Butterfly Effect ; H. Potter

41. history of crouch.

Other than the relief of the second task being over, Harry thought one of the best things about the aftermath of the second task was that Antheia had started speaking to him again.

One morning, he awoke, yawned, and looked up to see a large snout with bright brown eyes staring at him.

"AAARGH!" he screamed in shock. But then, he heard laughter.

"Harry, it's just Snuffles!" giggled Antheia as Seamus, Dean, and Ron roared in laughter.

"You named him - Snuffles?" asked Dean.

"Don't be a prat," said Antheia, holding up the Niffler to Dean. "It suits him."

"What ... why ..." gasped Harry, holding his chest and breathing heavily.

"I didn't think you'd be this scared, Harry!" said Antheia.

"I don't think I've ever heard you scream that loudly, mate," said Ron, chortling.

Although still in shock, Harry realized this was her way of rekindling their friendship, and couldn't help but laugh along with the others.

─ ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─

As they entered March the weather became drier, but cruel winds skinned their hands and faces every time they went out into the grounds. There were delays in the post because the owls kept being blown off course. The brown owl that Harry had sent to Sirius with the dates of the Hogsmeade weekend turned up at breakfast on Friday morning with half its feathers sticking up the wrong way; Harry had no sooner torn off Sirius' reply than it took flight, clearly afraid it was going to be sent outside again.

Sirius' letter was almost as short as the previous one.

Be at stile at end of road out of Hogsmeade (past Dervish & Banges) at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Bring as much food as you can.

"He hasn't come back to Hogsmeade?" said Ron incredulously.

"Looks like it," said Antheia.

"I can't believe him," said Harry tensely. "If he's caught ..."

"Made it so far, though, hasn't he?" said Ron. "And it's not like the place is swarming with Dementors any more."

Harry folded up the letter, thinking. If he was honest with himself, he really wanted to see Sirius again. He therefore approached the final lesson of the afternoon - double Potions - feeling considerably more cheerful than he usually did when descending the steps to the dungeons.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were standing in a huddle outside the classroom door with Pansy Parkinson's gang of Slytherin girls. All of them were looking at something Harry couldn't see and sniggering heartily. Pansy's pug-like face peered excitedly around Goyle's broad back as Harry, Ron, Antheia, and Hermione approached.

"There they are, there they are!" she giggled, and the knot of Slytherins broke apart. Harry saw that Pansy had a magazine in her hands - Witch Weekly. The moving picture on the front showed a curly-haired witch who was smiling toothily and pointing at a large sponge cake with her wand.

"You might find something to interest you in there, Lupin!" Pansy said loudly, and she threw the magazine at Antheia, who caught it, looking startled. At that moment, the dungeon door opened, and Snape beckoned them all inside.

Antheia, Hermione, Harry, and Ron headed for a table at the back of the dungeon as usual. Once Snape had turned his back on them to write up the ingredients of today's potion on the blackboard, Antheia hastily riffled through the magazine under the desk. At last, in the centre pages, Antheia found what they were looking for. Harry, Hermione, and Ron leant in closer. A colour photograph of Harry headed a short piece entitled HARRY POTTER'S SECRET HEARTACHE: