1996 - ginny weasley

chapter 20

I sat at the Slytherin table next to Pansy, Esmerelda, and Adrianna. We were all now 16 or turning 16 in the next few months. Next year we would be adults, out of Hogwarts with the whole world to explore. 

Dumbledore introduced the two schools that had come to visit. I noticed the most beautiful part veela girl, Fleur Delacour, enter leading her other women classmates. I tried to take my eyes off of her but her beauty caught me way off guard.

"Students, silence! Please over the course of the 48 hours, students the age of seventeen or older must make their decision and enter their name in the goblet of fire if they decide to. Enjoy your meal, and I wish you the best of luck in this new school year," Dumbledore bellowed, and he raised his hands to signal the start of the yearly feast. 

I ate next to my friends, getting up once to give greetings to all my friends. Ginny and I had agreed over the summer we could be regular friends again and not just awkward pretend friends. It was nice to talk to her again, and I hadn't realized how much I had missed her until we had started to hang out.

I walked back to my common room, gossiping with my dorm mates about the summer. 

"And... we said the L word for the first time."

"No fucking way! I'm so proud of you babes you seem so much happier!" Adrianna exclaimed as Esmerelda and Pansy hugged me in excitement.

"You really do. Tomorrow morning we are meeting at the goblet to see who puts their name in. Ugh, I hope Hogwarts has a good shot at winning this thing. We are becoming sort of pathetic to the other schools these days," Pansy said. 

I agreed. The next morning, we headed to breakfast to see who would be there. 

Fred and George both entered their names in excitement. I think they thought of it more as a joke instead of actually wanting to compete. I watched Cedric enter his name, cheered on by the Hufflepuffs. Ginny caught my eye from across the hall as he stepped out of the age line and kissed me. 

Fleur Delacour and four of her friends entered from Beauxbatons. Only Viktor Krum and one other boy entered for Durmstrang. 

For hours we watched as people came and went to debate putting their names in. A few more Hogwarts students that I didn't know entered before it got dark. 

That night I couldn't fall asleep, thinking about what would happen if Cedric's name was pulled out. The Triwizard tournament was deadly. Students were killed, and this was the second year the tournament would be continued since a shutdown for over a decade. 

"Tomorrow after your dinner I shall remove one slip for each school from the goblet. Do not be late," Dumbledore said, his voice echoing in the hall.

It was dinner. I tapped my foot nervously.  Please, please, on the founders of Hogwarts. The souls of Salazar Slytherin, Helena Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Godric Gryffindor do not pull out Cedric's name.

"Students, we gather today to watch as three students sitting at these tables are selected to compete..."

I almost fell asleep during the boring speech about rules and competition. I bet not a single person in this room except maybe the other professors and Hermione cared about rules. Everyone just wanted to see who was picked.

"Finally, what you all have been waiting for. We will start with the selection of a single lovely lady from Beauxbatons."

The goblet spurted out flames, and a small piece of pale blue parchment fell into Dumbledore's hand. I swore I saw a few butterflies emerge from the goblet.

"The Beaxubatons champion is... Miss Fleur Delacour! Congratulations, if you would please follow Professor Filch to the back room."

Cheers erupted from the Ravenclaw table, where most of the Beauxbatons students were seated. Ron stared at Fleur as she gracefully turned the corner behind the teacher's table. He wasn't the only one who had eyes on her.

"Next, our Durmstrang champion." 

The goblet burst into flames once again, larger and darker flames than the ones before. Dumbledore took the ashy piece of parchment, and read the name.

"Viktor Krum!" 

The Slytherin and Gryffindor table burst into applause. Krum was a popular quidditch player for the Bulgarian team. He had a lot of hardcore fans at Hogwarts, one being Draco Malfoy. 

"Someone's got a crush," I whispered to Draco teasingly as he whooped and shouted for Krum. His face went red in fury and embarrassment as he quickly sat back down, going silent.

"Finally, our Hogwarts champion."  I sucked in my breath. This was the moment I feared.

Dumbledore read the parchment. 

"Cedric Diggory! Congratulations!" I watched, frozen, as Cedric got up and caught my eye as he walked to the teachers' table and rounded the corner.

This could not be real. It wasn't. Out of all the people who entered he got picked. He was strong but he wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to even risk losing him. Please, say it's a dream.

Suddenly, the goblet spat more flames. Another piece of parchment fell into Dumbledore's hand.

"I thought there were only three champions, one per school," Pansy whispered.

"There are only three. I don't know what's going on," I whispered, my attention shifting between the current situation and Cedric walking up after getting chosen.

Professor Dumbledore's eyes read the name, and his cheerful expression fell. 

"Harry... Harry Potter." 

Well bloody hell.