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A Marriage of Convenience	By : NinaSweets Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 159311 -:- Recommendations : 6 -:- Currently Reading : 45
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters and places all belong to JK Rowling this is a not for profit story.

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
So a big thank you to my reviewers for the last chapter, cullengal101, staar, snape_lust, higashi, ChaosLady, Kat, SarahBear, Jules3677, badaxx17 and slmncpm. I loved reading your reviews, they bring a huge smile to my face so I look like a creep staring at my phone grinning like a lunatic so keep them coming. On with the chapter!

Chapter Twenty-Two
Shaken, though they were, by the mornings events the champions would still be competing in the final task tonight. The Ministry had swooped in and hushed everyone, brushing it off as a harmless prank to upset the competitors. Throw them off their game and all that jazz.
So the population of Hogwarts was filing into the Quidditch stands to watch the final task. Harry stood with Snape at the base of the wooden staircase leading up to the Ravenclaw’s section of the stands. Snape, along with a few other Professors would be patrolling the final task, a giant maze. If a champion was in trouble they would send up red sparks for assistance and a teacher would go to their aid.
Hermione grabbed onto his arm tugging gently. She pulled him to the side with Ron and stared at Snape who was glaring at her. They had a quick staring match that ended with Snape giving in with an irritable huff and stalking off. Students streamed by completely ignoring the three Gryffindors huddled together.
“Harry, I think this morning was a warning,” Hermione whispered.
“From Vol-”
“Shh!” Ron hissed and Hermione nodded knowing what Harry had been trying to say.
“A warning for what? Do you think he’ll storm the grounds or something?”
“No, I don’t know I just – something bad is going to happen,” Hermione said.
“What do we do?”
“There’s nothing we can do, just be prepared okay. Stay with Snape, somehow the Ministry will make this your fault I know it,”
“How would it be my fault?!”
“You’re a delusional Parseltongue who married his potions teacher remember,” Ron said
“Thank you, Ron,” Harry muttered and Ron hurried on to placate him,
“You spouting all that stuff about him coming back has set them on edge,” Ron continued, “You’re in the public eye and your unpredictable, the Ministry doesn’t like that.”
“Right,” Harry said, “Got it.”
“Stick to Snape, he’ll be your alibi if anything happens,” Hermione said.
“I can’t he’s monitoring the tournament,”
“Then volunteer with him! Do not leave his side I mean it!”
“You just made me-”
“Go find him!” she ordered. Harry gave a sharp nod and they separated. Harry quickly ducked out onto the Quidditch pitch and was confronted with a twenty foot tall hedge. He stared in surprise for a few moments before hurrying around the edge. He found the champions gathered with the Professors at the entrance of the maze. Harry spotted Snape and immediately headed for his side.
“Ah, Mr Potter,” Ludo Bagman greeted, “What brings you down here?”
“I – er wanted to volunteer, with Snape – er Severus, this guy,” Harry said awkwardly.
Bagman nodded and leant in close so he could whisper to them
“I understand, when my wife was pregnant she never wanted to leave my side,” he said nodding.
“Hah, hah,” Harry said with a forced smile.
“Professor Snape does have a job to do tonight though Harry, if a champion is in trouble you can’t go in the maze, there’s a lot of dangerous things in there, you have to take care of that little one,” Bagman said cheerfully and patted his stomach before walking over to the champions.
Harry spun around and stared at Snape who was trying to hide his smirk.
“Why does he think I’m pregnant?”
“That article Skeeter wrote, with all the mess with Lupin and myself no one made her retract it,” Snape said carelessly.
“So everyone thinks I’m pregnant?”
“Stupid people do,” Snape said and Harry stared at him incredulously.
“Make her retract it!”
“It’s not important right now,”
“But your potion didn’t work and we can’t fake it enough!”
“Harry,” Snape said and grabbed his shoulders. “The article was pure speculation, we have neither confirmed nor denied it, and in a few months when you show no visible signs of pregnancy the masses will know it was just useless gossip.”
“I can still stay with you right?” Harry asked
“Yes,”
“I mean tonight,”
“Why?”
“Hermione thinks something is going to happen. Those fingers this morning are a sign,”
“Ah fourteen, what a wonderful time of hormones and crushes and conspiracy theories,” Snape mocked and Harry glared at him.
“Those fingers meant something,”
“I’m sure they did but it is not your job to go gallivanting off to solve that mystery,”
“Who will then? The Ministry? They won’t do a thing and you know it,”
“Potter,” Snape said and took hold of Harry’s shoulders tightly. “People older and wiser then you have been working a lot longer and much more silently then you ever could to try and solve all the world’s problems. No great change is going to come over night; you need to learn to be patient.”
“I wish you didn’t talk down to me like that,” Harry said and Snape raised an eyebrow.
“I do it with everyone don’t think your special,” Snape replied forcing a reluctant smile from Harry.
Harry leant his head against the man’s arm, not tall enough to reach his shoulder, and they waited for the task to begin.
Before them was the entrance to the maze looking very dark and creepy in between the twenty-foot tall hedge walls on either side.
“Everyone ready?” Bagman asked. The three champions each gave a firm nod and Bagman turned to the group of Professors who had volunteered, McGonagall, Flitwick and

Hagrid. The half giant gave Harry a little wink when they spotted one another and Harry offered a small embarrassed smile in return.
“Excellent, then we will begin,” Bagman said. He cast the ‘Sonorous’ charm so his voice was booming across the Quidditch pitch and into the stands.
“Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament! Our three champions have put their bravery to the test and we have tested their logic in a crisis. It is time now for their final challenge! As you can see before you there is a maze, at the centre is the Triwizard Cup. The first to reach it is the winner, but this is no simple test of speed, there are numerous tricks and traps lurking in the maze. Our champions will have to use all their knowledge to get through this. Now as Mr Krum is in the lead on sixty-eight points he will go first, followed one minute later by Miss Delacour who is second with fifty points and then Mr Diggory with forty-six points will enter last, a minute after Miss Delacour.”
Harry and Snape began to walk around the edge of the maze as Bagman spoke, the other three professors branching off as well so there was someone stationed at every corner of the maze. Harry glanced up sky, enjoying the clear night, being able to see all the stars and constellations. Not that Harry could remember as many as he should from his Astronomy classes. He lowered his gaze to the Quidditch stands. Each section of the crowd was decked out in their school colours. Harry was so use to seeing the colours of each house it was odd to see the sea of black representing Hogwarts, the bright blue of Beauxbatons and the dark red of Durmstrang. The crowd moved in a wave of cheers as their champions name was called, shouting their name offering their support.
“Mr Krum, when you’re ready,” Bagman’s voice was saying.
The Durmstrang section of the crowd roared as Krum entered the maze. Quickly though there was silence.
Harry stared up at the sky again, waiting for the red sparks that would signal a champion in danger.
“Miss Delacour, you may begin,” Bagman said.
The Beauxbatons section of the crowd cheered and Fleur was in the maze now.
Harry leant into Snape’s side still watching the sky for signs of trouble.
“In you go Mr Diggory,” Bagman said. The Hogwarts students sent up a cry so loud it scared birds from the trees in the Forbidden Forest.
All the champions were now in the maze.
It was quiet. The crowd was silent, offered a bird’s eye view of the maze obviously nothing was happening. Harry glanced around trying to pick out people he knew but he was too far away.
There was a scream, it was loud. It was Fleur’s scream. She was close to where he stood with Snape. They heard her hurried footsteps through the maze wall as she sprinted past them.
Harry stared at Snape who was staring at the hedge.
“Do you think she’s all right?” Harry asked
“She hasn’t sent up any sparks,” Snape replied and Harry sighed.
There was silence again. Harry didn’t like it. It unnerved him.
“I disarmed Dumbledore in class the other day,” Harry said just to make conversation. Snape’s face remained impassive, the only indication he’d heard was a slight twitch in his eyebrow.
“What did he say?” Snape asked softly.
“He was weird at first but then he smiled. He wouldn’t take the wand back from me for a little while,” Harry said. Snape nodded his face blank. He was putting the information away for later. Harry sighed and snuggled a little closer for warmth. Snape put his arm around Harry’s shoulders but Harry knew it was with great reluctance. Harry was sure not a single person in that crowd was watching them but still Snape refused to allow more than the barest minimum.
There was a loud BANG! Harry jumped and looked around wildly. There was a burst of flames that shot up from the maze disappearing into the sky and two males shouting. Cedric and Krum, they were being attacked by the same thing.
“RUN! RUN!” Cedric shouted.
There was the sound of curses, more fire and another loud BANG before the silence returned.
“There!” Harry said pointing to where a shower of red sparks was flying into the air.
Snape looked left then right quickly,
“We’re the closest,” Harry said and Snape nodded.
“Stay here,” Snape ordered
“But-”
Snape put his hand on Harry’s head as if he were a dog,
“Stay,” Snape said and Harry sighed as the man backed away from him, the hand still raised to make him stay.
The maze wall parted silently to let Snape in. He backed away into the gap and disappeared as the wall made itself whole once more.
Harry waited, breathing heavily with nervousness. He didn’t like being on the outside. He didn’t like being kept out of things.
It was an agonising ten minutes before Snape reappeared, carrying Fleur Delacour in his arms. She looked terrible. Her long blonde hair was pink with blood gushing from her forehead. She was covered in dirt and her legs were dangling down at very odd angles.
“Squashed by an Acromantula,” Snape explained. He turned heading for the start of the maze where Bagman and Madame Pomfrey were waiting.
Harry had encountered an Acromantula nest in the Forbidden Forest in his second year. He and Ron had been sent into the woods to find out the Chamber of Secrets. There they had met Aragog, the king of the Acromantula; he had been Hagrid’s pet while the man was at school but the students believed that it was the monster in the chamber and Hagrid had been blamed for a student’s death and expelled.
“Oh dear!” Bagman said, “Looks like Miss Delacour is out of the running!”
There were cries from the crowd in protest, shouting in French all turning into a garble of noise in Harry’s ears.
Madame Pomfrey had set up a small first aid area with two stretchers and a small work bench covered with potions and bandages.
Snape lay Fleur down on one of the stretchers and stepped back letting Madame Pomfrey get to work.
Snape turned and walked Harry away from the first aid area turning to face the maze once more.
More sparks flew into the air and Harry turned to Snape who was frowning.
“Go help Poppy,” Snape ordered before stalking forward. Harry watched the maze swallow him up again before he headed back over to Madame Pomfrey. The nurse was pouring a few potions into Fleur’s mouth talking softly to her. Fleur was awake now, replying just as softly trying to explain what had happened to her. She was having a hard time slipping back into French her eyes squeezing shut as she forced her words into English.
“Spider... big spider. I ran, it bit me. Hurt me. I ‘it it wiz spells and it fell. Bam, like pancake on my legs,” Fleur muttered her hand on her forehead. “I couldn’t get up so I ask for ‘elp and zen the pain became too much,”
“You’ll be okay soon; the potions I gave you should work quickly. You will have to stay in the Infirmary over night though,” Madame Pomfrey said gently and Fleur gave a small nod.
“Oui, merci Madame Pomfrey,” Fleur said and settled back down on the stretcher. it was then she spotted Harry. She offered him a small smile.
“Bonjour monsieur Potter,” she greeted and Harry crouched down in the grass beside her.
“I think you were doing really well, I’ve met a few Acromantula before they’re not easy things to out run,”
“You ‘ave led a very... exciting life,” she said and Harry shrugged.
“It was my own stupidity that had me in those situations really,” Harry said and she laughed.
“Your ‘usband helped me from ze maze?” she asked and Harry nodded. “Sank ‘im for me?”
“Sure,” Harry said and Fleur smiled.
“I wish I could ‘ave won,” she said softly, “For my sister,”
“I think she’s proud of you anyway,” Harry said
“I know, it would ‘ave been nicer to ‘ave ‘er proud and ze money too,” Fleur said and Harry laughed making Fleur smile.
“You are... strange boy ‘Arry Potter,”
“Girls always say that about me,”
“Hm, true, but you marry a man you don’t like to avoid money and glory, strange no?”
“I suppose,” Harry said with a shrug and Fleur was suddenly smiling at him.
“What?” he asked and she stared at him.
“Ah l’amour,” she said simply. Harry blinked at her; he didn’t speak a word of French and had no idea what she’d said.
“Love,” she explained.
“Oh, yeah, maybe,”
“’Arry, I’m French, I know love, ze eyes tell me every sink.” Harry couldn’t help but look away from her which made her laugh.
They chatted a little more about other little things; she taught him a few French words before Madame Pomfrey was back instructing Fleur to rest and Harry to not disturb her.
They kept themselves busy with a quiet guessing game, they would think of numbers between one and ten and the other had to guess. Harry had to guess in French and he could only remember up to five so Fleur usually won.
Fleur had drifted off to sleep about twenty minutes before hand when Snape came back. Harry stood up and headed toward him but Snape shook his head so Harry settled back down beside Fleur. Professors Flitwick, McGonagall and Hagrid had followed Snape, they were whispering to one another worriedly. Harry frowned, why had they all returned? Was the task over?
Bagman hurried forward, he had cancelled the charm so he could chat quietly with them. As McGonagall spoke to him his face grew paler and paler. He began to bounce up and down a little nervously and when McGonagall stopped he simply stared at her hopelessly. Harry just couldn’t help himself. He stood up heading for Snape again. He didn’t make it more than two steps when there was a bright flash of light. Before him Cedric and Krum both appeared clutching the Triwizard Cup. It had been a Portkey out of the maze and had transported them both here. They landed with a hard thump, neither of them evening attempting to soften their landing.
Harry stopped. That wasn’t right. He sprinted forward and kicked the cup out of their hands. Something was wrong with it. He didn’t like it. Not at all.
Neither of them reacted to the cup being torn from their hands. They stayed completely still, laying face down on the grass. Harry quickly rolled Cedric over first as he was closest. He was panting softly so Harry scrambled over him to where Krum lay. He rolled the boy over with a lot more difficulty then he’d had with Cedric. Krum was a lot sturdier then Cedric.
Rolling him over Harry wished he hadn’t. He wished he could help himself. He wished he could just stay put for once in his life.
Krum was pale and still, his brown eyes glassy and unmoving, staring at a sky he’d never see again. He was dead.
Harry scrambled away as if he’d been set on fire. This of course had him crashing into Cedric and had him leaping away from him forgetting for a moment Cedric was still alive.
Harry stopped staring at Viktor Krum. Seventeen year old international Quidditch star. Dead in front of him.
There was high pitched laughter ringing in his ears. Lily Potter was falling sideways her green eyes bright with rage even in death. Red hair sprawled across baby blue carpet. Those eyes staring at him from the floor and from the tiny baby in the crib.
Traitors need to learn their lesson.
People getting in my way.
Ruining my plans.
Traitors.
Eliminated.
There was bright green light, the Killing Curse was blinding as it took Viktor Krum’s life away.
“Oh no,” that was McGonagall’s voice.
“Oh!” Madame Pomfrey had arrived.
“He’s dead,”
“The Killing Curse,”
“What?”
Hands were on his shoulders pulling him up. Harry choked his dinner spilling forward with an acidic burn as he threw up.
“Shh, it’s all right, come back to me,”
Harry stared forward his eyes coming to focus on Snape who was crouched in front of him. His eyes were wide as he searched Harry’s face.
Harry stared at him before his eyes drifted over to where Krum lay, surrounded by the teachers.
“It was him,” Harry said.
“You were in his mind?” Snape asked and Harry turned back to him.
“I don’t do it on purpose! I hate it!”
“I know, I know,” Snape said rubbing Harry’s arm soothingly. Harry slumped down looking at his knees.
“I don’t understand, what was the point?”
“Don’t try to rationalise the madness,” Snape said standing up. He held out his hands and Harry gripped them, letting the man pull him to his feet.
“He’s really dead?”
“What did you see?” Snape asked and Harry looked at him.
“Mum,” Harry said and Snape stared at him. “Her hair is like blood on the carpet. He was angry. Furious. Someone’s betrayed him. A traitor. They need to be punished. Eliminated.”
Snape’s face was blank and Harry stared at him.
“This is too much; you’re going to leave me! I don’t blame you! There’s a madman in my brain!” Harry said. Snape blinked very rapidly at him, he was confused it wasn’t something Harry saw very often.
The crowd had sensed something was wrong. There was chattering, racing back and forth and students were standing to try and get a better look at what was happening on the ground.
The judges came hurrying onto the pitch heading straight for them. The Minister was in front, almost jogging to stay in front of Professor Dumbledore and Madame Maxime’s long strides.
In one swift movement Snape had Harry behind him, holding his arm tightly as the Minister strode past.
“Dear Lord!” Fudge gasped. “Dumbledore! He’s dead!”
Fudge must have said that too loudly because the crowd caught it. The world flittered through the stands like wild fire and there was shouting. People were screaming. Loudly. Dead!
Dumbledore was crouching beside Cedric Diggory who was now sitting up. Harry caught his eyes and Cedric’s eyes went wide at the sight of him.
“He didn’t want us!” Cedric said shaking his head. “It was YOU! HE WANTED YOU!”
Snape stepped further in front of him blocking Cedric from his sight but Harry could still hear him shouting.
“He killed him. It was so quick I didn’t – I couldn’t” Cedric stopped.
“Dumbledore,” it was Fudge, “The Krum’s, they’re coming this way.” he sounded scared.
Harry clutched at Snape like a rock in a stormy sea. He felt nauseous and Voldemort was still laughing. The man could go on forever.
“Severus,” Dumbledore was speaking to them. “If you would assist Poppy in moving young Mr Krum away from curious eyes,”
Snape turned to Harry and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead before heading over to where the adults were crowded. Harry stood still, his arms wrapped around his middle breathing deeply trying to keep himself centred in the Quidditch pitch.
“Potter!”
Harry was grabbed harshly and he found himself face to face with Durmstrang’s Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff.
Harry reared back in shock as waves of rage pulsed through him at the sight of the man. The laughter seemed to grow too loud. It paralysed Harry’s thoughts. Karkaroff was talking but Harry couldn’t hear a thing.
“Tonight isn’t for me,” Harry said suddenly. “It’s for you!”
Karkaroff let go of Harry as if he’d been burned. He glanced over Harry’s shoulder before spinning on his heel. Harry kept his eyes on the man, not sure if it was good thing he was leaving. A student of his had just died, he should stay. Harry turned and Snape was behind him. Harry jumped in surprise.
“Karkaroff, he went that way. I think he’s going to run for it,”
“Coward,” Snape muttered and Harry shook his head.
“Traitor,” Harry said and stared at Snape. “Tonight isn’t about me, it’s for him.”
“Yes, how wonderful that a tragedy has nothing to do with you for once,” Snape said and Harry glared at him.
“That’s not funny,” Harry said and Snape wrapped an arm around him turning him around.
A small tent had been set up around Krum’s body, Cedric was sitting down outside of it with Madame Pomfrey crouched beside him. Madame Pomfrey was holding out a potion trying to convince the boy to drink it.
The Minister and Dumbledore were standing off to the side; they looked to be arguing heatedly. Fudge was shaking his head and Dumbledore was straightening up to his full height towering over the man.
“Stay with Diggory,” Snape ordered before heading over to Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall saw Snape join the conversation and took that as an invitation to join as well.
Harry turned and headed over to where Cedric sat. Madame Pomfrey offered a small smile to him as she stood up and they switched places. Madame Pomfrey turned and headed into the tent. Harry caught a glimpse inside, Krum was still lying on the grass but his parents were there now too. Mrs Krum had her head on her son’s chest sobbing loudly while Mr Krum stood with a hand on her back his face pulled into a pained frown.
Harry turned away to face Cedric who was staring at the entrance to the tent. His grey eyes were overly bright, holding in tears.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you,” Cedric said and Harry raised his eyebrows. “I just-”
“You don’t have to tell me anything,” Harry said.
“Who else would I talk to? No one else has been through this, no one but you,” Cedric said. Harry stared at him.
“We were attacked by fire-crabs. Krum got set alight and I helped put it out and we ran in the same direction. We both reached the centre of the maze together. I looked at Krum before I just sprinted forwards. He was right there beside me and we dived for the cup at the same time. We both grabbed it and it was a Portkey. It took us to a graveyard. We were confused and then – he was there.”
“Who?” Harry asked though he already knew the answer. He wanted to hear it. He needed to hear it aloud.
“You-Know-Who,” Cedric sighed. He couldn’t quite look Harry in the eye as he said it.
“He – is like nothing I’ve seen before. Not even in my worst nightmares. He laughed, that laugh. It’s like ice hitting the ground, so hard and cold it shatters you inside, it threw me off. I don’t think he was expecting us but he didn’t look surprised. He spoke he said he needed to teach the traitor a lesson, that ‘he’ needed to learn what happens to traitors,”
“He was talking about Karkaroff; he used to be a Deatheater and sold out a lot of his friends to avoid prison.”
Cedric shook his head.
“He killed a good young man to teach a Deatheater a lesson?” Cedric said angrily. Harry had no way of knowing if that was the truth or not but based on what he’d felt from Voldemort that seemed to be why.
“Krum was a good man,” Cedric said and Harry nodded. “It should have been me,”
“Don’t say that,” Harry said. “I’d be sitting here with Krum and he’d be saying the exact same thing had it been you.”
“It was so fast,” Cedric said quietly. “Just green light and then he was gone. He let me go, told me to tell everyone what I saw him do,”
“And have no one believe you and the Ministry accuse you of murder,” Harry muttered.
“Potter is a menace!” Fudge shouted and Harry offered Cedric a small smile.
“Right on time,” Harry said.
“A boy has died and I know it has something to do with him! Anytime something happens at Hogwarts I know the name Potter will be brought up in no time!” Fudge yelled.
“Harry has been with me the entire evening and when I was absent he was with Madame Pomfrey and Miss Delacour,” Snape snapped,
“He was the first to touch Mr Krum,”
“If you are seriously suggesting a fourteen year old boy has the touch of death then you are a bigger idiot then you look!” Snape hissed.
Fudge seemed to be aware of the listening ears around him and lowered his voice again to argue with Dumbledore.
Cedric was glaring at Fudge; he stood up on shaky legs and dragged Harry with him over to where they were arguing.
“You still believe he’s back?” Fudge was saying as they approached.
“Yes,” Dumbledore said calmly.
“Mr Diggory is clearly traumatised,” Fudge said, “He is not back!”
“Oh of course, how could we all forget that day when the Dark Lords body was buried in cement so he could never return,” Snape said and Fudge shot him a very dark look.
“This has been a shocking night for everyone, I’m sure with enough time Mr Diggory will remember what truly happened, until then I shall be placing him under arrest for the murder of Mr Krum,” Fudge said
“I didn’t do anything!” Cedric cried, Fudge turned to him his mouth open to argue but McGonagall interrupted.
“Minister,” she said, “You don’t really believe Mr Diggory is capable of such a thing do you?”
“We will find that out during the trial.”
“Cornelius,” Dumbledore said. His voice was quiet but for the effect it had over the small crowd gathered he may as well have shouted. Dumbledore stood staring at Fudge and it may as well have been only them in the world as they stared at one another.
“Now see here Dumbledore, I have let a lot of things slide with you, I let you run things the way you want without any interference. The Philosophers Stone debacle, the Chamber of Secrets where a student was nearly killed your refusal with the Dementors after Sirius Blacks escape. I have been nothing but helpful, trying to protect the students, which is more then I could say about you. But enough is enough I cannot stand by and watch you ruin children’s futures with your preposterous ideas,”
“Time is running out, already Voldemort has murdered two people and he’s only been back for a short time,”
“Barty Crouch’s death was ruled an accident and I’m sure we will find the one responsible for tonight’s tragedy,” Fudge said.
“You are blinded by the power of the love of the office you hold, you will be remembered as the Minister who simply stepped aside and let Voldemort take power,”
“HE’S NOT BACK!” Fudge shouted.
Snape was quickly unbuttoning his left sleeve. He shoved it right below Fudge’s nose causing the man to flinch away fearing an attack but Snape was merely showing him the Dark Mark.
“The Dark Mark,” Snape said, “his mark. It is his way of getting in touch with us, of calling us to him. I have not felt it burn in thirteen years until the evening of the second task. Karkaroff’s burned as well. He was a fool who thought if he simply ignored it, it would go away. Now one of his prized pupils is dead and I’m sure he’ll be next or if not him someone close to him, the Dark Lord does not suffer fools lightly. Are you a fool Minister?”
Fudge glared at him then turned to Dumbledore.
“Dumbledore, I shall arrange a meeting with you tomorrow on how you run this school and your questionable staff, for now we are done.” Fudge then turned heading into the tent to speak with Mr and Mrs Krum.
“Boys,” Dumbledore said turning to Cedric and Harry with a small sad smile. “I feel that the Krum’s will probably wish to return to Bulgaria to bury their son. If you wish to say your goodbyes I think now might be your only chance,”
“Er, I think Hermione might want to,” Harry said quietly.
“Of course, Mr Diggory if you are up to it would you please go and collect Miss Granger and the youngest Mr Weasley and bring them here,”
“I can do that,” Cedric said with a firm nod.
“I must remind you not to speak to anyone about tonight’s events. I will address the school tomorrow morning,” Dumbledore said and Cedric nodded quickly before heading off to find Harry’s friends.
Dumbledore headed into the tent and Snape made Harry follow although he really didn’t want to.
Dumbledore spoke in fluid Bulgarian to Mr and Mrs Krum who were both seated on a bench beside their son. Madame Pomfrey headed past them to stand guard outside; Harry saw her dabbing at her eyes as she walked past them.
“-Harry Potter,” Dumbledore said indicating to Harry. The Krum’s both frowned at him curiously before they both almost simultaneously pointed to their foreheads. Harry nodded and lifted his fringe to show them the scar.
Mrs Krum spoke to Dumbledore and Harry waited for the translation.
“You are much smaller then she thought you’d be,” Dumbledore said and Harry offered Mrs Krum a small shrug.
“It’s okay,”
Harry recognised the voice as Ron’s.
He turned slightly and a second later Ron and Hermione we walking into the tent.
“Oh,” Hermione said softly.
Dumbledore introduced Hermione to Mr and Mrs Krum who spoke back quickly.
“Viktor’s letters didn’t do you justice,” Dumbledore said and Hermione offered a small smile.
“He was a wonderful man,” Hermione said softly looking down. Her big brown eyes were blinking rapidly as she held in her tears. Harry stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sad I won’t get the chance to get to know him better,” Hermione said, Dumbledore relayed her words and Mr Krum replied quietly.
“As are we,” Dumbledore said and Hermione began to cry.
“Sorry,” Hermione said shaking her head.
Mrs Krum held out a hand and Hermione headed around to take hold of it and stand beside her. She spoke softly and Hermione looked over at Dumbledore.
“You cared so much for him after only such a short time knowing one another,”
“He was very kind to me. I’m very sad that I won’t know the wonderful man he would have been,”
As Dumbledore finished translating Mrs Krum stood up and wrapped her arms around Hermione pulling her into a tight hug. Hermione began to cry in earnest now and Harry’s heart ached for her. He didn’t like seeing his friend sad and being unable to fix it.
Snape’s arm wound around his shoulder and squeezed him tightly in comfort. Harry silently thanked him. It was only going to get harder from here on out but Harry was glad he wouldn’t be alone.

Severus sat opposite Albus in the man’s office. There was a set of rings sitting on the table and Severus stared at them.
“Did you find out who the fingers belonged to?” Severus asked and Albus looked at him sadly. Severus sighed.
“So I am the last,” he said quietly, “Less leverage to use against me I suppose,”
Albus swept a hand forward indicating to the six rings that sat on the table each with a letter on them.
“I think he is considerable leverage against you,” Albus said softly, “Unless I arranged these wrong and we are being warned about pet rot.”
“A grave concern for us all,” Severus said and Albus nodded.
“You will need to go to him tonight,” Albus said and Severus sighed. “You can tell him what an idiot Cornelius is,” Albus said
“He already knows,”
“Tell him again,” Albus said quietly.
“Of course,” Severus said and stood. Albus didn’t say anything else so Severus was free to leave. Shuffling from one madman to another would this night never end?

That’s a wrap. I’m back in work (boo-urns) so I won’t be able to write as much so you probably won’t get another week like this with all the updates unless I injure myself again.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter and as always don’t forget to review, Nina
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A Marriage of Convenience