Rose Between Two Thorns.

Chapter 6

Running through the corridors and nearly slamming into every Tom, Dick and Henry I saw, I make my way to the Great Hall to watch students put their names into the Goblet of Fire. It is nearly Thursday, so everyone is scrambling to get their names in. And to make things better, Dumbledore had put an ageing line around the Goblet to ensure no-one under 17 puts their name in.

Pushing through the crowd surrounding the Goblet, I find a seat next to Hermione who has her head buried in a book and watch as students put their names in the Goblet. Hearing a commotion I turn to see Cedric Diggory being pushed by his friends.

He walks with ease past the age line and drops a slip of parchment into the Goblet; he then cracks a smile, running back to his friends laughing. I spy Harry and Ron talking in the background talking and laughing. Probably betting who would be chosen if their names are put in.

"Yes" a loud voice shouts and there is a loud cheer from the crowd, as two people run into the Hall. I turn to see Fred and George running towards us, people clapping and cheering around them. Standing up on a bench they proudly hold up two vials.

"Well everyone, we did it" George shouts. There is another loud cheer

"Cooked it up just this morning" Fred adds. I roll my eyes, this will not work. Apparently Hermione thought the same.

"Its not going to work" she sings in an annoying voice. Both of us are squashed into each other as the twins sit on either side of us.

"Oh yeah, whys that Granger?" George asks. She rolls her eyes.

"You see this" she says pointing to the blue line "This is an age line. Dumbledore drew it himself"

"So?" Fred smirks

"So?" I cut in. "A genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by something as pathetically dim witted as an aging potion"

"Ah but that's why its so brilliant"— George starts

"Because its so pathetically dim witted" Fred finishes. They move to stand up on the bench and I rub my ribs, where George's elbow had dug in. They link arms and drink the vials of potion, before jumping into the circle. Cheers erupt from the crowd, as they high-five each other with huge grins on their faces.

Dropping their pieces of parchment into the blue fire, I watch with bated breath to see what happens. There is a moment, where I think everyone, including myself, thinks the potion may have worked, when the flames inside the goblet spread in whipping lashes inside the age line, affecting only the twins, while people from the outside leap back in shock. The twins are thrust out of the circle and land in a crumpled heap just outside the line. I stand up in a hurry, and walk over to where they are lying.

I have to stop, because of the bemusing sight in front of me. Instead of two ginger haired boys, I am faced with two old men, with grey hair and long beards. One of them – I assume George – turns to his twin.

"You said"—he starts as he lunges towards Fred

"No, you said"—Fred shouts as he wrestles George to the ground.

"God you look old"—

"Yeah? Well you look older"—they argue as they continue to wrestle. Everyone, including me, is encouraging them to fight, but then the hall grows considerably silent.

I try to look over the heads of students at what the silence was about, but me being short, can only see a few heads bobbing about as they walk to the Goblet. Hearing whispers, I try and listen in.

"Two Galleons says that Krum is the one chosen from Durmstrang" a first year says to his friend standing next to him.

"A little young to be making bets aren't you?" a fifth year says to them. I smile slightly, sounds like what Fred, George and I would do in our first year.