I realize now that the last chapter ended on a cliffhanger.
Who were those three men? What happened to Harry? Who knows? I don't, I'm just making it up as I go along.
"They say time heals even the deepest of wounds, but the truth is sometimes it makes things worse than they already are. Much worse."
-Darrow Starkov
"I think I failed that potions evaluation. I'm pretty sure it wasn't supposed to be so purple or jelly-like. Hell, I think everyone failed, except for perfect Potter over here." Adrik Weston said waving a breadstick at Harry. "Why did I ever think that education would actually help me in life? Although the food makes it almost worth coming to school."
"I'm just surprised we survived all the toxic fumes in that classroom," Harry said, starting to eat the food on his own plate. He had to agree with Adrik, the food at Durmstrang was always freshly prepared and tailored to each person's appetite. There was no place with better food or not one he had been to anyways.
"Ha," Adrik said taking a bite out of his breadstick before once again pointing it back at Harry. "I remember when we were first years and that kid, I think his name was Tapar, added fire seeds instead of a rat spleen and gave himself diarrhea for a week. He shitted himself in every class and everyone could smell it. I can't believe he is still alive, I thought he would have died from potion poisoning or at least embarrassment."
"You guys are disgusting. I am just glad that the whole potions test is over." Kirsten Abram chimed in.
"It's over until next week where we get to brew the Erumpent Potion, which isn't an explosive potion or anything. Not like it could possibly kill us if we add just a drop too much of anything. Or maybe it won't burn our faces off and leave us scarred for the rest of our lives." Adrik reminded her sarcastically. He had finished his previous breadstick and was now pointing a new one in her direction.
Kirsten could only groan. "It's only the beginning of the school year Adrik. Don't make me want to kill you already."
"I'm pretty sure you have already wanted to kill him since the first year." Harry chuckled.
Adrik cried out indignantly, "Yeah. You apologized for it, but I'm pretty sure you intentionally tried to trap me in that dungeon cell."
"It was an accident. I was trying to get you to shut up, but I forgot which cell I locked you in." Kirsten shrugged as if there was nothing she could have done about it now.
"Maybe I was in the only cell with someone actually locked in it? How pitiful was I, to be wickedly tricked and betrayed by someone I once held dear to my heart."
"Hm. You have a heart, after all. That's quite shocking."
Another cry of indignation from Adrik. "The least you could have done was lock me up with some food. I was starving. I almost considered chewing off my own fingers."
"If I did give you food, how else would you starve to death?" Kirsten joked along.
"I knew it, you vile and evil woman. See Harry, she was trying to kill me. I knew it."
Harry had to admit that his friends were weird ones, but they were his friends after all. "I do remember it being much quieter and more peaceful that day though. Was nice while it lasted."
This time Adrik gasped as if he had been viciously stabbed in the back. "I thought you were on my side, Harry. But of course, you would side with Kirsten." Adrik let out a long and exasperated sigh as if it was all obvious. "With me out of the way, the two of you could spend all your time together staring at each other's eyes and playing with each other's hair. I see where I stand now."
Harry rolled his eyes at Adrik's teasing and looked at Kirsten, who suddenly seemed very interested in poking her mashed potatoes with her fork.
"See I knew you two had a thing for each other." Adrik smiled, but Harry could not help but notice a speck of sadness behind his best friend's grey eyes.
"We do not. And even if we did, Harry and I would not spend our time 'staring at each other's eyes'. What are we three-year-olds?" Kirsten finally said, flicking her potatoes at Adrik.
Harry's best friend only licked the mashed potato off his face and smiled mischievously, as if his prey had fallen into a trap. "Oh, I'm sure you two would be spending your time doing something much more interesting," he said, playfully wiggling his eyebrows at his two comrades.
Kirsten glowered at Adrik. Harry, on the other hand, only raised an amused eyebrow.
His best friend raised his hands in defence, dropping his utensil on his plate. "Alright. Fine. Kirsten is too polite and well-mannered to do something like that-"
"Hey!"
Adrik only continued. "And Harry... Look at you. Even with me as your best friend, you still have no game whatsoever. Girls could be throwing their bras at you and the only thing you would care about is your essay for Transfiguration."
"My apologies for actually caring about my future. Not everyone wants to be a wreck like you."
"You wound me with your words Harry. I care about my future, but you see I have this little secret thing called charm. It works wonders, with both education and the ladies."
Kirsten laughed at that, her dirty blond hair falling behind her shoulders. "That's quite ironic since you are failing charms class."
"Professor Heillar wouldn't know a perfectly casted Incendio even if someone set him on fire with it. And I would know since I did it. He didn't even say 'thank you' to me for burning away his ugly haircut. Ungrateful little bastard." Adrik grumbled on as he took his last bite of dessert.
As if on cue, a blond approached their table and greeted the three. She was in their year. Harry remembered seeing her in some of his classes. Ingrid Zhivko, he believed her name was. She then proceeded to tap Adrik on his shoulder and whisper something into his ear. Then she was walking away, pulling Adrik along, who had already gotten off his seat.
Harry gave Adrik a 'what does she want?' look and he responded with a shrug of the shoulders.
"You need to tell him," Harry said a little abruptly once Adrik was gone, calmly taking a sip out of his fizzy beverage.
"What?" Kirsten said a little too loudly, choking slightly on her beverage.
Harry knew she had heard him perfectly fine, but repeated what he said before taking another sip. "Tell him that you like him."
Kirsten licked her lips as if pondering how to reply. She must have decided it was pointless denying it and lowered her cup. "How did you know?"
"I have known you for years, I know when you have one of those boy crushes. You blink more often and you just have this dreamy look in your eye. It's weird that I even notice these things."
"Does Adrik know?"
"Despite his charm, he is not exactly the most observant person and no I have not told him."
They both laughed at the light ribbing of their friend who was absent to hear it. A pause, then Harry continued, "Tell him because I have been Adrik's friend for as long as I have been yours. He is like a wild horse. If you don't tell him soon, he will run away."
Kirsten's smile turned into a frown and Harry couldn't help but feel guilty, but she needed to hear this. She pursed her lips thinking over what he said then looked over at where Adrik stood, laughing to whatever Ingrid had told him. "So what if I like him? Maybe he likes running freely. Besides, there have always been other girls."
"And there always will be other girls until you tell him. Then if you guys weren't meant to be, then so be it."
"When you say it like that I feel like it's no big deal, but whenever it's the three of us and the notion crosses my mind, I always have the same thought. 'I don't want this to end.' I don't want to lose both my friends just because of a small crush that might go away next week."
"Whoever said I would be on his side? But I am hurt that you would ever believe I would let it come to that."
"Look Harry. I know you are looking out for me, but this could all be nothing, just my teenage hormones acting up. I don't want to throw away a friendship for another relationship that I may or may not want in the long run. This could all just blow over soon."
"And if it doesn't?"
"And if it doesn't," Kirsten repeated as if it was the first time the idea crossed her mind. "If it doesn't, then..."
She never got to finish the thought when all the scraps and leftovers of the meal vanished. The tables throughout the atrium were once again clean from any clumsy spilling of juice or small bits of stray mashed potato that had missed their target. Dinner was over, but no one got out of their seats.
Today was a very special day.
"Durmstrang students." Headmaster Igor Karkaroff addressed them sounding a bit nervous and scratching his inner left forearm. "As many of you know, the Triwizard Tournament has always been a glorious and celebrated event. However, it was discontinued in 1792, in fear of putting the students who participated in danger. We now live in a golden age, the Dark Lor-" he coughed, cutting himself off before he made a major mistake. Usually, only loyal followers would address him as the 'dark lord'.
There was silence in the atrium. No one even dared to say anything. They all heard it and knew what the headmaster was about to say. They all knew of Karkaroff's dark past.
"You-Know-Who has been defeated along with his followers." the headmaster continued, correcting his mistake. "There is nothing to fear. He can't reach us. They can't reach us. Nothing to fear..."
"What's wrong with him?"
Harry turned to see that Adrik had rejoined their table and was clearly thinking the same thing as everyone else. The headmaster seemed to have something else on his mind, something that he feared. Karkaroff was trying to convince himself that it was safe, more than he was trying to convince his students.
A cough resonated through the atrium and a man wearing a suit got up and took over the podium. Their dazed headmaster only stalked off the stage, no longer caring there was an entire student body with their eyes trained on him.
Another cough by the man in the suit. "Yes. As your headmaster has extensively stressed, we are all safe and to commemorate this era of peace, it has been decided that the Triwizard Tournament be reinstated." the man paused and the crowd that was holding in their excitement exploded into a thunderous roar of anticipation.
"I am Barty Crouch Senior from the British Ministry of Magic and I will be working in tandem with representatives from the French and Norwegian Ministry of Magic to organize the Triwizard Tournament. This year, we have introduced a new rule to further ensure the safety of all. This new rule is that participants must be fourteen years of age or older to participate. Anyone younger is forbidden to enter their name into the Triwizard cup."
Crouch waved his wand and the small red curtains behind him were pulled apart to reveal a metal and glass cup that glowed with an eerie green colour. At the sides of the cup were three metal dragons that faced one another, clearly representing the three champions to be selected.
"Since so many Triwizard Tournaments has been missed, this year's tournament will be especially distinguished. Each of the three schools shall select three champions to compete for the prize of fame, money and eternal glory. I must warn you first, that the challenges ahead will test the strength of each champion. Now I introduce to you the two other competing schools: Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
As if they had been listening in or if they had rehearsed it a thousand times, the two side doors of the atrium burst open together and both of the foreign schools entered simultaneously. Beauxbatons students entered from the left while Hogwarts students entered from the right.
The atrium became an eruption of cheers, but Harry stayed quiet. He wasn't whistling at the Beauxbatons girls like Adrik was, nor was he eyeing the Triwizard cup.
No. He had his eyes on one person and one person only.
Holden Potter.
The infant who had defeated Voldemort. The Boy-Who-Lived. The Savior of the Wizarding World.
And also, the twin brother of Harry Potter.
VERY IMPORTANT READ THIS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO. I WOULD HAVE PUT THIS IN A BIGGER FONT AND DOUBLE BOLDED IT TO GET YOUR ATTENTION, BUT I CAN'T SO CAP LOCKS WILL HAVE TO DO
Before you continue any further you have come to a very important crossroad. You should know a few things about this story:
-Yes, Harry has a twin cause come on let's face it, I'm sure at one point or another we have all wanted a twin and why not write a story with a concept that has been used a million times before
-No this is not going to be one of those fanfictions where his twin is a fat, spoiled Gryffindor version of Draco Malfoy
-No this is not going to be one of those fanfictions where Harry is so powerful that he is some natural prodigy with magic spewing out of his eye sockets
Now that you know what this story will be like, you can decide to delete it from your memory or to continue, that is if I ever remember to update.
Until next time.
-Pyrrhical
