Finding Neverland | George Weasley ✓

Chapter Seven

"Wow!" The students gasped in unison as a beautiful, intricate carriage was being pulled by large, white winged horses flew over the students to a small landing strip, Hagrid had set up. Hagrid was yelling for everyone to clear the area and leave plenty of space for the carriage and horses.

Thea almost remained in place about to be run over by the carriage before Alexander and Max both tugged her back.

"Seriously, Thea? You need to start being more observant, otherwise, you'll start being smashed into the ground by horses." Max yelled over the loud crashing sound as the carriage landed. The Hogwarts students waited with bated breath, some shaking like Thea with excitement as the carriage door opened revealing a large woman. She was dressed in what looked like to be expensive silk and her short bob swung around her face, she was a similar size to Hagrid but almost stood taller than him.

"Merlin, give me strength," Thea muttered, the woman was immensely beautiful and tall. Professor Dumbledore walked forward and kissed her hand, greeting Madame Maxime and her students from Beauxbatons and welcoming them to Hogwarts.

The students stepped out wearing light blue robes that looked to be very thin. Thea's theory was correct as the students shivered almost instantly as the cold air welcomed them to Scotland.

"They are certainly not prepared for England, are they?"

The Beauxbatons students headed up to the castle to get warm walking past the Hogwarts students whose jaws dropped as the boys and girls walked past with an almost inhuman grace. Thea swore she almost saw drool hanging from quite a few boy's mouths. Thea couldn't blame them though, they were extremely beautiful and carried this aura around them.

"They're obviously not human," Sadie said rolling her eyes. "Why are we stuck in the presence of humanized swans?"

"Humanized swans! That's a good one, Sadie!" Marquis laughed heartily. Sadie rolled her eyes and struck him hard on his shoulder. Thea watched the two amused before her attention was brought back onto the lake as she heard someone shout out to observe the Black Lake,

"Look at the middle of the lake!"

A small dark object began to appear out of the water. It was a mast. The mast quickly became a rig before a whole ship emerged from beneath the water.

The ship sailed into shore and a plank was placed from the ship to the land, so the students wouldn't get wet climbing off. All the Hogwarts students moved back quickly as the Durmstrang students made their way off the ship. They were extremely intimidating, their stern expressions and strong faces scared and intimidated boys and girls alike. All the Durmstrang students were wrapped tightly in robes of fur that looked like it came from an animal. This certainly wasn't the fake fur, Alexander had told Thea about. Apparently, it was a fashion trend in the Muggle world.

Dumbledore greeted the students and invited them to head inside for the feast.

Thea, Max and Alexander were beginning to make their way back to the castle when Cedric, Marquis and Sadie stopped them.

"Let's go have a closer look at that carriage!" Marquis whispered excitedly.

"I really don't think that we should," Cedric said. "We are supposed to be representing Hogwarts, Marquis. That doesn't mean messing around or sneaking off."

The rest of them sort of just watched in shock as Cedric immediately shot Marquis' idea down. Cedric was usually supportive of Marquis' adventures and usually defended him. Cedric took his head boy responsibilities seriously, but he had never taken them this seriously.

"Why? Scared?" Marquis asked.

"No! As older students, we should be setting an example for the youngest students and representing our school in front of the other schools."

"You know what? Ever since you started to want to be a champion in this stupid tournament, you've changed. You used to be my best friend and now you are just a stranger. Eternal glory and all that money getting to your head? I would kill someone for all that money but no you've never missed out on anything you needed your entire life and you usually get everything you've wanted. I don't want to be friends with someone like that." Marquis stormed away.

Cedric also stormed away but in a different direction.

"What the hell was that?" Max asked but everyone was in too much shock to answer her. Marquis and Cedric never fought, they had been friends since the first year and had been friends ever since. What had just happened?

Most of the students were absolutely enamoured by their foreign guests. However, Sadie was still not impressed.

"They think they're so special! Being French and all." Sadie said mockingly.

"C'mon Sadie. You've got to be nice, they're our guests."

"They're the Ministry's guests, not ours. This is all probably for the press anyway." Sadie retorted pointing over to the staff table where the ministry's staff stood tall and proud, smiling widely. "See?"

After scanning the room, Thea recognised Viktor Krum the Bulgarian's star seeker from the Quidditch World Cup. Thea remembered that he was the person Ron was absolutely enamoured with. She stole a quick glance over to the Gryffindor table to see if Ron was drooling yet or not when she accidentally caught eyes with George Weasley. She quickly looked away noticing that Marquis hadn't come to sit in the Hall. He had disappeared probably to the common room or the dormitory.

"Your attention everyone, please. I would just like to say a few words. Eternal glory, that's what's awaits the student who wins the tri-wizard tournament. Before winning this the student must survive three tasks. Three dangerous tasks." Dumbledore declared.

The members of the Ministry explained everything regarding the Tournament. Suddenly a large goblet was revealed, and a blue flame was cast upwards illuminating the whole room in a blue light.

"This is the Goblet of Fire!" Dumbledore shouted.

"Well, that's not obvious or anything."