Vestiges of Normalcy

Chapter 4

Dumbledore was interrupted by the sound of sparks. All eyes were now on the goblet, as for some reason unfathomable to those watching, the blue flames have turned red again.

Harry felt like his stomach was going to implode, 'Oh dear Merlin...no...please no..."

A single parchment flew out of the goblet, much to everyone's surprise. Dumbledore caught it, and peered at what it contained.

The headmaster then spoke a name that nearly made a certain bespectacled fourth-year's heart stop.

"Harry Potter."

Absolute silence.

Everyone was staring at Harry, eyes wide and disbelieving, mouths hanging open. The four Hogwarts houses, the staff, the foreign students, they were all turned towards a bespectacled boy at the Gryffindor table. No one moved, no one said anything.

Poor Harry, his fears have come to light. The worst had happened; he had been thrust completely unwillingly into the tournament. He was the fourth champion, and he felt the world crashing down around him.

He wanted to run, run anywhere. Just away from the Great Hall, from Hogwarts, from everything. Harry felt like vomiting, he felt sick, he felt like he was drowning in the middle of the ocean, help nowhere in sight, death coming for him with its scythe.

"Harry Potter," Dumbledore's voice broke the silence, "Please come up here."

Harry made no movement to get up. He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Klaus. Harry saw many emotions on his face - confusion, disbelief, and...concern? He really wanted to tell the German student, or anyone for that matter, that he did not put his name in the goblet. But his voice remained stuck in his throat, unable to produce any words.

Klaus nudged Harry, prompting him to go up. Harry's mind remained numb by the shock, his legs doing the work as they mechanically lifted him up from his seat, and made the walk towards Dumbledore. He barely registered the headmaster handing him the parchment and telling him to head into the antechamber. His legs mechanically took him there, his eyes open, unblinking, as if in a catatonic state.

He didn't remember pushing the door open, but the setting had changed. Inside the antechamber, was a roaring fireplace, a few armchairs scattered about on a floor covered by a rug, and display cases lined with trophies and awards of all shapes and sizes. And standing, or sitting, around the fireplace, were Viktor, Cedric, and Fleur.

The Beauxbatons champion was the first to notice Harry's appearance, "What ees eet? Do zey want us back in ze 'all?"

Now Viktor and Cedric's eyes were on him.

"Harry," said Viktor, concern rising in his chest at the catatonic look on his friend's face, "vhat happened?"

"V-Viktor..."

Harry took one step forward, just as his legs lost their strength and he crumpled towards the floor like a ragdoll.

"Harry!"

Thanks to his lightning-fast reflexes honed from intense training as a seeker, Viktor was able to catch Harry before the latter crashed onto the floor in a dead-faint. Fleur stood up from her armchair, as she and Cedric watched in confusion as Viktor tried to steady his friend.

"Harry, vhat happened?" Viktor asked again, tone pouring with worry, "Vhat's vrong?"

Secure in the seeker's arms, Harry tried to will the strength to reveal what happened outside just minutes before, when the sound of hurried footsteps making their way towards the antechamber. The door burst open, and Ludo Bagman appeared in the room, smiling like a kid whose Christmas came early.