Arc 3 - The Triwizard Tournament
Chapter 36 - the Triwizard Champions
A long, tense, and anxious sort of silence overtook the atmosphere of Ilvermorny.
Everyone in the main hall gazed toward the front of the enormous room, past the floating lanterns and the many tall windows on either side. The three headmasters—Fontaine, Akamine, and Arius—stood around the Goblet of Fire, its flame burning a deep cerulean, and Vance Calloway, Trocar Crowley, Raven Knightingale, and the rest of the Ilvermorny staff stood behind the teacher's table, William the pukwidgie positioned just in front of the headmaster's podium with a few other pukwudgies on either side of him, watching the scene unfold intently. The students of Ilvermorny sat up and down the four elongated tables of their respective houses—Hogwarts and Mahoutokoro students seated alongside them all, some of them standing in groups along either of the walls, as there was little room to spare for all the students present—and as hundreds of eyes rested upon the headmasters and the Goblet of Fire, the quiet atmosphere of tense expectance seemed to thicken even more.
Alice and Zander sat at the very back of the long table farthest to the edge, the same place they'd been sitting with their friends all week long. Rose, James, Tobias, and Lorcan sat just to their right, Jeremiah and Theo seated to their left—and, just as all the other students were doing, they all gazed intensely at the front of the room, waiting for the fateful moment to come.
Fontaine's hand slowly slid down the side of the Goblet of Fire, his free hand gently stroking along his silvery beard. Akamine glanced over, giving Arius a brief look, and Arius responded with a nod, making a subtle wave with his cane; seconds after, the glowing blue age line around the goblet began to dissipate and vanish from sight.
"Now… the time's upon us," Fontaine stated. "I hope you've made your decisions solidly… and I hope those of you who stepped forward this past week have prepared for what is now at hand… because those decisions cannot be walked back any longer."
At that, he took a step back, and the three headmasters stared up at the quivering blue flame of the goblet, they and everyone else observing it and waiting for it to make its final decisions.
Finally—the flames jolted slightly, and Alice felt her heart leap from clear across the expansive room, watching as a tiny sliver of paper fluttered out of the blue fire and slowly floated down from where it had been expelled midair.
As she watched from afar—her heart began to pound with a rampant anxiety, and her thoughts quickly rushed to calm her. It wasn't likely that she was picked—in fact, it was downright improbable. Zander had entered the tournament as well—and perhaps James Potter did, too. Many other formidable students from Hogwarts had placed their names in the Goblet of Fire. She needn't be so nervous about the possibility of being chosen as the Hogwarts champion—not when such a scenario was so unlikely to even unfold.
The little paper glided down, and Arius reached upright, catching it between his fingers and easefully lowering it. He stared down at the paper from behind the lenses of his mysterious goggles, everyone's attention fixated solely onto him—and then, he raised his head, holding up the paper and addressing the crowd.
"The champion for Mahoutokoro—Kenji Takahashi!" Arius announced loudly.
Instantly, the tense silence vanished—and the crowd broke into applause, cheering and whistling and Kenji Takahashi stood from the back of the room, smirking and making a bow of the head. He waved and high-fived a few of his friends as he marched across the main hall, approaching the front and standing alongside the headmasters.
"I already know who I'm voting to die first," James grumbled as he glared toward the front.
Rose smacked him hard on the arm. "James!"
"What?!" James griped, scrunching up his face and scooting away from her. "He's a foul git."
"That's still a really horrible thing to say," Rose chided at him.
"You shouldn't wish death on folks," Jeremiah mumbled, his gaze still resting on the front of the room, expression distant and thoughtful. "Bible says that words have power… and all of us in the spell-casting community oughta know that better'n anyone."
"Who cares? As if it'd be a great loss," James mumbled, rolling his eyes and scoffing.
Rose slapped him again.
As the applause died down, and Kenji stood respectfully beside his own headmaster, the tense silence soon returned to the main hall, and everyone expectantly watched the Goblet of Fire once again. Zander's eyes were locked firmly onto it, and Alice took in a deep, heavy breath, forcing herself calm.
Seconds later—the blue flames danced and flared upwards, and another piece of paper emerged from the fires, slowly floating down and landing in Headmaster Fontaine's grasp this time.
Fontaine adjusted his spectacles, reading the paper in his hand, then raised his head and gave the paper a single shake.
"The champion for Ilvermorny—Jeremiah Warner!" Fontaine declared.
Once more—the main hall exploded in claps and shouts, and many of the Ilvermorny students around Alice and Zander began wheeling around in their seats, facing Jeremiah and beaming away at him as they clapped and cheered him on.
Jeremiah's brows raised, and he breathed out an astonished little laugh, rising from his seat and rustling Theo's hairs before he marched down the aisle and approached the front. Everyone else watched him go, and he stopped beside Headmaster Fontaine, pocketing his hands and wearing his signature crooked half-smile as he faced the rest of the room.
"There goes your new boyfriend," James cackled, nudging Alice's arm with his elbow.
Alice barely seemed to hear him, still staring forward in slight surprise. Zander glanced briefly at them before returning his full attention to the front—and Theo was glaring after his friend rather intensely now, slowly shaking his head and muttering under his breath.
Then, the crowd died down once more, and—to Alice and Zander—this span of silence seemed to last hours longer than any of the ones prior, thicker, harder, and darker than they could stand. The main hall fell entirely quiet, and now, all eyes rested on the goblet, Zander's glare trained on it, Alice inhaling another deep, shaky breath.
Rose glimpsed over at the end of the table, spotting the expressions on Alice and Zander's faces.
"Hey," she said, leaning closer to them and offering them a reassuring smile. "No matter what happens—you're not in it alone. If either one of you are picked, then all of us are picked. We're all a team, here. We're Team Hogwarts."
James nodded along with her, giving Alice and Zander a thumbs-up. Tobias smiled and fixed his glasses, nodding in agreement as well, and Lorcan held up an OK hand sign.
Zander glanced at all of them, attempting a nod, and Alice tried to smile as she nodded in response. Then, the two of them looked to the front once more.
The blue flames arose from the goblet, reaching upright and expelling a final piece of paper—a torn little shred of parchment that slowly descended from midair, fluttering down and landing smoothly in Arius's grasp.
Arius lowered the paper, read over it closely, and made a faint, mild nod.
Then, he held it upright and announced the third champion with finality.
"The Hogwarts champion—Alice O'Heiden!"
For the third time—the main hall erupted in cheers and claps, everyone yelling, whistling, cheering, and applauding—and all the sudden, the hundreds of eyes across the room were all landing directly on her, on Alice, in the back of the main hall and almost entirely unnoticed until now. She could've been in a dream, lost to a hazy blur of shock, submerged in a blistering cold lake, or falling into a dazed, disbelieving hallucination—but, as the seconds passed by, and as the reality around her seemed to remain, she knew for certain it was no dream. Everyone was facing her, smiling and clapping for her—many of the Hogwarts students she knew appearing delighted that she'd been chosen as their champion, Albus and Scorpius clapping and nodding from one table over, a group of Hufflepuffs grinning at her from farther up her own table, the teachers applauding for her as well, and her friends closest to her did very much the same.
She couldn't have known how long she remained there, rooted to her seat and feeling unable to move or react.
Rose, James, Tobias, and Lorcan were all facing her fully, wearing brilliant smiles and congradulating her repeatedly. Theo had turned around to offer her a few smiles and claps as well. They all continued showering her with encouraging phrases that barely registered to her, Rose motioning for her to stand and make her way to the front where she now belonged.
Alice—finally managing to move—decided to turn her head.
Zander sat beside her—not looking at her. He glared forward, expressionless, avoiding her eyes, and offering her no words of encouragement, praise, or comfort. Instead, he simply leered at the Goblet of Fire across the main hall, and it seemed as if he had no idea she was even there now, as if she suddenly did not exist to him anymore.
Alice gave him a long, troubled stare, then took in a bracing breath and pushed herself up from her seat. Her legs carried her around the table, past Zander, and past the others; she found herself walking, marching onward in a total daze, returning smiles and delivering waves to everyone who greeted her in passing, until—at last—she reached the front of the main hall, stopping beside Arius and facing the rest of the room with a stressed, heavy sigh.
Arius smiled and patted her on the back, glimpsing briefly over his shoulder. He shared a look with Crowley for a split second before facing the rest of the room once again.
"Well—there you have it!" Arius announced with flair, flicking the parchment away and nodding once at the crowd. "We have our champions, and we have our game! As of this moment—the Triwizard Tournament has officially begun!"
The crowd exploded once more—and as they did, the three headmasters all turned toward their students, gently guiding them away from the goblet and the commotion. Akamine escorted Kenji toward a narrow doorway along the back wall, just past the teacher's table, and Fontaine guided Jeremiah toward the same direction. Arius gave Alice a look, motioning for her to follow, and the two of them walked along behind the others, vanishing into the darkened doorway as the crowd noises slowly faded from earshot behind them.
Alice resisted the urge to glance back, wondering if Zander was still glaring at the front of the main hall, that look of angry perturbation etched severely across his face…
Arius walked by her side, both of them following along behind the other two headmasters and students, strolling down a dark, dingy hallway comprised of stone. Before long, they all emerged in a large, circular room that was dimly-lit by candles, lanterns, and a single blue light in the corner, paintings on the walls, a single window across from the hallway, and a table directly in the center, complete with a fresh, wonderful dinner that had been prepared for the champions.
Kenji walked over to the table, claiming the seat at the far end of it, and Jeremiah sat on the opposite end. Their headmasters spoke to them briefly for a moment before turning and walking out of the room through another doorway.
Alice remained standing at the edge of the darkened hallway, staring into the dinner table with a bleary, distant gaze, still hardly able to believe anything that was transpiring around her.
She couldn't believe that she, above everyone else in Hogwarts—even above Zander—had been selected for the Triwizard Tournament.
She couldn't believe she was suddenly in an elegant back room, being treated to a special dinner, as if she was something special herself—and she couldn't believe Zander had shown her no reaction whatsoever, no congratulations, no "well done," and not even a smile or a nod. He'd simply reacted as if he'd been wronged somehow, as if Alice had done something to anger him. While everyone else in the school—every member of all three of the magical schools present—had given her cheers, praise, and applause, her own best friend only responded with an immediate cold shoulder.
Alice gulped roughly, inhaling another trembling breath and fighting to keep her every thought and feeling sealed tightly inside.
Arius clasped her shoulder, giving it a gentle shake and glancing over at her.
"I know you probably have a lot weighing on you at the moment… but do try to enjoy your evening," he advised in a hushed tone, giving her a reassuring smile. "The tournament isn't quite as chaotic as it used to be… and I'm absolutely certain that you can handle it regardless. You needn't be worried."
Alice nodded mildly, sparing him a glimpse and sighing with disdain.
"Aye," she murmured. "That's not what I'm… worried about…"
Arius perked his brow at her. Then, he looked over, eyeing the dinner table in the distance, the other two champions mostly out of their earshot and fully occupied by the tasks of fashioning their plates of food. So, he leaned closer, and he muttered to Alice in an even lower whisper.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he said softly.
Alice gazed up at him again, releasing a deeper breath.
"Zander acted like he was mad at me just now," she mumbled to him.
Arius slowly leaned back, seeming to ponder on this for a moment.
"Did he enter the tournament too?" the headmaster wondered.
Alice nodded. "He wanted to do it instead of me doing it…"
"Oh. Well… he just wants you not to be around danger," Arius figured. "You've got to remember… that little event last year really shook him to his core. He's probably really afraid of anything like that happening again. But… these circumstances are not the same. You won't be in that position again, and you'll have a lot more people at your back through all of this. And… as much as I appreciate the overprotective nature of a loyal Slytherin… he's got to understand that you need to make your own life decisions. You're stepping into adulthood now… and now is the time when all of those things come to be. He can't do every last little thing for you."
Alice nodded along as he spoke, feeling as if she agreed with him.
"And." Arius held up a finger, flashing his whimsical smile at her. "You are taking part in a legendary tournament that only a scarce few witches and wizards are able to partake in. I daresay you ought to be allowed to enjoy that rather than simply brooding and worrying about your friend being mad at you."
Alice nodded once more, raising her head and staring into the headmaster, this time feeling a spark of determination inside.
He was right; why should she feel guilty for being chosen by the Goblet of Fire?
This was everything she'd ever wanted, a moment she'd spent years dreaming about. Practically all of her time in Hogwarts was spent anticipating the events of this day, imagining and awaiting the moment when she might get the chance to take part in this amazing and legendary tournament—and now, miraculously and amazingly, it had finally actually happened.
But, she was spending this wonderful moment dwelling and moping about Zander's reaction to it all rather than simply enjoying it like she'd always wanted to.
"Aye," Alice mumbled with a nod. "You're right. I should be happy…"
"Well… listen," Arius said kindly, still holding her shoulder and turning her slightly to face him. "You and Zander have a powerful friendship… and every friendship has its ups and downs… but he will come around eventually, and it will all work itself out in the end. You'll find that most of these types of problems do whenever the relationship at hand is an exceptionally formidable one. You two will work it all out when the time comes for you to work it all out. So… for the time being… just take your moment and enjoy it. You have most assuredly earned that by now."
Alice flashed a smile, feeling a surge of warmth inside as she nodded in agreement.
Then, she glanced over, staring across the elegant room at the table—where Jeremiah was now looking her way, snacking on a fried chicken leg and waving her over.
Alice let out a laugh, then turned to her headmaster again. "Thank you. You always know what to say… y'know that?"
Arius chuckled. "Years of practice. Go on, now. Have a nice evening."
Alice nodded and marched off, approaching the table and sitting beside Jeremiah.
Arius placed his hands atop his cane as he watched them from a distance, smiling peacefully.
"That was very sweet," someone said from behind, nearly making him jump.
Arius turned and spotted Raven just behind him, emerging from the darkened hallway and giving him a caustic sort of smirk.
"How long have you been there?" Arius muttered.
"Long enough," Raven quipped in response, folding her arms and flipping the sleeve of her deep emerald robe up as she did. "You're awfully chummy with your students, Ari. Exactly how much older are you than her?"
Arius stared blankly at her for a moment, gaping a few times before mustering a response.
"Don't… don't… don't start calling me Ari again," he uttered faintly.
Raven tilted her head, her eyes narrowing astutely at him. She glanced across the champions' room, eyeing Alice for a second, then stepped closer to Arius, surveying him with deep curiosity.
Arius read her expression for several more seconds before he finally understood her suspicion.
"Oh… what do you take me for?" he whispered, sounding aghast. "I have never tried anything like that with a student of mine… Christ alive…"
Raven giggled, nodding once and giving him a light slap across the cheek. "I know. You don't have it in you to do that, you big baby."
Arius clasped his cheek for a second, then lowered his hand. "Then why would you even…?"
"I'm messing with you," Raven stated plainly. "Keep up."
Arius sighed. "Oh, I have so missed your mind games…"
"I know you did. But it's really not a mind game unless you're slow in the head."
"Yes… I know you're incapable of showing affection without being insulting, and that's precious, but I'm just not accustomed to it anymore. So sue me…"
Raven laughed, and for a moment, she and Arius merely gazed across the champions' room, watching as Alice and Jeremiah ate and traded conversation a short distance away.
"Alice O'Heiden," Raven murmured softly. "She's the one you're making the family tree for… and now she's the Hogwarts champion."
Arius nodded quietly.
Raven glanced over at him, studying him thoughtfully.
"There are a lot of connections I need to piece together before this year is over," Arius said in a low, dark tone, still gazing across the room. "The family tree is part of it… and… I do have one other thing that might help me to piece a few things together as well. It's just not something I wanted to do unless I had to… because I'm rather certain it will send me down a long, expansive rabbit hole if I do…"
Raven nodded. "And… what's that?"
Arius stared forward, releasing a heavy cloud of breath.
"Exploring the old pensieve of a certain Hogwarts headmaster," he mumbled.
Raven stared, saying nothing for a moment. She glimpsed across the room again, pausing for a second to think, then shot him another questioning look.
"Whose pensieve is it?" she asked.
"Dumbledore's," Arius replied. "It's still in the office. My office. And no one's touched it in a very long time."
Again, Raven fell momentarily silent, examining him rather intently.
"You wanna go walking around in Dumbledore's old memories?" she whispered. "Why?"
Arius paused, sighing heavily.
"Because… he spent decades gathering a lot of information," he murmured. "And some of that information might very well relate to the information that I need now."
Raven's eyes narrowed, now looking even more perplexed.
"Okay… I know you're on a roll, and you're onto something… and I get that," she uttered. "But Dumbledore's pensieve is in Hogwarts. As in… across the Atlantic. You're not gonna be able to do that from here."
"Oh… I have a way," Arius mumbled, cracking a faint half-smile. "A warded vanishing cabinet that only a very select few people can use. I can step between Hogwarts and Ilvermorny with no issue. That's not the problem. The problem is… I'll end up delving into a lot of memories, and a lot of scattered thoughts and connections. And… if I miss something… then it could be dire. I can't afford to miss anything important that I might find in there. So… I think I'll need an extra pair of eyes and ears for that endeavor."
Raven nodded. "M'kay… so… Crowley?"
"Oh, no… no, Trocar is a security measure for the tournament, and he needs to be available to assist Mr. Calloway if needed," Arius explained. "He can't leave Ilvermorny on a regular basis. It has to be someone else. Someone who can keep the vanishing cabinet a secret… and who's rather skilled at gathering details and breaking rules."
He turned his head, facing her as his smirk began to widen.
"Know anyone like that?" he asked whimsically.
Raven's mouth drifted open for a moment, then she scoffed out a laugh. "Oh… wow… okay. First of all, using a vanishing cabinet to get into Hogwarts is breaking all kinds of rules, and I cannot believe I rubbed off on you that much, you little goodie-goodie. Second of all… you said only a select few people can use the vanishing cabinet because it's warded… so I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna be able to help you out, there."
"Oh, now, come on," Arius said knowingly. "I'm the one who made every last specification for that special vanishing cabinet, and I planned fifty steps ahead of every possible endeavor that might unfold this year. Do you really think I didn't account for you?"
Raven stared, her mouth hanging open again, this time for longer. She merely ogled him for a moment, eyeing him as if she'd never seen anything as strange as him before.
"We haven't seen each other in over twenty years," she breathed. "And you made it to where I was one of the people who could use your vanishing cabinet? You still trust me that much?"
Arius simply maintained his smile.
"I can't imagine why you'd think I would change that much," he replied swiftly, giving the champions' table a final glance. "Now… why don't we leave them to their evening? Let's go and have dinner. Watching them eat fried chicken is starting to agitate my empty stomach a bit."
Raven choked out another laugh, shaking her head at him. "You're unbelievable…"
Arius chuckled, and the two of them turned, strolling down the darkened hallway and heading back to the main hall.
Now, only the Triwizard champions remained in the special room. Kenji ate alone at the head of the table, using a pair of chopsticks that had seemingly been left on the table for whomever became the Mahoutokoro champion, and Alice and Jeremiah sat on the other end of the table, Jeremiah at the head of it, feasting on fried chicken and trading school stories about their adventures with friends.
Once Arius and Raven were out of the room, Jeremiah paused, glimpsing over at the dark hallway and wiping his fingers off on a napkin. Then, he squinted at Alice interestingly.
"You kinda seem like you're on close terms with your headmaster," he remarked, nodding once at her. "Lot more buddy-buddy than I am with Fontaine, anyhow."
Alice nodded, taking a sip of sweet American tea and placing her glass down.
"Lots of stuff happened last year," she informed. "And him and Crowley were part of it… so… me and Zander ended up dealing with problems alongside Arius and Crowley a lot of the time. Plus… y'know… I think we just have a lot in common."
Jeremiah perked his brow at her. "Yeah?"
"Aye… me and Arius, I mean," Alice explained. "As far as personality, and being best friends with a Slytherin and such. I think he just understands me fairly well. Seems that way. He always knows exactly what to say to me about everything…"
"Ahhh. Well… that's a good person to have around, then," Jeremiah nodded. "'Specially now."
Alice nodded as well, and they both paused, pondering on the situation they'd landed in.
Jeremiah surveyed her. "Y'nervous?"
Alice sighed and met his eyes again, an oddly charming gaze, translucent hazel eyes with a disarming sense of genuineness amidst them.
"I dunno," she replied honestly. "I am a bit nervous… but not as much as I thought I'd be. I'm just a bit put out is all."
"Put out…?"
"Aye… like… bothered. Troubled. Annoyed."
"Oh, I getcha. What're you bothered about?"
Alice let out another sigh, explaining everything about Zander's reaction a short while ago. When she finished, Jeremiah leaned crookedly back in his seat, propping his arm on the back of it and gently stroking along his chin.
"Mmm," he mumbled, nodding mildly. "Well'p… I'm probably gonna have a similar problem. I know Theo ain't gonna be happy about me being chosen, either. But… that's not entirely a competitive thing, y'know. Me and Theo like to play it off like it's all a competition, but… honestly, I think he just wanted to enter the tournament so I wouldn't be in it. Kinda sounds like the same boat you're in."
Alice nodded. "Yeah, that's what Zander told me. He spent half of last year trying to talk me into it, too. He just wanted to do it for me."
"Well'p… them two have gotta learn that we're our own people," Jeremiah determined. "And we've both been proven to be pretty damn competent, too. People like them tend to think they're the most competent people in the room at all times… but I reckon the Goblet of Fire decided to give them a reality check by choosing us."
Alice laughed, then released a deep cloud of breath, staring down at her half-finished chicken thigh and wondering if Zander was still out in the main hall, glaring at the front or grumbling angrily at his friends about not being chosen.
Seconds later, she shook her head, again forcing the thought away and wanting to simply enjoy her big moment, just as Arius had advised.
"Oy," Alice said, scooting to the edge of her seat and giving Jeremiah a curious look. "D'you think this is gonna be weird between us now?"
Jeremiah leaned forward and took another bite of chicken, narrowing his eyes at her. "Ahm… well, no, not for long. You and Zander are probably just gonna have to talk it out…"
"No, I mean… you and me," Alice clarified, motioning between the two of them. "I like that we're friends now… but… we're also gonna be competing against each other now, so…"
"Oh…" Jeremiah leaned slightly back, this time breaking eye contact and staring down at his plate, stroking along his jaw again. "Ahm… no… I don't think it's weird. I think you and I are good enough sports to be decent about the whole thing. I just hope it doesn't get weird if I…"
He trailed off, gazing deeply into his plate almost trancelike for a moment.
Then, he choked out a faint little laugh, making a shake of the head and flashing his signature smirk again.
"Nah. Never mind," Jeremiah said, leaning back once more and waving a chicken leg at her. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Alice stared at him strangely, now feeling somewhat lost. It took her a moment to realize that Kenji was no longer seated at the other side of the table—and he was now strolling calmly toward them, golden kimono shifting at his heels while he did.
Alice and Jeremiah both turned their heads, eyeing him oddly.
Kenji stood at the side of the table, hands cupped in front of him, giving them a slight bow.
"Ganbatte," he said.
Alice and Jeremiah traded a quick glance, then continued staring at him in confusion.
"It means good luck, and do your best," Kenji explained, his voice much calmer than usual.
"Ah. M'kay. Then good luck to you too, bud," Jeremiah replied with a nod.
Alice, however, simply ogled Kenji bizarrely.
"What're you so respectful for all the sudden?" she blurted thoughtlessly.
"That's how the Japanese are," Jeremiah mumbled with a shrug. "Kinda their cultural default…"
"Aye… but that's not how he is," Alice stated.
"That's how I am towards people who have earned such respect," Kenji informed. "And… if you've both been chosen by the Goblet of Fire… then there is something respectable about you. I don't know what it could possibly be, but… I know it's there. Somewhere. Probably."
"Blimey. Even a compliment sounds like an insult coming from you," Alice laughed dryly, lifting her glass and taking another sip of her tea. "Well… whatever. Thanks, I guess. Bye bye now."
Jeremiah chuckled and took a swig of his own drink.
Kenji's eyes shifted pensively between the two of them. Then, he turned and walked across the room, reclaiming his seat at the opposite end of the table.
Just then—someone emerged from the darkened hallway, striding out of the darkness and marching toward their table. It was Vance Calloway, walking with a stoic visage and his hands pocketed in his long tan trench coat. He walked inside, and Professor Crowley followed him into the room seconds after, alongside Headmaster Fontaine.
The three of them glanced between the champions, looking as if they were preparing to speak.
Alice, Jeremiah, and Kenji all stopped eating and stared expectantly at them.
Fontaine raised his brows at Vance and gave him a nod. Vance then sighed, stepped forward, and addressed the three champions.
"I, uh… I imagine I don't have to re-explain the rules down to the letter by now," Vance stated, his sharp blue eyes moving from champion to champion. "But the revival of the Triwizard Tournament has had a lot of changes, security, and backup measures applied to it, particularly to keep the champions as safe as possible during what is an otherwise perilous endeavor. Yes… you are competing for eternal glory, for the Triwizard Cup, and for one-thousand Galleons or the American or Japanese equivalent thereof… but, you are also competing in the first new and revised tournament since the rise of an exceptionally evil dark wizard, and we happen to be holding this tournament in America now. This is the first Triwizard Tournament to ever be hosted in America, and to host Ilvermorny and Mahoutokoro… and America is the largest known hotbed for Shadow Hand activity. So… let me make something very clear to you."
A sense of intensity fell over the room, Vance pausing and inhaling a deep cloud of breath.
"Safety… comes… first," he said very clearly, raising a finger and slowly moving it from person to person, giving each of them a serious stare. "Winning… comes… second. Do you understand?"
The champions nodded quietly.
"This is a hell of a game you're playing, here," Vance explained. "There will come times when you're so driven to win, you won't see or comprehend any other problems that might come your way. That's the general nature of competition, especially one as big and intense as this. But… if the Shadow Hand makes itself known, if they peek their heads out of the sand and try to interfere with our tournament, here… then it is imperative that you remember whose side you're actually on. You're not on Ilvermorny's side, or Mahoutokoro's side, or Hogwarts's side. You're on the good side, and the Seal of Shadows is on the bad side. We are all on the same team in reality. Do not forget that… no matter what else might happen throughout this year."
The champions all nodded again.
Kenji raised his hand for a second, then spoke. "Exactly how likely is that?"
Vance turned to him. "How likely is what?"
"The Shadow Hand interfering with the tournament," Kenji said. "I imagine you'll know, since you're investigating them closer than anyone."
"Well… I can't divulge details," Vance replied. "But I haven't found anything to specifically suggest that they might interfere with the tournament. We just have to take all the precautions possible regarding the Triwizard Tournament… for obvious reasons."
"Because of how the last one went," Kenji uttered.
Vance nodded. "Exactly."
"Well'p… I got a question," Jeremiah said, waving once above his head. "When's the first task gonna be? And do we get a hint…?"
Vance faced him, wearing a caustic half-smile. "The first task takes place in November… and, if you're paying any attention at all, then you might notice you've gotten a hint about it already."
Jeremiah blinked. "Well, shit."
"Language," Fontaine griped at him, Vance turning away and scratching his face, hiding a muffled little chuckle.
"Alice," Crowley mumbled softly, leaning on the table and squinting curiously at her. "You're still taking Potions this year, right…?"
Alice stared up at him, making a nod. "Um… yeah…"
"Okay. Good. Just checking," Crowley muttered, nodding and turning away.
Alice eyed him strangely for a second.
"If any of you have questions or needs regarding the tournament throughout the year, just pay a visit to this room again," Fontaine told the champions. "Write down your concerns, and place them in the box beneath the blue light in the corner. Someone will escort you here to discuss your issue in private. During each task, you will be allowed a wand, and nothing else. And… soliciting outside help is strictly prohibited, of course."
The champions all nodded once more. Alice resisted the urge to smirk, thinking of all her friends and knowing for certain she hadn't soliticed any of their help in the slightest, as they'd all eagerly volunteered their help entirely on their own.
"And… I suppose… that's it," Fontaine said conclusively, smirking at each of the three students. "Welcome to the Triwizard Tournament. It's gonna be a hell of a year."
"You three can leave whenever you're done with your dinner," Crowley informed.
"And don't hesitate to come to one of us if you have any questions later on," Vance added.
"Good night, you three," Fontaine dismissed. "And good luck."
At that, Fontaine, Crowley, and Vance turned and marched back out of the room one by one.
Alice took in a heavy, thoughtful breath, watching them go and dwelling on everything that might transpire this year.
Everything seemed so very new and amazing, so incredibly fresh and intense; she felt far gone from her time in Hogwarts, a blissful young kid, wandering between her usual classes and entertaining dreamlike thoughts about a big, amazing future. She wasn't a kid anymore, and she was directly at the threshold of that future, in a new country, new school, new places and faces all around—and everything in the world seemed to be happening all at once now.
She could only imagine how much fun, danger, and excitement was soon to come.
And…
She could only imagine how things would be between her and Zander from here on.