Miss Quinn

102 ~ The Deal

When Emma and Venus returned to the Common Room, they were immediately swept back out the door by Fred and George, who said they needed the girls' help in the Kitchens. The four snuck through the castle, just like old times. They quietly made their way down past the Great Hall and into the corridor that led to the Kitchens. Fred tickled the pear in the portrait hanging on the wall. It started chuckling and squirming around, then transformed into a large green door handle. George pulled on it, and the portrait swung open, revealing the kitchens, full of house-elves. The four friends stepped through the doorway and were immediately greeted by ten house-elves, all asking what they could get for the students.

"We'll take a hundred and butterbeers, a hundred bottles of pumpkin juice, and some snacks, if you please," said Fred to the group of house-elves. They scurried off, gathering what Fred requested, and soon brought the Gryffindors a large stack of butterbeer cases, as well as boxes and trays of snacks. Emma and Venus levitated the drinks whiles the twins took care of the snacks. They crept back up to the Gryffindor common room with their food and drinks, smiling all the while. Emma hadn't done anything rebellious with the Weasley twins in quite some time, and it felt good to be back in the groove of things.

The Gryffindors entered the Common Room to find their fellow Housemates putting up Gryffindor banners. Fred and George passed out the butterbeers and pumpkin juice while Emma and Venus set out the snacks on a table. Dean and Seamus came over to help, both grinning. Emma could tell they were excited for Harry. So were the rest of the Gryffindors.

When Harry and Ron entered the Gryffindor common room it exploded with cheers and yells again. There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, though a couple showed Cedric with his head on fire.

Emma helped herself to food and sat down with Venus, Harry, Dean, Ron, Hermione, and Seamus. Out of all of the happy faces surrounding Emma, Harry's seemed to be the most joyous.

"Blimey, this is heavy," said Lee Jordan, picking up the golden egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. "Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!"

"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Hermione said swiftly. "It's in the tournament rules...."

"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Harry muttered, so only Hermione, Ron, and Emma could hear him, and Hermione grinned rather guiltily.

"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" several people echoed.

Lee passed Harry the egg, and Harry dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open.

It was hollow and completely empty -- but the moment Harry opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room.

"Shut it!" Fred bellowed, his hands over his ears.

"What was that?" said Seamus, staring at the egg as Harry slammed it shut again. "Sounded like a banshee...Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!"

"It was someone being tortured!" said Neville, who had gone very white and spilled sausage rolls all over the floor. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!"

"Don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal," said George. "They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing...maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower. Harry."