Excitement filled the great hall on this windy night of September, it was the night they'd find out who each champion was.
"I bet it'll be one of the older kids, they have more experience."
"Yeah, but younger students will be more resourceful because of that lack of magical knowledge." Leta rolled her eyes.
"I wonder how many put their names in." Newt muttered as he turned his eyes towards the front, the flaming goblet sat on the podium, the flames a brilliant blue situated in rather large brass goblet, he figured the name was supposed to be straight forward.
"Plus, with it only being fourth year and up, that's only three years worth of students, so odds will increase."
Things quieted as Headmaster Black stepped to the podium, a semblance of a smile on his face.
"It is time for the goblet to choose our three champions, know that it is an honor to be chosen for these tasks and the goblet never chooses one who cannot handle the trials. Each champion shall be chosen if a band in your house color or school color appears around your wrist, best of luck to you who entered your names. Now, let us find out who our champions are, please stand if a wrist band appears." The goblet's fire shot up and students waited on bated breath for the first student to stand up, it was a boy from Castelobruxo who stood first, his left wrist raised in the air to display a bright green band on his right wrist. Headmaster black handed the paper down to Benedita Dourado.
"The champion of Castelobruxo…" she opened the folded piece of parchment, "Sixth year student, Kain Sousa!" there was a look of pride in both the headmistress and the student's eyes. Castelobruxo student erupted in cheers
"Champions, please remain on your feet until your other competitors reveal themselves." Suddenly the goblet roared to life again, another torn piece of parchment shot up and drifted into awaiting hands as eyes scanned the crowds to see who the next champion was. A pale hand reached into the air, all eyes on the fair woman, Esther Whiteacre, the headmistress of Ilvermorny school.
All eyes were scanning the Ilvermorny students to see who would stand up, suddenly a girl with ginger colored hair stood, her left wrist in the air, decorated with a red and blue striped band.
"The champion from Ilvermorny…" Esther looked down at the paper with a smile, "Seventh Year, Sarah Hale!" it was Ilvermorny's turn to cheer, Sarah looked around sheepishly but kept her head held high.
The goblet roared to life one last time, Headmaster black catching the final piece of parchment, the hall fell into hushed whispers and Anna's eyes looked around before a sudden thud startled her.
"Newt?" her concern soon grew into worry as she saw his wrist on the table, Newt had been chosen as the champion. He was going to be up against a witch and wizard with far more experience than himself.
"Hey, come on, stand up!" he looked at her with uncertainty, "Newton Scamander, if you don't stand up, I'll make you stand up." He quirked a brow at her, "And how are you going to do that?" suddenly she pinched him in the back of the neck and pulled upwards. He stood quickly.
"OW! Okay, I'm up!" he quickly rose his wrist in the air.
"Our Hogwarts Champion, Ladies and Gentlemen…" Headmaster Black unfolded the paper and read the name off, Newt quickly kicked Anna's leg under the table, "Fourth year from Hufflepuff House, Newton Scamander!" Hogwarts students erupted in cheers, Anna clapped him on the back.
"We have our champions!" Headmaster black called from the front of the great hall. "Now, enjoy your feast. Champions, when you are finished report to the trophy room for your first clue to your task." With that the hall once again filled the voices of students.
"If you ever do that to me again, I'll shrink you down and….and…" Anna quirked her brow at him, "And what? Put me with the bowtruckle colonies?" he gave the idea a second thought.
"Maybe…" he narrowed his eyes playfully. "Oh please, you'd never hurt me, Newt…"
"Congratulations, little brother!" a large hand clapped Newt on the back and the smaller boy lurched forward.
"Theseus? I figured you'd be upset. you put your name in too, right?" the older boy looked down to the brunette.
"Yeah, but no big deal. Newt will finally have something interesting to tell people if he wins." Anna narrowed her eyes, red tipped her hair.
"You shouldn't be cutting him down, you should be offering to help, you are his brother after all." The dark-haired boy narrowed his eyes.
"You would do well to show respect to your superiors, Miss Carrio." She wondered if he was still upset about her thinking him conceited, but with the way he talked down to her only made her supposedly impure blood boil more.
"Wouldn't want anything to happen to my little brothers Sewer blooded girlfriend." Her eyes widened at his statement, quickly finding the ground, a splashing sound filled her ears and the hall silenced.
"You have NO RIGHT to speak to Anna that way!" Newts shaking hand held a now empty goblet of pumpkin juice, the other balled tightly into a fist.
"Muggle born students are beneath us, Newt. The sooner you see that, the better off you'll be."
'Beneath them…' the words rang in Anna's mind, "And beyond that, just look at her. Her eyes don't match and she's not even attractive. No one is going to love an opinionated woman." Theseus stared straight at her as he spoke, reveling in her downcast eyes. Anna quickly stood and left the great hall.
"Anna, Wait!" Newt called after her but she didn't even pause in her steps.
"You know what your problem is, Theseus? You have your head so far up the ministry's arse, that I'm not even sure you can be considered human anymore." With that said he shoved past his older sibling and ran after Anna, Leta followed suit not long after, shooting the Gryffindor a ruthless glare.
"Anna!" the now black-haired girl still made no effort to stop, "ANNA!" he finally caught up to her, Leta stopped a few feet behind, a curious look on her face as Anna turned, eyes now red from crying, the Slytherin felt Pity rise in her stomach as Newt wiped a stray tear off Anna's cheek.
"Hey, Hey, don't let anything my older brother says get to you, alright? He's a fool." He noticed she wouldn't look at him and frowned. "Hey…" his voice was soft, and calming. Leta took the opportunity to place a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"The older students are jerks, Anna. Besides, who cares what he thinks, he's just one guy." Anna still didn't look up.
"Anna, Please look at me?" she shook her head, "Please, let me go, Newt, Leta…"
"Not until you look up. You are beautiful."
"Newt's right, You're pretty in your own way, besides no one else at this school can change their appearance at will, that's something only you can do."
"You're also wonderful at magic, blood status doesn't mean anything." Brown and green finally met the eyes of her friend.
"Theseus is right…" it hurt the two of them to hear her speak so brokenly.
"No, No he's not." Leta's voice was hard, "Who cares what that arrogant lion has to say. No one gets to tell you who you are."
"Anna." Newt cut Leta off, "I have to go find out what the clue is, but I'll see you in the common room." He ruffled her hair in his usual fashion and hurried off.
"Do you want to go for a walk?" Anna simply nodded her head and the two girls walked out into the cool night air.
True to his word Newt had found her that evening on the couch in front of the fire, knees curled and tucked under her arms as she watched the flames dance.
"Hey, still on your mind, huh?" usually her resilience was quicker, she didn't let things like that bug her like they used to.
"Yeah, Leta and I took a walk so I could clear my mind…but it didn't work. What did I ever do to him?"
"My brother has always been a bit of a git." Wanting to change the topic now, thinking it may help get her mind off the subject she just went for it.
"So…what's your first clue?" Annoyed that she was now avoiding the issue he sighed but let her win this time.
"A riddle" he fished a slightly crumpled piece of paper from his robe pocket and handed it over.
" I know who I am, but who am I? If I am he, then he is me, me is him who I see, I am who, but who is he." She tilted her head in confusion.
"We all had the same reaction"
"Well…My first guess would be twins, but it would never be that easy because of the 'who is he?' part. So we can rule it out as a possible answer." And the two were off trying to figure out the riddle, Anna's mind anywhere but on Theseus' harsh words.
"I wonder…" the two had been at the riddle for the better part of an hour now, "I know who I am…but who am I?...if I am He, then he is me, me is him who I see…"
"Me is him who I see?"
"OH! It's your reflection!" Anna bounced in her seat, "My reflection?" Newt looked skeptical, "What does my reflection have to do with anything?"
"Nothing. Maybe your first task is self-reflection. You know, like answering questions to get to the next clue." Newt looked dumb-founded, had she really figured it out.
"How were you not sorted into Ravenclaw?" She laughed "Because if I'd been sorted into Ravenclaw we never would have met and you'd still be working on this riddle."
"Touché" he muttered. "So, my first task is one of self-reflection…great, should be embarrassing."
"Hey, you'll do great." He'd succeeded in getting her mind of his brother's cruel words and quickly solved the riddle.
"So, when is the first task?"
"In three days."
"Wow…they really aren't giving you guys a lot of time."
"No, but once the first task is done we get two months to work out the next clue." Anna yawned. "Well, two months is something. I bet the second task will be more difficult."
"I can only imagine. But at least for now I've got a lead on the other two champions." Anna yawned again, leaning against Newts shoulder. "Well, I'll help in any way I can, and I know Leta will as well."
"If you're tired, you should go sleep."
"But I'm comfortable, here." Newt rolled his eyes and laughed, "Whatever you say." He draped an arm around her shoulders and leaned his head on hers, enjoying the smell of her shampoo and wondering when she had changed it to rose.
Before either of them knew it, they had fallen asleep.
So, this is the end of chapter 7, yes. It was another short chapter but I like where it ended, things are going to pick up in the next few chapters. The first task is going to be Newts easiest.