Thank you all for the reviews. Love how most people are enjoying this, so no pressure on me. Sorry it has taken a while to update this story. Also thank you for the favs and follows, it's all because of you I keep writing. Please enjoy this next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own the sandbox that is Harry Potter. That's J.K Rowlings. I'm just trying to build a sand boat in it.

Chapter 4

Harry found himself on the sixth floor with the marauders map in his hands, looking for an empty classroom to put his trunk in and to hopefully call home or the rest of the year. His uniform changing as he left the common room had made him wonder how significant that moment was. An idea to why it had happened was floating around in his head, however it didn't spell a good outcome for him. Harry didn't have much time to ponder though as it was close to his Transfiguration class. Which he wasn't looking forward to, especially after what had just happened in the common room. His Head of House being the teacher, would notice the lack of colour in his uniform, and seeing as his friends had turned on him, then it was more than likely that she would as well.

'I suppose if Hogwarts herself has changed my uniform then that must mean that I'm now officially houseless, and likely to be for the rest of the year.' Harry concluded to himself 'Not that there are any house's that would want me. Lions are obviously a no, Badgers hate me just as much as the lions for stealing their spotlight. Ravens, might, but then again, they would just shun me out of principle, as I've never openly shown any drive for intelligence in my years here. And let's not forget the snakes, I'll be fighting for my life within a matter of hours if I was to be put in there. Not that Snape would have me anywhere near his precious house.' He thought bitterly.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Harry set off for the unused section on the sixth floor. Which had once been used for elocution lessons hundreds of years ago. 'According to Hermione they stopped teaching them here in the early 1900's due to lack of interest and attendance' the thought of Hermione sending a jab of pain to his heart. Harry checked the map once more, to make sure that he hadn't been followed, then entered one of the non-descriptive doors that were just round the corner and out of view from the main staircase.

What he saw when he entered, was a small dusty room with old tables and chairs stacked in the corner. The level of dust on every surface was at least an inch thick and under a desk, an old nest for some sort of creature had been built. The blackboard in the room was cracked, moss grew around the window and spider webs clung to corners of the room.

"Home sweet home, time to put those cleaning charms I've learned to good use." He said to himself. Pulling out his wand, Harry start to cast a wide variety of charms around the room. In his first year, Harry had gone out of his way to learn as much house hold charms from the library as possible. He had hoped to use them for when he returned to his Aunt and Uncles house, to help him with his chores. However upon learning he wasn't allowed to use magic outside of school he never had the chance to use them. So as he cleaned, he couldn't help but feel pride in himself that he had learnt and taught himself some useful magic.

After a few minutes, the room was spotless. Quickly, Harry dropped his trunk into a corner, and pulled out a change of uniform. Harry noticed that even his uniform in his trunk had been changed and now was just a plain black robe, with a plain black tie. After taking off and dumping the shredded and filthy uniform into a corner, Harry did a quick transfiguration on the blackboard, turning it into a mirror. Turning around to see how much damage Neville's curse had done, he noticed a large graze in the centre of his back, luckily though it looked as if it hadn't coursed to much damage to him, seeing as the bleeding had already stopped.

With a sigh, Harry put on the clean uniform, packed his books into his bag for the day, and then hid his trunk under a desk just in case someone looked into the room when he was in class. As he left, Harry pulled out his wand and casted a simple locking charm on the door.

'No need to overdo it, don't want anyone to be overly suspicious as to why a classroom has been heavy locked.' He thought.

Within a matter of moments, and less time than Harry wished it took, Harry found himself being one of the first to be waiting outside the classroom. The, now very, familiar feeling of dread started to crawl up inside of Harry as more and more people started to come into view. Normally having class with the Hufflepuffs was great fun, as both houses got on well with each other. However the angry glares he was receiving, meant that it would no longer be the case for Harry. It was also a sign that for Harry at least, that he should be very careful around them.

Sticking his hand into his pocket where his wand was, Harry leant against the wall and started to scan his surroundings. One of the things he learnt in primary school, was to never expose your back when you're surrounded or in danger. Something Dudley had taken advantage of when 'Harry Hunting' was still a new sport.

"Bugger" Harry couldn't help saying. He had just spotted Ron making his way down the corridor, surrounded by the Gryffindors of his year, acting the same way Malfoy did when he led the Slytherin's to class with an air of arrogance and self-importance. 'It looks like Ron has increased in popularity and taken charge of the Gryffindors since last night.' He thought.

Ron had his arm round Neville's shoulder, in a half hug, half headlock, laughing as if he had just heard the funniest thing in the world. Hermione was in the back with red rimmed eyes, which clearly showed that she had been crying. She also looked to be trying to be part of Ron's crowd, but was clearly failing, as no one was paying her any attention as she could be heard quoting a section of a book she had read. Dean and Seamuswere at each of Ron's shoulders, laughing just as much as Ron was.

This however all stopped when Harry came into their sights. Harry repositioned his body against the wall so that he could draw his wand without anyone noticing. Last night's events were replying in his mind. Ron's red face, his eyes wide with a touch of insanity, his wand repeating the same shape that the cutting curse is required in order to use.

'Please Ron. Please don't start anything, please just leave me alone' Harry couldn't help but repeat in his mind. Even after last night, Harry still had a small bit of hope that after everything cooled down, he might be able to save the friendship he once had with his first friend. Ron seemed to look around him, as if checking for something. 'Please don't do it Ron, please don't.' Apparently Ron didn't see what he was looking for, and a twisted smile formed on his lips as he threw an arrogant look over his shoulder to the group he now led.

Slowly and deliberately, Ron's wand came out of his pocket. As he started to level it out at Harry, Harry whipped his arm up and aimed his own wand straight between Ron's eyes before anyone could blink. Ron paled slightly at the sight. Apparently Ron thought that he wouldn't do anything seeing as he was out numbered. Why he thought Harry wouldn't defend himself was lost on Harry.

"Ron, do, not, make, me, do, this." Harry gritted out. His hand slightly shaking. For all his anger at Ron and the events he had already gone through, Harry found it hard to point his wand at the person who was once been his best friend. All they had been through, all the laughs and jokes, all the chess games and homework they did together, the near death experiences and the summer holidays together at The Borrow flew through Harrys mind. "Just walk away. I'll do my thing, and you do yours."

Everyone was staring, waiting with bated breath to see what was about to happen between the two of them.

"No Potter." Harry flinched at being called by his last name, knowing that the person in front of him wasn't the Ron he knew anymore, as the Ron he knew would never call him by his last name. "You need to pay. You've made us look bad in front of the other schools. You cheated. You said you didn't want any part of this but that was a lie. You are not a Gryffindor and no longer my friend. According to Hermione," Jabbing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of said girl "You're not even a part of this school anymore. When you were classed a champion of a fourth school, that meant you no longer go here. Look at your ropes, even Hogwarts doesn't want you a part of this school and stripped you of wearing the proud Gryffindors colours" He puffed himself up "And it's this schools student's duty, to dive you out, so Hogwarts herself won't have to put up with having a traitor like yourself in her halls."

As Ron finished his speech, he raised his wand. Most of students around him had done the same, seeming to have taken Ron's speech as a call to arms. Only a few people backed away from the impeding fight.

Rage, that's all Harry felt now, boiling rage. The part of him only moments ago that was begging for this to not happen had died at some point in Ron's speech. His body tensed, his hand steady, his heart was pounding in his ears. He felt his magic swell up inside of him, felt it pour through his veins, Harry had the urge to flex his shoulder blades, but ignored it. Ron's wand tip started to turn to a crimson red. However before a word was uttered by him, Harry flicked his wand as hard as he could, and without saying a word, a purple lightning bolt shot out of his wand and hit Ron square in his face. Blood exploded over Ron's face as his nose was flattened.

If Harry paid more attention to himself at that moment, he would've felt a part of his heart miss a beat, as if it held a momentary moment of silence for the friendship that had now just been broken beyond repair. As it was, Harry had to focus on the spells that were racing towards him. He tried to dodge as many as he could, however the sheer magnitude of them and the limited space of the corridor made it impossible. Quickly Harry found himself being overwhelmed. He tried his best to return fire with the few spells he knew, however the majority of them were playground jinxes. The bludgeoning curse that he sent at Ron was the only real offensive one he felt comfortable using. However after seeing Ron's face covered with blood, he was weary of using it again. So Harry had settled in using the disarming charm and tripping jinx.

He managed to disarm a couple of people, however a quick glance down at himself, showed that he as coming off worse in the fight. Apparently they didn't have any problems using some of the dangerous curses against him. He knew he would feel the pain later, but right now he had a fight to win.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!" A voice was heard over the fighting.

*Bang*

All at once the spell fire stopped. The healthy fear of the bellowing voice of Professor McGonagall was enough to stop everyone in their tracks.

Ron was still on the floor clutching is nose as he sobbed out in pain. Hermione was by his side trying to get him to remove his hands so she could see the damage and try to help heal him.

"Miss Granger, take Mr Weasley to the Hospital wing. Anyone else that is hurt best go as well." Apparently Harry had hurt more people than he thought, 'or they're smart enough to fake an injury to get away from the livid Scottish woman.' He thought, hoping to escape as well. "Class is cancelled. Not so fast Mr Potter, you will come with me to my office right this instance. I want a word with you before you take yourself to get checked out." The tone in her voice brooked no argument. Not that Harry had any wish to upset the woman anymore.

"It was potters fault professor, he threw the first curse at Ron, we were just defending ourselves" Cried a voice out of the crowd.

"Thank you Mr Finnigan, that will be enough, I will sort this out myself, and 50 points from both Gryffindor and Hufflepufffor this disgraceful display."

With that she quickly ushered Harry in to her classroom and marched him through to her office. Sitting behind her desk, she waited for Harry to take the seat opposite. Her lips thinned as she noted the absent Gryffindor colours on his clothes.

"Mr Potter...Harry" she signed "What's going on? How is it that one of my own has been dragged into this death game, and then when I see him next, he's fighting with his best friend and the rest of his year mates, not only that but his uniform no longer shows his house colours?"

Harry noted the use of his first name, and the fact that she hadn't accused or believed that he had entered himself into the tournament. He couldn't help being a little hopeful that she might still be on his side in all this mess.

"You know how it is. I don't go looking for trouble, trouble just finds me." He tried to joke.

Her lips thinned, but there wasn't really a reply to that, as she knew it was a very true statement. Professor McGonagall started to frown even more.

"Harry, I don't know how to say this, and I hate to make a bad situation worse, but you should know that there are some teacher that are not being professional about all this." Spitting at the word teachers. "I think the only ones who can see you for the honest, kind and honourable young man that you are, are myself, Professor Flitwickand Professor Moody."

Harry was stunned, even the professors are turning on him.

"Po..Harry, I will not turn my back on you." She said, looking straight into his eyes. "I let you down in your first year, and three of my lions got hurt. I let you down in your second year, and you had to fight for not just your life, but for Miss Weasley as well. I will not let you down now. I may not be able to help you directly as all teachers, and both headmasters and the Beauxbaton headmistress, have taken an oath to not to directly help the champions." A shadow of a sly smile appeared on her lips for a moment. "But that does not mean I can't leave out books or point you in a direction you might find interesting and should look into. Another thing though." She started to frown again and looking slightly uncomfortable. "I don't think it would be wise to go to any of your classes."

"What!? Why!?"

"Because Harry, you'll be a huge target. Most of the teachers last night were demanding you be expelled and students have been complaining all morning about you being a part of it. You were attacked outside my class room by your best friend, for goodness sake, do you think this will be the last of it? I'm ashamed to admit that the reason I didn't send you off to the hospital wing, is that you'll be a easy target there. Knowing Poppy, she'll give you a sleeping potion and then you'll be vulnerable. Also I take it from your robes that you've moved out of the tower? I saw a young man in my student days, be pushed out of his own house. He was forced to move out and his uniform changed like yours has." Tears were now filling up the strict Professors eyes "Itbreaks my heart this is happening to you Harry. James would be turning in her grave, and Lily would be trying to rain down hell fire." A look of determination shone through her watery eyes "But I will try my best to help you Harry, you are not alone."

Harry couldn't help but smile. 'Not everyone at Hogwarts have abandoned me, I might stand a chance if Professor McGonagall can help, and hopefully I might be able to go to Professor Flitwickand Professor Moody for help as well' he thought. However something that Ron had said threatened to crush the slight happiness he was feeling.

"Professor, it gets worse, there might be a chance I'm not part of this school anymore. Would you still help me?" A slight wavering of fear could be heard in his voice. "Ron said outside that Hermione looked it up and that because I'm a fourth champion, I now represent my own school, meaning that I'm no longer part of Hogwarts. When that gets out, there won't be anything stopping me from being kicked out of the castle." he all but cried out.

"I don't think so Harry." McGonagall reply fiercely. "I will not let that happen. Not only that but like it or not, you are a celebrity, to have the Boy-Who-Lived, thrown out would cause an uproar, and not only that, the Headmasterwould never just let you leave and away from his sight. Though I still think you attending class and being out in the open will be dangerous. If you could find a place to stay in the castle somewhere out the way, then you can do some private studying. The champions are exempt from classes so they can focus on the tournament. That would mean you wouldn't get in trouble for not turning up for lessons."

"I've already found a classroom, but I'll still need to get food and use a bathroom and shower" He said, liking the idea of being able to focus on learning spells and hopefully using them to stay alive in the tournament.

"I have an idea, if I heard correctly, you freed an elf in your second year after the chamber didn't you? What was his name?"

"You mean Dobby?"

*Pop*

"Great Master Harry Potter Sir has finally called on Dobby!"

Oooo aren't I a tease? This chapter has kicked my ass, I've re-written this about a hundred times. Also I didn't mean to bash Ron so much, but it kept coming out this way. I honestly couldn't see him acting differently. He's finally out of Harrys shadow and has found himself the centre of attention. Don't forget they are only 14, so they're not going to be sensible and mature about everything. Also for those worried my Harry would just keep taking a beating, yeah, not going to happen. He'll be worried at first but he won't just take it. I mean who would?

Also I'll like to point out that in the summary I've put AU, it's always been there, so things aren't going to match up to the books, including their personalities, though I've tried to make it reasonably and not to unrealistic. So those moaning that Hermione hasn't been written in such a way that only Jesus can beat her in holiness will have to accept it. Sorry lads and ladies.

Thanks to Katzztar for some great points in your review. I've stolen the ideas, hehe.

Also, please keep reviews to reviewing, if you need to point out grammar mistakes, please add a comment about the story as well.

Until next time.

Peanut