Chapter Sixty Four - Wand Wipeout

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. Me, I'm just a PR professional. I don't profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world. However, its her sandbox and she's left the gate unlatched so we can go in and play a bit. Which, I've done.

Chapter Sixty Four - Wand Wipeout

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

Where she was sitting, Daphne had been making careful notes. When she was ready, she drew everyone's attention.

"Alright, the contract, idiocy that it is, does not specifically state that the person whose name appears on the slip is the one who must submit it into the Goblet. And the name written on the slip is in Harry's handwriting, even if the name of the school is not. Therefore, he wrote his name on a slip of parchment and someone else then dropped it into the Goblet. They, whoever they are, did not negate that by writing the name of a school directly below his name and hiding it. So, he's bound.

"The contract does not state that only those of age could compete. However, the contract does state that if he breaks the rules he breaches the contract."

"Hold it a second," said Hermione, from where she was frowning and flicking through the rules. "And the rules state someone cannot compete if they're not of age. If he doesn't compete he - supposedly - breaks the contract. And, according to what Daphne just read, if he does compete he break the rules, which is a breach of contract. By the ways these are written, he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't."

Harry sighed and said, "For now, then, see what the contract and rules state I have to do, other than compete in the tasks, please. I'm going to go and work off some nervous energy with the target dummies."

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

The group worked for a couple of hours through the contracts and rules, looking for anything that could help, when Harry's mirror vibrated and warmed again.

Standing up and stepping away from the others, Harry answered the mirror.

"Hiya, Sirius," said Harry. "What've you found?"

"A damned good lawyer, for one, Harry," the old dog said, pleased with himself. "I'm currently at Greengrass Estate and we're waiting on him, your Aunt Amelia and your Gran to join us. Then, we're coming en masse."

"Can you let me know when you arrive at the gates so I can meet you in the Entrance Hall?" asked Harry. "We're all up on the seventh floor, at the moment."

"Can do, pup!" said the dogfather. "I'll contact you again, then, alright?"

With a nod, Harry replied, "Alright. Bye!" And he shut the connection down.

"It looks like the cavalry are getting things ready," said Harry. "They'll be here soon."

Looking over at those reading the contract and rules, he asked, "Anyone find anything else even remotely interesting?"

"Well, we know you have to compete. And we know there's no definition for what 'compete' means, either. However, that's all you're required to do," said Daphne.

"So, not going into that room off the Great Hall was not something you were required to do," said Hermione.

Harry nodded. "How about media obligations? Anything there?"

"Nothing," said Daphne. "So you're clear to sell yourself to Luna," she smirked.

Harry just snorted. "So, I'm clear to have this contract lawyer draw up a contract for my media rights to be sold for Three Knuts to Luna, then."

"Father is going to love it when he hears this," she smiled. "You know what he's going to say, don't you?"

"That it was a very Slytherin thing to do," laughed Harry.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

After packing up all their work they'd been doing. Harry's mirror warmed and vibrated just as they had finished. A quick acknowledgement to Sirius and they trooped downstairs, arriving in the Entrance Hall as the adults walked in through the main doors.

Quick hugs and other greetings later and Harry and the Seven were being introduced to a tall, thin man with greying hair by Cygnus.

"Harry, this is Dewey Skroohem, barrister and solicitor, he's here for you as your legal counsel," said Cygnus.

The tall man stepped forward and offered his hand, which Harry accepted. "Good morning, Mister Potter." When Skroohem stepped back, he asked, "Is there anywhere private we may go?"

"Yes, sir," replied Harry with a smile. "Third floor. We have a room, there, we can use."

The entire group walked in relative silence up to the third floor and, after Daphne opened the etiquette club rooms, led everyone inside.

"Wow! Harry, this place looks even better than your letters described it to be," said Sirius, looking around.

"Thank you," Harry smiled back.

Mister Skroohem withdrew his wand and conjured a large conference table in the middle of the floor inside the 'U' of tables. Then he conjured up quite a few office-style chairs at the table. Finally, he cast a privacy shield around the lot.

"Please, take seat, everyone," he said, gesturing to the table.

Walking forward, he placed his small legal satchel on the table and placed his thumb on a magical signature lock holding the flap closed. As soon as it clicked unlocked he opened it and withdrew quite a bit of parchment, ink, high quality quills and documents.

As he sat down on the chair at the end of the table, he straightened things up before him.

He looked to Harry and said, "Mister Potter, though you may not know it, I was your legal counsel, through your guardians, for your case against Mister Schlock and the owners of Obscurus Books. I have now been contacted by your guardians to act as your legal counsel with regards to your being entered into the Tri-Wizard Tournament; apparently, against your wishes. For me to fulfil that role I'm required to give an oath to act in your best interests. That will also require me to advise you to the best of my ability, even if that advice is not what you want to hear. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded and replied, "I do, sir." He was surprised this was the same man who went after Schlock. He didn't know of his identity before then.

"The oath also requires me to keep what we discuss as confidential. I cannot speak of it with anyone else other than you, my paralegal secretary, and those whom you implicitly allow me to speak of it with. My paralegal secretary is also bound by my oath. Do you understand?"

"I do, sir." replied Harry.

"Then, do you wish to secure my services as your legal counsel?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," replied Harry.

Mister Skroohem then drew his wand and, holding it for the oath, intoned, "I, Dewey Riley Skroohem, barrister and solicitor, offer my services as legal counsel to Harry James Potter. I swear to keep his secrets as my own, to offer sound legal advice to the best of my ability and knowledge, to be faithful in my dealings with him, and at all times act within the precepts of the law of the land. On termination of my legal representation of him, I will continue to hold his secrets as my own. So say I; so mote it be."

There was a muted flash of light signifying the oath took effect. He then resheathed his wand and slid a piece of paper over to Harry.

"That is the oath I require my clients to take. Your guardians have already taken it. It includes your acceptance of my magically binding offer," he said.

Harry read through the short oath and offered it to Cygnus to peruse.

After Cygnus, Sirius, Amelia and Augusta all read it over and nodded in agreement, Harry took it up, popped out his own wand, and said, "I, Harry James Potter, accept Dewey Riley Skroohem, barrister and solicitor, as my legal counsel. I swear to keep his secrets as my own, to be faithful in my dealings with him, and recognise I have no claim against him if I do not act on his advice. So say I; so mote it be."

Another flash, this time from Harry. He resheathed his wand.

"Excellent," said Skroohem. "Now that that's out of the way, please call me Dewey. May I call you Harry?"

"Yes, sir - Dewey," said Harry, a little relieved. "Where would you like to start?"

"Firstly, Harry, as your legal representation, I must ask if you're comfortable with all these people here being privy to what we discuss?" he asked.

"I am," nodded Harry firmly. "I have no secrets here."

"Good," replied Dewey. "How about you start by telling me what you know, and what you think, happened. If necessary, I'll interrupt to ask questions to clarify matters, agreed?"

"Agreed," replied Harry. "I think it best to start with Dumbledore's speech welcoming the other two schools' representatives to the castle on Friday, the 30th of October, and working forward from there..."

Harry then went into detail of what happened both with the unveiling of the Goblet, what he said to Dumbledore in front of everyone. And the next night, and what happened, including blowing a hole through the doors of the Great Hall to get out.

He then covered what he and the group did to find out more information, including his discussion with Dumbledore, that morning, and their perusing of both the rules and the contract. And he covered the discussion the previous night which led to an in-principle agreement with Luna of Lovegood Publishing for exclusive media rights.

When he mentioned for how much he'd sold said rights, Cygnus and the others burst out laughing and he said, "Slytherin! I told you, he's a Slytherin!" He laughed even further when Neville very obviously offered a Galleon to Daphne with a smirk at Cygnus as he did so. It just made Cygnus laugh all the harder.

Even Dewey grinned with his eyes twinkling away when he heard why the agreement was made. "That is a very clever move, Harry. I'm impressed. And I don't often say that to anyone," he said.

He then turned to Luna and asked, "Are you permitted to make such agreements, Miss Lovegood?"

"The owner of Lovegood Publishing, my father, has verbally granted me the right to make suitable purchases and agreements up to the value of one Galleon," she replied.

"What? Luna!" mock-exclaimed Harry, looking at his second protectee. "You did me over!"

"Nonsense, Harry," she smirked. "I still claim your story is worth only two Knuts. I was being generous."

Even Dewey laughed at that one. He said to Harry, "I'm sure it won't drive you into bankruptcy."

Turning back to Luna, with a grin he said, "I shall draw up the contract, as discussed, and take it to your father at my first available opportunity. I must say, though, I hope you two - and Harry, especially - will allow me to include this part, at least, in my memoirs; when I finally get around to writing them. I'll also admit that I may just use the same idea with other clients in the future. It is truly a very clever move."

Turning more serious he turned back to Harry and said, "Once I have Mister Lovegood's signature on the media exclusivity contract, I will send formal notification to all media outlets informing them Harry is contractually bound to only talk to representatives of Lovegood Publishing. If they breach - or even attempt to breach - that, you are to inform me immediately."

Harry nodded.

Referring back to his notes, Dewey said, "This is what I can tell you right now: Your name coming out of the Goblet does mean you are bound by a magically binding contract, irrespective of how it came to be. However, it also means you are now magically recognised as an adult, as only adults can be bound by such agreements. Though the Ministry, or the law, may or may not recognise it, magic does.

"You and your friends are also correct in that you are only bound to compete in the tournament. A quick skim through the contract and the rules shows me you are not required to take part in any other activity. And, you are also correct in that you can refuse to be named as a champion. You are only a competitor.

"I shall endeavour to discover just what they mean by compete, too, as you are also correct in that there does not appear to be a definition of that. I suspect it'll be the legal definition, in which case I'll peruse that and let you know.

"The conflicting parts - of which your friends pointed out - of you needing to be of age to compete, versus you must compete because your name came out of the Goblet, is troublesome. That can be overcome by accepting emancipation. Emancipation means you will be 'of age'. However, I shall need to cast my eyes more thoroughly over both documents before I will give up on that. Emancipation is a very big step to take."

That had the adult guardians talking among themselves before Cygnus said, "If it becomes necessary, then we'll just have to do that."

Dewey continued, "Besides the three tasks, which are on - the twenty-fourth of November, the twenty-fourth of February and the twenty-fourth of June - there is also the Weighing of the Wands Ceremony on the thirteenth of November and the Yule Ball on Christmas Day evening. However, it states 'champions' are expected for both events; not the competitors, as it does for the tasks. So, you are not required to attend either of those. That's up to you. The Weighing of the Wands and the Yule Ball are traditions, not tasks.

"As for the dates, it appears they intend to use this contract over and over again, as they have not included the year in which the tasks and events occur. It says, for example, that the first task will occur on the twenty-fourth of November, and not on the twenty-fourth of November nineteen ninety three. Whichever mind drafted this document needs a legal spanking. It's somewhat clear to me that it wasn't a trained legal mind."

"Find what you can," said Harry. "Anything that gets me out of this, even if it's a trivial technicality, I'm happy for you to use."

"Excellent," said Dewey. "It does so make my job easier when a client listens to my advice."

Straightening back up a little, he asked, "Now, is there anything else you need to tell me before your guardians and I go and speak with Professor Dumbledore?"

"No," replied Harry. "At least, nothing I can think of."

Dewey nodded and handed Harry a business card. "If there is, contact me via OWL or through your guardians, as soon as possible."

"Thank you," said Harry, accepting the card.

While he was packing away his documentation, Hermione asked, "Would you mind leaving us a copy of both the contract and rules? Harry should have a copy in case someone tries to - bamboozle him."

"Of course," Dewey replied with a smile. He made a copy of both documents and slid the copy across the table to Hermione, before completing packing his valise.

When he stood, everyone stood with him. Turning to Cygnus, he asked, "Shall we go and see the Headmaster?'

"Certainly," replied Cygnus.

"Should I come along?" asked Harry.

"Definitely not," replied Dewey. "I don't want you, personally, anywhere near the man or the other officials from here on; alright?"

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "Oh, and the password to get onto the stairs leading to the headmaster's office is 'gummy bears' today."

Dewey smiled back and gave a slight nod in return.

After the adults left, Harry and the Seven stayed behind to chat about what happened.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

Up in the Headmaster's office Dewey was quite calmly pointing out to Dumbledore his role as Harry's legal counsel. And how all matters regarding Harry were to be sent through him.

Dumbledore exploded in anger. And, in his anger, he let slip a few salient points he would have rather not. "No!" he shouted. "I cannot allow that! There are matters I must discuss with young Harry that are for his ears alone!"

"There most certainly are not," replied Dewey quite calmly. "Lord Greengrass has already laid out for you just how you may speak in private with Mister Potter. But, you will never be allowed to be alone with the boy. For a start, it would be - unseemly. I'm sure you understand my concerns.

Shocked, Dumbledore spluttered, "I would never..."

"And I never said you would," replied Dewey. "However, it would still be unseemly if it ever became public. I'm sure you recall a previous office holder of Headmaster was summarily sacked and sentenced to Azkaban for such, in the past. It would be a shame to see your reputation tarnished even further - probably irrecoverably - should such accusations be made public. The truth is irrelevant."

When Dumbledore was about to splutter indignantly, Dewey continued. "No, Headmaster; it could lead to great harm to Mister Potter's reputation, of which I am now partly and legally responsible, for him to also be tarnished by such accusations, even if it would be as the perceived victim," mused Dewey. "Therefore, I must lend my not inconsiderable legal weight behind the limitations placed upon you by Lord Greengrass regarding Mister Potter."

Before Dumbledore could even begin to think a response, Dewey changed the subject and said, "Now, on to the matters relating to the events which led to Mister Potter's name being ejected from the Goblet of Fire.

"You have failed - quite spectacularly, I might add - in your duty to protect your students from harm, Headmaster. If anything happens to Mister Potter, I daresay you will quite likely find yourself persona non grata in magical Britain from that moment forth. Imagine, because of your - failure - you got the Boy-Who-Lived killed. You may even be lucky to make it out of Britain..."

By the time the guardians and Dewey left the office two hours later, they were all feeling quite smug with themselves. Dumbledore, however, was quite frazzled. He did not leave his office for the rest of the day.

Of the points impressed upon him regarding the tournament, he was never to refer to Harry, in any way, as a champion; nor were any of the staff. That honour remained solely with Diggory, Krum and Delacour. Harry was to be referred to only as the unwilling competitor. There were only three champions; not four. It was the Tri-Wizard Tournament; not the Quad-Wizard Tournament. While Harry was a competitor, his points were not to go towards winning the event. If at all possible, he was to receive zero points. And Dewey and the guardians would all be spectators of the events, and would be watching for any deviation from those points.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

In the week that followed, Harry and the Seven were practically shunned by the other students. However, no one spoke ill of them. At least, not where there was any risk of Harry hearing about it. However, that did not mean he wasn't given the cold shoulder treatment. Far from it. It did not bother him in the slightest, though, as he already had his circle of friends. And they all stood by him.

On the Friday, Harry received a large letter from Dewey. In it was the contract between Harry and Lovegood Publishing that Harry asked Dewey to write up. The cover letter from Dewey explained the extra clauses he and Luna's father included, and where they were. Reading through it, it was exactly what he wanted; including extra clauses related to terminating the contract by either party. Luna's father had already signed it, where applicable.

Dewey's remarks also included that the contract would be magically filed as soon as he signed it. And a copy would replace it, clearly marked as a copy.

Looking up at Luna, he smiled and said, "Your father's agreed to the contract, dear Luna."

"I know," she said. "I received an owl from him yesterday about it. He's very pleased with me."

Harry chuckled and, withdrawing ink and a quill from his bag, signed it in the required and indicated places. As soon as the last signature dried, there was a flash. And Harry had before him his own copy of the contract.

Looking up at Luna, he said, "It's done, Lu. Lovegood Publishing are now the only media organisation to whom I'm permitted to speak, or is permitted to write about me, for the remainder of the school year."

"Thank you, Harry," she said. "May I ask for the first interview to be held immediately after the first task?"

"Of course," he replied with a grin. "I shall make myself available to you in your official capacity as a journalist for The Quibbler then."

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

On the Friday, at breakfast, many of the students began wearing badges that said 'Support Cedric'. Harry chuckled and asked one of the older Ravenclaws where he got them from, as he would like to wear one, too.

The student just scowled at him and stormed away. He later found out that Malfoy was the one who had paid for them.

At lunch, however, Dumbledore stood and told everyone to remove them and immediately hand them over to their Heads of Houses. Apparently, there was a charm on them that changed the badge to say 'Potter Stinks' when Harry and the Seven were not in the vicinity.

"Except for the First Years, you were all privy to what happened to Ravenclaw House when it was discovered they had been bullying one of their own," he said. "This is another form of bullying. Anyone found in possession of such a badge, or similar, will be summarily suspended from school immediately; and sent home. You have been warned."

After lunch, he was in Charms.

"Summoning Charms!" exclaimed Professor Flitwick. "A most versatile and oft used charm..."

A knock on the door burst in on the professor's little speech.

It was Colin Creevey. He edged into the room, beaming at Harry, and walked up to Professor Flitwick's podium at the front of the room.

"Yes?" asked the professor.

"Please, sir; I'm supposed to take Harry Potter downstairs."

"Mister Potter has another half hour of Charms to complete," said Professor Flitwick. "What is this about?"

Colin went pink.

"Sir - sir, Mister Bagman wants him," he said nervously. "All the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographs..."

Harry would have given anything he owned to have stopped Colin saying those last few words. He chanced half a glance at Neville and Hermione.

"Very well, very well," sighed Professor Flitwick. "Mister Potter, you may leave your things here."

"Please, sir - he's got to take his things with him," squeaked Colin. "All the champions..."

"Oh, very well!" grumbled the little professor. "Mister Potter, you may go."

"That is not necessary, Professor," said Harry. "I am not a champion. Ergo, I am not required. It appears Mister Bagman is not aware of this."

He then turned to Colin and said, "Mister Creevey; please pass on my respects to Mister Bagman and inform him that I shall not be attending as I am not a champion. If he needs, he may speak with Headmaster Dumbledore for clarification. Thank you."

"Errr - Harry?" stuttered the younger boy, clearly worried.

"You - really don't want to do that, do you?" sighed Harry.

The other boy shook his head so rapidly his face became a blur. When he stopped, his hair was completely mussed. And was still worried.

"Alright, Mister Creevey; please wait for me outside," said Harry. Turning back to Professor Flitwick, he said, "My apologies, Professor. It appears the utter head farts responsible for this farce just can't seem to get it into the sewer sludge they claim as their brains that I am not a champion. I shall need to remonstrate with the man."

"Understood, Mister Potter," replied the professor with a grin. "We'll see you, shortly."

Grumbling under his breath, Harry reached into his bag and withdrew his copy of the contract. With it in his hand he left the classroom. Colin was waiting for him outside.

"Alright, Colin," said Harry. "Lead the way."

As Colin walked with him down to - wherever - Harry could see he was bursting with questions. "Colin, has Miss Lovegood approached you for assistance as a photographer, yet?"

"No - no, she hasn't," replied the younger boy. "Will she?"

"I expect she might," replied Harry. "Now, once we get inside - wherever it is you're taking me - I'm going to start yelling at people. Be assured, none of that yelling will be directed at you. Understand?"

"I - understand," replied Colin a little nervously.

"Good. I'm also going to be radiating a lot of magical power, alright?"

"Yeah - I've - seen you do that before."

"And you're about to see me do it again," said Harry. "I suspect to see some of the adults in that room - to use the vulgar - shit themselves when I do it. You will be perfectly safe, I assure you. Alright?"

"Yeah - alright," said the boy. "I trust you, Harry."

"Good lad," said Harry. "What I want you to do is go inside and tell them I'm right behind you. Then get away from the door. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, Harry. I can do that," replied Colin.

"Good; because I don't want you to get hurt," said Harry.

After a few minutes more walking, Colin indicated a door and said, "They're in there."

"Thank you, Colin," said Harry. "Go on, then; and remember to get away from the door, right away."

With a nod and setting himself, Colin walked rapidly up to the door and went in.

Harry gathered his magic, waited a few moments and set his 'angry face' on. Then marched up to the door, popped his wand into his hand and banishing the door open.

The door slammed open and he strode in, magic swirling around him. His eyes, glowing.

"Bagman, you moron!" he barked. "Where the hell are you?"

There was a flash of camera.

Instantly his wand came up and he summoned the camera to his hand. He fairly ripped the back of it open and ripped the film out before he dropped it on the floor and smashed it under his heel. Then he dropped the camera onto the remains.

Looking at the gobsmacked photographer, a man with a slight paunch, he barked, "Startle me like that again, snot-gobbler, and you better hope I don't retaliate with a Cutting Curse or similar!"

Turning back to everyone else in the room he saw it was occupied by the three champions, Ludo Bagman, the idiot photographer and some woman dressed in magenta robes.

He was in a fairly small classroom. Most of the desks had been pushed away to the back of the room, leaving a large space in the middle. Three of them, however, had been placed end-to-end in front of the blackboard and covered with a long length of velvet. Five chairs had been set behind the velvet-covered desks, and Ludo Bagman was sitting in one of them next to the woman in magenta robes. He, like everyone else, was staring back in shock at Harry.

Viktor Krum was standing moodily in a corner, as usual, and not talking to anybody. Diggory and the French bint, Delacour, were obviously in conversation before he entered.

Bagman stuttered, "Errr - umm - it - it's the W-Weighing of the Wands Ceremony, M-Mister Potter."

Glaring back, Harry snarled, "Do you mean to tell me, you've interrupted my study - the entire reason I'm in this school - for some half-arsed, bullshit ceremony?"

Fidgeting and looking ready to bolt at any moment, Bagman replied, "W-We have to check that your wands are fully functional - n-no problems, you know? - as-as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead. The e-expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore. An-And then there's going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter," he added, gesturing toward the witch in magenta robes. "She's doing a small piece on the tournament for the Daily Prophet..."

"No, she's fucking not!" barked Harry, riding right over the man, who then cowered back. "I have an exclusive media contract and it's NOT with the Daily Prophet!"

Swivelling his eyes to the woman in magenta, he barked, "You Skeeter?"

Skeeter's hair was set in elaborate and curiously rigid curls that contrasted oddly with her heavy-jawed face. She wore jewelled spectacles. The thick fingers clutching her crocodile-skin handbag ended in two-inch nails, painted crimson.

Bracing herself, she tried, "Errr - yes, Mister Potter. I wonder if I could have a little word with you before we start." She had guts, facing up to him like that.

Harry spun about and cast his patronus. "Prongs!"

The patronus turned to look at him.

"Message to Dewey Skroohem, barrister and solicitor, Diagon Alley, London; I've just been approached by some numpty witch who goes by the name of Rita Skeeter, who purports herself to be a journalist from the Daily Prophet. She was already informed I was in an exclusive media contract, yet she has still tried to question me. You are free to go after her, Barnaby Cuffe and the Daily Prophet. Have fun."

Prongs gave a short nod and bound out through the door.

Spinning back to Skeeter - who was staring back in shock - he snarled, "In case you don't know what just happened, I just sicced my lawyer onto your arse, your boss's arse, and the Daily Prophet in general. Do not talk to me, or report on me, in any way! You're in enough shit, as it is!"

Turning back to Bagman, who again cowered under his verbal onslaught, he barked, "As for you, you fat piece of dragon shit; magically binding contract or not, I am under no obligation, whatsoever, to take part in some fucked-up ceremony! If I see you again before the first task on the twenty-fourth, I'm gonna ram my foot so far up your arse I'm going to knock your teeth out! Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

Bagman just nodded his head rapidly back.

Harry then glared around the room, before spinning on his heel and storming out.

Krum moved forward towards Bagman and made as if to sniff the air. He then cast his amused eyes down at Bagman and said, "It appears, Mister Bagman, you have soiled yourself."

Delacour snickered.

With a smirk, Diggory said, "And, that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why we never upset Harry."

Harry stalked back to the Charms classroom. By the time he had returned, he'd calmed down again.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

At dinner that night, Diggory approached him. He appeared quite amused. "Mister Potter, may I have a word?"

"Sure, Mister Diggory," he replied with a small smile. "Here, or elsewhere?"

"Same place we discussed that other - unpleasantness?" he asked.

"Why not," said Harry. Looking back at the group he said, "I'll be back in a tic or two."

He rose and followed Diggory out of the Hall. Of course, a lot of eyes followed him out.

Entering the antechamber after Diggory he found Krum and Delacour were also there. He gave them each a curt nod before turning to Diggory. "Mister Diggory?"

"Umm - What you said, today; before the weighing of the wands..." the boy said.

"Yes?" asked Harry.

"You said something about an exclusive media contract. And, that Miss Skeeter couldn't talk to you," he said.

"I did, and she can't," replied Harry.

Krum then asked, "How is this - how you say - possible?"

"Ah!" said Harry. "I have an exclusive media contract with Lovegood Publishing. No other media organisation is allowed to approach me or even write a story about me. Miss Skeeter would have been informed of this from her boss, who was informed by my lawyer.

"Furthermore, no one is allowed to use my name, my image, or my story, in any form, without my and Lovegood Publishing's express permission."

"And - how much did this - cost you?" asked tall, dark and broody.

"Cost me?" asked Harry. He grinned and said, "It didn't cost me anything other than the cost of having the contract drawn up. Actually, I sold the rights to Lovegood Publishing for three Knuts."

"They pay you?" the Bulgarian asked in surprise.

"Yes," replied Harry, with a nod and a smile. "However, the money only exists within the contract so that money actually changes hands. Without the consideration - the money - the contract would be void.

"Also in the contract, is stipulations regarding truth and limitations on approaching me. Everything that is printed, written, painted, drawn, modelled, whatever, must be the absolute truth. In return, a journalist for Lovegood Publishing has the right to interview me no less than three times over the course of the year. But, such interviews must be at a time and place suitable for the both of us."

Delacour spoke up and asked, "'Ow do we get contract like zis?"

Looking around the three of them, Harry asked, "I take it the three of you are interested in this?"

"Oui - Da - Yes"

Harry chuckled and said, "I'll let the Lovegood Publishing representative here, at school, know you're also interested in the same deal. And, I shall send an owl to my lawyer, tonight, letting him know the three of you want the same contracts. I hope three Knuts is suitable compensation?"

"Oui -Da - Yes"

Nodding, he chuckled and asked, "Anything else?"

"Yeah, errr..." tried Diggory. "What you said about the wand ceremony. You didn't have to attend?"

"You three haven't read the contract you agreed to when you entered this thing, have you?"

"No - Non - Net"

Harry sighed and said, "Sorry, but that's not very clever is it?" He gave them all an amused smile, to which even Krum blushed a little.

"Well," he began. "In a nutshell, you are required to compete in three tasks. Those three tasks will take place on the 24th of November, the 24th of February and the 24th of June. That's it! You have no other legal obligations beyond that.

"Be also aware, there is a Yule Ball to be held on the night of Christmas Day, for which the champions are expected to lead the first dance. Expected - not Required! Understand?"

"If anyone tries to tell you differently - and I'm sure they will - they're either knowingly or unknowingly lying to you!

"Now, as you three are currently contracted for this thing, you are entitled to a copy of both the contract and the rules. By law, they should have been given to you on the evening your name came out of the Goblet. That they were not, is illegal. So, go and bloody demand a copy each! And, for Merlin's sake, read them."

"But, why do you want to get out of zis tournayment?" asked Delacour. "Surely, you would want ze fame and ze glory, no?"

"Fame? Glory?" asked Harry with an amused smirk. "I'm the Boy-Who-Lived! I'm recognised all over the world. I also c-slayed a thirty foot long basilisk when I was twelve; with a freaking sword! I don't need, nor want, fame. As for glory? What glory? Tell me, Miss Delacour, who won this thing last time?"

"Errr - I..." she tried, thinking furiously.

"Exactly!" said Harry. "And, as for the one thousand Galleons prize money; I'm the Head of one Noble and Most Ancient House, the Heir Presumptive of a second, and betrothed to the Heiress Presumptive of a third! Forgetting the last two, as Head of House Potter, I'm already worth hundreds of millions of Galleons! Why the hell would I risk my life for what I consider pocket change? I've spent far more than that in one day's worth of shopping in Diagon Alley!"

"You haf left us with much to think about, Mistŭr Potter," said Krum, broodily brooding.

"I'm happy to have been of service, Mister Krum," said Harry. "I'll talk to Luna of Lovegood Publishing tonight, and send the owl off to my lawyer, as well. Expect to hear from both over the next couple of days."

"Spasibo - Thank you - Merci"

Harry left the three of them quietly chatting with each other.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

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