Harry Potter: The Cat & Stag

Fourth Champion?!

I was stunned when my boss called out Harrys name. The boy could never escape near death situations! Harry got up reluctantly and met the headmaster.

The meeting was pretty pointless, resulting in the answer I dreaded. My son competing in the deadly Triwizard Tournament.

We left together stunned. "Harry, I know you didnt enter. You hate the attention on you as it is. Someone is setting you up. Please owl Sirius, he can help us do some investigating here." I whispered.

"Yes Mum. Can I sleep in my room tonight? My House thinks I entered and Ron..." He trailed off.

I nodded turning on my heel. "You dont need to explain anything else."

"Mum, how am I going to survive this?" Harry asked.

"I dont know, but I do know that you will." I kissed his forehead before allowing my son into his room.

*

My concern rose high the next day when Harry came in with a downcast expression. Ron I saw sat as far away from him as possible.

My boy was barely listening and his worst suspicions were correct.  Ron believed he did put his name in the goblet.

I wanted to of course reassure him, but I couldnt till later on after classes were over. Ron has never acted like this before and hes very thick to believe that Harry wants more fame. Despite being a Marauders son, he has more modesty than James and Sirius combined.

At lunch, Harry approched me. "Professor?"

"Come see me at 6 in my office. I will be free then." I answered noticing a lot of eyes on us.

Harry nodded then disappeared into the crowd. Merlin! It was hard to hold anyone's attention! All my students buzzed about was the Tournament.

After 5 more hours of a few choice students sucessful transfigured spells, Harry came to my office. "Come in, please."

I smiled when Harry emerged and he plunged into a quick minispeech. "Rons furious and he does believe along with Gryffindor House that I entered! The Slytherins all believe Im a git for not supporting Cedric Diggory and...ugh! Mum, I thought I was done with all of this."

"Me too, but you know I will do whatever it takes for you to survive. I cant tell you anything directly, but I can give you hints." I smiled meschiviously.

"Im good at riddles, except Tom's." Harry laughed

I rolled my eyes, "Wow, aweful. You need more joke material."

"Yes, I do."

I kissed his head. "You should return to the common room. I will not allow you to hide out in here. The more you avoid the gossip, the worse its going to get."

"Ok Mum, you're right."

*

"You must be kidding me! Are you really going to allow this, Albus?" I asked infuriated when I heard about dragons being used in the First Task.

"Relax Minerva, the champions only need to get past them. There will be no fighting dragons." Albus replied.

"I know that look, Im not going to tell Harry about this." I replied

"I wasnt thinking that." Albus answered.

"Good. Everyones got the same starting lime here." I walked away.

Five days later, I was in a crisis; all the champions know the first task, but my son.

"Miss Granger?" I called out.

Hermione stopped. "Professor?"

"Can you ask Harry to meet you by Hagrids hut tonight around midnight? And please dont say who said it." I added.

Hermione nodded. "Sure thing."

*

"Mum?" Harry whispered knocking on my office door.

I opened it at once. "Yes?"

"I need your help to perfect the summoning charm."

I smiled, so Harry does have a plan. "Im your mother here, not your teacher."

Since it was Saturday, Harry worked hard to get small items to come to him. We even ate lunch and dinner together. He had to have a reason to learn this so fast. The Task is a week away.

There has to be more spells that he wants to learn.

By 7pm, Harry had books, chairs and a handful of other large items fly to him from 3 feet away. "You did amazing, Harry. You have it!" I grinned.

"I owe it to you Mum." Harry smiled.

"Now to bed. You had a very tiring day." I kissed his cheeck.

"Yes Mum."

*

"Did you hear Minerva?" Filius asked

"What?"

"Potter has asked me to teach him the Conjuctivitis curse." The small teacher replied.

I smiled, "Are you going to help him?"

"Minerva, Im a true raven. I will help anyone who wants to get ahead of our studies." Fliius smiled.

"Thank you, our youngest Champion nesds as much help as possible." I replied.

*

Two days later, Severus came to me. "Minerva, did you know your son asked me to teach him to brew a healing burns potion?"

I smiled, Harry is certianly getting prepared for everything.

Then I find Harrys trying to learn a shield charm and conjure water.
Needless to say, on Wednesday, I got a note saying hes too busy. I found Harry along with Wood, and both Weasley twins testing Harrys shield.

"Protego!" Harry yelled.

Wood, and the twins shot spells after spells. It stayed up, no apell affected Harry. "Thanks, guys!"

Now Im beyond excited to see the First Task.

*

I groaned when I saw the roster, Harrys last. I watched as Krum used the Conjunctivitis curse, that resulted in some real eggs being broken. Fleur tried to lull the dragon into a trance. Cedric made a dog to distract the dragon.

Then came my boy. Harry first summoned all the eggs to his side of the pen. He summoned his broom and began to avoid the flames on the ground. Whrn his robes caught fire, he put them out. Thats why he wanted the water charm! He then used a potion on his burns. Ingenious!

When his broom arrived, Harry got on it and then, used the Conjunctivitis curse in the eye farthest from the real eggs. The dragon screeched and fell down. Harry flew down and grabbed the golden egg. He was the fastet person yet!

Despite  my urge to go hug him, I kept my face straight with a slight smile. "Into the tent, Potter."

Poppy emerged moments later,"he healed the burns himself! Brilliant!"

Thr scores were given and Harry was in first!