The Champions Champion

Magical Contracts Suck

Harry Potter was lying in his four poster bed in the Gryffindor tower room he shared with four other boys in his year.

One of those boys was his best friend Ron Weasley. Harry was fuming for two reasons. The first being his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire this evening, binding him to compete in the highly dangerous Triwizard Tournament; the second was no one would believe him when he told them he didn't enter his name, including his so-called best friend.

Then he thought of his other best friend, Hermione. He hadn't seen her since he left the Gryffindor table once his name was called. She would believe him. He was sure of that. A short time later Harry drifted off to sleep.

The next morning when Harry awoke, it took a few moments to remember the events of the previous evening. He ripped back the curtains around his bed and looked over at Ron's bed, hoping to talk to him, but he was already gone, probably already headed for breakfast. Harry had hoped he would get a chance to talk to Ron this morning. He was positive Ron would see and recognize the truth if he would listen. Harry got dressed and went down the spiral staircase.

When he entered the common room, the people who had already returned from breakfast broke into applause just like they had done the night before. The Creevy brothers were motioning for him to join them. After looking around for Ron and Hermione and seeing neither, Harry bolted out the Portrait hole only to run right into one of the two people he was most desperate to find. Hermione stood there with a stack of toast in a napkin.

"I thought you might like these," Hermione said, holding out the toast, "instead of going to the Great Hall this morning."

"Thanks Hermione," Harry said gratefully. "You're the best."

"Want to go for a walk?" Hermione asked.

"That's a great idea," Harry replied as he bit into a piece of toast.

Soon, they were striding across the lawn headed toward the lake. Harry started to tell Hermione all that had happened after he left the table the previous evening, including Professor Moody's suggestion that someone was out to kill Harry. He was immensely relieved when Hermione accepted his story without question.

"Of course I knew you hadn't done it, Harry," Hermione said. "The look on your face when Dumbledore called out your name told me that instantly."

"Have you seen Ron?" Harry asked.

"Uh, yeah. He was at breakfast," Hermione said.

"Does he still think I entered my name?"

"I don't think so...not really."

"Not really? What does that mean?"

"Oh Harry, isn't it obvious?" Hermione asked despairingly, "He's jealous."

"Jealous?" Harry said incredulously. "Like I want to make a fool of myself in front of the entire school!"

"I know that, Harry," Hermione said patiently. "But look at it from his point of view. It is always you who seems to get all the breaks. You're famous...and, well, he has all of his brothers he tries to compete with and..."

"So he's willing to throw away our friendship over a petty jealousy?" Harry asked.

"I think it was just the last straw," Hermione said quietly. "But I'm sure he will come around sooner or later."

"I don't even want to be in this competition. I mean, I didn't put my name in the cup, so how can I be magically bound to risk my life?" Harry asked. He stopped and turned to Hermione. "Wait, do you know anything about magical contracts? I want to know if I really have to compete."