32) There are contracts and vows, why not oaths?
The four champions for the Triwizard tournament sat at the dinner table of the Yule ball. They talked among themselves with their dates. Hermione, with Victor, tried to keep the conversation rolling, but there was still tension. Harry's date, Luna, was a vision in her silver gown, but her strange and oblique comments made Cedric's date, Cho, roll her eyes, while most of the rest of the table simply looked confused.
Harry decided to broach the subject of the next trial of the tournament. "So has everyone deciphered their clue?" Harry asked as he began to cut into the filet on his plate.
"Trying to get more information for yourself? Can't figure it out on your own?" Roger Davies, Ravenclaw and date of Fleur Delaceur stopped short of accusing Harry of cheating. Again.
"Oh, for heaven's sake." Harry put down his knife and fork, popped his wand from its holster and stood, wand on heart. "I, Harry Potter, do swear on my magic that I did not put my name in the goblet of fire, I did not ask anyone to do so, and did not give my permission for anyone to do so. The first time I knew my name had been entered was when Dumbledore read it off the paper. As I speak, so I do swear. As I speak, so I do swear. As I speak, so I do swear." He glowed briefly, then did a silent lumos charm. Sitting, he noticed the absolute silence.
Conversation started in a hushed whisper at the tables around the champions' table. Even the faculty and guests were staring at Harry. Since it was business as usual for Harry to be a sideshow, he just decided to eat his delicious supper.
"Everyone thought you were a cheat because you didn't swear that night," Cedric confirmed, looking guilty and a bit ill.
Swallowing a bite of potato, Harry nodded. "Didn't know about it then, did I?" Harry asked, one eyebrow quirked. He pointed to himself with his thumb. "Muggle raised."
"Where did you find it? And why didn't you tell me?" Hermione demanded with more hurt in her voice than accusation.
Harry turned to his best friend and put his hands up in surrender.
"Pax! I just found it a few days ago. You know I have to move practice rooms frequently." He looked at Roger and smirked. "People keep hexing me when they find me. Anyway. I think they used to teach laws and customs here. Found that old classroom. I was looking through some book – contracts …oaths … vows, something…" His voice fell off as he tried to remember the title.
"Contracts Vows and Oaths by Pringle?" Luna asked.
Harry nodded and smiled at the girl. "Yep, that's the one."
"That's the seminal text," Roger added.
"Well, I was looking through it, mostly to see if there was information on this contract. But then I saw the oath section and figured it might help."
He heard the whispering at other tables as the tale of the wording of his oath passed from table to table. Snape stared down in obvious chagrin, probably wondering how the brat lied in an oath.
"Did you find out anything about the goblet?" Cedric asked.
"Only that I shouldn't have been able to enter. I'm underage. My guardian would have had to approve. Since Dumbledore said I had to compete, that sealed my participation."
"That is completely unfair." Cho gasped.
Harry shrugged. "My life. Anyhow." He began to cut a small piece of broccoli, and spoke before putting it in his mouth. "Everyone know how to swim?"
(fin)
A/N So this one doesn't have much around it, except harry's more of a bookworm. I was thinking that the Dursleys weren't nicer per se, but didn't want to be embarrassed by him. As a result, he did well in school (Vernon makes fun of swots, so it doesn't matter if Harry's one of those), is treated as a very much unwanted burden who must learn to earn his keep. When he gets to Hogwarts, he is in decent shape, hates bullies, and works harder at classwork. He would study more to prepare himself for the tournament. But there was never much plot around this, other than this scene. I really saw this, so now you can see it too, oh reader of mine. If you're out there. As with the other stuff in this collection, it's complete as is, unless my brain has another fuzzy thought somewhere.