I do not Harry Potter.
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Albus Dumbledore eyes stopped twinkling momentarily.
He didn't like being called insane by a man, he thought was just stepping in, for the real Durmstrang Headmaster.
What right did this small fry have, to call him insane?
"Please, just pass on the message" Albus Dumbledore soft tone was a little bit hard at the end.
"Oh, I will" The man said, "And what if the Headmaster decides not to involve the school in the tournament?" Shocking him.
But Albus was ready for such a low possibility.
He made sure to get all the holes in his plan, covered up and said. "If, on a small chance that the Headmaster doesn't agree to it, it's already too late. The school is bound by a magical contract"
The man was stunned as he said. "What?"
Albus pulled out a super old looking scroll that he spent weeks trying to find. "The former Headmaster of Durmstrang in the 17th century signed a contract that had a clause that stated, that in case the Tri-wizard tournament is held and one of three top schools dosen't want to compete, the other two schools have to sign off on it or the school will force to compete or lose their magic."
"What!?" The man said, wasn't the Tournament invited as a friendly game between schools so why was there such a clause!?
But then he remembered how unfriendly the game actually was and how something so twisted was thought to be first harmless until results showed otherwise.
"Are you saying, that even if Durmstrang doesn't compete, we will lose our magic?" The man said, before saying. "I wasn't aware that a man such as yourself would activate a clause that is basically slavery"
Albus looked horrified as he said. "It's not slavery. I'm sure that there won't be any problems if the Headmaster, thinks of the students and agrees to having this unique experience."
Angus McGillivary, couldn't help but notice, Albus Dumbledore made no mention of calling the other Headmaster so that they can both agree that Dumstrang will not compete, getting them out of the contract, easily.
And that meant only one thing.
This man actually wanted them to compete!
Albus Dumbledore actually wanted them to offer one of their students to be on the chopping block, when they didn't have to be.
The question was who did Albus want on the chopping block? And how much can this man get away with because of this Contract.
"I hope the headmaster, will make the right choice" Albus said, with twinkling eyes before ending the call.
Tonight, he would celebrate his first victory in a long time.
Little did he know, he was now on the Scandinavia Ministry watch list.
Ch 25: Panic at Durmstrang Institue.
Things were normal when the students came back for the half term and class continued as normal.
The Headmaster, had immediately informed the Ministry of the Magic, concerning the contract that Albus Dumbledore had apparently found.
To his horror, the Ministry found another copy of the contract in the previous Durmstrang files.
The reason why nobody was alerted to this binding contract, was because nobody had thought a mad man who sat on the throne of a Headmaster, would actually use it.
After all, who would want to start up a Tournament that had never had a winner ever since it was created and every participant who joined in died?
The Contract stated, that even if they didn't want to, they still had to compete and fulfil certain conditions which the Ministry were racking their brain over, on how to tip toe around.
Albus Dumbledore, for activating such a contract was put on their watch list and the Ministry was determined to do everything they could, to see that the students were the furthest thing away from this man.
The parents of the students weren't contacted until the weeks leading up the Summer holidays and as expected there was a huge uproar, every major paper that had been given permission, described in graphic detail how the Headmaster of Hogwarts was forcing their children, to risk their lives in a deadly competition just for a chunk of metal, honour and a little bit of cash.
An event that would hit Hogwarts hard in the coming year.
So, the Headmaster waited into a couple of days before the Summer Holidays, to tell the students everything.
#Dinner#
Harry and the students couldn't help but notice the heavy atmosphere in the room as they came in to have their lunch.
They had just finished coming from Occlumency class together, with a very nice teacher, who was teaching them how to build their mind defences through meditation and books she recommended.
At first the class wasn't that popular but the moment everybody else realised how many wizards in the world could actually control them through their mind's, it exploded in popularity and more than one teacher had to step in to help because of the increasing number of students.
Each staff member, that was usual smiling at the dinner table, were either super tense or had a frown on their face.
What could have happened to cause such an atmosphere?
And couldn't the Ministry fix it?
Harry and the rest of the students, had been enjoying being under a competent Ministry of Magic, and know they weren't no push over.
However, the Staff didn't say anything.
They seemed to want them all to fill their stomachs before dropping the bombshell.
So, dinner was slightly awkward since some of the students had caught the unease in the air.
An hour later, they were all well fed and ready to head back to the room's, when the Headmaster suddenly got up and got everybody attention through a simple light spell.
The man looked grave.
"Can I have everybody attention please?" Angus McGillivary said, speaking in his native tongue as everybody turned to look at him, they all had enough time with the translation spell to know what he was saying."I regret to inform you all, that soon, our school will be venturing to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in England, around the 31st of October, along with another school called 'Beauxbatons Academy of Magic'."
Everybody was filled with surprise.
They were all going to England?
But more importantly, they were going to mix with schools from different parts of the world.
Some of the students celebrated, who didn't want to see their magical counterparts?
But those like Harry who picked up the word 'Regret' was silent.
Didn't that mean, this was a bad thing?
"Headmaster, why are we going to England?" Said a clever six-year, girl, getting everybody attention.
If this was almost a year ago, nobody would have dared voice such a question towards the Headmaster at Dinner.
This just showed how much the school had really changed since then.
"The Headmaster of Hogwarts has proposed that all three school will take part in a Tournament. The Tournament is called 'The Triwizard Tournament'" Angus said, getting gasps from some students while the rest looked confused. "Now, can anybody tell me what the Triwizard Tournament is, for those who don't know what it is?"
Harry saw what the man was doing.
He was trying to get them to think for themselves so that they could understand on a personal level.
Harry felt sweat drip down from his forehead, he suddenly remembered a certain book he had gotten out of the library which he found interesting because it described the barbaric events of the past.
There was a whole chapter dedicated to the Tournament alone.
Did Albus Dumbledore, really bring such a Tournament back to life?
This time a fourth-year boy said, also sweating a bit. "The Triwizard Tournament, was a Tournament that was shut down hundreds of years ago. Because, what was originally meant to be friendly competition between three of the top schools at that time, had become bloody. Those who entered, never finished the Tournament because they had been killed trying to complete the task's"
.
.
.
There was a long pregnant silence, which was only broken by the Headmaster saying.
"That is correct"
The students were in an uproar.
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" One student screamed, he hadn't confessed to his crush yet!
"Please tell me, this is so kind of a Joke" One student who was female said, she was too young and pretty to die!
Even Pan and Pin were sweating, they didn't want to die.
They didn't want to live in a world without each other!
"Surely the Ministry is doing something to stop this?" Harry voice rung out, making them all look at him, since he was one of the very few who hadn't gone completely mad from fear.
Harry had faith in the Ministry and his father.
There was no way, his father would allow this to happen.
"Officially, we have declined the invitation" Angus said, smiling at Harry while the rest signed in relief.
Let those crazy people go and die, don't drag them along with them.
"However, the Headmaster of Hogwarts has found a Magical binding contract and has activated the clause, forcing Durmstrang to compete" Angus said, dropping another bomb shell.
Even the first year's know about how terrible a magically binding contract can be.
"And what if we don't?" One student said, feeling a terrible feeling in his gut.
"We will, all lose our magic" Angus said, shocking the school full of students.
"WHAT!" One fat boy yelled, pretty much summing up everybody's feeling. "So, if we compete we die and if we don't, we lose our magic!"
For a Magic person to lose their magic, was the same as somebody killing a hundred copies of themselves.
Those who were in first years who had only just recently found out they could do Magic were probably the most shaken of all.
So, it was basically compete and die or say no and lose, something that every child dreamed of having!?
Where was their option three!?
"F*UCK THE HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS!" Suddenly one students said, starting a rally of cursing.
"WHY HASN'T THAT MAN BEEN ARRESTED YET!?" Another student said.
At the same time, back in England, Albus Dumbledore felt a chill run down his spine.
Was it cold in here?
"Everybody, please calm down" Angus said, his voice booming through the hall. "The school has contact the Ministry and they've come up with ways to get around the Contract while fulfil the requirements. I can promise you, that none of the students here will be forced to compete in the tournament, unless you put your name in the cup and your guardian yes."
Everybody was silent, as they all looked at each other.
Who here was crazy enough to put their name in a cup that opened up the path to their deaths?
Harry suddenly had a terrible sinking feeling.
He wasn't insane enough to put his name into the cup but who did know, would want to do so?
Was the man so desperate now, that he wanted to kill him?
But what was the point of that, when his father wrath would come down the man's head the moment he died?
Than why did he want him to compete?
Harry know he would have to talk to his father tonight.
He didn't want to compete in a bloody Tournament.
He wanted to live!
"Now, your parents have been informed" Angus said, not really surprising really. "And we advise you all to read up on what the Tournament is and the laws surrounding it, this Summer. "
He had only had one call with the man, and he already know that Albus Dumbledore would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, he wouldn't put it past the man to make up the rules as he want along.
Wasn't it better for all them to be notified on what he can and can't do so that the Head Master couldn't use their ignorance against them?
After that, the atmosphere at Durmstrang could only be described as mellow, there was no buzz of excitement for the Summer holidays, because everybody was nervous.
Even though they were assured that nobody would compete, they couldn't help but be nervous.
Eventually their parents came to get them and those who didn't, made their way home themselves.
"Harry, I promise you. You will never compete in that Tournament" His father said at the Port. "I will not allow it."
He only realise now how foolish he was in thinking, he could change fate so easily.
And scene!
Next chapter, it Halloween and Hogwarts opens its doors to two foreign schools. Harry's appearance catch's a lot of eyes and not just the Potter's. Albus Dumbledore victory is short lived when it becomes clear Durmstrang is determined to distance themselves from the Tournament. Review/fav and follow!