Slow Grenade

Chapter Twenty-Four

The occupants of Hogwarts had only one day to wait before Dumbledore announced the Champions. When Hermione, Harry, and Ron entered the candlelit Great Hall, it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of the teacher's table.

Taking their usual seats, Hermione caught Draco's eye across the room. He glanced down at his chest to a small badge with S.P.E.W. emblazoned across the centre. Not caring who was watching, she beamed. The corner of Draco's mouth twitched as he then briefly turned his head from left to right. Hermione almost gasped with realisation; her badge was attached to the robes of every student in Slytherin. She tilted her head, wondering how he had managed such a feat.

"Hermione?" Ron elbowed her gently. "You okay?"

"Oh, yeah," she paused, suddenly thinking. "Hey, can you see the badges all the Slytherins are wearing?"

He peered over and said derisively, "We already know they're all snakes, why do they need a badge to prove it?"

Draco's eyes glittered mischievously as he caught the moment she understood. He had enchanted the badges to look like snakes to anyone but them. It really was quite an impressive display of charm-work, if he did say so himself.

Pansy Parkinson noticed Hermione looking over and, shifting closer to Draco, she puffed out her chest, delighted with the badge he had gifted her. Hermione couldn't help but snort with laughter as she took in the image of Pansy, sporting Elfish welfare attire. Even Draco was struggling to keep a straight face.

Suddenly, almost all noise ceased and heads spun to the front of the Hall. Dumbledore got slowly to his feet and gazed around the students, smiling genially. "Well, the Goblet is almost ready to make its decision," he said. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the Champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber – " he indicated the door behind the staff table, " – where they will be receiving their first instructions."

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles dimmed. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the room, the sparking bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes.

The flames inside the Goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out from it; the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue white. "The Champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."

A storm of applause and cheering erupted across the Hall. Following a similar pattern of silence and commotion, the two remaining Champions were announced: Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily, as at last the tumult died down. "Well, now we have our three Champions, I am sure I can count upon all of you to give every ounce of support you can muster in the tasks to come. By cheering the Champions on, you will contribute in a very real – "

The Headmaster suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him. The fire in the Goblet had turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which the wizard simply stared at the slip in his palm.

Eventually he cleared his throat and read out, "Harry Potter."

Hermione was aware that every head in the Great Hall had turned to look at Harry. There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the room; some students were standing up to get a better look at him as he sat, frozen, in his seat.

Up at the top table, Professor McGonagall stood and walked to whisper urgently with Dumbledore, who bent his ear towards her, frowning slightly.

Hermione absently noticed Harry turn to her and Ron. "I didn't put my name in," he said. "You know I didn't."

"Harry Potter!" the Headmaster called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please."

"Go on," Hermione whispered, giving him a slight push.

Harry got to his feet and Hermione's heart sank as she watched him stumble away. It wasn't just the students staring at him, so were the teachers. She worried at her lip, knowing how awful he must be feeling in this moment.

Turning to Ron, she went to speak but paused when she saw his expression. Staring down at the table, hands clenched tightly together, Ron's forehead was furrowed into a deep scowl and his lips pursed.

The occupants of the Great Hall had begun to vacate so Hermione nudged him with her shoulder. "Shall we go up?" she asked.

"Go where?" he replied, blankly.

"To the common room...?"

"Right, okay."

As they stood, Hermione tried again, "Are you okay, Ron?"

He glowered at her. "Of course I'm bloody well not. What did he use, the Invisibility Cloak?"

"What are you talking about? Harry clearly had no more idea than any of us that his name had been entered into the Goblet."

"Yeah, right. I thought he might've told me, especially if it was the cloak. It would've covered both of us."

"Ron, honestly, did you see his face? He looked devastated."

He smirked nastily. "Only incase he got into trouble for it. I'm sure he's just been dying for some more attention this year."

With that, Ron stalked off leaving Hermione to make her own way to the common room. He was nowhere to be found when she pushed through the portrait hole so she went up to bed, determined to sort out this mess in the morning.