I wasn’t expecting it, but nothing really happened for the next few days. I heard from Miriam who had heard from Bambam that Jinyoung told the others to give me some space for a few days. I was pretty happy about that. Needless to say, I had a growing anxiety that something was going on that I wasn't aware of, or that was about to happen. I wasn’t exactly excited for the day when they decided to talk to me again. I made no visits to the Gryffindor commons. No one visited me. In class, I didn’t talk to anyone, and Bambam and Yugyeom went back to sitting with their own friends. They weren’t problematic at all, but it felt like the calm before the storm. I heard from Miriam that Jackson was still feuding with Yugyeom and that Jaebum was pissed at me. That was enough to tell me not to interfere or talk to any of them yet. I figured that the Yule Ball was out at this point, which I wasn’t too sad about. I was more torn about losing Youngjae. Apparently Mark had been standing near Miriam while I was shouting, and I hadn’t seen him, but Miriam told me he was ‘chill’ about what had happened. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but considering how Mark and I weren’t very close, I didn’t think I wanted to talk to him either.

On a lighter note, the girl from Durmstrang was really neat. We snuck her out with Miriam and another first year girl that caught us trying to escape and threatened to tell on us if we didn’t take her with us. It was fun, though.

It felt kinda weird with Miriam being the in-between so that I could get information on Jackson. While I had agreed to sort things out with him, I didn’t think I could without losing my crap yet.

I got one owl from home. One.

I was sitting at the Slytherin lunch table alone when my grey owl came gliding in. It was carrying one, single, sad letter. Dad.

My owl perched lightly at the edge of the table, in stark contrast to Jackson’s more violent owl. I grabbed the letter. I was too tired of everyone’s to think about whether I wanted to open it or not, so I just opened it, feeling exhausted. Inside was a simple, pale parchment paper with thin, long, scrawling writing.

Iza, it began. I was beginning to hate that nickname.

I just wanted to let you know that you have to come home over the holidays because we will be having visitors. You will not be allowed to stay at Hogwarts to study, and if you do not come home on the train, there will be consequences.

I wanted to cry, but I just crumpled up the envelope in one hand while I continued reading.

I forgot to buy you something, so I might send it later in a package.

Yeah, right. Of course he remembered to give Jackson my favorite chocolates but forgot to buy me anything.

Behave. If I hear you got in trouble, there will be consequences. I don’t want you hanging over my family name.

My family name? I wanted to hurl the damn note, but I kept my composure. After all, I was used to this.

I’ve heard of some of your behavior from Jackson. If you don’t shape up, there will be consequences.

That damn word again. Classic Jackson, tattle tailing on me. Classic dad, not even giving a about my opinion.

Don’t forget that I love you.

Manipulative.

Love,

Dad.

My most hated words.

But, love was the worst.

I burned the letter with my wand as fast as I could after reading it, trying ot burn those words from my memory. Usually he wasn’t so mean, but at the beginning of the year, he always sent one of these. I was just glad he didn’t send a howler. Once, I had gotten too many exceeds expectations instead of outstandings and one acceptable in my hardest class as a second year. He had sent a full-on howler, that I luckily received in the girls bathroom. After that episode, I heard that people thought Myrtle had moved bathrooms.

I was in a really bad mood. The events of Jackson and the letter, as well as the incident with Youngjae and Jinyoung, had really set me off. The only things I was excited for was the next quidditch practice and the beginning of the Triwizard tournament. I had also made a very important decision, that was going to prove to Jackson that I was no longer going to let him influence my decisions. I was going to put my name in the Goblet of Fire.

Let me tell you, I knew I wasn’t going to get picked, but it was a show of power to make this decision without my dad’s or Jackson’s influence. I had told Miriam in advance, of course, and had given her the option to tell Bambam and Mark if she wanted to. I secretly wanted her to, so that when Jackson came storming in after being told by Mark or Bamam, he could watch as I let the paper fall and burn in a brilliant blue. I wanted to see his face. I knew that my dad would not be happy, but I thought it might be worth it to see Jackson’s reaction.

When walked into the room holding the Goblet of Fire holding a small peice of parchment with Miriam in tow, I realized that I had never seen the goblet itself before. I had only heard about it from the girl from Durmstrang, because she put her name into the goblet herself. She said it had been easy. I should have known, it coming from an older, definitely more formidable Durmstrang student. To be honest, it was a lot more intimidating closer up that in people’s words, and definitely creepier.

In the center of a very dim room stood a very tall, vase-like object, fashioned nearly as a rounder version of hogwarts. I wondered if I could reach it. There were a lot of older kids around it, with very few younger ones. Even with the lowering of the age, a lot of people didn’t want to participate due to lots of deaths, and I had heard rumors of older kids not letting younger ones put their names in.

There was a very dark aura around the goblet. An eerie blue age line of dim, but harsh, flames certainly didn’t help. The goblet itself was quite menacing, with jagged designs jutting around it’s base with a wide, obtuse top. At the top, a dim beam of unnaturally tall flame curled, the only source of light other than the age line.

I sighed. I wasn’t scared, no, but I was certainly questioning the decorating ability of the Hogwarts staff. I really didn’t like the design of the goblet, and I thought they could have put in at least a little more effort into its shape, regardless of its age.

I stepped forward, but no one really looked over at me until I got close enough to make my intentions obvious. It got really quiet, almost silent. As I neared the age line, I looked back at Miriam, who wasn’t following me anymore. She grinned and gave me two thumbs up. I smiled back. For some reason, I felt unnervingly sadistic as I stepped backwards over the line.

What a coincidence.

Just as I was about to face the goblet, a group of seven boys entered. They came in laughing, some arguing, but most generally in a good mood except for the two stoic boys at the front. Jackson and Yugyeom. They both stopped short when they saw me, the rest of them running into them from behind before looking in my direction.

So, I thought, wistfully. Miriam didn’t tell them. But I knew when I looked at Mark’s face that he had known. Apparently he hadn’t told anyone else, and Mark was definitely the only one Miriam had told, judging by their faces.

Jackson’s reaction was the most extreme. He looked dumbstruck, then dubious, then angry and started storming towards be as Yugyeom just stared, emotionless. I had a feeling that Yugyeom wasn’t surprised. I saw him nod slowly before following Jackson slowly. Jinyoung looked like he was going to have a panic attack, and I felt a little bad. Jaebum just looked flat out surprised, eyes wide. Bambam had a slightly more dramatic interpretation of Jaebum’s reaction as his jaw dropped and he looked like he wanted to run. What hurt the most was Youngjae’s reaction. He just looked to the side, jaw clenched at an invisible object, obviously ignoring me. He didn’t look happy to see me.

I watched Jackson running towards me, but I didn’t do anything but pull out my wand as he neared. When he got too close for comfort, I drew it out and pointed it at him. He immediately stopped in his tracks, Yugyeom following suit. The rest of the group inched closer. I smirked as Jackson glared.

“Dad’s not going to like this, Iza,” he growled. I just tilted my head.

“You know what, Jackson? If you wanna talk about that, you can talk to me outside. I am not in the mood for tolerating your misbehavior.” I started to be wary of my surroundings, and found that a lot of people were listening in on our conversation. That’s not awkward at all, I thought. I moved closer to the goblet, inching backwards with the hand holding my parchment behind my back. I wasn’t taking any chances here.

“I’m not letting you influence my decisions anymore, Jackson.” Wow, I was dramatic.

Then, someone else spoke up.

“Are you sure you aren’t letting Jackson influence this decision?” I froze and looked past Jackson, to the speaker. It was Jaebum. I didn’t say anything, but my face said it all: What?”

“You wouldn’t have thought about putting your name in if Jackson hadn’t started this,” he continued. I stopped. He was right. I thought about it for a moment, but soon realized that I wasn’t not going to put my name in the goblet now, regardless.

And that’s what I told him.

“Regardless, I think I’m going to do it anyways. As Jackson knows well, I am a very sporadic person. I tend to do things instantaneously, and whether or not Jackson wants me to, I’m putting my name in,” I said, shrugging. Jackson growled again but I ignored him. Jaebum tilted his head a bit but didn’t say anything.

I turned back to the goblet and flung my paper in as Jackson and the surrounding audience gasped. It disappeared in brilliant blue, momentarily brightening the room. I looked back at Jackson and his friends. Yugyeom looked a little more surprised at the abruptness of my act, but he would survive. Miriam looked like a proud mother. Jaebum looked inanimate, void of feeling. Jinyoung looked like he was dying. Youngjae still refused to look me in the eyes, but he looked a little disturbed. Mark looked the same as he always did. Bambam looked like he was fangirling, except he probably was just freaking out. Jackson looked positively horrified before pulling a straight face and walking into the age line. I backed away a bit from him as he pulled up an arm, and, unraveling something from a robe pocket, softly dropped into the fire before turning his back and walking out.

Mark followed Jackson silently while everyone else stayed. As I didn’t move, Yugyeom also stepped inside the circle and pulled out his paper as well, dropping it into the blue flame and illuminating the room. When he stepped out, I did too. That was when a few of the audience members clapped a bit, as was customary, but it was an awkward moment. I walked over stiffly to Miriam while the rest of the boys just stood there in silence, watching as I walked out of the room with Miriam into the more brightly lit corridor.

I skipped down that corridor happily, not bothering to pause when I passed Jackson and Mark sullenly walking down the corridor.