Chapter 21

October 30th

Everyone seemed excited. Around six, Ewan and the other Ravenclaw's made their way outside the castle. Professor Flitwick was getting them in lines by years. Thankfully Ewan was tall, he could see over all fifth, fourth, third, second, and first years heads. He was as tall as the tallest seventh year.

"Aha! Unless I'm very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbaton's approaches!" said Dumbledore.

"Where?" said many students looking around.

Ewan squinted to see the flying object. It was a carriage. The size of a house, being pulled by a dozen flying horses. Once they landed a giant of a women stepped out. Everyone started clapping their hands. Dumbledore spoke first. "My dear Madam Maxime. Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dorr. I 'ope I find you well?"

"In excellent form, I thank you"

"My pupils." She said waving to the students.

The poor students looked to be freezing. Their uniforms were made of fine silk, only few had scarf's on, but none were wearing cloaks.

"As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madam Maxime asked.

"He should be here any moment. Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step in-side and warm up a trifle?"

"Warm up, I think, but ze 'orses-"

"Our care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them, the moment he had returned from dealing with a slight situation with some of his other – er – charges."

"My steeds require – er- forceful 'andling, zey are very strong…"

"I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job."

"Very well. Will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey?"

"It will be attended to."

"Come." said Madam Maxime imperiously to her students.

Then they were waiting again. There was a noise like a vacuum cleaner moving along the lake. Suddenly, a big sail boat arose from the lake. Cho Chang, fifth-year Ravenclaw seeker, got frightened and feel back on top of Ewan. "Sorry, Ewan." She said, her cheeks blazing red even in the dark. "It okay, it's just my toes. I don't really need them." He whispered to her. They waited a little longer until the people from the boat arrived to the congregation.

"Dumbledore!" said the man who led the new students. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff" Dumbledore replied.

"Dear old Hogwarts, how good it is to be here, how good… Viktor, come along, into the warmth… you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold…"

The boy passed Ewan, it was Krum! The Bulgarian quidditch player!

After the Durmstrang students entered the school, the Hogwarts students followed.

Ewan sat at his usual seat, next to a Beauxbaton's girl.

"Hello," he said politely.

"Bonjour…oh – er – Hullo."

"Je peux parler français." He said with a smile. [I speak a little French]

"quel est votre nom?" [What's your name?]

"Er – Je m'appelle Ewan." [My name is Ewan]

"Je m'appelle Fleur." Fleur said smiling. [My name is Fleur]

"Enchanté de faire votre connaissance." [Pleased to meet you]

"Show off." whispered Roger to Ewan.

Their conversation was cut short when Dumbledore started speaking.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghost and - most particularly – guests. I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable. The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast, I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"

The feast was great, Ewan had tasted all the new foreign foods and enjoyed them immensely, especially the bouillabaisse. Once all the food was gone, Dumbledore arose again.

"The moment has come, the Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring the casket-"

'Casket?' Ewan thought.

"-just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who don't know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Tri-wizard Tournament, and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madam Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts. The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

Filch moved to place a wooden jewel-incrusted box to Dumbledore.

"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman, and they 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 course, their ability to cope with danger."

The school went quiet.

"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament, one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the tournaments tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Tri-wizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

Dumbledore tapped his wand on the casket, which opened up. He then pulled out a goblet which seemed to be filled to the brim with blue-white flames.

"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 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 to all those wishing to compete.

"To ensure no underage students 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 sixteen and a half 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 the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are whole-heartily prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now I think it is time for bed. Good night to all of you."

Ewan waited with a few other prefects. 'Should I enter?'

Early the next morning, Ewan went down to the great hall, watching the Durmstrang students enter their names. Ewan pulled his bag off his shoulders and dug out a piece of parchment and quill, he sighed, thinking.

"Going to enter your name, boy?" asked Moody, behind Ewan.

"I was just thinking about it." admitted Ewan.

"Enternal Glory, all those galleons."

"But I don't need that stuff."

"A chance for you to prove yourself… ah, yes, you have powers boy, power you want to show off, yes?"

"A little…"

"Then you know what to do."

Ewan looked down to the parchment and wrote:

Ewan Potter – Hogwarts

Walking slowly to the Goblet, he crossed the line. Then taking a deep breath, he dropped the parchment in the cup. Looked back to Professor Moody, who had a crooked smile on his face, then went into the Great Hall. Ten minutes later, Hermione, Ron, and Harry walked in. Harry and Ron walked over to Ewan.

"You going to compete?" asked Ron.

"Already put my name in the cup." He said quietly, trying not to attract attention.

"WHAT!?" yelled Ron. "You really put your name in?"

"Thanks Ron. I was trying to keep it quiet!" said Ewan, pulling his plate closer.

"Why? This is incredible. Won't it be awesome if you win!"

Ewan sighed. "You're not the first person who's told me that."

"-because it would be awesome if you win!"

"I put my name in as Ewan Potter." said Ewan.

"That's great Ewan." said Hermione.

"Yeah, I hope so."

"What the worst that can happen?" said Ron.

"Thanks, Ron. You just cursed it!" said Ewan. "Go to your table, curse a Gryffindor!"

* * *

Later that morning, Ewan was called up to the Headmaster office, to fine Lupin, Sirius, and Harry already there.

"What's going on?"

"Peter Pettigrew escaped from Azkaban prison." Said Lupin.

"How?" asked Ewan

"The same way I did, most likely." answered Sirius

"We don't want you two to fret," said the Headmaster. "Pettigrew will be found I assure you."

Ewan and Harry shared a look, both vowing to keep a look out for the one who betrayed their parents.

* * *

Afterwards, Ewan, Roger, and Liam went to play quidditch. Then to the library to do some studying, and finally back to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. Most, if not all, the Ravenclaw's found out about Ewan entering, along with one other Ravenclaw seventh year. Ewan was sure that he wouldn't be chosen. 'Don't think about it, don't think about it.' He kept thinking.

When they entered they noticed the Goblet by the Headmaster's seat. Ewan took his time eating. He wasn't in a big rush, yet. Sooner than he liked, the food vanished. Everyone was tense and excited.

"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 into the next chamber, where they will be receiving their first instructions."

Dumbledore then took out his wand and extinguished the lights, except those inside the pumpkins. Then suddenly the goblet flames turned red and shot out a piece of parchment.

"The champion for Durmstrang will be… Viktor Krum!"

There was massive applauding. Krum got up and moved to the room mentioned. The goblet turned red again.

"The champion for Beauxbatons is… Fleur Delacour!"

The girl who had taken a fancy into sitting next to Ewan got up and went off to the room where Krum entered. Then the goblet turned red again.

The seconds seemed like hours to Ewan. "The Hogwarts champion," said Dumbledore, "is…

To Be Continued