𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 | theodore nott

𝐈𝐕. ━━ the ray of sunshine of hogwarts

⋆☀︎⋆₊⋆˚୨୧⋆₊⋆ ☀︎⋆
ೃ❦⁀➷
▎𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦 ▎
the ray of sunshine of hogwarts━━ׂׂૢ

   𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 the castle felt almost otherworldly in its stillness. Everyone was tucked away in their beds, lost in dreams, but sleep refused to come to me. My mind was a storm of thoughts, churning and relentless after everything that had transpired.

I slipped my feet into my worn slippers, the familiar fabric offering little comfort, and quietly made my way down to the common room. The thought of reading something—anything—felt like a lifeline, a way to anchor myself to something solid when everything else felt so uncertain.

The common room was deserted, bathed in the soft, flickering light of the dying fire. I sank into the couch, pulling my knees up and wrapping myself in the quiet, letting the crackling of the fire be the only sound to fill the void.

I opened Little Women, hoping to lose myself in its pages, to forget, even if just for a moment. The warmth of the fire was soothing, the flames dancing rhythmically, their light casting soft, shifting shadows across the room.

But the quiet didn't last long. The sound of footsteps descending the stairs broke through the silence, and I looked up, startled. Harry stood there, his silhouette framed by the dim light. His face was a mask of exhaustion, the weight of the world seemingly pressing down on him.

"Harry?" I asked, my voice soft but laced with concern. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

He sighed as he sat down next to me, the couch sinking slightly under his weight. "I needed to clear my head. I couldn't stay in my room with Ron being... well, Ron."

I nodded, understanding more than I wished to. "I'm here for the same reason," I admitted, my eyes dropping back to the book in my lap, though the words were just a blur.

There was a heaviness between us, a tension that neither of us wanted but couldn't ignore. Harry reached out, gently pushing my book aside. "Val, you have to believe me. I didn't put my name in the Goblet of Fire. I swear I didn't even go near it."

I looked at him, searching his eyes for any hint of deception, but all I found was sincerity and fear. "Then who did, Harry? Who would do this?"

His shoulders slumped in defeat. "I don't know. But it's all a mistake, a terrible mistake. If there were a contest for who deserved to be Hogwarts' champion, it would be you, not me. I never wanted any of this. You have to believe me."

His voice cracked on the last word, and I felt a pang of guilt twist in my chest. My jealousy, however justified, paled in comparison to the danger Harry was now facing. "Harry, our friendship means more to me than any competition. I'm worried about you, that's all. You're only fourteen, and this tournament... it's deadly."