Chapter 24

                                    

                                          
Stories about the fallout between Harry Potter and Professor McGonagall had spread through the school like wildfire. To most people, Harry didn't seem to be behaving any differently since the incident. To the Slytherins and the Black Wands, however, the truth was another matter.
Harry seemed to be constantly on edge. He used nearly all of his free time to study and practice, usually performing his work alone and in complete silence. He still found some time to socialise with his peers and even cracked a few jokes, but everyone could tell something was up, something that must've concerned Harry greatly. 
The Black Wands knew this better than anyone. Whenever they arrived for their club meeting in the Room of Requirement, Harry would already be there practicing against several training dummies at once, in a deadly dance of movement, magic, and destruction. Even after a gruelling training session, Harry would close the group's meeting only to remain in the room to keep training.
Most of them believed he was only doing this for the sake of the tournament. Daphne was the only human who knew the real truth, which she didn't share with anyone but Harry. Her training had stepped up as well, but she knew she wasn't anywhere near the level she needed to be to face Voldemort, and that concerned her.
Harry knew he was stretching his limits, but he did try not to completely drown himself in training and practice. He still indulged himself in the company of his friends and his girlfriend, he never missed a class, and he still showed up to every meal at the Great Hall.
He even played several small Quidditch matches with Viktor. The two somehow even found time to organise a small Quidditch tournament, open to every student in Hogwarts. Everyone loved the idea, and it ended up being a huge success.
Daphne also spent some more time getting to know Fleur. The Veela told the younger girl all about her wish to see the world, make a name for herself, and have a successful career. Daphne appreciated the older girl's ambition, and they spoke at length about what they wanted out of life. She talked about how she wanted to be a healer, while Fleur said she was considering curse-breaking. The French witch also admitted her desire to find a proper wizard who could resist her allure and be her partner in life, so she could start a family of her own. She even joked with Daphne about how she wished Harry had an older brother or relative she could be introduced to.
Daphne laughed along with the older girl, but she thought it best not to tell her that Lord Black, Harry's godfather and honorary uncle, was currently single. Even discounting his roguish personality, the man was almost twice Fleur's age.
After weeks of carrying on like this, Harry could no longer hide the fact that he was completely exhausted. His friends were starting to worry about him, especially Daphne. One Saturday, she took the initiative to try and help him relax by making him go out with her and their friends to spend the afternoon by the lake. They hadn't been out there for very long when Harry surprisingly fell asleep with his head on her lap. Realising that was probably the best thing for him, no one dared wake him for several hours.
Their friends even tried to sit Harry down and convince him that he was burning himself out for no reason, and that he was already more than capable of winning the tournament. Daphne was the only one who knew what was really bothering him. 
Voldemort.
The Dark Lord not being at Riddle Manor like he'd expected had thrown him for a loop. His original plan to take the portkey at the end of the third task and kill him in the graveyard was still on the table, but he couldn't let go of the idea that he was missing something important. Had he changed too much? Had his presence affected events enough that he could no longer predict what was going to happen?