Author notes: Intended for this chapter to a be a little longer but decided to keep it lighthearted in a sense. The next one is half-finished and should be uploaded by the end of the week. I should be back on a weekly update schedule from now on.

...

Rodrick looked down at the judges, grin still present on his face. Barty Crouch Senior had an impassive look at his face, something that honestly unnerved him.

He had technically broken one of the fundamental laws of Transfiguration. Animagus form could not be magical... Well, until today.

Karkaroff had an astonished look on his face as he stared at him, eyes slowly narrowing for a moment before he too soon copied Crouch's expression. Neither said a word.

Maxine on the other hand...

"Dumbly-dort! What are you feeding zis child!? You!" She suddenly turned her gaze to Rodrick, "How did you do that!?"

Rodrick idly wondered when they'd remember they were judges... He turned to Dumbledore and had to hold in his snort.

The man had an extremely tired look on his face, though a smile was also present. It took a moment before he simply shook his head and wrote down his score. "I am not sure what I expected,"

"Young man! How on earth did you transform into a phoenix!?" Bagman's voice suddenly called out to him.

He shrugged, he had no real interest in talking to the Quidditch fanatic.

It was then the rest of the audience seemed to grasp the fact he'd transformed and apparated through the castle wards. Which translated to almost everyone starting to shout in an attempt to get their voice heard.

As he was about to transform back and preferably fly away from all the noise... The dragon roared.

Now, one useful ability out of becoming a phoenix was that they could understand any and all languages. Of course, they couldn't speak in said languages but they could understand them at the very least. It was most likely why they were considering such intelligent creatures, though everyone assumed it was emotions they understood. No one ever actually considered the fact they understood them word for word...

The noise slowly died down as Rodrick, first snorted, before slowly growing into an involuntary chuckle and then outright laughing.

"What's so funny?" Karkaroff groundout.

Rodrick could barely manage an answer between his fits of laughter.

"Th-The dragon- It just swore!"

Dumbledore took in a deep breath, his eyes closed for a moment before he reopened them and brought up his score.

10.

The others slowly followed suit.

He'd gotten 46 overall, Karkaroff and Maxine been the only ones not to give him a perfect score, not that he expected anything differently out of the two rival heads. Still, they were limited in how much bias they could really get away with. He had after all managed to complete a Tri-Wizard task in what he figured was record-breaking time.

With that out of the way, he transformed, the egg grasped by his talons and flew off towards the cheering Slytherin stand.

...

Of course, the real drama started later on, evidently been the first wizard in history to gain a magical Animagus form meant a lot of people wanted to meet him.

Dumbledore and by extension the Greengrass family had managed to keep the majority of them at bay. But even then, he was still swarmed. It wasn't like there were no other students in the castle. Hell, there were two other schools.

He sighed as he took a seat at the Slytherin table. Flanked by Blaise and Daphne.

"Well, if it ain't-" Nott started and was quickly silenced to his friend's amusement.

"So... Phoenix, huh? Here I thought it was going to be a Basilisk," Daphne chuckled beside him.

"I wish,"

"Aren't you scared of heights?" Blaise questioned incredulously.

"Not anymore, hardly going to worry about falling when I can turn into a bird at the flick of a wand, still... I could do without all the attention..."

Malfoy threw a Daily Prophet clipping in front of him.

Rodrick sighed as he read through it, "It hasn't even been a day..." And yet there were literal hundreds of headlines on his little stunt alone. He couldn't imagine their reaction when he eventually revealed he had a potion that allowed anyone to apparate through wards, hell, he was somewhat tempted to avoid showing it off after the reaction he'd got for breaking the limits set by Animagus Theory.

'Hogwarts prodigy shatters Tri-wizard record,' 'Hogwarts Student discovers a new branch of magic,' 'Grace successfully apparates through Hogwarts wards in phoenix form, Student sets himself on fire-'

And so on it went... Rodrick shook his head, "I am not looking forward to the second task..."

"You know what it is?" Malfoy questioned surprised.

Rodrick nodded, "The egg was the clue, thanks to my Animagus I understood it rather quickly,"

"Please don't open that in the dungeons again..." Blaise shuddered.

Rodrick rolled his eyes, "Still, need to tell Potter about it as well," He remarked as he turned around in an attempt to find said Gryffindor to no avail.

Malfoy groaned. The others ignored him.

"Why are you even worried about the second task?" Daphne questioned curiously.

Rodrick couldn't help the snort, "I am not but you shou-" He was about to finish before his eyes spotted his cousin and Harry. Hermione was nowhere in sight, Sirius stood just behind his godson though he wasn't smiling for once... Probably Ron's fault, though considering Harry seemed somewhat happy... 'Huh... looks like they might have worked things out... Well... Can't be having that,' He grinned.

He reached into his pocket and took out a small ball.

"What are you doing?" Daphne questioned him immediately.

He smiled at her. He leaned back just out of view and threw the ball beneath his seat. It was as good a chance as any to test it out.

"What was-" Malfoy started

"Give it a minute..."

The ball rocketed towards Ron, who to his credit managed to see it coming. Didn't help much. The moment it landed on him, he disappeared. Whiffs of fire left in his wake.

Harry blinked at the sudden disappearance while Sirius had to muffle his own laughter.

"How did you do that?" Nott questioned surprised.

"Portkey," Rodrick shrugged.

"Portkeys work in the castle?"

"Probably, that one used Phoenix Essence so... Yea..."

"That doesn't explain anything-" Nott frowned

"He has a potion that lets him App-"

Rodrick had to quickly cover Daphne's mouth with his hand, an affronted look on his face. As if been able to transform into a Phoenix hadn't gotten him enough attention as it was.

Malfoy snorted, "Where'd you send him to?" Evidently ignoring the girl.

"Hogwarts lake."

Daphne twitched as she stared at him... He removed his hand with a sheepish look on his face, when her expression didn't change he rolled his eyes.

"What? At least it's near the castle, the other option was overseas," He shrugged as the ball suddenly reappeared in his hand.

...

Dumbledore sighed at Rodrick's antics, though what the boy had said about Portkeys... There weren't any wards preventing them... Not since the tournament had started... Mostly for ease of access for the spectators, though it was undoubtfully careless not to implement any safety measures after everyone had arrived... Once again, he found himself grateful for the boys... Well, eccentricities, if he hadn't seen someone forcefully portkey another elsewhere, he doubted it would've ever occurred to him. The idea that anyone could randomly portkey someone away from the castle was oddly foreboding.

...

Strangers had been coming in and leaving ever since the task. Most of them no doubt trying to meet with him over what had occurred and likely take a sample of his potion once they found out how he'd gained the magical form. Though they had to get permission from both Dumbledore, because he was his headmaster and so long as he was in the castle they needed his permission, and Cyrus and Roxanne Greengrass because they were his guardians... Though there was one person who'd tried to circumvent both by going to the Weasleys...

Rodrick had blacklisted him personally.

As it were he'd already seen three magical departments from across Europe show up, wizards and witches from the MACUSA as well as a few private societies he hadn't even known existed... Oddly enough, it was Blaise that had recognised the last one. Hell, even the Minister for magic was refused, though Rodrick doubted the man wanted to meet him for anything but a publicity stunt...

As of this moment, Dumbledore had only agreed with two requests. The former he intended to join in himself, considering how stretched for time he was, it wasn't that big of a surprise.

Nicholas Flamel and Newt Scamander.

...

Popularity really was a double-edged blade, not that Rodrick didn't know that of course but he had certainly hoped that because his popularity relied on his, well, ability with magic that at the very least people would be smart enough not to try to ambush him...

He sighed as he stunned and stuck the Durmstrang student onto the wall, shaking his head. Honestly, all he'd wanted was a stroll, was that too much to ask? He reached into his pocket, brought out the magical ball-sized portkey and struck the student with it.

He had to add an extra set of runes in order to be able to send any non-Hogwarts students to the headmaster.

He hadn't fought back the first couple of times... Well, he hadn't used his wand. Dumbledore had still insisted he send any troublemakers straight to him.

Of course, it wasn't just Durmstrang, Beauxbaton also had their own moments of stupidi-

Something crashed into his Protego charm. Rodrick turned around on the spot, his eyes not finding anything.

"Potter? That you?" He questioned as he reached for his wand.

"Bombarda!"

Rodrick's eyes widened as he quickly apparated out of the way of the incoming spell.

Inivisibility cloak or charm. Not Potter, extremely unlikely to be Granger.

When the next flash of light crashed harmlessly against his shield, Rodrick slowly straightened himself. "Cousin,"

The words seemed to momentarily freeze whatever it was attacking him as no spell had followed the previous.

Idiot, Rodrick shook his head, that was as good as giving away his identity. He aimed his wand ahead and waited... When a flash showed up out of thin air again, he apparated a few feet behind it and cast off several Incarcerous spells.

He heard an incomprehensible voice suddenly echo as the ropes tightened around the invisible being.

He reached his hand out, grabbed hold of something and loosened ropes as he pulled.

"Why am I not surprised?" Rodrick deadpanned.

Ron glared back at him, "It's your fault Harry's life is in danger!"

"Right..." Rodrick sighed, all that to make a statement... Couldn't he have just told him instead of trying to attack him? Honestly, what was that supposed to even accomplish?

"Infirmary, Lake or the headmaster?" What? He was a Hogwarts student.

Ron furrowed his brows, "What?"

Lake it is.

Rodrick kept hold of the hollow as he watched Ron suddenly disappear.

He'd be angrier if that was the first time it had happened... He sighed as he made to find out where the other champion of Hogwarts was. He seriously needed to keep this in a better hiding place.

Harry's close call with the dragon hadn't been received all that well by the rest of his house, Ron it seemed blamed him entirely for it. And sadly enough, because of Harry's forgiving nature, everyone else thought he agreed with him. Not that he'd begrudge him for it. Obviously, he knew he had no leg to stand on considering his instinct on seeing Harry show up with Ron in tow was to send his cousin into the black lake. Still, using a hollow to try and ambush his own fellow classmate, and cousin for that matter... Out of some false accusation at that. He knew Harry had tried to explain how he wasn't, in fact, responsible but Ron evidently refused to believe it.

Perhaps giving this to Hermione might be the better option... It was awfully irritating having to deal with the reckless cubs on top of everything else, he didn't need to add invisibility into that list. At least Hermione was somewhat more reasonable.

Rodrick sighed.

...

"What's going on?" Nott questioned from beside him.

Rodrick shrugged. "No clue,"

"You mean you weren't the one that called all of us here?" Malfoy remarked with a frown.

Rodrick shook his head, "No, Snape did,"

"Professor Snape!" Rodrick rolled his eyes at Warrington. Leave it to the petty wizard to literally try anything to get him into trouble. Not that it'd ever work, especially considering not a single snake seemed to take him seriously anymore.

All students above fourth year had been asked to meet in the dungeons by their head, which sadly included Warrington. Obviously, some of the... Keener younger years had also decided to join. Not that Rodrick could blame them, they were the only ones with a shot at taking over the house, after he'd finished at any rate.

The Slytherin dungeon seemed somewhat brighter compared to usual, no doubt prepared in case any of the foreign visitors took interest in touring the place. Not that they did, after the first task... Well, a vast majority of them apparently got offended... Rodrick shook his head at the thought, when his eyes spied Daphne coming in, he quickly made his way over to the girl.

He had an idea of where this was going. You know, unless Snape decided he wasn't going to bother...

The Ravenclaws had been called in for their own meeting a day earlier. It hadn't taken long before Luna had told him what was likely to happen.

Professor Snape entered the dungeons, quickly silencing whatever hushed conversations had been going on. His eyes scanned around the low-lit dungeons before landing on Rodrick.

"As I am sure some of you are aware, a traditional part of the Tri-wizard tournament is the Yule ball. It will start on eight o'clock on Christmas day and finish before midnight, it goes without saying that I don't want any of you out breaking any rules past that time."

If Rodrick was honest, it was somewhat amusing seeing Snape talk about something like this, just beside him however he could feel Daphne quickly latch onto his arm, her eyes literally scanning around. He figured Astoria must've talked.

It was rather adorable.

"I hope I don't have to tell you what's to be expected at such an event?" Snape raised an eyebrow as he scanned around the room.

Obviously, no one said anything.

With that, he nodded and turned towards Slytherin's champion.

"I am sure you're aware of your part in all this?" He raised a humourless eyebrow at him.

Rodrick simply smiled and nodded his head.

"Don't leave anything to the last minut-"

"I am taking Daphne," He remarked, amused to see Daphne tinge slightly as narrowed eyes suddenly went towards her direction.

"Right, like it was going to be anyone else," Blaise scoffed from behind him.

Snape nodded at the words before he swept his robes and left the dungeon.

...

"Honestly, it's not that hard," Rodrick stifled another chuckle.

"Easy for you to say, yours was practically gift-wrapped to you,"

"I am standing right here Potter..."

"He's not wrong," Rodrick chuckled.

Daphne elbowed him for that one.

"It's a simple question Potter,"

"Easier said then done..."

Rodrick shook his head. Harry had literally come running to him after his lesson with McGonagall, evidently taking on a dragon wasn't as bad as asking someone to go with him to a dance. It's not like he didn't know who he wanted to ask... He turned towards Daphne before an idea filtered itself onto his head. He grinned.

"Rodrick..." Harry started off in a worried tone.

Rodrick pulled the girl close and whispered something into her ear, her eyes momentarily widened before mischievous look took over.

"Can you do it?"

"How could I refuse?" Daphne's eyes glinted at him," Oh Lord of Slytherin," She mock-bowed before giggling and disappearing off elsewhere.

Harry crossed his arms. "Should I be worried?"

Rodrick nodded.

"You're not supposed to agree..."

"What kind of a friend would I be if I lied to you?"

"Rodrick!"

"Oh don't worry so much... I just told her that if you don't ask Hermione to the Yule ball within the next 10 minutes, she'll ask Lavender Brown for you,"

3...

Harry blinked.

2...

"You're a bit of an asshole sometimes you know that."

1...

Rodrick beamed.

Harry ran.

...

Later on, a red-faced Harry Potter walked into the private classroom taken over by his godfather, and of course, that meant Rodrick was there.

"That wasn't funny!" Harry actually looked annoyed.

Rodrick snorted, "I have no idea what you're talking about,"

"You know exactl-" Harry remarked back frustrated as he took a seat.

"What's going on?" Sirius questioned over him bemused.

"Yula Ball,"

"Ah, finally asked Hermione have you?"

"In a way..." Rodrick snorted.

"It doesn't matter!" Harry suddenly remarked.

"So... Are you going with someone or do you want my help in finding them?" Sirius winked at him.

A despaired look took over Harry's face, "IamgoingwithHermione."

Rodrick whistled, he'd never seen him speak so quickly.

"Little anti-climactic," Sirius whined.

"Apparently, it was rather amusing," Rodrick chuckled.

...

-Moments earlier-

Harry ran from one room to another unable to contain the worry he felt, he couldn't find the girl anywhere. He really was worried, odds were Rodrick wasn't joking and yet here he was unable to find one of his own best friends. Honestly, 10 minutes? That's it? How on earth was he supposed to find some-

He was an idiot.

Harry quickly reached into his pocket and took out the Marauders map.

It was easy sailing after that, though he was somewhat worried considering he saw both Ron and Daphne with her in the Library... The library... How the hell hadn't he checked there yet!?

Hermione hadn't exactly been speaking to Ron for quite some time now, even after he'd finally come around to apologised she'd simply chosen to ignore him.

When he did reach them he was confused to see the number of people that were nearby. His eyes spotted Victor Krum a table away, surrounded by a few of his fans. Hermione seemed to be arguing with Ron about something? While Daphne was sat in the back entranced by her homework? When she looked up, a grin found it's way on her face when her eyes spotted him.

"Harry?" He froze at the voice, turning around slowly he found Lavender Brown behind him, a smile on her face.

Rodrick wasn't joking? Rodrick wasn't joking. He waved at her, turned towards Hermione and quickly walked up to the girl in question. When she turned and saw him, her eyes seemed to light up.

"Harry! I heard about your dilemma," she started,

At the same time, he let off, a tad too loudly for that matter.

"Will you go to the Yule Ball with me!?"

Hermione blinked as she turned towards Daphne, who seemed unable to control her laughter. "I thought you said it was about his homework?"

What?

Hermione turned back to him, an actual red tinge slowly appeared on her face. "You're asking me to the ball?" She questioned, her eye's somewhat wide.

"..." Roll with it. Harry nodded. "Can we go somewhere else?" He suddenly asked, barely keeping a straight face as Daphne nodded approval.

"Y-yes, this is hardly the place for this conversation..." Hermione got up and for the first time in her life packed up unfinished homework.

Oddly enough he failed to notice Krum's glare on him. Mostly because of what Ron had said next.

"Hey, are you going with anyone?"

Was he seriously about to ask Daphn-

"Harry, just keep on walking," Hermione said as she sped up herself, her face threatening to break out in laughter. He couldn't help looking back himself. Idly noticing Lavender join Krum's table...

Daphne, on the other hand, had the most confused look on her face.

"You're joking right?" She questioned as she slowly picked up her bag.

...

Author notes part 2: While it may seem like the repercussions for what Rodrick had essentially managed to do don't seem like much, he is still in Hogwarts. With the headmaster's presence, no one could really reach him even if they wanted, the first moment he leaves the castle, however... All those shown to have any interest will, of course, make their attempts again. Magical Animagus form isn't some rudimentary discovery... Only when that does eventually happen, Rodrick will have far more to worry about them.

Unless of course, I might've missed something in all this.

The next chapter may include one of the two potential meetings with either Nicholas Flamel and/or Newt Scamander. I'd always intended for such a meeting to take place of course but thanks to Crimes of Grindelwald... Well, I figured I should at least wait for that movie to drop so I can try and work with it if I can. And honestly I quite enjoyed it, I think too many people put far too much pressure on a movie that's essentially a prequel, it was never going to be an easy movie to make. Still, as far as I am concerned, other then the reveal at the end I think everything else had been handled rather well.