I cast a wide-range Compulsion Charm in the common room, ensuring that anyone tempted to wander in would instead feel compelled to return to their rooms.
After a few minutes, Sirius's head appeared in the fireplace. I rose from my chair, walked over to the hearth, and crouched down to talk to him.
"Sirius, how have you been?" I asked.
Sirius looked different from how I remembered him. The last time we'd said goodbye, his face had been gaunt and sunken, framed by long, black, matted hair. Now, his hair was short and clean, his face fuller, and he looked years younger.
"Never mind me, how are you?" Sirius asked seriously.
"I'm fine," I replied. "The last few weeks have been hectic with all the tournament stuff and preparing for the first task."
Almost casually, I added, "I also went with Hagrid to check out the first task. It's dragons."
"Dragons we can deal with, Harry, but we'll get to that in a minute, I haven't got long here. I've broken into a wizarding house to use the fire, but they could be back at any time. There are things I need to warn you about."
"What is it?" I asked, feigning surprise. While I could handle a dragon easily, Sirius didn't know that.
"Karkaroff," said Sirius. "Harry, he was a Death Eater. You know what Death Eaters are, don't you?"
"Yes, I do," I said, cutting him off before he launched into a lecture. "I've already researched all the potential suspects who could be involved in putting my name into the Goblet of Fire."
"But I don't think it's him. Karkaroff was a snitch who put a lot of other Death Eaters in Azkaban. I doubt he'd risk getting dragged back into this mess by targeting me."
"I've been hearing some very strange things," Sirius said slowly. "The Death Eaters seem more active than usual lately.
"They showed up at the Quidditch World Cup, didn't they? Someone set off the Dark Mark . . . and then did you hear about that Ministry of Magic witch who's gone missing?"
"Bertha Jorkins?" I asked.
"Exactly. She disappeared in Albania, and that's definitely where Voldemort was last rumored to be. She would've known the Triwizard Tournament was coming up, wouldn't she?"
"Then it's likely Voldemort caught her, and this whole plan has his hand in it," I said, nodding thoughtfully. "But if that's the case, it makes Karkaroff even less likely. If Voldemort met him, he'd have killed him for betraying the Death Eaters.
"No, it's someone else. Someone we wouldn't suspect, someone helping Voldemort while staying here at Hogwarts."
Convincing Sirius that it was Moody—or, more accurately, Barty Crouch Jr.—would be difficult. It was better to plant the seeds now, dropping hints so that when the truth came out, it would seem logical how I'd figured it out.
Sirius mulled over my words before speaking again. "Well, it's good you've been thinking about the bigger picture, Harry. Honestly, I thought with everything going on, you'd be overwhelmed and not have the clarity to consider all this. I underestimated you."
His grim smile softened. "You're sharper than I give you credit for sometimes. Just promise me you'll be careful. Keep your head down and don't take unnecessary risks."
"Don't worry about me," I said, a faint smile tugging at my lips. "I've got it under control."
Sirius chuckled dryly. "You sound just like your father when you say that.
"Now, about the dragons—don't even think about Stunning Spell. Their hides are thick and highly resistant to magic. It takes a group of skilled wizards to subdue one."
He paused, then added, "But there is a spell you might find useful: the Conjunctivitus Curse. It irritates their eyes and makes them lose sight of you. Just be careful not to get too close."
"Don't worry, Sirius," I said confidently. "I've already learned some spells that could restrict a dragon's movements. Combined with the Conjunctivitus Curse, evading a dragon will be simple. This task will be easy for me."
Sirius raised an eyebrow but smiled. "You really are starting to sound more and more like James. He had that same confidence—facing challenges head-on and conquering them. If you're sure, Harry, then I'll wish you the best. But promise me you'll stay safe."
"Now I have to go Harry someone might come here soon so see you soon Harry and give them Hell." Sirius replied after being comforted with my confidence.
"Yeah see you soon Sirius and stay safe as well."
With that, Sirius's face flickered and vanished from the flames, leaving the fireplace empty once more. With ash and coals swiftly taking back their original place.
Talking with Sirius was reassuring—not just because he genuinely cared about me, but because he trusted me to take care of myself. It felt good to have someone believe I had everything under control.
Removing the charm I had set up around the room, I stretched my arms, feeling a slight pang of exhaustion settle in. I started walking up the stairs toward my dormitory.
As I approached the door, I paused, spotting Ron standing in the dimly lit hallway.
He looked confused. His brows were furrowed, and he scratched the back of his head, glancing between the staircase and the dormitory door.
Ignoring him, I headed straight for my bed. Sliding into my bed, I drew the curtains shut, casting myself in complete darkness. Within a few minutes I was fast asleep.
***************************
Chek out my patreon for more advanced chapters of
Harry Potter The Archmage Awakens
Reality Bending in One Piece
patreon.com/Eternal97