Chapter 13:
Tournament: Expanded
Harry walked the path from Hogsmeade to the front gates of Hogwarts in lonely silence.
After being released from the ICW hearings he was given back all of his personal belongings and wished happy travels. One would think, seeing as they had brought him all the way from the British Isles to... wherever the heck the trial had been, they would also bring him back. But nope. Everyone seemed to want to treat him like an adult all of a sudden. And adults were expected to appirate or floo home by themselves.
Seeing as he never learned the former, he opted for the latter. And after a large amount of hunting for an English speaker in what he suspected was a Greek speaking country, he got directions to a nearby pub with a public floo. A single sickle exchanged for a fistful of floo powder later and he found himself at the Hog's head. The trip had taken him across multiple time zones and he was delighted to find it still daytime in Scottland, if only just.
By the time he made it to the train station the sun was nearly down and nobody on duty to call him a carriage. He really would have preferred a horseless carriage, but he was antsy enough from being cooped in prison cells for two days to make the trek on foot.
It took nearly two hours, but he eventually arrived at the front gate of Hogwarts. It was well past curfew, not that it mattered to him anymore. He was emancipated and legally an adult. The curfew only applied to underage students. He could come and go as he pleased. Filch merely waved him through the gates and they slammed shut behind him.
It was upon reaching the large, oak doors of the great hall that Harry's mood finally soured. Who else should be waiting there, but Severus Snape.
"I will be escorting you back to your common Room this evening." Snape informed him without preamble, but still sporting his trademark sneer.
Harry returned his sneer.
"And why, pray tell, would I need an escort back to my common room?" He asked defiantly.
"Because I am to relay pertinent information to you, and this is the least uncomfortable process of doing so for both of us!" He snapped back through gritted teeth.
Whoa! Okay then. Message received. Walk and talk, rip the band aid off, not have to be in each-other's presence for longer than necessary. Can do.
Harry nodded and motioned for his professor to lead the way. He obliged, and in silence they crossed the great hall. Upon reaching the grand staircase they took a left into the dungeons. Harry recognized the alternative route instantly. It took a bit longer, a lot longer really, but was the one route that lead to the Gryffindor Common room without encountering a single portrait. It weaved through the dungeon past the Slytherin and Hufflepuff common rooms then along the storage room halls up the tower.
Harry actually managed to deduce the rough location of both the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw common rooms by mapping out the paths along which no portraits were placed. It was very much a deliberate design choice.
"Your plan worked." Snape eventually said.
Harry raised an eyebrow at him.
"You sought to get the attention of the ICW, and you succeeded. Things are about to change and do so dramatically." Snape explained. "I cannot say much, because even I don't know much. Only what Alb... the headmaster has seen fit to allude to."
They took a right turn and passed by the route Harry knew lead to the Slytherin common room.
"You may also like to know that I have been to see your aunt." He went on.
Harry blinked, unsure of what he'd just heard. When he played the words back in his head, he felt even more confused. He turned back to his professor with a question on his lips, but Snape answered before he could voice it.
"Because she and I have a history. No, I will not elaborate further." Snape said. "But I will tell you this. We are all VERY displeased with her and Dursley's treatment of you. Yes, even me. Moving on, you are an adult now and you have been sorely ill-prepared for the responsibilities that will be thrusted upon you as a result. I myself was Muggle-raised, and though I am loath to make this offer, I want you to come to my office if ever you want to discuss your SIGNIFICANT dearth of knowledge regarding the wizarding world outside of academia."
Harry felt an indescribable disgust in his stomach at the idea of being mentored in etiquette, finances, customs and law by Severus-Bloody-Snape of all people, but for the life of him he couldn't think of anybody else able. Dumbledore was WAY too busy, as were all the other teachers. Sirius and Remus were on the run, hunting for Pettigrew. Mister Weasley was... eccentric and seemingly oblivious or apathetic to his standing in the wizarding world. Who did that leave him? Older students maybe? A certain Slytherin Head girl came to mind. That his brain didn't go straight to Sue was concerning, but understandable.
What about Cedric? Or better yet...
"In the spirit of international cooperation, I think I will endeavor to seek such learning opportunities from foreign students." Harry said confidently.
Snape stopped and Harry stopped with him.
"That... may actually be a good idea. Miss Delacour and Mister Krum are both formidable. Magically, socially and politically. If you can manage to keep your noise-induction-hole closed long enough to listen and observe you may simply learn more by being in their constant presence." Snape mocked/advised him. "And should you court an acquaintanceship with them, they may even endeavor to teach you in a more deliberate manor. There are many doors they and their families can open for you."
Harry groaned, and Snape laughed. Actually laughed. Harry doubted he had ever heard genuine mirth from the man before. He didn't like it.
"Get used to the politicking and having less pure intentions behind every social interaction. You're a Lord of a pureblood house now. And while it would be endlessly amusing to watch you make as much a mockery of that as you did the entire wizarding legal structure today, I would advise against doing so." Snape went on. "There is no greater tool, nor more powerful ally in your corner. Save maybe Albus Dumbledore, and I..."
Snape paused before finishing that thought. He glanced up and down the stone hallway and sharp sculptures hanging from the ceiling to make sure they had no minders. Despite there being none he withdrew his wand and silently cast a litany of spells. Harry had no frame of reference for understanding what they were, but assumed they were privacy charms.
"I would advise against relying on Dumbledore. He can be Machiavellian, in fact, that's an understatement if ever there was one. But more importantly he is very old and has many allegiances and responsibilities. That last one being most important. He is a busier man than you can possibly imagine, and you take up an inordinate amount of his concern. You need to become more self-reliant, but you also need to expand your circle of friends to include a more... diverse mindset and standing in society." He paused to glance around one last time before leaning in to whisper one last whammy. "And I will deny if you ever repeat this, but the show you put on at the ICW was the most gut-wrenchingly hilarious, cathartic, and schadenfreude inducing display I have ever witnessed in my life. My only criticism is you went too far antagonizing your female fanbase by revealing just a bit too much about your sex life. In the future, keep that secret. Fangirls are dangerous, but useful. Do not enrage them. And keep such private affairs private for decency's sake."
He stood back up and straightened his clothes.
"Needless to say, I am nearly as displeased with Albus as I am Tuni. She is alive today because the blood wards protecting her prevented me from harming her. And Albus is unharmed because he can handily kick my arse. Or fire me. Or cause me an uncountable number of displeasures through legal means. Minerva might take a swing at him when she finds out, and I hope to be present for it." He finished.
With that he canceled whatever privacy spells he cast and they continued on their way.
Harry suspected he had something resembling a disgusted and horrified expression on his face for the remainder of their walk but couldn't figure out how to remove it. They were nearly upon Gryffindor tower when Snape stopped him one last time to speak.
"Oh, and whatever you are planning, wait a bit before doing so." He said. "You kicked up a LOT of smoke and noise with your scheme at the ICW, but you want to wait until said dust settles a little before doing whatever you're planning. Too many people are hypervigilant at the moment. I wish you luck and ask that you don't get anybody killed. You've been about that so far. Keep it up, and you and I won't have any problems."
With that he turned heel, cloak billowing behind him, and marched back down the path they came.
"Wait!" Harry called back, stopping the man in his tracks.
Snape turned his head only slightly to indicate he was listening.
"Why are you being so helpful and honest with me?" He asked, already suspecting the answer.
Snape seemed to struggle to prevent himself from answering, as if he was physically fighting off a spell, but that spell won out. This confirmed Harry's suspicion before Snape's own words did.
"In anticipation of this uncomfortable and difficult conversation, I decided to imbibe a dose of... liquid courage." He half-told the truth.
Harry hummed mockingly.
"I think you might need to water down your batch of veritaserum, sir." Harry suggested.
"I think you might be right, Mister Potter." Snape agreed. "I think I should also publish a paper on the dangers of combining it with Felix Felicis, but plan to wait until I have a few more examples of such a mistake for comparison. Good night."
With that, he truly did leave. In much more of a hurry this time, likely afraid of Harry abusing his current state of mind for personal gain or amusement. Were in a better frame of mind he likely would have, but the entire ordeal he'd just gone through left him too sluggish and uncharacteristically considerate to do so.
Harry didn't know how long he stood there, staring at the corner behind which Snape disappeared, but he did know his expression hadn't changed throughout. Wondering if Snape had cast a charm on him that really did make it stuck that way - a fun parenting charm he learned from Molly's little book of parenting spells - he cast the countercharm and checked his reflection in the nearest window. Nope. Still a mix of horror and disgust.
He took a few deep breaths to calm his mind and cast a stinging hex on himself in place of smacking his own face, and that seemed to do the trick. Now he just looked a little shell-shocked. That would do fine.
He walked out into the seventh floor hallway to the usually chattering of portraits and made his way to the fat Lady.
"Errrrr." Harry said when she looked at him expectantly.
"The password changed over the weekend, didn't it?" He asked.
She nodded bemusedly.
Was Snape supposed to give him the password? Knowing the jackass, he probably had shared it, in code, sometime during their conversation. He thought back and spouted the first word to come to mind.
"Escort?" He tried.
The portrait door swung open allowing him passage. Then a wall of hands come out of the gaping hole and grabbed him, pulling him inside to a cacophony of fanfare despite his frightened objections. Between Fred and Goerge handing him firewhiskey - him being an adult now, and all - and the hilarious moving drawing of him in a fool's hat at the ICW that Dean had made, probably live while listening to the wireless; it was a riot. An hour later Harry went to bed sufficiently drunk, for the first time ever, full of food and out of mirth.
The next two days passed in a blur. Once the fanfare died down a strange quiet filled the school. Although Harry slept off the first day in a food and hangover induced coma, when he finally went out and about that afternoon everyone seemed hushed. More secretive than usual.
His every move was watched, particularly by other students, as if they were waiting for him to do something ridiculous, terrifying or both. He went "Oooga booga" at a few groups of such people but that only provided a short-term relief. That evening at the dinner table the same hush fell over the previously boisterous Gryffindors. Though Harry suspected that was solely because they were all thoroughly creeped out by the sight of a genuinely happy Snape at the head table. Nobody seemed brave enough to comment on the phenomenon. Which Harry appreciated.
This treatment continued on the next morning, especially among older and younger students who didn't get to spend that much time with him like his year mates did.
He couldn't find alone time with anybody, let alone Sue or Cauderdale. Thus, his plans to start associating with the bitchy Veela and pidgeon-toed Bulgarian had to go onto the back burner as well. After lunch he donned his father's cloak and snuck about, trying to listen in on conversations. He wanted to get Ron to Polyjuice as him so he could eavesdrop better and incite conversation specifically about him, but that turned out to be unnecessary. Lack of access to Polyjuice potion notwithstanding, he was the talk of the town!
Seemed most of the students were particularly preoccupied with one of three things. A: Who he was sneaking out with for bouts of premarital sex. B: Who he was going to snap at and utterly destroy next. C: What hilarious shenanigans he was up to causing.
He resented every single one of the presumptuous assumptions, save the last, which he recognized as justified, but he was still annoyed by it.
Harry decided to do something completely out of character and break the vicious repeat of his second year as quickly as possible. He attended Snape's class, foregoing his Champion privilege of being able to skip class in favor of preparing for his upcoming task. This was unwise, as he very much needed to prepare for said task, but moot, because he wasn't actually going to spend time doing that anyways.
He was all smiles and yes sirs that class with Snape. The man's mythical good mood evaporated the moment Harry entered; no doubt concerned he would cause trouble. But he was on his best behavior, studiously writing down Snape's every word and following his instructions to the letter. He could feel the stress and anticipation for a storm wafting off of Snape the entire class. But no such storm ever came. And that was the payoff for Harry.
"Psst. Harry." Susan got his attention from behind him.
Harry turned around on his seat at the Gryfffindor table to find her on the Hufflepuff bench right behind him. She passed him a note, and completely failed in her mission to be discrete in doing so as every other girl in eyeshot at the Hufflepuff table saw. Harry ignored them and opened the note.
My aunt is coming to Hogwarts tonight on business. She will be joined by individuals similar to herself from all over the world.
You probably would have deeply enjoyed the show if I hadn't spoiled it for you. Which is why I did so. Please stop making life hard for my auntie. Or I will strive to ruin your fun in the future too.
Yours, Susan.
Harry turned back around, smirk firmly planted on his face, to find the redhead already smirking back at him. Then she had the nerve to stick her tongue out at him. If she was trying to flirt, she was definitely going about it the right way. Shame he was spoken for... twice over again apparently? He really needed to work that out.
Ron sat down next to him.
"Hey Harry!' He whispered urgently. "Dad says..."
"Too late Ron." Harry interrupted. "Susan already spoiled it."
Ron snapped his finger in mock disappointment.
"I'll ruin your fun next time. Just you wait!" Ron said, before reaching for a plate of food.
Apparently, it was a competition now. So, his classmates had gotten together and decided to try and impede his maelstrom of chaos, had they? He could understand the seeming need, but not the motivation. Were they just taking pity on the adults that couldn't seem to do anything to slow him down? Were they doing it for the fun or challenge of it? Had his shenanigans also royally pissed them off? Time would only tell.
It didn't take much time at all to find out what Susan's surprise was, as it was only a few minutes later that the doors to the great all opened complete an in stepped an army of ICW Aurors lead by a woman so stern she made McGonigal's usual sour face look downright inviting. Nice monacle on her too. Harry stole a quick glance at the head table to find a completely non-plussed, and slightly giddy, Albus Dumbledore.
Of course.
"Good. I aleady have all of your attention." The middle-aged woman said. "I am Madame Amelia Bones of the British ministry of magic. Head of the department for magical law enforcement. And I am here today accompanied by a standing militia of Auror's from every nation in the ICW to perform my duties here. Those duties are a complete and thorough investigation into the attempted murder of Harry James Potter by way of tampering with the goblet of Fire to illegally force him to participate in the Triwizard Tournament. We will interview every single person, student, faculty, human or otherwise in this regard. We will examine very inch of this castle, investigate every alibi, and shadow alll of your every move until this matter is resolved. Any questions?"
Silence met her thorough and authoritative declaration. Concise, thy name is Amelia Bones.
"Good. Nobody enters or leaves this castle until the investigation is done. We have the entire facility surrounded and protected. We begin now." Amelia exclaimed.
As she spoke the "standing militia" of Aurors, each sporting the insignia of their respective country and identifiable dress code allowances (America allows full blown handlebar moustaches and mutton chops, did they?) circled the room covering all exits. Meanwhile, a woman Harry vagueley recognized approached him at the Gryffindor table. She was ancient, and wore dress robes identical to those worn by every member of the ICW during his trial.
"Mister Potter." She greeted. "I am Elizabeth Johnson of the ICW. Would you kindly follow me and the other champions to the side chamber, we have much to discuss."
Harry obeyed and stood up to follow her. He nodded to Cedric's questioning glance and he too stood up from teh next table over. Fleur and Krum got the hint and walked up to the head table by their own power. The y passed through the same door beside the head table as on that Halloween night when their names came out of the goblet, and into the side chamber and trophy room they went.
Viktor made a beeline for the fireplace for his angsting while Cedric and Fleur took opposite corners of the room to wait. Harry stood in the middle, embracing his new role as "center of attention" with all the grace of a baboon clown. A very annoyed, but entertained one.
Dumbledore, Karkaroff, Maxime, Fudge, Bagman and Crouch soon entered through the same door. Moments later, Professors Sprout and McGonigal entered as well. Harry was thankful that Snape wasn't joining them. He somehow suspected his acerbic mood may have returned by now.
Elizabeth Johnson took command of the room.
"As you can no doubt guess, the British Ministry of Magic is no longer in charge of the tournament nor the proceedings thereof." The ancient woman said, before turning on Crouch, Bagman and Fudge. "As such, you three are relieved of your responsibilities here, and are dismissed."
The last part came out as a near growl. Fudge seemed to make to object, but Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Crouch did the same with his other shoulder. The identical looks of "Don't fuck with her." They gave the man was comical.
Elizabeth waited with a raised eyebrow for the three men to leave. They eventually relented and did so. As the door closed behind them, Harry wondered if Amelia was being thorough and keeping htem hostage in the castle as well. He certainly hoped so.
"The ICW has taken over all management from here on out. As such, we have decided to expand it somewhat. The second task will be held at Bauxbatons Academy of Magic. The third, at Durmstrang Institute." Elizabeth Johnson went on.
Fleur outright deflated in apparent joy and relief at that declaration. It took Harry all of three seconds to figure out why. With how affected by the cold weather she was, the idea of swimming in the Black Lake in February for the second task surely sounded miserable to her. Hell, it sounded miserable to him. But in France? Much more tolerable. Hopefully it was somewhere in southern France, near Marseilles or whatever.
"But here, we ran into a bit of a problem." Dumbledore interrupted, withdrawing from his cloak a stack of papers far too large to have fit in an inner pocket. It was already folded to the proper page. "The Champions shall be drafted to participate in three tasks, one per champion and one per school." He turned the page. " Each school is permitted one champion."
With that, he closed he pages of the Triwizard Tournament contract and repackaged it.
"You all see the problem, do you not?" The woman continued from there. "While the British Ministry held to the letter of the contract after a fourth name came out of the goblet, they did not hold to the spirit. We will be correcting that oversight. This is now the Katravizard tournament. There shall be a fourth task, at a fourth school. Potter's school."
They all turned to Harry.
"Uuuuum. The slip Professor Dumbledore handed me didn't mention a school." He said.
"Indeed." Said Dumbledore. "We will endeavor to examine the Goblet again and see if the fourth school it chose you for is named, or a complete fiction. If it is the latter, you will have to choose. Upon the school being determined you will be unenrolled from Hogwarts and re-enrolled into this new school. At least, for the remainder of the tournament."
Professor McGonagall gave him a hard look at this.
"And I do expect you to return to this institution upon completion of said tournament." She said sternly. "So do not get too comfortable at your new school."
He knew then and there that the intimidating woman's expectations would surely be met.
The ICW woman then walked up to him and handed him a piece of parchment.
"It will only take the evening to determine if the Goblet named your school." She said. "If it did not, we expect you to choose which institution of magical learning you will be attending by morning. And that you shall have your bags packed by the Yule Ball, which will still be held here, by the way."
Cedric made a fist pump as if keeping the Yule Ball here was some source of personal pride. Harry couldn't care less about that.
Ignoring the Hufflepuff, he nodded uncomfortably to Elizabeth and opened the folded piece of parchment. It was a short, numbered list of schools and where they were located.
1) Koldovstoretz : Russia
2) Uagadou : Central Africa
3) Castelobruxo : Brazil
4) Mahoutokoro: Japan
Apparently, those were his options. And now he knew the names of all the major wizarding schools of the world and their general locations.
"Wait, what about Ilvermorny?" He asked.
"They were emphatic in their refusal to have you." Dumbledore explained sadly, though Harry detected a hint of amusement in this revelation.
Of course. The one school without a language barrier. So that wouldn't be a determining factor. And thus, the universe kept fucking him dry.
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