AN: Just a heads up. My wife and I are getting ready to move back to the mainland US in a few weeks (along with multiple family visits both going and receiving before that) so I'm gonna be pretty busy for a while. I'll still try to write when I can but I'm only going to be posting things for the poll winner and the 'posted till completion' stories until I'm settled into a new place, whenever that is. I'll be preparing a big update once I'm settled in to make up for everything.

AN2: And to all those saying any auror who fails here doesn't deserve their job, I want you to stop and actually think of the facts. The aurors come in a wide variety of ability ranges, they're not all on the level of Mad Eye Moody. There would be some decidedly average witches and wizards from each group. Now, take a batch of said average aurors from the less experienced pool against a Champion that, while a student, is the best of their generation. We already saw Harry and his friends hold their own against a horde of Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries in book five. They were vastly outnumbered by trained wizards but held their own even though they were caught in an ambush.

A Chance Encounter

Chapter 13

-Sirius-

"HAH! BOOM BITCHES!" Sirius grinned as he threw open the door to the Three Broomsticks, "I'M BACK IN BLACK!"

"Sirius!" a happily crying Hagrid ran over, pulling the dog animagus into a bone cracking hug, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you!"

"It's…fine…big…guy." Sirius wheezed as the half giant hugged him tighter.

"Um, Hagrid, I do believe Sirius would like to retain the ability to breathe." Moony chuckled as Hagrid let out a flustered noise and dropped Sirius to the ground.

"Hey there boys." Rosmerta grinned, "I heard the news. How's it feel to be a free man again Black?"

"Like a Million Galleons Rosy." Sirius gave the gorgeous barmaid a grin and his most roguish wink, "And I have plenty to catch up on. Know where I can get a good drink and the love a beautiful woman?"

"I can help you with the drink but that's all you're getting from me you dog." Rosmerta laughed as Sirius gave an exaggerated gasp.

"Aaaaargh, so quick to the cut! So cruel Rosy!" Sirius tried his best to sound hurt even if he couldn't stop grinning, happily taking the extra-large tankard of butter beer.

"So, where's Harry?" Lupin looked around, "I thought he was going to meet us here?"

"The Champions are in the upstairs room." Rosmerta gestured to the stairs, "They asked to borrow it while they looked over the clues that they got from that first task. I'm just glad the four of them are getting along as well as they are. A good example to the more boisterous idiots getting into fights over who's country is better."

"Well let's hope they hurry up. I'm finally able to go about in public meaning I have a godfather's duty to tease Harry in front of a certain pretty young woman." Sirius laughed, the three men sharing a toast to that notion.

-Dumbledore-

Scowling, Dumbledore sipping a strong brandy, two distinct documents sitting on his desk. Each far different from the other, but both an equal source for his current headache.

The Emergency meeting, one that Delacour had made sure would happen when was busy with the tournament and couldn't attend, had been an emergency hearing for Sirius Black. Delacour had sited that imprisoning Sirius had technically been a kidnapping given there hadn't been a trial before that that gave him the validation to make it an ICW hearing.

Pensive memories. Veritaserum. Both of those were used to show that Sirius wasn't the Secret Keeper who had betrayed the Potters let alone a Death Eater. Thankfully the backlash would only hit him in public opinion. Ever since Harry had learned that Sirius was innocent and helped the man escape, he'd been setting seeds in case Sirius was freed. After all, crouch had been the head of the DMLE at the time and the one who had thrown Sirius in Azkaban without trial, not him. And Bagnold had been the Minister in office who had approved of the decision. Together they'd have been able to overrule him in the Wizenagamot. That he didn't bother trying was irrelevant and not something he'd bother bringing up of course. Regardless, Sirius was now free and, as Harry's godfather, now once again held the official magical guardianship of Harry. Or had, since Black had signed it over to the Delacours, much like how the Dursleys had signed over guardianship in the Muggle world.

The other matter was far more infuriating to him as he hadn't seen it coming. The fools in the Daily Prophet, as well as other publications, had torn into his scores for 'the French Champions'. He'd made statements about his disapproval of Delacour using mind magics on the Aurors, she wasn't nearly responsible enough to be trusted with such powers. And then there were the abilities that Harry had shown. Those weren't normal wizard skills so he must have gained them through some sort of Dark Ritual. Fudge had supported his statement but that only fueled the fire as the press enjoyed interviewing every foreign 'expert' they could who all disagreed with him.

Add in rumors of xenophobia, sexism, racism, and more unsavory rumors that he truly did not want to think about, and one had a recipe for the mother of all headaches.

"At least my office repels Howlers." Dumbledore sighed, seeing yet another red letter drop from an Owl's leg and burst into flames outside his silenced office window.

-Harry-

"So, that was something." Harry shook his head with a scowl at the memory of the scoring although he felt that he shouldn't be surprised. The Tournament had been rampant throughout history with cheating and favoritism although very rarely as blatant as what Dumbledore had done.

"Oui." Fleur huffed, "I wonder if Dumbledore is simply too lazy to hide his disdain or too blinded by his own 'hype'."

"The second one probably." Cedric shrugged, his own frown showing he wasn't okay with being tied for first place given why Harry and Fleur's scores were so far behind.

"Madame Maxime has already filed an appeal to the ICW for the blatant scoring bias." Fleur shrugged, "Hopefully something can be done. And even if it cannot, it won't leave us so far behind that victory becomes impossible."

"Zis is good." Krum nodded with a smirk, "I'd hate for you to give up and leave my only competition as 'pretty boy' over there."

"Don't be jealous that my hair's better than yours." Cedric mock huffed as the four laughed, their mutual disdain for the idiots running the tournament letting them bond, "Either way, ready to look at these 'clues'?"

"Oui." Fleur nodded, "I'm most curious what they'll have."

Opening his golden case, Harry pulled out a slip of parchment with a drawing of another fortification and a riddle "North of where once a wild Lord reigned, south of a castle unsustained. Tread far from the School's ancient halls, or you'll lack the time to secure your walls." Harry blinked as he read the flowing script, "A riddle?"

"I have one too." Fleur opened hers "Water surrounds you at all sides, far inland of the crashing tides. To my south stands aged stone with arches unseen, find me soon if it is victory you would gleam."

"Yours has a drawing on it too." Viktor noted, "It's the same one that is on Harry's…and mine." The Bulgarian champion got out his own parchment "Beyond the ground forbidden to tread, I sit nestled in a place once guarded by the dead. Broken tower hides the setting sun, prepare well or see your score be undone."

"Mine has that same drawing." Cedric frowned as he finally pulled out his clue "High above the streets of Iron I stand, an emerald crow with a view most grand. Fresh at my right and Salt at my left, fortify me soon lest your score be bereft."

"The judges mentioned that the next task isn't until February." Harry frowned "That's a few months away."

"Much longer than the time between the naming of the Champions and the first task." Fleur nodded in agreement, "All of these mention something along the lines of 'solving the riddle quickly' or our score will suffer."

"Wait a minute, Bagman gave us a clue during the introduction of the first task!" Cedric snapped his fingers, eyes wide "He said that 'Champions are Heroes' and that 'Heroes both invade and defend'."

"You think it's another siege, but this time reversed." Harry realized, "The drawings…are those what our forts look like?"

"Magic would make forming a basic structure easy." Viktor grunted, "They likely have the four real ones in their places all identical. Maybe even some fake ones as well. And if we pick the wrong one then we'd waste time fortifying the wrong location before the task day comes."

"Where we'd have to defend our 'keep'." Fleur nodded with a scowl, "This gives Cedric and Harry a distinct advantage, they know these Highlands far better than you or I do Viktor."

"Then we'll help you find yours." Harry gave Fleur a grin, squeezing her hand "I want to see all of you at your best."

"How the hell weren't you a Hufflepuff man?" Cedric laughed, shaking his head in amused agreement "But hell yeah, let's put on a show!"

"Glad you're in agreement." Harry smirked, "As for your question? Brass balls. Big ones." He grinned as he teased the older Hufflepuff.

"That true?" Viktor asked Fleur who gaped.

"Why ze 'ell would I know?!" Fleur demanded red-faced.

"Don't answer that, it's a trap!" Cedric shouted for his friend while Harry just flushed at the new can of teasing his quip had opened up.

AN: I gotta say, I had fun writing those riddles. I'm curious if anyone will guess where the locations are. I used the map from Hogwarts Legacy when I figured out the spots.