Harry Potter and the Potter Grimoire

Chapter 4: Will I bow?

Chapter 4

Harry, much like the rest of school, was deep in thought. Each person who was excited to enter the Tournament was disturbed by the vigor and sadness of the Headmaster. Dumbledore was never a hands-on headmaster of the school, and while every student had encountered him at one point and spoke with him, he was never one to ward off those who were attempting something. A Gryffindor sixth year even claimed he corrected a wand movement to break into the Hufflepuff Common Room. Dumbledore was the man who would encourage his students to stride deeper into the magic of the world, if they did so safely.

That contrasted the Dumbledore they saw last night. The man seemed incensed, angered and even troubled by the eager faces he saw. For the first time, they saw the man who wasn't the educator. Here was the man who saw hundreds of children eager to leap into their death for mere galleons.

Such a radical change in demeanor struck the students hard. Few of the students would not put their names in eventually, but the whole population was stunned for a moment. Harry was included in this, even though he was unsure if he was going to enter.

If he did enter, would he survive? Was it worth the risk? He was the Last of the Potters. If he died, so did he Family. His Legacy and Identity screamed for him to enter, knowing that it was what the Potter family needed to become relevant once more, and if Harry was being honest with himself, he wanted to try it. He was always one who did not hesitate to enter danger, but he had never before sought it out. What did that mean for him? Was the Grimoire changing him more swiftly than he thought it would?

Harry shook his head as he stepped into the Common Room and was blasted with the noise of the Gryffindor's. Fred and George, or George and Fred, were in a corner, conversing in whispers most likely about their next prank. A gaggle of firsties were by the west Board of Notices studying charms. Their giggles were loud and brought a smile to the faces of the Third Years playing with a model Quidditch Pitch. Harry thought they were recreating the World Cup. However, Harry strode past the third years, and the sixth years who were taking swigs of butterbeer over their essays. These days without class were opportunities for them to catch up. Harry sat with a sigh beside his friends in the corner. Hermione was moving a piece on a chess board as Ron greeted him. "Hey mate. You alright?"

"I'm okay. Just thinking, like a lot of others I assume." Harry said as he pulled out his Grimoire.

"Are you going to enter Harry?" Hermione asked as she finally decided to move her rook to the right.

"I don't know Hermione. I am definitely interested." Harry sighed. He cracked open his book and looked over the Letter of Succession from Charles Potter to James Potter. He knew it by heart at this point, but the feeling of advice to his father from the last Head was immeasurable. "Charles Potter wrote to my dad in a Letter of Succession that Potters do not allow fear to rule them, and that if it is for the Family, Potters never lose. Charles was killed three days later by Voldemort himself." Harry spoke aloud, knowing that Hermione and Ron were curious about what he was looking at so intently.

"You don't know if that is true do you Harry?" Hermione softly asked.

"Potters don't lose when it comes to Family. But what about my mum and dad? They lost didn't they?" Harry asked his friends.

"Mate, I know you don't want to think about this but... for them your parents I mean, they didn't lose. They won. You lived. That was all that mattered to them mate. Just like its all that matters to my mum and dad. Hermione's too I reckon. I know what my mum and dad would say if I entered the tournament. They would say it was stupid, and dangerous and reckless but they would be so proud when I got Chosen." Ron said as he gazed at the chess board.