Hugo scowled and slammed the door to the Prefects' bathroom as he entered, somewhat unceremoniously. He knew that 17 year olds should be above such childish behaviour, but hey, he was disappointed, why shouldn't he throw a mini tantrum in private?
He filled the bath with water and added his favourite musky scent. Bubbles the size of beach balls erupted from one tap, and bounced merrily off the walls and the surface of the water. To finish, foam four inches thick was added on top, red in colour. He pulled out a bottle of Butterbeer, muttered a spell that relieved it of it's top, and set it down on the side of the tub. He then slid into the water, feeling his irritation slide away slightly as he did so.
This year it had been decided that the time was right for a fresh attempt at playing the Triwizard tournament, and so candidates had been brought over from Beauxbatons Academy and Durmstrang school. Any candidate over the age of seventeen that wished to compete was to submit their name into the Goblet of Fire. One candidate would be selected from each school to compete in a series of gruelling tasks.
When Hugo had written home to tell his parents the good news, they had written back with stories of the Triwizard tournament that took place whilst they were at school. Auntie Fleur and Uncle Harry had both been chosen to compete. This had caused a big hoo-ha because Hogwarts already had a champion (Cedric Diggory, who was killed), and Harry was not old enough to enter the contest. It turned out it had been an evil plot to bring Lord Voldemort back to life, but not to let that put him off entering if he wanted to. Of course he wanted to! He discussed it with any relatives or friends that would listen. He snuck out of the castle on the Saturday morning that he had to submit his name to discuss it with his Uncles George and Percy, who were both in Hogsmeade at the time. They both supported him whole-heartedly, and insisted that his father did too.
He considered how lucky he was to have a birthday in September, like his cousin Lily. If he hadn't turned 17 yet, he wouldn't be able to compete. He excitedly told his cousin Lily, the last remaining member of his family at Hogwarts, about his intentions, and she smiled, and encouraged him. He knew that he and Lily were the only two Gryffindor sixth years capable of entering. All of the seventh years in Gryffindor house, bar two, were entering. He had only heard rumours about participants from other houses. He and Lily had spent a nice afternoon wandering around the lake with Annelise DuMont, a distant almost relative of theirs. She was in her sixth year at Beauxbatons, and her mother was Auntie Fleur's sister. So she wasn't quite family, but very nearly. She told them about her school life, and about the various entrants from her school. They had met her a couple of years previously at Victoire's wedding to Teddy, but they hadn't got to know her well then as there were so many people around. He and Lily had told her all about the Prefects' Bathroom, where they regularly retired to for a good laugh and gossip at the other students' expense (harsh, they knew, but they were Prefects, targets of pranks and name-calling and they deserved a break).
Hugo was topping up the foam in the bath when the door swung open and Annelise stepped in. Even though she was nearly a relative it was very difficult not to find her attractive. Unlike her cousins Victoire and Louis, but like her cousin Dominique, Annelise had inherited the Veela gene very strongly. She looked simply radiant as she swept through the door, but did a double take when she noticed Hugo in the bathtub, staring up at her.
"'Ugo!" she exclaimed, shocked. She spoke good, but not perfect, English, and spoke with a strong French accent that Hugo found to be very cute, "I would 'ave thought you would be celebrating with Lily!" she said, shocked. Hugo's face dropped, "But you are not 'appy for 'er?" she asked, pulling off her blue robes to reveal a set of matching lacy blue underwear. Hugo gasped and shut his eyes tight. He then turned around to face the far wall. He had seen girls in this state of undress before, and even in less clothes, but it seemed wrong to do so without their explicit consent. He thought of his girlfriend Amber up in the Common Room now. She was a year younger than Hugo, but was intent on their relationship moving along speedily, "I am in zee water now 'Ugo!"
Hugo opened his eyes and turned to face Annelise. She appeared to be inhaling deeply.
"I do love this scent 'Ugo, you 'ave good taste!" he knew it was meant to be a compliment, so he smiled and thanked her, "So tell me, why are you not 'appy zat your cousin Lily was made champion?" she asked, straight to the point, much like Dominique.
"Because..." Hugo found it difficult to express exactly why. He knew why it was. He was jealous. But he didn't want to say that. Annelise watched him patiently, "I guess it's just..." He started, falteringly, "I don't see what she has that I don't," he finished lamely. Annelise raised one eyebrow, obviously unimpressed. Hugo pushed on, "It's just.. We come from the same family, and have had pretty much the same upbringing. We've spent lots of time together, and I can honestly say that she's my best friend but... Everything always works out for her, and it doesn't for me, even though we're practically the same person!" he finished, knowing it sounded stupid, but needing to tell somebody anyway.
"'Ow do you mean?" Annelise asked. Hugo looked confused, "'Ow do you mean zat you are practically zee same person?"
"Oh! Well... We were born within a week of one another- her on September 9th, me on September 14th," Annelise nodded, "We share birthday parties and friends, we both got sorted into Gryffindor house in the same year. We got the same grades in everything. We both made Chaser for the Gryffindor quidditch team in our third year and we chose to take the same subjects. We both got made Prefect in our fifth year. Both got EXACTLY the same OWL grades, both chose to take the same NEWT classes, but then.. At the start of sixth year Lily got made Quidditch captain and I didn't.." he trailed off slightly. He knew it was petty, but to this day it had bugged him. What did Lily have that he didn't? She wasn't really better than him.
"Isn't 'er mother a famous quidditch player?" Annelise asked.
"She was, yes, Ginny Potter nee Weasley," he told her, nodding.
"Well zen maybe zat is why. I 'ear zat 'Arry Potter is quite zee quidditch player 'imself. Maybe zey theenk it will mean more to 'er."
"But precisely!" Hugo erupted, "She comes from a family of great Quidditch players! Her elder brothers were both on the team, but neither made captain, so why was she? What's so special about her?"
"She is not so self-centered?" Annelise asked in a completely neutral tone.
"I am not self-centered!" Hugo argued, his temper flaring once again "I just don't see why she got made quidditch captain, and then why she got made Hogwarts champion, and not me!"
"Maybe she 'as 'idden power that you do not 'ave the same of. Maybe you 'ave different powers," Annelise suggested. It didn't quite make sense to Hugo, but she said it so reassuringly, he found himself feeling a little calmer.
"Maybe..." he pondered, "And don't get me wrong, I love Lily to pieces, I just don't know why everything works out for her and not for me... And why she didn't tell me she was entering? She let me go on and on about how great it would be, but never once did she say she was going to enter!"
"Did you ask 'er?"
"Well.. No, I just assumed she would say. She normally would," Hugo protested.
"Maybe she could not get a word in sideways?" Annelise suggested.
"Maybe..."
"Anyway, I was not chosen either," Annelise said with a sigh, "I am disappointed, but Francis shall do well, I 'ope! Beat you 'Ogwarts people! Beauxbatons for zee win!" she giggled.
"Yeah right, keep dreaming Annelise!" Hugo said, but with a big smile. He didn't know how exactly, but she had really cheered him up. An hour later he bade her goodnight, and headed back to Gryffindor tower, where he grasped Lily tightly and told her he was proud of her. And he really was.
