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"Oh, hey Harry," Cedric greeted him as he entered the room, "What brings you here?" The other school champions also turned to look at him with curious expressions on their faces.
"Don't even get started with that?" Harry sighed as he glanced around the room.
He saw that the room he went into from the door out of the Great Hall and found himself was lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite him. There was also some furniture laid out to take some seats on and refreshments were also brought out.
The faces in the portraits turned to look at him as he entered. He saw a wizened witch flit out of the frame of her picture and into the one next to it, which contained a wizard with a walrus mustache. The wizened witch started whispering in his ear. The other school champions were grouped around the fire to keep warm during this late autumn bringing with it its seeping chills.
Fleur Delacour looked around when Harry walked in and threw back her sheet of long, silvery hair.
"What is it?" she asked. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?" She thought he had come to deliver a message. Harry didn't know how to explain what had just happened. He just stood there,
looking at the champion.
There was a sound of scurrying feet behind him, and Ludo Bagman entered the room. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward.
"Extraordinary!" he shouted as Harry could see the real life excitement on his face as he was the one who had his name come out of the Goblet of fire. "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen ladies," he called addressing the other champions. "May I introduce to all of you — incredible as it may seem — the 12th Triwizard champion!"
There was a varying mix of expressions on everyone's face as they took in the news, some looked surprised, others nonplussed, and a few even narrowed their eyes at him as they took him in.
Her royal highness, Catherine III, snorted as she tossed her hair and spoke up, "Oh, verrry funny, Mister Bagman, you must be a komedian herrre in the Magikal Isles."
"Ha, a joke?" Bagman repeated with a chuckle. "No, no, not at all, my dear! Harry's name really did just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"
"Evidently zair 'as been a mistake," Fleur frowned. " 'E cannot compete. zair can't be 12 champions seence zair isn't 12 school, zair is only 11."
"Well it is amazing," Bagman laughed out loud, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name's come out of the goblet, I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage. It's down in the rules, you're obliged Harry and you will just have to make the best out of it."
Silence reigned throughout the whole room as everyone processed that, Harry had nothing to really say since he all but just gave up at this point.
"Now that is most perturbatory," James Turner spoke up as he stared at him with a piece of lens.
"So how did you do it?" Ali Abbassid smiled at him, obviously curious to know how he broke the rules.
"I didn't," Harry answer with a shrug.
The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by the other schoolmasters, and Dolores Umbridge. Harry heard the buzzing of the thousands of students on the other side of the wall and he could see the Professors trying to settle them down, before the door closed behind.
"This is unacceptable," Umbridge was shouting as she came inside, from how her toad like face twisted up he could tell her blood pressure was on the rise. "How can we let this go on! It is our duty to...."
"You are correct, Ms. Umbridge," Dumbledore suddenly cut her off and then agreed with her which had her quickly smiling. "It is our duty to make the best out of this unforeseen circumstance and do our best to see this tournament runs smoothly as can be."
"That is not what I mea-...." the toad like woman tried to say, but Dumbledore just ignored her as if he didn't hear her complaint or really just didn't want to listen to her tale on and on.
"This smells of a plot," Lucas Santos, Headmaster of Castelobruxo noted.
Catching the wizard's assumption Harry paused and thought over it, could this be the plot of Barty Jr. that Voldermort set him upon. Were they hoping that he would die in the tournament?
No that could be it from what he recalled of Barty memories;
'Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son. Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master. Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe.'
It was clear that Voldermort was set on getting his blood since he seem to think he was his worst foe. So if that was the case who did put his name into the Goblet of Fire add into all of this.
Shaking his head, he thought to himself, villains and their convoluted plans. Why did they had to make everything ridiculously complicated. Why did they gave to go through so many loops to see their plans actualized?
It would have been so easy for Voldemort to get his blood already if he really wanted to and thought of things in a clear logical way. He already had a man on the inside the entire time (Barty Crouch disguised as Mad-Eye Moody), so why couldn't have Barty kidnap him?
Sighing Harry had his own little theory why the man was suffering from logical mishaps, at this point after fragmenting his soul so many times he must have lost all rationality and acting on just pure instinct. And his followers weren't any help as they gave themselves to dark magic and become nothing more than outlets for it at this point.
All in all, Voldemort was just nothing more than an unhinged, insane man at this — more akin to a rabid animal that needs to be put down once and for all.
"Whatever is the case, I promise I will get to the bottom of it," Dumbledore promised, "already I noticed Harry's name has been entered under a fake school which explains why we have a 12th champion when there is clearly only 11 schools participating."
"That does explain things," Zhuan Hui, Headmaster of Shanghai stroked his long white beard, "we did always leave the goblet open to allow new schools in."
"Very ingenious," Ekuseni Khaya Headmistress of Uagadou noted.
"Still, it must have been a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet," Kaya Nita pointed out in a near whisper.
"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" Madame Maxime asked, throwing up her huge hands.
"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" spoke up Ekuseni Khaya Headmistress of Uagadou. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only 11 schools compete in the tournament."
"Yes, well there isn't anything we can do at this point. We have no choice but to accept it," Dumbledore sagely advice.
Harry felt like laughing out loud at his shitty advice, that was easy for him to say because of course, he wasn't in his shoes. And they sure as well weren't that comfortable. There really were days he wished he wasn't just him.
"Well, shall we crack on, then?" Dumbledore declared out loud rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. Turning to the tournament masters, he called out, "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Umbridge, want to do the honors?" Dolores Umbridge seemed to come out of a deep reverie, one that wasn't really too happy as she glared at everyone in turn especially at him who she seem to hate with all her will.
"Yes," she said, quickly collecting herself and putting on a false smile. "Instructions. Yes, the first task..." she moved forward into the firelight and turn to face everyone with her notepad in hand.
"The first task is designed to test your bravery," she told the school champions, who were all listening up at this point. "So we will not be disclosing what the trail is," she said as she seem to take great joy in that, "Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard or witch," she added.
"Now, the first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges which are made up of the Schoolmasters.
"The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their Headmasters or mistress to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands and wit. 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."
That addition seem to pain her more than anything, but she seem to take great joy in the lost expressions on the champions. They were basically going into the first trial blind, and no one liked it one bit.
Someone was brave enough to speak as they all turned to Sílvia Santos who had a very feisty personality, "Would dat me all, meha?"
Umbridge simply just ignored her and turned to look at Dumbledore. "I think that will be all, Albus!"
"Really?" the old man asked as he looking at Ludo Bagman with mild concern who simply just shrugged his shoulders. "Then would you like to stay at Hogwarts tonight? I am sure rooms can be provided."
"No, Albus, I must get back to the Ministry," Umbridge voiced. "I must tell the Minster these irregularities...."
"Come on, Umbridge, I'm staying!" Bagman spoke up brightly. "It's all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!"
Looking at the man in disgust, she simply answered, "I have work to do not time to dilly dally."
"Wouldn't we all wished you were out of here sooner," Harry whispered under his breath. The person next to him, Hinako Miya caught his mutterance and couldn't help herself from laughing out loud.
Umbridge turned her eyes on her and then looked to the schoolmasters, "I best be leaving now!"
Seeing her off no one really missed her presence in the least bit, Dumbledore turned to the gathering at large and asked, "Would a nightcap before bed sound excellent?"
But the schoolmasters were already speaking to their respected school champions as a multitude of countless tongues filled the room from Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, French, Arabic, and so forth.
Swifty they had put their arm around their student's shoulders and were leading them swiftly out of the room. They gave their goodbyes as they left all most likely taking ideas for the coming first trial. It wasn't long before only four occupants were left in the room.
"I wouldn't mind some cookies and milk before bed," Ludo voiced.
"Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed," said Dumbledore, 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."
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Harry got a shock to find himself facing the Fat Lady already. He had barely noticed where his feet were carrying him. It was also a surprise to see that she was not alone in her frame.
A wizened witch who he had caught sight of in the room where the school champions had gathered to await their instructions on the first trail now flitted into her the Fat Lady's painting where she now sitting smugly beside the Fat Lady as all the other occupants were focusing solely on her.
She must have dashed through every picture lining seven staircases to reach here before him. Both she and the Fat Lady looking down at him with interest in their eyes as he came forward.
"Well, well, well," said the Fat Lady, "Violet's just told everyone what happened. Who would have thought aye, school champion, huh?"
"Balderdash," said Harry dully ignoring all the eyes on him as the occupants in their portraits stared at him with interest in their eyes.
"It most certainly isn't!" said the pale witch indignantly.
"No, no, Vi, it's the password," said the Fat Lady soothingly, and she swung forward on her hinges to let Harry into the common room.
"Best of luck," the Fat Lady called out as the blast of noise hit him full on as his ears had to take a moment to adjust when the portrait swung open.
Before he could even do that, the next thing he knew, he was being pulled 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've told us you'd entered!" bellowed Fred; he looked half annoyed, half deeply impressed.
"How did you do it without getting a beard? Brilliant!" roared George.
"I didn't...." Harry tried to say but he was swamped by more and more people as they crowded around him.
"How did you do it mate!" someone shouted through all the hubhub.
Angelina had now swooped down upon him; "Oh if it couldn't be me, at least it's a Gryffindor!"
"You'll be able to pay back Diggory for that last Quidditch match, Harry!" shrieked Katie Bell, another of the Gryffindor Chasers.
"We've got food, Harry, come and have some" someone called to him.
"I'm not really hungry," Harry tried to say which really wasn't true but he just wanted to be far away from here. He didn't know why he even came here, he could have just gone straight to his private rooms and could have avoided all this.
But Harry wasn't a coward, he knew he would have to face his housemates and the school at large.
Still nobody wanted to hear what he had to say, nobody wanted to hear that he hadn't put his name in the goblet, nobody even to seem to notice he wasn't in the mood to celebrate.
Some one had unearthed a Gryffindor banner from somewhere, and they insisted on draping it around Harry like a cloak. 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.
"ENOUGH!" Harry shouted as his voice seem to take on a more draconic tone that cut through all the noise.
Everyone froze in place and stared at him, seeing he had their attention."I just made a sacred magical oath in the Great Hall right now. I did not enter my name nor have someone else do it for me. All this is just crazy talk, I never wanted this, I...."
"Yeah like we would believe that," a snide voice called out, this time everyone's attention turned to a frowning Ron who really just couldn't hide his jealousy and his two new so called friends; Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas.
"Oh, really?" Harry asked as he folding his arm before his chest speaking to him as if he was in the presence of a little mentally slow child.
Even with how thick headed he was Ron was able to pick up his tone as he turned red just like his hair and snapped, "Yea, I just think you are doing this to get the attention. Wasn't enough for the boy-who-lived, huh, you just needed to put the tournament in your bag."
"Is that all you are good for, yapping like a little dog?" Harry asked, sneering at him as if he saw him nothing more than a nuisance before his eyes.
"Ron," Hermione stepped forward as she shoved her way past through the gathered crowd, clearly wanting to put an end to this. "Stop being an idiot and shut up. Harry made a magical vow for god sakes."
"Oh, and her is miss smarty pants," Ron jeered to which his new friends laughed behind him. "Can't keep your opinions to yourself can you, have to butt into other people's business like always!"
"You know I just had about enough of you," Harry growled as his eyes light up with fury, no one made fun of his women. He might be a free game but if you messed with what was his... then you can kiss yourself goodbye.
"Oww," Ron shivered as Seamus, and Dean laughed even louder. "What is the big bad boy-who-lived going to do to me?!"
"This," Harry simply answered as he held out his Lordship ring before everyone, it quickly changed from the Potter coats of arms to the Gryffindor.
"By the power invested in me as heir to the Gryffindor founder, I Harry James Potter-Black now hereby remove you from the Gryffindor House. You Ronald Weasley have shown that you are nothing more than a coward and an envious git, you do not have the traits of daring, nerve, and chivalry that are found in this house.
Thus I am kicking you out of this House and you shall never step within these walls ever again or call yourself a member of this honorable House. LEAVE NOW!" he shouted as the winds themselves stirred and Ron was picked off his feet and sent right through a wall and out of the common room.
Silence, absolute silence reigned in the room as no one even moved or breathed for a long while.
Harry however quickly broke it as he said, "I am going to my bed, see you all tomorrow morning!"
Causing him to trip up as he took his exit was lavender brown whispering breathlessly in the silence, "Isn't my Hubby the most badass!"