CHAPTER 13:
THE FOURTH CHAMPION
Harry stared at Barty Crouch Senior in disbelief, idly noting an odd lack of belligerence in the man's expression, given that the man hated Sirius, and seemed set to interrogate him after the riot at the Quidditch World Cup. It took every ounce of training from Lily for Harry to not panic or lash out, and to keep his Occlumency protection in place, just in case. Harry had been told of the Tri-Wizard Tournament by Croaker, albeit in passing. Crouch and Ludo Bagman were apparently looking to revive it, for which Croaker, and Harry, thought they were bloody fools to do so.
The Tri-Wizard Tournament, apparently, had been a competition between the three greatest magical schools of Europe: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. It was known for being extremely dangerous, and having a death toll beyond what it should. Apparently the last one was a couple of centuries back, when a Cockatrice went berserk and attacked the judges.
Before he could say anything, the fatuous features of Ludo Bagman, who was also seated there, remarked, "Now, Harry, you don't need to panic. You surely knew what you were getting into when you entered. You've entered into a magical contract now. You have to compete, or your magic will be forfeit."
Harry stared at him in horror and anger, before looking to Dumbledore. "Is that a joke?" he asked in a too-calm tone that belied the rage beneath. "Because if so, it's not a very funny one. I was nowhere near Hogwarts during this…process!"
Dumbledore, to his credit, hastened over, and despite everything Harry had learned about the old man, he tried to console Harry. "Harry," he said quietly. "I promise you, we will get to the bottom of this. I'll contact Saul forthwith, and Sirius."
"I'll contact Croaker, but you go ahead and contact Sirius, sir," Harry said.
Dumbledore nodded, before he indicated a door behind the High Table. "Through there. Please, explain the situation to the other Champions before sending your Patronus, Harry. And for what it's worth…I'm sorry…"
Harry stormed through into the room, which was filled with trophies, and lit by a fireplace. He didn't recognise the blonde girl in what had to be the Beauxbatons uniform, her features extremely beautiful, but he recognised the other two, both boys. The stooping, dark-haired and sullen boy was Viktor Krum, star Seeker of the Bulgarian national Quidditch team, while the handsome boy was none other than Cedric Diggory, his old rival at Quidditch.
"…Harry? Is that you?" Cedric asked in surprise.
Harry nodded. "Hey, Cedric. It's a long story and a longer explanation, and I only know part of it."
"Excuse me?" the girl asked, her voice having a fairly strong French accent. "Do they want us back in the hall?"
"No. My apologies, I know Cedric here well, and I know Mr Krum here by reputation, great Wronski Feint at the World Cup, by the way, but you are…?"
"Fleur Delacour," the girl said, shaking his hand uneasily. Harry did the same with Viktor.
"I'm Harry Potter, Miss Delacour, and before you ask, I have no bloody idea how it happened. I was a long way away from Hogwarts, and yet, my name has apparently come out of this…Goblet of Fire thing, and now I'm a fourth Champion of this damned Tri-Wizard Tournament. And apparently, I've got to compete or else forfeit my magic. Jokes should be funny, but I'm not laughing one bit. So I apologise for upstaging the three of you, but I didn't put my bloody name into that thing, and I intend to find out who and why. Now, excuse me a moment, I have a Patronus message to send."
Harry then cast a Patronus, and said, in a low voice while using the charm to record a message, "Croaker, I'm at Hogwarts. Someone somehow entered me into the Tri-Wizard Tournament without my consent. Magical contract with my magic at stake involved. Please tell those I care about what's happened. I am currently unharmed, though. Will report to the Ministry at my earliest convenience."
As the ghostly stag cantered away, Krum watched it go with interest. "A Patronus at your age? Impressive."
"Thank you, Mr Krum," Harry said. "Probably the only part of this night that is…"
Bagman came in and introduced Harry as the fourth Champion, and arguments began to break out as Durmstrang and Beauxbatons' heads came in, a rather intense-looking man called Karkaroff, and a rather large, handsome-looking woman called Madam Maxime. Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and none other than Mad-Eye Moody came in, the latter apparently being Hogwarts' DADA teacher for the year. And during those arguments, Harry began to get more of the gist of what had happened. He needed more information to understand what was happening.
Apparently, Dumbledore had put an Age Line preventing younger students from competing. However, someone had bypassed it. And Moody said something about a powerful Confundus being used to fool the Goblet into thinking there were four schools involved. And Crouch insisted that the rules stated Harry was bound to participate, whether he liked it or not.
Harry kept his temper, kept as calm as he could, until some minutes later, just when the arguments were reaching their peak (Karkaroff and Maxime in particular accusing Harry of being a second Champion for Hogwarts, despite the insistence from his former teachers he had been expelled, while Moody raised the possibility that someone had put Harry's name in as an attempt at assassinating him by proxy), that Croaker stormed in. "Albus," Croaker said icily. "Would you care to explain this…fiasco?"
"…Saul, I wish I could." Dumbledore took Croaker into a corner and spoke quietly but urgently to him. Eventually, Croaker nodded, satisfied, but not happy.
"Very well. You took every reasonable precaution, as much as it galls me to admit it. But I will be looking at every means I can to get my apprentice out of this."
"And who are you?" Karkaroff asked with a sneer.
Croaker gave the Slavic man a humourless, thin smile. "Did Augustus not speak of me, Igor? Oh dear, it must've slipped his mind."
Karkaroff recoiled, and Harry knew what Croaker meant. Augustus Rookwood was a treacherous Unspeakable turned Death Eater, one whom another Death Eater had turned state's evidence against to get a lighter sentence. Karkaroff was presumably another Death Eater, possibly even the one who ratted out Rookwood, given his reaction and Croaker's words. Croaker then went over to Maxime and spoke some words to her and Delacour in French. Both women's eyes widened in realisation, before they reluctantly nodded.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, Dumbledore and I need to have a very long talk," Croaker said. With that, he escorted Harry from the room, heading towards the Headmaster's office.
McGonagall soon followed them. "What do you intend to do about Harry for the night, Saul? He's no longer a Hogwarts student."
"He'll be heading back to Mr Black's home for now, Minerva, and after that, he'll go back to where he was apprenticing under me," Croaker said. "What a damned clusterfuck, and no mistake."
"Language, Saul!"
"Minerva, my apprentice has been conscripted into this damnable Tri-Wizard Tournament, and if what Albus told me from Alastor's hypothesis is true, it may be a form of assassination by proxy. It's curious how rather appalling things happen to Harry, isn't it? That debacle with the Flamels' prize possession, the Chamber of Secrets fiasco, Miss Granger's murder, and Harry being expelled from this school for the crime of freeing a wrongly-condemned Hippogriff. Oh, and let's not forget, nearly murdered by Walden Macnair, a supposedly reformed Death Eater, during the riot at the Quidditch World Cup. And this was just the stuff that happened since he started attending Hogwarts! We've gone beyond happenstance and coincidence and into enemy action long ago, Minerva. So some vulgarity is not just allowed, but frankly, apt. Besides, I'm not one of your students."
"No, but you should set a good example for them."
"And has the likes of Neville Longbottom or Ronald Weasley followed your example?" Croaker retorted, shooting her a glare. Harry felt like saying something similar, but he certainly respected McGonagall more than Dumbledore or Snape, so he held his tongue. McGonagall winced, as did Croaker, who said, "Sorry, Minerva. That's hardly your fault, it's that bitch Augusta's. I just know Harry being forced into this tournament will cause a shitstorm of epic proportions. Still, he may be more ready for this than you'd think. I am still going to look into ways to breaking this magical contract without having Harry lose his magic, but if he has to compete, well, let's just say he knows some things NEWTs students would envy, right, Harry?"
Harry nodded, albeit reluctantly. "But what the hell was wrong with Bagman? Or Crouch, for that matter? Crouch sounded like he wanted to arrest me when I heard him last, just after the Quidditch World Cup, and Bagman, well…I knew he was an idiot, but saying that?"
"I daresay Ludo took too many Bludgers to the skull," McGonagall said with a sniff of disdain. "As for Mr Crouch…the man has been under considerable pressure lately. I do admit, he seemed a bit…distracted when he arrived. Even peaky."
Harry had to concede that point. He hadn't consciously realised it at the time, but Crouch did look a bit ill, and as much as he detested the man, Harry wondered what was going on. "Makes me glad I'm not a student here anymore," Harry muttered. "Karkaroff and Maxime were kicking up a stink because I got picked, a former student here, and I'm sure some students, despite the evidence, will think I cheated my way in somehow. If I was still enrolled here, it'd be much worse, I just know it."
"I would like to say you're being paranoid, but aside from Alastor praising your constant vigilance, I know you went through a lot here, Harry. And I'm sorry I couldn't do much more."
Harry shot the stern-looking witch a smile. "Hey, it's fine, Professor. You tried your best, better than most…"
McGonagall led them into the Headmaster's office. Harry was delighted to see Fawkes still perched there, while the Sorting Hat sat on its own shelf. He passed the time while waiting for Dumbledore gently stroking Fawkes' feathers, the magnificent Phoenix allowing him.
Some minutes later, Dumbledore swept in, followed by Moody and Snape. Harry had to call upon every ounce of self-control not to try and curse the greasy-haired man to perdition and back. "My apologies for keeping you waiting," Dumbledore said. "Ludo and Barty didn't want to discuss anything further, my fellow headmasters were protesting more, Igor more than anyone else, and…well, it's been a far more eventful night than it should've been."
"I'll say. Don't get me wrong, Albus, your Age Line and the Goblet of Fire should have been more than enough precautions to prevent an unwanted entry into the Tri-Wizard Tournament, under normal circumstances," Croaker said. "But it seems odd to use this event as a means of assassination by proxy, at least physically."
"Oh? And what do you mean by that?" Snape asked.
"Character assassination," Croaker said. "Augusta Longbottom has a vendetta against Harry and anyone associated with him, but she's far from the only one, and this doesn't seem like her style at all. But Harry Potter is a symbol of discontent with the current order, both with the Blood Purists and Augusta's own faction. There are some who claim, Albus, that you chose the wrong Boy Who Lived."
Harry noted that, while Snape scoffed, and Minerva frowned in discontent, Moody seemed interested, while Dumbledore simply nodded solemnly. He'd heard Lily and Croaker bring up the possibility before, though if fame and reputation did that to Neville Longbottom, he wanted no part of that. Oh, his mother would probably have kept him on the straight and narrow, but he still didn't like the thought of being known for that, especially as it was the Longbottoms who, thanks to his mother's ritual, had saved their lives.
"Be that as it may, Saul, may I ask that you consider not breaking the magical contract?" Dumbledore asked. "We don't know who the responsible party is yet, and we only know what they have done, not why. If you manage to undo the contract, then how will they strike next?"
"…You're using Harry as bait to draw whoever it is out," Croaker said with a scowl. "And leaving aside the factions I mentioned, there was still that lunatic who cast the Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup to consider. And you're using a teenaged boy, my apprentice, as bait. I'd ask if you've gone senile, Albus, but I understand the logic, even if it's a cruel one. But…"
"Croaker," Harry said, coming to a decision. "I'll stay in the tournament for now, at least until we've discussed it with family. Don't get me wrong, look for a means to nullify this contract, but…we need to lure whoever this is out of hiding. I want this bastard caught."
He looked to Croaker, who eventually nodded. "Very well, Harry. But I'll be keeping an eye out for anything that can nullify this contract. Albus, if we may use your Floo to go to Sirius' home?"
"Of course, Saul, but…one last thing, Harry, before you leave." Dumbledore peered at Harry with considerable intensity. "This tournament, while made safer than previous ones if Bagman and Crouch are to be believed, is still meant for students on the cusp of graduating. The date of the First Task will be the 24th of November. However, Champions are also required to attend the Weighing of the Wands, a ceremony and press conference on the 13th. What is more, the First Task requires that you face an unknown danger, with only your wand, and your wand was snapped when you were expelled. Will you be prepared for the First Task?"
"I don't know, but I will do what I can, Professor," Harry said.
The old man eventually nodded, giving him a sad smile. "A good answer, Harry. A good answer indeed…"
After Harry was taken to Sirius' manor, which he called, in jest, the Doghouse, he explained the situation while Croaker returned to the Department of Mysteries. From there, Croaker intended to notify Lily of what had happened. Now that he was back 'home', so to speak (well, the place he called home for the past four years before his mother returned), he could let down his guard somewhat.
After everything was said and done, Sirius asked, "So, Harry, what do you think? Would Lily's training help you in this?"
"Definitely. Oh, I should try looking into other things, but honestly, I've gotten far better with wandless spellcasting since she trained me," Harry said. "Am I good enough to survive this thing? I've no idea. And I don't know if staying in it is the best idea, except Dumbledore has a point. If we stop this attack on me, who's to say they won't try another way?"
"A fair point," Andromeda said, running a hand through her hair. "Dumbledore's made too many questionable decisions, but he's not a complete fool. Still, to use you as bait…and I'm still trying to figure out why someone would enter you into the Tri-Wizard Tournament. While I have doubts that the likes of Bagman made it at all safer than it was before, it's an unreliable way of killing you, Harry. And ditto it being an attempt at character assassination. So what's the point of this?"
"I don't know, but I intend to find out."
They subsided into silence for the next several minutes, until the Floo flared up again. Croaker stepped through, followed swiftly by Lily, Alpha and Delta. Lily gathered him up into a hug, which Alpha and Delta joined.
"Saul told me everything," Lily said. "I don't know who did this, Harry, but they'll rue the day they did so. And, more importantly, we're going to make sure you survive this, and more than that, show them what you are capable of. Just enough to make them back off, anyway. And when we find out who did this, and why…"
"We'll deal with them?" Harry asked.
Lily gave a vicious smirk, one that boded poorly for whoever wanted to harm her son. He felt the same way. After everything that had been done to him, to them, and to those he cared about, he'd had enough. It was about time those who meant them harm suffered some in their turn…
CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:
A clusterfuck happens, Dumbledore tries to be helpful, and Lily and Dun Scaith have been notified. Oh dear.
Now, before I get to the reviews, I have to warn you that this is the last chapter completed so far, and I'm not sure when the next one will be out. I've burned myself out trying to write out this much of this story, amongst other things. However, the next chapter IS partially-written, and hopefully, it won't be THAT far from coming out.
Review-answering time! Lordlexx: I disagree. I don't mind female characters who act noble, but those who act like haughty bitches are another matter entirely, and the gag about Epsilon enhancing her body via the slime bodysuit got old quickly. Plus, I thought her personality would remind Harry too much of the nastier Slytherins, even if she's not quite as bad.
No numbered annotations this time.