The Prophet || G. Weasley

[12] Durmstrang and Beauxbatons

[Outfit Above & Below]

"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," said Dumbledore as Filch placed a large chest carefully on the table before him. "And they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways....their magical prowess—their daring—their powers of deduction—and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."

At Dumbledore's last word, the Hall was filled with silence. "As you know, three champions compete in the tournament." Dumbledore went on calmly. "One from each of the participating
schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire." Dumbledore then took out his wand and tapped the top of the casket three times causing the lid to slowly open.

Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames. He closed the lid and placed the goblet carefully on top of it making it visible to everyone in the hall.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet." said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete."

"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line." Fred and George huffed bitterly at his words. "Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all."

"An Age Line!" Fred said, his eyes glinting, as they all made their way across the Hall to the doors into the entrance hall. "Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn't it? And
once your name's in that goblet, you're laughing—it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not!" Kat shook her head in amusement, both George and Fred then threw their arms around her shoulders keeping her between them. "Kat'll help us, right Kit-Kat?" George asked.

Kat only smiled as the twins stared at her with dramatic pouts. "If you both find a way to get all the ingredients from Snape without getting caught I will make it." Hermione gave Kat an offended look but quickly dropped it when she saw the glint in the Bulgarian's eyes. "But I don't think anyone under seventeen will stand a chance. We just haven't learned enough..." George scoffed at Hermione. "Speak for yourself, besides Kat knows more than all of us combined."

George looked down at Harry. "You'll try and get in, won't you, Harry?" Harry hadn't said anything, he seemed to be in deep thought when Ron spoke up. "Where is he?" Ron asked as he continued looking through the crowd to see what had become of Krum. "Dumbledore didn't say where the Durmstrang people are sleeping, did he?" Ron's head snapped back towards Kat who was now holding hands with George. "You know don' you Kat?"

Kat chuckled at his excited expression that lessened when they neared the Slytherin table. "Back to the ship, then," Karkoroff was saying. "Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?" Viktor shook his head as he pulled his fur coat back on. He sent a glance to Kat silently asking for help.

"Professor, I vood like some vine," said one of the other Durmstrang boys hopefully. "I wasn't offering it to you, Poliakoff," snapped Karkaroff, his warmly paternal air vanishing in an instant. "I notice you have dribbled food all down the front of your robes again, disgusting boy—" Karkaroff turned the students towards the doors just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione reached them first.

Harry stopped to let him walk through first. "Thank you," said Karkaroff carelessly, glancing at him before freezing. He turned his head back to Harry and stared at him as though he couldn't believe his eyes. Behind their headmaster, the students from Durmstrang came to a halt too. Karkaroff's eyes moved slowly up Harry's face and fixed upon his scar. The Durmstrang students were staring curiously at Harry too. "Yeah, that's Harry Potter," said a growling voice from behind them.

Professor Karkaroff spun around to find Mad-Eye Moody standing there, leaning heavily on his staff, his magical eye glaring unblinkingly at the Durmstrang headmaster. The color drained from Karkaroff's face as Harry watched. A terrible look of mingled fury and fear came over him. "You!" he said, staring at Moody. "Me," Moody said grimly. "And unless you've got anything to say to Potter, Karkaroff, you might want to move. You're blocking the doorway."

Without a second word, Karkaroff swept away with the students from Durmstrang. "I'll be right back." Kat told George before dashing off after the group. "Professor!" She called out causing him and the Durmstrang students to stop. "Dumbledore me naznachi za vash prevodach. Ako imate nuzhda ot neshto, prosto popitaĭte. O, I utre moga da vi pokazha naokolo. Ako iskate."

Karkaroff gave Kat a small smile and a nod. "Da, tova bi bilo prekrasno. Leka nosht Miss. Bistra." Karkaroff gave Kat another curt nod followed by some of the Durmstrang students before they marched off. Viktor stayed for a moment to envelop Kat in a hug and another kiss to the top of her head. "Leka nosht, Katerina."

꧁꧂

I love this book I have so much fun writing it. I'm also happy to say that I have a lot planned for the future. It's weird to say I have things in mind for like order of the Phoenix but mostly the deathly hallows when I don't have much planned for GOF...
~ A

Translations:
"Dumbledore me naznachi za vash prevodach. Ako imate nuzhda ot neshto, prosto popitaĭte. O, i utre moga da vi pokazha naokolo. Ako iskate." - Dumbledore has appointed me as your translator, if you need anything just ask. Oh and I can show you all around tomorrow if you want.
"da, tova bi bilo prekrasno" - Yes, that would be wonderful.
"leka nosht" - goodnight