𝒫𝓇𝑜𝓅𝒽𝑒𝒸𝓎 ~𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙿𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞-𝖔𝖓𝖊

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚃𝚊𝚜𝚔

"ɪ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ʟᴏꜱɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴍɪɴᴅ." -ᴇᴅɢᴀʀ ᴀʟʟᴀɴ ᴘᴏᴇ

*✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ*✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ*

The morning of the first task was complete chaos.

We only had classes till midday, then we were told to gather in a cleared spot in the forbidden forest.

It didn't hit me how real this was until I walked past Harry in the hall. He was pale and he seemed like he was dissociating, his eyes never left the ground, even when Hermione was talking to him.

When we walked through the forest nearing the tents, everyone was joking or laughing. They were all so excited. I couldn't bring myself to match their energies. McGonagall told me that there would be people from the ministry here to step in if anything got out of hand. That didn't provide any sort of reassurance, seeing as just a few months ago one of them held a wand to my neck.

"Ara!" I heard a distant voice whisper harshly.

My head swiveled around, searching for the speaker.

Outside of the wizard-made path, I saw Hermione peek her head around a thick tree. She anxiously looked around then waved me over.

I carefully diverged from the walkway, trying to avoid catching the eye of any of the teachers seeing us to the field. After I finally reached Hermione she latched onto my arm and pulled.

"Where are we-" I closed my mouth the moment she put her finger up to her lips.

Did she just shush me?

I unwillingly let her drag me behind a bright tent, I could hear the muffled conversations through the thin cloth. Hermione gently pulled back the curtain and formed an opening big enough for her to stick her head through.

She inconspicuously motioned someone over and began talking in a hushed manner.

"Mione' this is probably the most risky thing I've ever seen you volunteer to do," said under my breath.

She opened the curtain wider and I was now able to see who she was talking to, "Ara is here as well."

Harry gave me a curt nod, very clearly distracted.

Hermione sighed, "Look, just try and stay calm. and-"

"Fight a dragon?" Harry finished.

I pulled back the cloth more, and stepped through, tired of being bit in the back by a mysterious bug.

Hermione instantly brought harry into an embrace, wrapping her arms so tightly around him it looked almost painful. Harry's arms were still frozen by his side.

There was a quick flash, bringing all of our attention to the people entering the tent. The man lowered the camera then looked up at the blonde-haired woman, as if seeking a validating remark.

"Young love! Ohh how.. Stirring," Rita cheered, eyeing everyone in the room. "I do adore a good love triangle. Harry, how is it you manage both of these young ladies?"

I crossed my arms over my chest, "Rita, do you ever get bored latching onto children like a leach?It's quiet annoying actually."

A smile grew on her face as she walked a bit forward, with her team of photographers and writers following on her heels, "You're not still angry about that little clipping a few days ago? You should really hide your letters-"