Quite a few heads first turned to see where he was indicating, and then looked to the skies, themselves.
"Wow, Harry!" exclaimed one of the third year Ravenclaws. "No wonder you play Seeker!" Very quickly, the entire school watched as the carriage flew closer. Turning to where he knew it would land, Harry watched as Hagrid lit the red flares to show the carriage were to land, while also waving with one in each hand.
In a long out wide bank, the Pegasus-drawn carriage swung about in a one-eighty degree turn before landing with an almost-crash between the rows of flares. Hagrid quickly moved to steady the beasts as the carriage door opened.
First to alight was a young boy, who jumped out, before turning around and lowering steps into place. Madam Maxime, bent almost double to fit through the low door, was next out. Dumbledore had already hurried over to offer his arm and shoulder to assist the much taller lady to the ground. After watching the Beauxbatons Headmistress alight from the carriage, Harry turned his attention back to the lake. However, even he was beaten to the cry when Lee Jordan's voice rang out.
"The lake!" cried the dreadlocked boy.
As the whirlpool signifying where the ship would rise from within spun faster and faster, everyone watched as the main mast with it's solitary crows' nest appeared. Then came the fore and mizzen masts. And, finally, the fo'c'sle with it's jutting bowsprit. Quickly, the ship rose the last few feet before the whirlpool suddenly collapsed, leaving the ship bobbing gently on the surface.
Again, Dumbledore hurried down - this time, to the edge of the lake - as students or crew on board the ship levitated a large gangway out from the ship's railing to rest one end on the shore. Dumbledore had just made it down when Karkaroff's feet reached the bank.
While he was greeting the Headmaster of Durmstrang, Professor McGonagall caught the attention of the rest of the staff and the students, and chivvied everyone inside.
Sitting in the Great Hall and welcoming the representatives of the two schools, Harry and the girls stayed sitting across from Luna.
Seating at the table was a little tight, with the students from Beauxbatons electing again - to sit at the Ravenclaw table. Harry didn't mind, as it meant his bondmates got to sit even closer to him than normal. Dumbledore ran through the same spiel about the Goblet of Fire, and had Caretaker Filch bring it in and to the dais. The Headmaster uncrated it with a tap of his wand, and saw to it being lit. Then came the part Harry was waiting for - Dumbledore's plans to ensure Harry's name would not come out of it.
Once Dumbledore ran through how he was setting an age line in place to ensure only those students of-age could enter, with no other 'protections', Harry rose from the table and glared, fuming, at the old man.
Dumbledore saw Harry stand and turned his attention to the boy. The look he received back was filled with fury and loathing.
"Yes, Harry?" asked Dumbledore.
"That's it, Headmaster?" Harry shot back. "Just a simple age line?"
Taken back a bit, Dumbledore replied, "Err... I assure you, Mister Potter; it will be sufficient."
Without a word, Harry bent down to his bondmates and quietly said, "I'm going back to the apartment. As I suspected, the old fool has done nothing."
"But, Harry;" tried Hermione. "What about the feast?"
"I'll have Dobby organise a meal for me," he replied.
"We're coming, too," interrupted Daphne. She turned to Hermione and said, "You know what this means. Our bondmate needs our support. Are you coming?" With a frustrated sigh, Hermione joined Daphne in rising and stepping away from the Ravenclaw table to join Harry. And, without another word, all three made their way towards the doors.
"Mister Potter... ladies... where are you going?" called Dumbledore.
Harry turned about and shot back, "Away from you, Headmaster. And as far away from that accursed artefact as I can get. An age line, Headmaster? That's it? I thought you took serious my fears of my name coming out of that thing. Clearly, I was wrong." And he turned back around, walking out the doors with his bondmates in their usual formation.
He knew it would cause a lot of gossip among the students, including the two visiting schools, but it was what he wanted. He wanted to make sure everyone knew he had no interest in being a competitor in the tournament.
Once up in the apartment, Harry called Dobby and had the hyper little elf bring the three of them a decent evening repast. Talking to both, he said, "He's done nothing different. It's just the bloody age line!"
"Easy, Harry," soothed Daphne. "We know what he did last time; but, he doesn't. It's highly probable he believes the age line will be more than sufficient to stop your name coming out."
"He can't be that much of a fool," he shot back. "Even to a... dunderhead... the easiest way around it is for someone else of-age to drop the name in. He's over one hundred years old, for Merlin's sake! He can't be that daft!" "You think he actually wants your name to be drawn?" asked Hermione, a little shocked.
"Yeah, I do," muttered Harry. "It would be just another way to try and draw Riddle out into the open. He desperately wants everyone to know he's right, that 'Voldemort' will return. He's that desperate he's willing to dangle me out there as bait. I just didn't want to believe he was so cold-hearted."
"John didn't tell you?" asked Daphne.
"No, not about this," he replied. "I think he must've thought he'd upset me enough."
Turning back to both of them, he asked, "What about Della and Roma?"
Daphne shook her head as Hermione replied, "No. Nothing about the Goblet." Collapsing into one of the couches, Harry was about to say something when there was a knock on the door from the statue.
Rising again, he went to the door and opened it. Professor Flitwick stood on the other side.
Stepping back to clear the doorway, Harry invited the little Professor inside with a gesture.
.
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