PRANKSTER [1] ↝ C. DIGGORY

thirty

"Okay," she nodded, suddenly unsure how to proceed. "I'm... I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay." he said. "It's been over for a long time, both of us knew it, but now it's just... official."

The two walked on in silence, growing closer to the castle and passing a group of girls from Beauxbatons along the way. While Clary didn't know how to speak French, based on the expressions the girls wore on their faces, she could tell they weren't very happy about being stuck at Hogwarts for the rest of their school year, though they still managed to each shoot Cedric a wide smile as they passed.

"I signed up," Cedric said suddenly, causing Clary to stop in her tracks once more. "For the tournament, I mean. I put my name in before I came down here. Just thought you should know."

"Oh," Clary said, taking a seat on one of the stone benches near the entrance to the castle, and Cedric took a seat next to her. "That's great." she assured him. "If anyone should represent Hogwarts and compete, you're the best option. Anyone could see that, Ced."

"I figured it was worth a shot." he said. "A chance to compete for eternal glory like that... who wouldn't want a chance at something like that?"

"Are we sure you're not a Gryffindor?" she asked with a smirk, and looked up to see Vasantha running up to them, huffing and puffing as she tried to catch her breath.

"Clary..." she said, panting and resting her hands on her knees. "Fred and George... Age Line... Hospital Wing."

"What?" Clary exclaimed, jumping up from the bench and shooting Cedric an apologetic glance. "I'm so sorry, I have to go," she said, rushing back into the castle and hurrying up the steps past the throngs of students moving from class to class and attempting to catch a glimpse of the Goblet of Fire in action.

Clary burst into the Hospital Wing, Vasantha hot on her heels, though she stopped suddenly, freezing in her tracks as she took in the scene before her. A small number of students, her twin brothers included, lay on beds scattered throughout the Hospital Wing, their hair grown out into a long white beard, and their faces suddenly weathered with age. Fred and George lay giggling on their bed, watching the arrival of the girls, and Clary's jaw dropped at the sight of them, almost having missed them without their signature bright red hair.

"Merlin's beard!" Clary gasped as she crossed the distance to their beds.

"Actually," Vasantha added with a grin, "I think it's Merlin's beards."

"What did you idiots do?" Clary asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she took a seat next to their beds.

"Okay, okay, calm down Mum." Fred assured her. "We told you this morning we were going to put our names into the Goblet."

"And how'd that work out for you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow that was still very much red, and not stark white like her brothers'.

George shrugged. "Our names went in, didn't they Freddie?"

"They sure did." Fred agreed. "So I'd call that a success."

"How long are they supposed to be like this?" Clary asked Vas, who shrugged in response.

"Madame Pomfrey's getting everything ready to turn them back to normal." Vas said. "They'll be fine."

"We'll be back to normal just in time to be chosen for the tournament." George said proudly, reaching a hand up to stroke his new facial hair. "But I reckon I could still win, beard and all."

"Well, it seems you won't be the only Weasley who's winning." Vasantha said to Fred and George, and Clary's eyes widened, glancing over at her friend. "Isn't that right, Clary? You'll never guess who she was just talking to, boys."

"Diggory?" they both asked in response, devilish grins appearing on their bearded faces.

"Vas, you traitor!" Clary said, feigning a pout, and Vasantha shrugged.

"The people needed to know, Clary." she said.

"Cedric and Clary sitting in a tree," Fred began to sing, and Clary groaned in response.

"Though I may have underestimated them quite a bit." Vasantha said then.

"Well, if you two idiots are alright," Clary said, rising back to her feet. "I've got some Astronomy homework to get finished before dinner. I'll see you when you're younger."

"Youths," Fred said to George as the girls left the Hospital Wing, shaking his bearded head in disbelief. "So spry and full of life."