Author Note:

V1.3 R3

(updated for content and literary corrections, first AO3 revision)

Harry Potter and the franchise are owned by their respective claim holders. I do this story as a hobby and not as a substitute for the books or as a means of profit.

If you enjoy the contents of this chapter please leave a review. It is so rare to get them and even just an acknowledgement that you're here for the ride is nice. Whatever medium you read this from please make sure to leave proper notice of your enjoyment.

Ch.3 - Worst Case Scenario

The foyer had never been so full in her life. Everywhere Lyra looked there were people. Nearly twenty people were already there. The witch Pansy hadn't been lying when she said everyone had shown up, or that there were many Mrs. Weasleys. She was introduced to two others, the dark skinned witch and an older witch, whom her father treated as a mother figure. She was told there was one more, but she was off in Romania.

Each of them gushed over her, but none as much as the elder Mrs. Weasley. She had never seen anyone make her mother blush as much as the older witch when she insisted that Lyra needed more siblings. Her father had covered his mouth as he exited the conversation. She didn't understand the glare her mother was sending him, though.

Her mother said for now they would be visiting with all of their friends. It would give Kreacher time to prep the dining area. It would also give Lyra a chance to interact with the various people that were visiting them for the first time in her life. She had to admit, that was quite the number. The twins were busy playing with the twins while her mother took her from group to group for more formal introductions.

Aunt Hermione had been over the moon to learn about Lyra's admittance to Hogwarts. She had congratulated her by gifting her a tiny flying toy broom. It would circle her open palm when she held it out.

Her mother had let out a gasp when she held it out for the first time, tears threatening her watery eyes and hand over her mouth as she took another picture. Her Aunt gave her mother a smug look before her mother thanked her with a tight hug. She didn't really get that one, she was the one that was given the gift, after all.

She was told that flying was very important to her parents. Supposedly they were some of the best in the world. When her brothers had pouted in disappointment their parent's friend promised they'd get one too if they ever received their letters.

Her Aunt was more than happy to introduce her husband and father's other closest friend, the wizard Ron Weasley. He had been the second wizard introduced to her that night, the younger brother of the twin wizards Fred and George Weasley. He worked with her father, even though she wasn't told what his actual job was yet. Her parents hadn't put up much of a fight when he pulled them into a crushing bear hug.

He made sure Lyra understood that he was the one to owl if she needed someone roughed up. Her father had replied that hopefully he shouldn't be needed for many years, if at all. Her mother made it very clear she absolutely intended to take him up on that offer if need be. He'd thudded his fist gently on her mother's shoulder as he nodded with a grin, stating that her father just didn't get it.

The one that had shocked Lyra but delighted her brothers was the giant man, Rubeus Hagrid. His graying mane made him appear as if he were a snow covered mountain. He had to duck to enter their house, and the doors were ten foot tall but only came up to his chin. When he held his hand out for her to shake he only pointed one finger out. The single digit had been larger than her whole hand.

He had been the happiest man she had ever met, though he was hard to understand through his thick accent and tear streaked blubbering. "Yeh look jus' like your mother, yeh do!" She she heard through his tears. Something about a rainy night on a staircase years ago. He had again used only one finger to ruffle her already messy hair. "Think she'd be wantin' an owl, Harry?" He had asked hopefully. She really hoped her parents would say yes. She'd always wanted a pet of her own.

It was all so amazing. Her parents had so many amazing friends that she almost couldn't believe it. She had always thought they preferred a quiet and private life, something rural and simple. Lyra was starting to understand the significance of her newfound ability. It meant her parents were going to open themselves back up to the magical world. What would that even look like?

She started to think about what that was going to mean for herself. Their class had taken a field trip to the middle school just last month. Her friends had been making plans for next year. The older students had been so kind and she was looking forward to going THERE. But now? Would she even be allowed to see her friends still? Would they leave her home behind and move to the UK? Would she even be able to become a veterinarian and run a clinic with her friends when they got older? It was all so overwhelming to think about.

Her mother must have noticed her mounting worries on her face as she stopped talking with the dark skinned Mrs. Weasley. "Excuse me, It seems my little girl needs something." The witch smiled and nodded before her mother turned to her. "What's wrong, Lyra?" She asked as she half knelt and placed a hand on Lyra's head.

"Are we moving away?" Lyra blurted as she felt her worries burst forward. "I don't want to leave my friends." She started to sniffle as she felt tears begin threatening her eyes. Her mother scooped her up into a hug, kissing her gently on her forehead.

"Of course not. We would never take you away from your home." Her mother said to her. It did wonders to hear her mother tell her that. She had started to panic when the thought had struck her. She still let out a couple sniffles though. "I have an idea, how about we see if anyone wants to tell you more of our little story while we wait for Kreacher to give us permission to enter the dining hall? Would you like that?" Her mother thumbed away the tears on her cheeks as she cooed at Lyra.

Lyra nodded and gave a smile after one last sniffle before saying, "Yes please." Her brothers groaned at the prospect of having to listen to a story.

"I have to admit, Draco, I did not imagine you'd make such a competent mother." She heard the other witch say. She did not see her mother's eyes roll at the 'compliment.'

"She's the best!" Lyra chirped out innocently. The dark skinned witch's amused smirk settled into a soft smile as she watched her calm under her mother's care.

"Yes, well, sometimes we find talents where we least expect them." Her mother said finding a seat and lifting Lyra onto her lap. "Do you remember that tournament from fourth year?" The witch raised an eyebrow at the question.

"The one with the ball? You know they have a portrait of that in one of the corridors now." The witch smirked. She watched her mother's cheeks flush briefly.

"I'm pretty sure I know where, too." She said under her breath.

"That is exactly where it is." The witch responded, clearly having heard the quip.

Her mother took a moment to clear her throat before responding. "There was only ever one tournament… so, yes, that would be the one."

"You are entirely too easy to tease." A pretty redheaded witch, Ginny, said as she joined them. "Talking about the tournament?" She was one of the Weasleys as well. It was getting really confusing keeping all the Weasleys straight. She had only ever known her Aunt before that night.

"In fact, we were." Her mother said, looking happy to have the topic move forward. "As I was telling Angelina, Lyra started asking about when Harry and I were in school. We were just getting to the tournament before guests started showing up."

"Did you tell her about the dragons yet?" The redhead asked, clearly excited about the memories.

"Not yet, Ginny." Her mother turned to her. "Would you like her to tell you about the dragons?" Lyra's eyes lit up at the question. The witch shared her enthusiasm.

"There are actual dragons?" Lyra asked excitedly. She knew that magic was real. But where in the world would you hide a dragon? She heard Severus and Sirius bickering over who knew they were real or not.

"Of course there are, you just have to know where to look. Your Father is lucky he is a better flier than a dragon." Angelina Weasley said through a snort. Now that sounded like a story, out flying a dragon. She hoped she would never have to do it though.

"How about we start at the beginning." Her mother chuckled. "Right around when we all went to the reveal of the champions."

"You actually went to see Hagrid for the first time, didn't you?" The redhead asked her mother. She watched her smile at the giant who started to tear up again, nodding his head vigorously. Her mother reached over and patted his enormous leg. He let out a loud snort as he patted her hand in return and tried to calm himself.

"I promised Harry I'd be his friend; I saw no reason to avoid the inevitable," Her mother said as she adjusted Lyra in her lap and laid back into the seat. She had her arms around Lyra's hips, holding her in place.

*I'm just saying, with your 'love' of animals, I'm surprised you went closer than a hundred feet to the hut. Don't give me that look, I was glad I didn't have to go near those disgusting skrewts. Anyway, Draco and Harry had visited Hagrid earlier that day with Hermione and my brother, Ron. Later on most of us met up at the great hall to go find out who the school champions were going to be. No, from each school. There were two others.*

Harry was hurrying up the path towards the castle with Malfoy, Ron and Hermione. Their visit with Hagrid finished up barely an hour before the Halloween feast was set to begin and they were eager to secure the best seats in the hall. The giant had been wary of Malfoy at first but when she gave even a small amount of effort to show interest in the animals beyond which one she needed to keep her hands away from he was more than happy to talk to her as if they'd been friends the whole time. She had even promised the giant that she'd try to visit with Harry again in the end.

"C'mon, guys!" Ron shouted from in front of the group. He was pushing them to move faster with his overwhelming excitement. Harry wasn't sure where he got the energy, his own legs were burning. The uphill battle was a bit too literal at the moment.

"I swear, Weasley..., if I die of... a heart attack... I'll kill you!" Malfoy ground out between breaths. Harry tried not to laugh, but it was useless. It just made running along the path harder. "Granger! You can let go of... my hand! I am perfectly capable... of exerting myself... as the next guy."

"Don't you want to get... a good spot, Draco?" The bushy haired witch asked. "Oh, I hope Cedric is our champion... I hear he is very talented!" Hermione said, still dragging the other girl along, breathing just as heavily as her and Harry.

"Krum is going to be Durmstrang's champion for sure." Ron said, ignoring the protests. "Reckon he could sweep the whole thing, Harry?"

"Durmstrang... rarely... wins." Malfoy countered between labored breaths. "Try reading... from time... to time..." Ron gave the girl a rude gesture in response.

"Ronald!" Hermione chided the boy.

The scene became one that Harry was starting to see as familiar. Their conversation continued along the way, Malfoy and Ron constantly sniping at each other's opinions. It was both maddening and endearing. Hermione seemed to side more and more with Malfoy as time went by and a routine set in.

They finally made it to the castle, breathing heavily. Harry saw Pansy walking towards them. He had expected her to seek out the Slytherin with them. When he had asked her why he only ever saw her with Pansy, Malfoy explained to him that she did not relish the attempts of the pureblooded boys trying to initiate literal sixteenth century courting rituals, much less said rituals directed at herself. Pansy was the only friend she had in the house she was certain did not have ulterior motives.

"There you guys are!" Pansy called out to them as they were crossing the grounds. "I swear, Potter, any slower and I'd have had to owl Draco's father! His own daughter out and about with some lout." She called out, dramatically placing her arm over her eyes.

"You'll do no such thing!" Malfoy sputtered out in indignation. "The last thing I need is a howler from Father." Genuine fear briefly passed the girl's eyes. She probably never had to worry about something like that before.

*I was last to show up because I'm a year younger. I had been in class while they were with Hagrid. We made sure to get to the great hall early so we could have the best seats possible.*

"Ron, isn't that Ginny over there?" Hermione asked as she pointed towards the path to the greenhouses. There was no mistaking the younger witch as she was hurrying along the path. "Ginny!" She waved the other witch over. "Over here!" The redhead immediately made her way towards them once she heard her friend call out her name. Malfoy finally managed to wrench her hand free from Hermione's grasp as she became distracted.

"Hi, Harry!" Ginny called out as she joined the ever growing group. "Hi, Hermione!" Hermione maneuvered to be next to Ginny. "How was Hagrid?" She asked as the large group made its way towards the great hall to get ready for the Halloween feast.

"He's doing great!" Harry said. "Though I think the skrewts might eat his entire hand off before the end of the year."

The group settled into a comfortable conversation as they made their way towards the hall. Ginny shouldered Malfoy to get the blonde's attention. When she was rewarded with a glare she smiled back sweetly.

"Watch it, Weaslette." Malfoy warned. She glared at the girl lightly but showed no further signs of annoyance. Harry was sure she was more fond of the youngest Weasley than she let on.

"So, Draco, been hanging out with Harry a lot since the start of..." Harry watched the younger girl deliberately eye Malfoy's body before finishing her sentence. "... Term. I thought you two hated each other." She asked with her hands behind her back. She was wearing a deceptively innocent face that Harry was pretty familiar with by this point.

"I wish" Harry heard Pansy mutter off to the side. He was glad Malfoy had someone as loyal as her in Slytherin. He could have mistaken her for a Hufflepuff given the circumstances. "Watch it, Potter." Had he said that out loud? He heard Hermione giggle.

He glanced over at Ron who had a slightly horrified look on his face. "Don't be an idiot, Ron." Harry said, pretty sure of what his long time friend was thinking.

"I thought so, too." Malfoy said, ignoring the intended meaning and exchanges. "But I needed to keep my seeker skills sharp and Harry is the only one that can even challenge me. I can't say he hasn't grown on me, though." Harry smirked as he listened to the conversation.

"If only the reverse were true." Harry said smugly. It earned him a bruised arm as Malfoy did not spare any of the strength she did have to make sure a small imprint of her fist would be present on his arm. "Hey! That hurt!" He complained as he gently massaged the tender flesh.

"That was the point, Potter." She said sticking her tongue out at him.

*We all sat near the front of the hall so we could get a front row seat. None of us wanted to miss it. We had to eat first, but the Goblet of Fire, which chooses the champions, was sitting there. It was practically mocking us with those blue flames. All anyone wanted to know was who it would choose.*

They entered the hall to see the plates for the feast already set out. The room itself was practically empty at the moment, with only a few teachers and students present. Normally on Halloween the feast was all anyone talked about and the Hall would have been buzzing with activity. This year, though, most students were still about the castle discussing the tournament. The whole school only wanted to know who the champions would be. The Goblet of Fire was moved to the front of the room, the blue flames dancing along the top.

Soon the odd clique found themselves at the Gryffindor table much to the chagrin of Harry's other housemates. They found seats near the professor's table where they would have front row seats for the choosing of the champions.

They passed the time guessing who the champions for each school would be. Before long the hall was absolutely packed. Fred, George and Lee found the seats next to them. No traces of their beards from earlier present. Pansy was quick to point out their failure and that they should have stayed within their ability. They were not amused. Fred gave her a particular long glare. She smiled back unfazed.

When the headmasters of the three schools finally showed up the feast had begun. Harry, Ron and Malfoy all stuffed as much food into their mouths as possible in an attempt to rush the feast. Well, maybe it was normal Ron speed. All it earned them in the end, though, was slightly sore stomachs and no room for desert. Harry was barely able to lift his head to see Ron look green from overeating for the first time ever. Malfoy had all her weight resting on her forehead as she leaned forward in her seat. At least it wasn't just him.

"What is wrong with you, Draco?" Pansy admonished her friend. "You know the old coot moves at his own pace. Eating like Potter and Weasley, the animals... It's not going to make the night go any faster."

"Serves the boys right." Hermione said as she dished herself desert.

The feast finally ended when most people had their share of desert. Suddenly the lights dimmed significantly, making the goblet seem otherworldly. One by one the goblet would turn red and belch out a piece of parchment.

First was Krum for Durmstrang. Fleur Delacour was called forward for Beauxbatons. A knife could have cut the tension in the air as they waited for the Hogwarts champion. Cedric Diggory. The entirety of Hogwarts exploded into cheers for the Hufflepuff.

*When the feast finally ended we found out that the champions would be a Quidditch star, Fleur (yeah, her) and a boy named Cedric. Everyone was already excited when the impossible happened, your father's name came out of the goblet before the fire went out for good! The school went absolutely mental.*

Cedric entered the door to the side. Now that the final name had been called, Dumbledore began addressing the student body. There was a collective gasp from the room that put a halt to any speeches, however.

Suddenly the flames turned a vivid red, sparking as if a firework had started to go off. It was impossible, though. Each school had a champion already. As if to deny any objection to be had, the goblet belched out one more piece of parchment.

The small piece of paper raised high into the air before slowly drifting back down again. Dumbledore snatched it from the air. The atmosphere was deathly silent. The headmaster stared for a long time before uttering out, "Harry Potter," and Harry felt the blood drain from his face. How was that even possible? Surely the Headmaster was playing a cruel joke on them.

Harry looked over at Ron who was giving a dumbfounded smile. Then Hermione who was just plain shocked. Malfoy was coughing on her own spit. The wizened man raised his voice and calmly said his name once more.

"Harry Potter."

He numbly went to the headmaster when Hermione had pushed him out of his seat. The wizard asked him to go through the doors and the sounds of the hall died away as he heard it shut behind him. What was going on?

*Do you want to know what was truly crazy? Your father was forced to compete in the tournament. There is a reason they only wanted adults to enter. Death is always around the corner during these things. Ron became a right arse, and stopped talking to Harry out of jealousy. Thanks to your mother, though, we got to keep him around. He had just found out about the dragons. Ol' Mad-eye, well kinda, gave your father the idea to fly. It was your mum and Hermione that helped him survive.*

Harry left the office feeling a little better. Moody had given him advice on how to approach the dragon problem he had and it made him realize he'd need help. Summoning charms had escaped him for the most part and without that ability he was basically dead meat. He hurried along to find Malfoy while Hermione finished her class. He was pretty sure she was available to help him start practicing. He needed to be able to summon his Firebolt before the next afternoon.

Harry found her working on an essay in the library. She was sitting by herself in one of the corners with her head down in concentration. He walked up behind her, not trying to be quiet, without her even aware there was anyone nearby. "Need a favor." He said aloud causing the Slytherin to jump in her seat. She spun and glared harshly at him.

"What is wrong with you, Scarhead!" Malfoy whispered out harshly. She had her hand to her chest, monitoring her own heartbeat as she let her adrenaline pass. "If you think you are going to get anything after that!" She began to rant before he cut her off. He really needed to get started quickly.

"Favor for a favor, then." Harry offered. She had her share of IOUs already. He really did need her help, though, and it wasn't like she was doing anything malicious with all of the favors he owed her. Malfoy made a deliberate show of rolling up her unfinished essay and putting away her supplies before even addressing Harry again.

"This had better be worth it, Potter." She said as she lifted her bag. She pushed her seat in and turned towards him. "You practically owe me your firstborn at this point." She joked as she gave him that smug smile she perfected.

"Great!" He shouted before he started leading them out of the library right away. Madam Pince gave him a stern look and warning as he passed, hurrying through a sea of curious glances. Harry didn't have time to worry about rumors or scoldings, he had more important things to worry about. Not becoming an afternoon snack for a dragon for starters.

He led them out of the library and silently took them along the corridors of the castle, up stairs and around corners. Harry was completely unaware of the many eyes that had followed their brisk walk towards seclusion.

After a few minutes of the fast pace they were finally alone with no other students in sight. "I beat the dragon by playing to my strength." He said suddenly as they turned another corner. He Watched Malfoys shoulders go completely slack as she let out a breath she had been holding.

"Oh thank Merlin, you aren't going to proposition me." She said breathlessly. "You'll have to be a little more specific." Malfoy said, adopting an annoyed tone. "I wasn't aware you had any."

"Proposition? Jeez, Malfoy! What did you think I was going to do?" He asked. Her glare told him to drop it.

Harry looked around. They were in one of the corridors in the heart of the castle. No windows. No sounds. It would be complete darkness if not for the torches. Some of the portraits were whispering to each other as Harry took stock of where they were. There were some abandoned classrooms here. Perfect for secret training, Harry thought to himself.

*He convinced Draco and Hermione to help him practice a summoning spell so he could call his broom for the task! Yes, exactly like that one!*

"In here." Harry said, pulling the blonde into one of the classrooms by the wrist. Harry peered out of the room to make sure no one had followed them before finally explaining what it was he needed from his friend. "I need help learning summoning charms."

"Summoning charms?" Draco asked incredulously, her face turning an interesting color of angry red. "You need help with your summoning charms!?" She started to punch him in the arm repeatedly as she raised her voice. "You. Are. About. To. Face. A. Dragon!" this type of response from Hermione when he crossed some sort of line was normal, but Draco? Her punches had more practice and weight behind them than Hermione's. She must have been more worried about the task than she was letting on after all.

Harry tried his best to defend himself. "Yes I'm serious!" he said with his arms raised in defense. She stopped her assault, breathing heavily through her nose, waiting for an explanation. "Look, my strength is my flying. Being on a broom puts me at my best advantage. I need to be able to summon my Firebolt by tomorrow afternoon or I'm done for." Malfoy began laughing, utterly confusing Harry, before giving him a quick but crushing hug. He froze briefly, but she didn't notice as she released him.

"You actually did it!" She shouted. "You figured out a way to make it through the first task." Malfoy's entire demeanor had changed. Now that Harry had something tangible she was more than happy to help. She practically jumped to the side of the classroom to set her belongings down. She pulled out her books to use for practice.

Harry was relieved to finally have something he could work on to outlive the next forty eight hours. He had an answer to his dilemma. He had an objective. Now he just needed practice and for that he had his friends. Well, most of them anyway. Ron was still mad at him and he was just as mad at Ron.

"I'm not out of the woods yet." Harry said. He was feeling much more confident now that Malfoy was on board. "I still need to get that summoning charm down. You might miss classes today." He told her as he moved to set up the classroom.

*They practiced for a long time, but Harry really needed to get it right. Your mum and Hermione were up to the challenge, though. At first things would hop towards your father, but soon he was getting them to come at him slowly. They kept at it until he had books zipping into his hand!*

Harry took a moment to set his belongings to the side of the room. He opened his bag to take out his books but they suddenly jumped out of his bag and zoomed towards his Slytherin companion. She gave him a smug smile as He rolled his eyes. He got up all the same and began to roll up his sleeves to get ready to practice.

"Right." Malfoy said. She grabbed her charms book and walked in front of Harry. She stood about 20 feet away from Him holding the book with both hands. Raising it up she said, "Alright, Potter. Show me your best attempt at a summoning charm."

Harry grimaced as he raised his wand. Concentrating his hardest, he began to cast the spell. The book barely even wiggled. Malfoy looked at it and frowned. He tried to not feel embarrassed, but she had just done it so easily and he could barely manage a twitch.

"Let's try that again," she said. He hoped he could at least do something, but was left without even a twitch on his second try.

Harry tried three more times with little change in outcome. Each failure caused Malfoy's frown to deepen. She eventually sat the book down and placed her hand on her chin in thought.

"When will Granger be free?" She asked after a brief pause.

Harry blushed lightly at that comment. This is how bad he was with summoning. He was well behind his classmates and everyone knew it. Now it was time to pay the piper for his lack of effort. Hermione had warned him. He really should listen to her more often.

"Class should only go for an hour and a half today," he said. "We could take a break around then and go catch up with her," Harry offered as he once again raised his wand. Malfoy considered him for a moment before walking up to him and moving his limbs a little bit here and there. She stood next to him taking on the same stance.

"Okay. We can actually do this, Scarhead," she said as they began practice in earnest.

They started with him just mimicking her and at first it seemed useless. Try as he might, the books just sat there. Sometimes they might wiggle but Harry was unsure of what he was doing differently that would even do that.

An hour and a half later, however, he was onto something. The books would hop towards him about a foot when he cast the spell. He swore Malfoy had been more excited than him. They were interrupted from practicing by the door to the classroom opening.

"Thank goodness I found you two." Harry heard Hermione's voice. He looked towards the door to see her closing it before silencing and locking the door.

"You're lucky it was me that found you, I could hear you around two of the bends! This is supposed to be secret training, isn't it? Summoning charms, is it then, Harry? What a clever idea. Almost as if you should have been practicing them from the very start." She said, chiding them for their carelessness and summarizing as if everything had been obvious from the start.

"How did he even get so far behind?" Malfoy asked as Hermione joined them. "It's like trying to teach a second year." Harry gave her an annoyed look. She retorted by sticking her tongue out in a light raspberry.

"Harry has a unique way of finding himself busier than others most of the time. He always had some excuse for why he was behind. In fact, trying to figure out how to fight a dragon was the last excuse he used." Harry coughed into his fist to remind them why they were there. He knew she was right, but he'd kiss Malfoy before he admitted to that.

*One the day of the first task, Harry got a special little present from your mum. A golden snitch! A little golden ball with wings. This one was special, though. It had a little note from Draco to Harry. It was so special it filled your father with confidence. Because I'm the one telling the story, that's why. You could have told her your version.*

Harry stared at the bacon on his plate. It made him queasy just having it there. No one had any clue that he only just mastered his charm in the early hours of the morning. No one knew that until just yesterday he had been certain it was his last day alive. He looked around at the buzz of the great hall. The energy in the air was electric. No one seemed to care that Harry still might be dead by the end of the night. Even the owls had been more chaotic than anyone expected.

"Harry, owl!" He barely heard Hermione's warning when he looked up. One of the school owls swooped down towards him, releasing a small package that hit Harry on the head. Whatever was inside must have been heavy because it really hurt.

"Ow, bloody bird." Harry muttered as he picked up the small box. He could feel a light bump start to form. Whoever sent the thing must either have been either really good or really bad at choosing an owl. He'd have to open it to find out.

"I wonder what it is." Said Hermione off to his side. "You really should be eating something Harry." She said, pushing some fruit in his direction.

He ignored the food in favor of the package. He checked it from all angles. There was nothing to indicate who had sent it. Curiously he opened the package to reveal a golden snitch. The wings uncurled in his hand revealing a very short message.

Good Luck

- D

Harry smiled. He still felt his nerves eating at him, but the snitch reminded Harry that he did have a strength he could use out there and that it was the very reason he had worn himself out the previous day. He grabbed a piece of toast and tossed the golden ball to Hermione.

"Well at least he knows how to get you out of your own head." Hermione said with a light smile, looking at the snitch before handing it back to Harry. "It was very sweet of him to help you out, you know."

"Yeah, I know." Harry said. "I'll have to find a way to make it up to him." Harry ended up eating a light breakfast. It wasn't much in the end, but it was more than he expected he would have eaten. He needed to focus on the task now. He couldn't thank Draco if he became a snack.

*No one expected Harry to do much, how could he? He was so much younger and inexperienced than the other champions. They had years of advanced magic on him. But when he came out of that tent, it was just him and the Hungarian Horntail… No one said a thing. He lifted his wand and summoned his broom! When he shot up into the sky it was like we were watching history unfold. I suppose so, but it was the FEELING of watching history in action.*

Harry raised his wand, shouting out his spell. Nothing. The crowd didn't even breathe. He was positive he cast it correctly. He whipped his head back and forth, hoping he would just see his Firebolt there. Then he heard it, a far off whistling that rapidly approached. He turned his gaze towards the direction of the castle and source of sound.

The Firebolt screamed through the air, arcing towards him as it hurtled near top speed. Okay , thought Harry, my strength. He found himself muttering it over and over in his head as the moments felt like individual eternities. He closed his eyes and held out his hand. As if on command he closed his hand just as the familiar wooden texture slid into place.

Without a second thought he jumped into the air, mounting his broom, and shot off into the air. Just like quidditch. He thought as he began to circle above the dragon. Find the snitch . Harry came close to the dragon, zipping about not unlike an annoying fly. If he could just get a single moment.

There it was, that one crucial sign. He could see the dragon start to rear up, its front legs lifting off the ground revealing her nest. He could make out the color of the golden egg, a small flash of golden light, similar to a snitch. At that moment in time everything made sense. It was just another dive. Another contest of wills and speed. He was off.

*He tricked the dragon into leaving its eggs unguarded for just a second, but that was all he needed to zip under the thing. Oh, the crowd! We were in a frenzy when Harry emerged with the egg under one arm and that golden snitch of all things in the other!*

Harry reacted as if he were playing quidditch. The nose of his broom spun and twisted in the air, up then down at a speed faster than a normal fall. Harry held onto his handle with all his might waiting for that one crucial second. The dragon couldn't tell where he had gone, snapping at where he had just been.

Twirling as he slid under the beast, letting go with both hands, Harry grabbed the golden egg and launched himself high into the air and to safety. The crowd erupted as he circled high above them. He couldn't hear a single thing, though, outside of the sound of his own heartbeat.

He lapped the field, the entire crowd practically frothing at what they had just seen, with the golden egg tucked under his left arm. He could finally hear again as he calmed down from the dragon. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the snitch he had been given by Malfoy just that morning.

Just like Quidditch after all , Harry thought. He held the small globe high into the air. The students somehow got even louder when they saw the iconic image of their champion in a pose so familiar, triumphant over one of the fiercest known dragons.

*And then he did the sweetest thing. He swirled around on his broom and placed the snitch gently into your mother's hands. The crowd could have woken the dead with their screams at that point. You asked ME to tell the story.*

Adrenaline at an all time high and bursting with confidence Harry scanned the crowd. There she was cheering with the rest of the students. Harry was struck by the imagery. It was almost exactly what he had daydreamed. Of course there had been no dragon or danger involved in that scenario.

Harry looked back at the snitch again and got an idea. He needed to let her know that he had gotten her message loud and clear that morning, after all. It would be a little tricky, but after what he just did this felt like a child's game.

Harry shot up into the air, drawing a sudden gasp from the crowd. He could hear Bagman cry out in alarm at the unexpected maneuver. He felt weightless as he repeated the maneuver he had just done to procure the egg, placing the snitch into the hands of the girl that had given him the reminder that morning. People had started shouting when they saw him dive right into the audience only to be stunned into silence as he changed direction at the literal last moment to rocket towards the champions' tent, disappearing beyond their view. He could hear the crowd erupt into cheers and chaos again after their silence reigned.

"Hey Ron, you were the one there." Ginny stopped in the middle of her story. Lyra blinked in confusion. She had been so wrapped up in the story.

"Oh, boy, was I." Her Aunt's husband called out across the room. He turned from her father and climbed over one of their really nice couches to join their little circle. She heard her mother growl under her breath.

"Did you want to tell the part about the rumors? You always get a kick out of that story." The redhead asked her brother.

"How often do you tell it?" Her dad asked, smiling over in their direction. He leaned back to listen with the others that had joined them.

"Enough." Ron said with a grin. He sat across from Lyra and held his hands out like he was about to tell a ghost story. It made her giggle. He gave her a toothy smile when she did.

*You were probably told this, but Harry and I weren't on the best of terms when he was getting ready for the first task. After seeing him practically wrestle a Hungarian Horntail, Phew! I knew I had to apologize to him. Hermione got sappy, but you know how she can be… There's nothing wrong with it…*

Madam Pomfrey had finally let him be so she could tend to Cedric. Harry was glad all he got was a cut along the arm. It was a simple injury for the witch to heal. He was too full of adrenaline to sit around, however, so he bounced out of his bed in the tent and started pacing. He could feel the electricity in his fingertips still. The tingling along his cheeks. He still couldn't believe he had done it. He was pacing, recalling the event, when he heard a cough off to the side. Hermione was there with Ron right behind her looking almost sick.

"Harry, whoever put your name in that goblet… I reckon they want to do you in!" Those were words that Harry thought he would have said that very first day of the tournament. He almost wanted to just tell Ron off, but he settled for letting him know that he was disappointed.

"Took you long enough." He said. Hermione sucked in a sharp breath and watched the two. Ron opened his mouth to explain himself but Harry cut him off when he tried to respond, ready to move on. Neither boy had been ready for Hermione to break down at their reunion. She ran off in tears to the confusion of both boys. Ron's face was just as baffled as his own.

*Oh, man. The feeling of retelling the first task. Harry and I were full of energy! When your mum came up, though, she was right mad. No, she really didn't. Yeah, that wasn't until sixth year. Harry thought he was just doing something friendly. Y'know, like he does.*

Ron gave Harry a play by play of what he had seen, riding high from watching the first task. Harry found himself swept up in the retellings, interjecting when Ron was describing what Harry had done when it had been his turn.

"That was so incredible, Harry. I bet Krum couldn't even do that. And that pose! Where did you even get a snitch?" Ron asked as he finished up.

"What the hell was that, Potter!?" Both boys turned at the enraged voice. They could hear the sound of stomping reach the tent before the flaps were thrown open. A very red faced and angry Draco was standing there glaring at him with a level of spite he'd never quite experienced. Harry wasn't quite sure what he had done to get her quite so mad, but something about her anger filled him with a certain level of terror. He glanced at Ron briefly who looked just as terrified as He felt.

"Excuse me?" Was all it took to set off the explosion that came next.

"Excuse me? Excuse me!?" Draco's voice became so loud and trill Harry was sure the entire audience could hear her. "You're supposed to be the one that doesn't do this kind of ridiculous, infantile thing! Harry Bleeding Potter! The Golden Boy! Not one of those idiots that only wants one thing!" She yelled before throwing the snitch at him. Harry barely had time to catch the small globe. Draco was shaking in pure rage, her chest heaving with each breath. "Honestly, like I'm one of those empty headed witches from Mother's silly little dramas! Did you really think that'd work? Butter me up all term and then hope I jump into your arms?"

Harry held up the snitch in obvious confusion. "What are you talking about? I only wanted to thank you," he said. Draco continued to glare at him as her rage simmered. "Your little gift this morning really helped me out. Reminded me of what I'm good at."

"Potter, you are one of the biggest idiots in the history of the school." She spat out before turning on her heel and stalking out of the tent leaving the boys in utter silence.

"What was that all about, Harry?" Ron asked when he was sure no more crazies were about to burst into the tent.

"I'm not entirely sure." Harry said, looking at the spot where two of his friends stormed off from. He was still elated from making it through the first task, but he felt more confused than relieved at the moment. "Let's just go see the score." He called back to his remaining friend as he made his way to the tent flaps.

"Yeah. Girls, mate. I don't get 'em." Ron said as he followed Harry to the arena.

*Draco'd been right, though. We all thought they had started dating behind our backs! Harry was mortified and your mother… well she wasn't too happy. We even cornered your dad at the after party, trying to get him to spill.*

"No, I'm not!" Harry said through a heavy blush, denying the claim that Seamus had been making. Him and Malfoy? The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. Now here he was, cornered at the victory party, being accused of the most outlandish thing. He really wished he would have followed suit and gone to bed when Hermione had.

"That's not very convincing, Harry, you'll have to do better than that." The Irish boy shot back. Harry looked around for a quick exit to try to wrap his head around the developing situation. All he could see were the accusatory eyes of all his friends surrounding him.

"How long have you known she was actually a girl? You clearly went for her before anyone had a chance. Can't blame ya, even I'll admit she's a pretty one." Seamus was unwilling to let him make any denial.

"Look, if I had a girlfriend, I'd tell you! I'm too busy trying not to die to look for one, much less try to convince Malfoy of all people that he'd make the perfect one!" Harry tried desperately to get them all to go away. He was getting more and more uncomfortable.

"You've been spending a lot of time with her, though, Harry. You're always off riding brooms and stuff." Neville was the next to speak up.

The boy had been one of Malfoy's prime targets in the past, before Harry had learned what had happened to her. He was the last one Harry expected to join in. It seemed no one was willing to listen.

"I mean, it'd be alright, y'know. She's been pretty nice so far this year." He said sheepishly. Harry could routinely rely on the boy's moral support, but this really wasn't the time. He had finally lost his patience.

"Well, while everyone else was busy having fun and enjoying the tournament, Malfoy was one of the few that actually helped me try to stay alive!" Harry shouted out hotly. He pushed roughly past the other boys. "Goodnight!"

*To his credit, Harry really did try to stop the rumors. We were all just being idiots. C'mon, Draco, you don't have to agree that loudly. Well, when I heard it I believed it, too. You guys were doing everything together.*

Harry retreated up the stairs as quickly as he could, still angry at the rumors flying around just below him. He quickly climbed into bed and pulled the curtains closed. Idiots ! He thought as he tried to get the conversation out of his head. He heard the door open and close before someone shuffled up to his bed.

"Harry?" It was Ron. Surely he didn't believe Seamus. It was beyond absurd.

"What?" Harry ground out through his teeth.

"Is it true what they're saying? That you and Malfoy are a thing?" Harry felt the blood rush to his face once more. Of course it wasn't true.

"No!" Shouted Harry. "You don't believe that stupid rumor, do you?"

"No… No, of course not, Harry." Harry wasn't quite sure he believed him. "Anyone'd have to be absolutely mad to think that." He could hear Ron shuffle around a bit. "If you did..."

"Goodnight, Ron!" said with finality as he tried his hardest to fall asleep. He spent most of the night staring at the ceiling.

*The funny thing is, the Hogwarts rumor mill will always churn. And the witches, they will always soak up a good rumor. That magazine, though! Hermione saved a copy, you know. Thought you two might look at it again some day. Sure, I'll see if she can help me dig it out once we get home.*

Harry made his way to breakfast as quickly as he could. It had been a while since he had a proper meal in the morning and he meant to fix that. Now that the task had been completed he had some time to relax a little bit. The second task wouldn't be until February after all. He wouldn't even worry about that earsplitting egg he had recovered from the dragon yet.

As the doors to the Hall came into view he also started to hear the whispering. It caught him off guard. He looked about as he made his way to the hall. People were staring at him, huddled into little groups. It brought back to reality what had happened just the night before. Harry hurried through the massive doors, trying not to think about it. He knew it would be fruitless, though. Hogwarts never lets a rumor pass. He could hope, though.

The issue would not leave him be. As soon as he entered the door and spotted his friends he knew it was bad. Hermione looked like she had been caught, very doe-like as she froze. Harry saw her push something under her bag clumsily with her elbow while simultaneously trying to twiddle her thumbs innocently. Ron was doing his best not to look at Harry, shooting glances to see if he was still there. He looked back at Hermione and she gulped hard as he walked over to them, eyes glued to her.

Harry slid into the seat next to Hermione, giving her a forced smile. "What's that you got there, Hermione?" He asked, though he had a very good hunch of what it was. She flinched at the question, but still tried hard to force a natural appearance.

"Oh, nothing, Harry." She replied, focusing on her breakfast. She was never really all that good at hiding anything. Harry made a quick grab for her bag only to have her slap his hand in a desperate attempt to stop him. He cocked his eyebrow as her eyes widened.

"Let me see it, Hermione." Harry demanded.

"It's just some silly rumor, honestly. You can't take it seriously, Harry." She pleaded as she moved her body to block access to whatever it was that she hid.

Harry looked at her for a moment before holding up his wand. "I can use the charm, now, Hermione." He warned her.

"Harry, please," Hermione begged. "Just ignore it."

Harry cast the spell despite her protests. A magazine flew out from under her bag and into his hand. It was exactly what he had thought, and what he had thought drained the color from his face. Witch Weekly. On the cover of the magazine a big, sparkly-gold headline read:

New Power Couple Of Hogwarts!?

Is Potter Pursuing the Princess of Slytherin?

Will Their Fledgling Love Survive?

Details Inside!

Harry stared at the magazine in horror. The picture on the front of the magazine showed Malfoy in the audience during the first task. She was cheering happily. Then, out of nowhere, Harry watched himself swoop down, leaving a golden snitch in her hands. He was barely there before zooming off. Her face was colored with raw shock and embarrassment as the crowd stared at her. He watched the portrait version of Draco pocket the snitch and start cheering again only to have him swoop down once more. It was a loop of nightmare.

"He was right, I really am the biggest idiot in the history of the school…" He said. He looked over to see Hermione with her head down. He felt a little bad about taking the magazine by force now, but he had to see.

He slowly opened the magazine, knowing what true regret felt like now. He found the article with dozens of photos added in. Candid shots of him and Malfoy by themselves at various points all perfectly set to create a grand illusion.

One was of them flying together from their seeker practices, swirling around each other in an infinite sky. Another was them both leaning on each other while asleep in the library, every now and then one of them would try to get a little more comfortable. He recognized some of the books that they had been reading on dragons. Another, still, had them leaning close over a cauldron, foreheads practically touching as they worked a potion. Harry was mouthing a soundless joke that Draco seemed to be laughing at. If it had been any other wizard, Harry would have bought the article hook, line and sinker. But he knew better, he had been there, after all.

He really had no idea where any of these photos could have come from. Some of them seemed downright impossible. He would have seen someone taking a photo of them inside Snape's classroom, especially because that would mean that someone was allowed to take a photo inside Snape's classroom.

There were pages of pictures in some sort of exposé. Each individual picture brought a new wave of embarrassment in a way he could not describe. Nothing, however, prepared Harry for the final photo, which by itself was two pages big.

There he was, pulling Draco into an empty classroom by the wrist and her following with a decidedly innocent face while he wore that stupid, stupid excited smile. He didn't know how someone got that shot, but there it was. No one would believe they were really doing summoning charms practice. The evidence was stacked against them.

The sound of wings flapping brought Harry out of the article and back to reality. The owls had shown up to drop off their packages. He gazed around the room, light headed from adrenaline and his embarrassment. Countless eyes were on him or looking towards the Slytherin table. He looked up and caught sight of the Malfoy eagle owl as it swooped down, a deep red envelope in its claws.

*That magazine was bad enough, but the howler ol' Lucius sent! It's like a letter that yells at you. Oh yeah he was mad, your mum WAS only fourteen. I mean, I GET it. I still laugh at that memory, though.*

Malfoy! He remembered her being mad at him yesterday and it all made sense. She had come to the same conclusion as everyone else. He looked over to her normal seat, and saw her.

She was quickly pulling the red letter from her eagle owl. When the bird flew away she just sat there staring at the abomination in her hand, utter horror etched across her face. It was a howler!

"I remember this part." A voice said from inside Lyra's head making her jump from her mother's lap, fear gripping her. She looked around to try to figure out what it had been but noticed everyone looking towards the door. No one else looked surprised in the least, besides herself and her brothers. They were hiding under a nearby sofa.

A thick, viscous smoke billowed in through the cracks, filling the area in front of the door. Lyra felt her mother pull her back slightly, having gotten up as well. She looked up briefly to see an hopeful glint in her mother's wide and unblinking eyes. Just when she didn't think the smoke could fill up any more space, it stopped. The smoke was sucked into a single dense spot before splitting and dissipating, revealing two very well dressed people. Their robes were ornate, like something out of her Disney films.

The woman reminded Lyra of her mother. Back straight, shoulders relaxed. Elegant. Not a single hair out of place as she held a regal smile on her lips. Her ornate hair was a dual colored masterpiece of braid work.

The man was intimidating, though. He stood there, dark robes pooling around him. He had long, shimmering silvery blond hair. The same hair as her mother. His face held a very cold and calculating expression.

"The howler was quite upset at you for courting a wizard of such troubling standards." The man then smiled warmly and held out his arms, an ornate cane gripped in his left hand. Her mother slipped around Lyra quickly before lunging at the man with a crushing grasp. He allowed her mother to impact his midsection freely, almost losing his balance.

"Father!" She heard her mother choke out.

"My child, I have missed you." The man wrapped his arms around the woman grasping him like a lifeline.

Lyra watched in awe at the scene. Her mother was sobbing into the man's chest. She had never seen her mother so vulnerable. The older woman came around to her mother's flank bearing a warm smile of her own. Both of the new arrivals held onto her mother in a way that seemed to make them glow. It was like a picture in a fairy tale, her mother's tears flowing.

"You should go introduce yourself." She heard her father whisper. She looked back to see her father with tears beginning to form in his eyes. He gave a sniff as he gave her a small guiding push.

As she approached nervously the older woman had noticed her. She leaned in closer to her mother while looking at her.

"Is this her?" The woman asked in a soft voice. Her mother nodded as her eyes were squeezed closed, unable to stem her tears. "She's perfect."

Author's note: I hope this chapter helps give you a better glimpse into the world that has plagued my thoughts for months now. I am glad that it seems to be of interest to some of you.