Chapter nine: The Triwizard Cup
As they all had started to settle in and began to eat. The Durmstrang ate with the Slytherins while the Beauxbatons at with the Ravenclaws. Dumbledore had stood up and said, "The tournament will officially start after the feast, so please tuck in. Food had appeared on the table like every other day. The students began to eat.
"What's that?" Ron asked pointing to a shellfish dish.
"Bouillabaisse," Hermione answered.
"Bless you," said Ron.
"It's French," Hermione said. "I took it on Holiday it's very nice."
"I'll take your word for it," he said and put a pile of pudding on his plate.
After everyone finished their desert, and the tables were cleared Dumbledore stood up and silence fell in the Hall.
" The Moment has come," Dumbledore had said, smiling around at the sea of the upturn faces. " The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket. Just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of Internation magical Cooperation" There was a light applause that filled the air." And Mr. Ludo bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports." Much louder applause followed when Bagmann was introduced.
"Mr. Bagmann and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued. " They will be joining myself, Professor Kararoff and Madame mazime on the panel to judge the champion's efforts. The casket then if you please, Mr. Filch."
"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," Continued Dumbledore. "They have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. 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 powers of deduction- and of coursed their ability to cope with danger."
The hall by now was so quite a pin could drop and be heard.
" Any body wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a lip of parchment and drop it into the Goblet,"said Dumbledore, :Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which 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 eto all those wishing to compete.
"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore,"I will be placeing 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 champion has been slected 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 magicale contrace. There can be no change of hear once you have become champion. Please be very sure, therefor, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play berfore you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to all of you." Dumbledore finished. The great hall stood up and moved slowly to the common rooms.
The next day was Saturday, most students would've chosen to sleep in. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Sierra weren't the only one's who were rising much earlie this morning. Sierra was quite glad that the full moon was two weeks ago and will be able to see who the Hogwarts champion is instead of waiting for the next day to find out.
"Anyone put their name in the Goblet yet?" Ron asked a third-year girl eagerly.
"All the Durmstrang lot," she replied. "But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet."
"Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed,: said Harry. "I would have if it had been me... wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again?"
The Great Hall had changed this morning since it was Halloween. Harry had led the way over to Dean and Seamus, who were discussing those Hogwarts students of seventeen or over who might be entering.
"There's a rumor going around that Warrington got up early and put his name in," Dean told Harry. "that big bloke from Slytherin who looks like a sloth."
Harry , who had played quidditch against warrington, shook his head in disgust.
"We can't have a Slytherin Champion."
"All the Hufflepuff's are going on about Diggory,"Seamus said. "But I wouldn't have thought he'd have wanted to risk his good looks."
"Listen!" Sierra said suddenly. People were cheering in the entrance hall. They all swiveled around in their seats and saw Angelina Johnson coming into the Hall, grinning in an embarassed sort of way. Angelina came over to them and said, "Well, I've done it! Just put my name in!"
"You're kidding!" said Ron, looking impressed.
"Are you seventeen then?" Harry asked.
" I had my birthday last week," said Angelina.
"Well, I'm glad someone from Gryffindor's entering," said Hermione. "I really hope you get it, Angelina!" Sierra nodded in agreement.
"Thanks, Hermione," said Angelina smiling at her.
"Yeah, better you than pretty boy Diggory," said Seamus, causing several Hufflepuffs passing their tabel to scowl heavily at him.
"What are we going to do today?" Sierra asked her friends.
"We haven't been down to see Hagrid yet." Harry answered.
"Okay," Sierra said. The four of them headed down to Hagrids hut. They knocked on the door and heard fang bark.
"About time!"Hagrid said, when he'd flung the door open. "Thought you lot'd forgotten where I live!"
"We've been really busy Hag-" hermione started to say, but then she stopped dead, looking uop at Hagrid, apparently lost for words. Sierra looked at Hagrid to in awe. As the five of them talked time flew by and they headed down to the great hall for the announcing of the Triwizard Champions and the traditional Halloween feast. Fred and George came over and sat by Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Sierra, Fred sitting next to her taking her hand. "Hope it Angelina." he said.
"So do I!" Hermione said. "Well, we'll find out in a bit."
The feast had begun but it did seem to last longer than usual. Finally Dumbledore stood up to announce. "Well the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. " I estimate thatit 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"- he indicated the door behind the staff table- where they will be recieving their first instructions.
"Any second," Lee whispered.
The goblet had turned red and dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and read, " The Champion from Durmstrang will be, Viktor Krum!"
"No surpises there!" Ron yelled as a storm of applause and cheering swept the great hall. The clapping had died down. Now everyone's attention was back to the goblet. " The Champion for Beaeuxbatons," said Dumbledore, " is Fluer Delacour!"
"Finally the Hogwarts Champion is, Cedric Diggory!"
"NO!" Ron shouted and Sierra gave him a glare and clapped along with everyone else.
"Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering you champion on you will contribute in a very real-" Dumbledore stopped talking the Goblet had turned red again and sparks coming out of it. Sierra turned to look at Fred who just shrugged and put a comforted hand on her shoulder. When she looked back Dumbledore reached out and caught another piece of parchement and said. "Harry Potter."