chapter 10: the three champions

"Hurry up Merlin!" Albus complained as he tied his shoelace.
"Why are you in such a hurry anyway?"
"The champions are being chosen! Aren't you excited?"
"No."
"Move along you two," Enford cried as he passed with the rest of the crowd.
"Aren't we going?" Grace demanded as she hurried up to them. "I've just overheard some ministry people, you know those who'll be judging the tournament, talking about how dangerous its going to be," she broke off for a second as some 5th years passed them on their way down to the great hall. "They said something about dragons. I mean dragons! There real dangerous!"
"I bet you misunderstood. They can't make students fight dragons, it's impossible!" Albus said laughing. "Are we going anyway," he glared at Merlin.
"Coming."
They headed towards the great hall.
"Who do you reckon will be chosen anyway?" Albus asked.
"I don't know, not us."
"Why are you always so miserable Merlin?" Grace demented.
"I'm not always miserable, I just don't see the point in people risking their lives for a bit of glory. And imagine the humiliation if you lost."
"Well I hope the champion is in Gryffindor."
"And I hope the champions a teacher, they might have a chance of completing the tournament unscathed," Merlin glared as they entered the great hall and took their places at the Gryffindor table.
"What do you think is the chance of me being picked," James was asking anyone who would listen.
"Hopefully for your own good very little," Merlin muttered under his breath as Albus and Grace began discussing their chances.
Suddenly the hall fell silent as McGonagall stood up at the staff table.
His heart was suddenly racing. What if he was chosen?
No it would not happen. He was a first year.
Slowly the hall filled with whispers as filch came hobbling in carrying the goblet.
As he placed it in front of Professor McGonagall Merlin could see his mad old face lit up by the dancing blue flames. It made him look crazier than ever.
Then professor McGonagall has muttered something to him and he shuffled off to the edge of the hall where he went to stand next to madam Pince the incredibly strict librarian. Merlin was not quite sure but he could have sworn they were holding hands.
"Today is the day that our three champions will be chosen, the three people who will represent these three great magical schools. Now I am sure I do not need to tell any of you what an honour it is to be chosen. But also of the strong magic bond you have then formed. Once a persons name has come out of the goblet of fire that person is obliged to carry out the tournament to the very end. However dangerous each task may be. And remember only one person can win the Triwizard tournament, and that person will not only win the Triwizard cup but a prize of 1000 gold galleons but to win is not an easy task, it will need exceptional bravery, skill and -"
she was broken off as the fire in the goblet in front of her turned suddenly red.
McGonagall stretched out her hand and caught the tiny burnt scrap of parchment that flew out. She cleared her throat and read:
"The champion for Beauxbatons is Jonas Fehring."
The hall erupted into cheers as the boy with short sandy coloured hair got up and made his way towards the teachers table.
"Through that door Mr Fehring," McGonagall said pointing to a small wooden door leading off the great hall behind the teachers table that Merlin hadn't noticed before.
Jonas vanished through it.
The room fell silent as they waited for McGonagall to continue.
"As I was saying, to compete, let alone win will need extraordinary skill, bravery and courage. It is not to be joked about, once your name has come out the goblet you are obliged to compete by the tournament rules. Mr Watson would you—" she was broken off yet again as the flames turned red and another burned and blackened piece of parchment was spat into the air.
McGonagall caught it. "The camion for Durmstrang is Yana Dimitrov."
The Durmstrang students applauded and the rest of the school followed suit.
The champion who had been chosen was a girl. She was tall with thick slightly wavy hair that seemed totally uncontained. Her face seemed slightly thin and pale compared to the mass of black hair. Her eyes however were green, no more of a strange brownie green like dirty pond water. They were large surrounded by black lashes. Only the smallest amount of colour had come into her cheeks as she beamed around at everyone as they applauded.
"You may join Mr Fehring," McGonagall said pointing towards the door.
Once she had disappeared the hall fell silent once more.
"Mr Watson would you -" she was interrupted almost immediately as the third and final piece of parchment flew out of the goblet.
She took a deep breath before reading out the final name … "the champion for Hogwarts will be Merlin Coleman."
The hall went deadly still. No one spoke, no one moved.
Merlin was stunned. There must have been a mistake, how could he be the Hogwarts champion.
"Merlin Coleman will you please step forward," McGonagall commanded.
"go on," Albus said giving him a shove. There was something strange in his expression. Was it jealousy?
McGonagall gave him a piercing stare as he stood up and made his way towards her.
Behind him he heard whispers but he could not hear, and nor did he care what they were saying.
"Through the door Mr Coleman."
He pushed open the door and nearly fell down a small step.
"Vot are you doing here? Where is the Hogvarts champion? Or is zere on student vorzy of entering the tournament?" said the Beauxbatons champion, Jonas the moment Merlin pushed the door open.
Merlin did not reply. He just looked around instead. Jonas was standing with his back to the fire so only his situate could be seen in the dim light and Yana Dimitrov was sitting on a stool facing the door looking surprised but also slightly haughty twirling a loop of hair around her finger she was much taller than him. Even it seemed in sitting.
Questions swirled around his head: Why had he been chosen? When there had been
lots of other 6th and 7th years who had also put their name into the goblet. Why had he let Albus talk him into it? And why had the goblet chosen him? When people like Victoire had put there names in. surely of all people she would have been chosen. After all according to Albus her mum had been in the tournament last time.
Finally the silence between them was broken and Merlin stopped needing to think of an answer by the arrival of professor McGonagall followed by madam Maxime and professor Ianakiev.
They all stared Merlin.
"He is merely a child," Maxime burst out. "How can he compete?"
"He will be killed in the first task," Yana said glaring.
"There is nothing that can be done, the rules are absolute, once someone's name had come out the goblet they must take part in the tournament."
Be he's only a boy. Younger even than Potter …" Maxime trailed off.
"What year are you in Mr. Coleman?" McGonagall demanded.
"First" Merlin replied. He stared at the ground, trying to avoid eye contact. What sort of excuse could he say to why he had even put his name into the goblet.
"Why did you not put an age line around the cup Minerva?" The head of Durmstrang demanded. "That would have stopped anything like this happening wouldn't it?"
"Well I didn't think it was necessary, how could a first year be the best person to represent Hogwarts, we should re-select the names."
"That is impossible," a voice came from behind her. One of the people from the ministry had just entered the room. "The rules are absolute McGonagall, you said it yourself."
"But this is ridicules we can not allow a first year to compete he will be killed immediately."
Merlin continued to look at his feet. They were talking as though he didn't exist.
"Vell I refuse!" Jonas said. "I vill not compete viz a first year! It is ridiculous!"
"Well you can not refuse," Madam Maxime told him. "You must all compete."
"You are a first year! Vhy did you put your name in the cup in the first place!" Fehring demanded.
The other teachers were looking at him intensely again, waiting for him to give an answer.
Merlin shrugged. What could he say? That he had done it because Albus had told him to? What would McGonagall think it that.
"I don't know, I didn't think I would be chosen."
"No neither did any of us, but still didn't you listen to my warning?" McGonagall's nostrils flared slightly.
Merlin examined his shoes, they could seriously do with a polish. Why had he just thought of that. In the middle of this crisis.
"Well I'm afraid you will have to compete Mr. Coleman, there is nothing else we can do."
"But he is just a boy," Madam Maxine insisted.
"I know but we do not have a better idea do we!" McGonagall was getting really angry now.
"Sorry," Merlin mumbled.
"Sorry, what good will that do when we have to contact your parents telling them you've been killed," McGonagall glared.
"I don't have any parents," was Merlin's only reply.
"I zort it was going to be safe zis year," Jonas asked looking slightly alarmed.
"Yes Fehring but still not safe enough that we can expect a first year to come out unharmed,"
Jonas nodded. He understood.
Then the name from the ministry stepped forward. He was tall with a large balding head.
"Now champions please pay close attention," he had one of those voices that you find it very difficult to listen to for any length of time. And almost always forget what they've said the moment they stop talking. "The first task is designed to test your ability to come with an unfamiliar challenge. For that reason I can not tell you what is coming. All I can do is warn you that the tournament is nothing to be laughed at. Out on the stadium you will be completely on your own, only if you get really stuck and hurt will we come and help and if that does happen you will be awarded zero for the first task. That is all I can tell you."
"It would be a good idea if you went to bed. Just because you are now champions does not mean you will be exempt from lessons."
At this Merlin immediately stepped towards the door. And with everyone's eyes boring into him he made his way back through the great hall up towards Gryffindor common room.
They were probably talking about him, McGonagall, Maxime and Ianakiev wondering why he had been chosen. Did they think he was not thinking the same thing? But right now he had the more important problem of what to say to Albus and Grace? Would they believe him if he said he really didn't want to be a champion.
He would have to find out.