October 31 Sunny (Part 2)

The consequence of a sleepless night was that Joey and the twins spent the entire day catching up on rest. They nearly dozed off in every class, but thankfully, there was no Potions class that day. With Lee and Angelina covering for them, they managed to sleep through most of their lessons.

By the time the last class of the day, History of Magic, rolled around, the trio was finally awake and full of energy. They rushed into the Great Hall, where the Goblet of Fire was displayed, their spirits high.

"Hey! How'd it go?" Lee called out as they entered.

Fred and George each held up a small vial of ageing potion, grinning confidently. "Absolutely no problem!" they declared in unison.

"Brilliant!"

"Can't wait to see you two in action!"

The students around them cheered, eager to see if the twins' plan would work.

"Where's mine? Where's mine?" Joey jumped, trying to grab the vial from Fred's hand. She couldn't believe they hadn't prepared one for her! She wanted to be a champion too!

Fred held the vial just out of her reach, smirking. With his other arm, he pulled her close and kissed her firmly, leaving her momentarily dazed. "Let us test it first, darling. If it works, I'll make one for you."

Joey, still flustered from the kiss, could only watch as Fred and George downed their potions and stepped into the age line Dumbledore had drawn. For a moment, it seemed like their plan had worked—they were inside the circle, unharmed.

"Yes!" the twins cheered, tossing their names into the Goblet of Fire. The Gryffindor table erupted in excitement, everyone convinced they had a shot at being chosen as champions.

But then, the Goblet of Fire flared, spitting out Fred and George's names. The twins were thrown out of the circle by an invisible force, and within seconds, their hair and beards turned white, making them look like a pair of elderly wizards.

Hermione shot Ron and Harry a look that screamed, "I told you so!"

The Great Hall burst into laughter. "Fred! George! You two look ancient!" someone shouted.

Fred and George, ever the good sports, plucked at each other's beards and laughed along with everyone else.

Joey, clutching her stomach from laughing so hard, ran over to Fred. She cupped his face, studying his aged appearance with mock disgust. "You look so ugly when you're old! Maybe I should find a new boyfriend."

Fred pulled her into his arms, rubbing his scratchy beard against her face. "Not a chance! You're stuck with me, growing old together."

Flami, who had rushed over after hearing about George's mishap, smacked him lightly on the arm. "You scared me to death!" she scolded, though her relief was evident.

After Dumbledore suggested they visit Madam Pomfrey, the four of them headed to the hospital wing. The twins weren't too bothered by their appearance, but Madam Pomfrey was furious.

"Drink this!" she barked, slamming two vials of potion onto the table. "You troublemakers never learn! Do you think being a champion is some kind of joke? One wrong move, and you could end up dead!"

Fred and George shrank under her glare. They were regulars in the hospital wing, but they'd never seen Madam Pomfrey this angry.

"At least one of you has some sense," Madam Pomfrey said, turning to Flami with a softer tone. "It's good to have a reliable friend."

Joey, feeling a little guilty, didn't mention that she simply hadn't had time to drink the potion.

The potion Madam Pomfrey gave them smelled awful—like cow dung. Fred and George gagged as they drank it, but Madam Pomfrey seemed satisfied.

"Professor Snape insisted on this formula," she said with a smirk. "Consider it a lesson. Maybe now you'll think twice before acting recklessly."

Joey and Flami wrinkled their noses at the lingering smell. It was clear Snape had gone out of his way to make the potion as unpleasant as possible.

When Fred and George finally returned to the Great Hall, looking like their usual sixteen-year-old selves, Dumbledore was just about to announce the champions chosen by the Goblet of Fire.

The first name called was Viktor Krum of Durmstrang. No one was surprised—if Krum hadn't been chosen, it would have been shocking. Ron was ecstatic, cheering as if he'd been selected himself, while Hermione covered her ears to block out his yelling.

Joey, however, was too busy checking Fred for any lingering signs of ageing. She fussed over him, making sure he was okay after drinking that foul potion. Fred, enjoying the attention, pretended his stomach hurt just so she'd keep fussing over him.

George rolled his eyes. "You're such a faker," he muttered, remembering how Fred had devoured a spicy lamb chop earlier without a hint of discomfort.

The second champion announced was Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons. The Great Hall erupted in applause, mostly from the male students. Ron, in particular, was on his feet, clapping enthusiastically, hoping Fleur would notice him. But Fleur, her silver hair shimmering, strode past without a glance.

Joey and Hermione exchanged a look and let out identical, disdainful snorts. Ron, embarrassed, sat back down, his face red.

The Hogwarts champion was Cedric Diggory. The applause was deafening, and Joey and the twins were on their feet, cheering loudly. Joey even turned her plate into a makeshift tambourine, banging it enthusiastically.

Ron, however, was less impressed. "Why him? Why not someone from Gryffindor? Angelina would've been a great choice!"

Joey shot him a glare. "If you say that again, I'll turn you into a teapot. Got it?"

Ron muttered under his breath but joined in the applause, though his enthusiasm was noticeably lacking.

Cedric, calm and composed, accepted the honor with grace. His demeanor earned him a nod of approval from Mr. Crouch and a proud smile from Dumbledore.

As Cedric made his way to the champions' room, Cho Chang clung to his hand, her face pale with worry. "Cedric…" she whispered.

"Don't worry," Cedric reassured her, squeezing her hand before stepping into the room. He knew what was coming next, and his focus wasn't on the Goblet of Fire—it was on the challenges ahead and the looming threat of Voldemort.

Inside the champions' room, Cedric waited quietly, his demeanor starkly different from Krum and Fleur, who were already sizing each other up. He knew there would be a fourth champion, and sure enough, the commotion outside signaled Harry's arrival.

When Harry stumbled into the room, looking terrified and confused, Cedric greeted him warmly. "Hi, Harry."

Harry, overwhelmed by the accusations and chaos, nearly broke down in relief at Cedric's friendly tone.

As the adults argued over Harry's selection, Cedric stood by him, shielding him from Fleur's suspicious glare. "This is the Goblet's choice," Cedric said firmly, his calm presence easing some of the tension.

"Thank you," Harry whispered, his voice trembling. "I really didn't put my name in."

"I believe you," Cedric said sincerely. "But the tasks will be dangerous. Be careful."

Harry nodded, grateful for Cedric's support.

Back in the Great Hall, the Gryffindors were in an uproar, celebrating Harry's selection as the fourth champion. Ron, however, was fuming. "He must've cheated!" he muttered, his face dark with jealousy.

Joey, noticing Ron's sour expression, called him out. "You're just jealous! Admit it!"

Ron's face turned red, and he stormed off, leaving Joey shaking her head.

Fred pulled her close, grinning. "Did you step on Ron's tail again?"

Joey sighed, leaning into him. "He's being ridiculous. But hey, at least we've got a Gryffindor champion now."

Fred kissed the top of her head. "Let's focus on celebrating Harry. We'll deal with Ron later."

As the excitement in the Great Hall continued, Joey couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and apprehension. The Triwizard Tournament was about to begin, and with it, a whirlwind of challenges and dangers. But for now, she was content to celebrate with her friends, knowing that whatever came next, they'd face it together.