I spent the night in the infirmary while Madam Pomfrey fixed up, although she did ntion I should not stress my legs for the upcoming month or so. Not that I would have the necessary energy, as simply standing or walking felt like straining from all my powers. What I was worried about was the fact Quincy didn't appear before through the night, and I was already thinking about what may have happened. The mont the sun was up, so was I, ready to return to the Common Room, but the Headmaster's appearance stopped from leaving.
"Follow ."
His voice was just as cold as before; this ti, he didn't even try to ask what happened. I an, he had to see everything as they were all observing it, but he never asked why we did what we did. Not that he could, as Lord Voldemort himself asked to spark a conflict and give them a reason to kick off a war. According to him, what happened in the 2nd Trial was going as HE had planned.
Entering the Great Hall, I was surprised that it was already filled, with the different headmasters and teachers sitting on a podium. At the sa ti, the tables were now laid out horizontally, filled with students. I let out a relaxed sigh, seeing Quincy sit at the one smaller table, facing the teachers directly. While she sat on its right side, next to Victor, Fleur was occupying the left end of it, looking like soone who slept not a mont since yesterday.
Walking by the tables, I saw many eyes directed at , so fearful, so in awe. When I t with the eyes of those who helped us a lot since Quincy's kidnapping, I gave them a slight nod and smile before sitting down between Victor and Quincy.
"All good?" I asked her quietly, and she slipped her hand into mine, squeezing it reassuringly.
"Murderer." Fleur mumbled, looking at before turning towards Victor. "You too calm, he murd-"
"The competition was dangerous. Always." He answered without looking at either of us, sitting still, and I was not in the mood to entertain Fleur, especially when I watched the three Headmasters standing straight, silencing the crowd.
"Now that everybody is here, we are going to comnce a public review of the previous event, where two Champions lost their lives." The one who was speaking was Snape; his voice carried throughout the Great Hall, reaching everyone at once, "First, Martyn Poliakoff, the student of Durmstrang."
"His death was his own doing." Karkaroff remarked calmly, and it surprised a bit as I expected him to be angry and vindictive. "He failed to capitalize on his advantage and paid the price for his stupidity. Everyone knew that the Triwizard Tournant was dangerous. Lives have been lost in it since its inception."
"Two in the sa Trial is still too much. Deaths in the competition were still a rare occurrence whenever it happened."
"Well, if you thought about interjecting," Karkaroff countered Flal as if he was waiting for it to happen, "Let's talk about the beast you provided! What was its problem? I know about Cerberi; I even raised one myself! I never saw them act anything like that... did you do sothing to it?"
"Why would I do anything to my own pet? I wanted to ask the sa... what happened to our Fluffy to go that berserk? I want its body back so we can investigate it carefully!"
Oh boy... was this it? I couldn't help but look at Quincy, who thought the sa, squeezing my fingers even stronger than before as we listened. With a quick glance over my shoulder, I glanced at our friends, telling them with my eyes to be ready if anything happened.
"We are doing just right that." Snape differed, joining the discussion and taking the side of Karkaroff. "That Cerberus wasn't behaving like its kind should. As we all watched, it wasn't the work of a spell, but it could-"
"Nobody wants to talk Celine?!" The scream-like shout ca from none other but Fleur as she stood up, slamming her hands on the table, "About the murderer?!"
"Cal-toi! Ne perds pas ton sang-froid! Personne n'a oublié sa mort, mais ce n'est pas le mont d'agir ainsi! Assieds-toi!" Flal shot back, ordering Fleur to do sothing, but she resisted, staying standing.
"Son urtrier est ici! Punissez-le! Il l'a fait exploser, je la vois encore devant s yeux, déchirée en morceaux! Il doit être puni!"
"Assieds-toi, maintenant! Je ne le dirai pas deux fois!"
This ti, it seed to work as she sat back, breathing heavily, seething and trembling in place.
"It seems you can barely contain your own pupils, Master Alchemist." Karkaroff chuckled, sarcastically smirking while speaking, but Flal wasn't interested in a verbal battle.
"She saw her friend die. It is a human reaction, one you know nothing of, Headmaster Karkaroff. Or should I say, Death Eater Karkaroff?"
"Hmph! What a la and cheap way to try and besmirch my words, especially when I lost a student myself! It is the Triwizard Tournant! Is your school too weak to accept losses? No wonder your people lack talent when you are caressing only weak wizards and witches! Cuddling your students cost them their lives!"
"Are you sure you want to say that to right now?"
The way Flal shot back was threatening not just in tone but by action because he already had his wand between his fingers. The 'weird' thing was that our Headmaster wasn't stepping in to diffuse the situation. Instead, he was letting it continue. Of course, it was perfectly reasonable for us, who were in the know. This was their ultimate goal.
"The problems rose from the fact that the beast was tampered with." Severus spoke up in the end, but not to ease the tension but to throw more oil onto the fire.
"It could have been only one of your factions... the fact that only one school has both Champions living..." Flal was not backing down. It seed that both sides were ready, and this was an avalanche that couldn't be stopped, not even by a wizard.
"You want to tell us that we outplayed the greatest alchemist of all tis and poisoned your Cerberus?" Karkaroff asked with a peal of mocking laughter.
"Yes."
Flal's answer was like a signal as I felt a tremor run through ... no, not just , through everybody who was present. I didn't need to think too hard as Snape pulled out his wand, pointing it at Flal.
"What did you do?!"
"Disabled the protection around Hogwarts." Was his answer, along with a spell flying directly at Snape.
I didn't have ti to watch the duel as I was pushed down by Victor, who raised a shield charm, blocking a spell from Fleur.
"Traitor!" She scread, but Victor shook her head.
"I am not backstabber, Fleur Delacour. If fight, fight with honor."
By the ti I got back to my feet, total chaos reigned over the Great Hall. The Headmasters were dueling, their spells crashing through the windows, smashing them apart while the teachers were rushing out as shouting could be heard from the grounds itself... we were under attack. I caught a glimpse of our group scurrying out, heading to the route we previously talked about, led by none other than Professor Lockhart. While Victor fought with Fleur, trying not to hurt her, Quincy pulled away as we slinked towards the exit.
"To the Room!" She whispered hurriedly, "Get the vial and escape! It is too valuable to leave it behind... I wouldn't have hidden it if I knew this would happen first thing in the morning!"
"Agreed!" I nodded, noticing her pressing a potion into my hand. It was the invisibility one we made for the Trial.
"I only used one! I knew it would co in handy!" She winked at as we drank it simultaneously and held each other's hands, disappearing.
Now I understood why Madam Pomfrey urged not to stress my legs. Every step I took on the stairs was painful, and both of them felt heavy as if they were made of iron.
"...!" Quincy stopped , and it took a mont to notice why. Others were already there, coming from a different wing. "Dumbledore... and I think the other one is called Lupin." She said, not with words but by writing into my palm.
Peeking over the edge of the corridor, we saw the two wizards. They were so hurried that they didn't even look around or use spells, only focusing on summoning the Room of Requirents and entering it. We waited a little before going after them, and it was my first ti seeing the room like a labyrinth where an endless amount of 'stuff' was cluttered, reaching far up to the ceiling. Bags, old furniture, backpacks, and who knows what else littered the landscape wherever one looked.
"It's in the sa shape as when I ca hiding the potion!" She wrote hastily, "Are they looking for sothing here?"
"Most likely! We don't have ti! Where did you hide it?"
"In plain sight!"
Although I couldn't see or hear her, I felt her tug along, and we only took two steps toward a cabinet right next to the door. Pulling out its first drawer, there it was, wrapped in an old sock.
"That... that is kinda genius." I wrote with amazent as my first thought would have been to go and start searching deep in this labyrinth.
"Thank you~! Now let's go! I don't want to be here when they return!"
I couldn't have agreed more. When we were out, we broke into a rush, heading downstairs and looking out the windows; I could see the battle going on everywhere around the castle grounds. I saw Death Eaters apparating in, fighting against the wizards of the Order who now were wreaking havoc everywhere. I even noticed the Black brothers chasing a rat... or was that our Professor? Or did their dog-like instinct kick in?
By the ti we got to the hidden corridor, it was wide open, signaling us that the others entered it already. With the potion wearing off, we could see and hear each other once again, and she imdiately noticed my pained look.
"Are you okay?!"
"Yeah, yeah! It's fine, just my legs... I can keep up, don't worry! Let's go; we have to escape!" I chuckled, dusting off my palms on my thighs.
"I will miss the school..." She whispered, taking a last look, and I couldn't help but feel guilty... which quickly disappeared when she kissed my face. "But as long as I am with you, every place will be just as much fun!"
Calm down! Don't lose your cool! Nobody forgot her death, but this is not the ti to act like this! Sit down!Her murderer is right here! Punish him! He exploded her, I still see her body before my eyes, torn to shreds! He needs to be punished!Sit down, now! I won't say it again!
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