Augury [Harry Potter Fanfic]

f. two

"Hey Lee," Sawyer greeted, followed by Anton and Viktor, who were munching on chocolate they've gotten from the kitchen. "Where are the terror twins?"

"Didn't you hear?"

"About...?" she wondered, stepping closer to him.

"We tried an aging potion, and the two of them found out what happens to those who aren't of age yet."

"Well?"

"They grew a beard, they look eighty," Sawyer's smile came out as a grimace; that could possibly be the only time they would see each other gray with age. She wondered if they realized that.  "Madam Pomfrey is trying to get rid of it, but they won't stop arguing and fooling around. So what have you been up to--" Lee froze up as he saw the two boys behind her. "Is that Krum?"

"Yeah, okay," Sawyer turned to her two new friends, "Viktor, Anton, this is Lee Jordan, one of my bestest friends."

"Bestest."

"Yup," she shoved him lightly. "Lee, this is Viktor Krum and Anton Draganov."

"Badass name," Lee noted.

"I told ya so," she grinned at Anton. "Wanna go laugh at the twins?"

"I just came back but with you it would probably be funnier," Lee shrugged.

"Anton, Viktor?" Sawyer smiled, "want to join us?"

They nodded silently, and Lee hooked his arm around Sawyer's, filling her in about Angelina putting her name in the goblet, and about how he pranked the Ravenclaw's seventh years with Peeves' help.

Why couldn't days like that drag on forever?

::

"So did you and Oliver really break up or is it just what you tell people to get them off of your back?"

"Collin Creevy, I am eating," Sawyer glared at the boy heatedly, and her three friends stiffled their laughter as they watched the exchange.

"But it's for the school news--"

"What's so interesting about my bloody relationship?! No one's bothering Cho Chnag and Cedric Diggory for he date they've been on last year, so why am I being bothered?"

"Are you bothered by the fact you broke up?" Collin gasped, "did he dump you?"

"Detention, Creevy!" she announced, setting down her fork. "Anything else you'd like?" she grinned sweetly.

"Well, maybe, was the break up--?"

"You have exactly one second to get the hell away from my face before you lose ten points."

He blushed bright red, almost as red as Fred's cheeks were from laughing. "I'm off," Creevy agreed, going to sit by a girl from his year and his brother, Denis.

"Percy would be proud that he's got a successor in Gryffindor."

"I wouldn't have to be a bitch if it wasn't for everyone meddling with my business. Like it's not bad enough I have to deal with the break-up, I have to deal with their questions and noses sniffing around about us. What's so interseting about other people's relationships?"

"Aw, you are sad that you  broke up," Lee pulled at her cheek lightly, and she frowned.

"Of course I am. But stop bothering me."

"Even I'm getting annoyed with it," Harry commented from besides Sawyer.

"See?" Sawyer said, as though it proved her point perfectly.

At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet. On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored.

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions."

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting.... A few people kept checking their watches...

"Any second," Lee barely whispered.

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

"The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."

"No surprises there!" yelled Ron as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Sawyer saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table- Anton slapping his back lightly- and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.

"Bravo, Viktor!" boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. "Knew you had it in you!"

"What an arse."

The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"

"It's her, Ron!" Harry shouted, making Sawyer frown. What was going on with the Fourthyears, exactly?

When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next...

And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.

"The Hogwarts champion," he called, "is Cedric Diggory!"

"No! " said Ron loudly, but nobody heard him except for the few surrounding him, as the uproar from the next table was too great. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly (Sawyer clapped politely, smiling lightly), and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers' table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster."

"Not yet," Sawyer spoke up.

"Excuse me, Ms. Wilde--?" But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him.

The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it.

Sawyer grabbed Lee's hand, and barely uttered out; "It's returning through the dark."

"Sawyer?" Lee asked, attempting to make her speak again, but she wasn't reacting. She stared up at nothing, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, feeling nothing but dread.

There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out -

"Harry Potter."