This story is mostly based on a random dream I had after reading a fanfiction where Harry sacrifices himself to save Gabrielle Delacour during the 2nd task. I do not own Harry Potter. Edited on 12/11/2014 because I wrote this has asleep.

Prologue

While it was mostly to relax, watching Harry inspired him to practice his flying skills. Pulling out of a skillful dive, Cedric noticed a scrawny bespectacled boy watching in the stands. Flying over immediately, he sat down beside Harry with a grin.

"Scoping out the competition Potter?"

Harry gave a small smile and they chatted about the first task. After promising to repay the warning about the dragons, Cedric decided to get to the point.

"While this is fun, I'm sure you aren't here for idle chit chat Potter."

Harry sighed. "Cedric, I think we should work together in the tournament."

The competitive side of Cedric wanted to refuse but the debt made him listen to Harry's words.

"I've been thinking… wasn't that task a little too… well… dangerous?"

Dragons were indeed incredibly dangerous creatures. While death was known to be a part of the Triwizard tournament, that was over 200 years ago and from the records, the tasks then were only half as dangerous. It was a miracle all of them got out. But they were guaranteed safety, were they not?

"I mean, you and Fleur got burned," Harry continued. "Krum almost got squashed and I got a pretty nasty cut. And not to be rude, but how would you have done if I hadn't warned you?"

I would have failed or died. He thought. It was pure luck that the dragon stayed focused on his transfiguration long enough. And even then he got partially burned.

"We need to work together. If there are more dangers ahead, facing them would be easier. I didn't even want to be in this tournament." Harry said looking into his eyes. "I don't want the gold or the cup. I would drop out if I could, but I can't. I don't know how you feel, but now, I just want to live."

After a lot of thought, Cedric realized that Harry was right, living was now the number one priority for the two Hogwarts Champions. Now that he actually thought about it, he realized the four champions were in a game designed for the sole purpose of school pride and entertainment. A game that could have very well killed them and still could. Harry and he started to spend more time together training and studying. They managed to solve the mystery of the golden egg within a week together, and had brainstormed for ideas. Cedric wanted to use the Bubble-Head charm, but Harry brought forth the idea of Gillyweed. In addition to providing a means to breathe underwater, it allowed for faster swimming as well. After speaking to Professor Sprout, she agreed to give them Gillyweed in exchange for a few nights helping her in the greenhouses. All they could do now was wait.

The Yule Ball came and went. He could tell Harry was slightly jealous of him for asking out Cho, the boy's crush was pretty obvious. Call it shallow, but he too asked Cho out due to her beauty. As they walked the gardens, he realized that perhaps something could work between the two as he chatted with the attractive girl. Admittedly, he felt a little sorry when he saw Harry's date going badly.

The morning of the task, Harry was in front of the Hufflepuff dormitories with a frantic look on his face.

"Ron is gone. They were talking about people as the precious thing." Harry said in a panicked voice. It took some time to calm him down, but Cedric too started to panic when it was discovered Cho was missing as well.

"May I join you?"

Harry and Cedric looked up in confusion from their homework as Fleur sat down beside them.

"It is obvious now zat you two are working together. May I perhaps join your alliance?"

The second task had gone spectacularly for the two Hogwarts champions. With the Gillyweed, Cedric and Harry had reached the hostages first and freed theirs. But the two agreed to wait for all the hostages to be freed, and when Fleur didn't come, they decided to take the girl as well. After fleeing from the merpeople, the champions emerged on shore within the time limit. They were quickly met with a sobbing Veela girl.

"I owe you two my life" Fleur had said, kissing their cheeks.

After the task, the reactions to their tag team were varied. The Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students cried conspiracy. The Hogwarts champions would ensure that the cup went to their school and Hogwarts was cheating by having two competitors. The Hogwart student's reactions were varied. While some welcomed the alliance, others were suspicious that one was using the other to get a free ride. Most of that ire was directed at Harry. Cedric had to make a public statement during lunch one day exactly where they stood and why. Regardless, the team up, while only a rumor before, was now the talk of the castle.

Harry and Cedric continued on ignoring the gossip. And now here was another champion offering her talents. After a couple hours of discussion, they realized that Fleur was not trying to take advantage of them, and that she was also growing weary of the tournament. Veela were creatures of air and fire, not suited at all for underwater tasks. Her magic was weakened, and there was a very real chance of her dying in the lake. Only the thoughts of her sister made her brave the depths.

"This blood game is disgusting" Fleur had sniffed. "I can see now why you two are working together. Let me help. I too wish to live."

The three champions realized their views were aligned, this tournament was not something to compete in. It was something to survive.

It started as the hot topic of the castle, and soon found its way into the paper. The four Triwizard champions seemed to be working together. There were many instances where they were seen sharing meals, studying in the library, flying over the quidditch pitch, and practicing spells in empty classrooms. The students were somewhat outraged, wanting their champions to bring glory to their school instead of helping their adversaries. But despite urging from friends, teachers, and even the heads of the schools, the four were resolute.

Krum was recruited by Cedric a week after Fleur joined them. He too expressed his doubts over the dangers of the tournament, with the kidnapping of Hermione unnerving him. Fleur and Harry accepted and the group of three became four. It was awkward at first. Harry, the Boy Who Lived, was younger then the others by about three years. Krum was from Bulgaria and a world famous Quidditch star. Fleur was not only the single girl, but she was also French and a Veela. Despite being considered pretty normal, Cedric felt completely out of place between the three. But after the meals, the late nights of training, and the hours spent together, a strange bond began to form.

Harry broke the ice when he eventually told of his escapades in his past years. The other three felt their respect for the young boy increase as he spoke of killing a Basilisk. Instead of the confident, perhaps arrogant fame seeker the newspapers painted, they found an insecure boy, who detested his fame and loathed the tournament. He spoke of his surprise entry, how it had strained some of his relationships, and stated quite clearly that he did not want to be in the tournament. Krum also spoke of how his fame clouded others view of him. He loved to study, was polite, and was quite shy. Many members of his family were killed by dark wizards and he expressed his anger at the dark history of his school and the students that wanted to continue it. Fleur was lusted after by almost every male in the castle who only saw her for her beauty. As a result, many girls, while flocking to her, secretly detested her and she was frequently bullied as a child. Her heritage as well drew the ire of Pure Blood bigots. Cedric almost felt normal in comparison, except his fame too was starting to impact his circle of friends. A kinship slowly formed, they were not exactly the best of friends yet, but they found a common ground.

Soon the third task was at hand. The four agreed to meet at the first intersection and they quickly found that after their training, nothing could stand in their way. After battling an assortment of magical creatures, navigating strange mists, and defeating a massive spider, the cup was in reach. The four agreed to grasp it simultaneously, a sign of unity and one of defiance towards those who would use their lives for this pointless tournament. When all four champions vanished along with the cup, mayhem ensued.

The other three champions could only watch in horror as the man collected the blood from Harry. They could only watch in shock as the man known as Lord Voldemort emerged, returned from the dead. And then they watched as he summoned his servants and began to explain how he returned. But when he began to duel and torture Harry, they suddenly found their voices.

"Leave him alone you monster!" Fleur yelled. The death eaters turned to the three and Lord Voldemort gazed upon them disdainfully.

"A filthy halfbreed, and two blood traitors. Know that only by my will alone are you alive. But there shall be no mercy for you tonight. You shall be used as... tests. Tests of loyalty for some of my Death Eaters. But that will come soon. After this duel."

It was insanity. The Dark Lord versus the Boy Who Lived. The boy who was the youngest of them all and the least experienced. The champions had found themselves looking after Harry, almost like a precious underclassman or a little brother. They defended him from those who would slander him and provoke him. The champions had to admit, Harry was brave and quite competent with his problems at school. But this was an entirely different scenario and they started to despair as he was toyed around with. Cedric and Krum had started to yell once again, shouting for Voldemort to free them so they could help while Fleur could only sob as Harry writhed on the ground from another Crucio. Then the death spell was evoked and they thought it was all over.

But a golden dome encompassed the duelists. All fears faded away for a moment as they watched in awe and listened to the phoenix song. Shades emerged from Voldemort's wand and appeared to be speaking to Harry. The other champions were forgotten as the Death Eaters flocked to the dome. And then, just as it had appeared, the light was gone and suddenly Harry was by them, cutting their ropes with a spell.

"Portkey" Harry huffed. "Escape. Live."

The four champions started to run while throwing spells over their shoulders. The screams of Voldemort rang over the chaos.

"THE BOY IS MINE. KILL THE SPARES."

Streaks of green illuminated the cemetery as the death eaters aimed to kill. However, the spells from the champions threw them back and they were almost to the cup. But Lord Voldemort appeared in a flash between them and their salvation.

"AVADA KEDAVRA" he screamed, and a green bolt flew towards Harry. The boy froze upon seeing the pitiless red eyes and didn't register the frantic cries. In reality though, there was nothing he could do. His life flashed before his eyes and the world seemed to be moving in slow motion. But before he died, one last thought crossed his mind. He prayed with all his heart that his friends would manage to escape. Then the Boy Who Lived dropped to the ground lifeless.

Fleur fell to her knees. Krum started to walk slowly towards the body in shock. Cedric could only stare. This was their fate. The three of them would soon join him, the first victims of the revived dark lord. They ignored the strange sensation in their heads as Voldemort sang his victory to the heavens. They didn't move as the Death Eaters surrounded them. They kneeled, dazed as he brought forth suspect Death Eaters and ordered them to kill. As three simultaneous killing curses streaked towards them, there was a flash of light. The three found themselves staring at a ghostly Harry holding the Triwizard Cup. There was chaos once again as Voldemort was screaming but none of the curses reached them. The champions ignored the splitting pain in their heads and were once again speechless as Harry held out the cup.

"Live."

Wordlessly, the three reached out and in a blur, found themselves once again on the Quidditch field. There was an immediate uproar as the pain overwhelmed the champions. They fell to the ground unconscious as figures swarmed towards them.