The Unbreakable Vow

Chapter 24- Choosing Ceremony

I awoke early the next morning with adrenaline rushing through my body.

"Today's the day someone gets chosen!" Josie squealed.

I smiled devilishly to myself, knowing I had entered also and praying for it to be me but then I felt rising dread.

"What have I done?!" I thought "all the students will be watching me! Including the Beauxbatons students! Oh no no no!"

Throughout the rest of the day, I then prayed for it not to be me.

"Let it be someone else, please! I don't need attention! The rumors will get out! How could I have been so selfish!"

Anxiously, that evening, we all communed once again in the Great Hall.

The blue flames spit and hissed violently and everyone silenced immediately.

"It is time for the Goblet of Fire to choose its champions!" William announced.

The icy blue flames turned a fiery purple and my stomach sank. In a blink of an eye out shot a name. It smoked at its burnt edges. William stuck out his hand and lightly touched his fingertips to the parchment.

"From Durmstrang, Andreas Larsdatter!" He announced.

Cheers erupted from the Slytherin table as people struggled to pat him on the back and shake his hands. He got up from the table and walked up to the staff. Andreas was seemingly skinny but very tall, with matte black hair and emerald green eyes. His long shadow traveled along the stone walls, mimicking his strong, proud movements. Once at the table, William shook his hand and pointed to the door where he quickly hurried off.

There was a moment of chatter before the fire went purple again and another piece of parchment flew down, light as a feather.

"From Ilvermorny, Daniel Johnson!"

Now it was the Hufflepuffs turn to scream, shout, and in some people's case, whisper complaints to one another. He, like Andreas, was tall but he was much more muscular. His brown hair had too much wax in as it flicked to one side stiffly. His deep brown eyes were masked by the light.

Before reaching the staff table, the fire turned purple again and he sulked to join Andreas.

"From Beauxbatons, Theodore Janvier!"

Girls from Beauxbatons cooed and gushed over him whilst the boys pouted and glared annoyedly. I spotted my old headmistress, Madame Auger, clapping the loudest of them all. She beamed from ear to ear. 

Now it was time for the Hogwarts champion. I crossed my fingers, toes, and eyes and prayed rapidly.

He just reached the door when the last piece of parchment fluttered down and landed upon the stone floor. Quickly, William picked it up and announced "And finally from Hogwarts-" but then he paused.

I felt my heart sink... it was me wasn't it?

He frowned at the parchment, sighed a deep breath, and continued.

"Maria Legrand"

My heart stopped. Nobody shouted in delight or clapped. I blushed embarrassedly. Josie and Florence stared at me blankly but nudged me all the same. I couldn't move and I felt like I had sat there for ages.

"Maria! Up. Here.Now."

I stood immediately and walked like a soldier towards the staff's table. It was a long walk of shame. I felt the glares pour in from every side and burn into my flesh. I was shaking all over. A numbness spread over my feet and hands and I just kept walking, keeping my eyes to the floor.