Lost

A crowd had gathered apparently as normal according to Katniss, all waving and cheering as the tributes arrived; what in God's name was this? It was repulsive and yet I could see families and children in the crowd all geared up to see what to them was human sacrifice. Me holding Katniss's hand seemed to make them go even crazier, I could see a line of uniformed peacekeepers stopping the crowd getting to us but the fact they needed security for something like this was absurd. Well that had been the general train of my thoughts ever since I came to this world; how could anyone do something like this? So nothing much had changed. However one thing I had to notice was the freaks, well I say freaks pretty much everyone except three people. I thought Effie looked odd but right now she was the definition of sanity, people with striped skin; chest inflations that looked like balloons; foot long eyebrows; every colour of hair in different forms and jewellery you would find in a muggle history book. Lip plates, studs through cheeks and worse made this crowd look bewildering, If Vernon came here he would leave loving magic and a new definition of the word freaks. What made it worse was there were people starving in District twelve and others most likely and they sat here making themselves look like plastic people.

"This way," Haymitch gestured looking almost sober as he walked in between the guards while the crowd moved as one to get a look at us, I had seen world cup Quidditch games getting less coverage than this. It was ridiculous and my wand slowly vibrated as my anger at these people grew, but I was not going to use it in public; I would need it in the arena and I'm sure the Capitol would be a little too interested in it for my tastes. Katniss felt the same way apparently as she was looking at the crowd with confusion more than anything but then it hit me, we needed sponsors, popularity and all the rest. So my face grew the mask of a smile and I started waving with my free hand, they loved it and with a nudge I got Katniss to do the same thing. It felt like I was a dancing monkey but if it helped in some way then I suppose it was worth it, the word suppose being a central part of my thought process.

"You ok," I mumbled to her, she seemed to be watching the crowd in the same way as I was, maybe I was more like her than I thought. She did volunteer for a person she loved and I knew if I was in her shoes I would have done the same thing.

"It's... overwhelming," she muttered back and I knew how she felt, when I defeated Voldemort there were cheers and a huge hug but it felt reliving, it was over but now we were being cheered because they were looking forward to us dying or killing others. There was something sickening about it, however despite feeling cheap and almost dirty we cut though the crowd.

"Through here," A burly looking Peacekeeper directed into a large building that was connected to the train station by only a short walk but the presence of everyone else made the journey feel ten times as long.

"Boys to the left, Girl's right," the same man ordered looking almost as if he was trying to intimidate us, maybe his job was to stop us running off but ignoring the sudden urge to hit him with a powerful stunner I nodded to Katniss whose hand fell away from mine and walked away to whatever the Capitol had in store next. However if they try to give me whiskers then I swear someone is going to be flying out of the window.

Later- Katniss

I left what I supposed was the cleaning room with skin rubbed raw from constant scrubbings, washings and more. It seemed the stylists wanted me to look everything but natural and already I was coated in layers of makeup that made me look like a doll more than anything else. The part I didn't mention to Harry earlier was the clothing, every year the designers dress us up like coal miners or worse cover us in black dust while naked. I didn't mention that part to Harry because I was trying not to think of it and if I'm going to have to go through it he can go through it with more shock to make me feel slightly better. Though I was led into another smaller room which I supposed belonged to the designer.

"That was the bravest thing I have ever seen," a smooth reassuring voice entered the room after about five minutes; accompanying it was a dark skinned man of fair height, a thin but somewhat muscular man greeted me with a smile they linked in with his kind blue eyes.

"Volunteering for your sister that was something," he continued his greeting as I studied him; he didn't seem to be the usual Capitol type, no extended features or whiskers, if anything he seemed normal.

"I'm Cinna," he explained shaking my hand,

"Katniss," I greeted presuming he already knew it but as Effie Trinket would say; manners.

"Your new aren't you?" I asked they always gave newcomers District Twelve,

"Yes I am," he answered

"So you're stuck with me," I smiled

"I requested you, anyway who did you hair?" he changed the subject quickly; smoothly

"My mother," I answered

"I like it, anyway we need to discuss your costume for the games, would you like something to eat?" he asked kindly pressing a button, a small table suddenly rose up from the floor and food; seemingly fresh appeared alongside it. Wow imagine something like this in District twelve, it would change our lives and yet while we scavenge for food they have it at the press of a button.

"How despicable we must look to you," Cinna said softly as if he was reading my thoughts, in some ways I had to agree.

"Right anyway normally stylists just put you in coal mining outfits but I don't want to do that, instead I thought of something else; we burn coal so what if you wore flames," he suggested in a final tone that told me he already made the dress.

"What?" I asked thinking the Capitol had given us a maniac to design our clothes, setting us on fire?

"Only a synthetic flame, don't worry," Cinna assured me but it did not convince, I was sure I would be barbecued long before we reached the end of our journey.

A few hours later I was being led in a tight black dress which was currently not alight but the fire in Cinna's hand looked all too realistic, Harry seemed to be looking at it the same way I was.

"That looks a lot like real fire," he pointed out and Cinna smiled

"That's the point, trust me it won't hurt at all," his promises were overshadowed by the flaming splint in his hand, using his free hand he ushered us onto the chariot. Carefully I took my place next to Harry and suddenly a bright orange exploded into view from behind, we both were suddenly transfixed on the way forward.

"What not been on fire before?" I asked Harry with a smile

"Once a dragon attacked me but other than that no," he answered back sending me into slight shock; he never mentioned Dragons? Then again with magic why not Dragons? It was something to talk about later

"One more thing, you two hold hands," Cinna requested and we both did, something that must have seemed strange to him seeing as we were supposed to be fighting to the death in a few days time. Anyway he simply smiled and before we could speak further we were being whisked away by the two horses. Slowly, ever so slowly they took us towards the strip we would be shown off but the moment we came into view a gasp went up through the crowd. Some looked worried; others shocked, some enthralled but within seconds it had descended into fanatic cheering, we and Harry waved; blew kisses to the audience and raised our joined hands into the air. We were the only tributes to do this and it seemed the audience were ecstatic at how unified we seemed; something that seemed odd considering the nature of the games but Capitol people were not what I was used to. The flames probably also helped in regards to the cheering but I was trying not to focus on them, they were a bit intimidating and I was thankful at the end when they extinguished. Instead I saw President Snow slowly walk out to his podium above to give his welcome speech.

Later

"So who is he?" President Snow asked from his seat, he was evidently disgruntled at being asked to meet with his advisors so late at night. However he was now confused; it seemed not a single record existed on Harry Potter something that concerned him. What if he was from thirteen? a refugee or a spy? something like that could bring his fragile system down.

"We don't know sir, we've even contacted the other district and they have never heard of him either," this meeting was secret and it was the only time Snow would ever permit the hidden district to be discussed. Only those closeste to him could ever know, and all these people once they retired would be killed to ensure the Capitol always looked strong. The idea of it being held at negotiating point by another district led to treason.

"Off course Coin would lie," he hissed angrily, the woman wanted power and having to talk to the Capitol would be something she would hate. They only spoke when it was essential; when a Capitol air patrol needed to stop a fugitive, when the Capitol wanted a traitor returned to them but whenever they spoke they both knew a war would come. Snow at the moment had the upper hand but where missiles were concerned he was wary, however the introduction of this boy could tip the balance.

"We don't think so, none of our sensors around thirteen were alerted nor airspace of underground, it looks like this boy appeared out of nowhere, everyone's birth is recorded, their blood taken and registered. Even if he was homeless he would not be a ghost to us," was the reply.

"So none of you know who he is? What do I pay you for? Have you asked around the District?" Snow demanded looking angry, this was unheard of in his administration. Everyone was known to him and yet this one person was now a threat to his work.

"We have, no one had even heard of the boy since last week, not a single person had seen him. The mayor said he did not recognise the boy but then again he does not take count of all children, there are no school records and when we took his blood sample earlier during the reaping not a single person matched. No relatives known, he's a ghost,"

"Impossible, how can someone appear from nowhere... check every record again and look even deeper, you may look at our files from before the dark days and Panem itself. I want him identified and known to us," Snow decided, that was a rare privilege. He only gave the districts materials that portrayed the old world as corrupt and unstable, he knew the truth was different due to his vast collection of books but he did not want them getting out
"Should we postpone the games sir?" his advisor suggested

"Definitely not, it would cause alarm and at the moment Mr Potter is in our land, whoever he is we need to find out who it is. Then if he is a threat he will be the games and under our watch, if he is an ally then we can manipulate the odds this time, we shall see,"