The Slowest Heart

The Warm Welcome That Is A Duel

"Come on then, fuckin' coward!"

The jeers, hollers, and hoots of the students silenced. Millecent Bulstrode, a (rather stupid, in Keoghan's mind) girl in the same year as Keoghan stood across from an older Gryffindor student on a makeshift stage. Keoghan and her friends stood off to the side, watching the events go down from afar and sipping goblets of pumpkin juice that another Slytherin had produced from the kitchens.

Millecent and the Gryffindor were supposed to be engaging in friendly dueling practice on the Quidditch pitch, a bit of fun before the school year truly started at the feast, about half an hour away. However, tensions had risen when the Gryffindor had muttered something about 'Slimy cheaters' and spat on the ground. Now, the two were locking eyes and murderous.

The Gryffindor student, insulted at being called a coward, lowered his wand to think of a retort to such a scathing remark. Millecent saw her opportunity and fired.

"Tarantellagra!" she screeched. She smiled, satisfied as her enemy's legs spasmed wildly out of control.

"No... fair!" he huffed. "I wasn't ready!"

Millecent smirked. "Shoulda thought of that 'fore ya came onto my stage."

He grimaced and Millecent put an end to the spell before turning to the crowd on her side of the stage.

"Slytherins! We're goin' to the feast, leave these shit-eaters to... eat shit!"

A cheer erupted from the crowd clad in green, including Keoghan (also sporting brilliant hues of emerald). Only Clementine remained silent, again the outlier in their yellow attire.

"Aw, cheer up, Clem," Red told them, poking their side. "It's just a bit of banter."

They frowned. "Did you see the look in their eyes? Someone could have gotten seriously hurt there."

"But they didn't! And we're going to the feast with Millie and her crowd, so it's up to you if you want to join us or stay back with the idiots."

They rolled their eyes and began to walk. "Well, I'll be damned if I'm the last of us in the Great Hall."

It was nothing abnormal at first. Just the sorting, boring as always, and the usual announcements of Filch's banned items list and the Forbidden Forest being forbidden. Keoghan and Blaise Zabini chatted through the whole thing, discussing potential plans for a Zabini addition to the Mercury-Malfoy alliance. As was typical with teenagers, the rumors of Draco having slept with and subsequently broken up with three girls were brought up by Blaise and shut down by Keoghan. Theodore Nott added his own two cents ("I swear it ain't three, it was six!") before promptly returning to his conversation with Daphne Greengrass and Pansy Parkinson.

"And now, I'd like to bring your attention to one very special announcement!" Dumbledore said. Blaise's attention was directed away from the argument over Theodore Nott's status with Daphne and to the Headmaster.

"Wanna bet it's something special with Harry Saintly Potter?" Ginny hissed at Keoghan, who nodded in response. "Great. I'll put three Knuts on it."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued his announcement. "This year, we will not be having a Quidditch Cup."

Disappointment rang through the room, the loudest cry being from two of Ginny's elder siblings. She rolled her eyes.

"This is because... We will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament!"

The disappointment was replaced by excitement. Once again, Ginny's siblings were the loudest in the room.

Ginny looked exasperated. "Goddamned attention-seeking-"

She was cut off by Dumbledore's final sentence. "More announcements as well as the arrival of the other schools will be held on October 31. And now, tuck in!"

Food appeared on the tables in front of them, but the room was still thinking about the announcement made. The Triwizard Tournament...

"So, you gonna enter?" Theodore asked the group of four (Clem insisted upon eating at the Hufflepuff table like 'they were supposed to'). He received a row of shaking heads and nos in return.

"I don't enjoy combat, and I fear that there may be a lot of it," May explained. Red nodded.

"I'm with the lady."

"I just don't want to," Ginny told him, picking at her food. "Probably in a few years, though, if I get the chance."

Keoghan shrugged. "I suppose I should try, but I won't have the time. Besides, I'm sure that it would be much more effective for me to prioritize my education."

Theodore laughed. "Like 'ell they're gonna have much of that. 'Sides, I'm sure you'll be pickin' up one of the champions anyways."

"Shut up, bitchless." She swatted his hand with a fork.

"Oh," he laughed, clutching his chest, "You wound me, Heir Mercury~"

Ginny raised her knife. "How about you both start eating the food and stop acting like children in a TV drama? Keoghan won't be dating anybody and you won't be either, Theo, stop glaring at me like that. It's true. She doesn't have the interest and you are... you. Eat the meal we've been provided or at least drink the juice."

"O mighty lil' Weasley, your command is my duty," Theodore responded with another hearty laugh, digging into the large ham on his plate. Keoghan eyed him with a frown.

"You eat like a goddamn Gryffindor."

He attempted to respond but decided not to as his mouth was full. Keoghan smirked at him and made quick work of slicing the meat on her plate into small squares.

"This is how a real heir eats," she teased. "Refined."

Theodore still didn't say anything, he just gave her a rude hand sign and continued eating. Ginny and Red erupted into laughter and May rolled her eyes with a smile. Keoghan hoped that the school year would be at least half as pleasant as the feast, even a quarter would guarantee a year of excellence. Nothing, in her mind, beat sitting with friends and hearing their genuine laughter. Nothing.