Urgh! Don't you just hate writers block! I've had it before of course but lately, good god! Honestly it's been awful. I can have a sudden brain wave, a sudden burst of inspiration but as soon as my fingers touch the keyboard anything and everything that was gracing my mind before instantly runs away. Thankfully I've managed to nail down this most recent brainwave – literally – and have planned out the next couple of chapters. Yay!
Disclaimer: Much to my chagrin I own nothing!
Chapter Twelve:
By Rosa241
Percy's POV:
"Professor?" I move towards Dumbledore as soon as my brain kicks into gear. "Professor this has got to be a mistake."
"No mistake mister Weasley." He says showing me the piece of paper in his hand.
"No Professor, I didn't enter my name. I never entered. I can't be a champion." He gives me a surprised look before gazing intently at the paper in his hand. When he turns his eyes towards me again I can tell that he's made up his mind.
"I'm sorry mister Weasley but your names been drawn, you have no choice but to compete." He quickly directs me towards the doorway and I find myself moving towards it. Before I make my way downstairs I turn my attention back to Oliver momentarily. Oliver sends me a confused glance to which I merely shrug my shoulders, unsure of what else to do, before descending the staircase.
As I reach the room at the bottom of the stairs my eyes meet those of a confused Fleur and the stoic eyes of Krum. Sitting down in one of the nearby chairs I can't help but sigh heavily. How the hell did this happen? I didn't put my name in the cup. I don't understand this at all.
The Triwizard cup is a very powerful piece of magic which wouldn't be fooled very easily. Part of me believes that Flint is responsible but I honestly can't see it. The guys awful and completely terrible but I just can't see him doing this. He's not that powerful.
"You entered ze tournament?" Fleur's voice distracts me from my thoughts.
"No, no I didn't." I sigh once again before continuing. "I didn't enter."
"You didn't enter? I don't understand." Evidentially she doesn't believe me, big surprise there I can hardly believe this myself.
"Someone put my name in the cup, I didn't enter. I can't believe this." Fleur wanders back towards Krum as I drop my head into my hands, what the hell is going on?
Footsteps signal the arrival of someone else, hopefully someone who can put this right. My eyes connect with someone I didn't expect.
"Harry?" He looks shocked and confused right now, probably more so than myself. "What on earth...?"
"What is it?" Fleur interrupts me before either of us can say anymore. "Do zey want us back in ze hall?"
Harry looked positively stunned right now, evidentially he had no idea what was going on. Well that makes two of us. He turned his head towards me, his mouth opening slightly, but the timely arrival of Ludo Bagman.
"Extraordinary!" He took Harry by the arm and led him to the centre of the room. "Absolutly extraordinary! Gentlemen, lady...may I introduce – incredible so it may seem – the fourth Triwizard champion."
Viktor Krum stood up straight, his whole body tense and totally rigid. My eyes flitted between Mr Bagman and Harry before settling on the latter. Fleur tossed her hair back over her shoulder before laughing slightly.
""Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman." Ludo Bagman however didn't look amused. Oh god he was telling the truth.
"Harry, are you alright?" My voice seemed strange to me, so strained and whisper like. Before he could answer however Bagman spoke again.
"Joke?" Repeated a bewildered Bagman. "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"
"But evidently zair 'as been a mistake." Fleur said, continuing to argue. "'E cannot compete. 'E is too young."
"Well...it is amazing," said Bagman smiling down at Harry. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as 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...Harry will just have to do the best he -"
Before our conversation could continue the door burst open and a larger group of people came through. Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape made a beeline for Harry and myself whilst Madame Maxine and Professor Karkaroff headed towards their respective champions. Fleur began protesting to Madame Maxine who then launched on her own protests to Dumbledore.
Karkaroff, Madame Maxine and Professor Snape began a war between themselves as to who was responsible for the situation.
"Thats enough Severus." Dumbledore said, taking charge once again. "Did you put your name into the Goblet Harry?"
"No. No I didn't." Harry answered.
"Did you ask an older student to put your name into the Goblet?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"No." Harry answered again.
"He iz lying of course." Madame Maxine yelled whilst Snape gave Harry a disdainful glare.
"He couldn't have crossed the ageline!" McGonagall practically yelled.
"Zen Dumbly-dore made a mistake." Madame Maxine answered before McGonagall began to yell again.
As everyone began arguing again my eyes found Harry. Harry was looking more confused and scared as the moment passed. I couldn't help but grow increasingly angry, eventually it just became to much.
"Everyone be quiet!" My voice came out far sharper than I had intended but it had the desired effect. The room grew silent as all eyes came to rest on me. "Harry are you okay?"
Harry gave me a small nod, blushing slightly but looking calmer now. Walking over I placed both my hands on his shoulders before saying my piece.
"If Harry says that he didn't do it then he didn't do it. Madame Maxine you must know how powerful the Goblet is, how could Harry surpass that? As talented as Harry is he's a fourth year, he doesn't possess those kinds of abilities. And whilst we're on the subject I didn't enter the tournament either, and I'd quite like to know what the heck's going on!" Professor Dumbledore gave nothing away by his expression; Snape was still glaring Harrys way whilst I'm almost certain that Professor McGonagall was hiding a smile.
"Mr. Crouch...Mr. Bagman." said Karkaroff, his voice sharp once more. "You are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"
Ludo Bagman gazed towards Mr Crouch who seemed to have aged almost a hundred years since the world cup. He stood silently for a few moments before he spoke.
"The rules are quite clear. Those whose names are drawn from the Goblet are bound to compete. There is no option the boy must compete." His voice was sharp and slightly drawn.
Bagman clapped his hands together and smiled at the group before him. Clearly he thought the matter was now closed. Clearly Karkaroff didn't agree at all, threatening to leave at once, which of course was ludicrous. He couldn't leave since Viktor was now bound to compete like the rest of us.
During their arguing Professor Moody had entered the room. As he spoke everyone grew silent once again.
"It's very simple Karkaroff, somebody entered Potters name into the tournament knowing full well that he'd had to compete if his name got drawn out." Finally someone was talking a bit of sense.
"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.
"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 -"
"The only one whose got the right to complain is Potter himself but I've yet to hear him utter a word." My thoughts exactly!
"Why should 'e complain?" Burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot like some sort of petulant child. "'E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money - zis is a chance many would die for!"
"Maybe someone hoping Potter is going to die for it!" Moody growled his whole body tensing.
The room went silent again at this. My grip on Harry's shoulders tightened slightly, Moody's words sent a shockwave through my body. Ludo Bagman's shocked voice finally broke the silence.
"Moody old boy...what a thing to say!"
"Someone hoodwinked a very powerful object, just like Weasley says. Only an extremely talented wizard could cast a Confundus Charm powerful enough to bewilder the Goblet of fire. A charm powerful enough would be able to make the Goblet forget about the fact that there were only three schools. Make it think there were four, then if Potters name were entered under the fourth school...he'd have to compete."
"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought..." Karkaroff clearly made to argue but Moody was having none of it.
"It was once my job to think like this, to think like dark wizards do, as you well know." Moody didn't get any further before Dumbledore intervened.
"ALASTOR!" Dumbledores voice rose to a level I'd never heard before. "We do not know for certain how this situation arose, however here we are. Both Percy and Harry have been chosen to compete and as per the rules of the Goblet they will both have to compete. And if anyone has an alternative solution then I would be most anxious to hear it."
A great deal of grumbling began but no one made to argue, seemingly everyone realising that there really was no other option.
Fantastic.
Oliver's POV:
Percy's been chosen as the Hogwarts Champion! How the hell did that happen? And Harry! What the hell happened there!?
"I can't believe Harry did it, he passed the age line." Fred laughed as he addressed his twin.
"I know, it's mental! How on earth did he manage it?" George joined in his twins laughter, both stopped laughing as Ron came storming past.
"He could have at least told us. All that crap he said about not wanting to compete...liar." Ron stormed away, followed closely by an equally furious Hermione, although I'm quite sure that her anger was directed at Ron rather than Harry.
"Why would Percy enter? Everything that he said, I don't get it." Neville's voice was curious. There was no scorn or malice there but there was genuine confusion.
"He didn't Neville, someone is setting him up." My words were laced with anger and something else I couldn't quite place.
"I bet it was Flint." George's voice was far angrier than my own, and I couldn't help agreeing with his statement. There was just something about this whole situation...what is going on?
Harry's POV:
Everyone's finally calmed down slightly, emphasis on the slightly, there was still a lot of anger in the room. Percy's hands had yet to leave my shoulders, something I'm entirely grateful for.
"You okay?" He whispered to me as everyone began to disperse around the room.
"Yeah...sort of." My voice quivered slightly as I spoke I'm so confused and slightly scared right now. Did someone really want me to die?
"Well, shall we crack on, then?" Ludo Bagman announced rubbing his hands together. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty would you like to do the honors?"
Mr Crouch moved towards the firelight before he spoke. He looked ill.
"The first task is designed to test you daring so we're not going to tell you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality for the best wizards and witches. The first task will take place on the 24th of November in front of a panel of judges and the remaining students." He stopped momentarily to take a deep breath before he carried on. "You are not permitted to ask for any help or accept any help from their teachers to complete the tasks. You will face the task with only your wand and will receive information about the second task once you have completed the first."
"Oh, and Champions are exempt from the end of year tests." With that Mr Crouch left the room before continuing.
After a little hesitation the remaining members of the group left the room, Professor McGonagall reminding us to get to bed before she left.
"Well..." Percy said as the door at the top of the stairs slammed to a close. "What a day this turned out to be."
"Yeah...no one's going to believe me, are they?" It was obviously going to happen. Ron and Hermione would stand by me I'm sure but everyone else would believe me to be a cheat. I just know it.
"Of course they are. You're telling the truth that's all that matters." He pulled my arm slightly as we began to wander towards the stair case. "People will see that, that's all that matters."
The great hall is completely deserted by now. How long were we down there? As we begin to wander towards the staircase a thought suddenly comes to my mind.
"You didn't enter...you didn't enter either." Percy gazes at me before sighing. "They were talking about me, about somebody entering my name but you were entered too. You didn't enter either."
"No I didn't enter. But to be honest right now we've got bigger things to focus on. Like trying to explain all of this." He sighed again but clearly he wanted to let the entire thing drop, right now I want to find out exactly what the heck's going on.
"But somebody put our names in there, somebody wants both of us to compete. Why...who..." Percy turns to me before speaking.
"I know, I know. I don't know who put my name, or your name, into the Goblet. But that doesn't matter right now, what matters is that both of us now have to compete. We need to focus on that now. But mark my words, if I ever find out who did this there's going to be hell to pay!" The last line was growled out, it was so un-Percy like that for a moment I felt fear growing into my heart. "Lets go back to the common room."
What the hell is going on?
And there we are! So what will everyone think to this whole thing? And how will poor Percy cope with the first task?