One Day They'll Know Your Name

The names we burn

Les Amis watched curiously as the seventeen year old students started putting their names in the Goblet. Harry mostly just watched Draco, because honestly a tournament with real life stakes being your life sounded like a good way for someone to die, and Harry already had a megalomaniac out for his life, he didn't need a way to get himself killed.

"It'd be nice to be allowed to compete," Ron sighed. "I mean, the thousand galleon prize alone would be awesome. Mum wouldn't have to do near as much as she does to make ends meet."

Draco shrugged. "It'd be cool for the experience, and the glory, and of course I wouldn't say no to the money, but I don't need it. I'd probably donate it somewhere or something."

Hermione huffed. "Well I don't think it's a good idea at all! Even for the seventeen year olds! Do you know how many people have died in this tournament? Too many! That's why they stopped doing it in the first place! Why bring it back now?"

Neville snorted. "I'd have to agree with 'Mione. Why risk death when you have your NEWTs?"

Harry laughed at that. "Not to mention that death would put a minor kink in any post-graduation plans."

Hermione gaped. "You two shouldn't be joking about this! Death is a very serious matter, and if anyone died during this tournament, it would be a horrible time for everyone!"

"If anyone is allowed to make jokes about death, it's me, 'Mione," Harry said, grinning. "After all, bones just pop up everywhere around me. It's like they want me to make jokes!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Anyway, who do you think is gonna get in?"

Hermione glared at Ron, but answered anyway. "I don't know. That one girl at the end of the Beauxbatons group, the figure skater? If she enters she might be picked. She's strong enough to do a jump like that, and obviously magically powerful enough to make a show of it while it still does what she wants it too. Maybe that girl from Durmstrang, the one who juggled the fire? And if there's any justice at all, a Slytherin or Ravenclaw will be picked from Hogwarts, because no offence, Ron, Ginny, Neville, but Slytherins are known for finding good ways out of tight spots, and Ravenclaws are known for not getting themselves into the spots in the first place."

Draco laughed long and loud at that, and Harry chuckled beside him, catching sight of the way the candlelight glinted off of his friend's hair before blushing and looking another way, only to see Ginny smirking at him. He wondered what that was about. Did he have something on his face? Or maybe she was just looking at his blush? Which, why was he blushing in the first place?

Ron shook his head. "No way, a Gryffindor should be the champion. And Krum would make the best champion from Durmstrang."

"Yes, Ron, we all know you love Viktor Krum," Ginny teased. "My bet's on the boy who spread the ice under his feet while he danced from Beauxbatons, and the girl who juggled fire from Durmstrang, and for a specific Hogwarts student, Flint, maybe."

"I think it'll be the girl at the end, like 'Mione said, the boy who made the shapes in the fire, and Derek," Neville said.

"Derek?" Harry hissed incredulously. Draco just laughed at him.

"Just because he snitched on you being a Parslemouth that one time," he teased. "Anyway, my vote's on Krum, the figure skating girl, and Flint."

Harry rolled his eyes and shrugged. "I don't really know or care, but the first figure skater was pretty impressive, staying on his feet even as ice was spreading right in front of him, as was the first guy from Durmstrang, the one who started the staff sparks. And I bet one of the twins will manage to get their name in the fire and they'll get picked."

Luna finally spoke, her voice dreamy and a little distant. "Viktor Krum, Fleur Decalour, and Cedric Diggory."

Ginny raised her hand. "Can I change my bet?"

"No!" Ron glared at his sister. "Betting after Luna is cheating, we all know that."

Ginny just stuck her tongue out at her brother and Neville snorted. Before long, it was time to go to their dorms, so everyone went their separate ways.

The next day, Ron seemed distant for some reason. Harry tried to ask him what was wrong, but Ron just snapped, "Nothing. I gotta get to class. Bye."

Harry was confused, but figured that Ron had just had a bad day and would be fine later. Draco seemed to agree with him, and they headed off to their own class. In a week the champions would be named and they didn't want to miss any homework before then.

*****************

"The history of the Goblet of Fyre is a long and storied tradition, dating back to nearly before humans began to record events. The first known use was in the year 100 BC, for a dueling tournament between two neighbouring countries who had lost most of their fighting fit people in the war that had been waged between the two nations. It chose a total of forty people from the one hundred that had entered their names, and the final people standing won the war.

One of it's most famous uses was when Godric Gryffindor, one of the founders of Hogwarts, was pitted against one hundred people and won by killing or permanently injuring every single opponent to the point that not even magical healing could heal the wounds left behind. Many of the one hundred were never able to lift a wand, or walk, or even speak clearly again.[1]

After that incident, it was believed that the red color of the flames when announcing a competitor was bad luck, indicating that people would die. It is unknown where this superstition arose, but seeing as red is well known as Gryffindor's color, it did not seem to be an unfounded one. With this superstition in place, the one spell able to be casted upon the Goblet of Fyre, the Color Changing Charm[2], was often used in order to make the flames seem a different color each time a name was chosen."

Barty groaned loudly and nearly threw the book in his frustration. How typical, the one thing he needs to do is impossible due to the Goblet's unspellable nature. And here he thought the Restricted Section would be helpful. Hours of research and all he can do is change the color, how could- He froze, his mind racing to examine that bit of information. Perhaps he could do something with this, it was just a matter of getting a little creative.

Finally, the day of the Goblet's choosing had arrived. Halloween night, which Barty felt was an auspicious night for his doings.

As the Goblet glowed red to let out the first name, Barty carefully studied the color. He had never seen it before, and it would have to be a perfect copy. There could be no doubt that the fire was being lit for a fourth time.

Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum, and Cedric Diggory were all announced as Triwizard competitors, and Barty took a deep breath before gently tossing the ripped paper with Potter's name on it with a careful lift via Wingardium Leviosa. As the paper flew in the correct trajectory, Barty held his breath and carefully sent a color changing charm at the Goblet, turning the flames the same vibrant red as they had been when sending out the other three names. Not even a second later, he sent a wind charm at it to make it look like the fires had roared. If he did say so himself it had been a masterful performance, and if he hadn't done it himself, he wasn't sure he would have noticed. Dumbledore, the old coot, caught the paper in his hand, shocked into silence.

"Harry Potter." The old man's voice boomed into the shocked silence of the room, and the room stayed silent for only another moment before exploding into noise.