The Potter Twins and the Goblet of Fire {4}

14. A Magical Contract

"Wake me up, say enough is enough. I'm dying to live, something's gotta give"~ Somethings Gotta Give, All Time Low

I can't seem to move a muscle in the moments that follow Dumbledore's announcement. I sit, entirely unaware that every head has turned to Harry and me. 

I'm stunned. I feel numb. Surely this is a dream, or maybe I misheard what Dumbledore said.

There's no applause, only a buzzing, as though of angry bees, which fills the hall. I can see some students standing up to get a better look at us. But we still sit, frozen in our seats.

Harry and I turn to each other. "Did you?" we ask each other in unison. "No."

"Haylee and Harry Potter!" Dumbledore calls again. "Haylee! Harry! Up here, if you please!"

"Go on," Hermione whisoers, giving us a slight push. We get to our feet and, to make matters worse, Harry stumbles on the hem of his robes.

Pushing him forward, we set off through the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It seems like decades before we reach the staff table, and I can feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes burning into the back of my head.

"Well...through the door," Dumbledore tells us, and he isn't smiling.

We continue along the teachers table. Hagrid sits at the end of it, and he doesn't wave or wink at us, or give any sort of greeting. He looks completely astonished as we pass, like everybody else. We go through the door out of the Great Hall, and find ourselves in a smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A handsome fire is roaring in the fireplace opposite us.

Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory and Fleur Delacour are all grouped around it. And they all look strangely impressive, silhouetted against the flames. Krum, hunched over and brooding. Cedric, with his hands behind his back, and Fleur, with her beautiful hair. She notices us first, and turns around.

"What is it?" she asks. "Do zey want us back in ze hall?"

She thinks we're messengers. I open my mouth, but no words come out, and in the back of my mind I realise just how tall they all are.

There is a sound of scurrying feet behind us, and Ludo Bagman enters the room. He takes Harry and I by our arms and leads us forward.

"Extraoridinary!" he mutters. "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen...lady," he addresses the others. "May I introduce - incredible though it may seem - the fourth and fifth champions?"

Krum straightens up, and his surly face darknens as he surveys us. Cedric looks nonphased, for the most part. He looks between Bagman, Harry and I as though he thinks he misheard him. Fleur, however, tosses her hair and chuckles.

"Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."

"Joke?" Bagman repeats, bewildered. "No, no, not aty all! Harry and Haylee's names just came out of the Goblet of Fire! On the same piece of parchment!"

Krum's thick eyebrows contract slightly, and Cedric is still looking politely bewildered.

Fluer frowns. "But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," she says. "Zey cannot compete. Zey are too young."

"Well...it is amazing," Bagman says, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at us. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as their name's come out of the Goblet...I man, I don't think there's any ducking out at this stage...it's down in the rules, you're obliged...Harry and Haylee will just have to the best they - "

The door behind us opens again, and large group of people come in; Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madam Mazine, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.