Hey everyone,
Another challenge ready and this is one is just hilarious. Even the title has humor in it and I love it as it – again – comes from DZ2's Challenge forum. Just a quick warning, all upcoming twenty-six challenges are from his Forum, so if you feel curious as to what else this ingenious mind has, go check up his forum.
Did you do it?
Venquine1990
Challenge #23
It's All A Joke
Harry's POV
"Now, just sit quietly for a minute – sit! And then you can go and get your score." Madam Pomfrey tells me after having healed the wound on my shoulder, which I sustained from fighting the worst and most vicious of all Dragon kinds, a Hungarian Horntail, but my mind isn't on my injury or any possible scores at the moment.
No, my mind is on those blasted idiots outside the tent that are probably still screaming and yelling and telling each other how they knew I would do this or that I would do great or how they had been supporting me the entire time. Short said, my mind is on all the naysayers, the liars and the other fair-weather fans that are out there.
I had been deaf and mostly blind to the crowds around me while out-flying the dragon as losing my focus would have probably increased the chances for me to get an injury worse than the shallow cut on my shoulder, not to mention the chance to get killed or burned to a crisp, but once I had the Egg, did my senses register them all again.
The first thing I registered was all of their faces bursting into proud and happy grins, the grins on the faces of my own House Mates even looking as if it had been them that had out-flown the Horntail, and after this had I started to hear something that made my blood run cold with hatred for my own House and School.
Fred and George taking other's people's cash, because they had been the only ones who had been loyal enough to me to vote on my survival and my method of surviving. I had even picked up a small bit of conversation of someone trying to keep their money because I got injured and that had stung as I had recognized the voice.
Ernie Macmillan, a Hufflepuff who has been very fickle with his beliefs and opinions regarding me and while part of me had wanted to feel understanding about this as one of Ernie's own House Mates is also a Hogwarts Champion, had hearing this lad not turn back on his hurtful beliefs like he did before make me realize something.
Like Ernie, the rest of the Wizarding world is really fickle and full of people who are so into their Boy-Who-Lived beliefs that they have never to barely ever shown any care to the real boy behind the scar and I actually got my first taste of this when I was wearing rags and entered the Magical world for the first time.
"And that was four years ago. You would think that people would, after four years come to realize that there is more to me than my scar and their beliefs?" I think to myself, but while I rub my now uninjured shoulder, do I reminiscence about the last four years of my life, only to get shocked as I realize something.
"I've been behaving like their Boy-hero this entire time. Everything I've done the last four years – Quidditch, Defense, the Third floor Corridor, the Accromantula's, the classes I chose for my third – it was all because I thought that was what the Wizarding world wanted out of their hero. I've been living to their expectations only."
And the thought that barely anything I have accomplished in the last four years – bar the flying, the Dragon and the Patronus – is actually mine makes my lips thin out and makes my skin tingle as I just can't believe I have been such an idiot all these years, claiming one thing, but doing the other without even realizing.
Then another thought enters my mind and my lips thin even more as my rage now boils right under my skin, making every inch crawl and making me almost tear the sheets of my bed into pieces and I think: "Ron. That sneaky bastard has been wanting to be the best since he came to Hogwarts, his Mirror image proved so.
He must have noticed this years ago. How could he not, he's a strategy expert. Of course he would motivate me to be the perfect Light wizard and his best friend the entire time. Didn't I pick my third year classes just because Ron chose them? How could I have been so stupid? Who even listens to that food-swallowing git?"
And as if on cue does Boy-Blunder himself walk into the tent at exactly that moment, the grin he tries to hide proving me all the more that the bastard is only glad I survived because of what Bagman said about me just minutes before I landed about me having the fastest time yet and this fact makes me suppress a growl with effort.
"Hey buddy listen, I reckon –." But just the cheery tone the lad speaks with, which he tries to hide with a sense of guilt that sounds fake enough even Lockhart would have caught onto it and this makes me jump out of my bed with a furious glare, the anger shocking the boy silent before I start walking his way ever so slowly.
The boy feels intimidated and gulps as he moves back, taking one step backwards for every step I move towards him and while Madam Pomfrey appears from behind the screen where she was tending to Cedric, do I say: "I reckon that the twins with their loyalty just earned a whole lot more money than you ever will, Roland."
The boy looks startled at hearing me mispronounce his name and while Madam Pomfrey calls out to me uncertainly, do I ignore her and move us both out of the tent, Weasley still taking one step backwards for every step I take forward and then I smirk at the ginger and say: "You know, this reminds me of a movie I once saw."
The boy looks shocked and confused and while both Hermione and several other Gryffindor students have caught up by now, do I smirk and say: "Just imagine someone painting the events of a storybook onto a single portrait canvas. And this one is called the Lion King. Do you know why this reminds me of that movie, Robbie?"
At this some of the Muggleborns and raised Gryffs gasp and while part of me registers how Crouch is now coming out of the tent and telling me it's time to announce the points, do I ignore the man as I smirk and say: "It's not just because we're both Gryffindors, you know? It's because we are reenacting an actual movie scene."
The boy looks shocked, confused and slightly scared, the last emotion making me feel strangely better about myself and I say: "The end of the movie. The young Lion prince tries to win back his kingdom, but his uncle uses an old trauma – based on lies – against him and makes him move back as he advances on him.
The two are standing on a large rock that bends sideways and looks out over all of the African Savannah and the evil uncle manages to make the young prince almost fall off the cliff. I say almost, because when the prince is halfway down, does the evil uncle reveal the truth to him. And guess what happens next, Richard."
The boy shakes his head, while the Heads of the three competing schools, the other champions and Mr. Bagman have also come to stand around us and this only makes me feel as if we are reenacting the scene even more as I feel as if I'm being surrounded by the hyenas with only three lionesses anywhere near me and I say:
"The uncle got chased, got the chance to flee, used it to try and injure and again kill the young prince –and then found his own death by a fall down the rock and an attack of those he betrayed when he was at his weakest, just before he was offered the chance to leave. And now, Ronald, I am giving you the same chance as Simba gave Scar.
Turn around and leave me, my life and my pride alone. Because this young fighter is done taking crap from you fair-weather hyenas. I am king of my own life and I am no longer letting you or anyone else tell me what to do, how to behave, who to befriend, what classes to take or anything else. This is my life and my choice.
And no Ron, I'm not joking. You and all these attention hungry hyenas have been expecting me to be your Hero, your Petrify-Attacker, your Savior, your Quidditch Champ, your Cheater and your Dragon Tamer all in the last four years and I have been behaving like a dumb young little cub and have kept listening to you.
Well guess what Ron." And while I cast a small spell to make Ron stop in his tracks, allowing me to come up to him and press my chest against his as I hiss with all the anger in my voice that I have felt growing within me since my realization and with great self-satisfaction, do I say: "Lion cubs grow up – and this one did."
And with that, the words ringing through the entire group of students, teachers and others as I cast a quick sticking charm on Ron's feet, just to give him time to think through my words and move away from him, motioning only Hermione and the twins as I cast the same charm on the feet of everyone else as I move away,
Feeling like roaring with laughter.
And there you have it.
Another challenge done and this one consists of a Harry that is simply said done being the hero everyone – even his so-called friend – are expecting him to be. Also my apology, but I was writing that scene and I couldn't not compare it to the confrontation scene between Simba and Scar as Ron and Harry really resembled them.
They're all lions, right?
Venquine1990
Okay guys, my deranged mind has come up with yet another weird challenge, but I'd like to see what you think;
DZ2's 'It's All A Joke' Challenge
Plot:Boy-Who-Lived, Saviour, Hero, Golden Prince...Cheat, Dark Wizard, War-Mongerer, Liar: how fickle the world has become and now, Harry has had enough!
Rules:Chaotic Good Harry (A Harry that's good-sided, but willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.)*
When not in action/battle, Harry has a cold, sarcastic side that annoys some and amuses others (kind of like Tony Stark if you want a comparison)
Despite his sarcastic nature, Harry is ruthless IN the field of battle
Hermione, Neville and Luna MUST be amongst Harry's allies, even if he has to turn them to his cause
The story must start at some point at/following Ron's 'apology' following the First Task (it can even start with the Task itself)
Bellatrix MUST join Harry's cause at some point (sorry, it's the thought of her being drawn to his own 'insanity' and couldn't-care-less attitude)
All pairings are welcome EXCEPT Slash, but whoever Harry is paired with, they are the only one that can truly calm Harry so he doesn't go past the point of no return
Sirius finds Harry's cold humor as amusing as a Marauder's pranks and stands firmly with his godson
Guidelines:Harry has a tendency to make puns such as playing 'insult bingo' or using pseudonyms/nicknames for his enemies and those in his way
If the story starts at/before said point, Harry takes Hermione to the ball and defends her against Ron afterwards
As part of his Chaotic Good image, Harry realises that the only way to truly save the world is to dominate it and become a 'Dark Lord'
As well as Bellatrix, other members of Voldemort's forces ally with Harry when they realise he's not taking any prisoners
Umbridge joins Harry's cause when she realises he's no Dumbledore-lackey
At some point in the story, Harry uses the Joker's line about madness: Madness is like gravity; all that you need is a little push
Harry uses his 'Lord Potter' status to get Fudge and/or the Ministry on his side, giving him certain 'privileges' outside of school (How he does this if it's accepted is up to you)
If the story starts during the Tournament, Harry learns about Crouch's trap and plans his own 'trap' for Tom
Forbidden:Truly Dark or Evil Harry
Harry allied with Dumbledore or Voldemort
Hermione, Neville and Luna Bashing
Bellatrix against Harry
'Sane' Harry
Weak, naive Harry
Slash
Crossovers
Other than that, it's up to you...
*I'd like to thank Undercover Operative for helping me learn this particular term of doing good and being bad at the same time.
Now I don't like the Bellatrix part or the Umbridge part as I will always hate those two with a passion and so far I have only seen one good story with Bellatrix in it – Le Strange But True by, shockingly enough – the same person who made this challenge: DZ2. I should have guessed that, but oh well,
Venquine1990