Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0541 Unlucky

'Is there anyone more unfortunate than me?' Harry thought desperately, his heart pounding frantically against his ribs as Professor Watson's tall, imposing figure materialized through the misty Scottish afternoon. He had sneaked out to Hogsmeade with Hermione, but ended up running into Professor Watson, and on top of that, he had injured the Beauxbatons champion.

The incident brought back vivid memories of the previous accident in Hagrid's pumpkin patch, it was said that the girl, who seemed to have Veela blood, had been injured there last time, which greatly angered the headmaster of Beauxbatons and even alarmed Dumbledore!

Harry's eyes fixed on Fleur's face, where blood flowed freely from her nose, staining her Beauxbatons uniform and no matter how he looked at it, her injury didn't seem any lighter than the last time.

Hermione ran to Harry's side; her bushy brown hair wild from their hasty exit from the Three Broomsticks. Her face drained of color as she recognized the injured party - her fellow Triwizard champion, the part-Veela who had already suffered once before at Hogwarts. The sight of Fleur's blood-soaked collar and pained expression caused Hermione to gasp audibly as her hands flew to cover her mouth in horror.

Bryan certainly knew how Harry and Hermione had managed to come here, as Sirius was pushing his way through the crowd like a determined battering ram, towards the inner circle!

"Let me take a look—" Fleur's condition made Bryan sigh with frustration; this girl seemed to be having a bit of bad luck lately. He didn't interrogate Harry and Hermione further, but squatted down and said softly. The cobblestones beneath his knees were damp from the continuous Scottish mist, but he paid no mind to the discomfort.

Fleur let out a painful whimper, unwilling and embarrassed to let everyone see her in such a state. Her blue eyes were filled with tears as she looked at Bryan with a touch of grievance.

Non-magical injuries were not that troublesome to deal with. Bryan moved his wand gently to target the injury. The flow of blood ceased instantly, and Fleur's nose returned to its original alignment. However, even as he performed the healing magic, his mind was already racing ahead to the diplomatic nightmare this would undoubtedly cause.

Madame Maxime, already on edge from the previous incident, would likely view this second injury as proof of Hogwarts' inability to ensure her students' safety.

Gabrielle, Fleur's younger sister, showed her protective fury after she helped Fleur to her feet. Her small body seemed to grow with indignation as she turned her blazing eyes toward Harry.

"Why did you hurt my sister!" She demanded, in her thick French accent.

Fleur's reaction was more restrained, though no less intense. Her recognition of Harry and Hermione was evident in her eyes - after all, who wouldn't recognize the famous Harry Potter, with his characteristic lightning bolt scar and he was also the one who guided her to Bryan Watson's office on the night she arrived at Hogwarts, or the other girl who was somehow the fourth champion like her.

But rather than immediately express anger, she watched Bryan with keen interest, clearly waiting to see how he would handle this delicate situation.

Sirius finally broke through the last ring of spectators who were the strong Durmstrang students and his dark robes were slightly disheveled from the effort.

His face showed a complex mixture of emotions as he glanced between his godson, Hermione, and then at the calm-faced Bryan, before settling on the injured Fleur. He was feeling somewhat embarrassed - after all, it was his letter that had brought the children to Hogsmeade in the first place.

"Oh, I am very sorry—" Sirius stepped forward, naturally positioning himself between the children and any potential consequences. His voice carried the smooth, aristocratic tones of his upbringing as he attempted to diffuse the situation. "The child who just bumped into you is my godson. We had a bit of a disagreement just now, and he was a bit emotional which led to this unfortunate incident. We are, of course, willing to compensate in any way—"

Bryan's intervention came swiftly, his voice carrying a tone of regret. "I'm sorry—" he said, meeting Fleur's gaze directly. "This falls under my responsibility as a professor. I should have maintained better oversight."

Fleur glanced at Bryan and felt a strange sense of disappointment. She realized that Bryan's apology was not because he was on her side, but rather, he was trying to take responsibility for the two young wizards from Hogwarts.

"No!" Harry's voice cracked with emotion as he pushed past Sirius's protective posture. His face was as pale as Nearly Headless Nick, but his green eyes blazed with determination. "It has nothing to do with Professor Watson. This is my fault. I am very sorry." Then he added emotionally, "If you wish, you can take a swing at my nose."

The offer drew surprised murmurs from the growing crowd of onlookers who had gathered to witness the drama unfolding in the middle of Hogsmeade's main street.

The misty rain continued to fall, creating a somber backdrop to the scene.

But Fleur's response was unexpectedly calm.

"There's no need to feel guilty; it was just an accident—" She shook her head listlessly, causing droplets of water to fall from her silvery hair. "Let's go, Gabrielle. I have no interest in this place anymore. Let's go back to the carriage."

With that, she took the hand of the indignant Gabrielle, who was still glaring at Harry, and without saying goodbye to Bryan, she turned around and left quickly.

Their swift departure with Fleur's indifferent attitude intensified Harry's guilt. His shoulders slumped visibly, and his earlier boldness crumbled into genuine remorse. Yet beneath that guilt, a deeper anger toward Ron simmered - after all, this whole mess could be traced back to that idiot.

But that was a problem for another time; right now, he had to face Professor Watson, whose calm demeanor somehow made the situation even more intimidating.

Undoubtedly, he had caused trouble for Professor Watson. If the girl went back and told her headmaster, then Professor Watson would have to go to great lengths to appease Beauxbatons.

"I'm sorry, Professor Watson, we I—" Harry's attempt at an explanation faltered and died in his throat. Behind him, Sirius maintained his encouraging smile, smiling at Bryan, as if certain he would not punish Harry and Hermione too harshly.

"Come to my office after dinner to receive your punishment for sneaking out of school, Potter and Granger—" Bryan glared at Sirius, successfully making him look embarrassed, then said to Harry and Hermione, "Now, go back to the school immediately and stop wandering around, or I will inform Professor McGonagall—"

The threat of McGonagall's involvement hung in the air like a sword of Damocles. Sirius, recognizing the need for a swift exit, gave Harry's shoulder a reassuring pat.

"Go ahead—" he urged them. "Don't go out of the castle after dark, and then have a good talk with Ron—"

Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance filled with mutual understanding and a shared sense of relief; they had been granted a reprieve, albeit a temporary one.

With a final, apologetic look at Professor Watson, they turned and began to make their way back towards Hogwarts. The misty rain continued to fall, casting a gloomy shroud over the village, as if the very weather echoed their somber mood.

As they walked, the usually bustling atmosphere of Hogsmeade seemed quiet, or perhaps it was just their own moods coloring their perceptions. The brightly colored signs of the various shops—Honeydukes, Zonko's Joke Shop, Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop—all seemed dulled and less inviting than usual. The delicious scents wafting from the Three Broomsticks and Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, normally so enticing, now seemed sickly and overly sweet.

Meanwhile, Sirius and Bryan watched as the two young Gryffindors disappeared into the mist. Sirius turned to Bryan, as a wry smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. "Would you like a drink, Bryan? My treat, of course."

"I had planned to—" Bryan said with a dark expression, "but now I'm not in the mood."

Sirius nodded understandingly, his smile fading. 

Bryan's gaze shifted to the alley opposite the Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, his mind already moving on to the next issue that required his attention. "Clearly, this place is no longer suitable for conversation," he said, his voice barely audible over the murmur of the crowd. "Would you mind if we stepped somewhere more private?"

Sirius agreed, and the two men turned into the secluded alley. The alley was narrow, the buildings on either side leaning in as if sharing secrets. The scent of damp stone and old magic hung heavily in the air, providing a stark contrast to the busier streets they had left behind.

"What happened with Harry and Ron?" The two stood under the eaves, and Bryan asked casually, "Did the two boys have a fight?"

"It's about Hermione's champion status—" Sirius shrugged, "You know, that kid Ron has always felt pressured among his siblings, longing to stand out, but he never gets much attention next to Harry."

Bryan nodded in understanding.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione—in this small group, Harry was undoubtedly the center of attention wherever he went, and Hermione, due to her outstanding grades, also had some fame, not to mention that she was now the fourth champion of Hogwarts. Being friends with these two outstanding young wizards, it was easy to imagine the pressure and strange looks Ron would face.

However, Bryan had no intention of intervening; this was their own business, or one could say, an inevitable pain in the process of growing up.

"Tell me about Barty Crouch—" Bryan said, "Has he been up to anything lately?"

Sirius leaned against the damp wall; his arms crossed over his chest. "You know, Bryan, I can't always stay at the department, but when I do return to report, I can probe around a bit from others," he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "So far, nothing seems out of the ordinary. Crouch is still doing his usual routine, working late into the night as he always does. He's almost always the last one to leave the office."

He paused, his gaze shifting to the misty street beyond the alley. "Well, If I had to mention, something, it would be about Percy—"

"Percy?" Bryan's interest was piqued, and he leaned in slightly, encouraging Sirius to continue.

"Yes" Sirius said, rubbing his chin as he recalled the details. "I overheard Arthur boasting about it. Crouch seems to highly value Percy. Now, he lets Percy make decisions on some less important or urgent matters, while he spends most of his time in the office."

Bryan's eyes narrowed, his mind racing as he processed this information. 

Sirius continued, "But this actually isn't anything unusual. It's said that he was injured during a visit to Hungary and should have gone to St. Mungo's for a period of recovery, but we all know he wouldn't waste his precious time there. He must be feeling exhausted, so handing some unimportant work to Percy isn't surprising—"

Sirius looked at Bryan and his brow furrowed tightly after sensing Bryan's concern. "What's going on, Bryan? Why do you want me to keep an eye on Crouch? Do you think what's happening at Hogwarts is related to him?"

Bryan's eyes flickered briefly, his expression carefully neutral. He met Sirius's gaze steadily, but offered no immediate response. Seeing his expression, Sirius immediately understood that he wouldn't get any answers from Bryan. Not yet, at least.

"Alright—" Sirius sighed, resignation evident in his voice. "I know you have many important things to think about, but I hope you can help keep an eye on Harry, oh, and Hermione and Ron too. They are already overwhelmed by the champion matters—"

Bryan and Sirius didn't talk for long; after all, they had already exchanged information through letters. As for Sirius's final request, He understood Sirius's concern, but he also knew the delicate balance he had to maintain. Before Voldemort's wish was fulfilled, he had to ensure a certain distance from these three youngsters, no matter how much he might wish to intervene more directly.

The rain was misty, and only the green mountains could be seen.

Bryan turned out of the alley, hoping to return to Hogwarts immediately, but there were still many Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students in Hogsmeade. He had to wait until dinner time to gather these students and return to Hogwarts together.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to go to the Hog's Head Inn to pass the time; at least during the day, it was quite peaceful there. But after turning around, Bryan hesitated and looked back towards the Gladrags Wizardwear store they had just left.

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