PROLOGUE


The Ministry of Magic, London.


The Head of the Department of Games and Sports gazed around at the humble meeting that had assembled - which included three Ministers of Magic (Norway, France and Britain), the Headmistress of Durmstrang Institute, himself, and all other Head of Departments of the British Ministry of Magic. The object of their meeting was an occurrence of every 6 six years - much to everyone's pain - to discuss the making and execution of the Triwizard Tournament between the 3 best magical schools of Europe, that is, Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons.

The reason it had always been such an agony, in the opinion of the Head of Department of Magical Games and Sports, was because everyone always ended up fighting like cats and dogs over the tasks. Everyone knew the tasks beforehand and that the host country would take all charges and responsibilities yet the other Ministers (and quite a lot of Heads) loved to interfere. But unlike all the previous meetings of his 20-year career, this time he was robbed of the bickering.

It was his own Minister - Kingsley Shackelbolt - who got right to the point.

"Last time's Triwizard Tournament had gone very well in Beauxbatons," he began in his gravelly voice, "but events had taken place at Hogwarts which had lead to dark consequences. "

Everyone nodded. There was something about this Minister that every time he spoke, people tended to agree.

"This year Durmstrang will play host and, notwithstanding all the measures I'm sure the Minister will take," here he gestured to the Minister of Norway, "the school is unfortunately notorious for its... let's say... increased tolerance for Dark Magic. I ask you to consider conducting the Tournament at all."

The Minister of Norway looked outraged. "Kingsley, how dare you even suggest this when all the arrangements have been made and all the announcements have commenced! It isn't easy trying to host this Tournament; do you even have the faintest idea - "

"I do, in fact, having played host to it after the war, dear Adrian." The Minister cut him off coolly. "I understand the implications. Yet, I must insist, the Dementors have been on a strike for nearly two years now and Britain has been searching for Kludd Zabini for six... and he has eluded us."

"That's your own bloody fault." Adrian muttered.

"If I may, Minister," drawled the exquisite voice of Lucia, Headmistress of Durmstrang. Her voice curled like a viper along the room. One of her eyes had a nasty scar through it, almost having gouged it out. "The Tournament is being conducted in Norway. And the last report of your very own notorious ex-Hogwarts student," she paused for obvious emphasis, "was less than a week ago, here in Britain. If you can manage to contain him here, the Tournament can be conducted without a problem."

The Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports sighed slightly. This had been exactly what his Minister had been fearing. Helplessly, he watched as Kingsley Shacklebolt gave in and they proceeded to discuss the safety measures for the three tasks.


The Burrow


"Is that a cat!?" Asked Albus Potter incredulously.

"No, genius, it's a hippogriff."

"Rosie, you know how much I love your sarcasm, but why in the WORLD did you get a cat?!"

"Because I love them," she said as she made a cute pouty face. She cuddled her cat and it purred with pleasure. "And I know you hate them, so I got two birds in one shot and all."

"Evil little witch." Al shook his head. "Look, just keep that thing away from me."

"The 'thing' has a name." Rose said huffily. "She's called Mai Tai."

"You named your cat after a drink?" Albus nearly fell over laughing. "An old, godforsaken ELVIS PRESLEY drink? You're in the 21st Century, Weasley!"

She was about to retort that Albus himself owned a puffskein, and on top of that, it was named after a car maker (called Enzo Ferrari), so he had no grounds to tease her. Unfortunately, their repartee was rudely interrupted by a shout from their cousin, Dominique.

"ALBUS, ROSIE, COME HERE, SCORPY JUST HAD THE MOST WONDERFUL IDEA!"

Al and Rose glanced at each other for one second of shock, and then laughed so hysterically, tears started rolling from their eyes. They clutched their sides and between gasps of the mirth, they managed to exclaim, "Scorpy?!"

Dom yelled again, no doubt a scathing reply, but it went unheard. After their fit subsided, though, Rose made a scornful face and stalked off with her cat, nose in the air.

Albus noted, sort of grimly, that Rose had been extremely irritated with Dom of late. Everyone got irritated with Dom at one point or the other, but this kind of felt different. But he had no time to think about it.

He walked over rather reluctantly. For the past six months his best mate Scorpius had been dating his (admittedly hot as hell) cousin and he'd begun to get extremely sick of it. Especially when he knew that Scorpius liked his other cousin and best mate, Rose Weasley. Okay, Scorpius wouldn't admit that to save his life (not even to himself, the thickheaded dumbshite), but Albus knew it anyway. He had been his best friend for five bloody years and that was the end of it.

"Hey Dom," Al said easily as he sat down. Sitting with his arms around her waist was the aforementioned thickheaded dumbshite of a best friend, Scorpius Malfoy. "Hey, Scorpy," Al mocked.

"Cut it out," Scorpius smirked at him. He punched Scorpius' shoulder in a (kind of) friendly way.

"Ouch. I actually called you here to play Truth and Dare, if you're interested at all. Also, where's Weaslette?"

Scorpius called Rose 'Weaslette', on account of the fact that simply saying "Weasley' would include a horde of other people who might end up a touch offended. Calling her 'Rose' was, of course, out of the question. The day they behaved civilly with each other would be the day when dragons started eating grass.

"Her mum called her." Al lied. Merlin knew how many times he had lied for Rose. "And sure, bring it on. Call Lily too. I'll spin?"

Two hours later...

Rose was helping out her mother clean up the kitchen. They had been discussing the Triwizard Tournament and how it was going to affect her N.E.W.T. year. She was the Head Girl too (Scorpius was Head Boy, oh the pain!) and that was decidedly a lot to handle at the same time. At least Quidditch would be cancelled this year. Rose loved Quidditch (she was the seeker for Gryffindor) but she welcomed the absence of game pressure that it entailed. She'd also recently passed her Apparition test, and she was now seventeen, so she could use magic as and when she pleased.

(Except that some spells were illegal. Damn it!)

This particular train of thought was abruptly cut off as she heard an indignant squawk and furious hissing. She poked her head out of the window and saw - to her horror - that Scorpius bloody Malfoy was levitating Mai Tai.

Wand whipped out, she stepped past the broom that was sweeping the floor by itself and threw open the back door to the yard. It was blisteringly hot - it was the end of July - and her poor cat was squealing as she wriggled helplessly in the air.

"MALFOY! WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN'S PANTS ARE YOU DOING!?"

He deftly blocked her hex, without even looking at her. "WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?" Rose Weasley hated that infernal smirk.

"PUT HER DOWN!" Rose threatened. In a split second she noticed that Al, James, Dom and Lily were highly enjoying this from where the dirty cowards were hiding behind the hedge.

"OR WHAT?" He taunted. Even now his eyes were on the cat rather than towards her.

Rose had a devilish smirk of her own. She wore it now. "Or this, Malfoy scum." The silent spell was a twisted healing one - not a jinx, not a hex. Probably why it passed through his shielding charm like it was custard. With a scream, Malfoy dropped his wand, and therefore Mai Tai, and cradled his fingers with his other hand.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?" He was practically howling. The others were laughing as they rushed over. Rose picked up Mai Tai and sauntered over to where he had fallen to his knees.

"Next time, look at me when I'm talking to you."

She heard Al's laugh. "But seriously, what did you do?"

Rose smiled uncannily. "Remember that story Uncle Harry told us about a Professor not knowing a healing spell and removing his bones? That's what I did."

Except for Dominique, they all shrieked with laughter, mostly because the other three must have heard this story millions of times. James even clapped her on her back.

Scorpius whimpered slightly as he touched his limp fingers. "Oh, stop it. It's only the fingers." said James. "She could've taken out your whole arm. She would too, but I don't know what's gotten into her lately. Remember that time she pushed you off your broom mid-match?"

Scorpius remembered extremely well.

He promised himself that Rose bloody Weasley would regret this. Very badly.


A/N: Well, hello. I don't think I've introduced myself. It's not really necessary. You'll know me as I write this fanfiction.
Even though there's a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT about this fic on paper, none of it is on my computer and even though I finished it years ago, this is the first time I'm posting it, so I guess that calls for a party!
I'll update every week, or I'll try to *sheepish smile*
Reviews are playing a Quidditch match with Rose and Scorpius!
And finally, a disclaimer - Yes, I own every bit of Harry Pot-
"AVADA KEDAVRA"
*Dies*
J.K. Rowling - "Not anymore."

~Love,
dead Bookie.