Conall Wolf

48) And the winner is...

"Confringo!" Somebody yells behind Conall, and Conall gets blast away from the cup, missing the cup by inches. He falls down on the ground, and the only thing that he could do right now is watching Dean walking towards to cup, taking it and winning this tournament. Conall can kick himself for being so stupid. If he was a bit quicker this would never have happened. If he never helped Dean getting more confidence this would never have happened.

Conall closes his eyes, he doesn't want to see this. He feels weak, he feels worse than ever before. He was so close, he could be the hero of their school until the next Tournament that Beauxbatons will win. He could win 1000 galleons and having a good start for his future. He could have wore that title of being the Triwizard winner. And now everything is so far away, and it all seemed like that dream he once had as a little boy.

Conall opens his eyes again and to his surprise he does not find a Dean holding the cup triumphant in the air. On the contrary, he doesn't touch it at all. His hands are reached out the get the cup, but he doesn't touch it. Dean is staring at the cup, not knowing what to do. Then he looks at Conall, he lowers his hand and takes a few steps backward.

"W-what are you doing?" Conall asks confused. He can't see what is happening right now.

"Take it, I don't earn the cup and you do. Take it." Dean demands.

"Are you kidding? No you deserve it. You fairly blasted me out of the way." Conall says. He doesn't know why he is saying that. He would love to take that cup from him, but something is holding him back, something about Deans behaviour it odd.

"No I don't deserve it. If you knew everything that I have done, then you will agree on me. Now take it!" Dean shouts. Conall stands up, but he doesn't walk towards the cup.

"I don't understand, why?" Conall asks.

"Take the god damn cup! Now! Rue Miller will be here any second, and neither of us wants her to win do we?" Dean says. He avoids eye contact with Conall, and he fixes his look to the ground, his finger pointing to the cup as a sign that Conall needs to take it. Conall hears footsteps downstairs, now reaching the crow, about to answer a riddle.

"First explain me why, you say there is a reason. What is it?" Conall says. Why is he asking questions? He can just grab the cup, why isn't he doing it?

"Because I cheated alright! I cheated my way through this tournament. I was scared, and jealous and sad. I didn't understand why I was chosen and the First Task was a disaster. I felt miserable and then you came to help me, saying that there doesn't need to happen a miracle. You opened my eyes, and they next day I stole liquid luck out of the potion classroom. I used it during the last two tasks, and that is why I am here right now." Dean says quickly, still not looking at Conall.

"You did what!" Conall bellows in disbelief. All this time he thought that he helped Dean, that he helped him becoming a better man, and that his confidence was the reason that Dean was so good in the Second Task, but it was all luck?

"And that is why you deserve this and I don't! You always played fair, you even wanted to help me! You are the real winner, and not me. I can never live with myself knowing that I won unfair, and that I took that place from you while you have a heart of pure gold. You are amazing in everything and you have a great personality. Now take that cup, because Rue Miller will be here any moment." Dean hurries.

Conall looks in disbelieve to him. He slowly takes some step towards the cup, and then he hears footsteps rushing the steps. Conall keeps walks to the cup and then he holds the ears. A warm feeling is filling his body and sparks are getting out of the cup. The winner is chosen. Conall looks amazed from the cup to Dean. Dean looks slightly at him, but when he sees that Conall is looking back he looks back at his feet.