Even Royalty Falters || Draco Malfoy

Chapter 26 - Goblet of Fire

I'd probably look forward to Halloween a lot more if the last three Halloweens at Hogwarts hadn't gone wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if a dragon burst through the hall at this point. Hell, I'd be expecting it. But today wasn't Halloween yet. It was October 30th and for some reason we'd been pulled out of class. Lucky for us, it was Potions.

"Aren't you excited?" Hermione nudged me as I stared up blankly at the charmed ceiling. 

"For?" 

"The other two schools are coming tonight! Have you been listening?" Hermione scolded.

 "Well, not that part," I realized why we had redecorated Hogwarts and come here night: to welcome to two other schools! The more people, the merrier. It would take my mind off of things. The other night when Myrtle had been babbling away when I visited her bathroom, Draco had come. I didn't see him, but she did and by the time I turned, he had left. I didn't get it. He didn't go back to his old self and insult me when he could, yet he didn't care to talk to me or hold my gaze when I caught him staring either. What happened to the words he said back on the train?  

The grand doors opened up, catching my attention. "Please welcome the lovely ladies of the Beaubatons Academy of Magic and their headmistress Madam Maxime," Dumbledore announced as two neatly formed rows of girls marched in gracefully and in synch. They wore light blue uniforms and while Madam Maxime followed, sporting a fur coat. A couple girls elegantly performed a couple small tricks before they bowed, earning a roar of applause from us.

"And now our friends from the North. The proud sons of Durmstrang and their high master, Igor Karkaroff," at the end of his sentence, a group of boys trooped into our Great Hall, all holding staffs and waving them around in powerful movements of their arms. Their uniforms were brown, but the one that entered after the others caught my eye. 

"It's him!" I exclaimed. The world famous Quidditch star had come to Hogwarts?

"Bloody hell, that's Viktor Krum," Ron gasped as he strode past us.

"Please make yourselves home here, and I'm sure our students are very eager to show everyone around!" Dumbledore continued as everyone settled down. "But first, let us sing our anthem," he nodded to Flitwick.

Bloody hell, these schools come in with magnificent performances and we sing them an anthem? Still, I put on a bright smile and sang along. I couldn't help but notice that Draco wasn't enjoying himself either, although Crabbe definitely was.

When we finished, the other schools clapped politely for us. Dumbledore then walked over to a stand with a cloth covering it. In one swift motion, he pulled the cloth off to reveal a huge goblet. "This, is the Goblet of Fire. Students who wish to participate have until tomorrow night to put their names in. The goblet choses the the most worthy entrants to compete in three dangerous tasks...reminder that the tournament is not for the fainted hearted," when he finished, the goblet lit up with a blue flame. 

Food and drinks filled out tables as the welcome feast began. Some girls had already went up to Krum, many holding pages up to him for autographs. Sitting with his schoolmates, he looked rather intimidating, I figured I had a whole year to ask for his signature so I turned back to my food instead.

Before the night had even ended, Fred and George had managed to cross the age line. Unfortunately, they were still repelled before they could place their names into the goblet and left for the hospital wing with long, white beards which Dumbledore was pretty jealous of.

~~~

Everyone in the Great Hall quieted and tensed as time came for the names to be picked. So far, Halloween was as normal as it was about to get.