The Headmaster announced Harry's new responsibilities at lunch. He then announced a brief meeting for all of the Champions along with the school representatives immediately after lunch. Harry wanted to groan as he felt all the eyes in the Great Hall turn to look at him after the announcement.
Harry was only slightly surprised with the looks of jealousy and suspicion being cast in his direction. He gets a punishment detail and people think it was a gift. What stupid sheep.
It was only a short time later that Dumbledore along with the other school Heads left followed by all four Heads of House. The problems started soon after.
"Couldn't stand not being in the spotlight could you, Potter?" Harry felt only slightly surprised to realize it was Theodore Nott playing Draco Malfoy's role. By the smell, he even had Malfoy's bookends in tow. It also surprised him that several other Slytherins were arrayed out behind him. Since Harry's warning to Snape at the start of Second year, the snakes had pulled in their fangs. Apparently, the Slytherins were feeling confident again.
"Go away, Nott, and take your entourage with you," Harry responded without even turning around.
"So what did you do to get this, Potter? Do some time down on your knees?" The other conversations in the Hall stopped as three schools worth of students waited with baited breath to see what happened next. While some thought Nott merely meant he begged for the position, the older students and even some of the younger students caught the innuendo.
Harry stood up slowly and stepped free of the bench of the Gryffindor table. He noted that his fellow Gryffindors were doing the same while Ernie and Padma made their way over from their respective tables. The Slytherin students responded by revealing their already drawn wands.
Harry ignored this and stepped boldly to face the weedy-looking Slytherin. "Hmm, tonight the role of Draco Malfoy will be played by a short, pathetic little bastard. Do you have a problem, Nott? Or is this just a little Slytherin power play - trying to steal lil' old Draco's position while he has other problems?"
"Ya, Potter, I got a problem," Nott sneered back. "You think you own this place and deserve special treatment. Your family has never been anything special, especially after your father decided to corrupt it with…"
Nott's words trailed off as Harry took a single step to close the gap between the two students. Harry relaxed the control he'd developed over the effect of his eyes a he glared at the boy hard.
"Do you want to finish that comment, wizard?" Harry growled out. The low sound still seemed to reach every ear in the Hall. "Finish it and I keep my promise to Snape right here, right now."
Harry's glance swept all of the students that had supported Nott. He noted Corner and several others of the "Magical Society Club" were mixed in also. "That goes for all of you too. And as the Musketeers would say, 'One for all and all for one'."
Nott couldn't resist stepping back from the power of Potter's glare. The green eyes radiated an intense power that promised a savage, unrelenting foe. Something the pampered Pureblood had never faced.
"I thought not. Now clear out of here NOW," Potter ordered.
Nott was halfway out of the Hall before he even realized it. Every one of his supporters were even closer to the door then he was. Nott decided to find another way to dethrone Malfoy then to humble Potter.
Once Nott cleared the Hall, Harry stepped onto the bench so he could be seen by all of the students. He particularly turned to face the foreign guests.
"I apologize for the poor behaviour some of our Hogwarts students exhibited here today. Please do not judge us all by a few with poor manners."
Now Harry turned to address the Hall in general, "As to Professor Dumbledore's announcement, it came as a surprise to me as well. He felt as I do not face OWLS or NEWTS or have Quidditch this year I would be a good candidate. Yes, the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing played a part in it, but I did not ask for this. If you still have a problem with that, please feel free to take it up with me later."
Harry hoped down off the bench. He nodded to his friends and walked out of the Great Hall although most people watching would have said it was much too intimidating to simply be called a walk. He was quickly followed by his small circle of close friends.
The reactions of the students left in the Great Hall varied according to their school affiliation. The remaining Hogwarts students started to talk quietly about what just happened. The Beauxbatons students were a bit shocked about the open display of power politics. Such things in France were conducted with much more subtlety, unlike these uncouth Englishmen. The Durmstrang students simply nodded to each other. Yes, this Harry Potter was one they could respect. Each of them knew exactly how they got two additional Champions. Potter showed his cunning before and now his personal power. If his magical talent matched the other two he was a wizard to truly respect.
As Harry made his way out of the Great Hall, he was too angry to make any real observations. Besides, most everyone was behind him. However, if he'd turned around, he would have been shocked to see the paled face and wide eyes of a certain Indian witch following along behind him.
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