Chapter 6: The Goblet of Fire.
The following morning, Peri awoke early out of routine. It was a Monday, but due to the arrival of their guests, classes had been dismissed for the day to allow everyone a chance to enter their names before the announcement of the champions that evening. She went to the Great Hall that morning, despite not having classes that day they were still required to be in uniform to look their best for their guests. She reached the hall spotting Draco sitting alone at the table nibbling a piece of toast while reading a book, "Morning," she slipped into the seat across from him.
He did not respond as his he continued to read.
She leaned forward to catch what he was reading, "Romeo and Juliet?" she questioned, "A no-maj book?"
His head snapped up, "No!" he spoke in a harsh tone staring deep into her soul with his stormy eyes. He closed his eyes taking a long deep breath in before exhaling slowly before reopening his eyes to look at her, "Sorry…"
"That is not the best love story to read if you are looking for one."
"It is a tragedy. I know…it just…" his gaze went past her to the curly, blonde-haired witch sitting at the table next to theirs engulfed in a thick novel.
Peri did not have to turn to see who he was speaking about, "Let it go. If you refuse to try to be with her then move on. Date anyone else…except Pansy." He turned his attention back to her, his mouth opening to speak. "Not me either. I do live with Holly you know. It would be wrong of me to betray her in this way. Date the guy…"
"What about me?" he began as the hall began the fill more and his friends joined them.
The two remained in silence till Fred, George, and Lee all hurried quickly into the hall, "Excuse me."
Peri stood 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.
She turned her attention to Hallie, whose face went from confusion to horror quickly followed by anger and worry, "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked looking more directly at Fred.
"Definitely! I am going to win and make my girl proud," he 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?"
She said nothing and just stormed out of the hall, he was confused but ran after her.
"Are they going to break up," Mallory asked quietly.
George looked down at her, "No, Mal. Argument…disagreement more like it but no they will not break up over this. Maybe one day, but not today." He looked at the others, "He did mention that she did not want him attempting to join in fear of losing him."
"The tasks are dangerous…they want those of legal age to enter because there is the risk of death," Holly told everyone.
Everyone went back to their seats except George and Lee who left to go fix their potion mess up in the Hospital Wing. Hallie returned shortly after rejoining her house. Peri sat back down in her spot, Draco had slipped his book into his bag and was talking with his friends still laughing at Fred, George, and Lee's mess up. 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.
She remained in the hall most of the day, watching the Durmstrang party put their names into the Goblet, "Afternoon, 'eri," Viktor said approaching her after his name had been placed into the Goblet.
"Afternoon, Viktor. Would you like to sit?" she gestured to the seat across from her. Draco and everyone else had gone to walk the grounds.
He glanced across from her at the seat, till Karkaroff approached him from behind, "Mr. Krum, please return to the ship."
Viktor gave a slight nod, "I will see you at the feast, 'eri." With that, he left the hall with his classmates.
Karkaroff remained standing before Peri, "Sir?" she questioned him.
"How is your mother?"
"Excuse me?"
"She leaves England for thirteen years only to return."
Peri gave a slight nod still confused, "Yes…she was offered a job. As was my stepfather. She is here on the grounds if you wish to speak to her."
He shook his head, "I knew your grandparents."
"I met them a handful of times. They do not approve of me therefore my stepfather forbids them from having any part of my family's life."
He was going to speak till the tapping of a hard walking stick approached from behind him, "Is he bothering you, Ms. King?" Mad-Eye asked with a snarl moving around to face Karkaroff properly.
She shook her head, "No…just another person questioning me about my mother."
"If you have any questions I am sure her mother, Mrs. Banks, will answer them for you," Mad-Eye informed Karkaroff his magical eye twitching.
Karkaroff eyed them both before exiting the hall, "Careful who you become friends with," Mad-Eye warned before proceeding towards the Goblet himself. He crossed the line walking around it, she was positive she watched him sneakily slip something…or even something into the Goblet. Especially when the Goblet lit up in the same pinkish-red sparks. She chose to think nothing of it assuming he was performing a check on it for her mother.
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 her mother approached the front, "The Goblet is nearly ready to make a decision," her mother 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."
Cassie 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, Draco slipped a hand into his robe pocket withdrawing his pocket watch, "This is taking forever," he hissed growing impatient.
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."
Peri turned her attention clapping softly for the girl. She noticed she was a veela…or at least part of one. Her hair was a silvery blonde, lighter in shade than Draco's. She had been seated close to Hallie, who was cheering more energetically for her. This surprised Peri, typically Hallie was 'more proper' with her applause. Her eyes caught glimpse of some of the other students who had not been selected and were in tears, "Do they want to die?" she whispered over to Draco.
He looked at the girls with a chuckle, "Who knows."
With Fleur now in the chamber with Viktor, silence fell over the hall once more. The final champion was for Hogwarts…she hoped it would be Cedric, although she did not want him to die. She had developed a crush on him. They rarely interacted but from a distance, she was head over heels with him, she would never reveal this knowing he had strong feelings for Cho Chang.
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."
Peri looked at the Gryffindor table, as did everyone else in the 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.
"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.
"Who does he think he is? He might have defeated the dark lord but does not give him the right to break rules," Draco snarled.
Peri looked at him, "I do not think it was him. I think he was…." she began when suddenly a loud crackling sound came from the goblet.
All attention turned back to the front, the adults becoming concerned more than they had before, "What is happening?" Pansy asked no one in particular.
A fiery red 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!"
Her heartfelt to have stopped while also beating loud enough to create a buzzing sound within her ears. Her breathing quickened as the entire hall now had eyes on her as they did on Harry just moments before. "No…no…" she could hear her mother saying in a begging tone with tears in her eyes towards Mr. Crouch and Ludo Bagman. They gave slight shakes of their heads as Richard held his wife to comfort her.
"Peri King!" Dumbledore yelled again.
Draco nudged her up, as he had been staring at her in fear not shock but fear of losing the one true friend he had. The one who seemed to understand him for who he was. "I don't wanna die," she said tears forming in her eyes, burning them as she refused to let them pour down her face.
She turned to look at him, "You have to go," he pushed her off the seat and forward.
She slowly walked forward and felt the eyes of everyone on her. This felt to be the longest walk of her entire existence, "She's a cheat!" someone yelled over the hall.
Her eyes fell upon Snape first, "Fath…" she began, his eyes widened more at the fact that she knew the truth, "I didn't do it." He did not say a word to her as she proceeded to her mother and stepfather, "I didn't do it," she repeated. Like Snape, before them, they did not say a word to her. Dumbledore placed the parchment in her hand, she looked at it. The writing was her own, unsure how this parchment ended in the goblet. She followed the others into the chamber, a million thoughts rushing through her mind.