𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍 | 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺

Chapter 62 - The Triwizard Tournament

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"I cannot believe I'm not famous! Look at me, look at my outfit.

Look at my hair! What about my smile?"

"Sirius, you have been a wanted criminal for a whole year."

Guess who Sirius is exasperating this time with his overdramatic self.

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There was a distinct end-of-the-holidays gloom in the air when Betelgeuse awoke the next morning.

Heavy rain was still splattering against the window as she got dressed in dark high-waisted jeans and a black shirt; she would change into her school robes on the Hogwarts Express.

The young woman paused in the stillness of the early morning, glancing at the awakening girls. She had not slept well, and her mind was clouded with dark thoughts when she met the boys on the first-floor landing.

Betelgeuse merely nodded to the group as they made their way down to breakfast. She noticed George frown, a concerned look on his sun-kissed face.

"Morning, love," Fred articulated, kissing her forehead before yawing. He glanced down at her, noticing her dark and monochromatic attire, "I see you have your spring colours on." He had not noticed the ominous air surrounding the Black and smiled lovingly at her.

George scowled to his older twin, "It's Autumn, you twit!" He had always been the more observant and sympathetic of the two. His twin was oblivious as a rock sometimes.

They entered the small kitchen right as Arthur passed them in a hurry.

Bill and Charlie came into the kitchen.

"Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked, sitting at the table. "What's he been up to now?"

"He says someone tried to break into his house last night," Molly replied.

"Mad-Eye Moody?" George inquired thoughtfully, spreading marmalade on his toast. "Isn't he that nutter —"

"Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody," Mrs Weasley argued sternly.

"Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?" Fred quietly remarked as his mother left the room. "Birds of a feather —"

"Moody was a great wizard in his time," Bill stated as Betelgeuse nodded.

"He's an old friend of Dumbledore's, isn't he?" Charlie joined, handing Betelgeuse a toast.

"Dumbledore's not what you'd call normal, though, is he?" Fred said. "I mean, I know he's a genius and everything —"

"Who is Mad-Eye?" Harry questioned.

"He's retired, used to work at the Ministry," Charlie informed. "I met him once when Dad took me into work with him. He was an Auror — one of the best — a Dark wizard catcher," he added, seeing Harry's blank look. "Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. He made himself loads of enemies, though — the families of people he caught, mainly — and I heard he's been getting really paranoid in his old age. Doesn't trust anyone anymore. Sees Dark wizards everywhere."

"I sense a connection of sort with Alastor Moody," Betelgeuse asserted, drawing the attention of the room. George regarded her with a weirded look.