Chapter 10
The Weighing of the Wands.
Colin led Harry and I to a room closer to the Gryffindor common room and told us to enter it.
Harry and I walked in to see Professor Dumbledore, Madam Maxime, Professor Karkaroff, Krum, Fleur and Cedric all sitting in chairs, with two extra for Harry and I.
The British wand maker, Mr Ollivander was standing along the blackboard with some blond chick wearing acid green robes and clashing red lipstick.
"Dude…" I whispered to Harry as we made our way to the chairs reserved for us. "That chick really needs a makeover. Hello Mr Ollivander." I said to the wand maker.
"Hello, Hannah." Mr Ollivander said before Dumbledore rose to explain what was going on.
"This is the Weighing of the Wands. This is to guarantee the maximum safety for the champions in the Tournament by ensuring their wands are working to maximum perfection. Mr Krum, would you give our wand expert your wand, please?"
Krum rose and handed his wand to Ollivander.
"Ah, this isn't an Ollivander wand." Ollivander observed, taking Krum's wand in one hand.
"No, sir." Krum said simply "It is a Gregorovitch vand."
"Ah, yes. I recognize his handy work." Ollivander complimented "Sad to say he retired some years back."
"Yes, sir." Krum said, nodding "I vas von ov the last to purchase a Gregorovitch vand."
"Yes, yes. Ten and a quarter inches…hornbeam wood…dragon heartstring core." Ollivander said, taking the wand in both hands now before waving it, sending red sparks everywhere "In perfect working condition. Here you are, Mr Krum." Ollivander said, handing Krum back his wand. "Ms Delacour, your wand, if you please?"
Fleur rose gracefully and handed Mr Ollivander her wand.
"Ah, a French wand maker's wand…the name I can not think of at the moment." Ollivander said, holding the wand "Nine and a half inches. Rosewood with…"
"A 'air from ze 'ead of a Veela." Fleur interrupted "My grandmozzer's 'air, to be exact."
I nearly retched. So that was why all the boys seemed to go goo-goo eyed whenever they saw her. She had Veela blood!
Ollivander waved Fleur's wand around and produced a silvery ribbon "In fine condition for magic." Ollivander said, handing Fleur back her wand. "Mr Diggory?"
Cedric stood up and handed Ollivander his wand, and I could have sworn he polished it the night before.
"Ah, now this is one of my own wands." Ollivander said, taking the wand carefully in two fingers. "Twelve and a quarter inches, ash wood and unicorn hair…and might I also add that it looks like it was just polished."
Cedric smiled "Thank you, Mr Ollivander. I polish it once a week if I can manage it."
Mr Ollivander smiled back when he waved Cedric's wand and yellow and black sparks flew from the tip "And it works as if it was brand new." he praised, handing Cedric back his wand "Mr Potter, your wand please?"
Harry stood up from his spot beside me and handed Mr Ollivander his wand.
"Another of my own." Ollivander said, taking hold of his wand and holding it close to his face "Eleven inches exactly, made with holly and a phoenix feather." Ollivander waved it, producing red and gold sparks "Works fine. Now it's your sister's turn." Ollivander said, turning to me.
I rose determined and handed my wand to Ollivander, not bothering with the fact that Cedric's was polished and worked like new and mine was overused saving my own ass.
"Another Ollivander wand, like your brother's." Ollivander observed, taking my wand in his hand and gripping it softly. "Nine inches, rosewood and dragon heartstring core." he waved it around, sending green and silver sparks over him. "Works perfectly." he finished, smiling and handing me back my wand.
The chick in the acid green robes stood next. "Professor Dumbledore, would it be alright if I had a word with the twins in private?"
I blinked and said "I don't see why not?" I said slightly confused, turning to Harry, who shrugged and followed me and this woman into the broom closet.
"So…" the woman said, sitting on an old bucket and taking out an acid green quill to match her robes and a pad of parchment. "You two don't mind if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill, do you?"
I shrugged, not really knowing what a Quick-Quotes Quill was. "I don't see why not." I said along with Harry.
"Give me two seconds and we can start. I need to test it." the woman said, before saying "My name is Rita Skeeter, journalist for the Daily Prophet."
The quill started going like crazy across the parchment, apparently writing something.
"Lovely." Skeeter said, taking the parchment and stuffing it in her bag.
"Packrat." I muttered to myself.
"What was that, dear?" Skeeter said to me.
"Oh, nothing." I lied "May we go on with the interview now, Ms Skeeter?"
"Oh, please, my dear young lady, call me Rita." Skeeter said "Now, you two are in the Triwizard Tournament…obviously. But you're only thirteen-"
"Fourteen." Harry and I corrected together.
"Awe, a cute little twin unison thing." Skeeter said, laughing "Now, where was I, oh, yes. How did your houses react when they found out you were champions?" I looked to Harry and remembered how happy the Slytherins were when I had told them I was the fifth Hogwarts champion. "Thrilled, I guess." I said quietly.
"I guess they were happy." Harry said quietly.
"But how do you think your parents would react to this? Proud? Worried? Angry?"
I looked to Harry "I dunno. I guess a mixture of the three?"
Skeeter was about to ask another question when Professor Dumbledore entered the closet and bailed us out (thank GOD for that.) and let us go eat.
When I left the room and started for the Great Hall, I had walked past Draco.
"Oh, hey, Han." Draco said shocked before starting back to the Great Hall. "Nice boots, by the way."
I was so shocked that Draco said something to me besides "Hey, Han." that I never noticed that Scar walked up behind me.
"HAN!" Scar yelled finally, snapping me out of it.
I jolted and turned around "Hey!" I said finally, as pink as a strawberry.
Scar rolled her eyes "You know, your friends are wrong. You should ask Draco to go out with you."
I looked down "I wish. He'd never say yes to me. With my luck, he's probably back with Pansy or something." I said, a quick tear falling down my cheek.
"You can thank Duff for that." Scar muttered angrily.
I sighed "I know. But I forgave her for that ages ago." I explained. "Last time I checked, he ditched her. But I doubt he talks about me much."
Scar smirked and started for the Great Hall "Come on, Champ. Let's get something to eat."
I smiled and started after Scar "Sure thing."
…
Scar and I sat down at the Slytherin table, leaving Ivy to sit with Harry and Hermione.
"So how're the lessons going?" I asked, taking a chicken leg and a handful of chips.
Scar took a lamb chop and a baked potato "Fine. But they'd be going better without the Tournament going on. Did you figure out what the first challenge is yet?"
I shook my head "No, not yet. I've had something else on my mind." I explained, putting ketchup on my chips.
Scar looked at me and took a bite of her lamb chop "What about?"
I launched myself into an explanation of reading Draco's mind the night I was made a champion and hearing of the plan he had and trying to figure it out.
Scar shrugged "Not sure either." Scar said, taking a swig of pumpkin juice.
I looked at her and bit my lip "Do you think it would have something to do with me? He seemed fixated on me when we were celebrating that night."
Scar looked at me confused "Maybe. But like you said before he doesn't look interested in you."
I sighed and looked at Draco talking to Crabbe, Goyle, Krum and Fyaro Delmonte, the Durmstrang boy who winked at me the first day. "Yeah, he doesn't look interested."
