The Junior And The Prefect.
Chapter Two: Quidditch is CANCELLED?!
Ron and I eat loudly while Hermione looks on in disgust arms folded over her chest. Ron swallows.
'You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself.'
'Slave labour,' Hermione breathes hard through her nose. 'That's what made this dinner. Slave labour!'
As the last of the feast began to fade away the storm outside continued on, lightning lights up the ceiling with every clash. Professor Dumbledore stood and the Great Hall was hushed quickly. He smiles and starts to deliver his usual notices. Stay away from the forest, Mr. Filch's banned list, no one below third-year is allowed to go to Hogsmeade…
'… It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year-'
'What?' I had to stop myself from throwing the empty plates. I look over at my fellow Quidditch players, who all look too appalled to say anything, but mouth words soundlessly.
'This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely.' I frown. I don't think so… Quidditch is everything to me! I look over at Malfoy, who looks just as furious, then over at Cedric at the Hufflepuff table, who is frowning… I have to beat him!
'I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts –'
The door to the Great Hall bursts open with a bang and the crashing of the thunder. There stood a man with a long staff and a travelling cloak. Lightning flashes across the ceiling and he lowers the hood of his cloak, shakes out his dark grey hair and starts limping towards the teachers' table. One every other step a dull clunk echoed off the walls, he reaches the table and limps towards Professor Dumbledore. Another flash from overheard and Hermione gasps. The lightening revealed the man's face; it looked like someone without the faintest idea about human anatomy attempted to carve it out of wood. Scars scattered across his skin, one of his eyes is small, dark and beady, while the other is large and a vivid electric blue. This eye was rolling around all over the place, while the dark one glared at Professor Dumbledore.
He shook hands with Dumbledore, and both men shared a few words, they ended conversation and the man sat at the teacher's table. He took his own knife from his pocket, sniffed a plate of sausages speared one and began to eat. His dark eye on his sausage and the blue, scanning the room over and over.
Professor Dumbledore smiled at the four tables.
'May I introduce our new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody.'
The only ones to applaud were Hagrid and Dumbledore, who stopped quickly.
I lean towards Ron.
'Moody? Mad-Eye Moody? The one your dad went to help this morning?'
'Must be,' Ron continued to watch him, Hermione leans across.
'What happened to him? What happened to his face?'
'Dunno,' Ron whispers still watching Moody.
Moody ignores the stares and the jug of pumpkin juice in front of him, retrieves a hipflask and takes a deep guzzle from it. Professor Dumbledore clears his throat.
'As I was saying,' he smiles at the four tables again, 'we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year.'
'You're JOKING!' Fred nearly screamed.
Nearly everyone laughs.
'I am not joking, Mr. Weasley, though, now that you mention it I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar –' Professor McGonagall clears her throat. 'Er – but maybe this is not the time… no… Where was I? Ah, yes, the Triwizard Tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely,' I can't help but smile at the kind old man's words.
o~O~o~O~o~O~o
Ron, Fred and George were discussing how to trick the judge into thinking that they were 17, just so they could win the galleons and the fame and glory. I must admit the idea of winning something like this was too much. But I really just want to stay out of trouble and have a "normal" school year for once.
But, thoughts of me standing on the grounds with the cup held above my head invade my mind's eye as I crawl into bed. I see the other students below me, Malfoy looking pissed, and Cho standing beside Cedric. They're smiling.
'Good on ya Harry!' Shouts Cedric.
I smile into my pillow, happy that Ron can't see what I'm seeing right now.
Just those lips curled in a beautiful smile, lovely white, perfect teeth. And those soft, grey eyes, staring only at me.