A Memorable Tale

42 | Thestrals

Harry warily approached the front and some people murmured about him, while other blatantly called him a cheater.

"That git!" Michael spat.

"Don't say that," I snapped, back handing his arm.

"He put his name in when he wasn't allowed!"

"No he didn't!" I pointed. "First of all, Ron and Hermione already look surprised - he tells them everything. Secondly, he looked surprised, meaning that even he didn't know that this could be an outcome. And finally, Dumbledore looks confused. Have you ever seen Dumbledore look confused?"

Michael shook his head. "No... I guess not."

"Besides, I was watching almost the entire time, and I didn't see him put it in." I squinted, watching the teachers bustle into the next chamber. "Something's wrong."

I stood up and ran out of the room. "Helena!" I began calling. "Helena!"

She drifted through one of the walls and tilted her head. "What is it?"

"Is it possible for there to be two champions from the same school during the Triwizard Tournament?"

Her brow furrowed. "No. It has never happened before."

"It happened with Harry!"

Her furrowed brows now raised. "How is that possible? I thought that underage wizards were not allowed to enter."

"They're not! Even he doesn't know how he entered - I know he didn't put his name in!"

"Even if he did, the goblet never chooses four champions." Helena placed her hand on her chin. "Curious. I shall look into it."

"I will as well."

•••

I spotted Cedric walking through the hall on patrol as a prefect and I called out, "Ced!"

He turned and his brows shot up. "Y/N! How did you-"

"There's no time!"

I moved to the girl's lavatory and dragged him inside, shutting the door behind me. "Ced, did Harry put his name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"Well..." he trailed off. "He said no, but-"

"Then he didn't. There's never been a fourth champion, let alone two from the same school! Not only that, but I was literally watching people put their names in the goblet, no one underage managed to get past the Age Line! Not without a beard and grey hair, that is."

I combed a hand through my hair and paced around the room.

"It has to be connected."

"What does?"

"This and the Dark Mark!" I dug my hand into my bag and pulled out The Fall of Dark Magic. "It hasn't been seen in 13 years and suddenly, at a game that Harry goes to, as a tournament that has had such a high death toll reappears, it's back and Harry Potter's name is put in the Goblet of Fire."

I thought back for a moment.

"Bertha Jorkins, she went missing ages ago, she would've known about the tournament and the World Cup."

"But, why would they do it with so many people around?"

"No one would bat an eye if someone died in the Triwizard Tournament! Whoever put his name in the Goblet of Fire is trying to kill Harry, who knows what they'd try to do? People might get caught in the crossfire of it, they might sabotage the competition and you'll get hurt and die!"