Harry Potter and the Sacrifice of the Traitor

Harry Potter and the Sacrifice of the Traitor

Chapter Four

Over the next week, Harry thought of his first ever birthday party when he needed to cheer himself up. Hermione and Ron seemed to have slipped back into their way of constantly bickering again, so it was often quite tense in the Granger house. However, it all seemed hardly to matter to Harry. He was once again caught up in thoughts of Sirius, and of the Prophecy, and he became very withdrawn. The nightmares were still going on, and a couple of times he had woken up calling for Sirius. It was only a matter of time before he woke the whole house, he thought moodily. Eventually the other two seemed to notice his depression, and tried to stop the incessant quarrelling and cheer him up. Nothing much seemed to work, until one morning a few days before they were due to return to Hogwarts.

They were all sitting down to breakfast, when a sudden shriek came from the kitchen. They all leapt up from the table and rushed in, to find no fewer than four owls all swooping around the kitchen, trying to steal pieces of bacon from the frying pan.

'Stop that, Hedwig!' shouted Harry, recognising his snowy owl among the four. She hooted crossly, but allowed him to catch her and remove the thick envelope she was carrying. Seeing this, the other three owls, all obviously Hogwarts school owls, grudgingly settled on the table for their messages to be removed. They took their letters - Harry had two, and the others had one each - and shooed the owls out of the window again.

'Sorry about that, Mum,' said Hermione.

'It's all right dear. I'm used to the owls now of course, but four at once in the kitchen is a bit much to take,' Mrs Granger replied.

They went back into the dining room and opened their letters. Harry had a brief note from Lupin, which said he was well and heading back to Hogwarts to report to Dumbledore. He started to open the other letter, which had the Hogwarts seal on the back and was clearly official, but was interrupted by excited shouts from across the table. Hermione and Ron, only having had one letter to open each, had read their Hogwarts letters already.

'Look at that, mate!' said Ron excitedly. He waved the piece of parchment at Harry, who took it and read:

Charms (E)

Transfiguration (E)

Herbology (O)

Defence Against the Dark Arts (O)

Potions (E)

Care of Magical Creatures (O)

Divination (D)

Astronomy (A)

History of Magic (A)

Total OWLS achieved: 8

'Well done, Ron!' said Harry.

'I know, Mum's not going to believe I got 8 OWLs! Not surprised I didn't get Divination, but who cares - now I can give it up!' Ron said, in a state of great excitement.

Harry looked over at Hermione. She was smiling, but not as widely as Ron.

'Go on then, what did you get?' he asked her.

She passed her parchment over to him. Hermione's parents came over and looked over his shoulder.

Charms (O)

Transfiguration (O)

Herbology (O)

Defence Against the Dark Arts (E)

Ancient Runes (E)

Potions (O)

Arithmancy (O)

Care of Magical Creatures (O)

Astronomy (O)

History of Magic (O)

Total OWLS achieved: 10

'Well done, darling,' said Mrs Granger.

'Wow Hermione, that's really good,' said Harry smiling at her.

Hermione looked rather grumpy now.

'What's up?' asked Ron. '10 OWLS, wasn't that enough for you?'

'I only got 8 Outstandings though. Look, two of them were only Exceeds Expectations,' she wailed.

Ron rolled his eyes at Harry, but said, 'Never mind, I bet you beat Malfoy by miles. What did you get, Harry?'

Harry still hadn't opened his envelope, and felt strangely reluctant to do so. However, he supposed he had to find the truth out at some point. He tore open the envelope and read his results.

Charms (E)

Transfiguration (E)

Herbology (O)

Defence Against the Dark Arts (O*)

Potions (E)

Care of Magical Creatures (O)

Divination (D)

Astronomy (A)

History of Magic (D)

Total OWLS achieved: 7

Harry felt dreadful. He had only achieved an E in Potions, and Professor McGonagall had said Snape insisted on an O for his NEWTs class. He silently passed the parchment over to the others, then realised there was another note in the envelope. It was from McGonagall.

Dear Mr Potter,

Congratulations on your OWL results. You will notice that you only achieved an E in potions, and doubtless will remember that Professor Snape requires an O for any student wishing to attend his NEWT class. However, I have not forgotten I promised to help you become an Auror, and I will speak to him about this. If you still wish to become an Auror, please apply for the NEWT class in Potions, and I will let you know at the start of term whether you can attend classes.

Yours sincerely,

Professor M McGonagall

Harry felt slightly happier. He still wasn't definitely in, but if anyone could talk Snape into letting Harry attend Potions classes, it would be McGonagall. He felt able to smile and talk about the results with the other two.

'Now we've got to sign up for which NEWT classes we want to take,' said Hermione excitedly.

'Well, we need to take Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms and Potions,' said Ron. 'Shall we take Care of Magical Creatures again too, to keep Hagrid happy?'

'Yeah, alright,' said Harry.

They signed up for their five NEWT classes. Hermione signed up for Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Herbology, History of Magic, and Care of Magical Creatures.

'Just trying to keep my options open,' she said airily.

'I hope you're not trying to do too much, dear' her father said, frowning.

'Don't worry Dad, I can cope,' she replied.

In the evening a note arrived from Lupin.

Well done on your OWLs, Harry! I have made arrangements to take you all to Diagon Alley the day before you return to Hogwarts, to get all your new books. You will then all stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the night before catching the train in the morning. Another temporary connection to the Floo network will be arranged for tomorrow morning, and I will arrive at 10am to collect you.

They spent the rest of the day chatting about their results. Hermione insisted on going over the exams she had only got Es for, but they just ignored her, and talked about Quidditch.

'Now Umbridge has gone, you'll be back on the team for sure, mate,' said Ron. 'And Ginny wanted to try out for Chaser. I suppose Katie will be Captain this year, she's the oldest.'

'And there were those two Beaters to replace Fred and George, but they weren't much good,' replied Harry.

After a supper which included many of their favourite foods, they went up to bed and packed up their trunks again. Hermione interrupted Ron and Harry while they were doing this, and insisted on them getting all their clothes out again and refolding them. Ron complained loudly about how bossy she was being, but had to admit that it all fitted in a lot better when he was finished.

That night, Harry dreamed that Professor McGonagall had told him that he could only take NEWT Potions if he wore a pair of Dobby's socks to every lesson. He was trying to point out that Dobby needed them himself, but Snape appeared, dressed in the hat of Neville's grandmother that the Boggart had appeared in during their third year. Snape told him that if he was prepared to teach wearing someone else's hat, then Harry could return the favour by wearing odd socks. He pointed his finger at Harry and started laughing madly, and then his features shifted. Sirius stood there, laughing at Harry, and then a jet of light shot past Harry and hit Sirius in the chest. He fell backward through the veil, and Harry, leaping to try and catch his godfather's hand, woke up in a cold sweat, the bedclothes all tangled around him. He kicked them aside and turned over, and slept peacefully for the rest of the night.

In the morning they had breakfast, and said their farewells to the Grangers. Mr Granger had lit a fire at the hearth in the lounge, and at 10am precisely, the flames turned green, and Remus Lupin appeared spinning in the fireplace. He straightened up and stepped out into the room.

'Good morning, everyone. Are you all ready to go?' he asked.

Yes, Profess.. I mean, Remus,' said Harry.

'Right then, leave your trunks here and they'll be Translocated to the Leaky Cauldron for you,' said Lupin. He held out a bag with some glittering Floo powder in and they each took a pinch. One by one they stepped into the fire, called out 'Diagon Alley', and were swept out of sight.

They landed in a tumble of arms and legs in the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron.

'Wotcha, Harry!' said a familiar voice, and Harry turned round hastily to see Tonks smiling at them. Her hair today was lime green, but otherwise she looked fairly normal. The others all grinned and said hello, and then the five of them stepped out of the door and through the archway into Diagon Alley.

Harry had not been here since the beginning of his third year, so he was quite excited. First of all they went to Gringotts, where Hermione and Harry filled up their bags with more money from their vaults. Ron had been given some when he left The Burrow, and as they had not been in the wizarding world, had managed quite well to avoid spending it. Once again they all needed more school robes, Ron in particular having grown a lot. Harry had filled out a bit too, thanks to the better food he had been getting this summer. Their school lists said that they needed dress robes again, which he and Ron were rather worried about. Harry got some that were black trimmed with dark green, and when Ron looked longingly at them, he insisted on getting Ron a similar set, dark blue trimmed with pale blue.

'You're not getting anything else for Christmas or your birthday, mind you,' he said. 'Even if you do find more leprechaun gold.'

'Thanks, mate,' said Ron, the tips of his ears starting to go red.

Harry leaned closer and whispered: 'After all, if there's another ball, there might be a girl you actually want to ask, this time.'

Ron's ears turned a fiery red, but he was spared from making any comment by Hermione coming back with her own selection.

Then they went to get their school books. Harry crossed his fingers as he bought his copy of Most Potente Potions, hoping that he would be allowed to study NEWT Potions. Mind you, he wasn't too keen on testing some of the potions in this book, which he remembered well from the Polyjuice Potion escapade in their second year. By then it was nearly lunch time, so they all sat down and had something to eat at a little café called The Toad in the Hole. After lunch Ron and Harry spent quite a long time staring longingly in the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, where there were some very fast looking brooms. Harry knew that his Firebolt was the best of all, but it was also worth checking, he thought to himself. They were also tempted by some of the professional Quidditch robes for sale, but Hermione dragged them away, tutting to herself.

They saw Dean and Seamus out shopping, and had an ice-cream with them. Harry also caught a glimpse of Cho Chang, walking along holding hands with Michael Corner. This made him feel a bit funny; he couldn't deny that he still felt something for Cho, but it was so confused with all his anger and grief about last year's events that he couldn't sort it out. Ron and Hermione looked at him slightly nervously, as if expected him to burst out with something, but Harry had been distracted by a new shop that had not been there three years ago. It was painted bright blue, and the sign over the door had 2 grinning faces that looked very familiar.

'Look, Ron, isn't that your brothers' shop?' he asked.

'Yeah, but I don't know if you want to go in there,' Ron answered, looking slightly nervous. 'We went earlier in the holidays, and they've got some new things they're just longing to try out on people.'

They went over to the window of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and peered in. Harry could see piles of Skiving Snackboxes, heaps of fake wands, and big bundles of Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-bangs, along with a lot of things he didn't immediately recognise. The twins were behind the counter, about to tempt a small girl into trying what looked suspiciously like a Nosebleed Nougat.

'Maybe you're right,' he said, and they were just starting to turn away when a familiar voice stopped them in their tracks.

'Well, if it isn't Potty, the Weasel and the Mudblood,' drawled the familiar tones of Draco Malfoy.

Ron went scarlet, and Harry caught him by the back of his robes as he replied, 'Well done Malfoy, you've learned to recognise people at last. I expect all that screwing up your face and sneering has damaged your eyesight.'

Malfoy scowled, and Crabbe and Goyle, who were as usual standing on either side of him, cracked their knuckles angrily.

'Shut up Potter. At least I don't need to wear those huge bottles over my face,' snapped Malfoy. 'Where are your parents then, Weasley? Off trying to sell things to bribe Hogwarts to take you back? I bet you didn't get enough OWLs to stay at school.'

'For your information, Malfoy, I got eight OWLs', ground out Ron through clenched teeth. 'Not that it's any of your business. I doubt your little friends there got more than one each.'

Malfoy looked rather disconcerted about this. Harry was willing to bet that he hadn't got that many, but before he could come up with a retort, Lupin and Tonks had reappeared from around the corner.

'Is there a problem here?' enquired Tonks.

Malfoy let his eyes travel insolently over Tonks, who glared back at him, and said, 'Oh no, just having a little chat. Well, perhaps I'll see you later, dear cousin - or maybe not.' He jerked his head at Crabbe and Goyle and they slouched off.

By this time Fred and George had spotted them, so they were pulled into the shop, and given an extensive tour. By the simple method of refusing to touch, eat or wear anything, they managed to escape without something terrible happening to them. The twins did press a small bag into Harry's hands, saying it was a small token of their appreciation to their sponsor, but he resolved not to touch anything inside unless he was really desperate.

'Of course, we might try and get Malfoy to eat some Puking Pastilles, and not give him the antidote,' said Ron thoughtfully.

Harry and Tonks laughed, but Hermione and Lupin looked faintly disapproving.

'Right then,' said Lupin, 'If you've got all your things, it's about time we went back to the Leaky Cauldron for the night. The shops are about to close, anyway.'

When they reached their rooms, they found their trunks had been placed by their beds. Hedwig and Pigwidgeon were snoozing on top of Harry's wardrobe, and Crookshanks was lying on Hermione's bed purring. They put all their purchases away, then had a big supper with Lupin and Tonks. She kept them entertained by running through some of the different faces they had seen her doing last year. Then they wearily climbed the stairs to bed.

In the morning, Lupin and Tonks escorted them to Kings Cross, and they slipped through the barrier to platform 9¾ one at a time, so that the Muggles wouldn't notice people disappearing. Ron and Hermione disappeared off to the Prefects' carriage, and Harry set off down the train to find somewhere to sit.

'Harry, you can sit here with us if you want,' called a voice. He peered through the door, to find Ginny and Neville sitting chatting. He joined them and sat down thankfully; his trunk was very heavy.

'Where's Dean?' he asked Ginny.

'Sitting with Seamus, Parvati and Lavender, I think' she said unconcernedly. 'And Luna's been made a Ravenclaw prefect, so she'll probably come along with Ron and Hermione.'

'Hi Neville, did you have a good summer?' asked Harry.

'Yes, thanks. I got six OWLs, including one in Potions, can you believe it?' said Neville, smiling. 'Of course, the important one for me was Herbology, and I got Outstanding in it. Professor Sprout's going to take me on as a special assistant this year. I'll be learning all sorts of things that we don't even do for NEWTs.'

'Well done, Neville, you should be good at that' said Ginny.

They passed the time chatting about Quidditch and about their OWLs. Ginny was keen to hear exactly what they had been tested on.

'Well, now Ron's done so well, I shall have to try and get a few, specially as I wasn't made a prefect like him,' she said matter of factly.

Ron, Hermione and Luna joined them later on, although Luna immediately dived into her bag and disappeared behind a copy of The Quibbler, upside down as usual.

Dean and Seamus dropped by during the afternoon, and introduced them to Dean's sister, Jessica. Ginny of course already knew her, but the others all said hello.

'I hope you'll be in Gryffindor, like us,' said Dean.

'Ravenclaw's a good alternative though,' said Luna dreamily, glancing up from her magazine.

Jessica, a small thin girl, looked rather oddly at Luna and her radish shaped earrings, and grinned nervously at the others.

'As long as I'm not in Slytherin, Dean's told me all about them,' she said quietly.

'I'm sure they aren't all bad, even if you did end up there,' said Hermione briskly. When Harry and Ron looked at her in surprise, she added: 'Remember we're supposed to be overcoming these differences between the Houses.'

The train roared on and the darkness fell. At last it started to slow down, and finally pulled into Hogsmeade station. As they got out of the carriages, Harry heard a familiar voice.

'Firs' years! Firs' years over here!' They ran up to Hagrid, and he smiled down at them.

'Hello, you lot! Had a good summer?' Harry was relieved to see Hagrid's face was no longer covered in cuts. There were several bruises, but it looked as if Grawp was settling in and doing less damage. Harry supposed they'd have to ask after Grawp some time, but felt he could wait for news. As they turned towards the Thestral-pulled carriages, Harry noticed a small boy with dark red hair among the first years.

'Not another Weasley there, is it?' he asked Ron, jerking his thumb towards the boy.

'Nah, hair's not bright enough for one of us,' laughed Ron. 'He does look a bit familiar though, doesn't he?'

They got into their carriage, and Harry relaxed into his seat, on his way home to Hogwarts at last.