Chapter four

Harry had been amazed at how much the sword and dagger had netted for him, two hundred thousand pounds. The man who owned the shop tried to argue with Harry about taking cash. But Harry, in his disguise, explained that he would be fine, and did not have far to go where he had a safe waiting for him.

Harry didn't have anywhere to go, at least not yet, for now he had found a decent hotel and got a room. He had sealed the money in his trunk, using one of the locking charms he had found in the book from the room of requirement. He knew he was safe from muggles trying to rob him, and he didn't think he would bump into any witch or wizard so he figured he was safe.

In case he did lose his magic, and that blood spell for shrinking his trunk didn't work he decided to conjure some wheels for his trunk. He knew he wouldn't be able to carry it, now he wouldn't have to, if he lost his magic. He just hoped the conjured wheels didn't disappear when he's magic did. He would have to remember to remove the locking charms in case he ended up locked out of his own trunk when his magic was bound, if his magic was bound. Even though he was now classed as an adult, he wasn't sure if he would keep his magic since he was breaking the magical binding contract.

The day of the first task arrived, Harry was wondering if he would still have his magic or not. If he didn't then at least he had enough money to live on until he got older.

'Now, where do I go, I have to stay away from Scotland, anywhere near the Dursley's is out. Not that I want to be anywhere near that lot. I can't go to where my parents live, they would look for me, so Wales is out,' Harry lay back on the bed in his rented hotel room, his hands behind his head, 'I have to try my magic, see if I still have it, but I don't feel any different so maybe I do, maybe I wouldn't notice if I lost it, since technically I wouldn't lose it, my magic was just bound. I'll try soon, since I'm not sure what time the champions would begin the first task or in what order. First I have to work out where to go, maybe Ireland would be a good place to go. London is a big city but there was a big chance of bumping into someone that knew him, I'm was not connected to Ireland at all.'

Harry got a map out of the drawer, he studied it, thinking about the different areas of Ireland he could look at. He knew now he had some money he could take his time, so he figured he would spend the next few days looking around Ireland.

Back at Hogwarts people were still looking for Harry, but so far no one had seen him. Now it was the morning of the first task, the teachers and some students had begun to worry. Neville had heard Hermione talking to Ron, Ginny and the twins about the magical binding contract and how Harry would have his magic bound if he didn't show up. Neville glared when he heard Ron say Harry was hiding, probably hoping to make a big entrance. Neville knew that Harry wasn't like that, it seems the so call best friend didn't know Harry at all.

The first three champions faced their dragons, they all got injured but they also got their eggs. When Harry's name was called everything went silent, there was no sign of Harry Potter. The teachers and the committee waited for two hours before they decided to find out where the boy was. When Bartemius Crouch announced that the first task was over, Mad-eye Moody screamed before he collapsed.

Albus raced over to his friend, then stood in shock as the man he had known for years began to change.

'Crouch,' Snape snarled as he stared down at the death eater.

'Bartemius, I believe you have some questions to answer,' Albus bound the man before he turned to his deputy head, 'Minerva, inform the Minister,' Albus got Poppy's attention who levitated the now bound death eater to her hospital.

'It seems we found who entered the boy's name,' Severus said as he followed the headmaster and matron to the castle.

'Yes, but the question is, why?'

'The brat told you about his dream, I would say Crouch intended to get Potter to the dark lord.'

'If he intended Harry to win, then he had plans either for something inside the maze, in the black lake, or for the triwizard cup,' Albus stared at the man being levitated towards a hospital bed, 'A port key would make the most sense so something inside the maze could be charmed. We did discuss who would place the cup in the maze before the third task.'

'Did he request to be given the job?'

'No, but if this was really Alastor, I would have given him the task of placing the cup then to check the enchantments.'

'Then they must have studied Alastor Moody and you.'

The two men turned when Filius Flitwick levitated an unconscious Alastor Moody into the room. He was missing his leg and eye.

'I found him in his trunk, pieces of his hair is missing.'

'At least you know who has been stealing from your store cupboard, Severus.'

'This man has his magic bound headmaster.'

'Ah, so the magic behind the goblet of fire recognised crouch not Harry, he would still have his magic. We must find him.'

'I would say he left headmaster, I could not blame him, not with the way he was being treated. Not to mention what that vial woman has been writing about him. If the boy had parent's she would not get away with writing those stories.'

'Yes, I should have stopped it after the first article, Poppy, but I have been so consumed with who entered Harry in the tournament. Then I was hampered by that magical oath Harry did, I could not speak to him about anything. Stay with him until the minister and aurors turn up, I must check my instruments to see if Harry is still in the castle.'

When everyone assembled in the great hall for dinner that night, Albus Dumbledore made an announcement. He explained about Barty Crouch junior and how the man had entered Harry Potter's name in the goblet of fire, the man was now a squib. Albus also announced that Harry Potter left and as far as he knew, he would not return.

Hermione dragged Ron out of the great hall as soon as dinner was over, Ginny, Fred and George followed.

'He wouldn't go to the Dursley's, do you think he wrote to Sirius?' Ginny asked.

'I would say they planned to meet up, all we can do is try to get him to forgive us and return to Hogwarts, and hopefully remove the oath,' Hermione said.

'That won't happen,' Fred said.

'Last year you told on him to McGonagall about the broom then we heard how he had a go at you, something about being an owl,' George said.

'This year Ron called him a liar, add that to the many fights you two have had over the last few years. You both have strikes against you, some from Ron two from Hermione,' Fred said.

'I wouldn't be surprise if we never see him again, at least not for a very long time,' George said.

'Then add the oath, you three will end up badly injured or worse if you try to talk to him,' Fred said.

'He won't remove it, not after what you did,' George said then walked off with his twin.

'I balls it all up didn't I?' Ron grimaced.

'Yes, but I did as well, I told you what he said to me and how he looked when I wouldn't pass on his message to you. He would see that as a betrayal, I betrayed him for you, you betrayed him by not believing your friend. He would even see Ginny as betraying him as she never once spoke to him. If we ever see him again he will not forgive us, I don't blame him. But Fred is right, we can't approach him in any way or the oath will cause something to happen to us.'

'Okay, we deserve it, but why would Crouch enter Harry and what were his plans?' Ron asked.

'It would have to be about you-know-who. Harry told us about that dream he had before the quidditch world cup. Professor Dumbledore believes he is getting stronger and Peter Pettigrew was with him in the dream. So he has some of his death eaters with him.'

'Do you think Dumbledore should have done more than an age line to keep underage students from entering or being entered like what happened with Harry?' Ginny asked.

'Yes, an age line would only stop those under the age of seventeen from entering. We could have asked a seventh year to enter us and it would have been allowed.'

'Then Dumbledore stuffed up again. Harry was right, he said the old man seems to make too many mistakes or just doesn't bother doing enough,' Ron said, 'I never mentioned this but Harry said to me after the quidditch cup that Dumbledore almost let Ginny die. When I asked what he meant he said Fawkes came to him down in the chamber. Harry said that meant Fawkes could have taken Dumbledore down there the moment the first lot of writing appeared on the wall near Mrs. Norris. It's true, why didn't he go down there straight away? The phoenix can bypass any enchantments or passwords, like speaking parseltongue. Harry admitted that it was luck that saved Ginny and he still has no idea what made him stab the diary with the fang. If he didn't stab it Ginny would have died since the memory was sucking the life force out of her.'

'I know Harry has been…well, disappointed in Professor Dumbledore, but surely he would have tried to stop all that happening.'

'I'm not so sure, maybe we all put too much faith in him because of who he is, we're not looking at what he is doing now, or not doing,' Ginny said, 'That man was a death eater, how did he get in here if he has the dark mark? The castle wards are supposed to be warded against that. I was talking to Bill, he told me he studied the book on Hogwarts wards. They were strengthened during the first war with you-know-who. The teachers combined their magic to stop anyone with a dark mark entering.'

'There is talk that Snape is or was a death eater, maybe he removed the ward so Snape could teach,' Ron said.

'He would have to if he has the mark, but I had to admit this, I think you're both right. Maybe it's time I stopped believing he can do no wrong and look at what he is doing now. Let's go up to your dorm room Ron, I want to write to Harry and hope he will accept my apology.'

'We all will write, I just don't know if it will do any good. Let's just hope the oath doesn't make us all end up unconscious,' Ron sighed, but he knew he was to blame, Hermione and Ginny stuck by him so Harry involved them in the magical oath. He was always told his temper would get the best of him one day, well, that day had come.