Chapter 4
Slytherin common room:
Several seventh year students were in a corner with their heads together…
"So that's the Great Harry Potter, we best get off an owl to Lucius Malfoy and ask for instructions." Terence Higgs stated.
"So when can we rough him up?" Jonathan Spratt was eager.
"You best sit on those ideas Spratt, unless of course you wish to get on the bad side of the Dark Lord, you ninny." Robert Hawking warned.
The conversations continued:
/Scene Break/
Next morning I entered the Great Hall and sat at my table. Food suddenly appeared along with a goblet of pumpkin juice, yuck.
"Dinky!"
"Yes Lord Gryffindor."
"Can you ensure that I have fruit juices like orange and/or apple juice instead of this horrible pumpkin juice?"
"Yes Lord Gryffindor." Dinky disappeared and a large goblet of orange juice appeared on the table with my food.
About then three people were approaching my table.
"We three are the other champions; do you mind if we sit down and have a chat?"
As they had approached my table Lady Hogwarts insured that I understood their names. I of course recognized them as the other three contests/champions. As she whispered their names in my head she provided a quick background of each.
"I'm well aware of your names so introductions can be passed, so just call me Harry and yes join me."
"Are you aware that you are going to have to get past a dragon very shortly?" Cedric asked.
"Thank you for that new information but no, no one has cared to report that information before you did. So I offer my thanks."
"I think that is very unfair! We should complain!" Victor Krum growled.
"Please, I can only say that does not matter. Whether you believe it or not there is a timeline that has been made by Fate. She and her sisters have determined what is to happen. I suggest we all do the best we can to achieve our goal in life and this stupid tournament." I was as blind as to what would be happening in the future as they were.
While we were having a very comfortable conversation by determining other world events that were occurring, I was thinking. Here I am going into this tournament against a dragon and yet the people running the tournament had yet to determine I had no wand except for Dumbledore's which I had in my boot. The wand weighing ceremony I found out, in our discussion of the tournament, had been held before I ever arrived at Hogwarts.
Looking up I noticed a new addition to the head table. "You guys have any idea who the new ponce is?"
"Oh that's Lockheart the new DADA professor, he has a bunch of books out describing his great feats," Cedric didn't seem impressed.
"As far as I am concerned all his books are pure fiction pure fiction" Fleur added.
About that time I was distracted by the pretty white owl Hedwig that landed on the table. She carried no letters so I returned my attention to the head table only to get a bite from the owl. "OW! What the hell! I yelped.
Cedric just laughed…."I believe she just just bonded with you."
"What the hell are you yapping about?" I yelled "She is already my familiar, all I don't know is what she's all pissed off about."
"Look up familiar bonding in the library." Cedric just laughed and left for his next class.
As I watched him leave I wondered if the moron understood the English language. Meanwhile I stuffed a bunch of bacon in Hedwig's beak. The bacon appeared to make it satisfied enough to leave me.
/Scene Break/
I was informed of a new wand weighing ceremony, which I must immediately attend that sent send me laughing…Me waving a wand like some incompetent in need of a crutch? Plus, somehow every one seemed to forget that I had Dumbledore's wand. That in itself rose questions like why he had not asked for it back, it seemed that everyone had forgotten that little fact, among the few others.
The room contained a variety of people from the Minister, Dummy and some reporters.
Mr. Ollivander started the ceremony but when I was instructed to produce my wand…
"What do you mean you don't need a wand?" Ollivander yelled.
"Now, now, let us not become distracted by distracting minutia. Harry my boy, you will accompany Mr. Ollivander to his shop with Hagrid and obtain a suitable wand for the tournament." I was confused, did he forget where his wand had gone, or was this some part of a manipulation?
"Mr. Potter do you mean that you have not been using a different foci like a focus ring? Professor McGonagall choked out.
I was not going to argue over that which should be obvious. That is the fact that magic is sentient. One should have been taught that there are four basic pillars of magic: intent, determination, and magical power. It is obvious to any rational thinking person who studies magic that it is sentient. A wand is nothing but a crutch. But I am beginning to wonder how deep ignorance has been accepted in this school of higher learning.
So letting Dumbledore's wand remain in my boot, under several concealing charms, Sirius and I were escorted to Diagon alley for my wand. I was amused that nothing worked even the holly and phoenix feather one Ollivander was sure was my wand and seemed insistent I retry the wand and retry the wand…he was insistent that it must work as the wand had to be drawn to me. Yea right!
Finally he dragged out the last of his wands, he found that none of them worked. Grumbling all the way, he headed into his back room or basement which contained his used wands from the beginning of time. I must say it was a warm comforting feeling to hold the one that exploded sparks, stars and fire when I held it. Ollivander fainted.
/Scene Break/
Hagrid was easily distracted to the ale in The Leaky Cauldron and Sirius and I headed down to Knockturn alley. I needed, no demanded a tattoo to cover/hide my scar. A lighting bolt or a funny image would not worry me but my actual scar must go! How that image had appeared from a stupid cutting curse was stupid and the thing couldn't be removed. Ah well fate. Well it now was at least hidden as part of a Hungarian horntail dragon tattoo.
/Scene Break/
Not that I attended classes but curiosity did some times draw me to a class or two. Usually I stood by the door and listened in even if I had to use a charm to do so. There was nothing of interest to really do in this castle. Today Lockheart's door was wide open.
Lockhart entered the room from a door and onto a balcony and then descended the stairs in a pretentious swirl of robes with a smile as if he was some one of supreme importance. What was surprising was that the fourth years appeared to be impressed? In spite of myself I leaned around the door jam for a better look.
"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."
He opened the cage, And, then, it was pandemonium!
"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."
/Scene Break/
You could feel the tension in the air at breakfast and before I knew it everyone was tromping out to the bleachers to watch first task of the tournament. The two pixies that had attached themselves to my shoulder finally decided to find a safer perch.
In the champions tent we drew our dragons in the order in which we would attend the task. The one thing that got my attention was a passing comment from the idiot Bagman that there was a time limit. My turn was determined to be the last to face a Dragon.
As I entered the arena I saw the Dragon hovering over her eggs. I casually walked in until I had to dive away from a blast of fiery dragon fire. But I did hear… "Must protect my young."
Sounded a lot like Parseltongue so I yelled…" Hey, I'm not here to hurt you or your young!"
"Who speaks?"
"If you don't flame me I will show myself and I assure you I have no wish to harm you or yours."
"Show yourself speaker with snakes."
I stepped out from behind the boulder and approached hoping that I wouldn't become a toasted item.
I ended up sitting on a boulder in front of the Dragon as we both talk about flying and different events that we thought would be forthcoming in the future.
"All it looks like my handlers are approaching so why don't you leave so I can raise hell and cast fire at them."
"I could tell them that you will come peacefully."
"Where would be the fun in that? Leave now so I can start throwing flames."
I headed into the exit where was grabbed by Madame Pomfrey for examination. I never did pick up the golden egg. The judges were upset that I hadn't made some spectacular showing so I was graded with the least points in the contest.
/Scene Break/
My next thrill was that Lady Hogwarts started chatting with me more often. Her guidance was indeed most informative and accurate. One of her first referrals was the bushy haired girl at the Gryffindor table. Like I knew anything about girls or how to interact with them.
Meanwhile numerous students would approach our table in the great Hall, it was almost continuous and annoying to be thought to be me the-boy-who-lived. Some even asked to see the lighting bolt scar? I wondered who started that rumor. Sirius thought this was the absolute funniest thing in the world.
One of the most obnoxious that appeared continuously at our table was one Ronald Weasley. For some reason he assumed that we were going to be the best friends in the world. At the first rejection he turned red and almost became violent. Another one was Draco Malfoy who appeared to think the sun shined from his posterior. He also became distraught at my rejection to be his subject of admiration.
Being accepted at this school was not the easiest thing. Many rejected me because I defeated the Dark Lord while others wanted me because of my fame. I finally made a breakthrough one day in the library when I approached the bushy haired girl. "Would you mind if I joined you? You were highly recommended to be of assistance adjusting to this school."
We chatted and studied and I found she was quite intelligent. The next time we met in the library she asked if I wish to join her study group. Why not I thought? That decision was a great break through at Hogwarts.
"Harry I like to induce you to Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis." Hermione stated that was the all of the study group.
"My pleasure ladies is a rose and kiss their hands as required by wizard culture."
"Well Hermione at least you haven't brought another social incompetent like that Weasley jerk." Tracy stated.
"Ladies please I would wish not to be associated with such social incompetent." But while I was saying this my eyes were on the blonde Daphne Greengrass.
"At least you to do not have to live in the same dormitory as that klutz Weasley. All he is interested in me is for me to do his homework." Hermione growled.
"What? No dramatic sexual inclinations with the redheaded klutz?" Daphne asked.
"No I have my eyes on a Ravenclaw who is quite intelligent and definitely dreamy."
"What about you Harry? Any crushes on any particular girl?"
"Tell her Harry!" Lady Hogwarts demanded. Hell I had never received any training over girls. This was one area where I was going to be the klutz.