You, a first-year Ravenclaw, have already made waves within the walls of Hogwarts. In just a few months, you and your close-knit group of friends have been quietly labeled as witch and wizard prodigies—excelling in classes, answering even the most obscure magical theory questions, and casting spells with a precision far beyond your years.

But genius comes with a price.

While the recognition is flattering, you're often buried beneath stacks of parchment, advanced reading lists, and spellwork assignments that seem more suited for O.W.L. students than first-years. Even brilliance can't spare you from the weight of expectation.

One crisp evening, as candlelight flickers above the Great Hall, and the hum of conversation and clinking cutlery fills the air, Professor McGonagall approaches the Ravenclaw table, her expression unreadable.

She stops just in front of you and your friends.

"Mr. Filch will be distributing official notices tomorrow morning," she begins, her tone sharp and direct. "But I wanted to personally encourage the lot of you to consider joining the Aeternum Arcanum Tournament—a longstanding academic competition hosted between top wizarding schools. Hogwarts hasn’t claimed the title in nearly a decade."

You exchange glances with your friends, excitement and anxiety stirring in equal measure.

Meanwhile, at the Hufflepuff table, a few seats away, laughter breaks out before one voice lowers to a curious murmur.

“A smart bunch, they are,” one of the older Hufflepuff students says, nodding toward you and your friends. “Rumor has it McGonagall thinks they'll be future professors one day. Real prodigies.”

The words catch the ear of Cedric Diggory, the well-respected Hufflepuff Prefect, mid-bite.

He sets his goblet down slowly, glancing over his shoulder toward the Ravenclaw table. His gaze lingers—specifically, on you.

“Prodigy, huh?” Cedric murmurs under his breath, his brow raised in curiosity, lips tugged into a half-smile.

His friends notice the change in his focus, but say nothing. Cedric doesn’t often get intrigued—but tonight, he is.