"I've got them counted, Hagrid," said Charlie sternly. Then he said, "How's Harry?"
"Fine," said Hagrid. He was still gazing at the eggs.
"Just hope he's still fine after he's faced this lot," said Charlie grimly, looking out over the dragons' enclosure. "I didn't dare tell Mum what he's got to do for the first task; she's already having kittens about him. …" Charlie imitated his mother's anxious voice. "How could they let him enter that tournament, he's much too young! I thought they were all safe, I thought there was going to be an age limit!' She was in floods after that Daily Prophet article about him. 'He still cries about his parents! Oh, bless him, I never knew!"
'Oh, Mrs. Weasley.' Chris sighed.
"Yeah tha' poor boy," Hagrid said still eyes at Dragons.
Chris looked at the close-one, the Hungarian Horntail. Slowly the Horntail opened her eyes a little. Chris instantly understood that the Dragon was tired. She was feeling helpless, she just wanted to protect her children in eggs but no one was feeling that.
'I'm sorry.' Chris said in her mind. 'You're also facing challenges and here I'm thinking how to save my friends. I'm sorry.'
She looked at the other Dragons and felt the same thing, all of them were tired and worried.
'Trust me if I could, then I would've helped you but...' Chris sighed.
Now the Horntail eyes were pleading for help, Chris couldn't bear it anymore. Knowing she can't do anything, Chris turned and began to walk away, back to the castle, thinking about the Dragons' pleading eyes and their screams.
She almost came face-to-face with Karkaroff, who was standing in the dark, figuring out a way to pass the Dragons(obviously). Very slowly and very carefully, Chris moved away from him, then without making too much noise, she hurried through the darkness back toward Hogwarts.
Chris reached the castle, slipped in through the front doors, and began to climb the marble stairs, thinking how she will tell Harry about this.
"Balderdash!" She gasped at the Fat Lady, who was snoozing in her frame in front of the portrait hole.
"If you say so," she muttered sleepily, without opening her eyes, and the picture swung forward to admit her. Chris climbed inside. The common room was deserted, and, the room was in semidarkness; the flames were the only source of light. Chris pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and sank into an armchair.
"So he gave you his invisibility cloak, Huh? That's impressive." Said a voice from the corner of the room.
Chris spun around to see Ron sitting on a chair, in a dark corner.
"What're you doing here Ron?" Chris asked without hesitating; honestly what Ron thinks doesn't matter to her.
"I'm not a fool, Chris. I understood why Harry put his name but didn't inform me." Ron gave a weak laugh. "It was you."
"Ron, what're talking about?" Chris said, feeling irritated.
"Oh, you don't know?" Ron said coldly. "Then let me clear that up for you, I'm saying you're the one who put his name in that Goblet of Fire."
"Ron, where are you going with this?" Chris asked raising her eyebrows.
"You know Chris, I'm really curious, how you pull that off;" ignoring her question Ron continued. "First, you convinced Harry that I'm a no-good friend for a Hero like him and then you made him the Hogwarts Champion, and also made him popular as much as possible. But, trust me, with your intelligence and power I'm not even very surprised."
"Ron, stop there or you'll regret it," Chris said getting up from her armchair.
"Oh, I'm regretting it, Chris. I'm regretting the moment I thought the famous Harry Potter can be my best friend," said Ron nasty. "But he chose a girl over his friend. Now when I think about it, I feel you became friends with my sister for Harry."
That was it, he crossed the line, and soon his face was greeted by a punch.
"You--"
"Silencio. You just had to say these things now?"
Chris held Ron by his robes and bend him to her eye level.
"When I'm so upset for those Dragons."
Chris shook him hard.
"When I was figuring out a way for Harry."
She kicked him on his legs.
"When I'm trying to save your best friend's life."
Ron stumbled back to the floor.
"You had to jump in and make me mad."
Chris got on her knees.
"Why're you stupid Ron?"
Ron tried to fight and Chris slapped his hands away.
"When God was giving brains to all, where were you that time Ron?"
Chris held Ron's hands in a place and punched him again.
"You're..."
Chris stopped and looked down to see his lips were bleeding a bit and he was watching her with horror in his eyes. Though Ron was taller and heavier than Chris, she was fast and trained.
"Now I've to erase your memory." Chris sighed. "Obliviate."
Ron's eyes became unfocused and Chris took the chance to levitate him to the common room couch. When Ron fell onto the couch Chris knocked him unconscious and removed the silencing charm.
Chris walked back to her room, changed, and threw herself on the bed. She knew if Ron wakes up and people pointed his brushes, he'll never admit someone beating him.
___________________________________
The next morning, Chris woke up very late, as it was Sunday, Ginny didn't wake her up. Thinking about what happened last night, she got ready and walked down to the common room.
Colin and Dennis were counting how much they've earned in the last few days.
"Hiya Chris!" Colin said as he saw her.
"Morning. So what the Creevey brothers up to?" Chris asked sitting beside the same table.
"You won't believe Chris, we already have 570 Sickles," Dennis said excitedly.
"She'll believe Dennis. She's the one who collected them." Colin laughed.
"Oh." Dennis went pink.
"So what're you going to do with these?" Chris asked.
"I'll buy a new bicycle," Dennis said grinning.
"No. We'll give something to our parents," Colin said looking at Dennis.
"Ok," Dennis said happily.
"Where's Ginny?" Chris asked looking around.
"Went to the great hall with Fred and George," Colin replied closing his box where he just put all the Sickles. "I'm done. Dennis put it back in my trunk."
Dennis grabbed the box and the paper with all those countings, "See ya," and ran away.
"Denis is really happy about our business," Colin said as they climbed out of the portrait hole. "I am happy too. Thanks, Chris."
"Stop it. How many times do I have to say that it's nothing? It's all you, Colin," Chris smiled at Colin.
They reached the great hall and walked straight to the Gryffindor table where Ginny was eating with her brothers and Hermione. Harry was sitting a lit bit far from them.
"We are sitting at Gryffindor table again?" Colin asked sitting with Chris in front of Harry.
"Well, Ginny is," Chris waved to Ginny and she slid up to them.
"What's up?"
"Someone beat up Ron," Ginny replied without much concern.
"For the fifteenth time, no!" Ron screamed hearing Ginny's comment. "I fell from the stairs and fell asleep on the couch."
"Yeah, right," Ginny said sarcastically. She turned back to Chris. "Fred and George think the brushes are beating marks and not falling."
"Oh! I think it's an accident. Who'll beat him up?" Chris tried to sound innocent.
"I can think of few names who wanted to give him a good beating." Fred laughed loudly attracting many curious eyes from the other tables and Ron cursed at his brother, then angrily shoved food in his mouth.
"Now the question is who?" George said dramatically looking around the room.
"The way he runs his mouth nowadays, I can't say I am surprised," Ginny retorted which sent the twins chortling.
"Shut up." Ron glared at his siblings.
"I seriously think you should do something about your lip," said Hermione looking up from the book she was reading. "The cut looks deep and --"
"Shut up!" Ron shouted.
"Alright then," Hermione slammed her book shut on the table and got up. "Get punched on the face again. I don't care."
Muttering something angrily she walked off.
"See? As I said there are plenty of people who would like to beat you up," Fred said looking irritated as he watched an angry Hermione walking out of the great hall. "Why did you went off on her? What did she do?"
"I don't know!" Ron snapped getting up as well. "I am the bad person here. I get it. Okay?"
And he threw Fred, George, Ginny, Chris, and an unsuspecting Harry (who didn't say a word in the entire conversation) nasty glares and stormed away.
"What is wrong with him?" George asked his twin.
"He is just jealous," Ginny said and went back to eating her bread.
"Hmm. . . You went out the same night, Ron fell from the stairs and appeared with beating marks?" Colin whispered to Chris. "Coincidence? I don't think so."
Chris shrugged.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Sure," Colin gave a knowing look.
"He was talking rubbish," Chris whispered throwing up her hands in irritation. "I was angry. I didn't plan to do that."
Colin laughed and everyone turned to him. Chris gave him a warning look.
"I was just thinking Ron could use therapy," Colin came up with an excuse, looking sheepish. But the group looked at him blankly. So he started to explain. "You know, muggles have these doctors who help us mentally to overcome fears and jealousy and stuff. They give therapy and. . ."
Chris chuckled and resumed her eating while listening to Colin going on and on about Muggle doctors to the clueless Weasley siblings.