Voldemort: "Be honest with me Alexander. I can take Morgenstern in a fight, right?"
Alex looks him up and down: "Not really. He is simply too fast, too strong and too durable than you."
Voldemort: "Yes well... The Harmonic Heroes would kick you and the other Gryffindor Six's collective arse's."
Alex: "I never had any illusions that me, Harry, Claire, Ron, Neville and Hermione could take down Jason, McGrath, Griffifth, Kyle and Toshi."
Claire: "Why are you hanging out with Voldemort? He tries to kill us all the time!"
Alex: "Yeah, so? That's what he does! Like how Bowser always kidnaps princess Peach! That's like getting mad at my toaster because he toast my bread!"
Voldemort: "And I wanted to see who was more dangerous than me."
Claire: "I think he is over there... Can you guys do the review, I am going to check up ahead." *walks away*
Alex: "It's no problem girani4. I always try to see the best in people."
Voldemort: "What do you mean your surprised by me!? I am a pretty cool dude on off-duty hours!"
Alex: "Anyways, I was surprised too. I thought Fleur was going to be all over Claire."
Harry walks by: "Say what now?"
Voldemort: "Well Harry Potter approves of some hot girl-on-girl action."
Alex: "No boner go away, she is your cousin... Anyways, we will be sure to pass them along to Skyguy... When we finally find him. Oh great, you mentioned another story Skyguy is too lazy to update!"
Voldemort: "Well girani4 just claimed he enjoyed creating chaos."
Alex: "So do I. Maybe him, me, Kyle Phoenix and Ciaran Aleron should get together. We either will end up running the entire world... Or we get our arse beat by McGrath. No middle ground. Anyways story time."
"This place is great!", a female Beauxbatons, named Adrianne Guillard or Adri to her friends. She had tanned skin and dark brown wavy hair in bushy pigtails, with parted side bangs on the right side of her face. She accessorizes with a single yellow hair clip above her left ear.
"I am almost a shame sad.", her friend, Amelie Lacroix said. She was a bespectacled girl with hip length copper hair and brown eyes.
"I know! All that Hogwart's eye-candy I have missed out on.", Adri laughed, throwing her arm around her friend, "But you and Fleur would be lost without me. Right Fleur?"
But her third friend didn't seem to listen, she seemed to be deep in thought as the Beauxbatons student's walked towards Hogwarts. Grinning Adri threw another arm around Fleur's shoulder, startling the girl from her thought's.
"I know what your thinking.", she said, pocking her cheek, "Your thinking about some Hogwart's candy yourself."
"Get off it, Adri.", Fleur said, but it didn't went unnoticed that she had a faint pinkish tint on her cheeks.
"She's blushing!", Adri said excited getting a few looks from her fellow student's, "Gosh your really into that richer, tall, dark and experience candy. I can totally be your wingwoman, if you want."
"Your not letting this go aren't you?", Fleur said with a raised eyebrow.
"I am the shipping meister.", Adri proclaimed proudly, as they entered the Great Hall, "It will become canon!"
"What does that even mean?", Amelie asked.
"I have no idea.", Fleur muttered.
"Me neither.", Adri admitted with a sheepish grin.
Those gathered around the Goblet of Fire stood back to let them pass, watching eagerly. Madame Maxime entered the hall behind her students and organized them into a line. One by one, the Beauxbatons students stepped up and dropped their slips of parchment into the blue-white flames. As each name entered the fire, it turned briefly red and emitted sparks.
"Fleur, look!", Adri said after the trio of friends put their names in the Goblet of Fire. Pointing to the right most table, where the Gryffindor's were sitting. Close to a group of six Gryffindor's, the teacher Fleur had been eyeing since last evening, along with a greasy, hooked nosed man and a very short teacher.
When all the Beauxbatons students had submitted their names, Madame Maxime led them back out of the hall and out onto the grounds again.
As they passed, Fleur was caught in his deep cloudy grey eyes. Without realizing it herself, she smiled gently at him as she waved.
"That Charles Jeager is one sexy man...", Adri fawned as they went back outside.
"You already know his name?", Amelie said surprised, "I knew you work fast, but that is a new speed record."
"Actually my niece told me about him, he is the resident Combat professor.", Adri explained, "He sounds more perfect for our little flower by the minute!"
Fleur shook her head in amusement.
"Charles.", Flitwick said eyeing his friend from the corner of his eye, "Why are you smiling?"
"No reason.", Charles said, before turning back to Harry, Claire, Alex, Ron, Neville, and Hermione, "As I was asking, anyone put their name in yet?"
"Everyone in Durmstrang.", Ron said, "But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet."
"Bet some of them put 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?"
"...Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?", Charles asked calmly.
"No, sir!", Harry said quickly, "There's a rumor going around that Warrington got up early and put his name in."
"That big bloke from Slytherin who looks like a sloth?", Neville said, shaking his head in disgust, "We can't have a Slytherin champion!"
"And what's wrong with a Slytherin champion, Longbottom?", Snape said sternly.
"N-nothing sir!", Neville said quickly, looking away from Snape's angry stare.
"Anyways, see you six later.", Charles said and they headed to the staff table.
The Gryffindor fourth years were looking forward to Moody's first lesson so much that they arrived early and queued up outside his classroom before the bell had even rung.
"What happened to Lupin?", Alex asked, "Why didn't he return."
"I don't know.", Claire said, "Maybe it has something to do with the curse?"
They hurried into six chairs right in front of the teacher's desk, took out their copies of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, and waited, unusually quiet.
Soon they heard Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever. They could just see his clawed, wooden foot protruding from underneath his robes.
"You can put those away.", he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, "Those books. You won't need them."
They returned the books to their bags, Ron looking excited. Moody took out a register, shook his long mane of grizzled gray hair out of his twisted and scarred face, and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swiveled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered.
"Right then.", he said, when the last person had declared themselves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures, you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves, is that right?"
There was a general murmur of assent. "But you're behind, very behind, on dealing with curses.", Moody said, "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark..."
"What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurted out.
Moody's magical eye spun around to stare at Ron, Ron looked extremely apprehensive, but after a moment Moody smiled, the first time Claire had seen him do so. The effect was to make his heavily scarred face look more twisted and contorted than ever, but it was nevertheless good to know that he ever did anything as friendly as smile. Ron looked deeply relieved.
"You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh?", Moody said, "Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago... Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favor to Dumbledore... One year, and then back to my quiet retirement.", he gave a harsh laugh, and then clapped his gnarled hands together.
"So, straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you counter curses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking."
Lavender jumped and blushed. She had been showing Parvati her completed horoscope under the desk. Apparently Moody's magical eye could see through solid wood, as well as out of the back of his head. "So... do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"
Several hands rose tentatively into the air, including Claire's, Alex's, Ron's, and Hermione's. Moody pointed at Ron, though his magical eye was still fixed on Lavender. "Er," Ron said tentatively, "My dad told me about one... Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"
"Ah, yes.", Moody said appreciatively, "Your father would know all about that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse."
Moody got heavily to his mismatched feet, opened his desk drawer, and took out a glass jar. Three large black spiders were scuttling around inside it. Claire felt Ron recoil slightly next to her.
Moody reached into the jar, caught one of the spiders, and held it in the palm of his hand so that they could all see it, he then pointed his wand at it and muttered, "Imperio!" The spider leap from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backward and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles.
Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.
Everyone was laughing - everyone except Claire and Moody.
"Think it's funny, do you?", he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"
The laughter died away almost instantly. "Total control.", Moody said quietly as the spider balled itself up and began to roll over and over, "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats..."
Ron gave an involuntary shudder.
"Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse.", Moody said, and Claire knew he was talking about the days in which Voldemort had been all-powerful, "The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. Constant vigilance!" he barked, and everyone jumped.
Moody picked up the somersaulting spider and threw it back into the jar. "Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?"
Claire's, Alex's and Hermione's went into the air again and so, to their slight surprise, did Neville's. The only class in which Neville usually volunteered information was Herbology which was easily his best subject. Neville looked surprised at his own daring.
"Yes?", Moody said, his magical eye rolling right over to fix on Neville.
"There's one... the Cruciatus Curse.", Neville said in a small but distinct voice.
Moody was looking very intently at Neville, this time with both eyes.
"Your name's Longbottom?", he said, his magical eye swooping down to check the register again. Neville nodded nervously, but Moody made no further inquiries. Turning back to the class at large, he reached into the jar for the next spider and placed it upon the desktop, where it remained motionless, apparently too scared to move.
"The Cruciatus Curse. Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea." he said, pointing his wand at the spider, "Engorgio!"
The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula. Abandoning all pretense, Ron pushed his chair backward, as far away from Moody's desk as possible. Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, "Crucio!"
At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Claire was sure that if it could have given voice, it would have been screaming. Moody did not remove his wand, and the spider started to shudder and jerk more violently.
Moody raised his wand, the spider's legs relaxed, but it continued to twitch. "Reducio.", Moody muttered, and the spider shrank back to its proper size. He put it back into the jar.
"Pain, you don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse... That one was very popular once too.", Moody said softly, "Right... anyone know any others?"
From the looks on everyone's faces, Claire guessed they were all wondering what was going to happen to the last spider. "Yes?" Moody said, looking at Claire.
"Avada Kedavra.", Claire said.
Several people looked uneasily around at her, including Ron. "Ah." Moody said, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth, "Yes, the last and worst. Avada Kedavra... the Killing Curse."
He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as though it knew what was coming, the third spider scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar, trying to evade Moody's fingers, but he trapped it, and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle frantically across the wooden surface.
Moody raised his wand, and Harry felt a sudden thrill of foreboding, "Avada Kedavra!" Moody roared.
There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air. Instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but unmistakably dead. Several of the students stifled cries; Ron had thrown himself backward and almost toppled off his seat as the spider skidded toward him.
Moody swept the dead spider off the desk onto the floor. "Not nice, not pleasant. And there's no counter curse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me.", he said calmly.
"Now, if there's no counter curse, why am I showing you? Because you've got to know. You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he roared, and the whole class jumped again.
They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on each of the Unforgivable Curses. No one spoke until the bell rang, but when Moody had dismissed them and they had left the classroom, a torrent of talk burst forth. Most people were discussing the curses in awed voices.
They were talking about the lesson, Claire thought, as though it had been some sort of spectacular show, but she hadn't found it very entertaining.
When the six went early to Combat Class, just outside of the classroom, Claire noticed that Neville seemed to be unusually quite
"Neville?", she asked gently, "Are you alright?
Neville looked around. "Oh yes, I'm fine.", he said, his voice much higher than usual, "Interesting lesson, wasn't it? I wonder what's for starving. I'm... I'm dinner, aren't you?"
Claire gave Harry, Alex, Ron. Hermione and Kara a startled look. But footsteps sounded behind them, and they turned to see Jeager walk towards them.
"Hey you six.", he said happily, his briefcase hanging over his shoulder from one hand, his free hand in his left pocket, before noticing the expression on their faces, "...Okay, what happened?"
None of them spoke up at first, but to their surprise it was Neville who spoke first, "We... We had our first lesson with Moody.", he said, "He told us about the Unforgivable Cursus."
"I see... Do you want to talk about it, Neville?", Jeager said, looking concerned, but Neville shook his head, "Alright, you know where my office is, if you feel the need to." he turned to Harry, "You all right, Harry?"
"Yes.", Harry said, almost defiantly, "I did want to talk with you about something."
"Alright, let's step into the classroom.", Jeager said, gesturing them to follow him, "Aside from the Unforgivable's, how was Moody's first lesson?"
"He really knows his stuff, Moody.", Ron said.
"He does, doesn't he?", Jeager commented.
"When he did Avada Kedavra.", Ron continued, "The way that spider just died, just snuffed it right..."
But Ron fell suddenly silent at the look on Harry's face and didn't speak again until they walked into the Combat Classroom.
"Now, what did you want to talk about?", Jeager said, placing his briefcase on his desk, turning to face them, "Is it about your extra classes?"
"Yes.", Harry said.
Jeager nodded before turning to Claire, "What about you? Still interested?"
"Of course.", Claire said, "I can't have Harry surpass me, now can I?"
The teacher let out a slight chuckle, "That's the spirit.", he asked, leaning against his desk, "How about the usual time?"
Once class was in session, Charles had been right that the student's wouldn't been able to concentrate on the lesson today because of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He was about to announce that they will be practicing dueling, when the door to the classroom opened, and a group of Beauxbaton student's, mostly girls came in.
"Excuse me?", Charles called out, "A class is in session."
"Oh we know!", a tanned skin and dark brown wavy hair in bushy pigtails, "But as guest to your pretentious school, we are allowed to attend classes given here. Madame Maxime told us."
"You do realize you said 'pretentious', right, Adri?", a copper haired girl whispered.
"I did!?", the brown haired girl said, "Shite, my English is a bit rusty..."
"You had one job, Adri...", Fleur mumbled.
"Fine. Fine.", Charles said, gesturing for them to take a seat, before turning to the rest of the class, "As I was saying, it's time to cut lose and see how far you all have come. There should be just enough students to form pair, even with our guest."
Five minutes later, the students were paired up and ready to practice, though Charles had miscalculated, there was an odd number and the one who was left was the silvery blond Fleur Delacour.
For some reason, he felt that that Adri girl was behind this. He looked for someone else to pair her up with, but it seemed the professor had no luck, having to duel her himself.
"Greetings, I am Fleur Delacour.", she introduced herself, her wand at her side.
"Charles Jeager.", he said shortly, taking his jacket off, leaving him in his waist coat.
They bowed, surprising her by his cold tone.
Fleur started the duel with less of a bang, and more of a cautious probe, just like Charles. Neither of them started with a full frontal attack, instead sending lights jabs, testing each others strength and speed.
Still probing, Charles tries to make an opening by sending arc's of lightning at Fleur, who much to his surprise, caught the bolt in the tip of her wand and redirects it back at him. Quickly conjuring up a Shield Charm, he caught the blast. At this point, each combatant was comfortable with each other, they now began to strategist about their end game.
It was at this point Charles and Fleur started the fight in earnest, dealing out as much as taking it. It was Charles first who pressed an offence, Fleur took a defensive stance, waiting for Charles to slip up.
Finding the chink in Charles's stance, Fleur countered by sending a torrent of flames from her wand, landing a hit sending the man crashing down into the ground, knocking the air out of him.
Lifting himself up, he saw Fleur ready to strike, but he threw her back with a loud bang from his wand. Both standing back on their feet, the two unleashed the brunt of their power. Charles's magic taking the form of lightning, which clashed with the burning orange flames of the French witch, who struggled under the pressure. The clash ended in a large flashy explosion.
Debris, smoke and fire decorated the arena where the two had dueled, eventually the smoke dissipate, revealing each opponent. Charles and Fleur were standing face-to-face, their wands aimed at each other's throat's.
As the two duelist looked into each other's eyes, suddenly Fleur's legs gave out, but before she could hit the ground Charles reacted, quickly caught her in breidel style.
Even Charles was surprised by his own action, and it was now that he just realized that the entire class had stopped their own practice duels and had watched his duel with Fleur for how long he didn't know.
Making sure Fleur was able to stand on her own legs, Charles turned to the other people, "Alright, class, nice work. Dismissed.", he said, calling his briefcase to his hand.
"But Professor, there is still...", Ernie began.
"I said, class dismissed!", Charles said and he rushed out of the classroom, leaving a stunned class behind.
"Well that was weird.", Alex said, helping Neville back to his feet, "By Hogwarts standards anyway."
When they entered the candlelit Great Hall that evening, it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved, it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table.
Like everyone else in the Hall, judging by the constantly craning necks, the impatient expressions on every face, the fidgeting, and the standing up to see whether Dumbledore had finished eating yet.
At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet. On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone.
Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored.
"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision.", Dumbledore said, "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber." he indicated the door behind the staff table, "Where they will be receiving their first instructions."
He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it, at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, blue-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting... A few people kept checking their watches...
"Any second.", Lee whispered, two seats away from Harry. The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it, the whole room gasped.
Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white. "The Senior champion for Hogwarts will be..." he read, in a strong, clear voice, "Cedric Diggory!"
"No!" Ron said loudly, but nobody heard him except Harry and Claire, the uproar from the next table was too great. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers' table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.
The goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, another tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it, the whole room gasped.
Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white. "The Junior champion for Hogwarts will be.", he read, "Claire Kent!"
"Wait what!", Neville said loudly, turning to his friend, who gets up and walking straight to the gathered headmasters under the loud applause of the enthusiastic students. She shook each of their hands and entered a room to the side.
Claire walked down the stairs that led to a quieter, smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A handsome fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite him, warming and lighting the room, Cedric was standing by the fire, only looking up when Claire settled in a red couch in front of the flames.
"So... I guess we are team Hogwarts.", the Hufflepuf said, and Claire nodded, "I don't think we have talked much, but I heard a lot about you, Claire Kent."
"Like what?", she asked.
"About how you effortless ace every exam, how your the best student in your year.", he explained, "How you might even be the best student in the entire school."
"Really?", Claire said surprised, before she heard some footsteps descending the stairwell as Krum came into his line of sight, silently nodding in respect to the two before he walked over to the wall and started to stare into the fire.
Soon they were joined a sixteen year old female Durmstrang student with dark red hair and green eyes, who said her name was Natasha Romanova, who ignored Claire and Cedric and walked over to stand next to Krum.
"Any idea about who the Beauxbatons champions will be?", Cedric asked, walking over to Claire.
"I think that girl who dueled Jeager has a good chance.", she replied, "She should put up a good challenge."
"You where there, weren't you?", Cedric said, "I heard they trashed the entire classroom, what happened?"
"The two got in a sparing match, and they got a bit too into it.", she explained, "At the end, I think Jeager was scared or something."
The door opened, the first step rang, and then the next until the person's feet became visible. The mystery champion walked down a few step to revealed to be Fleur. She looked around the room, getting a soft smile when her eyes fell on Claire.
It wasn't long before the Junior champion of Beauxbatons. "Jakub LeBlanc.", he introduced himself, coming off rather arrogantly and smug.
"Hello.", Fleur said, walking over to Claire and Cedric, "Mind if I sit here?"
"Go ahead.", Claire said in French, gesturing to the seat next to her.
"You speak French? That's a pleasant surprise.", she said, "I am Fleur Delacour, pleasure making your acquaintance."
"Claire Kent.", she said.
"I don't know if you remember, but me and a few of my fellow student's where in your Combat Class today.", Fleur said, striking up a conversation, "My friend Amelie Lacroix saw you duel, she seemed impressed by you. Something that's not an easy feat."
"I remember you in the classroom.", Claire said, "Or what's left of it..."
She let out an embarrassed chuckle, until they hear another person walking down the stairs, and then Harry came into few, much to Claire's surprise, her grey eyes looking into his piercing greens. She rushed to his side, "I didn't put my name in." Harry said blankly.
Claire's eyes widened, realizing what Harry was getting at.
The other champions looked strangely at Harry. Fleur was the first to speak up "What is it? Do they want us back in the Hall?", she asked in a surprisingly soft voice.
Before Harry could explain there was a sound of scurrying feet behind him, and Bagman entered the room. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward.
"Extraordinary!" he muttered, squeezing Harry's arm, "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen... ladies." he added, approaching the fireside and addressing the other six, "May I introduce, incredible though it may seem, the seventh Triwizard champion?"
Krum straightened up, Romanova face darkened as she surveyed Harry. Cedric looked nonplussed. Jakub looked from Bagman to Harry and back again as though sure he must have misheard what Bagman had said, before smiling, "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."
"Joke?", Bagman repeated, bewildered, "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"
Jakub frowned, "But evidently zair 'as been a mistake." he said contemptuously to Bagman, "He cannot compete. There is already a Junior."
"Well... it is amazing.", Bagman said, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry, "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..."
The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, and Professor Snape.
Claire heard the buzzing of the hundreds of students on the other side of the wall, before Professor Snape closed the door.
"Madame Maxime!", Fleur said at once, striding over to her headmistress, "They are saying that this little boy is to compete also!", she said in French.
Despise the worried tone in her voice, Claire couldn't help but feel a ripple of anger at how she called her best friend. "Tis little boy has faced a Dark Lord three times already, princess!", she said in French, taking Madame Maxime by surprise, while Fleur looked shocked.
Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable, 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 said imperiously.
"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore.", Professor Karkaroff said.
He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. "Three Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed an additional champion or have I not read the rules carefully enough?", he gave a short and nasty laugh.
"C'est impossible.", Madame Maxime said, whose enormous hand with its many superb opals was resting upon Fleur's shoulder, "'Ogwarts cannot 'ave three champions. It is most unjust."
"It's not Harry's fault, Karkaroff.", Snape said softly, his black eyes were alight with malice, "While Harry has been crossing lines, I don't believe he would enter this tournament of his own freewill."
Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles. "Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked calmly.
"No." Harry said, he was very aware of everybody watching him closely.
"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!", Madame Maxime cried.
Snape was shaking his head, his lip curling.
"I don't know, Claire seemed to believe him.", Fleur said, gaining an surprised look from her headmistress.
"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 round, boyish face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr. Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow.
He looked slightly eerie, the half darkness making him look much older, giving him an almost skull-like appearance. When he spoke, however, it was 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 rule book back to front." Bagman said, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.
"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students." Karkaroff said. He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed, "You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has three 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, "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 champions now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"
Moody had just entered the room. He limped toward the fire, and with every right step he took, there was a loud clunk.
"Convenient?", Karkaroff said, "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody."
Claire could tell he was trying to sound disdainful, as though what Moody was saying was barely worth his notice, but his hands gave him away, they had balled themselves into fists.
"Don't you?", Moody said quietly, "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."
"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts three bites at ze apple!" Madame Maxime said.
"I quite agree, Madame Maxime." Karkaroff said, bowing 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 Harry.", Claire said, standing up for her friend.
"Indeed, but funny thing I don't hear him saying a word.", Fleur added, walking from Madame Maxime over to stand at Claire's side, much to her surprise.
"Why should 'e complain, Delacour?", Jakub burst out, stamping his foot, "'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's hoping Potter is going to die for it.", Snape said, with the merest trace of a growl.
An extremely tense silence followed these words. Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, "Severus!... what a thing to say!"
"Wouldn't be the first time...", Harry admitted.
"Indeed. It must have been a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet.", Moody said, "They hoodwinked a very powerful magical object. It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament this time... I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category..."
"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody." Karkaroff said coldly, "And a very ingenious 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 realizing 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 in a menacing voice, "It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff, as you ought to remember..."
"Alastor!", Dumbledore said warningly.
Moody fell silent, though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction, Karkaroff's face was burning.
"How this situation arose, we do not know.", Dumbledore said, speaking to everyone gathered in the room, "It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric, Claire and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do..."
"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"
"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it.", Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared.
She wasn't the only one either. Snape looked furious, Karkaroff livid, Bagman, however, looked rather excited.
"Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room, "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"
Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie. "Yes," he said, "Instructions. Yes... the first task...", he moved forward into the firelight. Close up, Claire thought he looked ill.
There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin. "The first task is designed to test your daring." he told Harry, Claire, Cedric, Fleur, Jakub, Viktor and Natasha, "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 and lessons if they deem it necessary." Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore, "I think that's all, is it, Albus?"
"I think so.", Dumbledore said, who was looking at Mr. Crouch with mild concern, "Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"
"No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry.", Mr. Crouch said, "It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment... I've left young Weatherby in charge... Very enthusiastic... a little overenthusiastic, if truth be told..."
"You'll come and have a drink before you go, at least?", Dumbledore said.
"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 said but Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Jakub's shoulder and was leading him swiftly out of the room, gesturing Fleur to follow them.
Claire could hear them talking very fast in French, it sounded like Fleur was defending her and Harry, as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum and Romanova, and they, too, exited, though in silence.
"Harry, Claire, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed.", Dumbledore said, smiling 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. I will contact Sirius and Margaret personally.", the three nodded, and they left together.
The Great Hall was deserted now, the candles had burned low.
"So...", Cedric said, with a slight smile, "We're playing against each other again!"
"I suppose.", Harry said, he really couldn't think of anything to say. The inside of his head seemed to be in complete disarray, as though his brain had been ransacked.
"So...tell me...", Cedric said as they reached the entrance hall, "How did you get your name in as third?"
"I didn't.", Harry said, staring up at him, "I didn't put it in. I was telling the truth."
"Ah... Okay well, see ya." Cedric said.
Claire could tell Cedric didn't believe Harry.
Instead of going up the marble staircase, Cedric headed for a door to its right. Harry and Claire stood listening to him going down the stone steps beyond it.
"Claire, you believe me right?", Harry asked as the two slowly, started to climb the marble ones.
"What kind of stupid question is that?", Claire said, sounding almost insulted, "Of course I believe you. Why did you think I stood up for you?"
Harry let out sigh of relieve, glad that at least his best friend was believing him.
The two soon found themselves facing the Fat Lady already. It was also a surprise to see that she was not alone in her frame. The wizened witch who had flitted into her neighbor's painting when he had joined the champions downstairs was now sitting smugly beside the Fat Lady.
She must have dashed through every picture lining seven staircases to reach here before them. Both she and the Fat Lady were looking down at him with the keenest interest.
"Well, well, well.", the Fat Lady said, "Violet's just told me everything. Who's just been chosen as school champion's, then?"
"Balderdash.", Claire said shortly, not wanting to deal with them right now.
"It most certainly isn't!", the pale witch said indignantly.
"No, no, Vi, it's the password.", the Fat Lady said soothingly, and she swung forward on her hinges to let Harry and Claire into the common room.
The blast of noise that met Harry's and Claire's ears when the portrait opened almost knocked them backward. Next thing they were being wrenched inside the common room by about a dozen pairs of hands, and was facing the whole of Gryffindor House, all of whom were screaming, applauding, and whistling.
"You should have told us you'd entered!", Fred bellowed he looked deeply impressed.
"No idea how you tricked that Goblet but brilliant Harry!", George roared.
But before either of them could responded, Angelina had now swooped down upon him, "Oh if it couldn't be me, at least it's a Gryffindor..."
"We've got food, Harry, come and have some...", Katie shrieked.
"I'm not hungry, I had enough at the feast...", Harry muttered but nobody wanted to hear that he wasn't hungry, nobody wanted to hear that he hadn't put his name in the goblet, not one single person seemed to have noticed that he wasn't at all in the mood to celebrate.
In one of the sleeping quarter's in the Beauxbaton's carriage. Graceful windows punctuated the walls, which were hung with light blue silks. The Beauxbaton student have a spectacular view of the castle. The ceiling was domed and painted with stars, which were echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. There were tables, chairs, and bookcases, and three beds.
"This is such an unfair situation!", Adri said, her hair lose, making it reach her shoulder's, wearing her pink pyjama's, sitting on her bed, "I mean, why does Hogwarts get to have three Champion's?"
"Oh, come off it Adri.", Amelia said, wearing a blue pajama's, not looking up from her book, "You heard what Fleur said, the kid isn't responsible."
"Still, Beauxbatons is going to be at a major disadvantage!", Adri said, falling back on her bed, "Durmstrang has Victor Krum and Natasha Romanova! One is a Quidditch star and the other is rising star in the Pro-dueling circuit! And you have seen who trained those Hogwarts students, they all must be in a league of their own! Well Fleur has to defend our honor all on her own!"
"What about LeBlanc?", Amelia said.
"That git isn't going to do jack!", Adri said, turning to Fleur for support.
After she had explained what had happened in the trophy room, Fleur had been sitting on the ledge beside the window, staring up at the castle, wearing her red pajama's.
"Oh, I know what your thinking about... Or rather whom.", Adri said, smiling cheekily.
Fleur led out a sigh, not tearing her look away from the castle, "Save it, Adri.", she said sadly, "...It's not meant to be."
The other two girl's looked surprised at each other before turning to their friend. "What makes you say that?", Amelia asked, putting her book down.
"I think he has a wife, or at least had one...", Fleur said, noticing the confused looks from her friends, "That Claire Kent, the Junior Hogwarts Champion?"
"I don't think she is his wife! Or at least I hope not!", Adri said alarmed, "She is way too young to be married! He's old enough to be her... Oh, that's what you meant."
Up in one of the towers at the castle, where Dumbledore's office was located. Charles was standing near a window, looking at the darkened shade of the Beauxbatons carriage in the distance.
Snape was standing next to him, as Dumbledore was hunched over a Pensive. Near him stood McGonagall and close to the burning fireplace was Moody.
"This can't go on, Albus.", McGonagall said, "First the Dark Mark, and now this."
"What do you suggest Minerva?", the old headmaster asked, sounding at a lost himself.
"Don't let Potter compete.", she suggested, "To hell with the rules."
"It might be best to do nothing, to discover who is behind this.", Snape suggested, "Perhaps it's best to let events unfold for now."
"You want to use Potter as bait?", McGonagall said, rounding on the potion master, "He is a boy. He is not some piece of meat."
A silence followed, before Dumbledore looked up, "Charles. Can you keep an eye on him?", he asked.
"I guess I can keep doing what I was already doing.", Charles said, before turning to McGonagall, "I have to tell you, Minerva, Harry is much more capable than we give him credit for."
Dumbledore nodded, turning to Snape and Moody, "Can I count on you two to keep an eye on Harry as well?"
"I can do that.", Moody grumbled.
In the Gryffindor Common room, the party was going strong. Harry couldn't get away, whenever he tried to sidle over to the staircase up to the dormitories, the crowd around him closed ranks, forcing another butterbeer on him, stuffing crisps and peanuts into his hands.
Lee had unearthed two Gryffindor banner from somewhere, and he insisted on draping it around Harry and Claire like a cloak.
Everyone wanted to know how he had done it, how he had tricked the Goblet Of Fire.
"I didn't, I don't know how it happened." he said, over and over again.
But for all the notice anyone took, he might just as well not have answered at all. It wasn't until Alex and Neville started to make a path for the two of them, to get to the dormitory.
Insisting that they needed to sleep, Claire almost flattening the little Creevey brothers as they attempted to waylay them at the foot of the stairs.
The four of them managed to shake everyone off and climb up to the dormitory as fast as they could.
They found Ron lying on his bed in the otherwise empty dormitory, still fully dressed. He looked up when Neville slammed the door behind him, Harry, Claire and Alex.
"Where have you been?", Harry asked.
"Oh hello.", Ron said, he was grinning, but it was a very odd, strained sort of grin.
Both Harry and Claire suddenly became aware that they were still wearing the scarlet Gryffindor banner that Lee had tied around them. They hastened to take it off, but it was knotted very tightly. Ron lay on the bed without moving, watching Harry and Claire struggle to remove it, while Alex and Neville tried to help.
"So." he said, when they had finally removed the banner and thrown it into a corner, "Congratulations."
"What do you mean, congratulations?", Harry said, staring at Ron.
There was definitely something wrong with the way Ron was smiling: It was more like a grimace. "Well... you managed to trick the goblet.", Ron said, "I thought you might have told me because..."
"Listen.", Harry said, "I didn't put my name in or tricked that goblet. Someone else must have done it."
Ron raised his eyebrows, "What would they do that for?"
"For the funzy...", Alex said, "Or to kill him. Take your pick."
Ron's eyebrows rose so high that they were in danger of disappearing into his hair. "It's okay, you know, you can tell us the truth.", he said, "If you don't want everyone else to know, fine, but I don't know why you're bothering to lie, you didn't get into trouble for it, did you? That friend of the Fat Lady's, that Violet, she's already told us all Dumbledore's letting you enter. A thousand Galleons prize money, eh? And you don't have to do end-of-year tests either or attend classes..."
"I didn't put my name in that goblet!" Harry said, starting to feel angry.
"Yeah, okay.", Ron said, in exactly the same skeptical tone as Cedric, "Only you said this morning you'd have done it last night, and no one would've seen you... I'm not stupid, you know."
"You're doing a really good impression of it." Claire said in disbelieve.
"Yeah?" Ron said, and there was no trace of a grin, forced or otherwise, on his face now, "You want to get to bed, Harry. I expect you'll need to be up early tomorrow for a photo-call or something."
He wrenched the hangings shut around his four-poster, leaving Harry, Claire, Alex and Neville standing there by the door.
Voldemort: "You know what I like about the three main Professor's in this story? They mirror the Gryffindor Six."
Alex: "What makes you say that?"
Voldemort: "Well Charles is obviously a mix of Harry and you. He has Harry's role as the leader but your laid back attitude. Severus is a mixture of Ron and Claire, a foil to the leader like Claire's more serious tone to your laid back. And Flitwick is a mixture of Hermione and Neville, smart, the balance between Charles and Snape."
Alex: "Now that you mention it..."
Claire: "There they are!"
At a outdoor cafe.
Jason: "...Believe me Clark, I was barely in the last RWBYS: Heroes chapter. And I still got paid more than Toshi."
Clark: "I believe you, I have seen the part of the budget that goes to your salary. It's similar to your power level, way too big."
Claire: "There you are!"
Clark: "What the fuck are you?"
Jason: "And why do you look like Clark if I was born with a vagina?"
Claire: "Long story, but I need your. Skyguy is missing."
Jason: "I would love to help, but I have to star in the Star Vs Tee Forces of Evil story. Good luck Clark, your gonna need it." *flies off*
Clark: "Jason you dick. Fine, I'll help you, me with tits."
Claire: "My name is Claire."
Clark: "Yeah, whatever."
Voldemort: "That midget is more dangerous than me!? He's barley taller than Ariana Grande."
Alex: "How do you know how tall she is?"
Voldemort: "... Lucius is a big fan... I made me come to a concert of hers."
Alex: "Riiiiight. Anyways, reader, thanks for reading, favoring, reviewing or following tis story. Tis was a pretty long chapter so expect the next one to be like 2,500 words or something, but leave a review if you liked it. As you know, review's are Skyguy's crack. Bye bye now."
Voldemort: "I wanted to do the outro!"