A pillar of flames burst to life, whirling in heatless blue. It only lasted a few moments before fading away, revealing….

It was a young man, standing just over six feet, with a wild mane of nearly uncontrolled black hair, sticking up in unruly feathery spikes. There were some leather shoulder pads and what looked like a waistcoat over some type of light sweater shirt, while he wore boots over leather pants. None of those details drew as much attention compared to the truly enormous sword that was strapped to the youth’s back. Just the weight alone of that much metal should have had him staggering, being nearly as tall as he was and far wider than any blade had a right to be.

Dumbledore stared at the young man for a moment, confusion and curiosity warring within him. Finally a spark of recognition ignited, as little details started to win through. The first was easily a nod to James’s unruly mop, grown longer and on a slightly wider frame, though the young man still appeared to possess the wiry Potter looks. Other little things could be seen if one looked close enough, a subtle blending of the originals manifested on an individual who would tower over those around him were it not for the presence of Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Finally, there was a faint but still noticeable scar just beneath the hairline in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Perhaps the most concerning thing about Harry’s new appearance was his apparent age. The young man was definitely not in his mid teens, seeming to be almost a decade older than that. Those brilliant green eyes almost glowed with an intensity and experience that the Headmaster found disconcerting in the would be savior of the Wizarding world.

The young man in question looked around the great hall, remarkably nonplussed for someone who had just appeared in a column of fire. Those unsettling green eyes settled on the Headmaster briefly before continuing on to scan the rest of the faculty, narrowing slightly at the appearance of the two partial giants but otherwise seemed calm.

Curious as to what might have caused so many changes in the boy, not to mention the rather inexplicable difference in ages, Dumbledore offered his widest smile, his eyes twinkling. “Welcome to Hogwarts, Harry. We’ve been expecting you for quite some time now!”

Returning his attention to the Headmaster, the young man frowned. “The name’s not Harry. It’s Zack. Zack Fair. And this is definitely not Midgar.” Folding his arms across his chest, the self named Zack continued to frown. “Definitely a new one with the column of flame. Never heard of a materia that could do something like that.”

Dumbledore resisted the urge to frown at the boy. Something had definitely gone wrong over the past many years. Not only was he far too old, but he didn’t even know his own name! Where had he been? “I assure you, my boy, that you are definitely Harry Potter. I would recognize your eyes anywhere, not to mention having the most famous scar in the wizarding world.” Still smiling, he added, “Your eyes are the same emerald as that of your dearly beloved mother. As for where you are, you’re at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the finest magical institution in all the world. We’ve been expecting you for many years. You were supposed to attend this school at the age of eleven, just like your parents would have wanted you to.”

There were growing murmurs from the gathered students watching the interaction between the Headmaster and the newly summoned Boy Who Returned. Dumbledore motioned towards the table. “Why don’t we more this somewhere a little less public than the front of the great hall. You can join myself and the other faculty at our table.”

Harry shook his head and turned away. “Sorry old man, but I don’t think I’ll be staying around. I’ve got work waiting back for me at Shinra and Aeris would be upset if I were late picking her up for our date. So I’m afraid I’m going to make my own way out of here.” The boy game a sort of two fingered salute with one hand before turning to head between the tables towards the doors at the end of the great hall.

Dumbledore could only stare at the boy’s back, watching him walk away. Never in his recollection had anyone so easily dismissed him. Not other wizards. Definitely not some young man who hadn’t even been properly raised from what it seemed. Yet, while the Headmaster was silently stewing and wondering how things had gotten out of hand, another member of the faculty was more willing to be proactive.

“It seems that you’ve inherited your father’s penchant for disrespect, Potter.” Professor Snape stood up at the head table, having pulled his wand and aimed it at the boy. He snapped off a spell with a sneer.

Both wizards were surprised though as the Boy Who Returned spun aside, narrowly dodging the spell. His eyes seemed to glow brighter for a moment, though it was more likely a trick of the candle light. What wasn’t a trick was the way the young man reached over his shoulder to grasp the hilt of the oversized cleaver, drawing the absurd blade and brandishing it towards the Professor.

“Not sure what things are like here, but where I’m from, attacking when someone’s back is turned is a sure sign of unwelcome. I tried to let things go with your crazy summons and dragging me from my home, but firing some kind of magic at me is not something I can ignore.” Harry brandished the sword in both hands, blade up, facing towards the Professor.

Snape’s sneer broadened. “A blade, Potter? How droll.” With a twist of his wand, he sent the disarming hex flashing towards the sword.

Both wizards were surprised to see the spell blocked by the wide blade, the weapon barely shivering in the boy’s hands, rather than flying off into the distance. There did appear to be some reaction though, as one of the gems that appeared to be embedded in the blade glowed a brighter green than before. Harry spun the blade back onto his back before holding his hands forward, palms out and fingers slightly curled inwards.

“So you want to play with magic, huh? Since you just gave me a boost in MP, let me return the favor. Thunder!”

Only a hastily conjured shield by the Headmaster saved the Potions Professor from the sudden appearance of what looked to be an honest to goodness bolt of lightning appearing from the ceiling to crash down upon the protected professor. Most people in the great hall were blinded by the flash. In the brief moment it took for everyone to get their eyesight back, the Boy Who Returned had vanished. Only the sound of the doors to the great hall closing gave any indication of where he had gone.

The crash of thunder drew the attention of the Tri-Wizard champions who rejoined the group in the great hall, looking around in confusion. The champion from Beauxbaton Academy finally asked, “Was there something we were supposed to be waiting for?”

***

Zack tried to hurry through the stone building, idly marveling at the construction and the feeling of magic running throughout. Never had he felt anything that could compare with how rich the magic was in the air. Definitely a far cry from the way Midgar felt, almost stifled and dry in a way. Still, there was no time to let himself be distracted exploring. He needed to figure out a way back home, wherever that happened to be. Pulling his phone out, he frowned at the lack of signal. The thing should have worked anywhere on the planet. The fuzzed out screen wasn’t helping either.

Flipping the phone back closed, he turned his attention back to his surroundings. Perhaps running off like that hadn’t been the best option. Those folks back in the huge room were probably the only source of answers. Unless he happened to run into a convenient kiosk or tablet somewhere.

Pausing to look back at the closed doors down the hall from him, Zack frowned. Sure there were possible answers there, but that one guy had tried to shoot some type of spell at him, and the older one had shielding materia. They were both quick off the mark as well and who knew what other types of magic they had about them. While he didn’t see any obvious equipment among their robes, they had to be hiding them somewhere. Maybe a belt?

The doors cracking open caused him to reach up to his sword, the leather of his gloves creaking against his grip. He relaxed slightly when a single teenage female in some sort of pale blue ensemble exited the doors, looking around before spotting him. Leaving the doors open behind her, she slowly made her way towards him, hands open and at her side.

“Excuse me, but are you really Harry Potter?” The girl glanced at his scar before returning her attention to his eyes. She had some kind of accent that he couldn’t place. Her blond hair was tucked beneath a hat in yet another style he didn’t recognize. Not that he’d ever been up to date on fashion. If it wasn’t something Aeris was wearing or part of the Shinra uniforms, he’d never cared.

Shaking his head, Zack replied, “Nope. Name’s Zack. Never heard of this Harry person the old man called me. And now you, I guess.” Keeping his eye on the girl, but releasing the hilt of his sword, he settled into a relaxed pose, feet shoulder length apart, arms folded across his chest.

“You’re definitely less confrontational than the others. I’m guessing they sent you to talk. Mind telling me what’s going on and where I can get a chopper back to Midgar?”

A slight frown crossed the girl’s lips before she shook her head. “I’m afraid I’ve never heard of any place called Midgar, though I have heard of a place called Midgard, so perhaps they’re the same place? We can look into that.” She paused to brush something away on her clothing before continuing.

“The Headmasters have all asked me to see if I can get you to come back into the Great Hall for a discussion. Things appear to have gotten off to a poor start from what they’ve said, though I didn’t witness anything myself. They have also asked that I assure you that no more attacks will be forthcoming.”

Zack allowed a slight smile to answer her frown. “Well, you’re definitely nicer than the reception I was getting in there. Do you have a name though?” There was something about this girl. Something that tugged at his senses but he couldn’t quite make out the feeling.

There was a faint blush to the girl’s cheeks as she ducked a quick curtsy. “My apologies. My name is Fluer Delacour, Champion for Beauxbaton Academy.”

Smiling slightly wider, Zack offered the girl a bow, bending from the waist with his arms at his side. He’d almost gone with a salute but he’d never really been all that formal with his own superiors. “I’m Zack Fair, Soldier First Class.” Straightening, he motioned for the girl to lead them on. “I’ll trust you that this isn’t another attempt on my life and follow you back to your leaders. There are some things that I think we all need to get straightened out.”

With that said, Zack followed along behind the girl, his thoughts wandering from her to the strange place he’d found himself in, to what he was going to say to Aeris if he was late. Those thoughts carried him through the doors and back in the area where he’d been summoned. The frown returned to his face on seeing the room still completely occupied, mostly by kids. Not exactly the most conducive environment for a conversation, but perhaps the locals had different views on what kids could be involved with. Just how far away had he been summoned? The training with Shinra hadn’t mentioned any places that could be linked to this one.

Glancing at the table at the front of the room, he noticed that the old man was now ensconced in a truly massive chair, looking for all the world like someone’s eccentrically dressed great uncle. The other man who’d attacked him had settled back into his chair and was sneering almost as hard as he’d been during the attack. Wonder what the deal was there? The man seemed quick to jump on the Harry Potter bandwagon when the old man had mentioned the name. Must be some connection there.

The old man leaned forward, looking at Zack from above half moon glasses, something Zack hadn’t seen before. Must be some kind of custom work. “Ah, welcome back, Harry my boy. I’m sorry for the way things got out of hand earlier, but one can expect that sort of thing when things don’t go according to expectations.”

Zack held up one hand, palm outwards. “One second, old man. I’ve told you before. The name is Zack Fair. I’d appreciate it if you’d use it. Not too sure who this Harry Potter guy is you think I am, but I’ve been Zack my entire life. That’s what my parents called me, that’s what Shinra calls me, and more importantly, that’s what Aeris calls me.”

That appeared to take the old man back. Must not be used to people talking back to him. He seemed to have this whole benevolent grandfather thing going for him.

“I’m sorry Ha… Zack. There is a lot to process and even more for all of us to try to understand. However, there are more pressing matters for us to attend to at the moment. Chief among them the circumstances of your arrival.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Zack nodded. “Yeah, definitely need to talk about that one. How did I get here? Also, where is here? I’ve never even heard of a city called Hogwarts. They haven’t used construction techniques like these in decades. The place must be pretty old. Mostly you’d have to travel deep into Wutai to find something like this.”

The old man looked to be mouthing the word Wutai to himself, as were several of the other people at the table. There was that giant of a man, some kind of crossbreed or magical experiment no doubt. Same for the half pint next to him. The rest seemed fairly normal.

“As for where you are, let me once again welcome you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I’m sure you’ve heard of us.” The man seemed to ignore Zack shaking his head as he continued. “As for the circumstances of your arrival. It would appear that it was the result of a number of spells placed on the Goblet of Fire here, an artifact of vast magical power and potential.”

Zack turned his attention to the aforementioned artifact of vast magical power and potential. Looked just like an old stone cup to him, but what did he know about magic and materia? Only what they’d told him in the Soldier program and then only enough to do his job. There were other, much brighter people, who dealt with those types of things. Really his strength was hitting things with the buster blade. Still, it paid to pay attention, especially when those artifacts could snatch up a man and set him down in a strange place with far too many kids.

“Okay, I follow that this thing brought me here. Definitely wasn’t anything I’d done, nor any power I’m aware of. Still, this is a wide and wonderful world, full of things I’ve never even imagined. That’s what Aeris says anyway. So I’ll take your word for it. More importantly, how does it get me back home? Do you have a phone I can use? Mine doesn’t seem to be working here.” He pulled out the flip phone to show it off.

Mr. Sneer sneered harder than ever. “Your muggle technology won’t work here, Potter.”

Zack shrugged. “Yeah, I’m guessing it’s all that stone construction. I think I remember the Shinra guy mentioning that. I think something like this happened one time when we were working through a cave system to clear it of monsters… anyway, if you’ve got a phone so I can call for a chopper that would be great. Then we can get this whole accidental summoning thing taken care of and I’ll be on my way home.”

“Oh it was no accident, my boy. Your summoning was purposeful. You see, you were chosen as a champion for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. As such you are magically contracted to compete by the Goblet.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. Not only do my bosses not want me taking part in any tournaments, but I don’t have the time. Between training, spending time with Aeris, and helping out Spikey, my dance card is full.”

That twinkling gaze somehow intensified. “Oh but you see, a magical contract cannot be ignored. Especially from an artifact such as the Goblet of Fire. Should you fail to compete, your very magic would be forfeit.”

Zack ignored the outraged cries coming from elsewhere in the room to focus on the old man. “Forfeiting my magic sounds like something hazardous to my health. I get enough of that on the job.” He turned to consider the Goblet for a moment, then shrugged. “Well, guess I’ll have to take care of it before that can happen.” With that he reached up and grabbed his sword, taking a massive overhand swing at the thing, grateful for the room’s high ceiling.

There was a massive backlash of magic as the Goblet shattered apart, pieces flying across the room like an explosion. Zack was hurled back, managing to flip in midair to land skidding on his feet. Others were not as lucky.

Mr. Sneer had stood up to supposedly throw another spell and been bowled over. So had a number of the other people seated at the massive table, although the two tall hybrids seemed to have been large enough to weather the explosion. The children closest to the Goblet had been rocked back into their fellows, including the girl who had brought Zack back, the young Ms. Delacour.

“What have you done?” The old man had lost his twinkle and was looking with apparent dismay at the pedestal that had previously held one magical artifact. He stood from his throne-like chair to point at the pedestal.

Zack straightened from his crouch, throwing a smirk at the old man. “You said that artifact would take away my magic, right? Well, doesn’t look like it can do much of anything now. Since we have that taken care of, I think it’s beyond time for you to send me home.”

Dumbledore shifted his attention from the former Goblet, focusing on Zack. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? The Goblet of Fire was hundreds of years old, crafted by artificers the likes of which have not walked the earth since. It was a priceless artifact and a piece of storied history.” The old man seemed to quiver for a moment, his waist length beard dancing across his chest. “There is no telling the consequences to yourself. You may have already broken the contract just like you’ve broken the Goblet!”

Shaking his head, Zack twirled his sword for a moment before securing it on his back again. “Yeah, I don’t think so, old man. I still seem to have my magic, so I guess luck is with me there.”

Luck was not to be with him. A smaller pillar of flame appeared on the pedestal, accompanied by a staccato series of fiery pops that echoed around the room as the pieces of the Goblet were consumed in flames. When the pillar vanished it revealed an intact Goblet of Fire. Zack stared at the object for a moment before sighing. “Of course it can reconstitute itself.”

That seemed to settle the old man, as he at least sat back in his chair. “Indeed, it would appear to be so. That said, it seems you are still bound by the magical contract formed by the Goblet and must compete in the games. If you’ll follow the other champions, led by Ms. Delacour, we’ll adjoin to another room to explain what that will entail.”

Not seeming much option, given the result of his own efforts, Zack nodded and made to follow the young lady once again. This time he was introduced to two other teens, one Cedric Diggery and a Victor Krum. The two seemed courteous enough, though the one named Victor was a bit standoffish. They also seemed as confused by Zack’s inclusion as he was himself.

Fortunately, they did not need to wait long for the old man to make his appearance, accompanied by a myriad of others, including that tall hybrid woman and another sketchy looking man with fascinating facial hair. Also Mr. Sneer.

“Thank you all for being patient. I know that things have not gone according to plan.” All that said with a twinkle in the old man’s eye. How he said that all with a straight face Zack wasn’t sure.

“It would seem that our Tri-Wizard Tournament has become a Quad-Wizard Tournament with the return of Mr. Potter.”

Zack glared at the old man, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m not going to say it again, old man. The name is Zack. I don’t know who this Harry Potter person or, nor why you keep saying I’m him, but if you don’t start showing me the courtesy of using my name, we’re going to see how fast and how man times you can cast that shield spell before you run out of mana.” He unfolded his arms to point a finger at Mr. Sneer. “Don’t you start either, man. I don’t know you and I don’t know who you think I am either, but I’ve done nothing for which you should be directing your attitude at me for. You all summoned me here, so my being here is not my fault, nor is this mistaken identity you seem to be under the illusions of. Either be professional or get the same deal the old man is.”

The old man simply smiled. “I’m sure that’s something we can discuss more in depth once you’ve had a chance to settle in. For now, let us explain the duties of the champion.” He then went on to explain about the nature of the tournament, how it was meant to foster cooperation between the three schools, as well as allow them to showcase their skills to one another. There were to be three major tasks for the champions to compete in, spread across the school year. Zack nearly interrupted at the idea that the tournament would take that long, but barely held back. He would still have time to learn more and maybe he could find his own way out of this town. Surely someone back at Shinra would be looking for him before too long, if he wasn’t able to check in. Especially with Sephiroth.. Well, never mind that.

The explanation continued, moving on to the mention of a dance and ball during the Winter. Zack did roll his eyes at that one. No way was he taking some kid to the dance. Not only were they far to young for him, but more importantly none of them was Aeris, nor could they even compare to her, though Ms. Delacour was quite pretty.

“And of course, you’ll be living with the students from House Gryffindor, Mr. Fair.” That damned twinkle was bright again with those words.

“Yeah, I’m not staying with a bunch of kids.”

“But where else shall you stay? Additionally, the students of Gryffindor House can help you acclimatize to the school and the tournament. I did consider placing you with House Hufflepuff, but as one of their students is a champion, Mr. Diggory, I’m afraid that would create a conflict of interest.”

In spite of said Hufflepuff protesting that there wouldn’t be any conflict, the old man continued. “Really, I must insist that you stay with one of the houses.”

Zack glared at the old man. “Insist away. I’m still not staying with a bunch of kids.” He looked at the various adults then motioned at them with his chin. “What about this lot? Where are all of the adults staying? Do you have faculty housing or guest housing? Why not let me stay there until we get things sorted out?”

That seemed to catch the old man out. “Well, I suppose, if one of the Professors were to let you share their accommodations, that could be a viable options. It is most irregular for a student to stay with a teach though.”

“That’s the thing though. I’m not a student.”

“Of course, my boy. Of course. My apologies. I’m not used to dealing with non-students at the school and even with your apparent age, I continued to think of you as such. We’ll work out the details for your housing with the other professors. For now though, I’ll leave you to get to know the other champions. Come and see me in my office and we’ll discuss more in private. Especially your lineage which I think you’ll find most intriguing, whatever you may think of your life before now.”

“Yeah, we’ll do that. Along with a number of other things…” Zack let that trail off as he watched the other adults walk out of the room. He was still unsatisfied with the way things had been going, but really he was out of options at this point, save for trying to make it out on his own. Without knowing where exactly he was he couldn’t even start walking home. If he could get back to Midgar, he would have more options for dealing with this Goblet situation, if there really was one. Even if he then had to compete in the tournament due to some crazy spell, at least he could commute there on a chopper. Surely one of the Turks would loan him one.

Putting all of those concerns for now, he took the time to get to know the other three teens. They seemed just as baffled by events as he was. Ms. Delacour seemed resolved to make the most of it, while Mr. Diggory was friendly and outgoing. Mr. Krum seemed stoic and reserved. Each of them had their own theories on what was going on, as well as seemingly interested in the whole Harry Potter connection, which Zack was more than happy enough to say he had no idea about.

Eventually the four decided to go their separate ways, though Diggory did take the time to lead Zack to the office of the old man, who was apparently named Dumbledore.

***

Dumbledore considered the young man that walked into his office from over the top of his glasses. While the resemblance to his parents was apparent, there were still a remarkable number of differences. Most notably was the height. James Potter had only been of middling height, while this young man was just over two meters. Not to mention seemingly more physically robust than most other wizards. That sword was just ridiculous as well.

Then there was the strange magic use. No wand. No recognizable incantation. If it was silent wandless magic that spoke wonders of the boy’s talents. More likely it was some type of magic that the Headmaster just wasn’t familiar with, in spite of his extensive studies and breadth of knowledge. Perhaps it was a secret to Harry’s whereabouts these many years.

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Ignoring the strange attire and that sword, the age difference was also disconcerting. Harry should have been 14. The young man before him was clearly a decade or so older meaning that something stranger than just a displaced Heir was going on. What exactly happened to the boy?

No matter. It was time to bring him back into the fold. With how easily he’d handled Professor Snape’s initial attack, Harry would be a perfect foil against the Dark Lord until the final showdown, where Dumbledore himself would be able to step in and once again save the wizarding world.

“Ah, Mr. Fair. Thank you for joining me. Please, have a seat.” Once the boy was seated, he continued. “What I’m about to tell you may seem strange, but I assure you it is the truth. Your name, your true name, is Harry Potter. Some 12 years ago or more you disappeared from your foster home with your aunt’s family and have apparently been lost ever since. Given what you’ve already said, I’d wager that you were found and adopted in your new home, though how you managed to gain an additional ten years of age is a story I would very much like to hear.”

The young man leaned back in his chair, having set his sword against it, his arms folded over his chest. “That’s your story, old man. I’m not seeing any proof though.”

Dumbledore slowly withdrew his wand, holding it to the side while allowing the boy to see it. “If I may, I would like to perform a bit of magic. I assure you, none shall by directed at your person. I merely wish to show you your parents and let you make some decisions for yourself.”

While there did seem to be a twitch towards the sword from the boy, he nonetheless nodded assent. The Headmaster slowly brought to life an image of the Potter adults, James and Lily seeming to hang in the air, slightly translucent. With the parents and child side by side it was even more readily apparent that there was a familial resemblance between the three.

“These are James and Lily Potter, your parents. You see, they were killed by a dark wizard by the name of Voldemort when you were just a toddler. However, your mother was able to cast a spell on you that allowed you to slay the dark lord in return. As such, you are considered by most to be the Savior of the wizarding world.”

Watching the boy lean in, Dumbledore could see the intrigue and curiosity swelling within those green eyes, as well as a dawning realization of the possibility that this could all be true. “I don’t know what took you away from the home of your family. Now that you’re back though, we can see about reuniting you with them.”

That light of interest smoldered and faded away as the boy returned his attention to the Headmaster. “I’ve got a home, old man. One I’m extremely eager to return to. I have friends and loved ones waiting for me.”

“I can understand and I sympathize. However, it would appear that you will need to complete the tournament before the Goblet will let you leave. Now, I realize we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot before, but as a dear friend to your dearly departed parents, it would be remiss of me to not help you get established while you’re here. Please, allow me to help you. To guide you.”

“While you may have been a friend to my parents, I don’t know you and I don’t know them. I’ll be much more comfortable waiting things out back in Midgar. I’ll make sure to catch a chopper to be back here for all the times you’ll need me. The competitions. Even your Ball, though I’ll be bringing my own partner, just so you know.” Those green eyes seemed intense, almost unyielding, though there might have been a faint undercurrent of curiosity struggling to make itself known.

Dumbledore nodded slowly. “That’s true enough, my boy.” With a wave of his wand he dispelled the image of the Potter’s, watching as a tiny sense of loss finally showed in Harry. “Though I’m not sure as how a chopper will help you. Muggle technology does not work on the grounds of Hogwarts. Still, as we’ve discussed, all is not lost. I’ll see you escorted to your new accommodations and we can discuss more once we know about the first task of the tournament. Have a good night, Zack.”

***

The next few days were a mixture of fascination and frustration for Zack. The fact of “muggle” or non-magical technology not working on the school grounds was confirmed. There was no place he could use his phone, nor did anyone in the area possess anything similar. What’s worse was that they confirmed that he was in a different world than the one he called home. There was no way for him to call home even if his phone had been able to work. Not to mention no way to travel. He was truly stuck there until he finished the tournament. Hopefully Aeris would be okay without him. Maybe the Turks would keep an eye out on her for him while he was away.

Learning magic was the fascinating part of things. They didn’t use materia here. Rather they leveraged internal mana in a different manner, utilizing incantations and magical aids, such as a wand. While it would never replace the convenience of materia in combat, the sheer variety and scope of this new type of magic was impressive. There was even the possibility of using some of those spells through his sword or even without a wand.

Many of the older students, once they’d gotten over the manner of his arrival, had spent the effort to get to know him. A surprising maneuver, given that he’d originally dismissed them all from his mind as being kids. Many of them were in their late teens and experienced magic users in their own right. That was especially true of the three champions.

It wasn’t until he’d been stuck at the school for a couple of weeks that he had his first true breakthrough. While wandering one of the upper halls looking for a place to train, he found doors appearing in one of the walls. Going through revealed a massive training hall, similar to the one back at Shinra Headquarters. The Hall even summoned creatures for him to fight! It was even better than the simulators and the sheer variety of monsters this world had, not to mention how different they were from the ones back home, managed to keep him entertained for days.

More time passed, in which Zack tried to study all he could of this new magic, especially as it pertained to the Goblet of Fire. He hoped to find a way to get the Goblet to either send him back and summon him later if he were truly trapped in the magical contract, or find a way to break that contract. Unfortunately, his knowledge of magic was severely limited. If it didn’t pertain to the sword he just wasn’t as capable.

One day though, his new friend Hagrid, the giant hybrid, showed him something truly marvelous.

“Those are dragons. Honest, fire breathing dragons.” Zack watched as the beasts thrashed around in their cages, releasing blasts of flame into the air in their apparent frustration. Green eyes gleaming, he turned to Hagrid. “Those for the tournament? I can’t imagine you having your average student dealing with something so obviously dangerous.” His hands ached to be on the hilt of his sword. He hadn’t had a decent fight outside of the training hall in seeming months.

For his part Hagrid just scratched his head. “No, I don’t suppose they would make the regular students deal with dragons. Though I think they’re just misunderstood, don’t you know? No sir, they’re here for the tournament.” The big man seemed to cut himself off once he noticed the expression on Zack’s face. “Now don’t you worry, nothing is going to happen to these dragons before you get your chance at ‘em. Though I do hope you won’t go too hard on the things. They have a hard enough time of it as it is.”

Zack readily agreed with his friend. While he was eager to test his strength against the great beasts, there was no point in killing it if it wasn’t threatening anyone. Not like the ones that wandered the mountains of Nibelheim. Those ones were dangerous to everyone who wandered the mountains and needed to be regularly cleared out. That was one of the jobs of a Soldier after all.

Once Zack was back at the school he made for each of the other champions, taking them aside and asking them what they knew about dragons and the first task. Diggory appeared to have had no idea the challenge was going to be dragons, while the other two seemed to be less surprised. Either way they all shared their knowledge, though he was disappointed by the fact that other champions thought they wouldn’t actually be fighting the dragons, that they would instead be having to bypass the dragons in order to retrieve another object, a type of magical golden egg. That didn’t sound nearly as much fun as what he had in mind.

When it came time for the first task, each of the champions pretended to be surprised when the announcement about the dragons was made. Everyone except for Zack, who instead of looking surprised looked excited, nearly bouncing on his toes. The dragon miniatures were chosen, leaving him with the one he wanted the most, the Hungarian Horntail.

The hardest part was waiting in the tent while the other champions confronted their dragons. He didn’t even get to watch the fights, only listening to the announcer or the audience. While he did get to see some of the aftermath when the champions returned, including a slightly singed Delacour, that didn’t tell him anything about the fights themselves or how the dragons behaved.

Finally it was his turn and he shook off any remaining concerns to concentrate on the action. Shrugging his shoulders and feeling the familiar comforting weight of the buster blade on his back, he strode through the flaps of the tent and towards the battleground. They’d actually tried to take his sword away, saying that he was only allowed to bring a wand. Another demonstration of his ability to cast spells (albeit from materia) through the sword allowed him to use the sword as a wand.

The dragon was standing over a nest of eggs, its spiked frill extended in an intimidation display. Hidden among those eggs was the golden one that Zack needed to retrieve. Most likely the idea was the sneak or somehow get past the dragon without truly confronting it. He had a much different idea.

Drawing the buster blade, he held it in front of him as he rushed the dragon. There was a hiss, followed by the sound of inhaled breath. Dodging aside, he narrowly avoided the fire breath, feeling the heat of it even without being touched. He quickly sent a blizzard at the dragon, having replaced the lightning materia in his sword with one of ice. The homing shards of ice slammed into the side of the beast, embedding there, though they failed to topple the dragon. Moments later the ice shattered, earning a hiss of pain from the dragon and a renewed flame assault.

Zack continued to dodge around the arena, ducking around and behind rocky outcroppings. Occasionally he would dart forwards to land a hard sword strike to the dragon’s snout. More than once this preempted a fire blast, the dragon rearing back in pain and confusion, no doubt from a person actually daring to attack it. The pauses between breaths grew with each attack until finally the dragon seemed to run out of steam. Or flame rather.

With a grin, Zack turned from dodging to heading straight in on the dragon, taking huge swings that slammed into the armed scales of the dragon, some of them rocking the dragon in place. He was careful not to injure the creature too much, as he didn’t want to upset his friend Hagrid. Keeping in close, he was able to dodge wing blows and claws as well as the snapping jaws. One particularly hard swing caught the dragon on the side of the head, knocking it dazed to the ground.

Resisting the urge to finish with a beheading, he instead went to the nest, no longer guarded, and retrieved the golden egg. Holding it overhead in one hand, the spun the buster blade in the other before latching it onto his back.

There was a moment of silence from the audience, who had alternated between gasps of surprise and panic throughout the fight. Finally, they erupted in cheers as the judges announced Zack the winner of the task.

***

Zack looked at the golden egg in his hands, settled down in the water of his bath. He’d been ensconced in one of the unused teacher suites. Apparently the school had more rooms than they had teachers. Glaring at the artifact, he hoped that this attempt at opening it went better than previous ones. The screeching that had echoed from the object had set his teeth on edge and he’d heard some crazy sounds in his career as a soldier. The closest he could imagine had been harpies.

Shaking his head and silently thanking Diggory for the explanation about the egg, he ducked his head underwater, listening to the message. Surfacing with a frown, he thought over what had been said. What did they mean by ‘We’ve taken what you’ll sorely miss’? There wasn’t much that he would miss in this world. There were some friends but they were casual at best. He’d avoided any entanglements of that type, for a number of reasons. Chief among them being his desire and need to return home to his world as soon as he could.

The realization that this was the world of his birth had thrown him for a loop for a bit. His parents had never mentioned him being adopted and had never treated him any differently. No matter how he looked at things, Midgar and Gongaga were his true homes. Nothing truly tied him to this world other than the legacy of his parents and even that wasn’t that significant given he’d learned nothing about them.

While Headmaster Dumbledore had made some effort to educate Zack on the history of his birth world, nothing much had intrigued him. There was some talk about an inheritance, but he didn’t feel entitled to it. He wasn’t hurting for funds back home. Most of what he needed was paid for by Shinra, while the only person he spent money on was Aeris, what little she would take. There was a reason they’d had to fix up a broken down cart for her to sell her flowers from, after all.

Finishing his bath, he returned to his sitting area, thinking about the other task in the tournament. The Yule ball was approaching and he was supposedly required to bring a partner. While he hadn’t really drawn close to any of the students, given the age difference, nor the staff for much the same reason, he had given some thought to who he would escort. There had been some effort from the students to capture his attention, no doubt due to his status as The Boy Who Lived, and wasn’t that a strange thing to be known for.

Shaking his head while he performed maintenance on the buster blade, Zack finally made his decision. A slight smirk graced his lips as he pictured the reactions from those of this world.

***

Dumbledore watched as the doors to the Great Hall opened, revealing the champions and their escorts. He was eager to see which one of the many students he had subtly directed towards Harry had managed to capture his attention. There had been a lot of effort expended to keep the Boy Who Lived interested in his duties, all to ensure that he would remain in their world should he by some miracle find a way to circumvent the Goblet.

The other champions all entered first, with predictable choices in partners. Mr. Diggory had gone with his girlfriend, Ms. Cho, while Ms. Delacour was accompanied by one of the many young men from Durmstang. The quidditch star, Mr. Krum, brought someone from outside the school, which while not against the rules, was rather startling, as the Headmaster hadn’t heard about it ahead of time.

Finally it was the moment for Harry to enter. A collective gasp rose from the crowd and Dumbledore nearly rose from his seat as the plump form of Professor Sprout entered on the arm of the eldest Champion. The teacher had forgone her normal earthy appearance for a cleaner robe, yet there was no denying who that was.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and wondered just what this meant for the future.

***

Zack stood on the docks, his sword leaning on a pillar beside him. There was little reason to bring the blade into the waters and little chance that anyone would take it. Few there were among those in the tournament who could even lift it and of those, none would do so without his permission. Furthermore, it made him less hydrodynamic.

The more important question, however, was what was he supposed to be looking for down there? The merfolk had said they would take something he would surely miss. Since they hadn’t taken the buster blade, he couldn’t think of anything else. Especially as it seemed that the other champions had each had someone they cared about taken.

A frown crossed his lips at that thought. Hostages used in a tournament like this, one that was supposed to be inspiring cooperation between the school, was way over the top. The Delacaour girl was especially troubled, as it had been her sister that was taken.

With that thought firmly in mind, Zack made his decision. Once the cannon signaled the start of the event, he jumped into the water and followed Ms. Delacour. With pantomime, he indicated his willingness to help her find her sister and together they were able to fight off the creatures that swarmed the girl. It also seemed that her magic was dampened somewhat while underwater.

Eventually they found the hostages with one surprising addition. Professor Sprout. He guessed she was supposed to be what he would miss most, even though he’d only taken her to the Ball because her love of plants reminded him of Aeris and he was able to talk to her about magical vs muggle flower care so he could bring that information back to Aeris.

After freeing the younger Delacour sister and the Professor, he made to free the other hostages, only to be confronted by the merfolk, who told him he was only allowed to take his own hostage. For a moment he considered forcing the issue, however, it was rendered moot by the arrival of a partially transfigured Durmstang champion, followed quickly by Diggory. With all the hostages rescued, Zack made his way back towards the surface. The timing was good as well as he’d been getting close to the limit of how long he could hold his breath.

Once he was back on the docks, he headed towards the Headmaster and the other tournament organizers. They were going to have a conversation on the use of hostages in what was meant to be a friendly tournament.

***

Barty Crouch Jr. sat in his office, rubbing at his legs as he contemplated the tournament and The Plan. From the beginning things had not been going as they should. The Boy Who Lived being summoned was the only portion of The Plan that had gone according to plan. From there things had only gone downhill. Not only was the Boy not a boy, but he was in fact a hardened warrior. One that would be difficult if not impossible to subdue without the tricks planned for the final task. Fortunately those plans had already been in the works from the beginning.

No, the real problem was that Potter wasn’t taking guidance. In the guise of Professor Moody, Barty had been trying to gain the trust of the boy, to help him work towards the final task. Not only was the boy standoffish, but he didn’t seem to need any of the guidance. What should have been an unprepared child in a tournament of his elders was instead a seasoned veteran making a mockery of the competitions. One need only look at the non-magical way he had partaken of the second challenge to understand that.

Perhaps it was time to focus on preparing for the Dark Lord’s return, rather than the methods of that return. Things were already in place for the final task. The champion’s cup would just need a few more tweaks to handle Potter’s revealed abilities. Then it would only be a matter of ensuring that the other champions wouldn’t interfere with the boy. Not that they had much chance of that.

***

After months of being away from his world, the end was near. Zack looked around at the stands, the gathered witches and wizards, the various dignitaries and other audience members. To them this was just sport but to him it was the gateway of hope. The final task of the tournament would signal the end of his obligations to the Goblet of Fire and hopefully the artifact would send him home automatically. If not, he had been researching several bits of magic in the so-called restricted section of the library and had some ideas on the type of magic he would need. Fortunately for his limited understanding of this world’s magic, there had been an ample supply of students eager to help him learn in exchange for stories of his home and time as a Soldier.

Once again a cannon was the signal to begin the challenge and Zack was off like a shot, dashing into the hedge maze with one hand on his sword and the other preparing some of the wandless cantrips he’d learned over the past months. While racing through he encountered a few of the monsters that Hagrid had introduced him to and tried his best to incapacitate rather than destroy, as he’d come to know how much the beasts meant to the half giant. The giant spider though he put down. No one needed to deal with those and as much as he might respect the man, those spiders were a danger to everyone.

While the monsters were expected, what wasn’t was seeing the other champions attacking each other. Most of them had followed Zack as he blazed a trail through the maze. Only Ms. Delacour had sought her own path and he’d lost track of her. Krum attacking Diggory was strange and out of character, as was the manner in which the boy fought. There was a distant quality to his eyes that spoke to control magic, though the only magic in this world capable of doing so was one of the ones described as Unforgivable. What that said about the people around the tournament boded ill.

Dashing into the middle of the fight, he intercepted a spell on the buster blade before sending a fast jab at the side of Krum’s head, knocking the boy out. Frowning down at the Durmstrang champion, Zack shook his head before turning to Diggory. “There’s something strange going on with this tournament. I’m getting a feeling that I don’t like. I suggest we go together and see this thing through to the end. Winning the tournament isn’t what matters to me as much as getting home does.”

Diggory nodded and together they made their way through the maze, easily besting the rest of the challenges. They even hooked up with Ms. Delacour and together the trio found the center of the maze.

Waiting as expected was the champion’s cup. A quick conversation with the other two champions had them all deciding to win together. At the count of three they each reached for the cup at the same time.

There was a strange feeling like being squeezed and dragged through a tube. Sights and sounds were jumbled and there seemed to be some type of draining effect as well. With a thump he landed in a jumble, crashing against some type of stone block. From the sounds of the groans the other two champions had arrived in much the same state of things.

A hissing voice spoke from the darkness. “Quickly, kill the spares!”

Forcing himself to his feet, Zack dragged his sword around towards the voice, spotting a fat wizard he didn’t recognize brandishing a wand towards the two groggy teens. Just as the shout of “Avada Kadava” rang into the air, the Soldier managed to interpose his weapon between the attack and the kids, the wide blade easily handling the spell. The sword managed to stop the killing curse. Kicking forwards, Zack cleaved the wizard in half from shoulder to crotch, the two mangled halves sloughing away for only a brief moment before being engulfed in flame from Zack’s materia.

That same hissing voice cried out. “No! What have you done, you stupid boy.”

Looking around, Zack finally spotted a bundle of some sort set next to what appeared to be a bubbling cauldron. By that point the two teens had managed to settle themselves down and made their way over. Searching the bundle revealed what almost looked like a deformed baby, one with what could only be described as an evil face.

The scar on Zack’s forehead, one of just many he’d accrued over the years, started to throb in agony as he looked down at the monstrosity. The thing then spake some more.

“You see what I’ve become, Potter. This is all the fault of your mudblood mother!” That hissing voice seemed to quiver with tiny rage.

“From what I’ve already seen from you, whatever she did wasn’t nearly enough. And it isn’t Potter anymore. It’s Fair. Zack Fair. I’m guessing you’re the terrible Voldemort everyone seems so scared about.”

The two teens recoiled away from the malevolent baby with their own hisses, Ms. Delacour’s features growing somewhat birdlike as a ball of flame started to manifest in her hand. Diggory had his wand out and pointed at the creature, though his hand was shaking.

As evil baby Voldemort started to spout threats of vengeance and tales of woe, Zack pondered a few points. In the end, he was a rather simple man though. Shifting his grip on the buster blade until it was pointed straight down, he drove the blade through the head of the monster. It was the only correct way to deal with monsters after all.

With a grin, he pulled the blade free, swiping it once to free the blood, then twirling it and resheathing it on his back.

“Looks like I’ve finished what my mother started all those years ago.”

A column of flame suddenly engulfed Zack and he saw no more.