Sirius & Eliza ▼ Sirius Black Love Story

FIFTEEN

The air was chilly and the sky was full of clouds. Today was the thirtieth of October, the day the other schools were coming. Beauxbatons was due in ten minutes and Durmstrang, five after the french academy. We were all standing outside, waiting for their arrival, wrapped up in scarves and our cloaks. The teachers were all scrambling around, making sure that their houses were as presentable as could be.

"Mr. Black! Tie that tie of yours properly! And Mr. Potter! Tuck in your dress shirt!" McGonagall called out weaving through the throng of Gryffindors. I laughed as Sirius whipped his tie off and put it around his head like a bandana. McGonagall's face grew red in rage and took out her wand. She sent a spell and the tie, which loosened, went around his neck and sat in the proper place.

"Is there something in the sky?" Lily asked me as she looked up. I followed her gaze to see a black dot approaching. Lot's of other students had started to notice as well and there was a great deal of excitement as twelve majestic horses, twice the size of regular ones, pulling a large blue carriage landed in front of the Hogwarts population. Dumbledore walked up to one of the doors and held it open. A stunning woman wearing a flowing baby blue gown stepped off the carriage and gave our headmaster a hug. Soon after, a steam of students in blue uniforms followed. Some people cheered for them as they walked into the castle, guided by Professor McGonagall. I clapped politely but it wasn't the students from Beauxbatons Academy that I wanted to see, it was someone else.

When the energy and loudness died down, it was silent as we searched everywhere for a sign of the other school.

"THERE!" Some kid shouted and pointed towards the water. There was a ripple as if someone had just skipped a rock the size of a small house. The ripple grew larger until the top of a boat emerged. The flag on the top of the mast boar the Durmstrang crest. I was getting so excited that I almost couldn't wait another minute. Finally the whole ship emerged from the lake and docked beside the castle.

As the students and headmaster, Harfang Munter, exited, I pushed my way through the crowd, eagerly searching for my old friends. The students wore mostly red and black and had a fur trimmed cloak draped around their shoulders.

I spotted one of them leaving the ship and broke free from the crowd. It was Aleksander. Following him was the rest of my old friends.

"Aleksander!" I yelled happily as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He was hesitant at first but when he realized who it was he wrapped his arms around me, returning my hug. He chuckled, and told me something in Bulgarian. It took me a minute to remember what it meant but I remembered soon enough. Then I gave a hug to all my other friends I had missed dearly.

"Eliza Evans." A voice from behind me stated. I turned around to see who it was. I smiled when I saw my old headmaster, Harfang Munter.

"Hello, Professor Munter!" I say as he held out him arms. I gave him a hug before he released me and looked at me.

"My, you have grown up so much!" I giggle and help Professor Slughorn bring them inside. Once they are inside the castle I excuse myself and walk to the Great Hall where the welcoming feast it being held. The other schools were to be announced before entering the hall. After that Dumbledore told us that he would be talking a bit about the tournament before we could eat.

"Where have you been?" Julia asked me as I took a seat beside her.

"Just saying hello to some old friends."

"Are fraternizing with the enemy?" She giggles and I laugh.

"The tournament hasn't even started yet! And how are they the enemy?" I ask her.

"Well, we are competing against them. Are you going to enter?"

"I don't know yet. I think I might, but I doubt I'll get picked, even if I do. Are you considering it?" I say as Professor Dumbledore stands up and walks to the podium.

"Same, I'm still not sure too. I mean there is the risk of dying, and right now I think I'm just a tad bit to young for that." She tells me in a hushed whisper just before Dumbledore raises his hand, signaling quiet. I chuckled before turning to him.

"We are all very excited to be hosting this special event with the neighboring schools and now, please give a warm welcome to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their Headmistress Luc Millefeuille!"

The doors burst open and twenty or so students walked through them. They showed off their magic skills and half the male population was swooning for the girls. I rolled my eyes as I saw James and Sirius's eyes practically pop out of their sockets. They were sitting beside me and I shoved them over, getting them to snap out of it.

When the Beauxbatons people took their seat, at the Ravenclaw table, Dumbledore announced the next school.

"And now, for the Durmstrang Institue and their Headmaster Harfang Munter!" The doors opened again and this time just under twenty five students in red and black fur coats and pants rushed in. They were holding big sticks and banged them on the ground a couple of times. I think that their entrance was just as stupid if not even more that the Beauxbatons show. When they were done they sat with the Slytherins.

"Good Evening to all! I am extremely excited to be starting this tournament but before we can start, the champions have to be chosen!" Dumbledore called out and then motioned to a man standing behind him, "This is Mr. Harold Minchum. He is the head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation and will be explaining the rules and regulations for this extraordinary event. If you would please give Mr. Minchum a round of applause."

We all applauded as Minchum stepped onto the podium and began his speech. He talked about how it was going to be ran and reminded us about the age limit. Then a large upright casket was wheeled into view.

"Now, I would like to present you with the Goblet of Fire," He touched his wand to the casket and it melted away to show a wooden cup, full of blue fire, its flame dancing with invisible wind, "Anyone wishing to enter should only write their full name and school on a piece of parchment and drop it into the flames. This time tomorrow, on Halloween night, we shall meet here and the Goblet will choose out champions."

"Thank you Mr. Minchum! Now I am sure you are all very hungry, so lets eat!" Immediately the tables were filled with all sorts of foods, international and home cooked. I choose some of everything, not wanting to miss out on any foods that were new. I noticed traditional stuff that I used to eat in Bulgaria and a wave of nostalgia overwhelmed me. It made me remember all the good things that I missed from Durmstrang.

When the plates were cleared, finally, everyone got up from their tables and made their way for the exit. I stood waiting outside the Great Hall with Julia, Kaitlyn and Adara because I wanted to introduce my old friends to my new friends. Finally the four boys came out of the hall, talking with a couple of people I faintly remembered from the year above us. I called them over.

"Boys, I want to you meet some of my friends, This is Julia Kerr, Kaitlyn Bryne and Adara Alcott." They exchanged greetings, "And girls, this is Aleksander Danchev, Dragomir Kuznetsov, Kosta Valentinov and Zechariah Vlahović."

"Nice to meet you." Julia said and the boys nodded their heads. They then followed their headmaster back to the ship and told be that we would all talk tomorrow.

As I walked back up to the common room and into our dorm, I contemplated on entering the competition. There was a very high risk that I would get injured or die, but what was life without a little danger. And besides, they said that it would be safer this year, more secure. So I made the decision that I wild set my watch to put a timer on for five thirty in the morning. That would give me enough time to decide if I wanted to enter or not. It would also give me enough time to enter without lots of people watching. I wanted to do this on my own. And so, I fell asleep, dreaming of what it would be like to win the thousand galleon prize and holding victory over the other schools.