Harry Potter and The Secret of The Heirs

Chapter Twenty Two

The Final Quidditch Match

As Harry wandered back to Gryffindor Tower perplexed that Dumbledore had not been more surprised.

Perhaps it's part of the original prophecy; perhaps Mrs Figg didn't give it all this time.

He shuddered. Did that mean Lavender would give the rest of it? She had seen some things that she hadn't wanted to tell Harry about. Had they potentially been about him?

Two will die.

Who would the two be? And who were the other Heirs? He had to know, but how? Even Dumbledore didn't know. He decided that he, Ron and Hermione should talk to Chrystal after their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson and if she wasn't any help they should go and see Sirius that evening. The time was coming for action. Harry sensed it. There was a growing feeling inside him, especially every time he glimpsed the lion on his hip. It was clearer and clearer everyday and while Hermione thought it was cute and becoming, Harry kept searching for an explanation as to why it would suddenly appear on his hip.

They approached Chrystal after their lesson. Harry and Ron relayed what had happened to Lavender in Divination. There was a concerned look on her face.

'Their character the same?' she asked. 'What does that mean? Two will be dark and the other two light? It doesn't make sense, Harry. The three will join together to face the power of Slytherin. That's The Prophecy. How can two characters be the same then?'

She didn't give them answers. The look on their face worried them. It was obvious that both she and Dumbledore knew more about The Prophecy of Saoghal than they let on. What had been said the first time? Harry thought it must have scared her, she would have believed it to be talking about her best friends husband.

'Harry, here's your forms for the draft,' she said. She handed him a thick wad of papers, which Harry looked at hoping Ron would be able to help him fill them out.

'Thanks,' he said.

She said nothing else. Instead she sent them out of the room, claiming the need for time to think about it.

'Lot of good she is,' Ron said. 'I wanted to talk to her anyway, and she's sent us off.'

'I'm sure there's a good reason,' said Hermione. 'Besides you can talk to her another time, it can't be that important. What was it anyway?'

'School work related,' he muttered.

It was clear from the look she gave him that she didn't believe him.

As they walked down the corridor they bumped into a flushed Malfoy.

'Midnight,' he whispered as he bumped into Harry. 'Potions dungeons, come alone.'

Harry looked back over his shoulder. Malfoy was acting strange today. He had been unusually quiet in their lessons that afternoon. Harry wondered what was up. One thing was for sure, there was no way Harry would meet him alone.

He told them what Malfoy had said when they got back to the tower.

'I want you to come with me,' he said. 'We'll take the Invisibility Cloak and you two can wait outside. If I don't come out you can kill Malfoy for all I care.'

At half past eleven they met in the common room. It was harder for them to all fit underneath the Invisibility Cloak, now that they had all grown, but somehow they still seemed to manage to do it when the time called for it.

They wandered down towards the dungeon. Harry pulled out The Marauders map and ensured that Malfoy was in there on his own before he walked in.

'What do you want Malfoy?' Harry spat.

'I needed to talk to you away from anyone else,' he said. 'Do you understand I can't be seen with you? You know about this already.'

Malfoy rolled up his sleeve and revealed the Dark Mark. Harry's head ached when he saw it, in a different way to how it did when his scar ached.

'Yes, I know about your Mark,' Harry said somewhat sarcastically. 'Do you show it off to all the Slytherins?'

'Shut up Potter,' Malfoy whispered loudly and sarcastically. 'If I'm caught with you they'll kill me. I'm here to warn you. About your initiation.' He saw the confused look on Harry's face.

'You didn't get the letter?'

Harry shook his head.

'That's strange. Well maybe it's coming. It's my father's idea. You, Weasley and Granger, even though she's a Mudblood. He's planning it for after the next Quidditch match. I need you to just play along. You'll have to trust me on this; it's the only way for you to be spared. If you struggle or resist, Father will kill you immediately. The Dark Lord does not know he's bringing you; Father's trying to get into his good books by bringing you. We can get my father, but only if you play along. You have to be the last to leave the pitch. If you don't believe me you can ask Professor Àille and Professor Snape. They're waiting for you in Snape's office in fact.'

Malfoy headed towards the door.

'I'll tell Granger and the Weasel to come in shall I?' he called over his shoulder.

Harry waited for Hermione and Ron to enter the room before they headed towards Snape's office.

When they opened the door, Chrystal and Snape were sitting there. They didn't look like they had really been enjoying each other's company too much.

Snape looked like his energy had been drained. Harry looked straight at him with glaring eyes.

'Is what Malfoy says true?' he asked. 'If you're the spy, tell me.'

'Malfoy has received a letter from his father dictating the part he is to play in your recruitment,' Snape said. 'He has confided the place his father intends to take you. It is near Azkaban, on the mainland. Professor Àille will be waiting for your arrival, on seemingly Auror business with a couple of Dementors. As soon as an Unforgivable Curse is performed the Dementors have been authorised to perform the kiss. We need you to play along for this to succeed. Just don't perform an Unforgivable Curse. Or you will be kissed.'

Snape looked very concerned. Harry knew he was worried. He had risked his life for Harry and his mother, and now Harry was going to be placed in mortal danger. And there was nothing he could do about it. And what if the Unforgivable is Avada Kedavra? I'll be a lot of use then.

They left the room disheartened. It began to sink in. They were going to use them as bait. What if Malfoy had lied? What happens when they have to face Voldemort because Malfoy decided to work for Voldemort? Harry had been looking forward to the Quidditch match, especially as they were almost guaranteed the cup. Now he wasn't so sure he wanted the day to come. Why did Voldemort want to initiate him? Especially if he had heard The Prophecy of Saoghal. Harry was fairly certain that Malfoy had no idea about it because Harry was fairly sure Voldemort would just order Malfoy to kill him when he wasn't suspecting it. That might be the case. This was a setup to kill him, and Malfoy wouldn't know. What if Voldemort had heard the end? If he knew Harry's fate he may be trying to give Harry a choice. Die or serve him. Harry knew what the answer to that one would be. He would rather die than serve Voldemort. He would kill himself.

But Malfoy had said that Voldemort didn't know. How were they to be initiated if Voldemort wasn't involved? Unless Malfoy's father was going to make them prove themselves before he took them to Voldemort. That was quite probable.

Lucius Malfoy probably wanted to bring him to Voldemort to redeem himself after the Wormtail incident.

Why did these things always have to happen to him? It wasn't fair.

When they reached Gryffindor Tower Ron headed straight upstairs. He looked stunned. Harry could understand why Ron couldn't understand why Voldemort would want him; he was a Weasley after all. Harry looked at Hermione. He was risking her life, but would breaking up with her even help. If they knew that he had feelings for her they would come after her anyway.

'Herm,' he whispered softly into her ear. 'I don't want to put you in danger like this. You've got the rest of your life to live; you don't want me hindering your dreams.'

'Harry James Potter,' she said harshly. 'Don't you dare even think about calling it off because you don't want me hurt. I was aware of the risk when I got into this situation; I'm prepared to accept the consequences.'

He held her tightly before he kissed her.

'I love you Hermione,' he said.

She kissed him again and again.

Things were going to be fine, just as long as he had Hermione.

*~*

Harry was struggling to stay awake. They were in their History of Magic class. As they were in seventh year they were required to learn about the rise and fall of the Dark Arts, which mean that Harry had to learn about his defeat of Voldemort. And to top it all off he'd only gotten six out of ten for his essay on how Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord. Sure he hadn't taken it very seriously, but given that he was Harry Potter, he would have thought that he would have the best idea of how he had defeated the Dark Lord. Still it was better than Ron's effort. Ron had written a colourful story about a battle with dragons, fully illustrated with baby Harry riding a dragon towards Voldemort and a colourful interpretation of how Harry blew Voldemort up. He received a one. Seamus had written a paper that suggested Harry had not in fact beaten Voldemort, that it was all a conspiracy theory. Binns have given him zero. Most of them sat in class wondering how on earth they were going to write their final papers. They were sure that there would be a question on Harry's defeat of Voldemort, but none of them could stay awake in class long enough to listen to Binns' theories.

Hermione woke the two of them up before they headed to Potions

'Honestly you two,' she said.

They just smiled at them. Hermione had had seven years to get used to them sleeping through Binns' rambling.

Snape was especially stern in their class today. He, as usual, was picking on Neville, who was trying hard to get his potions right so that he could get a decent mark in his final Potions exam. Unfortunately it wasn't helping very much. Malfoy, in a vindictive mood after having just had to listen to Binns talk about Potter for the last hour threw a Dungbomb into Neville's cauldron. It exploded of course, all over Neville and Dean Thomas who he was working with.

Snape growled.

'Potter,' he said. 'I'm sure you had something to do with this. I'll see you after class.'

Malfoy smirked.

'You too, Malfoy,' he added.

Malfoy looked in pure surprise. Never in seven years had Malfoy ever been disciplined in Potions. Perhaps things were looking up.

When the lesson ended, Harry indicated to Ron and Hermione that they should go on ahead of him.

'I'm sorry to discipline you both, but I have to tell you that the initiation is official. You are to help your father Draco. I have been asked to inform you. And Potter, you are to cooperate or Lucius Malfoy will kill you. If I were you, I'd practice up on your Defence Against the Dark Arts. Potter, I'd be happy to help.'

He stopped talking. The two boys were still standing there.

'You may go,' he added.

Malfoy walked out, smirking. Harry felt that Malfoy was going to enjoy holding him prisoner. It wasn't exactly something Harry himself was going to enjoy.

'Why haven't you gone Potter?' Snape said when he saw that Harry was still standing there.

'You have another picture,' he said. 'I want to know why.'

'I think I've answered that question sufficiently Potter,' Snape snapped back. 'What I have done with my life is none of your business. I certainly do not have to answer to you. You're too much like your father for your own good. Now out!'

Harry left the room somewhat bitterly.

Should he accept Snape's help to prepare them? As a former Death Eater he would know what they were likely to be subject to. But Harry couldn't shake the thought of the pictures Snape had of his mother. He felt a need to know why, and the only people who could answer that were Snape and his mother. Given that his mother was dead, it would have to be Snape. Another Invisibility Cloak stunt to pull.

*~*

The next Quidditch match was scheduled just before the Easter Break. Harry had never looked towards a day with more dread than he looked toward this day. Both he and Ron struggled to see how they were going to go out there and play Quidditch, knowing what was going to happen.

Harry was taking precautions. He scheduled extra Animagus lessons with Sirius and even duelling lessons for the three of them with Snape. He could now hold his lion form for over an hour and a half. He was fairly sure he could outrun any of the Death Eaters transformed. He, Hermione and Ron practiced blocking several hexes, and Harry got Ron to continually hit him with pain curses until he learnt to block out the pain. The first time he mastered it, he received a huge shock. He felt himself floating above his body. He could see himself receiving the pain, but he felt nothing. By the time the match crept up on them they were about as ready as they were going to be.

Ron and Harry walked out onto the pitch for what would be their last Quidditch game as Hogwarts students. Both tried to hide the apprehension they were feeling, but were unsuccessful. Everyone just put it down to nerves about the Quidditch match.

'Here's the Gryffindor Team,' Ernie McMillan shouted over the loud speaker. 'Led by their captain Weasley the Keeper, then we have Finnegan, Thomas, Weasley, McDonald, Heaney and Potter'

The crowd erupted with cheers.

'Now for the Slytherin's. They're led by their captain Malfoy the Seeker, followed by Crabbe, Goyle, Bulstrode, Zabini, Baddock and Pritchard.'

The Gryffindor area began booing as the Slytherin's began cheering.

The stands were decorated with lots of banners either declaring allegiance to Slytherin or Gryffindor. Harry preferred to look at the Gryffindor signs; the Slytherin ones seeming slightly overwhelming.

It looked as though the whole school had come down to watch the play out of the fate of the Quidditch Cup.

Madam Hooch made Ron and Malfoy shake hands before the game.

Seems ironic given what's supposed to happen afterward.

Harry saw Mr Malfoy sitting in the stands looking very pleased with himself.

They mounted their brooms and Madam Hooch released the balls and blew her whistle. The Snitch was out of sight. Harry stayed high so he could look for any sign of The Snitch. At least the Slytherin Chaser's didn't seem to be as good as the Ravenclaw ones. Ginny had The Quaffle and put it through the hoop for the first score of the game.

'Ginny Weasley scores for Gryffindor, Ten points to zero. Zabini has the Quaffle for Slytherin, she's soaring towards Weasley, but hang on Dean Thomas finally seems to have managed to hit a Bludger in the right direction. She drops the Quaffle and Natalie McDonald picks it up for Gryffindor who's heading towards the Slytherin Keeper Graham Pritchard. She shoots, she scores! TWENTY ZERO GRYFFINDOR!'

Harry watched as Malcolm Baddock picked up the Quaffle and headed towards Ron, it looked as though Ron had it covered, but he managed to sneak it in, due to a dirty hit from Crabbe.

Trust Malfoy to make his followers Beaters.

'That was dirty, but legal. Slytherin score! TWENTY TEN GRYFFINDOR! Rose Heaney grabs the Quaffle for Gryffindor and passes to Ginny Weasley who scores. THIRTY TEN GRYFFINDOR.'

There was till no sign of The Snitch. Harry decided to try out the Wronski Feint on Malfoy.

'Potter's diving; it looks like he's seen the Snitch. Malfoy's following him, Potter pulls up, it' just The Wronski Feint. Take that Malfoy!'

Blaise Zabini had the Quaffle, she shot at the hoop. Ron held the broom horizontally with one hand and one foot curled around the broom. Harry had never seen anything like it before.

"Weasley performs the Starfish and Stick to save the goal. We haven't seen anything like that at Hogwarts before.'

Then out of the corner of his eye Harry glimpsed the Snitch. Malfoy had seen it too.

'Potter's speeding towards the Snitch with Malfoy on his heels. THAT"S BLAGGING! PENALTY!'

Malfoy was holding onto the end of Harry's broom. It meant a penalty shot for Gryffindor, but Harry had lost sight of the Snitch.

'HEANEY SCORES! FORTY TEN GRYFFINDOR!'

Millicent Bulstrode managed to get one past Ron, in the excitement.

'FORTY TWENTY GRYFFINDOR'

Harry caught sight of The Snitch again. Unfortunately Malfoy had too and was well on his way towards it. He put on the acceleration.

'Look's like Malfoy's seen the Snitch; he's accelerating upwards rather quickly. Potter's catching him. Whoever catches the Snitch will win the game for the team and possibly the Quidditch Cup as well. Looks like it's going to be Malfoy. Hang on, Potter's diving, Malfoy's following. I can't see the Snitch anymore. There heading straight for the ground, they're going to hit. WAIT! Malfoy's just fallen off his broom and Potter' s holding his arm up. He's got the Snitch. GRYFFINDOR WINS THE QUIDDITCH CUP!'

The stadium erupted in cheers as Harry held up the Snitch. He had won it for them, he had won it for his best friend and it looked like he had damaged Malfoy in the process. Sweet Justice.

Hermione ran over and kissed him, while it appeared that Ginny was trying to console Malfoy half-heartedly.

'I'll meet you in front of the Quidditch change rooms okay?' he said.

Dumbledore presented Ron with the Quidditch Cup.

Ron had gotten his dream. The vision he had seen in The Mirror of Erised. Ron holding up the Quidditch Cup with the whole school cheering, well apart from the Slytherin's but they didn't count anyway. Despite his five older brothers, Ronald Weasley had left his mark on Hogwarts.

Bittersweet really.

Harry was certain that Malfoy would be even more vindictive now.

He and Ron headed towards the change rooms, showered quickly and turned around to see Malfoy standing behind them.

'I'm here to make sure you behave,' he smirked. 'You victory won't be long; if you try and get away I have permission to kill you. Especially you Potter. Now come with me.'

Reluctantly they followed Malfoy as he led them behind the change rooms, picking up Hermione on the way, heading towards the Forbidden Forest.

Lucius Malfoy was waiting for them.

'You've brought me them Draco,' he said. 'Well done. You will most certainly be rewarded. Hold them then touch the Portkey'

Draco grabbed them on one side, Lucius on the other. They held the Portkey and suddenly they were whirling through the air and they landed in a deserted clearing.

Harry looked around. It was the clearing from his vision. There were surrounding trees, they looked dense and thick, if they tried to run they would probably get lost. He could hear something faintly. A sound that was not entirely reassuring. He looked around for any sign of Chrystal, Sirius or Snape but could see none. He couldn't see any Dementors either. There was nothing but deadly quiet. Malfoy must have said the wrong place.

They'd been tricked.

Damn Malfoy. He'd played them all for fools.

Harry looked up.

Lucius Malfoy glared at them. Harry felt afraid; he didn't know what was going to happen. Lucius seemed to pick up on this.

'Do you think you can just beat my son like that?' he asked. 'You are here because you have been chosen by me to serve the Dark Lord. You have qualities that he desires. He will reward me greatly for bringing you. We will expect him in a couple of hours, as it is then that the moon will be full. If you refuse to serve him, you will be killed. If you betray him, you will be killed. Do not bother trying to Apparate it is impossible from here. Do you understand?'

Harry nodded.

Are we still supposed to play along? This wasn't exactly in the plan. That sound. It was plaguing him. What was it? He'd heard it before he just couldn't remember where.

Harry felt a sense of power surge within him.

'Let them go,' he said. 'It's me you want, I'll do whatever you want if you let them go.'

A sadistic smile appeared on Lucius' face.

'I've got a better idea Potter,' he said. 'Draco, tie them up. You will do what I say Potter or I indeed will kill them. What better way to get Potter than bribe him with his best friend, a pathetic disgrace of a wizard and his girlfriend. Nothing more than a book smart Mudblood.'

Draco tied them up to a tree. He removed their wands, whispering something in Ron's ear that made him fume. Malfoy was smirking.

Must be about Ginny. Okay, concentrate, I've got to bargain. I can't concentrate with this noise. What is it? It sounded like singing.

Nis clag sein sàmhach eile deir agam: tu 'sfheuder. Àille uile leóman clag marbh.

Nis clag sein sàmhach eile deir agam: tu 'sfheuder. Àille uile leóman clag marbh.

'Potter,' Lucius Malfoy said with a smirk. The noise was getting louder; it felt like it was taking control of him. 'Are you willing to serve my Lord?'

Nis clag sein sàmhach eile deir agam: tu 'sfheuder. Àille uile leóman clag marbh.

Harry looked him in the eye. The words kept ringing in his ear.

'Over my dead body,' he said slowly and deliberately.

Nis clag sein sàmhach eile deir agam: tu 'sfheuder. Àille uile leóman clag marbh.

'Fine then, I shall have to convince you.'

Nis clag sein sàmhach eile deir agam: tu 'sfheuder. Àille uile leóman clag marbh.

Àille uile leóman, àille uile leóman.

Clag marbh.

He pointed his wand at Harry

'CRUCIO.'