The-Boy-Who-Lived/Neglected/Lied/Abounded/Betrayed/Fed Up/Left/Tortured /kills

Unconventional Harry

Harry was in shock. He wasn't sure why he should be so surprised that his name came out of the Goblet of Fire. It was Halloween, and something bad invariably happened to him on this day.

He felt Hermione push him out of his seat and towards the Headmaster. He woodenly walked forward; the silence was deafening as people stared at him. Based on their expressions, there was no doubt in his mind that they thought he had cheated to get his name included.

Standing in the Trophy Room with the others, he ignored their questions on why he was there. Then all the adults entered the room, including McGonagall, Moody, and Snape. He had no idea why Snape had included himself in this, as he was neither part of the tournament nor his Head of House. To be fair, that applied to Moody as well, but at least Moody was an ex-Auror.

"Harry, did you enter your name?" Dumbledore asked intently.

"No."

"Did you ask anyone else like an older student to enter your name?"

"No. I don't want to be in this," Harry said a little louder and more forcefully.

Snape snorted his disbelief, which fueled Harry's anger more. "Potter is famous for flaunting and breaking the rules."

"Severus…" Dumbledore reprimanded the Potions Master with a firm tone.

Harry only half listened as the adults argued over his being there and the fairness to the other two schools. He was getting more and more fed up with it all until Moody's comment captured his attention.

"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die in it," said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl.

Before anyone could argue more, Harry asked quickly, "Why do I have to compete? What forces me to?"

"We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament.*" Barty Crouch stepped forward from his place in the half-shadows of the room. "If you do not compete in the tasks, Mr Potter, then it will be your magic versus the magic in the Goblet of Fire - which is a very powerful artifact. It will find you in contempt of the Tournament and attempt to pull your magic into it, as has happened twice before - successfully. That is why you must compete."

The quiet yet forceful explanation made the whole scene just that much more eerie to Harry. He stumbled a step back and leaned against a trophy case, breathing a little harder.

Indignation of having to do this coursed through him. Time and time again over the years at Hogwarts he had been forced to do things, dangerous things, against his will. Of course, to be honest with himself, he had taken a few things upon himself stupidly. His curiosity to solve mysteries, along with Hermione's curiosity to learn, was a dangerous combination; Ron's gung-ho desire to be included didn't help matters. They got into trouble as a team.

Crouch's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"The first task is designed to test your daring," he told Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor, "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard … very important…*

"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.*

"The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."*