"Harry, I have to inform you that I, along with Madam Maxime, Headmaster Karkaroff, and Minister Fudge were all meeting with Director Crouch that evening. We passed through several security checks within the ministry and he never left the meeting, not even for a bathroom break. He couldn't have been in the castle at the time."
"But... the map's never been wrong before..."
"Harry, could I see the map? Do you have it with you?" Dumbledore eyed him with a keen interest as Harry pulled the map out.
"To activate it, you have to tap it with your wand and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.'"
Dumbledore said the words, and a brief look of surprise passed over his face. He then watched the map for a minute before casting a few diagnostic spells, turning the piece of parchment over several times in his hands.
"Harry, do you know how this map works?"
"Err... I'm not sure." He quickly glanced at Hermione, who also shook her head and shrugged. "I'm guessing there's a bunch of tracking charms and some kind of identity charm on it..."
Dumbledore shook his head. "Unfortunately, it's not nearly as powerful or complex as you imagine. It's quite ingenious in its simplicity, actually. All it does is read some of the information pulled from the Hogwarts wards and display it on the parchment. Most of the charms here are simply self-writing and animated-ink spells, along with the password security."
"Oh... I had no idea. What does that mean for me, though?" asked Harry. He couldn't quite see where the Headmaster was going with this.
"It means that the map could easily be subverted. I doubt that most intruders would know to specifically mask themselves from a rather specialized device like this, but for one who had a hand in its creation, and was caught by the very same map last year..."
"Wormtail!" Harry nearly shouted. Thinking about the escaped rat boiled his blood. He desperately wanted to catch him... chase him down as the little sneak tried to run... dive down from above and snatch the little rodent in his talons...
Dumbledore's voice snapped him out of his short, emotional daydream. "Harry, don't worry yourself over this. I think I shall make my own version of this map to keep in my office... with a few personal improvements, of course. You can have yours back. Don't worry, we'll be on the lookout for him from now on."
"Uh, yes, sir."
"Oh, you and Miss Granger can take twenty-five points each for displaying extraordinary courage and a strong sense of justice by standing up to Professor Moody. You can also take an additional twenty-five points each for an excellently performed shield charms and banishing charms against a veteran magical combatant." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily as he strode out of the infirmary.
Over the next week, Harry and Hermione were both getting awed looks from students. Nobody was crazy enough to take on Mad-Eye, and certainly few had enough confidence to even survive a duel against him. Even several of the Durmstrang students, all of whom were very powerful six and seventh year students, were impressed and smiling at them as they passed in the hallways. Evidently, stories of Moody's skill and power had spread over as far as eastern Europe, despite most of his work occurring in Britain and occasionally the west coast of the continent. The only Hogwarts students brave enough to approach them were their friends, who congratulated them on a spectacular display. The only student bold, or stupid, enough to actually get on his nerves was the one Draco Malfoy.
"It's a shame Moody didn't hit a bit harder, he could have ridded the world of one more Mud-"
He never managed to finish that sentence. Harry used the same powerful banishing charm on Draco, blasting him straight into Goyle, who was standing right behind him, smashing both of them into a broom closet. Vincent Crabbe stood there in shock, overwhelmed by the raw display of power, frozen like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. The crowd around them were silent for a while, but then many of the Gryffindors and Durmstrang students began applauding. Several others followed suit.
Fred and George looked at each other and nodded. Fred ran into the broom closet where Malfoy and Goyle still lay, unconscious. George grabbed Harry's shoulder and whispered, "Don't worry, Harry, we'll take care of this." He quickly joined his brother and began transfiguring Malfoy's robes.
Apparently, Viktor Krum was one of the witnesses. He walked up to Harry, offering his hand. "I am sorry I did not introduce myself properly at party. I am Viktor Krum. You are Harry Potter, yes?"
Harry took his hand and shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Krum."
"I must admit I vas getting wrong impression of you. You are very famous, even in Bulgaria, and you are rich, much like little blonde boy." Viktor smirked. "But you are not like little boy, you fight like real man. You show real strength. Durmstrang vould be happy to haff student like you."
Harry nodded, accepting the compliment. "Thank you, Mr. Krum. I'm glad there are pure-blooded wizards who strive to be more than just an heir to a name."
"Yes, names are meaningless ven faced vith skill. I hear you are also very skilled vith broom, best in school yes?"
Harry nodded. "I'm a seeker, like you. Although I have to admit I'm nowhere near your skill level. I was at the World Cup, and I think just watching you play taught me a lot."
Krum laughed. "We must play sometime, then. Perhaps at end of year, after I vin Tournament, yes?"
Harry chuckled with him. "Yes, I'd love that. I'll be cheering for the Hogwarts champion, though, but good luck to you too, Mr. Krum."
As the group of Durmstrang students walked away, Harry turned around to see what the twins had been up to. Draco's robes had been turned a rather frilly pink, and the twins had sprouted hickeys all over his neck. Goyle had received similar treatment. "Come on, let's try to find Colin and his camera before any professors get here..." Fred suggested, as they both scurried away.
Harry managed to get away with only one weekend of detention, as nobody wanted to cross Harry after that. All the students, save the Slytherins, testified that it was Malfoy who had provoked the attack. Even some of the Durmstrang students took pleasure in mocking what they saw as the weakest house in Hogwarts. The twins were quick to accept their share of the blame, using the publicity to drum up a bit more excitement for their WWW products, and try to sell photos of the incident in question.
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