Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

A/N: Thanks to MaeSilverpaws1, who is beta-ing this story.

Chapter Eighty-Six

Goblet of Fire

"What do you think the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are going to be like?" Hermione wondered out loud as they waited outside for the said schools to arrive.

"I don't know Mione, like everyone else I'd think," Ron shrugged, not really caring much. "Can't they hurry up already, it's freezing out here."

"Did you call me Mione?" Hermione questioned and Ron ears started to turn red.

"Er … well," Ron muttered, not really sure what he should say to that.

"Hm," Hermione took his silence to mean yes and she wasn't sure what she thought of the name but was somewhat pleased that he would come up with a nickname for her. Then again, he could just be lazy and doesn't feel like saying her full name anymore.

"Hey, what's that?!" Ron asked trying to distract her and luckily enough something was happening. He pointed at the thing in the sky that was slowly getting bigger.

"Is that a house?" Harry said several second later.

"Er …" Ron said, not quite sure what Harry was seeing until the thing got closer and he reasoned that Harry was right. "Yeah … I think it is."

"How big do you think those horses are?" Dean asked as the house got closer and they could tell that both the house and the horse that were drawing it were quite huge.

"Very," Harry answered him as they watched people starting coming out of the house and walking towards Hogwarts. "And so is she."

"I'd say," Seamus said as a Hagrid size woman made her way to where Dumbledore was standing. Madame Maxime, as the giant woman was named, was the headmistress of Beauxbatons and was followed by about twenty students or so. They quickly made their way into the castle, not waiting for the other school to arrive.

"I wonder how Durmstrang is going to get here?" was an excited whisper repeated throughout the Hogwarts students.

"Maybe there will be even bigger horses," someone said, though Harry didn't think that was likely to be the case. Durmstrang wouldn't want to do the same thing as the other school … they would want to stand out in their own way. He wasn't disappointed as the ship started coming out of the Black Lake. He was quite amazed to watch this, wondering just how the ship was able to get to the lake in the first place and then how it had come out of the water without drowning the people that were on it. On the other hand, the headmaster of Durmstrang, Karkaroff, wasn't as impressive as Madame Maxime. He seemed to be sly and cold.

Harry was still looking at the headmaster when he was elbowed in the stomach by Ron, who was looking at the student just behind Karkaroff.

"I don't believe it … it's Krum, Viktor Krum is here!" Ron whispered excitedly.

"I didn't know he was still in school," Harry said, a little awed himself that the hero of the last Quidditch cup was there. He noticed that he and Ron weren't the only ones looking at Krum; it seemed that most of the people in the room were whispering about him.

Soon after the second schools arrival everyone was heading to the Great Hall as Ron talked excitedly about Krum, wondering if he could get an autograph and what it would be like to talk to the guy. Harry had to agree it would be interesting to talk to Krum about the many games he played. He even entertained the thought of challenging Krum to try to catch the Snitch. He continued daydreaming about that as they ate a very interesting meal. He tried all of the different foods that came from both the schools, liking some more than others.

"Excuse me," a girl said, she was wearing the school uniform for Beauxbatons and her hair was silvery blonde. She was also very beautiful. "Do you want ze bouillabaisse?"

"Huh?" Ron said staring at the girl as if he had never seen anything so beautiful before.

"No," Harry said, feeling a little awestruck himself. "You can take it."

"You 'ave finish wiz it?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, it was very good," Ron said breathlessly, despite the fact that he hadn't even tried the dish.

"Zank you," the girl said, picked up the plate and walked away. Ron followed her as she walked and watched as she sat next to her schoolmates at the Ravenclaw table.

"Hmph," Hermione huffed as she watched, not only Ron drool over the girl, but Harry stared longingly at the Ravenclaw table as well. She couldn't help but get angry seeing how much attention Ron was giving that girl, who was nothing more than just drop dead gorgeous.

Ron shook his head, his eyes coming back into focus. "That girl's a veela."

"Of course she's not," Hermione rolled her eyes, because really Ron doesn't need that to drool all over a girl. She's seen him act like this with … pretty much every girl that walks by. Every girl that's not her that is. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot."

"I'm not sure that's true," Ginny whispered to her friend, and Hermione noticed that she might have been wrong as the other boys did watch the blonde eat. It made her feel slightly better, but not much.

Soon after that Dumbledore stood and explained to everyone how the tournament was going to work and more importantly to Ron, that it would be a goblet that decided who the champions would be. He wasn't really sure how that would work, clearly it would judge by the quality of the champion and not the age. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing that Dumbledore's protection was going to be an age line, but he was already working through the ideas that he came up with to see which one he would use. He could hear that Fred and George were still planning on using the aging potion and he was sure that at least what he came up with would be better than that.

"I'll see you guys later," Ron said after the meal because he really had a lot of work ahead of him if he was going to have a shot at accomplishing his task.

"Wait up Ron, I'll go with you," Hermione said, surprising him and made him suspicious at the same time, but he did wait for her to catch up.

"Are you going to help me now?" Ron had to ask. "Or are you going to try to talk me out of trying?"

"Neither … both," Hermione answered causing Ron to roll his eyes. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm impressed by how hard you have worked on this. Even more so since you've keep up your school work at the same time."

"Thanks," Ron smiled, feeling his inside glow when she said she was impressed.

"Now I beg you not to go through with it," Hermione said and he looked at her incredulously.

"Couldn't you have stop with the compliment," he grumbled.

"Sorry," Hermione sighed, she really was but she couldn't change who she was. "But that's like asking me to stop carrying about you and that's not going to happen."

Ron felt strange about that … lightheaded that she cared about him but he wished she would just stop trying to talk him out of this.

"Forget I said that okay," Hermione sighed as she saw his expression. "I didn't want to bring that up tonight. I just wanted to tell you that no matter what happens tomorrow, I'm proud of you."

"You are?" Ron said smiling in shock; he never would have thought she would say that even though she had just said he impressed her.

"Yeah," Hermione had to return the smile, "even though I'm going to root for anyone but you to become Hogwarts's champion."

"Stop ruining the moment, Mione," Ron grumbled and she laughed, taking away any of the annoyance he was feeling.

"I better go before I say something to upset you again," Hermione said still laughing and before he (or even she) knew what she was doing, she hugged him. It felt so nice to have her in his arms (and knowing that she was proud of him) that he didn't want to let her go, but much too soon she pulled away and left.

Ron had to admit that he probably stood in the hallway for several minutes before remembering that he still had a lot to do before he was ready for tomorrow.

O

"Ron, wake up," Harry said, shaking his shoulder.

"Huh?" Ron said sleepily as he lifted his head from the book he had been using as a pillow. "What time is it?"

"Six in the morning," Harry said. "I just woke up and noticed that you weren't in the dorm room or the common room, so I came here to see what you were up to."

"Six," Ron groaned as the Room of Requirement came into view of his sleep deprived eyes. "Bloody hell, I slept for five hours … I only wanted to rest my eyes."

"Sorry mate," Harry said, not sure what else he could say to that.

"Don't be … thanks for waking me up," Ron said.

"Do you know what you're planning on doing?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I've got it all worked out," Ron said.

"So what is it?" Harry wanted to know.

Ron yawned and then shook his head. "Sorry Harry, but I don't have time to talk about it … I've got some more things I have to do. You know Fred and George said that we are all going to be putting our name in the goblet at nine."

"Right, sorry, I'll get out of your way," Harry said, getting up and leaving the room, thinking about going back to bed now that he knew that Ron was on the right track.

Ron on the other hand, got up to check the potion he had made and made sure that he had the right wand work to the spell that he was going to use. He was starting to feel nervous, hoping that he would actually be able to do this because he really didn't want to work this hard on something and then fail in the end. However, he reminded himself of what Hermione had said to him the night before and kept pushing himself to make sure he would live up to what she said. He walked out of the room with confidence in what he had come up with, thinking that he might actually have a chance of making this work.

"You ready little brother?" Fred asked, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"Because we're ready to beat you," George added, doing the same as Fred.

"Whatever," Ron rolled his eyes. "Do you want to go first, or do you want me to."

"I'll go first," George said, taking a step forward as he pulled out a piece of parchment with his name on it from his pocket. He step over the age line drawn by Dumbledore and had time to smirk before he was thrown backwards, his hair turning gray as he grew a beard.

"That's a good look for you, George," Ginny chuckled. "You look very distinguished."

"I think that you should step across the line and look like that too, Fred," Ron grinned.

"Oh, you wish that would happen," Fred chuckled, and grinned at him. "But I'm sure it won't."

"Huh?" Ron asked as Fred started walking towards the age line.

"Did you really think that George and I would do the same thing," Fred said. "Especially, when we have a bet going with Harry?"

"Er …" Ron said, because he had thought that.

"Wise man says …" George said, setting up and stroking his new beard looking as thoughtful as he could, "it is a good idea to use all the advantages that you have."

"Idiot," Ron shook his head at his bearded brother. "I had no idea that you came up with another way of entering the tournament." He was a little annoyed that he hadn't thought about that, that he had allowed himself to not worry about what his brothers might do.

"Of course not," Fred smiled broadly. "We wouldn't be Mischief and Mayhem if we didn't surprise you a little."

"So what did you do?" Harry asked.

"This," Fred said, flicking his wand at the piece of paper in his hand and it started to float. He then directed the paper towards the goblet. It easily flew past the age line and hovered above the goblet. Fred flicked his wand upwards, releasing the paper from his spell and watched as it slowly floated to the ground, despite the fact that it had been right over the goblet. Fred grimaced at the paper, before making it float again. Once again, the moment he released it, the paper missed the goblet and landed on the floor.

"It doesn't look like that's going to work," Hermione commented after the third time Fred had tried.

"Hmph!" Fred huffed, trying one last time, this time he didn't take off the spell as he directed the paper into the goblet. The next thing he knew he was lifted off the ground and hovered five feet in the air. "Wow …"

"Told you it wouldn't work," Hermione said smiling as others laughed.

"Whatever!" Fred said, still in the air, wondering when he was going to be let down. "You're turn, Redpaw."

"Yeah," Ron said, feeling nervous. He wondered what would happen to him if he should fail. He took the vial out of his pocket and drank it as he concentrated on the piece of paper in his hand.

"Ron?" Hermione asked when he didn't move forward.

"What?" he asked his eyes unfocused as he stared at her with a confused expression.

"Aren't you going to put your name in the goblet," Harry asked him.

"Oh," Ron said cheerfully and looked back at the paper in his hand. "Yes … that's right."

"Er … what did he do to himself?" Ginny wondered out loud as Ron walked towards the goblet, not even seeming to notice the line that was circling it and crossed it without any problems.

"Hm …" Ron said as if not sure what he should do now, before he smiled and reached back into his pocket pulling out another piece of parchment and moving his hand so he could put the paper into the goblet. "That should do it."

He then turned around as if nothing important happened walking back to his friends, his expression was content but vague.

"Ron," Hermione said again, even more concern than she was before. He was acting oddly and she wondered if whatever potion he used had an ill effect on him.

"Nothing happened to him," someone said in awe. "He put his name in the goblet and nothing happened to him."

"If you don't count the fact that he's acting even stupider than he normal does," a Slytherin pointed out.

"No, he did that to himself," a Ravenclaw said. "He actually got pass Dumbledore's line."

"How the bloody hell did he do that?" another Ravenclaw wanted to know. "I thought it was impossible."

"So did I," said a voice that caused everyone in the hall to become silent as they looked at the doors. Dumbledore was standing there looking both upset and impress at the same time.

"Mr. Weasley, will you explain yourself, please," Dumbledore asked evenly.

"That's me …" Ron said smiling. "I'm Ronald Weasley. I'm Seventeen. I want to put a piece of paper into a fiery goblet. Then I wave my wand like this and think about going back to normal and say, Reverto."

"I see," Dumbledore said, almost amused by the boy's child like behavior and having an idea how Ron had figured out a way to get passed his enchantment. "Now Mr. Weasley, can you give a more detail account of what has happened."

"Er …" Ron said as his mind came back into focus. "Well, Sir, you see I wanted to enter the tournament."

"Yes, I have realized that."

"Right," Ron said gulping, he really didn't think that he would have to talk to Dumbledore right after he entered his name. He looked behind him, only realizing then that his plan had actually worked. He really did get past Dumbledore. He tried to hide his smile when he turned back to Dumbledore, but he realized that he wouldn't be able to do that so he stared at the floor. "Well, I did a combination of things actually."

"Such as an aging potion," Dumbledore said and Ron looked up, surprised that Dumbledore had figured that out. He was even more surprised when he noticed that Dumbledore didn't look angry or even disappointed. The old headmaster looked concerned but impressed.

"Yes, I did."

"Hey! That was our idea," George said indignantly, he still had gray hair and a beard.

"That is obvious," Dumbledore smiled.

"Then why doesn't Ron have a beard too?" George demanded; he was quite annoyed that his little brother had out shined him and Fred. More than that, he was in awe that Ron actually got past Dumbledore. Though he was trying to do the same, there was a part of him that believed that no one could do it. It only annoyed him more that Ron had proved him wrong.

"I would like to know the same thing," Dumbledore said. "My age line would have recognized if an aging potion was being used and the result would be what had happened to you, Mr. Weasley."

"Yeah, well I thought you might do something like that," Ron said. "I mean, you wouldn't let something so simple get past you right. But I knew that I had to age my body to have any chance to get past the line. So I took the aging potion every morning for the last month and then took the antidote every night."

"Aw, yes that is an interesting way of using those potions," Dumbledore said. "You're body would get use to the potion and age you faster where as the antidote always worked a little slower. There would be a small amount of time that you would no longer have the aging potion in your system and yet be a few years older than you are. I believe you told me, while you were still under the influence of another potion you used, that you were seventeen."

"Yes, sir, I did," Ron nodded his head.

"I believe you had to have been seventeen when you put your name in the goblet," Dumbledore said, "obvious by means of the potion and antidote that you used. Still, I would imagine you would only have …"

"One minute fifty two seconds," Ron supplied.

"It seems that you have planned this meticulously," Dumbledore said.

"Yes sir," Ron said.

"What was the other potion that you used?"

"Securus Consilium. It's a potion that made me susceptible to suggestion," Ron said. "I figured even if I aged my body that I wouldn't be able to get past your line unless I actually believe that I was seventeen. So I wrote a note to myself telling me that I was seventeen. At that time I truly believe I was, and my body was as well."

"It was a brilliant plan," Dumbledore said, "and executed perfectly. I might add that it was rather dangerous for you to have used that potion … under its effect you would have done anything that anyone had suggested you to do."

"I know," Ron said. "It was risky, but I really wanted to see this through."

"A quality that you will need if you are chosen as champion," Dumbledore said. "I fear your might not have realized all the risk you have put yourself in, but I cannot do anything about your name being entered for the tournament, it is now up to the goblet to decided who the Hogwarts's champion will be. However, I will be sending a letter home to your parents explaining what has happened and I will turn you over to Professor McGonagall to see if she has any other punishments for you."

"Yes sir," Ron said, bowing his head as he thought of how upset his mum was going to be when she got the letter. Still, he knew this was worth it in the end. Champion or not, he had proven himself today.

O

"I can't believe you," Fred said shaking his head. Everyone was in shock that Ron actually was able to put his name in the goblet. Fred found it almost more shocking to realize that he was jealous of Ron. He wasn't really use to being jealous of anyone and it was just wrong to be jealous of his little brother. Naturally it wasn't an easy emotion to get over, but he put it on the back burner, not waiting to put his brother down after such a feat. "You just have to be the champion after you did that."

"You think," Ron said rubbing the back of his head; he was surprised to see that Fred and George were supporting him after he had showed them up. "I'm not sure. I mean everyone else is older than I am … they'll know more."

"Yeah, well none of them had to get past Dumbledore," George said. "All they've done was be old enough to participate."

"And taken at least two more years of classes," Ron said.

"You're talking as if you don't want to be the champion," Harry pointed out and Ron smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I am, aren't I," Ron chuckled. "I guess I have just as much chance as anyone now."

"I can't believe you passed the age line and you're just figuring that out now," George shook his head. "Outdone by an idiot!"

"Shut up," Ron grumbled, but he was in too good of a mood to let that bother him for long. It didn't hurt that people asked him more about how he had accomplished passing the line and he gave a more in depth account of what he did. It felt nice that people wanted to talk to him because of something he did and it had nothing to do with his brothers or Harry.

Still, when he was walking to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, where the announcement of who would be champion would be made, he felt nervous. More than nervous. He was afraid. There was some excitement too as he thought of winning, but fear was the strongest feeling he had right now. He was starting to think that he was a little rash in adding his name to the list of champions as he thought about what the challenges where going to be like.

"Are you okay?" Hermione whispered so no one could hear her as they sat down and Ron didn't immediately start loading his plate like usually.

Ron gave her a shaky smile. "Yeah."

She raised her eyebrow at him and gave him a skeptical look.

"To be honest … I'm hoping not to be picked." Ron confessed.

"So after all that work … you don't want to be picked," Hermione sighed.

"Pretty much," Ron said. "Er … Hermione?"

"What?"

"You know what you said about not helping if I became a champion?" Ron asked. "Did you mean it?"

"Of course not," Hermione smiled at him. "I'll help you no matter what happens."

"Thanks," Ron sighed in relief, "that helps."

"I'll help too," Harry added, causing his two friends to jump. "Sorry … did I surprise you?" he grinned at them as they both gave him an annoyed glared that only made him grin more.

"Jerk," Ron grumbled under his breath, but he was grateful for Harry soon enough because his friend kept him from thinking too much about what was coming.

"You know I was wondering about that potion you used," Harry asked.

"Yes, it was very difficult to make," Ron said.

"No … that's not what I'm going to ask," Harry said. "I was wondering how you knew you had to write the counter curse to it, so that you weren't …"

"Oh …" Ron said. "I finished the potion a week ago and I had Neville help me with it."

"You got Neville to help you," Harry repeated.

"You said that you weren't going to help," Ron said.

"Right," Harry said feeling guilty that he was hurt that Ron didn't come to him. After all, Neville was their friend too; it's not odd that Ron would ask for his help.

"Are …" Ron started to ask but Dumbledore stood up then, announcing that in a minute the goblet would give the names of the champions. Ron was grateful to realize that dinner had pass without him realizing the time, but now it seemed like time stopped and nothing would distract him from looking at the goblet, it's blue flames flickered seemed to burn his eyes as it finally flashed red and a paper flew out of it and into Dumbledore's hand.

"The Durmstrang champion is … Viktor Krum."

"Well no surprises there," Ginny said, saying what everyone was thinking. Even the people from Durmstrang looked as if they knew this was going to happen.

The goblet turned back to blue only to flash red again.

"The Beauxbatons champion is … Fleur Delacour."

"Look, it's that girl," Harry said to Ron, who didn't turn his head at all, he couldn't think to even pay attention to anything else. He didn't even notice the pleased smile that crossed Hermione's lips that he didn't look at the pretty blonde girl as she walked to the room Dumbledore had told them to go.

No one talked as they waited for the last name to be called. The champion for Hogwarts. Ron felt his heart pounding in his chest, not sure what he really wanted to happen anymore.

"And the Hogwarts champion is … Cedric Diggory," Dumbledore said.

Ron experienced two conflicting emotions at the same time. Disappointment. He really thought that he would be picked as Hogwarts's champion … that he would have the quality that would let him be picked. Relief. He was sure that whatever was coming in this tournament was going to be really bad and he wouldn't want to do it.

"I'm sorry, Ron," Hermione said, though her voice showed her relief. "You were still amazing … getting your name in the goblet."

"Yeah," Harry said, patting Ron on the back. "You were brilliant …"

Harry stopped talking as the goblet flashed red for a fourth and unexpected time. A feeling of dread filled his stomach as he feared what was going to happen. When something unexpected happens, it usually meant something bad for him. It didn't help at all that Dumbledore frown as he looked at the parchment in his hand, taking several second before he said out loud.

"Harry Potter."

Harry's heart hammered in his chest as his name ring through the hall. People turned to look at him in a mixture of shock and incredulous. He heard a grumbled from the Hufflepuff table. He turned to Ron and Hermione as if asking if he really did hear his name. Hermione looked as scared as he felt as she pushed him upwards as Dumbledore called him to come forward. Ron … didn't look at him at all.

Harry got up feeling numb.

Ron couldn't look up. He couldn't look at Harry right now. He was too angry. He couldn't believe this was happening. Harry effing Potter was a champion and he was nothing again.