"He said what, again?!" Alicia asked for the dozenth time this week.
We had just walked by Fred and Lee on our way to the Hogsmeade.
"You already know what he said Leesh," Ange said disapprovingly before I could answer.
"I just don't understand how he could be so mad about you and Cedric. I mean he's been your boyfriend for over a year now," Alicia continued despite the pointed looks from both Angelina and Katie.
"I told Cedric one of our secrets," I explained in a dull tone.
I was now at the point where all of my emotions on the subject were numb. It beat the stabbing pain in my chest that I had had for the first week every time I took a breath. Now, it was only whenever I saw him.
"Right—" Alicia said unconvinced.
"Where do you want to go first?" Angelina cut in in an obvious attempt to change the subject.
We had just arrived at the small town beside Hogwarts and for the first time since our third year I didn't feel very excited about it. This time the seven of us wouldn't be meeting up at The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer and a laugh.
"Where is Cedric meeting you again?" Angelina asked in an unnaturally sweet tone.
Afterwards, all of my friends had been livid with Fred, and a few of them, Harry, Ginny, and Angelina, had all chewed him out for it. But Fred was still actively ignoring me while Lee was the only one who was regularly talking to him. Katie however, made sure to let me know that Lee was not choosing sides. I told them that they didn't have to choose sides either, but it seemed they were all a little hurt and offended by Fred's bizarre behaviour.
The most surprising I found was that George was also giving Fred a wide berth. Of course, they still talked, being as close as they were, but George ended up spending most of his free time with me.
"He's being Liam's wingman or something, so we are going to meet up afterwards at The Three Broomsticks," I explained.
I wasn't upset that Cedric was not spending the whole time with me. He had actually been giving me a lot of space, so we hadn't spent any alone time together since Fred's outburst. Apparently, he had heard most of it, but by the time he turned around to check on me George had already led me away.
"Well, I need to head to Gladrags and pick up some matching shoes to go with my dress robes," Alicia announced excitedly.
"That sounds like something myself and gloomy-pants over here would surely muck up," George said as he appeared at my side.
I smiled, not at all offended by his new nickname for me. He was getting me out of clothes shopping, to which I knew the other three had been looking forward to.
We waved the three girls good-bye before George started leading me towards the other end of town.
"The Shrieking Shack?" I asked in a neutral voice.
"Yea, not a lot of people usually head that way," George answered with a shrug.
We walked in an easy silence until I heard a familiar sounding voice calling out for George.
I looked up and was instantly surprised to see Charlie Weasley standing along the fenced boundary of the Shrieking Shack.
"Charlie?!" I exclaimed in a surprised and excited tone.
He came over with a smile and his arms extended. I met him with an embrace, followed by George.
"You knew he was here?" I asked George, surprised by the sudden appearance of his older brother.
"Of course, I got the owl a week back," he replied matter-of-factly.
"So, how are things?" Charlie asked enthusiastically.
"Well, I know you already know about Harry," I said with a frown.
Charlie frowned back.
"Yea, that's part of the reason I'm here. Mum wanted to make sure someone was here to watch him in the first challenge," Charlie answered almost apologetically.
I knew Mrs. Weasley must be as nervous as my father was at the thought of Harry competing.
"What's the other part?" George asked without skipping a beat.
Charlie sighed. "Well, I know I'm not supposed to say anything, but Harry is already in way over his head I am sure."
I deepened my frown at Charlie. I thought about what he could possibly know about the tournament that would bring him here only a few days before the event.
"Charlie…" I started carefully.
He looked up and read the expression on my face.
"What is it again that you work with?" I asked, fretfully already knowing the answer.
Charlie sighed again. "Dragons."
I saw as George's eyes lit up in both excitement and worry before his gaze turned over to mine.
"Are you going to tell Cedric?" George asked, already knowing I would tell Harry.
I looked at Charlie's pleading expression and knew Cedric had entered himself with no intention on having a leg up, whereas someone was purposely trying to sabotage Harry.
"No, he can wait for the surprise," I said evenly.
Both Weasley brothers gave me a wicked grin.
"Fred still not come to his senses?" Charlie asked, changing the subject.
George's grin turned on a dime and I watched the sadness seep into his eyes. I knew that George was also feeling a little betrayed by Fred, especially since Fred hadn't confided in George as to the true reason for his outburst. Fred and George had also never kept anything from each other in their entire lives.
"Not yet," I replied, more enthusiastically than I felt.
Charlie nodded.
"I do have to get back, but I am glad I got a chance to see you two," Charlie said before extending his arms out for another embrace.
George waved and started heading back towards the village. I had a feeling he was meeting up with Lee and Fred to buy supplies and I needed to meet up with Cedric.
"You know, I never thought the twins would ever let someone else in," Charlie said before I stepped away to follow George.
"Yea, it's always felt as if they claimed me as their own," I said with a small smile.
"I mean, watching you guys during your first two years at school, I remember how relieved I felt that they trusted someone else as much as they trust each other," Charlie continued.
I nodded and smiled.
"I know how much of a prat my brother is being. But I hope you understand him enough to know that he's just acting out because he's confused," Charlie said sympathetically.
"He's pushing George away too," I said sadly.
"Then he's hurting more than anyone can realize," Charlie frowned before digging his hands into his pockets and walking back towards the school grounds.
XXX
"Did you ever find Harry?" George asked that night at dinner.
I shook my head and surveyed the table again for any signs of my adopted brother.
George and I spent the later evening sitting in the common room where Harry eventually showed up. Relief washed over me when he spotted me and walked over.
"Hiya Harry," George greeted, and Harry nodded back.
"Can I have help with some homework?" Harry asked surprisingly.
I nodded and followed him to the other side of the room where there were two empty seats. Once we sat down, I watched as George got up and joined Fred and Lee who were no doubt going over product plans and their inventory from today's shopping.
"So, what do you really want?" I asked, knowing Harry has never asked for homework advice from me in his life.
"I'm meeting with Sirius tonight," he whispered.
My gaze widened and I stifled any loud response.
"How?!" I asked excitedly.
"Dunno," Harry replied unhelpfully.
I sighed but nodded. It made sense Sirius wouldn't divulge something as sensitive as meeting up with Harry at Hogwarts when he was still a wanted convict.
"There's something I have to tell you about the first task," I said with a gulp forming in my throat.
"I already know about the dragons," Harry continued whispering.
"How?" I asked, surprised he had found out so quickly; especially since it was supposed to be a secret.
"Hagrid," he answered simply.
I nodded again, knowing there was no way dragons could be on the grounds without Hagrid's knowledge.
"Did you tell Cedric?" Harry asked in an unreadable tone, not like Charlie almost pleading for my silence.
"No, he entered on his own free will," I answered matter-of-factly.
"Well, I think one of us should tell him. Fleur and Krum most likely know by now," Harry explained.
I sighed. "Maybe it should come from you."
"Why?" Harry asked a little skeptically.
"Well, you guys are both champions. Instead of his girlfriend giving him a clue to make it easier, maybe if it came from you, he would feel he owed you a favour in the future," I explained suggestively.
Harry smiled back at me and shook his head. "You are too corrupt for your own good."
We waited in the corner until we were the last two in the common room. I was reading a book while Harry just gazed around the room with a bored expression.
"Sirius!" Harry gasped in a loud whisper around half eleven.
I looked up in surprise and gazed around until my eyes fell upon the face of Sirius Black poking out of the fireplace.
"How is that possible?" I asked, startled at the sight.
"I broke into a wizard's house who appears to be out for the evening," Sirius explained with a smirk.
I couldn't help but return with my own grin; it was so good to see him again. It also showed that he had almost returned to his normal self. He had a rosier complexion and his face was full, not like the ghostly sunken silhouette it had been before.
"It's good to see you both," Sirius added with a smile before turning to Harry.
"How are you?" he asked kindly.
I looked over to Harry whose face fell in anguish. I knew how stressed Harry had been, especially with Ron being stubborn and the first task coming up. Instead of covering it up for Sirius, Harry broke down. Everything that had been bothering him came out of his mouth, only making the insides of my stomach churn. It was nothing I hadn't head before, but I couldn't help feeling guilty again that I couldn't do more to protect him.
"Marnie," I heard Sirius say my name, taking me out of my guilt-ridden reverie. "It is a good thing your name didn't get chosen."
I nodded my head, afraid that I would break down if I let myself speak.
Harry took my head and nodded in agreement.
"There's something else at play here, Marnie. Of course, I would have been thrilled to see you compete and give those champions a good showing off, but I worry there is something else going on behind the game itself," Sirius said forebodingly.
"Now, as for that dragon," Sirius turned to Harry once again but was cut off when Harry and I both heard the sound of a door closing at the top of the boy's staircase.
"Go, Sirius!" Harry said hurriedly, not wanting his godfather to be seen or caught.
Sirius' head instantly disappeared from the fire as a set of footsteps entered the common room. Harry and I both looked up to see Ron enter.
I sighed dejectedly, knowing Ron would have never turned Sirius in, despite his current petty feud with Harry.
Harry probably had the same thought, as his anger roiled up once again. He started yelling at Ron, accusing him of sneaking in on him. I knew Harry was just as upset as I was that we probably wouldn't hear from Sirius anytime soon, but Ron didn't deserve the venomous tirade from Harry. Harry even went so far as to chucking a pin at Ron's head which bounced off and left Ron standing dumbfounded. Harry disappeared upstairs before Ron could deliver any kind of retort. Once Harry had stormed up, Ron kept standing in place, looking after Harry.
"You know he's lonely without you," I said, causing Ron to turn around and face me.
I saw him trying to muster up some level of anger.
"Well, he has you doesn't he," Ron retorted.
I snorted, tired of the both of them and their stubbornness.
"You can be as mad at me as you like, but you know I didn't put his name in that goblet. I have spent the last four years trying to protect Harry, I thought you had done the same," I shot back.
Ron lowered his head, I could see the embarrassed blush cover his face. I walked towards the younger boy and placed my hand on his shoulder.
"He needs you, that's why he's angry," I said more softly, before walking away and heading up to my own dormitory.
Ron didn't say anything, and I hoped that my words had gotten through to him, although I knew how stubborn the Weasley's could be. Ron was the least of my problems at this point.
I wasn't surprised the next day when Ron and Harry still hadn't made up. I ended up at the library with Harry and Hermione, trying to find the spell that Sirius had tried to tell Harry about last night. By the end of the day, Harry was as surly as ever while Hermione looked as frazzled as I felt. It was a helpless feeling to think that I couldn't do anything to help Harry from going off into a dragon's den in a few short days. A fact that was sorely brought up the following lunchtime.
I was sitting alone with George since Fred was off somewhere and the others were all in Ancient Runes.
"May I have a word, Marnie?" Cedric had come up, using an almost curt sounding tone.
George looked at me, but I only shrugged. I had an idea of what had happened.
"So, Harry delivered a rather helpful message this morning," Cedric said in an irritated tone once we were alone in the Front Hall.
"And what was that?" I asked, feigning innocence.
"Come on, Marnie. How could you not tell me about the dragons?" Cedric asked in a hushed tone.
"Because you entered this competition of your own volition, same as me," I responded simply.
I stood by my decision about leaving Cedric in the dark. If it had been me, I would have felt cheap finding intel about the tasks before they happened.
"And Harry didn't?" Cedric asked goadingly.
I stared down Cedric, causing him to take a step back. I could see he regretted asking me this.
"No," I stated firmly, leaving no room for questioning.
"Well, apparently Krum and Fleur also know," Cedric said, going for another tactic, although with less vigour.
"Come on Ced, I'm not going to feel bad about my decision. You wanted to be tested by the tasks, this is your test," I explained.
Cedric looked at me for a few moments before sighing.
"You're a real ball-buster sometimes, you know that?" Cedric said with a grin.
"But you love me," I replied smartly.
"Of course, I love you," he answered more seriously.
"Any chance you'll let me know about any intel in the future?" he asked hopefully.
"Not a chance," I answered defiantly, feeling the smug grin widen across my face.
He shook his head with a laugh.
"Any change with Fred?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Nope," I replied resolutely.
Cedric studied my expression before nodding.
He didn't say anything more on the subject but instead led me back into the Great Hall.
I ended up sitting with Cedric and his friends, earning myself some well thought out glares from other girls before George came and collected me for Potions.
"You'll be there tomorrow?" Cedric asked with an excited spark in his eye.
Tomorrow was Tuesday, the first task.
"Of course, I'll be there," I replied reassuringly.
"You'll be cheering me on?" Cedric asked more seriously.
"I can support both my boyfriend and my brother," I replied before kissing him on the cheek.
"Don't get yourself killed by a dragon," I whispered in his ear before standing up and collecting my rucksack.
"No falling off the stands," Cedric replied with a smirk.
I glowered and stuck my tongue out at him.
He laughed and waved me off as I followed George out of the Great Hall.
Unfortunately, I felt that my boyfriend getting burned alive tomorrow was the least of my worries.s the least of my worries.