C h a p t e r E i g h t
B a d g e s, D r a g o n s & F e r r e t s
O h M y
It was a week after the Champions were chosen that the badges became popular at Hogwarts.
A spell had been placed on the badges which switched from a picture of Cedric's face to a picture of Harry with a green sickly face. The words 'Potter Stinks' were placed on the badges and they had also been the words that had tormented Harry all day.
Evelyn walked across the courtyard looking at the badges in disgust. Were people actually proud of those badges?
Eve walked out onto the green as she heard familiar voices across the courtyard. Cedric and his friends were sitting at one of the stone benches nearby. Evelyn noticed that all bar Cedric were wearing the ridiculous badges.
During the time Cedric and Eve had gotton to know each other, the young girl had actually made friends with Cedric's group. She was easily welcomed to join them on free periods or meals. Some occasions she had took up on these offers. So she was surprised and disappointed to see these people she looked up to as acting so childish.
The brunette started to make her way to the group of laughing teenagers. She suddenly felt distanced from these people, they had been so kind to her before but maybe their loyalty to Cedric meant they didn't get if the badges offended her.
"Look it's Lyn," Thomas pointed out.
The group looked up to see the brunette girl, all greeting her cheerfully. Cedric sent the girl an affectionate smile as he stood to join her.
"Hey," he greeted. "I haven't seen you all morning, where have you been?"
"Sorry I was helping Harry, trying to teach him some more advanced spells that I'd learned ahead." Eve explained, without a smile.
A frown appeared on Cedric's face as he stared down at the young girl confused. "Are you okay?"
"Um...not really, no. Look I need to know where did the badges come from?"
Cedric's expression turned to one of guilt, "Some of the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs made them together. The Hufflepuffs thought that Harry was trying to replace me being the Champions competing for Hogwarts. And I guess the Slytherins will do anything against Gryffindor. Look I already told them to stop it."
"But your friends are wearing them," Eve pointed out with a frown.
"They just want Hufflepuff to go down in History for something, this tournament is really big. I'll make sure people get rid of them," he promised.
"Thanks," Evelyn muttered although she wasn't sure that Cedric would actually be able to accomplish a task such as that. Especially as the Slytherins were wearing them to insult Gryffindor.
"Excuse me," someone spoke. Evelyn and Cedric turned to see Harry next to them. "Can I have a word?" Harry directed his question to Cedric.
"All right," Cedric agreed. Evelyn looked between her two friends before she felt it was better to let them speak.
"I'll wait for you over there Harry, I'll see you later Cedric."
"Bye Lyn," the older boy faintly smiled before turning to Harry.
"Dragons. That's the first task," Harry announced as soon as his friend had left to take a seat at a bench across the courtyard. "They've got one for each of us."
"Are you serious?" Cedric asked as he ignored his friends calling for him. "And Fleur and Krum, do they-?"
"Yes."
"Come on, Ced, leave him!" One of the girls called from the group. "He's not worth it."
"Read the badges, Potter!" Another called.
Cedric stopped Harry before he could leave. "Hey, listen about the badges,
I've asked them not to wear them, but-"
"Don't worry about it," Harry replied.
"No I'll sort it, I spoke to Evelyn about it too. And I care about her too much to upset her," Cedric admitted.
Harry don't particularly like how close Cedric and Eve were. They both clearly liked Evelyn, but Harry could never see himself stepping forward on his feelings.
Harry walked away from Cedric, not in the mood to hear him say anything else about a certain brunette.
Evelyn hadn't noticed that Cedric and Harry had finished speaking until she heard a commotion, near one of the open stone corridors that crossed the courtyard. The girl looked up to see her brother and Harry were sharing words which she didn't expect to be in the nicest of tones.
Eve quickly put away her school book before hurrying over to the two boys. The girl had just made it to them when her brother and Seamus walked away leaving Harry stood alone.
"And what was all that about?" Evelyn questioned as she adjusted the satchel strap on her shoulder which had fallen due to her rush.
"Doesn't matter," Harry muttered.
"Lets get out of here," Eve suggested, she was already fed up of the drama that had occurred in the last ten minutes. But drama was not finished with her yet.
"Why so tense, Potter?" The familiar smug voice of Draco Malfoy called. Both teenagers turned to see the blonde haired boy was sat in one of the nearby trees.
Evelyn couldn't help the expression of confusion that overtook her. Why on earth is he up in a tree? She wondered.
"Just ignore the weasel and his apes, Harry." Evelyn stated as she placed a hand on his arm to guide him away. Since their new year had started, the pair had really drifted due to Evelyn's friendship with Cedric and due to her distaste for Draco and his father's attitudes.
Both stopped however as Draco continued his speech. "My father and I have a bet, you see. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in the tournament."
Evelyn rolled her eyes as the boy jumped down from the tree, she was bored of these pointless dramatics.
"He disagrees, he thinks you won't last five." Draco and his pathetic followers laughed, which seemed to tip of the last bit of control Harry had.
The boy marched away from his friend to shove the Slytherin student. "I don't give a damn what your father thinks, Malfoy! He's vile and cruel. And you're just pathetic."
Harry turned his back, giving Draco the opportunity to pull out his wand. Evelyn was faster though and cast a protection charm to bounce Draco's spell back.
However, her charm wasn't necessary as a certain professor had appeared who also cast a spell.
"Oh no you don't, sonny!" Moody snarled as a golden spell struck Draco, transforming him into a small white ferret.
Eve laughed at the sight, before she watched amazed as Moody used his wand to bounce the small creature in the air. "I'll teach you to curse someone when their back is turned! You stinking, cowardly, scummy-!"
"Professor Moody!"
"-back-shooting-"
"What are you doing?" Professor McGonogall questioned as she came to a halt next to Evelyn.
"Teaching," was the professor's blunt reply.
"Is that a--? Is that a student?" McGonogall demanded absurd.
"Technically, it's a ferret," Moody stated as the white creature continued to make distressed squeaks before it was shoved down the front of Goyle's trousers.
"Oh my god," Evelyn laughed.
"Miss Black!"
"Sorry professor..."
After some struggle, the ferret appeared at the bottom of Goyle's trouser leg. When it had climbed out onto the ground, Professor McGonogall used her wand to turn the tiny ferret into an even bigger ferret.
Draco scrambled to his feet before he jumped in fear at the sight of Moody. "My father will hear about this!"
"Is that a threat?" Moody demanded as he abadnoned his walking cane and chased after the boy.
"Professor Moody!"
"Is that a threat? I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair!" Moody screamed as Draco and his friends ran from the scene.
"Alastor! We never use transfiguration
as a punishment! Surely Dumbledore told you that," McGonogall stated with a scowl as she stood in front of her fellow professor.
"He might've mentioned it," Moody commented sheepishly.
"Well, you will do well to remember it," McGonogall warned before she nodded to Harry and Eve and sent away the other students.
"You. Come with me," Moody directed to the young boy.
Harry sent a concerned glance to Eve, who simply laughed, "Good luck!" She said before hurrying away in the opposite direction with a smirk.