(GoF) CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: In Some Cultures

"Three nights in a row?" Fred asked Ellie as he crept down the stairs and into the common room. "Not that I should be complaining, but I'm starting to fear these midnight trysts might become bad for your health."

Ellie laughed a little, but she couldn't quite hide the frown that formed on her face at that. It wasn't just the trysts that had him concerned for her health. They'd had two more training sessions in the Room of Requirement since the first, and each time, Ellie had pushed Harry and whomever else was assisting them to up the stakes—attack harder, or more times in a row. Fred never liked it, and he wasn't afraid to say it.

She appreciated how much he cared for her—really, she did. But sometimes it got to be a bit… much.

"I know," he said with a sigh as he took a seat next to her on the couch and spread out an arm. She curled immediately beneath it, feeling much better, as she always did, in his embrace. "I'm sorry I'm such a worrier. But someone has to be, don't they?"

"Not necessarily," she said into the warm, flannel material of his nightshirt.

He chuckled softly at that, lifting a hand to play with her hair in a way that felt so nice, she could almost purr. "It'd be different if Sirius was more accessible to you," he said. "I know he'd do some of the badgering for me."

"I'm sure he would," she said grimly, yawning.

"Or your mum," he said more softly.

She stiffened instinctively at the mention of the woman who had, for all intents and purposes, disowned her.

"Have you spoken to her at all?" he asked her. "Written her, or heard from her?"

She didn't answer him right away. She hadn't allowed herself to think much of her mother since that painful day at the Burrow, and she wasn't sure allowing herself to do so now was a good idea.

But lying there in Fred's arms by the warmth of the fire made her feel so comfortable and at ease, she found a way to talk about it.

"She hasn't written me, nor I her. I want to, but…" She bit her lip. "It wouldn't be fair to her. I've hurt her, Fred—many times over the years, but especially this last time. She can't keep doing it—seeing me get into trouble like that. Seeing me get hurt. It's too much for her."

She felt his chest rise and fall in a deep, heavy sigh, and then his body weight shifted beneath her. She sat up to face him, sensing a desire to look her in the eyes.

"I know the feeling," he told her softly, reaching out to tuck a strand of her tousled hair behind her ear. "It's a scary thing, watching you take on the world, El. But even worse than that is living a life without you in it at all. I learned that lesson the hard way, and she will, too."


"Breathe underwater?" Ellie repeated a few days later in History of Magic after Harry filled her in on what he had learned from the golden egg. "That's the second task?"

"I'm sure it'll be a bit more complicated than that," Harry whispered back, "but, yeah, that's the general idea."

Ellie glanced past him at Hermione, who seemed to have already heard the news. "D'you know any spells for that?"

Hermione shook her head, looking irritated by having to admit defeat. "No, but I'm working on it. Surely there's something in the library; I just haven't found it yet."

Ellie nodded. Her heart went out to Harry all over again for the pressure he was under in the Tournament, but she wasn't sure how to help him. "How about Cho, then? How's that been going?"

He grimaced at that. "Not great. She's stopped mentioning Cedric, but now she won't stop complaining about how I don't spend enough time with her. I've tried to tell her if I don't figure out this Tournament business I'll likely wind up drowning to death, but—"

"Oh, forget her," interrupted Ron a little too loudly. Ellie cast a nervous glance at Professor Binns, fearing he might have heard them, but he continued droning along, apparently not having noticed. "All I'm saying is, she's too much drama," Ron continued. "Best find yourself someone a bit more… down to earth."

Ellie's thoughts wandered to Ginny at that, and she snuck a peek at Harry to try to determine whether his had, too.

But, unfortunately, she couldn't quite tell.


One morning in early February, Woodstock showed up at breakfast with an envelope from Sirius.

"I'd almost forgotten we wrote him," Ellie said excitedly to Harry, who she almost always included in her correspondence with Sirius. They'd mentioned their curiosities about Bagman and Crouch, along with, of course, the happy news that she and Fred were finally together—and her thanks for his helping having made it happen.


Dear Pups,

I must say, it's becoming rather hard to keep up with all the hubbub and excitement you're both experiencing this year—so hard, I daresay it's nearly time we do our next correspondence in person. Tell me—what is the date of your next Hogsmeade trip?

In the meantime, I'd like to offer my congratulations to Ellie and Fred—that is, assuming you're still together by the time you're reading this? If you are, I'm sure that just earned me an eye roll and perhaps a few laughs from Harry's direction.

As for Harry—I must encourage you, yet again, to be very careful. I have a few ideas for this second task that I can share with you in person, but the foes you'll face in the Black Lake are not to be taken lightly; I suggest you utilize Professor Moody's help and practice your Defense Against the Dark Arts spells as much as possible in the coming days.

As for Aleksander Dolohov and the rest of the concerns you mentioned—all I'll say for now is that I do indeed suspect something nefarious afoot. Whether it stems from Karkaroff, Bagman, or someone else entirely has yet to be determined… but believe me, I intend to determine it.

Talk soon—and stay safe.

Love,

Padfoot


"Real laugh riot, your dad," grumbled Fred when he was finished reading the letter over Ellie's shoulder. "And what's he thinking, coming to Hogsmeade? It's way too dangerous."

Ellie groaned, reaching up to ruffle his hair playfully. "Isn't it exhausting enough for you to be overprotective of me? D'you really need to do it with my dad, too?"

Before he could answer her, though, the faint, girlish sound of someone clearing her throat came from behind them. Ellie glanced up to find Cho Chang, who was glaring at Harry with an expression that suggested she might either slap him or burst into tears at any given moment.

"Cho," said Harry, sounding less than thrilled. "Something the matter?"

"Something the matter?" Cho demanded, sounding quite insulted. "We were supposed to have breakfast this morning! And you—you—" Her gaze floated over to Ellie at that, who she glared at every bit as much as she had Harry.

"Easy, tiger," said Fred, sounding amused. "Ellie's having a lovely meal with her rather serious boyfriend. Harry just happened to be around."

But Cho didn't seem to buy it. "It's always someone, isn't it? If it isn't her, it's Hermione."

From Harry's other side, Hermione's eyes bulged.

"Cho," said Ginny from a few seats down. Ellie knew from the tone of Ginny's voice that Cho was about to get handed something she wasn't quite ready to hear—much the same way Ginny had done to Ellie several times over the years. "In some cultures, men and women are permitted to speak to each other without their significant others present."

Cho's eyes bulged in anger and shock as everyone around them—Harry included—burst out laughing. Ellie nudged Harry, whose expression reverted back to its normal stance—but not soon enough.

"Think that's funny, do you?" Cho nearly spit at him. "Fine, then. You enjoy your little breakfast—and the rest of your breakfasts from here on out—without me."

And with that, she huffed off.

"Sorry, Harry," said Ginny, sounding anything but. "She can just be so irritating, don't you think?"

Ellie couldn't deny that Hermione had been out of line, but Ginny seemed to be suggesting a bit more than just that.

"Actually, yeah," said Harry, grinning at Ginny. "Reckon you did me a favour. I owe you one."

Ellie couldn't help smiling as she reached for Fred's hand and squeezed it.

Harry was long overdue for some real happiness, and if Ginny could give that to him, then she had Ellie's full support.


As the end of February—and with it, the second task—drew nearer, things carried on much in the same vein. Ellie and Fred were happier than ever, Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent every waking moment trying to figure out how he would breathe underwater in the second task, and Ginny and Harry seemed to exchange more and more flirtations with every passing day. Harry and Ellie had written Sirius back with the date of their next Hogsmeade trip, which was after the second task. Hagrid had gone back to teaching, and while Ellie wasn't thrilled to be working with the Blast-Ended Skrewts again, she was glad he was okay.

She still felt Cedric's gaze on her, now and then, in the Great Hall or on the stairs. He always looked like he had half a mind to come over to her, but always ended up deciding against it. She appreciated that; she was almost always with Fred when she saw him, and Fred had already been through enough when it came to seeing Ellie and Cedric together.

"D'you reckon he's finally gotten over you?" Fred asked her the night before the second task. She was more exhausted than usual, thanks to splitting her time between helping Harry, practicing her own shield and Imperius resistance, and her actual schoolwork, and suspected she'd be going to bed soon. "Cedric, I mean?"

Ellie shrugged. She felt awful for what she had put Cedric through, and genuinely wanted him to find happiness, but beyond that, she really wasn't all too concerned with what he thought of her. "Hopefully."

He grinned a bit. "Maybe he and Cho can help each other recover from their mutual heartbreak."

She granted him a laugh at that, though she couldn't deny that Cedric and Cho getting together seemed to be a good idea for all concerned parties.

Her exhaustion had gotten the better of her, though, and she gave a giant yawn and stretch before saying, "I'm beat. Catch you in the morning?"

He nodded, but, to her surprise, caught her by the wrist before she could rise to her feet to leave him.

"I love you," he said, drawing her in close and giving her a kiss that made her head spin just as much as their first had. "That's all."

"I love you, too," she told him. She was certain that no truer words had ever been spoken.

She fell asleep fast and easy that night, smiling to herself at the memory of being with Fred by the fire. She felt warm, safe, and happy—at least, until a group wizards burst into her room, pointed their wands at her, and knocked her unconscious.


Well, all Harry Potter familiar minds will deduce what she's been knocked unconscious for... but which Triwizard champion has she been picked for? Find out soon, and don't forget to review and follow!