Chapter 383: The Champions
Chapter 383: The Champions
Chapter 383: The Champions
At the Halloween feast, Hermione's appetite was in full swing. She exclaimed, "Oh my, really? Valen ran into your dormitory and traded an hourglass? I bet she was heartbroken..."
She happily served herself a large piece of pork chop.
"Well, you're certainly happy about it", Ron said. Neither he nor Harry had needed to use the ageing potion.
"Of course I am", Hermione put down her knife and fork, looking at the two of them seriously. "You heard Hagrid this afternoon. He managed to lift his head out of a bucket of slick conditioner and told us how much he was looking forward to the first task. That should give you an idea of just how dangerous the Triwizard Tournament is!"
Ron's fork trembled in his hand, and he was somewhat convinced by her argument. "What was the last thing that made Hagrid happy?"
"Blowfish", Seamus said glumly from the side.
At the professors' table, Felix finished the last sip of his seafood soup and paused, his gaze sweeping over the hundreds of flickering jack-o'-lanterns and the bats flapping around the ceiling, finally settling on the restless young wizards.
He could easily sense the anxious mood in the Great Hall, a skill he had learned from the Dementors.
"A bit overwhelming", he muttered.
Flitwick gave him a curious look, withdrawing his hand and losing interest in the bowl of seafood soup in front of Felix.
Today, the professors' table had one more person than yesterday—Mr. Barty Crouch, looking pale, hurriedly ate a few bites of his shepherd's pie before leaning back in his chair, appearing distracted, in stark contrast to the animated Ludo Bagman beside him.
"... When I was with the Wasp Team, I always received a pile of flowers after each match, and even from foreign fans... which country? I don't know... I don't recognize them, just a long list of names. I guess they were female fans, the notes had a scent of perfume... If Barty were here, he could translate for me, right?"
Bagman turned to look at Crouch, who scowled and grunted.
"Oh, Barty, you don't look well. Maybe you should take some time to rest..."
"I'll consider it", Crouch said unenthusiastically. Despite his poor appearance, he had meticulously groomed himself, his clothes perfectly wrinkle-free, much like the style of the Ilvermorny Headmaster.
Most of the students had finished their meals, and under the expectant gazes of the crowd, Dumbledore stood up.
He waved his wand, and the Great Hall was plunged into darkness. The Goblet of Fire, which had been moved to the front of the professors' table, suddenly burst into bright flames, the blue and white fire turning into a dazzling red, sparks flying everywhere.
A parchment, half charred, flew out.
"The first champion from Durmstrang", he said in a clear and powerful voice, "is Viktor Krum."
The Great Hall erupted in applause as Krum stood up and, guided by Professor Mcgonagall, turned into the room beside the Great Hall.
"There's still hope, two more spots!" the Durmstrang student next to him cheered himself on.
After a moment, another parchment flew out.
"Durmstrang, Auls Poliakoff", Dumbledore read.
The boy who had just spoken was overjoyed, shouting, "I knew it!" He stood up, waving his fists wildly and nearly tripping over the table, causing the Durmstrang Headmaster to huff in displeasure.
Next came the third Durmstrang champion—
"Durmstrang, Adim Buvik."
Dumbledore wiped his eyes, speaking with emotion. "How touching! The three champions will stand together, fighting for the honor of their school..."
For a considerable amount of time, the Goblet of Fire continued to release signed parchments, selecting the champions from the remaining four schools.
"Beauxbatons, Fleur Delacour—
Jacqueline Bourgeoise—
François Lafontaine."
The three Beauxbatons champions walked to the room next to the Great Hall, but the students' minds were in a whirl, still stuck on the moment when the girl who looked like a Veela stood up.
Fleur elegantly tossed her shiny silver hair and walked with a light step between the two tables, like a fairy...
It was easy to predict that this image would be etched in the minds of many students, never to be forgotten.
"Next, the champions from Ilvermorny, Victor Percy Graves—
Ann Reyn—
and the third champion, Byers Bach."
Byers stood up, beaming, and was escorted by the cheers of the Gryffindor students into the small room next to the Great Hall.
"Finally, the champion from Wagadu, Lashaun Alifendi—
Nona Lebert—
Panagiotis Brandzig."
The warriors from Wagadu stood up. Instead of following the previous procedure and acting individually, they waited until all three were chosen before leaving together.
The Hogwarts students watched their backs—among the two wizards, one was tall and muscular, looking like a walking wall. He was at least a foot taller than Cedric, who was already considered quite tall among Hogwarts students. The other had an eagle-like hairstyle, and while not small, he seemed like a dwarf next to the towering figure beside him.
The only female among the three was as tall as Fleur, but her body exuded a powerful presence. In the not-so-warm weather, she wore a thin leopard-skin cloak.
"Finally, the warrior from Hogwarts", Dumbledore said cheerfully, reading the name from the piece of parchment that the Goblet of Fire had spit out: "Cedric Diggory—"
"Oh no!" Ron exclaimed loudly. Fortunately, only Harry and Hermione heard him. The neighboring table erupted in cheers, almost lifting the roof, and Dumbledore had to pause with the second piece of parchment, waiting for the noise to subside. During this wait, a third piece of parchment shot out with a burst of flame.
"The second and third warriors are Roger Davis and Collins Flynn. Let's give them a round of applause." He read out the remaining two names in one breath.
The applause was deafening, and the Gryffindors clapped along, though they felt a bit out of place. None of the three chosen warriors were from Gryffindor, and this made it hard for them to be genuinely happy.
When the commotion died down, Dumbledore smiled and said, "Very well, please have the last three warriors join the others in the room next to the Great Hall for a short rest. I am pleased to announce that the Goblet of Fire has completed its task. Now, I believe everyone will support their school's warriors and contribute to the success of this event—"
He suddenly paused, as the Goblet of Fire, which should have gone out, blazed again, casting a fiery glow on his face.
A piece of parchment flew out, and he instinctively caught it, glancing down. After a brief moment of silence, he cleared his throat and loudly read—
"Harry Potter."
There was no cheering; the Great Hall fell silent. Gradually, a murmur began, and all eyes turned to Harry, including those of his classmates, who looked at him with disbelief.
"I didn't put my name in", Harry said blankly, looking at Ron and Hermione. "You know I didn't. I've been with you the whole time."
Hermione's mouth hung open, her eyes wide. Ron managed a strained smile, "We've been together the whole time. Congratulations, Harry."
"This isn't about congratulations!" Harry shouted, his voice echoing through the Great Hall.
On the other side, Professor Mcgonagall hurriedly stood up from her seat, tripping over Felix as she passed, "Be careful, Minerva", he said. But Mcgonagall paid no attention, rushing to Dumbledore's side and speaking urgently.
Dumbledore said seriously, "I know, Minerva, but..." He raised his voice, holding up the half-burned piece of parchment, "Harry Potter, please go to the room next to the Great Hall."
Harry stumbled to his feet, looking at the astonished faces around him, feeling out of place. He walked to Dumbledore, who nodded and pointed him in the right direction. As he took a few steps, he heard a collective gasp behind him.
He turned sharply, just as incredulously as everyone else, to look at the Goblet of Fire, which had turned red again. After the first mistake, a second had followed.
It must be broken, Harry thought. This rotten wooden cup must be malfunctioning. Maybe a third unfortunate person will be called out next.
Dumbledore swiftly grabbed the piece of parchment and read the name in a deep voice, "Hermione Granger."
A cry of shock rose from the Gryffindor table. Hermione covered her mouth, unable to believe her ears. But at that moment, everyone's gaze was fixed on the Goblet of Fire, a strange anticipation rising within them.
Even Dumbledore felt the same, silently watching the Goblet, his half-moon spectacles reflecting a deep, unfathomable blue.
Harry remained in place, the blue-white fire blurring his vision, but he forced himself to keep looking, as if he could see through the wooden cup to the last piece of parchment ready to be drawn.
Finally—
Dumbledore caught the high-flying piece of parchment and, in the profound and solemn silence of the Great Hall, read calmly, "Ron Weasley."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
