I Know All About It

Chapter 6

Harry was thoroughly miserable. He hadn't put his name in the Goblet – but very few believed him. He could have coped with that, except that Ron, his best friend, wasn't talking to him. Hermione kept trying to make them apologise to each other, but it didn't work. And now, to make it worse, the Slytherins had made badges. Harry knew he was going to struggle to get through the next two periods – Double Potions. He was sure his life couldn't get any worse. Then Malfoy insulted Hermione.

Harry and Malfoy glared at each other, then sent spells at each other. The spells hit each other in mid-air and ricocheted of at angles. Harry's hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoy's hit Hermione. Goyle's nose began to break out in boils. Hermione covered her mouth with her hands. With a cry, Ron leapt forward to help her. Her front teeth were growing at an alarming rate, making her look like a beaver.

And, just to make everything worse, Snape arrived at that precise instant. He asked for Malfoy's recount. Goyle got sent to the hospital wing. Snape insulted Hermione, and she ran away. Both Ron and Harry began shouting at Snape at the same time. That, with the echoes, made it impossible to hear exactly what they were calling him. However, Snape got the gist.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley."

Everyone entered the classroom. Harry found himself sitting alone. Snape was about to start the lesson, when there was a knock on the door. Everyone turned to see who it was.

Lily smiled sweetly. "Professor Snape, would you mind terribly if Anakin and I sat in on your lesson?" She asked in such a way that Snape couldn't really say no. When he nodded, reluctantly, they walked in and sat down with Harry.

"Antidotes!" said Snape. "I want you to brew an antidote. Then we will select someone to test one on…" Snape looked directly at Harry.

Just then, there was another knock on the door. It was Colin Creevey. He walked up to Snape's desk. "Please, sir, I'm supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs." When Snape refused, he explained nervously, "Mr Bagman wants him. All the champions have to go-"

Lily suddenly broke in. "Oh! Yes, Professor, I'm sorry, but we will have to go as well. I should have remembered it earlier – Mr Bagman wants to talk to us about the Challenge. Harry, you'll have to take everything with you – I've been told it will take a while.

"Very well!" Snape snarled. "Potter – take your bag and get out of my sight!"

As Harry, Lily, Anakin and Colin left, all the Slytherins made their badges say POTTER STINKS. Anakin put his arm around Lily.

Colin looked at Lily. "That was a lie. Mr Bagman wants to take photographs!"

"I know. But I knew that Harry here wouldn't appreciate you telling Professor Snape that he was leaving the class just to have his photo taken. Besides, there's a ceremony we have to take part in."

"What do they want the photos for, Colin?" Harry asked.

"The Daily Prophet, I think!"

"Great," said Harry, dully. "Exactly what I need. More publicity. And what ceremony is it?"

"You'll see," answered Anakin.

"Good luck!" said Colin, when they had reached the right room. Harry knocked on the door, and entered, followed by Lily and Anakin.

Bagman suddenly spotted them. "Ah, there they are! Our other champions. In you come, in you come… nothing to worry about, it's just the Wand Weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment –"

"Wand Weighing?" Harry repeated nervously.

"Oh, don't worry, Harry," said Lily. "An expert examines your wand, to make sure it's in good condition."

"Yes," said Bagman, glaring at her. "We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know. Then there's going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter, she's doing a small piece on the Tournament…"

"Maybe not that small, Ludo," said Rita, her gaze flickering between Harry, Lily and Anakin. "I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry and – Anakin and Lily Malter, you said your names were? –before we start. The three unexpected champions, you know… to add a bit of colour?"

"Certainly!" cried Bagman. "That is – if you have no objection?" he asked, turning to the trio.

They were given no chance to reply before Rita ushered them into a broom closet. "Let's see now… You won't mind if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill?"

"A what?" said Harry. Rita's smile widened.

"Actually, yes," said Anakin. "But I doubt we can stop you using it for Harry's interview."

So Rita interviewed Harry, using her Quick-Quotes Quill. Harry protested when he realised how the Quill worked – making things up as it went along. To placate him, Rita turned to Lily and Anakin. "Now! The both of you are very mysterious characters. I've tried to research you both, but I've turned up nothing."

"That's not surprising," muttered Anakin.

"Isn't it? Why not?"

"Well," said Lily, "it took a fair amount of travelling time to get here."

Harry noticed that she didn't say how far they'd travelled. He wondered at the significance of that.

Rita obviously noticed as well. "Where are you from?"

"Oh, a little town. I doubt you've heard of it." Anakin had to stop himself rolling his eyes as he said this. He was fairly certain she'd heard of the little town. Most people had heard of Godric's Hollow – it was where baby Harry Potter had survived Voldemort's spell.

Rita nodded. She seemed to sense that was all the answer she would get on that topic. "How do you feel about the Tournament?"

Lily answered this time. "We're very confident about it. We have our strategy all planned out."

"I was under the impression that the Champions didn't know what the Challenges will be."

"We're not meant to, no."

Rita shook her head, as if trying to rid herself of a headache. She was getting only riddles for answers. She tried a different tact. "I can tell you are both adult wizards." Anakin and Lily nodded. "But still, how do your parents feel about you entering the Tournament?"

Lily and Anakin both laughed. "I don't think our parents know we're here. If they did, they'd probably be furious."

Rita was intrigued. It was the first straight answer she'd gotten. She was about to ask more, when the door of the broom cupboard was pulled open. Albus Dumbledore stood there. He and Rita made small talk, then Dumbledore rescued Harry, Lily and Anakin from Rita's company. They sat down with the other champions. Mr Ollivander was introduced as the wand expert. He examined each wand in turn.

He took Anakin's wand. It was a dark red-brown colour. "11 inches… rowan… containing ash? Ashwinder ash?" Anakin nodded. "A very good wand for protection."

Lily's wand was last. It was pure black. "10 and a quarter inches" said Ollivander. "Ebony. A powerful wood. And the core?" He examined the wand, and gasped. He looked at Lily. "Is that a chimera scale?"

"Yes."

"This is a very powerful wand, Madam Malter; even the Dark Lord's wand does not have so much power, and his is a powerful wand indeed."

"I know."

Dumbledore excused the Champions, but Bagman interrupted, calling out, "Photos, Dumbledore, photos!" The photos took a long time, but at last, they were free to go.