The Golden Wand [Harry Potter/Percy Jackson]

Chapter 15: Cry On My Shoulder

Hermione POV:

After the trials, the school grounds had never seemed so quiet. 

I recalled the buzz in the atmosphere after the triwizard games, when everyone was still thrilled over watching dragons and merpeople and blast-ended-skrewtz in a magical maze. It had been exciting to see such wonder. But this was so much different - people were scared now... scarred. Because the competitors hadn't faced magical creatures that soared through the air and dazzled the crowd; they had faced their worst fears. Haunting things. Terrible things. Things that most couldn't even talk about without tears welling up in their eyes. 

"Well, I just think it's absolutely outrageous, Albus," McGonagall whispered furiously into the Headmaster's ears. I was hiding in the library, thinking that losing myself in a book would help me to forget the day's events. The two teachers had no idea I was listening in on their conversation two bookshelves away. "To put these students through something as terrible as that, let alone during their first trial!"

"What's done is done, Minerva," Dumbledore sighed. 

"Wh-what's done is done? Albus! Do you expect the competitors to forget what they faced after today? Do you expect the crowd to forget? We had to remove the first years after the very first trial! That should have been an indicator that those events were not suitable."

"Minerva, you of all people should know that the trial was not my choosing. I have no say."

"No say?" McGonagall scoffed. "Your brother is the Minister, Albus, I'm sure you have some say-"

"-And say what?"

"To stop the Golden Tournament before it's too late!" McGonagall pressed. "Or, at the very least, put an age restriction on the following games. The poor boy from Durmstrang, the one that failed, is in his third year! And that Levesque girl from Goode is in her fourth. It's too young, I say."

"Minerva, half the competitors aren't in their seventh year - to put an age restriction on the games now would be too much of a drastic change."

"And the competitors need therapy, after what they've seen," McGonagall was angry now. "I mean, come on Albus, these children just faced Voldemort, Dementors, Death Eaters and Tartarus! It's too much."

"Minerva, I hear your concern, I do," Dumbledore sounded tired. "Perhaps we should carry on this conversation in another room? Poor Miss Granger won't want to hear all this squabbling." 

I jumped back in shock as Dumbledore appeared beside me. 

"S-Sir, I'm so sorry," I fretted. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

There was a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes. "No need to apologize, Hermione, that conversation concerned you as much as it did the two of us. Might I suggest, though, that you get some rest. It's very late and you've, no doubt, had a tiring day."

I nodded quickly, not wanting to meet McGonagall's eyes. There was pity, tiredness, sadness in her eyes that I just couldn't face. I disapparated before she could say anything. 

The evening was even stranger. The competitors from Goode, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons opted to spend the night with their respective schools; Goode slept in The Argo, Durmstrang on their ship and Beauxbatons in an elegant tent set up on the school grounds. I assumed I would be spending the evening with Harry, Ginny, Draco and Luna, but the four of them decided they wanted to spend the evening with their houses. None of us wanted to say why, but we all knew it was because we were scarred from the trial and wanted to be with our friends. But I couldn't bring myself to join Harry and Ginny in the Gryffindor common room, knowing that Ron would be there too.