Finally Higgs caught the snitch. "Next year, Draco, I bet the lions will win because I'll be out there."
Draco chuckled. "You and me, both. I spotted the snitch twice before Higgs."
"Only twice? I spotted it four times."
"Yeah, yeah, sure you did. Thanks for the sickle!"
"Grr, don't rub it in." That comment had all the first years laughing as they left the stands.
Amelia Bones didn't inform Sirius immediately that Pettigrew had been captured. She knew that the rat animagus was a trigger for the other wizard. Instead she informed him when the trial was going to take place. "Peter Pettigrew goes before the Wizengamot tomorrow."
"What? Why didn't you tell me he'd been captured? Where ? When?"
"Halloween, Hogwarts, Harry spotted him on the map. Not that I really know what the map is, anyway he called. I gathered a few aurors together and we went to Hogwarts. When we got there we captured Pettigrew. It was all very simple and straightforward."
"He was at Hogwarts? Is Harry alright?"
"He was fine, despite tangling with a troll earlier that evening."
"A TROLL?"
"Apparently. I'm still investigating, but Dumbledore is proving to be something of an obstacle."
"That stupid old idiot!"
"Harry assured me he's keeping his ears and eyes open, but his nose clean."
"That's good, I suppose."
"I'm meeting with the Hogwarts board of governors next week. I want to put more pressure on the old man. That he's brought something dangerous into the castle may give us just the grounds we need to oust him."
"I hope so."
"See you tomorrow?"
"Count on it." Sirius ended the call.
Sirius looked at his watch. Harry was probably still in class, and away from his phone. He dialed anyway, "Harry, it's Sirius. Call me when you get this." Then he reluctantly picked up the papers that were awaiting his attention. It was two hours later before his phone rang.
"Black."
"What's up?"
" Harry James Potter, explain to me, if you can, how you came to tangle with a troll on Halloween."
"Well someone let one into Hogwarts on Halloween. My money is on Quirrell, that guy is too pathetic otherwise. He has this whole ineffective vibe that has to be a cover-up, or he's too ineffective to live. Otherwise it might be Snape. He has the whole bad guy vibe too, but I kinda doubt it because he was the one to come and kill it."
"Why didn't you?"
"Stupid choice of tactics really. I mean I still can't believe I started with confundus." Harry shuddered. "Anyway, it was no big. I got a couple splinters and a cut, but I was fine. Had to get firm with the school matron, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. Snape made me write an essay evaluating my tactics. He may be a rotten Potions teacher but his comments on my tactics essay were spot-on, not even Charlie would complain. What I don't get is why he is teaching potions; he'd beat Quirrell hands down as defense teacher."
"Firm with the matron?"
"She wanted to give me a pain potion for one, a nutrient potion cause I hadn't had dinner yet, and a sleep potion. I had six splinters and a cut from a porcelain shard. I've had worse from training, I wasn't about to spend the night under her watchful eye. Heck I didn't even really extend myself that much magically. To be honest she kinda strikes me as a Nurse Ratched type."
"I should never have let you read that book."
"Too late now. How goes progress on getting critters for the basilisk?"
"They should get there in two days."
"Fabulous, I'll plan to go down to the chamber then.
"Harry, are you sure you don't want backup for that?"
"I'm sure. Don't worry, Pads. I intend to keep all aspects of this under my control. We all know my luck only kicks in if I'm reacting to someone else's long term plans."
"Yes, and that's what has me worried. You're in that castle with the old spider himself."
"Fair point. But his plans are centered around the thing on the third floor not the Chamber. I promise I'll be careful."