Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

If You Can Help Her – Chapter 25 – The Goblet of Fire

Harry and Ginny were standing together holding hands while they watched the representatives of Beauxbatons arrive on the flying-horse-drawn carriage, and were amused to hear that the horses only drank single malt whiskey.

"Who would want to turn their horses into alcoholics?" asked Harry, while chuckling.

Ginny looked at Harry. "What's an alcoholic?"

Hermione, who'd been standing nearby, answered, "Alcoholic is a muggle term to used to describe someone who is addicted to alcohol. An alcoholic can't live without his or her drink. Their dependence on it usually ruins their lives. They either don't show up or show up at work drunk, so they lose their jobs. They're always drunk around their families, who eventually leave them…"

"All right, Hermione, I get the idea," replied Ginny.

"I wonder who gave them whiskey to begin with," remarked Hermione. "They weren't born alcoholics. Someone gave them whiskey instead of water."

"Even if there was some kind of accident where it got spilled into their water, Madam Maxime has kept on giving it to them," added Ginny.

"She claims that's all that they'll drink," commented Harry, "but if they went long enough without it, they'd start drinking water. As it is, I'm surprised they can fly straight."

-IYCHH-

After they watched the boat from Durmstrang arrive, they all went into the Great Hall for the feast. Hermione, Harry and Ginny chuckled when they saw how Ron reacted to a French girl, who took some of the French food from in front of him. Hermione started laughing out loud when Lavender, who was sitting next to him at the time, slapped Ron across the face and moved to another spot at the Gryffindor table, leaving him by himself and looking angry.

Ginny asked, "Harry, do you see how the headmaster of Durmstrang is looking at you? It looks like he wants to put you under the cruciatus curse."

"Really?" replied Harry, turning toward Karkaroff just in time to see him turn his head.

Hermione inquired, "Did he really look like he hated Harry?"

"Yes," answered Ginny, "which is funny. Everybody who sees 'the great Harry Potter' always is thrilled to death and likes him, and wants to meet him to thank him."

"Not everyone," corrected Hermione. "I'm sure Harry remembers the look of loathing that Prisoner Snape gave him at our first Hogwarts feast."

"Prisoner Snape?" repeated Ginny with a smirk.

Hermione's ears went pink. "Well, er, I started to say, 'Professor,' but that title is no longer accurate. 'Prisoner' is."

Harry chuckled, "I must admit that Prisoner Snape sounds a lot better than Professor Snape." At that moment, Harry noticed Viktor Krum, who'd arrived with Durmstrang, staring at Hermione, and wanted to see if she'd noticed. "Hermione," he whispered, "Viktor Krum is looking at you."

She blushed slightly, but stated, "He's probably just hoping there are better looking girls around here than me."

"Hermione," scolded Ginny, "you shouldn't talk like that. You are a beautiful girl. Isn't she, Harry?"

"Absolutely," answered Harry, sincerely.

Hermione smirked at him, "Then why is that after you were friends with Ginny for two days, you started dating, while you'd been friends with me for two years, and never thought about it?"

Harry appeared to have been confunded. "Er, well, I er, kind of think that y'know, Ginny and me were, well, meant to be."

"That's one of the sweetest things you've ever attempted to say, Love," replied Ginny with a grin.

"And I suppose your bond helped, too," added Hermione.

"I don't know if it did or didn't," responded Ginny, "but I do know that when Harry decided to see how I was doing after the, the chamber, that my crush seemed to go away and was replaced with a lot stronger feelings."

Harry smiled, "That was the best decision I've ever made."

Their conversation was interrupted by Professor Dumbledore announcing information related to the tournament, and revealing the goblet of fire. After Fred and George, who were sitting with them, announced their intentions to try to sneak their names into the goblet, Ginny looked into Harry's eyes. "Harry, I hope you're not thinking of trying to enter."

Harry took a moment to respond. "Er, no. I wasn't."

"Harry," insisted Ginny, patiently, "Don't lie to me. I can always tell, anyway. Please don't enter it. I want to sit next to you in the stands watching whatever fools put their names in the goblet risk their lives for a quarter-inch entry in a history book. I don't want to be sitting alone scared to death that I'll have to find a new boyfriend, just when I've got you properly trained."

Harry tried to hide his smile. "Thanks, I'm deeply touched by your concern. If it makes you feel better, I promise not to try getting my name in that goblet, although I'd bet that a well-aimed paper airplane would get past the age line Dumbledore's gonna draw."

"What do you mean, well-aimed?" asked Ginny. "The paper airplanes at the ministry always go where they're sent to."

"Paper airplanes at the ministry?" asked Hermione. "Is that place a playground or a government office?"

"It's not a game. They started turning memos into paper airplanes and charming them to fly between departments when the owl droppings got to be too much to handle. I visited the ministry with dad just before I started Hogwarts and saw them."

Twin smiles appeared on the Weasley twins' faces. Fred said, "Paper…"

"…Airplanes."

They both exclaimed, "Brilliant!"

"But what should we do…" asked Fred.

"…with our aging potion?" continued George.

"Ron!" they decided together.

"But it's against the rules to…" scolded Hermione.

"Rules?" asked Fred and George together, silencing Hermione.

Fred declared, "We've got to go…"

"…and do some research," finished George, as they got up and walked out of the room.

Ginny chuckled as she watched her favorite brothers leave. She then turned her attention back on her boyfriend. "Harry, you didn't answer what you meant by 'well aimed' paper airplane."

"Oh," replied Harry. "I didn't know wizards made them. Muggles fold up a piece of paper into an airplane and throw it in the air in a particular direction, and hope it goes where they aimed it. I was just thinking that if someone threw it at the flames, it would probably get their name entered."

"Oh," said Ginny. "Just remember that you promised not to try it."

"I remember, love."

"Good."

-IYCHH-

The next morning, Harry and Ginny walked into the Great Hall early, just in time to see Ron stepping over the age line. Hermione was right behind them, and gasped. Ron had a huge grin on his face as he went to put his piece of parchment in the goblet. Hermione started laughing when Ron was thrown backwards. Harry and Ginny joined the mirth as Ron's hair turned white and he started growing a beard that looked remarkably like Dumbledore's.

At that moment, the twins each tapped one of Harry's shoulders. Fred remarked, "It's a good thing…"

"…we took your suggestion," commented George.

"We got our names into the goblet …" announced Fred.

"…early this morning," declared George.

"And gave our aging potion…" added Fred.

"…to our dear brother," completed George.

Both twins started laughing at Ron, who was now glaring at them. Harry and Ginny couldn't help but join in the laughter as Dumbledore walked into the room and looked at Ron with a twinkle in his eyes.

The headmaster complimented Ron's beard and sent him to the hospital wing, and then continued on his way. The day progressed as more people submitted their names as the other students speculated on who the champions would be. Soon enough, it was time for the Halloween Feast. When it finally was time for the announcement of the champions, the goblet sent the first name out.

Albus caught it and announced, "The champion for Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum." Viktor shook Dumbledore's hand and left the room. When the next name came out, he declared, "The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour." She then shook Albus' hand and left the room. Finally the third paper came out of the Goblet of Fire. "And the Hogwarts champion is…" He paused, looking worried before reading, "…Fred Weasley."

Fred proudly got up, raising his hands in the air, as half the crowd cheered, and the other half booed, and gladly took his name from the headmaster, who absently shook his hand while his brow was furrowed with thought. Dumbledore then changed his expression to fake happiness and remarked, "Excellent! We now have our three champions, and I hope that each and every one of you will give them your support, because it can make a real difference…"

But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, as the fire in the goblet turned red once more. Another piece of parchment came out of the goblet, which Dumbledore caught. He stared at the name for about thirty seconds before he announced, "Harry Potter,"

"Wicked!" shouted George.

Harry felt Ginny release his hand. He turned to her and whispered, "I swear I didn't enter."

"Harry Potter!" the headmaster's voice became louder.

"You need to go up there," whispered Ginny.

"What I NEED is to know that you believe me," whispered Harry.

"HARRY POTTER!" shouted Dumbledore, clearly losing his patience.

"Go on, Harry," insisted Ginny.

"Do you believe me?"

"Yes, all right! Go."

Harry smiled briefly at his girlfriend, before taking on a grave expression as he marched to Dumbledore and took the paper. Without shaking Harry's hand, the headmaster pointed Harry toward the door the other champions had gone through.

"Hey, Harry!" greeted Fred as he saw him enter. "Don't tell me you got your name in the tournament as well! Brilliant, mate! Ginny's gonna hex you, but brilliant!"

"I didn't enter," insisted Harry firmly, looking straight into Fred's eyes.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

Before Harry could answer, Dumbledore came in, clearly upset. First he grabbed Fred and asked, "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

Fred smiled proudly, "Yes, sir."

"How?" asked Dumbledore, looking surprised.

"I used an enchanted paper airplane like they use at the ministry. I got the idea from Harry."

Harry could have sworn he heard the aged man curse under his breath, and then Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Did you enter yourself, as well?"

Harry looked straight in Dumbledore's eyes and calmly answered, "No, sir."

"But you knew how to enter?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why didn't you?"

"Ginny made me promise not to, sir."

Dumbledore smiled for half a second, and then he frowned. He then turned to Fred. "You and George didn't enter Harry's name into the goblet, did you?"

Fred replied, "No, we heard him promise our sister, but we would've if he'd asked us."

"Dumbledore," Igor Karkaroff's voice shouted as he entered the room. "You have shown your true colors today! Not only have you defied your own ministry's age rules, but you have gotten two champions for Hogwarts!"

Dumbledore put his head down, "I admit that Mr. Weasley used an ingenious method that I had not anticipated to get past my age line and that Mr. Potter was aware of that method. But I do not believe that either of them could have caused the Goblet to give us two Hogwarts champions."

-IYCHH-

After much argument and discussion, it was determined that both Fred and Harry had to compete, according to the rules of the tournament. Soon, Fred and Harry were headed back to the Gryffindor common room. Fred asked, "Harry, you know I believe you, but do you have any idea who might have entered your name in the tournament?"

Harry shook his head. "If you and George didn't do it, then I have no idea."

"Hm. Oh, well, I guess we're competitors. If I win, George and I will be using the money to open a joke shop. If you win, we'd welcome you as a partner, if you'd like."

Harry smiled. "I may do that, but I doubt I'll win. What I'd like to do now is prank Karkaroff. Did you hear how he insulted Dumbledore, and then me? He's been glaring at me since he arrived!"

Fred smiled, "Well then, we'll have to plan something."

They entered the common room to find a party in session. Fred joined immediately, but Harry looked around to find Ginny. During his search, he noticed a scowling Ron, obviously jealous that he wasn't in the tournament. His eyes finally rested on Ginny. She was sitting in a corner, and appeared to be crying. He walked up to her and asked, "May I join you?"

She looked up. "Yes, you may."

He sat down next to her and asked, "Why are you crying? You do believe me, right. You didn't just say that to get me to go, did you?"

Ginny gave him a brief smile. "I do believe you, Harry, and I'm touched that my opinion meant more to you than everybody else's. I, I'm crying because two people I love are now champions in a very dangerous tournament. I know mum's gonna throw a fit. Dumbledore is definitely going to receive a Weasley howler, soon." Ginny smiled. "Maybe, if I write her tonight, he'll get the howler at breakfast. May I borrow Hedwig?"

Harry chuckled, "Sure, but before you go, I want you to start thinking of a way to prank Karkaroff."

-IYCHH-

Chapter end