Champions

Teamwork

Excited chatter filled the air all around them as the Champions waited for the Task to officially begin. The stands surrounding the Quidditch Pitch were packed full of people, including many dignitaries. Fleur could spot the British, French, and Bulgarian Ministers of Magic right off, and there were many other notables besides.

It looked like half or more of the British Wizengamot had also turned up to see the spectacle.

She could only shake her head at the sheer insanity of it all. A Tournament with only four contestants, all of whom were only just into adulthood (or flat out underage in the case of her new husband), competing in an event that they as spectators would barely even be able to watch. That was what they were here for.

To be fair, she doubted that most of them knew the latter fact and indeed would be very disappointed by it, but the first two facts remained.

Why children competing in deadly tasks was such a draw to them mystified her. If anything, it should have horrified them! But here they were, waiting to see a spectacle that they knew could rapidly turn deadly. It had already had life changing consequences in her and Harry's case, and they were all too aware of that fact.

It did not speak well of magical society.

"Did the Weasley twins come up with anything?" wondered Cedric from his position next to Harry.

"Not that we know of," Harry replied. "They were looking into it, but they don't want to get caught interfering with an international event."

"Which was probably smart of zem," nodded Fleur. "Especially given what we 'ave planned."

Krum, on her side of the gaggle they formed, smirked. "It vill be amusing," he grinned.

Fleur couldn't help but grin back. At least their fellow Champions weren't sticks in the mud. The spectators were going to be disappointed to learn that they travelled all this way for a task that only took two minutes to complete…

"Still nothing to stop us," noted Harry, having finished examining the pitch. "So we're clear to go with it."

Cedric opened his mouth again — probably to ask if they were all still in — but Bagman arrived before he could say anything. The man made Fleur's skin crawl; he was a disgusting pig in her view.

And before he started announcing, he cast a charm that would allow the audience to hear everything that both he and the Champions said. It was a two-part charm that Fleur was only vaguely familiar with. Someone competent had clearly cast the complicated part earlier, and Bagman's spell merely activated it.

Fleur rather thought it was likely going to backfire on him.

===[~]===

In the stands behind the entrance to the maze, Sirius Black sat with the Delacour family and watched the Champions while keeping a weather eye on everything else around him. He found it a novel experience being out in public like this. It had been far, far too long since he was able to live his life.

No thanks to Dumbledore, but that was neither here nor there at the moment.

Watching Harry with Fleur was a balm to his tortured soul. He had no idea if he would ever find love himself — he was damaged goods to be certain — but that his Godson had managed it, no matter in what fashion, warmed his tarnished heart. Fleur and Harry, to his eyes, were simply meant to be.

Remus would likely have been reminded of James and Lily, but not Sirius. Harry was a very different person from James Potter, and Fleur was nothing at all like Lily. On top of that — and as much as he hated to say it — their love was far deeper than he had ever observed between the late elder Potters.