Taking Chances and Making Changes
Authors Note - This story is an AU. It follows canon events up until the end of Prisoner.
Disclaimer - I own nothing except my OC's. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling. Basically, if you recognise it from the books/films then it is not mine. Many characters will be OOC. Once again thank you to RavenclawPotter666 and ninjahamsterassassin.
Hayley POV
During the week between the other two schools arriving and when the champions would be picked passed by uneventful minus the twins attempting to outwit Dumbledore's age line around the cup with a simple ageing potion resulting in the two of them looking like old men for 4 hours. The people that entered their names into the cups were mostly people that I didn't know or even recognise but there were a few that I did know. I recognised Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff, Viktor Krum from Durmstrang, Cassius Warrington from Slytherin and Felicity Andres from Gryffindor. I had written to my family several times and Dora had told me that she had been assigned as one of the Aurors to stay at Hogwarts for the year to act as security during the tasks. She told me in one of her letters that along with a group of 3 other Aurors she would be arriving on the day that the champions get chosen. Despite writing each other at least 3 times a week I had missed her a lot and was beyond excited for her to get here.
After dinner that evening the tables and benches were removed from the Hall and were replaced with bleacher style seats that lined both walls. Many students chose this opportunity to mix with friends from different houses. I sat with Neville, Cyrus, Luna, Ron and Hermione while Declan remained on the other side with the Slytherins. I saw him talking to one of the Durmstrang boys. I had seen the two of them talking a few times during the week and I was pleased that Declan had found someone that he might be able to consider a friend.
Dumbledore used a form of wandless magic to dim the flames of all the candles in the Great Hall to create atmosphere and despite my annoyance, at him, I had to admit that I was impressed. He walked over to the Goblet and I watched as the flames roared high spitting out a small piece of parchment that was charred around the edges. It seemed as though the entire hall had leaned forward in anticipation as Dumbledore plucked it from the air reading over the name. "The Durmstrang Champion is Viktor Krum!"
The whole hall clapped as Viktor stood up and walked over to Dumbledore taking his parchment paper along with a handshake and heading through a door just off of the head table to presumably where the champions would all meet after being chosen and be given further instructions. Once he had left the Goblet roared spitting out another piece of parchment."The Beuxbatons champion is Fleur Delacour!" The hall cheered once again and Fleur followed Krum's actions of taking her piece of parchment before going through the same door. The entirety of the Hogwarts student body was silent in anticipation as Dumbledore caught the final parchment. "And the Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!"At this, the hall once again erupted into cheers but there was a large segment of cheers which was clearly where many Hufflepuff's had chosen to sit. As Cedric stood up to follow the other champions I noticed Dora smiling wasn't surprising as she had been a Hufflepuff while at doubt she would have supported whoever the Hogwarts champion had been but the champion being from her previous house made her even happier.
Once Cedric had left the hall Dumbledore turned to address the whole hall. "Well there we have our three champions," Dumbledore says. Before he is able to continue speaking the Goble started to flame up once again this time even higher, brighter and slightly more aggressive. Snape, McGonagall and the other school heads stood out of their seats slightly all seeming puzzled. Before anyone can ask what is going on the Goblet spits out the fourth piece of parchment. It takes Dumbledore a few seconds more than the others to pluck it from the air appearing just as confused as the other teachers. Looking at the name on the parchment the twinkle in his eyes dims and he looks up. He whispers the name inaudibly before repeating it again this time much louder shocking the whole hall but none more than myself.
"Hayley Potter!" He says sounding a mixture of shock, anger and confusion.
I was looking at him in a state of utter shock and disbelief. I didn't even know people were whispering to me until I felt Neville and Cyrus gently nudge me bringing me back to reality. In a daze, I walked up towards Dumbledore to collect the parchment. I looked towards Dora as Dumbledore handed me the charred parchment that had my name on. She gave me a look of confusion but of anger and worry. I knew that the anger wasn't towards me but to whoever had tampered with the goblet to make it spit out not only a fourth name but my name too. Reaching the door I heard the other students shouting variations of "She's a cheat" and"She's not even 17"
Just before I headed through the door Professor McGonagall puts a comforting hand on my shoulder for a few seconds trying to reassure me and I noticed that Snape gave me a small nod with an expression on his face that I couldn't quite read. It almost looked like pity and maybe even concern. I headed through the door taking a shaky breath to steady myself mentally preparing myself for whatever was about to come next.
Once I reached the room where the other champions were waiting they all turned to look at me immediately wondering why I was there. They noticed the parchment in my hand and the expression on my face and they all realised that I had also been chosen despite being too young and the fact that Hogwarts already had a champion. As I went over to stand against a wall on my own I noticed Cedric flash me a small smile and I attempted to give him one back. He walked over."Judging from your expression am I right to assume that you didn't enter your name?"He says kindly
Nodding I show him the parchment."It's not even my handwriting. Mines not as neat" I sigh
"I bet you thought that this year might have been a chance to get away from all of the crazy things that seem to happen to you?"He smiles
"This is just confirming my theory that someone has it in for me and that they delight in seeing me put in dangerous situations,"I say trying to make light of the situation.
It works and I get a small chuckle from Cedric. While the two of us are talking I notice Fleur and Viktor have walked closer to the two of us."You didn't enter?"Fleur asks me
I shake my head."Nope even if I was old enough I wouldn't have. I really don't need any more eternal glory or the danger that comes with the tournament."I say
The two of them nod and look thoughtful more a few moments."I believe you" She says
"I do too," Viktor says
I find myself smiling at the two of them."Thank you it's really good to know that at least some people believe me. I have a feeling not many people up there do"I say gesturing towards the stairs.
Before any of us can say anything else on the subject a number of angry voices could be heard getting closer. I sighed as I saw McGonagall, Snape, Dumbledore, Karkaroff, Madame Maxine, Moody, Crouch, Bagman and Crouch come down the stairs obviously in the middle of an argument. Dumbledore came straight over to me and looked me straight in the eye."Hayley, tell us did you put your name in the Goblet of fire?"He asked me calmly. (A/N -Emphasis on CALMLY)
I looked at him and the others without hesitation."No, I didn't it isn't even my handwriting"
"Did you ask an older student to enter your name for you?"He asks again
I shake my head."No, I didn't. Why would I?"
He nods and looks over at the others in the room with a thoughtful expression on his face.
"It is obvious that the girl is lying,"Karkaroff says in a thick accent that was hard to pinpoint.
"I agree. There must have been some kind of mistake with the age line"Madame Maxine says looking down at me before turning to Dumbledore
"That's impossible. I know two 6th year students that tried to enter their names using an ageing potion to get around the age line and it didn't accept their parchment. Miss Potter couldn't have entered her name"Professor McGonagall says
I let a small smile grace my lips and give her a silent thank you for defending me."So what happens now. Do I have to compete?"I ask directing the question to Crouch.
He looks at me pensively."Yes, Miss Potter, I'm afraid you do. The goblet is a magically binding contract"
I nod."Okay then." I say putting on a brave face to make myself seem much calmer than I was actually feeling on the inside.
After Bagman had told us the date of the first task we were warned that it would test our daring so we wouldn't be given any more clues and we were only allowed to use our wands and that it was against the rules to ask for help from teachers. Fleur and Viktor left with their respective heads while Cedric and I headed to our respective houses. We parted ways as he headed to Hufflepuff and I walked up towards Gryffindor.
Once I arrived at the tower I gave the password and climbed through the portrait. I was met with quite a lot of cheers and claps from the Gryffindor's who thought that I had somehow messed with the Goblet and my insistence that I didn't enter my name fell on deaf ears. I saw that Ron and Hermione were stood with Neville and Ginny so I headed over.
I immediately noticed the thunderous look on Ron's face and I frowned slightly."Hey, Ron what's up?"I asked hoping that it wasn't because he thought that I had entered my name.
"You know exactly what's up, Miss fourth champion" He snaps
"Ron I didn't enter my name in that stupid goblet. Why would I?"I said
"Eternal glory, fame and a load of money. You love the attention"He says
"Ron you know for a fact that I completely hate the attention. I couldn't care less about the glory or the fame" I snap
"Whatever I would have thought that you'd have told your friends how you did it though. Did you use your cloak?"Ron says
"No, I didn't use my cloak because I didn't enter. Even if I had I wouldn't have entered because apart from Neville and Ginny neither of you have been very good friends lately. Thinking that I entered is one thing but getting annoyed that I didn't tell you something that I didn't even do is ridiculous" I say to him before walking away storming off to my dorm.
I closed the curtains around the bed before sitting on my bed and doing some of the homework assignments that I still had to do before getting ready for bed deciding to go to sleep early in order to have a good nights sleep before starting another week of school.
Authors Note - I know that the chapter is once again slightly shorter than previous but this will be the case for the next few chapters. Next weeks update will be posted on Saturday rather than Thursday due to going away. Also, I am going back to university in a few weeks time and most of my energy will be focused on that so instead of posting every week, I will be posting probably every two weeks. Also, I am wanting you guys to tell me what pairings you would like to see in upcoming chapters. Once again thank you to everyone reading and reviewing.