Harry Potter Magical Time Loops
- Thread starter Innortal
- Start date
Sorry if this scene isn't that great. It's just something I couldn't get out of
my head unless it was written down. Set in the fourth year. Dumbledore is not in the room.
------
"S-s-s-s," loudly echoed through the Great Hall, followed shortly by, "A-a-a-a,
F-f-f-f."
"What is that abominable noise?" Declared McGonagall as "E-e-e-e," and then,
"T-t-t-t," followed.
"Y-y-y-y," occurred, and then a declaration of, "Safety Dance!"
"I believe it is something called 'Safety Dance,'" answered Sprout in response.
"Like all the dunderheads couldn't tell from it being said loudly," snarked
Snape with a sneer.
"What I want to know is why I wasn't invited," interjected Flitwick.
As the eyes of the other professor's turned towards him, the doors of the Great
Hall burst open and Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and a tiny figure dressed in a
jester's outfit entered with the three saying, "We can dance if we want to, we
can leave your friends behind."
Everyone turned to stare at the trio as they continued, "Cause your friends
don't dance and if they don't dance, well they're no friends of mine."
As eyes fixed on Potter and his companions, many peoples eyes were caught by the
small jester, which was scarcely recognizable as a human.
Snape's words of, "Is that a homunculus?" Merely brought attention to the fact
that most did not know who or what the jester was, as "I say, we can go where we
want to, A place where they will never find, And we can act like we come from
out of this world, Leave the real one far behind, And we can dance." followed
from the trio who had entered the room.
As the rest of the teaching staff were about to respond to Snape's comment,
everyone besides the three who had entered became silenced, and those three
began to sing and dance to the rest of the song Safety Dance.
------
I do not own Harry Potter or the Men Without Hats song Safety Dance.
------
Omake.
"Um, Harry," inquired Hermione. "Who was the midget who was dancing with you?"
"Oh, him? That was Tom." Responded Harry pleasantly as he sat in a chair in the
Gryffindor common room.
"Tom who?" queried Hermione.
"No, not Tom Who. Tom Riddle."
There was a moment of silence.
"Voldemort was in the castle?!" screamed Hermione.
"Well, yeah," elaborated Harry. "Who else could I get to fill the part of the
midget. The shrinking potion worked a little too well on Hagrid and the house
elves can't hold a tune unless singing 'Whistle While You Work' from Snow White
and the Seven Dwarves."
A cat proceeded to run by with a pixie sized Hagrid on it's back.
my head unless it was written down. Set in the fourth year. Dumbledore is not in the room.
------
"S-s-s-s," loudly echoed through the Great Hall, followed shortly by, "A-a-a-a,
F-f-f-f."
"What is that abominable noise?" Declared McGonagall as "E-e-e-e," and then,
"T-t-t-t," followed.
"Y-y-y-y," occurred, and then a declaration of, "Safety Dance!"
"I believe it is something called 'Safety Dance,'" answered Sprout in response.
"Like all the dunderheads couldn't tell from it being said loudly," snarked
Snape with a sneer.
"What I want to know is why I wasn't invited," interjected Flitwick.
As the eyes of the other professor's turned towards him, the doors of the Great
Hall burst open and Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and a tiny figure dressed in a
jester's outfit entered with the three saying, "We can dance if we want to, we
can leave your friends behind."
Everyone turned to stare at the trio as they continued, "Cause your friends
don't dance and if they don't dance, well they're no friends of mine."
As eyes fixed on Potter and his companions, many peoples eyes were caught by the
small jester, which was scarcely recognizable as a human.
Snape's words of, "Is that a homunculus?" Merely brought attention to the fact
that most did not know who or what the jester was, as "I say, we can go where we
want to, A place where they will never find, And we can act like we come from
out of this world, Leave the real one far behind, And we can dance." followed
from the trio who had entered the room.
As the rest of the teaching staff were about to respond to Snape's comment,
everyone besides the three who had entered became silenced, and those three
began to sing and dance to the rest of the song Safety Dance.
------
I do not own Harry Potter or the Men Without Hats song Safety Dance.
------
Omake.
"Um, Harry," inquired Hermione. "Who was the midget who was dancing with you?"
"Oh, him? That was Tom." Responded Harry pleasantly as he sat in a chair in the
Gryffindor common room.
"Tom who?" queried Hermione.
"No, not Tom Who. Tom Riddle."
There was a moment of silence.
"Voldemort was in the castle?!" screamed Hermione.
"Well, yeah," elaborated Harry. "Who else could I get to fill the part of the
midget. The shrinking potion worked a little too well on Hagrid and the house
elves can't hold a tune unless singing 'Whistle While You Work' from Snow White
and the Seven Dwarves."
A cat proceeded to run by with a pixie sized Hagrid on it's back.
Harry fought a losing battle to keep a twitch off his face, before finally giving in.
Growling, he turned to the rest of the Slytherin table. ôReally!? Are you all so lacking in ambition and cunning that allowing Malfoy to continue acting like this is somehow considered, æin your best interestsÆ?ö
As they glared at him, Harry rounded on Malfoy. ôAnd you, Draco! Are you seriously going to stand here and keep using the term, mudblood, incorrectly!?ö
That confused many people.
ôHarry?ö Hermione started.
ôHermione, that term was originally coined well before the Founders, what was humanity in Britain like during that time?ö
Hermione opened her mouth, before understanding dawned on her.
Harry was very grateful that even in Primary, sheÆd been an over-achiever. ôBut that meansàö
Harry nodded.
ôSo, the term wasàö
He nodded again.
ôSo, Slytherin was against the Muggleborn becauseàö
He just smiled.
ôWhat?ö
Malfoy did not.
Sighing, Harry turned on him and the Slytherin table. ôDuring that time period, Muggle society was deteriorating. As such, Salazar was afraid that should a Muggleborn do magic or learn of its existence, theyÆd blab about it to other frightened Muggles, who would then launch a crusade to wipe us out. æMudbloodÆ was just a term like Muggle, used to describe those born from a society living in mud-based dwellings, of wood and grass, to hide their real meaning. Wizards at the time, dressed as they were, would have passed for high-nobilityùbeing so clean and such. It would have been merely assumed to be yet another noble lauding their birthright over the poor peasants.
ôHe was mainly concerned that any Muggleborn at the time might learn of HogwartsÆs location and lead the enemies here.
ôThe fact that you,ö he stated, pointing at Draco, ôand those like you, continue to use it as was redefined by a poor excuse for a Dark Lord in the 1200s, just adds to my fury!ö
The Great Hall was silentùeven the approaching teachers had stopped and stared, as Harry growled.
ôHell! Right now, the situation is reversed, with the Magical World filled with fanatical idiots, believing a dogma of purity, trying to wipe out any inferior they spot!ö Harry bellowed.
ôYOU LIE!ö Draco yelled.
Smirking, Harry waved his hands at the counters for House Points, revealing four portraits, those he found in the private offices that had been hidden, of each of the four Founders.
Oddly, each was accessed by a doorway in the kitchens, much like the Room of Requirements, that the House Elves used as a pantry.
Founders they may have been, but so secretive of their own offices, none mentioned they all used the same door.
And in each, a portrait waited for a worthy searcher to find.
ôAsk them,ö Harry spat, before turning away. ôI have enough cunning to, and enough ambition not to be an idiot.ö
The fact that he had now added the Four Founders to the Hogwarts painting networkùallowing them to move about like all others, and adding a correcting influence to historyùthus derailing certain Dark Lords and Light Lords as wellùwas just icing on the cake.
Now, if he could figure out a way to do this during QuirrellÆs tenure, and thus really mind-fuck Tom, his day would be perfect.
Growling, he turned to the rest of the Slytherin table. ôReally!? Are you all so lacking in ambition and cunning that allowing Malfoy to continue acting like this is somehow considered, æin your best interestsÆ?ö
As they glared at him, Harry rounded on Malfoy. ôAnd you, Draco! Are you seriously going to stand here and keep using the term, mudblood, incorrectly!?ö
That confused many people.
ôHarry?ö Hermione started.
ôHermione, that term was originally coined well before the Founders, what was humanity in Britain like during that time?ö
Hermione opened her mouth, before understanding dawned on her.
Harry was very grateful that even in Primary, sheÆd been an over-achiever. ôBut that meansàö
Harry nodded.
ôSo, the term wasàö
He nodded again.
ôSo, Slytherin was against the Muggleborn becauseàö
He just smiled.
ôWhat?ö
Malfoy did not.
Sighing, Harry turned on him and the Slytherin table. ôDuring that time period, Muggle society was deteriorating. As such, Salazar was afraid that should a Muggleborn do magic or learn of its existence, theyÆd blab about it to other frightened Muggles, who would then launch a crusade to wipe us out. æMudbloodÆ was just a term like Muggle, used to describe those born from a society living in mud-based dwellings, of wood and grass, to hide their real meaning. Wizards at the time, dressed as they were, would have passed for high-nobilityùbeing so clean and such. It would have been merely assumed to be yet another noble lauding their birthright over the poor peasants.
ôHe was mainly concerned that any Muggleborn at the time might learn of HogwartsÆs location and lead the enemies here.
ôThe fact that you,ö he stated, pointing at Draco, ôand those like you, continue to use it as was redefined by a poor excuse for a Dark Lord in the 1200s, just adds to my fury!ö
The Great Hall was silentùeven the approaching teachers had stopped and stared, as Harry growled.
ôHell! Right now, the situation is reversed, with the Magical World filled with fanatical idiots, believing a dogma of purity, trying to wipe out any inferior they spot!ö Harry bellowed.
ôYOU LIE!ö Draco yelled.
Smirking, Harry waved his hands at the counters for House Points, revealing four portraits, those he found in the private offices that had been hidden, of each of the four Founders.
Oddly, each was accessed by a doorway in the kitchens, much like the Room of Requirements, that the House Elves used as a pantry.
Founders they may have been, but so secretive of their own offices, none mentioned they all used the same door.
And in each, a portrait waited for a worthy searcher to find.
ôAsk them,ö Harry spat, before turning away. ôI have enough cunning to, and enough ambition not to be an idiot.ö
The fact that he had now added the Four Founders to the Hogwarts painting networkùallowing them to move about like all others, and adding a correcting influence to historyùthus derailing certain Dark Lords and Light Lords as wellùwas just icing on the cake.
Now, if he could figure out a way to do this during QuirrellÆs tenure, and thus really mind-fuck Tom, his day would be perfect.
"harry..." Said A certain girl with hair that could rival cousin it from the Adams family.
"Yes Hermione?" a lanky young lad respond while he sat at the remains of a table.
"Would you like to explain why there an army of Fred and George in the great hall?" She ask in a very obvious angry tone.
"Because I been stocking them up in my space pocket for quite a few loops now?" He quipped, acting like usual.
"and why exactly were you stockpiling Fred's and George's?" Hermione asked with a ever growing twitch.
"Because I could, and its not like they don't mind." Harry reasoned "Heck, they were delighted went I first suggested it to them."
"And you let them out because?" She asked, barely restraining her boiling temper
Harry paused for a second, before saying,"I don't think my space pocket could withstand a prank war of this magnitude."
"Oh...." Hermione said with in a soft quite tone of finality and resignation, as she open her space pocket and pull out a book.
"I'll be in Harvard until the loop ends. See you in a bit harry." Hermione said with before being whisked away by her port key.
To say the least, the loop didn't last long. But at least harry had one heck of a show.
(and in case you were wondering, it was Gred VS Feorge.)
"Yes Hermione?" a lanky young lad respond while he sat at the remains of a table.
"Would you like to explain why there an army of Fred and George in the great hall?" She ask in a very obvious angry tone.
"Because I been stocking them up in my space pocket for quite a few loops now?" He quipped, acting like usual.
"and why exactly were you stockpiling Fred's and George's?" Hermione asked with a ever growing twitch.
"Because I could, and its not like they don't mind." Harry reasoned "Heck, they were delighted went I first suggested it to them."
"And you let them out because?" She asked, barely restraining her boiling temper
Harry paused for a second, before saying,"I don't think my space pocket could withstand a prank war of this magnitude."
"Oh...." Hermione said with in a soft quite tone of finality and resignation, as she open her space pocket and pull out a book.
"I'll be in Harvard until the loop ends. See you in a bit harry." Hermione said with before being whisked away by her port key.
To say the least, the loop didn't last long. But at least harry had one heck of a show.
(and in case you were wondering, it was Gred VS Feorge.)
Harry sighed heavily as the Loop started up once more. Yet again, he was on the train to Hogwarts for his "first" year of (poorly-done) education. Hopefully he'd be able to think of something to entertain himself for...
His thoughts were interrupted as Naruto and Sasuke- without Sakura in tow, thankfully- entered the car. "-it ended, actually. I mean, I didn't do it," Naruto said, apparently discussing their previous Loop. He turned from his companion briefly to wave at Harry. "Heya."
"Hey," Harry returned. "Wasn't expecting to see you guys here."
"Neither did we," Sasuke interjected. "I mean, I was just minding my own business, working on my latest harem... then, next thing I know, I'm here."
"Pretty sure it was a Fused Loop, too. I'm pretty sure I ran into Ichigo a couple times, but he didn't recognize me so he might've been a clone or something," Naruto added.
"That's not exactly conclusive evidence," Harry pointed out.
"Right, right. So how're we gonna derail things this time?"
--------
"...This was NOT in the blueprints."
"I'm sorry?" Dumbledore asked, turning a quizzical eye on the speaker.
"Nothing important, really. Just having a bad day."
--------
Things went nearly normally for Harry's Loop until sorting time came. "This REALLY wasn't in the blueprints..." the Hat complained.
Several seconds passed, with the Sorting Hat grumbling to itself the whole time, before one of the ghosts asked, "Excuse me, but the song..."
"Not in the mood," the Hat snapped. "Bad day. If you want singing, do it yourself, you spectral-" Even Harry didn't understand the last word the Hat said, only recognizing that it hadn't been said in a human language.
Sasuke blinked in surprise. "The Hat Loops?" he muttered incredulously.
"Not usually," Harry whispered back. "Actually, I'm pretty sure I've never seen it actually Looping. I think something went REALLY crazy this time."
"Harry Potter!"
"Well, guess it's time to find out what's up." Harry stepped forward, lifting the Hat and placing it on his head.
"Seriously, how was I supposed to know the Anchor was on that planet, anyway..."
Huh?
"Ki attacks, magic, technology, swords- I've lost count of how many times I've destroyed planets, but the ONE TIME I decide to try it with archery..."
Wait, what? Why'd you...
"Wasn't qualified as an Archer in the Fate Loops yet. That stunt should give me a kickass Noble Phantasm, though." The Hat lifted the sides of its brim in an approximation of a shrug. "Might as well at least PRETEND to do my job here... So, where to?"
...Who is this, anyway? Harry asked, following a sneaking suspicion that the regular Hat had been replaced.
----------------
Undecided on who ended up as the Hat, so I'm cutting this one a bit short. Go ahead and fill in who got saddled with that role if you feel like it.
His thoughts were interrupted as Naruto and Sasuke- without Sakura in tow, thankfully- entered the car. "-it ended, actually. I mean, I didn't do it," Naruto said, apparently discussing their previous Loop. He turned from his companion briefly to wave at Harry. "Heya."
"Hey," Harry returned. "Wasn't expecting to see you guys here."
"Neither did we," Sasuke interjected. "I mean, I was just minding my own business, working on my latest harem... then, next thing I know, I'm here."
"Pretty sure it was a Fused Loop, too. I'm pretty sure I ran into Ichigo a couple times, but he didn't recognize me so he might've been a clone or something," Naruto added.
"That's not exactly conclusive evidence," Harry pointed out.
"Right, right. So how're we gonna derail things this time?"
--------
"...This was NOT in the blueprints."
"I'm sorry?" Dumbledore asked, turning a quizzical eye on the speaker.
"Nothing important, really. Just having a bad day."
--------
Things went nearly normally for Harry's Loop until sorting time came. "This REALLY wasn't in the blueprints..." the Hat complained.
Several seconds passed, with the Sorting Hat grumbling to itself the whole time, before one of the ghosts asked, "Excuse me, but the song..."
"Not in the mood," the Hat snapped. "Bad day. If you want singing, do it yourself, you spectral-" Even Harry didn't understand the last word the Hat said, only recognizing that it hadn't been said in a human language.
Sasuke blinked in surprise. "The Hat Loops?" he muttered incredulously.
"Not usually," Harry whispered back. "Actually, I'm pretty sure I've never seen it actually Looping. I think something went REALLY crazy this time."
"Harry Potter!"
"Well, guess it's time to find out what's up." Harry stepped forward, lifting the Hat and placing it on his head.
"Seriously, how was I supposed to know the Anchor was on that planet, anyway..."
Huh?
"Ki attacks, magic, technology, swords- I've lost count of how many times I've destroyed planets, but the ONE TIME I decide to try it with archery..."
Wait, what? Why'd you...
"Wasn't qualified as an Archer in the Fate Loops yet. That stunt should give me a kickass Noble Phantasm, though." The Hat lifted the sides of its brim in an approximation of a shrug. "Might as well at least PRETEND to do my job here... So, where to?"
...Who is this, anyway? Harry asked, following a sneaking suspicion that the regular Hat had been replaced.
----------------
Undecided on who ended up as the Hat, so I'm cutting this one a bit short. Go ahead and fill in who got saddled with that role if you feel like it.
So I was all like, "Gee, what would be a really random, zany idea for a Magical Time Loop?" And then I remembered a really out of there idea from a while back of mine.
Also, this _may_ ick some of you out. Well, not may. It probably will ick some of you out.
---
The audience watched with abated breath as the Third Task progressed, the four Triwizard Champions making their way through the maze. Occasionally, a loud explosion would come from the maze, making select members of the crowd jump up, startled by the abrupt, noisy stimuli.
Then the Task began to drag on, and the spectators began to wonder what was going on. By the time three hours had elapsed, many were making occasional boos. To them, the First Task had been the best. At least they could see what was going on then. While the Second Task had been nearly sightless for the watchers, it was only the Second Task. Here, in the Third Task, the towering hedges made it impossible for them to see the crowning moment when the true Champion would lift the Cup.
Some of the members in the audience were beginning to worry, however. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was one of them. He had a direct magical link to the Cup, so he would know when a Champion approached it. After the Champion touched the cup, it would act as a Portkey, bringing them to outside the maze.
Only he felt the Cup disappear, and it didn't come out of the maze. When that had occurred, he had cast a scanning spell on the maze. Two of the Champions, the Quidditch Prodigy and the Veela girl, were both unconscious. He had signalled to a couple of Aurors to cast Disillusionment Charms on themselves to head in and retrieve the two. But the spell could not locate the two members of Hogwarts, Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory. Even more worrying, it seemed there was something else missing from the maze too.
It was then, with a sudden crack!, that the aforementioned Cedric Diggory suddenly appeared, with the Triwizard Cup in his hands. Dumbledore was the first to rush over to him, old bones aching as he bolted into a run.
Madame Pomfrey beat him to the boy, turning Cedric over from his kneeling position, and already examining him. While Cedric didn't look injured, with no tears in his clothing, and no blood or acidic fluids on his skin, Dumbledore had no idea what might have happened to Cedric during the time he was gone with the Cup, to wherever Harry quite possibly was. And he seemed to be shaking heavily, his face pale.
"Cedric, what happened?" Dumbledore rushed his words out in a half-urgent, half-disciplined manner. Normally his speech would have been far more nuanced, time was possibly of the necessity here.
The Hufflepuff turned his head over to Dumbledore, and squealed. "Oh, Headmaster....i-i-it was h-horrible..." Cedric seemed to be shaking even more.
"I see," Dumbledore said, cursing whatever scoundrel it was that had done something to shake poor Cedric up. "Forgive me, my boy." Making firm eye contact with Cedric, he brought his wand out and spoke a single word, "Legilimens." He normally didn't use this spell on students, as it was a violation of their privacy (and besides, the paintings and House Elves could inform him of any important going-ons in the castle), but he needed to quickly find out what had happened to Cedric, and what had also happened to Harry. In the poor Seventh Year's state, Dumbledore doubted he would get any concrete information from the brunette.
He started by probing at Cedric's surface memories...only to immediately lose his grip on the spell, as he reeled back at what he had just seen.
"What in Merlin's name?" Dumbledore hissed.
---
Half an hour ago...
"That was easy," Harry said, putting his wand in his back pocket to spite the fake Moody and the real Moody both. "They don't call me the fastest slinger in the land for nut'in." Before him laid the bodies of over a dozen Death Eaters, as well as the infant form that Lord Voldemort had taken. He wasn't in the mood for toying around with the munchers this Loop, having Looped into his body right before the Third Task. He had more important things to do instead.
"Why, dear, that was so very...sexy of you," Said the reason he wasn't in the mood for fighting as it laid her forelegs around his shoulder.
Harry shuddered as he felt her breath on his neck, and her tail beginning to wrap around his chest, tugging him close to her own chest. While she didn't have the mammaries of a human female, hers certainly was...unique.
"I gotta be honest, of all the people I might have expected to Loop, you didn't even make the list," Harry said, delaying the inevitable. The same applied for the list of females (and males, yuck) who he might have expected to someday get the hots for him.
"That's not something you should say to a Lady," She responded. "But I must admit, it was odd, when I kept repeating the same day over and over again. I was contracted to guard the entrance to the center of the maze, and had to repeat the same damn riddle over and over again, even though I have thousands others I could have used, all because of that damn spider lurking ahead."
Harry shivered. He wasn't opposed to what he knew was going to happen next, but he still was trying to push it off for as long as he could. The longer she talked, the better.
"But I quickly realised that your behaviour was changing over and over again. I thought nothing of it, until the last Loop I was in. Somebody else won the Triwizard Championship. He answered my riddle about the spider before I even finished the first line, then remarked that I used the same riddle all the time. Which got me to thinking, maybe others were experiencing the same phenomenon?"
She spun him around, using her hefty forelegs, having sat on her hindlegs the whole time as she watched Harry first kill the rat-faced man, use a trick he had picked up ages ago to summon some of the Death Eaters at large in the British wizarding world to appear before massacring them, and then execute the ugly infant, before finally approaching him.
Slowly, she brought one paw up to his face, gently dragging a claw up his face in a sensuous manner, using the back side of her claw so as to not scratch him. "Here's a little riddle for you, Mr. Gryffindor. It's not as hard as the one about the spy-dee-er. What noble animal is your house mascot?"
Weakly, Harry answered, "The Lion."
"Correct," She growled, using her other forepaw to grab at his shirt, sheer force tearing it apart. "Which magical creature is most like the Lion?"
Harry blinked, and then reasserted himself, a smirk lighting his face as he was getting back onto familiar ground, flirting being a passion for him across his many Loops. "The Sphinx, of course."
"Indeed," the Sphinx answered as she lowered her forepaw down further, to Harry's pants. "Your final riddle. What are you going to do now?"
"You." He grinned.
"Correct again," She smiled. "You may claim your prize now."
---
Thirty minutes later, several pounds of water weight lighter, Harry thought to mention to Cedric, who had grabbed the Cup at the same time as he and the Awake Sphinx had and thus been transported to Little Hangleton as well, that he could go and grab the Cup to be taken back to Hogwarts. He would be right along later.
---
If it helps, think that Harry decided to partially transfigure himself into male lion like Krum getting a sharkhead, or to transfigure the Sphinx. :sisi: I just thought that given Harry is in Gryffindor, by the gods, why has nothing been written of the living creature closest approaching a lion that appeared in the books?
Also, this _may_ ick some of you out. Well, not may. It probably will ick some of you out.
---
The audience watched with abated breath as the Third Task progressed, the four Triwizard Champions making their way through the maze. Occasionally, a loud explosion would come from the maze, making select members of the crowd jump up, startled by the abrupt, noisy stimuli.
Then the Task began to drag on, and the spectators began to wonder what was going on. By the time three hours had elapsed, many were making occasional boos. To them, the First Task had been the best. At least they could see what was going on then. While the Second Task had been nearly sightless for the watchers, it was only the Second Task. Here, in the Third Task, the towering hedges made it impossible for them to see the crowning moment when the true Champion would lift the Cup.
Some of the members in the audience were beginning to worry, however. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was one of them. He had a direct magical link to the Cup, so he would know when a Champion approached it. After the Champion touched the cup, it would act as a Portkey, bringing them to outside the maze.
Only he felt the Cup disappear, and it didn't come out of the maze. When that had occurred, he had cast a scanning spell on the maze. Two of the Champions, the Quidditch Prodigy and the Veela girl, were both unconscious. He had signalled to a couple of Aurors to cast Disillusionment Charms on themselves to head in and retrieve the two. But the spell could not locate the two members of Hogwarts, Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory. Even more worrying, it seemed there was something else missing from the maze too.
It was then, with a sudden crack!, that the aforementioned Cedric Diggory suddenly appeared, with the Triwizard Cup in his hands. Dumbledore was the first to rush over to him, old bones aching as he bolted into a run.
Madame Pomfrey beat him to the boy, turning Cedric over from his kneeling position, and already examining him. While Cedric didn't look injured, with no tears in his clothing, and no blood or acidic fluids on his skin, Dumbledore had no idea what might have happened to Cedric during the time he was gone with the Cup, to wherever Harry quite possibly was. And he seemed to be shaking heavily, his face pale.
"Cedric, what happened?" Dumbledore rushed his words out in a half-urgent, half-disciplined manner. Normally his speech would have been far more nuanced, time was possibly of the necessity here.
The Hufflepuff turned his head over to Dumbledore, and squealed. "Oh, Headmaster....i-i-it was h-horrible..." Cedric seemed to be shaking even more.
"I see," Dumbledore said, cursing whatever scoundrel it was that had done something to shake poor Cedric up. "Forgive me, my boy." Making firm eye contact with Cedric, he brought his wand out and spoke a single word, "Legilimens." He normally didn't use this spell on students, as it was a violation of their privacy (and besides, the paintings and House Elves could inform him of any important going-ons in the castle), but he needed to quickly find out what had happened to Cedric, and what had also happened to Harry. In the poor Seventh Year's state, Dumbledore doubted he would get any concrete information from the brunette.
He started by probing at Cedric's surface memories...only to immediately lose his grip on the spell, as he reeled back at what he had just seen.
"What in Merlin's name?" Dumbledore hissed.
---
Half an hour ago...
"That was easy," Harry said, putting his wand in his back pocket to spite the fake Moody and the real Moody both. "They don't call me the fastest slinger in the land for nut'in." Before him laid the bodies of over a dozen Death Eaters, as well as the infant form that Lord Voldemort had taken. He wasn't in the mood for toying around with the munchers this Loop, having Looped into his body right before the Third Task. He had more important things to do instead.
"Why, dear, that was so very...sexy of you," Said the reason he wasn't in the mood for fighting as it laid her forelegs around his shoulder.
Harry shuddered as he felt her breath on his neck, and her tail beginning to wrap around his chest, tugging him close to her own chest. While she didn't have the mammaries of a human female, hers certainly was...unique.
"I gotta be honest, of all the people I might have expected to Loop, you didn't even make the list," Harry said, delaying the inevitable. The same applied for the list of females (and males, yuck) who he might have expected to someday get the hots for him.
"That's not something you should say to a Lady," She responded. "But I must admit, it was odd, when I kept repeating the same day over and over again. I was contracted to guard the entrance to the center of the maze, and had to repeat the same damn riddle over and over again, even though I have thousands others I could have used, all because of that damn spider lurking ahead."
Harry shivered. He wasn't opposed to what he knew was going to happen next, but he still was trying to push it off for as long as he could. The longer she talked, the better.
"But I quickly realised that your behaviour was changing over and over again. I thought nothing of it, until the last Loop I was in. Somebody else won the Triwizard Championship. He answered my riddle about the spider before I even finished the first line, then remarked that I used the same riddle all the time. Which got me to thinking, maybe others were experiencing the same phenomenon?"
She spun him around, using her hefty forelegs, having sat on her hindlegs the whole time as she watched Harry first kill the rat-faced man, use a trick he had picked up ages ago to summon some of the Death Eaters at large in the British wizarding world to appear before massacring them, and then execute the ugly infant, before finally approaching him.
Slowly, she brought one paw up to his face, gently dragging a claw up his face in a sensuous manner, using the back side of her claw so as to not scratch him. "Here's a little riddle for you, Mr. Gryffindor. It's not as hard as the one about the spy-dee-er. What noble animal is your house mascot?"
Weakly, Harry answered, "The Lion."
"Correct," She growled, using her other forepaw to grab at his shirt, sheer force tearing it apart. "Which magical creature is most like the Lion?"
Harry blinked, and then reasserted himself, a smirk lighting his face as he was getting back onto familiar ground, flirting being a passion for him across his many Loops. "The Sphinx, of course."
"Indeed," the Sphinx answered as she lowered her forepaw down further, to Harry's pants. "Your final riddle. What are you going to do now?"
"You." He grinned.
"Correct again," She smiled. "You may claim your prize now."
---
Thirty minutes later, several pounds of water weight lighter, Harry thought to mention to Cedric, who had grabbed the Cup at the same time as he and the Awake Sphinx had and thus been transported to Little Hangleton as well, that he could go and grab the Cup to be taken back to Hogwarts. He would be right along later.
---
If it helps, think that Harry decided to partially transfigure himself into male lion like Krum getting a sharkhead, or to transfigure the Sphinx. :sisi: I just thought that given Harry is in Gryffindor, by the gods, why has nothing been written of the living creature closest approaching a lion that appeared in the books?
Hate to ask, but can someone dig up one of the older loops, or at least link me to it? Its a Harry one, where some officers of some kind come down, wanting to arrest Harry for looping or something like that, and they zap him with a ray so he can't use his powers gained through Looping effectively... I just need it to write a continuation.