Two Coupons
"Ready?" said George, trembling with excitement, to the other two. "Come on, then—I'll go in first—"
For a split second Hermione thought they had succeeded - but then there was a hiss and the brothers were thrown out of the gold coil before Lee Jordan could jump. They fell in agony to the cold stone ground ten feet away. With a loud crack, two identical long white beards sprouted from their chins.
Everyone in the hall laughed, except for Hermione. Even Fred and George couldn't help laughing when they got up and saw each other's white beards.
"I warned you," said a low, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He looked at Fred and George with a twinkle in his eye: "I suggest you both go to Madam Pomfrey. She is already nursing Miss Fawcett in Ravenclaw and Mr. Summers in Hufflepuff, they are also determined to make themselves a little older. But I must say, their beards are far less handsome than yours."
After Professor Dumbledore left the Great Hall, Beauxbaton's students entered through the front door from the grounds, including the girl who looked like a Veela at the welcome banquet. Those around the Goblet of Fire stepped back to let them pass, and watched eagerly.
Madame Maxime followed her students into the hall and ordered them to line up. One by one, Beauxbaton's students crossed the age line, throwing their strips of parchment into the blue-and-white flames. As each name was thrown into the fire, the flames quickly turned red and sparkled.
"You say, what happens to those who are not chosen?" Hermione heard Ron whisper to Harry as the veela-like girl threw her parchment into the Goblet of Fire, "Are they returning to their school or stay here to watch the game?"
"I don't know," said Harry, "I guess they're staying……Ms. Maxime is going to be the referee here, isn't she?"
When Beauxbaton's students signed up one by one, Ms. Maxim led them out of the hall and back to the field outside.
"So, where do they sleep?" said Ron, taking a few steps towards the front door, watching their backs.
"Okay Ron, let's go, Hagrid is waiting for us." Hermione said. Ron jumped down the stone steps in three steps at a time, but his eyes were still fixed on the back of the girl who looked like a Veela.
At three or four o'clock in the afternoon, it began to rain lightly, and they felt very comfortable—sitting by the warm fire, listening to the raindrops beating on the glass windows, watching Hagrid darn his socks while Debating house-elves with Hermione - because he flatly refused to join the S.P.E.W. when Hermione showed him the badges.
"It's not a good thing for them, Hermione," he said gravely, threading thick yellow yarn through a thick bone needle. "It's their nature to take care of humans, and they like that, understand? They would be sad not to work, and it would be an insult to them to pay them."
"But Dobby couldn't be happier that Harry had freed him!" said Hermione, "and we hear he's now asking for his wages!"
"Yeah, yeah, there's some weirdos in every creature. I don't deny that there are a few weird little elves who want to be free, but you'll never be able to convince most of them to go free - really, It can't be, Hermione."
Hermione was a little unconvinced, but still stuffed the box containing the badge into the pocket of the cloak.
Hagrid doesn't seem to be able to do it. But she will ask Fred and George someday. Maybe Ginny would be fine too.
It was getting dark at half past five, and Hermione decided it was time for them to return to the castle for the Hallow's Eve feast - and more importantly, the proclamation of the school's champions.
They met a group of Durmstrang on the way walking from the lake to the castle. Viktor Krum and Karkaroff walked in front side by side, and the other Durmstrang students followed sparsely behind.
Ron looked at Krum excitedly, but Krum reached the main door ahead of Hermione and went in without looking away.
When they entered the candlelit auditorium, it was nearly full. The Goblet of Fire has been moved. It now stood in front of Dumbledore's empty chair on the staff table.
"I wish it was Angelina," said George, as Hermione sat down beside Harry and Ron. Both his and Fred's jaws were back to normal.
"Me too!" said Hermione, breathlessly. "Ah, we'll find out soon!"
People in the auditorium kept looking up, with anxious expressions on every face. Everyone fidgeted, standing up from time to time to see if Dumbledore had finished eating.
Finally, the golden plate returned to its original spotless state, and the voice in the auditorium suddenly increased a lot. Immediately, Dumbledore stood up, and the auditorium suddenly became silent.
"Well, the Goblet of Fire is about to make a decision," said Dumbledore. "I reckon it will take another minute. Listen, when the names of the champions are announced, I want them to walk to the top of the hall and walk along the staff table. Go over and go into the adjoining room—" He pointed to the door behind the instructor's desk, "—they'll get their initial instruction there."
He took out his wand and swung it broadly. Immediately, except for those candles in the pumpkin lantern, all the other candles were extinguished, and the auditorium suddenly fell into a semi-dark state.
The Goblet of Fire now emitted a dazzling light, brighter than anything else in the entire auditorium, and the blue-white flames bursting out with sparks were almost dazzling. Everyone watched and waited... a few people kept looking at their watches...
"Soon," Lee Jordan whispered.
The flame in the cup suddenly turned red again, and crackling sparks burst out. Then, a flame shot into the air, and from it flew a piece of charred parchment—everyone in the auditorium held their breath.
Amid waves of enthusiastic applause and whistles, Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour, and Cedric Diggory became the representative warriors of the three schools respectively.
"Great!" Dumbledore exclaimed cheerfully when the uproar finally subsided. "Now, our three warriors have been chosen. I know I can count on all of you, including Beauxbatons and Other Durmstrang students, you will definitely go all out to support your warriors. By cheering for the warriors, you will also make a great contribution to this event—"
But Dumbledore stopped talking suddenly, and Hermione followed everyone else to see what had attracted his attention.
The flames turned red again. Sparks crackled and splashed out. A long tongue of flame suddenly jumped into the air, and another piece of parchment was held out.
Dumbledore stretched out a slender hand as if subconsciously, and grabbed the parchment. He held it far away, staring at the name written on it. There was a long silence, with Dumbledore staring at the note in his hand, and everyone in the Great Hall staring at Dumbledore. Then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read aloud—
"Harry Potter."
Hermione reacted immediately and pushed Harry who was stiff beside him.
"Harry, you have to go now," she whispered on his shoulder, pushing him again.
No applause. A hum began to fill the auditorium, and Harry seemed to freeze in his seat.
"Harry Potter!"
"Go ahead," Hermione urged quietly, pushing Harry a little harder.
After Harry left, Ron's expression changed. He lowered his head and said nothing, trying to break the fork on the table.
Hermione looked at Ginny for help, and Ginny shook her head helplessly.
The next few days were really depressing.
The whole Gryffindor held a celebration party for Harry, but no one really believed that he didn't vote for himself; It was awkward, Hermione had to go owl-like back and forth between the two of them. Fortunately, Ginny's company and occasional encounters with Fred and George's products meeting gave her a chance to breathe.
"So you've been sending them messages?" Fred looked up from the stack of Hermione's freshly revised materials in the library.
"I have to, they won't make up." Hermione crossed out a few more edible magic food ingredients.
"If you want some advice from me, don't pay attention to them." he loosened his school robe and tie, "The more you manage this kind of thing, the more chaotic it will be."
Hermione turned her head and got up to pick up the book that George handed over, with big light brown eyes and furry long dark brown hair, she looked like a rabbit just out of the hole in the eyes of Fred.
She came back with a sigh.
Fred smiled, and slowly took out two coupons from his trouser pocket, "From your words, I feel that Miss Granger is not happy playing with those two little kids at all," he put his hands together lazily as a pillow behind his neck. Eyes lowered, "Why don't you go to Hogsmeade with me this time, and let me invite you to have some delicious hot pot?"