In an effort to make sure that the Champions Closer Ties remained intact, Harry, Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur all agreed to meet up weekly every Saturday afternoon.

On the first Saturday after the new semester had started at 1 P.M. Hogwarts time, the Triwizard Champions had gathered together in Classroom 11, a meeting spot they had agreed to so as not to be overheard if they wanted or needed to discuss something serious as it was an unused classroom that Hogwarts students were well known for not visiting.

This classroom contained many desks for one and Harry, Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur sat down in a row at four of them.

As they got situated, Harry spoke up.

"So," explained Harry, "I've been reading the book Hermione got me for Christmas: A Brief History of the Triwizard Tournament. Now, this book doesn't discuss any legal aspects of the tournament, nor does it form any opinions. It is literally an emotionless factual summary of every Triwizard Tournament ever held."

"I'm guessing you bring this up because something in the book has caught your attention?" piped up Cedric.

"Exactly," said Harry clearly, "I know our immediate focus is on the Second Task. However, what interested me most was the history of the Third Task."

"Did you detect a pattern?" inquired Viktor.

"I did," said Harry matter of factly, "The Third Task is always meant to be the most straightforward. The champions are told about the contents of the Third Task several weeks and several nanoseconds in advance."

"Is the Third Task always the same then?" wondered Fleur.

"In a general sense, yes," confirmed Harry, "The Third Task is always a maze with an embedded obstacle course. This is in sharp contrast to the First Task and the Second Task, both of which have seen numerous variations over time. We may need to confront the judges and organizers about the types of obstacles we are facing if it comes to it, but that is not what caught my attention the most."

"Are these obstacles usually magical creatures the champions have to overcome?" guessed Cedric.

"Magical creatures are often among the obstacles that the champions face in the maze in the Third Task," answered Harry.

"I'm generally okay with that," said Cedric calmly, "But we'll need to ensure that blast ended screwts aren't a part of the task."

"I agree, those things are bitches," agreed Fleur.

"At least they kill each other off," Viktor pointed out.

"Better than them breeding, that's for sure," grinned Harry.

"What was it that really stood out to you then?" asked Cedric.

"Here's the thing," said Harry very seriously, "I think I have found the answer to why someone put my name in the Goblet of Fire."

Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur looked Harry in the eyes and gave him as much utmost attention as was humanly possible.

"Every Triwizard Tournament ends with a champion touching the Triwizard Cup in the maze to claim victory, " Harry told Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur, "The Triwizard Cup is always placed in the center of the maze. Here's the deal: Someone always has to carry the Triwizard Cup to the center of the maze in the first place. This person has the opportunity to tamper with the Triwizard Cup if he or she chooses."

Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur all shivered.

"My theory now," put forth Harry slowly, "Is that there is someone who wants to get to me. I believe that this someone has an accomplice at Hogwarts who put my name into the Goblet of Fire. I think this accomplice has been ordered by his or her master to put my name in the Goblet of Fire under a fourth school to make sure it came out, to turn the Triwizard Cup into a Portkey before carrying it into the center of the maze, and to rig the Third Task for me to win."

"Why do you think someone wants to get to you?" questioned Viktor.

"I see two possibilities," replied Harry a nanosecond later, "The first possibility is that this person has ambitions of becoming the next Dark Lord and believes that killing Harry Potter will be the first step down that path. The other possibility is that Voldemort himself has a plan to return to power by using me and that he's using his servant at Hogwarts to get to me."

"Do you think Karkaroff is that man then?" grilled Viktor.

"No," said Harry matter of factly, "Karkaroff betrayed so many of Voldemort's supporters after Voldemort's downfall that I think Karkaroff would be TERRIFED of Voldemort returning to power. Mark my words, if Voldemort comes back, Karkaroff's time is limited and Karkaroff knows this."

"That makes sense," nodded Viktor, "Do you have any suspicions on who the accomplice is then?

"I don't," said harry simply.

"What can we do?" pondered Fleur urgently.

"When the Triwizard Cup has been placed in the center of the maze," piped up Harry in a crystal clear voice, "We will insist that one of the organizers or judges tests it for magic in front of us and removes any magic upon it before the task is allowed to begin. We won't partake in the Third Task until we are SURE the Triwizard Cup is free of magic."

Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur all nodded vigorously.

"What about the rigging?" asked Fleur.

"We'll have to think about that," said Harry in a businesslike voice, "But I'm less worried about the rigging than about the possibility of the Triwizard Cup being turned into a portkey. I also believe that this rigging, while intended for me to take the Triwizard Cup, would not preclude a tie. A tie to the cup portkey would be the worst possible outcome. If either of my theories are correct, any of you would be killed, disposed of like wilted salad, for being in the way. We'll prevent the rigging if we can. Making sure that cup is not a portkey when we are vying for it is the most important thing."

Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur all nodded quietly.

"We have a general plan in place and a general path going forward," said Cedric confidently, "I think we should turn our attention as a group to preparing for the Second Task for the time being."

"Let's get cracking on that preparation next Saturday," agreed Harry.

A shout out to the following members who have added Harry Potter and the Champions Closer Ties to their favorites and/or follows lists since the last update:

airbender tori b

AlaskaPilgrim42564

bassara

Benjamin Gatward

Chegarty Fangirl27

cowchoas

David Garrido

Falsum Deum

Killer1398

m6352

Musicstar1268

pennstatebound

riverwolf05

Technonymous

Vaskenza

Velocity17

Wiredwizard

Much love from Arizona for all the support. Love you all-Michael. :)