Chapter 16:
The feast was over and Professor Dumbledore made it known to the whole school that the Tri-Wizard Tournement was taking place that year and only seventh years were allowed to join. At that point of time, Christine glanced over to where Cedric was sitting and she saw that familiar gleam in his eyes…
"This is not for the faint hearted. People have died in this competition…" Dumbledore said gravely.
"Whoa…" said Kim.
Just at that point of time, Christine had a bad feeling that Cedric was going to join…
"You are not going to join are you?" Christine said impulsively to Cedric the next day by the lake during lunch.
"The Tri-Wizard Tournament?"
"No…I was referring to the pie eating contest. DUH the TRI-WIZARD TOURNAMENT,"
"Yeah….Yes I am…" he replied, avoiding her stare.
"Cedric," she started, reciting her well prepared speech, " People have died in this conpetition. I did my research. They pit you against things like….Trolls! You…You cant handle a troll!" she said although she knew full well he could.
"I'll be fine. You heard Dumbledore, he said that there will be help if things get out of control,"
"Does your life mean nothing to you?" she snapped urgently, "People risk their lives just to get a bag of gold and the title Tri-Wizard Champion. I know you better than that. Why are you going for titles and gold? There must be something else. Tell me," she said forcefully as he looked away.
"It's more for the experience,"
"Experience?" she whispered, "EXPERIENCE?" she shrieked.
"Look, why are you getting so worked up for?" he asked, sounding a bit angry.
Turning away and folding her arms, she said softly, "I just don't wanna lose you,"
"And you won't," he said, wrapping his long, slim arms around her.
"Promise me you wont drop your name into that wretched cup thing," she said, pushing him away.
And then there was silence.
"Do you think he will do it?"
"Chill Christy," Lyn said.
"Yeah…" Kimberly agreed, absorbed in the book : Muggles and how they came about.
"Don't worry," Jermaine said in a soothing tone.
"I'm just so worried…So, so worried…"
"You have the feeling that the ones you love are going to take part in something risky and then have the feeling that he is gonna die right?" Kimberly said huffly.
"And then when he dies you are helpless and feel like dying too, right?" Lyn said, her voice shaky.
"What's the deal?"
"Our father…Died when we were 7…" Jermaine said, looking away.
"Excuse me… But…Vood you know vhere to find books of Quidditch?"
"Oh yes…Right over there by shelf 89," Christine said without looking up from her book.
She heard the boy walk over to the shelf, pick up his desired book, and sit opposite her.
"My name is Viktor Krum,"
Surprised, Christine looked up from her book and said, "Oh…My name is Christine. Nice to meet you Viktor," she said, giving him a warm smile before returning to her book.
A while later, he started on his Charms homework set by Professor Flitwick, (the students from overseas were studying with the Hogwarts students). Peeping from above her massive book, she surveyed his work.
"You got that wrong," she said softly before looking back at her book.
"Vat?"
"You got that," she said, pointing to question 13, "Wrong," said simply.
Furrowing his brow, he bent over his homework and tried to figure out the mistake.
"Here…" She said bracingly, teaching him how to do his homework properly, correcting his English at the same time.
"Ve normally use Bulgarian to do our homework back at de school," he said.
"I see…"
"Hey Christine," said a bright voice.
Turning around, she saw Cedric heading towards her, frowning more obviously with each step forward.
"Uhm…Viktor, Cedric, Cedric, Viktor," she said, standing up and introducing both males.
"Nice to meet you Viktor," Cedric politely said as he held Christine's hand, somewhat protectively.
"Hey Viktor…I have to go now, I promised Cedric I'd meet him at the library. See you around…" she said smiling and waving at him.
Viktor cast the couple a surly look and muttered a short "Bye," before scribbling on his parchment.
Cedric kept mum as they walked down to the lake although he was holding onto her hand loosely.
"You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah I'm fine," he said, smiling at her.
"I was just helping him with his homework," she said somewhat too quickly and slightly confusedly.
"It's okay, I trust you," he said, before bending forward and giving her an awkward kiss.
"So you kissed didn't you?" Jermaine said promptly they next day at breakfast.
"Don't be dense Jer, it's obvious that they did," Lyn said irritably, "Pass the marmalade,"
"Were his lips rubbery?"
"KIMBERLY!" the other two sisters roared.
"I'm still rather doubtful…"
"About?"
"I'm not sure if he is entering. Its too dangerous. I don't want to lose someone dear to me again…" she said trailing off, looking into the distance.
"Hey who's that bitch?" Lyn asked, indicating to Ann.
Christine launched into a full blow account of Ann, causing the three sisters to detest her as much as Christine did.
"I remember now…" Lyn said, "She bumped into me and said that I what…Erm…Contaminated her or something!" she said angrily.
"She wears halters," Kimberly said snidely.
"Yeah…That pink thing peeking out from her shirt…" Christine said, noticing it for the first time.
"Hey…Remember what you did to Jaquelin Green?" Jermaine said to Kimberly.
"Yeah!" Kimberly said brightly.
"What did you do?" Christine asked, interested at where this conversation was veering off to.
"She undid her halter when she sat behind her during class," Lyn whispered.
Jermaine snorted into her porridge. That was when all the bitching started…
During Potions, Ann swaggered in with her cronies and told Lyn in a commanding voice, indicating to Lyn and Kim's neck length hair which was pulled into a nice short pony tail which permitted their fringe to fall nicely to the sides, "You and your twin don't look good with short pony tails, take it out! You are embarrassing those who look good with one,"
Kimberly leaned forward angrily after everyone was seated until Lyn said, "Please, let me do the honours,"
Lynette then leaned forward and reached out, ready to undo the irresistible, pink knot over Ann's neck.
"Psst!" Christine said, "Use a wand!"
"No…The pressure of the spell on her skin will give the game away," Jermaine whispered.
Lynette leaned forward again and slowly pulled the knot loose… At the end of the lesson when all stood up, ready to leave the room, a loud a piercing scream filled the dungeon as Ann's hands flew to her chest, desperately trying to catch her falling bra as it fell…
"Thirty points off Gryffindor house!" Jermaine exclaimed, laughing.
"It was definetly worth it!"
"Yeah good job Lyn!"
"Hey Lynette!" George said as he walked by with his twin, Fred, "Nice job! I heard what you did to that Slytherin,"
"You and Kim have good potential," Fred remarked, causing Kim and Lyn to beam.
"CEDRIC DIGGORY!" Professor Dumbledor said in a loud and proud voice after catching the slip of paper which was regurgitated from the goblet of fire.
A chill went down Christine's spine.
No…It can't be…She watched helplessly as he shook the headmaster's hand and proceeded to the back room. Jermaine put a comforting hand around her as the other two sisters watched on in horror…
"Why?" Christine asked in a pleading voice the next day.
"Christine," Cedric started.
"Don't Christine me!" she barked.
"Don't Christine her!" Lynette shouted as she walked by the corridor.
"Look, I thought it over the night before I dropped my name in, there is absolutely no danger…"
"TROLLS ARE NOT DANGEROUS!"
"Christine!" He said rather desperately.
"Don't Christine me!" Christine said impatiently.
"Don't Christine her!" Kimberly barked as she walked past the corridor.
Casting Kimberly an annoyed look as she walked away, Cedric continued, "I will be fine, trust me. I wont die…"
"That was what the other contestants thought too before they entered the tournament," Christine said coldly.
"Christine, you-"
"Don't Christine her," Jermaine said in a singsong voice as she walked past the corridor.
"Hey quit it will you!" he said angrily as he turned to face Christine, "I give you my word, that I will live through it,"
And then there was silence...