vii

07

S  I  L  E  N  C  I  O

( si - LEN - see - oh )

" to silence "

_______________

"CEDRIC IF YOUR name comes out of that cup, I swear —," Lyra said in a hushed whisper, as she dropped down beside him on the bench.

"If it does, I'll win for you." Cedric smiled, winking at her, "I'll even let you touch the cup."

Lyra rolled her eyes and nodded with pursed lips. Her face broke into a smile when Cedric intertwined their fingers on the table, squeezing her hand gently as he did.

Most of her friends were huddled together on the first few benches. She caught Harry's eye and smiled kindly at him, an awkward wave was sent back to her.

The room was thick with anticipation as Dumbledore waited for silence among the three schools. The torches mounted to the walls dimmed, indicating that it was time for the selection.

Lyra's leg bounced violently with a mixture of fear and excitement. Cedric held her knee down with their interwoven hands and stuck his tongue out at her childishly.

Dumbledore raised his arms and addressed the students and professors, "And now the moment you've all been waiting for." He began,  "The champion selection." Dumbledore wandered over to the goblet, his hand raised towards the blue flames. A slip of paper was spat out with a trail of teal sparks. "The Drumstag champion is Victor Krum!"

The hall broke into a loud chant from the students of Drumstag as their fellow peer walked to the front of the hall. Everyone else clapped politely, Lyra used her free hand to clap with her side.

The flame bled into a chartreuse as a second piece of paper fluttered gentle from the goblet, leaving red smoke in its wake, "The champion for Beauxbatons is, Fleur Delacour."

A mesmerising blonde student rose from the blue section of the hall, a graceful applause was emitting from her school. Lyra watched her carefully, just like all of the boys did, stunned by her beauty. When she stood beside Victor Krum, Lyra couldn't help but giggle at the drastic differences between them.

The last slip of paper shot from the cup. Lyra watched with baited breath. She so badly wanted it to be anybody but Cedric. However, a part of her desperately wanted to see the glee on her best friends face when he was called out as a champion. Cedric squeezed her hand once more.

"Cedric Diggory."

The Hufflepuff table exploded into cheers and applause. Lyra saw Cedric's eyes sparkled while a enormous grin spread across his face. She beamed at his, ignoring the clenching in her stomach when his hand slipped out of hers. Cedric walked to stand beside the two other champions, he looked so proud.

"Lyra." Hannah Abbott whispered to the girl, "You're crying."

Lyra raised a hand to her cheek and felt the evidence of a tear and swiped it away. The tear glistened on the pads of her fingers. "Didn't even realise." She sniffed, Hannah wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled Lyra into a side-hug.

"Excellent! We now have our three champions." Dumbledore spoke to the room. "But in the end, only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions, this vessel of victory. The Triwizard Cup!"

The room shifted their attention to the glowing cup at the beck of the room. A calm blue light emanated from the clear glass. Now Lyra understood why Cedric so badly wanted to be champion — especially when he was in with a chance of winning the coolest goblet to have a cup of tea out of.

Lyra turned her head towards a fixing noise from behind her. Blue flames escaped the Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore and Snape edged towards it. A charred piece of paper flitted in the air and dropped into the Headmasters hands.

"Harry Potter?"

"Of course." Lyra sighed.

Harry sunk back into the bench as everyone turned to him. Hermione dragged him up by his shirt collar and forced him towards the centre of the room. "One normal year, that's all we want." Lyra muttered under her breath while Harry stood beside Cedric. She listened to the heckles throw at him and mouthed 'It's okay!' at him.

_______________

Lyra lay in-between Blaise and Theo underneath am oak tree in the courtyard. Daphne and Theo were too invested in each other's tonsils to listen in on Blaise and Lyra's conversation. Lyra strained her neck to see two other Slytherins heading for the small group.

Pansy Parkinson was practically swinging off Draco's arm, her hands gripping on for dear life. Her face was riddled with glee. Draco's face, however, was pained and curled in utter detest.

"Drakie, I don't want to be near this mudblood." Pansy mused, "Take me back to your dorm."

Blaise gagged dramatically at the girl. Lyra raised her arms straight above her, like a zombie fallen on its back. "Malfoy, help me up?"

Draco violently shook Pansy from his side, despite her best efforts to hold onto his robes. He readily gripped onto Lyra's hands and eased her to her feet, the Slytherins listened to her whines. Pansy cackled at her pain.

"Your hands are so cold!" Lyra blurted by accident, encapsulating his hands in hers, "Merlin, pure blooded? Talk about cold-blooded." 

Blaise watched Pansy's face grow darker by the second when Lyra feebly attempted to warm Draco's hands. The pug-faced girl was practically shaking with jealousy.

Lyra span around to face the group. Theo and Daphne were still preoccupied; Blaise was biting back laughter; Pansy looked at his murderously.

"We'll be off now." Lyra smiled and saluted Blaise, "Honestly you two, I'm surprise you haven't rearranged each other's tonsils by this point." She giggled at Daphne and Theo, who were completely oblivious.

Draco followed the girl blindly into the castle, repeatedly gripping his own hands to see if they were in fact cold. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and caught up with Lyra, walking by her side.

"Pansy just can't take a hint, can she?" Lyra spoke up, buttoning her Hufflepuff robe. "I mean, you were there for five seconds and even I couldn't stand to watch it."

"Yeah, yeah." Draco mumbled.

"Everything alright, Malfoy?" Lyra questioned, stopping dead in her tracks. She furrowed her brows and studied his face.

"Yep, just... happy birthday." He said in a monotone voice.

Lyra's eyes lit up, a smiled graced her features, "Thank you! I really liked my gift too, I imagine Daphne told you I like candles."

Draco nodded, his eyes trained on the ground. Blaise and Daphne has badgered him relentless to get Lyra a present, when she landed in hospital he just couldn't resist.

"Right then, Malfoy." Lyra grinned, "We've got a potions essay, partner."

Draco groaned and rooted himself to the spot.

"Oh, come on, Ice Man." Lyra raised her eyebrows and pulled his tie, periodically tightening the knot until he moved. By then his prefect tie was ruined.

Draco moodily yanked the material apart, letting in hang loosely around his neck. He held each end in his hands and gazed down at them. He didn't know how to tie his tie, usually he left it knotted and tightened it in a morning.

"You can't tie it, can you?" Lyra asked softly, trying not to insult him like his other friends would.

He shook his head silently.

"Honestly, you man-child." She giggled and pulled the material from his neck, no doubt leaving a burn behind from the ferocity.

Passing students eyed the two as the walked by, watching the Hufflepuff tie and Slytherin tie above her own yellow and black one. She loosened the knot and slipped the loop over his head and into his raised collar. Lyra flattened his collar and straightened his green tie to perfection.

"Thanks." He muttered, embarrassed by the whole situation. Lyra sighed.

"Cedric ties mine every morning." Lyra admitted, "I'm not all that sure I've done it right."

Draco didn't feel as embarrassed anymore.