AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm so sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I had to rewrite it three times because I was unhappy with it. This is the best version of all three, although admittedly I'm still not entirely pleased with it. Hopefully the length of this chapter will make up for my absence? The following two weeks will be extremely busy for me, but I'm really hoping to update sooner than last time! If you don't get an update soon, know that it's because I'm trying very hard to make this story the best that it can be! Thank you for reading the first chapter and I hope you enjoy this one, too? Reviews or messages are very much appreciated and really help me to update sooner, knowing I actually do have people reading this and waiting for another chapter!
DISCLAIMER-Everything belongs to either JK Rowling or Suzanne Collins
Chapter 2 – The Contestants
Hermione gripped Ron's hand hard as Voldemort finished addressing the crowd. She gave his hand an urgent pull and motioned for him to follow her. He nodded silently before the two slipped out of the courtyard and into a deserted hallway.
"You know we are going to be chosen for the game, right?" Hermione asked Ron nervously.
Ron's brow furrowed in confusion. "But You-Know-Who said that the goblet of fire-"
"Would choose the contestants," Hermione cut in. "I know. But Voldemort said it would pick the people that would put on the best show. Harry's clearly going to be a contestant, and Voldemort is just the twisted sort of person that would think his best friends killing him would be good entertainment!"
"Bloody hell," Ron said while letting out an agitated sigh. "What are we gonna do?"
Hermione shook her head. "I don't know, but I'm positive that if we get into that arena, our main priority should be to protect Harry."
"Definitely," Ron eagerly nodded. "Just because Voldemort won this battle, it doesn't mean that he won the war. If Harry lives, it will give hope and inspiration to our side."
"Exactly," Hermione agreed. "Harry represents the light in a dark world; extinguish that light and it's all over."
"So what's the game plan then?" Ron asked as he sat down on a broken pillar. "When we get into the arena, do you want to split up or stick together?"
Hermione paused for a moment as she sat down next to Ron. "I think that you and I should stick together but we shouldn't let Harry know that we're trying to protect him. I say we just trail behind him and spy on him; make sure that he's okay."
"Yeah," Ron smiled. "It would be best if Harry didn't know our true intentions. Knowing him, he's probably planning on playing hero and aiming to protect everyone else."
"That sounds like Harry," Hermione said while shaking her head.
The two became silent and they began to imagine what they would have to face in the arena. They had no clue what Voldemort would set up for them, but without magic, they knew it would be dangerous.
"Who else do you think will be chosen?" Ron asked Hermione, cutting into the silence.
"Malfoy, for sure," Hermione immediately answered. "After practically switching sides in the battle, I can imagine Voldemort isn't too pleased with him."
"What about Ginny?" Ron asked softly. "She's too young to die."
Hermione slowly let out a sigh before answering. "It's very likely she will be chosen. Considering that she's Harry's girlfriend and within the age requirements, it wouldn't surprise me."
Ron angrily shook his head, tears filling his eyes. "No," he sobbed. "I can't do that to her or my mother; she's her only daughter."
Hermione reached over and placed her arm around Ron's body. He leaned into her embrace; silent tears spilling down his cheeks.
"It'll be okay, Ron," Hermione soothed. "Even if she gets chosen, someone can volunteer to replace her position in the game."
"I'll do it," Ron said as he stood up, wiping any signs of tears from his face. "I know I'm going to go in the arena anyways, so if she gets chosen before me, I'll volunteer to take her place."
"That's a brilliant idea!" Hermione smiled. "Come on; let's head back now before someone starts looking for us."
Hermione and Ron weaved back through the crowd and located the Weasley family. Mrs. Weasley pulled Ron into a quick hug before kissing him on the cheek.
"You-Know-Who is just about to choose the contestants," she said nervously.
Sure enough, a platform had been conjured near the front of the courtyard. On the platform was Voldemort, the goblet of fire and a roped in area to his right.
"That's where all the contestants go," Mrs. Weasley said pointing toward the roped in area. "There's anti-magic wards around the area so once someone gets in, there's no getting out." She wrung her hands nervously together and glanced around at her surrounding children. "Merlin help me if one of you are chosen; I'll have a fit."
Ron walked up to his mother and squeezed her arm comfortingly. "It'll be okay, mum. There's nothing we can do."
Mrs. Weasley remained silent but gave Ron a forced smile of thanks.
"Attention!" Voldemort called out from the platform, instantly quieting the rowdy crowd. "Before we begin drawing the names of the contestants, I will go over the rules again. Six players between the ages of 16 to 21 from each Hogwarts House will be chosen. When a player is chosen, if someone would like to volunteer to take their place in the game, then they can do so. However, if you are to replace a player, it must be someone from your own House." Voldemort paused and motioned to the roped off area to his right. "Once a player is chosen, and any replacements that may be made are complete, they will enter this anti-magic area here. Before entering, they will hand me their wand... all their wands," he said with a pointed look at George. "When they step into the roped in area, a magical bond is formed and there will be no substitutions, replacements, or escaping. Is that clear?"
No one in the crowd answered; mumbles could be heard here and there but they were probably not responses to Voldemort's rhetorical question.
"Great," Voldemort said with a smile. "Let the First Annual Drawing begin!" he snapped his finger at a nearby Death Eater that was standing next to the platform. "Set the goblet of fire up!"
The man scrambled up the platform. He reached out and directed his wand toward the goblet. The goblet slowly creeped forward until it was next to Voldemort. The Death Eater then did some complicated flicks and twist with his wand and the fire in the goblet began to glow bright red. After a moment it died down to a dull blue, gently flickering in the daylight.
"My lord," the man said with a bow. "It is ready."
Voldemort waited until the Death Eater was off the stage before addressing the crowd.
"First," he called out with a grin, "…the goblet will select the contestants from Gryffindor!"
Voldemort reeled back and slammed his wand onto the edge of the goblet. The blue fire sparked into the air, momentarily changing to red, before releasing a tiny slip of paper. Voldemort eagerly snatched the paper out of the air and read the name.
"Harry Potter!" he screamed out. Harry, who was bound and gagged to a nearby pillar, showed no signs of surprise. The ropes and gag immediately disappeared, allowing Harry to walk to the platform.
"Don't volunteer for me!" Harry shouted to the crowd. "No one! Don't do it!"
He sprinted toward the platform, raced up the steps and leaped into the roped in area. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized he had made it without anyone sacrificing their life for him.
"There's no need to worry, I already have his wand," Voldemort said to no one in particular.
The crowd shuffled awkwardly, unsure of what to make of their hero being the first one in the game.
"Now, the next contestant..." Voldemort said as he stepped up to the goblet. He slammed his wand onto the side and the fire changed color again before shooting out a tiny slip of paper. Voldemort accio'd the paper into his long fingers.
"Ginevra Weasley!" he shouted out with a grin.
"I'll volunteer!" Ron shouted immediately, pushing past a shocked Ginny. "I volunteer to replace Ginny's position in the Game!"
"Ron!" Ginny shouted, horrified. "You're not going to die for me!"
"Shut up, Ginny!" Ron growled as he made his way toward the platform. "Just say thank you and then go stand with mum."
Ginny, refusing her brother's request, surged forward in an attempt to beat Ron to the platform. However, before she could get far, George had reached out and gripped her arm tightly. He whispered quickly into her ear as he dragged her back to their family. Ginny mumbled something incoherently and returned to her mother's side. Mrs. Weasley, extremely surprised of Ron's sacrifice, remained speechless as silent tears fell down her face.
Ron climbed up to the little platform, handed Voldemort his wand, and entered the roped in area without glancing back.
"Good to see you, mate," Ron said with a smile before pulling Harry into a hug. Harry, still sore from the torture Voldemort put him through, winced at the contact.
"Bloody hell," Ron said after seeing Harry's pained expression. "I'm so sorry! I didn't think-"
"It's ok, Ron," Harry smiled weakly. "The pain has already somewhat died down."
Voldemort cut off Ron's response as he addressed the crowd again.
"The third contestant from Gryffindor..." Voldemort's wand slammed onto the side of the goblet, the fire changed colors, a paper was released and then caught in his hand.
"Hermione Granger!" his grin was so wide he looked like the cat that got the cream. "The final third of the Golden Trio!"
Hermione held her head high as she walked to the platform. Some pureblood followers of Voldemort reached out to her as she passed; making rude comments and spitting on her. She didn't flinch as she walked by them and only stopped to look back once she had reached the platform steps. After glancing quickly behind her, she ran up the steps, threw her wand at Voldemort and bounded into the roped off area.
Voldemort, who had just deflected Hermione's wand from hitting his face, turned around at glared at the muggleborn witch.
"You will learn to respect me or-"
"Or what?" Hermione asked defiantly. "You'll kill me? You'll force me into an arena and have me murder kids I went to school with?"
Voldemort sneered before withdrawing his wand. "Crucio!" he shouted, pointing his wand at Hermione.
The hex shot straight at her but was deflected at the last second by the anti-magic wards. The hex rebounded back to Voldemort and he just had enough time to cast a shield charm to protect himself.
"Forgetting the rules already?" Harry taunted. "We're untouchable in here!"
Voldemort's face dropped as he realized the Golden Trio was protected from him by his own magic. He quickly turned from the three and faced the crowd again.
"I shall now pick the next contestant from Gryffindor!" he hurriedly tapped the goblet and moments later he snatched the paper out of the air.
"George Weasley!" Voldemort shouted.
Ron's grin quickly faded into a frown as Voldemort called out the name of his brother. It would be a lot harder to protect Harry in the arena if he also knew he had to protect his brother.
George shuffled quietly to the platform and tossed his wand at Voldemort. He tried to walk into the roped off area but an invisible barrier kept pushing him back. He sighed and looked back at Voldemort, silently asking him what was wrong.
"Perhaps you have another wand on you?" Voldemort spat at the angry Weasley.
George paused for a second before reaching down into his sock. "I forgot about this one," he apologized as he handed Voldemort the wand. "I'm not used to having Fred's wand on me, too." George quickly walked into the roped off area and sat on the ground. Hermione gave Ron a look over George's head, questioning his peculiar behavior. Ron simply mouthed 'Fred' as an answer and Hermione nodded in recognition.
Voldemort tapped his wand on the goblet and called the next contestant to the platform. "Romilda Vane!"
Harry's eyebrows shot to his hairline as the younger girl slowly walked toward the stairs.
"Is that-?" Ron trailed off, uncertain of his guess.
"Yup," Harry answered. "You had quite the thing for her last year..."
"That was one day!" Ron argued. "…and because of a love potion!"
Romilda bounded up the stairs and gracefully handed Voldemort her wand. She all but ran to the roped in area and went to stand beside Harry. She smiled at him and blushed softly.
"Oh, bloody hell," he whispered to Hermione while rolling his eyes. Hermione giggled quietly and moved to sit next to George on the floor.
"The final contestant from Gryffindor..." Voldemort said as he tapped his wand against the goblet. "Neville Longbottom!"
Hermione, Harry and Ron all fell quiet as their jaws dropped in shock.
"Neville?" Ron asked in disbelief. "The goblet chose Neville?"
"He did just slay Voldemort's snake, Ron," Hermione retorted as Neville walked calmly toward the platform. "Which just so happened to also be a horcrux."
Neville, unlike the people before him, did not hurl his wand at Voldemort after he was on the platform. He instead opted to walk all the way up to the Dark Lord and jab the wand into his hands.
"Oops," Neville said indifferently after jamming his wand into Voldemort's hand. "My apologies."
He quickly scurried into the roped off area before Voldemort had a chance to retaliate.
"Good to see you, Harry," Neville said with a nod in his direction. "You guys as well, Ron, Hermione, George." Neville glanced hesitantly toward Romilda before offering her a slight smile.
Harry anxiously looked at all the people currently with him inside the roped off area. He knew if he was to help someone live and win the Game, he couldn't help all his friends. He looked at George, who had lost so much when Fred died, who deserved to be happy and live a long and joyful life. He looked at Romilda, the youngest of the contestants so far, and pitied her innocence and ignorance in this war, who clearly had no clue what she was up against. He looked at Neville, who had to endure having parents that don't even recognize him and have been mentally ill for a large part of their life. He looked at Hermione, who could easily take credit for saving his life multiple times and who also had to go through being tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. And then there was Ron, his best friend who was with him during the most amazing years of his life. Harry couldn't decide who deserved to live the most but he knew that he would do everything to save as many of them as possible from this awful fate. He just hoped it wouldn't come down to him choosing between his closet friends.
Voldemort cleared his throat purposefully. "I shall now pick the contestants from Slytherin."
The crowd immediately grew quiet; everyone was anxious to see if the sons of Death Eaters would be chosen or not.
"Millicent Bulstrode!" Voldemort called out.
A sharp intake of breath was heard from Harry's right side. He looked down at Hermione curiously, who seemed frozen with shock.
"Blimey!" Ron whispered. "That's not...?"
Hermione nodded her head, unable to take her eyes off the approaching girl.
Harry's memory briefly recalled Millicent from their second year. She was with them in Dueling Club and was paired up with Hermione. If he remembered correctly- and from judging Hermione's expression he did- Millicent and Hermione had gotten into a brawl which ended with the bigger girl putting Hermione into a headlock.
"She's so strong," Hermione whispered. "She will beat any of us in hand-to-hand combat."
"Speak for yourself!" Ron scoffed. "Just because you don't lift weights like I do doesn't mean-"
"Ronald," Hermione cut in, irritated. "Since when are you an expert in hand-to-hand combat?"
"Are you saying Millicent is?" Harry asked. "I thought she was a pureblood. Wouldn't you think she would know only wand combat?"
"She put me in a headlock when we were twelve!" Hermione screeched. "I can only imagine her strength now, five years later!"
Harry opened his mouth to protest just as Millicent was climbing the stairs to the platform. He quickly bit his tongue in an effort to not anger the black-haired girl. She calmly handed Voldemort her wand and walked into the roped off area.
"Pansy Parkinson!" Voldemort read aloud the second contestant from Slytherin.
Millicent squealed in excitement as the name of her best friend was called. Pansy skipped forward through the crowd and raced up the steps. She politely curtsied before Voldemort which made him smirk in pride. She handed him her wand and jumped into the roped off area.
"Milly!" she cried in joy, hugging the other girl.
"Pans!" the girl smiled, hugging the tiny Slytherin.
"You do know at least one of you will die, right?" George said from his place on the floor. His faced was scrunched up in disgust and he looked at the hugging girls with distaste.
Their smiles immediately dropped and they slowly pulled out of the hug. They seemed to have been momentarily blinded by the prospect of the Game and simply took joy in being selected along with their best friend.
"Snakes," George said, rolling his eyes.
"The third contestant from Slytherin is..." Voldemort grabbed the slip a paper out of the air, "Blaise Zabini!"
Pansy's face lit up at the mention of her friend's name but her smile quickly disappeared as she remembered George's earlier words.
Blaise nervously shuffled toward the platform and ascended the steps. He handed Voldemort his wand and entered the roped off area.
"Millicent," he nodded toward the girl. "Pans," he smiled.
Pansy left Millicent's side and pulled Blaise into a hug. She embraced him for a good ten seconds before pulling back and smiling softly. Tears welled in her eyes and he pulled her into another hug.
"The next contestant!" Voldemort shouted and snatched the paper out of the air. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. His eyes grew as he silently read the name again. He quickly pulled out his wand and tapped it against the paper. When nothing happened, he slammed onto it more forcefully.
"Who is it?" someone bravely called from the crowd.
"Read it!" another shouted.
Voldemort glared at the paper before addressing the crowd. "The name is..." he swallowed heavily. "Theodore Nott," he spat out.
A victorious shout rang out from the crowd as Voldemort spoke the name of a Death Eater's son. The pureblood boy held his head high and walked toward the platform.
"Finally there's some justice!" someone joyfully cried.
"Let's hope we get another!"
Theo walked onto the platform and bowed before the Dark Lord. He reached into his pocket and withdrew his wand, gently placing it into Voldemort's outstretched hand. Voldemort nodded at the teenage boy and Theo quietly entered the roped off area.
Voldemort, growing angry, struck his wand against the goblet. A paper flew up and he eagerly grabbed it. After reading the name, he let out a frustrated sigh.
"Gregory Goyle," he said through clenched teeth.
Another cheer echoed through the courtyard as the son of another Death Eater was chosen.
Goyle stumbled forward and quickly made his way to the platform. Similarly to Theo, when he approached Voldemort he bowed and handed him his wand.
"The last Slytherin contestant," Voldemort announced as he hit the goblet of fire. The paper spun frantically in the air and the crowd held their breath in anticipation of who it was.
Voldemort accio'd the paper and caught the slip in a tight fist. He slowly unfurled his finger and smoothed out the paper. His jaw dropped as he read the name of the contestant. His eyes quickly glanced over the crowd, only stopping when he set his sights on the group of Death Eaters. His surprise quickly turned to fury and he slammed his fist against the goblet.
"WHO HAS BEEN TAMPERING WITH THE GOBLET?" he shouted, angry eyes sweeping over the frightened wizards and witches. "SOMEONE'S BEEN INTERFERING AND WHEN I FIND OUT WHO IT IS, I'LL KILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!"
"You lie!" McGonagall bravely shouted back. "The goblet uses ancient magic that prevents any outside force from fixing it!"*
Voldemort sneered at her before sending a hex her way. She deflected it and disappeared From sight.
"Just read the bloody name already!" George shouted from behind Voldemort.
"It's wrong!" Voldemort argued, turning to face the Weasley.
"Accio paper!" McGongall shouted from underneath a disillusionment charm.
"No!" Voldemort yelled as the slip was ripped from his hands and sent zooming toward an invisible Minerva.
The crowd watched anxiously as the paper landed in an unseen hand before it was dropped to the floor.
Someone nearby ran forward and grabbed it off the ground. "It's Draco Malfoy!" they shouted gleefully.
The crowd screamed in satisfaction. All eyes turned toward the young Death Eater who paralyzed in alarm. His mother quickly stepped in front of him as his father strode angrily forward.
"My Lord," he shouted. "Surely there has been a mistake! You can't sacrifice a Death Eater! He's my only son!"
Narcissa glared at her husband over his shoulder, furious with the fact that Lucius was only upset because it was their only son. Draco being their son should be enough of a reason, not because they didn't have any to spare. She shuttered with the thought that her husband may have been okay with this if they had had another child.
"I volunteer to be a contestant in Draco's place," Narcissa stated to Voldemort.
"Cissa!" Lucius said, turning toward his wife. "You can't be serious!"
"It doesn't matter," Voldemort said. "She is not of the proper age. If there are no other volunteers, then I must ask Draco to please step forward to the platform."
Draco did as such and offered Voldemort his wand. Voldemort raised an eyebrow at him and did not accept the wand. After a moment or two, Draco bowed before him and Voldemort grabbed the wand from his outstretched hand.
Draco walked into the roped off area with his head hung low. Pansy walked forward and gently touched Draco's arm.
"It's going to be okay, Draco," she soothed. "We'll stick together."
"No," Draco said as he shrugged her hand off his arm. "If we stick together and it ends up down to the two of us, I don't want to be forced to kill you. We need to separate."
Pansy stepped back from Draco, clearly hurt. "Suit yourself! But when you need help you better not come crying to us!" Pansy stuck her nose in the air and turned back toward the other Slytherins.
Draco fell to his knees near George, his body sagging in defeat. "They told me becoming a Death Eater was my only chance to live," he whispered to no one in particular. "They said if I took the Dark Mark I would be free." Tears streamed down his face. "Well living free is about the farthest bloody thing to what I've got now!" he shouted. "I'm going to die with this stupid Dark Mark on my arm and there's nothing I can do about it!" He broke into sobs and heaved himself fully onto the floor.
Hermione, Harry and Ron looked on, completely shocked. They were unsure if they should help their former classmate or just leave him alone. They decided on the latter but still felt uncomfortably doing so.
"Are you sure we shouldn't... I don't know... Comfort him?" Harry cringed at the way it sounded coming out of his mouth.
"Ummm, did we forget who we're talking about? It's Malfoy!" Ron responded with disbelief. "He made our entire years at Hogwarts bloody miserable! I think he deserves a little misery, too, don't you think?"
"No one deserves misery, Ronald," Hermione said, her expression upset.
"Not even Voldemort?" Ron crossed his arms.
"Maybe him," Hermione answered. "But only because he's pure evil. Malfoy isn't evil so he doesn't deserve that. Can't you just imagine what he's had to go through?"
"What about us, Hermione?" Harry asked. "Think about what we've had to go through!"
"And Malfoy has been through things just as bad so I would suggest both of you kindly hold your tongues and cut him some slack!"
"Only one of us will be alive after this Game!" Ron argued. "If he's the only thing between me living or dying, you can bet your last galleon that I won't hesitate to take him out!"
Hermione sighed in defeat. "Let's not think about that now, alright?"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: *** When I said the goblet can't be tampered with, do not immediately think I'm forgetting about HP4 and Moody. Moody technically didn't tamper with it, he simply added Harry's name with a fourth school on it so it would be picked by default. This is not what happened with Draco, who got picked because the goblet felt like he would be good in the Game. Also, don't fret, the remaining contestants will be said overtime, I have not forgotten about them! Reviews are really appreciated, so please let me know what you think! Can't wait to hear from you all!