ELIXIR: A Harry Potter Fan Fiction

Five. The Arrival.

 September faded out into a cooler October, crisp air and bright blue skies. The forest had erupted in bright yellow and the students had settled into the new school year. On the first Tuesday of October, Sean made his way, sleepily, downstairs to the common room, intending to meet Evelyn there before breakfast. Marlowe had acted on Sean's desires to stay wrapped up in the warm covers of his four poster bed and was running behind.

He was surprised to find Caiti downstairs as well - she, usually, was the latest to rise. This morning, she and Evelyn were clustered around the notice board with a number of other people. He came up behind them, assuming it was just the news of the next Hogsmeade visit or something, put his arms around both their shoulders, and, because he knew his sister hated it, leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

Caiti turned to him, still bleary-eyed from the early hour but awake enough to glare at him. She wiped off her cheek. "Gross."

"Morning," said Evelyn.

Sean just laughed at Caiti and said, "What are you looking at?"

Evelyn ducked out from under his arm, going to pick up her bag which she had dropped on a nearby armchair. "Read it for yourself," she said. "But do it quick, I'm starving."

Caiti slipped away too, hammering up the stairs to the boys dorms to find out where Marlowe was. Sean turned back to the notice board which he now saw was taken over by a large sign listing further details of the Triwizard Tournament. Though Professor Osset and the faculty had been curiously silent on the matter since its initial announcement, Sean had not forgotten. He felt his stomach do a funny lurch, whether of nerves or excitement he wasn't sure, and continued to scan the sign.

TRIWIZARD ANNOUNCEMENT

"We are pleased to inform you that our Triwizard guests are to arrive from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute on Saturday, 8 October in time for a welcoming feast. At this time, the Goblet of Fire will be erected and submissions for champion will begin. We remind all students that only those sixth and seventh years who are of age will be able to put forth their name for this very dangerous competition. We also remind you that the competition is not only for champions - please be kind, courteous, and welcoming to our guests as we invite them to spend the better part of the year with us at Hogwarts, and remember that establishing strong ties between the magical communities of Europe is the true goal of this historic event."

Well, thought Sean, he hadn't learned much that he didn't know. But at least he was sure now when it would all, finally, begin. He couldn't wait to tell Marlowe, but by the glum look on Caiti's face when she came trudging downstairs again just then, he figured he would have to.

"Idiot," she said. "The one day I actually get up and he decides he's sleeping in."

Sean laughed. Caiti did not reciprocate. They made their way back to Evelyn, who was perched on the arm of a chair, legs stretched out in front of her. "Ready?" she asked.

"Ready," he agreed.

All through breakfast Sean was very quiet. His head was spinning again, with thoughts of the tournament, but this time, not all of them were excited. He would still put his name in of course, but more and more, he was realizing that this was no longer just a daydream about the future - it was real. He probably wouldn't even be chosen as champion anyway - he had heard Dominic Wilkie, a Slytherin who had always intimidated Sean, was going to put his name in.

But what if he did?

He had always imagined that the moment his name came out of the Goblet of Fire - if it did - he would be thrilled. He had imagined himself grinning, slapping people's outstretched hands for high fives as he made his way up the great hall to Professor Osset.