Chapter 8: The Goblet of Fire.

The following morning, Hallie was awoken early by tapping at her window. She groaned, peeking her eye open to see what was there. It was an owl from the Owlery, it was the one Fred typically used to send to her. She smiled pulling herself out of the coziness of her bed and slipping a robe over her nightgown. Opening the window, she took the letter from the owl's beak, "Thank you," she went to her nightstand grabbing an owl biscuit from the inside drawer. She tends to keep them on hand for when Fred sent her deliveries by owl. She opened the letter reading the words in his writing.

Hal,

I am with

George and Lee

this morning and cannot

walk you to breakfast.

Will see you in the Great Hall

Love,

Fred

She huffed slamming her window shut, and throwing the letter to the bed. He always walked her to breakfast, he would meet her outside the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower sometimes with George and/or Lee in tow but typically he was alone. They would get distracted along the way by snogging but eventually make it to the hall. She enjoyed their routine, finding it disappointing to walk alone today.

She went to the Great Hall that morning, despite not having classes due to having an off day for the arrival of their guests they were still required to be in uniform to look their best. The hall was already quite filled for it being early in the morning. She took her seat in the usual area of the Gryffindor table, "Where is Fred?" Holly asked noticing her sister was not with her boyfriend.

Hallie made herself a plate of fruit, "I do not know. I was awoken to an owl tapping on my window…quite rude to wake me so early when we do not even have classes to attend to," she groaned with frustration then sighed, "Fred sends me a letter stating he cannot meet with me this morning to escort me from Ravenclaw Tower to breakfast because he is off with George and Lee doing who knows what."

"Probably a prank on the guests," Ron added approaching the table and taking a seat with Harry beside him and Hermione across from him next to Holly. He looked at a third-year girl sitting nearby asking her with eagerness in his tone, "Anyone put their name in yet?"

She looked up from her friends, "Pretty sure all the durmstrang lot, but I have not seen anyone from Hogwarts yet."

"Bet some put them it in last night after we'd all gone to bed," Harry said, "I would've if it had been me…wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again."

Someone behind Harry laughed, and their small group turned seeing Fred, George, and Lee all hurried quickly into the hall, all three of them appeared to be extremely excited.

Peri stood up from her table crossing to her friends and sisters, "Done it!" Fred said in a triumphant whisper to the small group.

Everyone had confused looks on their faces, "What?" Ron asked

"The Aging Potion, dung brains," Fred said.

"One drop each," George said, rubbing his hands together with glee, "We only need to be a few months older."

"We're going to split the thousands of Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," Lee spoke, grinning broadly.

"Definitely! The first thing I want to buy is something special for my girl. I am going to win and make her proud," Fred wrapped an arm around Hallie pulling her closer to him and placing a kiss on her cheek. "Ready?" he asked George and Lee, releasing his hold on Hallie.

"It will not work," Hermione and Holly assured Hallie, as Holly squeezed her twin's hand as the three approached the line.

Fred stood there, rocking on his toes almost like a diver preparing for a dive. Everyone in the hall now was watching them. They took a deep breath then crossed the line slipping the names into the goblet. Cheers began till seconds later there was a loud sizzling sound then all three of the young boys were hurled out of the circle. When they landed outside of it, they all had white beards.

The hall rang with laughter, including Fred, George, and Lee…everyone was laughing except Hallie, "How do I look, Hal?" Fred asked still laughing as he rose from the ground crossing to her, "Do I look good old? Will you still love me in this way?"

Hallie said nothing and just stormed out of the hall, he was confused but ran after her, "Hal! Hal! Slow down!" He caught up to her in the entrance hall grabbing her hand as she began her way up the stairs, she was almost his height now from her placement on the stairs, "What is wrong?"

"You knew how I felt about you attempting to join, yet you tried anyway."

He sighed, "I wanted to join, Hallie."

"And I do not want to lose you."

"You will never lose me. We have been over this already. You are never ever going to lose me," he wrapped his arms around her waist as she remained on the stairs, "Understand that I am never leaving you. I promise to love and cherish you till death do us part."

She raised a brow, "Freddie…that sounds like a…are you?"

He placed their heads together, his beard tickling her slightly allowing her to give a soft giggle. He smiled at her, "I want to win to earn enough money to provide you with a promise ring for now. A ring that signifies my love for you. That I want no one else but you."

She was in complete utter shock, "We have only known…"

"I know, but I never believed in soulmates till I met you. Some may claim this is young, puppy love but I feel something different. I fell completely in love. My heart might burst if I lost you."

"I accept."

He kissed her softly, "I will make you happy. I may not be able to afford you the lifestyle you are used to…"

"If I have you I am forever happy."

He kissed her once more as George and Lee entered the hall, "Let us get these off of us. I do not look good with facial hair," George announced, "Will you two get a room, please," he teased.

Fred looked at her whispering, "One day."

Her face turned bright pink then parted ways with the boys returning to her friends and family. "He claims he wants to win the money to buy me a ring," she whispered to Holly, Hermione, and Ginny.

Hermione spits out her juice having it sprayed across the table at Ron, "A what?!"

"Hermione!" Ron snapped jumping up, "I am out of clean robes, I forgot to send them down with the other laundry."

She rolled her eyes giving a flick of her wand magically quickly cleaning Ron's uniform before returning her attention to Hallie and the other girls, "He cannot think of marriage. He is sixteen…you are fourteen."

"He unofficially proposed?" Ginny asked.

Hallie laughed, "He claims he wants to, but no right now he wants to afford a promise ring for me. A ring perfect for me."

"Our little Freddie is growing up," Ginny smiled, "I am going to have a sister."

"They are alright," she laughed

"Hey!" Holly and Mallory said making the girls laugh.

The Beauxbaton students entered the hall with Madame Maxine, and those of age crossed the line adding their names to the Goblet. As each name slipped into the cup, it gave a bright light of pinkish-red sparks, before resuming its blue coloring. After their names had been submitted they exited the hall with their headmistress.

That evening, the hall filled with everyone gossiping about who they hoped the champions would be. Slytherins wanted Warrington, simply because he was a Quidditch player although he walked the corridors slowly as if he were a sloth. They began their Halloween feast as soon as everyone had arrived. Once their meals were cleared from their plates, Dumbledore and Cassie approached the front, "The Goblet is nearly ready to make a decision," she called out over the hall, "As soon as the champions' name is called please come forward then go through the side chamber," she indicated to the side door behind the staff tables, "There they will receive the first set of instructions."

She looked toward Dumbledore who withdrew his wand and approached the goblet, he gave a sweeping motion extinguishing the candles except for the light from the goblet and the floating pumpkins. The hall entered a state of semidarkness. Everyone watched and waited, Hallie ignored those around her doodling on a piece of parchment she had kept in her pocket with a quill magically enchanted to never run out of ink. She rejoined everyone mentally when the flames inside the goblet turned a sudden red again, as a name had just been submitted. Sparks flew into the air, followed by a tongue of flame into the air. A charred piece of paper fluttered from the fiery tongue floating gently down. The room erupted in gasps.

Dumbledore reached up to catch the paper, as the goblet returned to its blueish light. "The champion for Durmstrang," his voice strong and clear as he read the paper, "will be Viktor Krum!"

The hall erupted into cheers, whistles, and claps. Some students were on their feet cheering as Viktor rose from his seat further down the Slytherin table to collect his paper from Dumbledore then went through the side door.

"Bravo, Viktor!" Karkaroff cheered louder than anyone else.

The clapping and cheering died down. Everyone turned their attention back to the goblet, and within a second it turned fiery red. A second parchment shot out, then spiraled down to the ground.

"The champion for Beaxbatons," Dumbledore began, "is Fleur Delacour."

Hallie noticed the Beauxbatons female students in tears over not being accepted, she had cheered for Fleur because she was quite charming to be around…for the single day she had known her that is. She looked over at Ida and Remy, clapping softly for Fleur. Typically she would have cheered this way, but for some reason though she was captured by her beauty, showing her more praise.

With Fleur now in the chamber with Viktor, silence fell over the hall once more. The final champion was for Hogwarts. The goblet turned red again, Dumbledore plucking the third piece of parchment from the air, "The Hogwarts champion is…Cedric Diggory."

All Hufflepuffs rose to their feet screaming and stamping with glee. Cedric smiling proudly accepted the parchment back from Dumbledore before going through the side chamber to join the other champions.

"Excellent!" Cassie called out over the cheers, everyone grew quiet to hear her speak, "We now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you to give your champions, even those who do not attend your school, every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champions on, you will contribute in a very real —"

She stopped suddenly, her face washing over with confusion. The goblet had turned red again. Sparks flew from it, a long flame shot into the air as it bore another piece of parchment. Dumbledore reached out to grab it, Cassie stepping towards him to read the name over his shoulder. The two remained in silence till they both looked at the students before them. He cleared his throat and read aloud, "Harry Potter."

Hallie turned to look at Harry as did the entire room. The room was silent, you could hear a quill drop. She watched the fear wash over Harry's face. She looked at the staff table, all of them on their feet. She heard him say over the silence in the room, "I didn't put my name in," he told his friends, "You know I didn't."

No one spoke a word to him. No one had any emotions on their faces.

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again, his voice sounded furious.

Hermione nudged him forward with a slight push. He got to his feet, stumbling slightly as he walked. Dumbledore handed him the paper, then informed him to go through the door. No smiles were upon any of the faces at the front. As Harry went through the door, the hall went into quickly hushed whispers. Gossiping about what had occurred.

As the hall gossiped about Harry, she noticed out of the corner of her eye the goblet lighting fiery red again followed by a loud crack. All attention turned back to the front, the adults becoming concerned more than they had before, "What is happening?" she heard someone ask

A flame shot high into the air, birthing a charred piece of parchment. It floated down, Dumbledore stepped forward snatching it from the air. He read the paper to himself in a whisper that no one could hear. He looked at the adults beside him before turning to the students, "Peri King!"

Hallie whipped her head quickly to look at Peri, fear draping quickly over her face. "No…no…" she could hear Cassie begging tone with tears in her eyes towards Mr. Crouch and Ludo Bagman, "She is a child. She is my child…we have an age restriction for a reason." They gave slight shakes of their heads as Richard held his wife to comfort her.

"Peri King!" Dumbledore yelled again.

She watched as Draco nudged Peri up, as he had been staring at her in fear not shock. "I don't wanna die," she heard her say to him as tears formed in her eyes. He pushed her off the seat and forward.

She slowly walked forward and felt the eyes of everyone on her. "She's a cheat!" someone yelled over the hall.

Hallie was too stunned to speak Hary and Peri now champions in a competition with a chance of death.

When they dismissed them while the professors went to the champions, Hallie stepped into the courtyard looking up at the stars with the remainder of the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students passing her to go to their carriage and ship. Fred approached her, "Did you know they were going to be selected?"

She turned to face him, "You think I knew they put their names into the Goblet? Into a competition where they could be killed? Neither one of them need the money…Krum surely does not either from his career as a quidditch player, as for Fleur and Cedric I do not know. Most enter this competition to deem themselves brave. Peri is certainly brave as is Harry, but neither would want to risk their life for it."

"Harry does it quite often though…doesn't Peri like trouble?"

"She likes mischief. Just like you and your pranks. Trouble usually follows," she sighed, "You can believe what you want but I am not arguing this."

He was going to say something else, instead nodded taking her hand, "Walk you to your dorm?"

"It is the least you can do since you skipped our breakfast walk."

"Breakfast snogging more like it."

The two laughed sharing a kiss before leaving the courtyard for the Ravenclaw Tower.