A/N: Once again, I find myself feeling terrible as I fail to keep my promise of updating more frequently. All I have to offer is a thousand thanks to everyone who has stayed with me, and the hopes that I will update. I'm sorry I'm so slow but I'm trying, truly! Love to all xoxo
After eating, Dumbledore explained that in order to enter the Tournament, they have to put their name into The Goblet of Fire. He also added that there is an age line around the goblet, so no one under seventeen could enter.
"There goes your plan Fred." Sasha nudged him.
"Sasha Vogel. Do you truly doubt me that much?" He flashed his famous grin. Sasha smiled and hugged him.
"What?" Fred asked.
"I've just missed you."
"Come on Sasha, it's about time we went to bed." Seamus said, grabbing her hand. She considered pointing out that Seamus didn't decide when she went to bed, but she really wasn't in the mood to cause a scene.
"See you tomorrow Fred. Good luck." She laughed.
Everyone was up bright and early the next morning, even Sasha which was weird. They all rushed down to the Great Hall to watch people enter their names. She saw all sorts of people from different schools and houses enter their names. Suddenly, Fred and George burst in, making a spectacle of themselves.
"Show offs." Seamus scoffed. She gave the boys a thumbs up as they chugged down their age potions and stepped over the line. At first, everything was fine. They slipped their names into the goblet and everyone cheered, then, the goblet erupted and they were thrown across the room in a dramatic explosion. When they scrambled off the floor, they were sporting thick white beards and bedraggled hair and instantly began fighting.
"Boys! Boys stop!" Sasha rushed over to pull them apart. When she finally did, everything seemed fine. That is, until Fred looked up and saw Seamus laughing.
"Oh you think this is funny Finnigan?" He snarled.
"Yeah, a bit." Seamus sneered.
"Won't be so funny when I bash your face in!" Fred lunged for him.
"Oh like you could you git!" Seamus dodged him easily and Fred made another attempt.
"Fred stop!" Sasha grabbed him and pulled him back.
"No! I'm tired of this arse constantly sneering at me! Acting like I'm beneath him because he has... he has..." Fred's voice died off.
"Has what Fred? What does he have that you haven't?" Sasha was infuriated by Fred and Seamus. Fred opened his mouth as if to speak, then shut it quite suddenly.
"Nothing." He finally stammered out. "Everything's fine. Everything. Is. Fine." He said it slowly and quietly, as if trying to convince himself. And with that, Fred turned on his heel and stormed out the Great Hall.
"Sasha! Sasha I'm sorry!" It wasn't Fred, chasing after her, which was a sore disappointment, but it was Seamus.
"I know you hate it when we fight. And I didn't mean to! He just, came at me." Seamus exclaimed.
"I know Seamus." She said dully.
"Do you want me to... I dunno, talk to him?" Seamus asked, shuffling his feet.
"And say what? This'll all blow over. Thanks anyways Shay. Besides, I know you're thrilled about all this." Sasha said with a small smile.
"Yeah, I am actually. But I know you'll both get over this. Unfortunately." Seamus groaned. She kissed Seamus lightly on the lips.
"You're wonderful sometimes." She whispered.
"Only sometimes?" He laughed as he pulled her back in.
Sasha was grateful to get to Care of Magical Creatures. Most people in her year resented the class but she was good at it, and it was a good distraction. The Skrewts were now trying to kill each other and they were quite the handful.
"Marvin stop attacking Carlton!" Sasha exclaimed, scooping one up.
"You've named them?" Harry asked.
"Of course. They are living creatures." Sasha pointed out.
"Yeah I guess so..." Harry said skeptically.
"Hold Nathaniel will you?" Sasha said, handing him another. Harry stood rigid as she plopped it into his arms.
"Oh, jeez, okay. So I um, saw what happened with you and Fred..." He said, holding the Skrewt at arm's length.
"What? That little display in the Great Hall? I'm so over that. Watch the stinger!" Sasha smiled as big as she could.
"Ouch! Yeah well I'm sorry about that. I know you guys were good friends." Harry said, still trying to avoid the Skrewt.
"Oh hand me that!" She took Nathaniel back and placed him into a box. "I'm sure everything will turn out just fine." She put on the best fake smile she could muster.
"Okay Sasha." Harry smiled and gave her a hug. "I'll see you later."
"What was that about?"
"Oh Seamus! I didn't see you there!" Sasha laughed.
"I asked you a question." Seamus responded. Sasha raised an eyebrow.
"We were just talking Shay. He was helping me with the Skrewts." Sasha said off handedly.
"Okay then. You could've asked me to help you." Seamus said in an undertone. Sasha simply rolled her eyes.
That night, it was decided who the champions would be. At dinner, Sasha noticed the twins had lost their beards. But it's not like she cared. Dumbledore made a great fanfare as the names burst from the Goblet. The first was some other-worldly beautiful girl named Fleur Delacour. Then Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian seeker with a stocky frame and a sour expression. The competition seemed fierce this year. From Hogwarts came Cedric Diggory. Sasha wasn't sure he could win against Viktor but he deserved the honor. He was a sweet guy. Just as all seemed done and finished, the Goblet acted up a forth time. Another piece of paper was launched into the air and caught by Dumbledore. He was able to get two words out until the hall erupted into noise.
"Harry Potter."
Harry was instantly lead away with the rest of the champions, while the Hall was left to speculate. Eventually, some teacher sent them off to the dormitories. As all houses filed out, snips of conversation were heard all around.
"How did Harry do it? That Goblet is supposed to be cheat proof!"
"It doesn't matter how many people enter the Tournament, Krum will crush them all!"
"Fleur 'as one theeng ze others do not. Those men weel not stand a chance."
"Cedric will show them. The only honest Hogwarts student in the whole thing!"
It seemed the Gryffindors were the only people in the entire school who had faith in Harry.
"What do you think Shay?" Sasha asked, as they sat by the fire.
"I dunno. Harry's a good guy. He's not one to seek fame. But how else would his name get in the Goblet?" Seamus said, one arm over her shoulders, the other prodding the fire, sending sparks up the chimney.
"Who knows? Crazy stuff is always happening to Harry." Sasha shrugged. As she finished speaking, the twins burst in laughing jovially with Lee Jordan.
"They look happy." Sasha noted miserably. Seamus sighed loudly.
"They're always happy." He reminded her. Before she could respond, Harry came into the room, greeted by cheers of excitement. Everyone wanted to know how Harry had done it, especially the twins, but he was insistent that he hadn't submitted his name. The room was crowded with people celebrating and eventually, Sasha felt herself sneaking back to the outskirts of the common room. A few minutes passed where she spoke to no one, then quite suddenly, she felt someone dragging herself across the room.
"Fred! Where are we going?" Sasha laughed as he pulled her through the portrait hole.
"Sh! Keep your voice down! Do you want your boyfriend to hear us?" Fred whispered, grinning.
"Is this some sort of kidnapping?" Sasha asked.
"I'm just going to grab some butterbeers. You looked lonely." Fred shrugged.
"I wasn't-Okay I was a little lonely. But you know how I feel about crowds." Sasha laughed.
"Of course I do. So I'm rescuing you!" He said, voice dripping with fake bravado. "Are you going to come with me, or not?"
Sasha glanced back at the portrait hole, then smiled.
"Of course."
Flames were rising up all around, there was a deafening noise. A droning roar, and then, a real roar. Ear shattering. She ran from the noise, but the suddenly the ground melted into water. She was drowning in the black water, shapes moving around her, but impossible to see. Then she was running, taking random turns, unsure exactly of where she was heading until...
"No!" Sasha screamed, sitting up in bed, dripping in sweat.
"Another nightmare?" Lavender groaned. While Lavender and Parvati had been nothing but nice when the nightmares had started, they were both tired of waking up sometimes multiple times a night.
"I'm sorry...again." Sasha said quietly.
"Was it the same one? Parvati asked, her voice was muffled by head buried in her pillow.
"Of course. I just, don't get what it means..." Sasha sat up and rubbed her temples.
"It's a dream Sasha. It means your brain clearly hates us and wants us to never have any sleep." Lavender growled.
"Yeah I'm sorry. Go to sleep, I'm going to go for a walk." Sasha tiptoed out of the room and heard Lavender's snores before the door was even closed. She slowly tiptoed down the stairs but paused. She heard, just faintly, someone's voice.
"Someone's coming!" It said, in a rough tone. Sasha turned the last corner and saw Harry standing by the fire place.
"Talking to fires?" She asked.
"Oh, I um, I was talking to just myself actually." He said nervously.
"I mean, it's completely normal. I'm not judging." Sasha said in a serious tone. Harry opened his mouth to say something, before realizing she was joking.
"Okay, make fun of me." Harry said.
"I'm assuming you couldn't sleep either." Sasha said, plopping down into a chair.
"Yeah, kind of." Harry shrugged.
"It seems we only ever see each other in the dead of night." Sasha giggled.
"Yes well, we're night owls aren't we?" Harry said. "Why couldn't you sleep?"
"Nightmares. I've been getting them a lot lately." Sasha admitted.
"Yeah I know what that's like." Harry said sympathetically.
"I can imagine! With the Triwizard Tournament and all...I'm sorry, I don't want to pester you but...you didn't...What I mean to say is, people are wondering if..." Sasha struggled to find the right words.
"You want to know if I put my name in." Harry sighed. "Everyone does. I didn't though, if you'll believe me." Harry said, with a tone of sadness.
"That's good enough for me." Sasha said.
"I'm glad to have someone on my side. Not even Ron believes me, I mean, he's my best mate!" Harry seemed to be getting more miserable by the second.
"Harry if you didn't do it, the truth will come out. It always does. Ron's a stubborn git, that's for certain, but when he cools down he'll come to his senses." Sasha said in a soothing tone.
"Yeah, you're right. Thanks it's...nice to get out of my head and all the, judgement."
"That's what I'm here for." Sasha laughed, then she paused. "Do you hear that?" There was a light tapping sound coming from across the room. Harry stood up and approached the window. There was some noise as the window swung open, and then closed again.
"I believe this belongs to you." Harry turned around, Bristol clutching to his arm. Sasha smiled.
"There you are pretty bird." She cooed.
"He has a letter." Harry handed it to her, and Bristol fluttered off to perch on an armchair.
"I should go back to bed and let you read your uh, mysterious middle of the night letter." Harry chuckled and ascended the stairs. She looked down at the note in her hand. Who could possibly be sending her a letter at such a late hour. It looked worse for the wear, wrinkled and...singed?
"This letter has come a long way it looks. How strange." Sasha told Bristol. The owl hooted softly in response. She gingerly open the worn parchment, careful not to rip it.
Sasha,
I hope this letter finds you well. I know it's strange, me contacting you after we haven't spoken since the summer but after you took such an interest in my work I knew this was an opportunity you wouldn't want to miss out on. I don't want to ruin the surprise but I think you would really enjoy what I have in store. If you can, meet me by Hagrid's tomorrow night at midnight.
Regards,
Charlie
P.S. I must ask you to keep this rendezvous quiet, I am sticking my neck out a bit for this and I don't want trouble.
Sasha must have reread the letter a hundred times. A strange and incredibly vague letter arrives in the middle of the night, sent by a man she hardly knew, asking her to meet him in the dead of night by the creepy woods. Sasha couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to go. On the one hand, the invitation sounded dangerous. She couldn't just go out into the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night to see... She didn't even know what she was going to see. On the other hand, Charlie was a Weasley, and she could trust him.
"What do you think Bristol?" When she turned to look, the owl had already flown out the window and away.
"I guess you have no opinion." She sighed, and read the letter another time. "Just do it." She said to no one in particular. "It'll be an adventure."
Thanks to the twins, sneaking out of the castle was no trouble at all. It was dark though and she was cautious. Hagrid's house was brightly lit, and she knocked lightly. It was a rare occasion when Sasha snuck off without the twins and she felt incredibly uncomfortable without one of them to lean on. The large wooden door swung open and, not unlike the first time she met Charlie Weasley, she was enveloped in a gigantic hug.
"Sasha! I'm glad you could come!" He exclaimed in his booming voice.
"Yeah I'm glad too! But I'm not really sure what I'm in for..." Sasha's voice was excited, but it was clear she was still wary.
"Oh you're in for quite the surprise." Charlie laughed. Before she had another word, Charlie was heading towards the woods.
"Follow me!" He called.
"Charlie, this is really weird! I didn't even tell your brothers where I was going and I don't know what I'm getting myself into! Charlie!" But Sasha's protests fell on deaf ears as Charlie kept up at a quick pace. Sasha practically had to run to keep up, struggling to stay within the light shed by the lantern.
"Will you hush? You'll wake every beast in the forest!" Charlie laughed. His laugh was a lot like Fred's, which made her feel a lot better.
"Charlie please tell me what's happening!" Sasha exclaimed after a time, in a final attempt for answers. Before she could even fully complete her sentence, she ran straight into his back. "Charlie!" She shrieked, horribly confused.
"Sasha!" Charlie yelled, spinning around and grabbing her shoulders. "Will you just look?" Sasha peered around his broad shoulders and gasped. Impossibly large cages stood in a line, and within 3 of them, were some sort of large boulder like objects. The forth cage though, was alive. The dark shape inside was thrashing, flames flying everywhere, while people who looked tiny next to him raced about shouting commands.
"The left claw! No, the lower one you idiot! Lock down the lower left claw!"
"Watch the flames Porter! Are you trying to get yourself burned to a crisp?"
"Goddamn it the tail is free! The tail you numpty!"
It was beautiful chaos, as the men struggled to rope the monster to the ground. Smoke and fire filled the air, illuminating random things like a work of art. A tail, a claw, eyes, those eyes. They were beautiful, deep, dark, filled with anger and fear and power.
"Oh... Oh I can't believe... They're..." Sasha couldn't speak, her whole life she had wanted to see one, hear one, experience one.
"Dragons." Charlie was just as mystified as she was, entranced by the pure beauty.
"Oh Charlie I can't believe you let me see them!" Sasha squealed, ready to faint due to excitement.
"Sasha we're gonna do more than see them." Charlie said with a grin, as he began to approach the scene below. Sasha was so shocked she couldn't even move.
"Charlie, you're not... You can't be serious..." Sasha gasped, her hands shaking. He looked up at her and laughed.
"You're not scared, are you Sasha?" When Sasha saw his devilish grin, she was reminded of another redhead of Weasley descent.
"Of course not." She said, confidence flooding through her. She stood up tall and walked smoothly up to Charlie. "You look so much like Fred, you know that right?" She said, patting his cheek. "Now show me how to wrangle some dragons!"