A/N: I apologize if I have been neglecting my stories, this one and Heirs, simply based on time, lack of effort, whatever. I can't honestly explain everything, other than maybe the whole DH thing is hitting me harder now that we're several months removed. Maybe it's burnout from having so many stories. Whatever the reason, all I can ask and hope is that you sit through it with me and wait it out through the muddlesome chapters. I won't abandon fandom altogether, that much is certain. I've done that far too often when things get depressing.
Anyway, enough bellyaching on my part, let's get to the real reason you're here, shall we?
Fair warning when we make it that far, if you're into Weasley bashing (or evil!Weasleys) then this will be the fic for you. There'll be a nice little tease for you here of things to come, as well as an alteration to the Bouncing Ferrett scene.
/ - / - / - /
Harry rushed from the drawing room, his mind swimming with something other than the ghosts of his past, as Miss Skeeter would have put it. He shook his head clear and tried to put his focus on the task at hand: Namely the fact that the first task was just about a week away and he still hadn't a bloody clue what to do about it.
He sighed and sat down on a bench that happened to be near by. His relationship with Hermione had been a nice distraction with everything that had been going on, forcing the tournament far from his mind save for those times when he and Hermione set aside time to work on it specifically. It wasn't as though much had changed in their relationship anyway…other than the occasional sessions of sitting together on the couch in the common room or in the Room of Requirement (which, Harry reminded himself with a blush, could be useful should that particular need ever arise, though he didn't feel a specific need for it at the moment). The earth had not shaken to its core. The sky had not fallen. Everything, more or less, was as it had been.
It made Harry feel sightly stupid for not having seen it earlier.
All that said, the tournament was beginning to weigh more heavily on his mind. As Rita had so casually pointed out: he'd be facing things that most wizards twice his age would never have to face in their lifetimes, armed with only the knowledge gained from three years of Hogwarts classes and his sheer will power. A small voice in the back of his head, one that sounded eerily like Hermione, told him that it would be enough.
Smirking, he gathered his things and walked down the hall. When he rounded the corner he saw a pair of third year Hufflepuffs chatting between themselves. Once they saw him, they immediately stopped talking and flashed their robes at him so that he could see a button pinned on the inside. The button read "Support Diggory" before shifting colors and revealing the words "Potter Stinks!" Harry shook his head and walked out into an open courtyard, grimacing when he saw Malfoy and his goons gathered around a tree.
"Like the buttons Potter?" Draco said with a smirk on his face, jumping down out of the branch of a tree. "Made them myself…but I can't seem to keep up with demand. If you want one, you'll just have to wait in line."
Draco walked over to Harry, who simply glared straight back at him. Harry could see the twinkle in Draco's eye, daring him to say something…anything…that would provoke him. Harry relied on the cursoru occulumency training he had been receiving from Dumbledore as he drove his initial outburst of anger down deep into a closed space of his mind where he reserved such thoughts. Grimacing at unsaid words on the tip of his tongue, he merely stalked off. "What's the matter Potter!" Draco called back while laughing, "Kneazle got your tongue?!" Harry said nothing and merely kept going. Draco scoffed and turned to walk away, when he heard the most unlikely of voices.
"More like he's going to snog his mudblood girlfriend…" Harry stopped cold in his tracks, part of him completely in disbelief at what he had just heard and who had just said it, while the other part of him seething with rage. He turned and looked behind to see blue eyes glaring a hole straight through him. Draco, for his part, merely watched the proceedings with an amused look on his face.
"What did you say," Harry asked with venom dripping from the words as he dropped his bag and approached the source of the insult to his girlfriend…to his Hermione…that of Mr. Ronald Weasley. Ron merely smirked in a Draco-esque fashion and crossed his arms, staring straight at Harry.
"You heard what I said Potter…" Ron replied angrily. A group of students now started to gather round, including one that caught Draco's eye, causing him to slink away into the shadows lest he be caught at the scene. "I said you were off to snog your mudblood girlfriend."
Harry's fists clenched at his side. "I don't know what's gotten into you Ron," he replied with anger, his fists literally shaking with rage. So much of him wanted to slug Ron in the face at the moment, that he could literally feel the pent up frustration burning a hole deep in his very soul. He tried to calm himself with breathing techniques, but it was a losing battle. "But you are going to regret saying that. One day…mark my words…"
"Is that a threat, Potter?" Ron replied snidely.
"No," Harry answered back, his green eyes beginning to radiate with untold power, causing Ron to slink back slightly. Harry moved three steps closer, standing right in Ron's face, before clarifying. "It's a promise…" His point made, and desperate to find something he could blow up, Harry turned and grabbed his bag, walking away from Ron. In his mind, Ron took this as an affront, and quickly grabbed his wand to curse Harry from behind.
"Curse him behind his back will ya!" came a loud voice from the side, causing Harry to turn, his wand at the ready in his own right should the need arise, only to see Professor Moody with his own wand out, shooting a curse straight at Ron. Ron blinked once or twice before he was overtaken by the spell, shrinking down into nothing until there was only a small red ferrett sitting there. Moody began to move his wand up and down and all around, causing the creature to bounce to and fro, and causing the gathered group of students to laugh their heads off in the meantime. Harry allowed himself to laugh at Ron's misfortune, causing a large degree of tension to slowly ebb its way out of his being.
Upon seeing such a conglomeration of students, Professor McGonagall quickly made her way into the courtyard, trying to figure out what all the commotion was about. She had heard one of the portraits convey the message about what Mr. Weasley had said to Mr. Potter about his girlfriend, and was quickly trying to intercept the two before a fight could break out between two of her Gryffindors. She stopped short when she saw Professor Moody moving his wand around, leading something to dance around in circles. "Professor," she asked in an exasperated tone, "What in Merlin's name are you doing?!"
"Teaching," came the simple reply from Prfoessor Moody, both of his eyes fixed on the target at hand.
McGonagall stopped short, her breath caught in her chest. She pointed forward in horror. "Is that a student!?"
"Technically," Moody answered back, never breaking his motions. "It's a ferrett."
Professor McGonagall nearly screamed as she pointed her wand at the creature and transformed it back into what it was supposed to be. She glared at Ron Weasley when he landed in front of her, spitting out a pair of leaves that had gotten stuck in his mouth when he landed. "The portraits told me what you said," she said sternly, "And I am ashamed of you. Two weeks worth of detention with Mr. Filch!" Ron grimaced, but held his tongue…moving away from McGonagall quickly. She then pointed her wand straight at Moody, who's face had become hard to read. "We NEVER," she began sternly, "I repeat, NEVER, use transfiguration as a punishment Alastor. Surely Headmaster Dumbledore told you that!"
Moody seemed to blush, as much as one like him ever could, before responding, "He probably mentioned it once or twice."
"You'd do well to remember it," McGonagall said, waving her wand for added effect before storming off. The crowd had already begun to disperse, when Harry started moving away.
"Potter," Moody called, causing Harry to stop. He turned and watched the Professor move towards the opposite hallway, motioning him to follow. Harry sighed, readjusted his bag, and trudged ahead.
/ - / - / - /
Harry followed Moody up the winding staircase towards the defense classroom, keeping his distance from the grizzled ex-Auror. Though Moody was a brilliant, if somewhat eccentric, teacher, something about his methods made Harry try to keep his distance, and his wand at the ready.
"You're quite smart you know Potter," Moody grunted as he limped his way up the stairs. Harry stopped short when Moody reached the top landing and turned his head, offering a crooked smile before taking a shot out of his hip flask. "Always practicing CONSTANT VIGILANCE...even amongst your allies." Harry blinked a couple times, before Moody turned back and marched towards the Defense classroom.
Harry was surprised when they kept moving through the class and into the back, moving towards the back office. When he entered the room, the first thing he noticed was several large glass mirrors that apparently came with Moody's term as professor, as they had not been their when Professor Lupin occupied the post the year previously. Moody eased himself onto a small wooden chair at the edge of a small oak desk, and slowly pulled a peg leg off of his right thigh, causing Harry to cringe slightly. Moody noticed Harry looking at the glasses, and pointed right at them. "Those are interesting things right there," he said, leaning back against the stone wall with a grunt of relief, "That's a foe glass. It allows me to keep an eye on my enemies." Harry looked at it, seeing a few faces he couldn't really recognize reflected back at him, and two or three faces he did recognize, chief among them Igor Karkaroff and Ludo Bagman. "I can get you one if you like," Moody offered, and Harry simply shook his head. He turned his head and glanced over in the corner, seeing a large trunk sitting there with several keyholes in the front.
"I've never seen a trunk like that before," he said with wonder as he approached it.
"That's a multi-compartment trunk," Moody explained from behind Harry's back as he refilled as hip flask with a clear, yet congealed liquid. "That particular model has six different compartments. But that's not why I brought you up here." Harry turned away from the trunk and glanced at Moody, who motioned for him to come closer.
"Professor Dumbledore," Moody began, "has asked me to aid you in this tournament, seeing as how you are competing at a bit of a disadvantage." Harry grimaced at this thought slightly, but Moody caught on to his gesture. "Don't worry about this being some kind of cheating. You can bet your arse that Krum and Delacour will have help from Karkaroff and Maxime respectively."
"What about Cedric," Harry asked. Moody looked at him as if he had grown a second head for a moment, before shaking his head and waving his hand dismissively.
"I'll endeavor to aid him anyway I can, if it will put your mind at ease," Moody halfheartedly replied. Harry didn't buy the argument for a moment, but promised himself to help Cedric if he could. "Do you have any idea what the first task is going to be," Moody asked Harry, to which Harry shook his head. Moody reached over on his desk and fished around for a piece of parchment. After finding the right one, he handed it to Harry. "That's a pass to accompany Professor Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest tonight. Be there at 11 PM sharp. Harry nodded and placed the parchment in his bag. Moody dismissed him and Harry turned away, only to stop when Moody called his name a second time. "If you have a way of being discreet," he added, "It might be prudent to bring that with you." Harry arched an eyebrow before the message got through. Nodding his head, he walked away from the room, leaving Moody smirking behind him.
/ - / - / - /
Harry did as he was told and met Hagrid at the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. Filch had eyeballed him as he left the castle, but a glance at his pass had held the caretaker at bay for the moment. Hagrid smiled as he spotted Harry moving closer towards him. "'Ello 'Arry," he said cheerfully, "Glad you could make it."
"Hello Hagrid," Harry said enthusiastically in return. With all the commotion of his new classes, his training with Dumbledore and the tournament, he had not been able to spend as much time with one of his favorite people at Hogwarts this year. Silently the two of them made their way through the forest.
"So 'Arry," Hagrid said quickly, breaking the ice, "What's goin on 'tween you and Ron?" Harry internally snarled, but kept his composure.
"He's got a problem with me dating Hermione," Harry said bluntly, "I guess he must've fancied her or something."
"'Ou wouldn't know it from the way they got on," Hagrid muttered to himself. "I'm sorry you've got to deal with something like that. Ron should know better." Harry smiled to himself, happy to have Hagrid on his side.
He looked up at the giant man and noticed that he seemed to have put some effort into his appearance that evening. "Why are you so dolled up," he asked, causing Hagrid to blush internally.
"Don' worry bout that," Hagrid said, stopping short when they reached the edge of a large clearing. "Better put yer cloak on 'Arry." Harry nodded his head and slipped his father's invisibility cloak over his body, ducking down behind a bush as Hagrid moved forward to meet another large figure approaching from the distance. He was surprised when he made out the silhouette of Madame Maxime approach Hagrid, hugging him like old friends.
"'Ow are you Olympe," Hagrid asked with a smile on his face.
"Wonderful Monsieur Hagrid," Maxime returned with a smile on her own face. "Vhat iz it you wanted to show me." Hagrid motioned for her to follow him, and Harry trailed them both from behind. They made their way through the clearing, and Harry could make out several people in the far distance, and four large cages being moved through the forest. All at once there was a large burst of flame that came from the cage in the lead, and in the firelight Harry could make out the silhouette of a large dragon, causing his own breath to catch in his throat. Thankfully his audible gasp was drowned out by Madame Maxime's own loud gasp.
"Aren't they magnificent," Hagrid said quietly, and Maxime nodded her head in agreement. If not for the prospect of staring down a dragon himself, Harry might have mused at the notion of them being magnificent creatures.
/ - / - / - /
Harry slowly moved into Gryffindor, physically and mentally exhausted from the days events. Much to his surprise he found Hermione sitting on the couch in the common room, apparently waiting for him. Seeing her boyfriend in such a state, Hermione immediately threw down the book she had been reading to pass the time till Harry's return. Quickly she ushered him over towards the couch and sat down next to him, holding his cold hands in her own as they warmed themselves by the fire.
"Harry what is it?" she asked, concern readily apparent in her voice.
"Dragons," Harry finally said with a hoarse voice. Hermione's eyes went wide and stared at him, fearing that she had heard what she thought she had heard. "The first task is dragons." Hermione felt her throat clench up at seeing the sincerity and fear in Harry's eyes, and the two of them huddled together closely.
"More specifically," Harry continued, "I have to retrieve some sort of object that a dragon will be guarding."
"Oh Harry," Hermione said with a quivering voice, "How can they expect you to fight a dragon…" she thought for several moments, something clicking in her brain, and hope seemed to write itself across her face. "Unless," she gasped, "You don't have to fight it."
Harry cocked an eyebrow and pulled away from her, trying to figure out her meaning. "That is to say, what if you can use your broomstick to manuever around the dragon and capture whatever it is you're trying to get."
"But Hermione," Harry said with trepidation in his voice, "They only allow you to have your wand."
"That's all you need Harry," Hermione explained quickly. "You can use a summoning charm to retrieve your Firebolt once you're in the competition."
"But…" Harry tried to do the math in his head, "I'd have to summon my broom from almost a kilometer away!"
"I know," Hermione said, a tinge of pride in her voice, "But you're probably the only student in this school who can do it Harry. I don't know if you've done the math in arithmancy, but you probably have more magical potential than anyone else here."
"I'm rubbish without you," Harry said softly, rubbing his hands across Hermione's cheeks. Hermione smiled, leaning into his hand.
"Me," she replied, "Books and cleverness…" Harry smiled at the memory, and the two of them stared into each other's eyes for a few moments, before closing the distance and kissing each other gently on the lips. It hadn't been the first time they had kissed, but this was perhaps the most passionate they had ever been, as they tried to drown out the terrors of the coming tournament for just a brief moment. A memory and a need to breath forced Harry to break away from Hermione slowly, neither one eager to have the moment end. They smiled at each other, feeling the heat rush to their faces.
"Tonight's the night we have to speak with Sirius," Harry said quietly, in case anyone else had wandered by, "Best he doesn't find us snogging each other's brains out." Hermione had to stifle a giggle, and simply allowed herself to lean next to Harry and sit there on the couch for a good long while. They sat in silence, enjoying each other's company, before Hermione quietly spoke.
"I heard what Ron said," she said softly, and immediately she felt Harry's grip stiffen around her. "I can't believe he would do something like that…"
"Me neither," Harry said reflectively, "But if he thinks I'm going to sit back and…"
"Don't get in trouble over me Harry," Hermione chided gently. "He's not worth it."
"But you are Hermione," Harry argued back, causing her to look up at him in wonder. "I know what its like to be demeaned just because you're different. I know what its like to be called worthless and useless…and I'll be damned if I'm going to let anyone treat someone I care about like that." Hermione smiled, and fought back a couple of tears as she thought to herself that it was exactly what she would do in his place. Content for the moment, they both stared at the fire, waiting for Sirius.
/ - / - / - /
Harry felt himself being gently shaken from his slumber. Groggily he yawned and saw Hermione staring at him, a concerned look on her face. "Harry, it's time." It tok a moment for Harry to register what exactly she was saying, but when he did, he nodded and moved closer to the fire. To his surprise, he saw Sirius' head floating in the middle of the hearth, surrounded by emerald green flames. He immediately smiled when he saw the Marauders face.
"Imagine my surprise," Sirius said with a smirk as wide as his face, "When I arrived here and found my godson snoozing away while holding this beautiful witch." Both Harry and Hermione blushed at the idea.
"It's good to see you Sirius," Harry said, trying to fight back some tears at seeing his godfather was alright, even if it was only just an image.
"It's good to see you too kiddo. I'm sorry I can't be there in person. I do want to congratulate the two of you for waking up and deciding to be together. It was obvious just from seeing the two of you for a few hours last year." Again, Harry & Hermione blushed.
"I'm afraid there are some serious things we need to discuss," Hermione said and Sirius nodded his head.
"Yes," he turned towards Harry. "First I have to ask you Harry, did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire?"
"No," Harry forcefully said, causing Sirius to hush him.
"Sorry, but I had to ask. You've told me about your dreams in your letters…have they stopped?" Harry nodded his head. "That may be a good sign. Harry, there's no doubt in my mind that your dreams and what happened at the World Cup, as well what has happened this year at the tournament, are somehow connected."
"What are you saying," Harry asked fearfully.
"I'm saying that Hogwarts is no longer safe for you Harry. I'm saying that whoever but your name in that Goblet is probably connected to Voldemort somehow. Igor Karkaroff…he was a Death Eater." Harry and Hermione's breath caught. "You already know that Barty Crouch Sr.'s son was a Death Eater as well. Ludo Bagman was implicated in the Death Eater trials but was later exonerated as having been under the imperious curse. Severus Snape, the greasy git, he was a Death Eater too."
"Snape's been tolerable this year," Hermione said, her voice reflecting the paranoid connection in her mind.
"In that case, be extra careful around him," Sirius warned. "No one…and I mean no one…ever stops being a Death Eater." Sirius looked around, as if he had spotted something on his end. "I have to go now Harry. I'll send you a letter as soon as I can. Remember to keep your friends close." With that, Sirius disappeared into the flames, leaving Harry and Hermione alone with their thoughts.