Black and Potter | H. Potter

28 ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆ a divided quartet.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:✧*⋆.*:･ﾟ✧.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ☾

| A DIVIDED QUARTET |
song: iris by the goo goo dolls.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:✧*⋆.*:･ﾟ✧.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ☾

HARRY SAT THERE, AWARE THAT EVERY HEAD IN THE GREAT HALL HAD TURNED TO LOOK AT HIM. He was stunned. He felt numb. He was surely dreaming. He had not heard correctly.

There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall; some students were standing up to get a better look at Harry as he sat, frozen, in his seat.

Up at the top table, Professor McGonagall had got to her feet and swept past Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Professor Dumbledore, who bent his ear toward her, frowning slightly.

Harry turned to Ara, Ron and Hermione; beyond them, he saw the long Gryffindor table all watching him, openmouthed.

"I didn't put my name in," Harry said blankly. "You know I didn't."

Ara, Hermione, and Ron stared just as blankly back.

At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall.

"Harry Potter!" he called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"

"Go Harry," Ara whispered at once, giving Harry a slight push. "It's okay."

It wasn't and Ara knew that, but they wouldn't let him compete, they couldn't, it was against the rules. Harry could die, she wanted to believe that these people were sane enough to not let him participate, but the heaviness in her chest grew heavier as Harry stared back at her with a pleading expression, silently begging for her to believe him, he didn't break his promise, he would never.

"I know," was all Ara said, and it was enough for Harry to let go of her.

He got to his feet, trod on the hem of his robes, and stumbled slightly. He set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt like an immensely long walk; the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, and he could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon him, as though each were a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, he was right in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares of all the teachers upon him.

Ara believed Harry more than anyone, if he said he didn't put his name in, then he did not put his name in, end of story. But if it wasn't him, who was it? Who would want Harry in such danger? She recalled her dream, how this someone was so desperate to get rid of her, claiming that she always stood in the way, and then Ara understood, that if Harry competed, he would have to go through the trials alone, without her, she would no longer be there to help him, at least not while he was actually in the playing field, in danger. She couldn't interfere. Maybe. . .perhaps. . .it was all connected.

"Well . . . through the door, Harry," said Dumbledore. He wasn't smiling.

Harry moved off along the teachers' table. Hagrid was seated right at the end. He did not wink at Harry, or wave, or give any of his usual signs of greeting. He looked completely astonished and stared at Harry as he passed like everyone else. Ara anxiously kept her eyes trained on him until he was out of sight.

As soon as Dumbledore went through the door after Harry, chatter broke the silence, and protests could be heard everywhere around Ara, but what caught her attention was Ron's voice.