Mischief Managed

The next morning, a Saturday, Hermione and I met Harry and Ronald at breakfast. I had on a simple outfit, with my hair in a side pony tail.

"'Morning," Ronald said, yawning.

"Hey," I said, sitting down and grabbing a plate. I put some eggs and bacon on it and poured myself a glass of orange juice.

"Not too hungry this morning?" Ginny asked, looking at me. Her plate was piled with pancakes, sausage, and two omelets.

"Not overly," I shrugged. "I'm nervous."

"About what?"

"Jacob. We made up last night, but he's entering the tournament. I'm scared for him..."

"Hey, girl, it'll be fine. You don't even know if he'll be chosen," Ginny said, giving me a half hug.

"That's true..."

"Guys, c'mon, we're going to go try to enter!" Fred said as he and George ran up to the table. I got up, along with Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and Ronald, and we rushed after the twins to the entrance hall. We got front row as Fred and George stood back, whispering like mad back and forth.

"I'm so eschited," Ronald mumbled. I looked at him and he was stuffing a piece of toast in his mouth.

"Really, must you always be eating?" I joked.

"Shuddap," he said.

"Okay, okay! Done it. Just taken it," Fred said triumphantly.

"What?" Ronald said, finishing the last bite of his toast.

"The Aging Potion, dung brains," Fred said.

"One drop each," George grinned.

"Only needed to be a few months older, after all," Fred chimed.

"It's not going to work," Hermione sing-songed at them.

"And why is that, Hermione?" George asked her.

"I'm almost positive Dumbledore will have thought of this," she stated simply.

"We'll see about that," Fred smiled.

"C'mon, Fred," George said as they walked up to the goblet.

"Ready?" Fred asked George.

"Ready."

Everyone in the entrance hall watched excitedly as the two of them walked straight through the aging line with no difficulty.

"Yes!" they said in unison, high-fiving each other.

"I can't believe it..." I said in amazement as the two put their names easily into the goblet. I spoke too soon. There was suddenly a loud sizzling sound and the twins were shot back across the hall. Once they got up slowly, with a grimace, they both had long white beards. The whole hall erupted with laughter.

"Watch this," I whispered to Ginny with a wink.

I walked up to the two. "Excuse me, Professor Dumbledore. I believe I'm seeing two of you right now, which could be a problem. Oh, and I need to see my friends Fred and George Weasley to tell them about stupid they are to think that they could trick one of your Aging Potions. Have you seen them?"

They looked at me and the three of us erupted into laughter.

"Ella, does this beard turn you on?" Fred said, licking his fingertip seductively.

"Oh totally, Fred. If I had a penis, I'd have a huge stiffy right now," I said, laughing hysterically.

Suddenly, Professor Dumbledore walked in. "I did warn you. I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She's busy tending to a few other students who thought an Aging potion would work." This was all said with amusement.

They walked away, both roaring with laughter like everyone else.

Hours later, everyone was joined into the Great Hall, including a beardless Fred and George.

"Angelina entered," Hermione whispered. "I really hope its her!"

"Aw, me too! As long as it isn't Jacob," I said.

Fred looked at me and wrapped his arm around me with comfort, giving me a squeeze. I smiled at him. Again, there was a feast that we all attended, eating the wonderful delicious food we had just had the day before. Once we finished, our plates cleared and the hall grew unusually quiet.

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," roared Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. When the champion's names are called, I would ask them to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through the next chamber, where they will be receiving their first instructions."

Still quiet.

Suddenly, the flames inside of the goblet turned from blue to red. Sparks began to fly and a piece of parchment flew out and into Dumbledore's awaiting hand.

"The champion for Durmstrang," he said loudly, with confidence. "Viktor Krum!"

The hall erupted with claps, whistles, and yells. Viktor walked to his required position, high-fiving students along the way, with a broad smile on his face.

Within moments, the noise calmed down once more and the Goblet shot out another piece of parchment.

"The champion for Beauxbatons... Fleur Delacour!" Dumbledore said excitedly.

Once again, a repeat of the noisy students erupting in applause and excitement.

"Now, for our final champion," Dumbledore said. The flames shot red once more and another piece of parchment shot out. "Hogwarts champion is..."

"Don't be Jacob, don't be Jacob," I said, crossing my fingers.

"Cedric Diggory!"

Immediately, I felt at rest and I clapped and shouted along with the others.

"Bullshit," Jacob said, looking angry.

"Hey, it'll be okay. Look at it this way, you won't die," I said to him, with a smile. He shook his head and looked eagerly at the Goblet.

Within about five minutes, the clapping and the shouting died down. Suddenly, the goblet shot red once more. Dumbledore looked taken aback. Whispers erupted throughout the hall.

"E - Ella Elkin." Dumbledore's voice was stone-cold.

"What. the. hell," I whispered to Ginny. "I never put my name in there! Never!"

"It's okay, just go. Go. I'm sure it'll get sorted out, you'll be fine."

I glanced at Fred as I got up and he looked bewildered, if not terrified. I sighed and walked away. No one clapped, no one smiled. I went to the other room where the other three contestants were. I looked at them and they looked back at me.

"What's up?" Cedric asked curiously.

"M - my name..."

"What?" Fleur said.

"M - my name was chosen..."

"Two Hogwarts champions? I think not!" roared Viktor Krum.

"Calm your tits, bro. I didn't put my name in there! How would I? How could I? How -"

Suddenly the door opened once more. This time Harry walked through.

"Harry? What're you doing here?" I asked, running over to him.

"My name was chosen, too..."

"What the fuck."

"Three? Three Hogwarts champions? No!" Krum shouted once more.

"Will you shut the fuck up. Harry, what the hell is going on. We didn't put our names in, we didn't!" I said, my heart racing.

"I know..." Harry said.

"What's everyone saying?" I asked Harry.

"Fred was freaking out. Hermione was just stunned. George and Ginny both looked downright worried. And Ron... looked pissed..."

I sighed, just as Professor Dumbledore walked in.

"Ella, Harry, who put your name in the Goblet?" he said at once.

"I don't know sir," we said in unison.

"Did you have someone do it for you?"

"No, sir."

"Are you positive? Don't lie to me."

"Positive. Professor, we can't compete! We haven't learned enough, we aren't old enough!" I said, tears forming in my eyes.

"Miss Elkin, I'm afraid there's no choice..." Dumbledore said.

"Surely there cannot be three Hogwarts champions?" Fleur said at once. "That's just not fair!"

"That's the way it's got to be..." Dumbledore said. He gave Harry and I a sad look, then began speaking. "Alright, well, the first task will be on November the twenty-fourth, in front of other students and a panel of judges. You are not permitted to ask for help or accept help from others. For the first task you will only be allowed your wands and nothing else. You will all receive information of the second task when the first is over."

"I'm glad I didn't sign up for this," I said sarcastically.

"Ah, but Miss Elkin, you are forgetting something that may make you quite happy. Champions are not permitted to take the end of the year exams," Dumbledore said.

I sighed. I'd take tests over life-threatening tasks any day.

"I suggest the five of you get a good nights rest." With that said, Dumbledore swiftly walked away.

"What the fuck. The fuck. The fuck," I said at once.

"Ella, calm down..." Harry said soothingly.

"No, no! My life is in danger now until the end of this school year and for what? Money? No! I don't even know this stuff! I didn't even sign up for it! Whoever put my name in there is a dead man!" I said at once.

We began to walk back to the common room, me still in a flutter. Once we got inside, Fred, George, Hermione, Ginny, Jacob, Ava, Beth, Caden, and Ben were all waiting for the two of us over by the fireplace.

"What the hell?" Jacob said. "I can't believe you got in and I didn't!"

"Because someone put my name in it! Same with Harry! I haven't a clue!" I said, pacing.

"Ella, Ella, relax," Fred said, wrapping his arms around me. However, I could feel his body shake. He was scared, too. I hugged him and then Ginny rubbed my back.

"Harry, how are you feeling about this?" she asked.

"I dunno, really. Shocked, I guess..." he said.

"Well, whoever it was who put your names in the Goblet is going to get into a lot of trouble..." Hermione said. "That's going against the Tournament. And I'm afraid to say it, but they may want you dead."

"Well why would anyone want to kill Ella? I mean, with Harry, being the boy-who-lived and whatnot, but Ella?" Fred said.

"Exactly. That's why it's suspicious," Hermione said.

"Where's Ronald?" I asked, realizing he wasn't with us.

"He went to bed already," Caden said.

"Like me, I'm going to bed," Jacob said suddenly. He walked away quickly, followed by Caden and Ben who nodded in agreement.

"I'm going to bed, too," Ava said. I gave her a hug and she skipped with Beth to the girls dormitory.

"I think we should, too..." George said. Fred gave me a quick hug and they were off to bed.

"Well..." Hermione said, looking awkward.

"Hermione, what are we going to do?" I asked, sitting down on the floor. "I don't want to do this."

"You haven't a choice, either of you... But I'll help you as much as possible," she said.

"Dumbledore said we aren't allowed help," Harry whispered.

"Well, everyone cheats in these tournaments. So I'll help you learn spells that you will probably need for the tasks..." she said.

"Well, good, because for the first task we can only use our wands and nothing else. I wonder what it'll be," Harry said thoughtfully.

"I'm just scared for my life, to be honest," I said.

"Well, in all honesty, it is getting rather late. Ella, I'll just talk to you when you come up. Goodnight, Harry," Hermione said, leaving Harry and I alone.

I sighed heavily. "I don't like this."

"Me either, but we're in this together Ella. We will never be alone," Harry said, pulling me into a hug. "We'll stick together and we'll make it through."

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise."