Change the Future

GOF 17

The dreaded day of the first task arrived. Harry had been focusing so hard on learning the Summoning Charm for the past few evenings and had finally managed to do it. Lessons were to stop at midday, giving all the students time to get down to the dragons' enclosure though of course, they didn't yet know what they would find there. Rory was currently sat at the Gryffindor table with Harry. 

"You'll be okay Harry. Charlie will be there" She tells him quietly so only he hears. "He's promised you won't be in danger"

"What's going on between you two. You smile every time he's mentioned" 

"Nothing" 

"Lies" Marlene says in a singsong voice.

"Sure" He gives her an unconvinced look. Professor McGonagall was hurrying over to him in the Great Hall.

"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now. You have to get ready for your first task."

"Okay," said Harry, standing up, his fork falling onto his plate with a clatter. 

"Good luck, Harry," Hermione whispered. "You'll be fine!" 

"Yeah," Harry said in a voice that was most unlike his own. 

"I'll come down with you, want to see someone quickly" 

"Would that someone happen to start with a Char and end in a lie" He smirked at Rory as they left the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. She didn't seem herself either in fact, she looked nearly as anxious as Hermione. As she walked him down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Now, don't panic," she said, "just keep a cool head. We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand. The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you. Are you all right?" 

"Yes," Harry answered her. "Yes, I'm fine." She was leading us toward the place where the dragons were, around the edge of the forest, but when they approached the clump of trees behind which the enclosure would be clearly visible, Harry saw that a tent had been erected, its entrance facing them, screening the dragons from view. "You're to go in here with the other champions," Professor McGonagall said, in a rather shaky sort of voice, "and wait for your turn, Potter. Mr. Bagman is in there he'll be telling you the procedure. Good luck." 

"Thanks," Harry said, in a flat, distant voice. She left him at the entrance of the tent. 

"You'll be fine Harry. Good luck" Rory pulled him into a hug before he went inside. She walked  over to where Charlie said he would be and found him leaning against one of the tree's his eye's meeting hers as he pushed off of it. 

"Rory, I love your husband" Marlene says winking at Rory.

"Hello. Am I allowed to kiss you here or not" He smirked as Rory pulled him down to her for a kiss. 

"I'm going to miss you when you leave" Rory pouts at him.

"I'm going to miss you too" he says as he kisses her again. Someone coughs behind them, turning they see Fred and George smirking.

"Why hello there dear brother" Fred starts.

"We see you've found our dear Aurora" George finishes.

"Idiots" Rory mutters "thought you two were off betting"

"We were but thought we'd come see our big brother quickly" Fred said.