Chapter 556: The fourth champion

The applause and chatter died down, and now everyone's attention was focused back on the Goblet of Fire.

Seconds later, the flames turned red again. A second piece of parchment shot out, propelled by the flames.

"The champion of Beauxbatons," Dumbledore said, "is Fleur Delacour."

Fleur stood gracefully and shook back her sheet of silver-blonde hair.

She didn't seem surprised by the result, and strolled between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.

"Oh, look, they're all disappointed," Hermione said above the noise, nodding towards the rest of the Beauxbatons group.

In fact, the word "disappointed" was a bit of an understatement. Two of the girls who had not been selected had broken down in tears and were sobbing with their heads on their arms.

Gabrielle, on the other hand, was overjoyed and kept clapping for her sister.

When Fleur Delacour also disappeared into the side room, the Great Hall was silent again.

But this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement that you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts Champion would be next....

And the Goblet of Fire turned red again. Sparks flew out; the tongue of flame rose into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.

"The Hogwarts champion," he said, "is Cedric Diggory."

"NO!" said Ron loudly.

The commotion at the next table was too great. All the Hufflepuffs had jumped to their feet, shouting and kicking, as Cedric pushed his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed for the chamber behind the teachers' table.

After Ivan decided not to be champion, Diggory was indeed the top pick.

The applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.

"Excellent!" called Dumbledore cheerfully when the tumult finally died down. "Well, we have our three champions now. I'm sure I can count on all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions all the support you can muster. By cheering on your champion, you will be contributing in a very real way..."

Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was obvious to everyone what had distracted him.

The fire in the goblet had just turned red again, and sparks were flying from it.

A long flame suddenly shot into the air, and on it was another piece of parchment.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and took the parchment. He spread it out and looked at the name written on it.

There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore looked at the piece in his hands, and everyone in the Great Dining Hall looked at Dumbledore.

This was really too exciting. The three champions had been chosen. Why had a scroll come out of the Goblet of Fire?

"Here it comes!" Ivan focused on Dumbledore. Barty Crouch Jr. did.

A few seconds later, Dumbledore cleared his throat and read aloud, "Ron Weasley!" (WTF!)

What?! Ron is a champion?! How is that possible?! Ivan's head went blank. shouldn't it be Harry?

Things had changed again, what kind of conspiracy was Barty Crouch up to?

He hurried to look at Ron, and everyone else turned to look at him.

Ron's name came out of the Goblet of Fire, which was even more unexpected than Ivan himself becoming champion.

Ron looked startled. He sat still, feeling like he was in a dream.

Had he heard wrong? did he really become champion?

After a brief blank, there was a burst of ecstasy. He looked up excitedly, but saw no smiling faces.

There was no applause. A buzzing, like angry bees, was beginning to fill the Hall; some students were getting up to get a better look at Ron.

Ron stayed where he was, his smile slowly solidifying, and suddenly he looked lost. His face turned red; even his ears turned red.

"Go to that room!" whispered Ivan, gently nudging Ron.

He looked at Caresius, who shook his head slightly, looking equally surprised at the outcome.

Whatever happened, Ron had become a champion.

He heard Ivan's reminder and wanted to go to the upper room of the Great Dining Hall, but his body was rigid, unable to move.

Professor McGonagall had risen to her feet and walked past Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Professor Dumbledore, who tilted his ear toward her, frowning slightly.

At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall.

"Ron Weasley!" he called back. "Ron! Come up here, please."

"Come on," Hermione whispered, nudging Ron lightly.

"Go!" said Harry.

Ron scrambled to his feet, stepped on the hem of his robe, and accidentally fell to the floor.

With the help of a few people around him, he stood up in a terrible embarrassment.

Ron made his way through the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables, with hundreds of pairs of eyes fixed on him.

The murmuring was getting louder and louder and the atmosphere in the Great Dining Hall was getting stranger and stranger.

They just watched Ron pass by, their faces filled with irrepressible anger.

But no one stopped Ron. They all avoided him like the plague, as if they had seen something foul.

"Well... Out the door, Ron!" said Dumbledore, and there was no smile on his face.

Ron looked at Dumbledore expectantly and seemed to want some response.

But Dumbledore's expression was especially serious. He had been like this before. It seemed that even the flames around him were frozen.

A few seconds later, Ron slowly nodded his head, as if he had understood something, and stumbled forward towards the teachers' table.

After he entered the room, the other people at the top table, Dumbledore, Karkaroff, Maxime, Ludo Bagman, Barty Crouch, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape also followed him and entered.

Before leaving, Professor McGonagall asked everyone to go back to bed, and that tonight's feast was over.

The students did not leave immediately, but erupted suddenly.

Arguments and noises nearly brought the roof down, and everyone was furious.

"How could Ron become champion?!" Harry couldn't believe it.

"He's been with us all day, and he never had a chance to put his name in the Goblet of Fire!" Hermione frowned.

"Obviously, this is some sort of conspiracy," Ivan said. She wondered if Ron might approve of such dangerous tasks.

In his opinion, Barty Crouch Jr. turned Ron into a champion, and it was no different than killing him.

Damn it, what kind of plot is he planning?

Ron was different from Harry. Harry was very brave and had performed well in actual combat.

With Dumbledore's help, he was able to get through the Triwizard Tournament.

But, Ron...

Ivan sighed. He really didn't know how to help Ron and let him hold on to the end with his current level.