CHERRY, george weasley

002, back to hogwarts feast!

FOOD HAD APPEARED AFTER THE sorting, and hungrily, Cerise filled up her plate with as much food as she could, unaware to her twin brother and one of her bestfriend's sharing looks from across the hall. Dipping her Yorkshire into her mashed potato, and gravy, she shoved it in her mouth.

"Ugh, that is so unladylike." commented a Hufflepuff two years below Cerise. She didn't know his name, she didn't want to know his name. She watched the way he treated others; He was definitely not the nicest of the bunch. "No wonder you've never had a boyfriend."

Cedric and Loralei stared at the Hufflepuff, while Cerise continued to eat like no one was watching her. "At least have some manners," the Hufflepuff continued. Was he trying to get her to argue back? Because it was not going to work.

"Dude, just leave her alone," said another Hufflepuff from the same year as him, her name was Susan Bones. Susan was nice. "She's not harming you, is she? Leave her eat the way she wants to."

Narrowing her eyes, Loralei looked over him, "No wonder you've never had a boyfriend," she quoted, "I'm sorry, who was it asking her out last year?"

The Hufflepuff's cheeks went red, but he quickly shot back, "Doesn't speak, does she? Does she need everyone to say things for her? Is she that weak?"

Cerise turned and whispered in Cedric's ear. He chuckled, "She said, she doesn't like wasting her breath on people who don't deserve her time."

Seeing the look cross his face, Cerise smiled sarcastically and lifted up the middle finger, unaware to the twins in Gryffindor, watching her every move.

"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."

The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched as he continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

Cerise could hear plenty of protests, but the one that stood out to her was, "That's rubbish!" She recognised the voices immediately.

Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy — but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. 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. Every head in the Great Hall swiveled toward the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to walk up toward the teachers' table.

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 toward Dumbledore. Another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling. Cerise's eyes widened.

His face had come to light at the lightning, and Cerise recognised him immediately. "'Mad-Eye Moody," murmured Loralei, in complete awe.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."

"Well, he's gonna be gone in the new year," said Cerise, making Cedric and Loralei shoot her looks. "What? You both know it's true."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and shot the three friends a look as everyone's eyes went to the three Hufflepuff's. Cerise shrugged as her eyes met Cho's. Cho stifled a laugh.

"As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, "we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that 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 Weasley loudly. Cerise rolled her eyes. Nearly everyone laughed ( it was only Cerise and the Slytherin's who didn't laugh ), and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he said, "though now that 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. . . well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely. 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 schools 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?" Cerise whispered, looking alarmed. But her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly to one another, it seemed that only Hermione Granger, a girl two years younger than her in Gryffindor, shared her anxiety.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore continued, "none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the 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."

Cerise scoffed, like that would work.

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," 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 who are of age — that is to say, seventeen years or older — will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This —" Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious — "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion." His light blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred's and George's mutinous faces. "I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen."

Cerise shot Cedric a warning glance.

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

A/N: Cerise is so real for her response to that Hufflepuff.