Bold + Italic - Direct citation from book
~Italic~ - Spells in Parseltongue
31st October, 1994
Dursley's neither liked nor disliked Harry, they were all afraid of him as he was different because of him being magical, it not unusual for human beings to fear the unknown and different, but this lack of knowledge in his so called family came out as jealousy which slowly turned out into hate and fear. They hated him for being different and feared his power which was unknown to them. Whereas Harry thought that if he tried to be normal Dursley might love him, might not call him freak, but he only got back bruises, scrapes, slaps and names. When Hagrid had knocked down the gate of the hut at the rock on that stormy night and told him about the wonderful world to which he belonged, it gave him an option, an option to have a sense of belongingness, an option to have a friend, an option to be more than that of the victim.
And as of now, more than three years have passed since he re-joined the wizarding world and he is still struggling to identify himself, find out more about his family and his deceased parents or be more than a victim of circumstances. It is not that he doesn't have any of his wishes fulfilled, within two months of coming to Hogwarts he had a brother in all but blood, Ronald Bilius Weasley or Ron and a best friend, Hermione Jean Granger. Their friendship passed the test of time and blood, every time a new problem arose their companionship and teamwork stood virtuous whether it be facing a possessed professor, facing a basilisk or hundreds of dementors and a werewolf.
He is the youngest undefeated seeker in the century, not counting the match where dementors were the uninvited spectators which made him faint and lose the match just a second before he caught the snitch. He is closely knitted with his quidditch team and they are like family to him, second to Weasley's, whose home, The Burrow, is his second home. All in all, life was good, he had friends and family, he could eat whenever and whatever he wished and Hogwarts robes were highly superior clothes in comparison to Dudley's rags which he was forced to wear for 10 years.
But his friendship and companionship all seems to be crashing to the ground when his name came out of the Goblet of Fire just a few moments ago. He can see jealousy and anger in the eyes of Ron, mistrust and hurt in the eyes of Hermione and well everyone in the common hall was stunned that how did he cross the enchantments put by Professor Dumbledore and enter his name in the Goblet and angry that he will add one more feather to his list of achievement by being a Hogwarts champion, one more reason to boast of.
If anyone has truthfully asked Harry whether he wished to be a part of this ruckus or any unprecedented event that has occurred since he was a year old, he would politely refuse. From a common magical perspective, he has everything; name, fame, respect and riches. But for him, the most valuable object, his parents had already left the world, his sole guardian, his godfather Sirius Black was on the run and by the actions of Ron and Hermione, it was sure to him that the end of this wonderful friendship had arrived a lot earlier than he expected. The signs of a crack in their friendship had been lurking around the corners since the start of the year, but he didn't expect that it would be so early.
Well, this was not the time to cry over the spilt milk, instead, it was high time to come back to the world of the living and face the music. On Dumbledore's third call, he slowly got up and started walking towards the ante-chamber where other champions were waiting for further instructions completely unaware of the recent occurrences with his head down and heavy steps. The unnerving silence was filled with angry mutterings and hushed calls like "cheater, attention-seeker, the-boy-who-cheated, disgrace…" and whatnot. But by the time he reached the chamber he had readied himself for the upcoming drama with hundreds of scenarios running in his brain. But before he could gather his guts to utter a word Beauxbatons champion asked, "What is it? Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"
She thought he had come to deliver a message. Before he spoke a word Ludo Bagman came in bouncing, took Harry by his arm and led him forward and exclaimed "Extraordinary! Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen. .eh. . Lady," approaching the fireside and addressing the other three. "May I introduce — incredible though it may seem — the fourth Triwizard champion?"
Viktor Krum straightened up. His surly face darkened as he surveyed Harry. Cedric looked nonplussed. He looked from Bagman to Harry and back again as though sure he must have misheard what Bagman had said. Fleur Delacour, however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."
"Joke?" Bagman repeated, bewildered. "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"
Krum's thick eyebrows contracted slightly. Cedric was still looking politely bewildered. Fleur frowned.
"But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," she said contemptuously to Bagman. " 'E cannot compete. 'E is too young."
"Well . . . it is amazing," said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name's come out of the goblet . . . I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage. . . . It's down in the rules, you're obliged . . . Harry will just have to do the best he —"
The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape. Harry heard the buzzing of the hundreds of students on the other side of the wall, before Professor McGonagall closed the door.
"Madame Maxime!" said Fleur at once, striding over to her headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"
Somewhere under Harry's numb disbelief he felt a ripple of anger. Little boy?
Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable, height. The top of her handsome head brushed the candle-filled chandelier, and her gigantic black-satin bosom swelled. "What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" she said imperiously.
"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Professor Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. "Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions — or have I not read the rules carefully enough?" He gave a short and nasty laugh.
"C'est impossible," said Madame Maxime, whose enormous hand with its many superb opals was resting upon Fleur's shoulder. " 'Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most injust."
"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."
"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," said Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here —"
"Thank you, Severus," said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair.
Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.
"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked calmly.
"No," said Harry. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.
"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said Professor Dumbledore, ignoring Snape.
"No," said Harry vehemently.
"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime. Snape was now shaking his head, his lip curling.
"He could not have crossed the Age Line," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I am sure we are all agreed on that —"
"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," said Madame Maxime, shrugging.
BANG! BANG! "With all due respect, Sir, I would like to know how the hell my name came out of the Goblet, I neither put my name in it nor asked anyone to do it. Before you get back to your bickering, tell me the consequences of this affair, how it will affect me and this tournament?" Harry roared at the top of his voice with his wand in his right hand and his left fist tightly clenched.
"Harry, I would like you to keep your wand back inside your pocket," he said with an authoritative tone directly looking into his eyes and added, "For your name coming out of the Goblet, it will be investigated by Alastor and for your second question Barty will enlighten on it." With this, he turned towards Mr. Crouch as if indicating to proceed further.
Even before Mr. Crouch could utter a word, there was a snide comment, "As arrogant as his father."
With this Harry jumped on his feet and pressed his body weight against that of Snape's while pressing his wand at Potions Master's neck he snarled, "Tell me, Snape, what problem you have with my father, do you feel jealous of him that my mother choose him over you or that he was a better person and far more talented than you in magic other than potions,… oh yes, I know that and I can fairly understand how pitiful and grudge-bearing your actions are. I am going to say this for one time and if you have a single bit of self-preservation then get it in your thick-headed skull, my father is dead and is buried six feet beneath the ground and he died protecting his family that is me and my mother on this awful day fourteen years ago, and if you badmouth him one more time, I will tear you apart in pieces and feed it to the rat."
"Harry…Mr. Potter, please lower your wand and control your emotions, I…we all present here can understand your anger and grief, but consider my request to let your anger go away and let today's procession come to an end without any further delay.", with these words Professor Dumbledore tried to calm down Harry by placing his hands over his shoulders. Harry flinched a bit but moved away from Snape glaring at him, which was reverted with the same vehemence. Even before Snape could open his mouth, Dumbledore glared at him which was enough for silencing him.
"The first task is designed to test your daring, so telling you will defeat its purpose as courage and maintaining composure in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard ... very important…The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges. The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept the help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament but can have a mentor who can be a friend or… but not their teachers. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."
Crouch further added in his monotonic voice, "Regarding the unexpected case of Mr Potter, he will have to participate in the Tournament, regardless of whether you wish or not, as your name has come out of the Goblet this age limitation is a new addition and had not been a part of the magical contract bound to the Goblet of Fire. In addition, you will have the same privileges as other champions. Is that all, Albus?" with this he turned towards Dumbledore?
"Yes, that concludes today's procession, I would suggest all the participants head to their dorms." By the time Dumbledore stopped speaking, Harry had stormed away without looking back.
He kept on moving until he reached the top of the Astronomy tower and stopped abruptly facing the Great Lake attempting to see beyond the horizon, trying to get a grasp of the coming storm that had announced his arrival on that night when his cursed scar had hurt during summer vacation and now he has made his second move. But, this time Harry was determined that he was not going to play this game on his mortal enemy's turf, he will change the direction of the wind, he will move against the flowing current and establish that he is not someone who can be easily played with.
With the absolute resolve not to waste his parents' sacrifice, he drew his wand, channelled his magic and whispered ~Accio Firebolt~ and jumped off the tower. When he was a few feet away from the ground, his Firebolt came racing underneath him and in a flash Harry was on his broom, soaring high above the sky. For the next hour, he kept performing dangerous manoeuvres, which would even shame Krum, and by the time his feet touched back the top of the Astronomy Tower, he was completely exhausted but his mind was clear and focused.
In this completely weary state, he arrived at Gryffindor tower and was joyfully welcomed by Fat Lady accompanied by her friend Violet in her frame, he murmured "Balderdash" and she swung forward on her hinges to let Harry into the common room merrily. Inside it was a completely different scenario, everyone was waiting for him to congratulate and celebrate his selection as a champion. But his glare, stopped everyone on their path except one, his best friend, Hermione Granger, she came forward and said with a frown, "Tell me, Harry, how you bewitched the Goblet to spit out your name? Why did you do it? Every year, every year it has to be you, you are always in the middle of something, always getting yourself in trouble. Despicable…"
She waited for a few moments and replied with a higher overtone, "For Christ's sake, say something, why did you do it? What are you trying to prove now?"
"I didn't say a word because I didn't intend to say them, I thought that if I remain quiet then you will rant and rave and let me mind my own business. Well, it seems that I am unsuccessful in this attempt. So, it is for all of the people present here…."He turned towards the crowd and shouted, "I DIDN'T PUT MY NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIRE, neither Dumbledore nor I know how my name came out of the Goblet but he said that he will be investigating it…Cedric Diggory is the true Hogwarts champion and… you all are free to support him or anyone whom you wish to, it doesn't matter to me."
Then he turned back towards his friend and said, "And Hermione for once you are right, trouble does seem to find me as it did in our first year when Ron and I rushed to save a girl who was crying over some minor insults which is nothing in comparison to many people who is forced to listen to racial slurs and whatnot every day." With this he headed towards his dorm but was held back by his bushy-haired friend and she started screaming at the top of her voice, "HARRYYY JAAMES POTTER, how dare you, how dare you, you had all the indecency to enter into the Tournament and now you are trying to cross me, trying to deviate me away from the topic, I will not let you go away until you tell me how and why you did it?"
"Naah! I don't think so." He said calmly while drawing his wand and whispered ~Stupefy~ with this he burned the remaining bridge of their friendship without any regret and dashed to his dorm before anyone could make head or tail of the situation.
All the characters of this story belong to JK Rowling unless stated otherwise.