Chapter 76: Don't blame me/Bad Blood

Daphne turned and walked through the doorway. Casting a look over her shoulder, she saw Harry rooted to the spot.

"Come on," Daphne gestured toward the door with her head. "They're waiting for you."

Harry stepped into the room and stopped short at the face he wanted to see. Hermione didn't hesitate, she sprinted to his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I know," she whispered. "I know."

"Come on, come on," Daphne said, impatiently. "We don't have all night."

Standing around the conference table was Daphne with Tracey, Millie, Vinny and Greg. At the end of the table near the window stood Neville with Susan and Hannah. Hermione pulled him in to stand next to Lavender and Parvati while Luna sat in a chair, kicking her feet and staring out the window.

"First things first," Daphne said. "Did you enter yourself into this tournament?"

"No," Harry said as he held up the parchment with his name on it. "Someone took this off an assignment and entered me into the tournament. They manipulated the Goblet of Fire to have me entered under a fourth school, ensuring my name would be chosen."

"That's what I figured," Daphne said as she crossed her arms. "Well that's that, now we just have to deal with what is."

"Yeah I've got to survive a tournament meant for students two years older than me and if I don't compete, I'll lose my magic," Harry tried not to sound as despondent as he felt.

"Wait, the goblet was a magical contract?" Daphne's eyes widened.

"It was," Harry said. "The other champions were none too pleased to hear that little tidbit."

"Alright well that makes this a lot easier," Daphne said. "We're here- all of us- because we believe in you."

"You do?" Harry stared around the table with wide eyes.

"Of course," Vinny said. "You've believed in us and now it is time for us to return the favor. We don't imagine you would lie to us."

"We're here for you," Neville said. "Anyone who wants to get to insult you, hurt you or impugn your character has to go through us."

"Thank you," Harry was moved, nearly to tears, by their support.

"We're here for you, Harry," Parvati said. "Whatever you need, we're here."

"Well, I'm glad you said that because there's much to do," Daphne said. "Whether you like it or not, you just stepped out onto the world's stage. What you experienced at the World Cup is but a taste of what's to come.

"Considering your name, everyone is going to be fixated on this tournament and the questions will come. Did you enter? Who are you? What can you do? What have you done and what will you do?

"Two years ago, many thought you to be the Heir of Slytherin," Daphne said. "It was only the school and everyone had their own opinions. Didn't matter if you were or not, it was the rumors everyone loved and grabbed onto. Now, none of this is your fault but you let everyone else control the narrative, allowing them to form their own opinions without your voice playing a role.

"If you do that this time," Daphne leaned on the chair in front of her. "You will be eaten alive. It's not just the school this time; you'll have to contend with two other schools and the press too."

"What do I do?" Harry collapsed into a chair, the idea of all those eyes being focused on him was enough to give him a panic attack. "I'm just Harry."

"You are not 'just Harry,'" Tracy said with air quotes. "You are Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, Defeater of You-Know-Who, Heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter, investor of businesses, maker of dreams, slayer of Basilisks. I know you want to be seen as just a regular boy but you have to accept that is not what you are.. You have done too much and your family has too much history for you to ever be 'just Harry.' What you have to do now, is show them who you truly are, beyond your name and title the world gave you as a baby."

"She's right, Harry," Hermione said. "You do mean so much more to so many people. I love your humility but there's so much more to you than just your given name."

"What do I do?" Harry asked desperately as he leaned his elbows on his knees.

"You listen," Daphne instructed.

"You've got all the tools to help you," she gestured to Hannah, Neville, and Susan, as well as the Slytherins behind her. "You've got allies with some of the biggest names in Britain.

"You've got a company who specializes in giving off the exact image," she pointed toward Parvati and Lavender. "And you've got two writers who you can contact to deliver messages, to give your side of the story, one of them in this very room."

Every eye turned toward Luna who simply continued kicking her feet. When she noticed everyone staring she turned her head.

"Oh I know what you expect," Luna said, evenly. "For a while, I have wondered what it might be like to write under my own name. I publish under a pseudonym for The Quibbler but I think it's time to drop that.

"Let them call me Loony. Let them make up stories about my mental health and my family history. I am ready to help you any way I can, Harry."

"You'd do that for me?" Harry asked. "You'd step into the spotlight for me?"

"I would step into the light to tell the truth," Luna replied. "I would tell them of the boy who was there for an odd little girl still processing the death of her mother; the story of the boy who believed in strangers so much he put himself on the line to make their dreams come true. I will tell them who Harry Potter is and why, when Harry Potter says he did not put his name into the Goblet of Fire, that we can believe him."

"Thank you, Luna," Harry walked over and embraced the small blonde.

"Reach out to Colin," Daphne continued. "The boy who takes all the photos. Let him be your official photographer."

"Done," Luna said. "He's been talking about doing that for years now. It would be a dream come true."

"Next item," Daphne nodded to Hermione who pulled out a parchment. "In the confusion of the ceremony, nobody knows what actually happened. I am sure everyone is forming their own opinion. When you go to breakfast tomorrow, go late. Stand in front of everyone and say this."

Hermione handed him a piece of parchment.

"It won't win every student but it will make them question what they believe," Daphne said. "Memorize the parchment and read it exactly as written. Magical Oaths of Truth are tricky things. One wrong word can have dire consequences.

"Last," Daphne said. "You are going to put out a statement, whether to Luna or Lavender's mum or both, saying that you are not competing for the 1000 Galleon prize money. Tell the world that, even though you are being forced to compete, you are going to compete for a good cause. As a result of this competition, you will be donating to St. Mungo's instead. It's what all the purebloods do when they want to curry favor in the community."

"I like it," Harry finally smiled for the first time since the goblet spat out his name. "How about we make it a full fundraiser? I'll be matching donations in October up to a thousand Galleons and, should I be the winner, I will donate the winnings as well. Donate it to research for those battling long-term spell damage since that's important to my godbrother."

"Excellent suggestion," Millie said. "I will contact my mother who is a healer at St. Mungo's and see about setting this up."

"Thank you, Harry," Neville held back tears at Harry's planned gesture.

For the next half hour, the group fleshed out their plan and Daphne coached Harry on how to convey the proper image tomorrow.

"Anything else?" Harry asked.

"There is one thing," Daphne looked nervous for the first time. "On the night of Hermione's party, I was stopped by Theo Nott. He told me I needed to spy on you for him. If I don't, he's going to go after Astoria and maybe my parents too."

"Not going to happen," Harry's eyes glinted. "Whatever you have to do to keep them safe, do it."

"Harry…" Daphne paused as a tear escaped her eye. "Thank you but I'm not going to spy on you. It would go against the agreement you have made with my father. However, I would like to get a few of those mirrors made so we can communicate with one another quicker than our journals."

"Done," Harry said. "And while you're at it, let's get Astoria an invisibility cloak. I'll talk to the goblins about getting your parents portkeys to Potter Manor as they made for Hermione's. I would give one to Astoria but I don't think those would work while inside the wards of Hogwarts but there's another other... Dobby!"

"Yes, Harry," the elf popped in.

"I want you to keep an eye on Astoria for me," Harry said. "If she is in any trouble, please take her either to the Room or to the Hospital Wing, should she require it. Everyone else be on guard. I'm sure my entry into this tournament is the hand of Voldemort."

Everyone but Hermione and Luna flinched.

"What his plan is, I cannot be sure but I am sure it involves me," Harry said. "As much as I'd like to keep you all out of it, I doubt that is a possibility. We saw from the last war, Voldemort and his followers don't care about collateral damage."

"Thank you, Harry," Daphne nearly sprinted around the table as she hugged Harry tightly and then pulled back and composed herself. "Alright, we have our plan. I don't know about you but it's been a long night and I'd like to get some sleep."

"See you in the morning, Potter," Tracey said as she followed Daphne out of the door.

"Harry," Vinny stopped on the way out the door. "Can you put us in touch with the Weasley twins? I think Theo needs some pranking."

"Hardcore pranking," Greg said. "Nobody threatens Astoria."

"Talk to them tomorrow after breakfast," Harry said. "Let's bring the Marauders back, shall we?"

"We shall," Millie added as she followed them out.

"We'll work in Hufflepuff," Susan said. "Get them to lay off you."

"Best as we can," Hannah added. "There are bound to be some like Smith to react poorly simply because they already don't like you."

"Come on," Hermione pulled on Harry's shoulder. "It's best we be getting back to the tower. I'm sure the twins have something special planned for you and I know a certain someone who you should contact tonight."

"Hopefully Helen and Richard are up too," Harry said. "I would really like to see their faces right now."

True to Hermione's prediction, the common room was full of people. Fred and George shot streamers and picked Harry up on the shoulders.

"Let's hear it for the Boy-Who-Lived!" They shouted to the other Gryffindors. "A man so special, the universe has decided it can't have an event unless he's included in it."

"Tell us, Harry," George asked. "Did you go full Marauder or did someone else enter you in the tournament?"

"Uh…" Harry felt awkward being so high without a broom underneath him. "Someone else entered me."

"Pay up, Georgie!" Fred said. "Told you he didn't enter."

"So you're not just an attention-seeking tosser," said Harry's least-favorite person stood in front of a group of Gryffindors who, it was clear, were not happy. Harry noticed they were all students who tried to enter themselves today. "You're also a lying, cheating wanker."

The twins gaped in surprise and set Harry down.

"Get this straight Weasley," Harry glared at the redhead. "This goes for you too McLaggen, Towler and the rest of you who doubt me. I don't want to be in this tournament. I neither need nor want the gold and eternal fame? Who was the last Tri-Wiz winner? Can anyone tell me?"

The common room grew quiet at Harry's point, none of them remotely remembering.

"Exactly," Harry returned to glare at Ron. "I am so tired of you taking every opportunity to sneer, belittle or impugn my character. All I've ever done to your lazy ass is lose my parents and have the girl you fancy fall for me. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours, okay?"

"There's Potter," Finnegan stage whispered to McLaggen. "He shits and expects us to flush it."

"Seamus!" Dean shouted. "That's not fair. When has Harry ever asked anything of any of us?"

"Of course, you'll side with him," Seamus said. "We used to be pals but now you spend all your time with Potter and Granger."

"Yeah because I want to learn while you two slack the fuck off," Dean stepped toward Seamus, towering over the blonde Irishman.

"Fuck off," Seamus tried to push Dean with two hands. Dean stood his ground while was forced Seamus to backpedal. "Get away from us, mudblood."

The other Gryffindors gasped at Finnegan's invective. Even through his rage, Dean could see Seamus regretted saying it. However, Dean knew there was no going back; the friendship was well and truly dead. Dean advanced on Seamus with his hands balled into fists. Ginny and Demelza stepped up and it took everything they had to hold Dean back.

"50 points and a detention Finnegan," Alicia crossed her arms to show off her prefects badge. "Next time you use the word, I will take your tongue. Now I don't care if you believe Harry or not, I won't have the word uttered in this tower ever again."

"Now, it's been a long night," Alicia said. "Everyone head to bed. We're all tired and I think we could use some sleep. Good luck in the tournament. I believe you and hope you'll make it through this alive."

With a lot of grumbling, the Gryffindors broke up, many of them glaring at Weasley's group as they were hoping for a celebration. Ron led his group up first, all of them muttering to one another.

That night, after well-wishes from his Quidditch team and a few half-hearted congratulations from others in the tower, Harry and Neville trudged up to bed. Neville lovingly tapped his hammer hanging on the wall to the side of his bed, as he always did while Harry warded his bed, just in case. Dean did the same, still shaking in shock and fury at the words and actions of his former friend. Sitting in his bed, with the curtains drawn, Harry pulled out the mirror.

"Sirius Black," Harry said. After an agonizing number of minutes, the mirror lit up.

"Harry!" Sirius's face was illuminated by the screen and everything behind him looked dark. "You don't usually call this late. What's up?"

"They had the selection ceremony for the Triwizard Tournament," Harry said.

"Oh yeah? Who was selected?" Sirius asked, afraid of the answer.

"Viktor Krum from Durmstrang, Fleur Delcour- whose aunt Hermione and I rescued at the World Cup, by the way- and Cedric Diggory was selected to represent Hogwarts."

Sirius' shoulders sagged in relief.

"That's good," Sirius said. "I almost expected you to say your name came out of the goblet."

"It did," Harry saw the blood drain from the man's face when he said that.

"But you said three schools…" Sirius gaped at the mirror. "Pup, I don't like this."

"Neither do I," Harry said. "I'm meeting with Dumbledore tomorrow. I think he and Flitwick had suspicions. Flitwick is going to help me as much as possible and, because he's my master, he can keep training me. Sounds like he planned it."

"I'd like to be there for that meeting, if possible," Sirius said. "If Dumbledore is concerned, I would like to relay those concerns to Madam Bones."

"He told me to bring Hermione with me but I'll ask if you can attend too," Harry said. "Good thing is Daphne has prepared a whole team to help me navigate the press and other issues that'll come with this tournament outside of the tasks."

"Only 14 and you've got a publicist," Sirius laughed, letting the stress fall off him. "We'll chat more. You look dead on your feet, Prongslet. Get some sleep; you'll need it for tomorrow and the days to come."

"Thank you, Padfoot," Harry smiled. "Are Richard and Helen up? I'd like to talk to them too."

"I'm afraid they're asleep," Sirius said. "They're finalizing the sale of their dental practice on Monday so they spent today and will spend most of tomorrow wrapping up all the details that go with it."

"Damn," Harry said. "Well, tell them the news for me, would you? And that I'll call tomorrow. Oh and as soon as we can get some more mirrors made, I would like to give one to Astoria, Daphne and the others. Nott threatened Astoria and I know Daphne is worried."

"Doesn't surprise me," Sirius scowled. "Nott Sr. was one of Voldy's top lieutenants during the war, allegedly."

"Will do," Sirius said. "I'll get started and I will let Richard and Helen know to expect your call."

The next morning and Harry met Hermione down in the common room. Luckily, it would not be long before the head they were hoping to chat with waltzed down the stairs.

"Colin!" Harry waved at the blonde boy who still squeaked when Harry addressed him. "Can I talk with you?"

"Sure, Harry," Colin held his camera tightly and sat across from the couple. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Well seeing as I have been entered into this tournament," Harry started and stopped himself, not sure how to say what he wanted to say. Colin cocked his head to the side, hoping Harry was saying what he thought Harry was saying. "I am going to need someone I can trust to take some pictures of me for publication. I'll be working with the Quibbler and Luna but I -they, rather- will need an official photographer. I was hoping that would be you if you're willing."

"Really?" Colin's eyes widened in adoration. "That would be an absolute dream come true! Oh, I'll need to upgrade my camera, and I've got to work on maybe getting a better lens."

Harry smiled at the boy's glazed expression, his mouth competing to keep up with all the ideas rolling through his brain.

"Sorry," Colin brought himself back to the moment. "Yes. I would love to be your official photographer. Thank you!"

"Thank you, Colin," Harry beamed at the boy. "If you need to buy any equipment, contact Gripclaw and he'll set it up for you. Can't have you using anything but the best equipment, can we?"

"Spare the thought," Colin joked.

"And no expense," Hermione spoke under her breath as she affectionately rubbed Harry's arm.

"It's a good thing you have your camera," Harry said. "I'm going to put on quite a show in about 30 minutes."

"What do you mean by 'put on a show?'" Colin used air quotes with the last bit. "You walking into the Great Hall is putting on a show."

"Believe me, Colin," Hermione spoke earnestly. "Even by Harry Potter standards, this will be quite the show."

Half an hour later, Harry squared his shoulders and walked through the doors into the Great Hall, his head held high.

"Tomorrow," Daphne's words rang in his head. "When you walk in, do it with pride. Show no shame but also don't look arrogant. Just look confident, like the Potters who came before you."

As he entered, every head turned toward him. Muttering increased as Harry walked down the center aisle toward the head table.

"May I address the hall?" Harry asked the headmaster.

"You may," Dumbledore gestured for Harry to speak. Harry turned back toward the student body and, as expected, every eye remained on him. Students gasped as he drew his wand, a few students nervously fingering theirs.

"Sonorus," Harry said as he pointed his wand. "I, Harry Potter, Heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter, do swear on my life and magic that I did not submit my name to the Goblet of Fire, nor did I ask anyone else to do so, so mote it be. Expecto Patronum."

The silver stag burst from his wand and galloped around the Great Hall. Harry canceled the Sonorus and moved toward the Gryffindor table. Looking around, he saw the opinions everyone had were at least challenged, if not changing. Finding Daphne at the Slytherin table, she mouthed "nice work" and turned to return to her conversation with Millie and Tracey. Around the Gryffindor table, he saw mostly appreciative looks, though Ron and his group still scowled, though there was a glint in Ron's eye that Harry did not like. Sitting between Hermione and Neville, Harry loaded his plate and began to eat. After taking a sip of his pumpkin juice, a gasp passed through the hall.

Looking around, Harry searched for the disturbance and found nothing. Hermione tapped him on his sleeve and pulled out a compact mirror. Harry's face was Slytherin green with silver writing on his head that spelled out "cheat." Harry was instantly transported back to primary where Dudley and his gang pinned Harry to the ground in the park. Harry fought back but couldn't stop Dudley from writing "Freak" on his forehead. He vividly remembered Petunia and Vernon laughing at him when he arrived back at the house. The word remained for three days. Flashing back to the memory, Harry stood quickly. Half the hall laughed at his peril, though there were more gasps than laughs as Harry marched from the hall. Hermione glanced at Neville and followed Harry out.

For Neville, he was furious. Years of being called "squib" and other names left him with a sour distaste for bullies and bullying behavior. Scanning the table, he saw Ron keeled over laughing. Seamus and McLaggen leaned on each other to keep from falling over in laughter. Rage filled Neville and Ron discovered just how strong Neville was. It seemed that his love of Herbology, combined with his workout routine over the summer, had imbued the Longbottom heir with significant strength. Neville grabbed Ron by the collar and slammed him up against the wall. The blonde boy's hair crackled with static electricity and never heard the appreciative mutters of the women throughout the hall.

"Weasley!" Neville shouted at the redhead loud enough that the entire hall heard him easily. "What did you do?"

"Nothing! Nothing," Ron wailed as he fought fruitlessly against the blonde's strength. "Just a little potion in his drink, that's all! Just a prank to reveal his true colors like the cheating Slytherin he is!"

"Are you daft or do we need to check your hearing?" Neville shouted. "You just saw Harry swear on his life that he did not enter. He, unlike you, doesn't care for fame or money or what he feels the world owes him! He's been my best friend in a time where everyone called me fucking squib!"

"Mr. Longbottom!" McGonagall finally arrived on the scene. "10 points from Gryffindor for language. Set him down now or it'll be detention."

"Give me a bloody detention then," Neville fired back. He kept Ron pinned and turned toward the Great Hall. "Everyone listen up because I won't say this again. Anyone who wants to mess with Harry, you have to go through me. Understood?"

Neville dropped Ron whose legs collapsed underneath him and the boy found himself deposited onto the floor. He scrambled to his feet just to get away from Neville.

"Detention with me tonight, Mr. Longbottom," McGonagall said, years of practice the only thing that kept her proud smile from leaking through. "And 50 points from Gryffindor for bullying a student, Mr. Weasley. That is all."

Nobody noticed Colin snapping pictures of the entire event, nor the smaller blonde scurrying from the hall.

A few floors up, Harry power-walked his way toward the Hospital Wing, trying to get himself to relax. He was shaken and very, very angry. As he worked his Occlumency shields to diffuse his rage, a small whimper caught his attention. Down the hall, Harry spotted the auburn locks of Nancy Mulligan surrounded by Cho Chang, Marietta Edgecombe, and a third girl Harry didn't recognize.

"Weird little Nancy," Cho catcalled. Cho took the bag she was holding and sliced the bottom with a cutting charm. Three books fell out onto the floor. Nancy sobbed as she tried to catch them. Marietta was quicker, summoning the books and tearing them in half along the spine. "Always with her weird bag and her weird little books. Why can't you be a normal girl? Why do you have to be such a freak?"

Hermione had just caught up to Harry when she saw his entire body stiffen. Before she could reach him, Harry advanced.

"Leave her alone!" Harry shouted. The three girls turned and opened an escape for Nancy. Through tears, she snatched up the remnants of the books, yanked the bag out of the Cho's hands, and ran past Harry. Harry watched her go, locked eyes with Hermione, and nodded to her. Hermione watched, heartbroken, what the girls did. Without a second glance, she followed Nancy.

"What was that about?" Harry stormed up to the Cho and got right in her face. "You think it's funny to destroy someone's things?"

"She's a freak, Potter," Cho sneered. "Always with a weird bag and muggle books. She needs to stop being so muggle and embrace being a witch. Nice face by the way. Glad Weasley finally took us up on our offer for the potion. We've only been offering for a year now."

Harry shrugged off the comments on his green face.

"Next time you do something like that…" Harry began.

"You'll do what?" Cho challenged. "I'm a prefect. I'll just give you detention, and take away all your house points. Do you think you, cheating Boy-Who-Lived, can do anything? Remember I have authority; you don't."

"Not anymore," Flitwick's squeaky voice interrupted her diatribe. Flitwick stepped out from behind a tapestry hiding one of the castle's many secret passages. "I am so disappointed in you Miss Chang. You are supposed to be setting an example as a prefect. Hand in your badge. Now."

Cho's eyes widened. She froze, not wanting to lose her badge. Flitwick waited long enough and simply detached the badge and summoned it to him.

"150 points from Ravenclaw and a week's worth of detention, all three of you," Flitwick never shouted yet the girls felt every word he spoke. "Get out of my sight."

"15 points for standing up for another student, Apprentice Potter," Flitwick said to Harry. "Glad I decided to follow you after you exited the hall. Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey and get you set straight."

Two floors down, Hermione finally caught up to Nancy in the bathroom that Hermione hid on Halloween all those years ago. Nancy was sobbing at the sink, looking at her ruined bag and books.

"Nancy, right?" Hermione called out to her. The girl flinched at being addressed and hugged her bag to her body. "It's okay; I'm not going to hurt you."

"That's what those other girls said," Nancy collapsed on the ground with fresh sobs. "They told me I need to stop being a muggle and start being a witch. Then, when I kept my bag and my books…"

"I understand," Hermione gingerly sat next to her. "I am muggleborn myself, you know? I still have my muggle things and I have things from the wizarding world. There's no shame in blending both.

"That's a really pretty bag," Hermione examined the bag still cradled in the girl's arms. "Is it knit?"

"Crocheted, actually," Nancy held up the bag. It was black with the Hogwarts crest on it. "My mum made it for me after she learned I was a witch, something I could have to carry her with me everywhere I go. That and the books from my dad. He'd read to me when I was a little girl and these are still my favorite. Now they're… they're ruined."

Nancy collapsed inward in fresh sobs as Hermione drew her wand.

"When I was a little girl," Hermione spoke softly. "I loved books. I still do. Day after day I would read. I wasn't popular in primary school and the books were my first friends. I loved Aragorn and Charlotte the spider. I loved Shakespeare and Hemmingway equally. Daddy helped me learn to read and read to me as well, especially when I was sick. When I came here, I met a boy who helped me come out of my shell but I never failed to learn a few spells, just in case."

When Hermione was done talking, the ruined books restored themselves and floated through the air into the freshly-repaired bag.

"How did you do that?" Nancy's tears stopped as she looked at the older brunette sitting next to her.

"Magic," Hermione said with a smile. "Mending spells, repair spells. The books will also be impervious to anything that could get on them. Excellent taste by the way. I love going to Narnia, too.

"Come on," Hermione offered her hand to Nancy. "I've got to introduce you to someone who I'm sure is very, very worried about you right now."

With buoyed spirits and a smile, Nancy let Hermione guide them out of the bathroom and toward their next meeting.

(A/N: First off, a very happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. A while back, I realized Neville has sort of been sidelined and I decided it was time to change that, starting with his moment in the Great Hall. Daphne's plan is revealed and Crabbe and Goyle are about to join the Weasleys to bring the Mauraders back to Hogwarts.

I really struggled with what Seamus said but it feels right to say something horrible in the heat of the emotion and then instantly regret it while acknowledging you cannot go back. No apology will ever remove those words.

Oh and don't be surprised if more tracks from Taylor Swift's Reputation album appear this year, as the themes fit what Harry faces in the year. It's not just the tasks, it's the attacks on his reputation as well.)