The Lost Lestrange

Chapter 7

The next morning, Des rose early with Anya and Gemma, eager to see who was putting their name into the goblet. The three of them gossiped about who they would have expected to put their names in when they bumped into Thomas Avery in the common room.

"I thought you lot would be up early to see the goblet as well," he said, joining them as they made their way out of the common room and up from the dungeons.

"I wonder who's put their names in already..." Anya thought out loud.

"Probably all of Durmstrang," Gemma sighed, "They're all so brave looking."

"I suppose everyone from the visiting schools has submit their names," Des said, "there clearly aren't only a dozen students at each school. I would assume that the ones here are the only ones that wanted to enter."

"Maybe some of them haven't submit yet, then you can see your hardened Scandinavian men," Anya teased, causing Gemma to turn pink in the face as Anya and Des snickered.

"Are any of you deciding to put your name in the goblet?" Thomas asked, looking over at Des expectantly.

"I hadn't thought to," Anya said, "As great as the glory would be, I just wouldn't be able to commit to something like that."

"It is a big deal," Gemma added, "and did you not hear Dumbledore talk about how it was canceled due to a death toll?"

They climbed the last of the stairs and arrived in the entrance hall. The Goblet of Fire had been placed in the center on the stool that usually held the Sorting Hat. The bright blue flames danced over the lip of the goblet as several students collected around it, all of them watching but none of them approaching. It was unusual to see so many people up so early on a Saturday morning, especially those around their OWL and NEWT levels, seeing as Saturday was a welcome relief from the homework that was beginning to slam into them.

"Look, here come your Scandinavians, Gem," Anya teased as the group of Durmstrang students walked into the entrance hall, donning the thick fur coats that they wore the night before over their blood red uniforms. Each of them held a slip of parchment in their hand, one by one walking up to the goblet and placing their name inside, the flames burning brighter as the submission was accepted. It was almost mesmerizing to watch.

It wasn't long after the Durmstrang lot left for the Great Hall for breakfast that the Beauxbatons students entered the hall, each with the intent on entering their names to represent their school. Their names went into the goblet with the spectacular whoosh of rising flames before the blue fire died down again, lapping at the rim of the goblet. Soon it was quiet as the Hogwarts students left in the hall stayed behind, Des and her group included.

"Shall we get some breakfast then?" Anya asked, already heading for the Great Hall. Des could feel the hunger pulling at her as well. She looked back at Thomas, who raised an eyebrow at her. Des shrugged in return. He held up two slips of parchment that he had already cut and the corner of Des's mouth pulled up in a small smirk.

"In one second," Des said, taking a slip from Thomas and the quill that he held out for her, scribbling a quick Desdemona Dolohov – Hogwarts onto the parchment before giving it back to Thomas so he could do the same.

"You two are entering?" Gemma asked in disbelief.

"We decided last night," Des said. Thomas had finished writing his name and the two of them crossed the age line together. Thomas held his slip up to the fire, Des doing the same, and the two of them let the slips of parchment fall into the goblet, the blue fire burning brighter as it took their submission. It was quite exciting, her name being in the goblet. She was quite sure she wouldn't have been picked but the fact that her name was there for consideration was an exciting concept.