Hufflepuff boy - Cedric Diggory x male oc x Viktor Krum

26

Cayden, Harry, Ron and Hermione descend the spiral staircase from class.

"Brilliant, isn't he? Completely demented, of course, and terrifying to be in the same room with, but he's really been there, y'know? He's looked evil in the eye." Ron said.

"I think he's cruel. Did you see Neville? I thought he was going to--" Hermione stops talking when Cayden stops her.

Up ahead, within earshot, Neville stands by a stained glass window with a Slytherin beside him, Neville's face running in rainy blue light as he gazes vaguely beyond.

"Neville...?" Hermione asked gently, looking behind her when she heard the familiar clunking.

Professor Moody limps past then, placing a leathered hand on Neville's shoulder. "It's alright, sonny. You come with me. We'll have a cup of tea in my office."

≪ °❈° ≫

The Goblet flickers eerily at the top of the hall. A group of underclassmen-- Harry and Ron among them-- stand by as their older classmates submit their names. Hermione clutches a copy of Triwizard Tragedies with Cayden sitting beside her, waiting for Cedric.

"People have gotten splinched in this Tournament! More than once!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Splinched?" Dean Thomas questioned.

"Dunno. But it doesn't sound good." Seamus said.

"Harry, Ron." Cedric said, nodding to the two, drops his name and sits down next to Cayden.

"Eternal glory. Be brilliant, wouldn't it, three years from now, when we're old enough, to be chosen?" Ron said, looking at the Goblet.

"I'll stay on the side of peace, thanks." Cayden said, leaning his head on Cedric's shoulder.

"Better you than me." Harry said, grinning.

Just then, Fred and George come striding forth, looking very pleased with themselves.

"Well, we've done it, lads." Fred said, smiling.

"Cooked it up just this morning." George said. Both Fred and him hold up twin vials.

"It's not going to work..." Hermione said in a sing-song, flipping a page in her book.

"Yeah? And why's that, Granger?" George asked, moving to kneel down beside Hermione while Fred took on her other side.

"Because a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by a dodge as pathetically dim-witted as an Ageing Potion." Hermione said, smiling to herself.

"That's what makes it so brilliant. It's pathetically dim-witted." Fred said.

"Go on, then." Hermione said, shaking her head softly.

Fred and George stood up, moving to stand outside the ring of a circle around the Goblet.

"Ready, Fred?" George asked, looking at Fred.

"Ready, George." Fred said, nodding.

"Bottoms up!" Fred and George said. As one, they tip a goody green liquid onto their tongues and, with great drama, cross the golden line encircling the Goblet. As they drop their names, everyone waits. And waits. Fred and George grin, high five each other and are ejected high in the air, out of the circle and flat out onto their backs, whereupon little white beards sprout on their chins.