Chapter 77

It was the dawn of the Third Trial and Atlas was already off to a rough start. She had fallen asleep in the library, deep, deep, deep in the restricted section, large pillars of books surrounding her and shielding her entirety from view. Nobody had come to find her and if they had, well, Atlas doubted they were able to get into the restricted section in the first place, unless they got Madam Pince to come and get her. She shot upright, toppling a tall tower of tomes as she did, sending it sprawling across the floor, the thud resounded throughout the library and by Merlin, Atlas swore then and there if the past two trials weren’t the things to kill her, Madam Pince would be.

She dropped to her knees, frantically piling the books into her arms and uttering charms to send them back to their shelves, a look of desperation on her face as she heard heavy high-heeled footsteps advancing on her location. They stopped and Atlas looked up, her final book flying from her hand to the shelf next to her as she came face to face with Hogwarts’s fiercest guardian. The Keeper of Books, Madam Pince.

The lady squinted at her menacingly and if it were anyone else, it would be far from it but this was Pince, the librarian infamous for her ruthlessness and though she liked Atlas – she always brought her books back better than she took them out – if she knew she had just let a full column her precious tomes crumple to the floor like she had, the lady would surely have a few choice words to berate her with.

“Madam Pince — !”

“Breakfast is almost finished, I suggest you leave quickly if you want to have a full stomach for tonight,” she said simply and Atlas nodded hurriedly, grabbing her bag and sprinting out of the narrow hall of books, muttering a thank you and a quick goodbye as she ran past Pince and out of the library. She continued to the Great Hall where the promise of breakfast had her mouth watering and her stomach almost digesting itself, she had missed lunch and dinner yesterday so she was about ready to devour one of the Beauxbaton horses.

The Great Hall was buzzing with excitement when she arrived, chattering excitedly and animatedly and when she made her presence known, they all whooped and cheered, whistling through their fingers and shouting her good lucks. She smiled back, rubbing the back of her neck bashfully as she sank into her seat beside a very frazzled looking Hermione. In fact, her entire trio looked a little dazed, all staring at a news article in front of them, reading so intently they had yet to notice Atlas’s presence. She shrugged and read along with them.

Only, she wished she hadn’t.

It was Rita Skeeter again but her topic of discussion was for once not Atlas, instead, it was a page on Harry, a whole page with no other branching topics. It was about his scar, about how he clutched it and fainted, about how apparently he was ‘disturbed and dangerous’, about how he could speak parseltongue – that information had been given to her courtesy of one platinum blonde brat. Draco Malfoy.

Again, Skeeters elusiveness bothered Atlas greatly and she frowned. How could she have known about Harry fainting in Divination? She hadn’t been there and she certainly wasn’t allowed on school grounds let alone within the castle itself. So how? And Harry Potter of all people, resorting to the Dark Arts to win the Tournament? Rita must have been positively mad to think that.

“Gone off me a bit, hasn’t she?” Harry said lightly, folding up the paper. “Oh, Atlas.”

“Hey, Harry. Don’t worry about Skeeter, she’s off her rocker, that one,” Atlas grinned, reaching over the table for the tower of toast she would devour soon enough. She felt Hermione shift beside her, not even glancing down when she felt her warm fingers hook around her undone tie. “Question is…well, how did she know your scar hurt in Divination?”

“Exactly,” Ron agreed, also giving Atlas a curt hello. “There’s no way she was there, there’s no way she could’ve heard –“

“The window was open,” Harry shrugged. “I opened it to breathe.”

“You were at the top of North Tower!” Hermione said, wiping down Atlas’s perfect tie and tucking it down her jumper. “Your voice couldn’t have carried all the way down to the grounds!”

“Well, you’re the one who’s supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!” Harry huffed. “You tell me how she did it!”

“I’ve been trying!” Hermione bellowed as Atlas stuffed a stack of three slices of toast in her mouth.

“Bugging?” She managed inquisitively and Hermione turned to her, looking all kinds of stressed out.

“It’s like…putting a tracker on someone, or a microphone that picks up what they say but Skeeter can’t be using those, technology doesn’t work on school grounds!” Hermione groaned out in frustration.

Atlas laughed, offering up a ludicrous theory of her own, “Hey, what if she could turn into a bug?”

An odd, dreamy expression suddenly came over Hermione’s face. She slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through her hair, leaving the three of them many shades of confused. Atlas even set down her toast, much to her stomachs protest.

“Are you all right?” Atlas asked, frowning at her.

“Yes,” Hermione said breathlessly. She ran her fingers through her hair again, and then held her hand up to her mouth, as though to hide her mouth away from view, or to speak into it. It was really strange nonetheless and the three turned to look at each other in confusion.

“Mi — ?”

“Atlas you’re a genius!” Hermione practically screamed, looking at Atlas with the brightest and most beaming smile the girl had ever seen. “Jesus, I could kiss you!”

“I — what?” Atlas flushed, while Hermione continued rambling and muttering disconnected words that were said to mirror her thoughts.

“I’ve had an idea, from what you just said,” Hermione said, gazing into space. “I think I know…because then no one would be able to see…even Moody…and she’d have been able to get onto the window ledge…but she’s not allowed…she’s definitely not allowed…I think we’ve got her! Just give me two seconds in the library – just to make sure!”

With that, Hermione seized her school bag and dashed out of the Great Hall.

“Oi!” Ron called after her. “We’ve got our History of Magic exam in ten minutes! Blimey,” he said, turning back to Harry and Atlas, “she must really hate that Skeeter woman to risk missing the start of an exam. What’re you two going to do in Binns’s class – read again?”

Exempt from the end-of-term tests as Triwizard champions, Atlas and Harry had been sitting in the back of every exam class so far, looking up fresh hexes for the third task and occasionally playing a few Muggle games. Atlas had been winning most of them, much to Harry’s surprise.

“S’pose so,” Harry said to Ron, looking to Atlas who nodded in dazed agreement; but just then, Minerva came walking alongside the Gryffindor table toward them, looking nervous. Well, actually she looked as stoic as ever but Atlas could see the emotion in her eyes.

“Potter, Atlas, the champions are to congregate in the chamber off the Hall,” she said.

“But the task’s not till tonight!” Harry said, accidentally spilling scrambled eggs down his front; Atlas choked on a piece of toast, slapping Ron to get his attention. He turned, wide-eyed and frantically looked around, trying to find something to give her.

“I’m aware of that, Potter,” Minerva said, whisking her wand so that her god-daughter coughed up whatever had clogged itself in her throat. “The champions’ families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them. Atlas…”

“Professor?”

“I…” Minerva frowned as Atlas looked up at her. “I’m sorry to say I won’t be able to attend.”

“Oh…er — that’s fine, Minnie, you probably have to do some last-minute checks for the trial, right?” Atlas excused, smiling in understanding, Minerva nodded, her mouth opening to say something but falling short. So, with another curt nod, she turned and walked away, leaving Harry gaping after her.

“She doesn’t expect the Dursleys to turn up, does she?” Harry asked Ron and Atlas blankly.

“Dunno,” Ron shrugged. “Look, I’d better hurry, I’m going to be late for Binns. See you later.”

Atlas waved in a way that was entirely non-committal as she stood, blindly ambling to where Minerva had told them to go, Harry wolfed down the rest of his eggs and hurried after her, the two of them falling into step as Fleur got up from Ravenclaw table a couple of paces in front and entered the chamber first, leaving Harry and Atlas just outside. Krum slouched off to join her shortly afterward.

Yet they stayed outside, Atlas was more than happy to go into the chamber, she didn’t really mind, it was just Harry who’d stopped and she didn’t want to leave him alone. So she stayed by his side and glanced down at him when he sat, looking into his hands dejectedly, she stayed even as the many minutes ticked by and she stood upright to follow when the boy seemingly stood to leave.

But, they didn’t get very far as they saw Bella sprinting down the hallway and toward them, red-faced and sweating in her stupid Dragon Keeper armour, Atlas smiled and Harry finally looked up, offering her his own greeting as she took a moment to catch her breath. Atlas, fleetingly, thought of the Quidditch Cup and how she’d had to carry the woman up to the Minister’s box. She hoped she wouldn’t have to again.

“Am I late for the — hold on — for the family thing?” She panted and Atlas smiled.

“You know we’re not actually family right?”

“Blasphemy!” Bella cried between breaths, leaning backward and panting to the ceiling. Merlin, how was this sack of potatoes one of the best Dragon Keepers in the world? “So am I?”

“Yeah, it just finished.”

“What!?”

“She’s taking the piss,” Harry told and Atlas crossed her arms, smirking as Bella glared at her. The Dragon Keeper sighed and walked forward, hooking her arm through Atlas’s and her other, over Harry’s shoulder.

“Let’s go in then.”

“No one’s in there for me, I should just wait out here — “

“Then who’s that,” Bella pointed over to a duo of Gingers, one a lady, probably in her mid-forties, with a beaming grin to match Harry’s own, the other was Bill, the curse-breaker and hopeful friend Atlas had made at the Quidditch Cup, talking all things Dark Arts and Creatures. It had been fun and she was happy to see him again.

“Surprise!” The lady Atlas assumed was Mrs Weasley said excitedly as Harry excused himself and walked over to them, Bella and Atlas not far behind. “Thought we’d come and watch you. Harry!” She bent down and kissed him on the cheek. “And you must be Atlas!” This time she had to beckon Atlas downwards, placing a kiss on her cheek also. “It’s good to meet you, dear, I must say you look much more handsome than the pictures portray you!”

“Thank you.”

“A nice voice too, I suppose she wasn’t lying…” Molly mused, grinning broadly.

“Pardon me, Mrs Weasley…but who wasn’t lying?” Atlas smiled, looking down at the woman curiously.

“Nobody dear, and call me Molly. Mrs Weasley makes me feel old,” She chuckled, waving off Atlas’s innate politeness. She turned to Bella next, making a sort of adoring sound most mums made when they saw someone they hadn’t seen in quite some time, as she pulled her into a tight hug. “Bella, dear. It’s good to see you my lovely.”

“Hey, Molly,” Bella grinned, hugging just as fiercely. “How’s the husband?”

“Arthur is doing just fine my dear, just fine. Now, what about you? I heard from Charlie you’ve gone and gotten yourself a promotion?” Molly smiled, looking as proud as any mother would. It looked like Molly had officially taken Bella under her wing.

“You got a promotion?” Atlas grinned, clapping Bella’s shoulder. “You didn’t tell me that!”

“It was supposed to be a surprise, that idiot just had to go and run his mouth. Can’t stay long so I’ll talk to him about when I get back to Romania after this family thing,” Bella groaned as Molly laughed and Atlas grinned, shaking her head. She turned to Harry and Bill, joining in on their conversation while Bella and Molly chatted away momentarily about stuff Atlas did not have the brain capacity to try and understand at ten in the morning.

“You all right?” Bill greeted, grinning at Atlas and pulling her into a firm side hug, Atlas reciprocated and then pulled away, punching his shoulder, “Charlie wanted to come, but he couldn’t get time off. He said you were incredible against the Horntail, Harry and Merlin, he would not stop talking about you and Agoniser, Atlas.”

“Ron was the same,” Atlas laughed and Harry nodded. “But I’m sure loads of wizards and witches could have done the same.”

“Not bloody likely, Dragons are untamable, the whole reason your sister over there was hired despite being a squib was because she was so unique, she was able to tame the dragons. It’s a trait practically unheard of!” Bill grinned and then smirked. “Charlie was so jealous, first it’s his girlfriend and then his girlfriend’s little sister.”

“He was jealous?”

“Well, I like to think he was but, really, he was more excited than anything, that lad doesn’t have the capacity to be jealous,” Bill shrugged and Atlas nodded, mildly amused. “It’s great being back here,” Bill said, looking around the chamber. “Haven’t seen this place for five years. Is that picture of the mad knight still around? Sir Cadogan?”

“Oh yeah,” Harry said, glancing at Atlas when she groaned at the mention of him. That silly old knight had almost sent her straight off the revolving stairs more times than she could count even on two hands.

“And the Fat Lady?” Bill continued.

“She was here in my time,” Molly said, joining in on their conversation, “She gave me such a telling off one night when I got back to the dormitory at four in the morning –“

“What were you doing out of your dormitory at four in the morning?” Bill said, surveying his mother with amazement.

Molly grinned, her eyes twinkling.

“Your father and I had been for a nighttime stroll,” she said. “He got caught by Apollyon Pringle – he was the caretaker in those days – your father’s still got the marks –“

However, before Atlas could hear anymore, a soft hand was delicately wrapped around her bicep, pulling her away from Harry and the Weasley’s and over to a familiar old lady and even friendlier face beside her. It was Fleur’s grandmother and Gabrielle, the little girl immediately rushed forward, hooking her arms around her legs while Grandma spoke to her in quick French that she only just had the initiative to reply to.

“Atlas, let us go and play!” Gabrielle pleaded through a thick French accent.

“She is working on her English,” Fleur whispered, her hand still wrapped around her arm. “Gabrielle, I must quickly speak wiz Atlas, ok?”

“But — !”

“I’ll play with you later, Gabi,” Atlas grinned and kissed her cheek, Gabrielle resigned to her fate after that, throwing herself into her grandma’s arms dejectedly as Fleur took her attention once more, suddenly looking incredibly intrigued. “What is it, Fleur?”

“Who is zat man?”

“What?” Atlas turned, following Fleur’s gaze to settle on Bill. The man turned and smiled, waving at Atlas as he went back to speaking with Bella, his mother too-busy fussing over Harry. “Are you talking about Bill?”

“Zat is his name?” Fleur smiled, looking giddy like a schoolgirl with a little crush. “He is handsome. Is he single?”

“Oh, Merlin, not another one…”

“What?”

“First it was Bella going after a Weasley, then it was Zash and now you? I’m starting to see a pattern here. Who’s next? There’s only the twins, Ron and Percy left,” Atlas listed as Fleur stared at her blankly, apparently confused as to what Atlas was fussing about. “Don’t worry about it…”

“So…is he single?”

“Yes, Fleur…he’s single,” Atlas confirmed.

“Magnifique! You must introduce us!”

“I guess so…” Atlas said, leading the girl over to the Weasley’s, her Grandmother and Gabrielle hurrying after them. Gabrielle jumped onto Atlas’s back, holding her hands over her eyes on accident, so giddy on excitement. Atlas simply repositioned them and let the girl be, coming to a stop in front of the Weasley’s and, well, Fleur suddenly looked incredibly nervous. “Guys, this is Fleur. She’s a friend of mine.”

“Good to meet you, deary,” Molly greeted, eyes flashing with recognition as she glanced to Atlas. “Is this the girlfriend I heard about in the Prophet?”

“What?” Atlas blanched as Harry failed to withhold his laughter, Bella struggling to do the same as Fleur flushed and her grandmother looked between everyone in confusion – her English wasn’t so good – Gabrielle was too busy marvelling at how great it was to be so tall. “No, I’m — I’m single, Fleur is incredibly single and — and so lonely!”

It grew deathly silent and Fleur leaned into Atlas’s ear.

“Zanks for zat…”

“I panicked, ok? I’m not a good wing woman,” Atlas grumbled.

“Well,” Bill finally spoke, holding his hand out to Fleur, she placed hers in his and watched with bulging eyes as he raised it to his lips, “I’m William Weasley, but everyone calls me Bill.”

“I’m single…I mean, Fleur! I’m Fleur Delacour!” Fleur was red, incredibly red, in fact, it was so concerning her grandmother stepped in to ask her what was wrong. Atlas had to tell the woman, through violent but withheld laughter, that Fleur was just flustered, which seemed to settle the older woman’s anxieties.

And well, after that, Atlas resorted to translating everything for the lady. She thought it was wrong not to, it must have been overwhelming after all, not knowing what everyone was saying, lost even when surrounded by your own family, jumping at sudden laughter and awkwardly watching as everyone conversed without you.

“Should we go on a tour?” Atlas suggested, lifting Gabrielle up onto her shoulders so she could use her hands freely. Everyone was quick to agree and Fleur quickly took back the mantle of helping her grandmother around, shooting Atlas a thankful look that the girl nodded at, engaging in quiet conversation with Gabrielle.

They walked at the front, Harry just behind pointing out things and listening to old stories of Bill and Molly’s adventures when they were at Hogwarts themselves, Atlas listened as well, of course, offering her own words every now and again but mainly she was keeping Gabrielle entertained, running after her across the sunny grounds and searching for her in the tall grass.

Bella actually spoke to Fleur quite a bit, learning a few basic words in French from her grandmother as well which seemed to keep the older lady busy and included. In short, the morning walk was enjoyable and hearing about a time before the Whomping Willow was amazing. Imagine being able to roam around all parts of the grounds without having to watch out for a homicidal tree. It was just unthinkable to Atlas.

“How’s Percy?” Harry asked as they walked around the greenhouses and Atlas adjusted Gabrielle on her back, the little girl was all tuckered out from running around that entire morning. It was a good thing they were going to lunch, that way Gabrielle might be able to recuperate her energy.

“Not good,” Bill said.

“He’s very upset,” Molly said, lowering her voice and glancing around. “The Ministry wants to keep Mr Crouch’s disappearance quiet, but Percy’s been hauled in for questioning about the instructions Mr Crouch has been sending in. They seem to think there’s a chance they weren’t genuinely written by him. Percy’s been under a lot of strain. They’re not letting him fill in for Mr Crouch as the fifth judge tonight. Cornelius Fudge is going to be doing it.”

“Fudge?” Atlas scrunched her face up in distaste when Molly nodded. “Could my day get any worse?”

“Don’t jinx yourself,” Bella scolded.

They returned to the castle for lunch, popping in about halfway through and settling around Gryffindor table, even Fleur, Gabrielle and her grandmother decided to sit with them, opposed to Ravenclaw table where most of the Beauxbatons sat. Gabrielle was sat in Atlas’s lap, happily wolfing down plates and plates of food – the kid really had an appetite – while Fleur sat on her left, with her grandmother sandwiched between her and Bella.

“Mum – Bill!” Ron said looking stunned, as he joined the table a good few minutes later. “What’re you doing here?”

“Come to watch Harry and Atlas in the last task!” Molly said brightly. “I must say, it makes a lovely change, not having to cook. How was your exam?”

“Oh…okay,” Ron shuffled beside Harry, plating himself a few sandwiches. “Couldn’t remember all the goblin rebels’ names, so I invented a few. It’s all right,” he said, helping himself to a Cornish pasty, while Molly looked suddenly stern, “they’re all called stuff like Bodrod the Bearded and Urg the Unclean; it wasn’t hard.”

Fred, George, and Ginny came to sit next to them too, and Atlas all but forgot about the task that afternoon, it felt nice, being surrounded by an actual family, a warm one full of unconditional love and teasing. She glanced up, sharing a look with Harry and automatically knew he felt the same. They looked back to the table after that, engaging in friendly chatter.

But, throughout it, Atlas couldn’t help but feel like something wasn’t entirely whole, not entirely complete. And then she realised, it was her family. Because there was Harry, Bella, Fleur and Ron but there was no Cedric, no Minerva, no Poppy, no Remus, no Sirius, no Amaya and most notably, no Hermione.

She knew Cedric was helping Moody, all prefects were and Minerva was probably doing the same. Poppy was presumably setting up her tent and, well, she didn’t know about Remus, he hadn’t been responding to her letters, then there was her father, he was on the run and her mother, well, she was dead. But Hermione, where was Hermione? She should be here by now and something about her lateness set a pit of unease in her gut. A very very urgent unease.

“Hey, I’ll be back, I just…I’m gonna go and look for Hermione,” Atlas announced, picking Gabrielle up from her lap and quickly hurrying out of the hall, face pulled into one of concern. She turned a corner and almost bumped into a pair of figures, chattering just around it. She looked up, finding Hermione standing beside an annoyed-looking Moody. “Hermione…”

“Atlas, what’s wrong?”

“We — we’ve been waiting for you,” Atlas managed, feeling her heart lurch painfully. “You were…taking so long.”

“Atlas — ” Hermione reached out in concern but Moody’s sharp voice snapped her from it.

“I was just asking Miss Granger to accompany me down to the final task. I needed someone with her cool intellect,” Moody told and Hermione flushed at the compliment, smiling but Atlas didn’t share the sentiment and she instead frowned. “We were just –“

“You shouldn’t skip lunch, Mi.”

“I’m sure we’ll only be a moment, Atty –“

“No,” Atlas snapped. “Come on.”

“I assure you, I’ll bring her back in one piece,” Moody grunted.

“I don’t care, I need her,” Atlas spat and grabbed Hermione’s hand, pulling her away from the scowling man and listening as he clunked away, his clawed foot echoing hauntingly at the back of Atlas’s mind. It drowned out all noise, everything was static and all she could focus on was how Moody had sounded. Insistent and angry.

“Atlas!”

Hermione pulled free and Atlas stopped, blinking away her thoughts. “Yeah?”

“What was that about?”

“Well…well, I just –“

“Atlas?”

They shifted to see Gabrielle walking over to them, fiddling with her hands as she stared between them. Atlas quickly slapped on a smile and crouched down, beckoning the girl forward so she could pick her up and sit her on her hip.

“What’s up, Gabi?”

“You left.”

“I just wanted to find Hermione,” Atlas told and Gabrielle looked over at Hermione, a look of recognition on her face.

“Is zat –“

“Yes, Gabi, don’t embarrass me again,” Atlas shushed, casting Hermione a lopsided smile and despite what had just happened with Moody she couldn’t help but return it, rolling her eyes as the three of them continued into the Great Hall. “So, what was that thing I helped so well with you said you’d kiss me?”

“Atlas!” Hermione scolded, motioning to Gabrielle who was still staring at them. “I was joking.”

“Boo, you’re mean,” Atlas groaned, “isn’t she mean, Gabi?”

“…yes.”

“See, you’re mean, Mi.”

“Pressuring a girl into kissing you isn’t setting a good example, Atlas,” Hermione flared.

“Hey, don’t bring morals into this. I knew you wouldn’t follow through anyway,” Atlas grinned, looking over at Hermione teasingly. “You’re a scaredy cat.”

“Stop flirting with me in front of a child!” Hermione scolded, slapping her arm. “And for the record, I would definitely follow through! I never back down from a challenge and it’s just a stupid kiss anyway!”

“That…sounds familiar,” Atlas mused and Hermione paled. “Have I said that before?”

“No.”

“I definitely have, it sounds like something I would say.”

“I don’t think so,” Hermione shook her head resolutely.

“Well…it must’ve not been important considering I’ve forgotten it already,” Atlas shrugged and Hermione smiled, though it looked more like a grimace as she nodded robotically.

“Right…totally unimportant.”

“Anyway, come on Mi, just a quick peck, how about it? I’ll give you ten Galleons.”

“I’m not kissing you to get paid, Atlas!”

“A hundred!”

“No!”

“My hand in marriage!”

“In your bloody dreams!”

“Wow, how did you know?”

“You’re too noisy,” A hand was suddenly clamped over Atlas’s mouth and though it was small it really did shut her up. Gabrielle looked at her, unimpressed as she decided to get down, walking the rest of the way to the Great Hall herself. Atlas stared after her, frozen as Hermione huffed and walked past her, muttering under her breath.

“Hey wait!” She entered the Great Hall after them, intent on sitting beside Hermione but it seemed her spot had been taken by none other than Gabrielle herself and well, she wasn’t about to steal a seat from an actual child so she begrudgingly walked around the table, sitting beside Ron. “This shit sucks.”

“Chicken leg?” Ron offered and she took it, biting into it slowly.

“Thanks.”

“Hello, Hermione,” Molly greeted stiffly and Atlas glanced upwards over her food to watch the events unfold.

“Hello,” Hermione said, her smile faltering at the cold expression on Molly’s face.

“Mrs Weasley,” Harry began and Atlas then turned to him. “You didn’t believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermione’s not my girlfriend and she didn’t use a love potion on Atlas.”

“Could have fooled me,” Bella sing-songed and Ginny grinned with her. “They’re all over each other.”

“We are not!” Atlas and Hermione protested at the same time, glancing at each other with red faces.

“You have to be, how else do you think Hermione got your measurements for your Christmas Jumper?” Bella continued and Ginny gasped, laughing out in disbelief as everyone slowly turned to Hermione, the girl suddenly quite pale.

“How — how did you — ?”

“Molly told Charlie and Charlie naturally told me,” Bella smirked.

“Molly asked me to!” Hermione tried to defend, “And I got the measurements from Professor McGonagall I didn’t — didn’t do anything indecent!”

“Oh, I know. I just wanted to make you two sweat,” Bella shrugged and Atlas scowled at her. “Though it’s still true, you really could have fooled me.”

“Shut up, Bella,” Atlas warned. “Hermione’s already seeing someone, don’t make it awkward.”

“You are?” Bella blanched going wide-eyed and glancing at the girl, noticing how she frowned and looked over at Atlas who stared down and into her plate, chewing robotically. “I didn’t know that.”

“Well…it’s — it’s complicated, we aren’t really…”

“He asked you to go to Bulgaria with him, wants you to meet his parents and dragged me and Harry into the Forbidden forest because of all the shit Skeeter has written and basically told us — me to back off,” Atlas huffed, smiling as she shook her head. “He seems to think things are pretty serious between you two.”

“He told you to back off?” Hermione whispered.

“Didn’t I tell you?” Harry said, inserting himself into the conversation. “I said he wanted to talk to us about the stuff Skeeter wrote.”

“Yes, but you didn’t tell me he told Atlas to back off.”

“That isn’t all he said,” Harry continued, some sort of plan having formed in the back of his mind and Atlas recognised it, the tone of his voice. Harry was trying to get Hermione as annoyed as he could at Krum.

“Harry, drop it,” Atlas urged but he ignored her. At least the Weasleys had gone back to chatting amongst themselves so this wouldn’t all be heard by everyone there, it was just between her, Harry, Hermione and a silent Ron.

“He basically made Atlas feel like an idiot,” he pressed and Hermione went wide-eyed, glancing to Atlas who had ducked her head down, “said that he could make you happy and then made Atlas feel like she couldn’t.”

“Harry, stop,” Atlas said again.

“Said that he could protect you and again, made Atlas feel like she couldn’t protect you. Why do you think Atlas was so hesitant around you after getting out of the hospital?”

“Harry, leave it, she doesn’t need to know,” Atlas pushed, grabbing his shoulder as Hermione stared at her.

“And then…then he said that he was better.”

“What?” Hermione blanched.

“He told Atlas that he was better than her.”

“Are you done?” Atlas breathed shakily. Harry looked at her, seeing just how — how embarrassed she looked. Mortified and so very ashamed because she believed everything that Krum had said and she was embarrassed because Harry had just thrown that stuff out there, thinking he was helping but unknowingly making it worse.

“Atlas, I didn’t…”

“Whatever, it’s done now,” Atlas murmured.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Hermione asked, Atlas glanced up at her and then back down to her food.

“You didn’t need to know,” she mumbled and then grabbed her cloak, standing from the bench. “I need to see Minerva, meet the rest of my family before the task, you know?”

“Atlas, wait! Don’t run –” But she was already gone “– away…”

“Sorry…” Harry sighed.

“No, I’m glad you told me, I’ll just…I’ll find her before the task.”

“And say what?”

“…I don’t know.”