Payback [Fred Weasley]

They Aren't Just Staring at Me! (E)

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To say Hogwarts was an odd school is an understatement. The Dining Hall ceiling did not exist; instead, it was replaced with the sky. It was beautiful, but at first glance, I was confused as hell. My fellow Beauxbatons Academy classmates and I sat at the Ravenclaw table, quietly talking with one another after making our grand entrance. To say the entire thing was overdramatic does not give it justice. My classmates flounced and twirled their way into the large room, followed by some aggressive walking done by the Durmstrang students. To add to everything, Professor Dumbledore introduced the teachers, myself, my best friend Mia, and our acquaintance, sometimes friend, Viktor Krum. It was extremely awkward.

Dumbledore said, "And now, players from the first, second, and third-place teams of this summer's Quidditch World Cup. From Bulgaria, Viktor Krum. From Ireland, Mia Lupin. From Spain, Charlotte Velez." The man made us stand in front of everyone for far too long. Both Mia and I were extremely uncomfortable. Thankfully we were eventually freed and allowed to go sit with our respective schools at two different tables.

"Everyone is looking at us..." Mia said, leaning over to whisper in my ear. As we ate the food that magically appeared in front of us after the headmaster's speech.

"Well, that could be for two reasons. One, you just got second in the world cup or two, the fact that you have the same last name as their old DADA teacher because shocker, he's your dad." I said chuckling. "Oh, and also because you are a fourth Veela."

"They aren't just staring at me!"

"They normally are, you are just too kind to ever admit that to yourself."

"Whatever." She grumbled, going back to her food. We finished and moved on to dessert, ignoring the awkward stares we got from students all around the room.

"Are you going to talk to him?" I asked, peering around the room, trying to find the young boy with the lightning scar.

"I'm not sure. I feel like I should, but it seems a little out of the ordinary for me to just show up and start talking to him about things my father told me. Are you going to talk to him? Are you going to tell him?" Mia responded, tilting her head in the direction of the boy in question.

"My dad really wants me to talk to him. Mostly because I think my dad wants to tell him about me, but I have similar feelings about reaching out. What am I supposed to say? 'Hi, you know my dad, he's actually your godfather. How's your day going?'" I joked, taking a bite of my piece of the pie.

"Maybe he'll come to us." Mia suggested, her notorious glittering smile gracing her facial features.

"Well, since you're involved, maybe. That only ever really seems to happen to you and to Fleur."

"If you say so, Char." She rolled her eyes, turning away from me to talk to another girl father down the table from us.

"Charlotte. 'ow are you doing? Why are you looking at 'arry potter?" Fleur mussed from beside me.

"I am just curious, but I'm doing well, Fleur. How are you?" I asked politely, making eye contact with the petite blonde girl.

"I am well. Excited to be here. What an exciting way to end my time at Beauxbatons!" She cheered happily.

"I can only imagine how exciting it would be to not have to spend your last year at our boring old campus. When are the headmasters going to explain the competition?" I asked, glancing back at the large table at the front of the room. I locked eyes with Dumbledore. The man gave me a brief smile, his eyes shining. He stood up, clearing his throat.

"Your attention, please! I would like to say a few words. Eternal glory is what awaits the student who wins the tri-wizard tournament. But to do this that student must survive three tasks. Three hazardous 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 magic cooperation Mister Bartimus Crouch." Before the man Dumbledore mentioned could say anything, a strange man entered the hall. Students gasped, teacher's eyes widened. Mia and I just shared a confused glance.

"Mad-Eye Moody." One student with red hair mumbled from the next table. Who I assumed to be Bartimus Crouch stood up to explain the new rules, causing the scene created by the new man to die down.

"After much deliberation, the ministry has concluded that for their own safety, no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the tri-wizard tournament. This decision is final." He stated earning boos from the crowd of students. Two other redheads on the table over started yelling, "That's rubbish! You don't know what you're doing!"

"Silence!" Dumbledore's voice boomed through the hall. Everyone's attention was drawn to the goblet, now sitting in the center of the room.

"The goblet of fire." He said, gesturing to the center of the room. "Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the tournament must 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 tri-wizard tournament has begun." At this, the large room dispersed in different directions, all the students chattering away happy to see their friends once again. Mia grabbed me by my forearm, pulling me to a standing position, eventually pulling me out of hall all the way to the strange carriage that was now considered our "dorms" for the year.

"Mia, the longer you grab my arm, the more likely you're going to bruise me."

"Good. It'll make you look tough." She said flatly.

We walked into our 'room.' Typically we would be separated by year, but because we only brought so many students, meaning anyone who is a fourth-year or older, we got to choose our roommates. I decided to room with Mia, Olivia, Vivienne, Eloise, and Fleur. The slightly less prissy and stuck up members of our school that were present for the tournament.

"Okay, bedtime honey," Mia said sweetly, pushing me to my side of the room.

"Stop parenting me. Just because you are an old lady and want to sleep doesn't mean that I do." I said, sitting down on the edge of my bed.

"Until you are older than me, Char, I will be your parent."

"You were born a year and like eight months before. It is physically impossible for me to be older than you." I said, giving her side-eye.

"Exactly darling cousin."