19

19: Calling on Champions (July 24, 2003 to July 27, 2003)

"What did Snape want to talk to you about?" Draco asked immediately when Sebastian walked into the Head Boy and Head Girl compartment.

When Harry told them that Severus had formally asked him to be his Potions Apprentice, neither of them were the least bit surprised but they were properly happy for him. As Hermione pointed out to him after he told them, the extremely difficult exams were tailor made to test him out. Draco simply added on that it was about time that he was officially Severus' apprentice considering all the work that he did. Thankfully, Hermione missed the telling wink Draco also sent his way.

"This is an unbelievable opportunity," Hermione remarked with her usual academic geared enthusiasm. "With your talent at Potions and Professor Snape's mentorship, you're bound to pass your Mastery! He's never taken an apprentice yet, and he's the youngest Potions Master in the last century! An incredible opportunity, actually." Draco rolled his eyes in exasperation. "It is!" She glared at him.

"You think everything dealing with additional studies is a grand opportunity," Draco remarked casually. "You aren't precisely unbiased in that regard, but even I must agree that it's a chance of a lifetime." Hermione smirked since he was essentially admitting that she was right, a feat for a Malfoy. "I'm glad you decided to take it." Another telling look was sent Sebastian's way. How the normally perceptive Hermione missed it twice was beyond him. Why was Draco being so obvious?

Time to change the subject. What better way than to discuss the Triwizard? While it'd been a huge affair in his world, it didn't seem quite as major here even if it was still a big event. He was sure that Hermione knew all about it. Who better to ask than her? "I'm glad too," Harry responded, smiling. "About this Triwizard Tournament, since I've been living in America I'm not really familiar with the history and tradition, could you tell me about it?"

Draco immediately shot him a scathing look of 'how dare you give her an excuse to go off on a rant that will undoubtedly come from Hogwarts, A History?' Harry simply grinned back and lifted his eyebrow up in a challenging manner. Of course, Hermione was oblivious to this whole exchange since she was delighted with being given the chance to expound on her lovely knowledge of her favorite text.

"I forgot you've lived your life over there!" Hermione exclaimed, excitement lighting up her chocolate brown eyes. "Well, the Triwizard Tournament was reinstated by the Dark Lord about 15 years ago. Since then there's been 6 Tournaments. The longest gap was 5 years between Tournaments and 1 year is the shortest. The basic principle of the competition between the schools hasn't changed, though the circumstances have.

"The timing of the Tournament is always random, and there are strict guidelines limiting the participants of each Tournament to a particularly year level. Mostly it's been limited to 6th and 7th years, like this year. But the Triwizard of '88 pitted 3rd years against each other. However, since it's always restricted by year level- it's a fair playing field. Hogwarts has won it three times, Durmstrang has won it twice, and Beaubaxtons has won it once. The victor of the previous Triwizard hosts the next Tournament. Viktor Krum from Durmstrang," Harry noticed a hardening tension appear on Hermione's face, "won it in '95.

"Our champion that year was Cedric Diggory, who finished a close second." She paused to catch her breath and then a most unpleasant look came over her face. She gasped; her expression was horrified. Both Draco and Harry glanced at each other perplexed. What was wrong? "If I'm going to Durmstrang, how am I suppose to be able to study how to be an Animagus with Professor McGonagall then?"

"You got the tutorial sessions with her?" Draco cried out, patting Hermione's back with energy that equaled Hermione's horror. "Awesome job Hermione! Why didn't you tell us?" He twisted his expressive face to one aimed to make guilt fester in Hermione. It didn't work since she was too worked up with her own anxieties to pay attention to him and his theatrics. "Hermione?" Draco said her name with concern as she kept wringing her hands together.

Harry caught her hands in his before she might hurt herself in her nervous motions. "It's going to be fine Hermione, when did you find out?" he asked gently, rubbing her knuckles with his thumbs in soothing circles. "And I'm sure Professor McGonagall will work the situation out with you. Didn't she say that it wasn't often that a student met up with the requirements she had to pursue Animagus training?"

Nodding her head slowly, she acknowledged what Sebastian said was logical and reasonable. "I found out a few days ago," Hermione began in a still somewhat shaky voice. It was not her usual commanding and confident one. "She sent me one of the Hogwarts owls. But this changes everything! I want to go to the Triwizard, but I mean it's not like I'm going to be the Champion. I would rather stay at Hogwarts and study to be an Animagus with Professor McGonagall than go. However, it is an honor to be chosen and as Head Girl it's my duty to go."

"Why don't you think you're going to be chosen?" Draco asked fiercely, his response beating out Sebastian's in speed. "While there's only been one Ravenclaw Champion, that champion also won the Triwizard in '90! Only Ravenclaw has a 100% winning rate other than Slytherin! Why wouldn't you think you'd be champion?"

Hermione's eyes were pensive and accepting. "There has never been a school in the history of the renewed Triwizard Tourney that has ever had a muggleborn chosen from the Goblet of Fire." She sighed and pulled her hands away from Sebastian. "You did know that they're spells repelling muggleborns from Durmstrang, right? Headmaster Dumbledore sent me a special amulet," she drew out the necklace that she was wearing, "to cloak my heritage from the Durmstrang wards. I'm not suppose to be here, they should have chosen someone else. But the Headmaster said that as Head Girl, I should go and represent Hogwarts the best that I can."

Neither Harry nor Draco knew what to say at that. All Harry could think to do was to hug her reassuringly. "I'm sure everything will work out, 'Mione." It slipped. The nickname. He had been forcing himself to call her Hermione since it separated this Hermione from his Hermione. But weren't both of them his? And really, he felt closer to this Hermione than the Hermione in his world. The same could be said for Draco and Severus.

Slowly she nodded in agreement. Things would work out eventually. It turned out they worked out fast too as the trademark brown and unassuming Hogwarts owl swooped down and dropped a letter into Hermione's hand. From the seal, they knew it was from Professor McGonagall. "Open it," Draco encouraged, "I'm sure it's about how you're going to continue your Animagus lessons from Durmstrang."

She did so and her jaw dropped down in surprise. "She'll floo to me for weekly lessons!"

Harry and Draco grinned broadly, both of them launching themselves at her to hug her breathless. "See?" Harry remarked with an amused glint in his brilliant emerald eyes. "It worked out. No need to stress, 'Mione."

"No need," she agreed, smiling.

Unlike Hogwarts, Durmstrang was built like a forbidding fortress that seemed impossibly located at the center of a vast lake. It wasn't unfriendly, but it certainly didn't vibrate the warm welcomed feeling of Hogwarts. Nevertheless, it was an impressive castle that looked to be every bit as old and as magical as Hogwarts.

"Incredible," Hermione remarked as her eyes drank up the spectacular picture before them. Harry agreed with her, but Draco shrugged indifferently. He had been there numerous times before and his mother had actually wanted him to attend this magical boarding school. Draco suspected that was his Aunt's heavy influence. His mother was quite deferential to her older sister. Luckily for him, his father had insisted that he attend Hogwarts like all the Malfoys before him. "Truly incredible the way they have the school built over a lake."

"Magical fortification spells," Draco, responded to her unspoken query. "Not unlike the wards that Hogwarts has. But nonetheless Hogwarts is the best wizarding school in the world. After all, we have won the Triwizard more than any other school and we will do it again this year!"

"Arrogant prat," Hermione muttered, but her body language didn't disagree with his statement. It was a well accepted fact that Hogwarts was the best and the Triwizard Tournaments had so far backed that up. "We did lose the last Triwizard," she pointed out thoughtfully. "We definitely have something to prove this time."

"It was because a Hufflepuff was selected champion," Draco sneered lightly. "We have never lost a Triwizard when a Slytherin was champion… or a Ravenclaw."

Hermione chuckled. "True. But there has only been 1 Slytherin Champion and 1 Ravenclaw Champion," she responded with amusement. "Of the 6 champions, the majority have been Gryffindors. We've had three of them."

"Only one of them have ever won the Tournament," Draco retorted sharply. "Can you honestly imagine Ron Weasley as the Hogwarts Champion?"

Wisely Hermione didn't answer that question. Deciding to come to her aid, Harry shifted the conversation away from the volatile topic. "How will our schedule work at Durmstrang? Our classes that we need to take? That is?"

Hermione shot him a smile of relief and gratefulness, while Draco answered his question, "We will be integrated into the Durmstrang classes. But I have no doubt that Snape will be teaching us potions, and of course Hermione's special arrangement with McGonagall."

Whatever more Draco was about to divulge to them was interrupted by the harsh tones of a sniping Viktor Krum, "I never thought I'd see the day that a Malfoy would be talking to a mudblood civilly as if they were friends."

Immediately Harry sensed the terrible tension ebbing between Hermione and Viktor. His empathy lessons with Poppy weren't going as smoothly as he would like but he was still improving at a rapid pace she said. It was obvious now as he definitely felt Hermione's rigid defensiveness and Viktor's malicious intent. Subconsciously, his body moved to stand between her and Viktor.

The first to jump to her defense surprisingly was Draco. The platinum blond's derisive eyes studied Viktor with clear disdain. "No reason to be rude, Krum," he responded coldly, "especially when she had the good taste not to be taken in by your lies."

The expression on Viktor's hawk-like face was gruesome to behold. "I thought you chose your friends more wisely, Malfoy," he snarled, his dark venomous eyes glaring at the dark haired boy that stood protective between him and Hermione. "My, my, another mudblood to add to the mix? If the Dark Lord could only see how Malfoy's heir has fallen into the dirt with such common companions, he would…"

Viktor didn't get one more word out of his mouth because Draco lost his tightly leashed temper. Before Harry or Hermione could think to stop him, Draco had hit the young Bulgarian with a hex that was a much milder version of the Cruciatus Curse though it was still quite painful. He was about to do worse when his hex was stopped by Severus calling out, "Finite Incantatem!" and any further curses were halted by being disarmed by Karkaroff.

Before Draco could do anything more foolish physically, Harry and Hermione reached for his arms to restrain their best friend who was clearly in a rage. While neither Severus nor Karkaroff had over heard the details of the explosion, Severus knew that it had to be deadly serious for a Malfoy to lose his temper like that. Especially since Malfoys prided themselves in keeping their cool at all times.

"Mr. Malfoy," Severus began in a harsh voice, "your behavior leaves much to be desired." Draco's pale skin flushed brightly in shame. "As for you, Mr. Krum," his voice chilling even more, "as an adult wizard your conduct is hardly suitable." Severus then turned and pinned the Durmstrang Headmaster with a glare of doom. "I expect, Karkaroff, that you watch your former students more carefully. I don't like it when they provoke my students."

Karkaroff narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything since it was quite clear that Viktor had been the instigator. "Let's go, Viktor," he said curtly, nodding stiffly to Severus. "We will discuss more at a later time, Snape."

When Karkaroff and Krum had left, Severus' glower softened but didn't fade. "Watch yourselves!" he hissed at them. "Don't forget you're representing Hogwarts, and it's time to get to the Grand Hall for the naming of the champions. All your names have already been placed in the goblet. Let's go." They had no choice but to follow after Severus to whatever might await them within Durmstrang.

Tense was the word Harry would have used to describe the atmosphere when they walked into the majestic and awe-aspiring Grand Hall. Unlike Hogwarts, there were not 4 long tables that stretched for what seemed like forever into eternity. Instead there were two tables built in a U-shape that wrapped around the room and one table situated in the center where the staff sat. Not the cold picture, Harry had imagined for Durmstrang. It was almost like a debate setting where the students could actively talk to the teachers that were seated only a few feet away.

Intriguing setup, he thought inwardly while Hermione vocalized this out loud, "I like how they've set up the main hall. It's very interesting how you can see everything, nothing's blocked away. Like at Hogwarts its hard for those at Slytherin to see those at Ravenclaw since Gryffindor is between them."

Draco nodded absentmindedly since this was nothing new to him. He'd been to Durmstrang before, many times in fact especially when his mother had still been trying to get her way with his father. His silvery eyes were focused on something else entirely, which Harry noticed straight off. It was like Draco was searching for someone, but who? Harry's brilliant emerald eyes traveled throughout the crowd, following where Draco's eyes left off but he didn't find whomever had caught his best friend's attention.

"Sebastian, Draco," Hermione called out to them quite sharply, not liking the fact that they were both distracted and not listening to her, "Professor Snape says for us to take our seat. There's an important announcement that needs to be made beforehand. I think he means they'll be naming the champions before the feast!" She grabbed the two of them by the arm and pulled them to where Ron Weasley and Susan Bones were already seated in a special short rectangle table situated outside of the main perimeter of the U-shaped tables.

Hermione sat between Ron and Draco while Harry sat himself next to Draco, making up the last seat on his end. There was no one else sitting next to him. He noticed at the other end of the table the familiar colors of the Beaubaxton contingent, which to his surprise he recognized one of the students- Gabrielle Delacour. The other four students, he wasn't familiar with, so his eyes skipped over them quickly and jumped to the center table where the Professors sat.

A small smile lit up his face as he saw the discomfort that was radiating off Severus. A true Slytherin might desire power and the Dark Arts, but not every Slytherin craved glory and attention. Severus certainly didn't. He had grown to know a different man working with him in his private laboratory making potions. A highly intellectual man with a sharp tongue and deeply guarded secrets he only shared with those that earned his trust. Harry felt he was close to that point, riding the borderline.

He definitely read the man well. Severus didn't like sitting at the center table where all eyes were upon him. He couldn't even pretend that the eyes weren't all on him since he sat in virtually the center of the room. It wasn't like Hogwarts at all. Some of the students might be looking at him, but he couldn't see their faces. Here he saw the faces and the expressions. It was clear that Severus liked this fact not. Good luck he didn't teach at Durmstrang.

Next to Severus sat Madame Maxime, Headmistress of Beaubaxton and much like Harry remembered her. His eyes continued drifting, not recognizing any of the other people that sat at the table, so his eyes flickered back to Severus. Pausing for a moment to admire the steady scowl that graced the rather distinguished face when not glowering, then continuing to survey the other teachers that sat on the other side. Again, he didn't recognize anyone, though he thought he saw a familiar head or two from behind. But it couldn't be. Why would he be here?

Another head he thought for sure was Karkaroff, but he wasn't positive since he only saw the head from behind. It wasn't like he made a habit of memorizing the backs of people's heads. His survey of the faceless heads was interrupted when one of them stood up and started addressing the school. It was Karkaroff, that much Harry was confident of. The slightly high pitched and nasal voice was exasperatingly identifiable.

"Welcome to Durmstrang," Karkaroff greeted without any of the warmth that Dumbledore radiated. "It is our honor to host the Triwizard competition for the second time in its history, and commendation must be given to the reigning Champion, Durmstrang graduate… Viktor Krum." One of the familiar heads stood up and bowed to the crowd on both sides, though his eyes were noticeably cold when they rested briefly at the Hogwarts table. This Viktor was definitely different from the Viktor he was acquainted with, the same could be said for Ron and Draco though.

Once the applause had settled, Viktor sat back down and the other person seated next to Karkaroff stood up. "As this Triwizard was reinstated by the Dark Lord of all Europe," Karkaroff stated, "his representative will be given the honor of drawing the names of the champions out of the Goblet of Fire." It was then that Harry noticed the Goblet of Fire shimmer into view like it'd been pulled from an invisible hold it'd been safeguarded in. But that wasn't what held his attention. No, it was the Dark Lord's representative. It couldn't be, yet there was no denying it especially when the raven headed man turned around. It was his godfather, Sirius Black.

"We are here," began Sirius with solemnity and a powerfully assured aura that Harry had never seen before in his godfather, "for the gathering of the 7th Triwizard Tournament since the Dark Lord reenacted it in 1983." This was how his godfather would have been, he thought, if he had known him before Azkaban. This was the darkly handsome man he had seen in the wedding picture standing next to his father as the best man.

"This Tournament," Sirius continued in a steady and commanding voice, a voice that demanded to be listened to, "was restarted by the Dark Lord as a friendly magical competition between the three principle wizarding schools in Europe. Not only is it to test the students, but to test the very foundation of the schools themselves. In keeping with tradition, the Goblet of Fire is still used to name the champions to represent each of the schools though other guidelines have changed.

"However, it has not changed the essence of the Tournament itself. Each of the wizarding schools has proven itself with victories that show why they are one of the best upper level schools of magic. Certain schools have proven it more than others," his dark eyes glancing over to the Hogwarts table where Harry locked his emerald eyes with his godfather's for a moment before Sirius' gaze drifted onward. "Nevertheless, every Triwizard brings the playing field back to square one.

"There is nothing that can be done to prepare the students since no one knows when a Triwizard will take place nor which class level it will be restricted to. This year, as all of you know, it has again been limited to the 7th years. As with the previous years, an extraordinary group has been assembled so that each school is represented by the best possible champion to bring home the Goblet of Fire and thus bring the Triwizard back to their school.

"Each school has brought their Head Boys and Head Girls, as well as a slew of talented students that have scored more O's combined than the collective body of the students back at their respective schools. It will be a spirited and intense competition," Sirius remarked with a dry almost humorous edge, "of that I have no doubt. Without much ado, may I present the '98 Triwizard Champions?"

He then reached his hand into the glowing red and spinning sparkly Goblet of Fire to withdraw the first name. Harry was scarcely paying attention to that, not caring except to drink up the sight of his godfather. How long had it been since he'd seen him? Certainly never like this- not this virile and awe-inspiring. He drank up the sight, not noticing the odd look that Draco was giving him. Harry was only jolted out of his absorbed fixation when Draco elbowed him sharply and hissed, "Stop staring so intently at him, it looks wrong."

Harry blinked and glanced briefly at his best friend, not quite understanding what was wrong with looking at his godfather that he'd thought he'd lost forever. Well, he'd known that Sirius was alive here. Dumbledore had mentioned that he was one of the Order's operatives, but did the Headmaster know that that he was also the Dark Lord's representative? He remembered Dumbledore telling him that there was someone in Voldemort's Inner Circle, but Harry has always assumed it was Severus Snape. Could it possibly be his godfather?

Maybe. He refused to believe that Sirius had betrayed Dumbledore, so there was only one thing to assume- that Sirius was working undercover with Severus. Why else would Sirius be here? No other reason. He sighed mentally, his ears finally catching the announcement of a name… the name of one of the champions, "Sahar Lestrange is the Durmstrang Champion!" Harry noticed a slender girl with hair as black as the truest pitch of midnight standing up and heading toward Sirius with a small smile on her exotic face. Her gait was confident and unwavering, from the cheers of her Durmstrang classmates there seemed to be no doubt in her popularity.

A Lestrange. Why did that name sound familiar? He had heard it before. He didn't have to think too hard when Draco leaned his shoulder and told him the answer by whispering lightly into his ear, "That's my cousin. Damn fine polo player and deadly with a wand. She'll be more than a match for anyone. I suspect that she'll win this thing. I bet her mother has her all prepared."

Of course, it only made sense that Bellatrix Lestrange would have her daughter prepared for the Triwizard. She was one of Voldemort's Inner Circle Death Eaters and one of his favorites as well. Harry's eyes narrowed a bit in thoughtful contemplation, though his attention was dragged from any further thought when Sirius started naming the second champion, "And Beaubaxton's champion is the sister of a former champion, Gabrielle Delacour!"

The applause for her was no less deafening. Another popular choice, Harry noted. His perceptive eyes swept around the Hogwarts contender, skipping over Susan Bones entirely. It would not be her, she didn't have the necessary strength and will. At least Cedric had had his charismatic aura. That she lacked. Was it possible that it could be Ron? He studied his best friend in his world, possibly.

Gryffindors were notorious for their foolhardy courage. Ron unquestionably had it in spades. That had to be the reason why most of the Hogwarts Champions were from the Gryffindor House. They had the strength and the will, but Ron could not compare to Hermione nor Draco. Harry could choose them before Ron. He didn't know which one he would choose though. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses.

Hermione was more rational and logical, always weighing each option carefully yet like the Gryffindor of his world- she could act at a moment's notice with her instinctive intuition. Too bad, he thought, that she didn't use it more often here. Draco, on the other hand, was ruthless and cunning. He would stop at nothing to accomplish what he wanted, a flaw and a gift. It gave him the drive to pull off anything. Either one, it could be.

"The Hogwarts Champion is… Sebastian Biggerstaff!"

The cheers from the Hogwarts portion of the table were overly enthusiastic except for Ron, while the Gryffindor would have preferred it to be Hermione or even himself- he saw Sebastian as the lesser of the two Slytherin evils. Hermione was overjoyed, jumping up to hug the stunned Sebastian while Draco was pushing him to the center where the other two champions stood. It only sunk in when Harry looked up and saw the slight upturn of Severus' lips that he recognized as pride. Severus was proud of him. Hermione and Draco were excited for him. He was being cheered for. How ironic this was from last time.

He had never even thought to consider himself. It was too against the odds to be chosen twice. But it had happened, another similarity he shared with his old self. It seemed no matter where he was, Sebastian Biggerstaff was still Harry Potter. And Harry Potter always had things like this happen to him.