Panic
♛
MID-NOVEMBER had set in and the first task was approaching at a rapid speed. It was a couple of days before the task when the publishing of Rita Skeeter piece on the Triwizard tournament arrived. Cedric had been a nervous wreck when around them. Fussing over the fact he had blinked during the photos or if he had blabbered on too much during the interview. Although, Cedric needn't worry about either of those things. In the end, Harry Potter's photo was the one that had made the page and most of the article was re-telling his entire life story. Not once had Cedric been mentioned.
After thinking the whole "stealing Hufflepuff's glory" had died down, it only rebirthed after the article. Even Beauxbaton and Durmstrang had turned against Harry after their champions were hardly mentioned too. Adding to things, Stevie was once again set out on causing torture against Harry. Only a few days ago Bambi had caught Stevie wearing a "Potter stinks badge" after the scene of Draco Malfoy turning into a ferret. Both Cedric , Frankie and Bambi had been the ones to chase her around the castle trying to take the badge off her.
"I feel left out," Stevie whined, sitting down next to Cedric and Bambi in the courtyard. Frankie had ran to the library to write a letter back to his sister, apparently the new boots were in a sale. Stevie crossed her arms as she watched as students passed them wearing the exact same badge she had on only a few moment ago. "Everyone is wearing them and here I am... naked."
"Cedric, Frankie and I aren't wearing them," Bambi sighed placing her book down on her lap.
"Three people, wow! That changes everything!"
Cedric rolled his eyes, "There are other people too. Harry's friends and some Gryffindor's aren't wearing them."
"Actually," Stevie smirked, waving a finger in front of Cedric's face, "I saw one of his own best friend wearing one just the other day.
Cedric scoffed, "Yeah right,"
"She's right" Bambi added, not being pleased about it.
"- No! I'm telling the truth – wait what?" Stevie whirled around to face Bambi while Cedric leaned forwards looking over her shoulder.
Shrugging, "Harry and his best friend Ron fell out. Ron doesn't believe Harry."
"Hold on," Cedric raised his voice to drown out Stevie who was chanting, "I told you so!", "How do you know that?"
Stevie became silent. "Harry told me a couple of weeks ago when we bumped into each other."
Cedric's eyebrows frowned with confusion, "So you just bumped into each over and he spills it out?"
"No," Bambi said, "We bumped into each other and I said I was sorry about the whole tournament and that's when we got into the small conversation about Ron and him."
"And that was it," he raised his eyebrows testing her.
"Yes," Bambi sighed, "I don't see why you're making a big deal out if this. It was one – two small conversations. And for your information, if you're keeping track, both of those conversations were very awkward."
Next to them, Stevie snorted looking ahead as if she was in a trance, "I remember when you both ran into each other in the Great Hall. The most awkward thing I've ever witnessed."
"Anyway," Cedric said warily whilst eyeing Stevie cautiously, "what was the first small conversation about then?"
He waited for an answer, but it never came. Bambi was never listening in the first place. Instead, her eyes had been set on a group of Slytherins whose faces were plastered with mischievous grins which really meant they were up to no good. Her eyes had followed the path where Harry was walking past the group his head down and alone.
"Want a hanky, Potter, in case you start crying in Transfiguration?" One of them shouted, causing Bambi to frown.
"Since when have you been one of the top students in the school, Potter? Or is this a school you and Longbottom have set up together?" Another laughed.
Her eyes trailed back towards Harry and she could see his face and neck burning with anger. His fist was clench around his bag strap and she could visibly see the white bursting through his skin. That's when Bambi caught a speck of a white feather fallout from the side of his bag, flowing down onto the ground. Not even her legs knew they were moving, but Bambi was heading towards the white feather.
"Bambi," Stevie said. Both her and Cedric watching her get off the bench and grabbing her bag. "Bambi?" They watched as she walked into the corridor in front of them and their eyes followed along until Stevie skipped ahead. "Merlin," she whispered before slamming her hand against Cedric's arms repeatedly. "Cedric, look. Cedric, Cedric. Look, look."
"What Stevie, what?" Stevie grabbed his shoulders, spinning him around to face the direction of Harry, his mouth opening wide in realisation.
Meanwhile, Bambi was close to where the quill was laying near the wall when all a sudden a tall figure with broad shoulders blocked her path. Before she could walk into them and make a humiliation of herself yet again, the figures large hands rested on her shoulder easily making her stop.
"Woah there," a low male voice laughed, pulling back and stepping away. That's when Bambi looked up and she instantly recognises the person. The same pair of eyes had caused Bambi to flush deep red multiple times and every time she had manage to embarrass herself. That either being the time she and Stevie were attacked by Dungbombs or the time her necklace had glowed throughout the great hall.
"You seemed in a rush there," the boy that had winked spoke.
Bambi blinked repeatedly before coming to her senses, "Er, yeah I was going to return something to a ... friend?" She admittedly wanted to smack herself in the
He chuckled, throat bobbing up and down as he did, "You don't seem sure about that," Bambi smiled sheepishly. "I'm Dimo by the way." But once again, Bambi wasn't paying attention. Instead, her eyes her latched onto a pair of black robes with a blue hood. She held her Black silk hair behind her as she bent down to pick up the quill. Bambi witnessed her handing it over to Harry whilst he flushed red after nearly yelling at her thinking it was another Slytherin.
Shaking her head lightly and diverting her eyes, Bambi looked back to Dimo, "Bambi."
"Bambi, what an exquisite name," she felt her cheek burn, "An exquisite name to go with a beautiful person,"
More burning. "T-thanks," another moment she wanted to run away and hide, "If you don't mind me asking, you don't sound like the rest of the Durmstrang students. Not that its bad or anything. You – er – have a different accent to them. No offence."
"Don't worry, no offence taken. I'm from America. My father went to Durmstrang when he was younger and wanted me to attend too. He's friends with the headmaster, so I got in despite the distance." She nodded after finding she had nothing else to say, but luck came in her hands as someone approached the two.
"Hey Bambi," Aurora greeted standing to the side of Bambi.
When she looked up to Aurora she saw the worry and concern written across her face. "Aurora, what's that matter?"
"I'll leave you ladies to it," Dimo said and Aurora finally acknowledged his presence while looking him up and down taking in everything. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Bambi,"
Aurora's eyes followed Dimo's back while he walked off before Bambi's clicking fingers in front of her brought her out of her trance. "Earth to Aurora!"
"Sorry, hotness overload. Anyway, I need to talk to you about something important. I was sat in the Hufflepuff common room minding my own business when Professor Sprout came in asking for you."
"For me?"
"Yes, you. Now, she couldn't find you of course so I asked her if I could give you the message and she gave me it."
"So what is it?" Bambi urged.
"Dumbledore wants to see you in his office."