Harry boards the train, meeting Ron and Hermione and sitting in their usual spot.
He engages them in conversation, asking them how their summers were and what they did. Following him is Strelok, underneath his invisibility cloak.
"But enough about us, how was your summer Harry?" Hermione queried. "Oh, it wasn't too bad, the Dursleys didn't bother me," he answered nonchalantly. "Well, that's good mate!" Ron offered. Harry nodded and they were left in a comfortable silence. Strelok moved further into the compartment, away from the door.
Just then, Draco and his two servants barged in and created a ruckus. "How are my favorite blood-traitor, mudblood, and half-blood doing?" He sneered.
"Bugger off, Malfoy. Nobody wants you here," Ron cries. Hermione ignores him and continues reading. Harry responds, "Better than a Death Eater's son, surely,"
Draco takes his wand from an inner pocket and points it at his head. "I'd challenge you to a duel for that, but I'll get my chance later," He almost whispers, disgustedly. Harry brandishes his own wand, and Ron and Hermione do the same, Hermione albeit slower. Hermione speaks up, "What do you mean by that, Draco?" enunciating his name for emphasis. Right behind Malfoy's head, a hand slowly but surely appears out of thin air, heading for his throat. Ron and Hermione don't see it, but Harry does. He barely shakes his head, and it disappears. Harry walks up to Malfoy, and their foreheads touch together. "I guess we'll see, won't we?" He mutters, almost sweetly. Draco narrows his eyes.
They leave the compartment, letting them be until they round the bend. "What do you think he meant?" Ron asked nobody in particular. "I'm not sure Ron, but it can't be good,"
Hermione replies.
"I'm with Hermione. Whatever this is, it isn't good." They make it to the Great Hall after leaving Hogsmeade Station, and wait for Dumbledore to address them before the Welcoming Feast.
Strelok waits outside for them, eyeing any and all exits and thinking of possible strategies to use. He doesn't wait for long, and he spots them half an hour later, in a crowd. Harry seems irritated, Ron looks excited, and Hermione feels concerned. Strelok briefly wonders why, before tailing them, remembering to follow in their footsteps. Harry drops something wrapped in a bundle of cloth, and he picks it up. When he unwraps it, he discovers that it's a steaming chicken. He wraps it back up planning to eat it later, and stays with the trio. Harry had wanted this year to be normal, and the Tournament coming up is just something for him to ignore. The three make it to the common room and each go to their respective beds after wishing each other a good night. Harry was trying to choose where his friend would sleep, but he already figured it out to his surprise. Strelok lay in a corner, with a camo sleeping bag and the cloak covering both of them. He put a finger to his lips and drew the cloak over him. Harry grinned and turned over.
The next day they visited Hagrid, and helped him tend to the Grounds. Natrally this involved the Forest, but they kept to the edge. They all spread out, each having a spot for themselves. Harry thought he saw a flash of something, and tidied up faster. He relaxed and smiled when he heard a beep.
Harry and Ron had forgotten about Mr. Weasleys' old car. It had apparently been living on it's own in the Forest. The Ford Anglia came up to Harry, and he repaired it. It flashed its' headlights in thanks and opened a door for him. He got in after opening the passenger for Strelok.
They got comfy and let the automobile take over. It took them into the forest and showed them a small cave it hid in. After he had figured it out, Strelok told Harry that he would stay with the car, and gave him his cloak back. Harry refused it and let the older man have it. After all, he didn't have magic. He needed an advantage at Hogwarts. Besides, what were friends for? With that line of reasoning, he left and continued to clean up the Forest boundaries. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Hagrid, and Fang all met up again and went back to his shack. They all enjoyed some much needed tea after the excursion and chatted about pleasant things. The Golden Trio left for dinner, and bid each other a good night once again.
The next day was Sunday, and with it brought Ron, who talked to (or rather at)
Harry about the World Cup.
He asked if Harry had had a ticket, and he answered in the affirmative. When Sirius got out, he wanted to repay Harry for missing all of his birthdays. The huge fortune his family had was no deterrent to this. He also naturally wanted to be a good Godfather, so that included taking Harry(plus one) to the World Cup. Harry, being Harry, chose to take Hermione with him. Ron and the rest of the Weasleys had rented a small site for a few hours, managing to from his father saving money. At 1:00 in the afternoon, Molly came and took them outside of the Grounds, where they Portkeyed to their site. Unbeknownst to them, another hand had grabbed on at the last second, it being invisible.
Harry was greeted by a cheerful man who bear hugged him as soon as he landed. "Harry! How have you been, pup?" Sirius wondered. "Pretty good, after getting back to Hogwarts," he answered honestly. They bantered amiably for a few minutes, catching up, until it was time for the Cup.
They all sat down in their seats waiting impatiently for it to start. Hermione was only impatient so that she could read afterward. Veela swarmed the field, their outfits hugging their curves in all the right places. Their charms entranced every male in the crowd. Ron had even attempted to jump, heedless of it being fatal seeing as they were high up.
Harry paid no mind to them and their antics and instead watched for the teams to emerge. Soon following, the Twins won their bet with Bagman, to his displeasure. A clamor of "C'mon, pay up!" and Fred and George were 100 galleons richer. Ron was still miffed at the gold being fake; he wanted to pay Harry back for all that he had given him. Despite Harry's explanation of "It's okay Ron, you've already paid me back by being my friend", he was unaffected. Leaving him to sulk, Harry went into Sirius's tent, and fell asleep.
He awoke to yelling and screaming. Strelok shook him and pointed outside. Harry drew his wand and likewise Strelok his knife. They met Hermione right outside the entrance. "I've been trying to get in for the past 10 minutes, but it wouldn't let me in," she accused the tent. "It doesn't matter now. Death Eaters are attacking. We have to go, now."
"Where are we going?"
"A small clearing in the trees nearby, Mr. Weasley thinks it's safe there,"
When they got there, Harry spotted Draco. "Where's Daddy, Draco? Off torturing again?"
Malfoy snarled, "If he was, it'd be to you, Potter,"
Ron got his wand out and focused it on him. "Say that again," He threatened.
In their scuffle, Harry slipped out, only to be stopped by Hermione. "What are you doing, Harry?"
"I don't want innocent people to die Hermione, especially if I could have done something."
She tries to stop him from going, but ends up going with him. They see a masked man in a dark cloak casting fire to campsites. They sneak up on him and both send Stunners his way. The Death Eater gets knocked out, and they continue searching. They found two robbing a family. One noticed them, levitated nearby debris, and Banished it at them. Hermione dodged a piece of wood, only to be hit in the head with an iron pipe. She crumpled onto the ground and Harry rushed over to defend her. He tried to Petrify the man, but he used a reflective shield and his own spell came back at him. He side stepped and they continued to fight.
The Death Eater casting spells attracted the attention of his partner, and they both used lethal spells to do in Harry.
10 seconds later, they had their throats slit, and a knife dripping with blood vanished into thin air.
Harry dragged Hermione's body back to the clearing and tried to rouse her before anyone noticed them. She awoke and asked what happened. Harry told her that he overpowered the two men and she seemed to believe him, although skeptical for a moment.
They all go back to Hogwarts at the end of the night, and classes are cancelled for the following Monday. Harry and Hermione spend it developing theories, while Ron hangs out with Seamus trying to get his mind off of it. Harry goes to visit the Anglia at night, and says farewell to Strelok.
Strelok and the car are becoming friends, although a bit subdued, due to the fact that one is a sentient automobile. He discovers that the old car likes squirrel. As a present, he roasts some for it and their bond strengthens. Strelok falls asleep, keeping his firearm near. The next morning, Harry goes out to get him, and they go back to the common room. Harry, Hermione, and Ron start the school year with their classes. Transfiguration was normal, Potions was hostile, Charms was fun, and Herbology was frustrating.
Ron had taken Divination as an elective, but Harry opted out of it. He rather preferred Ancient Runes, as did Hermione. Regardless, they enjoyed their separate classes, and got together at the end to go to dinner.
There, Dumbledore announced that Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were going to come to Hogwarts. He warned the students to be on their best behavior, and led them outside. Durmstrang came from their lake on a ship that could somehow move underwater; Beauxbatons came from the air, in majestic chariots. Everyone was allured to one of Beauxbatons' students, excluding Harry. Ron, a few seconds later, was shaking Harry excitedly. "Look Harry, it's Viktor Krum!" And look he did, for he was interested in the Quidditch player after his performance at the World Cup.
Krum walked up to them and greeted Harry. "Hello, I am Viktor Krum,"
"I don't think anyone here doesn't know that, but I'm Harry, Harry Potter," Harry responds. "I don't think anyone here doesn't know that," Viktor teased in his accent. They all laugh and return to the Great Hall.
When they all sit down, they find new exotic foods on the table. Ron wanted to try as much of all of it as he could. Harry wasn't too far behind him, although he handled himself with more decorum.
Viktor was delighted in seeing some of his popular homeland dishes but somewhat disgusted by Ron. Nevertheless, he enjoyed them and the nostalgia some of them gave him. When everyone is finished, the Headmaster says that everyone 5th year and up can enter their name for the Drawing.
Fred and George decide to sneak to Hogsmeade and buy age potions. Ron joins them in their scheming. Harry and Hermione wisely stay out of it. Viktor says he's going to enter his name in it, while Ron and the twins encourage him. "If you're serious, good luck," Harry says, hopeful for his new friend. "Thank you Harry, I think I'll need it," the professional Quidditch player smirks. "Hey, I need help with something, do you mind?" Viktor shakes his head and they leave the Great Hall.
Harry and Viktor go to an old classroom. Harry alohomora's the door, and Krum sits on a desk. "So, what is it you need? Hopefully not a favor," He grins suggestively, making a crude motion with his hand at the last word. Harry laughs and denies it. "Strelok!" He calls, waving his hand.
He throws off the cloak in a single movement. Viktor gasps and takes out his wand. Harry steps in front of the older man, saying "No, he's a friend," as he tries to block Krum's path. "What kind of friend needs to sneak and be invisible? And be called Strelok?" the celebrity questions.
"I don't know the meaning of his name, just that it is what he calls himself," Harry responds. "Just talk with him, he can tell you more,"
And talk they did. They engaged in a long conversation in his language, and the minutes ticked on. Strelok asked him about a mind spell, as Viktor was unbelieving of his story. Viktor knew bits and pieces of Ligilimency, as it was offered to the best of the best students at Durmstrang. So, Viktor went into his mind.
What he saw both horrified and interested him. He saw images of a distant future, one in a dangerous place. A place where you had to be careful with every step that you took. A place that, while it held many threatening things, was also one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.
"Where will you go?" The Bulgarian sees an older man ask Strelok. He replies, "To... the North." and the legend wanders out. He sees Strelok wielding something in his hand. He shows it to his colleague, the older man and says mystically, "If only you knew where I've just been and what I've seen,"
Colors flash in his eyes, and everything is blindingly white. Viktor shields his face. And then everything darkens. He lowers his arm from his face. He sees a building behind a yellow-orangish triangular sign. He walks toward it, grass being crushed under his feet. He sees a man in a tattered jacket, with a Muggle firearm.
Krum sees an army of rodents rush toward them, and backs away. The man fires on them. The Durmstrang student hears someone shout behind him, "Strelok!" Strelok stops firing his weapon, and turns.
Everything turns white again. Things speed up. He hears to his left, in the blank void, "Got a job for you, Marked One." To his right, "Once you've got the briefcase, don't bring it here," Behind him, "Marked One! Still alive? That's great."
In front of him, "One day you'll finish badly, Strelok," He puts his hands over his ears and looks around for something, anything. He feels something drip onto his head. He looks up. He sees clouds. Around him is that strange building again. Krum searches for Strelok. He finds him going down a ladder. Krum follows him. Strelok starts firing his weapon and hides behind cover as he spots a few Monolithians. They go on through the corridors like this, as a sort of routine. Shoot, run, find cover, reload, shoot. Suddenly, as they hide, a voice pounds them. "Come to me," it says. "You deserve a reward. Come to me."
They keep going, Viktor bewhildered yet determined, Strelok impassive. He climbs another ladder and they find a door. The Marked one kills more Monolithians and they continue into a room with green canisters. After a minute or two, Strelok looks behind himself, cocks his weapon, and destroys the canisters.
They appear in a field. The older man lays down in it and cries, feeling the grass. He says to himself, "I don't know whether I was right or wrong. But I made it, and I guess I should be thankful for that." A nearby dragonfly launches off of a thick blade of grass and flies away. Krum shields his face again. After some deliberation, he decides he should really invest in a hood like the other man. He finds himself in a narrow ravine. There are bodies all over the place. Flies swarm among them, eating the exposed flesh. The smell is atrocius. Viktor wrinkles his nose and starts to breathe from his mouth. Strelok crawls down from a nearby ledge, and starts looting one of the bodies. He gets caught in some type of storm, finds a weird creature, and escapes from it. As the man leaves the ravine, he gets swept into a white circle that swallows him.
He leaves his mind. Strelok, though he shows no sign of it, suffers from a nosebleed and has blood coming from his ears. Prolonged exposure to the Legilimens causes more and more pain to the victim. Even more to one without magic. Harry Vanishes the blood as they finish, not wanting to interrupt during the process. He asks what the Bulgarian saw. Krum responds with nothing. He just looks at Strelok's arm, to which he bares it, showing him the Mark. He nods, and leaves.
Harry decides it's their business, and lets them be. He waves for his friend to follow him. The famed Stalker dons the cloak and goes with him, leaving the classroom.