Potter's Shadow (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 26

"Bets! Place your bets!" Fred called out. 
"Bets taken! Bets taken here!" George called over the roar of the crowd. 
"Step up, folks! Who fancies a flutter in today's bloodbath?"
"Smart money's on Krum to survive. Any bets?"
"Yes sir, Ten-to-1 for Fleur. There you go. Thank you very much." 

"Fred!" I called across at him as he walked his way down my row. He raised his eyebrow in question so I jiggled my bag of Galleons at him. A pleased smile filled his face as he moved quicker towards me only to be collared by some other students wanting to place bets. 

"I don't know why you're placing a bet?" Ginny spoke, "I thought you didn't like risking money."
"I'm not risking money. I'm making a wise investment." 
"How can it be an investment? You don't know the outcome."
"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny," I tutted. "How many times has my brother's life been in mortal peril?" I didn't let Ginny answer before I continued, "More than I care to count so I'm going to bet most of my money on him coming out of the tournament alive. Then ten galleons on him winning because he it's always good to have a little faith in your siblings." Ginny stared at me in shock. "What? It's common sense. If it was me in there, I would insist you bet on me ending up hurt because I have every year from Basilisks to werewolves."

Fred made it over to me, "What's your bet baby Potter?" 
"I'll have 10 galleons on Harry winning the entire thing." I methodically counted out the correct amount of coins. "Then I'll put another 10 galleons on harry coming out of it alive. How are my odds?"
"8-to-1 and 5-to-1. Thank you," George appeared behind collecting my coins. 
"How much money does that even leave you with, Baby Potter?" Fred asked. 
I ruffled inside my coin bag, "6 galleons, 15 sickles and 20 knuts. That's more than enough for a few Hogsmeade visits and if not I'll just ask Harry for some of his. I don't think he is going to need it."
"We've got a galleon bet on who will come last?" George offered. "Going to take?" 
I swayed slightly as I looked once again at my coins, "You're trying to convince me into having a gambling problem aren't you?" 
"Rosie! Don't!" Ginny complained. 
"You know you want to," Fred pushed.
"Fine. A galleon on Fleur losing." 
"Lacking in faith in your gender are we?" George laughed swiping another galleon from me. 
"No I'm lacking faith in the Fleur of my gender. It would be a completely different if it was someone else like Ginny for example. She's got one mean right hook." I laughed. 
"One mean hex." The twins laughed together. 

"There you are." Hermione smiled as she made her way over in the row below us, a still moping Ronald following closely behind. "They're going to start soon." 

The twins looked shocked before making another round to gain as many bets as they could before they start. 

The first to emerge from the tent at the sound of the canon was Cedric, who met my gaze so I smiled supportively before turning to Ginny, who was telling me all about the Dragon they had lead out. Her older brother, Charlie, was down by the edge of the arena and Ginny had been given an in depth analysis of all the dragons he brought over from Romania. Cedric managed to retrieve his egg using the rock to dog spell, although he did get hurt during it. Fleur followed to battle a common welsh green, which she used the bewitched sleep spell. Krum came third to retrieve his egg from a Chinese fireball, he did really well using a conjunctivitis spell. 

"Three of our champions have now faced their dragons and so each one of them proceed to the next task. And now our forth and final contestant," Dumbledore spoke over the his voice magnification spell.

The crowd started chanting Harry's name, which annoyed me considering they had been so supportive these last few weeks. "Go Harry," Ginny and I called out as he appeared from the rocky entrance from the tent. 

I flinched back as Harry moved forwards into the arena and nearly got hit by the Hungarian Horntail as it smacks its tail at him. Breathing fire at harry, who just managed to jump away. "Wicked..." Fred breathed. 
"It'll be wicked when I set you on fire, Fred Weasley. "I hissed at him not daring to take my eyes off Harry's little figure running away from the Hungarian horntail. Once again Harry narrowly missed being impaled on the horntail's spiky tail as he tried to climb up to the egg. Flames blazed from the horntail's mouth once again.