Chapter 8: Now What?
The Great Hall was dead silent. Even the bats seemed to have ceased flapping their wings at this astonishing turn of events. Harry stared at Dumbledore and almost everyone else stared at Harry. Dumbledore and Kakashi, however, looked at each other. Dumbledore gave the slightest turn of his head toward the chamber where the champions waited. Kakashi nodded and silently walked over to Harry in the dead quiet hall.
Even though the guard whispered, his voice sounded loud in the silent atmosphere, "let's go Harry, we'll sort this out."
This jerked Harry out of his trace. He looked up at Kakashi, confusion making his eyes wide. He got up from the table and began walking up the row with Kakashi right behind him. All Kakashi could think was, who's trying to kill this kid now?
Harry felt like the guard was escorting him to his execution. The silent stares from all directions made the air heavy in the wizard's lungs. When Harry finally got to the door, he tripped a little on the doorframe. Kakashi grabbed his arm to steady him and they both entered the chamber behind the staff table.
The other champions were huddled near the fire in the stone chamber. The three seventeen year-olds looked up when Kakashi and Harry walked in. The guard's visible eyebrow was furrowed in thought. Harry looked white as a sheet.
Fleur spoke first. "Oh hello," she said to Kakashi, not even looking at Harry. When Kakashi didn't respond she tried again, "what is it? Are we needed back in the hall?"
Cedric caught sight of Harry and stepped away from the fireplace. The frightened look on the Gryffindor's face made Cedric uneasy. "Harry, what's wrong?"
Fleur looked at Harry for the first time, then at Cedric, and back at Harry.
When Harry didn't answer, Cedric's concern grew. He looked at the ninja, "Kakashi what-"
Just then the door burst open. Ludo Bagman waltzed in. "Extraordinary," he cried. He walked toward Harry and looked like he meant to grab him. Kakashi subtly moved in front of the young wizard to divert the over-excited official. Bagman paused but quickly redirected his excitement at the seventeen year-olds. "Gentleman…lady, may I introduce to you, strange as it may seem, the fourth Triwizard Champion!"
Viktor's hawk-like features zeroed in on Harry, his dark eyebrows furrowing. Cedric's face held a textbook look of blank confusion, looking between Harry's white face and Bagman's bright red one. Fleur tossed her hair, "oh, I see, funny joke Mr. Bagman."
"Oh I'm not joking," Ludo said, too cheerfully for Kakashi's liking. "This boy's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire."
Viktor's eyebrows rose suddenly while Cedric's furrowed. Fleur said, "but there must be some mistake. He can't compete, he's too young."
A small part of Kakashi's brain ran a scenario where Tenzo competed with these three wizards in any type of tournament. That corner of his brain chuckled a little as the ANBU member beat each of them in turn, despite his young age.
Ludo spoke, "the age restriction has only been put in this year and since the goblet has chosen him, he's obligated to compete. It says that right in the rules so there's really no backing out of it now."
"Dumbledore said he's obligated to compete if he enters," Kakashi clarified with emphasis. "Did you enter your name Harry?"
Harry shook his head urgently, eyes still wide but more in fear now than shock. Daydreaming about being in the tournament was one thing, but Hermione was right, they hadn't learned enough yet to really stand a chance.
Ludo was ignorant of Harry's pleas however. He was busy looking at Kakashi as if he'd appeared out of nowhere. "And who are you? A fifth champion?"
Kakashi was saved from having to answer such a ridiculous question by the entrance of Professor Dumbledore, Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxine, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape. Kakashi wondered briefly why the head of Slytherin House was there when Fleur spoke.
"Madame Maxine, they are saying this little boy is going to compete also!"
Kakashi felt a twinge of sympathy for Harry at that comment but said nothing.
"What is the meaning of this Dumbledore?" Madame Maxine said, drawing herself up.
"I'd like to know that myself Dumbledore," Professor Karkaroff added. "Two Hogwarts Champions? I wasn't aware that the host school got two competitors. If we'd known your Age Line could be so easily beaten, then we would have brought a wider selection of students."
"If you're looking for someone to fault for this, look no further than Potter himself," Snape sneered. "He's been crossing lines ever since he arrived at this school."
"Thank you Severus," Dumbledore said firmly. Snape continued to glare at Harry. Dumbledore looked at Harry and Harry looked back at him, willing the headmaster to see that he should not, could not, compete in this tournament.
"Did you put your name in the goblet Harry?" Dumbledore's voice was very calm.
"Like I told Kakashi, no."
"Who is he by the way?" Ludo asked, gesturing at the guard.
Dumbledore ignored him and continued to look Harry in the eye, "did you ask one of the older students to do it for you?"
Wait, would that have worked? Kakashi thought in surprise. That seems to be a major flaw in the whole system.
"No," Harry said, stronger this time.
"But he's lying of course," Madame Maxine said. Snape was shaking his head at Harry, disgust written all over his face.
Karkaroff spoke, "Mr. Bagman, Mr. Crouch, you are impartial in this. Wouldn't you agree that this is most irregular?"
Ludo pulled his eyes away from Kakashi and looked at Mr. Crouch. His colleague stared into the fire. "We must follow the rules," Mr. Crouch said. "And those rules state very clearly that any names that emerge from the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament."
This is ludicrous. "This is ludicrous," Kakashi said. "By that logic, anyone over seventeen could have dropped in my name or Professor Snape's. If we were chosen would we be bound to compete in the tournament? Why is someone bound to compete when they did not consent to being entered?"
Everyone stared at Kakashi as if he had grown a second head on his shoulders. His protestations were ignored.
"Who is this man?!" Mr. Bagman cried in frustration, gesticulating at the silver-haired ninja.
"This is Kakashi," Dumbledore replied calmly. "He's the captain of the guards that I hired to protect the school this year."
"And last year," Snape muttered. McGonagall shot him a stern look.
"Dumbledore," Karkaroff said, "I insist that we be allowed to resubmit the names of our students until all three schools have two champions. It's only fair."
"The Goblet of Fire has extinguished," Mr. Crouch said. "It won't reignite until the next tournament."
"Which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing in," Karkaroff declared. "After all our negotiations and compromises, this is how you treat us?"
Negotiations? Kakashi thought. Were these schools at war? We have less trouble setting up the chunin exams.
"I have half a mind to leave right now," the wizard continued.
"We all know that that's an empty threat Karkaroff," came a gruff voice from the doorway.
Everyone turned to see Professor Moody standing there. "What do you mean?" Karkaroff demanded, his hands balling into fists.
"You won't leave your champion now. He has to compete, they all have to compete," his eye landed on Harry. "Binding magical contract remember? Kind of convenient don't you think?"
"Convenient for Hogwarts maybe," Karkaroff scoffed.
"Yes, it's not fair that they get two champions instead of one. We'll be filing complaints with your ministry," Madame Maxine huffed.
"If anyone should be complaining it should be Potter, but it's funny how he's not saying a word," Moody continued.
"Why should he complain?" Fleur asked angrily. "He gets a chance to compete doesn't he? We've all been hoping for weeks to get into this tournament. The glory for our school, the prize money, many would die for this chance!"
"Maybe someone is hoping Harry dies," Kakashi said, silencing her. He looked around at them, "you can't think of anyone who'd want to kill The Boy Who Lived?"
"Please Kakashi," Professor McGonagall said, "not in front of Potter."
"I'm not a child," Harry spoke up.
"Yes you are," Kakashi said firmly, looking Harry straight in the eye. "But you shouldn't be treated like one."
"You're only a year older than I am!" Harry protested, forgetting about the others in the room for a moment.
Kakashi said the next statement very low so only the Gryffindor could hear. "Harry, you haven't seen the things that I've seen. Prepare yourself to be an adult, but don't wish for it or attempt to speed up the process."
"The captain of your guard is fifteen?" Karkaroff asked Dumbledore, incredulous. "He's not even of age!"
"He is where he comes from," McGonagall said defensively.
Kakashi only had a moment to marvel at her before Madame Maxine asked, "and where is that?"
"None of your concern," Kakashi replied, bringing the conversation to a dead halt with the steel in his voice.
Moody's eyes were still on the jonin when he said, "either way, if Potter put his name into the Goblet of Fire, he still would have needed to confound the cup into thinking that Hogwarts needed two champions, or created a fourth school so that he was the only one in his category. The Goblet of Fire is a very powerful magical object and it would have taken quite a charm to bamboozle it. Although I've been impressed with Potter in my class so far, he hasn't shown that kind of ability."
The group fell silent. Dumbledore spoke, "how this situation arose is a mystery but the fact remains that Harry will have to compete." Madame Maxine and Professor Karkaroff began to argue again but Dumbledore cut them off. "You both know the penalty for breaking the contract."
The headmaster and headmistress both closed their mouths and looked at Harry. He was suddenly very uncomfortable.
Dumbledore added, "if either of you have an alternative, I'd love to hear it."
The room remained silent. McGonagall gave Harry a pitying look. Snape scowled. Kakashi wanted to know what the penalty was but held his tongue.
"Shall we crack on then?" Bagman said, chipper once more.
Crouch spoke, "the first task is to test your daring, so we will not be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in every wizard.
"The first task will take place on November 24th in front of the panel of judges and the remaining students.
"The champions are not permitted to ask for any help from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. They will face the first challenge armed with only their wands. They will receive information about the second task once the first is completed. Due to their participation in the tournament, the headmasters and headmistress are exempting the champions from taking their end of year exams. When they take their NEWTS for career advancement is up to them." Crouch stopped and looked at Dumbledore, "I believe that's everything Albus?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said. He looked at Crouch's pale features with mild concern, "are you sure you won't stay at the school tonight Barty?"
"No, I must get back to the ministry. Very busy you know," Mr. Crouch said tiredly. "I left young Weatherby in charge."
Harry desperately wanted to tell Mr. Crouch that Percy's last name was Weasley but he felt uncomfortable as it was.
"You'll at least stay for a drink?" Dumbledore offered.
"Come on Barty," Bagman encouraged. "I'm staying. Take a load off!"
"It's really quite impossible Ludo," Mr. Crouch said coldly.
"Madame Maxine? Professor Karkaroff? A night cap?" Dumbledore offered.
However the two in question, and their students, had already departed. Dumbledore sighed. "Cedric, Harry, you two had better go up to bed. Your respective houses are, no doubt, waiting to celebrate with you." Dumbledore smiled. "I'm sure this would be an excellent opportunity to make a great deal of noise."
Harry glanced shyly at Cedric, who had nodded.
As they walked through the deserted Great Hall, Cedric said, "so, we get to play against each other one last time."
Harry nodded, unable to speak.
Cedric looked at Harry and asked, disbelieving, "you really didn't do it, did you?"
Harry looked up at him and shook his head. Hope rose in his chest that someone besides Kakashi believed him.
Cedric whistled and said, "then we'd better watch each other's backs." Then Cedric smiled and continued, "because when I beat you this time, I want it to be fair and square, and not because someone was messing with you."
Harry gave a strangled laugh. "My life does seem to get pretty messed up sometimes."
Cedric gave him a sad smile and a slap on the shoulder, "see you at breakfast." With that they parted ways. Cedric headed for a door to his right and Harry ascended the marble staircase.
Meanwhile, back in the chamber behind the staff table, Dumbledore and Kakashi were the only ones who hadn't yet departed.
"That was very dangerous, putting yourself in a position to be scrutinized," Dumbledore said. "If nothing else, Madame Maxine and Professor Karkaroff will be keeping a closer eye on you and quite possibly using their resources to find out about your homeland."
"All they have is my name and my age, that won't get them anywhere," Kakashi assured him. "Besides, my job is to protect the students and Harry definitely needed some protection."
Dumbledore nodded.
"Who could have done this?" Kakashi asked.
Dumbledore sighed and said, "I believe we're heading for another wizarding war. It's part of the reason why I asked Alastor here this year. It's why I want him to teach the students how to throw off the Imperius Curse. Voldemort is still out there and his followers are gathering like they haven't in many years. He could very easily rise to power once more."
The two men sat in silence for a time.
"When my master died," Kakashi began slowly, "he sacrificed himself to save the village. However, since our leader was dead, it left us in a vulnerable position and Lord Third had to take up the mantle of Fire Shadow once again. The Third Fire Shadow passed his responsibilities on for a reason. If we go to war again, I don't believe he will survive to see it to completion."
Kakashi's words hung in the air. Finally Dumbledore said, "well, I suppose we have to go to sleep sometime." Kakashi turned and looked at the wizard who made a shooing motion with his hand, "off to bed with you."
