Renouncing Magic's Child

Harry sat there ... happening to him....

Severus chuckled at that. Harry wouldn't be the first student to day dream about that in his classroom. And most likely not the last either.

If only he knew how to do the Cruciatus Curse...

"HARRY!" Mrs Weasley and Hermione both screeched.

Several people were looking at Harry in surprise. They couldn't imagine Harry wanting to inflict that sort of pain on anyone.

"He didn't actually do it," Sirius said sternly. "Trust me, there's a difference between an idle thought and one's actions."

Albus nodded. He was surprised that the boy had thought it but he could think of several times were he'd wanted to use that curse. Not that he was a good measuring stick for purity of heart of anything. But it was foolishness to try and judge people based on their thoughts.

he'd have Snape ... jerking and twitching...

Severus went pale. Just how cruel had he been to Harry that he'd actually wished that upon him?

"Antidotes!" ... someone on whom to test one..."

"That really isn't appropriate, Severus," Minerva huffed.

Severus had to agree. It wasn't something he'd ever done before. Sure, he'd threatened to. Fear was a good motivator afterall. "I believe it is a hollow threat."

Snape's eyes met Harry's, ... going to poison him.

"Severus would never," Albus said with certainty.

"I don't know how you can say that Albus," Minerva said.

"Because his oath would not take kindly to any form of bodily harm he inflicted upon Harry," Albus said. 

Harry imagined ... Snape's greasy head -

Severus chuckled. He quite liked Harry's thoughts. They weren't that dissimilar to his own as a child.

And then a knock ... take Harry Potter upstairs."

Harry groaned.

Snape stared down ... I think they want to take photographs... "

Several people sniggered.

Harry would have given ... determinedly at the ceiling.

The Weasleys all sighed in unison.

"Very well, very well," ... test your antidote."

"SEVERUS!" Minerva said again.

Severus sneered at her. "My older self said it and what's more he said nothing about testing it on Harry."

"Please, sir ... flashed at him from every direction.

Sirius gritted his teeth at the mention of the badges.

"It's amazing, ... "Isn't it, though? You being champion?"

"Just bloody brilliant," Harry muttered.

"Yeah, really amazing," ... More publicity."

Several people looked at Harry in confusion. Hadn't he had an interview with Rita that day? His dislike for the media hadn't stopped him talking to her.

"Good luck!" ... who was wearing magenta robes.

Rita smiled brightly. Finally, she was going to be mentioned in the story. Although a glance at her older self made her wonder if she should be concerned about everyone else's reactions.

Viktor Krum was standing ... talking to anybody.

"I wasn't being moody," Viktor huffed. "My English was poor and I was not confident with it then. And I didn't really know if I could trust any of you."

Harry nodded. He could understand that. Being famous was difficult.

Cedric and Fleur ... long silvery hair caught the light.

Bill raised an eyebrow at his wife. Who knew his wife was such a flirt? He couldn't resist chuckling.

A paunchy man, ... out of the corner of his eye.

"Ew," young Fleur said. That was disturbing.

"And that dear is why you should be more careful with your allure," her grandmother reminded her.

Bagman suddenly spotted Harry, ... wand weighing ceremony,

"What's that?" young Hermione asked.

"A wand maker inspects the wands to guarantee that the champions can safely compete," Hermione said.

the rest of the judges ... tools in the tasks ahead," said Bagman.

Hermione nodded her head. Pleased to have the book confirm what she had said.

"The expert's upstairs .... the Daily Prophet... "

All of Harry's family zeroed in on Rita. The woman gulped. Yes, this wasn't going to go well for her.

"Maybe not that small, ... to add a bit of color?"

"Absolutely not," Arcturus said firmly.

"Certainly!" cried Bagman.

"He can't decide that!" Sirius glared at the book.

"That is - if Harry has no objection?"

Sirius looked momentarily relieved but that relief was short lived.

"Er -" ... opening a nearby door.

"He did not agree, Rita," Arcturus said, his voice like ice.

"We don't want to be ... Harry stared at her.

George gave him a smirk and Harry just knew that he was going to make an inappropriate joke about him, older women and broom cupboards.

"Come along, dear ... see what they were doing.

George laughed brightly, muttering to himself about having to be able to see where it went. Harry groaned. And Mrs Weasley gave her son a sharp look.

"You won't mind, Harry, if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill?

"Yes, he bloody does mind," Sirius said crossly.

It leaves me free ... "A what?" said Harry.

"Why wasn't there a teacher present?" Arcturus demanded. "You have a student that you believed to be under age, in a broom closet with an unknown person. Forget the fact that she's also a reporter. This is a clear breach of school security."

Rita Skeeter's smile widened.. inflated reputations -

Several people gave the woman looks of loathing.

"Lovely," ... decide to enter the Triwizard Tournament?"

Sirius and Remus growled. Harry just tried to block the whole thing out. He didn't want to think about what the vile woman had written.

"Er -" ... charming face of Harry Potter, whose eyes -

"Wait!" Charlie said. "Doesn't Skeeter even write her own stories?"

"Of course, I do," Rita pouted.

"It looks like your quill does all the hard work," Charlie said with a sneer.

"Ignore the quill, Harry," ... I didn't put it in there."

"She's not going to believe that," Sirius said softly.

Rita Skeeter raised one ... Our readers hove a rebel."

Mrs Weasley glared at Rita.

"But I didn't enter," ... uncomfortably as he spoke.

Sirius and Arcturus shared a look. This wouldn't be allowed in the future.

"Champions have died ... a lot safer this year," said Harry.

Harry laughed bitterly at that. Sure, safer.

The quill whizzed across ... "How would you say that's affected you?"

Severus had to hold Sirius back as the other man reached for his wand.

"Er," ... Triwizard Tournament because -"

Everyone was glaring at her now.

"I didn't enter,"... talking over him.

"What sort of question is that?" Remus demanded. "He was a year old when they died."

"No," ... Proud? Worried? Angry?"

"How the hell was I suppose to know that?" Harry asked angrily.

Harry was feeling ... got tears in my eyes!" said Harry loudly.

Albus was not impressed. Why had his older self left this woman without a teacher escorting her? She couldn't be trusted around his students and what's more he knew that.

Before Rita Skeeter ... squashed into the cupboard.

"Finally," Sirius huffed.

"Dumbledore!" ... Wizards' Conference?"

Sirius muttered under his breath as Severus squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Enchantingly nasty," ... an obsolete dingbat."

A couple of people chuckled.

Rita Skeeter didn't look ... many wizards in the street -"

Albus laughed. He did not like Rita Skeeter.

"I will be delighted ... hidden in a broom cupboard."

Sirius glared at the headmaster. Surely, he should have forced her not to publish the article. He seemed to be Harry's magical guardian - or at least, he was before the whole emancipation thing.

Very glad to get away ... good condition before the tournament."

Ollivander smiled. He'd enjoyed this.

Harry hooked around, ... empty space in the middle of the room.

Fleur grimaced. She didn't really want everyone in the chamber to know the details about her wand. Wands were private.

Fleur Delacour swept over ... "nine and a half inches...

"Many wandmakers make the mistake of thinking that your wand length is tied to your height," Ollivander said. "Longer wands tend to go to those with bigger personalities, and those who favour more dramatic magic. While shorter wands go to those whose casting is more refined, elegant you might say. Nine and a half inches is on the shorter side and suggests your casting holds a grace of its own. Quite in fitting with your personality."

inflexible...

"That suggests that you Miss Delacour, at least at the age of eleven, were quite unwilling to change. You and your wand like consistency and you are not overly adaptable. Of course, life experience can and often does lead us all to evolve and change with time. You and your wand may not be quite as inflexible now as they were when you first received it."

rosewood...

"I do not use rosewood myself," Ollivander said. "It is rarely used and are quite rare. They are not very compatible with dark magic and are said to represent love and purity. It is interesting therefore, that they often excel at love spells and healing magics. As you know, healing magics use both light and dark magic in tandem."

and containing... dear me..." ... "One of my grandmuzzer's."

"While I've never used veela hair myself," Ollivander said, "I imagine the familial tie might lend it superior loyalty to you, my dear."

So Fleur was part veela, ... speaking to him.

Ron grimaced at the mention of himself.

"Yes," ... temperamental wands...

"That is true," Fleur's grandmother said. "But all veela children are offered the chance to have a family member's hair in their wand. It is tradition. When they meet their mate, if their mate is a veela, they claim a new wand with a core of their mate's hair."

Ollivander smiled in delight. "What a beautiful tradition. I would love to hear more about it."

however, to each his own, ... handing them to Fleur with her wand.

Fleur smiled at the wand maker.

"Mr. Diggory, you next." ... with much more enthusiasm,

"I do love to see how my own wands change over time to reflect the relationship it has with it's bearer," Ollivander said, almost giddily.

as Cedric handed ... tail of a particularly fine male unicorn...

"Unicorn hair tends to produce consistent magic," Ollivander said thoughtfully. "Less will to cast the darker arts. Incredibly faithful to their bearers. Not normally the most powerful and they can grow melancholy if not cared for properly. I remember there was once a young boy who mistreated his wand so much that his core died five times during his time at Hogwarts. Eventually, I threatened to stop repairing it for him."

must have been seventeen ... Twelve and a quarter inches...

"A reasonable length, quite well balanced," Ollivander remarked. "Neither flashy or refined, but somewhere in between."

ash...

"Your wand, Mr Diggory, would I imagine never work for another. Not only is the unicorn core known for it's loyalty but ash wands tend to cleave to their master. Rowan gossips, Chestnut drones, Ash is stubborn and Hazel moans." Ollivander chuckled to himself. "Your wand tells me that you are a man of integrity, not easily swayed from your beliefs. There is honour in your wand. It's a wand for a man of courage and stubbornness, but never arrogant. No, Mr Diggory, your wand says a lot about the sort of man you will become."

Cedric blinked, feeling slightly embarressed by the praise but he smiled when he saw the proud looks on both his fathers' faces and the warm smiles that his mothers were wearing.

pleasantly springy.

"That is slightly surprising," Ollivander continued, "given that your wand is made of ash. Though stubborn, your wand is adaptable."

It's in fine condition ... tried to rub it clean surreptitiously.

Ollivander chuckled at Harry's nervousness. 

Several gold sparks ... and he desisted.

Fleur gave him an apologetic look. She really hadn't liked him at the beginning.

Mr. Ollivander sent a stream ... "Mr. Krum, if you please."

Viktor sighed as everyone's attention moved to him.

Viktor Krum got up ... however. . . "

Ollivander laughed in delight. "A little friendly competition," he admitted.

He lifted the wand ... hornbeam

"My own wand is made of hornbeam, so I may be a little partial to wands of its kind," Ollivander stated. "But they tend to pick talented wixen with a single passion. An obsession some might say. Hornbean wands adapt quickly to their bearer's style of magic and become very personalised overtime, so quickly in fact, that if someone were to try and use your wand even for the simplest of spells, they would find it extremely difficult."

"But you were able to use my wand," Krum said.

"I was. Perhaps our magics are similar or I just got exceptionally lucky." Garrick smiled at the young man. "Hornbeam wands seem to absorb their bearer's code of honour and will refuse to perform acts that do not adhere to that code. The wand made of hornbeam is particularly sentient."

"Interesting..." Garrick murmured. "That this wand was used as it was in the third task."

Viktor glared at him.

"But I believe the answer lies in your wand's core," Ollivander pressed on. "Dragon wands are often the easiest to turn to the darker arts."

Many in the chamber were looking at them in confusion. Just what had happened in the third task?

and dragon ... who nodded.

"Powerful wands are made with dragon heartstrings," Ollivander murmured. "Capable of the most flamboyant spells. They learn quickly. They bond strongly with their owner, even if the owner won them in a duel. As I said before, wands of dragon heartstring are more suited toward dark magic. They are also more prone to accidents, being somewhat temperamental."

"Rather thicker ... quite rigid...

"That seems to fit with your personality," Ollivander said. "You certainly seem to be quite stubborn and your wand matches you well."

ten and a quarter inches ... Avis!"

"I imagine your magical style is precise and well thought out," Ollivander said. "Controlled and always measured."

The hornbeam wand ... "Which leaves... Mr. Potter."

Harry stared at the fire. He didn't want to know what Ollivander thought of him and his wand.

Harry got to his feet ... How well I remember."

Everyone stared at Harry as he tried hard to pretend they weren't.

Harry could remember ... made of holly,

Garrick smiled brightly. "Holly is a rare wand wood. Quite protective. Often picking those that need a little help overcoming a tendency to anger and impetuosity."

Harry grimaced at that as Sirius laughed heartily. "He's got you measured," Sirius said, "always rushing into danger without a second thought."

"Holly wands often choose bearers who are on some sort of spiritual quest or are engaged in something dangerous," Ollivander continued.

"Like having a crazy dark lord after you," Harry muttered.

"Holly wands are greatly differed by their core," Ollivander remarked. "And do not team easily with phoenix feather cores. The wood's volatility conflicts strangely with the phoenix's detachment. But where they are matched, nothing and nobody should stand in their way."

eleven inches long,

"Reliable but leaning towards elegance rather than the dramatic," Ollivander said. "It suits your more reserved nature well."

and contained ... phoenix.

"The rarest of the cores, phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic. They grow with their bearer. As you age and mature so will your wand and what a wand it will become. Even when you were fourteen, I could tell that you had achieved outstanding feats, although not using your wand. But even so your wand learned from those acts of greatness, strengthening it, attuning it to your magic and your very self. Only a few years in your palm, and that wand was mature beyond its years."

Harry blushed at the praise.

"Holly wands are often wands of great initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord."

"SEE!" Harry said abruptly, jumping to his feet. He turned to Hermione and Mr Weasley in turn and said, "I told you so!"

They both looked slightly abashed, but didn't say anything.

"Phoenix feather wands can be very picky," Ollivander picked up again, "reflecting the independent and detached nature of the phoenix. These wands are the hardest to tame and personalise, but when they are they are superb. Their allegiances are hard won but once you have their loyalty it will be unwavering."

Mr. Ollivander had been ... the core of Lord Voldemort's.

"I should have known then that war was not the right course of action," Garrick said with a heavy sigh.

Harry had never shared ... it couldn't help -

Several people laughed at that.

rather as he couldn't ... excitement if he did.

Sirius glared at the woman in question.

Mr. Ollivander ... still in perfect condition.

"It really is an exceptional wand," Ollivander said. "One of my very best."

"Thank you all," ... what do you think, Rita?"

Harry sighed. He hated having his photo taken.

"Er - yes, ... some individual shots."

Harry went back to staring into the fire.

The photographs ... Harry into greater prominence.

Everyone glared at Rita again. The woman looked completely unbothered by it though.

Then she insisted ... He ate alone at the end of the table,

Sirius glared at the lions in the chamber.

then returned ... waiting for him there.

Molly gave her son a disappointed look.

"Oh - right," ... Snape's dungeon," said Ron.

Hermione listened closely. At least they were talking.

He then walked straight out ... both seemed quite appealing -

Ron laughed. He deserved that.

but the lure of Sirius's answer ... we need to talk face-to-face.

"That's quite risky too," Remus muttered.

Can you ensure ... hear about anything unusual.

Sirius nodded his agreement with his older self's assessment of the situation.

Let me know ... Sirius

Sirius gripped his son's shoulder tightly. Even knowing that his son had survived the tournament wasn't enough to keep his fear at bay.