Clary Fray was packing all her stuff to go to Hogwarts again. She had gone to Diagon Alley with her mother a few days ago, and had all her stuff. Clary was always excited to go to Hogwarts, though she always missed her mother and Luke. Luke was some sort of adoptive father to her, since Clary didn't know who her father was. But Luke was enough, had always been, and Clary was convinced they would be married in a few years or something, she could see they were obviously in love. Clary was just the sort of person who could see that sort of thing. She was also excited to see her boyfriend, Jace, again, and his siblings. Jace had been raised by Michael Wayland, who's real son had died when he was two, and Jace parents had both died when Jace was young. When Michael Wayland died, he was taken in by Robert and Maryse Lightwood. It was a bit complicated, to Clary.
'Clary, have you heard about the Triwizard tournament?' Luke asked, who was reading the newspaper.
'They're holding it at Hogwarts this year, right?' Clary asked excited. She wasn't sure if she would enter, but she knew Jace would, definitely. Jace was addicted to taking risks, stupid risks even. She sometimes felt sorry for Alec, Jace' adopted brother who was always busy keeping Jace out of trouble.
'You're not entering,' her mother warned, 'Besides, I heard they are going to change the minimum age to seventeen.'
Clary's mother was probably the most overprotective mother. She only sent Clary to Hogwarts because she knew Dumbledore would keep her safe there, that nothing could hurt her there. But there was, of course, a dangerous forest. And a whomping willow, that attacked you if you came to close. Clary didn't tell her mother about Jace discovering the forbidden forest at night, and Clary didn't often go with him, that was what Alec and Isabelle did, Jace' adoptive brother and sister. When she saw Alec and Isabelle together, Clary always wished she had an older brother. She had never seen siblings as close as those three. But she had Simon, of course. Simon was her neighbour, and they had always played as kids, they had always been best friends. When Clary turned eleven, she had received her letter, and just after that Simon had knocked on the door.
Clary was reading her Hogwarts letter, when someone knocked on the door. Clary loved the idea of Hogwarts, but she couldn't stand leaving Simon behind. Clary opened the door. How was she going to explain to Simon that she had to go to a school for witches, and that he couldn't go? Simon was holding a letter.
'Is this some joke?' Simon asked, 'Some guy Dumbledore sent me a letter telling me I'm a wizard. Is this some sort of version of D&D in which I don't know it's a game?'
Clary was suddenly so happy she hugged Simon. 'Oh Simon, that's so amazing! Now I don't have to go to Hogwarts all alone!
'Wait a second, you knew?' Simon asked, 'Why didn't you tell me?'
'Forbidden,' she said, 'But now that I know you're a wizard, I can tell you everything.'
She and Simon were still best friends. Unfortunately, they weren't in the same house. Clary had been sorted in Gryffindor, and Simon had been sorted in Hufflepuff. Clary shared her room with two other girls in her year, Gryffindor, Isabelle Lightwood and Aline Penhallow. She wasn't very close with Aline, but she would consider Isabelle a good friend.
'If that's the age line,' Clary said, 'Then Jace won't enter either. Alec can, though, his birthday is in September and he'll turn seventeen then.'
Alec was like Jace in the sixth year, but Jace turned seventeen in August, so he wouldn't be able to enter the tournament.
The next day she was on the train, and she shared a coupe with Jace, Simon, Alec and Isabelle. Alec was a prefect, and had to sit with the prefects for some time, but he managed to convince them that he could sit with Jace, to make sure Jace didn't break any rules. Then suddenly, someone else came in too, just before the train departed. A very tall man, part asian. Lots of glitter. Magnus, she remembered. On one of Jace' stupid reckless excursions, Alec had gotten hurt, trying to save Jace, and Magnus had saved him, by healing his wounds. Jace couldn't stand the guy, but Alec actually liked him.
'Can I sit here?' he asked.
'Yes,' said Clary and Alec, the same moment Jace said 'No.'
Magnus took that as a yes and sat down next to Isabelle. He looked at Alec with curiosity. 'Wow, this must be my Lucky day. Being late, and getting in a coupe with the hottest guy in the school.'
'I'm not interested, sorry,' Jace laughed, who always thought everyone meant him in that context. True, Jace was really, really hot. But also very arrogant.
'Wasn't talking about you, blondie,' Magnus said, 'I meant Alec.'
Alec turned very, very red, as he did so often. 'Uhm... thank you.'
Alec started staring at his shoes, and Isabelle laughed at how awkward her brother was sometimes. A little while later they all changed into their school uniform. Magnus was in Slytherin, and to Clary he was the proof not all Slytherins were evil. His best friends were Ragnor Fell, she remembered, also a Slytherin, and Catarina Loss, a Ravenclaw. Simon was a Hufflepuff. Clary, Jace and Isabelle were all in Gryffindor, and Alec was in Ravenclaw.
Alec sat next to Helen Blackthorn at the dinner feast. Helen was like him born in September, and would turn seventeen tomorrow. He was the only person he really knew in his year in Ravenclaw.
'We're around the only sixth years who can enter the Triwizard tournament,' Helen said, 'Are you going to?'
Alec had been thinking about it. He was considering it, and he always liked thinking things through. All the stupid impulsive things he had done, were Jace' idea, and Alec only went with him because Jace would go alone otherwise. That threat still worked.
'First, I have an announcement,' Dumbledore said, 'I'm sure many of you have heard already, but this year we will be the host of the Triwizard Tournament. In a month, a group of students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will arrive here, and will put their names in the Goblet of Fire. You have the choice to do the same thing, if you are seventeen years old by 31th of October. The goblet will choose one student for each school to enter. Remember this well, once chose, there is no turning back. I also must warn you that these tasks are dangerous.'
'Seventeen? Do they mean that?' Jace asked.
'Of course they mean it.' Alec turned around, so he could see Jace at the Gryffindor table.
'But you'll put my name in, sure?' Jace asked, 'Once chose, no turning back. If they find out the one chosen isn't seventeen yet, there's really nothing they can do. I'm so lucky my best friend's old enough to enter.'
'No,' Alec said immediately, 'I'm not putting your name in the Goblet of Fire, I'm not putting you in danger.'
Alec knew the Goblet chose someone strong, and brave. Smart, perhaps. Worthy. Jace was that person, only too young for the new rules. If Alec put in Jace name, Jace would be chosen, Alec feared. So he wouldn't. No way.
'But enough with the talking, let the feast begin.'
The food appeared on the table. First years were surprised, but Alec was used to it, he knew how it worked. A lot of the food, Alec noticed, was vegetarian, and Alec like that. He wasn't a strict vegetarian, but he didn't like meat much. It had been like that since Simon had gone to the headmaster, complaining that there was so much meat, and Simon was a convinced vegetarian. Alec lead the other Ravenclaws to the common room after dinner, since he was a prefect.
'You're Alec, right?' a boy asked. Alec recognised him, he was the transfer from Beauxbattons. He had been sorted in Ravenclaw, together with the first years.
'That's me,' he said, 'Sebastian Verlac, aren't you?'
Sebastian nodded. 'Dumbledore told me we have to share a sleeping room, just so you know, apart from the rest, because there isn't enough room.'
Alec didn't have any problem with that, unless Sebastian turned out to be extremely loud or something like that. 'Alright,' he said, 'Ravenclaws, this way, follow me.'
Maia walked towards him, 'You're going to sign up, right?' she asked, 'You have enough experience with dangerous tasks from saving Jace' ass.'
Maia Roberts was a fifth year Ravenclaw, and a friend of Isabelle's and Clary's. Maia was also a werewolf, but with a new invented potion she could not only remain herself, but also transform when she wanted to. She had been turned last year by her boyfriend, Jordan Kyle. It had been an accident, but he had been expelled, and sent to Durmstrang.
'I think so,' he said.
'I really hope Jordan won't come. He is old enough.'
'If he comes,' Alec said, 'They'll probably tell him to stay away from you, if you want him to.'