Saturday, November 21, 1994 - Evening
The first task was next week. Excitement started to increase around Hogwarts. The Merlin House housewarming was a small distraction. It was Saturday night; supper was served in the Merlin House dining room. The guests were impressed that the old tower provided this kind of facility.
The house members and guests moved to the common room. The furniture had been arranged to make a small dance floor in the middle of the room. Music came from a Wizarding Wireless Network station devoted to dance music for Saturday nights. It was radio programming that went out of fashion on muggle radio networks forty years ago. A few couples moved to the dance floor.
The young ladies were not Quidditch fans so Harry and some of the boys were lacking in topics for conversation. The Beaubatons boy mentioned dragons. The Durmstrang boy gave Harry an odd look. Luna looked around the group and drew Harry aside.
“The Hufflepuff boys don’t know that dragons are the first task, but the Beaubatons and Durmstrang boys do. They have been tipped off, so Cedric Diggory might not know.” Harry nodded.
“Thanks Luna, I will get a message to Cedric.”
Harry went to his room and wrote a short note.
Cedric,
The first task is dragons.
Nesting females.
Harry
He then found Ernie McMillan and asked him to deliver the note to Cedric.
As curfew approached, Professor Dawes evicted the last guests. A vote was taken, and the evening was declared to be completely successful. Entirely personal objectives were achieved in the shape of an invitation from Michael Plantier, the Beaubatons student, to Daphne Greengrass to a Saturday evening date, and a Hogsmeade weekend date arrangement for Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott. The absence of old social tensions in Merlin House had eased the formation of new connections.
Sirius had sent an owl to Harry to arrange to speak to him by a floo-call on Sunday night. Harry had written some short notes to Sirius, trying to get any information that Sirius might have without giving him a reason to come back to Britain. Sirius had not reacted well to Harry’s news. He had flown back from safety in faraway places to give Harry whatever support he could.
The floo-call was to be taken in Professor Dawes office. Professor Dawes stayed in her own quarters to allow Harry some privacy.
‘Sirius – how’re you doing?’ Harry blurted out in surprise when the glowing coals took on the shape of Sirius’ face. The face was much fuller and healthier looking than when Harry had last seen Sirius.
‘Never mind me, how are you?’ said Sirius.
Harry tried to smile, “I – I’m fine, in one way, and a mess in most other ways. They tell me that I’m head of House Potter. I have all this power and money. The truth is that I’m still Harry from the cupboard under the stairs. If they tell me I’m responsible for one more thing, I will run and hide and not come back.” Harry’s voice was trembling.
“Harry! Pup! I wish I could be with you. There is so much that I was taught that you need to know. I don’t even know what you don’t know. Tell me! Who is talking to you? Tell me their names.”
Harry took a breath. “The head of Merlin House, Professor Miriam Dawes. Lord and Lady Greengrass, they told me to call them Cyrus and Olivia. Eric Davis, he and Professor Dawes are Unspeakables. Henry and Jane Abbott are helping me. They tell me Mr and Mrs Li will help. Luna Lovegood and her father have stuck with me from the beginning. Mr Lovegood runs The Quibbler magazine. The students in Merlin House are all friendly enough, but I still feel overwhelmed.”
“I notice that there are no Gryffindor names in that list, where are they?” Sirius looked grim.
“They ran away. Fred and George Weasley would help me, I think, and Neville Longbottom. But we are separated by being in different houses.” Harry mumbled and looked at the floor.
“The Lions ran away from trouble. What has Hogwarts come to.” Sirius looked glum.
“Harry, that list of names you gave me. They are the most influential and powerful non-aligned families in Britain, and two Unspeakables. You have the best allies I have ever seen collected together in one place. Try to stick with them. Tell your head of house if you are going to come apart. Don’t keep it a big secret.”
Harry stared at Sirius. “Ah! OK. I’ll try.”
“What about Dumbledore?” Sirius was still looking angry.
“He is missing mostly. They say he is travelling on ICW business.”
Sirius pulled an ugly face. “Maybe it’s just as well he isn’t interfering.”
Sirius looked at Harry again. “Are you prepared for the First Task? Have they helped you?”
Harry brightened, “Yes, yes. I have had a lot of help. It will be dragons, nesting females.”
“Merlin’s droopy shorts! I will find these tournament organizers and skin them alive if anything happens to you. We should wrap this up. Meet me here at 9 in the evening after the First Task. I wish I could be there with you. OK?”
“Fine! Thank you, Sirius”
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