Entry 4: The Crowned Champion

The Four Champions

“What is it?” she said. “Do zey want us back in ze Hall?”

She thought he had come to deliver a message. Harry didn’t know how to explain what had just happened. He just stood there, looking at the three champions. It struck him how very tall all of them were.

There was a sound of brisk footsteps behind him, and Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, entered the room. He looked pale and his hands shook, but there was a look of triumph in his eyes.

Fleur swung her hair the other way with a harrumph.
“It takes two of you—”

A rising din from the Great Hall drowned out her voice. Ludo Bagman burst in and practically skipped to Harry and Roger. He slung a powerful arm around each of their shoulders, and dragged them forward.

“Incredible!” he said in all too loud a voice. Harry tried to squirm away, but Ludo’s grip was unrelenting.“May I introduce you to the fourth and fifth Triwizard champions?”

He lifted Harry’s and Roger’s hands in succession.

Viktor Krum glared at Harry and then scowled at Roger. Cedric looked nonplussed and regarded each of them in turn. Fleur snorted. “Vairy funny joke.”

The door burst open once again, hitting the wall with a bang. Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff stormed in, a wave of taunts, shouts, and cries sneaking in with them. Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape followed them. Professor McGonagall stayed behind to close the door after them.

Fleur went over to Madame Maxime, who had drawn herself up to her full height. “What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?”she thundered. Fleur looked decidedly less pretty now, her snarl emphasized by a nose that looked beak-like now — the same regal nose that had complemented her smile earlier. Madame Maxime rested an enormous hand on her shoulder; Harry couldn’t tell whether it was for restraint or in support.

“Three Hogwarts champions?” said Professor Karkaroff. “Did we miss another champion for Hogwarts? One for each house?” He smiled coldly.

Harry was taken aback by that. Cedric for Hufflepuff, Roger for Ravenclaw, and himself from Gryffindor, but why did Karkaroff know that? Were the houses famous?

No Slytherin. He had to purse his lips shut to stop a grin that threatened to overcome him, overcome the numbness that had gripped him. He reckoned Ron would be mad with joy tonight. Slimy Slytherins couldn’t even —

“Potter!” Snape snapped. “How did you place your name in the goblet?”

A thick, brief silence followed this audacious accusation. Harry felt a coil of anger clench in his stomach.

“Thank you, Severus,” said Dumbledore firmly. Snape went quiet, but his eyes gleamed with malevolent joy.

“Harry, Roger, did you place your names in the goblet?” asked Dumbledore.

Dumbledore’s piercing blue eyes seemed to know what Harry was about to tell before he did. “No!” cried Harry.

Harry looked over at Roger, who looked calm now. “No, Professor.”

“Did you ask an older student to enter your name?” pressed Dumbledore.

“No,” said Harry vehemently.

“No, Professor.” Roger’s reply was more sedate. Harry thought Roger belonged with the Champions standing across from them. He wished he could be at ease as quickly as Roger had.

“Of course zey would deny it!” Madame Maxime huffed. Snape was now shaking his head, lips curling.

“They could not have crossed the Age Line!” said Professor McGonagall sharply.

“Dumbly-dorr must ave made a mistake wiz ze line,” said Madame Maxime, shrugging.

“It is possible, of course,” said Dumbledore politely.

“Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you didn’t make a mistake!” said Professor McGonagall angrily. She looked fierce, challenging them to argue.

“Mr. Bagman” said Karkaroff, his voice now unctuous, “you are our — er — objective judge. Surely you will agree this is most irregular?”

Bagman wiped his face with a handkerchief emblazoned in black and yellow stripes and looked around at them.

“They ar—were …chosen by the goblet?” mumbled Bagman. His eyes darted to the shadows of the room.

“Zis is most injust!” shouted Madame Maxime as she guided Fleur out of the room. The opals on her enormous hand glittered in the firelight. Karkaroff had a most ugly look on his face as he beckoned to Krum, and they too began moving towards the exit.

“Professor Karkaroff — Madame Maxime — are you sure you wouldn’t like to stay at Hogwarts overnight?” said Dumbledore. He was watching the other schools’ champions and Heads leave with mild dismay.

They did not reply as they left.

“I’ll take you up on that,” said Bagman brightly, setting his handkerchief aside. He hurried out, muttering all the way.

“Mr. Diggory, Mr. Davies, and Mr. Potter,” said Dumbledore sternly as the footsteps echoed into the distance, “Let me remind you that being chosen by the Goblet requires you to compete in the Tournament. The rules state that you may not ask for or accept help from teachers. Do you understand?”

Harry nodded, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cedric nod too. Roger must have divined something, because his nod felt sharp and purposeful.

Dumbledore then smiled. “I suggest you go to bed. I am sure the better part of Hogwarts is looking to celebrate tonight and they need their champions.”

The three left together.

“Watch out!” said Cedric as he stepped into the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was abandoned at this late time, and was in a terrible state. Paper fluttered everywhere, candles lay tossed onto the floor and smashed into the walls, and pumpkins sliced open and scattered. Harry recalled hearing the enormous din, but he had never imagined walking out into this.

“So,” said Cedric. “We’re playing against each other again.” He stepped cautiously around a pool of pumpkin juice.

Harry could not think of anything to say. His mind was blank from being forced into the Tournament and accused by Snape.

“So we are,” said Roger. His smile was broad, almost condescending if Harry had to put a name to it. Harry had not met Roger outside of Quidditch; the smile felt familiar nevertheless.

“So …tell me …” said Cedric, as they reached the Entrance Hall, now lit only by torches in the absence of the Goblet of Fire. “How did you get your name in?”

“I didn’t,” said Harry. “I was telling the truth.” He could see Cedric didn’t believe him. He felt a sharp flash of indignation.

“I did,” said Roger. Cedric and Harry twisted around to see Roger, astonished at the admission. “All it took was a little wit.”

 

Spoiler: SPOILER

I was already writing a response how it doesn't fit any prompts, but I guess I lacked wit to see it.

Roger being calm and at ease should have been the indicator enough, is, at that and in retrospective was well done. Works very well for a flash entry, but with it out of the bag it kinda works less well for a longer main comp entry. Good execution of the idea though, in these words that we have at this moment. The canon bits, and the whole beginning as it is mostly from the books is a bit skimmable but it's too few words to actually be a bother, but you could've trust your readers a tad more and start at the very moment where it's five rather than four champions and save yourself some words to make soemthing else happen.

Good shit!

 

Spoiler

Hrm. I didn't see that twist coming, although I don't know if you've actually given that pointe enough space to really sting. All it took was a little wit - sure, but is that supposed to mean anything to us, the audience? Did he take up the diadem? Roger Davies is enough of a blank slate in canon that he can really be put to any use, which is positive because it allows you to do things like this with him without it seeming OOC but also divests you of any hooks that relate to him.

I don't really know what the devastation in the Great Hall is about. It's this detail that feels almost thrown in. I also have trouble believing that the two other schools simply go "deal's off" and leave, without so much as a token attempt to renegotiate more champions for themselves or concessions or anything like that. I dislike the way Harry goes "slimy Slytherins". I don't know if he ever said that in canon - seems more like a fanon Ron thing, really.

 

Spoiler

Haha I was trying to see how you would possibly introduce Cho to this already very crowded scene and did not see your twist coming at all. Very good I think. Roger is a fun, (to me at least) unexplored character, well done for bringing him in on the action.

Bagman being asked for how the rules of the game works seem a bit off, Crouch and Moody are not present in your version of this scene. I’m sure there’s a future plot point there. Other than that you have kept quite a lot (even language wise) of the original scene.

The food fight in the Great Hall, was that Slytherins throwing a tantrum cause they didn’t get their own champion? Or is that just how you imagine British kids leave their dining facilities at the end of the night? Needs something to explain what you were going for.

Hope you’ll consider continuing this!

 

Spoiler

I have never seen Roger used in a fanfic story, so I am intrigued. However, I do find it immensely unfair that Hogwarts gets *three* champions to the rest. I do not know if the other schools would tolerate two other Hogwarts entries. That being said, Roger is such a blank slate that I'd love to see it continued. I also find it hilarious that Slytherin is the only house that doesn't have a competitor. This divergence point would change up GoF considerably.