Tiny beams of sunlight shone through the shutters of Jane's carriage window, falling on to her face and waking her from her dream. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up in her bed. Today was the 23rd of January. The day of the first task. While she dressed, Jane tried to remember the dream she had been having. It was something about the Yule Ball again, she thought. I mean, it was a great night, but why do I keep dreaming about it? Most of what she remembered was about those businessmen that had kept introducing themselves to her and Pyotr. They had all looked vaguely familiar. Strange.
Eventually Jane stepped out of the carriage and went down to breakfast, pocketing her glasses just in case Pyotr's spell chose this particular day to wear off. Knowing my luck that's probably what'll happen. Her stomach rumbled. She needed to eat something before the challenge. All she knew was that she could only bring her wand, and that she had to meet the judges outside the school at 9 O'clock. That gives me 45 minutes to eat and mentally prepare myself.
She walked in to the dining hall, waving to Pyotr, who was sitting two seats away from everyone at a table with his age group. She sat down at her usual table, which everyone had kindly left unoccupied for her yet again. The disgusting Imps came and served everyone food, eggs and bacon this morning, and an assortment of beverages appeared in the middle of each table. Jane poured herself a glass of lavender tea. She had been avoiding the water since the First Task.
At five to nine she proceeded to the great front doors, where Pyotr and Marcelle were already waiting. She shivered in the cold breeze. I should have brought a coat. Pyotr nodded to her and Marcelle muttered a feeble "Hello,". She was clearly very nervous. You couldn't blame her, she didn't exactly do well at the first task.
"My Champions!" A voice boomed from down near the edge of the forest. Headmistress Maxime beckoned them over. "The other judges are waiting for you at our destination. Come this way!" She said in her regal French accent. They reluctantly followed her in to the dark forest.
For almost half an hour they trekked up the mountainside, following after an ecstatic Madame Maxime, who kept saying things like "Not much further now!" and "Just around here!". Just as Jane decided they were officially lost, they turned and were facing a large, round void in the mountainside. There was a table set up inside where the other two judges were sitting drinking tea from elegant teacups.
"Madame Maxime!" Professor Gagwilde called, rising from the table. "We were about to go out looking for you. Are they all here? Yes! How lovely! Let's begin, shall we, Aleksandrov?" He said enthusiastically.
"Yes," The Headmaster had a sly smile on his face. "You have arrived just on time. Currently it is exactly 28 minutes past nine," he said, checking his watch. "In two minutes, you will all set out in to this cavern," He indicated the gaping hole in the mountainside behind him. "And you will try and collect as many jewels as you can within the time limit of one hour. There are chests full of useful equipment stationed at checkpoints within the cave. You may only use your wands and any supplies you find at the checkpoints. Good luck. Your time starts…now."
Jolting in to action, the three champions rushed past the Judges' tea table and in to the cave, igniting their wands. They were faced with a three-way fork. They glanced at each other then each went down a different path, Jane taking the middle one.
"Good luck," Pyotr whispered to her before she set off. She could only manage a small smile in return.