DUSK; Cedric Diggory

Chapter 40

Not long after, Luca and Ophelia had settled down in the Great Hall, and the sorting ceremony was taking place. She hadn't gotten the chance to talk to Cedric yet, but Luca did mention that he dropped by their compartment while she was asleep, but he had to leave for prefect duties.

"My first ever welcoming feast," Ophelia sighed as the food magically appeared in front of them. "Definitely does not disappoint. Ooh look! Treacle tart!"

Luca leaned forward dramatically at the golden plates full of food and took a big sniff. "Chocolate gateau, spotted dick, yorkshire pudding..."

After they had demolished the food, Dumbledore stood up. "Hey," Ophelia whispered. "Does he always give a speech at the beginning of the year?"

"Yup," Luca responded, playing with the crumbs on his plate. "It's nothing special usually, just introducing the new DADA professor and telling us that the forest is off bounds, stuff everyone knows."

Before Ophelia could reply, Dumbledore's booming voice rang through the Great Hall. "So! Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list ofobjects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended toinclude Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-BashingBoomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirtyseven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, ifanybody would like to check it."

"No thanks," Ophelia whispered to Luca, while fist bumping the twins.

"As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on thegrounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year." Dumbledore continued. "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-HouseQuidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What?" Ophelia gasped, and there were sounds of protest from all the students. "Damn, I was going to try out this year!" She looked at Fred and George, who were frozen, apparently too appalled to even speak.

"This is due to an event that will be startingin October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking upmuch of the teachers' time and energy — but I am sure you will allenjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that thisyear at Hogwarts —"

Suddenly, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors banged open. There was a man, his traveling cloak flowing behind him, leaning on a long staff at the doorway. He lowered his hood and shook out a mane of shoulder length dark gray hair and walked down the middle to the teacher's table, his staff clinking against the floor at his every limp.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Dumbledore said brightly, despite the silence. "Professor Moody."

The Great Hall was silent.

"Moody?" Ophelia whispered to Luca. "Who in the hell calls themself Moody?"

"Mad-Eye Moody," Luca mutters back. "used to be a bloody amazing auror, heard he's gone a bit mad in his older years."

"His face is kinda freaky."

Moody didn't seem to give a rat's ass about the silent welcome, and instead pulled out a flask from his cloak and took a huge gulp from it.

"As I was saying," Dumbledore said, clearing his throat. "we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over thecoming months, an event that has not been held for over a century.It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" Fred yelled loudly.

Everyone, including Dumbledore started laughing. "I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he said. "though now that youmention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about atroll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar . . ."