𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐆𝐎𝐅 𝟏𝟖

After her brother and cousin had slipped away without a trace, Harry walked into the tent, his expression unusually somber.

"You alright?" he asked, standing just by the edge of the curtain, his green eyes scanning her face.

Emily let out a small laugh, trying to mask the exhaustion coiling in her limbs.
"Just... got to wait for my powers to come back, then I'll be up and at 'em."

Before she could breathe, the tent flaps burst open.

"Harry, you were brilliant! And Emily? Oh my Merlin!" Hermione's voice squeaked with excitement. She stepped closer, wide-eyed, glancing at the faint marks on Emily's face from where she had clutched it in fear. "You were amazing! Both of you! Really!"

But their joy was cut short as Ron appeared behind them, pale as parchment, eyes wide, frozen in shock. He stared at Harry and Emily as though they were specters rather than friends.

"Harry... Emily..." he said slowly, voice tense, almost breaking. "Whoever put your names in that Goblet—I—I reckon they're trying to do you in!"

Emily felt the weight of his words, the same fear that had churned in her gut the whole task resurfacing. For a heartbeat, it was as though the last few weeks hadn't happened—as though Harry and Ron were meeting for the first time.

Harry's lips pressed into a thin line, his voice cold as ice.
"Caught on, have you? Took you long enough."

Hermione stood protectively by Emily's side, glancing between the two boys. Ron opened his mouth, hesitation clear, like he wanted to apologize but wasn't sure how.

"It's okay," Harry said quietly, cutting him off before the words could come. "Forget it."

"No, I—" Ron began.

"Forget it," Harry repeated, firmer this time, his jaw set, and turned his gaze back to Emily, who gave a small, grateful smile.

Ron grinned nervously at him, and Harry grinned back Hermione burst into tears.

"There's nothing to cry about!" Harry told her, bewildered.

"You two are so stupid!" she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears splashing down her front. Then, before either of them could stop her, she had given both of them a hug and dashed away, now positively howling.

"Barking mad," said Ron, shaking his head.

"watch it Ronald." Emily warned giving him a sarcastic glare.

All the contestants had gathered round now as Bagman walked in.

"Well done, all of you!" said Ludo Bagman, bouncing into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon.

"Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth - but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open. . . see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg - because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!"

Harry left the tent, holding hands with Emily, Ron standing on the other side of her, and they started to walk back around the edge of the forest, talking hard; Emily wanted to hear what the other champions had done in more detail.

Then, as they rounded the clump of trees behind which Harry had first heard the dragons roar, a witch leapt out from behind them.

It was Rita Skeeter. She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them.