Chapter:- 5

The next couple days were some of the worst Harry had experienced since everyone thought he was the heir of Slytherin in second year. The Hufflepuffs outside of his year all looked at him with disdain. He had stolen the glory from their beloved champion. None of them cared if it was actually Harry who entered or not, it was more just his existence among the champions that bothered them.

Officially it was stated that Harry was not a representative of Hogwarts but would instead be representing the Potter Clan as the fourth champion. This did nothing to deter Madam Maxime or Karkaroff as Harry was still of course a Hogwarts student.

The most troubling thing for Harry was that neither his mother nor Sirius had contacted him yet. He was aware they knew as they had already both corresponded with his sisters. Granted he hadn't tried to reach out to them yet but, they were adults they should check in with him!

Truthfully he was trying to avoid whatever outburst Lily would have when she spoke to him. By the following week however he was growing impatient and readied himself to send an owl when he was asked to go to the Headmasters office.

He wondered as he walked over if he was going to get grilled over the goblet again. He had sworn Ron to secrecy in regards to the basketball method of entering a name. He didn't need any additional rumors to come out. He noticed Ron was slightly upset with him, he assumed it was some of the jealousy that occasionally popped up on Ron's side. Neville informed him however that he had set Ron straight the night after the goblet incident.

Hermione was researching advanced spells for him to learn and was helping Ella prepare a training schedule in addition to the training schedule he was going to get from Moody and Snape. Emma had taken to practice dueling with him some nights in empty classrooms as she was one of the best duelists in Hogwarts. Flitwick had tried and failed to recruit her into dueling tournaments, she enjoyed it but had no wish to pursue it as a career. For her brother however she would put everything into teaching him as much as she could.

Harry sighed he had stood in front of the Gargoyle guards for quite some time.

"Are you going to stand there all day or tell me the password?" Asked one of the Gargoyles.

"Tootsie Pop," he said after a few more minutes.

"Finally, I thought I'd crumble and wither away waiting for you,".

"Fuck off," he said as he walked up to the Headmasters office. The door was open and Dumbledore was sitting on his desk with his hands folded in front of him. The door closed as Harry walked over and sat down, "Hey Fawkes," he said to the Bird that helped him kill a Basilisk.

"I see Fawkes is still quite taken with you, Harry."

"Well you can't really kill a gigantic magical snake together without becoming friends can you?"

Dumbledore chuckled, "I suppose not,".

"Why am I here sir?" Asked Harry.

Dumbledore's face immediately changed, Harry had never seen this much emotion slip out of the old man's face. Whatever this was Dumbeldore definitely did not like it.

"Sirius will be coming tomorrow morning to take you home," he said.

"Wait what? But I can't! I have to compete!" Harry said panicking, he did not want to lose his magic.

"You will compete, Sirius will be bringing you back Tuesday night." Replied Dumbledore.

Well you could have mentioned that when you told me Sirius was coming, he thought to himself.

"I apologize for alarming you Harry."

"Why is he coming sir?"

Dumbledore looked at Harry and seemed to be calculating what his next words would be.

"I assume based on your previous reaction as well as this question that you have not yet spoken to Sirius or your mother?"

Harry shook his head.

"I believe due to your participation in this tournament, they are moving up the timeline of your lessons."

"You know what these lessons are sir."

It was not a question but Dumbledore being the ever infuriating old goat he was did not comment any further.

"Upon your return Harry you will no longer be sleeping in the Slytherin dorms while the tournament is in session."

"Umn where will I be then sir?"

"You as well as all of the other Champions are being given private suites, they are a privilege being entrusted to you all. There will be much preparation needed for the tournament and this will allow you all privacy to prepare your strategies for each task."

Harry was quite happy to hear this, he wouldn't have to sleep in the same room as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle for essentially the rest of the school year.

"You will also be allowed a later curfew for your training with Professor Snape and Professor Moody, the details for this will be available to you on an updated schedule when you return on Tuesday. You are also excused from end of year exams as the tournament itself should be a sufficient test of your magical knowledge."

"Sir, I appreciate you telling me all of this, but… and I mean this in no offense why couldn't Professor Snape have just told me all of this as my head of house."

"It was requested by your Mother and Sirius that I be the one to tell you. The reason behind why you are going home is known to a select few people. I trust Severus however this is something private to your family and to whomever they wish to know."

"What do I tell people?"

"Professor Snape has been informed that you are being taken home in order to be emancipated," he replied.

"Wait hold on, am I actually going to be emancipated?"

"Yes I believe you will be doing so while you are gone, Sirius will likely be giving you further details on this. Thanks to the nature of the magically binding contract of the Goblet of Fire you fulfill the requirements of emancipation with the permission of your guardian," Dumbledore said then sighed and paused before continuing, "Your personal suite will be available to you for the remainder of your time here as an adult student at Hogwarts you are entitled to this."

Harry glanced at Dumbledore and got the idea that he really didn't like this for some reason.

"Professor Snape and Moody as well as Sirius and Lily will do everything they can to ensure you get through this tournament. I have faith in your abilities Harry, you have consistently proven to me and others that there is a reason Voldemort wanted you gone."

Harry had a few conversations with the headmaster before but had never received praise like this one. "Er thanks sir,".

Dumbledore smiled and one of the portraits let out a snort. "Dumbledore I don't know what you're playing at.."

Dumbledore quickly cut off the portrait, "Thank you Phineas while I truly value your opinion, I'm sure we can discuss your concerns at another time."

"Do as you wish, I'll speak to the boy at my ancestors home then," he replied.

"Er am I going to Grimmauld? Sirius doesn't even go there anymore."

"I think Sirius and your mother should be the ones to explain anything further with you Harry. Now I believe we are approaching dinner time and there is a lovely Quiche dish I'm hoping to sample."

Harry recognized the dismissal and stood up, "thank you sir," he said as he walked off, as angry and confused as he was when he first walked into the office.

What the hell are they hiding from me? It's not just Mum and Sirius either, Emmy, El, and even Estella seem to know something about what's going on.

As he approached the great hall, he saw his sisters waiting for him at the entrance.

"Hey Harry, we're going to be dueling tomorrow night, Dobby showed me this amazing room we can use to train!" Said Emma.

"Wait hold on Dobby is here?! He's not trying to save me from something again is he?"

The sisters laughed remembering the antics of the eccentric house elf in Harry's second year.

"No when you freed him from Uncle Lucy, he started working here at Hogwarts, even gets paid and everything! He's loving the free elf life," Emma explained.

"I see well umm can't do tomorrow, uh Sirius is apparently picking me up tomorrow night."

"Wait, that's this week?!" Emma exclaimed. Ella gave her twin a glare and a slap on her arm, "keep your voice down, I swear you Gryffindors are all so loud."

"What do the two of you know?" He asked. Emma and Ella exchanged a glance, "Look Harry mum will explain things this weekend I guess and… and then we'll talk when you get back ok? She made us promise that we wouldn't say anything until she spoke to you." Ella said.

Harry was aggravated no one was giving him a clear answer and he was close to an explosion. Emma sensing this out a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Harry I promise when you get back you can ask us anything you want and we will answer whatever it is we can."

She placed a kiss on his forehead and said "come on let's go, Estella is waiting at the Slytherin table, don't be too much of a perv and keep your eyes on her face ok little bro?"

Harry scowled but said nothing. I'll stare as much as I fucking want.

Harry walked over to the Slytherin table passing by Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis, arguably two of the hottest girls in his year. Daphne made eye contact with him and blushed and looked away. I'll have to start working her when I get back, especially since I'll be getting my own room.

"What are you smirking about?" Asked Estella.

"None of your concern," he replied.

"So when are you going to make friends in Slytherin who are not me? Next year is my last year here you know."

"I have plans for that this year don't worry," he said as he sat down to eat.

"Well I don't blame you for being put off with our house, you have my brother and his goons in your year."

She looked over at Draco with a mixture of sadness and anger. She remembered how different he was before their father started teaching him how to be a proper Malfoy.

Their parents had gotten a divorce shortly after Draco was born. Narcissa insisted that his extra curricular activities with the Death eaters never be brought home. As long as she could deny knowing about it she would suffer through the relationship for the sake of her children.

Eventually however her father began holding Death Eater meetings in his home, with the Dark Lord occasionally making an appearance. The final straw was when she found naked muggle women in the dungeons of Malfoy manor. She divorced him with help of Uncle Sirius and Aunt Bella but never testified against him regarding his death eater activities. No matter how much Aunt Bella tried to get information that could put her father away she refused to put the father of her children in jail. Estella could never understand why she did this, why even after the divorce she defended him. She hated her father with a passion, he stole her little brother from her.

She looked over at Harry, a boy her brother's age who she grew to care for after Draco started to become a mini Lucius. In another world Harry and Draco could have been friends and her family would not be broken.

"You ok Estella?"

"Huh oh sorry Harry," she got back to eating her own food.

Harry was tempted to ask her about the lessons he was getting the following day but figured his sister's best friend might not appreciate being harassed at the moment. He noticed her glancing over at the ferret and really hated how much the Malfoy men had hurt her.