I feel impatient as the other champions are announced. Victor Krum becomes the champion for Durmstrang. I could potentially be chosen. Cassius eventually had put in a piece of paper on which I had written my name. Then Fleur Delacoeur is called out as the champion for Beauxbatons. I sit up a bit straighter.

"And the champion for Hogwarts is," Dumbledore announces. I draw in a big breath. "Cassius Warrington!" I feel stunned. Of course it would have been stupid to expect to have been chosen. I was only a fourth year, was I not? I had just not expected Cassius to have been chosen. He had not even wanted to enter. Cassius looks even more stunned than me and after a light push from Pansy walks forward, while the whole school is cheering on him.

Then the cup flares up again: but did we not already have our champions? With a low, forcefully calm voice, Dumbledore speaks the next name. "Harry Potter!" I feel myself glaring at Potter. Next to a champion that did not even want to enter a fourth year was chosen? Of course it could be no one except Potter. He looks genuinely shocked as he stumbles to the front, where Dumbledore drags him to the room where all other champions have been chosen. The other school heads look as indignated as I felt.

Later Dumbledore announced that Potter would have to contest as his name was somehow submitted to the goblet as it would be more than unwise to break an unbreakable contract.

Later in the common room Cassius is loaded with compliments and questions in the common room. I feel jealousy burn and feel Pansy tug my arm. "Let's just sit over there," she looks a bit sullen and sends longing glances to Cassius. Cassius then loudly yawns and then announces even school champions need sleep too. Some of the girls surrounding him giggle, attracting a glare from me and Pansy as well for some reason.

We are playing gobbstones as Pansy shrieks softly as she is picked up by a stranger who walks calmly towards the exit of the common room. She looks pleased at the boy I cannot recognize from this angle. I know I shouldn't, but I follow them. Just outside the common room, where it is eerily quiet, the boy puts Pansy down, who immediately hugs him. "You! I thought you had forgotten me," She says playfully, unable to keep herself from smiling. I really should go back to the common room. "I thought you had not wanted to be a Hogwarts champion."

The boy kisses her quickly. "Maybe I wanted to be your champion," he smoothly says. I suddenly recognise Cassius Warrington. Liar! You barely had the guts to put in your own name. Probably never had if it was not for me.

I see Pansy frown. "We spoke about it."

"Yes," Cassius says firmly. "First time we spoke you told me you thought I would make a great champion and that it would be brilliant if someone from Slytherin, especially me, would represent our school."

Pansy sighs. "And later I told you that it would be stupid to gamble with your life. Like you said: it may be flattering that people see you as a worthy champion now, but weren't you rather successful as an obliviator working for the ministry instead of this flashy thing which no one would remember anyhow in a few years?"

"Well," Cassius hesitates. "Your second boyfriend is here." He nods at me. Pansy turns quickly, stares surprisedly at me and then colours. "It was his idea. He was all like: you are a chicken and put my name in and Hogwarts will have a real champion and.."

Pansy looks angry. "And what?"

"I don't know," Cassius says. Pansy puts her hands on her hips. "I mean. Maybe I was jealous. He dated you once, you know, and I like having you around, talking to me and I wanted to show I would be a better champion then.."

"Then who?" Pansy says flabbergasted. "An idiotic fourth year that has a pride so big he cannot even think for a second to imagine how stupid and dangerous it would be to slip in his name?" I draw in a sharp breath. I would be a good champion. "So you threw in your names, didn't you?"

Cassius throws her an apologizing look. Her glare melts and she suddenly smiles shyly. "And you like having me around?"

Cassius shrugs. "I guess."

Pansy bites her lips. "You were jealous as well and.." She then seems to realize my presence. "I am so writing your mother. You can be such an idiot." She then shakes her head at me, looks back at Cassius and gives him a flirtatious smile. I quickly go back to the common room.