Secrets Revealed

Chapter 33

Nova watched though wide eyes as Harry made his way into the door that the rest of the champions went through. After that, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Crouch, both of the foreign teachers,and Severus stood up. Nova followed suit and went to follow them but got stopped by Dumbledore before everyone entered.

"Nova, I think it'd be best if you waited a few minutes before coming in. Give me two minutes and then you may come in, but for now, please wait out here." Dumbledore reasoned calmly. Nova looked into his eyes and nodded.

"Fine." Nova managed to ground out from her clenched teeth. Dumbledore nodded and hurried down the stairs with his entourage not far behind. Nova placed her back against the door with her arms crossed and started counting down two minutes.

Back with Harry:

"Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" Dumbledore asked "calmly" with his hands on Harry's shoulders. Harry vigorously shook his head. "Did you get an older student to do it for you?"

"No, sir." Harry replied.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime. Severus was now shaking his head, his lip curling. 

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

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," saidMadame Maxime, shrugging. 

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

"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" Professor McGonagall said 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!" She shot a very angry look at Severus. 

"Honestly, I think Potter has something else to be very worried about waiting outside that door." Severus said curtly, glancing at the door behind him. Harry's two minutes of relative peace were seconds from being over. Harry quickly turned to look at him with curious eyes as Dubledore nodded and glanced to the clock on the wall. The others in the room that weren't apart of Dumbledore's group coming in shared confused looks.

"You see, Harry. Profe-" McGonagall started to explain calmly before being interrupted with a loud bang.

"Harry James Potter!" Nova yelled as she came marching down the stairs. Harry's face paled. He looked around the room to see the other champions and Ludo Bagman jump at the sudden commotion. "Just what were you bloody thinking? I promised Lily and James that I would take care of you and protect you and this is what you go and do?! I technically am your legal guardian and I can ground you! So how about you tell me. Did you put your name in the bloody goblet?"

At this point, Nova had grabbed his collar and roughly shoved him into the wall.

"N-no, Professor!" He exclaimed in panic as he looked into the irritated eyes of Nova.

"Nova. We've already gone over this with Mr. Potter. It's alright. You can let him go." McGonagall said in a calm voice. Nova stayed where she was a moment longer before sighing and doing as she had said. Everyone in the room exchanged nervous and bewildered glances. 

"Fine." Nova set her gaze back on Harry. "But you and I are going to have a long talk about you and your reckless choices after this."

"Mr. Crouch. Mr. Bagman." Karkaroff addressed the two men. Focusing the attention back on the matter at hand. "You are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?" 

"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." Crouch replied as he wiped a thin sheen of sweat from his brow. 

"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front," Ludo said, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed. 

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students," said Karkaroff. 

Nova rolled her eyes and muttered, "Of course you do, your royal highness.". Severus heard and gave her a warning look.

"You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore." 

"It doesn't work like that you loon!" Nova replied with an angered look. "The Goblet of Fire's gone out and it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament -"

"-in which 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!" 

"How about you stop interrupting me and look at the champions! All of them except Harry are of age and know charms and spells that lower years do not. Does it really seem like Hogwarts has an advantage to you? Because if it does then I suggest you start teaching your students magic above the third year level, you ignorant, whiny-" Nova was cut off by Severus placing and hand over her mouth as McGonagall gave the foriegn teachers a small, apologetic smile. Meanwhile, Dumbledore just looked amused.

"That's an empty threat anyway, Karkaroff. You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?" Moody had just entered the room. He limped toward the fire,and with every right step he took, there was a loud clunk. Nova rolled her eyes as one of her least favorite people entered the room. She yanked Severus' hand off her face and her vicious scowl became visible.

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

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

"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime. 

"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her. "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -"

"Oh, would you give it a rest you loons! Do you really think Hogwarts is getting an advantage because a fourteen year old has joined a tournament meant for of age students!" Nova yelled angrily, her eyes flashing slightly, but not enough to notice.

"She's right. 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 complain?" burst the Delacour girl, stamping her foot like a toddler. " 'E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money — zis is a chance many would die for!"

"Must I really repeat myself to get it through those thick skulls of yours! Or maybe I should dumb it down to your education levels!" Nova exclaimed and McGonagall gently guided Nova out of the room. 

"Nova, I think you should get some stress. You've been awfully sleeped this year. (I forgot to edit before I published this chapter and maybe I should get some sleep as well! :) )" McGonagall said kindly. Nova grunted and stomped off to her room to get some sleep in order to refill her 'dealing-with-idiots' batteries.