chapter 20 : The Gryffindor Hooligan
The end of the week came they were once again in the great hall where Dumbledore was going to announce the names of the three champions chosen by the cup and the only reason Ron was there was because he was hoping that Cedric would be chosen, the rest was of no importance to him.
Dumbledore asked for attention before magically dimming the ambient lighting and moved closer to the goblet of fire whose flame turned purple to spit out the first name.
Dumbledore: The champion of Durmstrang is Viktor Krum.
People encouraged him and especially his classmates, he stood up and looked towards Ron but the latter was nonchalantly eating sweets while reading a book.
Dumbledore: The champion of Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour.
The pretty French lady stood up to the encouragement of her friends and the vast majority of boys in the room. (vive la France 🇫🇷🐓🥖)
Dumbledore: The champion of Hogwarts, Cedric Diggory.
"YES!" Ron said getting up to applaud his friend with the others and that surprised Harry, Luna and Hermione who totally didn't expect it like the others who knew him well.
"Excellent, we have our three candidates… but in the end, only one champion will go down in history…" he continued his blabbering before presenting the triwizard trophy to the applause of the students before the flames of the cup don't turn purple again as if there was another name and Ron like the others looked at that.
Dumbledore moved closer to the cup and the flames spat out the piece of paper he grabbed and as he read the name on it, his gaze became serious.
Dumbledore: Harry Potter...
Listening to this, Ron was shocked and he looked towards Harry but the latter was even more shocked than him.
Dumbledore called him several times and Ron asked him to get up with Hermione and the poor thing walked towards Dumbledore under the contemptuous looks of the others.
"Cheater !"
" He cheated !"
"HE'S NOT YET 17 YEARS OLD"
Several voices started to be heard and Ron didn't let it go by!
Ron: YOU Idiots ! DON'T YOU SEE HE LOOKS AS SURPRISED AS YOU ?! THIS IS CLEARLY SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK, YOU IMBECILES! THE NEXT WHO OPENS HIS MOUTH WILL HAVE MY FIST IN HIS FACE!
"Stop covering for him, you're his friend" another voice said and Ron in response threw one of the chalices that was on the table at the owner of the voice.
What followed was a general brawl between those who supported Ron and Harry on the one hand and those who thought he had cheated.
The school staff had to make desperate efforts to calm the situation and Ron was one of the most agitated, when they had to restrain him, he was pulling Malfoy's ear while spanking him.
Because of him, Gryffindor had lost 70 points but no one cared, after four years with Ron, the Gryffindor students had developed solid solidarity.
In the evening, Harry was summoned to Dumbledore and Ron left with him, Hermione also wanted to come but he asked her to stay, it's not because he is afraid of almost nothing that he will lead the others in problems.
When they got there, there was already an argument going on between Dumbledore and the headmasters of the other schools. The other three chosen champions were also there and were wondering what Ron was doing there.
Dumbledore rushed to Harry to grab him and ask him if he had put his name in the cup or if he had asked one of his elders but Harry's answers were negative.
Dumbledore: Weasley?
Ron: I swear I had nothing to do with it, but in my opinion, Professor, this matter seems suspicious.
"But they are lying, that's for sure," Maxime, the director of Beauxbatons, said angrily.
Ron: Madam with all due respect, you-*mmmhmmmhmmm*
Cedric came to close Ron's mouth with his hand, he knew this guy since they were very little and Ron had a very dirty mouth.
They remained to discuss it and Bartemius Crouch declared that Harry was obligated to participate as he was now bound by the cup's powerful magic just like the other contestants. Poor Harry!
That night in the common room Ron gathered everyone else and questions were asked of Harry and when everyone was settled they decided to support him during the tournament as he was clearly the victim of a conspiracy.
A few days later, Ron was reading the Daily Prophet near Luna about the candidate interview and he got upset.
Ron: Who is the idiot who wrote this shit!? Harry is not 12 years old and he is clearly not a "suspicious candidate"!
Luna: My father also thinks it's a plot in Quibbler.
Ron: Will you read to me, sweetheart?
Luna: Should have bought the Quibbler instead of the gazette…
He made puppy eyes at her and she started reading the Quibbler articles out loud when Fred and George came there.
Fred: Ron, Charlie is here...
Georges:…he wants to see you! He's waiting for you near the outer tower.
Ron: Shouldn't they be in Romania?! What is he doing at school!
Fred: You can ask him...
Georges:…when you have finished playing lovers with Luna.
" YOU… ! » he wanted to speak but they left laughing while Luna with a red face turned her face away and left who knew where.
A few minutes later, Ron went to find his brother in front of the tower.
Ron: Charlie?
Charlie: Hello Ronnie, how is the family champion?
Ron: It seems okay but actually no, Harry is still the victim of a conspiracy!
Charlie: So it's true huh!? Someone unknowingly put his name in the cup! It's a very dangerous competition Ron, people die in this tournament!
Ron: That's what it seemed to me when I saw Professor Dumbledore's serious face. But actually, why are you here?
Charlie: My colleagues and I came to deliver dragons for the first round of the tournament.
Ron: Dragons ?!! Just for the first test?!
Charlie: Yeah, Hagrid will definitely show them to Harry if he goes to see him. You must not say anything to Harry Ron, you must not help your friends to the detriment of others because that would not be fair in a competition.
Ron: Pfff ! Of course, who did you take me for?!
( A few minutes after)
"There will be dragons in the first test..." Ron said in front of Harry and Cedric in a secluded corner of the school.
Cedric: Are you sure?!
Ron: Charlie told me earlier that they delivered some for the occasion. Harry, if you go see Hagrid then he will show them to you and you can confirm it to Cedric later.
Cédric: Thanks Ron!
Harry: Yes, thank you Ron.
"Just stay alive you two, that's all I care about." he left, leaving them there to go help Hermione with a new spell.
Harry later went to see Hagrid and he actually showed him the dragons with Harry under his invisibility cloak because Hagrid actually had a date with Maxime the headmistress of Beauxbatons who was also a half-giant. He later confirmed the information to Cédric.
One day while the little gang was looking for a quiet place in the school, some Hufflepuffs wanted to make fun of Harry but couldn't say anything because of the Gryffindor students who were already there.
Gryffindor was already ready for another fight if they wanted, Ron had already filled the void of the 70 points lost and more during the different lessons.
"If it's not the cheating Potter who is here..." Malfoy said while sitting on the branch of a tree before going down.
Draco: My father and I bet you won't last even a minute.
"I don't care what you or your father think about me, Malfoy" Harry replied and Draco wanted to say something more but Ron immediately pushed her against a tree in front of Malfoy's friends who were too afraid of him to react.
Ron: I'm honestly starting to get tired of finding a clown like you on our way Malfoy.
Draco: Touch me and I'll tell my father...
Ron: What will you tell your father? That you were weaker than a Weasley of your age whom you considered inferior?! I don't think so. But tell me Malfoy, where is your father on whom you rely so much?! Hmm!? You can be smart with others but here in front of me, dad is not there to save you. (Looks at his friends) You follow like dogs a coward who relies on his father for everything and nothing but the day you get into serious trouble (looks at Malfoy) neither this guy nor his father will come to your aid because apart from them, the rest of the world is worthless. I hope for your sake that you don't find yourself in my way again...Draco.
He left them there and left with Harry and the others, once Ron had his back turned, Malfoy drew his wand but Alastor Moody (Moody) who was not far away quickly changed him into a ferret for him. punish to attack from behind when Ron was already preparing to snap his fingers to do something much more brutal to Malfoy.
The others came to laugh at the scene and at McGonagall's request, Moody returned Malfoy to his normal self.
He also asked Harry to follow him and Ron gave them a little distance before moving to a corner and wearing the hood of his wizarding robes to become invisible, he had enchanted the garment himself.
Ron eavesdropped on the whole conversation and even heard the scream coming from Moody's trunk and it disturbed him but nothing more than that.
He had seen chests containing strange creatures before. He went from there and thought of different tactics that could help Harry against the dragon knowing that his friend had the right to a wand.
It was clear that the test was not about facing a dragon because that was too dangerous but doing something or taking something from the dragon was going to be the test.