OPENING CEREMONY (all students and staff)

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam waited patiently, she was clapping gracefully as befitting her station, not like a wild animal but then again she was too anxious to know who would be the new champion. She tried valiently not to hold her breath or do anything to indicate any nerves on her end.

She smiled at her housemates and waited for Dumbledore and the Goblet of fire.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Dumbledore waited for the room to become silent again. It took a few minutes, as the Slytherins were especially excited. But soon the noise died down. He waited an extra second, just for dramatic effect. The room was so silent you could have heard a pin drop.

Then he threw his arms in the air wildly and yelled "Reveal the Slytherin Champion, please!"

[Goblet of Fire]

The goblet immediately exploded into a brilliant burst of magical flames that shot all the way up to the enchanted ceiling. From among the enchanted flames, a single piece of paper fluttered down from the ceiling.

[Albus Dumbledore]

It took forever for the tiny piece of parchment to float down from the ceiling, but Dumbledore waiting until he could reach out and grab it. Smoothing it out, he put on his half-moon spectacles and read the name on the paper.

"Samantha Montgomery!"

[Samantha Montgomery]

They were all waiting for the last Champion to be announced and it was quiet indeed, Samantha was willing it so and was happy to see her will prevailing as she needed and was still straining to hear Dumbledore's reveal over the silence.

The cup was decided quickly and that sent Samantha's heart beating a little faster, she was new...there were a few things against her that might not have made her the best candidate but she wanted this badly, she needed this, still surely if she was in the running or if she was going to win the Cup might have taken a few moments to decide. Although realistically that would have been the last thing she wanted to keep her waiting was agony.

Come on Dumbledore...tell us...tell me...

"Samantha Montgomery!"

She blinked and that was all the reaction she had for the first moment.

[Seth Inophen]

Seth clapped almost as loudly for Sam as he did for Maxi. "Go Sam!" Seth nudged her along, congratulating her as well.

[Regulus Black]

Regulus stood up from his seat and clapped for Sam. Sure, he didn't really know her, but she was representing Slytherin, and that was what mattered. If he was old enough, he would have put his name in the Goblet, but he was just four years too young.

[Narcissa Black]

Narcissa didn't really care too much for Sam, but then again the girl never really done anything to her. Maybe she would talk to her later on and possibly make friends with her. Who knew? Out of respect and out of pride for her house, Narcissa clapped her hands together along with the rest of the table.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Samantha took a breath and lifted her chin proudly, she obviously didn't clap for herself, but nodded to her housemates as if promising them each individually that she would win this tournament and get them the points they deserved. She curled her lips into a small smile of self confidence as if she had known that she would be the champion but she wasn't smug, just ...strangly happy and perhaps proud of herself.

"Thank you Seth.." she said lightly as he had spoken directly to her. She nodded to the others wanting to thank them for their clapping but not wanting to appear haughty instead her eyes were demurely accepting the honor as her mind raced with possibilities.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Dumbledore held his hand out to Samantha, signaling for her to come forward and step into the antechamber with the other champions. "Students, your Slytherin Champion!" The girl may have been a transfer student, but she was the perfect example of what he hoped to achieve with this tournament. He was glad she had been chosen.

[Bellatrix Black]

Bellatrix looked smugly at her sister's back as Andromeda left the room near in tears. It served her right for what she was putting the family through, and she had to learn somehow. Bella tried, and succeeded, in ignoring the nagging feeling that her sister's face caused.

Bellatrix clapped half heartedly as the names of the house champions were announced. She didn't care. She wasn't here for the students. And when Samantha's name was read, Bellatrix barely clapped at all. She disliked the girl, purely egotistical reasons, but reasons enough for Bella. Before the Slytherin table even began their cheering Bellatrix had stopped clapping and returned to her plate, moving the food around with her fork but not eating.

[Rafe Colby]

When Sam's name was announced, Rafe suddenly sprang to life. He clapped loudly and made loud catcalls with his hands. And then he stood up, staring straight at her as if his eyes were laser beams. Oh, yes... he was certainly glad he'd come to Hogwarts. He wouldn't have missed this for the world.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Samantha took her steps gracefully to where Dumbledore was at and smiled brilliantly at him before dipping into her curtsy, she was unaware of the catcalls and hooting or cheering, she was only aware that this moment seemed to be everything she had been waiting for, well not this moment, no the moment she stood there with the cup in her hands would be her glorious moment, and then hopefully on to the Tri-Wizard tournament as well, she could taste victory now and it tasted sweet...and then she could taste nothing at all.

That voice, that hooting, that particular cheering, she lost her breath and almost stumbled while standing and looking out into the crowd, she didn't have to look long in fact her eyes zeroed in straight at him, "Rafe..." she whispered to herself blinking, it was only a moment, a single moment in this long procession did she seem the slightest bit afraid but it was gone the next moment, if anything she had retreated completely and was now running on autopilot, oh how she hated surprises. She nodded towards Dumbledore, "Thank you sir." she said prettily before curtsying to the crowd and moving to the ante-chamber.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Once Sam had entered the antechamber, Dumbledore waved his wand and the Goblet of Fire disappeared. "OK, students, that concludes our ceremony for this evening. Your champions will be joining you later, but the rest of you may proceed up to your common rooms. Judges, please come with me to the Antechamber to meet with our champions. Staff, you are also dismissed. Thank you and goodnight."

(This thread will now be closed and an "After the Ceremony" thread may be started. Judges and Contestants must post in the Champion Selection thread in the Antechamber, which is found as a subforum of the main hall.)