Chapter 04

Minerva was teaching the class of fourth years at the beginning of December, when she had to announce the Yule Ball to the students. But her main problem was Harry Potter and she had the task to inform him of his duties.

"Mr. Potter, I need a word with you:" The Deputy Headmistress called the student when the class was over.

"No, I won't attend the Ball, Professor. I left that clear the day that we agreed on the mini quidditch tournament. If we had it, you would have the four champions. So as there is no quidditch, no Yule Ball." Harry stated very seriously before leaving the classroom without giving her the chance to answer.

"Mr. Potter!" Minerva shouted calling him but he ignored her and continued walking towards his next class. The Professor sighed as her next class arrived and she let them in.

"Is it me or Harry is pissed off with you?" Katie Bell asked her former head of house.

"Take a seat, Miss Bell." Minerva said as all answer and the chaser did so with a smile.

"What do you think that happened this time?" Katie's friend, Arielle, asked her with curiosity,

"She had to tell him about the Ball and Harry told her to sod off!" The black girl said laughing as Minerva started her class.

… … … …

The news of the Yule Ball was spread at Hogwarts quickly and everyone started to look for a date. The teens that were part of 'Safe' turned to their heads to know if they would be here to attend it or not.

"There is no goddamn fucking way in heaven or hell that I'll stay at the school for that goddamn Ball!" Harry informed them very seriously, before he asked with a smile: "Does that answer satisfy you?"

"Yes!" Everyone chorused laughing.

"Listen, if someone wants to attend it, go ahead. I won't. And if by some reason I'm obliged to, I'll go naked!" Harry stated very seriously before claiming that he was going to bed.

"He's joking, right?" Luna asked Hermione, who shook her head.

"They still have to replace his dress robe!" Hermione informed everyone before adding with a twisted smile: "You can be sure that he'll do it!"

"I would love to see that!" Alicia laughed everyone else.

In that moment an owl entered the lair and Hermione shook her head as she knew who sent it: Sirius. He had tried to contact Harry for a week and had no luck as the teen had plainly ignored the letters.

"He won't take it, so go back." Hermione told the owl giving her a treat. The owl hooted and left once more.

"Who sends those letters?" Katie asked her confused.

"It's someone who pissed off Harry a lot and now tried to get his pardon." The brunette told everyone seriously.

"Is it the third person you mentioned that day?" Fred asked seriously, and she nodded.

"Is there something we should know?" Neville asked her seriously.

"Leave it for now." The girl said before she went to bed too. Soon the rest went to their dorms at their towers, as only the 2 students had rooms for themselves.

… … … …

Sirius Black, a.k.a. Padfoot, a.k.a. Snuffles, a.k.a. the Fugitive Mass murderer, was these days very angry with three people: Albus Dumbledore, himself and his godson.

His anger with the first was by convincing him of setting a trap to Harry. His anger with himself was due to him agreeing with that and then doing what the old wizard had ordered him to: disappear for a while.

Now, the teen was paying him with the same coin, ignoring his letters and sending them back unopened and unread.

This led to another mistake of his part: he had sent Harry a howler.

"YOU DID WHAT?" Remus Lupin, his best friend since school and the only marauder alive, shouted when Sirius told him about the letter that he had sent.

Sirius had gone to live to his old house and invited Remus to join him, as life was pretty boring there and he needed some company,

"DID YOU LOSE YOUR SANITY? WHAT IF SOMEONE RECOGNIZES YOUR VOICE? SOMEONE FROM THE MINISTRY GOES THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY, SIRIUS!" The werewolf yelled at his friend, before he shut his mouth as an owl arrived with another howler: obviously Harry DID open the letter this time.

Sirius opened it and both heard Harry's voice, which as expected, was pretty furious:

"YOU LITTLE BASTARD, WHAT GAMES ARE YOU PLAYING AT? HOW DO YOU DARE TO SEND ME A HOWLER? DO YOU WANT TO ANNOUNCE TO THE FUCKING GODDAMN MINISTRY THAT I'M IN TOUCH WITH YOU?

"YOU ARE NO ONE TO DARE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY LACK OF LETTERS! I SENT YOU EIGHT AND YOU NEVER READ THEM, REMEMBER? I'M THE ONE WHO SPENT THE LAST FUCKING MONTH TRYING TO SURVIVE SOMETHING THAT YOU HELPED TO FORCE ME TO BE INVOLVED, SO DON'T TRY TO BE A SAINT NOW!

"INSTEAD OF TELLING ME WHAT TO DO, THINK WHAT YOU SHOULD DO FOR ME! AT THIS FUCKING MOMENT, I'M REGRETTING SAVING YOUR MISERABLA PATHETIC GODDAMN FUCKING LIFE!"

"I can't say that you don't deserve that one." Remus commented as the howler died.

"I guess I screwed up everything." Sirius said with a sigh.

"What makes you think that?" Remus said with sarcasm.

Sirius didn't answer and started to write a new letter, but his task was interrupted as Dumbledore arrived. Remus snorted at seeing him and left the room. He didn't want to be around when the headmaster talked with his friend.

"I need your help." Dumbledore said with a sigh.

"You got all the help I had to give, when you put the cuff on Harry and ordered me to not contact him, Albus! Now I can't even make him read my letters. So forget it!" The marauder shouted angrily.

"I admit that the things didn't work as planned in that matter." Albus said with a sigh, knowing that the man was more than right to be furious with him.

"You think?" Sirius said with a snort.

"Sirius, I need your help to keep Harry in England." Dumbledore said very seriously,

"What do you mean with 'keep Harry in England'? Where is he going?" Remus asked re entering in that moment.

"Honolulu." Dumbledore said and the werewolf burst out in laughter while Sirius looked confused.

"May I ask why is Harry going to live in Hawaii?" Remus asked very amused.

"Hawaii?" Sirius asked arching an eyebrow, and Albus nodded to both.

"Harry and Miss Granger funded a school in Hawaii." The Headmaster said seriously, before Remus burst out in laughter once more.

"And why did they do that?" Sirius asked confused.

"Probably it is because Harry is at the tournament as part of another school. And as he needed one, he opened it." Remus said as he calmed down. When the headmaster nodded, he asked: "Where did they get the money? I don't think that something like that is cheap."

"Harry sold the carcass of the basilisk that he killed in his second year for six million galleons." Albus said seriously.

"6 MILLION?" Both Marauders asked in shock and the old wizard nodded.

"That's what I call good business." Remus muttered still in shock.

"And you want me to go to tell Harry to forget the idea of going to live at Hawaii and stay here?" Sirius asked and Albus nodded. The old marauder did as if he thought for a moment and then said: "NO WAY!"

"Sirius…" Albus started but the fugitive cut him off immediately.

"Albus, you convinced me to make him participate of the tournament and nowadays he hates my guts! So excuse me if I'm not part of any other idea you have for him!" Black shouted.

"What about making him stay during the break?" Albus asked as he knew that he couldn't convince him of his first plan in that moment and that he would have to wait before he tried it once more.

"Offering him what, Dumbledore? He doesn't read my letters now and you expect me to convince him to stay?" Sirius asked arching an eyebrow.

"What about a safe meeting between you two?" Albus said seriously.

"Why do you need him at Hogwarts for Christmas?" Remus asked skeptically.

"Champions' duties. He won't accept to stay and left it too clear." Albus said with a sigh.

"And why won't he?" Sirius asked arching an eyebrow.

"He had promised to do so in exchange of a mini quidditch tournament." Albus informed both and added, seeing their arched eyebrow: "The tournament that was later cancelled by Cornelius."

"So as he won't get what he pretended, he'll screw your plans and won't attend to these duties." Sirius said and the aged wizard nodded.

"And you need him to stay at Hogwarts to fill them." Remus nodded and Albus nodded once more.

"Have you tried to talk to him?" Sirius asked arching an eyebrow.

"We are not talking to each other, unless Miss Granger is there as his lawyer. And she has humiliated Delores, Cornelius and Barty Crouch since she started to act as it." Dumbledore said before he added: "And considering that both of them are a couple nowadays, whatever he decides, she'll follow him,"

"Harry and Hermione are dating?" Remus asked surprised, and Dumbledore nodded.

"Albus, I'm not convinced of this idea." Sirius commented seriously.

"Sirius, you are the only person who can convince him to stay, ok? If there would be another way, I would use it." The Headmaster stated seriously.

"Albus, he hates me, ok? If I suddenly go and offer him this meeting, he'll know it's a trap from you! And considering how many promises you have kept this year, I won't take any more risks with him!" Sirius accused Dumbledore, who sighed as he knew that the other man was right and had failed too many times.

"Why don't you try to start the tournament again?" Remus asked.

"We don't have more time to do it. The pitch will be used at the last task and will be impossible to use right after the end of the winter." Albus informed both, as he had considered that idea too.

"What assures me that if I agree you won't cancel the meeting suddenly and it won't be as safe as you claim?" Sirius asked very seriously.

"You have my word in that." Albus said as serious as him.

"Just like when you promised Harry to help him and then remembered that you couldn't do it to not be accused of favoritism?" Remus asked arching an eyebrow.

"Or when you assured me and him that we could get in touch and then you ordered me to not write or answer his letters?" Sirius asked with sarcasm. Then he added: "Now he hates me and it's your fault. So I won't give him any reason to consider the idea to hand me to the aurors and earn the galleons offered for me."

Dumbledore sighed knowing that he couldn't beat any of those arguments as he knew that he had handled the whole situation very poorly and now he dealt with the consequences of that. He knew that there was only one way to convince Sirius…

"I'll give you an oath in front of Harry that I won't mess, in a direct or indirect way, with the days you two spend at the castle." The aged man said very seriously.

"I'll write Harry, but I can't promise anything." Sirius said after a few moments, and Albus nodded with a smile. He bid his goodbyes to both and left.

"I think you just sold your soul to the devil." Remus told his friend.

… … … …

The next day, Harry received a new owl but this time, he didn't ignore it and took the letter. The reason was one: the handwriting wasn't Sirius'.

'Dear Harry,

After the last exchange of letters between you and the idiot (read as the Dog), I've been forced to write this to send an offer of peace.

He wants to meet with you at a safe ground: the school or Hogsmeade before Christmas. He wants to fix the problems between you two.

Remember I'm only the messenger, so don't kill me.

Remus.'

"Are these two idiots or what?" The teen asked his girlfriend showing her the letter.

"I can smell Dumbledore's hand on this." She commented after she finished it.

"So do I." Harry said before he told the owl to go to the owlery and that he would send his reply later. The animal hooted and left before the teens went to class.

… … … …

That night the 2 Marauders got the reply:

'Dear pair of brainless idiot, a.k.a. the wolf and the dog:

Do I look as an idiot too? Did you really think that I wouldn't see Dumbledore's hand on this offer? If you thought so, then you are worse than I thought!

For your knowledge, this meeting was supposed to have happened RIGHT after the task, as the Headmaster had assured me a safe way to get in touch with you. (Let's forget the fact that I ignored your letters here.)

Now I have a question: DID YOU NEED THE FUCKING OLD BASTARD TO THINK OF HAVING A MEETING WITH ME? If the answer is yes, don't bother answering this letter!

Harry.

P.S.: I'll send another letter tomorrow as first I need to calm down and forget the howler.'

"That was… fine." Remus commented to his friend.

"I'm screwed, aren't I?" Sirius asked seriously.

"He's not happy, so I would say that yes, you are." The werewolf said with a sigh.

… … … …

During the next few days, the teen and the adults exchanged some letters trying to reach an agreement for the meeting. Obviously, Harry wasn't convinced of the sudden interest from his Godfather to see him, and he left it clear in each of the letters he wrote:

'The bastard wants to keep me here and you give him the chance? Have you stopped to wonder what I want for a goddamn second? Or it doesn't matter to any of you?'

In the meantime, the other students from 'Safe School' noticed the daily exchange of letters and wondered what was going on. Harry was left with not other choice than to tell them the whole deal behind them.

"He's the only person that I could stay at the break for and Dumbledore knows it. So he tries to use that to make me stay at Hogwarts. And with me at the school, I'm supposed to go to the ball." The teen explained his friends after they heard the tale of what had happened in the shack during June.

"So now what will happen?" Luna asked curiously.

"That's a good question." Hermione said with a sigh.

"So are we staying for the break?" Katie asked Harry, who nodded with a sigh.

"Are you going to attend the ball naked?" Luna asked curiously.

"I'll have to ask Dennis to have his camera ready for that!" He said laughing.

"Can you sign me a picture of you naked?" Alicia asked with a smile.

"We can make a business of that: a Harry Potter Naked Calendar. We can make LOTS of money!" Luna suddenly said.

"Wait there!" Harry shouted as the twins suddenly smiled evilly as if they liked the idea for a business.

"Harry, it would be a mint of galleons!" The two redheads said at the same time.

Harry looked at his girlfriend, who did her best to hide a smile. She looked at him as saying: 'You got yourself on this matter on your own. So don't look at me.'

"Dobby, tell Peeves to come here!" Harry shouted calling the elf, as he needed a professional lawyer to give his opinion on the matter.

Luna and the twins started to make plans for the calendar, while Hermione listened to make sure it was among the laws.

"What can I do for you this time?" The Poltergeist asked arriving a few moments later.

"We want to make a calendar with pictures of Harry." Luna said wit a smile,

"The detail is that I'll be naked on them." The seeker informed Peeves.

"What did I miss this time?" The Poltergeist asked arching an eyebrow.

"Harry plans to attend the ball naked as no one replaced his dress robe. And they had the idea of taking pictures of him like that and make a calendar." Hermione informed him with a serious tone of voice.

"Is it legal?" The twins asked seriously.

"It is and can be done. You need to get in touch with Gringotts as they can handle the mass production and sale of it. They'll get part of the money, but I can see them agreeing with it." Peeves said seriously after thinking for a few moments.

"We should get a professional photographer for that though, I like Dennis and Collin, but I would prefer someone with more experience on this." Hermione said to her boyfriend, who nodded in agreement.

"Could we use some parts of the school for the shots?" Luna asked Peeves.

"You would need permission for that and I don't see Dumbledore being too happy with the idea." The poltergeist informed everyone.

"What if he finds out about us using the School AFTER the release of it?" Harry asked with a twisted smile as he liked the idea of screwing the Headmaster at any chance he got.

"That's something else altogther. If he doesn't know it, he won't be able to do anything." Peeves said with a smile as twisted as the Champion's.

"Send the letter to the Goblins then." Harry told his friends.

"How did they convince you to do this?" Peeves asked the teenager curiously.

"Don't ask, Jonathan, just don't do it." Harry said shaking his head.

… … … …

Gringotts' reply came the next morning and they said that they would have everything ready for it in a few days. The photographer contacted was famous and would love to work with them. She was widely known by her professionalism and her nudist pictures were very artistic. The goblins also sent several copies of her work to prove it and Harry and his friends loved it immediately.

"We'll need to think where to take them." Hermione said to the others at breakfast, after passing the letter and showing the pictures. They were charmed so no one but them could see what they had.

The next letter from Sirius arrived also that morning and tried to set a date for their meeting: Christmas or the weekend before it. Harry's reply was that he would he would send a date in a few days. Just after the owl left, he went to classes.

… … … …

Two weeks after they sent the letter to Gringotts, the photo shoot was set and would be done during a weekday so most of the students would be in class and no one would see them.

The photographer, Jane Brown, had sent them several letters with suggestions to pictures and the teens had sent some of their own: Quidditch related was one of their favorites, but had a few other topics. That's till Dobby showed them something.

They had also found a room that could be really useful: Dobby them there and explained that it was called the 'Come-and-Go room', although it was officially known as Room of Requirement. It magically fulfilled anyone's wishes, such as rooms, books, materials or anything that was needed.

When they informed Jane of the discovery, the witch was ecstatic as the options now was really wide and added more things she could imagine: a Santa's workshop for December's picture, something related to the Easter Bunny for that month and the list went on!

"What do you think if we call Dennis to watch her work? I'm sure he would appreciate some tips on this." Harry suggested Hermione, and she nodded.

After sending a letter to Jane explaining the idea, and getting her approval (I always like to help people who begins at this' she wrote in her letter), both teens approached the third year.

"Does the name Jane Brown mean anything for you?" Harry asked the oldest Creevey, whose eyes went wide with that name.

"She's the best photographer in the world!" He said with admiration.

"Do you want to have a chance to see her working?" Hermione asked him seriously.

"Who do I have to kill for that?" Dennis asked seriously.

"You don't have to kill anyone, but you have to keep a secret as NO ONE must know about this." Harry assured him before they explained the young boy about the calendar.

"Is this serious?" Dennis asked confused with the idea, and both nodded. Then he started to ask his hero: "How…?"

"I'm still not sure how I was convinced to do this." Harry said shaking his head.

"Can you keep the secret till Christmas?" Hermione asked him seriously, and he nodded. After all, not everyday you had the chance to see the best photographer working and you were allowed to be there!

"Count on me!" Dennis assured both very seriously.

"We'll do it on this Saturday. So be sure to have the whole day free." Harry said before both returned to their usual businesses.

With the discovery of the room, they realized that they could do all the shootings there and there would be no need to go outside. And with no risk of being caught, they wouldn't have to skip classes or keep any charade if someone asked where Harry was.

… … … …

Jane Brown was a witch of about 50 years old, with long black hair, she was 176 centimeters tall and was widely known as one of the best, if not the best, photographer at the world, both in the magical and muggle ones.

She had traveled with the most famous models of both sides and dealt with them many times. She was used to snobbish people, ridiculous demands, bored expressions at the photo shootings and everything you could think about.

When Gringotts had informed her of a possible business, she wondered who wanted her services now. The goblins informed her that this was to be done at the most discretion and she had to sign a contract of secrecy that meant that she couldn't reveal anything of the nature of the business in case it wasn't done.

Once all the formalities, (ones that she was used to after making businesses with the Goblins for many years), her account manager explained what it was:

"Harry Potter is interested on making a calendar that we'll be selling and he wants the best photographer around. Your name, madam, as always, is at the top of that list." Griphook, who also happened to be the champion's manager, informed her seriously.

"What's so special about it, Manager Griphook?" Jane asked curiously and using the proper title to the goblin. She had learnt too long ago that using it, showed respect to them. And if goblin considered himself respected, he was VERY helpful all the time.

"This calendar is special because the pictures of Mr. Potter will be taken with him naked." Griphook said with a twisted Goblin-smile.

"Care to repeat that again?" She blunted, thinking that her ears had failed.

"You heard me right, Madam Brown: Mr. Potter will be naked in them." The Goblin said with a serious nod, before he went on: "They are interested in making these pictures in a more artistic way than erotic nudes. An area in which you are expert as it has been seen many times."

"I appreciate that the bank has thought in me for this as usual, Manager Griphook." Jane said seriously, as she was now very interested on this. But the business came first: "Have they asked any condition or anything special for this?"

"Let me read you the letter:" The Goblin said taking a parchment and reading what she needed: "These are his words: 'We need the best photographer to make pictures of artistic nudes. If he or she's not available, someone close to that level would be welcome too. We won't tell this person how to make their job, but we would like to hear any suggestion for the pictures as the school's ground will be limited. The reason is that no one MUST know about this till Christmas. The reasons will be detailed ONLY to this person, after an agreement of secrecy. Inform to the photographer to feel free to contact me through owl-mail if there is any question'."

"I suppose that the Headmaster is not aware of this." Jane muttered and the Manager nodded.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Dumbledore are not in so good terms nowadays. It has to do with the tournament and Mr. Potter being forced to be part of it. As you can also imagine, he's not in good terms with the ministry either." Griphook said seriously before adding: "Speaking in a not open way of course."

"I'll get in touch with Mr. Potter before making a decision." Brown said seriously to the Goblin who nodded. She nodded to him and said: "I hope your pockets are filled with gold and the money keeps flowing to them, Manager Griphook."

"I hope that your business is as successful as usual and the profits of them keep getting higher every day, Madam Brown." Griphook said with a nod of thanks to her proper use of greetings to the goblins. She nodded and left.

Right after that, the owls went from her house to the school with everyone trying to make it work. She had to agree that this was a gold mine. Any merchandise of Harry Potter brought good sales. A calendar of him naked would be in every teenager witch's room!

They had also explained to her the whole deal behind it and she had laughed really hard reading the letter. One of her best and oldest friends, a famous fashion designer was with her when she got it. His curiosity drove him to ask the reason and she showed him the letter.

"Are we talking about THE Harry Potter, the most famous wizard in recent history?" The guy asked her, arching an eyebrow. Although he was Muggle, he had worked with too many witches to learn a lot of the Magical World.

"The one and only that you know about! I'll make a calendar of pictures of him naked!" Jane said before adding: "This is a complete secret, ok? NO ONE must know it!"

"My lips are sealed!" The man said with a serious nod, before asking with an evil smile: "Can you get me an autographed copy?" He was gay and everyone that worked with him knew it. He had been in couple for more than 15 years, before his lover died two years ago and had been single since then.

"I'll do my best!" Jane promised him with a nod, before asking some advices for pictures and telling him about the room that would be used.

… … … …

The day of the pictures found Harry, Hermione and Dennis at the special room when Dobby popped in with Jane and her equipment.

"I loathe every single way of magical transporting. I never get used to any of them." Jane said as she placed her things on the floor and shook hands with the trio.

"The feeling is mutual here!" Harry said with a smile.

"Let me tell you that is one of my craziest jobs. And I have done a LOT." Brown said as the 4 sat to eat something and discuss all the ideas.

"I'm still not sure how I was convinced to do this, trust me." Harry said with a smile.

"Who knows of this project?" Jane asked curiously.

"Just the students of our school, Gringotts and you." Hermione said giving her the official contract that made them partners on the business. Jane took her quill and signed it, after reading it once more.

"Let's start then." The woman said after she got ready all her equipment.

… … … …

The Saturday before the start of the break, was the day of Hogsmeade's visit and also the time when Harry would meet Sirius for the first time after the disaster at Dumbledore's office in November.

When both men arrived to the School, Dobby took them immediately to Harry's room and ignored Dumbledore's attempts to talk to them first.

When the elf landed them on the room, the marauders found themselves face to face with a more than pissed off Harry, who had his wand aimed to both.

"You still haven't given me a reason to not hand your head to the MOM. So do it and FAST." The teen ordered his Godfather.

"We know that you are angry with us at the moment…" Sirius started to say, but he had to duck a curse that looked pretty nasty.

"I'm beyond anger right now. At this moment, I want blood!" Harry said very seriously.

"We made some mistakes on this situation." Remus said, as he tried to find words to not make the teen angrier than he was.

"Some mistakes, Lupin? This whole damn thing has been a mistake since day one!" Harry shouted furious. Then he continued: "I don't know what's worse: your stupidity or your damn hypocrisy!"

"We are not hypocrites?" Sirius shouted.

"Are you not, Black? Then how do you define yourselves: plain idiots?" The teen asked with sarcasm. Then he turned to Remus: "Everyone spent a year telling me that I had to be careful because I had a fugitive murderer behind me. The fucking day I decide to follow that advice, everyone tells me that it's a mistake and I have to risk my life. That's being hypocrite or just having a goddamn double speech that no one understands!"

"The situation is not the same." Remus said, even if he didn't believe his own words.

"Are you sure that it is not?" Harry asked with an arched eyebrow before he continued: "Let's see: last year we had someone trying to kill me, everyone hiding everything and me being alone with half truths and lots of lies. Oh, and no one having the balls to come to talk to me.

"This year, we have someone trying to kill me, no one giving answers, me being alone to defend myself and everyone running away." Then he asked with sarcasm: "Are you sure that the situation is not the same? Because I'm finding too many coincidences between both of them." Then he turned to Sirius and said: "I have a lot of problems trying to understand your game!"

"I'm not playing games!" Sirius shouted angrily.

"Then what the fucking hell are you doing? Humor me with an explanation!" The teen shouted to him.

"Let's calm down." Remus told both of them with a serious tone of voice. He feared that sooner or later, one of both could say something that could be regretted. And considering the way that the whole problem started, it could happen soon.

"I'm waiting an explanation!" Harry shouted to the duo.

"The things didn't go as expected, ok?" Remus said with a sigh.

"Thanks for stating the obvious, Sherlock! I realized that much on my own!" Harry shouted to him. In that moment, Dobby popped in the room and gave him a parchment. Harry read it quickly and passed it to the adults.

It was a warrant against the school signed by the Ministry of Magic, on the grounds of the possible hiding of the wanted criminal Sirius Black.

"Get out of here before I invite them in while you are at the room." Harry ordered the marauders before adding: "Keep doing what you do best: forget that I exist." Then he asked Dobby to take them to their House immediately.

"We remember that you exist!" Sirius shouted to his Godson.

"You do, but just to find new ways to screw my life!" The teen shouted to him, before Dobby disappeared with the duo.

Harry took a few deep breaths before he picked some parchment and waited for Dobby to return. Once the elf was back, both went to Dumbledore's office to deal with this matter.

… … … …

When Harry arrived to the office, he could hear a very loud argument between Hermione, Peeves, Umbridge, Fudge and Amelia Bones.

"You have no grounds!" The poltergeist shouted to the Under-Secretary.

"Come in!" Albus called when the teen knocked the door.

"Peeves, how nice to see you again!" Harry said to the ghost with a smile.

"It's always a pleasure to be your lawyer, Harry. I never get bored!" The poltergeist said with a wide smile.

"What is the thing that they don't have grounds for?" Harry asked curious, while taking a seat and handing a parchment to Dumbledore. The Headmaster lost all of his face's color after he read it and teen smiled to him.

"What was that?" Everyone asked at the same time.

"It's an unsettled business between me and the Headmaster." The hero said with a smile.

"The Ministry has received a report in which is informed that the fugitive Sirius Black is hiding at your school." Amelia informed Harry very seriously.

"And who presented that report?" The teen asked seriously.

"I'm afraid that it was anonymous." Amelia said with a sigh.

"And based in that anonymous report, you got a warrant to search my place?" The teen asked to Fudge and Umbridge, who nodded with a victorious smile. Then he asked them: "Who did you get in bed with to get it?"

"Excuse us?" The Minister asked furious.

"As I'm sure that my lawyers must have told you, to get a warrant, you need a report. But that report MUST have a name on it. That means that no anonymous report will be used as ground to get a warrant for ANYTHING, no matter how serious the business that is investigated," Harry said seriously to the duo, before he took some other parchments and handed copies to everyone: "These are anonymous reports against Lucius Malfoy for the release of the beast that attacked students two years ago. And there was no investigation about them or I'm wrong, Madam?" The last question was directed to Amelia, who read the parchments quickly and started to get angry with that, as neither she nor her department had received them.

"I never saw this, Mr. Potter." Amelia stated as serious as ever.

"Because, Madam, they were dismissed for being anonymous and not having a name on them." Harry said, as she gave her several other parchments. They were the official answer from the MOM dismissing them, stating that they couldn't investigate reports like that unless they were formally presented by someone. Then he continued: "So, unless you have a name for those reports and evidence to support them, we have nothing to talk about."

"You and your little school are still under our ruling, Mr. Potter, so we can do what we want with that warrant." Umbridge said with a sweet smile.

"That might be true, Madam, but you don't have grounds to search the school. And until you don't have them, you can do nothing." Harry answered with a smile before he informed Dumbledore: "The students of 'Safe' will leave the school tomorrow. We have a new place where to stay."

"You cannot leave the grounds till the tournament is over." Albus said with a serious tone of voice.

"Actually, I must be present only for the tasks. The rules say nothing about where I live between them. As I don't belong to Hogwarts anymore, I'm free to go wherever I want till February." Harry said with another smile. Then he smacked his forehead and said: "I forgot about the Ball! What a pity, I guess we won't be here for it."

"Harry, don't you remember the special thing that we have planned?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"What thing?" Everyone asked at the same time.

"Can't we do it without the Ball?" The seeker asked his best friend.

"It would be hard to do it." The brunette said with a shake of her head.

"I'll think about it. I still think that it's a bad idea." Harry said with a sigh.

"What's going on?" Dumbledore demanded furious.

"We need the promotion that the Ball will give us. There's no other way to do it." Hermione informed her friend, ignoring Albus and the other adults.

"Someone should explain me again how I was convinced to do that." Harry said in defeat before he left the Office.

"How was he convinced?" Peeves asked Hermione, as no one could explain it to him either.

"Don't ask me, Peeves. I'm as lost as you and him on that matter." Hermione said before she left too.

"As there are no grounds for that warrant, you won't have access to the school." The poltergeist informed Fudge and Umbridge, before he left too.

… … … …

"JONATHAN!" Amelia shouted to Peeves once she left a few moments later.

"Yes, Amelia?" The ghost asked with a smile and stopping so she could reach to him.

"What have those two planned this time?" Bones asked him very seriously.

"Do you remember that Mr. Potter's things were destroyed when this started?" Peeves asked her. When Amelia nodded, he continued: "Among those things, were his dress robes. And they haven't been replaced yet."

"Tell that he doesn't plan to do what I think!" Amelia shouted as she realized what would happen.

"Yes, he'll attend it naked." Peeves said with a nod, before he added: "And that's half of the business here."

"What's the other half?" Amelia asked, scared of the answer.

"Have you seen those magazines for men?" Peeves asked laughing, before he disappeared through the wall.

Amelia Bones was thinking in several things as she left the school soon after that.

The first was who presented the report and what made that person think that Sirius Black was there in that exact day. The answer was simple: Dumbledore.

Amelia had seen the memories that Harry and Hermione had left her and knew that the old Headmaster was aware of Black's innocence and that it was the same wizard who had the convict involved in how to make the teen to be on the tournament.

It was obvious that if the teen and his godfather had a meeting, it was set up by Dumbledore. And it was also obvious that Dumbledore didn't want the meeting to be long.

She was also certain that the teen realized this too and that now both men were at war with each other. Harry's statement of leaving the school confirmed that. And that was the second matter that was on her mind.

The third was what would happen at the ball and she also knew that she would be at the School for that. That night was going to be something to be remembered forever!

… … … …

Since that day, Dumbledore had tried to meet with Harry to stop his leaving of the school. As the teen had plainly ignored his existence, the old wizard had tried to use Minerva to set the encounter.

"I'll say this only once, Professor: I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to discuss with that bastard!" Harry practically shouted her before adding: "Tell him that what happened last Saturday was a declaration of war and that from now on I'll do everything to screw him and this damn tournament."

"Mr. Potter!" Minerva shouted scandalized with his words.

"The Headmaster will find out that his game can be played by two people. And I'm on the game now!" Harry shouted before he stormed out of the office.

"What the hell did you do this time, Albus?" Minerva wondered aloud as she saw him leaving.

Albus didn't look too much surprised with the declaration of war from Harry. He had that much clear at the moment that he had read his parchment on Saturday.

He wasn't fool enough to not know that everyone would figure out that he had sent the report to the MOM. His intention was to cut short that encounter. But he hadn't expected either the teen's retaliation or he leaving the school with the rest of his group. And now he had his hands tied on both matters.

Remus and Sirius weren't happy either when they paid him a visit on Sunday. Dumbledore knew that he was lucky that the fugitive didn't have a wand with him or the hexes would have flown inside his office as soon as both men were inside.

The news that the meeting hadn't worked out as they expected, didn't help a lot either. Now Harry was in war with the trio and that meant big problems for the three of them.

And Albus knew that Harry would hit again during the ball. He had left it very clear: he would screw this Tournament all the time till it ended! And Dumbledore and the rest of the officers of the MOM would pay for everything.

"This is the best for everyone." Albus muttered to himself over and over, trying to ease his mind.

… … … …

The rest of the time before Christmas went quiet and smooth for everyone at 'Safe'. The previous night, the whole group had stayed till late throwing a private celebration and Harry had announced them that they would leave the school soon.

"At this moment, I'm in war with Dumbledore and the MOM. We won't stay here while it lasts. Especially with someone close to me involved in the second task." The teen had informed his friends.

"Where shall we go?" Katie asked, after the teen explained them that he only had to be at Hogwarts for the last two tasks.

"There is an empty house at Hogsmeade. It's near the end of the road." Hermione explained them.

"What about the classes?" Luna asked them.

"We'll attend them as usual, except during the week before the task." Harry said, before they ended the party and everyone went to sleep.

… ... … …

"Where is Mr. Potter?" Minerva asked Hermione the next night as the champions got ready to enter the Hall.

"He had a little problem but he'll be here on time." The brunette said with a smile.

"What problem?" McGonagall asked sternly.

"I'm not sure, he didn't say it." The teen said with a shrug of her shoulder, before the professor entered the Hall.

"What does he have in mind?" Cedric asked Hermione. He went to the Ball with Cho, while Fleur went with Roger Davies and Krum went with Daphne Greengrass.

"The next battle in the war between him and Dumbledore." The teen said with a smile, as Viktor and his date entered the Hall.

"How bad is it?" Cho asked, as now Fleur entered.

"Take a look." Harry said arriving in that moment. As he had promised, he was naked.

"You are not going there like that, are you?" Cedric asked, trying to hold his laughter as he imagined everyone's face.

"You can bet it!" Harry assured him, before the couple of seekers entered the Hall, still holding their laughter.

"Are you ready for this?" Harry asked his girlfriend and offering his hand.

"This is going to be so funny." Hermione said with a nod, before both entered.

… … … …

Minerva kept looking at the doors as she called the Champions. She was wondering what Harry had in mind for this. Although, if the twins' smile was any indicative, she wasn't going to like it!

But she wasn't ready for what happened: Harry and Hermione entered the hall, holding hands and smiling to everyone. She had to do a double look to make sure that she didn't see wrong: Harry Potter was actually naked!

"MR. POTTER! WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?" Dumbledore shouted as the teens took a seat next to Cho. The Chinese seeker tried to keep a straight face and it was taking her a lot of effort.

"Headmaster, how many times have I asked you to replace the things that were destroyed two months ago?" Harry asked him seriously. When Albus didn't answer, he continued: "I asked that a lot of times, but for some reason, you didn't do it.

"Now, among those things, I had my dress robes. I expected that you replaced them. As you didn't and I didn't have another set of them, I came like this."

"And why didn't you buy another one?" Fleur asked, as Dumbledore tried to find an answer to Harry's attack.

"I didn't do it for two reasons. The first is that I didn't have in mind to remain at the school for the break, so I didn't consider necessary to buy them." The teen explained her with a smile.

"And what is the second?" Daphne asked him very curiously. She, like the rest of the girls at the School, kept looking at the Gryffindor's naked body. And she had to admit that he gorgeous!

"Have you ever heard about marketing?" Harry asked with a twisted smile, before a lot of pamphlets showed up in front of all the people at the hall.

On it, there was a picture of Harry naked, sitting on a sofa with a broom on his hand and the quaffle on his feet. The paper had a big title:

'HARRY POTTER NAKED CALENDARY 1995! TWELVE THEMATIC PICTURES OF THE BOY WHO LIVED AS HE CAME TO THE WORLD FOR EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR!'

Cho couldn't hold it any longer and burst out in hysterical laughter. Everyone else continued looking at the paper and more than a few females started to drool with it!

"Is this…" Cedric started to ask, as he tried to calm down Cho.

"Legal? It is according to Peeves. We contacted him as soon as the idea came up." Hermione explained to the Champions.

"How much…?" Cho asked, as she started to calm down and tried to catch her breath.

"It costs one Galleon for the students, two for the staff and three for anyone outside the School." Harry explained, as a list with the prices showed up in front of everyone, along a list of the people that should be contacted to buy one.

"And the most of the money will be for charity." Hermione said before she explained: "The 15 percent goes to the bank as they handle the production and distribution of the calendars. Another 15 percent goes to the photographer. We get 20 percent. And the last 50 goes to charitable causes."

"If any of you, have one in mind, please share it with us and we'll add it to our list." Harry said with a smile to the other Champions.

"I have one in mind. But I would like to discuss it in private." Krum said to Harry and the teen nodded.

"This is a joke, isn't it?" Minerva asked Harry and Hermione with her usual stern voice.

"No, it isn't. It's ready to be sold since tomorrow." Harry said with a smile.

"MR. POTTER, THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" Percy shouted furious.

"Not as ridiculous as me being part of this tournament and none of you bothering to read the rules, Weatherby." Harry shot back. Then he continued: "According to my lawyer, this is perfectly legal."

"Where did you take the pictures?" Fleur asked, as everyone noticed that lot of girls went to talk with Luna and the Twins, who were in charge of the sales.

"And why didn't you invite us?" Cedric suddenly asked.

"Would you have agreed to do it?" Harry asked curious.

"Perhaps, I would have not done a naked one. But I wouldn't have had any problem to do a normal calendar if it was for charity." The Hufflepuff said seriously.

"I wouldn't have minded either." Fleur said with a nod and Viktor nodded too.

"Let me think about it. And perhaps we can do something together." Harry said after thinking for a minute. The other champions nodded with a smile.

"You haven't answered about the pictures." Minerva told him seriously.

"We did them inside Hogwarts." Hermione explained, before they started to order their dinner.

"Aren't you cold?" Amelia asked Harry suddenly.

"I don't feel the cold at all." The teen said with a smile, before he asked her and the other champions about what they had received for Christmas.

"I got some books, a perfume and clothes." Fleur said with a smile.

"I got books, quidditch gear and the news that I'll have a niece or nephew soon." Viktor said with a smile and everyone congratulated him for that news.

"Some quidditch gear, a snitch for practice and some books too." Cedric said before he asked Harry about his gifts.

"We are busy with the moving from the School to Hogsmeade so we haven't had time to do it yet." Harry explained them with a smile.

"When are you leaving?" Cedric asked, as confused and shocked as the other three champions.

"We leave on Monday. We think that things are too uncomfortable for us to stay here till the end of the tournament. We'll keep attending classes, but we won't live here." Hermione informed them, before she added: "Peeves will continue with his job as your lawyer, don't worry. He'll also provide some advice to us too if needed, but his main job is the three of you."

"That's… that…" Percy started to sputter trying to find something to say.

"It's legal, Percy. And are you saying that you are against charity? Because we talk about things that will leave them little money, as the 50 percent of it will be used to help people who don't have money." Amelia Bones said seriously, supporting the Champions.

"Madam, he's among the people that think that charity is useless and that money should go to the ministry's vaults." Cedric said seriously. He had never liked the redhead, and it seemed that not many people there did either.

"Mr. Weasley, we'll ask you to leave this table at once. The champions are not comfortable with your presence." Minerva said very seriously, and seeing that there could be a conflict with the redhead sooner or later. And the war between Harry and Albus was enough on that place to add another problem.

"I'm here representing the Ministry!" Percy shouted angrily.

"And what are you doing here then?" Harry asked Amelia with an arched eyebrow, before he continued: "I thought that you were the Head of the DMLE. Or you were the last time we saw each other. Was there any change that I missed?"

"If there was any change, I missed it too." Amelia said seriously.

"So if we have a head of a department here, what are YOU doing here, Percy? And shouldn't the heads of the departments involved in the tournament be here?" Hermione asked the redhead. All chatting around the hall had died and now all the students and professors heard the chat with attention.

"Mr. Crouch was ill and couldn't make it." Percy said seriously.

"I find that a bit convenient." Cedric said seriously. Then he continued: "I mean, he's the one in charge of this and he misses the chance to fix all the disasters that have been caused?"

"Perhaps he wanted to avoid more humiliation." Fleur said with a thoughtful tone. It wasn't fair that Harry Potter was alone on this, so she decided to join it too.

"Or a new scandal." Viktor added with a nod.

"Or he couldn't find an excuse to try to get more money from here." Harry said before he continued: "Fudge is only interested in that as he has shown at every occasion that he came to the school."

"It seems that they want to get the highlights for themselves, and they forget that it belongs to the four of you." Daphne said suddenly.

"Now that you say it, I have to agree with you, Miss Greengrass." Harry said with a respectful nod to the Slytherin, who returned it. Even if they had never crossed a word, she hadn't shown a hate towards him like Malfoy. And that was enough for him to show some respect to her and to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"THAT'S NONSENSE!" The redhead shouted furious.

"Is it?" The four champions asked, clearly in disagreement with that statement.

"So far, no one has shown a bit of competency for the job." Cedric said seriously.

"And no one has answered how Harry's name was introduced into the Goblet." Cho said seriously.

"Or who tried to kill me during the First Task." Harry said as serious as the other two students.

"Those matters are under investigation." Dumbledore said, trying to calm the things before everything went to the hell.

"Well, I guess than Madam Bones can update us about those investigations, right? After all, her department should be in charge of them." Hermione commented with a smile, before she turned to Amelia.

"The curious thing here is that my department wasn't invited to investigate them. I remember you, Albus, stating that you could do that rather well without our assistance." Bones said seriously, now getting involved in the situation too.

"And you believed him?" Everyone there asked with sarcasm.

"Regretfully, I made that mistake." Amelia said with a heavy sigh and taking the accusation as well as possible.

"Everyone has made that mistake lately." Harry assured her with a smile.

Amelia understood the unspoken message: she wasn't the enemy here. She was one of their allies.

"And there is another serious matter to consider here: the second task." Fleur said suddenly, before she asked: "How will you ensure the safety of our hostages during it?"

"We are working on that." Albus said seriously, trying to avoid the argument.

"Now we can sleep without worries. The same people who took too few precautions to keep everyone safe at the first task are working for the second." Harry said with sarcasm.

"The ministry is in charge of that security!" Percy shouted furious.

"Is this the same ministry who imprisoned someone two years ago without any kind of investigation?" Harry asked seriously. Then he said to Amelia: "Let me guess: once more your department was stopped from investigating, correct?"

"Indeed we were." Bones said with a nod.

"Madam, who investigates at the MOM if your department doesn't?" Harry asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I am starting to wonder the same at this moment." Amelia muttered to herself.

"Is there someone competent at this country's ministry?" Viktor asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Viktor, a politian is never competent unless they campaigning at election time and they try to show that they are good for anything." Cedric told the other champion seriously.

"The WW doesn't have elections like the muggle world." Roger said suddenly, speaking for the first time in the whole dinner.

"That's exactly what I meant: if there are no elections, there is no competence." The Hufflepuff said with a sarcastic smile. Then he continued: "I bet that there are some good and serious workers at the MOM, but they are few and very hard to find. And I emphasize the word HARD."

"He's not the case for what I see." Fleur said pointing to Percy.

"Let's calm down!" Minerva ordered to everyone, and stopping Percy from answering to the statement, which would probably make matters much worse.

"We are calm!" The four champions and their dates said at the same time.

"We just exposed the failures of this Tournament and we're expressing our concerns about what will happen in the future." Cedric said seriously.

"Because, Madam, let me remind you that while you look the task sitting in your places, we're the ones that risk the lives." Harry said seriously.

"And we are very worried about our lives and chances of survival!" Krum said as serious as the other two champions.

"And if you consider that some of them might be our hostages at the task, we have reasons to worry about them too." Fleur said pointing to their dates.

"You have duties as champions!" Percy shouted furiously.

"Those duties, Percy, are to be on the school on the date of each task and be on it, nothing else. You are demanding that we do things that go beyond those duties!" Harry shouted to the redhead. Then he continued: "And it was the ministry who wanted to have something related to quidditch, not us! We made an offer that would make everyone happy but someone decided to mess with that too."

"WE ARE NOT HERE TO MAKE YOU HAPPY!" Karkaroff shouted seriously.

"And we are not here to risk our lives just for your enjoyment." Harry said before he stood and took Hermione's hand. With a nod to the other three champions, they left the Hall.

"Viktor, I think that I'm not feeling well. Could you take me to my Common Room, please?" Daphne asked to the Bulgarian Seeker.

"Of course," the champion said with a smile, and helping her to stand and the pair left too.

"I think that I don't feel well either. What do you say if we call the night?" Fleur asked Roger, who realized that the French girl wouldn't stay there either.

"Only if you promise to come to me to Hogsmeade next weekend." Roger said with a smile and Fleur told him that it would be her pleasure before they left the Hall too.

"Do we need an excuse to leave or we just get out of here?" Cho asked Cedric with a smile and standing too.

"Do you need one?" Cedric asked with a smile before they left the Hall too.

"This is what I call a beautiful celebration. When do we have another one?" Marianne asked Minerva as the chaos started as soon as the two seekers were out of the Hall.

"Something tells me that the relationships between the champions and the managers just got worse," Filius commented to Pomona and the people behind the tournament started a very loud argument and the students decided to follow the champions' example and left, too.

"And I feel that this is far from being over." Sprout said to her colleague. The staff decided that the night was over and left the hall too.

The Hall, just like the rest of the tournament, had been a major failure and now there was a war between the teens and the adults! And few people dared to bet against the first ones!

"How many students do you think will buy the calendar?" Marianne asked Filius and Pomona when they were out of the Hall and before they took their own ways to their private quarters.

"I'll be surprised if any girl doesn't buy it!" The Charms Professor said laughing.