After the short presentations of all schools (including Hogwarts dreadful choir group) and the long dinner, the headmaster gave the students a little bit of time to talk and regroup before he stood, walking forward and calling the attention of all in the hall for himself by tapping his wand to his glass of wine.
"Ladies, gentlemen, wizards and witches of all ages. It is time for the showcase of this year's tournament prize and selector" he said, walking around the large teachers table and heading forward. As he did, the hall doors opened, and the janitor pushed a big support with a long white blanket covering its contents. It was no surprise to anyone, everyone knew exactly what laid beneath the blanket, but the excitement still ran fiery inside the student's bodies. As it reached the front, the janitor stopped the cart, and the headmaster smiled, nodding that he stood to the side before taking out his wand.
"As it is known" the headmaster continued "the Triwizard Tournament will be housed here, in Hogwarts this very year. It is a dangerous and difficult tournament, made only for those that wish to gain eternal glory and are brave enough to face all types of adversities. And as it is also known, the prize for the achievement of winning the Triwizard Tournament is none other than the Goblet of Fire itself.
"The Goblet of fire is a magical object of deep power. Every four years, a new one is confectioned from scratch, and it is unique to that tournament alone. Students from their fifth to seventh years are allowed to put their names in the Goblet, but with responsibility" he stopped, and gave the hall a deep, meaningful look "for if you are chosen to be the champion of your school, you cannot turn the offer down. The Goblet will choose the wizard or witch it finds more fit to the job. However, the dangers in these types of tournaments is grand. Only, and I repeat, only put your names into the Goblet if you are sure you can succeed in the most cruel and harsh situations.
"Now, with all of that asserted, I must say only one more thing. You all will have a week to think it all over. A week to put your names inside the Goblet. At the same time seven days from now, we will be receiving the names of our champions, and the tournament will begin" he finished, and smiled, lifting his wand. "And now, the Goblet of Fire!"
With a wave of his wand, the white blanket went flying to the side, showing off the beauty that was beneath. On that particular year, the Goblet was full metal, adorned with vines and flowers all around it. Its fire was purple, and its base was gold, with little freckles of diamonds to finish it off. It was beautiful. Beautiful indeed. And Albus felt his heart race just looking at it.
But suddenly, the weight of the words coming from his headmaster came crashing down on him.
It was dangerous. So, so dangerous, to participate in a tournament such as this. Although it had always been his dream, to prove himself worth something spectacular, doing a nonsense such as this one would cost him greatly. First, because if he didn't succeed in winning the tournament, he would never be remembered as the champion would. Second, because he could not be deemed worthy by the Goblet in the first place. And third, he could get seriously injured in tests such as these.
And if he did, what about Aberforth? His mother? Ariana? Who would care for them if he got sick, or hurt, or even worst, killed?
These tournaments were no joke, and while rarely someone died in the process, there had been accidents before. Albus couldn't really take that risk, could he? No matter how much his heart ached for it, his mind kept it at bay. No, he wouldn't put his name in the Goblet. Or at least, he would wait the last day to do so. He would think about it over and over again, be sure he was able to do it, to win the tournament, and then he would decide.
"I wish I could put my name in it" Aberforth said suddenly, taking Albus off his thoughts and making him turn to face his brother. "Imagine how incredible it must feel like, to actually use magic without restrictions! To fight for your life in different scenarios? Oh, I could only wish I was in the fifth year… Although I'm happy you're taking part in it Alb, even if you don't get into it"
Albus looked at his brother, at his excitement and his belief that Albus would actually take part in the tournament. That he would even win. Truly wonderous thoughts of a foolish boy such as his brother. Still, it warmed up his heart.
"I don't think I will put my name in it" he said, instead, noticing right away his brother's happiness disappearing from his expression.
"W… What? Albus what are you saying, you were so excited for it this morning! Didn't you want an opportunity to prove your worth?" Aberforth asked, staring at Albus with wide, lost deer eyes.
"Yes, but these tournaments are dangerous Abe" he answered, as calmly as he could. "First of all, I could put my name and not be chosen. Then, I could be chosen and lose, which would grant me no glory. And in the worst scenario, I could get chosen and get seriously hurt or even die. I know it isn't common but it happens every now and then. And if I died or got seriously injured, then who would care for you, mom and Ariana? I can't put my name in the Goblet. I have too much to lose"
Aberforth stared at him for a long time, his upset face going to incredulous and then to a deep realization before he smiled and poked Albus' arm, which was the last reaction he was expecting from his younger brother.
"Albus, don't be so grumpy. You sound like a 150 year old man with the problems of the world over your shoulders. Don't worry about me, or mom, or Ari. Have fun at least once! I know that's what you really want. And that is what will really happen. You will have a lot of fun if you get chosen to be the champion for Hogwarts. And Hogwarts will have a chance to win. You know in the last 20 years Hogwarts hasn't won a single tournament?" Aberforth said, his excitement coming back, and to prove his point he nodded to the Goblet, making Albus follow his movement. "That would be a great prize to show Ari when we return home next summer. She will love it"
Albus swallowed thickly, the image of his little sister grinning and clapping towards the goblet over his shoulders filling him up with a warm feeling. He let a smile creep up his mouth, but soon shook it off and sighed.
"I will think about it during this week. Now, go find your friends and up to the tower. I have prefect things to do" Albus said, resigned, and stood up, ruffling Aberforth's hair and heading out of the main hall just as many students did. Aberforth stayed behind, to find his friends, while Albus went all the way up to the Gryffindor's prefect room, where he would finish up the files of the first year students and then finally go to bed.
The words his brother had said, the words the headmaster had said, everything the Goblet represented, all of it continued to hammer inside his head as he looked for a solution to everything he was pondering.
It was harder than he thought, being a champion.
When dinner officially finished (although many Hogwarts students had already left to their dorms by that time), the headmasters of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang walked to their schools, warning them that the Beauxbatons ladies would reside in the Hufflepuff headquarters, since it was the biggest in size and the one with most amount of girls, while the Durmstrang would reside with the Slytherins, for the biggest amount of men in the house and also because it was the house with least students.
Because of that, two seventh year prefects of each house stayed to guide the students towards their dorms, and silently, they all left the main hall, being lead towards the direction of the Hufflepuff and Slytherin dorm rooms.
Gellert, however, had the interest in another house entirely.
Sly as he always was, he drifted away from the Durmstrang group without being noticed and walked towards another hallway, following two girls with blue vests. As they reached a somewhat empty hallway, he approached them and touched their shoulders, trying to call as little attention possible. They turned around, surprised to see him there, and smiled politely.
"Hello. How can we help you?" one of the asked, both seeming extremely sympathetic. Gellert found that to be a good thing, considering he was probably transposing some type of rule at that very instant. Smiling right back, wooer as ever, he nodded.
"Hello ladies. Sorry for bothering you in such a festive night, but I was wondering where the Gryffin's dorm room was located" he said, ever so politely, and they chuckled behind their hands.
"Gryffindor, you mean" the other corrected, not trying to be rude.
"Yes exactly. I'm sorry, I do not know a lot of Hogwarts" he apologized. "However, in my first year, I met a Gryffindor student through the Triwizard Tournament and I wanted to go over to their dorm and check. Could you ladies show me the way?"
"Well honestly we can but it would be of no use" the first said, shrugging her shoulders. "The Gryffindors have a password to enter their dorm room. We do not know this password. So we can't give you access to the room itself"
"Yes but the prefects know" the second girl added, shifting her eyes from her friend to Gellert. "We can take you to the Gryffindor's prefect room and you can explain your situation. I don't think they would mind, and even if they did, they would just send your back to your dorm. Its down in the Slytherin's, right?"
"Yes, yes it is" Gellert nodded, content. "Could you two lead me to the prefects then? I could explain everything to them"
"For sure, come along" they said, and took Gellert back to the main stairs, leading him towards the Gryffindor's prefects' room. Everything was going easier than he expected. With his description he wouldn't even need a name. He had seen the boys in the main hall, there was no way he would fail to find at least one of them. And once he had, he would just have to talk to them, and figure out if they had another sibling, a cousin, or if the person in his dreams was one of them.
After around twenty minutes of walking and going up and down moving stairs (honestly who had built that castle?! That was so not useful for when someone was in a hurry), they reached a large wooden door, with the words 'Prefects Only' carved in gold. The girls knocked, and a small eyehole appeared on the door.
"Yes?" a deep voice asked, and the girls smiled.
"Sorry, we have a Durmstrang student that would like to meet his Gryffindor friend. Could you help him? We are on our way to the Ravenclaw dorm"
The voice stayed silent and after a second, the eyehole disappeared and a girl opened the door, sighing loudly, her bright blue hair calling Gellert's immediate attention.
"Sure we can help, get in. You two, go to bed. It's almost time" she said, opening the door further to let Gellert inside. The girls said goodbye and he responded with a wave before walking in and following the girl that couldn't be much older than himself. "isn't it a bit late to come looking for a friend?"
"I just thought now was as good as any time" he shrugged, following her through a waiting room and into another room, with the number 6 on it. Sixth year then.
"I suppose, what is your friend's name and year?" she asked as soon as they entered this new room. As they did, Gellert was sure luck was on his side. His eyes drifted to the side, to the other desk and chair in the room, and he stopped in his tracks, staring. "Oh, Albus, we have a guest"
"A guest?" the boy responded from the desk, and his head moved up from the formulary he was reading, eyes meeting Gellert's just like in the middle of the presentation, freezing for a moment and just… staring. Silently at each other.
Blue eyes. Red hair tied up in a neat braid. Fair skin. Glasses. Freckles. It had to be someone related to him.
Albus was his name.
And he was a sixth year Gryffindor prefect.
Gellert's life couldn't become any easier than this.