The Hunger Games Galaxies: District 5
Harry sat in the Great Hall across from a somber Ron and a shaking Hermione. There was an uneasy, unusual, and subdued aura around the entire dining hall; even the loudest of the Slytherins and Gryffindors were silenced. Despite the magnificent Reaping Feast before them, very few were able to fully enjoy their meals.
"Students, if I could have your attention, please," said Dumbledore, finally rising to his feat. "It is time for us to begin the Ceremony of the Reaping."
Everyone knew that the enchanted objects floating around the Great Hall were capturing scenes of the Feast and the Ceremony for the other worlds. Scenes that would be replayed on whatever magical devices they used in those other worlds to witness the Reapings of each world, that is. The Gods were watching, too, to make sure everything went smoothly.
"It is my pleasure," Dumbledore continued. "To introduce to you Dolores Jane Umbridge, the representative of the Gods for this year's Reaping."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," simpered the woman.
The frog-like appearance of the woman in front of them, their newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, would have almost been comical if not for the seriousness of the evening. The wore a flowing, pink robe with an enormous hat that made her look like a short, stubby totem pole. Even the dozens of Peacekeepers lining the room had a small pink strap thrown over their shoulders. Very few of them looked happy about it.
"And so begins another year of our annual Hunger Games!" she said, standing at Dumbledore's usual podium (her eyes barely crested the top). "As both a Ministry representative and an initiate who represents the will of the Gods, it is a great honor to learn that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was selected as the pool for the Reaping."
Like all the others, they were expected to send one boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to the arena to compete. For District 5, they were all ruefully aware, the magical community were the ones expected to give up their child; Muggles, already oblivious to the hidden magical world, were exempt. Thus, worldwide, every magical school was entered into a preliminary drawing, and those who were homeschooled or refused magical education were in their own group.
Hogwarts was last selected for the Reaping in 1973, and the tributes had both advanced to the Top 8 before they were both cut down by the female District 6 tribute, who ended up winning. The most recent District 5 victor had come from Bulgarian Durmstrang, back in 1986. And the year previous, District 5 had lost both its tributes in the initial bloodbath; they were both young students of a school in the United States.
In Harry's head, Hermione's research results drowned out Umbridge's long, rambling notes. He remembered back to the many nights in the Common Room, after it was announced that Hogwarts was to be the Reaped School, when she would frantically research everything she could find on the subject. Many stopped what they were doing to listen to her as she read passages on tactics, historical accounts of what the arenas were like, and what weapons victors used to defeat their final foes.
He became aware of a buzzing, and realized whispers were flying around the Great Hall. Umbridge tapped her stubby wand on the podium, signaling for quiet, her wide smile still stuck on her great ugly face. Harry looked at Ron, whose eyes were wide, but the latter shook his head, tilting it towards a few Peacekeepers patrolling the aisle between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Hermione's arms were still shaking.
"Therefore, it is with best wishes and a sense of proud dignity that I announce our tributes for District 5," said Umbridge. She waved her wand and the Goblet of Fire, seen last year for the heart-wrenching Tri-Wizard Tournament, appeared before her.
"Students, if you do hear your name called," said Dumbledore. "Please proceed to the front of the stadium and stand with Professor Umbridge. She will then guide you to your antechambers, where you can say good-byes to your family and friends, as needed."
"Thank you, Albus," said Umbridge, clearly irritated that she'd been interrupted. "Well… then… our first tribute is…"
She waved her wand and the Goblet gave off a bright blue flash. A single, smoking piece of paper floated down next to her and she snatched it in her sausage-like fingers. She read the name and the glee on her face was apparent as she raised her eyes to address the room.
"Miss Luna Lovegood, from Ravenclaw," she said.
Several gasps shot around the room. Luna, who had still been digging into her pudding, glanced up, eyebrows raised. Her face was blank for a second, and then she smiled, picked up her plate, and headed for the front of the Great Hall, still digging in to her plate. Around the hall, more whispers had started. And Harry felt an hard rush of anger at the smiles and relieved looks around the hall. Of course they'd feel that way about Luna…
"Y…yes, well, very good then," said Umbridge, revolted at Luna's continuing feasting as she stood next to her, the serene look back on her face. "For our male tribute… silence please… we have…"
The flash of light shot up again and the charred parchment floated down until Umbridge seized it in her own hands. She took a minute to stare at it, and a look of utter joy crossed her face. She closed and rubbed her eyes, as if to make sure she wasn't seeing things, and a small giggle escaped her lips. Everyone instantly knew that something incredibly awful was about to happen. At the staff table, Dumbledore and McGonagall had already gotten halfway out of their seats, when Umbridge finally regained her composure and was able to read the name.
"Our second tribute for District 5… is none other than…" she broke off to let one more small giggle escape. "Harry Potter, from Gryffindor."
A much louder gasp swept the room, along with at least three individual female shrieks and several gruff curse words. Harry felt as if he stomach had dropped out. It was worse than the Tri-Wizard part. And suddenly several people were standing, shaking. Most were Gryffindors, slightly older than him, but several Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were doing the same. He knew that they meant to volunteer.
"I refuse volunteers," he croaked out.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, I didn't quite hear that," said Umbridge, though the shining in her eyes told him that she had.
"I said… I don't want anyone to volunteer for me," Harry replied, his voice rising to a shout. "My name was picked. I don't want anyone to die for me. None of you were eager so much to help Luna, so don't you do it for me, either."
Granted, Harry realized, it was impossible for those who were trying to volunteer for him to volunteer for Luna but, all the same, he wanted it to be known how disgusted he was with the whole thing. He stomped up to the stage, his face set in a blank mask of anger. He didn't care if the other worlds' people or the Gods that acted as sponsors knew or cared about how he felt. And after a year of being ignored by Dumbledore and forced to deal with Snape, the look of utter defeat and misery on Dumbledore's face actually made Harry feel better about the whole thing.
"That's right, right up here, next to Ms. Lovegood. Look at that Capturer there, please," Umbridge said, steering him next to Luna, who smiled at him between mouthfuls of food.
"Harry!" came the anguished cry of Hermione, which caused several Peacekeepers to move towards Gryffindor, to quiet the enraged yells.
"Silence!" shouted Umbridge, raising her wand. "Students, Denizens of the Other Worlds, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you Luna Lovegood and Harry Potter, the tributes of District 5 in this year's Hunger Games!"
Author's Notes:
Short explanation time on how this whole ordeal is going to work!
The games themselves are still in progress, so for now I'm only doing the intro stuff. All events that take place in the Districts will be in their appropriately-titled stories in the proper crossover section. Once that's all taken care of and it collapses into one story, I'll put the title at the end of each District Introduction Section (or just click on my author name to find it yourself).
The entire story is being decided solely on a complicated series of dice rolls, to prevent bias on my part and to make it so even I have no idea how this is going to end or who is going to win.
Let me be clear: this is not going to be an "everyone bands together and fights the evil powers and they all survive" story. As of writing this paragraph, ten tributes are dead. So if you see your favorite character selected… well, don't get mad if they don't make it through.
That's all for now. May the odds be ever in your (favorite characters') favor.