Harry sat and stared at the cup, and willing with all his might that tonight went smooth. If someone could read his thoughts they would be surprised at how fast they were zipping from pleas to every god he had ever heard of, to plans of what he could do if he gets screwed tonight.
Harry was many things, but the main thing he was, was a pessimist. After the way his life had so far been turning out, from the moment he could remember nothing ever really went his way. And since he joined the wizarding world, the last three years on Halloween have sucked. But after being a pessimist, he was a very paranoid person, in truth, he didn't trust anyone or anything, since no one and nothing in his life had really helped, except Hedwig, she was just plain awesome.
The cup had already popped two names, Durmstrang's champion would be Viktor Krum, the international seeker prodigy. Harry thought he looked rather serious and scowling all the time, like a younger version of Snape, which was probably one of the worst things Harry could have compared him to.
The second name was for Beauxbatons champion, Fleur Delacour, the blonde he had given the soup to. Everyone male that was around her couldn't help but look at her, he had heard Hermione mention something about Veela rather snidely as if that explained everything. Harry had seen her a couple times and each time she had a look of superiority, as if anyone and everything was beneath her.
Harry watched as the third slip of parchment was launched into the air and Dumbledore catch it. This was it, if his name was going to come out, it would now. He watched Dumbledore carefully and didn't see anything amiss.
"And finally, the Champion for Hogwarts, Cedric Diggory!" Albus Dumbledore yelled out, causing three of the tables filled with Hogwarts students to erupt in cheer. Harry let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He was safe from the craziness of Halloween for once in his short life, he could relax and if he could get away from Hermione and Ron, then he could actually study without interruption.
Harry had tuned out Dumbledore's voice as he began to prattle on again after Cedric had left to the side chamber with the other champions, it took a moment for him to realize the Hall had gone deathly quiet as the Goblet of Fire has started to act up. Harry watched the blue fire burst and twist, turning bright yellow and then dull orange before back to blue, cycling it through all while the fire changed from low to high.
Harry did not like that fire, as he watched it grow and change colors he got a sense of danger, as if what he didn't wish was about to become reality and there was nothing, he could do to stop it.
"Harry Potter" Dumbledore whispered.
"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore yelled, causing everyone to start whispering his name.
Harry was frozen before he started hearing people whisper that he was a cheater, until someone form Slytherin or Hufflepuff yelled it. He turned to Hermione and Ron, but that was a mistake. He could immediately see the uncertainty in Hermione's eyes and Ron's was full of jealousy and rage.
"Harry! Come up here." Dumbledore yelled over the everyone's whispering and jeers.
Harry stood up and walked towards Dumbledore as every kept calling him a cheat and a hypocrite. He was pretty sure he heard that form the chaser trio as well, which kind of hurt. He wasn't surprised to see that all the teachers were looking unhappy, McGonagall looked like she sucked a lemon, while Snape had his traditional sneer, which seemed to have somehow increased in levels with the announcement of his name.
"Go into the room with the other champions Harry." Dumbledore said gravely, none of that usually twinkle in his eyes.
"No." Harry said angrily, he was not going to follow like a good little boy this time. He was not going to just go along with another dangerous thing that should have never happened.
"Potter! You, arrogant, spoiled" Snape started ranting before he was suddenly cutoff by a spell that made him duck.
"When I want your opinion, I will give it to you." Harry shouted at him as he lowered his wand. "I did not put my name in, and I will not compete."
Harry turned back to Dumbledore who was looking at him strangely and had his own wand out now.
"Harry you must go into the room, we will discuss this privately afterwards." Dumbledore told him sternly.
"No. I am not a champion! I did not put my name in!" Harry repeated, and that caused several of his schoolmates behind him to start yelling that he was a liar.
"Harry, this isn't the time or place for this, go I to the chamber where the other champions are waiting." Dumbledore said, no humor in his voice.
"I will say this one final time! I didn't put my name in! I am not going to compete! I am not a Champion!" Harry yelled at the old man.
At Harry's third firm declaration, the fire on top of the artifact turned from blue to angry red. Then a voice was heard, it was probably the most magical voice anyone in the room had ever heard, for him it definitely was. It was the wind sweeping through a valley, it was mountains shifting, the ocean waves coming in, it was shadows blearing in the night and light whispering at dawn. It brought elation to Harry's heart and hurt his head at the same time.
"Accepted. Investigating. Confirmed. Human, Hadrian James Potter did not put his name in the Goblet. Assessing. Hadrian James Potter does not meet the age or experience requirement. Weighing options. Chosen."
Harry was trying not to bend over in pain from the throbbing of the voice during its speaking, not to mention for a fraction of a second, his entire being had frozen and it felt as if a thunderstorm of thought and consciousness rampaged through his mind looking for something, forcing him to close his eyes and grit his teeth.
When Harry opened his eyes again, he was not in the great hall. He was standing in a white space that seemed to go on forever. He spun around looking and when he came back to his starting position, there was a figure in front of him, causing him to stumble back and go for his wand which he noted wasn't there.
To call it a figure was the only thing he could, it looked human shape but was made of water
"Hadrian James Potter." The figure said, in a voice that was unlike any he heard before, this was musical, as if giving language to a violin, piano, cello and flute all at once. It was haunting and beautiful, relaxing and uplifting. "You should not be in the tournament, yet you are. The parameters were tampered with, and I am unable to release you."
"What?! But I didn't put my name in! You just said that!"
"Indeed. But I cannot change it. When you compete in the first task, I will be forced to take your magic as you are neither of age nor are you the best candidate." Said the figure turning from water to shadow.
"Then what am I to do?!" Harry said pleadingly, if he lost his magic, he might survive the muggle world, except he would be at the mercy of his aunt and uncle, he most likely wouldn't survive.
"The parameters set for the Tournament are inviolable. Yet one has been. This has caused strain on the other two, if one more is broken then I will be forced to take the magic all involved." Replied the being turning from shadow to a rainbow of light,
"I don't want to lose my magic!" Harry whispered.
"There is only one option. You meet neither the age nor experience requirement, as mentioned before. I will send you to a place where you can fix these things." The being informed him.
"Where? How can I? what am I to do?" Harry asked hurriedly.
"I will send you to a place where time moves differently, a place where you can train if you are smart enough to take this opportunity." The being stated, turning from light to fog.
"How long will I be gone?" Harry asked.
"Until you are seventeen, then you must be pulled back for the tournament." Responded the being, turning from fog to fire.
"Very well." Harry acknowledged
"Not yet. This favor does not come without a price." Declared the figure, turning from Fire to marble
Harry sighed, of course it didn't. Nothing in his life was free. He wasn't really surprised by that fact anymore.
"What does this favor cost?"
"A vow." Replied the entity, turning from Marble to wind
"A vow? Vow of what?"
"You will give an oath that at the end of the Tournament, you will destroy the Goblet." The presence said, turning from wind to ice.
"Oh. Okay. I vow will do that" Harry said with relieve that it wasn't something impossible.
"A vow in this tongue is meaningless. You will give it in the Ancient Language and bind you to the oath."
"Ancient language? Bind?"
"Yes, the Ancient Language, the language of Truth and Magic. You cannot lie and anything said in it can be binding."
"Umm. Okay."
"Here is what you must say." Harry listened to words that sounded different to his ears, not like when he had heard French or German or that one time he heard Japanese, these words rang with a Hum to him, and when he repeated back the words all at once and meant them, he felt a weight settle on him momentarily, which caused a shiver to run up his back. What the bloody hell did he just got into.
"Thrice you denied being entered. The deal is done. The Bargain is made." The being said, the moment the last syllable was completed the word instantly flashed a bright white, causing him to cry out and that was the last thing he remembered before losing consciousness.
XxX
Susan blinked her eyes, trying to clear out the blinding flash of light. This was not how tonight was supposed to go, first she couldn't find her favorite necklace that her aunt had given her when she left for Hogwarts her first year, then as she was walking to the great hall to watch the choosing of the champions Luna Lovegood had stopped her and said so many far out comments she didn't notice that she was given a necklaces of stones and radishes to keep the nargles away, which made her one of the last to get to the great hall and was sitting at the end of the table. Then Harry Potter had apparently decided to enter his name and somehow trick the goblet of fire to be the fourth champion!
When Susan was finally able to see, she didn't see the walls of the great hall, in fact, she didn't see any buildings, she was in a cave of all things and looking around she saw dancing colors of silver, green, blues and purple. When she looked up, she saw those colors in greater quantities, her entire body was feeling fuzzy, every one of her muscles ached, and her thoughts were heavy.
"Hmm. This is quite the conundrum you find yourself in." a voice spoke behind her, causing her to try and stand up only to fall.
"The Dream Caves of Mani are very dangerous wild magic. But considering your circumstances, it is not that big of a mystery to find you both here." The short, curly brown woman said. Susan still found it hard to think, each thought moving as though it was syrup. But at the mention of both, she managed to turn and see Harry Bloody Potter lying unconscious next to her.
"Don't worry dear, when you wake again, it will be easier to think." The woman spoke again as she couldn't keep her eyes open and succumbed to the darkness.
Susan opened her eyes and shot up, looking around she was on a cot of some kind in a small room, she was also naked, looking around she tried to find her clothes. She quickly found a skirt and blouse, and put them on, she noticed that her wand was gone and that was not a good thing.
She left the room and noticed that she was in the only room in the back of a small shop that was filled with plants in every nook and cranny, along with some items and a counter. She noted rods, glass balls and even a cauldron with something bubbling in it.
She looked around and saw a black shaggy cat that was hidden away on a shelf, sleepy away in the days warm light streaming through the window. She walked over to the cat and begun to pet it, trying to calm herself as she begun to panic, for one moment she was in the Hogwarts Great Hall, the next in a cave and then in a shop she didn't recognize. The cat started purring, echoing through the small store when she heard someone coming from the hallway.
"Ah, so you are awake. Good. You have been asleep for nearly a week and a half. Even more than the foolish boy that arrived before you."
"Harry?! Where is he?" Susan exclaimed.
"Yes. Harry. He is currently at the market getting some bread for us." The woman answered.
"Who are you?" Susan asked.
"You may call me Angela." The short woman responded.
Just as she was about to ask another question, Harry walked in. The moment she saw him, she had a mixed reaction, she was glad to see someone familiar but at the same time, she didn't have exactly a good opinion of him. With all the rumors floating around him, how much trouble he got in and how Dumbledore would always change the House Cup at the last second to make sure Gryffindor won. She didn't mind if another house won, she was a Hufflepuff after all, so long as it was through Hard Work and legitimate, but Dumbledore seemed to favor Gryffindor.
"Susan! I am glad you are awake! Angela said it would be sometime today! How are you feeling?" Potter shouted when he saw her, which confused her since they hadn't spoken more than a few words over nearly four years.
"I am feeling better than when I woke up. How long have you been awake?" Susan asked.
"Only a few hours after I brought you both here. Didn't require any of my potions. He is more powerful than he looks." Angela interrupted, causing Harry to look down and sweep his hand through his hair, keeping his silence in humble disagreement.
After a moment of silence, Angela broke it again by sending Harry to the market for something else, giving him another pouch of money and suggesting Susan go with him.
As soon as they had walked a dozen feet from the store, she started badgering him with questions, however she didn't get more than two out before he placed his finger on her mouth to stop her, causing her to blush.
"Not Yet. Not Here. Follow me." Harry whispered and then began to lead her through the streets of the city until he came to a beach and then begun to take her towards some rocks that were out of sight.
"These are where young lovers come to get away from here parents. We shouldn't be bothered here." Harry informed her, as she blushed again at his words.
"Where are we? What happened? Who is Angela? What Happened!" Susan immediately started to question and was working herself up into panic attack, causing Harry to put his finger against her lips to stop her again.
"This is going to be difficult enough without you turning into Hermione and asking so many questions and not waiting for an answer" Harry said sternly, causing Susan to frown at the compassion and rebuke, but kept her mouth shut so she could get the answers.
"I don't really know where to start. So, I guess at the beginning." Harry begun and told her about what the goblet had said and how they ended up in this world, being found by Angela and bringing them to Teirm. He didn't know why she was dragged along with him, so couldn't answer that, he could only tell her that for the next three years he was stuck.
Susan was quiet and was internally freaking out, as if her mind was continuously shouting "WHAT" and her body was just disconnected. She just sat there for what seemed like hours thinking about how she was never going to see her aunt again, how she was stuck in a strange world.
"Angela knows about magic, she said she would teach us for one month, before she sent us on our own journeys." Harry said after awhile of silence bringing her back to the now.
"Do we stay and accept? Can we trust her?" Susan asked out loud.
"I don't think we really have a choice. We have no money and no where to stay. Angela is weird, always saying random stuff, with words I don't understand, but she hasn't shown to be distrustful yet, however I do get the feeling she is dangerous, and that cat to. That cat is more than it seems." Harry answered her rhetorical question.
"Fine. We go along with this, so long as neither of feel anything suspicious." She said finally, and watched Harry think about it slowly before agreeing.