Spectators: Preparations and Diversions

[author_by_night]

The Cheering Committee

The Hufflepuff Common room was dark. Everyone was sitting in silence.

"I hear them," someone whispered. Megan held her breath; sure enough, two feet had entered the common room.

The light turned on, and everyone jumped on cue.

"SURPRISE!" Megan screamed with everyone else.

Cedric stared around the room, which was decorated with balloons and streamers. Two girls in his year were placing a cake on a table they'd moved to the center of the room.

"I haven't won yet, y'know," he said with a grin.

"It's a good luck party," Bronson Phillips explained. "And we know you're going to win."

"Don't you have NEWTs?"

"I've been studying for NEWTs since my sixth year. I can put it off one night."

The room was abuzz with good luck wishes, with laughs, with excited chatter and bets as to how much the other Champions would lose to Cedric.

It took a while, but Megan finally managed to get him alone.

"You really are going to win," she told him. "I can feel it."

"I hope so. It'd make my parents proud. It'd make Hufflepuff proud."

"I hope you'd be a little proud yourself."

Cedric laughed. "Of course I would."

Megan laughed as well. She was glad he wasn't so intimidating anymore; he was even more fun to talk to than he was to gaze at dreamily.

Cho was so lucky.





Riddikulus

Remus hadn't planned on going, but as it happened, his father wanted him there.

"You've got to see what we have planned," Lyall wrote excitedly. "And you owe me a visit."

Remus knew Lyall was referring to the missed New Year's and Easter, although they had spent Christmas brunch together. Remus rarely visited his father without notice or invitation - they had a strange relationship that didn't allow for spontaneity.

Lyall met Remus at the foot of the maze. He was accompanied by a man Remus thought looked familiar.

"Amos, this is my son, Remus," Lyall said. "Amos has been instrumental in the variety of creatures."

"Did you bring them here?"

"Just the boggarts."

"Ah," Remus said. Well, Harry was set.

Amos was peering at Remus. "Your last name's Lupin?"

"Yes."

"You taught my son Cedric, then."

"Cedric Diggory? You're his father?' Remus remembered Cedric very well; he had been a smart and polite boy.

Amos beamed. "Never been prouder of it, either. I imagine he owes a lot to you... said you were one of the more competent professors."

Remus wondered if Amos knew he was a werewolf... perhaps he was more open minded. More likely talk of his son overshadowed any other biases.

"Speaking of which," Amos continued, "my wife's waiting for me... we're meeting Cedric. It's a family day of sorts, see."

Amos hurried off.

"Are you staying?" Remus asked Lyall.

"Have to. Are you?"

"Maybe," Remus lied. The truth was, he had no intention of staying; he could tell Lyall knew it, but also knew better than to push the matter.

"Let me show you what we're setting up,' Lyall said with a resigned sigh.

It was truly impressive; by the time they got back to the opening, Remus was considering staying after all.

At the very least, there was one thing he should do.

It wouldn't be easy; their parting had been sudden. But if it really was family day... what family did Harry have? Remus had no doubt Sirius was close, but he certainly couldn't show himself. What if Harry was all alone? James wouldn't have wanted that, and they never let Sirius be subjected to that when they were at school.

So Remus made his way into the castle, and walked in the general direction of the families.

He finally saw Harry, and made to say hello; then he realized a woman with red hair and a tall man were walking with Harry. They must have been Ron's mother and an older brother.

Knowing Harry would be just fine, Remus turned and left.



The Man With the Fang Earring

As soon as Fleur's eyes laid on the man with the fang earring, it became her intention to talk to him. There was something about him... maybe it was a sign of good luck.

She managed to see him again on her way to the Great Hall.

"Hello," Fleur said with a smile.

The young man's eyes widened a little, the way they always did when they realized how beautiful she was; but to her relief, instead of turning into a babbling brook, he said in a normal voice: "Hello! Aren't you the Beauxbatons Champion?"

Fleur extended her hand. "Fleur Delacour, and oui. Who are you?" He looked a bit old to be a student...

"I'm Bill Weasley. My brother Ron's a student... my family's close with Harry. I suppose you know Harry?"

"Oh, yes. He saved my sister's life."

"Mine t- Harry does that sometimes," Bill said quickly.

Fleur wondered what the story behind the "mine too" was, for she hadn't missed it, but she decided it could wait.

"How do you like Hogwarts so far?" Bill asked.

"I hated it at first," Fleur admitted, "But it is not so bad. My English has improved... I may even come back, if I can find work."

Bill smiled. "They're hiring at Gringotts, you know. Tried to get me to come back here..."

"Where do you live now?" Fleur asked.

"Egypt," Bill replied. "I'm a Charm Breaker for Gringotts Cairo."

"I see," Fleur said, feeling disappointed. Why did he have to live so far away? They were having such a nice conversation, and he was so attractive....

"The feast is starting," one of Fleur's classmates reminded her as she passed.

"Right. Mum'll be wondering where I've gone," Bill said.

They walked in together, but quickly separated. Fleur saw Bill sinking into a sea of ginger. Did they all have red hair?

"Fleur! I'm talking to you!" Gabrielle poked her sister impatiently.

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle." Fleur smoothed her sister's hair. "What were you saying?"

Chatter resumed, but not without the occasional stolen glances at Bill. Fleur was sure he was stealing just as many glances at her.

And then it was time to go. Thoughts of giggling little sisters and handsome men had to be put on hold.


The Job Comes First

"We'll let you know if anything goes wrong," Tonks told Sirius. "But I'm sure it won't."

Sirius barked.

Tonks hoped nothing went wrong, because she'd been looking forward to this. She'd really hoped Hestia would be able to come, but Hestia had had family obligations. Or Hestia had forgotten who Tonks was; that wasn't entirely impossible, given how little time Tonks had spent with her lately. Every day seemed to either be Auror duty or "finding Peter/Bertha/Crouch" duty or, last but not least, sleep duty.

Or maybe those were just excuses. Tonks had made plenty of time to do things with Kingsley and Remus respectively - rarely together. Was it that they were in the know? Kingsley had caught onto the fact that Tonks was hiding something, so she had nervously admitted what was going on. Remus had been the one who told her. Maybe it was easier to surround herself with friends when she wasn't lying to their faces.

Remus said that was the real reason. He'd done that sort of thing himself, apparently, so he would know.

"But you need them," Remus had added. "You'll have no idea how much you need them until it's too late."

So Tonks had told Bill she'd meet him there. Of course it was also in case anything went wrong, but this worked too.

"I have to run," Tonks told Sirius. "I'll-"

"-you shouldn't talk to dogs. It might give people the wrong idea."

Tonks turned to see Alastor eyeing her suspiciously.

"It's a dog, Mad Eye," Tonks said. "People talk to dogs all the time."

"Times are changing. I think we both know that."

A shiver ran down Tonks's spine, not because she wasn't used to Alastor's morbidity, but because it was in line with some of her worst fears.

"Anyway, hope you weren't here to enjoy the tournament," Alastor continued. "Scrimegour just contacted me. There's been an emergency."

"What? What happened?"

"Wouldn't tell me - they don't trust me anymore. Just said to meet him in front of Cardiff Castle."

"Okay." Tonks sighed. "Tell Bill I'm not going to make it, then."

"Who's Bill?"

"He's-" Tonks stopped. "Nevermind, he'll figure it out for himself."

The job comes first. The job comes first. The job comes first.