The Fifth Champion

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

“Are you sure about this?” Charissa spun nervously in front of the mirror.

“Of course!” Isabel and Lauren exclaimed at the same time as Amber and Taylor squealed.

“You look so pretty!” Amber said.

“Thanks.” Charissa said. “I just feel awkward.”

Charissa stared at herself in the mirror, barely recognizing the girl in front of her, but at the same time feeling as though she was all too familiar. She was wearing a sleeveless light blue dress with ruffled layers beginning just about her waist that went to the floor and stretched out a bit, giving the dress a full appearance. Her shoes were glass slippers that matched her diamond earrings and necklace well, as well as the tiara Lauren had insisted upon placing in her hair. Lauren had spent an hour pulling Charissa’s hair into a braided crown at the base of her neck, and her hard work had payed off.

The only thing that didn't seem to belong was a small silver and green ring slipped onto one of Charissa's elbow-length, white-gloved fingers. The girls had tried to get her to take it off, but Charissa had insisted upon wearing it. “My mum gave it to me.” She had insisted. It was the family ring, and for some odd reason, she wanted it on her tonight.

“You're just nervous.” Taylor assured her. “You look amazing.”

“Like Cinderella at the ball.” Isabel said.

“Who?” Charissa and Amber asked at the same time.

“A Disne- never mind.” Isabel said. “Ready?”

Charissa took a deep breath. “I hope.” She waved goodbye and headed out into the common room. Terry was meeting her in the Great Hall.

“Do I look alright?” Charissa nervously asked Cedric, trying to smooth our her dress for the fiftieth time on the way to the Great Hall.

“You look great, Rissy, stop worrying.” Cedric said.

“Thanks, Ced.” Charissa replied. “Oh, look there's Terry. I'll see you later.” She walked off towards the brown haired boy who was holding a beautiful red rose.

“Hi.” Terry said awkwardly. He handed her the rose. “You look pretty.”

“Thanks.” Charissa replied, just as awkwardly. She slipped the rose into her braid, quickly coaxing it to weave in between the plaits. “Do you want to head in?”

“I think we're supposed to wait for Professor McGonagall to call us in.” He said. They stood together awkwardly for a second.

“So what's your favorite class?” Terry asked, breaking the awkward silence.

“Defense Against the Dark Arts.” Charissa smiled. “You?”

“Charms.” Terry grinned. “Although I'm not very good at it.”

Professor McGonagall rushed over to them. “There you are!” She exclaimed. “Come, it's time to head inside.”

Charissa walked next to Terry over to where the other champions were gathering. It seemed Hermione Granger, the Muggleborn friend of Harry Potter’s, was with Viktor Krum. Potter himself was with another Gryffindor Charissa didn't know the name of. Cedric looked extremely happy next to Cho.

They all filed into the Great Hall one pair after the other. Charissa was finding it hard to walk in heels, and almost tripped several times.

The music began. Charissa panicked for a second, forgetting she knew how to dance momentarily. Then the steps came back to her and she began to dance as though she had danced every day in her life.

The rest of the Hall began to join in. As the second song came to an end, Charissa and Terry walked off the dance floor to get a drink and sit for a while.

“So what are you planning to do after school?” Charissa asked.

“Haven't really thought about it, in all honesty.” Terry laughed. “I think I'd like to be a Healer though.”

“Sounds nice.” Charissa replied. She hadn't thought about it either. “I'm not sure either.”

Draco walked up to the two. He was alone. “Hello, Draco,” Charissa said. “Couldn't find a date, could you?”

“Haha, very funny.” Draco scowled. “She went off to get a drink. Actually, I came over here to ask you to dance.”

Charissa almost spit out her drink. “You,” She said. “Want to dance with me? You're joking.”

“Wasn't last time I checked.” Draco said. “C’mon, I'm your brother.”

“You haven't been my brother for a very long time.” Charissa muttered. “Alright, fine, one song.” 

It felt awkward, to dance with Draco. They hadn't spoken besides to snap at each other in two years, and had begun to lose touch even before that, when Draco had started at Hogwarts.

“So, you never explained swimming in the lake.” Draco said.

“Tournament stuff. Dropped the egg, water was nice, that sort of thing.” Charissa said coldly.

“You know, I heard you earlier.” Draco said. “I never stopped being your brother, Char, it was you who left.”

Professor Snape walked up. “Draco, I believe Miss Parkinson is looking for you.” He said. Draco nodded and left Charissa, who immediately began looking for her own date.

She whirled around to find Cedric. “Where's Cho?” She asked.

“Sitting down for a bit.” Cedric said.

“Shouldn't you be sitting with her or something?” Charissa said, a bit unnerved from Draco’s parting words.

“Saw Draco and came over to help you.” Cedric replied. Charissa scratched her left arm, which was itching again.

“I should really go find Terry.” Charissa said. “Really, I'm fine.” She blinked, trying to shake off the fuzziness at the edges of her vision.

“One dance?” Cedric asked.

“Um, sure.” Charissa said distractedly. They began to dance, but Charissa’s mind seemed worlds away.

“Charissa?” Cedric asked, looking confused.

“Yeah?” Charissa replied. “Did you say something?”

“Are you alright?” Cedric asked. Charissa nodded. “I'm fine, I promise.” As she said it, the room was beginning to fade in front of her, blurring into something darker. The lights went dim and the floor became grass covered. People turned into grotesque gravestones. Charissa spun around, still in her light blue dress and crown.

“Cedric?” She said. “Where am I?” The oddest part was that Cedric was missing, as well as the white gloves. Charissa stared down at her hands, almost as pale and smooth as the gloves.

Except for her left forearm. When Charissa turned over her hand, palm side up, and ugly black form was burned into her forearm. It was in a sort of extended figure-8 shape, which quickly began to shift into a more distinguished form. Charissa screamed when she saw it.

Burned into her forearm was a skull and snake.

“Cedric, what's going on?” Charissa asked desperately. “Where did I get this? Where am I?”

“Charissa relax, you're in the Great Hall.” Cedric’s voice broke through the silence of the vision. The gravestones began to melt back into spinning people, the lights growing brighter and the floor growing harder beneath her feet until only the Great Hall was left.

Charissa was sitting down, surrounded by Terry, Cedric, and Cho. “Charissa?” Cho asked. “What happened?”

Charissa tried to shake it off. “Just a normal panic attack.” She said, turning to Terry. “C’mon, we've only danced once.” She grabbed his hand and whirled back into the crowd.

“She's not alright, is she?” Cho asked Cedric, who shook his head.

He sighed. “I'm not sure she was ever alright.”