Harry Potter and the Time Traveler (Goblet of Fire)

Chapter 3

The Quidditch World Cup of '95

(Ready or not, here's where it really begins.)

(Lauren's POV)

Even in my time, the Quidditch World Cup of 1995 was remembered for various things. One thing in particular, I was very eager to prevent.

But that would happen later. Hopefully, not at all.

So...it turns out that I'm a heavy sleeper.

Even then, I didn't wake up until someone came into the room I was staying and yelled "Wake up."

I didn't recognize the voice at first, and because I was woken up so abruptly, I fell out of the bed.

"Clumsy much?"

A familiar face appeared above me and held out a hand to help me up.

"...Ron? What time is it?"

"Four in the morning. Why?"

As I tried to get my thoughts in order, I began to hear other voices throughout the house.

"When are we going to leave?"

"Pretty soon. I'll let you get ready. Come downstairs whenever."

A few minutes after Ron left, I managed to get up and attempted to straighten the bed I was staying in.

Then I walked around the room a bit, trying to wake up, but it didn't really work that well.

So, I packed what I thought that I would need, grabbed my sword, shield, watch, wand, and necklace, and then headed downstairs.

"Ah! There you are! We were wondering if we'd have to leave you or not." Arthur came running up to me as I came downstairs, and I nodded in his direction.

"Tired as I am, I wouldn't miss this for anything. By the way, just how many tickets do you have?"

Arthur looked confused and I quickly corrected myself.

"It's just because I think that when you got the tickets, you didn't know...well...that I'd show up."

"Oh. Don't worry about that, Lauren, I just so happen to have an extra. Here."

Mr. Weasley handed me a genuine World Cup ticket and I took it and simply looked at it.

...Man...Collectors would kill for this...and I just so happen to be holding an actual ticket...

One by one, the others joined us, and just before we were ready to set out, Molly came running up to Arthur.

"If something happens to her, I don't know what we're going to do! Mind you, Arthur, she is from the future, regardless of her age, so if she just so happens to be someone important..."

"I know."

Arthur turned to me.

"No need to worry, either of you, I know how to take care of myself, trust me."

I smiled and place my right hand on the hilt of my sword.

"Would I have this if I didn't?"

Then Charlie happened to walk up to me.

"That is a fine looking sword there, miss. Does it have a name?"

I nodded.

"Yep. Dragon's Fire."

"That's a nice name...I believe we have time...care to show me what it looks like?"

In answer, I looked to his parents. Arthur nodded. In fact, he seemed to be interesting as Charlie.

"Fine."

In one fluid motion, I drew Dragon's Fire and held it in front of me. Both Charlie and his father looked down at it.

"...Truly fascinating."

"I believe that my old textbooks referred that this blade had...a Dragon living in it."

Charlie turned and looked at me with wonder.

"Is that true?"

I lowered Dragon's Fire and then put the sword back in its scabbard.

"His name is Dragonus."

"At last you acknowledge my existence, Rider." I am sorry about that, it's just with all of this going on... "I forgive you. Now, I trust that you'll try to prevent what is to happen?" Not just that...but what happens in the Third Trial... "You will go that far?" Of course. Someone's got to help him, might as well be me. "Very well. Go on, enjoy yourself, and remember. Call me if you need my help." Will do.

I stopped looking upwards towards the rafters only to find that nearly everyone was either gawking at me or avoiding looking in my direction at all. Then Harry managed to speak.

"...What...what language was that?! It sounded a bit like Parseltongue, but...slightly older...?"

I merely blinked at him. "I spoke a different language?"

Everyone in the room at the time nodded simultaneously.

Just then, George happened to know what time it was. He rushed past us, and ran out the door.

"Come on! Come on! We're gonna miss the Portkey!"

"...The Portkey is an old boot."

"Well, yes, it was hard to find an object that wouldn't attract the Muggles, you see."

The voice came from the East, seconds later, I got to see who it belonged to. Amos and...

It hit me then. Cedric Diggory.

The kid that had died during the Third Trial...thanks to...

...If...if everything that's in my textbooks happens...then...

I pushed the thoughts away.

"And who's this, Arthur?"

Amos was looking down at me with curiosity.

"I'd rather let her tell you, Amos, she does have an amazing backstory."

"Do tell, young lady."

"Well, have you heard of a circle of stones called the Time-Stones?"

Amos nodded. "Yes, yes I have, why do you ask?"

"Well, I've used them. You see, while right now is the present, now is the past for me. My present is the year 2016." Silence once again greeted me after this.

I threw my hands up. "Oh, come on! Being from the future can't be that bad, can it?!"

Cedric spoke up then. "...If you are from the future...then...can you tell us who wins?"

"What."

Hermione shook her head at Cedric. "You don't ask Time-Travelers things like that!"

I shrugged my shoulder at him. "Sorry, my being here's going to change a lot of stuff anyways..."

"Like what?"

"...I'd rather not say..."

Just then, Arthur told each of us to grab onto the boot. Ready or not, I was about to use a Portkey for the first time.

I somehow remained standing. One by one, the others got up and gathered around me. "Right, first we have to get our supplies...find out where we're to pitch our tents...that sort of thing."

After having to deal with a very confused Muggle by the name of Mr. Roberts, Mr. Weasley led us over near a forest. I privately noted that the sign was spelled. "WEEZLY."

After helping the others set the tents up, which took less time then I'd thought it would, I got to take a tour of each one.

Both were basically three room flats: a bathroom, kitchen, and living space/bedroom.

There appeared to only be two beds in the girl's tent, so I had to make do with sleeping on the couch. Which wasn't a big deal.

While Ron and Harry went off to get tap water and firewood, I got to know Ginny and Hermione a bit better. And, of course, vice versa.

"Wow...that's..."

"I know, right?"

We had moved on from accents to courses to history. One thing had lead into another, and I had ended up telling the two how I got the Raven's Mark, which I then showed to them.

"Do you think that it'll go away?"

I shook my head. "I really have no idea."

Just then, the three of us heard exasperated voices outside our tent. "It's great that you three are becoming best friends, but can you please come out here and help us?!"

Several hours later, late in the night, I woke up feeling ill. I didn't want to wake anyone up, so I stole out of the tent as quietly as possible and transformed into a Labrador.

Needless to say, I was lucky that Mr. Weasley had gotten a plot so close to the forest.

The morning found me wandering around the two tents, waiting for the others to wake up.

Eventually, they did.

"...Where were you? You look half-asleep!"

I was sitting against the girl's tent when Harry found me.

I waved a hand towards the forest.

"Out there. You don't want to guess why."

Ron just so happened to hear what I said and walked on over. "So that's what I heard people complaining about! You're an Animagus, aren't you?"

I nodded.

"See? So those people weren't lying when they said that they thought they heard some beast tossing their cookies last night! Guess you're not used to our food, huh?"

"Oh, I'm used to it...some things...but that's in the past now, I feel fine." I stood up and rolled my shoulders. "When does the match start?"

"Not for a few hours."

"Then let's walk around for a bit, shall we?"

I didn't buy anything. I merely just walked around with the others and kept to myself. Harry, Ron, and Hermione noticed something was up, but they didn't press into it, which I was grateful for-I was thinking about the attack that would happen later on tonight. From what I had read, it had been terrifying. But I would be living it tonight, if it played out correctly.

The World Cup was a few hours later.

I'll sum it up. Krum was a hotshot. Don't really get why all the girls like him. I certainly don't. Lots of yelling, lots of cheering and booing, and Ireland won. Oh, and the leprechauns gave me some free gold coins. Not that I needed any, of course. But it was a nice souvenir.

As all of us were walking back to the tents, I couldn't help but begin to feel a bit panicked. It's going to happen tonight... I was somewhat thankful for how dark it was. That way, no one could see how pale my face had gotten.

Several hours later, it started.

Even before Arthur burst into the tent, I was up and equipped with my sword and shield.

"Put those away! Don't use your wand-just get to the woods! Wake the others, too!"

And then he was gone. Just like that.

"...Lauren?"

I turned to face Ginny and Hermione.

I smiled grimly. "Well, this is it."

"Is what?"

I turned from them and pushed my way out of the tent, then spirited over to the boy's tent.

"GUYS! GET OUT HERE! NOW!" I ducked my head beneath the flap and yelled into the interior.

Sure enough, they ran outside too. All four of them gathered around me.

"Okay. I'll make this very quick." I took a deep breath. "Dementors are attacking."

"How do you know this?"

Among the flickers of flames and the sounds of screams, I pointed behind me.

"...Oh."

Ron started to walk off, but I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back. "All of you, stay close to me. And whatever you do, do not wander off! We have to get to the forest. If something happens to me, just get there. Okay?"

I realized that all of them were looking up to me, being that I was three years older than them, four in Ginny's case. "Go!"

Once I was sure that they were out of my sight, I turned from the tents, reached behind me, and silently drew Dragon's Fire. Tilting the blade to reflect the burning flames, I grimly smiled. ...Dragonus? The blade flashed for a second. A red reptilian eye appeared in the reflection. "...What do you need, Rider?" I raised my gaze from the sword to the scene before me, and took a step forwards. "Let's get to work."

The Rider was back.