keeper → g. weasley [EDITING]

↝fourteen

   MALLIE HAD SINCE found her seat in the Hall between West and Cedric. 

Maya, Sara and Drew had all managed to grab the last few seats around them as the Hall filled with three times it's usual students with the Beauxbatons and the Durmstrangs filing in.

Little else had crossed her mind after Mallie's disagreement with Charlie, who slunk into the Hall a while after her: noticeably avoiding the Hufflepuff table.

Mallie fumed at the idea of him.

Charlie had been her best friend since before first year, and yet, she failed to understand this odd and repulsive behavior of recent.

So, for now at least, she was going to leave Charlie to sulk.

Soon the gleaming plates filled with assorted foods and the conversation around her helped Mallie momentarily forget about Charlie, allowing her sink into the excitement of the tournament.

Cedric was too busy talking about how he almost had Wood "cracked" to notice West adding unfavourable amounts of hot sauce to Cedric's bean salad.

"I bet by the end of the term, we'll be best mates!" he told Maya enthusiastically, her blushing a shade of red Mallie didn't even know existed.

"Plan Wackson is in full swing!" Cedric announced, alerting a few surrounding Gryffindors.

At this, Maya, uncharacteristically, kicked him in the shin under the table.

Cedric apologized softly and began digging into his food.

"Woah, a bit of bite in the beans tonight." He started fanning his mouth.

It was hard to miss West hiding behind his napkin, face red from muffled laughter.

"I swear you're five." Mallie whispered to West who had to turn away from Cedric (who's eyes were growing larger by the minute) to calm himself down.

"Speak of the devil," Cedric said breathlessly as he wiped his watering eyes.

Oliver was walking past in conversation with Jordan.

"Hi Wood!" he called.

The Quidditch captain looked up to find Cedric and - Mallie swore she saw him sigh - gave a curt nod then continued on his way.

"Yeah, best mates." West muttered.

Maya's eyes followed him until he was in his seat, and lingered a little while longer.

Cedric punched West in the shoulder,
"You'll see."

Soon, the food dissolved off the plates and returned to their shining gold color. The chatter filling the Hall immediately increased in volume and excitement, everyone knew what time it was.

The staff table was fuller than usual with Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman: representatives from the Ministry of Magic, and just before the table, sat The Goblet of Fire, bubbling and steaming with blue and white fire.