Duel Enrollment

Monster in Heels

Last Time:

The Rita tied to the bed grimaced, not liking the comparison, but she couldn't do anything except watch the fashion show that followed ...

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Minerva smiled as she watched the eager Hogwarts students gather at the windows, "I was skeptical at first-"

"I know. You made that very clear." An amused Severus whispered back earning a playful nudge from the older professor. The fluffy small black cat-like creature with bat wings on the potion master's shoulder barely noticed the shove and stayed perfectly balanced on Severus.

"Hush you." Minerva light chided her smart ass colleague, but then gently patted the adorable cat creature. "Sorry, Obi, but your wizard is a smart ass." She said revealing that the cat-bat creature was Severus' familiar. Finally, she smiled at the students softly. "They needed this distraction." She said and chuckled lightly as the students cheered when a carriage being pulled by flying horses flew past the windows and a massive ship rose out of the lake.

"Indeed." Severus said, but the presence of the minister reminded the current headmaster of Hogwarts of the real reason this tournament was taking place.

Minerva placed her wand at her throat to amplify her voice, "Everyone, have a seat in the Great Hall! We'll meet our guests there!"

"All our guests." Severus whispered as the minister passed him carrying a large fancy goblet.

The minister nodded, "We'll see soon ... where should I put this?" He asked when they made it to the staff table and wasn't sure where to put the goblet. Of all the things they planned for the spot for the goblet was not one of them.

"Allow me." Minerva said and she absentmindedly turned a feather an owl left behind from this morning's mail into a pedestal.

"Thank you." Cornelius said as he set the goblet down though Minerva wasn't listening. She was too busy watching the students take their seats.

Once Severus saw that everyone was seated he saw a long beautiful rich brown banner appear hanging from the ceiling, "Now I would like to introduce," gold letters spelling out Durmstrang Institute appeared on the banner proving Hogwarts wanted to help. "Durmstrang Institute!!" He announced as his familiar flew up and perched on the top of the banner to watch everyone enter the room.

The doors of the Great Hall flew open dramatically and the Hogwarts students watched in awe. With the headmaster, Igor Karkaroff, in the lead the 17 year old group of Durmstrang students into the eating hall. They marched in a well rehearsed routine while displaying an impressive array of fire spells. At least, it was an impressive demonstration to the Hogwarts students and some of the staff. Severus and the new groundskeeper, on the other hand, looked bored.

Severus scoffed when the Durmstrang performance was done, "Yeah ... and our next guest is the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic!" He said once the banner displayed the next name.

With the towering headmistress, Madame Olympe Maxime, leading the way the next group of students waltzed in. Quite literally waltzed in or, at least, they did a whimsical dance. A dance complete with a magical flurry of conjured birds.

"I should probably remove the birds." The brown haired, fairly tall, tanned groundskeeper muttered just loud enough for Severus to hear as he saw that the birds flew into the hall. With recent creature trouble this school has had it seems the castle refused to just let the birds fly out and into the potentially dangerous forest. All the small windows closed up, apparently waiting for someone to reverse the birds.

Maxime looked at the groundskeeper, "Our horses only take single malt whiskies."

Severus noticed the odd look on the groundskeeper's face, "Thank you, John." He said and the groundskeeper left to get the birds and feed the flying horses their odd meal. Once the doors to the Great Hall the banner changed to display the next name. "Next I'd like to introduce the last school-"