The Fourth Wizard

Disclaimer: I don't own the Potterverse.

Author's Note: Thanks to Buggycas my beta

Chapter 4

The morning of the thirty-first they got a visitor to the dorm as they were getting ready to go for breakfast. The portrait swung open while protesting loudly and that got everyone's attention. So everyone saw the Unspeakable enter.

He walked up to Neville who standing next to Harry and said, "So you can do a Patronus nephew?"

Neville nodded nervously and Harry wanted to support him so he said, "Yes he can. It's a bear."

The man in the hood nodded, "Let me see it. If it's true then I will show you a few more tricks for your little study group to practice."

Neville took a breath then squared his shoulders and drew his wand, "Expecto Patronum!" The bear formed and ran about the room once then dissipated.

The man lowered his hood showing the face of a wrinkled and white-haired old man. He smiled, "That's very impressive Neville. Very few adults can do that one. If you keep learning this fast my department will be happy to hire you."

"Thank you, Uncle," Neville said.

"I'll tell your gran that I got you that new wand," the man added with a grin. "And if you tell me when your group usually meets I will show you all a few good spells to practice."

Neville looked at Harry, who said, "We usually do it after lunch on the weekend but I'm sure we can move it to right after breakfast today so we don't take up too much of your time."

The man shrugged, "I'm here until after the choosing tonight so either is fine. I just can't do it after dinner because then I will be inspecting the goblet for tampering then taking it back to our vaults after."

Harry spotted Hermione and said, "There goes the third and last member of our group. Would you like to come with us to breakfast? Hogwarts always does great food."

"Surely," he said. He waved Hermione over and introduced himself. Then they went to breakfast.

Walking into breakfast with an Unspeakable seemed to cement their reputation if any was needed. From the whispers, they overheard the rumor mill was working overtime. Even some of the staff were affected. Karkarov seemed very jumpy and Snape looked worried.

Dumbledore seemed happy as a clam though as he made his breakfast announcement, "As some of you may have guessed we have an Unspeakable with us today. After the goblet has chosen its ... participants he will be verifying that there was no tampering. Also, we will be getting an observer from the Ministry, a Mr. Bagman, currently head of the Department of Games and Sport, later today. He will meet with the chosen and brief them on what to expect from the first challenge. There will also be press coming in after lunch so be sure to look your best and act in the very best traditions of our fine schools. It is also my pleasant duty to inform you that we will be hosting three dances for those fourteen and older. One in December to celebrate the Winter Solstice before students go home for the winter holiday, one in February to celebrate Valentine's Day, and one in May complete with a maypole. We have added additional Hogsmeade weekends to allow students to purchase any needed finery for these occasions. Now let's eat!"

"A dance?" Ron asked and he looked worried. "I can't dance."

"I can show you," Hermione said.

"What about me?" Harry asked. "Can you give me lessons too?"

She shrugged, "Sure, and Neville if he needs them. No one else though."

Neville said that his gran had made him learn ballroom and formal dancing so he didn't need help but would attend in case wizards did a formal dance that nonmagicals didn't.

After breakfast, Ron went off to find a partner for chess and Harry and the others showed the Unspeakable the empty classroom they practiced in.

The Unspeakable lowered his hood again, "Okay, I will go over the wand gesture first, then when you've got that I'll tell you the incantation. Alright?"

"Yes sir," they all agreed.

"The most important thing to remember about this spell and every other spell I teach you is that you learned it on your own, not from me. Clear?"

They all nodded and he added, "I'm not upset that Neville told you because I hadn't said anything to him about it. Anyway teaching a relative one spell is nothing unusual. However, tutoring a group might raise eyebrows so it's officially not happening." Rubbing his hands together briskly he said, "I plan to show your four spells that we call the "Elemental suite" if we have time. Let's do the air spell first. It lets you breathe normally when you're underwater or the air around you is bad or poisonous."

All three of them managed to cast it before lunchtime which made Algernon smile, "If you like I will teach you the water spell after lunch."

"That would be great uncle Algie!" Neville said.

After a rather hasty lunch, they went back to the classroom right away and missed the reporters. The reporters were told to stay together and remain on the ground floor. Hagrid and Filch were asked to watch them but not to give interviews or comment for the record.

This may not have been the wisest of ideas. Despite injunctions to be discreet both gave away lots of information. Which the reporters hurriedly copied down with varying degrees of accuracy.

Meanwhile in the classroom Algernon, the Unspeakable, said, "Next up is water. This spell will let you create drinkable water, and allow you to control nearby water to a certain extent. You can use it to dry off after a rain, put out small to medium sized fires and play pranks on nearby swimmers."

"Sounds great!" Harry said.

Conjuring drinking water was mastered early by the three students. Controlling water was harder. Harry and Neville could move larger amounts than Hermione but her fine control was better. After another hour Algernon called a halt to their practice, "You have the basics and will get better as you continue to work on it. Let us move on to Fire."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Yes, obviously," Algernon replied. "And you certainly aren't required to learn it but all the elements are dangerous. Remember when Harry tried to dry that cloth and instead turned it to dust? That's a combat application. Fire may be more easily used to harm but all spells are dangerous to some extent and fire can be used to help as well as harm."

"Yes sir," Hermione said. "I'm sure you're right."

"Don't worry," he replied. "I'm not upset. Questions are fine as long as you think about both your question and my answer."

"I can do that sir," she said.

"Good!" he replied. "I don't think we'll get to earth but here's a spell that with let you control the temperature around you, throw fire, and divert fire thrown at you." He showed them the spell and set them to practicing carefully until dinner.

As they entered the great hall for dinner they near blinded by the flashes of the photographers. The reporters started to rush them but Algernon drew his wand and although the teenagers couldn't see it the reporters could and only a few kept coming and those slowly.

"Harry Potter!" said one tall brunette in a silvery dress. "I am Miel Sucree of Le Monde Magique. May I ask if that is your girlfriend there at your elbow or just a friend?"

Harry replied, "She is my best friend but we are not romantically involved. I do not have a girlfriend."

A man with a rune-covered microphone moved it close to Harry, "Could you repeat that for the Wizarding Wireless news Mr. Potter?"

Harry shrugged, "I do not have a girlfriend and Hermione Granger standing between me and Neville Longbottom is my best friend."

The microphone withdrew, "There you have it, folks. The scoop of the day. Harry Potter is currently unattached!"

A woman in a flower-patterned dress said, "Maria Sofia Calvados, of Los Hechizadores, Senor Potter. Are you hoping to enter?"

"No, absolutely not," Harry said. "Even if it were open to students my age I definitely don't need more fame and I have enough money that I don't need to risk my neck for more."

She nodded, "Slightly disappointing but very understandable. Thank you Senor Potter."

A woman with brass colored hair and a bright green quill floating next to her strode up but Algernon cast a spell on her as soon as she opened her mouth.

He said, "I have heard as much as I ever care to from you already Ms. Skeeter. Get away from my great nephew Neville and his friends or else."

The woman sneered at him but she left and her photographer left with her.

A short dark haired man said, "Paul Tepes from the Scroll of Truth Mr. Potter. May I ask you a question?" When Harry nodded he continued, "Any plans to compete with our own Viktor Krum to prove you're a better seeker?"

"Certainly not," Harry said. "I'm sure Mr. Krum would win any such contest. He's a true master of the game and I can only hope to be as good when I graduate."

The man grinned, "Thank you for that quote, Mr. Potter. That's a very nice compliment."

"Maya from Daglig Avis, Mr. Potter," said a tall blonde. "Any truth to the rumor that you killed a Basilisk on school property?"

"I'm not sure it counts as school property but yes I did," Harry replied.

She smiled at him, "Is the location nearby? I'd be interested in viewing it sometime while I'm in England for this tournament."

Harry shrugged, "Sure, but we should also bring my friend Ron. He helped a lot."

She smiled wider, "Certainly. I will be in touch."

After she left they managed to duck past the others who were asking Algernon questions about the goblet and sit down at the Gryffindor table.

"I heard you mention me to that reporter lady Harry," Ron said. "Thanks!"

"Any time Ron," Harry said.

After Dinner Dumbledore stood up, "Any moment now the goblet will deliver its choices and they will be broadcast live on the WWN network."

Shortly thereafter the goblet began to glow brighter and then it spat out a piece of paper. Dumbledore grabbed it out of the air as cameras flashed. He opened it, "The champion from Beauxbaton will be Fleur Delacour!" He smiled, "Please stand young lady to receive your applause then move to the room on my left."

Fleur stood, bowed and started to move off when the goblet spit out another name. Fleur stopped curious.

Dumbledore caught the slip and read it, "The champion from Durmstrang is Viktor Krum!"

People started applauding but stopped when Krum let off a cannon blast from his wand. He shouted, "I did not enter my name! I want to know who did so I can sue them and I want to be removed from the competition!"

All the reporters were scribbling except the one with the microphone who was saying, "You heard right folks! Krum says he did not enter his name and refuses to compete!"

The goblet then spit out a third name and Dumbledore caught it. Everyone turned to him as he opened the piece of paper and read, "The champion for," he paused and looked confused. "It says that the champion for Hufflepuff is Cedric Diggory."

This also caused a commotion. None of the contestants left the room and everyone watched the goblet. Sure enough it soon spit another name out. Dumbledore caught it and read, "This one says that the champion from Slytherin is Daphne Greengrass!"

A blonde in Slytherin robes stood up and shouted, "I'm not even old enough! Why is my name coming from that stupid goblet?"

Algernon stood and said, "I will be checking it out after it has finished. I will inform all involved parties of my findings."

As he sat down the goblet spit out a fifth name and Dumbledore caught with a rather resigned look on his face, "This one says the Ravenclaw champion is Luna Lovegood."

Someone shouted, "But Lovegood is only thirteen!"

Dumbledore said, "Everyone calm down. Once the effect is over the Unspeakable will investigate. Please stay calm."

Again the goblet spit out a name, and again Dumbledore read it, "The champion for Gryffindor is Angelina Johnson!"

Everyone looked at her and Angelina said, "I did put my name in but I agree that something screwy happened and it should be investigated."

One more time the goblet spit out a piece of paper, Dumbledore read it and said, "This just says Harry Potter. There is no school or house listed, most curious."

Harry groaned, "Needless to say I didn't enter and don't want to compete."

The reporters took that down too. The goblet seemed to finally be finished as the flame died and it looked like it had before.

Algernon rolled up his sleeves and said, "My turn. I'll examine the cup then tell you all what I find." He turned to Albus and said, "I'll need privacy. The side room will do if you'll keep people out of it until I come back."

Abus nodded, "I will do that. Please let us know what you find as soon as possible."

Algernon nodded once then walked off with the goblet.

Ron said, "Bloody hell!" Hermione didn't scold him for once.