In Love with a Prince | Draco Malfoy

Fourteen

    When Iris reached the door,Professor Dyson was standing there waiting for her.

   "Let's go." Professor Dyson said plainly.

   When she was inside the room,she saw her father,the four champions, Mr Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.

"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbi-dorr?" Madam Maxime asked.

  Well,I guess I'm not the only one confused. Iris thought sarcastically.

  "We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore." said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever.

  "It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff." said Professor Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice.  "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here..."

  "Thank you, Severus."said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair.

  "Oh,and may I ask why is there a girl here?" Karkaroff said looking at Iris with raised eyebrows. "Is she another champion?"

  "No,she is not.Iris,is with me." Professor Dyson said plainly with a calm face.

Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

  "No." said Harry. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime.

  "He could not have crossed the Age Line!" said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I am sure we are all agreed on that!"

"Dumbi-dorr must 'ave made a mistaze wiz ze line." Madame Maxime said.

"It is possible, of course." said Dumbledore politely.

"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Professor McGonagall angrily. "Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!"

"Mr Crouch...Mr Bagman,ah and Professor Dyson..." said Karkaroff "you are our – er – judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"

  Bagman wiped his round, face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. He looked pale and scary...
 
   "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." Mr Crouch said.

  "Well, Barty knows the rulebook back to front." said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime.

   "I must say, I think Harry must compete in the competition." Professor Dyson said.

  After the judges spoke, the other professors and headmistress did not say anything.Acept for.you know Karkaroff.

"Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!" exploded Karkaroff. "After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"

  "Empty threat, Karkaroff." growled a voice that made Iris jump. "You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said."

Alastor Moody,the great auror had just entered the room. He limped towards the fire, and with every right step he took, there was a loud clunk.

"I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody." Karkaroff said.

  "Don't you?" said Moody quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that Goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."

"Someone who wants him killed..." Iris muttered only loud enough for the Professor next to her,Professor Dyson.

   "That's true,but let's not jump into conclusions first,Iris." Professor Dyson said looking at her.

"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter." growled Moody "but funny thing ... I don't hear him saying a word."

"Why should 'e complein?" burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot. " 'E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honour for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money – zis is a chance many would die for!"

  "Maybe someone wants him dead." Moody said suspiciously.

  Welp,there goes my idea... Iris thought.

"Moody, old man ... what a thing to say!" Lido Bagman said.

"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.

"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody.  "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that Goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the Tournament ... I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category."

"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody." said Karkaroff coldly.

"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage." Moody said back in a dark voice. "It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff – as you ought to remember ..."

  "Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly.

  "Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do ..."

"Ah, but Dumbi-dorr..."

"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it."
Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one, either. Snape looked furious,Karkaroff livid. Bagman, however, looked rather excited.

"Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honours?"

Mr Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.

"Yes,' he said, 'instructions. Yes ... the first task ..."

He moved forwards into the firelight.
 
Professor Dyson turned to Iris once again. "You can go now,Iris I will want to talk to you later.Do not tell anyone about this."

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Hello Everyone. We are so sorry this took so long but we've been so bussssyyyy ugh. It gets really annoying at times, actually.The number of homework at school is just getting higher and higher and we're getting alot of project's. And ontop of that we're having exams next week. We apologise for keeping any of you waiting but we're really trying our best. So please don't mind if the next chap comes abit later too. Thanks guys.