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On The Hunt: Chapter 20
🕑 Added 2023-07-02 16:41:53 +0000 UTCHarry walked down the stairs into the common room and frowned at the sight that greeted him. Hermione was glaring at the Weasley twins who were giving her their usual smirks while Ron was standing to the side, looking as if he preferred to be anywhere but there.
“And I repeat, you cannot advertise for testers on the Gryffindor notice board,” said Hermione, glaring.
“And I repeat, says who?” Fred chuckled.
“I do,” replied Hermione promptly. “And Ron.”
“Don’t drag me into this,” the redhead said promptly, earning a glare from Hermione while the twins sniggered.
“Listen, Hermione. How ‘bout a deal? You’re starting your fifth year. Pretty sure you’ll be looking for a Nosebleed Nougat soon enough. We’ll offer you a cut price. 20 percent off, just for you,” Fred said.
“Or a Skiving Snackbox, if you prefer. We got both,” added George, smirking.
“You won’t find a better deal, Hermione. Market’s soon gonna boom.”
Harry took one look at Hermione’s face and knew she was going to make an even bigger scene. Sighing, he decided to intervene.
“What’s going on here?” he asked as he came over, and everyone turned to look at him. Hermione and Ron looked at him in surprise before the former pointedly turned away while the twins grinned.
“Look for yourself.”
They stepped aside, and Harry walked closer, taking a look at what new shenanigan the troublesome duo had come up with.
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Harry sighed.
“Let me guess, this is you guys testing new products to see what works and what needs tinkering with?”
“Spot on!” George grinned.
Nodding, Harry took off the advertisement and burned it away with a wandless Incendio. He ignored the look on Hermione’s face and stared at the twins.
“Huh?”
“What’d you do that for?”
“Come with me,” he said firmly and walked out of the common room, leaving a bewildered crowd behind him. The twins quickly followed.
“You won’t test the products out on students,” Harry said firmly when they came close.
“But—”
“Hold on,” Harry raised a hand and smirked. “I’ve got several brilliant test subjects in mind for you already. Feel free to try anything you want on them, as many times as you want.”
The twins stared at Harry for a second before they smirked as well.
“Okay, partner, your way it is.”
“Good. All going well in the other project as well, I hope?”
“Not to worry, partner. Everything’s fine.”
Harry nodded as they reached the bottom of the stairs and he smiled at Daphne as she came over with Tracey.
“We’ll see you soon, partner,” Fred smirked, and Harry rolled his eyes as they walked away.
“Hey,” he said, greeting Daphne with a soft kiss which she happily returned.
“And here is my daily reminder to keep your hands to yourselves until my boytoy is here,” Tracey said with a sigh. Harry chuckled.
“Does he know you call him that?”
“I think he likes it even more than I do,” the brunette grinned. Harry shook his head in amusement and watched as Neville walked down the stairs. Tracey immediately pulled him close, kissing him square on the mouth. The poor boy froze for a moment before kissing back.
“Let’s go already,” Daphne sighed, and together, they walked over to the Great Hall.
XXXXX
It was in the Hogwarts courtyard in the afternoon when they were treated to a confrontation. Scores of students surrounded the courtyard, standing near the walls and looking on in interest at the spectacle being played out in front of them.
Harry was with his new circle. They had been on their way to another meeting wherein the others would be informed of a few aspects of what lay in store for them in the future. However, the crowd of students gathered around the courtyard piqued their curiosities and they made their way over.
Professor Moody was in the middle, his staff in his hand as he stared unimpressed at the witch glaring at him. Harry almost snorted at the sight.
“Get on with it already, wench. I got more things to do,” Moody growled, adding to the ire of Dolores Umbridge as her glare intensified.
“Mind your tone. I’m the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and you shall address me as such!” she hissed.
Moody snorted, replying, “I’ll address you as I like, wench. Now get to the point or go catching insects. I don’t care.”
Umbridge bristled before she took a few deep breaths to compose herself. The usual disgusting smile on her face appeared, and Harry was amused to see even Moody looking slightly uncomfortable at the sight.
In her simpering voice, Umbridge said, “I am talking about the barbarism you are bringing in your classes and corrupting the students with, Alastor Moody. Making students attack each other in classrooms where they are supposed to learn? That is not education.”
Moody stared at her with a bored look.
“Your actions are tantamount to fearmongering, Alastor Moody. Making students fight, as if they should be prepared for something. Well, I say not!”
Umbridge looked around at the students gathered, smirking when her eyes fell on Harry.
“There is a vicious rumor circulating that a certain dark wizard has returned from the dead. Individuals who are spreading misinformation for their personal gains. They believe preying on people’s fears would earn them something. However, let me reassure you, dear students! You have nothing to fear from anyone.”
Harry felt several eyes turn to stare at him and he expertly ignored them, instead choosing to stare Umbridge down. The woman turned away from him and looked over at Moody who was still staring at her, unimpressed.
“You need to cease your activities, Alastor Moody. These are students who are here to learn, not to become another copy of a certain retired auror. You shall not be allowed to infect them with your paranoia. As a gesture of good faith, I have arranged for an overhaul of the Defense curriculum to aid you in this reform. A very accomplished wizard by the name of Wilbert Slinkhard has devoted his valuable time and devised a suitable course for students to learn Defense against the Dark Arts. I am sure you all will find it very… enlightening,” Umbridge said, gesturing toward a large stack of books behind her.
Moody’s lips were curled into a smile now, and Harry grinned to himself. He was not amused. Not at all.
“Wilbert Slinkhard, eh?” asked Moody, grinning at Umbridge’s smug smile. Her smile vanished and was replaced by an ashen look when Moody slammed his staff on the ground, burning the books away.
“You—” Umbridge shrieked.
“Listen and listen well, toady,” Moody grunted, cutting her off and smiling maliciously as a ripple of laughter echoed around the courtyard at the term, much to Umbridge’s combined embarrassment and anger. “You are a History professor here, and as such, you better stick to what you’re suited to – simple paper pushing. Leave the wandwork and heavy lifting to those who are actually qualified.”
Umbridge bristled at the insult.
“And the next time you waste my time like this, I’ll be leaving a toad in a snake enclosure. I don’t care if those snakes get diarrhea. So mind yourself,” Moody grunted and made to walk away. Umbridge quickly jumped into his path.
“You dare threaten me?” She snarled. Moody looked at her with a smirk.
“I threatened a toad. If you think you are one, it’s your problem, wench.”
A wave of laughter rippled through the courtyard, much to the amusement of a certain few. Umbridge glared.
“The Ministry is devoted to ensuring a safe learning environment for our students, and your arrogance is something everyone can do without. Resorting to childish insults is something I did not expect from you, but I guess even I can be wrong sometimes,” hissed Umbridge. “You better believe I shall be taking this up with the appropriate authorities, Alastor Moody. You will not be allowed to infect the innocents or spread fear among them.”
Moody simply ignored her and looked around at the students.
“Dueling Club’s being moved up. We’ll start tomorrow. Don’t you dare skip,” he stated, and with a final disdainful look toward an irate Umbridge, he stalked off.
“Dueling Club, huh?” Umbridge muttered with narrowed eyes and walked away.
“Well… that was interesting,” Tracey remarked casually, earning snorts from everyone in the vicinity.
“Let’s go, everyone,” Daphne said with a chuckle and they turned around to walk away.
XXXXX
Cornelius Fudge, the British Minister for Magic, sat in his office, looking over the large stack of parchment he had been delivered minutes before. It was a headache he could do without.
It all began during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. Everything had been going nicely when the Bulgarian cast the Cruciatus on the French girl. That was not the problem. The problem was the fact that the boy had been under the Imperius. Shortly thereafter, Alastor Moody, or who they now knew as an impostor, jumped Harry Potter and portkeyed away with him.
What followed was pure mayhem. The real Alastor Moody had been discovered, trapped in a trunk in the office of the Defense professor before Harry Potter returned, claiming that He-who-must-not-be-named had returned from the dead. He had never heard a more unbelievable tale, and he had outright denied it. However, Dumbledore believed every word the Potter boy said.
It was all absurd. Dead people stayed dead. They did not return to the land of the living unless they turned into ghosts. No magic existed that could turn the dead back alive. The most one could do was employ necromancy to control corpses. Nothing more than that.
As such, it made perfect sense to him to discard Potter and Dumbledore’s words as nothing more than hogwash.
He had been ready to entirely ignore the entire affair, and he would have done it. Luckily, his trustworthy aides in Lucius and Dolores had made him see reason.
Potter had tried several times to stay in the limelight. The stunt he pulled at the beginning of the third year was still fresh in his mind, and then the previous year, the boy had managed to get chosen for the Triwizard Tournament despite being a fourth year. He had thought it was another publicity stunt from a teenager vying for attention.
However, Lucius and Dolores had made him realize that something else was afoot. There was no way Dumbledore would also join in on the bandwagon otherwise.
Dumbledore had been trying to convince him that He-who-must-not-be-named had returned from the dead – an absurdity he had no intention of ever putting his faith in. When nothing worked, Dumbledore resorted to threats! He had threatened him, the Minister, that he would be remembered as the one who let Wizarding Britain fall to the dark, that failure would be his legacy.
That was the last time he had spoken to Dumbledore.
Once he explained the encounter to Lucius, his friend easily deduced Dumbledore’s intentions. The Headmaster of Hogwarts had always craved power. And now, after so many years, he wanted to consolidate it. Dumbledore had always declined the post of Minister, even though he had been offered it so many times. Cornelius knew that. However, he realized the seat of the Minister was too small for the ambitious Albus Dumbledore. He wanted more.
He wanted to be a ruler. A monarch with absolute power, and that required him to weaken the ministry enough to overthrow it, thereby establishing himself as the king. And what better way to do it than to use the fear of the masses?
Lucius and Dolores had successfully decoded Dumbledore’s plan. Weaken the public’s trust in the ministry and when the situation became favorable, overthrow it. Potter’s motivations were also easy to understand. Everyone knew the soft spot Dumbledore had for the boy, and the old wizard must have promised him to be his heir and the future king. The boy, desperate for attention, had jumped at the chance.
He realized the predicament he found himself in. He was the sole obstacle in the path of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter in their quest of taking over, and there was no way he was going down quietly. He knew who he was up against – two of the most prominent names in the Wizarding community, with both having been credited with taking down a dark lord each. However, he knew his capabilities as well.
He was Cornelius Fudge – the man who had taken over the reins of the British Ministry in a post-war scenario and had ushered in an era of peace and prosperity that their society sorely needed. He was the one responsible for every witch and wizard coming to work with peace of mind and going back home to safety. He was capable, and he knew it.
He had successfully managed to erode Dumbledore’s power one by one by taking away his positions of Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. The old man’s influence had thus withered greatly, and with the awareness campaign he had run in the national media with the help of his associates, he had successfully taken away the wizard’s ill-earned reputation as well. The same happened with Potter. The public had the right to know what the true face of the boy they considered their savior was, and he could not be prouder of the results. Now, everyone knew who Dumbledore and Potter truly were.
However, that brought about something he had never envisioned.
Dumbledore was old and more mature. Thus, he had control over his emotions and actions. The same could not be said about Potter.
Cornelius had been shocked when he heard about Potter murdering a muggle boy in a fit of rage. He had never believed the boy was capable of something like that. The poor victim was someone Potter had a bad relationship with. Potter had the motivation to do something like that, he was in a mental state to carry out an attack, and he was the only wizard in that place at that time. It was an open-and-shut case in his opinion.
He had quickly arranged for a trial to take place, and he was confident that Potter would be taken care of. There was no way he would let a criminal run loose.
However, things had taken an unexpected turn during that trial. Cornelius could not believe what he was hearing. Dementors in Little Whinging? What a load of nonsense! But Potter was somehow successful at clearing his name, and to add insult to injury, he had slapped the Ministry – him! – with a lawsuit for malicious prosecution! The trial date had been set for the Yule meeting of the Wizengamot – only a few months away, and the Ministry had to defend itself, lest his position be threatened.
That forced them to accelerate things. Dumbledore and Potter, despite losing face and power, were still strong. And that stronghold was their next target.
Hogwarts.
For decades, Albus Dumbledore had commanded power and control over Hogwarts, shaping the future of Wizarding Britain and influencing witches and wizards from atop his throne. It was time to knock him off his fucking perch.
He had heard that there was no Defense professor yet, and that gave him the perfect opportunity to send someone he trusted to save the students. However, he could’ve never imagined that Potter would corrupt Greengrass and consolidate the entire voting bloc. That was when Cornelius felt true fear. They had an absolute majority, and they could easily pass any resolution they wanted which did not require a special one. The choice of appointing someone as the Professor of Defense was taken away from him when they made it mandatory to have the decision ratified by the head of the Department of Education.
There was no way Griselda Marchbanks would help him.
Luckily, Dolores had come up with a brilliant plan which would take care of this obstacle while also improving his prestige among the masses.
They had successfully managed to appoint a meek young fellow as the head of the department and it had not taken much for them to get him to approve whatever they wanted.
He trusted Dolores, and even though she did not want to go to Hogwarts considering her dislike for teenage kids, she had agreed. That was when they hit another snag. Dumbledore had managed to get a Defense professor.
Dolores showed her shrewdness once again and took another step that dealt with their obstacle and improved his name.
Binns, who was barely tolerated by the students, was exorcised, leaving the post vacant for Dolores.
Her first report was very concerning. Potter had tortured young Draco Malfoy in the classroom in full view of everyone, including the Defense Professor Alastor Moody, and instead of punishing him, Moody had humiliated Lucius’ son. Cornelius had been livid when he heard that. Dolores’ attempt to rightfully punish the boy also backfired since there was no way to prove that Potter had indeed attacked the boy. The fact remained that it was Young Draco who had summoned the snake.
It was then that Cornelius realized that Dumbledore had surrounded himself with his puppets to consolidate his power within Hogwarts.
Dolores could do nothing. Her helpful suggestion to improve the Defense classes had been cruelly discarded by Alastor Moody, who, as Dolores informed him, was hellbent on infecting the young students with his paranoia. There was no way he would let something like that happen!
He had been contemplating what to do to remove their chokehold on the castle. Dolores, although a brilliant woman, did not have much power in the school. She was only a teacher, and as such, she could not do anything more meaningful than reporting whatever she saw.
Potter and Dumbledore seemed untouchable at Hogwarts. They were untouchable in the Wizengamot as well. And as long as they had their puppets surrounding them, it was impossible to reach them.
He had to do something to take their protection away. Dolores was powerless. He needed to ensure she had more room to maneuver. Currently, her words had little weight considering she was a teacher and an undersecretary.
Frowning, Cornelius tapped his wand against the small bell on his desk and he did not have to wait long until the boy rushed in.
Percival Weasley. The only person in that family with any brain or conscience. He had seen what the rest of his family could not, and Cornelius held the boy in very high regard for how he had chosen to do the right thing even if it meant going against his family.
“Yes, Minister? How may I help you, sir?” The boy asked, and Cornelius smiled.
Dolores could not do everything on her own. She needed help, and she would have it. Potter and Dumbledore would soon get a reality check.
XXXXX
Gabrielle Delacour walked through the corridor leading toward the library entered. She looked around at the massive racks filled with books and had to wonder just how much knowledge this room contained.
Feeling eyes on her, she turned around and saw the librarian, Madam Pince, if she remembered correctly, staring at her like a hawk. She gave the woman a small smile and walked in, searching for her target.
She found her sitting at the far end of the library, away from everyone else, and oddly, on her own. That suited her just fine, and she walked over.
Hermione looked up in surprise when someone slid into the seat in front of her. No one had ever approached her before, and she was used to spending her time alone in the library, exactly how she preferred it. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.
“Hey Hermione,” Gabrielle said cheerfully.
“Gabrielle,” the brunette replied with a nod and went back to her assignment.
“Is that the Transfiguration assignment we have to submit next week?”
Hermione nodded and continued scribbling. Gabrielle frowned.
“Come on already, I’m here talking to you and you’re not even looking at me,” she said with a pout.
“I’m listening,” Hermione replied without looking up.
Gabrielle stared at her for a few seconds before she decided to just get on with it.
“What happened between you, Ron, and Harry?”
That made the brunette stop. The quill remained still on the parchment as Hermione kept staring unblinkingly at the table. Gabrielle looked on expectantly, a small frown on her face when Hermione didn’t seem to reply.
“Hermione?”
“People drift apart as they grow older,” the brunette replied in a monotone. “It’s nothing new. Happens all the time. Seems it was our turn now.”
“That happens when you cut off contact due to distance or if you have a serious fight,” Gabrielle replied promptly. “What happened?”
Hermione sighed.
“Harry decided he was better off without us. He asked us to stay out of his way. That’s all.”
“Huh? Just like that?”
Hermione shrugged and went back to her assignment, leaving Gabrielle staring at her with a frown.
Harry had told her in a letter that things had ended between him and his friends. He had not gone into any details. However, she refused to believe that it happened without any reason. If Hermione believed that Harry decided he was better off without them, there was without a doubt a reason why he made such a decision.
“I’m sorry if I sound rude here, Hermione,” began Gabrielle, “but I don’t think you’re being entirely truthful here. It can’t be as simple as you’re making it out to be. I know Harry. He is not someone who would cut ties if he had no valid reason. You all have been friends for so many years, and he just one day decided to break it off? I don’t buy it.”
“Yeah, as always I’m the one who’s wrong,” scoffed Hermione, still not looking up. “Why don’t you go and ask him if you know him so well? He’d tell you everything honestly, right, especially considering how he was around you last year?” She paused for a moment, before adding, “Or maybe not. After all, you’re not close to him either now, are you? He’s got that Greengrass now. I didn’t think he’d swap you for her so soon. Should tell you what kind of person he is now.”
Gabrielle’s eyes hardened as she stared at Hermione.
“That was uncalled for,” she said with gritted teeth. “And don’t think I missed how you said the word ‘Greengrass’ either. What’s your issue with her?”
“What’s it to you how I say that bigot’s name?” Hermione retorted, taking care to keep her voice down in the library. “People like her deserve even worse.”
“The hell are you talking about?” Gabrielle asked in shock. She had never seen this side of Hermione, and calling Daph a bigot?
“I can’t be bothered with explaining myself to anyone, least of all you, Gabrielle. I mean seriously? Advocating for him even after how he treated you? I thought you had more self-respect,” the brunette said with a scoff. “Harry’s decided what he wants, and I’ve decided what I want as well. I’ve had enough of babysitting him all these years. I can’t be bothered to concern myself with anyone else anymore. Good day.”
Surprised, Gabrielle stared at Hermione who went about her assignment, acting as if she was not even there.
“You know Hermione,” she said, glaring. “If this is what you’ve become, it’s no surprise Harry cut ties with you. He’s much better off without your toxicity affecting him all the time.”
“My toxicity?” Hermione chuckled mirthlessly, finally looking up with a glare. “Rich coming from you, Gabrielle – the girl who was thrown aside the moment another pretty face appeared.”
Gabrielle shot to her feet, glaring at the brunette who returned the glare with equal vindictiveness.
“You have no fucking clue what you are talking about,” she hissed.
With a parting glare, the blonde turned around and walked out of the library with gritted teeth.
At the far end of the library, Hermione grabbed her parchment and viciously scrunched it before throwing it against the seat Gabrielle had been sitting in mere moments ago.
XXXXX
Gabrielle stalked through the corridors, ignoring everything around her. There was a fog of rage covering her mind, and she had to let it all out.
Hermione had some nerve... saying those things to her.
It was still a sore spot for her. She and Harry had formed a connection last year, and she knew he too felt something for her, just the way she felt it for him. They had exchanged letters for the better part of the summer, and she cherished it all.
Suddenly, she received a letter in which he told her that he was no longer friends with Ron and Hermione. She had been shocked when she read that, and she immediately sent him a letter asking what had happened between them.
She received a reply sometime later, and he simply told her they had drifted apart and that he couldn’t trust them with what was to come. She knew he was talking about Voldemort and the war, and she was left wondering once again just why he no longer believed in them.
The news of his trial was shocking, and when he was cleared of all charges, her relief was immeasurable. She had felt that level of relief only once before – when Fleur was pronounced stable. However, the trial had also driven a point home for her. Her emotions were proof enough. She loved him. She knew that now, and she wanted him to know it too.
She had already decided to move to England after coming back to France. The sight of her sister’s body convulsing under the Cruciatus still haunted her sometimes, and she had vowed to fight in this war against those who had dared to harm her family like that. However, the prospect of being with Harry was also enticing, and she wanted to make it a reality.
She had written the letter, expressing how she felt about him, telling him that she would be coming to England and attending Hogwarts the next year. She was about to sign it when she received two letters at the same time. The moment she saw Harry’s familiar scrawl, she put her quill down and reached forward to read it.
All her happiness disappeared in an instant when she read his letter, and true to his word, the other letter was from her cousin. Harry’s letter carried an apologetic tone, informing her that he was betrothed to Daphne and how it all came to be, while her cousin’s letter was even more apologetic, ending with her telling her that she wanted to discuss something when they next met in person.
Gabrielle had thrown those letters on the floor, and she had cursed Harry and Daphne for everything. It was when she was sobbing her heart out that Fleur slowly came inside her room, alarmed at finding her in that state.
It took her quite a while to finally come clean, and even longer for Fleur to make her understand why Harry and Daphne had to do it before she left her on her own to think things through.
After pondering upon everything with a calm mind, she realized the situation and the necessity of what Harry had done. She had never said anything about her feelings to him, nor had she ever given him a hint, and thus, she could not expect him to think about whether there could’ve been anything between them when he had a war to fight. He needed the alliance, and she realized Daphne needed that security as well.
She had consoled herself by the time morning rolled in, and she put the unsigned letter back in her drawer before drafting a new one, congratulating them on their betrothal. A part of her wanted to just send the previous letter, but she didn’t act up on it.
As days passed, she dedicated herself to training in the dueling arena they had at home. She was going to England, and she was going to fight in a war where death was very much a possibility. Her parents were against it, not wanting to do anything with the country that had almost taken one of their daughters away from them, but she had been adamant. She was going to help take those bastards down, and that was final.
She often thought about Harry and Daphne. There were barely any letters after her congratulatory reply, but that did not stop her from thinking about it.
Harry had two lordships, and as such, he could take two wives to continue both lines. With Daphne being the eldest daughter of House Greengrass that also did not have a male heir, it fell on her to help continue both the lines of House Potter and House Greengrass. That made continuing House Black through her very improbable.
She often thought about becoming the lady of the House of Black, and she discarded that thought every time. She could not accept the fact that she had to share her man with someone else, even though the other woman was her beloved cousin whom she loved as much as she loved Fleur.
However, the fact remained that she could not be with any other man either. It was something she had kept a secret from everyone, but the veela in her had recognized Harry as her mate, and that adamant part of her would never accept anyone else. Fleur had been concerned about that possibility, and she had even asked her about it, but she had lied to her. She did not want to worry her family even more.
It was either Harry for her or no one else.
Her emotions ran high whenever she saw Harry, and the veela cried out to her every time she saw him, asking her to give herself to him, to accept him as hers, but every time, she suppressed that voice. Her pride could not allow her to share her man with someone else. If that meant she could have no one, she would learn to live like that.
For Hermione to use those emotions like that… she could never forgive her for it. Enraged beyond belief at the girl’s nerve, she reached the classroom she and Harry used to practice the spells in, and without any care, she pushed the door open with vehemence.
The sight inside the room froze her in place before she quickly turned around and ran away.
XXXXX
To be continued…
Comments
GhostnKC
about 2 weeks for an update to this story and I'm going through withdraw after doing a reread. Great chapter
