The Awakening

An Interview and a Sirius Matter

The photographer had two chairs for me and the other girl and had us take quite a few pictures. After the final photo was taken, there was a puff of smoke and a woman appeared. She was well groomed and dressed... colorfully.

She smiled at us. "What a charismatic quartet. Hello!"

She came over to us and shook each of our hands. "I'm Rita Skeeter, I write for the daily prophet." She said. When she shook my hand, I could feel how much lotion she had used before getting here. I casually wiped my hand on the inside of my robe.

"But of course you know that don't you. It's you we don't know, you're the news." She went to the girl an started to feel her cheeks. "What quirks lurk beneath those rosy cheeks?"

"What mysteries do the muscles mask?" She started to walk behind us. "Does courage lie beneath those curls? In short, what makes a champion tick. Me, myself and I want to know. Not to mention my rabid readers. So, who's feeling up to sharing? Mmm? Shall we start with the youngest. Lovely."

I watched as she took Harry's hand and brought him into the closet. "Why is she taking him in there?" I asked more to myself than to anyone else.

"I don't know, but she gives me the chills." The other girl said.

"She is weird." I laughed.

"Agreed," she giggled.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

"Fleur Delacour."

"Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure is all mine," she smiled.

I looked up at Cedric and laughed. "Your hair, she messed it up."He looked confused and tried to fix it but utterly failed.

"Here," I stood up and went do him. "May I?"

He nodded and I fixed his messy hair. "There, all better."

"Liz, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah."

We went to the other side of the room and he sighed. "Why would you do this?"

"Do what?" I asked, confused.

"Why would you put your name in the goblet? Here I though that you hated the tournament, but I guess that was all a lie." I could tell he was more hurt than angry.

"I didn't. I swear."

"Then can you explain how your name got into the goblet?"

"No, I cant. I wish I could then I could tell you, but I'm as clueless as you are when it comes to this. What I can tell you is that I'm scared. I'm so fricking scared. First there's death eaters at the Quidditch game and now Harry and I are in the tournament. I don't know what to think. The only reason I can think of is my father and that scares me. He ..." I could feel my voice breaking. "He scares me so much."

I then realized that I had never admitted this out loud, or to myself for that matter. I wanted to believe I was strong and that Voldemort didn't get to me, but I realized I was only lying to myself. Cedric hugged me hard and I felt good. I felt safe, but I knew it wouldn't last. We both heard the closet door open.

Harry came out first and the reporter, Ms. Skeeter. She looked around until he eyes landed on me. "Elizabeth Riddle, you're next."

Cedric let go of me and I walked up to her. She led me into the broom-cupboard. I sat down on one of the steps and she sat across from me. I didn't even want to ask why we were in there.