Courage

-51-

Book: Courage
Chapter 51
Word Count: 5660

The first task was drawing steadily nearer. Rita Skeeter had published her piece about the Triwizard Tournament, and it had turned out to be not so much a report on the tournament as a highly colored life story of Harry.

Much of the front page had been given over to a picture of Harry; the article (continuing on pages two, six, and seven) had been all about Harry.

The article had appeared ten days ago. Rita Skeeter had reported Harry saying an awful lot of things that never happened.

I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now. Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it. I know nothing will hurt me during the tournament, because they're watching over me.

Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Layla Lupin, a stunningly pretty Half-Blood girl, also known as the daughter of a werewolf by the name of Remus Lupin. However, sources report that Layla is in fact in a relationship with one Cedric Diggory, the second Hogwarts champion involved in the Triwizard Tournament. Do I sense a potential love triangle forming? Will Layla choose attractive school heartthrob Cedric Diggory, or the boy-who-lived?

Layla was furious at the article and had immediately gone to speak to Cedric about it. Luckily for her, she was dating the most understanding guy to ever grace the earth and Cedric, although mad at the article, had reassured Layla that he didn't believe a word Rita Skeeter said, and knew that there was nothing romantic happening between Layla and Harry.

However, although Layla and Cedric were still all good, that didn't stop her from being furious with Rita Skeeter and the article. But she thought she was handling the situation pretty well.

"Stunningly pretty? Her?" Pansy Parkinson had shrieked the first time she had come face-to-face with Layla after Rita's article had appeared. "What was she judging against — a chipmunk?"

"Says the girl who has the face of a pug," Layla snapped. She couldn't help herself. Pansy Parkinson let out a dramatic gasp and stalked off with her friends.

Another thing that Layla was furious about was the fact that both Ron and Harry still weren't talking to each other. Hermione was just as angry at this. The two girls kept trying to force the boys to talk to each other, but it was no use.

"I didn't start this," Harry said stubbornly. "It's his problem."

"You miss him!" Hermione said impatiently. "And we know he misses you—"

"Miss him?" said Harry. "I don't miss him."

Layla knew that Harry was lying.

On the Saturday before the first task, all students in the third year and above were permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade. Layla told Harry that it would do him good to get away from the castle for a bit, and Harry didn't need much persuasion.

"What about Ron, though?" he said. "Don't you guys want to go with him?"

"Oh... well..." Hermione went slightly pink. "Layla and I thought we might meet up with him in the Three Broomsticks."

"No," said Harry flatly.

"Harry, this is so stupid," Layla rolled her eyes.

"I'll come, but I'm not meeting Ron, and I'm wearing my Invisibility Cloak."

"Fine," Layla snapped, "but I hate talking to you in that cloak, I never know if I'm looking at you or not."

Once Harry had fetched his invisibility cloak, Layla left with him and Hermione to Hogsmeade.