In the room adjoining the Great Hall, wizard portraits hung on both walls, and the fire in the fireplace burned brightly.
When Eda entered the room, Krum was leaning against the mantelpiece with a gloomy expression.
It seemed Krum always wore the same clouded look. Perhaps becoming famous at such a young age had brought him too many troubles.
Eda thought Krum and Harry ought to have a good chat sometime. Both had become famous while still young, both loved Quidditch, and both were Seekers. They should have plenty in common.
Fleur stood beside the fire to keep warm. She seemed to dislike Hogwarts' cold weather, looking rather listless. Fleur Delacour turned around, tossing her waterfall-like silver hair behind her.
"I know who you are, Esmeralda Twist," she said. "The daughter of the Rosier family."
Krum froze for a moment, finding that rather strange. Her surname was Twist, so why was she the daughter of the Rosier family instead of the Twist family?
"I know who you are too, Miss Delacour," Eda replied without correcting her. "My cousin spent the entire summer talking about you."
From the very first day she had returned to the Rosier family, Eda had been branded with the Rosier name. Whether she changed her surname or not, she was still the Rosier family's daughter, Louis Rosier's daughter.
"Mr. Hector Rosier is a good man," Fleur Delacour said. "But we're not suited for each other, so I rejected him outright."
That "good guy" card actually made Eda like Fleur a little more. At least she knew Fleur wasn't toying with Hector's feelings or keeping him around as a simp or a backup. Rejecting him so directly was far better than dragging things out.
"Thank you. I'll talk some sense into Hector. He'll listen," Eda said.
Just then, the commotion outside reached the room clearly.
"He cheated!"
"He's only fourteen!"
"This isn't fair!"
"What happened?" Krum looked toward Eda. This was Hogwarts, and Eda was the host here. Naturally, if something had happened, the host should be asked first.
Eda walked back to the door, opened it a crack, and peeked outside.
She happened to spot Hagrid sitting near the edge.
"Hagrid, Hagrid," Eda called softly.
When Hagrid turned toward her, she asked, "What's going on? Why has everything suddenly become such a mess?"
Hagrid's features were all scrunched together with worry.
"It's Harry," he said anxiously. "Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire too."
Eda's eyes widened instantly.
She was very unhappy now.
She wasn't unhappy because Harry had become the fourth champion and stolen her spotlight.
She was unhappy because she had a very bad feeling.
The superficial peace she had been emphasizing since the beginning of the school year was probably about to collapse. Harry becoming a champion was deeply unfair to everyone, including the three champions themselves.
People do not fear scarcity as much as they fear unfairness. Unfairness gives rise to all sorts of problems, and the conflicts that had been suppressed all this time might erupt ahead of schedule.
Eda suddenly felt she had made a terrible move.
Perhaps it would have been better to let events take their natural course.
Looking at the flickering jack-o'-lanterns lighting the Great Hall, Eda finally remembered what day it was.
Halloween.
At Hogwarts, Halloween was practically synonymous with trouble.
In fact, "practically" might not even be necessary. An equal sign would do just fine.
Closing the door again, Eda returned to the small room.
Both Krum and Fleur looked at her.
"Something has happened that's very unfair to both of you," Eda said, "but at the same time, it's a little fair as well. The Triwizard Tournament is going to have a fourth champion."
"That's quite a funny joke, Miss Twist," Fleur said, assuming Eda was kidding.
"It's not a joke. And the fourth champion has already been chosen. Harry Potter."
Eda walked back to the fireplace. She needed the warmth of the flames.
Things were probably far more complicated than they seemed.
"This isn't fair," Krum said in a deep voice. "It goes against sportsmanship."
"Yeah.. It really is unfair," Eda said, holding out her hands toward the fire. "It's unfair to both of your schools, because Hogwarts may have two champions."
"But Harry is only fourteen years old. At least that's a small consolation for the two of you."
In terms of both age and year level, Krum and Fleur held an absolute advantage.
Harry was only in his fourth year and had not even taken his O.W.L. examinations.
Eda herself had only just entered her sixth year and had only recently finished taking hers.
Although the difference between fourteen and seventeen was not enormous, the fact that underage wizards were forbidden from using magic outside of school showed that there was still a significant gap between the two.
But Harry was no ordinary person.
He was Harry Potter, the king of unexpected outcomes. Who knew what kind of performance he might deliver? After all, Harry had survived taking an Avada Kedavra to the face when he was only one year old.
At that moment, the door opened, and Harry walked in awkwardly.
He kept his head lowered, not knowing how to explain everything that had just happened, especially how to face Eda.
"Lift your head, Harry. You are not the one who did anything wrong," Eda said from beside the fireplace. "I don't believe you could have fooled both the Age Line and the Goblet of Fire by yourself."
Krum and Fleur also wanted to say something, but neither knew how to begin.
This really was unfair to them. They wanted to say something harsh, yet they were unsure whether they should direct it at Harry.
Hurried footsteps echoed through the room.
Ludo Bagman was the first to enter. He excitedly grabbed hold of Harry, seeming to think that having an extra contestant in the Triwizard Tournament was a rather entertaining development.
The others filed in as well.
...
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