Unexpected Things

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and properties don’t belong to me but JK Rowling. I don't make money from writing this fic. This story hasn’t been betaed yet. So beware of the grammar mistake. I’m looking for a beta to help me fixing the story.


Unexpected Things


Chapter VIII


Harry, Ron, and Hermione had their first apparition lesson at the beginning of February. Because of the heavy rain, the lesson was held in the Great Hall.

“Good morning,” a wizard from the ministry said. “I’m Wilkie Twycross and I’m your apparition instructor for the next twelve weeks,” he said. “Apparition is a magical method of transportation, and is basically magical teleportation, having the user focus on a desired location in their mind, then disappear from their current location and instantly reappear at their desired location. It is by far the fastest way to get to one's desired destination,” he told the students.

“And now, I want you to arrange your standing position,” Twycross said again.

The great hall was buzzing as students arranged their standing position. Professor McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout were watching them.

“Thank you,” Twycross said, “and now…” he waved his hand and small red carpet appeared on the floor in front of each student. “Remember 3D students. Destination, Determination and Deliberation. Step one: fix your mind firmly upon the desired destination… Step two: focus your determination to occupy the visualized space! Let your yearning to enter it flood from your mind to every particle of your body! Step three, and only when I give the command…turn on the spot, feeling your way into nothingness, moving with deliberation. On my command, now…"

Harry looked at the carpet in front of him. Okay, so he only needed to step at it. Harry closed his eyes and turned around. He felt nothing actually but when he opened his eyes he was already standing on the red carpet.

“Wonderful!” Twycross had seen him apparently. “Mr. Potter here has succeeded in his first try. Now, why don’t you try again Mr. Potter.”

Harry took a deep breath and then vanished from his spot. He appeared a second later in front of the great hall. He still didn’t feel anything at all. Harry was glad about it. He disliked flooing and portkey greatly. So maybe he could choose apparition as his way of transportation.

“Wonderful,” Twycross said again. “Why don’t you follow Mr. Potter lead here?”

The lesson continued, and aside of Susan Bones’s splinching, nothing special happened. Harry was the only one who managed to apparate at the first lesson.


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“Are you ready Harry?” Hermione asked.

“I’m coming Hermione,” he replied. Today, he, Ron, Hermione, and Luna were going to Hogsmeade to have interview with Rita Skeeter. The woman accepted their proposal grudgingly, seeing as she had no other choice or Hermione would expose her secret to the ministry.

Hermione had insisted that he wore the clothes she picked for him. The clothes consisted of white shirt and gray trouser, added by black belt and black shoes. He looked very formal in his opinion. But Harry liked it. After his shopping trip with Remus in London, Harry found out that he liked simple and casual classic look so he bought his clothes accordingly. He ran his hand through his hair. He had cut his hair short so it was easier for him to manage his not quite messy hair now. (Just imagine Daniel Radcliffe’s hair in Order of the Phoenix the movie.)

“Merlin beard!” Ron muttered when he saw Harry. “You look like Malfoy!” he exclaimed.

“What?” Harry asked, puzzled. Which part of him that looked like Malfoy anyway?

“I mean that you dress like Malfoy,” Ron corrected. “They always look so formal.” The redhead explained.

Hermione however, had different opinion. “You look perfect Harry. A confident young man who know what he is doing.”

“What?” Ron asked in confusion.

“Honestly Ron,” Hermione rolled her eyes. “Rita is going to take Harry’s picture so Harry has to appear his best,” she explained. “Have you ever seen Fudge dressed in rags whenever he show up in the public? Politician has a reason to look good in public eyes. Appearance does help deliver the message and sway their opinion.”

“Oh,” Ron muttered in understanding.

“Hmm,” Hermione eyed him critically. “Roll your sleeves Harry,” she ordered. “I want you to look formal but not too formal.”

Harry did as she told him.

“Good,” Hermione nodded in satisfaction. “Shall we go now? Luna will join us in the Three Broomstick later.”

As they walked to Hogsmeade, many pair of eyes turned to stare at Harry. Some of them even pointed at him, much to his annoyance. They also met Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil.

“Oh my!” Lavender squealed in delight when she saw him. Parvati looked like she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Hey Harry,” Lavender called him. “Do you want to join us at Hogsmeade?” she asked.

“No Lavender,” Harry replied. “Maybe next time but thanks to the offer.” He tried to decline her invitation as polite as he could.

“Oh. Okay then. Call us whenever you have time Harry.” She then leaned closer to Parvati, whispering something to the girl. No doubt about him. He got away from them as fast as he could, trying not to hear two teenage girls snickering significantly.

Then they met Lucius Malfoy and his son. Malfoy eyes widened when he saw Harry, and Lucius, Harry noticed, looked at him from his head to his toe.

“Urgh!” Ron complained. “The Malfoys again.” The redhead quickly steered them away. But Harry still felt Lucius’ stare at his back until they entered Three Broomsticks, which was only a few meters away.

“Over there,” Hermione said.

Rita and Luna were already seated on the corner. Luna, as usual, was staring dreamily at nowhere. Rita sat as far as she could from the blond girl.

“Well, well, well,” Rita said when she spotted Harry. “It seems that the chosen one has grown up very nicely.”

“That is none of your business,” Hermione said coldly.

Rita looked like she was ready to burst blood vessel upon hearing Hermione’s words. Harry was not surprised at this. Hermione disliked Rita greatly ever since their fourth year. Rita threw a hateful look at Hermione but refrained to say anything.

“We are here so you could write about Fudge’s treatment of Harry last year and about how he refused to believe in Harry,” Hermione explained.

Rita looked at them disbelievingly. “The minister election will be held in two weeks and you want me to write story about Fudge now?” she asked them. Well, apparently Rita wasn’t that stupid. She realized their purpose instantly.

“Yes,” Harry said. “And while at it, I also want you to write about my concern towards Daily Prophet. Its journalistic integrity is somewhat lacking; it has been known to be more concerned about sales than about factual accuracy and is often a mouthpiece for the Ministry of Magic. And I request that daily prophet change its stance.”

Rita opened her mouth but no voice came out. She was too shocked it seemed by Harry’s request. “That is-“ she found her voice back. “That’s a attack to the ministry. Do you even know what you’re doing?” she asked helplessly.

“Yes, we do.” Hermione nodded. “We are perfectly aware of the impact of this interview.”

“I want you to write about this too,” Harry lifted his hand and showed the scar there. The scar caused by Umbridge. What kind of minister Fudge was to employ someone who used blood quills as punishment for students?

“So, Rita,” Hermione said, taking over the control. “Start writing now,” she ordered calmly.

After two hours the interview was done. Rita was about to leave when Harry called her.

“What do you want now Potter?” she asked nastily.

“I want you to stop writing lies. As simple as that.” Harry answered.

Rita sneered at him. “And what are going to do? Running to the ministry to report me?”

“No,” Harry replied calmly. “But I found interesting spell last summer. The spell guarantees that a witch or a wizard stays in her or his animagus form forever.”

“You lied!” Rita protested. Her eyes widened in horror. “That’s impossible!”

Harry was bluffing of course. He even didn’t know if a spell like that existed but, well, as long as Rita believed it, he didn’t care. After all, this was Rita, the person who made him suffered in his fourth and fifth year.

“You know Wormtail, right? He betrayed my parents and like you, he’s also an unregistered animagus. The rat now stays in Azkaban.” Harry narrowed his eyes. “Try me Rita,” he said. “And I will make it sure that you spend your entire life as a beetle.”


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“Serves her right!” Ron said later when they’re already seated on the couch in Gryffindor common room. “That was brilliant Harry.” Ron grinned.

“You shouldn’t do that Harry,” Hermione said, torn between amusement and the need to reprimand Harry for blackmailing people.

“Well, she spread lies about us last year,” Harry retorted.

“Yeah Hermione,” Ron agreed. “It’s payback time.”

“Boys!” Hermione scolded them.


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Harry was having breakfast on the great hall when five owls landed on the table. They all carried letters for him. It was common occurrence these days, since his interview on Quibbler came out to the spotlight. And Hermione was glad that they all seemed to agree with him.

Hermione suddenly shrieked. “Look at this Harry!”

Harry and Ron looked at her strangely. Hermione almost never lost her coolness. Almost was the key word here. Harry still remembered the time when she punched Malfoy. Malfoy didn’t see it coming.

“Umbridge is investigated about his act during her stay at Hogwarts. If she is proven guilty she would spend at least ten years in Azkaban.” She told them happily, showing them her Daily Prophet. There was no respond from the newspaper after his interview got out but Harry noticed that Prophet published the news carefully now.

“Good!” Ron cheered. “I hope she spend her entire life there!”

Many Hogwarts students had read the article too and they expressed their happiness. After all they all suffered during Umbridge’s reign last year. Except for Slytehrins of course. And the next day they read on newspaper that Umbridge was sentenced twenty years in Azkaban. Harry was positive that if Fred and George were still at Hogwarts, the twins would hold a party. In fact, the twins send him letter, congratulating him for his success.

He told them at the breakfast.

“They did?” Hermione asked.

“Yeah, do you still remember about last year?” Harry asked her. “With the fireworks and all. No doubt they’re pleased hearing the news.” Then he turned to Ron, who hadn’t said anything yet.

“He’s nervous about apparition test,” Hermione explained, noticing his look.

Ron, Hermione, and the other students who were already seventeen would have their apparition test at Hogsmeade. So Harry stayed in the castle, doing his homework while waiting for them.

It was already late when they came back.

“So, how was it?” he asked eagerly.

“I failed,” Ron said, shrugging. “I left my left eyebrow.”

“And how about you Hermione?”

"Oh, she was perfect, obviously.” Ron said before Hermione had any chance to reply. “Perfect deliberation, divination, and desperation or whatever the hell it is — we all went for a quick drink in the Three Broomsticks after and you should’ve heard Twycross going on about her — I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t pop the question soon —"

“Ronald Weasley!”


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Lucius Malfoy looked at the magazine in front of him. Quibbler. A trash in his opinion. But for the second time in his life he was forced to read it because of and certain brat. Potter.

He remembered that a year ago, Potter also gave interview on Quibbler, accusing him and many other wizards as death eaters. And now, Potter appeared again on Quibbler. This time the teen chose to attack Cornelius Fudge. Which wasn’t surprising, considering the way people treated Potter last year. So, the teen now wanted to take revenge. And what a perfect opportunity it was with the coming minister election.

Lucius remembered the first time he met with Potter. Potter was a small thin child dressed in rags. Nothing special at all. And this boy was supposed to be the boy who lived, the one who defeated the dark lord? He wanted to laugh at that. It was a mere accident that the dark lord was killed. Potter didn’t have any power to defeat Voldemort. He firmly believed that.

And then, he was forced to rethink his opinion about Potter after Potter tricked him into freeing his house elf. Certainly, he still had many house elves at the manor but to let himself to be deceived by a twelve years old boy was unbelievable. If his house elf hadn’t interfere he would already cursed the boy to death. And that angered him even more. How could his house elf defend Potter of all the people?

He met again with Potter when the teen was at his fourth year. He even had a bet with his son that Potter wouldn’t survive even five minutes in the Triwizard Tournament. Draco was very bitter about Potter. Ever since Draco’s first year, his son couldn’t stop complaining about Potter every five hours. In the middle of summer holiday he had heard enough about Potter from Draco that he probably could repeat every single word that Draco told him.

When Voldemort challenge Potter into a duel at the graveyard, Lucius was positive that it was the end for the teen. But no, Potter managed to escape because of the Priori Incantatem effect. Lucius wasn’t stupid. As a Malfoy, he was educated in magic ever since he was born. He knew what it was the second he saw it. Potter’s wand was connected to Voldemort’s wand. It was bizarre and insane. Of course he kept the knowledge to himself. He would use it later when the situation demanded it.

And then, Potter fifth year came. It was him who actually gave a hint to Fudge to discriminate Potter using Daily Prophet to help the task which was given by Voldemort to him. He almost couldn’t believe the stupidity of wizarding world. One day Potter was their savior and the next day Potter was a lunatic craving for attention. It was too easy for Lucius. He had to thank that fool Fudge for that. And to the donation he gave to certain people in the ministry of magic. As long as their pocket was full, they would pretend to see and to hear nothing.

It was a sort of miracle that wizarding world hadn’t crumbled yet with such corrupted bureaucrats in charge. Of course, not all of them were a corruptor. Many were loyal to Dumbledore and his order of phoenix and Harry Potter. But they didn’t dare to show their loyalty openly.

The look on Potter’s face when he saw him with Fudge was priceless. He came to the ministry at the same day with Potter’s trial so he thought that he was going to take a look. Did the teen think that Fudge would arrest him only because of mere words? Reality was hard, wasn’t it?
And then the battle at the department of mysteries. He was caught but money, once again, solved the problem. Lucius thought he was safe and decided to keep low profile while accessing the situation.

Bellatrix Lestrange, his sister in law who he never liked, also managed to escape. He already told her to stay away from him and his family. It wouldn’t do it they have interaction with her now. She went into hiding while planning to kill Potter. Absolutely insane, that woman.

And out of nowhere, Dumbledore contacted him, offering him a position as defense against the dark arts professor. His first thought was the old man must have lost it. Severus later told him that it was Potter’s idea to hire him. Intrigued, he agreed to the offer and came to Hogwarts, to where he found a very different Harry Potter from his thought.

Well, he actually never interacted with Potter properly before, like talking since they were too busy giving death threats to each other. And now, he found the teen very intriguing, and very challenging too.

Potter was unlike Draco, his sheltered son. He knew that he protected his son from real world, feeding the boy with his beliefs. That’s because he loved his son. Even though now he started to regret spoiling his son so much. No matter what common opinion was, he loved his family dearly, including Narcissa who was his best friend.

That’s the reason he agreed to buy broomsticks for the entire Slytherin team. Draco complained non-stop about how unfair it was for Potter to be chosen as seeker in their first year. But the broom didn’t help. He knew that he had to lessen his influence towards Draco now. Although he detested many of Potter’s traits, actually it would be good for Draco to possess some of Potter’s quality.

Potter had grown up from small boy into attractive teen. Not a child not yet a man even though Lucius doubt that Potter was ever really a child with everything he had gone through. Not that he was attracted to Potter because of the teen appearance. He was not that shallow. If he wanted someone because of their good looks, there’re plenty of witch and wizards outside there who were more than willing.

He was attracted to Potter because the teen was an enigma for him. The way he talked back to him. There was no one ever dared to argue with him before. And the way the teen attacked his belief. As if he didn’t know that Voldemort was a half blood. He was a Malfoy. He knew every pure blood family existed out there and Riddle name didn’t ring any bell. But the man was a descendent of Slytherin and he was very powerful and they shared the same belief so he overlooked the fact.

So, he was willing to join the game because he was curious. He was curious of Potter, and curious of the power the teen possessed. As much as Lucius hated Dumbledore, even he had to admit that the old man was a very powerful wizard. Why else Voldemort never attacked Dumbledore? But Dumbledore was old; he was already one hundred fifty. And Dumbledore was never interested in politics. A fact that Lucius was glad for it.

Potter however was different. He was a young brilliant child and had a lot to go in the future. That’s if Potter managed to stay alive, of course. While Dumbledore’s power was diminishing Potter’s was rising. It would be useful to have Potter as an ally.

Like he said earlier, he knew what Potter really wanted from him. Bellatrix Lestrange’s location. At first he couldn’t believe it that Potter was flirting with him only to get that information. But, two could play the game. The challenge was palpable, crackling the air between them. And if Wormtail was the ticket for the game, it didn’t matter for him. That rat meant nothing. Yes, he would see who would come out as the winner in the end.

But now, there’s a matter to discuss. With that article on Quibbler, Lucius knew that Fudge would be kicked out from his position now. Was it Potter’s purpose of giving that interview? It seemed that he needed to talk with the teen.


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Harry was walking on the corridor when cold drawling voice greeted him.

“Well, well, look who’s here. Hogwarts celebrity,” the voice mocked him.

Harry turned. “I’m not a celebrity, Professor,” he retorted coldly, eyeing the man in front of him.

Lucius took long strides through the corridor, his cane clacking along side him. “Really? One might find it ridiculous after your interview and many fans letter,” the blond said.

“I only speak my opinion.” Harry said.

“And with such a perfect timing,” Lucius said silkily. “Your interview is published just a week before minister election. Open attack to the ministry, Mr. Potter? Or an attempt to discredit Fudge? You are such a brave child.” The last sentence was said in sarcastic tone.

“I don’t try to discredit Fudge. I merely speak the truth about him.” Harry replied.

“Nonetheless he could say goodbye to minister position now. Is it your purpose?” Lucius asked.

“Well,” Harry answered. “You could say that it’s my short term purpose.”

“Your short term purpose,” Lucius commented, his gray eyes searching. “And what is your long term purpose then?”

Harry smiled lazily. “Why don’t you find it out by yourself, Professor?”

“I will Mr. Potter. I will.”


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A week after that, Harry was sleeping peacefully when someone called him.

“Harry! Harry!”

He opened his eyes and for his surprise, he found Hermione there. “Hermione?” he asked weakly. Why did the girls were allowed to enter boys dormitory anyway? He looked at her. Hermione seemed far too cheerful in the morning, unlike her usual self. “What is it?”

As her answer, she gave him Daily Prophet. Harry took it.

“Read the headline,” she ordered.

Confused, he did as he was told and then he grinned. He already forgot what today was.

“Hermione!” Ron yelled, surprising both Hermione and Harry. “What are you doing here?” Ron got the shock of his life when he woke up from his sleep and found Hermione on Harry’s bed. The redhead looked at him and then looked at Hermione and then looked at him again with suspicious look.

“Well, I want to deliver good news.” she replied haughtily.

“And what is it?” Ron asked suspiciously. Harry inwardly sighed. He hoped they both would admit their feelings to each other and spared him the drama. The event with Viktor Krum in the Yule ball was more than enough for him. Unfortunately, his hope seemed was still far away from reality.

“See it by yourself.” He tossed the newspaper to Ron.

Ron took it. His eyes scanned the paper before he grinned. “It’s about time that Fudge is fired,” he said happily, “and look. It’s also said here that after Scrimgeour become the minister of magic, Kingsley will be appointed as the new head of auror.”


Author’s Note:

My first Harry Potter fanfiction. So don’t be harsh ok. The challenge is there. If anyone wants to write another fic based on this story, go ahead. The more the merrier. Some part of the story I got from Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows.

As for the question. Any action between Lucius and Harry? There would be a kiss. More than that? I don’t know yet. And give me your opinion about Lucius here, okay. And Harry here isn’t weird, psychotic or what. He only knows how to get what he wants and he has learned to control his emotion better.

And the last, I know that I can find out the number of people who read my story on stats page. It just that I always think that if I get reviews then it means someone like my story. It makes me wondering if nobody likes the story if I don’t get reviews. And thanks to you who had reviewed the story.