Episode 8. Part 4

Episode 8. Part 4

***

- Dudley, how does he do that!

- Draco Malfoy asked stunned as he watched Potter, exasperated by his own doubts, smash the main hall of the Chamber of Secrets stone by stone, seemingly with known spells, but without using his wand at that. The spells were so powerful that his friends, who had been practicing the dueling arts for almost a year, were afraid to go up against Survivor Boy when he wasn't using his wand.

- I don't know, but he's been controlling magic with one effort of will since he was a kid," Dursle shrugged, wondering what had happened to his brother that he'd decided to vent his frustration... this way.

Harry, on the other hand, after a memorable extra class at Lupin's, at the next meeting of their little hobby club, decided to try the other spells he had learned without his wand. And what was his surprise when the spells started coming out better, easier, more powerful. And even some of the fifth-year level spells that he had learned on his own, which were very difficult to do with the wand (he felt exhausted after using it), were very easy to do without the wand. As Harold continued his experiments, he found that the nonverbal form was also easier for him than the verbal form. Flamel, whom he contacted with the help of Ardo, said that Harry had awakened the gifts of magic, or at least one of them. In the meantime, Dudley had become the best student in the course in potions, astronomy, and numerology, so Harry was fine with that answer.

He practiced whenever he had a spare moment, and so he found that it became easier when he released his emotions through magic. The main hall of the Chamber of Secrets had self-restoring spells on it anyway, and Potter himself used restoring spells as well. The room was fine with his antics. His friends could only watch with their mouths open and rightly fear enmity with the Dark Lord's victor.

Few of them suspected that after such an outburst of emotion, Harold became completely defenseless... Only the girls of their company saw this, dragging Potter somewhere in the depths of Salazar Slytherin dungeons after training. And even the faithful Dudley didn't want to know what the girls were doing to his brother, but when he returned, he smelled suspiciously of chocolate...

***

- It was your cat that ate Korosta! Crusty's a good rat, but your fat cat...

- Stomachy couldn't do that! And don't you dare hurt him, Ronald Weasley! - The Gryffindor living room was noisy again. The students wrinkled their ears, tried to put a muffling spell around them, asked for quiet, but finally escaped to a quieter place, glaring at Ron in amazement as they parted: what if the old bald rat had disappeared, you could have caught a new one, which would have been cheaper than curing the old one. And the cat is a fool if he ate it. He might have caught some shingles or something.

In general, the scandal that broke out between the owner of the rat, named Korosta, which had disappeared, and the owner of the cat, which was supposed to have eaten the rat, was interesting only to the cousins. Of course, only in connection with the knowledge that it was not the rat that was missing, but the animagus, the outlaw, the Dark Lord's collaborator and traitor, Peter Petitgrew. And not that they cared about the man's fate, rather they cared about the other man's choice. The brothers doubted that Petitgrew had eaten the rat. This cat, of course, was a true cat who loved fresh meat and to hunt. But he was also a very proud and free-spirited animal, and such an abomination as the balding Korosta would have been simply squeamish. They doubted Sirius, too, for if he had entered Hogwarts through one of the secret tunnels, he was bound to be spotted by portraits or ghosts. Could it be that Peter himself ran away, realizing that the walls of the school were no longer safe for him! Or was there another reason, like that pet rodent hair loss lotion Ron had been tormenting his pet with twice a day since the summer?!

Harold couldn't stand it and blurted it out aloud, and in the same instant almost burst out laughing, because Ronald, red as a boiled cancer, opening and closing his mouth silently and waving his arms funny, trying to pick out a decent insult Ronald was so pathetically funny that everyone who had not yet escaped fell down. The scandal was ended, and the incident was over, but...

One wicked, wicked young man, was planning a terrible, terrible revenge...

Fortunately, he was only planning it.

***

- Hermie, what happened?

- What business is it of yours, Potter, Dursle, Longbottom?! - Hermione answered harshly.

- You're upset. But since no one else cares, we thought we'd ask," Neville shrugged.

- Do I look like someone who likes to complain to everyone? - She grumbled indignantly, balling her fists into her sides.

- No. But you could tell us.

- I'm not your friend. Otherwise you'd take me with you wherever you go..." Granger's voice cracked with resentment.

- Maybe we don't take girls with us, then what? - To deny that they "go somewhere," Harold thought was silly.

- Yeah, and Bones and Abbott and Greengrass are boys," Hermione snorted coldly. Potter sighed:

- Let's put it this way. I'll explain why we're not inviting you along, and you tell me why you're upset. Okay? - Granger, generally very lonely, looked suspiciously into the green eyes, but nodded nonetheless: curiosity overcame pride. - Good. Actually, our meetings are... not exactly legal," Harry tried to find a way to phrase it. - There are no rules against it, of course. But we haven't received permission, and I doubt McGonagle would be willing to have her students study the curriculum in an extended manner, without the guidance and supervision of a teacher. After all, magic is dangerous. And the headmaster likes to supervise me, because I'm the Damn Boy Who-Why-Why-Didn't-Die. And he's gonna have a lot of questions if he finds out...

And you're a notorious rule-follower, Muggle-born, Slytherin-hating, and tradition-breaking wizarding girl. We, I mean, I was afraid you'd report to McGee and...

- You're studying?! - aghast the famous nerd that many of the boys of her flow had overtaken, just the ones who were communicating with their cousins. Hermione was hurt: why hadn't she been called? She loved learning so much that she spit on the taboos! But she came to her senses when she noticed the disclaimer: "Wait, what does my origin have to do with this? That's discrimination. Finch-Flechley was a Muggleborn, too. And Dudley... And your mother was Muggle-born, so why are you...

- Justin was born into the Muggle world. Besides, unlike you, he's not trying to teach Muggle life like you do. He teaches the traditions of the wizarding world and lives by our laws. - Granger opened her mouth to unleash an angry rebuke, but slammed it shut under the stares of her cousins and Neville. She'd never thought about it before, but they were right: you don't go into someone else's monastery with your own rules. She was trying to arrange the lives of the wizards around her the way she was used to, the Muggle way. - And Dudley isn't Muggle-born, and neither is my mother," Potter finished. Granger would have argued, since she'd read in The Dawn and Fall of the Dark Forces about Survivor Boy and his family, but... she remembered in time that he must know more about his own family himself. - I explained. Now it's your turn. - Hermione pulled her knees up and hugged them and sniffled noisily:

- Ron and his rat are annoying, and Lavender and Parvati are picking on me, telling me I'm a sissy, unfashionable, unreliable. I'm so lonely here... Even at home it was better," she almost cried, but held back. At least a single tear slid down her cheek. - Take me with you. I'll take an Unbreakable Vow not to betray you, whatever you have to do. Just don't leave me... alone. - Harold acutely regretted bothering with the snooty Granger at all, but there was no turning back.

At the next meeting, they took her in. Only after an oath. And not about not giving her away-there was enough of a promise. But that she wouldn't lecture or ask questions...

Hermione was in a lot of trouble...

***

- Harry, excuse me. - While Potter was resting after a sword duel with Malfoy, with whom they practiced swordsmanship. Harry had learned the basics of it back in the summer with his grandfather Nick because of the sticking Gryffindor sword, but they were few and far between, and Draco lacked practice as well. This fight still bore little resemblance to a professional fight, but both young men tried their best, giving it their all, and so the duels were spectacular. And exhausting. He could barely move his tongue in his parched mouth, so he was drinking when Bones came up to him with a strange apology.

- For what, Susan? - Potter asked hoarsely, panting after drinking water. The girl was embarrassed and lowered her guilty eyes to the floor, still in a firm voice, though:

- I told Aunt Amelia about what you told us about Sirius Black. - Harold wasn't sure how to respond to that, but anyway, he realized that wasn't the main reason Susan had approached him. If her aunt hadn't answered her, the Puffundu girl probably wouldn't have said anything, so... He raised his eyebrows questioningly, demanding a continuation, and Susan, relieved to exhale and sit down next to him, continued: - "My aunt is very interested, and she's checked something out. She wants to start proceedings against your godfather, because she's found a lot of irregularities in the proceedings. She gathers you're in contact with Black, so she's given you a portal, just in case," Bones said, handing her friend a steel keychain with an owl on it. - It's for when you're in danger, or if you find tangible evidence that your godfather is innocent. It'll take you to my aunt.

- That's great! Thank you, Sue," Harry exclaimed, assured of his friend's loyalty as he hugged her shamelessly.

- You're not mad? - The girl asked embarrassedly.

- Well, not until I've been accused of aiding and abetting a fugitive criminal, no," Potter grinned philosophically. Bones smiled happily. Harry called for Ardo, who readily handed them a special chocolate, of his own making, which made it impossible to get cavities or get fat...

***

- Harry, don't worry about Peter," Dudley said phlegmatically. - He's going to be killed tonight. - He was pale, he was trembling. Harry was very worried.

- Who? - He asked hoarsely.

- Not Sirius," he answered simply, fainting. Harold, tormented by a hundred questions, had only to take care of his beloved brother by levitating him to the Hospital Wing...

***

- PETER, STOP, YOU FILTHY TRAITOR! - Sirius growled, turning into the big black dog on the run.

- Sirius, please don't..." Potter whispered softly to himself. He had a feeling he was going to lose his godfather the moment he killed the rat.

How had it all come to this? They were all on their way back from the care of the magical creatures. It was getting dark. Suddenly, Korosta, who had been returned to Ron by Hagrid, bit his master and made a run for the Forbidden Forest. Ron rushed after it, and Harold wouldn't budge, heading back to the castle on his own business, but... a huge black dog, who Potter readily recognized as the Godfather, rushed after Weasley and the rat. Naturally, this caused him to change his plans abruptly.

A quick glance at the newer map of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade made sure that his cousin was still in Pomfrey's care, and that Lupin, who had recently taken the old Marauder map from the twins, was moving in the direction of the Draculous Willow. In the end, all of them, and the surviving Marauders, and he, Harold, and Ronald gathered at the Squealing Shack. Weasley found out about his pet's secret, convinced that his personal enemy, Potter, was aiding criminals, and so that same enemy, the Boy-Who-Has-Not-Friended Him, pinned him against the wall, having tweaked his memory beforehand.

Sirius and Lupin talked to the disenchanted Petigrew and, fortunately for Harry, were not going to kill him, wanting to send the traitor to Azkaban. Overjoyed, Potter forgave his godfather, ignoring Peter's pleas for mercy. Then Snape showed up, and he too had to be knocked out, but the rat took advantage of the moment and escaped, nearly killing Lupin. Black was enraged, so with a flame of vengeful madness in his eyes he ran after the rat to kill it, not realizing that in doing so, he had turned his back on his best friend's son...

Harold, not noticing that he was almost crying, prayed to all known gods to stop the godfather, watching as the dog shortened the distance to its goal. He hoped for nothing when, suddenly, a shadow jumped out of the thicket of the Forbidden Forest, glimpsing across to the rat. The dog stopped involuntarily, and Harold held his breath as he realized that in the teeth of the small black puma he saw the already dead carcass of Peter Petigrew's animagic form. The cougar growled and spat out the corpse, walked around it, and scornfully threw a few tufts of grass over the body that was becoming human in front of its eyes, as if trying to bury it. And in the next instant, the cougar became... a mad-looking woman whose affectionate smile, directed at Harold, was totally out of place on her face...

- Cousin," Sirius said in amazement. The woman ignored him, addressing him exclusively to Potter:

- Well, hello, son...

***

The exams were coming up, literally tomorrow, and Harold was sitting in a chair in the Gryffindor living room with no sign of consciousness, staring blankly into the fireplace. And whoever had tried to call him, all in vain. Potter was deep in thought.

The night before, after Petigrew had died, he had had an odd encounter with his godmother. Bellatrix Lestrange was insane about everything but her godson. Except that she thought of Harry as her blood son... But that was nothing. She'd escaped from prison when she'd learned of her cousin's escape. For a puma-like animagus, black as all the Blackies were, it hadn't been difficult, except for crossing the strait that separated Britain from Azkaban Island. Cats didn't like water, after all.

She, like Sirius, had a purpose: to kill Peter, responsible for the death of her other cousin, James Potter, and the attempted murder of their mutual son. Sirius explained at this point that they were performing various baptismal rituals on Harry. And while he himself, in the case of James's death, remained merely the godfather, in the case of Lily's death, Bella became Harold's mother. Not really blood, more like magical. But Azkaban had affected her psyche, and that was forgotten. Especially since Bellatrix was infertile. And as a child she had been friends with James so firmly that their parents were sure of an imminent engagement, despite the close kinship. So Harold Bella genuinely thought of Bella as a son.

The godmother was terribly remorseful for her crimes and for serving Voldemort, to whom she had been led by chance. Remorseful, but not excusable. Sirius blamed the insanity of the Blacks for her actions. But that was not the main thing, Bella was begging for a chance. And Harold, being under a strong impression, gave it to her, feeling his magic soaking into the criminal and somehow... changing her. Already somewhat awake, Potter, however, set a condition: to find a way, if not to return the Longbottom family to sanity, at least to alleviate their condition. Since she was the one who had driven them to it. Bella was as enthusiastic about the idea as if possessed by the condition, and, grabbing her cousin with a portal, she traveled, it seems, to Black Manor. Well, the Boy Who Was Shocked was alone with the corpse of Peter, who had a broken neck...

How he'd managed to get through Amelia Bones' portal Harold didn't remember, but he got out of the clearing just in time as the full moon burst out of the clouds and Remus Lupin, waking up in the Squealing Shack, decided to run through the woods in his werewolf outfit. Harry could hear his howl, different from that of a wolf, and only faintly hoped that he hadn't mauled Severus Snape, with whom he woke up in the same room.

Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was just drinking her coffee to keep herself awake at her desk for some unfinished business, when the Boy Who Survived was carried into her office with Peter Petigrew's fresh corpse in her arms. The Steel Nerves woman quickly brought Harold James Potter to his senses and, after a few questions, put him into a magical sleep. She herself had a rough night ahead of her... So rough, in fact, that even in the morning, sending Harry through the fireplace to school, she was not yet going home.

And now Potter was reliving his... adventure. Naturally, he had no time for exams and no time for comrades! He only regretted giving up Bellatrix's escape by telling someone under serum that she was the one who killed the Petitgirl rat...

***

The week of exams passed its course. Harold and Dudley knew that their grades were good, and so they were enjoying their last days at Hogwarts, lying on the rocks by the lake, idly discussing among themselves what had happened when an important-looking owl swooped down on a large rock, with a letter tied to its paw. The boys, having checked the message with elemental charms, opened the ministerial seal with curiosity. There was an invitation to a hearing in the case of Sirius Black...

End of Third Course