Athena Black And The Goblet of Fire (sequel to The Story Of Athena Black )

Chapter 23: Saying Goodbye and Going Home

Harry’s trunk was packed; Hedwig was back in her cage on top of it. Athena, he, Ron, and Hermione
were waiting in the crowded entrance hall with the rest of the fourth years for the carriages that would take them back to Hogsmeade station. It was another beautiful summer’s day.  “‘Arry!” Athena They looked around. Fleur Delacour was hurrying up the stone steps into the castle.

Beyond her, far across the grounds Harry and Athena could see Hagrid helping Madame Maxime to back two of the giant horses into their harness. The Beauxbatons carriage was about to take off. “We will see each uzzer again, I ‘ope,” said Fleur as she reached them, holding out her hand. “I am ‘oping to get a job ‘ere, to improve my Eenglish.”
“It’s very good already,” said Ron in a strangled sort of voice. Fleur smiled at him; Hermione scowled. “Good-bye, ‘Arry,”and Athena said Fleur, turning to go.

“It ‘az been a pleasure meeting you!” Athena said you better write me Fluer and keep me updated about you and a certain eldest Wesley. Fluer chuckled and said oui of course and I apologize about after the second task. Athena said I'm over it.

Harrys spirits couldn’t help but lift slightly as he watched Fleur hurry back across the lawns to
Madame Maxime, her silvery hair rippling in the sunlight.
“Wonder how the Durmstrang students are getting back,” said Ron. “D’ you reckon they can
steer that ship without Karkaroff?”
“Karkaroff did not steer,” said a gruff voice. “He stayed in his cabin and let us do the vork.”

Krum had come to say good-bye to Hermione. “Could I have a vord?” he asked her. “Oh… yes… all right,” said Hermione, looking slightly flustered, and following Krum through
the crowd and out of sight.
“You’d better hurry up!”

Ron called loudly after her. “The carriages’ll be here in a minute!”
He let Harry and Athena keep a watch for the carriages, however, and spent the next few minutes craning his neck over the crowd to try and see what Krum and Hermione might be up to. Athena said Ronald Weasley They are just friends stop being a Jealous Git. They returned quite
soon.

Ron stared at Hermione, but her face was quite impassive. “Have you got a new headmaster yet?” said Harry Krum shrugged. He held out his hand as Fleur had done, shook Harry’s hand, and then Ron’s. He gave Athena and Hermione a quick hug. Athena said I expect you to write to me and Susan.

Viktor said of course Athena. Krum had already started walking away when Ron burst out, “Can I have your autograph?” Hermione and Athena turned away, smiling at the horseless carriages that were now trundling toward them up the drive, as Krum, looking surprised but gratified, signed a fragment of parchment for Ron.
The weather could not have been more different on the journey back to King’s Cross than it had been on their way to Hogwarts the previous September. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky.

Athena,Harry, Ron, and Hermione had managed to get a compartment to themselves. Pigwidgeon was
once again hidden under Rons dress robes to stop him from hooting continually. Hedwig and Midnight were dozing, their heads under their wings, and Crookshanks was curled up in a spare seat like a large, furry ginger cushion. Athena,Harry, Ron, Hermione talked more fully and freely than they had all week as the train sped them southward.

A few minutes later Amber, Draco, Jason, Ginny, Luna, Pansy, Gregory, Vincent, Neville, and Susan all appeared into the compartment.  Harry and Athena felt as though Dumbledore’s speech at the Leaving Feast had unblocked them, somehow. It was less difficult to discuss what had happened now. They broke off their conversation about what action Dumbledore might be taking, even now, to stop Voldemort only when the lunch trolley arrived. When Athena returned from the trolley and put her money back into her schoolbag, she dislodged a copy of the Daily Prophet that she had been carrying in there.