That night, Victor quietly slipped out of the Slytherin dormitory and made his way to the Entrance Hall.
The castle was silent. Only the Goblet of Fire illuminated the darkness, its blue-white flames dancing steadily within the ancient wooden cup, surrounded by Dumbledore's shimmering Age Line.
Victor glanced around to make sure the corridor was deserted before calmly stepping across the circle.
Nothing happened. The Age Line didn't reject him.
He walked up to the Goblet and produced a small piece of parchment. He hadn't written his name — only a single word.
Trial.
He dropped it into the blue flames. The Goblet accepted it without hesitation. No flash of magic. No invisible force hurled him backward.
Victor stepped back outside the circle. "Hmm... it seems this enchantment considers me to be above seventeen."
Just as he was about to leave, footsteps echoed through the Entrance Hall. Victor's eyes narrowed. Without a sound, he slipped behind one of the nearby House tables and carefully peeked around its edge.
A moment later, Professor Moody entered the hall.
Or rather... Barty Crouch Jr.
Victor watched silently as Moody glanced around before reaching into his robes and withdrawing a folded piece of parchment. He raised his wand toward the Goblet.
"Confundo."
The blue flames flickered almost imperceptibly before returning to normal. Moody then stepped across the Age Line without difficulty and dropped the parchment into the Goblet.
Victor's expression remained calm. So this is how it happened.
He had always known that Barty Crouch Jr. was the one who entered Harry's name.
The Confundus Charm had bewitched the Goblet into believing four schools were participating instead of three, then Crouch entered Harry Potter as the only candidate from that nonexistent fourth school.
Since the Goblet was compelled to choose one champion from every school it recognized, Harry's selection became inevitable.
An incredibly clever piece of magic — simply exploiting the Goblet's own rules against itself.
Moody lingered only long enough to ensure everything had worked before turning and limping away, the rhythmic thud of his wooden leg fading into the distance.
Victor remained hidden until the Entrance Hall was silent, then stepped out from behind the table, his gaze resting on the blue flames.
"So... the game has truly begun."
***
And just like that, Halloween arrived.
That evening, the Great Hall buzzed with excitement. The Halloween feast had just ended, yet hardly anyone paid attention to the empty plates before them.
Every student's eyes were fixed on the Goblet of Fire standing upon its stool before the High Table.
Professor Dumbledore rose and walked toward it. The Hall gradually fell silent.
"The Goblet of Fire is about to make its decision," he said, looking around the Hall.
"It will choose the three witches or wizards it judges most worthy to represent their schools. When the champions' names are called, they will make their way to the chamber adjoining this Hall, where they will receive their first instructions."
No one spoke. The only sound came from the crackling blue flames.
Then the flames turned red.
A shower of sparks burst from the Goblet as a charred piece of parchment shot into the air. Dumbledore caught it.
"The champion for Durmstrang... Viktor Krum."
Thunderous applause erupted as Viktor rose from the Durmstrang table and walked confidently through the door into the adjoining chamber.
Silence returned. Every eye went back to the Goblet.
The flames turned red again. Another piece of parchment burst upward.
"The champion for Beauxbatons Academy... Fleur Delacour."
The Beauxbatons table erupted into applause. Fleur rose gracefully, her silver-blonde hair as she walked toward Dumbledore.
Madame Maxime beamed with obvious pride as Fleur accepted the parchment and disappeared through the same door.
The Hall settled once more. Only one champion remained.
Every Hogwarts student leaned forward.
The Goblet crackled. The flames blazed crimson for the third time, and a final piece of parchment shot into the air.
"The Hogwarts champion... Cedric Diggory."
For a heartbeat, the Hall was silent. Then the Hufflepuff table exploded with cheers. Students pounded the tables as Cedric's friends pushed him to his feet.
He looked momentarily stunned before making his way forward, accepting the parchment and walking through the side door while Professor Sprout clapped enthusiastically behind him.
Dumbledore smiled as the applause subsided. "Excellent. Our three champions have now been chosen."
Just as he began to step away from the Goblet, the blue-white flames flared violently once more.
A jet of red fire burst upward. Another piece of parchment flew into the air.
The cheering stopped instantly.
Dumbledore caught the fourth slip of parchment with a puzzled expression. The entire Hall watched in complete silence as he stared at it for several long seconds.
Then he spoke.
"Harry Potter."
Nobody moved. Harry remained seated, looking as bewildered as everyone else. Several students turned to look at him, waiting.
"He didn't enter."
"Did he?"
"It has to be a mistake."
Dumbledore looked directly at Harry. "Harry Potter."
Harry slowly rose to his feet. Every pair of eyes in the Hall followed him as he walked toward Dumbledore. Ron stared after him in disbelief. Hermione looked equally shocked. Victor simply watched in silence.
Harry accepted the parchment from Dumbledore with a confused expression. For a brief moment, Dumbledore seemed as though he wanted to say something — but instead gestured toward the side door.
"Well... through the door, Harry."
Harry nodded uncertainly and disappeared into the chamber where the other champions were waiting.
The moment the door closed behind him, the Great Hall erupted.
"There are only supposed to be three champions!"
"How can Hogwarts have two?"
"I thought only one champion could be chosen from each school!"
Professor Maxime rose from her seat. "What is the meaning of zis, Dumbledore?"
Karkaroff's face had darkened. "This is an outrage! Hogwarts already has its champion."
Ludo Bagman looked astonished while Barty Crouch Sr. remained rigidly seated, his expression unreadable. Dumbledore raised both hands asking for silence, but the Hall continued buzzing.
Finally, Professor McGonagall stepped forward. "The champions, please," she called firmly. "The rest of you will remain here."
The teachers, along with Madame Maxime, Karkaroff, Bagman, and Crouch, made their way through the side door, leaving behind a Hall full of shocked students and unanswered questions.
*****
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