thick skin and an elastic heart

Chapter 3

The feast seemed to last longer than it ever had before. Juliana barely ate her dinner. She stared at the mashed potatoes she pushed around her plate with a fork. She couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if she didn't get chosen.

The Tri-Wizard Tournament was her only escape plan, but it was a house of cards just waiting to fall at the first gust of wind. To begin with, the goblet had to choose Juliana over all the Seventh Years in Hogwarts. She was one of about eighty students, and only one champion per school was selected.

The magnitude of her task loomed in front of her like a horrible monster.

Juliana exhaled.

Then, if chosen, she had to complete all three tasks to win. From her research in the library, each task was designed to test the champions' ingenuity, magical aptitude, and mental acumen. The three school Heads and two Ministry representatives would judge them.

She needed to score high enough to win.

Juliana stabbed a green pea with her fork. She scowled when it tried to roll away.

She had to win. What else were she and Lupe going to do?

The tournament was the fastest way to earn a lot of gold. As soon as she finished Hogwarts, she and her mother would move from England to South America, or maybe Mexico. Somewhere warm, at least, and far from El Chino's influence. Winning the thousand galleons prize would definitely make the journey easier.

Juliana sighed and shook her head.

Warm fingers suddenly slid over her wrist and gently tugged her hand away from her mouth. Juliana turned to see Valentina smiling at her. She did not realize she was chewing on her thumbnail again. Caught off guard by Valentina's attention, Juliana mumbled thanks, but looked everywhere else.

The surrounding sea of plates sat mostly empty. Anxious students fidgeted and squirmed in their seats long before the last dessert vanished off the golden serving dishes. Several Gryffindors stared up at the staff table, waiting anxiously for them to finish dinner.

Beside her, Valentina shredded a dinner roll instead of eating. Juliana's stomach rolled from nerves, despite her earlier bravado. The headmaster rose to his feet. The plates and food on the tables disappeared. The hall fell deathly silent.

Juliana struggled to swallow. She stared as the Headmaster surveyed the crowd of students. She spared a glance at Valentina. The Beaubaxtons girl focused on the Headmaster. She was so still that Juliana wondered if she was breathing.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!" The Headmaster boomed.

Juliana's heart skipped a beat.

"When the champion is selected, please approach the staff table and enter into the chamber beyond." He gestured towards a door behind the staff table.

A fuzzy echoing sound filled her ears.

The overhead candles extinguished, casting the room into complete darkness, save the blue-white flames from inside the Goblet.

Panic swelled inside her chest. Her heart pounded so hard it hammered her body. Absolute silence strangled the hall. Juliana heard Valentina's shallow breaths.

The Goblet shimmered in the middle of the room.

Juliana leaned forward, waiting for the Goblet to do something. Finally, the flames turned blood red. Sparks flew in the air like sparklers on the Fourth of July, blinding everyone. Juliana winced in pain. Several students gasped when a slip of parchment flew out of the flames and into the headmaster's waiting hands.