Goblet of Fire

What are yall thoughts on Rita Skeeter and

(SPOILER)

What do yall think of Hermione putting her into a jar ??

I just got my hands on the goblet of fire book from school yesterday (started reading 2day) and i just wanna know how long it took other people to finish the book. im currently at page 39 !!

If the Triwizard Tournament had taken place during the Marauders era, the most likely Hogwarts champion would probably be James Potter. Here’s a breakdown of why he would be a strong candidate:

Skills and Traits

1. Exceptional Magical Ability:

- James was known to be a talented wizard, excelling in various subjects at Hogwarts. His skills in magic would have made him a formidable competitor in the tournament’s challenges.

2. Bravery and Determination:

- As a member of Gryffindor, James exhibited courage and a strong sense of determination. These traits are essential for facing the dangers presented in the Triwizard Tournament.

3. Athletics Skills:

- James was an accomplished Quidditch player, serving as a Seeker for the Gryffindor team. His athleticism and quick reflexes would be advantageous in physical tasks during the tournament.

4. Resourcefulness:

- James was known for his cleverness and ability to think on his feet. This resourcefulness would help him navigate the unpredictable challenges of the tournament.

5. Leadership Qualities:

- As both Quidditch captain and a natural leader among the Marauders, James would have the ability to inspire and rally support, which might be beneficial in a competitive environment.

6. Strength and Nobility:

- The stag is often associated with strength and nobility. James's character reflects these traits through his bravery in defending friends and standing up against adversaries as well alongside his indomitable stamina (both physically and mentally) and willpower, showcasing the noble qualities of a leader.

7. Protection and Loyalty:

- Stags are protective of their territory and kin. James's loyalty to his friends and his willingness to fight for their safety exemplify this protective nature, making him a champion who would fiercely defend his house and allies.

8. Grace and Agility:

- As a stag, James would possess grace and agility, attributes that align with his Quidditch skills as a Chaser. This agility would serve him well in the tournament's physical challenges.

9. Connection to Nature:

- The stag symbolizes a deep connection to nature and the magical world. James's affinity for magic and his ability to navigate challenges reflect this innate understanding, making him resourceful in the tournament's trials.

10. Transformation and Growth:

- The ability to transform into a stag represents growth and adaptability. James's journey from a young wizard to a confident leader reflects this transformation, embodying the resilience needed to face the tournament's dangers.

Consideration of Other Candidates

- Sirius Black: While Sirius was also a talented wizard and brave, his rebellious nature and tendency to act impulsively might have hindered him in the structured environment of the tournament.

- Remus Lupin: Remus had strong magical knowledge and was highly skilled, but his modesty and self-doubt could have held him back from stepping into the spotlight as a champion.

- Peter Pettigrew: Peter is less likely to be considered due to his lack of notable magical skill and bravery compared to the others.

Overall, James Potter's combination of magical talent, bravery, athleticism, and leadership would make him the most likely candidate to represent Hogwarts as a champion in the Triwizard Tournament during the Marauders era.

If James Potter were to compete in the Triwizard Tournament, his approach and performance in each task would be heavily influenced by his abilities, athleticism, and the symbolism of his stag Animagus form, Prongs. Here’s a detailed look at how he would tackle each task:

1. The First Task (Dragons)

Approach:

- Strategic Planning: James would carefully observe the dragon beforehand, assessing its strengths and weaknesses. He would devise a plan that maximizes his strengths as an agile and quick-thinking wizard.

Performance:

- Athleticism and Quick Reflexes: Drawing on his Quidditch experience, James would demonstrate exceptional agility, using his speed and reflexes to dodge the dragon’s attacks. He might employ spells like *Accio* to summon the dragon's egg, showcasing both skill and cleverness.

- Bravery: His innate courage would shine through as he faces the dragon head-on, embodying the protective nature of his stag form.

2. The Second Task (Merpeople)

Approach:

- Team Collaboration: Understanding the importance of teamwork, James would likely confer with his friends to formulate a strategy for rescuing the hostages, utilizing their strengths to tackle the underwater challenge. He would be open to suggestions and eager to support his teammates. He might also use his charm to negotiate with the merpeople.

Performance:

- Resourcefulness and Adaptability: In the water, James would use spells to breathe underwater, demonstrating his resourcefulness. His athleticism would help him navigate the underwater terrain efficiently, using strong swimming techniques.

- Courage Under Pressure: When in the water and when confronting the merpeople, James would maintain his composure and remain, likely using charm and negotiation skills to ease tensions and also using his magical skills to breathe underwater (perhaps employing a spell or potion), reflecting the stag's ability to navigate social dynamics. His protective nature would drive him to ensure the safety of any hostages he encounters.

3. The Third Task (Maze)

Approach:

- Leadership and Strategy: In the maze, James would take on a leadership role, guiding others through challenges while remaining adaptable to changing circumstances. His ability to think strategically would help him navigate the maze’s obstacles and magical creatures. His confidence and charisma would inspire his peers as they navigate the obstacles together.

Performance:

- Agility in Navigation: James would demonstrate quick thinking and agility, using spells and his physical prowess to maneuver around magical creatures and obstacles within the maze.

- Determination: As he faces various challenges within the maze, James would demonstrate determination, embodying the stag's protective instincts. His competitive spirit would drive him to push through challenges, embodying the stag’s determination to protect and lead. He would face any adversaries with bravery, using spells to defend himself and his friends. If confronted with a dangerous creature or obstacle, he would face it head-on, using spells effectively to defend himself.

Overall Performance

In each task, James would exemplify the following characteristics:

- Athleticism: His physical fitness and Quidditch skills would give him an edge in tasks requiring speed and agility, allowing him to perform well under pressure.

- Bravery and Leadership: His willingness to step up in challenging situations would reflect his Gryffindor nature, as he would be ready to defend and support those around him.

- Resourcefulness: He would approach each task with a mix of cleverness and adaptability, utilizing spells creatively and thinking on his feet.

- Strength and Determination: His courage would shine through in high-pressure situations, allowing him to confront dangers without hesitation.

- Agility and Reflexes: His Quidditch background would lend itself to quick movements and strategic thinking, helping him evade threats and seize opportunities.

- Loyalty and Team Spirit: He would value teamwork, looking out for fellow competitors and forming alliances where beneficial, reflecting the protective nature of a stag.

James Potter’s approach and performance in the Triwizard Tournament would be characterized by blend of his athleticism, strategic thinking, and the protective instincts symbolized by his stag form. His combination of bravery, quick reflexes, and leadership would make him a formidable champion, showcasing the best qualities of a true Gryffindor.

James Potter's interactions with the judges, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrangs during the Triwizard Tournament would likely reflect his charismatic personality, confidence, and Gryffindor traits. Here's how he might have approached these interactions and how they would perceive him:

Interactions with the Judges

1. Respectful Yet Confident:

- James would approach the judges with a mix of respect and confidence. He would likely engage in polite conversation, demonstrating his knowledge of magic and the tournament's significance.

2. Demonstrating Skill:

- During the tasks, he would aim to impress the judges with his abilities, showcasing his magical prowess and athleticism. His performance would likely leave a positive impression, as he would embody the qualities they seek in a champion.

3. Charm and Wit:

- Known for his charm, James might use humor and wit to engage the judges, making them feel at ease while also highlighting his personality. This could help build rapport and goodwill.

Interactions with Beauxbatons

1. Friendly and Charming:

- James would likely be friendly and charming with the Beauxbatons students, particularly the female competitors. He might show admiration for their fine traditions and elegance, reflecting a respectful attitude.

2. Competitive Spirit:

- While maintaining a friendly demeanor, he would also exhibit a competitive spirit, eager to show that Hogwarts could hold its own against Beauxbatons. This balance of friendliness and rivalry would reflect his Gryffindor nature.

3. Respect for Their Skills:

- James would appreciate the magical skills and finesse of the Beauxbatons students, likely engaging in light-hearted banter about their respective schools' strengths.

Interactions with Durmstrang

1. Respect for Their Tradition:

- James would recognize the strong, traditional values of Durmstrang, approaching their students with respect. He might express interest in their rigorous training and magical focus.

2. Challenging Rivalry:

- Given Durmstrang's reputation for toughness, James might engage in friendly rivalry, showcasing his Gryffindor bravery. He would be confident but respectful, eager to prove himself against strong competitors.

3. Building Alliances:

- While competitive, James might also seek to build alliances or friendships with Durmstrang students, recognizing that teamwork could be beneficial in the tournament's challenges.

Opinions of James

- Judges: The judges would likely view James as a strong contender, impressed by his magical abilities, charisma, and sportsmanship. His charming demeanor and respect for tradition would make him a likable candidate.

- Beauxbatons Students: They would likely admire his confidence and charm, appreciating his friendly approach. Many might find him charismatic and approachable, viewing him as a worthy rival.

- Durmstrang Students: They might respect his skills and bravery, seeing him as a formidable opponent. However, some could also view him as overly confident, especially if he engages in playful rivalry.

In summary, James Potter's interactions with the judges, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang would be characterized by charm, respect, and a competitive spirit. His ability to balance friendliness with rivalry would leave a positive impression on his peers and judges alike, highlighting his Gryffindor qualities and making him a memorable participant in the Triwizard Tournament.

Why was Harry even making an effort with Triwizard Tournament? Why not just show up and twiddle your thumbs for the next couple of hours? What's the Goblet of Fire going to do, yell at him? Fleur probably could have tried harder on the second task, but the Magical Cup of Child Endangerment didn't hurt her.

So why isn't Dumbledore just having Harry show up and screw around for an hour or so, or work on schoolwork in the corner or something while the ones who are of age do the tasks? Dumbledore could've hidden him during the tournament while the tasks took place That seems like the safest thing to do.

So I’m reading Goblet of Fire again because it was my favorite movie, and it’s been a while. I knew they cut out a lot of parts so reading it again just makes me smile :)

Anyways, here’s some funny parts I’m pretty sure weren’t in the movie that were really funny:

You have to be dirty-minded to understand-

The movie was a bit different, so here’s the original Draco Ferret Malfoy 🤣

Ah yes…all the books always mention something bad about Snape…but this one was kinda funny

CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!! Barty Jr was a wonderful teacher 🥲

I wish my homework was this good :(

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST…

HARRY

DIDYA

PUT YA

NAME IN DA

GOBLETA

FIYA

Ok so, i watched the movies first and now im reading the books, im almost done reading the Goblet Of Fire and holly- I watched the Goblet of fire again and i felt like everything was going on too fast and they skipped and cutted many things like where is my girl WINKY? And i remember that in the prisoner of azkaban that they Harry got his Firebolt at the of the movie and that he rided it withouth anybody stopping him but in the books he got it in the middle of the books and there was litterly a whole drama *sigh* or in the end of the year that Sirius gave Ron an owl (Pig).. The list just goes on yk?

I just feel like that the movies didn't give enough information or where just too short. It's just an opinion because some other people can think that the movies where long and some other people can agree with me.

Soooo, my dad is saved in my contacts on my phone as "my father that will be hearing about this"

Any ideas of what I can name my friends, mom, and brother that are harry potter related?

In goblet of fire, when Ron is telling mad-eye about the imperius curse in defense against the dark arts, mad-eye says something like, "oh your father would know about that." or something.

That got me thinking....what did arthur do that made him so aware of imperio? just out of general curiosity.

It’s really funny that arguments and tantrums shook the floor of Harry’s bedroom loll

So you, know, in the fourth book, Dumbledore is like: "Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" And it says specifically that he said it calmly. But in the movie it's like: "HaRrY DiD YoU PuT YoUr NaMe In ThE GoBlEt Of FiRe!?!?!?!?"

So...yeah. What are your opinions on Dumbledore's personality change there? Which one do you like best? Personally, I'd prefer for Dumbledore to be the calm old man he is in the books. But the movie version just cracked me up.

I like goblet of fire but what the hell was Ron's problem in this book? He's jealous of Harry getting into the tournament He's a jerk to Hermione just because she went with Krum and last but not least, yelling at Harry for acting the hero, then being absolute hypocrite about it! just how many things had to get to him? his and Harry's conflict was the only problem in that book

You can't tell me harry potter is straight. He's not. He obsesses over Draco. He mentions how hot Cedric is and gets jealous every time he's with Cho. 'Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy of around seventeen. He was Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team at Hogwarts.' And all of his crushes are on the school quidditch team. Cho, Draco (ik this isn't canon, But deal with it), Ginny, and Cedric. Quidditch is the equivalent of football in the wizarding world making people who play it jocks. He's into jocks. You really can't tell me Harry is straight. He's bi af and into jocks.

Thank you for listening to my rant

In GOF, why couldn't the Triwizard champions just say Accio Egg in the first task?

So this takes place after Harry's name is pulled from the goblet of fire.

Hey chosen one

Why do you lie

When somebody's mean

Where do you hide?

Do people assume

You're always alright?

Been so good at spells

Most of your life

Look d*mn good in the scar

Coverin' up the mess

Casting with your best foot forward

Does it get hard

To have to play the part?

Nobody's feeling sorry for ya

But what if I told you the world wouldn't end

If you started showing what's under your scar

What if you let 'em all in on the lie?

Even the chosen one lies

Hey chosen one

How's things at home?

Still walking on eggshells

When that curtain's closed

Did Vernon tell you

To shut up?

Or more like your Petunia?

Hide you under the stairs

Look d*mn good in the scar

Coverin' up the mess

Casting with your best foot forward

Did you want the scar

Or does it weigh you down

Nobody's feeling sorry for ya

What if I told you the world wouldn't end

If you started showing what's under your scar?

What if you let 'em all

in on the lie?

Even the chosen one lies

Yeah, what if I told you the sky wouldn't fall?

If you lost your composure, said to h*ll with it all

Not everything famous sparkles and shines

And even the chosen one lies

Oh yeah

Even the chosen one lies

Hey chosen one

Why do you lie?

When somebody's mean

Where do you hide?

People who voted for this:

@Demongirlnezuko13

@DawnSky32

@TsundereGrl

Previous Chapters:

Chapter 1: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003585181

Chapter 2: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003585386

Chapter 3: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003589099

Chapter 4: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003589999

Chapter 5: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003590737

Chapter 6: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003592048

Chapter 7: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003593450

Chapter 8: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003594715

Chapter 9: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003595876

Chapter 10: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003596713

Chapter 11: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003597502

Chapter 12: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003598647

Chapter 13: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003600597

Tags: @MeowTasticCat @Bellatrisblack @Diantha Angelina Black @CatsAndRoblox @Kakaonut

Chapter Fourteen: The Goblet of Fire

‘This is mind-blowing!’ Theodore said, in a stunned voice, as the Hogwarts students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang. ‘The greatest Seeker of all time! Harry! Viktor Krum!’

I think me and Terence could give him a run for his money if we were allowed to practice,’ said Harry.

‘Are you joking?’ Theodore said, looking as though he couldn’t believe his ears. ‘He is sensational. You couldn’t beat him if you trained from now until graduation straight. I’m just in shock he is still school aged.’

As they recrossed the entrance hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students heading for the Great Hall, Harry saw Terence Higgs keep going on the tips of his toes to try and get a glimpse of even just the back of Krum’s head. Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked—

‘Oh I don’t believe it, I haven’t got a single quill on me—‘

‘D’you think he’d sign my hat in lipstick?’

‘They’re all pathetic?’ mumbled Tracey as they passed the girls, now squabbling over the lipstick.

‘I might be the only student in this building with a quill right now and I am not going to waste it,’ said Theodore happily.

Harry then leaned over to Tracey and whispered, ‘And who are you to call those girls pathetic, I thought you liked tall Quidditch boys?’ which just made her go red in her ears.

For over a year now Tracey had occasionally been receiving sweet cards from an anonymous student, and she had let slip to Harry once that she hoped it was Terence. Harry had told her to just ask him multiple times, but she had managed to convince Harry to keep her confession a secret.

They walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down. Theodore took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads.

‘I hope their Headmaster allows them to have uniforms more inline with northern Scotland weather,’ said Harry. ‘That or they’ll all have Pneumonia by December.’

Theodore then suddenly grabbed Harry’s arm. ‘Harry! Harry! Look! I can’t believe it!’

Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table. Harry thought Theodore just might explode. They had sat at the other end, but it was enough to put a rare smile on Theodore’s face.

‘After whatever speech is given, you should go get your autograph, Theo,’ Allison encouraged.

Terence then sat next to them, 'Do you think the ship and carriage have bunks, or will they be sleeping here. We'd have to enchant a lot of the seventh year dormitories to fit them.'

'Not sure, but I think the Durmstrangs would be much more comfortable in the coming winter than the Beauxbatons lot,' said Harry. The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs and looking up at the starry black ceiling with expressions of interest; a couple of them were picking up the golden plates and goblets and examining them, apparently impressed.

Up at the staff table, Filch, the caretaker, was adding chairs. He was wearing his moldy old tailcoat in honor of the occasion. Harry was surprised to see that he added four chairs, two on either side of Dumbledore’s.

‘But there are only two extra people,’ Harry said. ‘Why’s Filch putting out four chairs, who else is coming?’

‘Not sure,’ shrugged Allison, ‘maybe its for whoever picks the champions?’

When all the students had entered the Hall and settled down at their House tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and taking their seats. Last in line were Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime. When their headmistress appeared, the pupils from Beauxbatons leapt to their feet. A few of the Hogwarts students laughed. The Beauxbatons party appeared quite unembarrassed, however, and did not resume their seats until Madame Maxime had sat down on Dumbledore’s left-hand side. Dumbledore remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall.

‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and—most particularly—guests,’ said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. ‘I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable.’

One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh.

‘Why’d she even come if she’s to used to warmth and luxury?’ Allison whispered, bristling at the girl.

‘The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast,’ said Dumbledore. ‘I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!’

He sat down, and Harry saw Karkaroff lean forward at once and engage him in conversation. The plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Harry had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign.

‘What’s this one?’ asked Tracey, pointing at a dish of some sort of broth with kelp, crab meat, prawns, scallops and a type of berry Harry didn’t recognize.

‘It’s called Arctic Ukha,’ Theodore informed. ‘It’s a Russian type of fish soup.’

Harry tried small portions of the new dishes, and was pleasantly surprised with most of them, but mostly stuck to food he was more familiar with. Instead of food, he found his attention focused on the exhilaration in the air.

The Great Hall seemed somehow much more crowded than usual, even though there were barely twenty additional students there; perhaps it was because their differently colored uniforms stood out so clearly against the black of the Hogwarts’ robes. Now that they had removed their furs, the Durmstrang students were revealed to be wearing robes of a deep blood-red. Being stuck at the Dursley’s Harry had never gotten to see Canini in uniform two summers previous.

Hagrid sidled into the Hall through a door behind the staff table twenty minutes after the start of the feast. He slid into his seat at the end and waved at Harry, and his friends with a very heavily bandaged hand.

‘Did the Skrewts do that to you, Hagrid?’ Harry called.

‘Me own fault. Wasn’ expectin’ how much they’d be thrivin’,’ Hagrid called back happily.

‘I can’t believe they are still alive considering they’ve barely eaten since they were born,’ Tracey whispered. She had turned to say something to Theodore, but all she found was his empty seat. ‘Where’d he go?’

Harry turned all around and then spotted Theodore practically skipping back towards them, his face beaming. ‘I got it. I got his autograph.’

Harry was about to congratulate him, but something then caught his eye.

It was the girl from Beauxbatons who had laughed during Dumbledore’s speech. She had finally removed her muffler. A long sheet of silvery-blonde hair fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth. She was walking away from the Gryffindor table back towards the Ravenclaws carrying a dish of some kind, and Harry, along with most boys in the room, were watching her every step.’

A nervous chuckle escaped his mouth before he broke from his daze.

‘She must be part veela,’ Allison declared while rolling her eyes.

‘Part what?’ asked Tracey.

‘A beautiful creature that practically hypnotizes anyone attracted to woman. I’ve only seen Harry and Terence look that pathetic once and it was when the veela were performing at the World Cup.’

‘I mean, she might not be veela, she’s just very beautiful,’ said Terence, who after looking at Tracey then quickly added. ‘Though she’s equally beautiful as many of the girls here...’

‘Yeah...beautiful Hogwarts girls,’ said Harry without thinking. Cho happened to be sitting only a few places away from the girl with the silvery hair.

‘Yeah Harry,’ said Theodore while pulling on his sleeve, ‘isn’t that the man who got the Weasley’s their tickets?’

He was looking up at the staff table. The two remaining empty seats had just been filled. Ludo Bagman was now sitting on Professor Karkaroff’s other side, while Mr Crouch, was next to Madame Maxime.

‘What are they doing here?’ said Harry in surprise.

'Mr Bagman is head of Department of Magical Games and Sports, right? He and Mr Crouch probably organised all this,' guessed Allison. 'They might be the impartial judges, though I can't see how.'

When the second course arrived they noticed a number of unfamiliar desserts too. Something Harry really liked was a French flan-like dessert with black-berries inside and some sweet cream on top. The others seemed however to more enjoy a Russian pastry filled with custard and fruit puree.

Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now. Harry felt a slight thrill of excitement, wondering what was coming. Allison and Terence were leaning forward, staring at Dumbledore with great concentration.

'The moment has come,' said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. 'The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket—'

'The what?' Harry muttered.

But the others looked just as confused as he was.

'—just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation'—there was a smattering of polite applause—'and Mr Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.'

There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced. Remembering him in his neat suit at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry thought he looked strange in wizard’s robes. His toothbrush mustache and severe parting looked very odd next to Dumbledore’s long white hair and beard.

'Mr Bagman and Mr Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament, Dumbledore continued, 'and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions’ efforts.'

At the mention of the word “champions,” the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen. Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled as he said, 'The casket, then, if you please, Mr Filch.'

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey actually stood on his chair to see it properly, but, being so tiny, his head hardly rose above anyone else’s.

'The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr Crouch and Mr Bagman,' said Dumbledore as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, 'and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways...their magical prowess—their daring—their powers of deduction—and, of course, their ability to cope with danger.'

At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing. Harry could almost hear his own heartbeat from the shear quiet.

'As you know, three champions compete in the tournament,' Dumbledore went on calmly, 'one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire.'

Dumbledore now took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames. Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall.

'Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet,' said Dumbledore. 'Aspiring champions have until the thirty-first in which to put their names forward. On Hallowe'en, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.'

Allison and Terence stared at each other excitedly, but Dumbldore quickly squashed their dreams of glory.

'To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation,' said Dumbledore, 'I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line. Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all.'

'Theo!' Allison said at once. 'How fast can you make an aging potion?'

But Theodore started shaking his head, 'Oh no. I am not helping you potentially getting yourself killed. You aren't just a few months under age, you are years underaged, these tasks are designed for someone who has already mastered sixth year level classes.'

'That's hippogriff dung and you know it. We literally beat several unbeatable challenges in our first year. Harry has taken on You-Know-Who twice since starting Hogwarts, you're going to try and enter, right Harry?' Allison asked.

Harry thought briefly of Dumbledore’s insistence that nobody under seventeen should submit their name, but then the wonderful picture of himself winning the Triwizard Tournament filled his mind again...He wondered how angry Dumbledore would be if someone younger than seventeen did find a way to get over the Age Line...

Harry’s thoughts were than interrupted by the thick accent and loud voice of someone standing nearby. Karkaroff had just bustled up to his students.

‘Back to the ship, then,’ he was saying. ‘Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?!

Harry saw Krum shake his head as he pulled his furs back on.

‘Professor, I vood like some vine,’ said one of the other Durmstrang boys hopefully.

‘I wasn’t offering it to you, Poliakoff,’ snapped Karkaroff, his warmly paternal air vanishing in an instant. Harry now believed Sirius and Remus’ warning, Karkaroff was a man with an inky black soul who was very good at putting up a kind exterior. ‘I notice you have dribbled food all down the front of your robes again, disgusting boy—‘

Karkaroff turned and led his students toward the doors, reaching them at exactly the same moment as Harry, Tracey, Theodore, and Allison. Harry stopped to let him walk through first, not wanting to get on the former deatheaters bad side.

‘Thank you,’ said Karkaroff carelessly, glancing at him. And then Karkaroff froze. He turned his head back to Harry and stared at him as though he couldn’t believe his eyes. Behind their headmaster, the students from Durmstrang came to a halt too. Karkaroff’s eyes moved slowly up Harry’s face and fixed upon his scar. Harry was just absolutely sick of magic folk gawking at him, he wasn’t a relic at a museum. The Durmstrang students were staring curiously at Harry too.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw comprehension dawn on a few of their faces. The boy with food all down his front nudged the girl next to him and pointed openly at Harry’s forehead.

‘Yeah, that’s Harry Potter,’ said a growling voice from behind them.

Professor Karkaroff spun around. Mad-Eye Moody was standing there, leaning heavily on his staff, his magical eye glaring unblinkingly at the Durmstrang headmaster. The color drained from Karkaroff’s face as Harry watched. A terrible look of mingled fury and fear came over him.

‘You!’ he said, staring at Moody as though unsure he was really seeing him.

‘Me,’ said Moody grimly. ‘And unless you’ve got anything to say to Potter, Karkaroff, you might want to move. You’re blocking the doorway.’

It was true; half the students in the Hall were now waiting behind them, looking over one another’s shoulders to see what was causing the holdup.

Without another word, Professor Karkaroff swept his students away with him. Moody watched him until he was out of sight, his magical eye fixed upon his back, a look of intense dislike upon his mutilated face.

As the next day was Saturday, most students would normally have breakfasted late. Harry, and his gang, however, were not alone in rising much earlier than they usually did on weekends. When they went down into the entrance hall, they saw about twenty people milling around it, some of them eating toast, all examining the Goblet of Fire. It had been placed in the center of the hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat. A thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction.

‘Has anyone tossed their name in since last night?’ Harry asked Terence, who was already in the hall when they arrived.

‘All ten of the Durmstrang students,’ he replied, ‘but haven’t yet seen any from ours, or from Beauxbaton.’

‘Bet some of them put it in last night after we’d all gone to bed,’ said Harry. ‘I would’ve if it had been me...wouldn’t have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again?’

Someone laughed behind Harry. Turning, he saw Fred, George, and another Gryffindor in their year named Lee Jordan, hurrying down the staircase, all three of them looking extremely excited.

‘This is either going to be spectacular, or a disaster,’ Harry whispered as they approached.

‘Done it,’ Fred said in a triumphantly to the crowd. ‘Just taken it.’

‘What?’ said their brother Ron.

‘The Aging Potion, dung brains,’ said Fred.

‘One drop each,’ said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. ‘We only need to be a few months older.’

Harry overheard Allison whisper to Terence, ‘I wonder how many drops it would take to make us seventeen?’

Lee Jordan than spoke, grinning broadly. ‘We’re going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins.’

‘I’m not sure this is going to work, you know,’ said Hermione Granger warningly ‘I’m sure Dumbledore will have thought of this.’

Harry hoped her words would knock some sense into the twins, as well as Harry’s own friends, as Hermione always thought things out and was hardly wrong. It seemed however that Fred, George, and Lee ignored her.

‘Ready?’ Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement.

‘C’mon, then—I’ll go first—‘

Harry watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words Fred Weasley—Hogwarts. Fred walked right up to the edge of the line and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line.

For a split second Harry thought it had worked, evidently so did Allison as she starting searching her pockets for what Harry assumed to be Galleons to pay the twins for some of the potion—George then let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred—but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter. They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards.

The entrance hall rang with laughter. Even Fred and George joined in, once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other’s beards. The only one not laughing was Allison, who looked very disappointed, and Harry felt a bit sorry for her.

‘I did warn you,’ said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. ‘I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours.’

Fred and George set off for the hospital wing, accompanied by Lee, who was howling with laughter, and Harry, Theodore, and Tracey, also chortling, went in to breakfast, accompanied by a non-chortling Allison.

The decorations in the Great Hall had changed this morning. As it was Hallowe'en season, a cloud of live bats was fluttering around the enchanted ceiling, while hundreds of carved pumpkins leered from every corner. Harry led the way over to their teammate Lucian Bole and his friend Peregrine Derrick, who were discussing whether they would be putting their names in.

'I've decided to put my name in,' said Lucian, writing his name and school on a piece of napkin. 'But Peregrine is going to wait to see if any other Hogwarts students put their name in.'

'So far the only Hogwarts student who has put their name in is Warrington,' said the seventh year. 'So if no one but him and Lucian step up to represent, then I'll put my name in.'

Harry didn't like Cassius Warrington and really hoped he wouldn't be chosen. Every year since Harry had started, whenever a Quidditch spot opened up Warrington had tried out, and every time he wasn't chosen, which had made him bitter. Now one of Slytherin's Prefects, Warrington occasionally took out him frustrations out on Harry, because he was the reason he was cut three years previous.

‘As nice as it would be for a Slytherin champion, I really hope it’s not Warrington. I hope one of the two of you are chosen though.’

Harry and his group walked away, but the conversation topic did not change. Theodore spoke up.

‘Remember those Hufflepuffs from last week, I wonder if they were right about Cedric Diggory putting his name forward.’

Harry was about to answer that he was sure Cedric would try to compete, but was interrupted by Tracey.

‘What’s that sound?’

People were cheering out in the entrance hall. They all swiveled around in their seats and saw the Gryffindor Chaser Angelina Johnson coming into the Hall, grinning in an embarrassed sort of way. She was a tall strong girl, with skin just a few shades lighter than Tracey’s near pitch-black. Angelina made her way over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Harry could over here her triumphantly proclaim, ‘Well, I’ve done it! Just put my name in!’

‘You’re kidding!’ said Ron, looking impressed.

‘You’re lucky your birthday is in October, mines not until mid December,’ complained Alicia Spinnet, another Chaser.

Harry turned back to his friends, ‘Well that is three Hogwarts candidates. Five if Cedric and Peregrine put their names in.’

‘And all ten Durmstrang submitted their names. Now it’s gut...’

But Theodore trailed off, the others all turned to see what he was looking at. The students from Beauxbatons were coming through the front doors from the grounds, among them, the veela-girl. 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 across the Age Line and dropped their slips of parchment into the blue-white flames. As each name entered the fire, it turned briefly red and emitted sparks.

‘I just thought of something,’ said Allison while watching. ‘Monday night, do the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students not chosen just go home? It would be a shame for them to travel all the way here just to leave four days later.’

Harry thought for a moment as he watched the veela-girl dropped her parchment into the Goblet of Fire. ‘I Dunno,’ said Harry. ‘Hang around, I suppose...Madame Maxime’s staying to judge, isn’t she?’

When all the Beauxbatons students had submitted their names, Madame Maxime led them back out of the hall and out onto the grounds again.

‘I hope after the choosing their given somewhere to sleep in the castle,’ said Tracey with a bit of concern. ‘I don’t think the Beauxbaton’s carriage is prepared for one of our winters.’

The following two days were uneventful. Besides their Astrology class they didn’t have much to do. A couple more Hogwarts students put their name forward but by Hallowe’en morning it looked like anyone who was going to put their name in already had. Because today was the choosing the teachers decided to give the students the day off, but this only increased Harry and his friends boredom. They desperately wanted something to do to take their mind off their anticipation.

'What are we going to do until tonight?' asked Theodore, who had run out of homework to occupy him.

'We could go visit Hagrid,' Harry suggested. 'If possible I want to know more on why he was commissioned to make the Skrewts.'

Nothing better to do they all agreed. So they jumped down the stone steps, and headed down the hill.

As they neared Hagrid’s cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the mystery of the Beauxbatons’ sleeping quarters was somewhat solved. The gigantic powder-blue carriage in which they had arrived had been parked two hundred yards from Hagrid’s front door, and the some of the students who had been outside were climbing back inside it, so it indeed was where they were sleeping. The elephantine flying horses that had pulled the carriage were now grazing in a makeshift paddock alongside it.

Harry knocked on Hagrid’s door, and Fang’s booming barks answered instantly.

'’Bout time!' said Hagrid, when he’d flung open the door. 'Thought you lot’d forgotten where I live!'

'It's been a busy couple months, Hag—' Tracey started to say, but then she stopped dead, looking up at Hagrid, apparently lost for words.

Hagrid was wearing his best (and very horrible) hairy brown suit, plus a checked yellow-and-orange tie. This wasn’t the worst of it, though; he had evidently tried to tame his hair, using large quantities of what appeared to be axle grease. It was now slicked down into two bunches—perhaps he had tried to do a ponytail, but found he had too much hair. The look didn’t really suit Hagrid at all. For a moment, Tracey goggled at him, then, obviously deciding not to comment, she said, ‘Um—what happened to the skrewt crates?’

‘Out grew them, I ‘ave them in individual boxes out by the pumpkin patch,’ said Hagrid happily. ‘They’re gettin’ massive, mus’ be nearly three foot long now. On’y trouble is, they’ve started killin’ each other.’

‘That’s to bad,’ said Theodore, but his eyes read as “I told you so”.

‘Yeah,’ said Hagrid sadly. ‘’S’ okay, though, I’ve got ’em in separate them boxes now. Still got abou’ twenty.’

‘Got to be thankful for that,’ said Harry. Hagrid missed the sarcasm.

‘Yer sister seemed pretty interested in dem when she came by, it’s to bad she’s not third year, as I’ll ‘ave different creatures next year.’

‘Canini came by?’ asked Harry.

‘Oh yah, got a knack for magical creatures that one. Now, let’s all ‘ave seat.’

Hagrid’s cabin comprised a single room, in one corner of which was a gigantic bed covered in a patchwork quilt. A similarly enormous wooden table and chairs stood in front of the fire beneath the quantity of cured hams and dead birds hanging from the ceiling. They sat down at the table while Hagrid started to make tea, and were soon immersed in yet more discussion of the Triwizard Tournament. Hagrid seemed quite as excited about it as they were.

‘You wait,’ he said, grinning. ‘You jus’ wait. Yer going ter see some stuff yeh’ve never seen before. Firs’ task...ah, but I’m not supposed ter say.’

‘Go on, Hagrid!’ Harry, Theodore, Allison, and Tracey, urged him, but he just shook his head, grinning.

‘I don’ want ter spoil it fer yeh,’ said Hagrid. ‘But it’s gonna be spectacular, I’ll tell yeh that. Them champions’re going ter have their work cut out. Never thought I’d live ter see the Triwizard Tournament played again!’

They ended up having lunch with Hagrid, though they didn’t eat much—Hagrid had made what he said was a beef casserole, but after Allison unearthed a clump of feathers in hers, she, Harry, Tracey, and Theodore rather lost their appetites. However, they enjoyed themselves trying to make Hagrid tell them what the tasks in the tournament were going to be, speculating which of the entrants were likely to be selected as champions, and talked about how clever the age line was.

A light rain had started to fall by midafternoon; it was very cozy sitting by the fire, listening to the gentle patter of the drops on the window, watching Hagrid darning his socks and started debating who was the best Seeker of their time.

‘Yer good Harry, no one denies dat. But ya ‘ave a limited perspective. Outside of Hogwarts how many Seekers ‘ave ya seen play.’

‘Less than a dozen,’ Harry admitted. ‘But from those I’ve seen I’ve done just as well as them or better, except perhaps for Krum. I’ve caught the Snitch in under fifteen minutes, I’ve caught it while one of my arms was broken while still being chased by a murderous Bludger, I’ve even caught it while my own broom was trying to kill me.’

‘I would probably say Harry’s the second best Seeker in Europe, possible the world, behind Krum of course,’ encouraged Theodore. ‘He is definitely the best in the school.’

‘I’m not so sure,’ said Tracey to everyone’s surprise.

‘What’d ya mean, I won’t stoke Harry’s ego by saying he’s the number one best, but I’d be daft if I said he wasn’t the best currently at Hogwarts,’ said Hagrid.

Tracey looked slightly uncomfortable but continued, ‘That’s because you haven’t seen Terence train. Every day, after finishing gruelling training with Flint he would get back on his broom and do another hour or two of advanced Seeker training. Even these last two months, when Quidditch has been cancelled, he spends several hours a day training. He’ll never make you give up your position Harry, but he was born a Seeker and puts in just as much if not more hours of training in than you.’

Harry did occasionally feel guilty. Three years previous Terence had been selected as Slytherins Seeker, but when word got out of Harry’s skill on the broom he got demoted to Chaser. Harry had sometimes thought that when Marcus Flint finally graduates he would trade spots with Terence, but the truth was he loved being a Seeker to much and would be very reluctant to be a Chaser.

By half past five it was growing dark, and Harry, Tracey, Allison, and Theodore decided it was time to get back up to the castle for the Hallowe’en feast—and, more important, the announcement of the school champions.

‘I’ll come with yeh,’ said Hagrid, putting away his darning. ‘Jus’ give us a sec.’

Hagrid got up, went across to the chest of drawers beside his bed, and began searching for something inside it. They didn’t pay too much attention until a truly horrible smell reached their nostrils. Coughing, Theodore said, “Hagrid, do you have something decaying in your drawers?’

‘Eh?’ said Hagrid, turning around with a large bottle in his hand. ‘Don’ yeh like it?’

‘What even is that?’ said Harry in a slightly choked voice.

‘Er—eau de cologne,’ Hagrid muttered. He was blushing. ‘Maybe it’s a bit much,’ he said gruffly. ‘I’ll go take it off, hang on...’

He stumped out of the cabin, and they saw him washing himself vigorously in the water barrel outside the window.

‘Eau de cologne?’ said Harry in amazement. ‘Since when did he care for fancy stuff?’

‘Yes, what’s with the hair and the suit?’ said Harry in an undertone.

‘It’s her!’ said Allison suddenly, pointing out of the window.

Hagrid had just straightened up and turned ’round. If he had been blushing before, it was nothing to what he was doing now. Getting to their feet very cautiously, so that Hagrid wouldn’t spot them, Harry, Tracey, Allison, and Theodore peered through the window and saw that Madame Maxime and the Beauxbatons students had just emerged from their carriage, clearly about to set off for the feast too.

They couldn’t hear what Hagrid was saying, but he was talking to Madame Maxime with a rapt, misty-eyed expression Harry had only ever seen him wear once before—when he had been looking at the baby dragon, Norbert.

‘He’s leaving with her!’ said Tracey indignantly. ‘It’s like he forgot we even exist!’

Without so much as a backward glance at his cabin, Hagrid was trudging off up the grounds with Madame Maxime, the Beauxbatons students following in their wake, jogging to keep up with their enormous strides.

‘I think he’s taken by her,’ said Harry very smitten. ‘And why wouldn’t he, it’s probably not every day he meets someone with similar life experience. That or some he couldn’t accidentally crush.’

They let themselves out of the cabin and shut the door behind them. It was surprisingly dark outside. Drawing their cloaks more closely around themselves, they set off up the sloping lawns.

‘Guys, it’s him!’ Theodore whispered.

The Durmstrang party was walking up toward the castle from the lake. Viktor Krum was walking side by side with Karkaroff, and the other Durmstrang students were straggling along behind them. Theodore watched Krum excitedly, but Krum did not look around as he reached the front doors a little ahead of Theodore, Allison, Tracey, and Harry, and proceeded through them.

When they entered the candlelit Great Hall 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. Harry could spot a clean shaven Fred and George looking like they got their spirits back. Harry and his gain sat down next to Terence and Lucian.

‘Good luck Lucian,’ Harry said to the Beater, shaking his hand.

‘Thanks Harry, we’ll soon find out.’

The Hallowe'en feast seemed to take much longer than usual. Perhaps because it was their second feast in only a couple days, Harry didn’t seem to fancy the extravagantly prepared food as much as he would have normally. 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, Harry simply wanted the plates to clear, and to hear who had been selected as champions.

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. Ludo 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,’ said Dumbledore. ‘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, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting...A few people kept checking their watches...

‘This is overwhelming,’ Terence 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 champion for Durmstrang,’ he read, in a strong, clear voice, ‘will be Viktor Krum.’

‘Who else could it have been!’ yelled Theodore as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Harry saw Viktor Krum rise from only a couple metres away and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.

‘Bravo, Viktor!’ boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. ‘Knew you had it in you!’

The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone’s attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

‘The champion for Beauxbatons,’ said Dumbledore, ‘is Fleur Delacour!’

‘It’s that girl!’ Harry shouted as the girl who so resembled a veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair, and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.

‘The other Beauxbatons look upset,’ Allison said over the noise, nodding toward the remainder of the Beauxbatons party.

“Upset” was a bit of an understatement, Harry thought. Two of the girls who had not been selected had dissolved into tears and were sobbing with their heads on their arms. Another Beauxbaton looked like he was about to snap his wand, he was that mad.

When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next...

And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.

‘The Hogwarts champion,’ he called, ‘is Cedric Diggory!’

‘No!’ said Lucian loudly, but nobody heard him except Harry; the uproar from the Hufflepuff 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, Harry had joined in on the applause as well. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.

‘Excellent!’ Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. ‘Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real—‘

But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him.

The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out—

‘Harry Potter.’