667DISC: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling. May I someday earn enough wealth to buy the rights of the character from her! Then everyone will write my name in the disclaimers...I have the right to dream.
AN: OK folks. I was just itching to write something and nothing too awesome popped up in my mind. So I am writing this. Hopefully, this will get somewhere...if not, you are already reading this for free.
Ch 1 : The Champion
"Harry Potter"
As Harry sat there in stunned silence, well aware that every head in the Great Hall had turned towards him, he contemplated the idea of the foulest sins, the most inhuman deeds, he must have performed in his past lives to get this one as a chance to repent.
For once, he had allowed himself the fantasy of a normal school year. No trolls, no basilisks and no dementors. No possessed teachers, no obliviators and no werewolves. Plus, a friendly competition where he was not allowed to enter. He could live as a spectator. For once, he could enjoy watching others fighting for their lives. He was relaxed. He was happy. He was at peace.
But noooooo…
As usual, someone had it in for him. He just shouldn't have expected anything better.
And there. The bees started buzzing. The hall filled with murmers. By the time he would reach his dorms tonight, he would be hailed as worse than Voldemort.
Voldemort. That pig…he had his footprints all over this. That dream…
He just knew that if he were to invest in being a seer now, he could earn a fortune for the following year. Just looking at Ron's red face confirmed his hypothesis. This was going to be a long year. He would be shunned, ridiculed and Merlin knew what, just like two years prior. Just that, this time he would consider himself lucky to be alive at the end of it as well.
"Harry Potter. Up here, if you please!" Dumbledore called again.
Hermione gave him a slight push, "Go on."
Harry refused to budge.
"Harry…" called Dumbledore yet again.
"I did not put my name in, Headmaster." said Harry.
Dumbledore looked at him evenly without a trace of his usual twinkle in his eyes. "Nevertheless, please join us in the chamber Harry." And with that, Dumbledore moved through the door which led towards the room where the other three champions were waiting for further instructions.
Once again, all eyes landed on Harry to see his next move. Hogwarts population always loved drama. For the past four years, Harry Potter was their source of regular entertainment. This time, it was no different either.
When Harry didn't move for a minute, Hermione gave him a slight push from behind and whispered, "Go on."
"Fuck. I am not going anywhere."
With another push, he heard her say, "Go and don't insult Hogwarts anymore than you already did."
Harry closed his eyes. If Hermione did not understand him, no one would…
He finally got up and dragged himself off towards the Head Table. The quiet murmurs grew louder with every step he took.
"He's a cheat-"
"Potter, the Rotter-"
"I always knew he was dark-"
"Oh, he wouldn't live this time-"
"Glory Hound-"
Harry never let his head down even once, and moved with a grim determination on his face. He went out through the door and found himself in a smaller room, filled with paintings of witches and wizards. The three champions were lined up against the fireplace, with Maxime beside Delacour and Karkaroff beside Krum. Dumbledore, Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman were standing in the centre of the room, now facing Harry.
Snape, Moody and McGonagall were off to a side.
No one said a word as he entered. Harry knew the drill. He had thought through his options on the short walk up to the devil's cave. He wouldn't let them intimidate him, that was given.
He looked around and spotted a nice chair beside Fleur Delacour, sitting uselessly in front of the merry fire. He moved forward towards the Half Veela and said, "Could you please move aside?"
"Quoi?" asked Fleur.
"Move aside." repeated Harry.
"Pourquoi?"
Harry sighed and grabbed her waist. Her eyes widened as he pulled her close and lifted her up. Everyone watched in stunned silence as he turned around once and slowly lowered her on the ground. He gave her a smile and turned once again. And promptly sat on the chair.
At once, all activity resumed.
"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr? What does zis boy zhink of himself?" roared Madam Maxime.
Harry noticed that Fleur was still looking at him blankly.
"Harry, you should apologize to Ms. Delacour." said Dumbledore.
Harry gave a yawn and stretched himself. "Why…I just wanted this chair. Comfortable here, really."
"Harry…very well, did you put your name in the goblet?" asked the Headmaster.
Harry had always had a problem with authority figures. They never did their duties as far as he had seen in his short life. But…he had always respected Albus Dumbledore. Suddenly, all that respect evaporated out of him. Dumbledore was just an old man now.
"I recall saying something not five minutes ago Headmaster. And I also recall you acknowledging that you heard me."
"Still Harry, it is important that we know the truth. Did you ask an older student to put your name in the goblet for you?"
Harry blinked.
"Are you saying that the goblet would accept anybody's name as long as the one who puts it is above seventeen?" asked Harry.
"Err…" said the Headmaster, "Yes."
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR BLOODY MIND?" shouted Harry.
Fleur jumped and seemingly, finally came out of her trance. Dumbledore flinched. All other teachers had their eyes widened.
"Mr. Potter, mind your manners." shrieked McGonagall.
"I WON'T." shouted Harry, making Fleur jump once again.
"Dumbledore, I never thought your students treated you like this nowadays." said Karkaroff.
"Never mind Igor. Harry, calm down. Take deep breaths, my boy."
"DON'T…" Harry decided to take this one advice and took some really deep breaths. "You said you had the goblet under your protection."
"I had. But it seems it wasn't enough."
"No, I don't think it was." said Harry bitterly.
"Look at the brat." came a much hated voice. "And to think, we were considering he hadn't put his name…"
"Well, well, Snivellus, I never expected you would consider something in my defence."
Snape's face reddened. "You dare-"
"What? I thought it was your nickname."
"Potter, one more word-"
"Enough!" ordered Dumbledore. "Harry, please don't insult your teachers. Severus, calm down. We are getting out of track."
"What track, Albus?" asked Karkaroff. "That boy put his name in the goblet."
"He did not, Igor. He said it himself."
"Ah, but of course 'e is lying." cried Madam Maxime.
"He is not." said McGonagall. "Someone else did it. Someone must have confunded the Goblet for it to choose four champions instead of three. And that's well beyond what is taught to fourth years."
"I agree with the old witch." said Moody from the shadows. "Somebody wishes harm to the boy."
"And who, may I ask, would want a boy dead?" asked Karkaroff.
An extremely tense silence followed this question as all eyes turned towards the Durmstrang Headmaster. Then Moody said, "I never used the word 'dead' specifically."
"What else did you mean, you one legged psycho?" asked Karkaroff, glaring holes at Moody. "Did you mean maimed, just like you?"
"You got out easy, eh, did you?" asked Moody taking a step threateningly.
"Alastor. Igor. Enough." warned Dumbledore and sighed. "Mr. Crouch. Mr. Bagman. What shall we do now?"
"The boy must compete. There's no other way."
"I won't." said Harry.
"You don't have a choice boy. You will lose your magic otherwise." said Crouch.
"Or I'll lose my life. The choice is simple."
"Harry…you cannot be serious." said Dumbledore with wide eyes.
"I am." said Harry, looking him in the eye.
"It is not so simple, my boy. Magic in a wizard flows alongside his life force." said Dumbledore. "That's what makes us different from squibs. They have magic as well. But it does not flow like ours. They can live without it. We can't."
Harry truly was fed up with this discussion. He really was glad that he had chosen to sit first, otherwise he didn't know what he would have done. "You mean I will die…?"
"No. But it could be worse. You might be paralyzed for life. You may end up locked in your own mind. Muggles call it coma."
Harry rubbed his forehead and gritted his teeth. "All right." He said eventually. "I'll do it. But I am out of this craziness next year."
"What do you mean, Harry?" asked Dumbledore.
"I mean, Headmaster, consider this my last year as a student of Hogwarts irrespective of the fact if I die in this effing tournament or not."
Dumbledore sighed heavily. "We'll discuss this later Harry. For now, let's move on."
Harry gave a particularly peculiar expression, nodded once and crossed his hands across his chest.
"Now, as we have our four champions-"
"Ah, very covenient. Two champions for 'ogwarts after all this nonsense." said Maxime.
"My dear Madam Maxime, if you have any other alternative-"
"My dear Dumbly-dorr" said Maxime in an uncharacteristically sweet voice, "I 'ave. We want an extra champion as well."
"But that's not possible. The Goblet cannot be lit before the start of next tournament." said Dumbledore.
"Does not matter." said Karkaroff. "Let us choose two of our students. They shall compete alongside the other four. If they win…they win."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and considered the suggestion. "Is it possible, Ludo?"
"Well, certainly Albus. The Goblet isn't stopping us from adding extra competition. We'll draw another contract for them."
Dumbledore nodded. "All right, then. Call upon your students."
Harry snorted.
In short order, two new 'champions' were brought into the Chamber of Champions. From the French side was a girl named Nicole Moreau. She was a short sweet looking girl, the type one could easily underestimate. She was pretty, not beautiful as in Fleur Delacour, but pretty nonetheless.
From the nation wherever Durmstrang resided, was a man. Harry could not fathom that he was just a school boy. He was atleast six foot six. Broad chest, with a mean look and long hair. He was just the opposite of the French chick. You just could not ignore this guy. His name was Vlad Dumrov.
"So now, as we have our six champions, unexpected really, but a fine opportunity indeed" began Bagman, "the first task will be held on the twenty fourth of November. Most probably."
Everyone in the room looked at Bagman as if he were crazy. And he probably was.
"Er…you see, we will have to take these new developments into account and make some new plans accordingly. Rest assured, the first task will test your courage in the face of the unknown and hence, it will remain a surprise." he finished opening up his arms in a grand gesture.
"That's it for now, I guess?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yes. Of course." agreed Bagman.
"Wait!" Harry interrupted.
"Yes, Mr. Potter?" asked Crouch.
"I want the copy of my contract." he said.
"What contract?" asked Bagman.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that. But that contract remains with Goblet, Harry. It cannot be produced in physical form."
Harry almost growled in annoyance and left with a huff.
The others stared after him and one witch in particular wondered, If only he was a little older…
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