Happy New Year, people!
Please enjoy this chapter and stay safe!
I hope you all have a great 2020!
"Have the preparations been made?"
"Y-yes, my lord, the infiltration was successful and final adjustments have been made, a week from now they will be part of the Tournament."
"Excellent. What did the latest report say?"
"Nothing of interest, things are going as planned and everyone is unaware. Except, a ministry spy managed to uncover word of an incident between three fifth year Gryffindors and one of the boys, apparently the aurors were involved and the Gryffindors are serving house arrest after almost killing him."
"Find them."
"M-my lord?"
"Find them and bring them to me. They dared to hurt what is mine and I want them punished."
"Well… it did say the Malfoy heir cursed them badly and was quite distraught afterward, hurrying him to the infirmary, no word on what was wrong with him, though. The Aurors didn't talk to him as he was out cold for a week or so, so there's nothing on that."
"I see. Find those Gryffindors. I'll show them what happens when they touch what's mine."
"Yes, my lord."
"Should we wake them?" Someone whispered too loudly.
"No, no, they're too cute, we should take a picture." That sounded like Pansy, which meant the first voice was Astoria, Daphne's sister.
"I'll fucking kill you Pansy, what the fuck," Zephyr groaned, blinking his eyes and rubbing at them with the back of his hand. As he tried to sit up, he noticed Draco had slung his arm over Zephyr's waist in his sleep and Draco's face was mushed up in his side.
The girls cooed with a pitch that made his ears hurt as he ruffled Draco's hair, trying to wake him up before they did. "Draco. Get up, come on," he urged.
Draco mumbled something inaudible, so Zephyr shifted closer to hear. "Kitty."
Zephyr's eye twitched. "Draco, I swear to Merlin…" he trailed off as Draco started petting his stomach. His eye twitched again, and he decided enough was enough. As the girls were laughing, he kicked Draco out of his bed and stormed off to the bathroom, leaving him with a bewildered face on the floor.
"Hey!" Came Draco's belated exclamation.
"You deserve it!" Zephyr yelled back.
After his shower he dressed in black trousers and a white button up. He left the bathroom and found Draco pouting and waiting for him. Zephyr quickly pulled on his socks and shoes and together they went to get breakfast.
Pansy, Astoria, Theo, Vince and Greg were already sitting at the table eating so they hurried to join them.
"I'm so excited! The champions get chosen today," Astoria said, practically bouncing in her seat.
At the beginning of fourth year, Pansy had dragged her along, declared, "Astoria is the only Greengrass who's not a complete bitch, so she'll be joining our little group of morons, deal with it," and sat her down.
Introductions were made and everyone found out Astoria was adorable. Precious even. Meant to be protected from her sister's corruption. She was a year younger than them, but Zephyr barely noticed it.
Because of this they had no reason to decline, it was great even. Now Pansy wasn't the only girl in their group. Certain unsavoury rumours had started circulating about her being surrounded by boys and with Astoria joining them those rumours might die down.
They wouldn't disappear, but rumours rarely did.
"I'm not, I mean, it's pretty obvious who's going to get chosen," Theo said, grabbing another tart.
"Like Viktor Krum," Pansy said with a dreamy sigh, staring at the Durmstrang student.
Pansy, like many girls and boys, had a bit of a thing for Viktor, and had talked their ears off asking questions when she found out Draco and he had met him.
Theo suffered in silence.
The visitors of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang had a separate table to eat at but were encouraged to mingle and sit with others, something Viktor did when he saw Zephyr and Draco.
"Oh! He's coming, how do I look?" she fluttered her hands as she panicked.
Theo was looking a bit green when he said, "Horrifying," earning him a slap to the arm from Astoria.
"You look fine, calm down before you make a fool of yourself."
"Too late," Draco muttered just as Viktor joined.
"Good morning, Zephyr, Draco. Mind if I join?" He asked with a gesture to the spot next to Zephyr.
"Go ahead. We were just talking about you, actually," Zephyr told him.
"Nothing bad I hope?" Viktor chuckled as he sat down.
He shook his head. "Just that we thought you'd get chosen as champion."
"Who else have you decided on?"
"There's you, Fleur Delacour, and either Diggory from Hufflepuff, Davies from Gryffindor or Rialto from Ravenclaw," Draco listed off.
Viktor frowned, "No one from Slytherin? I noticed quite a few talented students in your seventh year."
Pansy snorted and Vince let out a loud 'ha!' "A Slytherin champion, right!" She scoffed.
"You must have realised by now everyone thinks Slytherin is evil?" Theo asked, cocking his head at Viktor.
Zephyr nodded, "We're all dark wizards, villains, scum of the earth and criminals. No good wizard comes from Slytherin."
"Never mind that." Pansy waved away his words. Leaning forward she gave Viktor an inquisitive look before boldly asking, "Do you think you're going to win?"
Zephyr was curious about his answer, he himself did think Viktor would win. He had wandless magic and was not afraid to use dark magic, that put him ahead of everyone from Hogwarts, who were all allergic to dark magic.
"That would depend on who gets chosen," Viktor said diplomatically, "besides, there are many others from my school who would be equally worthy of being chosen."
"That's true," Draco began, "but we all know it's the leader that gets chosen in situations like these, and you're very much a leader."
Vince nodded at his words and the others agreed as well.
"Thank you, Draco. But I must accept that there is a chance I will not be chosen."
That was true, Zephyr supposed, after all the goblet didn't look at skills or fame. It just chose, probably.
"We'll find out tonight, so there's no point arguing about it," Zephyr said before Pansy could open her mouth to reiterate that Viktor would be chosen.
Feeling thirsty, he grabbed the teapot and poured himself a cup, fixing one for Draco as well. Zephyr took a sip and grimaced as he tasted the slightly bitter tea. Not enough sugar, he thought, but before he could reach for it, Draco had already snatched up two cubes and plopped them in his tea.
"Thanks," Zephyr murmured.
"So, Hogsmeade?" Theo looked around at the group.
All of them agreed, even Viktor, but Zephyr shook his head.
"I'll have to pass. My dad wanted my help, so I'll be with him for the day."
The others nodded, accepting his explanation, finished their breakfast and left.
Zephyr waved them off, deciding not to walk with them, and finished his tea before going to the potions classroom where his father was. With the Tournament going on, there were bound to be many injuries to the champions, dad wanted to brew some extra-strength healing salves and potions just in case and needed extra hands.
They spend the entire day chopping things and brewing. The peaceful environment made him realise that the whole month since school started was peaceful. There were no bad guys or suspicious people. No crazy deaths or disappearances and no murderous animals. Zabini had even apologised!
Zephyr hadn't the heart to tell him he and Draco had basically forgotten about him and just accepted the apology. Apparently, Zabini had heard about what happened last year and it made him realise he shouldn't be working against a fellow Slytherin. Instead, he would focus his attention on Gryffindor. Which was great, but honestly, it would only create more problems.
Zabini was skilled in manipulation and blackmail, which he'd demonstrated by making that second-year cry during their first year. He could make them fight each other with a few words, but sooner or later they'd figure out Slytherin was behind it and retaliate.
Zephyr might sound like a coward right now, but he had no desire whatsoever to repeat the events from last year. It wasn't worth the small burst of satisfaction he'd get from seeing them fight.
He might be safe, but he might also be targeted because of who and what he was. Son of a hated teacher and Shadow Knight of Slytherin. Maybe he should brush up on his defensive spells…
"Everything has been set, my lord."
"And you are sure things will go as planned?"
"Yes, my lord. Our infiltrator assured it."
"Because if not, I will have your life."
"My lord, the ritual?"
"Yes, we must prepare for the ritual next."
"I knew Viktor would be champion!" Pansy whispered excitedly.
The first piece of parchment had fluttered out of the goblet of fire as it roared with flames and Viktor's name was loudly proclaimed by headmaster Dumbledore.
It was dinner time, actually, dinner had just ended when the headmaster declared it was time to name the champions. The Goblet, spitting gorgeous blue fire, was brought to the front and soon the Viktor's name was called out.
This whole week had been filled with chaos as Hogwarts' visitors arrived and settled in. with the arrival of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang came the opportunity to put your name in the Goblet.
Of course, as was said before the sorting, those under seventeen were unable to participate and were not allowed to put their name in. to make sure this was enforced, Dumbledore had put an age ward around the Goblet, repelling anyone younger than seventeen.
Many had tried to get past it and were literally thrown back.
Zephyr thought back to Fred and George's attempt. They'd drunk an ageing potion and jumped inside the ward under the watchful gaze of their audience. For a second it seemed like it had worked but then they too had been thrown back. Of course, the twins being the twins, they couldn't just be thrown back, no, their potion had to backfire as well, resulting in them becoming as old as Dumbledore! Complete with grey hair and grey beards that reached the floor.
They'd spent the entire time while the potion was still in effect mimicking the headmaster. Stroking their beards while mumbling nonsense words whenever Dumbledore was within earshot.
If this had been a regular school, or if they had a regular headmaster, Dumbledore would have taken offence and given them detention. But he didn't because luckily their headmaster could see the fun of it and joined in whenever he could.
The effect of the ageing potion lasted three days. There was an antidote, but the teachers all thought it would be a proper punishment to have them stay old. It wasn't and they learned all over again that the Weasley twins could spin even punishments jokes.
Everyone was waiting with bated breath for the other champions to be announced as Viktor shook the hand of the female Durmstrang student next to him and was led to the champion's room to wait for the others. It took a minute, but the blue flames roared again.
Dumbledore picked it up and boomed, "Fleur Delacour!"
Astoria and Pansy turned to each other, high fived and chanted, "A girl! A girl!" over and over again until the headmaster silenced everyone.
She was led to the other room, but not before she gave the great hall an elegant bow.
The Goblet spat out a third name and Zephyr was unsurprised to hear Hogwarts' champion was a Hufflepuff.
Cedric Diggory took the cheering with grace and smiled victoriously as he too was led to the other room.
The Great Hall burst into excited chattering and toasts were made. Zephyr and Draco shared a grin, getting swept up with the exuberant atmosphere and were about to make a toast to Viktor being chosen when the Goblet roared. Their goblets froze just before making contact with each other as the sound of spitting fire reached their ears.
Dumbledore, who had been about to sit down at the teachers table, jumped up in shock, as did the other professors. The whole hall was silent as not one, but two pieces of parchment fluttered to the floor.
With a stony face the headmaster went to grab them, running his eyes over the names twice before they settled in his mind and his jaw dropped.
"What's going on? I thought we already had three champions?" Greg whispered to Theo.
"Did they make a mistake? Chose the wrong people?" Theo whispered back.
"Harry Potter and– and Zephyr Snape." Dumbledore's voice was soft but easily heard in the ringing silence permeating the hall.
"What!" His father, who was stonily watching everyone, snarled loudly. His chair screeched as he quickly stood up as if to throttle someone.
"Harry Potter and Zephyr Snape," Dumbledore repeated, as if the names would magically change, as if it was a joke made by the Weasley twins.
Potter had gone deadly pale when Zephyr glanced at him and he was sure his own face was the same. He dared not look at his father again.
This was a joke. It had to be!
Weasley had turned unbelieving eyes at his friend while Granger was urging Potter to get up and he did, but Zephyr just wanted the ground to swallow him up. What happened to his peaceful month!? Why did this have to happen to him?
He felt a hand on his back. Draco telling him to get up and find out what the hell was going on.
With balled fists he stood up and followed Potter to the champions room. Once inside he started pacing. He took no notice of the room except for the floating candles, the stone floor and the roaring fireplace.
"What is going on?" Fleur frowned, looked at the two fourteen-year-olds who obviously were not meant to be here.
"A mistake, please let it just have been a mistake," Potter wished fervently.
The door opened and Dumbledore and some ministry guy walked inside, both wearing heavy frowns.
"I'm withdrawing," Zephyr stated when no one said anything. He'd stopped pacing when the two adults came in and was instead glaring at them.
"I'm afraid you cannot do that, my boy," the ministry guy, Ludo Bagman, said.
"Don't. Call me that. If I can't withdraw then I just won't show up. What will you do? Force me?" he said with all the petulance of a teenager.
"I agree," Potter said, "I don't want another year of danger."
"Albus!" his father burst into the room, "Zephyr will not be participating, not after what happened last year."
He was nodding along his father's words and was calming down until the headmaster shook his head.
"The Goblet serves as a binding oath; they cannot back out."
"Hold on a minute!" The headmaster of Durmstrang, Igor Karkarov exclaimed. "Are you saying Hogwarts will have three champions? Absolutely not!"
The adults started bickering back and forth and the champions were watching them like a particularly dull tennis match. And then the words 'they will not win anyway' were said.
Zephyr took full offence, and for some reason so did Potter.
"Excuse me, what? 'They won't win'?"
"What do you mean 'they won't win'?"
They glared at the person who said it, headmaster Karkarov, and waited for him to explain himself.
"Well, I just– what I meant was…" The man stammered when his father joined in.
"There's no way fourth years would win against seventh years," the headmistress of Beauxbatons, Olympe Maxime explained for him.
She wasn't wrong but still, to say that without knowing them was just rude! Did she even know who they were?
"Now, now," Dumbledore tried to placate. "I am sure these two will be able to surprise you."
"No, it is unfair for Hogwarts to have three champions, no matter how young and inexperienced they may be."
"Then how about a duel!" Headmaster Karkarov burst out. "If they manage to win the tournament, we'll hold a fourth task. One on one duels until one is left!"
"Duels? Isn't that a bit excessive?" Dumbledore asked, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
One on one duels against them? Accepted.
"No, it's perfect," Zephyr said with a grin.
Potter nodded. "It sounds fairer than just the three tasks."
"All in favour then?"
They were, after much deliberating, all in favour for the fourth task and the presence of the two fourth years. Not that they could do much about the latter.
"Splendid. The first task will be in one month. I suggest you take the time and prepare for the worst." With that cheerful message Dumbledore strode away to tell the good news to the other students. The other adults followed but his father lingered to shoot him a look that said, 'we will speak later.'
Oh, Merlin he was going to die.
His father did not eviscerate him for getting caught up in this bullshit, Potter wanted to know what happened last year, which was answered with a 'fuck off' and a glare, Draco vowed to help him with the tasks as much as he could and the Slytherins were excited about having a Slytherin champion.
It had been three weeks since then and he still had no clue what the first task would be. He had one week left. Seven days to find out and prepare or he'd die a probably gruesome death. The Slytherins kept an ear out for rumours but there were none, and Zephyr was at a loss for what to do and was agonising about it.
"I bet the others know what the first task is," he muttered as he walked through the library.
"Did someone say–"
"–the first task?"
"Fred, George, am I glad to see you," Zephyr greeted them as the twins came into view.
"Ah, the perils of being the Slytherin champion."
"Ostracised and unable to get the information everyone else already has."
"If only there was somebody–"
"–or somebodies–"
"–who were kind enough to give you that information."
"Free of charge, of course–"
"–considering we were asked to give this information."
Fred and George finished their dramatic speech by beckoning him forward with secretive smiles.
Zephyr narrowed his eyes as he tried to make sense of their back-and-forth sentences. "Who asked you?"
"Our dearest older brother, naturally," they said together.
"Alright," he said, shoulders slumping, "I'll bite and go with you, but this better not be a trap!" Zephyr pointed a finger at them. "You guys are still Gryffindors and I won't forget it, even though you're one of the better ones."
"Aw, come now, you know you love us," Fred teased, elbowing him in the side as they ushered him outside.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Zephyr snorted. "Where are we even going?"
George answered, "An area close to the forest, but we have to sneaky so shush."
"Our brother might have told us to show you, but he doesn't want to see us, plausible deniability and all that." Fred waved his hand carelessly.
The ground began to tremble as they came closer to the forest. It took a bit of stealthily running around, but eventually they were close enough to see what caused the quaking.
Dragons!
Actual real live dragons!
"And? What do you think? Terrifying bunch, aren't they? I don't envy you," Fred said.
"Are you kidding me?! This is amazing!" Zephyr turned to the twin. "The first task is dragons, it's like a dream come true!" He could barely contain his excitement, if he didn't, he would be jumping in the air. Zephyr didn't suppress the uncontrollable smile that took over his face, imaging standing across the Hungarian Horntail, or even the Chinese Fireball.
"I bet you'll sing a different tune when you're being roasted," George chuckled.
"Ten galleons on him not getting hurt," Fred shot back, slinging an arm around Zephyr's shoulder as he often did.
"Twenty galleons on the dragon not even trying to hurt me."
"You're on." Fred and George chorused.
They shook on it and Zephyr had a feeling the Triwizard Tournament might not be so bad after all.
He was going to enjoy this!
BTW, who all saw this coming? Zephyr being the fourth champion is pretty predictable but it has a purpose that becoming clear in 6th year, maybe...