,” Luna said, thinking back to what she'd read about Grims. “You wouldn't just see it when your about to have a near fatal accident. You'd see it until you actually died, all within a twenty-four hour period.”
“So it can't be the Grim, because I only saw it twice, and it's not haunting me the way that you say it would,” Harry said.
“But that's kind of weird, because dogs normally are not seen at Hogsmeade, much less Hogwarts,” Cedric said.
“That is a mystery, isn't it,” Hermione said, slight annoyance in her voice because she wanted to get back to reading that chapter, though most of it was because talking about the Grim reminded her of Trelawney, and, much like her book self, she really did not like Trelawney.
He hadn’t told anyone about the Grim, not even Ron and Hermione, because he knew Ron would panic and Hermione would scoff.
“That definitely sounds like what Ron and I would do,” Hermione said.
The fact remained, however, that it had now appeared twice, and both appearances had been followed by near-fatal accidents;
“Which is also confusing, since that's the only times you've noticed the dog,” Luna said, frowning while she tried to think of what was going on.
the first time, he had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus; the second, fallen fifty feet from his broomstick.
“It is a stream of bad luck every time you see the dog, I will admit that,” Hermione said.
Was the Grim going to haunt him until he actually died? Was he going to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder for the beast?
“Probably not,” Cedric said. “Like with Scabbers, Crookshanks, Black, and the Dementors, it probably won't last the entire year. At least, I'm hoping that Black and the Dementors don't last the entire year.”
“Yeah, I kind of hope that as well,” Harry said. “And, unlike the other books, it doesn't seem anything is being hidden, other than whatever Scabbers is.”
“What I want to know is how my cat and Scabbers really fit in with the Black situation,” Hermione said. “I mean, so far, in the books, anything that's focused on tends to fit in with the main situation. Quirrell and his turban were mentioned quite a bit, he turned out to be after the Stone; Ginny was mentioned as being pale and withdrawn a lot, and you were hearing a voice, turned out that, unknowingly, Ginny was setting a basilisk around in the castle. Anything that was mentioned quite a bit often had to do with whatever the main event of the book was. This book is focusing equally on the Black situation and the situation with Scabbers, which makes me wonder how they're connected.”
“That is something to wonder about, isn't it,” Harry said.
And then there were the Dementors. Harry felt sick and humiliated every time he thought of them.
“I agree on that whole-heartily, and hope that I don't ever have to deal with them this time around,” Harry said.
Everyone said the Dementors were horrible, but no one else collapsed every time they went near one ... no one else heard echoes in their head of their dying parents.
“Because most people either have both parents, or only one, and those that don't have their parents, or lost one of them, most likely are no where nearby when their parents died,” Luna said.
For Harry knew who that screaming voice belonged to now. He had heard her words, heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while he lay awake, staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling.
“Yeah, you really shouldn't be left alone,” Luna said.
“I think I agree,” Harry said.
When the Dementors approached him, he heard the last moments of his mother’s life, her attempts to protect him, Harry, from Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort’s laughter before he murdered her ...
Having the feeling that Harry wouldn't appreciate it, Hermione tried hard not to look at him, knowing that she wouldn't be able to keep the pity off her face if she did.
Harry dozed fitfully, sinking into dreams full of clammy, rotted hands and petrified pleading, jerking awake only to dwell again on the sound of his mother’s voice.
“Okay, we'll probably have to pilfer your things to get it, but you do have an invisibility cloak, and therefore a way to have someone stay with you to make sure you don't think about that,” Hermione said.
It was a relief to return on Monday to the noise and bustle of the main school, where he was forced to think about other things, even if he had to endure Draco Malfoy’s taunting.
“At least you don't have to endure him taunting about winning against you,” Hermione said.
“Yes, that is something to be thankful for,” Harry said.
Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor’s defeat.
“I wonder if he'd be just as gleeful if he knew that, by pretending that his arm hurt, he made sure that his own team didn't win against you,” Luna said.
“Probably not,” Harry said.
He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom.
Hermione rolled her eyes at that, wondering if he would be doing that if he knew what happened any time a Dementor was around Harry.
Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing Dementor imitations across the dungeon; Ron finally cracked, flinging a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.
“Be worth losing points to do that,” Harry said. Everyone in the room nodded.
“I wonder if he called for the homework he assigned,” Cedric said. “I mean, it is Monday now, isn't it?”
“Yeah, it is, but I doubt he called for the work,” Hermione said.
“If Snape’s taking Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I’m going off sick,” said Ron,
“Agreed,” Harry said. Hermione nodded as well.
as they headed towards Lupin’s classroom after lunch. “Check who’s in there, Hermione.”
Hermione frowned. By having her check, it meant that, if her book self wanted to miss the class – though she doubted that her book self would want that – she would most likely be unable to because of the fact that whoever the teacher was would see her.
Hermione peered around the classroom door.
“It’s OK!”
“Thank goodness that he's back,” Hermione said.
Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill.
“I hope that he's okay,” Hermione said.
“So do I,” Harry said. “I'd hate it if we lost the one decent DADA teacher we've had before the years up.”
“You sound like there's a chance that he won't last after the years up,” Cedric said.
“Well, you did say yourself that there seems to be a new DADA teacher every year,” Harry said. “I'd rather not get my hopes up on this one actually being different. Of course, I also think that it's kind of ridiculous that we can't get a teacher to stay for longer than a school year, and that, so far, all the DADA teacher's we've had have tried to harm me.”
“That's right, your hoping that Lupin will be different,” Hermione said.
“Hoping and suspecting already that he is,” Harry said. “Of course, if he is a werewolf, then there is a good chance that I'll end up in a position that'll put him in a position to cause harm to me from him.”
“Better hope not,” Cedric said. “Particularly if he bites you. Those bites are contagious.”
His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes;
“I wonder, exactly, how old he is,” Hermione said.
“That is a good question,” Cedric said, thinking if he ever heard of anyone called Lupin during his mother's mentions of people who were in the school when she was. He knew of Harry's parents, of course, because of the fact that they were not only his parents, but Lily had been one of his mother's friends while there, despite being in different years, but, other than that, he didn't really know much about anyone not friends with his parents – or, rather, his mother, as his father hadn't had many friends during school. At least, none that he talked about a whole lot.
nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape’s behaviour while Lupin had been ill.
“I wonder how Professor Lupin is going to take that,” Hermione said. “I mean, as a teacher, he probably knows that a substitute isn't supposed to assign homework.”
“I wonder how he's going to take the subject that Snape assigned them,” Cedric said. “Particularly if he is a werewolf.”
“Somehow, I don't think he's going to take it too badly, since he'd have to teach the subject anyway,” Harry said.
“True,” Hermione said.
“It’s not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set us homework?”
'I wonder who said that,” Harry said.
“We don’t know anything about werewolves –“
“Which is a subject that could not only be remedied by reading about them, but will also probably relieve Professor Lupin a bit, knowing that his 'secret' won't be known quite yet,” Hermione said.
“– two rolls of parchment!”
“That's probably Ron saying that,” Harry said.
“Actually, it's probably more than just Ron saying that,” Hermione said. “I'm sure that most of the class wasn't happy to hear that “
“True,” Harry said.
“Did you tell Professor Snape we haven’t covered them yet?” Lupin asked, frowning slightly.
“We tried to,” Hermione said.
“But he ignored them, saying that they were really behind,” Cedric said.
The babble broke out again.
“He really should point at one person and ask them to explain what happened in the last class,” Luna said.
“True,” Hermione said.
“Yes, but he said we were really behind –“
“– he wouldn’t listen –“
“– two rolls of parchment!”
“Now that, right there, was most likely Ron,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, the emphasis on how much homework Ron was assigned does seem to point to it being him,” Harry said.
Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.
“That would be kind of funny to see,” Harry said.
“Don’t worry. I’ll speak to Professor Snape. You don’t have to do the essay.”
“Somehow, I don't think Hermione's book self will be happy to hear about that, since she'll already have it written,” Luna said.
“Your probably right,” Hermione said, thinking to herself that there's no probably about it as she looked at what was coming next.
“Oh no,” said Hermione, looking very disappointed. “I’ve already finished it!”
“I'm pretty sure that he won't mind you turning it in,” Harry said.
“I wonder if I think about that,” Hermione said.
They had a very enjoyable lesson.
“So far, from what I've heard, almost every lesson Professor Lupin has given has been enjoyable,” Harry said.
“For your class, at least,” Cedric said.
Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who seemed as though he was made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless-looking.
“Which is probably very misleading,” Hermione said.
“Lures travellers into bogs,” said Professor Lupin, as they took notes. “You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead – people follow the light – then –“
“Yeah, definitely misleading,” Harry said.
The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass.
Hermione shuddered a bit.
When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Harry amongst them, but –
“I take it that Professor Lupin is going to want a word,” Cedric said.
“Well, it does seem that way, since I can't think of any other reason for him to call me back to him,” Harry said.
“Wait a moment, Harry,” Lupin called, “I’d like a word.”
“You know, Ron and I will probably wonder why he called you back,” Hermione said.
“I think that's understandable,” Harry said. “I know that I'd probably wonder why you or Ron was called back if we figured that it wasn't about homework.”
Harry doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the Hinkypunk’s box with a cloth.
“So I won't have to look at it, or hear it make noise,” Harry said.
“Actually, I think it's so that it doesn't see you and do that,” Cedric said.
“Either way, I'm glad for it. This way I'll actually concentrate on Professor Lupin,” Harry said.
“I heard about the match,” said Lupin,
“So he wasn't there,” Hermione said, thinking. “Wish I had a calender. It would be so much easier to know if it was a full moon around that time or not.”
“He could have actually been ill,” Cedric said.
“I would have though that Ron would mention if Professor Lupin had been in the hospital wing. Remember, he was given a detention that would have had him in there,” Harry said.
“Actually, the hospital wing is mostly for students. Most teachers, if sick, tend to stay in their quarters, with Madam Pomfrey visiting them. Only if something that can be healed quickly will make the teachers go to the hospital wing for treatment,” Cedric said.
“And you know this how?” Hermione said.
“Remember when I told you about Professor Sprout being ill,” Cedric said. She nodded her head. “We found out that she wasn't in the hospital wing when we went to visit her. Madam Pomfrey was the one who told me about the teacher thing.”
turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, “and I’m sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Harry said.
“No,” said Harry. “The tree smashed it to bits.”
Lupin sighed.
“They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts.”
“That's a strange landscaping choice,” Harry said.
“That's true, though I have to wonder if there wasn't another reason for it have arrived just as Professor Lupin did to the school,” Hermione said.
“People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk.”
“Why would they be so stupid to do that?” Hermione said. “The tree's extremely violent, for god's sake.”
“Do you really think common sense works on everyone?” Cedric asked.
“True, it doesn't seem to work for everyone,” Hermione said, shaking her head.
"In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it.”
“Though I doubt people actually listened,” Cedric said. “I'm sure that there were still some students who went near it.”
“They were probably just careful not to be noticed,” Harry said.
“No broomstick would have a chance.”
“Did you hear about the Dementors, too?” said Harry with difficulty.
“Most likely,” Hermione said.
Lupin looked at him quickly.
“Yes, I did. I don’t think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry.”
“Well, I haven't ever seen him angry so far, so I can't compare it to anything,” Harry said.
“They have been growing restless for some time ... furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds ...”
“It's a good thing that they're not allowed on the grounds. Can you imagine what would happen if they were?” Hermione said.
“I'd rather not,” Harry said.
“I suppose they were the reason you fell?”
“Yes,” Harry said.
“Yes,” said Harry.
“You don't change much,” Hermione said.
He hesitated, and then the question he had to ask burst from him before he could stop himself. “Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just –?”
“You're not weak, Harry,” Hermione and Luna said.
“It has nothing to do with weakness,” said Professor Lupin sharply,
“I don't think he liked the idea of you thinking you were weak,” Hermione said.
as though he had read Harry’s mind. “The Dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don’t have.”
A ray of wintry sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin’s grey hairs and the lines on his young face.
“Which makes me wonder, again, how old he actually is,” Harry said.
“Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them.”
“So, basically, they're so horrible that they shouldn't even be allowed to exist,” Hermione said.
“Seems that way,” Luna said.
“Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can’t see them.”
“That can't be good,” Harry said. “To be around something that you can't see.”
“Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory, will be sucked out of you.”
“So that's what the cold is,” Hermione said.
“If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself – soulless and evil.”
“Eh,” Harry said. “That probably causes many of the prisoners to go crazy.”
“You’ll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life.”
“Which is why I'm hearing my mother dying,” Harry said. “Even though I shouldn't remember it, I do because I was not only there, but I have a pretty good memory – I remembered what happened to me, as well as the motorcycle that Hagrid brought me on.”
“Which probably means that Ginny was also remembering something bad – probably what happened the previous year for her,” Hermione said. “And, neither Ron nor I really have any extremely bad memories, so they didn't effect us as much."
"Makes me wonder how Neville was effected, then," Luna said.
“And the worst that has happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of.”
“Other than the fact that there are people who delight in making it seem like I do have something to be ashamed of,” Harry said.
“When they get near me –“
“You're going to tell him,” Hermione said.
“Seems like it,” Harry said.
“You must trust him, then,” Hermione commented. “Particularly since I don't think you've told Ron or me about it. Not that I blame you, of course. I can see how it would be hard to talk about it.”
Harry stared at Lupin’s desk, his throat tight, “I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum.”
Luna wrapped an arm around Harry at the admission, though she knew that it wasn't the Harry beside her that was the most affected.
Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though he had made to grip Harry’s shoulder, but thought better of it.
“I don't think I would mind that much,” Harry said.
There was a moment’s silence; then –
“Why did they have to come to the match?” said Harry bitterly.
“That's what I want to know,” Cedric said.
“They’re getting hungry,” said Lupin coolly,
“Lovely,” Cedric muttered.
“They're getting hungry?” Hermione asked incredulously. “What exactly do they feed on?”
“I think we already know,” Harry said. “Happy feelings,” he clarified, seeing her slightly confused expression.
“Oh,” she said, shaking her head as she realized that it was kind of obvious.
shutting his briefcase with a snap. “Dumbledore won’t let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up ...”
“They must be used to a near constant supply of humans, then,” Hermione said.
“They are, since there are those who are in prison for life, they they technically deserve the death sentence,” Cedric said.
“I don’t think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch pitch.”
“If they feed on happiness, then it doesn't sound as if they could,” Harry said.
“All that excitement ... emotions running high ... it was their idea of a feast.”
The four grimaced at that.
“Probably is even better than it would be at Azkaban,” Cedric said. “No one there has been in Azkaban for years and therefore has a lot of happiness in them.”
“Azkaban must be terrible,” Harry muttered.
“Definitely seems that way,” Hermione said.
Lupin nodded grimly.
“The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don’t need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they’re all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheerful thought.”
“That's a lovely thought,” Harry said.
“Most of them go mad within weeks.”
“But what someone was already mad to begin with?” Hermione mused, remembering the fact that it was assumed that Black was mad when he was brought in, and she doubted he was the only one.
“But Sirius Black escaped from them,” Harry said slowly.
“Which is most puzzling,” Luna said.
“He got away ...”
Lupin’s briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it.
“I don't think he was expecting you to mention Black,” Hermione said.
“No, I don't think he was,” Harry said.
“Yes,” he said, straightening up. “Black must have found a way to fight them.”
“Which is probably what he used to get out as well,” Cedric said, thinking about the fact that, if he could figure out how Black had done it, he could somehow warn the head of the DMLE about it so that he couldn't escape at all.
“I wouldn’t have believed it possible ... Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long ...”
“They are?” Hermione said, shivering. “That much be doubly bad, since you'd need magic to fend them off. Remember, Professor Lupin was able to do some sort of spell that sent that Dementor away on the train.”
“Maybe he'll be willing to teach me whatever that spell was,” Harry said.
“Hopefully. I mean, the Dementors do seem to have taken a person interest in you,” Luna said.
“You made that Dementor on the train back off,” said Harry suddenly.
“Seems you just remember about that,” Hermione said.
“I wonder why I didn't think about it before,” Harry said.
“I think you mostly forgot about the Dementors up until now. I mean, it's not like you interact with them a lot,” Luna said. “Before now, other than the train, you haven't interacted with them at all.”
“There are – certain defences one can use,” said Lupin. “But there was only one Dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist.”
“So it's going to take quite a bit of power. That shouldn't be to hard for you – we've already read about you doing things that others most likely can't, after all,” Cedric said. “It would make sense if you were able to do whatever these defences are, with a little bit of practice, of course.”
“What defences?” said Harry at once. “Can you teach me?”
“Hopefully he will,” Harry muttered.
“I don’t pretend to be an expert at fighting Dementors, Harry – quite the contrary ...”
“I'm not saying he is, but if he knows a way for me to be able to defend myself against them, then I would appreciate it if he would teach me that way,” Harry said.
“But if the Dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them –“
“Of course, it seems your book self is more concerned with what would happen if they came to another match instead of worry about keeping himself safe,” Hermione said, sounding a bit amused.
Lupin looked into Harry’s determined face, hesitated, then said, “Well ... all right. I’ll try and help.”
“Yay,” Harry said.
“But it’ll have to wait until next term, I’m afraid.”
“That's not too bad,” Harry said. “It's not like we're going to have another game for a while.”
“I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill.”
“I doubt he chose to become ill,” Harry said.
“If I'm right about his being a werewolf, then I wonder if that has something to do with him being ill,” Hermione said. “As well as why he looks much older than he possibly is.”
“I don't know,” Cedric said. “I've never actually met a werewolf before.”
What with the promise of Anti-Dementor lessons
“That's a nice name to call them,” Cedric said, laughing a bit.
“Hey, that's what they're going to be doing,” Harry said.
from Lupin, the thought that he might never have to hear his mother’s death again,
“I have to wonder if that's a happy thought or not to myself,” Harry said. “I mean, it is bad that I have to listen to her dying over and over again whil around the Dementors, but, at the same time, this will be the first time I've heard her, so...”
“So, you might want not view never hearing her against as a bad habit,” Hermione finished. “Which, it kind of is. I mean, while hearing her isn't so bad, letting the effects that the Dementors do to you are.”
“Yeah, rather you not be driven insane, Harry,” Luna said.
and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November,
“Which is good for the Gryffindors, as they're not out of the running,” Cedric said.
Harry’s mood took a definite upturn. Gryffindor were not out of the running after all, although they could not afford to lose another match.
“So we're going to be training even more than ever,” Harry said.
Wood became repossessed of his manic energy, and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December.
“I hope that Hermione was able to come through with a spell that would keep be from freezing,” Harry said, shaking a bit at the idea of being out in the cold for what seems to be no reason to him.
Harry saw no hint of a Dementor within the grounds.
“I don't think you ever will again,” Cedric said. “Dumbledore will probably go ballistic if they do come onto the grounds again.”
Dumbledore’s anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances.
“I wonder if it's just that,” Hermione said. “I mean, do you think he did some spell to make sure that if didn't happen again.”
“That could be possible,” Cedric said. “I mean, I doubt him anger would be enough to completely keep them off of the grounds alone.”
Two weeks before the end of term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost.
“Christmas is definitely coming,” Cedric said.
Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air.
“That's probably going to make it hard for the teachers to teach,” Hermione said.
Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies.
“Of course,” Cedric said.
“I take it he's one willing to show the Christmas spirit,” Hermione said. Cedric nodded.
The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn’t stand two weeks with Percy,
“Wouldn't Percy, as head boy, be staying behind as well?” Hermione said.
“You'd think so,” Harry said. “And we know that Mrs. Weasley isn't the one demanding the family come visit, otherwise Ron would have to go as well.”
“Maybe it's the fact that Percy doesn't think that there be many students left there, what with the fact that it's obvious that Black is close by there, what with the attack on Halloween,” Cedric said.
“That could possibly be it,” Harry said. “We'll know in a few more chapters if that's true or not.”
and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library,
“That's probably true, even though I have the feeling that your mostly staying to keep me company,” Harry said.
“So do I,” Hermione said.
Harry wasn’t fooled; they were doing it to keep him company, and he was very grateful.
“Yes, it definitely is nice to know that I'm going to have company,” Harry said.
To everyone’s delight except Harry’s,
“Hogsmeade weekend,” Harry said. The others nodded, knowing that, at the moment, it was really the only thing that would make everyone but Harry happy.
there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of term.
“A visit to the village and then going home. Nice,” Cedric said.
“We can do all our Christmas shopping there!” said Hermione.
“That's probably the idea of it, particularly for those who stay at the castle,” Cedric said. “Though, I doubt everyone will be staying there.”
“Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!”
“Those sound interesting, and they probably would be perfect for my parents,” Hermione said. “They wouldn't even be mad about it being a sweet, either.”
Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third-year staying behind again,
“Somehow, I don't think you will be,” Cedric said. “I don't know why, but it's a feeling that I'm getting.”
Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood, and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes.
“Sounds like fun,” Harry said, his tone saying otherwise.
“Well, you do need a new broom,” Cedric said. “But, like I said, I don't actually think your going to be staying in the castle this time around.”
He had been riding one of the school brooms at team practice, an ancient Shooting Star, which was very slow and jerky;
“I think the school brooms need to be replaced,” Harry said.
“I agree completely,” Cedric said. “However, all the brooms were donated to the school, and, according to Madam Hooch when asked, there's not enough money in the budget to buy new ones with.”
he definitely needed a new broom of his own.
On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry bid goodbye to Ron and Hermione,
“Again,” Harry said, remembering that he'd done the same thing the first trip as well.
who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves, then turned up the marble staircase alone, and headed back towards Gryffindor Tower. Snow had started to fall outside the windows, and the castle was very still and quiet.
“Which means that something is going to happen," Luna said.
“Psst – Harry!”
He turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George
“What do they want?” Harry asked. “And why are they not at Hogsmeade?”
“Don't know,” Hermione said.
“Maybe this'll have to do with the chapter title,” Luna said.
“Possibly,” Hermione said.
“So we'll possibly be finding out what this map is,” Harry said. “Good, because I am very curious to know what it is.”
peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch.
“What are you doing?” said Harry curiously. “How come you’re not going to Hogsmeade?”
“Seems my questions don't change much,” Harry said.
“We’ve come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go,” said Fred,
“I guess they're also going home for the break,” Hermione said.
“Seems that way,” Harry said.
with a mysterious wink. “Come in here ...”
“Whatever it is, I don't think that they want it to be known to anyone else,” Hermione said.
He nodded towards an empty classroom to the left of the one-eyed statue. Harry followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at Harry.
“Early Christmas present for you, Harry,” he said.
“That right there definitely says that there going to go home,” Hermione said.
“Unless there giving Harry some information about how to get to Hogsmeade. It would be better for him to go when everyone else is there, after all,” Luna pointed out.
“True,” Hermione said. “Unless, of course, someone notices him there, and knows that he's not supposed to be there.”
“Well, honestly, I think you'd only have to worry about the Slytherins when it comes to that,” Cedric said. “And by the Slytherins, I, of course, mean those like Malfoy.”
Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it.
“Okay,” Harry said.
“What's that supposed to be?” Luna asked, confused.
“I'd say the map, but it was described as being blank,” Hermione said.
“It could have enchantments on it so that no one actually can see what it is without a password,” Cedric said. “I mean, it would make sense if it did that, after all.”
Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George’s jokes, stared at it.
“What’s that supposed to be?”
“Looks like I think like you,” Luna said to Harry.
“Looks like it,” Harry said.
“This, Harry, is the secret of our success,” said George, patting the parchment fondly.
“Oh, yeah, it's definitely charmed to just look like it's nothing,” Cedric said.
“It’s a wrench, giving it to you,” said Fred,
“I wonder if they planned on passing it on to Ron or Ginny,” Hermione said.
“Doubt it,” Cedric said. “I don't think they really plan on passing it on at all, and, well, I would imagine that they'd do that for their children if they did.”
“True,” Hermione said. “That's probably what they did plan, but they obviously like Harry enough that they want to give it to him instead.”
“That, and they probably feel a bit sorry that he has to be stuck at Hogwarts during Hogsmeade weekends,” Cedric said.
“That too,” Hermione conceded.
“but we decided last night, your need’s greater than ours.”
“That right there kind of says that they feel a bit sorry for him,” Luna said.
“Anyway, we know it off by heart,” said George. “We bequeath it to you. We don’t really need it any more.”
“Though it was most likely helpful,” Cedric said. “If it is a map.”
“However, we don't actually know what it's a map to,” Hermione said.
“Well, they did say it was a secret to their success, so it's reasonable to believe that it's a map to somewhere helpful,” Harry said.
“And since they're at Hogwarts quite a bit, it's also reasonable to believe that it's a map to something there,” Cedric said.
“And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?” said Harry.
“For my book self, that is a valid question to ask,” Harry said.
“A bit of old parchment!” said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him.
“That would probably be funny to see,” Harry said.
“Explain, George.”
“Well ... when we were in our first year, Harry – young, carefree and innocent –“
The four snorted.
“I really doubt Fred and George have ever been innocent,” Hermione said.
“Well, if you compare them to have they are in this book, they kind of were a bit more innocent in their first year than what you've seen of them already,” Cedric said.
“But, other than that, they've never been really innocent,” Luna said.
Harry snorted. He doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.
“Even my book self knows that what they've just said is untrue,” Harry said.
“– well, more innocent than we are now – we got into a spot of bother with Filch.”
“Yeah, that definitely shows that they're not innocent,” Hermione said.
“I wonder when this spot of bother happened,” Harry said.
“We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason –“
“Yeah, I can't imagine why it would upset him,” Cedric said sarcastically.
“Yeah, can't imagine it at all,” Luna said.
“So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual –“
“Detention and the old punishments that he's not allowed to do, most likely,” Cedric said.
“– detention –“
“– disembowelment –“
“Definitely sounds like the usual to hear from Filch,” Cedric said.
“– and we couldn’t help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.”
“They're no way the twins would ignore something like that,” Hermione said.
“Yeah,” Cedric said. “It would probably take some will power not to jump at it immediately.”
“I'd say that they shouldn't, but, from what I can see about Filch so far, he'd probably throw things into the drawer simply based on who had it,” Hermione said.
“Since it seems they got the parchment from there, that does indeed say that your most likely correct in thinking that,” Harry said.
“So, if he willingly took a blank parchment from someone, that must mean that whoever it is is the person who probably was the Fred and George of whatever time they were at Hogwarts,” Hermione said.
“Probably,” Harry said.
“Don’t tell me –“ said Harry, starting to grin.
“Yeah, it's kind of predictable on what they would do,” Cedric said.
“Well, what would you’ve done?” said Fred.
“Me, I'd leave it alone, since I'm not much of prankster,” Harry said.
"More like you're not really able to be one," Hermione said. "After all, you kind of end up busy with something that stops you from enjoying living, much less letting you do pranks, if you wanted to."
“George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb,”
“They must've planned that after they were released from the Filch,” Harry said.
“I hope they were smart enough to do it away from his office,” Hermione said. “And that they planned the diversion long enough that they'd get a bit more time to look through the drawer.”
“I whipped the drawer open and grabbed – this.”
“Somehow, I don't think they made it so that they'd have more time,” Harry said.
“It’s not as bad as it sounds, you know,” said George.
“No, it's not,” Hermione said.
“We don’t reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn’t have confiscated it.”
“Or, whoever held it was suspect in his eyes,” Hermione said.
“And you know how to work it?”
“Obviously,” Hermione said.
“Oh yes,” said Fred, smirking. “This little beauty’s taught us more than all the teachers in this school.”
“They really shouldn't say that. It makes the teachers sound very ineffective at teaching them anything,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, I'm sure they learn some things in class, if they go,” Harry said.
“You’re winding me up,” said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.
“I don't think they would do that. So far, I've yet to see them play a single trick on you,” Hermione said.
“That's true,” Cedric said. “They haven't. At least, as far as we've seen.”
“Oh, are we?” said George.
He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly and said, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”
“Well that'll explain how they figured out the password,” Hermione said. “In there case, it's completely true that they're never up to any good.”
And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider’s web from the point that George’s wand had touched. They joined each other, they criss-crossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment;
“That sounds interesting,” Harry said.
then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:
Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
“Those are some interesting nicknames,” Hermione said. “At least, I'm assuming that there nicknames.”
“I would hope they are,” Harry said.
“Yeah, can you imagine being named Wormtail,” Cedric said. “At least the other three are okay. Wormtail just makes me think of a rat.”
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER’S MAP
It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds.
“Yeah, that definitely sounds helpful,” Hermione said.
“That would be kind of neat to have,” Harry said. “However, I don't see what having a map of Hogwarts castle and grounds would be much help with, since I would know by now how to get to a lot of the castle on my own.”
But the truly remarkable thing was the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labelled with a name in minuscule writing. Astounded, Harry bent over it. A labelled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker’s cat, Mrs Norris, was prowling the second floor, and Peeves the poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room.
“Now that, however, definitely makes it sound better to have the map for,” Harry said.
“I can see that it's even more helpful than I thought it would be,” Hermione said.
“I can see why the twins liked it a lot,” Luna said.
“This is probably how they're able to get away with quite a few of their jokes at school,” Cedric said.
And as Harry’s eyes travelled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else.
This map showed a set of passages he had never entered.
“Oh, so it also shows the secret passages of the castle,” Hermione said. “That'll definitely be helpful, for you. You can now come visit Hogsmeade, assuming that they go there.”
And many of them seemed to lead –
“Right into Hogsmeade,” said Fred,
“I have the feeling that they've tested them all,” Cedric said.
tracing one of them with his finger. “There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four –“ he pointed them out,
“Probably found that out the hard way,” Hermione said.
“Most likely,” Luna agreed.
“– but we’re sure we’re the only ones who know about these. Don’t bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it’s caved in – completely blocked.”
“I wonder if there's a way to make sure that doesn't happen this time around,” Harry said. “I'd like to know where it leads.”
“And we don’t reckon anyone’s ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow’s planted right over the entrance.”
This happened to catch Hermione's attention. Why was there a secret tunnel underneath the Whomping Willow when there was no conceivable way to get to it?
“But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We’ve used it loads of times. And as you might’ve noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone’s hump.”
“That sounds good to know,” Harry said. “I won't have to go far in order to get to Hogsmeade.”
“Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,” sighed George, patting the heading of the map. “We owe them so much.”
“And now I'll be owing them some,” Harry said.
“You know, you could use this map as a way to find Black,” Hermione said. “At least, while he's around Hogwarts.”
“Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers,” said Fred solemnly.
“I really hope that he meant rule breakers, not actual lawbreakers,” Hermione said.
“He probably did,” Harry said. “I don't think the Weasley twins would actually break laws, unless for a good reason.”
“Or it's something that their parents taught them as being okay,” Hermione said, thinking about the fact that Mrs. Weasley saw nothing wrong with saying it was okay to use a love potion on someone, or, at least, implying it as she did in the book - it was only the fact that Luna had mentioned that she had no problem talking about using them that allowed them to know this. Of course, it was possible that it wasn't illegal, just morally wrong.
“Right,” said George briskly, “don’t forget to wipe it after you’ve used it –“
“– or anyone can read it,” Fred said warningly.
“Just tap it again and say, “Mischief managed!” And it’ll go blank.”
“I was about to say I hope they would tell me how to wipe it,” Harry said.
“So, young Harry,” said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy,
“Well, they are brothers, so I can see how they could easily impersonate Percy,” Hermione said. “They tend to be around him a whole lot.”
“mind you behave yourself.”
“I think going to Hogsmeade would be the opposite of behaving yourself,” Hermione said.
“See you in Honeydukes,” said George, winking.
“I wonder if I'll actually meet up with them in Hogsmeade,” Harry said.
They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way.
“I think they're proud of having been able to give you the map and of the fact that you'll most likely use it to break rules and go to Hogsmeade when you're not supposed to,” Hermione said.
“That, and the fact that they gave you something very useful to use,” Luna said.
Harry stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. He watched the tiny ink Mrs Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn’t know ... he wouldn’t have to pass the Dementors at all …
“Yes, that would be a good thing, particularly with the effect they'd have on me,” Harry said.
But even as he stood there, flooded with excitement, something Harry had once heard Mr. Weasley say came floating out of his memory.
“What? What would the map remind me of that Mr. Weasley said?” Harry asked.
Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.
“Oh,” Harry said, remembering the last book.
“I don't think the map would count,” Hermione said. “It's not like it's writing back to you. It's simply something that only shows when a password is given with a wand tap.”
This map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr. Weasley had been warning against ... Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers ... but then, Harry reasoned, he only wanted to use it to get into Hogsmeade, it wasn’t as though he wanted to steal anything or attack anyone ... and Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible happening …
“I have a feeling they might've made sure to check what spells were on it. It's probably how they learned the password, or, at least, that a password was needed,” Cedric said.
Harry traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger.
“Your going to do it,” Hermione said. “I just know it.”
Then, quite suddenly, as though following orders, he rolled up the map, stuffed it inside his robes, and hurried to the door of the classroom. He opened it a couple of inches. There was no one outside. Very carefully, he edged out of the room and slipped behind the statue of the one-eyed witch.
“You want to make sure that there's no way you won't be able to get to it, don't you?” Luna said.
“Yes, most likely,” Harry said. “I suppose I should keep an eye on the map, though. It would probably help me, after all.”
What did he have to do?
“Oh, they didn't mention how your supposed to get into the tunnel,” Hermione said.
He pulled out the map again and saw, to his astonishment, that a new ink figure had appeared upon it, labelled ‘Harry Potter’. This figure was standing exactly where the real Harry was standing, about halfway down the third-floor corridor.
“I wonder why you're only showing up on the map now,” Hermione said.
“That is a good question to wonder,” Harry said.
Harry watched carefully. His little ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with his minute wand.
“It gives instructions, how nice,” Luna said.
“Whoever was the person, or persons, who made this map, they were obviously extremely smart,” Hermione said.
Harry quickly took out his real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. He looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to his figure. The word inside said “Dissendium”.
“Dissendium!’”Harry whispered, tapping the stone witch again.
“I wonder if that's the actual password for the passage, or if whoever made the map put it there,” Cedric said.
“What, you think that the password can be changed,” Hermione said.
“It could be possible,” Cedric said.
At once, the statue’s hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person.
“You should have no problem now, but what's going to happen when you grow some more,” Hermione said.
“Now I think we know why the twins used the passage behind the mirror,” Cedric said. “They could probably fit in it better.”
Harry glanced quickly up and down the corridor, then tucked the map away again, hoisted himself into the hole headfirst, and pushed himself forwards.
“Not smart,” Luna said.
“Yeah, what would you do if it was straight shot to the ground,” Hermione said. “You could break your neck.”
“Yeah, I probably should have checked that a bit more,” Harry said.
He slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth.
“You got lucky there,” Cedric said.
He stood up, looking around. It was pitch dark.
“You're in an underground passage that technically isn't supposed to exist, and you just came from somewhere where there was quite a bit of light. Of course it's going to seem pitch dark,” Hermione said. “And, while I doubt that it'll lighten up a whole lot, once your eyes adjust, it might not see as dark any more.”
He held up his wand, muttered, “Lumos!” and saw that he was in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway. He raised the map, tapped it with the tip of his wand and muttered, “Mischief managed!”
“Yeah, you probably won't need that until you're heading back to the school,” Hermione said.
The map went blank at once. He folded it carefully, tucked it inside his robes, then, heart beating fast, both excited and apprehensive, he set off.
“Oh dear,” Hermione said. “It's going to be cold outside, and you don't have anything to shield you from it other than your school robes.”
“Well, it's not like I was expecting to be heading to Hogsmeade that day,” Harry said. “Remember, I was going to spend it looking at different broomsticks.”
The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else.
“That's an interesting description for the passage,” Luna said.
Harry hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, holding his wand out in front of him.
“You might want to slow down a bit, that way you won't accidentally fall,” Cedric said.
It took ages, but Harry had the thought of Honeydukes to sustain him. After what felt like an hour, the passage began to rise. Panting, Harry sped up, his face hot, his feet very cold.
“How come your feet are cold?” Luna asked.
“Not sure why,” Harry said.
Ten minutes later, he came to the foot of some worn stone steps which rose out of sight above him. Careful not to make any noise, Harry began to climb. A hundred steps, two hundred steps, he lost count as he climbed, watching his feet ...
“You might want to be a bit more careful. Knowing your luck, you'll end up hitting your head on something,” Hermione said.
then, without warning, his head hit something hard.
“See?” Hermione said.
“I probably should have expected something like that,” Harry said.
It seemed to be a trapdoor. Harry stood there, massaging the top of his head, listening. He couldn’t hear any sounds above him.
“Can't say if that's a good or bad thing,” Cedric said. “For all I know, it could be charmed to not allow sound out.”
“Wouldn't they have to know it's there for that to happened?” Harry said.
“Yeah, and I doubt that, if they knew, they would let it stay open,” Hermione said. “They probably would have blocked it off if they knew.”
Very slowly, he pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge.
“That's good. Less chance of being noticed that way,” Cedric said.
He was in a cellar which was full of wooden crates and boxes. Harry climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it – it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there.
“Hopefully, you'll be able to find it when you need it, then,” Hermione said.
“There's probably something that'll help me find it when I go back,” Harry said.
“Hopefully,” Luna muttered.
Harry crept slowly towards the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now he could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door.
“Hopefully, no one comes down when you start heading up the stairs,” Cedric said.
Wondering what he ought to do, he suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs.
“At least your not on the stairs,” Hermione said.
“And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they’ve nearly cleaned us out –“ said a woman’s voice.
Jelly Slugs must be a favourite,” Harry said.
“For some,” Cedric said.
A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. Harry leapt behind an enormous crate and waited for the footsteps to pass.
“Smart of you,” Luna said.
He heard the man shifting boxes against the wall opposite. He might not get another chance –
“Yeah, you should probably go now,” Cedric said. “And remember, for next time, to bring your invisibility cloak with you.”
Quickly and silently, Harry dodged out from his hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, he saw an enormous backside and a shiny bald head buried in a box.
“How nice,” Hermione said drolly, while the two boys let out a muffled laugh.
Harry reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it, and found himself behind the counter of Honeydukes –
“You might want to get away from there before someone notices that you're not an employee there,” Luna said.
he ducked, crept sideways and then straightened up.
"I hope no one thinks it's odd that you're there," Cedric said.
Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Harry.
“That's lucky,” Harry said.
“Most of them must either be of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, though there are probably some Slytherins in the group, ones who don't care that your there when your not supposed to be there,” Cedric said.
“Yeah. If it was Malfoy there, then you'd no doubt be in trouble,” Hermione said. “He'd probably make quite a fuss if he saw you there.”
He edged amongst them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over Dudley’s piggy face if he could see where Harry was now.
Harry looked off dreamily as he imagined the look, laughing a bit from the entertaining image. The other three also laughed, seeing it in their own minds as well, though only Harry had the accuracy of being about to picture the look on Dudley's face, as the others had never met him, and, therefore, didn't know what he looked like. Of course, Harry's mostly accurate descriptions did make it easier for them to do so.
There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-coloured toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavour Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizzbees, the levitating sherbet balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were ‘Special Effects’ sweets: Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-coloured bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps (‘breathe fire for your friends!’), Ice Mice (‘hear your teeth chatter and squeak!’), peppermint creams shaped like toads (‘hop realistically in the stomach!’), fragile sugar-spun quills and exploding bonbons.
“I wish we had some samples of these things,” Hermione said. “I'd love to be able to try some of these things, though my parents would be horrified to know this. As dentist, they're kind against sweets, and I'm usually only allowed to have any of them in very small moderation, mostly because they rather know when I get a piece instead of having me try and sneak any of it.”
“That must be...interesting,” Cedric said. “And yet your getting them some sweets for Christmas...”
“The Toothflossing Stringmints are more likely up their alley,” Hermione said. “I have the feeling they're very much like dental floss, which'll most likely keep them from saying something bad about them.”
Harry squeezed himself through a crowd of sixth-years and saw a sign hanging in the furthest corner of the shop (‘Unusual Tastes’). Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavoured lollipops.
“You're not thinking about giving those to me, are you?” Harry said, looking at Hermione with a raised eyebrow.
“No, I doubt it. One of us probably pointed it out,” Hermione said.
“I have a feeling that it was most likely you who did it,” Harry said. “Ron is probably used to the wizarding worlds unusual candies, and probably wouldn't see anything wrong with giving me one of those.”
“True,” Hermione said. “While I suspect that they're most likely for vampires, there could be some witches and wizards who have a taste for them.”
“There are,” Cedric said. “Despite what people think, Honeydukes wouldn't keep a sweet there unless it was a guarantee that they'd be bought, even if they weren't huge sellers. And I don't think that vampires visit Hogsmeade a whole lot.”
Harry sneaked up behind them.
“You better not scare us,” Hermione said.
“Can't say I won't,” Harry said. “It's kind of a great opportunity to do it, after all.”
Hermione made a face at him.
“Urgh, no, Harry won’t want one of those, they’re for vampires, I expect,” Hermione was saying.
“Looks like your idea didn't change much,” Luna said.
“How about these?” said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Cluster under Hermione’s nose.
“Definitely not,” Harry said, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the idea of eating anything with the word cockroach in the title.
“Definitely not,” said Harry.
Ron nearly dropped the jar.
“It's a good thing he didn't, though I would be surprised if there's an unbreakable charm on the jar, just in case someone does drop one,” Cedric said.
“That definitely did surprise Ron. I wonder how I reacted to seeing Harry there,” Hermione said.
“Harry!” squealed Hermione.
"Apparently, you react happily to see me," Harry said. "That definitely makes me happy to hear."
“What are you doing here? How – how did you –?”
“I'm happy to learn that Harry is there, but I'm wondering how he got there,” Hermione said.
“Wow!” said Ron, looking very impressed. “You’ve learnt to Apparate!”
“I wonder how many times I've had to mention that you can't Apparate into Hogwarts,” Hermione said, shaking her head at Ron's stupidity in not understanding something so simple.
“ ’Course I haven’t,” said Harry.
“Knowing how to Apparate wouldn't help me if I was in the castle,” Harry said.
He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth-years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder’s Map.
“Somehow, I don't think Ron is going to be happy to know that his brothers had it but didn't give it to him,” Cedric said.
“I think, at the moment, that he probably shouldn't have told us about the map itself, particularly since my book self will most likely think he should hand it in, even though it would be very useful to have,” Hermione said.
“So, like with Lockhart, the map is going to be another thing that you disagree on with your book self,” Cedric said.
“Most likely. Of course, it's probably because of the fact that Black's around. Most of my insistence that he hand it in is because of Black and the fact that he was able to get into the castle,” Hermione said. “I'm probably thinking that he used one of the hidden passages.”
“It's not something that's impossible,” Harry said. “Though, considering how small the only one straight into the castle is, I'd imagine that it would be hard for him to get into it. Plus, considering where it leads, he's have to break into Honeydukes to get to the trapdoor. And this is also assuming he knows where it is. We don't have a guarantee that he has any idea of any of the secret passages, though we also can't assume that he doesn't either.”
“How come Fred and George never gave it to me!” said Ron, outraged. “I’m their brother!”
“Knew he wouldn't take that well,” Cedric said.
“I have a feeling this doesn't help his inadequate feelings,” Hermione said. “Knowing that his brothers would rather give Harry something like that over him.”
“But Harry isn’t going to keep it!” said Hermione, as though the idea was ludicrous.
“Not keeping it is ludicrous,” Hermione said, shaking her head.
“He’s going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren’t you, Harry?”
'No, I'm not,” said Harry.
“Yeah, the twins gave it to him to use, not to turn it in,” Luna said.
“No, I’m not!” said Harry.
“Are you mad?” said Ron,
“I do sound a bit mad for wanting the map to be handed to a teacher,” Hermione said. “Then again, according to Ron, I'm mental for almost anything I do, so it's not like him calling me mad is anything new.”
goggling at Hermione. “Hand in something that good?”
“If I hand it in, I’ll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George nicked it!”
“Which could get them into trouble,” Harry said.
“But what about Sirius Black?” Hermione hissed. “He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!”
“Who says he doesn't have ways of hiding from something like that,” Harry asked. “We don't really know how accurate the map is, and, remember, I only showed up on it after leaving that one classroom. There are probably a few spaces that are not seen on it, or that hide the presence of people.”
“That's true,” Hermione said. “In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if the map makers mostly focused on the hallways, teachers' classrooms and offices, and the secret passageways. I mean, it's possible that the map was made by pranksters, after all, which wouldn't really help the teachers in anything but catching pranksters.”
“He can’t be getting in through a passage,” said Harry quickly.
“Not that I know of, though, if he's figured out a way, it is a possibility that he somehow managed to use the passageway underneath the Whomping Willow,” Harry said. “Of course, he probably got hurt, quite a bit, in using it, if he did.”
“The idea of him getting hurt amuses you, does it?” Luna said.
“He's a follower of Riddle. Of course it amuses me,” Harry said. “I don't care for anyone who believes in what Riddle does and who willingly follows him.”
“You know, Harry, I think you should also remember what your future self, the one watching us, said before we started this book,” Hermione said. “I mean, there has to be a reason for his words, right?”
“True, but then, we don't know why he was saying that. For all we know, there's something else mentioned in the book that'll apply to his reason for saying that,” Harry said.
“I would imagine that it has to do with Black. I mean, this book does seem to point to him being the major event of this year,” Luna said.
“Okay, I won't discount the warning given to me by future me having to do with Black, but I'm not going to assume that it does, either,” Harry said.
“There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them.”
“They probably should have given a reason on how they know that Filch knows of those four that he knows,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, considering that the way I'm saying it, you'd think that they only suspected it, not knew it,” Harry said, shaking his head at his book self's actions.
“And the other three – one of them’s caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them’s got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can’t get out of it. And the one I just came through – well – it’s really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar – so unless he knew it was there –“
“Can't assume that he doesn't know it's there,” Hermione said.
Harry hesitated. What if Black did know the passage was there?
“That's probably something I should have considered before,” Harry said.
Ron, however, cleared his throat significantly, and pointed to a notice pasted on the inside of the sweetshop door.
BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Customers are reminded that until further notice, Dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown.
”That's probably not going to be a very popular decision for many, since it means that there will be less people in the alley around those times,” Cedric said.
This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black.
“Um, what's going to happen if they don't catch him,” Harry said. “I mean, he's doing pretty good evading capture. Who knows how long he'll be able to keep it up?”
It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall.
”Well, that would certainly make it harder for Back to use the Hogsmeade passage,” Hermione said.
“And I'm sure that the owners have some safety measure on their shop to keep people from breaking in when it's closed, so unless he stays in the basement...” Harry said.
“He could. You never know, after all,” Hermione said. “He could easily have a way of getting in and out without notice, and stay in the basement there. I mean, it's not like he'd be caught by Dementors that way. And, he'd have something to eat. It might not be something healthy, like he most likely should have, but it is something to eat.”
Merry Christmas!
“That's a lot like your little underage magic warning letter in the previous book,” Luna said. “It basically states bad news, and then wishes you a happy holiday.”
“At least there's no uncle around to cause harm to you,” Hermione said.
“See?” said Ron quietly. “I’d like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with Dementors swarming all over the village.”
“It's only at night, meaning he still could get there before the Dementors arrive,” Hermione said.
“Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn’t they? They live over the shop!”
“Which also supports Black making sure to be there before night,” Harry pointed out.
“Again, that's if he's staying there,” Hermione said.
“Yes, but – but –“ Hermione seemed to be struggling to find another problem.
“For some reason, it's almost as if my book self doesn't want you there,” Hermione said, frowning.
“I don't think that's it,” Luna said. “At least, not fully. I think that your main objection to it, besides the Black issue, is the fact that he's not supposed to be there because it's against the rules.”
“True,” Hermione said.
“Look, Harry still shouldn’t be coming into Hogsmeade, he hasn’t got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he’ll be in so much trouble! And it’s not nightfall yet – what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?”
“Those are legitimate concerns,” Cedric said.
“He’d have a job spotting Harry in this,” said Ron,
“He wouldn't have to look for Harry. Just a good curse that could cause harm to many would need to be used,” Hermione said. "I mean, there's nothing that states that he won't just harm someone just cause his target isn't there. Of course, this makes me wonder if there are any safety measures to keep us from being hurt."
“That's true,” Harry said, thinking of the fact that he was able to kill so many people with just one curse before.
"Considering how the Ministry is, I really doubt that there is," Luna said. "So long as Harry's being protected, chances are that it's all that matters to them."
nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick, swirling snow. “Come on, Hermione, it’s Christmas, Harry deserves a break.”
“That is true,” Hermione said.
Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried.
“I, unlike Ron, am not underestimating Black,” Hermione said. “So of course I'm worried.”
“Are you going to report me?” Harry asked her, grinning.
“You know I won't, even if I threaten too,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, we see an example of that in the first book,” Luna said.
“I'm not sure if that could be considered to be a good example, though,” Hermione said.
“It's still an example,” Luna said.
“Oh – of course not – but honestly, Harry –“
“I think that means your giving in,” Harry said.
“So do I,” Hermione said.
“Seen the Fizzing Whizzbees, Harry?” said Ron,
“That's an interesting name,” Harry said.
“I wouldn't suggest having them,” Cedric said. “It's believed that dried billywigs are one of the ingredients in them.”
“Billywigs?” Hermione asked.
“A type of magical insect,” Cedric said.
“Oh,” Hermione said. “Yeah, I can see why it's not suggestible to have them.” She wrinkled her nose at the idea of having a candy that might have insect parts in it. Then again she thought considering the fact that potions that have to be drunk probably have some things like that or something worse in them, I guess having a sweet with dried insect in it wouldn't be too bad. Still, it sounds disgusting.
grabbing him and leading him over to their barrel. “And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops?”
“Acid Pops?” Hermione said incredulously. “Please tell me that it's just the name, and doesn't actually have anything to do with acid.”
“Truthfully or would you rather I lie?” Cedric asked, giving her the answer she was looking for.
“Exactly how stupid can someone get,” Hermione said.
“If I remember correctly, it doesn't do any permanent damage,” Luna said. “It might burn a hole through a persons tongue, but that damage will heal quickly.”
“Fred gave me one of those when I was seven – it burnt a hole right through my tongue.”
“Whoever came up with those are completely idiotic,” Hermione grumbled, shaking her head.
“I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick.” Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box. “Reckon Fred’d take a bit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?”
“No. As a prankster, he'd see right through that excuse,” Cedric said.
When Ron and Hermione had paid for all their sweets,
“That's right, I didn't bring any money with me,” Harry said, as he had been about to wonder why he didn't buy anything.
the three of them left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside.
“Time for Harry here to learn the folly of not having a cloak,” Hermione said.
Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees.
“That does sound like a Christmas card,” Harry said.
Harry shivered; unlike the other two, he didn’t have his cloak.
“I really hope we go somewhere warm,” Harry said.
"I really hope that Ron and I huddle against you to help keep you warm," Hermione said. "At least until we figure out where we're going to go to next."
"I have the feeling that you're going to be busy pointing places out to him to actually think and worry about that," Cedric said.
They headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves.
“You know, it's mean of your two not to at least offer to give me something to help keep me warm,” Harry said, mock-frowning.
“Sorry,” Hermione said.
“That’s the Post Office –“
“Zonko’s is up there –“
“We could go up to the Shrieking Shack –“
“How about an inn in town,” Cedric said. “It'll be much warmer if you do that.”
"Yeah, going to the Shrieking Shack doesn't sound all that fun at the moment," Harry said.
“Tell you what,” said Ron, his teeth chattering,
"Seems I'm not the only one whose could right now," Harry said.
“shall we go for a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?”
“Oh, I suggest you go,” Luna said. “Butterbeer is the best – it just warms you right up.”
Harry was more than willing; the wind was fierce and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn.
It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar.
“I take it that the Three Broomsticks is a popular place,” Harry said.
“With the way that the woman is described, I think its easy to figure out why it's popular,” Hermione said.
“That’s Madam Rosmerta,” said Ron.
“I wonder if she's the owner of the inn,” Harry said.
“I do this so,” Cedric said.
“I’ll get the drinks, shall I?” he added, going slightly red.
“I think someone has a crush,” Luna said.
“Seems that way,” Cedric said. "Though, from what I've heard about her, I think it's understandable on why someone would get a crush on her."
Harry and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree which stood next to the fireplace.
“That sounds like a nice, and private, place to sit at,” Harry said.
“Somehow, I think something is going to happen that makes sitting there a good place to sit,” Hermione said. “It's just too good of a spot to hide in, especially if you move the tree a bit.”
Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tankards of hot Butterbeer.
“Happy Christmas!” he said happily, raising his tankard.
Harry drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside.
“Something that, after being outside without anything to really help keep me warm, is going to be very welcomed,” Harry said.
A sudden breeze ruffled his hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked.
“Knew that something was going to happen,” Hermione said.
“Why do you assume that when all it said was that I looked over the rim of my tankard and choked?” Harry asked.
“Why else would you choke when you saw whoever it was that entered?” Hermione countered.
“True,” Harry said. “There really isn't a reason for that unless something was going to happen.”
“Exactly,” Hermione said, turning back to the book.
Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub in a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak: Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.
“I guess I didn't think that some of the teachers would visit the village themselves,” Harry said.
"What I want to know is why the Minister is there," Cedric said.
"He could be visiting the school to check on the Black and Dementor situations," Hermione said, though her excuse sounded weak. After all, it had been a while since both situations - it was rather irresponsible that he would only just now be checking on it. Of course, considering what we've seen already, it does seem right up the alley of how he usually acts she thought.
In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry’s head and forced him off his stool and under the table.
“How nice of you,” Harry said.
“Just want to make sure that you're not seen,” Hermione said. "Unless you wish to get into trouble."
"No, that's okay," Harry said.
Dripping with Butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Harry clutched his empty tankard and watched the teachers’ and Fudge’s feet move towards the bar, pause, then turn and walk right towards him.
“You're moving the tree in order to create the very seen that you mentioned could be created earlier,” Cedric said.
“It will make sure that Harry remains unseen,” Hermione said.
“Plus it lets you remain unseen,” Luna said.
“I think my bad habits have rubbed off on you,” Harry said. “You're about to eavesdrop with Ron and I.”
“Not on purpose,” Hermione said. “If I were to try and move, I would most likely draw attention to our group, which would defeat the purpose of hiding you.”
“Nice answer,” Cedric said. “But I have the feeling that you're kind of curious as to know why the Minister is with the Professors.” Hermione blushed lightly at that – she was curious to know, though she did have her suspicions.
The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. Staring through the dense lower branches, Harry saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs, then heard the grunts and sighs of the teachers and Minister as they sat down.
“I wonder if you can hear them,” Luna said.
Next he saw another pair of feet, wearing sparkly turquoise high heels, and heard a woman’s voice.
“I think that they can,” Cedric said.
“A small Gillywater –“
“Mine,” said Professor McGonagall’s voice.
“Four pints of mulled mead –“
“That's Hagrid's. I just know it,” Harry said.
“Ta, Rosmerta,” said Hagrid.
“A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella –“
“Somehow, I can't see the Minister drinking that,” Harry said. “So I'm going to have to say that it's Professor Flitwick's drink.”
“Mmm!” said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.
“So you’ll be the redcurrant rum, Minister.”
“Thank you, Rosmerta, m’dear,” said Fudge’s voice. “Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won’t you? Come and join us ...”
“I wonder if she was hoping for an invitation,” Hermione said. “I mean, I doubt the Minister visits her inn a whole lot. It's probably made her curious as to why he's there.”
“Well, she'll probably find out the answer to her question, since she's wrangled up an invitation to sit with with them,” Harry said.
“Which means we'll also know, since we can hear them,” Hermione said.
“Well, thank you very much, Minister.”
Harry watched the glittering heels march away and back again. His heart was pounding uncomfortably in his throat. Why hadn’t it occurred to him that this was the last weekend of term for the teachers, too?
“Probably because most teenagers don't think about the fact that their teachers have lives outside of teaching,” Cedric said.
And how long were they going to sit there? He needed time to sneak back into Honeydukes if he wanted to return to school tonight ... Hermione’s leg gave a nervous twitch next to him.
“Your both probably freaking out without actually showing it much,” Luna said.
“So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?” came Madam Rosmerta’s voice.
Harry saw the lower part of Fudge’s thick body twist in his chair as though he was checking for eavesdroppers.
“He most likely was,” Luna said.
“Well then, he missed three,” Cedric said.
“He probably wants to talk about Black, then,” Harry said.
“Most likely,” Hermione agreed. "Though, why he's doing it now, when it's been about a month and half since the Black debacle happened, I don't know."
Then he said in a quiet voice, “What else, m’dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?”
“Probably,” Harry said. “It wouldn't surprise me if one of the other students mentioned it in passing after seeing the signs posted around the village.”
“I did hear a rumour,” admitted Madam Rosmerta.
“Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?” said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.
“Hey, why does she automatically assume it was Hagrid who had something to do with it?” Harry said, frowning.
“Considering what we've learned about him, I can understand her automatic, if unfair, assumption that it was him who caused the rumour,” Hermione said. Harry had to admit, she had a point; it wasn't that hard to get Hagrid to spill secrets, after all.
"But that doesn't mean that he's completely horrible at keeping secrets," Harry said. "I mean, he did keep why he was expelled secret for quite a while from us, and I'm sure that there are other things about him that we don't know."
"And we already suspect that Hagrid might not have been bound to not telling us anything in the first book," Hermione said. "So, while he does seem to be bad about it, it's not impossible for him to keep secrets."
“Do you think Black’s still in the area, Minister?” whispered Madam Rosmerta.
“Most likely,” Hermione said.
“I’m sure of it,” said Fudge shortly.
"I doubt he'd be there otherwise," Hermione said.
“You know that the Dementors have searched my pub twice?” said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice.
"I have the feeling that she's anything but happy about that," Harry said.
“Scared all my customers away ... it’s very bad for business, Minister.”
“Rosmerta, m’dear, I don’t like them any more than you do,” said Fudge uncomfortably.
'Why employ them, then?” Hermione asked.
“Necessary precaution ... unfortunate, but there you are ... I’ve just met some of them. They’re in a fury against Dumbledore – he won’t let them inside the castle grounds.”
“And that's a good thing,” Harry said.
“Yeah, how would the teachers be able to teach, and how would the students keep from being harmed if they were allowed to float around,” Hermione said.
“I should think not,” said Professor McGonagall sharply. “How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?”
“Hear, hear!” squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground.
“That would be interesting to see,” Luna said, smiling a bit at the imagine in her mind.
“All the same,” demurred Fudge, “they are here to protect you all from something much worse ... we all know what Black’s capable of ...”
“I think we're about to be getting more into Black,” Cedric said.
“Maybe we'll learn something new that hasn't been mentioned yet,” Harry said, though he didn't sound completely hopeful. That would be just too convenient for him if it happened. Of course, at the same time, it wasn't like they knew he'd be there to hear it, which meant that a set up was excluded...
He shook his head a bit to get those thoughts out of his mind.
“Do you know, I still have trouble believing it,” said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. “Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I’d have thought ...”
“Nor was I,” Cedric said. “I got the feeling that it was easy to tell who would join Riddle and who wouldn't. They all tend to have the same attitude, after all.”
“I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you’d told me then what he was going to become, I’d have said you’d had too much mead.”
“He's either a good actor, then, or he changed after Hogwarts,” Hermione said.
"Or what's being said about him isn't actually true, and he was at the wrong place at the wrong time," Luna said.
“You don’t know the half of it, Rosmerta,” said Fudge gruffly. “The worst he did isn’t widely known.”
“We're going to be learning something else, something that's not widely known,” Harry said, leaning forward. “I wonder what it is.”
“The worst?” said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. “Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?”
“If it's worse than that, I'm almost afraid to know what it is,” Hermione said.
“I certainly do,” said Fudge.
“I can’t believe that. What could possibly be worse?”
“That's what we would like to know,” Harry said.
“You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta,” murmured Professor McGonagall. “Do you remember who his best friend was?”
“What does that have to do with it?” Luna asked. Hermione read silently to herself for a moment, eyes widening as she saw exactly what it had to do with it.
“Naturally,” said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. “Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here – ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!”
“What?!” Harry said, mouth dropping.
“Your father and Black were best friends?” Cedric said, equally shocked.
“Okay, I think there's definitely something missing,” Luna said. “Why would your father be friends with someone like Black if he was capable of doing what he did and working for Riddle?”
"Unless my father held the same beliefs as Black once did," Harry said.
"No, I doubt that's it," Hermione said.
"Then, what, Black didn't have those beliefs to begin with, and ended up changing his mind at some point," Harry said.
"That's actually is possible, since nothing I've ever heard about your father suggests that he hold the beliefs that Riddle and Black do," Cedric said.
Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked him.
"Ouch," Harry said.
“Precisely,” said Professor McGonagall. “Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course – exceptionally bright, in fact – but I don’t think we’ve ever had such a pair of troublemakers –“
“So my father was a troublemaker,” Harry muttered, thinking back to McGonagall's reaction in the first book, catching him and Hermione out of bed.
"Maybe that's why she had the reaction she did in the first book," Hermione said.
"That doesn't excuse it, though," Luna said.
"No, it doesn't," Hermione said. "If anything, it makes it worse, as she's thinking you are your father instead of your own person."
“I dunno,” chuckled Hagrid. “Fred and George Weasley could give ’em a run fer their money.”
“They were on par with the Weasley twins,” Hermione said, raising an eyebrow.
“You’d have thought Black and Potter were brothers!” chimed in Professor Flitwick. “Inseparable!”
“Of course they were,” said Fudge. “Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry.”
“He's my godfather?” Harry said, stunned. Luna sat up, alert and knowing that something big was coming up. Obviously, if they were mentioning this fact, then Black was believed to have something done with the Potters. However, if that was the case, then he'd be dead, particularly since, as a pure-blood, he would not just do a Muggle ceremony that named him godfather. No, he'd definitely do the magical binds of what being a godparent entailed.
And this also meant that, chances were, he wasn't after Harry.
“Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him.”
“Because Black is with Riddle,” Harry said, darkly, beginning to become angry again. He completely forgot about the bit of information about godparents that Luna had told him back during the first book; then again, he also didn't have a reason to think about it, either.
“Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?” whispered Madam Rosmerta.
“Worse even than that, m’dear ...” Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble.
“We're probably straining a bit to hear him right now,” Hermione muttered.
“Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them.”
“He was after me – or, rather, after my father and I,” Harry said, remembering the fact that Riddle gave his mother the chance to live.
“Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn’t an easy person to hide from.”
“I'd bet,” Harry said.
“Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm.”
“How does that work?” said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest.
“Professor Flitwick is probably the best person to answer that question,” Cedric said.
“It's a good think he's there then, isn't it,”Luna said.
Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.
“An immensely complex spell,” he said squeakily, “involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find – unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it.”
“That doesn't sound completely safe,” Harry said. “I mean, what if they divulged it because they were tortured or without actually meaning to.”
“It doesn't seem smart to simply rely on one hiding charm,” Hermione said.
"I guess Hagrid knew the secret then, since he was able to get to me," Harry said. "After all, I was still alive at that point."
"True," Cedric said. "Though, it could have just been focused on your parents."
"Then how would I have been able to stay with them, unless the Secret-Keeper told me, and I was able to understand it," Harry said.
“As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window!”
“That would probably be funny to imagine if I could think of a clear picture of what Riddle looked like before he disappeared,” Harry admitted, though any amusement that would come at the idea was tainted by the angry feelings he had towards Black, as he could see where this was going.
Luna, like Harry, could see where this was going, but, unlike Harry, she realized that Black being his godfather would mean that there was a pretty good chance that whatever information they had that Black had supposedly done to the Potters was, more or less, completely false. And this was something that should be known to the Minister and the professors, as they were all pure-blood – or, at the very least, pretty close to being pure-blood. Plus, if they weren't sure, there was a way in the Ministry to check this, unless they did. Still, she couldn't see Black not following a tradition like that.
Cedric, who was also thinking along the same vein as Luna, wondered if they had bothered to check that, or if they rationalized that, with the fact that Harry's mother had been a Muggleborn meant that she would have fought against it, even though everything that Cedric's mother had said about Lily would suggest that she wouldn't protest against it that much, if only so that she could harm the person on the other side sooner rather than later.
“So Black was the Potters’ Secret-Keeper?” whispered Madam Rosmerta.
“Actually, if you think about it, considering how close the two are, it's very possible that they were just using a red haring,” Hermione said. “I mean, if I was going to hide, I wouldn't use someone who is known to be close to me the way that Black is said to be close to Harry's father. Then again, I would probably prefer to use myself as a Secret-Keeper, if it's allowed. I mean, what better way to protect myself than that.”
“I think that'll be something that has to be looked up, since Professor Flitwick didn't mention if it was possible or not,” Luna said. “Though, I have the feeling that, if the Potters asked, Dumbledore might have said it was impossible and they would have most likely believed it.”
"Which would suggest that he didn't want them to do that for some reason," Harry said, frowning.
"Yeah, it would," Cedric said.
“Naturally,” said Professor McGonagall. “James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself ... and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters’ Secret-Keeper himself.”
“He suspected Black?” gasped Madam Rosmerta.
“I have a feeling that it was more like he suspected that someone close to them had something to do with it,” Hermione said. “And Black only became the suspect after whatever he supposedly did.”
“He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements,” said Professor McGonagall darkly. “Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who.”
“I doubt that it's only one person who has done that, for either side,” Hermione said.
“But James Potter insisted on using Black?”
“Probably, but, then again, unless Dumbledore was there when the charm was cast, then it's very possible that it might not be Black,” Hermione said. “I've noticed that it doesn't say that Dumbledore actually performed the charm.” She noticed this, of course, because she read the next few lines and saw that it didn't mention anything about Dumbledore having performed the charm, just having been told that it would be Black who was the secret-keeper.
The others, however, were a bit confused about how absolute she was in her words, but figured, quite rightly, that she probably read ahead a bit. And they couldn't exactly be angry at her for that, since they'd all done it themselves at some poimt or another.
“He did,” said Fudge heavily. “And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed –“
“So this all happened in rather quickly,” Harry said, having calmed down a bit after hearing Hermione mention that he might not have done it, though he was still a bit angry.
“Black betrayed them?” breathed Madam Rosmerta.
“He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters’ death.”
“I don't think the Potters wouldn't have noticed that there was something wrong with Black if he had changed that much, particularly since if they were as close as they're said to have been,” Hermione said.
“But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled.”
“So not even he suspects that Riddle is gone,” Harry said, making note of that.
“And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His Master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it –“
“No, that's not right,” Luna finally said. “Remember, he was there at the house when Hagrid went to get Harry. He even gave Hagrid his bike to help him. If he really had no other choice but to run, he would not have done that, unless he got there before Hagrid did. And then, if Black really was a true follower of Riddle, he probably would have killed you if that had happened.
“Plus, as your godfather, he'd be dead if he had done what they just said that he'd done. Remember what I told you about godparents, how, if they betray their godchild in any way, they'd die. While we don't know if there's any proof that Black did it the magical way, as a pure-blood, chances are that he most likely would have done it. And, before you say it Hermione, the godparent oath – which is a rather easy oath to say – is actually an oath that Muggleborns who marry pure-bloods or half-bloods who grew up with knowledge of it.”
“So, at least for the charge of being the reason Harry's parents are dead, it's most likely not his fault, since he'd probably be dead if he did do it,” Hermione said.
“Exactly,” Luna said.
“I take it that there really isn't any way to know for sure if he did or didn't,” Harry said.
“Oh, there is,” Luna said. “However, as it has mentioned that Dumbledore knew that they planned on using Black, his word was probably all that was needed. I mean, no one really questions it a whole lot. And, since Black is still alive, they probably assume that he didn't do the oath.”
“And they don't even bother to check just in case Dumbledore might be wrong,” Hermione said, shaking her head.
“Filthy, stinkin’ turncoat!” Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.
“Not a good think if your trying to have a private conversation,” Hermione said.
“Shh!” said Professor McGonagall.
“Somehow, I don't think that's going to work,” Harry said.
“I met him!” growled Hagrid. “I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an’ James’s house after they was killed! Jus’ got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an’ his parents dead ... an’ Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin’ motorbike he used ter ride.”
“So he definitely saw no reason to run,” Luna said. “And, I doubt he went to look for Riddle. I mean, he'd have no reason to go there instead of waiting for news, not unless he had some way of knowing what happened to Riddle, and, if I'm thinking correctly, none of his followers knew because I have the feeling that they would have come to the Potter house themselves if they did.”
“Never occurred ter me what he was doin’ there. I didn’ know he’d bin Lily an’ James’s Secret-Keeper.”
“So it wasn't completely common knowledge before,” Hermione said.
“That, or they just didn't tell Hagrid because of who he was,” Harry said. “I mean, I don't see the point in telling a lot of people the secret. Of course, again, this begs the question of if the secret was destroyed or not."
“Thought he’d jus’ heard the news o’ You-Know-Who’s attack an’ come ter see what he could do. White an’ shakin’, he was.”
“With how close he was said to be to your father, it would make sense if he was white and shaking,” Hermione said.
“An’ yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN’ TRAITOR!” Hagrid roared.
“You know, considering how close they say Black and your father were, it doesn't make sense for people to think that he would turn on him so easily,” Hermione said.
“Hagrid, please!” said Professor McGonagall. “Keep your voice down!”
“Again, I don't think that's going to work,” Harry said.
“How was I ter know he wasn’ upset abou’ Lily an’ James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou’! An’ then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I’m his godfather, I’ll look after him –' Ha! But I’d had me orders from Dumbledore, an’ I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an’ uncle’s.”
“Technically, if that did happen, then Hagrid should have given Harry over to Black. As godfather, his claim to Harry is strong, stronger than anything that Dumbledore would say,” Luna said.
“Black argued, but in the end he gave in.”
“Well, considering how big Hagrid is, I'd give in, in the end as well,” Harry said.
“Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won’ need it any more,' he says.”
“I think he probably just wanted to make sure you got there safely,” Hermione said.
“Wait, that doesn't make sense,” Luna said.
“What?” Harry asked.
“If Hagrid was supposed to bring you straight to the Dursleys, then why did it take him an entire day to do so? And how did it get out that Harry had defeated Riddle within hours if he also went straight to the Dursley house?” Luna asked.
“Those are some good questions,” Harry said.
“I have a feeling that Hagrid was originally told to go somewhere else at first, which he did, and that, while Harry was either sleeping or being watched by someone else, had a drink at the bar and told everyone around what had happened,” Hermione said.
“And McGonagall could have been the person asked by Hagrid to watch me for a bit,” Harry said. “If he knew that he was to head to Privet Drive later on, then he might have mentioned something like the fact that Dumbledore would be there that night to McGonagall, who, first chance she had, went to watch them, in which the first chapter of the first book happened.”
“I shoulda known there was somethin’ fishy goin’ on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin’ it ter me for? Why wouldn’ he need it any more?”
“Probably because he wanted to make sure that Harry got where he was going safely,” Hermione said again.
“Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he’d bin the Potters’ Secret-Keeper.”
“Unless Dumbledore did the charm, he can only suspect it because that who your father said it would be,” Luna said.
“Black knew he was goin’ ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o’ hours before the Ministry was after him.
“But what if I’d given Harry to him, eh? I bet he’d’ve pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes’ friend’s son! But when a wizard goes over ter the dark side, there’s nothin’ and no one that matters to ’em any more ...”
“That doesn't make sense. I mean, Hagrid just said that he loved his bike. If he had really gone over to the dark side, he wouldn't have loved that bike,” Harry said.
A long silence followed Hagrid’s story. Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, “But he didn’t manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!”
“So they caught up with him after Dumbledore had already placed Harry with the Dursleys, despite the fact that Black had clear seniority over being Harry's guardian,” Hermione said, sounding a bit suspicious. “That's just a little too convenient.”
“I'm slightly surprised that it didn't take them longer to find him,” Cedric said.
“Alas, if only we had,” said Fudge bitterly. “It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew – another of the Potters’ friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters’ Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself.”
“Pettigrew ... that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?” said Madam Rosmerta.
“If he's described as someone who tagged around after Black and your father, I can't really see him as being a really good friend of your father's,” Hermione said. “In fact, I'd say he's more of the type to follow the biggest person on the playground than someone who is a real friend. At least, that's how it seems with his description.”
“Hero-worshipped Black and Potter,” said Professor McGonagall. “Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him.”
“So there was probably some envy towards his friends from him,” Luna muttered.
“You can imagine how I – how I regret that now ...” She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.
“There, now, Minerva,” said Fudge kindly, “Pettigrew died a hero’s death. Eye-witnesses – Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later –“
“Which also means that there's no way of of actually checking that what happened was the truth,” Hermione said. “Plus, their minds would have a hard time processing what had happened quite a bit.”
“told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing. 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you!' ”
“If he's yelling it out, then he wants the attention,” Cedric said. “Particularly if it's actually understandable.”
“So him yelling that out, being done on purpose, could mean that it wasn't Pettigrew who cornered Black, but the other way around,” Hermione said.
“But why would Black go after him?” Harry asked.
“If, based on everything that we've come up with in this chapter alone is actually true – that Black took the godfather oath and wasn't the secret-keeper – then it's very possible that Pettigrew actually was,” Hermione said. “That, or, if Black, as unlikely as it probably is also based on the evidence of how he and your father were, was secret-keeper, he could have been trying to get rid of anyone who would know the truth.”
“And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens ...”
Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, “Stupid boy ... foolish boy ... he was always hopeless at duelling ... should have left it to the Ministry ...”
“This Pettigrew is sounding less and less like someone who would go after someone else, for any reason,” Harry said. He no longer really believed that Black had done what was said that he had – at least, concerning his family – thanks to Luna's unshaking belief that there was no way that Black wouldn't do the godparent oath. Plus, he also remembered what his future self had said before they even started the book, about not everything being as it seemed, and with what Luna was saying, it did make a lot of sense that it was the Black issue he was talking about.
“I tell yeh, if I’d got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn’t’ve messed around with wands – I’d’ve ripped him limb – from – limb,” Hagrid growled.
“Somehow, I don't doubt that one single bit,” Hermione said.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Hagrid,” said Fudge sharply. “Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered.”
“I think he's underestimating Hagrid there,” Harry said. “Particularly since it doesn't seem that Black even had his wand out in the first place.”
“I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I – I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming.”
“So, completely chaos,” Hermione said.
“And Black standing there laughing,”
“Which suggests that Black had nothing to do with it,” Hermione said. “Otherwise, he would have used the chance to get out of there.”
“with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him ... a heap of blood-stained robes and a few – a few fragments –“
“Wouldn't there be more than a few fragments?” Harry asked. Hermione nodded.
“There would have been blood, skin, muscle, tissue, and bone around. Of course, since there were Muggles who were also caught in the fire zone, then some of that would have belonged to them as well, but since Pettigrew was the target, then he would have decorated the street the most,” Hermione said.
“If they could only find a few fragments, then I get the feeling that he's not quite that dead, and that he was the actual cause for the chaos,” Harry said.
“Exactly,” Hermione said. “Which also supports the fact that he was the secret-keeper.”
Fudge’s voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown.
“I wonder what these people would think of if they knew that their grief was being wasted on the wrong person,” Cedric said, who was a bit amazed at the fact that Hermione and Harry were able to pretty much logically say that Pettigrew was the one who killed all of those Muggles, not Black.
“Well, there you have it, Rosmerta,” said Fudge thickly. “Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black’s been in Azkaban ever since.”
“Which makes it sound like they didn't even bother to do any investigation whatsoever,” Hermione said, shaking her head.
Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh.
“Is it true he’s mad, Minister?”
“I wish I could say that he was,” said Fudge slowly. “I certainly believe his master’s defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man – cruel ... pointless.”
“I won't lie and say he didn't sound mad for just standing there and laugh, but I think he might have hit that point where all you could do was either cry or laugh hysterically,” Hermione said.
“Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, there’s no sense in them ... but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You’d have thought he was merely bored – asked if I’d finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword.”
“And it most likely wasn't long after that, that he escaped,” Hermione said.
“Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him – and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door, day and night.”
Harry shivered at that. He would hate it if it was him who had such accomendations.
“But what do you think he’s broken out to do?” said Madam Rosmerta. “Good gracious, Minister, he isn’t trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?”
“If he was as big of a follower as they think, that would have been the first action he would have taken,” Harry said.
“I daresay that is his – er – eventual plan,” said Fudge evasively.
“I don't know why he wouldn't say why he thinks that Black is after to her,” Hermione said.
“But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing ... but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he’ll rise again ...”
Again, like before, it was made note in the fours minds of what Fudge said. They didn't know why, but they got the feeling that it was a rather important piece of information for some reason.
There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.
“You know, Cornelius, if you’re dining with the Headmaster, we’d better head back up to the castle,” said Professor McGonagall.
“They're finally leaving, after divulging quite the load of information, one that, upon being heard, kind of shows that there are quite a few holes in the Black case,” Cedric said.
“You mean, once read by people who are actually willing to think about it, shows that perhaps Black isn't quite the bad guy as he's painted to be,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, that,” Cedric said.
“I have the feeling that, while we reading could figure that out, your book selves won't for quite a while, if they ever do,” Luna said.
“It is quite a shock to hear, so I don't think you can really be blamed for not digging deeper about it,” Cedric said.
“That, and the fact that, like everyone else in the wizarding world, Harry's book self and mine don't question his judgement at all,” Hermione said.
One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Harry took the weight of their owners once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight and Madam Rosmerta’s glittering heels disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers disappeared.
“And it's safe for me to come out,” Harry said.
“Harry?”
“I wonder which of you two said that,” Harry said.
Ron and Hermione’s faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at him, lost for words.
“That's the end of the chapter,” Hermione said, handing the book to Cedric. Before he could flip the page to the next chapter, however, his stomach gave a huge growl, followed by the other three. The four looked at the clock, realizing with surprise that it was actually later than they thought – about seven twenty – and that it was more than a good time to have dinner.
Placing a bookmark in the book to save the next chapter, they headed into the kitchen to eat.
“You know, I've noticed that, unlike the previous two books, it's taking us a bit longer to read this one,” Hermione said, right before taking a bit of her sub sandwich.
“I think it's because we're interrupting more often than we were during the first two books,” Luna said, taking a sip of her drink.
“Yeah,” Harry said, picking a bit at his food, He was hungry, but his mind was mostly filled with the revelations of this chapter.
“Well, one things for sure,” Cedric said. “I don't think we'll be finishing this book all the way tonight.”
“Oh, since it's a bit bigger than the other two, I figured that would be a given,” Hermione said. “Now the question is this: should we try and read as many chapters as possible before going to bed, or should we just read until it's around a certain time before we stop for the night? And, if we do the second option, should we make sure that we stop early enough to work on our notes of the first two books, or should we stop just when we're ready to go to bed?”
The other three thought for a moment.
“I think we should either read up to three more chapters, or, at least, until it's around ten, and then work on our notes of the first two books for half an hour before going to bed,” Luna said.
“We should at least be able to definitely read two more chapters tonight before ten, if not three” Cedric said
“So, it's settled on what we're doing tonight,” Harry said. The others nodded, and they finished eating, heading back into the reading room to set their plan of the rest of the night in motion. Cedric picked up the book from where he set it, and opened it up to the next chapter.