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"Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real —"
But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him.
The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.
Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out;
"Harry Potter."
>>>>>>>>>>>> 0//-//0 <<<<<<<<<<<<
Harry looked around the silent great hall. Everyone was looking at him. Some in shock, some in curiosity, some in disgust. He looked back up to the head table before bursting out laughing.
“Harry Potter!” Dumbledore called again. “What’s so funny?! Come up here if you’d please!”
Between gasping breaths and tears, Harry managed to calm down enough to speak. “I-I didn’t put my name in. You all should know-” but he was cut off by another burst of laughter from himself before he could finish.
Whispering started in the great hall on what could be so funny to him. Maybe he somehow got his name in but didn’t expect to get picked? Or maybe he was laughing because he somehow tricked the goblet and would therefore get into the tournament. Whatever it was, he couldn’t get a hold of himself until one of his friends started shaking him.
“Harry!” Hermione said, “What’s up with you? You have to get going.”
“Nonono- you don’t realize-” he finally got control of himself and seemed to straighten up slightly. “Do none of you realize my name isn’t Harry? I know it's not gonna work for me because it’s not my real name .” Harry(?) chuckled at that.
“What is your name then?!” Ron, and at least 5 other people, shouted.
“My name’s Henry. Henry Potter. The
nickname
Harry has gotten so popular that whoever put my name in didn’t think it was a nickname! Oh, and I didn’t put my name in.” Henry ended with a deadpan voice.
“Now, I’m not sure that's how it works Harry, you probably still-” Dumbledore started, but was cut off.
“No, that’s how it works. You have to write your name or someone else’s real, legal and magical name on a piece or parchment and they get chosen if deemed worthy. My name isn’t Harry, so it won’t work. I read about this with Mione the second I got wind of a death tournament, considering I knew I would get caught in it. I just forgot to mention my real name... And guess what happens now!” The hall was slightly stunned by this, but then gossiping loudly on who could have put his name in.
“If that’s all headmaster, I’m gonna go back to my dorm and thank the heavens you decided to tell the newspapers my nickname instead of my real name 13 years ago, or who knows what could have happened to me in this deathmatch.” Henry was barely heard over the crowd of students gossiping about the results, but it was obvious he wasn’t going to compete. And the headmaster was stunned into silence for once in his life.
Fin.