Harry potter and the Time of Retirement
Everything related to Harry Potter belongs to JKR
Chapter 73 – Year 4
The morning after, the buzz reached a new level. At breakfast, students placing their names inside the goblet became a live show for all of 4th year Hufflepuffs: Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons candidates placing their names one after the other. In their section of the table, all the Hufflepuff candidates got some kind of cheer but none could compare to the one that Diggory received, once he put his name in. After a while, no one else approached the goblet and they focused back on the food, and themselves.
"So, no one is actually willing to try?" asked Ernie at one point, only to be answered by a lot of shrugs and head shaking. It was a bit disappointing after their enthusiasm just the evening before, but it showed how deep down they didn't really want to partecipate. "We'll cheer for Hogwarts" said Hannah in the end, with a big smile. "Even more if the champion is a Puff" added Megan, slily.
"That's all nice and good, but what are we going to do this morning?" asked Justin, and it was a pointed question. It was Saturday and Halloween to boot but, probably not to leave an empty castle for their guests on their first day there, it was not a Hogsmeade weekend. Quidditch, too, wasn't allowed by the school – the official games between the Houses, at least.
"I do have some classes to review" added Susan but she, too, seemed unconvinced. "No, thanks" said Ernie.
"Sprout told me there are going to be some events organized for the newcomers. Do anyone know what she was talking about?" asked Harry, distractedly, while enjoying the last sips from his breakfast.
"I heard something" said Wayne, not even raising his eyes from his own dish. "For example today there is a castle tour for them, given by prefects. Only them though, the rest of us is not invited. Not that I want to go."
"They should reciprocate" proposed Justin. "I would love to explore the ship. The carriage too, I guess."
"Not a bad idea" said Harry, intrigued. "Maybe we could suggest that to a professor, see if it reaches the other schools."
"Still, what about today?" continued Wayne.
"We are on our own, I fear" said Megan. "Susan, if you start studying I'll join. I got scolded by Snape last time, I need to review something too."
Soon all of the girls agreed on their plan and moved out, saying goodbyes to the boys still at the table. They watched them leave only to turn towards each other, perplexed.
"We could play some Quidditch, I guess" proposed Zach, who had been silent and yawning until then.
"Is Hooch even going to let us borrow the brooms anymore?" said Ernie, unconvinced.
"Let's try asking her" said Zach. "Beats waiting here."
Slowly, with little enthusiasm, they all stood up and left the Great Hall.
They approached the stadium but were forced to stop long in advance by all the fences, signs and pile of materials crowding the entrance. Neveertheless they found madame Hooch nearby and, after a small exchange, got their permission to take some of the school brooms "so long as you return them by this afternoon".
They started playing – all the boys more than happy to have Harry, once again, playing keeper as they flew and tossed the ball around – and soon they had been joined by students from the other houses, plus one or two even from previous years. Not long after, be it because they had given the idea to passerby or because there was really not enough to do for Hogwarts students that day, a lot of students from all years wanted to play, obviously on their own.
The number of school brooms was limited though, so the students had to take turns. As it was time for the sixth years to play, Harry was stuck on the ground with what seemed half of all the 4th years of Hogwarts. Nothing special, they kept themselves busy with normal gossips and jokes, and Harry was surprised to see Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott sit down next to him and starting to chat.
Curious, he reciprocated, but nothing in the conversation they shared was noteworthy. They simply asked how had been his return so far, and other banalities. He kept answering and talking, casually, until Padma Patil drew attention with her "Oh, no! Again?" while her sister simply groaned.
Harry turned his head only to notice Hermione approaching, a tin can in her hands and a bag in the other. Meanwhile Seamus Finnigan, who was sitting close to him together with Dean Thomas, snorted. "Oh, so you heard about that too, eh? The shame of Gryffindor." As for Padma, she grimaced and nodded.
"Why, what's happening?" asked Nott, puzzled. No one managed to answer him in time, as Hermione had already approached their group.
"Hello everyone!" she started, cheerily. "If you have a minute, I want to talk to you about a great injustice happening in our castle. You have no idea how horrible the condition of house… wait!" she concluded, as both Seamus and Dean stood up and left.
" Spew this stuff to someone else" said Seamus without even turning… and everyone could hear Dean repeat "The shame of Gryffindor" as they walked away.
"Hermione, please, didn't we go through this already?" asked Parvati, almost in pain. Hermione, unfortunately, was already getting angry.
"I refuse to be silent just because it makes people uncomfortable. We should be uncomfortable!" she said, voice full of passion. "Our school is exploiting a whole class of enslaved creatures!"
"…..what did I miss here?" asked Nott, again, as Malfoy next to him was silently mouthing "Mudbloooood" with his lips.
"I am not talking to you Slytherins" she answered, snobbily. "I know it would be useless. I am talking to those with a conscience."
"Great start, Hermione…" murmured Parvati, sadly. This only got her a glare in return.
"We all know how house elves, in our society, are mistreated and discriminated" she started, eventually. "That is bad enough, even when some claims they are members of the families they serve."
"They are not" stated Zacharias, almost lazily, casually examining his nails. Hermione ignored him, too.
"I am sure some of you will be horrified in learning the largest concentration of house elves in England is here, in our castle! We learn on the back of literal slaves!" she went on, angrily.
"What are non literal slaves, exactly?" asked Megan, puzzled. Unsurprisingly by then she, too, was ignored.
"I founded an association dedicated to reversing their horrible treatment. S.P.E.W., the Society for the Promotion of Elv…" she stopped, as some of the boys on the grass had started laughing.
"Spew? Really?" asked Michael Corner, incredulous.
"What a creative, non ridiculous acronym to create, Granger" added Trevor Boot in a sweet tone.
"Laugh, laugh all you want" said Hermione, hostile. "I will" whispered Malfoy to Nott, smiling, but luckily of their group only Harry heard him. "But this is a serious matter" was talking on Hermione. "What's happening is horrible, and we should stop it! Our group aims to have them receive fair wages and contracts. In the future, more representation at the ministry. If you want to join…"
"Hermione…." tried again Parvati, but she was ignored too this time. 'In truth, this is more a monologue than anything' thought Harry, considering the situation.
"The admission fee is two sickles, enough to support our leaflets campaign, and you can wear our pin badge!" she concluded, fishing one out of her bag and showing it to them.
"Why not" said Zach, to the mild surprise of everyone around. "Can I have that?"
"You?" asked Hermione, surprised, before recovering. "I mean, sure. Here" she said, offering it to him before stopping mid way. "It's two sickles."
"I can do better than that. I'll offer two galleons" said Zach, still with an even face. Justin, next to him, snorted loudly and turned his face away. Hermione frowned, but didn't pull the hand back yet.
"Where are those, then?" she asked, suspicious.
"Oh, my bag is in my other pants. But I am good for it, you know that" concluded Zach, finally giving up and cracking a smile. Justin, meanwhile, was all but laughing now – and so were a couple of the other boys. Even the girls were trying to hide an amused smile. Hermione, angrily, threw the badge at Zack's face missing him only because he instantly dodged and started to laugh openly. Hermione's reaction was a very unladylike curse word, after which she stomped away.
The conversation afterwards revolved mostly around her, even if Parvati and her sister tried – without much success – to defend Hermione and her "good intentions". The sarcastic comments worsened when Zach noticed how she had not given up and was pestering a group of younger years…. and took a darker turn when Malfoy suggested she might approach their foreign guests and embarrass them all.
Not long after, they all stood up and left the field, as lunch's hour was close. On their way out Harry, noticing the discarded badge still laying down on the grass, picked it up and after a second of contemplation and a frown moved it in his pocket before following the group.
The second half of the day passed, and it was much more boring than the start. A light rain had begun not long after lunch so the school grounds were out… except for some quidditch fanatics that relished the chance to play without having to wait for the brooms or sharing the air space with others.
The Hufflepuff boys simply retreated to their common room and, with nothing better to do, they set up a study table. Not much studying actually went on at the table, with the breaks longer than the time spent on the books, but it was still a way to fill up the hours. Harry too started reading some of the books he couldn't really recall from his past, especially the electives that he never took like Runes, but he also spent more time gossiping or playing magical chess than anything. Finally, it was dinner time.
The Great Hall was, unsurprisingly, tense with excitement. A couple of Halloween decorations had been placed here and there but it was clear no one was thinking about it for the moment. The four tables were full of gossips, and a lot of talk and stares revolved around who were the most likely candidates from each of the houses. In Hufflepuff three students were deemed to have good chances but, regardless of the presence of a 7th year boy and a 6th year girl, a lot of puffs seemed to lay their hopes on Cedric Diggory.
"Seems like all girls are cheering for his pretty face" had commented Wayne, with just a tip of irony, still drawing the glares of their female counterparts.
"It's not nice being jealous of your betters" quipped back Megan, as Susan next to her started to giggle. Wayne scoffed lighlty, otherwise unaffected by her reply.
"Boy wonder is a great quidditch player, at least" said Zach, shrugging. "As far as things goes, if we must have a Hogwarts champion, I hope it's him."
"Still, a 5th year… can he actually win?" asked Justin, puzzled.
"No one knows exactly what the contests will be about" said Susan "but they should be student-sized. My aunt said something along those lines, anyway."
"So, he has a chance" said Zach. "If he get picked, of course."
At one point everyone in the hall had finished its meal, or close enough that all the golden plates returned magically to their clean default state. Dumbledore stood up, as all professors and the school's guests – the two headmasters, Bagman and Crouch – looked up to him.
"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" he indicated the door behind the staff table "where they will be receiving their first instructions."
With a wave of his wand, most lights in the Great Hall went down. Only the candles inside the floating carved pumpkin remained active and Harry, turning his head around to enjoy the view, thought the whole setup was now a little creepy. He had quite the bad feeling from the cup, and his head was full of memories from his original 4th year in school, but he tried to clamp down on his nervousness.
Moody was the real Moody, Crouch was the real, senior, Crouch; he had checked them both one final time, just to be sure. The trials would not be that dangerous for him either and in hindsight he admitted Riddle's original plan had been to capture him, not having him killed by a dragon or whatever. 'In fact' he thought, suddenly 'maybe it would be better if I get nominated. Things would be more predictable.'
As Harry remained deep in thought, the Goblet of Fire had spitted out its first piece of parchment, deftly picked up by Dumbledore. "The Champion for Durmstrang" he read "will be Viktor Krum."
Shouts and whistles immediately broke the silence of the hall, drawing Harry's attention back. No matter all the cheers, it was clear enough that no one was surprised. Even among the other Durmstrang students and candidates, on their faces, one could see more indifferent resignation to something they too were expecting than disappointment. Some, in fact, where genuinely cheering.
As Krum walked out of the Hall, everyone's focus turned back on the Goblet. Soon after, Dumbledore was reading a second parchment.
"The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"
This time, the reaction was much different. The section of the table with the Beauxbatons' students was showing at best superficial politeness, with some students barely clapping and others being visibly upset. Only their headmistress showed happiness, be it real of fake. Most Hogwarts students clapped politely but as Delacour walked out of the Hall Harry took notice of all the eyes on her – apparently, even among Hogwarts students, there was a clear difference between how boys and girls stared at the French champion.
'Poor, poor girl' he thought with a sudden pang of empathy. She seemed able to take it, at least, but it was still pretty unpleasant being surrounded only by girls that resented your beauty or guys that lusted after it. He never connected with her during the few polite meetings they had at the reunions of the larger Weasley family, but now – in hindsight – he wondered how much of her decision to abandon France and settle down with Bill in England was tied up to her school experience. With a shrug, Harry refocused back on the Goblet. He knew what was coming, but it was what could follow that he really cared about.
The Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment. "The Hogwarts champion" he called, "is Cedric Diggory!"
Everyone around Harry seemed to explode, most of the students standing up to clap and cheer. The chaos at Hufflepuff's table was overwhelming, enough to draw a smile out of him even with all his worries. A chant of "Cedric, Cedric" was started by the 5th year, and soon copied by the rest of the house. As the champion himself stood up, smiling widely and being patted by all the boys on the way to the faculty's table, Dumbledore tried vainly to make himself heard. It still took some time.
"Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real way to their success and the success of this competition, which we are honored to host."
"The first trial, and the tournament, will begin on November 24th inside our Quidditch Stadium" spoke on Dumbledore. "It will test the champions' courage, and as such no one – them included – will know what it is about. They will have to bravely face it armed only of their wands, their wit and…"
While Dumbledore kept talking about the future events, and his classmates around him had restarted whispering about Cedric, the Goblet of Fire "turned off" so to speak and Harry felt himself zoning out. Events would be different this time around, but in which way? After the disastrous assault on his house, he wasn't willing to bet that just staying safe inside Hogwarts would be enough to avoid any more troubles. Beside he, too, had a burning desire for restitution against Riddle and his lackeys. The embers of Harry's house might be cold by then, but not his resentment.
'I mean, it is not hard to kidnap your average student' he thought eventually, frowning. 'One bump in the head, you carry him out of the wards, done. But to actually catch me that unaware….' he smirked at the thought. Arrogance or confidence, it was hard to imagine him simply being taken away.
With a shrug, he stood up following suit of the rest of the school. Dumbledore had finished his speech and everyone was busy leaving the Great Hall. Distractedly, he noticed how the three principals walked through the same door the Champions had took before, obviously to chat with them. Not sparing them a second glance, Harry left the hall, surrounded by gossiping students on all sides.
Back in their common room, the Hufflepuff students kept celebrating loudly, continuously. Under all the cheers there was a resentful undertone, or so Harry thought. Too many "In their faces!" and "We are the best!" to miss how Hufflepuff didn't see Cedric as the Champion of Hogwarts, but as the Champion of their own House. A way to one-up the courageous, the ambitious, and the smart jerks that thought Hufflepuffs was filled with leftovers.
Harry simply waited. He was half tempted to go back to their dormitory and relax, but he knew how that was not the moment to desert his housemates. He sat down and paid polite attention to all the bold proclamations coming from his close by year mates and the other students in the room.
Finally, Diggory himself walked back inside the common room and the chaos, that had by then dimmed, rose to new heights. A couple of 7th year students insisted he step on top of a table to give a speech and Cedric, not at all embarrassed, did exactly that.
"Guys, thank you. Yeah, I couldn't believe myself either but it's true. I was chosen, we were chosen. WE ARE the Champions of Hogwarts!" he started, as everyone once again exploded in approval.
"Yes, they didn't reveal what I will face – something about testing my courage. Maybe I will have to face something extra scary, like a monster or even Snape himself" continued Diggory, to the laughter of everyone. "Lockhart's boggarts!" screamed a third year boy, starting another round of whistling.
"I promise you will all be proud of me by the end of this. I can't promise I will win" said Diggory, as plenty of voices instantly contradicted and encouraged him. "But I will do my best. At the end of this tournament everyone will think that Badgers are the true symbol of the school!"
"Don't forget to share the prize money, too!" screamed a fifth year girl, probably one of his friends as he immediately told her to "bugger off" with a huge smile and the teasing of the other 5th year students. As he climbed down from the table a final shout of "For Hufflepuff!" roared inside the common room, instantly copied by everyone.
The rest of the night was quieter. The House split into years, with the central table being taken over by Diggory, members of the Quidditch team and some of the older students. Strategies, training programs, vague plans of keeping under watch the other two schools and the stadium, everything was considered.
Harry remained at the table of his 4th years, as all his year mates started gossiping about the tournament and how to support Cedric. Plenty of ideas about banners, face colors, songs and more were exchanged back and forth and the discussion went on long into the night – it helped being a Saturday, of course. As Harry finally went to bed a stray comment made him remember how it was supposed to be Halloween, that night. A shrug later, he was already falling asleep.
