Chapter 9 A Champion too far
Hogwarts Great Hall
Harry was having lunch in the great hall thinking about how the last month had flown by between him dodging Dumbledore, the anticipation for the tournament, and the tryouts for the dueling spots. Turns out dodging Dumbledore was a lot easier than he thought it would be. According to the Marauders map he always seemed to be on the opposite side of the castle. He couldn't figure how that was since normally Dumbledore just usually appeared wherever he was. He figured it had something to do with the other him. As for the dueling spot he managed to secure himself a spot while not giving away his actual ability by keeping his spell usage to five different spells: the disarmer, the stunner, a shield, a switching spell, and a wind spell that for the life of him couldn't figure out how he knew it.
His classes were going well also although Alastor Moody seemed off. He couldn't put a finger on why but something about the man was bothering him. He wasn't sure if it was due to the magical eye that seemed to have no limits as to what it could see through or just Moody's overall demeanor, but something always nagged at him when he was in Moody's presence.
It may have also been his nerves since October thirty first was tomorrow and bad things always happened to him on that day. He was hoping that maybe it would skip a year after the world cup fiasco but it was doubtful though he had high hopes. The other schools were due to arrive tonight and he was determined to disappear before a professor saw him not doing something and forced him to help tidy up and decorate the castle for the guests.
He finished eating and quickly made his way out of the great hall. He side-stepped out of the main hallway and into an alcove where he pulled his invisibility cloak out of his pocket. Throwing the cloak over himself he made his way back to the RoR to get some more practice in. Knowing that whatever was in store for him was not going to be an easy task.
Evening Hogwarts
Harry was making his way out onto the front lawn with the rest of the filed haphazardly across the lawn in front of the school, no one really knowing where to stand or what to expect. As he made his way to stand with the rest of his house he tried not to think about the migraine that he had forming behind his eyes, or how they were becoming more and more frequent. He was at a loss because headache potions were ineffective and nothing he did seemed to prevent or lessen the effects of his migraines.
When he finally was able to make his way to the rest of his house he stopped and took a spot standing next to Hermione who immediately noticed him rubbing his temples.
"Another migraine?" Hermione asked with concern.
At least she had finally stopped asking about the bandages. He had continued wearing the bandages on his arms to cover his tattoo. Not really wanting to have to explain them to her either.
"Yeah. Potions are not working anymore and they are beginning to drive me up a wall. I don't know what is causing them or I would fix it."
Hermione had to bite her tongue as she was about to ask that very question. Before she could say anything else on the subject another student shouted out above the noise den of students,
"Look at the lake!"
She looked over at the lake and saw that it looked like it was boiling. She turned to say something to Harry but saw him staring at something else in the distance. His eyes suddenly got wide and he pulled a keychain from his pocket, pulled something off one of the rings and watched as it expanded into a broom. He mounted the broom and went roaring away. Whatever broom that was, she knew it wasn't his firebolt as it didn't roar when he flew it nor was it that fast.
Harry had seen spell fire off in the distance and acted without thinking…again. He heard teachers and Prefects yelling at him but he ignored them. He had maybe five minutes to come up with a plan.
Arriving at the super sized carriage he jumped off his broom skidding across the top of the carriage where the luggage rack would normally be. Knowing his broom would reappear on his keychain he let it fall over the side and down the two hundred feet to the ground. He couldn't remember how he knew his broom would reappear on the keychain but he just did. With a throb of his migraine he left any thoughts on the matter alone for now. He pulled off a set of five daggers from the keyring as he tried to focus on the matter at hand.
His plan was to simply plant the four daggers in the roof one at each corner and then plant the fifth one inside the carriage then activate the translocation spell. He quickly started putting his plan in action.
He had just finished planting the fourth dagger when his instincts kicked in and told him to turn left. He barely dodged a blast from a white colored spell. All things considered he was impressed that he made it that far unharassed since there was an onslaught of people in masks sending spells at the carriage he stood upon. Thankfully whatever warding there was protected the Hagrid size horses from the spell fire, however they had been steered way off course. If they had managed to kill one of the horses he had no doubt that the carriage would be nothing more than a crater in the Scottish countryside.
Another spell brought his attention back to the onslaught of masked people and more importantly to the masked person that had dismounted a broom across from him. The person began leveling their wand towards him and he felt a pop in his head as the migraine finally gave way. He drew his wand and shrugged off his cloak as it would only get in his way. He took his stance body low to make him a smaller target, legs wide apart for stability, off hand low and out front for balance, his wand arm back and pointed away at shoulder height ready for offense or defense. The stance was the Sleeping Dragon and was devastating in combat.
With a muttered breath Harry spoke.
"Dobby, get the courtyard cleared and inform Pomfrey to be ready to receive injured."
His masked opponent sent a spell his way and the fight was on. With a spin he dodge the spell and wiped his wand around sending a fiery arching line out. This wand always made his spells appear as streams of fire though they didn't cause any burns; and if he ever had to cast a fire spell well it took on a whole new meaning to napalm.
His opponent dodged not knowing what the spell was before trying to retaliate only to be put on the defensive by a wall of fireballs coming towards them. They went to dodge only to stumble when an explosion rocked the carriage causing them to be hit by the wall.
His opponent fell only to be popped away by what he could only assume was an emergency portkey. The spells that missed hit people in the onslaught of masks causing them to fall from their brooms and portkeying themselves somewhere else.
He was happily dancing through the spell fire raining down on him and retaliating when he could when a scream broke him out of his battle trance. Grabbing the railing as he flung himself over the side of the carriage. Using his momentum he went crashing through a window and into a massive common room that could not have fit in a carriage unless magic was involved.
"I guess it's true what they say. It's bigger on the inside." Harry chuckled.
The comment had the effect of getting the attention of a silver masked person who fired a spell at Harry before he could properly get his bearings. He sent a retaliation spell back that slammed into the masked person sending them out the hole that looked to once have been a door. He then felt the sting of a hostile spell pierce his right lung.
"Shit."
He was now on a timer before his lungs collapsed. He pulled the last dagger out and buried it into the floor as he fell to a knee. With his vision darkening he spits a wad of blood out and says the activation phrase.
"Make way for the King"
The daggers began to glow blue before a loud crack was heard and the carriage rattled and came to halt. He began to fade from consciousness and wobbled on his knees when a frail old man with shoulder length silver hair, large bushy eyebrows that hid his eyes, and a distinguished mustache and goatee that ended just past his collar came into his vision. The man greeted Harry with a mischievous grin.
Harry managed to put on his signature lopsided grin in response before finally passing out.
Madam Pomfrey came rushing into the carriage seeing an extremely tall older woman unconscious on the floor, a slender teenage girl with silvery blond hair twitching near by, and of course her number one patient Harry Potter being checked over by a frail old man that appeared mere moments after the house elf told her to get ready for the injured. He walked out of the floo in the hospital wing without a word and proceeded to the front lawn as if waiting.
"Madam, if you could revive the headmistress and start working on the Veela who is suffering from cruciatus exposure. I'll be taking care of as I am his family healer and am under contract not to reveal any family secrets." The old man said with a look that left no room for argument.
She wanted to argue but knew that it would do her no good so she swiftly got to work on the other two.
As she finished her last diagnostic spell a miniature version of her patient came rocketing down the hallway and hugging what she could only assume was her sister as she cried. Speaking to the twitching girl in French.
"Mademoiselle, your sister needs to go to the hospital wing to be treated. You are welcome to come with us." Madam Pomfrey said softly to the young witch.
"Oui." Was the girl's only response.
The headmistress was beginning to stir with a groan. She began sitting up and looking around. She saw a school healer levitating Fluer out of a hole that was once a door. One of her other older students was filling her in on what had happened after she had locked down the carriage and was knocked out by the blast. She was not happy to hear about her student being tortured, but she was grateful for the young wizard who had risked his life for her students. She would have to thank him once he was conscious and healed, until then she had to focus on tending to her students.
Medical wing Hogwarts
Madam Pomfrey walked into the hospital wing levitating her patient to the closest bed as the frail old man stepped out from behind a screened off bed. She glanced over at him as she tried to make her newest patient comfortable and summoned a chair for the young witch she knew would be coming.
"What did your diagnosis spell tell you?" The old man asked with a French accent as he approached Madam Pomfrey.
"She is suffering from cruciatus exposure just as you said but unfortunately I do not know how to properly treat a Veela. I was not informed that one let alone two were going to be present so I don't even have potions prepared that are going to work properly." Pomfrey said exasperated.
"I will tend to her then madam as I have treated plenty in my time."
"I don't even know who you are." Pomfrey says as she slightly steps between him and the young Veela.
"I am a family doctor who is sworn to keep family secrets from non-family members." He responded matter of factly as he sidestepped Madam Pomfrey and approached the still twitching girl. He then began waving his wand in interkit patterns causing her to occasionally glow different colors. When he was done with that he fed her a dark blue potion with red swirls in it.
After feeding her the potion a silver blond torpedo rushed past the matron and to the girl on the bed. Before going into rapid French that left the matron well outside her ability to follow.
"Is she going to be okay? When will she wake up?"
"Breath little one she will be right as rain by morning and be able to leave after breakfast." The old man said with a kind smile.
"Thank you."
"Think nothing of it."
Old man approached the matron before speaking again.
"She will be able to leave after breakfast tomorrow but I'd like to monitor her to make sure there are no major after effects. Mr. Potter on the other hand will be here until at least dinner. I will set myself up on a spare bed so that I can tend to them through the night."
All Madam Pomfrey could do was nod her head in agreement. She had told Dumbledore that she would need more help with the tournament going on but he declined saying she was more than capable. Her French was rusty at best and her German was non-existent. She dug deep for some Gryffindor courage and approached the old man.
"With you being a Potter family doctor would you be willing to help out with the medical ward for the duration of the tournament if I set you up with a room and board? Since Mr. Potter seems to be a frequent flier here; it will save you from having to take multiple trips. Unfortunately I won't be able to pay as the Headmaster has refused any additional aid."
He seemed to ponder her proposal for a bit before he nodded and responded "I see that as being agreeable terms."
At that same time he finished agreeing to her proposal the hospital wing doors opened and none-other than Albus Dumbledore came striding in wearing his brightly-colored robes.
"Ah Poppy, what is the condition of young Harry?" Dumbledore asked with his grandfatherly smile and twinkle in his eye.
Before she could answer the old man spoke up.
"I am Nicolas Andry, Mr. Potter's family doctor and the only thing I can tell you is that he will be released by the end of dinner tomorrow."
"I'm Harry's magical guardian, you can tell me." Dumbledore said with a look that said I know better than you.
"According to my contact verified by the goblins you are not his guardian in any way shape or form. Therefore I will not be discussing my patient with you and Madam Pomfrey will be given what information she needs to do her job. Now leave, my patients need their rest and you are disturbing them." With a snap of his fingers Dumbledore was ejected from the hospital wing.
Madam Pomfrey could only stand there gaping.
"H-h-how?"
"By our verbal agreement I am now employed here. Meaning I have access to hospital wing wards. Since he was interfering with my patients health and wellbeing I had him removed. Even the Headmaster can not interfere in a healer's work."
Madam Pomfrey once again could only nod as she proceeded to show Mr. Andry where he could stay.
Headmasters Office
Dumbledore was furious at how he could be kicked out of the hospital wing. He was the Headmaster and this was his school and to be kicked out by some no name healer. Didn't he know who he was? He was Albus Dumbledore, defeater of Grindelwald.
He moved to check his chess board only to see two new additions to the red pieces. The first one was a skiff and the other looked like a grim reaper. He had no clue who put them there nor how they even knew of the board's existence. He had kept it under a Fidelius charm. The only thing he could think of was there was a new power at play. Who or what was a mystery to him.
Upon further inspection of the board he noticed one of the black knights had moved. The black king that represented Voldemort once was nothing more than a broken piece that had now slowly begun rebuilding itself. Something was happening and he had to wait and see.
Breakfast Hospital wing
"You are not going anywhere until you finish your breakfast Ms. Delacour. I will do my best to answer any questions you have in the meantime as long as you're eating." Andry said in a no nonsense tone
She took a bite of food chewed and swallowed before asking her first question.
"What happened to the boy my sister said saved me?" Fluer asked before taking another bite.
" is alive. It was a near thing but he will pull through."
"May I see him? I wish to thank him for saving me"
"At this time I have to say no. He is not in any condition to receive guests. I have had to run off two of his friends already. If you want to do it in person then he should be released by dinner otherwise I can pass the message on."
"No, I wish to do it myself. It is the least I can do."
It continued like that, her asking questions in-between bites of food and him answering until she finished her food.
"You are clear to go Ms. Delacour if you have any more problems please do not hesitate to come back."
"Yes sir and thank you."
As she left she ran into a bushy haired girl and a redheaded boy with freckles.
"Do you know if Harry is okay? They haven't told us anything." The bushy haired girl asked.
"All I know is 'e will live. They did not tell me more" Fluer said with a sad smile.
"Thank you." The girl said gloomy.
Fleur left them standing there outside the hospital doors as she rushed off to put her name into the goblet for the tournament. As she walked she found her thoughts on the boy who saved her life. With a sigh she realized she now owes two different life debts. As if one wasn't bad enough.
Great Hall dinner
Dumbledore stood at his podium, candles were out, the only lights were from the jack-o-lanterns and the Goblet of Fire causing an eerie atmosphere.
"In a few moments the goblet will make its selection. If your name is called there is no going back. You will be required to compete to the best of your ability; anything less could see you paying a steep price. If your name is called you will walk down the aisle and step into the ante-chamber for further instructions. To those who don't know them, this is Mr. Barry Crouch Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation and Ludovick Bagman Head of the Division for Magical Games and Sports. The two of them have been working tirelessly to get everything ready for the tournament. Ahh Now it appears the goblet may be ready for its selection."
The blue flames of the goblet turned red and shot up several feet spewing a slip of burnt parchment.
"Durmstrang champion is Victor Krum."
Loud cheers came from the Slytherin table as said champion stood and made his way to the side door.
A moment later the goblet spewed another slip of parchment.
"Champion of Beauxbatons is Fluer Delacour."
Cheers could be heard from the males in the hall while the females politely clapped. The students of Beauxbatons look disappointed except for one little girl who was cheering her head off.
Once again the goblet spewed another piece of parchment out.
"And the champion of Hogwarts is our very own Cedric Diggory."
The Hufflepuff table exploded in cheering as they banged their goblets on the table and patted Diggory on the back in congratulations.
As Diggory disappeared behind Fluer into the antichamber Dumbledore began speaking again.
"Remember to support your champion in the upcoming tor…
He was cut off as the goblet once again turned red and spewed one last name. Dumbledore swiftly caught it like he had done three times before. He appeared to read it a few times before saying it outloud. When he did it first came out as a whisper before he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
"HARRY POTTER."
The doors of the great hall opened and a voice could be heard shouting.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
A silvery stag came bursting into the great hall and stopped in front of Dumbledore before it spoke for all to hear.
"I warned you this would happen."
