Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 10: The Goblet of Fire (pt 2)

Moments later ...

Inside a nearby meeting room, the three Triwizard Champions—Diggory, Krum, and Delacour—were just introducing themselves and getting to know one another when the door flew open and Harry and Jim stalked in, both angrily snapping accusations at the other.

"What eez it?" asked Fleur in her exaggerated French accent. "Do zey want us back in zee hall?"

"No, no," Harry said while waving his hand distractedly. "We're here to join you. Apparently, Potter and I are the fourth and fifth Champions in the Tri-wizard Tournament. Presumably because Ludo Bagman doesn't know how to count to three!"

"What?!" exclaimed Cedric. "What are you talking about?"

"Just a moment after you left the room, Diggory," Jim explained, "the Goblet spat out a fourth parchment."

He turned towards Harry and glared at him suspiciously. "And somehow, both our names were on it!"

Harry sneered at his sibling. "Don't you dare try to pin this on me, Potter! I'm certain that this is some sort of Boy-Who-Lived bullshit, and you've just dragged me along in your stupid Gryffindoring!"

But before the argument between the two brothers could continue, Bagman himself entered the room, followed closely by a furious Crouch and the three Headmasters. Maxime and Karkaroff were already shouting at Dumbledore. McGonagall and Snape came in just after, followed a few minutes later by Minister Fudge and his right hand, Dolores Umbridge. Moody came in last, stumping along loudly on his fake leg. While Ludo seemed delighted by the shocking developments, everyone else was visibly angry.

"Extraordinary!" exclaimed the ebullient Bagman. "Simply extraordinary!"

"Not the word I'd care to use right now," Crouch snapped. "But it does appear that our three-person tournament has grown to five!"

The three older champions looked at one another in confusion before Fleur spoke up.

"But ... zey cannot compete, Monsieur Crouch. Zey are ... leetle boys!"

"I beg your pardon!" Harry said, obviously affronted.

"Oi!" Jim snapped, just as affronted but less eloquently.

"Excusez-moi," the French girl said apologetically, visibly flustered by the circumstances. "I only meant, um, comment dit-on ... mineurs?"

"Ah!" Viktor interjected before turning to Harry and Jim with a knowing expression. "She means you are both the age of under!"

Everyone stared at him in confusion before Harry nodded in understanding.

"Oh, right. Underaged. Well, that's a fair cop, so I withdraw my objection."

Meanwhile, Karkaroff and Maxime began flinging accusations at Crouch, Bagman, and even Minister Fudge. Finally, Moody unexpectedly let out a loud whistle to gain everyone's attention.

"Thank you, Alastor," said Dumbledore. "Now then, let me assure you all that we will soon get to the bottom of all this and ensure that the Tournament proceeds without any further difficulties and disruptions. But I should like to begin by speaking to the young men in question, if I may."

And with that, Dumbledore turned to the two added competitors.

"Now then, boys," he began calmly. "I must ask you both ..."

"JIM POTTER! DID YOU PUT YOUR NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIRE?!"

Everyone in the room jumped at the shriek that had come from the doorway. It was Lily Potter, and her eyes were ablaze in a fury. Jim went pale, while beside him, Harry just rolled his eyes at the display.