Staying Alive // D.M *On Hold*

0.8 - Down the Rabbit Hole

"These dwarf–like live in hills on old battlegrounds or wherever blood has been spilled. Although easily repelled by charms and hexes, they are very dangerous to solitary muggles, whom they will attempt to bludgeon death on nights. Red Caps are most prevalent in northern Europe." 

Mia gave the girl a nod as she finished reading the parchment. Cho was so mad at her for coming late to class and losing so many points that Mia almost begged her to study with her in the library instead. She had told her nothing had to change just because they didn't sit together, Mia would still help her. "Looks generally good, just change hills to holes and not any type of blood, it must be specifically human blood that has been spilled." 

"Thank you, I'm not mad at you anymore." Mia tried to smile at her for her brother's sake. She had been reading Cho's a week's worth of homework and correcting them patiently for the last couple of hours. She would rather drown herself in the black lake at this point, that was how much she got bored. Merlin, the girl was pretty but Mia was questioning the sorting hat's decision on her for she took so much time to understand. She knew Cho wasn't thick, obviously, but couldn't understand how someone could be that bad at DADA. Maybe she was biased because it was her favorite subject. "I have to go now. I'm taking muggle studies this year and I don't want to be late." 

Mia happily waved her as she watched Cho exit the library, letting out a sigh. She decided she would go find her brother since they hadn't had much time to talk since arriving at Hogwarts and she rather missed her. She quickly packed her bag before leaving the library in quick steps. It was almost mealtime. Mia remembered today to be the day Dumbledore would reveal the Triwizard champions. Mia was finally glad Harry couldn't put himself in a dangerous position this year. She had read about the tournament and found out that people died in this. She couldn't see any point in pursuing the tournament but decided the wizards weren't bright enough to stay out of trouble. In any part of wizarding history, she would see people seeking pointless adventures so she assumed the Triwizard Tournament to be one of them. 

"Oi, Mia, thought you had forgotten about me." Harry immediately embraced her while she settled next to him on the Gryffindor table. She blew a kiss to Susan, who winked in response before focusing and settling into her twin's embrace. She was quite glad that Harry had outgrown her, this way she could fit into his arms anytime she wanted for she knew they would always be open for her.

 "How could I even dare to forget about my little brother?"She just ignored Harry's protest about her being born only ten minutes before him. They had been eating quietly before Mia remembered something.  

She looked at Ron "Did twin grandpas turn back to normal?" 

Ron snickered at her as Hermione giggled quietly. "Yes, Madam Pomfrey threatened not to heal them if they tried something as stupid as that again. Apparently, the potion that returned them to normal wasn't easy to make." 

Mia nodded in understanding. "Of course, it isn't. The potion is taught only at Healers or Potions Masters' training programs and takes a month to brew. She probably had to use some from her stock, I would be mad too." 

"I sometimes think you know more than Hermione and she is called the brightest witch of her age. Should I be scared, sister?" Harry commented stuffing his plate with food and proceeding to put some on Mia's plate too. He knew she had a hard time eating big portions of food due to her being starved at Dursley's for punishment at least two days a week but still hoped she would eat a bit more every day. 

Mia winked at Hermione before speaking. "I don't know more than Hermione nor does she know more than me. We simply read about different things as we're different people. So, it's not right to compare us." She drank some pumpkin juice before continuing. "And her being the brightest witch of our age has nothing to do with reading. It means her brain is a wonderful thing and she comprehends easier and possibly is able to grasp the meaning behind the words easier. And before you say something about me being in Ravenclaw let me remind you that I'm hardworking and she is smart and those two are not necessarily the same things." 

"Wow," Hermione blinked at her words, a big smile forming on her face. "You are wise too, Mia. I've never thought I'd see the end of this bickering between Ron and Harry on which one of us is smarter but I think you just put an end to it. I appreciate it, I really do." 

"Shut up, 'Mione, I've always defended you," Harry commented, making Mia fake gasp and look at her in faux disappointment.  

"Have some decency, Harry." she shook her head. "We have the same genes." 

"Well-" he was cut off by the disappearance of food. Students quickly got up from the tables as they were used to having the tables put away after the meals to have some more place to socialize with their friends and guests. 

"Sit down, please," Dumbledore said in a stern voice for he knew if he were soft they would take much more time to settle. Mia sat down next to Hermione on the newly placed bench with Harry in front of her and Ron behind, next to Neville. "It's the moment you've all been waiting for, the champion selection!" Dumbledore pointed to each one of the torches on the wall, making the fire grow small so the hall was darker. It all added to the fun Mia supposed. Dumbledore touched the goblet of fire before taking a few steps back. The fire glowed red as a piece of parchment was thrown out. "The Durmstrang Champion is Viktor Krum!" The whole hall but his schoolmates the most clapped for him as Dumbledore directed him to the door on the other side of the hall where they would learn about their first task. "The Champion of Beauxbattons is Fleur Delacour!" everyone clapped again. Mia winked at Gabrielle when their eyes met over the crowd. The little girl had a big smile for her sister. Fleur took the same path as Viktor to the door. "The Hogwarts Champion, Cedric Diggory!" 

"Wohooo, Cedric!" Mia yelled with her hands around her mouth to act as a megaphone. Cedric turned to look at her at that and waved happily upon meeting her eyes. He followed the others as Dumbledore looked at the cheering lot.

"Excellent. Now we have our three champions, but in the end, only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this vessel of victory, the Triwizard Cup!" The cloth over the cup flew away and revealed it. It glistened a pleasant blue that reminded Mia of winter. She would like to have one but was smart enough not to enter that kind of competition for it. Then a weird thing happened. The fire in the goblet glowed red again and another name was thrown out of it. Everyone held their breaths. 

"Is it even possible?" Mia whispered to Hermione who shook her head in response, her eyes not leaving the piece of parchment that flew. 

"Harry Potter?" Dumbledore announced, he was as surprised as the others. Mia looked down at her brother. A spell powerful enough to fool the goblet of fire would take weeks to learn and Mia knew that Harry didn't have the patience for it. She was sure it was the doing of someone, but who?

"You gotta be kidding me!" she groaned silently but the whole hall heard her anyways due to the deathly silence. Professor Dumbledore shook his head upon that. 

"Harry Potter!" he yelled to the hall. People had already begun to speak about how he was underage and that he was such a cheat. Mia was frozen in her place and so was Harry.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione shook him with a hand on his shoulder. "Harry for goodness," the girl forced him to his feet. Harry turned to look at Mia once he was on his feet. His identical green eyes hold nothing but surprise and fear.

"You'll be okay, go," she assured him with a hint of a smile. "I'll figure it out, I always do." she did, every time there was a situation to get out of Mia was the one to figure it out for the both. However, Harry doubted she could do so this time. Harry made his way to the headmaster with that. He felt like they weighed more than his own body and Mia, now that she was away from Harry, had tears in her eyes. How the hell would they be okay? Dumbledore handed Harry the parchment that had his name on it before he made his way to the room too. Mia jumped from her seat to talk to Dumbledore. 

"Professor?" He held his hand up to silence her but she didn't listen. "What will happen now?" 

However, Dumbledore didn't listen to her, making his way to the door after Harry. Mia saw Flitwick step closer to her. "Go to your dorm with your friends, Potter. Your brother will be alright." Mia wanted to believe him, she really did but it was so hard to do so. She nodded her head nonetheless, her eyes not leaving the door once. Her heart rate had to be a million in a minute so she took a deep breath to calm herself down before making her way back to Hermione where she grabbed her book and stormed out of the great hall before any dimwit could comment on how her brother managed to get in.