Harry Potter and the Hunger Games (crossover) ✅

Chapter 19: The Tension

"Why, Katniss? Just why?"

"I couldn't just sit there and watch her walk to death, Mum! I'd rather risk myself," said Katniss to her mother, a little bit outraged, questioning why her mother would cry over her being a tribute again than have Prim's name in the Goblet of Fire.

Of course, her mother didn't know she was a tribute until she came back with Prim. It came as a huge shock for her that Katniss dared to stay than to run away, into the woods. It was what she was planning to do anyway; break the news to her mother, run. But she couldn't bear to do it. Even she felt like crying when she thought about it. She was her mother, after all. There was no way she would be returning next year. That brought her to Peeta. She didn't want to think what his family thought about it. Then there was the matter with Gale. Would they survive? Even if they did, Katniss had to spend six more years not to hear any news about Prim being a tribute. Not in Hogwarts. Not in Panem. Not in District 12. Snow would remain on power at Hogwarts as long as Voldemort was alive. But he will still have the power to rule Panem.

The only solution was for them to die. But what chance did she have? Start an uprising? How will that even be possible? Katniss thought. Even Harry Potter held the title as a tribute. And it was definitely not something to be proud of. The same thing went to her. She wondered whether she will still be called the Girl on Fire. Over time she thought of how useless it had become. The students of Hogwarts knew nothing special behind it. Except for the ones who came from Panem. They were like the Capitol itself, calling out "Girl on Fire" or "Fire Girl" in a mocking way when they passed her in the school corridor.

Katniss' mother couldn't say anything afterwards. Nobody knew how this was going to end. Will the Hunger Games still be played in Panem? Apparently, the whole districts were celebrating it. They thought the Games was finally over. Katniss wasn't sure. And she didn't think she will be able to find out. The Games, everything, was haunting her to death. There was Voldemort. President Snow. The Hunger Games. When she thought about it, she was better dead. But if she told this to the people she cared, they would definitely tell her how much she meant to them. At least, how important she is to the whole country. I'm not important, she thought airily.

The air in the house was unnerving. Katniss thought about going to see Gale. But even the idea seemed reckless. Instead, she proceeded into the woods, not really knowing what to do. All she knew was she could eventually wander around District 12 in peace. Not literally. It was that she could do almost anything without worrying if anyone was watching, whatever it was. Snow must be planning on how to kill my family, she thought. She was about to grab her archery set when she realized that Gale had taken them to Hogwarts, storing them in Hagrid's hut. She wondered if he'd brought them back. But she didn't bother to ask him. Besides, she didn't have her gamebag. In the end, she found herself staring at the lake. Thingking ... Just thinking ...

That was when Gale showed up. Unlike her, he had two hares in both hands. Three quails hung from a rope around his neck. By the looks of it, he had been hunting all day. She knew he had been setting up snares. How came she didn't notice his presence?

"Last look, huh?" He said.

"Where have you been?" Katniss asked.

"Hunting for games, obviously," he shrugged.

"Straight away after-?"

"After I got home, yeah," Gale sighed. "I think they'd notice it by now. I'm surprised it took you a long time to get here."

Katniss didn't say anything. It would be hard for her. So she got up and scaled a maple tree - for some reason.

"You know, Katniss," Gale continued, "We could run away like ... right now."