A/N: kay, so I literally couldn't wait to update this story, and I forgot to add something in my note last time, this here is a treat for you all this week, my birthday is this week and I wanted to give you all a present as thanks for loving/ reading my story. your support means so much. I didn't want to leave the open ending that last chapter had, so since this was a two part chapter since it was so long I have updated for you all.

Read and review please, oh and eat cake. Ahh! I want cake also, but alas I am away at school and unable to get me some, maybe a cheesecake slice?


Chapter 44 Reporters and Wands part 2

Harry followed Collin upstairs listening while he chattered on about how amazing it was that they were taking pictures of the champions.

"What are they taking the pictures for?" Harry wondered.

"For the prophet of course. They are doing an article on the champions. I heard that they were planning on covering the tournament before, but are even more excited now that you're the fourth champions. I mean that's never happened before." Collin gushed.

Collin took him to an empty classroom on the third floor whose desks had all been pushed to the side except for three which had been placed next to each other with five chairs behind them. Harry saw Bagman sitting behind the desks talking with a woman wearing magenta colored robes. She looked vaguely familiar to Harry but he couldn't place her, he didn't think he had ever seen her before.

Harry looked around and saw that the other champions were already in the room. Krum was standing a corner moodily not talking with anyone. Delacour was off to the side talking with Cedric looking happier than Harry had seen so far. A pudgy man holding a camera was watching her as she tossed her hair back.

"Harry! Our fourth champion, come in, come in." Bagman explains rushing over and bringing him inside. "Right now that we are all here we can begin."

"Err, Mr. Bagman why exactly are we hear?" Cedric asked.

"Good question Mr. Diggory! We are here for the weighing of the wands ceremony. Just a quick thing to check that all your wands are fully functional for this tournament. The expert is upstairs at the moment with Dumbledore. So why we wait why don't I introduce you to our other companions for the afternoon."

"Let me introduce Rita Skeeter, reporter for the Daily Prophet. She's here doing a piece for the paper."

"Lovely, you don't mind of course Ludo if I have a word with all the champions?" Skeeter asks.

"Of course not. You can get those out of the way while we wait for the others." Bagman says cheerfully. The champions exchange guarded looks.

"How about youngest first?" Skeeter ask grabbing hold of Harry's arm. "Why don't we find somewhere out of the noise to talk?"

"Hang on!" Harry protests trying to yank his arm out of her hold, but she had a tight grip. Harry shots a desperate look at Cedric and Krum hoping one of them will help him out.

"I think he seems uncomf... uneasy. Perhaps it vould be best if you vould to do the interviews here." Krum said thickly in his heavy accent placing a hand on Harry's shoulder stopping Skeeter from dragging Harry away.

Harry lets out a relieved sigh as he is finally able to pull his arm away.

"I don't see why we need to be somewhere else for an interview. It's not like I have anything to hide." Harry replies stiffly going to stand next to the other champions.

"Very well then." Skeeter replied reluctantly conjuring up chairs for the lot of them to sit in. She places Harry in the middle, but before she can sit next to him, Krum and Cedric take each seat on his sides.

"Now Harry, may I call you Harry?" Skeeter begins continuing before Harry can get a word in pulling out a quill and parchment. "What made you want to decide to enter the tournament. A set of tasks designed for students far more older and vastly more capable than you?"

"I didn't enter. I have no clue how my name came out. I didn't want to enter even if I could." Harry replied bluntly. Skeeter looked like she wanted to add something to that but held back with their audience.

"Well if you say so Harry. How do you feel about the upcoming tasks?"

"Nervous I guess. About the same as the rest of the champions I imagine." Harry says looking at the others. He had noticed that Skeeter seemed pretty focused on asking him questions and had barely looked at the other champions. Seems Cedric and Krum had noticed also by the looks they were giving Skeeter.

"Champions have died in the past how do you feel about that?"

"There have been extra precautions placed on the tournament to ensure that doesn't happen." Cedric spoke up before Harry could speak, causing Skeeter to turn her attention to him. She gave him a steady appraisal.

"And how do you three all feel about having someone much younger than you competing against you? You mentioned precautions that were supposed to be for the safety for the students, yet Harry Potter a young boy of 13 was entered."

"I'm fourteen!" Harry protested.

"I for one am un'appy that one so young 'as been put in so much danger. 'E did not even sign up for this, yet 'e 'as to compete. I zink the rest of the champions can agree zat we are upset zat zis was allowed to happen." Delacour answered with a frown on her face.

"Many of you are of age and have discussed this with your parents before entering. Harry, we're wondering how your parents might react if they knew you were competing? Do you remember them any? Would they be angry? Concerned?"

"My godfather is worried for my safety and is angry that this has happened. He doesn't want me to compete and brought up the issue that I was given no choice when he found out. Both my parents and godfather's biggest concerns would have been about my safety and how this happened when I didn't enter." Harry said empathizing the last bit. He wasn't liking her questions.

"Harry—" Skeeter was cut off by the door opening and Dumbledore entering with the other headmasters followed by the wand expert, whom Harry was surprised to see was Olivander.

"Ah good, everyone is here." Dumbledore said joyfully. "Perhaps we can get started."

"Ah Headmaster Dumbledore, great to see you. Did you enjoy my piece over the summer session of the ICWC?" Skeeter asked getting up.

"Delightfully vicious, I must say. However, I am afraid we must discus that another time." Dumbledore said showing Skeeter to the side of the room as began the wand weighing ceremony. "Now I am sure that this has already been explained to you. The wand weighing is just to see that everything is working fine with your wands. Mr. Olivander here is the one who is going to be testing them."

"Yes, yes, Miss Delacour lets have you go first." Bagman announced.

Fleur got up and went over to Olivander presenting her wand.

"Ah yes this is a good wand. Let's see, 9 ½ inches, inflexible, rosewood. And what's this? Veela hair for the core? Not something I regularly use; they can be quite temperamental if one is not right for it."

"Yes it was my grandmozer's." Fleur told him.

"Ah, yes then I imagine that it works just fine for you. let's see, orchideous!" Olivander shouted waving the wand. A bundle or orchids appeared from the wand.

"Mr. Diggory you next."

"Ah, I remember this, one of mine yes?" Olivander asked looking at the wand and giving it a swish sending a steam of silvery smoke out. "Polished recently, male unicorn hair, 12 ¼ inches, ash. Very good condition Mr. Diggory."

"And Mr. Krum." Bagman asked gesturing for the other champion to step forward.

"Ah this is a Grogravich, if I'm not mistaken, very good wands if I do say so myself. Let's see, hornbeam and dragon heartstring, rigid, 10 ¼. Avis." Olivander said gesturing and producing a flock of birds.

"And our last champion, Mr. Potter."

Harry quickly stood up and handed his wand to Olivander. His first meeting with the man running through his head.

"Ah Mr. Potter, good to see you again. I remember this wand particularly well. Holly, 11 inches, Phoenix tail feather. Good condition, though I would try and polish it more." Olivander said as he made a stream of wine come out the end before giving it back.

Harry nodded mutely and sat down again.

"Well then, that went well. Now I would send you back to your last classes, but alas, it seems as if there is only a few minutes left. You all might as well head down to dinner." Dumbledore said dismissing them with a smile. Harry sighed glad that this was over.

"Wait, wait Dumbledore the photos!"

"Of course."

Harry groaned in annoyance as they were all forced to wait around as a multitude of photos were taken. There was one for just the judges, one for just the champions, one for the champions and their headmaster, and another for all of them together.

It wouldn't have been too bad if it had gone quickly, but this photographer was apparently really picky about their lineup and if he got the photo just right. Especially with Fleur's pictures.

When it came time for all of them to take the picture together, he kept trying to bring Fleur to the front, while Skeeter kept trying to bring him to the front. Honestly, take the photo and be done with it.


When they were finally let out from the pictures Harry booked it out of there as fast as he could. Cedric was right on his heels, both Fleur and Krum following at a more leisurely pace.

"I hate this bloody fame and stupid reports, they can shove their quills right up their—"

"Wow Harry, calm down there mate." Cedric said laughing and cutting off Harry's rant. "First experience with reporters?"

"Yep, and if they're all going to be like that I plan on becoming a recluse and never setting eyes on another one again. She was horrible." Harry replied with a shudder slowing down so he and Cedric could walk side by side.

"I'll give you that, Rita Skeeter is one of the worst of the lot. We've probably missed half of dinner by now. Mind you though, I would be careful about what you say to her, she can twist anything a person says and make it the nastiest thing you ever heard. You did a good job not letting her get you alone." Cedric told him.

"All thanks to you and Krum really, she has an iron grip. If you two hadn't come she probably would have dragged me off to another room. Who knows what she would have come up with then. Hopefully with the group she will have less to twist." Harry said with a shudder.

"Well see you Harry." Cedric called out as they got to the great hall and sat for dinner. Most students were gone at this point and Harry just ended up sitting at the end and eating quickly. Before making his way to the tower.

As he made his way to the tower Harry yelped as he felt two hands grab him and pull him back into an alcove.

"Shh, do you want to give us away Potter!" an angry voice whispered.

"Draco! What is with you and pulling me into alcoves!" Harry asked angrily trying to catch his breath. "Hello Blaise."

"Potter."

"What happened after you got pulled out of class?" Draco demanded.

"Straight to the point, no hello Harry, how have you been. I'm fine, I missed you too." Harry said sarcastically straightening his robes.

"You missed me? Never mind that's beside the point." Draco said brightening up but then dismissed it shaking his head to Harry's amusement. "What happened after you got pulled out of class?"

"It was the weighing of the wands ceremony for the tournament. Basically, to just see if our wands are functioning properly. They had Olivander come to check them, seemed like it was just a formality." Harry said with a shrug.

"More tradition I think." Draco said leaning against the wall. "Historically wands would be passed down in families because it would be hard for some to get their own or because they hold other meaning. The wands would have needed to be checked if they still functioned properly and if they worked with the witch or wizard they were paired with."

"Oh, that makes sense I guess." Harry mused. Wands were precious to some of the old families, he knew that Neville had used his dad's old wand before getting a new one this summer. And Ron had used one of his brother's wands after they got a new one. He even thought he had seen a few wand cases in his vault over the summer, wonder what happened to his parents wands.

"Was that all? Seems like an awful long time for the ceremony. It shouldn't have taken so long." Blaise commented.

Harry glanced at him and shrugged. "There was some people from the Prophet. A reporter and photographer, they wanted pictures and to write a piece on the tournament, so that took a while. The actual wand ceremony went quick, but posing for all the pictures they wanted to take took a while."

Draco and Blaise shared a look when Harry mentioned a reporter.

"What was the reporters name?" Draco asked.

"Rita Skeeter." Harry answered. Draco and Blaise shared a worried look.

"Be careful with her, she's more spiteful and devious than my mother and that's saying something." Blaise commented with a frown.

"Don't let her get you alone, she'll twist anything you say. Unless you have good blackmail against her, which you probably don't, she won't say anything near truthful about you." Draco warned.

"Thanks, Cedric already warned me about her on our way back. She tried to get me alone for an interview but Cedric and Krum stopped her. So hopefully whatever she writes can't be too bad." Harry told the two of them.

"Still better be careful. Even with them sticking up for you she can twist what they say. it might even print them in a bad light, you never really know waht Skeeter will print. We better get going before we're missed, come on Draco." Blaise said nudging Draco and making his way out of the alcove after checking to make sure the coast was clear. Draco nodded and made to follow him.

"Draco, thanks for coming to check on me." Harry said gently as he grabbed the other boy's wrist to hold him bad for a moment.

"Course, we're friends, now right?" Draco asked with a smile shifting his hand so he could give Harry's a comforting squeeze. Harry was a bit worried that Draco thought he had to ask something like that, Harry could see that he was nervous of the answer.

"Yeah, of course we're friends. I just don't have a lot of people who are on my side at the moment, so this means a lot." Harry admitted.

"Well Weasley is an idiot for turning against you." Draco said causing Harry to laugh which made Draco smile.

"Yes, yes your both so sweet. Draco, we really need to be getting back before someone catches us out." Blaise said dragging Draco away from Harry, causing the other boy to scowl.

Harry was still smiling as he made his way into the common room but that dropped rather quickly when he ran into Ron. They stare at each other for a moment before Ron moves.

"Your detention with Snape is tomorrow night in the dungeons." Ron said still standing there.

"Anything else?" Harry asked tersely.

"You've got a letter." Ron said pointing towards an owl sitting on his bed before going to his own bed and closing the curtains.

Harry sighed as he sat down and opened his letter. He was pleased to see that it was from home. Emma apparently had been back for a few days and things were going fine if not a little stressful. Sirius apparently had been really upset that she had left like that and they had gotten into an argument when she had gotten back.

They had worked it out, but things were still a little tense. She said she would explain more to him when she saw him next. That included about why she left in the first place. There was also apparently news that Sirius had but was scared to tell Harry yet. Emma said that if Sirius didn't fess up soon she was going to come up with a dramatic way of announcing it. She didn't know why he was worried, she doubted that Harry would have a problem with the news.

Harry was kind of worried what it might be they needed to tell him, but he wouldn't know until they did. He was glad on the other hand that he would get some answers from her, this was hard enough going in blind. He needed some answers otherwise he might go crazy.

Harry cursed as he put the letter down. He had forgotten to talk with Draco about his behavior earlier today before potions.