Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the wonderful characters from that universe. They all belong to JK Rowling. I only stopped to play in her sand box for a while and hope that everyone stops by to check out my castles and moats.
A/N: I came up with this little story after reading Proud Mudblood's 'The Unusual Connection'.
A big thanks goes out to Fyreheart for the slight suggestions and for polishing my travesty into an effort that everyone can enjoy.
Special thanks to LordBlink for listening to me ramble on for hours as I bounce countless ideas off of his own warped mind.
Feel free to leave a review if you believe that my story warrants a comment or two.
And now, without further ado, I proudly present:
The Goblet of Fire Meets Harry Potter
by: DnG
A tongue of flame shot up out of the goblet and a slightly burnt piece of parchment started to flutter down to the floor. Albus Dumbldedore's hand shot out and picked the piece of parchment out of the air. After looking at it briefly, he announced.
"The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour".
The beautiful ladies from Beauxbatons applauded for their champion, but there were definitely some that sent some hateful scowls in the pretty champion's direction as she made her way forward and then was directed to the small antechamber to the right of the hall. Another tongue of flame flicked out of the goblet and a second piece of parchment was left to flutter down to the stage floor. Again Albus Dumbledore's hand shot out and a quick glance seen a slight nod and he announced.
"The champion for Durmstrang is Viktor Krum".
The boys/men from Durmstrang pounded their fists onto the table top and stomped their feet onto the floor while chanting Krum! Krum!. The burly Bulgarian seeker got up from his seat at the Slytherin table and made his way towards the antechamber, nodding at his fellow classmates as he strode forth with confidence.
"A better reception for their champion", was the thought that went through Harry Potter's mind at the moment, although he understood the lukewarm applause for the Beauxbatons champion. Its not everyday that one of the most beautiful girls gets picked because of their knowledge. Take a look at Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil as an example. Giggly, flirtatious and way down on the brilliance scale.
Another tongue of flame shot out of the goblet and a third piece of parchment fluttered towards the ground only to be plucked out of the air by the headmaster. A quick glance at the paper and a smile graced the old man's bearded face. The tension around the Great Hall amplified as their own champion was about to be announced.
"The champion for Hogwarts is...Cedric Diggory".
The Great Hall erupted in applause as their champion had been chosen and announced. But none were as loud as the Hufflepuff table, while the Slytherin table was rather quiet, but overall, it was a boisterous reception for the latest champion. As the last champion made his way towards the antechamber off of the Great Hall where the other champions had departed, the headmaster turned back to the crowd and began speaking.
"Thank you to everyone who submitted their names into the goblet,
although I must say that those that didn't adhere to the rules made for quite the spectacle"
, looking directly at the Weasley twins, sending a chuckle throughout the Great Hall. "The champions will return momentarily".
But his speech was cut short as another tongue of flame shot out of the goblet leaving yet another piece of parchment fluttering to the ground. Out of reflex, Albus' hand shot out and grabbed the parchment out of the air and, after briefly looking at it, the colour drained from his face and he announced.
"Harry Potter".
The Great Hall went silent at the announcement and every head turned to take in
the Gryffindor's
appearance. The colour had also drained from his young face at the announcement and those close by could here him muttering, "Why me, why me, I only wanted a nice quiet peaceful year". His best friend, Hermione Granger was rubbing tiny circles on his back trying to comfort and give him some encouragement while his other best friend, Ron Weasley, became cold and distant and pulled away from him.
"You need to go up there", encouraged Hermione. "Professor Dumbledore is still waiting".
Dragging his feet over the bench, Harry turned and stood up. Then he proceeded towards the front of the Great Hall while every pair of eyes were rivotted to his body. He could feel the wait of the cold death stares that were coming from all around as he looked forward. The distance seemed to keep getting larger and the head table seemed to grow farther and farther away.
After what seemed like an hour, Harry was standing in front of the Albus Dumbledore. The headmaster looked down at him with a look of
reassurance on his face and said, "Please join your fellow champions, Mr. Potter. Through that door right over there, please".
Taking some comfort from the headmaster's gentle, yet encouraging voice, Harry turned and headed towards the antechamber. He was standing just a little bit taller now with the headmaster's reassurance ringing in his ears as he departed the stage.
Making his way through the door and into the smaller room, he took in the scene that lay before him. The Beauxbatons champion was standing at one end of the fireplace staring into the flames while the champion from Durmstrang was standing at the other end doing the same thing. Cedric Diggory was standing over by the great window that showed a partial view of the lake and the Forbidden Forest.
Upon hearing Harry's entrance into the room, the Beauxbatons champion looked up from the fire and glanced over at him. "What is it? Do they require us to come back out now?"
Harry gulped and muttered,
"Um, not exactly. My name came out of the goblet as well".
"Impossible. You're lying. You're nothing but a little boy. How could this be?"
demanded the enraged female.
"I assure you that it's true Miss Delacour", said Albus Dumbledore as he walked through the door. "It seems that the goblet has chosen Mr. Potter as a champion as well".
The headmaster was followed by Madam Maxim, the headmistress for Beauxbatons and Igor Karkaroff, the headmaster for Durmstrang. Behind them was Ludo Bagman and another person, Barty Crouch if Harry remembered correctly and then there was professor Flitwick and professor Snape. Mad Eye Moody stood in the doorway. Harry absentmindedly wondered where his own head of house was.
"How can this be", whined Miss Delacour to her headmistress. "He's just a little boy".
"That's right Albus Dumbledore. Why does Hogwarts get a second champion", challenged Madam Maxim.
"Yes, I agree", shouted headmaster Karkaroff. "If Hogwarts gets two pieces of the pie, then we should too".
"Harry", began Albus. "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"
"No, sir",
Harry stated as he shook his head emphatically.
"Obviously he's lieing", argued professor Karkaroff.
Ignoring the Durmstrang headmaster, Albus asked, "Did you ask someone else to put your name in the goblet for you?"
"No, sir", said a visibly nervous Harry Potter. "I just wanted to have a nice quiet, normal year for a change, sir".
"You're too arrogant and too much like your father to want to have a quiet year", snapped Professor Snape.
"Enough Severus, I believe young Mr. Potter when he says that he didn't put his name in the goblet," replied the headmaster.
"But it's obvious that he's lying",
objected Madam Maxim. "Surely you can see that Albus".
"I think not Olymph. You watched me as I placed the age line around the goblet and look at what happened to those students who tried to fool my ward".
"He's right", said the gruff voice of professor Moody from the doorway. Making his way into the room, his wooden leg making a hollow thumping sound every time it struck the stone floor, he said "I think that someone confounded the Goblet and put poor Mr. Potter's name into it so that he had to compete".
"Why do you say that Alistair?" asked Albus.
"Simple Albus. Ever since the attack at the World Cup, there have been hints of the Dark Lord's return and it would be an easy way to see that harm came to the boy. You know the record of the Triwizard tournament and the fate of the champions".
Turning his head towards Mr. Crouch, Albus asked, "Is there anyway that Mr. Potter can be removed from this tournament, Barty?"
The quiet man that had followed Ludo into the room spoke up for the first time, a nervousness to his voice. "I'm afraid not. It clearly states in the rules that once a champion's name is issued forth from the goblet, it's a legally binding agreement that will see the champion stripped of their magic or worse if the fail to participate".
"There you have it", said Albus to the room at large, "Mr. Potter has to participate or his magic is forfeit".
Harry couldn't believe his ears. He didn't put his name in the goblet, yet here he was being forced to participate. "Someone else put my name into the goblet," he thought, "and the Ministry of Magic is saying that I have to participate, or I will lose my magic. Professor Moody thinks that someone has put my name into the goblet so that Lord Voldemort can get his hands on me, or at least see that great harm comes to me. I know that I didn't put my name in it and yet I am being forced against my will to participate because of a legally binding contract that magic is willing to enforce." Then scenarios started running through the young Gryffindor's mind and a smile started to grace his face.
"Sir, I'd like to make an announcement to the entire school if its possible", said Harry.
"May I ask why", asked the headmaster.
"Well, you know my history at this school and I don't want everyone hating me for taking Cedric's spotlight. I'd like to reassure everyone that I didn't put my name in the Goblet".
"That seems resonable", said Albus. "Does anyone else have anything to add?"
"Only that the first task is to take place on November 24 starting at one o'clock in the afternoon", said Ludo Bagman.
"Well then, might I suggest that everyone return to their seats and we'll let Mr. Potter make his announcement," prompted the headmaster.
Turning on his heels, Severus Snape departed the antechamber and made his way back to his seat at the head table followed by Professor Moody, the French champion, Madam Maxim, Cedric, Viktor, the Durmstrang headmaster, Harry and Albus Dumbledore.
Once everyone had taken their places and Harry had made his way back to the center of the head table, Albus Dumbledore tapped his water glass and spoke up as he stood in front of his golden throne like chair. "Ladies and gentlemen, students and all fellow witches and wizards, Mr. Potter has an announcement to make that you all will be glad to hear that will make you all look at him in a new light, of that I'm sure".
Taking a long look around him, Harry saw the faces of each and every person within the Great Hall. Some of them had smiles on their faces, while others had scowls. Some seemed to appear happy, while others appeared sad. Some seemed to be jealous, while others appeared to be scandalized. Some looked fearful, while others looked downright murderous, blond ponces not included. Finally, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Slowly the tension ebbed from his body and he took out his wand and pointed it skyward.
"I, Harry James Potter, hereby swear on my life and magic that I did not place my name in the Goblet of Fire, nor did I knowingly have anyone else place it in the goblet for me. So mote it be". A blinding flash of light surrounding Harry accepting the magical oath.
"Lumos", and to everyone's amazement, Harry's wand tip lit up like a tiny sun. "Nox", he said, and the light went out.
"Now, since I have been forced into this tournament against my will, and it has been enforced by magic itself, I figured what the hell. I, Harry James Potter, hereby swear on the life and magic of Tom Marvolo Riddle, that I did willingly place my name into the goblet of fire for consideration of selection into the Triwizard Tournament. So mote it be".
"Lumos", and Harry's wand tip lit up once more.
Silence came over everyone momentarily until Albus Dumbledore started to chuckle and soon it became an outright side-splitting laughter. It took nearly
a minute for the headmaster to get his mirth back under control and then he stood up. By this time, Harry had made his way back to his spot between Ron and Hermione, where Ron had apologized for not believing him.
Albus then stood up and said, "Five hundred points to Gryffindor for a well thought out prank. I can only hope that magic does accept your oath".
At that exact moment, Professors Snape and Moody clutched at their left forearms as a look of pure pain and torture rippled across their faces. Then they fell face forward onto the head table, Ludo Bagman dropped to the floor where he was standing and several sixth and seventh year students crumbled where they sat. Elsewhere, similar scenarios were occurring
around the country as any person that bore the dark mark lost consciousness as their magic was stolen from their bodies by their master to try and help keep his present homunculus form alive. Slowly, one by one, each and every marked Death Eater had their life siphoned off to help and stop the inevitable. Their master's magic and life was being taken to fulfill the demands of the false oath that had been made.
Little did the Death eaters know that their master had corrupted the
protean charm so that it supplied him with magic and life essence that he stole from them in tiny amounts so that he could heal quicker and maintain his vast amounts of magical power. But now their lives of servitude were being called in and one by one, the threat of evil was being laid to waste and with any luck, the latest generation could come to see the errors of their parents' ways.
The End!