Title: Code of the Griffin
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: From a war ravaged future, someone is sent back in time to change the course of the war.
Cedric pounded away at the training dummy, pushing himself a fair amount but not to his limit with the Order's close combat technique, sharp blows with palm; elbow; knee and foot. He was angry but was using the combat training to relieve stress and to try to calm down, as the third Task was going to start in about an hour. The reason he was angry was Cho and the argument they had only two hours ago. There had been issues between the two of them for a few weeks. While Cho was accepting of Cedric being a Triwizard Champion, she was finding it hard being the girlfriend of an Order Lieutenant. One too many nights or weekends where Cedric had to go and deal with an Order issue had resulted in the fight. There had also been something in there about Li or possible St Clair that had never really registered with Cedric and was absolutely absurd in Cedric's opinion.
With a final flourish of blows, Cedric stepped away from the training dummy and moved into the locker rooms to shower, ignoring the various Order members, male and female, who were dressing and showering. After his shower, Cedric went to his locker and pulled out the uniform prepared for the final task. It was a set of BDU's, in simple black with Order Red and Hufflepuff Yellow highlights. On his left shoulder was the Hogwarts Crest with the Hufflepuff Crest below it, while on his right shoulder was the Order Crest, a Griffin clutching a Wand in one claw and an assault rifle in the other, and below that the Diggory House Crest, a wheat sheaf and a sickle to represent the House's origins as freehold farmers. Getting dressed, Cedric began to get his mind in focus for the final Task.
Fleur and Ron sat in the tent provided for the Champions to wait in. Victor and Susan were over in another corner of the tent, sitting quietly, with Susan seeming to look off into the distance.
"You ok?" Ron asked in his almost fluent French.
"Qui." Fleur confirmed, then switched to English. "Thank you for the outfit."
"Grand Marshall's orders." Ron replied in kind with a shrug. "I do have a gift for you but you'll get it after the Task, but win or lose, I am proud of you."
Fleur smiled slightly at that. Ron could be so sweet, but the Sergeant would not do anything to distract her too much from the task.
The outfit was comfortable and practical. It was what Ron had called 'Battle Dress Uniform' or BDU's, in Beauxbatons cornflower blue with the Beauxbatons Crest on her left shoulder and the House Delacour Crest, a crossed wand and orchid flower in front of a Fleur-de-lies, on her right shoulder. In his corner, Victor was in BDU's in Durmstrang Red with the Durmstrang Crest on his left shoulder but nothing on the right shoulder.
"Hold me?" Fleur asked.
Ron turned slightly on the bench and opened his arms, allowing Fleur to settle into his arms, her back against his broad and muscular chest while he gently wrapped his arms around her stomach. A few minutes later Cedric entered alone and took a seat away from both other groups, only taking a moment to secure the sidearm he wore into a locked chest as they only could take their Wands in as weapons.
A few minutes after Cedric's entry, the sound of voices from outside announced the impending arrival of the Grand Marshall and the Heads. After giving Fleur a quick peck on the cheek, Ron opened his arms and Fleur stood up, with Victor and Cedric also raising from their own seats just before the Tournament Officials entered. Accompanying the Officials and the Grand Marshall were three Order Troopers who were each holding something covered in cloth.
"Champions line up." The Grand Marshall ordered.
The three Champions lined up in front of the Grand Marshall, with the three Order Troopers organising themselves behind her.
"Out there is the Final Task. As you had been previously advised, it is an extensive maze with the first one to reach the Triwizard Cup being the winner, however the safety procedures have been updated significantly." The Grand Marshall said before pulling the cloth off what the Trooper in front of Fleur was holding.
What the cloth had concealed was a vest designed to go over the BDU's. The one revealed was obviously meant for Fleur, as it seemed to be in her size; was in Beauxbatons blue and had the school chest on the right breast. The vest was slightly padded, but not restrictive, and had a circular item attached on the left breast and a protrusion extending up from the right shoulder.
"These protective vests will provide some protection from low level spells, slashes or impacts, but that is not its primary purpose today." The Grand Marshall continued. "On the right shoulder is a combat grade Order Video Camera, shielded against Magic, that will give us a close approximation of your point of view. On the left breast is the emergency beacon. Push and rotate clockwise and it will send out a distress signal and a fully armed fire team of Order Troopers will Apperate to your exact location and extract you. Activating the emergency beacon is an automatic forfeit from the Tournament."
The other two vests were revealed, the one for Cedric in black and the one for Victor in Red, matching their BDU's and containing their School Crests on the right breast. Cedric quickly and efficiently put his own vest on, adjusting the straps almost automatically, but the two other Champions needed help. Susan seemed to make a game out of putting the vest on Victor, ending with a soft slap on his bum, but Ron was more professional in helping Fleur into her Vest. As Ron was tightening the last straps on the side of her vest, Fleur noticed how comfortable the vest was and knew either the Grand Marshall or one of the other female members of the order had helped design her vest, as it comfortably supported her breasts rather than mashing them to her chest like she had half expected it to.
After all three Champions were in their Vests, they were led outside into the small amphitheatre that had been set up at the entrances to the Maze. Cedric took up a spot and stood to attention, ignoring both the cold stare Cho was giving him from the stands and the proud hovering his father was doing around him. Victor went over to speak to his father and sister, while Susan stayed near the exit to the tent. Ron was right next to Fleur as her little sister Gabrielle ran up and hugged her, followed more sedately by her parents.
"Come on, Gabby, Fleur needs to prepare for the Task." Ron said in French to the little girl.
Taking her by the hand, Ron led Gabrielle off to the stands, followed by Fleur's parents after her Father had hugged her and her Mother had kissed her. Fleur was relieved and glad that Ron had gotten on well with both Pierre and Apolline Delacour, as she had serious feeling for the Sergeant, and even a plan. But that was for later, now it was time to get her head into the Tournament. The three Champions lined up in front of their respective entrances to the Maze. Fleur and Cedric would enter at the same time with Victor entering thirty seconds behind them.
Off to the side of the entrances to the maze, in full view of everyone in the stands, was a big screen, which was split into quarters. Three of the images were of the entrances to the Maze from the shoulder mounted cameras the Champions wore, identified with the respective Champion's name at the bottom of the image. The fourth screen had the image of Ludo Bagman and Lee Jordan sitting at a table to commentate the Task.
Just turning her head, so her camera did not move, Fleur looked over at her family. Ron was sitting between her parents with little Gabby sitting on his lap. Fleur's heart sored at that and it dawned on her that Ron was now as much part of her mental image of her family as the other three.
The cannon sounded prompting both Fleur and Cedric to make their way into their respective entrances to the Maze to the massive cheers of the crowd. As soon as Fleur passed through the entrance, the hedge of the Maze closed behind her. Despite the clear sky and the sun high overhead, as soon as the Maze hedge closed, everything became… darker. With her Wand in hand and Ron's confidence in her on her mind, Fleur walked forward.
TBC…