CHAPTER VII:
sunken heart

( October 1994 )

THE TIME HAD FINALLY ARRIVED FOR THE GOBLET OF FIRE TO CHOOSE ITS THREE CHAMPIONS. Students from all three schools sat in their seats in the Great Hall, eagerly waiting for the announcements of the Tri-Wizard Champions.

"Sit down, please. And now the moment you've all been waiting for, the champions selection!" Dumbledore spoke loudly as he approached the glowing goblet. The flame grew red as well as the anticipation in students when a single piece of parchment flew out. "The Durmstrang champion is...Viktor Krum!"

The students of Durmstrang cheered loudly for their champion as another paper flew out. The cheers softened as Dumbledore read out the name, "the champion from Beauxbatons...Fleur Delacour!"

Ginger sat beside Cedric and Alexander, all anxiously waiting for the Hogwarts champion to be called. Cedric had put his name in the goblet and Ginger was more anxious than he had been for the one in a million chance that his name could be called.

One last piece of paper flew out, "the Hogwarts champion..." Gingers fidgeted relentlessly with the cuticles of her fingernails nearly making herself bleed in the process while Cedric was at the edge of his seat pleading to be called.

"Cedric Diggory."

Gingers heart sunk into the depths of her feet as her face paled into an unhealthy colour. Students around her cheered for the boy beside her who began standing up to leave as she felt her heartbeat pounding in her ears like an unsteady percussion. Her hand reached out to his sleeve and jerked him back to her, he looked at her paling face.

"Hey..." he gave her a comforting smile before she hesitantly let go of him. The students continued their roaring cheering when he shook Dumbledores hand and followed after the other two champions.

"Excellent! We now have our three 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!" The man turned and pointed behind him, all heads whipped into the direction of a luminescent chalice on a pedestal.

The applause silenced as soon as it erupted as the sapphire flames in the goblet emerged into a bright and fiery ruby red.

Another piece of paper was shot out and Dumbledore quickly seized it in his hands. His eyes must've read over the name thousands of times at that moment out of pure disbelief. He mumbled the name once as if saying it would make it more believable.

"Harry Potter?"

Now everyone in the room had heard it, by no mistake, Harry Potter's name was chosen by the Goblet of Fire.

"Harry Potter!" Dumber shouted, searching for the boy. Harry rose from his seat with an expression just as confused as the rest of the students in the room.

This moment was no doubt the beginning of something big, something life-changing, something historical, something catastrophic.