Chapter 35: Echoes of Victory and Whispers of the Heart
-----
A Time for Rest
The Triwizard Tournament had concluded, but the weight of its aftermath lingered in the atmosphere of Hogwarts like mist clinging to the Forbidden Forest. The champions, having braved dangers beyond their years, were granted a week's rest and recovery. No classes, no obligations—just time to heal, reflect, and reconnect.
Harrison Strange Potter, though deeply burdened by the events of the final task and the dark ritual he disrupted, allowed himself moments of peace. The days following the tournament were warm and bright, with the Black Lake glistening and the Forbidden Forest blooming at its edge. Hogwarts was alive with a kind of victorious pride, its students buoyed by the performances of their own.
Harry was surrounded by friends, his name now chanted not in fear, but in admiration. Harrison, ever the quiet guardian, smiled from the shadows, proud of his younger brother.
The Combined Quidditch Match
Before the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang delegations were set to depart, Dumbledore had arranged a celebratory event to foster camaraderie and unity between the schools. A Quidditch match unlike any before: a team composed of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students against a combined Hogwarts team.
Harrison sat in the top box with Clarissa and Penelope, the wind ruffling his coat. His eyes never left Harry, who had been chosen as Hogwarts' Seeker.
"He looks determined," Clarissa observed.
"He always is, when it comes to Quidditch," Harrison replied, a proud smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
The Beauxbatons-Durmstrang team played with graceful coordination and raw strength. Fleur, flying as a Chaser, was a blur of silver hair and ice-blue robes. Krum was everywhere at once, defending, attacking, coordinating his team.
But Hogwarts had its own champions.
Fred and George Weasley, leading the Bludger assault, kept the opposing team on their toes. Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell were a trio of fire in the air, scoring goal after goal.
But it was Harry who ended the game. With a breathtaking dive that left the crowd holding its breath, he caught the Snitch inches from the ground, pulling up just in time to avoid a fatal crash.
The stands erupted in thunderous applause.
Harrison stood and clapped, pride glowing in his eyes. "Well done, brother."
A Proposal at Dusk
After the match, the Hogwarts grounds shimmered with twilight. Students wandered, exchanging memories and promises of owled letters.
Fleur found Cedric by the lake, away from the crowd. Her hair shimmered with hints of Veela magic as she knelt before him, much to his shock.
"Cedric Diggory," she said softly, holding a silver ring with a sapphire stone. "You have shown me honor, kindness, and strength. Will you bond with me, in the tradition of my ancestors?"
Cedric blinked, stunned, but his answer was immediate. "Yes. A thousand times, yes."
Their kiss beneath the setting sun was met with cheers from their classmates who had gathered nearby. Even McGonagall wiped a tear from her eye.
A Missed Dance, Reclaimed
Back at the Potter castle, with Penelope now a permanent resident following her graduation, the atmosphere was warm and comforting.
One evening, as Penelope stood in the grand ballroom looking out at the moonlit gardens, Harrison entered in his formal robes. Music began to play from nowhere, soft and ancient.
"You missed your Yule Ball dance," he said.
Penelope turned, eyes wide. "You remembered?"
He extended his hand. "Every moment with you is remembered."
She placed her hand in his, and they began to dance. Time slowed as their bodies moved in harmony, her silver hair glinting, his dark robes flowing like shadows. Emotions shimmered between them—gratitude, longing, and something deeper.
As the final note played, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Harrison. For everything."
Bellatrix's Confession
Later that night, under the star-filled sky, Bellatrix found Harrison alone on one of the castle's highest balconies. The wind played with her dark curls, and her face—so often twisted with madness or cunning—was now solemn, almost vulnerable.
"I never thought I'd feel peace again," she said, her voice low. "I've done... unspeakable things. Things I still see when I close my eyes."
Harrison turned to her. "You've taken steps to change. That means something."
She laughed bitterly. "Change doesn't erase the blood, the screams. But it... it dulls the ache."
A long silence stretched between them.
"I used to think love was for the weak," Bellatrix admitted, her fingers clenching around the railing. "That it was a shackle. But then I met you. And you... you didn't look at me like a monster. You healed the madness I didn't even know was eating me alive."
Her voice trembled. "And now... all I can think about is you. Your light. Your warmth. You looked into my soul when even I had forgotten it existed."
Harrison stepped toward her slowly. "Bella..."
"I know it's madness," she whispered. "I know there's Penelope. Clarissa. But I had to say it. I love you, Harrison Strange Potter. And not in the way I used to love—obsessively, destructively. This is different. It's quieter. Stronger. It's a truth I carry like a scar... and I needed you to know."
He looked into her eyes—into the storm that had, for the first time, stilled.
"Bella, love takes many forms," he said softly. "And yours... it's a gift. One I won't take lightly."
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and for the first time in decades, Bellatrix Lestrange allowed herself to cry—not from pain or rage, but from release.
He embraced her gently, no words needed.
A Date in Diagon Alley
Meanwhile, Harry had gathered enough courage to ask Cho Chang to Hogsmeade, but with the year ending, he chose Diagon Alley for their first proper date.
They wandered the bustling street, laughing over ice cream at Florean Fortescue's, browsing magical joke items at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and talking about everything from Quidditch to their dreams.
At sunset, standing outside Flourish and Blotts, Harry took her hand.
"Thank you for today," he said.
Cho smiled. "Thank you for asking me."
Then, without hesitation, Harry leaned in and kissed her. Soft and uncertain, but filled with feeling. She responded, eyes fluttering shut.
When they parted, Cho whispered, "I've been waiting for that."
Threads of the Future
The summer days grew longer. The world slowly forgot the horrors of the Triwizard Tournament and remembered instead the victories of its youth. Harrison spent his days writing, training, and preparing for what was to come. His circle of friends—Clarissa, Penelope, Sirius, Flitwick, Cedric, the Weasleys—remained close.
But in the quiet corners of the world, dark forces stirred.
And above them all, the Guardian watched.