Chapter 24 :

Harry's pariah life wasn't as bad as he feared it would be. Or rather, it got better after the first week. With the whole Gryffindor House sternly cowed into behaving by Hermione, he at least had a place to relax in. And the other Houses weren't as brash and outspoken with their misgivings anymore. They glared a lot, talked behind his back and wore those blasted badges, but they were relatively easy to ignore. The main problem was the Slytherins that kept telling him he was going to die -like he didn't know it already- and seemed oddly proud of said badges. A great invention it was to be sure, alternating between supporting the real Hogwart Champion, Cedric Jerk Diggory -he hadn't forgotten about The Rejection-, and insulting him childishly. A magnificent feat of magic, assuredly !

He really needed to do something about that sarcasm virus, it only seemed to get worse with time.

The autumn was cold this year, giving a needlessly mysterious and dramatic feel to his nocturnal expeditions. Like always, Theodore was waiting for him in the Library with a bag of snacks and welcomed him with a small smirk :

"I got chestnut brioches for today."

Harry smiled softly in reply. He didn't know what he did to deserve such great friends. Friends that, in the face of troubles and trials, would stand beside him and help him. He couldn't even tell them how much it meant to him, for he had yet to find the words. With Hermione going through the whole documentation on the past Tournaments with a fine-tooth comb and dissecting the Library book by book, with Ron roping his siblings in as an overachieving protective detail, with Luna helping him elude the bullying and Theodore working him through his fears and deploying all means to discover who was trying to kill him with this plot, the young Potter felt very secure in his own skin. He was loved, and he knew it. Who cared about a full school of like-minded simpletons when he had the best the World had to offer by his side ?

"Did the elves find who put my name in the Goblet ?" He asked.

"No, they didn't keep watch." Answered the Slytherin in a frustrated growl. "They refused to because it was not part of our original bargain. The main suspects right now are the DADA Professor, the Durmstrang Headmaster, Snape and the Death Eaters children. But I think we can rule out Snape."

"Oh ? How come ?"

Theodore let a small vindictive grin appear on his face.

"I already have him figured out." He simply said, unwilling to forward more details.

"Well." deapanned Harry. "That certainly doesn't sounds ominous."

Adrian Pucey brushed his teeth and styled his hair. He made sure that there was no crease in his robe and that the silver of his tie was properly shining. Anyone would have thought that he was going on a date, seeing him so meticulous in his preparation, but this was far more important. He would never have wasted his time doing all that for a mere date. This grooming had one purpose only : schadenfreude.

Adrian was a young man who took pleasure in people's misfortune. But it wasn't just that, no. He took it to a new high and made it an art form. The subtleties of this undertaking, the low blows and the targeting of weaknesses were all he ever wanted to master, the only things he really studied since his first day at Hogwart. Yes. Adrian Pucey was a jerk of the highest magnitude.

And now was the most important time of his young life. His target was from the best vintage of the century, they were a cuvée worth all the gold of Gringotts : Harry Potter. Just the name made him feel weak in the knees. What a challenge... What a legend to sully... Adrian could not bear to not be at his best when in front of an opportunity with such glorious potential. A victim of this quality deserved all the pampering in the world.

Adjusting his « Potter Stinks » Badge and straightening his socks, he finally felt ready for his endeavor and left the Slytherin dormitory with a firm but bouncy step. His smirk was so big it seemed to eat his face whole.

It did not take him long to find his target. At this hour of the afternoon, Potter was often seen near the Kitchen with that dainty girl from Ravenclaw. And there he was indeed, near the entrance, seemingly waiting for something. Adrian couldn't stop himself from giggling a bit. He couldn't hide how eager he was. Still, he took a deep calming breath and strutted, sticking out his chest so the Badge would be more noticeable.

"Pott-" He started to call, before his swagger was suddenly interrupted by a pale hand ripping the Badge from his shirt.

"You fool ! Are you crazy !? Do you want to die ?!" Scolded the owner of the guilty hand before grabbing him by the collar and dragging him away from his prized victim. "Potter is off-limits, you dimwit !"

Adrian struggled and cursed his jailer of course.

"Malfoy !" He yowled at the injustice.

But he never noticed that, at the end of the corridor, Theodore Nott was writing his name in a small notebook, his eyes alighted with a fire from Hell.

AN: Trying to get myself to write lately but it's not very conclusive. With any luck you might get another chapter or two ?