Year 4 (pt. 1)
This summer, Michael started writing to Ginny more. That is how he found out about the Quidditch World Cup match between Bulgaria and the Republic of Ireland. He was a little disappointed he couldn’t go, but he was happy he was going to get the entire match told to him by Ginny when they meet next. Lucky Ireland won, just like they hoped they would, but Michael still wanted the play-by-play of what happened. Michael learned of Voldemort's followers attacking after the game from the newspaper but they find out it was a rouge fire that started it, not a group of cultic followers until the school year started up again.
“So both of you guys were there when it went down?” Michael said, sitting across from Hermione and Ginny on the train on their way to Hogwarts. Hermione nodded at Michael before saying,
“It was a good thing you weren't there or they would be talking about a 6’9’’ man who tried to take down all the followers by himself with a sword.” Ginny and Hermione started laughing. Michael had grown some more over the summer; he was now 6 feet 9 inches and weighed around 210 pounds, and his uniform naturally ripped around his massive arms.
“Hey Michael, you should try out for the Triwizard tournament. It's being hosted here at Hogwarts this year,” Ginny said and Michael looked at her in confusion.
“What’s the Triwizard tournament?” Michael said, confused. Ginny realized they didn't have the tournament in the muggle world and even though Michael’s family were magical, he wasn’t born in the magic world.
“Oh right, it's a huge tournament between the three largest magic schools in Europe and this year they decided to bring it back after not doing it for a bunch of years. They are going to host it at Hogwarts this year!” Ginny said excitedly. Hermione on the other hand, was scared Michael would actually say yes to the idea. Michael laughed,
“I'm gonna win that tournament no problem, what's the worst they can throw at me? I've already killed a dragon,” he said confidently. Hermione and Ginny looked at each other after Michael said that.
“Mike… you only have one non-metal arm,” Hermione said, concerned for Michael's well-being. Michael looked back at Hermione and smiled.
“Makes it easy for me to know which one to put in the dragon's mouth” he held up his metal arm and Ginny started laughing at his joke, Hermione looked a little amused but not quite.
After a while, a knock came from the car door. The three of them looked through the window to see a short girl with bleach blonde hair wearing a pair of oddly shaped sunglasses.
“Ginny, I have been looking for you.” a very wispy voice rang out through the train car. Ginny motioned for her to sit next to her. When she sat down, she took a moment to notice the large man sitting across from her. She looked as if she was studying him and then in a beat she put on a big smile and said,
“Hi, I am Luna Lovegood.” She gave him a curt nod and continued, “Ginny has mentioned you, Michael, I assume.”
“Yes, I am. Michael Butcher. It’s nice to meet you Luna.” Michael said, a little hesitant. He looked at Hermione who was looking a little annoyed.
“Well it was a pleasure to meet you, I must get back to my car before the nargles take my magazine.” Luna got up and as she did Ginny said, “I’m going to go with her and maybe hit up the snack cart on the way back.”
When they left Michael turned to Hermione and gave her a questioning look. “What was with that face?” He said.
“Ugh, she is just kind of an air head and I find it hard to be around her when she is constantly talking about random things that nobody even knows if they are real. Like nobody has ever even heard of a nargle.” she said defensively.
“I'm sure it can be frustrating, but she doesn’t seem like she has a lot of friends… so I think we should be nicer to her than I’m sure others are.” Michael responded. Hermione glared at Michael but ultimately knew he was right.
~
The beginning of Michael's year was normal until around Halloween time when it was announced that two other schools would be at the schools that year: the Durmstrang Institute and the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. The Beauxbatons were the first to arrive, followed shortly after by the Drumstangs. Michael was sitting in the great hall when Dumbledore announced that Hogwarts was going to be hosting the Triwizard tournament when suddenly the Beauxbaxtons came in wearing pastel blue, matching uniforms They walked as a group but stopped for a second to drop one arm and harmonized at one half of the room and then to the other side of the room before elegantly dancing towards the front of the great hall.
“What the fuck?” Michael said out loud seeing this all go down. Michael barely realized the giant lady following them as he was too distracted by the weird performance being put on by the Beauxbaxtons.
“And now welcome our friends from the north, the Durmstrang Institute of Magic” That name rang a bell in Michael's head. That's where his father went to school before transferring to Hogwarts in his 4th year and meeting Michael's mother. Michael enjoyed the show they put on a bit more but still found them weird as they did a weird staff-pounding ritual before running up to the front of the great hall and doing some flips and making a flame bird that nearly hit Dumbledore.
I guess that's a better entrance than the other school but still weird, Michael thought as Dumbledore talked about how the tournament was going to go and then he explained how they could register.
“The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector, the Goblet of Fire. Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet, aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Hallowe'en, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete." Dumbledore said to everyone revealing a massive wooden pillar shooting blue flames out of it with a goblet sitting on top.
“However” he added “if you are not 17 years of age I can not let you compete in this tournament” Michael's heart dropped to the floor. Dumbledore had to be lying. Michael wanted nothing more than to be in this tournament.
Michael was thinking of ways around this rule and didn't notice Hermione and Ginny coming up to him after Dumbledore's speech. They tried getting Michael's attention but he was too deep in thought. He had an idea that had to work so he rushed to Dumbledore's office and walked up the stairs. He saw Dumbledore was already at his desk. Dumbledore looked up from what he was writing “I knew I would see you tonight, Michael Butcher.” He said as Michael angrily looked at Dumbledore.
“You have to let me compete. You know I can do it, no one is going to question why I'm allowed to compete,” Michael said leaving Dumbledore's desk.
“If you get to compete then why shouldn't everyone be allowed to compete? Hmm?,” Dumbledore said standing up from his desk to put his hand on Michael's shoulder “It's not about you specifically Michael, it's about the principal” Michael sighed and slumped his shoulders forward.
“Your right Professor Dumbledore, I would win though,” Michael said slowly walking out of Dumbledore's office just to be stopped by Dumbledore “What?” Michael said annoyed
“Your father, Bloodwic and I, were friends many years ago and I see so much of him in you Michael. I know how mad he would be if he wasn't able to compete so just this once I'll allow it but as far as the other teams know, your 17, got it?,” Dumbledore said Michaels face lit up with excitement at this but he wasn't able to get any words out so he just nodded and left.
Michael walked into the room that had the goblet of fire and saw the Wesley twins fighting. As he walked in, he shoulder-checked one of the students from another school and glared at them. They both stared at each other saying nothing before the other student scoffed and kept on walking. Hermione glared at Michael like he did something wrong in that exchange. Michael shrugged it off and put his name in the goblet of fire then walked towards Hermione. She was about to ask him questions about why he left right after the speech and where he was but Michael stopped her “Not here” Michael said motioning for Hermione to follow him into the hall. Once they got away from people she started spewing out questions.
“How were you able to put your name in the goblet? Why did you ignore me and Ginny? What did you do while you were gone? And why did you shoulder check that foreign student?” Michael took a deep breath and said.
“I talked with Dumbledore and he's letting me participate in the tournament. I didn't mean to ignore you two, I was just on a mission and it was to talk to Dumbledore. Which I did while I was gone. And I shoulder checked him because he was in my way.” Hermione let out a sigh of relief at his answers. She still wasn't happy about him bullying the other schools, especially the guy who looked at her.
~
It was a few days before they announced who would be competing in the tournament. All the students piled into the great hall and sat down. Dumbledore stood in front of the fire and started his speech.
“Now the moment you've all been waiting for, the champion selection” Dumbledore waved his hand in front of everyone and they all went silent as the blue fire from the goblet turned red before spitting up a piece of paper.
“The Durmstrang champion is Viktor Krum.” The Durmstrang group cheered and Michael looked over and realized the dude he shoulder checked before was Viktor Krum. Viktor Krum stood up from his table and moved to the front of the room and shook hands with Dumbledore.
The fire turned red again before shooting out another name “The champion for Beauxbaxtons is Fleur Delacour” The Beauxbaxtons cheered and she went up and stood next to Viktor after shaking Dumbledore’s hand.
The fire shot up another paper “The Hogwarts champion is Michael Butcher” Michael acted surprised and went and shook hands with Dumbledore “Good luck to you Michael” Dumbledore whispered to him as they shook hands.
“THAT'S IT, we now have our three champions but in the end, only one will go down in history only one will hoist this chalice of champions this vessel of victory the TRIWIZARD CUP” a cloak was removed from the cup showing off how magnificent the cup looked.
Michael looked and saw that the goblet of fire was becoming bigger and he didn't become worried until Dumbledore looked back and looked concerned. The blue fire became red again but this one felt wrong, like it wasn't normal. The goblet spat out another name “Harry Potter,” Dumbledore said quietly. “Harry Potter” he said more loudly this time everyone started looking around to see if they could find Harry.
“HARRY POTTER” Dumbledore said angrily. Michael looked and saw Harry's scared face ‘NO’ Michael thought. Harry can't win this. It is my time to shine, he thought to himself.
“Come on Harry,” Hermione said, snapping Michael back to reality to see Hermione angrily pushing Harry towards Dumbledore. Everyone stood quietly as Harry walked up to the front of the room. Michael balled up his fist before someone said “HE'S A CHEAT HE’S NOT EVEN 17” This calmed down Michael realized he's only there because everyone was too scared to say no to Michael.
The three of them and Harry were ushered into a room that sat off the great room. As they were all sitting around, waiting to learn what to do, Dumbledore came into the room yelling, “HARRY DID YOU PUT YOUR NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIRE?” Michael had never seen someone that angry before.
“No sir,” Harry said.
“YOU'RE SURE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ONE OF THE OLDER STUDENTS DO IT FOR YOU?” Dumbledore shot back.
“Yes sir,” Harry said. They all calmed down for a second before the Beauxbaxton’s headmaster came into the room and they all started fighting again. So Michael and the others slinked away and Harry tried to join them but Michael stopped him. “You started this. You have to be there until it ends,” Michael said before leaving with the others.