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〃Dumbly…dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line；〃 said Madame Maxime； shrugging。
〃It is possible； of course；〃 said Dumbledore politely。
〃Dumbledore； you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake！〃 said Professor McGonagall angrily。 〃Really； what nonsense！ Harry could not have crossed the line himself； and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him； I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else！〃
She shot a very angry look at Professor Snape。
〃Mr。 Crouch。。。 Mr。 Bagman；〃 said Karkaroff； his voice unctuous once more； 〃you are our…er…objective judges。 Surely you will agree that this is most irregular？〃
Bagman wiped his round； boyish face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr。 Crouch； who was standing outside the circle of the firelight； his face half hidden in shadow。 He looked slightly eerie； the half darkness making him look much older； giving him an almost skull…like appearance。 When he spoke； however； it was in his usual curt voice。
〃We must follow the rules； and the rules state clearly that those people whose names e out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to pete in the tournament。〃
〃Well； Barty knows the rule book back to front；〃 said Bagman； beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime； as though the matter was now closed。
〃I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students；〃 said Karkaroff。 He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now。 His face wore a very ugly look indeed。 〃You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more； and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions。 It's only fair； Dumbledore。〃
〃But Karkaroff； it doesn't work like that；〃 said Bagman。 〃The Goblet of Fire's just gone out…it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament…〃
〃in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be peting！〃 exploded Karkaroff。 〃After all our meetings and negotiations and promises； I little expected something of this nature to occur！ I have half a mind to leave now！〃
〃Empty threat； Karkaroff；〃 growled a voice from near the door。 〃You can't leave your champion now。 He's got to pete。 They've all got to pete。 Binding magical contract； like Dumbledore said。 Convenient； eh？〃
Moody had just entered the room。 He limped toward the fire； and with every right step he took； there was a loud clunk。
〃Convenient？〃 said Karkaroff。 〃I'm afraid I don't understand you； Moody。〃
Harry could tell he was trying to sound disdainful； as though what Moody was saying was barely worth his notice； but his hands gave him away； they had balled themselves into fists。
〃Don't you？〃 said Moody quietly。 〃It's very simple； Karkaroff。 Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to pete if it came out。〃
〃Evidently； someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple！〃 said Madame Maxime。
〃I quite agree； Madame Maxime；〃 said Karkaroff； bowing to her。 〃I shall be lodging plaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards…〃
〃If anyone's got reason to plain； it's Potter；〃 growled Moody； 〃but。。。 funny thing。。。 I don't hear him saying a word。。。
〃Why should 'e plain？〃 burst out Fleur Delacour； stamping her foot。 〃E 'as ze chance to pete； 'asn't 'e？ We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks！ Ze honor for our schools！ A thousand Galleons in prize money…zis is a chance many would die for！〃
〃Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it；〃 said Moody； with the merest trace of a growl。
An extremely tense silence followed these words。 Ludo Bagman； who was looking very anxious indeed； bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said； 〃Moody； old man。。。 what a thing to say！〃
〃We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime；〃 said Karkaroff loudly。 〃Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination too。 An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher； Dumbledore； but no doubt you had your reasons。
〃Imagining things； am I？〃 growled Moody。 〃Seeing things； eh？ It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet。。。
〃Ah； what evidence is zere of zat？〃 said Madame Maxime； throwing up her huge hands。
〃Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object！〃 said Moody。 〃It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools pete in the tournament。。。 I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school； to make sure he was the only one in his category。。。〃
〃You seem to have given this a great deal of thought； Moody；〃 said Karkaroff coldly； 〃and a very ingenious theory it is…though of course； I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg； and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock。 So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously。。。〃
〃There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage；〃 Moody retorted in a menacing voice。 〃It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do； Karkaroff…as you ought to remember。。。
〃Alastor！〃 said Dumbledore warningly。 Harry wondered for a moment whom he was speaking to； but then realized 〃Mad…Eye〃 could hardly be Moody's real first name。 Moody fell silent； though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction…Karkaroff's face was burning。
〃How this situation arose； we do not know；〃 said Dumbledore； speaking to everyone gathered in the room。 〃It seems to me； however； that we have no choice but to accept it。 Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to pete in the Tournament。 This； therefore； they will do。。。
〃Ah； but Dumbly…dorr…〃
〃My dear Madame Maxime； if you have an alternative； I would be delighted to hear it。〃
Dumbledore waited； but Madame Maxime did not speak； she merely glared。 She wasn't the only one either。 Snape looked furious； Karkaroff livid； Bagman； however； looked rather excited。
〃Well； shall we crack on； then？〃 he said； rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room。 〃Got to give our champions their instructions； haven't we？ Barty； want to do the honors？〃
Mr。 Crouch seemed to e out of a deep reverie。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃instructions。 Yes。。。 the first task。。。〃
He moved forward into the firelight。 Close up； Harry thought he looked ill。 There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin； papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup。
〃The first task is designed to test your daring；〃 he told Harry； Cedric； Fleur； and Viktor； 〃so we are not going to be telling you what it is。 Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard。。。 very important。
〃The first task will take place on November the twenty…fourth； in front of the other students and the panel of judges。
〃The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to plete the tasks in the tournament。 The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands。 They will receive information about the second task when the first is over。 Owing to the demanding and time…consuming nature of the tournament； the champions are exempted from end…of…year tests。〃
Mr。 Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore。
〃I think that's all； is it； Albus？〃
〃I think so；〃 said Dumbledore； who was looking at Mr。 Crouch with mild concern。 〃Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight； Barty？〃
〃No； Dumbledore； I must get back to the Ministry；〃 said Mr。 Crouch。 〃It is a very busy； very difficult time at the moment。。。 I've left young Weatherby in charge。。。 Very enthusiastic。。。 a little overenthusiastic； if truth be told。。。
〃You'll e and have a drink before you go； at least？〃 said Dumbledore。
〃e on； Barry； I'm staying！〃 said Bagman brightly。 〃It's all happening at Hogwarts now； you know； much more exciting here than at the office！〃
〃I think not； Ludo；〃 said Crouch with a touch of his old impatience。
〃Professor Karkaroff…Madame Maxime…a nightcap？〃 said Dumbledore。
But Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and