Chapter 9: The Aftermath
The next day, someone from the Daily Prophet came to do a report on the Triwizard Tournament and the selected champions. The four champions were currently getting their picture taken for the Daily Prophet. Samantha stood off to the side watching. Since Harry had no choice but to compete in the tournament, she had declared herself his bodyguard. Of course there were many protests from Harry, but knowing that there would still be tons of people ridiculing him and that he needed to be safe at all times, Samantha would not take no for an answer.
"What a charismatic quartet." A strange looking woman commented. "Hello, I'm Rita Skeeter, I write for the Daily Prophet. But, of course, you know that, don't you? It's you we don't know. You're the juicy news. What quirks lurk beneath those rosy cheeks? What mysteries do the muscles mask? Does courage lie beneath those curls? In short, what makes a champion tick? Me, myself and I want to know. Not to mention my ravid readers." She stated.
"This woman sounds absolutely crazy." Samantha thought.
And she looked crazy too. She was wearing a bright green top and matching skirt with black fur trim, and black glasses with rectangular frames. She had curly short bleached blonde hair and wore red lipstick.
"So, who wants to share first?" She asked. When no one answered she decided to just pick one of them, so she grabbed Harry.
"We'll start with the youngest then." She said.
Samantha quickly followed.
"And where do you think you're going young lady?" Rita asked her.
"I'm his bodyguard, I don't care what you say, but I refuse to leave him alone with anyone I don't trust" Samantha stated with a bored tone.
Rita just gave her a strange look before finally speaking.
"Very well then." She said.
They entered the broom closet.
"Cozy isn't it?" Rita asked.
"This is a broom closet." Harry stated.
"Then you should feel right at home. Do you mind if we use a quick flex quill?" Rita asked.
"No, not at all." Harry replied.
"So tell me Harry, how does it feel? Here you are a mere boy of twelve.."
"Fourteen." Harry corrected.
"About enter a tournament against three other wizards who know spells that you have never attempted in dizziest daydreams, concerned." She continued.
"Well, I never thought about …" Harry attempted to answer the question.
"Just ignore the quill." Rita requested.
"Do you think that it was the trauma of your past that made you enter such a dangerous tournament?" Rita continued.
"I didn't enter the tournament." Harry replied.
"Of course you didn't, everybody loves a rebel Harry. Scratch that last part." She said to the quill.
"And what about your parents; how do you think they would feel, proud, or concerned that you, were part of this tournament?"
At this point Samantha was fed up with her questions and thought it was time someone talked some sense into this woman.
"Look lady, I understand that you're doing your job here, but let's get some things straight. Harry, is fourteen, not, twelve; and some of these questions of yours aren't appropriate. Harry's going through enough things as it is. So you don't have the right to put things like this into his head, or make him off as something he isn't. And if you keep up with this, I can assure you that you will wake up the next morning and find all your notes burned and absolutely no proof of how it happened." Samantha threatened.
Rita Skeeter just looked like terrified.
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The next day, Harry was trying to avoid Ron, and Samantha was still acting as his bodyguard.
At the current moment Samantha and Harry, and Chelsea were watching Neville inspect plants in the lake.
"Why do you insist on being my bodyguard?" Harry asked.
"Because people at this school are buggers right now, and I can't stand them hurting you." Samantha replied.
"Just listen to her Harry; she's not going to stop anyway." Chelsea commented.
"Magical Water Plants of the Highland Locks." Harry said reading the title of Neville's book.
"Yeah, Moody gave it to me that day we had tea." Neville explained.
Then he waved at someone and the others turned to see Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Amelia, Jimmy, and Bethany coming their way.
Hermione approached them and looked at Harry.
"Ronald would like me to tell you, that he was told by Seamus, who was told by Dean, who was told, by Pavarti, that Hagrid's looking for you." Hermione stated.
"Well…" Harry said.
"What?" Samantha asked.
Hermione went back to Ron who whispered something to her.
"Dean was told by Pavarti that… please don't make me say it again. Hagrid is looking for you." Hermione repeated.
"Well you can tell Ron…" Harry said.
"I'm not an owl!" Hermione yelled before the others walked away. Amelia, Bethany, and Jimmy just gave Samantha and Chelsea a questioning look before following the others.
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Samantha and Harry were following the Hagrid into the dark forest.
"Did you bring your father's cloak like I asked?" Hagrid asked.
"Yes, but Hagrid, what's this all about?" Harry asked.
"This is important so pay attention." Hagrid stated.
Then Harry noticed something strange.
"What's with the flower? Hagrid, you've combed your hair." Harry stated.
"As a matter of fact I have, you should try it sometimes." Hagrid said.
"He kind of does have a point." Samantha whispered.
"Hagrid?" They heard a familiar voice said.
"The cloak, put the cloak on." Hagrid ordered.
So Harry threw the cloak over himself and Samantha and looked to see Madam Maxime. It sounded like she and Hagrid were flirting with each other. Harry looked disgusted.
"Like I don't get enough of this from Amelia." Samantha commented.
Then they noticed flames in the distance.
"Can we get closer?" Madam Maxime asked.
Harry and Samantha couldn't believe what they saw.
"Dragons, that's the first task?" Harry asked.
"You have to be kidding me." Samantha said.
"Now come on now Harry, dragons are simply misunderstood creatures. Although I admit that Horntail is a right nasty piece of work, poor Ron nearly fainted looking at it." Hagrid stated.
"Ron was here?" Samantha asked.
"Yeah, his brother Charlie had to come and bring them down from Romania. Didn't Ron tell you that?" Hagrid asked.
"No, he didn't tell me anything." Harry stated angrily.
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The next day Harry decided that he needed to find Cedric and tell him about the dragons. The others decided that they should find Dumbledore and talk to him about Harry, well Chelsea and Amelia decided, Bethany and Jimmy just agreed to tag along.
Anyway Harry and Samantha were heading out to the court yard and on their way there students with badges that read "Potter Stinks" passed them. Harry tried to ignore them, but Samantha saw that it hurt him. After being insulted by two Hufflepuff students who wouldn't let them pass Samantha decided to speak up.
"Really, you people find picking on someone by wearing these badges is funny. You're all pathetic." She stated.
After that they went over to Cedric and Harry asked if they could talk.
"Dragons, that's the first task." Harry stated.
"Are you sure?" Cedric asked.
"Positive." Harry replied.
"Thanks, and about the badges, I tried to convince them not to wear them." Cedric stated.
"Don't worry about it." Harry replied.
After that Harry and Samantha decided that they should probably go find the others, that was until they found Ron talking to Seamus.
Harry had some things to say to him, so he approached him and Samantha followed.
"You're a right foul git, you know that?" Harry said angrily.
"Is that so, anything else?" Ron asked.
"Yeah stay away from me." Harry demanded.
"Fine." Ron replied.
Once he was gone the two friends ended up running into Malfoy.
"Why so tense Potter? My father and I have a bet you see. I think you won't last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees; he thinks you won't even last five." Malfoy stated.
"I don't give a damn about what your father thinks Malfoy. He's vile and cruel and you're just pathetic." Harry stated.
"And besides, your father is afraid of me." Samantha added.
"Why you!" Malfoy said pulling out his wand.
Suddenly Professor Moody showed up and transfigured Malfoy into a ferret and started toying with him with his wand causing everyone to laugh. That was until Professor McGonagall came and gave him a lecture. Once she was gone Moody asked Harry and Samantha to follow him.
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Moody took Samantha and Harry up to his office.
"Now, what's your plan Potter?" Moody asked.
"Plan sir?" Harry asked.
"What do mean?" Samantha added.
"Look Potter, your pal Diggory, by your age he could turn a whistle into a pocket watch and have it sing you the time. Miss Delacour, she's as much as a fairy princess as I am. And as for Krum, his head may be full of sawdust, but Karkroff's isn't. They'll all have a strategy. So tell me Potter, what are your talents?" Moody asked.
"Well, I'm good at flying. I'm a fair flyer." Harry said.
"That is true." Samantha commented.
"One of the best, I've heard." Moody said.
"But I'm not allowed a broom." Harry said.
"You're allowed a wand." Moody stated.
"Hmmmm, interesting." Samantha thought.
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Hi! So this is the longest chapter I've written a while, but DevilDragon8 and I are trying to get at least five more up by the end of tomorrow. So keep checking for more chapters. And please read and review. See you in the next chapter!