The Hogwarts Games: War Torn

Chapter 1: Albus

"Albus! Lunch!" Aunt Hermione's voice called up the stairs of Number Seven Godric's Hollow. I remained where I was on the bed, reading Hogwarts: A History, the old one that Aunt Hermione lent me from her day, before Voldemort took over Hogwarts. I read the words with a very strong feeling of longing for what used to be. As I read a lengthy paragraph telling of the beauty of the castle, its magnificent Great Hall, and the majestic Black Lake, I let out a sad sigh. I turned the page and, to my surprise, I found a newspaper clipping on the next page.

Harry Potter's Secret Heartache

"Dad?" I whispered to myself and felt a strong pang of sadness. I always tried to avoid talking about him since his death. But the newspaper clipping had me curious, nevertheless.

A boy like no other, perhaps — yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger.

I stopped reading and looked over those words. Dad was fourteen at the time this was written. Did he and Aunt Hermione used to date? They were like siblings!

Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss.
Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Vik- tor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections. Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has "never felt this way about any other girl."
However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charms that have captured these unfortunate boys' interest.
"She's really ugly," says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, "but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it."

I couldn't help whether it was my Aunt Hermione they were referring to or not because the newspaper sounded nothing like her.

Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate.

"ALBUS! LUNCH!" Lily yelled.

I tucked the clipping into my pocket and called back, "COMING!"

I walked down the stairs and entered the dining room where everyone was. They looked up at me and I took a seat next to Lily. I ignored my food and pulled out the newspaper clipping. I asked Aunt Hermione, who was sitting across from me, "Aunt Hermione, I found this in your book. What is it?" I handed it to her.

Everyone was looking at Hermione as she read the clipping. Her face grew steadily flushed and Uncle Ron leaned over and read it.

"What is it?" Lucy asked.

"Oh nothing," Hermione answered casually, "Just an old newspaper from our time about me and Ha— Anyway, let's just eat."

"Read it out loud!" Fred said.

"Fred," George glared sternly at his son.

Fred snatched the newspaper from Aunt Hermione's hands and began to read at a random spot, "'Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger.
Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss.
Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Vik- tor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections..." Fred's voice trailed off.

Lily suddenly said quietly, "So did you and dad used to like each other?"

"No!" Hermione said, "It was a rumor! Let's just forget about it."

"Forget about Dad, you mean?" I felt myself say.

Ron spoke up, "No, that's not what she meant—"

"That's exactly what she meant!" I was suddenly shouting, "All of you, you want to forget all about Dad! After all he'd done for you! Christmas when you pretended he never even existed! Now when you shudder at the mention of his name! And you two," I whirled on Hermione and Ron, "You're supposed to be his best friends! What kind of best friend tries to erase the memory of their best friend from their mind? And Mum," I turned to my mother, "You're supposed to love him! You're his wife! He loved you! Do you love him? Do any of you care—"

"Albus!" Lily tugged on my shirt urgently, "Please, please stop."

I was about to ask why when I noticed Aunt Hermione had her face in her hands. Her shoulders trembled and small droplets dropped on to the table. She was crying. What kind of horrible person does this sort of thing?

"Aunt Hermione, I'm— I'm so sorry— I never meant— I— Er— I'm not hungry." And I fled from the room.

By the third floor, I was crying. I went into my room and slammed the door shut, collapsing on to the bed in tears. I glanced at the bedside table and saw the flask with James's memories in them. It had been about a few months and I still hadn't mustered the courage to look at them. It'd be just like rubbing salt on the wound.

Was it wrong I felt a small bit of satisfaction for upsetting Hermione like that? I know she was trying to help, but I really hadn't been feeling very cheery lately. I felt so hypocritical, thought. Yelling at them for trying to forget about Dad when I was trying to do the same thing. Perhaps I was yelling at myself but took it out on them.

After we'd left the battle, we were taken here to Number Seven Godric's Hollow where Frank, Rose, Lucy, Roxanne, and Fred were because they had apparently snuck out of Hogwarts the day before. Godric's Hollow was where my grandparents died. I could see the smoldering remains of the house outside the window. My mum had explained to me that the headquarters was protected by the Fidelus Charm. Since the houses in Godric's Hollow were even, number seven was secretly in between six and eight and no one can see it but us. My dad was the Secret Keeper.

I guess the secret died with him.