Potens ▹ Golden Trio Era

chapter seven

"I wonder if I could have a little word with our unsuspecting champion before we start?" Rita asked, her eyes boring into the small raven-haired girl that stood beside the celebrity quidditch player, "The youngest champion, you know....to add a bit of colour?"

"Certainly!" Cried, Bagman.

Before Raven had a chance to object, the fussy woman had already begun strutting over to a door, Viktor squeezed her arm, muttering a quickly "Good luck." Before Raven sighed and followed the woman.

"It's a lot quieter in here," Rita said as she sat on an upturned bucket, "Very exhilarating!" She beamed, pushing the girl down onto a cardboard box. "So, Raven....what made you so keen to enter the Triwizard Tournament?" Rita asked suddenly, startling the girl.

"I didn't enter." Raven said immediately, furrowing her dark eyebrows at the woman, "I have no reason for wanting to enter."

Rita sighed thoughtfully, "You had no idea then," Then, without waiting for Raven's reply continued, "Some might call this a fustercluck."

Raven looked at the interviewer in confusion, as the elegant green quill wrote everything down obediently, "A....what?"

"How do you feel about tasks the ahead," Rita continued, whilst the green quill wrote down different words to what left her mouth, that was painted in a cringe-worthy pink lipstick, "Are you nervous? Champions have died in the past, haven't they?"

"Umm, they said it was supposed to be a lot safer this year, so there's that." Raven muttered, running her tongue across her top lip, as the quill continued to whizz across the parchment.

"Of course," Rita muttered thoughtfully, although she could see the quill writing down the woman's true thoughts, 'is this all an elaborate scheme for the young witch to not sit her O.W.Ls (due to all champions being excused from their end of year tests), which was evidently this year?'

Raven looked up at the woman in disgust, "I didn't put my name in the cup, they was an age line that someone with my lack of talent in magic would have no hope of confounding. I'm not even good at magic for Merlin's sake!"

Rita huffed, as the notebook beside her flicked onto the next page, "And how about your mother, Kefira Howendale," Rita began, a malicious smile spreading across her face, "How do you think she would feel knowing her only child, so desperate for attention would put her name into such a dangerous tournament?"

Raven felt her eyes begin to water, "My mothers dead," She stated, bluntly, "Even if she was alive she would believe that I didn't enter."

Rita clicked her tongue thoughtfully, "But how can you be so sure, I'm mean she was dead before you were even born....so how do know what her reaction would've being?"

Raven felt the cardboard box tip over, as she stood up in a hurry, salty tears leaking out of her eyes as she left the dark broom cupboard into the bright, small classroom, "Добре ли си?" ("Are you okay?") Viktor whispered to the girl as she walked over to him, glaring at the white-haired woman as she strutted out of the dark broom cupboard.

"Тя започна да пита за майка ми" ("She started asking about my mother,") Raven said bluntly glaring at the woman as she began to chatter aimlessly with Mr. Bagman, "Така излязох." ("So I walked out.")

"добре за теб," ("Good for you") Viktor muttered thoughtfully, "Това е правилната болка, като жена." ("She's a right pain that woman is.") Raven chuckled lightly.

Dumbledore, who had just entered the room with a strange man behind him, began talking, "May I introduce Mr. Ollivander? He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament."

The wand-maker was old with large, pale spooky eyes, the man had moved to stand beside the window silently, "Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you first, please?" Said Mr. Ollivander as the Beauxbatons champion swept forward, handing the old wizard her wand. "Hmm...." He said thoughtfully, twirling the wand between his long fingers as pink and gold sparks admitted from the end of it, "Yes," He said quietly, "Nine and a half inches....inflexible....rosewood....and containing....dear me...."

"An 'air from ze 'ead of a veela," Said fleur, the half veela, proudly, "One of my grandmuzzer's."

"Yes," Said Mr. Ollivander finally, "yes, I've never used veela hair myself, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wands....however, each to their own, and if this suits you...." Mr. Ollivander ran his slender fingers across the wand one last time before handing it back to Fleur, "Mr. Diggory, you next."

"Ah, now, this is one of mine, isn't it?" The wand-maker said with more enthusiasm, "Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male unicorn....must have been seventeen hands; nearly gored me with his horn after I plucked his tail....ash....pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition....you treat it regularly?"

"Polished it last night." The Hogwarts champion said, proudly.

Mr. Ollivander, who seemed very proud of Cedric and his wand cleaning, ran his slender fingers across the wood before handing it back over to the Hufflepuff boy, "Mr. Krum, if you please," Viktor, after squeezing the shoulder of Raven one last time, slouched towards Mr. Ollivander, "Hmm," Said Mr. Ollivander thoughtfully, "This is a Gregorovitch creation unless I'm much mistaken? A fine wand-maker, though the styling is never quite what I....however...." The wand-maker lifted the wand and began examining it, "Yes....hornbeam and dragon heartstring? Rather thicker that one usually sees....quite rigid....ten and a quarter inches....avis!" As the wand-maker tested the wand, he handed it back over to Viktor, "Which now leaves, Ms. Howendale!"

Raven blushed a crimson shade of red as all eyes in the room turned to face her, Dumbledore now perched on the edge of his seat in curiosity. Raven handed her wand over to the wand-maker, "Intriguing...." The wand-maker muttered thoughtfully, "dragon heartstring....makes for a strong wand, however.... larch wood," The wand-maker twirled the wand in his hands, "12 1/2 inches....Merlin, but slightly springy....this is a rather curious mix. Powerful....but difficult to handle," he continued, "May I ask where you incepted such a curious wand?" He asked curiously.

Raven swallowed the lump in her throat, "From Gregorvitch, like Viktor."

Ollivander muttered something under his breath, "This wand is most intriguing; temperamental but powerful, while it will suit you fine for the tasks at hand, I will be making sure to ask Gregorvitch the meaning behind this curious wand," Handing the wand back over to the confused witch, Ollivander muttered, "Treat it carefully." Before Raven retreated to her spot beside Viktor.

"Thank you all," Said Dumbledore after a moment of thought "You may go back to lessons now - or perhaps it would be quicker just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end -"

As the champions got prepared to leave, the man with the black camera jumped up from his spot, "Photos, Dumbeldore, photos!" Cried Bagman excitedly, "All the judges and champions, what do you think, Rita?" Raven groaned internally.

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Began Writing 17/07/20 10:36
Published 21/07/20 23:46
Tomorrow I'm getting my nails done - for the first time since lockdown. But I have no idea what colour! Ugh the choices.
Hope you enjoyed it anyway.
The Golden Trio will make a bigger appearance in upcoming chapters!