I Tricked the Goblet of Fire

Chapter 21

THE TRI-WIZARD SCANDAL!

By: Rita Skeeter and Daedalus Philipps 

It has been the talk of the whole British wizarding community that the mystical tri-wizard tournament has been brought back from extinction to be re-tried once more in the modern day.  Sources have stated that one Albus Dumbledore was one of the main supporters for the resurrection of the tournament itself. As the head of the wizengamot, it is speculated that the Hogwarts headmaster had used his many contacts  and favors within the council to get himself the voting power to allow it to push through. 

As the pursuers of truth, we have of course been going in and doing our research on the basics of the tri-wizard tournament. It has had a very shadowed past and a colored history, large enough to fit a book but these are basic facts: 

It had begun in an unknown date around seven hundred years ago between the three European wizarding schools as a 'friendly competition. It comprises of three competitors, selected by the mysterious goblet of fire, an artifact dating back to the roman colonization millennia's ago. These three competitors then go and complete three life-threatening challenges to show their magical prowess and strength. There have been 125 editions of the tournament, with Hogwarts leading with 63 wins. Sadly, due to the dangerous tasks and multiple deaths, the tournament was cancelled in 1792 and has not been brought out since, till today. 

Through our correspondence, we were able to get a glimpse into the pomp and ceremony in the reaping, the selection of the school champions and what a night it was indeed! A break in tradition, it seems, where there were then three champions, there are now five champions for this tri-wizard tournament. 

We have the usual three champions representing the three competing schools. For Hogwarts, we have Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory, son of ministry official Amos Diggory. For Beauxbatons, we have Fleur Delacour, daughter of renowned French auror Jean Philippe Delacour. For Durmstrang, we have famed quidditch star Viktor Krum. We wish them all the luck and skill in this tournament! 

The biggest surpirse of the evening, however was the fire stirring once more. And came the fire two names written in fine ink: Tom Riddle Jr. and Albus Dumbledore. Yes, you've heard it now, Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore had been selected as a champion. 

We could not find any particular information on Tom Riddle other than the fact that he was a head boy years back and had disappeared under mysterious circumstances. 

Could this be another ploy of power from Albus Dumbledore? Was not the position of Supreme Mugwump and Headmaster enough for him? Perhaps the headmaster plans to use the tournament prize money to sate his known sweet tooth for Lemon drops and to stop stealing from the vaults of young and vulnerable students? 

Nothing shall be hidden and the truth shall be revealed! More news coming soon from Rita Skeeter and her new correspondent, Daedalus Philipps.

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Upon reading the article on the chair of the great hall, Dumbledore turned red in anger and threw down the newspaper. How could they say such horrid things about me?  he thought to himself. He was the supreme mugwump, after all, the great defeater of Gellert Grindelwald and master of one of the deathly hallows and they wrote him as if he was the criminal? How dare they! 

His eyes darted to the four tables to see all the students glare at him. He paled, if each of their glares were a dagger, he'd not only be dead but be cut into pieces and thrown into a soup. The only ones who weren't staring were Ronald and Ginevra but their mouths were agape, surprised at what they were reading. Ronald stared up at him, a questioning look in his eyes, Dumbledore only shook his head and Ron looked down.