CHAPTER FIVE
"So, how did it go?" Lily was busy peeling an egg, now and again shooting glances at her son, who had bags under his eyes and pouring himself a third cup of coffee. She was surprised that he made it down to breakfast on time considering his three suitors had stayed long enough for them to see her return and depart only five minutes afterwards. It had been close to midnight. Lily had seen the smiles on their faces and the spring in their steps as they left, and knew that Harry must have laid the charm on quite thickly.
"Well. They were … genuinely amiable and interesting," Harry answered with a small smile, sipping his coffee. "I have no idea why they aren't already courting or married yet, considering they have more than enough likable traits. We spent quite some time playing music, if you can believe it. There were even moments where I think there was no tension what so ever."
Lily smirked a little as she sprinkled some salt onto her egg. "Oh, I do believe there was some tension of a different kind."
"Mama, please!" Harry flushed bright red as he poured himself yet another cup of coffee.
Lily chuckled. "I know you too well, my dear boy. You play with people's buttons and if you know exactly where to press it, you will. Besides, I think it rather funny that three of Lord Slytherin's most powerful followers can come undone by a fifteen-year-old boy."
Harry smirked a little with satisfaction as he smeared himself a croissant. "Yes, it is rather amusing."
"Severus will be coming later; he will want to know your verdict. Are they accepted as suitors?" Lily's green eyes danced with mischief, already guessing the answer was firmly in the affirmative.
"Considering the fact I am teaching Barty the piano next week, going to dinner with Rodolphus in a few days and going with Evan to his duelling club, I should say so," Harry grinned as he buttered his croissant.
Lily nodded thoughtfully. "You are meeting your friends today? Draco and Blaise, right?"
Harry sighed in exasperation. "Do not remind me, Mama! I have three hours to prepare for Draco and Blaise's inevitable interrogation. I am going to need something for my headaches afterwards. I already know Blaise is going to be unbearable to deal with."
Lily laughed, her eyes shining with mischief and mirth. She wasn't thrilled at first to know that Harry had made friends with Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, Lawrence Rookwood, Daphne Greengrass, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Marcus Flint and Adrian Pucey, but then again there was nothing she could really do to dissuade him. She had advised against it first, but had come to know each of the young Slytherins. They may not like Muggleborns but they were always cordial and respectful to her. Lily wasn't going to deny that she practically danced when Harry wrote to her that he had continued his friendship with Neville Longbottom.
Frank and Alice had been James and Lily's friends since Hogwarts; Alice was Harry's godmother and Lily was Neville's. Frank and Alice had helped Lily arrange James' funeral. Neville and Harry had practically grown up together. When Harry had been Sorted into Slytherin, Frank and Alice had expressed their concerns to Lily of Harry shunning Neville due to peer pressure from the other Slytherins – they needn't have worried. Harry remained steadfastly loyal to the person who was practically his brother.
Harry quenched any other doubts by getting on quite well with Fred and George Weasley, and befriending Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood. Yes, he was practically the prince of Slytherin, but Harry didn't really care about House allegiances, unlike some of Lily's former friends and allies.
Lily scoffed coldly as she thought of them. Molly and Arthur Weasley, Peter Pettigrew, the Abbotts, the Macmillans, Diggle – just a few of them, all Dumbledore's pathetic stooges. They had tried to remain in her good graces with their faux smiles, but Lily simply wasn't having it. All of whom who would one day, very soon, pay the price for the treachery that cost her husband his life and Harry to lose his father.
And should war break out, Lily would be the one to personally hunt each and every one of them down.
As for Harry, he had spent four years being harassed and bullied by Dumbledore and the children of the brainwashed Light families. The worst offender was the youngest son of the Weasley family and the only girl: Ronald and Ginevra. They would hound Harry throughout the castle, insulting him, insulting the Slytherins and insulting Lily herself. They both had a delusion; Ronald saw himself as Harry's 'rightful' best friend and Ginevra wanted to be his wife. The rest of Gryffindor were not much better; only Neville and a Muggleborn named Hermione did not participate in the torment. Fred and George's pranks also could go only so much of the way.
By now, Harry knew exactly how to handle them so at this point they were just going to be irritating fleas. No, from what his mother had told him, Dumbledore was going to be the real threat this year, more than the old coot ever had been before. Lily had no idea what it was, but there were whispers going around the Wizengamot about a dangerous tournament that had been banned for very good reason. She was surprised that the Prophet had not made a comment on it.
Lily wasn't sure if this was idle gossip or if it was serious by she was very determined to get to the bottom of things so as soon as she was done, she Apparated straight to the Ministry. The TriWizard Tournament had the highest kill count of any of the international magical tournaments in existence, and was considered the most barbaric because of the fact the only participants who were permitted to compete were seventeen-year-olds. The different type of challenges that were randomly selected were all unnecessarily dangerous, especially since the ethos of the tournament – to train warriors for battle – was no longer applicable in the 20th century. At least, for now.
As for Harry, he knew that Draco, Theo and Susan might know more on the matter. And if they wanted gossip about Harry's suitors and his change of heart, they would have to provide some information first. Harry smirked to himself. It seemed he would need all of his Slytherin cunning to survive this year. While most people would have cracked under the pressure, Harry felt rather excited about it.
Game on, Dumbledore, was all Harry thought as he contently munched on his croissant.
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"It has been confirmed, my Lord," Lord Abraxas Malfoy informed at the meeting between Lord Slytherin and his followers in the late afternoon. Lord Malfoy rarely attended the meetings these days, preferring to let Lucius attend in his stead, but had decided that the matter he had to report on was far too serious to leave to Lucius. "The TriWizard Tournament will be brought back and will be hosted at Hogwarts this year."
"You have got to be kidding me!" McNair exclaimed.
"Dumbledore has finally lost what is left of his sanity," Yaxley added, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"How many votes were in opposition?" Lord Slytherin demanded to know, glaring at the table as though it had grossly offended him. Nagini was hissing in agitation as well.
"250," Lord Nott answered as quick as a whip. "What makes it even more scandalous was that no one had sent an official summons to the Lady Potter and the only reason she was able to attend, was because she wanted to investigate the rumours she had heard. Her ire was magnificent! However, despite that and the nays being the majority, it seems that the Minister and the Chief Warlock," he spat out the latter, "have chosen to overrule our decision and hold the Tournament anyway."
"Dumbledore wants war," Severus Snape stated simply. "And he will try to make Harry the figurehead of his army, whether the boy wants to be or not."
"And you believe he will attempt to use this Tournament to do so?" Lord Slytherin pressed.
Severus' normally stoic expression was positively thunderous. "I do, my Lord. In fact I believe he may even go so far as to plot to ensure Harry's name is entered into the Tournament without the boy's consent or knowledge."
"Impossible!" Rodolphus Lestrange growled. "The Age-Line will nullify-"
"I am pretty sure Dumbledore doesn't give a fig about rules or an Age-Line," Barty sneered. "Harry will have no choice. He will face almost certain death if the old coot succeeds in executing the plan."
"Then, just in case, we will simply have to make sure that Harry has an ally at Hogwarts, other than Severus, this year," Voldemort's eyes shone bright red with mischief. "Tell me, Barty, how well do you know and like Alastor Mad-Eye Moody?"
Barty's eyes flashed with a gleam that has not been seen for a while. A scheming, murderous glint that usually meant someone would be screaming on the floor in pain from a potent Cruciatus. Many of the Inner Circle lived in fear of it; Barty relished in the fear the prospect of his curses could create. As for Alastor Moody, Barty had a score to settle with the batty old man with a freaky eye. Moody had been the one to almost blind Barty in one eye after an early raid in the Dark Lord's campaign and Barty had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to settle the score.
It seemed that time had now come, and Barty didn't even disguise his glee.
Voldemort, who had seen the thoughts and memories in his son-in-all-but-name's head, smirked. "Have you got a plan, dear Barty?"
"Indeed, my Lord," Barty confirmed with a nasty smirk. "Just leave it to me."
"Good. Evan, Rodolphus, you will ensure that you two are amongst the Ministry party to Hogwarts," Voldemort stated. "No harm is allowed to come to the boy, and it will be up to all three of you to make sure it does not. Do I make myself clear?"
All three nodded solemnly.
As he dismissed his Death Eaters, Voldemort smirked a little. The uncertainty that all three of the men had held about courting his cousin had seemed to dim slightly; all it took was one meeting with the boy for three of his Inner Circle to begin to care for the boy. It was rather funny. Disgusting, but funny.
As long as no harm came to Harry Potter, Voldemort was fine with it.
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More schemes and plots abound! Dumbledore's desire for war seems to be influencing this decision; let's hope Harry, Voldemort and the Death Eaters have a full proof plan that could protect him, should the Headmaster try anything.
Stay tuned and any and all reviews are appreciated!
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