Whispers in the Night
Disclaimer: I'm just playing in JKR's sandbox and make no money from this. Please enjoy the story and feel free to leave comments and critiques, it's the only way to get better at this. I'm writing this story for my own enjoyment.
Content Warning: This story will contain mentions of abuse and scenes containing but not limited to swearing, violence, smut and other Adult Content.
Author's Note: 1. As always, thank you for reading the story and taking the time to review, favorite, or follow my work. 2. I rather enjoyed this chapter for a few reasons. Namely the interactions between characters. This was about… 5k words originally but needed some polishing, not just in descriptions, but character interactions on all fronts.
3. My recommendation this chapter goes to author kathryn518! The work they and their editors put into their stories is fantastic and far more detailed and nuanced than my own. I particularly enjoy I'm Still Here and What's a Little Death Between Friends? and I'm constantly looking forward to updates from both and getting ready to jump into their other stories between my editing runs.
4. As always, enjoy the latest chapter!
Oh my…
Chapter Thirty-Five: Dragons and Deception
The day after the Weighing of the Wands was laden with anticipation. Not only was the Daily Prophet's article to debut that day but a special edition of the Quibbler was coming out, for those that read the magazine anyway. More curious about the reactions of the student body than anything else, Harry had patrolled the great hall, entrance hall, and surrounding areas until the owls arrived with the latest news and letters. Harry grabbed his paper and magazine, having paid for a year in advance for both already, and stuffed the Daily Prophet into his pocket before he took at look at the Quibbler.
"Now that's a good shot," Tonks pointed out as she observed the picture of just the four Champions on the front cover. "Luna and her father have good taste."
"Let's just hope the article is just as good," the young apprentice replied as he opened up the index then quickly found the article in question. "Although I will have to bug her about getting copies of all the photos. I'd like some for the albums and frames."
The pair moved to a wall near the doors of the Great Hall as they continued to read, more and more impressed with the article as they went. The writing was clear and concise with very little embellishment besides making the interviews and events feel more organic than a simple report. When it reached the interviews, Harry smiled when he noticed he was quoted word for word, as were the other champions. Luna offered some basic but warranted speculation on his responses in summary before she switched to the next interview and did the same with Cedric's answers, then Viktor and Fleur's in turn. By the time they finished, the entire hall was filled with gossip about what the prophet had to say, while those who saw the Quibbler in the hands of a select few began to question what the strange magazine had to offer.
"We'll get to talking about the Quibbler, but is it me or am I getting a few wary glances from the people nearby?" Harry asked just low enough for only Tonks to hear him as he paged through the quibbler casually as if he was dead to the rest of the world.
"It's not you," Tonks huffed lightly under her breath. "Best check the bint's report to see what she said."
"I can see you're just brimming with enthusiasm," Harry teased the older witch as he casually rolled up the Quibbler, and exchanged its place with that of the Prophet, in his pocket.
One glance told Harry all he needed to know. As bold as brass on the front page was a picture of Harry, Poppy, Cedric, Dumbledore, Bagman and Jorkins, capitalizing on the British pride angle while two significantly smaller photos of Fleur with Maxime, and Krum with Karkaroff respectively were set below it. Harry grimaced at it and the disgusted snort from Tonks was enough for Harry to know she shared the sentiment. The weighing of the wands focused primarily on speculation surrounding Harry and his involvement, Cedric's place as Hogwarts' Champion, as well as the idea of a British win with barely a mention of Viktor and Fleur besides what their wands were made of and a few backhanded statements toward them.
"'While Mr. Potter refused to offer the Daily Prophet any comment and remained absolutely silent after he took refuge in the deluded ramblings of the Quibbler's article, written by the owner's daughter Loony Lovegood who is in her third year at Hogwarts, I persevered in discovering a hint of the truth through his silent reactions! The young apprentice has some sort of alternative agenda for the Triwizard Tournament as well as for Magical Britain and we are only just scratching the surface. With his history before rejoining the magical world obscured and secreted away by those in power, we may be seeing the beginning of a new darkness rising in the supposed Healer Apprentice, and I, Rita Skeeter, will be careful to make sure the truth is brought into the light to expose this suspicious boy before it's too late!'" Harry read aloud before he cut himself off after he finished the article. The young man bit his tongue briefly before he looked to a disgruntled Tonks whose purple hair was leaning toward an angrier magenta color. "Well she's certainly colorful in her interpretations of silence and hearsay from unreliable sources."
"And dangerous," the auror grumbled through nearly-clenched teeth as she stuffed down her bitter resentment. "The bitch has got enough insinuation to start putting pressure on you from a number of angles; not just the students here but politically as well. This is just the beginning, Harry, and she's a petty bitch. She's going to come after you for destroying her quill and that last question of hers, and she won't stop until she's uncovered some truth."
"And when she's uncovered the truth and sung it for a story Amelia will hunt her down for breaking confidentiality and secrecy laws," Harry pointed out lightly, though he too felt a shiver of concern for what the world might learn of his past. A glimmer of fear pulsed through the teen but anger quickly overrode that as he thought of the consequences all sides would face if the truth was divulged. "Any way for me to kill the bitch legally outside of Honor Duels?"
"This isn't even enough for an Honor Duel, and you know the bitch would never accept," Tonks huffed in distaste. "The bloody bint would take the shame of refusal easily and just try and turn it all back on you somehow. She's a crafty cunt without shame and she's willing to do anything for fame or revenge."
"And my mother says I have a terrible mouth," Daphne groused as she approached the pair, her magic sending waves of chill around her. "With a little help I'm sure we could get something explosive smuggled to her in the mail so she dies in a fiery explosion. Or maybe something acidic, make it last longer."
"You're sexy when you're vindictive," Harry quietly told his dark-haired girlfriend as he pulled her into a quick kiss. "I like it. I wonder how you'll be at angry sex."
"You'll never know if you keep this up," Daphne answered with a faux-glare before she stepped lightly on his foot in order to keep such talk private instead of in the great hall. "But at least the vows and magic surrounding your official files will keep her from learning anything."
"There are people outside those that know or can guess about Harry's past, you know that," Susan offered, her magic flaring, becoming ominous and oppressive before she settled into Harry's arms and was summarily kissed by the young wizard. "But we'll make sure the bitch gets hers someday."
"And here's my other feisty witch," Harry teased gently. The three relaxed, glad to be together before Harry spoke once again. "It will be fine… eventually. If the truth does get out, well, I'll have some fun making her life hell. Rita's words right now are nothing but hearsay and unconfirmed gossip, her specialty. Let the sheep believe her or not, I could hardly give a damn what the rest of the world thinks besides those that mean us harm. Either way, I much prefer Luna's speculation about my past.
"Why thank you, Harry," the shorter blonde said as she approached the lightly chuckling group. "But are you absolutely certain you weren't raised by a Sphinx to vex us all with the riddles of your existence and are just using the excuse of being raised by muggles as a front?"
Harry offered a light smirk at that, especially at the idea his riddles would vex anyone. "Oh, who's to say? Some riddles are just more fun than others, and a few are more dangerous than they should be. You'll just have to figure out the truth for yourself, Luna."
"Drat, more secrets and riddles for me to unravel," Luna pouted cutely, even as she saw Cedric, Fleur, Viktor, and the rest of Harry's close friends approach them. With Cedric in her sights, the younger blonde kept up her pout and approached Cedric's side. "Cedric, Harry's not telling me the truth. Can you get it out of him for me?"
"Maybe, Luna, we'll have to see which truths he's willing to part with," Cedric played along, having heard the small conversation that had been going on. "You wrote a fantastic article, by the way. I knew it was a good idea working so closely with you for our press debut."
Although Luna's slightly dreamy look remained, a light hint of pink dusted her cheeks as she thanked the older boy. Seeing the opportunity for a discussion Hermione jumped in. "Did you really have to speculate about everyone, Luna? You had a wonderful article about the Wand Weighing, chock full of great interviews and then you included that… questionable content."
"What's wrong with questioning reality when you live in a world that constantly challenges it?" Luna rebutted, which stopped Hermione in her tracks as a thoughtful look crossed the logical brunette's features. "What's up could be down, left could be right, six could be ten, and anything could possibly change with just a little magic, Hermione. Why not question an ever changing world?"
"I… suppose that's fair," Hermione sighed as she accepted the strange logic of younger girl. "But you made everything look less serious, more like a story than what's actually reality."
"Respectfully, Her-my-oh-nee," Viktor said, struggling with the brunette's name as he dragged it out to say it right, which she nodded gratefully for, "I disagree. Luna took us at our word, then added speculation only after interviews with each of us were done. Contrast between what we said and what she offered will help people make a better decision on what is truth and what is not; likely in our favor."
"Despite the questionable choices in some of the speculation, I agree," Fleur chimed with a small smile to Luna.
Hermione seemed to think it over before she nodded in acceptance. She was always wary of some of the things Luna had to say, but she was learning to see some semblance of reason and logic behind the vexation that was having Luna Lovegood in her life. "Alright, I concede," the brunette announced. "But I still think the interviews could have stood on their own."
"True, but it wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable," Harry pointed out, causing smiles and nods of agreement to pass through the entire group. Hermione let out a small snort of amused, if reluctant, agreement before Blaise tickled her sides and earned himself a gentle swat on the arm for his efforts.
"Oh come off it, Hermione, you know you enjoyed the article," Blaise teased the girl he inevitably wrapped in his arms from behind. "I think it was very well done. The descriptions of the champions did very well in my opinion."
"Oui, I agree," Fleur managed to say before anyone else as she kept her gaze trained on Luna. "I apologize for doubting you, Luna. You have my sincere thanks and if you wish to know more of veela, I will be happy to tell you."
"You're welcome, Fleur," Luna said from Cedric's side, where the older teen smiled softly at the younger witch. "So you'll tell me if the Veela High Court really exists and is planning on creating a coalition of magical races to take over the world?"
"Non, some mystery must always exist, lest we find ourselves with no more to discover," Fleur answered, indulging in a bit of fun with the younger blonde, who gave an understanding, if challenging smile in return. "But I also want to thank you for your description of me. It was very pleasant to read something flattering and respectful about me and my kind."
"'With beauty and grace rivalling the greatest ocean sunsets of her home in France and magic more powerful than an oncoming storm; Fleur Delacour is an intelligent, captivating witch with the curves of Aphrodite and a heart full of passion and emotion. She carries herself with pride, reason, and power, and is sure to become a veela witch revered for her skill with magic,'" Tracey read for the group as she examined the article for what was probably the third time, given her passions of reading, writing, and analyzing texts of all kinds. "If anyone described me like that I'd kiss them."
"Well you are as beautiful as the morning sun," Theo chipped in, earning himself a brief kiss from the honey blonde witch. The pair smiled at one another before Tracey looked to the rest of the group, a glimmer of guilt passing through her as she looked to Harry and the others while Theo grinned and returned to the topic at hand. "It was a well done article and devoted itself to showing you four as people as much as champions. I rather liked it."
"Agreed," Tracey continued with that line of thought. "It helped me get to know the real you more than just 'the Champions' even if I've known two you for a while," the girl continued with a slight glance to Harry. "Especially what you had to say, Harry."
"It was nothing," Harry tried to dissuade Tracey and the rest of the group who seemed to agree, though Susan and Daphne, now on either side of him, squeezed his hands gently. "I was just saying what I felt was right."
"'I have a lot to learn to catch up on with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor not just as Champions, but as people. It's true that I'm behind all of them in terms of schooling, even if I did accept an apprenticeship early, but that just adds more to what I'm already being taught. I look at them and I see people I aspire to be like, to work with and befriend so I might share in just how amazing they are. Everyday I'm learning how to grow, how to move forward, how to be whom I want to be when they probably already know that about themselves. But I'm also experiencing things I've never known with the most unexpected people; people that share such a deep connection with me I'm scared to imagine what I would do without them,'" Hannah quoted quietly from the text as she read it, her breath almost a sigh as she smiled at his words. "Sure you can be a realist a lot of the time, Harry, but that came from the heart. You were even pretty romantic at the end there even if you didn't say everything you meant to. I know for a fact that you meant more than what you said throughout that entire answer."
"Neville's flowers are more romantic than anything I have to say," Harry attempted to say as he caught significant looks from a few of those surrounding him. "I just said what came to mind and I meant it. Whether I had more to say or not isn't the point."
"And that's what she means, Harry. There's nothing wrong with it," Neville said as he conjured a flower for Hannah, who nudged him lightly for distracting her but took it with a bright smile anyways. "A flower is just a flower unless you give it meaning, and you gave your words more meaning even if you didn't know it…"
As Neville whispered in Hannah's ear the blonde blushed and shyly kissed him before Blaise spoke up. "Take it as a compliment, Harry. We know what you were saying and I'm sure you do as well." Harry seemed to deflate slightly at that but nodded in acceptance. Blaise, however, wasn't quite finished. "Although now I'm sure you'll have every woman that reads this article intrigued as to what you learned, how much you're learning, with who, and if they'll ever experience it."
Harry groaned at the light ribbing he got from Blaise as the others chuckled. As Harry briefly closed his eyes, he missed the looks that went his way, two gentle, loving smiles, two of quiet longing, and another of intrigue. Intent on changing the topic, however, Harry turned his attention to Cedric and Luna.
"Fine, fine, I get it. I'll try and keep myself to those words but I'm not the only one worth talking about. Fleur was fantastic, Viktor was excellent, and what was it I read in the article about Cedric?" Harry diverted the conversation finally. "Something about him being a powerful, strong, true gentleman; a man of determination, loyalty, and hard work, embodying the ideals of wizards, witches, and Hufflepuff as a whole? And also looking 'simply scrumptious' wasn't it?"
Snickers erupted through the group as Viktor and Fleur smirked at their fellow champion, whom was currently looking to Luna with a light flush in his cheeks as he faced his own bout of ribbing. "Yeah, something like that. Care to explain, Luna?"
"Well you do look good enough to eat a lot of the time, as a lot of girls say, so I just wrote the truth," Luna answered with a slightly musical lilt to her voice. "Unless you actually want to give me a taste so I can confirm the truth? I'm sure we could find a place to see if it's true. A broom closet is usually used for that, isn't it?"
Harry could barely hold in his snickering as he put Cedric in a very interesting situation with Luna for the second time in two days. The older Hufflepuff, however, looked on the verge of collecting himself to answer her before Tonks chipped in.
"Yeah Cedric, Luna could get those exclusive photos at the same time, purely in the interest of thorough journalism, of course."
Unable to hold back any longer, laughter cracked out of Harry as he broke down laughing. Cedric was now fully flushed red, even as he shifted to avoid anyone noticing that wasn't the only place his blood had flowed. Luna, however, had put on a bright beaming smile which had Nym in the throes of hilarity shortly after Harry as the pair watched Cedric squirm. Unsure of what exactly they might have missed, the others waited patiently to be let in on the joke before Viktor spoke up with a worrying thought.
"Not to kill the mood; but should you be here, Harry?"
"I'm on patrol," Harry gasped out, a mischievous grin on his face as he gradually caught his breath from laughing with Tonks at the inside joke.
"But you're just standing here," Fleur pointed out, her eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Speaking with friends, no less. Isn't this against your restricted movement directive?"
"Surveillance of a mass amount of people to catch any signs of illness, trauma, or injury," Harry supplied after a moment to collect himself. "I have enough awareness of my surroundings to know no-one is sick or injured currently, but that doesn't mean they won't be. In fact, I see nausea creeping up around anyone that stares at Ronald Weasley eating so much, so I may still be needed here."
After a quick survey of the area, Fleur, Viktor and the others could not deny the claim. As they realized that, however, they deciphered just what else Harry had figured out about his movements.
"It's not punishment, is it?" Viktor asked quietly.
"Wherever I am, I'm on patrol," Harry said easily, a crooked, devious grin upon his lips. "There's always a possibility my skills as an apprentice healer might be needed wherever I go because either a creature or a person may be in need either where I am or where I'm going."
"The notice of restriction is a matter of form and appearance," Nym clarified briefly. "The punishment for Harry is stricter standards of behavior and conduct, but even that's technically a part of his formal training. My mum will be visiting more often to help shape Harry up into a proper Healer with Poppy."
"And that is the real punishment," Harry groused slightly, though there was a slightly playful hint to it as the auror nudged him. "That woman drives me nuts sometimes."
"Oi! That's my mother you're talking about," Nym said a little sternly, pursing her lips to appear more serious, with little success.
"And it's just payback for you driving us crazy, Harry," Susan pointed out with a light grin. The nods of agreement and light chuckles from the group made Harry pout before he looked to Viktor.
"Your take on all of the interviews?"
"I said Luna provided good contrast within her article earlier," the quidditch star noted with a shrug and a thoughtful look. "It was a fair article, very truthful, and a bit fun at times," Viktor continued to explain as he looked to Luna. "Thank you for showing me honest journalism. It is usually bogged down by speculation, grandstanding, or bias, but you presented everything well with appropriate candor on your end."
"You're welcome, Viktor," Luna said with a serene smile, after a few whispered words with Cedric. "I was asked to provide a true and fair account and I'm glad I accomplished that for all of you. Thank you for choosing the Quibbler to get an honest account as well. Daddy and I… we know we're not like others but that doesn't stop us or our beliefs. This article will really help make the magazine… us, more respectable."
"Well with the subscriptions I ordered I'm sure word will spread quickly," Harry noted as he pointed to the Professors, Headmasters, Bagman, Jorkins and the rest of the people on friendly terms with Harry. "You left notes on them, right?"
"Mhmm, they were notified they have a one year subscription paid in full by you. Daddy knew to send them along," Luna said happily as she realized just how far her family's magazine might now have reached. "I didn't expect you to buy one for each of your friends and the champions, then all of their families, all of the professors here and at Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, as well as the Heads and Deputies of every British Ministry Department, including the Minister."
"The way I see it everyone deserves to learn about what's going on," Harry said with a gesture to their surrounding friends, who all happily brandished their magazines. "Plus I figured it wouldn't hurt to earn some favor from them. At the very least they'll see a side of the magical world they didn't before and the Quibbler will be seen by more people."
"Thank you…"
The small, heartfelt words brought a smile to Harry's face even as Cedric gently grasped Luna's hand to comfort and support her. In turn, Harry looked to Fleur. "And you?"
"I agree with what has already been said," the French witch told them all with a slight bob of her head. "However, I do have one question for you, 'Arry."
"And that is?"
"How do you feel about what we had to say about you and the tournament?"
"Cedric's a prat," Harry answered with a straight face before he got nudged by Susan and Daphne.
"Stop lying, Harry," Daphne demanded of him lightly. "Cedric said you were a good man, an even better friend, and that you never have a boring year: that's the truth."
"Alright, alright." Harry straightened himself up slightly as he thought over their quotes and looked to the blonde seeker he had known fairly well for just over a year. "I appreciate what Cedric said because it shows me he cares more for our friendship than appearances." Cedric smiled in return before Harry's gaze fell on Viktor. "You're a fair judge of character and a good man, even going so far as to call me a worthy challenge, someone you look forward to competing with and befriending despite my age, not just because of my name, but because of the times we've spoken and what you have seen me accomplish, both good and bad."
Harry's gaze turned to Fleur and it was almost hard for him not to feel some nervousness. "''Arry Potter being a part of the tournament was an unexpected event, especially since my family had wished to adopt him last year before he chose to remain in England, eventually with the Bones family. While I am concerned how his presence may affect the tournament and how the Tournament may affect us all, I am certain he will prove a capable and challenging opponent. He has proven himself strong of body, mind and magic in the short time I have known him. I find 'Arry to be friendly, amusing, and compassionate, with a fierce instinct to protect himself and those close to him. He is intelligent and cunning, but also resilient and resourceful. I am, how you say, intrigued by him in ways I cannot express.'"
"A direct quote, from memory no less," Tracey teased Harry with a slight grin. "Something we should know about, Harry?"
"I'm not sure," he answered honestly, his gaze lingering on Fleur. "But I am, how you say, intrigued."
Fleur raised an eyebrow at him, before her expression settled into a small smile as she gave a slight nod. Those watching took note of the rapport the pair were beginning to establish with one another. For some it was an interesting encounter between the two, but for others there was a subtext they were all trying to get a read on, and struggled to tell whether it was true or not.
Before any of them could speak another word, a warning chime from the bell towers signaled that classes were soon to start. With a few parting words to one another, the group dispersed to prepare for classes and took note of the school's reaction. While most of the school didn't read the Quibbler, a great deal did read the Prophet and sent suspicious looks Harry's way for what speculations Rita did offer about his involvement and refusal to speak with her. Harry hardly paid them any mind as he held himself to the standards he had set for himself with Poppy and Amelia.
With established permission, Harry was allowed to attend ancient runes with the Hogwarts crowd on the condition he worked at a secluded table with Tonks. After fifteen minutes of whispered speculation from some of the Daily Prophet readers during her lesson, Professor Babbling had finally had enough of the gossip and forced everyone to remain silent as they carved out a basic rune scheme for her to evaluate. Of course, after thirty minutes the quiet was beginning to get to everyone…
"Son of a bitch!"
"Language miss Greengrass!" Babbling shouted as she stood from her desk and approached the table Daphne worked at with Susan, Tracey, and Hermione. "Five Po- oh dear. Mr. Potter! We need a healer!"
Harry looked up from the tablet he had been carving and his eyes fell on his girlfriend. The sight of blood trailing down Daphne's hand made him wince. She had definitely cut herself bad enough for an infirmary visit. With one last chip off of his slate, Harry blew the dust off and took it up to Babbling to look over as he checked out Daphne's cut. After siphoning away the blood and casting a quick diagnostic charm he shook his head in slight exasperation with the reaction he would no doubt receive.
"I'm going to need a disinfectant potion to be safe," Harry told his grumbling girlfriend and the professor. With a flick of his wand he bound her hand in a bandage and looked to Daphne. He could almost feel her glare. She hated the sting of the disinfectant potion just like everyone else did.
"Hospital wing, go," Babbling said instantly. "You can hand your tile in tomorrow Miss Greengrass. Potter, excellent work, both on your tile and in your quick treatment. Ten Po- oh, right. It's easy to forget you're not a Hogwarts student when I see you in class all of the time. Which house should get the points?"
"Slytherin to make up for Daphne's hand."
"Good boy," Daphne teased him as she pat his head, much to the snickers of everyone else in the classroom. Harry rolled his eyes and helped his girlfriend pack up her things before taking care of his own as Babbling assigned points and got everyone back on track. After the pair shared a quick goodbye with Susan and the rest of their friends, Tonks joined them and trailed casually behind them a few steps, a small smirk on her lips. As soon as Harry and Daphne were down the hall, however, Harry found himself pressed to the wall and his mouth captured in lips he recognized all too well. He let himself indulge in the moment of pleasure with his girlfriend before he eased Daphne away.
"Not that I mind, but what was that for?"
"For not batting an eye at everything everyone is saying." Daphne kissed him again more tenderly, her tongue teasing his lips briefly before she pulled away. "And that's for getting us out of class. Now heal my hand so I can show you something.
"Daphne, I should use a disinfectant to be safe," Harry said countered professionally. "If I don't, there is a slight possibility for infection from your slate's dust or the cleaning oils on your tools. We could end up having to cut your hand open again and treat it, which could end up being even worse than a simple carving accident for you."
"I'm not trying to get out of being treated, Harry, even if I despise disinfectant. One of these days you're going to learn I truly do trust you with my life," Daphne said, her lavender eyes boring into his as she held her bandaged hand up to him. "I trust you to use your magic and heal my hand, using all of your intent to make sure I come out of it without a scar, infection, or any related visits. Now heal me."
Whatever counter Harry was about to say, as practiced with Poppy countless of times, he held himself back. Daphne had just told him she trusted him with her life, something Harry hadn't heard all that much given recent events. The fact that he could find nothing but care and truth in her lavender gaze soothed any suspicions away and melted some of his rough edges off. Without hesitation, emboldened by Daphne's belief in him, Harry vanished the bandages and instantly knit the flesh of Daphne's hand back together as he drew the tip of his wand scant millimeters about the cut. The healing magic swirled around her hand and his wand until finally she was left blemish free, her hand as good as new.
"Thank you for believing me," Daphne spoke softly as she gave him a gentle peck on the lips. "Now do you trust me with your life?"
To hear the idea shot back at him so suddenly surprised the young healer. Did he trust her with his life? He trusted her with his secrets, his relationship, his emotions, why not? His jade eyes peered back at her with fondness as he slipped some of her black as night hair behind her ear. Harry didn't know whether it was the slight tickle of his hand or the look in his eyes, but the usually serious young woman smiled brightly at him.
"I trust you." Daphne quickly gave him another kiss before she took his free hand and led him away. Their pace was quick, and Harry had just stowed his wand away when it finally hit him. "Hold on, you actually went through with a carving accident in order to get us out of class to show me something?"
"My bet is she's taking you to a broom cupboard for some dangerous, acrobatic sex she wants to try," Tonks teased as she kept pace with the young couple.
"Mmm as tempting as that sounds, maybe next time I'll see if he wants some acrobatic sex," Daphne answered Tonks with an amused grin. "But that you thought of it certainly makes me wonder just how soon Susan and I should be expecting you to flirt with us."
"Darlin', I'll flirt with you all you like," Nym answered with a sultry smirk. "Maybe you and I should find a broom cupboard instead and let the ickle-healer here find his way back to Runes class on his own, hmm?"
"How scandalous of you, Nym. I may have to take you up on that offer someday…" Daphne continued to lead them through the corridors as she looked over her shoulder, her eyes smoldering with temptation and mischief as she looked to the auror. "I've always wondered what a metamorph could do with their tongue."
"Well just say the word and you could find out," Tonks challenged with a lecherous smile. "Would you like a good snogging or are you looking to jump into the deep-end with a more experienced woman?"
"If you two are serious, is a bloke like me allowed to watch?" Harry chimed in, rather entertained and intrigued, by the quick banter between Daphne and Nym.
"Only if you ask nicely," Daphne teased him with a wink. "Of course we could always give your tongue a workout to test Nym by comparison."
"Oh you tempting witch, don't you go teasing us like that unless you mean it," Nym responded with a laugh before she gave Daphne a gentle pat on the bum, startling the dark-haired girl briefly before she chuckled along with the playful older woman when she saw Harry's look of surprise at the sight. "Now why would Harry need to trust you with his life when he trusts you with his heart already?"
"Because what I'm about to show him will help save his life," Daphne answered vaguely as she stepped up the pace so they wouldn't get caught. "I would have made Harry mix the wrong ingredients to cause a sleeping gas to knock me out and give me medical attention instead of a sleeping potion if you still took the class with Snape, but this worked just as easily. Getting us out of class is just the first step, getting us into the forest is the next one," Daphne chimed with a smirk as they walked.
"You really are more Slytherin than I'll ever be," Harry noted with a laugh.
"Well I am a Slytherin after all," she nearly sang as they exited the main doors.
Soon enough Daphne had led them down onto the grounds and toward the Redoubt. Harry was wondering if they were going to visit the Amelia or the other aurors until Daphne kept going past it right to the path that led into the forest. All of Harry's friends had explored the forest with him at some point or other and the path they used was well tread. Tonks kept her wand at the ready just in case, but especially so when Daphne led them off of the beaten path toward the west. The longer they walked, the more curious Harry got until he noticed they had found another path he didn't recognize. The ground was tread by boots mostly, and only one set of centaur tracks.
"What's out here?"
"We're almost there," Daphne assured Harry as she held his hand a little tighter. "Just a little-"
Whatever she was about to say was lost in the wake of a thunderous roar. Harry stilled upon hearing it, his hand on his wand as he looked around for a possible threat. Tonks was at the ready, magic shimmering over her arm as she prepared to act with and without a wand all at once. The roar sounded nothing like Fluffy, the blast-ended-skrewts or any other creature Hagrid had shown them. Another roar followed the first and Harry's eyes widened as he realized what they sounded like, only much bigger.
"Seems we're past the primary concealment wards now..." Daphne said with some amusement as she led Harry further in.
"Daphne, are you sure you know what's back here?" asked the teen-wizard concernedly. "Because that sounded an awful lot like-"
"Dragons," she finished for him. He was just about to speak again when she put a finger to his lips and led him forward with Tonks taking up the rearguard just in case.
Spells to silence and disguise them left Daphne's wand quickly so they wouldn't be noticed and soon enough they saw what they had heard as they crossed a threshold of bushes. A shiver of magic passed over all three of them as Daphne's wand glimmered, allowing them access to the area without being detected by the secondary wards. Four dragons, each of them different from the others, clawed at their massive cages in an attempt to get at the Wizards and witches on the other side. Only after coordinated effort did the four beasts finally get stunned into silence, much to the cheers and relief of the handlers.
"I hope the concealment wards hold up or the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors will have a nice view of all of the fire these beauties are throwing around," a voice Harry recognized from the World Cup.
"I'm just glad the potions worked as long as they did otherwise we might not have transported them in as easily," another handler said with a Romanian accent as nests full of eggs were moved into their own cage further down the line. "You used to go to school here, Charlie. Any news of the champions and your guess at their chances?"
"Cedric and I were neighbors when I still lived at home. He's a good kid, powerful too. I think he's got a good chance at succeeding," the second oldest Weasley son responded as he wiped sweat from his brow. "As for Harry Potter, he's a contentious topic among my family. My mum and my youngest brother Ron think he's ungrateful and severed ties with him. Ginny used to have a massive crush on him, and for all I know maybe she still does, but I'm not sure where she stands besides being jealous of the girls dating him."
Charlie sighed as he watched the dragons sleep, content with a job well done despite the difficulty in getting them there. "The twins love Harry like a brother and Percy doesn't really care one way or the other. My eldest brother Bill though, is dating Harry's guardian Amelia Bones. From every letter I've gotten from him I'm convinced Harry's right and that he's a stand-up guy. Hell he even helped some of our crew smuggle Norberta to Romania to keep Hagrid safe so I respect him. Still, he's a fourth year, I have no idea if he can manage to steal a golden egg from a nesting mother dragon."
"No kidding, it's crazy what this whole tournament is turning into," the handler said as he took out the prophet and the Quibbler. "I'm inclined to believe the Quibbler, even if the editor is a little off in the head. Wonder what sort of interviews we'll see after this task." The two men paused to take a drink from enchanted flasks filled with water before the Romanian spoke up. "I forgot to ask, what's the fourth one we brought? Everything was a mad rush to get them all here so I only got to memorize the requirements for the Swedish Short Snout, the Common Welsh Green and the Chinese Fireball."
"Geez Markus, you're supposed to be smart!" Charlie shot back as he dodged the Daily Prophet thrown at him. "It's a Hungarian horntail. I'm not gonna lie. I pity the poor soul that gets her. She was so pissed when we approached her nest it took two more laced cow carcasses than all of the others to get her drowsy enough for transport. We're going to need fifteen wizards on her at least after the task. After the champion steals the fake golden egg from her, she's going to be a terror."
"Want to make a bet on who is the fastest to get their egg? My bet is on Viktor by the way," Markus challenged impishly.
"I'll take that bet," Charlie responded as he shook the man's hand. "I'm going with Cedric. A case of Rosmerta's best hard cider on it?"
"You and your love for cider. I'm surprised you don't piss the stuff with how often you drink it," the Romanian laughed with a nod as Charlie shrugged with a grin. "Fine, but only vodka for me, the best and enough to equal your case in cost to be fair."
"Deal," the redhead answered before he turned his attention back to the dragons. "I almost wish I could warn them ahead of time. Nobody should be unprepared for a dragon."
"They will learn one way or another," Markus answered with a pat on Charlie's shoulder. "Cheating is a favorite pastime of the tournament, or so I was told by Karkaroff when he approached me during one of the negotiation periods. If any of them step into the arena unprepared, I'll buy you a second case of any liquor you want."
Having gotten what they came for, Daphne tugged on Harry trying to get him to move. It wasn't fear that had gripped the teen, not entirely at least, but a single-minded focus as he looked from one dragon to the next and contemplated what he could with the information. Only when Tonks helped her was Daphne finally able to pull him away from the scene. As soon as they took the silencing charms off and they had moved far enough away Daphne realized there was a tingle of magic, and it wasn't just her own spiking in worry that flooded the area. She could feel Harry and Tonks' magic mixing with hers in the air, and it didn't bode well for any of them.
With one look at Harry, Daphne knew they couldn't go straight back to the tent, not when he was compromised and about to burst from what they had just learned. As calm and collected as Harry could be on occasion, she definitely understood how he could explode at any moment after what they had just learned. Hell, a part of her was ready to hold him and never let go so he wouldn't get near the dragons at all. Instead Daphne quickly diverted their path until they came to a spot she hadn't shared with anyone. A large tree stood before her but before she could even prompt Harry forward he finally broke his silence.
"Dragons!" Harry nearly gasped as rage and fear warred inside him. "These bloody imbeciles expect us to go up against dragons?! Not only that but they want us to stealing some blasted golden egg from fucking nesting mothers?! What the fuck are those blighted senile sons of bitches thinking?! They're going to get us killed! They must not have a single brain in their skulls combined! I mean I knew this entire tournament was dangerous and ridiculous but I never thought I'd-"
Harry's increasingly hysterical angry rant was cut off by Daphne's lips pressed hard to his own. Before he could do a thing to pull away she pushed him through a canvas opening between two roots and shoved him into the secret hideaway at the base of the tree. Tonks followed shortly behind, impressed with the rather ingenious hideaway and solution for getting Harry to be quiet, though a touch of jealously lingered in her at the sight. Harry didn't even register the change in scenery, so caught up in the moment of kissing Daphne as he was. Now more than ever he needed her and he showed it as he pressed right back and fought her with similar needy passion that she showed him until they both gasped for air.
"Feeling better?" Daphne panted as she looked up at him.
"Some," Harry breathed in a slightly stunned tone as Daphne forced him into an armchair before he blinked in surprise. They were all now in a simple room covered in shelves filled with all sorts of items. Cases of butterbeer, alcohol, sweets, food, even various potions lined the walls. Jars full of ingredients and other knickknacks were on another set of shelves nearer the back for safety's sake. The only furniture was the armchair he currently sat in along with a nearby desk covered in what looked like inventory sheets and a working chair set firmly behind it. "Where... Wait, so this is your smuggling hideaway?"
"Daddy hollowed out a tree in his last few years at school. He then expanded the interior and gave it wards with a rune scheme he made. He smuggled in things people wanted, including a few items for the Marauders and other organizations, malicious or benign alike," Daphne explained with a small smile as she looked around proudly. "I revived it with some help from my dad on a weekend in first year. This is where we keep the merchandise until it's ready to be exchanged. You both realize you can't tell anyone."
"It's not my job to stop you unless it's something actually harmful," Tonks noted as she glanced around looking for any truly illicit or dangerous goods. "But seeing as I can't actually spot anything that might be considered dangerous right now, I'll let it slide. I have to inform Amelia at least but we might make our own use of your little business here if you're up for it."
"The more customers the merrier. Dad will be proud," Daphne responded to the auror with a grin before she turned her attention back to Harry with some concern about current events.
"I figured you hid your merchandise in the forest but I didn't think you'd have this much stored out here…" Harry mused as he glanced around at the cases. "You know I won't rat you out because we've already smuggled in the liquor before, which Amelia has now charmed so we can't have any unless she pours it for us."
"You're still rather young yet to drink and she is your guardian," Tonks pointed out casually.
"She's my auntie, not my guardian," Harry responded almost on instinct. A warm thrill pulsed through him when he realized what he had said and the smiles he got from Nym and Daphne were enough to know he had made progress on personal connections of that nature. Soon he would take the plunge, he felt that, but there was always doubt. "Besides, you're not wrong. When we had a little too much firewhiskey one night I think we all regretted it the next morning. At least with auntie around we get moderated on it."
"Hardly any fun not to experiment though," Daphne teased them both.
"Better to get used to it and build tolerance than to dive straight into hangovers because of inexperience," Tonks advised with a cheeky grin. "Why I could tell you stories about the night's I've had."
Harry offered a brief nod while Daphne raised a very curious eyebrow. Nym waggled her own suggestively before she winked at the pair then turned her attention solely on Harry, just as Daphne did. The teenage wizard sighed as he caught sight of a symbol of a dragon on some firework crates nearby. His head fell into his hands and instantly the young man ruffled his hair wildly before he looked up at them again.
"Now I just have to figure out how the bloody fucking hell I'm to survive this thrice-damned tournament when they're tossing dragons at us," the teen growled in a low tone, angered, disturbed, yet surprisingly and relatively calm as he thought of what lay ahead compared to his earlier initial reaction. "Why does knowing any of this matter if the other champions and I are just going to get burnt to a crisp, torn apart by claws, smashed by tails or made into an early brunch by those things? I'm going to have to Bilbo Baggins may way around a fucking nesting mother dragon all to get some stupid bloody golden egg…"
"It matters because you can be prepared, Harry, and all of this could help you," Daphne insisted before Nym could get a word in edgewise. "Now you know what you and the other champions are up against and can be ready for it. You can research the dragons we heard about and find a weakness, something to exploit so you can get the golden egg and get out of there without injury."
"Daphne's right, you're better off prepared than going in without knowing until the last second what you're up against," the metamorph added quickly. "You'll have all the help you'll ever need and we'll make sure you get out alive no matter what."
Although Harry knew they were doing their best to comfort him, it was difficult to see past the 24th of November knowing he could very well end up crispier than overcooked bacon. "When did you know?"
"I learned about it last night from daddy's letter. He told me to bring you out here to see what he helped bring in just to be certain this is what you would be up against. He was part of the transportation team," Daphne glanced around for a moment before smiling as she found another letter on the desk. "Apparently he has a bit more business and letters for me. But I'll deal with that later."
"Shouldn't Tracey have known long before now?" Harry asked as he glanced from Daphne to Nym and back again. "Her dad is Deputy Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures isn't he?"
"They sign contracts that can have consequences when enforced magically, like the Goblet or an Unbreakable Vow but to a much lesser degree, usually causing an alert to go out and consequences to be incurred like fines, legal action, or other magical punishment. The contracts sort of act like how family magic can be used to enforce punishment, or divulge or hide certain information like a low grade fidelius charm. Grayson, Mr. Davis, wasn't allowed to tell anyone anything unless they were already in on the secret or being consulted, same for Amos Diggory is my guess," Daphne explained as she took the letter from her pocket and handed it to Harry for him to read. "Dad got around signing any binding contracts because he was technically only brought on as a consultant and volunteered his expertise to the transportation team."
"That makes sense, I suppose," Harry offered as he analyzed the letter and the rest of the situation he found himself in. "Merlin, Amos must be sick with worry since he Heads the Creature Department…"
"Not even able to warn his own son? You bet Amos is having a fit about it," Dora chimed in as she conjured herself a chair near the pair of teens and leaned forward to look at Harry. "We should have known this was an option though. Remember what Charlie said at the World Cup?"
Harry cursed under his breath briefly as Tonks reminded him of the subtle, quiet hint he should have remembered. "Damn, we should have known back then something like this would come up. I remember now that Charlie said his reserve was preparing something fun or exciting… I'm guessing his contract kept him from saying anything more than that?"
"That's probably the case. He hit the limit of how much he could say and was stopped by a magical warning from his contract. Otherwise I'm sure we would have been told by him through Bill what was going on," Daphne surmised as she sat on the arm of Harry's chair. "But then we met him was so long ago and a lot happened that day, and even more that night. It was natural we would forget."
"It's the little things that are sometimes worth remembering the most," Harry muttered under his breath as Daphne's hand gently slid up his arm to his shoulder. "Remind me to pay more attention to that. I've forgotten to do that recently…"
"Hey, there's no reason to feel guilty," Nym placated Harry as she pat his knee. "I didn't remember what he said until we saw him just now, so don't go blaming yourself. Besides, now you know what the task is. Appreciating the little things along the way is something you've always done, Harry, so don't go feeling sorry about it."
"You're right," the young wizard sighed out as he tried to rid himself of anxiety. "I still don't know how I'm going to manage to get past a dragon…"
"Then let's take a moment to get our minds off of it completely." Daphne quickly got off of the arm before she straddled Harry in the large cushy armchair. "You need to forget about everything else for a moment and relax. And I know just the remedy… Tonks? Would you mind giving us a few?"
"Yeah, yeah, I get the hint," Nym answered as she waved off any concern she sensed from Daphne. "You and Susan spoil a voyeur's fun. I'll be outside keeping watch and brainstorming."
"Thank you, Dora," Daphne called after the woman before she heard the entrance shimmer with magic as it announced it was closed again. Her eyes locked on Harry, already feeling that wonderful teenage libido rising in him as she witnessed a flurry of emotions in his eyes and the slight tremble of his magic. "Did you want Dora to watch?"
"I... no," Harry answered after a hard swallow. "Not yet at least. But I'd like her to join us all one day. She's been good to me, to us and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy her company quite a lot."
"I know, and she really has been a good influence. I'll give her a shot and take some time to get to know her a bit more," Daphne promised as she slid off her tie and tossed it to the floor nearby. "But I do want you to keep someone in mind as well."
"Tracey?" Harry guessed as his gaze bored into the expressive lavender eyes of his girlfriend. Daphne quirked an eyebrow as she undid the first few buttons and Harry's hands toyed at the edges of her panties beneath her skirt playfully. "I knew she was giving me a hint on Halloween but I wasn't sure if we should pursue it… You know, with Theo and all."
"She's giving Theo her best shot at a relationship, but after we may have… told her about what the patronus forms mean she's not convinced she can and would like to join us…"
Harry's entire body seemed to still as he looked up at her. "When did you…"
"Susan found it in a charms book Flitwick gave her… It was the day we consummated our relationship," Daphne explained deliberately, her heart aflutter as she looked into his eyes and cupped his cheeks. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Harry. We're all patient girls… when we want to be. We know you don't want to disappoint us and that you don't want to make that mistake and hurt us where only you can… but we have faith that you won't."
"And when did you tell Tracey?" Harry wondered, his hands now tugging gently on her panties to pull them aside to try and distract himself from the storm of confused emotions within him, to little avail.
"Shortly after… but she had figured it out on her own," Daphne told him more slowly. "It was an… interesting conversation."
"I'll bet…" Harry breathed as Daphne finally took her strapless bra off and let her blouse perch itself precariously on her shoulders, granting him a splendid view of what she had to offer. "Was she upset?"
"I'll let her tell you when you're ready to acknowledge it to her," Daphne advised him as she unzipped his pants and slowly revealed the well-endowed member she ached to feel inside her. "But promise me you won't hold it against any of us, that you'll give us all a chance."
"Only if you do the same for me and everyone else," Harry responded quietly. At Daphne's nod, Harry let out a breath of relief before Daphne swiftly sank onto his shaft, her moist, hungry folds easily beginning to devour his cock. The wizard let out a long, low moan of pleasure just as she did, his hands rising to caress her silken flesh and form that deep connection with her once more. "Then what are you waiting for…"
Harry barely caught the smirk on Daphne's lips before she impaled herself upon him completely, taking all of him in, all the way to the hilt. The sudden move startled him, caused him to gasp along with her before the devious, dark-haired vixen atop him began to rock on his lap, dancing for him before she began to bounce upon him. Passion, need, desire, and so much more flooded the pair as Harry's hands massaged and kneaded Daphne's body as she brought them both so much closer to bliss.
"Ohhh, Harry!" Daphne moaned in his ear as she pulled his face into her chest. "Ohh this is amazing!" the witch gasped as Harry began to buck up to her, adding to their pleasure. "A new favorite position, maybe?"
"It's mostly convenient," the wizard grunted as he bucked up, causing a loving, lusty scream to crow past Daphne's lips. "I'll want to try everything before I settle on a favorite," Harry breathed before he latched onto Daphne's nipple and played it with, teased it in his mouth with his tongue as he suckled upon it. Daphne's answering moan flooded all of his senses, filled him with a sense of completion just as each of Susan's cries of bliss and ecstasy had just the day before. With every buck and bounce, every feverish, loving touch, every passionate kiss they shared as time rushed them by Harry felt another step closer to what he most desired to say.
"Harry… ohhh fuck! Yes! Yes! YES!"
As Daphne came undone atop him, Harry groaned as her moist chasm milked him. In an instant he spilled his seed deep inside her. A grip of her hips kept her atop him as he unleashed himself within her, coming into bliss with one of the loves of his life. How long they had been at it, Harry didn't know, but all that mattered was the gentle, loving breaths that escaped Daphne that caressed his neck. Her breasts heaved before him, her eyes glittered with unfathomable emotion as she eased herself back and Harry choked on words he wasn't sure he could say for the second time in two days.
"Thank you," he murmured intimately against her lips before tenderly kissing his girlfriend as he held her close. The resounding moan between their lips was answer enough until the pair parted, panting only slightly heavier than moments ago.
"I know," Daphne whispered in return as she rocked atop him slowly and smirked. "But as insatiable as we both are I don't want to keep Dora or anyone else waiting."
"Good point," Harry sighed with a mournful moan as Daphne tortuously eased herself off of him at a snail's pace. When he saw the mischievous glimmer in Daphne's gaze, he faux glared at the witch. "Evil witch."
"And you love it," the dark-haired vixen teased him as she leaned forward, again grazing his face with the silky touch of her breasts before she quickly skipped out of reach and began to clean herself with a few spells. Harry managed himself and soon enough both were presentable. When they called Tonks back in, Harry could spot the slight blush on the auror's cheeks and couldn't help but reciprocate.
"Voyeur," he muttered.
"More than you know," the metamorph answered just as quietly before they all assumed their seats again, Daphne in Harry's lap facing the auror. "So, how do we do this?"
"Well looking at it objectively, we research the dragons and come up with the best option to get the golden egg from their nests," Daphne surmised for them all.
"Daphne, I have to steal a golden egg from a nesting mother dragon's nest, without getting killed," Harry said in a slow voice as he tried to keep it as deadpan as possible and not show his concern and self-preservation instincts which screamed for him to react. "I think there's a bit more to it than just some research and a few spells."
With an irritated huff Daphne kissed him again, this time less urgently but far more intimate. Harry moaned at her ministrations as she gently ground her body to his and threaded her fingers through his hair. Eventually she moaned in return as his hands kneaded the soft flesh of her ass and caressed her thighs. It took a while until either was satisfied enough for them to part when Daphne made Harry look her in the eye.
"We will research them. We will prepare you for them. You will steal that egg. You will come back to me alive," Daphne told him with a certainty he almost believed. Harry only nodded before Daphne pulled him up straighter by his collar, her lavender gaze boring into his jade eyes with care and concern. "Promise me, you will come back to us alive."
Harry sat there in silence, his arms wrapped around one of his girlfriends intimately as he kept his gaze locked with hers. She was here, she had showed him how much he mattered to her, how she felt about him, she had promised to help him. He marveled at the fact she cared so much about him and it was in awe that he kissed her with tender reverence briefly.
"I promise."
"I'll hold you to it."
"Well, now that that's satisfied..." Nym led as she smirked at Harry. "For now... How about we focus on the first task? Our best bet is to get back to the tent, tell Amelia and work from there. Hagrid may know a few things but that's more how to take care of a dragon, not survival, distraction or destruction tactics. We're better off with learning everything we can."
When the teens nodded, Tonks stood up, cancelled her conjuration and smoothed out her robes. Harry and Daphne quickly prepared to leave after Daphne picked up the letter from her father and slipped it into her satchel. As soon as Harry was ready they left the tree hideout and made their way back to the Redoubt. They were careful not to be spotted coming out of the forest and instead appeared as if they were walking the grounds like a young couple in love, with their auror escort in tow. When they finally made it inside the tent, they saw Amelia at the main table looking at them curiously.
"You're not supposed to be down here for another ten minutes yet," Amelia said as she checked her watch then looked back up at them. The look on their faces told her something was wrong and instantly her stomach sank. "What is it?"
"Nesting mother dragons," Harry nearly croaked before he cleared his throat. "Daphne's dad helped bring dragons here for the first task. She just showed me and Tonks where they were being kept. I know what kinds they are and that I have to retrieve a golden egg from them."
The quill in Amelia's hand broke within her suddenly clenched fist before she dropped everything and stood up. "You're certain?"
"We confirmed it ourselves just now. Charlie Weasley is here too, he's camped out nearly a mile into the forbidden forest with a bunch of handlers, four nesting mothers and their eggs," Daphne continued for them softly.
Amelia's eyes looked from one to the other after she received a nod of confirmation from Tonks. They knew now and she was certain the tournament officials were insane. "I had heard rumors of dangerous creatures and dragons as a possibility but... Damn you Bagman and Crouch, damn you both to hell for setting this up. Bertha would not have been stupid enough to agree if she had been at the negotiations but apparently she had no choice but to go along with pre-established plans from before she took over."
Before anyone got another word out Amelia rounded the table and pulled Harry into a hug, one he gladly returned. This was not news she had expected and the fact she had been kept in the dark so long only infuriated her further. The next time she got her hands on the sorry sons of bitches that put them all in this situation they would regret it.
"What do we do?" Harry asked when Amelia finally released him.
"We start with research: Weaknesses, exploits, distractions, concealment, assault, everything we can get our hands on," Amelia said instantly as she looked at Harry. "We arm you with every shred of knowledge and every spell we can and make a plan. Several even."
"And if none of those work?" Harry said, the realist in him coming out to play. "What then?"
"You make an attempt and then resign from the task," Amelia stated sternly, making it clear she would rather have him alive than successfully completing the task. "You know I've read the contract you're bound to inside and out. You have to make an earnest attempt to complete every task before you can resign if it's too difficult."
Harry nodded, his earlier fear fading as he gradually found the resolve to push forward. They had a plan, well really they had a plan to make a plan, but it was a plan nevertheless. Just knowing he had their support was enough. Now all he needed to do was get the others together, raid the school library and every bookshop and family resource he had for knowledge on dragons and high powered spells so he could find a way to survive, then he would worry about success.
"Well, this should be fun, yeah?"