Clearly Dark

Chapter 6 - Discovery

His heart was in his throat as it thumped away in his fear. He had no idea how his name was placed in the Goblet. He wanted a quiet year where he can just study – but no. Someone had other plans for him.

"Harry Potter!"

Harry jumped at his name being mentioned as he began to quickly back away from the swarm of adults that were rushing towards him.

"Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" Dumbledore asked seriously to Harry with the twinkle in his eyes gone. "Did you put your name into the Goblet, Harry?" he asked again quickly.

"No, I didn't, I swear, I didn't do it," Harry said almost on the brink of tears.

"You didn't ask another student to do it for you, you didn't bewitch it?" Dumbledore pressed.

"No, I didn't," Harry answered again.

"Of course, he did!" Madame Olympe Maxime, headmistress of Beauxbatons, interrupted.

"The boy couldn't have possible cheated the Goblet of Fire," Mad-eye defended. "The Goblet of Fire is an exceptionally powerful magical object, only an exceptionally powerful conjurer could have hoodwinked it. Magic way beyond the talents of a fourth year."

"You seem to have given this a fair bit of thought Mad-Eye," Igor Karkaroff, the headmaster of Durmstrang added suspiciously, looking at Mad-eye.

The tension could be seen suddenly rising in the room as the two men stared each other down.

"That isn't helping! Barty what do you suggest we do?" Dumbledore asked.

Silence rang in the room for a few mere seconds before the man spoke.

"The boy has to compete. It is the laws of the games. He must compete," Barty Crouch explained. "Harry Potter is the fourth Champion."

Dread filled Harry. There was no way that he was willing or ready to partake in the fatal games. Someone had set him up and he was beyond terrified now. Maybe this was what Draco had warned him about.

Since then, Harry hadn't been able to focus and that gone into the Room of Requirement a lot earlier than he should have. He didn't want to meet anyone he didn't want to. The comments from the other students when his name had been called out were enough. He didn't need any more hate than he was already getting. He could deal with only so much at a time.

"Harry! I warned you! This is what happens!" a voice yelled making him jump. "When you don't listen to me!"

Draco ran towards him and shook Harry by the shoulders.

Harry let down more tears as he stared into Draco's silver eyes making the other stop his aggressive movements and hug the dark-haired boy.

"Harry, I suggest you pack your bags and run," Draco said. "Don't continue with the games. No one is going to be supporting you. You know how popular Cedric is and the longer you stay in the competition, the more hate you will get."

Harry didn't reply and just pulled his legs to his chest and his head between his knees as he cried. Draco placed a hand in Harry's hair as he himself began to cry. After a few hours, they were just sitting together unable to cry anymore in silence.

"We... we should return to our dorms..." Draco whispered after a few seconds as he sniffed.

"Can we not stay here? I don't really want to talk to anyone right now..." Harry answered as tears began to fill his eyes again.

"You'll have to face them someday Harry," Draco said as he hugged the other closer to him. "If it's bad, maybe tomorrow. I don't want people getting suspicious of us. And I'm sure one way or another, it will eventually reach the ears of my father and from then onwards, they will see me as an opportunity to bring the end of the Boy Who Lived."