Chapter Three: Big Announcements and Breakfast

I do not own anything, except for the characters of Nellie, Lydia, Violet and Julie.

A\N: Some of this dialogue is taken from the Goblet of Fire book. Why? To make the story more real, as this story takes place during Harry's Fourth year. So most of the dialogue is borrowed from the fourth Harry Potter book. I would like to thank for the reviews, especially from Jewels66.

After an hour's worth of delicious food, the Headmaster (who, according to Ginny, was Albus Dumbledore) stood up.

"So!" Dumbledore started, smiling at all of the students. "Now that we are all fed and watered' (Hermione Granger gave an angry 'Hmph!'. For some reason to do with House-Elves, Hermione had not eaten anything at all. Honestly, I don't know what Harry sees in that girl.), 'I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.

'Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some 437 items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr Filch's office." he announced, corners of his mouth twitching.

"As ever," he continued, "I would like to remind you all that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year."

"Psst!" I whispered to Ron and Ginny's older brothers Fred and George, who were sitting opposite of Ginny. "What's so great about Hogsmeade?" I asked.

"What's so great about it?" George replied, and then looked at his brother.

"Everything!" the twins announced in unison.

"..to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year." Dumbledore paused.

"What?" Harry gasped.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy- but I am sure you will enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"

Professor Dumbledore was interrupted by a large bang! as the doors to the Great Hall burst open and a man with grizzled, dark grey hair began to walk up towards the teachers table.

I instantly recognized him as Mad-Eye Moody, a close friend of my father's through the Auror Department. But something was different, I just couldn't tell what.

"What happened to his face?" Hermione whispered.

"As I was saying," Dumbledore continued, "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 very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" Fred Weasley said loudly.

"I am not joking, Mr Weasley" Dumbledore chuckled. "I shall give a short explanation on the Triwizard Tournament."

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry- Hogwarts, ("Whoo! Hogwarts!" cried a boy seated at the Hufflepuff table.) Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the Tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities- until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued."

Hermione seemed to be the only person in the Great Hall nervous about the numbers of deaths, as everyone around her were whispering excitedly about the contest."There have been several attempts over the centuries to re-instate the Tournament,' Dumbledore continued, with a hint of mystery in his voice, 'none of which have been very successful. However, our own Departments…"

Sometime later, after finishing the details of the Triwizard Tournament, Dumbledore sat down and started talking to Mad-Eye Moody. "There was just something different about him, though" I thought as all the students, myself included, all rushed towards the doors of the Entrance Hall.

"First Years, this way!" cried a Gryffindor Prefect, ushering me and nine other first years towards the staircases.

"My brother says that here at Hogwarts, the staircases move!" cried Dennis Creevy, the boy who had fallen in the lake during the boat ride across the lake earlier.

"Well, my sister said that the people in portraits move around!" Violet cried quite loudly, much to the amusement of several older Gryffindors pushing ahead of us on the staircase.

Several moments later, we reached a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she asked.

"Balderdash" answered the Prefect, and the portrait swung open, revealing a circular common room, full of armchairs and tables. My father had told me everything about the Gryffindor Common Room, and had even showed me pictures, but there was nothing that made me feel more at home at that moment then that Common Room.

The next morning, after a really peaceful sleep, I joined my friend Violet and my new friend Julie, at the long Gryffindor table.

"So what do you think of that Triwizrd Tournament?" asked Julie as soon as Violet helped herself to three large pieces of toast, all smothered in raspberry jam.

"I think it'll be fun." I answered, taking a bowl of oatmeal and one slice of whole-wheat toast from the table.

"I fink it…" Violet started, but remembering that her mouth was full of jam and toast, she kept her thought to herself.

Glancing over at the Slytherin table, I saw Lydia sitting next to Draco Malfoy, feeding him what appeared to be cakes and candies, much to the dismay of Pansy Parkinson, who was stirring her oatmeal with glints of hatred in her eyes.

I suppose the morning post had already come.

"Hello, First-Years" The Old Witch that resembled a Tabby Cat announced.

"I am Professor McGonagall and I am the Head of Gryffindor House." she continued.

"I am assuming that you three are Violet Brown,' she paused, handing Violet her timetable.

'Julie Sixths,' Professor McGonagall paused again, this time handing Julie her timetable.

'And you must be Nellie Veebak." she finished, handing me my timetable. I glanced down, because, of course, eye contact with grown-ups makes me paranoid.

"I wish we had Divination.' Violet whined a little while later, as we were all trying to find our way to the History of Magic class. 'My sister said that Professor Trelawney is the best teacher at Hogwarts."

I opened my mouth to answer, but before I could, the wonderful voice that I have adored since he rose to fame cut in.

"Excuse me?' Harry asked. 'Um, my friends and I were exiting the Great Hall when we found this."

Harry held up my lightning-bolt shaped coin purse, so full of 'Mrs. Nellie Potter' and 'Nellie Veebak Potter' that the yellow underneath was barely visible.

"Uh…um…uh…" I stammered. Where was Lydia, the smooth talker, when I needed her? Oh, right.

She was hanging out with Draco Malfoy.

"Thank you, Harry. This is Nellie's." Julie said for me, and took the coin purse out of Harry's hand.

Poor Violet, even after they left, was in worse condition then I was. Frozen to her spot, she took about 7 minutes to convince to move after her near run-in with Ron Weasley.

"Hey Guys!' Dennis Creevey ran from out of no where to join us.

"Hey, you have History of Magic too!" he cried excitedly, reading my timetable.

"Yes, we-" Julie began, but Dennis was too excited to stop talking.

"Nellie, you look really pretty today!" he gushed.

"Um, thank you?"

Great. Just Great. Lydia gets to go out with Draco Malfoy, the handsomest, most bad-boy-est fourth year of the school (after Harry Potter, of course. Well, not the "Bad-Boy" part). And what do I get? Dennis Creevy, the mousy and excitable first-year who probably still wets the bed.