Chapter Seven: The First Task:
Everyone was waiting for Ilvermorny. They knew what Harry looked like now, a male version of his mother with his father's hair. Or for those who knew Lily, like his grandfather. He was a tall lean youth with bright green eyes and tanned features. His wild black hair was the only trait from his father. Rumor had it he even used his mother's wand. Rita Skeeter had written articles on each contestant and put them all, and their schools in a good light. Even Harry, even when she had not wanted to. Now, everyone waited to see how the youngest champion would turn up.
They did not have long to wait, the sound of hundreds of pairs of shoes meant Ilvermorny was walking to the stadium. Everyone watched as two hundred filed in and took a seat, well one hundred and ninety-six. Four would stay by Harry until the end of the task and Harry was going to be last. He had entered the tent to meet the other champions, youngest to be sure but he had completed his OWLs and had a plan. Fleur looked at him in disgust, she saw only a little boy and how dare he mock this tournament?
"Why is this little boy here?" Fleur said, "he should be at home not with adults."
"I am here because I was called." Harry said in decent French, "I was called not of my own will but because I was called, I assure you I can take care of myself."
"If that is the case, I wish you well." Krum said in French, "you speak very good French."
"Hardly, he sounds American, almost as bad as English." Fleur sniffed.
"I can understand you my beautiful lady." Cedric said, "most here do learn the language of love, of beauty. Alas we must be foes in this great quest, or I would woo you."
"You are English brut, no I will win, and you will weep at that." Fleur replied.
"You are lovely, but I have one that is far more lovely." Harry said.
"Oh?" Fleur said, "who would want a baby such as you?"
"I would, he is a good man, talented and smart." Hermione said, her French was nearly native.
"Oh, a worthy woman, I see, well I wish you well dear infant." Fleur said.
"And I you." Harry said bowing.
They drew their dragons from a bag and Harry got the Hungarian Horntail. Well, this would be fun, he waited and waited for his turn, hoping this worked. He drew on the fire suit, it looked bulky, and was but there were runes stitched in to make it light and easy to move in. When his name was called up, he walked out and to the edge. Ah yes, a nesting mother, and she was angry. He put on the helmet and took up a fire shield. Then he walked forward and right into the path of her fire. She let loose and there were screams. When she could not burn him, she stopped and glared at him.
"You have a not-egg." Harry said in Parseltongue, after he removed his helmet, everyone here knew he spoke it and what he was using it for, and it was not for evil, "you cannot burn me, nor harm me, but please, let me take the not-egg and I have something tasty for you."
"Not-egg for tasty, take not-egg." The dragon said.
"Thank you." Harry replied, "you are beautiful."
"Thank you." The dragon said, "but take the not-egg, give me tasty."
Harry walked forward, between her large legs and took the not-egg. One could not really lie in Parseltongue, and why would one want to? He walked out with the egg and true to his word he gave the dragon a tasty treat. One laced with a powerful calming draught and dreamless sleep. The dragon was soon fast asleep and would not wake for some time. The crowd was quiet for a time then it roared in approval. Ilvermorny was the loudest and cheered Harry on until they were horse.
One professor was watching impressed. One Severus Snape saw cunning in what Harry did, some would call it bold, reckless but clearly the suit he wore would protect him from dragon's fire. Then he spoke to the dragon, and after a few short minutes he had the egg and then gave a large hunk of meat to the dragon, causing the dragon to fall asleep at once. The boy removed the bulky helmet and Severus felt he was looking at a younger Henry Evans. All but the hair, that was pure Potter there. If the boy wore glasses, he would look like his father more, but he did not.
"He is quite inventive." Dumbledore said, "Ilvermorny has done wonders for him. We might want to see what they do so our students might benefit."
"Mr. Diggory did very well too." Snape countered.
"Yes, but Mr. Potter is three years younger than the other champions." McGonagall replied.
"He would most certainly have been in my house." Flitwick said.
"Yes, yes I can see that clearly." Sprout said, "such a mind he has."
Harry meanwhile entered the medical tent and removed the rest of the fire suit showing his simple blue tunic and trousers trimmed in Cranberry red with the Ilvermorny crest on the tunic. He was completely unharmed. Krum was the only other one unharmed, Fleur had a few singes but as she was not fully human, the fire had not really damaged her. Cedric was being treated for a burn on his arm. The watched as Harry took a seat and took out a bag of M&Ms and started to eat them. Pomfrey waved her wand over him then went back to tending the others.
"What is that suit you wore?" Krum asked him in English.
"Oh, that is a modified fire suit, no-maj use them in extreme firefighting situations, this is all no-maj but for the lining, that is runic and inserted into the no-maj suit. MACUSA allows no-maj things to be enchanted but only in certain labs and shops. One must have a license, otherwise it is considered a breach of the statute and a ten-year prison sentence."
"That is harsh." Cedric said.
"Well, it has to be, we were rid of the scourers after the civil war, but we can't risk that again. Attached to each FBI office in each state is a MACUSA office, and in that office a misuse of no-maj office."
"We have a misuse of muggle artifacts office." Cedric said, "it was small, but Fudge saw the need to expand it, to protect the statute."
"Good, we don't need to be found, we have to live in plain sight but don't need to be found." Harry replied.
"Why do you use the term maj and not witch or wizard?" Fleur asked.
"Maj is less threatening, and the term maj is far older than witch or wizard." Harry replied, "and less controversial."
Before the conversation could continue, it was time for them to be scored. Fleur had done well, creating enchantments she had got the egg, but the dragon still burned her. For that she got nine points from Dumbledore, eight from Bagman, seven from Maxine, six from Karkaroff and nine from Windover, who was allowed a judge here as her school was now represented. This meant that Fleur had 39 points. Next was Krum, he had used a conjuctivious charm on the dragon and her eggs were harmed. He got eight, six, seven, ten and six respectively putting him at 37. Next was Cedric who had used a dog to distract the dragon but was hurt when she turned her attention to him. He got ended up with ten, eight, ten, five and nine with a score of 42. Then Harry was scored, and he got a score of ten, ten, ten, eight, ten for a total of 48 points. It was well earned for him, and he was in first place overall.
There was no doubt he had earned this true, there might be some that tried to say he cheated, that tried to state he did not deserve to be here. He had been chosen against his will, but he was going to make sure that those that had were going to regret it. He was in first place and now had to figure out the next task. Which he would but first, he wanted to take a tour of Hogwarts. Two boys, identical to almost the last freckle popped up by him. He knew them by reputation, and he knew of the Weasley family. They were trying their level best to keep the statute of secrecy and they were called blood traitor for it.
"We were wondering if you wished a tour of Hogwarts?" One twin said, "I am Fred Weasley."
"I am George Weasley, you might know the Marauders?"
"You, it was you." Harry said calmly, "you made the ever-changing color potion?"
"We did, oh, how did you know?" Fred asked.
"Yes, who told you?" George added and at Harry's look, "ah it was tested on you?"
"Yes, my godfather said he had marauder friends in Hogwarts." Harry said, "gentlemen, you sided with the enemy, but if you side with me, you can come to Ilvermorny this summer and I will give you a tour."
"That would be fun." Fred said.
"But there is something else there." George said.
"Well, Mr. Mayhem and Mischief, Mr. Tweet would like to do a business proposal with you." Harry said.
Harry had them by the wide-eyed look both gave him. They had found the map or rather a copy of the map and were using it, this was how Remus found them. He thought all copies lost until he found his and opened it. He found the twins using it and was able to message them through the map. Harry only knew them by Mayhem and Mischief but soon put two and two together. They were pranksters, but ones that wanted laughter and fun. He did take a tour with them, with Hermione, Dean and Sally Ann with him. They ended up at the headmaster's office.
"Well, I don't even go to this school and somehow ended up here." Harry said jokingly.
"And a good thing you did, please, come in." Dumbledore said, "all of you are welcome."
"Thank you, sir." Harry said.
"I read Hogwarts a History, before I made my choice of schools." Hermione said, "if not for the blood purity I would have gone here."
"And I would have loved to have had you, but the times are not right." Dumbledore said sadly.
They entered the office, all six of the students could be here because all had strong mental shields as they were all Animagmus. Harry was of course a red-tailed hawk and Hermione an owl. Dean was a sleek black bear and Sally Ann was a sand cat. Fred and George were Siamese Cats. Harry saw the heads of Hogwarts here along with his head of house from Ilvermorny and headmistress Windover too. He saw that Severus Snape was staring at him, studying him, oh, yea Sirius told him he had been friends to his mother and his father had bullied him in school. He walked over and stuck out his hand, he wanted to show this man he was not his father, or what his father had been.
"Hello professor Snape, I am Harry Potter, I understand you were friends with my mother sir?" Harry said smiling.
"I see being in America has taken what little manners you might have had left." Snape said coldly, "but yes, I was friends with your mother."
"I am told I look like her." Harry said.
"No, you look like your grandfather, all but that hair, that is you father." Snape said, "why did you decide to be in a tournament like this, you could have said no."
"Oh, the dark dork set a trap, and I am working on a trap right back." Harry said, "I only have two plans written out, but I am rather busy with NEWTs and all, but I have time to write out a few more plans over the break in a few weeks' time. Plus it is rather fun."
"Now that is a Ravenclaw if I ever heard one!" Flitwick said beaming.
"Yes, and if your grandfather had been magical, he would have been in that house, your mother Lily took after him in intelligence and her temper and sweetness came from your grandmother." McGonagall said, "your mother spoke of them all the time."
"Seems aunt Petunia did not get anything then." Harry said, "she abused me."
"Are you willing to testify to that?" Sprout asked.
"I don't know, can't really prove anything, they have too much power and all in that neighborhood." Harry replied, "anyway, we are here about the dark dork?"
"I like that." Fred said.
"As do I, I think it is a grand name." George replied.
"Well, you are all here as the ones who can help with these plans, normally we don't use students, but these are not normal times." Dumbledore said, "shall we began?"
In another time Harry would have been in Hogwarts and beat down by his relations. In this one he was rescued at the right time and ended up in Ilvermorny. Sure, he still ended up in the Triwizard tournament, but he did belong there. He talked with those here on what was to be done, and the time frame for the trap to be sprung. Then, as it had been a long day, Harry headed back to the plane that would take all the Ilvermorny students back to America. It was modified so that it flew comfortably at M2, and they would be back at Ilvermorny in less than three hours.
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This Harry is different, no he is not super-powered here. He can use his mind to great effect. This is why he won the first task as he did. Only six students know fully of what Harry is doing. That is all that will know as they can shield their minds. I wanted Fred and George in the story, so in the story they will be. Harry does not want anything done about his relations because he does not think on them. He just wants to move on, even though yes, they abused him.
Anyway, do review please!
