Death Eaters... Forever?
The Tri-wizard Tournament
I still found it harder to laugh and smile, but the worst of my brief depression was over.
I’d had to supply Madame Pomfrey with an antidote for a self-aging potion gone awry (I’d told them it wouldn’t work, and so had Hermione, but as usual, they never listened to perfectly rational advice). The twins vowed never to ignore my advice again. I didn’t believe it for a second, but I was glad they were ok.
That night, the Tri-wizard Tournament challengers would be chosen, and I couldn’t wait to see who would participate, although I knew it would be no-one I knew.
After dinner, we all waited in earnest as the speeches were done with.
“And now, we shall see who the champions will be,” Albus announced, and the sudden excitement in the air was thick enough to cut. The blue flame from the Goblet of Fire flared a bright red so intense that no one could bear to look at it except me.
The first slip of paper was spat out of the flame – Durmstrang’s champion: Ron’s obsession, Victor Krum.
The next piece of parchment – obviously Beauxbaton’s champion, with its dainty frills – was Fleur Delacour.
And the third – we all held our breath.
“The Hogwarts Tri-wizard champion will be… Cedric Diggory!” I knew him vaguely; he was a boy from Gryffindor, with a dazzling smile. Hogwarts erupted in cheers, Gryffindor’s table being the loudest. And then I noticed the Goblet flaring brighter again, as if to give another champion’s name. Other people began to notice, and then silence reigned as Dumbledore caught a fourth piece of parchment.
“Harry Potter?” Dumbledore’s voice seemed unnaturally loud in the sudden stillness. “Harry Potter!”
“Go on, Harry,” Hermione whispered harshly to Harry, who looked to be in shock. I didn’t blame him – I knew he wouldn’t have put his own name in, or get anyone else to do it. If there was anything near-death experiences could teach you, it was that it was best to stay away from things like this. Although generally I ignored my experience; I loved excitement.
However, I didn’t see Harry get up; I was too busy looking for someone who would’ve done this. I searched each person’s mind, starting with the Hogwarts’ teachers – even Severus, who looked at me in understanding and looked meaningfully at Moody. I was loath to search his mind, but swallowed my fears and entered. Immediately, I was barraged with Moody’s memories. He was satisfied that he had carried out the Dark Lord’s bidding. When I looked further, I also found something very interesting indeed, but before I could find out where he’d put the real Moody, he turned to look at me. I stopped, but it was too late. Barty Jr knew I knew his real identity.
“Sev- Professor Snape!” I called to him as he walked out of the hall. He turned and, seeing me, waited.
“He knows.” Sev looked at me quizzically.
“Knows what?”
“That I know who he is,” I replied, and understanding dawned on Sev’s face.
“He won’t go near you – I’ll talk to him.” With that, Severus walked away.
After class, I went to the Gryffindor common room, where Ron was sulking.
“Where’s Harry?” I asked.
“Dorm.” I knew immediately what was wrong, but only shook my head and went to the boy’s dorm.
Harry was sulking too. I sighed and went over to him.
“Harry.”
“Let me guess, you’re here to say I’m a git for not putting your name in the Goblet too?” He asked irritably.
“Actually, I came to say that I know you didn’t put your name in the Goblet. If there’s anything I can do…”
“You believe me?” He was incredulous, and I stifled a sarcastic reply.
“Yes. I know you wouldn’t be stupid enough to put your name in the Goblet. Don’t worry, Ron’ll come round.” With that, I left him to think, and went back to my own dorm room.
The first challenge came and went, and I was busier after that, helping Hagrid nurse the dragon Harry had battled until it could be taken home.
Meanwhile, I kept an eye on ‘Moody’, who seemed a little too eager to help Harry and Cedric. I was amazed that Albus couldn’t see the impostor for who he was, but I didn’t tell him – if Severus wanted to tell him, then he could.
My class grades were excellent as usual, although no one was really paying any attention to their studies, me included.
I’d had to supply Madame Pomfrey with an antidote for a self-aging potion gone awry (I’d told them it wouldn’t work, and so had Hermione, but as usual, they never listened to perfectly rational advice). The twins vowed never to ignore my advice again. I didn’t believe it for a second, but I was glad they were ok.
That night, the Tri-wizard Tournament challengers would be chosen, and I couldn’t wait to see who would participate, although I knew it would be no-one I knew.
After dinner, we all waited in earnest as the speeches were done with.
“And now, we shall see who the champions will be,” Albus announced, and the sudden excitement in the air was thick enough to cut. The blue flame from the Goblet of Fire flared a bright red so intense that no one could bear to look at it except me.
The first slip of paper was spat out of the flame – Durmstrang’s champion: Ron’s obsession, Victor Krum.
The next piece of parchment – obviously Beauxbaton’s champion, with its dainty frills – was Fleur Delacour.
And the third – we all held our breath.
“The Hogwarts Tri-wizard champion will be… Cedric Diggory!” I knew him vaguely; he was a boy from Gryffindor, with a dazzling smile. Hogwarts erupted in cheers, Gryffindor’s table being the loudest. And then I noticed the Goblet flaring brighter again, as if to give another champion’s name. Other people began to notice, and then silence reigned as Dumbledore caught a fourth piece of parchment.
“Harry Potter?” Dumbledore’s voice seemed unnaturally loud in the sudden stillness. “Harry Potter!”
“Go on, Harry,” Hermione whispered harshly to Harry, who looked to be in shock. I didn’t blame him – I knew he wouldn’t have put his own name in, or get anyone else to do it. If there was anything near-death experiences could teach you, it was that it was best to stay away from things like this. Although generally I ignored my experience; I loved excitement.
However, I didn’t see Harry get up; I was too busy looking for someone who would’ve done this. I searched each person’s mind, starting with the Hogwarts’ teachers – even Severus, who looked at me in understanding and looked meaningfully at Moody. I was loath to search his mind, but swallowed my fears and entered. Immediately, I was barraged with Moody’s memories. He was satisfied that he had carried out the Dark Lord’s bidding. When I looked further, I also found something very interesting indeed, but before I could find out where he’d put the real Moody, he turned to look at me. I stopped, but it was too late. Barty Jr knew I knew his real identity.
“Sev- Professor Snape!” I called to him as he walked out of the hall. He turned and, seeing me, waited.
“He knows.” Sev looked at me quizzically.
“Knows what?”
“That I know who he is,” I replied, and understanding dawned on Sev’s face.
“He won’t go near you – I’ll talk to him.” With that, Severus walked away.
After class, I went to the Gryffindor common room, where Ron was sulking.
“Where’s Harry?” I asked.
“Dorm.” I knew immediately what was wrong, but only shook my head and went to the boy’s dorm.
Harry was sulking too. I sighed and went over to him.
“Harry.”
“Let me guess, you’re here to say I’m a git for not putting your name in the Goblet too?” He asked irritably.
“Actually, I came to say that I know you didn’t put your name in the Goblet. If there’s anything I can do…”
“You believe me?” He was incredulous, and I stifled a sarcastic reply.
“Yes. I know you wouldn’t be stupid enough to put your name in the Goblet. Don’t worry, Ron’ll come round.” With that, I left him to think, and went back to my own dorm room.
The first challenge came and went, and I was busier after that, helping Hagrid nurse the dragon Harry had battled until it could be taken home.
Meanwhile, I kept an eye on ‘Moody’, who seemed a little too eager to help Harry and Cedric. I was amazed that Albus couldn’t see the impostor for who he was, but I didn’t tell him – if Severus wanted to tell him, then he could.
My class grades were excellent as usual, although no one was really paying any attention to their studies, me included.