Every student in the Hogwarts Great Hall watched Headmistress Professor Sourdine eagerly and with baited breath from their House tables. Professor Sourdine cleared her throat.

"This year, the Triwizard Tournament will be held at Beauxbatons Academy," she said, a small smile on her aged face.

All the students broke into a tidal wave of shrieks of delight.

"Yes! France!"

Peeves sprang out of his seat, and stood on his chair, waving his arms in the air and whooping loudly. Several students rolled their eyes at Peeves and looked away. Professor Sourdine gave Peeves a shriveling glare.

Peeves stuck out his tongue at the Headmistress and plopped back down on his seat.

Sherman Tilford elbowed Peeves in the ribs and grinned evilly.

"Suppose we'll be able to get in?" he asked. Peeves looked away from his best friend's crooked smile as he debated within himself if he would.

"Sure, why wouldn't I?" he replied, acting indignant. Sherman slapped his friend on the back laughing heartily.

"The contestants from our school have to be at least twelve years of age in order to have a chance to compete in the tournament," Sourdine reminded the school. "More information will be provided next week."

Peeves, feeling in the mood to celebrate, began to turn Joyce Imogen's pigtails purple. Sherman snorted with laughter as Joyce proudly told her staring friends she was going to try out for the tournament.

"Uh, Joyce, I think there's something in your hair," Peeves said innocently. Joyce froze and her face paled.

"PEEVES!" she screamed. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME THIS TIME?!?!" Peeves and Sherman broke down into helpless cackling laughs. When Joyce discovered her new hair color, her face gained a new color too, raging red. She stood up and ran from the Great Hall blaring, "I HATE YOU PEEVES!" Peeves calmed himself in time to dodge Professor Yates', the gamekeeper, grab for his ear. He had swept down from the head table and his face was that of vivid fury.

"Peeves Radley! Detention! Oh yes, detention I say! On the bloody first day of school, too!" Peeves put on his sweetest face.

"Why hello Professor Gates. Oops, I mean Bates. Oh no, it's Tates, right?" Professor Yates growled as he clasped onto Peeves' ear and drug him out of the Great Hall. "A whole week of detentions for you, boy!"

₪

"Welp, I did it, Sherm, I did it. I am now one of the bravest people in this whole damn school," Peeves said as he strutted pompously away from the sign up form for the Triwizard Tournament. Sherman smiled happily.

"I have a feeling it's you or me, Peeves," he chirped. "One of us is gonna make it. I can feel it."

"Well, you'd better shut up or I'm gonna make it so you can't feel anything," Peeves said with annoyance. "It's gonna be me, you doofus." Sherman nodded.

"Yeh, I guess so," he said glumly.

"Well I know so," Peeves added as he stuck his foot out and tripped a first year. He sped up his step as he chuckled and looked over his shoulder at Sherman. "I've got detentions now with Altern. See you later in the common room. I wanna show you the new set of Dungbombs I ordered." Sherman's face lit up as he waved and walked by and as Peeves strolled into the Transfiguration classroom.

₪

"Oh, and...and Sherm!" Peeves said looking around the rich yellow curtains on his four-poster bed and at his friend. "Be sure to pack some of those Snapping Rocks! Can't wait to see one of those Beauxbatons try it!" Sherman gave Peeves a thumbs up and snickered. Peeves, Sherman, and two other seventh years in their dorm were packing. The day for those old enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament to go to the hosting school had finally arrived. Peeves threw an extra cloak into his trunk as Sean Idealein sighed.

"I'm not very fond to trains, you know. I always get a bout of motion sickness on the Hogwarts Express" the prefect whined. Peeves rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll pack a barf bag for you," he said. Lawson Amus held up a bag.

"Already thought of that," he chuckled.

"Gee, thanks," Sean said, taking the bags from Lawson.

"I think it's only been used once or twice," Lawson continued. Sean turned green.

"Did you notice haw few people signed up for the Tournament?" Sean said, clearly trying to change the topic. Peeves snorted.

"They're just all chicken," he shrugged.

"People have died in it, though," Sherman pointed out.

"Naw, they're just chicken," Peeves said with decisiveness, rubbing his almost inexistent "goatee".

"Yeah, well, I think only about twelve people signed on," Lawson said.

"Bwuck bwaa," Peeves muttered under his breath.

"Come on, boys," said a stern voice behind them. Professor Yates had appeared in the doorway and looked suspiciously around at the four boys. "Are you all packed?" he asked warily. Four heads nodded as the professor turned out of the room.

"Let's all head down now," Lawson said, heaving his heavy trunk off the bed. The boys filed out of the room and down to the Hufflepuff common room, into a crowd of Hufflepuff students. When the four seventh year boys were sighted, a cheer rose up from the mob. Banners decked the golden common room with messages such as "Come on Hufflepuff! Show 'Em We're Tuff!" and "Badger For the Champ!"

Professor Yates guided the boys out of the room and into the quiet halls. As the small group headed towards the entrance hall, Peeves took in a deep breath and let it out loudly.

"Well, men, this is it!" he exclaimed.

"I'm a bit nervous," Sean admitted.

"Pshaw! I'm not!" Lawson said boastfully.

"I'm glad to get out of school," Peeves said with defiance. Professor Yates looked over his shoulder austerely.

"I do hope you boys don't think this is going to be all fun and games," he said darkly. "You'll still have schoolwork to do."

"Aww, come on! Don't make us regret it at the very beginning," Sherman moaned.

They reached the entrance hall and joined up with the other contenders; one other girl from Hufflepuff, two boys and one girl from Gryffindor, one girl from Ravenclaw, and one boy and girl from Slytherin. Headmistress Sourdine had also joined them. She silently led the group out of Hogwarts and down the front path. Peeves glanced back at the school and smirked gleefully. He wasn't going to miss Hogwarts that much. He clambered into the horseless carriages outside the Hogwarts gates and settled back in his seat, placing his hands behind his head. Sherman yawned as he leaned back and started twiddling his thumbs. Peeves couldn't help but notice Sean turn pale and Lawson's excited face.

The carriage jostled all the way to Hogsmeade and all the way through it. It finally stopped outside of the train station. The students loaded off of the carriages, waved at the few people gathered around who were shouting luck, and horded towards the train. Peeves stopped suddenly as he looked at the train. It wasn't the normal bright red steam train that he took to get to Hogwarts. The train was a brilliant light blue with spotless, shinning windows and gleaming wheels. Peeves and his friends stepped into the elaborate locomotive and looked about in awe. The interior was even more elaborate on the inside than the outside. The coach walls were painted dazzling gold and accented with sparse pictures of a coat of arms, two wands crossed with three stars emitted from both.

"Now, stop dawdling!" Professor Sourdine said as she stepped onto the train. "It's a wonder the world gets anywhere with people just standing around and staring at the scenery."

The students hurriedly grabbed seats and pushed trunks into compartments. The headmistress sat down on the bench opposite Peeves.

"I'll be watching you, Peeves," she said threateningly. "None of your little pranks, you hear?" Peeves smiled and nodded innocently, crossing his fingers behind his back. It was going to be so much fun exploring and raiding a whole new school. Peeves caught Sherman's eye and they both tried to hide grins. Yes, the time at Beauxbatons Academy was going to be much fun indeed.