Hey everyone,
So, this chapter is going to go back to GoF and all it was about, more or less. Yeah, in this chapter the three original Champions will be making an appearances and will meet with Jillian for the first time. And trust me, two of them are going to feel a bit regretful over how they treated Harry in the canon event before the attack.
Merry Christmas,

Venquine1990
PS. I am going to deviate from Canon as, in Canon the Weighing of the Wands was on the 13th of the month and I'm doing this on the 4th – oh well. Also, I am not doing accents, sorry.

Chapter 10
Champions And Lions

4th of November 1994
Small classroom, Hogwarts
Cedric's POV

I know it's been a few days since the Champions have been chosen and while the article and the news given to us by Lady Hogwarts still has me a little reeled, had I actually expected Harry Potter to be waiting for us all at the small classroom where the Weighing of the Wands ceremony was going to be held today.
And when he wasn't there, did the news of what happened a few days ago hit me twice as hard, making me feel horrible that I was thinking of Harry only as the legendary hero that loves doing dangerous stuff for the sake of having others love him, which is why I was so disbelieving of his words on the night of the attack.

"I want to apologize." A female voice then says just after we have left the classroom where the ceremony was being held and I turn to the fair-haired, good-looking French girl as she says: "I cared nothing for how much danger he was going to be in, I was just so sure that he had put his name in to humiliate us. I feel so stupid."
To which I groan and say: "You can give me a hand there, Mss. Delacour. I mean, I've been a student alongside him for three years, even had a few matches against him in Quidditch and still I treated his words with faux-friendly disbelief. I think we should both go and apologize." At this the French girl nods and the Bulgarian lad asks:
"Would either of you mind if I tag along then?" But I shake my head and say: "I think it will mean a lot to Jillian if she sees us all together. Plus, I'm not sure if someone has told her yet that she's not a Champion yet." To this we start walking and Fleur asks: "You don't think someone told her about that yet, Mr. Diggory?"
At this I shake my head and say: "I think, and this is only a theory, but they might keep that info from her until she's regained a bit more health. I know the Daily Prophet downplayed the attack quite fiercely yesterday; normally they're a lot more detailed. And I know Madam Pomfrey, she can go crazy with her need for rest."

We then reach the Hospital Wing and I knock on the door, yet get shocked when it's not Madam Pomfrey who answers, but one of the Weasley twins. The boy looks at the three of us and asks: "Can I help you, honorable Champions?" And Krum answers: "We're here to see Jillian Potter. We want to apologize to her."
At this the boy tilts his head and Fleur and I share a shocked look before she asks: "Didn't she tell you? Of how I insulted her when she was in the Antechamber or how disparaging Cedric was on their way back to their common rooms?" To which the boy answers: "I guess not, seeing it happened only minutes before the attack."
At this I nod and think: "I guess that does make what we did seem insignificant.""Still, kudos to you for being so humble. Wish Ronald and Ginerva were like that." And I really feel for the boy as I have lived close to the Burrow for my entire life and have known the Weasley family to be one that sticks together no matter what.

"Guess that no matter what doesn't count anymore." I think to myself and yet I don't voice this or show it to the Weasley in front of me and instead I ask: "So, can we see her?" To this the boy seems to scan the hallway before he says: "Give me a sec." And he closes the door between us, yet opens it widely half a minute later.
"Come on in. Sorry for the hostile behavior. A couple of brewers tried getting into the Hospital Wing earlier this morning, while Jillian was fast asleep." This shocks me and I ask: "It was Anthony, wasn't it? I heard he has been degraded to the Hyena House as well for his reasoning behind wanting to be a brewer for Jillian's potions."
At this the twins turn a raised eyebrow at me and the left one asks: "Are you close with him?" But I shake my head and say: "He and I never saw eye to eye on a whole lot of things. We just both work really hard, which is why we're both badgers. And I only call him by his first name as that is something Hufflepuffs do."

The two seem to calm down at this and Krum makes sure to close the door hard behind him, sending a telltale look at the twins as if to say: "I did this to keep the creeps outside these doors. This is my message to those creeps." And the twins smile at him gratefully before Fred says: "I'll go see if she's done with her lesson."
This shocks and confuses me and Fleur says: "But I thought she was too weak to study." And the other twin says: "She is. Fred means her lessons in what it's like to be a girl. She's practicing putting on a bra." At this I want to say: "Surely that can't be that hard." But having a female Champion behind me makes me hold my tongue.

"Give her five minutes. She's putting on some cloths and then she can see you three." The other twin then tells us as he returns and I nod in gratitude, taking to a few of the seats that have been placed near the door before I ask: "So, why did you ask us to wait before you let us in? Other than the reason you already explained, I mean."
And the twins show us an old piece of parchment that is actually covered all over with swirling lines and numerous names moving across it. "The Marauders Map." The twins chorus before the left one says: "It was given to us by Jillian's Guardian, Messer Padfoot." And the right one says: "And it shows us everyone."
This makes Fleur ask in shock: "Everyone?" And the twins smirk as they start to do their thing and say: "Everyone.""Where they are.""What they're doing.""Every minute.""Of every day." And I yet again shake my head, sixteen years with these two still not enough for me to be used to when they twin speak like this.

"How did you do that?" The French Champion asks and the twins chorus: "Years of practice, sweet Mss. Delacour. Years and years of practice." Yet then something happens I barely ever see as one of them suddenly turns worried and asks: "Just a question, Mss. Delacour. Do you ever grow jealous when someone is prettier than you?"
This shocks me as I have yet to hear what Jillian looks like and the idea that she can rival the looks of a quarter Veela astounds me, but then the girl says: "I don't mind them as long as they don't use their looks for selfish or vain reasons." At which the twin smiles and says: "Good, then you won't have any trouble with Jillian."
And the other twin says: "Well spotted there, George." And the two high-five before a pair of curtains a little further down start fluttering and the twin called George says: "Ah, that's our cue. Fine Champions, Mss. Potter is ready to see you." And while I feel a little queasy, do I take my leave with the other two Champions.

And when we pass the curtains that hide Jillian Potter from sight, do I instantly think: "Yep, she definitely rivals a Veela's beauty, hands down." As Jillian Potter looks drop dead gorgeous. She has very nice sunglasses on, yet they are still enchanted to show her stunning green eyes, that now have brown specks in them.
She has a small frame of body, but unlike her male form, it doesn't make her look younger than she is. She has curves in all the right places and her waist fat seems to have vanished, or better said been moved to these curves as it's thin enough I can almost picture Hagrid wrapping his hands around it without any issue.
Her face is incredibly gorgeous and she has a pale tan alongside several facial features that remind me of the fact that her grandfather was a Potter and her grandmother a Black as she seems to have traits of both, yet there are also parts in her face that remind me of what I saw in pictures of her parents, James Potter's chin, Lily Potter's eyes.

And her hair is just like the cherry on top of the ice as it's a gorgeous brownish black color, is wavy and flows down to cover her chest, having been braided into a single braid that now lies in front of her left shoulder as she is leaning against the bedding of which the headpiece has been raised up to allow her the chance to sit up.
And even the white shirt with black vest covering that has shining buttons closed up to the second to last button doesn't do anything to hide how she already has the breast size of a full-grown woman, which makes me get more than anything else why everyone is so protective of the girl. And one fact proves this more than anything.
The girl looks gorgeous, but she also looks quite tired and she has black rings under her eyes to prove that this morning's events as well as the attack are not leaving her unscathed. And her shirt is short sleeved and under this, I see bandages that are covering her arms from arm pit all the way down to her pinkie and ring fingers.

"Hey Cedric, Mss. Delacour, Mr. Krum, how can I help you?" The girl asks and this shocks me, but Fleur recovers faster than I do and says: "We're not here for your help, Mss. Potter. We are here to apologize." And the girl proves me that the attack really did make her forget about our treatment of her before it happened.
"I was horrible to you, Mss. Potter. You were just a young boy who was so obviously thrown into something he didn't want without him even knowing it and all I could think of was accusing him of cheating." To this I nod and say: "And I wasn't much better when we were walking back to our dorms. We're really sorry for that."
Yet all the girl does is blink and then she asks: "I was attacked, I was almost killed, I got changed beyond anything I ever expected, friendships which I thought were forever have been taken from me – and you're feeling bad about insulting a stranger and someone you only met twice?" The two of us nod, both of us feeling a little silly.

At this the girl blinks a few more times and then actually slams herself back against the bed so hard it breaks the spell that keeps it up, making her fall back and she says: "I don't believe it. Malfoy was right. I really did hang around with the wrong sort." And this was so unlike what I expected that it makes my mouth drop.
The girl then raises her head back up and fells me with a stare as she snaps: "Malfoy never gets to hear I said that, got it?" And I nod to which the girl smiles and says: "Good, you're forgiven." And the three of us look shocked before she asks: "So, what's going on? With the tournament, I mean. Did something happen?"
And we start explaining her about the Weighing of the Wand ceremony, yet the minute we start, does Jillian gasp and she says: "I almost forgot. I have to add a wand to my list of purchases when I go shopping. My gender change made me incompatible with my old wand, after all. Cedric, could you write it down on there, please?"
And I see the girl motion for a small notebook that lies on her bedside table and while I write the words a wand down does the girl say: "I tried writing some things down myself earlier, but my hands hurt more than my arms. I can put on and pull of cloths easier than I can write half a sentence, if you'll believe that."

At this I smile at the girl, really feeling for how she must feel, being this dependent on others. And the girl seems to read my mind as she sighs and lies down again as she says: "You know, I always dreamed of having someone I could rely on. I never thought something like this would have to happen for me to get that dream come true."
And a shadow falls over the girl's face, making me know she is thinking back on who it was that attacked her. This makes me share a look with the other two Champions and Fleur asks: "What did you think? When you first saw your new form, I mean?" And I love the young woman for her wondrous change of subject.
And Jillian seems to share this sentiment as she starts to blush, but also gush and says: "Oh, it was incredible. You know, I used to have this crush on Cho Chang." This shocks me as Cho actually asked me to be her boyfriend just before Halloween, but I don't voice this as she says: "But when I first saw myself, that crush went out the window."
"You fell for yourself?" Krum asks and Jillian laughs as she says: "No, I just instantly believed that, if Harry had met someone with my looks before he saw Chang for the first time, he just wouldn't have gone to crush on Chang if he had seen these looks. And yes, I know how vain that sounds, but that was what I first thought."

At this Fleur laughs and she asks: "So you planning to have the male Hogwarts population wrapped around your little finger, are you?" But the girl turns white, shudders and shakes her head as she says: "Absolutely not, there are way too many creeps among those boys. Almost makes me ashamed I was one for most of my life.
No offense, Cedric, Krum." But the both of us shake our heads and I say: "I know Anthony. That he tried what he did doesn't surprise me. He's been toeing the line long enough. I'm glad Dumbledore is now finally taking action against creeps like him. And I call him by his first name cause that is what we Badgers do."
The girl nods in relief and then sighs as she says: "You know, they – they actually excluded a little something from the article. But – but I want oaths from each of you that this won't reach any ears other than those already in the know, got it? It was kept exempt for a reason." At this the three of us nod and do as said.

Again a shadow falls over the young girl's face and she whispers: "He tried to rape me." Instantly I feel like ripping Anthony a new one, but then Jillian goes on and my anger reaches a whole new level as she almost silently whispers: "Just before Dumbledore came in, Ronald tried to force me into oral rape – and Ginny encouraged him."
Here the girl wraps her bandaged arms around her as she starts to shiver at the memory of that night resurfacing as she whispers: "He was doing it all. Having others curse me in the back of my knees to keep me crouched at his crotch, almost ripping my hair out and having someone cut my neck when I wouldn't open up for him.
I – I – I never – I – I knew he was weak-willed and minded; the – the world Cup proved that, but – but I – I never –." Yet here Fleur hums thoughtfully and she asks: "Ronald was affected more than you or the other boys?" And Jillian seems to snap out of her feared state, her eyes a little glazed as she nods and says:
"He even got affected by them after we reached the forest, during the attack of those hooligans." And while I know just fine that those hooligans were Death Eaters that evaded capture, do I understand why the girl keeps this quiet and Fleur hums again, taking the last of the glazed look out of Jillian's eyes as she asks:

"What? What's wrong?" And Fleur says: "I'm not going to say that this will atone for that horrid boy's actions or give him an excuse or something; but it might, at least, explain why he went and turned out to be so violent so suddenly." At this Jillian shoots up in her bed and says: "Please tell me. I need to know."
At this Fleur looks shocked and asks: "Need?" To which Jillian nods and says: "Yes, I need to know. I need to know if there was something that made my friend do this. I know you said it wouldn't atone for his actions, but I just don't get how he turned so suddenly. Please, tell me." And Fleur nods in understanding as she says:
"It could – and I do mean could – be that Ronald is suffering from what we in France call Hormonal overload. Unfortunately there is only one cure for that. Luckily enough France has specialists that travel all across the continent in case one of our ambassadors spot this problem in the country they have traveled to."
"What's the solution? Why did you say unfortunately? And what do you mean specialists?" Jillian asks and I feel my heart break as there is an undertone of desperate desire sounding through her voice. And Fleur hears it too as she moves over and goes to sit down on the bed, gently helping Jillian lie back down before she says:
"The only way to cure Ronald from his illness – is if a Metamorphmagus from the agency in France that specializes in cases like this, comes over to England and lets him relieve his hormonal strength. And there is a strong chance that he will order her –." And instantly, even though she stops, do I get what she's saying.

"To look like Mss. Potter." Krum then growls, proving how furious he is at the situation at hand and Jillian gasps before she asks: "A Metamorphmagus can do that?" And we nod as I say: "A Metamorphmagus is someone who can change their appearance at will, Jillian. Not surprising they work for an agency like that."
"It is just a shame that many in your country look down on crafts and agencies like ours, Monsieur Diggory, though I doubt even Minister Fudge will deny Madam Maxime the chance to do as needed if Ronald is diagnosed positive." But instantly Jillian and I realize one horrible flaw in this plan and we both whiten.
"Please tell me he doesn't need to see Madam Pomfrey to get that diagnosis?" I whimper and Fleur shakes her head as she says: "Non, I can do it and so can Madam Maxime. Don't worry, I wasn't going to let that bastard anywhere near here – and I doubt I even could considering those twins sitting at the door."

And when I see that Jillian is almost crying in relief, do I say: "Alright, enough of this. We met, we apologized and we talked. Now let's leave Jillian to her rest, shall we?" And the others nod before I lead them out of the cubicle, Fleur apologizing for scaring Jillian in the end there and Jillian waving it away with a weak hand motion.
We then let Madam Pomfrey know that we're done and that Jillian might need a bit of rest, making the matron glare at us before she shoos us out of her hall. And when we're again standing outside the wing, do I turn to my two companions and say: "Let's go see if Madam Maxime needs to call on that agency you mentioned."

And the two of them nod as we leave. And as we enter the Great Hall does luck actually strike us in our favor as I spot Ronald just up ahead. Remembering what Jillian told us of Ron's weak will, do I turn to Fleur, who nods and then quickly runs her hands over her body, straightening out her cloths and doing up her hair.
And as she moves to catch up with Ronald, do I notice a particularly nice fragrant that is now misting in the air. Working my hardest not to give into the temptation of that delicious aroma, do I focus on how amusing Ronald looks as he actually follows Fleur from the Entrance Hall to the Courtyard, looking like a lost puppy.
"A disgustingly drooling one, at that." I think as I follow the two, but then get blocked by Granger and she asks: "Are you two crazy? Ron is under that –." But then I push past her and say: "Going through a plan that might explain why he turned a traitor on his formerly best friend at the blink of an eye. You can thank us later, Granger."
And the girl, who had looked so high and mighty before in her need to order us around now looks flabbergasted and I happily leave her speechless form in my wake as I guide Fleur over to Dumbledore's statue, which actually starts to twirl and move alongside a moving staircase as we stop in front of it.

We move up the staircase and knock, before hearing Dumbledore say: "Come on in." And while part of me wonders how Dumbledore knew to activate the gargoyle, do I lead my fellow Champions in alongside Ron, who has now started boasting a whole lot of crazy and unbelievable crap. But then he suddenly says:
"And I have plans to become the new Lord Potter too, once I make that whore who seems to be doing my brothers and two of my teachers pregnant, that is." And it takes only three seconds before a wave of furious, enraged magic has the boy pressed tightly against one of the many cabinets lining the walls of the office.
I look at Fleur shocked and ask: "Was that part of the allure working its magic on him?" But the girl shakes her head and says: "That was me using the allure to give him a diagnose. And he passed, I'm afraid.""What exactly do you mean, Mss. Delacour?" A voice asks that actually sounds like the polar opposite of Dumbledore's.
And yet it's the same man that is standing behind his upturned desk with one clenched fist to show that he is still keeping in his anger and the other reached out to keep Ronald against the wall and Fleur answers: "Ronald is suffering from Hormonal Overload. It's an illness that usually comes up some time after encountering multiple Veela."

This actually makes the man calm down and then he asks: "Forgive me for asking, but –?" But the girl shakes her head and says: "Only when I have my allure full on, which out of respect for English culture I have not done since arriving here, can I affect the boy. Though the same cannot be said for the Goblet of Fire."
This confuses me and the girl answers: "It's an ancient artefact that choses Champions, not just on their skill, talent, endurability and strength of heart, mind, soul and core, but also on their desire to be a Champion. And the Veela allure is not only just as ancient, it is also very much based on desire; to entice the desire of the other sex."
At this I nod and Dumbledore mutters: "So because Mr. Weasley encountered multiple Veela at the World Cup, has he had this illness all this time and because he has been wanting to be a Champion since hearing of the Tournament, did losing that chance to his best friend bring out the worst of the illness inside him."

At this Fleur nods, but then she says: "However, this cannot be used as an excuse to talk his actions right, Headmaster. Ronald's desires were intensified by his hormones, but his conscience wasn't weakened by them and neither was he put under a Confundus or an Imperius. He willingly listened to the wrong part of himself."
The man nods and Fleur says: "In France, it is not an uncommon illness, but we have both an agency that deals with those who lose themselves to it as well as a special training course to learn to live with the illness. And that course has already had 2017 graduates in the last 4 years, Headmaster. Just thought you'd want to know."
This makes the man nod and he says: "I wasn't going to make it a reason to forgive Mr. Weasley, Mss. Delacour, especially seeing the comment he just made. I can only assume that that too is due to his illness?" And Fleur snorts as she says: "Yes, and it proves just how weak-minded and willed this little boy really is."
And the way she says that in the end makes Krum and me snort before Dumbledore asks: "So I take it he would have no chance at the course?" But Fleur says: "He would fail in the first hour alone – and it's a two-month course. Non, we need to get the agency involved. And seeing as how Madam Maxime helped save Jillian –."

Here Dumbledore smiles and a few minutes later we have dad, someone who apparently is replacing Mr. Crouch who has fallen strangely ill a few days ago, Percy Weasley who seems appalled at seeing his brother still stuck against a cabinet, Madam Maxime and Minister Fudge all in the same room before Percy asks:
"Why is my brother like that? What happened?" And I growl: "He accused Jillian of having slept with two of our new teachers and your twin brothers. Called her a whore to boot." And the slightly older boy whitens before he moans: "Ron, when will you ever learn?" And Dumbledore seems to take pity on him as he says:
"Mr. Weasley, it seems that an illness is enticing your brother into saying and doing the things he says and does. Though please know it only entices him, it doesn't order or guide him. It doesn't lower any part of his being that might stop him from saying or doing this." And Percy seems to take some relief out of this as Fudge asks:

"Is that why we're here?" And I nod as I say: "Ron is suffering from Hormonal Overload, an illness that is apparently quite common in France due to them having a bigger Veela society. The Veela Ronald encountered at the World Cup alongside the magic of the Goblet of Fire influenced him into the actions he took."
And Fleur explains the whole thing over, the history of the Goblet, what some of its magic is based on as well as what Dumbledore told us about Ronald and his desire to be a Champion and how he must have felt and thought when Harry was tricked into the Tournament. "And that is what brought out the sudden change.
However, it does not excuse how far he went with that change or how he is still keeping to it even now." Yet at this Ron finally speaks up and snarls: "Oh, so that slut can change, but I can't?" To which he screams as Dumbledore extends his arm out further, applying more pressure on the hold he has on the disgusting boy.

"There is to change for the better, Mr. Weasley, and there is to change for the worse. You are of the latter, Mss. Potter – who is appalled at the very thought of there being boys like you – is of the former. Now please keep quiet and hear Mss. Delacour out. She was about to explain how you can be cured, I do believe."
Fleur nods at him and then says: "I don't like it – in fact I hate how there is actually a special task force in the French Auror squad solely dedicated to capturing bastards that take advantage of this, but in France there is an agency that works with Metamorphmagi and the Veela that are capable of spotting this illness.
And if someone gets diagnosed with this, they first get fully screened by said Auror Task force and, if cleared of suspicion, they get a Metamorphmagus send their way – who will do whatever the ill person wants them to." This shocks the entire room and then Ronald shouts: "So I can make some slut look like that whore? SWEET!"

And the fact that he laughs at the end makes me stand up and shout: "I, Cedric Abraham Diggory hereby –!""MR. DIGGORY NO!" Dumbledore then roars and I turn to him shocked, but then the man says: "Ronald is the black sheep of the family. Do not cause Molly and Arthur harm over something that is Ronald's fault."
At this I sigh and agree with the man before I turn to glare at Ron, who did indeed stop laughing when he noticed that I was about to put a curse on his family and I growl: "Don't count those stars of yours yet, Ronald. I will find a way to make you feel everything you made Harry feel. One way or another, you'll feel his pain.
Physically, emotionally and mentally. This I promise you." I snarl at the end with a growl of warning sounding through my voice and Ronald actually looks ready to wet himself as he stutters: "I – I – I – I'm not – I'm not – I'm not a-a-a-afraid of – of – of badgers." Yet I know that I scared him something fierce and so I smirk:
"Too bad, that means you never learned a vital lesson. Always suspect the unsuspicious. The weak are always the most dangerous. And Hufflepuff's reputation makes it sound pretty weak, wouldn't you agree?" And with that do I happily leave the Headmaster's office, not just out of pride, but also to keep myself from losing it again.

Well done, Cedric.
So what do you think? Like I said, Ron will get a bit of an excuse to his behavior at some point, but it won't excuse everything and it will definitely not be something he can use to make others just outright forgive him and have everything go back to normal. It's just to explain why the attack happened so out of nowhere.
Next chapter will have us remain in Dumbledore's office a little longer and will prove just what Ron thinks of this new chance that has been given to him and how far he is willing to go to get what he wants. Which can be translated into; he plans to fake giving into a demand of Dumbledore only to try and go behind the man's back.
And fail. Why do I plan to have him fail? This is a story that focuses on how Jillian recovers from being attacked by her two closest friends, makes new friends, gets a new family, enjoys the Tournament and says goodbye to the madness that is the Boy-Who-Lived title. And Ron's plans will try to change and ruin that.
Not happening, Ron,

Venquine1990
PS. Merry Christmas, everybody!