Strange Magic (REWRITE)

Chapter 5: What... Why?

My heart fell as unsteady legs carried me to the front of the Great Hall. Already, I heard the whispers of people accusing me of putting my name in. I could feel every pair of eyes in the room lock onto me as I trudged to the front and into the antechamber with the rest of the champions. Once entered I looked for the nearest place to sit down, which happened to be a small stool in the corner and dropped onto it. My head fell into my hands. What was I going to do?

Mentally, I nudged Ginny; I needed her. She quickly indicated that she was on her way. To avoid panicking, Ginny began a conversation to help calm me down until the other champions started talking.

"What is he doing here?" Fleur asked in a heavy French accent, "I thought only champions were allowed."

"They are, Harry here is our fourth and final champion," Dumbledore announced as he strode into the room. When he reached the middle of the room, he continued in a calm voice, "now Harry, did you enter yourself in this tournament?"

I picked my head up from my hands and looked over at Dumbledore with a questioning look on my face. "Why the hell would I want to be a champion? I've had murderous madmen out to get me since I was a baby: this just gives them the perfect opportunity to off me. I wanted someone else to take on the spotlight and danger instead of me. Of course, I didn't enter the bloody thing," I seethed, "for all the protections you had on the cup, what a bloody lot that did."

Defeat and dread clung to me as the door flew open and Ginny had her arms around my shoulders. Tentatively, I responded by wrapping my arms around her waist and burying my face in her hair. Ginny always had a distinct scent of roses, peonies and orchids that was calming. For a moment, I allowed the bubbling panic to subside and hid under the curtain of her red hair.

"What is she doing in here?" Krum asked with a rough Bulgarian accent.

"She's my wife by virtue of a soul bond. She is the only thing that's keeping me from losing it right now," I replied from behind Ginny's hair, not ready for the glares that were surely coming my way. Though Ginny wasn't saying anything, verbally or otherwise, her presence and calming emotions worked enough to keep me from panicking.

"She can stay. Now, even though you did not enter your name into the Tournament, you are still bound by magic to participate," Dumbledore said, and the other Headmasters burst into enraged disapproval.

Ginny gently ran her fingers through my hair until the headmasters finished their argument. When I finally looked up from her hair, I was shocked to see the sight that greeted me. None of the other champions were giving me reproachful look, they more pitying than anything. For that reason, I felt a small amount of relief.

After all of the information about the tournament was given, all the champions were able to head back to their common rooms.

As Ginny and I walked out of the antechamber, I heard Cedric call my name. Stopping we waited for him to catch up.

"Harry, I wanted to let you know that I believe you," Cedric said, and I knew he meant it genuinely.

"I'm not sure how much of the rest of the school will, but thank you," I responded, "I'll see you around?"

"See you around," Cedric said with a smile before he continued back his common room.

When Ginny and I got back to the common room, there was a party in full swing. The twins managed to procure copious amounts of food from the kitchens and platters were being passed around the room. Cups of pumpkin juice were being passed around. The twins rambunctiously began to introduce me as they spotted Ginny and I walking through the portrait hole.

"Our champion arrives," Fred yelled over the roar of the crowd while swinging his hand toward us.

"Guys," I yelled over everyone and they instantly quieted. Leaning on Ginny for support, I continued tiredly, "I didn't enter my name and I don't want to be competing in this. Cedric is the real champion." Everyone looked as though nearly everyone thought I found some way to enter myself in spite of my denial.

"Goodnight, love," I said through the bond before trudging up the boy's stairs to get ready for bed.

"Goodnight, love," she responded and walked up the girl's stairs to her room.

Ginny's POV:

Through the night, Harry and I discussed what we were going to do about the tournament in our collective mind-space. In the end, we decided that we were going to start some very serious physical and magical training to be able to handle the challenges. As we both began to wake up, a sense of determination flowed through both of us.

I went about my usual morning routine until I felt Harry's anger and feelings of betrayal flare through the bond. Thankfully, I was fully dressed as I felt the bond grab hold of my body and I disappeared in a flash of golden light. Overall, the feeling was much for pleasant than apparating. Instead of the feeling of being squished into a too-small tube, it felt like slipping through a waterfall. All at once, I was at Harry's side as Ron screamed at him.

"... Of course, you entered yourself. There's a thousand galleons worth of prize money and all the fame and glory that comes with it. At least you could have the decency to tell me how you did it," Ron screamed reproachfully at Harry. I felt the stab of hurt stab white-hot through Harry's chest.

"How bloody dare you, you selfish little prick," I seethed with quiet fury. My eyes blazed as I stepped forward and placed my body between Harry and Ronald's, "He has been your best friend for years and you won't believe him. This tournament has killed people, Harry's had maniacs trying to kill him since he was a baby."

Ronald just stared at me as I tore into him. When he started to stutter out a response, I grabbed Harry's hand and began to pull him toward the exit. "Don't talk to either of us until you're ready to stop being an absolute arse," I said as Harry and I walked out of the room and pointed my wand at him, "Vespertilio muco involuta."

I didn't wait to see the bat-shaped mucus fly from Ronald's nose as Harry and I stormed down the stairs.

N/A: Firstly, 'Vespertilio muco involuta' is the incantation I'm using for Ginny's infamous bat-bogey hex. Secondly, thank you all for the awesome response to this story. I'm a lot happier with this version of the story. Please keep the reviews coming and constructive criticism is totally welcome. I hope I'm still able to keep updating as frequently as I have been, but I have an extremely loaded semester right now. I really want to but we'll see. Lots of love to you guys

-Sarah