She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…

Marauder's Phase

CHAPTER NINETY-SIX

The Three Champions

Time seemed to stand still after Dumbledore said my name, and I was aware of the clapping and cheering - as well as the staring - only in the back of my mind, like music turned down low.

All I was aware of, really, was my friends staring at me, and the looks on their faces.

James looked shocked. His hazel eyes were very wide behind his glasses, as he stared across the table at me.

Lily looked beyond worried, as if she'd just thought about how dangerous the tasks might be, in that exact instant.

Peter was stunned. Possibly he had become a catatonic, unable to move or speak.

Remus' expression had gone swiftly from surprised to thoughtful - I knew he was thinking, calculating, doing the math as only Remus can.

But Sirius' expression upset me. It was of...betrayal. Did he honestly think I'd put forth my name!?

My jaw unlocked. "I didn't do it!" I exclaimed, staring right back at Sirius. "You know I didn't!"

Lily was the first to recover, and reached across the table, grabbing my hand. "Of course you didn't." She said, with so much sincerity that I wanted to cry.

"Emma Pax?" Dumbledore called. "Emma Pax, up here, if you please?"

"We'll talk later." Lily gave me a reassuring smile as a stood up.

Time seemed to speed up then, and reality came crashing back to me as I left the Great Hall, with the applause and cheers of my fellow students ringing in my wake.

In the next chamber, I found myself in a smaller room, lined with portraits of witches and wizards. A fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite me.

The faced in the portraits turned to look at me as I entered and I saw one, of a Quidditch player who'd been on the same team as Roderick Plumpton, turn to look at me, register who I was, and then flit out of her painting, no doubt going to find my favourite portrait occupant and tell him what had just happened.

I hardly noticed. With each step I took toward the fireplace, a new thought penetrated into my mind.

One step. You're Hogwarts Champion.

Two steps. That means that Sirius isn't.

Three steps. You didn't put your name into the Goblet Of Fire.

Four steps. Sirius didn't look as if he's going to believe that you didn't do it.

Five steps. I didn't want this.

Six steps. So much for a peaceful, uneventful year.

Seven steps. I wish they'd had chocolate-mint ice-cream for dessert tonight instead of Bavarois.

Eight steps. Oh my God, I'm almost there...

Nine steps. Apolline and Brunilda aren't looking at me, maybe I can run...

Ten steps. Oh...too late.

I reached the two girls, just as they looked up. It struck me how much taller than me they both were but, then again, Peter is taller than me, so I guess I should be used to it by now.

"Oh," Brunilda seemed to recognise me almost as quickly as I had recognised her from before. "It's you..." She had a very hard face and didn't look like somebody who took nonsense from anyone. She wasn't as sullen-faced as I'd always pictured Viktor Krum to be. It was more like she was a very proud and strong-willed person. She wore the blood red and black uniform of her school, and was silhouetted by the flames. She looked impressive.

"Now, now Brunilda," Apolline said, in her heavy-French accent. "Be nice!" She turned to me, beautiful beyond belief and looking like a phoenix against the flames. "My name eez Apolline Gabrielle Violetta," She said, extending her hand. I shook it, but my thoughts honed in on her middle name. Could she be..? "Oo' are you?" She asked, and her smile was so dazzling that I couldn't hate her, even though Sirius had been enthralled by her.

"Umm...Emma. Emma Pax..." I stammered.

"You are in Greefindor, yes?" Apolline continued pleasantly but, before I could answer, the door from which I had just come through opened.

Into the room came Dumbledore, followed by Madam Maxime, the Durmstrung headmaster (a man named Stanislav Poliakoff who, ironically, shared the same first name as Viktor Krum's actor in the movies...), and the two Ministry representatives.

"Ladies," One of the people from the Ministry, a tall man with black hair and very light brown eyes who was dressed in robes of dark blue, said, inspecting us all. "Congratulations on being chosen to represent your respective schools in this year's Triwizard Tournament." He introduced himself as Sean Durmish but, to me, he'd forever be Ludo Bagman's predecesor, because he was the

Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Then he delivered a speech that was so much like the one from the bottom of page 246 and the top of page 247 of The Goblet Of Fire book (it just goes to show how much a person addicted to Harry Potter can remember) that I began to feel suspicious.

Just think,

I told myself wryly, as Brunilda, Apolline and I exited the chamber into the deserted Great Hall.

Person doesn't want to/can't enter the Tournament, but I known/unknown enemy puts their name in and they're chosen, and all of it has to do with Voldemort.

Of course, I hadn't wanted to enter the tournament. I had been perfectly happy to resign myself to a year of cheering on and worrying about my beloved Sirius Black, and my only problems would've been the NEWTS.

But, of course, Bellatrix had put my name in, either in the hopes of me dying (and, I remembered teasing Sirius about the dragons) or making a complete fool out of myself...or...

Regulus hand't said anything (and I knew better then to ask him about) but what if Bellatrix was a Death Eater now too? What if this, like in the future, was Voldemort's doing?

"I'm paranoid." I told myself.

"Excuze e moi?" Apolline tilted her head to one side.

We were standing in the Entrance Hall, and I realised that I had just spoken these words out loud.

I blushed. "Oh, nothing, just...the tournament..." I laughed weakly. "Wow..." Wow is right...

"Eet is an honour, oui." Apolline smiled. "I wish you luck, Emma." She told me. "You will need eet." She added, winking, before walking out of the great oak front doors of the Entrance Hall.

I watched her go. Why couldn't I be that stunning..?

"Vell, I vill see you tomorrow." Brunilda said, startling me out of my reverie, as she followed in Apolline's wake, and I stared at the spot they had both disappeared to, before turning and heading up the marble staircase, so lost in thought that I hardly noticed the path I was taking but, thankfully, it was the right one.

If the first task was dragons, like it was in the books, then I was a shoe-in. I could fly nearly as well as James could, so I could just grab the egg and be done with it.

What if the second task was rescuing a loved one from the bottom of the lake? Gillyweed seemed like my best bet...but where was I going to get some of that? Could I steal it from Slughorn's office...now Repleh's office? Thank God Sirius had taught me how to swim...

Sirius...

Did he believe me? Was it going to be like Harry and Ron's argument?

"Oh, I hope not..." I said aloud, before realising I had come to the portrait of the Fat Lady. And, she was not alone, for Roderick Plumpton was with her.

"Well, well, well," The Fat Lady said, looking at me with keen interest. "Roderick's just told me that Amelia's just told him that..."

"Did you really put your name in, Emma?" Roderick cut her off, his eyes wide with disbelief. "But I thought you didn't want to do it..."

"I didn't!" I exclaimed. They both stared at me. "I mean...I neither wanted to nor did..." I took a deep breath. "Bellatrix did it." I said darkly. "She put my name into the Goblet Of Fire. Regulus told me this morning..."

Roderick looked outraged. "She did what!?" I was glad to see that he was outraged, because it made up for my lack of zest even if he was just a portrait.

"You heard me," I sighed. "It's been a long night...maybe it's just a dream?" Roderick and the Fat Lady exchanged a glance. I pretended not to notice it. "Umm...Fire Whisky?"

That was the password, and the Fat Lady swung her portrait forward to let me into the common room.

I braced myself for the onslaught.

The roar that met my ears was the cheering and clapping of every Gryffindor that had stayed up to see me.

I had dimly expected as much, except that I was numb. I hardly registered anyone around me, I can't remember how I answered their questions, and I can't remember if I drabk any of the Butterbeer that was offered to me.

At last, I was able to shake off my many new admirers, and I felt so drained of energy suddenly that I dashed straight past Sirius, Remus, Peter and James, who were hovering on the outskirts it it all. I hurtled myself up the staircase toward the girls dorms, and I found our dorm empty.

I flung myself inside of it and rushed over to my bed, where I lay face-down and closed my eyes. My face was buried in my pillow, but I still heard when the dorm door opened.

I heard approaching footsteps.

"Emma?" A voice said from beside me.

"Lily?" I guessed, and sat up, to look at the green-eyed, red-haired girl that now looked at me with a questioning expression. Huddled behind her were Alice, Molly and Serilda. Their presences comforted me - they were not judging me, nor where they suspcious. They were waiting to hear my side of the story first.

"How do you feel?" Lily asked me, sitting beside me on the bed.

I took a deep breath, staring at the window behind her. "Shocked, I guess." I said slowly. "I mean, I didn't put my name in the Goblet Of Fire...it was...I mean..."

"Who did it, Emma?" Serilda asked quietly. I glanced at her. Here was the girl who had once dissed muggle-borns, who had chased after Sirius and then gone out with someone else - only for him to have been killed by a Basalisk. "Was it...Bellatrix? The girl you punched?" She guessed.

I nodded. "Right in one. I think she wants me dead." I added.

"You're not going to die!" Alice exclaimed. Lily put her arm around me. "Emma, the Goblet Of Fire wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't capable!"

"We all believe in you..." Serilda said quietly.

"At least you didn't have to face the exams." Molly added, and that did it. Maybe I'd suddenly seen the light side of the situation, but I started to laugh, and the others joined in. It felt good to laugh about it, even though a tiny part of me was still terrified.

"Sirius will understand," Lily whispered to me, as she gave me a hug before we went to bed. "He knows you didn't do it."

I hope so," I thought, as I climbed into bed.

Oh God, I hope so...