Chapter 25: A Night In
Two fucking weeks.
Two missions back to back. Merlin, if he didn't know any better he'd say Scrimgeour was trying to work him into an early grave.
That last German witch had nearly managed it too. Last time he dropped his wand before his opponent was down or dead. Not necessarily in that order.
If it hadn't been for Becky and Kendra slamming the witch on either side with banishing spells he'd probably be in a bed in St Mungo's right now.
He smiled as he leant against his cluttered desk. It'd normally be spotless but he'd had to write up his report on the Czech Republic before having to rush out to another mission.
Thank Merlin his team were having a week off now. Standard protocol was to give a team the same time off to recover and write up reports as they'd been in the field. But it would appear James' presence on the continent was required more and more.
Scrimgeour had nearly handed him another mission the second they'd appeared in the barracks yesterday, shattered and in the girls' case, murderous.
He'd put his foot down and demanded relief before the old lion opened his mouth. He was a damn good Auror, his team were getting better and better with every mission and they'd continue to improve but if they didn't get some rest they'd be in the floor quicker than you could say Avada Kedavra.
The only reason he wasn't in bed with Aurora right now was because he'd been ordered in for a special team meeting by Amelia. Merlin only knew what that was about. If it was something to involve the whole team he doubted it was to do with the warnings he'd given to at least one person in every group they'd knocked around.
Kids normally. Most of them couldn't have been older than eighteen. He'd have preferred to scare the messages into some of the older members. They'd probably be listened to some more and actually taken seriously. Shame most of them decided fighting to the death was a better idea.
So James took what he could get.
The meeting wasn't for another hour but James had a report to finish. He'd given up last night when Aurora had pulled him to bed, but it wouldn't hurt to have two completed reports if this meeting was anything to do with missions.
'Sir?' Kendra said from his doorway. 'Why are you so early?'
He half-smiled and held up his completed report. 'Same as you I expect. Tell me you have coffeet?'
She held up two mugs, trying to keep her own paperwork under her arm as she joined him in the office. 'They were both for me but you look like you need some too, black coffee alright?'
He nodded and took the spare mug gratefully. 'Thanks. I'd have thought you'd still be sleeping. Your magic took one hell of a beating over the last fortnight.'
'Well that's the job isn't it?' she shrugged and took a long swig from her own strong coffee. 'Besides, Fowler picked up at least a quarter of the slack this week, I'm not too knackered for a change.'
James smirked at the slight admittance that her partner was getting better. They were never going to be friends, Becky could become the single greatest Auror ever and Kendra would still be pissed off by her.
They were working better as a team though and that's all that mattered right now. It certainly kept him alive night before last.
James conjured a chair for the ex-Slytherin and took his own behind his desk. 'She's doing better. Just because you don't have a social life to consider like she does doesn't mean she's not improving.'
She gave him a sardonic look and ignored the dig.
James briefly wondered if this was what it had been like for Moody with him. There was definitely shadows of the relationship he'd had with his old mentor growing between them. When the woman started making digs back at him it'd be almost spot on.
And he could hardly think of anyone who'd make for a better apprentice. While both the new girls were top of their class while he was teaching them ... the girl before him was definitely leaps and bounds further along now. Plus there was a sort of understanding between the two that Becky would probably kill her partner for.
Maybe it'd be something to touch on when Kendra was a little more comfortable with him and the team. It wasn't like he wasn't ever going to have an apprentice. Hell he'd probably wind up teaching all his Auror tricks to Harry and Daphne before long. His son didn't seem to quite get that Daphne didn't want his protection or even really need it as much as Harry thought.
They'd gotten closer recently and while she wasn't talking to him about everything, in fact looked remarkably awkward to be sat in the room with him on her own, at the moment the girl had been less frosty recently. The last time they'd been in here he had told her he knew how she'd saved her sister from their mother though, that'd make anyone uneasy.
'Don't worry about being quiet while I finish this by the way.' He rolled out his report and dipped a quill in an ink well. 'I have a house full of rowdy children after all.'
'Your son?' Kendra asked with a furtive look at the door.
'Sirius and Dora,' James corrected as he scratched away at his report. Just the closing statements thankfully. Aurora had at least waited for him to get the nitty gritty down before claiming him for the night. 'Speaking of our resident Metamorph, have you seen her this morning?'
She shook her head, hiding her smile and picked at her nails as she finally relaxed a little in the chair. 'No sir, I would have thought you'd know that already though. Didn't you come from home?'
'Hogwarts.'
Her mouth made an o of comprehension and took to scanning the room for more things to distract her from talking to him.
He shook his head and finished another sentence in only slightly strained silence. 'So what's the plan for your fortnight off?'
'I thought we only had a week?' she asked with a confused frown. 'Head Auror Scrimgeour give us another week?'
'I'll talk to Amelia today. The grumpy bastard is probably kicking around somewhere anyway.' James finished the last line and stretched in his chair. 'You lot worked hard and protocol demands an equal amount of rest to field work on foreign soil. If he resists when he normally gives it freely Amelia'll have his bollocks over the fire.'
Kendra smirked at the image and James allowed himself a small smile. Another step in the right direction then.
'Madam Bones has a soft spot for you doesn't she sir?' she asked suddenly as James signed his name on the bottom.
'You could say that.' James chuckled. He rolled up the parchment, stood and put down his now empty mug as he approached the door. 'But never to her face. She'll have you doing raids on the shittiest of shitholes if you imply she's got favourites.'
'Why?' she asked as she hurried to follow, her own mug forgotten on his desk. 'It's not like she's hiding it.'
Letting her out through the door James pulled it shut with an audible click. The locking spell working instantly ever since Robards had forced his way in months ago. He still hadn't forgiven the big man for that.
The Welshman had invaded and undermined his privacy and position. Normally he wouldn't give much of a shit but Gawain was gunning for him. So, locking charms and he only considered doing something nastier like Moody suggested for a minute.
Moody had called him soft. James conceded the point.
'She has to appear fair,' James explained as they made their way to the briefing rooms at the back of the open plan office. 'Madam Bones built a reputation on being strict but fair. Favourites would contradict that reputation.'
'True,' the raven haired witch said. 'She still doesn't hide it very well though.'
'Eh,' James said with a shrug. 'You gonna ask her about it?'
Kendra blanched and gave him a rueful smile. She knew why it was dangerous to claim he was the Head's favourite.
Madam Bones as a professional body wasn't allowed favourites. That'd be unfair to the other people she commanded.
Amelia was human though. The rumours that she was grooming James to take her job eventually were rampant and while they'd never been denied or confirmed … Amelia had asked, quite recently, if he'd ever considered the Head Auror position.
Those kind of rumours were the reason Robards and Scrimgeour were so very keen to keep him in his supposed place. Failing miserably of course. Keep him in line? Please.
They made their way into the very back of the Auror Office, the Barracks had specific rooms for these kind of missions and Amelia had more offices than anyone could possibly need but her note had been very clear.
A plain grey door almost faded in with the wall of the corridor so well he'd have walked past if he didn't know what he was looking for. The war rooms of the Aurors had to be secretive as possible after all.
The old war rooms were locked off except to the Head of the DMLE, the current Minister of Magic and whomever the Head wanted allowed through. The locking charm unlocked with magical signatures instead of just a typical Alohamora. Trying that spell to get through this door would leave you with wasted magic at best and a snapped wand at worst. The slightest flicker of your magic, just enough to give off your signature was what got you through, if you were one of the people The Head wanted in these old chambers.
Pushing through a single door into the oldest part of the Auror Office James hustled Kendra through. Slamming the door behind him. The automatic locking spell clicked into life. That must mean they were the last ones in.
Dora had beat him here? He couldn't be surprised by the others but the Metamorph had made no secrets about how she planned to spend most of her time off. Remus must be glad for the breather.
This meeting must either be so important that Amelia felt the need to avoid the most obvious places or his boss just felt like being contrary. Well she had picked up a few eccentricities of her own in her tenure as an Auror.
'Sir,' Kendra said once she was sure they wouldn't be overheard. 'Where are we going? I've never been back here.'
James grimaced at that. 'Yeah, that's not something to worry about. These are the old war rooms we use during any big magical war. We'd be in here pretty much all the time if we were at full scale war.'
'Is there a war going on that I don't know about sir?' She said with a bit of bite. 'Is that why you've been kicking kids around in Europe?'
'Kids?' James raised an eyebrow at the woman barely out of her teens herself. 'You mean the young acolytes that were throwing dark magic around like sweets last week?'
Kendra hummed once but didn't meet his gaze. She didn't approve of his methods but he'd not killed anyone he didn't have to and that seemed to keep any serious rebellion at bay. James could live with that.
'So what are we doing down here?' She asked as they weaved through bland corridor after bland corridor. 'It's deserted.'
With a shrug James turned down what he thought was the last corridor before the bunker set aside for Amelia and other Heads of Department. 'No clue, whatever Amelia has to say must be pretty hush hush.'
Now behind the door and away from listening ears she drew level with him and dipped her head. 'Seriously sir, do you think this has anything to do with what you're doing when we come up against those dark cults?'
That was one option, if she wanted to bollock him for that though she wouldn't have called in the entire team. Amelia had been an Auror for a damn long time before taking the desk job. She knew you didn't discredit a Captain in front of his team. You were sewing doubt that could cost lives by doing that.
Even Scrimgeour didn't pull that shit on people who pissed him off. One of the very few redeeming features Rufus had.
'No. I suspect this is something more serious than that.' James grit his teeth before voicing what he thought this meeting might be about. 'I'm thinking this might have something to do with the recent Death Eater activity.'
The young woman stiffened but loosened quickly enough to not stumble as they carried on walking. 'Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.'
James agreed. Though you never did know with this back door crap.
The corridor narrowed into a bottleneck top with another nondescript door that probably had a neon weave of wards in the wood. It was a bunker after all.
James knocked twice and the door was opened by a grim looking Healer Johnson.
'Hi Jim,' Johnson said with a smile that brought some much needed life back into his face. 'Kendra.'
They nodded and filed in. All purpose rough and ready chairs were scattered around a desk that dominated the room. Team Potter was all here, looking a little grumpy and tired but they all gave him a wave or a nod. It was weird and at the same time a relief that Becky was just as sombre as the rest.
The dread in this room was already beginning to affect him when he gave Amelia Bones a brief salute before he nodded at Moody who was resting against the far wall in one of the chairs. That horrid grin on his face the only real emotion coming from anyone in the room.
'I think your team are picking up your habit of being early James,' Amelia said from behind the desk. 'Never thought I'd see the day where you were the last one in.'
Without command James and his team took seats as Amelia lowered herself into the only semi-comfortable chair in the room. She took off her monocle and rubbed some grit free from the surface with practiced precision.
'Why are we here Amelia?' James asked his boss once her glass was replaced.
'Got you jittery have I?' She smirked over at Moody who just thumped his stick on the floor with an approving hmph. 'Straight to the point is probably for the best, it's sinfully early and I only had one mug of coffee this morning.'
'I want you to look at this.' Amelia splayed out a parchment on the desk and pointed at various dots in countries James and his team had visited in their most recent missions since his suspension was revoked. 'And explain to me exactly why I've got news from my counterparts in these countries moaning about James Potter at least once a week.'
James could feel Kendra's eyes on the back of his skull specifically and for a brief moment James allowed his temper to flare. She was bringing him into the fucking war rooms for this?
'I'm just doing my job ma'am,' James said blankly as he met the older woman's gaze. 'It's not my fault I'm good at it.'
Moody let out a bark of laughter that lifted the tension in the room by all of a millimetre as the senior members of his team let out exasperated sighs or rolled their eyes at him.
'So you're not telling the punk kids that coming to the UK will end … how did the Czech Minister say you phrased it … oh yes. With them being shipped home in separate boxes so all their pieces got back to the same place?'
'Oh that's a good threat Potter,' Moody snorted from his chair. 'Did the boy dream that one up?'
'Alastor, do shut up.' Amelia said calmly. Her eyes never leaving his as she gestured at the map again. 'I'm waiting James.'
He considered lying. Only for a moment though. Amelia must have been getting complaints from nearly all of the countries he'd left warnings in. Funnily enough those were also the countries that had strong dark magic roots. Wonder why they had such a stick up their arses about him?
'I don't believe I was quite so melodramatic,' James said carefully. He had his moments of exaggeration but despite Moody's insinuations to the contrary, James had outgrown the teenage threats that his son was so famous for. 'But I have been warning them what's waiting yes.'
'I fucking knew it.' Amelia groaned and rubbed at her face with her hands. 'I fucking knew they were too angry for it just to be the usually unfounded bullshit those bloody Europeans like to throw at me whenever they can. James …'
He didn't react further than to sit straighter in his chair. If she was about to bollock him he would at least be sat up straight. It'd give him a better standpoint to argue back without looking weak to his team.
'… As much as I understand your reasoning, a subtler approach might have worked better.'
Wait, what?
'Amelia?'
The woman smirked at him and the tension that had been weighing heavily on them was gone as she pushed aside the map. 'What, you thought I'd be angry you've been scaring the piss out of Europeans? Come on Potter, if it wouldn't screw any and all the alliances we've got on the continent I'd let you run rampant. However … this has caused a shitstorm that I really didn't need right now. Stuff that you don't know that you're making more difficult to focus on with your threats.'
The sincerity in her voice pulled the tension right back on his shoulders.
'What don't I know?'
Amelia scanned the gathered faces one last time before apparently deciding his team could be trusted with this big secret.
'As you know, I'm not just in charge of the Aurors, I've got my fingers in all sorts of pies. Some of those have brought some very distressing news, that along with the nightmare of Crouch going missing last month, has made me very busy making sure the DMLE doesn't come apart at the seams.'
'Crouch is missing?' Dora jutted in with a look of alarm. 'How? James dumped his arse in a cell himself!'
It wasn't that Crouch though James realised. 'He's not at St Mungo's is he Amelia?' James had stopped keeping an eye on Crouch senior once he'd found out the old man was refined to a hospital bed. But that was ages ago now. He could have been out on his own for Merlin knew how long for all James had known.
'No, he hasn't checked in with any of his minders either.' Amelia ground her teeth and stood abruptly. 'It's been all I can do to keep it out of the media and with you making noise in Europe I'm juggling too much, steps have to be taken James.'
His temper flared again. If she was about to stomp him down for just keeping his family and country safe from a threat they thought was gone she had another thing coming. Boss or not.
'I'm not stopping Amelia.' James rose to his own feet and glared at the witch. 'Even if Voldemort isn't coming back his fucking minions are still out there and all it would take is enough men and they might get ideas. And if he is out there I don't want him having an army waiting when he makes his move.'
Breathing and heartbeats were the only faint sounds in the room as Amelia stared down the angry Auror.
'I'm not asking you to stop Captain Potter.' Amelia rose herself up to her fullest height and her good eye bore into him. 'I'm keeping you and your team on the isles, you'll throw out warnings and lock up any of the wannabes who could be swept up. There are whispers about the Dark Lord, the shit that's been going on at Hogwarts since your son started has me more than a little suspicious. If, and that's a mighty big if Potter, it's Voldemort I want you on home soil. Even if just the Death Eaters we missed decide it's time to kick up another fuss like at the World Cup, I want you here.'
Not for the first time since joining the Aurors James was reminded that Amelia Bones was not a stupid woman. He'd never thought she was of course but every now and again he needed reminding just who he worked for.
She, like the rest of the Wizarding community, didn't want Voldemort to still be around. They wanted so desperately to believe he'd died when he'd failed to kill Harry that night.
Amelia was a pragmatist down to her very bones though. She had always allowed for the prospect that it hadn't been that clean an ending to Lord Voldemort. Her sweep of all suspected Death Eaters was part of what made her a shoe-in for the Head of the DMLE after Crouch senior's public disgrace. It'd also been the first example that she wasn't as naïve as the rest of the Ministry had been.
'There have been hints from the Muggle Liaison Office,' Amelia said as James and his team were still reeling. 'Bomb scares that look suspiciously like wards going wrong in Muggle areas. Suspicious disappearances, children going missing and later being found dead from heart failure. Crouch senior is probably going to turn up dead in a couple weeks if he does at all. The Enforcers have come across more and more bodies that the Muggles can't explain cause of death for. Especially in little villages. The one that got the biggest hoopla in the Muggle papers was some old murder suspect going missing. Though we think we found pieces of him.'
'Pieces?' Becky asked looking queasy.
'Yes,' Amelia said with a piercing tone. 'Like he's been chewed on.'
'Animals?' Johnson chipped in.
'Merlin I hope so,' Hestia murmured, lifting a hand to her throat.
Not many things got under Hestia's' skin but animals, magical or otherwise, that ate people were pretty high up on the list that still got her shivering.
'In any case, there are hints at some of the shit we put up with last time.' Amelia grimaced to herself. 'So, I'm keeping you close. Scrimgeour can find other teams to go out into Europe and kick in doors.'
'Oh he won't like that,' James said with no real concern. Pissing off Rufus wasn't exactly something he was worried about now he had at least a fraction of the full picture.
'I don't much care Captain,' Amelia bit out. 'I want my best Aurors on home ground right now.'
That was that then. They were grounded for the foreseeable future. James couldn't say he minded. He'd be able to spend more time with Aurora and his family. Plus if shit did hit the fan with the Death Eaters, he wouldn't risk being stuck in some forsaken arse backward country at the worst possible moment.
Something was niggling at James though. Why was Moody here?
Apparently he wasn't the only one curious. Tonks nodded at the mad bastard slightly rocking in his chair. 'Why's the nutter here then?'
Moody cackled. 'Yeah Amy,' he said with that horrible grin wider than ever. 'Tell 'em why I'm here.'
'I can change my mind you know,' Amelia threatened but Moody didn't appear to care. 'He's here because he's coming out of retirement and he needs a team …'
'Oh bollocks,' Hestia hissed. 'You can't be serious ma'am!'
Amelia gave the witch a sympathetic look but a stern one replaced it. 'He wouldn't be able to work with anyone else Auror Jones. As of right now, Moody is reinstated as part of Team Potter and you will take your missions directly from me.'
'Don't fret lassies,' Moody said with another demonic grin. His eyes roved over each person before settling on Becky and Kendra. 'I'll have you whipped into shape just like I did Potter here.'
'Alastor,' James said, trying to hide his own dread at having to work with his old mentor again. He might be family but working with Moody in a team and not just the two of them? Merlin's balls was that gonna be a nightmare. 'It's Team Potter, remember that.'
'Oh hark at her,' Moody said with a roll of his non-magical eye. 'Don't get your balls in a twist Potter. Just think about it this way, one more wand that actually knows what it's doing to watch your skinny arse.'
Yeah, this was gonna be hell.
Fuck it, he was going back to bed. 'If that's all Amelia?'
'Not quite.' Amelia scowled at Moody one more time before addressing the team as a whole. 'This must stay purely between those of us in this room. Moody's coming out of retirement is something I want kept secret until the last moment. Same goes for anything else spoken about in this room. I even get a sniff of anything I've told you going to the papers I'll have your wands snapped and all of you locked up for treason.'
The four girls blanched a little at the severity of the threat, but they'd never been part of the first war against Voldemort. If Amelia was being this hardnosed about information it meant she was definitely taking this as seriously as James had hoped she would.
'Now go, enjoy your two weeks off. The real work starts after that and you're gonna need all the rest you can get.' Amelia frowned down at the map of Europe she'd cast aside earlier on. 'Don't worry about Scrimgeour, I'll square the extra leave with him myself.'
The room emptied as Team Potter filed out looking more than a little shaken up, except for Moody who was practically bouncing as he stumped his way out. Throwing barbs back and forth with Dora as she snarked about wanting nothing more than her bed.
He was about to turn and leave himself when Amelia spoke again.
'James, a moment please.'
The door shut itself as James turned to face his boss once again. Why did he have the sneaking feeling he was going to get the well-deserved bollocking he'd expected for trying to tower over the Head of the DMLE? 'I'm sorry about losing my temper earlier Amelia, I know I shouldn't have but it's just-'
'Oh shut up James,' Amelia said with a wave of her hand. 'If I wanted meek little lapdogs who didn't get too big for their robes every now and then I would have fired most of my senior Aurors. This is about something else.'
'Oh?' James asked with a raised eyebrow. 'What?'
She'd placed her monocle down on the table and the weariness slipped onto her face. 'Your boy, has he had any more nightmares recently?'
'Not that he's told me no. I don't think he'd keep them from me after Crouch either.' Telling Amelia had been a difficult decision but if it had had anything to do with making her take such a hard line on the flickers of trouble it was worth it. 'And if he is … well I suspect I could rely on Daphne or Neville to tell me. They're not quite as stubborn as Harry after all.'
That earned a wry smile from the witch and she nodded. 'Good. He gets any more nightmares I want to know. If there's even a shred of a connection to Voldemort's actual existence it means war is coming and I'm not going to be caught with my robes round my ankles like Crouch was.'
'That's an image I could do without Amelia.' James shook his head to try and dispel the image.
'Hm. Me too.' Amelia sat down in the chair and stroked at her hairline. 'Alright James, get yourself back to the castle, make sure Harry doesn't kill something when he realises his kidnap last night was to do with the tournament and not a Death Eater plot. I don't think Albus would be too chuffed if he risked another international incident like he did on Halloween.'
James smirked at his boss and shook his head. 'I'll do my best but he is a Potter after all.'
Amelia groaned into her hand but it wasn't sincere. 'That Aurora of yours doesn't know what she's getting herself into. Poor girl.'
'She'll live.'
You hope. The dark voice in his head whispered.
'Hm,' Amelia said again. 'Alright, now get out. I've got a Head Auror to bring to heel before I get to even think about dealing with the rest of the department.'
'Yes ma'am.' James mock-saluted as he opened the door and left Amelia alone with her thoughts.
Despite the horrifying connotations of the secret meeting James actually felt a bit lighter than when he'd come in. It was good to know he wasn't alone in thinking Voldemort might be returning. At least he had some allies if things went tits up.
If the day could just keep on this positive run James might actually enjoy watching Harry compete in this task.
Well … not absolutely hate it at least.
The room span as Harry stared at the straw ceiling.
'Fuck,' he groaned in a long breath.
His back cracked as he craned his neck. The room appeared to be some kind of primitive kitchen or potions lab. Three black cauldrons bubbled on open flames in the middle of the room. The room was sparse except for counters and a few mismatched items scattered around, a large mortar and pestle resting by a wooden door with a broom leant against the wall next to them. A pair of giant chicken legs hung above a sink.
Wincing, he slowly rose to a sitting position on the wooden panelling beneath him, slumping under his own weight and sighing. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and rolled his shoulders to relieve the kinks in his back.
What happened? Last thing he remembered he was in his rooms with the girls. How in almighty fuck did he get here?
He hadn't been here long, the stiffness in his muscles was already loosening and he felt magic spreading out to add some extra comfort.
Someone had cursed him. Harry growled and stood on shaky knees. That's what had happened. The girls had been chatting on the sofa as he got drinks and when the door went he'd answered it and been cursed for his trouble. He didn't remember who but he remembered an accent.
Motherfuckers. Dirty, scummy fucking cowards, unable to take him in a fair fight they'd sucker punched him in front of his … friends. Who'd more than likely jumped to his defence … Daphne probably had her wand out the second she'd heard the curse hit him.
All three of them would have tried to help but Daphne's training had really brought her along. They'd probably wrecked his rooms in taking him. If they hadn't just taken all four of them.
'Daphne,' he hissed and flexed his wrist for his wand. If they'd hurt any of his friends he'd rip their fucking arms off. But if they'd hurt her.
Cold trickled down his spine when his wand didn't slide obediently into his hand.
'Shit.'
Harry pulled up his sleeve and while whoever had captured him, had left him his holster but taken his wand.
'Shit!' he repeated. 'Shit, shit, shit!'
Okay, okay he needed to calm the fuck down. They'd had to have gotten him out of the castle somehow. Harry'd be having words with Dumbledore about his piss poor security if his dad didn't get to him first. He held more respect for the Headmaster than his family did but for this shit to be possible on his watch, well Dumbledore had a lot of shit to answer for.
But because they'd had to have made it out of the castle … the girls were probably safe, if they'd wanted Harry dead his attackers would have just killed him as opposed to knocking him out and that meant they either needed to leave quickly or kill everything in their way.
Harry had to guess at run. Dumbledore wouldn't miss outright duelling in his own castle. Not the sort of stuff that Daphne would've been throwing around that was for damn sure.
So the girls were safe. That at least was something. Now he had to escape his captors.
Probably Death Eaters who'd slipped the net his dad had tightened around all the so called nobles of Wizarding Britain. The Malfoys and the Notts were likely contenders and this sort of thing stank of people who knew what the fuck they were doing. Pettigrew certainly wasn't one of them.
Voldemort must have been making some more of his old allies remember he wasn't dead. That was a worrying thought but something his dad and uncles had warned him was quite likely. Crouch was currently missing an eye and a leg while he rotted in Azkaban with the more fanatical Death Eaters but the fact that he'd got so close and with Malfoy's stunt with the Diary … the former Death Eaters might have got enough nerve to pull this shit.
Great, he knew who he was probably dealing with.
But why the hell were there potions here? Not to mention why wasn't he locked up in a freaking cell somewhere. They had to have access to something like that if it was one of the richer Death Eaters. This made absolutely no fucking sense.
The three cauldrons bubbled merrily as he inspected each. He couldn't figure out what any of them were and to be honest he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Though one did look something like a Melting Mixture.
Another mark against Snape's teaching that he couldn't even remember what the actual thing looked like though.
Fuck it, he was getting out of here.
He tried the door on the off chance and nearly snorted when it opened with a click. Okay, maybe not Death Eaters. They'd never leave him in a room with an open door.
The door creaked open to reveal five identical iron bars about an inch thick. They ran straight down into the floor.
'Bollocks.'
A stone paved floor stretched out from the door, reaching and climbing the walls to give the outside a castle like feel. He couldn't still be in Hogwarts surely? There wasn't anywhere like this kitchen/potions lab in the school that was for damn sure. Unused classrooms certainly but this sort of set up would be damn impossible to miss the amount of time he spent stalking the castle.
Well what else was a boy to do with a massive fucking castle and an Invisibility Cloak?
Light came from out of sight, round the bend of the circular chamber, there weren't any windows in the wooden room so the stone one probably wrapped around the smaller room. He didn't know whether to be pissed off or flattered they'd gone to this much trouble to trap him. It'd work better if they'd kept underestimating him though.
'Oh those cocky bastards,' Harry growled as his scanning of the outer ring landed on the light fitting directly opposite the bars. Instead of a torch or candle there was a familiar looking piece of wood.
They'd put his wand fucking opposite him, probably to taunt him thinking he couldn't just summon it to him wandlessly. Guess they were still underestimating him then. Good, he'd make them pay for that.
Pushing his arm through the bars as far as he could Harry took several deep breaths and glared at his wand. He outstretched his fingers and pointed his palm at the opposite wall.
'Accio wand,'
His wand didn't even wobble.
'Bugger. Okay,' Harry said. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath. 'Accio wand!'
His wand jiggled slightly and Harry smirked up until the moment it stopped.
'Shit!' Harry hissed and jabbed his wand hand forward again. 'ACCIO WAND MERLIN DAMN IT!'
Anger fuelling his magic, his wand flew towards him and Harry shouted in excitement. Only for his wand to clatter against a bluish wall of magic that covered the stone arch his wand had been sitting in. Rolling down onto the shelf under the fitting uselessly once it bounced against the ward.
'MOTHERFUCKING WHAT?!' Harry snarled as he pulled his arm out from between the bars. 'You fucking smug bastards, I'm going to stab you through the fucking nose when I get out of here I swear on Merlin's shrivelled bollocks!'
He turned from the door and stormed towards the middle of the room. Fucking twats wanted to fucking mess with him before they killed him? Oh they were gonna see what happened when you fucked with a Potter. He was gonna make what happened to Crouch look like a fucking dream when he got his hands on his captors.
When he reached the table with the ingredients on it Harry snatched up a stirring spoon and winged it at the nearest wall. It didn't so much as dent the enchanted metal but fuck it felt good all the same.
Slightly calmer Harry picked up another spoon ready to send it flying too when the parchment on the surface caught his eye.
Had the Death Eaters left him a letter to piss him off even more? He was seriously beginning to doubt the sanity of these dickheads. His mouth fell open as he read the first word. Of all the motherfucking stupid things to do.
'Champion … oh for the love of –' Harry threw the second spoon after its fellow and picked up the instructions for the third and final task.
It read, Champion! Welcome to the infamous Baba Yaga's hut! Where she is keeping you captive as a test of your worthiness like she has with other young witches and wizards in the past. You must work your way out through each challenge before she returns from defeating her lover Koshchey. First you must melt the bars that block your exit from her kitchen. In one of the three cauldrons there is a potion that will help you escape, the other two will do nothing. If you get through you will be given more instructions and be rewarded with your wand. Good luck.
'You can fuck your good luck.' Harry threw the note down and glowered at the cauldrons. He wasn't exactly great at Potions, how much of that was his skill and Snape's 'teaching' was up for debate but he at least knew which potion he was meant to be finishing.
Walking up to the one he thought was a Melting Mixture. It bubbled gently, definitely just needed the final ingredient. What was it though? Fuck, he needed Daphne or Hermione right now.
The potions ingredients were lain out next to the note, there were lacewing flies and peeled salamander tails which stood out from the generally average ingredients that he'd thrown into countless potions over the years at Hogwarts.
Okay, he needed to think, the rage would be great for whatever else he had to face when he had his wand back but right now it wasn't helping anything. This was just a task, a fucking infuriating and melodramatic surprise third task, seriously, this shit wasn't supposed to happen for another couple months. Harry fucking hoped he wasn't the only one caught off-guard by this when he got out. If any of the other champions had known and hadn't told him … he was gonna kick some serious arse.
So think Potter, get your mind off the anger.
He forced himself to recount the stories around Baba Yaga, just for something to calm him down.
Baba Yaga had been one of the first Chocolate Frog cards Harry had gone when he'd started collecting. The Russian witch was actually really cool.
The Muggles had demonised her like they had all the famous witches and wizards in their stories of course, they'd gone something extra special with Baba Yaga by making her ugly as sin but they'd missed out some of the best stuff.
The actual Baba Yaga, who lived in 18th or 19th century Russia depending on who you asked had indeed lived long enough to become old and haggish … but she hadn't always been that way. She was beautiful and kind as a young woman, her story with Koshchey on par to the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet … only good. The two powerful and mostly peaceful if not a little bit dark magical folk had lived in a hut on spindly stilts in the Russian wilderness, keeping an eye on their woods and sometimes messing about with the local Muggles.
It'd been happy for decades until Koshchey went and got a little too daring. He'd started to mess with a Russian princess and it'd got him locked up in a dungeon for ten years. Baba Yaga had tried to send three knights after him to break him out but they'd just moved the man and Baba Yaga spent most of her time just trying to find Koshchey and kicked up more fuss in the Russian magical community to get them noticed and subjected to the bigotry of Muggles.
When Koshchey had finally tricked a girl into freeing him the wizard was so torn up by hate and anger he'd truly turned dark and set to ransacking and burning villages to the ground out of sheer spite. The same girl had gone and begged Baba Yaga to help end Koshchey's attacks on Muggle towns and after convincing the Russian witch it had to be done … Baba Yaga had destroyed the egg and other objects the new dark lord had made which were speculated to be Horcruxes and killed the man she'd loved.
The play had been overdramatic and made a massive thing out of a lover killing another for the greater good but the general plot was actually kinda spot on. Baba Yaga had spent the rest of her life hiding in her hut, helping or killing lost witches and wizards depending entirely on her mood until she keeled over in her mortar and pestle as she traipsed around her woods.
It was a damn shame she'd been so demonised. She hadn't been evil, just influenced by the Dark Arts like nearly everybody east of the Black Forest was. That damn forest fucked all sorts of shit up. He could sympathise with the witch, darkness wasn't exactly in short supply in the UK either.
Harry sighed and dragged a hand over his face as he stared down at the potion ingredients again. It had to be here. Melting Mixture … it was already the faintly see-through yellow that Hermione's potion had taken on in Snape's class.
Oh Merlin, why did Snape have to be such a shit teacher? He couldn't even begin to think what the last ingredient was. What he wouldn't give for his fucking wand, they wanted him to melt something down? Fine, fire would work just as well as any kind of acid …
Acid. Oh of course. Acidic stuff, the Melting Mixture was essentially yellow soap water until you added the final ingredient. The potion became unstable and you had to use it sharpish once it was complete or pour it in vials in groups depending on how much you were brewing.
If you didn't do it quickly you were gonna have the mother of all burns on your floor and Merlin forbid you should get it on your skin. The time he'd been working with Hermione he'd nearly dropped the ingredient in too early. He'd never been hit so hard by a girl than when Hermione had done it.
'Not yet Harry!' he muttered to himself. 'Bloody hell, keep the Salamander blood til the end!'
A small red bottle, half filled with orangey-yellow fluid sat proudly between some toe of frog and powdered root of asphodel.
Unstopping the bottle, Harry gave it a quick sniff and nodded. It didn't smell coppery like human blood, more like red hot iron, just like every bit of Salamander blood he'd ever used.
'Well, here's hoping.' Harry muttered, picking up a stirring spoon and vials, as he strode over to the cauldrons.
The other two weren't anything he recognised and he suspected he probably should've but fuck it.
It'd only take a couple of drops, the temptation to pour the entire contents into the cauldron and watch the bastards try to put this room back together was high but being a brat wasn't going to help him. It'd probably effect his score anyway.
The drops hit the potion and in seconds the mixture was bubbling a little more angrily, stirring the only thing keeping it from boiling over immediately.
Scooping up one of the vials, Harry spooned the bright yellow liquid out of the cauldron and stoppered the vial before quickly filling up the four vials he'd brought over leaving the cauldron bubbling at half its contents, still bubbling fiercely but at a much lower risk of boiling over if left unattended.
Wasting no time Harry darted over to the door and flung the potion at the metal bars.
'Come on you bastards.'
The metal sizzled violently the second the Melting Mixture made contact, silvery bubbles running down into the ground as the obstacle quickly disintegrated and Harry stepped out into the stone hallway over the still melting stubs of metal.
Punching his hand through the flimsy ward with relish, Harry's fingers coiled around his wand and his magic sang as the familiar weight sat in his hand.
The room rumbled once Harry's wand was pointed at the floor, magic still coursing through him with giddy relief, forcing Harry into a crouching position as both walls sped up and span on either side of him.
The floor under him joined the walls making Harry break into a run just to not be tripped onto his face.
Just as he was starting to struggle the room came to a halting stop and he had to plant his feet forward to balance himself.
'Fucking …'
Harry panted, his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.
The only difference he could see from before the fucking room had started spinning was the lack of a door into the kitchen.
Another letter was set into the wall to his right and with wobbly legs Harry leant in.
'You escaped the kitchen, Baba Yaga has tested your intelligence and found you worthy. Now for a test of skills in battle. You must hit the discs in order or be forever trapped in the second ring of Baba Yaga's hut. She has no use for people who can't fight.'
Harry snorted. What targets? The walls were just blank stone with the occasional torch set into the sto-
'Shit!'
A silver disc the size of his head came whizzing around the corner and just as quickly a blasting hex shattered the thing into pieces.
The next disc shot towards his knees just as quickly and Harry slashed his wand across him, a line of magic cutting the projectile clean in two. The top part of a giant five on the half that landed at his feet.
What was that about in order?
'Fuck!' Harry shouted as the room began its treadmill trick again.
Having to go into a combat roll as the corridor came to a juddering stop again Harry panted to catch his breath.
Okay, in order or he was gonna keep getting thrown around like an out of shape bloke at the gym for the first time. Fucking glorious.
The next set of discs started with the first coming for his face again.
It shattered as he blasted it out of the sky.
'Second one.'
Swerving to the left, he dodged the knee cutter disc, it must have to come back round the entire corridor. At least he knew it was a complete circle.
The third disk was aiming for his chest. A giant two spinning on its surface. It splintered as Harry's spell hit it square in the middle.
The room didn't set off again and Harry grinned. Disc number four loop-de-looped around the wide corridor. A four embossed onto the surface. Harry span the exact opposite as the disc circled around him uselessly.
Next one, it had to be the next one.
The fifth disc shot for his balls like it meant to make a eunuch of him.
Harry shattered it with his most powerful blasting hex he had. The pieces still flew for him. He pivoted out of the way just in time for disc two to come around and nearly take out his knees.
Jumping instinctively Harry scowled. If the one going for his bollocks wasn't from Karkaroff's design he'd eat breakfast cooked by Sirius.
Readying his wand for the fourth disc, Harry crouched. Nearly out Potter, you're nearly out.
He growled as the fourth and fifth disc came around again, one at knee level and the other at chest. They cut through the air like knives. They must have been getting quicker. He dived out of their way and snapped off two quick spells.
The chest high disc shattered first and then the knee one just as Harry smacked his shoulder into the wall.
'Fuck yeah,' Harry smirked. He scowled as the rumbling started again. 'Oh bollocks.'
If he had to do that again he was just going to shatter each disc in opposite order to prove a fucking point. How about they held the discs and see what happened when they tested his accuracy again.
But only the opposite wall was spinning. Using the wall to stand Harry grimaced at the spinning stones. That was freaking nauseating.
The wall came to a sudden stop and an open archway led through to another wooden panelled room.
They'd given him the third room. Oh thank fuck.
Clutching his shoulder, he'd collided with the wall a little more forcefully than he'd meant to, he walked through the archway.
The wall sealed up behind him once he reached the middle of the room.
'Okay,' Harry said as he clocked each corner of the square room. 'What now?'
Nothing happened.
A piece of parchment was pinned to the wooden wall next to a massive mortar and pestle, big enough for say, a grown woman to push her arse around in if she so chose.
'Champion, you've made it through the second test! Congratulations now all you have to do is find the exit. If you can find it. If you can't find it you will be trapped in Baba Yaga's front porch forever.'
What the fuck? What did they mean find the exit?
The room was bathed in crackling fire light from four torches, one on each wall. There weren't any windows or doors. Just four solid, blank, wooden walls.
The only piece of furniture in the room was a weapon rack opposite the mortar and pestle. It was empty at the moment but it was long enough to hold three lances. Probably the ones that Baba Yaga's supposed servant knights wielded in the Muggle stories.
Oh fuck this. They wanted him to figure out where the exit was did they? He'd give them a fucking exit.
He levelled his wand at the wall directly opposite the one he'd come through. Clasping both hands on the slim wood he jabbed it forwards like a dagger. 'BOMBARDA MAXIMA!'
Wood splintered as his anger fuelled spell collided with the wall.
Wind rushed in with the cheering of a crowd and Harry laughed bitterly.
'Oh hey,' he muttered to himself as he stomped across to the hole. 'A fucking exit.'
He walked out into the Hogwarts grounds, a makeshift stable with three horses off to the side, whinnying at the sudden noise. Hagrid rushed over to calm them with his massive hands and gave Harry a reproachful look.
But Harry caught a sound that robbed him of the last of his patience and sympathy for anything that wasn't himself.
His dad's laughter.
'Oh Merlin,' James said from the front row of the audience as he clutched to an equally amused Sirius. 'Look at his fucking face Pads, is that how I used to look when you pranked me at school?'
'No Prongs, you actually looked intimidating.' Sirius doubled over at his own joke and promptly ignored the rude hand gesture Harry sent his way.
Striding through the tall grass Harry scowled at his family as they only continued to laugh at him. He bet his dad had put a Soronus charm on his and Sirius' voices. He was gonna curse them so fucking hard later.
'And Mr Potter finishes the Third and Final Task setting the first time for his fellow champions!' Ludo Bagman's excited voice drowned out all other noise. 'They'll be hard pressed to beat that explosive time though!'
The cheering started again and Harry grimaced as he reached the fence made out of bones, probably troll or something equally large, into the waiting arms of Madame Pomfrey.
'What have you done to yourself this time Harry?' The matron asked as she looked at his hand still clutching his shoulder.
'Dived into a stone wall. Disc was coming to make me Harriet.' Harry winced as she took him by his good arm and led him to a waiting medical tent. 'Where's Daphne?'
'In the tent already of course.' She chivvied him along with the first bit of sympathy he'd seen today. 'We've got to see if you've done anything else to yourself before she crushes your ribs.' She smirked at him knowingly.
So much for sympathy.
Thankfully he'd only bruised his shoulder.
Which was good because it made Daphne's hug that much easier to withstand.
'Oh thank Merlin,' Daphne said. She'd been fiddling with her hands the entire time he'd been sat in the medical tent with his shirt off. Now they were in his hair. 'It's finally over.'
Harry smiled and kissed her gently, which quickly became more intense as Daphne pulled him down so he nearly staggered forward.
'I'll just pop outside shall I?' Madam Pomfrey asked after she'd cleared her throat. 'Do behave though, I might be done fixing you but there's still three more champions who might need this tent.'
The two teens blushed as the matron ducked out of the tent but kissed again.
'Okay,' Harry said, breaking the kiss and sitting down on one of the chairs provided. 'Tell me everything. Who cursed me?'
Daphne took the seat next to him and held his hand tightly. 'Maxime, to ensure it was impartial each of the champions were stunned by a head teacher from another school.'
Okay he could live with that. At least it wasn't Karkaroff.
'We're pretty sure Karkaroff wanted to be the one to deal with you though,' Daphne said as if reading his mind. Hell, it wouldn't surprise him if she could. 'Maxime must have put her foot down and demanded to stun you. I suspect Cedric will wake up with one hell of a headache.'
The Hufflepuff would just have to deal with that. Harry might want a Hogwarts win overall but if he was really honest … He'd prefer to win himself. Just as the final fuck you to anyone who'd underestimated him since Halloween.
'What happened after I'd been stunned then?' Harry asked, squeezing Daphne's hand. She looked worse off than he did right now. 'Did you curse her?'
Daphne blushed and pretended like she didn't hear the question as she snuggled up to him in the chair.
'Daphne.'
The blonde raised a delicate eyebrow at him and smiled benignly at him. 'Yes?'
'Did you curse Madame Maxime?' Harry's face felt like it was going to split in two.
'We should probably go out and join everyone else. I know you'll want to see if you've won.' Daphne stood, keeping a hold of his hand and leading him out of the medical tent.
They dodged around the crowds to make it to the Champions box, a special front row for champions and their families, Daphne told him as they weaved through the adoring crowds who were literally and figuratively patting him on the back.
In the raised box were Fleur's parents and Gabrielle, the little girl smiling shyly at him as he climbed up. There was also an older version of Krum, a full head of prematurely silver hair and the odd wrinkle the only differences, stood at the far end next to a plain, dark skinned woman.
Krum's dad nodded at him respectfully but Mrs Krum's eyes were trained on the hut that was being rebuilt after Harry turn.
'Good show there Harry,' Amos Diggory greeted him once he clapped eyes on him. 'Gotta say that was one hell of a finale, I'm sure even Ced will have difficulty topping that!'
The foreign champions' parents, and his wife, gave Mr Diggory reproving looks but went back to staring at the hut without a word.
Then there was his lot.
'Merlin Harry,' James said with a sly smirk. 'I know the temper is genetic but do you have to destroy something or someone every time you're in a bad mood?'
Before he could defend himself Sirius interrupted.
'It's not every time James,' Sirius said with a wicked gleam in his eye. 'Give the kid some credit.'
'Yes,' Remus chuckled as he put his hand over Tonks' mouth, much to the woman's annoyance. 'Occasionally Harry only damages something when he's pissy- Dora!'
'Well don't cover my mouth!' Tonks said with a defiant pout. 'Freedom of speech wolfie!'
Remus wiped his wet hand on his robes and mock-glared at his girlfriend
She stuck her tongue out at him and winked at Harry. 'Nice job on the door Harry.'
'Thanks,' Harry said. 'Now did you lot know about this stupid fucking task?'
'Yup.' James patted the two empty seats left out for Harry and Daphne. 'Had to otherwise how would we know where to be for this lovely front row seat?' James gestured at the stands with one hand with forced casualness.
His dad was nervous. About what though? The task and the tournament were over. At least they were for him, the only thing left for Harry would be finding out if he'd won or not.
'Dad?' Harry muttered as he sat down next to the man. Daphne caught in conversation with an animated Tonks and Sirius. 'What's wrong?'
James's eyes went wide for a moment before a grimace flashed across his face. 'Work stuff Harry.'
'Oh.' Harry shrugged and settled in his chair. 'Anything here?'
James shook his head and nodded at hut that was ready. 'Watch the other champions not beat your time Harry.'
'Okay.' Well as long as it wasn't anything immediately dangerous he could let it go. It was unnerving seeing his dad look anything close to afraid but when your dad's an Auror you quickly learn that he isn't able to tell you everything about his job.
No matter how much he wanted to or how much you pestered. James normally told him as much as he could and the only time he flat out told him nothing was when it was majorly secret stuff. Normally passed down by Amelia herself.
Daphne perched next to him after getting away from the other two Marauders and pecked him on the cheek.
'So Harry,' James said in a stage whisper. 'Did Daphne tell you what happened after you got knocked out like an amateur?'
Daphne glared at James with such fierceness Harry almost flinched. He'd been on the receiving end of that glare. But she'd never aimed it as his dad before. She must have really flipped. Seemed like he wasn't the only one capable of causing an international incident.
'No …what happened?'
Daphne glared at him and Harry did flinch this time.
'Your girlfriend here started duelling Madame Maxime,' James laughed as Daphne's face flushed bright pink. 'From what Tracey and Hermione told us earlier she didn't do too badly either. I think you actually made Maxime bleed?'
Fleur's family stared at Daphne incredulously as the blonde girl tried to disappear into the floor.
'Mr Potter …'
'James.'
'… I just did what I thought was best at the time …'
Harry squeezed her fingers and pulled her in for a tight hug. Which she returned readily as it let her hide a little from the continuing stares of the French family besides them.
Deciding it was probably the healthiest option Harry desperately changed the subject. 'So where are the others? I'd have thought they'd be up here too.'
'Nah,' Sirius said, butting into the conversation loudly. 'There was barely enough room for us. Neville and the other girls are with the Greengrasses, you can celebrate with the rest of them later when you win. And you better have won kiddo.'
'How much did you bet this time?' James asked with an exaggerated sigh.
'As much as I damn want Prongs, you ain't my mother.'
'Not unless your mum got much better looking and grew a dick no,' Tonks joined the conversation and the Potter family shuddered collectively. Dora smirked. 'Too far?'
Thankfully Ludo Bagman's obnoxious voice filled the stadium again.
'Well ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the next champion is in position. Cedric Diggory will start his run on escaping Baba Yaga's Hut!'
The crowd around them cheered for the second Hogwarts Champion.
'Go on my son!' Amos Diggory shouted as they settled in to see how Cedric would do.
Harry resisted the urge to smirk as he looked over at his fellow champions.
What had previously been Baba Yaga's front yard now held a small podium for Ludo Bagman, who was currently muttering intensely with the other judges, Minister Fudge having stepped in for Barty Crouch senior.
Karkaroff was snarling at his fellow head teachers and when Harry glanced over at Krum the older boy shrugged. They all knew what that meant. Durmstrang hadn't won and while Krum didn't look too annoyed about it, old Igor was more than just a little pissed.
'Quiet everyone!' Ludo Bagman's booming voice shouted as he finally turned away from his group to take his podium. 'Quiet please! We've just finished totting up the scores and if you can all settle down we can tell you who is the Triwizard Champion!'
Chanting broke out in the crowd and Harry's face prickled just a little when he heard his name along with Cedric's coming from the Hogwarts supporters.
He caught Daphne mouthing something at him and Harry winked. He was pretty sure it was something along the lines of 'look less smug babe' but his lip reading skills must have been failing him. Shame that.
'I zink zis will be an 'Ogwarts victory non?' Fleur asked from in between Krum and Cedric. 'I know I have not won and your Headmaster looks most annoyed Viktor.'
Krum nodded. 'Yes. High Master Karkaroff is most … displeased. Did I say vat right?' The Bulgarian looked at the two English wizards. 'Herm-ninny has been helping me vith my English but I am not so good at it I think?'
Yeah, cus that's all she's been doing with you I'm sure. Harry swallowed that down and just offered Viktor a nod. 'Yeah mate. So who do you think Ced? You or me?'
Cedric shrugged. 'I'm not sure to be honest Harry, I know we were pretty close for the first two tasks but this one … I mean my time felt fast but no one wanted to tell me how quick you'd been. Did you really blow a hole through the last wall as opposed to figuring it out?'
The three elder teens chuckled and looked at him expectantly. Harry just stared over at the podium and smiled slightly.
Fleur quirking a delicate eyebrow at him. 'Well 'Arry?'
'Saying my name like that won't help Fleur,' Harry said back with a wink. 'I'm spoken for. Maybe if I'm ever not you can try again.'
Fleur looked at him for a long moment before rolling her eyes and waving a hand at him. 'Oh pleeze, I 'ad 'eard you were a flirt but seriously. I 'ope your Daphne keeps you in line.'
'She tries.' Cedric sniggered as he nodded at the podium. 'Hey up, Bagman's getting ready to speak. Good luck every one. Been a pleasure competing against you.'
'Ja, likevise Cedric.' Krum nodded back at his parents in the Champions' Box. His father raising a hand to him.
'We shall 'ave to go for a celebratory meal non?' Fleur chipped in, seeming a little unsure. 'Summer is coming and zere are many lovely places in France we could meet.'
Cedric beamed. 'That sounds lovely Fleur, I'll run it by Cho.'
Fleur's smile stretched out a bit more. 'Oui, do, and 'Arry, you could bring your Daphne and Viktor you are of course welcome to bring 'Ermione.'
Viktor nodded. 'I vill ask.'
Harry just nodded. He'd be in France for the duelling tournaments eventually. He'd probably have Daphne with him as well now she was doing so well in the interschool tournaments. The semi-finals were next week and Daphne was the bookies', Fred and George, favourite to walk it. Harry'd feel bad for the poor Dutch bloke but he was too proud of Daphne to care. Plus she looked really hot in her duelling robes.
The Weasley Twins might have been giving Harry good odds on his missus winning the whole thing as well.
Fred and George had been pulling in good money from all the tournament competitions throughout the year. On one of the rare moments they'd caught him outside of his quarters the three had had a good old natter about their stint as gambling moguls.
They'd told him about how they'd been swindled by Bagman at the Quidditch World Cup last summer and had spent some time trying to get refunded but were laughing now. With Harry's success in the tournament they'd made at least double what they'd lost to Bagman. Nobody seemed to think he could do it and bet against Harry for each task.
Harry had made a mental note to remind his dad what Bagman had been up to nonetheless. His dad would love to bring the annoying prick down a peg, even if it wasn't his department who did it.
George had offered him a cut of the winning but Harry waved it off, much to their relief. They needed it more than he did. Hell, Harry could leave Hogwarts and live on the family money until he died if he wanted.
Not that he would. He'd go spare.
'All right boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen,' the blowhard shouted. 'We've tallied up all the times and we can now reveal the final standings for the Triwizard Tournament! In fourth place, Beauxbatons Academy and their champion, Fleur Delacour!'
The blonde witch frowned good-naturedly and waved to her cheering supporters. She'd done her school proud and that's all they could really ask of her.
Fleur shook hands with each of the judges, Bagman lingering a little too long while gripping her hand before he caught himself and let go. Fleur standing back in her place with the other champions.
'Third place goes to Durmstrang and their champion … Viktor Krum!'
The Durmstrang students mirrored their French counterparts and the dour boy shook hands with each of the judges swiftly before gracelessly retreating with a sour nod.
The stands came into a hushed silence. They all knew what it meant if both the foreign schools came third and fourth. This was a win for Hogwarts regardless but now they all wanted to know who had won it for them.
'Which can only mean Hogwarts is this years' winner!' The stands rocked with cheers and clapping. Even Dumbledore clapped for his school as he smiled down at the boys. 'But you all want to know which champion I bet! So second place but only just! Cedric Diggory!' Bagman roared as the students and parents around screamed their approval.
Cedric waved to each section of crowd pumping his fist at the Hufflepuff, grinning widely as he shook each judges' hand and gave Harry a big thumbs up as he joined them. Amos Diggory could be heard shouting up until Bagman called for quiet.
'And finally … in first place, none of us thought I'd be saying that back in October, I present to you your Triwizard Champion! Harry Potter!'
The stands exploded with screaming and chanting as Harry laughed his way up to each judge.
He'd fucking done it. Sweet fucking Merlin, he'd shown every single bloody person in Wizarding Europe that when you put a Potter in a pinch they not only survived against all odds … he'd come out on top! Oh he couldn't bloody wait to do the duelling circuits now. He'd wipe the floor with the lot of them.
Reaching the judges, he shook each hand, sharing a quick word with everyone until he reached Karkaroff.
He gripped the man's hand and crushed his fingers just enough to make the wiry man wince. 'Still gonna make me pay Igor?' He murmured.
'Insolent whelp,' Karkaroff hissed and glared hate at him. 'You will get yours boy.'
'Bite me,' Harry retorted as he walked away without a backwards glance.
'HARRY! HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!' The stands cheered, drowning out all thought as Harry took his place back. Staring at the shimmering golden cup standing beside Minister Fudge. His cup.
The portly gentleman took centre stage and with a flick of his wand his booming voice rose above the masses.
'Thank you Ludo! Now all that is left is to present our Champion with his trophy and one thousand Galleons! Harry, if you would come up here please?'
Fudge gestured for Harry to approach, offering him a hand up onto the platform.
'Very good show Harry,' Fudge said as he clapped a hand on his shoulder. 'Makes you proud to be British I'd say!'
The crowd cheered its agreement and Harry caught his family waving at him from the box. Sirius waving his arms above his head like he was at a Muggle football game.
His dad grinned at him and Harry returned it. They might not have wanted him in the Tournament and they'd tried to find a way out of it but damn if it didn't feel good to win despite everything.
Merlin only knew what he'd do with the money though … oh well, they'd figure it out later.
'Now Harry,' Fudge hollered over the noise. 'Why don't you pick up that cup and show us all what you've won!'
Harry rolled his eyes at the cheesiness of the line but he was too caught up in the moment to care.
Turning to the gold cup Harry wrapped his fingers around the handles as he hefted into the air.
He grinned out at the renewed screams as the cup rose above his head.
'I present to you,' Fudge shouted. 'Your Triwizard Champi-'
There was a tug behind Harry's navel.