My Promise For You | Fred Weasley

Chapter 10:

I take the direction of Dumbledore's office, when I arrive in front of the door I knock and Professor McGonagall opens to me. "What are you doing here Miss Taylor?! Get back to your dorm right now!"

"May?!" I heard Cedric's voice.

"Wait Professor, I have something very important to say to Professor Dumbledore" I try to say

"It will wait!" replied the teacher.

"I'm volunteering in place of Harry!" I exclaim. Professor McGonagall looked at me dumbfounded and turned to let me inside.

"Professor Dumbledore, I would like to participate" I say as I held my head high.

"Have you lost your mind May?!" said Cedric surprised.

"No Mayline, it's up to me" replied Harry.

Dumbledore then looked in the direction of Mr. Crouch and the latter spoke. "There are no rules preventing her from doing so, but there are conditions. Mr. Potter will still have to carry out one of the tasks because his name was chosen by the cup".

"You won't be able to back down, so if you're sure Miss Taylor..." Dumbledore began.

"Yes, certain sir!" I felt all eyes on me.

"It's decided then, we have 5 champions this year!" said Crouch.

"It's insane!" added Victor Krum.

"Alright, please go back to your dorms now" says Dumbledore.

I left the office and was quickly caught by Cedric. "May, why did you do that?!" he asked confused.

"He's only 14 years old Cedric and he's been through enough stuff."

"You really are too good for this world May. But promise me you'll be careful" he told me seriously.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of losing now!" I tease him.

"Seriously May, I don't want to lose you!"

"I don't want to lose you either; we'll both be very careful!"

We say goodnight and I go to the common room. When I enter, the room is empty. I start to climb the stairs when I hear a voice "Why did you do that May?" I turn around and see Harry in front of the fireplace.

"Do you remember what you said to me when I gave you your frame at Christmas?" I asked him.

"No, but what does this have to do with anything?" he asks me confused.

"You wondered what it would be like to be a normal boy. You've been through more than many of us put together Harry. Take it as an attempt to give you a normal life" I answer with a smile.

The young boy began to cry softly, I went to take him in my arms. "Thank you May" he said softly.

"Don't thank me, just come out of your task unscathed and I'll take care of the rest"

After this hug I go up to my room and see that Kathleen and Jessica are already lying down. I put on my pajamas and lie down when I hear "You really are a good friend May!"

"You too Kath!"

======================

The next morning Kathleen wakes me up and we get ready for breakfast. Jessica is once again already out. I wonder what's the point of her staying in our dorm if she hardly ever spends time with us. After getting ready, we head for the great hall when I meet the disdainful gaze of several students.

Passing in a corridor Kathleen stops me and says "Look at that May!"

I look up and see a poster on the wall "We are pleased to announce that the Triwizard Tournament will have 5 students this year. Victor Krum, Fleur Delacour, Cedric Diggory, Harry Potter and Mayline Taylor. "

"Damn everyone already knows!" I exclaim. We rush into the large common room and spot our friends. George, Fred, Lee, Jessica and Angelina are seated together. We join them and I catch Harry's eyes and notice that he looks deep in thought as the rest of the group talks. When we get to their level all the discussion stops.

I sit down without missing their gaze on me.

"You were planning to tell us when?!" Fred asks.

I was surprised by his tone but replied "This morning..."

"And yet we learned it like all the others on a vulgar poster!" George cuts me off.

"I didn't know that Dumbledore was going to publish this. Everything happened very quickly last night and when I came back you had all already gone to bed". I answered guiltily.

"You should have told your so-called best friends anyway" added Fred in a disgusted tone.

"I didn't want to risk it being too late before I could talk to Dumbledore"

"And you Kathleen, did you know she was going to do it?" asked George.

"No, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out what she was going to do when she walked out of the common room. But you must have been preoccupied with something more important" Kathleen replied.

"Admit that it's a bit hypocritical of you" said Jessica.

"Hypocrite?" I ask confused. I don't even know why she's talking. I did not expect these reactions from them at all.

"Yes hypocrite, you refused to help Fred and George. Then you went to propose yourself as a candidate" I looked at Fred and George, and couldn't believe they thought that.

"I hadn't planned for Harry to be choosen and for me to propose in his place Jessica!" I exclaimed. The latter seems then surprised by my reaction.

"And if that's what you think of me..." I stood up when Kathleen cut me off "I pity you!" and we begin to walk away.

"It's rather her who is pitiful, all of this for attention" added Jessica. I turned around to look at Fred and George one last time and seeing that they weren't going to defend me, I decided to leave.