In My Dreams [Draco Malfoy]

chapter seven: the duel

INDIGO

Soon after Harry's name was called, Dumbledore, McGongall, Madam Maxime and Professor Karkaroff had all disappeared into the other room, and Professor Flitwick hurriedly sent everyone off to bed. Stephen, Aria, Su Li and I followed the rest of our house up Ravenclaw Tower, hardly saying a word to each other as we slowly recovered from the shock of the night.

Not only had Viktor Krum been chosen but Harry had also been. Harry always did have a knack for getting into trouble but the level of trouble seemed to be reaching new heights the older he got. As nervous as I was, I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. His life has been surrounded by death and danger since the day he was born. Then again, perhaps Harry and I weren't all that different in that regard, and that made me—the seer who regularly dreams of death—all the more pitiful.

At least Harry gets some respite... I thought bitterly. Then, I felt childish for comparing and attempted to put it out of my mind.

When we finally reached the Common Room, we and the rest of our house spread out and claimed whatever spot on the rug or various items of furniture was available. The four of us ended up on the rug by the fireplace, which Aria and Su Li were very happy about, scooting as close to the warmth as possible.

Su Li was the first to speak.

"What do you guys think is going to happen now?" she asked.

Aria shrugged. "Who knows..." She looked to me. "Any ideas?"

Su Li and Stephen were looking at me too now, and I hesitated.

Yes, I did have some ideas.

I sighed and rubbed my face, then remembered I was wearing mascara and wiped underneath my eyes just in case I had smeared it. "None are very comforting possibilities," I said.

"We don't need to be comforted," said Stephen. "We need to be realistic."

"But a dose of realism would be rather comforting right about now," Su Li added.

I chewed on my lip. "Well..." I began in a quiet voice. "The most likely possibility I can think of is that Karkaroff is going to start meddling. How or why, I don't know. He would be risking time in Azkaban if he did... But I am curious how Harry's name even got in the Goblet of Fire. He seemed just as confused as everyone else."

"I noticed that too," said Aria. "When the Weasley twins thought they actually got across the Age Line, they were proud of themselves. But when Harry heard his name he tried to hide. He certainly didn't look all that accomplished."

"But we did hear him say that he would sneak in and put his name in the Goblet when no one was looking," Stephen offered.

"If he were of-age," Aria reminded him. "Besides, he wouldn't have done it without Ron or Hermione. Those three do everything together, even when they could get expelled for it."

"So..." Su Li began, "you think Karkaroff slipped it in?"

I shrugged. "I don't know... But everyone knows that the You-Know-Who situation in England is escalating... "

"Making the timing of a possible former-Death Eater's presence all the more convenient," Aria finished.

We all sat there for several minutes, mulling over the most likely outcomes.

Then Stephen spoke again.

"Okay, maybe we shouldn't be so surprised," he began. "I mean, think about it: during our Second Year, someone opened an ancient chamber under the castle and set a Muggleborn-eating monster loose; then, during our Third Year, we had an escaped murderer running amok. Compared to those two, having a possible Death Eater in the castle and four students in a live-threatening tournament feels like child's play."