Since the beginning | Deamus |

(fourth year) Ch. 37 Seriously Harry?

"Harry Potter?!"

The room went deathly quiet. No one dared to even breath. How was this possible? No one could get through Dumbledore's age barrier, the twins were evidence enough, let alone get chosen when the three other schools were already picked. It didn't seem possible.

Dumbledore repeated himself in a louder and more threatening manner. "Harry Potter!"

Down the table from me Harry stood up slowly. He was shaking and his eyes seemed to be glued to the floor. It was clear to me that he didn't want to go up there, one look at his shocked and terrified face was enough to know that. Slowly, as if time was trying it's hardest to stop him from moving, Harry began to walk to the front of the Hall.

At first everyone was quiet, trapped in the shock that came from his name begging called, but as soon as Harry took a few steps the entire Hall roared in outrage.

"He's not seventeen!"

"How'd he get in!?"

"Don't let him participate!"

The only ones who were quiet were a handful of Gryffindors watching somberly as he made his way up the row and the teachers. He walked like he was walking to the gallows, like with every step he was getting closer and closer to death.

The teachers watched silently as Harry moved to the back room. McGonagall looked utterly horrified and grief stricken, like the gallows were really what waited for him. Dumbledore's face held no expression what so ever but his eyes didn't look upon him with anger or even confusion, instead they held some form of curiosity that I can only describe as grotesque.

A sickly feeling fell around the room. There's no real way I can describe it. I guess it's the same feeling that you get while walking in the woods all by yourself, and you hear a branch snapping behind you. You are miles away from any civilization, anyone who can save you if need be. All you can do is stand there in terror as you wait for your attacker to reveal themselves. The dread was like that. Heavy. The people in the room not overcome by rage and jealousy felt it that night. The feeling that something very very bad is about to happen, but you have no way of knowing what. It's the not knowing that made it even more terrifying.

The door to the back chamber creaked in a way that almost sounded like a scream. The bang that followed as that door was shut and Harry had disappeared from our view was deafening, loud enough to be heard over the cries of jealous students. As soon as that door shut all of those cries fell short, there was nothing left to yell at.

~~~

After Harry had left people began to leave the Hall. Slowly at first, just a small group of people walking out silently. But then they left in larger numbers. Soon enough the whole Hall was empty, save a few Gryffindors including myself. The teachers had waited until nearly everyone left before they all swept into the back chamber. We could only guess what was going to happen.

"How could Harry have been chosen?" Dean asks in almost a whisper once the teachers left. All of this unsettled him. A little too much of the white of his eyes was showing, and his lips constantly twitched as if they were trying to hold back a smile or a frown, a nervous tick of his I had noticed a while ago.

"He obviously couldn't have gotten it in with magic, there's no way his magic is that powerful. Voldemort scar or not." To be honest, I was just as creeped out as I could tell Dean was. It was all very strange, Harry being chosen. Misfortune seems to follow him around, no matter how many times he tries to out run it. We all knew that it was only a matter of time before something like this happened.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione said, exasperated. "He was framed! Someone with much more powerful magic then him must have put his name in."

"But who?"

It was as I said this that Ron stood up suddenly and walked quickly out the door. I didn't even notice he was there. He hadn't spoken a word during our short conversation and seemed very bothered by the whole thing. I wondered absently what his deal was.

The chamber door slammed open and Dumbledore came rushing out, McGonagall hurrying after him. He seemed fairly angry, and even scared. The last person out of the room, besides the students of course (I never saw them leave, there must have been some other exit) was Moody. He was hunched over and hobbling with his crooked leg as fast as he could. His mechanic eye surveyed us as he went by. I even had a creeping feeling that it could see us out of the back of his head.

Back in the dorm, the nights events came rushing back to me and I suddenly felt very very sleepy. Ron was nowhere to be seen, most likely moping around somewhere or waiting in a hallway to see Harry, whatever it was it didn't bother me.

I went to sleep and woke up to an owl with anger issues banging on my window.

Groggily, I sat up and pulled the window open. The owl dropped the letter it was holding onto my hand before giving me an angry glare and flying off.

I opened the letter hesitantly, after all I wasn't expected any letter, and read the contents.

Seamus,

It's Charlie! My group and I are here at Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament and I have a surprise! Go to Hagrid's hut today at noon and he'll take you into the Forest where we'll be waiting. Don't tell any of your friends since technically I'm not supposed to be showing anyone, not even the teachers, this.

See you later!

Charlie

Noon couldn't come soon enough. Since it was a Sunday, and I had literally nothing to do, I was stuck wandering around with nothing to do. It was awful. Luckily for me, noon actually did come so when it did I got dressed and went down to Hagrid's hut.

He was waiting for me there. Standing in his garden and arguing with the ground. I could only assume that he was talking to some creature but I wasn't sure, so I decided not to question it.

"Seamus!!" He called when he caught sight of me and waved me over with his big hand.

"Hello Hagrid!" I hurried over and bounced along side him as he started to walk towards the forest. "What is it that Charlie wants to show me?"

"Ah, patience! He'll tell you himself soon enough." Hagrid said while I had to jog to keep up with his very large strides.

The Forest was filled with broken trees and so many branches that it would be impossible to sneak up on someone. I didn't have to worry about getting it with branches or stepping on too many sticks since Hagrid cleared a very nice path through them.

A clearing came up ahead and a large roar erupted from beyond my line of vision. As Hagrid and I went closer I could actually see what was roaring. I stilled and spoke in breathless wonder.

"Dragons"