The next day, Harry, Niamh, and Ginny had to push, shove, and even hex their way into the Great Hall.  By the time they’d eaten breakfast, they found Ron and Hermione entering the Hall, Ron grinning in amusement.  Harry grabbed a piece of toast and left Niamh and Ginny to finish eating as he wandered over to where Ron and Hermione had sat down at the almost empty Gryffindor table.

“Hey, mates,” said Harry, jumping up onto the table beside Ron’s plate.  “What was so amusing?”

Ron grinned and replied, “Oh, it was priceless.  Fred and George took an Aging Potion and tried to cross the Age Line.  They ended up with very nice beards!”

Harry laughed, spraying out toast crumbs on Angelina Johnson, one of the Gryffindor Chaser’s.  He winced and swallowed the rest before grinning in embarrassment at her.

“Sorry, Angelina.  Ron was just talking about the twins very nice beards.”

Angelina smiled at him and brushed crumbs off her shirt.  She and Harry had always gotten along, even though they did tend to end up spilling things on each other.

“S’alright, Harry.  I’ve had worse from the twins.”

“Did you enter your name, Angelina?” asked Hermione.

“Just now,” replied Angelina.

“Better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory,” said Seamus as he walked up.  He looked at Harry sitting on the table and added, “Come to join us?”

“Just for a moment,” replied Harry.  “And leave Cedric be.  He’s not a bad chap.”

“You didn’t get beaten by him,” grumbled Ron.

“Nooo…  I got beaten by Miss I’m-A-Ravenclaw-But-Have-The-Attitude-Of-A-Slytherin over there.”  Harry took a bite of his toast and nodded towards Cho Chang as she entered the Hall.

“Only because of those horrible dementors,” said Hermione.

“True,” said Harry with a shrug, finishing off his toast and licking the crumbs from his fingers.  He then looked over at the Slytherin table and added, “Looks like the girls are finished…  See you lot tonight.  And good luck, Angelina.”

As he hopped down and strolled back over to the Slytherin table, a fifth year sitting nearby growled darkly, “Good luck from a Slytherin…  Bah!  Bad lucks more like it!”

Ron and Hermione looked livid but Angelina looked even more so.  She walked over to the fifth year and snapped, “Look here, you.  Harry may be a Slytherin, but he’s of a finger lot than you.  And when he says something, he means it.  so shut you trap or I’ll shut it for you.  Do we understand each other?”

“Perfectly,” squeaked the fifth year.

Angelina eyed the fifth year then walked back down to where Ron and Hermione were grinning.

“That was bloody brilliant!” exclaimed Ron.

Hermione nodded.  “That was awful good of you, Angelina.”

Angelina smiled at them and said, “Harry’s a good kid.  And a killer Seeker.  Seems he needs some defenders in this school.  Not that he can’t defend himself, being the Lord Hex…anyway, I’m off to see how Fred and George are doing.”

“And to gloat, probably,” said Ron after her.

“Probably!” replied Angelina over her shoulder.

“Honestly!” cried Hermione, throwing up her hands in defeat.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

That night, as the golden plates cleared and Dumbledore got to his feet, a tense silence fell on the Hall.

“Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision.  I believe that is requires one more minute.”

“Now…when the champions’ names are called, I would ask them to please come up to the tip of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber where they shall receive their first instructions.”  Dumbledore gestured towards the door to his right as he spoke, then lifted his wand.

At once all the lights in the hall but those in the grinning pumpkins went out.  All eyes fastened onto the bright, blue-white flames of the Goblet of Fire.

Beside Harry, Niamh fidgeted excitedly, blue eyes bright.

Suddenly the flames turned red and a tongue of fire shot up, a charred piece of parchment fluttering out of it.

Dumbledore caught it and held it close to the once again blue-white flames so he could read it.

“The champion for Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum!”

Applause and cheering erupted through the Hall as Krum rose from his seat (no longer sitting anywhere near Draco) and walked up to the staff table, turned, and vanished through the door.

The goblet burned red again and immediately all the cheering died down as a second piece of parchment rose into the air.

“The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour!”

“Hey,” said Niamh as a girl with a familiar sheet of silver-blonde hair rose and walked up towards the Head Table.  “Isn’t that the girl Ron was goggling at?”

Harry looked.

“Yep.”

“Thought so.”

The applause died down once more as the goblet burned red for a third time and a tense feeling filled the Hall.

“The Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!” said Dumbledore after the third piece of parchment had emerged.

The Hufflepuff table was the loudest in the Hall as a grinning Cedric rose and headed towards the Head Table and the door.  Niamh was hugging Harry very happily as this happened.

“Excellent!  Now that we have our three champions, we many continue.  I trust that all of you will cheer your champions on…”

Dumbledore paused, as the Goblet of Fire turned red again.  As another piece of parchment flew up, he seemed to grab it automatically, opening it and stared hard.

“Something’s wrong,” whispered Ginny in the tense silence.  “Look at his face.”

Dumbledore had turned pale and his eyes darted towards the Slytherin table.  He then cleared his throat, shaking his head and said two words that surprise everyone in the Hall.

“Harry Potter.”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“WHAT?!” screamed Harry, Niamh, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione at the same time.

“I didn’t put my name in,” gasped Harry.

“Well, it somehow got in there, mate,” said Niamh, “and now you’re stuck.”

“Look at Professor Snape!” hissed Ginny.

Snape had turned a pasty white and rose quickly to head down the table to Dumbledore.  Harry could only imagine what they were saying.

Dumbledore shook his head then gestured towards Harry.  The teen was half out of his seat when someone from the Gryffindor table shouted, “We can’t have a Slytherin champion!”

“Who said that?!” snarled Niamh, jumping to her feet beside Harry, wand in hand.  On his other side, Ginny appeared, brown eyes narrowed.  At the Gryffindor table, Ron, Hermione, the now beardless twins, and a few others were looking coldly at those around them.  Several Slytherin’s (even some who disliked Harry) cried out in outrage.

As the noise rose, Dumbledore shot off a loud bang from his wand and yelled, “SILENCE!  Miss O’Feir, Miss Weasley, your defense of Mr. Potter is admirable but hardly necessary.  Mr. Potter, if you would go join the champions…  Mr. Weasley, please put Mr. Adock down.”

“Sir,” said Ron, releasing his grip on a short, brown-haired boy’s shirt.  “He’s the one…”

“He shall be readily dealt with by me, Mr. Weasley.  Please…sit back down.  Harry?  Harry Potter, please go join the champions.”

Harry nodded the squeezed Niamh and Ginny’s hands.  “It’ll be alright,” he said before heading for the door the other champions had vanished through.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Albus,” said Severus sharply as he watched Harry vanish through the door.  “You can’t seriously allow him to compete.  He’s only fourteen…”

“And as smart as Lily was at that age.”

“Albus!”

Dumbledore smiled and placed a gentle, reassuring hand on the younger man’s shoulder.  “Do not worry, Severus,” he said.  “Harry will be fine.  He is your son after all.”

Severus smiled tightly.

“Yes.  Yes, I suppose he is very much my son.”

“Good.  Now, if you wouldn’t mind going to tell Mr. Adock to see me in my office after the feast then come join us…”

Dark pleasure glimmered in Severus’ obsidian eyes.

“It would be my pleasure, Albus,” he purred before heading for the Gryffindor table.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Harry slid into the room and saw the others grouped around the fire.  Krum was leaning up against the mantelpiece.  Cedric was standing, hands behind his back, staring into the fire.  Fleur Delacour was the only one who noticed Harry in the room.

“What’s is it?  Do zey want us back in ze Hall?”

Cedric turned, blinked, and breathed, “Harry?”

“Hi, Cedric.  And no, I’m not here to deliver a message, thank you,” said Harry, looking at Fleur.

“Then…” began the girl but was interrupted as Dumbledore, Mr. Crouch, Mr. Bagman, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall, and a rather smug looking Professor Snape.  Harry smirked inwardly.  So Dumbledore had let his father go tell off Adock…

“Madame Maxine!” cried Fleur, “what is going on?”

“Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete!” replied the giant of a woman.

Harry bristled visibly.  Sure, he couldn’t make her height, but he damn near wasn’t little!

“What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?” said Madame Maxime.

“I’d like to know that myself,” growled Karkaroff.  “Two Hogwarts champions…”

Dumbledore lifted a hand and said, “We were just as surprised as everyone else, my dear Madame Maxime, Professor Karkaroff.”

“’Ogwarts cannot ‘ave two champions,” insisted Madam Maxime.

“Yes,” hissed Karkaroff.  “We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore…”

“I didn’t put my name in!” snapped Harry, glaring defiantly about as all gazes turned upon him.  He then shrank back a little when he caught his father’s slight shake of his head.

“And how do we know that?” hissed McGonagall, frowning at him.

“Minerva,” purred Snape, “surely you don’t believe that one of my students would…”

“I assuredly do, Severus.”

“Are you implying that my students would cheat and yours would not?”

“Severus!” snapped Dumbledore.  “Minerva!  Control yourselves!”

“Forgive me, Headmaster,” said Snape, inclining his head slightly.  “But I do find it hard to believe that Harry would put his name in the Goblet of Fire or ask an older student to do it for him.  He had always been a good student.”

McGonagall snorted not too softly.

“Dumbly-dorr must ‘ave made a mistake wiz ze line…” said Madame Maxime.

“It is possible,” said Dumbledore softly.

“But doubtable,” murmured Snape.

“Mr. Crouch…Mr. Bagman…” said Karkaroff.

Bagman looked at Crouch, who shook his head and said, “We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament.”

“I insist upon resubmitting the names of my students.  We will set up the Goblet of Fire once more and continue until two champions are chosen from each school…”

“Now, now, Karkaroff,” purred Snape.  “Surely you recall that the Goblet of Fire does not reignite itself until the start of the next tournament.”

Karkaroff glared at the dark professor as if to say ‘You stay out of this’.  Snape simply smirked.

“I have half a mind to leave now!”

“Afraid you can’t do that, Karkaroff.  Your champion’s got to compete.  They all do.  Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said.”

Moody limped into the room, his blue eyes roving over the occupants.

“Someone,” growled Moody in his gruff voice, “put Potter’s name in knowing he’d have to compete if it came out.”

“Someone ‘oo wished ‘Ogwarts to ‘ave two bites at the apple!” said Madame Maxime.

“Yes…” said Karkaroff.  “I’ll be lodging a complaint…”

“Funny,” growled Moody, interrupting the other man.  “If anyone’s got a reason to complain, it’s Potter.  But I don’t hear him saying a word.”

“Why should ‘e complain?  ‘E ‘as ze chance to compete!” cried Fleur.  “Zis is a chance many would die for!”

“Maybe that’s what someone’s hoping,” said Moody.

Silence fell in the room at those words.  Then Bagman cleared his throat and said, “Ah…what a thing to say, Moody, old man.”

“Well, it was a skilled witch or wizard who put that boy’s name in the goblet…”

“’Ow do you come of zat?”

“Because they hoodwinked a powerful magical object!”

“Yes, well,” said Karkaroff, “we all know that Moody does not consider a day good, unless he has found five plots to murder him before lunch!”

“There are some who’ll turn innocent occasions to their advantage.  It’s my job to think like Dark wizards do.  As you ought to remember, Karkaroff…”

“Alastor!” said Dumbledore sharply.  Moody quickly fell silent, eying Karkaroff with satisfaction.

“Now,” said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone, “it is not known how this situation arose, but we shall make do with it as we have no other choice.  Both Harry and Cedric will compete in the tournament.  Barty, if you would?”

Mr. Crouch looked up, looking rather ill now.  He then gave a little shake and turned to Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor.

“The first task is designed to test your daring, so we are not going to tell you what it is.  Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard…  The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.  The champions are not allowed to ask or receive help from their teachers.  They will face the first challenge with only their wands.  Owing to the demanding nature of the tournament, they are exempted from end-of-the-year tests.”

Well there’s one perk, thought Harry bitterly.

“I believe that’s all, Albus.”

“Thank you, Barty,” said Dumbledore.  “Are you sure you won’t be staying at Hogwarts tonight?”

“No, no.  I must get back to the Ministry…I left young Weatherby in charge…very enthusiastic…”

Harry could help but give a little chuckle as he remembered that ‘Weatherby’ was actually Percy.

“Very well then,” said Dumbledore.

Madame Maxime and Fleur were already gone and Karkaroff and Krum were leaving now.

“Harry, Cedric,” said Dumbledore, “I suggest the two of you get to bed.  I am quite certain Hufflepuff and Slytherin would like the opportunity to make a great deal of noise.”

The two boys nodded and left together.

“So…I guess we’re playing each other in a bigger game than Quidditch, aye?” said Cedric with a grin.

“Yeah,” said Harry, shaking his head numbly.  “How the hell did that happen?”

Cedric looked at him in surprise.

“You mean you didn’t put your name in?”

Harry’s head shot up and he stared Cedric right in the eye, his gaze intense.

“Are you nuts?  Why in Merlin’s name would I want to compete?  I get enough adventure in my life as is!”

“Good point.”

They were silent until they entered the entrance hall and turned to part ways.

“Well…who do you think put it in?” asked Cedric, stopping to look at Harry.

Harry stopped too and sighed heavily, shrugging his shoulders.

“I don’t know.  But if I ever find out…I’ll hex the hell out of them.”

Cedric grinned in a nervous sort of way and clapped him on the shoulder.  “I’m sure you could do it, too.  See you later, Harry.”

“See you, Cedric.”

Harry watched as the other boy walked off then headed behind the marble staircase, grabbing one of the candle sconces and pulling it down.  Part of the wall slid into itself and he stepped through.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Harry entered the dungeons and headed, not for the hidden doorway into Arx Serpens, but down towards the Potions classroom.  He turned away from the classroom and walked down to the second torch sconce to the left of the door.  Carefully counting the bricks, he placed his hand against the third one down and softly said, “Lily.”

The wall slid aside and he stepped inside, walking over to the empty fireplace and drawing his wand.

“Accendo.”

A tongue of fire leapt from his wand to the kindling in the hearth, springing instantly into a full blaze.  Harry smiled satisfactorily and sheathed his wand, pulling one of the two chairs near the fire closer to feel the warmth.  He then climbed up into the very comfortable piece of furniture and sighed, closing his eyes.

He waited a long while, wondering when his father was going to get back.  Surely whatever he was doing wouldn’t take this long…

Harry looked at his watch and saw it read 1:54.  Suddenly the screen flashed and read Go to sleep, fool!  Harry snorted and let his arm fall to land in his lap.  He wasn’t going to get to sleep until he talked to his father.

But a half-hour later, sleep claimed him and he only had enough consciousness left to stagger out of the chair and into his father’s bedroom.  Climbing up onto the bed, he collapsed, completely immersed in sleep before his head hit the pillow and the charm he had murmured had pulled a blanket over him.