UNTOLD | D.M (UNRAVEL BOOK 3)

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"Of course not, doll. You're not cursed, neither you nor Harry or Hogwarts is," Sirius reassures with a smile from his coal-like appearance.

"So what do you think is happening?" Harry asks, pressing on for more information, and Sirius continued, "I'm saying— that the Devil is inside those castle walls. Igor Karkaroff? He was Death Eater and no one. Literally, no one stops being a Death Eater unless they're—"

"Killed," Harry and Aine finish together and Sirius nodded, "Then there's Barty Crouch. Heart of Stone. Sent his son to Azkaban because he was a Death Eater."

Aine covers her mouth to hide her shock, she never knew the people who had set their foot into Hogwarts were half dangerous, in one way or another. Harry leans forward, "You think one of them put my name in the goblet?" he asks and Sirius frowned, "I haven't a clue who put your name in the goblet, Harry..."

"Perhaps it was someone of age?" Aine implies, earning an eye roll from Harry, "Yeah, who else would it be?" he said sarcastically, making the raven-haired girl throw a glare in his direction. "I've been giving a great deal of thought about too, what if it's someone older who could step into the age line Dumbledore had drawn? But if it was a student, who would do such a horrible thing despite knowing the fact that you'll be put in grave danger and potentially lose your life in it? Why would they even do that? It seems strange, doesn't it?" Aine wondered, and Harry and Sirius remained silent, thinking about Aine's words.

Her lips tore apart as a small audible gasp escaped from her mouth, causing the two men to look at her, "What is it, Aine?" Sirius asks and the girl swallowed, "What if— Just what if... What if the person who gave your name to the fire was an adult, perhaps a professor? I— I mean, it sounds ridiculous and who in their right minds would do that, right? They are definitely of age, and could easily be passed through the ring and simply toss the paper where they had written your name on into the fire. No one would expect a teacher to do that, right?" she stammers, and Harry's face went pale. Sure, he knew that there were students who hated his guts, *coughs* Draco Malfoy, *coughs*, but to have a teacher hate him that much to throw him into the fire? He instantly thought of a face, and refused to believe it, even if he hated the boy, why would he do such a thing?

 "It... It can't be Snape, right?" he questions, his leg trembling against the rug. 

"No. No, Harry. Severus wouldn't do such a thing, I've known of his hatred for you but he would never do it," Sirius assures him and Aine purses her lips.

"But yes, Aine... It actually makes sense. A professor would be able to do that fairly easy and not be suspected of doing so because they may have helped Dumbledore in creating the line but... The question remained if it were true. Which one of them wants Harry dead? And more importantly, why?" Sirius ponders.

"I'm scared, Sirius..." Harry tells him, as he chewed on his lip. 

"Whoever did this is no friend to you," his godfather reminded.

"People die in this tournament, I'm not ready for this... Tell me what I should do, Sirius," He pleaded, but Sirius merely told him that he didn't have any choice and since the Triwizard Cup holds a bond to its champions, severing it wouldn't be easy. Just then, footsteps gathered towards the three of them and Aine looks over to the casted shadow that was appearing, "Someone's coming!" 

"Keep your friends close, Harry. Aine, take care of him for me will you?" Sirius said, impatient as the two Gryffindors stood up and turned to the figure that emerged from the stairs. Aine breathed out of relief to see Ron hesitantly walking towards them, "Who are you talking to?" he asks.

"What? Who says I was talking to anyone?" Harry bluntly replies, and Aine cringed at his obvious lie, briefly turning to the fireplace and her small grin faded away as she no longer saw Sirius's face in the coal, only little embers remained as it crackles.