Skill and Seclusion [2] || Harry Potter x OC x Draco Malfoy

118. Protest

DISCLAIMER

I do not own Harry Potter ... but HarRy dID yOu Put YoUr nAmE iN tHe GoBLeT oF fIrE

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Harry's mind was a total blank slate.

The only thing stopping him from going completely mad was the proof clutched in his hands.

His name was written on that piece of burnt parchment.

It wasn't a joke, or a dream.

This was all really happening.

He was a Triwizard Champion.

There was still a small sliver of hope he was holding onto as he made his way down a set of stone steps towards the room where the other three champions were all waiting.

This was all very clearly a mistake.

He never entered his name.

He never wanted to enter his name.

And even if he did, Bel's spell would've stopped him.

Maybe Dumbledore saw it that way too.

Maybe they'll ignore it and brush it under the rug.

Just a mistake, no need for him to compete.

And in the meantime, they could figure out just why his name came out of the Goblet at all.

But the life of Harry Potter was rarely so simple.

Harry walked up to a room he had never seen before, two large black gates swinging open of their own accord to grant him entrance.

It was filled with all sorts of silver trinkets and trophies, lit by the warm orange light of a large fireplace beside which the three other champions were all stood, completely unaware of the event that had just happened.

Harry looked Cedric Diggory in the eye, the Hufflepuff boy shooting him a very confused look as if to say, 'What are you doing here?'

But he didn't get a chance to explain anything, as the voices of some very annoyed and very concerned staff members came echoing out behind him.

"It's wrong, I tell you!" Madam Maxine's voice yelled out.

"You French tart. Everything is a conspiracy theory!" Moody's gruff voice replied.

"Quiet! I can't think!" Dumbledore's voice boomed out over the others who didn't cease their complaining.

"I protest! I protest!" Madam Maxine continued.

The voices got louder and louder, Harry turning around to see a group of staff, led by the Hogwarts headmaster, barrelling down the stone steps towards him.

At the very back, he caught sight of Bel trailing after them.

Whilst she looked extremely pale with shock, her presence soothed his overwhelming nerves slightly.

"Harry! Harry!" Dumbledore called out as he rushed up to the Gryffindor boy.

"Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" the headmaster demanded to know in a very stern voice, grabbing Harry by the shoulders.

The boy lost his balance and stumbled backwards into a stack of silver trophies.

"No, sir", Harry managed to say.

"Did you ask one of the older students to do it for you?" Dumbledore continued, his grip on Harry's shoulders tightening.

"No, sir!" Harry replied again.