Changing Destiny

Forty: The Champion Selection Pt. 2

Harry

The room that he had to go into was the trophy room. Of course, it was, because this was a dangerous game that he had just been conscripted into, right? The beautiful blonde French girl was talking to the dark haired Seeker from Durmstrang, and Cedric Diggory was off by the fireplace looking just as out of place as him. The adults had been arguing as he went to the trophy room with the other champions, and he hated that he was somehow the cause of that.

Tom piped up in his head all of a sudden, ("Go talk to him, Harry. If I were of an age with you, I would, badger or not. He's cute.")

("It's weird. I shouldn't like other guys the way I like girls,") Harry argued. ("He'll think I'm being a total perv. What if he only likes witches?")

Tom laughed, ("Oh come on, Harry. Just flash those sexy green eyes his way, and he'll be all over you. Do it, or I'm taking over. You don't want that, I've been horny for some time. Or...if you want to chicken out over that, the veela girl is quite sexy; that blue suit she has on is doing nothing but accentuating those curves of hers.")

Harry wanted to punch out his "friend," for even suggesting that. Harry took a deep breath, and moved on watery legs to the fireplace. Up close, the sandy brown Hufflepuff was good looking, indeed, and his chocolate brown eyes looked lost in thought as he had his arms wrapped around himself as he stared into the flames.

"Uh, hey," Harry greeted lamely.

Cedric looked him over, and he greeted, "Hey. Harry, right?"

"Yeah."

He nodded at his snake badge on his cardigan. "Everyone is saying you put your name in the goblet. Everyone but Professor Snape, I guess."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "And what do you think?"

Cedric studied him, and a hint of a smile tilted the edges of his nicely shaped mouth. Calm down, maybe he doesn't see guys that way! "I think someone used a good Confundus charm on it that wouldn't be taught at the Ordinary Wizarding Level. I've read up on the Goblet of Fire, and it's a powerful magical object that isn't easily hoodwinked. Besides, Dumbledore cast a very strong age line around it so no one under seventeen can breach it."

"That's true," Harry admitted. "Why are you competing?"

Cedric grinned more fully, and it made him more charming, "Well, if you win you get 50,000 galleons, and my dad and I...well, we're not exactly well off. Not since my mum was alive, that is."

"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thanks. I know you get it, having lost your parents. Isn't a Rosier raising you now?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. She's really cool."

"That's nice. I--"

The adults barged in, led by Madam Maxime, the Headmistress of Beauxbatons, Mr Crouch, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagoll, and the other teachers, and Karkaroff, the intimidating Headmaster of Durmstrang Institute.

"Are you certain that you did not put your name in the Goblet of Fire, boy?" Moody asked in his gruff, no nonsense voice.

"No, I swear."

"But of course he is lying!" Madam Maxime shouted angrily. "Look at his snake badge. All Slytherins are liars!"

"The hell he ain't," Moody shot back. "The Goblet of Fire is an exceptionally powerful magical object. I hardly think a fourth year can cast a Confundus charm powerful to hoodwink it. Do you still have the parchment that the name is printed on, Potter?"

Harry got it out of his right pocket, and saw that the handwriting was all wrong on it. "It's not even my handwriting."

Professor Snape took it from him. "Mr Potter is correct in that. See the way the loops are for the letter A, and the way the Y is slashed."