"Harry Potter."

He froze. It was impossible. Well not impossible but he didn't do it. For once in his life things were going well. His schoolwork had improved, he didn't have to worry about Oliver Wood and his fanatical quidditch practices and he even had a place to go over the school holiday if he wanted.

Run. He could run.

"Harry Potter. Harry, you need to come up here."

No one could get to Sirius at Grimmauld Place. Maybe he could disappear with him. He only had to make it to the edge of Hogwarts wards. He could run that far.

Dumbledore's words were barely registering through the roaring in his ears. He was dimly aware of the rest of the Gryffindor's having moved away from him, leaving him in the middle of an open circle. But not alone. When everyone else took a step back, Hermione moved up and grabbed his hand, interlacing their fingers.

"Harry?"

Hermione's voice snapped him out of his adrenaline fueled panic. He couldn't run without her.

He looked at his friend. The eerie red flames cast by the Goblet faded leaving the Great Hall to be illuminated by the thousands of candles floating above them. She had her bottom lip in her teeth and shadows danced over her worried expression.

"Come with me?"

She leaned back slightly. "I don't think Professor Dumbledore will let me."

He hadn't been sure if he meant run away with him or go with him to Dumbledore until that moment.

"I don't care. If anyone can figure out what's going on it's you. I didn't do this, Mione. I didn't enter."

"I know. And so does everyone else, they're just shocked."

"Doesn't matter. Come with me?" he asked again. When she nodded, Harry led the way to the antechamber off the Great Hall not caring who saw them holding hands. The shock was beginning to wear off leaving nothing but raw anger. Anger at the Goblet (sure, an inanimate object but still) anger at Dumbledore for drawing his name and anger at the whole damn school for even thinking for a minute he would enter himself into this deathtrap.

The antechamber was elaborately decorated, its stone walls covered in dark wood paneling with heavy tapestries representing each of the four houses on the walls. There were several small tables with padded wingback chairs holding the other Champions. The occupants looked up when the doors opened and surprise registered when it wasn't Dumbledore and the Ministry officials coming to begin instructions.

"Ez somezing wrong? Do zay need us again?" The French Champion, Fleur Delacour asked with a sniff.

When the Beauxbatons contingent arrived the previous afternoon the males of Hogwarts nearly started a revolution. The beautiful blonde turned out to be half Veela and her charm and allure captured the majority of those with XY chromosomes (and number of the female population as well. Well, those that weren't drooling over the powder blue clad males of the group). Hermione had hoped to speak with some of the French students, having spent summers in France with her grandparents when she was younger, but the students migrated to the Ravenclaw table and rarely spent any time outside of meals socializing. They preferred to spend their time in the Beauxbatons carriage or with a few select Ravenclaws whose own looks could rival their own.

The other celebrity was the Durmstrang champion, Viktor Krum. Fresh off of catching the snitch at the World Cup, the surly looking 18 year old kept to himself and three other young men in his immediate circle and spoke only to them or his headmaster. Integrating themselves with the Slytherins, it was no wonder that now he was glaring at Harry. And Harry didn't like the looks he was giving Hermione either though she didn't notice.

"Harry, Hermione, what's going on?" Cedric Diggory asked the pair just before Dumbledore, Bagman and Crouch and oddly Snape entered the room.

"My name came out of the Goblet, Cedric." Harry sighed.

The headmasters of the other schools chattered over each other until Dumbledore spoke.

"SILENCE! One at a time please. Harry, my boy, I must ask, did you enter your name in the Goblet?"

"No."

"Did you ask another student or Professor to enter you?"

"Absolutely not."

"He's lying! How else would his name come out of the Goblet?" Karakoff hissed.

"Would you like me to swear with Veritaserum? I'm sure Snape would jump at the chance to question me with it." Harry snapped.

"Why you insolent brat. I have no problem with administering a dose and proving once and for all you are nothing more than an arrogant show off like your father before you," Snape snarled, stepping forward. Hermione moved in front of Harry and poked the potions Master in the chest.

"Why don't you find out what's going on first, Professor Snape rather than jumping to conclusions like you are prone to," Hermione growled, shocking both Snape and herself with her physical reaction.

"He is leetle more zan a boy, a child. He cannot compete." Fleur waved her hands anxiously. Madam Maxime nodded.

"I am not a child!" Harry snapped. "And I didn't put my name in the damn cup. I don't want to compete. I don't want the prize money and I sure as hell don't need 'eternal glory' which sounds like you only get if you die while competing. I just want to have a normal year."

"Well, there Harry, your name did come out of the Goblet so you must compete. It's a binding contract. I wouldn't worry much, it should be very exciting!" Ludo Bagman looked entirely too happy about the entire thing. Harry half expected him to be rubbing his hands together.

"Exactly when did the Ministry decide how the Champions for this year's Triwizard Cup would be chosen?" Hermione asked, looking at Bartimaeus Crouch.

"What are you asking?"

"When did the ministry decide to use the Goblet of Fire as an impartial selector for the Tournament? How many times was it used in the past? Did anyone bother to look into the history of the Goblet?" Hermione repeated, smoothing her robes.

"What do you mean, girl? The Goblet was chosen by the Ministry for it's magical ability in impartial selection." Bagman blustered.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Well this girl has clearly done more research on this than the Ministry employees. I'm certain everyone in this room would be interested in knowing that the Ministry's rules for this year's Tournament have nothing to do with the contract between a competitor and the Goblet of Fire itself."

"How does that affect us, Hermione?" Cedric asked, coming to join the two Gryffindors despite Professor Sprout shaking her head at him. "Isn't the Goblet part of the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Now, Miss Granger I'm sure…"

"Dumbly-dore let the child speak. We are all interested in 'earing 'er reasoning." The French Headmistress waved her hand for Hermione to continue.

"The Goblet of Fire is an ancient artifact. The Ministry of Magic doesn't even know where it came from or how old it really is. It's magic is said to be unreplicatable. But they don't even know if it's supposed to be used as an item for magical selection, it's just something the cup happens to be good at. It's been used a few times in the past to draw names for the Triwizard Tournament but it's also been used to settle feuds, throw out lawsuits, any time more than one party was involved and no legal way could settle the dispute." She turned to Harry. "I don't know how much you would know about it from muggle school but the cup is an enlarged wooden chalice. Wood, not 's talk in the muggle world that such an item would be sought out as the cup of Christ and grant eternal life."

Harry's eyes widened. "Seriously? And they want something with THAT reputation around where Voldemort can get a hold of it?"

Barty Crouch blustered. "That's just preposterous. It's a Ministry item held in the Department of Mysteries as has been the case for centuries. He-who-must-not-be-named is dead. Everyone knows that. Besides, the Goblet does what the Ministry requires of it."

Hermione raised a brow. "Has anyone ever tried to drink out of it? Granted, if the cup decided you were unworthy, you're basically supposed to melt from the inside out so I guess that would be a deterrent but my point is - the cup doesn't care what the Ministry decided. You changed the rules, not the cup. It's on the Ministry to decide what to do. The cup only knows to pick one slip of paper from each entity - in this case school - entered. It doesn't care that you set up an age requirement." Hermione tilted her head. "I'm curious as to what the runes on the cup actually translate to and if anyone bothered to try."

Dumbledore stroked his beard. "I never looked at the situation quite like that, Miss Granger. When I set the age line, I assumed no one would be foolish enough to enter a name other than their own."

Harry snorted. "What does that mean for me? Do I have to compete?"

"Of course you do, boy!" Couch yelled. "What part of binding magical contract do you not understand?"

"Harry, I'm afraid you may just have to. I can't be certain the contract made by the cup is with the name on the slip of parchment or if it's with the individual who placed the parchment in the cup. The risks if you don't compete are too great to chance it." Dumbledore answered.

"What are the risks?" Harry glanced around the room. It didn't look like any of the other Champions had any idea of the risks of not competing.

"Loss of magic and/or death." Snape stated bluntly.

Shouting erupted around the room as the other Headmasters tried to calm their students. Harry and Hermione couldn't tell if the other Champions didn't know that particular clause or if the other Headmasters were unaware of it as well but it looked like as good a time as any to get out of there. Creeping along the side wall closest to the door, Hermione stopped at Dumbledore to get any last minute instructions.

"Just be aware the first task tests your bravery and will be held the afternoon of November 24th. I will pass on any prudent details to you as they unfold. Harry, none of the Professors from the Champions schools may assist them with the tasks," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that Harry isn't a Hogwarts champion then, Professor." Hermione replied almost flippantly as she led him out the door.

They made it all the way to the Gryffindor tower without running into anyone other than Peeves the Poltergeist but Harry stopped them before they could get to the Fat Lady and pushed Hermione into an empty classroom. He locked and silenced the room before hopping up on top of the teacher's desk and yanking on his hair.

"This is ridiculous. What was Dumbledore thinking, letting a competition where students are bound to compete or lose their magic or die come to Hogwarts. We have Voldemort showing up every year, is that not enough for him?" Harry's head shot up and his eyes met Hermione's. "You don't think Voldemort…"

Hermione stepped between Harry's legs, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a hug and sighed. "It's a high probability. I doubt the Ministry is all that secure with Death Eaters like Lucius Malfoy wandering around free so Voldemort using the Tournament to get ahold of you makes sense. It also puts the other Champions at greater risk because they would just be in the way. You would be the prize."

"Did you mean it when you said I wasn't a Hogwarts Champion?"

"Yes, I've been thinking and it's what's going to help us get you prepared for this whole thing. First thing, you need to contact Remus and Sirius right away and see what kind of ideas they have. I don't think it would be unreasonable to have Remus come here as a tutor for you. You are three years behind the other three Champions. It wouldn't be an unfair advantage but leveling the playing field."

"Ugh. How am I going to remember all of this?" Harry dropped his head to rest against Hermione's.

"That's what I'm here for. You are exempt from exams as a participant in the Tournament but you'll have to see if you need to go to classes. Plus, we need to look at the Ministry declaration that the Tournament is only open to of age witches and wizards. If anything, it should give you adult standing in the wizarding world - at least it should if it will prove beneficial for you. We can ignore it if it doesn't. We should head to the common room. I'm sure everyone is waiting to see what's going on," Hermione grabbed Harry's hands, tugging him off the desk and leading him out the door.

"How do you know all this?"

"Harry, the Professors have been talking about the rules of the Tournament for weeks. Have you been paying any attention at all?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Not really. I kinda spaced out whenever they started on the Tournament stuff. Didn't think I needed to know about it and since it wasn't being tested on…"

"If it wasn't being tested on, it went in one ear and out the other. For all the class time being dedicated to the Tournament there are surprisingly few books on it in the library. We'll have to ask Remus and Sirius if they know of any other ones that talk about it. Any information at this point can only help us."

The Fat Lady grinned at them before opening and admitting them to the common room. All sound stopped the moment Harry crossed the portrait hole. Applause broke out from about half of the room.

"Way to go, Harry!" Yelled Fred.

"How did you do it, mate?" George asked, thumping him on the back.

Harry's eyes sought out Ron only to see him glaring at him from an armchair near the fire. Seamus and Dean were with him but they looked curious more than anything.

"I didn't enter myself guys. We actually think it might be another attempt on my life courtesy of Voldemort."

The twins ignored him and hauled him up on a table in the middle of the room, thrusting a cold butterbeer into his hands and causing the room to erupt into cheers again. Hermione's eyes were on their red headed friend.

"TELL US HOW YOU DID IT!"

"THREE CHEERS FOR GRYFFINDOR'S CHAMPION!"

Harry held up his hands. "Okay, everyone I'm only going to say this once so listen up. I DID NOT ENTER MYSELF IN THE TOURNAMENT! I do not want to compete. I don't want the gold, I don't want the fame. Cedric is the real Hogwarts champion. I was entered under either another school name or a fake school."

He made to get off the table when Ron spoke up.

"Sure you didn't, Harry. You just couldn't stand it that this year you weren't number one. You weren't in the spotlight. There was no quidditch so you couldn't be the hero Gryffindor seeker who won every 's no one to heap praise on you so you had to go ahead and cheat to get in the tournament."

Harry flinched back as if Ron had slapped him. "What? I don't care about the praise. Yeah, I like winning the games with the rest of the team but it's because the team won. I don't want to be in a competition that was cancelled because too many people DIED in it to keep it going!"

"Hmph. Sure. Harry bloody Potter just can't stand to step back and let someone else have the spotlight for five minutes." With that Ron got up and stormed up the stairs to the boys dormitory. Dean and Seamus gave Harry a small shrug and followed Ron up.

It took Harry longer than he wanted to get away from the well wishers and the curious. On the one hand, he was sort of glad there were people who didn't hate him. It seemed like the quidditch team was coming around to the fact that he didn't really enter. At least the girls were. They had moved to a quiet corner and conferred with Hermione as soon as Ron left the room. The rest of the Gryffindors were split between not caring how he entered and just happy Gryffindor was represented to out and out hating that Harry Potter was once again in the spotlight and denying it.

He was really starting to hate people in general. Tipping his head at the stairs towards the boys dorms, he made sure Hermione saw him before he trudged up. All he wanted was a hot shower and to collapse into bed. The curtains were closed around the three other beds in the dorms with Neville dressed for bed and reading from his Herbology text.

"Hey Harry."

"Hey."

"Um, Harry? I believe you. I just want you to know."

Grabbing his toiletry bag, Harry turned and gave Neville a tired smile.

"Thanks. It means alot to me, Nev. I can use all the support I can get."

"Don't know how much help I can be, but I'm here for you."

He nodded and made his way to the showers. It didn't surprise him, not really, how Ron reacted. Ron tended to act first and think later especially when it came to material things. It was a sore spot for Ron not to be able to afford whatever he wanted and that the twins and to a lesser extent Ginny seemed to take it in stride only made it worse. Ron would sulk and huff and eventually decide HE was better off as friends with Harry and apologize. Harry just didn't want to put up with it right now. He had to deal with actually being entered in a tournament to the death, most likely by a follower of the undead nutter who was still out to kill him and take over the world.

Crawling through his bed curtains, he was greeted by the sight of Hermione, already tucked under the blankets, hair braided and a book in her hands. Several palm sized bluebell flames floated near the top of the canopy providing light and a bit of extra warmth. For the first time since he opened his eyes that morning, Harry relaxed. He burrowed under the blankets and laced his fingers behind his head on the pillow.

Hermione turned and tucked her book under her pillow. "Did Ron speak to you at all?"

"No. Neville did. He said he believed me and wanted to help."

"Neville's a good guy. I wish there was something we could do to help with his confidence."

"Maybe this whole thing will be good for him. I won't turn down help. Do you have any idea what the first task might be?"

Hermione scooted down so her head rested on her pillow. "No. Unfortunately it seems that even after the Tournament there's a type of secrecy clause on the tasks. Testing the Champions bravery seems to be the common theme and by the types of deaths that have been recorded…it appears that you may have to fight some sort of magical beast."

"Magical beast…Hermione, what type of deaths are you reading about?"

"Erm…massive blood loss due to loss of limbs. In a few cases, the loss of the entire champion."

"Loss of the entire…you mean they were eaten. Hermione, are you telling me I might get eaten?"

She puffed out a breath. "Yes, Harry, that's exactly it. You could be eaten. You could be stepped on. You could be poisoned, bitten or burned to a crisp. Think of the types of creatures Hagrid thinks are misunderstood pets and that's what you might be facing. We need to look at shielding spells, spells to cause distractions and making sure you are as fast on your feet as you are in the air." She brushed his fringe out of the way and looked into his scared green eyes.

"Harry, we can do this. We'll talk to "the Uncles" tomorrow and see what they say. I'm not letting you face this alone, Harry, I mean it." Harry nodded.

"I want to get a look at the Goblet of Fire before it goes back to the Ministry, too."

"Anything you want, Mi, we'll figure it out."

He hoped.