Last First Kiss {HP Next Generation}

Chapter Eighty Eight

"You knew this entire time and you didn't tell us? I could kill you! I could strangle you! I could set you on fire!" Stella continued to shake Hope all over as they arrived at the judges' platform along with the other Champions to take their place. "But I'm so happy you're okay!"

Suddenly, Hope found herself wrapped in a tight hug that knocked all the air out of her, similar to what Grandma Molly did whenever any of the Weasley grandchildren made their way to the Burrow. 

"Oh, you've been spending too much time with Grandma," Hope said as she gasped for air. "Let me go!"

"Oh no, I'm going to end up hugging the life out of you!" Stella told her. "You're such a little jerk! You could have told us, you could have told us all of this!"

"No, I couldn't," Hope said. "It wasn't my prank to expose."

"Prank?! What prank?!"

"Prepare yourselves, guys, because Professor McGonagall got us all real good. I should have known...I knew I looked up to her for a reason," Hope said looking over where Professor McGonagall was speaking to the other professors. Between all of them from Nixie to Kefira, they all looked widely puzzled and surprised. Sirius looked the most surprised as he stood beside Nixie shaking his head. 

Hope went to explain to the others what had exactly occurred during the tournament but before she had the chance, she was tackled down to the ground from behind. She landed on the ground before turning her head both ways looking at Henry and Fergus that were on either side of her.

"You're mental, you know that?" Fergus told her. "You're absolutely mental. Only you would stand still in the middle of a circle surrounded by dragons. Why would you do such a thing?!"

"Because Fergie, I already figured it out!" She said with a smile. "I told you that!"

"But what if you had been wrong?! You could have been hurt and then what would have happened? You would have left me alone with Henry!"

"Hey!" Henry called out. "Excuse me?"

Hope turned to him, only to meet the boy's gaze as Henry's eyes met hers. The two teens were quiet for a few moments as they continued looking at each other, making Fergus feel suddenly uncomfortable. The boy quickly pushed himself up to stand with the others, giving the two a moment.

"You know, you really got me back there," He said. "I felt my heart drop out of my bum. You can't do something like to me, Hopey. Are you trying to get me to die at a young age?"

"Of course not, Guppy Puppy," she said. "I told you all to trust me. I figured it out back in the library and I knew I was onto something. The only thing that caught me off guard was the all the dragons, but I had to think to myself, would they allow all that to happen. I mean, I learned all the safety protocol when I was at the dragon sanctuary over the summer. They only released one dragon during the first tournament for each competitor and it hard enough for the handlers to manage one at a time. That's what Uncle Charlie and Aunt Anora told me. So why would they suddenly release multiple ones...it didn't make sense."

"Well, how did you figure it out from what I said that day?" he asked. "I didn't mention anything about dragons."

"No, but you said nonsense and that's what this whole tournament has been. It wasn't even a real Triwizard Tournament. The Goblet wasn't real...nothing was real. It was basically all an illusion that Professor McGonagall staged."

"But why would she do something like that?"

"She's a mastermind, that's why," Hope smiled. "Here we've been modeling our moves after the wrong people. We've been looking at the Marauders for inspiration, my dad, and Uncle George...but the true mastermind of all mischief has been at Hogwarts the entire time. She has been around through all the generations too. Professor McGonagall is a total bad arse, Ry, and it's about time she was given her credit."

"Well apparently she's not the only bad arse around here," Henry whispered to her. "You're the one who figured the whole thing out."

"But with your help, though."

The two grinned at each other before Henry leaned in and pulled her into a kiss. "That's why we make a good team, Ope."

"The best one around, Ry."

"Little Lupin Weasley Spawn!"

The teens jumped and looked over in the direction to where Sirius was glaring in their direction. Hope's eyes widened as she looked back at her boyfriend's father.

"You think he's mad at me?" She whispered to Henry.

"No, of course not," Henry said. "I'm sure he's just thankful that you're okay. That's all."

"You wait until I get my hands on you for putting me through all of that?! I was worried sick about you and it was all for nothing!"

"Okay, yeah, he's mad! He's mad! Run!" The two scrambled to their feet as Sirius started running towards them.

"Don't you run from me!"

Nixie stood beside Remus, the two of them still trying to intake and wrap their heads around everything that McGonagall had told them. Remus knew he had to inform his family of what had happened before they all went completely mental.

Nixie was rubbing her hand over her forehead after letting out a heavy sigh. Remus placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"You alright there?" He asked her.

"I'm considering retiring at this point," Nixie said bringing Remus to chuckle.

"You say that, but I know you enjoy the excitement just as much as the rest of us," he replied. 

"I enjoy it but it's probably going to lead to my premature death, Remus," she said. "Well, maybe I won't retire. But I'm going on holiday, maybe somewhere with my mother, but I know I'm dealing with that all summer."

The two looked on to see Sirius still chasing Henry and Hope around while others looked on from the platform.

"Can you take me along? I'll sit in a little dory. You and Meri can pull me along?"

Nixie let out a laugh.

 "I'll run the idea by her but I'm not sure how willing she's going to be towing you around."

"It's not like I'm heavy! And I can row for a bit!"

"I said I'll run it by her!"

"When?!"

"Remus!"