We will meet again ~ Fred Weasley

- The First Task -

"I was so terrified of you leaving me that I destroyed us first—because somehow, ruining it myself hurt less than waiting for the day you decided I wasn't enough to stay for."

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The morning of the first task arrived far too quickly.

By breakfast, the entire castle felt charged with nervous energy. Students whispered over plates of untouched food, placing bets and theorising loudly about what the champions would face, while professors attempted — mostly unsuccessfully — to maintain some sense of normal routine.

Katherine barely heard any of it.

Her stomach had been twisting since the moment she woke up.

Across the Gryffindor table, Harry looked pale beneath the candlelight, dark circles visible under his eyes from another sleepless night. He kept absently flexing his fingers around his goblet like he needed to keep them moving or risk panicking entirely.

Katherine had never seen him this nervous before.

Not even before Quidditch finals.

And somehow that terrified her more than the dragons had.

For the past week, she, Hermione, and Neville had spent nearly every spare moment helping Harry prepare. Spells had been practised repeatedly until all their voices were hoarse and their wrists ached from wandwork. Hermione had organised everything meticulously, Neville had remembered useful defensive charms Harry kept forgetting, and Katherine had stayed up far later than she should have, refusing to leave until Harry managed each spell confidently.

Still, none of it felt like enough.

Because today wasn't a test.

Today was a dragon.

By the time they made their way down toward the Quidditch pitch, now transformed into a massive arena, Katherine felt genuinely ill.

The stands towered overhead, packed tightly with students from every house. Excited chatter echoed through the cold air, though beneath it all sat an unmistakable tension.

Hermione glanced sideways at Katherine as they climbed the steps toward their seats.

"You look like you're about to faint."

"I might."

"You won't."

"I absolutely might."

Hermione hesitated before lowering her voice.

"We could sneak into the champions' tent."

Katherine looked at her instantly, surprised by Hermione's suggestion to break the rules.

Hermione's expression turned knowingly amused.

"You want to."

She did.

Desperately.

Not for Harry, really.

For herself.

"Let's go."

The two of them slipped away before anyone could stop them, hurrying around the edge of the arena toward the large tent pitched near the entrance gates. Their shoes crunched softly against the frosted grass as Katherine's heartbeat pounded louder with every step.

She carefully peeked between the tent flaps.

"Pst. Harry?"

Inside, Harry's head snapped up immediately.