"You know, I have to wonder why I'm stuck in this tournament in the first place." Harry had brought Hermione to the library following Moody's training session on Saturday. Technically, Hermione had dragged Harry there at a full sprint when Harry told her he had unrestricted access to the Restricted section, despite being 'dead tired' at the end of practice. Harry also, technically, didn't count this as a date, but Hermione was certainly having a good time. He was flipping through Broken Broomsticks: Good Reasons to Stay Grounded, which listed many common aerial mishaps with brooms, which Harry had never seen, since he rarely flew outside the Quidditch pitch. Hermione was flipping through Brewes For Thine Bod, one of the restricted books on potions that permanently modify a person's body. She was specifically looking up the eyesight potion and the regrowth potion that Harry told her about.
"What do you mean? The Goblet's a binding magical contract. Whoever messed with it to get your name in didn't muddle that part up, at least," she answered without looking up from the book. "Oh, neat! This one should permanently boost your power... oh, wait, never mind. Eew."
"No, not that, I mean why would anyone even bother sticking my name in? And what do you mean, eew?" Harry really needed to learn how Hermione could hold two conversations at the same time so easily.
"Oh, it's just that you needed to drink someone's blood and throw in some dead guy's skull. I don't think you'd want that one. Anyways, Moody guessed the whole thing was an assassination attempt, right?"
"Oh, that IS gross! I can see why that book's restricted. And I'd agree with Moody, but I don't see what me being in a tournament is going to do to help an assassin. I'm not going to kill anyone."
"But don't you see what it's done to the security of the event? As soon as your name was announced, the number of journalists and photographers trying to get into the event practically tripled! The tickets to the Trial of Air were sold out overnight, and people are demanding more seating already... and Bagman wants to let them in, because it'll make them more money! It's become a nightmare for Auror Shacklebolt."
"So you're saying that I'm just a distraction so they'll have an easier time sneaking in as part of the crowd?"
"Yeah, that's my best guess. It's the only thing I can think of that makes sense, though. Oh, I found the vision-correction potion. It takes about a week to brew, though. The customized recipe that uses some of your tears and eyelashes will guarantee perfect vision, compared to the more generic version."
"Do you need me to owl-order any ingredients? I'd rather not have to tell Snape that I need to borrow any rare ingredients." Harry closed his book, and grabbed the next one on the pile. Aerial Attackers: Creatures from the Clouds, a book of the deadliest flying beasts. He was almost certain some of the "obstacles" in the course would be living ones.
"There are a few expensive ones for the custom version... Are you sure you can afford-" Hermione cut herself off when she saw Harry's disapproving look. "Oh... right... silly me. I doubt it would cost more than thirty galleons... but do you trust me to brew this potion for you, Harry?"
"Hermione, I'd trust you with my life. In fact, I think I've already done that more than once." Harry leaned over and whispered, "You've never failed me, my love. Don't you dare to ever doubt yourself."
Glancing around to make sure Madam Pince wasn't anywhere in sight, she said, "Harry, you're as sweet as ever." She gave him a long, sensual kiss for that.
"The library is not the place for you young couples to fool around, champion or no champion!" They flew apart as the librarian caught them. Satisfied that she had successfully killed the emotion in their impromptu make-out session, Madame Pince left. How does that woman do that? thought Hermione angrily. She interrupted a perfectly good time I was having with Harry. I can't believe she'd... oh wow, I can't believe that I actually dislike a librarian.
"Well, I guess it's time we get out of here," said Harry. "We can read these books more comfortably in the common room anyways."
The Sunday edition of Daly Prophet flew in at breakfast, bearing all the photos and articles from the Wand Weighing. Unsurprisingly, Fleur's provocative posing and extremely photogenic figure meant she was splashed all across page three. The wand weighing was summarized on the front page, and each Champion got a short article with a quick biography. Harry's article, however, caught Hermione's eye.
.
.
.
🎉The novel is available in PDF, visit us in our Ko-Fi store🎉
🎉ko-fi.com/madarasama125🎉