The next day passed in much the same way as the last.
By nightfall, Harry quietly slipped out of the boys' dormitory and descended to the Gryffindor common room. The room was empty, only the fire burning quietly in the fireplace.
Harry sat down in front of it, glancing occasionally toward the dormitory staircase.
Several minutes passed.
Suddenly, the flames shifted. A face slowly emerged from the fire.
"Harry."
Harry immediately leaned closer. "Sirius!"
Sirius Black's face was framed by the dancing flames. "Keep your voice down. I don't want anyone else hearing this."
Harry nodded.
"First," Sirius continued, "tell me the truth. Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire?"
"No. I didn't. I swear."
Sirius studied him for a moment before giving a small nod. "Good. I believed you, but I needed to hear you say it."
Harry hesitated. "Then who did?"
Sirius's expression became grave. "I don't know. But I know this much — someone wanted you in that Tournament badly enough to fool one of the most powerful magical objects in existence."
Harry felt a knot tighten in his stomach.
"That means this isn't an accident. Be careful. Stay close to Dumbledore, don't wander around the castle alone, and let me know immediately if anything unusual happens."
Harry nodded. "I will."
Sirius was silent for a moment before speaking again. "Harry, in your last letter you told me about that dream."
Harry nodded. "The one about Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew?"
"Exactly," Sirius said. "Now, before we've even had a chance to understand what that dream meant, someone has manipulated the Goblet of Fire and forced you into the Triwizard Tournament." His expression hardened.
"I don't believe those two things are unrelated. It sounds to me as though somebody is putting dangerous plans into motion, and you've been placed right in the middle of them."
Harry swallowed. "What should I do?"
"Stay alert. Don't try to face everything by yourself." He paused.
"And Harry, if you're ever in real trouble and there isn't a professor nearby, don't hesitate to ask that Malfoy boy for help."
In Sirius's opinion, among Harry's close friends that kid was the strongest, probably the most capable, and shrewd enough to do the right thing at the right moment.
Harry slowly nodded. "I'll remember that."
Sirius gave him one final serious look. "And Harry... be careful. The Triwizard Tournament has always been dangerous, even without someone working against you."
"I will."
Sirius's face slowly faded back into the flames, leaving Harry alone before the crackling fireplace.
Just as Harry was staring into the dying flames, he heard footsteps. He quickly turned around.
Ron stepped into the common room, looking tired. The moment his eyes landed on Harry sitting alone before the fireplace, he frowned. "What are you doing down here?"
Harry hesitated for only a fraction of a second. "...Nothing."
Ron glanced toward the fireplace. There was no one there anymore. Even so, something about Harry's expression made him suspicious. "You were talking to someone."
Harry shook his head. "No, I wasn't."
Ron held Harry's gaze for another moment before giving a slow nod. "Right." His voice carried little conviction. He turned toward the staircase.
As he passed Harry, he muttered just loudly enough to be heard. "Still keeping secrets."
The words stung. Harry stood up immediately. "Ron."
Ron stopped but didn't turn around.
"I didn't put my name into the Tournament. I don't know who did it. I've been telling you the truth from the beginning."
Ron finally looked back over his shoulder. "Then explain how your name came out of the Goblet."
"I can't."
"Exactly."
Harry took a step forward. "That doesn't mean I entered myself."
Ron let out a bitter laugh. "You always manage to find yourself at the center of everything, don't you?"
Harry stared at him. "You think I wanted this? Do you think I wanted to be forced into a Tournament people have died in?"
"I think you wanted the glory."
Harry's expression fell. "No..."
"I think you found a way around the Age Line, entered your name, and didn't trust me enough to tell me."
Harry shook his head. "I would've told you if I'd done it."
Ron looked at him for a long moment. "I don't believe you." Without another word, he turned and climbed the staircase, leaving Harry standing alone before the fireplace, unable to find anything else to say.
***
And just like that, the days passed. By the middle of November, the excitement surrounding the First Task had only continued to grow.
One afternoon, as students poured out of the castle after their last lesson, Ron spotted Victor walking alone down the corridor.
"Victor."
Victor stopped and looked at him. "What is it?"
Ron shifted uncomfortably. "Hagrid wants to see Harry tonight." He paused. "He said to tell Harry to meet him at midnight... near the edge of the Forbidden Forest."
Victor raised an eyebrow. "...And?"
Ron avoided his gaze. "Could you tell him?"
Victor stared at him for a few moments before letting out a quiet sigh. "Wait. I've become your messenger?"
Ron flushed slightly but didn't answer. His silence was answer enough.
Victor folded his arms. "You really are determined not to speak to him."
Ron scowled. "He can tell everyone else his secrets. He doesn't need me."
Victor studied him for a moment before shaking his head. "You're unbelievable." But he agreed — it was just passing a word along, nothing significant. And if he was being honest, sneaking along wasn't the worst idea. He had always wanted to see a dragon.
*****
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