Prologue

1994 – The Evening of the selection

'Harry Potter?'

Shocked silence.

Harry groaned. Of course something like this would happen. His head thudded onto the table. But then he stood up and raised his wand.

'On my magic I so swear: I didn't enter the tournament on my own. I also didn't influence anyone to do it for me. So mote it be.'

He turned his wand on Draco Malfoy, 'Lumos.'

Draco had to turn away and shield his eyes.

Harry sneered as he turned to Dumbledore, 'Seems as if I still have that old Magic.'

Dumbledore stood up. 'We shall have to deliberate our further course of action. Harry, please wait for us in the antechamber.'

Harry sniffed, but complied.

Upon entering the room, every Head turned to him.

Karkaroff spoke up, 'What do you want, boy? Is our presence required?'

'No, not particularly. As it seems, there was a slight accident with the goblet,' was Harrys reply.

Then the door flew up with a bang and Severus Snape strode into the room followed by Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Moody, with a steady current of angry mutterings and belittlements flowing from his mouth. Harry smiled and waved his wand around his head.

And without a second glance at the most irritating Professor that Hogwarts has to offer, Harry walks to a wall and leans against it with crossed arms. 'Well, Professor Dumbledore, what results came out of your deliberations?'

'Harry, this may be hard for you to comprehend, but you have to compete in the tournament. Sadly, we couldn't determine what happened to the goblet, but that a confundus charm was used.'

The champions looked pretty interested. '´Arry, is it? This "Professor?" is constantly belittling you. Aren't you bothered by that?'

'No, it's always the same: "arrogant, attention seeking brat, just like his father, jabber, jabber, jabber". It's like a recording sphere on replay, you know. It's no use complaining, either. He just won't shut up or leave. Regardless, whether he's involved,' Harry looked at Snape 'or not.'

'But let's get back to the matter at hand,' Harry looked at Dumbledore, 'What happens to me, when I just don't participate in the tournament?'

For a split second there was a look of pure annoyance on Dumbledores face before he answered, 'Then you'd lose your magic, Harry.'

Harry was incredulous, 'From a strip of paper, where a name was written on in ink? Or did you say that only to keep me in line?'

Again the annoyance was visible on Dumbledores face before he schooled his features into a grandfatherly smile, 'I'm sorry, Harry, but unfortunately there is no possibility for you to duck out of this tournament. If there were any possibility, we would tell you.'

'Fine,' Harry answered 'What are you going to do about whoever entered me into this?'

'Well, Harry, we couldn't detect who it was that confunded the goblet, but if we have any news, we're going to tell you.'

Harry snorted, 'Yeah, just like I thought: "Here's a little information, now shut up and do what we tell you." Just as it always is, huh?'

'No',

'Of course not',

'The nerve',

'Arrogant'.

Fleur speaks up, '´Arry, why are you so,… opposed to competing?'

'Well let's see: At age one a madman kills my parents and tries to kill me, at age eleven I see him again and, you don't know this, but just a few months ago there were people running around in clothes just like the followers of this madman wore, doing things to a certain group of people, just like the madmans followers would do and all of a sudden, I'm entered into a tournament, where people have died or disappeared. Coincidence? I don't think so.'

In that moment, Professor Moody choose to take a swig from his hip flask and everything clicked for Harry. Faster than a flash, Harry drew his wand and froze Moody. The hip flask was sent flying through the air and fell to the floor, where a little of its contents spilled over.

Harry waved his wand again around his head, 'Perhaps our resident potions genius would try and find out what that liquid is?'

The sarcasm in Harrys voice couldn't be overheard and with a nod from Dumbledore, Snape drew his wand, waved it around the puddle and proclaimed with a sneer, 'Polyjuice.'

Everyone was up and shouting in a flash, but Harry kept his eye and wand on "Moody". It took a bang from Dumbledores wand to restore Order, but Harry never wavered in his attention. This guy – whoever it was – wouldn't leave this room alone. And then the transformation began…

1994 – a few weeks later – Little Hangleton

'Wormtail! Wormtail, where are you?'

'He can't follow your demands anymore, you know? Being a rat in a cage that prohibits animagus transformations does that to you. Nonono señor, he's going to be very useful to me.'

Voldemort scowled, 'Potter? Never would've thought you have the balls.'

Harry laughed, 'In case you're not familiar with human growth, Riddle, seeing as you're … something, I'm just developing mine.'

'I am Lord Voldemort!'

'NO! YOU'RE! NOT! But as I was saying: Do you know what the problem with resident spies is, Riddle? They can be detected. And Barty was very helpful to me.'

Now he had Voldemort's attention, 'To you, only? Not to Dumbledore too?'

Harry sighed amused, 'Oh Riddle, nothing ever gets done the Dumbledorian way. Ever. He's so much behind the scene, that he's helpless when the action is on-stage. Once I left that castle, he could do nothing. I'm not even sure, he knows I left. But that's beside the point.'

'Oh yes? Well then, what is your point, Harry?'

Harrys smile became frightening, 'Well, Riddle, I'm here for your memories. You see,' Harry drew his wand 'there's this neat trick I know of.'

He waved it around Voldemorts head before placing it at the temple of him, 'You were always good in dealing out pain, they told me. Let's see, how good you are in dealing with pain…'

Harrys arm drew ferociously back and Voldemort screamed – though no sound came out. From Harrys wand hung seemingly every memory strand of Voldemorts brain. 'Hurts like hell, doesn't it, Riddle? But don't worry, it'll be over soon…' And for the first time in many, many years, Riddle felt – Fear…

1994 – a week after Harrys nightly visit

Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room completely sunken into his thoughts. Just that morning Professor McGonagall announced that there would be a Yule ball. He would've loved to go with his Suzy but she was ever so quiet and he couldn't find her the last days. He seemed to only run into her overprotective friend Hannah; God, she was annoying. No clue of anything but always assuming the worst. The last time they had "talked" … but it was no good – he needed a date for his ball. The frustration mounted to nearly insane levels, so Harry decided to fly a bit. The first of the tasks was over, the dragons shipped away, the Quidditch pitch was free again – perfect. He fetched his Firebolt.

After a few laps he saw, he had a little audience. Susan with Hannah and – a bit further to the left – the Patil twins.

He flew over to them, 'Hello Padma. McG announced the ball to us and I was wondering: Would you like to go to the ball with me?'

'Sure, Harry, I'd like to. Do you know how to dance?'

'No, not yet, but I've got lessons coming up.'

'Oh, o.k. Harry. Well, see you in class.'

' Sure, Padma. Thank you.'

He never noticed the shell shocked expression on Susans face, nor did he ever know about the row in the Gryffindor common room which resulted in …

1994 – Gryffindor common room

'I can't believe, he didn't ask me. Why would he do such a thing? We were so big friends and he liked that kiss – it's what he told me.' Susan wondered aloud.

Then she noticed the smug expression on her childhood friend and her ire grew, 'What do you have to say about that, Hannah? I know that expression: what did you do?'

Hannah's smug expression wavered just the slightest bit, 'I made sure that pervert wouldn't come near you. Always trying to find you, no doubt about asking you to the ball. But no sir, not on my watch.'

Susan grew angry. 'And why, Hannah?'

'Because they all want to get into your pants. Believe me, I know. I overheard Justin on the way to the Great Hall, the things they want to do with the Girls. It's perverted, I tell you.'

Susans expression became murderous, and she drew her wand, 'Well Hannah, because of you I can't enjoy an absolutely fabulous evening with my boyfriend. Petrificus totalus. Because of you, he probably wonders if I am interested in him anymore. Furnunculus. Because of you, all my hard work in getting him to open up to me has gone down the drain. Densaugeo. AND BECAUSE OF YOU I WON'T BE GETTING HIM INTO MY PANTS. WHICH IS WHAT I WANT, YOU STUPID, OVERPROTECTIVE, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING-BUT-SCARING-MY-BOYFRIEND-AWAY HUSSY! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, BITCH! PETRIFICUS FINITE! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!'

At which a terrified Hannah scrambled away.

1994 – Yule Ball

In the beginning Harry had a great time. Sitting at the table with the champions (he still didn't refer to himself as a champion), holding nice conversation, then the dancing – it was big fun. Then he saw Suzy. She didn't look at him and he saw the utter rejection written on her face. He excused himself from Padma and went over to his closest friend. When she saw him, her face lit up like the sun, as did Harry's and in no time at all they were on the Dance floor, dancing into the night. The way Suzy moulded herself to him was thought stopping, and when he flashed her that smile she was near swooning. When they were cooling off you could find them on the side to the Hall exchanging glances, caresses, kisses and stories. If one would look, one would see how deep the affection went. Luckily, almost no one did except for Hagrid. and the old dance began anew…

1995 – the weekend before the start of term

Harry was walking up and down. His Suzy – after that wonderful evening at the Yule Ball – was yanked out of his arms by a pretty stern acting part of the world, one Madam Bones. So she was away and it was torture. He knew, this wasn't just the normal missing someone. It hurt him, really deep down and he wanted to rail at anyone and everyone. He was in the Entry Hall of Hogwarts, waiting for the Moment the Door would open and his love would enter the castle – his world – again. Then it happened. And Susan was in fact the first one. Harrys smile was so wide, it split his face in two and then they held each other again. Not even Draco's taunts reached his ears, he was so happy to have her back. And on Sunday one would have to look into an abandoned class room to find them, clinging to each other, nearly fused at the mouth, hands roaming.

1995 – the second Task

was quite a surprise for Harry. "We've taken what you'll sorely miss…" To be honest, as long as his Suzy was around… and she wasn't here in the lake. Well, that bode well for Harry, they were unaware of his feelings. Still, Ron? Honestly, Dumbledork. Sure, you just keep looking the other way, if you please…

1995 – Dumbledore's office

'Harry, my dear boy, that attack on Mr Malfoy was completely unnecessary.'

'I'm sorry, Headmaster. What attack?'

Dumbledore grew serious, 'There's no need to insult my intelligence. I'm speaking of the attack from yesterday during Potions.'

Harry sneered, 'Obviously, you want to insult my intelligence. There was no attack. You see, I've noticed for some time now things flying into my cauldron. I don't know what they are, I don't know who threw them, I just knew I wanted it to stop. So I researched some shield charms and discovered this nifty shield, that deflects any material objects. I put up that shield and went to work on Professor Snape's recipe. Anything beyond that wasn't my concern.'

'Harry, there is no need to put up shield charms. I have to ask you not to put these up anymore.'

'On the contrary, Headmaster, there is need. I don't count the ruined potions I've had – or Neville's. If I were to, it would be a high number. And though it isn't Professor Snape's concern to test me for OWLs or NEWTs, well, I want to have a quiet Potions class – once in a while. So I've taken steps to ensure that. That is, from my point of view at least.'

Dumbledore drew himself up, 'Very well, Harry, you leave me with no choice: Detention with Professor Snape. For Tonight. You may go.'

Harry sniffed, 'Of course Headmaster.'

After he opened the door Harry turned around one more time, 'Tell me Professor: Am I not maligned enough?' and left.

1995 – the weekend after

But when he was in Suzy's arms, he forgot about all of that. Everything that mattered was in close proximity. His smile reached a depth in Harry's soul he didn't suspect he'd have. There was – contentment. What a powerful feeling. But then he'd almost touched Suzy's boobs. Harry tensed – she might not like it. And yes, there was the frustrated groan… But what would it mean? Did it mean she wanted him to go further – or not? Ah, if only he wasn't so unsure about this.

1995 – the third Task

'AND THE WINNERS ARE: HARRY POTTER AND CEDRIC DIGGORY'

Harry smiled. It was just as he wanted. A Hogwarts victory. Sure, it would've been nice to be the single winner of this Tournament, but in the end it wasn't even his Tournament, as he didn't enter under his own volition.

During the party he encountered the Diggorys, their father slightly inebriated, 'You sure showed this Potter brat, Ced. I told you… you'd beat him.'

'Dad, it's not like that…'

'DON'T talk back to me, son…'

Harry glanced to Suzy, amused, 'Looks to me as if someone is jealous of my fame, hm, Suzy?'

'Yes, Harry.'

Harry's smile grew malicious, 'Mr Diggory, I'll tell you something: You want the fame?'

'Why, yes, of course. I'd…'

'have to fight Voldemort.'

The Diggorys shuddered but Harry continued, 'The one goes with the other. So why don't you just go back into your little office and be glad it's not you? Cause you'd be dead two words after seeing Voldemort. Ced, I don't mean you. If you'd like we can hang out sometime.'

Cedric grinned 'Sure Harry, I'd like that.'

1995 – the weekend before summer holidays

Harry and Susan were in a classroom. Still exploring their feelings and some parts of their bodies.

Harry drew back, 'Susan, I have to ask you something.'

'Yes, Harry, what is it?'

'You know, I can't help but thinking, ah, um, that you'd want me to go further. Do you?'

Susan's face lit up like a Christmas tree and she took his hands, 'Finally. I'd thought you'd never ask. Harry, I don't want to pressure you into anything, but I believe your hands belong here' she put his hands on her ass 'or here' she took them to her breasts 'or even here' she guided one hand between her legs. 'Harry, I want you explore me – entirely. I don't have any forbidden areas on my body. At least for you. Please, don't be shy.'

Harry blushed, 'Suzy, that's not so easy for me. You know – my education.'

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and touched his forehead with hers, 'Harry, I know. But I want you to know, there are no restrictions with me. I just want you to know…'

...and so it started