Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [4]

⚡️ Chapter 28 ⚡️

Vega, Harry, Ron and Hermione let themselves out of the cabin and shut the door behind them. It was surprisingly dark outside. Drawing their cloaks more closely around themselves, they set off up the sloping lawns. Vega was in her own thoughts, not caring if she was suddenly so distracted.

"Ooh, it's them, look!" Hermione whispered suddenly, and Vega followed her gaze to see what had finally gotten the brunette's attention aside from S.P.E.W.

The Durmstrang party was walking up toward the castle from the lake. Viktor Krum was walking side by side with Karkaroff, and the other Durmstrang students were straggling along behind them.

Ron watched Krum excitedly, but of course, Krum did not look around as he reached the front doors a little ahead of Vega, Hermione, Ron, and Harry and proceeded through them.

When they entered the candlelit Great Hall, it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table.

Fred and George – clean-shaven again – seemed to have taken their disappointment fairly well, and Vega looked up as Fred wrapped his arms around her shoulders and set his chin on top of her head from behind just as the pair of twins and the four fourth-year-olds entered the Great Hall together.

"Hope it's Angelina," Fred said with a sulky look over being unable to participate himself. Vega chuckled as she reached up to hold onto his hands.

"I hope so, too," Vega replied. "I'm really rooting for her – it'll be great if someone from Gryffindor becomes the champion... and especially from our team,"

Vega smiled at Fred as he let her go, allowing her to sit down along with the others.

"So, do I!" Hermione spoke up breathlessly as she sat down on the chair next to Vega, Harry, Ron, Fred and George. "Well, we'll soon know!"

The Halloween Feast seemed to take much longer than usual. Perhaps because it was their second feast in two days, none of them really seemed to fancy the extravagantly prepared food as much as they would have normally. But Vega was ever the eager to have some good dinner that night.

Although Vega had no relation to the Goblet of Fire nor had she put her name in, she was still a bit anxious as to who would be picked. And if they will be okay with their championship coming up.

All around the Great Hall, there were many necks that kept craning constantly toward the Goblet, and each face that did had an impatient expression on it. Several people kept fidgeting in their places, and some of them stood up to see whether Dumbledore had finished eating yet.

At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet.

On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored. Vega wondered what he was up to, as it was very unlike of him.

It was very unlike of him because he was known to be so proper. Vega thought back to what Dora had said and considered the fact that Mr. Crouch had finally unhinged and now just... strange.

"What is going on with Mr. Crouch?" Vega asked in a low voice.

"That is not something to be concerned about right now, Vega!" Ron replied.

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," Dumbledore 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,"