Here I go playing in JKR's sandbox again

Chapter 4

Lord Voldemort closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he digested his minions latest report. His agent within Hogwarts informed him of Lord Black's return and how he was helping young Potter.

The emergence of the old fool was a minor issue but his new heir was intriguing. A killer with a sword as well as with magic and a dislike for Dumbledore? He would be useful if turned. But what about the effect on Potter? He opened his eyes to see that simpering coward Wormtail waiting for his instruction.

"Inform my servant to stay the course. The changes to the boy will do no harm to my plans. His improved strength and skill will only serve to make me more powerful when I make my return. This is but an unforeseen boon to my cause."

Wormtail wasted no time in leaving his master's presence, and relayed the message.

Ron may have been an idiot at the ball, but Harry had taken a cue from Ron's twin brothers, so Harry made sure to keep up his image and kissed both Padma and Pavarti's hands and thanked them for escorting him to the ball. The gossip queen and her sister were the center of attention for the next few weeks and nobody remembered that Hermione entered the hall that morning with Harry.

With the new year, came a relocation of the House of Black. The work on the Chamber of Secrets had been completed. Harry was astonished from the go as Myrtle's loo was no longer the entrance. Hunter had made a new doorway and moved the wall so that the entrance was in it's own room. A room hidden by a password in Parseltongue.

When Harry arrived in the Chamber he almost fainted. While it was still Slytherin's chamber, there was a feeling of all houses to the room. Slytherin was just the primary house, which made sense to Harry. It was Slytherin's chamber after all.

One night, Harry was trying to decipher his egg, and tripped before he closed the screeching thing. The egg bounced several times before falling into the pool of water. Harry was just about to summon the egg when he realized he no longer heard a screeching in the water. Instead he heard a faint melody. Taking a deep breath, Harry dipped his head below the surface and heard an end to his frustration.

Come and seek us where our voices sound.

We cannot sing above the ground.

And while you're searching, ponder this:

We've taken what you'll sorely miss.

An hour long you'll have to look,

to recover what we took.

But past an hour - the prospect's black.

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back. (GoF Chapter 25)

Harry wasn't dumb. He usually had acted that way for Ron's benefit. It only took a few seconds to decide who the song referred to. As Hunter approached him Harry asked aloud. "There's more than Gridylows and a Giant Squid in that lake, isn't there?"

Not having been to every class, Harry had missed that Hagrid was not teaching CoMC. Instead it was Professor Grubly-Plank. As Harry questioned Ron, Malfoy decided to twist the knife and produced a clipping from the Daily Prophet and Rita Skeeter's article. Harry was furious.

When Harry stormed into the chamber Arcturus was prepared for the young wizard's anger. "Before you speak even one word, you will control yourself. Reign in your emotions. Only then will we discuss that which has upset you." Lord Arcturus did not ask, it was an order. Using the basics of occlumency he had been taught, Harry began to center himself.

Hunter took pity on him and before Harry had gotten control of himself (a task that was still difficult for him) eased his mind. "I assume you were enraged by the article on Hagrid. We are already staging a retaliation, but it will take time." Harry got control of himself shortly thereafter.

Arcturus reprimanded Hunter for his interference. If you continue to undermine me, he will never learn to control himself!" Hunter did not back down though.

"If he does not get some direction he will not know how to get past these levels of anger. My undermining you as you called it, is no more than training wheels. As he progresses, I will help less often."

The next month passed without too much issue. Hermione was still working on S.P.E.W. Ron was Ron, Neville was enthralled by some herbology book. Harry was frustrated. He was having trouble with the spells. He could get them but they either were weak, or he couldn't hold them long. He stewed over that for several days then found a possible answer. It wasn't that he didn't know how, it was his power and stamina. Two things the Dursleys damaged. He was building up, but not fast enough to be ready for the second task.

The day before the second task Harry was still searching for a way to breathe under water. His Bubble-head charm would only hold for about fifteen minutes, and his transfiguration didn't last much longer. He was barely able to swim since he only learned a month ago, so he needed something.

He realized he should have asked Hunter of Lord Black, but had wanted to do this on his own this time. Neville was with them today as they went over every spell and charm they could find when Moody came for Hermione and Ron.

McGonagall needed them for something and wanted them right away. Harry said something about eating a turnip and turning into a fish and it sparked Neville's mind. "Not a turnip, Harry. Gillyweed!" It was a perfect solution. Gillyweed would change him for an hour as well as give him fins and flippers for swimming. It was rare and they didn't have it though. Harry went to bed very depressed.

Harry awoke to Dobby yelling at him. He was going to be late for the second task. Then he remembered it didn't matter. But Dobby had come to his rescue again. He brought Harry gillyweed. Harry began to thank the elf, but Dobby began pushing him so that he could get to the tournament. "Harry Potter's Hunter give slimy weed to Dobby. Harry Potter must hurry or he bes late!"

With about five minutes left, Harry began releasing all the hostages. That's when Cedric came in. He released Cho and warned Harry on the time. Harry cut Ron loose. When he began cutting Hermione loose the merpeople stopped him. That's when Krum came through which scattered the merpeople. He looked like a shark-man and bit through the rope holding Hermione.

Harry looked frantically for Fleur but she was nowhere to be found. He felt the gillyweed wearing off and cast his bubblehead charm. That gave him fifteen minutes max to get back to the surface. He freed the little blond girl and began taking her and Ron back up. That's when the gridylows attacked. Harry pulled the others to close and cast an Acendio charm dragging several of the water-demons to the surface with them.

Their arrival on the platform was met with huge applause and they were rushed by many people. Madam Pomfrey had them all in blankets and warming charms while cursing the "geniuses" who had children swimming in the freezing weather.

First was Fleur dragging her sister Gabrielle with her. She thanked Harry for saving her sister and kissed each cheek. Gabrielle followed with the same. Then Hermione tackled him. She was very proud of him and explained that he didn't come in last but third since Fleur didn't finish the task.

Arcturus was proud of his efforts but admonished him for staying to save the others. That lasted until the scores were read. Harry was bumped ahead of Krum because he saved two hostages which left him tied with Cedric for first place. Arcturus shook his head muttering something about stupid noble Gryffindors. Harry looked for Hunter but couldn't find him so he headed for the warmth of Hogwarts. This was getting way too dangerous.

Hunter was hidden away in a small cave and having a conversation with a water-beetle he had caught in a glass jar. He smiled as he placed the jar on the ground. "Now Rita." Hunter sneered down. "You have two choices here. You can agree to start reporting in an honest and true journalistic fashion, or I can kill you." The bug immediately stopped moving. "Rita, I don't play by Dumbledore's rules. You are a liar, a sneak, a manipulator and a coward. You have tried to ruin some good people, and in some cases succeeded. But when you went after my kinsman, well, you signed your death warrant."

Harry was clear until the third task. That wasn't until June. So Harry was focused on his classes and training. Rita Skeeter's story was in the Prophet only days after Witch Weekly. It wasn't an attack upon Harry, because of the deal Hunter had forced on her, but there was an implication.

Hermione was accused of breaking Harry's heart and attaching herself to Viktor Krum. Hermione was livid, but her anger only got worse when the letters began arriving. One was booby-trapped with bubertuber pus and Hermione had to go to the infirmary.

Harry took the jibes and ignored them, but Hermione was hell-bent to get Skeeter. At Easter Mrs. Weasley sent candy eggs to her children, Harry and Hermione. Apparently she had read Skeeter's article and Hermione's egg was noticeably smaller. Harry became quite angry while Hermione shook her head. Ginny and the twins saw this and Ginny said she would handle it. Harry gave his egg back and walked away. He was amazed that she could believe anything Skeeter wrote.

The day of the third task wasn't going well. There was no article about Harry's mental state by Rita Skeeter like Hunter had once endured. But shortly after breakfast, both the Blacks had seemed to vanish. No matter what Harry tried, they were nowhere to be found.

At lunch the Weasleys had come to support him but still no House of Black. Though Sirius appeared in his animagus form. Then while the champions were mingling with the other families Amos Diggory was bragging and put Harry down in support of Cedric who was severely embarrassed. He also remarked about the article in the paper. Harry had forgotten how rude the man had been. Molly Weasley told him to ignore the man's rudeness, and then she chastised Amos reminding him that Skeeter didn't was not trustworthy. 'Funny, you sure acted like she was when it was about Hermione' Harry thought.

When it was time to head for the third task, Dumbledore cleared the hall. Harry was nervous. He was sure somebody was trying to kill him and this was a huge opportunity to do just that. Much of that fear was extinguished when Arcturus returned. He quickly explained they had not trusted the powers that be and had been re-evaluating this task. With one last word of encouragement, "Show them why the House of Black is to be respected!" Harry was sent forth for the task.

Once everyone was arranged and announced, Dumbledore started the task. Harry was in the lead so he went first into the maze. Harry was breezing through the maze until he came across one of Hagid's Blast-ended Skrewts. The skrewt was no joke but Harry made short work of it.

There was a sphinx which had a strange riddle. It took Harry some time but he got it. He came across Fleur who was unconscious. They had been told that if they wanted to quit and shot up red sparks, someone would come get them. Harry took Fleur's wand and sent the sparks. She was out and looked as though she'd lost a battle, so once he sent the sparks he continued in the maze.

It wasn't long before Harry ran into Krum. The look in his eyes was glassed over when he pointed his wand at Harry, but he stopped and lowered his wand before he left. Harry ended up facing an acromantula after a few more minutes. The gigantic spiders tried to eat him and Ron a couple years ago and Harry didn't wait. He threw just about every deadly hex he could think of and a very powerful cutting curse split the beast in two. He wasted no time getting out of there.

He found both Cedric and Krum in a little duel. Cedric stunned Krum but Harry knew from their earlier encounter that Krum was bewitched somehow and stopped Cedric from doing any real damage. At the end the saw the cup on a pedestal. He and Cedric looked at one another, nodded a silent agreement, took a deep breath and took the cup together. As soon as their hands touched it, they were gone.