Champions

Aftermath

When the Champions arrived back at Hogwarts, they expected to be set upon by Headmasters, reporters, and who knows who else. What they got, however, was something quite different. In lieu of the expected chaos, they were beset with worried family members, most of whom were slightly singed, probably by the blast-ended skrewts.

Hermione, with her arm trussed up in a sling, couldn't stifle her snort when she spotted them. "Figures," she grumbled. "As perfectly coiffed as ever."

Fleur would have taken that badly from anyone else, but Hermione was truly a friend, and it was quite amusing. She couldn't help her giggle. "Sorry, 'ermione," she smiled. "Next time we can, ow do you say, swap? You may deal wiz Tom ze next time instead."

Hermione blinked hard at that.

"Wait, what?" she asked.

"Long story," said Harry dismissively. "We'll fill you in later. Important bits right now? Tom and Pettigrew are in custody and not going anywhere."

"Da," said Viktor, having escaped his parents to sneak up beside Fleur. "Vas not exciting," he added. "Heard you vere varrior voman, though."

Fleur couldn't help but grin at Hermione's deep blush. "It wasn't that big of a deal," the girl groused. "Just caged up the skrewts is all."

"And got mauled by a hippogriff," Harry reminded her, giving her a look that told her he was on to her.

Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"Did I 'ear you correctly?" Sebastian finally asked. "You caught Riddle?"

"Oui," nodded Fleur. "Madam Bones 'as it in 'and."

A collective breath of relief escaped most of the adults.

"I guess we know who entered you now," noted Sirius. "Probably wanted you for his return party or something."

"Yeah, but how?" asked Harry. "I suppose he could have sent Pettigrew to put my name in, but it just doesn't add up."

"Zat is a very good point," frowned Fleur.

And it really was. She had heard both Harry and Sirius talk about Pettigrew. He was, by all accounts, only a marginal wizard, and it was questionable whether he could manage to alter the Goblet sufficiently to make it spit out four names.

Not impossible — he was an animagus, which was difficult — but still questionable.

"Bones will probably dose the rat with Veritaserum," Sirius finally said. "She'll learn that and more, and then we'll have all the answers we need."

The group kibitzed for a while longer, but it soon became apparent that the Headmasters and Tournament officials wouldn't be available any time soon. The aftermath was going to take a long while to deal with. They all said their goodnights as a result, and Fleur took the opportunity to drag her husband back to their suite in the carriage.

They didn't even make it all the way to the bed before she proceeded to ravish him, and with an unusual level of aggression she simply couldn't help but feel after the events of the night. He certainly wasn't complaining, though.

The following morning saw them trudging back to the castle, both still tired after spending most of the night doing anything but sleeping. Tom's capture was a huge deal, and they were riding high on the thought that it was almost over. Only Dumbledore remained as a threat, and he would be dealt with soon enough.

Of course, nothing could go that smoothly.

They barely made it halfway up the aisle next to the Gryffindor table when a voice behind them growled out the curse that she had heard started far too often over the course of the last few months: