Roses and Riots | f. weasley

Chapter 24: The Fourth Champion

Emilia was positive she had misheard Dumbledore as he read the name written on the smoking piece of parchment in his hands.

"Harry Potter!"

He repeated it much louder this time, and Emilia knew then that she hadn't misheard him.

Harry went still beside her and she gripped his arm, "Harry?"

Her brother shook his head at her, his eyes wide. Everyone turned to stare at them, and Harry looked across the hall to Dumbledore, not moving.

"No," Emilia murmured disbelievingly, "absolutely not."

"Emilia, I didn't-" Harry whispered urgently, but Dumbledore called him again, more forcefully this time, and Hermione pushed him to go.

Emilia stared after him as his wrist slipped from her fingers and she watched him walk across the silent hall to where Dumbledore stood waiting. Dumbledore didn't shake Harry's hand, he simply stared as the boy hesitantly approached him.

Fred's hand was on Emilia's shoulder, but if he was talking to her she didn't know because she was too focused on trying to catch her breath as Harry walked away from them.

"This is a mistake," she whispered, "this cannot be happening."

Hermione looked at her, her face pinched with concern, while Ron stayed silent and didn't say a word. As soon as the professors left the hall, mayhem broke out and people were shouting their protests and glaring at Emilia and her friends, calling Harry a cheat.

"How'd you think he managed it?" George asked Fred behind her.

Emilia turned around furiously, "he didn't- he wouldn't."

The twins shared a look and Fred looked at her, "his name was in the goblet, Emilia."

She scowled, "I know that, Fred, but Harry wouldn't have entered. He just wouldn't have."

"Wouldn't he have?" Ron muttered icily. "He's probably bloody delighted to have everyone talking about him again."

Emilia turned to Ron, "what are you on about?"

"You heard me, Emilia," Ron seethed, "you'd think that he would've told us though, his sister and his best friend? Doesn't that bother you?"

Emilia stared at him in disbelief, "are you hearing yourself right now, Ron? He didn't do it."

"Whatever," Ron retorted, crossing his arms.

Ignoring everyone's glares and whispers, Emilia got up from her seat and strode across the hall, eyes following her as she went.

She pushed the doors open, hearing Moody's voice echoing up the stairs, "...the goblet of fire is an exceptionally powerful object and only an exceptionally powerful Confundus Charm could've hoodwinked it! Magic way beyond the talents of a fourth-year."

Emilia pushed into the room and the eyes of everyone flickered to her briefly, but no one asked her to leave. She immediately went over to Minerva McGonagall, whose pale face mirrored her own.

"He can't-" her whisper was cut off by Barty Crouch.

"The rules are absolute. The Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract. Mr Potter has no choice."

"He's only fourteen!" Emilia protested desperately, not caring about impropriety when addressing the man, especially since he'd accused her and Harry of casting the Dark Mark at the World Cup before eventually seeing sense.

Barty Crouch looked at her, "there is no way around this, Miss Potter. I assure you if there was a way, we would enact it. Harry Potter is, as of tonight, a Triwizard Champion."