Glitter Freeze

By ZAFO

A/N: I think I have to give myself some room here, so there will be some three-shots too. :) Also, I want to emphasize a few more points:

1. Though I'm a big fan of Harry Potter, I haven't read the books in YEARS, so I don't remember scenes/facts exactly how they were... so I just use my imagination to fill the holes.

2. This is not a serious story. Do not expect an overarching main plot, ever.

3. When a drabble ends, it ends, though it might be referenced to later in a new drabble.

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36.) Surprise –1/3–

The lights in the dining room commons were dim, and Hogwarts students, Beauxbatons students, and Durmstrang students alike sat in quiet anticipation as the Goblet of Fire's blue flame turned bright magenta. A folded scrap of paper fluttered out, and Dumblebore caught it deftly.

He unfolded it and smiled upon reading the first name.

"The Durmstrang champion is...VIKTOR KRUM!"

Viktor ginned, obviously pleased, while his schoolmates heartily congratulated him. He stood up and walked over to Dumblebore with a humbled expression on his face, shook his hand, then headed boldly over to the champion's room.

The flame flared up again, and another scrap of paper flew out. Dumbledore went through the same motions.

"The Beauxbatons champion is...FLEUR DELACOUR!"

A chorus of cheery, feminine voices (save for one noticeably male chuckle) erupted along with a barrage of polite clapping. Fleur shook the headmaster's hand with a coy smile before following in Viktor's steps.

The flame transformed a third time, finally ejecting the "last" scrap of paper. Dumbledore caught it accordingly but paused, squinting at the neat cursive, before shaking his head in disbelief and rather hesitantly announcing it's contents:

"The Hogwarts champion is...ah...FELICIANO VARGAS!"

Said student froze.

There was a significant lack of applause from the Hogwarts section. Some of the underclassmen were clapping anyway, clueless since they didn't actually know who Feliciano was, but most of the older students sat dumbstruck. Cedric Diggory–the expected shoo-in–seemed especially stunned.

"W-what the fuck...?!" Lovino stuttered, blinking, before suddenly smacking his twin upside the head.

"OUCHIE!" cried Feliciano, with tears in his eyes.

"Idiota!" Lovino hissed. Why did you enter your name into the Goblet of Fire?! You're going to get yourself killed!"

"I-I...I didn't know it was for the Triwizard Tournament at first!" the Italian boy whimpered. "V-ash and Cedric and Søren and Gilbert and Elizaveta and bunch of our other f-friends were entering and I thought it was some sort of game and I didn't want to be left out and w-when I finally knew what it was for I didn't think I'd actually get picked and dio mio! I don't want to die! Help me Lovino! WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A furious Lovino sat nearly steaming as his baby brother grabbed onto his arm and wailed loudly, afraid for his life. Ludwig, on Feliciano's other side, held a stoic expression on his face, while a nearby Kiku mentally calculated the chances of Feliciano escaping the whole thing alive. The results were grim.

Cedric, kind as ever, coughed a bit before trying to comfort his fellow Hufflepuff.

"Feli...I can help you train if you wish...please stop crying..."

"WAHHHHHHHH! WAHHHHHHHHHHH! WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Alright!" Dumbledore said loudly, not wishing to dwell on their extremely unexpected new challenger any longer. "That's it! We now have our three champions! But in the end, only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions! This vessel of victory! THE TRIWIZARD CUP!"

With his grandiose announcement over, the cup itself was unveiled, and the room clapped excitedly on cue again, despite Feliciano's pitiful crying as he miserably made his way over to the champion's room. Various sympathetic Hogwarts students–Fred, George, Angelina, Gilbert, even Berwald–clapped his back in support as he dragged his feet along.

But as Feliciano disappeared into Fleur and Viktor's company, Snape noticed something. Yao wrinkled his brow as he too followed his co-worker's line of vision.

The Goblet of Fire was still burning.

Dumbledore turned around as the flame started up again. After one last flash of bright magenta, another entry shot out. As it fluttered down, Dumbledore made a curious grab for it.

This time, obviously shocked, he called out:

"Harry Potter."

Everyone stopped.

Harry didn't move.

Hagrid shook his head.

"No..."

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again, trembling.

Everyone looked at him.

The boy-who-lived gulped.

This time, Dumbledore was grave.

"HARRY POTTER!" he shouted.

"Go, Harry!" Hermione whispered worriedly, shoving him out of his seat.

Harry walked stiffly up to Dumbledore as if it were a death sentence. He hung his head, and after unceremoniously snatching the paper out of Dumbledore's hands, tried to walk with some semblance of dignity to the "safety" of the champion's room as quickly as possible. However, as opposed to the merely surprised, amused, and mildly dismayed reactions to Feliciano's name, the reaction to Harry's name was outright hostile. The room was tense–even angry–as Harry made the long and shameful trek onto the next room. The whispers were furious, and some students sneered at him openly:

"He's a cheat!"

"What the hell!"

"You're not even 17 yet!"

"Look at him showing off!"

"How is that fair?!"

Ron Weasly looked grim. Hermione Granger took a deep breath, her hand on her heart.

"Hogwarts doesn't like, stand a chance." Feliks said bluntly.

"You said it." Blaise muttered.

36.) Adult Worries –Part 2/2–

"Yao." said Snape. "Why are you still in my office?"

The Chinese man shrugged, smiling brightly.

"I do not have many papers to grade tonight, aru!"

"Well, I do." Snape lied. "Many."

"Ohhhhh." Yao said sympathetically. "That's a shame, aru! Would you like some help?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I work on my own."

Yao leaned over the desk, eyes wide.

"All the time?"

Snape sighed heavily.

"Yes." he said monotonously. "All the time."

"Why?"

"Because I prefer to."

"All the time?"

"Yes." Snape gritted again.

Yao shrunk back.

"Ok." he said. "Sorry, aru. It's just strange for me to hear someone say that they actually like to be alone." At the offended expression on Snape's face, the astrology professor quickly clarified. "Well, aru, I meant that... that it's strange because I don't like to be alone..."

"Everyone has their own preferences." scoffed the potions professor.

"Yes," Yao admittedly quietly. "But I'm never alone by choice."

Snape said nothing to this.

Yao chuckled sadly.

"All my siblings think I'm annoying too, aru. Sorry."

"Stop apologizing." Snape said tiredly.

"Sorry."

"Yao."

"Sorry!"

"Yao."

"Ok, ok...!"

Snape sighed again.

"...what do you know about potions?" he asked finally.

Yao perked up.

"You will let me help you then, aru?"

"Yes."

"I know a lot about potions!" Yao began to babble happily, all traces of his subtle depression gone. "I double-majored in university, you know! Astrology will always be dearest to my heart, but potions–"

"–good for you." Snape interrupted. "Here. These are first 20 papers."

"I will be thorough!" he declared.

"Good."

A few minutes of silence passed, save for the light sound of quills on paper as the two adults corrected and criticized numerous essays.

Yao looked up first, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Severus?"

"Yes?" the man asked flatly, not looking back.

"Are you alone by choice?"

Snape kept writing.

Yao tapped his quill awkwardly.

"...I am now." the man said finally.

"Oh." said Yao. "Well, we have that in common then."

"I suppose so."

"...Severus?"

"What now, Yao?"

"Thank you for letting me stay in your office."

"You're welcome." Snape said curtly.

Yao Wang beamed.

37.) Kindred Spirits

It was nighttime, and the Forbidden Woods was a safe-haven for Toris, who currently stood staring silently at a grotesque, skeletal, horse-like creature. He stepped back when it's reptilian muzzle pointed in his direction.

"Such a dreadful creature..." he murmured.

"Actually," said a dreamy voice. "They're not so bad. They're called thestrals. They're quite gentle, really. But people avoid them because they're a bit..."

"...different?" Toris offered, before hesitantly turning to face the voice.

Far from being a threat, however, behind him stood a petite girl with straggly waist-length blond hair, very pale eyebrows, and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. A wand was tucked behind her ear for safe-keeping, and she wore a necklace of Butterbeer caps. There was a distinctly odd air about her, but overall she seemed harmless, so Toris released the tension from his shoulders.

"Yes." she replied. "I'm surprised you can see them. Not many people can."

"And why's that?" he asked.

"Because they can only be seen by those who know death."

"I see." Toris said quietly.

"And they are also lured by the scent of blood."

The Lithuanian touched his shoulder unconsciously.

"Charming." he said.

"It is." she agreed, stepping next to him.

Toris's new acquaintance rummaged through a small rucksack on her body, then pulled out a small chunk of raw chicken and tossed it over to the ghostly thestral. It whinnied before accepting the offer with gratitude.

"Um...why do you have raw meat with you?" asked Toris. "Actually, why are you even here?"

"I could ask you the same." Luna replied airily. "Why are you here? I'm here to find the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. They like meat, and they come out at night. But I haven't found it yet..."

"I've never heard of it."

"Not at all?"

"No, never."

"It is an obscure creature." she shrugged. Then, "You didn't answer my question."

"No." Toris said softly. "I suppose I didn't."

"You don't want to, do you?"

The Ravenclaw boy looked apologetic.

"No."

"That's okay." Luna nodded. "You can help me find a Snorkack tonight, if you wish."

He looked at her gently.

Luna noted, with vague surprise, that there was a note of thanks in his eyes, though she wasn't sure for what. She blinked.

"No thanks." he said kindly. "I think I'll be heading back to the castle now. But please be careful here tonight, ah..."

"Luna." She supplied.

"Luna what?"

"Luna Lovegood."

"Right. It's nice to meet you. My name is Toris. Toris Lorinaitis."

"That's a nice name." she commented.

"So is yours." Toris smiled. "Well, goodbye Luna."

"Goodbye..." she answered, voice trailing off as he walked away.

Forgotten, the thestral padded over to Luna and gave a faint whinny. She petted it's nose absentmindedly, still gazing at the spot where Toris once stood.

"Yes." she said peacefully, as the thestral nuzzled into her neck. "I think I like him too."

–

A/N: Oh, procrastination...