The Tri Wizard Tournament

The next day in class we found out why Hagrid had been busy the night before. His freshly bandaged hands were a bad omen. The skrewts that had now doubled in size had started killing each other and Hagrid had to build more crates. Trying to give them more room and hoping the killings would stop. I personally even though I was an animal person hated these creatures. They were ugly, nasty, and useless creatures.

Classes passed quickly and soon it was time for dinner. There were two extra chairs. I wondered who was coming. Madame Maxime was sitting next to Hagrid and Karkaroff next to my father. My father was giving Karkaroff loathing looks and I wondered how they knew each other. The two empty seats were soon filled with Percy's boss Bartimus Crouch and Ludo Bagman.

Dumbledore stood up and motioned for silence. The hall fell quiet and Dumbledore began. "I am sure you have all noticed that we have a few guests with us this evening. Ludo Bagman the head of Magical Games and Sports." At this several girls swooned and there was heavy applause. Bagman was lapping it up waving and smiling. "Second we have Bartimus Crouch head of the International Magical Cooperation office." There was scattered applause for Mr. Crouch. He waved.

"Alright I will now hand you all over to Mr. Crouch, so he can explain the tournament."

"Thank you, Headmaster. This year we have decided to once again hold the Tri Wizard Tournament. There are of course new safety measures in place. The main one being that only those seventeen or older are allowed to compete." At this there was an uproar Fred and George were booing the loudest.

Dumbledore set off firecrackers from his wand. "ENOUGH! I will not have such rude behavior disgracing my school. Let him finish!" Dumbledore said, and it was the first time I had ever seen him angry.

After a moment when it was quiet he continued. "Now the reason for the age limit is purely because we wish the competition to be as safe as possible for those competing. Also, we believe the task we have set up can only be completed by 6th and 7th year students. Now there will be three champions, one to represent each institution. They will be chosen by an impartial judge. The three champions will compete in three tasks. The winner will get 1,000 galleons in prize money and of course honor, fame, and glory. Their school will receive a trophy as well. Without further ado the impartial judge may be brought forward."

Dumbledore nodded at Filch who was skulking in a corner. He carried a large wooden crate. When he got it to front of the great hall Dumbledore tapped it with his wand. The crate melted away to reveal a huge beautiful golden goblet on top of a marble pillar. The goblet lit, and blue flames rose from within.

"This is the Goblet of Fire. Anyone wishing to enter the tournament will place their name and school on a piece of parchment and throw it into the Goblet. The Goblet will select the champions on Samhain and the first task will take place November 20th." He said.

"Thank you, Mr. Crouch. Now let's all eat!" Dumbledore said as he, Crouch and Bagman took their seats.

After dinner Dumbledore drew an age line around the Goblet to make sure no one under seventeen placed their name in. Fred and George of course immediately started scheming. Some things would never change.

The time flew by quickly. Before we knew it, Samhain was around the corner. On October 31st everyone was anxious to hear who the champions were. I was glad for once I would be watching from the sidelines like the rest of the school. I hade plenty of fame and I didn't need the galleons. Everyone chatted excitedly trying to decide who would be champion.

After food was cleared away everyone's attention turned to the Goblet. Dumbledore was by the Goblet. He said. "In a moment the Goblet will choose the champions. When your name is called please proceed through the door behind the staff table where you will receive instructions on the first task." Dumbledore said.

After a moment of waiting the flames turned red. A piece of parchment came flying down and Dumbledore caught it. "Beuboxtons champion is Miss Fleur Delacour!" A prissy blonde witch that I swore was part veela stood beaming. Several others from the school burst into tears.

She flounced up through the door behind the staff table. After a moment another parchment came out. "From Durmstrang the champion is Victor Krum." Dumbledore said. Victor got several pats on the back and a lot of cheers. Karkaroff looked really pleased but unsurprised. When Victor was gone the hall filled with anticipation. All the Hogwarts students were dying to know who their champion would be.

The last parchment flew out. Something was wrong though because Dumbledore stared at the parchment with horrified disbelief. "Hogwarts champion is Jamie Snape." He said faintly. The whole hall froze. My eyes widened, and my body tensed. I must have misheard him. I had to have. It couldn't possibly be me. "Jamie Snape!" He called. I looked at him in horror. NO! WHY ME? WHY WAS IT ALWAYS ME!

Arabella was biting her lip. "Go." She whispered nudging me.

I was still frozen. I was waiting for him to say it was a joke. But he looked straight at me and called my name again louder and more firmly. I rose shakily and slowly. I couldn't even look at Draco or my father as I walked through the great hall into the back room.

Krum was sitting in a chair with a stoic look on his face. Fleur was standing there facing the fire. I stood there for a moment. They had years on me. As I stared at them I realized I didn't stand a chance. With fear lancing through me I realized I probably wasn't supposed to. Someone wanted to kill me and this way it would look like an accident.

Just then they noticed me. "Do ze want us back in de hall?" Fleur asked in broken English with a heavy accent.

"I… uh" Before I could say anything my father, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Moody, Madam Maxime, Karkaroff, Crouch and Bagman came bursting in.

"What iz going on here?" Fleur asked.

Bagman walked up placing a hand on my shoulder smiling like Christmas came early. "Well although she is young Miss Snape here somehow is the third champion." He said.

"Ha-ha very funny Mr. Bagman." Fleur said.

"Its is no joke Miss Delacour." Dumbledore said gravely.

Fleur stomped her foot like a child. "That iz impossible! She is a little girl! We have been waiting weeks to be chosen!" Fleur said.

I was seething. "I am not a little girl!" I snapped back.

"Wee you are! You're a little girl who cheated her way into playing with the adults!" She said.

"This little girl did no such thing! I have faced Voldemort 3 times! Faced the death eater that betrayed my family! I have done more than you can hope to and survived! I AM NOT A LITTLE GIRL! I certainly don't need any more fame or glory. Je vous suggère de vous taire, salope! Tu ne sais rien de moi!" (I suggest you shut up, bitch! You do not know anything about me!)

Madame Maxime gasped and Mr. Crouch frowned. "Language Miss Snape!" Crouch admonished me. Fleur looked pissed like she wanted to hex me. Madame Maxime seemed more focused on the tournament than my cursing.

"This is not fair Dumbledore!" Madame Maxim said.

"Yes, I would have brought a wider selection had I known. I was under the impression that no one could get past the age line." Karkaroff said.

"She should not be allowed to compete! Ze Hogwarts champion should be reelected." Madam Maxim said.

"I am afraid it is a magically binding contract Miss Snape has to compete" Mr. Crouch said.

"I DON'T WANT TO! I DIDN'T PUT MY NAME IN! THIS ISN'T FAIR!" I shouted angrily.

The whole room looked to me. Karkaroff sneered and Madam Maxime sniffed. Neither believed me. Dumbledore calmly said. "You did not enter yourself into the tournament?"

"Of course not!" I said.

"If I may see the parchment headmaster. I would recognize my daughters handwriting." My father said. His face was a mask of calm, but his eyes betrayed his fear and anger. He looked at the parchment then to me. "It is not her handwriting." He said.

"If someone did put her name in that Goblet they weren't doing her any favors." Moody grumbled.

Karkaroff scoffed. "Is that so old man? Why is that?" Karkaroff challenged.

"Because it's the perfect way to kill her and make it look like an accident." Moody said glaring at Karkaroff.

"You have lost it Madeye! Your way too paranoid. I can not believe Dumbledore lets you teach here!" Karkaroff said.

"It is my job to think like dark wizards do Karkaroff, and I am here because you can't be trusted." Moody snapped.

"ENOUGH ALASTER!" Dumbledore snapped. Moody glared at Karkaroff who glared right back.

"Now that we are over that unpleasantness and know that Miss Snape has to compete how about we move on to the task." Bagman said awkwardly.

"Yes, lets, you can explain Ludo." Crouch said.

Bagman with a big smile clapped his hands together. "Alright this task is going to test your nerve and daring. It will test how you deal with the unknown. You will not be told what this task is. Just know that you will be allowed only your wand. It will take place on the evening of November 20th when you complete the task you will get a clue as to the second task is." Bagman said. He looked to Mr. Crouch who looked a little ill and distracted. "Is that all Barty? I didn't forget anything did I?" Bagman asked.

Mr. Crouch shook his head and said. "No, I believe that is all. Now because the tournament will be so time consuming the champions are exempt from end of year test." Crouch explained.

"Ok I think everyone should get to bed. I think the Slytherins are probably waiting to congratulate you. Severus, I need to speak with you in my office." Dumbledore said.

With that everyone left. Madame Maxime and Fleur were speaking in rapid French. I walked slowly down to the Dungeons. I couldn't believe I was being forced into this tournament. Couldn't I have one year? Just one? Sighing I finally made it to the part of the wall with Salazar Slytherins portrait. He eyed me up and down. "Very well done little snake make me proud!" He said as he opened.

Draco rushed up to me and hugged me tight. "Please tell they aren't letting you compete." He said.

"I am unfortunately, I swear Dragon I didn't do this!" I said.

"I believe you, besides the look on your face I could tell you didn't do it. When I find out who did this…" He trailed off menacingly.

"Moody thinks it's someone trying to do me in and make it look like an accident." I said faintly.

"I won't let that happen." Draco vowed vehemently.

Aria, the twins, and Arabella came up then. "Neither will we." Fred said.

"You are my sister you won't go through this alone." Aria said.

"I will start researching spells immediately." Arabella said.

"You can train in the Marauders den." Aria said.

"Even we will research but only for you!" The twins said.

At that moment I realized how lucky I was to have my friends, my family. I loved them with all my heart. After that all the Slytherins celebrated with snacks and butterbeer courtesy of the twins and Aria. I knew with them by my side I would survive this tournament. I had to for them.

The next day unsurprisingly my father asked me to stay after class. He told me that I had to be careful. I was to spend every weekend with him training. My friends could help as well. He warned me that he would be teaching me some darker spells. He said that I needed to protect myself at all cost. He agreed with moody that someone was after me. He told me that there had been disappearances happening again. The dark lord was being helped and this meant he could be coming back. I needed to be ready.

The next few weeks went by with classes, training, and research. Arabella kept a list of spells I should have in my arsenal. Some were combat spells like stupefy. Some were spells to distract or warn off like the confundus charm and stinging hex. In class we were learning a summoning charm. It would be useful if I needed to summon something I could use as a weapon or shield.

Every spell I mastered I also worked on wandless and nonverbal. That was the hardest part and definitely tested my magical prowess. I started nonverbal with ones I already could do wandless. I could now do expeliarmus nonverbally and wandless. I could also do stupefy and was working on the summoning charm. My father taught me the blasting curse, cutting hex, and a few other spells.

All was going well until one afternoon. Draco and I were up in a tree in the courtyard when Weasly came into the courtyard. Weasly spotting Draco and I came up.

"Feel proud of yourself Snape? Stealing the champion spot from someone who deserves it. Your nothing but an attention whore!" He shouted. Draco jumped down from the tree before I could even react and pointed his wand at him.

"Shut your mouth you idiot before I shut it for you." Draco said.

"Like I am afraid of you baby death eater! Your pathetic and so is your father!" Weasly said. "I bet mummy and daddy had fun torturing those muggles with the rest of the scum." Ron said.

I jumped down next to Draco. "Insult me all you want Weasly but leave Draco alone. Mrs. Malfoy has been nothing but kind to me. I won't have you insult her. Come Draco he isn't even worth the magic it would take to hex him." I turned around.

"That's right run-away you cowards." Weasly said. He turned to storm off in a huff and when his back was turned Draco shot a hex at him. Weasly whirled around but before he could fire off his own hex a orange light shot at Draco. To my horror instead of Draco there was a white ferret. Then I heard Moody's voice his wand pointed at Draco.

"Your too much like your father boy, cowardly!" He said raising the ferret up. He started bouncing the ferret up and down on the ground. "Never hex someone behind their back." Each word punctuated by a bounce. Weasly and most of the courtyard were laughing hysterically. "STOP! YOU'LL HURT HIM!" I screamed. He just kept going so I used expeliarmus and stupefy. I cast a patronus and told it to go get my father, and Professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall came first rushing onto the scene. "What happened here!?" She asked. "Professor moody turned Draco into a ferret and was bouncing him on the ground!" I said.

"Only because the git tried to hex me behind my back!" Weasly said angrily.

"Be that as it may Mr. Weasly we are not supposed to use transfiguration as punishment. Mr. Malfoy will be dealt with appropriately I assure you." McGonagall said. She immediately turned Draco back. "Take Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing. I will talk to Professor Moody." She said. As we were leaving we ran into my father and when I told him what happened he was furious.

I got Draco to the hospital wing. He had some bruises and would have to take it easy for a few days. He refused to even wince though he must have been in a lot of pain. "Your no coward Dragon. Don't listen to that wanker. I love you Dragon." I said holding his face in my hands giving him comfort.

"Thanks flower I love you too." I kissed him before leaving so that madam Pomphrey could take his shirt off and put the salve on his wounds. I blushed lightly imagining Draco with his shirt off. I had never seen him shirtless but a few times while we were making out my hand slipped under his shirt and I felt his abs. He felt toned and at times I was tempted to throw his shirt off. I wasn't ready though because that could quickly lead to other things. Both of us had gotten heated and felt under each other's shirts but that was it.

I wrote to my mother and Narcissa telling them what had happened. I told Narcissa I wanted Lucius to investigate Moody. Something wasn't right here. How would Moody know Mr. Malfoy, and why call him a coward? I didn't like Lucius, but most people did. What did Moody know? Moody was forced to apologize and was placed on probation as a teacher. His punishments were now strictly watched.

Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy came up to the school a few days later. It was because of that visit that Moody was placed on probation. The headmaster had tried to just let it slide but Lucius demanded action. He tried to get Moody fired but that plan failed. The Headmaster during a meeting with the board said he was there for protection. From what they never told us. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy only told us to watch out for him and let them know if he did anything else.

Moody found himself glued to his seat the next morning. After that his hair turned bright pink. After that all his hair fell out only regrowing at the end of the day. Then he fell victim to several of the skiving snack box treats. Only after a week did the pranks stop.

The next Hogsmead weekend Draco and I decided to go on a Hogsmead date. While we were at the pub I slipped on my invisibility cloak over us both. I was tired of the glares and sneers of the students that seem to think I put my name in. I heard Moody whisper to Hagrid while looking our direction. "How?" I whispered.

"How what?" Draco whispered back. Suddenly I was all too aware of our proximity and blushed.

"Moody… he saw us." I said forcing myself to focus on Moody and Hagrid hoping Draco didn't notice my blush, but my hope was in vain.

"Is it to hot under here for you?" Draco asked concerned.

"No I am fine besides I don't want to just appear at the table." I said.

Before Draco could respond Moody and Hagrid sat at the table across from us. "Snape, Malfoy." Moody barked. Pretending to chat with Hagrid.

"Professor." I said shortly.

"Jamie I need yer to meet me by me hut tonight twelve o'clock sharp ok?"

"Sure Hagrid." I said.

"Alone and bring that cloak." He said.

"Not like I would want to come anyway." Draco said snarkily sneering, but I could hear the hurt in his voice. No one ever trusted him with anything, no teachers paid any attention to him except my father.

"Ok." I said. A moment later they walked off talking.

"Draco its nothing personal you know the cloak doesn't cover two people very well anymore now that we have grown." I said.

"Its fine." He said shortly.

"Come on lets go to honey dukes that should cheer you up." I said. Once outside the pub we removed the cloak in a small alley. We went to Honey dukes ignoring the hateful looks.

We picked out some chocolate and I made sure to get some for Moony. Soon we headed back and just because I felt like teasing him. On the card I wrote.

To help with you little monthly problem. May your little visitor move on quickly.

Love Phoenix.

Aria burst into laughter when I told her. "Moony is going to kill you for making him sound like a girl with a period."

I shrugged. "If he can't take it then you have failed dearly as a marauders daughter. He should have gotten much worse from you." I smirked.

"You try pulling one over on Moony most the pranks I try on him end up blowing up on me because he rigged them to get me instead. It's very rare I get him. The first time I succeeded was August 23rd, 1987. I memorized the date and every year he takes me out for ice cream on that day. He said it was the moment that he realized he had been raising me right and Sirius would be proud." She laughed at the memory.

Hagrid's strange request out of my head I listened to Aria talk about her life with Uncle Moony. Draco and I cuddled up in each other arms snacking on chocolate. Even Draco enjoyed the stories sometimes telling the few times he pranked the elves or his parents. The twins listened as well adding their own stories. Arabella sat reading but every once in a while, she would chuckle or smirk.

Midnight approached and I headed down to Hagrid's hut using the cloak and map. When I saw Peeves sticking dung bombs I decided to mess with him. In my best imitation of Peeves, I cackled.

"Who's there?" He asked.

"Naughty, Naughty you'll get caught!" I cackled again.

"Think your funny?" The ghost said. "How about I call for Filch?" he asked.

"Think your funny? I mimicked. "How about I call for the Bloody Baron?" He paled. I spelled a few of the dung bombs to fly at him they went through him hitting the door.

They went off but not before Filch came out and saw him. "PEEVES! I am telling the Baron!" He snarled and stomped off. I cackled like Peeves and slipped away. Peeves looked around furiously trying to figure out who it was. I would have to tell the twins that story.