Three Riddles

"You three aren't Ravenclaw are you?" A senior Ravenclaw boy said, as a Ravenclaws group blocked Chris, Ginny, Luna and Colin's path while they were leaving the Great Hall.

"No we're not." Chris answered confidently, actually she was kind of expecting this.

"So why're you sitting on the Ravenclaw table for almost a month?" A Senior Ravenclaw girl replied.

"Yes we can ignore three four days or maximum a week but this is getting too far." A boy said from their group.

"Yeah you three are Gryffindor, right? So you should know your place. You're not Ravenclaw for a reason." An another girl said glaring at Chris.

"So in short, you'll not sit on the Ravenclaw table from tomorrow." Saying this the first boy turned around to leave.

"And how do you know we're not qualified to be in Ravenclaw?" Chris snapped.

The squad turned.

"Ha! the thing that you're in that stong head house Gryffindor, proves everything girl." The mean girl replied, laughing.

"Oh really? And what makes you a wise head? I mean Ravenclaws are supposed to be wise and intelligent, right?" Ginny said. "But you all don't look that much, do you?"

"How dare you?" A girl shouted.

There was a huge crowd was already surrounding them, students from house stopped to see, what's happening. The Ravenclaw boy saw this and smirked, then whispered something in the girl's ear and she also smirked.

"So you think you're intelligent to be a Ravenclaw but I'm not. Is that right girl?" She said with a smug smile. "Then how about a match?"

"What match?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing difficult dear." The girl said laughing. "Just your over confident friend and me. Three riddles. She asks me three riddles and I ask her three. Who's answers are correct, wins."

"Deal." Chris replied.

"Great." She said curtly looking at Chris. "Tomorrow afternoon, countryard."

"Ok. I'll be there." Chris said with a smile.

"What's going on here?" Professor McGonagall came hurrying through the crowd. "Why're you all not in your dormitories, yet?"

"We're just leaving Professor." A boy said from their group.

"Don't get a cold feet little miss perfect. You know, you promised in front of the entire school." The girl whispered, smirked and walked away with her squad.

"Tomorrow afternoon? That's too soon, Chris." Colin said surprised, as they started to walk.

"It's ok Colin. I know." Chris replied.

"I've faith in you, Chris. But that girl who challenged you is fifth year Ravenclaw Head Girl, Eliza Winger." Luna said.

"Really? Then this is going to be fun." Chris smirked.

"Chris this is serious, the entire school is going to be there." Ginny said impatiently.

"Exactly." Padma Patil came running. "She is right Chris. She wants your image to be crushed. That's why she challenged you. I heard she's really a jealous type and you're famous from the year you came."

"Guys relax. I don't care if I win or loose. It's cool." Chris said with dismissing tone.

___________________________________

Next morning was no better than last night, as Chris sat on the Ravenclaw table, the Ravenclaws started murmuring among them.

"Every Ravenclaw is very serious about the match." Luna said.

"Yes, they really didn't like it that you challenged the Ravenclaw Prefect." Padma said sitting near them.

"But Chris didn't challenge her, she challenged Chris." Colin replied.

"That doesn't help much Colin. It's about Ravenclaw pride. Gryffindors can beat Ravenclaw in Quidditch but if a Gryffindor questions a Ravenclaw's knowledge then it's serious." Padma explained. "I just wish Chris wins or else they'll not let her hear the end of this."

"But if they intentionally ask questions that Chris couldn't answer then?" Ginny said anxiously.

"It's today, isn't? So we just have to wait to know how it goes." Chris said casually eating a bread.

"Overconfidence much?" A voice said from behind them.

Chris turned around and saw Jason glaring at her.

"Er... hi." Chris smiled awkwardly.

"Hi." He said and stood their without saying anything.

"Guys I'll see you later." Chris said hurriedly and got up from the table.

She saw her friends exchanging looks among them. Then walked out from the Great Hall, Jason followed her.

She stopped in a empty corridor and turned around to face Jason, who was still glaring at her.

"What're you think of yourself, huh?" Jason slapped his fist on the wall. "How dare you to tell Astoria, what am I doing?"

"I was worried, ok? You were acting weird." Chris said defiantly.

"You act weird all the time, did I ever tried to tell anyone, what're you up to?" Jason said angrily. "Listen Norton, do what you like but don't interfere in my life."

"Jason what's wrong? I know you're very serious about your studies. Why're you behaving like this. It's from the Professor Moody's first class." Chris replied concerned. "I know he's weird. I don't like him either but...."

"Like? I hate him. I fucking hate him." Jason snapped fuming. "That mad old git killed my Dad. Do you understand? That idiot came to a conclusion that my father was a Death Eater, just because he found him in wrong place and without waiting for a explanation... he just killled him. My father was an Auror, Damn it. He at least deserved a chance to explain himself."

Jason was shaking in anger. Chris was shocked for few moments then tried to reach Jason's hand, but he pulled back.

"Just stay away from my life Norton. Stay away." Saying this he walked away; leaving Chris alone.

___________________________________

The countryard was full of students when Chris arrived with Ginny, Luna and Colin.

"All the best." Padma said smiling as she passed them.

"All the best." An Asian girl said, Chris recognized her. It was Cho Chang.

Chris looked around the crowd and saw many familiar faces.

Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione all were standing in a side.

Harry mouthed, "You got this."

Neville just smiled and waved.

On the other side, Astoria just smiled.

Irena and Melvin waved.

Jason wasn't there, Chris wasn't able to concentrate properly, what she was doing.

She got on the center where Eliza Winger was standing.

"Let's start." Eliza Winger smirked.

"Yeah, just get over with it." Chris replied and shrugged.

"First riddle, a simple one for you dear." Eliza Winger started. "Imagine you're in a dark cave with Dementors, how will get out alive?"

"I'll stop imagining it." Chris replied without waiting.

"Right." She said gritting her teeth.

A applause formed in the crowd.

"My turn, what's always coming but never arrives?" Chris asked.

"Ummm....." Eliza think for few moments then answered, "Tomorrow."

"Right." Chris replied.

Specially the Ravenclaws clapped.

"Second one, at night they come without being fetched. By day they're lost without being stolen."

"Fears.... and doubts." Chris replied.

The girl nodded.

"Ok then, journey without it and you'll never prevail but if you've too much of it you'll surely fail." Chris said.

"... er....." there was a long pause. "Sensitivity."

"Wrong. It's Confidence."

"Hmph. Next, it hurt without moving, it poison without touching. It bears the truth and lie, it's not to be judged by size." Eliza angrily asked.

"....." Chris thought this for a moment. "Words."

Eliza didn't nod or said anything but her angry face and clenched fist told them all that that was the right answer.

"Last one, everyone wants more of it to feel special, yet the more you have of it, the less special you feel." Chris said.

The girl was angry, it was clear she wasn't thinking correctly.

"Don't know." She said loudly after few moments.

"Knowledge." Chris answered and the Eliza went red.

"You...."

"Look Eliza, I didn't accept this challenge to question your intelligence, you're really a intelligent person. I did this just to prove that, just because some of us are not in Ravenclaw, doesn't mean we're not qualified to be in Ravenclaw." Chris said seriously.

"You... you....." Eliza started fuming.

"Enough Eliza." Said a boy sternly as he came in to the center.

Chris saw the Prefect batch dangling from his chest.

"Enough is enough. I didn't said anything yesterday because I thought you can handle this situation wisely but I was wrong." He said. "A Ravenclaw always respects a intelligent person and your opponent is a intelligent girl. Act like a Ravenclaw and accept your defeat."

"But...." one of Eliza's friends tried to speak.

"Now. Only if you're a true Ravenclaw." The Prefect boy said cutting off them.

Eliza stared at the Prefect boy then looked at Chris.

"I accept my... defeat. Sorry girl." He muttered after few moments.

"Chris. My name is Christina or Chris, whatever you like to call." Chris said smiling. "And no need to say sorry. No hard feelings here. See you later. Bye."

And Chris walked out from the countryard.

"That's really nice of Chris but the sorry was needed." Ginny said following her.

"I'm not going to make more enemies, Ginny." Chris said. Then a voice said in her mind, 'When I already have old, cold, creepy voices for that.'