A Mugiwara Goes to Hogwarts

By: WhiteFang72

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or Harry Potter or any of the related characters. Also, this story takes place right after Skypiea in the One Piece universe and during the fourth book in the Harry Potter one.

Time for the second task! Careful, plot twists ahead! Things won't be going quite the same as they do in the book.

…

A couple weeks had passed since Usopp's little escapade with pranking and he still wasn't sure if he had improved, or destroyed, things with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. He hadn't done much since the pranks. He'd had detention twice. He'd snuck off every now and then with Fred and George, but not much else. He always had an alibi and always came back without having committed the major crime the trio seemed to suspect he was capable of. Hermione had gradually stopped sending him suspicious looks. Ron had stopped freezing every time he reached into his pocket. But nobody, not even Harry, talked freely around him anymore. Ron had even taken to monopolizing all of Harry's conversations, so that the only thing the black-haired boy ever had the chance to say to Usopp was "nice day." It was hard to judge Harry's own reaction to the whole thing. The kid's face was getting whiter and whiter the closer to the Second Task he came. Usopp wasn't sure if Harry's fierce arguments that he had the "egg-clue figured out," were true or not. Ron and Hermione seemed to accept that the boy knew what the task was about, so Usopp had to assume that they knew too. Which meant that Usopp himself was the only one out of the loop.

And that was why Usopp was currently muttering the phrase "hang it all," and avoiding the lot of them. He'd had enough of stepping lightly in order to avoid looking suspicious. It's Saturday and I'm taking a day off.

He was sitting in a shadowy section of one of the many dead-end hallways of Hogwarts, lounging in the silhouette of a sculpture so hideous it scared off nearly everyone who approached it. The statue was of a witch missing half the flesh of her face, one lone, lifelike eye peering out from around half-shrouded bone and muscle. It was eerie as hell, but Usopp was desperate. Not only did he have to stay away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, for his own piece of mind if nothing else, he also had Karkaroff to watch out for. Attending all the trio's classes, and pretending he'd never missed any, had seemed the best option at the time, but Usopp was starting to realize it was a double-edged sword. Sure, he looked like a somewhat normal, albeit absurdly handsome, student on the outside, but Karkaroff had noticed that his schedule coincided with everything Harry was taking. To him, it must seem like I'm giving Harry an insider's scoop on the tournament. But, that's not what other people will see and even the Headmaster can't defend me if it gets out that I'm touting weaponry. And it probably will get out.

Usopp was busy thinking miserable thoughts, and stabbing a quill in a satisfyingly vicious way at a piece of pretend homework, when he heard the trio approach, arguing softly. Oh great, they found me. But the three students stopped halfway to his hiding place and stood in a deep shadow of their own, letting a disarrayed curtain, hanging halfway off a broken curtain rod, partly shield them from the view of anyone passing by. They scanned the area with their eyes, but not even Hermione seemed to realize Usopp was there. Usopp himself took care to stay completely still. Harry took the reins of the conversation and roughly said, "It's got to be him."

Hermione shook her head at the school champion in an exasperated way. "It can't possibly be, Harry. You know that. Crouch is a judge. What reason would he have to—"

Harry threw out his palms in annoyance. "How should I know?" Crouch? Usopp paid careful attention as Harry rubbed at his scar and spoke, "All I know is I saw Barty Crouch's name on the map. He was going through Snape's office! Here was here!"

Ron crossed his arms and nodded, "Blimey Harry, I believe you. What with Crouch being 'sick' all the time, and sending in letters instead of actually being at the tournament he helped plan out in the first place—"

Harry interrupted, "and he wasn't even at the Yule Ball, was he?" His voice became more excited at he went on. "There's something really wrong going on here. We can't just ignore it because he's part of the ministry."

Ron made a face, "Especially because he's part of the ministry, but look Harry. What about Snape? I mean. Why is everybody suddenly searching his office? And if you heard Dumbledore right, what'd he do with his first chance if he's now on his second one? I think it's got to be the git."

Hermione made an exasperated sound and said, "We've been over this," but Harry scowled and nodded. "That's true. He is always trying to get me suspended..." A dark look entered his eyes, "I don't know, maybe they're both in it together?"

Ron scratched at his nose, "Dun' know. Either way, this is bad. How are we going to prove this? I mean...We'd be accusing one of the judges of the Triwizard Tournament, or someone Dumbledore trusts, Merlin knows why, of conspiracy to commit fraud and murder."

Both Hermione and Harry turned to Ron at the same time. Both sported slightly shocked expressions. "What? What is it?" Ron asked.

Hermione shook it off quickly, and even Usopp had to fight off the brief smile that came when he saw that the trio wasn't being as deadly serious as they'd been the past few weeks in his own presence. The bushy-haired girl spoke up, her voice taking on a sudden muted authority. "Well. If it's got to be Crouch or Professor Snape we're suspecting, and I admit you both have a point," she seemed nervous about the idea, "Then the only way I can think of to investigate this, besides constantly studying the map and hoping Crouch appears again, is to ask Percy for help. We can investigate our professor on our own."

"Percy!"

Ron's shout was half-muffled due to Harry's timely intervention, but the trio seemed to take it as a sign to change their hiding space. They quickly walked off, muttering ways to catch either suspect in the act of doing evil. Usopp sat where he was. He wondered who Percy was. He wondered if it was a good or bad thing that Barty Crouch or a Hogwarts teacher might be the one behind setting Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire. If it was someone else entirely...Well, "the devil you know" and all that. Usopp wasn't sure who he'd really been imagining as the culprit. He personally agreed with Ron that the teacher was the more likely suspect. He wondered if the Headmaster ever interrogated his staff.

He wondered, most of all though, why he cared so much.

A day passed before Harry finally told Usopp what he had to do for the Second Task. Usopp suspected he'd only been told because no one could find anything to help him survive it yet.

The rest of the week was spent either in the library or in class, searching for ways to stay alive an hour under a freezing cold lake. No one had any luck. By the night before the task itself, they were all exhausted. Usopp had been reading the same sentence for about twelve minutes before Fred and George Weasley showed up, asking for Ron, Hermione, and himself.

Usopp saw Harry's look of panic and watched with regret as Hermione tried to reassure him that they'd be back. It didn't seem to help. On the way out, Fred, or maybe George, explained that they were needed in Professor McGonagall's office.

The walk there was a bleak one. For some reason, portraits kept shooting them pitying looks as they passed. No one would explain anything and Usopp watched, wary, as Ron became more and more irritated. Once in the Professor's office, McGonagall pulled Hermione and Ron aside and began talking softly to them. Usopp was about to join them when Mad-Eye Moody strode up to him, his clawed, wooden foot clunking with each step. His voice was gruff as he said, "Not you laddie. They have something to do with the task. You're going back to your own room."

Usopp looked at the scarred, predatory smile on Moody's face and decided he didn't like this turn of events at all. "Why didn't you leave me with Harry then?"

"Couldn't very well have Harry watching ya, when he's got the task on his mind. What with you breaking the rules and all," He fixed both creepy eyes on Usopp. "You'll be staying with me for the duration of the Second Task."

Oh. Crap...

Moody patted him on the shoulder and led him out. Usopp glanced back at Ron and Hermione, but saw that they were still talking to McGonagall. Hermione's hands were nervously kneading the sleeves of her robes, wrinkling them.

Mad-Eye Moody walked Usopp down several hallways, before stopping at a section a few corridors down from his room. There weren't any paintings around. There weren't even any suits of armor. It was the first time after Moody's crazed attack from his office that Usopp had allowed the man anywhere near him. He'd made sure to sit in the front of the class so he could leave before being held back, and the nut job had given up on trying to make him stay after the first few classes. Almost everywhere he went Usopp had been with Harry, Hermione, or Ron. I'm so not looking forward to this...

Moody swiveled his magical eye around, and it disappeared briefly as he looked right through the back of his own head. He cornered Usopp, "Alright Laddie. You've had time to think it over, but I want you think it over good. It's in your own best interests," here he showed Usopp the wand he had hidden in his sleeve, "not to come near my office again without permission. Y'hear? Dumbledore don't like me threatening students, or whatever you qualify as, but I don't have any problem with it. One day you may just find yourself as something worse than a ferret. You got me?"

Usopp hastily nodded. Then he realized he was bobbing it too much and stopped. "Yes sir. O-of course."

Mad-Eye glanced around again. Something odd crossed his face. He took a swig from his hip flask and growled, "And I don't want to see you messing up Mr. Potter's chances for the cup either." He looked Usopp straight in the eye. "No interfering. I'll be watching." The man took a step back and turned on his heel.

"Right..." Usopp shivered and crossed his heart, sending an uneasy smile the teacher's way. "Hope to die."

Moody stopped turning. "Heh." He clunked away. "Good lad."

...

Mad-Eye met him right outside his room the next day, the day of the task. Usopp wondered if he'd stayed there all night. It seemed entirely possible for a man as eerie as Moody. The day was cold and gray when Usopp glanced out the window, so he put on his jacket and hoped against hope that Harry had somehow found a way to survive the next challenge. Wish I could have helped...But then again, what else is new? The thought was drenched in irritation more than self-pity now.

He expected to meet up with, or at least see Ron and Hermione at the lakeshore, but when he got there and sat in the bleachers with everyone else, the two weren't anywhere. Both Moody and he had been forced to a higher seat, near the edge of the stands, for being some of the last of the crowd to arrive. Those people sitting in the front row had to have come in hours beforehand. He watched as first Fleur Delacour, then Viktor Krum, then Diggory arrived, all seemingly ready for anything. Harry however, didn't show. He turned to Mad-Eye, shook off his fear, and asked. "Where are Ron and Hermione? Shouldn't they be here?"

"Oh, that's right. You don't know." The man fixed his gaze on both the castle and the lake, and muttered, "Where is he?" Then he started and spoke up, "They're part of the task. They're what Mr. Potter has to find. Well," he amended, "one of them anyway."

"What!"

"Stop talking," the man growled.

"But they're under the—" He cut himself off at the halfway murderous look Moody shot him. They're under the lake? But it's freezing! They could drown! They could be eaten by merpeople! Harry could miss them and they could be lost down there forever, turned to statues by coral and the passage of time, their skeletons floating in the kelp...This tournament shouldn't even be dangerous to the participants, let alone those that didn't sign up at all. 'Course, Harry comes under that category too...

Usopp stopped his rambling thoughts just as Ludo Bagman shouted, in a voice as loud as someone with a megaphone, "Aaaaand, Mr. Harry Potter is finally here! Just in time, so give him a shout, everyone! Here comes our fourth contestant!"

Usopp yelled out as he recognized Harry's form running down towards the gray lake. He was trying to control a stitch in the side by the look of it and was breathing heavy, but at least he was present. He was also holding something weird in one hand. Usopp himself was too far up in the stands to have the greatest look, so he reached up a palm to put on his goggles, then stopped. He glanced around at the crowd. People were packed tightly together on all sides, waving banners, blowing horns, and drinking fizzy sodas. Some even had Omnioculars. So, it wouldn't be too strange if his goggles, instead of being just a bizarre fashion accessory, actually worked right? He shrugged to himself and put them on. No harm in trying. Adjusting them got him a much clearer and closer picture of the student. Below, he could see Harry shivering as he stood in line for the starting whistle. The boy was holding a ball of what looked like wriggling...wait, were they worms? Why would he be holding worms? Were they magic? Maybe Harry's found something that'll help him survive the task? He kept watching. The crowd gradually went silent.

When Bagman shot off the starting whistle, both Cedric and Fleur pulled out their wands and performed the same charm, surrounding their heads with iridescent bubbles the size of watermelons. They quickly dived in and the crowd cheered. "Look at that!" Bagman was saying, "Amazing use of the Bubble-Head Charm! A perfect spell for this challenge!"

Krum's spell took longer, but was more impressive. He pointed a wand at his face, said something, and a few moments later he was sporting the head of hammerhead shark. His dive became more of a flop, but he raced off, his jagged teeth cutting through the water and leaving trails of bubbles behind. There was a shocked silence for a few seconds before Ludo cleared his throat. "Well, well, well. Now that folks, I was not expecting! But it works, it works! Look at him go!" The crowd went wild this time, cheering madly.

Harry, meanwhile, had sloshed out chest-deep into the water. Usopp watched worriedly as the boy shook with the cold, but he tried to remind himself that Harry had made it through the last challenge okay. Then Harry did something Usopp didn't expect. He shoved the whole ball of worms right into his mouth. Eurgh! What the? Oh, Usopp shuddered and really hoped he wouldn't be sick on the professor sitting next to him, that is so wrong... Harry took his time chewing and swallowing, ewwww, and the crowd stayed silent, waiting for something to happen. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. It was silent. Very silent. Too silent. After a few seconds of nothing continuing to happen, a couple of laughs broke out from the Slytherin section of the crowd. Then a bunch more came from one of the other school's sections. Usopp glared at them all. C'mon Harry. Finally, after an entire minute, Harry began clawing at his neck. Someone shouted out that he'd grown gills, and even Usopp could see that Harry now had webbed feet. He dived in and the crowd gave a relived cheer, happy that the fun wasn't over so soon.

For about twenty minutes everyone in the crowd watched eagerly for something to happen, Usopp included. For those twenty minutes, he'd also been trying to gauge how much he could interfere, if he needed to, to help Harry. After all, there are supposed to be monsters in that lake. He'd even heard that a giant squid, as big as the Sea Kings of his land, lived there. How Harry was supposed to fight off something like that was beyond him. No, he'd gradually come to the nasty conclusion that he wouldn't be able to do much at all. Mad-Eye Moody was sitting right next to him and with all the challengers beneath the cloudy waters of the lake, he was paying more attention to his surroundings then he otherwise might. Usopp could see the man's eerie blue eye roving about in its holder, watching everything his other eye couldn't. If Usopp even put one hand near his slingshot, he'd be caught. And then of course there was Karkaroff. The man had taken special care to note where he was sitting. He was also glancing back at him at different intervals to make sure he hadn't moved and wasn't doing anything overtly suspicious. No, I can't do a damn thing. It was frustrating. But as the time went on, through thirty minutes, into forty, he had to admit that he was also bored.

The crowd around him was getting restless too. Every so often, something would pop up, a mermaid tail, a grindylow, or a fish, but then it would go away again, leaving everyone with nothing but a dark lake to look at. This really isn't the best crowd pleaser. How long did they say this was going to—

Something cut off Usopp's reflections. Moody's voice came at him, harsh and whispered. "What did you say!"

"Uh," Usopp glanced at the man, surprised by the painful grip on his shoulder and the sudden shade that he couldn't remember being under. "What?"

The man glared at him, his scarred face inches away, looking more insane than Usopp had ever seen him. "How does he get away from justice? Lad, tell me!"

"How does who? What?"

Moody shook him, "How does he escape?"

"I don't know what you're..." Usopp had had enough of this. Regardless of whether the professor could see him, he tightened his fingers on his slingshot's handle. "Look, are you off your meds? 'Cause I think you may be one of those people the Pharmaceutical companies don't need to trick into thinking you need them."

Moody let out a grunt of frustration. He then stalked off, muttering incoherently and completely ignoring Dumbledore's orders to keep an eye on Usopp.

Usopp furrowed his eyebrows.

Where is that shade coming from?

And for that matter, he hadn't been standing up a moment ago. He glared at the cool air above him. Oookay. When, exactly, did I get under the bleachers?

Usopp was still contemplating the sudden change of scenery when Neville showed up. The boy was watching after Moody with a frightened expression, but he stopped in front of Usopp and asked, "Hey, are you all right?"

"I, I guess." If suddenly appearing in areas you don't remember going to is normal for you people... then yes.

"It's alright. Moody said you were sick, but I'll tell you, I felt sick too when she got out." Neville shivered a bit.

"Who?" Usopp stared at him in confusion.

"Y'know, Fleur. Err, Ms. Delacour?" He didn't seem to know what to call her. "Those scratches looked ghastly, but she's alright. And guess what! You missed it, but everyone's come out safe. Harry even stayed behind to get everybody out when he noticed nobody was coming for Ms. Delacour's little sister." Neville looked rather proud. He paused and said, "C'mon, lets go congratulate everyone! I'm sure they'd want to see you."

So, Usopp followed after. He smiled at the joy apparent in the trio's faces. He laughed as Ron and Harry got kissed by the Beauxbatons girl. He was glad knowing that Hermione didn't need to be distressed about her friends for a while yet. Nevertheless, he stayed on the sidelines. Worry crept into his gut. It stayed there long after the celebrations ended in Gryffindor tower. Something felt off. Accelerated somehow.

Like things were happening faster than they should.

...

Authors Note: I actually like this chapter a whole lot. Neville's a cutie, no? Oh, and what Moody says at the end, those are Moody's words. Not Usopp's. (You can probably guess what happened, but if not, then the answer will be coming in a few chapters).

P.S. Also, thank you sooooo much to all my reviewers! You guys keep this fic going. :) Your reviews mean a lot, they really do.

P.P.S. Accidentally tried posting this in Crossovers, thinking it would make the info more accurate. Instead, it erased the Community this was posted to and I'm pretty sure nobody saw it. Remind me never to do that again... :[