The next morning Harry watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words Fred Weasley- Hogwarts. Fred walked right up the edge of the line and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line.
For a split second Harry thought it had worked- George certainly thought so, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred- but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter. They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards.
The entrance hall rang with laughter, even Fred and George joined in, and once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other's beards.
"I did warn you," said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the great hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. "I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers of Huffelpuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything as fine as yours."
Fred and George set off for the hospital wing, accompanied by Lee, who was howling with laughter, and Harry Ron and Hermione, also chortling, went to breakfast.
XxX
The next morning was odd for Kakashi, the wizards celebrated the weird holiday of Halloween, Minato said it was when they honored the dead by having a feast. Kakashi failed to see how pumpkins gutted with faces carved in them honored the dead but to each their own, he supposed. Dumbledore had arranged for Filch, a man who in Kakashi's opinion had one foot in the grave of he kept giving him dirty looks, to give him and Minato the grand tour of Hogwarts. As it turned out, memorizing the layout of the castle was just about useless, Filch explained that the staircases liked to move and classrooms had the unpleasant tendency to relocate themselves to a more desireable corridor.
After the tour they returned to their living quarters to find that Dumbledore had left them Tom Riddle's school records and various reports that the Order had put together on his activites after he had left school. According to the records he was the perfect student, though Dumbledore had wrote in the margins that it had later been discovered he was responsible for opening the Chamber of Secrets and killing a girl who's ghost still remained in a girls bathroom on the third floor. After school he had asked to stay on as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, the current Headmaster, a Professor Dippet, had declined and told him to come back in a few years.
Later he returned to the school after Dumbledore had become Headmaster and asked for the position again, which Dumbledore declined on the basis that he would recruit students as followers. Ever since his second rejection the position has been believed to be cursed, no one staying on for more than a year. There was a list of the various Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers and how they died or why they left. Apparently the year before Dumbledore had hired a werewolf and the year before that a man who had tried to wipe the minds of two students but the spell backfired and he had erased his own mind completely. All in all, the more he read about Riddle and this school's history the less he saw a reason for magic at all.
"Well, we better get going, the feast will start soon." Minato said drawing Kakashi away from the report in front of him.
He nodded and stood up, stretching from sitting down so long. How the Hokage managed to stay in shape sitting at that desk all day was beyond him. He looked over to see Minato staring out into space, probably daydreaming about Kushina; he'd been doing that a lot in the past few months, not that he would ever admit to it. Jiraiya and Tsunade had actually tried to get him to bet on when his girl shy sensei would actually get the nerve up to ask the red headed tomboy out on a date. Kakashi had half a mind to just lock them in a closet for a day. Jiraiya might help him but he'd make sure there was at least a peep hole so he could conduct research.
Kakashi walked to the door but stopped when he realized that Minato was still staring off into space with a goofy smile. "Sensei?" he said.
Minato donned a light blush and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "He he, sorry." He said and followed Kakashi out of the door.
XxX
Finally, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the hall that died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet. On either side of him Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Minato-sensei was sitting there, probably the calmest person in the whole hall, with an amused sort of grin on his face. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored.
"Well the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them 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 receiving their first instructions."
He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those in the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. Kakashi thought it was overly dramatic and rolled his eyes. The goblet of fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole hall. Everyone watched, waiting… a few people checked their watches. The flames inside the goblet turned red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot out into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it- the whole room gasped.
Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so he could read it by the light of the flames which had turned to blue and white. "The champion for Konoha," he read, in a strong, clear voice. "Will be Kakashi Hatake."
There was a few scattered applause but not much, he saw that Minato was one of the few who did clap for him. He stood up and ignored everyone as he walked up and behind the staff table. He entered through the same door he had last night and into the sitting room. He saw that a fire was still roaring in the hearth and that a few overstuffed chairs had been added around the room. Kakashi decided to lean against the far wall so that he would be able to see everyone.
After a few more seconds a boy in the Durmstrang uniform came in and took a stance near the fireplace, if Kakashi recalled correctly his name was Viktor Krum, an apparent favorite of his Headmaster. Another minute and a girl with silvery blonde hair walked in, he recognized her from Beauxbatons. She gave him a frown and a raised eyebrow before joining Krum next to the fire. The next to come through the door was the Hogwarts champion, he had a small Huffelpuff crest sown into his robes, he gave Kakashi a polite nod before joining the other two champions.
There were a few minutes of silence as they waited for their headmasters and judges to instruct them as what to do next. When the door opened Kakashi saw not four old men, one of them having a mid-life crisis, a gigantic woman and his sensei. He saw none other than Harry Potter, this couldn't be good.
"What is it." Said the girl in her strange accent. "Do zey want us back in ze hall?"
Potter opened his mouth but no words came out. Kakashi decided to just cut straight to the point. "You're name came out of the Goblet didn't it?" everyone in the room turned their attention to him but just as quickly everyone looked to the door when it opened and the judges and a few professors poured in. one of the officials, Ludo Bagman, strode across the room and slung an arm around Potter's shoulders.
"Extraordinary!" he muttered squeezing his arm. "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen… lady," he added, approaching the fireside and addressing the other champions. "May I introduce- incredible as it may seem- the fifth Triwizard champion."
Kakashi ignored the puzzled looks on the other three champion's faces and caught Minato's eye. His face was serious and Kakashi understood what this meant, someone was hoping Potter would die in this tournament or at least that person was hoping for an opening where they would be able to kill him. This would definitely complicate things. Kakashi had been tuning out the others conversation but tuned back in when he heard his name.
"But evidently there has been a mistake." The girl said. "He cannot compete, he is too young."
"I do believe Harry and Mr. Hatake are the same age." Bagman said causing everyone to cast him glances before ignoring him again. "And his names come out of the goblet… I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage… its down in the rules, you're obliged… Harry will just have to do the best he-"
"Madame Maxime!" the girl called, interrupting Bagman. "They are saying another little boy is to compete also!" Kakashi raised an eyebrow, little boy? He may be younger and shorter than the rest but he was a trained killer and had seen things these others couldn't imagine.
Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full and considerable height. The top of her head brushed the candle filled chandelier, and her gigantic black satin bosom swelled. "What is the meaning of this Dumbly-dorr?" she said imperiously.
"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore." Said Professor Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. "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?" he gave a nasty and short laugh.
"It's impossible." Maxime said. "Hogwarts cannot have two champions, it is most injust."
"We were under the impression that your age line would keep out younger contestants." Karkaroff said, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. "Otherwise we would have course brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own school."
"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff." Snape said. "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 said, cutting him off and turning to Potter. "Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?"
"No." Said Potter.
"Did you ask an older student to put in your name?" Dumbledore asked a bit desperately.
"No." he said more firmly.
"Ah, but of course he is lying!" Maxime claimed.
"What about you boy? Did you put his name in the goblet?" Karkaroff asked turning to Kakashi.
Kakashi blinked his half lidded eye lazily before answering. "No." Karkaroff glared and snorted.
"Kakashi put his name in the goblet before I set the age line." Dumbledore said, still staring at Harry.
"Dumbly-dorr must have made a mistake with the line." Maxime claimed, grasping at straws.
"It is possible of course." Dumbledore said thoughtfully. Kakashi had the sinking suspicion that he purposely belittled himself just so people would praise him, but then again Master Jiraiya did the same thing.
"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" McGonagall said angrily. "Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself and neither could Mr. Hatake. And as Professor Dumbledore believes he did not persuade an older student, I believe that should be good enough for everybody else." She shot a very angry look at Snape who ignored her.
"Mr. Crouch… Mr. Bagman," Karkaroff said, "you are our- er- objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular."
Bagman wiped his round boyish face and looked at Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. To Kakashi he looked distracted and tired, the half-darkness making him look much older, giving him an almost skull like appearance. When he spoke, however, it was in his usual curt voice. "We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the goblet of fire are bound to compete in the tournament."
"Well, Barty knows the rule book back and front." Said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.
"I insist on resubmitting the names of the rest of my students." Said Karkaroff. He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed. "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, don't you agree Namikaze." All eyes turned to Minato who looked the calmest one in the room.
"My school may be new to this tournament but I don't think the goblet works like that." He said earning an outraged glare from both Maxime and Karkaroff.
"He's right Karkaroff, he's right, it doesn't work like that." Said Bagman. "The goblet of fire's just gone out- it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament-"
"-In which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!" Exploded Karkaroff. "After all our meetings and negations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"
"Empty threat Karkaroff." Growled the voice of the man with the whirling eye ball standing next to Kakashi. "You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"
"Convenient?" said Karkaroff. "I'm afraid I don't understand you." Kakashi understood, he understood from the moment Potter walked through that door. Someone was hoping that Potter would die in this tournament.
Don't you?" said the man quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."
Evidently, someone who wished to give Hogwarts two bites of the apple." Maxime said completely missing the point and only focusing on the superficial.
"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her. "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards-"
"If anyone's got reason to complain its Potter," growled the man. "But… funny thing… I don't hear him saying a word…"
"Why should he complain?" burst out the only female contestant, stamping her foot. "He and the other little boy have a chance to compete, haven't they? A chance many would die for!"
"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it." Said the man with a growl.
An extremely tense silence followed these words. Ludo Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, "Moody, old man… what a thing to say!"
"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime." Said Karkaroff loudly. "Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassinations too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons."
"Imagining things am i?" growled the man Kakashi now knew as Moody. "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in the goblet…"
"Ah, what evidence is there of that?" said Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.
"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only four schools compete in the tournament… I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fifth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category…"
Kakashi tore his one uncovered eye away from Moody to look at Minato. He knew instantly that his sensei was thinking the same thing as him, that someone indeed wanted Potter dead and that Moody knew just enough to earn him their suspicion. They would definitely need to talk to Dumbledore after this.
"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought Moody." Said Karkaroff coldly. "And a very ingenious theory it is- though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock…"
"There are those who will turn innocent occasions to their advantage." Moody retorted in a menacing voice. "It's my job to think the way dark wizards do, Karkaroff- as you ought to remember…"
"Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly.
"How this situation arose, we do not know," said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone. "It seems to me however, that we have no choice to except it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the tournament. This, therefore, they will do…"
"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr-"
"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it." Dumbledore waited, but Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one either. Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid; Bagman, however, looked rather excited.
"Well, shall we crack on then?" he said rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, ant to do the honors?"
Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie. "Yes," he said. "instructions. Yes…the first task… The first task is designed to test your daring." He told the five contestants. "So we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard… very important… The second task will take place on November twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges. The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. 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-the-year-exams."
Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore. "I think that's all. Is it, Albus?"
"I think so," Said Dumbledore, who was looking at Crouch with mild concern. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"
Kakashi tuned the rest of the conversation out and turned his attention to the giant and her student who were speaking very fast in some different language. Karkaroff and his sour faced charge were also making a quick getaway while Potter and the other Hogwarts champion were standing awkwardly to the side before Dumbledore told them to return to their dorms. Minato walked over and gave a jerk of his head to indicate it was time for them to leave as well.
A/N
Going on vacation and wont update till after the start of august! Enjoy and please review!