Chaos and Order - A Multiverse Fanfic

Barty Crouch Sr’s disappearance didn’t raise many questions.

That man was known to throw himself into odd cases, especially now with the additional burden of managing an entire world’s wizarding communities.

With the Yule Ball done, the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students returned to their schools.

The Hogwarts students would remain at the school even during the Christmas holidays as per the new norms.

There were no classes, but the Battle Workshops were scheduled every day for the next two weeks.

The days were busier for Black and Harry as they needed to practice for Quidditch, too.

Luckily, three days after Christmas, Gryffindor flattened Hufflepuff in the Quidditch match. Now, they just needed Ravenclaw to do the same to Slytherin, as with Darcie facilitating one Battle Workshop after another, it didn’t seem likely she would be playing anyway. In this way, they had a good chance of winning the Quidditch Cup this year as well.

On the eve of the New Year, with no Workshops scheduled till the 2nd of January, Harry and the others got a rare breather.

So, together, they headed down the meadow outside the Castle toward Hagrid’s Hut.

"When are you going to Ilvermorny?" Black asked, stepping lightly over the snow.

Harry shrugged. "Probably next week. Definitely before the next term begins."

Ron patted his robe over the inner pocket, where Scabbers lay, shivering. "Crookshanks traumatized him," he complained. "It’s been days since that monster attacked Scabbers, but he’s still shivering..."

Draco rolled his eyes. "What will it take to make you shut up about your damned rat, Weasley?" he hissed. "Should I donate a few pieces of furniture to your house..."

Ron grabbed a handful of snow and slammed it in the back of Draco’s head.

Harry and Black shared a glance and joined in on the fun, too, all the boys entering a snow fight.

That’s how they finally reached the stony hut — covered in snow, all shivering like Scabbers.

"Hagrid!" Black slammed on the door. "Open the door! I command thee! Open the door!!"

As they laughed, the large door opened with a snowy creak.

But it wasn’t Hagrid on the other side, looking down at them.

It was Dobby the House-elf, looking up at them, his large green eyes narrowing.

Dobby was wearing a thick, furred black cloak. His feet, donning yellow socks, were sticking out under the cloak, the contrasting colors making him look ridiculous.

It didn’t seem Dobby minded that, though.

"Harry Potter..." the House-elf said cheerily. He completely ignored Black and looked at Ron. "Harry Potter’s friend. What great luck Dobby has to see you again."

Draco’s lips twisted as Dobby also ignored him. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Go back..."

"Who’s it?!" Hagrid’s voice thundered out before the man himself appeared, towering like a full giant behind Dobby. "Oh... Oh! Come in, come in... It’s cold outside, eh?"

None of the boys wanted to go inside. Not anymore.

But Hagrid was almost pulling them all in, grabbing their shoulders. And it was cold, especially after their snow fight.

Their hesitation wasn’t unwarranted, though.

By the fire, Darcie, Hermione, and Daphne were drinking from large mugs. From the smell of it, it wasn’t one of those Hagrid teas, but butterbeer, already bringing saliva to the boys’ mouths.

That wasn’t the end, though.

Half a dozen House-elves, mostly in ragged clothing, but wearing weird socks of different colors, were seated between and next to them, too.

Just what was going on?!

And how were so many people fitting in Hagrid’s small hut?!

It was then the boys sensed the final oddity — the small hut... didn’t look as small as before.

"Extension Charm?!" Black said.

"Ah... yes," Hagrid nodded with a smile. "Dumbledore himself put it on the hut. Good man, Dumbledore, yes."

Hagrid forcefully made the boys sit not far from the girls and thrust a mug of warm butterbeer in their hands.

The boys began drinking, trying to ignore the girls.

"Darcie bought it for all of us from Hogsmeade..." Hagrid told them.

And the first sip of the drink came spurting out of the boys’ mouths, spraying droplets all over a few House-elves’ faces.

"..."

One House-elf, a female, grabbed the end of her dress and began cleaning the stains on the floor.

"You don’t have to do that, Winky!" Hermione hissed.

"But Winky must clean the masters’ mess!" the House-elf cried in defiance. "Or Winky will be punished."

"No, you will not be!" Hermione said. She then looked at the boys and narrowed her eyes. "She will not be, right? Right?"

Before Hermione’s voice could turn into a howl, all the boys nodded hurriedly.

"Yes," Harry said. "Winky will not be punished."

Then, to Harry’s horror, the House-elf began crying. "What... What did I do?"

"It is not Harry Potter’s fault," Dobby said, patting Winky’s shoulders. "Winky is a lost House-elf. But Harry Potter must not worry. Dobby will help her. Dobby must lead her like..."

Darcie cleared her throat, making Dobby pause.

The boys exchanged puzzled glances.

Just what were the House-elves doing here?!

"If Lupin hadn’t confiscated the Marauder’s Map, we could have avoided coming here..." Ron complained under his breath.

"Eh, who cares?!" Draco hissed in disgust. "You Weasleys always carry half-rotten things on you. A Map that shows dead people and a cowardly rat..."

"What is up with you today?" Harry asked Draco, seeing Ron about to smack the back of Draco’s head again.

"He asked Ginny for the Yule Ball first, but she said no," Black told them.

"..."

Not only Harry and Ron, but even the girls, the House-elves, and Hagrid looked at Draco, as Black hadn’t hushed his voice at all.

Darcie, Daphne, and Hermione shared a smothered laugh among themselves.

Hagrid consoled Draco from the other side, and Dobby joined him, making things worse.

"I am out of here!" Draco said, finishing the butterbeer in one gulp before storming over the House-elves and out of Hagrid’s hut.

Hurriedly emptying their mugs, the rest of the boys followed Draco.

"We should leave, too," Hermione suggested, getting up. "We need to prepare for the Portkey Workshop."

Daphne and Darcie nodded.

Saying goodbye to Hagrid and the House-elves, the girls began climbing up the snow-laden hill.

However, they had barely covered half the distance to the Castle, when... they heard a scream.

It was Ron, shouting Crookshanks with hot rage!

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