The People We Are

Seventeen year old Harry Potter strapped on his Quidditch gloves and got ready for the game against Slytherin. Harry was seeker and Team captain of Gryffindor. Harry's black hair and green eyes was not the thing that people knew him by. They knew him from his scar. His good looks made him a conversation and a prize among the girls these days. He smiled as he realized the only girl he wanted but didn't have was the red haired Ginny Weasley, the sister of his best friend Ron Weasley. She'd given up on him, but she hadn't realized Harry had liked her then but was too shy to admit it. But as it were, Draco Malfoy had won her heart with his supposed change. Harry would show him change if he ever hurt Ginny right in his face. Ron and Hermione was a happy couple, but they never forgot about Harry, who hadn't yet found someone he could be with.

That had encouraged Ron and Hermione to try and fix Harry up with Luna Lovegood. According to Harry she was weird and like everyone called her: Loony. But it wasn't in Harry to admit that to her so he'd reluctantly agreed.

Draco also was getting geared up for the game, looking, in Ginny's opinion, positively handsome. But even though any Slytherin girl would give up their lives to be married to a rich and handsome guy rather than marry someone they loved, Ginny couldn't help but think she wasn't the luckiest girl in the world without Harry Potter. But she screwed that up rather richly. Now he was going on a date with Luna Lovegood! There still might be time though she had to get to him before the game started. Ginny stopped getting ready for the game, she was a Chaser, and walked over to Harry. He stopped putting on his team robes to look at her.

"Uh, Hi Gin," Harry said to her and instead of looking her in the eyes he focused on someone behind her.

Now Ginny was starting to have second thoughts. "I just wanted to tell you that I'll try very hard to help win this game," Ginny said rather lamely.

But as she started to walk away he grabbed her right arm, pulled her to him and kissed her gently upon the lips. It was everything and more the two of them had known it would be. She pulled away from him and they smiled and then went outside into the rain. The game started with a whistle. Harry dodged bludgers and let the beaters do their jobs. The Chasers threw the quaffle from one to the other trying to sore some points before Harry made his big catch. That might seem too overconfident, but Harry had faith in himself. He finally spotted the Snitch but saw Draco already heading for it. Harry took off after him, pushing up against him and trying to knock him off his broom. Draco just tried to do the same, but failed. Harry pulled away from Draco and focused his attention on the Snitch. As the Snitch dived so did Harry and tried to cut it off. The Snitch came his way and Harry made a grab for it. He leaned backwards to catch it, but he lost his balance. He didn't wait to find his balance but instead took off after it. He leaned forward, maybe to try and get more speed out of his Firebolt. He was right on the Snitch. He held out his hand. Then it dived and so Harry. It took him close to the ground, but Harry lifted his feet up more and moved forward. He was hot on the Snitch. His hand was centimeters away from him. Harry then lurched his body forward with all of his might and his hand went forward and caught the Snitch. He looked at his hand and then lifted it up, cheering and yelling.

Harry saw Draco hitting his broom. Suddenly Harry was knocked off of his broom by some unseen person or spell. But since there was a man on the field holding out a wand he knew it was a spell. Harry pulled out his own wand. Up in the stands the members of the D.A who Harry had trained drew their wands and went down the stairs to his aid. Harry got up and walked towards the man.

"W-we meet ag-again, Mr. Po-o-tter," A very familiar voice Harry knew as Peter Pettigrew said from the hood of his cloak.

"Why are you here? Aren't you afraid you might get caught and put in jail?" Harry said, his voice slightly deeper than it already was.

"But who would believe you? You're godfather is not here to help you now," Peter said, and he put down his hood revealing a dirty and ugly face.

"What do you know about S- my godfather? You didn't hurt him did you?" Harry demanded.

Peter laughed. "It was satisfying knowing your parents were dead and I was on the winning team," he said.

Harry got angry, his face red at the mention of his parents. Harry said," Expelliarmus!" and Peter's wand flew out of his hand. Peter stared at his hand.

"I once spared you, but you made Sirius go into hiding, so you deserve to be hurt!" Harry yelled," Imperio!"

Then Peter raised his arms involuntarily and yelled," I did it! I killed James and Lily! I gave them away! Me, take me away! I did it! They were my friends and I betrayed them! Not only did I betray two friends, I betrayed another by getting him sent to Azkaban for my murder! I'm not dead!"

Throughout the whole thing Harry had had his wand raised, his face beat red and his lips moving soundlessly. He was controlling peter, after all that's what the illegal Imperius Curse did. Tears were streaming down Harry's face. Anger so pure arose in him. Then he smiled and laughed, raising his arms and laughing so loudly, everyone in the stands could probably hear it. He'd finally gotten the traitor to reveal what he'd done, but illegally.

The D.A poured onto the grounds as Harry moved towards Peter, who was cowering in his presence after what he'd just done. Then Harry smiled widely and said," Avada-"but his words were cut off as Draco tackled him.

"Don't ever say those words; you have no idea what it is to kill!" Draco yelled at him.

Everyone stared at Draco. Had he just helped Harry? Suddenly dementors appeared on the grounds, bringing their icy coldness to everyone. Everyone looked at them in horror. Harry dropped his wand, forgetting what to do. Then the dementors advanced upon him, sucking away every happy thought away he tried to muster. Then the thought of Ginny and the kiss struck him.

"Expecto Patronum! Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled at them.

A light poured out, but it only lasted for a little while. Then they took him away, in coldness. Hermione and Ron were the only ones to see because they had bee rushing to him.

"Harry!" was their cries, and that was all Harry heard before darkness enveloped him.

Ron Weasley paced back and forth, back and forth, outside of the school hospital wing. What if he died? What if he . . . broke an arm? What if Ron's hair was messed up in front of Hermione? Ron stopped pacing, and looked into a tall mirror which was on the wall. Perfect.

"Ron, you're making me dizzy stop it," Hermione said, being bossy as usual.

"Well excuse me if I'm worried," Ron said, sitting down on the floor.

"Let's not get into a fight now just because Harry's in the hospital wing," Hermione said.

"He did something illegal Hermione. Don't you understand, even if he is hurt, they'll send him to . . ." Ron stopped and gulped.

"Azkaban," Hermione finished.

"You're right Miss Granger. Azkaban is a terrible place as you've learned. I have tried to speak with Fudge but he will not hear about it. He thinks since Harry did something illegal he should be put in jail," Dumbledore said, coming out of the hospital wing.

"For how long?" Hermione and Ron both asked, then look at each other.

"Probably for a year or two. I will push for a year though. The Ministry now knows Peter Pettigrew is the one who betrayed James and Lily and have dropped all charges against Sirius. Sirius is free," Dumbledore said.

"And happy too except for the fact that my godson is being put in Azkaban," Sirius said, climbing up the stairs at a run. He ran past them into the hospital wing.

Hermione and Ron, followed by Dumbledore entered the wing slowly. Harry lay on white bed, his arm put in a cast. Hermione smiled as she remembered the time he'd lost all bones in that arm. But Harry was not smiling as he looked at Madam Pomfrey as she fixed his cast. Then when he set his eyes upon Hermione he smiled widely. Then he looked at Ron. Ron slapped him on the shoulder, the same shoulder his arm was broken. Ron realized what he'd done as Harry gasped in some pain, and apologized.

"The Trio ends here I suppose," Harry whispered and took his two best friends in.

Hermione had long brown curly hair. She was growing into a woman now. She was taller but still a head shorter than him and Ron. Harry was only a few inches taller than Ron now. Ron had red hair which he was starting to grow out again after cutting it last month. Harry hoped they would live a happy life together.

"I won't finish school, so you guys will have to get on without me," Harry said, sitting up.

"They can't take you away for helping them catch a traitor!" Hermione said, rather loudly.

Ron took her by the shoulders. "We'll be fine mate. You just do your time and get out. And if they don't let you out we'll come for you," Ron said, though he knew he would never get onto the secret island it was on.

"Take care of 'Mione Ron. And Ginny, can you tell her that I care about her and that I'll miss her. Tell her . . . I'll understand if she chooses Malfoy over me," Harry said.

Hermione was now crying into Ron's chest. Harry stood up and laid a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Hey, mate, we'll be waiting when you get out. Then it'll be like old times," Ron said, and Harry walked over to Dumbledore who took him down the stairs to his office where Fudge would take him to Azkaban.

Then a tear slid down Ron's face, and he kissed the top of Hermione's head.

So Harry Potter walked to Dumbledore's office which would be the last place he set his feet in Hogwarts. Sirius walked up to him slowly.

"After you get out maybe you can finally come live with me even though you'll probably be eighteen or nineteen," Sirius said trying to muster and smile on his face.

"I'll remember that Sirius. My dad would be grateful to you for watching out for me over the years," Harry said, smiling at him one last time.

Sirius clapped him on the shoulder and then left the room. Fudge came forward and said some sort of spell and they disappeared to the coldest and terrifying place he'd ever been. The Azkaban prison. He knew this was going to be the worst years of his life here.