Chapter Three: Champions
The following morning, Annie Jane woke early. She brushed her hair into a low ponytail, pulled her work robes over her slacks and jumper, then hurried through the long hallway into the commons. She was not surprised that her friends were waiting for her. In his palm, Cedric held a slip of parchment. Noting this, Annie Jane smiled knowingly at him.
Much to her chagrin, Summers was sitting with the twins on the couch, chatting loudly. He, too, had a slip of paper in his hands, and although he didn't look older, Annie Jane knew he had already taken the potion. She smirked at him for a moment, anticipating his rejection from the Aging Circle. "Ready?" Cedric asked, steeling himself. Annie Jane could tell he was nervous, though what about, she hadn't the slightest inkling.
"Yes," Annie said, smiling. "It's all right, Ced, you needn't worry about what other people think."
"I'm not worried about that," he muttered, shaking his head and leading them all down the stairs.
"Then what are you worried about?" Annie Jane laughed confusedly, at a loss for what else he could possibly be nervous about.
He refused to say, however, but led them up the winding staircase and finally out under the tapestry.
Annie Jane stopped Cedric and waited for everyone to pass. "Look, Cedric, we all have utmost confidence in you. This…if you get it, you'll lead Hogwarts honorably, and if not, it's not your fault. Hufflepuff will understand, too, if you become a champion and don't win. We'll support you no matter what."
Cedric dropped his eyes and took a deep breath. "You're right. It's silly to be nervous."
"Wait until these 'dangerous tasks' to get worried, Cedric," Annie Jane said, quirking her mouth.
"Yeah, you're right," he said, more vehemently this time, and Annie Jane saw the familiar confidence enflame there. He turned to leave but Annie grabbed his arm again.
"Cedric?" she said, and he turned back to her. "One more thing: if and when you compete, do it for yourself. We—your supporters—we'll make it about Hufflepuff and Hogwarts, because that's what it'll mean to us. But do it all for yourself. If you compete, it will be about you, not us. Do you understand?"
Cedric grinned at her. "You worry too much about me."
"You like to martyr yourself far too much," Annie Jane sniffed. "Someone has to save you from…well, you."
Cedric grabbed her arm and pulled her into a tight hug. "Who needs a mother with friends like you?" he said.
Annie pulled back slightly, looking up at him with a perplexed expression. "I hope you don't think I act like your mother," she snorted.
"You tend to fuss over me a lot, and you seem to favor me in much the same manner as my parents."
"You're the most important boy in our lives," Annie told him matter-of-factly.
"Right," Cedric conceded, squeezing her momentarily before letting her go. "And that shan't ever change?"
Annie Jane shrugged. "Let us not jinx it by saying 'forever,'" she said wryly. "This seems to be the pattern frequently."
"All right," Cedric allowed. "Now, to enter a Tournament."
AK
The Great Hall was half full when they entered. Cedric stopped just inside the entrance, his eyes on the Goblet of Fire. Annie Jane gave him a small push and then folded her arms over her chest to watch him put the parchment in. All eyes were on him as Cedric stepped up to the line, then carefully stepped over. Looking over his shoulder at Annie Jane, who nodded at him, he stepped forward and then faced the Goblet. He stepped up the stool upon which the Goblet sat, then very slowly, dropped his piece of parchment in the flames. They glowed red with sparks, then went back to their cool blue. Hufflepuffs and some Ravenclaws burst into applause, cheering for Cedric as he stepped away. Annie Jane smiled back at him as he approached her.
"See, it wasn't as hard as you thought," she teased, shoving him lightly. "Come on, let's go eat. I heard the twins are going to Hogsmeade. We should join them."
Cedric and Annie Jane approached Hufflepuff table, their friends watching them approach. "Did you see what happened to Summers?" Jack crowed exultantly.
"No, what happened?" Annie Jane asked, sitting and leaning over the table with bright eyes.
The students around them giggled before Leslie burst out, "He has a beard!"
The entire table exploded in laughter. "How did that happen?" Annie gasped gleefully.
"He stepped over the Aging Line and just sort of stood there for a second, waiting. Then he flew backwards and—"
"—pop! He had a beard!" Jack finished gaily.
"Where is he?" Cedric asked.
"Hospital Wing," Funilda said, her eyes dancing.
With one look, Annie and Cedric scrambled out of their seats and ran full tilt up to the Hospital Wing in hopes of seeing the infuriating fifth year with a full beard.
AK
The walk to Hogsmeade was wet and soggy, but satisfying, no less. Annie sent a letter to her parents, regaling them in the details of the past month. She informed them that her siblings were doing well and that they all sent their love. Afterwards, Cedric, Annie, and the twins stopped in the Three Broomsticks for a half a pint of warm butterbeer. Jack flirted incessantly with Madame Rosmerta, the buxom and lovely barkeep.
When Cedric announced the dire necessity to leave, they packed up, left their payment on the table, and pulled their cloaks over their faces to walk briskly back up to the castle. When they finally arrived in the Great Hall, it was abuzz with anticipation, its occupants wild with excitement.
When the meal commenced, Annie Jane found herself eating quickly to finish the meal and move quickly to the part where they would find out who was representing each school.
Everyone had an eye for Dumbledore's meal, each cursing him silently every time he turned to talk to someone. Finally he finished and with his meal, the dishes in front of the students disappeared. Every student in the hall was completely silent, waiting for Dumbledore to begin. He stood and everyone held their breath as he began to speak.
"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision. I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber, where they will be receiving their first instructions."
He brandished his wand gracefully and the candles in the hall extinguished, except for those in the pumpkins decorating the hall, so now all that could be clearly seen was the Goblet of Fire and its dancing blue flames. The entire hall waited in silence until the flames turned a bright red, sparking ominously, and a streak of flame stretched higher than the others. A parchment paper shot from the top, its edges burnt, and drifted slowly into Dumbledore's outstretched hand. He held it aloft, reading by the light of the Goblet's flames.
"The champion from Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum." Applause broke out and the entire hall seemed to be clapping for the Durmstrang champion. Karkaroff yelled over it all, congratulating his student.
Moments later, when the applause had died and people sat once more in their seats, the Goblet's flames repeated their change in color and the tall flame once more shot high. Another piece of parchment was caught by Dumbledore. "The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour!"
Whereas Viktor had earned gracious cheering and support from everyone in the hall, Fleur did not seem to bear the same popular status. Her fellow Beauxbatons students looked very disappointed, and two girls were even sobbing. Fleur did not seem to notice, however, and she gracefully sauntered down the aisle between Hufflepuff's table and Ravenclaw's, then past the staff, and through the door.
The entire population of Hogwarts held their breath, waiting for the Goblet to once more passively announce the Hogwarts champion. Under the table, Annie Jane's hand found Cedric's, which were twisting one over another, both very tense. Annie Jane squeezed his hand, while she crossed her fingers on her other hand.
The flames turned red, sparks flying, and the spear of flame once more spiked upwards. Dumbledore snatched the piece of parchment from the air, paused slightly, then cried, "The Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!"
Hufflepuff table exploded.
Annie Jane and Cedric instantly stood with the rest of the table and the best friends hugged tightly. Cedric pulled back and then stepped into the aisle and toward the door. The entire table was screaming and cheering—even Simon Summers; some hugged their neighbors; others were screaming the House name at the top of their lungs; still more were screaming Cedric's name; a few of the seventh year girls were crying with joy. Never had the Hufflepuffs been more delighted. They took five minutes to fully congratulate themselves on sending a Hufflepuff through the champion's doors. They couldn't believe their fortune. Cedric Diggory? Yeah, he's a Hufflepuff and the first Hogwarts champion for well over a century.
It took a while, but finally the racket quieted down in favor of letting Dumbledore speak. "Excellent! Well, now we have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real—"
The Headmaster very suddenly stopped midsentence. No one could figure out why, and they looked around the hall for an explanation.
"Look!" cried Funilda, pointing at the Goblet. Annie Jane's gaze settled on the Goblet, and she saw to her great astonishment that the flames were turning red again, and then yet another piece of parchment was sailing downwards through the air. Dumbledore's hand shot out at once to grab it. He read it once, twice, and a third time, staring hard at the offending piece of paper, obviously unsure of what to think.
He cleared his throat, although it sounded very choked, and called quietly, so just barely everyone could hear him, "Harry Potter."
"What?" Funilda hissed, looking in the direction of Harry Potter. Annie Jane swung around on her seat, too shocked to be angry yet, to stare at Potter's face. He was sitting toward the end of his table.
The boy looked just as surprised as the rest of them. He turned and said something to Weasley and a bushy-haired girl, who stared blankly back. It was very obvious at that moment Harry Potter was friendless.
He didn't move, uncertainty very apparent in his movements. However, Dumbledore called, "Harry Potter! Harry! Up here, if you please!"
The boy slowly stood and began walking toward the staff table. Annie Jane felt a small stab of pity that he had to walk past half of Hufflepuff, although she found it very hard to sympathize for him in light of the fact that he had taken nearly all the glory out of Cedric's enormous victory.
He looked very small and very awkward walking toward Dumbledore. Every eye in the room was staring at him coldly. When he finally reached Dumbledore, the man pointed him through the door unsmilingly. Dumbledore stepped up to the table and leaned over, conferring with the other Headmaster and Headmistress from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Both were looking thunderous, and adamantly disagreeing or at least negating some of what Dumbledore was asking them. Dumbledore turned to Bagman and Crouch, who said something. Then McGonagall, Snape, Moody, Sprout, Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Dumbledore, Bagman, and Crouch all went through the door the champions had previously gone through.
As soon as the door shut, the whole Hall burst into conversation, students discussing Harry Potter.
"You know what? He's a great Quidditch player, he keeps facing danger, and he defeated the Dark Lord. That's great, but why does he have to do this, too?" Funilda complained loudly, and other Hufflepuffs received her words enthusiastically.
"Yeah!" Jack agreed. "Potter's just dying for attention, isn't he? He saved the Philosopher's Stone three years ago, saved that Weasley girl in the Chamber of Secrets two years ago, went after Sirius Black last year, and now he wants to be Triwizard Champion this year! Cedric deserves it, not Potter. Gryffindor doesn't need any more glory."
"We've never complained about him before," Annie Jane added. "But he's a pathological glory-seeker. Why couldn't he just lay off once. Can't he be a spectator?"
"Really!" Leslie said loudly. "That's Gryffindor for you. Stupidly do anything to look brave."
"What was that, Orwell?" said someone from Gryffindor. Alicia Spinnet had heard their conversation and now turned around to glare at Leslie angrily with several of her friends joining. "Don't make this a House thing or we'll be forced to list the reasons why Gryffindor is way better than Hufflepuff."
"Name one!" Leslie growled at her.
"Gryffindors are picked for a certain reason," Angelina Johnson pointed out. "Hufflepuff's all the people that didn't qualify for the other houses."
"One could argue that Hufflepuff's are applicable to all three," Annie Jane said angrily, her voice rising in defense of her House.
"Right, like the Jack of all trades, but Master of none?" Lee Jordan said, sneering.
Annie Jane's face reddened.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for being antagonistic," Annie Jane snapped.
"Abuse of power!" Lee Jordan roared angrily at her. "You give us those back!"
"No, you were being a jerk!" Annie Jane yelled back, her volume matching his.
"No more than you were!" Angelina said, standing up to tower over Annie.
Annie stood, rising to the threat, shouting into the other Chaser's face, "Your stupid house is just trying to take away from ours! Isn't it enough that we don't ever get anything?"
The two girls continued to glare at each other when Flitwick, who had seen the battle from afar, stepped up beside them. Despite his small size, he managed to yell up at them, "What's going on, ladies?"
Annie Jane blinked and looked away to glance at Flitwick. "We just got in a disagreement, Professor. We're done now." She cast a dirty look at Angelina, then turned her back and looked back at her friends, all of whom were looking at her, mouths agape. Only for Cedric, they all reasoned, would Annie not only abuse her powers as a Prefect but also get into a verbal brawl with another student. "Let's go," Annie Jane said tersely. "There's nothing else for us to do here. Let's go to the kitchens, get something to celebrate with, and go back to the commons."
Silently, the group which would be thence known as Cedric Diggory's Friends stood and walked together to the kitchens, ignoring the stares of every other student in the hall. It was not long before the rest of the school followed suit, as well as the other two schools.
AK
When Cedric descended into Hufflepuff commons, the entire cavern erupted with applause, every Hufflepuff screaming his name. Annie Jane stood to the side, beaming. She held out a bottle of butterbeer to him, which he took gratefully. She held her wand to her throat and said, "Sonorus!" Her voice was instantly magnified so that all would hear her. "Silence!" she called and they all acquiesced. She then said, "Quietus," to negate the spell.
The room had its eyes on her and she said clearly, "I would like to propose a toast to our very own Cedric Diggory!"
"Hear hear!" Ernie Macmillan called loudly, and for once, Annie didn't berate him for being irritating.
"The true Hogwarts champion," she called.
"Hear hear!" Ernie Macmillan repeated, but with a look from Annie, shut up promptly.
"Who will forever illuminate the House of Helga Hufflepuff in sunlit beams of glory!" she finished at a yell.
Her house-members cheered her words.
"I'll drink to that!" Cedric called, and everyone laughed compulsively.
Annie clinked bottles with Cedric, and then the two drank deeply to Cedric's success. Their other house-mates seemed to have been just waiting to welcome Cedric and soon broke up into their own groups, quietly discussing the night's events.
"Come on," Annie said, "we all want to hear what happened in that chamber."
She led the way to the couches where Funilda, Jack, Leslie, Sam, and Gregori were already sitting, drinking butterbeer and eating hot cinnamon rolls. Annie grabbed one and sat beside Gregori, slouching down into the comfortable cushions of the couch.
Cedric sat across the fire from her. "Come on, Cedric," Gregori said, eying Cedric curiously. "What happened down there?"
Cedric took a deep breath, setting his bottle down on the floor beside his feet. "Potter came down and at first we didn't really get what he was there for, but then he said that he was supposed to compete. We didn't really believe him until the teachers came and started yelling about it."
"Ooh, I bet Karkaroff was mad," Funilda breathed, her eyes wide.
"Both of them were mad," Cedric snorted. "And for good reason. There's a fifty percent chance that Hogwarts is going to win now."
"No, one hundred percent," Sam said, grinning widely. He was generally very quiet, with longer black hair which covered his dark brown eyes and a straight nose. In many ways he resembled Cedric.
"Right," Cedric said, smiling momentarily before launching into his story again. "Anyway, everyone did a fair bit of yelling, and Dumbledore asked Potter if he entered his name. Potter said no, he didn't, and no, he didn't have an older student enter it for him."
"Like hell," Funilda snorted.
"Anyway, then Moody said something about someone entering Potter's name under a fourth school and Confunding the Goblet so it wouldn't remember that only three schools were competing. If Potter was entered under a fourth school, he would be the only one in his category and therefore would be selected automatically."
"Yeah, but could Potter do that? Confundus Charms are really difficult," Annie Jane said, frowning.
"Are you suggesting he didn't enter it himself?" Jack asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at her. "Miss Conflict," he added nastily.
"No," Annie said hastily, ignoring Cedric's questioning look. "I was just suggesting that either he didn't Confound it or he used some other way."
"What other way could he possibly have done it, though?" Leslie asked crossly.
"Well, that's the million-galleon question, isn't it?" Annie Jane said, sighing.
"Yeah," Cedric said, frowning. "I asked him, you know, when they dismissed us. He said he didn't enter it, so he's not telling how. I'm pretty sure he did, though."
"I don't know," Gregori said, speaking up. "Did anyone see his face after Dumbledore called his name? The kid was positively stunned. He started blinking really fast and he looked just as surprised as everyone else. He didn't look too happy, either."
"Oh come on, Svenski," Funilda snapped, "the kid can act. Ever heard Snape talk about how much of a liar he is? That week after Black escaped the castle, Snape wouldn't stop ranting about what a jerk Potter was. He was constantly muttering under his breath. Someone even said that he went berserk in front of the Minister about it. Apparently Potter's always getting away with stuff because he can get teachers to just turn a blind eye. Why should this time be any different?"
"I have to agree with Funilda here," Annie Jane said. "I bet he probably just tried entering for kicks and giggles and didn't expect it to work. It did, and now it's coming back to bite him in the ass."
"Yeah," Cedric said finally. "You're probably right. Gregori's right."
He took a swig of butterbeer then said, "All right, guys, time to go to bed." He set the bottle on the floor in front of him, then stood, walked around the couch, and went through the boy's archway.
"Think he'll be all right?" Leslie asked Annie nervously.
"Yeah, I think he's fine," Annie Jane said quietly. "Just a bit surprised and worn out." She finished her butterbeer, then went straight to bed.
Glad you guys like it so much. I've written up to chapter ten, but I think I'm going to go back and rewrite some of it, because at some point I fell off the good-story wagon and my characters ended up a bundle of melodramatic soap-opera mess, LoL. Do review, please.