CHAMPION » CEDRIC DIGGORY

Five

Me, Cedric, Viktor and Fleur stop in some weird form that Rita put us in. She came over to shake our hands.
"What a charismatic quartet. Hello!" She bloomed, shaking our hands.
"I'm Rita Skeeter, I write for the daily prophet. But of course you know that, don't you? It's you we don't know, you're the news. What quirks lurk beneath those rosy cheeks? what mysteries do the muscles mask? does courage lie beneath those curls? In short, what makes a champion tick. Me, myself and I want to know. Not to mention my rabid readers. So,
who's feeling up to sharing? Mmm? Shall
we start with the youngest. Lovely." She ruffled Cedric's hair and pulled me by my hand into a closet. I turned to mouth 'help me' to the remaining champions.
"This is cosy," She grinned.
"It's a broom cupboard, Rita," I said, an emotionless expression on my face.
"You can see how the other twin lived. Mind if I use the quill?" Rita sneered. She pointed to a quoting quill.
"No. I don't have anything to hide," I smiled. The quill immediately started writing that down.
"So, Iris, here you sit. A mere girl of sixteen-" she started.
"Fourteen," I corrected.
"Really? You look so much older. Anyways, you're about to compete against three students. Not only vastly more emotionally mature than yourself but have mastered spells
that you wouldn't attempt in your dizziest
daydreams. Concerned?" She queried.
"Not particularly. Just trying to take it one step at a time," I smiled. She laughed.
"It's cute how much confidence you have. Of course you're not an ordinary girl of sixteen are you?" She grimaced.
"Yeah, no. Still fourteen," I corrected, once again.
"The story's legend. Do you think it
was the trauma of your past that made
you so keen to enter such a dangerous
tournament?" She asked.
"No, I didn't enter. I would never in a million years," I informed the dumb blonde, wishing this interview was over already.
"Course you didn't. Everyone loves a
rebel, Iris. Scratch that last. Speaking of your parents, were they alive, how do you think they'd feel? proud? or concerned that your attitude shows at best a pathological
need for attention, at worst a psychotic
deathwish," She pried. I shifted in my seat.
"Hey! My eyes aren't swimming with the ghosts of my past!" I interrupted.

I sat in Ravenclaw common room reading the article.
"Iris Potter aged sixteen, suspect
entrant in the tri-wizard tournament.
Her eyes swimming with the ghosts of her-" I crumpled up the fire and chuckled it into the fire. I got up and walked to the door and as I did was met with Corina, Cho and Tom who were linking arms and laughing.
"Iris-" Tom started. I stood there waiting for him to continue. He never did, so I walked past them. Tom called for me, but Cho stopped him.
"Don't. She's probably on her way to meet Cedric. I wonder how it'll go once he tells her we've already kissed," She giggled. I turned around.
"You told her?" I asked Tom and Corina. The two stood looking at the floor ashamed of what they had done. I stormed off to the bridge, overlooking the view and playing with the ends of my scarf.
"How's my favourite sixteen year old doing today?" A sonorous voice asked. Cedric.
"That's not even funny," I whined. He came over and enveloped me in his arms.
"I'm sorry, but it is just a tiny bit," He giggled.
"Cho's already spat at me for it," I giggled.
"Oh my god I really dislike that girl," he chuckled.
"Really? She said the two of you kissed," I told him.
"In her dreams! She's a pathological liar," he informed me. I felt a little bit better knowing he hadn't kissed her. I buried my head a little bit further into his shoulder.
"What say we go get lunch at hogsmeade?" Cedric offered. I looked up at him and he gave me a weak smile.
"I literally love you," I grinned, taking his hand and running in the direction of the exit.

We sat across each from each other, looking through the menus. I heard Cedric giggle a little.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
"Nothing, it's just how focused you are on the menu," he chuckled again.
"Hey! I take food seriously," I laughed. He joined me. The laughter died down and I sighed.
"What are we going to do about the
competition?" I asked.
"Figure it out step by step," He shrugged.
"This is so easy for you," I huffed, going back to the menu.
"It's not easy for anyone. You can do this. You're the Iris Potter," he encouraged.
"And you're the Cedric Diggory," I replied. We went back to our menus.

"By the way I am extremely competitive and if you beat me I might have to push you down several flights of stairs," I said.
"Sure," he laughed. I pushed my menu down.
"I'm not joking,"