Lilliana Snape (Book Four)

Part 12

“What?” I stared at Fred “what are you talking about?”

“Dumbledore just called your name!”

I turned around to see dad standing behind me, staring down at me. I was unable to work out the expression on his face; was it fear? Anger? I had no idea. “Come with me, Lilliana” he told me shortly before pulling me up from the table and guiding me down the hall, his hand on the small of my back.

I was guided through the very same door that Harry had just gone through. “Oh, thank goodness!” Harry sighed in relief “it was a mistake wasn’t it; my name coming out of the Goblet?” He frowned when I didn’t answer “Lil?”

Shaking my head, I just stared at him “no” I whispered “my name just came out of it too.”

“Oh great” I looked up to see Fleur staring at me “now there are three Hogwarts Champions; how is this fair? You two are just children!”

I glared at her “I may be younger than you but I bet I could turn you into a pig on my first try so, if you don’t want to sprout a tail and a snout, I would shut the hell up if I were you!”

To my surprise Harry burst out laughing but when the door crashed open he waved me off and mouthed ‘I’ll explain later’

Everyone who just entered the room started talking all at once; dad, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Crouch senior, Moody, Madame Maxime and Karkaroff but Dumbledore was the loudest and managed to regain control.

“Harry, Lilly; did you put your names into that goblet?” He asked, resting a hand on each of our shoulders.

“No!” We said in unison.

“Are you sure?” We nodded.

“Well obviously they’re lying!” Maxime shouted “Dumbledore must have made a mistake with the age line!”

“We all know that Dumbledore did not make a mistake” McGonagall replied, defending Dumbledore “if he believes Harry and Lilly then so should the rest of us!”

“But this is highly unfair!” Karkaroff said angrily “Hogwarts now has three champions and we only have one! I suggest that we each add more students until we are even!”

“The Goblet is done” Crouch said “it won’t relight again for years.”

McGonagall stepped forward and spoke, cutting off whatever Karkaroff was about to say. “We can’t let them compete, Albus” she said “they’re too young!”

“The rules are absolute” Crouch replied “they have to compete, they have no choice.” At Crouch’s words Karkaroff grabbed Krum and pulled him from the room, Maxime did the same just moments later.

“Cedric” Dumbledore said quietly “you may leave; I wish to speak to Harry and Lilly.” Once Cedric had left, Dumbledore turned to us again “if you have anything you want to tell me, I would do it now; anything that might help us try to understand what’s going on.”