Jane Haversham-Smythe was sitting in the library. Again.
She was researching spells that could bump up her points in charms, her least favorite class (it required too much socialization). It was one of her best subjects, but every subject was Jane's best subject. She had perfect scores in all of them.
"Jane!" It was Madame Pince again. "What are you still doing in here, young lady? Why, you ought to be up at the feast! Professor Gagwilde has a very special announcement to make today," She winked, then frowned and stared at Jane. "And you could do with some fattening up! Do you eat at all, girl? You could walk through a rainstorm without getting wet!"
Jane sighed. It wasn't her fault she was skinnier than a poor man's wallet, she just grew that way. It was the same with her hair, always greasy no matter how much she washed it, and her skin, always pale, no matter how much time she spent out in the sun. Jane adjusted her oval glasses and stood up.
"Yes, I ought to be at the feast I suppose. But please make sure nobody borrows this book. I've already got seven out of the library and this one has quite a lot of useful information on the Fidelius Charm," Jane bid the librarian goodbye and went up to the feast.
Taking a seat at the Ravenclaw table, she watched disappointedly as all the food disappeared just as she sat down.
"Too late, Haversham, sorry!" Nelly Caltwrite sneered from across the table, her face covered in crumbs from the slice of apple pie in her hand. Jane glared at the fifth-year girl and turned her attention to the headmaster, who was just standing up to make his speech.
"Welcome!" he boomed. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" There was a round of hearty applause. "Now, as you all know, this year I am proud to announce that Hogwarts will once again be entering a champion in to the Triwizard Tournament." There were cheers from the Gryffindor table.
"Settle down, settle down. This year the tournament is being hosted at Durmstrang, a…" he cleared his throat. "…noble Northern European school run by the honorable Headmaster Vasil Aleksandrov."
"The rules of the Tournament are the same as usual. The three champions will be chosen by the Goblet of Fire, anyone can enter as long as they feel they are ready, there are three challenges, and the winner's reward is one thousand galleons prize money!" an excited buzz ran around the room.
"One thousand galleons," Jane mumbled to herself. An idea was forming in her mind. If I won that money, she thought, If I won that money I could finally escape. Images of her family's manor, her parent's greedy stares when the conversation turned to money, and of her little sister, Mary, flashed through her head. Mary was a squib. Her parents were pure-blood, rich, beautiful and stupid, and they hated her sister. If she won that money she could leave and raise her little sister herself, away from the spiteful eyes of her parents.
"So now go back up to your dormitories and have a wonderful term!" Jane jumped. She had totally tuned out, lost in her pitiful fantasies.
I have to enter, she decided. Even a slim chance of freedom is better than no chance at all.
