On the 30th, all students line up to welcome the guests. I felt excited and chatter happily with Ginny and Pansy. Beauxbatons arrives in a great flying carriage. From the carriage emerges the Headmistress, Madame Maxime. She is oversized and attractive. The students look underdressed for the cold weather, shivering the Beauxbaton students are led into the castle to warm up. Soon from the lake emerges a great ghostly ship, from which the Durmstrang students, led by the shifty, shrewd-looking Karkaroff, file onto dry land. One of these students, is the Bulgarian Seeker, Viktor Krum, I notice excitedly. Soon I notice Victor has taken a liking to Hermione, to the annoyance of Greg.
In the great hall later that night I feel my stomach rumble excitedly. Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch joined at the teacher tables to help judge and the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang also join in the great hall. Victor Krum winds up sitting near to some of the older Slytherins, next to Cassius Warrington. I excitedly try to draw Victor Krum into conversation and notice Ginny joins in a little as well. I barely notice Pansy chattering to Cassius who had just lost his conversation partner.
At the end of the feast Dumbledore stands up. "Welcome everyone at Hogwarts. Beginning tonight the goblet of fire will be accepting candidates. If you wish to enter the tournament, you only have to place your name on a slip of paper and put it inside the goblet. However, the tournament should not be seen lightly. Our candidates will brave great dangers. I have drawn an age line around its perimeter, meaning that no one under the age of seventeen can approach."
The next morning as I walk to the great hall for breakfast I greet the Weasley Twins and look amusedly along with Ginny and Theo. Many people seemed to be watching the Goblet just to see who would be willing to enter the tournament. "We did it," one of the Weasley twins said, smiling happily at Ginny. "Just conjured it up this morning." He shows a small bottle to the crowd.
"It's not going to work," Hermione says matter-of-factly to Greg. One of the twins looks amusedly at her. "And why is that?" Hermione raises her eyebrow. "Did you not hear Dumbledore last night? He drew an age line himself around it. He is not going to be fooled by something as simple and stupid as an age line." The twin then answers confidently: "Ooh but that's why it is so brilliant. Because it is so pathetically dim-witted." He then stands next to the other twin. "Ready Fred?" "Ready George," comes the answer. THey both gulp down the entire substance in the small bottles and start to age.
They then jump into the age line and as they are not immediately thrown out, people start cheering on them. I find myself clapping along for them, as they twins, barely believing it themselves are doing a little victory dance. Then together they throw in their papers and do a high five. Next they are thrown out of the ring and fall down on the floor harshly. When they stand up both are wearing large, grey beards that could rival Dumbledore's. I snort.
I then walk into the great hall. I keep thinking about entering myself, but I had no idea how to. At least now I knew I should not use an ageing potion. I got my answer when I early entered class. Severus greeted me warmly as no one was here yet. "Fools. Using an aging potion to pass Dumbledore's age line." I chuckle. "About one thing they were right though. You need to try something pathetically dim-witted to pass the age line." He did not say what it was, but that night I had an idea.
At dinner Pansy abruptly stood up as Cassius and Krum neared us. I immediately caught Krum in a conversation. Pansy offered him her seat and sat shyly next to Cassius who looked pleased. Some older girl also seemed interested in Cassius and was asking him about entering the tournament. He had seemed a bit hesitating. Pansy had looked a bit sour at that point. I then was drawn back in to conversation about quidditch with Ginny and Krum.
That night I went up to Cassius Warrington.
"Are you going to put your name in for the tournament?" I ask. I knew he had not yet done so.
Cassius looks a bit suprised. "I, well, maybe." I hear some reluctance and get the idea that he likes the attention of people seeing him as an Hogwarts champion, but does not seem keen on actually entering.
I smirk. "I think you are too chicken."
Cassius glares. "I think you are just a windbag. You cannot enter anyway so you can just say whatever you want. You cannot join either way, right?"
I smirk even more. "Enter me then. I, of course, cannot enter the age line, but you can."
"And You'd think that would work?" Cassius asks. "Did you not see the Weasley twins? Dumbledore put it up himself."
I shake my head. "Those twins were right about one thing: You need to try something pathetically dim-witted to pass the age line. That is why this idea is so brilliant."