Patience

chapter three: the contiuation of irritation

Harry pressed his face deep into his pillow. The itching aching feeling in his stomach was worse since he met the death eater. Barty.
He hadnt felt it the whole conversation last night and now it was back, chipping away at him.
He tried not to groan, or Ron would know he was awake.

Harry could hear the other boys playing exploding snap on someone's bed.
Ron was loosing, which was clear from the excessive whining.

Quietly Harry sat up.
The itch was driving him mad and for a second he wondered if he might slaughter his roommates. No. Pull yourself together Harry. He just needed to get out.

Then with his magical Potter luck, the others left the room. Harry carefully poked his head out.
The room was empty, only the mess of singed cards remained on Ron's bed. Pigs.

Harry dressed himself and put on his empty bag, then wrapped his invisibility cloak over his shoulders and head.
He crept down to the common room and followed a few students out the portrait hole before ducking into a cupboard and stuffing his cloak into his bag.

He was enjoying pointless wandering, and then he overheard a gaggle of girls giggling about Viktor Krum.

Harry considered the quidditch star for a moment. Mostly he wondered if manipulating the other boy into being his friend the itch would subside.

He atleast had a good chance of suceeding. They would surely have a sense of comradery over their fame. And Harry did really like quidditch.

He followed the gaggle to the library. The quidditch pro was reading quietly and Harry almost cried with happiness when he saw his own fanclub there too. (a club he would forever give Ginny Weasley shit about starting).

He ducked his head and collected a few random books from the shelves. Carefully he dropped one on his foot and yelped.

That gained the attention of both his fanclub and Viktor.
The fanclub leapt into action and Harry scrambled backward, and into Viktor Krum's table.

"U-h hey, can we pretend we are in an important conversation?"

The other boy laughed slightly. "Hello there"

"Hi, sorry I am Harry"

"I know who you are. I am Viktor Krum"

"Heh. Yeah I know who you are"

Viktor blushed and Harry grinned. This would be alot easier then he had thought.

"Fanclub?"

"Yeah, its insane... do you have one too?"

"Yeah, they follow me everywhere. I like here because atleast they cannot scream"

Harry grinned widely. "Atleast you have more fans then attackers"

"The other team supporters hate me. And if I loose a snitch, so does my team"

"That sounds shit. Atleast mine have the decency to be consistent"

Viktor laughed.
"What is the weirdest thing a fan has done to you?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Alot of women take off their shirts"

Harry scoffed. "That sounds terrifying"

Viktor nodded. "Hey... do you want to sit with me at lunch?"

"At the Slytherin table?"

"Why not?"

"Have you met the Slytherins? They hate my guts"

"Well, no offense but I might be mauled, or licked by your red-head if I sit at your table"

"No, fair point. Okay, sure" Harry beamed at Viktor as the itch faded.

He didn't get the rush he got with Malfoy but it was a break and it felt amazing.

Their fan groups had joined forces by the time Harry and Viktor left the library.
The hall watched them enter. Harry tried a glance at Ron who looked completely torn, Harry doubted his ginger friend would pass up any opportunity to get angry though.
The pair swanned over to the Slytherin table, and to Harry's delight sat right next to Malfoy. They pointedly ignored eachother and Harry resumed his conversation with Viktor.

"We haven't even talked about Quidditch yet" the other boy said with a grin.

"We can if you'd like. I play seeker for Gryffindor"

"You any good?"

"I'm o-"

"Harry! Why are you sitting here?"

Oh for fucks sake. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione.
"I am sitting with Viktor"

"Yes. We can see that. Why? Viktor can come sit with us" Hermione hissed.

"If you miss me I think it's fine if you join us"

Ron sent Hermione a pleading look.
"No. We are not dilly-dallying with Slytherins. Pull yourself together Harry James Potter"

And with that she stormed off. Ron trailed after her with an apologetic look to Harry and Viktor.

Dumbledore coughed lightly and the hall hushed.
"The time, has come for the cup to draw the names of our three champions"

The goblet was steaming and bubbling. Ron was drooling with excitement beside Harry. He wished

There was an explosion from the stage, the cup rocketed out a slip of paper and Dumbledore read it out;

"The champion for Beaubatonx is Fleur Decalour!"

There was applause and then the goblet repeated its previous action.

"Durmstang chamion is Viktor Krum"

Harry beamed at the quidditch player.

"And Hogwarts champion is... Cedric Diggory!"

The Hufflepuff table roared and Cedric was applauded to the stage.

"The fi-"

The cup began to shake again. Steam poured from it like the previous times.
Harry groaned, he had a feeling this was going to involve him.

"...Harry Potter"

Nobody clapped, well, bar Viktor. With a sigh, Harry stood up. He felt the world lurch around him as he marched toward Dumbledore.
"Harry, my dear boy... did you put your name in the cup?"

"Sir I had no intention of joining this competition"

Albus gave him a worried look as he was ushered out of the great hall.
Viktor smiled though the other champions looked disgusted.
They four of them were alone in the small room, fidgeting in silence.

"I don't want to be here you know"

"You are a famous boy Potter. You cannot get away with everything though" Fleur hissed.

"He cant get out of it now. You will regret this Harry"

"Why would he want to be in this? Harry hates fame and attention, he didn't choose this" Viktor growled.

The other champions furtowed their brows, and the conversation might have concluded on a better note if the headmasters hadn't burst in.

"Dumbledore you can't have two champions!" Karkaroff hollered.

"Harry... isn't our champion"

"What?!"

Dumbledore presented the slip of paper the cup had vomited out.

Harry James Potter, ~'~~{~}'~~

"Those are just squiggles!" Karkaroff almost whined.

Harry blinked and then, felt like crying. They were not squiggles.