A TOURNAMENT: Greek Style

Ahhh! How good it is to be back, I thought as I walked into the Great Hall with Ron, and Hermione.

I had a quick glance towards the Gryffindor table before I heard a mischievous laugh, which was immediately followed by a wave of cold. Alarmed, we looked up, and saw Peeves with a wide smile stretched on his face, and an armful of water balloons. Ron swore under his breath, and we beat a hasty retreat away from Peeves; hoping to be spared from getting more drenched. Sopping wet we sat down at the Gryffindor table water staining our seats. Not many others had fared better than us; those who had not been soaked by the torrential rain outside were singled out by Peeves.

"Ugh! Can't anyone control him!" complained Hermione glaring over her shoulder at the door.

"Would anyone be crazy enough to try." commented Ron.

"Not unless they had a death wish." Ginny said joining them at the table. "So do you guys have any ideas about what mom and dad were talking about?"

"Nope, but it sounds sketchy doesn't it."

"Aww! Is little Ronniekins scared?"

"Ha-ha, very funny. Don't you have your own friends to go bother?"

"In fact I do." countered Ginny, sticking out her tongue and walking away.

"The nerve of that girl" muttered Ron.

I silently laughed on the inside at Ron. Ginny had grown up a lot over the summer, and was no longer the defenseless little girl she had been. She's also prettier.

Ron and Hermione started arguing about something so I took the chance to look around the hall trying to recognize some people from last year. I saw a robust Ernie Macmillan talking to Hannah Abbott at the Hufflepuff table. Ernie was huffy, but I had come to like him over the past year. My eyes slid towards Slytherin where Malfoy was chattering with his goons. Probably plotting or whatever else he did in his spare time. I finally turned to the Ravenclaw table, and caught sight of Cho Chang, the pretty Ravenclaw I had met last year. My cheeks colored, and I turned sharply away.

Suddenly the side door opened, and the room quieted as a line of shivering first years shuffled into the great hall. They all looked terrified at being marched out in front of the gigantic crowd, and some almost fainted when the sorting hat started to sing. Nervously each first year put the hat on, and got sorted. I did a lot of shouting for the new Gryffindors, and my voice went hoarse after a lot of cheering. When the sorting was done I gladly gobbled down my food, and my hunger pains dimmed.

"Ron, don't you know how to chew with your mouth closed?" snapped Hermione

"I'm not" said Ron spewing food over Hermione in the process.

"Agh, Ron that's so disgusting."

"Sorry Hermione." muttered Ron apologetically, and swiftly changed the subject, "Harry have you noticed that our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher is not here. I wonder if Dumbledore was able to get one after all the rumors of a curse."

I glanced up at the high table. I saw Dumbledore shining white beard, and the familiar silhouette of Hagrid, but nowhere did I see our supposed new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher.

"I wonder what we'll do if no one takes the job? I just hope this doesn't mean that Snape is teaching both Potions and defense. That would be a nightmare!"

I shuddered to think of the day Snape taught Defense against the Dark Arts. He was the only teacher in Hogwarts that truly loathed me, and would surely fail me in my best subject.

"Let's just cross our fingers" I whispered as Dumbledore stood up, and the room went instantly silent.

"Hello students, and welcome to another year at Hogwarts. This year I am pleased to introduce a special opportunity to our whole school, and especially to our students above the age of seventeen. Sadly this event will make it impossible for the Quiditch House cup to take place this year."

Ron and I groaned simultaneously along with many others. No one liked the idea of not having Quiditch to pass the time.

"I know this is very disappointing for some of you, but believe me when I say the adventures you have a chance to participate in will more than make up for it. A quest all of you will undertake that will bond the wizarding community together. You see we have the lucky chance of hosting the Triwizard Tournament."

Almost everyone took a collective intake of breath except me, and a couple other people who just stared blankly at Dumbledore.

"The Triwizard Tournament, but it hasn't happened in years." stammered Ron.

"I've read about it in books. Is it true that one year three students died in on challenge?" questioned Hermione.

Dumbledore interrupted, "For those who do not know about the Triwizard tournament it is a competition between three of the top wizarding schools in Europe. It was started centuries ago to promote international friendship between the wizarding community. Each school chooses one champion who must compete in three challenges. The winner of all three will win honour for their school, and country along with a small fortune in galleons"

Everyone cheered for this. Included me though my throat truly felt like dying afterwards.

"Sadly this tournament was disbanded many years after the unfortunate death of many of its competitors. Luckily we have made new changes that we are sure will make the challenges hazard free, and will add to the fun of the event. One of the new rules of the competition for your safety is that only people over the age of seventeen will be allowed to participate."

This was met by a series of protests. I felt my own spirits sink. It would have been pretty cool to compete. Then again I had gone on a lot of dangerous adventures in my past, and they weren't as cracked up as they were supposed to be.

"Please," yelled George, "Let us Compete"

"Silence please! I know many of you are disappointed, but merely think that if this tournament goes well we might have the opportunity to continue the tradition in the following years. Anyways it is getting late so before you fall asleep on me I would like to address another change that has been made. You see usually three wizarding schools participate in the tournament: Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts. Well this year we will be joined by another group who are not exactly wizards. They are half-bloods, but not in our definition. I am sorry to leave you all at a cliffhanger, but your first class teacher will explain more fully about this other group of competitors, and the tournament tomorrow. I feel all of you need a good night's sleep to process this new information, and in a smaller classroom setting more of your questions can be addressed."

"I bid you goodnight, and sleep well for you will discover manly amazing things tomorrow."