The Legacy

The Champions

After Dumbledore's speech, which was both thrilling and a little unnerving, most of the Hogwarts students had gone off to bed, but Selena and I stayed behind. We'd been instructed to put our names into the Goblet of Fire, and we'd done that a while ago. Now, we were just waiting for the others to finish before heading back to the airship.

We sat at one of the long tables in the now quiet Great Hall, sharing a bowl of chips. The atmosphere had shifted from the earlier excitement to a more relaxed, almost contemplative vibe. The blue-white flames of the Goblet flickered in the distance, casting long shadows across the room.

"You think we actually have a shot at this?" I asked, tossing a chip into my mouth.

Selena smirked, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Against Durmstrang and Beauxbatons? Please, Will, you're talking to one of Ilvermorny's best."

I chuckled. "Oh, is that what they're calling you now?"

"Not officially," she teased, "but they should." She leaned back in her chair, stretching out. "I bet you anything those Durmstrang guys are all muscle and no brains. We've got the smarts and the skill."

I raised an eyebrow. "Big talk for someone who nearly set the stables on fire last year."

"That was one time!" she shot back, throwing a chip at me. "And to be fair, it was an accident. You, on the other hand, have a talent for causing trouble. I remember you almost lured a manticore to the great hall."

I grinned, shrugging. "What can I say? Chaos follows me."

The banter was easy, familiar, but there was an undercurrent of nervousness in the air that neither of us was addressing. The Triwizard Tournament wasn't just some school competition; it was dangerous, potentially life-threatening. We both knew that.

After a pause, Selena's expression softened. "Think we'll be okay? I mean... if one of us gets picked."

I glanced at the Goblet, its flames dancing hypnotically. "I don't know," I admitted. "But whatever happens, we've got each other's backs, right?"

She smiled, but there was a seriousness in her eyes. "Always."

The doors to the hall creaked open, and more students trickled in, preparing to place their names into the Goblet. The anticipation in the room was palpable. We watched in silence, knowing that in just twenty-four hours, our fates—or someone's—would be sealed.

"Ready to head back to the airship?" Selena asked, standing up and stretching her arms.

"Yeah," I said, tossing the last chip into my mouth. "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be... interesting."

Since it was a Saturday, most students from all the schools were planning to sleep in and have a late breakfast. But Selena and I had no intention of missing the chaos. We arrived early at the Great Hall, eager to witness the scene unfolding around the Goblet of Fire. Sure enough, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already there, along with about twenty others, some munching on toast, all crowding around the Goblet, staring at it as though it held the key to their futures.

The Goblet had been placed in the center of the hall, sitting on the stool where the Sorting Hat usually rested. A thin, shimmering golden line had been traced on the floor around it, marking a circle that was about ten feet wide in every direction—a clear boundary for those underage, drawn by Dumbledore himself.

"Anyone put their name in yet?" Ron asked eagerly, looking over at me as we joined them.

"All the Durmstrang lot have," I replied casually. "Ilvermorny's already in, too."