The Fifth Champion

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Charissa sat on a bench in the courtyard, a book open on her lap and surrounded by Isabel, Amber, Taylor, and Lauren, who was winding daisies through Charissa's braid. Cedric was lounging on the bench next to her, looking bored. It was a Saturday, and with there being no Quidditch practice, everyone was bored.

Harry Potter walked up to the group. "Cedric," Potter said. "A word?"

Cedric grinned and stood up. Shrugging, he followed Potter off just out of earshot. "Wonder what that's about." Amber said. Charissa looked up from her book, twisting to admire the daisies and instead spotting Draco.

"What in the name of Merlin is my brother doing in a tree?" She sighed. "The daisies look great, by the way."

Cedric came back over, looking slightly troubled. "What is it?" Charissa asked.

"I'll tell you later." Cedric replied.

There was a surprised cry from behind them. They all turned around to see a white ferret chattering on the ground.

"Is that Draco?" Charissa asked, running over laughing. One of the Ravenclaws who had come over to watch nodded.

Professor Moody had transfigured Draco into a ferret and was proceeding to bounce him up and down. Harry Potter was laughing as well, and by now a crowd had gathered to watch.

"Professor Moody, what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall had walked up.

"Teaching." Moody growled.

"Is that a student?" McGonagall asked.

"Maybe." Moody admitted, not even sorry.

"We never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" McGonagall exclaimed, waving her wand and returning a very angry Draco to his human form.

"My father will hear about this!" Draco exclaimed, sprinting off.

"Not like he'll care!" Charissa yelled after him, laughing impossibly hard.

"I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair boy!" Moody chased after him.

"Go back to whatever you were doing." McGonagall began dispersing the crowd. Cedric, Charissa, and friends returned to their bench.

"So what was it your boyfriend wanted?" Charissa teased.

"What?" Cedric asked. "He's not my boyfriend, genius!" He reached down and tousled her hair, making sure to barely mess it up.

"So what do he want?" Charissa asked, jumping up to try and return the favor, but being unable to reach Cedric's hair.

"Later, Rissy." Cedric promised, gesturing to the others. "It's about the tournament."

Later that night, after dinner, Charissa and Cedric snuck into the kitchens. "So what's Harry Potter want to tell us?" Charissa asked.

"He knows what the first task is." Cedric said.

"And?" She said before thinking of something and turning to the various house elves. "I order you not to say a word about this to anyone, do you hear me?"

The house elves nodded, wide eyed.

"Alright, keep going." Charissa said.

"Dragons." Cedric sighed. "We have to fight a dragon."

"Damn." Charissa said. "Well, that should be fun."

"Yep." Cedric nodded. "He says they have one for each of us."

"Mistress Charissa!" One of the house elves suddenly said in a familiar voice.

"Dobby?" She asked. The house elf stepped forward.

"Hello!" He exclaimed. The first thing Charissa noticed was the odd assortment of clothes.

"Dobby," She said. "What in the world are you wearing?"

"Clothes, Ma'am!" Dobby looked happy. "Dobby loves them."

"Who's this?" Cedric laughed.

"Dobby, sir!" Dobby introduced himself.

"He was our house elf." Charissa explained.

"Miss Charissa is a good witch. The others were cruel to Dobby." Dobby said.

"Yes, I know. She's a great witch." This time Cedric messed up her hair, which was down.

"Hey!" She exclaimed as hair fell into her face.

"Speaking of the others," Cedric turned to Charissa. "Have you heard from your mum at all?"

She shook her head. No letters had come in the two weeks since she had been chosen. "She did say she wasn't going to speak to me again." Charissa shrugged. "I'm not expecting anything."

"The other Malfoys are bad!" Dobby exclaimed suddenly. "Miss Charissa shouldn't want to speak with bad people! Especially not the Malfoys!"

They ignored Dobby.

"I would've thought she'd have at least said something." Cedric said.

"Who knows." Charissa sighed. "Who knows."