Chapter 85 - Wands of the Champions

It had turned out that Draco was lying as it turned out he only learned it by accident. He managed to overhear Daphne's little sister Astoria in the Slytherin common room. The two sisters were chatting when he walked by and put the pieces together by the snippets of the conversations.

Now, Harry wasn't worried about Rita gaining hold of this and ruining the lives of half the female popularity of Hogwarts. Well, until he could track her down when she shows up. The thought of just ending her just seemed a bit extreme like he did with Umbridge.

"Are you ready Harry?" Daphne asked.

Today was the wand weighing and something Harry wasn't looking forward to. The main cause was his wand which will cause trouble in the headlines. He couldn't wait for Rita to spin it and cause the maximum amount of damage she can.

"It won't be that bad. Isn't it just checking their wands?" Katie asked.

"I wouldn't mind checking his 'wand'." Susan joked.

"It is a mighty 'wand'." Luna joined in with a satisfied hum.

Rolling his eyes at Luna's words as he hadn't touched her. Harry looked down at his watch to see it nearly class time. Soon the group broke apart and headed off.

--

Walking towards the room, Harry noticed he was the last champion to arrive with Viktor, Cedric and Fleur already arriving. Around were a few reporters and professors, but Harry's eyes landed on one reporter.

She was wearing a bright green outfit with her blonde hair tied up. Floating nearby was a notepad with a quill writing as she chatted with Cedric. Her grin grew bigger as she noticed him walking into the tent. Quickly finishing up her interview which he sure would contain maybe a percent of what was actually said, she walked over to him.

"Harry Potter." Her voice entered his ears as she pulled him off to the side. "My name is Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter. So, Harry.... what made you decide to enter the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Hmm, indeed what made me enter the tournament. Fame? I already got that. Gold? More than enough to spend landverish for a lifetime." Harry said before grinning as his eyes began to sparkle.

However before Harry could continue, Dumbledore appeared with Mr. Ollivander. While he was slightly disappointed he couldn't mess with her now. He knew in the near future the chance will come.

Walking over to the rest of the champions, he stood in line waiting for it to begin.

"May I introduce Mr. Ollivander? He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament." Dumbledore announced to the champions.

"Ladies first?" Ollivander asked as Fleur flashed her megawatt smile and walked forward. Handing out her wand, the old man took it carefully.

"Yes, nine and a half inches... inflexible.. rosewood... and containing... dear me.. "

"A hair from a Veela. One of my grandmother's." Fleur confidently said.

Ollivander gave the wand a small shake and a bouquet of flowers appeared on its tip. Nodding as it was in working order, he handed it back.

Next was Viktor Krum who handed off his wand which Ollivander once again handled carefully. While he studied it for a moment. "Ten and a fourth inches long...quite rigid...hornbeam...and dragon heartstring. Made by Mykew Gregorovitch I believe, shame he retired."

Giving the wand a slight twirl, a small light formed on the tip of the wand. Nodding before handing it back, he moved onto Cedric.

"Ah, now, this is one of mine, isn't it? Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male unicorn... Twelve and a quarter inches... ash... pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition..."

Once more he gave it a slight twirl shooting off a rainbow of sparkles. Nodding as the wand was in working order, he handed it back before turning to Harry.

"Harry, I assume your wand is still working fine."

"Yeah." Harry nodded as he pulled it out. A slight grin form as he attempted to hand it off to the old wizard. Unfortunately the man came alert and shook his hand refusing to take hold of the wand.

"Just give it a slight wave Harry." The man said.

Using the first year spell, Lumos a small light formed on the tip of his wand. Ollivander just gave a slight nod.

"Well besides my doubts in Miss Delacour and Mr. Krum in wands. They are all in working order." Ollivander said.

The refusal on touching Harry's wand wasn't missed on anyone. While a few withheld their tongue, Mrs. Skeeter didn't.

"Is there a reason you refuse to touch Mr. Potter wand?" She asked as her floating pen rapidly wrote.

"It is a very special wand. I wouldn't dare touch it carelessly." Ollivander answered before thinking. 'Touching it carelessly will make one go bonkers after all.'

While the old man's words could be taking a few different ways. Most just thought it was because it was The-Boy-Who-Lived wand. Which brought the wand weighing to the end.

--

The next morning in the Daily Prophet a photo of the four champions was pasted across the front page. With Fleur sitting in front with Viktor, Harry and Cedric standing behind them. Reading over the article, Harry could only shake his head as it was mostly about him.

While it just covered his schooling over the last few years and mostly his second year of teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Rita also threw in baseless rumors or outright lies she created to cast him in a dark light. Sadly for her, he had many friends he could call in favors and one just so happened to begin working at the Daily Prophet last year after graduating.

One of the swinger girls' boyfriends works there and Harry managed to get him to add his own small article to the edition. Turning to the second page, a photo of Rita Skeeter turning into a blue water beetle. There her entire history and Harry's own personal touches were displayed shredding her reputation.

"Well, I hope Tonks was ready." Harry hummed to himself as he ate his breakfast. "I hope she likes dementors for the years to come."