Wicked Game ~ An Hedric AU Fanfiction

Chapter 1: Day Of The Reaping

Harry's PoV

Harry sighed as he looked past the big, currently inactive electric fence, into the lush green meadows and woods beyond the borders of District 12.

His right hand which was lightly gripping the inactive fence, tightened, as a result, the sharp edges of the wire started to press painfully into his skin, making him bleed slightly.

Beyond this fence lay what he would call freedom.

No Districts, no oppressive and cruel government, no rotten society, and most importantly for today's day - no Hunger Games.

Today was - once again - that dreadful day in the year the new tributes would be chosen who would have to fight - and most likely die - in the 72nd Hunger Games as a representation of District 12.

Every year, every child and teenager from 12 to 18 years old had to suffer in fear through the ordeal that was called the 'Reaping', praying and hoping that their name or the names of their loved ones wouldn't be drawn, thus making them the new tributes - which was practically a death sentence as only one of the 24 tributes each year could win and therefore, safely return to their friends and families alive.

All the other tributes would be dead, sacrificed, for the perverse and sick entertainment of the citizens of the Capitol and also as a reminder of the consequences of rebellion.

Harry's hand on the fence tightened further as he thought in anger of President Snow and his sick methods to guarantee the absolute oppression of his citizens and the inevitability of changing anything about it.

How he wished, he could just leave beyond the fence, vanishing into the lush meadows and woods forever, leaving the Capitol, the Districts, and the Hunger Games far behind.

In theory, he could, seeing as the fence was currently inactive, but if he would get caught the repercussions for him or his friends and maybe even all of District 12's residents would be undescribable that much he was certain of.

So he couldn't, couldn't be selfish, the freedom he so yearned for, taunting him right in front of his eyes.

Another sigh and he slowly let go of the fence, wincing shortly before he quickly shook his hand, trying to get rid of the pain and inspecting the damage.

He had only minor cuts which would soon stop bleeding, so he wouldn't die from it.

That could provide him with only so much solace with the 72nd Hunger Games inevitably looming over them.

He heard the unmistakable sound of running footsteps approaching, so slowly he turned away from the inactive electrical fence to meet whoever it was who was in such a hurry.

A wave of relief washed over him as he saw that it was only his two best friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley and his defensive posture immediately softened.

'Harry- ... there you are- ... we've been looking all over for you- ...', Hermione yelled out, clearly exhausted as she struggled to get the sentence out between pants of breath.

Ron, Harry noticed, looked rather pale and scared already which sadly didn't surprise Harry as Ron had a lot of siblings - most of them who just like Ron himself, Hermione and he were still in the cursed age range from 12 to 18 and therefore, at risk of becoming a tribute.

Harry couldn't imagine what Ron's parents Molly and Arthur Weasley had to suffer through each year as the larger a family was just as higher were the chances that one of your children's names might be drawn from one of the two big bowls of name slips.

Hermione, just like Harry himself, was an only child, so they at least wouldn't have to worry over non-existent siblings but they still worried every year for each of Ron's siblings as the Weasleys were good people and also one of their closest and dearest friends.