Champion Selection - part II

[Alice Prewett]

Alice walked into the room and instantly saw Andromeda crying in the middle of the floor. The room was quite a bit larger than she had expected and the size of the room clutted with odd things made Andi look dwarfed and helpless and very alone at that moment.

Alice immediately ran to her side, kneeling down and putting her arms around her shoulders. "Oh Andi.. are you okay?? What did Rabastan do to you after you left class??" Alice was still certain it had been Rab, since he was the only one she'd seen with her between class and now.

[Andromeda Tonks]

Andi looked up at Alice through a haze of tears. "Alice?" she murmured. "What are you... Oh, were you chosen as the house champion? Congratulations." She tried to smile supportively, but found that she couldn't remember how.

Wiping at her eyes, Andi tried to clean herself up a bit. She must have looked a wreck, and the next champion would surely be coming soon.

"Rabastan?" she said. "No... he didn't do anything to me."

[Alice Prewett]

The tournament was the last thing on her mind at this moment and she ignored Andi's feeble attempts to look happy. But she also looked quite surprised when Andi told her that Rabastan was not responsible. "but what... " Alice suddenly felt her heart sink for her cousin... the only reason for any woman to look like this was if her heart had been broken or someone close had died... or both... "Andi did something happen to Ted? Is he okay?" She didn't know Ted but her first conclusion was that Ted must have been hurt or worse as it didn't even cross her mind that Ted would break her heart from the way Andi had talked about him several days ago when they'd been at the lake.

Alice continued to hold her cousin almost like she would a child. Of course Andromeda was 2 years older than her but at this moment, Alice's nurturing side took over instinctively knowing that rigth now Andi needed comfort no matter what had caused her such pain.

[Andromeda Tonks]

At the mention of Ted's name, Andi broke down again. For a moment, she was unable to speak as she cried into Alice's shoulder. "He... he broke up with me!" she choked out at last. "He... he was kissing some girl... I saw them... would have believed him if he said it wasn't what it looked like.... but he said... it's over...." She pulled back and looked at Alice, her face looking totally lost. "I loved him so much.... but it was all a lie...."

[Alice Prewett]

Alice felt her own heart break for Andi's. How could he have done that to her?? It was Rabastian all over again and Alice was more than upset to hear that Andi had to go through this all over again. For once Alice didn't compare anything to Frank or even think about him, she was so totally focused on Andi's pain that it left no room for anything else at that moment.

"Oh Andi.. I'm.. I'm so sorry Andi... I don't understand how he could do this too you, how anyone could do this to you." Alice knew that nothing she said would be enough, nothing she could do would make Andi stop hurting. She hugged her cousin fiercly protective of her. She wasn't going to let Ted get away with it she thought to herself without letting on to Andi what flashed in her head. How could he do this, and how could he go off kissing some other girl and then.. the thoughts were too horrible to think of and even Alice couldn't imagine the pain Andi must be feeling.

"I can't believe he would do that to you, that he would... oh Andi... I'm so sorry..." Alice wasn't really sure what she could say that wouldn't sound like vengance for the man who'd hurt her like this so instead she just held her cousin close and ignored her trying to pull away and rocked her not wanting to leave her alone for even a moment. She knew with a woman's instict that right now her soul was crying and Alice knew she was right where she was needed most.

[Andromeda Tonks]

Andi wanted to pull herself together, but she couldn't find the strength inside herself to stop crying. Every moment with Ted repeated itself in her mind, but it felt like a mockery now of the pain she was feeling. She had been sure that this was forever. That Ted was the one. She had chosen him over her family, given up all the luxuries and status of being a Black, to go to a better life, a life of love and happiness with Ted. That was what she had believed she was doing, and, even knowing what she knew now, she still felt she would have done it again. She loved him still, or the ideal of him, anyway. Obviously, that's all he was, an ideal, an image. But she wanted it back. The idea of living without him seemed unbearable to her.

"I loved him, Alice.... why didn't he love me back? He said he did... why did he lie?"

[Alice Prewett]

"I don't know Andi... I really don't know... " But I intend to find out, she thought to herself. She wasn't going to stand there and not defend Andi. "I just can't believe that this could happen, you were so happy and ... and I know how much you loved him." That moment Frank's face swam in front of her and she knew how heart broken she'd be if it had happend to her the same way. "Maybe you misunderstood him, maybe.. maybe it wasn't how it.." Alice trailed off she didn't know what had happend really... why Ted would have been kissing some other girl and it made her sick to think about. But surely ... no Andi had said that Ted had confirmed it was over and... oh poor Andi. "Andi are you sure he said it was over? That he didn't love you? maybe ..." she wanted to give Andi some hope but even Alice couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel given what Andi had told her.

All she could do was be there, listen, support and comfort her. "Want me to curse him for you?" She tried to offer lamely still holding her and rocking. "You'll be okay Andi.. you got past Rab, and you'll get through Ted too if you have to... and you know Sirius and I will be right beside you every step of the way."

[Andromeda Tonks]

Andi looked up at her, a heartbreaking look on her face. "He said... he said... that he got what he wanted..." she choked out. "And... and the worst part is... I begged him for it..." She buried her face in Alice's shoulder again, unable to speak anymore. She was completely overwhelmed with misery and pain. To have love, to know such perfect happiness, and to have it ripped away so suddenly was the cruelest pain she could imagine. Nothing Rabastan had done to her had ever hurt half as much as this.

[Alice Prewett]

He'd gotten what he wanted? The audacity of the man!!!! Alice was quickly changing her opinion of mr. perfect lover boy really fast. How dare he or anyone do this to Andi. She was getting more upset with this Ted by the moment but she didnt' let it show. She kept it caged up inside of her and only showed Andi comfort and support. It was one thing to hurt someone it was another to hurt those she called family.

"Andi.. it's not your fault, Andi... he was obviously trying to take adavantage of you and knew exactly how to do it.. it's not your fault for trying to find love. He's the one who did wrong, not you... you are loveable and you deserve better than that. You always have Andi."

Alice had been about to tell her that there were other wizards in the gene pool, but she changed her mind. Now was not the time to even talk about another love, it wouldn't help and likely only make things worse. And even Alice knew in her own heart that there was only one man who was right for her. Who was she to tell Andi that some other guy would come along and do what.. sweep her off her feet like Rab and Ted had done? No.. that wasn't likely to help at all so she just kept quiet.

"Andi, I know nothing I say can heal your heart right now, but... you have to know it's not your fault that this guy is a complete jerk and used you. You can't let him win you know... you can't let him see what he's doing to you. You deserve so much better, I just wish I could tell everything will be okay but.. it wil take time to heal.. but eventually you will. Just like you did with Rab. You'll move on and be stronger for it."

[Andromeda Tonks]

In her head, Andi knew all of this to be true. But her heart couldn't believe it. She had been there, she knew how Ted had looked at her with those eyes and that smile. She knew how he had held her in his arms that night after the horrible confrontation at the restaurant, how he had comforted her. How the morning after, when they awoke in bed together, he'd insisted on making her breakfast in bed and even feeding her cat. If all he'd wanted was sex, why hadn't he made for the door after he'd got it? Why had he waited so long to make his move? Why had he told her he loved her? Had he just felt obligated to play along after she'd said it first?

So even though she knew he was the one who had done something wrong, and she should be angry with him, somehow she couldn't find the strength. She still loved him and couldn't help but think she must have done something wrong. That she must have done it wrong... maybe she was bad at it. Why else would he turn to some cheap blonde?

And the idea of healing and being strong... these were things she would have told Alice if the situations were reversed. She knew them to be true, but it was a lot harder to do when you were in that pain yourself. At the moment, Andi really couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. All she could see was a cold, empty hole where her life used to be.

Her tears had stopped flowing, but the pain was still raging inside of her. "I have to... I have to pull myself together... I should be out there... the next champion will be coming in soon..."

[Alice Prewett]

Alice nodded solemnly, she could tell that Andromeda had to fight her own daemons and she also knew that all she could do was support her and be there for her cousin. She helped Andromeda up off the floor gingerly and in an almost motherly gesture she lifted the edge of her robe sleeves and cleaned dried off the remainder of Andi's tears, and then hugged her. Fiercely.

"Don't give up hope, Andi... somehow things will work out.. somehow." She didn't know why she'd said that, it can come unbidden but she felt that somehow it was true even if it did sound like wishful thinking even to her own ears. "And... well.. if you need someone to cry on.. you are always welcome you know. Besides you never know when I might need to return the favor one day."

And then she thought silently to herself ... and if I get my hands on that man I'll show him the Black family temper.

[Maxi Borale]

Maxi entered the corridor just as Professor Black exited. She saw Alice Prewett and smiled. The Gryffindor girl was a seventh year, 2 years more experienced then Maxi. She hoped that this wouldn't effect the outcome of the tournament.

"Hey Alice," Maxi said, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Can you believe this?"

[Andromeda Tonks]

Andi wiped her face. She still looked a mess, but at least she had stopped crying. She gave her cousin a quick hug. "Thank you, Alice. We'll talk later, OK?" Then she hurried out of the room, moving quickly past the girl who had just entered.

[Alice Prewett]

Alice looked after her cousin as she left, she was still gonna have a nice little 'chat' with mr. tonks the next time she was able to. She knew that Andi would have done it for her if the roles had been reversed and she didn't see the Hufflepuff girl until she spoke.

"Oh Hi Maxi... I ... congrats. " Alice seemed very distracted and worried. "I guess you'll be the Hufflepuff champion eh? I keep wondering what Dumbledore meant by having to cooperate. But I don't have any hard feelings to anyone who's selected, honest, I wish you luck."

Alice was still distracted but she tried to be friendly to Maxi who she really was happy for if it had not been having just consoled her cousin knowing what had happened to her. How dare he! Now that Andi was gone she had time to let Frank drift back into her thoughts. Is that what loving was like? To love someone so much they could tear your whole world apart. The thought was quite dampening to her earlier behavior in the Great Hall, and sobering to the idea of falling in love. What if Frank did that to her one day? How would she cope? It's one thing be jealous over Sam but would be quite another if she had given herself to Frank heart, body and soul only to catch them kissing and told that he had gotten what he wanted from her. The thought was potentially devastating.

[Regina Curry]

Regina nearly tripped again as she entered the Champion's room. She didn't really know any of the people in the room, but she slipped in the room anyway. She noticed that the Herbology professor was in the room and she wasn't crying as much as she was outside the room. Regina had to admit, she felt bad for her, and she also felt bad for Hallie. If she could, she would switch places.

"Hello," Regina said quietly.

[Alice Prewett]

Alice looked up at the Ravenclaw girl as she entered the room, she didn't know the girl and really couldn't place her face either. Even if they shared some classes Alice had never really noticed the Ravenclaw girl.

"Hello... I'm sorry I dont' know your name.." She spoke to the Ravenclaw girl and raised her hand to shake it. Alice was still distracted but she tried to remember her manners.

[Regina Curry]

Regina figured that none of them knew who she was. Heck, some people in her house didn't even know her. She was used to that, and knew that that probably wasn't going to change. Regina tried to move over to the girl without tripping.

"I'm Regina. Regina Curry," she said shaking the girl's hand. "And your name is?"

[Alice Prewett]

"Alice Prewett" ....she gave the girl an odd look... had she not been listening when the names before her had been announced? Maybe the girl was too busy with her nose in a book to be aware of anything else around her. Why had the Goblet picked her? Surely there were Ravenclaws who cared enough to pay attention to pick from. But Alice still smiled warmly before going to sit in a nearby chair. "I guess now we just wait for the Slytherin...." Alice looked around realizing there were no male champions selected yet. She wondered vaguely if the Slytherin champion would be male.. maybe even Rystain? That would be an interesting competition she thought, to battle her arranged marriage fiance.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Dashing Alice's happy thoughts Sam entered the room as the final champion. She eyed Alice and Maxi first a smile on her face, but her eyes were wary and then Regina, she went to Regina first only because she didn't know the girl and of the three she probably would react the least hostile, " Hi, I don't believe we've met, I'm Samantha Montgomery, it's a pleasure." she said smoothly before glancing again at Alice and Maxi, she nodded, "Ladies." she said plesantly.

[Maxi Borale]

"This should be interresting," Maxi mumbled to herself when Sam entered. She still had cold feelings toward Samantha Montgomery considering Seth. Maxi raised her eyebrows. Had it really been only a few hours, maybe even less, since her sudden realization about her feelings toward her best friend?

"So this is it eh?" Maxi asked the other 3, careful to avoid eye contact with Sam. "I'm surprised its 4 girls..."