Harry Potter gets smart and takes control - The Goblet

Chapter 73 Hogsmeade

When Harry got to Hogsmeade, he headed straight to the Three Broomsticks to meet Hermione and the others for lunch.

Harry cast an eye around and found Hermione and Neville at the bar ordering Butterbeer. He wove his way thought to them.

"We got you a Butterbeer," Neville said, pushing a bottle across to him, making Harry grin, "and we figured we'd get food to share." He added.

"Thanks," Harry said, gratefully taking a long pull of his Butterbeer. He loved Butterbeer.

He turned to Hermione to see where they wanted to sit, but she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the mirror behind the bar.

"Doesn't he ever go into the Ministry?" Hermione whispered, "Look!"

She pointed, and he followed her finger. There in the reflection was Ludo Bagman sitting in a shadowy corner at the back of the pub with a bunch of goblins. He was talking very fast in a low voice, looking very uncomfortable. The goblins were all had their arms crossed and were looking menacing.

"Wonder what he did to piss them off this time?" Harry wondered.

"He's in debt, remember?" Hermione whispered, "it was in the Quibbler."

"It's odd that they're here," said Neville.

It was indeed, odd. Harry thought. He watched Bagman in the mirror. He was looking panicked like he had that night in the forest before the Dark Mark had appeared. But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw Harry, and stood up.

"Bollocks," Harry sighed.

Neville snickered.

"In a moment, in a moment!" Bagman's voice carried over to them as he brusquely dismissed the goblins. Bagman hurried through the pub toward Harry, his grin back in place.

"Harry!" he said. "Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"

"Well Met sir," Harry greeted formally, hoping Bagman would take the hint and stop calling him Harry as if they were friends.

"Wonder if I could have a private word, Harry?" said Bagman eagerly. "You couldn't give us a moment, you two, could you?"

"Er-" Neville stuttered, and Hermione searched Harry's face for a moment before nodding and saying, "we'll go find a table, Harry."

Bagman led Harry along the bar to the end furthest from Madam Rosmerta. Harry followed him but didn't get within arms reach of the man.

"Well, I thought I'd congratulate you on surviving the first task, Harry," said Bagman. "But don't forget this is a competition, you want to earn points!"

Harry stared at him. But Bagman didn't seem in any particular rush to get to the point.

"Mr Potter, please, sir, we don't really know each other," Harry corrected softly. But Bagman was glancing into the mirror over the bar at the goblins, who were all watching him and Harry through dark slanting eyes. Harry gave them a discreet nod of acknowledgment that Bill had taught him.

They looked at him for a long moment before nodding back and muttering to each other.

"Absolute nightmare," said Bagman in an undertone jerking his head in their direction.

Harry frowned at this, being rude about them wouldn't do him any favours.

"Their English isn't too good..." Bagman said, "it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup... but at least they used sign language another human could recognise. This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook... and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickax.' But I don't want them to think I'm threatening them."