Pansy's Request
Nearly a week after Malfoy becomes the laughing stock of the school, Harry receives something strange at dinner. A paper rose floats over to him and hovers in front of his face. It reminds him of the paper swan Malfoy had sent him in third year and he wonders for a moment if this too is from Malfoy.
Harry takes the paper rose from the air and unfolds it.
Potter,
As you might know, Draco is my dearest friend. I fearhe seeks what will never be his.
Know that I do not carry any grudges toward you. Instead Icarry a plea:
Please proceed carefully.
In case there be any doubts, allow me to remind you that you are a person of both great influence and interest.
Parkinson
“Who’s it from? What’s it say?” Ron asks.
“Pansy Parkinson. I think she’s asking me to make nice with Malfoy. Not sure why she’s phrased it this way though.”
“Let me see that,” Hermione says as she takes the letter from Harry. Hermione’s eyes scan the letter carefully. She flips it over and quirks a brow.
“She’s saying a lot more than that, actually.”
“Really. What is she saying?” Harry says.
“This page was torn from a book,” Hermione muses.
“That’s odd. Surely she can afford regular parchment, right?” Ron asks.
“There’s something written on the back,” Hermione adds, ignoring their questions.
“‘Mione, the back is blank,” Ron tells her.
“It looks blank, but it’s not.” Hermione withdraws her wand. “Revelio.”
Slowly the words reveal themselves.
“It’s a poem,” Hermione says.
In early spring a seed is planted by hands that know not what they do
And so the seed is buried deep beneath the earth
But it mustn’t grow, of this we know
And yet…
Though it receives no tending from the hands that sowed it
And though the earth denies it both sun and rain
Still, it grows despite itself; it grows and grows and grows…
Until the flower sprouts forth and blooms
If only the hands that sowed it knew
If only those hands would pluck it
But alas, thesoil is forever cursed
Till nothing more from it grows
Hermione’s fingers trace the words. She purses her lips and furrows her brow. Ron and Harry know this look well. Hermione has discovered something important. They just don’t know what yet.
“Hermione, what’s the significance of asking Harry to be nice on the back of a poem about gardening?”
“Ron, that’s not… I guess on the surface that is what she’s done.”
“And below the surface?” Harry asks.
“Not here.”
The next few days pass without incident. Ron and Harry wait patiently for Hermione to pull them to the library. They bring their books with them even though neither of them is planning to study.
She casts a Muffliato around them and pulls the letter from out of her pocket.
“We need to talk about this.”
Ron and Harry nod.
“I’ve been doing some reading. But the library is missing some of the books I need. I think I’ve figured out enough though. It’s all rather upsetting when I think about it...”
“You said that Parkinson said a lot more in her letter. Could we start there?” Harry asks.
Hermione nods. “It’s not just what she said but the way she said it. There are a lot of rules of etiquette and proper speech in pureblood circles. This is how they speak when there is a delicate situation that is considered impolite to discuss but needs to be addressed.”
There is that word again: Delicate. Harry had called Malfoy that when he hadn’t even meant to.
Hermione takes their lack of response as an invitation to continue.
“In her letter, Parkinson begins by explaining that she is writing to you because she cares about Malfoy as a friend. She’s expressing that she has no ulterior motives beyond his well being. The next line is curious… she means to tell us that Malfoy needs something he is unable to get.”
“Yeah, I got that but do you know what it is?” Harry asks.
“I have my suspicions but mostly because of the poem. There is nothing in the letter that explains it. Just that he needs it. She goes on to say she’s not mad about what happened the other day. She isn’t writing to you hoping you’ll apologize. She … says you have a lot of power in this situation: ‘A person of interest.’ It’s more than that though. You have power over other people too and apparently that matters.”
“Because I’m a person of great influence?” Harry asks sarcastically.
“Yes. And she is asking you to be civil. To be careful. She’s worried you might do something to hurt Malfoy.”
“Malfoy is the one who is always starting stuff with Harry though!” Ron protests.
“So she thinks it’s my fault everyone has nothing better to talk about,” Harry says, the irritation clear in his voice.
“That’s… Parkinson isn’t angry with you. She ‘holds no grudges.’ So I am pretty sure she is only worried that you might accidentally hurt him.”
“Hurt him in what way?” Harry asks.
“I think she’s worried you’ll hurt his reputation,” Hermione says.
Harry rolls his eyes at this. “Malfoy does a fine job of that on his own. Besides, is that really such a big deal?”
“It might be. Have you been reading up on the fourth champion?” Hermione’s question sounds more like an accusation than a serious question.
Ron and Harry look at each other before shaking their heads. Hermione sighs.
“Please start. The Tri-Wizard Tournament is usually fairly safe, but...”
“They made us fight a dragon,” Harry reminds her.
“What I mean is, usually nobody dies. I’m also not actually sure that was a dragon. It looked like a Ukrainian Ironbelly but the only one I know of in the country is at Gringotts. How would they get one here in just a week?”
“They could have had it ready before they told the champions the task,” Ron offers.
“No. Not even Dumbledore knew what the task was until they brought Harry in to divine it. I’m also not sure you were supposed to try and fight it.”
“What do you mean? I had to get out and it attacked me,” Harry says.
“Yes but … but the dragon seemed restrained somehow. And the tournament is supposed to be about unity. Either way, I think it would have been stopped before it killed anyone,” Hermione says.
“So maiming is fine as long as nobody dies?” Harry quips.
“Pretty much. Look, that’s not what I’m trying to explain. As the name suggests, during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, three wix compete in three tasks. But there are actually four champions: one from each house.”
“But nobody from Slytherin-” Ron starts but Hermione cuts him off.
“The fourth champion is not revealed with the rest and he doesn’t compete, but that doesn’t mean a champion from Slytherin hasn’t been already selected. It’s more of a social role. There are countless ways each tournament can play out but there are three main paths that could define the fourth champion’s task.
“The first is a path of friendship. The fourth champion hosts events for the houses to mingle. It’s relatively safe. However, the details here are not too important; I’m pretty sure it’s not what we’re facing right now.
“The second path is one of enmity. Despite what you might think, this is actually the most preferred. The host challenges one member each of the remaining three houses to a duel. It doesn’t matter who wins each duel as long as the duels are fought honorably.”
“What’s this got to do with Malfoy?” Ron asks.
“It’s him, isn’t it? He’s the fourth champion,” Harry replies.
“I’m pretty sure. A crown did magically sprout from his head the other day.”
“I didn’t -” Harry starts.
“I know you didn’t, Harry. That’s why I think he’s the fourth champion. That was probably the reveal.”
“We’re on the third path aren’t we?” Ron asks.
“Parkinson’s letter suggests that I think. How did you figure it out? You said you hadn’t read-”
“I haven’t read any books on this specific thing. But I know how to read you. You save the most important details for last so we have to listen to everything,” Ron says with a shrug.
Hermione wants to protest but he’s right. Instead, his careful observation of Hermione earns him a smile.
“Anyway, the third path is one of romance,” she says.
Ron laughs at this.
“It’s not funny,” Hermione scolds.
“It’s a little funny. Malfoy has to, what, find his ‘one true love?’ If that’s the case we’re doomed.”
“Yes, Ron, well that’s just it, isn’t it? Except the problem is I think he’s already found his one true love.”
Harry find this strange for several reasons. First, of course Malfoy is the fourth champion. Harry bitterly recalls when the Slytherins kicked Gryffindor out to train their ‘new seeker.’ Harry became the Gryffindor seeker so Malfoy became Slytherin’s. Malfoy always has to one-up him.
Second, if the ancient magic that is apparently running this whole show is as all knowing and powerful as everyone says it is and there are three paths forward for Malfoy, one of which is enmity… Well, there is an obvious choice of which it should be.
Third, Hermione is worried the selfish prat is in love. Not just love but ‘true love’ whatever the hell that means.
Fourth…
“Hermione, I don’t understand. If Malfoy is on a ‘path of romance,’” Harry’s hands form sarcastic quotes as he continues, “isn’t it a good thing he fancies someone?”
Hermione sighs and weighs what she knows now and what she has left to research, deciding how much information to dispel, how much panic her friends need to behave vs how much might just make them a nervous wreck.
“The path of romance involves the fourth champion finding someone to openly court over the year which accumulates in him taking her to a ball held in the spring.”
Ron and Harry nod along so she continues.
“It’s not necessarily bad if Malfoy already fancies someone. However, I think Parkinson is suggesting that his feelings will remain unrequited. ‘I fear he seeks what will never be his.’”
“So he just picks someone else, right?” Harry asks.
Hermione shakes her head. “It’s not that easy. There has to be some level of reciprocation on both sides for the courting to be successful. Which is why it’s important that if Malfoy is in fact the fourth champion, you don’t ruin his reputation. It would make it harder than it already is.”
“What happens if Malfoy fails?” Harry asks.
“The rituals needed to successfully court another with proper etiquette are extremely complicated,” Hermione says giving Ron a coy smile, “fortunately, the thing that makes Malfoy such a pain will help him out here. Nearly all pureblood wizarding families teach their children how to do it. It’s expected of them, normally. And Malfoy takes that kind of stuff very seriously. He has to or his family would …”
“Okay, but what happens if Malfoy fails?” Harry asks again.
“I found lots in the library about the first two paths but only a little on the third. Romance is the most risky path for the fourth champion. There’s a lot of ways it can go wrong. That’s where the poem comes in.”
“How does a story about a flower tell us anything about -”
“I’m getting there, if you’d let me, Ron.”
“Sorry.”
“The poem tells a story of tragic love. The protagonist is in love with someone who will never love them back and dies unable to get over them.
“Parkinson is worried Malfoy is in love with someone that will never return his feelings. So in love with this unsuitable option that he’s going to have trouble courting anyone else. This is a problem because if the fourth champion is unable to even attempt his task, the ancient magic will most likely kill him.”
Harry can feel the color draining from his face at her words.