HARRY POTTER STORY: Lions in snake den

Part 23

The days following the second task were busy, but Harry's mind was somewhere else. Between classes, study sessions, and the constant buzz of life at Hogwarts, one moment kept replaying in his head the kiss. Daphne had kissed him on the cheek, just a quick gesture of thanks, but the memory of it lingered far longer than it should have. Every time he thought about it, he felt that strange warmth rise in his chest. It had been a simple, friendly kiss, right? Or at least, it was supposed to be. But when he replayed the scene, something about it seemed different, like there was more to it than she had let on.

Daphne hadn't acted any differently since then she was her usual cool, collected self. If the kiss meant anything more to her, she wasn't showing it. And yet, Harry found himself glancing her way more often than usual, wondering what was going on inside her head. He wondered what it meant for them. Were they just friends? Or was it something more? It didn't help that whenever he tried to get some clarity, the memories of that day the cold rush of the lake, the weight of rescuing both Daphne and Gabrielle, the sheer anger he'd felt at the tournament organizers for putting them all in danger kept crowding his thoughts. And in the middle of all that, there was that kiss. His thoughts drifted to it at the oddest times, like when he was supposed to be listening in Potions or focusing on a Quidditch strategy. He just couldn't shake the way his heart had stuttered in that moment, how Daphne's smirk had left him completely speechless.

Lost in thought, Harry barely noticed when a small brown owl swooped into the Great Hall. It fluttered nervously through the air before dropping a letter right into his lap and making a hasty exit. Harry blinked, snapping out of his reverie, and looked down at the parchment now resting on the table in front of him. His breakfast was forgotten as he unfolded the letter, recognizing the familiar, untidy scrawl immediately.

Harry,

Hope you're doing well after your little swim in the lake. I heard you took to the water like a fish I always knew there was something fishy about you.

Now that I've had my bit of fun, there's something we need to talk about. I'll be in Hogsmeade with a certain furry friend of ours during the next trip. Meet us at the same place as last time, you know where. Don't worry, we're taking every precaution, but I'd still appreciate it if you kept this under wraps. You never know who's watching these days, and I've gotten rather good at keeping myself out of sight.
See you soon, kiddo. Keep your wand ready and your nose clean.

Sirius

A grin tugged at Harry's lips despite himself. Sirius's tone was as familiar and teasing as ever, though there was an undercurrent of caution in his words. Of course, that made sense. He was still on the run, after all, a fugitive in the eyes of the Ministry, and meeting in Hogsmeade, even in disguise, was always a risk. But the lighthearted tone in the letter the fish joke, the way he called him "kiddo" made Harry's heart lift. It was just like Sirius to balance seriousness with humor, even when things were grim. The mention of their "furry friend" could only mean Lupin, which gave Harry a sense of relief. Whenever the two of them were together, it felt like a piece of his family had been restored. They were the closest thing to a connection to his parents, and he cherished those rare moments he got to see them both. As Harry slipped the letter into his pocket, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at the thought of seeing Sirius and Lupin again. But that excitement was tempered by a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. What could be so important that Sirius felt the need to meet him in person? And why now, of all times?

He couldn't shake the suspicion that whatever Sirius wanted to discuss might be related to the tournament or something even more dangerous. Ever since his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire, Harry had felt like a pawn in someone else's game, and the second task had only confirmed that. The way the organizers had used the champions' loved ones, including Daphne, as hostages had left a bitter taste in his mouth. Maybe Sirius had some insight into what was going on behind the scenes.
The thought of Daphne brought his mind back to that kiss once more. He glanced across the table at her, watching as she calmly poured herself a cup of tea while talking quietly with Blaise. She looked completely unbothered by everything that had happened in the last few days. Meanwhile, Harry felt like his mind had been tossed into a whirlwind. How does she do that? he wondered, baffled by how composed she always seemed. Doesn't she think about it at all? Maybe she didn't. Maybe, to her, it was just a simple thank you gesture, and he was overthinking the whole thing. But there was that smirk.