Chapter 16
Hey Tom -- sorry, it's been a while.
Quite all right, Harrison. School is always busy the last four years. Anything interesting happen?
Well, the Tribute has had two articles that you might be interested in.... One talks about REBEL, my friend Hermione's group that wants basic rights for magical creatures. The other talks about the Divination professor, Sybill Trelawney, who is a fraud; the History professor, Cuthbert Binns, who is a ghost and a bad teacher; and the fact that Defense professors haven't stayed longer than a year for more than a decade. Most of them were really stupid or reckless, because some people believe it's a cursed position.
It is, actually. My older self was rather... petty, and he cursed it because Dumbledore refused to hire him. What happened with the articles?
The Ministry showed up and fired Trelawney and Binns, then replaced the Defense Against the Dark Arts position with just 'Defense.' Dumbledore looked annoyed.
Well, obviously -- it's Dumbledore. Has he replaced the teachers yet?
The School Board did, actually. They're investigating the rest of the teachers, seeing if they need to fire them, too. Someone named Juniper White is the new Divination professor, and my godfather and his fiancée are tag-teaming on the History position.
Tag-teaming? Why?
I can't tell you.
...Is it because either your godfather or his fiancée are beings?
Um
Because I have no problem with that. I'm a vampire, Harrison.
Oh. Well, my godfather's fiancée, Remus Lupin, is a werewolf.
How good of teachers are they?
Well, Sirius (my godfather) is so-and-so -- he didn't get a great grade on History -- but Remus got twelve Outstandings on his Newts, and he's good with kids, good-humored, and great at explaining things. He was our Defense professor last year.
And who taught on full moon?
Our Potions Professor, Snape.
Severus Snape?
How do you know him?
He's my -- well, my original's mate.
Really? Huh.
You sound disappointed.
Well... he was kind of mean to everybody, especially me. My father was kind of rude to him in school.
Wait -- you're James Potter's son?
You're not going to be rude about that, too?
Of course not! I would never judge a person based off of their parents.
Thank Merlin.... Why?
Because my father was a Muggle who abandoned me to a Muggle orphanage, and my mother date-r*ped my father with a Love Potion.
Sh*t.
Indeed. What do you remember about your parents?
My dad, James, was obsessed with my mother all through Hogwarts, and kept pestering her to go on a date with him, but she wouldn't have it. Lily -- my mother -- finally agreed to date him in their seventh year... I'm not sure why she changed her mind.
My Severus told me that Lily made Potter promise not to bully Severus anymore.
...bully? My dad was a bully?
Harrison, I'm sorry.
What? I'm fine. Nobody's a saint. I knew my dad was a jerk in school. I'm sorry about what he did to your mate, though.
Thank you.
Sh*t! I have class tomorrow, talk to you later!
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TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT
The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday the 30th of October. Lessons will end half an hour early. Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the welcoming feast.
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Why am I standing in forty-degree weather waiting for Beauxbatons and Durmstrang to arrive? Harrison thought sourly. Why couldn't they just Floo in?
Harrison asked this question aloud, and Seamus responded, "Don't you remember the tents at the Cup? Magicals can't help but show off when they get together. We like dramatic entrances."
A moment later, Dumbledore said merrily, "Ah! Unless I am much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"
Harrison looked up at the sky and squinted. Even with his eyesight fixed, he could only see a dot in a distance. As it got closer, people shouted out guesses as to what it was. Dennis got the prize: he had said it was a flying house. It was, in fact, a huge carriage, pulled by flying horses the size of elephants.
The size of the transportation was explained when the door opened, and a woman who was as tall as Hagrid stepped out. She greeted Dumbledore primly, and the headmaster, though tall himself, didn't even have to bend to kiss the back of Headmistress Maxime's hand.
The dozen Beauxbatons students and Maxime headed inside.
Durmstrang arrived a moment later -- a huge pirate ship erupted from a whirlpool in the lake and docked roughly. Twelve large boys and girls, as well as a thin, reedy man, disembarked and came over. They were all wearing furs of some kind.
"Albus!" the man greeted, giving the older man a shark-like smile. Dumbledore politely shook Headmaster Karkaroff's hand, a slightly tight expression on his face. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"
"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff."
Why did Dumbledore call Maxime by her first name and not Karkaroff?
"Harrison! Harrison! That's Victor Krum!"
Harrison blinked and glanced at the Durmstrang students. Sure enough, a surly-looking Krum stood behind Karkaroff, scowling when people began whispering excitedly.
"Must be really annoying," Harrison said, in a faintly icy tone, "to be stared at and gossiped about wherever you go."
Dumbledore finally brought them all in out of the cold, to Harrison's relief. This time, they all sat at the Slytherin table with Draco, Pansy, and Blaise. People were so used to seeing the Boy-Who-Lived with Slytherins at this point that there was little fuss, although Dumbledore frowned a little in his direction. The Durmstrang students sat down with them as well, while the Beauxbatons students joined the Ravenclaws.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, magicals," Harrison told them politely. Most of the Durmstrang students nodded.
Krum blinked. "You are-"
"The Boy-Who-Lived?" Harrison sighed. "Yeah. I don't particularly like talking about it."
"I understand," Krum said seriously. "The dislike of fame, not vhy you are famous."
Dumbledore gave a very short speech, glancing at Harrison every once in a while. When he sat down, the dinner appeared.
"Huh," Harrison said slowly, staring at a dish he'd never seen before.
"You haff never eaten Tarator?" Krum questioned.
"My Muggle relatives didn't like anything foreign," Harrison scowled. "Culture, people, food, or clothes."
"That article vas true?" one of the other students sputtered.
Harrison ignored him. "What's Tarator taste like?"
"It is cold soup, vith cucumber and garlic," Krum responded.
Harrison dished some. "Most people prefer warm soup, but okay. What about that?"
"That is French, I do not know vhat it is," Krum admitted.
"It is bouillabaisse," said a voice behind them. Harrison turned to see a very pretty girl with silvery-blond hair. Harrison glanced between her and Draco, who looked interested.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, magical," Harrison said.
"Sank you, Heir Black," she replied with a warm smile. "Are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?"
"Nous en avons fini, madame Veela," Draco answered.
"Parley-vous francais, monsieur Veela?" the girl beamed.
"Oui."
"Sank you," the girl said, taking the dish. "We must speak soon. Pleasure to meet you, Heir Black. I am Fleur Delacour."
"Pleasure," Harrison agreed. Fleur went back to her seat.
"How could you talk to her!" Seamus sputtered.
"I'm gay, Sherlock," Harrison deadpanned. Dean sniggered.
"Shut up, just because I'm bi-"
Draco smirked, and Blaise swatted him. "No torturing the queer dudes, Draco."
"You're no fun," Draco pouted.
"On second thought-"
"I've never felt a male Veela's charm before," Hermione interjected thoughtfully.
Draco smiled sweetly. Harrison blinked.
He could feel magic in the air, but it didn't appear to be affecting him. Dean, Seamus, Neville, the twins, and Hermione were either drooling or blushing. Ginny looked confused, while Luna was serenely disinterested.
"How come Harrison's not blushing or drooling?" Ron asked. Draco jumped, and the others relaxed. "Aren't male Veela's charms supposed to work on gay boys?"
"The only people who can ignore male Veela's charms are straight men, gay women, asexuals, and the Veela's mate," Blaise drawled. Ginny blanched. "Or if they're a creature who has already found their mate."
"Who's your mate-"
"-little vampire?" the twins asked.
"I want to tell him first, alone," Blaise said seriously. "It's not Draco."
"Why isn't it Draco?" Ron asked in confusion.
"Because Harrison is Draco's mate," Luna said dreamily.
Harrison's eyes widened. "F*ck." Draco looked offended and hurt. "It's not -- Mia and Ron have been-"
Ron snickered. "Fred, George, you owe us five Galleons."
"-teasing me about you," Harrison said irritably. "They think I like you."
"Do you?" Draco asked hopefully.
"No!" Harrison protested, turning bright red.
"The lady dost protest too much," Blaise drawled, making Neville giggle.
"I mean, I find your arrogance cute now instead of annoying," Harrison babbled, "you're not bad-looking at all, you're really sweet-"
"Harrison, I hate to break it to you," Hermione said dryly, "but you like Draco."
Harrison blushed, then glared at his friends when they snickered. His glare softened when he saw Draco's eyes shining.