Disclaimer: I am not JKR and therefore do not own anything you recognise here.

Uploaded: 13 February 2017.

I am now unsure about not only the pairing for this fic but also the eventual direction of the story, I have decided therefore to simply give up on trying to force the story one way and just see how it goes as I write it. There will still be certain points that have to happen but for the majority of it I will just be winging it. Hopefully this will make it feel more realistic than just having characters do things for story reasons.

Hopefully it will also mean that it will be updated quicker.

Sorry to anyone who joined because of the pairing or something I may have mentioned along the way but if it doesn't work then I really don't want to force it just because that's what i thought of when i started writing.

Also shout out to reviewer Ninjakirby7 who pointed out that the obvious name for the last chapter was 'Ghosts of the Past' rather than whatever my idiot brain came up with.

Anyway, here is your next chapter of OLD.

Harry did not particularly like Cornelius Fudge, he had been polite enough to her and Dumbledore at first but as it became clear he was not going to get exactly what he wanted he became significantly more and more annoying. The man had also chosen to wear a pinstriped suit, scarlet tie, long black travelling cloak, pointed purple boots, and lime green bowler hat and while some people might have been able to pull that off, the portly figure of the Minister of Magic could not.

"I insist that the Dementors be allowed to search for Black!" Harry watched the lime green bowler hat spin furiously as the Minister of Magic stared down at Dumbledore.

The differences between the two were almost comical. Fudge was stood ridged with his entourage of four well built Aurors – the wizarding equivalent of the police's Special Forces. Dumbledore was sat behind his desk, casually flicking his way through some papers – Harry wasn't even stood next to him, she was sat in her usual seat in front of his desk on the right hand side. The only change in routine for Harry and the old man was that Harry's chair was slightly angled so she could still easily look at and talk to the others in the room.

"Your insisting will not change my mind Cornelius, no Dementor will set foot in this castle while I am Headmaster." Dumbledore's voice was not quite as light and whimsical as normal but if anybody else noticed it then they didn't comment. "By all means have them search the countryside or the local town but within these walls you will have to make do with my staff and your Aurors – feel free to bring in as many as you wish."

"Are you not concerned with the safety of your students?"

"Yes Cornelius, and that is why I must decline your request. I am however concerned with something else..." He looked over to Harry and after a second Harry shook her head, not getting what he talking about. "Why was black up at Gryffindor Tower tonight?"

The Minister looked slightly panicked and turned towards Dumbledore who caught his eye. "Other than to kill you and avenge his fallen master, obviously." The way Dumbledore said it made it clear that Harry knew this and everyone in the room relaxed again.

"Do you mean why did he choose tonight?" Harry thought about that for a second and then carried on "The one night that everyone would be out of the tower – to strike when nobody would be there or wandering around the halls."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Must have got his dates mixed up, can't easy keeping track while on the run." One of the Aurors said. "Black is crazy."

"No, I'm sorry I don't buy that." Harry said, she turned back to Dumbledore and he subtly motioned for her to continue. "Crazy people are not able to just walk out of a maximum security cell in the second most secure wizarding prison on the planet. Nor are they able to waltz past all of the security and protections placed on this castle."

"No." Dumbledore agreed, "Black must be capable rational thought to do those things, so you believe that he knew you wouldn't be there?"

"Yes, there is no way that Black got all the way up to Gryffindor Tower without realising how quiet it was in the castle. And when he got to the portrait hole didn't The Fat Lady say she told him it was Halloween and he still wanted to get inside?"

"Maybe he… thought you were inside on your own?" Fudge seemed unsure now.

"He would have no reason to think that... what if we have made the wrong conclusion about the reason for his escape. We all assumed that because he was muttering about Hogwarts in his sleep that he was after me but…"

"…But if there is something within Gryffindor Tower that he wants instead…" Dumbledore continued.

"But what could he want?" Fudge asked.

"That I do not know." Dumbledore answered, "But I no longer believe that black is after Harry. I fear that we may not know everything about the night that Sirius Black was arrested."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked as several of the people in the room shifted uncomfortably.

"Black never got a trial before he was sentenced, too many people were bribing their way out of prison and the Black family is very wealthy. He wasn't the first and he certainly wasn't the last but it is very possible that in making sure that he paid for his crimes we may not have found out about all of them."

"Yes, well, they were dark times." Fudge blustered, "Can you imagine the chaos if Black had been let go because of his connections?"

Dumbledore nodded, "That is a valid point Cornelius however can you imagine the chaos if Black manages to succeed in whatever it is that he broke out of Azkaban to do? Especially if we do not find out what that might be first."

For that Fudge seemed to have no answer and him and his entourage left shortly after, with him still muttering about dementors. After which Dumbledore stood and told Harry to follow him out of his office.

They went down a flight of stairs, up another set that set hidden behind a painting, passed a few people patrolling and walked straight through a wall that wasn't really there before finally entering a classroom that had no windows, tables or chairs.

Harry stood to one side waiting for him to explain as Dumbledore threw several spells that Harry didn't know at the walls.

"This, Harry, is where we will practice spells." Harry felt her heartbeat pick up. "Today will be an introductory combat lesson."

Dumbledore turned to look at her "You will not seek Black out yourself but if you see him I want you to be able to defend yourself." he said – probably in response to the smile forming on her lips.

"Draw your wand."

-One Letter Different-

The entire school was buzzing about Black the next day, outlandish theories were thrown back and forth with students becoming more certain and more wrong with every telling.

Harry stumbled through the day too tired and too sore to correct any inaccuracies she was even too tired to shout at the people that asked her if she thought Black had apparated out of the castle.

Thankfully Hermione was on hand to silence most of the idiots. Unfortunately she was also there to make disapproving sounds anytime quidditch was mentioned.

So far Gryffindor had played two friendly matches against Hufflepuff and one against Ravenclaw. Slytherin had so far declined all requests for a friendly match as they 'Didn't want to give away their tactics'.

This is something that Oliver Wood had been concerned with at first as well but he had been convinced to play and just not use any of their new techniques.

The increase in the number of games had made the game even more popular than it already was – something that Harry hadn't believed possible – and as a result Harry constantly had people running up to her asking quidditch related questions.

Harry was starting to feel like a celebrity within the school, someone that people would go up to and talk to – rather than a curiosity, an object to looked at but not interacted with and she certainly liked this change.

The friendly games also gave both sides a chance to field reserve players, which all four teams now had. Ginny had been particularly happy with this change as without the friendly games the only way she would have been able to play a real game would have been if three out of the five other Gryffindor chasers had been unable to play.

However Ginny also thought it was necessary to discuss every decision and move that she made on the pitch in great deal to whoever would listen. Which usually meant Harry, her friend Claire or Colin, who had followed everything quidditch as soon as he found out that Harriet Potter liked the sport.

Fanboys – The one point of fame that Harry could definitely do without.

Another benefit of the increase in play time as well as the increase in time spent at the side of the pitch with her teammates and players from the opposing team, was a 'friendship' between her and Cedric Diggory. Most of Harry's friends had made fun of it but neither Harry or Cedric had made it anything other than a casual friendship between two people good at the same thing and despite all the rumours that must have been circulating, Harry and Cedric hadn't even spent any time together with it just being the two of them.

Yet.

Harry knew he liked her back, why was he being so cagey anytime an opportunity to be alone with her came up but would be fine with her if they were in a group?

Today it was Hermione that was their chaperone.

"I just don't think the Firebolt will affect much." Cedric was saying, "I mean, if someone was flying it against what we fly then sure, it would outstrip even your Nimbus by so much that nobody else would stand a chance. However, in competitive play I still think a custom made broom designed around how you actually fly and the position that you play will always be better than what is essentially just a racing broom."

"I think it would suit my playstyle quite well." Harry grinned.

"Yes well nobody else flies at breakneck speed all of the time like you do. Most people slow down every now and then for things like turning and not crashing."

"Tch, weaklings, who needs to slow down?"

"Asks the girl who has had how many quidditch injuries?" Cedric mocked.

"Twenty-Three," answered Hermione who looked thoroughly bored by the quidditch talk. "Are we going in?" She asked motioning to open library doors.

"Yes, are you?" Harry said, turning back to Cedric.

"Erm, no, I said I would meet David..." He checked his watch, "Twenty minutes ago."

"See you later then," Harry said and both girls returned his wave as he left for the Hufflepuff common room."

"Why doesn't he just ask me out already?" Harry complained.

"You mean besides the fact he is waiting for you as you are two years younger, the fact he is intimidated by you being both 'The Girl Who Lived' and 'Dumbledore's Apprentice' and the fact he is an idiot boy."

Harry and Hermione whirled round to see Daphne Greengrass stood in the doorway with her friend Tracey stood slightly behind her like she was afraid Harry would suddenly attack her.

Harry quickly too stock in her surroundings and noticed that it wasn't just Tracey that looked like she suspected a fight to break out, Hermione had also glanced in Harry's direction as if checking to see when she was going to explode...

But Harry didn't think Daphne had come to her to start a fight, not after all this time spent watching her but never approaching. Harry decided to take a chance on the Slytherin girl.

"Yeah, other than that."

Hermione and Tracey both seemed surprised and Daphne didn't exactly smile but Harry could tell that this was the outcome she had wanted.

"I'm afraid you'd have to ask him then, that's all I've got, sorry." Daphne walked past them with Tracey trailing after her.

"Thanks anyway," Harry called.

"Anytime." Daphne threw over her shoulder.

"That was odd." Harry commented after they had both turned round the corner.

"Yeah, she had a point though." Hermione said.

"Unfortunately,"

-One Letter Different-

As the Gryffindor versus Sylitherin match drew closer the weather took a drastic turn for the worse prompting Lilith to order everyone on the Gryffindor quidditch team to buy a full set of wet weather gear. Ginny not having the money to do so and being the last pick chaser out of six almost quit the team but Harry quietly told her she would get Ginny's set for her as an early Christmas present.

The weather got so bad that several Herbology lessons were moved indoors and all Care of Magical Creatures lessons has been cancelled.

But not Quidditch.

A bit of rain was enough cancel a lesson that could be held indoors but a sport played for fun on broomsticks high in the air? What thunderstorm?

The day before the game added another challenge for the Gryffindor third years: Defence Against the Dark Arts with Snape.

Harry knew it was coming, she had been told that Professor Lupin was a werewolf, but to enter the classroom and see Snape's smirk behind the desk was particularly unwelcome.

It was only when Dean Thomas suddenly asked where Lupin was it occurred to Harry that the rest of the class didn't know.

"Professor Lupin said he is feeling too ill to teach today." Snape said with a twisted smile.

"What's wrong with him?" Asked Ron who was only halfway to his seat.

"Nothing life threatening," although from the look on Snape's face, he wished it was. "Now take your seat before you start losing house points."

Ron took his seat but also looked about to question Snape further so Harry said in a rather carrying whisper "Drop it Ron, he's fine."

The rest of the class glanced her way and seemed to take that at face value, Snape sent her a glare but as people were still getting their stuff sorted, and were talking while they did so, he couldn't really do much else.

The lesson turned out pretty much like a normal Snape lesson however the subject he decided to teach – after broadly ridiculing Lupin's teaching ability – was on werewolves. He was clearly hoping that somebody would realise that Lupin was a werewolf and overreact, forcing Lupin to step down.

It appeared that Snape was even more of an arsehole than Harry first thought.

Harry stayed quiet throughout the lesson as anything she said would surely have brought more attention to the subject matter and after all who would be able to put the pieces together to work that out?

Then it clicked, there was one person who could figure it out, she was sat in the same room as Harry and she had seen the Boggart turn into a large white ball in their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Snape was counting on Hermione Granger.

And that was just about the oddest conclusion that Harry had ever come to.

When the class let out Harry followed Hermione into the Bathroom and waited for her to use the time turner and for her other self to step out of a nearby stall. Harry stopped her leaving to quickly negate any damage Snape may have done.

"Hermione you would never jump to any conclusions about someone based on something they can't change would you?"

Hermione was obviously a bit taken back, "Like what?"

"Like someone's blood status for instance?"

"What?" Hermione was actually frowning now. "You're asking me that? Are you being serious?"

"No," Harry said, "You are just too clever to keep some things from, so when you work it out, remember this before you react, okay?"

"Work what out?" Hermione asked, calming down.

Harry shook her head, "I promised I wouldn't say, but you'll know what I mean when you do figure it out."

Hermione grumbled but she didn't press for more answers for which Harry was grateful as she already had a lot on her mind and the ever darkening weather was really not helping.

The following morning the weather was so bad that the glass in the Great Hall rattled continuously and Harry didn't see anyone from either team eat anything for breakfast, she certainly didn't.

The weather didn't put off the spectators however with the popularity of quidditch at an all-time high the entire school turned out to watch even if nobody could hear anything over the howling wind and could barely see anything through the endless sheets of rain.

Harry could barely hear Oliver's pre match waffling let alone the commentator who Harry assumed was still Lee Jorden, all she could hear was the occasional blast of Madame Hooch's whistle for either a goal or a foul and sometimes Harry wasn't completely sure which.

Within five minutes she was soaked wet through could barely see anything and the few times she had seen a glint of gold it had been the rain playing tricks on her mind or a dog who was clearly too stupid to find some cover from the rain.

By the time the lightning had started Harry was not liking her odds of coming out of the match alive. Fortunately her wet weather gloves made holding on to her boom as easy as if it were bone dry and her undershirt and leggings kept her warm enough. The poor Slytherin keeper looked like an icicle.

It took forty minutes of drunkenly searching the pitch before Harry noticed Slytherin's captain Marcus Flint pointing towards a spot by the Gryffindor stands and shouting. Harry understood before her Slytherin counterpart – but he was closer.

Even so it wasn't really a race they were coming from directly oposite sides and if one of them didn't pull up they would have crashed into each other, Harry knew how the game chicken worked and she knew that she had any Slytherin beat in game of it.

And more importantly so did the Slytherin seeker.

The party in the Gryffindor common room was well under way when Harry had got back from having the best shower in her life. Wood was sat in the corner of the room, singing loudly with a bottle of firewhisky in his hand. The twins were stood on a stage made of several tables pushed together and seemed to be sword fighting while people cheered at them. Harry couldn't see Angela but Katie can Alicia were stood by the fireplace chatting with everyone that came their way, a couple of the reserve team were sat at one of the tables clearly upset they hadn't played but Ginny seemed in good spirits.

As soon as the first person spotted her she was swarmed by cheering Gryffindors as tired as she was she really just wanted to go to bed but the crowd were having none of that and dragged her over to what several of them claimed was the victory table and gave her a Butterbeer.

People wanted to hear her talk about every detail of the match – regardless that it was mostly boring and about rain. People wanted to sing silly made up song about slaying snakes and brave lions and lots of songs about Harriet Potter.

And Harry was actually enjoying it, this was something she had done. It wasn't something that happened before she could walk or something she had no control over. This was something that she had worked hard at and earnt herself. It didn't matter that it was just another win, it didn't matter that they had beaten Slytherin before or that they could still loose the cup to Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.

Oliver had obviously convinced the house that they would win the cup and Harry was a part of that, but not because she was Harry Potter, because she was Gryffindor's Seeker.

And that made a lot of difference to her.

In the end it was just her and the Weasley twins left and after the last person had sloped off Harry gave them a tired grin. "That was fun."

The one twin that was still awake nudged the other. "We didn't wait up with you to chat Harrykins."

"No," the other yawned. "We have a present for you."

Harry perked up at that, she liked presents.

The one Harry had decided was George pulled out an old piece of parchment.

Harry stared at it for a couple of seconds but as it didn't do anything she had to ask, "What does it do?"

"This my dear Harry is the secret to our success,"

"The 'us' in our 'genius',"

"The trick up our sleeve,"

"The 'agic' in our 'Magic',"

"That one didn't make sense." Harry pointed out, "And the rest were rubbish."

"It's late, okay?" Fred complained. "We're tired."

"So am I, get on with it." Harry pointed out.

"Fine," George said pulling out his wand and placing it against the parchment, "I solemnly swear, I am up to no good."

Lines drew themselves outwards like a spider web out of the point George had placed his wand before Harry was looking at what was obviously a map of Hogwarts, complete with miniature dots of everyone that was in the castle, including her and the twins – sat in exactly the right place.

"Our only concession is that we could borrow is occasionally but we thought you might like it,"

"And as much as it pains us to part with it we don't really need it anymore and thought you might find it useful."

"Oh, yeah," Harry grinned, "Where did you get it?"

"Nicked it out of one of Filch's draw, we don't think he ever knew what he had but he obviously knew it was something or he wouldn't have confiscated it."

"Anyway, to turn it off the password is 'Mischief managed' make sure to wipe it whenever you have finished or anyone can read it."

"We are beat, g'night Harry." And he turned towards the dorms.

"Night," Harry said distractedly, running her hand over the parchment.

Useful the twins had called it.

Yes, this would be useful.

I couldn't not give Harry the map.

Danni xxx