They lay naked together, her head on his chest, on the floor of a cave above Hogsmeade. "We should go back down to the village," he heard her whisper. "They'll be returning to Hogwarts soon, you don't want to miss the Halloween feast, do you?"
"I don't feel like moving," he murmered. He didn't; thier lovemaking had left him exhausted. He felt her shift on his chest, but didn't bother open his eyes. They weren't much use anyway, since his glasses were somewhere on the cave floor. Must have fallen off during a more frantic moment.
He felt her pick his arm up, and place his hand on her shoulder blade. "Me neither," she murmered. "This feels nice."
"You said it," he murmered. He was feeling a lot better then he had during the actual lovemaking, when he'd been all nerves. Just to lie like this, and not be expected to do anything he'd never done before...
"We should do this again," she said. "Now that we've gotten the hang of it."
Then they heard voices. "Harry! Cho! Come on, everyone's leaving!" He groaned. They had to get up, get thier robes back on, he had to find his glasses-
CLUNK! Harry was suddenly jarred awake.
Next second he heard Neville go, "Ooowww," explaining the sound he had just heard. He must have fallen out of bed onto his trunk.
He glanced out the window. Now that he was awake, he might as well get up. He pulled himself to his feet, and then suddenly heard a hissing noise. A murmer, the words becoming clear...
"Come, Harry...come and kill me...I can feel your hatred..."
"NO!" He fell back onto the bed, his scar burning.
A second later, he realized the other four boys were all gathered around him, demanding to know what was the matter.
"Nothing," he murmered. "I just had a nightmare."
But after they had gotten dressed and were heading down to breakfast, Ron pulled Harry aside, and said, "That was You-Know-Who again, wasn't it?"
"No," said Harry firmly, "it wasn't."
"You were standing up before you yelled. It wasn't a nightmare."
"It wasn't Voldemort!" Harry all but snarled. Ron flinched harder then usual.
"What's going on?" Hermione had arrived.
"Nothing-" started Harry, but Ron said, "You-Know-Who called to him, and he's denying it."
"Harry! Did you even tell Dumbledore?" demanded Hermione.
"Yeah," he muttered.
"No, you didn't! If you won't tell him, I will! Right now!" She turned to go.
He grabbed her and spun her around. He was wearing the same terrible expression on his face the last time she had tried to get him to go to Dumbledore. "Listen," he snarled, "this is something you don't understand and you can't get involved in, so don't." He released her and walked away.
It took nearly twice the usual amount of time for the shaken Ron and Hermione to make thier way down to the Great Hall. Harry was there already, sitting next to Gabrielle and Elaine. He appeared to be listening to them talk about Gabrielle's latest lesson with Professor Solen.
After hesitating, Hermione sat down two seats from him. Ron sat between them. At first Harry didn't seem to notice them. Then he spoke softly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken like that."
"We're only concerned about you-" Hermione started.
"I know," he assured her. There was a hint of a tear in his eye. "But you can't help me here. I have to do this on my own."
Just then Dumbledore rose, and the Hall fell silent.
"Last night," he started, "as you all know-"
"Yeah, we all know, so get on with it!" yelled a voice from the Slytherin table.
There were lots of gasps of shock, though one or two people clapped. Dumbledore appeared amused.
"Very well, then, Miss Aldant. It has been agreed that the two visiting schools will bring twelve students each, to try for the Championship. So that the four Houses have an equal chance to represent Hogwarts, three students will be choosen from each House."
"Each of the Houses will have a sign-up sheet in their common room. Anyone who wishes to compete should sign thier names. You have three weeks to do this, after which the Heads of each house shall select the three students."
"That means Malfoy's not going to be choosen," whispered Ron with glee. "He and Snape are still on very bad terms."
"The Heads of your House know your age, and they will not be selecting anyone under seventeen, so if you are not old enough, please do not take up space on the sheet."
"And finally, I would like everyone to understand that this is a very serious matter. Once you are choosen, you will of course be submitting your name to the Goblet of Fire for the final decision, and once your name comes out of the Goblet of Fire, you are bound to complete the Tournament. Do not sign up unless you are absolutley certain."
Normal talk resumed, and most of it was about the Tournament. All three girls were entering. Parvati had mentioned something about them taking an oath together. Ron had also decided he was definitely signing. Seamus wasn't totally sure, but was considering it. Ginny was trying to persuade Neville, though she herself was too young. Dean had to stay at Hogwarts as Head Boy.
Two Weeks Later...
It had become a ritual in the Ravenclaw common room. At the end of the day, someone new had always signed. So tonight, like every night, the entire House went up to the sheet to see who the new person was an congratulate them. Except tonight there was no new name on the sheet.
"This can't be right!" exclaimed Sally-Anne Perks. "Someone must have signed up?"
Behind her Terry Boot chuckled. "Who? There's noone left. Everyone over seventeen has their name already on that sheet."
"They could always do what the Slytherins did," commented Lisa. "People who were only 15 signed on." She giggled. "Snape had to replace the sheet yesterday!"
"Didn't he use it as an excuse to give Malfoy a detention?" asked Terry.
Sally-Anne nodded. "And noone shed a tear there."
"Malfoy might have," pointed out Terry.
"Doubt it," said Sally-Anne. "I don't think Slytherins can cry!"
"Oh I think they can." said Lisa. Everyone looked at her weird. "I don't think Malfoy can though." She added.
By now everyone else had figured out what Terry had said earlier, and, very dissapointed, were beginning to disperse. Then Ella Cowiven entered, and Sally-Anne hurried over to her. Lisa followed her. Seeing her do so, Terry did also. Fourteen-year-old Third-year Ella had somehow ended up dating a Slytherin, and was the one to go to to find out about the status of the Slytherin sign-up sheet.
Ella was quite used to people asking her about this topic, so without preamble she said, "Nott's signed."
Three students who heard her say this turned and took notice. "Tecmessa Nott?" asked Orla Quirke.
"No way she's going to be choosen," said Stewart Ackerly. Next to him, Titus Leeford nodded ferverntly.
"I don't know about that," said Melanie Brocklehurst, who had joined in the conversation. "According to Dean, Snape is very fond of her."
"Birds of a feather flock together," commented Sally-Anne. "Any other predictions?"
"Predictions? Know what Sam heard?" asked Ella.
"What?" asked Sally-Anne and Orla together.
"Professor Sprout's already choosen her three. All seventh-years, though I don't know which ones."
"Well who's signed?" asked Lisa.
Ella shrugged. "Sam didn't tell me."
Lisa and Sally-Anne both looked agape. "You can't tell us you've never been in their common room!" said Lisa. "I mean, you've been in the Slytherin common room."
"My boyfriend doesn't care. Sam does. Annoying little brother." Ella explained. "I'll get in someday, don't worry."
Mandy, looking uncomfortable, dissapeared.
"Elizabeth told me," noted Titus. "Apparently she asked Ed not to sign."
"You're on speaking terms with Elizabeth?" asked Stewart in amazement.
Titus shrugged. "As long as I don't mention Quidditch, we're fine. You'd be amazed how meek she is when Quidditch isn't the subject."
"Who had signed?" asked Terry.
Titus nodded. "In order:Susan Bones, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, John Bachro, Victoria Tye, Hannah Abbott, and Eumelous Iron."
"Bachro, Tye, and Iron are all sixth-years." said Lisa. "We're narrowed down to four."
"Well it's no use asking Hannah." commented Sally-Anne. "You just mention the Triwizard Tournament and she gets all gloomy. I don't know what's with her."
"I do." said Alice Finch-Fletchley, who had showed sometime after the mention of her brother. "I know all the dirty secrets of the Hufflepuffs!"
"Hufflepuffs have dirty secrets?" asked Stewart in amazement.
"Hannah Abbott does," answered Alice. "The Hufflepuffs keep each other's secrets-usually. I bet I'm the only non-Hufflepuff who knows..."
By the end of the next day, the entire school knew.
One week later...
"Where are Dumbledore and McGonagall?" sighed someone for the millionth time.
"Right there," answered someone else, causing all of them to crane thier necks in the direction the second person was pointing-towards the entrance, were Dumbledore and McGonagall were walking in, deep in discussion about something. "Look," a third person pointed at their hands. They were wearing indentical silver rings, each set with a stone the same color, Harry realized, at Dumbldore's thoughts from the Pensieve.
"Those are Mind-Rings," whispered Hermione. "When two people use a Mind-Connecter-"
"A what?"
"A device which connect two minds. If they've used one, one of them can contact the other by putting thier ring on."
Meanwhile Dumbledore amd McGonagall had reached the staff table, where Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick all stood(Flitwick on his chair), thier wands out.
"Now that everyone is here, we are ready to announced the twelve contenders that will go to Beauxbatons in the hopes of being the Hogwarts champion."
The four Heads flicked thier wands simultaneously, and a ribbon shot out from each. It then began twisting into names.
From Professor Sprout's wand flew a yellow ribbon, which formed the names:
Ernie MacMillian
Justin Finch-Fletchley
Hannah Abbot
From Professor McGonagall's wand shot a scarlet ribbon, which twisted into the names:
Hermione Granger
Ronald Weasley
Lavender Brown
From Professor Snape's wand floated a green ribbon, which made the names:
Pansy Parkinson
Millicent Bulstrode
Tecmessa Nott
From Professor Flitwick's wand came a blue ribbon, which curled into the names:
Sally-Anne Perks
Terry Boot
Lisa Turpin
As soon as the names were readable, applause broke out all over the hall. At the Hufflepuff tables, everyone was moving towards the corner of the table where Justin, Ernie, and Hannah had happened to sit. At the Gryffindor table, althought Seamus made the very accurate comment that there were twice as many girls as boys, everyone was congratulating Ron, Hermione, and Lavender. At the Ravenclaw table, the people who had signed up were sitting together, and everyone clapped and cheered in thier general direction. And at the Slytherin table...
Most of the cheering was going to Pansy Parkinson, and Millicent Bulstrode was sitting next to her. Harry was not surprised to see Malfoy scowling, no doubt upset at getting left out. And sitting at the edge of the table, totally ignored, was Tecmessa Nott. She was a round-faced girl with long strawberry-blond hair.
Harry had seen Tecmessa Nott at the Death Eater Trials, and read much testimony on her. She had given testimony herself, and Snape's testimony included much on her. Her father had been a Death Eater, and Tecmessa was of course to follow in her father's footsteps. But she had refused. So he had placed her under the Imperius curse. She'd fought it several times, but always been beaten back. Of course she'd been aquitted, the same way Malfoy had. Her father had been sent to Azkaban.
When both she and Malfoy had returned, she they had been treated with apprehension, even from thier fellow Slytherins. Malfoy had suceeded in bullying his way back to his old position with everyone except Snape. But Tecmessa could not do that. Though Snape had taking a likening to her, her classmates shunned her as much as possible. She always ate alone, she stood apart in Care of Magical Creatures, and she worked alone in Potions unless Snape forced someone, usually a Gryffindor, to work with her.
Snape had forced Harry to work with her once. She had spoken only when nessecary, and then in a voice that made him think she was afraid of him. She was good at Potions, and he had decided he didn't mind working with her too much. Snape, seeing this, hadn't forced him to again.
Both Snape's testimony and her own described horrors done to her during the time she was controlled by Voldemort. She was still being treated for the after-effects of Nagini's venom, which, he had heard, left her a Parselmouth. Harry was not at all surprised she was the way she was.
The following day...
Eight people sat before Harry Potter. On the end, Natalie MacDonald and Kevin Nickelson both had fear on thier faces, knowing only one of them could stay. "You've all done very well. I know all my former teammates would be very proud of you, and that's the best praise I can give you."
"Now, I've decided that Natalie will be taking Lavender's place on the team." Kevin looked like he was about to cry. Without speaking, he got up and walked away.
"Parvati will be Captain while I'm away. Parvati, can I trust you to lead them to victory?"
"I'll do it," Parvati promised.
"Now, when Lavender and I return, I want to see your names on the Quidditch cup. No excuses."
"You won't be dissapointed, Harry," promised Ginny.
"Now lets get out there and practice," and they all trooped out towards the Quidditch pitch, except for Parvati, who stopped Kevin on his way out.
"I want to see you next Saturday, with your broom and bat." she told him. "I'm not leaving my sucessor untrained if I can help it." This cheered him up.
Harry had just exited when a Bludger flew at him, and he was forced to duck. From nearby, one of the two Slytherin Beaters, Malcolm Baddock, smirked. "Sorry. Didn't see you."
Harry opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, an angry voice demanded, "Hey, what are you guys doing here? We booked the pitch for today!" It was Elizabeth Knatter, the Hufflepuff Captain, with her team trailing behind her.
"Hey, look!" yelled one of her team members, and pointed. The Ravenclaw team had also decided to arrive.
"What is everyone doing here?" demanded Malfoy angrily. "I got a special note from Snape-"
"And we," replied Titus Leeford, who was the Ravenclaw Captain, "have a note from from Flitwick-"
"And we," added Harry, "have a note from McGonagall-"
"And we booked the pitch for today!" finished Knatter.
"Okay," said Harry. "Even if the pitch could hold three teams, it definitly won't hold four. But my team's got two new players to train, and our first match is coming up-"
"So ours," cut in Knatter. "We're playing you first, because none of our teammembers are new."
"If none of your teammembers are new," said Leeford, "clear off and let those of us who need the time-"
"Didn't you hear me correctly? Our first match-"
"We've got a new Chaser to train, and they-"
"We have to train a new Chaser as well, Malfoy!"
The arguement went on for ages, until all four teams stormed away. Parvati shook her head. "This is going to be a rough season."
Hermione was reading through her copy of The Daily Prophet, when suddenly she cried out, and dropped the newspaper, tears falling from her eyes.
Ron jumped up from his chess game. "Hermione, what's wrong?"
"Viktor! He's-" Hermione choked, unable to continue.
Parvati picked the newspaper up, and read, her voice trembling, "Today, Viktor Krum was killed by He Who Must Not Be Named-"
"Oh, Hermione, I am so sorry," with a tenderness he had rarely seen coming from his friend, Ron pulled her into his arms, and whispered softly to her.
Maybe he is in love with her, he thought as he watched his friends. Just as Cho- His heart froze. Cho-
It was a completely irrational panic. But he was suddenly out of his seat, and hurrying out the common room, ignoring the yells of his Housemates. He was running through the corridors, down to the Entrance Hall. Out the doors, down the lawn, to the Quidditch pitch.
There she was, emerging from the changing rooms in her normal robes. Practice had just ended. He ran over to her.
She had just gotten out, "Harry-" When he reached her and hugged her as tightly as possible. "Don't ever go," he whispered. "Don't die-"
"I wasn't planning to," she managed. "What's wrong?"
The panic cleared, and he pulled away. "Sorry," he managed. "It's just, my friend Hermione, Voldemort just killed her boyfriend, and I got frightened-"
Before he could get any further, they heard screaming. Looking over, they saw why:the Dark Mark hung in the sky.
Within seconds they were running towards the origin of the Dark Mark behind the stands. They found the rest of the Ravenclaw team gathered there, staring at the two bodies slumped on the grass. They were Professor Jared, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Professor Vector, the Arithmancy teacher.
"They came onto the grounds," said one of the Ravenclaws faintly. "They came onto the grounds...."
"We were on the other side of the stands," murmered Harry, "if they'd known I was here-"
Next thing he knew, he was the one been hugged, by her. "Harry, don't worry about me. Just-just survive..."
"But you were the one who died," Harry whispered as he awoke. "You were the one who couldn't stay...why, Cho?"
It was very early in the morning, October 30. Today they went to Beauxbatons. Unable to get back to sleep, he got dressed and slipped out of the common room. His feet led him to the Great Hall, where, sitting at the Gryffindor table was-
"Fleur!" She looked up as he sat down next to her.
"Hello, Harry." She smiled at him, and suddenly Harry felt a very slight jolt in his stomach. Her smile was a lot like Cho's.
"I'll be glad to return to Beauxbatons," she continued. "It's been three years, most of the students will have forgotten by now..."
Harry felt slightly guilty. Having come in last place in the Triwizard Tournament, Fleur's former schoolmates had not treated her well, part of the reason she had moved to England.
"I'm sure they'll only remember you as champion," he assured her.
He looked around at the hall. They were the only people at the Gryffindor table. Tecmessa Nott was alone at the Slytherin table, and she looked like she was asleep. A pair of Ravenclaws sat thier table, talking about something. The Hufflepuff table was empty.
"So," said Harry, "what's Beauxbatons like?"
He wondered later if that had been a mistake. At any rate it got Fleur talking like mad. She was still reminiscing about her old school when the others started coming down for breakfast.
"You're up early," commented Ron as he and Hermione sat down next to them.
"I don't blame him," said Hermione. "I'm just so excited. I woke up early too, but I didn't bother getting up."
She did not notice the look Ron gave her.
Fleur however, did. "Is he in love with her?"
"Yep," he answered.
"And I've heard wood-nymphs live there!" Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil gabbered excitedly. They were walking over. "There's this special sort of tree that only grows on the grounds-"
"Stop it, I'm going to go green with envy!"
"Hey, I wouldn't mind getting to be Captain the Quidditch team-"
There was the sound of a great commotion, and its origin appeared seconds later, the Hufflepuffs were coming down as a group, escorting thier three. Justin and Ernie seemed to be enjoying it thouroughly, but Hannah looked glum.
Lavender turned to Fleur. "I've heard she had her heart broken by a Beauxbatons boy. Do you know for sure?"
Fleur nodded. "His name was Andre. He was smitten with Hannah the minute he saw her. He kept us all awake our first night here by singing her praises-literally, and he can't sing either." She groaned, then grinned. "Wooed and won her at the Yule Ball. From what I heard, they spent half the ball in the bushes. It went on for a few months," as she continued, her grin faded, "but then she refused to have sex. At least that's what we've concluded it was. Suffice to say, he burst into the carriage two days after the Tournament ended saying he didn't know what he ever saw in Hannah." She shook he head. "Hannah's heart wasn't the first one he broke, and I doubt it was the last."
"But she shouldn't be bothered now," pointed out Hermione. "If Andre was old enough to try for the Championship, surely he isn't at Beauxbatons any more."
"Look!" yelled Gabrielle. "Here comes the post!"
The owls flew into the room. Hermione caught a copy of The Daily Prophet and Ron received the letter from Bill congratulating him. Meanwhile, a commotion broke out at the Slytherin table.
Olga Cartor hurried over to the Slytherin table. She came running back seconds later with the announcement, "Malfoy's got a Howler."
"Probably his mother," commented Ginny, "upset her son wasn't choosen."
But the voice that filled the hall seconds later wasn't that of Narcissa Malfoy. It was a man Harry didn't recognize.
"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING TO MY DAUGHTER?? SHE TOOK THAT ANTIDOTE FOR A REASON, BECAUSE SHE WASN'T BETHROTHED TO YOU ANYMORE. SHE ISN'T, AND YOU NEED TO GET OVER THAT! I'M SENDING HER MORE ANTIDOTE, AND SHE'S TAKING IT IF SHE SO MUCH AS GETS THE URGE TO LOOK AT YOU, BECAUSE I'D RATHER MY DAUGHTER MARRY A MUDBLOOD THEN MARRY YOU! GET YOURSELF SOME OTHER NAIVE WIZARD DAUGHTER TO MARRY! I'M NOT GOING TO BE RELATED TO A MALFOY! NOT AFTER WHAT YOU DID!"
It was there the Howler ended. All eyes were on Malfoy.
He turned to Pansy Parkinson. "Well, Pansy," he told her, "that really shows what a fool your father is."
"Don't you wish!" she shot back.
"Antidote? Bethrothal?" Harry gave Ron a confused look, hoping this was only something he didn't understand because he'd grown up in the Muggle world.
It was. "To keep thier blood pure," Ron explained, "some pure-blooded families arrange marriages for thier children. The Malfoys are just the kind of family that would do that. And it would explain why Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson have been going out so long. They've probably both been given Love Potions when they were old enough. Now of course, that the Malfoys have been supporting You-Know-Who again, Mr. Parkinson probably has wised up. There's usually an antidote for the Love Potion in case the marriage doesn't follow through for some reason, and it seems as if the contract was dissolved, and I guess Malfoy's antidote took a bit of time to have effect, so he-"
The idea of Love Potions had always spooked Harry. It seemed wrong to be forced to feel something, and he wondered if one really felt it, or thought they felt it. But it would definitly be something someone like the Malfoys would use.
"Attention," said Dumbeldore, and the hall fell silent. "It is time. The trunks are already on the bus.("The bus?" more then one person whispered) If our twelve students will come up here."
Everyone applauded as Ron and Hermione both rose and began walking to the front. Lavender and Parvati embraced and Harry was quite sure there were tears on Parvati's face, before Lavender got up and followed them. At the Slytherin table, Pansy got up and bowed to applause, and walked with Millicent Bulstrode close behind her, while Morgana Nott crept silently to the front so noone noticed her until she got there. Hannah jumped up from the Hufflepuff table, having somehow gotten more cheerful, and Harry noticed she was clutching a letter, and Justin and Ernie followed her to applause. Likewise Lisa Turpin, Terry Boot, and Sally-Anne Perks got up and walked to the front together.
"I think," said Dumbledore, "that the two judges traveling with us should also join us at the front, as it may be a bit difficult for them to find the transport otherwise."
Harry and Fleur jumped up and hurried to the front as well.
"This way," Dumbledore walked out on of the doors. The group of fourteen followed.
They walked down a number of passages, going steadily downhill. Finally they emerged on the far side of the mountain, the back of Hogwarts glistening far above them. And standing there was the violently purple, triple-decker Knight Bus. However, where usually the words "Knight Bus" were written now held the Hogwarts crest. The doors flew open, revealing none other then Dobby sitting at the wheel.
"You can drive?" demanded Harry before he could stop himself.
"Just watch Dobby." said Dobby proudley. To Be Continued...