FINITE | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire [4]

𝘅𝘅𝘅 | 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗼𝗴𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻

The next day was Monday, and Harry, who had spent most of the day before hidden in his dormitory, now could not hide from the scrutiny from the rest of the school. Back to classes meant that now, even though everyone had had a little time to take in the results from the Goblet of Fire, Harry was under more fire than before.

The Hufflepuffs were acting extremely cold to all the Gryffindors, and Gwen could understand why; they felt that Harry had taken Cedric's glory, for Hufflepuff were rarely celebrated. The last time they had had been when Cedric had caught the Snitch in the last Quidditch match against them. This was evident in Herbology when the Hufflepuffs steered very clear of the Gryffindors, especially Harry, who now seemed to have a permanent look of misery etched onto his face. Gwen stuck by his side, but Hermione was torn between Harry and Ron, and, for once, instead of Harry and Gwen playing peacemaker, it was Gwen and Hermione.

Care of Magical Creatures was no better; this time, they were with the Slytherins, and Draco Malfoy was back to his usual taunting.

'Everyone got their autograph books?' he jeered as soon as he arrived outside Hagrid's hut. 'Better get them in now... don't reckon Potter will last ten minutes in the first task.'

To Gwen's relief, Hagrid distracted them by saying that they would have to take their skrewts for a walk. Apparently they had been killing each other because of pent up energy, and he presented them all with a bunch of leather leads.

'Take this thing for a walk?' Malfoy repeated in disgust, staring into one of the boxes. 'And where exactly are we meant to put it?'

'Roun' the middle,' said Hagrid, demonstrating. 'Er-- you might want ter put on yer dragon hide gloves, jus' as an extra precaution. Harry, come here an' help me with this big one...'

Harry left Gwen's side to join Hagrid. She pulled on her dragon hide gloves, and gingerly began wrapping one of the leather leads around her skrewt.

'Mind if I join?'

Theo had come up beside her, already sporting his own pair of gloves. She smiled at him for assent, and he bent down to tie the lead.

He had the courtesy to ask her how she was, before he got to the reason why he had come over.

'How did Potter manage it?'

He was watching Harry, who was engaged in conversation with Hagrid, slowly walking his skrewt across Hagrid's garden.

Gwen sighed. 'He didn't put his name in.'

Theo raised an eyebrow. 'Who else would've done it?'

'I don't know,' she said. 'But whoever did doesn't have good intentions.'

Theo nodded, but his face betrayed that he did not believe her. 'Do you think that he got one of the older students to do it for him? Maybe asked someone else--'