AN:
Surprise update!
Normally I would take a bit more time between chapters however I'm going to be fairly busy over the course of the next few weeks so I want to put out as much as possible otherwise the updates will end up dragging a few months possibly.
I'm also going to try to make the chapters shorter and more concise so they don't jump all over the place.
Thank you all for you input it is appreciated and please don't be surprised if I 'steal' some of your suggestions.
Story inspired heavily by 'Cruel To be Kind', '12 Steps To Omnipotence', 'Rise of an Empire' and a million and one other fanfics. If you see stuff and think that it's similar to another fanfic. it's probably because we read the same story and I liked that plot line or idea.
BEWARE this is a 'Gary Stu, wish fulfillment, power fantasy type story.
Thank you for reading!
Enjoy
Chapter 11
Year 6, Day 20: Harry Potter Universe, September 1994
"Stupefy, Expelliarmus, Incarcerous!" I watched as Luna hit the target. She had been practicing this chain for the summer and was excited to show me.
"Great job Luna!" I said to the girl. She was still wearing the boots which apparently still fit her even though she had gone through a growth spurt.
Magical boots that resize. What can I say 'Divine Conjuration.' I was proud of myself.
"Confrigo!" I heard the dummy violently explode and turned around expecting to see Terry and Michael aiming their wands but it was Mandy. Both boys took a step back and were looking at her impressed.
We had snuck out for some impromptu practice so the rest weren't present. After the attack at the world cup the teenagers had a realization that their world wasn't so safe anymore.
While most of the burning was prevented by my water, Nick caught me before I made the move on the wizards so unfortunately the Ministry wasn't able to apprehend anyone.
That was really my fault I went extra when simple spells would have sufficed.
Rumors of You-Know-Who were starting to rise up again since someone had still put up the dark mark in the sky and this was raising tensions in the adults at home.
They remembered the war.
There was also another reason why Mandy was letting off some steam. Same reason why the rest of the girls in school were annoyed.
The lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons were intruding upon their territory. Unlike the movies both schools were actually mixed but it seemed most of the animosity was directed towards the French school.
Understandable really, while the Durmstrang school also had hot girls they were much more serious with a no nonsense attitude while the French students were lady like, flirty with cute accents in robes that accentuated all the right angles.
All the boys whose balls had dropped couldn't shut up and keep their eyes off them.
'The Thirst was real!'
In a few days the Goblet would choose the Champions.
'Let the games begging!'
Scene Break
The great hall was quite crowded as along with the Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and the ministry contingents almost the whole school showed up to see who the Goblet will pick as champions.
The wild flames of the Goblet turned from blue to a violet purple spitting out the first champion and as expected Dumbledore read the name.
"The champion for Durmstrang is Victor Krum"
Cheers and applause could be heard from the school's contingent and the rest of the students as Victor went to shake the headmaster's hand.
The process repeated with Fleur Delacour becoming Beauxbatons champion and Cedric Diggory becoming Hogwarts champion.
As the students were cheering, congratulating and gossiping with each other the Goblet flared wildly again, this time a bit longer than before as if to pause for dramatic effect, and spit out a forth name.
"Harry Potter!" the headmaster shouted. His voice filled with urgency and concern, silence answering him.
"HARRY POTTER!" he repeated.
The hall was silent.
In shock, the Boy-who-lived pushed to his feet by Hermione walked forward to the headmaster and grabbed his name, sharing a look of disbelief with each other.
"He cheats! He's not even seventeen yet!" a student shouted from the crowd as Harry moved past Snape, joining the other champions.
Loud whispers already started running through the crowed. Before the headmaster or any of the officials could say anything they were all silenced as the Goblet, even more ferocious than before, flared one more time.
If the headmaster's jaw could hit the floor in disbelief it would have, tough he composed himself quick enough and plucked the gently floating paper out of the air.
Reading the paper his disbelief was replaced with puzzlement and concern for he was not familiar with the name.
"Darrow Miercuri?" he asked, unsure where to look tough his answer came immediately.
"BOOOYA! IT BLOODY HELL WORKED!" I instantly jumped up from my seat next to Terry at the Ravenclaw table.
"YES! YES! YES! TRI-WIZARD TOURNAMENT HERE I COME! YEAAA!" I shouted obnoxiously in joy as I skipped towards Dumbledore while pumping my fist with a giant grin plastered on my face.
The headmaster, still half in shock and half trying to figure out who I was as a student, was silent. I don't blame him, outside of Ravenclaw I wasn't well known, sure I had high marks but so did half of my house, other than that I only had a few acquaintances in the other houses.
As I stopped to pick up the paper with my name from the Headmaster's hand I knew this was a perfect opportunity to cause some chaos so with a wandless sonorous enhancing my voice I spoke up loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear.
"Headmaster do I get full points for solving the YEARLY Challenge or is it split with Harry? Unlike Potter who won for the last three years I'm not sure how it works!"
At this the hall exploded in confused whispers and chatter:
"Yearly challenge?... What is he talking about?... Harry won what? …Was the age line a challenge?... Bloody hell…"
Surprisingly the first of the adults to recover and bring the hall to order was professor Flitwick though I guess not as surprising considering he is my head of house and is responsible for my wellbeing.
"Mr. Miercuri what Yearly challenge are you talking about and how did you get your name in the Goblet? Only those of 17 years or older are allowed to add their names!"
At this the great hall quieted down again all eager to hear my explanation.
The headmaster starts to make a motion as wanting to move the conversation in private however I seize the opportunity and cut him off.
"Ah professor Flitwick, I am talking about the Yearly challenge issued by Headmaster Dumbledore himself!" I say loud enough for everyone to hear me.
"In my first year it was the forbidden corridor on the 3rd floor, though at the time I did not know it was a challenge we had to solve, I thought it was actually forbidden! I only clued in when Harry, Hermione and Ron got that boat load of points for Gryffindor at the end of the year and won the cup for their house!" I continued making sure my voice rose in excitement.
"In second year it was finding out and opening the Chamber of Secrets." I turned to the Headmaster. "I have to say very nice touch with the whole basilisk and petrifying students it did add an exciting element of danger!" I said excitedly.
"Anyway I found the chamber but for the life of me I was not able to open it. I never could have imagined that it required the parseltongue language to open it and nor did I expected that Harry was a parselmouth!" I paused as a sigh escaped me.
"I mean honestly if there was anyone that I thought to be a parselmouth I expected it to be the Patel twins!" I said looking at Padma specifically. I had gotten to know her in our practice sessions and she was a nice girl so I felt a bit bad putting her on blast.
"Mr. Miercuri I think…" the Headmaster tried to interfere. I would have none of it so I continued right on.
"Yes, yes I know it's a bit RACIST!" then pointed my gaze to the Patel twins. "Sorry ladies but India does have the highest concentration of parselmouths in the world! I think it's a fair assumptions only a bit crude." Parvati looked offended but Padma just rolled her eyes.
I guess after you roll around in the mud together playing 'war games' you get a bit of leeway in the things you can say about your friend.
"Anyway Harry and Ron solved the whole thing and won the cup for Gryffindor again! A big bag of BS if you ask me!" I noticed Terry furiously nodding his head agreeing. Michael just looked at me I think exasperated. We've had this discussion quite a few times in the dorm.
I continued without giving anyone a chance to interfere. I could see the students were hanging on my every word after all the events of first and second year were filled with rumors and confusion.
Especially my house where I had been stoking the fires last year and the last few days. The orderly house was not happy and the memories of Buckbeak were still fresh.
"This brings us to last year and the whole debacle of Sirius Black and Azkaban. I was very confused when the ministry Dementors were stationed at the school and I could not figure out what the dam challenge was." I said loudly tinting frustration in my voice.
"I mean, like everyone else, I'm sure" my arm swept towards the student body "I thought it might be learning the Patronus Charm but that didn't quite make sense as we were going to learn that charm anyway in the later years and it's just not that hard of a charm to cast." I said pausing to take a breath.
"So at my wits end I captured Dave, kept him locked up in the Forbidden forest for a few days trying to figure out if that was the challenge or not" at this Flitwick interfered.
"You captured who? Kept them where? Who is Dave?" he asked confused.
"Oh right, sorry professor it's Dave the Dementor! He wouldn't tell me his name so I thought Dave would be a good one."
The professor and well everyone looked at me incredulously mostly unsure what to say. Though I thought I did see a moment of realization creep in the Headmaster's eyes.
"You captured a Dementor…?" he asked unbelievably.
"Well yea, I figured since the challenge can't be the Patronus charm it must be capturing the Dementors. Why else would there be bloody Dementors at a school of all places!" I said as if it was the most ridiculous thing. Which honestly it was. 'Really soul sucking demons in a place full of children WTF?'
"Dave was a feisty little bugger kept trying to suck my soul right out but he put a stop to that after I zapped him a few times!" I animatedly pointed my wand as a shock stick.
"Mr. Miercuri the Dementors..." Flitwick tried to say however I powered right through and talked over him.
"Yes professor I KNOW, I Know!" and here I paused slightly for effect. "Imagine my SHOCK, that on the same day I was about to head to the headmasters office to see if I had indeed completed the challenge, it turns out the whole thing with Sirius Black and Azkaban is true!" I say making sure my surprise is evident.
That part was an obvious lie but they didn't need to know that.
"So obviously I rushed back to the forest, explained the situation to Dave, profusely apologized and let him out. He flew off pretty quick; I think I might have traumatized him a bit!" I finished trying to look remorseful. 'A little embellishment never hurt anyone!'
I turned to the ministry officials.
"Mr. Bagman, Mr. Crouch I do hope I won't get in trouble with the ministry. It was an honest mistake I swear!" I said trying to sound as sincere as possible. 'Thank you grade 12 drama class!'
The two officials did not know how to respond and only stared slack jawed.
"Anyway I never did figure out what the challenge was but someone in Gryffindor must have otherwise there is no freaking way they would have been able to win the house cup! They were way behind, all the prefects I asked confirmed it." I state confidently.
I can tell no one is sure what to make of my story. The foreign and ministry contingents are confused since they don't have any knowledge of the past events. The headmaster along with the Hogwarts professors are both shocked and confused as their wheels are turning connecting some of the events from the past years.
"So anyway that brings us to this year's challenge. It's much easier and straight forward than before. 'Get past the age restriction and participate in the tournament'. I'm surprised it's only us so far I thought there would be a bit more folks to figure it out." As if the Goblet had been waiting for my cue it flared up again taking everyone's attention.
This time, unlike before and to the amazement of everyone, the goblet spit out 9 more papers in quick succession after which the flames extinguished indicating the end of the choosing.
To his credit the Headmaster was on the ball and with a sharp wave of his hand all nine papers floated in front of him.
"All nine names say Darrow Miercuri!"
The hall once again exploded.
"How is this POSSIBLE? What kind of NONSENSE IS THIS?" Madam Maxime shouted.
"The bloody Goblet's broken!" shouted someone.
"It's a dam conspiracy by DUMBLEDORE for Hogwarts to win! That's what it is! I demand his immediate disqualification!" Karkaroff shouted to the ministry officials above everyone else.
The hall quickly descending into chaos.
"MAY I HAVE EVERYONE'S ATTENTION PLEASE!" my sonorous cutting through the noise.
"Headmaster Karkaroff I cannot be disqualified as I am not actually participating for Hogwarts."
"What do you mean boy, that's your name that came out of the cup is it not?" Karkaroff barked.
"Well yes but in order for me to participate I could not participate as part of Hogwarts, it is the TRI-wizard goblet which means three. In order for me to get chosen I had to confound the cup to accept more schools. I am technically the champion of Ravenclaw Institute of Sorcery and Technology."
"So you confounded the cup to think four schools were participating?" asked professor Flitwick. I felt a bit of pride in his tone. It was the stuff of advanced charms.
"Ah well you see I wasn't sure how many students would figure it out so to be sure I confounded the cup to think 1000 schools were participating. I only used 10 spots all with the same school title spelled in different ways just to make sure it wouldn't coincide with any other names." Everyone looked at me as if I was insane.
"1000 schools…" sputtered Flitwick.
"You seriously expect us to believe that! You a fourth year student were able to confound the Goblet! This is nonsense!" Karkaroff continued. Before I could reply the headmaster spoke.
"Let's say that you are telling the truth Mr. Miercuri how did you get past the age restriction? Did you ask an older student to put your names in? Is there someone who helped you?"
I smiled brightly and answered.
"Of course not headmaster! I didn't want to give myself more competition for the tournament in case the person I ask for help hadn't figured it out!"
"Then how did you put your name in?"
I took a few moments of silence to build the tension getting all the students on the edge of their seats.
"I OWELED it in of course!" I answered brightly as if it was the silliest thing in the world.
If you could hear a pin drop this would be the moment.
"YOU DID WHAT?" surprisingly it was McGonagall that reacted first.
"I had my Owl deliver the name, the headmaster's spell only takes into account humans not magical creatures. I thought it was pretty obvious we have magical Owls that can deliver letters almost everywhere so why not the Goblet?"
McGonagall made to say something then stopped the solution so simple and logical she couldn't refute it.
To my rescue came the Prankster Twins.
"He's a bloody genius!" Fred probably.
"A bloody MAD genius" George possibly.
At this all the students broke into chatter and whispers.
"Of course, so simple!" a 5th year Slitherin.
"Bloody hell why didn't I think of that" a 6th year Hufflepuff girl.
"Stupidly obvious now that you think about it!" a 5th year Gryffindor.
"Only a Claw could have thought of that!" pretty sure it was a Ravenclaw from my year.
"ENOUGH!" the headmaster bellowed. "The choosing ceremony is NOW OVER! We have much to discuss. Prefects are to escort their houses back to the dorms."
"Headmaster!" I interrupt loud enough to bring everyone's attention back to me. "I would like to say a few words to the students before we adjourn for the night.
"Mr. Miercuri I believe enough has been said for tonight." I interrupt again before he can continue.
"I promise you, my classmates along with our foreign guests, Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch would be very interested in what I have to say."
At hearing's his name Ludo Bagman couldn't help himself and stepped in.
"Come now Dumbledore let the boy speak! We might was well have everything out tonight. I'm sure we all want to hear what he has to say."
Dumbledore looked around at his guest and sure enough he could see they were all burning with curiosity, seeing no other choice he relented. "Very well Mr. Miercuri. Go ahead".
I cleared my throat and took a few steps away from the headmaster and towards the student body. I took a pause, letting the tension build up and taking a sweeping view of all gathered in the hall.
"My fellow Ravenclaws" I started my voice loud yet gentle, soft but firm.
"I stand humbly before you looking to participate in this tournament,"
"Not out of WANT for GLORY or FAME but out of NECESSITY." I accentuate and pause sharply.
"For far too long have we been MOCKED for our studious nature, our love of knowledge…for our HARD WORK." I say with more fire in my tone.
"For far too long have we SUFFERED due to WARS between SNAKES and LIONS!" I point accusingly at the two tables.
"All for SILLY, PETTY, MEANINGLESS reasons."
"Whose BLOOD is THICKER? Whose SOUL is LIGHTER? Throwing temper tantrums at every perceived slight!" I say with contempt, practically spitting the words out.
"Not once thinking how to advance OUR knowledge, OUR world."
"And the Badgers swaying in the wind of who screams the loudest." I pause. I'm pretty sure if the professor's eyes could bulge out they would. I continue without giving them a chance to interrupt me.
"I say NO MORE!" I practically shout taking everyone by surprise then I rapidly continue.
"My fellow Ravenclaws I stand humbly before you and ask for your support"
"Lend me your strength, lend me your minds, and lend me your KNOWLEDGE!"
"Together WE shall win this tournament!"
"Together WE shall end the CHAOS and bring back ORDER to our school!"
"Let us show these slimy snakes, lazy lions and blundering badgers,"
"That it is our house that will RISE above all others!" I accentuate with my right hand sharply pointing up.
"Let us show the ministry, our foreign guests and through them the WORLD."
"That WE are the better breed!"
"That KNOWLEDGE is SUPERIOR!"
"THAT ORDER SHALL PREVAIL!"
I end my speech on a proud note chin up.
Silence engulfs the great hall my words still sinking in the shocked, well, everyone.
I had thought it would be the headmaster to start first but it was professor McGonagall who recovered.
"MR. MIERCURI! I AM SHOCKED AND APPALED! DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING!? I AM GOING TO PERSONALLY" She never finishes her rant as she gets interrupted by a student.
"Darrow's right!" a third year Ravenclaw stands from the table righteous fury on her face. All eyes now facing her.
"I'm tired of being called a NERD, BOOK WORM and other names by those two looser in Gryffindor!" she points at two third year boys. "Every time I'm in the library and in class there's always a comment or something said." she points at two third year boys at the Gryffindor table.
This amuses me as I know one of the boys likes her, of course he doesn't know how to express those feelings so he defaults to the tried and true method of making fun of the girl. Either way it works to my advantage as it opens the flood gates of complains.
"It's called studying you twats you should try it sometime!" the girl followed up, the rest of the Claws muttering in agreement while the two boys flushed with embarrassment now resembling lobsters.
"Last year I spent two days trying to get rid of boils out of my BUTT!" said Anthony. "All because some dumb Gryffindor and ponce Slitherin decided they would hex each other between classes! The two idiots can't even aim properly! They got everyone but themselves!"
"Where were the detentions? Where was the justice!?" Lucas shouted. The crowed again agreed with boastful cries of YEA!
"And you Puffs always 10 at a table in the library gossiping! How many times does Madam Pince have to ask you to be quiet? How many times must you distract the rest of us?" said another 5th year.
"Every time class is disrupted it's either a SNAKE or a LION!" said another Claw, a 6th year I believe.
"They can't follow instructions!" someone shouted.
The accusations and finger pointing were now flying hard and fast from the Ravenclaw table.
"The Gryffindorfs and Puffs always pushing and shoving through the hallways!" said another student.
"Their head of house does nothing about it!"
"Professor Snape discriminates against the rest of US! He never takes of points from Slytherin!" said another 4th year student.
"I'm tired of being called a MUDBLOOD by the Slytherins! Just because you father married his sister doesn't make you PURE it makes you an INCEST BABY!" said an outraged 5th year Ravenclaw girl, muggle born of course.
"DARROW's RIGHT!" said another.
"We want justice!" another shouted. "Justice for Buckbeak!"
A chorus of Yea's followed."
"JUSTICE FOR BUCKBEAK!" other followed suit.
"DARROW for RAVENCLAW!" a 5th year student chanted.
"WE WANT ORDER! DARROW FOR RAVENCLAW!" joined a 6th year student and slowly most of the table joined in.
"DARROW for RAVENCLAW!" thuds were heard from fists banging on the table.
"BRING BACK ORDER! BRING BACK BUCKBEAK!"
"DARROW FOR RAVENCLAW!"
"DARROW FOR RAVENCLAW!" and the chant continued.
Director Crouch Sr. and Lugo Bagman were sporting wide eyes and open mouths. The foreign students didn't know what to make of it but were tightening up as groups as if seeking safety from the incensed hosts.
The professors were equally shocked with some seemingly clutching their faces with their hands in disbelief.
Eventually the headmaster brought the Great Hall back to order and dismissed the still incensed students while the champions, the teachers and ministry contingents followed into him into a secondary room.
"Headmaster! Mr. Miercuri must be expelled his speech is outrageous, he is inciting students to violence!" McGonagall started.
"This is just another ploy to help Hogwarts win! Beauxbatons demands that he not be allowed to participate! The same with Mr. Potter!" Madam Maxime said to both the headmaster and the ministry directors.
"Enough!" Dumbledore said resolutely.
"I'm just as shocked as you are about this afternoon's events. Before we move on I want to know Mr. Miercuri did you help Harry add his name to the Goblet?" he asked.
"Of course not Headmaster. Like I said earlier I do not want any more competition for the tournament."
The Headmaster looked at me for a few moments trying to discern whether I was lying or not. I made sure to not look directly in his eyes, nothing more than a passing glance. I would not want to give him time to make a connection though I doubt he would try now in front of everyone.
"Very well I believe you. Director Crouch can Mr. Potter and Mr. Miercuri be disqualified from participating in the tournament?"
Crouch stood in silence is face scrunched up trying to think of a way.
"Unfortunately not. The magics on the Goblet are powerful they are compelled to participate. If they don't they risk losing their magic and their lives and possibly those who prevent them from participating as well." Finished Crouch.
"Then there is no choice they will have to participate." said the headmaster.
"And what about Mr. Miercuri's speech, we can't just let that go!" McGonagall insisted.
"Yes Mr. Miercuri what was the purpose of your speech? Do you see yourself as some type of fairytale hero, has your tenure at Hogwarts been so terrible?" asked Snape in his condescending tone.
I turned to face the professor and the rest of the crowd.
"I stand by what I said. You heard the complaints from my housemates, unfair point allocation, racist name calling, killing an innocent creature because a student couldn't be bothered to follow instructions!" I said incensed.
"Where was the responsibility on the student's part?" I asked accusingly then continued.
"Pranks that go too far. Just last year I counted nine instances of pranks where students ended up in the infirmary. Three of those were on your Slitherin students, two on Gryffindor, two on Hufflepuff students and two on Ravenclaw students. Of the nine at least four can be attributed to the Weasley twins, though they were never caught because a proper investigation was not done, yet everyone still knew."
"I could keep going but I would just be repeating what was said in the great hall. So my question is what are you heads of houses doing to curb this behavior and these disruptions? Nothing it seems so it's about time us students stand up for ourselves."
"Some of us are actually here to LEARN". I finished mockingly in the same tone of diction Snape usually uses.
The heads of houses wanted to make a counter argument but they couldn't come up with one. Bullying had been a lot more pervasive in the last few years with a lot more incidents ending up in the infirmary.
"Very well Mr. Miercuri the message is loud and clear. We will review and revise our methods on how to address such incidents." The Headmaster said giving a pointed look at his professors and heads of houses. He certainly did not like that this had come up not only in front of the ministry officials but the headmasters of the other schools.
"However you are on thin ice. If I so much hear that you are inciting violence or using violence against other students I promise detention will be the least of your worries. For now all the champions are dismissed. You shall head back to your dorms." he finished resolutely.
"You don't have to worry about me Headmaster it's the other students you should keep an eye out." I said and quickly exited the room.
Harry and I were going in the same direction for a brief period without saying a word. The silence was broken by The Boy-Who-Lived.
"You know you're mental right?" he blurted out. It was quite rude but I couldn't really blame him. Tonight was a lot to take in and he was after all a fourteen year old kid.
"Well that's kind of rude!" at this Harry realized how he came about and blushed. Before he could apologize I continued.
"You know from my point of view you'd have to be mental not to try to participate in this tournament. We may never get a chance like this again the whole thing was cancelled for like 200 years or something. This is a great chance to put into practice all of the magic we have learned and to make ourselves push beyond our comfort level, our boundaries!" I said very excitedly.
He seemed to ponder my words. The boy was a Gryffindor and the call to adventure was strong.
"Besides, think how much street cred this is going to get us with the girls." I said slimly.
Harry was a bit taken back by the turn of the conversation.
"You do well in the tournament and I guarantee you'll be drippin in bitches." That definitely caught his attention as a small blush crept along its cheeks. Probably thinking about Cho.
"Well good night! See you tomorrow!" I finished before splitting off and heading to the Ravenclaw tower.
As I entered the Ravenclaw common room I saw that at least half the house was there chatting.
"Hey! Darrow's back!" one of the students announced. Before I could do anything it seemed like the whole house gathered around me.
"So Darrow, we all had a little chat before you came." Started Roger Davies a 6th year.
"And while we all don't agree with how you went about it we want you to know that the house is behind you all the way." At this a chorus of 'Yea', 'yes' and Darrow were heard through the crowd.
"That means you can't let us down." Said one of the TAs.
"And you'll have to keep up your marks. It wouldn't be right for a Claw to let those slip just because they are in the tournament!" this time is was one of the 5th year students.
"Tuesday's and Thursdays evenings me and a couple of the older students are going to tutor you on the 5th and 6th year spells. Have to make sure you're as prepared as you can be." Finished Roger Davies.
I took a moment to look at them all and smiled. I could see the hope in their eyes that they were all projecting it on me. I was going to be the conduit to release their frustrations.
"I will do the best that I can not to let you all down both in the tournament and academically. And I love the tutoring idea! Together we can win this tournament!" I responded.
I didn't really need their help but it was a great way to make them involved and make sure I had their support an excellent way to bind them to me, in and out of school.
The students cheered and eventually the crowd dispersed.
I wasn't off the hook yet I had some explaining to do to my little Raven group.
Mandy and Terry were scowling, Michael and Luna seemed genuinely happy, Andrew looked more interested in hearing the story while the now second years were mostly milling around.
'This might be a long night.'
AN:
Thank you for reading.
