Grindelwald's Burden (Books 1-7)

55. The Champions

Y/n sat there, aware that every head in the Great Hall had turned to look at both him and Harry. This couldn't be right...both their names had been pulled out of the goblet? How had this happened? Why were their names in the goblet to begin with?

There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall, some students were standing up to get a better look at Y/n and Harry as both boys sat, frozen, in their seats.

Up at the top table, Professor McGonagall had got to her feet and swept past Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Professor Dumbledore, who bent his ear toward her, frowning slightly.

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione, beyond them he saw the long Gryffindor table all watching him and Y/n, open mouthed.

"I didn't put my name in." Harry said blankly. "You know I didn't. "

Both of them stared just as blankly back.

At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall.

"Harry Potter and Y/n Grindelwald!" he called again. "Harry! Y/n! Up here, if you please!"

"Go on." Hermione whispered to them both, giving Y/n a slight push onto his feet.

Harry got to his feet as well now but trod on the hem of his robes, and stumbled slightly.

Y/n and Harry looked at each other both as confused as the other before they set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt like an immensely long walk, the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all.

Y/n could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon him and Harry, as though each were a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, they were right in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares of all the teachers.

"Well... through the door." said Dumbledore. He wasn't smiling.

Y/n and Harry moved off along the teachers' table. Hagrid was seated right at the end. He did not wink or wave, or give any of his usual signs of greeting. He looked completely astonished and stared at Harry and Y/n as they passed like everyone else.

Y/n went through the door out of the Great Hall first and found himself in a smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A handsome fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite him.

"Harry..." Y/n spoke for the first time since their names had been drawn. "Did you enter your name?"

"No." Harry quickly shook his head. "You?"

"I already told you I wanted no part in this..." Y/n said still shocked but slightly angry now. "So why the hell are our names in that Goblet!?"

The faces in the portraits turned to look at them as they entered the room properly now. Y/n saw a wizened witch flit out of the frame of her picture and into the one next to it, which contained a wizard with a walrus mustache. The wizened witch started whispering in his ear.

Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory, and Fleur Delacour were grouped around the fire. They looked strangely impressive, silhouetted against the flames. Krum, hunched-up and brooding, was leaning against the mantelpiece, slightly apart from the other two. Cedric was standing with his hands behind his back, staring into the fire. Fleur Delacour looked around when Y/n and Harry walked in and threw back her sheet of long, silvery hair.

"What is it?" she said. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?" She thought they had come to deliver a message.

Harry didn't know how to explain what had just happened. He just stood there, looking at the three champions. It struck him how very tall all of them were.