When not only Ron but Hermione turn their back on Harry when his name comes out of the Goblet and he has to face a hostile school what is a young teen to do? Offered a chance to clear his name and get back at those who hurt him he jumps at the chance in a most unusual way.
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The Lonely Champion:
Harry did not want to be here, he stood near the champions but only because this was mandatory. One more thing for the school to hate him for, after the lies Ron was spreading and the fact that Hermione had refused to speak to him after his name came from the Goblet Harry was a real mess. He had stopped sleeping in the Gryffindor fifth year dorm, everything he owned was now in his real trunk shrunk and in his satchel with its expandable charm. For all intents and purposes he no longer had a house, he could not be barred from eating so he still had that but he had to find a place to sleep away from his own house. He was that afraid of them murdering him in his sleep, there had been no party after his name was called, only stony silence when he went back to the Gryffindor common room that fateful evening and Ron was at the front looking smug as he could.
Harry looked up to see a woman with tightly curled blond hair, robes in acid green and glasses covered with little diamonds. She had really long nails and was looking directly at him, he knew she was a reporter and was not really wanting to speak to her or anyone. He had gone through the motions of having his wand weighed and now just wanted to slink off and go somewhere he could be alone. He realized that his "friends" never had been that, that all he had done meant nothing to him and it hurt. He of course kept that deep inside as showing pain or suffering only got those who hurt you to feel superior over you. It was a lesson learned at a very young age with his loving relations. He looked up as Rita, was that her name? Came up to him and he wondered just what she wanted.
"Come to see how far the boy-who-seeks-fame has fallen?" Harry spat, "want to stick another knife in me? I am sure there is room, right in my back."
"I wanted to interview you." Rita said, "I am Rita Skeeter."
"Don't bother, just print whatever you want, that is what everyone does anyway. No-one wants the truth." Harry snapped.
"Well, maybe I do." Rita said taken aback at the harshness of Harry, she wanted a good story but there was something about this teen that made her stop, she could feel the hurt, "you could tell me."
"Right, so you can twist it and make me look a fool." Harry snarled, "no thanks!"
"What if I promise to tell the truth?" Rita asked, "your words, nothing but the truth, your true story, I give my word."
"Why would you do that?" Harry asked turning to face her.
"Well why not? We both benefit, you get the truth out and I get a great story." Rita said holding out her hand, "please? I promise to print only what you want."
"Well if you mean that then why don't you interview the real champions first?" Harry said, "then I will think about it."
"Alright, you have yourself a deal Mr. Potter."
Harry shook her hand and did not think on her for a week, he had so much more on his plate, avoiding his house, studying and preparing for a tournament he wanted no part in. It was at breakfast that morning that he saw Rita's article on the three Triwizard champions and grinned, she had kept her word and had painted the three champions in a good light. Each one had been carefully interviewed and it was clear she had spent time getting to know a bit about each of them. There was no article in sight about him and he was pleased to see that, though he was sure she had an ulterior motive, he was not trusting of adults at all, not since he had to take care and rely on himself since he was only a small child.
Harry was far smarter than he let on, when he learned magic was real he had got the supplies he needed with Hagrid then, a few days later snuck back into Diagon Alley and got a trunk with three compartments, books on the magical world and healing potions, nutrient potions and Wizard ration bars. He knew full well he would be back in the Dursley household in the summer after his first year. He knew too his school books and all would be locked up and he had to have a way to survive. If not for that blasted elf he could have had a far better first summer but then again he did have Fred and George come rescue him and take him to the burrow. The next summer was not any fun at all and if not for the potions and ration bars he would have starved to death he was sure of it. Not until this last summer with the threats of Sirius over their heads did Petunia leave him alone. He looked up to see the pale blond haired gray eyed Malfoy heir stride up.
"Looks as if Skeeter knows who are the true champions, seems she left you out." Draco sneered.
"That is because I am not a real champion." Harry replied, "I did not enter my name and would not be stupid enough to have. I don't belong in this competition."
"Why don't you stop lying Potter!" Ron snapped.
"Why don't you shut it." Fred growled at his brother.
"Yes your showing your insanity brother dearest." George added.
"Harry is far too smart to enter anything he is not prepared for." Fred continued.
"Yes and he is not prepared for this and he knows it." George added.
"Thanks mates." Harry replied.
"You are welcome!" Both boys chimed in at once.
Harry was pleasantly surprised that Fred and George would defend him so publically, then again they had nothing to fear, no-one would dare attack them. Still it seemed as if they really did care about him, they had come and rescued him from his relations just before second year and they had stood by him during that year, even going so far as to escort him class to class for a time after he was revealed as a Parselmouth. At least he had them on his side and he saw they believed him, that was something for him as it took away a bit of the hurt of his two first friends turning their back on him.
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Rita Skeeter was angry and ashamed at herself, she had only wanted to created a sensational story about Harry Potter that was all. Then she saw the real boy, and saw that he was just a child, a young scared teen who had been betrayed. She could not add to that and so she had promised to write the articles on the other champions as she still wanted to interview him. She was surprised at the positive letters she got for how she portrayed them and the papers sold even more, which surprised her, she honestly thought sensationalism sold more papers! Now she sat in a coffee shop in Little Whinging thinking on what she had just learned. Even though she was clad as a muggle in a dull navy suit with a bright green shirt she still turned heads as she was pretty and knew it.
Back to what she had learned, Harry was not the spoiled boy she had thought, she had spoke to Vernon Dursley who had been home alone and learned the boy was not wanted at home. That his aunt hated the very sight of him and that Vernon did not like the boy but did raise him the best he could. He thought it was perfectly acceptable to spread lies that Harry Potter, the boy who lived went to a school for the criminally insane! After learning that Rita had smiled, flattered him some more about how good he was to take in such a child and left. She had left the dull neighborhood and was now seated in a coffee shop sipping some very good coffee. She looked up as a tall thin woman clad in jeans and jumper, her long brown hair tied back came and took a seat at her table.
"Can I help you?" Rita asked her.
"You were talking with those Dursleys weren't you?" The woman asked, "you seem to know a lot about Harry Potter, is it true, did they send that sweet boy St. Brutus?"
"No, no he is going to the same private school that his parents did in Scotland, Hogwarts." Rita said, "his parents did not die in a car crash as you were no doubt told."
"They didn't?" The woman said looking shocked, "how did they die?"
"James Potter was a policeman, there was a terrorist who went by the name You-know-who, stupid name if you ask me." Rita said not daring to use the real name of the monster, "anyway he found and killed both James and Lily and nearly killed little Harry, that is where he got his scar, but he was wounded too badly to finish the job and we believe he died."
"I am glad to hear that sweet boy came from such good people, I always knew those Dursleys were no good!" The woman said, "if you see him, let him know that there are people on Privet Drive who do care and support him will you?"
"Of course, of course I will." Rita said checking her watch she stood, "I must be going, thank you for your time."
She left and walked to an underground station and took a train into London. Of course she did not need to but she needed time to think, she had speak with Harry and would do so as soon as she could. She got off near Diagon Alley, walked through the Leaky Cauldron, tapped her wand on the wall and walked through into the alley. She walked to the Daily Prophet and up to her office where she sat down and took out her quick quote quill. She put it on the table and looked at it, somehow using it felt wrong, she had never felt this way before and she smiled. This was that dear boy's doing, Harry Potter and she took out her wand and started to tinker with the quill changing it to something that she could be proud of. Somehow the sensationalism she had given to was not settling well with her, she felt the need to do something great and she would, she swore she would.
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Harry was not sure this was the best idea but he wanted to get the truth out, he was so tired of all the lies spread about him. It was with that resolve he entered the Hogshead on a Hogsmeade weekend just before the first task and found Rita sitting in a dark corner. She had ordered lunch, Shepherd's pie, fresh bread and butter and Butterbeer. The food here was very good, and though the pub was a bit shabby and dark it was cleaner than the Leaky Cauldron. The floors were scrubbed and waxed clean and the bartender kept wiping up the bar with a fresh towel. Harry tucked into his lunch and ate well, Rita was not going to question him until he ate well as she was sure as a growing teen he needed lots of food. Finally over dessert, a Treacle tart with whipped cream she started to talk to him.
"I want thank you." Rita said, "you have changed my thinking on things."
"How so?" Harry asked.
"I made me see you for you." Rita said, "and see me for who I was, I did as you asked and if you want I would like to do an interview, but I promise if it is not what you want I will not."
"I want the truth to get out." Harry said, "why would you even care? I mean so few do care."
"Well I did not at first, I was just as you believed me to be, but what you said to me, well that got me to think, and interviewing the other champions and printing their true stories, well I got lots of very nice letters, that has never happened before. I liked it, I like being liked, but that is not why I want to interview you. I well, I want to get to know who Harry is." Rita said, "I spoke with your uncle and I must say your relations are the most narrow minded, stupid, idiots I have ever had the misfortune to come across."
"Yea, they are but they are family so what can I do?" Harry said.
"Well I spoke to one of your neighbors, when she learned the truth that you were not going to St. Brutus well she was happy to say the least. I think if you have to go back your neighbors will make life a bit better for you."
"Thank you, but you did not have to do that." Harry replied.
"Well, it's the least I could do for you." Rita replied.
"Well if you want the interview it will take some time." Harry replied, "it's a long story."
"I have time." Rita said.
In the end Harry spent the majority of the day talking to Rita, he told her how Hagrid had come and taken him to Diagon Alley from the hut on the rock his relations were hiding on. To facing Quirrell in his first year, to taking down a sixty foot basilisk and saving Ginny Weasley in his second year. He told of the meeting in the Shrieking shack, of how Severus Snape bravely tried to save them but ended up knocked out cold. He never saw Peter Pettigrew and so believed that Black had confounded them. The minister refused to see their memories and what was more insisted on the Dementors kiss on a man who had never even got a trial. Coming to this year Harry told how he had not put his name in the goblet but was being forced to compete against his will. That the honorable Triwizard Tournament was being turned into a mockery with him in it and that the only real champions were Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour and Victor Krum.
"You can bet this will sell quite a few copies." Rita said, "I will get this out as soon as I can."
"Thank you, you do not know how much this means to me." Harry replied.
"Well I do want to do the right thing, and of course make some money, which reminds me, how much?"
"How much for what?" Harry asked.
"How much do you want to be paid?" Rita asked, "you should be after all you have done."
"Er five percent?" Harry said.
"Done, I will see you later." Rita said.
She left and Harry left soon after and went back to the school. He hoped the article would be truthful, he so did not want to be betrayed again. With that in mind he headed back to Hogwarts with a small bit of hope in his heart.
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He was able to sleep in the Gryffindor dorms once more as Fred and George had warded his bed and trunk so that no-one could harm them or him. Harry had asked them for help when he saw a timid dreamy third year by the name of Luna Lovegood being picked on. They had given him a few items with instructions on how to use them and Harry give them to her. By the way she thanked him and followed him around it was clear she was very grateful. A few days before the first task the article Rita had written on him came out. To say it caused quite a stir would be putting it mildly.
"Love the article." Fred said taking a seat by him at breakfast.
"Yes, but you are far too modest." George said, "you are a hero you know."
"I am not!" Harry said. "Next thing you will say is I am good looking."
"Now that you are not, kinda scrawny." Fred replied.
"Yes, a scrawny glasses wearing git!" George added, his grin showing he was teasing.
"Leave him alone you prats!"Ginny snapped, "hasn't he suffered enough from you lot?"
"Ginny we are only teasing dear Harry." Fred said.
"He knows we are on his side." George added.
"Yes we stand by him fully unlike some people." Fred said glaring at Ron down the table.
"Someone needs to be pranked." George said.
Harry felt warm inside, here were two boys who did not have to be friends with him not only standing up for him but sticking by him. There was no need for that but they did it anyway, so did Ginny but it still hurt his first two friends had betrayed him and turned their back on him. He could not forgive them for that, not for a long time in fact. At least the rest of the Gryffindors were not shooting him death glares and he was able to go to classes without the worry of being hexed and badly by others. The professors had stopped that at least, though he was sure it was just so that Hogwarts could put on a good show for the foreign students, if not for that he would not be safe at all.
"So have a plan for the first task?" Fred asked.
"Charlie visited us." George added, "you know good old Charlie?"
"Yes, and I was thinking a summoning charm." Harry replied as he did know all about the dragons. "Use my best talents."
"You know that basilisk you killed?" Fred said.
"You could take ol' Snape down there." George added.
"Why would I do that?" Harry asked.
"He is far more than he seems." Fred replied.
"Yes, far more, you would be surprise." George added.
That is how Harry found himself talking to one Severus Snape and taking him to the second floor girl's bathroom. Rather he was drug there by an irate potions master who warned him of all the horrible things he would do to him if he was wasting his time. Harry opened the entrance to the pipe and called for stairs, he was surprised when they came. He led Severus down them, through the corridor and to the door of the chamber opening it and leading Severus in. The potions master took five steps in and looked at the still whole snake in shock, then at Harry and back at the basilisk.
"You killed this." Severus said.
"Yes, well with Fawkes help sir, he took out the eyes, I used the sword of Gryffindor sir." Harry replied.
"You called the sword of Gryffindor?" Severus said in shock.
"Well I called for help and Fawkes came with the sorting hat and I asked for help from that and the sword hit me on the head."
"Fawkes came when you called for help, and you got the sword of Gryffindor and killed this?" Severus said looking at Harry in a new light.
"Um well I did not want to have to, but well it was that to get eaten and Ginny well, Tom Riddle, that is Voldemort you know was killing her, I had to stop him." Harry replied.
"Well this is an interesting situation," Rita said walking up, "I am sorry, but I had to come, I had to see this for myself."
"How dare you!" Severus said taking out his wand and aiming at her, "you dare stalk Harry!"
"No she is not! Please sir she is not!" Harry said stepping before Severus and Rita, "she made a vow on her magic to not harm me!"
Severus looked from Rita who was examining the large basilisk with interest. She was impressed, she knew Harry well enough now that he would not lie about something like this. Still she wanted pictures and that was why she had a camera and took pictures, even having Harry pose before the snake. Much to Severus's surprise, when he really looked at the boy he saw a shy boy who really did not want the fame this would bring him. He even had one of Lily's amusing habits, he chewed his lower lip and he was built more like her than Potter, in fact the more Severus really looked at Harry he saw Lily, really the only thing he shared with his father was that annoying hair and those glasses, well even those were plastic and cheap not the wire rimmed ones his father wore. Little did he know that between the article and the visit to the chamber this would find him, well allies with a Potter!
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Harry sat looking over the grounds of Hogwarts thinking on how this last school year had changed his life. He still was not friendly at all with Ron and Hermione and really he was more guarded than ever and had few true friends, Fred and George, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Collin Creevy (though he was rater hyperactive at times) Tracy Davis, Blaise Zabini, Cedric Diggory, Victor Krum and Fleur Delacour. Rita's article had got the ball rolling for a trail for his godfather and quite a few things came out from that. Barty Crouch Sr. had blocked a trial for Sirius even going so far as to claim a trial had taken place. When Crouch was brought in it was found out he was under the Imperious curse, when that was lifted and he was put under Veritaserum and all hell broke loose.
Harry had been studying when the Aurors stormed the school and took Moody away, only he found out it was not Moody. He was shocked when he was taken away and puzzled when he met up with Bill Weasley and a few goblins who looked at his scar and removed a curse from it. He was questioned about his years at Hogwarts and he answered truthfully. Then he was sent back to Hogwarts feeling quite a bit lighter, one thing that came from the curse being removed from his scar was the fact that his glasses made everything blurry. He went to Poppy and she fixed the prescription and did a full physical starting him on a regimen of potions to fix the damage of years of short rations and to fix his eyesight too.
"So how is my favorite enfant doing today?" Fleur said walking up to where he sat, "you get to go live with your godfather non?"
"Great, I feel great, I am so glad the tournament is over, Cedric was amazing." Harry replied, "I never did belong in it."
"Non, but you did good, for mon enfant." Fleur said, "will you stay at Hogwarts? Beauxbatons would be honored to have you."
"I will stay, lots of work to do here, but I thank you for your offer." Harry replied.
Things were changing, with the blatant corruption in the ministry the magical population was in an uproar that an innocent man had never got a trial and had been thrown in Azkaban. To add to that the Dementor kiss was ordered on said man and that scared the magical community. If a noble lord could suffer such a fate none of them were safe. Reforms were demanded, a government more like those in the muggle world with a judicial system, the Auror department following the modern muggle police departments, even a small military. Yet the greatest change had come for Harry, when Barty Crouch Jr. was interrogated it was found out that he was working with Peter Pettigrew to bring back Voldemort. With the Aurors now knowing where Wormtail was they had descended on Little Hangleton and captured Wormtail and the thing that was Voldemort.
The goblins had taken the curse which was a Horcrux and had managed to find the remaining ones and destroyed them. This was their job, though they were a violent and scary race they fought evil all the time. They knew more about the evil things wizards did than many witches and wizards did. Hunting down Horcruxes was something they were used to and they had found each and everyone of Voldemort's. They had destroyed them and then they had demanded (as was their right) the demon form of Voldemort and destroyed it. Harry was free and would never have to fight the fiend again. Though he had a long road in his education he was looking forward to his future. He was planning on training to become a Healer and doctor, he was sure he could do so much good as that had been his dream growing up to become a doctor.
Dumbledore was no longer allowed to speak to Harry alone, in fact he was being forced to retire from all his positions. He had done nothing to remove Voldemort completely from the mortal plain, and went so far as to violate treaties set up with the goblins when Horcruxes were involved. As it was believed he had gone senile he was put in St. Mungos for the remainder of his life for his and the nations safety. It came out he believed Harry had to die in the end for the greater good, this action nearly got Severus to kill him himself which surprised Harry. Snape cared enough to not want him dead? That made him happy and he realized that there were quite a few people that really did care about him out there. His life was really looking up and he felt he owed it to one wonderful woman who still cared so much about him, Rita Skeeter. If only she would not fuss over him so much! He was a young man now and did not need Sirius's girlfriend fussing over him so much. Though he rather liked being mothered but he was not about to say that, he was nearly fifteen after all!
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So another one shot, here Harry thought he was all alone but ends up with a very good ally and his freedom.
So do review please!