This Is Bad, Really Bad

Malfoy wasn't afraid. But he was becoming more and more withdrawn.

He was like an unnoticed bud in the corner of Hogwarts, still yet to bloom.

Right now, the entire school's attention was on Harry.

Days passed, flipping through the calendar.

Amidst the relentless pace of study, they all anticipated—longed for—February.

Because at the end of this month, the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament would take place.

—

During this time, Harry continued his daily training.

Occasionally, he would pull out the Marauder's Map, searching for any sign of Barty Crouch or Corban Yaxley.

But he found nothing.

Though he did frequently see Karkaroff's name appearing in Snape's office.

The man was visiting often, yet still too cowardly to make up his mind about contacting the Death Eaters.

—

Then, one week before the Second Task, an unexpected visitor arrived at Hogwarts.

—

Inside the Gryffindor common room—

Crookshanks led in a large black dog.

Though disguised well enough, anyone with even the slightest knowledge of him could recognize—

It was Sirius Black.

Fred and George immediately greeted him, warmly offering him a chocolate bar and a glass of vodka.

By the time Harry and the others returned—

The twins were dancing with the dog.

Harry wordlessly flicked his wand, transfiguring a piece of parchment on the table into a collar—

Snapping it around the dog's neck before hoisting him up.

—

"Oh, Harry! You're back?" Fred grinned, waving him over. "Want to join us for a drink?"

Harry shook his head. "No thanks. If my godfather came all this way, he must have something important to say."

Dragging Sirius by the scruff, Harry turned and walked out.

Hermione and Ron quickly followed.

The twins, still tipsy, just nodded in confusion.

Then Fred glanced to the side, blinking in surprise.

"Wait… Where'd Black go?"

—

Outside the tower, cold winds howled.

The biting chill quickly sobering up Sirius from his drunken haze.

He blinked at Harry, then at Hermione and Ron—

Let out a big yawn—

And shifted back into human form.

"Harry! Long time no see!" He greeted enthusiastically.

Harry nodded. "It's been a while. But why didn't you let me know before coming?"

Sirius grinned slyly, rummaging through his magically expanded pockets.

"Wanted to give you a surprise."

After some digging, he finally pulled out—

Something round, radiating a powerful, untamed energy.

Harry froze.

It was an egg.

Not a dragon egg.

But it felt just as alive—

And very familiar.

"A Thunderbird egg?" Harry inhaled sharply.

Sirius proudly held it aloft.

"Bingo! Took a hell of a lot of effort to get this. American wizarding authorities are a NIGHTMARE."

"They're nothing like their Muggle counterparts—way too diligent and paranoid."

—

He then launched into a wild tale of his four-month adventure:

How he crossed the Mediterranean, trekked through Africa, nearly got swallowed by a whale in the Indian Ocean, and recuperated in Australia before finally embarking on his Pacific crossing.

The MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States) was too well-guarded.

So, he spent a few days hiding in Hawaii before sneaking in with a group of smugglers.

Stealing the Thunderbird egg was the hardest part.

He had to outwit an entire flock of Thunderbirds—all while dodging American Aurors before making his grand escape.

—

Ron was enthralled, eyes full of admiration.

What an adventure.

—

"…You didn't leave any loose ends, did you?" Harry asked when Sirius finally finished.

Sirius smirked, winking.

"Loose ends? Me? C'mon, kid—I'm a professional. The MACUSA Aurors might be diligent, but they're not that good. A simple Transfiguration Charm is enough to keep them spinning in circles."

"Good," Harry sighed in relief. "I really don't want to have to rescue you again in a few months."

Sirius shoved the egg into Harry's arms.

"No chance! Though, I did want to steal a Thunderbird care manual too…"

"But their security was too tight. British Aurors aren't like that at all…"

Harry looked down at the egg in his hands, feeling its energy.

"Are you… asking me to raise it?"

Sirius blinked.

"Uh… yeah? Thunderbirds are incredibly powerful creatures, right up there with Phoenixes."

"And their blood and feathers are almost impossible to get—usually sold before I even hear about them."

Harry sighed, running a hand over the egg's smooth surface.

"This is… great, really. But where am I supposed to raise it?"

"At school?"

Sirius stroked his chin in thought. "Or… maybe I could set up a space at Grimmauld Place?"

Harry nodded.

"That would be safer."

"But we should get the proper permits. I'll ask Dumbledore—he might have a way."

Sirius grinned.

"I'll pull some strings at the Ministry too."

Harry's eyes flickered.

"Speaking of the Ministry…"

He handed the egg back to Sirius—

This thing was too tempting for his potion-making instincts.

"Godfather, I need you to investigate some people for me."

—

Sirius' eyes darkened immediately.

"We're going after the Ministry?"

"No," Harry shook his head and explained everything that had happened since Christmas.

"My main suspect is still Barty Crouch Jr."

"But right now, the most suspicious person is Corban Yaxley."

—

Sirius' expression turned dangerous.

"I know him. Fought him plenty of times."

Harry sighed.

"I also haven't heard from Rita Skeeter recently."

"She's gone completely silent. No articles in the Daily Prophet, no contact—she might be in trouble."

"If you get a chance, look into her too."

Sirius blinked.

"Wait—Rita Skeeter? That Rita Skeeter?"

Harry nodded.

"The Daily Prophet journalist."

Sirius reeled.

"She's on our side?!"

"She doesn't seem like the type."

Harry shrugged.

"Just a transaction."

"But when it comes to exposing Death Eaters, she'll definitely back us."

Sirius hummed thoughtfully.

"Guess I misjudged her. Always figured she was just a gossip-mongering parasite."

"You figured right," Hermione deadpanned.

"She is exactly that."

—

After some more discussion, Sirius transformed back into a dog and ran back into the Gryffindor common room—

Just in time to continue drinking with Fred and George.

His howling was loud enough to rival Merpeople singing.

A perfect reminder of what awaited in the Second Task.

—

Then—

The day of the competition arrived.

It was a cold, eerie Friday.

Spring was near, but winter had one last gasp of icy defiance—biting through the air.

—

Harry woke up early.

A tournament wasn't going to disrupt his routine.

After his morning training, he returned to the common room—

And noticed something strange.

Hermione wasn't there.

—

He didn't think much of it at first.

Maybe she was sleeping in for once.

She needed the rest.

—

But by 8:30 AM, most students were up.

And by 9:30 AM—when the Second Task would begin—she was still missing.

—

"Brown," Harry stopped Lavender. "Have you seen Hermione?"

Lavender blinked.

"Um… she got up early?"

Harry's expression darkened.

"Did you see her wake up? Or was her bed already empty when you woke?"

"…It was already empty," Lavender admitted. "Is something—"

—

Harry's brows furrowed.

He didn't wait for her to finish.

He bolted out of the common room.

At the same time, he pulled out the Marauder's Map.

—

She wasn't in the dorms.

Not the library.

Not the bathrooms.

Nowhere.

Then, finally—

He found her name.

—

She was with several others.

—

Ludo Bagman.

Albus Dumbledore.

Madame Maxime.

And two names he didn't recognize:

Gabrielle Delacour—Fleur's little sister.

Ivanescu—A Durmstrang student Harry had seen around their ship.

—

Harry's fists clenched.

So that was it.

The Second Task's "treasure"… was Hermione.

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Powerstones?

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