Chapter 88

The Age Line was removed and the Goblet of Fire was levitated out into the entrance hall a short time later with the promise that it would be returned shortly after dinner and that until that time, students could continue to submit their names, provided they were of age and could cross the newly cast Age Line.

Hermione thought that everyone would notice who got up and left the hall, making speculations about what they were doing, but she was surprised that dinner seemed no more disruptive than normal, and whilesheobserved several people getting up and making their way in and out, she noted others were too absorbed in conversations at their tables to notice.

"There's a rumor going around that Warrington got up early and put his name in," Hermione heard Dean tell Harry. "That big bloke from Slytherin that looks like a sloth."

"We can't have a Slytherin champion!" Harry protested.

"He was probably too chicken to in his name in front of everyone," Ron muttered. "Just like a Slytherin to cheat when it was announced that classes would be dismissed early for people to submit their names."

"All the Hufflepuffs over there are talking about Diggory," Seamus said with contempt. "I know we all saw it, but I wouldn't have thought he'd have wanted to risk his good looks."

"Listen!" Hermione murmured, leaning close to where Harry and Ron were talking, drawing their attention to the cheers out in the entrance hall. She looked over at the doors in time to see a tall black girl enter the hall beaming, and recognized her as she neared as Angelina Johnson, the Chaser from the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"Well, I've done it! Just put my name in!" she said as she found a place near them.

"You're kidding!" Ron said appearing impressed.

"You're seventeen then?" Harry asked, confused.

"'Course she is, can't see a beard, can you?" Ron asked.

"I had my birthday last week," Angelina explained.

"Well," Hermione said. "I'm glad someone from Gryffindor is entering. I hope you get it, Angelina!" She forced a beaming smile, in truth, she hoped no one would get it, she still held out hope that something would go wrong and no one would be chosen, but having a Gryffindor with their name in meant that she wouldn't have to hear Harry and Ron or any of the other Gryffindors complaining about not having a candidate in the running. She just hoped that they couldn't see through her.

"Thanks, Hermione," Angelina replied, returning her smile.

"Yeah, better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory," Seamus said loudly, causing several Hufflepuffs within ear shot to scowl at him.

Hermione heard clapping again, this time it sounded more out of obligation and courtesy than any real excitement and she turned her head to see the Beaubattons students enter the hall in two lines as they had when they had first arrived, followed by Madame Maxime. Well, Hermione thought, I guess they hadn't put their names in before we got here.

After dinner and the tables had been cleared, as promised, the Goblet of Fire was returned to the Great Hall, and as Hermione looked up the row toward the front she could see the excitement in the students as many fidgeted, crouching on the benches or sitting on the tables themselves to get a better view.

"Sit down. Please," Professor Dumbledore said. "Now the moment you've all been waiting for: the champion selection."

Professor Dumbledore waved his hand toward the Goblet of Fire and the blue flames turned red and a parchment shot out that Professor Dumbledore caught before the turned blue once again. Hermione's heart sank and dread filled her as she waited for the name to ge called.

"The Durmstrang champion is Viktor Krum," Professor Dumbledore called out.

She felt a pang of fear, while she watched Viktor and the Durmstrang students cheer, wondering what would happen to him during the tournament, recalling the many details she'd read about. Was that to be the fate of her new friend?

She didn't have time to dell on it though because after he shook hands with Professor Dumbledore and was directed to the room at the far end of the hall, the flames turned red once again and another name shot forth from the goblet.

"The champion for Beauxbattons," Professor Dumbledore said and turned over the parchment. "Is Fleur Delacour."

Hermione saw the pretty girl go up and shake Professor Dumbledore's hand and saw images of her pretty face scarred, her eyes blank in death as she lay upon the ground. Shaking her head, she watched as the girl headed off to the room Viktor had disappeared to.

The flames turned red and Professor Dumbledore reached up and snatched the parchment. "The Hogwarts champion," he said. "Cedric Diggory!"

Hermione heard Ron, Seamus and Harry groan, but ignored them. She hated to admit it, but she was glad that it was Cedric who was chosen and not Angelina. It wasn't that she was being sexist or anything, she had seen how hard Angelina worked and how able she was in Quidditch, the girlcouldtake a beating when it came to how hard she worked even in practice... it was just... every champion that she had read about in TriWizard Tragedies who had been female had died. That wasn't to say some boys didn't die also, but the fact remained that the boys were more likely survive. She also knew that though they might not like it, they would cheer him on during the tournament because he was representing their school.

"Excellent!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed. "We now have our three champions. But in the end, only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions. This vessel of victory... the Triwizard Cup!"

He turned as he said it and pointed to where Mr. Crouch was unvailing a large silver chalice that had two handles that ended over the top in heads of dragons and the third on the back side that appeared from this distance to Hermione - to have been from the base, though it wasn't likely she'd get to study it up close, it had been in etched and described in the TriWizard Tragedies as an explanation of what they were trying to obtain by competing. The book had said that it was made no later than 1294, when the first tournament was held.

There was hissing Hermione bit her lip as Professor Dumbledore looked back to the goblet and she followed his gaze to see the flame of the goblet was now multiple blue flames that circled about it and crackled in the air, and she held her breath when they turned red. Everyone one was silent as another parchment shot forth and floated down, and she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as Professor Dumbledore caught it, turning it over and read it, at first under his breath.

"Harry Potter?" Professor Dumbledore asked, looking around the hall, and Hermione paled as her best friend's name was called.

Up at the high table, she saw Hagrid shake his head in disbelief.

"Harry Potter!" Professor Dumbledore bellowed, when no one in the hall moved.

"Go on, Harry," Hermione said. "Harry, for goodness sake," she said shaking him and pushing him to his feet.

The entire hall was silent as Harry made his way up to Professor Dumbledore where the professor handed him the piece of parchment. The whispers started as Harry made his way passed where the Headmaster stood and headed toward the room in the back of the hall.

"He's a cheat!" one boy yelled.

"He's not even 17 yet!" another shouted.

Hermione winced as the accusations flew. She wanted to stand up and shout at them that they'd tried cheating too, using aging potions to get beyond the Age Line, and would they have reacted the same if one of those like Fred or George had succeeded? Ofcoursethey wouldn't! But because Harry's name was some how called, he was the cheat! Weren't theyjusthoping that there was a Gryffindor champion?

They were such bloody hypocrites! She wished she had the nerve to stand up and tell them, but her legs felt like jelly and there was a lump that formed in her throat. She didn't believe Harry would be so stupid as to put his name in the goblet - she had heard him talking with Ron before dinner before the twins tried putting their name in, he didn'twantthe fame that came with winning, so why would he put his name in? It made no sense!

She watched as Harry moved passed the accusing gazes of students and teachers alike, and was somewhat comforted when Professor McGonagall's gaze was one of sympathy, and she put a hand on his shoulder before Harry disappeared from her sight.