"A setup! You set all of this up!"
Karkaroff had finally found an excuse to lash out. He pointed at Douglas and shrieked.
Douglas shrugged, looking utterly shameless, as if to say, whatever you say.
"Hey, Karkaroff, you can eat whatever you like, but you can't just say whatever you please."
Charlie stepped forward, blocking Douglas from view.
"That night, old Douglas was just catching up with an old friend-me. He happened to run into the other two headmasters, that's all."
Seeing that he seemed to have caused trouble for the professor, Cedric hurried to explain:
"No, Headmaster Karkaroff, the professor didn't reveal any information."
"I guessed it myself, on the very night I became a Champion."
"The professor also sent Hufflepuff a hot pot that night, and for some reason, I thought the task might have something to do with dragons."
He then added, "My grades in Divination are fairly good."
Dumbledore had been watching the scene with keen interest. Now he took up the conversation with a chuckle.
"Oh, really? I think Sybill would be delighted to hear you say that."
And just like that, the dispute subsided.
After everyone left one after another, the Hospital Wing fell quiet again.
Krum looked at Cedric and asked in his halting English:
"Why... not let Professor Holmes... keep talking?"
Cedric looked up and said with a smile:
"You don't know the professor. His help is never free."
"Think about the price we paid this time."
Krum and Pheobe both fell silent.
The price was clearly branded on each of their bodies.
At the same time, all three seemed to realize something.
They all looked toward the broth they had just drunk.
Cedric smiled wryly. "Mm-hmm. Perhaps this bowl of broth came at a price too."
Krum stared expressionlessly at the