The unexpected champion
// THIS IS AN OLD CHAPTER. THE NEW CHAPTERS ARE IN VOLUME 2. YOU CAN READ THESE CHAPTERS IF YOU WANT SOME INSIGHT ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN LATER BUT SOME EVENTS CAN BE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW CHAPTERS.
I spent all day with my mom trying to suppress my aura. I'm already a little used to the aura of the dementor but this ability was instinctive to me with the absorption of the spirit of the dementors and their knowledge in that matter. Now it feels like I'm trying to learn how to control a whole new muscle.
In the evening, I am quietly in my bed when the door opens with a crash. Dumbledore comes into the room heading straight for my bed, he didn't have his usual smile.
"Sean, did you put your name in the goblet of fire?"
"What? No! I've been in the infirmary since yesterday. And you can ask the paintings if you want, I haven't had any visitors except my mother."
"So, you must have asked someone to put your name inside it?"
"No, why would I do that when I didn't even want to participate? Why are you asking me that question? Was I chosen?" Dumbledore looks very angry
"Yes, you were chosen to be the representative of Hogwarts with Harry Potter." What? But that was absolutely not in the plan! I just had to help Harry win the tournament and be transported to Little Hangleton Cemetery!
"And I guess you can't cancel my participation, that would be too easy."
"Unfortunately, no. Mr. Crouch, who is the organizer, clearly said that all wizards chosen by the goblet of fire must imperatively participate in the tournament. But neither you, nor Harry seem to have put your name in the cup, that's why I would like to ask you to watch him during the tournament and make sure he's safe. He is not at his best these days and I thought seeing friendly faces again would help him get better but for some reason that escapes me his condition is getting worse. "
"I'll try to make sure he doesn't die during the trials, but don't count on me to be nice to this psychopath. I already find myself rather sympathetic to not eviscerate your little protege on the spot." Of course, Potter's death is still the main goal of the operation.
"I understand, I am already grateful to you for agreeing to watch him." Dumbledore looks genuinely disappointed as if he expected me to forgive Harry and become good friends. "I'm going to let you rest now, you're going to be very busy this year."
Dumbledore leaves the room, he looks deep in thought and in his place, I would be too. How did two of his underage students ended up as champions of the school? The rest of the week seems particularly long to me. I was on my own the first two days until people remembered that they were at Hogwarts, and not a week went by without someone having to go to the infirmary for broken bones or a third-degree burn.
So, I find myself isolated in a room transformed into a makeshift infirmary while waiting for the end of my one-week learning period with only my mother visiting. When I can finally get out, the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students look at me with disdain as if I had stolen something that was not rightfully mine. Those from Hufflepuff still greet me as usual but I feel a certain reserve. But I had a completely different reaction when I reached the Slytherin dorm.
"There he is! There he is." A first-year boy rushes at me accompanied by two of his classmates. "Tell us, how did you manage to get through the age line?" They won't believe me if I tell them I didn't do anything, I might as well make up a lie that will give me some credit.
"Well, I just got old without potions or spells with my metamorphmagus powers. My physical age being over the age line, it let me go past it."
"Huh but I thought you were in the infirmary?" A second-year girl on the sofa in front of the fireplace found the inconsistency in my story.
"I just got up at night to go put my name in it."
That's when the door opens behind me to let in Draco and his whole gang in.
"Sean, I hope you put Potter in his place. He's been strutting around all week like he's the real Hogwarts champion when your name came out first." Ha precisely the one I wanted to see.
"Hey Draco, you're lucky, I'm going to need some of your special talents. Go find Pansy Parkinson to organize a campaign against Potter. Poster, badge, mug, t-shirt, do your worst, I'm paying for everything. I want to see Potter's name roll in the mud. " Draco smiles sadistically at my request.
"I already have a slogan, Potter the liar."
"It's good but don't hesitate to go further, you should not have any limit." Most of the other Slytherins who are listening to the conversation are already putting themselves to work. I do not know if it's because of my veela aura which still leaks a bit, but I have the impression that the girls are the most motivated.
I take advantage that they are all working on posters to go take a shower. I had to wash myself with a bucket of lukewarm water for a week, so I think a good hot shower is not too much.
Once dressed in a clean sweater, I leave the common room towards Snape's office, it's time for some explanation on the turn of events. I knock twice on the office door and wait for Snape to answer.
"Come in. Haaa Mr. Bones, I was expecting your visit." I close the door behind me before taking a seat in front of Snape's desk. "I think I know what you want to know with this visit."
"And I guess it's now that you explain to me where the plan went downhill to get my name in the goblet of fire. We had to be quiet and not attract attention. And now I find myself in the middle of this fucking tournament. " Snape said nothing and went to stand in front of the fireplace in his office where a magical fire was burning with no smoke.
"Our friend in the castle is starting to question our devotion to the Dark Lord. He is reluctant to be the only one put on the job and he is rightly afraid that we will betray him. He therefore asked that we participate more actively to the capture of Potter. I will give you as much information as possible about the tournament ... but like me, you will have to give a bit of your person. "
"But why didn't you tell me about it before! We could have found an alternative."
"We were running out of time; you were in the infirmary and I couldn't come to see you without getting Dumbledore's attention." He turns to me, looking indifferent. "We were on a tightrope and we were running out of time to find a better solution. So, I did the right thing and made sure you were the champion of the school."
"In that case, it's time I took it up a notch."