THE TOURNAMENT
For the next month Umbridge kept being her usual annoying self, and the whole school hated her before the start of the tournament.
The day of the beginning of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry sat at the Gryffindor table with his yearmates. The entrances of both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were as impressive as he remembered
At the same table three days later he watched the champions be chosen: Krum (unsurprising), Fleur (she’s going to annihilate the other two most likely), and Cederic Diggory. He applauded all of them. Cederic especially, even though his crush had most certainly subsided, he was still a great guy, who would survive the bloody fucking tournament.
“Very well” was saying Dumbledore with his paternalistic attitude. Damn it Harry hated him
“And now the champions…” Almost on cue the Goblet of fire lit up again.
Silence stretched for too long, and Harry immediately looked at Ron, trying in any possible way to tell him “I didn’t do this”. Ron in all answer took his hand under the table “I know” he seemed to say
“Harry Potter” said Dumbledore gravely.
There was silence for a couple of seconds
it was broken by Harry himself “Fuck no”
“Mr Potter if you would come inside…” started Dumbledore
“Absolutely Not! do you think I can’t see the magical agreement line over by the door? I’m not even standing up before my magical guardian arrives” Harry said taking his mirror and triple tapping on it. That was his father and Sirius’ code for “Help” so he knew his godfather would arrive very soon.
“Mr Potter, you can’t possibly expect Lord Black to come here per your convenience…” started Fudge. He was suddenly interrupted by the fire flaming green
“Then I really hope you never have children Minister, because that’s not the reaction one would expect from a parent” said Sirius himself, who had just gotten out of the fireplace. Despite having obviously just woken up, he strutted with all his confidence in the middle of the great hall
“What happened pup?” he asked with a raised eyebrow
“My name came out of the GOblet of Fire, but I never entered it, Professor Dumbledore asked me to go inside, but I refused. There’s an agreement line at the door”
“Isn’t that right?” asked Sirius, looking pissed
“Harry, did you put your name in the goblet of fire?” Dumbledore asked calmly (Actually calmly)
“No sir I didn’t and I never wanted to participate either, this Tournament is a death trap waiting to happen” He said crossing his arms.
Harry knew all his friends were thinking him a lunatic, but he knew what he was doing. Ron’s hand a reassuring weight on his leg.
“Hem hem” came a voice from the right and Hermione kicked Harry in his shin before he could even speak.
“It appears to me as Mr Potter does not want the Honour of representing the school, but that might just be my impression”
Before Harry could reply, Sirius did it for him “Of course not, you magically deficient twat, he has a brain, contrary to the likes of you. Also there already is a champion for Hogwarts, why would he be a champion too...unless” Sirius sharply turned around
“Is there any school under Harry’s name?” he asked
“No there is not, but…” tried Dumbledore
“Then his participation is not required, as he is not representing any school” Sirius said with finality
“But his name came out of the Goblet!” screeched Umbridge, already on edge because of the insults Sirius had thrown her way “The goblet in itself is a magical contract, should Mr Potter break it he would lose his magic” she said pointedly
And the way she said it, like not having magic was the worst thing that could possibly happen, or possibly the situation in itself, made Harry laugh.
Like...outright belly-laughing, and the rest of the three schools looked at him weirdly “Is that all? Well then, congrats to me for not having magic anymore.” Harry said when he finally stopped laughing
“Come on Harry you can’t mean that” said Sirius, looking worried
“And why would I not? I’ve lived the majority of my life without magic, who cares if I’ll also have to live the rest of it. And wouldn’t it be very fun to be the only Lord without magic?” Harry asked with a feral look in his eyes. Fudge scrambled to get the book of the rules for the tournament.
There was a stalling moment then when Fudge kept reading the book, Sirius looked worriedly at Harry and the three schools whispered to each other.
Finally Fudge finished reading
“Mr Potter…”
“it’s Lord Potter,” said Harry with venom
“Lord Potter” conceded Fudge “Says here that someone has to compete once the name comes out of the Goblet. The consequence for that is a slow and painful death by the drainage of your magical core. as you are still a minor, then your magical guardian could…”
Harry interrupted him “Fine I’ll do it!” he said. Sirius was NOT dying on his watch. not again.
“Pup I could…” started Sirius
Harry quickly squeezed Ron’s hand and he stood up scoffing “Yeah. no chance. You’re still recovering from Azkaban, Pads I’m not letting you compete for me, especially because someone’s obviously trying to get me killed. Again. “ he said as he slung his bag on his shoulder and made his way to the front of the great hall
“I just want to make it clear” he said to the silent Hall “That the only real Hogwarts champion is Cederic Diggory and that I never ever wanted to partecipate, and I swear on my magic that I never willingly put my name in the Goblet of Fire” Harry said, and the murmurs started among the students.
Then Harry turned to Dumbledore
“Let’s just get this over with” he said and he crossed the threshold.
Fudge, Dumbledore, Umbridge and Sirius followed him suit.