The Goblet of Fire - Harry Potter Male Reader Insert

23: Hostage

"Y/N, would you get down?"

The great leopard opened its eyes. It had been dozing in its favourite tree in the forest when it heard the familiar voice. Lazily lifting its head from its crossed paws, it looked down at the one who had called out for it.

Below the trees, Hermione was standing on the wild grass with her hands on her hips and looking up at the leopard, her face curled into a disapproving and impatient glare.

Anyone who could have been watching this moment unfold would most definitely be mightily perplexed by the sight before them. Here was a girl no older than fifteen glancing up at a half-asleep leopard long after sunset, the way a disappointed mother would her oversleeping son... and she was still standing.

The leopard rolled its eyes, straightened up onto its front paws, and lept down from the tree onto the firm earth. Seconds later, it had shifted into its human form.

"How did you find me?" Y/N asked. "The Forbidden Forest is a dangerous place, you know, especially after sunset."

"Oh please, we're not even in very deep," Hermione tutted impatiently in response. "As for how I found you... where else would you be? You've made it a habit to come here. Don't think I haven't noticed."

"Yeah well, guess you've found my secret haven." said Y/N airily. "But why, may I ask, did you interrupt my nap, Miss Granger?"

Hermione tutted. "The egg." she said, quite loudly. "Have you figured out the clue yet? There's only three weeks till the next task, you know!"

"I am aware."

"Well then?" said Hermione impatiently. "Haven't you gotten any further to deciphering the egg's clue?"

"Nope. Just screaming. Very loud, very painful screaming."

"Then you'd better stop acting so casual!" Hermione fumed, exasperated. "You won't do Harry any good if you can't participate in the second task!"

"I suppose that's true."

"Well then come to the common room and let's sort out the clue for that egg. It's almost time for cerfew, if you're found out of the common room you'll be in trouble!"

Reluctantly, Y/N followed Hermione down the path back to the castle. The sun had set quite a while ago, and the sky was becoming darker with every step they took. When they entered the castle, there was the usual case of people whispering to each other as Y/N passed them, cupping their mouths with their hands. Y/N's ears picked up the words 'unfair' and 'champion' a fair few times. When he stopped to look at them, however, they'd flee.

He couldn't really say anything had changed much since he'd been made substitute champion. Just the same old whispering and rumours, only this time, a few jealous glares had been thrown into the mix.

Life was not entirely the same as it had always been, however. Malfoy was, of course, enraged by his public humiliation at the hands of Y/N, and Snape was, as usual, on his side. The greasy Potions Master made his displeasure at the fact that his favourite student had been pranked known by being particularly horrible to not just Y/N, but the rest of Gryffindor.

"Ugh, I can't figure it out!" Hermione finally exclaimed, after a good hour of poking and prodding the golden egg whilst they sat in the common room. "I give up! I just cannot listen to that noise any more. If I have to hear it for another second I'll throw that egg into the lake!"

At Hermione's mention of the lake, Y/N had an epiphany. "Maybe that's precisely what we're supposed to do."

"What, give up and hurl this thing into the lake?" said Hermione doubtfully.