Hey everyone,
So this story is going to make V.L. Crawford pretty much hate me, but it has been in my head ever since halfway through June. However, it was that holiday at the end of July that made me feel this story had to take a backseat, so I didn't start on this until all chapters for June and July were written and ready to go.
Anyway, this story was something that I started thinking about after writing June's chapter for To Read And To View and I don't think I need to tell you what part of that story inspired me to write this. However, the start of this story will feature a Male!Harry, but he won't remain that way for more than 1 or 2 chapters.
Hope you enjoy,
Venquine1990
Jillian Forge Potter
Chapter 01
The Attack
31st of October 1994
Ante Chamber, Hogwarts
Dumbledore's POV
The Tri-Wizard Tournament. An event that was supposed to give my staff a chance to calm down from the events of the last three years. An event that was supposed to give me potential new allies in case Voldemort returns. An event that was supposed to give my favorite student a chance to be just a teenager for a year.
"I should have known better. I should have taken Pettigrew's escape more seriously. I should have done more to keep the Goblet safe. I should have realized that Sybil's last prophesy could happen at any given time. I should have realized that Frank and Bertha's disappearances were signs for things still yet to come."
This goes through my mind as I watch the Heads of Beauxbattons and Durmstrang argue with Severus and Minerva, while Barty, Ludo and the actual Champions have already left the room, Barty and Ludo to go back to the Ministry and the Champions back to either the ship and carriage for the foreigners or the dorms for my own students.
And while I hate that I had to be so brutal with Harry to get the truth out of him, did I feel the need to defend his rights and honor from the other Heads as Madam Maxime and her Champion proved they were willing to believe anything, except Harry himself. Yet in the end whether they believed him or not didn't matter.
And while I really worry for Harry and what he will face in the Tasks ahead, do I know that trying to change them to make them a little easier now will just worsen everyone's opinion on the boy and he really doesn't deserve that alongside everything else he will soon face. "At least he will have his friends to support him."
Goes through my mind, but then everyone gasps as the magical essence of the room somehow seems to feel a whole lot stronger before a trophy case that is standing near us all freezes over with a magical light. And the vision that shows on the ice has Severus scoff as he says: "And of course Potter – why did he get pulled in like that?"
He asks in shocked confusion before I rush for the door and shout at the others to follow me. This because the scene that follows this is of Harry getting disarmed and then shot against the wall with a horribly strong force. Yet it's not this attack that has me rushing, it is the caster of the two spells; Harry's friend, Hermione Granger.
The vision then starts to follow me as I rush into the Grand Staircase and it has Minerva gasping for breath and Severus cursing as it's not just Hermione attacking Harry, asking him hurtful questions and then screaming at him when he tells the truth, Harry's other friend is there too and so is at least a quarter of Gryffindor.
"Why is nobody stopping this?" Madam Maxime asks horrified and I growl: "That's why." As I had already turned my focus on this myself and had spotted the current Head Girl, Ellen Supers, holding barriers up all over Gryffindor common room that keep the other three quarter of her House stuck behind her spellwork.
And yet, while some students, mostly the younger years, look frightened at the violence being hurled at their new Champion and while others look resigned at the fact that they can't help him are others, such as Neville Longbottom and Collin Creevey, glaring at the attackers and are Fred, George and others trying to break free.
We then reach the last staircase leading up to Gryffindor common room and while I send a silent word of gratitude to Lady Hogwarts – who I have by now realized is responsible for the vision – for allowing us to take the fastest way there, do I shout: "OPEN UP!" And a teary eyed Fat Lady does as asked, smiling in heartfelt gratitude.
Yet because I was so focused on getting to my destination and on why other students weren't helping or defending Harry, did I not really see where Granger, Ronald and the other attackers were taking their attack. And so the sight that greets me when I enter the common room has me need to keep a close lid on my magic.
"Mister Ronald Billius Weasley. Step away from Harry this instant." I hiss, my voice cold and devoid of all emotions bar my ice cold rage at the boy, who trembles as he sees me. "But Professor Dumbledore –." Granger tries, only for Minerva to spat: "Mss. Granger, you listen to the Headmaster right this instant.
You will be lucky if your only punishment is expulsion, which –." But then Lady Hogwarts touches my mind and sends me an idea of hers that makes me interrupt my trusted coworker and I say: "Will be the least of your worries. Trust me, Minerva. Severus, check on Harry. Igor, free my students and check for other barrier spells."
The two do as asked and I turn my focus on my next target as I growl: "Mss. Supers, your badge. Now." And the young woman looks at me shocked before I say: "You are guilty of holding your own House captive and cooperating in an all-out brawl that lacks all signs of a fair fight. Do you truly believe you can keep your badge?"
And the young girl cringes before pulling her badge off her lapel. Yet as she approaches us, does Granger interrupt again and say: "But Professor, we –." Yet I send her a look that proves exactly how I feel about her before deciding to deliver some very just punishment – before taking the actions Lady Hogwarts recommended me.
"Mss. Granger, I must say. You truly are a witch that just loves important dates and repeating History, don't you? I mean, here we are, thirteen years since Lily, James and Harry Potter were betrayed, that betrayal leading to murder." The girl instantly turns horrified, yet what I didn't expect was Severus sighing and saying:
"Which seems to repeat itself indeed, Headmaster." And I turn to the man in horrified fear as he says: "Potter's injuries are too severe for Poppy to have proper time to both examine him and go back and forth through the floo for her required potions, yet taking him there will juggle him and open wounds that will make him bleed to death."
Here the man turns to me with a grave look on his face as he whispers: "I'm sorry, Albus." And while tears want to gather in my eyes, do they get shocked away when the Weasley twins rush from where they were held and shout: "WAIT, WE HAVE AN IDEA!" And instantly the whole room turns to them as the left one says:
"Madam Maxime has a decent enough size that she can carry Harry safely." And before Severus can open his mouth does the right one say: "And we can combine our magic to Mobilicorpus her down the staircases, thus reducing the juggling and keeping Harry's injuries sealed." And instantly Severus snarls: "Don't say it, do it!"
And Olympe rushes for the boy, yet picks him up as if he were made of the finest of China and as she rushes for the portrait hole, do the twins shout: "MOBILICORPUS MADAM MAXIME!" And the woman is afloat even before she has to climb through the portrait, the twins saluting me and my staff before they rush her out.
"Albus, I spotted and took down a really strange ward. It was a floo ward and yet, it was designed to only let one person out and make them think the floo was occupied every time they tried. The damned spell seems to have been activated several times now since its creation." Igor then tells me and I ask: "Who's the target?"
And the answer of some Lupin fellow has me turn to Granger with a furious glare as I already know that she was responsible for this monstrosity. "Igor, inform Remus and let him come over. If he has a pet dog with him, insist the dog comes with. Also, does Severus have permission to gather Potions experts from your ship?"
The man nods and I turn to Severus: "Get every student with a decent skill – decent for you – to the Hospital Wing, Severus. All Houses, no exceptions. We can't let Halloween repeat itself." The man nods and snarls: "All those who are in their Sixth and got an EE on their last Potion, summon your kits and follow me. Seventh years, same."
And while some of the Sixth years look stunned, does Lee shout: "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? AN INVITATION TO A FUNERAL?" And this instantly spurs the students on, but then one of them gets stopped and Minerva snarls: "Don't even think about it, Mr. McLaggen, we know you were a fellow attacker."
And the boy looks shocked, but I glare at him as I know that Cormac is not someone who would easily admit to himself being in the wrong and who has a reputation of complaining and bad-mouthing the teachers that put him in detention. I then decide to prove him and the other attackers that punishment will be served.
I lie my hand palm up against one of the stone bricks of the common room wall and connect my magic with that of Lady Hogwarts, guiding her and having her guide me as we create another door in the room, this one leading to a new hallway that has a single door for each of the attackers, the doors having name plagues on them.
The students all look shocked to see this new door and I say: "Because Mr. Weasley can't be trusted not to commit the same heinous act on his dorm mates as he just tried when attempting to rape Mr. Potter, will all those who were part of this attack – and the barrier spell casting – now be transferred to a new dorm.
You will find your belongings behind the door that has your name on it and until the full extent of your punishment has been served, that room will be your dorm. No discussions." I snap in the end, furious when I spot several Lions opening their mouths to actually voice their objections to this and they all cringe and stay quiet.
Or so I believe, but then Granger says: "But Headmaster, that's just not fair." To which I coldly retort: "And disarming your former best friend before letting thirty something students attack, curse and almost kill him is fair, Mss. Granger?" Making the girl cringe before she turns her head away in reproachful guilt.
"Wait, what do you mean former?" Ronald then asks and Minerva snorts as she says: "Mr. Weasley, that you even conceive the notion that your friendship with Mr. Potter is anything other than over proves just fine why you need Mss. Granger to pass this school. You three remaining friends? Good grief, perish the thought."
The boy looks shocked and then a wary voice asks: "Do I – do I want to know?" And I see Remus standing at the fireplace, a large black-furred dog shaking his head as he stands by his side and while some of the attacking students scream for Grim, do I think: "If only that were true." Before I sigh and tell the wary man:
"Just follow me, Remus. I will explain it all as we head for the Hospital Wing. Minerva, can you ensure that these attackers go to the right dorm room?" The woman nods and I escort Remus out. Yet at the entrance, do I turn around and say: "For all of you who want to know, it was Lady Hogwarts who send us on this rescue mission."
And I leave a stunned common room in my wake, the attacking students having their mouths open in shock at how I describe what just happened and the others, mostly, wearing expressions of relief at the notion that the being that represents Hogwarts' sentient magic disagreed to this attack so much she took action to stop it.
Minerva's POV
I always believed that I felt my worst when I found out that Sirius Black had betrayed his best friend and led the Potters to their deaths, but right now I feel similar, almost worse to how I felt that night. And the fact that this time it was two friends betraying the Potters instead of one is what almost makes me feel even worse.
I have gone to stand in the center of the one room that usually fills me with more pride than when I gaze at the House and Quidditch Cup that have been standing in my office for the last three years, but that now make me feel as if I am back on that one solemn night, when the room was empty and I grieved my losses.
"Professor –." Granger then tries and the fact that her voice still sounds strong and resilient instead of guilty and weak makes me hold back on a furious hiss that wants to escape my throat due to my Animagus form and I glare her quiet, the girl taking a frightened step back before I decide to put her in her place and snarl:
"Mss. Granger, allow me to explain to you where you stand right now. You led a quarter of your House on an all-out attack against your best friend, questioned him as if he were in front of the Wizengamot and then refused to listen when he told you the exact same things he told Headmaster Dumbledore and myself.
You seem to have dodged the bullet of expulsion, but that does not mean you will get out of this unpunished. And no, Mss. Granger, I do not believe keeping you from a potential new victim is punishment enough. I even believe that the reason you are not expelled is because the Headmaster feels that too weak a punishment.
And I personally tend to agree with him, Mss. Granger. And I will also let him know of that and request with him permission to ban you and your fellow attackers from all locations at Hogwarts that are Gryffindor property. And this includes the Quidditch pitch, several spots on the grounds and finally quite a few classrooms."
And while this makes the girl in question whiten with horror, does Ronald then ask: "But then how am I supposed to Try Out for Keeper next year?" And I send him a furious glare as I can barely believe how assured the boy sounds in his belief he will be able to try-out next year as well as how he doesn't sound the least bit guilty.
"Mr. Weasley, correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that you and your fellow attackers kept the majority of our current team captive and that you also attacked the last member of the team. So why exactly do you believe I will trust you to play along with people you treat so disrespectfully, let alone try-out to play with them.
And no, Mr. Weasley, I do not believe you will manage to earn my trust back before the end of the year. And Mss. Weasley, before you even try to defend your brother, you are even more guilty as Lady Hogwarts showed me how it was you that encouraged your brother into attempting to rape the boy you owe a life debt to.
A life debt, I will only too happily remind your parents about when I inform them of your horrible actions and your lack of guilt or remorse. Now all of you who have a new dorm, please spare me the annoyance of my headache turning into a right migraine and head for your new dorms. Your punishment will come tomorrow."
And while the three people I expected to help Mr. Potter through his trials look flabbergasted that I am being this harsh on them, do the others trot through the new door and after one last stern look, do the three transgressors follow their crew of offenders and I sigh, my desire to see if Mr. Potter will make it now practically sky-high.
Yet when I turn around, do I hear Mr. Longbottom ask: "Professor, is Ronald gone?" And I turn to him as I say: "Yes Mr. Longbottom, he has retreated to his new dorm room. You can come down now. It's safe." But the boy shakes his head and says: "I'm not scared of him, Professor, I just didn't want him to try and interfere."
This confuses me and the boy walks down the intersection balcony between the boy and girl's dormitory and he says: "Lady Hogwarts worked together with the Headmaster to ensure that Ronald couldn't commit more transgressions when they created the new dorm. I know this, because this was on the floor where his trunk was."
And to my shock is his arms full of clothes that aren't Ronald's size, books that actually have nametags of other students on them and bags filled with galleons. "And this was there too." Longbottom says and he opens his hand, showing me a key that I recognize instantly due to Albus keeping it safe for years.
This just further increases my rage levels and I need to work my hardest not to hiss or snarl as I ask: "And you found this where Mr. Weasley's trunk used to be?" And the boy says: "Yes ma'am, and I know the bags are Harry's. Ron has been messing with him all year, asking him to get some pocket money and then nicking it."
And while I wonder what Molly and Arthur could have done wrong in their upraising of their youngest son, do I take a deep breath and say: "Thank you, Mr. Longbottom. Take five –." But the boy interrupts me with a shake of his head and says: "I don't deserve points, Professor. I knew this for months and I did nothing."
And just like I wondered where Arthur and Molly went wrong, do I smile at how right Augusta went with her upraising of this young man before I say: "Very well, Mr. Longbottom. Please return those books and clothes to all other students and keep what belongs to Mr. Potter to yourself. I will let you know when you can return it."
The boy nods and I sigh in relief, glad that all has been taken care of. Yet then I get a bad feeling in the back of my throat and I ask: "Mss. Brown, could you check your dorm as well? You too, Mss. Erstwell." And the two girls look gravely concerned as they nod and move up to their respective dorm rooms each.
And both of them, to my shock, come back, Mss. Brown with several fancy dresses, dress robes and books in her arms and Mss. Erstwell with several bags of money, jewelry and three fancy, high-society-looking dresses and even books on the Ancient House Of Potter as well as things like Love and Lust Potions in her arms.
Yet the girl also looks white as she hands me one of the books and the title almost makes me unable to take it from her. Submissive Partners and How To Break Them by Walburga Black, a book that has been banned from Hogwarts since a year after the woman's own graduation and that is even on the banned list of books in the Ministry.
"She was behind this, Professor, or at least the abusive part. Ronald was the one who instigated and motivated those other students, but the things done were Ginerva's plan this whole time. Professor, I – I'm so sorry. I – I swear, I had no idea she had something like this in her possession. I – I would have reported her if I knew, I swear."
Mss. Erstwell says and I hold up a hand to halt any further apologizing and say: "I don't blame you for Mss. Weasley having this, young lady. But if you feel like you need it, you can join me to the Hospital Wing for some calming draught or perhaps even a Dreamless sleep potion." But the girl proves her resilience as she says:
"No thanks, Professor, I'll be fine. You just go see if the same counts for Potter. No one here wants Halloween to repeat itself, Professor, really." And I nod at the girl, my heart twitching in concern at the very reminder and I turn back to the portrait hole, hoping that Poppy will have managed to make some headway by now.
Yet as I leave the Gryffindor common room, do I have no idea that this will be the last time that I do this as Head of Gryffindor, do I have no idea of what Albus, Severus and Mr. Potter are currently doing or of any of the other crazy events that will start happening before the night is over and last well into the rest of the year.
Hey everyone,
So that happened. And to be honest, part of me really wanted to go into further detail of the attack, but the extensive results of this attack will be part of next chapter and this will also be where several things will happen, one of them being Harry becoming the title of this very story and the number of Champions being reduced to three.
Merry Christmas,Venquine1990