I don't own a thing, enjoy!
When Harry got down to the Great Hall the next morning, he at first didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Ron was as usual stuffing his mouth with incredible amounts of breakfast, with Hermione and Ginny sending him disgusted looks. It wasn't until the Slytherin Prince, aka Draco Malfoy, knocked him on the shoulder with the Daily Prophet that he got a clue that something was off.
"I get it, that you haven't read the paper this morning, Potter?" he said, putting the newspaper down on the table in front of him, front page up.
SIRIUS BLACK INNOCENT, PETER PETTIGREW GUILTY OF MASS MURDER!See Page1
Well as far as Harry could tell all was good. He sent Malfoy a curious look. "Read the other headline." Harry looked back down on the paper and froze.
PETER PETTIGREW'S SPECTACULAR ESCAPE AS AUROR UNBINDS THE ILLEGAL RAT ANIMAGUS! See pages 2, 3, 4 and 5 for pictures and comments.
It took a couple of seconds for the headline to sink in, but when it did, it sunk hard. "WHAT!" Harry yelled furiously. He didn't realise that he'd just thrown his pumpkin juice across the table, barely missing Neville who'd managed to duck just in time.
"Harry, calm down! Sirius is free, it says here that he was administered with Veritseum." Hermione tried to pull him down to sit again andgave him another goblet of pumpkin juice. "Thanks Malfoy." Harry muttered, putting his head in his hands. Malfoy who'd been seated next to a horrified Neville rose up from the seat, brushing of invisible dust from his clothes.
"Sure…" He said eyeing Harry with a strange look. Neville who relaxed at the sight of Malfoy leaving got tense again when Harry reached out for his juice. "Stupid Ministry. Can't do anything right." Hermione nodded absentmindly to Harry's quiet muttering as she skimmed the articles in the paper.
Harry suddenly banged his goblet down on the table making it tip and spill out juice on the table. Neville got many surprised looks as he'd jumped out from the table and fallen down on the floor at Harry's sudden move.
"I have to talk to Dumbledore." Harry said glumly, walking up to the head table. He ignored the looks he received from the students and some of the teachers.
"Um…Trelawney had a vision when I was in for my exam. It was about Pettigrew joining Voldemort. I just thought you should know." He said and turned before anyone had a chance to comment. He thought he heard someone snort and had a suspicion that it might have been McGonagall.
"Harry…" he waved of Ron and Hermione, he needed some quiet time to think. "I'll catch you later." was all he said, before leaving the great hall. He started walking towards The Room of Requirement, he figured that it was the one place he wouldn't be disturbed in.
Suddenly he heard the sound of running feet, a moment later Fred came round a corner behind him. "Harry. My mate, get rid of this for me, will you?" Fred dumped a book in Harry's hands.
Student record.Was written in thin black letters. Harry looked at Fred as the other boy ran of to hide.
"Weasley! I know you have the book, this time you and all your little friends are going out." Harry got a move on as he heard Filch approaching. He didn't want to get caught with this in his hands.
He dashed of towards The Room of Requirement, he had to make it before Filch got sight of him, he'd be in so much trouble since Filch always seemed to be out for his blood. He skidded to a stop in front of the blank wall where the secret door should appear.
I need a place to hide my book… I need a place to hide my book… I need a place to hide my book… A door finally appeared, Harry could hear Filchs' heavy breathing as the man finally came around the corner. Harry leaned against the door heavily as soon as he'd made it inside the room, that had been too close for comforts. He looked up to see where he could hide the book and gasped.
He felt like screaming of joy, he'd found it! He'd found the room. The room or hall, as it resembled the great hall more in size, looked just as he remembered. There were mountains of mountains of books piled on shelves. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, how had he walked the last time when he'd hidden the Prince's book. He'd taken one of the alleyways and gone past a troll. That was about what he could remember. He shook his head, as there were several alleyways to choose from.
He put the book down on a small table as a large wooden wardrobe had caught his sight. It was decorated with golden leafs and it looked as if there was an animal in gold hiding behind the leafs.
Harry walked up to the heavy doors and yanked them open steeling himself for what ever there might be inside, only to find it containing a single shelf with a cup placed in the middle.
Harry looked at the beautiful cup, he'd never seen anything like it before.
The cup was decorated with the arm of Hufflepuff, which sent warning signals up to Harry's brain, it had jewels imbedded into what Harry thought must be solid gold. His hand reached out to touch it, but he managed to stop himself before touching it. What if his hand turned withered and black just like Dumbledore's hand had? He stepped closer instead and put his hands behind his back to keep them out of the way. The cup contained some kind of liquid, it looked clearer than any water he'd ever drunken. It looked very refreshing, making his throat ache with thirst. He suddenly got the notion that he could hear Ron and Hermione laughing from inside the cup. And he got the sent of Padfoot making his heart nearly stop. He chuckled to himself at a sudden thought. Who would ever want to drink essence of dog?
Suddenly the smell changed, it now smelled of roses, chocolate and Butterbeer. Harry's throat really was dry by now and the water in the goblet really did look cool and refreshing. One little sip couldn't hurt? Could it? Before he had time to think about his actions, his hands had cupped around the cup and he lifted it up to his lips. The cold rim chilling his lips promised him a cooling drink. He closed his eyes in anticipation and took a deep sniff, it smelled wonderful. He could just stand there and sniff on it forever.
He took another deep sniff and furrowed his brow, there was something new, something he couldn't quite place. He opened his eyes and gasped, throwing the heavy cup into the wardrobe in front of him. Inside it, on the wooden wall there was the head of a man. A man Harry had met only too many times.
"Didn't mean to startle you." the man said chuckling softly, reaching out for the cup with a solid hand, making Harry back away from the shelf slowly.
"I'm the protector of this cup and I make sure that only the worthy drink out of it." Harry stared at him in wonder, how could the man lie so smoothly? If it wasn't for the fact that Harry knew exactly who the man was he might have been inclined to believe his words. But since the man in front of him was a thirty something Tom Riddle he felt he could place his trust better elsewhere.
"The cup comes from a long line of Hufflepuff's and only someone truly loyal to Hogwarts can touch it. From which house are you?" Tom eyed Harry's clothes, but as Harry had his normal clothes on, they didn't have any distinguishing house marks. Harry didn't intend on saying anything to the monster In front of him.
"One sip of this and Hogwarts will stand united forever, there will be no more house rivalry." Harry fought the urge to snort. Yeah right! He had to figure out how to destroy it. The Tom Riddle in front of him looked very much like the one he'd meet in the chamber of secrets, only older.
"Why don't you try a sip?" Tom asked, interrupting Harry's thoughts and putting the cup down in front of Harry on the shelf. Harry licked his lips, he wouldn't drink of it even if he was on thewerge of dying of thirst. Tom's finger was tracing the rim of the cup, drawing Harry's eyes to the mesmerising clear water inside it. He could again feel the sent of roses and chocolate rise up to his nostrils, it was intoxicating. Tom was slowly raising the cup up to Harry's mouth and Harry who had his eyes closed again, could do nothing else but lean forward so that he could smell the chocolate and the Butterbeer.
He could feel the cold rim against his lower lip again and took another deep sniff. He lifted his hands and cupped them around Tom's ready to drink a large gulp.
SMACK. The cup fell from Harry's hands, he'd been hit on the head by something hard. He heard the door behind him close. He blinked a couple of times, shook his head to get rid of the dizziness, and then raised his hand to his head. He had glass in his hair and as he looked down on his hand, he noticed that it was covered in blood. His hand smelled very much like cooking sherry, giving Harry an idea of whom he had to thank later on.
Tom who looked livid and ready to murder took a step out of the wardrobe towards Harry who backed. Didn't know he could do that, he thought. Unfortunately, Harry stumbled on something and fell down on the floor landing next to the cup. It stood upright by some kind of magic and the liquid inside glittered trying to catch his attention.
"I don't think this is the day, my boy. Why don't you hand me the cup." Harry looked up at Tom surprised, he was giving up just like that. Harry could however see a dangerous look in his eyes, something was definitely up. Tom extended his hand motioning for Harry to hand him the cup. Harry, who really felt dizzy by now, grabbed the cup and stared at it in shock as the water had started to boil inside it. Tom who'd given him a triumphant look a second ago was now screaming in terror. The cup, Harry realised, had begun to boil in his hand, trickles of gold poured through his fingers and down on the floor. Harry looked up at Tom only to shield his eyes at a sudden blinding light. Harry shrugged in confusion, what had he done? Why had Voldemort disappeared?
He suddenly heard a clanking noise and found to his surprise that the cup was whole again, only this time filled with what looked like liquid silver. Harry soon realised what it was, it was a memory.
Maybe he should have a little peak. On the other hand, maybe not, he thought thinking back to what almost had happened just now. Well at least he'd gotten rid of another of the Horcruxes and he hadn't even planned to.
He dug out a crumpled piece of parchment from his pocket.
THINGS TO DO
BUY BOOKS
NOT LET CROOKSHANKS EAT WORMTAIL (YET)
LET MALFOY INSULT BUCKBEAK
SUCK UP TO FUDGE
TURN SCABBERS TO PETTIGREW IN FRONT OF FUDGE
SCARE MALFOY BY BEING NICE
HAVE A CRAPPY START OF THE SUMMER AND THEN CAMP OUT WITH SIRIUS.
Harry touched his aching head and grabbed a hold of the cup. Madam Pomfrey was not going to be happy with him. She had seemed so happy to not have him come to the infirmary after the Dada test. He had to come up with a good reason for him having the cup as well, he doubted that Dumbledore would believe that he found it by mistake. Oh and he really couldn't forget to give Malfoy the badge he'd made. He dug it out from a pocket and watched as it flashed POTTER STINKS and smiled. Malfoy had seemed happy to help Buckbeak after Harry revealed that he, Harry, was going to have a bad term next year if the Hippogriff lived on. Malfoy who'd sneered about self sacrifying Gryffindors had in the end relented, saying he didn't care whether it lived or not.
Harry really hoped that Dumbledore would hire someone else than Moody, but even if it was someone else than Crouch junior, Harry would make sure to mention the little fault with the Triwizard cup before it was put out on display. Happy with himself he exited the Room of Requirement and slowly made it down to the hospital wing, no doubt for torture with disgusting potion and interrogations by the Headmaster. He sighed as he walked down the corridor, life had been so much simpler before he knew about Voldemort or the magical world. He smiled as Ron and Hermione came into vision, they looked horrified at the sight of him. Who was he trying to kid? He really was happy to be here and to begiven a second chance.
Madam Pomfrey scoffed at the sight of him being led in by Ron and Hermione. "What did you do? Fight with a mountain troll again?" She asked, irritated. She gave him a sniff and narrowed her eyes.
"Have you been at the cooking sherry?" she demanded to know, putting her hands on her hips. Harry couldn't help bursting out in laughter, which didn't help much. He now had Hermione glaring at him as well. Ron just looked confused.
"You like cooking sherry, mate?" Harry shook his head trying to stop laughing. "Got…hit on the…head…by a bottle…" Madam Pomfrey stopped glaring at that, and grabbed a hold of his head to get a good look.She sighed heavily. "Don't get out of this bed, I'll bring you a potion." Harry shivered at her words, making her smile a little. "Um, I need to talk to the Headmaster." He dared to say, sighing when she nodded.
"I was just going to call for him." she said in a, where-do-you-think-I'm-going, kind of way. Hermione opened her mouth to ask him where he'd been hiding, but she caught sight of the beautiful goblet Harry was holding in his bloody hand.
"Wow. Where did you find that?" She exclaimed in fascination. She bent closer to get a good look and gasped. "I know what that is! That's Hufflepuff's cup!" she nearly screamed in excitement.
"Ah, Mr Potter. I see you can't be kept away from Poppy's tender care for to long." Dumbledore had found his way in quietly. He held up a hand to stop Hermione from talking once again and nodded at the cup still in Harry's hands.
"I see you have found yet another Heirloom belonging to Hogwarts." Harry narrowed his eyes. "Please tell me that more people than a loyal Hufflepuff can touch it." He stated in a tired voice. He was not that keen on hearing that he fitted into Hufflepuff. He was quite happy with Gryffindor and Slytherin, there was no need for added houses.
The Headmaster seemed to consider his words carefully and obviously came to the conclusion that Harry was to fragile to hear the truth, as he looked away.
Harry groaned in defeat. "Well, he's gone now so here you go!" Harry exclaimed, handing Dumbledore the cup. "Who?" Ron asked. "Voldemort, well the Horcrux containing his…" Harry eyed Ron, the red head looked confused and at loss for words. "Sorry I asked." He whispered, walking over to the next bed and sitting down heavily. In the end, Pomfrey decided to keep Harry for the night, as he'd bleed quite a lot from the wound on his head.
Harry heard that Remus had resigned the next day at breakfast. He felt guilty for nottalking more with the man, but then again, he'd have to put a little more effort when theymeet in the summer. He and Sirius were no doubt going to meet up with him for ice cream and other things.
When it was time to leave Hogwarts, Harry felt for the first time that the summer wasgoing to be great. He waved after his friends as he walked towards Uncle Vernon.Harry didn't quite make it over before he was knocked on the shoulder. "Don't I get a hug?" Sirius laughed at Harry's face as he led Harry towards his uncle. Vernon looked a little nervous, as he no doubt knew exactly who Sirius was by now. "Had to be one of your kind." He muttered as Harry came closer. "I'm coming for my godson on the 31st of July, and you had better treat him nicely until then." Sirius growled, making Vernon take a step back. Harry noticed that his uncles face slowly turned a nice shade of red.
"I'll see you soon, Harry." Sirius said before strutting away head held high. Harry thought he looked silly, but he couldn't help smiling at his very happy Godfather. What a difference he thought, remembering Sirius glum state of mind from before. His uncle huffed and started walking towards the car, he didn't offer to help with the trunk or Hedwig's cage but Harry didn't care. It was only for a short while this summer, only for a short while. He smiled at the thought of celebrating his birthday with Sirius. This was no doubt going to be his best summer ever.
THE END
I'm writing in the sequel, year 4 right now… Hope to see your names on the reviews then! Thanks for liking this one. MINA