Contest

I wonder, when they established this mystery challenge that no one can back out of…

Did they ever think that there might be someone that didn't know how to swim? Or rather, physically couldn't? Did they ever think, that maybe, just maybe, one of these kids would have terrible scars all over their body? Maybe artificial limbs? Something to hide?

Of course not. The wizarding world is a perfect world. One with absolutely normal people everywhere. Of course, no one gets scars, because magic doesn't leave scars—

(Oh wait, there is Harry, he got a scar from magic. Rebounds fuck everyone over, don't they?)

I hold my chin high, but each startled gasp hurts, if only a little. Hands—metal and flesh—fist at my sides and I stare out toward the water, waiting for the damn judges to get over their damn shock and tell us to go already. I have a little brother to save, here, and then some ass to kick. Oh, wait. I'm a student I should probably do that verbally.

I clench my teeth when the shock doesn't blow over and look over my shoulder. Even Hermione is looking at me with something akin to horror. I see disgust among them, as well. Pity, sympathy. I don't need any emotions, I don't need any of them. I was already heavily loaded in stress just with the idea of jumping into any body of water with these death traps bolted into my bones.

I was scared. I was legitimately terrified, standing here on a dock, ready to jump into a lake infested with things that would pull me down further as a struggled to even stay up a fraction to go get my little brother.

I clear the lump in my throat and take a deep breath, standing up straight in that military-like stance that Hawkeye instructed when teaching me to salute. "Say what you will. Before you do, though, we have people we need to save, don't we?"

There was a short pause before the competition started and I dove off of the dock and into one of my greatest weaknesses.

A/N: Now I seriously wonder if they ever thought that one of the champions might not know how to swim. o-o

ALSO, IT'S NOT EDWIN! Winry's not even in this one! :D

xD

*success*