Trip Through time

Interviews

I felt myself wanting to hide from the lady as she spoke quickly. I was standing behind Fleur with Cedric and Viktor by my sides. I hated this, I hated being centre of attention. People notice your mistakes more when they are watching you.

“You alright Harry?” Cedric asked me in a low whisper as I nodded.

I didn’t say anything as Rita buzzed around us. “Who shall we start with? How’s about the youngest? Lovely.” She said quickly as she dragged me away.

The others gave me comforting looks as I calmed my nerves. Rita led me to a broom cupboard. Hesitantly we walked inside and sat down.

Strangely, I couldn’t relax despite the small space. I felt scared with someone in my safe zone, who I didn’t know or like.

“So Harry, how’s it a mere boy of twelve,” Rita started as her quill scribbled down her words.

“Fourteen…” I mumbled the correction, barely able to get it in as she continued to sprout untrue facts.

“About to compete against students not only vastly more emotionally mature than yourself but who have mastered spells you wouldn’t attempt in your dizziest daydreams; concerned?” Rita looked at me as I stammered over my words.

“I hadn’t really thought about it…”

“Because you’re no ordinary boy of twelve, are you?” She asked me as I tried to correct her again, only to be ignored. “The story’s legend, did you think it was the trauma of your past that made you so keen to enter such a dangerous tournament?”

I couldn’t help but getting upset at her question. Was she really suggesting I joined because of Voldemort? “I didn’t enter.” I stated bluntly as she smiled.

“Oh, of course you didn’t,” she said before winking at me. “Everyone loves a rebel, Harry. Scratch that last. Speaking of your parents, were they alive, how’d you think they’d feel? Proud, or concerned, that your attitude, at bet, a pathological need for attention, at worse, a psychotic death wish?”

I felt my anger rise, for the first time in so long, I didn’t want this! I wasn’t doing this by choice! “Hey, my eyes aren’t glistening with the ghosts of my past!” I snapped as I stood up angrily.

“I’m not saying they are. Just asking, now sit down, we’re not done yet.” She said calmly as I sat back down. “Now, I couldn’t help but notice that you and the other champions were quite close. Care to share?” I sent her a glare as I refused to speak. “Come now Harry, what’s the secret?”

I let out a bitter laugh as I smiled wildly. “I guess everyone can’t help but end up liking me.” I spat sarcastically as she looked at me in shock. “Kate did always say that there was no middle ground with me, you either loved me or hated me with a passion; guess that is true here as well.”

“Kate? Who is that? Girlfriend?” Rita asked me as I laughed crazily.

“Oh, Kate. This is funny, she isn’t a girlfriend, but she isn’t just anyone. She’s a girl who is mentioned throughout history, yet she has not been born. She taught me to write and speak when everyone had abandoned me. Scratch that, she taught me everything I know, and I taught her everything she knows. Now, she is running about the crystal fields of Notchun’s mine and flying on the first aeroplane and learning to dance for the first time and she dying on a battlefield. She is being buried in an unnamed grave someone in France, the country she loved more than anything and they won’t even remember her name.” I sung my speech as Rita watched me silently. “So, I ask you, do you really think I care about some pointless interview about an idiotic contest, when I have a whole world at my fingertips? The whole of History and the whole of the future are at my command and yet I control nothing. I didn’t enter this and I don’t care to win. I don’t want eternal glory. I hope you can see that.” I finished, my mood swinging back a forth until it crashed into the pit of my stomach. I quickly left before she could upset me even more.

I spotted the others waiting as I joined them. My emotions were overflowing and threatening to show themselves.

Cedric quickly came to my side as he tried to help me breathe. “I really do not like her…” I mumble switching into my Latin tongue as they looked at me startled.

“Fleur, how about we have our chat?” Rita asked as she gave me a worried look.

“Don’t let her know about Gabrielle, she shouldn’t be brought into this.” I warned her in French as so Rita couldn’t hear. Fleur nodded as she left with Rita.

I hated this.

I ran up the stone steps to the owlery. I looked around for Hedwig who I hadn’t seen since I wrote to him just before the picking.

I hadn’t said anything really, just gave him an overview of what had happened, missing out the time I spent with Poppy and Severus.

I turned around when I heard a hoot, seeing a brown owl landing on the centre. Noticing he had a letter for me I took it carefully.

I opened the letter as I saw Sirius’s handwriting.

Dear Harry;

I am sorry I couldn’t risk sending Hedwig, with the ministry intercepting more owls by the day, she is too recognisable.

We need to talk, meet me in the Gryffindor common room 8 O’clock tonight, make sure you’re alone.

Padfoot.

I was about to leave when I felt my fingers being bitten into.
 
P.s the owl bites.

I ran down the steps as I headed back to the Gryffindor common room.

I waited silently as I read through the text book. Briefly, Ron and Moine joined me but they left shortly after they arrived.

I noticed the daily paper on one of the chairs as I picked it up.

Harry Potter, boy of mere twelve, his eyes glistening with the ghost of his past.

I felt myself getting angry with the article as I throw it into the fire. I jumped when the embering wood became a face as Sirius coughed. “Harry, Harry.”

I crouched in front of my Godfather as I smiled brightly. “Sirius.”

“Harry, I need to know, did you or did you not put your name in the goblet of fire?” Sirius asked me as I filched at his tone.

“N-no,” I stammered, hurt that he would think I would do this out of free will.

“Sorry, I had to ask. Listen, Harry, the death eaters at the world cup, your name being pulled from the goblet, these aren’t coincidences, people die in these tournaments.” Sirius speeched as I gulped.

“Sirius, I don’t want to compete…” I mumbled as I fidgeted with my sleeve.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.” Sirius told me as I looked away.

 Of course I knew I didn't, but I didn’t want to do this. Even with Poppy, Severus and Sirius trying to help me we couldn’t do anything. I didn’t want to do this!

I jumped from the crash that came from upstairs as Sirius rushed. “Harry, we need to go. Keep your friends close!”

Sirius disappeared as I spun to see my redheaded friend. “Harry, what are you doing?”

I fidgeted as I spoke softly, not wanting to get in trouble, “N-nothing…”

Ron gave me a ‘serious’ look as he walked towards me. “I heard voices,” he stated as I backed away from him.

“Y-you must b-be hearing t-things,” I stuttered as he gave me a worried look.

“Harry, are you okay? How about we go to bed?” He suggested as I nodded shyly.

He gently took my hand and led me upstairs to our room. He waited patiently to fall asleep before going to bed himself.

What do I do?