Unexpected Animagus, Part 11

Threatening Displays of the British Changeling

Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I am doing wrong (to correct it).

Hogwarts
Dining Hall
October the 31; Halloween Feast

"Showtime." Harry whispered towards Hermione, after the third champion's name had been revealed. Under the table, she squeezed his hand softly in mute support.

A fourth slip of parchment shot out from the Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore caught it, his eyes open wide with surprise, while the entire Hall gasped.

The old Headmaster looked at the parchment, and said, with trembling voice, "H-Harry Potter…"

Harry stood up brusquely, even before murmurs started. "No! That's a trick!"

Snape sneered at him, "It is very clear that you have no respect for rules, Potter."

Next to the Potions Master, Professor Moody looked at him sideways. "You are sure Potter put his name in the Goblet." He said, modulating his voice to be heard all over the hall. It was not a question.

"Of course! He is an attention-seeking spoiled child." Snape raised his voice in turn.

"Hrumph! So, according to you, he is powerful enough to force his way into being selected by an ancient and very powerful magical artifact."

"He is not, at best he is a mediocre wizard!"

"You can't have it both ways, Snape. Either is is a weak wizard, in which case he couldn't possibly force the Goblet; or he is powerful enough to do so. Pick an option and stick to it. Or are you incapable of doing so?"

"What are you trying to insinuate?" Snape growled.

Moody leaned towards him, fixing the greasy-haired man with his unblinking magical eye, as if trying to see inside his skull. "Nothing. I am not insinuating nothing." His tone of voice made the message clear.

"Enough!" Dumbledore nipped the discussion. He turned towards the boy, who stood in his place at the Gryffindor Table, his fists shaking in contained fury. "Harry, my boy. Please follow the other champions, I'll be along momentarily."

"No. I am not a champion. I didn't put my name in the Goblet, didn't ask anybody to put it, and had I known somebody would, I would have stopped them. I repeat, I am not a champion and I won't compete in the tournament." He stabbed the table with his finger with each point.

Ludo Bagman, in his ill-fitting quidditch uniform, intervened, "Mr. Potter, I'm afraid you have to participate. The Goblet of Fire has chosen you, that's a bonding magical contract! If you refuse, you'll lose your magic! That could kill you!"

Harry expelled a breath, almost snorting, "I want that in writing, the rules for the tournament too. I didn't enter that contract, and I want nothing to do with it, I want out." He looked around the tables, "Is that perfectly clear, everybody?"

Predictably, from Slytherin Table, Draco Malfoy lead the charge, "Just admit it, Potter! You are a cheat and a coward!"

"Precious of you to call me that! You owe me a Wizards Duel, you bleached ferret! Or have you forgotten? First year? Does that ring a bell? You never had any intention to actually attending to the duel you yourself demanded, did you?"

Harry half expected Ron would say something, but the redhead simply looked ahead, blinking slowly.

Draco looked surprised. That had been back in first year! Several Slytherins were looking at him in a way that made Harry think of clocks ticking. Set to a bunch of dynamite sticks. The though made him smile.

Hermione's elbow hit his thigh, and heard her whispering furiously, "Harry! Remember the plan!"

He put his knuckles on the table, looking defiantly at the Faculty Table, and hissed back, "Sorry! I got carried away."

Dumbledore insisted, "Harry, go with the..."

Moody interrupted him, his gruff voice had a calm conciliatory tone, unusual on him. "Go, Potter. I'll investigate what happened, and try to find out exactly how your name was entered in the Goblet."

Harry nodded, "Very well, Professor." He exhaled a lungful of air, looking around. The message had been sent. At least one teacher believed he had not cheated to enter the Tournament.

Hopefully, that would reduce the expected backlash.

Though…

Judging from Ron's thoughtful expresión, it wouldn't be so easy.

The first thing Harry noticed as he crossed the threshold, was the amount of portraits looking at him. Especially one wizened witch flitting out of her frame to the next one, and her whispering into the ear of the original occupant of the frame. 'That one is gonna be trouble…' he thought.

Harry cleared his throat, interrupting the musings of the three champions, who until then were deep in thought, looking at the flames dancing in the hearth.

Fleur Delacoeur was the first to speak, "What is it? Do zey want us back in ze hall?"

Harry sighed. "No. Somebody put my name in the Goblet, and somehow, I was selected too. The Goblet can't count worth a bean. As far as I am concerned, you three are the true contestants. Diggory, can we talk later?"

The three champions exchanged a look. Cedric looked both surprised and worried, but nodded. He was about to say something, when Ludo Bagman entered the room, grabbed Harry by the arm, and led him forward. "Extraordinary!" He said, "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen, lady, may I introduce, incredible as it seems, the fourth Triwizard champion?"

"Wait," Cedric said, "is this true, not a prank or something? What happened?"

"It is true, son. Absolutely true! Harry's name just came out the Goblet of Fire!"

With a brusque movement, Harry freed his arm from Batman's grip, "I'll contest that. I was entered against my will!"

"'E cannot compete!" Fleur said, indignantly, "'E is too young."

"That's what I've been telling them! But I can't convince them!" Harry protested, pointing at Bagman with his thumb. Victor Krum looked at Harry with a carefully blank look.

It was at this point that the door opened again. Dumbledore entered first, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Máxime, and Professor McGonagall and for some reason, Snape.

While the door was still open, Harry could hear the buzz of indistinct and excited conversations. For a moment he thought he had heard Hermione's angry voice. But before he could focus on her voice, Professor McGonagall closed the door.

Immediately, an angry discussion started, accusations flew in confusing chaos.

Karkaroff and Maxine demanding to add a second champion each, Bagman assuring them that the contract was binding, Snape spewing his usual vitriol, McGonagall consulting Dumbledore, Krum watching the chaos with detached interest, Diggory looking as if a bludger had hit him by surprise, and Delacoeur calling him a "leetle boy", Harry wasn't completely sure if she was insulting or defending him.

Finally, a gravel voice and the stomp of a staff imposed "SILENCE!"

Everybody shut up immediately, surprised.

Professor Moody stomped his way into the room, looking at each adult in the eyes. "Are you all addled?" He growled. "Somebody put Potter's name in the Goblet of Fire. A clear attempt on his life, and you are acting like spoiled children throwing a tantrum because they saw two biscuits and only got one!" He looked around, fixing his disturbing eyes on each one in turn, most shrank under his gaze.

Except for Snape. "A clear attemp to stay in the spotlight, I say. The arrogant Prince of Gryffindor!" He snorted dismissively.

Moody stomped his way to Snape, looming over the still sitting Potions Master. "I have taught all Fourth Year Houses, Snape, and all the other years too. And the only arrogant prince of crap I've seen is in your house." He turned his head towards the other adults in the room, looking at Dumbledore, with a sharp move of his head, he gestured towards Snape. "What's he doing here? I understand the presence of Professor McGonagall, as she is Potter's Head of House, but him?"

"Severus has my full confidence, Alastor." Dumbledore said calmly.

"Well, he doesn't have mine. Not by far, Dumbledore." He shot a look at the man's left forearm. Then back at his eyes in silent challenge. "If you are going to have somebody who isn't directly involved in the matter at hand, so will I."

Dumbledore was about to protest, but Moody had already reached the hearth, taking a pinch of Floo powder between his fingers. "Should I call the Ministry?"

"We already have a Ministry representative here." Dumbledore tilted his head towards Mr. Crouch, who nodded decisively.

"For the Tournament proceedings, yes. That's a civil matter. But Potter's induction against his will," he stomped his staff, "is a criminal matter. Therefore, it is DMLE jurisdiction. I am a duly assigned DMLE representative, so I am claiming jurisdiction over the matter and will handle the investigation. I can do it by myself, or call my boss, Madame Bones." Moody raised his hand, with the Floo powder ready to be thrown, looking at it with his natural eye, and at Dumbledore with the artificial one. "Your choice." His hand positioned to throw the dust into the hearth and Floo call the DMLE.

Several seconds passed, finally, Dumbledore seemed to deflate. "Severus, please go."

"Headmaster? Are you really going to let you be coerced?"

"We will talk later, Severus."

Snape stood up, and left the room without further word. He shot a venomous look at Harry as he passed next to the boy.

Harry half expected a door slam, but apparently Snape managed to not act like a toddler. For once.

Moody put the pinch of Floo powder back into its bowl, and rubbed his fingers together to get rid of the residue. He looked around, and took a swig from his flask.

"Now, let's all act like grown ups and try not to set the castle on fire."

Back in the Feast Hall, the recent events were being discussed with varying grades of civility.

The Slytherin table was busy setting bets on how long Potter would last in the Tournament, and the cause of his inevitable… exit… However, Draco Malfoy was alone on his place, his only company Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy looked deep in thought, and clearly shunned by the rest of his House.

The Hufflepuffs grumbled about the clear cheating by Potter, and planned on shunning him at least and hexing him at worst.

The Ravenclaws considered Potter a curious case. He was, no doubt about it, a cheater, but an intelligent cheater. So the main subject in the table focused on the How.

And the Gryffindor Table was absolutely ecstatic about having their own champion! For most, it didn't matter much that Potter had cheated to get into the TriWizard Tournament, but on the fact that the House had a champion!

Hermione tried, without much success, to argue for Harry's innocence, but no one put much attention to her words.

Suddenly, a chill wind made the candles' flames flicker.

Professor Snape had returned. And judging by his frowning face, things had not gone his way. The man sat back in his place, crossed his arms, and sulked.

Hermione felt a chill run up and down her back. She elbowed Neville, and tilted her head towards Snape once her classmate looked at her. "He is not happy." She whispered.

Neville paled, "He's fuming!" He whispered back. "He looks just like when Dumbledore awarded a lot of points to Gryffindor back in First Year!"

Neville turned to Fred Weasley, "Fred! Look at Snape!"

"Oh, boy. Positively thunderous!"

Hermione gestured at the twin, "Dial the celebration down! Or he's gonna dock so many points we'll be in the red!"

The redhead scratched his head, "We are always in the red, Hermione! Our points are rubies, remember?"

"I mean he will put us under zero!" She hissed quickly, "And Harry didn't even put his name in the Goblet! But you can bet he will blame him anyway!"

"Aw, c'mon, Hermione! Everybody knows Harry managed to trick the Goblet!"

She furrowed her brow, grabbed Fred by the collar and pulled him down with surprising strength, "And everybody knows he lives in a big castle, waited hand a foot by elves and has amazing adventures all the time!" Her voice was musically mocking, dripping sarcasm with each syllable. A look into her eyes showed Fred that she was well beyond angry, in that strange state of mind where anger crystallizes into something worse.

"Ah… Um…"He hesitated, until the Knut finally dropped. "Urm… point taken, Hermione, point taken." He loosened his collar after Hermione released his clothes, "I'll see what can I do."

She nodded.

After Fred left, Neville spoke, "You are scary, did you know that?"

She just looked at him sideways, closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, released the air slowly. When she opened her eyes again, Neville felt himself in safer ground. She was back to her regular "annoyed" look, just like when Ron pestered her with last minute homework.

He could deal with that. Though he would be careful not to provoke her.

"I will be lodging a complaint with both the Minostry and the International Conferedacy of Wizards!" Karkaroff threatened.

"You do that. Mark me a copy and I will do the same." Moody retorted with sarcasm, he turned towards the French Headmistress, his tone relatively respectful. "Hell and damnation! Madame Maxime, will you do the same? Would save parchment if we simply complain together and mark copies for our respective governments!"

"Why would we do zat?" The gigantic woman asked.

Moody sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Madame, think on it for a minute. Potter here is a Fourth Year. Do you really believe he, or any older student here would be able to cast a spell powerful enough to force the Goblet of Fire, an ancient magical artifact, into adding a fourth champion?"

She shut up. Her jeweled hand resting on her throat for a moment.

"I'll reserve my judzement for ze moment. Professer Moody's."

Of course, Ludo Bagman had to butt in. "Splendid! Then Potter will compete! How exciting!"

Crouch looked away, almost rolling his eyes.

Meanwhile, Krum had approached Harry, "Hrm. Let them argue longer. It vill take a vhile. I look forvard to see vat the vaunted Harry Potter is capable of." He extended a hand towards Harry. The British Wizard looked surprised for a moment. Then shook it.

"Um, thanks. I thought you would be angry with me too."

Krum shrugged, "Me am professional Quidditch player, sometime I haf to play in vird places becauss Me am under contract, da? Understand." He released Harry's hand, and returned to his place in front of the chimney, he clasped his hands at his back.

Fleur Delacoeur stayed in the same place, her nose in the air, ignoring him as if he wasn't even there.

The adults kept arguing for a while, until they reached an agreement, Harry would compete as a fourth champion. But officially, Cedric Diggory was to be considered the Hogwarts champion, while Harry was not endorsed by any school, and would be considered as a kind of guest.

Bagman clapped his hands, "Capital! Now, gather around, Champions, here are your instructions. You are not permitted to ask or accept help from your teachers to complete the tasks. You will face the first challenge armed only with your wands. Once the First Task is done, you will receive information about the Second Task. Due to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the Tournament, the champions will be excused from end-of-year tests." He paused dramatically, "The First Task has been scheduled for November the 24th. It has been designed to test your daring and courage, so, you won't be told in advance of what you will face."

The champions nodded their agreement.

Harry stifled a yawn, yet he watched Mr. Crouch discreetly. He knew Moody was doing the same. Junior had revealed he had put a very strong Imperius on his father to "guide" him along Voldemort's plan. Junior had added a Confundus and an Obliviate, to keep Senior functioning as normally as possible, until they had to direct him with more force.

Moody had not changed things, and had no intention of doing so. Let Barty Senior proceed.

The adults finally dismissed the champions.

Moody wrote a pass for Harry and Cedir each. "It's getting late. Go back to your common rooms and sleep. It's been a trying day, and for you, it is over."

Harry took his pass, and passed the other to Cedric. "Thank you, Sir."

They went out the room, and before their paths diverged, Harry spoke. "Um, Cedric, could I ask you a favor?"

"Sure."

"Could you get me into Hufflepuff's Common Room?"

Cedric stopped walking. "Wait. What?"