Harry Potter and the Champions Closer Ties

by Michael in Arizona

In fourth year, when Ron PROVES to be a disloyal fair weather friend who doesn't deserve Harry's friendship by not standing by Harry 1000% after Harry's name comes out of the Goblet of Fire, a more mature Harry has enough maturity to have the backbone to NOT forgive him or accept him back. Harry then builds stonger friendships as well as closer ties with the other champions.

9. Letters from Sirius and Remus

On Friday, December 23rd, 1994, at 11:45 P.M. Harry was in his room at Diggory Manor when Hedwig swooped in and dropped two letters into his lap before flying into her cage.

Harry had written to Sirius and Remus about the champions' discovery of what the Second Task was intended to be and their stance against it as well as how they are all spending Christmas Vacation together at Diggory Manor.

Harry unfurled Sirius's letter first It read:

Dear Harry:

I applaud you, along with Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur for your stance against the current iteration of the Second Task. It is indeed inappropriate to the point of being repugnant and repulsive. However, you should all be aware that if you break your magical contracts with the Goblet of Fire, you will lose your magic. Thus, if the contents of the Second Task are not changed, the four of you will face a very difficult decision. While I would admire the courage of someone willing to make such a sacrifice to take a stand like that, I also think that it might be wiser for you to think of the long term if it comes to it. I'd like to talk to you about that in person if it comes to having to make that decision, but I am hopeful that it will not. I do suggest that all the champions inform the judges and organizers of the Triwizard Tournament that you know you will all lose your magic if you break your magical contracts with the Goblet of Fire. I have a feeling that the judges and organizers of the Triwizard Tournament wouldn't want it on their resumes that they are responsible for the four of you losing your magic so the mere threat of retirement may be enough to force the hand of the judges and organizers into changing the contents of the Second Task. In the meantime, I advise continuing to study and prepare for how to operate underwater. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year pup!

- Sirius.

Harry slowly read Sirius's letter a second time.

If Harry, Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur did not complete the Triwizard Tournament, their breach of contract would cost them their magic.

Was this a price that was really worth paying to take such a stand?

Harry wasn't sure. However, he hoped to not have to make that decision.

Harry strongly suspected that Sirius was right that the judges and organizers of the Triwizard Tournament cared very much about their public perception and that the champions could use the mere threat of retirement to force their hand.

Harry decided that he would inform the judges and organizers on the first day of the new semester that he knew what the consequences of breaking the contract would be and that he was willing to pay that price if the contents of the Second Task were not altered.

He would also encourage Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur to do the same, but that would have to wait as they were all asleep at this nanosecond.

He thus decided to read Remus's letter too.

It read:

Dear Harry:

I'm very pleased to hear about you, Viktor, and Fleur spending Christmas Vacation at Diggory Manor. The four of you have a beautiful friendship opportunity and I'm glad to see that you're taking advantage of it instead of only seeing each other as opponents. Though, I've heard it through the grapevine that Cedric's parents have had decidedly different reactions to this. From what I've heard, Amos is pissed that Cedric doesn't see his opponents as enemies. Well. Amos always was a touch too competitive and a damn sight too proud. On the other hand, I've heard that Amanda is delighted to have you all over Christmas and is pleased at the blossoming friendship between the four of you, putting her reaction to all of this as being similar to mine. Amanda has always been a kind and welcoming person, though she does have a bad habit of swooning at people when she first meets them. I encourage you to continue to grow your friendships with Cedric, Viktor and Fleur and I wish you the best of luck in the Second Task. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

-Remus.

Harry noticed that Remus's letter had a different focus than Sirius's and he was sure that that was intentional. He was confident that Sirius and Remus had both agreed to focus on different things when writing him back.

Sirius's letter had been thought provoking and more serious.

Remus's letter, on the other hand, was a bit warmer and had lifted his spirits.

It gave him an emotional boost to hear another voice confirm to him that The Champions Closer Ties was a Very Good Thing.

More than anything else though, it boosted Harry's spirts to have received letters from Sirius and Remus. Having Sirius and Remus support him gave Harry a certain sense of inner peace.

A shout out to the following members who have added Harry Potter and the Champions Closer Ties to their favorites and/or follows lists since the last update:

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Much love from Arizona for all the support. Love you all-Michael. :)