The Daughter of Sirius Black

Chapter 41

After the headmasters embraced, the feast began, the trio eating as they talked avidly about what challenges the Tournament could possibly entail.

Leona's laughter tended to echo quite loudly over all the talking at the absurdity of some of the things that Fred and George suggested, a few of the Durmstrang boys and Baeuxbatons girls looking at her, drawn in by the sound.

But as the feast began to draw to a close, a golden structure was carried into the front of the hall, all eyes instantly drawn to it.

"Please! I'd like to say a few words," Dumbledore began, his voice thundering as silence blanketed the hall. "Eternal glory! That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks."

"Wicked," the twins repeated, Leona not joining that time.

"What, do you not want to compete all of a sudden?" George asked.

She shrugged. "I would like to live to see the day my father's name is cleared. And people know my name enough as it is, I don't think I need eternal glory," she pointed out.

But the twins didn't get a chance to reply as Dumbledore continued speaking.

"For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this, we have the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Mr Bartemius Crouch."

The man who appeared to wear a permanent scowl beneath his short moustache stood only to duck down as the magic ceiling began to crackle with thunder and burst with lightning, several students beginning to scream as Fred covered Leona's head with his body.

But even from beneath his body, Leona saw a man aim his wand at the ceiling, a single column of power hitting it as it returned to normal.

"That's mad-eye Moody," Ron said.

"Alistair Moody? The Auror?" Hermione questioned.

"Auror?" Dean Thomas asked.

"He's a dark wizard catcher. Half the cells in Azkaban are full thanks to him," Leona explained, getting better and better at talking about Azkaban since her father was free from the prison.

"He's supposed to be mad as a hatter these days," Ron pointed out as they watched the scarred man limp his way to Dumbledore before shaking his hand and then taking a swig of something out of a flask.

"What do you suppose he's drinking?" George asked.

"I dunno, but I don't think it's pumpkin juice," Harry said, trying to peer over heads at the man who'd likely come to fill the post of DADA teacher seeing as Dumbledore hadn't introduced them yet.

Barty Crouch then began to speak, but his speech only brewed chaos.

"After due consideration, the Ministry has concluded that for their own safety, no student under the age of 17 shall be allowed put forth their name into the Triwizard Tournament. This Decision is final!"

"That's rubbish!" Fred yelled.

"That's rubbish!" George joined in, Leona trying to sink under the table and away from those two.

Being in their sixth year, they still had a good few months before they turned 17 next year in April. Leona always found it very telling and dangerous that they were born on April Fool's Day.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore boomed.

And with a wave of his wand, the gold structure fell away to reveal a large brown Goblet.

One that ignited with a blue flame.

"The Goblet of Fire! Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the Tournament, need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly! If chosen, there's no turning back. As of this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."