Battles of Darkness and Strife

The Goblet

Chey Roberts POV

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I bang my head down on my Transfiguration textbook. I haven't been able to focus on anything all thisnyear and it's been bugging me to no end. I used to be able to fly through my work at the speed of light, but now it's like there's a mental block. That, plus nightmares, is turning what used to feel like my home, into a hellhole. And it all started when they showed up.

I sneak a glance at the group of seven that are supposedly American exchange students. They seem really dodgy to me, and something seems off overall.

"Looking at those Americans, are you?" Draco asks. I glance at him and nod. Amber, Anthony, and Pip all look up and over at their group. "Don't all look!" We all turn meekly back to our books until Amber breaks the silence. 

Paige continues to read. She hasn't been herself lately, even skipping our library time and rarely talking to us. Amber and I have talked about it briefly, but we just chalked it up to the trauma of the war. But I'm beginning to worry for her.

"They are sort of odd, though, aren't they?" She makes to brush her curly, red hair over her shoulder, only to realize it's still cut short. She used to do that all the time to hide her Dark Mark shaped birthmark until she cut it while at school last year. 

Paige groans. "This is how we get caught up in things, you know that, right?" 

"But it's been forever since we've had any fun," Pip whines. "Can't we do a little snooping?"

"It's not like you're going to listen to me anyway..." Paige buries her nose back in her book. I send her a gentle mind message, asking what's wrong, but I immediately feel Paige shove me right back out. That's more than a little offending.

"Pretty please!" Pip and Anthony beg simultaneously. 

"Come on, it could be fun..." I nudge her with my elbow. 

Then, out of nowhere, Paige stands up, her curly blonde hair flying around her head. "If you've all forgotten the last time we got mixed up in this sort of thing, then..." Tears brim at the edges of her eyes and she whips around and storms out of the library. 

By now, people have started to stare, including the Americans. "I'll go after her." I collect my things and hurry in the direction my friend went. By sprinting, I can catch up to her. 

"Leave me alone!" Paige snaps at me. 

I reach for her robe sleeve. "I'm just trying to talk to you!"

"I'm fine." Paige flicks her sleeve away from me. "I'm going to talk to Finn." 

My hand automatically recoils into my chest. "You used to talk to me about everything! What happened?"

"I just need some time to myself," Paige says shortly.

"With Finn?" My words are sharper than I realize and Paige freezes in her step. "You can't keep pushing us away."

"Just go away, okay? I don't need you butting in!" 

"I'm just trying to care!" 

"Well then stop!" Paige's words echo down the hallway. Only after she disappears around the corner does it truly sink in what she said. For some reason, I feel like crying. 

"It's okay..." I turn around and bury my face into Pip's robes. He rubs my back and all I feel like doing is crumbling. I work my way through my classes and by the time dinner rolls around, I slide in next to Pip, Anthony, and Amber. Paige is late and I saw Draco by the toilets.

"We're going to do some sleuthing this year," I state. 

Anthony pauses in the middle of chowing down on some meat pie. "But didn't Paige say-"

I cut him off. "I don't particularly care." My friends stare. "Not like that. I don't care about her opinion. Hopefully, I'll figure out what's really bothering her. In the meantime..." 

I narrow my eyes at Leo, who has just walked inside the Hall. "This is going to be just like old times!" Amber smiles brightly at me. I notice Headmistress McGonagall glaring at me and I hurry back to my own table.

Once we finish eating, the Goblet is brought out. I feel nauseous just looking at the thing. I tune out the speeches until it's time for the champions to be chosen. 

"The champion for Durmstrang is Anastasia Volkov!" A girl with silky auburn hair and freckles over her nose stands up from the Durmstrang tables and walks up to McGonagall. 

Another flame rises up from the fire for the Beauxbatons champion. "Darcy Laurent." I have to peer over the sea of heads to catch a glance of him. He's fairly tall with light brown skin and, oddly enough, bright green eyes. 

The crowd quickly falls silent when the Goblet begins to sputter again. The paper is plucked out of the air and a name is read. "David Geltz!" It's one of the Americans. 

The Gryffindor table cheers and whoops and a young man with glowing orange-ish skin and dark hair rises and walks towards the Headmistress and disappears. Headmistress McGonagall dismisses the room. 

"I never would have thought one of them would have gotten it," Draco whispers to me. 

I bite my lip. "Neither would I. But I suppose the Goblet has a mind of its own, doesn't it?"

Draco just shrugs and ambles away. I catch Merrily's eye across the hall. She smiles and waves at me and I can't help but give a small smile back. 

Turning my head slightly, I see Paige. She catches my eye, but quickly turns away and ignores me. I can't figure out what is wrong, but I'm going to find out.

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Here's the next chapter! I'm still stuck inside, so... Also, if you haven't seen my announcement, go give it a look-see. I'm going to edit my first story, and I would like some feedback!

*cautiously opens fourth wall*

Me: How's everyone doing?

Merrily: *banging head with a book*

Abigail: *sobbing in the bathroom*

Me: I see.

Nico: STOP MOVING

Leo: I'm using the BATHROOM.

Nico: Well STOP

Chey: Abigail, there's only TWO bathrooms! Go cry somewhere else!!

Abigail: *more sobbing*

Ryan: I'm going insane here....

David: Technically... you can't prove that I can die. Until I do die.

Chey: David-

David: I am IMMORTAL.

Chey: David-

David: Until proven mortal! I will live FOREVER!

Chey: DAVID-

David: Until something kills me.

Chey: DAVID YOU HAVE DIED. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT YOU ARE INDEED MORTAL.

David: Am I wrong though?

Chey:....just do the disclaimer.

David: CheyPaigeFanfic does not own PJO or HoO. Nor does she own the Harry Potter franchise.

David: Back to my previous point...

Chey: How about we test it?

David: Uh....

Chey: *draws sword*

Merrily: Please vote and comment!