From Here on Out: Story of a Triwizard Champion

III

   It had been a week since the first day back at school and the news about the tournament, and Elspie was more anxious than the had ever been. She had convinced herself she didn't want to go– she didn't want to put her name into the Goblet for a chance at eternal glory, or to even witness the ones who did. So then why, she asked herself, was she so nervous to find out the ten students who would be taken to Durmstrang?

   "Miss Begbie!" She heard a voice scold, and Elspie was knocked from her thoughts, picking her head up out of her hand and turning it to the professor. History of Magic had always been the most boring class to her, and she almost always fell asleep in it. With a huff, the professor turned around and continued the lesson.

   From across the room a voice rang out, raspy and low, "Sleeping, Begbie? Why don't you go join mummy for that?" The boy snickered, and she scowled, looking towards the boy Heidi and her referred to as 'douchebag one.' Vincent Bates had been a constant tormenter of hers since her first day at Hogwarts, and snide remarks were to be expected of him, even ones so foul as to poke fun at her ill mother. She had no idea how he knew in the first place, but she couldn't care less about him, rolling her eyes as he chuckled among his friends.

   When the class ended, she was the first one to leave, hopping from her seat and practically sprinting into the hall. She would not give Vincent another chance to try and humiliate her, and even though the comment hadn't bothered her, it still annoyed her that he knew. She had almost reached the Slytherin common room when she heard a voice come over the loud speaker, crackling until the person spoke.

   "The following students please report to the Headmistress's office." It was Professor Pettican, and she thought nothing of the announcement until they began to call the names.

   "Vincent Bates."

   The first name was called, and Elspie scoffed. She figured it was just students who were in trouble. She continued on until she reached the entrance to the dormitory, blocking out the rest of that names. That was, until, she heard her own.

   "Elspeth Begbie."

   She felt her heart drop, and she turned, staring at the speakers above as if they would give some explanation.

   "Grant Taylor. Please report to the Headmistresses office."

   The loudspeaker clicked off and Elspie bit the inside of her cheek. Had they found out about her and Grant sneaking around past curfew? Then, if they had, why were other students called? Had they all been found sneaking around?

   She sighed, making her way back up the dungeon steps and along the empty halls until she reached the Headmistress's office. The door was open, and she let herself in, walking inside slowly. She had only been in here once, in her first year when Dumbledore was Headmaster, and since then it had changed drastically. The same large, tall bookshelves lined the walls, but the place held an entirely different aura now.

   "Miss Begbie," She heard from above, and almost dropped her books in shock. Looking up, her eyes caught onto Headmistress McGonagall's, and Elspie offered a nervous smile.

   "Hello." She said in the calmest voice she could, clearing her throat before continuing. "Am I– am I in trouble?" She asked, her light eyes clouded with curiosity.

   "Why no, of course not dear," McGonagall replied, waving her up a set of stairs to where her desk sat. "Quite the opposite, actually."

   The whole situation seemed completely odd to her, until she reached the top of the stairs and saw the eleven other students– including Grant– seated around her desk. Among them were three of the brightest Ravenclaw girls she had ever met, and immediately, her eyes widened.

   These were the people who were to be taken to Durmstrang.

   "Take a seat, dear." McGonagall urged, and Elspie sat next to Grant, looking at him in a way that only he could understand. It was their secret language, of sorts.

   "As you may have already guessed, being the brightest group of witches and wizards from your year, Professor Pettican and myself have selected the twelve of you to come along to Durmstrang, where one of you will become the Champion for Hogwarts in the Triwizard Tournament. You have the chance to decline this offer, however. If you would rather focus on your studies this year."

   Everyone looked around at each other, but no one spoke– no one planned on passing this up.

   "Well, then," She continued, reaching behind her and grabbing a stack of twelve very thick books. Elspie had no idea how the old woman could hold them all without her bones snapping. "You have seven weeks to prepare– we will leave on the thirtieth of October." She began to pass the books around to each student, and when Elspie got hers, she stared at it in shock. It was enormous, titled 'All you need to know for the Triwizard Tournament.'

   "Use this books to review– you will find it most helpful if you are, in fact, chosen as the Hogwarts Champion."

   With that, everyone was dismissed. Elspie waited until everyone except Grant had left, and she opened her mouth to speak, but she couldnt bring herself to words.

   "Us? Why us?" Was all she could bring herself to ask, staring her friend in the face.

   Grant shrugged, getting up from his chair and extending a hand to help Elspie up. She took it, standing up, and they walked down the stairs and out the door in silence, both of them busy with their own thoughts. When they reached the stairs to the dungeon, Grant turned and faced Elspie.

   "Are you ready for this?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

   "Ready for what?" Elspie asked, shifting the heavy load of books to the other side of her body.

   "We're going to Durmstrang next month– that's a whole new adventure, a whole new part of our lives. Are you ready?"

   She narrowed her eyes, tilting her head to the side in thought. A smile broke across her face. "I'm ready."

   They did their handshake, and he two-finger saluted her as always, before he took off down the hall, and she walked down the stairs to the dormitory. As soon as she whispered the password and entered the Slytherin common room, she was greeted with laughing and cheering, and she was immediately curious, looking around with furrowed brows.

   "Elspie, you could be a champion!" She heard from the other side of the room. Breaking through the crowd, she saw Heidi, and she came up and embraced her in a hug.

   Elspie frowned a bit, moving away. "Guys, what are you doing? Im just going to Durmstrang, Im not going to be the champion." She insisted, placing her other arms under the books.

   "But you're going to enter, right?" Heidi asked her, the room going quiet.

   "I– well, yeah of course I'm going to enter. But I'm not going to be chosen." She told them. "Now if you'll excuse me, I am exhausted, and Im going to take a nap."

   The room went up in whispers as Elspie made her way to her room, but she ignored them. It was too much to take for one day, and she needed some rest to clear her mind. She changed into her pajamas before slipping into bed, and falling asleep to the sound of quiet chatter down the stairs.