Breaking Apart ; Harry Potter [2]

Chapter 8

"You seem to have given this a fair bit of thought Mad-Eye." Igor said, looking at Moody suspiciously.

"It was once my job to think as dark wizards do, Karkaroff perhaps you remember?" Mad-Eye eyed Igor as if he was holding all of Igor's secrets and was threatening to spill them out.

"That doesn't help Alastor. Leave this to Barty." Dumbledore said solemnly.

Suddenly, the door slammed open.

A wild looking Robyn tumbled in, her eyes consumed with fear for her best friend.

"Miss. Thompson?" Professor McGonagall said in surprise.

Robyn rushed up to Dumbledore and Harry.

"Please Professor, you must stop this. He can't possibly take part in the tournament." Robyn cried, fighting back the waterfall of tears that were threatening to spill.

"This is a room for champions only!" Barty interjected harshly.

Now, most people would have cowered away and scampered off, not having the voice to fight back to a Ministry folk. But in Robyn's distress, she really didn't care who she was talking too.

"Then why is Harry here?" Robyn said. "Why have you not sent him off to bed? All of this is just-...just a horrible mistake and anyone can clearly see he does not want to do this. He didn't put his name in that Goblet therefore he shouldn't have to participate in this stupid nonesence that is the Tri-Wizard Cup." Robyn huffed, her arms crossing over her chest.

Barty looked red in the face as he glowered at the brunette that dared to speak back at him. Minerva had a ghost of a smile on her face.

Robyn looked at Harry. His eyes said everything. Most people might not of been able to tell but Robyn could. He was scared. Terrified. Confused. And most importantly, not at all ready for what was about to happen.

"The rules are absolute, the Goblet Of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract. Mr Potter has no choice, he is as of tonight...a Tri-Wizards champion." Barty declared solemnly.

Robyn spun around to face Barty.
"What?!" She exclaimed as the terror in Harry's eyes grew. He looked defeated.

"Dumbledore?" Robyn begged.

"It is out of my hands, Miss. Thompson."

Robyn gasped again as she looked at her Headmaster in betrayal.

"What happened to always protecting your students." Robyn whispered and several gasps sounded around the room.

>>>

The students were sent to bed. Now, it was only the Professors standing in a room, the lingering feeling of unknown hovering around them.

"This can't go on Albus. First the dark mark, now this?"

"What do you suggest, Minerva?" Dumbledore said patiently, his hands held together.

McGonagall, on the other hand, was pacing in front of him.

Moody was drinking from his metal flask and Snape was standing in the shadows, his usual scowl painted on his face.

"Put an end to it. Don't let Potter compete." McGonagall insisted.

Albus sighed.

"Miss. Thompson said the same but you heard Barty, the rules are clear."

"Well the devil with Barty and his rules. And since when did you accomodate them..." Minerva said, turning to Dumbledore, her pointed hat askew.

"Headmaster, I too find it difficult to believe this mere coincidence, if we are to truly discover the meaning of these events perhaps we should for the time being let them unfold." Severus said.

"Do nothing? Offer him up as bait? Potter is a boy not a piece of meat." McGonagall argued back angrily, not wanting anything to happen to the raven haired boy she had grown accustomed too.

"I agree with Severus. Alastor, keep an eye on Harry, will you?" Dumbledore said as he set his blue eyes on Moody.

Mad-Eye took another gulp of his drink before speaking. "I can do that." He nodded.

"Don't let him know though, he must be anxious enough as it is... knowing what lies ahead. Then again, we all are."

>>>

Everyone was in their Dorms. Though the Gryffindor tower still held restless students, not able to sleep. Robyn was one as she tossed and turned in bed, silent tears trickling down her face.

They were the worst kind of tears. Silent tears showed deep despair as with silent tears you could never stop. It showed that you were truly hurting and not able to ask for help.

Robyn wanted Harry safe. But it was not only that that was causing the tears to fall. Images of Harry and Cho invaded her mind and she hated it. She didn't know why she couldn't just be happy for him. She could tell Cho made him genuinely happy. It was breaking her apart.

Ron and Harry were also awake and not able to sleep. They both lay on their backs, staring up at the ceiling.

"How did you do it?" Ron asked, intrupting the silence. Harry was silent, not sure how to respond.

"Never mind. Doesn't matter. You could have let your best friend know though." Ron grumbled.

Harry sat up in his bed, looking at Ron.

"Let you know what?" Harry asked.

"You know bloody well what." Ron spat.

Harry felt anger flare up inside him. "I didn't ask for this to happen Ron. Okay? You're being stupid."

Ron let out a dry laugh. "Yeah that's me, Ron Weasley... Harry Potter's stupid friend."

Harry clenched his jaw, anger pumping through his veins. "I didn't put my name in that Cup. I don't WANT eternal glory I just wanna be.. Look, I don't know what happened tonight and I don't know why, it just did ok."

Ron took a while to reply.

"Piss off." The red head hissed and turned his back to Harry.

Harry sighed and lay back down in bed, wishing he could rewind back to last year. He wished he could be a normal teenage boy without a scar on his forehead. Without going through challenges. With parents that didn't get killed by an evil wizard.

He wished he wasn't Harry James Potter...