Goblet of Fire
The first month and a half of classes went by as usual. Professor Snape seemed to take a different approach to Harry's learning this year. Somehow, he had even gained five points to Gryffindor during his first class. Everyone asked him how he did it, afterwards. He still claimed to not know.
One particular day, the Golden Trio and Dragon were on their way to classes, talking of the arriving schools that night. They noticed on the board that someone had posted a sign. It read,
"TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT: The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at six o'clock on Friday the Thirtieth of October. Lessons will end half an hour early. Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the welcoming feast."
"Brilliant!" Ron cheered. "It's Potions last thing on Friday. Snape won't have time to poison us all."
Both Harry and Draco glared at the redhead. That was totally unfair to Professor Snape, and he was a professor! He deserved their respect! Harry shook his head. Since when did I think that? He wondered.
Harry, Hermione, and Draco headed down to Potions class, on that particular Friday. Neville close behind. He overheard every word the trio said, and it made him decide to keep a closer eye on his friends.
"Wonder what he'll have us doing?" Hermione asked. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Whatever he did last time." He whispered quietly. Hermione shrugged.
When they walked in, they took their usual seat in the front. Harry sat back and got out his quill and parchment. Professor Snape walked in and told them to put their wands away.
"Today, we will be discussing theory rather than brewing a potion. This way, we will not be interrupted by our early departure." Professor Snape reasoned. He began lecturing on the proper stirring patterns for healing potions. Harry and Hermione took turns answering questions, and Draco sat there looking bored out of his mind. Before they knew what happened, the end of the day came.
They all put their things away and lined up at the entrance. Dragon stood between Draco and Harry, and Severys was wrapped loosely around Draco's neck. Durmstrang came from Black Lake and Beauxbatons from the sky. Dragon began panting heavily when the Beauxbaton girls arrived.
Dumbledore started to clap. The students following his lead, started to applaud, many of them standing on tiptoe to get a better look at the Headmistress of Beauxbaton. Her face relaxed into a gracious smile and she walked forward toward Dumbledore, extending a glittering hand.
"My dear, Madame Maxime. Welcome to Hogwarts." Dumbledore greeted. Harry noted the amount of posturing that had occurred during the original timeline.
"Dumblydore." Madame Maxime said in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"
Dumbledore similarly greeted Karkaroff, while the rest of the school move into the Great Hall and sat down. Harry began getting bored. Could they just get onto the part where everyone wanted to kill him? Harry's thoughts were interrupted by a French feminine voice.
"Excuse me, are you wanting zee bouillabaisse?" Fleur asked him. He shook his head to rid himself of his thoughts.
"Hi, Miss…?" Harry started. She had finally removed her muffler. A long sheet of silvery blonde hair fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes and very white even teeth. Ron went purple. He went to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise. Dragon stood up from where he was laying and barked playfully at the girl.
"Miss Fleur Delacour. You are 'arry Potter, no? And 'o ees dees cute little puppy dog? May I?" Fleur asked permission to pet Dragon as she got down on one knee. Harry smirked.
"I think I would be mauled if I said no." Harry teased. Neville snorted. Fleur smiled, still not quite understanding the English language. She began to pet and love on Dragon, who soaked it up gleefully. Ron and Draco both were annoyed Dragon got more attention from the part-veela than they did. "His name is Dragon, by the way."
"What a pleasant name for such a sweet animal." Fleur cooed. Hermione giggled.
"Sirius is soo loving this." Hermione whispered to Harry. He laughed and nodded in agreement. They were interrupted by the beginning of Dumbledore's speech.
"The moment has come," Dumbledore began, "the Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket. Just to clarify, the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce to you, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, head of Department of International Magical Co-operation and Mr. Ludo Bagman, head of Department of Magical Games and Sports." Harry noted the amount of applause for Ludo Bagman. He sneered. How could such a dishonest man be so well-liked?
"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts." Dumbledore continued. "The casket, if you please, Mr. Filch."
Harry watched as Filch brought out the Goblet of Fire. He cringed at the thought that he would soon be entered against his will into this deadly tournament.
"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman and they have made necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways. Their magical prowess, their daring, their powers of deductions and of course, their abilities to cope with danger." At this, Dragon growled. Who in the world thought it okay to allow a fourteen-year-old to enter this game?
"As you know, three champions will compete in this tournament, one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector, the Goblet of Fire. Anybody wishing to submit themselves as a champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of paper and drop it into the goblet. Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. To ensure that no underage students yield to temptation, I will be drawing an age line around the Goblet of Fire, once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line." Harry snorted. Yeah, right. That was true if your headmaster didn't have some sort of death wish for you.
"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the Goblet constitutes a binding magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, you are whole-heartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the Goblet. Now I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all." Dumbledore dismissed the crowd. Harry sighed.
"Want to go to the dorm until I'm called to my death?" Harry offered Hermione and Draco.
"Sure, this was not that exciting the first time around." Draco sneered.
"Yes, as if you did not think it the best thing in the world that Krum sat at your table." Hermione sniffed. Draco smirked.
"Well, he didn't spend too much time at his table, did he, Mione?" Draco teased. Luna walked over and smiled.
"Can I come with you? I am not very pleased with tonight's entertainment." Luna admitted. Harry smiled.
"Of course, come with!" Harry invited. Draco and Hermione shared a smirk.
They went up to Harry and Draco's dorm and Sirius transformed back.
"Wow! Did you see those girls? I mean, just, wow!" Sirius gushed. Harry laughed.
"Calm down there, Padfoot." Harry instructed. Sirius shook his head.
"I spent twelve years in Azkaban. I earned my right to gush about girls." Sirius argued. Draco smiled.
"Especially part-veela girls." Draco teased.
"Not surprised she was part-veela. She was beautiful." Sirius described. Harry sighed.
"She is, like, seventeen years younger than you, Padfoot." Harry informed his godfather. "I probably would have a better shot with her, seeing as I'm not an escaped convict."
"Yeah, that tends to be a turn off for girls." Hermione interjected. Sirius sighed.
"Being on the run just isn't something us girls do for fun." Luna added. Draco laughed, then he turned serious.
"Ready for tomorrow?" Draco asked. Luna looked concerned.
"What happens tomorrow, other than the obvious, of course?" Luna inquired.
"Harry gets chosen as a second Hogwarts champion." Hermione intervened. She looked at Harry compassionately.
"Everything will be fine, Mione. We know the end of the story. I win." Harry rejoiced. "This time, I'll save Cedric. I'll just take the cup, they will all be transported back to the arena, and I'll face Tom alone." Sirius' face grew dark.
"I don't like this plan, Harry." He told his godson. Harry shook his head.
"I'm not too fond of it, either, but it has to happen." Harry assured them.
"Well, whatever happens, we'll get through it together." Hermione defused the situation. She bumped Harry's shoulder. "Right?" Harry smiled.
"Together." He agreed.
The next day, Harry dreaded dinner. However, it came quickly and he sat as Dumbledore read his name aloud to the castle. He sighed. He got up and slunk over to Dumbledore, trying to make it obvious that he was not happy with this arrangement. He looked over at Severus, who looked horrified. He followed Dumbledore into the antechamber, and Severus was close behind him.
"You cannot even begin to consider sending Mr. Potter into that tournament." Professor Snape began. He turned to Harry. "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" He asked calmly.
"No, I did not." Harry said truthfully.
"Did you ask someone else to put it in for you?"
"No, I did not."
"Did you in anyway directly or indirectly affect the Goblet so that your name would be chosen?"
"No, I did not." Harry repeated with finality. Severus nodded in acceptance.
"Then, go back to your dormitory. This will be situated later." Severus ordered. Harry was about to comply when Dumbledore stepped in.
"Harry, do not leave. Severus has no authority to send you out or decide your innocence." Dumbledore stated. Harry sighed. He would rather Severus have authority over him than Dumbledore.
"What do you need, Professor?" Harry asked defeatedly. Severus nodded his head in agreement.
"Why do you need Mr. Potter? He has clearly not entered his name into the tournament. Therefore, he is under no contractual agreement to actually compete in these fool games." Severus argued. Barty Crouch Senior entered the room.
"The boy must compete." He decided with conclusiveness. Severus glared at the man.
"He is under the age of majority. He is not old enough to sign a legal contract. Therefore, the Goblet of Fire holds no legal ground in this case." Severus debated. Crouch shook his head.
"Anyone who accessed that cup and was admitted to put their name in immediately signed a contract." Crouch continued. Severus shook his head.
"But he did not put his name in that Goblet." Severus spit. Harry was taken aback. Since when did Severus Snape defend him with this ferocity?
"How do we know for sure?" Bagman asked, jovially. "Seems the boy just wanted a bit of fun. Let's let him play." Harry rolled his eyes. This was not his idea of fun.
"Mr. Potter is a lot of things, Bagman, but one thing he is not is a liar. But if you so wish, I am sure he would accept to being interviewed under Veritaserum." Severus suggested.
"No, whether he did it himself or not does not matter. His name was entered. It created a binding contract to his name. He must compete or die." Crouch warned. Harry gulped. Severus huffed. He looked over at Dumbledore.
"You can't seriously want your Golden Boy to fight to the death in this disgusting tournament, do you?" Severus almost pleaded. Dumbledore shrugged.
"He makes a compelling case, Severus. I am in no place to stop this. I am not about to test the theory that the person who placed his name in there is the one who is under contractual agreement. This is Harry's life at stake. We will let him compete." Dumbledore decided. Harry sighed. So much for a change in the timeline. This was going to be a fun year.