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THE DAY AFTER THE DELEGATIONS ARRIVED was Saturday. Normally, Lyra hated the mornings and would rather have a good rest on Fridays. But she woke up a lot earlier than normal. Ginny on the other hand did not; together with Natalie and Zayna, Lyra went down to the entrance hall. There were about twenty people there, all examining the Goblet of Fire. It had been placed in the center of the hall. A thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction.
During the minutes that they were there did students from both schools put their names in, yet Lyra hadn't seen any Hogwarts students although she assumed they did after they went to sleep. When Harry, Ron and Hermione saw her, Ron immediately approached her and asked; "Anyone put their name in yet?"
And she she replied with what she was thinking. "I would've if it had been me. . . wouldn't have wanted everyone watching," said Harry. "What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again?"
Someone behind them laughed. Turning, Lyra saw Fred, George, and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase, all three of them with excited grins on their races. "Done it," Fred announced triumphantly to them. "Just taken it."
"Taken what?" asked Ron.
"The Aging Potion, dung brains," Fred replied.
"One drop each," George grinned, rubbing his hands together. "We only need to be a few months older." After hearing what they did to Dudley Dursley, this looked more than convincing enough for Lyra to think that maybe it could work.
"We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," said Lee, grinning broadly.
"I'm not sure this is going to work, you know."
"C'mon Hermione, have some trust in them," said Lyra, elbowing her.
"That's the spirit, little Malfoy." She glared at George. She told both of them to stop calling her that years ago.
"I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this," Hermione insisted.
Fred, George, and Lee ignored her. "Ready?" Fred asked the other two. "C'mon, then — I'll go first —"
Hermione was proven to be right when both twins were shot ten feet in the air. The entrance hall rang with laughter. Even the five students joined in, the two had grown long grey beards. "I did warn you," spoke an amused voice. Everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He examined them. "I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours."
