human again / hp.

Chapter 64

The castle was alive with whispers, louder and more persistent than usual, as though the walls themselves were echoing the gossip. Everywhere I went, I caught snippets of conversation about Harry and the Goblet of Fire.

"I'm telling you, he must have found some loophole," a Hufflepuff girl said as I passed her group near the moving staircase.

"Maybe someone else put his name in," argued a boy in Ravenclaw.

"Potter, a champion? What a joke," a familiar voice sneered from ahead. I turned to see Draco holding court near the entrance to the Great Hall, Pansy Parkinson practically hanging off his arm. "He's probably loving all the attention, the smug git."

I rolled my eyes, walking quickly past before Draco could pull me into his rant. His voice faded into the background, but the gossip never stopped. Every corridor, every staircase, every common room seemed to buzz with speculation about Harry's involvement in the Tournament.

I ducked into an alcove to check my bag, realizing I'd left my Defense Against the Dark Arts notes somewhere—probably in the Gryffindor common room again. Brilliant. Just as I was contemplating whether I had time to double back, a voice startled me.

"Celeste."

I turned to see Theodore Nott leaning casually against the wall, his hands shoved into his robes. His sharp features were softened by an almost shy smile, and his dark eyes flicked to mine.

"Oh, Theo," I said, straightening my bag. "Hi. What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you, obviously." His tone was light, teasing, but there was a flicker of something earnest in his expression that I didn't quite catch.

"Well, that's oddly convenient," I said with a small laugh. "What if I hadn't walked this way?"

"I'd have been very disappointed," he replied smoothly, stepping closer. "But you always take this route to Charms after History of Magic, so it wasn't much of a gamble."

I raised an eyebrow, not sure if I should be impressed or unnerved that he'd apparently memorized my schedule. "Right. Well, here I am."

His lips curved into a grin. "Here you are."

I started walking, and he fell into step beside me, his long legs keeping pace easily.

"So," Theo said after a moment, his voice low but edged with curiosity, "what do you think about Potter? Do you believe he put his name in the Goblet?"

I hesitated, my gaze dropping to the stone floor as we turned a corner. "I don't know," I admitted. "Harry doesn't seem like the type to chase glory, but... it's hard to ignore how suspicious it all looks."

Theo tilted his head, studying me. "Fair point. Still, if anyone could figure out how to fool Dumbledore's enchantments, it'd be him. He's good at finding trouble."

"Maybe," I said, frowning slightly. "But it doesn't feel right. If he didn't do it, then someone else put his name in, and that's—well, that's terrifying."

Theo nodded, his expression thoughtful. "You're not wrong. It's dangerous, no matter how you look at it. But then again, dangerous seems to follow Potter around like a shadow."

I couldn't help but laugh softly. "That's true. He has a knack for finding himself in the middle of things."

Theo chuckled too, the sound warm and surprisingly genuine. "And yet, here you are, defending him. Gryffindor loyalty, I suppose?"

I shrugged, adjusting the strap of my bag. "I guess I just know him better than you do."

Theo's smile faltered for the briefest moment, but he recovered quickly. "Well, I hope that loyalty doesn't get you into trouble."

As we approached the Charms classroom, the corridor grew more crowded, students lining the walls as they waited for Flitwick to arrive. My eyes caught on Harry almost immediately—he was standing by the door, bag slung over one shoulder, his face drawn tight with exhaustion. Hermione was next to him, talking rapidly and gesturing in a way that made her frustration obvious.

Theo followed my gaze and let out a soft scoff. "Speak of the devil."

Before I could stop him, he raised his voice. "Potter! Gotten bored of all the glory yet?"

Harry turned at the sound of Theo's voice, his expression sharpening into a glare. He said nothing, though I could see the tension in the way he gripped the strap of his bag, his green eyes meeting mine for a split second before flickering to Theo. There was something guarded in his expression, and he quickly turned back to Hermione.

I felt a pang of something I couldn't quite place.

"Really?" I said sharply, stepping closer to Theo. "Do you have to?"

Theo looked at me, surprised. "What? It's a valid question. He's loving the attention—just look at him."

"Maybe he's just trying to get through the day without being harassed," I shot back, crossing my arms.

Theo raised an eyebrow. "Why are you defending him? He doesn't need you to fight his battles. Besides, it's not like he's your responsibility, Celeste."

I hesitated, caught between wanting to shut Theo down and not wanting to make a scene. My mind raced, trying to find the right balance.

"He's not my responsibility," I said finally, my tone firm but calm. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to stand here and let you add fuel to the fire. You don't know what's actually going on, and neither do I."

Theo frowned but didn't argue, his gaze shifting back to Harry for a moment before he finally shrugged. "Fair enough," he said, though his tone was begrudging.

Taking the opportunity, I stepped closer to Harry and Hermione.

"Hi," I said quietly, catching Harry's eye for the first time since last year.

Harry looked surprised, blinking at me for a moment before nodding. "Hi."

Hermione gave me a wary glance, clearly unsure of what to make of my sudden appearance.

"How are you holding up?" I asked Harry, keeping my voice low.

He hesitated, glancing at Hermione before answering. "I've been better," he admitted. "But I didn't put my name in that Goblet, if that's what you're wondering."

"I wasn't," I said quickly, though I wasn't entirely sure if that was true. "I just... wanted to check on you. It can't be easy, with everyone talking about you like this."

He gave a small, humorless laugh. "That's putting it mildly."

For a moment, I wanted to say more—to tell him that I believed him, or that I'd try to help if I could—but the words caught in my throat. After everything that had happened last year, it felt strange to be standing here, talking to him like nothing had changed.

Theo, who had been lingering nearby, cleared his throat. "Well, this has been riveting, but we should probably get to class."

I turned back to him, my expression neutral. "Right. I'll see you later, Harry."

"Yeah," Harry said, giving me a small, tired smile.

As Theo and I walked into the classroom, I nodded, offering him a small smile. "Thanks for walking with me."

"Anytime," he said, lingering for a moment before finally turning and heading toward the back of the classroom.

The tension between us was palpable. He didn't say anything, but I could feel his eyes on me as I took my seat next to Daphne and he his next to Draco. 

I glanced over at Theo, who was watching me with an intensity that made me feel oddly self-conscious. He was a friend, I reminded myself. Just a friend.

But the way he looked at me said otherwise, and for the first time, I wondered if I'd missed something—something important.

As the lesson continued, my thoughts kept drifting, a tangled mess of confusion and unanswered questions. About Theo, about Harry, and about the growing feeling that this year was going to change everything.