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

𝘅𝘅𝘅𝗶𝘃 | 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻

Gwen, Ron, and Hermione ran out of the stands and back out by the edge of the forest, where there were now four more tents erected. Madame Pomfrey was coming out of one and went into another, and, without even checking if it was Harry's tent first, the three of them burst in, coming face to face with the one person they wanted to see.

'Harry!' Gwen cried, throwing her arms around him again. His robes were still torn, but the gash was now healed.

'Harry, you were brilliant!' Hermione squealed, following Gwen's example and also hugging him.

'You were amazing, you really were!' Gwen said.

But now that Harry had recovered from Gwen tackling him in a hug, his eyes were on Ron, who was still ghostly white and staring at Harry like he had risen from the dead.

'Harry,' he said seriously, 'whoever put your name in that goblet-- I-- I reckon they're trying to do you in!'

'Caught on, have you?' said Harry coldly. 'Took you long enough.'

Gwen and Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth uncertainly. Gwen knew that he was about to apologise, and apparently Harry did too.

'It's OK,' he said, before Ron could speak. 'Forget it.'

'No,' said Ron, 'I shouldn't've--'

'Forget it,' said Harry.

Ron grinned nervously at Harry, and Harry grinned back.

Hermione burst into tears. She wrapped her arm through Gwen's, tears splashing onto Gwen's white coat.

'There's nothing to cry about!' Harry said, looking bewildered.

'You two are so stupid!' she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears streaming down her face. Then, she pulled both Harry and Ron into a bone breaking hug and ran from the tent, howling.

'Barking mad,' said Ron, shaking his head. Then he turned to Gwen with a sheepish smile. He opened his mouth, but Gwen shook her head, smiling.

'I'm glad we're all friends again,' she said, nudging Ron in the arm. 'Come on, they'll be announcing your score, Harry.'

Gwen and Ron filled Harry in on the other three champions' performances as quickly as they could. Harry had performed the best by miles, of course, and they told him this. Harry had a look of pure elation on his face, one that Gwen hadn't seen since they had won the Quidditch Cup last year.

As the three of them reached the edge of the enclosure, Gwen realised that now that the Horntail was gone, the stadium looked rather empty.

Madame Maxime went first, raised her wand in the air and a long ribbon slithered from it and formed into a figure of eight.

'Not bad!' said Ron as the crowd applauded. 'I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder...'

Mr Crouch went next. A number nine. Next Dumbledore, who also put up a nine. The crowd continued to cheer, and then Ludo Bagman produced a number ten.

'Ten?' said Harry, his jaw dropping. 'But... I got hurt... What's he playing at?'

'Don't complain!' Ron said excitedly.

'Ten!' Gwen grinned, clapping Harry on the back.

And then Karkaroff raised his wand. He paused for a moment, and then a number four shot from his wand.

'Four?' Ron bellowed furiously. 'Four? You lousy, biased git, you gave Krum ten!'

'That's forty!' Gwen shouted, grabbing Harry's hand. 'That's first place! Harry, you and Krum are tied first place!'

The crowd was screaming and cheering for Harry. Harry looked happier than he had done in weeks, and it warmed Gwen's heart to see him smiling, to see him and Ron as friends again.

'Well done, Harry!' said Charlie Weasley, hurrying to meet them as they set off back toward the school. 'Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl. I swore I'd tell her what happened-- but that was unbelievable! Oh yeah-- and they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes... Bagman wants a word back in the champions' tent.'

Gwen and Ron agreed to wait while Harry re-entered the tent. They could hear Bagman's jolly voice inside the tent, explaining to them that the next task was on February twenty fourth.

'That's ages away,' said Ron, craning his neck to listen in to the tent.

'What's he saying?' Gwen urged. 'They have to figure out a clue?'

Harry emerged minutes later, and together, the three of them started to walk back around the edge of the forest. Harry was eager to hear more detail about the other champions, and Gwen and Ron were happy to fill him in. Then, as they were rounding the trees, a witch leapt out from behind them.

It was Rita Skeeter, wearing her acid green silk robes.

'Congratulations, Harry!' she said, beaming at him and completely ignoring Gwen and Ron. 'I wonder if you could give me that quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?'

'Yeah, you can have a word,' said Harry sharply. 'Goodbye.'

And he brushed past her back up to the castle with Gwen and Ron.