1,243Following the conclusion of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry Potter discovers that someone has printed and spread a seditious flyer at Hogwarts that encourages the muggleborn to fly away from Magical Britain as fast as their brooms can carry them. He discusses this revelation with muggleborn and half-blood students who endorse the suggestion. And Harry learns that at the end of his fifth year, his muggle relatives can give him permission to flee.
Preparing for summer at Privet Drive, Harry asks the Room of Requirement for materials to study during the summer and he is pleased to receive a book bag full of his mother's diaries and papers written in the 1970s. Lily Evans was the brightest witch of her generation for good reason.
Following the ride to London on the Hogwarts Express, Harry spends his summer reading good and bad things about his parents, interesting ideas of Lily Evans about something new in magic (Null Space), and finally connects with the goblins for more information.
Disclaimer: This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. No ships. Bashing around everyone.
A Conversation with Harry Potter 26 JuneIt was two days after the third task and Hogwarts tried to return to some semblance of normal. After being told he had to return to Privet Drive for the whole of the upcoming summer vacation, Harry grew angry and allowed his inner Slytherin out to play.
The Hogwarts students continued their public distain for the fourth champion – even though he won the tournament. The tragedy of Cedric's death meant many people kept an eye on Harry Potter and never turned their back on him. The mystery of the injuries to Victor Krum and Fleur Delacroix meant the adults frowned and worried they'd underestimated the Gryffindor champion. Heated conversations among the judges and faculty meant Dumbledore was forced to bring forth the long-hidden rules of the tournament; inside he cited the multiple rules that stated the champions were allowed to do anything to win – anything!
That same evening, Harry had a public argument with Albus Dumbledore in the Great Hall at supper. After casting the Sonorus spell on himself, everyone heard Potter ask the headmaster about the state of the injured Alastor Moody.
'Where was the professor? What was his condition?' were the questions that Harry Potter asked in front of the assembled student, visitors, and professors in the Great Hall (Harry asked these questions despite knowing the professor had been the imposter Barty Crouch, Jr for the whole of the year. He'd realised he had to put some space between himself and Albus Dumbledore – let the headmaster keep the bullseye on himself!)
However, Albus declined to discuss an adult's medical condition (and avoided the entire matter of the imposter who'd taught DADA for Potter's fourth year). Rather than listening to Potter's diatribe, Dumbledore left the Great Hall after he muttered to McGonagall, "Let the boy speak as long as he wants. He can't say anything of importance."
Frowning as the headmaster left the chamber, Potter considered his options for a moment and then declared, "I had so wanted to thank Professor Moody for all the secrets he shared with me this school year – the spells taught in his class allowed me to avoid the spells that Krum and Delacroix threw at Cedric and me in the maze. When they tried to knock us out and leave us for the giant spiders, sphinx and squirts, I was able to deflect their spells into the shrubbery. Unfortunately, a giant Acromantulabit me in the maze and I was very confused during the fourth task."
Curious what Potter meant about a fourth task; everyone turned their attention to his place in front of the staff table. Now he addressed the whole audience of the Great Hall. "There was a fourth contest that the headmaster added without telling anyone. We thought we'd won the tournament when Cedric and I were swept up by a portkey. When it stopped spinning, we were dropped into a graveyard."
Madam Olympe Maxime of the Académie de Magie Beauxbâtons and Headmaster Igor Karkaroff Durmstrang Institute wanted to protest such a statement but immediately, they could believe that Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore could have arranged an additional task – especially if he'd finagled a way for the two champions of his school to be pulled into it after excluding their champions. The pair drew their wands to protect the young wizard's testimony before the students. Professor Sprout stood from her seat, her wand drawn and aimed at Minerva who froze in her chair. Severus Snape made certain that the other professors and adults saw him lay both hands palm down on the table, his wand nowhere to be seen.
"Cedric and I wanted to win the tournament together – for Hogwarts honour but when we landed in the graveyard, things were very confused. Hooligans like the ones at the World Cup last August had invaded the graveyard to steal everything the headmaster left for the challenge! When they saw us, these hooligans fired off a bunch of Avada Kedavra spells and one hit Diggory. I managed to get to the cup and grabbed Cedric's arm to bring his body back," Potter explained. "In the confusion afterwards, I might have said wild things about the Dark Lord returning, but today, I think – I am confident – that was the poison from the spider bite talking. There was a fourth task, hooligans killed Cedric, and I got back to Hogwarts only with the greatest of luck."
"Quietus," Potter cast on his voice and walked back to his seat. The Great Hall remained silent for another minute before Pomona Sprout, Madam Maxime, and Headmaster Igor Karkaroff headed for the doors; they would seek Albus Dumbledore and once they found him, they would demand an explanation.
At the Gryffindor table, Hermione Granger frowned but didn't castigate her friend for telling that story in front of everyone. The students from the visiting schools were confused by the great change in Potter's version of events but the British students immediately accepted it. Only Ron Weasley was confused – did this mean that Harry wouldn't get the bag of a thousand galleons. Would he not share with his best friend now?
'I better check his trunk tonight,' Ron decided. 'Don't want nothing to happen to that gold.'
CHANGE SCENE ****
A Conversation with Dobby Elf 26 JuneThe halls and passageways in Hogwarts grew quiet as the night progressed. Couples had made their way back to their dormitories, slipping around the prefects and professors without being caught. So long as the couples were headed in the direction of their respective dormitories, the professors and prefects were content to let matters slide with only two days left in the term.
The seventh years would leave in the morning and never return as students. Pomona Sprout mourned for her lost badger; Cedric Diggory exemplified the best qualities of Hufflepuff, and his young life had been cut short without any reason.
'Merlin-damn Triwizard Tournament,' she cursed in her mind. 'Dumbledore, the ministry, stupid champions, and Harry Potter.'
The herbology expert in magical and mundane herbology took three steps before she admitted to herself that the Potter boy was blameless. 'Potter acted like a Hufflepuff. A Gryffindor would have insisted on staying and fighting until everyone was dead, a Ravenclaw would freeze and analyse everything until the hooligans killed him, and a Slytherin would never bring back a body and deny any knowledge of the fate of the other champion.'
She walked passed an alcove occupied by the same Gryffindor student underneath his cloak of invisibility. Pomona headed for her office and a thimble – or two – of brandy. There were reports to write and orders for new plants to place before the school closed for the summer.
As soon as he was certain Professor Sprout was gone, Harry silently walked along the passageway and began the climb to the seventh floor. Beside the tapestry of the wizard attempting to teach trolls to dance ballet, the young wizard removed the cloak and immediately folded and hid it in a bottomless pocket on his outer robe. Then he walked back and forth in front of the blank wall three times, thinking, 'I need the room with books on wandless spells for protection.'
A single panel door – like found in most muggle homes – appeared. Turning the doorknob, opening the door and stepping inside, Harry found the layout like a bookshop in many British towns – tables with stacks of books and shelves holding even more books. There were empty tables with chairs where he could sit and read any book that interested him as well as a teapot with cups, sugar, and cream. After about ten minutes, the boy had located four books that offered promising spells such as Notice-Me-Not-Almost, Rings for Protection, Potions No One Will Notice, and Transfiguring Glamours to Hide.
There was a pop – not too loud and not too soft – announcing the arrival of Harry's nightly visitor, Dobby Elf. The elf was dressed in an outrageous outfit – purple socks, lime green pants, and a bright pink t-shirt.
"Evening, Dobby," Harry called with a smile. "How are you?"
"Dobby be better tonight knowing his Mr Harry Potter survived the Nasty Triwizard Cheaters Tournaments of Tears," the elf replied. Harry noticed that Dobby was frowning, and he'd learned not ignore the little fellow's bad moods.
"What's the problem?" Harry inquired. "How can I help?"
Dobby took a deep breath to keep from crying – his wizard was a caring boy but when Dobby cried, the tears made Mr harry Potter very nervous. The elf knew they had to help each other.
"Does you wants a good summer, Mr Harry Potters? A summer where you can read and study, eat and sleep?"
"I'd like nothing better Dobby, but Whiskers says…is making me go back to my aunt's house on Privet Drive."
"Dobby knows. And Dobby went back and looked around good at Privets Driveways this winter. Dobby discovers many, many sneaky wizard bits around house."
"Does the ministry know you were there?" Harry asked and was assured by his friend that the wizards and muggles couldn't see him or detect his magic. Then the teen asked, "What sneaky wizard bits?"
From his t-shirt, Dobby pulled out a parchment roll of parchment and asked, "Does Mr Harry Potters read runes?"
"No…I know what they are, but I didn't take the classes…"
"You be getting books and learning!" insisted Dobby. "But Dobby makes copies of runes and takes to witch who owes Dobby big, bigger than huge giant favour. She reads runes and translates."
Handing over the parchment, the elf continued, "She tells Dobby these runes be bad for muggles and young wizards."
Taking the parchment, Harry unrolled it and found the top covered with the strange hieroglyphics of Egyptian and Norse runes. Underneath the symbols were several disjointed sentences about 'house room,' 'distain,' 'servant,' and 'beating,' that left Harry pale.
"Do you know who did this to my relatives and me?"
Dobby crossed his arm and frowned, "It be Whiskers, Mr Dark Lord Whiskers!"
"Of course," Harry said, rolling the parchment up and handing it back to the elf. "Keep this just in case we ever escape from Dark Lord Whiskers grasp."
"Dobby do keep."
"What can we do about it, Dobby?"
"Dobby can kills relatives before youse go home. Puts poison in drinks and they be deader than dead before tonight."
"No! They're victims of Dark Lord Whiskers, too!" Harry insisted. "And if the Dursleys drop dead, wizards are going to investigate and try to blame me. Then Whiskers will just give me to someone worse like Snape or Mrs Weasley."
Sighing with regret, the elf stated, "Dobby can't kill Dark Lord Whiskers – other elves forbid so long as he is headmaster of Hoggiewarts Hotel."
Defeated for the moment, Harry turned back to the books. Then he asked, "Dobby, can you cancel the runes? Erase a couple of them? Or over charge their magic and make them go boom?"
"They be on tank of magic water in horseless carriage called automobiles. If Dobby overcharge, car and relatives go boom and be spread all over street."
"On the petrol tank? Does Whiskers want them to blow up? "
"This petrollies tankard be source of power in automobiles and that why runes be scribbled there."
"What can you do?"
"Dobby take all magic out of runes and washie-washie tankard to make runes fad but never vanish like stains in Mouth's pants…takes six times!" the elf mourned. "Just like stains in Mouth's pants."
Grimacing, Harry asked, "Has Ron been stealing my pants and socks again?"
"Dobby says maybe…" the elf replied, not wanting to confirm that there'd been theft under his watch.
"Put them back in his trunk," Harry said. "I'd rather go without pants under my trousers than wear ones that Ron has marked."
"Can Dobbie make 'em itchy?" the elf begged, his eyes wide and hopeful.
Hesitating only a moment, Harry gave his consent for Dobby to play a prank on Ron. Then he added, "But leave evidence that it was Fred and George who put the itching powder in the pants. I hope they have a prank war that lasts the whole summer!"
Dobby popped away to begin the prank and Harry went back to reading the spell books. The wizard decided, "I should have started this after Yule, but that blasted tournament kept my attention the entire winter and spring."
An hour later, Dobby returned with hot chocolate and a few biscuits for his wizard. The elf noticed the look of frustration and asked, "What is not being in the books you wanted to read, Mr Harry Potter?"
"I wanted some spells that could cast without using my wand and make the Dursleys leave me alone or not notice me. I have to reapply the Notice-Me-Not spell every couple hours and I can't do it without my wand."
"If Dobby goes with Mr Harry Potters, elf magic can make Dursleys not notice Mr Harry Potters except once a day. "
Glad to hear this news, Harry asked, "Just once a day?"
"Elf magic renews when sun comes up every morning."
"So, when I feed them breakfast, they'll not notice me anymore that day."
"Feeds them breakfast?" asked Dobby, scandalized again by Mr Harry Potter's relatives. "Be elf work to feed muggles breakfast!"
"Yes, Dobby, you can prepare breakfast invisibly and make them not notice me all summer."
"Mr Harry Potters be studying runes and magicals books all summer. Dobby does chores and Mr Harry Potters gets exercise, foods, and rest to be able to race up seven flights of stairs at Hoggiewarts Hotel in September."
Harry finished his hot chocolate and agreed, "That sounds like a great plan for the summer."
The young wizard made notations in a book about these four titles to study next year so he could avoid the Dursleys using his own magic.
'What shall I study this summer?' he wondered. 'I can ask Hermione for the books from her classes on Runes to start my studies there.'
On impulse, Harry asked the Room of Requirement, "Hogwarts, do you have anything you recommend that I study this summer?"
There was a flash, and another table appeared. First there was a large leather tooled book bag. The name tag read 'Lily Evans'. Beside the bag was a stack of bound parchments intermixed with muggle notebooks. In a very neat handwriting, the notebook on top was labelled, 'How to Use Null as a Weapon'.
The title certain captured the teenager's attention. And then he noticed the name of the author – Lily Marie Evans. And the name Evans was struck thru in another person's handwriting – POTTER.
Opening the cover, he found the title repeated and this time, a masculine handwriting had written By: James Fleamont Potter. Underneath the large name was the feminine script, Lily Marie Evans. Again, the Evans was struck thru and the same masculine hand had written POTTER.
After glancing through the notebook, Harry said, "Dobby, I think I've found some notebooks written by my mother…and maybe my father. I don't want anyone to know that I have them – only you that is. Can you cast a glamour on them to be something innocuous?"
"Dobby not know innoculouses. What does Mr Harry Potter means?"
Grinning, Harry explained, "I want the label on the books and papers to be something that other people will not want to read or nosey people would want me to read."
"Like Hoggiewarts, A History? Or Ten Thousand Kitchen Charmses? Or Bloated Biographies of Albus Many Names Dumbledore?"
"Yeah, like those titles," Harry agreed with a laugh.
"Dobby can do. And better, Dobby makes duplicationable copy and leave these originals here, safe in the come and go room until next year."
Slipping the glamoured books into his mother's book bag, Harry pulled out his cloak of invisibility and made his way back to Gryffindor Tower. It was 2:00 AM and he needed a couple hours of sleep.
CHANGE SCENE ****
A Conversation with Justin Finch-Fletchley 27 JuneFor the third morning in a row, Ron Weasley overslept, and today, Ginny was late coming down to the Common Room, so Harry Potter escaped from the Gryffindor Tower without a Weasley enforcer to drive away students from other houses. In the Great Hall, Justin Finch-Fletchley got up from the Hufflepuff table and approached Harry Potter as the Boy-Who-Lived prepared to sit for breakfast. There were only three days left in Harry's fourth year and he had yet to decide which was worse – the year he'd just survived or the forthcoming summer with his relatives.
Coming closer, the taller Hufflepuff student spoke in a low voice that couldn't be overheard without use of an obvious spell.
"Potter, if anyone asks, I spoke to you to simply say 'thank you' for bringing back Cedric's body. Hufflepuff needed to be able to mourn his loss," Justin said as he raised his right hand and moved it forward. "Now, when I shake your hand, I'm going to pass a folded-up paper to you. Stick into your pocket and read when you are alone. Don't show it to Mouth and be careful before you talk about it with Granger."
Shaking the other wizard's hand, Harry felt the paper stick to his palm, and he moved that hand to a pocket in his robes – one that Dobby had charmed to be closed to anyone but Harry. Bowing his head slightly to the Puff, Harry asked, "Why not?"
Justin smiled as if trading pleasantries but said, "Weasley will deny everything the paper says, argue with you about it, and report to his Dark Lord. I don't think Granger has decided how she feels…I fear she still worships her Dark Lord."
Understanding that Justin meant Dumbledore was a dark lord made Harry shiver – it mirrored his own thoughts since Halloween and the three tasks. With a few words, Harry thanked Justin and turned away. Even before Justin was back at the Hufflepuff table, Ron ran into the room and quickly discovered someone – Finch-Fletchley – had spoken to Potter without him there to act as a filter. Lavender Brown was a reliable informant.
"Hey, Harry! What did the Puff want?" Ron demanded to know as he pushed Neville down the bench so he could sit beside the Boy-Who-Lived.
"Oh, talking to me now, Weasley?" Harry asked acidly. Their friendship never recovered after last Halloween's spat when Ron accused Harry of cheating to enter the fourth task. And in the second task, Harry left Ron underneath the lake to rescue Hermione Granger. The judges had fits, but Harry hadn't cared about the poor points awarded. This morning, Harry wanted to aggravate Ron so he added, "And I don't have a thousand galleons that you can try and pilfer. Did you notice they weren't in my trunk this morning?"
"You're so high and mighty!" scowled Ron. His mother and Dumbledore forced him to act friendly again with the almost-mudblood Potter. "How'd you lose a bag with a thousand galleons this fast! The minister gave it to you the other day!"
"Couldn't find the bag of galleons when you searched my trunk last night, yeah?" Harry asked and enjoyed the fury that engulfed Weasley's face for a moment.
Harry turned to his food and tried to ignore Mouth as he ate enough food for three people. After reigning in his temper and turning his attention to the food, Ron persisted with the interrogation, "What did that duffer want?"
Quickly losing patience, the dark-haired boy revealed, "Finch-Fletchley thanked me for bringing back Cedric Diggory's body."
"Stupid Puffs…what's they want his dead body for?" Ron mumbled thoughtlessly.
"Isn't he…wasn't Cedric a neighbour of your family?" asked Harry, the true surprise evident on his face. "Mr and Mrs Diggorys are friends with your parents. They will want to have a funeral."
Ron huffed and fell silent, but some Puffs had heard the exchange, and no doubt would report it to someone who would write to his mother with a complaint. When Harry left for Transfiguration Class, the dark-haired wizard noticed that somewhere between the Great Hall and the classroom, Ron fell behind and then disappeared.
Harry decided that Ron just wanted to get the information on the conversation with Justin before departing for other activities instead of attending class. Attendance in the last classes was sparse – end-of-year exams were complete, and the professors were casual about who did and didn't appear in their classrooms. However, the young wizard noticed that Hermione wrote down every word that Professor McGonagall spoke as if this were the first week of classes rather than the last.
CHANGE SCENE ****
A Conversation with Seamus McManus 27 JuneBefore supper that same day, the fourth year Gryffindors gathered in the common room. Ron attempted to herd everyone away from Harry until Seamus challenged Weasley to a chess game. Then Weasley forgot about Potter to concentrate on the game. Relieved of Ron's presence, Harry moved to sit in a corner underneath a window with plenty of natural light. There he pulled out a Quidditch book – one of the few subjects that Ron Weasley wouldn't question Harry about reading.
Carefully and slowly, Harry slipped the paper Justin shared out of his pocket, unfolded it, and placed it on the open pages of the book. First, he scanned the page and then began again, reading it slowly.
READ THIS! All Muggleborn and Half-Bloods! READ THIS!
If you are muggleborn or a half-blood without a rich magical family, your future in Magical Britain is limited to being a low-level worker for the rest of your life! You will be a shop worker in Diagon Alley, or sanitation worker in the Ministry for Magic. Guys, you'll never get a chance to start a business in Magical Britain. If you marry a pure-blood girl, she will control your money your entire life!
Look around – there are no muggleborn or half-bloods working as Directors in the Ministry and no business is owned by a muggleborn! Get out! If you won't take my word for it, on the next Hogsmeade weekend, check in the shoppes for any muggleborn owners. The only muggleborn you will find are the workers! Ask any Aurors if they have any half-blood co-workers. There won't be any muggleborn Aurors.
If you are a girl, your future can be even worse! Before the winter holidays in your sixth year, your head of house – who is your magical guardian – will sign a betrothal agreement with some wizard's family that makes you the property of their son. You will not be asked your opinion, and you will never see your parents again! His family will decide if you can return for your seventh year or if you need to go ahead and start making pure-blood magical babies. (Don't believe me? Ask the sixth-year muggleborn witches if they're going home to their muggle parents? Do you remember any older girls who did not come back this year? And notice your head of house will not talk about them?)
Plan your escape now!
"What are you reading, Harry?" asked Ginny Weasley, trying to get close enough to read over the boy's shoulder.
Dean Thomas, who was flirting with Ginny, looked over and said, "Harry's got the Football Schedule for Manchester United this summer. Football has thousands of fans…"
"It ain't Quidditch so it can't be a real sport!" Ron commented from the other side of the room where he was beating Seamus in the chess game. He laughed, "I can't imagine kicking the blungers around on the ground with your feet!"
Watching Dean closely, Harry noticed Dean wink once before directing Ginny's attention to Witch's Fashion, a magazine with the latest styles of robes for young witches. Once Ron declared victory in the chess game, Lavender Brown sat across from Ron to play a game. Miss Brown was an intelligent witch and Harry recently realized that the young witch could have beaten Ron if she wanted.
'Why would she let Ron win?' Harry wondered as Seamus sat beside him on the couch.
"The football schedule looks good, don't it?" the Irish wizard asked. Harry blinked and didn't respond at first. Seamus continued, "Are you an Arsenal fan instead of Manchester United?"
"I like football fine but never really settled on a single team," Harry replied.
"We got that schedule back at Christmas and all the muggleborn students have seen it. The half-bloods and none of the pure-bloods care about football or read the schedule."
Looking around the room, Harry noticed that only Hermione Granger paid attention to the conversation on the couch. She quickly ducked her head away and focused on her notes from Transfiguration class.
"What do you think about the 'schedule'?" asked Harry curiously.
"It's good charms work – very selective in what the reader sees. But as a future drunk wizard, no one really pays attention to me. Dean concentrates on his sketches or flirting with Ginny, so no one pays attention to him either. My mum and dad always planned for me to be here five years and then get out," Seamus said. "We've talked to Dean's mum and stepdad in the summers, and he'll do something after OWLS."
Confused, Harry asked, "What?"
Smirking, the blonde wizard replied, "Well, see…that's the wrong question to ask."
"Why? What do you mean?"
"No one needs to know what anyone plans. Remember, Snape and Dumbledore can read our minds…pick up our ideas. I already told you too much about my plans, but my family can legally pull me out after fifth year so long as I pass three exams."
Harry stated, "So, the fewer people who know your plans, the better."
"Exactly."
Motioning toward the book and 'schedule', Harry asked, "Why didn't I get this earlier?
"Moron is a very good watch dog, blocking and preventing people from talking to you," Seamus replied. "And you were focused on the tournament, yeah?"
Not willing to argue about the nicknames the others had for Ron, Harry nodded his head to concede the argument, "Yeah."
"Justin must have decided to give it to you at the end of the year. The pureblood Puffs frown but don't say anything about it – like Neville. Longbottom understands and helps deflect Ron from getting too nosey," Seamus confided. "Justin probably thought you needed the information to talk to your muggles this summer and plan."
"My muggles?" Harry asked, his voice squeaking with surprize.
"At the end of a student's fifth year, he or she has the option of leaving Hogwarts for self-study or leaving magical education behind," Seamus explained. "Your guardians – your family – can pull you out if they want without any magical person's interference. But once you set foot on the Express on 1 September to start your sixth year, you're committed to attend Hogwarts until you sit your NEWTS."
Frowning at the notion of asking Vernon and Petunia for anything, Harry despaired. Glancing up and seeing Granger watching him once again, he asked Seamus, "What does Hermione say about all this?"
The other wizard admitted, "I think her opinion has changed this spring. We never gave her the schedule, but she knew about it. She kept quiet while researching things in the library and fought with Lavender and Parvati in their room. Both pureblood witches learned to keep their opinions to themselves and leave Miss Granger alone. Katie Bell told everyone that Hermione went all Miss Kitty McGonagall on them."
Not certain what Seamus meant, Harry thanked his friend and told him to have a good summer. Then he rose from the couch to approach Hermione and talk about the football schedule.
CHANGE SCENE ***