A long time coming

Well folks, its been a long time, a very long time as a matter of fact. I never really intended to stop this story, but I did. Some amongst you might be wondering how my leukaemia went. Well, for those wondering, you're all a bunch of idiots because if I was dead, then I wouldn't be typing. For all those who did wonder, please slap yourselves around the back of the head since I cannot be arsed to buy a car, keep paying valuable money on petrol along my road trip across the entire world hunting each and every single one of you people (and that includes the non reviewing types who will get a compulsory execution) who were wondering.

"Mr Potter, Mr Potter!" Hundreds of flashes seemed to go off in Emerald's eyes. He blinked, the noise from the screeching group of reporters deafening him. He sighed as he lounged on his seat, idly pushing his crown back on his head. It wasn't until Dumbledore finally silenced the reporters that Emerald was allowed to speak.

"Right then..." he mumbled, picking one of the reporters at random. "You then, reporter with bad hair, what's your question?"

"How did you escape, Mr. Potter?"

"Call me Emerald. And I didn't escape as a matter of fact. It was only after several long and painful hours of arguing with a petulant child that I gave in. It wasn't until Dumbledore threatened to cry that I agreed to speak to you all."

The reporter blinked in confusion. Attempting to speak again, he was ignored as Emerald pointed to another reporter.

"Mr. Potter, what are your feelings regarding the coronation?"

"Well, I'm feeling kinda hungry."

"Mr. Potter!" One of the reporters yelled suddenly. "Are you saying that Dumbledore is starving you deliberately in order to force you to give up the crown?"

Emerald blinked. "I...uh..."

Another reporter leapt up. "Mr Potter, is it true that Dumbledore is secretly attempting to subvert the school children and force you into total obedience using the power of music?"

"What...?"

"Is it true that you have been sexually molested by the headmaster?" Another yelled.

"Now wait just a –"

"Have you declared war upon He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named using the resources granted by the Merpeople?"

Dumbledore finally stepped in, his hands in the air as he called for attention. "Now now, everyone, let's not get foolish in the quest for the truth. I can safely say that there has been no subversion of children using music, I have not molested Mr. Potter and he has yet to decide what to do with his new position as King of the Merpeople. There will be no more questions"

"Mr. Dumbledore!" A reporter stood up. "Will you-"

"I said," Dumbledore's eyes began to twinkle. "there will be no more questions."

"There will be no more questions," the reporter said in a monotone voice.

"What have you done to him!" One of his neighbours stood up, her voice high in shock.

"You will remember nothing," Dumbledore turned his attention to the entire media crowd. "You came, you saw, you got nothing out of Mr. Potter. As a good friend of mine said, Veni, Veci, Dumbledore." He turned back to Emerald with a smile on his face. "Come along, Emerald. I'm sure that you are quite exhausted after your ordeal. I'll go get Severus and have you escorted back to the Slytherin common room."

"Um, will he be alright?" Emerald pointed out one of the reporters, who had started frothing at the mouth and fallen to the ground, everyone else ignoring him as they stayed sitting, their eyes staring forward.

"Yes yes," Dumbledore said impatiently. "I'll have Hagrid dispose of him soon enough."

"What...?" Emerald said suspiciously before ignoring it. "Whatever then, anyway I'm not tired. I'd rather have something to eat. You've got the celebratory feast going on, haven't you?"

"Well..." Dumbledore said, clearly startled. "Yes, but surely –"

"Then its settled." Emerald grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Let's go and great my new subjects."

As soon as Emerald entered the Great Hall, a group of six Hufflepuffs quickly ran behind him and began to follow him. Emerald turned to look at them when Draco suddenly put his arm around Emerald's shoulder.

"Emerald!" His voice was filled with laughter. "Congratulations on your new title. Oh don't mind them," he caught Emerald's attention again when he tried to turn around to look at the Hufflepuffs. "One doesn't look at the help," he said as though lecturing an infant on table manners. "Now then, I have a great deal to teach you now that you're a King!"

"Such as..." Emerald said suspiciously.

"How to be a king of course!" Draco said as they passed the Ravenclaw table. "For example..." He grabbed a goblet full of juice and poured it on the ground. Reaching behind Emerald, he grabbed a Hufflepuff and threw him on the floor directly on the puddle of liquid before proceeding to step over him.

"Thanks..." Emerald said in slight confusion.

"You're, ouch, welcome." The Hufflepuff said in misery as Emerald stepped on his back.

"So anyway," Emerald began to ask. "So what's been happening since I left?"

"Ah..." Draco said, smirking a little. "Where to start? For starters, the Durmstrang lot no longer have a place to stay in since you destroyed their boat. The French have all had apologetic fits after hearing how you treated Fleur and her little sister and are threatening to pull out of the competition altogether, and Cedric...well...I'm afraid he didn't make it."

"Cedric didn't make it...?" Emerald gasped, stopping in his footsteps.

"Yeah, he didn't make it out of the water. As far as we know, your new regent of the Merpeople has taken a liking to him. The Ministry have been doing what they can to retrieve him, but of course if they do it'll cause a huge international scandal. So for now, we're leaving him in their capable hands."

Meanwhile, a mile away underwater...

"AGGGHHHHHHH!"

Back in Hogwarts...

"But anyway, you've achieved a level of popularity that I would've thought unbelievable!"

Emerald glanced at Draco, "What do you mean?"

"Well, for one thing you've been rated by Slytherin to be the most influential members since one of our members in the 1940s. The Hufflepuff's have agreed to acknowledge you as their deity and the Gryffindors are spitting feathers over your victory."

"What about the Ravenclaws?"

"Who cares?"

As they sat down, a House Elf suddenly popped in front of Emerald. "Top of ye' morning, mi'lord." A strange looking creature with baggy clothing and big ears grinned loathsomely at him.

Emerald could only blink in surprise at the ugly looking little bastard. "Draco..." He said incredulously. "What the hell is that?"

"That?" Draco asked. "It's a House Elf."

"Yes Draco, I know it's a House Elf. But what is it doing on my plate and smearing questionable substances over it?"

"Well, you are a Champion and a member of the Monarchy. It's not surprising they assigned to you your own personal House Elf."

"Ok...so why does it have a Irish accent?"

"I have no idea. Pumpkin Juice?" Draco poured it into Emerald's goblet.

"Irish it up for ye, milord?"

Emerald spontaneously almost began to break out in tears and hugged the little creature. "I love you," he began to sob.

"Now Irish it, you little bastard."