Chapter 32- Handling Hermione

 “I am just glad Harry won’t be participating. We have enough worries without having him facing dangerous tasks,” Remus sighed.

“Here, here.”

In Gryffindor Tower Harry was thinking the same as his dormmates discussed ways of getting around Dumbledore’s age line.

Chapter33- Unpleasant consequences

Severus was thirty-four years old, definitely not old enough to start having hearing problems. So why the bloody hell had he just heard Albus read Harry’s name and why did a fourth name get spit out from that bloody Goblet of Fire anyway? He glanced at Harry as Albus called his name once again and saw Granger pushing him forward. He’d never seen him so lost. He looked like he was three again and had just seen Peeves for the first time in his life. Harry walked slowly and made eye contact with Albus, Sirius, Remus and Severus as if begging them to tell him this was a joke. As Harry went through the same door the other champions had gone through all hell broke lose.

The students’ cries calling him a cheater grew deafening. Karkaroff and Maxime rounded Dumbledore demanding explanations and Sirius and Remus were not far behind.

“SILENCE!” Albus roared. “Students please return to your Common Rooms, ship or carriage.”

The students seemed ready for a mutiny, but Albus Dumbledore was not someone you went against, so they promptly followed his orders. As the last student left, Albus turned to the teachers.

“Madam Maxime, Professor Karkaroff, Mr. Crouch, Mr. Bagman; we have champions to instruct and a mystery to solve. Shall we join them?”

Maxime and Karkaroff seemed ready to jump on Dumbledore but nodded curtly. Bagman on the other hand was bouncing like a school child and sprinted ahead.

“Sirius, Remus, I believe you have the right to come with us,” and so they did. And Minerva, Severus and Moody followed them. As they entered the room they found the other three champions surrounding Bagman who was beaming as he told them that Harry was also one. As she spotted them, Fleur Delacour quickly rounded on her headmistress as Sirius and Remus went to Harry, Remus standing behind him and resting his hands on Harry’s shoulders in a reassuring manner.

“Madam Maxime! Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!”

Even in his disbelief at what was happening, Severus smirked inwardly at Harry’s scowl at Fleur. She shouldn’t have called him little. Harry never liked that.

“What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-door?” Madame Maxime asked imperiously.

“I’d rather like to know that myself Dumbledore!” Karkaroff spat, “Two Hogwarts champions? I don’t remember anyone telling me that the hosting school is allowed two champions- or have I not read the rules carefully enough?”

Oh, I bet you did! Severus thought. He was surveying Karkaroff carefully for any signs that he had been the one to put Harry’s name in, because Severus knew as well as Sirius and Remus that Harry would have and could have never done it. Harry wouldn’t want the attention that being a champion would bring him. Severus eyed Harry who was watching the exchange, his face white as a sheet, his eyes sometimes darting towards his father as if pleading for him to get him out of this mess. Sirius looked livid, ready to murder someone.

“’Ogwarts cannot have two champions. It is most unjust,” Maxime said.

“We were under the impression your Age Line would keep out younger contestants Dumbledore. Otherwise we, of course, would have brought along a wider selection of candidates, from our own schools,” Karkaroff said with a steely smile in place and his gaze colder than ever.

Severus hated this; he knew what he had to do, but he hated it nonetheless. He wanted nothing more than to be next to Harry comforting him but instead he said, “It’s no one’s fault but Potter’s, Karkaroff. Don’t go blaming Dumbledore for Potter’s determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines since he was a small boy and has always been indulged by his so called parents-“

“Thank you Severus,” Dumbledore, thankfully, cut him off firmly. Severus glared at Harry and saw him flinch. He hoped that in his heart Harry knew that Severus never meant a word of that, but he couldn’t skip such an opportunity to let Karkaroff and Moody see he hated Harry and the Marauders with their own eyes- or ears. He was thankful for Sirius telling Moody to back off because Dumbledore vouched for Severus, but that raised suspicion. Suspicion that had to be squashed.

Albus turned to Harry and asked firmly if Harry had put his name in the Goblet of Fire or had an older student do it for him. Harry answered negatively to both questions and what followed were disbelieving and outraged cries from Maxime, Karkaroff and Fleur Delacour. At this, Maxime said Dumbledore could have made a mistake and McGonagall became indignant. Severus agreed that Albus would not have made a mistake but kept silent just observing.

Karkaroff turned to Bagman and Crouch to see if they could get Harry out and Severus dared to hope. Crouch soon crushed that hope.

“We must follow the rules and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire must compete in the Tournament.”

“Well I won’t allow it!” Sirius cried angry. “My son did not enter and he is underage. I don’t allow him to compete.”

“This is a magically binding contract Mr. Black,” Crouch said, and Severus noticed it lacked his usual distaste for Sirius. “Your son has to compete despite your wishes or he will face the consequences of breaking the contract. You know as well as I do that they are not pretty.”

Sirius fumed but backed off. Breaking a magical binding contract meant loss of magic in mild contracts or death in Unbreakable Vows and Severus would bet anything that the Goblet of Fire constituted an Unbreakable Vow.

“Quite convenient if you ask me,” Moody grunted staring with both eyes at Karkaroff.

“And why would that be?” Karkaroff spluttered.

“It’s obvious isn’t it? The Boy-Who-Lived has to compete in a highly dangerous tournament with tasks designed for Wizards older and more experience than him,” Sirius barked. “Someone put my son’s name in that Goblet in the hopes of him dying in one of those tasks and I have a very likely suspect.”

Karkaroff blistered but then laughed, “I see Moody has been teaching his paranoia to his protégés.”

“No student could have bypassed Albus’ protection and hoodwinked the Goblet into thinking there was a fourth school competing. I am guessing that’s how they submitted Potter’s name to make sure he was the only one in his category,” Moody growled.

“You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody,” Karkaroff spat and Moody gave him a very eerie smile, “and a very ingenious theory it is, though I heard you recently got it in your head that one of your birthday presents was a basilisk’s egg, and smashed it to bits before realizing it was a carriage clock. So you’ll understand if we don’t take you entirely seriously…”

“Actually, I do,” Sirius said coldly. “I think it’s quite a probable theory.” Karkaroff glared at Sirius, “And as you ought to remember, it was Alastor’s and mine jobs to think the way dark wizards do.”

“How this situation arose,” Dumbledore said, cutting the boiling tension firmly, “I do not know but it seems we have no choice but to accept it.”

Severus did have to admire Dumbledore’s way of making grown men feel like naughty schoolchildren. After stopping their fight and hearing Madame Maxime make one last attempt to complain, Bagman and Crouch gave the champions their instructions and Maxime and Karkaroff both pulled their champions away. Dumbledore allowed Cedric and Harry to go back to their dorms but Sirius led Harry towards the Marauder’s Quarter, trading a very quick glance with Severus. Severus managed to look insulted at a glare from Moody and stalked out immediately after the Marauders had left and going through a hidden passageway, he went to meet them at their Quarters.

XXXXXXX

“I am going to die!” Harry cried nervously. He was pacing the Marauder’s Quarters when Severus got there, twisting his hands compulsively.  Severus walked up to him and stopped him, holding his arms and looking him in the eyes.

“No you won’t. We won’t let you and we will prepare you.”

“But teachers are not allowed to help,” he said in a small voice.

“So what?” Sirius said firmly. “The magical contract with the Goblet is about you having to compete, it doesn’t say you can’t have help. That was a rule added after the Goblet was created when the cheating was getting to a point where the teachers were practically competing for the students. Besides, just to be on the safe side we can just not help you directly with the Tournament. We will keep your training as usual. If it helps you, all the better.”

“But you can get into trouble,” Harry said worried.

“You are worth the trouble Harry,” Remus said firmly squeezing Harry’s shoulder. “Besides, do you really think Karkaroff and Maxime won’t help their champions?”

Harry shook his head.

“We’ll get you through this Harry,” Severus promised him and Harry nodded miserably.

XXXXXX

Harry was in a bad mood as he entered the Great Hall for lunch. If the whispering wasn’t enough, the row he had with Ron the previous night when he went back to the Gryffindor Tower was. He couldn’t believe Ron thought he put his name in the Goblet of Fire. How could he? They had been best friends since they were nine. Ron was his first friend his own age; he was his Padfoot! He always thought they would be friends forever. Hermione said he was jealous. Well he could go and compete in this bloody Tournament if he wanted to! He had gone as far as to say that it was why Harry had been having extra defense lessons.

“No, you moron! It’s because people keep trying to kill me!” Harry had yelled back. A little overdramatic, yes, but Ron deserved it.

 At least Neville and Hermione didn’t think he had entered his name.  They had taken Harry out to the grounds for breakfast and they had stayed there talking. They had also stayed with Harry as he wrote a huge letter to his Aunt Andy and Uncle Ted to make sure there was no way out of this, and took it up to the owlery were he gave it to Hedwig.

All the students, except for most of the Gryffindors, were glaring at him. Harry did his best to ignore them as he sat chewing his tasteless lunch. A tap on his shoulder distracted him and when he looked back to see who wanted him he suppressed a groan. Great! There was someone that would be highly pissed off at him.

“Yes Cedric.”

Cedric Diggory stood straight and in a clear voice he stated, “I believe you.”

“What?” Harry spluttered as the Hall went quiet.

“You said you didn’t put your name in the Goblet and I believe you. I’ve known you for six years and I already made the mistake of suspecting you once before. I won’t repeat it. So I wanted you to know that I have no hard feelings and I wish you luck.”

Harry stared at him, mouth wide open and could barely just stammer a “Thank you.” Cedric smiled and left to join the Hufflepuffs.

“Well,” Hermione said pleased. “That’s good. Maybe that will help other people understand too.”

Harry quickly glanced at Ron who was looking straight ahead and talking to Seamus and Dean, ignoring him completely. He sighed.

XXXXXX

Cedric saying he believed Harry had left him with a great feeling that didn’t last long. Ted and Andy’s answer just confirmed he had no way out and to add insult to injury, most of the rest of the school did not agree with Cedric, with the exception of most Gryffindors and a couple of loners from the other houses. The Hufflepuffs were angry because Harry had stolen their champion’s glory, the Ravenclaws thought he had cheated as an attention seeking ploy and the Slytherins were being just downright nasty, led of course by Draco Malfoy. Even the ones that usually just kept quiet so as to not anger the Malfoy heir seemed to think that this time Harry deserved it. It was almost like the whole Heir of Slytherin debacle in his second year, except this time he didn’t have Ron by his side, and that hurt more than the whole school’s hatred.

Harry couldn’t stand the glares from the rest of the school nor the cheers from Gryffindor. He was so nervous about the tasks ahead and the fact that someone wanted him dead and was well on their way to getting it, that he couldn’t understand how the rest of the school failed to see it. Because of this, Harry, Hermione and Neville had taken sanctuary in the Marauder’s Quarters, choosing to spend most of their free time there with either homework or just lazing around.

It was something that was worrying Sirius and Remus immensely. Not that they didn’t enjoy their company, and they had to admit that the kids weren’t bothering them since they mostly studied, which in its own way was troubling and a clear sign that something was amiss. Shy Neville would always go with the flow, which was usually a balance between Harry and Ron’s boyish laziness and carefree-ness and Hermione’s study compulsion. The fact that Hermione’s compulsion was winning just brought attention to the missing piece of the quartet. Harry without Ron did not have enough leverage or will to win over Hermione.

Remus knew all this was happening because of the bloody Goblet of Fire spitting Harry’s name out. Ron should be with them, speculating what the tasks would be, what the champions would do and then the four of them would seat in the bleachers, with sweets and popcorn, watching what the champions would do. But no, instead of that, Ron wasn’t talking to Harry, Hermione and Neville weren’t talking to Ron and Harry was miserable and going to face unimaginable dangers that made Remus shudder every time he thought about it. He had maintained a calm front when everyone was panicking. It wouldn’t help if everyone lost their head, but truth be told he had wanted to yell at Bagman for being so cheery about his cub getting thrown into this, rip Crouch in pieces for not letting Harry out and feed Karkaroff to the giant squid for…well, for being Karkaroff.

Remus smiled as he watched the three friends study and was reminded of his school days. It was the similar, he balanced over Sirius and James’ craziness, reminding them to study and at the same time they brought him out of his shell. He smiled at the bittersweet memories and couldn’t help but hope this group would be different as he already expected it to be. Yes, Neville was shy and usually went with the flow, but unlike Peter who had never established his personality, Neville was being brought out of his shell by his friends and was more than just a tag along, asserting his views when he felt they were right. He was also getting more and more praises from his teachers since he had started using his own wand, which reinforced Sirius’ theory about Neville’s performance problems originating from using Frank’s wand and his Grandmother’s less than stellar compliments. With a little encouragement, Neville would get very far. And he was getting it, he was getting the recognition he deserved. Remus never once had thought of asking Peter for help in something like Hermione and Harry were doing now with Neville. Hermione may be the brightest witch of her age, but there was no beating Neville in Herbology and apparently they knew it because Neville was practically giving them a whole lecture on the subject.

“Where did you find that Neville?” Remus heard Hermione ask. “There was no mention of it in the textbook.”

“It was in the book Professor Moody lent me. Apparently Professor Sprout told him I was good at Herbology,” Neville answered.

“At least Professor Sprout still likes you,” Harry mumbled.

“Oh, Harry. I’m sure you are exaggerating,” Hermione said and Remus frowned. What was that about?

XXXX

“Pomona, can I have a word with you?”

“Oh, yes Remus,” she answered. “Let me just finish this.”

As she finished patting the dirt around one of her plants, Professor Sprout looked up and met Remus’ eyes with a smiling face.

Calmly Remus asked, “Pomona, how long have you known Harry?”

“Why, since he was born and Lily brought him here to meet the entire faculty. That girl always thought of Hogwarts and her teachers as home and family,” she said fondly.

“And he has been living here since he was three, right?”

“Yes,” she said a little uncomfortably.

“Playing in your greenhouses and running around the staff room. You could say you know him well can’t you?”

“Yes,” she was looking definitely ashamed now.

“And would the boy you saw grow up put his name in that Goblet?” he asked evenly.

“No,” she mumbled in a small voice.

“Then could you please stop acting as if he did? He already has the whole school against him; he doesn’t need to see the people he always considered his extended family doing so too.”

“I’m sure he didn’t even notice,” she tried defending herself.

“That’s not what I heard. And I have seen more of Harry now than when he wasn’t yet a Hogwarts student, and I tutored him as well as lived with him.”

Sprout fidgeted a little and with an embarrassed smile she said weakly, “Sorry, I was just angry. I mean, Cedric being the champion… We never get recognition, and then Harry…”

“I know,” Remus said calmly, “But you are the adult here. If your House sees their Head acting this way, why should they act any different? Cedric has more right than anyone to be angry and he isn’t. I am not asking you to support Harry instead of Cedric. I would never do that. I am just asking for you not to antagonize Harry. Just let him be. The students are actively being nasty to him and you are just encouraging them with your attitude.”

“I’ll make it up to him Remus. I am sorry,” she said sadly.

“Thank you,” he smiled and left the greenhouse.

XXXXXX

“Last time I checked Ms. Skeeter,” Sirius drawled icily, his tall form blocking most of the light coming in the broom cupboard, where Harry and Rita Skeeter were, “my son is underage and therefore you may not interview him without my consent. Not to mention an adult hauling a fourteen-year-old boy into a broom cupboard can be very frowned upon.”

Rita Skeeter, reporter for the Daily Prophet, all in all a nasty person that liked to imply only the bad things about people, apparently did not like when the favor was returned. She bristled uncomfortably before she put on a fake smile and purred, “I was just talking to young Harry. But maybe we could do a small family piece: The champion that was raised by the convict. Was it your influence that drove young Harry to this life of rule breaking?”

Sirius’ eyes narrowed and through gritted teeth he hissed, “I was never convicted of anything seeing as I was innocent and therefore acquitted. If I recall correctly you were at my trial Ms. Skeeter, is your memory failing you?”

“No, not at all Mr. Black,” she smiled and turned to Harry, “Harry, is it your adoptive father’s lack of attention that makes you seek it so badly?”

“He gives me plenty attention,” Harry cried indignantly.

“Does he? Would you say your parents would be comfortable with you being raised by Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin and their dubious relationship?”

“Dubious,” Sirius spluttered.

“Dad and Uncle Remus are not a couple,” Harry cried angry, “And even if they were I don’t think my parents would have any problems with it.”

“So you are saying that Mr. Black denies Mr. Lupin any stability in their relationship?” she asked her eyes glinting.

“No-“ Harry cried at the same time that Sirius barked:

“Enough! Harry, get out here and you,” he spit out to Skeeter, “Do not try talking to my son alone again.” And he ushered Harry rather forcibly towards the room where the other champions were waiting for the weighing of the wands.

XXXXXXX

“But honey,” Remus whined. “I need the stability.”

“I don’t find this amusing Moony,” Sirius growled from his armchair where he was scowling with his arms crossed.

“Many students came today to ask me why I put up with such an uncaring partner,” Remus said straight faced. He was glared at. “Minerva also told me that there were many desolate female students crying about the injustice of the world in the corridors. Very disturbingly, I had some male students wink at me and tell me that if I ever had enough of you, I should contact them. And not just seventh years, there was a second year too. I had to remind them that student-teacher relationships are a big no-no.”

Sirius mumbled something.

“What?”

“Me too. Can you believe some of them gave me evil glares and I heard them muttering ‘Poor Professor Lupin’,” Sirius said a little clearer. Then he hissed, “I am going to sue Skeeter and the Daily Prophet for all they are worth.” And he glared at the paper that had been thrown at the coffee table.

Severus had been delighted at reading it out loud at the staff table that morning at breakfast. He of course read the whole thing in tone of scorn; after all Moody and Karkaroff where there, but Remus and Sirius who knew Severus’ acting knew that even if the part he was reading about Harry still crying at night for his parents, his romantic relationship with Hermione and his definitely bad role models was an act, when he read:

“After thirteen years of dedicating his love and life to Sirius Black, poor Remus Lupin is still denied the stability of a legal bond. Black apparently likes to be free to frolic around, but enjoys having Remus at his beck and call.”

He was not acting at all. Sirius had wanted to smack the smirk right off Severus’ face in front of the entire Great Hall.

“Next time,” Remus said knowingly. “You’ll learn to tread calmly when Rita Skeeter is involved and definitely not lose your temper.”

Sirius glared even more but his glare was interrupted when he was startled by the portrait door banging open.

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