Snap...I work tonight and I wasn't supposed to...oh, well that gives me 11 pm - 7 am to write on my fanfiction. :D

Harry exited into the Great Hall after a frightful conversation with the judges, Triwizard contestants, and Heads of the three schools. He was nearly shaking, eyes wide and skin white and clammy as he thought about what had just happened.

He had been entered into the Triwizard Tournament and Professor Moody seemed to believe it was the work of some powerful dark wizard or witch who wanted the Tournament to kill Harry. Furthermore, Snape seemed to believe Harry had entered himself and had snarled at Harry and Dumbledore throughout the entire conversation. Then Harry had been told that there was no way around it: he had to enter the Tournament.

"Harry?"

His head raised with a snap and he stared at Sirius standing there looking both worried, but also...excited.

"I'm in the Tournament." Harry said weakly. "I don't have a choice."

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Sirius asked, clasping Harry's shoulders.

"I..." Harry took a deep breath. "Kind of sick..."

"Harry," Sirius gave Harry a quick embrace and then led him out of the Hall. "Look. I need to get back down to Hogsmeade as I'm not supposed to be here at night, but I wanted to warn you before I set off because I don't know when I'll be seeing you again."

"Warn me about what?"

"Karkaroff. He used to be a Death Eater...you know what that is?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded quickly. "But how..."

"He got released from Azkaban because he provided information about fellow Death Eaters. All I know is that Death Eaters never stop being Death Eaters. They turn in their best friends...you saw Pettigrew."

"So you think he's trying to kill me."

"I can't be sure it's him." Sirius hissed. "But whoever put your name in that goblet, Harry, they don't want what's best for you."

"Black!" Snape's voice sent a thrill up Harry's spine and he spun to see the man, black robes billowing around him, descending upon them like a large black bat. "You've overstayed your welcome. Get out before I report you."

Sirius straightened, scowling at Snape with complete loathing. "I see saving my life has done nothing to improve your attitude towards me, Snivillous."

Harry gasped in disbelief over what his godfather had just called his professor...in front of him!

"I never saved your life." Snape snarled with disgust. "I was simply trying to put the correct culprit behind bars. It had nothing to do with saving you, Black."

"Sir..." Harry started, but Snape gave him a silencing glare.

"Get to your dormitory, Potter." Snape growled. "It's well past time for you to be in bed."

Harry nodded and said a quick goodbye to Sirius before starting on his way down to the dungeons. He got to the entrance to the common room and found Theodore outside waiting for him.

"They all want to celebrate." Theo informed his friend. "Makes sense. First Slytherin champion Hogwarts ever had. Well, Malfoy doesn't want to really because of the ferret deal. Blames you."

"I don't want to celebrate." Harry grumbled. "This is stupid. I didn't even put my name in that goblet."

"Know that." Theo patted Harry's shoulder. "Humor them or you'll make them mad at you."

Harry sighed. "Theo...what am I going to do?"

"Worry about that tomorrow. Tonight, celebrate."

And they did celebrate. Harry didn't even bother trying to deny that he had entered the tournament on his own, knowing that if anyone did believe him they'd look down on him and would probably even start harassing him for it. Draco was scoffing in his own corner, but eventually even he was congratulating the champion if only because it was Slytherin policy to be supportive. Finally, everyone went to bed and Harry and Theodore camped out in the latter's bed, curtains drawn and didn't start discussing it until they were sure their other dormmates were asleep.

"I can't believe this has happened." Harry hissed to Theodore. "I mean, all I wanted was a normal year here at Hogwarts. Seriously! Why can't I ever have a normal year?"

"Because you're Harry Potter." Theo sighed, popping another piece of candy in his mouth. "Wouldn't be normal for you to have a school year where no one was trying to get you killed."

Harry groaned and glared furiously at the bed canopy above him. "Sirius said it could be Karkaroff."

"Karkaroff is a coward." Theodore mused. "Wouldn't return to You-Know-Who until he was certain his former master had risen to a power strong enough to protect him."

"You know Karkaroff is an ex-Death Eater?" Harry asked, surprised.

Theodore shrugged. "Find it in a history book if you would look through them, Harry."

"So you don't think it's him?"

"Doubt it is." The taller boy stretched on his bed. "No need to worry over that though, Harry. Need to focus on handling these tasks. Dangerous, they are. People die in this tournament, Harry."

"Ugh, I know." Harry scowled harder. "I don't want to do this!"

Theodore ruffled Harry's hair. "I'll get you through this, Harry. Can't go wrong when you've got my book-knowledge and common sense."

Harry grinned, feeling abruptly reassured. "You're right. Thanks, Theo."

"Anytime, Harry."

The next few days were some of Harry's worst ever. Not only did Snape treat him absolutely horribly to the point of awarding him detention, but he also found himself interviewed by that terrible woman, Rita Skeeter, during the wand weighing, who lied profusely in her article about him, playing him off as a crybaby too young for such a dangerous tournament. Now all the Slytherins were mad at him because his performance reflected poorly on him and the other three Houses mocked him every where he went. They all clearly chose to support Diggory, partially because he wasn't a Slytherin and partially because he hadn't "cheated" to get into the tournament, as everyone believed Harry had. The Slytherins thought he was brilliant; all the other Houses thought it was simply typical Slytherin. Then there were the badges that just made Harry feel sick seeing them and the lack of support. Thankfully, none of the Slytherins wore them because of their strong belief of House support, but he had a feeling if such a statute wasn't in place than he'd be seeing quite a few of them.

"Ugh...can't anyone see I didn't want this to happen to me?" Harry growled at Theodore as they started on their way to Hogsmeade on the Saturday before the first task. Harry had his invisibility cloak in hand as he planned to wear it once they were in the village. Theodore was accustomed to being seen alone, so it didn't bother him.

"Believe what they want to believe." Theodore replied in his silky voice. "The more exciting it is, the more they'll believe it. Or dramatic...or pathetic...or downright awful."

"Thanks." Harry grumbled, dodging behind a tree and throwing his invisibility cloak on. "Can you see me?"

Theodore snorted. "Of course not."

They continued walking, Theodore chatting with Harry idly while attempting not to move his lips while Harry made conversation back only when he was sure no one would notice. He was glad he'd worn the cloak as he didn't have to put up with Rita Skeeter who was staying in Hogsmeade, nor Sirius Black who was also staying apparently. Black came over to pester Theodore though.

"Alone?" Black asked as he took a seat across from the Slytherin, Harry haven't to scoot over very quickly in order not to be sat on.

"Clearly." Theodore answered dryly.

"Where's Harry?"

"Didn't want to deal with the attention, so stayed up in the castle." Lying came naturally for Theo and this wasn't the first time Harry had seen him do so.

"Ah..." Sirius seemed disappointed. "I had wanted to talk to him about the tasks ahead."

Theo made a sound in his throat, but didn't reply otherwise. After a long awkward moment, Sirius finally cleared his throat and spoke.

"So you and Harry are pretty close?"

"Best friends." This made Harry's cheeks redden and his chest swell.

"Mmm." Sirius didn't seem nearly as pleased. "But your father was a Death Eater."

"His name was cleared." Those who didn't know Nott wouldn't have caught the slight tension in his shoulders and the tightening of his voice, but Harry knew Theo and he caught it instantly.

"And?" Sirius perked up a brow. "He lied, didn't he?"

Theo's jaw clenched. "What do I know? I'm only fourteen. Was only one when the first war was going on."

"He doesn't brag about it?" Sirius' tone was mocking and made Harry want to smack him really hard. "He doesn't tell you what he expects you to become?"

"Don't talk much to each other." Theo spoke sharply.

"I think you're lying." Sirius practically spat the words. "I think you know exactly what your father was and still is and I think you've got it in for Harry."

"That's a lie." Theo snapped back, eyes raging like blue fire, incredibly reminiscent of the goblet of fire. "Harry is my friend. I'd never betray him. I might not tell him everything and I tend to keep my own feelings to myself, but I wouldn't do anything to intentionally cause him harm. You're biased and prejudice and hardened from your experiences with Sltherins, but I'll tell you what, Sirius Black: you're no different than your own parents, you're just rooting for a different team."

Sirius stood hastly, nearly overturning the table in the process and knocking Theo's tankard of butterbeer over onto the Slytherin's lap. "You don't know anything."

"I know enough of the House of Black." Theodore grabbed onto the table to steady it. "And of their views of Blood-Traitors like you."

"You insolent little..."

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Mad-Eye Moody and Hagrid appeared and started chatting with them. Sirius took his leave during this conversation. Theo started wiping up the mess around his lap.

"Nice cloak, Potter." Moody muttered in a low voice and Harry jumped slightly.

"Can your eye...I mean, can you..."

"Yeah, it can see through Invisibility Cloaks." Moody grunted. "And it's come in useful at times, I can tell you."

Hagrid smiled at Harry, clearly having caught what Moody had said. "Harry, meet me tonight at midnight at me cabin. Wear that cloak."

Then the two professors wished Theodore a good day and started on their way. Harry let out a heavy sigh.

"You all right there, Theo?"

"Let's go." Theodore rose so quickly, he respilled what was left of his butterbeer and nearly gave Harry a bruise on his chest where the table had hit him. Harry followed as fast as he could, but found that Theo's long legs could take him far rather quickly with each step. Harry was jogging just to keep in sight of the other boy.

He didn't catch up to Theo until they were in sight of the Shrieking Shack and it was only because Theo had stopped dead in his tracks. Harry slowed down to a walk and cautiously approached his friend. He halted a couple of steps behind him.

"Theo?" Harry asked with worry in his voice. "What's...is something wrong?"

"N-no..." There was an unmistakable quiver in his voice. "Just...stuffy in there."

Harry's heart jumped up into his mouth as he realized something suddenly about Theo's voice: it sounded wet...like he was...

Carefully and not knowing what else to do, Harry walked forward again, but only a couple of steps, just close enough to rest his forehead on his friend's back and put his arms around him in an awkward, but meaningful embrace.

"It was a bit stuffy." Harry mumbled into the other boy's back as Theodore began to tremble, now openly crying the tears he was fighting so hard to keep in. "The fresh air's better."

Theodore only nodded in agreement.

They didn't say anything more until long after Theodore had wiped at his eyes and they had started back up to Hogwarts. Even then, they didn't touch the topic of Theodore crying. Harry was sure this was the very first time the other Slytherin had ever cried in front of someone and Harry was also sure the boy had no idea how to handle doing so.

Love this scene. :D Review if you want.