For You I Will #4- The Goblet Of Fire

Arrivals

The appearance of the sign in the Entrance Hall had a marked effect, not only on Hermione but on all the inhabitants of the castle.

During the next week, the only topic of conversation seemed to be the Triwizard Tournament. Rumours were flying from student to student- who would be entering, what would be in the tournament, how the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang would differ from themselves.

Every whispered conversation Harry, Lavender and Ron heard came to the same conclusion. If Y/N was to enter he would be selected.

The impact on Hermione was noticeable as well. She was back to her clingy best, or worst, depending on the perspective- it was reminiscent of the days following Sirius's rescue.

She was attached to Y/N almost 24/7. She sat on his lap whenever not in class, her hand was attached to his non stop. He had negotiated with his teachers to use a quick quotes quill. Hermione was attached to his right hand in class and he had no chance of noting with his left.

Even McGonagall allowed its use, and looked at the girl sympathetically when she glanced in the couples direction. It was lucky the couple were so far ahead in their studies- as soon as classes finished for the day Y/N was dragged off Merlin only knows where. Each day the couple was not seen again until meal time.

The students noticed as well that the castle seemed to be undergoing an extra-thorough cleaning. Several grimy portraits had been scrubbed, much to the displeasure of their subjects, who sat huddled in their frames muttering darkly and wincing as they felt their raw pink faces. The suits of armour were suddenly gleaming and moving without squeaking and Argus Filch was behaving so ferociously to any student who forgot to wipe their shoes he terrified two first year Slytherin girls into hysterics.

The other staff members seemed oddly tense too. Penny was not her normal cheery self, fussing over Y/N and Hermione every chance she got.

Dean returned the essay which had been set for the short course and took a list of names of students who wished to continue. He was not his usual cheery self though.

Only Adam, Lavender, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Y/N were from their class, and would apparently be joined by Susan, Hannah, Pansy and Draco.

"Fucking fantastic" Y/N groaned to himself.

As the Gryffindors sat in Transfiguration Y/N was pulled from his thoughts at the end of one particularly taxing lesson by McGonagall barking at Neville.

"Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that you can't even perform a simple switching spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!"

In fairness to the Professor Neville had, in the course of the lesson, accidentally transplanted his own ears onto a cactus.

—~—

When Y/N and Hermione arrived down at breakfast on the morning of the thirtieth of October, they found that the Great Hall had been decorated overnight.

Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts house- red with a gold lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin. Behind the teachers table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms.

Y/N pulled his eggs apart with just a fork as his other hand held Hermione's, lovingly rubbing her small knuckles as their three friends joined them along with the twins and Maisy.

"You two got any more ideas on the Triwizard yet?" Harry asked Fred and George as they all sat.

"We asked McGonagall how the champions were selected" Fred answered. "She told me to shut up and concentrate on transfiguring my raccoon".