Saturday, June 26th, 1995 – Hogwarts – Early Morning
Hermione Granger awoke on Saturday, and for a few moments, was rather confused about where she was. She was used to waking up and seeing the mahogany curtains around her four-poster bed. But there were no curtains. Suddenly, she felt the bed shifting beside her, and she looked to her left. She nearly jumped as she saw Harry Potter laying beside her, sleeping. She then recalled what happened last night. How she ended up here.
She had agreed to spend the night with Harry, because she didn't want to go back to her dormitory last night. For two reasons. The first was Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. She didn't want to endure more questions about her new relationship with Harry. The questions they had asked during breakfast yesterday was nothing, she knew, to what they would ask once they would get her alone.
The other reason was similar to Harry's reasons. The Weasleys: Ron and Ginny specifically. She didn't want to put up with Ron's attitude, and Ginny's... jealousy. Also... well... she didn't know if Harry could hold his temper around them yet. Which was probably why he didn't want to go back to the Gryffindor Common Room. And since he hadn't wanted to go last night... neither did she.
But now, now that she was awake, and had a clear mind, she started to realize something. What if her roommates, and Harry's roommates, noticed they hadn't returned last night? Would they tell McGonagall, or worse, Dumbledore? Would she and Harry get in trouble?
"You don't need to worry, Hermione," Harry said.
Hermione jumped and turned to Harry. He was laying on his side, and looking at her. She hadn't even heard him wake up.
"You don't need to worry," Harry repeated. "Nobody knows we were here last night."
Hermione stared at her boyfriend – boyfriend! She loved that word! – for a moment, then looked at her finger and wrist. Her ring and bracelet were still there – they hadn't fallen off while she slept.
"If you keep doing that," Hermione said, "I'm going to have a really difficult time believing you were telling me the truth about this enchanted jewelry protecting me from even you reading my thoughts."
"I didn't read your mind, Hermione," Harry said. "It was pretty obvious what you were worried about. I'm just surprised it took this long for you to even begin worrying about it."
"We broke curfew, Harry," Hermione said, "No, we didn't break curfew. We destroyed it!"
"And yet nobody will know we did," Harry said.
"How?!" Hermione demanded.
"With a little help, from a little friend," Harry said.
Hermione stared at Harry for a moment. Then she realized who he was talking about. She remembered him talking about Dobby, and how Dobby had saved him and her in the future, but had died in the process.
"Dobby?" Hermione asked.
"I called him to my side last night," Harry said, "while you were freshening up in the bathroom I requested alongside this room. I asked him to cast Illusion and Confusion spells on both of our beds. If our roommates wonder about us, they'll believe we're asleep in our beds, and that they shouldn't bother us. I also asked for him to get me back the Marauder's Map from Impostor Moody's old office. He came through quite nicely, on both counts."
He hesitated for a moment.
"Hermione, I need to tell you something," he said. "About... SPEW and what I learned in the future."
"SPEW?" Hermione asked. "Did that ever kick off? What did I do with it?"
"You disbanded it," Harry said, "Because of what you discovered in your seventh year here. House-Elves, Hermione, will die if they become free. All it takes is... about a year for a free elf to die. You saw Winky. She was wasting away."
"But... but Dobby!" Hermione said, her eyes misting over, "He's a free elf, ever since you freed him from Malfoy! That's... two years now!"
"He isn't a free elf," Harry said. "He's my elf. I'm his Master."
"What?!" Hermione asked. "Harry James -"
Harry placed a finger on her lips. "Listen... please."
Hermione sighed and stared at him with narrowed eyebrows.
"I didn't find out until long after he died," Harry said. "When I helped him get free of Lucius Malfoy, I became his Master. Dobby isn't a free elf. He lied to me because I was happy about the thought of him being free. All he ever wanted, was for me to be happy. I... I am planning on meeting with Winky later today, and asking her to become my elf too. She'll need time, and Dobby's help, to recuperate. But if I don't do this, Hermione... she'll die before the end of the summer."
Hermione frowned. "Oh. Why didn't anyone tell me? If it was that serious... if my goals would have killed off so many elves... oh, god! Why didn't anyone try to stop me?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Harry aked. "You're a Muggleborn witch. One of the smartest witches in Great Britain."
"Are you trying to tell me that people wanted me to fail, so I would... what?" Hermione asked, "Get discredited about being so smart?"
"More like... you would either get exiled or sent to Azkaban," Harry said. "Or worse. And it would be completely legal for them to do so. No offense, Hermione, but a good share of people in this society do, and always will, see you as an 'uppity Mudblood'. Why would they tell you the truth, when the latter would see you gone... which is exactly what they want?"
"Oh," Hermione said, "I suppose that makes sense. It is horrible but... it makes a lot of damn sense. So, let's change this depressing subject. What are your plans for today? It doesn't sound as if you want to go to the Ministry to be there for Sirius' trial. You didn't ask either Director Bones nor Dumbledore attend, nor did you say anything about it to Sirius."
"I didn't ask because I need to be here when Dumbledore isn't," Harry said.
"Oh... why?" Hermione asked.
"Remember what I told you and Sirius about the Diadem Horcrux?" Harry asked.
"Ooh, right," Hermione said, nodding. "It is in this room. Well, another version of it."
"Yes," Harry said. "With Dumbledore gone, there's no risk of him discovering I'm retrieving the Diadem. I will take it, put it in a protective casing, and put it in my trunk. I will deal with it later this summer."
"How?" Hermione asked. "I know you said the Sword of Gryffindor and basilisk venom would destroy it. Are you... are you intending on breaking into Dumbledore's office to get the Sword too? Or going down to the Chamber of Secrets like... Weasley and I did in your future, to collect the fangs?"
"No," Harry said, "I have other means to destroy it. Just not available here at Hogwarts. I'll only get the Basilisk venom, or the Sword if I have no other options. I'll wait to get the Diadem until this afternoon. Do you want to have breakfast in the kitchens, instead of the Great Hall this morning? I can help Winky while we do."
"Sure," Hermione said. "Sounds nice."
"But first," Harry said, "Shall I ask Dobby to get us each a fresh pair of clothes?"
Hermione nodded. "I'd like that. But first, I'm going to take a shower. And then you can."
"Are you saying, I stink?" Harry asked.
"Well, your breath does," Hermione said, grinning playfully. "I was going to give you a kiss, but I think that can wait."
Harry pouted, causing Hermione to giggle. She kissed him on the cheek, then rolled out of bed and headed off toward the bathroom.
Saturday, June 26th, 1995 – Ministry of Magic – Morning
Director Amelia Bones yawned as she stepped into her office, and made her way to her desk. She usually never came into work this early on a Saturday. But today was important. There were three very important trials this afternoon. One, in Amelia's opinion, more important than the others: the trial of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. She had faith that Sirius would gain back his freedom today. And when he did...
Well... she would worry about that later. She needed to focus on the trials – especially Sirius and Pettigrew's.
As she sat down in her seat, behind her desk, she nearly jumped back out of it, as a bright, orange flash of flame appeared atop her desk, followed by a phoenix. The phoenix, Fawkes, dropped a scroll of parchment on her desk, then disappeared in another flash of flame.
"Damn it, Dumbledore!" Amelia growled. "Why can't you send me letters through owl post like everyone else?!"
It had taken a considerable amount of restraint not to arrest Albus Dumbledore the previous evening. She kept telling herself that she needed more evidence. She didn't say very much to Dumbledore the previous evening. However, she did say one thing to him, in private, after the Victory Ceremony.
She accepted his invitation to join the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore looked shocked and... even a little disappointed. Did he hope she would tell him no? Amelia, of course, quickly realized the answer to that. He probably knew she was investigating him. He probably also knew the real reason she wanted to join the Order of the Phoenix... to watch him. Which was why she was so shocked that the only thing he said to her was "Then I welcome you into the Order, Director Bones. You will be a most welcome member."
Amelia unrolled the scroll of parchment and began to read it.
Director Bones,
Once again, I thank you for joining the Order of the Phoenix. I will contact you soon about what I am sure will be the first of many meetings. This is not why I have written the letter.
I have some information for you, but also a request.
As I will be leading all three criminal trials this afternoon, the first beginning at noon. I will bring Sirius Black with me at eleven-o-clock this morning. I know his trial is the last of the three scheduled. I have been informed that Ted Tonks will be waiting in the Ministry's Atrium for Sirius and I. Ted will be Sirius' lawyer during his trial. I assume he will be keeping an eye on Sirius until his trial, and preparing him for what is to come.
As for my request... well, I am sure you remember two nights ago, when Harry Potter informed us that he used a Confundus Charm on both Peter Pettigrew and Bartemius Crouch, Junior, so they would not tell anyone about Voldemort's return. I believe we should continue his good work. I ask you, no, I beg you, to cast the Confundus Charm on Pettigrew and Crouch before their trials, so they will not inform everyone that Voldemort is back. If you do not do this, I believe all will be lost, when it comes to the coming storm and future war against Voldemort.
You might believe I am asking you to do this, because I want you to get caught, and in trouble, removing you from your position as Director of the DMLE. That is not my intention. Without you, and your position to assist us, the Order of the Phoenix would lose a great advantage in our fight against Voldemort.
I merely ask you this so that only a few important people know of Voldemort's return. So we can get a great head start on the war, before Voldemort delivers his first strike. Perhaps... just maybe... we could even prevent that first strike from even taking place.
Thank you for your considerations, and once again, for joining the Order,
Your humble friend,
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
Amelia tapped the letter with her wand, and the parchment burned into ashes. She then vanished the ashes.
Even though the idea was coming from Dumbledore, of all people, she knew she would go along with it. She would place a Confundus Charm on Crouch and Pettigrew so they wouldn't mention Voldemort. But she wasn't doing it for Dumbledore. She was doing it for Sirius, and his godson, Harry Potter. Harry was the one who had originally Confound Pettigrew and Crouch and had done it for a good reason. The same reason she would. If Fudge found out about Voldemort, he would hide his head in the sand, and would make things difficult for her, Harry, Sirius, and Dumbledore and his Order. If the public found out, it would create a lot of panic. Which would likely create problems for her, the DMLE, and the Auror Department. Problems she couldn't afford.
So yes, she would accept Dumbledore's request. But not because Albus Dumbledore asked her to.
Because it would continue the path to Voldemort's final end. She would do anything make sure Voldemort could never hurt her loved ones ever again.
Saturday, June 26th, 1995 – Hogwarts – Morning
Harry and Hermione were currently making their way toward the kitchens for a private breakfast. They were dressed in casual clothing – since they were leaving on the Hogwarts Express the following morning, they had no reason to wear their school uniforms anymore.
As they arrived at the portrait of the bowl of fruit, Harry tickled the pear. The pear giggled and wiggled, and the portrait swung open, revealing the entryway. The many-numbered house-elves Harry saw bustling around the kitchens were someone he expected to see there, of course. It was the two humans sitting at a table whom he hadn't expected to see: Sirius Black... and Luna Lovegood. Sirius' eyes lit up as he saw Harry and Hermione walking over to the table.
"Godson! Godson's girlfriend!" Sirius greeted them the same way he did the previous day, "What a wonderful surprise to see you here! Come sit down! Do either of you know Miss Luna Lovegood yet? She was just entertaining me with the most wonderful stories in the latest edition of the Quibbler!"
"I'm afraid we haven't had the pleasure," Harry said, as he and Hermione sat down together at the table, "Miss Lovegood, it is nice to meet you."
"It is nice to meet you too, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger," Luna said. "I am happy to see that the infestation of wrackspurts I usually see around the two of you vanished as of yesterday morning."
Sirius looked bemused, and Hermione, of course, looked as if she wasn't sure what to think of the girl. For Harry, it was simply the same old Luna Lovegood he was used to. Even marriage and becoming the mother of twins hadn't changed Luna's personality in the future. Of course, the fact that her husband, Rolf Scamander, grandson of the famous magizoologist, Newt Scamander, shared her dreams of finding proof that her fabled creatures existed, only aided in her eccentricity. Following in his grandfather's footsteps, Rolf had even written a book about every single one of the creatures Luna often spoke about.
"And what are wrackspurts, Luna?" Harry asked.
"Ooh, they are microscopic creatures, sometimes mistaken for moths or fleas," Luna said. "They fly into your ears and make your brain go all fuzzy. I am guessing it was due to the infestation of these wrackspurts that caused the two of you to miss out on the obvious that everyone else was seeing – that you two are wonderfully compatible for each other. I believe when the two of you had your first kiss, it made the wrackspurts flee."
Harry shrugged. "Makes sense to me. I haven't read about wrackspurts in any books, but that might just be because no books about them exist yet."
Hermione's expression of disbelief toward Luna wilted and her expression softened, as her gaze switched between the girl and her boyfriend. Obviously she realized Harry knew Luna in his future.
"Ooh, my Daddy's thought about writing a book about wrackspurts," Luna said, "But he believes the Quibbler does a better job about focusing on wrackspurts and other creatures, and a book would only detract from the Quibbler's focus."
"You could write the book, Luna," Harry suggested.
"Ooh, I'm afraid my writing talents are more for articles in the Quibbler," Luna said. "I am sure I can find someone out there willingly enough to write a book about the creatures."
"I am sure you can too," Harry said, smiling.
"Thank you, Harry Potter," Luna said. "I must be going, I'm afraid. I have misplaced my favorite pair of shoes, and I must find them before we leave tomorrow. Goodbye, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Stubby Boardman. I suspect we'll meet again this summer."
Harry frowned as he noticed Luna was barefoot as she left the kitchens. He had forgotten about how students had bullied her and stolen her belongings. He couldn't do anything about that now, as they would be leaving the following day, but he wouldn't let Luna be treated that way starting in September.
Then he realized... there was something he could do.
"Dobby?" Harry asked, "Are you here?"
Dobby appeared from a crowd of house-elves bustling about, and walked over to the table.
"What can Dobby do for Harry Potter?" Dobby asked, "Is Harry Potter and his Hermy be wanting breakfast?"
"Give us a platter of the common menu items available for breakfast this morning, please," Harry instructed.
A platter with bowls and plates of various breakfast foods appeared on the table, as well as jugs of orange juice and water.
"Thank you, Dobby," Harry said. "Do you know where Winky is today?"
Dobby's ears drooped. "Winky be weak, Harry Potter. Winky be resting these days. Dobby is afraid Winky be moving on to the great meadow where all elves must go before the end of July."
"Unless she has a new Master," Harry said. "I would like her to be another member of our family, Dobby. Can you bring her here, please?"
Dobby jumped up and down excitedly. "Dobby can be doing that!"
He vanished a moment later.
"Winky used to belong to the Crouch family," Harry explained to Sirius, who was looking at him questioningly. "She was given clothes last August. She's been here ever since, and I suspect the fact that she was able to work as a kitchen elf here saved her from dying a few months ago. But then she started binge-drinking Butterbeer, which isn't good for house-elves. She's depressed, because she has no official Master, and I suspect it is due to her depression that she is wasting away."
"And you hope if she becomes your elf, she'll become healthier and better," Sirius said, nodding.
"Well, she could either become my elf... or yours, Sirius," Harry said. "Kreacher an old elf. He won't die for many years, but I'm afraid the locket horcrux, and your mother's portrait has corrupted him, and will continue to do so until both are gone. Twelve Grimmauld Place is a mess, because of Kreacher's refusal to clean it. Kreacher will be fine once these bad influences are away, but Winky would be a good elf to pick up the pieces until that happens."
Sirius nodded, thoughtfully, and said nothing while he took a couple more bites of his breakfast.
"I'll do it," he finally said. "If all goes well today, I'll be a free man by the end of today. Twelve Grimmauld Place will soon be the headquarters for the Order, so I do need to get the house cleaned. The help of a new house-elf would go a long way."
Before Harry could reply, Dobby returned with a small cot, where Winky the house-elf lay in it.
"Sorry it took so long, Harry Potter," Dobby said. "Winky is against having a new Master. Winky believes she does not deserve it."
"You do deserve it, Winky," Hermione said; seeing the weak state of the house-elf seemed to have made her feel much better about the whole 'house-elves need Masters' thing. "You did not deserve what happened to you. It wasn't right. You were wronged, Winky."
"Winky," Sirius said, "I would like you to become my elf. My own house-elf Kreacher, has been remiss in his duties toward the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. While I do not wish to replace him, I find I need a younger elf to keep him on his toes, and to help me with repairing the ancient seat of the House of Black. It is a lot of work to accomplish, and I need a good house-elf like you to help me."
"Lord Black... wants... Winky?" Winky asked, weakly.
"I want you to get healthy, Winky," Sirius said. "Then I want you to become a member of my family."
Winky... Winky accepts," Winky said.
Harry thought Winky would have been a bit more disagreeable. Or perhaps it was because Sirius was a good pureblood wizard, and she wanted to work with someone similar to the Crouches?
Harry and Hermione watched as Sirius and Winky completed the bond, cementing Sirius as Winky's new Master.
"Winky, over the next few days, I want you to heal, rest and recuperate," Sirius said. "As soon as you feel up to the task, come find me. I will tell you what to do next."
"Yes, Master Sirius," Winky said. "Winky promises to do so."
"Thank you, Winky," Sirius said, "You are excused."
Winky, who was now standing, placed a hand on the cot, and vanished along with it.
"Dobby, there is one last thing I need you to do for me," Harry said. "Can you please find Luna Lovegood's missing belongings and place them on her bed in her dormitory? Luna is a friend of mine. Place enchantments on her bed and trunk so that nobody else can get her belongings but her. If you find her belongings in the possession of other students, write their names on a piece of parchment and give it to me when I call upon you later."
"Dobby can do this for Harry Potter and his friend," Dobby said.
"Thank you, Dobby," Harry said, "You are excused."
Dobby bowed and vanished.
"Luna's shoes were stolen, weren't they?" Hermione asked.
"I'm sure you've noticed Luna's behavior and personality is a little... eccentric?" Harry asked; Hermione blushed, frowned and nodded. "There are some girls in Ravenclaw – her year and other years – who dislike her because of her personality. They bully her and steal her belongings. I first met her in my original timeline next year. Once when I met her, she wasn't wearing shoes, and she was outside, feeding Thestrals, in her bare feet. I can't recall if it was snowing, but it was very cold. At this time next year, during my last timeline, I found Luna looking all around the castle for her belongings. A pair of her shoes were tied to ceiling lamps in one of the corridors far away from Ravenclaw Tower. And that was just a pair of shoes.
"I can't do anything about her bullies right now. But I won't let it happen next year."
Hermione sighed. "I wasn't very nice to her originally, was I?"
"Not at first, no," Harry said. "The first time you met her, you didn't know her name, and you found she was reading the Quibbler. You called it a nonsense rag, full of rubbish, or something like that, and she told you her father was the editor. But you weren't as bad as you could have been. You didn't call her names. The first time I met Luna, Ginny introduced her to me, only she called her 'Loony Lovegood'. Ginny and Luna used to be friends when they were kids, and Ginny still called her 'Loony'."
"That's horrible," Hermione said, frowning.
"The Lovegoods – though they are only a Minor House – are part of the Great Alliance, and are allies of House Potter," Harry said.
"Which is why Luna believes you'll meet again this summer," Hermione said.
"Yes, especially if I bring together the Great Alliance," Harry said, nodding. "Several of our classmates are members of the Great Alliance, and because of Dumbledore, I knew nothing about the Great Alliance until after I defeated Voldemort. Dumbledore had somehow convinced, coerced, or manipulated – probably through Compulsions or worse – the members of the Great Alliance – including their Heirs, Heiresses and children – to ignore me when it came to the Great Alliance. People like Neville Longbottom, Parvati and Padma Patil, Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot, among others, all of whom were our classmates in our year. Neville and Parvati, as fellow Gryffindors, were the closest to me during all my years at Hogwarts. Both Neville and Luna were good friends of mine over my last couple years here. But because of Dumbledore, none of them mentioned the Great Alliance, or the fact that their families were Allies of mine."
"Because, as you said yesterday, Dumbledore fears the Great Alliance and its power," Hermione said.
"Yes," Harry said. "Dumbledore didn't want me – his great weapon and martyr - outside of his influence. The Great Alliance would have done wonders for me during the last timeline. They would have made my life a hell of a lot easier the last time around, especially during my years as a student here."
"I have already promised to help you all I can this summer," Sirius said, "when it comes to destroying Voldemort, his Death Eaters, his Horcruxes, as well as Dumbledore and those few Weasleys who wronged you. That help also includes bringing the Great Alliance together. James had plans to bring in the House of Black into the Great Alliance, my grandfather refused. Even then, he made me an official ally of the Great Alliance. As the new Lord Black, I'll take the lead in bringing the Great Alliance together, until we can officially bring you back as the new Leader."
"Sounds good to me," Harry said. "So do you know when your trial is today?"
"I don't know the exact time," Sirius said. "It will be the last of the three trials. So probably late in the afternoon. I received a letter from Dumbledore that I am to meet him in his office a few minutes before eleven-o-clock this morning, so he can escort me to the Ministry. Ted Tonks will be meeting us there, and he'll be... babysitting me... until the trial takes place."
"I didn't know Ted very well, I'm afraid," Harry said. "I met him once. But he was killed by Snatchers during the last months of the war. I knew Andromeda quite well, and also their daughter, Nymphadora. Though don't ever let her hear you call her by her first name."
Sirius laughed. "Yep, you knew her well then. Even as a little girl she hated her first name. Her hair turned the most adorable shades of red when I called her by her full first name. Her eyes though... it is creepy when she turns them red... or black!"
Harry laughed and nodded. "Definitely."
Harry, Hermione, and Sirius continued their breakfast, talking of inconsequential and random topics. The main topic was Sirius just wanting to get to know his godson's new girlfriend.
Saturday, June 26th, 1995 – Hogwarts – Early Afternoon
Harry and Hermione were making their way through the seventh floor corridor toward the Room of Requirement. Harry was currently holding open the Marauder's Map. Lunch was currently going on in the Great Hall, though, once again, Harry and Hermione decided to avoid eating there, if only to avoid Ron and Ginny Weasley again. Most of the students were now in the Great Hall, but a few were either in the Common Room, the corridors, or elsewhere in the castle.
Including a couple of students Harry had been looking for. Fred and George Weasley just so happened to be heading down the corridor in their direction. They came upon the Weasley twins a minute later, and Fred and George grinned when they saw Harry and Hermione.
"Well, look who it is, Fred!" George Weasley said, "The cutest new couple in Hogwarts!"
"Fred, George," Harry greeted. "Nice to run into you two."
"Did you - run into us?" Fred asked, "Or were you looking for us? That is the Marauder's Map you're holding, is it not?"
"It is," Harry agreed. "And yes, I was looking for you."
"Oh?" George said, "I suppose you wanted to know how our youngest siblings are reacting to the news that the two of you are now a couple?"
"Actually I have another reason," Harry said, "But let's start with that topic first. How did Ron and Ginny react?"
"Ginny was upset, understandably so," Fred said, "I mean… she's always had a bit of a fancy for you, you know."
"But then again, her reaction was a little confusing too," George said. "I mean… she went to the Yule Ball with Neville Longbottom, and now she's dating Michael Corner. If she was so interested in you, why did she want another boy to be her boyfriend?"
"We asked her that," Fred said, "And Ginny just said she didn't think you were interested n having a girlfriend right now."
"When we asked her if she was going to apologize to Corner for her little episode in the Great Hall yesterday," George said, "She just told us to shut up, and she ran out of the room in tears."
Harry nodded. He wasn't so surprised at that. Obviously Ginny didn't want to tell her brothers that she was just using Michael Corner to try and make him jealous, and make him take notice in her.
"And Ron?" Harry asked.
Fred and George looked at each other and grimaced.
"Ron was a mess," Fred said.
"Was he crying?" Hermione asked.
"Probably would have been better if he was," George said. "No, he was ranting and screaming."
"Let me guess," Harry said in a deadpan tone, "'Potter has everything he could ever want. Money, fame, good looks… and now he had to take the girl too'? Did he also say that we betrayed him?"
"That was most of it, yes," Fred said.
"Did he also say anything like… Hermione was supposed to be his?" Harry asked.
George winced. "Yeah… he did say something like that. How did you know?"
"Just a bit of a running theory I have," Harry said. "Well, it is funny that he thinks we betrayed him, when he betrayed us first, in the first place. Thinking I put my name in the Goblet of Fire and not talking to me for the better part of a month because of it? Then the git didn't even tell me about Charlie being in the area, which would have been a great big hint about Dragons being in the first task."
"Let's not forget that he never once apologized for any of it," Hermione said, "He's never said anything like 'I'm sorry' to you."
"True," Harry said. "Is Ron planning on confronting us?"
"We warned him not to," George said, "But you know how he is. Stubborn and stuff. He probably won't listen to us. We'll keep an eye on him and Ginny, and corral him into sitting with us on the Hogwarts Express."
"Thanks," Harry said, "Now, onto the other reason I was looking for you. Fred, George, I know all about your troubles with Ludo Bagman and the Leprechaun gold he paid you. Let me guess… he isn't going to pay you back, because he doesn't have any money. He bet on me to win the Tournament, and because of some excuse - maybe, due to the use of Unforgivables, or how Crouch, Junior was helping me get through the maze - the Goblins he did the bet with said he lost the bet, due to cheating. Maybe they accused him of cheating too."
Fred and George's jaws dropped.
"Yeah… that is basically the gist of it," Fred said.
"How did you know that?" George said.
"You're not the only two people who know how to get his hands on information around here," Harry said, grinning. "What you should be asking is this: why am I talking to you two about it. Well, that is simple."
Harry removed the money bag of Tournament prize winnings from his belt.
"Take it," he said, and he thrust the sack into George's hands.
"What?" said Fred, looking flabbergasted.
"Take it," Harry repeated firmly. "I don't want it."
"You're mental," said George, trying to push it back at Harry.
"No, I'm not," said Harry. "You take it, and get inventing. It's for the joke shop."
"He is mental," Fred said in an almost awed voice.
"Listen," said Harry firmly. "If you don't take it, I'm throwing it down the drain. I don't want it and I don't need it. But I could do with a few laughs. We could all do with a few laughs. I've got a feeling we're going to need them more than usual before long."
"Harry," said George weakly, weighing the money bag in his hands, "there's got to be a thousand Galleons in here."
"Yeah," said Harry, grinning. "Think how many Canary Creams that is."
The twins stared at him.
"Just don't tell your mum where you got it," Harry said, "although she might not be so keen for you to join the Ministry anymore, come to think of it..."
"Harry," Fred began.
"Look… put me in for a quarter ownership of your new shop when you buy one if that is what it takes to accept that money," Harry said, "But I am not taking the money back. I do not need it. I am going to be Lord Harry Potter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter by the end of the summer. Do you really think I need a thousand Galleons on top of the fortune I already have?"
Fred and George gaped and stared at each other..
"Well, when you put it that way," Fred muttered.
"Quarter ownership it is," George agreed. "We'll make sure we don't waste this money away."
"Good," Harry said, "And no more betting! And… no testing your new products on first year students!"
"Harry!" Fred gasped, "We'd never!"
"Actually… we would, Fred," George said.
Fred pouted. "I suppose we might have been thinking of bringing in some gullible firsties next year for testing. Fine, Harry. You got it. No testing on first years."
"Deal," Harry said.
He shook Fred and George's hands.
"Good luck with your new shop," Harry said.
"Harry, thanks," Fred said.
"Don't mention it," Harry said, "Just watch Ron and Ginny this summer. Make sure they aren't going to try to do anything nefarious like trying to break me and Hermione up."
"Sounds like something they'd do," George muttered.
"We'll keep an eye on them," Fred promised, and George nodded.
"Good," Harry said, "Well, we need to get going. So we'll see you later."
"See ya, Harry, Hermione," George said.
"Thanks, Harry… thanks a lot," Fred said, motioning to the money bag.
Harry nodded, and walked off with Hermione. Hand-in-hand, the new couple made their way toward the Room of Requirement. Harry paced back and forth against the vacant wall, asking for the place where things are hidden. He smiled when the door appeared, and he opened it. Hermione gasped when she saw the large room full of stacks and stacks of thousands of lost items and other objects.
"Welcome to the Room of Hidden Things," Harry said, "Basically a very large Lost and Found box, where everything someone has lost and couldn't find was put in here. Tom Riddle found this room and placed Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem here."
"This place is huge!" Hermione gasped, "It is like a huge maze! How do you know where the diadem is?"
"Was one of the memories I studied in the Pensieve before I traveled back in time," Harry said. "I found this particular room in my sixth year, and I saw the Diadem too. Only didn't know what it was at the time. Come on."
Harry took Hermione's hand, and, using the same tactics he used while perusing the maze during the Third Task, he headed off toward where he knew the Diadem would be. Soon they came upon the bust of the old warlock. There it was, sitting on top of the statue's head.
The Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, and one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.
"Accio Mokeskin Pouch!" Harry exclaimed, taking out his wand and pointing it in the air.
"Harry, no!" Hermione gasped.
Harry realized his mistake - and why Hermione had screamed at him - almost immediately as he saw at least a dozen small bags heading in his direction. He immediately put up a shield around him and Hermione, just in time as dozens of small mokeskin bags slammed into the shield and dropped all around them onto the floor. There had to be over thirty bags scattered around them by the time they stopped coming.
Harry dropped the shield around him and Hermione, and winced as he saw the annoyed look on Hermione's face.
"In all the years you must have used the Summoning Charm," Hermione growled, "You never once realized that if you aren't descriptive in your Summons, you might summon more than one object?!"
"Yeah," Harry said, "Sorry, I forgot about that. I was focused more on the Diadem, and didn't think about it."
"Harry James, you big goof!" Hermione said, smiling and shaking her head.
Harry smiled and picked up one of the nearest mokeskin pouches.
"Alright, Hermione," Harry said, "Please stand back. I don't know how the Diadem will react. Last time, I had nothing to do with its destruction. It got burned up when someone set the room on fire with Fiendfyre."
Hermione's eyes widened. "Fiendfyre?! Harry, that's -"
"Very Dark magic," Harry said, ""The worst kind of magical fire there is, and really difficult to extinguish. Yes, I know, Hermione."
Hermioe smiled waspishly. "Of course you know that. Sorry, Harry."
"It is alright," Harry said. "Now, back away a bit."
Hermione nodded and backed away a few feet. Harry cleared his throat and used a simple Levitation Charm to lift up the Diadem. He held the mokeskin pouch wide open and levitated the Diadem slowly into it. He breathed a huge sigh of relief when the Diadem was safely deposited inside the bag, He placed some anti-Curse enchantments around the mokeskin purse so the Diadem inside wouldn't affect him, and he put the bag around his neck.
"Is it… safe?" Hermione asked.
"Those enchantments I used on the pouch ensures it won't be able to affect anything outside the pouch," Harry said. "It is safe inside the pouch, and I can safely wear the pouch around my neck without anyone noticing it. I'll put it in the bottom of my trunk when I get back to my dormitory. Shall we get going?"
"Yeah, sure," Hermione said. "Two Horcruxes down then?"
"Three," Harry said, "Diary and Nagini are both destroyed, and the Diadem will be destroyed soon as well. The rest will be destroyed over the summer."
"And Voldemort will be mortal again," Hermione said.
"And I'll be able to kill him again," Harry said. "You don't need to worry about that."
Hermione nodded and smiled. She held out her hand, and Harry took it. Together the new couple headed out of the Room of Requirement, and back toward Gryffindor Tower.