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“Alexander Potter.”
Silence followed Dumbledore’s stunned reading. Alex Potter’s face did nothing to mask the horrified shock he felt. He stayed seated, even though he felt Hermione nudge him with her elbow. Ron’s shocked face began to turn mutinous.
“Alexander Potter!” this time Dumbledore’s voice rang clearly with his displeasure. Slowly with a slight tremor, Alex stood and made his way towards the small room at the side of the hall where the other champions had gathered, including Hogwarts’ first and rightful champion, Cedric Diggory.
He was about ten paces away from the goblet that had damningly pulled his name from its depths when a warm hand grabbed his wrist firmly. His body tensed for a fraction of a second before a gentle tug reassured and stopped him in his tracks. He half turned towards the solid figure of Hadrian Black. His elder by two years, confident and best friend of the Weasley twins, Hadrian was a source of comfort and security for him as long as Alex had known him. Any worry that the elder boy might be disappointed with him was soothed away, because though his jaw was clenched and his eyes flinty, his grip was gentle and he carefully readjusted it to rub his thumb over Alex’s hammering pulse.
“I won’t let this happen” Hadrian whispered quietly to Alex, then more clearly to the Great Hall he said, “I won’t let you compete.”
The silence, that hadn’t abated since Alex’s name was called, was suddenly interrupted by the murmurings at this declaration.
“Mr. Black, I’m sorry to say your opinion on Mr. Potter’s situation has very little value. Mr. Potter must compete as his name has been drawn thus verifying the contract that states that, should he fail to compete, his magic may be forfeit,” Dumbledore explained with a sigh, his brows furrowed.
“Wonderful. My magic or my life”, Alex muttered despairingly. Hadrian gave his wrist a reassuring squeeze, followed by a quirk of his lips to show his amusement at the surrounding dramatics, before turning his attention to Dumbledore.
The scathing tone that was used for the next few minutes gave even Snape a run for his money and had many Gryffindors and first years stilling and cowering in their seats. This however, was completely offset by the polite smile that could often be seen on any pureblood’s face. Admittedly, it was more suave and debonair than pompous and arrogant. The entire effect was made even more impressive by the fact that in layman’s terms, and only to the most intelligent and politically aware, a student was telling off Dumbledore for putting another student in danger while subtly insulting him six ways through Sunday.
“While I want nothing more than to point out that, rather than admit an underage student into a life threatening competition, regardless of whom, how or why the student in question achieved this, you should be informing the other contestants and judges of the up-coming re-entry with new and improved precautions. Not only does your vocation as Headmaster grant you that right in the interest of student safety, but a re-drawing of Champion names has been demanded for less than an underage student. You would know this if you bothered to research the Tournament, which as its host for the year and a judge, you should have”, Hadrian began.
“However, I understand that a man of your position and wisdom may feel pressured by foreign delegates and ministry officials to keep this thing running as smoothly as possible regardless of any circumstances that may arise. And with so much at stake, I can completely understand your hasty and public decision. It happens to the best of us, they say,” Hadrian continued, with a faux commiserating nod.
“So, I’ll just carry on with my original plan so that we can avoid all the arguments and name calling that would surely occur if I were to add my two cents. Oh, pardon, two knuts. After all,” Hadrian ended with slightly more hardness and distain, “when a man of your calibre has made a decision, there’s hardly anything a boy like me can do to change that.”
Clearly dismissing Dumbledore, Hadrian turned his attention to the Goblet of Fire, while still keeping a firm grip on Alex Potter’s wrist. At this point, it became obvious to the two teens neither was sure just who was reassuring who. With his gaze on the still glowing cup, Hadrian enacted his plan with the hope that it would work right. After a deep breath, he stated clearly;
“I, Hadrian James Potter-Black, representative of the guardian of Alexander Charles Potter, do hereby volunteer to take Alexander Charles Potter’s place in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, on the grounds that he was unlawfully and unwillingly admitted without provocation. So mote it be.”
“Potter?!”
“Did he say Potter?”
“No, you idiot, it was Potter-Black”.
“Because there’s a difference how?”
“So, they’re related?”
“Of course they are!”
“How?”
“Why?”
“What do you mean ‘why’?”
“Since when is what I want to know!”
The mutterings of the hall were ringing rather clearly in the Potters’ ears but, while Alex’s gaze flicked between Hadrian, the students, Dumbledore and the cup with significant speed and worry, Hadrian’s gaze stayed resolutely on the magical cup.
At first, nothing happened, worrying Hadrian for a split second that he would have to find another way to remove Alex from the tournament. Then the cup began to tremble and shake, rising into the air before bursting into multi-coloured flame. It cycled through colours at a dizzying speed. As suddenly as it started, it stopped, sending three glowing blue tendrils of magic into the small side room containing the Champions. A fourth sickly and weak yellow tendril connected with Alex, and a fifth tendril of the same yellow colour seemed to search the hall, swaying this way and that before it faded into a mist that settled around the around the cup. The tendril that was connected to Alex then shattered into shards of yellow glass which floated up to join the mist.
The spectacle mesmerised and amazed everyone in the Great Hall, students and teachers, French and Bulgarian alike. Everyone that is, except Hadrian, who kept his eye firmly on the mouth of the cup where blue fire shimmered and weaved. He waited patiently for something else, something more, to happen and he wasn’t disappointed. He was not surprised when the fire stilled, shivered and roared to life with silver chains bursting from its depths. The chains swooped into the yellow mist, creating fiery orange and golden sparks off the floating glass until a flame was created, igniting the mist into blue fire which was swallowed up by the chains leaving them glowing with the liquid like flame.
The chains raised themselves like snakes into the air, fluid and graceful, swaying and waiting for their volunteer to step forward. After a measured breath and one last gentle squeeze of Alex’s wrist before he let go, Hadrian did as they invited and stepped forward. The ends of the chains, still alight with blue fire, swung to face him and glided forward. They coiled around his arms, his chest and tapped his temples and face. They poked and stretched his magic; they tightened their coils and ruffled his hair. They had him weighed and measured and could not find him wanting. Slowly they retreated from their coils around his form, gathering themselves and rearing high before diving to strike at the raven haired teen who shut his emerald eyes in acceptance.
Students screamed as the chains speared into Hadrian’s body, coiling again this time around the bones of his arms and the flesh of his neck. Their course across his back and down his spine was easily tracked, the bright blue glow of the hot chains radiating past layers of muscle, flesh and cloth. Alex rushed forward, ignoring the writhing skin and pained expression on the elder boy’s face, and held the other teen upright, allowing him to clutch his school robes while not a sound escaped Hadrian’s lips. Hadrian was only partially aware of the world around him, his main focus being the memories and weighings of all previous contestants, champions and potentials. He gritted his teeth as a choir, an echo, an encore of voices washed through his mind.
“For centuries, we’ve chosen hopefuls, potentials, champions to enter these quests for glory. For centuries, we have sentenced many to their knowing and willing deaths and now we have been Deceived!!” their exclamation roared through Hadrian’s mind, making him wince and his knees buckle. “For reasons unjust, we’ve entered the unwilling and this will not stand! Justice will be done, Little Wizard. And you will do it for us.”
Hadrian whispered in his mind, barely able to think clearly under the onslaught of ancient voices of old, needing to state his reasons for fear of being misinterpreted; “I don’t care for death or glory, or for fame and money. I just wanted my brother safe.”
“Yes,” the voices purred, “we know of your reasons, Little Wizard. Throughout the centuries, from our many weighing’s, we have learned the value of family in all its forms. A noble and inspiring act it is, to risk one’s life for the love of family. For this reason alone, you are a champion, regardless of whether you triumph or fall in these games and as such, you shall be rewarded. We cannot guarantee your brother’s safety, however, justice will be done for him, for us, and you will do it.”
His head still reeling, Hadrian asked; “What do I need to do?”
“Find the deceiver and bind him in these chains. Magic will do the rest.”
Then, his mind was quiet. The glowing dimmed to nothing, the chain’s settled still and Hadrian sagged into his brother’s arms. The hall was, once again, deathly quiet. Hadrian unclenched his fingers from his brother’s cloak, but refused to let go just yet, as Alex was the only thing keeping him standing.
“You are an idiot.” Alex whispered into his shoulder. Hadrian huffed with a smile and stood straight with one arm still wrapped around Alex’s shoulders. The two still faced the now dull and empty cup, away from the hall of students.
“I’m a Potter and I was raised by Sirius Black. Of course, I’m an idiot” he whispered back with a cheeky smile; “My only saving grace is that you’re worse off than me.”
Alex elbowed him for his trouble but the smile on his face indicated that he didn’t take offence. His face became a little more sombre as he reached up to brush his fingers with those resting on his shoulder. He whispered with a slight smile; “Thank you big brother.”
Hadrian’s lips quirked amusedly as he glanced down at him, “You don’t have to call me that, you know. Harry is still just fine.”
“I know,” Alex responded with a more genuine smile, “but I’ve been waiting years to call you that. You’re my big brother and I’m proud of that fact. I’m proud of you, no matter how much of a pansy that makes me.”
“It doesn’t make you a pansy. It just means you know what it’s like for me to not be there when I should’ve been,” the elder brother’s smile was a touch wistful and sad as he said this, but he shook himself before Alex could comment or berate him for what he was undoubtedly thinking. “For the record, I’m proud of you too.”
Harry squeezed the shoulder in his grasp to emphasize his point, and the two boys smiled at each other. Harry let Alex go and turned to walk towards the door at the side of the hall. Just before he passed, he leaned in to whisper in Alex’s ear; “You’d best get out of firing range as soon as you can. I didn’t go through all this trouble just to have you mauled by students.”
Alex scowled; “Oh thank you, brother dearest.”
A large cheeky grin lit up said brother’s face, “That’s what families are for. Don’t worry; the Twins will look out for you.”
He then dropped his voice to a lower mutter; “And where they don’t, Prongs and I will.”
Feeling the silvery material of the family heirloom being slipped into his pocket, Alex’s lips twitched but he refused to give into the urge to smile as he replied sarcastically; “Fills me with confidence that does.”
“And so it should,” Harry agreed with a clap to his sibling’s back as he started to walk away again, “nothing gets past them.”
“Except you.”
Alex watched Harry do a slow dramatic twirl to face him, flourished with a mocking bow as he walked backwards.
“Always me,” he proclaimed with an entertainer’s confident grin on his face. Turning as walked to face the direction he was moving in, he walked past a dumbfounded Dumbledore with a needless “Straight through here then, eh?”
Without even pausing for confirmation from the elderly Headmaster, he continued to the inconspicuous door, behind which, the other champions had gathered. He stepped into the small room quietly and closed the door swiftly behind him. No sooner did the door click shut, than the Great Hall erupted into chaos, just as Harry predicted. Thankfully, Alex missed this outbreak too, having been spirited away by the Weasley Twins upon Harry’s signal. George couldn’t resist commenting however, upon seeing the signal.
“Well, they sure know how to start a tournament.”