Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Cedric or any of the non-original things in this (you know exactly what they are) and yes, I will confess I did lift some speeches and dialogue from the books just to put things in context for you, and remind you exactly what's going on here... I doubt you need that background because you love the books so much, but I felt it necessary... Hurt me and... well... I won't be able to write any more... so don't hurt me... Seriously...
Chapter 8
The
Split
The next several weeks leading up to Halloween passed rather slowly for Cedric. He found himself bogged down in the massive amounts of homework typical of his Advanced N.E.W.T. class. The workload was so heavy, in fact, that he very rarely managed to get to bed before midnight on a regular basis and often came to the realization that if Hogwarts did have Quidditch this year, the practices and captaining would have killed him.
Promise seemed to be suffering under the weight of homework as well. Even in the absence of Herbology she still stayed up with Cedric every night, reviewing spells and homework. One night, in the first week of October, she threw down her quill in the midst of their third hour of Transfiguration homework.
"I quit," She yelled, turning the waning amount of Hufflepuffs in the common room around to stare for an instant before they all retreated into what they were doing before Promise's outburst. "I give up and I refuse to do another lick of Transfiguration homework for as long as I live. I flat out refuse it."
Cedric began. "Promise, I don't think-."
"No, Cedric," Promise leaned back in her high backed chair. "We have a lot of free time and I still can't get this homework done. I don't understand it! How can we have free periods at least twice a day and still have less time than we've ever tried before? It's not worth it. And don't you try to convince me."
"Ok," Cedric threw down his own quill and leaned back into his own squishy armchair. "Then I guess if you're so defeated you should just move back in with your parents and live with them until the age of seventeen. Then you can go out and try to live in the wizarding world, which will be very difficult to do without a full wizarding education."
Promise shot him a death glare. "Honestly, Ced, when am I ever going to have to learn how to a bedpost into a maiden head? It's ridiculous."
"You know Promise," Cedric looked at her. "You have several O.W.L.'s. What you're doing now is proving you're better than everyone in the wizarding world. Do you have any idea how many wizards have N.E.W.T.'s? If you can do it, it puts you in the top five percent of all of them. Now won't that be nice?"
Promise looked at him, attempting to hide the definitive understanding that sprang to life in her eyes. Slowly, feigning apprehension, she picked up her quill and began to write, the thirst to prove herself outweighing the resignation that had occupied her eyes just a moment before.
Cedric smirked and picked up his own quill. "Yeah. I'm that good," He murmured as he returned to his studies.
Promise stopped complaining about homework after that. She worked harder and faster than Cedric had ever seen her work before, often finishing her homework early enough to laugh at Cedric's being slow, or, if she finished so early that laughing at Cedric got dull, she would help Sam and Olivia on their piles of homework.
One night, however, Cedric and Promise entered the Common Room after dinner and Promise didn't even start doing the night's Arithmancy homework even though Professor Vector had assigned so much homework that she had given the students a chance to work on it in class and Cedric and Promise had both barely been able to finish the first of the seven problems in the hour of class time given to them.
"Why aren't you working on Arithmancy?" Cedric inquired, pulling out his quill and textbook. "You know full well how much homework we have."
"That I do," Promise responded, not looking up from the question Olivia had posed to her about switching spells.
"So why are you not doing it?" Cedric asked politely.
"Because it's a waste of my time," Promise replied defiantly.
"Remember that conversation we had earlier? About you proving you're better than everyone else?"
"Yeah. That speech did wonders for me," Promise sighed, shrugging. "But the point is I have way too much on my plate right now to worry about some N.E.W.T.'s."
"And why's that?" Sam chirped in, putting the last touches on her own paragraph.
"Because tomorrow marks the beginning of the Triwizard Tournament," Promise explained, saying it as though she were telling a child that waving a wand is what makes a spell happen. "And we have short periods and we have no Arithmancy."
"So?" Cedric looked at her. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't do your homework."
"Yes it does," Promise sighed. "Because when I'm chosen as the Hogwarts Champion I don't even have to care about homework any more, do I?" She held up arms defensively. "I'm exempted from exams altogether."
"That's a big if," Olivia remarked.
"But it's a definite if, isn't it?" Promise smiled.
"Touché," Cedric answered. "But I'm still going to do my homework whether you do it or not, and whether you win or not."
They went to class the next day, and, just as Promise had predicted, their teachers didn't collect a scrap of homework, instead giving them a free period with which to catch up on their studies. In Transfiguration, however, Professor McGonagall addressed the class specifically regarding the arrival of the guests just before the end of the period.
"I trust you all will be on your best behavior in front of our guests," She told them. "I know you will probably hear it many times throughout their stay here, but we are to be their hosts, so you should act responsibly and respectably so they feel welcome. I would also like to remind you as upper-level students of this school you will be the role models to the younger students, especially the first years."
Promise tutted softly.
"So I hope you all have a pleasant evening and enjoy our guests' arrival tonight."
The bell rang and they left the classroom. Cedric and Promise followed behind their fellow Hufflepuffs in silence, attempting to overhear the rumors about the other students' arrival.
"I think they'll come by train."
"Nonsense, they'll come by broom of course."
"What if they come in and ride on dragons? I hear Durmstrang is located in some small, desolate area where dragons still roam free."
"You'd think they'd know that those are all way too predictable," Promise muttered to Cedric.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean they'd never do something tacky like fly in on broomstick or ride on dragons. That's just preposterous. Would you ever do that?" Cedric shook his head. "See? Neither would I. There's no class in it. As for the train, I just can't see the different institutes not on the British Isles traveling to London just to take the Hogwarts Express. No. It's too easy."
Cedric merely shrugged as he followed Promise past the bowing badger into the Common Room, where Promise and Cedric both dumped their bags on comfortable armchairs. They waited for Sam and Olivia to arrive before leaving for the Entrance Hall.
Professors Sprout, Flitwick, McGonagall, and Snape all stood in the front of their respective houses and barked orders to the students. Cedric caught a glimpse of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. It always marveled him to see that the other students like Harry Potter all went through the same thing that Cedric was even though they were in completely different houses.
Professor Sprout began to organize her Hufflepuffs into lines according to year. Cedric and Promise stood in the second to last line being formed while Olivia and Sam stood directly in front of them, in the line for fifth years. Cedric looked down the row to see Cho Chang in the Ravenclaw fifth year line in front of them turn away, giggling innocently. Cedric rolled his eyes. What was she doing?
"First years!" Professor Sprout called out. "Let's go!"
Cedric heard Promise huff to his left. They slowly filed out of the Entrance Hall and onto the grounds in their long, proper lines. The chill nipped at Cedric's nose and cheeks, stinging them viciously. He shifted his weight around in his large coat to prepare for the potential wait, recalling most wizards appeared late in order to perceive the dramatic effect of showing off. He looked around at the other students, catching snippets of their conversations, but, in the end, he simply couldn't resist staring down at Sam, who was positioned in the line in front of him, a little bit off to the left side. His jaw went lax as he began to daydream of a hot summer day under the lake, with Sam in his arms, pulled into his chest, laying peacefully. Smiling, she turned around and leaned in close ready to-
Promise nudged him in the ribs, making him to choke slightly. He looked over at her, and she smirked at him. "Tell you what," She whispered to him. "When you're going out with her, you can gaze at her all you want, but if I notice you being too obvious before then…"
"But you're always noticing me looking at her," Cedric said, pouting.
"Yeah," Promise sighed, rubbing her elbow lovingly. "But you're giving me way too much excuse to hit you in the ribs by doing it. Besides, you really think there's a time when you're not watching her?"
Cedric looked over at her. He turned his eyes to the sky only to hear Professor Dumbledore shout something from the back of the lines. The students all focused on an ever-growing pinprick on the evening sky. Cedric watched it approach rapidly before coming to a deceitfully graceful landing on the lawn in front of them. He heard Olivia cry out in pain as Gryffindor Fourth Year Neville Longbottom jumped backwards and landed on her foot. Cedric reached over and squeezed her shoulder. He kept his eyes focused on the bright blue carriage on the Hogwarts lawn. The door swung open and the Beauxbatons Headmistress emerged from the carriage, standing up straight and tall as someone in the back row began to clap.
Madame Maxime and Professor Dumbledore exchanged several words, but Cedric paid the whole affair little attention. While Promise, Olivia, and Sam all seemed to hang onto the visitors' every word, Cedric still couldn't stop looking at the back of Sam's head.
The blue clothed Beauxbatons students and Madame Maxime all headed the castle, leaving the Hogwarts students standing in the cold. Another elbow made contact with Cedric's ribs.
"Honestly," Promise whispered into Cedric's ear, so softly Cedric doubted Promise could hear her own voice. "It's just the back of a head."
Cedric merely shook his head. She would never learn.
He looked up at the rest of the crowd. They all began to shiver, waiting anxiously for Durmstrang's arrival. He looked over to see Promise and heard her foot tap the ground impatiently. Absentmindedly, he began to design a musical beat around the tapping, improvising off of the set rhythm set by Promise. After a while, he noticed a deeper tone, originating from the darkness from somewhere on the ground.
Promise's tapping stopped. "Do you hear that?"
"Yeah," Cedric nodded, alarmed.
"The lake! Look at the lake!" Cried a Gryffindor fourth year.
A whirlpool began to form across the black, glassy surface of the lake, shooting out a long pole that gave way to a huge ship that rested on the suddenly tranquil lake.
Cedric stared at the massive boat in amazement, blinking hard twice.
"Now that's an entrance," Promise chuckled and nodded her head.
A large board came down from the ship and landed on the lake's shore. The Durmstrang students approached them. Cedric grinned as they approached. The tournament was about to begin and he started to quiver in anticipation. The headmaster, Professor Karkaroff and Dumbledore exchanged several words. Cedric, much like his reaction to the Beauxbatons students kept his eyes riveted on Sam's hair, until someone caught his eye, a large, surly student.
He gasped and watched Viktor Krum follow Professor Karkaroff into the castle.
Students all around him burst into a raucous explosion of whispers. Sam turned around to face Cedric.
"Did you just see that?" She looked at Promise and Cedric as they headed back to the castle.
"Doesn't mean I believe it, Promise looked up at the Durmstrang students entering the Entrance Hall. "Did you know he was still in school?"
Olivia shook her head. "That's amazing. Who would've known he actually still went to school? Maybe I can get his autograph." She looked over to see a gaggle of other girls all fighting each other for a stick of lipstick. "On second thought, maybe I'll do it later."
They took their familiar seats at the Hufflepuff table. Several minutes passed as the Durmstrang students joined the Slytherins at their table and the Ravenclaws conversed with the Beauxbatons students while Dumbledore situated himself at the Staff table.
Dumbledore raised his hands and a silence fell over the crowd. He said several words of greeting and food appeared on the table before Cedric had even begun to listen to him.
They ate, discussing the origins of the different schools. Sam, Olivia, Promise, and Cedric Beauxbatons was located in France, but failed to agree on its exact location. Sam and Cedric argued it must be somewhere near Paris because of the warm weather uniforms they wore. Promise and Olivia, however, contended that they would be located in the mountains, relatively far from Paris as the Parisian suburbs extended so far the Muggles would probably bump into the Academy before too long.
Eventually, they switched topics and discussed Durmstrang. Once again, they agreed that it would be located in the same general area: Eastern Europe. Cedric figured it would be located in Bulgaria, as Krum did play for the Bulgarian national Quidditch team. The others argued that it would be located in a relatively remote area in the mountains. Promise suggested the Urals, and the others seemed to agree with her.
At long last, Dumbledore stood up again and a hush fell over the crowd. He introduced the judges, including the two representatives from the Ministry of Magic: Bartemius Crouch from the Department of International Magical Cooperation and Ludo Bagman from the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Then Dumbledore called for Mr. Filch to carry out a large jewel encrusted casket. Cedric lost his focus while looking at the casket. He felt tied to it somehow, as though his future was intertwined with the object inside. He managed to latch into the conversation just as Dumbledore began to describe the tournament itself.
"There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways… their magical prowess- their daring-their power of deduction-and, of course, their ability to cope with danger.
"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament, one from each of the participating school. 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."
Dumbledore tapped the casket three times and it creaked open. He pulled out a perfectly normal looking wooden cup full to the brim with blue-white flames. Dumbledore placed the cup on top of the casket.
"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 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.
"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation, 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.
"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."
The Great Hall burst into instant talk. Cedric could hear the Weasley twins shouting amid the din. Cedric stood up and took one last look at the Goblet of Fire, feeling his breath quicken.
Promise took her elbow and rested it awkwardly on Cedric's shoulder. "Yeah, I think it's magical too."
Cedric shook himself out of his trance. "Sorry, I don't know why, but I keep getting this strange feeling when I look at that goblet."
"That's cuz it's the impartial judge that's going to make me Hogwarts Champion," Promise looked back at Sam and Olivia. "Feel up for a Kitchen run your three?"
"Absolutely," Sam yawned. "It's been a while and you all still owe me candy."
"And you aren't getting that candy here," Promise grinned widely. "You have to wait until we go to Hogsmeade next."
The four of them headed down the corridor past the Hufflepuff students flocking to the entrance to the Hufflepuff house, traveling all the way until they reached the portrait of the fruit bowl. Olivia, who had asked if she could, tickled the pear and pulled on the handle.
The House Elves, who always seemed to know they were coming, congregated around the entrance to the kitchens, arms already laden with leftover exotic food.
"Miss Promise," Sweenty piped up. "I'm so glad you're here! So many of our special plates weren't eaten by the students. Anything special you would like?"
"You know," Promise shrugged, slightly embarrassed. "I could go for a little more of that Crème Brule."
Immediately, a huge bowl of a crystallized, sugar-covered dessert screamed over the hands of the house elves to the four of them.
Promise smiled and grabbed the whole bowl. "Don't even think about it."
Olivia, who had held up her finger and opened her mouth, prepared to ask for a bite of the pudding, dropped her hand and attempted to look normal. "Or I could have some of this… bread." Olivia frowned in thought as she picked up the nearest piece of food, which just so happened to be a loaf of whole wheat leftover from dinner.
Sam laughed and gratefully took some of the cake from the nearest house elf. "I'd ask for some of the Crème, but…" Her voice trailed as Promise looked up at her, acting like an incredibly territorial animal.
"I saw it first," Promise growled as she flicked a spoon into existence with her wand and threw it up into the air with her wand. She then pocketed her wand and snatched the spoon, diving into the custard pudding and savoring every last bite.
"Be that as it may, Promise," Cedric looked at her half in disgust, half in humor. "It doesn't mean you still shouldn't share."
"Yes, it really does," Promise scowled and looked at her. "I love this stuff."
Sweenty sat them down at a kitchen table and they all began a spirited conversation about the different potential champions and how they looked in relation to the tournaments.
Finally, when Promise had filled herself up on the heavy dessert, she flicked her wand and made the pudding disappear, obviously planning to pull it out at a later time.
Cedric led the way out to the Hufflepuff Common Room but stopped at the entrance, smiling. "You want to go and see the Goblet of Fire?"
Promise widened her eyes. Sam and Olivia nodded vigorously and they headed to the Entrance Hall. They peeked around the wall and looked at the large plinth in the center of the room. Professors Dumbledore, Karkaroff, Moody McGonnagall, Madame Maxime, Mr. Crouch, and Mr. Bagman all circled around the Goblet. Dumbledore pulled out his wand and carefully drew a large circle around it.
"So much for you two getting in," Promise smiled and nudged the other two girls.
Olivia punched her in the arm affectionately. Before too long, the crowd left and headed off to their respective locations for the remainder of the night.
"In less than twenty-four hours…" Promise's voice trailed off.
That voice echoed in Cedric's ear for the next several minutes on the trip back to the Hufflepuff Common Room, up the stairs to his room, and into his bed, all the while repeating themselves in his mind.
The next day dawned early for Cedric. He yawned, stretched like a cat, and jumped out of bed, ready to greet the day. Dressing quickly, he walked out to the Common Room to find Promise reading a copy of the morning's Daily Prophet. Sam and Olivia sat next to her, playing a very spirited game of Parchment wars.
"Morning, Ced," Promise stood up and folded the newspaper, placing it in the folds of her robes. "Ready to go burn some paper?"
"Absolutely." Cedric smiled and walked over to the table where Sam and Olivia were having their Parchment Wars.
"You two ready to see history?" Promise asked.
"Hang on," Sam contorted her face in concentration as her vicious, shelled blast ended skrewt with spikes on its tail sliced off an arm of Olivia's small, long legged spider. Off balance, the spider swayed uneasily before crashing onto the table. Sam rolled her skrewt over the spider's small body and crushed it.
Olivia sighed in defeat. "Alright, let's go."
Cedric led the way down the corridor to the Entrance Hall, emerging into the grand room to the sight of nearly thirty Hogwarts students gathered around the Goblet of Fire.
Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley all emerged from the Great Hall, talking about something jovially. At once, Hermione smacked her forehead and sprinted up the marble staircase as the Beauxbatons students entered the Entrance Hall. All of the students in the circle around the Goblet opened a path for the Beauxbatons students to submit their names, each Beauxbatons student moved forward and deposited their names in the Goblet, including a silver haired girl who caught Cedric's eye, looking over and winking at him, much like Cho Chang had done on so many occasions. He felt a kind of warmth travel through him and perceived that the only time he had experienced such a feeling was at the Quidditch World Cup when the Veela had begun to dance. The Veela girl stepped forward and placed a scrap of Parchment into the Goblet. It turned red and sparks shot out from the top. She looked over, flashed her hair and gave Cedric an incredibly smug smirk, making the fleeting feeling return once again.
When all the Beauxbatons students had entered their names, Madame Maxime led them out the oak front doors and to their powder blue carriage outside. Seconds later, Hermione Granger returned with a small box in her hand. She rattled it behind Harry and Ron and the three of them set off and down to Hagrid's Hut.
Cedric shook himself back to reality and watched as Promise, smiling, pulled a piece of parchment out of her robes. She stepped gingerly over the line, kissed the piece of parchment, tossed it in, and did not look back, even when the Goblet turned red and spat sparks out the top again.
"Your turn, pretty boy," She smiled.
Cedric sighed and pulled out his own piece of Parchment on which were written the words: Cedric Diggory. Hogwarts. He stepped forward and paused at the aging line Dumbledore had drawn. He looked up at the Goblet, took a deep breath, and stepped into the circle. He held his piece of parchment aloft, and dropped it into the blue fire. Te fire turned red, and his piece of parchment disappeared as though incinerated on contact with the cup.
"That wasn't so hard," Cedric looked back at the Goblet. "I need to go send out an Owl to my parents. It's been a while and they'll want to know that I entered myself."
"Shouldn't you wait until tonight after you're selected Champion?" Sam asked.
"Excuse me?" Promise looked at her shocked. "What about me?"
"I figured I would tell them I entered just so they'd know I have," Cedric shrugged. "No harm in that. And besides, Sam," He looked at her unconvinced. "What are the chances my name flies out of the Goblet?"
They all left the Entrance Hall and joined the students in the Great Hall who, like Cedric, had woken late and just managed to catch the tail end of Breakfast. After breakfast, Promise suggested a three-lap run around the lake, and all agreed.
Cedric pulled on some of his more casual robes and prepared to join in the run around the lake. He met up with Olivia, Promise, and Sam in the Common Room, and the three of them began their brisk jog across the grounds.
The jog turned out rather enjoyable, even though the four of them did not talk for the duration of it. Cedric merely contented himself to be perfectly happy surrounded by his three best friends, and spent their jog enjoying their silent company.
At the end of their run, they re-entered the Entrance Hall and looked at the Goblet again. Students still crowded around it, gazing longingly at the majestic blue flame over the crown.
Cedric, who felt physically unpleasant after the lengthy exercise he had just partaken, decided it would be nice to have a bath in the Prefect's Bathroom, where he could have the room to himself for some time. He grabbed a change of clothes and headed up the stairs to the fifth floor.
On his way to the statue of Boris the Bewildered, Cedric passed many other friendly Hufflepuffs. Many wished him good luck for the upcoming evening and he waved back happily, glad to know that even though he did not think he would win the position of Hogwarts Champion, that at least some believed in him enough to think he was worthy of the honor.
"Squeaky Ears," Cedric said to the locked, fourth door away from the statue of Boris.
The magical door clicked open, and he stepped inside, locking it behind him. No one else would join him in here. It was midafternon and he was in for a relaxing time spent in the greatest bathroom he had ever been in. He disrobed and stepped into the marble bathtub, placing his foot in gingerly, so as not to be shocked too much by the cold marble beneath him. He turned on the tap that sent out the icy, weight supporting foam, the tap that shot out the green, foam that reminded him of a green frosting on birthday cakes, and the tap that sent out the foam that turned the water a different color depending on which bubbles popped.
After a few moments, he turned off the taps and collected the large amounts of the icy foam he had created and amassed it onto a huge pile, heaving himself onto it and relaxing. He put his hands under his head and gazed up at the ceiling, dozing behind closed eyes.
Several minutes later, he accidentally rolled off his self made foam bed and landed back in the water, which turned many different colors rapidly as he popped the bubbles all around him. He sputtered and decided it was probably safer to sit on one of the steps and soak in the delightfully warm water around him.
Some time later, he jumped out of the bath and let all of the water down the drain. He pulled over the warm, fluffy, yellow towel that had his name embroidered into the bottom of it, dried himself off, tossed the towel into the bin marked "Used," dressed, and set off for the Owlrey.
He trekked up to the tower and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and scribbled out a note to his parents telling them he was alright and that he submitted his name to the Goblet of Fire. He tied the note to Dani's leg and whisked her out of the window, watching her fly off into the distance before breathing a sigh of relief, heading back to the Hufflepuff Common Room.
When he entered the Common Room, he went up to his room, grabbed his bag, and brought it downstairs in, beginning to work on his Transfiguration homework with Promise, which was to learn how to successfully turn a table into a deer. He studied Professor McGonagall's notes as he worked with Promise, attempting to perfect the spell.
When he and Promise had successfully turned two tables into two deer after at least a dozen attempts, the other Hufflepuffs in the Common Room oooo-ed and ahhhh-ed at the success that the two of them had had in turning their inanimate objects into animate ones.
"I love showing off," Promise sighed, as her deer nuzzled up against Cedric. "Oh, look! They're so realistic they actually have feelings for one another!" Promise released a very long sigh of satisfaction as she waved her wand and changed her deer back into a table, stopping as soon as she had completed the motion. "That's enough of that."
Cedric laughed and waved his wand. The buck, which looked around desperately for his mate, changed back into the circular table it had been seconds before. He checked his watch and realized he had squandered most of the day. Because the feast would begin in less than an hour, Promise challenged him to a game of Wizard's Chess to kill the time until the feast.
He always loved Wizard's Chess. It was quite exhilarating to watch small, miniature figurines smash their counterparts to pieces and yell and scream and flex muscles at each other and their controller throughout the duration of the game.
Promise won, but barely. It was only the fact that she placed a great deal of faith in her Bishops that she managed to kidnap all of Cedric's pieces. She breathed a sigh of relief as Cedric's king threw down his crown in disgust, smashing it beneath his heel.
"Now that's how you play chess."
They stood up and left the Common Room with Sam and Olivia, talking excitedly about the feast that was about to begin even until they took their seats at the Hufflepuff table. Reflexively, Promise shut her mouth and held up her knife and fork expectantly, waiting patiently for Professor Dumbledore to take his seat. Cedric chuckled and shook his head as the Beauxbatons students entered the Great Hall, Madame Maxime and Hagrid at the head of the line. The Beauxbatons students took their seats at the Ravenclaw table as Hagrid and Madame Maxime made their way to the Staff Table. He nudged Sam and Olivia, not wanting to smack Promise out of her trance. The two girls giggled.
"I think I saw that one coming," Olivia put her hand over her mouth to stifle the fits of laughter she had from seeing Hagrid act incredibly awkwardly around Madame Maxime.
What seemed like seconds later, the Durmstrang students entered, Viktor Krum walking next to Professor Karkaroff. Krum led the line to the Slytherin table and Karkaroff took his seat at the Staff Table next to Dumbledore's empty seat.
And then, walking through and looking rather unspectacular after the entry of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students walked Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Cedric watched them take their seats next to the Weasley twins, smiling, remembering they had, like him, spent another day in Hogwarts doing goodness knew what.
The feast began. Promise unceremoniously dove into her food and ate as much as she did the night before, saving room, of course, for the Crème Brûlée.
Like most of the other people in the hall, however, Cedric found the feast long and slow moving. He waited patiently for the election of the Champions even though his mind seemed to be unable to take the suspense much longer.
At long last, Dumbledore stood up and called for the Hall's attention.
"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-" Cedric watched intently as Dumbledore pointed to a door just behind the staff table. "-where they will be receiving their first instructions."
Dumbledore waved his wand and the candles extinguished, leaving only the blue blaze from the Goblet as light for the Hall. Cedric felt like Promise did before dinner, the blue light sweeping him into a snake-like trance.
Without warning, the light turned red and sparks burst forth from the top of the Goblet. A small charred piece of parchment flew out of the top and floated lazily down to earth. The flames turned back to blue as Dumbledore deftly swung out his hand and read the strip of parchment.
"The Champion for Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum."
The hall burst into tumultuous applause. Olivia tapped Cedric on the shoulder and looked at him, nodding smugly, as though she said Krum would be champion and she had mystical, foresight into the future. Krum stood smugly and walked all the way to the Staff Table, turned right, and entered into the door behind the staff table.
At once, the dying died and the goblet turned back to red. Sparks shot out, along with another small scrap of Parchment. Dumbledore caught the scrap and read it aloud.
"The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour!"
The Veela girl stood up and looked conceitedly up and down the tables of the Great Hall before walking up the gap between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. She walked right past Cedric, smiled right into his eyes, and shook her hair.
Cedric blinked twice and shook off the feeling again as she disappeared into the door behind the staff table. Cedric cheered politely, but anyone looking would not be able to call it much more than that. He turned and faced the goblet again. The silence in the room surrounded him so fully that he felt almost suffocated by it.
The Goblet turned red and shot out the final scrap of paper. Dumbledore caught it and then read the writing out loud again.
"The Hogwarts champion," He called out. "Is Cedric Diggory!"
The soundless room burst into an echoing chamber of sound. Promise and Sam dragged Cedric to his feet as the other Hufflepuffs all jumped to their feet, banging the table with their fists, stamping the ground, and making as much noise as they possibly could. Cedric couldn't help it: a wide grin burst across his face.
"I knew it would be you!" Promise shrieked. She pulled him into a tight hug.
Cedric stepped out from the benches, looked down the long walk to the Staff table, and began to make his way down the aisle between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables, taking a look at Harry Potter. Part of him gloated at Harry, but the other part reminded him that Harry couldn't compete. He walked all the way to the staff table, looked at Professor Dumbledore, who smiled approvingly, and walked through the door and into the room containing the other Champions. Even through the door, he could hear the applause continue long after he left.
He looked at the fire, and Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum looked back at him. He felt as though he should cower back at their impressive stature.
"Hi," He said awkwardly. "I'm Cedric, Cedric Diggory."
"Hello," Fleur said flirtatiously. "Pleased to meet you." She stuck out her hand.
Krum merely nodded.
"So what do you reckon happens now?" Cedric asked as he noticed the noise that didn't come from the Great Hall, having died down since the announcement of his name.
"We wait," Said Fleur delicately. "It will only be a matter of time before zey come in and tell us what to do."
They stood around the fire in silence, Cedric absolutely ecstatic. He wanted to just scream out loud with relief, but composed himself as the other students would, staring into the fire, watching it flicker, and lick the logs in the fireplace before letting another genuine smile break across his face.
The door behind them creaked open. Cedric didn't turn to look.
"What is it?" Fleur asked. "Do zey want us back in ze hall?"
Cedric turned around. There, in the now closed doorway, stood none other than Harry Potter. What was he doing here?
Feet scraped in the Hallway on the other side of the door. Ludo Bagman burst through the entryway, grabbed Harry around the shoulders, and pulled him forward into the light in front of the three champions. What was going on?
"Extraordinary! Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen… lady. May I introduce- incredible though it may seem- the fourth Triwizard Champion?"
Cedric felt a conflict rise inside him. It was conquered, however, by a feeling of competition. They were competing again.
"Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman," Fleur smiled at him, unconvinced.
"Joke?" Bagman stared at her. "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"
Cedric felt his expression change to a look of bafflement. How could Harry Potter's name possibly have come out of the Goblet? He was too young.
"But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," She stared loathingly at Ludo Bagman. "E' cannot compete. 'E is too young."
"Well… it is amazing, but as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name's come out of the goblet… I mean, I don't think that there can be any ducking out at this stage… It's down in the rules, you're obliged… Harry will just have to do the best he-"
The door burst open. Professor Dumbledore, Barty Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape all walked forward. Professor McGonagall shut the door. This just kept thickening, didn't it?
"Madame Maxime," Fleur strode over to her headmistress, reminding Cedric of a small girl whose parents never say no. "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"
Cedric looked over to Harry. He seemed to be in a state of unfeeling, and Cedric felt pity for him. Harry was certainly most not a little boy.
Madame Maxime turned on Professor Dumbledore. "What is ze meaing of zis, Dumbly-dorr?"
"I'd rather like to know that myself Dumbledore," He stared at Dumbledore with a cold look. "Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions- or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"
Madame Maxime's hand rested on Fleur's shoulder as she muttered something in French. "'Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most unjust."
Karkaroff continued to glare at Dumbledore. "We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore, otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."
Professor Snape stepped forward. "It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff" He stared contemptuously at Harry. What did Harry ever do to him? "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here-"
"Thank you Severus," Dumbledore silenced Snape. He turned to Harry lovingly. "Did you put your name into the Goblet of fire, Harry?"
"No," Harry stated simply.
Cedric did not know why, but instinctively, he believed him, even though his mind told him otherwise.
"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" Dumbledore continued.
"No," Harry stated again, persistent.
"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" Madame Maxime called out.
"He could not have crossed the Age Line," Professor McGonagall said. "I am sure we are all agreed on that-"
"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," Madame Maxime continued to press the issue.
"It is possible, of course," Cedric could have sworn he caught the briefest glimpse of an innocent smile flick across Dumbledore's face.
"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" Professor McGonagall said irately. "really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else.
Karkaroff turned to the other two Ministry representatives. "Mr. Crouch… Mr. Bagman, you are our er- objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular."
Cedric looked over to the sickly Mister Crouch. "We must follow the rules, and the rules clearly state that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament."
"Well, Barty knows the rulebook back to front," Bagman said genially.
Karkaroff continued to persist. "I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students. You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore."
"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that," Insisted Bagman. "The Goblet of Fire's just gone out-it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament."
Karkaroff lost it. "In which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing! After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave right now!"
A voice came from the darkened doorway "Empty threat Karkaroff. You can't leave you champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"
"Convenient?" Karkaroff looked at Professor Moody with a look of total loathing. "I'm afraid I don't understand you Moody."
"Don't you?" Moody continued, clunking his way to the fireplace. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."
Cedric began to tune the older wizards out. This was getting ridiculous. It didn't change anything. Harry would compete no matter what the outcome. These people just kept making excuses that attempted to tip things into their favor. They had begun acting like children. He, instead, focused on Harry. Harry seemed to be undergoing an absence of emotion. How did he enter his name into the Goblet? Had he just lied to Dumbledore? Was he seriously that starved for attention that he would break about fifty school rules and alienate their guests, all for the sake of more glory?
No, Cedric told himself. That didn't sound like Harry. Cedric knew him well enough to know Harry didn't need this tournament to make himself sound spectacular. Moody did have a point. Something was seriously wrong here. He looked back at the adults; Moody seemed to be explaining a conspiracy theory involving Harry and a fourth school. Cedric figured that if these moderators had been any younger, they would have broken into a full-fledged fistfight.
Eventually, Professor Dumbledore managed to silence them and quell the arguments. Bagman, who seemed completely in favor of Harry competing in the tournament, wrung his hands together greedily. "Well, shall we crack on, then? Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"
"Yes," He said. "instructions. Yes… the first task…" In the firelight, Mr. Crouch looked incredibly old and ill. It was as though he hadn't slept or ate well in months. "The first task is designed to test your daring, so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage n the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard… very important. The First Task will take place on November the twenty-fourth in front of the other students and the panel of judges."
Mr. Crouch continued. "The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."
He paused with a touch of finality in his voice. Cedric noted that he seemed finished and contemplated the situation. He didn't need to take the end of term exams. He would, however, be tested for his daring. What could test his daring? He began to feel nervous for himself.
Dumbledore offered Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff to stay, but they were already leaving, students in tow. Dumbledore sighed.
"Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed. I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."
Harry looked over at Cedric. Cedric nodded and walked next to Harry, out of the room. They walked across the eerie flickering of the few remaining candles in the Great Hall. The thing that Cedric had been wanting to say to Harry since the goblet had declared him champion forced its way into and out of Cedric's mouth. "So," he smiled. "We're playing against each other again."
"I s'pose," Harry muttered, continuing his walk that conveyed his continual sense of unfeeling.
"So… tell me…" Cedric began again as they crossed into the Entrance Hall. "How did you get your name in?"
"I didn't," Harry stared up at in. "I didn't put it in. I was telling the truth."
"Ah… okay," Cedric looked at him. He didn't believe him entirely, but a little voice in the back of his head knew Harry was telling the truth. "Well… see you then."
Cedric headed towards the door leading to the Hufflepuff corridor. He shook his head. He was a Hogwarts Champion! He was going to compete against the likes of Viktor Krum and Harry Potter. A cold feeling of anticipation shot through his veins as he walked up to the marble badger.
"Fruit Bat."
The Badger twirled off the pedestal and bowed low. "Congratulations." It muttered.
Cedric stepped inside and a boom blasted outwards, making him look into the Common Room. What seemed like every last Hufflepuff screamed towards him. Sam, Olivia, and Promise all jumped onto him and clung on.
"I knew you'd do it! I knew you'd do it!" Sam screamed excitedly.
"I'm so proud of you!" Olivia yelled.
Cedric stepped in and the rest of the Common Room landed on top of him, tearing him to the ground. Cedric laughed. Justin Finch-Fletchley, landed right on top of him as the pile grew ever larger. They remained like this for some time, everyone still screaming.
Finally, they all got off of him and shouted out things.
"Congratulations, Cedric!"
"Finally! Something for us Hufflepuffs."
"And you can beat Harry Potter again like at that Quidditch match!"
"How many times do I have to tell you?" Cedric yelled at the person who had just shouted out. "Harry fell off his broom!"
"And he wants a rematch!" Promise put her arm around Cedric. "And that's what you'll give him!"
The whole room cheered again, but Cedric just looked at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Well he did cheat to get in Cedric!" She punched him in the arm and took a swig of Butterbeer. "And now you can show him who's boss for the second time."
"Don't blame him," Cedric looked at her, shocked. "It's not his fault."
"What do you mean, Cedric?" She looked at him. "Of course it's his fault! I mean, he's not even a legitimate competitor."
"Yes," Cedric looked at her. "He really is. He's going to compete, and he's in this tournament as much as I am."
The room had fallen silent.
"Cedric," Promise looked at him in disbelief. "Don't' tell me you're okay with this."
"I am," He told her. "And all of you," He shouted out to the room. "Should be okay with it too! This isn't his fault. He didn't want this."
The room burst into a buzz of chatter.
"He's endorsing him?"
"But Cedric! Come on!"
Cedric silenced them. "I expect you to show Harry Potter as much courtesy as you show me because he is also your champion."
Promise stared at him. "You're so damn noble!" She shouted at him, shoving the butterbeer bottle into his hand and stomping off to the girl's dormitories.
Olivia stared at him in disbelief, as did all of the other Hufflepuffs. "She has a point, Ced. How can you say that?"
"Because this is the Triwizard Tournament," Cedric stated. "It's nothing special."
"Nothing special?" Olivia gawked at him. "It's the glory of the whole entire school! Harry Potter's trying to steal it from you by turning it into the Tetrawizard Tournament!"
Cedric ignored the comment and handed Promise's butterbeer bottle to Sam. He turned on his heel and went to bed, fuming. How could they not understand this? He was just trying to do the right thing! They had no right to smash Harry Potter because his name magically wound up in the goblet against his will.
He closed the curtain on his four poster hangings and stared up at the ceiling. He didn't care right now, though. He was a Triwizard champion, and nothing, not even Promise's elitism or Harry Potter's entrance to the tournament could take that from him. He turned over and stared towards the wall, smiling.