Chapter 3: The First Task Aftermath

"You did it Harry!" Hermione yelled, jumping into her friends arms. "I don't know how you did it, but that was amazing magic! Where did you learn it?"

"I did a lot of research in the library," Harry said. "You know, the small stuff!"

"Like what?" the girl asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"Uhm, I," Harry started to stutter, unable to meet Hermione's eager gaze. 'Agito, Rein? Help please!'

'Say it's some old mage craft,' Rein suggested.

'No one on this planet knows what this, idiot!' Agito hissed. 'Master, tell her it's a blend of runes and charms. If she asks what kind, tell her that you don't want to reveal it yet.'

"Harry?" Hermione asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, ah, that was just rune work!" Harry said, rather abruptly. Just as Hermione was about to speak, he continued, "I found a book on it in the library, and thought it might help!"

Hermione looked at him critically for a few moments, before seemingly dropping the matter and smiling, grabbing him in a hug him once more.

Unfortunately, before Harry could even return the hug, a giant flash caught his eye. Turning to his left, he found the puke-green clad reporter from hell, Rita Skeeter, followed by her mousey camera man. "Well, Mr. Potter," she said, her Quik-Quotes quill going mad as she walked forward. "That was a stunning performance! Almost breathtaking! So tell me Mr. Potter, just how you did it!"

Harry said nothing, but quickly let go of Hermione and stood in front of her, almost protectively. Frowning a bit, she said, "Why so serious Harry? I just want to ask you a few things, that's all."

Eying the green quill as it went mad writing down Rita's "interpretation" of the events, Harry said, "Oh of course Ms. Skeeter. And I'm sure I can count not being horribly misquoted again, much like last time, right?"

Rita didn't even bat an eye as she dismissively waved the snub away, saying, "Oh come now, Harry. The people have the right to know what the youngest champion's feeling are, right? I was just doing my job."

"And I'm afraid your job will have to wait, Ms. Skeeter," an old voice said from behind them. Dumbledore entered the tent, his glasses twinkling by the light. "Come now Harry, I think you'll rather like the results. Good day to you, Ms. Skeeter, Mr. Bernardo."

Thankful to get away from the menace, Harry and Hermione followed their headmaster, curious as to how the scores would come up. "Well, how did I do sir?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I can't say here Harry," Dumbledore said, smiling slightly. "Although I will say that your performance has left quite the impression on the judges."

"In a good way?" Hermione asked, sounding hopeful.

"You'll soon find out," the old headmaster said, as he walked up to the judges table.

As Harry and Hermione made their way to the judges area, a voice called them from behind, "Hey, Potter!" Turning around, he saw Cedric jogging up to them, his eyes still a little wide at what had just happened.

"Hello, Cedric," the fourth champion said. "So how'd you do?"

"Well, fine, but that's not really what I wanted to talk to you about," Cedric said. Noticing Hermione, he said, "Um, in private though?"

"Can it wait?" Harry asked. "We were just going to see my scores."

"Sure," the seventh year Hufflepuff said, a little put out. "Later then."

After leaving from that rather abrupt meeting with the other Hogwart's champion, Harry started to notice all the stares that he was getting, mainly from the other two schools. Most were looks of amazement, but from others (mainly the Durmstrang students), were looking at him critically, almost as if trying to analyze him.

Finally making to where the scores were being announced, they stood, as the judges just took their seats. As everyone quieted down, Ludo Bagman spoke up, holding his want to his throat.

"The judges have reached a verdict on the scoring of the fourth champion, Harry Potter!" he said, as the crowds cheered. "Judges, please reveal your scores!"

Maxime, looking a little disappointed for whatever reason, raised her wand and released a silver ribbon that shaped itself into a six, much to the displeasure of the crowd. Harry was even surprised to see that some of the students from Beauxbatons were upset at how low the score was.

Karkaroff didn't even a bat an eye as he cast his score in the sky. His score to Harry was a two, which created an even greater outrage.

Dumbledore waited as for the crowd to calm down before casting his score into the air. A silver seven formed, which earned him some small applause from the crowd.

As for the two ministry officials, Crouch Sr. and Bagman, they both cast their scores in the air. From Crouch, he got a five and from Bagman, he got an eight.

The numbers formed into a 28, much to the crowd's displeasure. The crowd's anger grew even further as the number changed again, this time becoming fourteen.

"Now as many of you are now wondering," Bagman said, as the crowd was just about to go insane. "We, the ministry and overseers of the tournament, had given instructions that the tasks were a test of magical strength, and thus all the champions were limited to the use of their wands. While it was indeed a magnificent display of magic, Harry Potter had broken that rule in favor of artifacts. Normally, this would result in a direct disqualification of Mr. Potter, but given circumstances and his performance, we have allowed this continue, but with penalties."

"THAT'S TOTALLY UNFAIR!" Hermione yelled, as the crowd burst into hysterics the minute Bagman ended his speech. "First they force you to participate, despite being underage, and now they penalize you for not using a wand! Magic is magic; the medium shouldn't matter!"

Harry, on the other hand, just took the score in silence, not trusting himself to speak as he took it all in. As Hermione continued to rant and rave at the unfairness of it all, a small grin began to form on his face, growing into a full smile by the second. He burst out laughing a few moments later, recalling what Dumbledore had said to him.

"Harry?" Hermione said, a little unnerved at the sight of her friend laughing his head off, clutching his sides as if someone had hit him with a really strong Tickling Charm. Had all the pressure of the tournament finally come down on him, cracking him in the process?

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Harry composed himself and stood up straight, cricking his neck as he did so. Taking a deep breath to calm down, he turned to the bushy haired girl, his glasses glinting in the sunlight, and said, "Yes, dear Hermione?"

Now slightly nervous as she slowly inched away, she asked, "What was so funny?"

Walking up to her and putting one of his arms around her, ignoring the small squeak in surprise, he said, "Dearest Hermione, do you not realize what this means?"

"Not really, no," she said, blushing as his face came dangerously close to her own.

"Good, because neither do I!" Harry chirped, making everyone else stare at him with disbelief. "And for the record, I don't care about this damn tournament and its rules. They could give me all zeroes and I'd be fine with that!"

"Then," Hermione started, but was suddenly silenced when Harry's green eyes pierced her own with their gaze.

"This means, dearest Hermione, that I no longer care about the rules," Harry said, his face slowly closing the gap between them. "After all, a wise man once said, 'Screw the Rules, I have Money!'" Hermione squashed the sudden urge to slap him as she felt herself melting as his other hand cupped her face gently, almost tenderly. Their lips were dangerously close together, just a mere centimeter apart…

"Hey, Potter! Get your filthy cheating hands off my girl!"

…until a certain red head with many, many siblings whose last name ended with a 'Y' came onto the scene, his ears red. He looked as if he had just run to get to them, if his heavy breathing was any indication. Needless to say, the crowd who was watching the event wanted to kill him (yes, even the little insect reporter there) for ruining the moment.

"Ho? Your girl, Ron?" Harry said, pushing away from Hermione but keeping her in his arms.

"Yeah! My girl!" Ron yelled, pulling out his wand. "So step off ya git!"

"Weasley, we just saw him take down a dragon, one of the most powerful magical creatures," a random student said. "Do you really think you can do anything to him with just a wand?"

"Well, show's over!" Harry said, letting go of Hermione altogether as he picked up his egg and walked off. "I'll be seeing you all later!"

"Harry wait!" Hermione said, moving to run after him, only to be stopped by Ron. "Ron, let go of me!"

"No," he said. "That cheating bastard had everything he wants, let me have mine!"

Hermione did the only thing she could think of.

Raising her hand, she backhanded his face. As he stumbled, she kneed him in between the legs, following up with a fierce hook. Just as Ron let go, she punched him once more, breaking his two front teeth.

Many people applauded her as she walked away.

-*With Harry*-

Harry was walking endlessly, chuckling a little as he made his way, his mind blank. As the crowds had dissipated, he ended up walking around the lake, eventually bordering the Forbidden Forest.

"Master?" Agito asked, appearing on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" When he didn't answer, but instead chose to trudge on forward, she got worried.

"Master?" Rein asked, appearing on his other shoulder. Floating in front of him and waving her little arm in his face, she got worried when he didn't even bat an eye.

Catching each other's eyes, the two nodded. Going to either side of Harry's head, they both grabbed his ears and shouted, "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Even that didn't get a response.

Annoyed, the small red head flew in front of him and reared her fist, causing a swirl of flames to appear around her small fist. With a growl, she yelled, "WAKE UP DAMMIT!" as she punched her master on his cheek.

The force of the punch sent him into a nearby tree. As he bounced off and fell on the ground, he looked up and asked, "Huh, Agito? What just happened?"

"I think you temporarily snapped, Master," Rein said, glaring angrily at the other Unison device.

Scratching his head, as he looked up at the two in confusion, he looked confused and said, "I did? I don't exactly remember."

"So what now?" Agito said, sounding irritated.

Looking up at the castle, Harry sighed and said, "For now, I just want to stay here."

Lying down on his back with his hands beneath his head, he looked past the branches of the trees and stared that late afternoon sky, the dark reds and oranges slowing pouring into the dark blue of the night. Agito and Rein flew over to him, lying next to him on either side of his chest, Agito taking the left with Rein on the right.

The three of them lay there for a while, feeling the cold, gentle wind blowing through. With a sigh, Harry asked them, "So what exactly happened? I don't remember much other than getting the egg during the task, talking with Professor Dumbledore and then talking with Hermione."

"Well, the judges of this tourney are damn bastards who have sticks up their assess," Agito said, earning a disapproving look from the other small woman. "What? They are!"

"Bluntness aside," Rein said, continuing the story. "The judges scored you rather harshly for the use of the Device instead of a regular wand. After you got your score, which was terrible by the way, you sort of, well…"

"You basically snapped and turned into some sorta really bad flirt," Agito finished for her in a rather blunt fashion. "You nearly kissed the girl too, had it not been for that ginger boy you hang out with."

"Wait, what!" Harry said, slowly getting up as to not suddenly knock the two off. "I nearly…kissed Hermione!"

"Well, yeah," Agito said, taking a place on his left shoulder. "Why? You seem to like the girl enough."

"Its just, well," the last Potter stuttered. "She and I are, well, with all the mess that the Prophet puts out…"

"I thought you never cared for what people thought?" Rein asked.

"Well, yeah, I don't care what they say about me, but I'm more considered about her," Harry explained. "The last thing I'd need is to get rid of Skeeter."

"Um, pardon me?" a small voice asked from behind them. Agito and Rein immediately hid into Harry's robes as he stood up. Getting up to his feet, he was about to be draw his wand, only to be stopped at the sight of the person there.

"You!" Harry said, his eyes widening.

DUN DUN DUN!

Who is this mysterious stranger? Does Harry know this person? Is this person a friend? Enemy?

Ain't I an ass? And don't worry, I'll try to do better next time.

Dragonkey258