Chapter 47

A thump to the face was what woke Atlas the morning of the Triward choosing. She had sat up, understandably confused and disorientated as her eyes focused and were met with one of the ugliest, most endearing, furry faces she had ever seen. Crookshanks. He stared at her with his beady orange eyes, licking his chops and wiping at his face with damp paws. Atlas watched him do so, blinking slowly as she recalled the events of the night prior. Her face exploded heatedly and she yelled, just yelled at the top of her lungs, startling Crookshanks who yowled, jumping off of her to some sort of sanctuary.

The door slammed open and Ginny stopped in the doorway, looking around the room with her wand drawn and ready. Atlas buried her face in a pillow and wailed loudly, a strange sight to be met with at 9 AM and that was saying something as Ginny had walked in on many scenes in her lifetime. The redhead withdrew her wand from the room and tucked it in her skirt pocket, looking at Atlas in confusion and mild annoyance.

“What are you wailing about!?”

“Ginny!” Atlas shouted, throwing the pillow to the side and quickly advancing on the girl, she took her shoulders and shook her around. Ginny staring at her, now with worry in her eyes. “Ginny, this is so bad!”

“What?! What is so bad!?”

“I — I can’t do this” Atlas let her go and ran a hand through her hair, realising after glancing down at herself and seeing the shocked but giggling faces of the girls that had gathered to see what the disturbance was that she hadn’t worn a shirt to bed. “Hey! Go to breakfast, would you! And stop ogling!”

“We’re looking respectfully!” Alicia called as she walked past and down to the Common Rooms, the rest followed after her, laughing amongst themselves as Ginny simply sighed and Atlas grabbed a tossed shirt from her dresser, pushing her feet into some shoes by the door.

“Are you going to tell me now?” Ginny asked.

“No, nope, I can’t deal with it right now,” Atlas shook her head, waving it off as she moved past Ginny and out of her room. Crookshanks slipped through the door before it could close and scaled up the back of Atlas’s jumper, perching himself on her shoulder comfortably.

“You can’t just wake up, scream bloody murder and expect me to forget about it!” Ginny fumed, running after her, though her expression ended up soft and concerned, “Was it a nightmare?”

“Feels like a nightmare. I can’t believe you were right,” Atlas whined.

“I’m right about most things so you better start believing it,” Ginny remarked and then went slightly wide-eyed. “You like Hermione! You actually like–!”

A few Gryffindors walked by and Atlas quickly covered Ginny’s mouth, a furious blush flushing across her face as she stared at Ginny, desperately telling her to shut up, sort of pleading actually. She looked just a tad bit pathetic. “Ginny, I swear…”

“Ok, ok!” Ginny threw her hands up and Atlas pulled away, running another, shakier, hand through her hair. “I mean, I told you so…”

“Ginny!”

“Alright!” she cried, her hands in the air again as Atlas glared at her. “Sorry.”

“I need to talk to Cedric about this.”

“Why pretty boy?”

“I just do,” Atlas said. “Godric, everyone kept asking me if I did but I don’t know how to recognise a crush so I just said ‘I don’t know’, believing that I could never actually have a crush on Hermione Granger but — HERE WE ARE!”

“Atlas, calm down. You’re scaring the common folk,” Ginny whispered in a teasing tone, motioning to the first and second years who stared at the two of them in awed wonder. Ginny waved at them politely while Atlas nodded with a nervous smile.

“Happy Halloween?”

Ginny snorted and Crookshanks smacked the side of Atlas’s face with his tail. “Merlin, you’re lame.”

“Shove off,” Atlas grumbled, rubbing her eyes and groaning again. Ginny laughed and clutched her stomach, relishing in Atlas’s suffering as they walked down to the Great Hall. “It’s all Fleur’s fault. That girl, I’m gonna french fry her.”

“Why is it her fault?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Atlas murmured, waving it off, she scratched behind Crookshanks’s ears idly and they came to the entrance hall, the two of them – three, plus Crookshanks – coming to an abrupt stop as two figures came hurtling toward them, thudding to the ground just at their feet. Ginny snorted into her fist before going into a round of full-bellied laughter as Atlas crouched and prodded the bodies of Fred and George with her wand. Crookshanks reached forward and played with the long white beards that were steadily sprouting from their chins.

The entirety of the entrance hall rang with laughter. Even Fred and George joined in when they had recomposed themselves and seen each other’s new hairy facial growths. Atlas helped them up from the floor with an amused smile on her face, crossing her arms as Crookshanks’s tail wagged testily, his eyes set on their beards.

“Dumbledore did warn you,” Atlas remarked.

“That I did,” a deep, amused voice, agreed. Atlas peered over George’s shoulder to see Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. “I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours.”

Atlas patted the twins’ backs as they walked past, Lee Jordan going after them as he howled in hysterics. The laughter of the crowd died down to chortles as a few continued on to breakfast, leaving Atlas to just shake her head in exasperated amusement as she uncrossed her arms and moved forward. Only, a sharp hiss of pain came from behind her and she turned to see just the boy she had been seeking to talk to, clutching his hand and staring at Crookshanks in mild trepidation. 

It seems Crookshanks had swiped him after he’d tried to grab Atlas’s shoulder.

“Who needs guard dogs, huh?” He chuckled and Atlas fully turned around, regarding him with a slight smirk.

“Don’t try and grab my shoulder next time Diggory.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Cedric nodded and Atlas smiled, pulling out her wand to heal the minor cut he had endured on the back of his hand. He put his injury forward and Atlas circled her wand in one smooth motion, watching as the flesh intertwined back together. She remained staring at his hand a moment, eyes moving down to his ringed finger.

“I really need to make you a new one,” she tapped the wooden piece softly, “this one isn’t exactly my best work.”

He snatched his hand back. “Hey now, I like this one.”

“Suit yourself,” Atlas shrugged. 

“So, I just wanted to let you know–“

“So, I need your help–“

They stared at each other in surprise before laughing lightly at their timing, Cedric urged her to start before him while Atlas insisted he did the same. Ginny watched them from the side and rolled her eyes with a light groan, Crookshanks hissing in Atlas’s ear as he turned and jumped into the redhead’s arms, the two of them making their way into the Great Hall.

“Fine, well, I just wanted to let you know, I’m not entering,” Cedric said and Atlas quirked a brow, looking at him in surprise.

“Why the change of heart, Ced?”

“My mum, she sent me a letter a few days ago. She didn’t want me to enter, she was really scared for my safety, you know? My dad was trying to encourage me but I didn’t want to potentially hurt my mum,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. Atlas looked at him and grinned, hooking her arm around his shoulder as she ruffled his hair heartily. He laughed through a grimace, pushing her hands away. “So, yeah, that’s my news. What did you want to say?”

“Oh…” Atlas uttered as a light blush coloured her cheeks, she ran a hand through her hair again and glanced around to the people near, moving closer so nobody would hear. “So…I have a crush on Hermione.”

“And that’s news?”

“Shut up Ced!” Atlas warned. “I mean…no, I get what you mean it’s just, I guess, sure now that I think about it, it makes sense, who wouldn’t like her? She’s like…perfect.”

“Anyone would think you’re talking about your gal pal Fleur.”

“She’s not my type if you hadn’t noticed. Gorgeous girl but no, I like Hermione and I am admitting it now and like I said, I don’t see why I didn’t realise sooner because it makes total sense and now I’m just going to have to live with it and get on with my life,” She ranted, taking a deep breath with a small satisfied smile. She was glad to get that off of her chest.

“Or…you could ask her out?”

“Why would I do that?” Atlas asked, her brows furrowed as if the suggestion alone was the most bamboozling quiz question she had ever come across. “That is possibly the stupidest thing I could do.”

“How?”

“Because! She has a crush on someone else, I’ve already been rejected. I see no reason in having to hear a direct rejection when I’ve already heard the indirect one, plus she’s so out of my league. I’ll just get over it…kiss some other girls or something,” Atlas said wisely and Cedric looked at her, mouth slightly agape as he took Atlas in for the first time, really took her in and saw her for what she truly was. Idiotic.

“Atlas, are you sure the daughter of a genius?”

“Yes?”

“Oh Godric, I forget you’re hopeless when talking about feelings, you either overshare or blabber,” Cedric sighed, crossing his chest and clasping his palms together.

“Are you — are you praying?”

“Yes.”

“Cedric…I really do hate you sometimes.”

The door burst open beside them and Atlas winced, watching as Angelina walked in with Katie and Leanne flanking her sides. A soft murmur arose from the remaining crowd as Angelina advanced on the cup and plucked a piece of paper from her robes, holding it high in the air. Atlas and Cedric exchanged a look before grinning and clapping their hands, whistling as Atlas’s fellow Gryffindor Chaser plopped the sheat in the blue flames of the cup. It turned a bright red and everyone broke out into uproarious applause, cheering, whistling, slamming the feet against the floor.

“Whoop whoop, Angelina!” Cedric called through cupped hands and Atlas laughed, sending a wink the girl’s way as she turned and bowed dramatically. “At least we have a shot at winning if Angelina’s entering.”

“That’s for sure,” Atlas grinned and tucked her hands in her pockets. “You heading in for breakfast?”

“Yeah, you coming?”

“Nah, say hello to Cho for me though, and Luna if she’s nearby. I’m gonna go for a walk,” Atlas saluted, walking backwards as Cedric rolled his eyes and waved her goodbye. He blew a playful kiss her way from his wand and Atlas drew her own, swiping it from the air.

“Hey!”

“Bye Cedric!”

“One of these days you’ll be wishing you accepted my love and affection, Las!”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night!” She called, laughing slightly as she jogged out of the entrance hall and into the courtyard. She spotted the Beauxbatons lot, venturing up the hillside from their house-like carriage parked in front of Hagrid’s cabin and waved, going over to Fleur when the girl beckoned her over.

She carefully jogged down the rocky path, being cautious not to fall down the pebbled slopes and stopped in front of her Veela friend, looking at her expectantly. Fleur handed her the black bundle of cloth from under her arm and pecked her cheek. “Zank you for warming me.”

“No problem, Madame Delacour,” Atlas bowed. “You guys putting your names in?”

“Yes, we are on our way now,” Fleur confirmed. “Speaking of, sorry Atlas but I must get going, I am ‘olding up ze line.”

“No, no, you’re ok,” Atlas smiled, stepping back and casting a charming look to the girls waiting behind. “Sorry, ladies, have a good day.”

“Bye Atlas,” They chorussed.

“Bye Fleur!”

“Goodbye!” Fleur waved lightly as Atlas took off down the hill, flinging her cloak over her shoulders quickly as she went. She jumped over the final boulder at the bottom and waved at Hagrid through his window, continuing on into the tree line where, casting a quick look around, she shifted.

A great big beast stood among the trees now, her sides haggard in appearance, with scars donning her skin, leaving no fur around the inflicted area. Frog – that god awful name – huffed through her maws and casually padded through the forest, making her way to the Black Lake where she would sit and enjoy the peace.

It was a beautiful morning, the sun rising upon the horizon, basking the previously blue scene in the warmth of its orange rays. It brushed, delicately, across the wood, shadows cast where the trees blocked the light from the forest floor. Atlas bathed in the cosy light, feeling as the heat was trapped in her coat making her suddenly quite sleepy, she yawned loudly, her glinting pearly fangs on show to the entire forest as she lazily moved over to the bank, circling herself once before collapsing in a heap with her chin soaking in the water.

The great big tail behind her tapped rhythmically upon the rocks, sending a few into the lake as she shut her eyes and breathed out through her nose heavily, settling into a comfortable dreamless sleep.

There was a sudden crack from behind her and Atlas jolted awake, sitting up slightly and blinking the fatigue from her eyes. She turned her head to the sound and peered through the green.

Locks of white hair flitted through the trees and Atlas noticed, upon further inspection, the person was not wearing any shoes. She huffed, immediately knowing who it was and stood, shaking her head around and licking the water from her chops. Luna was idly dancing through the trees, a satchel over her arm and a piece of meat in her other hand. This was Thestral territory, what was Luna doing in these parts? Better yet, what was she doing out here on her own?

Atlas stopped behind her and blew a solid breath at the back of Luna’s neck, startling the girl only slightly as she then turned around and smiled an airy smile. “Hello, Atlas.” 

The Dire Wolf nodded in greeting and looked past the girl, setting her eyes on a herd of Thestrals eating a few pieces of uncooked beef from the forest floor, she looked back at Luna and huffed, remembering how Luna had had to witness her mothers death much like she had.

“You’ve got new scars,” Luna pointed out and Atlas nodded again, circling the Thestrals idly as they ate. 

She’d always found the beasts so fascinating. After she’d gotten over the initial shock of seeing them, knowing the reason she was able to she had tended to avoid them but in times like these when she had other pressing matters clawing their ways to the front of her mind, she was simply able to appreciate what a fine magical beast Thestrals were. Legends of old say Thestrals are the wandering souls of Unicorns done wrong by the wizarding world, they say that in death caused by greedy hearts they become the antithesis of what they were in life. Dark horses instead of ones of purity.

“Beautiful creatures, aren’t they, Thestrals?” Luna mused, sitting down as a Thestral foal clumsily walked over to her, sitting comfortably in her lap. Atlas watched the scene and moved to sit beside Luna as well, slowly falling onto her back and staring up through the trees. A resounding thud came with it and soon Luna fell to her back as well. “Did you have a good Summer, Atlas? We haven’t spoken in quite some time.”

“Yeah, my summer was alright,” Atlas agreed, her snout shortening and her ears losing their fur, her hind legs grew longer and straighter and her coat was replaced with the clothes she had donned that morning. “Bit lonely.”

“Ginny told me Hermione said that a lot,” Luna said airily, scratching the underside of her foal friend Thestrals chin. “I suppose she missed you.”

“What gave you that idea?”

“You’re her person, the sprites say you were always the chosen one to take care of her when she overworked herself in the library because she trusts you so much,” Luna told matter-of-factly. “They say there’s a bond.”

Atlas laughed heartily. “A bond? And how do the sprites know this?”

“They can see it in our magic, don’t you know? Everybody has a unique imprint and some magic signatures complement each other,” Luna smiled and Atlas huffed in thought, nodding her head lightly. “You have a very malleable imprint, however, the sprites say your magic is easy to get along with. Maybe that’s why so many students like you.”

“You know Luna, that made sense,” Atlas murmured, furrowing her brows slightly.

“I know, anyway, I have to go now.”

“Go?” Atlas shifted onto her stomach and watched as Luna stood, gathering herself and throwing a final piece of meat to her Thestral friend. “Where are you going?”

“Hunting!”

“Hunting — Luna! Be careful!” Atlas called as she skipped away, she watched her go until her hair disappeared in the distance and sighed, turning onto her back and staring up at the clouded sky. It looked like it was going to rain. A few drops fell upon her face just as she had this thought and the Thestrals retreated further into their territory, where the canopies above were so thick no water would pass through them. Atlas was tempted to follow them but refrained, getting up and shifting into her big furry alter-ego.

A bird nearby squawked out its surprise and Atlas flicked up a cloud of dust its way, smiling to herself as it flapped in offence and took off back home. She stretched a moment, smacking her chops before turning and walking in the direction of Hagrid’s hut, her paws making depressions in the ground where she walked until they formed into shoe-prints, slowly shrinking to an acceptable, human, size.

She cracked her neck as she jogged up the backsteps of Hagrid’s hut, knocking once before immediately entering without waiting for a response. “You alright, Hagrid? I was just down by the lake with–” she looked up and made a strange gurgled noise at the back of her throat, much like the one Ron had done when first laying his eyes on Fleur. “Hermione.”

“We’re here too,” Ron remarked, crossing his arms.

“Who were you with?” Harry asked, grinning.

“Uh, Luna…we were…talking about magic,” Atlas swallowed, “I didn’t know you were here.”

“We didn’t know you were going to be here,” Hermione smiled.

“Yeh came jus’ as we were leavin’, Atlas,” Hagrid boomed and Atlas glanced over at him, noticing that he was dressed up a lot fancier than usual, with a hairy brown suit and a checked yellow-and-orange tie, his hair slicked back with an unhealthy amount of gel.

“Like that?” Atlas blurted. Ron and Harry almost choked as they held back their laughs, Hermione going red with surprise as Hagrid startled. “Sorry, what I meant to say was, can I do your hair?”

“Oh! Like old times ‘ey?”

“Like old times,” Atlas nodded, walking over to him the long way as the short way went past one Hermione Granger. Hagrid sat back down in his seat and Atlas’s trio moved to watch the scene unfold, glancing at each other dubiously as Atlas pulled out her wand and drenched Hagrid’s head to get rid of the gel. “This’ll only take a second…” she murmured, looking over to Hagrid’s dresser and grabbing the four huge hairbands he had atop it. “Alright…” she gathered his hair and quietly got to work, Harry and Ron watching with wide eyes as Hermione smiled in disbelief.

“Since when were you a hairdresser?” Harry asked in surprise.

“Since–” Atlas pulled her hand free of the tie and patted Hagrid’s shoulders. “–Now. There we go Hagrid. You’ve got a woodcutter look about you now!”

“Lumberjack, Atty,” Hermione correctly with a smile. Atlas glanced over at her and quietly nodded, clearing her throat as she then brushed herself down nervously.

“We should get goin’ now!” Hagrid cheered, clapping his hands together as he moved past them. Atlas smiled and went after him, gesturing for her friends to follow as the cool breeze of the afternoon struck them. Light rain hit them but they didn’t mind and instead, got to walking up the hillside. Well, tried to, but Hagrid suddenly stopped and gazed over at the Beauxbatons carriage.

“Hagrid?” Atlas murmured.

“Hold on a secon’, I’ll be back,” he said in an undertone, striding over to where Madame Maxime had just left her home for the coming months, her students behind her. Ron moved forward, gaping over in their direction.

“Should we follow him?” He mumbled, sounding a little braindead. Atlas knew why, Fleur had just walked out and turned their direction, she waved curtly and Atlas waved back, glancing at Hermione in her peripheral seeing how she furrowed her brows at the ground.

“No…” Atlas said with a smile, turning to continue walking as Hermione looked up in surprise. “Come on, we should get our seats.”

“But you’re a representative of the school!” Ron cried and Atlas rolled her eyes.

“Hagrid’s doing all the representing we need,” Atlas grinned and Harry laughed, Hermione, chuckling herself.

“Yeah, bet he fancies her!” Ron nodded. “Well, if they end up having children, they’ll be setting a world record – bet any baby of theirs would weigh about a ton.”

“Don’t make me picture that,” Atlas grimaced, shoving Ron away from her as she walked up the remainder of the sloping lawns. She saw the Durmstrang lot walking toward the castle from the lake just ahead of them and cast a wave to Zasha and Viktor, Zasha offering an enthusiastic one of her own while Krum simply nodded. 

They walked into the entrance hall after them and further into the candlelit Great Hall. The Goblet of Fire had been moved to sit in front of Dumbledore’s empty chair. Atlas noticed Zasha exchanging words with Karkaroff before she broke off from her group and sat at the Gryffindor table, right next to Ginny Weasley. “Oh, Merlin…” Atlas sighed, smiling at the utter confusion on Ginny’s face.

“Atlas!” Harry hissed, nudging her unscathed shoulder. She turned to him, grabbing Hermione’s shoulders slightly as she moved past her and closer to him, only to retract her hands at a speed no one would ever say was normal. “You alright?” he grinned as Hermione looked at them strangely.

“Fine,” Atlas said, her voice cracking slightly. Harry snorted and Atlas slapped him. “What did you want?”

“Oh, yesterday when you said you were giving your friend, Zasha, relationship advice,” he began and glanced over her shoulder again. “Don’t tell me she has a crush on Ginny?” he finished with a smirk.

“Alright, I won’t tell you she has a crush on Ginny,” Atlas said and Harry laughed again, this time in disbelief.

The three came to their table and took their respective seats, Atlas putting a considerable amount of distance between herself and Hermione with Zasha on her other side talking animatedly with Ginny who seemed to be having a good time. The girl turned and looked at Atlas, clapping her back. “World Holder! You did not tell me Ginny was a fan of the Holyhead Harpies!”

“I did tell you to get to know her yourself,” Atlas whispered back and leaned to see Ginny. “I see you’ve met Zasha?”

“She sort of dropped in,” Ginny smiled as Zasha beamed, nodding proudly.

“It’s nice to meet you Zasha,” Harry said, putting his hand forward. Atlas quickly pushed it away.

“I wouldn’t,” she warned.

“I have a very firm grip,” Zasha grinned. “So you are Potter boy! Atlas’s brother?”

“That I am,” Harry nodded surely, nudging Atlas under the table and sending her a smile. Atlas smiled back.

“It is very good to meet you and you, you are Ginny’s brother? Ron?” Zasha greeted and Ron quickly nodded. “I can tell by your hair! Very distinct! And Hermione, we have met! I’m sorry for dragging Atlas away from you.”

“Water under the bridge,” Hermione smiled. 

Soon after, when introductions had finished, the food had come, still as extravagant as ever and while Atlas found herself enjoying the meal, everybody else was shooting apprehensive glances to the Top table, trying to see if Dumbledore had finished his meal. She ignored it and continued eating, having skipped breakfast and lunch she was starved and wasn’t going to let some tournament that didn’t concern her ruin that.

She glanced over at Ginny and Zasha after demolishing another slab of steak, watching as they talked quietly between themselves. Ginny seemed to be grinning and nodding as she then caught Atlas’s eye and smirked, turning back to Zasha. Atlas quirked a brow, wondering what they were talking about. That was until Zasha, very abruptly, slid closer, knocking her nearer and removing the space she had made between herself and Hermione.

The drink in Hermione’s hand spilt over the table as Atlas braced herself against the bench, a brilliant red, tinted her cheeks as Hermione looked at her with wide eyes, their faces inches apart but their bodies pressed snuggly against each other. Ginny cackled behind them as Zasha turned with a smile, looking back at Ginny and muttering something under her breath to which the redhead nodded excitedly.

“I’m…sorry,” Atlas breathed, leaning backwards and trying to go back to her food, however, with Hermione’s leg pressed up against her own, she couldn’t focus and the soup she had on her spoon fell back into the bowl. She gave up and instead leant her head in her palm, looking anywhere but at Hermione or Ginny and wishing, unlike before, that Dumbledore would hurry and announce the champions.

At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; and Atlas let out a breath, sitting up straighter and trying, in vain, to ignore the way Hermione shifted and somehow got impossibly closer. Atlas thought, to an outsider, that she might look on the brink of fainting.

Dumbledore stood, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime on either side of him looking as tense and expectant as everyone else, while Ludo Bagman, ever the ball of excitement, was beaming and winking at various students. Mr Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored. 

“Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision,” Dumbledore called. “I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions’ names are called, I would ask them to please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber” – he indicated the door behind the staff table – “where they will be receiving their first instructions.”

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it. At once they were plunged into a state of semidarkness and Atlas actually allowed herself a moment to sort herself out under the veil. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes, Atlas blinked a few times to water her dry eyes as she took in quiet breaths.

“Any second,” Lee Jordan whispered, two seats away from Ginny.

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air and Dumbledore pulled a charred piece of parchment from it, holding it at arm’s length and using the light of the flame to read its contents.

“The champion for Durmstrang,” he read, in a strong, clear voice, “will be Viktor Krum.”

“No surprises there!” Ron yelled, as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Zasha whooped loudly, banging the table excitedly as Krum walked up to Dumbledore, bowed in respect and followed the instructions the champions had been given. 

“Bravo, Viktor!” boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. “Knew you had it in you!”

The clapping and chanting died down. Now everyone’s attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. The second piece of parchment was plucked from within and Atlas noticed it was blue, fashioned in the style of a skirt reminiscent of the uniforms the Beauxbatons wore.

“The champion for Beauxbatons,” Dumbledore began, “is Fleur Delacour!”

Atlas startled and smiled slightly as she watched Fleur gracefully get to her feet, shaking back her silvery blonde hair and gliding between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. She clapped and, despite their rivalry, so did Zasha and Atlas even thought she had spotted a few tears in the girl’s eye but didn’t comment, settling to just use it at some later date as blackmail.

When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next. Atlas had a sudden sinking feeling, her gut clenching as if about to hurl up that day’s dinner. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead as she stared at the Goblet, transfixed as it seemed to whisper names. Her name. She clutched at her chest and wheezed a breath, grimacing.

And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it, more violent and fierce than those previous, practically spitting out the parchment it had decided, not waiting for Dumbledore to pull the candidate from its depths. Dumbledore caught it, glancing at the cup in mild surprise before he unravelled the parchment and stared upon it silently. There was a long pause and it seemed even Dumbledore was hesitant to read it.

“The Hogwarts Champion is…” he glanced at it again, licking his lips before uttering the name scrawled across it, reading out —

“Atlas Magianima.”