When You Leave It Up To Fate
Author: Briar Jade
Rating: PG-13 (may change in later chapters)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Pairings: DMHG, BZGW, RWPP, HPMB
Warnings: None so far
Summary: The Ministry cooks up a student exchange program with Beauxbatons. What's the true reason behind the trip? What will happen while the students are there? And what are those new students there for?
Chapter One: A Great Exchange
xXx
"So, Miss Tefia, Mr. Tefia… does this fit in with your plans?"
Ria Tefia smiled and nodded, her brother Neo copying the gesture without the smile. "We are pleased to comply… we don't want to be a trouble."
"Then all is settled, Olympe?"
The woman smiled and shook Dumbledore's hand. "All of ze problems have been ironed out. Ze plan is perfect."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Excellent. I'll let you begin to select your participants. I have some choosing to do as well, though I think I already have a few in mind.
xXx
"You're joking! I… you… that's not fair! You don't even collect!"
Hermione grinned and held the Chocolate Card frog out of reach as Ron scrambled all over her trying to reach it, amid gales of laughter coming from Harry and Ginny.
"Hermione! You got Ptolemy! Do you even know how rare that card is! I've been trying to get it for ten years!"
Hermione, by this point curled in a fetal position with the card clutched to her chest, looked up into Ron's eyes, which suddenly crinkled at the edges as a sly smile appeared on his face. "Hermione Granger, I have no choice…"
He suddenly grabbed at her sides. "…But to tickle you into submission!"
Hermione shrieked with laughter, letting the card go. Ron pounced immediately, to applause from Harry and jovial boos from Ginny. Both were ignored as he stared at the card in awe, his eyes bright. "Ptolemy…"
Hermione started snickering. "Your luck, Ronald… that you would try for ten years to find it, and I find one without any attempt."
Ron sniffed. "It doesn't matter. Now my collection is complete – I got Agrippa back in the summer before sixth year." He carefully wrapped the card in a bit of paper and slipped it into his pocket.
"Ron–" Hermione began, but before anyone could say anything, the aforementioned pocket was dive-bombed by a ball of fluff.
"PIG! GEROFF!" Ron bellowed, waving his arms frantically at the offending owl, who swooped back to Ginny's shoulder. She stroked it twice on the back on the neck. "Good boy," she cooed, shooting Ron a smirk.
"That's not funny," Ron said with a scowl.
"We're here, you guys," Harry announced, getting to his feet and sliding open the door. Pig zoomed out, finding the exit of the train over the heads of all the students and zipping through. Through the windows of the compartment, they could see him heading to the owlery.
"And that's what happens when you don't travel with your pet in a cage," Hermione muttered as they filed out of the train, heading towards the stagecoaches. Ginny rolled her eyes, as Hermione was cradling Crookshanks in her arms at the moment.
Someone jostled Ron from behind, causing him to trip forward onto his little sister. Together they struggled to not fall over, only succeeding with intervention from Hermione and Harry. The four of them turned to see Pansy Parkinson smirking at them. She was standing with Draco Malfoy and a slender girl who they didn't recognize.
"Might want to watch your step next time, Weasley, you've got atrocious coordination," Pansy sneered.
"Big words for you, aren't they, Parkinson?" Hermione shot at her. Pansy just smiled.
"Pansy, Tori, we'd better get to a carriage before they all leave," Draco said, turning abruptly with his cloak swishing behind him. Tori, which was apparently the new girl's name, and Pansy followed behind him.
"She doesn't look like the type of girl to be with them," Harry observed.
"She's wearing a Ravenclaw badge and tie," Ginny pointed out. "I wonder what she's doing with them."
Ron shrugged. "Malfoy was right. We had better get in a carriage too, before they're all filled up."
Together, they made for the nearest carriage and piled in. Just in time, for after they had been inside for half a minute, they felt the lurch of becoming airborne. The sky outside was fast becoming dark.
"I wonder what will be new this year," Hermione said after a pause.
"I can't believe you're not Head Girl, Hermione," Ginny said hesitantly. Hermione's response was only to shrug.
"I think it's Susan Bones. I'm not too devastated. Head Boy is Seamus. I'm actually quite proud of him, he's come a long way."
An uncomfortable silence filled the carriage as all four tried to think of a way to change the subject. Finding nothing to talking about, they settled for waiting in silence to reach the castle. It wasn't a long wait.
Seated inside the Great Hall forty-five minutes later, Hermione scanned the tables. New first years were dispersed throughout, looking unsure and nervous as they ate among their housemates at their first meal as sorted Hogwarts students. Hermione wondered if she has really looked that small six years previous.
As everyone finished up their desserts , Dumbledore stood to make a few announcements.
"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. Now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices."
Hermione closed her eyes in contentment. This was Hogwarts as she remembered it.
"First years ought to take note that the forest in the grounds is off limit to students. A few of our older students ought to know by now too."
Hermione opened her eyes to exchange guilty but jovial glances with her three friends.
"The post of Divination teacher will continue to be shared by Sibyll Trelawney and Firenze. In addition, I would like you to welcome back our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher after a three-year leave of absence… Remus Lupin."
Tumultuous applause erupted from three-quarters of the Great Hall. Even a few of the Slytherins were clapping… a select few.
Dumbledore cleared his throat, and the clapping ceased. His eyebrows went up slightly. "Certain… events this year will be very different. The Ministry has prepared a new program for the coming school term."
It seemed that everyone in the Great Hall was holding their breath. They all remembered what had happened the last time the Ministry of Magic had interfered at Hogwarts.
"We will be having a student exchange program with Beauxbatons Magical Academy."
An excited buzzing broke out among the students, but they were immediately hushed when Dumbledore continued. "Four students from each house have already been selected to spend this year receiving their schooling at Beauxbatons. They will also be helping the Ministry with certain things in that area. Parental consent has already been secured for every student… all you must do is agree to the program."
Dumbledore eyed the crowd. "The students will be from sixth or seventh year. Each Head of House is going to announce the four students chosen from their house. If your name is called, please remain in the Great Hall; after the entire list has been read, the rest of you may be dismissed."
A collective breath went in as the entire Hall waited to hear who would be going on the exchange trip. Professor Sprout stood up first. "The students from Hufflepuff going on the exchange trip will be Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot, and Leonardo Tonello."
Sprout sat down as various Hufflepuffs congratulated the beaming seventh years. Quite a few students craned their necks to see the last student on the list – he had not been there in any of the pervious years. Hermione and Ginny stood up to see him, then sat quickly and whispered excitedly to Harry and Ron. "He's got to be related to that Tori girl we saw by the carriages – he looks like her twin," Ginny hissed.
They were hushed by Flitwick's failing voice reading out his list. "Our representatives from Ravenclaw will be Terry Boot, Padma Patil, Luna Lovegood, and Victoria Tonello."
"They're definitely twins," Hermione said, not having to strain to be heard over the scattered applause.
"Hermione," Ron said suddenly, "Do you think we'll be picked?"
Hermione just looked at Ron. Would they? She hadn't even thought about it.
A greasy voice interrupted her musings. "Slytherin," said Professor Snape with his usual sneer, "will be sending Millicent Bulstrode, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Draco Malfoy."
Hermione looked directly across the Great Hall into Draco Malfoy's cold gray eyes. He was disdainfully apathetic as he was congratulated by his house mates. Pansy, on the other hand, was grinning and chattering away with Millicent.
"Greasy ferret," she muttered, only to be immediately hushed by Ginny. "Shhh! It's Gryffindor!"
"…Will be Ginevra Weasley, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter," said Professor McGonagall, allowing herself a small smile as she looked at her students and sat down. All four mouths dropped open.
The first though to enter Hermione's mind was, 'I have the chance to go to France on an exchange trip, and I have to go with Malfoy!' By the looks on her friends' faces, she surmised they were thinking the same thing. It dampened the situation a bit.
Dumbledore stood once more and looked out at his students. "The rest of you are dismissed," he said kindly, his eyes twinkling. The Great Hall filled with noise as the majority of the students rose, talking excitedly as they filed out of the Hall. Hermione turned to exchange wide-eyed looks with her three friends. As the Hall emptied, they rose to walk towards the Head's table along with the twelve other students from the other houses.
"You make take a seat," Dumbledore said with a kind smile, and each group of four sat at the closest seats to him, at the head of their house tables. He then cleared his throat.
"If you should choose to participate, you will be leaving within two days. You will have to inform your Head of House that you plan on going. All Quidditch, club, and organization positions you may hold will be relinquished to someone else temporarily." He raised his eyebrows. "The ideal choices for Head Boy and Girl are sitting within this group, but you were selected for this instead."
Hermione was only half paying attention. She kept stealing glances over at the Slytherins. When she had been waiting for the names to be announced, she had quite thought that she would accept without question if selected. Now, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to go.
"If you should choose to go and do not find it to your liking, you may return to Hogwarts after the winter holidays, but you may not return during the middle of term. As I said before, parental consent has already been secured… all you must do is decide for yourself. You have until tomorrow evening to decide; Sunday you will be leaving, or left behind. It is up to you. You may leave now."
Dumbledore himself rose and turned to leave. All sixteen students sat in silence for a moment, then got up and left the Hall without saying a word.
Upon stepping through the door of the Gryffindor common room, they were met with cheers. "Well done, mates!" Seamus cried, clapping Harry on the shoulder. "I knew there was a reason why I was made Head Boy – all the other candidates were quite unavailable, am I right?"
Harry only smiled weakly. In the meantime, Lavender and Parvati had thrown themselves at Hermione.
"Don't leave!" Parvati begged. "It will be so dull by ourselves!"
"None of our homework will get done, either! You've got to stay!" Lavender pleaded.
Hermione disentangled her arms from their clutching fingers with a look of disdain on her usually pleasant face. The look disappeared when she turned to look at her friends.
"We'll talk about it tomorrow morning," Hermione stage-whispered. The boys nodded and headed down to their dormitory, with Ginny and Hermione going up the stairs to theirs. A lot of decisions would be made in the next twenty-four hours.
xXx
"The uncertainty is a bit discouraging."
"Ah, Neo, but do not worry about it."
"It won't work quite so well if intervention is necessary. We guide; we do not force."
"Do not fret, dear brother. I'll have it all taken care of. You underestimate the connections that the students in the school have with each other. Press buttons on one and it affects everyone else."
"You could be wrong, Ria."
"Let me worry about that as well."
xXx
"Oi, Potter! Granger! Weasley!"
Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny turned to see Ernie Macmillan walking towards them. He was followed by Justin Finch-Fletchley and Leonardo Tonello.
"I was just wondering if you lot were planning on going on the exchange trip tomorrow," Ernie said importantly. "It sounds very educational – it will look good on our resumes, I presume. It will be nice to get a change from this old place, as well."
Hermione had perked up at the brief mention of professional prestige, but Harry cocked his head slightly to the side. "There's nothing wrong with Hogwarts," he said slowly. "I don't think I'll be wanting to go, for one main reason."
He exchanged glances with Ron, who finished for him. "Malfoy, and his Slytherin gang. We don't exactly seek after extra time spent near that lot."
"You don't have to worry about that," spoke up Leonardo.
Harry nodded at him. "Tonello, isn't it?"
"Len Tonello," he answered with a curt nod. "As I was saying, you don't have to worry about that. My sister told me that they won't be going. They're apparently too good for anything like this. So you don't have to worry about them going on the trip."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Absolutely," Leonardo responded. "You won't have to endure Slytherins on this trip, as far as I was told."
Ginny smiled and answered for all of them. "Well, if we don't have to go with a titchy little ferret, then I guess we're in."
With that, all four burst out laughing.
xXx
"She's related to a Hufflepuff. I don't know if I want my reputation ruined by hanging around her."
Pansy rolled her eyes at Draco as they continued walking down one of the corridors. "You're so funny. Not."
Draco grinned. "I'm just joking. She's actually a pretty cool person. To think we only met her yesterday… it feels as though we've known Tori for years. What do you think, Milla?"
Millicent smiled. "She's pretty awesome, for sure. I thought all Ravenclaws were boring and into books."
Draco smirked at this. "Not Padma Patil. She seemed pretty interested in other things over the summer."
Blaise, Millicent, and Pansy all groaned. "We don't want to hear about your various conquests, Draco," Blaise complained. "We get that you got Patil. We get that she was good in the sack. You can leave it at that."
Draco shrugged. "If you say so."
"We definitely do," said Pansy with her nose wrinkled. "Oh, look, there's Tori."
"Hey, you guys," Tori said with a bright grin, matching her pace to theirs. "Good thing we didn't get time to get unpacked before dinner last night. I can't wait until tomorrow."
The Slytherins exchanged glances. "You're thinking of going?" Draco asked in a skeptical tone. "If you ask me, it sounds rather stupid. Who wants to go to France?"
'You obviously haven't seen Beauxbatons," Tori replied smoothly. "It's magnificent – I don't see how you could not want to go."
Pansy and Millicent gaped. Apparently this girl was immune to Draco's scorn. She wasn't even a Slytherin – this was a great accomplishment, to not melt under his gaze.
"I know I'm going – I wouldn't miss it for the world," Tori continued. "And if that doesn't convince you, then it should help that the Gryffindor squad is going. You've told me how much you enjoy getting under their skin."
Draco glanced around and caught sight of Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron standing at the far end of the corridor. They were laughing at something Ginny had just said. Draco allowed himself a small smile.
"Alright," he said, looking Tori straight in the eye. "We're in."
xXx
AN : As it's the first chapter, this is far shorter than the rest of them are going to be. It was mostly events, putting the story in motion, but not as much focus on the characters as there will be. However, I hope you like this concept. It's been so long since I wrote a story. Please review, I'd really like some feedback on this. Updates will be sooner if you do. Thank you… -Briar
This chapter is for my lucky-stars-3345. Happy belated birthday, baby.