"LUCKILY HARP COULD GRAB HIM."

"I thought he was dead for sure."

"But he didn't even break his glasses."

"That was the scariest thing I've seen in my life."

All those voices surrounded Harper, but she didn't listen, as she held onto Harry's hand tightly, hoping he would wake up soon. Hermione stood next to her and was hugging her. Ron stood on her other side, looking quite pale as he had put his arm around her neck.

Harper sighed in relief when Harry's eyes snapped open. "Harry!" she squealed. "How are you feeling?"

"What happened?" her brother replied, sitting up so suddenly that they all gasped.

"You fell off," Fred said. "Must've been — what — fifty feet? Fortunately Harper caught you."

"We thought you'd died," Katie said, who was shaking.

"But the match," Harry said and Harper tried not to flinch. "What happened. Are we having a replay?"

Harper didn't dare to tell him and neither did the others as a silence fell into the hospital wing.

"We didn't — lose?"

"Diggory got the Snitch," George explained. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a re-match. But they won fair and square . . . even Wood admits it."

"Where is Wood?" Harry said, looking around to look for their captain.

"Sill in the showers," Fred replied. "We think he's trying to drown himself."

Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly.

"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," George added.

"It's not over yet," Harper said. "We lost by a hundred points, right? So if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin . . ."

"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," George said.

"But if they beat Ravenclaw . . ." Fred said, trailing off.

"No way," George argued back, "Ravenclaw are too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff . . ."

"It all depends on the points — a margin of a hundred either way . . ."

After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave Harry in peace.

"We'll come and see you later," Fred said. "Don't best yourself up, Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."

The team trooper out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving as Harper, Hermione and Ron moved nearer to Harry.

"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione told Harry in a quaking voice. "I've never seen him like that before. After Harper conjured a patronus, which was really great by the way, he magicked you onto a stretcher and walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were . . ." Her voice trailed off and Harper had a hard time to keep herself together. The thought of losing him was just too much.

"You conjured a patronus?" Harry asked, surprised and Harper grinned sheepishly.

"I guess I did."

"Did someone get my Nimbus?"

Ron, Hermione and Harper looked quickly at each other.

"Er . . ."

"What?" Harry asked, looking at the three of them.

"Well . . . when you fell off," Harper began, hesitating, "it got blown away and — and it hit the Whomping Willow."

"And?" Harry asked.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," Ron said, scratching his neck. "It — it doesn't like being hit."

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came round," Hermione said in a small voice.

Slowly, Harper reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside-down and tipped a dozen of splintered wood and twig onto the bed.

• ✧ •

     IT WAS ALREADY PAST TEN O' CLOCK WHEN HARPER LEFT THE HOSPITAL WING. She had tried to pursue Madam Pomfrey to let her stay longer, but her argument that Harry needed sleep made Harper leave. With her broom in her hand and trailing mud behind her, which Harper was sure Filch was going to hate her for, she made her way towards Gryffindor Tower.

"Harper?" a voice said, once she had passed the first corridor. Turning around, she saw Cedric leaning against the wall, freshly showered and wearing his Hufflepuff sweater. As soon as they made eye contact, he pushed himself off the wall and walked towards her. "How's Harry?"

"He's good," Harper replied, sounding relieved.

"And how are you?" he asked, coming to a halt in front of her.

"I have felt better," she admitted.

"Sorry I caught the Snitch," he said, scratching his neck and looking somewhat guilty.

"There is no need to apologize," Harper said. "You won fair and square."

"I wanted to do a re-match," Cedric continued, "when I saw Harry lying on the ground and you . . ." he shook his head. "You looked so broken it almost broke my heart and then you managed to conjure a patronus." He smiled softly. "You are a weird person, Harper Potter."

"I'll take that as a complement," Harper replied, returning the smile, before shivering as her robes were still soaking wet.

Cedric seemed to notice because he took his wand out of his pocket and waved it. In less than a second, her robes were dry and Harper smiled thankfully up at him.

"Thanks, it was getting colder."

"Do you want to drink some hot chocolate in the kitchen?" Cedric suggested and Harper nodded.

Hot chocolate would just be what she needed.

The two of them walked towards the kitchen, talking about small things and stuff like that.

"I was wondering," Cedric began, once they were settled and one of the house elves had brought them hot chocolate, "if you maybe wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me?" His voice was hopeful and he eyed her with a look she couldn't quite identify.

Harper looked grimly. "I'm afraid I can't."

He looked somewhat hurt and embarrassed.

"But it's not because of you," she quickly added, not wanting to give him the idea that she rejected him. "I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you, it's just, Moony won't sign my slip so I'm not allowed to go."

A flash of relief crossed his eyes before his lips curled up and he tilted his head. "Well, that's certainly better than being rejected." He let out a chuckle and Harper grinned at him.

"If I could, I'd convince him, but I tried that already and he didn't budge," Harper replied, shrugging.

"Maybe I should give it a try," Cedric suggested, a smile playing on his lips, "I could tell him I'd protect you."

Harper blushed fiercely but managed to grin like a fool at the same time. "If you manage that, you'd be my hero for life."

"That sounds great," Cedric replied, his eyes sparkling in amusement. "Cedric Diggory, hero for life."

"It has a nice ring to it," Harper admitted, sipping from her hot chocolate, as she played along.

"I'd be your hero every day, Harper."

• ✧ •

EVER SINCE CEDRUC HAD SAID THOSE WORDS, Harper couldn't help but to grin all the time. Hermione just rolled her eyes at it while Ron and Harry were observing it carefully.

"You're acting weird, Harp," Ron finally said, as they were on their way to Defence Against the Dark Arts.

This only made her grin even more and she was sure she was going to hurt her cheeks by it.

"If Snape's taking Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm going off sick," Ron continued. "Check who's there, Hermione."

Hermione peered around the classroom door. "It's OK!"

Harper was relieved to see Remus back at work. She could see the latest full moon took almost all his energy away, but still he smiled warmly as they entered the classroom.

As soon as everyone sat down, everyone burst into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behavior while Remus had been ill.

"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set us homework?"

"We don't know anything about werewolves . . ."

". . . two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Remus asked, frowning slightly.

The babble broke out again.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind . . ."

". . . he wouldn't listen . . ."

". . . two rolls of parchment!"

Remus smiled at the look of indignation on their faces.

"Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

Harper leaned back in victory. "Good, because I didn't do it."

They had a very enjoyable lesson. Remus had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who seemed as though he was made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harm-less looking.

"Lures travellers into bogs," Remus said, as they took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hope ahead — people follow the light — then . . ."

The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass.

When the bell rang, they all gathered up their things and headed for the door. Harper followed Hermione outside as Ron waited for Harry. They were making their way towards the Great Hall for lunch, when a voice made her turn around.

"Harper! Wait up!"

Both she and Hermione turned around to see Cedric pushing his way through the crowd, his bag slung over his shoulder.

Hermione gave her a knowing grin before turning around and walking away as Cedric approached her.

"Hello Ced," Harper greeted him. "How are you?"

He grinned down at her, as if he knew something she didn't. "Good actually, very good."

Harper narrowed her eyes. "You seem overly happy."

His grin broadened. "You would too if you knew that you could come along with me to Hogsmeade."

Silence.

Harper's eyes widened and her mouth fell open as the meaning of his words came into her. She got to go to Hogsmeade?

"Are you serious?"

Cedric nodded and Harper flung her arms around his neck, pulling him down.

"You are absolutely my hero."

She could feel him smile as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her back.

"As I told you, Harp, I'd be your hero every day."

• ✧ •

WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOING TO HOGSMEADE WITH CEDRIC and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff, sorry not sorry Cedric, Harper's mood was the best it had been in years. Gryffindor were not out of the running after all, although they could not afford to lose another match. Oliver became repossessed of his manic energy and worked them as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December.

Two weeks before the end of term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opal one white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plains for the holidays. Ron, Hermione and Harper had decided to remain for the holidays.

Ron because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, Hermione insisted she needed to use the library and Harper because Remus was staying too.

The icing on the cake was another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of term.

"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" Hermione said. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"

On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harper waited by the entrance for Cedric, her Gryffindor scarf around her neck, keeping it warm from the winter temperature. She didn't have to wait very long before she recognized the dark blond hair and grey eyes of Cedric Diggory.

His eyes lit up when he saw her and quickly made his way over to her.

"Excited?" he asked her, rather amused.

"Thrilled," Harper replied, having to restrain herself from bouncing up and down.

He smiled and offered her his arm, which she gladly accepted. Together, the two of them strolled out into the Hogwarts ground and towards the village.

"What do you want to see first?" Cedric asked, looking down at her.

"The Shrieking Shack," Harper said without a pause. Cedric, however, looking quite surprised at this. Then he smiled and shook his head.

"I should have known. Only you would want to risk getting haunted at the Shrieking Shack before Honeydukes or Zonko's Joke Shop."

Harper grinned at him and shrugged. "What's life without a little risk?"

"A safe life," Cedric replied, rolling his eyes.

"No wonder you weren't placed in Gryffindor," Harper said, grinning, and he managed to look somewhat offended before returning the smile.

"I'm happy in Hufflepuff."

They arrived at the Shrieking Shack and Harper leaned onto the fence while looking at the supposedly frightening building. Apart from the fact that it was old, it didn't really gave her much of the creeps. But that was probably because she knew who made all the sounds.

"Not very impressed?" Cedric asked, who was leaning onto the fence next to her.

Harper smiled. "It takes more than that to give me a fright."

"What frightens you, Harper?" Cedric asked quietly, his grey eyes darting from the Shrieking Shack to the girl leaning onto the fence next to him.

"Well, I'm not particularly fond of Dementors," she said grimly. "But my worst fear is losing the people I love and not being able to do a thing about it."

Cedric placed his arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her into his chest, hugging her tightly while placing his head on top of her.

"Let's head back to Hogsmeade," he suggested, letting Harper go and taking her hand. "I know something that'll cheer you up."

That something happened to be Zonko's Joke Shop, which was, in Harper's opinion, awesome. She had eyes too short when they entered the shop and Cedric had to make sure she didn't keep on bumping into people.

"That was amazing," Harper breathed, once they stood back outside, making Cedric grin.

"That wasn't all of Hogsmeade," he said, "I do hope you have yet to buy your Christmas presents."

Harper nodded excitedly before the two of them set off again.

She had gotten Hermione a book, Ron some candy she knew he was going to love, for Harry, she had gotten some books about Quidditch, that she knew he was going to read. Remus wasn't that difficult since Harper knew his of his chocolate addiction. For Cedric, she had bought a Snitch, when she thought he wasn't looking. When the owner asked if she wanted something engraved in it, Harper grinned and told her she could put from your weird person in it.

Their last stop was the Three Broomsticks, and Cedric insisted that he paid for the Butterbeers, something that made Harper roll her eyes and blush slightly. As her eyes darted through the room, she saw Harry sitting next to Hermione and Ron. Their eyes met and Harper raised an eyebrow. He gave her a look that said: I'll tell you later.

Cedric came back with the drinks just as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick entered, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was in a deep conversation with Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.

Harper could see from the corner of her eye that both Hermione and Ron had placed their hands on top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. As they passed their table, Sirius' name was mentioned and Harper and Cedric exchanged a worried glance.

Cedric leaned over the table. "If we go sit next to your friends, we can overhear them," he suggested quietly, as the professors and minister sat down at the table next to Hermione, Ron and Harry.

Harper nodded and the two of them took their things before walking over to her friends and sitting down next to them.

"We came here to eavesdrop on them," Harper quietly told Hermione and Ron. "They're talking about Sirius Black."

"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" Madam Rosmerta said.

"What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I dare say you heard what happened up at the school at Hallowe'en?" Fudge said in a quiet voice.

"I did hear a rumor," Madam Rosmerta admitted. "Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?"

"I'm sure of it," Fudge said shortly.

"You know that the Dementors have searched my place twice?" Madam Rosmerta said, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away . . . it's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Fudge said uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution . . . unfortunate, but there you are . . . I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."

"I should think not," Professor MgGonagall said sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"

"Hear, hear!" Professor Flitwick squeaked.

"All the same," Fudge demurred, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse . . . we all know what Black's capable of . . ."

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," Madam Rosmerta said thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought . . . I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," Fudge said gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely know."

"The worst?" Madam Rosmerta said, her voice alone with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do."

"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," McGonagall murmured. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally," Madam Rosmerta said, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Harper and Cedric exchanged a glance and she could hear that Harry had dropped his tankard.

"Precisely," Professor McGonagall said. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers . . ."

"I dunno," Hagrid chuckled. "Fred and George Weasley and James' own daughter could give 'em a run fer their money."

Harper smiled sheepishly at Cedric as he just rolled his eyes.

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" Professor Flitwick chimed in. "Inseparable!"

"Of course they were," Fudge said. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. They they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him. Fortunately, they named Dorcas Meadowes as Harper's godmother."

Harper lips parted. Why hadn't Sirius told her that specific thing?

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" Madam Rosmerta whispered.

"Worse even than that, m'dear . . ." Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

"How does that work?" Madam Rosmerta said, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.

"An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even when he had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window!"

"So Black was the Potters' Secret Keeper?" Madam Rosmerta whispered.

"Naturally," Professor McGonagall said. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, and Black was planning to go into hiding himself . . . and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret Keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" Madam Rosmerta gasped.

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," Professor McGonagall said darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"

"He did," Fudge said heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed . . ."

"Black betrayed them?" Madam Rosmerta breathed.

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His Master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it . . ."

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.

"Shh!" Professor McGonagall said.

"I met him!" Hagrid growled. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me that rescued Harry and Harper from Lily an' James's house after they were killed! Jus' got them outta the ruins, poor little things, Harry with a great slash across his forehead, an' their parents dead . . . an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.

"Hagrid, please!" Professor McGonagall said. "Keep your voice down!"

"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, "Give Harry and Harper ter me, Hagrid, I'm Harry's godfather, I'll look after them . . ." Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' he'd take care of Harper. Black argued, but it the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry and Harper there. "I won' need it anymore," he says. I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbeldore knew he'd bin the Potter's Secret Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him. But what if I'd given Harry and Harper to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched them off the bike halfway out ter sea. His best' friend's children! But when a wizard goes over ter the dark side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em any more . . ."

A long silence followed Hagrid's story, in which Cedric and Harper exchanged a glance. Then, Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't managed to disappear, did he? The Ministry caught up with him next day!"

"Alas, if only we did," Fudge said bitterly. "It was we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potter's friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potter's Secret Keeper, he went after Black himself."

"Pettigrew . . . that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" Madam Rosmerta said.

"Hero-worshipped Black and Potter," Professor McGonagall said. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I — how I regret that now . . ." She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.

"There, now, Minerva," Fudge said kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eye-witnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later — told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing. "Lily and James, Sirius! How could you!" And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens . . ."

Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy . . . foolish boy . . . he was alway hopeless at dueling . . . should have left it to the Ministry . . ."

"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands — I'd've ripped him limb — from — limb," Hagrid rowled and something in his voice made me shiver.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," Fudge said sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in de Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murered all those people. I — I will never forget it. I still dream about it  sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him . . . a heap of blood-stained robes and a few — a few fragments . . ."

Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown.

"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," Fudge said thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."

Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh. "Is it true he's mad, Minister?"

"I wish I could say that he was," Fudge said slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat inhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was an action of a cornered and defeated man — cruel . . . pointless. Yes I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, there's no sense in them . . . but I was shocked at him normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astonished at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him — and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door, day and night."

"But what do you think he's broken out for?" Madam Rosmerta asked. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"

"I daresay that is his — er — eventual plan," Fudge said evasively. "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing . . . but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again . . ."

There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.

"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the Headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," Professor McGonagall said.

Harper leaned back in her seat, her lips parting as she took it all in. It was time she told Harry the truth, at least, what Sirius had told her. Even if she didn't know whether that was the actual truth.

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December 29th 2023
I hope you enjoy it & tell me what you think of it! :)