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IT'S CHANGED (SNILY)
CHAPTER 24 It's wrong!
He groaned. The entire common room had been talking about the stupid, stupid Triwizard Tournament and who was going to participate. Hell… how much more did they have to discuss on that topic? Though most of the people from Slytherin in the name of self-preservation had already backed down. He was happy for that. At least his own house had the sense to conscience.
A slap landed on his back and he turned around. Parkinson. Severus raised an eyebrow but he merely sat on his side.
"So, after the entire fight with the headmaster thing, people are seeing you as the symbol of 'must save your own neck'" Parkinson said, smirking. "They are not embarrassed to back down because they would look coward"
Severus sighed. "We have brains and it's just good if we use them in something other than a death determining tournament" he rolled his eyes.
"You are right" he smiled. He was a year older to him but he had never actually made a real conversation with him.
"You weren't thinking of participating, were you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
He looked fazed. "Uh… No. I wasn't…"
He raised an eyebrow and Parkinson huffed.
"Fine. I did think about taking part but then after you making a point in it and trying to make everyone understand, I changed my plan"
"You don't have to follow my opinion, you, obviously, have your own choice" he informed. "And you are in the seventh year, obviously, more than sixteen"
He blushed. "Do you think I'll be able to, Severus?"
Severus shrugged. "Dumbledore himself said that he sees potential in our house, you'll be able to too"
"What do you think?"
Severus frowned. "Does my opinion matter to you?"
Parkinson blushed but hid it well with a shrug.
"A filthy half-blood's opinion matters to you?" Severus laughed a dry laugh.
"You are not filthy or useless. I never took you like that" he straightened his robes, to avoid making eye contact with Severus.
Severus gave him a scornful look. "Sure"
"You don't believe me? I never really approach you because you always had that air of danger around you" Parkinson muttered.
"Air of danger?" he laughed. "I don't deny that"
"Otherwise, I would have told you that…" he trailed off.
"Told me what?" Severus was interested in his fazed form now.
"Not now, but a point, yes and you have that Gryffindor… and-"
"What are you talking about?" Severus' impatience was growing.
"ThatIfanciedyou" he rushed.
Severus felt as if he was struck by a punch. "You what?" he breathed.
Parkinson sighed, trying to hide the color creeping up his neck. "I fancied you" he said clearly.
"I-I never knew. I don't even know your first name" Severus shrieked, not heeding the fact that he was sounding like Petunia.
Parkinson laughed. "It was just a schoolboy crush. I am over it"
"Right" Severus stared blankly. People actually fancied him?
"I know you are with that Gryffindor girl, now"
"Yeah… I mean-NO! No. We are not together" he stammered.
"I see" Parkinson laughed. "I'll see you later, now. Good night"
"Night" he said absentmindedly and walked to his own dormitory.
Avery, Rosier and Mulciber were already asleep in their beds, looking so tired that they didn't even change their robes. Severus rolled his eyes on them. They were almost the same every Friday night, though it wasn't one. Perhaps, the excitement would have called them down.
"Hey, Severus" Afroze was awake. He was writing a letter.
"Hi, Andrew" he responded tiredly.
Afroze chuckled. "So, tired that you didn't even bring your bag from Bennet?"
Severus touched his back and grumbled. He was trying to understand the concept of electricity working in magic with Bennet Sawyer in his dormitory and he damn forgot his bag there.
He groaned. "I'll go bring it now"
"Yeah… before they start with their own entertainment"
Severus smirked, despite of himself. "Totally" he turned to his heel and left.
*Page Break*
Everyone was looking at him weirdly. Some were smiling at him, admiringly- as much he deduced- and the others looked irritated and were rolling their eyes. He shouldn't have stepped in the Entrance Hall because there is where the answer was.
Here people were more explicitly showed him the reason for their reactions. They were wearing badges. That wrote…
MUST SAVE YOUR OWN NECK
The badge was of black color with the text of bright green. They looked ridiculous. And most importantly, he had NOT given any such thing. Who the fucking hell was doing it?!
He saw a certain red head, with a chocolate in her mouth and the VERY same badge shining on her chest pocket.
"Lily!" he called out.
She turned to him and grinned. "Good morning, Sev"
He ignored her. "What is this?" he pointed to her badge.
She looked down and tapped it with her finger ones, the color of the badge changed into silver and the text now in neon pink. It wrote…
SEVERUS ROCKS
Severus broke out laughing, despite of himself and Lily joined him.
"Who the fuck is doing it?" he asked, once sobered.
She shrugged and licked her chocolate. "See for yourself, Mr. Must-save-your-own-neck" she winked and walked away.
He rolled his eyes and got through the door of the Great Hall after fighting the eyes of people.
He huffed in annoyance. Sirius held an entire bag of the same badges and Remus, a bag of chocolates. People were actually getting these things!
Severus approached them. "What do you think you are doing, Black?" he demanded.
Sirius turned and grinned broadly. "Just spreading an idea"
"By giving free chocolates to people who agree on wearing these idiotic badges?!" he practically yelled.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Come on, Severus, isn't this fun?"
"I never started any such campaign!"
Remus made a noise in his throat. "My stack of chocolates is getting emptied too. So, you better not complain"
Severus narrowed his eyes. "You are giving out Lupin's chocolates, Black?"
"I'll get him new just tomorrow. You know how much I love to waste my mother's money"
"And how do you think you are getting money from her?"
Sirius looked at him as if he was an idiot. "What do you think is Regulus for?"
Severus hadn't noticed him yet, but Regulus was sitting there with Lea, jerked his head up that was a mixture of different flavors of chocolate.
"Hi, Severus"
"Hi, Zeveruz"
They both greeted but Severus ignored them with a pointed disgusted look and then sighed. "I haven't done any such thing. If I get in trouble with the professors, then you are to deal with them, Black"
"No need. Look at the Head Table"
There Dumbledore was sitting with a stash of chocolates and a similar badge on his chest. Severus' lips twitched.
"See? We have all support" Remus said tiredly.
Severus rolled his hand in the huge flood of chocolate in front of Remus and got a dark one. That looked good.
"It's a friendly prank, Severus. Don't get angry on this" Sirius made his best puppy eyes.
Severus cleared his throat. "You could have chosen so much better colors, Black" he said taking the first bite of the chocolate he found.
"Hey! You have to take the badge too"
Severus shrugged. "You use my name, so, I'll have the chocolates" he winked. "Do you have more of these, Lupin? They are… good"
Remus held his bag close to his chest. "No. That was the only one"
Severus smiled cheekily. "No problem. I got a big one" he held his chocolate bar high. "You are participating for the tournament, though, aren't you, Black?"
Sirius shook his head. "No. Moony won't let me"
He smirked. "That just shows that you have a part that has brains"
"Hey! This entire badge thing was my idea"
"Exactly my point, Black" Severus said a sing-a-song voice and left.
*Page Break*
The whole day passed by in watching people putting their names in the Goblet of Fire. Though, the day seemed rather long, with the adrenaline flows and excitement running down them after every passing minute. Teachers just like students were getting impatient. They wanted -NO- they needed to know who the champions were.
If Severus had to be honest with himself, he also was eager to know who the selected fools were. Though, making him admit that was the real task.
The Halloween feast started soon. No one was as electrified for the feast as they always were. They had practically inhaled the food. They kept on peering at the Head Table, waiting for Dumbledore to finish eating.
The moment finally came after people had started feeling dizzy from the awaiting. The golden dishes cleared and Dumbledore came to his feet. Karkaroff and Maxime were looking as if they were made up of a stone named worry. Ludo Bagman was almost jumping on his seat. He was probably more excited than the students were. Mr. McFarlan was smiling as he always did and Mr. Crouch was… umm, we could say, not enjoying himself.
Dumbledore stepped forward. He waved his hand and all the candles in the Hall extinguished, making the Goblet's fire shine even brighter. The blue-white flames almost hurting their eyes.
"The moment, students, have come, we all've been waiting for" Dumbledore declared happily. "Now, when the name of the champion is called, they will be stepping forward and getting their name slip from myself. Then climb to the Head Table and to the room through the door" he pointed on the door. "Now, one more minute perhaps"
These last seconds were longer than the entire day. Sitting still was getting more and more difficult with the passing minute.
Then. Suddenly, the blue-white flames of the Goblet turned red. The room gasped.
A red tongue of the flames lifted itself up and spat a charred parchment out, turning blue once more. Dumbledore caught it.
"The Durmstrang Champion is…" he smiled, teasing others with a dramatic pause. "… Fidanka Ivet"
"Fin!" people screeched and a huge wave of applause and roars accompanied it. A girl with copper hair and eyes rose, grinning, from the Gryffindor table, from beside Peter, getting pats on her back from each student of Durmstrang she passed.
She bowed to Dumbledore who gave her the slip of her name and soon she vanished behind the doors.
The Goblet of Fire turned its blue flames to red once more. Another tongue of flames spat a piece of parchment that Dumbledore caught, before it turning blue again.
"The Beauxbatons Champion is…" Dumbledore paused and eyed the eager audience. "… Elias Amedee"
"I knew" Elias muttered loudly enough for Charm to hear, who in turn rolled her eyes. The applause for him rang through the walls. He got up from the Slytherin table, took the parchment of his name from Dumbledore and walked to the doors.
"The time for our own, Hogwarts Champion" Dumbledore's own excitement had no limits now.
Another tongue of red flames threw a piece of parchment in Dumbledore's direction before turning to blue.
"So, the Hogwarts Champion is…" he took a deep breath. "… James Potter"
The roars for this were the loudest and the most excited ones until now. People applauded till their hands were on fire. A raven-haired boy, proud on the front, very confident of himself, rose from the Gryffindor table and approached Dumbledore.
This wasn't unexpected. He took the parchment after getting a pat on his back by Dumbledore and vanished in the doors.
"So, we have got all our Triwizard Champions" Dumbledore clapped. "I am sure you'll give all your support to them so, that they could succeed at last. The champions-"
He paused. Something very unusual was happening, that hadn't ever happened in the history of the Triwizard Tournament.
The Goblet's blue flames soared scarlet. He bent forward to see what was happening when another piece of parchment was thrown in his direction. He held it, as if trying to deduce the situation. He faced the students once more.
"Severus Snape" he called out.
The Hall went so silent that even the flickering of the fire was well heard. All air seemed to be sucked out of Severus. He felt numb. He didn't know what to do. What to speak. If at all he was capable of. He couldn't move any of his body. He sat frozen while the chatter in the Hall began again. The hateful one.
"What could you expect from a Slytherin"
"Obviously, must have used the Dark Arts"
"People actually believed him, wanker"
"A piece of shit"
"Cheater"
"He always had a rivalry with Potter"
"Wants to show himself superior"
"Fame makes people do all of it"
Out of the many insults a shocked voice met his ears. "Severus, you actually didn't, did you…?"
Severus sharply turned to his side and grabbed Selene's arm, so tightly that it would have left a bruise. His heart beat quickened instantly. He could feel himself again. Trembling. "I didn't… I haven't… why would… you know… I would never…"
"Shhush, Severus. I believe you. Go to the front now… please" she assured.
"Severus Snape" Dumbledore called again. "Come to the front, please"
Severus stood up on shaking legs. All the eyes were on him. Scornful. His hands were clutching the sides of his robes while he approached Dumbledore.
Madam Maxime and Karkaroff were whispering to each other urgently as they gave Severus dirty looks. Severus took a deep breath.
Ludo Bagman, Mr. McFarlan and Mr. Crouch all loomed around Dumbledore, making sure there was no mistake and looking extremely confused.
Dumbledore kept a hand on his back and he immediately backed away.
"I didn't put my name" he said, shaking his head. "You know I didn't… why would I?"
"Severus, Severus. Listen to me…" Dumbledore tried to calm him.
"No, No. I just didn't put my name and I am not participating" he said firmly.
Slughorn was beside Dumbledore, now too. He grabbed Severus' hand, firmly enough, that he couldn't free away. He leaned then and whispered in his ear. "We'll talk about this inside, Severus…"
Severus kept on shaking his head. "There has to be a mistake"
Dumbledore thrusted the parchment in his hand and gave him a gentle push towards the Head Table. Severus' face was tense with the strain, but he walked through the doors to meet the faces of the other champions.
James, Elias and Fidanka seemed shocked for a second but then relaxed.
"Are ve called back?" Fidanka asked.
He didn't know what to say. He didn't himself know what was happening.
"Severus…" James trialed off by the stamping of many feet from out of the door.
Ludo Bagman was the first to enter, he had been running. He was smiling broadly and took Severus' arm, giving it an appreciating rub.
He addressed the other three champions the. "Severus Snape, is the fourth Triwizard Champion"
Elias who wasn't interested in whatever was happening, turned sharply. His face twisted in confusion before breaking into a laughter.
"I know zeze 'Ogwartz people 'ave a very good zense of 'umor" he said, not taking anything seriously and Severus had never been more irritated of him.
Fidanka's mouth hung open. "This is a joke, isn't it?"
Ludo Bagman waved a hand. "No, no. He is the fourth Champion"
"This obviously, can't be… there would be a mistake" James voiced, frowning deeply. He didn't know what emotion he was feeling.
"The Goblet of Fire gave his name out, itself" Ludo Bagman said desperately. "And he is of age for the tournament, what could be the problem-"
Then a loud chatter came nearer and the door opened with a bang revealing, Dumbledore, Mr. Crouch and Mr. McFarlan, Slughorn, McGonagall and Raquel.
Fidanka walked to Karkaroff. "They are saying that there are going to be two Hogwarts Champions?"
"Care to explain, Albus" Karkaroff asked in an iced voice.
"Zis can't be 'appening" Madam Maxime said authoritatively. "Two 'Ogwarts Champions?"
"Zo, zey actually weren't joking?" Elias stood near Madam Maxime, looking up at her.
"Explain Dumbly-dorr" Madam Maxime demanded.
Dumbledore ignored all of them and took Severus by his arms. "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire, Severus?"
"No, no, no. Definitely not" Severus threw his hands up in exasperation.
"'E is obviously, lying" Madam Maxime huffed.
Dumbledore ignored her once more. "Did you ask someone else to place your name in the Goblet, Severus?"
Severus slouched. "I. Did. Not. But I have read the entire history of the Triwizard Tournament. Even if I had put my name, how will the damn thing spring up two names?"
"He is making things up" Karkaroff hissed.
"Someone put his name under another school's name. And a single person from that name would have called out for his" Raquel reasoned.
"And how do you know?" Karkaroff gave him a cold, thin smile.
"Well, you just need brains, don't you?" Raquel laughed, like he would have on any normal day and Karkaroff looked ready to strangle him. "Someone likely wants him harmed"
"You think that, professor?" Slughorn eyed him warily.
Raquel shrugged his thin shoulders. "Why would otherwise his name will be put in the Goblet of Fire in a way that it is determined to come out and without his consent?"
McGonagall gave Severus a weird look. "Why would someone want to harm him?"
Dumbledore gave him a soul piercing stare from under his half-moon glasses that made him gulp. "Any warnings, Severus?" he whispered.
Severus shook his head violently. "No!" he said quickly. He cannot tell anything about what Lucius had said. It was clear to him now, that, why the hell was this plan played. It was to kill him. Didn't Lucius get any better way, he always took his revenges fast? Or was it directly an order from You-Know-How? What was he thinking of doing? What was his real plan?
"Zis iz not 'ow we thought it would be" Madam Maxime growled in indignation.
Mr. Crouch who had been silent for long spoke up. "No need to have this discussion. This is a binding, magical contract. Once your name is out, you cannot back out. So, Mr. Snape will have to be competing as the Fourth Champion"
"Fine. We can have another round of this and the next champions chosen will be competing" Karkaroff said, dismissively.
"It doesn't work like this, Karkaroff" Mr. McFarlan said. "Once the name is out you cannot leave" he repeated.
"Zen we are leaving" Madam Maxime pronounced. "If zis iz going to be zo unfair"
"Yes, it's unfair, Madam Maxime" McGonagall defended. "More than your frivolous ideas, the child's willingness must be taken into consideration. And only if you would have noticed his reaction after his name came out, you would have known"
"Minerva" Dumbledore said warningly.
"Zen we'll just go back" Madam Maxime held her chin high.
"All the arrangements are made and the Goblet have given the names, it's not possible" Mr. McFarlan shook his head.
"So, what are we doing to do?" Karkaroff raised his eyebrow. "Let him compete?"
"Do you have a better plan, Igor?" Dumbledore asked politely.
Madame Maxime and Karkaroff merely glared at him and Severus, but didn't speak anything further, conceding to the situation.
"Iz 'e any good?" Elias asked out of nowhere.
Severus sneered. "Would you like to duel. I'll bring you to your knees under a minute, Amedee"
"Severus" Slughorn warned.
Severus ignored him. "Coward! I know where to do what, so, you better keep your utterly rubbish mouth shut. And if your little, pompous brain haven't deduced yet, I didn't put my name in the Goblet!" he snarled.
Elias took an involuntary step back, though he kept glaring.
"Severus, calm down" Dumbledore kept a hand on his shoulder. "We believe you. But we are left with no other choice"
Mr. McFarlan stepped forward. "Now, we need to give the instructions for the first task to the champions"
Dumbledore, McGonagall, Slughorn, Raquel, Karkaroff and Maxime nodded and left the champions with the officials of the Ministry.
Mr. Crouch opened a parchment and addressed all four of them. "The first task is designed to test your daring, so, you'll not be told what it really is. Ability to muster courage in the face of unknown is a very important quality of a wizard and a witch.
"The first task will be taking place on twenty-fourth November, in front of the other students and the judges. You'll only be armed with your wands for the task. Taking any help from anyone is considered cheating. This tournament will run year-long so, you all are exempted from the exams" he finished.
The three nodded and the fourth didn't even bother to acknowledge the fact that he was listening. Though, he heard each word, thoroughly.
"Now, you must be returning to your dormitories, Mr. Snape, Mr. Potter" Ludo Bagman smiled. "And Miss Ivet and Mr. Amedee, you must be returning to your respected places to sleep"
They all nodded. Elias and Fidanka left from the back door while Severus and James exited from where they came, together.
"You actually did not put you name, Severus?" James asked, giving a mock-suspicious glance.
But Severus fell for it. "Have I been talking in French, Potter, that you don't get a single word?"
James shook his head. "I know you didn't. The displays I have seen of yours… and then Must-Save-Your-Own-Neck thing…"
"Absolutely. I have no willingness to participate, but now, forcibly I have to, because of which ever fool have put my name in the Goblet so intelligently that it even spat my name" he snarled.
James chuckled. "We are competing against each other, then"
"As if that's something new, Potter" Severus growled.
"No. It's not. But after we've had a… truce?"
"Night, Potter" Severus turned to the corner and left for the Slytherin common room, leaving James shaking his head.
*Page Break*
He was thinking about his murder plan, that he didn't even notice when he reached the entrance of the Slytherin common room. He sighed and muttered the password.
The door slid open and the great roar that met his ears, almost deafened him. Slytherins could be wild if they are given the chance or when they are just among themselves. He was puled inside, people shouting unintelligibly about him 'their champion'. Did they believe him or not? He confusedly let him being pulled to the middle of the common room.
"YAYYY… Severus, you can show Potter that Slytherins can win this too!" a second-year girl shrieked in his ear and he flinched so badly that he ended up on the couch.
"A champion from SLYTHERIN!" a fourth-year boy shouted.
"Stop yelling!" Severus yelled. "And listen to me!"
"We know, Severus that you didn't want to be in the tournament earlier but you had a change of heart" Parkinson said smiling.
Severus huffed loudly. "But I didn't put my name in the Goblet of Fire!"
The common room went silent for a second before starting get even louder than before.
"Severus, we don't care if you are the fourth champion" Mulciber told him.
"A Slytherin champion will win the cup!" Afroze held up his hands as if he were holding the cup.
Severus groaned. "Listen to me, please!" he pleaded. "I didn't put my name in the Goblet!"
"You don't have to hide that from us, Severus!" Avery assured. He was smiling too. Was he pleased to have a Slytherin champion? Or just to see him dying? He somehow didn't look like he would play such a long plot. He had been in Severus' dorm for years and could kill him any moment if he sees fit.
Severus looked around to find Charm and Selene but found no one. Why the hell did they go to bed so early? They'll be yelled at properly in the morning.
"I am going to bed" he voiced and the others looked disappointed but they let him.
He hoped to get a good night's sleep.
*Page Break*
He didn't even bother to see what time it was. He simply got out of his bed, got readied the moment he woke up and walked to the quietest place on earth he knew.
The library.
He groaned. A Monday. That meant that he'll have to face the school today and again yell about being forced in the tournament. He kept flipping the pages of the book absentmindedly. Hell…
"So, the fourth Champion, Mr. Sly" a sweet-teasing voice disturbed the silence. He turned around to find the person he most wanted to be with. Lily.
"Lily…" he breathed.
She took a seat beside him and handed him a wrapped sandwich. He gave her a questioning glance. "Take it. I know you didn't have the breakfast"
He took it. "Just like I didn't put my name in the Goblet"
Lily huffed. "I came here to get your mind off the thing but if you want to get back to it…"
"Lily, how am I get to my head off that thing?!" he roared.
Lily tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear, absentmindedly. "You know it is a plan by…?"
He nodded. "I do. And certainly, it's a person who is directly ordered by the Dark Lord because if it were Lucius, he wouldn't have done that"
Lily hummed. "So, you are to complete all the tasks now" it wasn't a question.
"Yes" he moaned. "The Slytherins want me to show others that we could win"
"They have expectations" Lily said smiling. "You are going to be a famous figure among them, Sev"
Severus rolled his eyes. "Right. Famous figure"
"You'll complete the tasks without getting a single scratch, Sev" Lily gave a gentle nudge to his elbow. Severus was amazed to see how relaxed she could act. He knew she was a river of worry inside. He smiled. He loved her.
"Now why are you showing your pretty smile?" she touched his lips with her finger tip.
He blushed and shook his head. "We are the others?"
She laughed. "They are… well, we can say that they are spreading the idea that you haven't put your name in the Goblet"
"How?"
"Is it so, difficult, Sev? Obviously, distributing your Must-Save-Your-Own-Neck badges"
Severus rolled his eyes. "That changes into- Severus Rocks, after tapping on it"
Lily smirked. "Isn't that right"
He shook his head, but before he could say something, the rest of his friends' group was settling themselves around the table.
"Hi. Champion four" Shane winked.
"You know I didn't-"
Austin waved a hand. "Ah, we do. The moment we heard your name, we knew that this is a plot"
Severus smiled. "Right"
"See? I said he'll be chilled out. You all were the ones worried" Selene stated casually.
"I am worried-"
"Oh… so, Severus is worried?"
"I mean- No, I am fine but-"
"A bit tensed" Selene quirked her lips.
"No, I am chilled-"
Selene clapped her hand on the table loudly. "See? Chilled out"
Severus huffed and all the others laughed at the very petty way of lightening their moods.
Austin peeked out of the window and chuckled. "Wow…"
"What?" Charm there too and then laughed. "Hagrid and Madam Maxime are having a little stroll out"
Shane twisted his chair back. "Holding hands and looking each other in the eye?"
Lily swatted his head. "Let them have their moment. Though, it looks amusing"
"Come on, here, stop gawking at them" Selene demanded and they very obediently came back.
"So, what are the instructions?" Charm asked. "For the first task, I mean?"
Severus slouched. "That we will be armed by our wands and facing the unknown is courageous that is why we are not told the thing we'll be before"
"Oh… then we'll know" Shane voiced casually.
"How?"
Selene smacked his head lightly. "You are Slytherin, Severus"
"So, a little sneaking up, here or there" Charm winked.
"We have twenty-three days" Austin smirked.
"You all are asking me to cheat?" Severus gave them a mock-disbelieving look.
Lily rested an arm on his shoulder. "You aren't a noble Gryffindor, now, are you?"
"Absolutely not" he smirked. "Keeping that aside. May I ask another question?"
"What?" Selene asked.
"Don't look at me as if you are going murder, again. But who this Tvora Rebecca, exactly is?"
Shane turned pale white. Selene's eyes were blazing fire again. And Charm and Austin looked at him as if he had asked the very wrong question.
