The tension was beyond evident in the air of the dining hall the following night. All the students had gathered hours earlier, but they were just now bringing the goblet up to the head table. Melody had placed herself perfecting at the Patron table to get a wonderful view of the entire room except for the corner behind the staff. Marcel sat beside her tapping her knee with an off rhythm. His calmness almost upset Melody.
Dumbledore, Madame Maxime and Brunckston formed a line beside the goblet. Madame Maxime stepped forward and with a flourish of her hand, the goblet burst into red flame. In seconds, she has a small bit of parchment in her palm.
“Dobri Pasternva “ Durmstrang!” Maxime sang over the light buzz.
A strongly built boy rose from a table very near Melody’s own. He must have been the Durmstrang favorite, for with him rose the entire delegation in boisterous approval. He shook the administrator’s waiting hands and then disappeared behind a side curtain pointed out to him.
There was a pause that hung in the air for what seemed like a lifetime before the flames took on their ruby hue once more. Melody felt her grip on Marcel’s hand tighten to the point of assault as the scrap of paper shot up high in the air and gracefully took it’s time falling back to Earth. It was almost as if the paper was showing off or teasing the audience, but that could simply have been Melody’s mind jousting her about.
Finally, the paper landed in Madame Maxime’s hand and she began to unfold it. Melody noticed a hint of a chuckle in Maxime’s face as she read the name to herself. Just to torture Melody more it seemed, Maxime then passed it to Dumbledore who joined her in the joking expression. Melody was about to grab her wand and magic it out of them when Madame Maxime rose her hand in the air to introduce the second champion.
“’arry Potter!” her voice rang through the hall.
Melody felt every muscle in her body go rigid as she watched the Hogwarts delegation march Harry up to the front of the hall. They were singing some awful song as they did so, but the room had gone silent for Melody.
Harry bowed modestly to the headmasters and pranced off to the side room. His remaining followers then skipped back to their seats feeling as if they truly accomplished something there.
Again, Melody’s hand tightened on Marcel’s, for he took an opportunity to take a drink of water and escape her wrath. The goblet was red for the third, and hopefully, final time. This last piece of paper spiraled into the air and hovered around Madam Maxime’s head for a moment. Upon being grabbed, it unfolded itself. As Madame Maxime read this name to herself, her expression became none descript.
“And from right ‘ere at Beauxbaton…Madamoiselle Melody Chancelle!” Maxime said as a huge grin poured out onto her face.
The weight on Melody’s shoulders instantly turned into the drive that pushed her from her seat and right up to the school leaders. She thanked each one before slipping through the curtain.
The room she entered was not new to her. It was merely a side lounge for any visitors that would dine at Beauxbaton. In the center of the room, four chairs sat positioned in a circle around a glass topped coffee table. Sources of mild entertainment bordered the rug at the walls and Melody found Harry admiring a small model of a Quidditch pitch and team.
“So, we meet again,” Melody snapped at him from across the room.
He spun around to meet her eyes. As his fell upon hers they grew suddenly ice cold as he took a step in her direction.
“You really should remember where the restroom is, Melody. I mean this is your school and you can’t possibly have meant to come in here.”
“Wrong,” Melody began, “I am the Beauxbaton champion.”
Harry’s face fell as quickly as he had just spun on his heels.
“You know,” he began after a small fit, “I’m not going to make this easy for you.”
Melody laughed, “I have a feeling you will, but it won’t be intentional.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he replied through clenched teeth.
But before Melody could respond, they were joined by the administrators and some woman.
“Congratulations,” Dumbledore began, “You’re a fine lot to be chosen. Now, before we go any further, let me introduce Ms. Williams, the Ministry’s head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.”
Ms. Williams stepped forward and gave a little bow.
“Like Professor Dumbledore said, I am Ms. Williams. I am relatively new to my position at the department, but I’m no fool. This year, the Tri-Wizard will go off flawlessly or my name isn’t Ms. Williams, and I have already assured you that it is. What I need from you three is a promise to be informed if any strange occurrences arise such as individuals attempting to…hmm…encourage your victory or odd events during the challenges. Is that clear?”
The three champions nodded in unison in hopes of escaping the intimidating woman’s presence.
“Fabulous!” Ms. Williams called as she placed herself amid the students and covered them in her arms, “This is going to be so much fun!”
Melody was thrown aback by the final change in personality, but just smiled at the mildly disturbed lady. At this point she had been pulled particularly close to Harry and she would do anything to free herself.
“Well, you are all free to join zee ozzers in the ‘all for dinner now,” Maxime began, “but be certain to be ‘ere at seven on Zursday night. Zat is when your wands will be weighed and zee press will arrive.”
At this comment Harry rose his hand only to be answered by Dumbledore without asking.
“No, Mr. Potter, Rita Skeeter is still not instated at the Daily Prophet or the Nouvelles du Sorcier.”
Harry laughed as he and Dumbledore exited the room together. Brunckston grabbed Dobri’s arm and they too were soon gone. Much more gently, Madame Maxime draped her arm on Melody’s shoulder and walked her out to the dining hall.
“You deserve this, Melody,” she said in the second before they parted.