Chapter Fourteen: Wormtail's Task
By the end of September Sirius had become an instant success. The only house that was not pleased by Sirius' popularity was the Slytherin's, especially Draco Malfoy, but then since Snape, as head of Slytherin house, hated Sirius, it wasn't surprising that he had turned his students against him. Whenever Harry had a lesson that included Malfoy he found himself having to defend his Godfather from the slurs that were thrown about. However, since Sirius had made his classes enjoyable and interesting most of the class fought back against the Slytherin taunts, telling them that maybe they should grow up a bit.
One thing that concerned Harry was the apparent disappearance of Rita Skeeter. There had been no news articles from her since her last one that had claimed that Sirius was teaching students dark magic. She was either being paid to stay quiet or out of a job. Harry hoped it was the second one but he couldn't hope too much. Still it was nice not to have the papers claiming Sirius was a 'mega-maniac' as the Daily Prophet had reported on one occasion by the wayward reporter.
By the time October arrived Harry had found himself knee-deep in school work, barely finding time to speak to his Godfather. The impending arrival of the students from the two other schools was causing excitement to rise within the student body, meaning that lessons were disrupted more often than before. Ironically the only two Professors who had no trouble controlling the students were Sirius and Snape. Sirius, because of his enjoyable lessons and Snape because he threatened to take away all house points if they so much as uttered a word about the impending tournament.
Despite the fact there was no Quidditch that year Harry had found his time relatively short. With the pending arrival of the students from the two schools the Professors had been loading them down with homework, as if they were afraid that once the students arrived, Hogwarts students would not be able to contain the excitement that was brewing. Harry noticed over the course of October, Fred and George Weasley talking amongst themselves scribbling down on a piece of parchment and whenever someone went over to talk to them, they hurriedly hid what they were writing.
Hermione, too, was also acting strange.
During the start-of-term feast Hermione had discovered that house elves were employed in the kitchens of the school and that they were not paid. Harry couldn't see the problem with this, especially if they lived to serve, however Hermione would not take no for an answer and began to ask for donations to start a charity towards them.
No one, however, listened to her.
Two days before the candidates from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were due to arrive, Harry had a very strange dream that left him feeling confused and worried what his future might hold.
He stood in the same darkened room as before watching the figure of Wormtail tend to the shapeless Voldemort, who sat within a chair that was turned towards the burning fire. The man, who had attempted to kill Sirius at the Quidditch World Cup stood in one corner, dressed in black robes. A discarded mask lay on a table in the far corner of the room.
Then, without warning, Harry felt himself shiver as Voldemort spoke in a cruel voice.
"Wormtail…I have a mission for you…"
Wormtail bowed low at the side of Voldemort's chair. "I live to serve you, my lord," he whispered, his body shaking erratically.
"Go to Hogwarts…and on the 30th of this month place Potter's name in the Goblet of Fire. Remain in the form that hides you well until the time you must complete this task. Return to me as quickly as possible. Do not fail me. If you do, you know what the consequences will be. If you succeed you will be rewarded well. If you succeed, my victory will be imminent. Harry Potter will be as good as mine!"
Harry woke from his dream shaking and sweating. He threw off his bed cover, lying still in the darkness trying to stop his racing heart. Was it real? Was Wormtail really coming to Hogwarts? Sitting up in bed Harry breathed slowly. As he began to grow cold Harry picked up his wand and rummaged quietly in his trunk for his invisibility cloak before leaving his dormitory and making his way out of Gryffindor Tower and into the darkness of the school, shrouded in secrecy.
"Sirius!" a hushed whisper roused him from deep sleep.
Someone was shaking him gently, trying to get his attention.
"Wake up!" The voice was a little louder this time.
Finally, Sirius forced himself to wake, opening his eyes to see his godson's face reflected in a wand's light. "Harry? What are you doing here at this time of night?"
"I had another dream," Harry replied quietly.
Sirius sat up quickly and motioned for Harry to sit on the side of his bed. With a wave of his own wand Sirius had lit the bulbs in his room. "What happened?"
"Another one about Voldemort…he was giving Wormtail orders to come here and put my name in, I think, the Goblet of Fire. It's about the tournament isn't?"
Sirius nodded his head. "It is. The Goblet of Fire chooses the school champions of each participating school. The only way your name would come out of it is if you yourself didn't put your name in…and if Wormtail has been ordered to do that, we're just going to have to watch him carefully. Even if he gets your name in, I highly doubt it would choose you."
"Why not?" asked Harry. "I am the Boy-Who-Lived."
"There are better students who will be placing their names in for the tournament who know far more experienced magic then you do. The Goblet would recognise that. I don't know how, frankly, but," Sirius shrugged, "it's the only logical explanation I can think of."
"What about Dumbledore?"
"I'm going to tell him. I will inform him first thing tomorrow."
To be continued...