Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [4]

⚡️ Chapter 27 ⚡️

Usually on a Saturday, which also happened to be that day, most students would normally leave their beds late and come down to breakfast even later. But soon enough, Vega found, that Harry, Ron and Hermione weren't alone in rising much earlier than they usually did on the weekends.

"I haven't gone down yet," Vega commented as she looked over her shoulder at the three of them. "I was planning on hanging out in the common room – but I'm glad you guys woke up early,"

"I doubt you would've gotten bored even without us around," Harry said to her in a knowing voice, and Vega just shrugged as if she had no clue what in the world he was talking about.

When they arrived down the marble stars to the Entrance Hall, the four of them saw about twenty or so people milling around it, some of them eating toast, all examining the elusive Goblet of Fire.

The Goblet of Fire had been placed in the centre of the Entrance Hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat. And a thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten-feet around in every direction. Vega wondered what would exactly happen in case one of them stepped inside.

"Anyone put their name in yet?" Ron asked from a third-year girl eagerly.

"All the Durmstrang lot," replied the third-year. "But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet,"

"No one from Hogwarts yet?" Vega repeated as she turned back to look at the Goblet, frowning. "That is... slightly disappointing. But I suppose they're just shy,"

"Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed," Harry said. "I would've if it had been me... wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again?"

"I don't think will happen as long as you're really seventeen," Vega said, swaying back and forth on her heels as she looked around for their school's seventh-years. "Ah, I'm quite excited to see,"

Behind them, suddenly, someone laughed.

When Vega – along with the others in the Entrance hall – turned around, she saw that Fred, George and Lee Jordan were hurrying down the marble staircase, and all three of them looked extremely excited. It was very clear to her what was going on and she watched as they reached the four.

"Done it," Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Vega, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Just taken it,"

"What?" Ron asked.

"The Aging Potion, dung brains," Fred responded.

"One drop each," George said, rubbing his hands together with glee. Vega was at least relieved that they hadn't gone too far. "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," Lee said, grinning broadly, and Vega was just amused at how positive they were.

"I'm not sure this is going to work, you know," Hermione spoke up warningly, eyeing the three. "I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this,"

But Fred, George, and Lee ignored her.

"Ready?" Fred asked from the other two, quivering with excitement. "C'mon, then – I'll go first –"

Vega watched with interest as Fred pulled out a slip of parchment out of his pocket, bearing the words: Fred Weasley – Hogwarts. He noticed her and winked at her before he walked right up to the edge of the golden line, and stood there, rocking on his toes as if he was a diver, preparing to drop.

Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, Fred took a great big breath and stepped over the line. For a split-second, Vega was actually convinced that it had worked out for him. George certainly thought it did, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt in after Fred.