"What can we do for you, Professor?" Harry asked the little man, as he closed the door. "The Headmaster requests your presence in the Great Hall for the feast, Mister Potter," he replied.
"The Headmaster can kiss my arse, Professor," Harry bluntly replied. "The only feasts mandatory for students to attend are the sorting and leaving feasts. I have no intention for either myself or my bondmates to get anywhere near that accursed Goblet."
With a curious expression back, the Professor asked, "You honestly believe your name is going to be chosen, don't you, Mister Potter?"
With a knee-jerk snort for an immediate reaction Harry cast an amused look back and replied, "The thirty first of October? Do you need a reminder? And, just a bloody age line?"
The Professor looked back, a little amused.
"The Headmaster has more than adequately demonstrated he hasn't taken my warnings to heart, Professor," sighed Harry. "So, the only thing I can do is stay as far away from that... thing... as possible, and hope for the best."
"Then, I shall let him know precisely that, Mister Potter," said the Professor, before he turned around and left.
The three ate their dinner within the apartment, and used the time to go over how Harry was going to give his vow the next night.
They were not bothered by any other staff member for the rest of the night. That night, the girls cuddled into Harry and helped him sleep. But, the next morning, they had to face the day.
Of course, they knew the Goblet was now resting on its stand in the Entrance Hall almost directly outside the doors to the Great Hall. In their formation, the three walked down the last flight of stairs, making sure everyone there saw them coming - and giving the Goblet a wide birth - before entering the Great Hall for breakfast.
As they were about to walk in, Malfoy - who had just climbed the stairs from the dungeons - called out, "Nice little scene you created last night, Potter. What're you going to do for an encore?" "How about ending the Malfoy line?" Harry shot back over his shoulder. Without even a pause, he continued on into the Great Hall.
As the three were about to walk in through the doors, they heard the hated voice of faux-Moody. "Oh, no you don't, laddie!"
There was a sudden flash of spell fire. All three dropped and spun with wands drawn. And saw faux-Moody bouncing a white ferret off the walls and floor with a hovering charm or something.
"Oh, I forgot about that," chuckled Harry.
"Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret," snickered Hermione.
As they rose back up from their 'combat' crouches, the three turned back to the Great Hall as Professor McGonagall's voice rang out in the Entrance Hall. "Alastor? Is that a student? What are you doing?"
"Teaching!" roared faux-Moody.
The three, laughing, walked over and sat at the Ravenclaw table. "Good morning, Luna," sniggered Hermione.
"Good morning," the younger blonde replied. "I take it Professor Moody transfigured Draco Malfoy into a ferret?"
Stunned enough to stop snickering, Daphne asked, "How in Merlin's name do you know that? There's no way you can see out into the Entrance Hall from where you're sitting!"
"The nargles told me," she calmly replied.
When Daphne, confused, was about to speak again, Harry just placed his hand on the back of hers to get her attention. When she looked at him, he just smiled and shook his head. She didn't ask whatever it was she was going to ask.
Harry and the girls made sure Harry was never seen anywhere near the Goblet. Whenever he had to pass it, such as getting into and out of the Great Hall, they ensured he gave it a wide berth.
On Halloween night, the three made sure to sit as far away from the Goblet as possible. It had once more been moved, and now stood just before the head table on the dais. It's blue flames adding light to the multitude of candles hovering in the air above the tables. Harry reviewed the oath in his mind he knew he would soon be making.
After the feast, the three waited with the rest of the school, together with the students and staff of the two visiting schools, for the time when the Goblet would spit out the names of the competitors.
After the feast, Dumbledore rose to his feet, walked around the head table, and stood next to the Goblet on it's tall stand. He told how the Goblet would momentarily spit out the names of the chosen champions. And waited a few moments.
As if on cue, the flames of the Goblet flared and turned red. The first name out was Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons. The second was Victor Krum for Durmstrang. And the third was Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts. As each name was called, the selected champion would walk to the door leading to the antechamber off behind the head table.
After Diggory's name was selected, and the recently of-age young man made his way to the door to the antechamber, Dumbledore began to speak about how the three champions would be the representatives of their schools. Suddenly, the flames, once more, flared and turned red.
Harry groaned and dropped his chin to his chest as the girls each squeezed his hands in their own.
When Dumbledore snatched the small piece of parchment out of the air he looked down at the name upon it in shock. There were a few moments of hesitation before he softly called out, "Harry Potter!"
Harry began banging his forehead off the table before him as the other students and the staff began animatedly whispering between themselves. A little louder this time, the Headmaster again called out, "HARRY POTTER!"
With a big sigh, Harry slowly stood in spot, as the muttering died out. "I bloody told you, Albus Dumbledore! I warned you! And, did you listen? No. And, why? Because the great and almighty Albus freakin' Dumbledore knows all!"
With a shake of his head, Harry popped his wand into his hand and held it crossing his chest slightly to point at his heart. Clearly, he stated, "I, Harry James Potter, swear on my magic, my life and my very soul that I did not submit my name to the Goblet of Fire; nor did I arrange for another to do it for me. It is my belief someone has used this opportunity to submit my name against my wishes to do or cause me harm. I have no desire, in any form, to be a competitor in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. As I say, so I swear!" There was a flash of magic emanating from Harry's magic. As he stood between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables he cast a massive shower of sparks from his wand, which arced through the air towards the head table, falling short.
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