She zipped the grey fleece to her chin, tucking the Time-Turner in, and charmed her clothes to be warmer. When she managed to get past the courtyard and onto the actual grounds, she started her jog.
It was barely light and not even past six in the morning. Everyone was still asleep, Emperor included. The air was cold but refreshing against her skin. She needed this, having spent the night with Paladin and Vibora in the Chamber to keep them company.
Running had become her favourite exercise behind Quidditch and fighting with Dudley. It gave her heart an excuse to work harder and eventually it became easier to wake up early and get out of the castle. She couldn't stand staying inside the castle anymore, it was too crowded with both foreign schools milling around.
Her mind went into a slight daze as she ran up and down the rolling hills of the grounds. She was passing the edge of the Black Lake when she realised that she was no longer alone but she kept going.
"'Ello," The Durmstrang girl, Rebekah could tell because she was with Viktor Krum yesterday, began to jog with her as Rebekah slowed down a little.
"Hello," Rebekah greeted as their paces matched each other now, going at a steady speed together.
"I'm Nona, one of Viktor's friends," She smiled brightly, her long ponytail swishing behind her. "You're Potter, aren't you?"
"Rebekah Potter, yes," She nodded. "I saw you yesterday at the feast with Krum and Aleksandar was it?"
"Yes, Aleksandar Palmen. He's one of my friends. Viktor had said that you ate like him," Nona winked. "And he eats like a Hippogriff."
"Can't disagree with that," Rebekah did a short laugh. "Say, where is Krum anyway? I'm curious if he's still gonna be practising Quidditch."
"I think he will be. Even with the loss at the Quidditch Cup, he'll try and get it in a few years again." Nona turned her head when she heard someone yell her name. "You'll have to excuse me, I'm being summoned by my High Master."
"It's fine, I've got practice now anyway. It was a pleasure to meet you…"
"Just call me Nona,"
"Rebekah then."
By dark, everyone congregated in the Great Hall. The Durmstrang party was with the Slytherins once again, Nona, Viktor and Aleksandar sat before the group with a younger boy that Rebekah knew was called Logan.
He had tried to take Emperor last Christmas. Rebekah remembered him clearly, and he remembered her too. He refused to look in her direction unless he was throwing dark looks at her. Theodore and Blaise sent them back, sitting across from him to keep an eye on him.
Rebekah mostly ignored him as she ate the second feast in twenty-four hours. She wasn't as excited now, simply having a normal meal again.
"Well, the Goblet is almost ready to make its decision," Dumbledore gean after the plates were cleared away. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them to please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber where they will be receiving their first instructions."
Dumbledore gave his wand a wave, making the Goblet of Fire go blue with sparkling flames. It spitted a bit before going quiet. Students looked to their wristwatches, waiting impatiently for it to spit the first name out.
The parchment was slightly crisp and burnt around the edges.
"The champion for Durmstrang…will be Viktor Krum."
"Good luck," Rebekah mumbled as Viktor rode from the table after Nona and Aleksandar clapped him on the back.
"Bravo, Viktor!" Karkaroff boomed over the applause. "Knew you had it in you!"
The Of Age Wizard trod down the Great Hall and into the chamber to the side.
"The champion for Beauxbatons," Dumbledore announced, "is Fleur Delacour!"
Two girls who were not chosen burst into tears. Rebekah rolled her eyes. They knew that only one person could be chosen out of their school, they already had a small chance to be chosen so they shouldn't have had their hopes up.
If you were going to cry, you might as well do it in private to keep rumours from sprouting.
"The Hogwarts champion," He called, "is Cedric Diggory!"
The applause was outrageous. The Hufflepuffs jumped to their feet with a roar of applause. Slytherin clapped politely with the rest of the Houses, not overly happy that Cedric Diggory was chosen but it was better than having one of the Gryffindors in their opinion.
"Excellent!" Dumbledore grinned as everyone turned quiet after a full minute of applause for Cedric. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real—"
Dumbledore stopped mid-sentence. A sudden splurge of sparks shot out of the Goblet, turning it red with a long flame-spitting another bit of parchment. Dumbledore caught it effortlessly and read it, sighing softly before he looked into the crowd. He found Rebekah near the end nearest the Durmstrang students, giving her an exhausted look.
Rebekah already knew before he called her name out.
"Rebekah Potter."
Everyone's head turned to the Witch in question, who hung her head in her hands and let out an exhausted and loud sigh. She had hoped for a quiet year and it looked like it wasn't happening.
"Are you kidding me?" She muttered as she dragged her hands down her face. "I didn't put my name in it and you know it."
"We know, Rebekah," Daphne said, giving her a comforting half hug.
"Yeah, the question is who did it. They probably want you dead," Blaise shrugged. "Go on, they're calling you down."
She grumbled as she strutted down the wide lane between tables. She kept muttering swears as she sashayed with confidence and quite a lot of anger fueling it. "This can't be fucking happening!"
She said it a bit too loud as some of the students gasped.
"Language, Potter,"
"Sorry! Not every day you get chosen to participate in a tournament that could get you killed and you don't even want to be part of it in the first place!" Rebekah almost snarled, quickly shaking her Lioness instincts down. "Where am I going?"
"Through the door, Rebekah," Dumbledore said with a sad look. Then said quieter. "We will be there in a few moments. Severus, go with her."
"Of course," Snape paced over. "We'll get this sorted."
"I can't have one fucking year of peace!"
"Can you say that any louder?"
"You're not the fourth Champion,"
The other Champions, the only ones that should be Champions, were grouped around the fire. Viktor Krum stood to one corner of the fireplace, almost brooding like a bird. There were two large chairs in the room, Fleur Delacour sat in one while Cedric stood to the side of her.
Rebekah waltzed in while Snape stayed outside. She slumped in the spare chair and made herself comfortable, careful of her short skirt.
"What is it?" Fleur Delacour threw her blonde hair back. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"
"No, they do not," Rebekah said through gritted teeth.
"Zen why are you here?"
"My name came out of the fucking Goblet," Rebekah muttered under her breath as a scurry of feet announced the group of people coming in.
"You must be kidding," Cedric Diggory's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Nope." She popped the end of the word.
Ludo Bagman came over to her chair and placed his hand on her arm. She gave him a stern look and he dropped it with a nervous chuckle. "Extraordinary. Let me introduce the fourth TriWizard Champion!"
"Vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman," Fleur said while smiling.
"No joke. Her name just came out of the Goblet."
"Zair 'as been a mistake," Fleur frowned. "Zhe cannot compete. Zhe is too young."
"That's what I'm thinking," Rebekah said and straightened in her chair. "Legally, I am only fourteen, I cannot participate. There is a big disadvantage here."
"The age restriction was only done this year to be extra safe. It's in the rules, you have to take part."
"And If I forfeit?" She hoped that it would work, she wouldn't be in danger then. Peaceful year.
"You still have to do each challenge."
"So I might as well try." Rebekah slumped into her chair, rubbing her palms into her eyes.
Dumbledore came in with Mr Crouch, followed by Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, and McGonagall. The other students tried to listen in but the door was quickly closed with a silencing spell from McGonagall.
Fleur strode over to her Headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zis little girl is to compete also!"
"Who are you calling little girl, blondie?" Rebekah felt a large shimmer of anger go through her at the Witch's words.
"Rebekah, calm and listen," Snape snapped at her, raising his eyebrows to tell her to shut up. She nodded defensively.
"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" Madame Maxime said, rising to her full height that barely missed the ceiling.
"I'd rather like to know too, Dumbledore," Karkaroff had a cold smile with an even colder glare, "Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions. Did I miss that part?"
"C'est impossible," Madame Maxime waved her hand and rested it on Fleur's distraught shoulder."'Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most unjust for us."
"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," Karkaroff's smile dropped."Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."
"It's no one's fault, Karkaroff," Snape said softly, trying to hide his malice filled glare at the man. His hand shifted and Emperor appeared from the shadows, curling up in Rebekah's lap with a slight rumble to keep her anger down.
"And why is zair a cat 'ere?" Fleur suddenly spat at the duo.
Rebekah's eyebrows rose and she blinked, forcing a pleasant smile onto her lips instead of the sneer she really wanted. "The cat is mine, that's all you need to know."
Fleur turned her nose up a little, Rebekah sent her a quick dirty look before going back to stroking Emperor.
Dumbledore came closer, standing just before Rebekah as she looked into his eyes. She could feel him probe in her mind so she relayed back to him the correct memories. "Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Rebekah?"
"No," Rebekah said instantly. "I do not have a death wish."
She could feel that everyone, save Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape, didn't believe her word. She was Rebekah Potter, daughter of James Potter and that meant she wanted to get in as much trouble as she could.
Bullshit.
For the next few minutes, the Headmasters of the schools argued with Mr Bagman. Rebekah just leaned back into her seat and watched the fire, she just wanted to transform and lay before it with Emperor and Fidele between her paws.
"This is most unjust, Dumblydorr,"
"I assure you, Madame," Rebekah said, having enough of their argument. "I did not put my name in the Goblet, nor did I ask or otherwise force someone else to do it. I have no desire to win a thousand Galleons, I've enough money. And eternal glory?" She shifted the short sleeve of her crisp white shirt. "I've already got that because of this."
"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges. The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."
Rebekah paced in her lioness form in Snape's office. The Wizard sat at his desk, marking Second-year essays about boil cures and giving Rebekah no attention, letting her work her anger out before he interrupted her.
"Mad-Eye Moody placed your name in the Goblet?"
"Yes!" Rebekah said as soon as she shifted back. "I went back in time just before I went to my dorm. From the moment the Goblet was opened to when just before the announcement. It was very late at night and I saw him putting a name in. I very much doubt he put his own!"
"Why would Moody put a name in? There isn't any agenda for him to do so, he doesn't get anything out of it."
"I don't know, sir," Rebekah plopped onto a table, crossing her legs as she pouted. "I just wanted one year without a chance of me dying. Is that so hard to ask for?"
"I'm surprised that you don't want the challenge,"
"Yeah, a challenge usually means I will survive."
"Has Dream-Riddle said anything about it?"
"No, I haven't slept yet," Snape sent her a disapproving glare. "BUT! I'll sleep until noon and go back in time to do my classes. Also, I've asked Paladin to stay with the Chamber and parts of the castle that are closed, so he isn't seen by Durmstrang lot."
"Good. it wouldn't do for one of them to see him and report him or try to kill him themselves, I wouldn't put it against Karkaroff's teaching to do so."
"I need to send a letter out to Sirius before he storms the castle, again," Rebekah sighed with a slight grumbled.
Dear Dadfoot,
You're not living that nickname down, buddy! I've already called Remus, Moomy, and he hated it.
Anyway, I suppose Dumbledore has already sent you a message saying that I am one of the (SUPPOSED TO BE THREE) Four Champions. To be clear, I did NOT put my name in the Goblet nor did I ask anyone else to do it for me, or hint, or suggest that I want any part of it.
I have said multiple times in the last twenty-four hours that I DO NOT want ANY part in it. I will be forced to take part in it, and you know sure as hell that I will try and win this whole bloody mess.
Don't you dare come to the castle and disrupt everything! You've just got your freedom back and I don't want you to lose it because you went on a rampage.
Love from Cub,
DON'T YOU DARE, SIRIUS. I know how you are!