ROTBTD: Hogwarts

Chapter Three: Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and the Goblet of Fire

The promised Beauxbatons and Durmstrang chapter. There will be a pleasant surprise for you :D read to see!

Also, you'll notice me using Merida almost every single time, and that's because she's a Gryffindor. Because Harry and the others are in Gryffindor, the Gryffindor schedule is the only one I know. Trust me, I would be using Hiccup otherwise ;)

Merida awoke early. The common room was empty except for Harry, who was writing a letter. "Sirius?" she asked, dropping into the chair next to him.

He started. "Oh, it's you," he said, sounding relieved. "Yeah."

"How is he?"

"Good, if you don't count how he's been cooped up in a house for months."

"Whoa. I wouldn't be able to handle it. How's he doin' with it?"

"He hates it. Well, I'm going to go send this with Hedwig. Bye, Merida."

"Bye, Harry."

He left.

Merida couldn't help wondering why Harry was sending Sirius a letter. Of course, she knew that Sirius was his godfather, but if Sirius was far away, how could he expect an answer within a month?

The days passed. Hiccup seemed to be more and more tired every day, and it was only slightly better on weekends when they didn't have lessons. And on the weekends, he slept later than anyone else. The other three couldn't help but wonder what he was doing. Finally Jack decided on the direct approach, and cornered him during a free period that Slytherin and Hufflepuff shared.

"Okay, Hiccup," he said sharply. "Out with it. What have you been doing?"

"Wh-- what do you mean?" Hiccup said, stifling a yawn.

"That," Jack said, gesturing to the hand covering Hiccup's mouth.

"I'm just tired."

"No one else is that tired."

"Why does this matter so much?"

"Hiccup, you lost your leg. You won't tell anyone about it. This leads us to be little bit suspicious."

"Jack, there's nothing going on."

But Hiccup wouldn't meet Jack's eyes.

For everyone, the classes passed by with much struggling. Homework was piling up. Each of their teachers were adding more and more to their workload, and the classes themselves were becoming more difficult. Moody announced that he would actually be putting the Imperius Curse on them to show them its power and see whether they could resist it.

"But -- but you said it's illegal, Professor," Hermione said nervously. Moody cleared away the desks with his wand. "You said -- to use it against another human was --"

"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Moody. "If you'd rather learn it the hard way -- when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely -- fine by me. You're excused. Off you go."

Hermione turned pink and murmured something.

Merida stood against the wall. She had resented Moody since he used those poor spiders as demonstrations. She hated spiders, of course, but no spider deserved to be tortured with the Cruciatus Curse as that spider had.

Everyone was tried with the curse. Dean Thomas hopped three times around the room, singing the national anthem. Lavender Brown imitated a squirrel. Neville temporarily became a gymnast. Not until Harry was called forward did anyone seem able to fight it.