Finding Heather

Year 4 Chapter 15

Author's notes: Thank you all for reaching this point in my story. This will be the last chapter of The Goblet of Fire, and like the end of Prisoner of Azkaban, I will be skipping the tumultuous events in the Little Hangleton graveyard as the events of the book fit well enough into my story.

Harry Potter and everything magical in his world belongs to JK Rowling, not me.

Chapter Fifteen

Once again it felt like time was speeding up to Harry. One moment it was early March with months to go before the Third Task, and the next it was late May and he was taken down to the Quidditch Pitch with the other three champions one evening. There they were shown that the usually flat pitch had been transformed. Small hedges laid out like a maze grew everywhere. The last task, they were told, was an obstacle course and maze combined, with the goal being the Triwizard Cup, which was located in the center. The first person to touch the cup would be the winner of the tournament. On their way back from the pitch, Victor Krum asked Harry to walk with him. It turned out he'd read the article by Rita Skeeter, specifically the part about Hermione being Harry's girlfriend, and wanted to be sure that it wasn't true. Not quite believing he was having a discussion about girls with Victor Krum, especially when Krum almost seemed jealous, Harry fervently denied ever being in a relationship with Hermione. Just as they turned to leave, Barty Crouch, who hadn't been seen in months, came staggering out of the forest. Soon Harry was tearing across the grounds to Dumbledore's office for help. As it happened, by the time Harry was able to explain what had happened and he returned to the forest with the headmaster, Crouch was gone. A few days later during a Divination lesson, Harry fell asleep and had a dream, where he was flying on the back of a great eagle towards an old manor house. Inside he saw Lord Voldemort torturing Wormtail for a blunder, but saying the eagle had brought good news. That the blunder had been fixed and the plan would continue. Dumbledore, when Harry had told him about the dream had speculated on Lord Voldemort's strength growing, something Harry didn't find very reassuring at all. The month that followed was very busy for everyone. Harry, Hermione, and Ron spent most of their time looking up charms, jinxes, and counter spells for a wide variety of situations Harry might find himself in during the task. Harry got to be Heather one more time before the task, this time choosing to wear his girl's uniform. "So Heather," said Ginny, who was sitting on the bench doing a puzzle in the Daily Prophet, "Do you every want to get out of this bathroom?""What do you mean?" asked Heather. He was sitting curled in one of the armchairs writing in his diary."Like, as Heather, do you ever want to leave this bathroom?" Ginny explained."And go where?" Heather asked."Down to the lake? Or the forest, or even the library." Ginny suggested."I couldn't do that!" Heather almost shrieked."Why not? It'd be a lot of fun. I mean I love hanging out in here with you two, but I think it'd be fun to take you outside." Ginny said."She has a point, Heather." Added Hermione, looking up from her homework."But what if I got recognized?" objected Heather."Heather, unless someone gets very close to you, no one is going to suspect that you are Harry Potter. Trust me." Said Ginny."I don't know," said Heather."How about we try just a quick stroll around the second floor?" suggest Ginny. "It's a nice day and most everyone is outside enjoying the weather. You're already in your uniform so you'll blend right in, and Hermione and I will be right beside you the whole way. It took about fifteen more minutes of reassurance before Heather agreed. With the Invisibility cloak under his robes as a safety measure, Ginny took his hand and slowly led him out of the door. As expected, the corridor was empty. Ginny and Hermione walked on either side of him, which did a lot to make him feel more comfortable. Slowly the nervousness faded and he started to really enjoy it. It was amazing how different it was to walk down the same corridors that he did as Harry Potter, and yet it almost felt brand new. As if Heather Potter really was a different person than Harry. They walked past the spot where two years ago the message about the Chamber of Secrets had been written, and in that moment the memory felt like it belonged to someone else. This felt right, this felt natural. They were just another group of girls, walking and talking. When the three of them turned a corner and saw an older Ravenclaw boy walking towards them, Heather's throat dropped into the pit of his stomach. Ginny and Hermione closed in on either side, trying to reassure him with their presence. Looking down at the floor to avoid eye contact, Heather saw the boy's robes swirl by without comment. As they walked away Ginny turned to look and whispered "Someone just checked you out, Heather."That was about all he could take. Having had enough for the day they made straight for the bathroom, locking the door behind him."See, I told you. That boy had no clue who you were." Ginny said, dropping into an armchair with a large grin on her face."That was the last girl's session that they were able to have that year. Harry was too busy preparing for the task, and the girl's had exams to study for. The castle had had plenty of time to forget about Rita Skeeter's article about Harry, and he was doing his best to forget it himself. His roommates still acted somewhat skittish around him, but that was now almost normal. That is until the day of the final task. There, in the morning edition of the Daily Prophet was another article, this time portraying Harry as demented and dangerous. Claiming that his scar, which hurts frequently, is a sign of his damaged and attention seeking mind, Rita suggested that Harry would be best placed in a special ward of St. Mungo's hospital, there to also help cure his other social deviances. More filler here. Just then Professor McGonagall swept up to the table, "Potter, the champions are to go to the chamber off the hall after breakfast. Your family has been invited to watch the final task, and this is the chance for you to spend time with them." Not giving Harry a chance to respond, she moved off to deliver the same message to Cedric."As if the Dursley's would show up, unless there was a good chance of me snuffing it." Said Harry.But still, as everyone else left the hall for their exams, he made his way over to the side door and down the stairs. The other three Champions were already present with their families, and his eyes drifted across the room. Finally, he saw the trio of Weasleys who were chatting by a trophy case."Surprise!" cried Mrs. Weasley, spying him."I was afraid you were my aunt and uncle." Said Harry grinning at them as they encircled him."Hmm" was all Mrs. Weasley had to say about that. She, Bill, and Charlie all walked with him back out into the Great Hall. Harry's reaction to seeing Charlie was somewhat more subdued than it had been last summer, which he was grateful for. He was able to talk normally to him, even though he did keep stealing glances at him. Charlie's hair was longer than it had been last summer, and it looked like he'd gotten a new scar on his cheek. Together they spent a very enjoyable morning wandering the castle, the three Weasleys reminiscing about their time at Hogwarts. Mrs. Weasley was just entertaining them with a story of her sneaking back into Gryffindor tower late one night when Hermione, Ron, and Ginny turned up. Mrs. Weasley's face fell somewhat at the sight of Hermione, but Harry reassured her that Hermione wasn't his girlfriend and nothing had happened there. Feeling like the various articles about him were about to come up, Harry quickly redirected the conversation to the story of him and Hermione's late-night visit to the astronomy tower to give away Norbert, which brought quite a few laughs. Before dinner that night Harry excused himself from the group to go change. Pulling on a shirt with the Gryffindor lion on it that he'd been given and a pair of jeans, he debated wearing one of his bras but decided against it. The chances of him being injured were high, and he didn't need Madam Pomfrey, and who knows who else, seeing that under his shirt. As evening fell, Harry was summoned with the rest of the champions to the Quidditch Pitch. The stands were soon full of students, teachers, and the champion's families, all yelling and screaming their support. Harry and Cedric stood together near the opening in the hedge, as they would be the first to enter. Quietly they nodded to each other, nerves too taught to manage words. With the boom of a cannon somewhere in the stands, they ran down the row until it reached a fork. Wishing each other luck, Cedric took one path and Harry the other. ***** When Harry was finally released from the Hospital Wing almost three days later, he found the school a much quieter place. Where a week ago excitement and shouts had filled the corridors, now few spoke louder than a whisper. Stories ran rampant about what had happened in the maze and how Cedric had really died. Cho was in tears daily and didn't look at Harry. Cedric's parents had been polite but distant, not entirely hearing what Harry had told him. His mother had thanked him for bringing Cedric's body back and refused Harry's offer of the prize money. A gloom had settled on Harry, and he was thankful for his nightly dose of dreamless sleep potion. He found he had little enjoyment in much at the moment, even the thought of being Heather. He kept thinking back to seeing his parents' spectral forms in the graveyard, hearing their words of encouragement and love. That was the first time he'd ever seen their faces up close in his living memory. He'd spent hours looking at the photo album Hagrid had given him three years ago, full of pictures of his parents, but it was different being next to them. Everyone always told him that he looked exactly like his father, but with his mother's eyes and that was very true. With the exception of his bright green eyes, Harry was almost a copy of James Potter. However, looking closely at his mother, Harry had seen many similarities to Heather's reflection mirrored in her face. Thankfully most of the students gave Harry a wide berth. Dumbledore had publicly asked everyone to not ask Harry questions about that night. Harry knew however that the after effects of Rita's last article about him was fresh in their minds however. Too much had happened for it not to be. The now usual whispers followed him constantly. Harry was even quietly wondering if Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were whispering about him too. Too often he found them watching him or talking to each other in low voices when they thought he couldn't hear them. He spent a lot of time wondering where Sirius was. The night he had returned from the graveyard Dumbledore had sent Sirius off on an errand to contact Professor Lupin and others, though who they were Harry had no idea. He hoped it wouldn't be too long before he could see him again. Three days before the end of term feast, Harry felt better enough to ask Hermione and Ginny to meet him in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom one last time. There, just like he had earlier this year, he gave Hermione his rucksack full of clothes and make up, only this time it was for safekeeping over the summer. Both girls promised to write to Heather over the summer, and even said they'd write using that name instead of Harry. That made Harry happy, and gave him something to look forward to. As always, his return to Privet Drive was not a happy prospect, but the thought of letters to his girl self made it at least a little brighter. The train ride home was subdued. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had gotten a compartment to themselves, and no one else had tried to sit with them. Conversation was light but felt somewhat forced. Ron had mentioned his mother asking Dumbledore to take Harry straight home with them but Dumbledore had said no. Almost halfway to London the mild tension was broken by Hermione pulling a long piece of parchment from her bag and reading it. "What's that, homework?" asked Ron"None of your business." Replied Hermione, her face going slightly red."I think I know what it is." Teased Ginny, who grinned at Harry. "A letter from a certain international seeker."There was no mistaking it this time, Hermione's face went a glowing cherry red as she read the letter, while Ron stared on astounded. "You're still dating Krum?" he asked."We're friends." Was all they could get out of her. Both Harry and Ginny grinned at each other and let the matter drop. Ron kept looking at the three of them not entirely sure what was going on. Harry mentioned his surprise that Rita Skeeter hadn't published anything about the Third Task, to which Hermione pulled out a jar with a small beetle inside. As it turned out, Rita Skeeter was an unregistered Animagus, and Hermione had blackmailed her into silence for a full year or she would report her to the ministry. When the train finally pulled in Platform 9¾, Harry stopped Fred and George on their way past the compartment. Into their hands he shoved the bag of prize money, telling them to use it to open their joke shop. After trying to refuse, they both accepted, still not quite believing it. The only thing Harry asked was that they buy Ron a new pair of dress robes, ones a girl might actually enjoy seeing him in. Out on the platform, Harry slowly walked towards the Dursley's. Hugging Hermione and Ginny, and shaking Ron's hand, he followed his aunt and uncle out to their car, already dreading the summer and ready for it to be over.