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┄┄ .•* 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟒 *•. ┄┄

𝐢'𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐇𝐨𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬

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The next few days passed in a blur to Hermione. Hermione and Ron had left Harry in the Hospital Wing after being shooed away by Madam Pomfrey and both of them along with the twins, Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson, and Ginny fell asleep in the common room as they talked until late hours in the night. Hermione woke up with her head on Fred's shoulder and his arms around her. If it had been any other time she would've smiled, instead, she just stood up and went down to breakfast with the group. During breakfast, Dumbledore told them to leave Harry and Cedric alone and not question them. Hermione had seen Theo, Blaise, and Daphne on the Slytherin table and sent them a small smile which the three returned.

Harry returned to Gryffindor Tower the following evening. Hermione and Ron had both silently agreed not to bring up that night. Cedric may not have died, but going under torture, seeing your dead parents (Hermione would know), and watching Voldemort rise again wasn't easy. So much so, Hermione wasn't talking much too. She had been there that night too and though no one knew that didn't mean she wasn't affected. The only ones who seemed to have noticed her change in demeanor were Fred and Ron. Ron just thought she was like that because of Harry — he knew something was going on between them or at least he thought so —, Fred knew something else was wrong with her but refrained from asking. The two times they touched upon the subject of that night was when Harry finally told them what happened with Barty Crouch Jr. The thing is the story was different from the original.

Harry briefed through the cemetery part only mentioning the part when he talked to his parents and then proceeded to explain the interrogation with Barty Crouch Jr. He told them he was deranged, explaining the story, and two details he told them made Hermione's eyes bulge out of her skull. 

Harry had said that he was apologizing for hurting Hermione, that he only wanted to know who she was, and that she looked so much like Nora. 

Harry and Ron brushed it off as the bloke being mental but Hermione couldn't help but feel pity for him. Another fact Harry told them was that Barty Crouch Jr. had not killed his father because Nora wouldn't forgive him and instead kidnapped him. Hermione was a bit shocked that her being there and looking like her mother had changed so much.

The second time they touched upon the subject of that night was when Ron told Harry about a meeting Mrs. Weasley had had with Dumbledore before going home.

"She went to ask him if you could come straight to us this summer," he said. "But he wants you to go back to the Dursleys, at least at first."

"Why?" said Harry.

"She said Dumbledore's got his reasons," said Ron, shaking his head darkly. "I suppose we've got to trust him, haven't we?"

As there was no longer a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, they had those lessons free. They used the one on Thursday afternoon to go down and visit Hagrid in his cabin. It was a bright and sunny day — so hot Hermione had left her leather jacket in the dormitory; Fang bounded out of the open door as they approached, barking and wagging his tail madly.

"Who's that?" called Hagrid, coming to the door. "Harry!"

He strode out to meet them, pulled Harry into a one-armed hug, ruffled his hair, and said, "Good ter see yeh, mate. Good ter see yeh."

They saw two bucket-size cups and saucers on the wooden table in front of the fireplace when they entered Hagrid's cabin.

"Bin havin' a cuppa with Olympe," Hagrid said. "She's jus' left."

"Who?" said Ron curiously.

"Madame Maxime, o' course!" said Hagrid.

"You two made up, have you?" said Ron.

"Dunno what yeh're talkin' about," said Hagrid airily, fetching more cups from the dresser. When he had made tea and offered around a plate of doughy cookies, he leaned back in his chair and surveyed Harry closely through his beetle-black eyes.

"You all righ'?" he said gruffly.

"Yeah," said Harry.

"No, yeh're not," said Hagrid. " 'Course yeh're not. But yeh will be."

Harry said nothing.

"Knew he was goin' ter come back," said Hagrid, and Harry, and Ron, looked up at him, shocked. Hermione only bit her lip looking down at her lap, "Known it fer years, Harry. Knew he was out there, bidin' his time. It had ter happen. Well, now it has, an' we'll jus' have ter get on with it. We'll fight. Migh' be able ter stop him before he gets a good hold. That's Dumbledore's plan, anyway. Great man, Dumbledore. 'S long as we've got him, I'm not too worried."

Hagrid raised his bushy eyebrows at the disbelieving expressions on their faces.

"No good sittin' worryin' abou' it," he said. "What's comin' will come, an' we'll meet it when it does. Dumbledore told me wha' you did, Harry."

Hagrid's chest swelled as he looked at Harry.

"Yeh did as much as yer father would've done, an' I can' give yeh no higher praise than that."

Harry smiled back at him. It was the first time he'd smiled in days, except when Hermione or Ron cracked a joke.

"What's Dumbledore asked you to do, Hagrid?" Harry asked. "He sent Professor McGonagall to ask you and Madame Maxime to meet him — that night."

"Got a little job fer me over the summer," said Hagrid. "Secret, though. I'm not s'pposed ter talk abou' it, no, not even ter you lot. Olympe — Madame Maxime ter you — might be comin' with me. I think she will. Think I got her persuaded."

"Is it to do with Voldemort?"

Hagrid flinched at the sound of the name.

"Migh' be," he said evasively. "Now . . . who'd like ter come an' visit the las' skrewt with me? I was jokin' — jokin'!" he added hastily, seeing the looks on their faces.

"The end," said Dumbledore, looking around at them all, "of another year."

They were all in the Great Hall, the day before leaving. Hermione was seated next to Harry, and Ron. Dumbledore paused.

"There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight," said Dumbledore, "The Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore continued, "does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so — either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies."

Stunned and frightened, every face in the Hall was turned toward Dumbledore now . . . or almost every face. Over at the Slytherin table, Hermione saw Draco Malfoy muttering something to Crabbe and Goyle. She watched as Theo slightly recoiled back in his seat and both Daphne and Blaise put a hand on his shoulder.

"There is somebody else who must be mentioned" Dumbledore went on. "I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."

A kind of ripple crossed the Great Hall as a few heads turned in Harry's direction before flicking back to face Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "He risked his own life to save Cedric Diggory. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honor him."

Dumbledore turned gravely to Harry and raised his goblet once more. Nearly everyone in the Great Hall followed suit. They murmured his name and drank to him.

When everyone had once again resumed their seats, Dumbledore continued, "The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to further and promote magical understanding. In the light of what has happened — of Lord Voldemort's return — such ties are more important than ever before."

Dumbledore looked from Madame Maxime, and Hagrid, to Fleur Delacour and her fellow Beauxbatons students, to Viktor Krum and the Durmstrangs at the Slytherin table.

"Every guest in this Hall," said Dumbledore, and his eyes lingered upon the Durmstrang students, "will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come. I say to you all, once again — in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.

"It is my belief — and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken — that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you in this Hall have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Many of your families have been torn asunder.

"Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, choose right. Like so many lost in the first war did,"

Hermione's trunk was packed or the whole of her possessions was thrown inside it — except of course the jeans and tank top she was wearing along with her leather jacket, shoes, and wand; Vader was back in his cage on top of it. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were waiting in the crowded entrance hall with the rest of the fourth years for the carriages that would take them back to Hogsmeade station. It was another beautiful summer's day.

" 'Arry! Mimi!"

They looked around. Fleur Delacour was hurrying up the stone steps into the castle. Beyond her, far across the grounds, Hermione could see Hagrid helping Madame Maxime to back two of the giant horses into their harness. The Beauxbatons carriage was about to take off.

"We will see each uzzer again, I 'ope," said Fleur as she reached him, holding out her hand. "I am 'oping to get a job 'ere, to im- prove my Eenglish."

"It's very good already," said Ron in a strangled sort of voice. Fleur smiled at him; Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Good-bye, 'Arry," said Fleur, turning to go. "It 'az been a pleasure meeting you!" Fleur then turned to Hermione and brought her into a hug, "I'll see you soon, Mimi," she said.

"I know, Flower," Hermione smiled at the French girl. They then watched Fleur hurry back across the lawns to Madame Maxime, her silvery hair rippling in the sunlight.

"Wonder how the Durmstrang students are getting back," said Ron. "D'you reckon they can steer that ship without Karkaroff?"

"Karkaroff did not steer," said a gruff voice. "He stayed in his cabin and let us do the vork."
Krum had come to say goodbye to Harry.

"Have you got a new headmaster yet?" said Harry.

Krum shrugged. He held out his hand as Fleur had done, shook Harry's hand, and then Ron's and Hermione's. Krum had already started walking away when Ron burst out, "Can I have your autograph?" Krum looked surprised but gratified and signed a fragment of parchment for Ron.

The weather could not have been more different on the journey back to King's Cross than it had been on their way to Hogwarts the previous September. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had managed to get a compartment to themselves. Pigwidgeon was once again hidden under Ron's dress robes to stop him from hooting continually; Hedwig was dozing, her head under her wing, and Vader was looking out at his surroundings. Harry, Ron, and Hermione talked more fully and freely than they had all week as the train sped them southward. They broke off their conversation about what action Dumbledore might be taking, even now, to stop Voldemort only when the lunch trolley arrived.

"Can I tell you something?" Hermione asked during the ride suddenly remembering something. Both boys looked at her with a curious gaze, "How insane would you think I am if I kept a person in a jar?"

"Very," both of them answered and Hermione grimaced.

"Who are you keeping in a jar, Mimi?" asked Ron as Harry gaped at her.

"Rita Skeeter," Hermione said biting her lip. Both boys were now gaping at her with wide eyes.

"How in hell —"

"—Where's that jar? It must be huge?"

"Well, I figured out why she was able to know what happened with Harry and whatnot. She's an unregistered animagus. A beetle. I caught her during the Second Task. Had her in a jar ever since." Hermione pulled a small sealed glass jar out of her trunk.

"You're kidding," said Ron. "You haven't . . . she's not . . ."

"But she is," said Hermione happily, brandishing the jar at them.

Inside were a few twigs and leaves and one large, fat beetle. "That's never — you're kidding —" Ron whispered, lifting the jar to his eyes.

"I'm totally serious; well I'm not Sirius, but I am not kidding," said Hermione, beaming. "Look very closely, and you'll notice the markings around her antennae are exactly like those foul glasses she wears."

"I'll let her out when we get back to London," said Hermione. "I've put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, she can't transform. And I'll tell her to keep her foul little quill to herself for a year."

Smiling serenely, Hermione placed the beetle back inside her trunk.

The door of the compartment slid open.

"Very clever, Granger," said Draco Malfoy.

Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind him. All three of them looked more pleased with themselves, more arrogant, and more menacing than ever.

"So," said Malfoy slowly, advancing slightly into the compartment and looking slowly around at them, a smirk quivering on his lips. "You caught some pathetic reporter, and Potter's Dumbledore's favorite boy again. Big deal."

His smirk widened. Crabbe and Goyle leered.

"Trying not to think about it, are we?" said Malfoy softly, looking around at all three of them. Hermione was banging her head against Ron's shoulder, "Trying to pretend it hasn't happened?"

"Get out," said Harry.

"You've picked the losing side, Potter! I warned you! I told you you ought to choose your company more carefully, remember? When we met on the train, first day at Hogwarts? I told you not to hang around with riffraff like this!" He jerked his head at Ron and Hermione. "Too late now, Potter! They'll be the first to go, now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first!"

It was as though someone had exploded a box of fireworks within the compartment. Blinded by the blaze of the spells that had blasted from every direction, deafened by a series of bangs, Harry blinked and looked down at the floor.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were all lying unconscious in the doorway. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on their feet, all three of them having used a different hex. Nor were they the only ones to have done so.

"Thought we'd see what those three were up to," said Fred matter-of-factly, stepping onto Goyle and into the compartment. He had his wand out, and so did George, who was careful to tread on Malfoy as he followed Fred inside, the latter smiling smugly at Hermione who rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile back.

"Interesting effect," said George, looking down at Crabbe. "Who used the Furnunculus Curse?"

"Me," said Harry.

"Odd," said George lightly. "I used Jelly-Legs. Looks as though those two shouldn't be mixed. He seems to have sprouted little tentacles all over his face. Well, let's not leave them here, they don't add much to the decor."

Ron, Harry, and George kicked, rolled, and pushed the unconscious Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle — each of whom looked distinctly the worse for the jumble of jinxes with which they had been hit — out into the corridor, then came back into the compartment and rolled the door shut.

"Exploding Snap, anyone?" said Fred, pulling out a pack of cards. Hermione, not wanting to play just laid her head on Fred's shoulder as he took the seat next to her, Harry watched them with furrowed brows.

They were halfway through their fifth game when Harry decided to ask them.

"You going to tell us, then?" he said to George. "Who you were blackmailing?"

"Oh," said George darkly. "That."

"It doesn't matter," said Fred, shaking his head impatiently. "It wasn't anything important. Not now, anyway."

"We've given up," said George, shrugging.

But Harry and Ron kept on asking, and finally, Fred said, "All right, all right, if you really want to know . . . it was Ludo Bagman."

"Bagman?" said Harry sharply. "Are you saying he was involved in —"

"Nah," said George gloomily. "Nothing like that. Stupid git. He wouldn't have the brains."

"Well, what, then?" said Ron.

Fred hesitated, then said, "You remember that bet we had with him at the Quidditch World Cup? About how Ireland would win, but Krum would get the Snitch?"

"Yeah," said Harry and Ron slowly.

"Well, the git paid us in leprechaun gold he'd caught from the Irish mascots."

"So?"

"So," said Fred impatiently, "it vanished, didn't it? By next morning, it had gone!"

"We thought it was an accident, at first." said George, "We thought if we just wrote to him, and told him he'd made a mistake, he'd cough up. But nothing doing. Ignored our letter. We kept trying to talk to him about it at Hogwarts, but he was always making some excuse to get away from us."

"In the end, he turned pretty nasty," said Fred. "Told us we were too young to gamble, and he wasn't giving us anything."

"So we asked for our money back," said George glowering.

"He refused" yawned Hermione from her place on Fred's shoulder.

"Right in one," said Fred.

"But that was all your savings!" said Ron.

"Tell me about it," said George. "'Course, we found out what was going on in the end. Lee Jordan's dad had had a bit of trouble getting money off Bagman as well. Turns out he's in big trouble with the goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off them. A gang of them cornered him in the woods after the World Cup and took all the gold he had, and it still wasn't enough to cover all his debts. They followed him all the way to Hogwarts to keep an eye on him. He's lost everything gambling. Hasn't got two Galleons to rub together. And you know how the idiot tried to pay the goblins back?"

"How?" said Harry.

"He put a bet on you, mate," said Fred. "Put a big bet on you to win the tournament. Bet against the goblins."

"So that's why he kept trying to help me win!" said Harry. "Well — I did win, didn't I? So he can pay you your gold!"

"Nope," said George, shaking his head. "The goblins play as dirty as him. They say you drew with Diggory, and Bagman was betting you'd win outright. So Bagman had to run for it. He did run for it right after the third task."

George sighed deeply and started dealing out the cards again.

The rest of the journey passed pleasantly enough; Hermione fell asleep throughout it, though. But all too soon, the Hogwarts Express was pulling in at platform nine and three-quarters. The usual confusion and noise filled the corridors as the students began to disembark. Ron and Hermione struggled out past Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, carrying their trunks. Hermione made sure to accidentally let her trunk fall on each of them — twice in her newfound cousin.

Hermione and Ron waited by Mrs. Weasley after having hugged her, along with Ginny for Harry and the twins to come out of the train. Harry was the first to step out of the Hogwarts Express and was almost immediately pulled into a hug by Mrs. Weasley.

"See you, Harry," said Ron, clapping him on the back.

"See you in a few, Prongslet, don't forget the incantation," said Hermione kissing him on the cheek. She watched as the twins said something to him — most likely having to do with the money — and Harry winked at them walking away.

She then turned to hug the whole clan of redheads. When Ron hugged her she reminded him of the incantation as she did to Harry. And as Fred hugged her the hug lingered a bit more than usual making her heart flutter slightly. When the hugs were over Hermione waved them goodbye and went over to the Grangers.

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