A/N: Hey guys,

I just want to say thank you SO much for your patience and love—it really does mean a lot to me that people I don't know in person are sending me love and support.

I'm also leaving for vacation this Friday, so I'll try to write out a good chapter 17 for you, and maybe even half of 18!

Again, thank you so much!

All my love,

B

The Four Champions & House-Elves in Hogwarts

There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall; some students were standing up to hey a better look at Harry as he sat, frozen, in his seat.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat and she couldn't swallow—Harry's name had just been called. Their Harry? It must have been a mistake.

But...the Goblet of Fire has never made a mistake.

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione as the rest of the Gryffindor table turned to look at him.

"I didn't put my name in," Harry said blankly. "You know I didn't."

Both of them stared just as blankly back.

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"

"Go on," Hermione whispered, giving Harry a slight push.

He stood up shakily and clumsily made his way up past the teacher's table and into the room with the three other champions.

Hermione didn't speak. Instead, she turned to Ron who had furrowed his brows with confusion.

"Ron...?"

"We said we weren't going to put our names in, but he did it behind my back..."

"Oh Ron, you know Harry wouldn't—"

"Do I? He's always been in the spotlight, always gotten the glory, why should he pass this up?"

Fred and George had by now tuned into the conversation.

"Oi, you don't really think Harry wanted to fight that giant snake two years ago—"

"—or a hundred dementors last year, do you? He just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, poor bloke."

Hermione nodded. "And didn't you see his face when Dumbledore called his name? He wouldn't have reacted like that if he had been hoping for a spot."

Ron just mumbled something about "shocked that it worked" and slumped off out of the Great Hall.

Hermione watched him leave. She turned back to the table with a loud exhale as Fred and George started discussing ways to hoodwink the Goblet.

"Maybe he used a Confundus Charm—"

"No, he's only a Fourth Year, they haven't learnt that yet—"

"Well, would someone else have written his name as a joke?"

"Why would they do that instead of their own name?"

"...I dunno...I was just thinking out loud."

"Hey! What if he used his Invisibility Cloak—"

"Wait," Hermione cut in with a whisper, "how do you know about that?"

The twins smirked, and George spoke with a tone of obviousness.

"Please, Hermione, you underestimate us."

"We noticed Harry sneaking around under it last year when he was trying to get to Hogsmeade. He's clever, but not clever enough to outwit us. Anyway, he could've used that to get past the Age Line—"

"No, if we couldn't use a potion, Harry couldn't get over with a piece of enchanted fabric."

"Honestly, you don't really think that Harry wanted to enter, do you?" Hermione asked in all seriousness.

"Thought about what it would be like? Yes. Actually enter? No." Fred said. "First of all, you lot haven't learnt enough to properly train for a tournament like this, and I think even Harry knows that. Second of all, it's like we said earlier, Harry has never sought out fame or glory, it just happens to find him."

Hermione nodded. "I feel so sorry for him...what will Dumbledore say to him, I wonder?"

Fred and George looked at each other.

"Well, I think it's time for us to start gathering items for the Gryffindor party tonight." George said as they rose from the table.

"What?" Hermione said. "We're having a party?"

"Of course, Hermione dear," said Fred, "Harry's been chosen for the biggest even of the year, so we have to cheer him up a bit, right?"

Hermione had confusion written across her face. "I suppose, but where are you getting the food?"

"Why, from the kitchens. The house-elves are very helpful whenever Fred and I knick food." George explained. "You're welcome to come along, of course, just as long as you don't tell."

Hermione considered it for a moment before replying.

"Alright."

"How do we get in?" Hermione questioned as the three stood in front of a large portrait of a bowl of fruit.

"Watch and learn, 'Mione," Fred said as he stepped up to a green pear and started tickling what would be the 'stomach.'

To Hermione's slight surprise (lots of strange things happened at Hogwarts) the pear started giggling and it soon turned into a doorknob. Fred turned it, and in they went.

As soon as Hermione walked in, she saw what seemed to be hundreds of elvish faces turn and look up at her. Once the concluded that she wasn't there to make an announcement, they turned their heads away and scurried back to work.

"Why does Dumbledore insist on keeping house-elves here?" Hermione asked as she intently watched the workers. "I mean, we could do all of this ourselves with magic, couldn't we?"

"Dumbledore treats them well, Hermione," Fred tried to explain, "not like some families do. Besides, most of them would die of boredom if they weren't working every day."

Hermione pursed her lips, and George took over.

"They like us, Hermione, watch—" he said as he walked over to the nearest house-elf.

"Excuse me," he said in a soft tone, "do you think it would be a bother if I took a few Butterbeers?"

The house-elf, a female, blushed furiously and answered in a light, squeaky voice, "Of course, sir, anything you wish!"

"Thank you," George smiled as the elf gave a small bow and six cases of Butterbeer appeared on the table before him.

He turned back to Hermione and raised his eyebrows.

"That still doesn't prove that everyone else is being fair to them. What if—"

"We know that some people treat them poorly, Hermione—" George started before his brother cut in.

"—Like the Malfoys—" Fred rolled his eyes.

"—But we respect them. We really do," George added when he saw Hermione's face. "We respect them enough to let them work in peace."

"We can talk about this later, Hermione," Fred started as Hermione was opening her mouth. "Right now, we've got a party to throw."

Setting up the party wasn't the difficult part. Waiting for Harry to arrive, however, Hermione was anxious and frightened for her friend and could hardly keep still.

"Relax, Hermione," Ginny said as she sat perched on the arm of a chair. "Harry will explain everything when he comes back. Who knows—maybe Dumbledore cleared it all up and he doesn't have to compete."

Hermione remained skeptical. Glancing at the clock, she decided to sit in her favourite armchair and rest her eyes—it had been a long day and she was exhausted.

By the time she opened her eyes again, Harry had already been through the common room and had gone to bed.

Hermione would just have to find him tomorrow.