Pansy had not joked about writing my parents. I chuckled.
Dear Draco,
How could you be so incredibly irresponsible to try to enter a tournament in which people have died? How could you even think to put your dear old mother through that? How could you care so little for your safety! Yada, yada. Seriously though, son, try to think things through and not give your mother such frights. You are lucky I have talked her out of sending a howler. I have seen your grades and they do insinuate a mind more than capable, even if hormones are trying to hijack your body at times. Act like it.
Either way, I hope you are enjoying your time at Hogwarts and are doing well in your classes. Take delight in the tournament from the sidelines. We miss you and can't wait till the holidays.
Lucius.
I put the letter away and look at the newspaper. An article of the triwizards champions is sporting on the first page. Four pages are dedicated to Potter, Warrington seems to have been entirely forgotten and the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons champions are briefly mentioned. I feel a small smirk tugging. What has this horrible reporter concocted?
"Don't tell me you think that's actually funny?" Ginny acidly asks me.
I stare at her. "He is, I quote, crying every night about his parents death. He is endangering himself by compulsively searching for attention and admitting himself to the tournament. Worse, he is tragically in love with Hermione. What will Greg say? This is.."
"Utter bullshit," Ginny finishes. Not exactly the word I would have used. "Look at him." Potter looks miserable. "I really want to hex my brother for being such an idiot." Weasley is sporting a badge with Potter stinks/support the real hogwarts champion and nastily sneers at Potter. "None of it is funny. How would you have liked it if you'd grown up without parents, I bet you would actually cry each night." Blaise chuckles appreciatively. "He did not ask to be admitted to the tournament, neither for this horrible article."
I frown. "Jealous that your crush is hopelessly devoted to the 'at best ordinary-looking miss Granger' who may or may not have drugged him with love potion as 'she is more than a capable student in potion class' and has 'unflattering large buckled teeth that cannot be ignored how ever hard you try and dull muddy eyes and a more boring personality than professor Binns who is still droning on about the first war with goblins ever since his installment as a teacher in 1920."
I get smacked painfully with a book. "That is my girlfriend you are talking about, idiot. If Potter would be hopelessly devoted to her, I cannot possibly fault him for seeing how beautiful, charming and smart she is."
I smile sheepishly. Pansy glares at me as well. "Incendio," I then say, putting the newspaper on fire.
Pansy shakes her head at my antics. "That's better."
