Chapter 23.
Magnolia sat with the Slytherin and Durmstrang students in the Great Hall eating dinner, unsure of some of the things that had appeared on the table. She thought that they must be dishes from the other schools' countries and did try some of the dishes.
The students were all bonding and had all laughed when Magnolia had tried an innocent looking dish that had turned out to be slimy and spicy and had made her practically choke with distaste. Henrik, the boy who had given Magnolia his cloak, had begun to explain what the dish was but Magnolia quickly stopped him; she preferred not to know.
As the desserts disappeared, Dumbledore stood up and everyone turned to look at him. He introduced Mr Crouch and Mr Bagman that Magnolia had met at the Quidditch World Cup, they had been working to make the Triwizard Tournament happen and were judging alongside the Head's of each of the schools. Filch had placed a large wooden chest in front of Dumbledore.
"As you know, three champions compete in the Tournament." Dumbledore began, "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."
Magnolia watched in awe as Dumbledore tapped the chest with his wand and reached inside, pulling out a large wooden cup. Magnolia revelled at the blue flames that licked the top of the cup as Dumbledore placed it on top of the now closed chest.
"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school on a slip of parchment and place it in the Goblet before tomorrow night, when the Goblet will return the three names of those who will represent their school."
Magnolia could feel the buzz around the Hall as Dumbledore spoke, Henrik and Viktor were talking to their school mates about the Goblet and tasks. The older Slytherins were discussing entering and the younger years were trying to think how they could cross Dumbledore's Age Line.
"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 champion. Please be very sure that you are whole-heartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the Goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Goodnight to you all."
Magnolia didn't know how anyone would sleep that night; everyone was too excited at the start of the Tournament. She handed Henrik his cloak as they stood up and thanked him again. The Durmstrang's were going back to the ship to sleep so they bid farewell to the Slytherin students they had been sat with.
Magnolia followed her own friends out of the Great Hall, until she felt a hand on her arm. George had run across the Great Hall as he had seen her leave, Fred not far behind him.
"Amazing, isn't it?" George asked, excitedly, "Will you meet me here tomorrow?"
"Of course, but you're not planning on entering, are you? You won't make it past Dumbledore's Age Line."
George tapped Magnolia's nose, "Don't you worry about that."
"We're only a few months too young, a little Ageing Potion should be enough." Fred continued.
Magnolia laughed; this was not going to go well for the twins. She told George that she would meet him by the Great Hall the following day, then jogged to catch up with her friends. Pansy looped their arms together and glanced at Magnolia with an exasperated face.
"I honestly don't know how you do it." Pansy repeated as they walked into the Common Room.
The two girls joined the rest of their friends on the armchairs, Magnolia sat on the floor and leant against the seat Daphne and Tracey were sat in.
"I don't know what to tell you, Pans." Magnolia laughed, "I'm not seeking it out."
"Maybe it's our fault," Daphne thought out loud, "We've each given her too many pointers on hair, clothes and make up. She's got the best of all of us put together."
The group laughed at Daphne's assessment.
"Do you remember what Maggie was like when she first got here?" Tracey interrupted.
Magnolia rolled her eyes, "How could I forget? Unruly hair down to my waist, my brother's old Muggle clothes, and no sense of a skin routine at all!"
She jumped up from where she was sat on the floor and threw herself on top of Daphne and Tracey who laughed and cuddled her as Pansy joined them.
"Thank Merlin I met you ladies."
The following morning, Magnolia woke early with the girls. Usually they would have slept in on a Saturday morning, but they were eager to get to the Goblet and see who would put themselves in for Champion. Magnolia pulled on a skirt and sweatshirt with her lace up boots. Pansy wolf whistled as Magnolia twirled for the others and laughed.
"Hoping to see Mr Henrik today, are we Maggie?"
"Or Cedric…"
"Or George…"
Magnolia laughed, stopping her friends, "When you say it like that, I sound terrible! I'm just friends with them."
The girls walked up the stairs into the Common Room, where Theo, Blaise and Malfoy were already sat waiting for them. Magnolia could hear them talking about who they thought would enter as they approached. The group hurried to the Great Hall, meeting half the School on the way.
The Hall had changed overnight, the House tables had been pushed into a square and in the middle sat the Goblet of Fire with a golden circle surrounding it. Magnolia sat on the inside of the square on the Slytherin table, tucking into breakfast and enjoying her tea.
The Durmstrang's had been and entered all their names before leaving the Great Hall again. When she saw her brother walk through the Great Hall door, she skipped over to him with a smile.
"Anyone put their name in yet?"
"The Durmstrang's, but I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts do it yet."
"I saw you sat with them yesterday."
"Yeah, they sat at our table."
"Merlin, Harry! Ask her! What's he like!?" Ron interrupted.
"Who?"
Ron threw his hands in the air and scoffed.
"Who? Who, she asks. Like she has no idea who I'm talking about."
Magnolia laughed, "Krum was quiet. He sort of kept to himself and his school mostly."
"But I saw you talking to him."
"Barely. It was only really if the others were talking to us."
Ron opened his mouth as if he was going to say something else, but quickly closed it and looked between Harry and Magnolia before huffing.
"Have a word with her, will you?"
Magnolia smirked as Ron walked away to the Gryffindor table and sat with Hermione and Ginny. Harry laughed beside her but shot her a disapproving look.
"That was cruel."
"It was also funny." She shrugged. "He really didn't say much."
"I noticed you speaking to the other one more… wearing his cloak."
"Oh, Harry. Don't go getting all 'big brother' on me. Henrik was just being nice."
"What about George?"
"What about him?"
"I- I thought you two were like, seeing each other."
Harry went bright red and Magnolia imagined he must have felt more embarrassed at having to ask his sister about her love life, then Magnolia felt being asked about it. She was probably just used to it now; between Pansy, Daphne and Tracey, and Hermione and Ginny, it seemed like it was the most talked about topic.
"We've spent some time together, but it's nothing more than that."
"But you two… you, you know… flirt a lot."
"I'm not saying George isn't fun. I do like him; I just don't want to get into anything right now." Magnolia explained, "Now, can we please stop discussing my love life?"
Harry visibly relaxed at his sister's words. The two began walking towards Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.
"So, a weird thing happened yesterday." Harry spoke quietly.
"Was it the flying horses pulling the massive carriage, or the submerged ship appearing in the Great Lake, because I saw that too." Magnolia replied sarcastically.
"Funny." Harry rolled his eyes, "It was the Durmstrang Head teacher. He was staring at me and my scar. Then Professor Moody arrived and Karkaroff looked at him like he was terrified."
"Well, it's not strange for people to stare at you when they first meet you. You are after all, the famous Harry Potter." Magnolia bumped his shoulder with hers, "And have you seen Moody? I think anyone who looks at him is a bit scared."
Harry laughed as they sat down with the Gryffindors but didn't say anything else. Magnolia chatted with Hermione and Ginny, who had both swamped her with questions about Henrik as well, until the Weasley twins strode through the Great Hall doors.
They looked very pleased with themselves, both wearing massive smug grins. The twins jogged over to where Magnolia was sat, George perching next to her.
"Done it." Fred told them, "Just taken it."
"One drop each." George finished.
"It's not going to work." Hermione replied, haughtily.
The two boys ignored her, instead grinning to each other, and standing up. George picked up Magnolia's hand, placing a small kiss on it and winking at her. He turned and followed his brother to the edge of the Age Line, the entire Hall watching them with bated breath.
They each took their slips of parchment out of their pockets and stepped over the line with a deep breath. Magnolia froze, waiting for something to happen. George let out a cry of triumph, and Fred bowed to the students watching them. A moment later, Magnolia could hear a sizzling noise and the twins were launched out across the Age Line and halfway across the Great Hall. Magnolia gasped and jumped up as she heard laughter smattered across the Hall.
She ran to the twins and held her hand over her mouth when she saw them. Her shock was changing into amusement now as she saw the boys both had large white beards. Magnolia started giggling as the twins looked at each other with horror.
"I did warn you."
Magnolia looked up and saw Professor Dumbledore stood by the doors, watching the boys, and smiling. He sent them to the Hospital Wing, where there were already some students who had tried the same thing. Magnolia waved at George as he and Fred scampered out of the Hall.
When she sat back down with Harry, a few more Gryffindor students had joined them and were talking about other students who had put their name in the Goblet.
"There's a rumour going round that Warrington got up early and put his name in."
Magnolia's stomach lurched, she couldn't think of anything worse than Warrington being made Champion after what he and Montague had done.
"We can't have a Slytherin champion!" Harry responded in disgust.
Magnolia coughed next to him and sent him an angry glance. He immediately apologised but Magnolia huffed, he obviously hadn't meant it and half the school would probably be thinking the same thing. She didn't want Warrington to be Champion either, but that was because of him and not because he was a Slytherin.
Magnolia spent the day with her brother, Hermione, and Ron. They went to Hagrid's Hut and had lunch with him, Magnolia had laughed when he had refused to join Hermione's S.P.E.W, telling her that House-Elves wanted to help wizards. Magnolia still refused to join too, much to Hermione's chagrin. When the evening began drawing in, the five of them decided to head back to the Castle.
Hermione pointed to the Great Lake, at the Durmstrang students who were walking up to the School. Ron sighed, telling Magnolia how lucky she was that they were sitting on the same table as her and begging her to introduce him to Viktor Krum. He still didn't seem to believe her when she said she hadn't really spoken to him, taking it as a personal insult.
Magnolia waved at them when they entered the Great Hall and moved to sit with her House. Pansy was grinning and had wrapped her arms around Malfoy's arm. Magnolia frowned at his expression; he didn't seem happy about it at all. The Durmstrang's had sat in the same places as yesterday, Henrik next to Magnolia.
"I saw your boyfriend was taken to the Hospital Wing. Is he better?"
Magnolia frowned, Daphne and Tracey giggled, and Malfoy had spat his drink out across the table, soaking Crabbe who was sat opposite him. Henrik was watching Magnolia for an answer, expectantly.
"Erm, do you mean George?"
"The boy with the red hair."
"Yes, erm… he's better now. He's not my boyfriend though."
Magnolia had spotted the twins sat at the Gryffindor table, clean shaven and back to being red haired, when she had walked in.
"He isn't?"
"No, I erm, I don't have a boyfriend."
Henrik didn't get a chance to answer, as Dumbledore had stood up and approached the Goblet of Fire, demanding the attention of everyone in the Hall. Magnolia noticed that Pansy was now tucked under Malfoy's arm and looking incredibly pleased with herself.
The blue flames of the Goblet suddenly turned red, and sparks began to fly from it. A charred piece of parchment shot out the Goblet, and Dumbledore grabbed it out of the air.
"The Champion for Durmstrang is… Viktor Krum."
The Hall applauded, the Durmstrang's shouting congratulations at Krum and patting him on the back as he stood up. He walked across the Hall to Dumbledore and Karkaroff and then moved along the staff table and disappeared through a door. The applause only quietened when the Goblet's fire turned red again and shot out another piece of parchment.
"The Beauxbatons Champion is… Fleur Delacour."
Magnolia gawked at the girl who stood up. She must have been the girl that Ron had been talking about earlier at Hagrid's Hut. She was the most beautiful person Magnolia had ever seen and made her feel very much less then adequate. She even walked gracefully as she disappeared through the same door as Krum had.
The Hall tensed, the next name out of the Goblet would be the final Champion; the Hogwarts Champion. Magnolia crossed her fingers, hoping it wouldn't be Warrington. It was only moment later when Dumbledore snatched a piece of burnt parchment from the air and read the Hogwarts champions name.
"The Hogwarts Champion is… Cedric Diggory!"
Magnolia clapped loudly with the rest of the school. Cedric had jumped up from his seat, grinning proudly and walked towards Dumbledore who shook his hand, and then through the door into the other chamber. Dumbledore attempted to quiet the students cheers, but stopped and stood instead smiling at his school students until they quietened themselves.
"Excellent! Well, now we have our three Champions I am sure I can count upon you all to give your Champions all of your support. By cheering your Champion on-"
Dumbledore broke off as the Goblet's flames turned red again. Magnolia looked around the Hall and saw all of the other confused faces. Daphne caught her eye and both the girls shrugged at each other. Sparks began flying out of the Goblet again, and then a piece of parchment was thrown out of the red flames.
The entire school watched as Dumbledore plucked the parchment out of the air, unsure. He held it in front of him and read the words written on it. For a moment, he didn't say anything instead just stared at the parchment in his fingers before he cleared his throat.
"Harry Potter."