The Hunger Games: Multi-Verse

Arrivals (James Potter)

(James Potter's POV)

The strange woman who claimed she was their mentor dramatically opened the train door and brandished her arm towards the stone ground, signaling for the four tributes to exit the car. They'd been on the train for hours, but now they were finally going to meet the fans of the revered Capitol.  

Immediately the sounds of a very excited crowd reached James' ears. Him, Tonks, and Remus were positioned above the steps of the train, hesitating before descending into the open. 

The severity of the situation they'd been thrust into hadn't hit the wizards and witch just yet, but for some reason, James knew that by entering the Capitol he would really begin to feel like a tribute. 

In their moment of hesitation Bellatrix grew impatient. "Move out of the way," She snarled, shoving James aside. The wild-haired witch called back over her shoulder, "Some of us have a Game to win." 

Bellatrix exited the train and stood tall on the Capitol ground, twenty some feet away from the screaming fans who were barely restrained by an aluminum fence. She grinned widely and proudly at the citizens and raised her arms in a victorious motion, looking around at her future prospective sponsors. 

"Remember my name," She shouted loudly, "Bellatrix Lestrange!" 

The crowd only screamed louder. 

James looked worriedly into the eyes of Remus and Tonks, who mirrored his concern. 

"I suppose we should get off." James suggested. Tonks nodded and together, the three of them walked off of the train. 

Tonks put on a brave face, leading the two men and smiling brightly at the crowd. She waved to various fans. James forced himself to do the same, although he wondered if his smile looked as fake as it felt. Remus smiled shyly. Bellatrix was already parading towards the tribute center, brandishing about and cackling loudly to an appreciative crowd.

Other train cars were pulling up at the station, without a doubt containing other tributes. James was dreading seeing his competitors; he already hated the idea of competing against Remus and Nymphadora, and adding more bloodthirsty people to the mix didn't exactly ease his mind. 

A streamlined train car braked just ahead of the wizards and witches procession up the sidewalk. James stared as the car's door opened and out spilled more tributes for the fourth Quarter Quell. 

James jaw fell open as four kids exited the train car, looked around nervously, and began walking towards the tribute center. 

One was a small blonde girl and then a dark-haired boy with a sullen expression. Sure, two of them were bigger; one was a tall, muscular, dark skinned boy and another was a brooding brunette girl. But still -- the small pack of them were clearly teenagers. 

"They're only kids," James muttered to Remus, who continued to walk ahead of them. Remus nodded in agreement, but knew he couldn't turn to respond at that moment. 

James was in awe; now he could see the true, undulated cruelty that the Hunger Games truly possessed. How could these Capitol citizens be excited for the definite death of these four teenagers? How could they be vying to see them slain? 

James shook his head, aghast. He could no longer smile and wave at the crowd that nearly spilled over the fence in anticipation. All he felt were heated waves of disgust rolling off of his body. He willed his fists to not close in anger. 

Another train car pulled up. The first tribute to exit was a pale, brown-haired man of strangely exquisite beauty. When he turned his head, his eyes immediately found James. James' eyes widened when he realized the pale man had red irises. The man sneered and then walked with incredible grace towards the tribute center.

Three other rowdy looking boys with tan skin, bulging muscles, and clipped, jet-black hair nearly fell out of the train car after the strange man. These boys were incredibly tall and had jawlines sharper than a knife's edge, but still, they were teenagers. 

Just then, the man with red eyes closed his eyelids and raised his head to the winds, as if he smelled something. He then opened his eyes and was sneering again, but James looked closer and saw that it wasn't a sneer -- the strange man's teeth were bared. The three tall teenagers paused in their tracks, watching the man carefully. 

The man gave a disgusted glance over his back towards the teens and then back to the crowd. The teens took a threatening step towards him. The man then shook his head viciously and continued towards the tribute center, followed by the burly teens.

James was confused with that interaction, but he was more shocked with the Capitol. How could the Capitol pit kids against kids? Kids against adults? Kids against that strange man with red eyes? What kind of cruelty and state of mind did an entire nation have to be in to be okay with this? 

James felt more and more outraged and confused with each step towards the tribute center. The twelve story glass tower loomed ahead of them eerily; it would be their last home before entering the arena. Their last bed. It would be where their last meal was. 

Ahead of him, Tonks flashed her hair from a vivid lime green to a smooth golden blonde to a midnight violet shade. She was connecting with individual Capitol citizens, matching her hair color to theirs. She held Lupin's hand behind her. 

Bellatrix was still ahead of them, throwing kisses towards screaming fans and laughing outrageously. 

James walked in the back, slowly gaining further realization about the sickness and cruelty of the entire situation. The sounds of screaming Capitol citizens behind him slowly morphed into a loud ringing in the wizard's ears as they all approached the Tribute Center. 

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