Magical Miracles

Chapter 4: The Three Competitors

Shocked was an understatement.

The Hall erupted in loud chattering and protests, Chloe's shrill shrieks piercing my ears. Alya was staring at me as if geese were flying out of my nostrils, and Nino was looking at me, jaw hanging.

As for me, I was frozen. Somehow I'd known it would be my name, but that didn't make it any less horrifying.

Dumbledore and the others were looking at eachother, panic discreetly hidden in their eyes. They retreated to the table, whispering in hushed tones, but no student noticed. I saw Professor Rossi give me a cold smile before flipping her hair as she turned, strutting to join the others.

"You put your name in? " Alya hissed, "Are you crazy?"

"I didn't do it," I replied back harshly, "I'm not suicidal. I have no idea how my name got in."

"'Actually Ms Bourgeois, underage students aren't allowed to participate,'" she said mockingly under her breath, waving as Nino came over, looking dazed.

"Mari did you—"

"No I didn't—"

I tried defending myself against the Gryffindors who crowded around me, congratulating me—as if I wanted this—but they were talking over me. Thankfully, or maybe not thankfully, Dumbledore spoke.

"Champions, please join Professor McGonagall and Professor Rossi and I," he said, giving me the perfect excuse to escape the mob of oblivious Gryffindors. 

After about thirty seconds, I pushed through and followed Professor Rossi, who had been waiting for me. She barely gave me a scathing glance, only pausing to look at me to make sure I was following. We reached a classroom, one I didn't know, and she walked to take her place beside the other Professors, who were on the side of the room. The other two champions were sitting quietly together, but not making any effort of conversation. Victor brightened up when he saw me enter.

"Marinette!" He said, grinning, "Surprising, I never pegged you as the risky type."

"Yeah, me neither," I mumbled under my breath, answering him, "I didn't put my name in."

"Same here," another voice said unexpectedly, and for the first time I turned to look at Adrien Agreste.

Oh boy, I was in trouble.

I had been right about his perfectly groomed hair—they were definitely the threads of angels or something, but now that I notice his eyes—his gorgeous emerald eyes—I found that my mouth had stopped cooperating with my brain. 

Probably a good thing, since I would have blabbered something embarrassing.

Those mesmerising green eyes blinked at me, turning to pointedly look at Victor, and I realised I was staring.

Can I end my life right now.

I hastily looked at Victor, and I was sure my cheeks were burning, mortified. Victor had his eyebrow raised, glancing between Adrien and I.

Adrien and I?

Shut UP.

My inner voice was unbearable and so not helping me right now.

"Do you normally gape at people?" Adrien asked, his eyebrow raising in disdain, his lip twisted downwards.

Wow, he's rude.

I could feel my face reddening in anger and embarrassment, but any starry eyed thoughts of him were far, far away, just like stars.

 "No actually, just you," I replied sweetly, giving him a sour smile before taking a seat next to Victor, which was coincidentally away from the blonde. He blinks at me before rolling his eyes.

"No need to get so defensive," he said, before turning to talk to Victor, "Did you get your name randomly chosen too?"

Victor shook his head, "No, I put my name in. This is unfair, I'm competing against underage students."

Adrien nodded thoughtfully, then mused, "I wonder how our names got in."

I would have said something, but at that moment the professors came to join us. Dumbledore and McGonagall looked troubled, while Rossi was the picture of calm.

Too calm.

"Are you both sure you didn't put your name in?" Dumbledore asked us gravely, his normally twinkling eyes solemn behind his half-moon spectacles. McGonagall had her lips pursed, as if thinking furiously.

"I came as soon as I could!" Headmistress Olympe said as she suddenly barged in, Headmaster Karkaroff right behind her, looking a mix between enraged and delighted.

"This is preposterous! Dumbledore, this is unacceptable. How did this happen?" He demanded, eyeing me and Adrien as if we were something nasty under his desk.

I pursed my lips. We don't know, I wanted to say, but kept my mouth shut.

"We don't know," Adrien answered instead, and I whipped my head towards him.

Did he read my mind? Is he a Legilimens? Oh Merlin I stared into his eyes for so long—crap did he find my thoughts about hi— SHUT UP.

I looked away, breathing a little heavily as I looked at my shoes. I probably looked ridiculous, but thankfully nobody was paying attention to me.

"Unfortunately, we don't have any suspects," McGonagall informed us a bit begrudgingly. 

"We also cannot do anything about it," Dumbledore said, touching his beard thoughtfully. "The goblet has chosen you nevertheless who put both of your names in, and you'll have to participate."

Excuse me-?

This was highly unfair. I didn't even put my name in, and I have to participate in a fairly dangerous tournament? Alya was going to have my head and worry about me. Not to mention the whole mess of hiding a body after Alya found out who put my name in.

Dumbledore sighed. "Students, you can go back to your dorms. Rest well. Us teachers will see what we can do. We might have to cancel the Tournament, as the Goblet won't choose anyone else."

We nod, slightly bummed. I meet McGonagall's and Rossi's gaze as I pass them. The former is sympathetic and slightly outraged, while the latter had an unmistakably interested look in her eye.

"Shall I drop you off, Marinette?" Victor asked politely. Adrien glanced at us, before walking away.

I was about to decline, when I saw Alya run up to us.

"Mari! What did they say? Oh hi Victor," she noticed him, before turning back to me expectantly. I gave him an apologetic look, which he thankfully understood, and walked away.

"What's going on?" She asked, and I was too tired to say anything. So I shrugged.

She understood and sympathetically nodded. "Let's get you to relax, okay? Wanna hang out by the Lake?"

I nodded.

The next few days were going to be shit.