chapter2
 (all hail natalia?)

Harry, Ron and Hermione were waiting down in the dungeons as they had double potions that day. Harry naturally hated potions, though it of course had nothing to do with the insufferable professor who taught the class. But today he was excited, excited to see if the elusive Coorè would be in their class like Hermione had said the night before.

The dungeon door swung open, Snape glowed at them then moved to the front of the class room and resigned to his seat behind his desk. The students filed into the classroom and Harry went to his usual seat between Ron and Hermione. Looking around he saw no new faces, just the old familiar ones of his fellow Gryffindor and Slytherin classmates.

Snape uneasily stood up he seemed nervous, which made his nose stand out more as the rest of his face looked strangely shrunken.

"It seems we are going to have a new student joining the classroom," Snape said curtly, with that the dungeon was filled with light as the door opened.

Every head in the room turned to look.

From where Harry was sitting the light from behind the girl made it look like she was glowing. He wasn't quite sure if it was the light or if it was radiating for her. She stood there allowing people to soak her in, Harry presumed she would have been wearing a white elegant gown but instead she was wearing the Hogwarts school uniform. He frowned when he realized they were Slytherin robes, but quickly forgot when he looked back.

She stood with her hip jutted to the left, accentuating her voluptuous form, she had a tiny waist that curved into somewhat wider hips. She was a fully formed young women and the white shirt slightly stretched around her chest, a tie loosely hanging on top. Long socks ran up slender legs.

She was any young man's fantasy. Any old man's too for that fact.

However her figure was nothing compared to her face, which was surrounded by black curls that fell down to her elbows resting lightly. Harry believed that her face had belonged to an angel, if they existed.

He made a mental note to ask Hermione.

Her skin was a pale porcelain colour, with cheeks a colour in-between pink and red. Her flawlessly shaped lips, parted slightly to show flawless straight teeth. But it were her eyes that were the most striking, they were hypnotic. They weren't magnificent colours of blue or green, they were simply a warm dark brown.

They were filled with secrets. No not secrets, Harry thought, magic. Yes, they were filled with magic.

If he stared long enough he could see the magic swim against the colour of her eyes. He felt something twinge within him, the sense of a deeper sadness. Harry felt like he was seeing into her soul, he blinked and it was gone as though it had never existed.

It was then he realized he was openly staring and looked away and he saw that every other boy was drooling over her. Harry wonder whether the entire class would be like this, as he noticed that Snape was looking intently at his desk trying to avoid joining the other boys in their hungry stares and wasn't about to say anything remotely about potions at all. Annoyed with this Hermione coughed loudly, which brought everyone to their senses.

"Anyone would think she's a piece of meat," Hermione muttered under her breath.

Snape, who had also regained composure, gestured for her to enter. She came and sat down next to Hermione who gasped, but no heard it over the scrapping of chairs swerving round to face her.

"Hello, I'm Natalia Heart." She smiled, her flawless teeth mocking Hermione, who subconsciously went to feel how big hers were.

Natalia waited patiently for her to reply.

"Hermione," she squeaked.

"Woell, that's a pretty name," Natalia whispered as Snape had started the lesson though he still looked nervous, continually glancing over to their corner of the class room.

"Oh, well, it's not…" she was cut off by Natalia sighing.

"I hate my name Natalia it's so formal and what-not, so my best-friend calls me Talz," she said smiling hopefully. "You can too if you want."

"You would consider me your friend? I barely meet you five minutes ago," Hermione said.

"You were the only one not to drool over me or look at me with draggers." She motioned to the other girls in the classroom. "You simply saw me for who I was, a girl standing in a doorway."

By the end of the class Hermione had successfully made an antidote for burns - as the school was having a lot of trouble with Hagrid's blast-ended skewts - and she had made a new friend.

She and Natalia walked out of potions arm in arm.

At lunch in the Great Hall there were rumors going around about what 'she' looked like. Harry wasn't really hungry having had a huge breakfast, so he just sat there listening to Ron and Dean talk about how beautiful she was over and over.

Already he was sick of the subject. He knew what it felt like to be talked of tirelessly and vowed to himself to not do it to Natalia.

Ron seemed smitten. Every time he heard her name the tips of his ears would turn bright red. Harry laughed to himself.

Hermione came walking up look smug. Sitting down next to Harry, she joined in on the conversation. "She's so nice and down to earth." She was beaming.

"I always thought she would be," Ron said goofily.

It didn't take long for Harry to have had enough. Ron and Hermione had started going on about how pretty her hair looks for ten minutes now, he stood up and started walking away. Noticing Harry's absence Hermione turned around to find him.

"Where are you going?" she called after him once she had spotted him.

"Library, potions essay," Harry called back over his shoulder.

It was true they had been given homework from Snape, but he was in no mood to work. He headed for his room, grabbed his firebolt and went to the Quidditch pitch and changed into his quidditch robes. Mounting his broom, he kicked off feeling the wind whipping black hair against his face. Circling the pitch twice Harry came to a stop, closing his eyes he felt completely at ease. Something zoomed behind him, spinning around he saw someone flying away in black robes. Speeding after them, Harry saw long black hair flowing behind the flyer.

"It's a girl," he thought to himself. "and a good one at that."

She was zigzagging this way and that, trying to shake him off his tail. She probably would have, if she hadn't abruptly stopped mid-air. Pulling quickly out of his high speed chase, he came to a stop next to the other flyer.

"You're a good flyer, you should think of a career in it," the mystery person said brushing loose hair out of her eyes.

That's when Harry realized that it was Natalia Heart.

"You're not so bad yourself," Harry said gesturing for her to land.

Landing softly, they headed for the stands.

"Yeah, I always find flying an escape from…"

"Reality," Harry finished, sitting down.

"Yeah." Natalia smiled and offered him a Sherbet Lemon, while sitting down next to him.

Taking one of the sweets, there than came an awkward silence. Popping the sweet into his mouth, Harry got a burst of what tasted like lemonade. He gasped breaking the silence. He looked over at Natalia and saw her looking at him confused.

"Dumbledore always offers me these and I always say no. Now I know why he likes them so much," Harry said, sucking lightly on the Sherbet Lemon.

"You know the Headmaster well to simply call him Dumbledore," Natalia said looking amazed. "Only people of greatness converse regularly with a wizard like Albus Dumbledore."

"Oh…um…yeah, well," Harry spluttered, choking on the sweet. He could feel his face go a violet red and felt suddenly hot.

Sweeping his hair away from his forehead to cool down, Harry saw Natalia's face change dramatically from amazed to shock and quickly regretted his actions.

"Ohh, you're…" She stopped herself and changed subjects. "So what's Dumbledore really like?"

"Umm." A little taken back by her change in behavior, Harry felt confused and forgot to answer her question.

"I apoligise," Natalia said staring at her feet.

Looking over Harry frowned. "What for?"

"For reacting the way I did it must be really annoying, I mean I know it's really annoying," she said so fast Harry only just caught the meaning of what she was saying.

"Ohh." Was all he could muster.

"I mean you're Harry Potter, the Harry Potter." Natalia said smiling meekly at Harry.

Harry laughed at the way someone who was royalty over all witches and wizards had said his name with such awe. Seeing Harry's relaxed behavior, Natalia smiled more confidently.

"Yes, well you're Natalia Heart," Harry said still laughing.

"Yes, but I was born into my infamy, you created yours."

"I was only one," Harry rebuffed.

"Exactly." Natalia sighed, patting Harry in the back offering him another Sherbet Lemon. "Exactly."

Harry was halfway through telling Ron and Hermione about his conversation with Natalia that afternoon on the quidditch pitch, which Hermione had scolded Harry about instead of to the library. She had been so proud when she had heard him say he was going to the library and now she was left a little disappointed. Harry had continued his story, ignoring Hermione's frown, though noticed that she was still listening to every word he said.

Ron was so engrossed in Harry's story that he had stopped eating his dinner and looked rather disappointed when the golden plates were cleared when dinner had clearly ended. Just as Harry was about to continue again as Ron had interrupted him by complaining about not being full, Professor McGonagall tapped her goblet loudly and Dumbledore stood up. After a few short minutes the chattering died and all attention was on Dumbledore.

"Now as most of you all know the Tri-Wizard Tournament has been around for several hundred years and was banned due to the amount of accidental deaths occurring during the course of the tournament." A low whispering started to gather among the four tables, clearing his throat silence once again fell upon the Great Hall and Dumbledore continued. "With that said a new rule has been implemented for the safely of our students and here to explain this new rule is Mr. Barty Crouch for the Ministry of Magic."

Crouch stood and walked to the front of the staff table. "The Ministry of Magic feels that certain students are not up to the required skill level necessary to safely complete the tasks held in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, therefore they have set down the new rule that is; to enter the tournament you must be over the age of seventeen or above," Crouch announced.

An uproar of cheers and protests erupted in the Hall. Along the Gryffindor table Harry could hear Seamus and Dean's howls of joy and Ginny's yells and screams of unfairness. The sound of mental clinking against a goblet silenced everyone yet again.

"Yes, well I see some people are completely overjoyed with the Ministry's decision to enforce an age limit, others are not so," Dumbledore stated looking at a livid looking Ginny Weasley.

"Mr. Filch, if you please," Dumbledore said gesturing to a chest in the far corner.

Jogging slightly, Mr. Filch brought the chest to Dumbledore's right. The entire time it seemed like everyone including the teachers were holding their breath in anticipation, until the chest was safely next to Dumbledore.

"This holds the device that will decide our Champions." Flicking his wand, the chest opened and up floated a very ancient looking goblet of royal gold. "The Goblet of Fire."

Just by looking at it Harry would have said it was a mere drinking cup. But the way it had made everyone subconsciously hold their breath without even seeing it first, made him realise this was no ordinary cup, Harry thought. Just then blue flames burst out of the centre of the goblet. There was a gasp of awe from all the students.

"This ladies and gentlemen again I say is the Goblet of Fire. The goblet is a very ancient form of magic, it will pick only four champions, one from each school. Now those brave hearts amongst us who are willing to take part in the tournament and have their chance for eternal glory and riches, must simply put their name written on a piece of parchment into the goblet."

Dumbledore paused looking around as if to spot the champions, with a sigh he continued. "Dangerous things have happened in this tournament, so now I warn you, the Goblet of Fire is a binding magic contract and whoever's name comes out must compete. So I say once more, this is not to be taken lightly. The champions will be announced in two nights, so till then goodnight."

Back in the dormitories everyone was talking about the Goblet of Fire, and who was entering. Dumbledore had instructed Filch to place the goblet on top of its chest in the Entrance Hall. Already, nearly every Slytherin able had put their name in the cup by now and almost as many Gryffindor had as well. Ron had been unable yet as Hermione had dragged him and Harry off to finish their Potions essay.

"So when are we going to put our names in?" Ron whispered to Harry trying not to get Hermione's attention, as she had already told them to shut up twice before. Boy, she was keeping a close eye on him, Harry thought to himself.

"I'm not," Harry whispered back.

"You're not!" Ron and Hermione roared in unison, the shock quite evident in their faces. Obviously Hermione had heard them whispering but had wanted to hear the answer.

"What do you mean you're not?" Hermione said forgetting about homework.

"I'm not entering the tournament, I'm happy to just sit and watch someone else go through the tasks," Harry said not looking up from his essay and missing his friend's jaws drop.

"But….I…assumed you'd…..h'uh?" Ron spluttered in confusion.

"Harry we just assumed you would, you know being…," Hermione trailed off when she saw Harry's face.

He had expected this, but it still frustrated him. Them just assuming he would because he was 'the boy who lived', famous Harry Potter. He felt his temper rising in his throat; he swallowed hopelessly trying to swallow his anger.

"Just say it, you just assumed I would compete because I'm Harry Potter, it doesn't interest me. I mean money I don't need and as you guys nicely pointed out I'm Harry bloody Potter for Merlin's sake. I've got all the eternal glory for two lifetimes." Harry declared faking a smile to lighten the mood.

The two of them smiled meekly. Ignoring this, Harry decided to turn the attention off himself.

"So Ron, when are you going to put your name in?"

A little taken aback by the sudden change of attention to him, it took Ron a few minutes to reply. "Oh, um, probably tomorrow afternoon after dark arts with Moody. You're really not entering," Ron said the latter more as a statement than an actual question.

Ignoring the statement Harry nodded and continued on with his essay.

Harry was true to his word and he didn't enter his name to the goblet, even when Ron had handed him a piece of paper with his name already on it. Harry had just simply scrunched it up and chucked it in the bottom of his school bag. He was still preoccupied, thinking about Moody's reaction when he had told him he wasn't competing, to listen to Ron's protests.

Though Ron had not given up and for the last ten hours before the champions would be announced he kept hitting Harry with reasons of why he should enter.

"There is more chance of a Slytherin getting chosen now."

"As long as it's not Malfoy who gets picked," Harry replied smoothly.

"Well see, there's more chance of Malfoy getting picked now."

Harry had been lucky, because when Ron had looked anxiously for his answer, Neville's cauldron had exploded. Harry had been thankful except for Snape taking twenty points of Gryffindor for sheer stupidity.

Ron was on his last tether and went to his final resort.

"You have more of a chance of winning than me and my family needs the money. You know I wouldn't, but seeing as you don't need it you would be helping us out."

Harry seriously considered competing now, as the Weasley's were practically his family and he felt he had to repay them for the generosity they had shown him throughout the years. But it wasn't long before Hermione had found out what Ron had said and had gone crazy at him for making Harry feel responsible for his family, and reminded him that if Mrs. Weasley found what he had said she would be ashamed of him.

This seemed to shut Ron up and remain that way until dinner that night.

Sitting down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, Harry was surprised at how excited he felt. He really wanted one of the Weasley's to get chosen after what Ron had said, but he had a pang of guilt when he realised deep down he didn't think Ron would, seeing as he was the only one allowed to compete much to Ginny's displeasure.

Hermione noticed Harry's change in mood and wondered what was going on in his head. She had been focusing all her energy on getting Ron to notice her, she hadn't really paid that much attention to Harry. She hadn't talked to him about entering since the night he had told them he wasn't going to. Hermione had really thought he would have, as she thought Harry to be the perfect type of person to compete. She was just about to ask him what was wrong when Dumbledore stood up.

"It is now the moment we have all been waiting for. It is time for the champions to be selected," he proclaimed, glancing at the goblet that had been placed in front of the staff table for everyone to see.

Dumbledore placed his right palm flat on the side of the goblet. He left it there for a few minutes and then took a step back, seconds later the blue flame turned red and shot out a piece of slightly burned parchment. Dumbledore snatched it in mid-air and quickly read it to himself before announcing that the Durmstrang Champion was Jaeson Vorlajz. There was loud clapping and shouting, as Jaeson stood up smiling. He was a well built young man of six foot, his long brown hair swayed across his face as he made his way to Dumbledore, who shook his hand and gestured towards a door behind the staff table.

Everyone watched him go, until the flames turned red again and again Dumbledore caught it. "The Beauxbatons Champion is….Marie-Anna Lebuff."

Literally beaming Miss Lebuff stood up, showing golden hair that flowed all down her back she gracefully shook hands and followed Jaeson on through the door.

When the door shut, the flame turned red a third time.

"The Alvia's Champion is…..Miss Natalia Heart."

Everyone was in awe, though her reaction to being chosen was quite strange she stood up, unfazed, shook hands with the Professor and then the door clicked shut.

While everyone was still pondering on her odd behavior, the flame turned red for the fourth and final time.

Dumbledore straighten up and smiled. "The Hogwarts Champion is…."