Goblet of Fire
Thirteenth November Nineteen Ninety-Four – Hogwarts: Ancient Runes Class
Runes was one of the few classes that Harry vaguely enjoyed after he had resigned to the fact he had to attend all classes as a part of his role of laying low and killing nothing. It was interesting to see the Professor teach the students what runes had been translated and understood so far and how they could be used.
Today there were going further into the depth of the origins of runes.
"As you all know," Professor Babbling said, "Runes were first discovered in the ruins of Atlantis. They are thought to be the first form of wielding magic until the invention of wands."
Harry scoffed silently in his seat. Runes were a direct translation of magic. To understand what the runes said, you had to understand how the magic felt. It was the root thought that Harry used in his crafting of runes.
What the professor was teaching however, was almost laughable. If Harry had to put in it words, he would say they were being taught the alphabets and not even all of them nor in the correct order. In short they had no idea what runes really were.
It made him feel annoyed and amused. A balance that helped the Void remain calm.
Hermione and Daphne were seated to his right. They listen to Babbling with rapt attention.
By the end of the lecture Babbling assigned them to study chapter four of the Text of Runology which spoke about how runes were used in the present day with wands to help them.
Harry yawned earning a scowl from Hermione. Harry ignored her. He let his mind wander back to the problem that had plagued him since the beginning of his dream. A problem of power. Even now, after the leaps and gains he had earned, it was not enough.
He had discovered how to stabilise the structure by focusing on his violet to influence the catacomb section of the rune structure. He wanted to cast it in the forest to test it but he could not. There were strings of control around him.
He continued to practise patience but he could hear the clock ticking. What way did he have to twist his mind to fully harness the full power of magic to power his curse to the grand scale that he dreamed of? So far he would barely be able to change the landscape for five kilometres in all directions around him. He had used Arithmancy to determine that. It was a lot but it was nowhere near enough.
His control was waning and giving way to a sliver of desperation.
The toll of the bell signalled the end of the lesson and Harry slid out of the bench and moved to leave, eager to return to his dorm and mediate on the source. He had to understand more. Time was running out.
A hand rested on his shoulder. It was Daphne. He recognized her soft touch. It made something strange turn in his gut. It was similar to the feeling he had felt with Tonks.
"We have to go to the great hall," Daphne said. "Today's the inaugural feast."
Harry sighed. Today the contestants were chosen. The students had been ordered to be at the Great Hall. Anyone skipping it would be given detention.
Hermione filled the space on Harry's other side when he allowed Daphne to redirect his path from the Ravenclaw common room to the Great Hall. She was itching to ask him more about his magic. He had never hidden it but it was gaining points in the gossip network of Hogwarts. Since the arrival of the other schools, the different kinds of magic were all the school could talk about and the other schools had not failed to recognise the uniqueness of Harry Potter's magic.
The most awe inspiring were the four students from the Mahoutokoro School of Magic. A mysterious school towering atop the volcanic island of Minami Iwo Jima. The made strange signs with their hands and fingers to use magic. One of them had even blown fire from her mouth much to the amazement of the other schools. It was also rumoured the terrible Bellatrix Black, now Lestrange, had learnt dark magic from Mahoutokoro when she travelled the world after her time in Hogwarts.
Five schools including Hogwarts were participating in the tournament and tonight the five champions would be chosen. One student from each school had to fight the other four. The two with the greatest wins would face each other in the final.
Hermione finally summoned the courage to ask Harry the question.
"I've been researching wandless magic," she began. "And in my research I discovered some notes made by Flamel about the nature of magic," she continued in a strong voice.
Harry's ear twitched and he turned to look at Hermione. Suddenly the bushy haired short girl was interesting.
Hermione saw the interest in Harry's eyes and her confidence grew.
"According to his book on the study of Alchemy, magic is sentient. It is a living force that we have learnt how to access with our wands."
Harry stopped. "A sentient force?" he whispered. His mind spun. A sentient being was capable of thought. It had a consciousness. Was it possible that magic had a mind of its own? Did that mind have a purpose?
"That's right," Hermione continued. "He says alchemy is about feeling the nature of magic around us and allowing it to guide the decision of adding the elements required to create the supernatural elixirs, the elixir of life among them!"
Could magic be sentient? Was the white sentient? If so were runes the method of talking to it? Harry knew for a fact runes were the language of magic. But how were runes brought into the world? Had magic gifted the answer or had wizards been capable of it a long time ago? Had they known magic was sentient? Suddenly the lesson on the origins of runes held more bearing on Harry's thought process. He felt magic and had studied runes so deeply that he could make his own runes that called upon magic as per his design. But, if magic were sentient then it added an whole new dimension to the way he perceived magic.
"Harry?" Daphne called uncertainly. Harry had stopped and was staring at Hermione with an odd look in his eyes. As if he were staring past Hermione at a vastly complex problem that had a solution peeking beyond the shadows.
"I want the book," Harry said softly.
Hermione brightened. "Would you like to meet at the library? Tomorrow after breakfast? We can make it a study group!"
Harry sighed. "Hermione," he said softly. "I want the book." He'd be damned if an overexcited teenager blabbed away while he determined if sentience was the answer reaching the abyss of Magic.
Hermione went quiet and her eyes widened when she saw darkness in his eyes. The same eyes she had seen years ago, when he had saved her from the Troll.
Fear struck her deep inside her soul and she felt herself nodding and saying with a quiver in her voice; "I'll give it after the Feast."
Satisfied Harry turned away and continued on towards the Great Hall. Hermione felt the momentary fear melt away and she realised she was sweating. She looked at Daphne with wide eyes and Daphne returned the look with an I told you so expression.
"Come on," Daphne sighed, taking a hold of the petrified girls hand and pulling her along. "We don't want to be late for the selection."
They hurried to catch up to Harry but when the turned to corner leading to the hall Harry was not to be seen. He had probably taken the left instead of the right and disappeared deeper into the castle.
"Fuck," Daphne cursed. "Andromeda had asked me to keep an eye on him!"
"Good job," Hermione muttered earning a levelled glare from the golden haired girl.
The Great Hall
While Harry wandered about the castle. Choosing to disobey Dumbledore's threat of detention. The rest of the school was gathered in the Great Hall for the choosing of Champions.
The Goblet of Fire was being used to choose a worthy representative from each school.
The golden goblet, inlaid with beautiful carvings, held fire that was burning bright from within it. The was sitting on a wrought iron goblet holder that was four feet tall, black and had three curved legs.
Dumbledore stood up and the hall went silent.
"Students and Teachers of the magical world!" Dumbledore began with a grand smile and a delighted twinkle in his blue eyes. "Welcome to the ceremony of choosing of the seventh edition of the Inter school Duelling Tournament."
The clock struck eight and the fire in the goblet turned green. It was time.
A piece of parchment was spit out of the fire and Dumbledore gracefully caught it.
"The champion from Mahoutokoro School of Magic is Hitomi Murasaki!"
A tall girl with sharp angular features and red hair that was neatly braided and hung low stood up from the Gryffindor table. She was dressed in orange robes that had the symbol of fire on the front. The robes were split on both sides up to her knees revealed firm legs in white socks and sandals.
She acknowledged the polite applause with a gentle smile and disappeared into the room behind the teachers table where Dumbledore pointed.
The next chit was thrown out of the flames.
"For Durmstrang Institute, Victor Krum!"
A boy who looked more like muscle stood up from behind the Slytherin table. He was dressed in loose black robes with the Drumstrang crest on his right breast pocket. He had a neat goatee and acknowledged the cheers of his Quidditch fans with a stoic nod and then briskly followed Hitomi Murasaki.
"For Hogwarts, Cedric Diggory!"
The Hufflepuff table exploded in screams of joy.
"For Koldovstoretz school," Dumbledore hoped he pronounced it right. Russian was always difficult for him. "Mikhail Feodorovich!"
A silky brown haired, thin boy with alarmingly pale skin stood up gracefully from the Ravenclaw. He was wearing red robes and that had no crest. He flashed a smile at clapping children revealing sharp canines.
The Hogwarts students close to him gasped. He was a vampire and yet he walked in the sun!
The final name was given by the goblet and the fire died. "For Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Fleur Delacour!"
An exceedingly beautiful girl stood up at the Hufflepuff table. She was dressed in the blue of Beauxbaton and had pure silver hair that seemed to glow gold in the night. The was scatter laughter from the girls in the hall as the boys went from almost clapping to openly drooling.
"Would you mind controlling your aura Miss Delacour," Dumbledore asked with a chuckle. Veela were notoriously mischievous and even though Fleur was part Veela, her appetite for attention was just as potent as a pure Veela.
Fleur Delacour pulled in her aura with a smirk. The boys began to clap enthusiastically, in awe with her purity and beauty and Fleur spotted quite a many jealous glares from girls. She smiled at the few who caught her eyes wickedly and disappeared into the champions room of gathering.
"And there you have it!" Dumbledore announced. "Now enjoy the feast children. For in a fortnight begins the tournament!"
The student populace cheered as sumptuous eatable delicacies appeared on all the tables.
"Judges. Would you please follow me to the chamber with the champions?"
The other four heads of schools rose from their chairs and followed Dumbledore. Accompanying them was the reporter chosen to cover the event by the Daily Prophet. It was Rita Skeeter and her eyes swept across the great hall looking for her latest muse but Harry Potter was nowhere to be seen.
The excitement of the tournament had changed the atmosphere of Hogwarts from tense with the prospect of war to thrilled with the prospect of fights inside a ring with them as the spectators. If Harry had been there to see it, he would have for certain fit their reactions into his belief of survival of the fittest.
Twentieth November Nineteen Ninety-Four – Number Thirteen Grimmauld Place
"My mother predicted it. The day after I ran away from home she sent me a howler. She cursed me. She promised all I ever loved would turn to ash. She was right."
It had taken a while but Sirius had finally burnt the last portrait of his mother. He stared at the ashes of the portrait and smelt burned oil wafting from the ashes.
The news of James disappearance and then manner of death had fuelled his rage hot enough to summon cursed fire.
"Come on Sirius. Let's go inside. They're waiting for us."
He was accompanied by Arthur Weasley. The Order of the Phoenix had not remained idle and had recruited from within the Ministry and the Rebellion.
Sirius and Arthur were met in the Living Room by Vance and the new recruit Hestia Jones.
"Albus has orders," Vance said dispensing with the formalities.
"Too busy to give them out himself is he?" Sirius mocked. "He's barely seen at Hogwarts too. Care to tell me how you got these orders?"
Vance smiled. "He whispered them to me," she said.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Well. Go on then."
"Harry's trial has been scheduled during the vernal equinox. Voldemort intends to use him as a sacrifice for a ritual of power. He intends to destroy Gringotts and the Goblins in one blow."
Sirius whistled.
"Is Dumbledore certain?" asked Arthur. He sounded tired. He always sounded tired nowadays. He had his hands full, finding and hiding young muggleborn children or passing them under the protection of Ted.
"Voldemort has tasked Snape with gathering the ingredients."
"We can't trust that slime ball," Sirius muttered.
"He's saved our lives many times," Hestia said, jumping to Snape's defence.
"Enough," Vance said firmly. Her voice was iron if she willed it. "Sirius. You have to find allies in the foreign schools. We need strength from anywhere where we can get it."
"Wouldn't Dumbledore be ideal for it?"
"He's busy."
Sirius scowled.
"Arthur. How is the Ministries plan for muggleborn babies going?"
"I save one in every five," Arthur said sadly. "And two out of the four and spirited away to a secret Ministry facility. I cannot begin to imagine what they are doing to those children."
"You must find out more," Vance said softly. "Voldemort is back to full power and we need all the help we can get. Exposing this scheme will get the Rebellion more support from the undecided folk."
"Will the Rebellion be making a move soon? The more time we spend planning tactics and getaways, the more Voldemort's power will be consolidated," Sirius said solemnly.
Vance smiled humourlessly.
"It all boils down to the trial," she said. "There we either win or we die."
Hestia tensed. "So it's going to be an all-out attack?"
"Andromeda will be replaced by Albus a day before the trial as Harry's representative. With Dumbledore inside and us attacking from outside, we stand a greater chance of breaking down the Ministries defences."
"It's a huge gamble Emmeline!" Arthur protested.
"It's the only one we'll ever get," Vance retorted. "Like it or not. It's going to boil down to one battle."
Sirius sighed. "We win or we die."
Vance nodded grimly. She had never thought such a day would come so soon. The fact that she hadn't seen it coming made her feel like she had failed in her role as a the shadow who knew everything that happened in the magical world before it happened. "Win or Die," she whispered.
The end was near.