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I was not going to tolerate this.
I did not accept this.
I would not stand for this.
In a futile effort to keep silent, I clenched my hands and bit my lips. I didn't like attention, I didn't want attention. I knew this was going to happen. I didn't need to get angry. They were only teenagers, not mature in any sense of the word.
Don't take it out on them.
Don't yell at them for their narrow-mindedness.
In another world, I may have succeeded. I almost succeeded. I suffered through Ron's disparaging comments and other's betrayed look. I weathered people's dazed eyes as if entering a FATAL Tournament was some sort of achievement or heroic act.
It wasn't in my place to be angry, I reminded myself, it was Harry's. Harry who was as shy and timid and insecure as ever. Harry who would never stand up for himself. His name, of all names, had come out of the Goblet. Why did these things happen to him? He didn't deserve it. He'd done nothing. I wanted to scream. It wasn't in my place to scream though.
Meekly, upon the second repetition of his name by the unusually sincere Dumbledore, he had made his way out of the Great Hall.
I was feeling downright murderous. Fire coursed through my veins like a raging inferno. My expression fell into my resting face which was a major flag to anyone that knew me about my current mood.
Ginny moved as if to place a calming hand on me but it didn't help at all.
In fact, it only made me even more enraged. What right did she have to try to calm me down? Perhaps I would not have normally felt this way but I was angry and anger makes you do irrational things.
I shouldn't have, I really shouldn't have but I couldn't hold it in.
"Shut up." I murmured.
The Ravenclaws around me stirred uneasily, only just realising that my usually open expression had melted into cold indifference. I didn't want to take it out on them so I pressed my lips together and tried to keep silent.
But I could feel it burn. It was boiling and I was so, so hot and I couldn't hold it back anymore. And suddenly, I didn't care that there was an audience. All I could feel was my (justified) anger. Harry was going to potentially die because I was here and how did I know things were going to play out exactly the same way and it was all my fault.
Unfortunately for him and fortunately for me, Ronald kept digging and I was pulled out of my misery by white-hot anger. The idiot didn't know when to quit did he? And suddenly, kind, complacent, understanding, hot-tempered but not extreme Luna was gone.
"Shut up, Ronald!" I screeched.
"Miss Lovegood!" a professor called in the background.
So they were willing to reprimand me but not Ronald Weasley. What kind of school was this?
"Ms!" I yelled. "My name is Ms Lovegood and I am sick of you all calling me Miss! How many times do I have to say it?"
But there would be time to criticise the school system later, currently I had fixed my sights on someone else.
"How could you?" I asked Ronald Weasley, merciful even as I wobbled over the edge.
"He's a traitor!"
No more mercy. I was fed up. I was on a righteous crusade and anyone who got in the way was going to be effectively silenced. "Harry, a traitor?" I laughed bitterly.
Everyone who knew me - or indeed thought they knew me - was shocked into silence by my cutting tone and my sarcastic laugh. They weren't used to it, apparently. I was too far gone, though.
"Harry, our friend Harry? Harry who has people trying to kill him every year? Harry who hates the attention and the creepy fangirls but who is too polite to even tell us, his friend- oh sorry, me his friend that? Harry who is supposed to be your 'best mate', Harry? Harry who'd rather get absolutely crushed in a chess tournament instead of this deathtrap, that Harry?"
I was breathing erratically but I couldn't bring myself care.
An official took the chance to poke their head around the corner and say condescendingly, "Merlin, what is this racket? Are you a barbarian?"
I was taking no prisoners.
"I am the friend of the fourteen year old boy who has been entered into a gods-forsaken death tournament against his wishes! I'm sure the newspapers will be very interested to hear just how weak the security for this international event is. In fact, I write for the Quibbler occasionally."
The official paled rapidly, "You can't do that!"
"And why ever not?"
The official looked beseechingly at the staff.
"Miss Lovegood, compose yourself."
"Again, it is Ms! And secondly, perhaps you should be trying to help Harry out of this instead of telling me off!"
"Miss Lovegood!" Dumbledore stood up.
"Of course you'd side with them! Why does no one see anything wrong with this? Why are we so desensitised to the fact that they could die!"
"The competitors are informed of the risks before entering."
"Ignoring the fact that we are teenagers and more likely to hear great glory rather than - oh I don't know gory death - and one of your competitors has been given a choice - which no one is doing anything about - there's also the fact that we are watching people our age fighting for their lives. What are they, gladiators?"
It is at this point that the competitors themselves come to check what is going on. I registered this dimly but didn't let it stop my rampage.
"And if Harry could get entered, what's to say no one else could be entered?"
"We have not yet established if Mr Potter cheated."
I smiled sarcastically, "Hear that Harry? You're our newest Dark Lord. Apparently you can bypass even the barriers of Albus Dumbledore. Should I kneel? I love you Harry but I'm sorry to say I don't think you're powerful enough. Maybe we can try again in a few years?" I was only half-kidding at the end.
"Back to my point - so anyone could have entered me if they got hold of one of my assignments? What kind of security is that? And if this is like a gladiator fight, then are they slaves? You know, because the Tournament is a binding contract - kind of like slavery right? What exactly are you-"
"MISS LOVEGOOD!"
"MS! I don't like shouting much but I have said it entirely too many times to be expected to keep my cool. So, my question as a concerned Hogwarts student and loyal friend is why should I keep silent? Why are you trying to silence me and not help? What sort of messed up society is this?"
"Lovegood, detention." Snape cuts in, eyes glinting.
"For?" If I hadn't already caught the attention of the student population, it was inevitable now.
"Talking back to me."
"Talking back when I asked why, you mean." I let out another bitter laugh, "This isn't going to blow over, you know. No one is going to be able to cover this up. Not on my watch."
"I'm afraid you will be too busy with detention."
"I am a senior reporter for the Quibbler. It is my choice what I write. And this will sell. Even if I can't get my friend out of this Tournament, I can still do something for him. That's what friends do. Right Ron?"
I knew that once he had some time to cool off, he would accept the truth.
Seeming to recognise the olive branch I was offering, Ron leapt at his chance. "Yeah, what kind of mates are you if you say nothing?"
"But Ron, weren't you saying-"
Ginny stomped none too gently on the girl's foot.
"I agree."
"Me too."
And then it was chaos. Because none of the students were bad people. A bit too easy to influence or gullible, yes but not cruel. And it could have been them.
Then Krum cut in, "The Quibbler, yes. I vould like one."
I smiled even as I was dragged off by an angry McGonagall. You can try to blow out fire but if it grows too big...
As I watched Harry slowly seem to gain some colour, despite the inevitable detentions, it felt like victory.
It was.