A/N ~ Ah, 2021😃... Thank you so much for everything, everyone. Happy new year!!
Also, this chapter isn't as long as the last one but it's still long. That's it, enjoy the chapter :)
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"Monday. Best day ever, or what?" Ron sighed loudly, as the reunited Quartet walked down the hallway to the dungeons, for their Potions class.
"Wait until next year, Ronald," Hermione huffed with her nose in the air. "We have our O.W.L. exams- Rolf told me it's been Horrible for him."
"Oh wait," Y/N laughed. "why did I completely forget that my own brother is in fifth year?"
"Probably because he only hangs out with sixth years and third years." Ron smirked, just as they hopped down the last stairs, to Snape's dungeon. "Especially that Lovegood girl."
Y/N sniggered. She (and everyone else) knew perfectly that Rolf had a thing for Luna. But every time he tried to hint her something, Luna would say something like 'you're such a good friend, Rolf.'
Y/N found it amusing, seeing her brother finally falling for someone, despite their differences...
The four Gryffindors pushed open the gates of the dungeon and entered the Potions classroom- they were a little earlier than everyone else.
Snape was standing rigid in his usual spot, in front of the class, in his only uniform- plain black robes.
"Don't just stand there, sit down." Snape growled, glaring at the Quartet from behind his curtain of grease.
Y/N quickly took a seat between Harry and Hermione, and pulled out her Potions books, placing each one separately on her desk neatly.
"Miss Scamander, I don't remember instructing you to take out your books." Snape snarled. Y/N looked up and blinked blankly at the professor.
"Well- we always use our books," Y/N shrugged. "And you always instruct us to take out our books, usually."
"But have I instructed anything today?" Snape sneered, an evil smirk crawling up his face.
"No, sir." Y/N muttered, shoving her books back into her bag grimly.
"That will be 5 points from Gryffindor, for not waiting for my instructions." Snape said casually.
"What?" Harry and Ron bellowed, jerking their heads upwards.
Y/N and Hermione shot a look towards their direction, but both of the boys were red in the face.
"For taking out her books?" Ron asked unbelievably.
"Oh, hey, Zabini just scratched his nose- 5 points from Slytherin too, for not waiting for your instructions on how to scratch your nose properly?" Harry said with furrowed eyebrows, his face turning pink from anger.
Harry knew Snape was still angry at him for stealing Gillyweed from his personal cupboard, for the second task. But truth was, it wasn't Harry who stole it- it was Dobby.
And Snape knew best that attacking Y/N was the best way to frustrate Harry.
Y/N groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"Another 10 points from Gryffindor," Snape said loudly. "Sass at me again and it will be detention for you, Potter!"
Harry made a fist, but remained silent, as the lesson started.
Ten minutes later into class, Malfoy rushed into the dungeon, panting loudly and grinning innocently.
"Professor, I forgot my quill, so I had to go back to our common room." Malfoy said with a manipulative look on his face.
"Isn't your common room right down the hall?" Y/N muttered under her breath, not looking up from her work.
"No worries, Mr Malfoy, take a seat." Snape said, waving his hands. Harry knew perfectly that if Malfoy were a Gryffindor, another 20 points would be taken. "Now, everyone, take out all your Potions books."
Y/N's head shot up angrily. She had just got into trouble for taking out her books, and had just put them back into her bag. Snape caught her eye and grinned evilly.
"Turn to page 86 of your Simple Potion Brewing book and start brewing the giggling potion." said Snape, in his usual sticky tone.
As the class started brewing their giggling potions, Y/N found herself distracted by the sight of Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini sniggering behind their cauldrons, clearly reading a copy of the Witch Weekly magazine.
Snape seemed to be too busy scolding and insulting Neville's potion, so the three Slytherins were unnoticed.
But what disturbed Y/N the most, was that the three Slytherins were glancing up at Y/N and Harry occasionally, while they whispered to each other.
Y/N wanted more than anything to pour her entire cauldron of giggling potion down Malfoy's throat and get him laughing until his lungs decay.
"Hey, Scamander," Malfoy whispered audibly.
Y/N ignored him, and continued to stir her potion nonchalantly.
"Good thinking, Y/N," Hermione whispered with an admiring grin, but Y/N knew they wouldn't be able to ignore Malfoy for long, especially with Harry by their side.
"Psst-! Scamander!" Malfoy whispered louder, as Blaise and Pansy giggled louder. Y/N rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth, determined to not get distracted by them.
"What is it, Malfoy?" Harry shot impatiently, turning back to the three sniggering Slytherins. Y/N and Hermione mentally face palmed.
"'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache'? That's a new thing." Malfoy sneered, throwing Harry his copy of the Witch Weekly magazine. "Dear, dear, Potter... your girlfriend's a heart breaker."
Y/N couldn't help but huddle her head besides Harry to read the main article from the magazine curiously.
Witch Weekly was a weekly magazine, popular among mums and middle-aged women. So Y/N never really cared about it, and neither did her friends.
"What is this-?" Y/N started, but the colourful headline of the magazine caught her eye. "'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache'... oh, of course it's by Rita Skeeter!"
"But she's banned from the grounds." Hermione said with a frown. "She can't... know too much- can't she?"
"Can't be good," Ron muttered nervously, peeking his head from Harry's right. Y/N took a deep shaky breath and started reading...
'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache
Article by: Rita Skeeter
Y/N Scamander, a plain and ambitious girl, daughter to famous magizoologist Sean Scamander and well-known Auror Alexis Scamander, seems to have her heart on a handful of witches and wizards- girlfriend to the famous Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, also a Hogwarts Triwizard Champion. Her other love interests being, Fleur Delacour, Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley-'
"What in the name of Merlin's second cousin?" Y/N exclaimed, feeling her heart rate increase, and her face go numb. Surely, not a lot of people have read this article yet?
"What's this?" Ron made a face and pointed to the three pictures that came with the article.
One of them was the picture that was taken that day that Y/N fell over, by the champions' chamber, when she hugged Harry.
The second was a picture of Y/N, laughing, as she stood between Fleur and Ron, with each of her arms around their shoulders. She remembered that day- she was trying to get Ron to act normally around Fleur.
The third picture, was of course, Y/N at the Yule Ball, dancing with Draco Malfoy. Y/N was slightly pleased to see that she didn't look like she was enjoying herself much.
Harry's face was pale and Ron's ears were burning red, as they continued to read...
'Since the arrival of beautiful Miss Delacour, a half Veela and Beauxbatons Triwizard champion, Miss Scamander has been toying with both champions' affections. Lots of sources also state that Miss Scamander has been out with Harry Potter's best friend, Ron Weasley, and attended the Yule Ball with classmate Draco Malfoy.
"She's undoubtedly pretty," says Draco Malfoy, Miss Scamander's vivacious fourth year classmate. "but she goes out with a lot of people. She claims she's with Potter now, but she went to the ball with me- also is very close with Fleur Delacour and that Weasley."
Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows-'
"What is this?" Ron spat angrily, turning back to Malfoy with his red face. Y/N's hands trembled- she watched the magazine fall to the floor as her face drained of colour.
Harry's ears buzzed with anger and he was breathing heavily. And without any warning, Harry lunged forwards and snatched Malfoy by the collar, knocking over his cauldron and making the Slytherins yell in horror, as the incomplete potion burned the front of their robes.
Y/N and Hermione gasped and both quickly grabbed Ron's arms, as he seemed to be wanting join Harry.
Pansy Parkinson's and Blaise Zabini shrieked as Harry shook Malfoy violently.
"You! Bleached scarecrow-looking git-!"
"Stop, stop stop!" Hermione gasped, clapping her free hand on her mouth. "Harry, let him go!"
"What is the meaning of this, Potter? Weasley?" Snape swept to the back of the class quickly, giving Harry a death glare. He quickly cleaned up the potion with a wave of his wand, and looked at Harry and pale-faces Malfoy. "That will be 50 points from Gryffindor! Let go of him this instance!"
Harry gave Malfoy a disgusted glare before letting go of his shirt collar roughly.
Everyone had stopped brewing their giggling potions and watched the scene curiously.
"Scamander, Granger, let go of Weasley," Snape snapped. Y/N, who's face was plastered with shock, quickly let go of the red-faced redhead. Ron shook her off in frustration without taking his eyes off of Malfoy.
"That's detention for you, Potter!" Snape snapped.
"Malfoy's spreading false information, sir!" Ron said heatedly. As much as Y/N loved Ron, she wished with every single inch of her body for him to shut up at that moment.
Ron quickly picked up the Witch Weekly magazine that Y/N dropped from the floor and before Hermione or Y/N could stop him, he handed it to Snape.
Snape's eyes quickly darted across the article and a smirk crept onto the corner of his lips.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Snape shook his head. "How... unfortunate. 'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache'... how very touching."
Snape dark eyes travelled to Harry's green ones, then to Y/N's blank face, and handed the magazine back to Ron.
"Now, back to the lesson..." Snape continued, with a triumphant look on his face.
The Gryffindors were furious at Snape- glaring after him, as he walked back to the front of the class.
Y/N's heart sank. Please, don't let many people see this article. Please.
But Y/N couldn't help but think- even if everything in the article was obviously twisted and wrong, is that what people really see her as?
If looks could kill, there would be a dead Professor in front of the class right now- murdered by his students, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
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Y/N quickly packed her things and rushed out of the dungeon, once their class was dismissed. She didn't know what to do.
Hermione, Harry and Ron quickly rushed after her, each with a frown on their face.
"Y/N, listen," Hermione said with a sigh. "I told you- you shouldn't have reported her to Dumbledore. Now, she's just going to get back at you."
"So you think it's Y/N's fault?" Ron shot at Hermione, his ears red. Y/N was like a sister to him and he'd always been protective of her. "You think it was her fault she's being called a- called-"
"No, it really is, Ron," Y/N said quietly, heading to their next class, ignoring the mutters around them. "but I don't regret it. Skeeter's arse is out of Hogwarts, now, and that's better than nothing."
"I'll do anything to get rid of that woman." Harry said heatedly, before looking at Y/N reassuringly and grabbing her hand, squeezing it gently. "It's not your fault, Niff- you've got to understand that."
"Yeah, wait until your three other brothers hear about this." Ron said with a smirk. "Oh, Rita's a dead witch."
Y/N wanted to laugh as she pathetically pictured Fred, George and Rolf surrounding a shrieking Rita Skeeter, with knives in their hands.
Then, she remembered.
"Oh no," Y/N said faintly, stopping in her track. "Oh no, no, no, no, no!" She shook her head, let go of Harry's hand and grabbed a fist full of her hair.
"What's the matter?" Hermione asked gently, putting a hand on Y/N's shoulder.
"Ron's Mum reads Witch Weekly!" Y/N exclaimed in despair. "I- I- she trusted me. I was like a daughter to her... now, she probably thinks I'm a-"
Her three friends gasped as she said the last word.
"Y/N!" Ron scolded.
"Y/N, don't call yourself that!" Harry said with his eyes wide.
"You know she loves you most." Hermione said seriously. "She'll never believe that Rita woman over you."
"Yeah, she'll probably cancel her subscription after this." Ron said, giving Y/N a comforting look.
"Don't worry about it." Harry said once again, his head filled with hatred towards Rita Skeeter. His expression softened when Y/N caught his eye. "Seriously- don't let that stinky woman let you down."
"Pfft- stinky woman? Thanks," Y/N laughed weakly and smiled at her three friends. "If you all are still with me, then I don't really care what the rest of the world thinks. Let's just... get to our next class."
And without another word about Skeeter's evil article, the four Gryffindors walked down to their Herbology class, with an uneasy frown on their face.
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The Quartet entered the Great Hall for lunch on the same day, and to their horror, there were several copies of Witch Weekly being read throughout each house table.
Y/N felt her heart sink into her stomach.
As the four walked to their table, some people sent sympathetic looks to Y/N, but most of them were glaring at her in disgust.
She quickly walked past them with her head down.
To the Quartet's not-quite-surprise, Fleur was waiting for Y/N in her usual spot, at the end of the Gryffindor table, tapping the surface of the table impatiently.
She was in her school uniform and had her hair let down, making Ron freeze in his tracks. Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed him forwards.
"Y/N," Fleur didn't hesitate to bring Y/N into a hug, once her other friends sat down in their seats. "Ugh, I read the magazine- I'm so sorry that happened to you. It is all fake, I know. I'm going to get rid of that evil woman!"
"Thanks, Fleur," Y/N said weakly, over Fleur's shoulder, hugging her back.
"Not to be rude," Harry said quietly. "but I don't think it's the best time for you guys to hug- after that article."
"I agree with Harry." Hermione said seriously, glancing at the people around them, who were now scowling at Y/N and Fleur.
"Right, he's right." Fleur said stiffly, letting go of Y/N immediately. "In fact, I shouldn't even be sitting here. People will think evil things- they'll believe anything, at this point. See you later, Miss balcony."
Fleur quickly waved at the four and glided back to the Ravenclaw table, where she sat next to Cho and Cedric quietly.
"Wait... huh?" Y/N froze, as she looked around herself. Around a dozen owls of different colors and sizes had landed in front of her. "Er... are these owls meant for me?"
She stared at the pack of owls, each with a letter in its beak, surrounding her plate. Ron, Harry and Hermione leaned forwards.
"Hmm..." Hermione frowned and read all the envelopes. "They're all addressed to- Y/N Scamander, Gryffindor Table, Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Then they're all for me!" Y/N said brightly, taking a brown fat envelope from one of the owls. "That's weird... I've never received so many letters at once. Are they all from the same person?"
"Well, since you have more than a dozen to read," Ron said slowly, "may we?"
"Sure, go ahead." Y/N shrugged.
Her three friends didn't hesitate to take an envelope and started reading the letters.
"This one's from... Megan Cooper?" Harry frowned. "Er... do you know anyone named Megan Cooper?"
"I don't," Y/N replied slowly, her confusion starting to rise. She quickly opened the letter in her hands.
"Hey, Y/N..." Ron gulped, as he read one of the letters to himself.
'You wicked girl! Harry Potter doesn't deserve you! You are a disgrace to your successful family and you should be ashamed of yourself!'
Ron looked over at Hermione, who also shared the same uneasy look. "Y/N, I... I think I know what these are- I don't think you should open them-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!"
Y/N yelled at the top of her lungs.
She had just opened a letter that contained a good amount of poisonous-looking liquid... half of both her hands were now red and full of blisters. The liquid sizzled and hissed dangerously.
"Y/N!" Her three friends exclaimed, each grabbing a goblet and splashing Y/N's hands with cold water.
Y/N felt her eyes tear up as the pain slowly increased. She bit her lip and cried out in agony.
"That Rita bitch." Y/N hissed, her vision getting blurry from all of her tears.
People around them have turned around and gaped at her hands in shock.
"You alright, there?" Some of them asked, but the Quartet ignored them completely.
"Hey, hold on," Harry said breathlessly. He came around from the other side of the table and sat himself next to Y/N, grabbing her wrists gently and examining her hands.
"What is going on?" Professor McGonagall came marching from the staff table. She reached the Quartet and her eyes fell on Y/N's hands- she gasped loudly in horror. "Miss Scamander-! W-what's going on? Are you alright?"
"She's been sent these hate mails, Professor!" Hermione gestures to the pile of letters the owls had left them in front of them.
"Do not touch them!" Professor McGonagall said loudly. She pulled out her wand and lifted up the envelope that Y/N just opened. The poisonous liquid was still leaking from it.
"Please make it stop," Y/N cried, shaking her hands impatiently.
"Potter, take her to the hospital wing!" McGonagall said, her eyes wide. "It's undiluted Bubotuber pus!"
"It's what-now?" Ron asked blankly, trying not to laugh. Harry threw him a look, before helping Y/N up by the arm.
"Hospital wing, now!" Professor McGonagall said impatiently, almost in panic.
"Yes, Professor." Harry said quickly. Y/N stood up from her seat, her face glazed with tears. Harry took her arm and quickly pulled her away from the crowd from the Great Hall.
"It stings." Y/N fussed, no longer crying, but wincing frequently in pain.
"I hate Rita Skeeter," Harry said between gritted teeth. "You'll be alright, Niff, Madam Pomfrey will heal your hands in two seconds."
"That woman is horrid." Y/N said darkly. "I want to take that scribbling quill of hers and shove it right up her fancy-"
"OK, calm down there." Harry said, laughing slightly. "It's gonna be alright. I personally find that article pathetic."
"That's not what I'm worrying about," Y/N said weakly. "Harry, I'm so sorry- Hermione was right- ow! I shouldn't have angered Skeeter. I dragged you into this- what if she targeted you, next?" Y/N looked down at her hands, that were now covered in ugly boils.
"Don't be stupid," Harry said with a warm grin, "I don't care- and, rumors like these don't last long."
"That article is full of lies." Y/N said bitterly, regretting reporting Skeeter to Dumbledore.
"Well... it is right about one thing..." Harry said slowly, a cheeky grin appearing on his face, as the two reached the entrance of the hospital wing. "You are 'undoubtedly pretty'..."
"Harry, not the time!"
"Sorry!"
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Y/N had missed her History of Magic class, which she didn't complain about.
Madam Pomfrey had given her a healing potion, which healed her boils in no time, leaving only several painless bruises on her fingers.
Once Y/N got her hands wrapped up, she quickly grabbed her bag and skipped down to the grounds, at the skirts of the Forbidden Forest, where Care of Magical Creatures took place. It was one of her favorite classes.
Around twenty students were there, still waiting for Hagrid's arrival. Harry, Ron and Hermione's face lit up, as they caught sight of Y/N.
"Hullo," Harry grinned at her, as Y/N approached him, Ron and Hermione. "How're your hands?"
"Better. Thank Godric." Y/N said, smiling brightly at Harry, who gently grabbed her wrist and examined her bandaged hand.
"Ah, look who's back!" Malfoy said in a fake enthusiastic tone, his friends sniggering beside him. Pansy Parkinson was cackling loudly already. "Harry Potter's promiscuous girlfriend!"
Lavender and Parvati gasped and threw Malfoy a disgusted look. Harry and Ron immediately turned to him and pulled out their wands, pointing them directly at Malfoy's chest.
"Don't do it!" Hermione hissed at her two friends. "He's not worth it."
"Call her that again, and your father won't be hearing about you ever again." Harry said loudly, not lowering his wand. Several students around them 'ooh'ed annoyingly.
"Is that a threat?" Malfoy scoffed, pulling out his own wand. "Is that a threat, Potter-?"
"Hullo, everyone! Welcome to- what's goin' on, Harry?" Hagrid came marching from his hut, dragging three large wooden crates with him. "Aye, don't do that. Lower yer wands, all of ya."
Harry and Ron glared a Malfoy harshly, before grimly putting their wands back inside their robes. Malfoy smirked at them and did the same.
"I don't wanna see nun o' that in my class," Hagrid shook his heads, putting the three crates on the grass in front of him. "Now... let's start, shall we?" He looked around brightly.
"No, let's just wait on," Malfoy said sarcastically. His friends howled with laughter.
"Ok... er-" Hagrid laughed weakly. "Today we'll be learning about Nifflers. Now, who can tell me what they are?"
Hermione's hand quickly shot up in the air, like always, but Y/N was faster. She quickly raised her bandaged hand up enthusiastically and smiled.
Harry grinned at her and looked away, trying not to suppress his laughter. He was going to have fun teasing her the whole class. Y/N noticed his grin and threw him a look.
"Ah, Y/N! Go ahead, tell us," Hagrid said, pointing to Y/N brightly.
"Nifflers are harmless creatures similar-looking to platypuses," Y/N started confidently, "they're attracted to shiny things, making them wonderful for finding treasure. But they can wreck homes really easily, so not many people have them as pets."
"That's correct, 10 points ter Gryffindor," Hagrid smiled at Y/N proudly.
He opened one of the crates and picked up a cat-sized grey Niffler. The class 'awe'd as the fluffy Niffler kicked Hagrid's hands uncomfortably.
"That's you," Harry whispered to Y/N, making her roll her eyes. "Niff,"
Hagrid placed the grey Niffler on a tree stump, and it immediately leapt forwards and tried to grab Pansy Parkinson's watch.
She shrieked and jumped away, causing the Gryffindors to laugh.
"You see?" Hagrid chuckled, grabbing the Niffler and placing it back inside the crate carefully. "Now, I've buried some gold coins in ther patch near the woods. Choose a Niffler an' take off all yer valuables- an' yer ready to go. Person with the most collected coins, gets a prize!"
And with that, Y/N quickly hurried forwards to the crates and picked out a black and white spotted Niffler. It sniffed her bandaged hands curiously, before hopping into her arms effortlessly.
"Yours likes ya, Y/N!" Hagrid laughed. "Good job!"
"Oh please, every animal is in love with her." Ron said with a chuckle, as he grabbed a fat black Niffler from the crate.
"Did you just call Harry and animal?" Hermione asked Ron with a grin. Ron and Hagrid burst into laughter and Y/N and Harry ignored her.
"Mine's faster than yours, Harold!" Y/N said teasingly, as her Niffler started digging Hagrid's patch, alongside Harry's. "Gosh, they're adorable."
"Explains why you've got that nickname," Harry whispered, leaning into her. Y/N looked up at him with raised eyebrows, and they both bursted into a fit of chuckles.
"Eugh, I should leave." Ron muttered grimly, stepping away from Y/N and Harry.
"Oh stop it," Hermione chuckled, crossing her arms, as her Niffler started digging. "You were the one who brought them together in the first place, Ronald."
"It's not only me!" Ron defended. "It's practically the whole bloody school- oh Merlin, my Niffler's discharging galleons."
Hagrid and Y/N chuckled as a rain of gold coins poured from Ron's brown Niffler.
Y/N's Niffler trotted back to her, moments later. She gently grabbed it by the scruff and patted its back, a good amount of gold coins falling from its front pouch.
Harry watch dreamily as Y/N laughed and picked up the gold coins, patting her Niffler on the head proudly.
At the end of class, they counted their coins, and turns out, Ron's Niffler was the fastest and collected the most coins.
"Bravo, Ron's Niffler!" Hagrid laughed, clapping loudly for Ron. "Very good. Here's you prize." Hagrid handed Ron a big lot of Honeydukes' finest chocolates as the class clapped. "And I wouldn't do that if I were you, Goyle. The coins are fake."
Goyle's face dropped and he sadly emptied his pockets of fake gold coins.
"I miss my Nifflers at home." Y/N sighed, as the Quartet returned to the castle. "Why don't they allow Nifflers as pets?"
"Dunno, maybe because they'll empty the castle in five seconds." Harry said with a shrug, smiling in relief at Y/N's lighter mood, as they walked back to their common room.
"Hey, look!" Ron pointed to the billboard next to the Great Hall. "Hogsmeade trip, next week!"
"Brilliant!" Y/N and Harry said at the same time. Harry caught her glance and grinned.
"Oh, we're going to meet up with Snuffles!" Ron whispered excitedly.
"I still don't think that's a good idea." Hermione said disapprovingly. "They're still after him and he's worth a very high prize-"
"Keep your voice down, will you?" Harry said quickly, looking around cautiously. "And he'll be safe, Hermione. He's hiding in a deserted cave. No one goes there."
Hermione gave him an unsure look, but remained silent.
"Wonder what Lupin's doing, these days," Ron said curiously. "I mean- what jobs can he do with his... problem?"
"Ron, he's a werewolf, not a stray dog," Y/N said grimly. "He probably has a job, I mean- what did he do before becoming a professor?"
"No idea," Harry shrugged. "I mean, he's related to you, isn't he? Does he ever visit you?"
"No- my parents don't talk to him anymore, remember?" Y/N said quietly. "Still don't understand why..." Y/N was still confused as of why her mum would leave her best friend and cousin just like that, after one mistake he's done.
"I'm sure they have their reasons." Hermione said gently, reading Y/N's expression. "Plus, it's safest for everyone, trust me. I've done my research on werewolves. Hiraeth."
The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open, and the four Gryffindors climbed inside, into their common room.
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"I haven't been here for so long." Y/N sighed happily, looking around at the sight of the peaceful Hogsmeade village. "Aw, I didn't get to see the snow-covered roofs this year."
"What do you mean?" Ron frowned. "Didn't you come here in December?"
"I- er... didn't." Y/N said, blushing slightly. "I was...-"
"-pissed with Harry for asking Cho to the ball," Hermione grinned cheekily. "and didn't want to see him here?" Y/N glared at her.
"So petty of you," Harry said, mocking a childish pout.
"Harry, you didn't come, too!" Ron chuckled, punching Harry slightly on the arm. "You said you didn't want to bump into Y/N-"
"Shush, Ron-!"
"HA! You hypocrite," Y/N smiled triumphantly. "so petty of you."
The Quartet laughed and shoved each other around, as they walked up the hill at the back of the village, to a small and deserted cave, far from the shops and the people.
It wasn't snowing anymore, thankfully, otherwise Sirius might've froze to death, from the low temperature inside the cave.
Y/N breathed in deeply, before following Harry's lead into the cold cave, Ron and Hermione following behind.
"S-Snuffles?" Harry called out, shaking nervously.
"Harry, careful." Y/N's aid warningly, looking around the cave.
"Harry?" Came a familiar deep and raspy voice. "Y/N?"
Moments later, a tall and skinny man with long locks of black hair and dark grey eyes stepped from the shadows of the cave. Sirius was slightly more cleaner and well dressed than the last time they saw him, last year. And he was wearing a calmer and kinder expression.
Harry and Y/N sighed happily and rushed forwards, into Sirius Black's open arms.
Hermione and Ron watched happily as the three chuckled and hugged each other in relief, each muttering a breathless 'hey'.
"You two have grown a lot," Sirius said with a hollow chuckle. "Hey, Ron, hello, Hermione."
"Hello, Sirius." Ron and Hermione grinned back, each shaking hands with Sirius.
"I would love to talk to you all, but-" Sirius glanced at the basket of food in Harry's hand. "Can I have some food? I'm starving."
Harry laughed and handed his godfather the basket of food that Dobby the house-elf had prepared for him.
"Chicken!" Sirius exclaimed brightly, attacking the chicken wings hungrily. He chewed and chuckled. "This tastes way better than the rats around here."
Ron made a face, and the other three laughed, waiting patiently, as Sirius consumed every single food in the basket.
"I've got more," Harry handed him a large bag of food.
"Brilliant- thank you, you can put it in the corner there, for later." Sirius smiled, motioning to the small corner of the cave, where Y/N saw several dead rats piled up.
"How are you, Sirius?" Harry's asked.
"Oh, I'm good, I'm very good." Sirius said. "I lived in an actual house for a while- got cleaned, got some new cloths- but I've traveled back here, last month."
"You really shouldn't have." Harry said guiltily. "My scar doesn't hurt anymore."
"Harry, I'm you're godfather." Sirius said seriously. "It is my duty to protect you- to make sure you are OK."
"It's all good here, Sirius." Harry said firmly. "Nothing to worry about-"
"What happened to your hands, Y/N?" Sirius frowned, grabbing Y/N's wrist and examining her scarred fingers. "Who- who did this?"
"Hate mail." Y/N said shortly. "It's all good, now."
"Hate mail? From whom?" Sirius demanded, his eyes getting dark and dangerous.
"Rita Skeeter published another shitty article." Ron said with a scowl. "Spreading rumors that Y/N was cheating on Harry-"
"Choose better words, Ron." Y/N said grimly.
"Wait, wait, wait-" Sirius put up a hand and looked between Y/N and Harry with a slight smirk. "You two- you two are together?"
"Well... you can say that." Harry said, his face turning pink. Y/N grinned at looked away, trying to hide her suddenly red face.
Since they've reunited, they decided to keep their relationship moderate, and not label it as anything. Harry knew he liked Y/N as more than just a friend, and he knew Y/N felt the same.
The shortest way to explain their relationship to someone, was to just say that they were together.
"That's wonderful!" Sirius chuckled hoarsely, Patting Y/N and Harry on the shoulder. "James would be so proud of you- you're lucky to have Y/N, Harry. I knew from the moment I saw you two together... I just knew."
Harry didn't know what to say, but grinned widely at his godfather and no-longer-best-friend.
"Er- anyways," Y/N stared weakly. "Aren't we here to discuss about the tournament? The final task?"
"Right. Yes." Sirius quickly nodded, giving Harry a wink. "The tournament- how're you keeping up, Harry?"
"Everything's alright, so far." Harry said with a shrug. "Still have no clue what the final task will be. But that's not until three months-"
"You have to be prepared, Harry." Sirius said with a slight frown. "Practice your spells, do some research. You don't know what awaits."
"Yes, I know." Harry nodded. "Sirius- do you have any clue who put my name in the Goblet in the first place?"
"I'm betting on Snape." Ron quickly said.
"Don't be stupid," Hermione huffed. "Dumbledore trusts Snape-"
"You still believe in that BS?" Ron scoffed. "Undercover death eater, if you ask me-"
"What do you think, Sirius?" Harry interrupted, tired of Ron and Hermione's bickering.
"I can't be sure, Harry." Sirius said thoughtfully. "Let's go over everyone, shall we?"
"Snape." Ron said grimly.
"I honestly don't think it's Snivellus." Sirius said with a shrug.
"What-?"
"Not under Dumbledore's watch, no," Sirius said loudly. "I don't trust him completely too, Ron- but he wouldn't do anything, right under Dumbledore's nose."
"OK, not Snape," Ron said, his ears turning red. "any other suggestions?"
"Ludo Bagman?" Y/N suggested. Harry laughed.
"Bagman? Nah, can't be." He said with a chuckle. "That man's clueless. Any background on him, Sirius?"
"I just know he used to be beater for a famous Quidditch team." Sirius shrugged. "No suspicious records. What about Barty Crouch Sr? Seen him lately?"
"Well... he looked really sick, from what I've seen, last time I saw him." Harry said thoughtfully. "Haven't seen him since the second task."
"It could be..." Hermione frowned. "Do you know anything about him, Sirius?"
"Oh, yes, Mr Crouch..." Sirius nodded. "Let's see... he was the one who sent be to Azkaban without a trial."
"What?" The Quartet bellowed. "B-but why-?"
"He loved capturing dark wizards." Sirius said with a scowl. "Imprisoned his own son."
"His son was a death eater?" Y/N exclaimed. "What happened to him?"
"We don't know exactly if he's a death eater or not." Sirius shrugged. "But according to Igor Karkaroff, he is."
"Not Karkaroff again," Y/N sighed. "that man's suspicious."
"Well, Crouch Sr believed him." Sirius continued. "Sent his own son to Azkaban- the boy died a few months later."
"He died-?"
"He's not the only one." Sirius said darkly. "Many people go insane in there and perish. Some took their own life."
"That horrible." Hermione piped. "Crouch sent his own son to die without any evidence?"
"My brother is his personal assistant, Sirius." Ron said. "He'd done stuff like this before. Sending people to Azkaban without reasoning."
"But that's just- that's not fair!" Y/N said impatiently.
"Life isn't fair, Y/N." Sirius said with a smile. "Innocent people die, and evil people get what they want. It happens."
Harry knew Sirius was referring to his parents and Voldemort.
"What time is it?" Sirius asked Hermione.
"It's... a quarter to four." Hermione replied.
"You should be heading back, then." Sirius said with a loud sigh, rubbing his hands together. "Please don't try to sneak out of school to see me. I don't want you to get attacked."
"No one's attacked me yet," Harry shrugged. "Accept for a mother dragon and a few Grindylows."
"I don't care." Sirius said with a scowl. "I'll breath freely again once this tournament is over- and that's not until June. Y/N, how're Alexis and Sean?"
"They're... doing alright." Y/N replied. Truth was, she didn't know how they were doing. "Dad's working at the ministry and Mum is busy with Auror stuff."
"That's great." Sirius smiled. "Cant wait to meet them and Remus after all this is over."
"It will be over soon," Harry's said firmly. "We'll get your name cleared and you'll be a free man again. I promise."
"I appreciate your intentions, Harry." Sirius laughed weakly. "Stay safe, please- all of you."
"You too, Sirius." Hermione said with a bright grin.
"Alright. Now, go back to the castle." Sirius quickly gave all of them a pat of the shoulder and sighed. "May we meet again."
"So dramatic." Y/N grinned cheekily.
"Oh, shut up, Scamander." Sirius teased back, giving her a wink.
Y/N, Ron and Hermione waved at Sirius and ducked out of the cave, breathing in the fresh air outside.
"Harry, wait." Sirius stopped the raven haired boy, just as he was about to exit the cave.
"Yes, Sirius?" Harry turned back to his godfather.
"Take care of her. Alright?" Sirius said quietly, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Take care of Y/N. She has a special ability that no one else in the world has."
"Wait- You know about her power-?"
"Yes, I do." Sirius replied quickly. "It with benefit her and bring danger to her-"
"But why-?"
"Just stick with her, Harry." Sirius said firmly. "That'll be enough, for now. You don't want to lose each other."
Harry felt slightly guilty at this- he had just made up with Y/N from a very stupid fight. And Sirius wanted him to always be there for her.
"Yes. I promise." Harry said with a nod.
"Harolddd!" Y/N called form outside the cave impatiently. Sirius and Harry looked up with a smile. "You still in there?"
"Coming, Niff!" Harry said back with a grin on his face.
"The father and son talk." Y/N chuckled, looking back at Ron and Hermione. "He finally has a father figure."
"Wait until his name is cleared." Hermione beamed, feeling happy for her friend.
"Poor Snuffles." Ron said with a sigh. "Having to live off of rats."
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"Miss Scamander... Miss Scamander-"
"No."
"Miss Scamander, this is urgent- please wake up."
"Y/N, wake up, you little idiot."
"What?!" Y/N immediately sat up straight, with a loud gasp. "What're you doing here, Rolf-?" To her shock, Professor McGonagall and her brother were crouching over her, with a lamp shining over her head, both in their pajamas.
Rolf's expression was blank, and his hair was still messy, along with his tired eyes.
Y/N rubbed her eyes and her roommates stirred in their sleep.
"W-what's going on?" Whispered Hermione's small voice. She had woken up.
"Miss Granger, go back to sleep." Professor McGonagall said stiffly.
"But what's happening? Rolf? Is Y/N alright-?"
"I'm alright- go back to sleep." Y/N said, fully awake. Hermione blinked in confusion, but disappeared back under her covers. "Professor- Rolf- what's going on?"
"I'm taking you to Professor Dumbledore's office." Said McGonagall. To Y/N's horror, the professor's eyes were red and teary. She'd never expected Minerva McGonagall to cry in front of her students.
Y/N quickly nodded and threw herself out of bed.
"Quickly." Professor McGonagall said shakily.
Y/N glanced over at Hermione's bed, but couldn't see anything in the dark. So she quickly followed her head of house and brother out of her dormitory.
"How'd you get up here?" Y/N asked Rolf. "It's the Gryffindor common room- and aren't the stairs supposed to turn into a slide if a boy comes up here?"
"I've fixed that," Professor McGonagall said quietly.
"Oh, OK..." Y/N was beyond confused, that she didn't know what to say or ask anything. She glanced at Rolf, who was now pale in the face. "Professor... is everything alright?"
"I... will let Professor Dumbledore talk to you." said McGonagall. "He'll answer all of your questions."
"Is it something to do with my O.W.L.s?" Rolf asked. "Because I assure you that I've been studying-"
"No, Mr Scamander." Professor McGonagall replied briskly. "Now please, no questions until we reach Professor Dumbledore's office."
"Yes, ma'am." Rolf muttered. "You alright, Niff? How're your hands."
"They're healed." Y/N replied quietly. But her mind was somewhere else... something was off. Something had happened, and she didn't know if she was ready to find out what is was.
"Students out of bed! Students out of-!"
"Mr Filch, they're with me." said Professor McGonagall, as the three past Filch's office.
"Oh- yes, Professor." Filch the caretaker nodded and stepped back into his dusty office.
After long minutes of walking to the cold and silent castle, they reached the Griffin statue in front of Professor Dumbledore's office. Y/N remembered the last time she entered the place- when she reported Rita Skeeter to Dumbledore.
Professor McGonagall hurried up the stairs as Y/N and Rolf trotted after her curiously. Y/N could feel her whole body tremble from her nerves and confusion.
Without knocking on the door, Professor McGonagall quickly entered Dumbledore's circular office, which caught Y/N by surprise.
As Y/N entered the room after her brother, she could feel her whole body stop malfunctioning.
The people inside the room were the people that she least expected, to gather inside Dumbledore's office in the middle of the night.
Behind the desk in the middle of the room, was Dumbledore, himself- without his usual calm smile on his face.
Sitting in front of the desk was a middle-aged wizard with grey hair, tired eyes and scars all over his face- Y/N recognized the man immediately.
In the man's trembling arms, was a younger witch in her twenties, with a heart-shaped face and beautiful icy blue hair. She was crying uncontrollably, as the man patted her back gently.
Next to the two, was a tall old wizard with pure white hair and a heavy blue coat. He looked up at Y/N and Rolf and a tear rolled down his freckled cheek, his eyes full of sadness.
"G-Grandpa?" Rolf stuttered, gaping at the people in front of him. "Professor Lupin? Who's-? W-what?"
Y/N felt her heart sink deep into her stomach and her lips trembled, as she scanned the room for the second time, to make sure she wasn't dreaming. This wasn't good.
"W-what's going on?" Was all she managed to say.
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A/N ~ Sorry for the cliffhanger everyone. LOTS of things will be told and answered in the next chapter- feel free to comment your theories.
Happy new year :)
-ScribblingQuills