Desperate Measures

Chapter 9 - Round One

Draco leisurely made his way to the Cecil Bruner room at The Rose Inn, very glad that he had decided to leave for this gathering so early. Even now, at half past eight, the number of suitors arriving was surprising; he was wending his way towards the room with probably about fifty other suitors. He wondered when the rush would start and if everyone would make it into the room on time. He wondered if anything would happen if they didn't.

He took a seat in one of the chairs close to the entrance and looked around in interest. The room was set up like a stadium, with tiered seating surrounding a central area, thankfully with individual chairs and not hard benches. The seating, however, didn't start at floor level; instead it started about ten feet up. Since the room was two stories high, this posed no great problem. All around the room, the space under the seating was closed off with what were obviously temporary walls with equally obviously temporary doors. He counted forty of these mysterious doors, all closed. The central area held what appeared to be a ten foot by ten foot glass enclosure, currently empty.

He took out his book and settled down to read for the next hour and a half.

Draco kept an occasional eye on the arriving suitors and his watch. As ten o'clock approached, he put away his book and looked at the entrance doors curiously. It hadn't escaped his notice that there was only one entrance, when he knew for a fact that the Cecil Bruner room had four sets of double doors. At precisely ten o'clock a chime sounded and a field of magic covered the entrance and the doors closed on not a few surprised faces.

An amused grin overtook Draco's face and he had to duck his head to hide it and then cover his mouth to keep from laughing when surprised and shocked murmurs swept through the assemblage. He had had a growing suspicion that something was going to happen right on the hour and he was pleased to know he was right. Maybe the number of suitors eliminated for their lack of timeliness would be reported in The Quibbler.

A few minutes later, after the last of the stragglers had found seats, one of the mystery doors opened and two people wearing hooded cloaks walked to the glass enclosure. A bit of spellwork opened an archway in one of the sides and the two people entered, the glowing archway disappearing behind them. A table and two chairs were conjured by the taller person and the shorter figure took off his cloak and set it on the back of one of the chairs, revealing a well-dressed Harry Potter. Harry sat down and looked up towards the second figure. Murmuring went through the crowd until a voice was heard.

"Good morning. Welcome to the Cecil Bruner room of The Rose Inn. My name is immaterial; however, my occupation is not. I am the chaperone. I will be present at any and all meetings between Harry Potter and his suitors. For now, I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that you have passed the first test – that of respect through punctuality. Before you leave today, you will be subjected to a second test. That is, if you so desire. You are under no obligation to participate."

A chaperone! Where had Harry gotten a chaperone? It was the proper thing to do, especially given Harry's prominence, but where had he found someone that he trusted with his protection? Draco wondered if the chaperone was also the past summer's tutor; it would make sense. Draco focused his attention back on the chaperone as the cloaked man started talking once again.

"As you have undoubtedly noticed, there are several doors around the perimeter of the...arena. Each door leads to one of forty temporary booths that have been established. Each booth can be entered from this area but can be exited only towards the outside. Once out the other side of the booths, you may find a regular exit and leave. You may not return."

There was a bit of disgruntled murmuring but Draco merely nodded his head absently. It made perfect sense to him. Process the mass of people through whatever test was coming up and get them out as efficiently as possible. There were too many suitors here to do much else.