𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞'𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞┃𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙮

Chapter 47: Harry Potter Ends Up In Trouble... Again

"Take this thing for a walk?" he repeated in disgust, staring into one of the boxes. "And where exactly are we supposed to fix the leash? Around the sting, the blasting end, or the sucker?"

"Roun' the middle," said Hagrid, demonstrating. "Er- yeh might want ter put on yer dragon-hide gloves, jus' as an extra precaution, like. Harry- you come here an' help me with this big one..." Hagrid's real intention, however, was to talk to Harry away from the rest of the class.

The next few days were not the best for Rubi's cousin.

People were still distanced away from Harry and Rubi noticed without Ron, Harry felt even worse about this whole ordeal. Meanwhile there was no reply from Rubi's father, and Professor Trelawney was predicting Harry's death with even more certainty than usual, and Harry did so badly at Summoning Charms in Professor Flitwick's class that he was given extra homework- the only person to get any, apart from Neville. Rubi couldn't help but pity Harry. He didn't deserve all this.

"It's really not that difficult, Harry," Hermione tried to reassure him as they left Flitwick's class- she had been making objects zoom across the room to her all lesson, as though she were some sort of weird magnet for board dusters, wastepaper baskets, and lunascopes. "You just weren't concentrating properly-"

"Wonder why that was," said Harry darkly as Cedric walked past, surrounded by a large group of simpering girls, all of whom looked at Harry as though he were a particularly large Blast-Ended Skrewt. Rubi flipped them off, making them scowl.

"Aw, cheer up, Harold!" Rubi said, ruffling Harry's black locks. "I'll be extra kind to you and do your homework for you."

"Rubi, that's cheating!"

"Hey, he's already having a hard enough time as it is, why not help him where we can?" Rubi retorted.

"The professor will find out and it will just cause further trouble."

Rubi huffed, a scowl on her face, "Fine. I'll help you do it then." She muttered to Harry.

The trio after lunch arrived at Snape's dungeon for double potions, and they found the Slytherins waiting outside, each one of them wearing a large badge on the front of his or her robes. Reminding Rubi eerily of Hermione's S.P.E.W. badges- but then she realized what they really were. Luminous red letters that burnt brightly in the dimly lit underground passage:

Support Cedric Diggory-

The REAL Hogwarts Champion!

"Like them, Potter?" said Malfoy loudly as they approached.. "And this isn't all they do- look!" He pressed his badge into his chest, and the message upon it vanished, to be replaced by another one, which glowed green:

POTTER STINKS

The Slytherins howled with laughter. Each of them pressed their badges too, until the message POTTER STINKS was shining brightly. Harry turned red.

"Oh very funny," Hermione said sarcastically to Pansy Parkinson and her gang of Slytherin girls, who were laughing harder than anyone, "really witty."

Ron was standing against the wall with Dean and Seamus. He wasn't laughing, but he wasn't sticking up for Harry either. Rubi threw him a look of disappointment which for a second, made Ron falter, his eyes flying to the ground.

"Want one, Granger?" said Malfoy, holding out a badge to Hermione. "I've got loads. But don't touch my hand, now. I've just washed it, you see; don't want a Mudblood sliming it up."

"SHUT UP!"

Rubi had whipped out her wand, pointed directly at Malfoy. She was breathing heavily and the crowd scrambled out of the way, watching as her hair transformed into a crimson red. Harry also had his wand out, boiling with anger.