I don't think I ever fully recovered from that night. I had later come to discover that the World Cup was ambushed by death eaters, and they had completely over-run the event. Cedric and I had escaped the mania, but only by a thread. I hadn't spoken to anyone about that night, and honestly, I wanted to keep it that way.

I had never felt particularly claustrophobic before, but I didn't know what it was about today. I felt as though I was drowning in a sea of people, as I made a desperate attempt to board the train. Without any ease what so ever, I slipped onto the train and quickly began making my way to the same familiar carriage I had done every year.

Ava and Spencer had apparently already made themselves comfortable and were sat beside each other on the left hand side: Ava reading a magazine and Spence, a newspaper; reflecting their separate personalities, perfectly.

"Morning, ladies." I nodded in their directions as I took a seat beside the window, opposite Spencer.

"Oh hi Y/N. Bout time you showed up."

"Hey, I'm on time, precisely actually. Nice summers?"

"Fantastic, thanks for asking." Ava had now put down her magazine, her smile, beaming across her face, as she now made it her plan to use up the entire journey to explain the apparently exciting events that formed her six weeks off.

As she rambled on and on, I simply nodded my head, to gesture to her that I was in fact paying attention, when I definitely wasn't taking in anything she was saying. The train jolted into movement, and we had now left the station. I continued to 'listen eagerly', but it was obvious that Ava was now only talking to Spencer, who was listening keenly; maybe she had actualised that I wasn't in fact paying any attention what so ever.

I turned my head and began staring at the far-stretched hills, that the train was now beginning to pass. They were like pillows of land and had awkward slopes and corners; but none the less, pleasant to look at. Suddenly, the once vibrant coloured trees, were now ablaze. My eyes had grown in fear, as the day that seemed to haunt me every night, was recreating itself before me. The forest that was once so alive now chilled me. The hills began glowing red before cooling to black. The trees that had once created an image of scenic beauty, were now, no less than lifeless sticks of charcoal. As screams blocked my hearing, I gasped and started breathing heavier and heavier by the second.

"Y/N? Y/N, is everything alright?" I think I heard Spencer asked, a worried tone to her voice. I couldn't even reply. That night must have traumatised me, more than I knew. My eyes fell heavy and began fluttering shut.

Black.

•·················•·················•

"Did she faint?"

"Is she alright?"

"I think she's waking up."

My eyes began flickering open. What once was black, my vision was now clearer. I was surrounded by people. My head was pounding, and it felt as though someone was constantly bashing it with something hard.

I felt a light rub on my back and I looked up to see Cedric, sat next to me. A warm smile grew on his face as he noticed my consciousness.

"Welcome back." he said, smiling.

"W-what happened?" I asked.

"You fainted, Y/N. Not sure why though." Spencer said, softly.

"I think I do." I looked up to Cedric once again, and took a large breath in. I guessed he had caught on to what I was talking about.

Your last year; supposedly meant to be your best. By how it's going so far, I can confidently say that that is a very broad assumption.

•·················•·················•

"Now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. You see Hogwarts has been chosen..." Dumbledore began with his opening to the start of a new school year. But before he could go on, Filch ran up he aisle and he and Dumbledore conversed with whispers, before he returned down the aisle, limping as he went.

"So Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event. The Triwizard tournament." he continued. I heard gasps and mutters from people across the tables. I hadn't heard a lot about this tournament, only that it was possibly the most dangerous event you could find yourselves doing whilst still at school. "Now for those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school a single contestant is selected to compete. In order for this event to take place, all inter-house competitions have been postponed for the rest of the year."

"What? No! This can't be happening." I protested. No Quidditch. My last year and I don't even get to kick the other three houses one last time.

"Oh calm down Y/N."

"Uh no Spence, I will not 'calm down' thank you very much. I'll have you know that Quidditch is the most exciting thing that happens at this school." I groaned.

"Now let me be clear, if chosen you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint hearted, but more of that later. For now please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of magic and their headmistress Madam Maxime."

The doors swung open and a group of teenage girls, waltzed in, their hands behind their backs. They were dressed in sky-blue, silk dresses, and the same coloured hats. As they walked passed the tables of awe-struck students, they released butterflies into the air. Two of the girls performed a choreographed routine as the others gracefully made their way to the front, followed by a very tall, and I emphasise her height, woman; of whom I assumed to be the headmistress. The hall cheered and of course the boys whistled, one of whom I noticed to be Cedric. I tried to brush off the jealous feelings I seemed to be now feeling, and focused back on Dumbledore.

"And now our friends from the north, please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and the high master Igor Karkaroff."

A series of older boys walk up the aisle, brandishing wooden staffs, twirling them around and periodically stabbing them into the ground, creating a bright spark, as it made contact. The group then ran to the front, performing all kinds of flips and tricks in doing so.

"Blimey it's him, Viktor Krum!" I heard Ron mutter. My head whipped to the entrance of the hall, and sure enough, storming in, was none other than the Viktor Krum. As one of the students finished breathing snake of fire, Dumbledore and Karkaroff embraced in a hug.

"Your attention please! I would like to say a few words." he approached a golden encased object, centered at the front. "Eternal glory, that is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard tournament. But to do this that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks. For this reason the ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this we have the head of the department of international magic cooperation Mister Bartimus Crouch."

The man was heading to greet the headmaster when thunder began roaring overhead, flashing with lightening. Screams broke out as it now had began raining on not just us, but the food, to my dismay of course. It was only until a short, stumpy man with a glass eye, intervened and shot a counter curse towards the ceiling, restoring peace.

"Who the bloody hell is that?" I leaned over to Ava.

"That's Alastor Moody. The auror." she replied, just as spooked as I was.

The man limped, using his large stick to aid him, as he approached Dumbledore and the two of them shared a hand-shake. Mr Crouch then resumed his speech and had stepped forward.

"After much deliberation the ministry has concluded that for their own safety no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard tournament.
This decision is final." the crowd let out unsettled groans. The room was now echoed with 'boos' and moans of the recent rule that had been set in place.

"Silence!" the headmaster yelled, in order to settle the students and extinguish any last complaints. He used his wand to withdraw the golden case to reveal a brownish goblet, a blue flame, flickering above it. "The goblet of fire. Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the tournament merely write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly, if chosen there's no turning back. As from this moment the Triwizard tournament has begun."