"Hey, Ron!"

Ron Weasley groaned. He could feel someone shaking him and calling his name. Even though he pulled the blankets over his head, the voice persisted, and he forced himself to surface from the warm, shadowy depths of sleep.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

Ron opened his eyes. The morning light filtered through the large windows of his dormitory like warm liquid gold, forcing his unadjusted eyes to blink several times. He squinted, sat up, and rubbed his face, trying to use his hands to shield himself from the powerful rays of the sun that had snuck in and tried to blind him. The cozy and welcoming feel of his bed was so tempting that he groaned again when he realized that he had important tasks to complete that day. One of his classmates stood at the foot of the warm, comforting paradise luring him to return to its embrace of down comforters and fluffy pillows.

"What time is it?" Ron asked groggily.

"Time you woke up."

He pushed back the covers reluctantly, swung his legs over the soft mattress, and shuffled to the bathroom to get changed, cursing along the way. After a few minutes of dressing, he returned to find his dormitory empty. He yawned as he walked through the large, round doors that marked the entrance to the common room.

The Hufflepuff common room was large, earthy, and circular with low ceilings. Potted plants hung from the ceiling and rested on ledges around the room, some even singing and dancing. Cozy yellow and black patterns adorned the comfortable sofas and chairs, each further marked with the Hufflepuff emblem. Through the gothic windows, an endless field of dandelions created a picturesque scene that reflected the kind, peaceful nature of the Hufflepuff students as the sea of green rippled like a pond with the early morning breeze sweeping by.

Ron was immediately spotted by a tall and extremely handsome, dark-haired student with bright grey eyes sparkling with a vivacious energy. He was resting beside the fireplace with a huge grin plastered on his face after seeing his ginger-haired friend. "Hey, Ron!" he called out to him from where he sat.

"Cedric," Ron greeted with a tired yawn, sitting down across from him.

"It's early in the morning—... What's up with that look on your face?" Cedric Diggory asked him curiously when he saw Ron lean back on the chair, scowling. "Let me guess, you're still thinking about how to make the Hogwarts championship for the Triwizard tournament, aren't you?"

When Ron looked away to ignore him, he continued. "You know very well why Professor Dumbledore chose you. You're the best student in Hufflepuff, and all you need to do is to compete with the other houses' representatives and win before becoming a champion, that's all. Other magical schools must've done the same before the Triwizard Tournament."

"You make it sound like it's so bloody easy," Ron moaned sulkily.

"Because it is!" Cedric exclaimed to encouraged his unexcited friend. "Besides, this is your chance to prove to your family that you have a strong work ethic! And that's the reason why they've chosen you as the Hufflepuff representative. You've proven yourself, despite your family's ongoing complaints. If you win this challenge, I bet they'd reconsider and be proud that you were sorted into this house. They'd just have to."

Ron gave him a long, hard look, and silently pondered for a moment. Cedric made a good point. If he did win the House challenge and became the Hogwarts champion, it would be a surefire way for his family to recognize the true value of Hufflepuff—most especially if he was involved in the reason. He wanted to win and change his parent's perception of the house. It was true that he was the only Weasley who had been sorted into Hufflepuff, thus deteriorating his relationship with his family. They, despite their banter before he got sorted, had been so tight-knit and loving that he wanted more than anything to regain the close relationship he'd had with them before. They'd known one another's strengths and flaws, and they'd accepted each other regardless of quirks. Nevertheless, all that changed because of one thing: they felt he defied their Gryffindor tradition.

"I hope so," Ron replied after a while, but his sulkiness persisted when he thought of the other three students with whom he would be competing. "But there's my sister Ginny in Gryffindor, and I'm sure she'll never let me win. I can't believe the Gryffindors chose her as their representative. Argh!" Ron heaved an angry sigh. "Why do I always have to compete with my family? This is so frustrating! My parents'll definitely root for her."

Cedric gave him a sympathetic look. "Don't push yourself too hard," he comforted him. "It'll work out fine; you'll see! I mean, it's not that bad, competing with your sister—"

"You don't know what it's like to have a sibling, Cedric. You never had one—" Ron knew he had crossed the line the moment he said it, but Cedric merely blinked at him, unperturbed by the insult. Ron brushed away the awkwardness that lingered for a moment and continued. "And who said I'm only competing with my sister? I also have to deal with Granger from Ravenclaw and that Potter from Slytherin!"

Cedric raised his eyebrows and suppressed a laugh. "Yeah, that's true. I can't deny that I don't like the wit of that Harry Potter. I can never stomach the way he treated the others outside of his house... Most especially—" He hesitated for a second. "You do know he thinks of you as a blood traitor, and that is kinda harsh." He patted Ron's shoulder gently. "I'm sorry that you have to go through this."

Ron inhaled deeply, his fists clenching. "Just the idea of that Potter competing with me is enough to boil my blood. I don't care if he's a Pureblood or if he's intelligent beyond his years. He'd better not ruin this chance for me."

Cedric smirked. "That's the spirit," he encouraged his friend. "I knew you hadn't lost that spark in you yet. Come on, let's go down to the Great Hall and have some breakfast. I'm starving." He stood up and trudged to the door leading to the rest of the colossal, magical school, Ron following closely behind.

Hermione Granger, meanwhile, sat with her fellow Ravenclaws in the Great Hall, busy reading a clip from The Daily Prophet. The day after Professor Dumbledore had announced the four representatives of each Hogwarts House, owls had flocked the school, carrying newspapers and eagerly dropping them down to their owners. Hermione had been one of those receivers. She unfolded the newspaper and scanned it between her hands; there it was—as expected—her name printed in bold letters along with the other three competitors. A pair of voices behind her, however, interrupted her before she could even read the rest of the article.

"In all honesty," said a snotty voice so familiar to Hermione that she wanted to conjure earmuffs or cast a Silencing charm for maintaining her peace. "I really don't think they stand a chance for this challenge."

Draco Malfoy sniggered beside his best friend. "Oh, I bet, Harry. I can already tell who'll be chosen as the Hogwarts champion."

"I can't believe Dumbledore would let a Mudblood and blood traitors compete with me." Hermione was sure that they had seen her, for Harry's snide remark must have been just for her to hear when they passed by.

Hermione clenched her teeth and sent him a quick glare as they sat down at the Slytherin table. Fuming, she finished half of her glass of pumpkin juice in one gulp and resumed her reading, even though her concentration had already been ruined.

"They're being snarky again, aren't they?" a distantly concerned-looking Luna Lovegood asked in her usual dreamy tone. She sat across from Hermione, meaning she could very well see Harry and Draco laughing with their fellow classmates.

Hermione slammed her glass down on the table, spilling some of its contents. "Immature, that's what they are," she retorted with a snarl. "His parents must be so proud to have a son as conceited and arrogant as him."

"If only his parents weren't close to the Malfoys and the Lestranges…" Luna mused thoughtfully. "He could have been a better person and a friend."

Hermione pursed her lips. "Yeah, well… I'd rather be friends with the giant squid. Besides, I have other things to worry about than being bothered by his hopeless attitude."

Luna chuckled. "Yes, you do," she agreed. "But don't you worry too much. You're always so prepared. I'm positive you'll be the Champion." She beamed at her.

"I have to be, don't I?" Hermione replied eagerly. "I don't want Potter to be the Hogwarts champion." She sent another glare in Harry's direction before continuing. "He doesn't need any more glory to showcase his so-called greatness in his life. I've had enough of that already—one more 'achievement' will make me vomit." Upon seeing Harry's name printed on the newspaper yet again, Hermione crumpled it and tossed it to the side.

Luna laughed. "I hear you." She smiled as she looked down at her own paper. "Read anything interesting?"

"No, it's all rubbish," Hermione stated firmly, sending one more insulted glance at the newspaper as if it had tried to physically injure her. "No one writes decent articles nowadays. They're all talking about blood purity and nonsense—"

"I bet you don't know what blood purity means, Granger."

Hermione whirled around to spring from her bench, a scowl immediately forming on her face. "I bet you don't know that eavesdropping is very rude, Potter. Didn't someone teach you how to keep your nose out of other people's business?"

Harry only shrugged. "You don't even know what you're saying. Blood purity is everything, Granger. You don't want to embarrass yourself now, do you?"

"I don't have to know what I'm saying because, like I said, it's rubbish and pure with nonsense."

"You know, someone like you would call it rubbish if they didn't have parents alive to explain it to them." Students around them gasped at the inconsiderate insult. The Slytherins snickered in the background. Hermione, on the other hand, had taken enough. She stood up and pointed her wand threateningly at Harry.

In the midst of the heated moment, however, a friendly voice rang out from the door of the Great Hall. Ginny Weasley skipped toward them, her red-hair bouncing from behind her. She plastered a smile upon reaching them. "Hey, Harry—...Hermione. What's going on here? Why do you have your wand out?" she asked, looking mystified.

With a heavy sigh, Harry replied without glancing at Ginny, "Nothing."

Hermione lowered her wand, still glowering at her enemy. "That's right, it's nothing," she repeated for emphasis. "So you might want to go back to your House, Potter, and keep your foul mouth shut."

Ginny looked at them reproachfully. "You guys shouldn't be fighting," she whispered in a worried voice. "Competing to become Hogwarts Champion is what we're aiming for, and that doesn't mean that we should become enemies. We should be uniting together."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at her earnest statement. "Unity is not written in Potter's vocabulary, Ginny."

"Well, how about you?" Harry snarled. His eyes narrowed behind his round glasses. "You'd just aimed your wand at me."

"You deserve to be blasted away for talking about my parents that way," Hermoine spat heatedly.

He crossed his arms. "Well, it's true," he responded nonchalantly. "They're dead—"

No one had expected what happened next; Hermione's fist had found its way across Harry's face, the force of the blow making him fall to the ground. Gasps rose throughout the now-quiet breakfast hall. Some of Harry's friends in Slytherin stood up on their table in defense. Ginny squeaked with surprise.

Hermione's jaw quivered with anger. "If I hear you say that again, Potter, I swear I'll kill you next time!" With that, she stalked off.

Ginny regarded the near-onslaught with worry. "Are you alright, Harry?" she asked with concern, helping him stand.

"I'm fine!" he retorted hotly, swatting her helping hands away. He looked daggers at Hermione's retreating form. "Don't you have anywhere to be besides here?" he asked Ginny, his voice brimming with annoyance.

"You don't have to use that tone with me. I was just concerned—"

"I don't need your concern!" he spat defensively, and before Ginny could utter a reply, he walked off to join his Slytherin friends at their table.

Ginny was left standing in the middle of the Great Hall, staring at Harry's back. Dazed, she sat at the Gryffindor table, followed closely by Cedric who came from the entrance with Ron and immediately sat beside her. Ron, on the other hand, strode straight to the Hufflepuff table and darted the two of them a scowl.

"Hi," Cedric whispered in her ear. She was slightly taken aback by his familiarity.

"Oh, hi, Cedric."

"I swear each time I see a Weasley," he mused with a curious glance, "they're always looking somber. What's wrong with you now?"

Ginny frowned. "Nothing's wrong," she said, forcing herself to feign a smile before she veered their subject toward a different path. "Is Ron okay?"

"He's fine. He's just—"

"Worried about the challenge later?" she finished for him. "He really wants to prove his worth, huh?" She shook her head. "He's so desperate."

"I understand why he's desperate," Cedric sighed softly. "Don't you think it's about time your family sees what he is trying to prove to himself? I mean, he's the Hufflepuff representative, and that's saying something."

"Why? Is he jealous he's not getting the attention he thinks he deserves from us?"

"That's exactly what I think."

Ginny fell silent for a moment. "I don't know," she muttered apathetically while scooping a few strips of bacon and scrambled eggs onto her plate.

"I thought you wanted the Houses to be united," Cedric rebutted with a desperate tone. Ginny gave him a surprised look, so he added quickly, "I heard you talking to Potter and Granger—so why not with your brother?"

Ginny just shrugged and remained quiet.

Cedric's countenance shifted into disappointment. "Well, think about it, will you?" he encouraged, giving her an imploring look before leaving her to join Ron.

After breakfast, the four representatives of each House were called upon to gather outside the Headmaster's office. The sun peered from the high windows above them as they faced the stone eagle gargoyle in a cool, calm, and collected manner, despite knowing little about what was in store for them. They heard a thud past the wall from which the statue sprouted when the spiral staircase moved smoothly downward to reveal Albus Dumbledore.

Even though he was seething with abhorrence towards the Headmaster for giving chances to and supporting Muggleborns, Half-breeds, and non-magical folks in school and day-to-day activities, Harry Potter couldn't help but let his amazement show. Professor Dumbledore knew very well of Harry's dislike for him; the hateful student, after all, had shared his views many times with the Headmaster, but the head of the school only remained indifferent on the matter. Harry was aware that Dumbledore was concerned about him. Harry was an outstanding student—no one could deny that fact; even the professors would agree—but complaints in the form of letters from different parents kept arriving at Professor Dumbledore's desk detailing their concern that Harry was so willingly and shamelessly flaunting his attitude and behaviour around the school.

The Headmaster had attempted to talk to Harry many times. He even administered punishments and detentions to him, but he soon realized that nothing would help the issue. Surprisingly, only a few students' parents complained about their dislike for Harry. Most of them thought highly of him, and it was the feeling of being on the top of the student social hierarchy that gave Harry the guts to do whatever he wanted, despite the overall attempt of the staff to subdue him.

The four representatives had kept their distance from each other even when Professor Dumbledore descended the stairs. He only briefly inspected the four students in front of him before walking away and quickly ordering them to follow him.

They walked silently to the seventh floor, passing the Charms professor's office until they stopped at a blank wall opposite a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Professor Dumbledore turned to face them and noticed their curious and bewildered expressions. No one had been to this floor. Harry looked at the Headmaster with interest after staring around the empty corridor.

"Behind you is a room where you will face challenges," Professor Dumbledore told the four calmly, his face for a moment regarding Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny with eagerness. They all looked past him when a door suddenly materialized. "Unexpected obstacles and setbacks will get in your way. Answers will always be within your grasps and will determine whether you are the true Hogwarts Champion. Do not forget your goal, and make sure to always see reality.

"Certain situations will prevent you from moving forward; it will come down to how you choose to interpret your circumstances and the subsequent thoughts you choose to dwell upon. You will face your greatest fears, but don't let poor choices prevent you from making objective decisions. Take control, and don't lose your way. If stuck, you can always return from where you came. Are there any questions?" asked Professor Dumbledore, but when no one spoke, he edged towards the door. "Good luck to you all."

The four representatives stood side-by-side before the double doors which suddenly swung in. After sending one final determined look toward their Headmaster, they took a step forward and entered into the unknown.

The room was dark at first; there were no lights that had sprung to life, and the atmosphere was completely quiet, amplifying the sound of their breathing and footsteps. They stared and squinted at each other, not knowing, yet fearing, what lay ahead of them. Quite suddenly, out of nowhere, bright silver smoke erupted before them, quickly dissipating to reveal a solid-looking table with goblets scattered around. Dirty pewter cauldrons lay on the left, and a vial of golden potion stood suspiciously yet enticingly at the center.

"Are we doing Potions?" Ginny asked the other three the moment she saw what was on the table.

"I don't think so," murmured Hermione, eyeing the gold potion with a dark, suspicious look.

Before anyone could speak, more smoke erupted from behind the table, and three different people materialized from thin air, facing them. The one to the left was an old woman wearing decent-looking clothes with a wand clutched in her hand.

"Is she a Muggleborn?" Harry hissed suddenly, looking displeased.

Ron glared at him. "Looks like it."

The next shape in the middle was a half-bred creature in the middle of a transformation; its elongated bones constantly changed shape, and the ruptured looking skin exhibited flesh and other disgusting features from within. Hermione and Ginny cringed visibly at the sight.

"That looks awful—" Hermione immediately remarked with her teeth clenched and a nauseous feeling quickly forming in her stomach.

"—and painful," added Ginny.

Harry snorted at the two girls. "What do you expect?" His voice was low and confident. "That's how a werewolf transforms."

"I know that! I'm only just saying," Hermoine quickly defended herself, but Harry wasn't listening to her. He was staring at the last person on the right instead of paying Hermione his precious attention. The hair of the figure was gray and brittle, his face creased with wrinkles, his skin waxy and sallow, his eyes sunken and dull. He wore a white shirt with vertical grey stripes.

"Azkaban prisoner," Harry muttered with a raised eyebrow.

The four of them stared at the sight before them, wondering what they ought to be doing while scrutinizing the presented problem. However, their musings were interrupted yet again when more smoke appeared in front of the table with words slowly forming to reveal a riddle:

Three humans stand before you

Each of their lives will soon undo

A bottle of cure ready to unscrew

To whom you shall give it to?

"So…" Ginny started thoughtfully, her brows furrowed. "We just have to choose who we'll pick to give the potion to, right?" she asked the other three, uncertain whether or not the words contained so simple a meaning.

"Obviously," Harry sneered. "How is this even a challenge? I can easily tell who to give the potion to."

Ron let out a scornful laugh. "Yeah. No doubt you'd pick the last one."

Harry locked his brilliant green eyes on him with disdain. "What's wrong with choosing the prisoner? I actually don't see any reason why I have to choose the other two."

"Because the first one is a Muggleborn and the second is a half breed?" Ron questioned in an accusatory tone.

"Exactly," Harry agreed as though it was obvious. "They don't deserve to be saved, no matter what the circumstances."

Ron's eyes glinted with hate as he whirled to face him. "That's absurd! You have to consider the others as well, regardless of their situation."

Harry gave him a fleeting glance. "Why should I?" He rolled his eyes, unconcerned. "It's my choice and not yours."

"But don't you remember what Professor Dumbledore said?" queried Ginny. "Don't let poor choices prevent you from making objective decisions."

"Why is choosing the prisoner a poor choice? Besides, who cares what Dumbledore says?" Harry replied hotly, annoyed that the two Weasleys were giving him such a hard time. "It's not like there's a right or wrong answer. You just pick who you'd choose." He marched toward the table clearly intending to demonstrate. He grabbed the vial of potion, and without second thoughts whatsoever, he handed it to the Azkaban prisoner who graciously took the vial and ravenously drank it.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny drew in sharp intakes of breath as they waited for something to happen, but the vial only refilled itself as if waiting for the next representative. Their eyes widened, and disbelief carved itself on their faces when nothing further happened.

"See?" Harry presented casually, a tiny smile growing at the corners of his mouth. There was no censure in his voice as if he'd known full well what he had been doing. "It's not that hard. I don't know why you're all so scared to make a choice." He walked closer to a door on the opposite side of the room most likely leading to the chamber of the next round. He turned slowly to look back at them. "While you three determine who's taking the next turn... I'm gonna go ahead now, shall I?" He smirked at them and disappeared on to the next challenge, leaving the other three representatives with their mouths hanging open.

Hermione closed hers to frown. "I can't believe the door just let him pass," she complained the moment it closed behind him. "I mean, I was expecting it to not budge at all for choosing the wrong one."

"It's bizarre... but perhaps we just have to choose for ourselves, regardless of whether it's right or wrong," Ron muttered, lost in thought.

Hermione shook her head with disappointment. "But that doesn't make any sense. Professor Dumbledore clearly stated that we have to make a wise decision."

"Maybe not for this challenge," Ginny reasoned. "I know that idea is risky, and part of me can't believe the fact that I'm even considering it. But remember, we're only in the first round. I don't know how many more challenges we'll have to face." She took the vial and offered it to the werewolf who snatched at it gratefully. She headed toward the door through which Harry had gone. "I guess I'll see you later?" she told the other two, looking back at them one last time. With a small wave, Ginny also disappeared behind the door.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. They were the only ones left.

"You can go ahead," Ron told her. "I can wait."

But Hermione shook her head and didn't move. She was still contemplating hard. "No, it's okay. I'll do it last."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "It's only the first task. Nothing happened to Potter and my sister, so I'm guessing this challenge isn't that bad."

"I doubt that," Hermione muttered, but she nodded to Ron to let him know that he could go ahead.

"Okay, then." Ron stepped forward reluctantly at first, but then gave the potion to the old lady. He cast one last look at Hermione who gave him a curt nod before disappearing behind the door.

Hermione sighed. It felt weird standing alone in the room with the Muggleborn, half breed, and the prisoner staring at her expectantly. It was hard to pretend that she wasn't both amazed and terrified by what had happened earlier. She desperately wanted to make the right decision, knowing she shouldn't disregard the Headmaster's advice. She knew there was a reason why he'd said what he said, and she was determined to figure out why as she progressed to the next challenges. The last thing she wanted was to make an incorrect and careless choice in the beginning only to hurt her in the long-run.

She analyzed the scene in front of her again. Why would there be a large table with scattered goblets and cauldrons in it? she asked herself. Surely they're not just for a dramatic display, right? She took the vial of potion and stared at it. This cure had healing powers for all three humans in front of her, and she had to choose one.

Or do I?

She read the instructions again. To whom you shall give it to? She repeated the last line again and again in her mind. "...It will not restrict me from giving the potion to the three of them, will it?" she asked herself aloud.

She grabbed three goblets from the table and poured the potion equally in each. She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether her answer was correct, but she wanted to save all three of them and she concluded that this might be the only way. With a deep breath, she shakily handed the goblets to each of them. She braced herself; her intuition told her that something was about to happen, but the anticipation was short-lived. Nothing happened when all three drank the potion, and Hermione quickly sighed with a mixture of relief and disappointment. She dragged her feet towards the door. She was about to open it when something odd happened.

A throbbing pain hit her temples like a powerful headache. She blinked when a vision suddenly began to form in her mind. She felt like she was watching someone's memory, but she couldn't tell to whom it belonged. Did the other three also have the same vision before they disappeared behind the door? she asked herself, suddenly panicking. She could catch glimpses of images of herself, Ginny, Ron, and Harry. It confused her to see them laughing together and hugging each other outside of what looked like a small cottage beside a rocky shore. They looked peaceful and genuinely happy together; Hermione could sense a mutual understanding between each of them as if they were best friends for a long time.

Image after image flashed through her mind, none of which made sense to her. She didn't understand why she was seeing these visions all of a sudden. She felt like she was granted permission to peek into a different dimension. However, one thing was certain: all four of them were present and they had gone through a lot together; instead of enemies, they were really good friends.

Another scene rushed to her sight to replace the last one before Hermione could even interpret its meaning. She could see herself holding a large, pearly and jaded volume that read "Anima" on the front cover. She frowned at it, having never seen a book like it before. Phantom Ginny and Ron were hovering around the book as well, and Harry was lying in bed behind them. However, he looked different; he was rather pale and sickly. Hermione glanced around the small room. It seemed as if they were in a room discussing something important that she couldn't hear. She squinted a few times to try and fully witness the vision or perhaps perceive what they were talking about in some way, but the images were gone as quickly as they came as if someone had turned off a switch.

Hermione stared blankly at the simple, umber door looming before her. "What just happened?" she breathed under her breath. She could feel her heart racing in her chest. She had never experienced visions before. But, was it really a vision? Was that also part of the challenge? she worriedly asked herself before stumbling through the door, disoriented and a little light-headed.

To be continued...

Beta-read by Smthnborrowediamblue, KVeronicaP