CH 18

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry awoke the next morning feeling really grubby. He looked down at his clothing and said, "Yuck." He'd slept in his leathers, which were coated in various fluids.

"This is going to be a pain to remove," he muttered. He looked over to his belt with the swords and pouches hanging from it. He grinned, as he picked it up and brought it to the Alchemical room. He had a few potions ingredients to store away.

"You really need to treat your equipment better," Helga observed. "You should have taken them off before falling asleep."

"I know," Harry said. "I'm going to shower and change now. We'll play with some new ingredients later and I'll tell you what happened once we're back at the Canyon School."

"I'll let the others know," Helga said. "Although, they may already know, since they were portrait hopping all last night."

"Didn't you hop the portraits," Harry asked.

"I did, but I followed you and you parent back here," she said. "I was worried about you so I watched over your sleep."

"Thank you," Harry said. "I'll just go wash up now."

"Get some decent food in you too," Helga called out.

Harry rejoined his fellow students in the Great Hall and read the news that the Minister of Magic had a Wizengamot order for Barty Crouch Junior to be given the Dementor's Kiss. It seems that, the Death Eater that had impersonated Alistair Moody had been taken away by Aurors in the early morning and then when they were at the Ministry the man had been given the Kiss of Death, according to Rita Skeeter.

Luna approached the Gryffindor table and sat next to Harry. "I'd like to interview you before you disappear for the summer," she said. "Perhaps on the train, I'll submit copies to the Underground Courier too, since they print any submitted stories, even if copies are submitted to other papers."

"Sure," Harry said. "It's always best to get the truth in print as quickly as possible."

"I agree," she said, as she ate breakfast with the others at the table, who all looked at her strangely.

Harry looked up as Cedric walked into the Great Hall. He stood up and walked over to the teenage boy, holding out his had. "Congratulation," he said. "It was a good tournament."

Cedric shook his hand and said, "Thank you, but I have to ask…" The young Gryffindor nodded. "Why didn't you grab the Portkey too?"

"I started to," Harry rubbed the back of his head and said, "But I was stunned from behind too."

"Ah," Cedric said. "I'd like to share my winnings…"

"No please," Harry said and held up his hand. "You won fair and square. I have enough money for my needs from my parents and all. I don't really need anymore. You use it, since you're graduating this year and you're going to need it more."

Cedric nodded. He knew it was useless to push the subject. He walked over to his cheering table.

Harry had finished eating, so he left the Great Hall in order to go pack his pup tent and school supplies. He missed the Owl post arriving, but the Great Horned Owl found him anyway. "Oh hello," he said to the bird. He took the large envelope from it and offered it a couple of owl treats and said, "Thank you."

The bird left to go rest in the Owlery.

He opened the letter and found that his private project was complete. The MML was ready for use this summer and he'd just received the keys. He sent a note to Fred and George for the twins to meet up with him.

"Hi guys," Harry said, as he slowly packed his school trunk. "I have the keys to the lab here." He handed each of them a large key, as long as their hands. "The apparition points have been locked until you two get your licences, but the Floo is set up so that only the five of us can go there. Here's the confirmation that the land, property and buildings have all been made unplottable. We can add a Fidelius Charm to it, to further secure it later if you like."

"Quite all right," George said and he took one of the keys, plus a copy of the information.

"We were planning to do that anyway," Fred said. "Will you be the Secret Keeper?"

"Me," Harry asked. "Why me?"

"You're the biggest keeper of secrets that we know," George said. "Which five of us are you talking about?"

"The three of us, plus two real Marauders," Harry said and pocketed his key.

"Ah yes," Fred said. "We definitely want the chance to pick their brains on a few of our ideas."

"They'd love it," Harry answered for the men, since they'd both expressed interest in their son's expenditures for a magical research lab that only researched jokes and pranks.

"We'll have to go there before you disappear…"

"For parts unknown," Fred said. "You poor muggle raised fool."

Harry laughed and nodded. "Yeah, yeah. You got the keys, now get before I have to get violent."

The twins left the room laughing.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry had found a free compartment and had it secured for the private interview that he gave Luna. It took most of the trip, but the girl had the most exclusive story about the Triwizard Tournament this side of Wales. He had two scrolls and auto-quills set up to take all questions and answers done for submission.

Near the end of the trip, she returned to her friends with both copies of the interview to be sent off to a newspaper and magazine. Harry had joined his friends for the remainder of the trip. He loaded up on magical sweets from the cart-lady and then told them what he could about what had really happened, leaving only a few things out of his tale.

Hermione then held up a glass jar and said, "This is Rita Skeeter."

"So that's how she knew stuff," Ron said. "Not registered, I bet."

"That's right," the girl replied before putting the jar away.

"Finally figured it out," Malfoy leaned on the compartment doorway. "Took you long enough, I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"What do you want," Harry asked the blond Slytherin.

"Aren't you going to admit it," the blond said with his two bodyguards still with him.

"That you're still poncy," Harry said. "All right, you're still a Nancy-boy and I can see where you get that trait from, especially since I saw your father crawling to lick Voldemort's boots."

"You lie," Malfoy said and pulled out his wand.

"Were you there," Harry asked and took out his own wand. "No, I was and saw all of them scurry like worms on their bellies begging for forgiveness to a creature that doesn't even look like a real man."

A series of spells struck the three Slytherin boys, after a foul comment about blood-traitors and mudbloods. Soon there was peace in the compartment again and the children played a game of cards that they taught the Weasley twins to play.

"We have got to modify the cards," George said, as he looked them over. "They need to talk or something, it isn't natural that they don't move."

"Maybe," Harry said. "There are different card games, each with different rules. I'll think of something."

"We'll need to see about getting a rule book of the most common games," Fred said.

"I'll send one to you this summer," Harry said, as they left the compartment. He saw Remus standing there, looking for him. His presence was enough to prevent Lucius Malfoy's attempts at addressing him in any fashion. "Remus," he waved and walked over to the man. "How have you been?"

"Quite well," the werewolf replied. "Ron, Hermione and twins, I hope you have a good summer."

"We'll talk to you later," the twins said and moved to meet up with their parents.

Hermione hugged Harry and said, "We'll write."

Ron waved and said, "See yah Harry."

"See yah," Harry said to his friends. He looked to the werewolf and noticed the man's expression. "What's going on?"

"They gave Pettigrew his trial," he said. "Sirius was requested to be at the Ministry and he's got to appear before July 15th, to give his testimony. It's much later than he thought it would be. He's depressed because he knows that they may order him to go to some mind healing sessions before he can fully take custody of you."

"That's fine," Harry said. "I already have someone perfectly able to oversee my custody."

"Meanwhile, he's ordered me to follow you to your summer school. I'm to give him a running commentary of everything and get a copy of your records for his Gringotts files," the man whispered. "We're to head to MML, after we visit the Deptarment for House-Elf Relocation to get a few for the place. The secrecy spells need to be done before you travel to your school."

Harry groaned and said, "I have copies of those in my tent."

"Yes well," Remus said. "I'm still going to review the school's statistics of course completion. As my son, I need to be assured that you're getting the best education possible," as they Portkeyed away from the Platform nine and three quarters.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

END

(…Final Note…) Weak ending, I know, but it'll do for now.

I have read and re-read the years one to four books, however it is with sadness that I must state that I have not read any of the other books.

I may have plans for an alternate year five, but so far that would mean that I'd have to read the book in the first place to know where I can pluck things out of it, like I did with the the fourth year and have then mesh with the game magic that I hoped you enjoyed seeing.

This is the true end of this odd "What if" tale. I know that more can be done and that I possibly left some unanswered question. But at this point in time I believe that I'll leave the rest up to your imagination and hopefully it will inspire someone to write a "What if" of a different nature.

Hope you all enjoyed this foray into an "Alternate Year" genre.

Lil Nezumi