A Love Without Time (Remus Lupin)

Forty.

The contestants from the other school arrived on October 30th. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons arrived in great fashions, and we were all surprised to see Quidditch player Viktor Krum with the Durmstrang students. There was an obvious Veela from Beauxbatons school, we just didn’t know who it was. We just knew there was one.
   
The next day they chose the champions from each school. The Champion from Durmstrang was Viktor Krum, which made everyone cheer. The Champion from Beauxbatons was a young woman named Fleur Delacour. And all of the Hufflepuffs cheered very loudly when Cedric Diggory was called to be the Hogwarts Champion.
   
Just as everything seemed to be boiling down after all three of the champions were chosen, the goblet spit out one more name, and it did so unprovoked. Headmaster Dumbledore took the name and unfolded it and read it out loud. “Harry Potter.”
   
Silence took over the entire room. Harry Potter, how? He was only 14, how did he get past Dumbledore’s age line? How did he get his name in the goblet without Dumbledore’s magic rejecting it? The Weasey twins tried, and they were rejected right away. How did Harry manage that? It was the question on everyone’s mind right now as Harry awkwardly strutted over to Professor Dumbledore, took his name card from him, and then headed back to where he was sitting.
   
The three heads of the schools agreed that rules were rules and that since it had spit out Harry’s name, he had to participate in the Triwizard Tournament. Harry didn’t seem very happy about this. Over the next few days, everyone wanted to know how Harry did it. How he got his name into the goblet. He claimed to have no idea how his name got there, and he didn’t do it himself. I believed him, because I knew Harry, and Harry wouldn’t put his life at risk just to be popular in school.
   
Minvera and I tried to get Dumbledore to get Harry out of the tournament, but we couldn't convince him. Ron had gotten angry at Harry, he thinks that Harry entered himself and didn't tell him. So Ron is no longer friends at the moment.
   
I had officially popped come November. I was five months along and I was showing now. This was honestly the exciting part of being pregnant. My baby is really in there, and I can see them now. I couldn't wait to actually meet them.
   
About a week before the First Task, there was a wand weighing ceremony where Harry had to get his wand checked over by Mr. Ollivander and made sure his wand was in condition to use in the Tournament. Then there was a photoshoot with all the Champions and their school's headmasters. Then Harry had to do an interview with Rita Skeeter, a reporter for the Daily Prophet who likes to twist everyone's words around.
   
The article came out the next day, and it was all about Harry. She mentioned Viktor and Fleur at the very end, and Cedric Diggory wasn't mentioned at all. It gave Harry such an ashamed feeling. She reported him saying things that Harry claimed to have never said. Like him saying he gets his strength from his parents and that he still cries over them at night. She also tried to make it seem like Harry and Hermione were a romantic thing, which was just so far from the truth.
   
Hermione kept trying to get Harry and Ron to speak to each other again, but once the article came out Ron became even more angry at Harry, and Harry said that he wouldn’t forgive Ron until Ron admitted that he believed Harry didn't put his name into the Goblet and apologize for calling him a liar about saying he didn't. But like I said, the article didn't really help Ron's anger.
   
The first task was in the Forbidden Forest, and the four champions had to go up against a dragon each. I sat with Charlie Weasley, and we watched the task together.
   
Cedric came out first, up against a Swedish Short-Snout dragon. He used a Transfiguration spell to turn a rock into a dog to distract the Dragon. He seemed to be getting away with it, too. It actually worked long enough for him to get the egg. I sat there, nearly biting my nails the entire time.
   
Then the chosen Beauxbatons Champion, Fleur Delacour, came out second, up against a Common Welsh Green Dragon and enchanted the Dragon to sleep long enough for her to get the egg.
   
The Durmstrang student Viktor Krum came out against a Chinese Fireball. He used the conjunctivitis curse on the dragon to get the egg.
   
Harry came out last against a Hungarian Horntail, which Charlie said was the fiercest of them all. He used a Summoning Charm to retrieve his broom and zoomed around the dragon to get the egg, but he did get scratches by the dragon in the process.
   
After the First Task, Harry and Viktor were tied for first place, with Cedric in second, and Fleur in third. The champions were told that the Golden Egg they retrieved contained a clue for the Second Task. I got up, saying I was going to visit Harry, who was taken by Madam Pomfrey to a tent to be looked at.
   
Ron and Harry made up then, and it made Hermione and I tear up. Ron apologized for getting angry with Harry, said he would have been barking mad to put his name in the Goblet of Fire.
   
Then they announced that there will be a ball on Christmas Day. Once that was announced, it seemed like a bunch of kids were in and out of my office. It started with Lyanna. She came running into my office one early December day all excited calling for me.
   
"I'm upstairs, darling!" I told her, and I heard her footsteps.
   
"I have a date to the ball!" She called out excitedly.
   
"Oh really?" I ask, but I had a feeling I knew where this was going.
   
"George asked me today," she said, smiling wide. I smiled too.
   
"Oh how wonderful, sweetie!" I told her, "I knew he would."
   
"He also asked me to be his girlfriend, too," she adds, still smiling. I stood up then, and I hugged her tight.
   
"Oh sweetie, that's so exciting!" I said as we hugged. "You have a boyfriend. I'm so happy for you!"
   
"Thank you!" She said as we hugged.
   
"Oh I have to write to Molly! She's going to be so happy!" 
   
She laughed at me, and then she left so I could write to Molly and tell her the news.
   
The next kid that came to my office was Fred, and he didn't seem very happy. "I just need a place to be upset for a moment."
   
"Do you want to talk about it, Freddie?" I ask.
   
He's quiet for a moment, and then he sighed and said, "Hermione already has a date to the Yule Ball. I really like her and I wanted to ask her to go with me."
   
"I didn't even know that you liked Hermione," I said, kind of surprised at this news.
   
"I didn't until she stayed with us this summer," he admits, "But when I asked her she said she was already asked by someone else and she said yes. I should have asked her as soon as we found out about the ball. I'm so stupid. Of course she got asked right away. She's amazing, and beautiful."
   
"You know who else is also amazing and beautiful?" I asked.
   
"You," he answered, I laughed.
   
"I'm flattered, but I was not talking about me. I was going to suggest you ask Angelina Johnson. You two are friends, right?"
   
He nods, "Yeah, we are."
   
"Then ask her. You guys would have a great time together."
   
"Yeah, we probably would. I should ask her."
   
I could see his spirits lifting. "You go get your date, Freddie." He left my office then in a sprint. He was ready to get his date to the ball.
   
The next kid to come to my office was my son, and lime Fred he didn't look good at all. "Is everything okay, sweetheart? You look like you need to talk about something."
   
He sighed loudly, "I found out that the person who I really wanted to ask to the Yule Ball already has a date."
   
"Oh, yeah, that's a major blow, isn't it? Can I ask who it was?"
   
He paused, looking off at the wall, not wanting to look at me, and then in the most quiet voice I've ever heard anyone use, he said, "Neville Longbottom."
   
I nodded slightly, "I see."
   
Bradley had tears in his eyes, but they weren't falling yet. "Please don't look at me any different. I'm still very confused and figuring things out."
   
"I won't, sweetie, you're still my son. Nothing could ever keep me from loving you. Well, maybe if you become a Death Eater, but that might be the only thing." He chuckled at that, and he wiped his eyes. "You take all the time you need to figure things out, darling. If you need someone to talk to, I have a friend in London that would love to talk to you about his experiences. We were on the Quidditch Team together here, and maybe he could help you if you're feeling confused or lost."
   
"I'll think about it," he says, nodding. "But I just can't think of what dad would say if he were here. My sister is the brave and courageous Gryffindor. She's always been the tougher one, and I like boys. What kind of son am I? I'm such a sissy. He's looking down on me so disappointed."
   
"Bradley Matthew Mckinnon, don't you talk about yourself like that. Your father wouldn't look at you any different. You're not a sissy just because you like guys. Do you think Cedric Diggory is a sissy just because he is a Hufflepuff? Well he's not, and neither are you. Your father wouldn't have cared. He was better friends with Garrett than I was. Garrett actually told me he came out to Matt first because he knew he wouldn't judge him. Your father wouldn't care, and he's looking down on you proudly. Don't you ever think any different."
   
He was crying now, he needed to hear that from me. I stood up and walked over to him and I hugged him tight, and he cried into my robes. I let him cry for as long as he needed. He was obviously in a lot of pain. My heart broke for him. I kissed the top of his head. "I love you, Bradley, don't you ever worry about that."
   
After he stopped crying, I took my seat again. "So, Neville Longbottom, huh? Good choice. He's very sweet and kind. Too bad he probably doesn't share your feelings. I don't think Neville is gay."
   
"I don't even think that I'm gay," he says quickly. "I know I like guys, but I'm still attracted to girls."
   
"So you like both, that's okay too. You just have some things to figure out. You're still so young. You don't have to have things figured out right now, darling. Don't feel like you have to."
   
"I think maybe I'll ask Walker Owler," he says, sounding kind of defeated. Walker was another Hufflepuff boy that was in his year. He proudly spoke about his boyfriend to anyone who would listen, but they unfortunately broke up over the summer holidays.
   
"Do you like him?"
   
"Not as much as I like Neville," he admits, "But I think maybe I need to move on from that crush, since Neville is straight."
   
"I think that might be in your best interest." I agreed.
   
"I'll think about Walker, but I'm not sure yet."
   
"Well don't wait too long or all the good ones will be taken."
   
He huffs, "Most of them already are. I think I'm going to ask Walker if anyone has asked him or not. Then maybe I'll go from there."
   
"That sounds like a good place to start," I tell him, nodding. I gave him another hug before he left. My heart felt so full. I was so proud of my son.

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Here's part 40!

I needed some bisexuality in these stories, because I am. And I wanted Lyanna with George so Bradley it was.

That scene was super cute to me, and it will be a good excuse to bring Garrett back in.

-Emily Winchester.