When Harry saw the front of the Daily Prophet the next morning, his stomach dropped in dread. Of all the photographs that they had posed for, why in Merlin's name had Skeeter chosen a picture of Harry on his own as the cover picture?

Worse still, when Harry opened the paper to find Skeeter's article on the Triwizard Tournament, he discovered that she had written more about him than she had the other five Champions put together. Harry hoped the other Champions didn't blame him for her article.

The only good thing about the article was how accurately she had described their interview. Skeeter's usual articles were filled with slander, but this article didn't have any of that. Harry primarily put it down to Sirius' insistence that Skeeter leave him with a signed copy of the interview. There was no way that she could have misrepresented Harry in her article without being sued by the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black.

After he had finished reading the article, Harry looked up to the Head Table where Sirius was sitting. Sirius, who also had a copy of the paper in his hands, caught Harry's eyes and gave him an approving nod.

Harry smiled gratefully in reply, before standing up and making his way over to the Slytherin Table where Viktor Krum and Nina Viserova were sitting with their schoolmates.

"Dobro utro, Viktor, Nina." Harry greeted them politely. They both started to stand respectfully, but Harry stopped them with a wave of his hand.

"Dobro utro, Harry." Victor replied, returning to his seat. "How may ve help you?

Harry looked around and noted in discomfort that the rest of the Durmstrang students weren't even trying to hide the fact that they were listening in on their conversation.

"I wanted to apologise." Harry explained, bringing up his copy of the Daily Prophet to demonstrate what he was apologising for. "Miss Skeeter's article ought to have been about all six Champions, not just me."

"Do not vorry about it." Nina instructed him with an amused smile. "It is the same in Bulgaria ven Viktor does anything. It vill do him good to, uh, how do you say, igrae vtora tsigulka?"

Harry smirked in amusement as Viktor glared at her in mock outrage. "Play second fiddle?"

"Yes, that." Nina nodded. "So you should not vorry. I am used to not being in papers and it vill do Viktor good not to be."

"Thank you." Harry inclined his head. "That is very understanding of you."

Unfortunately, not everyone was so understanding. While Cedric and Fleur seemed to understand that he hadn't sought the attention, Aceline apparently was still outraged by Harry's set down the day before.

When Harry had attempted to apologise to her, albeit reluctantly, she had shrieked at him in French and called him an "arrogant little boy!" Harry, not willing to be made a fool by her, had simply raised a scathing eyebrow in reply and had, later, made sure that people had overheard him commenting to Draco over the boorish manners of some of Beauxbatons students. He had also made a point to mention how refreshingly cultured he found Fleur – something that later won him a smile from the witch in mention and a proprietorial look from Daphne.

The only other person who seemed to have a problem with the article was Ron Weasley. Ron had been acting subdued ever since he had received two months of detention for threatening Harry in Charms class, but the article seemed to stir him up again and he had renewed his regular verbal attacks on Harry's character.

"Eager for the spotlight, aye, Potter?" Ron heckled outside Charms class a few days later.

Harry rolled his eyes, couldn't Ron come up with any new lines? Ron had already used that one three times since the article had come out.

"I betcha think the whole bloody tournament is about you." Ron continued. "Well, I reckon it's a pity the article didn't mention what dark murderous wanker you are! Next time I see Rita Skeeter I'm going to tell her about how you hang around with Death Eaters and corrupt innocent light wizards. What do you think you're adoring fans will think of that?"

Harry sat down at his usual desk with a small frown. As much as he inwardly, and sometimes outwardly, wished Ron would get new material, he had absolutely no idea where the corruption charge had come from.

Ron moved to stand in front of Harry's desk, close enough that Harry could see the other boy's freckles despite them being mostly hidden by red face.

"You think you're so great, don't you, Potter?"

Harry ignored him, laying out his quill and parchment on his desk. That was definitely not a new line.

"You swan around school corrupting my brothers over to the dark side!" Ron snarled.

Harry's eyes darted up to Ron's face in surprise. "What?"

"You heard me, Potter!" Ron snapped. "First you corrupted Fred and George, and as though that wasn't enough now you've gotten Bill and Charlie too!"

"Wait," Harry shook his head. "You're blaming that on me? What do you think I did? Held a wand to your brother's head until he accepted his birth-right?"

"It's not his bloody birth-right!" Ron exploded, spittle flying everywhere.

"Come on, Ron." Dean Thomas was pulling at his friends arm. "Flitwick will be here any minute and you don't want to get any more detentions."

"Or lose Gryffindor any more points." One of the Gryffindor girls mumbled quietly.

21-21-21

"He said what?" Draco asked, between peals of laughter.

Neville, who was leaning against the trunk of the tree that they were sitting under, looked confused. "That Harry was corrupting his brothers across to the dark side."

Draco let out another burst of laughter. "He actually said dark side?"

Neville glanced sideways at Harry, as though hoping that he would be able to explain Draco's strange behaviour.

Harry, who had been attempting to wordlessly cast a Disarming spell at the ground, sighed. "Yes, Draco, he used those exact words."

Draco laughed again. "Oh, that's just too wonderful! Do you think he knew that was using a muggle reference to insult you?"

"I doubt it." Neville put in. "For all that he's anti-traditional, Ron knows next to nothing about muggles. How is 'dark side' a muggle reference?"

"We really should have taken you to see Star Wars over the summer!" Draco declared.

"Next summer." Harry promised. "Last summer was too busy with the Quidditch World Cup."

"Hopefully next summer will be busy as well." Draco said excitedly. "Father said that I could try out for Under Seventeen Quidditch!"

"Sirius said the same thing!" Harry exclaimed gleefully, how had he forgotten about that?

"Smashing!" Draco declared, before his face fell. "Though it makes the lack of Quidditch Cup this year even worse. How are we supposed to keep on the top of our games if we aren't playing?"

"You're still practising though, aren't you?" Neville put in.

"Yes," Draco admitted. "But it's not the same. I'm a Chaser, I need to practise with other Chasers."

"What happened to those Durmstrang Chasers you were practising a few weeks ago?" Harry asked, trying once again to cast the spell wordlessly.

Draco considered that. "I suppose I could ask them if they are interested in practising again. Are you going to fly with Krum again?"

"I'd like to." Harry answered, pausing as he tried the spell again. "But I don't want to ask him. I don't want him to think I'm like Weasley."

Draco snorted. "I don't think anyone could find similarities between you and Weasley. It would be like comparing a Hippogriff with one of Hagrid's flesh-eating slugs."

21-21-21

"Have you noticed the glares that Pansy has been sending you?"

Harry turned his head slightly so that he could see where Pansy and Tracey were sitting on a transfigured blanket approximately fifteen feet away from where he was sitting with Draco, Daphne, and Theo.

"Of course." Harry answered Theo with a small smirk. "Not that she's unique."

"No, you have quite the collection of haters." Draco agreed. "There's Pansy, Weasley, and Moreau."

"Not to mention my dorm-mates." Harry agreed.

"What's their problem?" Theo asked curiously. "I thought they were mostly ignoring you?"

"They were, until they realised that being my friend might earn them an introduction to Viktor." Harry rolled his eyes. "Now I'm the one ignoring them."

Theo grimaced. "Aren't you still part of their chocolate business?"

"If by 'part of', you mean benefit financially without having to do anything, then yes." Harry answered with a pleased smile. "I put ten galleons in when they started in up, with the understanding that I would get twenty percent of the profits. They've been selling so much that I've already doubled my investment."

"Is it really worth it though?" Draco sneered. "You get less than a galleon a month – that's barely anything."

"It's not about the money." Harry pointed out. "It's about the fact that they do all the hard work and I still get paid. They must hate it!"

Draco, Theo, and Daphne all smirked. "Well, when you put it like that."

"She is still glaring at you." Theo commented, glancing back towards Pansy.

"She's just jealous." Draco said, puffing out his chest.

"Whatever happened with her, anyway?" Theo asked curiously. "I've always wondered. One day she was hanging out with us, and the next she had just stopped."

"It wasn't quite that dramatic." Harry pointed out. "Do you remember her behaviour last year?"

"I do." Daphne sneered towards Pansy. "She was acting like a wanton hussy. It was disgraceful."

Draco smirked. "It was hilarious."

Harry shot him a dirty look. "You didn't think it was so funny in second year when she was focussing all her attention on you."

"No," Draco grimaced at the memory. "But you did."

"It just goes to show how terribly uncouth she is." Daphne sniffed. "As though her wanton behaviour wasn't bad enough, to turn her attention towards a wizard who is betrothed is simply deplorable."

"So what happened?" Theo asked eagerly.

"Well, you know that I reprimanded her multiple times." Harry told him.

Theo smiled gleefully. "You know, I actually miss watching you do that. It was even more entertaining than Quidditch."

Harry ignored him. "But you may not have been aware that Sirius had contacted Pansy's father about her behaviour at the end of second year, and then a few times in third year."

"Really?" Theo's eyes were wide.

"Eventually, Sirius basically told Mr. Parkinson that if he didn't make Pansy stop then Sirius would make it his personal mission to make the House of Parkinson regret it." Harry grinned, he'd been so proud of Sirius that day.

"Merlin!" Theo looked over at where Pansy was sitting. "No wonder she stopped, Lord Black can be terrifying."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "Now she just glares at me from a distance."

"Which is still contemptibly ill-mannered." Daphne declared.

"Yes, though not unexpectedly so." Harry agreed. "It is not as though she has ever given us a reason to believe that she would behave otherwise."

Daphne sneered. "It is witches like her who give traditionalism a bad name. Presumptuous plebeians who do not understand their place in the world."

"Yes," Harry nodded. "Moreau's the same. Can you believe that she tried to warn me away from Fleur? She called her a half breed and said that she was a stain on their proud school."

Daphne shook her head in disgust. "What did you say?"

"I told her that the only people in England who had those views were uncultured." Harry smirked. "And then, when she said 'I beg your pardon', I told her that in doing so she was showing that she had at least some class."

"That sounds amazing!" Theo exclaimed, before sighing in disappointment. "I can't believe that I missed it."

21-21-21

It was Harry and Daphne's third date to Hogsmeade and Harry couldn't help but feel that it was a lot more comfortable than the last two had been. Something that he put down to their letters. Sure, writing letters wasn't the same as talking to someone, but it was definitely better than nothing.

"A tasty treat, for a delightful lady." Harry teased as he handed Daphne the packet of Sugared Butterfly wing he had bought from Honeydukes.

Daphne blushed prettily. "Thank you, Harry."

"Though I don't understand how you like them." Harry commented, as they began walking towards the Leaky Cauldron – Daphne's gloved hand tucked into his elbow. "Did you know that they have actual butterfly wings in them?"

"Of course." Daphne answered. "That's what makes them so pretty."

"What do butterfly wings even taste like?" Harry asked curiously.

Daphne laughed lightly in amusement. "You don't actually taste them."

"But you don't think it's weird to eat something with actual butterfly wings in it?" Harry asked.

"Says the wizard who enjoys eating animated frogs." Daphne returned.

Harry grinned unapologetically. "You didn't answer my question."

"No," Daphne answered. "I don't. It is no weirder than eating any other kind of meat anyway."

"Fair point." Harry acknowledged, before groaning quietly when he spotted Skeeter standing outside of the Leaky Cauldron with the same photographer who had been at the Wand Weighing Ceremony.

"What is it?" Daphne asked, before apparently seeing who he was looking at. "Oh."

Harry turned, spinning Daphne around with him, and began to walk quickly in the opposite direction.

"Mr. Potter!" Skeeter's voice called loudly.

Harry sighed in defeat and turned around again, before waiting for Skeeter to make her way towards him. She looked ridiculous trying to run in her stilettoed heels.

"Miss Skeeter."

"Mr. Potter." Skeeter's eyes were gleaming and they narrowed on Daphne. "And who is this?"

Harry clenched his jaw. "Daphne, dear, this is Rita Skeeter, reporter for the Daily Prophet. Miss Skeeter, this is my betrothed, Daphne Greengrass, daughter of the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass."

"Oh how lovely!" Skeeter exclaimed, turning and beckoning her photographer over. "You two must be on a date."

"Yes." Harry admitted shortly.

Skeeter ignored him, turning her attention to Daphne. "Can I call you Daphne? Tell me, Daphne…"

"No, you may not." Daphne interrupted firmly.

Skeeter's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, then, tell me, Miss Greengrass, what do you think of the fact that Harry entered the Triwizard Tournament."

"I don't believe that he did." Daphne answered, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Really?" Skeeter raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Come now, Daphne…"

"Miss Greengrass." Harry corrected her firmly.

Skeeter shot him an annoyed look as she continued. "You can't seriously believe that your boyfriends name just appeared in the Goblet of Fire."

"Certainly not," Daphne agreed. "However, I do believe that someone other than my betrothed put his name in the Goblet."

Skeeter frowned disgruntledly before she replaced the expression with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Well, enough about that. Tell me, how long have the two of you been together?"

"Lord Black and Lord Greengrass signed our betrothal contract at the end of July." Harry answered carefully.

Skeeter's eyes widened in, what Harry could only presume was, fake surprise. "A betrothal contract, really? Aren't they dreadfully old fashioned?"

"I don't believe so, no." Daphne answered sharply.

"You don't feel…trapped, dear?" Skeeter asked her. "You wouldn't rather have the opportunity to decide who to marry for yourself?"

Daphne's hand tightened on Harry's arm. "No, I trust my father's judgement."

"But…" Skeeter apparently wasn't willing to let it go.

"Besides," Daphne interrupted her dismissively. "I cannot imagine finding anyone that I would rather be married to than Harry."

Skeeter's smile was probably supposed to be sweet, but Harry thought it looked calculating. "Ah, young love."

Harry made a show of looking at his pocket watch for the time. "We really must be going. Merry Part, Miss Skeeter."

"Wait!" Skeeter said suddenly. "First, a photograph."

Harry glanced down at Daphne to ensure that she was willing, before agreeing. "Very well."

Skeeter's face lit up. "Lovely! Now you stand there. Bozo, come and get your camera set up!"

Harry bent down so that he could whisper in Daphne's ear. "Shall we make it like an official portrait?"

Daphne's eyes sparkled. "Definitely."

"Do you know the portrait in the Elladora Lounge?" Harry asked. "Where they're both standing?"

"But I don't have a shawl." Daphne pointed out.

Harry pulled a clean handkerchief out of his pocket and, turning his back on Skeeter and Bozo, enlarged it until it was large enough to be a shawl.

"You had better do the colour charm." Harry suggested quietly, passing her the material. "There is no way I would get the shade right."

Daphne laughed softly, before tapping the enlarged handkerchief with her wand and whispering the incantation. Immediately, the shawl turned a dark burgundy colour.

Harry's eyes widened in appreciation. "That's the colour of the House of Black."

Daphne met his eyes. "I know."

Harry reached for her hand and squeezed it in appreciation. He agreed with what she had told Skeeter, he couldn't imagine anyone he would rather marry than Daphne.

"Ready?" Skeeter's voice called out from where she was standing behind the camera.

Harry faced the camera before angling his body towards Daphne, as Daphne draped the shawl across her back and over both her arms. It took a few seconds for her to get the shawl right, with one end of it falling onto the ground in front of her, then she placed her left hand on Harry's arm and they both turned their attention to the camera and smiled blandly.

"Lovely!" Skeeter declared as the camera flashed. "Now, how about one with the two of you kissing?"

Harry stared at her coldly. "I think not."

Daphne removed her hand from his arm and readjusted the shawl so that it was no longer hanging on the ground.

Harry smirked in amusement. "I'm not getting that back, am I?"

"Not today." Daphne answered and she wrapped it around her robes.

21-21-21

Betrothals: Old-fashioned or Romantic? A conversation with Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass.

The Daily Prophet's headline the next day came to no surprise to Harry, though he couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised at how well the photo had come out. He and Daphne looked perfect and, while the photo was black and white, Harry felt proud that Daphne had chosen the colour of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black for the shawl.

He could feel the eyes of his fellow students on him and glanced over at Daphne to see how see was receiving all the attention. He needn't have bothered, Daphne looked perfectly at ease as she accepted their fellow students admiring stares.

Looking up the Head Table, Harry noticed that even Sirius looked impressed. Though his godfather would of cause know where they got their inspiration for the photo.

Harry looked back down at the photo, before flicking through the paper to find the article. He skimmed through it quickly and was pleased to note that Skeeter hadn't misrepresented them at all. Either she thought that the truth made a good enough story, or she was more scared of being sued by Sirius than Harry had thought.

As pleased as Harry was by the article though, it didn't help his growing anxiety. The First Task was in two days and he had no idea what he was supposed to facing. Maybe, if he had been a Gryffindor, the idea of having to face a challenge without any warning would be exciting, but he was a Ravenclaw and it just made him feel underprepared.

21-21-21