Book Three: The Heir and The Champions

X - Three of Swords

Harry Potter, November 3rd, Hogwarts Owlery.

Harry Potter hasn't had a good day, it was like back in his second year, whispers followed him in the halls wherever he went with eyes and pointed fingers following soon after. He could feel their eyes on him like crawling ants no matter where he went, no matter what back corridors he took, it was like most of Hogwarts had agreed with Madame Maxime and Headmaster Kakaroff on his guilt, even some of the Gryffindors seemed to believe that he entered himself, asking how he made it past the age line to submit his name.

The only ones that seemed to believe that he hadn't been Angelina, Headmaster Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus, Professor Moody, and surprisingly Snape. Harry wasn't sure about the twins, then again he was never sure when they were Serious or not, but like most of Gryffindor, they just seemed Happy to have two people from the house of the brave and the bold to represent Hogwarts, and Harry always pointed out that he didn't enter willingly the only true Champion was Angeline Johnson; a sentiment that most of Hogwarts shared.

Harry stands in the owlery looking out the barred window with a deep frown, he had been here for over an hour and was currently skipping transfiguration, he had been calling for Hedwig for the entire time he had been here and he hadn't seen or felt her yet. Harry sighs as he leans against the wall looking over the grounds of Hogwarts. He really needed his owl right now, because now, she was his only friend left, other than Hagrid.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ron had asked when Harry had made it past the well-wishers and who wanted to congratulate him for getting into the tournament, some he had silenced with a glare before they could even approach before Angeline had stood up and told them to leave Harry alone so he could escape to his dormitory.

"Tell you what?" Harry asked, it meant to come out as confused but with everything that had happened in the past two hours it came out more of a growl, and Ron's eyes narrowed into a glare at him.

"That you entered the tournament, without me, or Hermione," Ron accused him with a heated glare, "You could have at least told us that you were doing it!" the redhead says.

"I didn't enter the tournament," Harry defends himself with gritted teeth, "Why would I do that? Why would I want any part of this bullshit?!" Harry yells at Ron.

"You know why, but fine, whatever, do what you want," Ron had said as he climbed into bed before shutting his currents.

Harry didn't understand what Ron had meant, but when he tried to talk to him again in the morning, Ron had brushed by him without even a word and left. He had sat with Dean and Seamus for breakfast ignoring Harry and anything he had to say to him when he tried to explain to Ron about what had happened.

Hermione, however, was never one to mince her words, never one to censor herself when she spoke. The calm, collected, and ever-curious bookworm hadn't held back when Harry had caught up with her after charms the day before, she had turned on him and given Harry a piece of her mind, and that, that had stung.

"Hermione, wait up!" Harry had called out to her as she had taken to the main thoroughfare of the castle, the route she knew for a fact Harry hated to take. She had been avoiding him all morning, sitting with Neville or Lavender in classes all-day not even looking in his direction as Harry had sat alone.

Even as Harry calls out to her she keeps moving, ignoring him, and it hurts. Harry forces his way through the suffocating crowds and all the noise of students yelling around him, he could feel his nerves on edge with so many so close to him, his head begins to pound as a headache starts to come on but he thankfully makes his way over to Hermione.