Fred and George stood just by the line that Dumbledore had drawn while everyone else watched on in utmost fascination at how they'd cross the line that had so strictly kept everyone under the age of seventeen out.
"You really think you'll be able to get across that line with just an ageing potion?" Loki asked Fred and George as they had their arms interlinked with the potion for each other.
"You have much to learn my young follower!" Fred said in a wise tone.
"You must not know that the biggest of them all fall for the simplest of tricks!" George completed.
Loki just smiled while shaking his head as he looked at Fred and George with a smile as he sat back with Hermione who was already writing an article on the twins' attempt to cross the line.
"You think anyone will want to read that?" Loki asked since he was pretty sure the news about the twins' failure to cross the line would've spread throughout the school once they were kicked out of the ring like everyone else before they had tried.
"I know it will because I looked through the feedback we got about the newspaper at the end of last year." Hermione said without looking at Loki as she watched the twins down their potions carefully, afraid to miss a single moment.
"Would you have participated in the Triwizard tournament if the age limit was lower?" Loki asked sitting down beside Hermione.
"No. Why would I do something so dangerous? I have nothing to prove to anyone else. I'm happy the way I am."
"Not even for a thousand galleons?"
"...if the age limit was lower it would mean the competition would not be as dangerous."
Pfffttt
Loki nearly snorted the iced tea he was drinking and had to place it away to watch as the twins started to grow white hairs and long silky beards as their ageing potion took effect.
Within mere moments, the twins looked like they had grown old together like a pair of swans.
The twins looked at everyone and jumped into the ring of protection that Dumbledore had set up, and to everyone's surprise, they stayed within it for long enough to be able to cheer about it.
"YAAAAAAII-"
Except once they began to cheer, it was as if the ring took offence to it and tossed them out with an invisible force.
Fred and George both flew out of the ring at high speeds until they hit the wall on the opposite end of the hall and fainted from a concussion.
Lee Jordan rushed towards them and cast 'Renervate' so that they'd wake up from their impromptu sleep while Hermione just sighed and began to continue writing her article.
"What're you going to title it anyway?"
Hermione's hands paused as she thought for a few seconds before saying, "'A Tale of Two Brothers' or maybe, 'The Unbreached Ring.'"
Loki shrugged his shoulders and watched as several other students from all three schools came and dropped their names into the goblet of fire throughout the day.
"Who do you think's going to represent Hogwarts?"
"I think it'll be Cedric Diggory.", Hermione said without thinking much.
"And you Daphne? Who do you think it's going to be?"
"Same."
"I see. Then I'll ask him for a couple of his pictures later tonight." Loki nodded and left classroom 2-21 to go to the library and finish his homework.
The next day with the Hogwarts Honest Mill fueling the fire of gossip everyone waited with bated breaths at their tables in the Great Hall.
The flame of the Goblet of Fire was flickering and buzzing occasionally, sending out sparks and embers like it was eager to reveal the names of the champions it had chosen.
"Good evening students!" Dumbledore said with excitement as he stepped up to the eagle podium in the centre of the teacher's table.
"I would like to introduce to you the two extra judges the Ministry of Magic has sent to judge the Triwizard Tournament that is about to begin!"
"I must remind you that they are not only the judges but also some of the key important figures that have helped bring this new Triward Tournament this far."
"The first person from the left is the current head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation, Mister Barty Crouch Senior-"
'Why does he look like someone's killed his wife?'
Clap Clap
"And the second person needs no introduction from someone like me, Mister Ludo Bagman! A retired professional Quidditch player! And the current Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."
'And why does he look like a professional gambler?'
Clap Clap
Loki joined in for the claps and looked at Dumbledore who was now standing and waiting for everyone to quieten down.
It took a few seconds but the applause soon died out, especially because of how Barty Crouch Senior was glaring at them like they all owed him their lives or something.
"Along with the great reveal of our champions today, we will also have a short award ceremony for brave students in our school that helped protect everyone from dark wizards-"
'Oh shit! He's going to give us the Merlin Medals now!'
'Mione will be pissed that she has to write a quick article now.'
Everyone grew into whispers as they looked around for Harry Potter, the person who was talked about the most in the Daily Prophet after the incident with the 'Dark Wizards'.
But Dumbledore's eyes landed on Loki.
Loki looked at him with a clear frown since if he'd known that he was going to get an award today, he might've dressed better.
As if understanding this, Dumbledore winked at Loki before Loki saw his dress suddenly change and morph into an elegant three-piece suit.
'Mother of Merlin!!!!'
The spook was enough for Loki to feel his nerves twitch in fright before Dumbledore raised his voice and spoke loudly once again.
"Let us start with the youngest and the ever-beautiful- Luna Lovegood!"
The hall was silent for a few seconds before everyone on the Ravenclaw table realised that Luna was from their house and began to clap loudly when she stood up.
Luna was clearly uncomfortable with the sudden amount of attention she was getting, but she managed to keep her eyes on the goal as she walked up to Dumbledore who kindly stood aside and allowed Barty Crouch Sr. to present the award to Luna.
A stray camera man popped up from some dark corner before snapping plenty of pictures before moving out of sight.
Once the silence returned, Dumbledore stepped up again and introduced-
"The student that needs no introduction, the owner of our beloved Hogwarts Honest Mill, and the student that is popular for his accurate divinations- Loki!!!"
Loki stood up in one swift motion and walked up to Dumbledore where Barty Crouch Sr. took the stage and held a velvety box along with Loki that had a golden medal inside it.
The medal felt heavy to Loki and his instincts clearly recognised its value. But he managed to keep a straight face, especially after Barty Crouch Sr. handed him a coin purse that felt like it was filled to the brim with money.
Loki's eyes fell on Hermione who was slightly frightened at being reminded about the night, before they curiously landed on Daphne who softly directed her stare away from Loki when she realised he was looking.
Loki saw all the students applaud and his mind started thinking about something else-
'Wouldn't the students and the audience of the Triwizard Tournament be a great audience for an advancement ritual?'
'....wait a second…what if 'Adam' plans to use this audience to improve Harry's digestion?'
After the three hundred or so pictures the camera man took of Loki, he was allowed to walk back to his seat and watch the show proceed once again under the commendations from several Slytherin who gave him a secretive nod after they spotted Malfoy fuming on the sidelines.
"Good for you." Fleur said as she whispered to Loki after she saw the clunky 'prize' money he was given.
Astoria on the side whispered to Loki softly, "See, she's a gold digger. Daphne's nothing like that. We have plenty of money. Enough for a hundred generations deep and broad."
Loki felt like laughing but seeing Daphne stabbing her fork into her steak while glaring at Astoria, Loki shut up and turned to look at Dumbledore.
"And now for the champions of the Triwizard Tournament!"
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