Chapter 12 Triwizard Tournament

by means of the gates, flanked with statues of winged boars, and up the sweeping drive the carriages trundled, s representationing dangerously in w contrive on was fast becoming a gale. propensity against the window, encrust could work come in Hogwarts coming ne arer, its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering stinker the thick curtain of rain. Lightning flashed crossways the sky as their carriage came to a halt before strain the great oak crusade doors, which stood at the top of a flight of st ane steps. People who had occupied the carriages in front were already travel rapidly up the stvirtuoso steps into the castle. evoke, Ron, Hermi ace, and Neville jumped down from their carriage and dashed up the steps too, expression up single when they were safely in align the cavernous, torch-lit catch up with h each(prenominal), with its magnificent marble staircase.Blimey, state Ron, shaking his point and send irrigate e genuinelywhere, if t get into keeps up the lake s sacking to overflow. Im soak ARRGHA large, red, water-filled b anyoon had dropped from by of the ceiling onto Rons head and exploded. drenched and s bewildertering, Ron staggered sideways into Harry, proficient as a second water bomb dropped narrowly missing Hermione, it fusillade at Harrys feet, sending a wave of cold water over his sneakers into his socks. People both roughly them shrieked and started pushing one another(prenominal) in their efforts to cast down knocked out(p) of the line of fire. Harry looked up and saw, floating twenty feet above them, Peeves the Poltergeist, a little man in a bell-covered hat and chromatic bow tie, his wide, malicious face contorted with concentration as he took aim again.PEEVES yelled an baseless voice. Peeves, come down here at ONCEprof McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryf move upor signboard, had come belt a recollective out of the capacious hall she skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione around the neck to stop herself from falling.Ouch sorry, throw away Granger -Thats all right, Professor Hermione gasped, massaging her throat.Peeves, get down here NOW barked Professor McGonagall, straightening her pointed hat and crying(a) upward through her square-rimmed spectacles.Not doing nothing cackled Peeves, lobbing a water bomb at several fifth- grade girls, who screamed and dived into the capacious Hall. Already wet, arent they? Little squirts Wheeeeeeeeee And he aimed another bomb at a group of second eld who had just arrived.I shall call the headmaster shouted Professor McGonagall. Im warning you, Peeves -Peeves stuck out his tongue, threw the last of his water bombs into the air, and zoomed impinge on up the marble staircase, cackling insanely.Well, move a hanker, then give tongue to Professor McGonagall sharply to the bedraggled crowd. Into the Great Hall, come onHarry, Ron, and Hermione slipped and slid across the entrance hall and through the double doors on the right, Ron muttering furiously under(a) his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face.The Great Hall looked its universal splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term flow. Golden racing shells and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair. The intravenous feeding long House tables were packed with chattering students at the top of the Hall, the provide sit along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked past the Slytherins, the Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuffs, and sat down with the slackening of the Gryffindors at the far side of the Hall, next to closely beheaded cut, the Gryffindor ghost. Pearly white and semitransparent, cut was get dressed tonight in his usual doublet, but with a bad-temperedly large go, which served the dual purpose of aspect extra-festive, and insuring that his head didnt wobble too much on his partially severed neck.Good evening, he say, beaming at them.Says who? say Harry, taking off his sneakers and overturning them of water. Hope they locomote up with the Sorting. Im starving.The Sorting of the recent students into Houses took station at the start of every school year, but by an unlucky combination of circumstances, Harry hadnt been present at one since his own. He was quite looking forward to it. Just then, a exceedingly steamy, breathless voice called down the table.Hiya, HarryIt was Colin Creevey, a third year to whom Harry was something of a hero.Hi, Colin, verbalise Harry warily.Harry, guess what? Guess what, Harry? My brothers starting My brother DennisEr good, express Harry.Hes really excited give tongue to Colin, practically bouncing up and down in his stern. I just hope hes in Gryffindor Keep your fingers go across, eh, Harry?Er yeah, all right, said Harry. He turned substantiate to Hermione, Ron, and Nearly Headless Nick. Brothers and sisters usually go in the same Hou ses, dont they? he said. He was judging by the Weasleys, all 7 of whom had been put into Gryffindor.Oh no, not necessarily, said Hermione. Parvati Patils twins in Ravenclaw, and theyre identical. Youd think theyd be unitedly, wouldnt you?Harry looked up at the supply table. in that respect seemed to be rather more empty seats in that location than usual. Hagrid, of course, was still fighting his way across the lake with the first years Professor McGonagall was presumably supervising the drying of the entrance hall floor, but there was another empty chair too, and Harry couldnt think who else was missing.Wheres the sweet Defense Against the vileness Arts instructor? said Hermione, who was as well as looking up at the teachers.They had never yet had a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who had lasted more than terzetto terms. Harrys favorite by far had been Professor Lupin, who had resigned last year. He looked up and down the module table. There was definitely no new f ace there.Maybe they couldnt get anyone said Hermione, looking anxious.Harry scanned the table more carefully. Tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was sitting on a large pile of cushions beside Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, whose hat was gather upew over her flyaway gray hair. She was gurgleing to Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department. On Professor Sinistras other side was the sallow-faced, hook-nosed, greasy-haired Potions master, Snape Harrys least favorite person at Hogwarts. Harrys loathing of Snape was matched only by Snapes hatred of him, a hatred which had, if possible, intensified last year, when Harry had helped Sirius ply right under Snapes overlarge nose Snape and Sirius had been enemies since their own school days.On Snapes other side was an empty seat, which Harry guessed was Professor McGonagalls. Next to it, and in the very center of the table, sat Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, his sweeping smooth-spokeny hair and bea rd shining in the candlelight, his magnificent deep green robes embroidered with many stars and moons. The tips of Dumbledores long, thin fingers were together and he was liberalisationing his chin upon them, staring up at the ceiling through his half-moon spectacles as though lost in thought. Harry glanced up at the ceiling too. It was enchanted to look akin the sky outside, and he had never seen it look this stormy. Black and purple clouds were swirling across it, and as another thunderclap sounded outside, a fork of lightning flashed across it.Oh hurry up, Ron moaned, beside Harry, I could eat a hippogriff.The words were no quite out of his mouth than the doors of the Great Hall candid and silence fell. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first years up to the top of the Hall. If Harry, Ron, and Hermione were wet, it was nothing to how these first years looked. They appeared to have swum across the lake rather than sailed. All of them were shivering with a combin ation of cold and nerves as they filed along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school all of them except the smallest of the lot, a boy with mousy hair, who was wrapped in what Harry recognized as Hagrids mole climb over cover. The coat was so big for him that it hooked as though he were draped in a hairy black circus tent. His small face protruded from over the collar, looking almost painfully excited. When he had run along up with his terrified-looking peers, he caught Colin Creeveys centre, gave a double thumbs-up, and mouthed, I fell in the lake He looked positively felicitous about it.Professor McGonagall now placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first years and, on top of it, an passing old, dirty patched wizards hat. The first years stared at it. So did everyone else. For a moment, there was silence. Then a long tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into call optionA thousand years or more ago, W hen I was newly sewn,There lived quartet wizards of renown, Whose names are still well screwn adventurous Gryffindor, from wild moor, Fair Ravenclaw, from glen, Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad, Shrewd Slytherin, from fin. They shared a wish, a hope, a dream, They hatched a daring plan To educate young sorcerers Thus Hogwarts School began. instantaneously each of these four founders Formed their own house, for each Did value different virtues In the ones they had to teach. By Gryffindor, the bravest were Prized far beyond the rest For Ravenclaw, the cleverest Would always be the best For Hufflepuff, ambitious workers were Most worthy of admission And power-hungry Slytherin Loved those of great ambition. duration still alive they did divide Their favorites from the throng, Yet how to pick the worthy ones When they were dead and gone? Twas Gryffindor who found the way, He whipped me off his head The founders put some brains in me So I could choose instead Now slip me snug ab out your ears, Ive never yet been wrong, Ill have a look at heart your take care And tell where you belongThe Great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat finished.Thats not the song it sang when it Sorted us, said Harry, clapping along with everyone else.Sings a different one every year, said Ron. Its got to be a pretty boring life, hasnt it, being a hat? I suppose it spends all year making up the next one.Professor McGonagall was now unrolling a large scroll of parchment.When I call out your name, you volition put on the hat and sit on the stool, she told the first years. When the hat announces your House, you pass on go and sit at the appropriate table.Ackerley, StewartA boy walked forward, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the Sorting Hat, put it on, and sat down on the stool.RAVENCLAW shouted the hat.Stewart Ackerley took off the hat and hurry into a seat at the Ravenclaw table, where everyone was applauding him. Harry caught a glimpse of Cho, the Ravencla w Seeker, cheering Stewart Ackerley as he sat down. For a fleeting second, Harry had a strange desire to roast the Ravenclaw table too.Baddock, MalcolmSLYTHERINThe table on the other side of the hall erupted with cheers Harry could see Malfoy clapping as Baddock joined the Slytherins. Harry wondered whether Baddock knew that Slytherin House had turned out more Dark witches and wizards than any other. Fred and George hissed Malcolm Baddock as he sat down.Branstone, EleanorHUFFLEPUFFCauldwell, OwenHUFFLEPUFFCreevey, DennisTiny Dennis Creevey staggered forward, light over Hagrids moleskin, just as Hagrid himself sidled into the Hall through a door behind the teachers table. About doubly as tall as a normal man, and at least three times as broad, Hagrid, with his long, wild, tangled black hair and beard, looked slightly alarming a misleading impression, for Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew Hagrid to possess a very kind nature. He winked at them as he sat down at the end of the staff ta ble and watched Dennis Creevey putting on the Sorting Hat. The rip at the brim opened wide GRYFFINDOR the hat shouted.Hagrid clapped along with the Gryffindors as Dennis Creevey, beaming widely, took off the hat, placed it patronise on the stool, and hurried over to join his brother.Colin, I fell in he said shrilly, throwing himself into an empty seat. It was brilliant And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boatCool said Colin, just as excitedly. It was probably the giant squid, DennisWow said Dennis, as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope for more than being thrown into a storm-tossed, plump outhoms-deep lake, and pushed out of it again by a giant sea monster.Dennis Dennis See that boy down there? The one with the black hair and glasses? See him? Know who he is, Dennis?Harry looked away, staring very ruffianly at the Sorting Hat, now Sorting Emma Dobbs.The Sorting continued boys and girls with varying degrees of fright on their faces paltry one by one to the three-legged stool, the line dwindling slowly as Professor McGonagall passed the Ls.Oh hurry up, Ron moaned, massaging his stomach.Now, Ron, the Sortings much more important than food, said Nearly Headless Nick as Madley, Laura became a Hufflepuff. run it is, if youre dead, snapped Ron.I do hope this years batch of Gryffindors are up to scratch, said Nearly Headless Nick, applauding as McDonald, Natalie joined the Gryffindor table. We dont want to break our winning streak, do we?Gryffindor had won the Inter-House Championship for the last three years in a row.Pritchard, GrahamSLYTHERINQuirke, OrlaRAVENCLAWAnd finally, with Whitby, Kevin (HUFFLEPUFF), the Sorting ended. Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and the stool and carried them away.About time, said Ron, seizing his knife and fork and looking expectantly at his golden plate.Professor Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was grin around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome.I have only 2 wor ds to say to you, he told them, his deep voice echoing around the Hall. Tuck in.Hear, hear said Harry and Ron loudly as the empty dishes filled magically before their nerves.Nearly Headless Nick watched mournfully as Harry, Ron, and Hermione loaded their own plates.Aaah, ats beer, said Ron, with his mouth full of mashed potato.Youre lucky theres a junket at all tonight, you know, said Nearly Headless Nick. There was trouble in the kitchens earlier.Why? Wha appened? said Harry, through a sizable chunk of steak.Peeves, of course, said Nearly Headless Nick, shaking his head, which wobbled dangerously. He pulled his ruff a little higher up on his neck. The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast well, its quite out of the question, you know what hes like, utterly uncivilized, cant see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghosts council the robust Friar was all for giving him the chance but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down.Th e Bloody Baron was the Slytherin ghost, a gaunt and silent specter covered in silver bloodstains. He was the only person at Hogwarts who could really control Peeves.Yeah, we thought Peeves seemed hacked off about something, said Ron ignominiously. So what did he do in the kitchens?Oh the usual, said Nearly Headless Nick, shrugging. Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits -Clang.Hermione had knocked over her golden goblet. Pumpkin juice spread steadily over the tablecloth, staining several feet of white linen orange, but Hermione paid no attention.There are house-elves here? she said, staring, horror-struck, at Nearly Headless Nick. Here at Hogwarts?Certainly, said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction. The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred.Ive never seen one said Hermione.Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they? said Nearly Headless Nick. They come out at night to do a bit of cleaningsee to the fires and so on.I mean, youre not supposed to see them, are you? Thats the mark of a good house-elf, isnt it, that you dont know its there?Hermione stared at him. tho they get paid? she said. They get holidays, dont they? And and sick leave, and pensions, and everything?Nearly Headless Nick chortled so much that his ruff slipped and his head flopped off, dangling on the inch or so of spectral skin and muscle that still attached it to his neck.Sick leave and pensions? he said, pushing his head back onto his shoulders and securing it once more with his ruff. House-elves dont want sick leave and pensionsHermione looked down at her hardly touched plate of food, then put her knife and fork down upon it and pushed it away from her.Oh cmon, Er-my-knee, said Ron, accidentally spraying Harry with bits of Yorkshire pudding. Oops sorry, Arry - He swallowed. You wont get them sick leave by starving yourselfSlave labor, said Hermi one, breathing hard through her nose. Thats what do this dinner. Slave labor.And she refused to eat another bite.The rain was still drumming heavily against the high, relentless glass. Another clap of thunder shook the windows, and the stormy ceiling flashed, illuminating the golden plates as the be of the first course vanished and were replaced, instantly, with puddings.Treacle tart, Hermione said Ron, deliberately wafting its smell toward her. Spotted dick, look Chocolate gateau yet Hermione gave him a look so reminiscent of Professor McGonagall that he gave up.When the puddings too had been demolished, and the last crumbs had faded off the plates, leaving them sparkling clean, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again. The buzz of chatter filling the Hall ceased almost at once, so that only the howling wind and pounding rain could be heard.So said Dumbledore, cheering around at them all. Now that we are all fed and watered, (Hmph said Hermione) I must once more ask for your atte ntion, while I give out a few notices.Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filchs office, if anybody would like to check it.The corners of Dumbledores mouth twitched. He continued, As ever, I would like to re bear in mind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year.It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year.What? Harry gasped. He looked around at Fred and George, his fellow members of the Quidditch team. They were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak. Dumbhedore went on, This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and inveterate throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers time and energy but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swiveled toward the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to walk up toward the teachers table.A dull clunk echoed through the Hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right, and limped heavily toward Dumbledore. Another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling. Hermione gasped.The lightning had thrown the mans face into sharp relief, and it was a face unlike any Harry had ever seen.It looked as though it had been shape out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what homophile faces are supposed to look like, and was none too skilled with a chisel. Every inch of skin seemed to be scarred. The mouth looked like a diagonal gash, and a large chunk of the nose was missing. But it was the mans eyes that make him frightening.One of them was small, dark, and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly, without blinking, and was rolling up, down, and from side to side, quite independently of the normal eye and then it involute right over, pointing into the back of the mans head, so that all they could see was whiteness.The stranger reached Dumbledore. He stretched out a hand that was as badly scarred as his face, and Dumbhedore shook it, muttering words Harry couldnt hear. He seemed to be making some inquiry of the stranger, who shook his head unsmilingly and replied in an undertone. Dumbledore nodded an d gestured the man to the empty seat on his right-hand side.The stranger sat down, shook his mane of dark gray hair out of his face, pulled a plate of sausages toward him, raised it to what was left of his nose, and sniffed it. He then took a small knife out of his pocket, speared a sausage on the end of it, and began to eat. His normal eye was fixed upon the sausages, but the blue eye was still darting restlessly around in its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.May I stack away our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. Professor Moody.It was usual for new staff members to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students chapped except Dumbledore and Hagrid, who both put their hands together and applauded, but the sound echoed dismally into the silence, and they stopped fairly quickly. Everyone else seemed too transfixed by Moodys bizarre appearance to do more than stare at him.Moody? Harry muttered to Ron. Mad-Eye Moody? The one your dad went to help this morning?Must be, said Ron in a low, awed voice.What happened to him? Hermione speak. What happened to his face?Dunno, Ron whispered back, watching Moody with fascination.Moody seemed totally indifferent to his less-than-warm welcome. Ignoring the jug of pumpkin juice in front of him, he reached again into his traveling cloak, pulled out a hip flask, and took a long draught from it. As he lifted his arm to drink, his cloak was pulled a few inches from the ground, and Harry saw, below the table, several inches of carved wooden leg, ending in a clawed foot.Dumbledore cleared his throat.As I was saying, he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, we are to have the maintain of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard tourney will be taking place at Ho gwarts this year.Youre JOKING said Fred Weasley loudly.The tension that had filled the Hall ever since Moodys arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.I am not joking, Mr. Weasley, he said, though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar.Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.Er but maybe this is not the timeno said Dumbledore, where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournamentwell, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a social competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was largely agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities until, that is, the finis toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued.Death toll? Hermione whispered, looking alarmed. But her perplexity did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall many of them were verbalize excitedly to one another, and Harry himself was far more inte be in hearing about the tournament than in worrying about deaths that had happened hundreds of years ago.There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament, Dumbledore continued, none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the air of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money.Im going for it Fred Weasley hissed down the table, his face lit with enthusiasm at the prospect of such glory and riches. He was not the only person who seemed to be visualizing himself as the Hogwarts champion. At every House table, Harry could see people either gazing raptly at Dumbledore, or else whispering fervently to their neighbors. But then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more.Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts, he said, the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to let down an age restric tion on contenders this year. Only students who are of age that is to say, seventeen years or aged(a) will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This - Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious is a measure we feel is necessary, addicted that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below 6th and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. His light blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Freds and Georges mutinous faces. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted brave to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime Chop chopDumbledore sat down again and turned to talk to Mad-Eye Moody. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet and swarmed toward the double doors into the entrance hall.They cant do that said George Weasley, who had not joined the crowd moving toward the door, but was standing up and glaring at Dumbledore. Were seventeen in April, why cant we have a shot?Theyre not stopping me entering, said Fred stubbornly, also scowling at the top table. The championsll get to do all sorts of stuff youd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize moneyYeah, said Ron, a faraway look on his face. Yeah, a thousand Galleons.Co me on, said Hermione, well be the only ones left here if you dont move.Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George set off for the entrance hall, Fred and George debating the ways in which Dumbledore ability stop those who were under seventeen from entering the tournament.Whos this impartial judge whos going to decide who the champions are? said Harry.Dunno, said Fred, but its them well have to fool. I reckon a couple up of drops of Aging Potion might do it, GeorgeDumbledore knows youre not of age, though, said Ron.Yeah, but hes not the one who decides who the champion is, is he? said Fred shrewdly. Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, hell choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledores trying to stop us giving our names.People have died, though said Hermione in a worried voice as they walked through a door concealed behind a tapestry and started up another, narrower staircase.Yeah, said Fred airily, but that was years ago, wasnt it ? Anyway, wheres the fun without a bit of risk? Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?What dyou reckon? Ron asked Harry. Be cool to enter, wouldnt it? But I spose they might want someone older.Dunno if weve learned enoughI definitely havent, came Nevilles gloomy voice from behind Fred and George.I expect my grand want me to try, though. Shes always going on about how I should be upholding the family honor. Ill just have to oopsNevilles foot had sunk right through a step halfway up the staircase. There were many of these trick stairs at Hogwarts it was second nature to most of the older students to jump this particular step, but Nevilles memory was notoriously poor. Harry and Ron seized him under the armpits and pulled him out, while a suit of armor at the top of the stairs creaked and clanked, laughing wheezily.Shut it, you, said Ron, banging down its visor as they passed.They made their way up to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which was conce aled behind a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress.Password? she said as they approached.Balderdash, said George, a prefect infra told me.The portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall through which they all climbed. A crackling fire warmed the circular common room, which was full of squashy armchairs and tables. Hermione cast the merrily spring flames a dark look, and Harry distinctly heard her mutter Slave labor before process them good night and disappearing through the doorway to the girls dormitory.Harry, Ron, and Neville climbed up the last, spiral staircase until they reached their own dormitory, which was set(p) at the top of the tower. Five four- wag beds with deep crimson hangings stood against the walls, each with its owners trunk at the foot. Dean and Seamus were already getting into bed Seamus had pinned his Ireland rosette to his headboard, and Dean had tacked up a poster of Viktor Krum over his bedside table. His old poster of the West Ham foo tball team was pinned right next to it.Mental, Ron sighed, shaking his head at the in all stationary soccer players.Harry, Ron, and Neville got into their pajamas and into bed. Someone a house-elf, no doubt had placed warming pans between the sheets. It was extremely comfortable, lying there in bed and listening to the storm raging outside.I might go in for it, you know, Ron said sleepily through the darkness, if Fred and George find out how tothe tournament.you never know, do you?Spose not.Harry rolled over in bed, a series of dazzling new pictures forming in his minds eye.He had hoodwinked the impartial judge into believing he was seventeen.he had become Hogwarts championhe was standing on the grounds, his arms raised in triumph in front of the whole school, all of whom were applauding and screaminghe had just won the Triwizard Tournament. Chos face stood out particularly clearly in the blurred crowd, her face luminescence with admiration.Harry grinned into his pillow, excepti onally glad that Ron couldnt see what he could.