Chapter Four

The Competition Begins

Harry woke on the day of the contest with an uneasy feeling inside him. It felt as though a troupe of trapeze artists were in his stomach throwing each other around, and doing flips and somersaults. He groaned when he remembered why he was feeling so bloody nervous. The contest, he thought as he threw his legs off the bed.

Well, Potter, his mind said. You need to suck it up and get ready for class. If your dad could do it, so can you. As Harry showered and dressed, he kept up his pep talk to himself. You can do it, Harry. You can do it, Harry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The day passed by very fast, as everyone was looking forward to the contest that evening. It was to take place at seven o'clock sharp in the Great Hall.

This excitement meant that not many of the students were paying much attention during classes. Even Hermione was gibbering with her friends about the imminent show. Many of the professors had expected this, so most of them tailored their lessons to fit the lack of attention spans.

Professor Sprout took the fifth years to Greenhouse Two, where the muggle plants resided. She gave each student a small spray bottle filled with plant nutrients mixed into water. Their jobs today were to spread a gentle mist over as many of the plants as possible.

Professor Flitwick's class was spent learning a charm that everyone thought would be quite useful for tonight's performance, the Amplification Charm. It was the one Ludo Bagman had used at the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament last year. Flitwick assured the performers that he had a counter charm at the ready in case the spell backfired on them, giving them laryngitis.

Five minutes into the class, that exact thing happened. Neville managed to gag himself quite sufficiently. When he realized what he'd done, he went into spasms from hysteria. Flitwick mumbled "verballus" while pointing his wand at Neville's throat. Neville let out a squeak and tested out his voice. It worked just fine again, and everyone that was paying attention to Neville's predicament went back to practicing. All around the room there were whispers of "Sonorus" and booming shouts of "Quietus."

Hagrid joined in the spirit of the day. He cheerfully taught his class about centaurs. He'd even asked Bane, Firenze and Ronan to come visit the class. This pleased the Gryffindor Trio even more than the rest of the class because Harry and Hermione got to see the three centaurs again, and Ron finally got to meet them. Not even Draco Malfoy was complaining. Although, that could have been because he was saving his voice for the contest that night.

All in all, the Gryffindors had a very pleasant day, and after dinner, the performers went up to their rooms to prepare and change into their costumes. Just before seven, the whole of Gryffindor House set off for the Great Hall together.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco Malfoy proudly led his house to the Great Hall. Even as a fifth year, he had the whole of his house supporting him as leader. As he threw open the double doors and entered the Hall, all eyes turned to him. Unfortunately, only two thirds of the eyes he was hoping to see where there.

The entire Gryffindor house was missing yet, and Draco's confident smirk almost faltered. He was hoping that a certain pair of emerald green eyes would be there to see the Slytherins' grand entrance. But they weren't. He sighed and then looked round the Hall for the first time.

The Great Hall was decorated much like it was for the Sorting that began every school year. There were five banners hanging from the ceiling at the front of the Hall, one for each house, and one bearing the Hogwarts crest in the center. But unlike at the Sorting, there were no tables in the middle of the room. Where the Head Table normally stood was a raised platform with three steps on either side, and three leading to centerstage. To the left of the stage, there was a table facing the front of the room. Behind the table sat the Heads of House and Dumbledore, each in a comfortable-looking armchair.

Where folding chairs would be sitting in any non-wizarding school, there were hundreds of plush couches, armchairs, and loveseats of various colors, shapes, and sizes for the students. The back half of these were occupied by Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students. All the professors and a small smattering of family members related to the performing students sat in the first couple rows of seating on the left-hand side. Those damned Weasleys are taking up half a bloody row of seats!

The Slytherins moved as one to sit on the right side of the Hall, sitting as far from the teachers as possible. Draco sat three rows from the front, at the center of his row. In fact, he was last in the long row of Slytherins. The left half of the olive green loveseat he was settled on was empty. To his right was another loveseat, velvety black, containing his two uncomfortably squished cronies.

Draco checked his watch. Two minutes till showtime. Where the hell are the Gryffindorks?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The doors to the Great Hall opened and the entire Gryffindor house came in. Unlike Slytherin's Silver Prince, the Gryffindor Golden Boy was not at the head of the pack. Instead, he was mixed somewhere in the middle.

Ron stepped into a row first and started down it. He was walking backwards and not paying any attention to who else was in the row. He was too busy talking to Harry about their upcoming performances. Ron sat down next to someone on a green loveseat as Hermione and Harry and Neville sat on a long maroon couch. Once the four of them were seated, Ron started to sit back and relax when a drawling voice spoke from next to him.

"Oh there is no way in bloody hell. I am not sitting next to a Weasel for the rest of the night." Draco Malfoy crossed his arms and glared at the red-head who'd had the misfortune of sitting next to him.

Ron glared right back at Malfoy. "For once, Malfoy, I agree." He turned to his girlfriend and best friend. "I am not sitting next to this sodding prat all ruddy night." He turned back to the blonde. "Move it, Malfoy."

"You must be joking, Weasel. I've been here longer. No way in hell I'm moving." Malfoy looked round at the rest of the Hall noting, "Besides, there's no other open seats. You and I are just going to have to deal with it."

Ron stared at Malfoy.

Boy, thought Harry. If looks could kill. Both of them would be goners.

Harry shook his head and stood. "Ron, take my seat. I can deal with the slimy git. You and 'Mione sit together."

Ron stood too, looking relieved but worried. "You sure Harry?"

"Of course," said Harry. He looked pointedly at Malfoy. "The little ferret wouldn't try anything with the whole school watching."

Malfoy sneered. "Don't be so sure, Potty," he said threateningly.

Harry smirked. He and Ron moved to change places and Harry plopped down next to Malfoy. The blonde was sitting Indian-style and his knee was poking over the line between the two cushions. Harry noticed this but decided not to argue. He pulled his legs up and copied Malfoy's sitting position. Their knees brushed each other briefly and a surge of excitement ran through him. Harry was secretly ecstatic at the fact that he was going to spend the whole next to his secret crush.

Little did he know the smirking smart ass seated next to him was feeling the same way.

Just then, Dumbledore cleared his throat and gained the attention of the masses. "Welcome, everyone! I am happy you all managed to find your way here tonight. As a courtesy to all our performers, I ask you all to please keep the side conversations to a minimum. And a note to our performers. There is no need to magnify your voices with the Amplification Charm. The stage has been charmed to amplify anything said or sung while music is being played. Speaking of music, you can start yours by waving your wand in a circle over your head. Also, any necessary changes in the appearance of the stage that the judges were notified about can be taken care of if you either snap your fingers or clap your hands. When you do that, the necessary things shall appear for you. Understood?" All the performers nodded.

"Now that all the announcements are through, on with the show." Dumbledore paused as the audience applauded politely. When they were finished, he opened his mouth to speak again. "As a special request from our first performers, I shall have the honor of introducing them. Without further ado, I ask that you please put your hands together for the fifth year boys of Gryffindor House, Mister Seamus Finnigan, Mister Neville Longbottom, Mister Harry Potter, Mister Dean Thomas and Mister Ron Weasley." The audiences exploded with cheers as the five roommates took the stage.

Once they were there, they stood side by side with their backs to the audience. Harry was in the center, with Ron on his left and Neville on his right. On the left end was Dean and the right, Seamus. They undid their robes and Harry remembered the memory of his father's performance. Funny how things work out like this. It wasn't even me that thought of starting like this. Dean said we should start with our backs to the crows. And Seamus charmed all our robes to do that float-to-the-ground thing. Dad would have been proud.

Harry grinned. As he'd been thinking, he and his yearmates had stripped off their robes, letting them fall to the ground. The effect brought a collective "ooh" from the enthusiastic audience. Each boy had donned a black tee shirt with the Gryffindor lion in the center of his back. Across their shoulders, their first names were printed. They were also wearing light blue jean and Adidas sneakers. The sneakers were stark white basketball sneakers, and the only color on them was the set of three brilliant scarlet stripes on either side of the shoes.

Once all the robes had hit the floor, Harry whispered, "Ready?" The other four boys whispered back yeses. Then, in unison, they put their right feet back toward the audience and, while still on their toes, they all turned slowly to the right and brought their feet together. They were now facing the crowd of students, teachers and family members. Harry raised his right hand slowly and snapped loudly. A wooden desk chair appeared before him. One more snap and Professor McGonagall disappeared from her armchair behind the Judges' table and instantly appeared in the chair onstage, looking puzzled and surprised.

"Good evening, Professor," said Ron quietly to the flabbergasted woman now seated on the stage.

"Glad you could join us," said Dean cheerily.

Before McGonagall could respond, Harry waved his wand and the soft opening to "This I Promise You" began playing.

After four beats, Harry sang a soft, wavering "oooo." The five boys waited 16 counts and then side stepped back and forth, snapping on the beats. Each set of snaps made five small roses appear on their Head of House's lap. The first five roses that appeared were red, the next five were yellow, and so forth, alternating colors. The professor gaped at the heap of flowers that was growing on her lap. She looked round at the boys. Then Harry stepped forward while the other four boys stayed back, still swaying to and fro. He put a hand on the professor's left shoulder, she looked up, and then he sang in a soulful tenor.

"When the students around you"

Harry tapped a finger to his temple.

"Bring bad things to mind."

Harry gestured round the hall at his fellow students. Then he grinned at McGonagall.

"And all that surround you

Are stupid and blind."

Harry then turned to look at his yearmates onstage with him.

"We'll give you strength,

We'll give you hope.

Restore what patience that's gone."

The rest of the group onstage stepped up and surrounded McGonagall.

"The guys you should call

Were your students all along."

Then the boys started to sing in five-part harmony.

"AND WE WILL TAKE YOU BY THE HAND,

WHEN ALL THE OTHERS YOU CAN'T STAND.

TILL OUR SCHOOLING HERE IS THROUGH,

THIS WE PROMISE YOU.

THIS WE PROMISE YOU."

All the boys except for Ron stepped back and began their swaying again. Ron stepped to the woman's left and leaned on her shoulder, looking down at her. Her face was a deep burgundy by now. Then Ron began his verse in a sweet tenor of his own.

"You've taught here forever.

You head Gryffindor."

He grinned at her. Then he put a hand over his chest.

"And we promise you never

Could we love someone more."

McGonagall's face somehow managed to get redder. Then the four boys swaying behind the singer and the sung-to stepped forward and surrounded the blushing professor again. Ron continued.

"We give you our word.

We give you our vow.

Ron's hand, which had dropped back to his side, came up to his chest to signify his sincerity in the words he was singing.

We'll always fight for the Right.

And as your friend, we'll always defend the Light."

The five boys grinned at their Head of House and the harmonies broke out again.

"JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES WHEN YOUR NERVES FRAY,

WE'LL MAKE ALL YOUR PAIN GO FAR AWAY.

TILL OUR SCHOOLING HERE IS THROUGH,

THIS WE PROMISE YOU.

THIS WE PROMISE YOU."

Four boys stepped back again, and this time Neville was the one to sing to the Transfiguration professor.

"Over and over you teach.

We'll practice what you preach."

Neville grinned at McGonagall, who managed a weak smile back.

"Because you're in our lives, Madam,

We know anything is within reach."

Neville stepped back to his place in the line, and the boys were side-stepping back and forth again, snapping on the beat. Roses began piling into McGonagall's lap again. After five bunches of red roses and five of yellow, the boys stopped swaying and moved to surround the happily embarrassed professor and they started singing their harmonies again.

"AND WE WILL TAKE YOU BY THE HAND,

WHEN ALL THE OTHERS YOU CAN'T STAND.

TILL OUR SCHOOLING HERE IS THROUGH,

THIS WE PROMISE YOU MA'AM.

JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES WHEN YOUR NERVES FRAY,

WE'LL MAKE ALL YOUR PAIN GO FAR AWAY.

TILL OUR SCHOOLING HERE IS THROUGH,

THIS WE PROMISE YOU.

THIS WE PROMISE YOU.

The boys stepped back into their original line, still singing.

"EVERY WORD WE'VE SAID IS TRUE

THIS WE PROMISE YOU

OH WE PROMISE YOU."

At the last line, the boys steadily leaned forward. Bending at the waists and letting their arms hang limply in front of them, they each dropped into a bow. The music faded away, and Harry was sure the enchanted ceiling of the Hall would split from the thunder created by the crowd before him. Professor McGonagall was clapping awkwardly around the pile of ninety roses resting in her lap. Harry whispered, "Guys, in three." The other four boys onstage with him nodded almost imperceptivity. "Three, two, one."

The boys straightened steadily, taking their time raising to their full heights. Then the five boys moved to their Head of House and one by one, they seized her left hand and placed a soft kiss on the wrinkled skin. At this, tears that had been threatening to come began gushing down McGonagall's face. When she'd received five kisses on her hand, the boys lined back up behind her.

Harry raised both hands in front of him. He clapped once, and McGonagall's roses disappeared from her lap and appeared, bundled up with large crimson and gold ribbons, on the Judges' table in front of her seat. Another clap from Harry sent his Head of House back to her seat. A third made the chair vanish.

Then Dean and Seamus stepped forward and off the stage. Ron and Neville followed them, and Harry brought up the rear. He couldn't help but grin at the incredible amount of noise that was ringing through the Hall after their performance.

~*~TBC~*~