Harry was deeply comforted by the knowledge that he at least had the other champion's support, because the rest of the school had turned his back on him, including his best friend who was apparently jealous of the fact that someone was trying to murder Harry. Again.

He entered the Great Hall and looked around for Hermione, who didn't find, but saw Louise sitting at the Hufflepuff table with Aries, and was waving at Harry to join them. He tentatively walked over and sat down opposite to Aries, when Snape stalked over to them.

"You are not allowed to sit at other houses tables, Potter. 10 points from....."

"Let me stop you there, Professor." Louise interrupted him and took out a thick book, waved her wand over it, making it open to a certain page. "Maybe you should read this. This is the Hogwarts charter. According to it 'Students are encouraged to sit at different house tables to promote interhouse unity.'"

Snape opened his mouth and closed it, then briskly walked away to the Head table.

"I love how you deal with him." Harry told her.

"I have experience with bullies." she replied. "Speaking of which, why is majority of Hogwarts population glaring at you?"

Harry looked around to see it to be true, even including his classmates. "They think I cheated to enter the tournament." He sighed. "Even Neville is glaring, I didn't know he even cared about this."

"He is glaring at me, not you." Aries said.

"Why would he do that?"

"My parents are death eaters. They tortured his parents to insanity. They are in Azkaban now." he explained.

Harry remembered the feeling of dementors from last year. Maybe be his parents deserved to be in Azkaban, but Aries didn't deserve to be practically an orphan.

"I'm sorry." he said offered.

Aries shook his head. "I'm not. They didn't limit their torturing to their enemies. I was often a convinient target. There couldn't be anyone happier than me that they are safely locked up in Azkaban."

"Hey, guys what are you talking about?" Cedric decided to come at that moment.

"About why Neville is glaring at Aries." Harry offered the half truth.

"Oh... Uuh... Yeah." was Cedrucs eloquent reply.

"Anyway, let's talk about something cheerful then. Madam Maxime told me that today we'll be having Weighing of the Wands ceremony. And Rita Skeeter is coming to write an article." Louse spoke up.

Cedric groaned. "How is that cheerful?"

Aries was also frowning.

Louise just rolled her eyes. "Man up, will you. I know she's known for destroying people's reputations and lives by a single article, but I have the perfect plan to distract her."

"Let me guess, Dumbledore?" Aries asked dryly.

"Not just him." she shook her head. "As you all know, Harry's entry in the tournament is a scandal, one she is bound to exploit. She'll looking to lay the blame probably on Harry, making a story about what that Snape fellow said. That you couldn't live without your fame."

"But that's not true." Harry protested.

"You know that. We know that. The magical public doesn't. They'll know only what Rita tells them. And Rita will want to tell them a juicy story, which this is, we can't deny that."

"What do we do then?" Cedric asked. Harry felt grateful that he was taking initiative on his behalf.

"We give her a juicier story. Of the security miscarriage in guarding the cup, of gross incompetence of ministry officials, of murder plot involving the boy who lived." Louise offered.

Aries's brow was wrinkled in concentration. "You wish for a political overhaul."

"What?" Cedric echoed Harry's thoughts.

"What do your do?" she asked him.

"My father works in the Ministry."

"Great. What does he thinks of Fudge's administration?"

"That it's the worst thing to happen to magical Britain in last century, except Voldemort."

Louise snorted. "True enough. Now imagine, we start the ball rolling by pointing out the ministry's incompetence in this tournament, and how it is putting Harry's life in danger, what do you think would happen?"

"People would start voicing their own griviences because Harry is considered a figurehead. If he is speaking up so can they. Press would print it and Fudge would never win the coming election in January." Cedric concluded. "Why do you wish to do this though? You are French."

"Wizarding politics is interconnected, especially in Europe. Britain is the hot spot. Changes in Britain directly or indirectly, affect France." Louise explained.

"You wish to cause a political overhaul, using my fame?" Harry interjected.

Louise looked sheepish at that. "Only if you're okay with that."

Harry thought about Fudge's refusal to give Sirius even a chance to prove his innocence, and nodded.

Later that morning, all four champions gave identical interviews to Rita Skeeter that had her rubbing her hands in glee.