Draco Malfoy and the Goblet of Fire (BOOK 4 of 7)

Chapter 3-The Goblet of Fire

The Hogwarts Express let out a large whistle as it crossed what Draco had dubbed "The Bridge Where Everything Happens". He saw a white owl fly out from one of the compartments, carrying a letter. Sitting back down, he turned to Theo, who was reading the Daily Prophet.

"Anything interesting?" he asked.

"The Ministry still can't find out who conjured the Dark Mark," came the reply.

"My father was with yours and Theo's," Blaise said to Draco, "so it wasn't them."

"My father thankfully wasn't there," Adrain said.

"And that gives you the right to be proud, doesn't it?" Draco asked him sarcastically, glaring.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" Blaise asked after sharing a wary glance with the other two boys.

Draco sighed and said, "Sorry. It's just that when we got back from the World Cup, Father was acting like...like he was before."

His friends looked sympathetic, but knew that Draco disliked being pitied, so they said nothing. The rest of the ride was a bit uncomfortable, but eventually they got on the topic of other things, such as candy.

When they got to Hogwarts, Hagrid was shouting, "Clear the runway!"

In the air behind him were four flying horses pulling a large carriage. Hagrid was trying to direct the carriage to land properly but had to jump out of the way before he got hit.

 In the lake, a small boat was approaching the castle, but the boat rose. It had been the top part of a much larger ship that emerged from under the water. Its sails bore what Draco reognized as the Durmstrang crest.

He followed everyone else to the Great Hall and sat down with his friends at the Slytherin table. The new students seemed to end up being sorted evenly amongst the four houses.

Dumbledore began to speak, "Now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement."

The doors burst open and Filch came running through, awkwardly limping.

Dumbledore ignored him and the countless students are turned to look at the caretaker, and continued, "This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. You see Hogwarts has been chosen-"

Filch had reached Dumbledore and was now whispering something in the older man's ear. Dumbledore nodded and Filch left the Great Hall in the same fashion he had entered.

"So Hogwarts has been choosen to host a legendary event: The Tri-Wizard tournament."

Many students gasped while others kept gaping at Dumbledore like he had said that Winston Churchill was his half-brother. Then again, that may as well have been true.

"Now for those of you who do not know, the tri-wizard tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school a single contestant is selected to compete. Now let me be clear. If choosen you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint hearted, but more of that later. For now please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of magic and their headmistress Madam Maxime."

The doors burst open once more, but this time, a group of older girls in light blue uniforms entered and began to dance gracefully. They magically made and released butterfiles of the same color as their uniforms before going off in different directions.

A giant woman strolled down the aisle as a girl in blue spun around a younger girl in a gymnast's uniform. The two girls looked alike so Draco presumed that they were sisters.

The students all applauded as the girls bowed. Draco realized that the two girls were the Delacour sisters. The Malfoys knew the Delacours well because both were French families.

Dumbledore shook the giant woman's hand and turned back to the students. "And now, our friends from the north. Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and their high master, Igor Karkaroff."

For the third time, the doors were slammed open and a group of boys in brown uniforms marched in holding sticks. A few of them ran up to the front of the hall and did somersaults, cartwheels, and flips.

Through the doors came none other than Viktor Krum himself, followed by Karkaroff and another man.

Karkaroff strode up to Dumbledore and greeted him amiably. "Albus!"

"Igor!" The two men hugged.

After the feast, Dumbledore requested their attention again.

"I would like to say a few words. Eternal glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks. For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this we have the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Mr. Bartemius Crouch."

Crouch took the center stage and was about to speak when lightning struck and many students scream. A man emerged from a side door in the Great Hall and silenced the lightning with a soundless spell. It was a man Draco recognized as Alastor Moody, the ex-Auror.

"Ah, my dear old friend," Dumbledore said to him, "thank you for coming."

"Stupid ceiling," Moody muttered in response and took a swig from his flask.

"What do you suppose he's drinking there?" Theo asked.

"I dunno," Draco replied, "but I don't think it's pumpkin juice."

Crouch began to talk, "After due consideration, the Ministry has concluded that, for their own safety, no student under the age of seventeen should be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard Tournament."

All the students began to shout and complain.

"This decision is final," Crouch managed to declare through the chaos.

"Silence!" Dumbledore spoke. He raised his wand and only then did Draco notice that there had been a large box of sorts sitting in the hall. Dumbledore unfolded the box and a large goblet with blue flames erupting from it was revealed.

"The goblet of fire," Dumbledore announced. "The Goblet of Fire. Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the Tournament, merely write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly; if chosen there's no turning back. As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."

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