The problem with handing students, is how to get them to listen to you. Glynda Goodwitch had found that out the hard way, when she taught her first class at Beacon Academy, as a freshly graduated, certified teacher in combat and Dust. Several students tried and almost succeeded with getting her to resign from Beacon Academy, but she pulled through in the end, and got the respect she earned.
That was seventeen years ago. Now she was leading sixteen students in a remote castle, where the age of the students ranged from eleven till eighteen. Her own students, Teams JNPR, RWBY, RAVN and SSSN, might not win the prize for being the best student, but they would certainly be a runner up. No. It were the students from the school she had to stay, because a very close member of her family, and she did consider Harry Ozpin part of her family, was forced to compete in a Tournament that tested the magical skills of said students throughout the year.
So she was with her students. Teams JNPR, RWBY, CFVY, RAVN and SSSN all looked at the students of one of the four houses of Hogwarts, the school she was temporary posted. The entire house of Slytherin stood before them, refusing them to let them pass in the Great hall, before Harry's first task.
"And furthermore, we of the noble house of Slytherin, refuse to allow students with animal traits to join us in the great hall." Said one of the speakers, as he pointed to Blake Belladonna without a bow to hide her cat ears, Velvet Scarlatina with her rabbit ears, or Sun Wukong who waved his monkey tail around.
"I see, and you believe that you can stop us from entering the great hall, sit with your school mates, and eat the same food, because it is only made for humans?" Goodwitch asked, as she looked at the entire group of green and silver wearing students. Pulling her riding crop from her boot, she nodded to the five teams that were behind her. A sound that could only be described as gears getting in place, blades being drawn, and guns being cocked, rang through the entrance hall, as all the teams prepared their weapons, holding them still in a non-threatening way, but clearly able to be seen by the Slytherin blockade.
"I'm asking one more time. Let us pass, or else we will have to use more 'drastic' measures." Said Goodwitch as she smiled slightly, seeing several Slytherin students leaving the blockade.
"What is going on here?" McGonagall's voice echoed through the entrance hall, as she walked from her own quarters on the third floor to the great hall to grab something to eat.
"Professor McGonagall, I am happy to see you. My students and I are refused entrance to the great hall for our breakfast. It seems that Slytherin house doesn't want us to mingle with them, all because some of my students have some parts that are 'not human'. We told them, that if they didn't allow us passage, that my students would resort to more 'drastic' measures. And as you can see, they still refuse to let us go. Our champion is waiting for his friends in the great hall, and I wish to make sure he arrives safely to the first task."
McGonagall nodded, and paled slightly. Slytherin house had been a thorn in the side of most of the professors of Hogwarts, who wanted to have a nice Tournament, where friendships and bonds were made and maintained. And while the students from Beacon Academy, and their deputy-headmistress had been well behaved, many Slytherin students had protested against the arrival of Beacon, as they believed it to 'pollute the wizarding world'.
And thus began the name calling, teasing and sometimes injuring of Beacon Academy students. Especially those, who were 'different' than the rest. It had already escalated once, where team JNPR had to hold off a large 'strike force' of sixteen Slytherin upper years. While they did really well, they were slowly pushed to a spot, where they had no chance from escaping from. Luckily, team RAVN of Beacon arrived in time before JNPR could be captured. Since then, every team traveled in pairs. Team JNPR and RWBY would pair together and team CFVY and SSSN would travel together. For some reason, team RAVN didn't need to be in such a formation, as more than not, that team knew how to get away from the Slytherin 'hunting parties'. Ruby Rose, leader of team RWBY had written a formal complaint to address the situation, signed by all the members of the teams and Goodwitch herself, before presenting it to Dumbledore, who would look into it.
He never did, causing the tensions between Beacon students and Slytherin to rise.
"Professor McGonagall. While we have done our best to show our most respect for this school and it's students, I'm afraid that this will be the first 'official' confrontation between Beacon and Slytherin House. If you would kindly move out of the way?" Glynda asked McGonagall, who looked at the Slytherin blockade, and then at the students of Beacon Academy.
"I cannot allow this. You must all stop with what you are doing. You must" McGonagall nearly shouted, as she looked at the two sides or students, both refusing to move.
"Miss Jones, Fire one arrow. Lightning." Goodwitch instructed. McGonagall could only watch in terror as Vixen Jones shot an arrow at the blockade of Slytherin. Seeing several Protego's rising from the blockade, McGonagall's eyes almost popped out of her skull, as the arrow detonated, shocking a large number of Slytherin students.
"Now, please stand aside" Goodwitch said, her teachers voice clearly heard by all. Some younger Slytherin students moved aside, not wanting to be in the firing line of these students, or their teacher. Still, most Slytherin students raised their wands and shot several curses at the group of Beacon students. Before McGonagall could react, several white glyphs appeared in the air, catching the curses and sending them back to their senders. Now Slytherin students had to dive out of the way, as their own curses came back towards them. Several explosions were heard inside the castle, as curses collided with either student or stone, covering the entire entrance hall in smoke.
McGonagall could only look a few feet in front of her. What she did see, brought new fear to her heart, as she saw several students with a green and silver robe on the floor, moaning in pain. Then the smoke vanished, allowing McGonagall to see the total damage. Forty Slytherin students were hurt in one way or another. Some had nothing more than small scraped or bruises, while others had more serious wounds, needing medical care. Looking at the Beacon students, she was that not one student was injured, but also that they started to prepare to move to the great hall.
"You should be lucky." McGonagall heard as she looked in the eyes of one of Beacon's students. Her yellow eyes looking at her. Of all the students of Beacon Academy, this one looked the most like a witch, with her robe around her body.
"Why?" McGonagall asked, as she looked around. "Because each and everyone of us, is capable of killing your students without breaking a sweat." She said as she looked at Slytherin house.
"NOVA, get along" They heard as Ray Star called to them."Sorry, got to go" the now mentioned Nova said as she left McGonagall's side and walked into the great hall, leaving McGonagall around the injured Slytherin students. Shaking her head, she called three house elves, who she ordered to call the headmaster and ask him to contact St. Mungo's, for extra personnel, before she told them to transport the injured students to the Hospital wing.
Shaking her head, McGonagall moved to the great hall and found it a sea of calmness. Each and every student was eating their meals peacefully, with only four exceptions. Cedric Diggory, Victor Krum, Fleur Delacour were all eating with slightly shaking hands. Harry Ozpin's hands were shaking so bad, that he threw half his food over his plate. "Mr. Ozpin. After I'm done with my meal, I will escort you to the arena for your first test."
Harry nodded nervously, as he threw another piece of sausage on the ground. "Oh for Monty's sake" Harry said as he grabbed a new sausage from the place, where three dozen sausages were stacked together.
"Are you okay, Harry?" Katie Bell asked, as she looked at Harry's pale face. "What do you think?" Harry asked Katie as he tried to take deep breaths.
"Excuse me, but I need a word with the squirt." A voice said as Ray Star suddenly stood behind Harry, shocking him so much that he dropped another sausage. A voice-less scream came out of Harry as he banged his head on the table.
"He, relax kid. You'll do fine." Said Ray as he took a napkin and placed some sausages and an assortment of food in it.
"Come along, Harry. Let's have a talk." Harry felt his legs moving, following Ray out of the great hall and outside, where they found a bench where they could sit. Placing the napkin between them, Ray took a sausage with his hands and started to eat.
"You see, Harry. I will not pretend to be nervous, nor will I be a voice of reason. Unless they decide to cancel the Tournament, you will be a Champion for Beacon Academy. In some ways, this is your final test. Your last chance to let the world see, what a great person you can be. And when that test comes, you'll face it head on."
Ray looked at Harry. "I will not lie, Harry. The things I have seen in life have scarred me. But I do not believe that a dragon like the ones we have seen in that forest, will be able to defeat you."
Ray was talking about the night trip that Harry, Nova Heart and he had taken, after team RAVN had found something strange in the woods. They had used their jeep to get closer, and had found a open clearing, where four massive dragons were being held, surrounded by no less that forty dragon handlers.
They raced back to warn Harry, who wanted to see it with his own eyes. The look on his face, after seeming the dragons was terrifying. Harry was paler than pale, his hands were shaking and he was making plans to run away from Hogwarts, Tournament be damned.
When Ray pointed out that Harry was constantly monitored, Harry finally understood the situation.
"I'm probably going to die in this Tournament." Harry had said, before being slapped in the head by an angry Nova Heart. "Of course you're not. We're going to train you to the best of your abilities. You can even bring in your own team. We'll whip you into shape, before the first task." she had said, just as they exited the Forbidden Forest. That next day, team RAVN had met with team GOTH and started their training, that strangely focused on more magical training that Huntsmen training.
"Mr Ozpin, are you ready?" McGonagall called, bringing Harry out of his memory.
"Go get them, Harry." Ray said as he nodded to McGonagall before he made his way to the stadium, while he tapped something on his scroll. Harry shook his head, before he moved with McGonagall to the arena, where he would face the first task of the Tournament. McGonagall guided him into a private dressing room, and told him to change. Harry saw a uniform that he was supposed to wear, and smiled as he saw that he would truly represent Beacon Academy.
Hearing others arriving, Harry looked through a small crack in the door and saw the headmaster of Durmstrang, Igor Karkaroff, mumbling against his student, Victor Krum. It seemed as if they were reviewing the strategy one last time, before they had to face the dragons.
Karkaroff left, leaving Victor alone in his own dressing room. Harry, having changed into his outfit, stepped out of the dressing room, proudly showing his uniform. Because he was representing Beacon Academy and Vale, his uniform had a green base color, with a darker green, almost black overcoat, giving him the feeling that he was wearing a cape. His shoes were black, and sturdy. On his chest, back and on the coat, the logo of Beacon Academy was clearly seen, with on his back, his name. Luckily, they had printed the name OZPIN on it, instead of the name POTTER.
Then Harry saw Cedric Diggory walking towards him. Cedric was dressed in a half black, half yellow shirt, clearly from Hufflepuff and with a small crest of Hogwarts on the front. On his back, his name was written with a small star below his name.
"Hey Harry." Cedric whispered, as Fleur Delacour was escorted to her dressing room. "Thanks for telling me about the dragon."
Harry nodded and sat down on one of the chairs that were spread around in the waiting area. Harry had told Cedric the next day, after he had seen the dragons.
All to soon, it was time for the first task to begin. All of the teachers, who were needed there were three. Professor Goodwitch was with Harry, keeping him grounded. Out of a bag, held out by Crouch, the champions had to pull something out of the bag. Whatever they pulled out of the bag, they had to fight a full grown specimen in the arena ahead. As Harry watched each Champion pulling a small dragon from the bag, he saw that both Fleur and Victor didn't show that much surprise, confirming his suspicions that both Madame Maxime and Karkaroff had seen the dragons and told their students. When Cedric pulled out the dragon he would face, Harry knew that there was only one dragon remaining. The Hungarian Horntail. The largest, meanest and toughest of the dragons. Putting his arm in the bag, Harry grabbed the last dragon from the bag, showing the Hungarian Horntail to everyone, including Professor Goodwitch, who placed her hand on his shoulder. It was her way of telling him that when ever he needed help, she would give it, Tournament be damned.
"You now have your dragons. You must retrieve a golden egg from it's nest, for without the clue it gives, you cannot hope to continue. Good luck" Crouch said as he moved out of the room, probably to find his seat to watch the spectacle.
"Mr. Diggory. When you're ready." Dumbledore said as he pointed to a previous unseen door.
Cedric nodded, took a few deep breaths and moved through the door. Harry found himself soon facing time, as both Fleur and Victor were called forward.
"And now for our final contestant, Harry Ozpin." Harry heard his name being called, stood up and walked through the door. The door was connected to a long tunnel that showed light at the end. Harry could also head a faint roar, and possible cheers from beyond the end of the tunnel. Walking with steady steps to the end of the tunnel, Harry thought about all the people who would be there. There were rumors that the prince of Vale had come to see him in action, but Harry didn't believed that rumor. Stepping out into the sunlight, Harry looked around. He was standing in a stadium that was filled to the brink with students, teachers and other people he didn't know. Right in front of him, on the other side of the stadium, he saw several faces he did know rather well. The three headmasters of the schools were sitting there, as well as aunt Glynda. But what did surprise him was that on Glynda's right side a young man sat, wearing a royal blue jacket.
There was only one family in the whole of Remnant who wore royal blue. Harry prepared to make a bow, but his aura kicked in and instead of making a bow, Harry rolled forward, barely dodging a large spiked tail.
Harry looked up and saw his opponent. It was the Hungarian Horntail. Massive black armor, yellow eyes and a wing span that must have been around fifty feet. On the back of his head, following all down it's back to the tail, razor sharp spikes pointed out of it. Harry jumped out of the way again, as the Horntail swung his tail again, barely missing Harry, but hitting the stone Harry was hiding behind head on.
Harry saw this and quickly ran around the stones, towards the nest where the golden egg was located. The dragon spotted Harry and shot a blast of flames towards him, forcing Harry to hide behind some other stones.
"Harry." Someone shouted and as Harry looked up, saw that Ginny had thrown something upon the field. It was hidden behind a pair of medium sized boulders. Picking up a small stone, Harry threw it towards a spot behind the dragon, who had lost track of Harry. It looked at where the stone landed, and Harry used that to quickly run towards the place where Ginny had thrown something. Sliding behind the stones, Harry smiled as he found Child's Play. Nodding to Ginny, Harry checked and cocked Child's play, ready to bring the fight to the Horntail. Harry ran around, still avoiding the Horntail, while he shot the dragon with ice infused Dust bullets, hoping to cool the dragon down.
The dragon felt the small bullets hitting it's thick armor and looked at the source of it. Seeing the little human trip in an open field between rocks, the dragon shot several balls of fire at it's target, making sure that it wasn't hit yet, but surrounded by the flames.
Harry had no where to go, his escape route was blocked off, the dragon had him exactly where it wanted him to be. Seeing it coming towards him, it's tail now free from the stones it had embedded itself in. The dragon now stood right before Harry, who still fired Ice Bullets at it. Harry could see the simple thought going though the dragon's brain. An instinct that had served it for may times. 'Burn'
The Dragon unleashed a massive flame right at Harry, who's voice was being killed as he was surrounded by flames.
If the dragon could smile, it would have done so, as the place where Harry had been standing was burning, it's flames licking the overcoat of the young foolish human who wanted his eggs. Turning around, the dragon went back to her eggs.
Then, the dragon felt a cold something hitting the back of it's head. Turning around, the dragon saw that Harry Ozpin was still standing in the sea of flames. Harry looked at the dragon, and flipped his finger at it.
"It seems that Mr. Ozpin has done the impossible, and survived dragon's fire." Shorted Bagman though the microphone, as people were wondering hiw Harry survived dragon's fire.
"Professor Goodwitch, perhaps you are able to explain this to us?" Bagman asked, holding the microphone close to Goodwitch.
"It is very simple, Harry has been eating grinded Fire Dust crystals for the past several years. This allowed his aura to get used to be around fire for short periods of time. The Dust he ate, in combination with his aura and semblance, created a sort of force field that was able to prevent him from being burned alive."
Meanwhile, the dragon was staring at Harry and Harry was staring back at the dragon, his finger on the trigger of Child's Play, ready to unleach a new wave of ice infused Dust bullets. But before either could react, Harry saw a shadow passing over the stadium. Then again, and again. The dragon seemed to respond with strange behavior. It started to make itself smaller, almost as if it was in the pressence of a superior predator. Taking a risk, Harry looked up, and froze. His heart started to pump. He started to sweat. His breath came in deep gasps and his adrenaline seemed to run though his system as he looked at the black figure that was coming closer and closer with every spin it's mighty wings made.
Three hundred feet long, from head to tail. Four hunder and fifty feet wingspan. Black as the darkest night with red and yellow eyes that could stop a charging Goliath in it's tracks. White bones sticking out of it's body, coating it in a almost inpenetrable armor, covered by red tribal markings.
The thing landed on it's four large feet, each big enough to crush three schoolbusses. Claws that were meant to cut everything and everyone to little pieces.
It's mouth, large enough to eat two dozen people at once, with teeth that were as white as the armor of a Atlesian knight 200.
Harry took a deep breath, as he looked at the stands, his friends knowing what it was, but refusing to tell it to the rest. So Harry did. "REAPER" Harry shouted as the dragon Grimm roared, shaking the stadium to it's core.