Chapter 7

"I expect the Marauders ragged Cornelius Fenwick too; in fact I think I remember you doing it" said Severus to Sirius.

"He was a rotten swotty little prig… I expect we did. Are you blaming me for Jadie getting hurt because of the way that insane recluse brought up his daughter?"

"I only wondered if it hadn't helped…"

The conversation deteriorated at this point; both men had been emotionally involved over a much loved member of the blood group and both wanted to release an anger towards Fenella that would have been unfair directed at the girl. Sirius was moreover defensive, knowing that the Marauders had not behaved very well at all, jinxing people just because they could. They ended up screaming into each other's faces, purple and angry.

Then the scars throbbed

They dropped back ruefully; and looked into each other's faces. Then they were embracing and Severus was crying with relief that his little girl was going to be all right, that Krait had stabilised and so had Grace. Sirius hugged him hard.

"Brother, my brother, that was not good!" he gasped.

"No… I'm sorry Padfoot, I'm overwrought" said Severus. "David's going in for the Triwizard too – on Madam Spikenard's heavy hint – and of course I've that to worry about…"

"Sodding Triwizard" said Sirius "We'd have loved the idea when we were their age of course….hell, yes, we ragged Fenwick but no more than we ragged anyone else, especially Ravenclaws and Slythers, nothing like as much as we ragged you. And most of the people we ragged didn't turn into cloth-brained loonies."

Severus nodded.

"James had a cruel streak, which was odd, since he had so broad a streak of compassion for Remus… I too wish we could blood in Remus…. I think you were all cordially disliked and admired in equal measure. I guess Fenwick was enough like that to begin with, I get the impression Albus disliked him."

"Ya think? He described him to us, while you were with Jade, as being almost as arrogant as Tom Riddle in his way!"

"My mother was arrogant. So in his way was my father; she married him because, I suspect, she lusted after a big loudmouth who seemed self confident. Fenella hasn't had quarrels all her life but her memories of her mother involve her acting almost slavishly to her father…and yet Cornelius Fenwick fell apart when she died. He needed to be worshipped; and that's not a healthy relationship."

"No… it's what I half wondered if you had with Krait at first, you know."

"You did? No wonder you had reservations! Of course, there are parallels; in some ways Krait is the stronger of the two of us, I'd be lost if I lost her…. But there'd always be duty to keep me going until I might reasonably join her. And I suspect Sirri would also bully me….she's learned that from Krait quickly enough" he smiled tenderly.

"I'd disapprove if I didn't feel the way you manage to love her too through the Blood-link" said Sirius. "You're a great big softie, Scales."

"Shh, don't TELL anyone!" said Severus. "Consider if you please my reputation! I'd have to poison half the fourth to get it back, you know!"

Sirius laughed; and they went in search of a drink with their arms draped convivially about each other's shoulders.

oOoOo

Next week, the powder blue flying coach pulled by its massive palomino Abraxans diverted every lesson with a window looking out that way.

"….ah, here are the contestants from Beauxbatons, and Madame Maxime will be glad of volunteers to be drained of blood to feed her steeds, I shall take it that all those not in their seats by the time I count ten will have volunteered" said Severus.

The third giggled nervously and sat down in a hurry.

One could never be quite sure if Professor Snape was serious or not!

The Durmstrang Ship emerged from the lake at lunch time, when there was a maximum audience.

"Posey gits" said David.

"Wonder what calibre of opposition you'll have?" said Abraxus.

"Why are you assuming it'll be me?"

"Because you're the only real choice you idiot" said Hawke "WE didn't manage to get our names in, so you're the next best choice."

"Myrtle did" grinned Abraxus "She really IS over seventeen if you think about it; the name line kind of fizzed a little bit but it couldn't make up its mind if she was as old as her bones or as old as her flesh and gave up and let her with a dampish kind of 'squmph' noise.

"I bribed Peeves to try to put my name in – as he didn't, I thought, count as a human doing it for someone else – and then I had to bribe him more for being thrown out with a bang" said Kinat.

"We tried using paper aeroplanes, Abrax and me, but they caught on fire as they crossed the age line" said Hawke.

"I tried confunding it, like Barty Crouch did to get Harry's name in, but Albus had already thought of that one and I ended up thinking I was a tulip for about five minutes" said Romulus.

"It didn't like a ball of paper knocked in by cricket bat either" complained Willow.

"Did you hear that Cynner Strong nearly managed?" said Hawke, faintly outraged "She used a chanted confundment and danced, if she hadn't stubbed her toe she might have made it!"

"A third year? Preposterous!" said Abraxus, pompously.

"It was Lionel Dell's idea, apparently; he was discussing it and said it was a shame he didn't know any chanting, and Cynner said she'd picked some up and he dared her" explained Hawke. "Jolly enterprising I thought!"

"Dell's a rummun" said Willow "I never know if I like him or not."

"Fortunately he has a healthy hero-worship of our revered head boy and a healthy nervousness of the marauders" said Romulus "Between which two fires we should be able to keep him in order. I'd not have argued with him in the goblet of fire actually; he's got the balls to stick it. I think it'd be too much for the Cynner. Not that she's not got balls – metaphorically" he added as Willow gave him a Look "- but she's – well, Dell has the potential to be something rather special. Just a gut feeling."

"I put my name in; Dad said I could" said Erich "Just because; but David will be the one chosen. The competition is basically the upper sixth; and they have no luminaries that could hold a candle to David, with the possible exception of Martin Umbridge. And likewise, he and Abigail and Emmeline Greengrasse are the only ones who fought the battle of Hogwarts. Wet bunch if you ask me."

"Have the Greengrasse girls put their names in?" asked David.

Hawke shook his head.

"Abigail says she's got too much to do getting to know Salazar; and she also has plans for a certain male who she asked me advice about – alright, she didn't ask me to keep it from you lot, it's Alastor Moody. He spent a lot of effort trying to get her parents to accept what had happened to her, and helping her too last year; and she wanted to know about blood magic and curing cursed wounds to replace his leg. I gave her some fairly definitive instructions, all right?"

"After having hauled Myrtle out of the state of 'mostly dead yet' we could scarcely moan about other people wanting to help someone that they love, could we?" said Abraxus. "Hell, people, any one of us could take on the whole bunch from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons and whip there asses in any competition…..as could Jade, think on. They have to have an age line to avoid embarrassing the foreigners too often."

"Git" said David equably.

"Oh mighty Head boy I grovel before your rebuke!" said Abraxus, miming grovelling.

"Double git" said David.

David, as head boy, had already greeted Madame Olympe Maxime and her group of contestants; none were from the duelling team, all of whom had left school, but Madame Maxime was delighted when he asked about her nephew Hercule.

"Ah, you are ze one 'oo was just a leetle boy but so good at ze spelling zat 'e 'as told me about!" she said, throwing her arms around David to kiss him on each cheek. "Hercule 'e is doing very well, 'e 'as gone to work as a dragon 'andler in Romania wiz ze delightful Charle' Weasley, 'oo 'e say know you also!" she beamed "'Ave you put in your name? Are you old enough now? But you must be, if you are ze 'Ead Boy!"

"I'll fulfil the conditions by the end of the competition" said David "But my guardian gave me permission, so yes, I have entered."

It was a little disconcerting to be eyed up with bold and interested looks by the four female would-be contestants on the French team!

Greeting Agata Bacsó of Durmstrang was a stiffer, more formal affair; and it was plain that she too remembered him and had not yet forgiven the slight handed out to all her pupils of having a mudblood come third in the competition when her pupils had managed only to get their top duellist into the top eight.

This time she did not introduce her contestants by blood status.

One of the boys bowed to David.

"I remember you, I watched you duelling; you were so very good, I did not realise you were only our age" he said.

"You will have time to fraternise later Karl" said Madam Bacsó coldly.

"I apologise for any time wasting" said Karl instantly.

"Sit with me at Tea" said David "You'll do me a favour, I'm fleeing from several French girls right now,"

Karl smiled gravely.

"I should be honoured" he said.

Madam Bacsó looked sour.

"Of course, these French are so very undiscriminating" said a German girl "They do not even stop to find out blood status. I believe YOU are a mudblood?"

David smiled, hiding his feelings.

"Yes, I am fortunate so to be" he said. "One cannot but feel sorry for pure bloods, but of course, they cannot help it; and not all are degenerate or moronic, you know, so one must be tolerant. I have friends who are pure bloods, and you'd never suspect it."

That left the bitch spluttering.

Madam Bacsó gave a mirthless smile.

"We are all different" she said through gritted teeth.

There was not, it seemed, to be a display of unforgivable curses here to put mudbloods and blood traitors on their places. David was almost disappointed. It would have been nice to have had a moral victory to start things off. Assuming he was likely to be chosen.

Whether he was or not, Madam Spikenard had good reason for him to apply. And she was a kindly woman who never did anything without good reason; and she had tacitly backed the blood group from the moment she had arrived and had seen with her divination skills their connection and the path they must tread.

He led the German contingent indoors

The marauders promptly separated and acquired the various German contestants and proceeded to subject them to the sort of level of interrogation – had they but realised they were being interrogated – that was probably forbidden under law in the muggle world by the Geneva Convention.

Gabrielle Delacourt and friends kidnapped the French team, who were too horrified that they were expected to share a table and food with a Goblin and a Hag and yet too polite to say much. The behaviour of both the non humans quickly reassured them, and Madame Maxime herself was only part human and so some at least of them thawed noticeably. It was a Spanish boy, Eliseo Quinteras who broke the ice, remarking tactlessly that he had not realised that English Hags and Goblins were as civilised as any other folks.

"But M'sieur" quipped Garjala quickly "As we are none of us German, does that not give us a good start?"

There was much laughter; and the French contingent felt less upset at being invited to join these very little children!

"Do not 'ave anysing to do wiz zese German pigs" said one of the boys intensely "Zey use competitions to 'arm people you must know zat; next time zis competition runs, you will be old enough to enter, and you must be careful!"

"Say more, my friend" Said Callum.

"Yes; I will tell you!" he said, eyes blazing "My mozzer died in a so-called friendly duel against an ex Durmstrang pupil, in a supposed demonstration bout during what zey call' European Good Will Fun week, because she was a blood traitor and my fazzer he have a muggle grandfazzer. I was nine at ze time and my t'ree younger siblings, zey not remember our mozzer at all. Zey are evil!"

"Some of them want out you know" said Garjala "It's the rotten ones that give the rest a bad name, like rotten and violent goblins give my people a bad name. But you are right; when we get there, we'll be careful. I so want to duel against them; they'll be like totally hacked off to be beaten by a goblin!"

"Not in Germany zen, leetle girl" said the French boy "Eet ees illegal for ze goblins to carry wands zere; zey would put you in zere prison ze moment you entered ze country."

"What about full faith and credence over team membership?" demanded Alice Trumball. "Uncle Lucius's have something to say about that I bet!"

"Ah, a Malfoy? Your Uncle Lucius 'e cannot take on all of Germany" said the boy "Eet is better sometimes to be safe zan sorry; and find ze ozzer way. Like invite zem here wiz YOUR laws."

"I like the way this man thinks" said Garjala. "THAT's why we're hosting it, to give us a chance to piss them off and make them cast unforgivable curses and get them thrown in OUR prison. Dumbledore's a great man!"

The combined staff entered the room and the pupils of the French contingent and Hogwarts rose as a man in respect, following the custom Krait had firmly instilled after seeing the way the French had respected Madame Maxime at the last Triwizard. Most Hogwarts pupils had no idea it had not always been done like this. They also rose for a professor in each class, Krait having come across that in a school story and thinking it appropriate.

The Durmstrang contingent goggled; and the boy next to David leaped to his feet in rapid imitation. Dumbledore waved them seated again and tea began in earnest.

"You people defeated Voldemort" said Karl "And I think you fight the organisation we do not name too?"

"Odessa? Yes" said David, speaking quietly and looking away from the German staff.

"I want to work against them also; I would like to defect but I have a little sister, Uschi, and she is only ten…I am afraid of her suffering if I do not do as I am supposed to" said Karl.

"Then go ahead as normal; and let me know quietly if you are supposed to do anything to sabotage the competition" said David, speaking down into his food to hide his mouth from any lip reading "We'll figure out a way to snatch your sister at some point; no good drawing attention to it until the end of the competition. If you're not the champion for your team will you still come as moral support?"

"Yes, we are all expected to cheer on the one chosen" said Karl "I am afraid of it being Irmtraut; she is the one you so neatly insulted. She is pure bred you know and she is very good."

"Well, if it is her, we'll just have to see we win humiliatingly well" shrugged David. "I wonder if this is what Madam Spikenard meant? But I can help you if I'm in it or no…."

"Pardon?"

"Our Divination Professor said I had to enter as I'd have a task to do. Well, I'll sit back and see what happens" said David cheerfully.

After the meal, Dumbledore rose; and the school rose too, the older ones maliciously pleased to flat-foot the French on manners that time.

Dumbledore waved them back down.

"I am pleased to announce the three champions; who will perhaps come to the front as I call out their names" he said. "From Beauxbatons; Alain Réaumier."

The boy who had been spreading the warning to the third rose and went to the front with a look of blazing but grim satisfaction on his face. His team mates clapped as did those of the British school; and both were polite claps, save for the enthusiastic applause of the generous hearted Spanish boy whose disappointment was clear on his face.

"From Durmstrang: Karl Heinz"

David's new friend rose, his face an unemotional mask, and walked to the front. He too received polite applause.

"From Hogwarts; David Fraser."

David got up; whatever his bloodkin had said about it being inevitable, he was still half surprised when there were older ones.

The applause for him was like thunder, including from about half the other disappointed candidates.

"You are popular" said Karl softly.

David flushed.

"I guess maybe I am" he said. "Though I don't court it."

"That's probably why then" said Karl.

Dumbledore had to motion for hush.

"My Children!" he said, laughing "He hasn't won it yet….I know David Fraser is a popular choice in Hogwarts, I expect each of the other champions will be greeted as rapturously by their own youthful compatriots when they are announced in their respective schools."

"Doubt it" muttered Karl.

Dumbledore went on,

"The first task has been set by the GERMAN sports ministry; you have one week in which to solve a riddle that is your clue to the task, then the competition will take place. Points will be given for the speed at which the task is performed and points will also be given for style. The Sports Ministers of the respective countries will come to stay over the period of the competition; and I'm afraid, David, as head boy, the task of showing them over the place and seeing to their comfort will be yours in addition to worrying about your task."

"I object!"

The German pureblood girl, Irmtraut had arisen, looking angry.

"I beg your pardon?" said Dumbledore mildly

"I object that he the chance has the judges to influence unduly by sycophancy!" she said.

There was a shocked silence.

"I am very sorry, my dear, that your own standards of behaviour are so poor that you could even think of such a thing" said Dumbledore quietly "It must be very uncomfortable for you to live with such dishonourable thoughts. Do the heads of the other schools object?"

"Of course not, M'sieur Dumbledore!" said Madame Maxime at once "Such a suggestion eet ees outrrrragious!" and she rolled her r's as magnificently as ever Minerva McGonagall ever did.

"I – well it could be open to interpretation by outsiders" managed Madam Bacsó, who did object.

"Zen I 'ave ze suggestion" Madame Maxime beamed "Since our own champions stand in place of our schools, even as an 'Ead Boy does, let each champion show 'is own Meenister around. Zat is demonstrably fair, n'est-ce pas?"

"An excellent solution" said Dumbledore gravely "Though still a grave insult to Mr Fraser to have his honour thus questioned."

"Ah, bah, why would he take notice of a girl evidently herself wizzout honour to so sink of eet at all?" said Madame Maxime. "Agata, you 'ave my pity zat you 'ave so rude and ill-bred a girl on your team."

Madam Bacsó seethed gently.

Surreptitious under the table wand work guaranteed Irmtraut some interestingly psychedelic farts for a considerable time to come.

And then the riddles were handed out in sealed envelopes.

David opened the envelope in the Gryffindor common room.

The Gryffindor common room also included two Hufflepuffs and a selection of Slytherin; the other Gryffindors had become resigned to the inclusion of non Gryffindor marauders but there was something of a mutter over Lynx Black-Weasley and friends. She grinned cheekily.

"You don't REALLY mind do you?" she said "Gryff was my second choice of house, you know!"

Hawke cuffed her absently with two fingers.

"They'll keep quiet and try not to smell too much like juniors" he drawled "If they make a peep I'll put them out."

Lynx made a resentful face at him but held her tongue.

The Gryffindor juniors were just coming to the conclusion that Hawke Malfoy had just insulted them as well and were inclined therefore to range themselves behind Lynx and friends and cast their own resentful looks on the Slytherin prefect. Hawke ignored them loftily.

"Just keep the peace the lot of you" said David "Or I shan't read it out loud."

There was instant silence.

David read,

"Sounds like I saw her, in slightly different words,

and look for different numbers too

with 10 legs and 10 eyes

find the right base to lose the surprise

so then you'll know just what to do

evade her anger and beware

and take the hostage from her lair."

"Well that's easy" said Willow.

"Different base…one-zero; if that's base eight it'd be spiders because only spiders have a large number of legs and eyes and it's silly to have it base two because that covers anything with two legs from – from abominable snowmen to werewolves" said David. "Acromantulas then. What's this sounds like I saw her business?"

"Dur, David, heavy German punning here; 'I spied her' of course!" said Willow.

"Oh dear" said David "Is that why Al – Professor Dumbledore insisted on stressing it was the Germans who set this?"

"Not hardly" said Ellie "He knew you'd get the arithmancy long before you worried about really bad puns; it's got to be to do with that 'hostage' bit."

"Yes!" said Gabrielle, excited "Eet was zthe German team what set the task when I was under ze lake for my sister to rescue!" she was rapidly losing her strong French accent but it came through in times of emotion. "Zey will take Ellie and 'ave 'er wrapped by a spider and zeze Germans, zey might not mind if she is et, as she is 'alf Goblin!"

David's heart hammered.

Ellie smiled at him and touched her own zig zag scar lightly.

"Let 'em TRY to hurt me" she said.

David nodded, forcing himself to calm down. The Blood Group would protect her whatever happened.

"I disagree" said Willow.

"Why?" demanded David, thinking she disagreed that they could protect Ellie.

"THAT task, as I recall it being related, had a lot of mush about your dearest person" said Willow "No, don't hit me, I can be mushy too when I feel like it about mine; but it made much of risking everything for who you held dearest. This just says Hostages. What's the betting these German creeps grab random people, even muggles?"

"They can't do that – it's illegal!" said David.

"Then after you've rescued yours and if need be helped rescue the others, you get up on your hind feet and tell them so you big dog-breathed lug" said Willow.

"A FINE way to address your Head Boy" said Hawke virtuously.

"He was my friend before he was head boy; you can talk to friends like that" said Willow loftily "Anyway, half the time it's not even an insult but the truth, when he's being in animagus form."

"It's very hard to complain about an insult that IS the truth" laughed David. "Well, perhaps that's what Madam Spikenard wanted me to do."

He then had to explain what Madam Spikenard had said and was horrified to gain kudos for being a prophecy like Harry Potter.

"It's NOT a prophecy!" he said "Just her hunch!"

"Huh, Madam Spikenard's hunches get to be more accurate than most fool seer's prophesies" said Callum Prince.

David was afraid he could not dispute that!

It was a little unfortunate that Lionel Dell was rather enraptured by the Durmstrang following and happened to admit – with some resentment – that there was a muggle staying at Hogwarts with his sister; Ross Tuthill had been given permission by his parents on the understanding that if he could not find enough magic to stay of right that he should transfer to Rowan House next September; and so long as he continued to study for muggle subjects assiduously. Ross was joining in with Arithmancy, History of Magic, care of Magical Beasts and Potions – at which he was, as Neville reported, no more hopeless than average – and studying in his own time Chemistry, Geography, History, English Literature and Latin. Severus was helping him with the latter and studying Chemistry alongside him; and Sirius had him in the Geomancy class to work on his geography, helping him out from time to time. Krait pointed out through Severus that if given a library card and a season ticket to Glasgow to use it, he'd probably gain as much knowledge from reading as in many a classroom; and Dumbeldore had agreed. Ross also used an internet café in the library to email his parents weekly.

Some of the Durmstrang contingent suggested that the muggle should be made to want to go back to where he belonged; and Dell heartily agreed and went along for some muggle baiting.

David caught them cursing and jinxing poor Ross on the stairs; including what he thought was an only slightly toned down version of the cruciatus curse; and shortly thereafter, there were four wriggling woodlice suspended in mid air. David had not bothered with word or wand and they were all taken by surprise.

One of the woodlice slumped in resignation; the easiest way to identify that one as Dell. David sorted out Ross Tuthill and sent him on his way; then used the prefect's spell to haul the woodlouse that was Dell by what passed as his ear into the Head of School's office, a courtesy David appreciated as a haven when he needed time on his own.

He turned Dell back and dropped him, none too gently into the other chair.

"Well?" he demanded.