Marauders - Always - Part One

CLXXVIII: Arriving for the Ceremony

Oliver Kent woke up a bit disoriented. He'd been dreaming quite deeply and had nearly forgotten where he was - or when, for that matter. He groaned as he came back to reality and sat up, rubbing a hand over his face and pushing himself up from the mattress. He was expected up at the castle for the ceremonial Weighing of the Wands for the Triwizard Tournament and would have literally rathered to do pretty much anything else in the world. But he'd already committed to helping the Diggory boy out. He'd been feeling a lot better about himself when he'd done it - Wally had been there, for one - and now he was on the downside of that emotional roller coaster - and Wally was not there any longer, for two. Wally hadn't even been back by - he was too busy with sorting out his wife - or ex-wife? who knew? - to bother with his husband - or ex-husband? Honestly, there were just too many variables for Oliver at such a time in the morning as this. 

It wasn't as early as Oliver's fretting would have one think, but past breakfast and into the mid-morning, though Oliver acted as though it were the middle of the night for all his groaning and foot-dragging about the rented room at the inn in Hogsmeade. 

Outside, the street was bustling. The first task was rapidly approaching and there were loads of folks in town - reporters from the Prophet and various other wizarding newspapers and magazines crowded about, filling the pubs and the tea room. Oliver decided he'd rather go hungry for the morning than face any questioning looks or inquiries at this hour, and he trotted along the road toward Hogwarts as inconspicuously as possible, wearing a hat to cover his highly recognizable hair and a jacket with the collar popped, eyes down, avoiding eye contact with passersby.

Once out of town, he relaxed a little - the road quieted the further out of the village one got, and he actually started to enjoy his walk for a bit before he felt eyes on his back and he turned around, worrying someone might've followed him out of town. But nobody was there. He couldn't shake the feeling, though, turning 'round every now and again to find the road empty. He could've sworn he saw something moving in the bushes, though, and he kept his eye on the brush and low limbs that lined the road long the lakeside edge. Whatever it was kept very well to the shadows, though, and he didn't catch a glimpse of it.

The castle gates were still ominous and looming, but much less so than they'd been when he had been a student there so many years ago. Hagrid sat with Fang the hound dog and eagerly got up out of the chair he'd been leaning back in, jovially pulling a large ring of keys from his pockets. "Oliver Kent!" he called out, grinning happily as he opened the gate for Oliver to enter onto the grounds. "I heard yeh was 'round the castle, helpin' out Cedric Diggory. That's mighty fine of yeh." 

Oliver waved his greeting, "Hullo Hagrid. How've you been?"

"Been a'right, been a'right," Hagrid muttered, closing up the gate again. "Been havin' a lot of visit'rs here at Hogwarts these days, what with the Tournament an' all... Very excitin' business, this Tournament, very excitin' indeed." He slung the keys back into his pocket. "I been keepin' up with the Cannons on account of yeh being their star seeker... I don' know a whole lot about quidditch, ain't never played it meself an' all, but yeh've been real impressive, Oliver. We're real proud of yeh here at Hogwarts, yeh know." Hagrid beamed with pride as he spoke and clapped his huge hand on Oliver's shoulder so hard Oliver was surprised that he didn't sink right into the soft dirt like a sound stake.

"Thank you Hagrid," Oliver said. Proud of me is the last thing any of you should be, but alright, he thought to himself, but Hagrid's black eyes glistened with such joy at seeing him again that Oliver didn't have it in him to let the old groundskeeper down.

"Yeh here for the weighin'?" Hagrid asked.

"Yessir," Oliver nodded.

"A lot of folks been comin' 'round for it," Hagrid said, "A lot of faces I 'aven't seen in years... Old Bartemius Crouch and Ludo Bagmen, a'course, here from the Ministry. Loads of reporters an' such, too. That feller you was friends with - Declan Alectric was 'round... Yeh remember Rowling a'course - played for Gryffindor back in the 70s when you lot weren't nothin' but little 'uns..."