Author's Note: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.
When Harry finally woke up, he found himself lying face-down on a bed with his entire body immobilized by magic. Looking around he saw that the Hogwarts Infirmary was an armed camp. Black, Lupin, and the entire Tonks family were present, along with over a dozen Veela whose numbers included the female healer who was treating him. The entire Defense Club was also standing guard over by the door—even Pansy Parkinson. Su waved at him, but it looked like she didn't want to talk in front of the adults surrounding his sickbed.
"Harry Potter, what was the first thing I taught you during your training?" Tonks asked.
"That a Metamorphmagus should never attempt to alter their body while they are suffering from a serious injury," Harry dutifully replied.
"And what did you do out there during the First Task?"
"I attempted to alter my body while I was suffering from a serious injury. I was trying to stop myself from bleeding to death. It seemed like a good idea at the time."
"Well, it wasn't a good idea!" Tonks yelled. "Our abilities only work when our muscles and organs and bones are in their proper places. There are recorded instances of Metamorphmagi dying when their magic interacted negatively with their wounds. The Veela healer says there shouldn't be any permanent damage to your back, but since she can't risk using certain potions it will take some time for you to heal. I doubt you'll be able to dance with the members of your fan club at the Yule Ball."
"That's the best news I have gotten since my bloody name came out of the Goblet of Fire," Harry muttered.
"Mum, will you please try to talk some sense into this idiot."
Since Cissy's death, Andromeda Tonks had been Harry's legal guardian, and at the moment she didn't seem very happy about it. But then the last surviving Black sister never seemed happy these days. When Draco was killed by the Dementors her daughter inherited not only Malfoy's galleons, but also the Black family Wizengamot seat. Lucius had received the hereditary position as part of Cissy's dowry, but now it had returned to its rightful owners. Since Tonks was an Auror she didn't have the time to sit in the Wizengamot all day, and Andromeda was drafted to serve as her proxy. The older witch was now waist-deep in the cesspool of magical politics, much to her disgust.
"Harry, please excuse my daughter's rude behavior. She was very upset when you almost died. Nymphadora has this fantasy about producing a horde of little Metamorphmagi with you," Andromeda explained.
"Mum, you weren't suppose to say anything about that," an embarrassed Tonks whined as she glanced over at her current boyfriend. Lupin had a smile on his face, but it was clearly a fake smile.
"If we are done talking about Tonks' maternal fantasies can someone please tell me how the judges scored the First Task?" Harry asked.
"The lovely Fleur Delacour came in first and was awarded forty points, but what else do you expected from a Veela?" Black said as he winked at the Veela healer across the room. His godfather's style of flirting was over-the-top, but some (deluded) witches found it charming. "Viktor Krum came in second with twenty-eight points. You were last with only six points."
"Six points?" Harry said in a stunned voice. "I killed all twelve of the Quintapeds, and all I got was six lousy points?"
"You should have heard the crowd when they announced the results. The judges were booed for ten minutes," Black added. "You're almost as popular with the witches of Hogwarts as I was back in the day."
"I asked Dumbledore about your score, and he told me that reason you did so poorly was precisely because you killed all twelve Quintapeds," Lupin explained. "Miss Delacour was awarded the highest scores because she only used Stunners. Nor was she bitten like you and Mr Krum, which was also a factor in her favor."
"If they didn't want us to kill the savage man-eating monsters, then why didn't they tell us that before the First Task started?" Harry complained. His back was killing him, and lying face-down on the bed was already starting to annoy him. "I know my Ravenclaws have been studying that bloody sphere I almost died retrieving. Have they figured out what it does yet?"
"It is an antique runic puzzle that young witches and wizards use to play with," Andromeda told him. "You manipulate the symbols on the surface of the sphere to solve the puzzle, and then you are done the interior opens up to reveal a hidden surprise. Sometimes you received candy or even galleons—anything which would motivate a young student to learn more about Ancient Runes."
"That is the only clue they gave us, or was there something else inside of it?" Harry asked in a slightly panicked voice. The First Task had been a surprise, and it had almost killed him. He had to be better prepared for the Second Task.
"No, the sphere was empty," Lupin said. "Miss Lovegood managed to solve the puzzle in less than thirty seconds, which is amazing for a third year. Your fellow Ravenclaws believe that you'll have to solve another rune puzzle at some point during the Second Task, and we all agree with that assessment."
"That don't sound too difficult, but there has to be more to it. The sphere is probably only the first part of the Task, and I will need whatever is inside of it to reach the end," Harry mused. It was difficult to see everyone from his current position, but they all looked embarrassed for some reason. "Is there something else that you guys aren't telling me?"
"Watch this," Tonks said quietly. She then drew her wand and began using it to manipulate the runic symbols on the surface of the sphere. "Harry, you need a wand to work this puzzle."
And thanks to his condition he could barely use a wand at all. "Bloody hell."
The next day Harry was trying—and for the most part failing—to use his mother's old wand to move the runes which covered the small crystal sphere. "Luna did you really solve this in just thirty seconds?"
"Yes, but my father's newspaper the Quibbler was been printing cross-rune puzzles for as long as I can remember. We included a new one in each edition.
Harry was being guarded by five witches, but since he was completely helpless for the next week or two he really couldn't complain. The Veela healer Black had been flirting with—her name was Elsa—insisted that any movement at all might interfere with the rehabilitation of his back muscles. As a result the Defense Club and the Veela had worked out a schedule for guarding him twenty-four hours a day. While they were on duty the witches were also helping Harry with his schoolwork, and Luna was tutoring him on the subject of rune puzzles.
"This is hopeless. I can barely make the little runes move at all," Harry complained. "If there is a time limit during the Second Task I will be totally screwed."
"Maybe you need a new wand," Millie suggested. "I heard that you couldn't find a proper match at Ollivanders, but you could always hire a wand-maker to do a custom job."
Hermione looked up from the History of Magic essay she was proofreading. "Can you really have a wand specifically made for an individual wizard or witch?"
"Yes, but it is basically just status symbols for wealthy purebloods. You're just as likely to find a match at a shop like Ollivanders," Daphne told them. "But Harry's magic is odd in many ways. Since his Animagus form is a unicorn, Tracey and I have often joked that he should have a wand made from a hair taken from his Unicorn tail."
Harry thought about it for a moment. "You know, that might actually work."
In turns out that Apolline, Fleur, and several of the other Veela had their wands custom-made by a famous Moroccan wizard. It took a several letters (and a lot of galleons) to convince the reclusive Mr Cemal to leave Marrakech and come to Hogwarts. However the idea of succeeding where Ollivander had failed convinced him to make the long trip. Harry's healer Elsa was furious with him, but despite the pain he briefly transformed into Blackie and had a few hairs cut from his tail. Su, Luna, Hermione, and Padma also donated hairs from their tails on the off-chance that they might provide a useful core for his new wand.
"You have to admit that our magic is symbiotic in some unknown way," Padma said. "We are the only group of identical Animagi in history."
After a week Mr Cemal produced two new wands. One wand containing a single hair from Blackie, and it simply matched the performance of his mother's old wand. However the wand with hairs from all five unicorns provided Harry with the best results he had ever gotten. It was still impossible for him to cast anything more than a weak Lumos spell, but his new wand did allow him to work the puzzle sphere if he concentrated hard enough.
Andromeda showed him how to reset the patterns so he could practice with a number of different puzzles. With Luna's guidance and a lot of work Harry could now open the sphere in about two or three minutes, but that was with no outside distractions. He doubted that it would be that easy during the Second Task.
As the month of December was coming to an end Harry's recovery was going well. So much so that he had no choice but to attend the Yule Ball. There was no question that Su was going to be his date, but the left Hermione and Padma in an awkward position. Daphne came to their rescue when she introduced them to a pair of seventh-year Slytherin wizards who didn't want their conservative parents finding out that they were a couple. Escorting a pair of beautiful witches to such a high-profile event made for excellent social camouflage.
Luna was spending the winter holidays with her father—at Harry's insistence. More than ever he was afraid for her safety. It was almost like she had become a talisman for him, which was why she was still a virgin. Everyone else in Harry's life was becoming corrupted by his freakish magic, and he wanted her to stay innocent for as long as she could.
The three juiciest bits of gossip to hit the Hogwarts grapevine that December came from Harry's own circle of friends. Not only had Viktor Krum had asked Millie to the Yule Ball, but he also asked her to marry him. The Krum family came from an ancient line of purebloods, but living under communism for fifty years had left them impoverished. The Bulstrodes were extremely wealthy, and Millie was a powerful witch who wanted a large family. That made her an ideal catch as far as Viktor was concerned, even if most of the other wizards in the castle failed to agree with him. Harry had spent a lot of time with a naked and sweaty Millie, so he had no trouble understanding his fellow Champion's attraction to the Slytherin witch.
Another source of gossip was Fleur's date to the Ball, who happened to be Professor Weasley. As the Veela tartly pointed out to anyone who asked, William was not her Professor. She was legally of age, which meant they were free to date. Su thought that the French witch just adored all the scandalous attention, and Harry thought Professor Weasley just adored all the incredible sex. Even as a virgin Fleur had been handful in bed.
The Yule Ball itself was an ordeal. In addition to Su, Harry had to dance with over a dozen witches, and all this physical activity put a terrible strain on his back. Still, it was a fun, especially after the Weasley twins spiked the punch bowl with Firewhiskey. While Harry was dancing with Fleur the two them unleashed their combined Ecstasy on the crowd for few seconds, thus insuring that the Astronomy Tower and broom closets saw plenty of action that night.
The third bit of gossip was the surprise wedding of the notorious Sirius Black. The old dog had fallen hard for the Veela healer who was overseeing Harry's recovery, and he surprised her with a huge rock of an engagement ring. For some insane reason Elsa said yes, and the pair decided to get married on Boxing Day. That meant a hung over group of students had to drag themselves to London the day after the Yule Ball for the wedding ceremony.
All the witches agreed that Black had made a complete recovery from his time in Azkaban, and that he looked dashing in his dress robes. Lupin and Tonks were serving as the Best Man and the Maid of Honor respectively, and Harry had never seen Grimmauld Place look nicer. Still, something about all this didn't seem right to him.
"Apolline, why did Elsa agree to marry a dog like Black?" Harry asked Fleur's mother as he used his Legilimency on her. He needed an honest answer to his question. "I like my godfather well enough, but he isn't exactly what you would call husband material."
"Veela don't marry for love—we marry for power. My own husband is the third-ranking wizard in the French government," Apolline replied as she gestured over towards Mr Delacour and their cute little daughter Gabrielle. "As the godfather of the Lord Dionysus, Sirius Black is a very valuable resource. By seeking the protection of powerful and wealthy wizards, the Veela have survived for over four thousand years."
"What about Fleur's relationship with Professor Weasley? As far as I can tell he just another dirt-poor ginger."
"William Weasley is one of Albus Dumbledore's closest advisors now that the Headmaster has lost the services of Severus Snape to marriage and fatherhood. Fleur is having a bit of fun with the handsome boy, but at the same time she is also passing to the Veela Enclave a great deal of information about the current political situation here in the United Kingdom."
"What kind of information?" Harry asked.
"Dumbledore believes that Voldemort will strike at Hogwarts before the end of the school year. Weasley is very concerned about the safety of his young siblings, so he must stay at the castle in hopes of protection them when the time comes," Apolline explained. "He has also told Fleur that she should leave the country as soon as the Triwizard Tournament ends."
"Isn't that just wonderful."
The wedding itself was a great success. The bride and groom looked splendid together, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Harry got drunk for the second time in two days, and he was wondering if the new god of wine was doomed to become an alcoholic. He also noted with some trepidation that Su, Hermione, and Padma all cried during the ceremony. Harry loved his broodmares, but at fourteen was already a confirmed bachelor for life.
January and the first part of February passed by quickly when they returned to Hogwarts. Harry's health continued to improve, and he was doing well in all his classes thanks to the tutoring he was receiving from a small army of witches. Luna continued to help him with the runic puzzles, and using his new wand he could usually unlock the sphere in about a minute. Hopefully that would be good enough. Life seemed almost pleasant for a change until the morning of the Second Task when they learned that Hermione was missing.
"Where the hell is she?" Harry snarled as he flooded Minerva with his Charisma.
"Miss Granger was taken from her bed last night, and will be serving as a hostage during the Second Task," the Professor replied in a dead voice. Harry's magical strength had increased over the years, but at the moment he didn't care if he was causing Minerva permanent brain damage. "The Headmaster originally wanted to use Miss Li, but he was afraid of the political backlash her family might cause if her life was place in danger again. As muggles Miss Granger's parents have no legal rights in the magical world, so we used her instead."
"Maybe we can save her before this stupid contest begins," Su said. "Where is she being kept?"
"It is already too late to save her—Miss Granger is floating over the Black Lake as we speak."
When their group exited the castle a weird vista greeting them. A series of tall ward stones surrounded the shore of the Black Lake much like the stone statues found on Easter Island, and there were bleachers for the spectators located just behind them. Floating aimlessly high above the lake were three spheres identical to the one Harry had retrieved during the First Task. Identical expect for their size and color. These much larger spheres were about the size need to hold a single hostage, and each one was a different color: gold for Hogwarts, blue for Beauxbatons, and red for Durmstrang.
All around them flew a mixed flock of magical creatures. There was a hippogriff, two griffins, six occamys, and as they got closer they could also see hundreds of Cornish Pixies and Fwoopers. The lake itself was also danger, since several monsters could be seen swimming just below the surface. All and all, it was one big deathtrap.
"I can't believe they are actually using Fwoopers," Padma said. "They can cause a wizard to go temporarily insane if you listen to their birdsong for too long."
"What does that matter?" Harry snapped. "I almost got myself killed during the First Task because I didn't want anyone to know I could fly, but now I have no choice but to fly up to the sphere and rescue Hermione right in front of the entire magical world."
"Potter, if you don't calm down you will never be able to solve the rune puzzle," Su said as she punched him in the arm. "Obviously they are going to give you a broom, so maybe you can just pretend to ride it like a normal wizard?"
"I tried that a couple of times, and it only makes it harder to fly for real. I could never fake it and carry Hermione at the same time," Harry explained. "I would just end-up dropping her into the lake, and from that height the water might kill her even before those sea-monsters get to her."
When the reached the large crowd they found that Viktor and Fleur were just as upset as Harry was. No matter how brilliant he was on a broom, Viktor was still afraid that his new fiancée might get hurt. Both Fleur and Apolline were prepared to start a blood feud with Dumbledore on the spot for kidnapping the eight year-old Gabrielle and placing her in such danger. The three Champions agreed that it was outrageous to force their loved ones to take part in the Triwizard Tournament.
"Good day Mr Potter. Here is the broom which you will need to complete the Second Task," Dumbledore said as he handed Harry a new Nimbus 2000.
The smug bastard was perfectly aware of the fact that Harry had never been able to use a broom, but that was the whole point. The Boy-Who-Lived was going to fail in front of this huge crowd of spectators. Everyone would see that their beloved hero couldn't ride a broom—something that every eleven year-old children was able to do. Not since his Aunt Petunia's death had Harry been so furious at Dumbledore for playing his stupid games with other people's lives. He grabbed Nimbus 2000, and snapped it half over his knee. He kept the end without any bristles, and tossed the other half over his shoulder.
"Mr Potter, what do you think you are doing?" Dumbledore asked. "You will not be given another broom."
"Just start the Task so we can get this over with," Harry hissed as he put on the Quidditch helmet and goggles they had provided for the three Champions.
The Headmaster reached for his wand, and they only thing that kept him from cursing his obnoxious student was the crowd that surrounded them both. "Very well." A flick of Dumbledore's wand caused a nearby canon to fire. It was the signal that the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament had officially begun.
In took Harry all of two seconds to reach the golden Hogwarts sphere. Evading the various magical creatures while he was flying up was easy, but now that he was floating in place near the sphere they began attacking him in earnest. Dodging the large griffins and occamys wasn't hard, but the Cornish Pixies were biting him like mad through his clothes as he studied the various runes. As Padma had pointed out, the real danger were the Fwoopers and their insanity-inducing birdsong. Whenever Harry saw their brightly colored feathers, he took the broom stick he had kept and gave the tiny things a hard smack that shut them up.
Solving the rune puzzle while constantly evading the flying creatures was time-consuming, but slowly Harry used his new wand to unlock the floating prison. When the last rune was it place a round hole appeared in the side of the sphere, and tucked away inside was a sleeping Hermione Granger. If anything was wrong with her, he was going to cut Dumbledore's heart out with dull spoon.
Just as Harry went to pick her up out of the sphere, he heard a loud scream. The hippogriff had just raked its talons across Fleur's back, and she had fallen off her broom. Without thinking Harry went into a two hundred kilometer-per-hour dive, and caught the Veela a second before she hit the hard surface of the lake. Fleur was at least ten kilograms heavy than Su, but he managed to fly her to the shore and dump her there before rocketing back up towards Hermione.
Harry then realized to his horror that Gabrielle was still being held in the blue Beauxbatons' sphere. If he just abandoned the little witch it might ruin his standing with the entire Veela Enclave. As he dodged two of the occamys he knew he had no choice but to rescue her as well. Luckily Fleur had almost completed her puzzle, and Harry only had to move two more runes to free her sister. Just as he picked up the sleeping Veela a Cornish Pixie bit right into his exposed neck. He crushed it to death with his bare hand, and grabbed Gabrielle right before one of the griffins pounced.
The trip over to the Hogwarts' sphere was brutal. Harry had over a dozen bites covering his body, and he didn't think he could make another trip back up to the spheres. He had to risk carrying both witches at the same time, and hope that they didn't crash into the lake below.
When Harry took-off carrying Hermione and Gabrielle he dropped like a rock. He used all the magic he had left to push them over towards dry ground, but they didn't quite make it. Luckily they landed only a few meters from the shore. The water broke the spell Hermione was under, and she was able to swim by herself while Harry carried a confused Gabrielle on his back. When they reached the waiting crowd he noticed that everyone was silent, and they were all staring at him.