The night was brimming with excitement as everyone in the castle bristled about the champion selections that were taking place at dinner tonight. I felt dread at the pit of my stomach as I chatted lightly with Anna and Eve. The other champions were lucky in that their champions were already chosen. I tried to eat but it was proving difficult. I looked to Hugo, who was also looking very nervous. Then the headmaster was speaking,

"Tonight, is a very special night indeed. Tonight, the goblet will return the names of the two it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. So, therefore, I hope that you were wholeheartedly prepared to play before you dropped your name into the goblet."

He looked over in my direction when he said this, making me feel queasy.

"As from this moment the tri-wizard tournament has begun!"

The Goblet of fire began to swirl blue flames, as everyone in the hall began clapping and cheering loudly.

"Sit down please. And now the moment you've all been waiting for, the Hogwarts champion's selection!

Suddenly it was deathly quiet. I could hear my heart beating in my ears, and I was holding my breath in fear as the first scrap of parchment came flying out of the cup.

The headmaster paused before reading the name, "Our first champion is….Scorpius Malfoy."

The hall clapped and cheered. I sat in shock. Who knew he had even entered? I looked over at Ares who looked pale as a sheet. I wanted to go to him, to comfort him at this frightening time, but I was distracted by a look from Hugo. I could tell what he was thinking, even without any words, we must have been wrong. This wasn't our opportunity to prove ourselves, seeing as we would have been together, and one person was already picked. Whereas he looked sad at this, I was relishing in the peace I suddenly felt. We were so silly thinking we might be picked because of some stupid pact. Now I just had to cross my fingers and hope to Merlin it wasn't one of my brothers to be picked next.

The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment... And then the Headmaster cleared his throat and read out – "And our second champion is…Lily Potter."

I froze in my seat, the peace I had just been feeling evaporated quickly. I didn't move, I didn't even breathe. No one cheered. The hall was silent as though everyone was waiting for someone to say it was a mistake.

"Lily Potter! Please come to the front!" The headmaster shouted looking confused at my lack of presence.

"No!" Someone shouted. I was too afraid to move to see his face, but I knew it was the voice of my brother James.

"Absolutely not!" He shouted again looking furious.

"Mr. Potter! Sit down this instant! Lily Potter come here now!"

I stood up feeling everyone's stares on me. I felt like I was in a nightmare. I couldn't feel my legs as I moved towards the front of the hall, my heels clacking all the way. I stood next to Malfoy. He smiled at me and I attempted to smile back, although I am sure it came out as more of a grimace.

"Excellent! We now have our two champions! But in the end only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions, this vessel of victory the tri-wizard cup! "

Those were the last words I heard as everything went black.

LP-LP-LP-LP-LP-LP

I awoke to hushed angry voices. I blinked a few times and looked around. I was lying in a small bed with white sheets.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice coming out shaky.

"You are in the hospital wing Lily. You fainted," my mother said calmly.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice sounding a little stronger.

"We were flooed in immediately, when you were selected a tri-wizard champion."

I paled and felt the sudden urge to vomit, "That really happened? It wasn't a dream?"

I was surprised to hear the normally calm voice of my father shout, "How could you be so stupid Lily! How could you enter that competition?"

I was frightened at his tortured eyes. My father was normally very calm. He never shouted at me. I tried to hold the hurt back from my voice, "I'm sorry dad, I was angry. I wasn't thinking."

"Clearly! Don't you know people have died in this competition? I was nearly one of them!"

"Well maybe I won't go through with it?" I said halfheartedly.

"You are not a child anymore Lily! You can't just bat your eyes and make this go away. This is a binding magical contract! I expected this from your brothers, but not from you. I can't even look at you right now."

He stormed away angrily and the tears flowed from my eyes as though a faucet had been turned on. I had always been a daddy's girl. He had wanted a daughter so badly, that ever since the day I was born, he spoiled me rotten. He rarely scolded me and often protected me from my mother's wrath. He brought me whatever I asked for, which was the reason for my expansive wardrobe. So, to hear him so upset with me was completely foreign. I have never felt heartbreak like this before. My mother sat on the bed beside me and hugged me close as I cried. She then turned to me with a serious look on her face.

"Lily, I didn't tell your father this, but you still have a choice to back out."

I looked at her, confusion on my face, "How? It's a binding contract. They said there was no way out."

She smirked lightly, "That is true, normally, but as your Aunt Hermione works in the Department of Magical Law enforcement, she knows all the ins and outs. As you are not of age, for the contract to be complete, you need a parent's signature."

I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or upset at this. My mother seemed to have guessed as much as she continued.

"Lily, tell me the truth, why did you enter if you didn't want to be selected?"

I paused thinking over my answer carefully so I could be sure she would understand, "I come from a family of extraordinary witches and wizards, and despite what you might say as my mother, there is nothing extraordinary about me. I have accepted this my whole life, I have taken the insults from everyone who told me I'm not good enough and I was just fine. But when my brother, who protects and loves me, tells me "No one would expect you to last five minutes in that thing. You just haven't got it in you" I just couldn't take it anymore. I can't live my life in the shadow of EVERYONE. You, Harry Potter, Rose, James, Albus! I'm sick of it! There is greatness somewhere within me, I know it. It just needs a chance to show itself!"

My mother looked at me with soft eyes, "If you feel that strongly, why do I get the feeling you want to back out?"

"I…I am not a Gryffindor. I am a Slytherin. I am not brave."

"Don't use your house as an excuse for cowardice Lily. I will not hear that. Tell. Me. The. Truth."

I paused again. Did I even know what the truth was? I have been hiding behind my house for a long time. What exactly was my real reason?

"I'm afraid; afraid of not being good enough, of failing, or losing, of being vulnerable in front of everyone. I am terrified of proving everything people said badly of me to be true. "

We sat there for a moment just looking at one another. I laid my feeling out into the open air, and I felt somehow lighter.

"Lily. Look at me. I was the first girl of 6 boys; all very special and different in their own ways. I married one of the most famous wizards alive. I understand everything you are feeling. I had to make my own way in the world. I had to distinguish myself as my own person away from them all, and not for the world Lily, but for myself. I love you, so very much, and when you love someone, truly, the best thing you can do for them is to set them free. While I want so badly to protect you from this world, I know that you need go out there and find yourself. You only defeat your fears by facing them. So, I am not giving you the option to back out."

I cried loudly grasping at her as she pulled away, "No! Mom please! I can't!"

She cried and pulled out her wand putting me in a full body bind curse. Tears rolled down her beautiful face as she kissed my frozen cheek.

"I love you Lily. I promise, you will thank me later."

She conjured a contract out of thin air, along with a pen and signed. The paper turned a bright gold and then vanished. She looked at me sadly once more and then walked out in the same direction as my father. I didn't need to ask what she signed to know what it was. There was no turning back now.

"Oh dear! What has happened to you?" Madame Pomfrey bustled over reversing the full body bind curse.

"I'm okay. I feel fine. Can I go now?" I asked with tears still in my eyes.

"Just hold one moment, let me give you a one over," She began waving her wand left and right over my body.

She looked at me a slight smile on her face, "You know, it's a good thing that Mr. Malfoy was there to catch you, you might have otherwise gotten a concussion."

I was shocked at this news. Although I suppose he had been standing right next to me when I passed out. I thought of his strong arms holding my petite frame and didn't know whether to blush at him holding me in his arms or blush at the embarrassment of having fainted in front of him and the entire school.

I hopped off the bed and proceeded to leave the hospital wing. Unfortunately, right outside the hospital wing doors stood a good portion of my family.

"Lily you can't go through with this!" James shouted at me, grabbing my arm angrily.

"James, please stop it. I can't take anymore shouting. PPPlease, I just need you to have faith in me this one time." I looked up at him, but he looked away avoiding my gaze.

He let go of my arm and backed away slowly, "I can't support this Lils. I can't support sending my baby sister to her death." He shook his head and walked away, a sullen Louis and Fred following behind.

Albus then walked up to me looking me in the eye, he was calm as ever, but I could tell he was just as upset as James, "You really hurt dad. You shouldn't have entered."

My anger was about to rear its ugly head. How dare he say that to me, it was, after all, his fault I had put my name in the cup to begin with.

"Well I suppose I wouldn't have had you not been so condescending in saying I couldn't enter!" I shouted indignantly.

Albus looked at me shocked, "I said no such thing!"

I laughed without humor, "It doesn't matter. I am not going to sit here and argue with you. I am going either way and then you will all see how wrong you were about little lily."

He began walking away, then replied, "yeah, well let's just hope we don't see you maimed or murdered. Good luck with that. "

Frank shook his head as my brother disappeared and wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"I am so proud of you Lily. You are the bravest person I know." He beamed at me and I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.

"Thank you frank," I kissed him lightly.

He looked around the empty hall, "I'm surprised Rosie isn't here."

I winced at the reminder of my cousin who apparently was still angry with me.

"I suppose she won't be missing my absence very much."

"I will miss you, though I have to say I'm quite jealous you get to go off slaying dragons and meeting merpeople, while I'm stuck here lonesome without you."

I paled at his mention of fighting dragons, Hugo who had been quietly watching the exchange noticed my response and kicked in to best friend mode.

"Alright already Longbottom, our Champion needs her rest," he winked in my direction.

Frank gave me one last lingering kiss be he disappeared around the corner leaving just Hugo and I.

"Well…aren't you going to yell at me?" I asked Hugo, holding back tears.

He looked at me and smiled lightly, "Course not. I'm proud of you Lils. Don't worry about everyone else, I reckon they will come around once they see how bloody brilliant you are."

I laughed out loud, "Yeah right! That or they will see what a loser I really am."

He stopped and grabbed me round the shoulders, "Lily, you have to take this seriously. You can do it! You just have to believe in yourself."

The conviction in which he said it made me nod in agreement. I really had no other choice; I was representing both of us now. We went up to my dorm and we spent the night celebrating with Anna and Eve while I also packed away all my belongings. Tomorrow morning I would be going away to Durmstrang for the remainder of the school year. I was terrified, and yet a small part of me was excited. Regardless of how far I get in the tournament, I will be known forevermore as a contender in the Tri-wizard tournament. I just hope I wasn't going to be known as the girl who died in the Tri-Wizard tournament. One can only hope.