Chapter 23

Senna's heart skipped a beat—and it wasn't related to the physical exhaustion she felt. "My name?" Senna asked stupidly. "Are you sure?"

Tonks continued to pull her through the hall. "Yes."

Senna's heart skipped another beat. She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. Not until she stood in front of the Goblet of Fire.

"So," Tonks said after a moment of silence. "Causing quite a bit of trouble, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?" Senna asked innocently.

Tonk sighed. Then she jerked Senna's hand to the side, forcing Senna to face her.

Tonks' eyes were filled with exasperation, and irritation. Senna had to admit—it was kind of hot. Angry Tonks was glorious.

"I heard you snuck out of Hogwarts. And now your name comes out of the Goblet of fire, though you are underage. Care to explain how you've done any of those?"

Senna smirked. "Not really."

Tonks' eyes narrowed. The hand on her wrist clamped down tighter. "Don't you dare take that attitude with me. I'm not one of your little friends."

Senna knew she was being disrespectful. But she didn't know how else to respond to her. She wasn't going to open up to an Auror who didn't have time for her. There was no point. And… she liked seeing Tonks angry.

"But you wouldn't believe me, even if I tried." Senna shook her head. "Nobody does."

Tonks sighed again. She checked the halls on either side of her. The coast was clear.

To Senna's surprise, Tonks pulled her in the opposite direction of the Great Hall. She then took a sharp left into a different corridor, and then opened a door—which led to a closet.

"Wher—" Senna started, but she was suddenly yanked into the closet and the door slammed shut behind them.

Senna could make out the scent of cleaning potions and dust. This was a janitor's closet. Probably one of Mr. Filtch's. Senna was also hyper aware of how close Tonks was to her. Her angry eyes were just inches from her own.

"Try me." Tonks demanded.

"What?" Senna's asked, bewildered.

"Tell me what happened. I'll believe you."

And for the third time tonight, Senna's heart skipped a beat. Tonks' eyes were very serious—and there was something about them that made Senna's heart beat even faster. Senna knew she was telling the truth. Even though she could not hear her thoughts, she knew Tonks was going to believe her, whatever she said.

And just like that, there were butterflies in her stomach. All the resolve she mustered to push Tonks into the back of her mind, all the effort it took to forget the way she made her feel—was gone. Senna was sitting there, blushing like a middle school student all over again. Damn.

"Well?" Tonks prompted when Senna did not speak.

"It's a long story."

"I have time."

"Actually, I don't think we do." Senna jabbed a thumb in the direction of the Great Hall. "Aren't they waiting for me?"

"Yes!" Tonks hissed, leaning closer to her. "So hurry it up."

Senna could no longer smell the dust and potion smell. She could only smell Tonks, her sweet scent. It filled her brain, until the only thing she wanted now was to taste her skin. Senna looked down at Tonks' boots. If she looked her in the eye, she didn't know what she would feel tempted to do.

"I snuck out of the front gate," Senna lied, "And when I was in Hogmeade, I accidentally touched a portkey that took me to Knocturn Alley." This part was true.

"Knocturn Alley?" Tonks stared. "Blimey, how'd you get out of there?"

"I sent an owl for Snape to come pick me up." She confessed.

Tonks nodded. "And your name in the Goblet of fire? I know you're under age."

"Another student must have done that for me."

Senna expected a reprimanding—or a gasp at the very least. But she didn't hear anything from Tonks. Just silence.

Senna looked up to meet her gaze, but to her surprise, Tonks was not looking at her eyes. She was looking at her breasts. Senna followed her gaze, to where Senna's shirt had unbuttoned itself. It must've happened when she was running away from Moody.

Senna waited for a moment, but Tonks seemed transfixed.

Senna smirked. She thought of something bold, something that would probably get her in trouble. Tonks would get angry… But if Tonks was going to pretend to be uninterested at Senna's expense, then she deserved to be angry. Because Senna was angry too.

Senna quickly grabbed Tonks' unsuspecting hands, and placed them on her breasts—hard—so she could not pull back.

Tonks stepped backwards in surprise, but her back met the closet door. There was nowhere to go.

"Why just stare at them, when you can cop a feel?" Senna leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

Tonks struggled to get out of her grip. Tonks was strong—but Senna was just as strong, if not, stronger.

"Stop this." Tonks ordered.

"Are you sure?" Senna forced Tonks' hands lower, so that she was touching her butt. Tonks gasped, her face turning a deeper shade of red.

"Senna!" Tonks growled.

Arousal shot through her at the sound of her name. Her voice was so husky—so frustrated.

But Tonks was an Auror, not a student. She couldn't treat her the same way she would treat… Viola, Senna flinched when that name came into her mind.

Senna released her, and Tonks pulled her hands back hastily.

Tonks met her eyes. Senna stared back, trying to make her face as unreadable as possible. She prayed that Tonks couldn't somehow hear her racing heart. Or feel the waves of arousal that pulsed through her.

"You've changed." Tonks said quietly.

"I know."

Tonks looked into her eyes, searching them.

They continued to stare for a long—hot—minute. Tonks was the first to break away. "Let's go."

They exited the closet and headed towards the Great Hall.

Senna jogged to keep up with Tonks' hurried stride. Senna had to admit, she was disappointed it had not gone further. But at least there was hope now. She knew—for a fact—that Tonks was attracted to her.

The doors to the Great Hall were propped open. An Auror stood on each side of the entrance, acting as Guards during this war-filled time. They gave Tonks a nod in recognition, and let them walk right through. Heads turned as they walked through the center aisle. Senna did not dare meet the eyes of the staring students. She focused on her feet.

If it was anyone but her, there would be an applause. She was the Brownwell champion after all. But, despite her best efforts to fit in, her strangeness had become known by the entire student body. Of course they weren't clapping for her. They probably just wanted her to disappear. It felt like an extraordinarily long walk.

After an immeasurably long moment, she and Tonks stood in front of Albus Dumbledore and Julien Roberts.

Dumbledore's eyes were kind. Headmaster Roberts' were nonchalant, but not displeased. They both shook Senna's hand.

"Please proceed to the breakroom." Dumbledore's hand gestured to a door towards the back of the Great Hall.

Senna went through the door, leaving the Great Hall and Tonks behind. She now stood in a smaller room, lined with old paintings of wizards. A large, crackling fire was blazed in the fireplace. The moving faces in the portraits turned to look at her as she entered. Senna shivered.

Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory, and Fleur Delacour were crowded around the fire. Krum seemed to be brooding. He was leaning against the mantelpiece, slightly apart from the other champions. Cedric was standing with his arms crossed. He looked nervous, his eyes darting around the room. Fleur Delacour looked at Senna as she walked in. She could feel the daggers coming from her. She didn't need legilimency to know that Fleur hated her. Fleur thought of Senna as a threat. Not in the context of the tournament, but a threat to Fleur's spotlight. She wanted to be the only girl competing in the tournament. But now she had to share the spotlight with Senna. Senna couldn't help but roll her eyes. It was petty.

Dumblore, the other Headmasters, and some other ministry staff entered the break room. One man, with dark hair and a mustache, stared at Senna intently. This perturbed her. Senna could not hear his thoughts.

She pretended to be preoccupied with the fireplace.

Dumbledore spoke first. "Congratulations, champions." He met everyone's eyes, one by one. "We are honored that you have been chosen to represent your school. It will truly be a magnificent tournament." He said with gusto, "My dear friend Crouch, don't you have some instructions for the champions?"

Mr. Crouch, the dark haired man who was staring at Senna, seemed to come out of a deep state of thought. He quickly tore his eyes away from Senna. "Y—yes," he stammered, "Instructions…. Lets see . . . the first task . . ." He moved forward to stand closer to the firelight. Senna took one step back. Close up, Senna thought he looked a little haggard. Dark shadows sat beneath his eyes. "The first task is designed to test your courage," he told them. "So we are not going to reveal the matter of the task. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a champion." He paused to clear his throat. "The first task will take place in a few weeks, and will be done in front of an audience and the judges. The champions are not allowed to ask for or accept assistance for the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge with nothing but their wands. you will receive information about each task, when the time is due." Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore. "I think that's all, is it, Dumbledore?"

"I believe so," said Dumbledore, who was looking at Crouch with some concern. His eyes moved back to the champions. "Ah, well I'm sure your peers are excited to celebrate with you. I suggest we all head to our quarters now."

One by one, the Champions left the break room.

"Senna." Headmaster Roberts called out from behind her. Senna stopped walking. Headmaster Roberts stopped as well, letting the rest of the students leave the Great Hall. The only people left were the staff, and to Senna's surprise, Tonks. She was hovering by the entrance.

"Senna." He said again. "You are underage, aren't you?" The staff looked at her in disbelief.

"Yes."

He frowned. "When is your birthday?"

"I don't know, Sir." I told him.

His eyes widened in disbelief. "You don't know your own birthday?" He scoffed. "Are you joking?"

Senna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She tried to ignore the fact that the Hogwarts staff were staring.

"No, Sir." Senna paused, trying not to snap at him, "But the nuns at the orphanage said I was dumped on their doorstep sometime in the middle of winter."

Senna was hyper aware of Professor Snape's presence near the staff table. He would know her birthday. He's the one who dumped her at the orphanage. She made a metal note to ask him one of these days. If he ever got around to being open and honest.

Senna didn't need to meet his gaze to know that the tension in the room had suddenly become very awkward. This was a good thing, maybe he would stop asking questions.

She waited a moment in the awkward silence before starting to walk towards the door.

"Your name," Headmaster Roberts continued, "How did you put your name in the goblet of fire?"

"Like everyone else," Senna lied. She did not try to get past the age line. "How can the age line know how old I am, if I don't?"

Roberts looked at her, thinking. He did not look convinced.

"Very well," He stroked his beard, "Off to bed you go."

Senna tried to walk slowly, but she was eager to leave the room. Tonks looked like she was about to follow Senna to her dorm, but one of the Hogwarts staff members stopped to talk to her.

She half-expected Viola to pop out at her in the halls, but she managed to make it to the hot-air balloon without incident. The night had become bitter and cold. She wrapped her arms around herself. Partly trying to warm herself, and also trying to pull herself back to reality.

Viola had done it. She had kept her word...

Senna headed into the shower room. She turned on the hot water and let it scald her skin as she got lost in her thoughts.

Senna was surprised she kept her word. But it was not too surprising. For Viola to be an outstanding student, and a Prefect, she would need a solid work ethic and sense of commitment. She would need to be attentive and responsible. Senna knew this, but it was difficult to associate these traits to Viola. Senna grimaced. This meant… Senna would have to keep her word too.

When she was finished in the shower, Senna shoved the control nob in much harder than necessary. The water stopped abruptly.

It was difficult to be excited about the tournament, when she knew she had to mentor that horrible girl for who knows how long…

But if she survived life this far, she knew she would survive this too.

She hoped.