The Unlucky One
After the murder, people were getting more and more nervous that the killer was still out there, but everyone had to go on with their lives, too. Harry didn't have much to say about the incident. "He was lying on the ground when we found him," was all he said. He was no investigator, he couldn't have seen any indication to the killer's identity, but young people were curious and continued to ask him questions until one day Ron told them to shut their mouth. Harry, on the other hand, was oblivious to their attention, he wouldn't say anything or ask for help, but the tournament's stress was all over his face. They all tried to help him overcome his worries by spending more time with him. Hermione encouraged him with his classes(even though he wasn't going to be taking any exams this year) while Ron practiced quidditch with him and turned almost anything into a silly joke to lift his mood.
Two months have passed and the students were going back to normal as they studied and completed their first exams of the term. The people that were bullying Harry had become the ones that support him the most. Except for the Slytherins, especially Malfoy and his squad.
Him and Hermione never talked after their last conversation in the halls, but she dared to say that she could feel him watching her. During meals, he would look at her direction questioningly. It wasn't often. She caught his eyes a few times while she was looking for Viktor, who seemed to be sitting very close to Malfoy quite frequently. She stopped doing that after coming across Malfoy's disturbing stare. In the class, she had the feeling that he was staring at her back, but she couldn't find a way to address the issue. The boy had been doing that ever since their first year, yet it never bothered her so much before. She kept thinking that he would say something when he passed her desk, but he didn't mutter a single word. Whether he was doing it on purpose or not she wasn't sure, but she had to stop thinking about whether he was looking at her or not.
However, she paid attention to him as well. Unlike him, she was watching him more discreetly. He didn't like the fact that Harry was doing so good at the tournament and the jealousy was all over his face. He had some strange behaviours as well; She saw him whispering to his shoulder or his hand like special agents do, but Malfoy wouldn't even know what a cellphone is let alone small microphones hidden in his robes. No, she had to think simply, he could be chanting a spell to his body, but then again, why would he do that? She decided to be extra careful and watch him more.
—
Hermione sat on her bed, reviewing previous tournaments in the hopes of gaining insight into what the next task would be. She got bored in her room after an hour and left the tower to go for a walk around the castle. Normally, the corridors would be packed with students, but today they were nearly empty; everyone had to be having a good time at Hogsmeade. Viktor had invited her to join him too, but she didn't feel like going this week and thanked him. She decided to get some fresh air and ended herself at Black Lake ten minutes later.
It was a rather dull spring day, or her mood was the reason to perceive dullness everywhere. She sat on the dock swinging her legs and put her wand on the wooden floor right next to her leg. The day of the task was still fresh in her mind. The blinding brightness, Viktor's hold, the icy cold water and the suffocating air she inhaled. Gazing at the water below, she could feel it all. She wondered if the Merpeople down there were looking up at her as well. They were highly intelligent beings that spoke their own language; if they poked their heads out right now and said something, she wouldn't understand them.
Hermione grabbed her wand and got up, shaking the dust off her pants. The journey to the castle was long, and she questioned if she had made the right decision by coming here alone. Someone was killed not so long ago and she was away from the crowd all by herself. The thought made her shudder and she quickened her pace.
As she got closer to the castle, she saw Malfoy near the walls talking all by himself. What was he doing there alone? She quickened her steps closer to him, each step allowing her to see him more clearly. The second a woman with huge, pointy spectacles walked away from a wall, her mouth fell open. Her spectacles had an uncanny resemblance to something she'd seen before, but she couldn't quite place it.
They both seemed in a rush, but content. So… Malfoy was giving out information to Rita Skeeter? That was expectable from him. She remembered the interviews Rita had conducted with other students, mostly Slytherins, in order to bring Harry down. The day of the first task, she knew the exact moment to take a picture of her and Harry. The images of the day flashed in her mind, and Malfoy was there again, picking up something from the ground.
If he was the one that told her that Hermione was sneaking in to the tent, she would have known when to take that picture. That didn't explain how she found out about Viktor, though. After the so-called love triangle column, she wrote about them once again. How could she have known Viktor told Hermione he liked her a lot? There was no way for her to know that, she wasn't allowed on the grounds after the tasks and they were alone in the hall. Another image of a bug from that day flashed in her mind. She remembered how funny it looked with the glass-like shape on its head.
No.
Rita Skeeter was an Animagus. Could that be? She didn't hear or read her name anywhere before, there was a chance that she was unregistered, just like Lupin. She would have to ask McGonagall later, but first, she had to do something.
She hid behind a tree as Malfoy done talking, he looked around and left. Hermione ran to the spot they were hiding at and peered around the walls and the ground. She was right! Crawling away from her feet was the same insect. She had to think fast, she didn't have a jar to keep her in at the moment, she needed to do come up with something else.
"Petrificus totalus!" She pointed her wand at the bug.
When the bug stopped moving, she felt a rush of joy in her body. She had gotten the evil reporter literally in her hands, even better, she had outsmarted her.
"Wingardium leviosa."
Since everyone was at Hogsmeade, she took the opportunity and walked back to the Gryffindor Tower without being seen with a flying bug. She took out a jar and placed the bug in it.
"Hello, Rita. I hope this little space is comfortable for you, because you'll be spending some time here next to me," she smiled at it and tapped the glass. "I'll get you some leaves of course, I'm not planning on starving you, we just need to come to an agreement."
The bug raised its head at her and it seemed like it was actually listening to her. She didn't know if Rita was an unregistered animagus or she had caught a regular bug, but she had to take her chance and bluff her way through it.
"You'll be staying in here and not harm anyone. I know you were sneaking around the castle, getting information to publish more misleading articles. You will not participate in the final task and will not tell anyone that I held you in here when I release you." She hoped that it wasn't just an ordinary insect.
The bug started to run ferociously around the jar. Hermione shook the glass. "Listen to me. I know you're unregistered. I will let you go after the final task and you will not tell anyone that I held you in here, if you don't want to go to Azkaban, of course." The bug stilled. She knew Rita had no chance but to comply with her. "If you agree, come to my finger." She put her finger on a certain spot and the bug walked slowly towards her.
She wasn't sure at first, but her bluff paid of well. "Good, I will get you food soon and maybe a bigger glass."
The bug circled around the jar and she imagined a very frantic looking Rita in her human form. She smiled proudly to herself. One trouble was out of the way, now they had to focus on the final task. Harry could actually win the tournament despite his age and lack of knowledge compared to the others.
—
They had no idea what the final task would be, but they had to think positively for Harry. The task was due at sunset and it took place in the quidditch field. The classes were cancelled that day and Hermione had just finalised going over some spells that could help him.
When they entered the field, she took a look at the sight in front of her. It was a maze. They wouldn't be able to see what was happening until someone won. The audience definitely wouldn't like that, but she had the feeling the professors could monitor what was happening inside.
She turned him around by his shoulder. "Harry, the walls might be bewitched, try to stay in the centre and not touch anything. There could be something poisonous in them,"
He eyed the field, contemplating what she just said. "Maybe, but I think the professors had something much more complicated in their minds."
"If you see or hear something move, run! Okay?"
He nodded and walked towards the other champions who were waiting with their mentors. Hermione heard Ron calling her and she joined him and the others. The crowd was loud as usual and the air was filled with the names that people were chanting. Dumbledore's amplified hoarse voice silenced everyone once again.
"The champions, please take your places," they all stood in front of a different entrance. "The goal is to seize the Triwizard Cup, whoever touches it first, will be the champion!"
Another cheer.
"If you get injured, need help or want to quit, send a red emergency signal in the air and we will come and get you. The task will start with the sound of cannon!"
The second he said cannon, Mr. Filch fired it and Dumbledore looked at him like he would scold him like a five year old if they were alone. The music started and four of the champions entered the maze with hesitation. The second they were in it, the walls closed behind them. She was right, they were bewitched and moving. They would get lost so easily, she wondered if there were any clues about where they should be going.
The music continued for another 5 minutes after they disappeared and the crowd started chattering again. The professors were also having a heated conversation and she had no idea if they could see the champions or not.
Another 10 or 15 minutes passed and people started to get bored, some were leaving while the others continued to talk. Hermione didn't forget to take a look at Malfoy as well. He was looking around, wincing as usual. About 10 minutes later he got up and walked towards the exit. She already had Rita in her room, where was he going this time?
She didn't even think when she got up to follow him. "Where are you going?" Ron asked.
"I'll use the restroom," she lied. He nodded while watching Luna's little dance and she left the pitch.
Hermione walked towards the Hufflepuff stand and wandered around a bit. He was sitting not too far from her, he had to be somewhere near. If he was meeting someone again maybe she could hear them talk. She tapped her foot on the ground as each second passed by, he might not be meeting someone at all, she thought. Hermione didn't think of the possibility that he could be leaving the pitch out of boredom, just like half the audience did. She shook her head and decided to go back, whatever he was doing was no business of hers anyway.
"Are you looking for me?"
She turned to face the source of the voice. Malfoy was walking towards her from beneath the stand. How long had he been there? She hoped he didn't see her before.
"What?" She decided to play dumb, but getting caught sent a jolt to her body as her heartbeat quickened.
"You were watching me for the past ten minutes. Is there something you wanted to say?"
WHAT?
The genuine shock almost showed on her face, but she quickly composed herself.
"I have better things to do than talking to you, now if you excuse me..." she sent a fake smile.
He leaped up from where he was standing and started walking towards her. He raised an eyebrow as if to say ’really?’. She just glared back at him hoping to stop him from coming closer.
"What are you doing?" Her brows were knitted by the shock or the fear of getting caught, she wasn't sure.
"I asked you a question-" he stood in front of her.
"Even if I was, how would you know? You'd have to be watching me," she said, the side of her lip curling up.
She saw him jutting his chin forward with irritation and he pointed his finger at her. "Do not cross with me Granger. You have no idea what I'm capable of."
She smirked feeling already excited to see the look on his face. "You mean like giving out false information to reporters? Or letting an animagus wander around the castle so you can belittle us in the paper out of jealousy?" His eyes widened a little and she continued. "Yes, I know of your friend, as a matter of fact, I made sure that she will not write a single column until the end of the year. Were you out looking for her if I may ask?"
His hard demeanour dissolved in a second, his lips slightly parted and all that could be heard was the rustling from the ground as he took a tentative step back. The silence continued for several seconds before he broke it. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
He stared at her with an expression she couldn't quite place, not angry nor shocked, merely resigned as if he already knew what was coming next. Instead of saying anything more, he turned around and left her there. It wasn't like him to give in, but she was happy in the end.
Hermione was feeling rather great that she confronted him, they could've caused more damage if she hadn't got hold of Rita. She reminded herself to give her more food after the task and joined her friends as well.
Everyone was sitting quietly when Harry and Cedric Diggory suddenly appeared out of thin air with the cup in Harry's hand. The same music started to play and everyone shouted, some with joy, some with dissatisfaction.
She jumped up and down in her place as she watched Harry. It was finally over and he was the champion of the tournament. It almost didn't feel real! Dumbledore approached him but he refused to leave, only then Hermione, along with everyone else, noticed that Cedric Diggory was not moving.
"That's my boy!" Amon Diggory shouted with pride while he was running to his son. He stopped in his tracks and knelt beside him. "My boy! No, my boy!!"
His screams silenced everyone and the air suddenly felt eerie. There was a feeling in her gut that she wanted to avoid, but it was there. Harry screamed when the professors tried to get him away from Cedric. She kept fighting with the feeling, tried to ignore it, but it was defeating her ruthlessly.
"No! It was him! He's back," he shouted. He hadn't mentioned a name, but Hermione had a sense that it was someone who should've been gone a long time ago, and soon Harry would confirm her guess. "It was Voldemort! He killed him!"
Another sharp cry was heard, it was Cho Chang, Cedric's date and later on, his girlfriend. The field suddenly stilled, no one was moving a single muscle, except for Amon Diggory. He was frantically shaking his son's now motionless body, desperately waiting for the response he knew he wouldn't get.
Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the school all stood there frozen as if they weren't supposed to be there. They started looking at each other not knowing what to do. Mister Diggory's and Cho's screams mixed together, but Harry was quiet now. He was hardly making any sound, bur was still holding onto his body. Everyone watched in complete horror.
The professors yanked Harry from Cedric's body and Professor Moody took him to the castle. Mister Diggory's screams were getting only higher as he kissed his son's cheek. He had stopped shaking him, accepting the truth as it is, and saying his goodbye to him in front of too many eyes. Hermione felt bad for the man, he should've had a private moment, but now he was being watched by his son's classmates as he held his body in his arms.
"Everyone, back to the dormitories!" McGonagall waved her hands to clear the area. "No one will come out until further notice! The prefects will take you back at once."
When she turned to Ron, he was already looking at her. He seemed indecisive and out of focus. His eyes were wandering to the place Harry had left with Moody. "No," Hermione stood in front of him, placing her hand on his chest."We will go back to the dorm and Harry will come later," he looked back at her, nodding unwillingly before joining the others.
—
The last time the castle was this quiet was the day that Barty Crouch was killed. People were speculating that it was the same person that killed Cedric, they were not sure if it was actually Voldemort or not. Hermione was not sure either, but she believed Harry, he had no reason to lie. He would never lie about something so grave.
The next day, Hermione ran to the common room to see if Harry had come back. She didn't see him last night and it was worrying. They were leaving for home in two days and this was the first time that no one was congratulating each other or laughing. Even the Slytherins that remained cold to everything seemed upset and sour.
Things were almost back to the way they were at the time when the champions were selected. Some people were secretly hating on Harry and calling him a liar, some were even believing that he was the one that killed Cedric and now was trying to cover it up. He didn't leave his room until the last day and was not talking much. He explained that Moody was actually Barty Crouch Jr. and he had been using Polyjuice all year. He admitted killing his father and now was sent to Azkaban to be kissed by the Dementors.
Each year before they leave, there would be a feast. After they fill their bellies, the champion house would be announced. Just like she told Durmstrang students, everyone would wait to see the flamas of the champion house. This year wasn't like that, there were plenty of food on the tables but no one was touching a single thing. The chandelier lights were dimmed and the walls seemed even darker this way. It was as if the castle was mourning for its student.
Dumbledore made a speech as usual but this year it was focused on the tournament. He congratulated Harry even though no one applauded. He didn't want to take the prize money or anything related to the tournament but he did anyway. Hermione was sure that he would give it to someone in need, maybe a homeless person or a charity of some sort. It was a relief for him when Dumbledore kept it short only to make it worse a moment later. He confirmed that Cedric was killed by Voldemort and as he mourned him he announced that there would be no house champion this year and with a quick wave of his hand, the flamas in the hall all turned to ashy gray with a big H written on them. Now it really looked like the school was grieving for the bright young man whose future was stolen away.