Chapter Thirty Seven
Classes that day had been dull with nobody, not even the teachers, able to concentrate on the actual learning portion of things. Madison didn't blame them, and after their last class, she found herself rushing outside with the rest of the school.
The Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students' arrival wasn't as impressive the second time around, but Madison found herself watching them just as eagerly, waiting for Viktor to disembark the Durmstrang ship. Of course, his arrival was met with gasps and cheers from quite a number of Hogwarts students. Ron, despite knowing Viktor was Theo's brother, and having met him at the World Cup, was just as eager as the rest of the crowd, causing Madison to burst into laughter when Viktor waved at them and Ron nearly fainted.
They followed the rest of the crowd down to the Great Hall, the students behind them jabbering about Viktor and their wanting to get his autograph, Hermione scowling the whole way. Finally they took their seats at the Gryffindor table - Draco joining them despite a look from Dumbledore - and waited for the foreign students to take their own seats. Soon enough they did - the Beauxbaton students joining the Ravenclaws, and the Durmstrang following Viktor's lead and sitting with the Gryffindors. Scowls came from both Slytherin and Hufflepuff, but nobody deigned to respond, as the rest of the staff trickled in.
Once everyone was settled, Dumbledore rose from his seat, and silence fell. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests. I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable." He paused, beaming around the hall. "The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast. I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"
The tables quickly filled with food, some British and some foreign. Madison got a chuckle when Fleur Delacour popped over to their table, asking for some bouillabaisse, and Ron's face went nearly a shade of purple. "She's a veela!" he said hoarsely to Harry.
"Of course she isn't!" Hermione snapped. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!" But of course people were; Fleur was the focus of several boys as she passed them.
"When you've put your eyes back in," Hermione hissed in Ron's direction, "you'll be able to see who's just arrived!" She pointed up at the staff table, to Lido Bagman and Bartemous Crouch, who had joined the teachers while the students had been eating.
"I wonder why they're here?" Harry mused, glancing over at Ron, Theo, and Draco, who all shrugged.
. "They organized the Triwizard Tournament," Madison reminded them.
"She's right," Hermione added. "I suppose they wanted to be here to see it start."
After dessert, Dumbledore rose from his seat again. "The moment has come," he declared. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start."
As he introduced Bartemius Crouch and Ludo Bagman, Madison scanned the room, her eyes landing on each of the original triwizard champions, before drifting up to the head table where Crouch was sitting, eyeing the casket that contained the goblet with something akin to glee.
"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," Dumbledore was saying, when Madison again focused on him. "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways.. their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger. As you know, three champions compete in the tournament, one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire." Dumbledore drew his wand and tapped once on the small casket, revealing the goblet of fire.
As the Hogwarts students made their way back to their own dorms, Madison listened in as Fred complained about the age line. "It's only fair," she interrupted, gaining a glare from the redhead. "People died in the past, you know. The older students have a better chance of surviving-"
"We'll be seventeen in April," George informed her, crossing his arms. He looked over at his twin. "Like Fred said, an aging potion and we're in." He looked at Harry now. "You'll try and get in, won't you Harry?"
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," the boy who lived said quietly, shrugging slightly. "You heard Madison. People have died."
"Besides, I don't think Dumbledore would be fooled by an aging potion," Hermione piped in. "He's far too clever for that." Madison snorted, recalling the many students that had - and probably would again - attempt to use an aging potion anyway.
Running into Karkaroff shouldn't have been much of a surprise, considering he was Viktor's headmaster - but Madison hadn't expected the look of utter shock on his face when he spotted Harry for the first time.
"Yeah, that's Harry Potter," Crouch growled from behind them, causing Karkaroff to pale.
"You," he choked out, gripping one of his students on the shoulder hard enough the student winced and pulled away.
Crouch smirked. "Yes. Me. And unless you've got anything to say to Potter, I suggest you move. You're blocking the doorway."
Early the next morning saw a dozen students up earlier than they normally would have been, simply loitering in the great hall, watching the goblet for people to put their names in.
Madison watched for a while, as Fred and George - despite warnings - ended up sporting long, white beards that rivaled Dumbledore's, as the Beauxbatons students all put their names in, as Viktor came through.
She eyed the champions, the kids (for, despite being physically younger, they were kids to her) who had no chance of winning, considering the odds were against them.
Madison even stayed once they others had gone on to breakfast, and from there, Hagrids, unable to help the anxiety creeping in. It was Halloween - they were down to less than eight months until the third task, until all their plans either succeeded or failed.
"Mads?" She turned to see Theo hesitate, then come sit beside her. "You okay?"
"They're so young," she murmured, watching a couple more Hogwarts students come through and put their names in - Diggory included. "If we fail, this whole place-" she glanced around the great hall. "It's all doomed, and everyone in it will die. If he realizes they're gone, the horcruxes - he'll go mad."
"To be fair, he already is mad," Theo told her with a slight grin, and she let out a hesitant laugh. "We've gone through everything, again and again." He put his hand on hers and smiled. "It'll be fine. We will stop him, one way or another. Okay?"
She nodded, lacing their fingers together. "Okay." She let out a sigh. "It's almost time, isn't it?" Theo nodded, and she breathed in deeply through her nose. "Make sure you talk to Ron immediately?" she said, and Theo nodded, knowing instantly what she meant as the two of them stood up and started heading to dinner.
Of course, the Great Hall was already full, all the students eager to see whose names would come out of the Goblet. Fred and George were sitting next to their usual group when Theo and Madison took their own seats. "Hope it's Angelina," Fred was saying, as they did so.
"So do I!" Hermione gushed, and Madison had to refrain from saying anything in agreement. Of course, things would be so much easier for everybody if Angelina had been the Hogwarts champion - the only Hogwarts champion.
The tension in the room was sharp, as everyone kept fidgeting, waiting for Dumbledore to finish eating so that the names would start being called. It seemed like five minutes for Madison before the plates were cleared and Dumbledore stood, but to everyone else, she was sure it had felt like hours. She squeezed Theo's hand as he began to speak.
"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," he said. "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" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions."
Almost all the lights in the hall were extinguished, and Madison focused on the goblet, willing it to not give up any extra surprises.
Dumbledore caught the parchment that came flying out exactly a minute later, and was relieved when he called out Viktor's name. Theo's brother, who'd been sitting across from them, rose with a grin, shake Theo's hand (and Ron's, the redhead grinning from ear to ear as if he'd been the one chosen by the goblet), before slipping in the door Dumbledore gestured to. The room was still echoing from the applause when the goblet lit up again, spitting out Fleur's name. The half veela rose gracefully amidst the cheers, and followed Viktor's path.
"Mads, your hand," Theo whispered, and she loosened her grip, sending him an apologetic smile as Cedric's name was called and the hall exploded. With only seconds until Harry's life was to change, she couldn't help but look over at the boy in question. He was grinning, cheering Cedric on.
"Excellent! Well, we now 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 -" But Dumbledore stopped, distracted by the goblet, and Madison sucked in a breath as a fourth piece of parchment flew up, and the headmaster caught it, midair. "Harry Potter," he called after a second, and only the knowledge that this was supposed to happen kept Madison from joining in the noise of complaint that immediately filled the hall.
Not much happens in this chapter that hasn't been in the books already, I know, but at least this chapters finally finished! The story itself is almost completely written, I just have an 8 month gap I'm attempting to fill.
I hope the year long hiatus hasn't stopped anyone from enjoying this story. A lot has happened this past year, as everyone knows, and I'm just now getting back into writing.