Hi all thank you so much for your love and support! Here's an extra long chapter for you :D
Effy patched things up with the others that evening but she knew sooner or later the next step was going to be trying to build a bridge between them and Draco. She had a plan in mind, but it was going to take some work. Some really hard work on her part and Draco's part. She hated to admit it, but she was really starting to like the Draco she was getting to know, the real Draco behind all that bravado and nastiness.
He'd caught her on Sunday on her way back from getting a book she needed from the library to exclaim about Little Women, and it was amazing seeing him just light up about something. She'd told him to wait there, and she'd lend him another book before rushing back up to the common room and grabbing her copy of Treasure Island. Effy ran back to the spot she'd met Malfoy and handed him the book. He'd laughed looking at the cover but then said he couldn't wait to read it.
Thursday it rained so they snuck into the Shrieking Shack and Effy played some of her records for them to listen to and she talked about the various bands, and they talked about books. Draco even produced the book he'd told her about for her to borrow and he swapped Treasure Island for The Hobbit. Then they got absolutely soaked running back to the castle.
It did mean the next morning Effy woke up with a dreadful head cold.
"I'm fine." She batted off Hermione before another sneezing fit hit her. "I'm just going to go and get a pepper up potion from Madam Pomfrey and take a nap." She sniffed.
Hermione nodded. "Okay. Well feel better." She turned and walked in the direction of the Great Hall.
Effy sneezed again and turned and headed for the Hospital Wing. When she arrived Madam Pomfrey took one look at her and made her sit down and take a Pepper Up potion. Instantly feeling the effects Effy went back to the Gryffindor dorms and passed out on her bed. She was rudely awoken by someone jumping on her bed. "Ow, what?" She squinted looking up at a blurry blob of bushy hair. She grabbed her glasses to see Hermione kneeling on her bed with a very cross expression. "What?" She asked sitting up.
"Guess who else has a head cold?" Hermione replied coldly.
"Who?"
"Draco Malfoy."
"Oh. That's weird." Effy shifted in bed.
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "Cut the bullshit Effy. I'm not stupid."
Effy sighed. "Okay. It's… complicated." She admitted.
"Well start talking." Hermione nudged her.
So, she did. Effy told her everything about the random encounters turning into weekly betterment meetings and when she finished, she let out another long sigh. "I know it sounds stupid, but he is a different person when it's the two of us and he wants to do better."
Hermione sat there and stared at her with narrowed eyes. "Well, you don't seem under a spell or potion. So, this is genuine?"
Effy nodded. "Yeah."
"Wow." Hermione rubbed the back of her neck. "So, what's your next step?"
"We talked about that yesterday, we were going to start looking at seeking forgiveness from people he's hurt in the past." Effy shrugged. "Not an easy thing to do, can't just walk up to them." She shook her head. "Ron would probably punch him or try the eat slugs curse again."
Hermione nodded. "So, organise something with me."
Effy's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
"Seriously." Hermione nodded. "If this is real and he's genuine, I'll… hear him out."
"Ok. I'll erm… I'll talk to him." Effy agreed.
Hermione smiled. "Okay. So, you are coming for lunch?"
Effy who hadn't eaten since last night went to answer but her stomach spoke for her.
"I'll take that as a yes." Hermione laughed.
Effy got out of bed and got dressed in her uniform before grabbing her bag and followed her best friend down to the Great Hall.
"Feeling better?" Harry asked as she sat down opposite him.
Effy sat down and pulled a dish of roast potatoes towards her. "Yeah." She answered piling potatoes onto her plate before serving herself a slice of meat pie and added carrots to that too. She finished off with two Yorkshire puddings. "How was class did I miss much?"
"Seriously? We thought Hermione had already told you, what took you so long?" Ron asked.
The two girls shared a look. "We were er… We were talking about…"
"I was filling her in on the letter you got Harry." Hermione cut Effy off. "From…" She lowered her head and whispered. "Sirius. What he said about being back in country and using a different owl to Hedwig."
Effy nodded. "Right. Yeah."
"Oh, speaking of letters, Athena dropped this off for you this morning." Harry pulled out a letter and passed it over to Effy.
"Thanks." Effy put the letter into her bag to read later. "Now, who's ready to get poisoned?"
At six o'clock Effy stood in line with the rest of the Gryffindors waiting for the arrival of the other two schools. She shifted her weight from foot to foot and nervously brought her thumb up to chew on her thumbnail.
"Ah." Dumbledore broke the silence. "Unless I am very much mistaken the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches."
"Where." A chorus of eager students began looking around.
"There." A sixth year shouted pointing at the Forbidden Forest where something much larger than a broomstick of indeed a hundred broomsticks was hurtling through the sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time.
"It's a dragon!"
"Don't be stupid! It's a flying house!"
Effy thought the second exclamation was more accurate as the gigantic shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights from the windows of the castle hit it revealing a powder-blue horse drawn carriage about the size of a large house, soaring towards them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each roughly the size of an elephant.
The first three rows of students drew back and ducked as the carriage came ever closer, coming into land at tremendous speed with an almighty crash the horses landed quickly followed by the carriage bouncing upon its vast wheels.
Effy watched as the door to the carriage swung open and a boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage and unfolded a set of golden steps. She watched him step back respectfully. Effy watched as the largest woman she had ever seen emerged from the carriage making the reason for the size of the carriage more obvious.
Dumbledore began to clap, and the students followed his lead and broke into applause too. The woman's face relaxed into a gracious smile, and she walked forward to Dumbledore, extending a glittering hand. It was quite funny to watch Dumbledore who was rather tall himself barely had to bend to kiss it.
"My dear Madame Maxime welcome to Hogwarts." Dumbledore greeted the Headmistress.
"Dumbly-dorr." Madame Maxime crooned in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"
"In excellent form, I thank you." Dumbledore nodded with a pleasant smile on his face.
"My pupils." Madame Maxime waved one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her bringing attention to about a dozen boys and girls in their late teens had now left the carriage. They were all shivering and Effy could see why as by the looks of their robes they looked like they were made of a fine silk and none of them were wearing cloaks. A couple had wrapped shawls and scarves around their heads. All of them seemed to be looking up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces.
Effy turned her attention away from Madame Maxine and her pupils to glance around the crowd of Hogwarts students, without even thinking her eyes searched for a shock of pale blond hair and found Draco leaning against a pillar looking thoroughly bored.
"Come." Madame Maxime's voice came back into focus and Effy just had enough time to realise she had to move out of the way to let the headmistress and her students passed up the stone steps.
"How big d'you reckon Durmstrang's horses are going to be?" Seamus Finnigan whispered having to lean around Lavender and Parvati to ask Harry and Ron.
"Well, if they're any bigger than this lot, even Hagrid won't be able to handle them. That's if he hasn't been attacked by his skrewts. Wonder what's up with them?" Harry replied.
"Maybe they've escaped." Ron replied with an air of hopefulness.
"Oh, don't say that." Hermione shuddered.
Effy nodded. "Yeah, imagine that lot got loose on the grounds." She shuddered. "Doesn't even bare thinking about at all."
And so, the students of Hogwarts resumed their wait, shivering now in the cold, waiting for the Durmstrang party to make their grand appearance. A few were glancing up at the sky but it didn't appear that was the way that Durmstrang would be arriving.
"Can you hear something?" Ron frowned looking around.
Effy listened and sure enough a loud and oddly eerie noise was drifting toward them from out of the darkness: a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though a giant hoover were moving along the riverbed.
"The lake!" Lee Jordan yelled pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!"
From her position at the top of the lawns the Hogwarts students had a clear view of the smooth black surface of the water of the lake, but the surface wasn't smooth at all. Great giant bubbles were forming on the surface, waves were now washing over the muddy banks and then like someone had pulled a plug from the bottom of the lake a giant whirlpool appeared and then very slowly a massive, ghostly ship emerged, bobbing up and down on the turbulent water and then gracefully glided over to the bank.
Then there was a splash of an anchor being thrown into the shallows and the thud of a plank hitting the bank. Silhouettes of people disembarking came into view, all with a build similar to that of Crabbe and Goyle's it looked like but then as they grew closer, and the light hit them it came to be apparent it was actually down to their cloaks of some kind of matted fur. All except for the man leading them who was donned in soft furs sleek and silver just like his hair.
"Dumbledore!" The man called heartily as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?" He exclaimed clasping Dumbledore's offered hand. "Dear old Hogwarts." He sighed looking up at the castle but his show of warmly happiness did not reach his cold little eyes. "How good it is to be here, how good. Viktor, come along, into the warmth . . . you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold."
Karkaroff beckoned forward one of his students. Even without Ron's hissed exclamation, there was no denying who the boy with the curved nose and thick black eyebrows was.
"Harry — it's Krum!"
"I don't believe it!" Ron exclaimed as the crowd of Hogwarts students began to file into the Great Hall behind the Durmstrang party.
Effy glanced at Hermione and rolled her eyes linking arms with her best friend.
"For goodness sakes Ron. He's only a Quidditch player!" Hermione exclaimed.
Ron whipped around to gape at her. "Only a Quidditch player? Hermione he's the greatest Seeker in the world."
Hermione shrugged.
They passed a group of sixth year girls all scrabbling to find something to get an autograph with. Effy rolled her eyes shaking her head.
"Do you not want an autograph Effy?" Hermione teased her.
"Nah, now if he were Freddie Mercury that would be a different story." Effy sighed. "Shame I'll never get his autograph."
Ron frowned. "Why?" He asked as they sat down. "Also, who is Freddie Mercury?"
"He was the lead singer of this muggle band called Queen." Hermione explained.
"And he died Ron, that's why." Effy explained. "November 24th is such a sad day." She shook her head taking a seat.
Ron however didn't really appear to be listening. "Over here! Come and sit over here!" Ron hissed.
"Over here! Hermione, budge up, make a space…"
"What?"
"Too late." Ron said bitterly his eyes trained on the Slytherin table where Krum and his friends had just taken a seat. Effy watched Draco and co with satisfied smirks moved in closer to Krum. "Yeah, smarm up to him Malfoy. I bet Krum sees right through him." Ron sneered glaring at the Slytherin table in jealousy. "Bet he has people fawning over him all the time. Where'd you reckon they're going to sleep? We could offer him a space in our dormitory, Harry. I wouldn't mind giving him my bed, I could kip on a camp bed."
Hermione snorted.
Harry sensing the beginnings of another argument tactfully changed the subject. "They look happier than the Beauxbaton lot."
Effy glanced around and saw her brother was spot on. Where the Durmstrang lot were taking off their furs and looking around the Great Hall with interest while the Beauxbatons all wore matching glum expressions, and some were still clutching scarves and shawls. Glancing around the room up to the staff table it was to see Filch in that awful old tailcoat was adding four extra chairs.
"Why is Filch adding four extra chairs aren't there just two extra people?" Harry voiced the question forming in Effy's head.
"Huh?" Ron finally tore his gaze away from the Slytherin table.
With all the students settled in at the house tables, the staff entered taking their seats at the staff table with Karkaroff, Madame Maxine and Professor Dumbledore bringing up the rear. To the amusement of some of the Hogwarts students, when Madame Maxine entered all the Beauxbatons students jumped to their feet and refused to sit back down until their headmistress had taken her seat. Only Dumbledore remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and most particularly, guests." Dumbledore beamed looking around at the visiting students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."
A nearby Beauxbatons girl gave a small derisive laugh.
Hermione glared at her. "No one is making you stay." She bristled at her.
"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!" Dumbledore motioned with his hands and took his seat, pulled quickly into conversation by Karkaroff.
Effy turned her attention to the splendid array of food now in front of her and began to pile her plate with roast potatoes, roast lamb, carrots, stuffing, Yorkshire pudding. She noticed as she picked out her dinner the addition of some more exotic foods clearly made for the guests from other nations. She didn't pay overly close attention to the conversations going on around her as she ate mostly because she was starting to feel rough again as the pepper up potion completely left her system. She still couldn't shift the feeling of foreboding in her gut surrounding this whole deal with the Triwizard Tournament.
"Earth to Effy."
"Huh."
"When you two have put your eyes back into your heads." Hermione shot a stern look at Harry and Ron. "And Effy has come back to planet earth, you might be interested to see who's just arrived." She pointed to the staff table where Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch had just taken the final two extra seats.
"What are they doing here?" Harry exclaimed.
Effy shrugged. "Probably wanted to see the tournament start, they like organised the whole thing or something didn't they?"
Hermione nodded. "Right."
Desert replaced the main course and then finally the plates cleared, and a silence fell over the room again as Dumbledore rose to his feet once more. There was an electric tension that seemed to fill the Great Hall as everyone focused on the headmaster with focused enthusiasm, waiting for what was going to happen next.
"The moment has come." Dumbledore smiled around at the sea of upturned, focused faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports." There was a more enthusiastic applause for Bagman than for Crouch, but Effy supposed Bagman was a) more well-known and b) more likeable. Barty Crouch looked rather ridiculous with his harsh parting and handlebar moustache next to Dumbledore with his long white hair and beard.
"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts." Dumbledore continued and at the word champions it felt like the attentiveness each pupil was giving him intensified. It appeared that Dumbledore noticed the shift as he smiled before motioning to Filch. "The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."
With a huff, a so far unnoticed Filch, approached Dumbledore carrying a great ancient looking wooden chest encrusted with jewels. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey climbed up on his chair to see it properly, but he being as short as he was it didn't make much difference at all.
"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman." Dumbledore continued as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him. "And they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, each task will test the champions in many ways including their magical prowess, their daring, their powers of deduction, and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."
The Great Hall was completely silent, Effy wondered if everyone had collectively stopped breathing.
"One champion from each of the participating schools will compete for their respective school. They will be marked on how well they perform during each task and the champion with the highest total will win the Triwizard Cup. Now I'm sure you are all wondering how these champions will be selected and I'm pleased to tell you they will be be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire." Dumbledore drew his wand and gently tapped three times on the top of the casket. Slowly the lid creaked open, and Dumbledore reached inside it and produced a large roughly hewn wooden cup but what made this cup so remarkable was it was full to the brim with dancing blue flames. Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, making it clearly visible to the entire hall. "Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet. Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete." Dumbledore paused and an almost amused look crossed his face. "To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation…" Effy couldn't help but glance at Fred and George. "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line." Effy was certain she saw Dumbledore's eyes briefly flick over to the Weasley twins too before he finished his speech.
"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all." Dumbledore took his seat once more and returned to conversation with Karkaroff.
"An Age Line!" Fred grinned as everyone began making their way across the Hall to the entrance way. "Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn't it? And once your name is in that goblet, you're laughing it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not!"
"But I don't think anyone under seventeen will stand a chance." Hermione shook her head. "We just haven't learnt enough."
"Speak for yourself." George scoffed at her. "You'll try and get in, won't you, Harry?"
Effy turned to look at her brother hoping he'd say no but she did catch a dreamy look cross his face as he thought about it.
"Where is he?" Ron interjected clearly not paying the slightest bit of attention to the current conversation. Instead, he was looking through the crowd to see what had become of Krum. "Dumbledore didn't say where the Durmstrang people are sleeping, did he?" He got his answer almost instantly as they were now level with the Slytherin table and Karkaroff had just bustled up to his students.
"Back to the ship, then. Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?"
Krum shook his head as he pulled his furs back on.
"Professor, I vood like some vine." One of the other Durmstrang boys said hopefully.
"I wasn't offering it to you, Poliakoff." Karkaroff snapped at him, his warmly paternal air vanishing in an instant. "I notice you have dribbled food all down the front of your robes again, disgusting boy…"
Karkaroff turned and led his students toward the doors, reaching them at the same moment as Harry, Effy, Ron, and Hermione. Harry and Effy stopped to let him walk through first.
"Thank you." Karkaroff nodded at them with a quick glance.
And then Karkaroff froze. He turned his head back to Harry and Effy and stared at them as though he couldn't believe his eyes his gaze focusing on Harry. Behind their headmaster, the students from Durmstrang came to a halt too. Karkaroff's eyes moved slowly up Harry's face and fixed upon his scar. The Durmstrang students were staring curiously at Harry too. Effy rolled her eyes, she had seen so many people react to her brother like this and out of the corner of her eye she saw comprehension dawn on some of their faces.
Effy sighed. "Yes, it's Harry Potter, you know he's really nothing all that special and he snores." She rolled her eyes.
Karkaroff turned and looked at her.
"Unless you have something to say to the Potters Karkaroff, could you move? You're blocking the door." A gruff voice added behind her.
Effy glanced over her shoulder to see Moody stood there, his gaze fixed unblinking on Karkaroff. She turned back in time to see the colour drain from Karkaroff's face mutilating into a terrible look of mingled fury and fear.
"You!" Karkaroff exclaimed staring at Moody like he had just seen a ghost.
"Me." Moody sneered. "Now would you mind shifting it. You're blocking the doorway."
Effy realised that about half the students in the Hall were now waiting behind them, looking over each other's shoulders to see what had caused the traffic jam.
Without another word to Moody, Karkaroff swept his students away with him. Effy turned her attention back to Moody whose magical eye was fixed on Karkaroff's back with an intense look of dislike.
Harry poked Effy in the arm and the four friends made their way through the now clear doorway. Once they were up the stairs Harry playfully shoved Effy. "I do not snore."
Effy smirked. "I know and the other bit wasn't true either. I just like to keep you honest." She nudged him back.
Harry laughed and slung his arm over Effy's shoulders. "What would I do without you, huh?"
"Well let's be honest you wouldn't survive long without me." Effy shook her head.
"Definitely. Thanks for sticking around."
"Eh only until I get a better offer." Effy grinned.
Harry ruffled her hair. "Thanks sis."
"Anytime bro."
"You two are so weird sometimes." Ron shook his head.
Saturday usually meant Effy slept in and went for a late breakfast, but that ritual was broken the next morning by Hermione dragging her down to the entrance hall to look at the Goblet of Fire.
"Anyone put their name in?" Ron asked a third-year girl.
"All the Durmstrang lot but I haven't seen any from Hogwarts yet." She replied excitedly before moving off to sit back down with her friends.
"Most people will probably have entered last night once everyone had gone to bed. I know that's what I would have done if it were me." Harry said looking around at the room. "Imagine if you put your name in and the goblet just spat it back out."
"Speaking of bed, can I go back to mine?" Effy yawned.
Just then laughter filled the hall as Fred, George and Lee all bounded the stairs looking triumphant.
"Done it." Fred whispered. "Just taken it."
Ron frowned. "What?"
Fred rolled his eyes. "The Aging Potion, dung brains."
"One drop each, we only need to be a few months older." George explained, rubbing his hands together with glee.
Lee nodded also grinning broadly. "We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins."
Hermione shook her head. "It's not going to work. Dumbledore will have thought of this." She tried to warn them.
The three boys ignored her and turned around to face the goblet. Fred went first pulling out a piece of parchment from his pocket, he walked up to the golden line surrounding the goblet, rocking on his toes like an Olympic diver about to take the jump before taking a deep breath and stepped over the line. For a moment it looked like it had worked, George certainly thought so because he joined his twin though the circle with a triumphant yell. But then there was a loud sizzling sound and both twins were hurled out of the age line circle. Both landed ten feet away on the stone floor and just to rub salt in their wounds, there was a loud popping noise and the twins sprouted identical long white beards.
"I did warn you." An amused voice belonging to Professor Dumbledore who was leaving the Great Hall. He surveyed the Weasley twins with a twinkle in his eyes. "I suggest you both go and see Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett and Mr Summers, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards are as fine as yours."
Effy laughed and shook her head. "Okay that was worth waking up early but now I'm going back to bed. I still feel like death from this rotten head cold. See you at lunch." She waved and turned to walk back up the stairs before anyone could stop her.
However, Effy had barely gotten back into bed and was just on the cusp of sleep when Hermione came back and began rattling her box of S.P.E.W badges.
"What are you doing?" Effy mumbled; her face half buried in her pillow.
"We're going to visit Hagrid and I'm going to ask him about joining S.P.E.W. Do you want to come?"
Effy groaned. She did want to visit Hagrid, but she felt like death warmed up and she wasn't going to risk another visit to the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey would probably make her stay the night. "I want to but need sleep."
Hermione nodded. "I'll pass on your apologies to Hagrid."
"Thanks, tell him I'll come and see him soon." Effy closed her eyes and very quickly drifted back off to sleep. She woke up around four in the afternoon and got up and dressed in her uniform for the feast before heading down into the Common Room to find it basically empty, it seems that everyone was still watching the goblet downstairs. Effy took advantage of the quiet and broke out the book Draco had lent her. When it was time to head down for the Halloween feast Effy packed up her things and left them in the room before heading down to the Great Hall which was almost full already. She took a seat near to a now cleanly shaven Fred and George who seemed to be taking their disappointment well. Effy was quickly joined by Hermione, Ron and Harry.
"Hope it's Angelina." Fred said to them as they sat down.
Hermione nodded. "So do I! Well, we'll soon know."
Effy wasn't really interested and was more focused on actual food having not eaten since last night. She seemed to be pretty much the only person into the food as most people were just watching Dumbledore eat. Finally, the plates returned to their glittering clean state, the entire Hall fell silent as Dumbledore rose to his feet.
"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." He motioned to a door behind the staff table. "There you will receive your first instructions."
Dumbledore took out his wand and with a great sweeping motion all the candles except those in the pumpkins were extinguished, plunging the Hall into semidarkness. The brightest thing now in the Hall was the sparkling bright blue flames which were almost painful on the eyes. Everyone in the Hall watch with bated breath, a few people kept checking their watches.
Effy sighed and rested her head against the table.
The flames in the goblet suddenly burned red and sparks began to fly from it. A tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it, the whole room collectively gasped. Dumbledore caught the parchment and held it at arm's length to read by the light of the flames.
"The champion for Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum."
"No surprises there!" Ron yelled as a chorus of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Effy watched the Bulgarian rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore, turn right, walk along the staff table and disappeared through the door into the next chamber. It was all very dramatic Effy thought.
The clapping and chatting died down again and everyone's attention once more focused on the goblet. Seconds later it turned red again and a second piece of parchment shot out.
"The champion for the Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour."
A girl with silvery blonde hair swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. Once Fleur had vanished the Hall went silent again, except for the occasional sniff from one of the other Beauxbatons who didn't get selected.
Finally, the Goblet turned red once more.
"The champion for Hogwarts is Cedric Diggory."
Effy flinched as every single Hufflepuff jumped to their feet screaming and stamping for their housemate as he too went up to the staff table and disappeared behind the door, but it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.
Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Excellent!" He called happily as the last of the cheers died down. "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…" He suddenly stopped speaking but it became clear instantly why.
Effy sat up straight as she watched the goblet's fire turn red again and another flame shot out with another piece of parchment. Dumbledore reached out and seized the parchment. Effy held her breath as there was a tense long pause as Dumbledore stared down at the parchment and then he cleared his throat and read out.
"Harry Potter."
Ope there it is, Harry's name came out of the Goblet! Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter.