Ah, Screw It!

chapter 25

It was the week before the Second Task. Albus had convinced the Champions and those involved that the hostages would be perfectly safe. He had apparently enlisted Toyotama to provide assistance by watching over the hostages with the merpeople. Also the hostages would be awake and able to assist on the return.

Gabrielle was thrilled, she was going to be a part of the tournament.

Tracey had agreed to play Viktor's hostage.

But that left Harry and his hostage.

There was a lot of discussion over who it would be.

Harry knew he shouldn't have been surprised when he returned back to his quarters at the end of the day. It was quite in character really.

He just stood there watching as Gemma, Daphne, Pansy and Tracey wrestled with each other in string bikinis...... covered in jam.

Fleur was happily cheering them on from his chair.

He didn't bother stopping them or questioning them, he simply headed for his bedroom to shower and change for the evening.

As the bedroom door closed with a click the girls ceased their grappling.

"That bastard." Pansy growled. "He didn't even take a proper look! I'm sitting here, covered strawberry jam, wearing scandalous clothing, groping my beautiful friends and he just walks past!"

"Well, I don't know about you four," Daphne said as she casually stood up. "But I need a good shower." She peeled off her bikini with a grimace. "Coming girls?" She asked with a smirk as she strutted towards Harry's bedroom.

"I do not need a shower." Fleur pouted.

Pansy rolled her eyes as she stood up, marched over to Fleur and shoved a jam covered hand up her shirt causing the French girl to squeak. "And now you do."

There was quick round of shared looks before they all squealed and took off after Daphne and Harry.

Into the silence of the aftermath, Dobby became visible. He surveyed the room, the carpet had jam crushed into it. The ceiling was splattered with it. The furniture- Dobby began to vibrate on the spot.

"DOBBY IS LUCKIEST ELF IN WORLD!" He squealed in delight before he got to work.

"I like idea."

Everyone stared at the grinning Bulgarian in disbelief.

"But she would be doomed to finish last!" Amelia tried to reason with the Champions.

They were in Albus' office (he had finally moved back in) and discussing the hostages for the Second Task.

Which was tomorrow.

"Miss Delacour cannot be 'ostage and Champion." Madame Maxime frowned.

"She can if we change the method of timing." Harry grinned.

Fleur did not look happy. She also didn't look sad or angry. She looked unimpressed but resigned to her fate.

Behind the Champions stood the girls and Gabrielle. The girls were pouting and Gabrielle was grinning like a loon.

After ambushing Harry in the shower (and Harry subsequently fleeing) they had explained that the jam wrestling was how they were trying to decide who would be Harry's hostage.

Tracey had just grinned impishly when Harry asked why she was involved as she had already agreed to be Viktor's hostage.

"It's simple. Instead of using an allotted time of one hour, we judge the Champions on how long each of them takes to complete the task." Harry reasoned.