[a/n]In a GoF kick
Harry Does Different DXII
Sitzkreig
"Padfoot! Mooney! I am scared shitless!" Harry snarled into the Gryffindor fireplace. This mainly because he couldn't scream for fear of disrupting his floo call.
Sirius replied "You've been amazing lil Prongs. I don't think anyone so young has ever done so well."
"NOT the point!" snapped Harry "No. I take that back. It IS the point. Did you know 67 Champions have died in the last hundred tournaments? Thanks Hermione. It also might interest you to know that 75% of THOSE died in the LAST task. One event! MOST of the deaths. Thanks Hermione twice!"
Remus poked his fellow Marauder "Be serious! Now, as a matter of both legality and magic, it seems to me being in second place, as you are establishes, that you fulfilled the Cup's obligation."
"Meaning?" both the others on the call prompted. And the response took some time to work through, still longer for agreement.
Abcij
Everything was very festive the night of the last task. Even Harry was in a pretty good mood having spent time with Hermione and the Weasleys. Ginny even, was alright now that she was past her squeak phase. All he'd said is that while he was nervous he was not very scared.
"Luck Potter!" the Auror-turned-teacher wished him gruffly as he pushed the boy through the portal. Which, as it magically grew over, offered his victim a starting direction.
This seeming kindness was exactly the clue Marauders Inc, and especially Remus, had warned might come. He needed no further prompting. He took a measured 49 steps, this being the magically powerful number times itself, slowly spun exactly 7 times, and sat cross-legged essentially meditating. He was in no danger so he never fired off the purple distress sparks. This was possibly the most fun he had for the whole tournament.
"Harry! There you are!" it was Charlie Weasley on a broom …ahh… sweeping into the maze. He landed within feet of the Fourth Champion, who stood calmly but a little shakily from sitting so long. He urged "Come on! Get aboard. We have to get back immediately." Significantly, it was 70 minutes after Harry entered.
To the urgency, he asked "What's the problem?" However the flight was too short, and the wind too loud, for meaningful conversation.
Abcij
"Why did you do it boy? Explain yourself! How dare you ruin the spectacle of the TriWizard Tournament!" Well! We're waiting!" barely had the pair's feet touched ground that both Crouch Sr. and Minister Fudge were in Harry's face. Neither let up for an instant.
Finally, Headmaster Dumbledore inserted himself "Barty, Cornelius, Barty, Cornelius, Barty, Cornelius, we will learn nothing with both of you shouting over each other. Now, Harry, I apologize on both their behalfs but …if you please… your actions, or rather inactions, have all of us are rather befuddled."
"Well I listened to some very smart people. And after putting it all together. Oof!" he was cut off by a missile that ended in a hug "I'm fine Hermione. Anyway, she pointed out all the casualties in the last task. And me, being the youngest participant in - - -"
Crouch cut him off "Irrelevant! There has not BEEN a Tournament in over a century."
"Shaddup!" Harry snapped at him, harshly "As I was saying, I then told Remus and Sir- -"
Here the Headmaster interrupted with a powerful "Harrumpf! I believe who your advisors may have been is not relevant."
"I quite disagree, Dumbledore." Fudge snapped "Boy! I order you to identify anyone providing you information. There are rules. Very old, very serious ones limiting who you can talk to about this."
Harry stumbled against Charlie in giggles "Yeah Yeah! No help from teachers. Like they been much help anyway. Point of fact, McGonagall was a help with this one, though she never knew. Overheard her talking about Sirius Black being my Godfather. Wish she'd've told me to my face he was the escaped mass murderer."
"How did you hear that?" demanded the mentioned teacher in a violated tone.
Irreverently, he quipped "Marauders' secret Minnie. And since Remus was only Professor Lupin last year he doesn't count. So, they pointed out a 14-year-old coming in second; especially out of four in a tournament meant for three; was good enough for Goblet magic. I walked into the maze, stopped, and meditated until Charlie got there."
There was an uproar of various flavors. Understanding their friend's odd look, Ron and Hermione informed him, in stereo, "About ten minutes ago …Cedric's body… portkeyed … Note saying the …Dark… You-Know-Who back."
"And you lot are busy wasting time with me!" Harry's shouted accusation blasted everyone to silence "Get out there and kill the fucker!"
An iron-voiced woman, among the Hufflepuffs, high-ranking by her robes answered "Rest assured, Mr. Potter, the five of us are only here to maintain order while the stadium empties. The rest of the Aurors are doing precisely as you …ahh… ordered. Colorful language included." She gave a grim smirk. "And, Albus, I do believe it would be a wild stretch to even guess young Mr. Potter had any involvement in Cedric's murder."
"Lord Thingy is NOT back!" yelled Fudge "Amelia I ORDER you to take Potter into custody."
Madam Bones smirked at her technical superior "You may indeed order an arrest, Minister. I however, determine the conditions of any restraint. Until more is known about the matter, as a person of interest, Harry Potter will be remanded to the custody of his Head of House."
Harry was in shock. He passed out.