You Call That Security?
"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line. Finally, I..."
"What, that's it?"
As everyone turned to look who interrupted the Headmaster they saw Harry Potter standing up indignantly. The young boy was looking straight at Dumbledore and his eyes demanded an explanation.
"I assure you Harry that the measures taken will prevent underage students from entering the contest." the Headmaster said with an indulgent, grandfatherly smile.
"Really? So what, exactly, is stopping me from paying a seventh year to put my name in the Goblet?" Harry demanded.
Every student in the Great Hall suddenly had calculating looks. Dumbledore saw the atmosphere changing but before he could formulate a reply Harry continued.
"For that matter why can't I ask a House Elf to drop it in? Or an owl?"
Murmurs of excitement spread through the Hall as the students of Hogwarts altered plans and discarded possibilities. Meanwhile, the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were getting rebellious. After all, all THEIR non-adult students were across the Channel.
"And really, I don't even have to go that far. Simply walk up to the edge of the Age Line, crumble my piece of parchment and throw it in!" Harry continued his tirade.
"Or levitate it." Hermione's voice was heard.
"Or levitate it." Harry agreed. "For that matter, I sincerely hope your Age Line is more of a dome or I could simply grab a broom and be done with it."
By this time the two foreign Headmasters were glaring at Dumbledore who was desperately trying to come up with a way to defend his original plan.
"In fact, why do you even need to give the students a full day to drop one piece of parchment in a flaming piece of kitchenware?" Harry concluded. "Have the seventh years form a line, write their name in front of the three Headmasters and drop it in right then and there. Do this now and we can get the Champions' names before this Feast is over."
Dumbledore looked at the gleaming eyes of his two counterparts and admitted to himself that this was not going as planned.
A/N: The first paragraph of text is a direct quote from my copy of Harry Potter and the Flaming Kitchenware. I mean, Goblet of Fire.