Hey guys! Long time no see . . .

This chapter was supposed to be longer but I guess you're just lucky I decided to end it otherwise you'd have waited another week or so.

Chapter Eleven- Come One, Come All

Grace sat in shock after Harry left.

There were still people murmuring around them, calling him a liar and cheat. A few seats down from Grace, one boy in the year above her spoke loudly of how attention-seeking her brother must be.

"That concludes our feast for the night, ladies and gentlemen," Dumbledore announced. "Our champions will be informed of what entails for them in the first task of the tournament. All you have to know is that the task is on the 24th of November. Your teachers will give you more directions as the day approaches. For now, I bid you goodnight."

"Isn't that your birthday, Grace?" George whispered in her ear as they stepped away from the Gryffindor table and joined the crowd moving out of the hall.

"Yeah, it is."

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Once up in the tower common room, the Gryffindors refused to go to bed, except for Kenneth who said that, though the tournament was an adequate way of keeping up international relations, the partying was absolute nonsense. Even as Grace sat on the back of one of the couches, stuck between Trina and Ciara, people clapped her on the shoulder or dropped a word of praise towards Harry. Nobody really seemed to notice the fact that he was too young, only happy that they had a Gryffindor champion.

"I swear he wouldn't've entered though," Grace whispered furiously to her room-mates, each of whom had a spot of the couch around her.

"It could have just been a prank," Lara reasoned. "Maybe a joke with his friends?"

"Nah, you didn't see Ron's face," Miranda said, shaking her head. "He didn't know about it and Harry doesn't do anything without those two, does he?"

"No," Grace confirmed. "Besides he wouldn't have been able to enter. He wouldn't have a single bloody clue how."

"Then what happened?" Hannah questioned determinedly. "And will they let him compete?"

The rest of the girls were prevented from answering by the portrait door opening to allow Harry to enter. A boisterous amount of noise came up from every single one of his house-mates. Fred, George and Lee yanked him inside the room, whistling him on. Everyone around them was applauding or screaming. The girls around Grace yelled their support for him, and Grace gave a weary smile before putting her hands together.

"You should've told us you'd entered!" bellowed Fred. He looked half annoyed and half impressed at Harry. Grace frowned at him.

"How did you do it without getting a beard? Brilliant!" roared George. Both of them seemed to believe that Harry had really entered himself, ignoring Harry's protests.

Grace watched from her seat as Katie Bell shrieked that he would be able to beat Cedric this time and another girl that Grace thought might have been a reserve Chaser carried on about how glad she was they had a Gryffindor champion.

Fred and George threw their arms over Harry's shoulders, dragging him towards a table groaning with the weight of too much food. Grace could already see him arguing weakly with them but the twins would never listen. Even as Grace called out to Harry, Lee appeared with the Gryffindor banner that usually hung between the twins' beds. He fought against Harry to tie it tightly over Harry's shoulder, like some sort of Greek toga.

Finally, after most of the Gryffindor house had accosted Harry; Ciara, Trina and Lara climbed off the couch to approach him as well, dragging Grace along with them. They shoved their way through the crowd, announcing that the 'champion's sister was coming through', making Grace roll her eyes. It did, however, part the students quickly so that they could get to Harry.

"Harry!" Trina cheered, pulling him into a tight hug. Harry's eyes widened over her shoulder and he looked to Grace in alarm, who shrugged. "This is so cool! Out of everyone in the whole of England you deserve to be champion the most, no matter how old you are!"

"Let him breath, Trin," Lara said lightly. "I still can't believe this actually happened, but if it was going to happen, of course it would happen to you, Harry. And trust us, we'll be in the crowds cheering you on the whole way through."

"Thanks," Harry said curtly.

"I thought I must have been dreaming when your name came out of the goblet!" Ciara told Harry. "I mean, if Fred and George couldn't get in with Grace's potion help being only a few months too young, then how the hell would your name have gotten in there? Something is seriously not right."

Harry's lips curled up in just a small, grateful smile.

"None of actually believe that you put your name in the goblet," Grace assured him. "It's absolute nonsense. Are they actually making you compete?"

"Yeah," Harry answered. He started searching around them for a way to escape when Jesse and Lee drew near, shouting at him and holding armfuls of Butterbeer. "First task is the 24th and we don't know a thing about it. Sorry, Grace-,"

He twisted around and tried to squeeze through the tight circle of girls behind them, but Lee was too quick, pouncing on him and handing him a bottle of Butterbeer.

Grace sighed and moved away, heading back towards the couch.

"We're not going to be able to see him again tonight, are we?' she guessed.

"You know, usually Gryffindor parties are the best thing ever but, right now I don't really think Harry wants one," Ciara commented, collapsing onto the couch.

Grace scowled.

"Oh, c'mon, who wouldn't want a Gryffindor party?" George protested, flinging himself down with Ciara and pulling Grace with him.

"Someone who didn't put their name in the Goblet of Fire," Grace pointed out, struggling to get out of George's arms. She wriggled in them and attempted to push him away but he wouldn't budge. Eventually she gave up and leant against him. "Where is your brother, by the way?"

"Over with his girlfriend," George grumbled. True to George's word, Fred was sitting in the loveseat closest to the fire with Miranda curled up next to him.

"Your younger brother, idiot,' Grace said, flicking George's forehead gently.

"Fred is my younger brother," George maintained. "By like twenty minutes."

Grace exchanged a look with Ciara.

"I meant Ron," Grace said. "Isn't it a bit odd that he isn't over there, defending Harry?" George moaned into her shoulder and mumbled something about being a prick. "Are you drunk?"

George lifted his head, "We found some Firewhisky in the kitchens. I only had a bit when Fred stopped being fun."

"I think you should go to bed," Grace told him, standing and heaving George up with her. They pushed through the common room to the boys' dormitory and made it up the stairs. Grace let go of George when they were at his bed. She started walking back to her own dormitory, only to start yawning and stumbling into Lee's bed.

Then again the old sofa was just as comfortable as it looked.

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The first thing Grace noticed when she woke up was the sound of George arguing heatedly with Kenneth. There was lighting pouring in through the windows, restrained only slightly by the party closed curtains. Sometime during the night someone had placed a woollen blanket that looked like it had been quilted by Mrs Weasley over Grace. She was perfectly comfortable and warm.

It would have been peaceful if not for their voices getting steadily louder by the second.

"Mate, I don't think it's that hard to keep quiet at the bloody break of dawn when people are trying to sleep," George said, irritation creeping into his voice, even though it sounded dry and croaky.

"I hardly think I need to keep quiet at nine 'o'clock in the morning, mate" Kenneth bit back. "Most normal people would be awake by that time, not lying in bed with a hangover."

He spat the last words out like an insult. Grace peered over the back of the sofa to see Kenneth and George standing with only a few inches between them. George looked like he had only just woken up judging by his hair and ruffled clothes. Kenneth, on the other hand, was all prim and proper with his tucked in shirt, perfectly straight tie and combed back hair.

"It's Sunday morning, Kenneth!" George cried, throwing his hands in the air. "A guy should be allowed to sleep for a few more hours."

"That's just a little bit hypocritical," Kenneth said. "You and your insane friends bring all sorts of ruckus in here that keeps me awake until the early hours of the morning but I cannot make any noise on a Sunday morning?"

"Half the time you're not around to sleep here," George pointed out. "How would we keep you up when you're off sleeping in the Ravenclaw common room? Besides, we're not even that loud!"

Grace started to laugh, unable to help herself at the ridiculous statement, then covered it up with a cough when both boys looked at her.

"Morning," she greeted sheepishly.

"Morning," Kenneth and George said at once, only to turn to each other and scowl.

"If you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than chat away the morning with a drunk and a girl whose brother broke the rules for some extra fame and glory," Kenneth snarled. With one last look of contempt, he stalked out the door.

"Hey!" George and Grace shouted. Grace scrambled over the back of the sofa to join George in yelling after the pompous boy, who ignored them with his head held high.

"What was that all about?" Grace questioned, turning to George.

"He was slamming the bathroom door and listening to the freaking morning news on Lee's radio at top volume when I was still asleep," George explained. "I called him out on it and he started making comments about me drinking so much and you sleeping here. Even mentioned Harry a few times too."

"That bastard," Grace murmured. She peered around the room at the rest of the empty beds. "Where is everyone?"

"Lee and Jesse are down at breakfast," George said, running a hand through his bed hair. "Fred slept down in the common room I expect."

"What? With Miranda?"

"No, a first year boy," George corrected, smirking.

"That's a little creepy," Grace remarked, smiling ruefully. "How about I steal one of your jumpers then we head down to lake for coffee and eggs. I hear it's the perfect hangover remedy."

"I swear I didn't even drink that much," George muttered.

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It was nice to be able to spend some time with George again. Grace hadn't really spoken to him in the same way since the whole thing with Jesse. They perched on top of their favourite fallen tree, swinging their legs over the lake.

"What is up with you and Fred lately?" Grace asked.

"Nothing, nothing," George said, waving the issue off before looking over at Grace's raised eyebrows and sighing in defeat. "He's my twin, you know? We've spent almost every minute of our lives together and when he and Miranda started dating, I didn't exactly realise they would spend so much time together. Miranda is the first serious girlfriend either one of us has had."

"Spending time together is what a relationship entails," Grace said slowly.

"I know Gracie, I'm not that stupid. It just came as a surprise . . . he just suddenly wasn't there that much anymore."

"You make your life sound so lonely," Grace snorted. "How in Merlin's name would you even think that Fred wasn't around you anymore? I swear if he's not with Miranda he's with you. He doesn't get any time alone!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," George laughed, nudging his shoulder into Grace's and making her wobble dangerously close to the water. "Now you've got me confessing all my deep, dark feelings."

Grace chuckled softly. They continued to drink the lukewarm coffee and eat the fresh-made omelettes from the kitchen house elves. There was a quiet over the grounds, broken only by the lapping of the lake waves and the whisper of wind through the trees. That is until an angry voice shouted out behind them. Though the voice was muffled, they were still able to recognise the voice and hear the mention of breaking someone's neck.

"Harry?" Grace called out, crawling over to the other side of the expansive tree to see Harry and Hermione walking along the other side of the tree. Both startled at the sound of her voice; Harry avoiding her eyes almost guiltily. "What's with all the shouting?"

"Let him yell, Gracie," George said, sliding over the side of the tree and jumping down, reaching a hand up to help Grace down. "Can't keep it all bottled down."

"What's up?" Grace pressed, after ignoring George's hand and leaping off the tree.

Harry sighed, reaching up to run a hand through his hair.

"Nothing, Grace, nothing's wrong."

"We were just talking about the tournament," Hermione explained tersely, ignoring the look Harry gave her.

"People are assholes," Grace commented.

"Too right," George agreed.

Grace tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at Harry, "You know what I would be doing in your position right now? Writing to Remus and letting him know what happened. He wanted to know everything that was going on at Hogwarts after he left, and I'm sure your godfather would too."

Hermione turned to Harry with a raised eyebrow.

"Harry doesn't have a godfather, does he?" George asked in confusion. Grace ignored him.

"Come off it," Harry said, eyeing George in concern. "He came back to the country just because my scar twinged. He'll probably come bursting right into the castle if I tell him someone entered me for the Triwizard Tournament."

"He'd want you to tell him," Grace insisted. "Harry, he's not completely stupid, he can be discreet. Besides he'd find out about it anyway-,"

"How?" Harry said bewildered.

"Harry, this isn't going to be kept quiet," Hermione said, soft and serious. "This Tournament's famous, and you're famous, I'll be surprised if there isn't anything in the Daily Prophet about you competing . . . you're already in half the books about You-Know-Who, you know," Hermione paused, throwing a sidelong glance at George, "And your godfather would rather hear it from you I'm sure. I've got parchment and quills with me if you want."

"We'll just leave you alone then," Grace said. "Don't forget to say hi from me!"

Grace tugged on a bewildered George's arm, giving Harry a tight smile over her shoulder as she and George entered the castle, making their way to the library to find their friends.

"What was that all about?" George questioned, when she let go of his arm.

"Purely hypothetical situation."

George raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yes," Grace nodded, poker face in place.

"Thank Merlin you never have to lie to save your life," George commented. Grace scowled at him, flinging the last bit of egg at his face.

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Grace's statement of people being assholes proved true over the next week. Almost as soon as Grace had entered the library on the Sunday following the announcement, all of the students that were there turned to stare at her. The minority of Gryffindors that were there gave her a winning grin and wink whereas the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins all glared. Even some of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students seemed to be unhappy with the turn of events though Grace couldn't blame them there. They didn't exactly gain much from Harry's name coming out from the cup.

The Ravenclaws' attitude didn't make any sense at all though. They had always seemed reasonably friendly towards Harry and the other Gryffindors. And, unlike Hufflepuff and Slytherin, didn't have any logical reason to be unhappy.

"Aren't Ravenclaws supposed to be all about logic?" Grace said to Ciara and Miranda in Transfiguration on Thursday morning after discussing all of the reactions to the shock. "You would have thought they'd see the flaws in their own behaviour."

"Yeah, but you've seen how Kenneth acts," Ciara pointed out, vanishing the mouse in front of her. "Most of Ravenclaws are about following the rules to be honest, especially if they are logical rules. And what happened with Harry goes against most of the rules of the tournament. In their minds it doesn't make any sense so Harry must've done something wrong."

"Then again they might just be arrogant pricks," Miranda added, reaching to catch her mouse as it tried to run off the table.

It wasn't until the weekend after Harry's name was pulled out of the cup that Grace decided to take her own advice to Harry and write Remus a letter. It wasn't the first one she'd sent him since the school term had started. She had been writing updates on Hogwarts and the slightly frightening state of Defence since she had her first lesson.

First thing Saturday morning Grace tore some parchment out of her trunk and stole a quill lying on Trina's bed, making her way to the Owlery. Yesterday, she had asked to borrow Hedwig and harry had told her she would probably appreciate it. The owl hadn't been on any long flights since he had stopped using her to contact Sirius. Resting her parchment against the cold stone of the tower, Grace started scrawling across it:

Dear Remus

I'm sure you've heard about what's happened by now. Everyone in Europe probably knows. Which is the last thing Harry would want.

Almost the whole of Hogwarts has turned against him. Even I can't walk down the corridor without someone making a comment. And I think it might be worse than the chamber of secrets. I told you about that, right? How everyone assumed that he was the heir of Slytherin? Complete shit, really. Why would the heir of Slytherin be a Gryffindor? Anyway, this time everyone isn't scared of him, they just hate him. By everyone I mean the whole school. The only ones that don't are the Gryffindors that think he cheated to earn some house pride. Except for Ron, who does hate him now. I haven't heard the whole story behind that yet. Fred and George just keep telling me their brother is a prick. I agree.

I don't know what to do about this, Remus. Something is wrong here. I know Harry didn't put his name in that cup but, if he didn't who did? It's too much to just be some sort of joke. What should I do? What can I do?

Hope it's nice wherever you are, and that you're getting some work. Write if you need anything at all. I'll sneak right down to Honeydukes if you need me to. Love, Gracie.

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It was decided that they would spend Sunday holed up in their dormitory, huddled around the fire with their textbooks surrounding them. Grace wasn't sure she wanted to brave the masses of tormenting students that they would find in the library or the great hall. Her room-mates had immediately agreed, pulling all of the pillows and blankets off their beds to make a cosy fort in the middle of the room for studying. Miranda, Ciara and Trina had a made a trip early morning for food and brought back messages from the boys, who Grace suspected were spending the day mischievously.

The week was spent in a similar fashion. Grace alternated between her classes, talking with Harry, snuggling up in her dormitory and hiding away with Madam Pompfrey. It was on Thursday that Grace received a reply from Remus, snatching it up from Hedwig at breakfast and dashing off to read it in a concealed corridor.

Gracie, of course I know about the Triwizard Tournament by now. Most of the Swedish newspapers still have the story on their front page and that's saying something. Luckily most Swedish wizards are less prejudiced than most so I have a cosy little tutor job for now.

I wish there was more I could do to help you. It's an incredibly hard situation for you and Harry and I know that you need someone there for you. Someone older, I mean. I know your friends are like family but they are still the same age as you.

For now my advice is this: Don't be so hard on Ron. You of all people know what it feels like to live in Harry's shadow. Or Cedric either. I know he is your friend so don't go blaming all of the Hufflepuff's attitudes on him. Keep your friends close; you're going to need them. I know with everything that's happening, fighting with them is the last thing on your mind but when tensions are high anything can happen. Don't start something over nothing, Grace.

And Grace, be careful. It's hard to say what's going on right now, but something is wrong. I know how you and the rest of your Gryffindors are, but don't take any foolish risks. If you know that something has happened, go to Dumbledore!

Hoping everything gets better,

Remus

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Unluckily for Grace, her hour and a half of Herbology on Friday afternoon was cancelled due to an outbreak of some sort of plant infecting virus. Professor Sprout had left a note on the greenhouse door to research the virus instead of class but with the number of Hufflepuffs heading off to the library, throwing Grace foul looks on their way past, Grace decided that Madam Pompfrey could use some help instead.

She had just arrived and was starting to organise the medicine cupboard, with Madam Pompfrey chattering on about the Tournament behind her, when the doors opened. One of the Slytherins from Harry's year, Goyle, had entered the wing with huge, burning red boils covering his face.

Madam Pompfrey stopped talking and gestured Goyle (at least Grace thought that was his name) to a bed, inspecting his face from a distance. She turned and gave Grace a pointed look, nodding her head at the medicine in front of her. Letting out a sigh at having to treat the Slytherin that Grace was pretty sure helped Malfoy harass Harry, Grace pulled out the bottle of Boil Cure, and carried it over.

Leaving Madam Pompfrey to do her work, Grace turned back to the medicine cupboard when the doors banged open again. Hermione came rushing in down the wing, her hands spread wide as she struggled to hide her mouth.

Only her hands were too small and couldn't cover her two front teeth as they steadily grew down to her chest. Hermione's eyes were wide and spilling over with tears. She started to talk but had trouble saying anything clearly around the large teeth.

"Come on, let's get you a bed," Grace told her, putting an arm around her shoulders, careful not to bump the teeth and pulling her to the closest bed. Madam Pompfrey immediately stopped treating Goyle and rushed over. At the dumb smile started on his face, Grace yanked the curtains around Hermione's bed closed, throwing him a suspicious glare as she did.

With one wave of her wand and a muttered charm, Madam Pompfrey stopped the teeth growing.

"Curse?" Madam Pompfrey questioned briskly.

Hermione nodded her head shakily.

"Easy fix," the matron replied. "Grace is going to hold a mirror in front of you, while I shrink your teeth back. Just you tell me when to stop, dear."

In a short moment Hermione's teeth were back at her chin, then in her mouth and finally back at the size they were before. But Hermione didn't tell Madam Pompfrey to stop for another second after that, making her teeth just a bit smaller than they were before.

"There you go, all done," Madam Pompfrey smiled. "Your mouth still may hurt so Grace can get you some numbing potion."

"Be right back," Grace told Hermione, following Madam Pompfrey out for the potion.

"Grace," the matron said, just as she was about to return to Goyle. "As much as I love having you around, I happen to know you came here to avoid something. I am willing to let you stay if it makes you feel better . . . but I have a feeling it won't. Not until you go out there and face whatever it is that has James and Lily Potter's daughter hiding out in the hospital wing."

Grace stared back at her.

Madam Pompfrey gave a satisfied nod and turned away, leaving Grace gaping after her. It took a second for her brain to start working again then she was back by Hermione's bedside, pouring out a glass of potion.

"So are you going to tell me what happened?" Grace asked, handing the glass over. "And it'll feel better to talk before taking that."

Hermione sighed, gripping the glass tightly.

"It was Malfoy. Well, Malfoy and Harry." Grace frowned. "Malfoy was taunting him and . . . you know how he is. The curses rebounded off each other, so Goyle got hit with Malfoy's and me with Harry's."

"Damn, why does Malfoy have to such a dickhead?"

"It wasn't just that this time. Malfoy has these badges. They say 'support Cedric Diggory- the real Hogwarts Champion'. And if you press them it changes into 'Potter Stinks'"

"Wow," Grace nodded. "He couldn't think of anything cooler?"

Hermione chuckled.

"Of course when Malfoy called me a Mudblood, Harry got angry, that's when he got his wand out."

"That's fair enough though. Nobody should call anybody a Mudblood ever."

Hermione smiled.

"You know there's like an hour left of class. Why don't we stay then bring some soup or something up here? Avoid all the Slytherins, you know?" Grace suggested.

"Sounds good," Hermione said. She hesitated. "I don't really want to leave Harry alone though."

Grace sat back, scrunching up her face in thought. She let out an exhale of breath, watching Hermione's face as she stressed over Grace's own little brother.

"I think he'll be fine if he eats dinner alone for one night. Hermione, I know we both try but we can't always be there. Because if we did then we would be too worn out to be helpful at all. Think about it. I'm gonna clean out some stuff but I'll be back in an hour."

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"So?" Grace asked, peering around the curtain to raise her eyebrows at Hermione. "Am I bringing us dinner or are you leaving me to sneak food into the library alone?"

Hermione looked slightly scandalized at Grace's options but still nodded.

"Dinner up here would be nice."

"I'll be back in twenty."

Grace waved goodbye to Madam Pompfrey, checking if she wanted anything to eat and left the hospital wing. She was about to enter the corridor to the kitchens from the Entrance Hall when a group of Hufflepuffs from her year, including Elliot and James.

Grace was about to smile at them, wondering how they had been since herself and Miranda had stopped seeing them anymore, when Elliot pointed at his chest, smirking.

"Cedric for the Cup," he told her. She frowned at the badge that Hermione had described to her earlier: bright green with 'Cedric Diggory: the Real Hogwarts Champion' written across it. Then Elliot pressed the badge into his chest and the writing melted into red block letters that spelled out 'Potter Stinks'.

"Potter stinks!" one of the other Hufflepuffs jeered. Grace frowned. Her mouth had fallen open staring at Elliot. Even James, one of the sweetest boys Grace knew, wore a badge proudly on his chest.

"Elliot-," Grace started.

"Sorry, Grace, Hufflepuffs don't talk to cheaters," he said. The group's laughter echoed after them as they left Grace standing in the doorway to the kitchen corridor.

Ten minutes later Grace took a deep breath, making sure her hands weren't shaking when she levitated the food in front of her, and entered the hospital wing again. She gave Hermione a wide smile, and floated the two rather large bowls of soup onto the bed tray in front of Hermione.

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"Oh Merlin, have you not seen Fred and Miranda lately?" Grace questioned. Hermione shook her head, eyes wide. "They're like the most adorable couple in the whole of Hogwarts! And that's including when Oliver Wood and Trina used to date."

"I never thought Fred would be one to settle down," Hermione confessed.

"He acts like such a lady man but he's not," Grace revealed. "He barely looks at any other girls anymore. Not even the Holyhead Harpies when Lee gets a copy of their calendar."

Hermione giggled. Then she looked across at Grace, curiously.

"What actually happened to Trina and Oliver?"

"Oh they're 'on a break'," Grace said, miming speech marks. "According to Trina, it's not fair of her to keep him back when he could be off succeeding in the Quidditch world cup and it's equally not fair of him to distract her from her final years at school."

"Wasn't he distracting her when he was still here?"

"Always!" Grace and Hermione broke into another round of giggles. Grace took a deep breath to stop laughing and kept talking, "He's probably lucky that he's not here this year. He'd have hated a year without Quidditch."

"Nobody's lucky to be here this year," Hermione whispered.

"Yeah, maybe not," Grace sighed.

"Grace . . . do you think it's going to be alright?" Hermione asked quietly.

Grace pursed her lips and looked out the window.

"Yeah," Grace replied after a pause. She swallowed hard. "It might take a while but it'll be alright."

Next chapter will be the first task!