-Holly-

I decided to lay in bed an extra minute, given the date. The day of the reaping at my

school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where a boy and a girl from each house

would be picked to compete in a competition where everyone fought to survive. The winner,

the last one alive, would be given lots of prizes for being the best. No one truly looked

forward to this day, not even the darkest of Slytherins. It was hell to watch fellow students and

house members brutally murdered by others, for one of the blood thirsty contestants to be

rewarded in the end. I decided to stop thinking like that, even though my life, as others', hung

in the balance. Christ, I hope none of my friends get picked. That would be worse then me

being reaped. I got up and stared at the crimson that decorated the Gryffindor girl's dorm.

"Just another day," I told myself.

"Just like any other day," I lied to myself. I laughed at that sort of demented

humor.

"God you're a sick person Holly," I said with a smile.

-Rose-

I was scared half to death, because of today. Not for myself, necessarily, though I had

just as 'good' of a chance for the reaping as anyone else, but for my friends. I don't think I

would be able to stand it if one (or more) of them were reaped. I had confidence in every one

of them, and in myself, should the worst happen, but what if two of us were chosen? Myself

and Holly, for example...what would we do? What if we were the last two left...?

Stop thinking like that, Rose, I chastised myself. There are hundreds of students at the

school. The chances of two of us being reaped are...astronomical.

"Rose!" shouted Laine from down the stairs, jolting me out of my morbid thoughts.

"What?" I called back, not moving, looking around my Ravenclaw dormitory. I shared it

with Laine and Luna, who was a year younger than us, but still just as amazing the rest of my

friends.

"Hurry up!" yelled Laine. I sighed and began to walk down the stairs. As Luna, Laine,

and I walked towards the great hall, I decided on my mantra for the day.

Carp Diem.

Seize the day.