The Four Champions

Arthur sat there with his heart sinking so much that it was like it disappeared as every head in the Great Hall all turned to look at him.

Arthur was now feeling numb from hearing his name being read aloud. He even felt like he was about to vomit from how his nerves were acting up.

There was no applause as instead, there was a buzzing, reminiscent of angry bees, that started filling the Hall, some students even standing to get a better look at the horrified and shocked Arthur who still sat frozen in his seat.

Up at the staff table, McGonagall got to her feet and swept past Bagman and Karkaroff to urgently whisper to Dumbledore, who bent towards her, frowning slightly.

Arthur turned to David and Chrys, who both looked shocked. And beyond them the whole Gryffindor table watched him, all open mouthed.

"I didn't put my name in." He said, sounding desperate and panic stricken. "You know I didn't."

The two looked so bad for him.

Then at the top table, Dumbledore straightened up, nodding to McGonagall.

"Arthur Pendergast!" He called again. "Arthur! Up here, if you please!"

"Just go." Chrys whispered as she gave Arthur a slight push.

And so, not knowing how exactly, he got to his feet and set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables, not looking anywhere else but in front of him, taking deep breaths through his nose.

It felt like a longer walk than it was, feeling hundreds of eyes upon him, all feeling like searchlights.

The buzzing grew louder and louder and after what felt like an hour, he found himself in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares from all the teachers on him.

"Well… through the door, Arthur." He said, and he wasn't smiling.

Arthur moved along the teachers' table. Hagrid sat right at the end and he didn't even wink, wave or give any usual sign of greeting to Arthur. He looked absolutely astonished, staring at Arthur as he passed, just like everyone else.

Arthur went through the door out of the Great Hall and ended up in a smaller room, one that was lined with paintings of witches and wizards. There was also a handsome roaring in the fireplace opposite him.

The faces of the portraits all turned to look at him when he entered. There was a wizened witch flit out of the frame of her picture and into the one next to it, which contained a wizard with a walrus moustache. The witch was whispering in his ear.

Arthur saw Krum, Cedric and Fleur all grouped up around the fire. They looked downright impressive, being silhouetted against the flames. Krum, who was hunched up and brooding, leaned against the mantlepiece, slightly apart from the other two.

Cedric stood with his hands behind his back, staring into the fire.

And Fleur looked around when Arthur walked in, and threw back her long, silvery hair.

"What is it?" She asked. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"

She clearly thought Arthur was sent to deliver a message. Arthur was utterly speechless as he couldn't find a way to explain what had just happened. He just stood there, still looking panic stricken as the three champions looked at him. All of them made him look small and pathetic.

Then the sound of scurrying feet came from behind him as Ludo Bagman entered the room. He then took Arthur by the arm and led him forwards.

"Extraordinary!" he muttered as he squeezed his arm. "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen… lady." He added as he approached the fireside to address the three. "May I introduce, incredible though it may seem, the fourth Triwizard champion?"

Krum straightened up, his surly face darkening as he surveyed Arthur. Cedric looked nonplussed, looking back and forth between Bagman and Arthur as though he had misheard what Bagman had just said. Then there's Fleur, who tossed her hair and smiled before saying "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."

"Joke?" Bagman repeated in bewilderment. "No, no, not at all! Arthur's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"

Krum's eyebrows contracted slightly. And Cedric still looked bewildered.

Fleur then frowned. "But evidently zair 'as been a mistake." She said with contempt to Bagman. "'E cannot compete. 'E is too young."

"Well… it is amazing." Bagman said, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Arthur. "But as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And his name's come out of the Goblet… I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage… it's down in the rules, you're obliged… Arthur will just have to do the best he -"

The door behind them opened once more, this time, a large group of people entered.

There was Dumbledore, who was closely followed by Crouch, Karkaroff, Maxime, McGonagall and Snape. Arthur was able to hear the buzzing of hundreds of students on the other side of the wall before McGonagall closed the door.

"Madame Maxime!" Fleur said at once, striding over to her Headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"

Arthur's panic and numbness ebbed away with anger taking over at Fleur for calling him a little boy. She didn't know what he's been through and he wasn't some little boy.

Maxime drew herself up to her full height. The top of her handsome head brushed the candle filled chandelier and her gigantic black satin bosom swelled.

"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" She asked imperiously.

"I'd rather like to know myself, Dumbledore." Karkaroff said with a steely smile, his blue eyes now 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 then gave a short and nasty laugh.

"C'est impossible." Maxime then said, whose large hand with its many opals, was now resting on Fleur's shoulder. "'Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most unjust."

"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore." Karkaroff said, his steely smile still present, with his eyes now colder than ever. "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."

"It's no one's fault but Pendergast's, Karkaroff." Snape said, his black eyes full of malice, making Arthur desperate to give him the worst punishment possible. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Pendergast's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here -"

"Thank you, Severus." Dumbledore shut him down firmly, making Snape go quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his greasy black hair.

Dumbledore was now looking at Arthur, who looked right back at him, trying to make sure that he spoke clearly by looking at the one person, other than McGonagall, who would believe him without question.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Arthur?" He asked calmly.

"No. Even if there wasn't an age restriction, I would never have put my name in." Arthur replied, keeping his voice as steady as he could. He was very much aware that everyone watched him closely. And Snape made a noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows, which didn't surprise Arthur, considering Snape always had a biassed view on Arthur.

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" Dumbledore then asked, ignoring Snape.

"No. I spent the whole day with David and Chrys, most of the time at Hagrid's hut." Arthur replied, now vehemently.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" Maxime cried out as Snape shook his head with curled lips. Arthur wanted to roar at her that he didn't lie so much, but he knew he could be in deep trouble if he did so.

"He could not have crossed the Age Line." McGonagall said sharply. "I am sure we are all agreed on that -"

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line." Maxime shrugged.

"It is possible, of course." Dumbledore said politely, shocking Arthur.

"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" McGonagall said angrily. "Really, what nonsense! Arthur could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!"

She shot a very angry look at Snape when she said that last point.

"Mr Crouch… Mr Bagman…" Karkaroff said, his voice unctuous once more. "...you are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"

Bagman wiped his boyish face with his handkerchief before looking at Crouch, who stood outside of the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. He looked a bit eerie with the half darkness making him look much older, making his appearance more skull-like.

But he spoke 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 rulebook back to front." Bagman said, beaming as he turned back to Karkaroff and Maxime, like the matter was now closed.

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students." Karkaroff said, having now dropped his unctuous tone and smile. His face now had an ugly look. "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."

"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that." Bagman said. "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!" Karkaroff exploded back. "After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"

"Empty threat, Karkaroff." A voice growled from near the door. "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?"

Moody had just entered, limping towards the fire, making a loud clunk with every right step he took.

"Convenient?" Karkaroff repeated. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody."

Arthur knew he was trying to sound disdainful, like what Moody said was barely worth his time, though his hands gave him away as they were balled into fists.

"Don't you?" Moody asked quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Pendergast's name in that Goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."

"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" Maxime said.

"I quite agree, Madame Maxime." Karkaroff bowed 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, it's Pendergast…" Moody growled. "...but… funny thing… I don't hear him saying a word…."

"Why should 'e complain?" Fleur burst out, stamping her foot. "'E 'as ze chance to compete 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honour for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money, zis is a chance many would die for!"

"Yeah, well I didn't want to be the one to give Hogwarts glory! I was perfectly fine letting someone else have the attention and glory! Also, I have a lot of wealth in my family vault, so an extra thousand Galleons means nothing to me! I don't even care for money!" Arthur snapped back at her, looking furious at her.

"Perhaps someone's hoping Pendergast would die in the Tournament." Moody said with the merest trace of a growl.

This left an extremely tense silence after those words.

Bagman, who looked very anxious, bounced up and down on his feet nervously as he 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." Karkaroff said loudly. "Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination, to. An odd quality in a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons."

"Imagining things, am I?" Moody growled. "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that Goblet…."

"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" Maxime asked, throwing her huge hands up.

"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" Moody replied. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that Goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the Tournament… I'm guessing they submitted Pendergast's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category…."

Arthur thought about that and he remembered that dream with Voldemort and Wormtail. He vaguely remembered that they mentioned that there's a way to get around the protection surrounding him and that there was a task that Voldemort's faithful servant would do once rejoining him.

It's possible that Karkaroff could be that servant and is just putting on an act. He knows of Lucius Malfoy, meaning he had to have been a Death Eater.

"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody…" Karkaroff said coldly. "...and a very ingenious way 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 realising it was a carriage clock. So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously…."

"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage." Moody retorted with a menacing voice. "It's my job to think the way dark wizards do, Karkaroff, as you ought to remember…."

"Alastor!" Dumbledore said warningly. Arthur knew he was referring to Moody with his real first name. Moody himself fell silent, though he still surveyed Karkaroff with satisfaction, whose face was burning.

"How this situation arose, we do not know." Dumbledore then said, speaking to everyone in the room. "It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Arthur have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do…."

"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"

"My dear, Madam Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it."

He waited, but Maxime didn't speak. She just glared. And she wasn't the only one as Snape looked furious and Karkaroff looked livid.

Then there's Bagman, who looked rather excited.

"Well, shall we crack on, then?" He said, rubbing his hands together as he smiled around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honours?"

Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie

"Yes… instructions. Yes… the first task…."

He then moved forward into the firelight. Arthur thought he looked downright ill as there were dark shadows beneath his eyes and his wrinkled skin looked thin and papery, which wasn't the case when Arthur last saw him at the Quidditch World Cup.

"The first task is designed to test your daring…" He told Arthur, Cedric, Fleur and Krum. "...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 first task will take place on November the 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. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. 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 year tests."

Crouch then looked at Dumbledore. "I think that's all, is it, Albus?"

"I think so." Dumbledore said, who looked at Crouch with some concern. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"

"No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry." Crouch replied. "It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment… I've left young Merlon in charge… he's perfectly capable…."

"Come on, Barty, I'm staying!" Bagman said brightly. "It's all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!"

"I think not, Ludo." Crouch said with a touch of his old impatience.

"Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, a nightcap?" Dumbledore asked.

Maxime, though, had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and led her swiftly out of the room. They were both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence.

"Arthur, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed." Dumbledore smiled at both of them. "I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."

Arthur looked over Cedric, who nodded, and then they left together.

The Great Hall was now completely empty; the candles had burnt low, giving the smiles of the pumpkins a very eerie quality with the flickering light.

"So." Cedric said with a slight smile. "We're playing against each other again!"

"Looks like it." Arthur replied blankly. Just what he needed… a situation where he had to face off against Cedric again. And in a way that he didn't want or planned.

"So… tell me…." Cedric then said as they reached the Entrance Hall, which was now only lit by torches in the absence of the Goblet of Fire. "How did you get your name in?"

"I didn't, everything I said back there was the truth." Arthur stared at him hard with a frown.

"Ah… okay." Cedric replied, clearly not believing him, which Arthur thought made him look stupid. "Well… see you, then."

Cedric went off to a door to the right of the marble staircase and Arthur listened as he went down the stone steps beyond it before he climbed up the marble ones.

It seemed that everyone except for David and Chrys, and hopefully David's siblings and Mike, doesn't believe him, that he actually put himself in for the Tournament.

How anyone could think that is beyond him. He didn't have the kind of magical knowledge and experience the other champions have and these tasks are supposed to be pretty dangerous.

He was starting to truly think that this was all part of Voldemort's plan with his faithful servant, whoever they'd be, even with the most likely suspect being Karkaroff.

Eventually, Arthur found himself in front of the Fat Lady.

He was surprised to see that she wasn't alone in the frame. The wizened witch from earlier now sat smugly beside the Fat Lady. She had to have dashed through every picture lining the seven staircases to reach here before him. She and the Fat Lady were looking down at him with keen interest.

"Well, well, well." The Fat Lady said. "Violet's just told me everything. Who's just been chosen as school champion, then?"

Arthur sighed, crossing his arms before saying "Balderdash."

"It most certainly isn't!" Violet said indignantly.

"No, no, Vi, it's the password." The Fat Lady said soothingly before she swung forwards on her hinges and Arthur entered the common room.

The blast of noise that met his ears when the portrait opened up could've thrown him backwards. Then the next thing he knew, he got wrenched inside the common room by a dozen pairs of hands, and now faced the whole of Gryffindor house, all screaming, applauding and whistling.

"Why didn't you tell us your plan?" Jack bellowed out, looking partly annoyed, partly impressed.

"I didn't have one, I -"

Angelina swooped down upon him. "Oh, if it couldn't be me, at least it's a Gryffindor -"

"You'll be able to pay back Diggory for that last Quidditch match, Arthur!" Katie Bell, another Gryffindor Chaser shrieked.

"ENOUGH!" He bellowed out so loudly that everyone was silenced immediately, and were shocked to see a look of anger on his face.

"I DIDN'T PUT MY NAME IN THE GOBLET! IF ANY OF YOU KNOW ME WELL ENOUGH -" He looked directly at Jack, Kevin and Mary, as he didn't see David, Chrys and Mike anywhere. " - YOU'LL KNOW THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE, EVEN IF THERE WASN'T AN AGE RESTRICTION! AND IF YOU STILL THINK I ACTUALLY PUT MY NAME IN, THEN YOU'RE JUST A BUNCH OF IDIOTS!"

He then stormed his way through them all and climbed up to his dormitory.

There, he found both David and Mike on their beds in the empty dormitory, still fully dressed. They looked up when Arthur slammed the door behind him.

He stared at them as they stared back. Arthur took some deep breaths through his nose before he uttered another word.

"Please tell me you both believe me when I say that I didn't put my name in the Goblet of Fire." He begged.

David and Mike looked at each other before looking back at Arthur.

"Of course we believe you. What would that say about me, being your best friend?" David said, sounding a bit offended.

"Yeah, we're not idiots." Mike added.

Arthur let out a big sigh of relief as he then sat on his own bed.

"If there's one guarantee, Hufflepuff will hate me." Arthur then said with a grimace.

"Yeah, that house may have great values and virtues, but they truly are duffers for believing even the most ridiculous stuff." David frowned.

"How did the other champions take the sudden surprise?" Mike asked.

"I'll tell you two and Chrys all about it tomorrow. Right now, I just want some sleep."


Yeah, this isn't the best of times for Arthur.

But at least David believes him. Remember Ron didn't believe Harry partly because of his jealousy towards him. But because David truly knows his best friend, and isn't jealous, he does believe him.