Chapter 2: Return Of A Demigod

Previously: "Harry is the son of the messenger god, Hermes."

Everyone grew silent at Dumbledore's declaration. A few moments later, the room explodes. Everyone bent on denying the headmaster's pronouncement.

But none more admanant then Crouch himself.

"What are you babbling about Dumbledore? The son of Hermes? Preposterous!" Crouch said derisively. "Mr. Potter is a wizard just like everyone else here even if he himself does not know it yet and as such, is subject to the rules of the tournament."

"A wizard who hasn't been living in our society for more then a decade." McGonagall reminded him.

"And whose fault is that? Believe me when I say that we will be getting to the bottom of that." Crouch shot back. "That won't matter because he will STILL compete."

"Then I suppose it would be a stretch for you to believe that I myself am a child of Hecate herself?" Dumbledore asks dryly.

"You truly are growing senile, Dumbledore. Of course I do not believe you." Crouch sneered. "Let me make myself perfectly clear. The gods of Olympus... DO... NOT... EXIST!"

Just as Crouch says this, howling winds started gathering black clouds high above the castle and lightning flashes angrily across the darkened skies. At the same time, the earth rumbles loudly and cracks open beneath them and the Black Lake that surrounded the castle started furiously churning. The girl with Madame Maxine screams in fear at what she was witnessing while the others were looking around in panic.

"Wow! Way to go pissing off the Big Three of the Pantheon dumbass!" Harry said lightly, the only one apart from Dumbledore who looked utterly unconcerned at the near apocalyptic phenomenon going on just outside the castle walls. "I think this is the first time in a long, long while that Zeus, Poseidon and Hades got along for something."

"Merlin help us." Bagman whimpered in fear.

Crouch grabs Harry by both shoulders and demands. "How are you doing this boy? HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

"Alright. First off, I'm not the one doing this. Its those three cooperating together." Harry said stonily before looking at Crouch's hand which was still grabbing him by the shoulders. "And secondly, get your goddamned mitts of me before I do something you'll regret."

"A likely story. I KNOW that you and Dumbledore are responsible for this hoax. Cease this at once!" Crouch orders.

Harry glances incredilously at Dumbledore mouthing hoax and gets a shrug in response. He sighs in resignation and says. "Don't say I didn't warn you asshole." He said before locking both of Crouch's arms with his own, pivots and slams him to the ground with a neat judo throw.

Crouch had a look of shock as he layed on the ground looking up at the expressionless face of the Boy-Who-Lived. How dare he! He was an official of the Ministry Of Magic. How dare he throw him around like a bag of garbage. He will not stand for this.

Scrambling clumsily back to his feet, Crouch draws his wand and aims at Harry, fully intending to hex him.

But nothing happens.

Crouch tries again but still nothing happens.

"W-What? What is this?" Crouch stammers, looking at his wand in shock. "Why can't I use my magic?"

"Oh dear. It would seem like Zeus, Poseidon and Hades are not the only ones you've upset Barty." Dumbledore mused. "I don't think mother liked what you said either."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME DUMBLEDORE? RETURN MY MAGIC THIS INSTANCE!" Crouch screams.

"I'm afraid that it is not mine to return Barty." Dumbledore said, all humor gone from his grandfatherly features as he watches Crouch sink to his knees in despair. "You've incurred the wrath of the Pantheon with what you've said and are now paying the price for it. I'd like to say that I sympathize with your plight but you DID insult members of my family so I'd be lying if I did."

The Headmaster then turns to Harry. "Harry? If you would be so kind? I believe that Mr. Crouch's punishment is sufficient so there is no need to destroy Hogwarts to prove their point." He instructs his nephew, shocking everyone present at his rather cavelier attitude about the whole situation.

Harry nods and walks over to the nearest window and sticks his head out for a few moments before sticking it back in and shutting it. Outside the castle, the black cloud dissipates, the rumbling of the earth vanishes with the cracks and the Black Lake calms.

Its as if nothing ever happened.

"It all stopped." The female champion from Beauxbatons mutters in wonder before looking at Harry with a healthy flush on her pretty features.

"W... What is he?" Kakaroff whispers fearfully. If this was the power that the Dark Lord was to face, he had NO wish to be anywhere near them when they finally confronted and battled each other.

"S-So its true?" Bagman whispers fearfully.

Snape was having difficulty reconciling with the fact that his hated enemy, James Potter was actually a god of Olympus. But thinking back, it all made sense to him. How else could he have gotten away with all the things that he did.

And now, his spawn was competing as the fourth champion in the tournament and attacking him even indirectly seemed like less and less of a good idea if he had to go by what happened to Crouch.

"Ok. Now that we've established that I WON'T lose my magic if I don't compete, I think its time I get back to the camp." Harry said. "We were in the middle of a game of Capture The Flag and I'm NOT letting the Ares cabin get the win now."

"You still have to compete."

Harry turned to Crouch who was still on his knees. "What was that?" He asks dispassionately.

"I said you still have to compete." Crouch said, sounding absolutely devastated. "Your magic may not be taken away but your non participation will put the other champions at risk."

Harry's temper flares at this. He marches over to Crouch and easily lifts him up by the lapels of his suit despite being bigger then the boy. "Explain. And for your sake, it better be a damned good one." He growls.

"If one champion does not compete, the inherent magic of the Goblet will take away the participant's magic as per the magical contract." Crouch explains. "But seeing as the Goblet is such a powerful artifact, the magic of one individual may not be enough and it may take more from the other champions. And since as you are not affected by the contract..."

"It'll take it's prescribed toll off of the other champions instead. Just WONDERFUL. WHAT THE FUCK KINDA" TOURNAMENT ARE YOU ASSHOLES RUNNING HERE ANYWAYS?!" Harry finished angrily, at which Crouch feels himself being tossed back onto the ground in disgust. Harry then stomps away to try and regain some semblance of control to himself.

"T-That's insane." Cedric Diggory who had been a silent spectator all this time made his feelings known. His head of house stood nearby with a hand over her mouth in distress.

"Merde..." The french champion whispers.

"This is outrageous!" The Durmstrang headmaster bellows. "We were never informed of this!" His ward Victor Krum who had also been a silent competitor also looked dangerously upset at Crouch's revelation.

"Neither were we." A paling McGonagall stated before she turned her gaze at Dumbledore whose normally twinkly blue eyes were now chips of ice behind his glasses as he stares at Crouch.

"Which begs the question Barty. When were you going to inform us about this?" Dumbledore asks almost too calmly.

"We never expected anyone refusing to compete. Being a Champion in the Tri-Wizard Tournament has always been an honor!" Crouch defended himself.

"Not at ze cost of our ward's magic!" Madame Maxine stated angrily, looking like she wanted to rip the poor man in two with her bare hands. "Dumblydor! You have to do something!"

"My sincerest apologies Madame Maxine but Hogwarts was only tasked with hosting the event." Dumbledore said regretfully, never taking his eyes off Crouch. "Had I known about this beforehand, I would have NEVER allowed them to revive the tournament in my capacity as Chief Warlock."

"Dumbledore is not to blame here. Its whoever put my name in that damned goblet in the first place." Harry's voice cuts in. Everyone looks over to where the boy was standing as he stared out the window. "As I've said, this is all a blasted setup to get me here and I'm going to find out who did it and kick his ass. If that means competing in this farce, then so be it."

"Harry..." Dumbledore starts but Harry interrupts.

"No Uncle Albus. We all have an idea who the culprit is and I'm done hiding. And I can't risk the safety of the other champions by my non participation." Harry said before his expression softens. "You and the others did your part and I'm grateful for it. Now let me do mine and end this before things escalate."

Dumbledore couldn't help but feel proud of his nephew. But at the same time, he STILL feared for his safety. After all, the Dark Lord and his forces were no laughing matter even with all the preparation Harry has had.

But Dumbledore resolved to do everything in his considerable power to assist him in his endeavor, the rules be damned. He was family after all and family always stood by each other no matter what.

...

After going to his uncle's office and asking for his Phoenix familiar Fawkes's assistance in delivering a letter to Chiron, McGonagall leads Harry towards one of the guest rooms in the castle. Before he enters the room though, the stern Deputy Headmistress touches his shoulder to get his attention.

"It took a lot of courage to do what you did back there and know that your parents would have been very proud of you Harry." McGonagall said with a rare smile.

"Don't be Aunt Minnie. It was the right thing to do so I shouldn't get any accolades for it." Harry stated.

"They STILL would have been proud of you nonetheless. As are me and Albus." McGonagall stated before adding mischievously. "On the other hand, your mother would have tanned your hide for developing such a vulgar vocabulary."

Harry had to crack a grin at this. "That's probably true too. Blame TV and movies for it. Good night then Aunt Minnie. See you tomorrow." He said entering the room.

"Good night Harry." McGonagall said as she walks away.

Setting aside his armor and weapons, Harry lies down on the lone bed in the modestly furnished bedroom and wonders exactly what sort of events he was supposed to compete in during the tournament. He wasn't that worried if it were a physical task as he knew he was fit enough to tackle any challenge. It was the magical aspect which concerned him.

As he was mulling over his options, Fawkes flames in carrying what seemed to be his backpack from the camp.

"Have a good trip Fawkes?" Harry greets as he retrieves his bag from the phoenix who thrills a reply.

"Good to know Chiron is on top of things. Thanks for bringing me my stuff." Harry said. The Phoenix thrills its response and flames away, leaving Harry to rummage around his backpack.

"Good. It looks like all my stuff is here and... What the fuck?" Tucked in his bag together with his personal belongings is a scroll which Harry recognized as the kind which contained a quest of some sort.

But that couldn't be right could it? There was supposed to be a prophecy involved when undergoing a quest. And the only prophecy he knew of was...

His hand shook as he opened the scroll and understood why it was delivered to him.

In the trials of the champions called

You shall encounter evil's completed soul

For when the Dark Lord rises from the boneyard's toll

One shall stand and one shall fall

Voldemort was returning and one way or another, one of them was going to die.

Author's Notes: Chapter two of the new fic for you. Go do what you gotta do guys :)