Bumblebee (A Fred Weasley Fanfiction)

- CHAPTER SIXTEEN -

The Triwizard Tournament

The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start of term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles floating over the tables.
As Emmie sat at the Hufflepuff table the sorting started, she could see Mel amongst the crowd of first years looking nervous. "Nightingale, Mel," Professor McGonagall called and she took her seat on the stall.
The sorting hat was placed on her head, it was silent for a few second before speaking, "hmmm. You're a tricky one. You could be a Hufflepuff like your mother and sister but I sense you don't want that... What is it you want? Slytherin? Well suit yourself SLYTHERIN it is."

All noise disappeared from around Emmie as she watched her sister walk to the cheering Slytherin table and a tear fell down her cheek. Why would she do that?

The feast appeared on the table and everyone started to tuck in but Emmie just stayed staring through it. She felt two hands on her arms and, in a second, found herself at the Gryffindor table with Fred rubbing her back, "hey, it's okay,"
"This doesn't mean anything. There's been plenty of good Slytherins," George said.
"Come on you need to eat something," Fred spoke,
Ron passed over a bowl of mashed potato, "no, she doesn't like that, pass the chicken."
Fred put some food on Emmie's plate but she just pushed it around with her fork.
The rain was still drumming heavily against the high, dark windows. Another clap of thunder shook the windows and the stormy ceiling flashed, illuminating the golden plates as the remains of the first course vanished and were replaced with puddings. Fred once again tried to get Emmie to eat something, "look chocolate gateau, your favourite!" But it was no use.

When the puddings, too, had disappeared Dumbledore got up.
"So! I must once more ask for your attention while I give out a few notices. Mr Filch has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has been extended to include Screaming Yo-Yos, Fanged Frisbees and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises of four hundred and thirty-seven items and can be viewed in Mr Filch's office."
The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched.
He continued, "it is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch cup will not take place this year,"
"WHAT!" Fred and George yelled in unison.
"This is due to an event that will be starting in October and continuing throughout the school year. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -"
At that moment there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.
A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. A dull clunk echoed through the hall on his every other step, he reached the end of the top table, turned right and limped heavily towards Dumbledore.
In the light Emmie could see that every inch of the man's face seemed to be scarred, his mouth looked like a diagonal gash and a large chunk of his nose was missing. One of his eyes were small, dark and beady but the other was large, round as a coin and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly without blinking and rolling around quite independently of the normal eye.
Dumbledore casually shook the man's hand before the he took a seat at the teachers table.
"May I introduce our new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher," said Dumbledore, "Professor Moody."
Emmie groaned into Fred's arm, "as if this couldn't get any worst."

Dumbledore cleared his throat, "as I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."
"You're JOKING!" Said Fred loudly.
"I am not joking Mr Weasley," Dumbledore said, "though, now you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar -"
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.
"Er - but maybe this is not the time... No..." Said Dumbledore, "where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament. The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry - Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The school's took it in turns to host the Tournament once every five years and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued."
"Death toll?" Emmie whispered looking alarmed but her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the hall.
"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore continued, "none have which have been successful however our own Departments of International Magical Co-operation and Magical Games and Sports have decided this time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that, this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger."

Emmie looked at Fred who's face was lit with enthusiasm, "I'm going for it!" He said.
"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts and win the thousand Galleon prize money," Dumbledore said, "the Heads of the participating schools along with the Ministry of Magic have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students aged seventeen years or older will be allowed to put forward their names."
The twins looked furiously at their head master, "they can't do that!" Said George, "we're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?"
"They're not stopping me entering," said Fred stubbornly, "the champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally and a thousand Galleons prize money!"

As they left the hall, the twins continued debating the ways in which Dumbledore might stop those who were under seventeen entering the tournament.
Emmie, however, had stopped listening, she had spotted her sister leaving the hall as well.
"Mel!" She called after her, she stopped and just as Emmie approached her, she slapped Mel sharply in the face. "What the fuck!" Mel said trying to grab at her sister furiously, "you wanted to be in Slytherin? What is wrong with you?" Emmie replied, dodging her hands which were flailing everywhere, "I can do what I want. It was my own decision,"
"Fine... You're right. Just don't expect me to help you in anyway with your time here," Emmie smiled sarcastically before walking away.

- Princexiero xx