human again / hp.

Chapter 73

Two days had passed, and the tension in the air between Harry and me was unbearable. Every time I tried to catch his attention, he found an excuse to leave. It was as though he was doing everything possible to avoid me, and it stung more than I cared to admit.

Now, as I walked with Daphne toward the edge of the Black Lake where the second task would soon begin, my stomach churned.

"I can't believe we're actually going to watch them dive into that freezing water," Daphne said, her tone light as she adjusted her green scarf against the cold breeze. "Honestly, I hope they've been practicing. If I had to do it, I'd be a nervous wreck."

I gave her a faint smile, but my mind was elsewhere. The thought of Harry plunging into the icy depths filled me with a strange mix of worry and pride. He'd managed to survive a dragon in the first task—surely he could handle this one, too.

As we approached the growing crowd near the lake, my heart skipped when I spotted him standing with Neville, their heads bent together in conversation. Harry was dressed in his tournament robes, looking pale but determined.

"There's Neville," Daphne said, nudging me gently. "I'll say hi, then find a good spot to watch."

We approached, and Neville noticed us first, his face lighting up. "Celeste! Daphne! Hi!"

"Hey, Neville," I said, offering him a small smile as we approached.

Neville turned and smiled back warmly. "Hi, Celeste. Daphne," he said, nodding politely to my friend.

"Harry," I said softly, my gaze flickering to him.

He stiffened but didn't look at me right away. When he finally did, his expression was guarded, his green eyes unreadable. "Celeste," he said curtly, barely acknowledging me.

The awkward tension was immediate. Daphne cleared her throat. "Neville, care to show me the best viewing spot?" she said, her tone neutral but kind.

Neville blinked in surprise but quickly caught on. "Oh, uh, yeah. Sure! I know a great spot over there."

As the two walked off together, I turned to face Harry. He hadn't moved, his eyes fixed on a point somewhere beyond me. The weight of his silence pressed down on my chest.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "Harry," I began, my voice quiet but steady, "I just wanted to wish you good luck for the task. I know you'll do great."

He raised an eyebrow, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Thanks," he said shortly, his tone clipped.

The coldness in his voice stung, but I pressed on. "I—" I hesitated, searching for the right words. "I'm sorry for how things ended between us in the library. I never wanted to hurt you."

His expression didn't soften. If anything, his jaw tightened, and he crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, it's done now, isn't it?"

The sharpness in his words cut deep, but I refused to back down. "I know you're angry," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "You have every right to be. But I miss our friendship, Harry. Can we at least try to be friends again?"

He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Friends?" he repeated, his tone laced with sarcasm. "You can't just kiss someone and then decide to go back to being friends like nothing happened, Celeste."

His words hit me like a slap, but I forced myself to meet his gaze. "I never meant to hurt you," I said again, my voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I was doing the right thing—for both of us."

Harry's eyes flashed with something I couldn't quite place—hurt, anger, maybe both. "Well, thanks for your concern," he said coolly. "But maybe next time, let me decide what's right for me."