Disclaimer: See previous chapter
Chapter 8
In which Henry prepares for the third task
The great hall of Hogwarts Castle reverberated with conversation. Breakfast was usually the quietest of the three meals but with the final task of the Triwizards Tournament scheduled for that evening as well as another day of year-end examinations, voices were louder and more animated then was normal. The stress of the tests and the excitement of the task left many with only meagre appetites.
The most active of the students were the amateur bookmakers. They were doing a thriving if clandestine business that morning as more and more of their classmates gave into the temptation for a flutter on the tournament outcome. Dozens and dozens of eyes sought out the four champions as they dined looking for some subtle clue. Who seemed confident; who was decidedly frightened. The bettors were looking for any tiny hint before they laid their money on the line.
Fleur Delacour, sitting among her Beauxbatons schoolmates, looked elegant, beautiful and icily determined. Her poor showing in the second task had left her far behind the other three champions. Only a spectacular performance in the final task would garner her victory. She ate daintily, feasting on a tradition French breakfast of bread with jam and a bowl of coffee.
To many, Viktor Krum looked as forbidding as always. Durmstrang's sinister reputation among the Hogwarts student population tarred him even if the two Hogwarts champions often spoke about how much they liked him and that he was dating a Gryffindor girl (although rumour had the pair breaking up last week). Yet no matter how they viewed him, more then one person in the Great Hall decided that he was the one on who to bet as they watched the hawk-faced young man calmly eat his food as if today was the same as any other day.
Sitting at the head of the Hufflepuff table, the popular and gregarious Cedric Diggory was at the eye of a swirling mass of people. It seemed as if every student at the school was determined to come by and wish him luck. He drew upon their exuberance, his vim and confidence skyrocketing as the meal progressed.
By choice, Henry Porter sat at the far end of the Hufflepuff table. He had no animosity toward Cedric but he guessed correctly that the well-liked Cedric would attract a lot of attention today. Henry did not want to be near such chaos while he was trying to eat his breakfast although, his desire not withstanding, more then a few did wander down to him to voice their good wishes.
"My poor dear," Maggie chuckled as she noticed Henry's struggle to remain polite to those who, he understood, only meant well. "You'll soon be rescued. Class begins shortly."
"Yeah," he agreed, trying to wolf down the last of his porridge before anyone else came to him. "All-in-all, I just assume take the exams."
"You're exempt," Maggie said lightly. "Live with that burden."
"I know but the tests allow you to know how much you really have learned and how much you have deluded yourself," Henry replied seriously.
Maggie rolled her eyes. "You and Hermione. Both of you could get a dozen OWLs and probably a NEWT or two tomorrow yet you act like you're worried about every test."
"A dozen OWLs is far-fetched," a distracted Henry replied. He watched as Professor McGonagall spoke briefly with Ron and Ginny sitting at the Gryffindor table. The siblings immediately leaped up and scampered toward the antechamber directly off the Great Hall. Hermione caught his eye and waved to Henry.
"Are you done?" she pantomimed.
Henry nodded as he pushed himself away from the table. Maggie, who had long since been finished with her breakfast followed suit. Within seconds, Hermione and Chris were standing with the Hufflepuff couple along the wall. They were out of the flow of foot traffic as students began to leave the hall heading for their first test.
"Good morning, Maggie. Good Morning, Henry," Hermione said. "I saw the set of your jaw whenever anyone interrupted your breakfast so I thought I'd wait until you were finished."
Henry and Maggie echoed her greeting before Henry added. "Yet another reason to love you."
"How are you feeling, cuz?" Chris asked.
"Cross and relieved."
"Cross and relieved?" Chris repeated. "Not quite the reply I expected."
"I woke up cross, I don't know why," Henry explained. "But I'm also relieved. This tournament nonsense will be over with in a few hours and then I can fade back into obscurity again."
"I don't know about that," Chris said dubiously. "We still don't know who put your name into the Goblet of Fire. That's a very large question that cannot be ignored."
"Go ahead and rain on my parade, why don't you," Henry groaned.
Hermione and Chris laughed as Maggie patted her boyfriend's hand. "My poor put upon bairn. Everyone's ganging up on you this morning but Chris is right. Tis not a wee matter."
"What's up with Ron and Ginny?" Henry asked not wanting to think about it now.
Hermione shook her head. "I don't know. I couldn't hear what Professor McGonagall was telling them."
"She spoke with Fred and George just moments before that and they ran off, also," Chris said. "The first thing that comes to mind would be a family emergency of some sorts but the Professor did not look worried or sympathetic which I know that she would have if something were truly wrong."
"You may get your answer soon, Henry," Hermione said looking over his shoulder. "Your Head of House is bearing down on you. I'll see you at lunch."
"Good luck on your exam," Henry said. "Don't get caught cheating, Chris."
His cousin laughed, punching him lighting on the arm before he and Hermione joined the throng exiting the room.
"I'll be off myself," Maggie said. "I'll see if I find some way to make you less irritable at lunch." She kissed him lightly before turning away.
"Mister Porter, there you are," Professor Sprout said in an effusive tone as she bustled to his side. "You're wanted in the antechamber beyond the staff table."
"Yes, Professor," Henry replied, far more interested in Maggie's veiled promise then anything his Herbology professor had to say. "Is it about the final task?"
"Please call it the third task," she said gently guiding Henry in the correct direction by a hand on his shoulder. "Final has a certain ominous ambience and we've come this far without any serious injury to any of you. Let us not inadvertently invite doom with a careless turn of phrase."
"What has Professor Trelawney predicted this time?" Henry asked as they walked along.
"She said that…never mind what she said," Professor Sprout replied. "But back to your original question, yes, this is part of the third task. The headmaster has invited the families and friends of each champion as well as some others to spend the day here."
"Just in case," Henry added devilishly.
Professor Sprout's face flushed bright red as she sucked in a loud breath. "MR PORTER, I will not hear such talk. You young people find it clever to scoff but magic works in myriad ways especially in a place like Hogwarts. Only the foolish tempt fate or court disaster if they don't have to do so."
"I'm sorry, miss," Henry said sincerely. "I was just trying to make a joke. Some gallows humour, as it were.
"Some subjects are not to be joked about," she forcefully said.
"Yes, professor," he replied.
The hard set of her shoulders relaxed as they approached the door. "You have built up an amazing amount of good will not only over the course of this year but in the four years that you have been here, Mr Porter, as has Mr Diggory also in his time at Hogwarts. That sort of thing takes on a tangible presence in a place like this. It may not be a protective charm as we normally think of one but it might be just that little extra you need when you need it tonight so don't mock it."
"Yes, miss," Henry said. "It'll be great to see mom and dad."
Professor Sprout's face clouded. "I'm sorry, Mr Porter, I spoke poorly. Your parents are not here. Being muggles…"
"Considering the known views of many of those who will be here today, Professor Dumbledore decided that it would not be in his best interests to have muggles present," Henry supplied insolently coming to a stop.
"That's not a fair way to put it," his teacher snapped. "I would say that is a gross misrepresentation and a slur. The Headmaster has spoken out publicly again and again against prejudice toward muggles and muggleborns."
"Yes, he has," replied Henry blandly. "And yet my parents are not here. Why should I go in there?"
Professor Sprout looked stern. "Because Mister Porter, while the Headmaster did not bring your parents here, he did bring someone that he thought was a good friend of yours. Do not scorn what you have simply because it is not what you wanted. A want, I may add, you did not even think about until a minute ago."
Henry shook his head. "I'm truly sorry, miss," he said contritely. "It's just that I woke up out-of-sorts and I just can't seem to get on track."
"And all of the attention this morning hasn't help," Professor Sprout guessed. She had come to know that Henry was simply one of those solitary boys that preferred to be left alone. The tournament had been trying for him more for being in the limelight then the actual tasks themselves. "Go on in there. I must be off now or a whole class will be exempt from the Herbology exam not just you."
"Yes, miss."
Henry pushed opened the door. Without thinking about it, he slid into the antechamber as Professor Moody has taught him. He stepped immediately away from the swing of the door and stopped. With his back to the wall, he quickly scanned the room. There were several adults that Henry did not recognize standing about in small knots. The Weasley siblings were standing with their mother and their eldest brother, Bill whom Henry had yet to meet but recognised from the several photographs of him that he had seen.
"The Headmaster is sneaking in some members of the Order of the Phoenix under the guise of guests," Henry surmised. "Is he expecting trouble or is he just being cautious?"
Henry spotted Viktor in a corner with two middle-aged people. Henry grinned slightly. Viktor would not have to guess what he would look like in his forties. Save for the greying hair of the older Krum, father and son were mirror images. Mrs Krum was tall, slender and smartly dressed. Unlike her husband and son, her face was lively and full of good humour.
Fleur was with her mother and younger sister near the centre of the room. Fleur was clearly happy to see her mother but Henry noticed that the French girl's eyes kept cutting toward Bill Weasley. Madame Delacour smiled knowingly, noticing her daughter's interest also.
Cedric's parents had come to Hogwarts also. Mrs Diggory was chattering like a magpie but Mr Diggory was staring over his son's shoulder at Henry. Henry saw both curiosity and animosity in Amos Diggory's stare.
"Look, mate," Henry thought. "I didn't ask to be co-champion with your son."
"Henry, how are you?"
Barbara Thane swooped down on Henry pulling him into an ardent hug making him the envy of every man in the room. Henry's return hug was as heartfelt. Much of his grouchiness vanished in an instant.
"I thought that you had your boards to take?" Henry asked as they broke apart.
Barbara smiled broadly. "Passed the last one yesterday," she nearly sang. "I am now a certified healer."
"That's grand," Henry replied happily. "Congratulations. Your family must be very proud of you."
Barbara nodded. "They are. The formal ceremony is next week in London where we are officially given our license but mum's planning a party for that weekend for friends and family at the farm. I think that I've all but convinced Professor Dumbledore to let you leave school early so that you can attend."
"I'd love to," Henry replied. "I never understood why we stayed here so long after the last class any way."
"Supposedly it's for administrative reasons," Barbara answered. "Retests, helping the new graduates with resumes, that sort…"
Barbara stopped when the Headmaster began to speak. "I would like to welcome our guests to Hogwarts especially the families of our champions."
"Or something close to it," Barbara whispered.
"You are family," Henry replied quietly.
She wrapped an arm around his shoulder pulling him tightly to her side as her attention reverted to Professor Dumbledore."
"…the best of each of the great magic academies and have shown great ingenuity in the performance of the tasks. All of you have good reason to be very proud of your children. We have a luncheon planned for one o'clock on board the Durmstrang galley. Beyond that, we have no demands upon your time. Feel free to wander about the castle and the grounds or to the village. Champions have leave to go there with their families if they so desire. Everyone enjoy yourselves, and I am at your disposal. Other then me handing in my resignation, I will do my best to fulfil all requests."
Laughter greeted the end of the headmaster's short welcoming speech. The Wesley siblings say a quick good-bye to their mother and Bill before dashing out of the room.
"That looks like a good idea," Henry said as they passed him and Barbara by. "But what would you like to do?"
"Follow suit, actually," Barbara replied. "I could do without making small talk to strangers as they stare at my bosom."
With conspirator's smiles to one another, they quickly slipped out of the antechamber. Moments later, they were outside basking in the warm sunlight that rained down from a cloudless azure sky.
"Now what?" Henry asked.
Barbara shrugged. "Let's walk down by the lake and you can tell me what you know about the next task."
"It's a maze," Henry said falling into step with his friend. "I'm guessing that it's the first one to the centre and that there will be obstacles to overcome from start to finish."
"In all likelihood," Barbara agreed. "Think you'll win?"
Henry's smile nearly split his face. "I have a plan."
"Care to share it with a somewhat interested bystander?" asked Barbara.
Her smile became as broad as Henry's when he told her. "Brillant!"