A/N: Big thanks to Anaelyssa, who read and reviewed this chapter. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Let me know what you think.
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING, ESPEICIALLY NOT HARRY POTTER.
THIS VERSION OF TWT IS MINE THOUGH! (with obvious references to the original :P)
Chapter 46:
~Previously~
HYDRA!
A HYDRA!
They had to fight a bloody HYDRA!
A hydra! He screamed down the link.
Aren't they instinct?! How did they even get one! A hydra! Do you want to kill us all?!
A bloody hydra. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them did not even have one word on the creatures. How the bloody hell was he going to defeat the creature without using his skill? How the bloody Hell were the other normal champions going to fight with such a creature!?
You lot are mad!
Harry sat in the library perusing books to find more information about hydras. He banged the book in his hand against the table, frustration boiling within him. There was nothing!? The only information he could get his hands on was that 'Hydra was a serpent like creature with several heads'. That was it!
He knew that the hydra's head represented the number nine in runic alphabet. He was ahead enough in runes to know that nine was considered a powerful number. He could make a leap and deduce that a nine-headed hydra was thus the most powerful.
Thankfully, from his further forays into the lake, he knew it was a three-headed hydra. He could not feel more than three; but still how was he supposed to make his defeat of the creature seem possible, if he could not find anything on them!
Hydras had always been considered extinct, and since they were apparently not, there should be something on them... somewhere… anywhere?
Maybe not in the UK. Ugh.
Are you going to anonymously send me a book about hydras?
Silence.
Harry smacked his hand against his book, anger slicing through him at the silence along the bond. It had been almost two weeks since Marvolo had last opened the link between them, ever since he experimented with his wand. Whether it was to punish him or reprimand him, he did not care for it, neither did he appreciate being treated like a child.
He put his head on his arms in defeat. He felt more than heard a body moving in his direction. Ever since he found out Skeeter was roaming around at Hogwarts, and … his future attack, he always had his skill out to detect any soul heading towards him. A body came to a stop next to him and a soft hand on his arm had him looking up into the haunted face of Luna.
"Is it okay if I join you?"
Luna looked absolutely exhausted. Her eyes were sunken and dull, big shadows under her eyes. Harry cleared the table for her, "Sit. Are you okay?"
Luna just looked at him, eyes seemingly searching his, before they clouded over for a minute. He waited for her, patient, knowing how important this was. Her eyes slowly cleared and focused on him, a small smile appeared on her face before it slipped into a tired expression. "I'm not okay," Luna paused, her eyes searching his, "My head of house gave the girls detention, but they figured out I told on them. They have not physically hurt me again but they keep stealing my things... my books… my shoes. I don't know what to do or who to go to. You helped me before, can you help me again?"
Harry looked into desperate eyes, knowing he could not ignore this person. Luna had saved his life, and she needed help. He would have helped her even if she had not saved him, but there was something about the way she looked at him sometimes; as if she saw a different person, and at other times, she looked as if she saw him clearer than anyone else; it honestly scared him, but he would not shove her away or ignore her or use her. He would help her, in every way he could.
"Luna. No matter what I or anyone else does, those girls won't stop. They will just find you when you are alone and weak and take advantage."
"So, what should I do?" she pleaded.
Harry let his eyes glow as he touched her hand, trying to convey how serious he was, "You show them that you are not a pushover. You show them that they can't put you down. They can't touch you. I'll help you. Meet me tonight in the seventh-floor corridor."
"The Room of Requirement?" Luna asked.
Harry looked at her sharply, eyes narrowed, "Yes, meet me there."
"Okay." Luna responded.
Harry just shook his head at her, before his eyes widened as a thought occurred to him. He used the concern and panic and threw it at his link with Marvolo, letting the link fill with his worry.
Harry? Is everything okay?
Harry let out a sigh of relief to himself, glad to hear Marvolo and feeling the worry across the bond. Thank Merlin.
Luna… did she have any barriers to protect her mind? I could not tell when we went in last. Dumbledore would be interested in her now that she is spending time with me. He might try to read her mind… would he? Maybe I am getting too paranoid.
No Harry. Your concern is valid, but you cannot teach her on top of everything else this year.
Tell her to go to Snape. I'll handle the rest on my end.
Okay…. Also … do you have any books on hydras?
Marvolo let out a chuckle in his mind. Humour came across through the bond.
You already have everything you need.
And the bond closed right up again, leaving Harry very confused.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx
Harry sat next to the lake, wrapped in a thick coat to protect himself from the biting wind. He was actually facing a dilemma. Marvolo said to be himself, let his actions speak for him, but he did not know what actions to take.
It had been a few days since the link was last opened and he knew exactly how to fight he hydra, but he was not sure if the other contestants even knew they were fighting a hydra. He had overheard Karkaroff and Krum arguing about it.
Karkaroff had apparently been trying to find out what Krum had to fight against, but the ministry had locked the information. Apparently, everyone had given an oath not to reveal what they were fighting against; no wonder Marvolo had gone silent along the bond. It made something inside him relax minutely. Marvolo was not ignoring him. But it seemed that there was no way for the other contestants to know what it was.
He could easily win the first task.
But…If the other contestants were not prepared, they could get hurt... or even die; there was a reason the tournament was cancelled for the last so many years.
What should he do? Should he tell them? Should he hide it? What was more important to him?
Winning? or winning fairly?
His own words, that he had said to the champions, about wanting everything to be fair, came back to him. How easily he had said those words, the reality was very different.
Was he pretending to be that boy who believed in being fair or did he actually believe it?
Harry closed his eyes and focused on his breathing… in .. out.. in .. out.
Soon, he lost his sense of his surroundings and just flowed through his own mind. What was the most important to him?
Marvolo and Lucius.
How could he help them?
By being strong and bringing more people to their side. People loyal to him…..loyal.
Harry's eyes snapped open, hit with an epiphany. He could do both, could he not? He could be everything at once. A sly smile appeared on his face; he knew what he had to do.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Harry met up with his professor by the Durmstrang ship, easily within the hearing of a group of students milling about. Why had he not thought of doing this before?
Professor Dimitri came to him and pulled him into a hug, "Well, took you long enough to come meet me."
Harry let out an exasperated sigh, "Old man, do you know how busy I am?
He got a punch right in this arm for that one, "Who you calling old?!"
Harry let out a chuckle at the easy banter. He missed talking to adults. As much as he loved his friends, sometimes their thoughts just seemed alien to him; case in point, Draco's crush on Hermione that he was doing nothing about.
He shook his head to push the thoughts aside, "Anyway, I needed to talk to you about something. Can we talk somewhere private?"
Professor Dimitri's entire demeanor changed at his serious tone. Black eyes looked at him, before the other nodded at him to follow. Harry followed him inside the ship, moving across the bridge and ducking under the entryway. They went inside the narrow deck and turned towards the first door on the right. Inside was what seemed like a small office. A table and a chair faced the door with a bookshelf right behind it.
"Come sit." Professor Dimitri said, as he moved to sit behind the desk.
Harry followed him and sat in the chair in front of the desk. He looked at the bookshelf with unbridled curiosity. A chuckle had him turning towards the Professor with a sheepish expression.
"What was so urgent that you had to see me?"
Harry moved forward, putting his elbows on his knees, as he looked at the other man in the eye, trying to convey more than just his words.
"I need to know if you have any…. books…. on hydras?"
Black eyes widened in shock. Jaw dropped open, "Really? A hydra, you say?"
The words were blasé, but the face was beginning to scrunch up in a frown. "Are you maybe studying up on some mythical creatures?"
Harry nodded at the other man, not breaking eye contact, "Hmmmm. It's arguable whether they are mythical. Anyways, if you have any resources on the subject, I'd love to get my hands on them."
Professor Dimitri nodded to him, "I'll see what I can find."
Harry got up to shake the other man's hand, squeezing gently before letting go.
"I'll show myself out then." Harry said, as he moved towards the door.
The other man's reply was undiscernible as he left the room and moved towards the bridge. He had just exited into the bright sunlight when his eyes caught the bulging figure next to the exit. Harry smiled to himself; just as expected.
He moved towards the helm of the ship, steps light as he went and rested against the railing, looking out into the almost black lake. He took a deep breath, letting the wet smell of the lake hit his system. He waited for the other to speak.
"Do you know that Professor Dimitri is the youngest Dark Arts Professor we have ever had? He is also one of the most powerful teachers in our school. On top of that he hates most of the students, can't stand anyone but those that can keep up with him; he's a brilliant teacher, mind you, but he does not compliment anyone…. For him to be so friendly with you and even complement you…. How do you even know him?"
Harry turned to look at the older man, raising one eyebrow, lips twisting with a wry smile, "He was my defense tutor the last year."
"Only defense?" Krum questioned, arms folded on his chest.
Harry remained silent, just raising his other brow in response. The other man huffed before changing his question, "What did you need to see him for today?"
Harry let the silence linger, letting the frustration in the other man rise before replying nonchalantly, "Oh, nothing… just wanted his help with getting information on a creature."
Krum stumbled in place, taking a step towards Harry before stopping himself. "You know what the first task is? How?"
Harry merely smirked, "Oh, I don't know… but he was looking for someone to help him find a book. You could go to him to help, tell him I sent you. Do let me know if you find any book. Okay?"
Harry smirked at the other's gobsmacked expression. He turned and went to the walkway to head back towards the ground, "See you at the first task!" he shouted behind himself.
This was fun. He should mess with people more often. Now to the next target.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Harry had done his homework. He knew that Fleur and her posse spent a lot of time near the lake on sunny days to get some warmth. He walked along the shore, Hermione trailing behind him. He stopped near a group of girls sitting by the shore, making sure to be noticed by them. He looked at them, as if in surprise, before walking further away from them, and sitting on some nearby rocks. He patted the stone next to him, heating it up, before nodding to Hermione to sit. Hermione followed his directions and sat next him in silence.
He turned his skill towards the group of girls; as he had expected, they were trying to edge closer to him and Hermione. When he felt as if they were within hearing distance, he turned towards Hermione with a spark in his eyes, his tone not matching the look within, "I'm really worried Hermione… Did you find anything?"
Hermione sighed in anger, letting her building frustration out, shooting up in anger "No, nothing! Not one word! How is it even possible?! If there was a hydra alive, I'm pretty sure it would have been mentioned in some book, but I can't get my hands on anything. It's frustrating beyond compare!"
With her tirade loudly done, she raised her brow towards Harry who just rolled his eyes, "Shh! Don't be so loud." He took out his wand to wave a silencing barrier around them, pretending to continue their conversation, "Sooo. Thanks for this I guess."
Hermione huffed at him, sitting back down, cleaning her robe with her hand, "I so deserve something for all the acting you are making me do."
Harry let out a chuckle, putting his arms around her to pull her into a one-armed hug. "Thank you, Hermione. You have no idea how happy I am to have you completely on my side now."
Hermione smiled to herself, "I'll admit it was not easy. But I like you, Harry. I like the person you are. I don't think anyone other than you would leak the first task, just so that everyone is on the same page."
"Hey!" Harry cut in, "I have a cunning plan to make them come to my side. I've done some research. Both Krum and Fleur are heavy hitters in their home country; magically and politically. They are great allies to have."
Hermione turned to look at him, "Harry, I may not have been with you since you were a child, like Draco and Neville, so I'm still learning about you..., but I don't for one-minute think that you would have kept this information from them, if they were not as you said 'heavy hitters'. At the end of the day, you are caring and kind Harry. You want an excuse to be kind to them, and being cunning and trying to get them on your side are just tools you are using to make sure no one gets too hurt or dies when facing the hydra…. If someone does get badly hurt or dies, I'm pretty sure you would blame yourself."
Harry clenched his teeth to control the surge of irritation he felt at her statement. He did not know what bothered him about it. Maybe the implications that he was a soft-hearted fool.
He could not tell her that Marvolo would not have let him feel any guilt, but she was right; he wanted to do both. He wanted them all to have fair advantage, well technically he got the information fair and square, so he was using this as an opportunity to build his ties with the foreign school. Because at the end of the day, he wanted to move beyond these four walls. He needed allies, and what better allies that the chosen champions.
He shook off his irritation, smiled at her and pulled her closer again, deciding to distract her from her train of thought, "So… what is going on between you and Draco?"
The question had Hermione jerking away from him in shock, as she spluttered to correct any unfounded conclusion he might have come to. He just smiled at her, his eyes soft, but his mind whirling. So much to do, so little time.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx
He waited for them at the Astronomy tower. Although he did not need the map, he still had it on him.
"Are you guys coming out?"
Two similar red heads entered through the door, "The map! We forgot the map!"
"Oh my love, it hurts to see you in the hands of someone else."
Harry shook his head at their bickering, "What did you find?"
Fred and George shared a look before Fred started, "He knows what he is facing and even has a plan on how to deal with it. We followed him and it turns out Moody has been helping him, to make sure he survives, Ron said."
Harry let the information swirl in his mind, a spike of fear making his throat constrict, Moody…. It had been Moody who had killed him.
Warmth from the link took him out of his semi-panic state and brought him back to the present.
"Thank you, guys."
Harry turned to walk away, their last statement ringing in his mind, "We hope you win Harry."
Harry knew he would win.
They only question was how he should win.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Finally, it was the day of the first task. Harry sat at the Hufflepuff table, nerves wreaking havoc in his stomach. He had a plan that would vary depending on what they wanted them to do with the creature. But…. He was still nervous, there was a lot that could go wrong. His biggest fear was not losing, surprisingly. With the knowledge he now had, his biggest fear was people finding out about his skills, and yet he could not win without using said skills.
He had been late making sure to dress himself in the appropriate clothes. He was wearing tight dragon-hide trousers, magically-enhanced boots up to his knees, a black tunic, with a bright green cloak, that cinched at his waist and fell in a 'v' shape down to his knees. All his clothes were made of dragon hide, and were also magically spelled for protection. Thick gloves covered his hands.
It was going to be a tough battle, but he was prepared.
His head of House, Madam Sprout, came to him. "Come on lad, you're late. Let's get you to the champions' tent."
Harry followed behind her, alone. He had asked all his friends not to meet him before the competition, but to go directly to the stands and get the best seats.
He followed Professor Sprout out towards the lake, past the Quidditch pitch and the broom sheds. There were tents erected all around an empty area closer to the lake. He was sent towards the first tent on the left. "Best of luck, Harry."
Professor Sprout left him with those parting remarks, causing a scoff to escape his throat.
Are you here?
Yes, I am, don't worry. We have everything under control.
I trust you…. I just feel… strange..
It's okay to be nervous Harry.
I guess…
I'll see you on the other side.
Harry let the link fall silent. He entered the tent and faced a smug Sebastian Potter leaning against one side of the tent, his red hair cut short, a smirk on his face. Opposite him was Krum, who was so still, he seemed chiseled from stone. Fleur was pacing along the floor of the tent, from one corner to the other and then back again.
Sebastian was the first to notice his entrance, "Did you take so long because you were afraid? I'm pretty sure you don't know what you have to face… Be sure not to be too much of an embarrassment, why don't you?"
Harry wanted to keep smiling and portray a nonchalant attitude, but his brother just knew how to get past all his carefully built walls with a few words, making him want to cut him at the knees, with words and actions, both. He gathered all his will power not to snap back and just smiled at the other, "I'm okay. I've been training since last year when I was relearning my magic, so I know I can face whatever we find."
His senses told him a little bug was flying around, best to make sure he was on his best behavior, "Also, I thought we weren't supposed to know what we have to face? At least no one was supposed to tell us; if we find out our self, then that was good. So… how did you find out?"
Sebastian seemed to preen at the implied compliment, "Oh, I knew when they were going to bring the creature here, and I made sure to be there when the people came, so I saw it, no big."
Sebastian was all glee and pride as he continued, "I actually thought about telling you Harry, since you are my brother and I did not want you to die, but I thought since you put your name in the cup, you knew what you were doing... so I decided to let you handle it."
Harry let his smile turn sharp, his words at odds with his expression, "Thank you for trusting me, and knowing that I can handle myself. I'm happy that you see me as an equal, that you believe in me and that I can handle myself. I'll prove to you that you were right to trust me."
Sebastian's mouth curled into a confused frown, while Fleur turned her face away to cough into her hand and Krum turned his back to the room.
They heard a loud gong from outside the tent before Ludo Bagman, the Head of the Department of Magical games and spots, entered the tent with a dramatic wave and a bow. Harry considered the man in surprise. He had not seen the man before.
"Well, welcome Triwizard Champions. I am Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of games and sports, and I have been responsible for organizing such a big event at Hogwarts. I am also the referee and commentator for all these events. So," Ludo rubbed his hands in anticipation, grin alight on his face, "Let's dispense with the rules, shall we. You are going to be facing an unknown creature beyond this tent. The creature is in the water. The area has been enclosed so that no one else can get in or out. In the center of the lake are four keys. Your task is to defeat the creature and get to the keys. The fastest to get the key would be awarded 40 points, and then 30, 20, and 10. The rest of the points will be given by the judges based on your performance. We won't tell you what the criteria for the scoring is, but I am sure you will do great. All four of you will face the creature at the same time…. So... Good Luck!"
Bagman seemed to radiate pleasure as he waved at them and exited the tent, casting a strange look in Sebastian's direction as he left.
Harry then turned towards the other three in the tent. Even Sebastian was showing signs of nerves now.
"Shall we?" Harry asked, before turning towards the other opening on the tent.
A gong boomed across the entire area,
"Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Triwizard Tournament! The four champions are just inside the tent waiting to battle the creature they will be facing for their first task. The tasks are not easy my dear friends. So without further ado… The CHAMPIONS!"
The tent opened with a 'whoosh', and Harry clenched his fist in anticipation. Movement on his right had him swerving to the side, causing Sebastian, who had been planning on shouldering past him, to stumble outside the tent. Harry smirked, turning to give the other two champions a salute before he too exited the tent.
Harry moved slowly, bending at the knees to take stock of his surroundings. His best bet was in canvasing the area to find any blind spots or hiding places. The place they had exited was right next to the lake, there were no rocks anywhere. It was a plain area with tress scattered within the clearing. Surrounding them in a semi-circle facing the lake was an invisible barrier beyond which he could clearly see the stands, from where people were obviously watching. He could not hear the clearly cheering crowd, meaning silencing spells were used to prevent the creature from turning its attention towards the crowd.
Harry looked at the cluster of trees scattered amidst the clearing. The trees were his best bet. Harry ran. He did not look behind him to see what was happening but ran towards the shelter the trees provided. Fleur and Krum had the same idea and ran behind him.
Suddenly there was a loud road and a large creature came plunging out of the water. Its three heads seemed focused on them. Harry felt his breath leave his chest at the majestic creature, frozen in place.
It was big and green. Three heads weaved through the air, joined at the waist, around which large collar was attached, studded with glowing rubies. The three heads were attached to long necks, easily a few feet high. Its face was distinctively like a serpent, narrow, covered with scales, with a fork like tongue slipping from one of its mouths. Six white glowing eyes looked around the arena. Although there was no protection on its neck, no one would dare try to touch the neck, out of fear. The rest of its body was hidden in the water but from the descriptions Harry had found, and from Professor Dimitri's illegal collection, he had no doubt that the creature had two claw-like feet and a very long and strong tail, all covered in scales.
Cursing his lack of attention Harry kept his eye on the creature, slowly hedging towards the trees again. Sebastian Potter had not moved from the entrance; everyone was frozen in awe and shock, even the crowd had fallen silent. Harry kept low and slowly moved towards the trees. They could not enter the lake without defeating the creature. So first, he needed protection from which to work. Fleur and Krum had also seemed to have the same idea, as they were also slowly inching towards protection.
The creature had not moved ever since it came out; it seemed to be taking in its surroundings as well. That was bad. It meant the creature was intelligent on top of being deadly!
Sebastian Potter seemed to snap out of his shock. He raised his wand and shouted, "Accio Broom!"
His voice broke the silent match the creature was having with them. All three heads swerved towards Sebastian, whose eyes widened as he looked around but could not find anything to hide behind. One of the heads stretched back and screeched, before lunging straight at Sebastian.
"Sebastian! Run!" Harry screamed, changing direction. Sebastian ran towards Harry, while Harry ran to intercept the speeding head. The two brothers met in the middle; Sebastian jumped behind Harry to hide, while the hydra opened its mouth straight towards Harry.
"Protego Maxima!"
A shimmering shield burst from Harry's wand, covering him in a dome, the hydra's head crashing into it with a bang, the shield flickering in place. Harry poured more magic into his dome. The second head came straight at him and crashed against the shield as well, its teeth scratching and pushing to make its way inside. Harry pulled his wand arm back slightly before stabbing his wand in the air, pushing out with his magic. The dome burst outwards with a wave of magic, wind blowing with the force, taking the two heads with it as they crashed against the ground, the earth shaking under their feet, but Harry did not have time to celebrate when the third head came straight at him.
Another shield stopped it in its place. Harry turned to see Fleur breathing hard from behind him. A whoosh of a broom had him looking up to see Sebastian's Firebolt heading in their direction. Sebastian Potter ran from the safety of the dome just as the broom came towards him. He jumped on the broom and flew up into the sky.
The third head jerked towards the flying broom and moved towards it. The other two heads having shaken off Harry's attack, also turned towards the flying object. Harry took advantage of the hydra's attention on Sebastian to turn and run towards the tress, pulling Fleur with him as he reached her. They both ran.
They looked back just as they entered the covering of the trees to see Sebastian swerving around the three heads, weaving his way up and then falling straight down towards the lake and making his way past the three heads. He flew straight towards what was obviously the center of the lake, his shout lingering behind in the air, "See you later, suckers!"
With Sebastian out of the picture, Harry knew he needed to focus on the two that were there. The creature did not follow Sebastian, but turned its attention back towards the now empty clearing. The three heads weaved through the air, looking for its prey. One of the heads touched the ground, its snakelike tongue hissing at it, obviously trying to catch their scent.
A splash was heard and all heads swerved towards the shore where a shark-like creature jumped inside the lake and swam away. Krum! The hydra jerked as if to follow the shark, before the rubies around its neck shone bright, a wave of magic curling around the creature. Black magic!
The hydra's white eyes dulled, before it turned its attention towards the clearing again. Harry felt anger simmer inside him. The choker was obviously controlling the creature. That's how they made sure that the players would be safe.
The hiss from one of the heads had the other two heads looking straight in their direction. Damn it! Now was not the time to be worrying about the hydra!
It was just the two of them and Harry needed Fleur out of the picture so that he could deal with this his way. He turned to look at Fleur when the other moved out from behind the trees, "Wai-", he tried to speak but Fleur ignored him.
She seemed to straighten with determination as she ran out of the covering of the trees. The hydra shot towards her. She waved her wand at the head moving towards her, a spell flowing from her hands and hitting the attacking head straight in the face. The head slowed, blinking its eyes, fighting whatever she had done, before dropping to the ground. It had fallen asleep! Only, it did not affect the other heads, as she had obviously assumed. The other two heads attacked her at the same time.
Harry burst out from the trees, sending magic to his legs to speed them up. He skidded to a stop in front of Fleur, raising a shield just in time. The two heads clashed against his shield in a sizzle of power and magic. His knees dug into the ground as the second head opened its mouth to bite through the shield, eyes burning white. Sweat broke out on his forehead as he tried to hold the shield. Fleur was trying to join her magic to the shield as well.
The two heads pulled back before hitting the shield one at a time, the bang of the attack making his bones rattle. Their shrieks woke the first head up, its eyes blazing with anger before it joined the other heads in attacking the shield.
It hit the shield at the same time as the first head, the sound ringing in his ears. He heard the cracks, before splinters started appearing on the shield. One of the heads started gnawing at the cracks. Green acid seeped from its mouth. The acid found one of the cracks and leaked through, falling on his clothes, sizzling and burning a hole in them. Thankfully they were magically reinforced, otherwise he would have been a goner. He had no choice.
"Fleur! I'm going to run away and distract the creature. When it comes after me. I need you to run to the lake and get out!"
Fleur seemed to be thinking but Harry did not give her time. He shouted, "Now!".
Harry used his soul skill; eyes glowing bright emerald for a single moment in time to freeze the creature in place. He used the creature's frozen state to push all his magic into the shield, creating a magical vortex and pushing the hydra away from them with a wave of magic, the wind and dust whipping around them as the wave of magic seemed to make the heads flail away from him. The burst of magic was strong enough to push the hydra back into the water.
Harry did not wait, but ran towards the trees again, pushing to hydra to follow him. With his skill now open, he could feel the confusion and fear clouding the hydra as it rose up again. Harry froze it for a second time, keeping his back towards the creature, making sure its attention remained on him. The creature hissed in shock, before all three heads turned towards him, speeding to attack him, its claws and body finally leaving the water as it tried to keep him in sight.
He felt the heads reach his back and turned just in time to raise his shield up again. He grunted under the strain of the shield being hit with all three heads simultaneously. Fleur had taken advantage of his play and reached the shore by then. The creature seemed to have realized what had happened. One of the heads stopped pushing against his shield and turned towards her. No!
Harry let his skill take hold of the hydra again, looking the creature, pushing at his shield in the eye, letting his own glow emerald, freezing it for long enough that it felt it keenly, locking it in place. The moment he gave it back its control, all three heads reared back in shock and anger. His protective dome still intact, shimmering in front of him.
"Run! Fleur!"
Fleur seemed to hesitate for a minute before she turned her back to him and cast a bubble head charm on herself and jumped into the water.
Harry let out a sigh of relief after he knew she was safe. He moved his shoulders to lessen the strain on them. A smile lighting up his face, adrenaline running through him.
"It's just you and me now, I guess."
The creature seemed to be considering him, the three heads moving back and forth, not attacking, just watching him. Harry slowly moved his wand into his left hand. The creature was obviously aware of what he was by now, but it was too mad and under the control of the wizards to recognize what that meant.
Harry slowly lifted his right hand up and towards his back, grasping the handle of his duo sword that he had brought with himself. No one had said that he could not bring something along, there was not a single rule, explicitly stating it anywhere.
The blade of the sword became visible as he brought it down. He kept the three heads in his line of sight as he sent a spark of magic into the sword, the runes inscribed on it glowing bright red, before a blue flame started from underneath the handle all the way down to the tip. The flames swished in the air. Harry could feel them like his own skin.
The creature was still just watching him, confused, as if waiting for something; Harry could not have that. He made a motion with his left hand, as if to attack. The hydra took it for the treat it was meant and attacked. All three heads moved as one towards him. He was ready.
He used his wand to reinforce the shield, the dome turning bright blue, the heads banging against it with a screech. Harry grunted under the effort of holding the shield up, before letting his skill shine. His eyes glowed as he froze the creature for just a second. He used that moment to jump from behind the shield, single-handedly wielding his sword and cutting straight through the first head on his right. He controlled the fire on the sword, taking hold of it to burn the wound just as the magically-sharpened sword cut through it, preventing it from growing another head.
The creature jumped back from him in pain, hissing and screaming ringing in his ears. The pain of the creature hit his system like a punch, before he shoved it aside. He pulled his soul skill back, and without giving the creature the time to counter attack, he ran towards it, turning his wands towards his feet, "repente (bounce)".
He jumped up, easily reaching the creature's line of sight; the white eyes of the second head turned towards him in surprise but it was too late. Harry struck; his flaming sword a blur of fames as it cut through the neck like butter, his flame burning the wound at the same time.
He landed on the still attached part of the neck he had just cut, casting a spell at his feet to give him a smooth landing. He ran along the neck, straight towards the last head. Mad eyes turned towards him. Harry apologized to the creature, freezing it with his power for another second, before jumping towards the last head. He sliced along the head as he fell to the ground, the head freefalling next to him.
He aimed his wand at the ground, making it soft to land on, rolling on his back as he reached the ground, letting his back take the brunt of the fall, barely avoiding the third head as it fell right behind him.
The now-headless creature swayed on its feet, before it tumbled towards the ground, causing the ground to shake under his knees, before everything went silent.
Harry looked at the creature, his breath coming out in gasps. His legs suddenly felt too weak to hold him up. He fell to the ground in shock. He had done it…, He did it….
Harry felt happiness unlike ever before. He let out a laugh in exhilaration. He did it. He did it!
I did it! I did it Marvolo!
Yes, you did. Now go get the key! Silly boy.
Harry pushed against suddenly aching legs as he stumbled upright, using his sword to balance himself when he felt like he was going to fall.
The barrier between the crowd and the arena disappeared and the noise hit his system. The roar of the crowd hit him straight in his chest. Cheers, howls, hoots all filled the arena. He raised his sword above his head in triumph, the flames sizzling and swirling in the air. A spark of magic had the flames disappearing, and he put it back in its scabbard on his back.
He turned towards the lake, letting the cheers of the crowd give him the boost to push past his exhaustion. He mustered all his strength and jumped into the water. He started swimming until he finally reached the floating table in the center of the lake.
He pulled himself onto the table, arms shaking under the strain. He looked at the last key, sitting idly on the float. He smiled to himself as he picked it up. He turned towards the shore, the crowd now within his clear sight. Everyone was on their feet and the sound still reached him; they had not stopped for a minute. Exhaustion hit him then, his magical reserves almost empty, and he stumbled down his knees. The edges of his vision started to blur. No! He would not miss this moment. He laid down on the float, all his energy taken by just keeping his eyes open.
A flapping of robes had him turning to see a grinning Cedric looking down at him from his broom. The other man seemed almost glowing with happiness. He put his arms out and Harry gave it a considering look, before turning befuddled eyes towards Cedric.
Cedric chuckled, before getting off from the broom. He bent down and pulled Harry's arms over his own shoulder. He picked him up and half carried, half dragged him to the broom. He put Harry on the broom and slid behind him, one hand on the handle and the other around Harry's waist.
He felt a sliver of something go down his back, going still in shock at the feeling. He turned his attention towards himself to figure out what was going on. By the time he came to, he was back in the arena, being pushed towards the tent. It seemed so long ago when he had left it, seemingly confident.
He did not let go of Cedric, his legs unwilling to hold his weight. He was suddenly pulled out from under Cedric, the scent hitting him first - Lucius!- as the older man directed him towards the cot inside the tent. He sat on the edge and tried take his boots off. A slim hand pushed his hand aside to stop his feeble attempt, before they quickly pulled the boots off and helped him lie down. His vision had blanked out by then; he had no idea what was happening around him or for how long he was out, when the sound of running feet brought him back to his surroundings.
Lucius gently shook his shoulders, "Harry, it's time to get up and get your scores. The mediwitch has checked you over. There is nothing wrong with you, just magical and physical exhaustion. Your friends are waiting for you. Can you get up?"
Lucius gently helped Harry sit up. Harry grabbed hold of the arm closest to him and pressed it in gratitude.
"Thank you" he said softly.
Lucius smiled at him as he ruffled his hair and left him to his friends' mercy. Lucius moved away and behind him were Draco, Hermione, Neville, Susan, Hannah and Luna.
Harry waved at them, and that was all they needed.
That rushed him and pulled him in a hug, "Oh Harry! That was so amazing. You looked so cool." Susan babbled.
Harry chuckled nervously, rubbing at his head, before turning to Draco. "Help me up, will you? I seem to be out of energy."
The others moved back to give him space, while Draco helped him wear his boots, and helped him off the cot. They moved with him towards the exit of the tent and back inside the arena. The hydra was nowhere to be seen. The entire area had been cleaned up; Krum, Fleur and Sebastian were all sounded by their friends and teachers.
Harry walked to the center of the arena, facing the crowd, his friends forming a circle around him. Luna grabbed hold of his hands, squeezing in comfort. Right in the middle of the stands, on a raised platform, were the six judges. The French woman, then Karkaroff, Madam Maxime, Dumbledore, Barty and Marvolo, from right to left. Right next to Marvolo, on a raised podium, was Ludo, who was nodding at Percy Weasley, who was handing him a piece of paper. Ludo Bagman's voice rang in the now silent arena.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! What an amazing first task. I am sure you are all eager to hear the results of the competition. Now, each champion was graded on their performance and how quickly they got the key. The performance scores were given based on the following criteria; the complexity of magic they performed, the visual representation of the magic and lastly but most importantly team work!
We have calculated all the scores and the places are: In fourth place," Ludo looked at the parchment in his hand, squinting at it with a frown. He went silent for a few minutes before turning towards the judges, "Is this right? Did you guys mess up the names?"
Marvolo who was the closest to Ludo said something to the other man, who scowled at Marvolo. He looked towards the six judges, hesitating for a minute before he turned to the audience again, "In fourth place…..with fifty nine points is… Sebastian Potter!"
Silence descended in the stadium at the announcement. Harry looked at Sebastian from the corner of his eyes. He had turned the same colour as his hair, anger pouring from his countenance, fists clenched as he stepped forward.
"What?!" Sebastian shouted at the stands, "What is the meaning of this?! How am I in last place?! I was the first one to get the key! Is this some plot against me?!"
Barty cast a sonorous on his throat and stood up from his place.
"Mr. Sebastian, please contain yourself. We have worked very hard to make the competition fair and eliminate bias this year. Let me be very honest with you to help you understand. You won the first key worth forty points, but only receive 19 out of 60 points from the judges. Because the highest score was for teamwork, Mr. Potter, and you did know show an ounce of care or teamwork for your fellow champions. So please, control your temper and let us dispense the scores for the rest of the contestants."
The verbal shutdown had Sebastian taking a step back in surprise. He had obviously not expected anyone to call him out on his behavior. He went quiet, while Barty turned towards Bagman, "If you cannot even announce the results without letting your preference shine, Mr. Bagman, I'll happily give your position to someone else. Would that be preferable?"
Bagman seemed to cow under the criticism and he minutely shook his head, before turning towards the audience again, "I'm really sorry Ladies and Gentlemen for that unprofessional display. I will make sure it does not happen again. Now, in third place, we have…. Surprisingly Victor Krum! With sixty-one points".
The Durmstrang started clapping to congratulate their champion, followed by the rest of the audience.
Krum turned towards Harry, "I did not think they would grade us on team work… I went my separate way and left very early on… I guess that counted against me."
Harry smiled at the other man, "It was a brilliant piece of magic though, and you only had a week to prepare. That is amazing."
Krum gave him a smirk, letting him know that he was on to him, before turning towards the judges again.
Harry felt light listening to Bagman's scores, he was either second or first and either was great. He had proven his worth in everyone's eyes by his performance. He tuned in to Bagman's speech just as the other started telling the scores, "-have only a difference of one point. The champion at second place has 69 points while the champion in first place scored a whopping 70 points. Any guesses?!"
Shouts erupted from different corners of the stands. The Beauxbatons screaming Fleur while the Hogwarts screaming Harry. Harry smiled to himself, nerves erupting in his stomach, "The person with the highest score at seventy is…, Harry Potter!"
The crowd burst into applause. His friends screamed in his ear, as they wrapped their arms around him to hug and jump in place. Harry let their happiness fill him up. He won. A sudden thought had him turning towards the judges' table, rusty eyes looking right at him,
Did you know!? Did you know I would have to fight a hydra? Is that why you forced me to take up sword fighting?!
The link was suddenly open between them, pride and elation reaching him and warming him from the inside out.
No Harry. How could I have known what you would have to face, when the tournament was not even confirmed when you started training?
Harry let the words circle inside his mind. That does not seem like a 'no'. What did you do?
Amusement seeped through the bond, mixing with the pride and happiness, leaving a trail of light in his mind.
I made sure you were prepared for what I needed to happen, and I made sure it happened.
Harry shut the bond forcibly, cutting all emotions as a flare of heat shot inside him. Merlin! Marvolo planned on having a hydra as the first task, made sure he was prepared and made sure that they got a hydra…, how the bloody hell did he accomplish that?!
Shit.
Why was that thought hot?
Harry forcibly pulled himself into the present circle between his friends, feeling heat climb up his neck and face. He subtly tried to fan his face, turning it away from the crowd. His eyes met dull blue eyes alight with humor. Harry poked his tongue out at her. Of course, Luna probably knew what he was going through.
The clearing of Bagman's throat brought everyone's attention back to him.
"The keys the champions are holding are the literal keys to the second task. Come to the judges table and find your matching box. Each box has a clue that will tell you what you need to do with your key. Of course, you have to open the box on your own. The judges will magically bind the box to you, so only you can even attempt to open it. Come on up! Sebastain Potter! Harry Potter!"
Harry left the circle of his friends and followed behind Sebastian towards the judges' table. Sebastian went straight to Dumbledore who gave him a box. He could not see what kind from where he stood. Then it was his turn. He felt Fleur come to stand behind him as he moved towards the table. Marvolo waved him ahead and he came to stand in front of Barty. The other man smiled at him and took out his hand to shake, "Well done Harry. That was an absolutely beautiful performance. Congratulations."
Harry smiled at the other man before looking down at the beautifully carved wooden box. Barty took his hand and put his finger on the left side of the box. The box glowed a brilliant white before it settled back to normal.
"There, that should do it."
Crouch then handed him the box. Harry touched the smooth line and carvings, an image on the face of the box. The image seemed distorted, the numerous wooden pieces seemingly mixed. Harry moved the box to the right and then left, his brain connecting the dots. The image was in a lot pieces. This was the muggle version of the boxes Marvolo had him practicing with as a child… wasn't this too easy?
Harry turned to look back at Crouch, "Isn't this too easy?" he asked, pointing at the box. Fleur who had reached her headmistress and was holding her own box looked at him in surprise. Crouch's eyes widened minutely before they narrowed at him, "Easy? Does this box look easy to you?"
Harry looked back at the box, Krum's hulking figure crossing him to reach his headmaster barely registering in his mind. There was definitely an image on the box. Harry pressed on the wooden slate, and it smoothly moved from its place. An empty space now stood stark against the image of the box. He moved the other small piece next to it and it smoothly slid into place again. It felt as if someone had put his finger in a magical current. Harry felt his brain wake up from its dusty corner, all his considerable attention on the box as his fingers started to rapidly move across it. One slide to the left, the other down, this one up and right. There .. it seemed like a mouth… oh, a dragon..…that was a wing... okay... move this up…
Harry lost all sense of his surroundings.
Ludo Bagman watched from the pedestal and opened his mouth to question them when rusty brown eyes, from the judges table slaked towards him. He closed his mouth with a gulp. He moved forward to better watch what was happening. The crowd had now become aware that something was going on. One of the redhead twins cast a spell towards the people gathering around Harry. An image appeared in the air.
Ludo gaped in surprise as a large figure of Harry Potter was seen working on a box, his fingers moving with quick speed, arranging and rearranging the pieces of wood, an image appearing on the box. The boy seemed almost in a trance, his eyes flickering back and forth while his fingers moved the small pieces of the box, until finally an image of a dragon was seen. The last piece slid into place and the 'click' sound of the box rang in the silence of the arena.
Harry blinked as if waking from a hazy dream. He looked up sheepishly at Crouch, "I've been playing with these since I was 7. I used them as a meditative technique to deal with my…. Well…" Harry suddenly realized what he was about to say in front of so many people. He looked around in surprise, a blush rising on his face at the attention that had focused on him.
"Sorry…. I just… ya…What do I do now?"
A chuckle escaped Marvolo which seemed to shake the rest of the people. Krum and Fleur took the boxes and settled on the ground. They started working on their box to open it, quite certain they could manage it, since Harry had inadvertently showed them how.
Harry looked at Marvolo with a sheepish expression on his face,
Sorry. I have no idea what happened.
You are exhausted… and used to the working the boxes to relax yourself after a nightmare. You may be capable but you are still only fourteen.
Get moving now and go rest. I have some things to take care of.
The fact that, even the knowledge that Marvolo was doing something sneaky was not raising any curiosity within him, meant that he really was crashing.
Icy fear pinged across the link, pulling him from his almost meditative state and crashing back to himself.
Marvolo!
Harry. Show your exhaustion more please. I know you don't want to, but don't hide it. Don't be strong. Please.
The fear pulled back and lessened, but the plea remained strong.
Go to your dorm and sleep please. Don't come out the rest of the day, even if you are refreshed. Trust me.
Harry wanted to say something back, but it felt as if his consciousness had been waiting for Marvolo to allow it to be weak. His system started crashing, tendrils of exhaustion reaching to him. He turned around and his eyes fell on Draco, who had been observing him for a while now, silver eyes narrowed.
Harry turned to him and whispered, "Take me from here to the dorm room. I think I'm about to crash."
Draco did not give up on his stare, but took hold of his arm, draping it across his shoulders, the other holding him by the waist, and started pulling him away from the people gathered.
Luna seemed to know what was happening, as she took the puzzle box from his hands.
"I'll give this to Susan to bring to you. I'm pretty sure no one can open it."
Harry nodded to her as Draco made his excuses and started walking towards the castle. Just when they were out of earshot of the crowd, Draco spoke,
"Did you use-" Harry raised his hand to shush him, when he a felt a familiar soul enter his radius,
"I know you want to know why I put myself in danger like that… and I honestly don't know… I could have won had I let the hydra attack Sebastian and used that opportunity to run like Krum. But... even though I had no idea they were grading us on teamwork, I –" Harry let out a sigh, tears filling his eyes, Draco's own gray widening in alarm, "I can't let anyone get hurt, not if I can help them. If there is a chance that I can help them... I'll take it. No matter how much Sebastian has hurt me and cursed me during the last so many years, he is still my brother, and he is still so young…,"
Harry rubbed the tears away, looking at Draco with startlingly clear eyes, "If there is a chance, that I can save him, I will take it." Harry turned towards the castle again, "Could you take me to your dorm? I might have used too much magic; I think I'm about to crash."
Draco hummed as he started pulling Harry towards the castle again. They walked in silence, both mulling over what Harry had just said. Draco waited for Harry to speak. Harry kept his senses on the soul as it stayed with them for a while, before turning around and moving back towards the tents.
When Harry was sure they were completely alone, he whispered under his breath, "Muffliato" before turning to Draco again, taking a lot of his weight back, "Thanks for taking my cue so well. You did brilliant."
Draco was silent. Harry turned to look at him in confusion. Draco's eyes were furrowed, and he was chewing his lips in a very uncharacteristic display of uncertainty, "Draco?"
Draco seemed to reach a conclusion, "I'm your best friend. Right? Harry?"
Harry wondered where this conversation was going. "Yes," he responded slowly, "Why?"
"Then why are you keeping so many secrets from me? You sound the same, look the same, act the same…and yet… I feel as if there are two layers to you and I only get to see one. Why? Why are you hiding from me? Was it something I did? You have never kept secrets from me. Never, but ever since we started Hogwarts, I keep feeling that you are keeping things to yourself and this year; I feel like there is something wrong with you. You disappear from time to time... you could be sitting in front of me and suddenly it's like your mind is gone somewhere else... and I can't follow it... and you don't even share where your mind suddenly went. You are making decisions and I don't know where they are coming from... You are doing things that I am not involved in and I don't know what to do! Or how to help you! I have spent more time this year with my house mates than ever before, despite you being back...it's like second year all over again… I don't.. I don't know what to do, to get you to trust me again…"
Harry belatedly realized that they had stopped walking as Draco continued to rant, but all his attention was on hurt gray eyes. Harry did not know how to answer him. How to explain what his life was… There were only ever two people who knew everything about his life and as much as Draco was his best friend, there were things he could never share… but maybe there were some things he could... Maybe he had gotten too used to his own council and Marvolo. Maybe his friends were feeling left out….
He had refused to share the future vision with Hermione and had asked to her keep the event secret from everyone, unwilling to share Luna's secret, unless she was ready…. But maybe he had been going too far.
He looked into lost grey, and the confusion and hurt emanating from him, had him redirecting his skill to keep Draco out of it.
"You are right." Grey eyes widened minutely in surprise.
"You are right…" Harry repeated, suddenly feeling unsure, "I guess I got used to doing everything by myself…, but a lot of things are not my secrets to tell…. So… just give me some time…, will you?"
Draco grabbed him the shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "I know you are involved in a lot of stuff, but I want you to know that I am there for you. You need friends too, Harry. Actual friends. Don't forget that."
Harry nodded against Draco's shoulder, actual tears burning his eyes. Maybe he could relax a little. Maybe he should let them in a little more.
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A/N: Guys, reviews make me want to write. Lack of reviews demotivates me in a way, I never imagined. I don't know if my story is effective, if my characters are accurate, if you are feeling the story. How I can improve or know which part was interesting, if you guys don't review. Even a 'good' is enough to tell me that it's okay.
Thanks to everyone who has been with me for so long.