One-time disclaimer: Applicable to all chapters in this story - I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters except for a few OCs.
A/N: Hi all, this is my first attempt in writing after nearly 7 years. Constructive criticism welcome. Hope everyone enjoys this.
Chapter 1
A whistle blew in the distance.
Harry stood up, his legs shaking. He had not been this terrified even when he had to face Voldemort or the basilisk. After all, with something at stake each time, his mind could ignore the danger to himself.
But this was different. He was doing this only because someone had entered his name in the Triwizard Tournament.
Whoever wants me dead is going to get their wish fulfilled, he thought as he left the Champion's tent and moved towards the enclosure where he would face a fifty-foot-tall Hungarian Horntail.
He quickly reviewed his plan. He would go in, use the Summoning Charm to try and summon his broom from his dormitory, hoping that it would work despite the distance and then outmanoeuvre the dragon and get the Golden Egg.
Easy enough, he thought as he remembered the monstrosity, that he had seen a few nights ago.
If the charm failed, well, he would simply hightail it out of there.
He stood just outside the entrance, took a deep breath, and walked inside. He nearly fainted on the spot as he saw the Horntail crouched protectively over a cluster of eggs. Amidst the eggs, he could see a golden shine.
"AND HERE HE IS. OUR FOURTH CHAMPION, AND THE YOUNGEST, WILL BE FACING THE MOST VICIOUS OF THE FOUR DRAGONS. HOW WILL HE FARE?"
Harry looked around and saw that the enclosure now resembled a Quidditch stadium. But there seemed to be a shimmering barrier of sorts covering the stands. He could not make out the faces of the people in the stands, but he pushed that away from his mind; the dragon did seem pretty pissed off.
Bagman's voice can do that.
He slowly walked closer to the dragon (cursing whoever had put his name in the Goblet, in his mind) and raised his wand to summon his broom and was about to chant the Summoning charm when he paused, an idea popping into his head.
He pointed the wand at the dragon and said, "Acio Golden Egg".
A golden flash flew out from amidst the eggs and hurtled its way towards Harry. He barely caught it and the impact nearly caused him to topple over.
One could hear a pin drop in the silence that suddenly engulfed the stadium as everyone including the students, staff, judges, press, Ministry workers, dragon handlers, the dragon itself and Harry stared blankly at the egg in his hand.
And then he ran. He didn't think he had ever run this fast in his life. Behind him, he could hear the dragon's roar and Bagman shouting something that he did not care about at that moment.
He literally threw himself through the enclosure entrance and finally stopped. His legs stumbled and he nearly fell over even as Professors McGonagall and Moody ran at him along with Hagrid.
"Yeh did it, yeh did it, Harry!" Hagrid bellowed, as he cried tears of joy.
"Nicely done, Potter", she said, her voice choked and face pale. "Now come along, to see Madam Pomfrey, she will give you a look over."
Harry just nodded and walked along with her clutching the egg. He still could not believe that the task was over.
Moody walked next to him and whispered, "That was magnificent, Potter. I don't think anyone would have imagined that."
Harry just nodded weakly and followed McGonagall. Truthfully, he couldn't believe it either. He had done it on a whim. He hadn't actually expected it to work.
They arrived at the medical tent, which was near the Champion's tent and McGonagall led Harry in. Just like at the World Cup, the tent was much larger inside than the outside. There were several rooms inside it, the entrance to each room covered by curtains. Madam Pomfrey arrived and simply dragged him into a nearby room muttering under her breath.
"First dementors, then dragons! What will they bring here next? Is this still a school?"
She pushed Harry into a chair and then moved her wand around him.
"Hmmm…no injuries", she said. "Well Potter, that is a record for you. This is the first time you have come to visit me without some injury or the other."
"Well, Madam Pomfrey", he grinned, the tension beginning to leave him, "I had to get lucky some time."
"Pray that it lasts", she replied, shaking her head. Then she left the room muttering about moronic Ministries.
The next second the curtain to the room was flung to the side and a missile streaked in, hugging Harry fiercely.
"Oh Harry", cried Hermione. She released him and quickly looked him over. "Are you alright?"
"Hermione", he said, bemusedly. "I didn't even go near the damn thing."
"But it's you, Harry", she replied.
Harry laughed and was about to reply when a movement near the entrance caught his eye.
Ron Weasley stood there looking awkward.
"Hey."
"Hey."
The two boys just stared at each other for a moment. Hermione looked from one boy to the other, her brown eyes anxious.
"I reckon, whoever put your name in the Goblet, was trying to do you in", said Ron, his ears very red.
"You don't say", said Harry, his eyes giving nothing away.
"Harry, I'm…"
"It's ok", said Harry, realizing that it was indeed ok. His best friend was back, and he didn't need anything else.
But Ron seemed to be determined to speak.
"It's not ok, mate", he said, shaking his head. "I knew there was no way you could have put your name in the Goblet, but I was so angry."
"I know its not your fault", he said quickly, seeing that Harry was about to say something. "You didn't ask for this, I know, but sometimes…"
"I'd already told you about my brothers once when we first met and Ginny is no slouch either. And I'm nowhere near as good as them. I've always had to struggle to get any attention with them around. And here, my best friends are the most famous kid in the world and the smartest witch in school. I'm just some random guy in the background. Although I've gotten used to it by now, sometimes it's hard to be the guy who gets passed over."
"It's one thing to happen here but it happens at home too, you know. Did you I'm the only one of my siblings to start Hogwarts with a second-hand wand. All the others, even the twins, came with new wands. When it was my turn, Percy's new robes and owls came first. They didn't have any money left for a new wand after that. My Christmas jumpers, my sandwiches, it's like mum forgets what I actually like. I don't see her do that for the others. And you've already seen my dress robes."
"When your name came out that night, I guess I just snapped. I really wished there would be a moment, just one moment, where everyone would look at me and think 'Wow, Its Ron Weasley!. And so instead of being a friend, I was a complete arse to you. I let you down and if you didn't want to be my friend anymore, I would get that. Cause frankly, I don't deserve to be your friend."
Harry and Hermione simply looked at Ron with wide eyes. They had never realized that he kept so much bottled up inside him.
Harry closed his eyes to try and gather his thoughts.
"You know, when you guys go home for the summer, I get really jealous", Harry started.
"I've always wondered what it must be like to go somewhere where you're actually welcome. Hagrid was the first person I knew who was kind to me. And you, Ron…you were the first person who ever wanted to be my friend. And then Hermione became my friend. You came with me for the stone, you didn't go back, even when I asked you guys to go back."
"For once, I was not alone. And I liked it. You are wondering why I would forgive you? It's because you're like a brother to me, Ron. And Hermione's like a sister. And I know it's not the same as having actual brothers and sisters. But it's all I have."
"And I'm sorry, I make you feel that way. I would just like to have a quiet life but some morons just don't get that", he said, giving Ron, a wry grin.
Next to him, Hermione had tears flowing down her face. Ron's eyes looked suspiciously wet.
"So, yes Ron, it's ok." He stood up from the chair and offered his hand to Ron with a small smile.
Ron looked at the hand for a moment and then pulled Harry into a hug for a moment, before they pulled apart.
"So?" asked Harry.
"Yeah, we never mention this", said Ron.
"Cool."
"What?"
They turned to Hermione who was now looking at them with her mouth open.
"Why's she crying?" asked Ron.
"Who knows?", Harry shrugged.
"You idiots!" Hermione stomped the ground furiously.
They looked at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing.
"So, let's get your scores then?", asked Ron.
"Yeah, let's go." said Harry.
"Oh, did you know that you have a press conference after that?" said Hermione, as they left the tent.
"What? Why?" whined Harry, even as Ron burst into laughter again.
And thus it began.