PROPHECY CHILD

8

When I woke up on Sunday morning, it took me a moment to remember why I felt so miserable and worn out.

I sat up and ripped back the curtains of my own four poster, thanking Merlin, Morgana and every deity out there for giving me some six hours sleep, without any troubles of the real world interfering.

I dressed myself and went down the spiral staircase into the common room.

The moment I appeared, the people who had already finished breakfast broke into applause again.

The prospect of going down into the Great Hall and facing the rest of the Gryffindors, all treating me like some sort of hero, was not inviting; it was that, however, or stay here and allow myself to be cornered by the Creevey brothers, who were both beckoning frantically to me to join them.

I went downstairs, crossed the entrance hall quickly without looking in at the Great Hall, and were soon striding across the lawn toward the lake, where the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected blackly in the water. Despite skipping breakfast, I did not feel hungry at all, the stay at Dursley's had given me a habit of sorts, while they didn't left me starving I wasn't given sufficient food as well. So, one could easily say that this was normal for me.

It was a chilly morning, and I sat down on the edge of the Black Lake, and wrote a letter to Sirius, knowing that this Tournament is a big thing and press will be involved. And with that thought I once again went into my memories to check if the Potter Family has any shares in the Daily Prophet, which is a popular news paper and was quite happy to see that Potters did have 15% capital shares. Which means no sensible employee would dare to write anything against me.

Then finally I went up to the Owlery and tied my letter to Hedwig, and whispered to her softly, "Hey, is it okay if I cast a Colour Changing Charm on you?" She looked up at me and hooted, so, I softly smiled and said, "colovaria!" And watched as Hedwig's once white fur turned brownish grey like any other owl in owlery and stroked her gently.

She still looked beautiful and royalty. Of course she would, she was my companion after all.

"Okay, take this to Sirius, and be careful." I said softly as she nibbled my finger affectionately and flew off.

For the rest of the day, I spent most of my time reading books on Olde and Forgotten Magic Theories and thankfully other than some occasional pointing and glaring from the other houses, I was left alone.

The following day showed me that every other house believed that I hat entered my name in the Goblet of Fire, like Gryffindor but instead of Gryffindors proud and happy reaction there's was anger and hatred for me. And it was starting to feel like bloody second year all over again. 

The Hufflepuffs, who were usually on excellent terms with the Gryffindors, had turned remarkably cold toward the whole lot of them.

One Herbology lesson was enough to demonstrate this. It was plain that the Hufflepuffs felt that I had stolen their champion's glory; a feeling exacerbated, perhaps, by the fact that Hufflepuff House very rarely got any glory, and that Cedric was one of the few who had ever given them any, having beaten Gryffindor once at Quidditch.

Ron and Hermione weren't talking to me either which was considerably a very good news for me, as it saved me from their constant yammering.

I would have been looking forward to seeing Hagrid under normal circumstances, but Care of Magical Creatures meant seeing the Slytherins too — the first time I would come face-to-face with them since becoming champion. Not that their comments hurt me or anything, now that I think about it, with living with the mentally and physically abusive Dursley's I have become so thick-skinned that I don't think they could hurt me even if they tried.