Eyes of Blue
Chapter 2
Twenty-four hours.
That was all the time that everyone had to submit their name to the goblet of fire. It was a Saturday, so students had time to put their name into the flickering blue flames.
One of the lower classmen in Ravenclaw had already tried, and Cho, along with the rest of the house, laughed at the large beard that grew from the girl named Fawcett. The Weasley twins from Gryffindor had tried the same thing as well, but they grew even bigger beards.
Cho had thought about putting her name in a few times, but she never went farther than taking out a scrap of parchment paper. She never felt like she was qualified enough to participate in such an event.
The time to submit one's name into the goblet was coming to a close as the Durmstrang lot all put their names into it. Only a few hours left before it would be completely done.
Alone in her room, Cho sat on her bed with a spread of books circled in front of her. Scribbling furiously the potions notes that were due in two days, she barely noticed Fleur walk in.
"Doing homework on a Saturday? You Ravenclaws are smart," she remarked as she sat down on her own bed facing Cho's.
Flicking some stray black hair behind her, Cho's eyes looked up, but she ignored the comment and continued writing.
Fleur stretched out her legs and rested against the headrest.
"You know, the goblet will no longer accept entries in a short while. Why don't you enter your name? If you're in this house, you must be smart, and brainy people always know what to do under hot situations."
Dark black eyes looked up into cold blue ones. Her dark eyebrow curved up.
"What makes you think I'm smart? I could just be feigning intelligence, and could really be just an ignorant fool. Besides, I am not fit for the Triwizard Tournament."
Fleur smiled as she stood up, a quill and a piece of parchment in her hand, "I believe it is worth a try."
Cho stared at her, then down at her books, and then back at the parchment in her hand. Shaking her head, she waved her over so that she could write her name on the scrap. "I'll put it in the goblet, but I know I won't be chosen."
She closed her books and partially finished potions notes and then lazily slid off the bed. Running a quick brush through her semi-tangled hair, Cho folded the piece of parchment up into a small neat square before walking off to the center hall.
Fleur was trailing behind her, and multiple boys seemed to be trailing after Fleur. Finally arriving at the cup, Dumbledore was already standing at its side, calling for any last entries.
Cho strode up and slipped her name in nonchalantly. However, to the rest of the circle of kids that were surrounding it, it was a tremendous show. They all burst into applause and even some of the boys hooted.
Shaking her head in exasperation, she walked past the crowd of students and to the Great Hall. She sat down in her usual place; the corner space on the Ravenclaw table. Marietta spotted her and jogged over, but let out another silent scream of anger as Fleur beat her to it.
Pointing at her and seething with unheard anger, she grinded her teeth, and continued to point. Passing people stopped to stare at what she was doing, but just laughed because she looked plain ridiculous. She stomped the ground hard and then walked away.
Cho was watching out of the corner of her eye and laughed inwardly. Staring at her plate, a pumpkin muffin appeared out of nowhere and she picked it up.
Fleur did the same, but a miniature one popped up. She daintily took a bite.
"You seem very popular with the guys," said Cho as she noticed the swarm of men who suddenly decided to sit as close to Ravenclaw tables as possible.
Taking another small bite, she merely nodded as if it were normal, "That is to be expected. My grandmother was a veela, so that must be present in my genes right now. But for being full human, you don't do too badly either."
Cho smiled, but then realized what she meant as they both spotted Harry staring at her openly.
"Oh, him." Her grin subsided as she took another bite of muffin and sighed as Harry practically drooled from both hunger and his daydreaming fantasies.
"He is not exactly the cutest boy out there, but he does have the innocent hero act going for him. Some girls find that rather attractive. Personally, it doesn't suit me, but I don't know, what do you think?" asked Fleur as she finished the tiny breakfast muffin.
Thinking about Harry, Cho decided that she didn't, and for some reason, couldn't feel anything for him. Shaking her head, she stood up leaving her muffin half-eaten.
"Nothing."
As time drew closer to the great Halloween feast, and the announcement of the champions, more and more gossip began to spread about who would be chosen from the schools.
For Durmstrang, the obvious choice was Viktor Krum. He was the superior student in the school, and Karkaroff didn't even try to hide his favoritism for the young prodigy.
In the Beauxbaton school, it seemed like every student had a fair chance at being selected, but Fleur had the most popular reputation. Maybe it was just because of her stunning looks that all the guys liked her, but she was still well-liked nonetheless.
Hogwarts however… there were so many students that had put their name into goblet. There was a multitude of people who were completely able of performing any dangerous task that the tournament had to offer.
Ever since Cho put her name in the fire, everybody has been flashing her smiles in the hallways saying that she's a shoo-in for the Hogwarts champion. Cedric Diggory was another possible person, who was equally as popular, and equally as talented, as the Ravenclaw girl.
However, when the feast arrived, all sorts of names started to get whispered back and forth.
"I think it's going to be Cedric. Ooh he's so cute! Er…but he's strong too! Not just the cute part."
"Naw, you're wrong, it's going to be Cho. She's the seeker for Ravenclaw, so she has all the coordination she needs. Plus, she's smart."
"You're both mistaken! I swear it'll be Malfoy. He's got that malicious attitude. No monster would be able to go against that."
"Dimwit, Malfoy isn't even old enough. Go talk somewhere else where we can't hear you."
Most people ignored others' comments and just stuck to what they thought would happen. As they all entered the Great Hall, some of them stopped their conversations momentarily to look at the numerous festive trimmings. Even a few of the Beauxbaton students were left in awe before they remembered that their school was more sophisticated.
Black and orange silk streamers were strung all around the tall walls of the room. Above the students' heads, magical bats were flying in a specific pattern while a very realistic pattern of a cloudy night appeared above, giving off the feeling of being outside. Floating candles and lit pumpkins were placed around the room making the whole room glow.
Cho sat down in her regular seat, as did Fleur. Marietta had given up trying to beat the blonde beauty to the space so she had found another spot on the other end next to Terry Boot.
Dumbledore stood up from his seat in the middle of the staff table. His eyes swept across the room above his half-mooned spectacles. He smiled at everyone.
"Tonight is a wondrous night! The goblet shall be giving us our names shortly, but in the meantime, I suggest we fill our stomachs with some Halloween delights. Enjoy your food."
Colorful pies popped up in the middle of each table along with other treats like Cornish pasties and baked pumpkin. All sorts of potatoes, cooked, raw, and sliced, were also placed in baskets all around.
None of the foods that were at the welcoming feast were present at this Halloween one. Fleur glared skeptically at a seemingly menacing potato. Cringing, she poked it with a fork and decided it was safe to eat.
"I do not understand. Beauxbaton has the finest foods, but this Hogwarts school, it has primeval things. Potatoes? Look, this is not even cooked."
Cho took a bite of some roast chicken that she had put on her plate and observed Fleur as she continually poked the potato over and over until little holes had appeared all over the outer skin. After a long while of investigating, poking, and hesitant bites, Fleur glared as Cho chuckled at her.
"You know, the food isn't poisoned. Just eat the stuff."
And so the dinner went on, with Fleur relentlessly complaining and Cho just listening.
Time passed, and just as Fleur had finished her evil potato, reaching for a slice of pumpkin pie, the food disappeared. She let out a 'humph' sound as she crossed her arms.
Dumbledore stood up and addressed the students.
"I hope you have found your stay here most enjoyable so far," Fleur snorted, "but I am sorry for having to cut your dinner short. The Goblet has begun to spark red, which means that it is ready to present the names of the champions."
Food forgotten, everyone leaned a bit closer as Dumbledore tapped his wand on the desk three times and the wooden cup appeared. The blue flames were flickering madly as they licked the air a few feet up.
All eyes were on the fire in silence as they waited for something to happen. Dumbledore's creased face turned into a smile as the flame turned a crimson red color. Sparks shot out in every which way as a piece of paper was ejected from the Goblet.
He snatched it quickly with his bony, ancient hand and adjusted his glasses as he cleared his throat.
"Our Durmstrang champion shall be… Viktor Krum." Rowdy applause rose up from the Slytherin table as both the Hogwarts and Durmstrang people cheered. Viktor stood up awkwardly from his seat and walked over to the side chamber.
After the applause died down, the goblet began to spark once more as the bloody flames shot out another scrap of paper. Dumbledore grabbed it again and smiled.
"Our Beauxbaton champion shall be… Fleur Delacour." Cho grinned widely at her as Fleur stood up. She pushed her long platinum hair behind her sending ripples through the silky strands as she proceeded to the chamber. Her face showed no emotion save a small self-satisfied grin.
Cho watched her walk to the side chamber, and before the girl disappeared into the mysterious room, she shot her a sharp look with her icy blue eyes. The small grin had faded before she stepped foot into the room.
Everyone was still cheering for her, except the other Beauxbaton students, who were all sorely disappointed. The male populace was especially enthusiastic at the idea of staring at Fleur all throughout her competitions.
After the hoots and clapping diminished, Dumbledore cleared his throat; a piece of paper already in his wrinkled hands.
"Our Hogwarts champion shall be…"
Cho closed her eyes. What if she was chosen? Suddenly the thought of competing against Fleur in life and death situations weren't all that appealing. She didn't really want to win or lose against her. Maybe she wouldn't be chosen.
"…Cedric Diggory."
The crowd burst into the loudest clapping ever heard so far, except for Ron, but nobody heard him yelling above the cacophony of other sounds. Cho silently thanked the Goblet for not choosing her.
She looked at the guy stand up from the Hufflepuff table and make his way towards the chamber. As he walked between the tables, he endured a sort of gauntlet of pats on the back from nearly every person he passed.
They gave him approving smiles.
"And so this concludes our feast! I hope you enjoyed eating our wonderful treats and gazing at our marvelous decorations. Although these bothersome bats seem to keep landing on my hat…" Dumbledore swatted at his pointed hat as the magical bats swarmed around it.
He began to walk away, and some of the students even stood up, but before they could move too far, the goblet sparked up again.
Another small piece of parchment shot out but before Dumbledore could grab it, a bat swooped down and snatched it with its little talons.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
The unfortunate bat slumped to the ground dead as the green light shot out from his wand. The headmaster picked up the piece of paper. Everyone, students, staff, and all, stared in horror at Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat nervously.
"Er…sir, you just used an unforgivable curse in front of the students. I do not believe that was a very rational decision… It was just a magical bat."
He looked up at the rest of the room and smiled.
"Do forgive me."
His apology was met with silent nods and a small snicker as Draco chuckled under his breath calling him a 'crackpot' headmaster. After everyone was over the shock of seeing one of the worst curses in history, they settled down a little bit as Dumbledore began to speak again.
"It appears we have another champion… Harry Potter."
The hall erupted into anger as all the Slytherins, Beauxbaton, and Durmstrang students began to protest.
Harry stood up hesitantly with a look of utter disbelief on his face. He slowly made his way over to the side room, passing the Ravenclaw table on his way. Multiple faces scorned him as he walked, obviously upset that he had to steal the spotlight away from Cedric.
"Give someone else a chance drama king."
"Stealing the happiness from Cedric just because you weren't chosen? You're such a terrible person."
Whispered insults and comments were thrown his way as he approached the end of his bombardment. Cho was sitting on the edge of the table, the last person he would see before entering the chamber. With his head still held up high despite the circumstances, he took one look at her and suddenly pushed it down.
She was giving him the most demeaning look that he has ever seen on her face. Feeling utterly terrible about something he didn't even do, he entered the dark chamber and saw everybody look at him.
Fleur's bitter blue eyes stared him down, "What are you doing here? Does your headmaster have something else to ask of us?"
The sound of students leaving the hall was heard as Dumbledore appeared in the chamber. "Harry has also been chosen by the goblet. I hope you have a very good explanation as to why it shot your name out."
He stared at the dark-haired boy with the same look Cho had given him, but with less intensity. Before he could speak, Fleur stormed up and put her hands on her hips defiantly. She wagged her pointed finger in Harry's face.
"Zis little boy cannot participate in this tournament! He is underage, unskillful, and a rule-breaker! He is underneath the age requirement, and that would also mean that Hogwarts has two champions. It's an outrage!"
Madame Maxime tried to calm down Fleur as Dumbledore tried to sort out the unusual mistake with Karkaroff.
Meanwhile, Cho was in her dormitory resting on her bed with her hands behind her head thinking. She hadn't been chosen, but she figured it was a good thing. That way, she wouldn't have to go against Fleur.
Then again, how skilled is she? She seems too dainty to want to get dirty to do the tasks. Oh no, she might break a fingernail trying to pick up a rock. Haha.
She chuckled at her thoughts as she pictured Fleur in her mind crying over a broken fingernail complaining about the mud on her silk robes.
"She won't last. Not with Cedric and Viktor…and Harry." She paused, thinking about the shy boy who had always stumbled out a nervous 'hi' to her every time he saw her passing in the hallways. She frowned.
"He must have rigged it, that boy. If he could survive the killing curse from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, then he could surely bypass Dumbledore's 'simple' age line protection thing. He's a cheater, I just know it."
Eventually, her eyes drooped down and she drifted off into a light sleep.
Fleur had gotten out of the meeting with the champions and their headmasters. She was furious at the decision they had reached. Her delicate fists were clenched into tight balls as she stomped to her dormitory.
"That boy is despicable! And his headmaster is no better! Allowing two Hogwarts champions, this is just unfair and unreasonable. However, beating them shall make victory all the better."
She swung open the door to her dormitory and walked in, not bothering to be silent about her entrance. It was nearly midnight, and her roommate was already asleep. Staring at the black-haired girl sleeping calmed her down somewhat.
Pulling on her nightgown, she climbed into bed and stared at the ceiling.
"This is an atrocity. He's a cheater, I just know it." She mumbled into her pillow.
"That's what I said."
Cho was leaning up slightly in her bed, staring in Fleur's direction smiling. They both laughed before falling asleep.