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tes a binding； magical contract。 There can be no change of heart once you have bee a champion。 Please be very sure； therefore； that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet。 Now； I think it is time for bed。 Good night to you all。〃
〃An Age Line！〃 Fred Weasley said； his eyes glinting； as they all made their way across the Hall to the doors into the entrance hall。 〃Well； that should be fooled by an Aging Potion； shouldn't it？ And once your name's in that goblet； you're laughing…it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not！〃
〃But I don't think anyone under seventeen will stand a chance；〃 said Hermione； 〃we just haven't learned enough。。。〃
〃Speak for yourself；〃 said George shortly。 〃You'll try and get in； won't you； Harry？〃
Harry thought briefly of Dumbledore's insistence that nobody under seventeen should submit their name； but then the wonderful picture of himself winning the Triwizard Tournament filled his mind again。。。 He wondered how angry Dumbledore would be if someone younger than seventeen did find a way to get over the Age Line。
〃Where is he？〃 said Ron； who wasn't listening to a word of this conversation； but looking through the crowd to see what had bee of Krum。 〃Dumbledore didn't say where the Durmstrang people are sleeping； did he？〃
But this query was answered almost instantly； they were level with the Slytherin table now； and Karkaroff had just bustled up to his students。
〃Back to the ship； then；〃 he was saying。 〃Viktor； how are you feeling？ Did you eat enough？ Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens？〃
Harry saw Krum shake his head as he pulled his furs back on。 〃Professor； Ivood like some vine；〃 said one of the other Durmstrang boys hopefully。
〃I wasn't offering it to you； Poliakoff；〃 snapped Karkaroff； his warmly paternal air vanishing in an instant。 〃I notice you have dribbled food all down the front of your robes again； disgusting boy…〃
Karkaroff turned and led his students toward the doors； reaching them at exactly the same moment as Harry； Ron； and Hermione。 Harry stopped to let him walk through first。
〃Thank you；〃 said Karkaroff carelessly； glancing at him。 And then Karkaroff froze。 He turned his head back to Harry and stared at him as though he couldn't believe his eyes。 Behind their headmaster； the students from Durmstrang came to a halt too。 Karkaroff's eyes moved slowly up Harry's face and fixed upon his scar。 The Durmstrang students were staring curiously at Harry too。 Out of the corner of his eye； Harry saw prehension dawn on a few of their faces。 The boy with food all down his front nudged the girl next to him and pointed openly at Harry's forehead。
〃Yeah； that's Harry Potter；〃 said a growling voice from behind them。
Professor Karkaroff spun around。 Mad…Eye Moody was standing there； leaning heavily on his staff； his magical eye glaring unblinkingly at the Durmstrang headmaster。
The color drained from Karkaroff's face as Harry watched。 A terrible look of mingled fury and fear came over him。
〃You！〃 he said； staring at Moody as though unsure he was really seeing him。
〃Me；〃 said Moody grimly。 〃And unless you've got anything to say to Potter； Karkaroff； you might want to move。 You're blocking the doorway。〃
It was true； half the students in the Hall were now waiting behind them； looking over one another's shoulders to see what was causing the holdup。
Without another word； Professor Karkaroff swept his students away with him。 Moody watched him until he was out of sight； his magical eye fixed upon his back； a look of intense dislike upon his mutilated face。
As the next day was Saturday； most students would normally have breakfasted late。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione； however； were not alone in rising much earlier than they usually did on weekends。 When they went down into the entrance hall； they saw about twenty people milling around it； some of them eating toast； all examining the Goblet of Fire。 It had been placed in the center of the hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat。 A thin golden line had been traced on the floor； forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction。
〃Anyone put their name in yet？〃 Ron asked a third…year girl eagerly。
〃All the Durmstrang lot；〃 she replied。 〃But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet。〃
〃Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed；〃 said Harry。 〃I would've if it had been me。。。 wouldn't have wanted everyone watching。 What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again？〃
Someone laughed behind Harry。 Turning； he saw Fred； George； and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase； all three of them looking extremely excited。
〃Done it；〃 Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Harry； Ron； and Hermione。 〃Just taken it。〃
〃What？〃 said Ron。
〃The Aging Potion； dung brains；〃 said Fred。
〃One drop each；〃 said George； rubbing his hands together with glee。 〃We only need to be a few months older。〃
〃We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins；〃 said Lee； grinning broadly。
〃I'm not sure this is going to work； you know；〃 said Hermione warningly。 〃I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this。〃
Fred； George； and Lee ignored her。
〃Ready？〃 Fred said to the other two； quivering with excitement。 〃C'mon； then…I'll go first…〃
Harry watched； fascinated； as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words Fred Weasley…Hogwarts。 Fred walked right up to the edge of the line and stood there； rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty…foot drop。 Then； with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him； he took a great breath and stepped over the line。
For a split second Harry thought it had worked…George certainly thought so； for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred…but next moment； there was a loud sizzling sound； and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot…putter。 They landed painfully； ten feet away on the cold stone floor； and to add insult to injury； there was a loud popping noise； and both of them sprouted identical long white beards。
The entrance hall rang with laughter。 Even Fred and George joined in； once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other's beards。
〃I did warn you；〃 said a deep； amused voice； and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore ing out of the Great Hall。 He surveyed Fred and George； his eyes twinkling。 〃I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey。 She is already tending to Miss Fawcett； of Ravenclaw； and Mr。 Summers； of Hufflepuff； both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too。 Though I must say； neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours。〃
Fred and George set off for the hospital wing； acpanied by Lee； who was howling with laughter； and Harry； Ron； and Hermione； also chortling； went in to breakfast。
The decorations in the Great Hall had changed this morning。 As it was Halloween； a cloud of live bats was fluttering around the enchanted ceiling； while hundreds of carved pumpkins leered from every corner。 Harry led the way over to Dean and Seamus； who we