Chapter 5: The Goblet of Fire.
The following morning, Holly awoke early as she normally did daily whether or not they had school that day or not. That day was a Monday, but due to the arrival of their guests, classes had been dismissed for the day to allow everyone a chance to enter their names before the announcement of the champions that evening. She went to the Great Hall that morning, despite not having classes that day they were still required to be in uniform to look their best for their guests. She reached the hall it was empty except for the professors sitting at the staff table enjoying their breakfasts in silence before the hall became crowded. She suspected it would be crowded earlier than usual for a day without classes.
She took her seat in the usual area of the Gryffindor table, she made herself a small plate, and poured herself some orange juice. While she slowly ate her porridge, she read a book Hermione had loaned her. It was a no-maj book, Pride and Prejudice , Holly did not have a lot of knowledge of books outside the wizarding world but she had never found a book she did not enjoy. Not long after her arrival the hall began to fill, Hallie found a seat next to her, "Where is Fred?" Holly asked noticing her sister was not with her boyfriend. The two were always with each other every spare moment they had.
Hallie made herself a plate of fruit, "I do not know. I was awoken to an owl tapping on my window…quite rude to wake me so early when we do not even have classes to attend to," she huffed then sighed, "Fred sends me a letter stating he cannot meet with me this morning to escort me from Ravenclaw Tower to breakfast because he is off with George and Lee doing who knows what."
"Probably a prank on the guests," Ron added approaching the table and taking a seat with Harry beside him and Hermione across from him next to Holly. He looked at a third-year girl sitting nearby asking her with eagerness in his tone, "Anyone put their name in yet?"
She looked up from her friends, "Pretty sure all the durmstrang lot, but I have not seen anyone from Hogwarts yet."
"Bet some put them it in last night after we'd all gone to bed," Harry said, "I would've if it had been me…wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again."
Someone behind Harry laughed, and their small group turned seeing Fred, George, and Lee all hurried quickly into the hall, all three of them appeared to be extremely excited.
Peri stood up from her table crossing to her friends and sisters, "Done it!" Fred said in a triumphant whisper to the small group.
Everyone had confused looks on their faces, "What?" Ron asked
"The Aging Potion, dung brains," Fred said.
"One drop each," George said, rubbing his hands together with glee, "We only need to be a few months older."
"We're going to split the thousands of Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," Lee spoke, grinning broadly.
"Definitely! The first thing I want to buy is something special for my girl. I am going to win and make her proud," Fred wrapped an arm around Hallie pulling her closer to him and placing a kiss on her cheek. "Ready?" he asked George and Lee, releasing his hold on Hallie.
"It will not work," Hermione and Holly assured Hallie, as Holly squeezed her twin's hand as the three approached the line.
Fred stood there, rocking on his toes almost like a diver preparing for a dive. Everyone in the hall now was watching them. They took a deep breath then crossed the line slipping the names into the goblet. Cheers began till seconds later there was a loud sizzling sound then all three of the young boys were hurled out of the circle. When they landed outside of it, they all had white beards.
The hall rang with laughter, including Fred, George, and Lee…everyone was laughing except Hallie, "How do I look, Hal?" Fred asked still laughing as he rose from the ground crossing to her, "Do I look good old? Will you still love me in this way?"
She said nothing and just stormed out of the hall, he was confused but ran after her.
"Are they going to break up," Mallory asked quietly, she had at some point entered the hall with the other first-year Gryffindors.
George looked down at her, "No, Mal. Argument…disagreement more like it but no they will not break up over this. Maybe one day, but not today." He looked at the others, "He did mention that she did not want him attempting to join in fear of losing him."
"The tasks are dangerous…they want those of legal age to enter because there is the risk of death," Holly told everyone.
Everyone went back to their seats except George and Lee who left to go fix their potion mess up in the Hospital Wing. Hallie returned shortly after rejoining her house. "He claims he wants to win the money to buy me a ring," she whispered to Holly, Hermione, and Ginny.
Hermione spits out her juice having it sprayed across the table at Ron, "A what?!"
"Hermione!" Ron snapped jumping up, "I am out of clean robes, I forgot to send them down with the other laundry."
She rolled her eyes giving a flick of her wand magically quickly cleaning Ron's uniform before returning her attention to Hallie and the other girls, "He cannot think of marriage. He is sixteen…you are fourteen."
"He unofficially proposed?" Ginny asked.
Hallie laughed, "He claims he wants to, but no right now he wants to afford a promise ring for me. A ring perfect for me."
"Our little Freddie is growing up," Ginny smiled, "I am going to have a sister."
"They are alright," she laughed
"Hey!" Holly and Mallory said making the girls laugh.
The Beauxbaton students entered the hall with Madame Maxine, and those of age crossed the line adding their names to the Goblet. As each name slipped into the cup, it gave a bright light of pinkish-red sparks, before resuming its blue coloring. After their names had been submitted they exited the hall with their headmistress.
Holly left the hall, she went to the library while the golden trio went to visit Hagrid. Hallie went to spend time with Fred, as she always did with spare time, and Mallory went to spend time with Alicia since Cassie was busy preparing for the announcement of the champions. She chose a back corner of the library away from everyone, although the library was quite empty since most everyone else was outside enjoying the decent weather they were having this Halloween day. She sat beginning her homework early when a person approached her. Without words pulled out a chair taking a seat beside her. She knew the person as she always did without the sound of their voice. She recognized the sound of their footsteps and the smell of their cologne a rich smell…rich as in wealth as well as scent. It was light, clearly an introductory scent to cologne to allow the user to adjust to a constant scent upon their body.
Her head remained down looking at her writing on her piece of parchment, "Thank you for the dove," she spoke.
"You're welcome…Dove."
She looked up from her work confused turning to look into his stormy eyes, "Holly…"
He gave a light chuckle, "You are Dove to me."
"I do not follow."
He gave another slight chuckle, "We cannot be together, I think we both want to."
She rolled her eyes closing her book, "I have work to do. I do not have time for this game of yours."
"Be a secret for me."
"Why would I want to be a secret? I am already invisible to everyone around me."
He shook his head, his hand slipping into hers. His hands rough from gripping a broomstick, "You are not invisible to me, Holly."
Her eyes darted from his to their hands, "You just want to treat me as such."
He dropped his head, "Please…let us try. I have only ever dated Pansy…if you can even count taking her to Hogsmeade with Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, and Theo last year as dating her."
Her mind was telling her, no, but her heart ached for him. Here he was asking to be with her even if it meant hiding everything. She took a deep breath contemplating her words carefully, "Alright…you have until Christmas to make a full decision. If you want to remain secret I am done. If you decided to be open to everyone around us then I will stay."
Draco gave a slight nod placing a gentle kiss on the hand linked to his, he would only have nearly two months to decide if he wanted to break his reputation for the person his heart yearned for or lose her for the sake of himself.
"If I am Dove…who are you?"
He thought for a moment, "Robin?"
She smiled at him, "Robin."
He smiled back, "Dove."
That evening, the hall filled with everyone gossiping about who they hoped the champions would be. Slytherins wanted Warrington, simply because he was a Quidditch player although he walked the corridors slowly as if he were a sloth. They began their Halloween feast as soon as everyone had arrived. Once their meals were cleared from their plates, Dumbledore and Cassie approached the front, "The Goblet is nearly ready to make a decision," she called out over the hall, "As soon as the champions' name is called please come forward then go through the side chamber," she indicated to the side door behind the staff tables, "There they will receive the first set of instructions."
She looked toward Dumbledore who withdrew his wand and approached the goblet, he gave a sweeping motion extinguishing the candles except for the light from the goblet and the floating pumpkins. The hall entered a state of semidarkness. Everyone watched and waited, Holly looked around her some students checking their watches, and she noticed Draco slip a hand into his robe pocket withdrawing his pocket watch, "This is taking forever," he hissed growing impatient.
The flames inside the goblet turned a sudden red again, as a name had just been submitted. Sparks flew into the air, followed by a tongue of flame into the air. A charred piece of paper fluttered from the fiery tongue floating gently down. The room erupted in gasps.
Dumbledore reached up to catch the paper, as the goblet returned to its blueish light. "The champion for Durmstrang," his voice strong and clear as he read the paper, "will be Viktor Krum!"
The hall erupted into cheers, whistles, and claps. Some students were on their feet cheering as Viktor rose from his seat further down the Slytherin table to collect his paper from Dumbledore then went through the side door.
"No surprises there!" Ron yelled over the applause and cheering sweeping over the hall.
"Bravo, Viktor!" Karkaroff cheered louder than anyone else.
The clapping and cheering died down. Everyone turned their attention back to the goblet, and within a second it turned fiery red. A second parchment shot out, then spiraled down to the ground.
"The champion for Beaxbatons," Dumbledore began, "is Fleur Delacour."
"Oh look, they're all disappointed," Hermione said over the noise, nodding toward the remainder of the Beauxbatons party. Holly caught glimpse of Ida and Remy, sitting there cheering their schoolmate. They were not in tears, although she was sure if one of them had been old enough to be picked one of them would have been. Simply based on their father alone and his family's background.
With Fleur now in the chamber with Viktor, silence fell over the hall once more. The final champion was Hogwarts. The goblet turned red again, Dumbledore plucking the third piece of parchment from the air, "The Hogwarts champion is…Cedric Diggory."
All Hufflepuffs rose to their feet screaming and stamping with glee. Cedric smiling proudly accepted the parchment back from Dumbledore before going through the side chamber to join the other champions.
"Excellent!" Cassie called out over the cheers, everyone grew quiet to hear her speak, "We now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you to give your champions, even those who do not attend your school, every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champions on, you will contribute in a very real —"
She stopped suddenly, her face washing over with confusion. The goblet had turned red again. Sparks flew from it, a long flame shot into the air as it bore another piece of parchment. Dumbledore reached out to grab it, Cassie stepping towards him to read the name over his shoulder. The two remained in silence till they both looked at the students before them. He cleared his throat and read aloud, "Harry Potter."
Holly looked across the table, with their entire table looking at Harry and the entire room looking at him. The room was silent, you could hear a quill drop. She watched the fear wash over Harry's face. She looked at the staff table, all of them on their feet. She heard him say over the silence in the room, "I didn't put my name in," he told his friends, "You know I didn't."
No one spoke a word to him. No one had any emotions on their faces.
"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again, his voice sounded furious.
Hermione nudged him forward with a slight push. He got to his feet, stumbling slightly as he walked. Dumbledore handed him the paper, then informed him to go through the door. No smiles were upon any of the faces at the front. As Harry went through the door, the hall went into quickly hushed whispers. Gossiping about what had occurred.
As the hall gossiped about Harry, she noticed out of the corner of her eye the goblet lighting fiery red again followed by a loud crack. All attention turned back to the front, the adults becoming concerned more than they had before, "What is happening?" she heard someone ask
A flame shot high into the air, birthing a charred piece of parchment. It floated down, Dumbledore stepped forward snatching it from the air. He read the paper to himself in a whisper that no one could hear. He looked at the adults beside him before turning to the students, "Peri King!"
Holly turned quickly to look at Peri, fear draping quickly over her face. "No…no…" she could hear Cassie begging tone with tears in her eyes towards Mr. Crouch and Ludo Bagman, "She is a child. She is my child…we have an age restriction for a reason." They gave slight shakes of their heads as Richard held his wife to comfort her.
"Peri King!" Dumbledore yelled again.
Holly watched as Draco nudged Peri up, as he had been staring at her in fear not shock. "I don't wanna die," she heard her say to him as tears formed in her eyes. He pushed her off the seat and forward.
She slowly walked forward and felt the eyes of everyone on her. "She's a cheat!" someone yelled over the hall.
"She did not do it," Holly assured the table.
"Harry got in, too. She probably did it, as well," someone random Gryffindor said.
She shook her head, "No…the fear they both shared. They would not have."
"Harry just mentioned this morning that if he was going to do it he would do it without anyone around," Ron reminded her upset over the situation.
"I do not believe they did."