Lost. Harry Potter's sister

chapter ten

The next morning, the Triwizard Tournament was still fresh in the minds of everyone and the Great Hall seemed to have filled up a lot earlier than usual. Students had a slight spring in their step and a buzz of excitement spread around the crowded Hall. Usually on a Saturday, we would go down slightly later for breakfast but, due to last night, everybody seemed to be eager to either enter or watch and see any aspiring contenders.

When Harry, Ron, Hermione and I entered the Entrance Hall this morning, it was crammed with students, eating talking and examining the Goblet of Fire that had been placed in the centre of the Hall on a stool. A thin, golden line, as if drawn by chalk, formed a circle around the Goblet, extending ten feet in every direction.

We started asking around students to see if anyone from Hogwarts had entered their name into the Tournament. All of the Durmstrang lot apparently entered their names, said a third year, Ravenclaw girl, and the Beauxbatons students didn't seem to be up yet, but no one has seen anyone from Hogwarts yet...

"Bet some people did it before they went to sleep last night." Harry said, "I would've if it'd been me... don't want everyone gawping at me."

Just then I heard the two, unmistakable laughs of the Weasley twins. I turn around and see them and their friend, Lee Jordan, rushing down the elegant marble staircase, looking extremely excited. They hurry over to us, grins spread widely across their faces.

"Done it!" Fred said, triumphantly. "Just taken it!"

"What?" I say.

"The Ageing Potion, dungbrains." George says, in a hushed tone.

"One drop each." Fred said, "We only need to be a few months older."

"We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins." Said Lee, rubbing his hands together.

"I'm not sure if this is going to work, you know." Hermione said.

"Yeah, I'm sure Dumbledore would've thought of this." I say, raising my eyebrow, but Fred, George and Lee ignored us and shifted towards the Goblet of Fire.

"I'll go first." Fred said, pulling out a slip of parchment from his pocket and walked right up onto the line. He stood their for a moment, with an anxious look on his face, and he took one rather large step over the line. Nothing happened. I certainly thought it had worked, until George let out a cheer of triumph and jumped over the line after Fred. But in that moment a loud sizzling noise was coming from the Goblet of Fire and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle and landed painfully on the stone, cold floor. A second later, there was a loud Pop! and the twins both sprouted identical white beards.

The Entrance Hall suddenly roared with laughter and even Fred and George were laughing, until they looked at each other's beards and their eyes widened broadly and their hands flung to their faces in fear.

"I did warn you." The one and only voice of Dumbledore said, amused. He examined Fred and George with a twinkling eye. "I suggest you both go up to Madame Pomfrey. She is already tending to a few other students of whom decide to age themselves up a little, too. Though I must say, neither of their beards are quite as fine as yours."

With that, Fred and George set off for the hospital wing, followed by Lee, who was howling with laughter and Harry, Ron, Hermione and I went into the Great Hall for breakfast.

The decorations in the Great Hall has certainly changed for Hallowe'en this morning. Clouds of live bats were flying about the enchanted ceiling and hundreds of carved and lit jack-o-lanterns had replaced the floating candles and lanterns, giving the Hall a slightly spooky, but cozy feel. We walked over to Dean and Seamus, who were discussing the Hogwarts students over seventeen who might be entering, or already have.