Notice Me ☆George Weasley☆

FOUR: "The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector"

Before Lyra even knew it, it was the end of October. The first few weeks of classes consisted mostly of her mind deep in thought about the dream she had had the first night of term. She had never let anything distract her from her studies the way this had. She had begun to grow behind on homework in almost all her classes. Snape had them writing scrolls every single night, at least 13 inches long, and she had only completed about a third of them. She also was behind on charms with Flitwick, being her head of the house, he tried hard to not have to take points away from Ravenclaw every time she didn't have her work. Yet, after the third time, he had to take 10 points and he asked to speak with her after class.

"What is going on with you, Lyra?" He began, pouring them both cups of tea. He began to list everything she had missed and uncharacteristic mistakes she had made in class the last few weeks.

"This is not like you, you have always kept up with your studies." He was right, Lyra was usually ahead of the class in most classes, especially Care for Magical Creatures. But even in Hagrid's class, her mind was elsewhere. She looked down at her blurred reflection in the cup of tea, dark circles now rested around her eyes and her usual chubby cheeks looked smaller than they ever had.

"I'm homesick," she lied through her teeth. She didn't want to tell anyone about her dream, as the other people she had already told simply brushed it off as if it were nothing. Flitwick smiled warmly towards her.

"Oh, Lyra, how we all miss home during the school year," and Lyra knew his mind was in his happy place just by the look on his face. She could only imagine what Flitwick's home during the summer was like. Walls covered in bookshelves and unique wizard trinkets, its doors small enough for only him to enter. He placed a hand on her shoulder before motioning towards her cup of tea.

"Drink up while it is still warm." But what Flitwick didn't know was she would rather drink any one of the potions Snape had made for the class to practise than drink the cup of pity that rested before her. She took a small sip, but then stood up from the wooden chair she had been sitting in.

"I'm going to be late, Professor," she said before quickly walking from his classroom. Lyra didn't turn back around as she walked down the halls towards the entrance hall.

Ginny stood waiting for her at the entrance to the Great Hall, she looked puzzled as she walked towards her.

"Where have you been?"

"Flitwick wanted to talk to me after class about all my missing assignments," she explained. They rushed inside, to find Dumbledore standing in the middle of a speech. And, a group of students Lyra, nor Ginny, had never seen before splattered across the Great Hall, their colourful robes of blue and red stood out compared to Hogwarts black ones.

They separated ways as Lyra walked towards a cluster of girls in powder blue sitting where she usually sat at the Ravenclaw table. She approached hoping no one would notice her. She sat next to one of the most beautiful girls Lyra had ever seen in her entire life. She smiled at Lyra before extending her hand towards me.

"Fleur Delacour," her French accent was so thick Lyra could barely understand what she had said. "Beauxbatons Academy of Magic." She shook Fleur's hand softly, as it seemed it would almost break if she held it too tight.

"Lyra Downsforth," she responded. "Hogwarts, Ravenclaw House." Lyra assumed at this point she would turn away, wanting to talk with the other girls around them. But, eyes did not wonder, but back up to Dumbledore. Lyra finally looked up at Dumbledore who had been speaking that whole time.

"...The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire. Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet, aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Hallowe'en, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete." his voice boomed throughout the Great Hall.

Lyra's eyes darted to Juno, her eyes not on Dumbledore, but on the Slytherin table. She followed her sister's gaze over to a boy she had seen a thousand times on posters hung on her sisters wall and in magazines she hid from our father. Victor Krum was in red robes unlike any she had ever seen before. They looked more like a soldier's uniform than school robes, with patches of thick grey fur on the shoulders.

Sitting next to Krum, in deep conversation with him, was none other than Ares. Across from Ares, trying to butt himself into the conversation, was Draco Malfoy, her brother's closest friend. Lyra had met Draco a few times during the summer holidays. Her brother always disappeared to Malfoy Manor during the holidays, avoiding their father at all costs. Ares shot a look towards Juno and began to laugh uncontrollably. She knew he was telling Krum about Juno's obsession with him. Lyra ate silently, listening to the other students talk about their plans for entering the tournament, some searching in their bags for quills and parchment.

Her eyes wandered towards the Gryffindor table. Ginny was sitting with Fred, George, Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Fred and George both already had their quills out writing as quickly as they could on their small slips of paper. Ginny's eyes were locked on Harry, his view elsewhere. He seemed to be in his own little world. Lyra followed his gaze toward the Durmstrang Headmaster and Snape in a deep, hushed conversation at the head of the Slytherin table.

Their conversation was faint and Snape seemed to ignore the gruff man, who almost looked like he was begging or pleading with Professor Snape over something. One last aggressive look from Snape's dark eyes made the professor back away and stare silently towards Victor Krum, Draco Malory, and Ares.

Lyra pulled her thoughts back to the table in front of her and looked at the food sitting on the golden plates. The words that had left Dumbledore's lips and the thought of Juno's name coming out of the goblet made her lose her appetite long ago.