Chapter Five: the judges will decide the likes of me abide

The judges will decide
The likes of me abide
Spectators of the show
Always staying low
The game is on again
A lover or a friend
A big thing or a small
The winner takes it all

-The Winner Takes It All, Super Trouper (ABBA, 1980)

Harry looked around the rather clean room he had stayed in over the summer and wondered if anyone had lived here before.

He did.

He already ate breakfast and Fleur was waiting for him. He was returning to Hogwarts changed. But everyone there will probably think of him as crazy for telling the Minister that Voldemort returned.

Walking down the steps, Fleur had already shrunk his trunk and was looking over the shopping list for this week. Some part of him didn't want to leave this tiny apartment with his new friend. Viktor already left for Bulgaria but had promised to go back when he had a game against England. Harry wished he could be there.

"Ready?" Harry asked her. Fleur smiled at him and he wondered again if this was how Gabrielle acted with Fleur. She was lucky to have Fleur as an older sister. Fleur nodded and held out her arm for Harry to take. He did and together they apparated to the train station.

When they got inside, coming from the alleyway, they made it, getting a trolley to put Hedwig and pushed it to the Platform 9 and 3/4. The crowds were full of parents seeing their own kids off to Hogwarts as Fleur and Harry navigated to a clearing. She unshrank his trunk, levitating it to put it away and handed Hedwig to Harry. He noticed she looked tearful and Harry hugged her.

"You, 'Arry Potter," She began. "Keep your temper in check and keep your head up. Let me know if you forgot anything and I will send it. If there is a problem, let me know. Please, 'Arry, you are my little brother now. I need to keep a check on you as I do to Gabrielle." She chuckled slightly. Harry felt a sense of happiness at Fleur calling him her 'little brother'

He nodded. "I will. I promise Fleur."

"Have fun at school," She told him and kissed both his cheeks. One last hug, she sent him off. He turned and waved back at the older silvery-blonde girl. She did the same, a wide grin on her face.

He got inside and searched for a compartment with Hedwig. He found one with Neville. "Hello Neville," He greeted his fellow Gryffindor. "Hey, Harry. Have a good summer?" He asked the other boy.

Harry nodded, hearing the shouts of mothers reminding things to their children as they boarded the train. He wondered where Ron and Hermione were, along with the other Weasley children?

As Neville and Harry swapped stories, the door opened. He half-expected Malfoy to bother them but to his delight it was Parvati. "Hey, Harry!"

"Parvati!" He got up and the other Gryffindor hugger him. She sat down next to Neville, greeting him. "How was the rest of your summer?" He asked her when they got comfortable in the small room.

"It was fun! Bit of a distraction I'd say but I'm not complaining to go see New York. Oh, Padma and I got you something for your birthday." Harry took the colorful bag that held his gifts. He opened them and saw a Quidditch USA Jersey all blue, red and white just like the country's flag. Under the USA jersey was a thick stack of comic books. Parvati pointed out that the jersey was from her and the comic books were from her sister. Harry profusely thanked her.

"Where's Padma anyway?" He said as he put the bag between his legs on the floor. "She got picked to be Ravenclaw's new Prefect."

Harry had forgotten about the Prefect stuff, some part of him was glad he wasn't picked. Parvati said that she had to go find Lavender but that she will see them both at dinner. Harry and Neville said their goodbyes and continued talking. "That was nice of her. Didn't know you and the Patil Twins were friends?"

"We met over the summer and got to know one another," Harry told him. It wasn't the exact truth but it also wasn't a total lie. It was something in-between. For some reason, he did not want anyone sticking their noses in his friendships. He liked Padma and Parvati as friends, maybe something more with Padma but he wasn't sure. He was a boy, after all, some were oblivious with feelings.

The train continued and to Hogwarts, it was eventful, to say the least. Harry saw Cho Chang, smiling at him but then almost burst into tears. Harry felt the ghost of Cedric Diggory behind him. The trip continued until the train stopped and the students went out. He was here, he was in Hogwarts.

Finally.

It was odd to not have Harry or Viktor around anymore. A sense of loneliness that Fleur Delacour hadn't felt since her days back at school.

She missed both her boys. They were part of her family, Viktor was her 'twin' in a sense that they both were the same age, born the same year, different months and days but still teased each other by calling the other a twin. Harry was their younger brother, something Fleur never had and missed a younger companion like Gabrielle since staying in England to train as a Healer.

"Fleur?" Andromeda Tonks disrupted any thought she had.

Andromeda was her teacher, newbie healers had training with one-on-one teachers. Andromeda was hers because the older woman was semi-fluent in French, a thing that relived Fleur a bit since she was still trying to learn the English language.

She felt right now like a deer caught in the headlights of the cars that go up and down the road in England and France. "What?" She asked, feeling the heat of embarrassment. Andromeda just smiled. "I asked if you're alright? You don't seem like your usual self today. Seem rather gloomy."

She did feel gloomy, well more like lonely.

"I'm sorry it's just that-" She paused to figure out what to say without giving the real names away and cause a stir. "My brothers, they left. One to school and the other back to Bulgaria where he works in sports."

Pretty obvious, She thought to herself. But it is better than telling the truth right now. There was something in Andromeda's eyes that was fleeting that Fleur had not time to catch. She felt the eyes of her mentor on her. Andromeda's hand was on her shoulder. "Why don't you take the day off? I'll cover for you, my hour is almost off anyway."

Fleur shook her head. "I'm alright. Work will clear my head but thank you, Andromeda."

Maybe I can ring up Cassandra, she is living in Ireland

Later when she got home, Fleur noticed wet dog prints on the wooden floor. She got her wand out and quietly closed her door. Her heartbeat was loudly in her ears as she tiptoed in the hallway to figure out how a dog got inside her house. What she did not expect was the dog prints to turn into a human footprint and find it leading to a man sitting at the dinner table eating some of the cookies Harry baked a few days ago with Viktor.

"Ah," The man said. He looked a bit gaunt, his grey eyes on her face and a smile on his face. "Sorry about that. Good cookies. You must be Ms. Fleur Delacour, right? You know my godson, Harry?"

Fleur blinked. "Your godson?"

"The man still smiled at her. "Yes, my godson Harry Potter. My name is Sirius Black."

When the hat finished singing, Harry felt a sense of dread in his stomach. It did not help that someone from the bloody Ministry was to be teaching them all DADA this year.

Fantastic.

So many people stared and whispered at him, it was so much worse than before. Everyone stared, and he heard their whispers.

He's a lunatic! Thought he saw Death Eaters!

I bet you he killed Diggory!

Voldemort coming back? I doubt it! The Daily Prophet tells it well!

He remembered Fleur's advice and kept them as he ignored the talks but it was difficult. So, so difficult. He just needed to get through this year and it would well. Everything would be fine.

Right?

NOTES:

Guess who's back with this fic! Me that's who! It's been a while right? I hope you guys enjoy this short chapter. I just wanted to jump into Hogwarts but the next chapter will bring the pink toad herself in all her heinousness.

Don't own the song used for the chapter quote, obviously. I hope you enjoy the chapter, until next time!