Chaos and Order - A Multiverse Fanfic

Justin Finch-Fletchley, the Hufflepuff, was found petrified along with Nearly-Headless Nick the very next day.

Even worse was that it was Harry who found him.

Of course, Harry had an alibi in the form of Hagrid, who had been carrying his dead rooster while talking to Harry only seconds ago before the attack.

Harry was taken to the Headmaster's office, where Dumbledore cleared him of any suspicion.

That couldn't prevent Harry from the students who eyed him with the same gazes as they eyed the Daily Prophet whenever they read about another disappearance; news, of which, there was no shortage these days.

Harry didn't mind much.

Black, Ron, and Draco kept cheering him up anyway, knowing well all this was troubling him. It was especially so with the last few duels remaining. The pressure was mounting up.

However, with the nuisance of attracting the students' hateful gazes, came some unpredictable perks as well.

A week before Christmas, the Cauldron of Mist finally paired Harry with someone.

To the boys' relief, Harry wasn't paired with Ron.

To the boys' grief, Harry was paired with a fourth year.

So when the fourth year didn't even show up on the dueling platform, the boys couldn't believe Harry's luck.

Harry was ready to use the Spell — Brave Heart — from the get-go, hoping it would help him against a fourth year.

However, it turned out, the fourth-year student's parents were muggles.

The Professors, despite Umbridge's persistent plotting to declare both Harry and the fourth-year student as disqualified, declared Harry the winner.

Of course, Harry didn't get the chance to show what he was capable of, either.

Then, the very last duel of the day, and the Intra-School Competitions, took place between Ron and Vincent Crabbe.

With his broken wand, Ron, like Harry, was also depending on Mecha Eye to end it quickly.

In a series of the greatest turn of events, Vincent Crabbe ended it much quicker… by trying to use the Cruciatus Curse on Ron.

The Slytherin failed with the magic, but that did earn him disqualification and detention.

That's how the School welcomed Christmas this year — with bloody duels, an opened Chamber of dark secrets, a rampaging monster, petrified students and ghosts, and, of course, with the roaring mystery of the Heir of Slytherin.

So, all in all, much, much better than last year.

…

As the Christmas holidays had been canceled, the entire School had arrived at the Great Hall to enjoy the Christmas dinner.

Dozens of frost-covered Christmas trees were lined against the walls surrounding the House Tables. Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were crisscrossing the ceiling, from which enchanted snow was falling; warm and dry.

The list of Top 10 students for both the 1st and 2nd Groups, who would represent Hogwarts in the Triwizard Tournament, would be declared next week before the second term began.

That couldn't stop the students from enjoying the brief bout of joy and relief, though.

At least over a dozen wizards, employed by the ministry, were patrolling the Hogwarts corridors these days, excluding the force of Aurors that was permanently stationed at the School.

After the last attack, Dumbledore had declared the matter of the Chamber of Secrets to the ministry, who had found it prudent to keep it from the public for now.

There was no safe place in the world anyway.

The best thing to do was to just hope for the best under the constant protection.

So, with the feeling of doom buried in their hearts, and the excitement of the Triwizard Tournament bubbling on their faces, the students pounced on the sumptuous dinner.

On the Gryffindor table, Harry, Ron, Black, and Draco were having a competition of their own — who could eat the most without throwing up?!

Neville had tried to join them but ended up losing after eating only half a pie.

Next to the second-year Gryffindors, Ginny, Fred, George, Lee Jordan, and all the Quidditch Team players cheered them on, banging their spoons on the table.

From the high table, the many Professors looked at the hubbub with smiles on their faces.

Dumbledore kept humming a carol. Hagrid kept roaring more and more with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. McGonagall's cheeks had gone red with wine as Lockhart kept telling her the unbelievable things he had accomplished — all of which were available as published works, of course.

Some Professors still carried frowns on their faces, as if any moment Werewolves were going to swamp the Great Hall.

Snape's lips kept twisting at odd angles. This was twice now he had failed to send Harry home, despite catching him red-handed breaking the rules.

Dolores Umbridge carried a nasty, stuttering smirk as well. Under the table, her fingers kept twitching as if they were dying to wrap themselves around something — to choke the life out of it, perhaps?

On the Slytherin table, Darcie, Daphne, and Hermione sat together, having a silent competition of their own — who could eat the most cupcakes?!

Surprisingly, it was Hermione was winning the competition so far.

"It's your werewolf blood…" Darcie said slowly, looking at Hermione with her poisonous, green eyes. "That's why you are devouring more than me."

Stunned, Hermione forgot to chew the cupcake. With bits of food still in her mouth, she gaped at Darcie, knowing not what to say. Did she hear it right? Did Darcie just… act mean?!!

Daphne's lips twitched. "Ignore her," she said, eating leisurely. "For her, every cupcake you eat is one cupcake less for her."

"…?"

Darcie rolled her eyes, picking up another delicious cupcake.

Black drank a mouthful of juice, picking up another chicken thigh.

Then, as if an invisible bolt of lightning had fallen from a cloudless sky, striking both of them on their heads, they paused.

It was like some great beast had petrified them on the spots.

They even forgot to blink, their hearts almost skipped a beat, and their thoughts halted.

In the great hubbub of the Christmas dinner, their strangeness went unnoticed by all. In the very next fraction of a moment, they continued their movements.

Slowly but surely, Black and Darcie looked up, their eyes matching.

In between them, hovered a dull-gray notification, heralding the beginning of something truly deplorable.

Giving no hint of their actions, Black and Darcie just broke away from the House Tables, running off, the Gryffindors and Daphne and Hermione laughing behind them, all thinking they were going to toilet.

However, Black and Darcie weren't running because of bad stomachs at all.

Yellow Crystals were dancing in their eyes as they learned what happened a few moments ago in the White Serpent Pirates' HQ.

Though Darcie and Black were rushing to the Bounded Field in the suitcase, that was also not the entire reason behind their rush.

They were running for their lives.

They were running for the students' lives.

They were running for the lives on this planet.

Because if Kai's life was in question, then he would make sure everyone died along with him as offerings.

Hanging like the sharpest blade over their neck, the dull-gray notification was still flashing in their eyes.

And it was grave enough for even the Calm Ones to lose their composure.

…

[

Contestant Kai D. Stormborn

You are being cursed…

…

Luck: -200

]

…

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