Chapter 2: The Bad Luck Cup
31 October 1994
Harry Potter growled in frustration as he turned to exit the room off the Great Hall. After a great start to his summer, minus the strange dreams of Wormtail and Voldemort, and a decent start to his fourth year, his luck just couldn't hold. He thought back on where it could have turned so wrong. How it all had to be connected with that dream at the beginning of summer.
It was shortly after that dream that Ron and his family had invited him to go with them to see the Quidditch World Cup Finals match, which had been spectacular. Harry had sat in the stands with the Weasleys and Hermione as they had watched the match. It was great! There had been some strange looks from Ginny, who had been sitting next to him. However, that was just, he thought, because of her crush on him. The strangest look she had given him had come when the Veela had taken the pitch before the match. He was still confused why the Veela hadn't affected him like they had Ron and the twins. But that was something else to ponder later as it didn't seem connected to the rest.
The fun had been cut short by a Death Eater attack on the campsite. That was one possibility. But then, it didn't really fit with the visions he had been getting from Voldemort. They had made it back to the Burrow safely, even though he had dropped his wand and someone had cast the Dark Mark with it before they fled the campsite. But even that didn't seem connected to the dreams.
The trip to Kings Cross was uneventful. The ride on the Hogwarts Express had been normal. The start of term was nothing unusual, except for the announcement of the Triwizard Tournament, and maybe Professor Moody teaching them about the Unforgivables. But even that really didn't seem connected. The arrival of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang was memorable, but not anything out of the ordinary; unless he counted Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons' Champion seeming to be part Veela, and Viktor Krum, the Champion from Durmstrang, who was also an international Quidditch star. Strange but still not connected.
His name coming out of the Goblet of Fire after Cedric Diggory's, however, had to be connected. It was the only explanation to the plan Voldemort was yelling at Wormtail about. But how they had pulled it off baffled him. Harry shook his head, even more frustrated. Now he had more important things to worry about.
Just because his name had come out of that bloody cup, he had to compete in this stupid tournament because he would lose his Magic if he didn't. That was something Harry was not willing to risk, no matter the dangers. Even Dumbledore couldn't get him out of competing. And Harry had a strange feeling that Dumbledore knew his name would come out of the Goblet, and did nothing to stop it or help Harry with convincing the other judges that he wasn't supposed to be in the tournament to begin with. Then there were the looks and whispers, even some shouts, from the other students. Clearly, no one but him could see it was all just a setup. Harry felt like pulling his hair out! Harry was so lost in thought he didn't notice he had left the room and entered the Great Hall again.
"Harry!"
Harry jumped at the sound of someone shouting his name. He looked up to see Ginny Weasley rushing toward him. Harry wasn't expecting anyone to be waiting for him, least of all Ginny.
"Are you going ask me how I entered this stupid thing?" Harry asked irritably. "Because if you are, I don't want to hear it. I didn't put my name in that bloody cup! I don't want to compete! But I don't have a choice!"
Ginny stopped in front of him, looking slightly offended. "No, Harry, that's not what I was going to ask or say."
"Then what is it?" Harry sighed as his temper deflated, looking like he had lost everything all over again.
"I believe you," Ginny stated as she placed a hand on his arm. "I waited here to let you know I know you would never put your name in that Cup, and that I believe you, even if nobody else does."
"You…?" Harry looked up at her, shocked. Harry took a deep breath. "Thank you. It means a lot."
"Like I said, I know you, Harry. You would never want the added attention," Ginny smiled softly at him. "And since we're talking about gratitude, I…uh…I wanted to say, thank you, too."
"For what?" Harry asked confused.
"For saving me in the…" Ginny swallowed visibly as she paled slightly. She looked down, her voice dropping to a whisper. "The Chamber."
"Oh. That. You don't have to thank me for that," Harry waved it off. "You were in trouble. You're my best mate's sister. I was just in the right place at the right time to help you."
"Whether you want to accept my thanks or not, Harry, you did save me, and I'm grateful to you for that," Ginny admitted to him. "And I wanted to let you know, I'll stand by you through this stupid tournament, no matter what. I owe you that much, and a lot more."
Harry looked into her eyes, searching for any falsehoods, but all he could see was caring and honesty. He realized just then that Ginny still hadn't taken her hand from his arm as it began to tingle slightly. Harry blinked. He felt something crack in the back of his mind. As his eye opened again, he looked at Ginny in a new light in that moment. It was like the blinders of her being Ron's little sister were removed.
Instead of just someone that was related to his best friend, Harry saw a pretty young lady standing in front of him with a look of determination in her eyes. A blazing look that took his breath away. Somehow knowing Ginny would support him was all he needed to have in a…friend, maybe more…than just a friend. Harry looked at her flowing red hair, the dusting of freckles across her nose. The blinders were certainly gone because Harry started having thoughts of seeing just how many freckles she had and where they were on her whole body.
"What?" Ginny asked, starting to blush as Harry continued to stare.
"Thank you," Harry finally spoke. "It means a lot to know that."
"Well, I swear I'll help you in any way I can," Ginny smiled. "That way I can at least show you I always repay my debts. And I owe you a huge one for saving me."
"You don't owe anything," Harry shook his head. "But I'm grateful for the help anyway."
"Good," Ginny nodded with a smile. She unconsciously took his hand. "Let's get back to the Tower."
Harry and Ginny walked slowly up the stairs in silence. Harry kept stealing small looks at Ginny as they went. She really was very pretty. Harry found his stomach doing somersaults each time he looked at her. Whatever these new feelings for Ginny were, they were more intense than what he had felt for Cho Chang not all that long ago. Halfway to Gryffindor Tower, Harry realized they were still holding hands as his hand started to tingle like his arm had in the Great Hall as they climbed the staircase. Harry caught Ginny looking at him a few times, only for her to turn away blushing. He wondered what was going through Ginny's mind, and if she realized they were still holding hands.
Harry was still trying to work up the courage to ask Ginny about it when they reached the Fat Lady's portrait. Ginny gave the password to the Fat Lady, who raised a curious eyebrow at them as she swung open. Harry let Ginny climb in first before entering Gryffindor Tower.
There were only a few people in the Common Room as they entered, two of them being a worried-looking Hermione and a surly-looking Ron, who was glaring daggers at Harry for some reason.
"Where've you two been?" Ron started. He didn't wait for a reply as he continued in an angry tirade. "And I thought I was your best mate! You could've told me you were entering the Tournament. How'd you do it, anyway? How'd you get passed the Age Line, when not even Fred and George could do it?"
"Shut your pie hole, Ronald!" Ginny shouted. She angrily advanced on her brother, backing him into the wall beside the fireplace. The few people in the Common Room went dead silent.
Harry stared in awe at the blazing look on Ginny's face. He was also glad her anger wasn't pointed in his direction. She was scary when she was angry. Beautiful, but scary.
"Firstly, Harry didn't enter the tournament willingly, you idiot!" Ginny shoved Ron against the wall, holding him there with one hand. Ron paled as he whimpered with a look of sheer terror on his face. "Do you really think Harry wants to be in it? Do you really think, after all these years of knowing Harry, that he wants the extra attention? You claim to be his best mate, and you don't know that about him, yet? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Ronald! Get over your jealous insecurities and use your head a little! Who would want Harry in this stupid thing? Who wants to see Harry dead? Who has been trying for years to kill Harry?"
"Gin," Harry placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Let it be." Ginny turned to Harry with that blazing look. Her eyes softened as she looked at him. "He'll figure it out, eventually."
"Fine," Ginny huffed as she let Harry guide her back to the sofa with his arm around her waist.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ginny as she sat down very close next to Harry with his arm around her shoulder. Ginny gave Hermione a questioning look like she didn't understand what Hermione was looking at her that way for. Harry just shrugged when Hermione gave him the same look. She shook her head, but Harry knew she would ask him about it later. Not that he was sure what was going on between him and Ginny, despite everything.
"I think you ought to write Sirius about this, Harry," Hermione spoke quietly to him as she sat close in front of Harry and Ginny.
"Yeah, I was thinking about that," Harry nodded. Ginny looked at Harry then Hermione in confusion.
"Why would you want to write to someone that was after you, Harry?" Ginny asked with narrowed eyes.
"Sirius wasn't after me," Harry chuckled. Ginny looked at him expectantly for an explanation. He leaned over to whisper to her. "He was after Scabbers because Scabbers wasn't who we all thought he was."
"What are you on about?" Ginny asked still confused.
"Scabbers was actually Wormtail," Harry told her. Ginny looked at him with a look that told Harry that he had better start making sense or she would be yelling at him next. "When my dad was here at Hogwarts, he had three best mates. Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin."
"Professor Lupin?" asked Ginny with wide eyes. Harry nodded with a smile.
"You have to promise to keep this bit quiet," Harry implored her.
"Okay," Ginny spoke very slowly, still confused.
"Remus is a werewolf," Harry told her. Ginny's mouth dropped open, then shut suddenly.
"That makes a lot of sense," she admitted. "Continue."
"My dad, Sirius, and Pettigrew all became Animagi to help Remus on those nights," Harry continued.
"But what does this have to do with what happened to your parents?" Ginny asked still confused.
"Just a little background," Hermione told her as she moved a little closer to help Harry with the explanation if he needed her to do so.
"My dad was a stag. Sirius is a big black dog…"
"Wait!" Ginny looked at him. "That black dog that was hanging around the castle last year was Sirius Black?"
"Yup," Harry grinned. "Pettigrew is a rat."
Ginny's eyes bulged as realization struck her. "Scabbers!"
"You catch on quick," Harry smiled. "You see, when my parents went into hiding, they wanted Sirius to be their Secret Keeper. But Sirius thought he was too obvious of a choice, so he convinced them to make Pettigrew their Secret Keeper."
"If Pettigrew was their…" Ginny stared at Harry with wide eyes.
"That's right, Gin," Harry nodded. "Sirius didn't betray them. It was Pettigrew. He was Voldemort's spy. He faked his death when Sirius went after him. He cut off his own finger before he blew up the street and those Muggles."
"He changed into his rat form and ran for it," Ron put in as he finally joined them at the sofa, sitting in front of Ginny.
"Nice of you to join us, Ronald," Hermione glared at him scathingly.
"Yeah, well," he shrugged.
"Don't start you two," Harry frowned. He turned back to Ginny. "Anyway, Pettigrew found his way to the Burrow where Percy found him."
"And then gave him to me," Ron frowned in disgust.
"We found out the truth about everything at the end of last year," Hermione put in.
"Right before Pettigrew escaped before we got back to the castle with him," growled Harry. "Partly thanks to Snape." Harry shot Hermione a warning look. "Don't, Hermione. I'll show that git respect when he shows me respect."
"But that still doesn't explain why you should write to Sirius, Harry," Ginny pointed out.
"My parents made Sirius my godfather when I was born," Harry grinned. Ginny's eyes widened again. She broke into a broad smile as it all made sense.
"Yes, you should write him," Ginny nodded.
"I'm going to," Harry nodded. He stood to head upstairs to his dorm room, but stopped, offering his hand to Ginny. She smiled as she took his hand for Harry to help her stand. "Do you…uh…wanna have breakfast with me tomorrow morning, Gin?"
Ginny looked up at him with a grin. "Sounds great."
Ron and Hermione exchanged confused looks as Harry and Ginny walked over to the stairs, still holding hands. They exchanged wide-eyed looks as Harry hugged Ginny and waved before they both climbed the stairs to the dorms.
"What in Merlin's name just happened, Hermione?" Ron asked after staring at the stairs for a few moments.
"If I knew, I would tell you, Ron," Hermione shook her head.
The next morning Harry waited in the Common Room for Ginny to come down. His mind was a jumble of conflicting thoughts. On one side, Harry was starting to realize he was developing real feelings for Ginny. On the other, he knew she was Ron's sister. Yet another, he didn't care what Ron thought. Another side, Ginny had six brothers that would flatten him if something were to happen to Ginny. Again, another side thought that Harry would gladly take on the world to make Ginny happy. He was so confused, but certain of his feelings at the same time. It was worse than his thoughts about the stupid tournament had been the night before.
The knowing smirk Hermione had given him before she and Ron had left a few minutes before wasn't helping either. Neither was the frowning glare that Ron had given him. Harry looked up as he heard someone coming down from the girls' side of the dorms. He recognized one of Ginny's roommates as she stepped off the stairs.
"Ginny'll be down in a minute, Harry," she told Harry with a smirk.
"Thanks…uh…"
"Demzela," she giggled at him. She waved as she left through the Portrait Hole.
"Morning, Harry," Ginny smiled brightly at him as he turned to see her coming off the stairs.
"Morning, Gin," Harry grinned.
"You do know, you are the only one I let get away with calling me that," Ginny smirked at him. "Normally, I hate it when someone shortens my name."
"Then, why…?" Harry asked confused as they started down to the Great Hall.
"Because you're…uh…" Ginny blushed. Harry raised an eyebrow at her with a smirk of his own. "Because you're…privileged."
"Come on, Gin, what's the real reason?" asked Harry as they stopped. Ginny looked away, blushing the same color as her hair. "Because of your crush on me?"
"Maybe," Ginny squeaked still refusing to look at him.
Harry chuckled for a moment, then something took over his brain. He reached over, gently turning her head to look at him. He stared into her chocolate brown eyes, feeling something roar in his chest. Harry gathered all his Gryffindor courage as he spoke softly to her. "Maybe I do it because crushes can go both ways."
Ginny's breath hitched as her eyes grew wide. Harry smiled, but it wasn't a teasing smile. It was a smile that made his green eyes sparkle. Ginny saw the honesty deep in those emeralds Harry had for eyes.
"Come on, I'm starving," Harry told her as he took her hand. That broke Ginny out of her state of shock as he turned to start walking again.
"Har-ry!" Ginny jerked him to a stop. "You can't just tell me that and change the subject!"
"Fine, but let's talk as we walk." Ginny nodded as they started walking down the stairs again hand in hand. "Yes, I've started to have a crush on you," Harry admitted.
"When did this start?" Ginny asked, still a little shocked.
"Last night when you waited for me in the Great Hall," Harry shrugged. "Maybe these feelings have always been there, but last night something changed."
"Wait. What?" Ginny looked at Harry. "What do mean, 'maybe these feelings have always been there'?"
"Well," Harry ran his hand through his hair. He heard Ginny squeak quietly as he did. "I was trying to figure that out last night after I went up to my dorm and wrote Sirius. I remember you looking at me on the Platform my first year. Your hair and eyes caught my attention from the off. Then, I started wondering why you would always run when I got to the Burrow before my second year. And of course, that dinner that you…uh…put your elbow in the butter dish."
Ginny scowled at him and was about to complain about that, but then noticed the goofy grin Harry had plastered on his face.
"The more I thought about it," Harry said quickly, "the cuter I found it that you were paying more attention to me than where you were putting your arms."
Ginny flushed. She had hoped he hadn't seen that; it was bad enough Fred and George wouldn't let her forget about it. But Harry's words were so sweet and caring. There was a sense of awe in his voice as if no one had paid that much attention to him before.
Harry swallowed as his smile drooped before speaking again in almost a whisper as his face contorted into something akin to pain. "Then, thinking 'please don't be dead', when I saw you laying there in the Chamber."
"You…you thought that?" Ginny stopped them again, searching Harry's eyes and face.
"Yes," admitted Harry quietly.
Ginny took him by surprise as she hugged him tightly. Harry felt something in his chest purr as he stood there holding Ginny in his arms. Harry smelled the most alluring scent in his nose. He realized the smell of wildflowers was Ginny's hair, just under his nose. The scent was almost intoxicating to him as he savored their closeness.
Neither of them noticed the glow that surrounded them as they stood there. After a few moments that felt like an eternity, Ginny finally stepped back, looking up at Harry with a wide smile. Nothing more needed to be said. They had come to a silent understanding with that sweet moment. Harry grinned back before they continued on their way to breakfast hand in hand.
As they sat down at the Gryffindor table, Hermione gave them a wide-eyed, raised eyebrow look of shock at seeing them acting and sitting so close to each other. Ron was too busy filling his mouth with food to notice anything.
"What, Hermione?" Ginny asked as she started filling her plate.
"What is going on with you two?" she asked, her voice in an almost high-pitched tone.
"What are you talking about, Hermione?" Harry asked as he shared a smirk with Ginny.
"You came into the Common Room last night holding hands. Then Ginny sat very close to you before and during our explanation to her about Sirius," Hermione started to list. "You hugged each other before going to bed last night. You asked Ginny to have breakfast with you this morning. Now you two come in here holding hands again!"
"Don't know what you're on about, Hermione," Ginny shrugged at her, before grinning at Harry to let him know she was playing along with him.
"See!" Hermione pointed at them. "Just now you smiled at each other, sharing some kind of unspoken thought."
"Still don't know what you're talking about, Hermione," Harry frowned at her, but turned to grin and wink at Ginny. "You have any idea, Gin?"
"Nope," Ginny shook her head as she purposely took a bite of her eggs while staring at the other girl with a straight face. Hermione huffed in annoyance. Ginny turned to Harry with a wink of her own, causing Hermione to growl in frustration as she crossed her arms.
"What's with you, Hermione?" Ron asked cluelessly.
"Oh, never mind, Ronald!" she grunted. Harry and Ginny started giggling.
Ron looked at them strangely. "Did I miss something?"
"No," Harry and Ginny chuckled.
"Yes!" Hermione huffed at the same time.
Ron looked back and forth between them confused. Harry and Ginny broke out laughing as Hermione looked more annoyed and Ron looked dumbly at them, then Hermione.
"What's your first class today?" Harry asked Ginny after they had stopped laughing.
"Charms," Ginny answered. "You?"
"Transfiguration," Harry stated. "Mind if I walk you to class?"
"I'd like that," Ginny smiled, bumping Harry's shoulder with hers.
Harry stood, hefting both of their bags, and offering a hand to help Ginny up. They walked out of the Great Hall leaving a flabbergasted Hermione and Ron staring at them as they left holding hands again. Harry and Ginny didn't notice the slight glow that surrounded them again, but Hermione did.
At the Head Table, Albus Dumbledore frowned slightly as he watched Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley leave the Great Hall together. His frown deepened slightly as he saw their interlaced hands and the glow that was surrounding them.
At morning break, Harry met Ginny as she left her Muggle Studies class. As they shared a smile and a hug, they heard Demzela giggle as she passed them, waving at Ginny. They walked out to the courtyard holding hands as they talked about their morning classes. They sat down in the shade of the arches as Hermione came up to them again.
"Alright, spill!" Hermione ordered, crossing her arms as she stared pointedly at them.
"What's to spill, Hermione," Harry shrugged. "We're talking and getting to know each other better."
"But…" Hermione started.
"But what, Hermione?" Ginny asked her with a pointed look of her own. "Don't tell me you're turning into an overprotective sibling like my brothers."
"Well, no, but…"
"Then leave it alone for now, Hermione," Harry told her. "We'll let you know if something changes." He paused, glancing at Ginny with a lopsided grin. "Maybe."
Hermione growled as she stamped her foot in frustration.
"Hey, Potter," Malfoy sneered as he walked up to them. "Like my pin?"
Harry glared at Malfoy as he pointed to a pin that read "Support Cedric Diggory", then changed to read "Potter Stinks!" Ginny narrowed her eyes as she stood. Harry placed a restraining hand lightly on her arm. Malfoy laughed as he backed up quickly. Harry nonchalantly drew his wand, hiding it behind his leg, whispering the Tripping Jinx at Malfoy's retreating legs. Malfoy stumbled and then fell into the fountain with a loud splash that drew everyone's attention. The entire courtyard laughed as Malfoy sputtered as he stood quickly.
"Mr. Malfoy!" an angry-looking McGonagall came out of the arches. "Get out of the fountain this instant!" Malfoy complied, slinging water everywhere. "Now! What is this, Mr. Malfoy?" she pointed to the pin on his robes that was changing back and forth between its two faces. Malfoy only glared at her. "No answer? Two weeks of detention! And fifty points from Slytherin! Report to my office after dinner tonight!" She turned to the crowd of students around them. "And any other contraband pins of this like will cost the student wearing them a week's detention with me or Mr. Filch and twenty points from your House!"
There was a mad scramble as several students quickly removed their pins.
"But, Professor, Potter was the one who…" Malfoy spoke, finally finding his voice.
"Silence, Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall raised her voice. "You were running backward from Mr. Potter and tripped over your own feet!" She pointed at Harry, Ginny, and Hermione. "Mr. Potter nor his friends have their wands drawn. That's another week's detention and twenty points from Slytherin for trying to lie and get another student into trouble!"
Malfoy glared at Harry as Harry smirked at him.
Harry casually stood, taking Ginny's hand, before walking away. Hermione stood shocked at what Harry had just done. She shook off her astonishment as she hurried after Harry and Ginny. She caught up to them just after they entered the castle again.
"Harry!" she admonished him. Harry and Ginny sighed as they turned to her. "I cannot believe you just did that! We aren't supposed to use Magic in the corridors!"
"Like we've never broken the rules before, Hermione," Harry frowned at her.
"And we weren't in the corridors. We were in the courtyard," Ginny pointed out.
"But…"
"But nothing, Hermione," Harry frowned at her more. "Malfoy had that coming. Truth be told, he has about a thousand more of those coming for everything he's put me through over the years. Not to mention, all times he's tried to bully you."
"Well…"
"Except for that punch you gave him last year," Harry chuckled at the memory. He turned to Ginny. "Did she ever tell you she punched Malfoy square in the nose at the end of last year?"
"No, she didn't," Ginny gaped with wide eyes. She took on an imitation of the other girl's voice. "Hermione! You're not supposed to punch people!"
"That…that was…" Hermione stammered.
"No, it wasn't," Harry looked at her pointedly. "I'm tired of Malfoy trying to push me around. It's time I pushed back a little."
With that, Harry and Ginny turned as Harry walked Ginny to her next class leaving a gaping Hermione standing in the hallway.
Harry and Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table Friday morning. Hermione was pointedly ignoring them as they giggled with each other. They could tell she was still upset about what had happened in the courtyard two days ago. Ron, on the other hand, wasn't letting anything penetrate his single-minded consumption of breakfast. A screech was heard overhead as the morning post arrived. One of the school owls landed in front of Harry. Ginny feed it a bit of bacon as Harry took the letter with a strange look. He looked down, recognizing the messy scrawl of Hagrid. Opening it, he read the note quickly, only to stare at it confused.
"What's that?" Ginny asked.
"Oh. Note from Hagrid," Harry answered. He leaned over to whisper to Ginny. "He wants me to come see him tonight at eleven."
"Why so late?" Ginny asked. Harry shrugged as he put the note in his pocket. "Mind if I join you?"
"Of course not," Harry grinned.
Just then an unfamiliar owl landed in front of Harry. He looked at it strangely as he offered it a bit of sausage before taking the letter. Harry looked at the handwriting, quickly hiding it under the table. Ginny raised an eyebrow at his reaction.
"It's from Sirius," Harry whispered to her. He looked back at the letter confused. "He wants me to be by the fireplace in Gryffindor Tower at one in the morning tonight."
"He probably wants to talk to you by floo call," Ginny whispered back.
"You can do that?" Harry asked, still confused.
"Yes, Harry," Ginny giggled. Harry squinted at her a little. "Sorry, I sometimes forget you were raised as a Muggle."
"It's okay," Harry told her as he took her hand under the table. "Wanna wait with me after we visit Hagrid?"
"You bet," Ginny smiled.
As the time to be at Hagrid's approached, Harry and Ginny were walking the halls under his Invisibility Cloak. They were waiting in an alcove for Filch to get passed them on one of the caretaker's patrols of the castle. Harry checked the Map again to make sure Filch was well away from them before he tapped Ginny to start walking again. They made it to the Entrance Hall and out of the castle a few minutes later.
As they reached Hagrid's hut, Harry knocked lightly on the door to let Hagrid know they were there. They heard Hagrid moving toward the door quickly before the door swung open for the big man to exit.
"Keep yer Cloak on, 'Arry," Hagrid advised them in a loud whisper as he started to walk toward the side of the castle. "Foller meh."
Harry and Ginny exchanged a confused look before they started following Hagrid.
Harry groaned as Ginny giggled quietly as Hagrid stopped by the Beauxbatons carriage to get Madame Maxime. With a look at where he thought they were, Hagrid motioned for them to follow him and Madame Maxime. Ginny shrugged at Harry as they set out after the two large individuals.
Hagrid led them into the Forbidden Forest, much to Harry's annoyance. He whispered to Ginny telling her about meeting Aragog on his last sojourn into the Forest. Ginny had to stifle her laugh as she imagined Ron's face at seeing all those giant spiders. Harry smiled at her. To him, Ginny's laughter sounded like a trickle of water splashing over crystal. A sound he would never tire of, even if he lived to be as old as Dumbledore. Ginny turned to him, as she seemed to sense what he was thinking, with a smiling blush.
Harry had noticed that the closer he became to Ginny, the more they both seemed able to sense the other's mood and sometimes their very thoughts. They had talked about it several times, but neither of them had an explanation as to why it was happening. They just knew it was. It had actually brought them closer to discover this, and Harry was not complaining in the least about it.
Hagrid stopped by a paddock deep in the Forest as fire and light erupted from it. A roar echoed off the trees as Harry and Ginny stopped to see many Wizards trying to push something huge back. A familiar voice rang out as a metal clank sounded.
"That sounds like Charlie!" Ginny whispered to Harry.
"Oh, Merlin," Harry groaned. "If it is, I bet the first task involves dragons."
They saw Hagrid and Madame Maxine talking to someone before they moved down the hedges for a closer look at what was in the four enormous cages in the paddock. The person that had been speaking with Hagrid moved down the hedge toward them. As he got closer, Ginny recognized him. Sure enough, it was her older brother. She waited until he was even with them before poking her head out from under the Cloak.
"Hey, Charlie!" Ginny smiled.
Charlie jumped back, holding his heart. "Ginny! What are you doing here?"
"Came with Harry," she answered as Harry pulled the Cloak off of them.
Harry was looking toward the cages as Charlie leaned over the hedge to hug his sister. Charlie looked up at Harry, following where he was looking.
"Yeah, four dragons," Charlie nodded. "One for each Champion."
"Figured that out on my own, Charlie," Harry told him in a shaky voice.
"What types do you have here?" Ginny asked.
"Well, we have a Swedish Short Snout, a Chinese Fireball, a Welch Green," Charlie answered. He paused as a fire plume shot straight up from one of the cages. "And that nasty critter. A Hungarian Horntail."
Ginny looked over at Harry. He was pale with a slight shade of green.
"You don't have to fight them," Charlie reassured him. "Just get passed them to get something hidden in their nest."
"They're nesting mothers!" Ginny all but shrieked at Charlie. He nodded. "Who thought that was a good idea?"
"Hey, I just supply the dragons, I didn't make the task," Charlie raised his hands.
"Not really a comfort, Charlie," Harry gulped out.
"We need to head back, Harry," Ginny told him, looking at her watch. Harry nodded, still staring at the dragon cages. Ginny placed a calming hand on his arm before retrieving the Cloak to pull around them. She waved at Charlie as they disappeared from view.
Ginny noticed the Durmstrang Headmaster lurking in the bushes as they walked out of the Forest. She sighed as she took the Map from Harry as they entered the castle. Ginny guided them back to the Common Room because Harry was in a state of shock at seeing the dragons. She grinned at the confused look on the tired face of the Fat Lady as she swung open. Ginny guided Harry over to the sofa by the fireplace, sitting him down after removing the Cloak. She sat down beside him, pulling Harry into a tight hug as they waited for Sirius' fire call.
Neither of them noticed the glow that surrounded them.