Fleur De Lis

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The carriage ride to Hogwarts was fairly subdued. Harry was riding with Cedric, Penelope and a few other seventh year Hufflepuff's who weren't overly nervous around Harry. Heidi Macavoy, someone Harry actually did consider a friend, was definitely trying to flirt with Harry much to his amusement.

The two had been playing a game of sorts to see who could get whom to blush first, but usually it just made the surrounding people turn fire hydrant red first, and that was the position Penelope was in as Heidi was running her hand daintely across Harry's chest. "Oh I just know Quidditch and dueling has done some incredible things to your body. I would love to see it for myself."

Harry grinned at the girl slyly, "Why don't you just meet me in the prefect's bathroom at say midnight, and I will show you exactly what it can do to your body."

Penelope groaned, "Potter! I am Head Girl, and you are talking about seduction right in front of me with Macavoy. Can you not? Show me the Head Boy responsibility that I was seeing on the train."

Harry grinned, throwing his arm around the girl taking full advantage of Percy not being around, "Oh come on Penny, I wouldn't mind inviting you along too. I mean if you are so worried about rules being followed!"

This caused the girl to blush scarlet, and Harry turned to Heidi, "Do you have a problem sharing me, Macavoy? It is a pretty big tub in the prefect's bathroom. I think we would all fit quite nicely!"

Harry had won this round as the girl blushed deeply, and Cedric and his two buddies guffawed with laughter. Herbert Fleet, the Hufflepuff Keeper choked out, "I think you broke them, Harry mate!"

Cedric however just grinned, "I don't know why you even bother anymore, Heidi, you are on quite the losing streak with Harry right now."

Harry laughed lightly, "She just likes the images I put in her head."

The girl mumbled something unintelligible as they reached the school and walked up towards the castle. Before they did however, Harry affectionately stroked the thestrals' heads thanking them for the ride. Harry had grown fond of the creatures that most could not see, and felt that he could relate with many of them, so he always treated them with kindness. There were thestrals on the ancient Potter Manor grounds, and he had often found solitude in their company, learning to feed them raw meat or fresh game from a young age.

The sorting feast was finished in the blink of an eye, and Harry was glad as he was ready to get up to his common room and get some rest. His final training regimen would begin tomorrow, and he would begin implementing his new schedule that his mentor had set for him.

The announcements were made, but then Dumbledore cleared his throat expectantly hoping to gather the attention of everyone in the hall, even those who were not paying attention like Harry, "Now this year is going to bring some new changes to Hogwarts, and one of those is that the Inter-house dueling and Quidditch tournaments are canceled."

Nearly the entirety of the school's athletes were up in arms at this announcement, even Harry himself frowned at the news. Dumbledore let it go on for a moment before he raised his hands, "Not to worry my dear friends there will still be Quidditch to be played and duels to be had, however this year your competition will be a little different during the Triwizard Tournament."

It was clear that the secret was more well kept than he originally suspected but people who knew of the tournament's existence seemed to be genuinely excited, and it spread as friends whispered to each other and explained the competition's origins and goals. Harry shook his head, and realized that people may well be thrilled - at least until the blood began to be shed.