Headstrong

Chapter 52

When the holidays had finished, Amanda found out when they got back to Hogwarts that Harry had yet to find out the clue to his egg. So one night when Harry was finishing his homework she whispered into his ear, "Take the egg to the Prefect's Bathroom, open it underwater and listen."

Harry nodded, slightly confused.

"The password is Pine fresh." She muttered the instructions on how to get there, winked and left, leaving Harry to ponder what she had said.

...

With several weeks before the Second Task, Amanda agreed to go swimming in the lake with Viktor and Leo to practice swimming, as Viktor had figured out his clue.

As Amanda arrived at the ship, she immediately burst with furious insults at Rita Skeeter, causing the two older boys to laugh. The reporter had recently published an article revealing Hagrid to be a half-giant, and she was furious for him.

When the two had gotten her to calm down, she got changed and met them on top of the deck. Viktor dived in straight away, but Leo looked unsure. Amanda grinned and pushed him in.

In the distance she saw Harry and their friends. She smiled and waved, before diving into the Lake. She spat out some water as she came up for air, to find Leo spluttering.

"You pushed me in!" He said, before smiling. "I don't know how you two are managing this, because this water is freezing!"

Leo soon went to dry off, with Amanda and Viktor following. The three decided to go into Hogsmeade for a drink. Before they left the ship, Amanda saw Karkaroff standing on the deck.

On a whim, she pushed him into the Lake, then signalled to the others to run away with her. They guffawed then laughed as they ran to Hogsmeade, leaving the Headmaster drenched as he made his way out of the Lake.

When they arrived at the Three Broomsticks, they walked inside to see Harry with the group. Amanda made her way through the crowd, the two following her, so that they could sit with their friends.

Amanda saw Bagman walk out and grinned. "So what did Old Baggy want now?"

"To help me in the Tournament. He says he wants a Hogwarts win, but he's not helping you, is he?"

Amanda shook her head. "I dunno anymore, and frankly, I don't care anymore."

Harry grinned, but then they saw Rita Skeeter enter. Amanda scowled, grabbing the attention of Viktor and Leo, who scowled as well.

She was talking about Bagman, but Amanda wasn't going to forgive her for what she had done to Hagrid. She called out, "Trying to ruin someone else's life?"

A few people looked around, but Skeeter had spotted the Potters. She smiled as the others groaned, and made her way over to them. "Harry! Amanda! How lovely! Why don't you come and join -?"

"We wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick." Amanda said furiously.

"What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?" Harry said.

Skeeter raised her heavily pencilled eyebrows. "Our readers have the right to know the truth, Harry, I am merely doing my-"

"Who cares if he's half-giant?" Amanda growled. "There's nothing wrong with him! He's one of the nicest people I know."

The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious of the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing.

Skeeter's smile flickered slightly, but she pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill and said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?"