The Four Champions
Harry sat there, ... look at him.
Both Harrys groaned. They hated being the centre of attention.
He was stunned... He had not heard correctly.
Everyone in the chamber was staring at Harry too.
There was no applause.
Minerva huffed. Of course, there had been no applause. They were all shocked beyond such things. In fact, it was worse than shock. She had felt terror freeze her veins.
A buzzing, ... frozen, in his seat.
"Aren't any of you going to say something?" Sirius shot angrily at the teachers. What were they doing?
Up at the top table, ... frowning slightly.
"I told him Mr Potter needed to leave the hall before all hell broke lose," Minerva said with a sigh.
"Bad idea," Sirius said. "What he needs to do is make a vow on his magic that he did not enter himself in the tournament or ask someone else to. That would put any rumours to bed."
"You can't seriously be advocating for a child making a magical vow, Sirius!" Molly cried.
"Under the circumstances, yes, I am," Sirius said sharply. "This is going to be awful. They're all going to turn on him."
"They wouldn't do that," the younger teachers said, only to go quiet when Harry glared at them. Not to mention the others in the room were all looking down at the marble floor, clearly ashamed. It would seem that they had overestimated their students.
Harry turned to Ron and Hermione ... "You know I didn't."
"Of course, I knew that," Hermione said softly.
"You didn't say it," Harry muttered, causing Hermione to flinch.
"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione said. "I should have."
Harry shrugged. "I get it. It was shocking."
Ron didn't say anything. He was glaring at the fire, feeling more ashamed than anyone else in the chamber, or at least he thought so.
Both of them stared just as blankly back.
Sirius sighed. This wasn't good. If even his friends had nothing to say to support him.
At the top table, ... Up here, if you please!"
Harry frowned. He hated reading about this.
"Go on," ... a slight push.
Hermione frowned. She should have at least said something reassuring.
Harry got to his feet, ... an immensely long walk;
No one spoke. They were all too horrified to utter a single word.
the top table ... teachers upon him.
Sirius almost growled. Where were the reassurances? He paused.
"You all thought he'd entered himself?" he said, feeling strangely defeated.
The teachers grimaced, but said nothing. Even Minerva bit her lip, frowning heavily.
"In fairness, I was always running into danger," Harry muttered.
"To save someone else's life," Severus said. "Or because Voldemort was up to something. NEVER because you just damn well felt like it."
Minerva huffed. It was a sad day when Severus Snape believed better of Harry Potter than she had.
"Well. . . through the door, Harry," ... He wasn't smiling.
"That's it?" Remus asked. "That's all you said to him?"
Harry moved off along the teachers' table... he passed like everyone else.
"I was scared out of ma mind," Hagrid said. "Didn't think for a second, you'd put yer name in."
Harry went through the door ... started whispering in his ear.
"Even the portraits are gossiping," Narcissa huffed. The boy didn't need to see that. He needed a hug.
"I want to know what you told the students," Sirius demanded.
"They weren't told anything," Minerva sighed. "We just sent them all off to bed."
Sirius groaned. That was even worse. "Please tell me you rectified that after speaking to Harry."
No one said anything.
Sirius glared at them all. "I don't even know what to say to you. I can't put into words how disappointing you all are. You're supposed to be educators. It is literally your job to safeguard these children and you can't even do that properly. Never mind, I presume you at least managed to get my son his OWLs and NEWTs."
Actually..." Harry muttered.
Sirius's eyes widened. "That's it. Unless my son has good reason to attend your school, Hogwarts is now off the table."
Everyone stared at him in horror. The Boy-Who-Lived, the magical prince, couldn't not attend Hogwarts. Not to mention, they actually liked Harry... Both Minerva and Sprout looked close to tears and Flitwick had his eyes closed tight as he silently shook his head at his own stupidity.
Viktor Krum, ... staring into the fire.
"That must have been intimidating," Cedric said. He couldn't really imagine himself at seventeen but he wouldn't like to go against three seventeen year olds either.
Fleur Delacour looked around ... "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"
"I thought you were a messenger," Fleur said apologetically. "I didn't think that you could possibly..."
Harry grimaced. He knew exactly what Fleur had thought of him. She'd called him a little boy.
She thought he had come ... very tall all of them were.
Poppy frowned. "That's partly because of their age but also your growth was stunted by malnutrition. I couldn't counter the damage done each summer and deal with the earlier malnutrition... I'm sorry." She really felt like she'd failed him.
There was a sound ... "Absolutely extraordinary!
"Is he insane?" Remus growled, eyes flashing.
Gentlemen. . . lady," ... the fourth Triwizard champion?"
Everyone stared at the book, completely dumbfounded.
Viktor Krum straightened up... "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman. "
"It did sound like a joke," Krum said. "No offence, but what he said just did not make sense."
Fleur nodded in agreement.
"Joke?" ... 'E is too young. "
"EXACTLY!" Sirius spat angrily.
"Well. . . it is amazing," ... Harry will just have to do the best he -"
"I'd like a copy of those rules," Remus muttered and with a flash of white light a book appeared on the table before him. He quickly picked it up and started skimming through it, silently thanking Mother Magic.
The door behind them opened again ... Professor McGonagall closed the door.
"There better be a damn investigation!" Sirius said, arms crossed.
"Madame Maxime!" ... little boy is to compete also!"
Fleur blushed. "Sorry, Harry."
Somewhere under Harry's ... Little boy?
George smirked at him.
Madame Maxime had drawn herself .... I not read the rules carefully enough?"
Sirius got to his feet and began pacing. He understood that this was a political nightmare for the school and ministry but he really didn't care about that. All that mattered to him was that Harry was in danger. AGAIN.
He gave a short ... It is most injust. "
Moody frowned. "Well, they're not wrong."
"We were under the impression ... candidates from our own schools. "
Krum grimaced. That had been a particularly sour spot for their headmaster. He had been furious that they'd not been allowed to bring more students. Even of age students.
"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," .... ever since he arrived here -"
Severus frowned. He really hated his older self in these books. He could sort of understand the resentment. Almost. Especially if he thought Harry had been raised the way Dumbledore had always told him. Not to mention if Draco had been lying about their interactions. But that still didn't excuse the behaviour.
"Thank you, Severus," ... the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked calmly.
Sirius nodded. Finally someone was going to find answers. Although he did wonder if he was giving Dumbledore too much credit.
"No," said Harry... ignoring Snape.
"Would that have worked?" George asked.
Albus frowned. He wasn't sure. He thought back to everything he knew about the tournament. "I don't think so," he said eventually. "At least, not with Harry being a fourth champion. If he was the Hogwarts champion, perhaps."
"So, all we had to do was get Angelina to put our names in?" George said in disbelief. "I'm amazed there weren't more underaged people that entered."
There was a murmur of agreement around the chamber.
"No," ... his lip curling.
Harry tensed. He hated being called a liar.
"He could not ... all agreed on that -"
"You're not even going to defend your student?" Sirius said bitterly. "Your his head of house and instead of supporting him, you're defending the headmaster?"
"I..." Minerva went silent.
"Yes. I know. You thought he'd entered himself," Sirius retorted furiously, "because you forgot that he is NOT JAMES POTTER!"
Minerva grimaced.
"Again and again, you have believed the worst of him," Sirius said. "You're no better than Snape! In fact, you're worse. At least, Snape had the decency to be honest about his prejudice. He said it right to Harry's face. You're just like your father! You make me sick, you two-faced old windbag."
Sirius turned away, he could feel his magic welling up inside him, angry and bitter and dark. There was a time that might have scared him. Being a dark wizard wasn't something he'd ever been proud of, until he came to this chamber and was given the opportunity to re-assess things. His magic might be dark but that didn't make him evil. Taking a deep breath, Sirius went to Severus and requested a calming draught. He downed the vial of potion the other man gave him before grabbing him by the arm and pulling him out of his chair and over to the sofa he was sharing with the two Harrys. Harry flicked his wand, extending the sofa so Severus could join them as Sirius curled into Severus's side, surprising everyone in the chamber.
"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made ... good enough for everybody else!"
Sirius, Severus and Remus all laughed.
"You put far too much faith in Albus," Abe said, shaking his head at the woman.
She shot a very angry look ... this is most irregular?"
Sirius hid his face in Severus's side as he sighed. They weren't going to get any answers. None of them actually cared about his pup.
Bagman wiped his round ... bound to compete in the tournament."
Remus frowned, nodding his head. "It does say that. But..."
Sirius sat up straight, his attention on Remus. "But what?"
"Well, I'm not sure but it says here that it's a magical binding contract between the person who entered and magic itself," Remus said. "I'm struggling to believe that Magic would honour this contract. I mean, I wouldn't want to risk Harry's magic on it, but I'd bet almost anything else..."
Everyone was paying attention now.
"Remember in the first book when Draco requested a duel?" Remus asked and everyone nodded. "Well, Harry didn't agree to it. Ron did on his behalf. And we all agreed then that magic would recognise the duel as being between Draco and Ron. I think this is very similar. Magic pays attention to the nuances. Our intentions are significant. If we sign a magical contract in bad faith, magic reacts, right?"
The adults were all nodding. They'd all heard stories of people that had tried to cheat others through magical contracts, only to find themselves in a bind. Literally.
"If I was the one forced into this contract," Remus said, "and not a fourteen year old boy, I think my best option would be to ask Mother Magic to judge it."
"May I?" Lucius asked, reaching for the book.
Remus handed it over, knowing that Lucius knew far more about magical law than he did.
Lucius didn't rush to speak as he read through the passage Remus pointed to. Eventually, he looked up. "Was the strip of parchment checked for a magical signature?" he demanded eventually.
Minerva shook her head.
"Was the DMLE informed?" he asked. "Was there an investigation?"
"No," Minerva said with a sigh.
"Remus is correct. The best course of action would be to ask Mother Magic to judge the contract," Lucius said sharply. "What's more, the danger could be mitigated by checking the magical signature on the strip of parchment, prior to requesting judgement. Even if somehow the person responsible used a piece of parchment that contained Harry's name, written in his own hand, the act of putting it in the goblet would be enough to replace Harry's own magical signature on the parchment. What's more, as they were told to put both their name and school, well, quite frankly, the one responsible must have at the very least added a school to the parchment. It would have been easy enough to investigate and with Mother Magic's judgement, the prince would not have been required to compete."
The teachers all looked scandalised. Why hadn't they thought of that?
There was a flash of light and Mother Magic appeared. Everyone stood abruptly, bowing deeply.
"Very well reasoned, Lord Malfoy," Mother Magic said. "Harry should not have been forced to compete and had my judgement been requested, I would never have allowed it."
Mother Magic opened her palm to show them a scrap of parchment. "Harry had never even touched this parchment. The writing isn't his own. And what's more, the parchment is saturated in magic - someone else's magic - to mask the name of the school, my prince was entered under."
They all sat forward, wanting to know the name of the school.
"Morsmordre," Mother Magic said coolly.
There were several gasps of horror throughout the chamber.
"If you had done your job and investigated this properly, you would have known that this was a plot against my prince." Mother Magic looked truly terrifying, her anger rippling off her in sparks and waves of potent magic. "And what's more, is that forgot that I am Mother Magic and that you can always come to me. This is what becomes of you, when you forget the old ways and abandon your worship. You underestimate my power and the powers of my celestial kin."
She glared at Albus and then the other teachers, one by one. "Let this be a lesson to you. Do better."
"Well, Barty knows the rule book ... the matter was now closed.
"But he does not know me. He is unworthy of the gifts I have bestowed upon him," Mother Magic said, something about her expression made those in the chamber wonder if she thought the same about them. Then she disappeared with another flash of blinding light.
"I insist upon resubmitting the names ... It's only fair, Dumbledore."
"Hardly," Ginny huffed. "Harry is only fourteen. They could add a fourteen year old each. That would be fair."
"And yet highly unethical," Arthur said, raising an eyebrow. "Harry shouldn't be competing. It would be a terrible idea to involve anymore minors in this competition."
"But Karkaroff, ... start of the next tournament -"
"Well, if I have my way," Molly said with a huff, "there won't be another one."
"- in which Durmstrang ... I have half a mind to leave now!"
Krum sighed. He couldn't completely blame his headmaster. From what Krum understood from his father who worked for the Bulgarian ministry, they had had to compromise a lot with the British ministry and Dumbledore in particular. And not all the compromises had gone down well at home.
"Empty threat, Karkaroff," ... Convenient, eh?"
Krum tilted his head. Knowing what he now knew, he couldn't help but wonder why he'd never been suspicious of the ex-auror.
Moody had just entered the room... I don't understand you, Moody."
Moody leaned forward, eager to know just who was impersonating him.
Harry could tell he was trying ... balled themselves into fists.
Moody smirked at that. He might not like whoever was impersonating him, but he loathed Karkaroff.
"Don't you?" ... two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.
The kids all rolled their eyes. These adults were stupid.
"I quite agree, ... International Confederation of Wizards -"
"Did he lodge complaints?" Sirius asked.
Minerva shook her head.
Sirius groaned. They would have had to investigate then...
Moody grimaced. His impersonator was working hard to intimidate the death eater into compliance. Why didn't Albus see that?
"If anyone's got reason ... zis is a chance many would die for!"
Sirius flinched. That was exactly what he suspected the person responsible wanted.
Harry laughed bitterly. "I really don't need the money and quite frankly, I think you're all morons for entering such a dangerous competition. Especially if you did if for money or prestige. You know, I looked into it... after being forced into the competition."
"Looked into what?" Fleur asked.
"The prestige... Not a single person who ever won the damn thing went on to do anything brilliant. They just went back to their normal lives and carried the fuck on. They were famous for five minutes and then the hype disappeared and they were nothing. A nobody. In fact, they mostly did worse in the NEWTs than their predicted grades, so actually, thanks to the tournament, they were worse off. Quite frankly, if you were doing it to get famous or for a leg up getting a decent career, I think Professor Snape would be right in calling you a dunderhead."
"Maybe someone's hoping ... what a thing to say!"
"Well, he's not wrong," Moody said and several people looked at him in confusion. Why was he referring to himself in the third person?
"We all know Professor Moody ... but no doubt you had your reasons.
Moody growled. "I'm guessing I was asked to teach because Albus anticipated something like this happening."
Albus considered that. It made sense. He would want an ally in the school if he thought Harry might be in danger. And the signs were certainly there... The disappearance of Bertha Jorkins. The prophecy the year before. Harry's scar. Yes, what Alastor said made sense.
"Imagining things, am I?" ... boy's name in that goblet. . . "
Moody sat forward, eager to hear just what his impostor had done. A skilled witch or wizard? One thing was for certain, criminals often liked to brag.
"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" ... the only one in his category..."
Albus nodded. That was what he had suspected too. Of course, he had no idea what his older self thought but it was the only thing that had made sense to him while reading.
"You seem to have given this ... it was a carriage clock.
Moody laughed at that. Criminals loved to undermine him. That's where the whole mad-eye thing came from in the first place. It was highly annoying that even his friends used the name that death eaters and criminals had used to mock him.
So you'll understand if ... as you ought to remember...
And there was the threat, Moody thought darkly. How was Albus failing to notice that this wasn't him? In what world would he, a retired auror, tell a potential culprit everything he suspected?
"Alastor!" ... Moody's real first name.
"Nah, Mad-Eye is what the criminals called me," Moody said gruffly. "And it sort of stuck."
"That's awful!" Hermione said crossly. "People should know better than to call you that. Not only does it mock your disability, but to think that the name was first used by..."
Moody nodded at the young woman. She wasn't wrong. "It was a death eater who used it the first time, I think. Can't quite recall. It was years ago. Don't think I even saw the wix's face."
"It was Mulciber," Lucius said.
Moody fell silent, ... speaking to everyone gathered in the room.
"Then order a damn investigation!" Remus said. "Call in the aurors."
"It seems to me, however, ... they will do. . . . "
"You're not even going to give Harry a choice?" Sirius demanded angrily.
"There was no choice," Minerva said. "Or at least we didn't think there was."
"Well, that's not true," young Harry said.
"What?" Minerva asked, clearly caught off guard.
"There was a choice. It wasn't a great one, but it did exist," young Harry said.
Harry frowned but he understood his younger self's point. There had been a choice.
"There was no choice," Minerva said again. "We thought you would lose your magic."
"So?" Young Harry asked. "Yeah, like I said, not a great choice but it wasn't the headmaster's choice to make. It was Harry's."
"Fourteen is much too young to make that sort of choice," Molly said.
"No," Sirius said crossly. "I disagree. I might not like it but Harry is right. Harry had only been in the magical world for three years. He grew up in the muggle world. As much as I'd hate him to choose that world over ours, he had the right to choose that option if it meant not having to risk his life in a stupid death tournament."
Everyone looked conflicted. They couldn't imagine picking the muggle world over their world.
"I'm not saying Harry," youngHarry started. He hated this. They were all looking at him now and he really didn't want them to. "That we would have chosen to forsake magic, but at least if we were given the choice, we wouldn't have felt..."
Young Harry didn't quite know what he wanted to say.
"Like we didn't have any control over our own lives," Harry finished for him. "If we chose to compete, we'd have at least been given the opportunity to take the control back."
The mind healers were nodding. "Quite right. Your control was stolen from you, yet again. Autonomy is very important."
"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -" ... looked rather excited.
"I think he might be deranged," Remus muttered.
"Well, shall we crack on, then?" ... Barty, want to do the honors?"
Arcturus tutted angrily. He'd been keeping quiet for a while now. He didn't want to miss anything and he'd always been a believer of the old saying that when you're speaking, you're not listening. But this was really beyond the pale. He couldn't believe the way people treated his grandson. He wouldn't allow it when they left this place. He'd make it his life's mission to keep Harry safe and protected. Especially from people who just wanted to use him. It was easy to imagine what Ludo was after. This would make the competition all the more press worthy and as such he was guaranteed to make a pretty galleon placing his bets. Arcturus was certain he had the measure of the man and he didn't like him one bit.
Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.
Moody tilted his head at that. What was going on with Barty? It wasn't like him not to pay attention. He was sure that was significant.
"Yes," he said, ... very important...
Sirius groaned. Trying to recall everything he'd ever heard about the tournament. It wasn't much and what he did recall wasn't particularly helpful.
"The first task ... tasks in the tournament.
"You can't honestly expect a fourteen year old to participate in this tournament without help?" young Hermione said.
"Please tell me you at least arranged a tutor for Harry," Remus said. "Someone external to the school? An older student even?"
Minerva grimaced. No. She hadn't done that. In hindsight, she definitely should have.
The other teachers all stared at her in disbelief. Especially Pomona. She had done that and her student wasn't even underage. "Minerva! You didn't? I arranged a tutor with Cedric's parents that night."
"I didn't even think about it," Minerva admitted.
The champions will face ... exempted from end-of-year tests."
Cedric frowned at that. "How does that work? It's NEWT year for you two, right?"
They both nodded. "We were awarded an extension," Fleur said. "I took my NEWTs at the French ministry over the summer."
"The Bulgarian ministry for me," Krum said. "But I had to wait until Yule."
"Why?" Cedric asked.
"The Bulgarian ministry only hosts the tests once a year," Krum said.
"The French ministry is similar," Fleur said, "although slightly better. It is twice in France. Over the summer and again at Yule."
"It's the same in Britain," Remus said. "Twice, I mean. Summer and Yule."
Mr. Crouch turned ... is it, Albus?"
Everyone who knew Crouch looked at the book in confusion. It wasn't like him to ask anyone for confirmation.
"I think so," ... stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"
Albus wondered at that. There was much about this that was suspicious. Both Alastor and Barty were behaving oddly.
"No, Dumbledore, ... I've left young Weatherby in charge...
Albus frowned. It really wasn't like Crouch to forget a name.
Very enthusiastic... if truth be told. . . "
Percy blushed darkly.
"You'll come ... a touch of his old impatience.
He wasn't the only one that was feeling impatient with Bagman. Sirius glared at the man's enthusiasm.
"Professor Karkaroff ... though in silence.
"This tournament wasn't good for political relations with Bulgaria," Krum said.
"Nor France," Fleur's grandmother said. "And that's not mentioning the impact it had on relations with the veela community."
"Harry, Cedric, ... waiting to celebrate with you,
Harry shook his head. He didn't think there was anything to celebrate.
and it would be a shame ... "We're playing against each other again!"
Cedric smiled at Harry. He could actually understand why the kid had been intimidated by himself, Krum and Delacour. Truth was, he was feeling quite intimidated by the older Harry too.
"I s'pose," ... "How did you get your name in?"
Cedric glared at the book.
"I didn't," ... Cedric didn't believe him.
"I'm sorry, Harry," Cedric said.
Harry just shrugged. "It's not your fault. You haven't... Your not your older self. And in fairness to him, he didn't really know me that well."
"Well... see you, then... going to believe him,
Ron rubbed his face. Harry hadn't doubted that he would believe him. Could he have been a worse friend?
or would they all think ... To give him a treat?
"Not likely," Kingsley said.
He didn't think so, somehow...
Moody sighed. Poor kid.
To see him make a fool of himself?
Draco frowned. He didn't really like hearing Potter's thoughts. It was weird and he had never realised just how human the other boy was. He'd always just been Harry Potter. But not anymore. Now he was... well, he was his cousin. Which was weird... Like really weird. Because he'd definitely had a crush on him at one point, even if he'd never admit it. But that was just yuck. They were related. And he couldn't quite wrap his head around that. Potter was family and if there was one thing his parents had taught him, it was that family always came first.
Well, they were likely to get their wish...
"You didn't," Draco said.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Embarrass yourself," Draco said. "You were annoyingly awesome."
But to get him killed?
Harry laughed sharply. He'd really not wanted to believe that.
Was Moody just being ... Did anyone really want him dead?
Everyone was looking at Harry like he had two heads. Harry sighed. That was better than pity he supposed.
Harry was able to answer ... feeble and powerless...
Tom frowned at the book. He had a heavy weight in his gut and he couldn't quite place what the feeling was. But he knew he didn't like it. And what's more, that feeling made him want to apologise... Something he had never been very good at, even before he went and ripped his soul apart.
Yet in that dream ... plotting Harry's murder...
The pitying looks were back.
"You don't actually think those dreams are real, do you?" Fred asked his twin.
Young Hermione huffed. "It was just a dream!"
"Dreams can be prophetic," Severus said.
Bill shook his head. "The dream wasn't prophetic. Harry had a piece of You Know Who's soul in his scar, they had a mental connection. The dream was very much real."
Several people looked terrified at what Bill had said. Sure, they'd heard about the horcruxes but it hadn't really been explained. And no one had said anything about a mental connection.
Harry got a shock to find himself facing the Fat Lady already.
"Understandable," Claudius said. "You'd had an overwhelming night."
"A party is the last thing he needs," Galenus said. He really had to question the teachers' sanity. Minerva should have escorted Harry to his dorm and called an end to the party, explaining that Harry had been entered into the tournament under duress.
He had barely noticed ... school champion, then?"
Minerva glared at the book. Violet was a terrible gossip.
"Balderdash," ... screaming, applauding, and whistling.
Galenus glared at Minerva. "You should have gone with him."
"For what purpose?" Minerva asked wearily.
"To inform your students that Harry was being forced to compete," Galenus said crossly. "To put an end to the party."
"They wanted to celebrate," Minerva said. She didn't really see the harm.
"He has just been informed that he has to compete against his will," Galenus said. "He is stressed. Tired. Probably still in shock. Quite frankly, I'd have wanted him in the hospital wing."
"The hospital wing?" Minerva asked. "He wasn't hurt."
"No? Perhaps not physically," Claudius countered. "But emotionally, yes, he was. Mentally, yes, he was. He has just had his choices taken away from him AGAIN. He has been forced into a deadly competition against his will. And need I remind you, he is only fourteen! Emotional shock often affects us physically. You might feel numb, panicked, angry... You might suffer from disassociation..."
"What is disassociation?" Dean asked Seamus, who shrugged in response.
"But you might also experience a rapid heart beat, breathlessness, tightness in your throat... There's often a surge of adrenaline which inevitably leads to an energy crash, which in turn can lead to accidental magic outbursts. You might feel sick, like you're going to vomit."
Minerva looked horrified.
"And Mr Thomas," Galenus said, his tone softer, "disassociation is a feeling of disconnect from yourself and the world around you. It's a trauma response usually."
"The prince has already shown us," Claudius said, "that he is disassociating as he didn't even know where he was as he walked through the castle."
"You should've told us ... a beard? Brilliant!" roared George.
"Sorry, Harry," George said. They should have known he wouldn't enter.
"I didn't," ... at least it's a Gryffindor -"
The puffs in the chamber glared at Angelina.
"You'll be able to pay back ... hear that he wasn't hungry;
Harry sighed. No one ever cared what he wanted. He was getting used to that.
nobody wanted ... name in the goblet;
Minerva frowned. Hadn't any of them believed him?
not one single person ... the mood to celebrate...
"Sorry, Harry," the gryffindors all said.
Lee Jordan had unearthed ... "I don't know how it happened."
"This is the last thing he needed," young Galenus said crossly.
Poppy nodded her agreement. She would have much preferred he spend the night in the hospital wing.
But for all the notice anyone took, ... I'm going to bed -"
"And there's the anger," Claudius said. "The way I see it, you got off lucky. He could have reacted far worse."
He wanted more than anything ... the common room.
Sirius frowned at that. He had a really bad feeling.
Insisting that he needed to sleep, ... "Where've you been?" Harry said.
The mind healers exchanged looks. This was going to be ugly. Depending upon how Ron reacted. Harry felt safe with his friends so they'd probably end up taking the brunt of his anger. And if the worst happened, and Ron didn't believe him, well, that would be very difficult for Harry to overcome. Loss of trust always was. And it would only be amplified by the emotional shock that Harry had suffered.
"Oh hello," ... strained sort of grin.
Claudius groaned. Yes, this would not end well.
Harry suddenly became aware .... "Congratulations."
Everyone eyed Ron in surprise. They had expected Harry's friends to believe him, even if no one else did.
"What d'you mean, ... the Invisibility Cloak?"
Sirius shook his head. He and James were always up to mischief but they would never have doubted each other like this.
"The Invisibility Cloak ... But you found another way, did you?"
Molly frowned at her son. She hadn't known about this.
"Listen," ... "What would they do that for?"
Bill groaned, muttering "Jealous prat," under his breath.
"I dunno," ... "To kill me."
Sirius glared at Ron. Harry shouldn't have had to say that but surely, the other boy would take that seriously, if nothing else.
Ron's eyebrows rose so high ... why you're bothering to lie,
Hermione shook her head. She had never heard the full details of this conversation from either boy.
you didn't get into trouble for it, did you?
Ron grimaced. Fuck. He's really messed this one up.
That friend of the Fat Lady's, ... A thousand Galleons prize money, eh?
"Harry wouldn't enter for money," George said crossly. He couldn't believe this. Sure, he and Fred had gotten over excited about it, but Ron was supposed to be Harry's best friend.
And you don't have to do ... I'm not stupid, you know."
Several people in the chamber looked ready to disagree with him, all conveniently forgetting that they'd thought the same thing. Ginny looked ready to hex him.
"You're doing a really good impression of it," Harry snapped.
Everyone was on tenterhooks. No one quite knew where to look. Harry was staring at the fire, pretending he was somewhere else. While Ron was looking at his hands in his lap.
"I deserved that," Ron muttered.
No one disagreed.
"Yeah?" ... a photo-call or something."
"RONALD!" Molly was flabbergasted. What had gotten into her son?
"What? I was a jealous prat," Ron said. "Get over it. It's going to happen a lot more than I'd like. I was a shit friend. Still am, really."
"That's not true," Harry said softly. "You can be a right git. But you're also pretty amazing. You know, when you want to be."
"Do I have to remind you what happened while we were on the run?" Ron said stubbornly.
"Do I have to remind you that you literally saved my fucking life?" Harry countered. "Yes, you fucked up. You've done it a few times. And yeah, it hurt. But your still my friend."
Ron blushed. They didn't normally do the whole talking through your feelings thing.
He wrenched the hangings ... sure would believe him.
"I hated this chapter," Sirius murmured.
"Me too," Severus agreed.
"I think I'm going to hate this book."
"I hate all of them," Severus said softly, kissing Sirius on the temple. "Just think, we're almost half way through."
"Have you seen the size of this book?" Sirius asked. "The books are getting longer."
Severus sighed. His stupid mutt was right. This torture might never end.