A few days after, back at hogwarts, the great hall glows magically, decked out for the start of term feast. Dumbledore addressing the house tables from the top of the hall while Flitwick, Hagrid, McGonagall and Snape look on. Filch glowers from the rear doors. I was seated next to Katie on the Gryffindor table, we already met at the train and saw Elle too. She then went to sit with the Slytherins for the rest of the ride, as me and Katie sat with Luna, Ginny and Neville.
"Mr. Filch, our beloved caretaker, has informed me that the list of objects forbidden within the castle now includes Screaming yo-yos, fanged frisbees, ever-bashing boomerangs and chocolate marshmallow bunnies" Dumbledore continues his speech, waiting a mischievous beat before "I'm joking about that last one. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items and may be viewed in Mr. Filch's office."
"Mental. Always has been" Katie whispers next to me to which I grin.
"Now there is, apparently, a rather nasty rumor flying about the school that Quidditch will not be played this year. That rumor, I'm here to tell you... is absolutely true."
Indignation fills the hall, students grumbling and complaining. Dumbledore smiles in amusement.
"There is an explanation. You see, Hogwarts will this year play host to a legendary event. An event that has not taken place in over one hundred years... the Triwizard Tournament."
Excitement shakes the hall, I've heard about this tournament a couple of times, I knew how big of an event it was. But I also heard it was dangerous. One voice rings clear, that of Fred Weasley.
"Your're joking!"
"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley. For those of you who don't know, the triwizard tournament was originally conceived some seven centuries ago as it was for the three largest European Wizardry Schools to engage in a series of magical contests while their respective student bodies experience the benefits of cross cultural social intercourse"
A crackling, albiet bewildered, silence hangs in the air.
"In other words: one got to spend an entire year getting to know people who spoke a funny language. Unfortunately due to a distressing high death toll, the tournament was cancelled..." my brows knit with dark concern " ... until now. Tomorrow, delegations from the Beaxbatons Academy of Magical Arts and the Durmstrang School of Wizardry will journey to Hogwarts. This year, our home will be their home. I ask only that you endeavor to make it a happy one"
"Well, that's deeply concerning" katie deadpanned.
"I know right? Sometimes I fail to understand how the wizarding world functions. I mean if it caused alot of deaths why would you ever consider not-cancelling it ?"
Katie sighs " Let's just hope this year goes on without trouble."
The next evening, students crowd the parapets, buzzing with anticipation. Far below, Dumbledore has assembled the staff as a kind of welcoming party. Suddenly a rumble fills the sky and a team of winged horses cleave the clouds, pulling a gigantic powder blue carriage. Me, Katie and Elle stand there among the students, staring in awe. Throught one of the windows, a beautiful woman peers down. With an earth-shaking thud, the carriage lands. Just then, great bubbles roll the glassy surface of the black lake and a long black mast pierces the water, rising higher and higher. A black ship rises out of a great rushing whirlpool of water, looking skeletal and ghostly in the half-light. A dark figure strides out onto the deck; tall, thin and sleek.
Students scramble into position as we turn expectantly to Dumbledore, who stands before the staff.
"Please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beaxbatons Academy of Magic!"
Music begins, light and fanciful, and a woman in a diaphanous gown strides into the courtyard. She is beautiful, she is elegant and she is ten feet tall.
"Blimey that's one big woman." Elle exhales in shock
Then, one by one, a procession of stunningly beautiful Beauxbatons girls enter in graceful synchronisation. Clad in silky, skin clinging robes, they make a decided impression on every boy present. Suddenly, one after another, they pitch themselves forward and cartwheel to the top of the courtyard where, allayed in a circle, they await their last two memebers vaulting side by side to the center of the circle, and the older one pulls a silk scarf, dangles it from her finger tips and spins the other girl. The courtyard roars with approval, guys specifically enjoying the show. I even caught sight of Nott, who was grinning as he watched the girls, to which I rolled my eyes. Dumbledore greets their headmaster. Suddenly, the thrum if balalaikas fills the coutyard.
"And now... our friends from the north! Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang!"
The man from the ship; tall, sleek and arrogant; strides forth trailed by a regiment of stoic Durmstrang boys in dark fur cloaks. A pair of sleek black panthers, eyes glittering like gold, pad sullenly at the man's side. As karkaroff reaches the top of the courtyard, he glances about imperiously. After exchanging some words with Dumbledore, he snaps his fingers. A quarter of the boys bring torches to their lips and spit dazzling comets of fire into the air. Now that's a show us ladies can enjoy. A boy at the end of the line caught my attention.
"Uhm guys... is that..?"
They followed my gaze, Katie gasped softly.
"Bloody hell it is" Elle said.
"It's Victor Krum" yes it was him, the seeker from the Quidditch World Cup. Just then the Hogwarts students serenaded their visitors with a glorious cacophony, the Hogwarts Anthem. Me and the girls struggled to keep our giggling in check, merlin we hated that song.
After it was done every one headed to the hall to feast. The Beauxbatons sat with the ravenclaws and the Durmstrang sat with the Slytherins.
Dumbledore rises. "I would like to say a few words before we bring in the casket"
"Casket. Did he say casket?" Neville asked voice laced with concern from the opposite side of the table.
"Eternal glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the triwizard tournament. But to do so, that student must survive three tasks. Three very dangerous tasks."
"Wicked" the twins say in union.
"You see, the Triwizard Tournament has an unfortunate history of killing off its participants. For this reason. the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain, we have the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Mr. Bartemius Crouch.." before he can continue,
A stitch of lightning flashes across the enchanted ceiling and the torches along the walls flicker, casting the Hall into an eerie semi-darkness. The rear doors flys open and a man stands in dark silhouette, clad in a long black traveling cloack cutching a staff.
Lighting flashes again and a man is revealed with grizzled grey hair and scarred flesh. As he limps forward, we all look at his wooden leg while the electric eye imbedded in his. skull scans the Hall warily.
" Bloody hell. That's Madeye Moody." I tell Katie.
"Who is he?"
"He's a auror. Dark wizard catcher. Half the cells in azkaban are filled thanks to him. Supposed to be mad as hatter these days though. Sees death eaters in his dustbin."
After the dramatic entrance, Barty Crouch explains that no students under the age of 18 will be allowed to participate in the tournament.
"What?!" Fred exclaimed. " that's rubbish" George followed to which Dumbledore silenced them.
He then turned to the "casket" and removed a wooding cup dancing with blue-white flames.
"The goblet of fire. Anybody wishing to submit themselves to the tournament need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and drop it into the flames within the next twenty-four hours. Do not do so lightly. If chosen, there is no turning back. As of this moment.. the triwizard tournament has begun."
"So see you guys soon?" Elle asked.
"What why?" I was confused. We had gathered with her after the feast.
"We're hosting a party tonight in the common room. A welcoming party for the new comers you could say. You're coming. No arguments." She explained.
"Do we really have to though" Katie whined, she wasn't much of a party lover, much like me.
"Oh don't worry pretty, you wont be partying, I'll send you Blaise to talk with you about books" she winked at her, and Katie's cheeks became super red.
"Ugh fine. Come on moony let's go get ready." I smirked at her in a teasing manner
"girl you really are falling" she glared at me.
"Well moons,be sure to bring the sweater your dear Theo gave you." Elle teased as she headed to the dungeons.
" yeah and you wear green, it's Malfoy's fabourite color"
YOU ARE READING
Luna Mia || Theodore Nott
Hayran KurguHe always said she was the moon, but she thought otherwise. She believed that in their story, he was the moon, and she was the sun that lit him. But what if the sun wasn't there to light the moon anymore. What if they were separated into two differe...
