~*~The Wizard Games~*~
by Hatter of Madness
Chapter One—Cedric's POV
A fight to the death.
That was what the Wizard Games were. Twenty-four wizards went in...one came out alive. Being in the Games was a risky business, and no one was entirely sure where they started and why. But every few years, just to remind ourselves that we aren't savages like Muggles (the official rules state), they take four boys and four girls from three Wizarding schools—eight students from Hogwarts, eight students from Durmstrang, eight students from Beauxbatons—and force them to fight to the death.
The last few times the Wizard Games were played, Hogwarts' contenders were killed off almost immediately. There was only one victor from Hogwarts still around, and that was my Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Alastor Moody. After his experiences and almost being killed off in the first five seconds, he had become an Auror.
This year, the Games were being held at my school. There was no avoiding it. If your name was pulled and no one volunteered for you, then you had to compete and fight until either you were killed or you killed everyone else. You were not allowed to use the Killing Curse. You were not allowed to use the Cruciatus Curse. You were not allowed to use the Imperius Curse.
You were allowed a wand and your wits.
When the two other schools arrived, I was a nervous wreck. Every time you took points away from your house, your name was entered again. And everyone, twelve or older, had their name at least entered once.
Dumbledore would be pulling names from the Goblet of Fire that day. He would be announcing who the contenders would be. It was practically a death sentence. The odds weren't in your favor to win. It was you against twenty-three. Or, rather, twenty-three against you.
I sat at the Hufflepuff table, biting my lip repeatedly and wishing that they would just get the damn thing over with. My name was entered at least three times, probably more. This year, just getting a telling off from a teacher was reason enough to enter your name. It was at the teacher's discretion if your name was added or not. Merlin knew how many warnings I had received in Potions class.
I looked down the table nervously. Would they choose a Hufflepuff this year? It was not uncommon for a house to be misted over, what with all of the students attending Hogwarts. The last time there had been a games, all of the male champions were from Slytherin. Maybe I would be lucky.
My eye fell on my best friend, Maddie Lewis. She was a small girl of thirteen, sitting between two of her best friends and her mouth shut as they chattered away. She told me her name was entered once.
At my warning, she had been completely obedient in class. She never received so much as a stern look from a Professor. Odds were, with her name in there once, she would not be chosen.
I had heard some people received punishments just so their name was entered more than once. For some houses, like Gryffindor, being chosen as a champion was a great thing. For others, it was a death sentence. Such as Hufflepuff. In the approximately ninety times the games were played, there were only two Hufflepuff victors.
I waited patiently. First, the Durmstrang names were chosen. The Goblet of Fire spit out a piece of parchment with a name on it. Dumbledore read it, then announced, "Viktor Krum!"
The Durmstrang students were cheered, though the envy in some of their eyes was obvious. Krum stood up, strode up to the front to shake Dumbledore's hand, and stood where all of the champions would be standing, in front of the—now empty—staff table.
Several other Durmstrang students names were read off; Krum was the oldest, and the youngest was a boy who had to be only thirteen.
I swallowed past the knot in my throat. Maddie's age.
Then the teacher started reading Beauxbatons names. The first was a girl, who shone and radiated like a pixie, named Fleur Delacour. Her long blonde hair bobbed when she walked. Some of the other girls began crying before all of the names were read off. It was much easier for the Durmstrang students to hide their jealousy.
An even younger champion was chosen from this group; there was a girl that had to be only twelve that was chosen.
A lot of students were silent when the name of a young champion was drawn at the vast unfairness of it all. So young, and having to fight to the death.
And fidgeting slightly, Dumbledore finally reached the Hogwarts names. The seconds ticked past like hours. I sat nervously on my now-sweaty hands, hoping to just get the damn thing over with. I wanted this all to end. After the champions were selected, there was a celebratory dinner for those who weren't selected. It was though to say we were lucky and were allowed life.
And then the Goblet of Fire emitted a name, and my stomach tightened into knots as Dumbledore read the name. My heart literally stopped; I probably missed three or four beats.
"Maddie Lewis."
No.
No, there was no way. I shut my eyes, refusing to believe it. For a moment, she sat there in fear, then stood, making her way to the front. There was the quieter applause that came with a young champion.
Most people did not understand my next move. Without a second thought, and with a lump in my throat, I jumped up and shouted two words:
"I volunteer!"
Time seemed to be frozen. Everyone was watching me, but I didn't care. I was not about to let her—her, a thirteen-year-old girl, for Merlin's sake!—about to enter a risky competition, one where the winner's prize could very well be her head.
Dumbledore looked at me curiously. Maddie had frozen. "Well, then," he said quietly, nodding at me to walk up, which I did on unsteady legs.
She said nothing when I approached. "Miss Lewis, do you accept?" he asked.
She remained silent.
Good, I thought. I'm not going to let this happen to you.
"Alright," he said, "Miss Lewis, please return to your seat. Mr. Diggory, please go stand with the other champions."
My title was champion, but I felt like I had come in last place.
Ohey. In case you don't know, this is going to be an abundance of OCs. And in case you didn't notice, Maddie is my main OC. She's the focal point of my other Cedric Diggory fanfiction, Fearless: Love Causes It. If you want, go read that. I've had this idea ever since I started reading Hunger Games. But please note that my love lies with HP and I haven't finished Hunger Games, so this story is going to be different from that series. The reason Cedric volunteered will be explained next chapter. I also expect lots of different POVs, but I'm doing a lot of Hogwarts character's POVs mainly. Okay please review.
- Hatter of Madness