Chapter Thirty - A Flash of Green and Nott

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!

Chapter Thirty - A Flash of Green and Nott

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—==(oIo)==—

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When the carriage dropped them off at the castle steps Harry ushered his ladies inside and they quickly made their way to the Ravenclaw table. They were soon joined by Luna, who had stayed at the castle over the break.

"How come you didn't go home for the break, Luna?" asked Hermione.

"Daddy was busy with the Quibbler and had to go to Europe to research some parts for stories he has for print. He wouldn't have been able to return to England in time to get me back for the return train. That meant I would have had to stay at home alone for the duration," she explained. "So, we thought it best I stay at the castle, instead."

All three felt sad for the girl. It was bad enough she used to get picked on and bullied at the school; but, to not even have any friends to spend the holidays with... that sucked.

"Next time something like that happens, Luna," said Hermione. "You let us know. We're your friends. If you have nowhere else to stay but on your own at home you can come and stay with us."

Harry and Daphne both nodded. While Daphne still did not know what to truly make of the girl she considered quite odd, she also knew she had an otherwise lovely personality and could be fun to be around. Besides, Hermione wanted the girl to be her bridesmaid in August. And Xenophilius, Luna's father, was planning their annual excursion in search of what some folks called mythical creatures, accordingly.

As soon as dinner was over the three immediately made their way to their apartment. And, as soon as they entered, Daphne crossed to her carrel desk and pulled out parchment, ink and a quill - taking them to the coffee table - as Harry and Hermione did the scan for tracking, listening and monitoring charms.

"Dobby!" she called.

"Yes, Mistress Daff?" asked the little elf after popping in.

"Can you get me a memory phial out of my supplies, please?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied before popping away and back with one.

"Thank you, Dobby," she said, taking the phial. "Oh, and you can bring our trunks in now and unpack; thank you."

After what happened with their luggage being 'pawed' by the Headmaster on their return from Christmas, they now left their packed luggage at wherever they last stayed, and then had it brought by the elves when they arrived.

As her husband and sister-wife moved around the apartment checking for the Headmasters charms, Daphne pulled the memory of their meeting with Malfoy on the train from her mind, before dropping it in the phial. She wrote a quick note reminding Sirius of their discussion via mirror before using it to wrap the phial.

"You do realise, with Malfoy looking to distance himself from Riddle, we need to choose a new 'blood donor'?" asked Hermione, coming to sit opposite.

"I want it to be Nott," said Daphne. "However, it could also be Crabbe, Goyle, Selwyn, Avery, Flint, or a few others. But, I want it to be Nott."

"We'll take who ever feels brassy enough to walk down that corridor on their own with no other Slytherin in sight," said Harry. "However, if we can plan it that way, then yes it'll be Nott."

"Good," she firmly said.

Hedwig was already on her roost and watching as Daphne approached.

"Hey girl," she said, as she moved to tie the bundle to Hedwig's ankle. "Take this to Sirius, please. Take your time. He won't be expecting it until morning."

With one last brush of Daphne's fingertips down her back, Hedwig took wing and shot out through the owl window, flying south to London."

Turning, she saw Harry and Hermione had completed their scan. "How many?" she asked.

"Believe it or not... none," replied Hermione. "It seems our ward kept the old man out."

"I'm surprised, actually," said Harry. "I thought he might've been tempted to use Fawkes to get in if he couldn't get in any other way."

"I'd think Fawkes would not be agreeable to such an action," said Hermione. "They are, after all, a bird of the light. I think he'd find 'Breaking and Entering' not such a good thing."

Harry grinned back.

"He could have also finally woken to the fact that every single monitoring or listening charm he places on us is very quickly found and removed or tampered with," said Daphne.

"Or he's just lulling us into a false sense of security," suggested Harry.

"Whatever the reason for the lack of such," said Hermione. "We won't stop checking for them; or telling Dobby to stop checking for them, either.

"Agreed," said her husband and sister-wife.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

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The morning after they arrived back in the castle, Hermione pulled out her recently purchased copy of Moste Potente Potions. Their plan to oust Barty Crouch Junior required the brewing of the potion. However, instead of using the 'bit' of the real Alastor Moody, the bondmates decided on not adding anyone. They hoped that, without the final ingredient, Crouch would revert back to his original form, as it would only be his own saliva, even if he was in the form of Moody at the time.

The book was not clear on what, exactly, would happen in such an instance. But, from similar potions, it would either be inert or Crouch would simply not revert to his true form.

Unlike Amortentia, Polyjuice did not have a different smell or taste depending on the person to whom it was keyed. Its only difference was the colour. And, as Crouch drank the potion from a solid metal flask, unless he poured some into his hand before drinking from it, he'd never know he was not drinking 'his' Polyjuice Potion until it was far too late.

During one of their trips to Diagon Alley, the three individually purchased different ingredients from the required ingredients list.

Once in their apartment, Hermione set up one of their 'spare' cauldrons in Daphne's ensuite and began the process. The first step, as with second year, was to stew the lacewing flies for twenty-one days.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

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The three were no sooner used to school activities again when, a couple of weeks later, Harry had to get ready to attend his first Wizengamot meeting. It was held on Monday, the 3rd of May, starting at 10:00am.

Immediately after breakfast he headed back to the apartment and donned his robes before heading down to the Entrance Hall. And, yet again, the Headmaster turned up.

"Now, Harry..." he began.

"Don't even attempt to stop me attending, Albus," sighed Harry. "You've not won any of the confrontations we've had about me leaving the school to attend to my duties. You're not going to succeed this time, either."

Dumbledore sighed and said, "I really don't think you should attend, Mister Potter."

"That is very much obvious, Headmaster," replied Harry. "And, yet, I've already received a written rap over the knuckles for not attending the previous one. The Wizengamot, even the Minister, is insistent I attend this one. Therefore, I will attend.

"Now, unless in the past few hours you've somehow managed to completely rewrite centuries old law about attendance at Wizengamot meetings, the law states I must attend. Do we need to go over how even you cannot ignore the law just because you want to?"

"No, Mister Potter; we do not," said the Headmaster. "At least allow me to organise an escort for you, for your safety."

"No need," replied Harry. "I've organised my own." He looked out the door and said, "And... here they are, now."

In walked Sirius and Matthias. "Ready, Harry?" asked Matthias, looking a little angry at Dumbledore.

"I am," replied Harry. "Shall we go, or do you need to have words with the Headmaster?"

"As long as he's not stupidly trying to forbid you from attending, no," said Matthias.

"Oh, he tried to talk me out of it," said Harry. "But, even he cannot just ignore the law because it happens to be contrary to what he wants. Oh, yes; he's done it in the past, alright. But, that was with people who didn't know any better. His problem is; I know better now."

"Very well," said Matthias as Dumbledore just stood there. "Then, let us go."

Harry turned to Dumbledore and said, "I'll see you there, Chief Warlock." And followed the other two out the main doors.

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—==(oIo)==—

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On the way in, Matthias reminded Harry, again, what was expected of him for the first day, at least. By the time they reached the Wizengamot chamber. Harry was as prepared as he was ever going to get.

As the Wizengamot was called to order, Dumbledore, as Chief Warlock, called for the first order of business, the sitting of new members. There was only the one - Harry.

As Harry came forward to the middle of the floor, Dumbledore asked, "Is there a member of this body who stands as reference for Mister Potter?"

"I do," said the Minister, first to stand; quickly followed by Madam Bones.

Dumbledore nodded and said, "We note that both the Minister and Madam Bones stand as reference for Mister Potter. Minister, the floor is yours."

Harry then had to stand there for yet another speech. This time it was of the Minister praising his acts of bravery 'on behalf of the witches and wizards of magical Britain' and was pretty much a rehash of the presentation ceremony. Harry thought Dumbledore had deliberately picked the Minister knowing the man would gush on and on, annoying everyone.

When the Minister finished, quite pleased with himself, Dumbledore said, "Mister Harry James Potter, holder of the Order of Merlin, First Class, on the recommendation of Minister Fudge and the Wizengamot, you are welcomed to take seat among your peers. As I say, so I swear."

The entire Wizengamot rose and applauded Harry as he walked to one of the sets of stairs into the risers of seats. A few, unsurprising, were rather slow in rising and rather reluctant to clap.

Once he'd found a seat, planned in advance, near the so-called faction for the Light, Harry was first to be seated out of a mark of respect. The rest of the Wizengamot sat immediately after.

That then led into the normal course of business for the day. And two hours of sheer boredom.

The Wizengamot rose for lunch - on the Ministry's sickle - and Harry was escorted through to an antechamber set up with fine dining. In there, the first of his now fellow Wizengamot members began to approach him trying to feel him out on various issues.

As he was already prepared for such, his oft repeated response was, "That will require a great deal of thought. I shall consider it." Others were, "No, I do not consider myself a supporter of Dumbledore," and "Just because I may not support a policy of the light, does not make me dark; nor vice versa."

Through the whole boring session, both morning and afternoon, Harry would look to people like Madam Bones to decide whether or not to support or oppose each matter. He never rose to speak for or against such, which had others within the tiers wondering just where his personal policies lay.

On one occasion he specifically voted against something Dumbledore clearly supported. This had those within the tiers who were watching him most carefully, look at him with surprise if not shock.

'Idiots!' he thought. 'Surely, by now, they know I'm not Dumbledore's man.'

Thankfully, Harry was able to escape the chamber shortly before 3:00pm and make his way, accompanied by Sirius, back to Hogwarts.

As they walked together, Sirius said, "You handled yourself well, Pup. It was quite amusing to see you oppose Dumbledore during one of the votes."

"It was necessary," Harry replied with a shrug. "I need them to understand I'm not one of Dumbledore's little blind followers. I forge my own path. No matter how many articles are written in the Prophet about how I keep zinging Dumbledore; there are still those who think I ride about on the hem of his robes."

Returning to the apartment, Harry was almost blasted with questions. While Hermione's 'training' in curbing her impetuosity and demand for answers continued without the apartment, once they were within and in private, she could ask as many as she wanted.

"Well, I had to, once again, listen to Cornhole Fudgepucker tell everyone how good he is, while supposedly singing my praises," he replied. "Then Dumbledore, bless his shrivelled heart, had to 'invite' me to take seat within the members' tiers.

"After that, it was almost two hours of listening to people drone with much ado about nothing, a long lunch in the member's dining room, and another two hours of the same thing. However, I now know why Binns hasn't been fired as the Professor of History of Magic. It's to train up the next generation of Wizengamot seat warmers in staying awake to someone who's as... riveting of your attention as being forced to watch grass grow."

Daphne lightly laughed. "Father would say almost the same thing. He also said that, for every hour of boring nonsense, you'd get about five minutes worth of excitement. He used to attend just so he'd be there for those five minutes."

"Yeah, well; if I don't get any entertainment soon I'm going to start pranking the entire body," he grumped. "If they're not going to provide me with entertainment, I'm going to provide it to them."

"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione, obviously scandalised. "You can't just go pranking the Wizengamot!"

"Why ever not?" he asked. "They're now my peers; and old Fudgy-boy forced me to sit with them. They're fair game now."

"Harry," interrupted Daphne. "It's you who originally led the idea that you should receive an Order of Merlin. It's you who made public your battle with the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. As such, it's you who set in motion the events that led to you earning a seat on the Wizengamot.

"If you didn't want the seat we didn't have to push Madam Longbottom to get you your Order of Merlin. That means, you are now a member of the Wizengamot because it's something you wanted."

Harry looked back at his pureblood wife with a look of incredulity and sulkiness. "The Wizengamot didn't have to make the Order of Merlin an automatic seat within their own body."

"Now you're clutching at straws," she calmly replied. "The rule that holders of the Order of Merlin be seated upon the Wizengamot comes from centuries ago. It's not something new they introduced just to annoy you."

"Damn it," he grumbled, knowing he'd well and truly lost this one. With a sigh he said, "I can't hand it back now, can I."

"Nope," she replied with a light smile. "Nor can they strip it from you without very, very good reasons. One of which must include that the reason is because the events that took place for which you earned it were falsely reported. And, we know that's not the case."

"Alright," he sighed. "When can I appoint a proxy?"

"After the first year," she replied. "And then, only for the Wizengamot meetings. If you're selected for any of the panels, depending for what the panel is selected, you'll need to appoint proxies for each from the membership of said panel."

"No easy way out, then," he sighed.

"Deliberately so," she replied. "They want their members to actually carry out their roles, and not proxy them off to others."

"Well, something to worry about next year," he said. Changing the subject, he asked, "What's up now? No, no - don't tell me - homework, right?"

Both wives just smiled back.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

ˇ

During the time, both wives kept an eye on the stewing lacewing flies for the Polyjuice Potion. And, once the required twenty-one days had passed, they set to work on the rest of the Potion. The riskiest part was needing to sneak out of the castle to pick the fluxweed out in the Forbidden Forest on the night of the full moon.

"Just as in second year, we'll have enough for four doses," said Hermione, almost absentmindedly. "It'll be a good idea to keep the extra doses under a stasis charm. You never know when we might need them."

"Do we know how much makes a dose and how much Crouch keeps in that flask of his?" asked Harry.

"Good point," said Daphne. "I recommend just switching out one dose, though. With the amount he's been downing on a regular occurrence I doubt he'll realise he has a different amount between before and after we switch them out."

"Fair call," said Harry. "Besides, the weight of the flask itself should throw off any chance he has to doubt how much he had."

Harry then left his two wives to finish brewing the potion, and returned to the living room to further study and try to memorise strings of ancient runes and their uses.

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—==(oIo)==—

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The following month's Wizengamot meeting saw Dolores Umbridge, once again, attempt to introduce a 'dark creatures' law. This one would require all 'creatures' to be registered with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures or face heavy fines, if not a stay in Azkaban.

And, for the first time, Harry spoke among his new peers. He spoke against.

During the week leading up to the sitting, Harry sat with his wives and they went through the points Harry would cover. They included: Where would the money come from to pay for it? If there is any leeway in the budget to pay for it, why hasn't that money already been assigned to boost their Auror forces, who have been hit the most due to budget cuts over the past decade? As it isn't covered in the literature sent to members for debate, what defines a 'creature'? Do 'half-breeds' count as creatures? What defines a 'half-breed'; half, quarter, one-eighth, one-sixteenth? Then hit back that the matter has not been properly thought through and requires a great deal more effort on the part of the mover before they submit such ill-thought 'concepts' to the Wizengamot for their perusal.

In other words, slap the horrid woman down where it hurt her; by showing her up to be pretty much incompetent and ill-prepared in her job. While, simultaneously, showing Harry to being both a voice of reason and considered thought.

On the day and when he rose to speak, Harry was also mindful of not losing his temper, and keeping his voice both measured and displaying concern and disappointment. He'd learned those from carefully analysing Dumbledore's manner of verbal communication.

In summation, he said, "Therefore, Chief Warlock, it is my much considered view the Bill requires significantly more work before this august body should be forced to consider it in detail. I believe this body's time would be better spent on properly prepared submissions rather than just a document that appears to be no more than just an over-reaching concept outline that gives naught than just the appearance of a legislative work. We debate law, here; not ideas."

In the end, the motion went from a slight advantage to supporting the motion to a near landslide against. The feelings of the Wizengamot were clearly so against the motion by the time Harry finished speaking, that the Pink Toad was forced to withdraw the motion completely to 'give greater thought to Mister Potter's concerns before resubmitting it for a second time'.

As the session broke, Harry found himself near-swamped by other members who approached to congratulate him for his concise and well-reasoned arguments. And to 'wonder' at his views on other issues. Of course, in among them were also remarks such as they found themselves surprised that such a young man could speak so well on such a topic. A backhanded complement if there ever was one.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

ˇ

Four weeks before the start of the third and final task Harry expected, and got, the request to join the Champions in the Entrance Hall to meet with Ludo Bagman.

From there, Bagman took them down to the Quidditch pitch which had, for the last two weeks, been surrounded by a barrier denying entrance to all. As they walked through the barrier and then started climbing the stairs into the stands, Bagman told them about how the third task would be held on the pitch of the Quidditch stadium.

Once they reached spectator height, Bagman, still nattering on, led them to look out over the pitch. Of course, Harry knew what to expect to see. However, the others did not.

When the ground of the pitch came into view Cedric gasped. "What have you done?" he exclaimed. "You've ruined it!"

"I assure you, Mister Diggory, that on completion of the task the pitch will be set to rights," Bagman almost snippily said.

"It's... sacrilege!" exclaimed Harry, getting into the mood of things.

"This vas the Hogworts Quidditch pitch, da?" asked Victor, staring at the ground.

"Da! Errr... yes!" said Cedric.

"It is crime to do this to pitch," said Victor.

"I assure you all, the pitch will be returned to rights within a few days of the completion of the task," said Bagman. "Now, who can tell me..."

"A few days?" asked Cedric, interrupting and a little angry. "How?"

With an exasperated sigh, Bagman said, "The maze was planted... well, blast it all!"

"Clearly, eet eez a maze," said Fleur as if she thought Bagman was being an idiot. "But eet should be a Queedeetch peetch!"

"As I said, it will be put to rights after the task," said Bagman. "Now, in the maze..."

"You'll probably have dangerous creatures and magic traps, right?" said Harry. "And... what... first one to the middle or whatever wins?"

"The Tri-Wizard Cup will be in the maze somewhere," said Bagman. "The first person to reach it will win."

"Yeah, yeah," said Harry, giving a wave-off gesture with his hands. "Will that be all?"

"Yes, Mister Potter," said Bagman starting to grit his teeth a little.

"Frumos!" said Victor. "Now, vee leave; not... plăcut... pleasant... to see Quidditch pitch so... întinat... defiled."

"Defiled," said Cedric. "Yes... da... that fits."

"Fine!" snapped Bagman. "You now know what's required of you. I'll see you on the twenty-fourth of June!" And he stomped off.

"Hey, Useless!" called Harry. Surprisingly, Bagman turned around. "I'm glad to see you now recognise your new name! The Weasley Twins want their winnings from their bet at the Quidditch World Cup. You'd best pay up pretty quick. They can be veeerrry creative in their punishment of those who've wronged them!"

That had the other three laughing as Bagman glared at Harry for a moment before again stomping off.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

ˇ

As they walked back from the pitch, Victor and Fleur excused themselves and headed back to the ship and carriage respectively. Harry and Cedric walked together.

"Almost over, Harry," sighed Cedric. Clearly, he wanted to talk about things and was trying to find a way to bring up the subject.

"Yeah," said Harry. "I'm looking forward to summer, already."

"This is my last year," said the older boy. "I was looking forward, this year, to the match between the Badgers and Lions to show that I could beat you without a bunch of pesky dementors coming in and ruining everything."

Harry laughed and said, "You'd have been sadly..."

He stopped speaking as both boys saw Barty Crouch Senior stagger out of the forest. He was in bad shape. Harry mentally face-palmed himself for forgetting this event.

Immediately he drew his wand as Crouch staggered forward.

As Harry remembered, he looked as though he had been travelling for days. The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody, and his face was scratched. He was unshaven and gray with exhaustion. His neat hair and moustache were both in need of a wash and trim.

His strange appearance, however, was nothing to the way he was behaving. Muttering and gesticulating, Crouch turned and began talking to a tree.

"Isn't that Mister Crouch?" asked Cedric. "What's he doing?"

Harry nodded and said, "Go get help, Ced. I need the Professors down here. Possibly Madam Pomfrey, too. Hurry!"

"Errr... right, Harry," replied the other boy. He took a couple of steps before he turned back. "Will you be alright here with him?"

Without taking his eyes of Crouch or the forest, Harry said, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just go. Go fast!"

And Cedric took off running, again.

Crouch was still talking to the tree. "... and when you've done that, Weatherby, send an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the tournament, Karkaroff has just sent word there will be twelve..."

"Mister Crouch," called Harry.

"... and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen. Do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will..."

Crouch's eyes were bulging. He stood staring at the tree, muttering soundlessly at it. Then he staggered sideways and fell to his knees.

"Mister Crouch?" Harry said loudly, hurrying over while keeping an eye on the treeline. "Are you all right?"

Crouch's eyes were rolling in his head.

"Dumbledore!" gasped Crouch suddenly. He reached out and seized a handful of Harry's robes, dragging him closer, though his eyes were staring over Harry's head. "I need... see... Dumbledore..."

"Figured as much," said Harry. "If you get up, Mister Crouch, we can go up to the..."

"I've done... stupid... thing..." Crouch breathed. He looked utterly mad. His eyes were rolling and bulging, and a trickle of spittle was sliding down his chin. Every word he spoke seemed to cost him a terrible effort. "Must... tell... Dumbledore..."

"Get up, Mister Crouch," said Harry loudly and clearly. "Get up, and I'll take you to Dumbledore!"

Crouch's eyes rolled forward onto Harry.

"Who... you?" he whispered.

"I'm a student at the school," said Harry, pulling Crouch to his feet with his left arm while holding his wand in his right.

"You're not... his?" whispered Crouch, his mouth sagging.

"No," said Harry.

"Dumbledore's?"

"Yes," replied Harry.

Crouch was pulling him closer. Harry tried to loosen the man's grip on his robes, but it was too powerful.

"Warn... Dumbledore..."

"We'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me," said Harry. "Come with me, Mister Crouch and we'll get him."

"Thank you, Weatherby, and when you've done that, I would like a cup of tea. My wife and son will be arriving shortly. We're attending a concert tonight with Mister and Missus Fudge."

Crouch was now trying to talk fluently to a tree again, and seemed completely unaware that Harry was there. It surprised Harry so much he didn't notice that Crouch had released him.

So, Harry latched onto the robes of the man's upper right arm with his left hand and began to drag him away from the tree line. Crouch then swivelled to look at Harry and said, "Yes, my son has recently gained twelve OWLs. Most satisfactory, yes. Thank you, yes; very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minister of Magic, I think I will have time to draft a response."

Crouch suddenly reached out with his right hand and snatched at Harry's left arm. "Don't... leave... me!" he whispered, his eyes bulging again. "I... escaped... must warn... must tell... see Dumbledore!... My fault... all my fault... Bertha... dead... all my fault!... My son... my... fault... Tell Dumbledore... Harry Potter... the Dark Lord... stronger... Harry Potter..."

Harry kept dragging the clearly delusional man away from the trees and towards the castle while he kept a close eye on the tree line. The further they got away from the trees the safer Harry thought they'd be. The safer he knew they'd be.

Harry had dragged a somewhat resistant Crouch partway back to the castle when he finally spotted staff running towards him with Cedric Diggory. Of all people, in the lead was Professor Snape.

Thinking fast, Harry said to the man, "I'm Harry Potter." And tried to keep dragging the man towards the castle.

Crouch reached out with both hands and latched onto Harry, bringing both of them to their knees. "Mister Potter!" the man gasped, looking at Harry with wide, horrified eyes. "The Dark Lord!... He's... getting stronger!... He's coming back!"

By then Snape had reached them and was on his knees next to them. He was waving his wand over Crouch and muttering incantations!

"My son!" cried Crouch. "He's one of them! The Dark Lord... wants... your blood!"

"Potter," said Snape. "Help me get him up!"

By then Diggory was back and helped get Crouch back on his feet as Harry almost viciously disentangled Crouch's fingers from his robes.

They'd just got the man on his feet when a jet of green light flared out of the treeline. Watching for it, Harry immediately dived at all three and tackled Diggory and Crouch to the ground.

Snape, seeing the tackle coming, managed to step back to avoid it. He also managed to avoid the curse in the process, as it flew over the three tangled bodies right in front of him.

He immediately spun towards the tree line with his wand drawn. "Get up, Potter!" he demanded, as he watched the trees. "Get up and get out of here!"

As Harry rolled off the pile, he surged to his feet with his wand drawn in a crouch as Diggory rose, almost terrified. He looked to the trees.

"Potter!" called Snape. "Get Diggory and Crouch and get out of here!"

Harry took one last look at the treeline and turned his wand on Crouch, who was still sprawled on the grass. Not even bothering to help the man to his feet this time he levitated him with a Mobilicorpus charm and ran with him back through the arriving Professors as Diggory ran after them both. Snape stayed and backed away from the trees, covering their escape.

Harry watched out of the corner of his eye as saw a messenger patronus flash away towards the Headmaster's office. It was Professor McGonagall's lynx.

Once Harry was through some of the staff, now with their own wands drawn and looking to the forest, he didn't even bother to look over his shoulder anymore. He just raced for the castle with Crouch in tow.

He met Madam Pomfrey coming out the front doors and called, "Infirmary, Madam Pomfrey! A man's been seriously hurt!"

"Put him down right here, Mister Potter!" she ordered. "I'll take a look at him first."

Harry spun and lowered Crouch to the ground as the medi-witch knelt down next to the man and cast diagnostic charms over him. She was still going as some of the staff were coming back.

She was beginning to rise as Dumbledore came running out of the doors before almost skidding to a stop and looking around.

"Bartemius?" he asked, as he saw who Madam Pomfrey was working on.

"Yes," said Harry. "And someone just shot a bloody killing curse at us from just inside the edge of the Forbidden Forest!"

Diggory, panting his lungs out, said, "Yeah! And if it wasn't for Harry, they'd have got us!"

Dumbledore turned to give Harry a long look before he turned to Madam Pomfrey and said, "Take him to the Infirmary, Poppy. I'll investigate what's going on in the forest." Before he quickly moved off to where Snape was still watching the edge of the forest.

"Take him to the Infirmary, he says," scoffed the medi-witch. "Where else would I take him? To the Ministry ball?"

She then turned to look at Harry and asked, "Think you can levitate him to the Infirmary, Mister Potter?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. "No problem."

"Do so!" she said.

Harry immediately cast the Mobilicorpus charm back on Crouch and levitated him again. As he towed Crouch behind him and jogged into the castle and up the stairs, Madam Pomfrey kept pace and kept an eye on him.

As soon as they reached the hospital wing, Harry levitated Crouch onto the nearest bed as Pomfrey bustled about to bring a potions cabinet closer to the side of the bed.

"Well done, Mister Potter," she said as an aside. "I've got it from here."

Harry knew a dismissal when he heard one. He turned to leave when he spotted Diggory standing puffing his lungs out wide-eyed in the doorway.

As Harry walked towards him, he said, "You... you... saved my life!"

"Instinct, Cedric," said Harry.

The boy started to shake so Harry quickly grabbed onto him and led him over to the bed alongside Crouch.

Sitting him on the bed, Harry asked the medi-witch, "Can Cedric have a calming draught, please, Madam Pomfrey? He's just had one hell of fright. Someone just shot a killing curse at... in his direction."

From where she was working on a now unconscious Crouch, Pomfrey took one look at Cedric, reached into her potions cabinet and handed a corked phial to Harry. Harry uncorked it and firmly placed it in Diggory's hand.

"Here. Drink this, Cedric," he firmly ordered the other boy.

Without a word or even looking at Harry, Diggory brought the phial to his lips and tossed the contents back. A quick swallow, a grimace and the boy gave a little shudder of revulsion.

"Merlin!" he breathed.

Harry waited a few moments before he asked, "Better, Cedric?"

Diggory looked at Harry and said, "Thanks, Harry."

Harry grinned back and said, "You're welcome. Good thing I've got seeker reflexes, huh?"

"Yeah," said Diggory. A moment later he said, "I owe you, Harry. I owe you a life debt."

Harry grinned and said, "Friends don't owe friends life debts, Cedric."

Diggory, coming back to himself, gave a snort and said, "Yeah, they do."

"We'll worry about it another time," said Harry. "Thanks for running so hard to get help. If Snape hadn't gotten there as fast as he did..."

"Yeah," he said. "Who knew the gre... Potions Master could run so fast?"

Harry grinned back as Diggory responded in kind.

"If you two are done," said Pomfrey, "You might want to clear out."

Both boys again grinned at one another as Diggory hopped off the bed. Together, they walked out.

They hadn't gone too far when Diggory asked, "Ever seen the inside of the Hufflepuff common room?"

"Nope," said Harry. "It's the only one I haven't seen."

With a nod and a smile Diggory said, "Come on, then. I'm about to show you a Hufflepuff secret."

Curious, Harry followed on behind as Diggory led him down in the dungeons.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

ˇ

Walking in through a secret door in a set of barrels, Diggory led Harry down a light ramp into a quite large common room. Though not quite as large as the Slytherin common room, it was easily the second largest of the four Houses.

A couple of other 'Puffs looked back curiously as Diggory indicated a sofa and said, "Sit. I'll get us a couple of Butterbeers."

Taking a seat, Harry watched as the older boy went over to what looked like another large barrel, this one standing upright, and tapped his wand on a knot in the wood. A hidden door swung open and Diggory reached within. When he pulled his hand out he was holding a couple of Butterbeer bottles by the neck. With his other hand he then dropped a couple of coins into a box with a slot on top before closing the door.

He walked back over and handed a bottle to Harry before taking seat in an armchair opposite.

With a snort and chuckle, Harry popped his bottle open taking a huge swig. The bottle and its contents were both quite chilled.

"The older years bring back sweets and drinks from Hogsmeade each Hogsmeade weekend," the other boy explained, answering the unasked question. "They keep the Hufflepuff Shop, there, well stocked. That way, even the younger years have access to what's available from Hogsmeade."

"Clever," said Harry. "I take it you have a... House fund from which they take funds to purchase it all?"

"Yep. It's looked after by the Prefects. And, the price from here is about ten percent above the prices in Hogsmeade," explained Diggory. "When the kitty gets too large, we use the funds to buy things for those in our House who are... less flush, shall we say."

"No problem with thefts?" asked Harry.

Diggory smiled and said, "This is Hufflepuff, Harry. We look out for each other down here. Stealing means you're stealing from your friends, and yourself. It's very rare for a theft to occur. I won't tell you what we do in those circumstances."

Harry gave a shrug and said, "Understood. I just wish the other Houses, especially Gryffindor, would be able to prove themselves so trustworthy."

"Not everyone is worthy of being a Hufflepuff," smirked the other boy.

As they talked, Harry looked around the room. Where he'd expected a lot of black and yellow, instead he saw brown and tans. The floor was almost completely covered in thick brown carpet. The chairs were done in dark brown leather with yellow stitching and black buttons. The tables and chairs were of a dark, almost black wood, with tan padding. The walls were in a pastel yellow with dark yellow and brown curtains in front of the windows that were along one wall.

Seeing Harry looking curiously at the windows, Diggory said, "The windows are actually in the cliff face directly below the castle. They, of course, look out over the Black Lake."

"What about windows for the dorms?" asked Harry.

Pointing, Diggory said, "Boys dorms are that way, one after the other." Then he pointed to the opposite direction and said, "And the girls' dorms are the same that way.

"Each dorm has windows on one wall that are the same as the ones in here. In other words, each dorm has a view out over the Black Lake."

"I don't remember seeing any windows in the cliff face when I've been out on the lake," said Harry.

"They're there," smiled Diggory. "You just have to really look for them. Once you see them, they then become obvious to you."

Harry sat and talked with Diggory for a while before Dobby suddenly popped in. "Miss Hermy-knee and Miss Daff-knee are worried about you. They wonder where you are."

"Errph!" said Harry, to Diggory. "I'm in trouble." Turning back to Dobby he said, "Please tell both ladies I'm sorry I worried them and will be there, safe and whole, in a few minutes. I take it they're in our apartment?"

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir," replied the elf.

Nodding, Harry said, "Thank you, Dobby."

As the little elf popped away again, Harry turned to Diggory and said, "I'd better go."

Diggory grinned and said, "Best not keep your ladies waiting."

Harry stood and said, "Thanks for the Butterbeer, Cedric." And shook the other boy's hand before he left to return to the apartment.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

ˇ

When Harry walked into the apartment, he was met with two angry witches. "Where have you been?" demanded Hermione.

"Coming back from the Quidditch pitch, Cedric and I came across Crouch Senior staggering out of the woods," he explained. "I sent Diggory to get help while I started dragging Crouch back towards the castle. When Cedric got back with help, someone... Crouch Junior, of course... shot a killing curse at us. In the process, Diggory now thinks I saved his life and he owes me a life debt.

"I then levitated and took Crouch to the infirmary while Diggory followed. Once there, the adrenaline in Diggory's system started to wear off and he developed a dose of the shakes from shock. After I got a calming draught into him he took me down to the Hufflepuff common room, where he supplied me with a Butterbeer. I don't think I could have refused. He was pretty shaken up.

"I'd just finished that when Dobby popped in to let me know you two were worried about me. So, I immediately came up here."

"We didn't know where you were," said Daphne. "We heard that something had happened out on the grounds, that someone had fired a killing curse at you, and that you were taken to the infirmary. However, when we got there, Madam Pomfrey told us you'd left a while earlier."

"Alright," said Harry, speaking soothingly. "Next time you worry about me, remember that Dobby will know where I am at all times. All you need to do is call him and ask, alright?"

Blushing in a little embarrassment, Hermione said, "We forgot."

"Understandable," said Harry. "You were worried and you weren't able to think it through. You'll remember if it happens in the future."

He then brought both girls in for a three-way cuddle.

The three-way cuddle then moved to the bedroom, and changed into something more.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

ˇ

A couple of evenings before the final task, the three organised themselves to put the second part of the originally conceived plan of Hermione's into effect. The first was the switch out of Tom Riddle Senior's bones in the graveyard at Little Hangleton for a complete stranger's. And the third would be the switching out of Crouch's Polyjuice potion.

This was also the first day of the end of year exams for the fourth years, so they did not expect a lot of people to be spending time out and about. That Hermione was quite alright with setting aside her last evening before the Transfiguration exam showed the importance of what they were about to accomplish.

Immediately after dinner, Harry waited in the direct route from the Great Hall to the Slytherin dorms in the dungeons for Nott to pass on his way to the Slytherin common room. He was one they knew positively would become a death eater. It would also be a bit of payback for Daphne.

Waiting under a Notice-me-not charm with his invisibility cloak in his arms, Harry was standing just outside a disused classroom for the wanker to pass.

He was just starting to worry, when the boy finally made an appearance. And, thankfully, with no one around to observe what happened.

As soon as Nott passed, Harry tagged him with a stunner and, as soon as the boy collapsed, threw his invisibility cloak over him. A quick Mobilicorpus charm on the boy and Harry pulled him through the now opened door of the classroom. Inside, Hermione and Daphne were waiting with what they needed to complete this part of the plan.

Nott was levitated over to where two desks were set side-by-side and hard together to make a longer work area, and laid atop.

The cloak was removed and Hermione set to work rolling Nott's sleeve up. As she worked, Daphne was standing alongside, observing, while holding a tray with certain objects on it.

As soon as Nott's sleeve was up and over his elbow, Hermione grabbed a tourniquet off the tray and fastened it tightly around the bicep.

As Nott was still out cold she couldn't get him to pump his fist to speed up the process, so had to wait for the vein to begin to expand on its own.

As soon as she had a likely candidate, she carefully picked up a syringe needle that was affixed to a plastic tube - which was, in turn, connected to a small, flat, pig skin bladder stuffed with flat wadding.

Concentrating, she carefully inserted the needle into the boys arm over and along a vein until she spotted blood beginning to flow down the tube. Then hung the bladder from the edge of the desk, and released the tourniquet.

Standing back up straight, she sighed and said, "Now we wait."

"How long?" asked Daphne.

"It depends on how much fluid Nott's recently drunk, and how strong his heart beat is," she replied. "The more fluid he's drunk and the stronger his heart beat, the faster the flow."

"An approximation would do," Daphne almost snarked.

Hermione seemed to think about it for a moment, and carefully watched the bladder, before she replied, "About... ten minutes?"

Constantly checking, Hermione finally had the amount of blood she wanted after twelve minutes. "That should do," she muttered.

Carefully, she grabbed a cotton ball off the tray and, holding it in her left hand between her index finger and thumb, lightly pressed down on the wound point as she pulled out the needle, before then pressing down, firmly.

She handed the needle with its still attached tube off to Daphne with a mutter of, "Be careful with that."

While Daphne, out of her sight, rolled her eyes while holding the needle. Hermione drew her wand and cast a minor healing charm on the wound point. Gingerly pulling the now flattened cotton ball aside, she was able to see that even the mark of the needle was now gone.

"Excellent!" she muttered. Then pulled down the boy's sleeve, being careful to ensure it was down neatly.

Meanwhile, Daphne had moved off to the side to another desk with the needle, hose and bladder. She carefully pulled the hose out of the bladder and sealed the skin around the hole, sealing the blood within.

Once ready, she cast a stasis charm on the bladder and its contents before then vanishing the tube, needle and the little bit of blood that had spilled.

Looking back, she said, "I'm ready."

She'd turned back just in time to see Hermione write the word 'Gay' on Nott's forehead.

"I thought the idea was for Nott not to know he'd been attacked?" she asked.

"No," replied Hermione. "It was for him not to learn we'd taken his blood. At least this way, when he wakes, he'll think he'll know why he was attacked."

Daphne thought about it for just a moment before she said, "Clever."

"We ready?" asked Harry, from where he was near the door looking for people outside.

"We're ready," said Hermione.

"Okay, watch the door while I cover and levitate the wannabe rapist," he said.

Daphne moved over to the door and kept lookout while Harry threw his invisibility cloak back over Nott. He gave a small snort of amusement when he saw what Hermione had written on the boy's forehead.

Another body levitation charm and Harry was towing the boy back to the door. Daphne quickly checked in both directions before she ducked out and headed down the passage a bit to look around the corner.

She gave a quick, 'Come' gesture and Harry was out the door with Nott. He propped the boy sitting against the wall and pulled his invisibility cloak back off him.

Looking back as Hermione pulled the door of the classroom closed again, all three then nodded to each other before they all cast Notice-me-nots on themselves and left the scene.

Returning to their apartment the three looked at each other and grinned.

"That was easier than I feared it might have been," said Hermione.

"I still find it hard to believe muggles take blood from each other like that," said Daphne, a little disgusted.

"As I've explained, muggles don't have blood replenishing potions," said Hermione. "So, often, the only way to get blood back into a person is through transfusion. It's all perfectly acceptable."

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

ˇ

On the eve of the final task, both wives demanded an intimate dinner for three in their room. Harry was happy to agree.

The Polyjuice Potion was now complete and being stored under stasis in a flask of similar size and shape to Moody's, which Crouch was using. The 'pig skin blood pouch' was with it, also under stasis.

"I know this is all planned out, Harry," said Hermione. "But, there's just so much that can go wrong."

"I know and agree," he said.

"You're still going to be careful, though, right?" she asked.

"Of course," he calmly replied, before he moved and took her into his arms. A move for which she was very grateful.

"Your plan is brilliant, Hermione," he soothed her. "When the rat pulls the bone out of the grave it'll be that of a stranger, not Riddle's father. And, when he jabs me in my elbow with the point of the knife, it'll be Nott's blood pooling in the grooves of it; not mine."

"The only thing we can't change is the flesh of the servant. But, with two of the three changed, that should dramatically weaken Riddle."

"I know," she sniffled. "But you'll also have all the death eaters there, as well. And they won't be weakened."

"I'll have the portkeys with me, I'll have the second wand with me, and this time I can apparate. If I can't get to the Cup, I've still got multiple ways out of there," he calmly said.

She nodded as Daphne said, "He's right. He's as prepared as he can ever be. And your plan was brilliant. Harry is far superior to any three death eaters in combat; and, with Riddle being weakened by the ruined ritual, I believe he'll be far superior to him, too.

"And, remember, he got away from the lot of them last time. And that was when his mind was muddied with potions, his head was killing him from the horcrux within his forehead, and Riddle was at his powerful best with all his horcruxes still existing. None of that exists in this timeline."

Harry looked from Daphne back to Hermione, smirked, and said, "What she said."

Hermione gave a quick burst of laughter, smacked him on the arm, and said, "Prat!"

"Good," said Daphne. "Now, let's eat. I want to make sure Harry feels very lucky, tonight."

"Da-aph!" exclaimed Hermione, blushing.

"Oh," said Daphne, as if she'd just thought of it. "I'm including you in that, too."

Harry, now used to Daphne's odd humour, laughed as Hermione went red to the tips of her fingers and ears.

After dinner, and a while of just talking a little more to allow their stomachs to settle, the three went to bed.

Over an hour later and just before drifting off to sleep with a very contented smile on his face, Harry thought it was the luckiest he'd ever been.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

ˇ