Right. Im back, and I'll start with an apology for the crappy last chapter. IMPORTANT A/N: I'm sorry I forgot all about the payment to Nemesis when she offers help, and im also really sorry about making her completely OOC. I know it disappointed you guys :'( I'll admit that I am a novice on writing about Nemesis's. This is my first time adding her into a story. But dont worry, the story can still flow smoothly since I can make her take payment from Voldemort at the end. I promise it'll get better!
To DeathGuardian24: I'll try my best to make it more interesting! It's just that chapter that was pretty tough to write.
To Jolly Writer 2.0: I agree this chapter was not well thought of. I forgot about the payment to ask help from Nemesis. But I can save it in the end. I'll make Nemesis get Voldemort's payment at the end of the story. Thanks for taking time to give a long review :)
To Kuronique Misaki: Nemesis is offering help to Voldemort because he wants revenge on Harry so badly. And since Nemesis is the goddess of revenge, she would do her best to help :D
To kecaswell2001: Well, Nemesis is pretty much a minor goddess. So most of the stuff she does dosent concern the other gods. Plus, it is her job to offer help since Moldy is intent at revenge, which is her forte. But because she is also the goddess of balance, she would get payment. Thats why the other gods doesnt bother her. And i'm sorry there wont be much other gods or goddess in this story. This is mainly about the demigods and wizards and the baddies.
To Maddiewhale: Great idea! but i planned for the demigods to be revealed very very soon indeed, after this chapter :) But Percy will be cool in the second task :D
To Veronica Heredia Nequam: Dont worry, I'll make Voldy pay for it. He needs to give payment for Nemesis's help :)
To r7e7d: Yep, I know its a little cliché on this part. But the rest will be original :) I just felt that the bad guys need some help to make the story more exciting. Fake death...hmm thats a good idea. Do you think I should do it on Thalia, Nico or Percy? About the demigod tension, its gonna be sorted out very very soon, you'll see. Heehee, ive got plans for Percy's tatoo too ;) And yeah, i agree 'perfectly' and 'mustered' does not go together since they mean the same thing. I'll change it the next time i edit. Thanks for picking it out :D
To GeekyGreakFreak: Actually I was planning for Nico or Thalia to be captured. But i guess Annabeth fits in better! So thanks for the idea! I'll use it in my story! Thank you so much :)
Okay...im done...carry on reading. pls enjoy!
Harry
His footsteps echoed as he walked along the narrow corridor that Dumbledore had pointed to. At the end of the corridor, there was just one door on the left. Harry supposed that is where all the other school Champions were, so he took a left turn and walked into a large room.
This room had a high ceiling and a delicate chandelier hung above him, spilling warm light to the room, illuminating everything in the room. Harry spotted Fleur Delacour sitting on a wooden chair, looking at the other champions, giving them a calculating look. Krum was hunched in a shadowy corner of the room, observing the furniture. Percy stood in the centre of the room, pacing up and down, like he needed to use up all his spare energy.
Harry's throat was dry. He didn't know what to tell them. He certainly did not put his name into the goblet, so how could his name come out of it? Questions were buzzing around his head like flies. And worse of all, he couldn't answer them. Maybe someone wanted to put his name in for fun. But who would do that? This tournament was extremely dangerous, and he was way underage. He could die doing the tasks. Then, something clicked. Maybe someone wanted him dead. Harry knew that one person who wanted him dead ever since he was born. Maybe Voldemort had a hand in this, a Death Eater carrying out his orders. A Death Eater within the school of Hogwarts.
And there was a group of students whom Harry, Ron and Hermione had been suspicious of right from the start. The group of students who had suddenly popped out and decided to participate in the tournament. The group of students from Chiron's Elite School. Just a few hours ago, Harry had been willing to believe that Percy and his friends were not Death Eaters. But now, he wasn't so sure. He needed to make a plan with Ron and Hermione and question them good and hard, and make them confess they were really Death Eaters who had plotted this whole thing.
The champions had not yet noticed him. Percy was still pacing the room. Harry thought, I will get you tonight, and you won't get away with this. Just you wait for tonight.
Percy suddenly spun around, and stared at the door where Harry stood numbly.
"Harry? What happened? Why are you here?" Percy asked, coming over to where Harry was standing.
"I don't know. I just got picked as the Hogwarts Champion, but I didn't put my name in." Harry said, observing Percy's reaction.
Percy looked slightly surprised at this. Maybe he knew this was going to happen. That only made it more likely that Percy was somehow involved with making Harry as the Hogwarts champion.
"How is that possible?" Percy asked.
"Someone must have put it in for me. Someone who want me to die in the Tournament." Harry said.
Just at that moment, a group of teachers hurried into the room. Their expressions showed shock. Dumbledore walked straight over to where Harry stood, and put a hand gently on his shoulder.
"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire?" Dumbledore asked sternly, his blue eyes digging into Harry's soul.
"No." Harry said truthfully.
"Did you ask an older student to do it for you?" Dumbledore questioned.
"No. I swear I don't know how this happened." Harry said desperately.
Dumbledore looked at him and Harry felt like he was being X-rayed. But he managed to hold the gaze.
Karkaroff coughed. "This won't be a problem Dumbledore. Since your school cheated, it is right that this young competitor continue with the tournament. It would only put Hogwarts and a disadvantage."
Madame Maxime agreed. "Yes, it is only fair that Hogwarts have a reduced chance of winning."
Dumbledore didn't reply. Mad Eye Moody looked at Mr Couch. "You are our judge, what do you say?"
"The rules state that once a name is chosen by the goblet, he or she cannot turn back. Harry Potter must compete in the Triwizard Tournament." Crouch said.
Dumbledore sighed. But everyone else looked pleased and left the room. Moody strolled up to Dumbledore. "I can teach him some useful things. It would give him a better chance at staying alive."
Dumbledore accepted, and gave Harry one more glance, then looked at all the other champions in the room. His gaze lingered on Percy, before nodding the room at large, and walking back out. Professor Moody followed him out of the room.
When everyone had left, Crouch spoke to the Champions, "The first task is a week from now. What you will be doing then is a surprise and you will only know on that day itself. Good luck."
Everyone nodded and walked out of the room. Harry didn't like the idea of not knowing what was going to happen in the first task. That meant that he would have no practise and have nothing to expect. Harry walked back to the common room. He needed to talk to Ron and Hermione, and hope they would believe him that he did not put his name into the Goblet. He also needed to make a plan for tonight where he could get the truth out of Percy and his friends.
Harry found Ron and Hermione at a corner of the common room, talking quietly among themselves. As he made his way to them, he could see other Gryffindors talking behind his back. But he ignored them.
"I didn't put my name in." Harry said, the moment he'd reached his two best friends.
"I know. The look on your face when Dumbledore called you, you must have been terrified!" Hermione nodded sympathically.
"Yeah. We knew it wasn't you, mate." Ron said.
"I can't do anything about it now, right?" Harry sighed. "But I think we should do something about Percy and his friends."
Harry told them all his suspicions. Hermione frowned, but nodded. Ron agreed straight away.
"I knew it!" Ron exclaimed. "But what do you plan to do about it?"
"I'm pretty sure they are Death Eaters, and Percy seems to be the leader among them. I say, tonight when they are sleeping, we grab Percy and bring him to an empty classroom not far from here. Nico told me he is a heavy sleeper. He probably won't notice we got him until we have him all captured. Then, when he is unable to run, we can question him for as long as we want." Harry took a deep breath and continued. "Keep him there until he confesses that he is a Death Eater. When he does, we can prove this to Dumbledore and all this would be cleared up."
Hermione looked worried about his plan. "But what if he refuses to confess?"
But Harry had an answer. "Trust me, most Death Eaters are cowards, that's why they join Voldemort. They are afraid of being tortured and killed. If we threaten him hard enough, he will eventually spill his secrets."
Hermione looked shocked. "But Harry! We can't torture someone!"
Harry thought about it. He knew he could never kill or torture others, even if they were a Death Eater. He wouldn't be able to do it. But he said, "We won't, but Percy doesn't know that, does he?"
Ron looked excited and eager to put his plan to action. Hermione looked rather unwilling. But Harry and Ron persuaded that it was necessary. A Death Eater in the school was dangerous. He had to get rid of Percy and his friends as soon as possible. Finally, Hermione relented, and said she would help him.
Harry looked at Percy, Thalia and Nico sitting on the sofa laughing. At midnight, all this Death Eater confusion will be revealed to the school. Tonight, Voldemort's spy will be in Azkaban, feeding his soul to the dementors. Voldemort's plan will fail.
Hermione's voice pulled him back to the present. "Harry, the first task is next week. You will have to get all the preparation and start practising tomorrow."
Harry nodded. He had to keep his mind on the tasks at hand too.
"Maybe I can get a book on all types of spells. That would help in the task." Harry said.
Hermione smiled and dashed back to the girls' dormitories. Then, within a blink of an eye, she was back, clutching a book.
"I found this book in the library. It's a book of spells used by Aurors. They can come in handy in combat." Hermione said, passing the book to him.
"Thanks." Harry said. Hermione was so helpful sometimes.
Harry flipped through the book at random, finally stopping at a page with a spell 'Septumsempra'. There was a whole long text under it, but Harry didn't bother to read it now.
Maybe he'll read from the start tomorrow. He had more important things on his mind For now, he had to think about what he was going to do tonight.
Percy's in trouble! Percy's in trouble! Ooooh. Catch it on the next chapter! Pls Read and Review! Thank you!