Ariana Dumbledore || Harry Potter

21| twizard tournament

My eyes flutter open to meet darkness within the sky. My head immediately aches as I touch it slowly, feeling blood along the side. I sit up taking in my surroundings seeing tents burned and ashes covering the floor. I see Harry who lies motionless, my stomach begins to turn. I start to inch near him, but am stopped as a man casts a spell into the sky. My eyes go wide as I reach towards Harry shaking him slightly. He sits up and I cover my hand over his mouth. I signify to the man that is standing before us, Harry goes to move, making a cracking sound echo throughout the sky. We make eye contact with the man as he starts to advance towards us.

Harry and I stand quickly as he latched onto my hand. We run and hide swiftly as we hear Ron and Hermione call our names in the distance. The man turns away quickly leaving the sight.

"We've been looking for you guys for ages!" Ron says. "We thought we lost you." We all glance upon the sky. "What is that?" Harry says as he holds his scar in his hand. We are then encircled by wizards as they try to attack us. We duck down quickly, covering our heads in fear.

"Stop! That's my son!" Arthur runs towards us holding onto Ron. "Are you four alright?"

"Which of you conjured this?" One man continues to point his wand at us. "You can't possibly-" Arthur mutters. "Do not lie! You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!" I look at him weirdly, not knowing what was going on. "Crime?" I ask.

"Barty, they're just kids." Arthur says holding his son tighter. "What crime?" Harry echo's me back. "It's his mark." Hermione answers. Harry looks around. "Voldemort. Those people tonight, in the masks, they're his too aren't they? They're his followers." Harry says. Arthur then speaks, "Death eaters." The man looks at us unsure, and then speaks. "Follow me." I think about the man that we saw, Harry then speaking my thoughts. "There was a man. Before. There." Harry points to the place he once stood.

"All of you, this way."

Later that week I ride the train back to Hogwarts with my three friends. I always loved the train, when it wasn't compromised by death eaters.

"Anything from the trolley Anything from the trolley?" An elderly woman appears by the door. "Anything from the trolley dears?" Ron gets up and I follow. "Packet of drewbals and a liquorice wand. On second thought, just the drewbals." Ron says looking towards his coins. "It's alright I'll get it." Harry offers getting up as well. "Just the drewbals, thanks." Ron takes them from the woman and sits down. "A chocolate frog please." I say trading with the women.

Then a certain Ravenclaw walks up to the cart, eyeing Harry carefully. "Two pumpkin pasties please." I look at the way they look towards each other and my heart immediately drops. Harry smiles sheepishly as Cho does the same. I raise my eyebrow towards her and she walks away with her giggling friends.

"What was that?" I ask Harry as we stand by the door. "What was what?" He says looking down the hall where she disappeared. I feel my anxiety rise as he smiles to himself.

"This is horrible, how can the ministry not know who conjured it. Isn't there any security or?" Hermione says. "Loads according to Dad, that's what worried them so much. Happened right under their noses." I turn towards Harry who itches his scare carefully. "It's hurting again isn't it, your scar." I say. "I'm fine." He lies straight to my face. "You know Sirius will want to hear about this. What you saw at the world cup, and the dream." Harry nods and begins writing.

•••

We enter the castle and make our way to the Great Hall. The room is filled with new faces, and I was excited for the upcoming year. We sit and chat among ourselves quickly as Uncle approach's the podium.

"Now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. You see Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event. The Tri-Wizard tournament. Now for those of you who do not know, the tri-wizard tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school a single contestant is selected to compete. Now let me be clear, if choosen you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint hearted, but more of that later. For now please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of magic and their headmistress Madam Maxime."

Everyone turns their heads to the large doors that swing open. Girls run down the aisle, as the boys around me begin to swoon. Hermione and I roll our eyes as the girls dance around the room. I look at Harry who is absolutely infatuated with the women. I snap my fingers in front of Harrys face, who doesn't turn my way.

"And now our friends from the north, please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and the high master Igor Karkaroff." I sip my water carefully, watching as men walk through the door. My eyes widen along with my mouth, water spilling out effortlessly. Harry and Ron laugh loudly, my face growing red with embarrassment. I watch as the men file out, one looking towards me and laughing slightly at the mess I made. He looks at me and winks, and my face becomes even hotter.

We then sing for the new visitors, which I get very into. We continue eating, Uncle then approaching the stand once again. "Your attention please! I would like to say a few words. Eternal glory, that is what awaits the student who wins the tri-wizard tournament. But to do this that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks. 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 magic cooperation Mister Bartimus Crouch."

As his name is spoken, thunder roars above. We all look up, the enchanted sky begins pouring and I become very confused. A man casts a spell on the ceiling above. "Bloody hell, it's Mad-Eye Moody." Ron stares. "Alastor Moody? The aura." Hermione asks. "He was a catcher. Half the cells in Azkaban are full thanks to him. He's supposed to be mad as a hatter though these days."

Barty soon explains the rules of the tournament, rising some excitement and anger within the crowd. Uncle unleashes the goblet, silencing the room. "The goblet of fire. Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the tournament merely 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 choosen there's
no turning back. As from this moment
the tri-wizard tournament has begun."