Disclaimer: I still don't own either The Hunger Games or the Harry Potter series.
The first thing a revolutionary must learn is that he is a doomed man.
-Huey P. Newton
Despite being prepared for and even having wanted it, the reality of being chosen to compete in the Games was a shock of cold water to the face for Harry. He was only peripherally aware of his own face appearing on the projector screens, a small, seemingly helpless boy with big green eyes hidden behind glasses, on display for all of the Capitol to see. After a split second, Harry managed to pull himself together.
He was basically pushed out of the crowd of fifteen year old boys, and then shoved at the stage. The unruly haired teen didn't have to work overly hard to keep his faced school into an expression of innocent shock. Albus was waiting at the center of the stage, eyes twinkling sadly as he watched Harry ascend the short staircase granting entrance to the platform. Harry shook hands with the old man, still in somewhat of a daze. The sea breeze carried a waft of citrus to the green eyed boy, finally snapping him out of his surprise.
Lemons, Harry thought idly. The man smelled of lemons. After shaking Dumbledore's hand, he moved to stand slightly behind him and next to the girl tribute; Luna, if he remembered correctly. He offered a small, slightly nervous smile to the cameras.
Harry and Finnick had strategized relentlessly for this. Finnick knew well how sway with the Capitol's citizens could mean life or death in the arena. They'd decided that with Harry's appearance, the safest way to earn the love of the Capitol was to earn the sympathy of the Capitol. His small frame and wide, verdant eyes, along with his flawless skin and unruly hair gave him a rather innocent, somewhat naïve appearance. The citizens of the Capitol considered themselves far more worldly and cultured than the denizens of the districts, so Finnick and Harry had hatched a plan to play up on that. Harry would play innocent, constantly in wonder of the Capitol, and happy and honored to be given the chance to compete in the arena.
Albus cleared his throat before speaking into the microphone. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes the reaping for the 74th Annual Hunger Games. If you'd like to say goodbye to the tributes, please form a line at the entrance to the Justice Building. Otherwise, please exit the courtyard in a quick and orderly manner. Happy Hunger Games!"
With a flourish of his dress-like robe, Albus turned on spot and faced his new charges.
"Now, we must be off. You'll meet with your families in the Justice Building for a short time, then we have a train to catch." The elderly man ushered them inside the Justice Building quickly, placating any questions the teenagers had with a small smile.
Harry found that the next fifteen minutes or so passed in a blur. He was herded into the Justice Building by a hand on the small of his back, where his finger was again pricked for blood to make sure he was who he claimed to be. His mother had gone through quite a struggle to get a previously non-existent 5 year old registered, but with a compelling story of rescuing an orphaned boy paired with having a Hunger Games victor as a husband, Gwen eventually won out in the end.
The green eyed teen was then pushed into a small examination room by a peacekeeper, where he was weighed, measured, poked, prodded, and categorized by skin color, eye color, hair color, and even his very shoe size. From there, he was again herded around the building, this time into a small room with a table.
Harry was fairly certain that the room was usually used for interrogating people suspected of illegal activities, but he supposed it doubled as a place for the District 4 tributes to say farewell to their loved ones. The teen was ambivalent about saying his goodbyes. He fully intended to survive and win the Games, but that didn't necessary mean he meant to return to the district. After all, if he meant to topple the government of Panem, he would have to stay in the Capitol. At that, he wasn't so sure that he would survive staging a revolt. After all, if the Capitol could destroy an entire district for insurrection, he had little doubt that could put him down in a heartbeat if he wasn't careful.
Harry was beginning to realize exactly how deep the waters he was beginning to tread actually were. Instead of finding himself nervous or scared, though, the bespectacled boy found himself rather excited at the prospect of such an epic journey. It wasn't every person that found themselves contemplating how to properly destroy an entire ruling body and actually acting on it, the teen thought ruefully.
A few minutes after he'd been dropped off, the door to his little room threw itself open, a small horde of tan-skinned blonds filling the room. Harry suddenly found himself completely enveloped in several sets of bronzed arms, completely unable to make sense of the babbling of about five people simultaneously. The clamor died down after a few seconds, and Harry felt people leave the dog pile one by one, until only his mother's arms were wrapped around him.
"Harry…" Gwen whispered tearfully. "My beautiful, brave lionfish. I won't patronize you by telling you to be careful. Be yourself. I've always called you my lionfish because I knew this day would come. The lionfish is the prettiest fish in the sea, but its spines are deadly. Just like you, love. Come back to me, okay?"
Harry squeezed his mother, tears beginning to stream from his glass green eyes. "Of course I'll come back to you. No one in the Capitol will make me chowder as good as yours."
Gwenyth chuckled, giving the boy one last squeeze. "I love you, Harry. I may not have given birth to you, but you'll always be my baby boy."
With that, she stepped out into the hallway. Harry's father walked up to the boy next, taking both of the teen's hands. Electric blue eyes met equally bright green as they held gazes for a moment. Wil grasped his son's hands firmly before speaking, never breaking eye contact.
"You will be brilliant, Harry. You're ready for this, and I can't wait to see you when it's all over. Listen to your trainers, make friends with your stylists, charm the Capitol the way you've enchanted us, and you'll be fine. I love you."
Wil pulled the small frame into his chest, resting his chin on his son's head. After a second, he pulled himself free and left the room to be with his wife, casting a final nod at his son. With that, Harry found himself engulfed by Annie.
Annie was, without a doubt, Harry's best friend in the world. He would sorely miss the quiet girl and everything she brought to his life. When Harry had been beaten down by Finnick and his father's training methods, Annie had always been there to help him heal his scratches and cuts. She would read quietly with him on his studying rampages, always there to remind the boy to eat and force him to sleep. She was his confidant, there for him as he'd come to terms with the fact that he liked boys, just as he was there for her when she realized she was absolutely in love with Finnick. The two had been attached at the hip since she'd returned from her Games. No words were exchanged between the two, Harry simply rested his head on the older girl's shoulder as they held one another.
An all too short period of time later, knuckles rapped on the door. A peacekeeper stuck her head in the door and informed Harry his time for goodbyes was up, gesturing for the pair to leave the room. Harry nodded his acquiescence and pulled back from Annie.
The quiet girl spoke first, letting go of Harry to reach into a pocket on her dress. She pulled out a woven bracelet. It was navy blue in color, with streaks of turquoise throughout the weave. The bracelet was fastened with a small golden anchor on one end that held a loop of material from the other end.
"A tribute token," Annie smiled sadly. "It was mine. For you to remember where you came from, to remember where you have to come back to."
Harry nodded, green eyes narrowing with determination as he took the bracelet from Annie, slipping it on his wrist and hooking the anchor to close it.
"Look after mom and dad for me, okay? You and Finnick be good," Harry grinned slyly. "Tell Finnick goodbye for me. I'll be back for the wedding."
Annie's hazel eyes sparkled through her tears and she punched him lightly on the arm. She then motioned towards the door. "Get going, you have a competition to win, honor and family tradition and all of that."
Harry smiled widely at the girl and waved, leaving her in the small room. He followed the female peacekeeper through a few more hallways that led to a staircase. They climbed several sets of stairs before being reaching a large metal door. The peacekeeper fumbled with her belt for a few minutes before retrieving a key. She unlocked the door and used her full body weight to push it open, letting out an audible heave. Harry grimaced as the sun blinded him. He followed the woman out hesitantly, letting his eyes readjust to the bright coastal sun. He stopped short with a gasp as he stepped out onto the roof of the justice building.
Harry'd lived in District 4 for a decade, but he'd never seen the district from such a vantage point. Little red tile and brown clay roofs dotted the sandy landscape. The little coral houses were beautiful in the noon sun, as was the water. Out past the train station, as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but sand, surf, and beach grass swaying lightly in the breeze.
"Come on, Mr. Potter." His assigned peacekeeper ordered gently, snapping him out of his reverie. Harry looked ahead to see Albus, the girl tribute, and another peacekeeper standing in front of a contraption Harry hadn't seen before. Wil had informed Harry that the Capitol was home to many technologies Harry had only dreamed of, but the teen had assumed that the Capitol would just be on par with technology Harry had been familiar with back on Privet Drive.
The machine looked like a mail truck Harry would've seen in England, just made of a shiny reflective metal rather than painted a matte color. It was boxy in shape and the back doors were open to reveal some seating and the cab, were a person Harry assumed to be the driver. It was nearly identical to the trucks back in the old world, except for the small fact it was floating a foot or so off the ground.
Harry stepped cautiously up into the transport, accepting a hand from the female peacekeeper he'd been shadowing. He took a seat next to her and buckled himself in to the safety harness. The doors whirred closed, and all was quiet in the small vehicle.
"You've heard of the hovercraft used for transportation in the Capitol, yes?" the peacekeeper asked to break the silence.
Harry nodded an affirmation, turning to look at the woman's visored face.
"This kind of hovercraft is used for transporting just a few people over short distances, rather than the larger hovercraft you may have heard of. It's mainly used for transporting government officials around the skyscrapers, so they avoid foot traffic on the ground."
Albus slid in to the conversation at that point. "Yes, we were provided this transport so you wouldn't have to deal with the reporters on the ground. It's only carrying us over to the train station across town."
Harry heard more than felt the gentle hum of the hovercraft's engines, and assumed that they were in route to the train station. There was only the slightest sense of motion, a testament to the technological prowess of the Capitol. He returned his focus to the peacekeeper next to him.
"What's your name?" Harry whispered.
The woman appeared startled for a second, not used to being seen as anything more than a symbol of the Capitol's oppression. "Juno," she answered. "My name is Juno."
"Well, Juno," Harry smiled. "It's very nice to make your acquaintance. Will you be joining us for the duration of the trip?"
"Actually, I am assigned to you for the duration of your stay in the Capitol, and I'll return to your service after the Games to see you back to your district and accompany you on the Victory Tour."
Harry smiled charmingly at the woman. "Then I am very glad to have you along."
The hum of the transports engines deepened a little and Albus and the peacekeepers began unfastening their safety restraints. Harry and the female tribute followed suit. A loud hiss signaled the change in air pressure opening the door. Albus lead the way out of the transport, his charges following, and the two peacekeepers bringing up the rear. The group was on the roof of the train station. Albus and the others moved forward, but Harry took a second on the roof for himself.
He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the waves washing up on the beach, the ever-present sea breeze whistling through his ears, and the gulls all but yelling at beachgoers. He opened his eyes to take a final look at the ocean. Harry had always loved the ocean. Even as a child, blue had always been his favorite color. Living with the Dursleys, Harry hadn't experienced much outside of Surrey, and he'd been absolutely entranced with the ocean ever since arriving in District 4. Watching that endless expanse of water ebb and flow had never failed but to put the teen at peace.
"Harry?" Dumbledore had stopped, eyeing the black haired teen concernedly. "Come along, Harry."
"Oh," Harry shook himself out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry."
"Taking in the sea? It's a wondrous thing." Albus smiled at the much younger male.
"I was saying goodbye."
The group made their way through the station and onto the train without incident. The train was small by the standards of the freight trains in England, only seven cars. The first was clearly for the conductor and housed the engine, then Luna, Dumbledore, the peacekeepers, and Harry all had their own separate cars. One of the cars was an open area dedicated to a dining area, the teen assumed. It was indulgently decorated, with an enormous table dominating the room, easily able to sit twenty or so people. Harry wasn't sure what was housed in the remaining two cars, as the first place they were shown to on entering was their own cars. Harry was in the last car of the train, with Luna's car in front of his, Dumbledore in front of that, and the peacekeepers sharing a car before him.
The small teen gaped as he investigated his room for the trip. It was lavish bordering on absurd, the boy thought. Green eyes were wide as saucers as he took in the general splendor of the car. As he had the end of the train, the back of his room was curved window comprising the back wall of the train. All along those windows was plush, soft bench seat of a fabric Harry was unable to name as he ran a hand along the material. There were two doors, one on either side of the room. The room was dimly lit by small lamps made of an undoubtedly precious metal, and the shiny table in the middle was a stone that Harry bet cost more than his house in District Four. There were silver trays of decadent looking finger foods and crystal carafes of drinks sitting on a cart next to the table.
Harry ventured over to one of the doors and opened it to find a bathroom. He was again awestruck by the style and materials used in the making of the room. There was a tub large enough for his entire family, and a separate shower made of an earthen tile sprinkled with little hints of an aquamarine colored stone. The sink was long enough for Harry to lay in, with a mirror that matched its size. All of the bathroom fixtures were just as expensive looking, and the cabinets were filled to the brim with every form of lotion, soap, shampoo, conditioner, and other cosmetic potion he could think of. This bathroom alone could have cleaned the denizens of his home district for a month. Harry had been informed of the Capitol's excesses, but he hadn't expected them to be quite so…excessive.
The small teen closed the door behind him and turned to discover what was behind the second door. He opened it and took a step into what proved to be a bedroom. The bed was large enough for four people, and covered in plush, soft furs that Harry couldn't help but run his fingers through. Just because he despised the government for its excesses didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the pleasures of soft, warm bedding, the teen decided. The bedroom was much more demure than the rest of what Harry was beginning to think of as a palace on wheels. The bed dominated the room, nightstands made of a shiny black stone flanked the bed on either side. There was a small bookshelf to the right of the bed, the nightstand adjacent to the shelf carrying a small reading lamp. The room was lit by an opulent chandelier, undoubtedly priceless crystals dripping from the gold fixture like water. Harry took his glasses off, placing them on the nightstand. He then hopped on the bed, curling up in the soft furs with a sigh.
The dark haired boy had little doubt that he'd win the Games. He'd trained his mind and body to its peak over the past ten years, and if he was bested in the arena it meant he'd either done something to deserve it or someone out there really was better prepared than he was. Either way, doubt served no purpose, the teen decided, snuggling deeper into the warm covers and pulling a pillow under his head. His main problem was what to do after he was victorious. Harry sincerely doubted they would begrudge him a wish to stay in the Capitol, where he would have to be if he wished to overthrow President Snow and install a new government.
Most importantly, what new government could he possibly put in power? Was anyone else at outraged at the current dictatorship as he was? Was there anyone in existence with the ability to move Panem in a new, equal, humane direction? Would the citizens of the districts even support such a rebellion? Would the citizens of the Capitol?
The sheer number of questions and variables was enough to give Harry a headache. The teen flopped over on the bed with a groan, hands reaching up to tug at already messy black hair, a habitual action when the boy had a headache. He was brought out of his thoughts, and encroaching migraine, by a small knock at the door. Harry rolled out of his cocoon and fetched his glasses on his way into the living space of his car.
He opened the door to find Juno standing there, a very becoming smile on her face. "Hello, Harry," she greeted chirpily, a 180 from her disposition earlier that day. "Albus requests that you come to the dining car for dinner. You must be hungry, what with missing lunch for the reaping."
Harry hadn't given a thought to it, but it indeed felt like months had passed since he had breakfast with his parents that morning.
"Is it already dinner time?" he asked, stepping out in to the hall and closing the door to his suite behind him.
"Oh, yes. It's very nearly night time, actually. The train ride to the Capitol will take all night, you'll have breakfast with everyone again in the morning, and we'll arrive shortly after the meal." Juno explained, leading the way through a few cars into the dining room. She opened the door for Harry, stepping aside for him to enter.
The lavish table was filled to the brim with foods, most of which Harry had never seen before. Two servants, very outlandishly dressed in red tunic tops and red pants reaching mid-calf, stood on each side of the room. Albus, Luna, and the two peacekeepers were already sitting at the table, as was an older woman Harry had never met before and—
"Finnick!" Harry shouted, green eyes lighting up at the sight of his oldest friend.
"Hey there," the easy going blond greeted. He stood up from the table as the smaller teen lunged into his arms. "Oof! Careful, short stuff. You're dense for such a little guy."
Harry pulled away from the taller male with a fine black brow raised. "What are you doing here, Finnick?"
Albus interrupted the two at that point. "That, Harry, is something I will explain if you would please have a seat."
Harry nodded, smiling at the man as he took a seat between Finnick and Luna, directly across from Dumbledore.
"As we talk, though, the Capitol has graciously provided this wonderful meal. Eat whatever you like and however much you like." Albus smiled winningly at his young charges, blue eyes twinkling at them in happiness.
Harry helped himself to a cup of tea, he'd always enjoyed the brewed concoctions Annie had made, and he figured a Capitol blend couldn't be much worse. In terms of food, though, most of it was rather unappetizing in appearance to the District 4 boy. His home leaned more towards light meals: seafood was really the only meat in abundance, garden vegetables could be grown year round in the warm climate, and herbs were far more common than spices. The heartiest dish Harry usually had was a fish stew his mother made, and dessert seldom went further than fresh fruit.
Luna appeared to have the same problem, eyeing a roast of some sort with trepidation at best.
"Tuck in, kids," Finnick advised.
"Yes, food will be scare during the Games. Hunger now will mean certain death later," the elderly lady across from Finnick added.
The two teens paled slightly at the reminder, each of them hesitating another second before beginning to pile plates from the buffet. Harry was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the various dishes, it was all clearly as high quality as the finishings decorating the interior of the train itself.
"Well," Dumbledore began as the table began to eat. "Your schedule for the rest of the week is rather rigorous, I'm afraid. We arrive in the Capitol tomorrow, and the train will drop us off directly at the Remake Center."
"Remake Center?" Luna asked, large grey eyes looking up from her food.
"The Capitol assigns all of the tributes a prep team of stylists. The stylists wait for you in the Remake Center, where they will 'beautify' you for the Capitol citizens. Not all the contestants are naturally as devastatingly attractive as I am," Finnick explained, a lazy smile crossing his face.
"Finnick is quite right. Mostly. Once in the Remake Center, you'll both be sent to your respective prep teams where you'll be made ready for the opening ceremonies."
"First up is the chariot procession! You'll be dolled up to represent District 4, thrown on a horse-drawn chariot, and paraded through the City Circle up to President Snow's mansion, where he'll give a rousing speech about the glory of the Hunger Games and how the odds will be ever in someone's favor," Finnick interrupted again. A mischievous grin was overtaking the handsome blond's face at an alarming rate.
"Finnick Odair!" Albus snapped, pinning the smug blond with a glare. "Will you please let me do my job?"
Properly chastised, the blond merely nodded his assent before burying his face in a cup of tea, cheeks reddening visibly. The woman sitting across from him chuckled, reaching out to place a hand over the no longer haughty blond's.
"Really," Albus sniffed. "Again, despite his poor timing and manners, Mr. Odair was correct. Tomorrow night will end in the opening parade through the downtown area, culminating in President Snow's introductory speech. From there, you'll be taken to the Training Center, where you'll live for the remainder of your time in the Capitol before the Games."
Dumbledore took a sip of his drink before continuing. "You'll live on the fourth floor of the building, as you are the tributes from District Four. I will share that floor with you as your Escort, as will Finnick and Mags, who will serve are your Mentors for the Games." He gestured at the embarrassed blond and elderly woman in turn. "They are both former victors of the Games, and you will find their advice absolutely invaluable. They will also handle the procurement of sponsorships for you and will be your lifeline to Panem while you're in the arena."
Mags greeted Luna and Harry with a murmured hello, her speech somewhat unnatural in rhythm and articulation. Her smile was serene, though, and Harry could tell that she would come to mean a lot to him if he allowed himself to get close to the older victor.
"My beautiful counterpart recently suffered a stroke, but she will be undergoing treatment in the Capitol to help with her speech. She specifically wanted to come along and mentor the two of you, despite her frustrations with speaking," Finnick had a winning smile on his face as he spoke. He looked at Mags as a sort of parent, Harry could tell. The affection that flowed between the two of them was nearly moving.
"I believe we'll have a lovely time learning from the two of you," Luna interjected, also basking in the warmth between the two victors.
"You should enjoy the time you have with your mentors. Ties back at home and in the Capitol undoubtedly help one's will to survive."
Dumbledore's backhanded reminder about the nature of the Games was sobering to the teens. Harry really could have seen himself becoming friends with the gentle girl sitting beside him, in another time and place. Her kind demeanor and nearly otherworldly elegance were very endearing personality traits to the black-haired boy; they reminded him keenly of his mother back home in 4. Harry really hoped that he wouldn't have to kill Luna in the arena. He would if forced, but wouldn't relish it at all. He silently cursed the Capitol yet again for putting them in this situation to begin with.
"The day after the parade," Dumbledore continued. "You'll have breakfast together on our floor, then you'll be taken to the training grounds where you will train from 10am for as long as you like. This routine will continue in the same manner for several days, until you are given your training assessment by the Gamemakers. We will explain more about the assessment at a later date. The day after that you will perform your final interview for all of Panem to see, then the following morning the Games will begin."
Over the course of his escort's diatribe, Harry found himself rather stuffed by the heavy Capitol foods. He noticed Luna appeared to be in a similar state, and smiled sympathetically at the blonde girl.
"Do you have any questions about the coming week?" The man looked imploringly from Harry to Luna.
"Will we have any free time?" Luna asked, luminous eyes centered on their escort. "I would enjoy having some time to myself each day. Perhaps to read or write something down. Some normalcy before the Games begin."
Albus nodded, giving the girl a tender smile. "Yes, Miss Lovegood. You'll have training every day beginning at 10am, with a lunch break at one. You'll then be required to train for an additional three hours, but are free to leave at your leisure at four in the afternoon, barring any special events scheduled by the Gamemakers. Most tributes do stay and train well after four, but you will not be forced to do so."
"Thank you, sir." Luna responded, smiling at the man in turn.
"Anything else?" Albus looked at Harry. Upon receiving a shake of the bespectacled teen's head, the wizened man continued. "Well, then you're both free to go for the evening. Your assigned peacekeeper will come to get you in the morning for breakfast. I'd advise you to get as much sleep as possible. Creature comforts will be few and far between after the week is out."
Albus and Luna left shortly thereafter, presumably to get some rest before their arrival in the Capitol. Harry lingered in the dining car with the two mentors, laughing in self-deprecation as Finnick told Mags several embarrassing stories regarding Harry's training with the older male, such as one time when Finnick had stripped the other boy bare a restroom at the docks and told Harry to meet him back at Finnick's place in the Victor's Village. To teach him stealth, naturally.
Mags excused herself during a lull in the conversation, and the peacekeepers went to their car as well, leaving Harry and the blond victor alone in the car. The green eyed teen spoke strategy with Finnick for a little bit longer, finally submitting to his tiredness shortly thereafter.
Harry showered and stripped down to his skivvies, jumping into bed and placing his glasses on the nightstand. He sighed softly as he burrowed down into the warm covers. The teen yawned, pulling a pillow down under his head from the headboard, as he was curled into the center of the bed. It had been a long, exhausting day. He'd had breakfast with his parents, sat through an assembly with the entirety of his district, been picked to mercilessly slay or outlast twenty three other teenagers in what will be a bloodbath of a booby-trapped arena, flown for the first time, gotten on a train for the first time, been surprised by his best friend, eaten red meat for the first time since age five, met and sat next to a nice girl he might have to murder in cold blood, and been given his schedule for the next week.
The boy who had a bird's nest for hair yawned again, exhausted all over again merely thinking about it. As he slid into unconsciousness, he began to ponder the best way to begin his revolution.
His last thought before slumber was the half-asleep musing that he would perhaps be the first virgin in history to overthrow a government.
A/n: Chapter 2! Next chapter: Harry arrives in the Capitol of Panem, makeovers abound, angry hot blond men are introduced, Harry starts to plan his revolution, and training for the Hunger Games begins! Please please please review! Let me know what you think of the story; any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.