After the first task, Bagman wanted a word with all four Champions, to the displeasure of Madam Pomfrey, who stared daggers at the man as he got Cedric out of the First Aid Tent.
Cedric was almost entirely wrapped in bandages, with streaks of orange paste seeping through them. His Hufflepuff-colored robes from the task were gone, probably burnt, replaced by nothing more than a simple bathrobe.
Each step he took toward the Champions' Tent was accompanied by a wince of pain, his movements slow and stiff.
Fleur and Krum were already in the Champion's Tent waiting for them when Harry entered; she glanced at him for a moment, a bit of pink dusting her cheeks.
Mr. Bagman himself looked pleased as if he had beaten a dragon himself as he entered the tent. "Now, just a few quick words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth—but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, well, three of you are holding, you will see that they open ... See the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg because it will tell you what the second task is and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!"
"And me? How should I solve it?" Cedric asked with a muffled voice from behind his bandages.
"Ah, well… Maybe you can somehow uncover the second task yourself like Mr. Potter did for the first one?" Bagman offered a bit awkwardly, "It would be unfair to the other Champions to give you a clue. But as long as you do it with your own abilities, you are free to uncover the task beforehand!"
"I see…" Cedric sighed as he limped out of the tent.
"Well, that was awkward." Harry added, as Bagman had also left the tent, the two other champions just nodding.
While Harry was leaving the tent and already planning what he would need to do before returning to the Hunter World, he realized he had forgotten one crucial event. Or rather not considered what he had to do for it.
Something he couldn't do in the Hunter World.
The Yule Ball.
Harry needed to find a date.
Just who should he ask?
He liked Hermione and would have a lot of fun with the girl. But he wanted her to gain a bit more confidence in herself. Going to the Yule Ball with an international Quidditch star was a big step in her personal development.
It wasn't something that he wanted to take from her; sure, he is also famous, but he has been her friend for so many years that the effect wouldn't be the same.
Even if she kept up contact with Krum, Harry wouldn't lose his chance to date her. Their bond was too deep that a long-distance friend could affect that.
Another possibility is Cho Chang, the beautiful Asian girl he had a crush on. Just because he gained another set of memories didn't mean it vanished.
If he asked her now, he should be faster than Cedric since the ball wasn't even announced yet. But things for him had changed majorly.
Harry is a devil now, no longer a human or wizard, but a creature of sins who will live for thousands of years, if not eternity. Amongst powerful Devils, harems are a completely common thing.
Should he go with Cho to the Ball, he would end up dating her like Cedric did. But the current Cho would be unlikely to agree to anything not a monogamous relationship; that much was clear from the books.
He was confident he could corrupt her over time, but being already in a relationship with her made it much harder. Nobody wanted to lose something they already had.
And Cedric deserved a bit of comfort.
Fleur was also an option, but he had no idea how the whole Veela thing worked.
If there is something like a magical bond that many fanfictions used, it would be too troublesome.
And right now she doesn't seem to be very pleasant with how much she complains about Hogwarts. He wanted to have fun at the ball, enjoying his life to the fullest.
Ginny? There is still the whole Weasley clusterfuck of manipulation, possible love and loyalty potions, and other schemes, combined with his current relationship with Ron. Also, she still can't talk any straight sentences with him.
A random girl in Hogwarts?
They would say yes, that he knew. But it was basically a random draw; he just didn't know too much about the girls in the school to determine who was fun and who was a walking landmine.
And that limited the options quite a lot, his best choices being his original date, Parvati, or Lavender.
Thinking over his options, he realized both of them could be fun. He could have a nice night with dances and conversation with both of them.
A plan formed in his mind.
"Hey, Lavender!" Harry pulled her to the side on their way to the castle.
"Did you need something from me, Harry?"
"In fact, yes. Do you know why we had to bring dress robes this year?"
"Not really. Parvati and I hope for some kind of ball or event this year because of the tournament. She replied with a bit of excitement.
"Well, you guessed the reason. There will be a Yule Ball this year at Hogwarts. On Christmas Day! It will be announced in a few days." Harry explained, steeling himself. He could do it; he was a fucking Dragon-Devil Hybrid who just faced a Dragon without any care in the world.
"This will be amazing!" She giggled in excitement before her eyes widened. "Why are you telling me this already?"
"I wondered if you would like to accompany me to the ball? As one of the Champions, I will have to open the ball with my date, and I would rather spend the night with a beautiful girl I enjoy talking to." Harry said smoothly, no stutter in his voice.
It seemed to work as Lavender swooned to his words, as she pulled him into a hug, "I would love to, Harry!"
Being accustomed to physical contact now, Harry placed his hands around Lavender too, "That's great, Lavender! Let's try to blow the school's mind with our looks! What kind of dress robes did you bring? Mine are black with dark-green accents."
"Oh, no." Were her words as she heard about his robes?
"What?"
"The color is totally clashing. Mine are in pink with some rose-colored accents!" She said worriedly.
"Why are you making such a face? I still want to go with you." Harry said with a warm smile as he caressed her cheek carefully; seeing that she wasn't against it, he kept going. "That's no problem at all. Just get some new ones! Here!"
He pulled a sack with a few hundred Galleons out of his inventory.
Spending a bit of money was no problem for him; he made quite a lot at the Heaven's Arena, which he already began to convert into gold that he could use in this world too.
Lavender took the sack and carefully opened it. Her eyes widened as she saw the contents. "Harry, this is too much! I can't accept it. That's practically the prize money for the tournament! And it's your money—I shouldn't be spending it!"
Harry smiled, shaking his head. "Don't overthink it. The most important thing is for us to enjoy the ball. Tell you what—use the next Hogsmeade weekend to take Parvati and Hermione with you. The three of you can spend that money on yourselves. Get something nice to make sure you enjoy the ball to your heart's content." His tone was reassuring, confident without coming across as overbearing.
She looked conflicted, but the thought of not spending it alone did the trick: "Won't you come with us?"
"Unfortunately, I'll be out of the castle until a few days before the ball," Harry said with a hint of regret. Then, his expression brightened. "But tell you what—how about we practice a bit of dancing when I'm back? Just you and me, so we can make sure we absolutely rock this thing!"
"I would love to." Lavender replied with flushed cheeks.
———
In a shady motel, a tall, haggard man with long, matted hair that seemed to have begun regaining some of its youthful darkness. His face had slight signs of malnourishment.
A sudden clicking on the window of his motel room roused him out of his thoughts. A beautiful snowy white owl sat there staring at him with its intelligent eyes.
Sirius Black's face lit up with a smile as he moved from his bed towards the window. "Hey, Hedwig! Did the pup send something?" He asked as he let the owl in.
Taking the letter, Hediwg stretched out to him; he unfolded it only to look uncomprehending at it. Sirius flipped it, and it was blank on both sides.
"Is he pranking me?" Sirius wondered aloud.
"Nope!" A happy voice came from behind him, "Just needed a marker."
Sirius whirled around as his heart almost stopped at the sudden voice, only to come face to face with a muscular boy, his hair in a familiar wild and unkempt state, who stared at him with the most nostalgic pair of emerald eyes ever.
"Harry?" Sirius choked out, uncertain as it hadn't been the first time he hallucinated.
It had been worse in Azkaban, but even outside, the loneliness got to you.
Although it's been quite some time since the last time.
"Who else am I supposed to be, Padfoot?" Harry grinned, looking so much like James.
"Are you really here? How? Did you leave Hogwarts again?" Sirius questioned how he should feel about it. He is happy to see his godson, but at the same time worried; was he even safe here? Wait, he wasn't safe in Hogwarts since someone tried to kill him with that tournament. "It's probably better that you are here, now that someone is trying to kill you in Hogwarts."
"Fake Moody is not really trying to kill me, more like kidnap me so he can revive Voldemort." The voice of his godson said, but the words sounded really strange.
He couldn't have said what Sirius understood after all.
"Could you repeat that, Harry? I heard something about a fake Moody trying to kidnap you." Sirius laughed at that ridiculous claim.
"That's what I said."
"What? Why?? How did he get into Hogwarts? Why is Dumbledore not doing anything?" Sirius was now completely confused. "If there is a fake Moody, it isn't Kakaroff then?"
"Nah, that Slug Kakaroff would be tortured and killed by Voldy at sight. The fake Moody is Barty Crouch Jr. The map showed it. His dad had snuck him out of Azkaban years ago and kept him imprisoned at home under the Imperius. So you aren't the first one to break out of that hellhole." Harry replied.
"Did he use Polyjuice? Then the real Moody should be close. Have you told Dumbledore?" His thoughts now becoming clearer.
"Nope, I am pretty sure he already knows, and everything goes according to his plan. And yes, the real Alastor Moody is in the DADA office imprisoned in his own trunk." Harry answered.
"We need to get him out of there!"
"He will survive. In order to kill Snake-Baldy, he needs to come back to life. Right now the only supporters he has are Crouch and Wormtail. Everything goes according to my plan. Do you trust me, Sirius?" Harry asked as he looked seriously at his godfather.
"Yes, you are everything I have left, Pup." Sirius replied honestly.
"Then please follow my plan, and don't trust Dumbledore."
"Why?"
"Because he is raising me to die."
"WHAT?" Sirius got up to his feet, ready to storm out.
"Stay." Harry said, and Sirius felt an invisible force holding him, pushing him down on his bed again. "I am not letting that happen. But for now you are too hurt from Azkaban; we need to get your Occlumency Shields up. I really want to tell you more, but without them it's just not possible. And you will need a wand."
"If you were of age, you could just get one out of the Black Vaults; my ancestor left a ton behind. As my heir, you would have access to it. But the only option to access them right now is if I were to enter Gringotts." Sirius sighed, disappointed.
"You got Wands in the Black Vaults? And what do you mean I am your heir?"
"Yes, the old ones of previous Blacks. They won't be as good as a proper one fitted for me, but there should be some that would fit well enough. And I made you my heir years ago, since I didn't have any family when your parents were still around. My old girlfriend got killed by Death Eaters, and I wanted you to get my stuff rather than let the Goblins or the Ministry keep it. And for some reason my father kept me as Heir Black, which makes you now Heir Black, and me technically Lord Black." Sirius explained, a bit of sadness in his voice as he talked about his deceased girlfriend.
"Well, I am technically an adult now."
( End of Chapter )
------------------------------------
HP - DXD - HP - DXD - HP - DXD
------------------------------------
Thank you for reading my work! If you're enjoying it, please consider leaving some Power Stones to show your support—I truly appreciate it!
For access to more than 20 advanced chapters and different other Stories and One Shots, visit my Page: P*treon/OneTrueSage
20% Discount until August 26th if you use the Code: GIFT
Thank you for your support, and happy reading!