Chapter 6: The three champions

"Harry what's wrong? You look like you didn't sleep a wink." Hermione asked the next morning at breakfast.

"Nothing, just a bad dream." Harry replied.

"Do you want to tell us about it?" Harry told Ron and Hermione about the dream he had the previous night.

"You should talk to Sirius- I mean Georgio about this." Harry forked another piece of bacon into his mouth and thought about the dream. His thoughts were interrupted by the post. Hedwig landed next to his pumpkin juice with a note clamped in her mouth.

Harry gave her a bit of his bacon and she flew off to the owlery. Harry tore open the first letter. It was the timetable.

"We've got Defence against the dark arts with the Slytherins first up." Harry said reading the timetable.

"Sure Harry. Come on we need to get to class." The trio got up and walked up to the Defence against the dark arts room.

"There are three unforgivable curses. Who can give me the names of one of them?" Mad-eye-Moody asked the class. Five people raised their hands, including Ron. Moody's magical eye landed on Ron.

"You! Waesley!" he barked.

"Um well my Dad told me about the Imperius curse." Ron said.

"Ah yes the Imperius curse. Let me demonstrate. Imperio." Moody pointed his wand at Ron. Ron's eyes glazed over.

"Jump on the desk and do the chicken dance." Moody commanded. To the class's amusement Ron did just that.

"Imperiuso." Moody muttered and Ron returned to normal totally bewildered as to why the class was laughing.

"Many witches and wizards said they had only done Voldemort's bidding under the influence of the Imperious curse. Gave the ministry quite some time to sort out the liars. Now who can name the next curse?"

More people raised their hands.

"Longbottom?"

"The C-C-Cruciatus curse." Neville stammered.

"Ah yes. The torture curse." He said as he pulled out a large Tarantula from a glass jar.

"Engorgio." The tarantula swelled to twice its size.

"Crucio." The spider immediately started shivering and writhing around, its legs flailing. Ron paled next to Harry and Hermione winced next to him. Harry squeezed her hand under the table reassuringly. Her face remained the same.

Then Harry realised what she was looking at. Neville watched the spider,pale and twitching uncontrollably.

"Stop it!" Hermione suddenly shouted. Moody instantly stopped the curse.

"You con sit down now Neville. Mmhmm," he nervously cleared his throat, "Can you tell us the third curse Miss Granger?" Hermione tried to speak but couldn't find her voice. She just shook her head, tears streaking down her face.

"Avada kedavra!" The spider fell dead, not even twitching.

"Everyone who has been attacked with Avada kedavra has died. Everyone that is except one. And that person is sitting right in front of me." Moody laid his normal eye on Harry, his magical eye zoomed around the room madly.

"Come on! Why aren't you copying this down!"

"That's totally barbaric! How could he the miserable, old git!

"Calm down Hermione, you're right but you need to calm down." Harry said giving her hand a squeeze

"I know. He just makes me so angry! Come on we've got potions next."

Thursday night came quickly at Hogwarts. The great hall was teaming with excitement.

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at the back of the great hall. The goblet of fire stood at the front, emitting blue flames. Dumbledore walked up.

"Hello again all. Now the time has finally come. The time to choose our champions!" Dumbledore placed his hands on the Goblet. The flame turned a deep red and a flapping piece of parchment floated down into Dumbledore's waiting hands.

"The Beauxbatons champion is Fleur Delacour!" A beautiful blonde girl stood up and, after receiving many hugs from her fellow students walked down into the champions chamber with Madame Maxime.

The goblet of fire glowed red again and another piece of parchment fluttered down, and was caught successfully by Dumbledore.

"The Durmstrang champion is Victor Krum!" The Durmstrang boys all cheered and patted Krum on the back as he went to join Fleur in the Champion room.

For the third time the goblet of fire glowed red and spat out another piece of parchment.

"The Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!" Whoops and clapping came from the Hogwarts students.

"And now we have our three champions. We wish them luck as they go off to-" Dumbledore stopped when he saw the amazed faces looking past him. He turned to see the goblet spurting out streams of fire in a jerky pattern. It gave out one last blast and sent a piece of paper flapping down.

Dumbledore read it and his eye grew wide.

"Harry Potter." Everyone in the Hall gasped. Harry stayed frozen to his seat.

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore shouted again.

"Harry just go."

"I didn't do it I-"

"I know just go!" Hermione said forcefully. Harry stumbled up to the front of the Hall as if in a dream. Every pair of eyes followed him, looking confused. That is, every pair except one. Ronald Weasley looked at him with pure rage, generated by waves of jealousy.

Dumbledore's eyes pierced Harry as he walked past. What's going on, how could this happen? He looked over at Sirius and even he had a look of utter disbelief plastered on his face.

Harry continued into the champions room to meet a bewildered Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum, and Cedric Diggory.

"What's going on Harry?" Cedric asked. Harry simply stood still and didn't make a sound. Dumbledore and a crowd of angry wizards ran into the room.

"Harry! Did you put your name in the goblet?" Dumbledore questioned.

"No sir."

"Did anyone else do it for you?"

"No sir. I would never-"

"Well of course 'e is lying." Madame Maxime burst out.

"I'll leave this up to you Barty." Dumbledore said. They all turned to Mr Crouch.

"The boy has no choice. He was chosen by the goblet of fire. He must compete."

"But this is Madness the boy will be squashed to a pulp!" Mcgonagall retorted.

"I know Minerva but we can't do anything. The Goblet holds a binding magical contract. As I said we have no choice." Barty continued in the same, dragging tone.

"Yes. I suggest we just let the events unfold to their own accord. Don't you agree?" Snape drawled.

Now I definitely know he wants to kill me. Harry thought.

" Yes I agree with Severus." Dumbledore said. "I think we should all sleep on it and feel much better in the morning. Barty, would you like to come up for a spot of tea?"

"Oh. Alright." Mr Crouch replied.

"Champions the first task will be three weeks from now. Good luck." The room began to empty itself. Fleur ignored Harry completely, Krum knocked him on the shoulder as he went past and Cedric just shrugged and walked off. Soon only Harry and Sirius were left.

"Sirius I didn't-"

"I know, I know. Now all we have to do is concentrate in not letting you get killed. Off to bed now, I need to think."

After what seemed like an eternity Harry reached the common room to find it empty, except for Hermione and a few first years.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I've got to compete."

"I was expecting that."

"Where is everyone?"

"They've all gone to bed."

"Oh that's good. I don't exactly feel like being accused anymore," he said sinking into the sofa next to Hermione, "Even Sirius doesn't really believe me."

"You know I believe you, and I'm here to support you all the way."

"Thanks. I wouldn't be surprised if you were the only one. I think I need to go to bed. I need to think things over." He got up and kissed Hermione's forhead.

"See you in the morning." Harry climbed the marble staircase into the boy's dormitory to find Ron staring at him, with a look of disappointment on his face.

"What's up with you?"

"How did you do it?"

"How did I do what?"

"Never mind. You might've let your best friend on it though."

"I don't want this I would give anything to not have to do it."

"All you want is more attention. Everything I want is taken away by you."

"What are you talking about?" Harry said hotly.

"FIRST YOU GET HERMIONE, THE GIRL I LOVE, THEN YOU GO ALONG AND SNATCH AWAY THE TRIWIZARD CUP, AND THIRDLY-"

WHAM. Harry's fist collided with Ron's jaw, sending him to the ground.

"You don't love Hermione. You only want what you can't have and you can't have Hermione." Harry spat coolly, before hopping into his four poster bed and drawing the curtains shut.

Harry and Ron didn't speak to each other all through breakfast.

"What's up between you and Ron?" Hermione finally asked.

"I punched him."

"Harry! Why?"

"He said he loved you." Hermione dropped her fork.

"Bastard." she said.

"Hermione everyone's looking at me do you think we could head off to class?"

"Yeah sure Harry." They got up and walked to Herbology together.

Once they were out in the grounds Harry relaxed a little. He held her hand and led her to behind a tree.

"Harry where are we going? This isn't the way to Herbology class."

"I know I just want to tell you something. Besides, we're early. Hermione I know I haven't been myself these past couple of days and I just want to say I'm sorry."

"No Harry it's alright I understand."

"Ok. I just need to know that I need you. And that I really appreciate your support."

"You have my support one hundred percent." She wrapped her hand around his neck and brought her lips towards his. She kissed him and he kissed back. When they finally broke the kiss Harry was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Now we are going to be late."

And there you go my sixth chappie Yay! Please review as it inspires me to write more and I really like answering th em if I can.

XOXO Laura )