LIKE LIGHTNING | Harry Potter x Reader Fanfiction

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The feast ended and everybody made their way back to their common rooms. Except for me. I said goodbye to Arabella and found Hermione and Ron in the sea of students. We waited until we got into their common room before discussing what had just happened. 

"Can you believe Harry?" said Ron grumpily. 

"Ron, do you really think Harry did this on purpose?" Asked Hermione. 

"Yeah, by the look on his face, this didn't seem planned." I said back. Ron seemed irritated and I couldn't understand why. Harry getting picked by the Goblet of Fire wasn't a good thing. 

"Well, I don't know." He said crossing his arms and looking away. Me and Hermione gave each other a look and then continued. 

"Do you think somebody could have messed with the Goblet?" I asked. 

"Sure, but the Goblet was under Dumbledores protection. It would have taken Dark magic to tamper with it." She said, leaning back into her chair. I did the same and contemplated any other ways this could have happened. 

"Wait, could somebody of age, put his name in there?" I queried. 

"Y/N, that's brilliant. But who would have any reason to do that?" She advanced.

"Well, there aren't any 6th or 7th years that have anything against Harry. I mean did you see everybody's faces. They looked very displeased." I retorted. 

"Yes, I suppose your right. Then it would have to be an adult. But there's only one person I would suspect. Professor-"

"Moody." I finished. She agreed and then looked back at Ron. He had been silent this entire time and didn't seem like he had considered anything me and Hermione had said in the past 5 minutes. 

I turned to him and asked, "Ron, are you mad at Harry?" 

"No. Why'd you think that?" He said sarcastically. 

"Ron, honestly, you're being overdramatic." I said shaking my head.

※※※

Dumbledore pulled me aside and asked again, 

"Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"No, Professor." I said for about the hundredth time. It seemed as if everybody was yelling and I stood silent by Fleur and Cedric as the teachers argued among themselves.

I heard Madame Maxine yell, "I protest! But of course he is lying!" 

"The Goblet of Fire is an exceptionally powerful magical object only an exceptionally powerful confundus charm could have hoodwinked it." I saw Mad Eyed Moody say. 

Then the headmaster of Durmstrang spoke, "You seem to have given this a fair bit of thought, Mad Eye."

"It is my job to think as dark wizard. Karkaroff perhaps you remember-" 

Then there was Barty Crouch, I didn't notice him until now but he stood silently in the corner. 

Dumbledore said, "It is up to you Barty." The room was silent for only a moment and then he looked straight at me and said, 

"The rules are absolute, " The Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract, Mr. Potter has no choice, he is as of tonight a Triwizard champion." Everybody looked at me then and I felt my hands become sweaty. Finally, I had thought, I would have a normal school year. But no. My throat seemed to close in on itself and I looked down at my feet, not knowing what to say. 

"Now kids, I will only give a clue to your first task. Be ready to fight against fire and wings." 

I looked at the other champions, who seemed to be as confused as I was. Fire and wings? What could that even possibly mean? I cracked my finger, the sound echoing through the room. Not the best timing stupid, I chided to myself. 

"Well then... Dumbledore, I should get the kids back to bed. It is past their bedtime." I heard Professor McGonagall say. She patted my shoulder and then led Cedric and me out of the room. Leaving the rest to murmur among themselves. 

When Cedric and I were left alone to walk back to our dorms he stopped me and said the 10 words that had been repeated to me all night, "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" 

"Blimey, no! Cedric do you think I want to be in the Tournament. This is the last thing I wanted." That seemed to shut him up and he nodded. I walked up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, I just wanted to go to bed. 

When I had arrived in my dorm, I saw Ron already in bed. His back faced me and I whispered, "Psst, Ron." He shifted but didn't say anything back. Great, I thought. Now Ron was mad at me. I slipped into the covers and turned my back towards him as well, it seemed as if this year wouldn't be as relaxing as I hoped it'd be. 

※※※

Walking back to Ravenclaw Tower I couldn't help but hope they wouldn't let Harry compete in the tournament. If something bad were to end up happening to him, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I couldn't lose him. I stared at the ceiling as I slipped into my covers and prayed. I wasn't much of a religious person but I needed to lean on something right now. I wondered what the first task would be. Hopefully nothing too dangerous. 

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Another short but needed chapter. I will put in a few more romantic chapters from here on. I'm sorely lacking those but I will try. 

Word Count: 904