Flitwick tried for some time to get the students to focus on Amaranthine charms in class the next day. They, however, were still far too excited about the Triwizard Tournament to pay attention to something as mundane as preserving foods and flowers.
"Class…" Flitwick squeaked as he stood on his desk. "Alright class, put away your wands. Why don't we put off any academics 'til tomorrow. For the rest of the period we can talk about the upcoming Tournament, since you all will be anyway. So who has a question about it? I'll be particularly grateful for some charms related questions so that we all might learn something about the subject at hand."
Immediately several hands went up. Flitwick looked around.
"Yes, Mr. Smith."
Zacharias said, "Did people really die during the tournament?"
Flitwick chortled.
"Oh, very few really died, my boy. Some competitors, and the occasional judge, but almost never the spectators, which of course all of you will be. Just the same you might consider skipping the front row seats."
Next to Zacharias, Ernie Macmillan's hand was already held stiffly up.
"Yes, Mr. Macmillan?"
Rather than just blurt out his question Ernie stood up, arms held at his sides.
"I wanted to ask what kinds of tasks competitors in previous games had to do, sir."
Then he sat down again amidst a couple quiet snickers. Tamblin turned to Cascata and whispered.
"Susan likes him?"
Cascata whispered back.
"You're one to talk. You've been like that since you were a first year. Took Ernie a while to work up to pretentious."
Tamblin nudged her in the side with his elbow and she made a small snorting laugh that made others around her turn and look. She blushed and covered her mouth with her hand.
Flitwick meanwhile was answering the question, "…climbing mountains in giant territory, catching cockatrices, and so on. The challenges are meant to be grueling for an accomplished older student. The thrill of the competition! Ah, takes me back to my old dueling days…"
But the class was having none of that. The topic was, and would remain, the Triwizard Tournament.
"…Yes, Ms. Turpin?"
Lisa asked, "But why are they holding it again, Professor? I mean why reinstate the Tournament after all this time?"
"Professor Dumbledore is very keen on establishing relationships between different groups of people. The Tournament is a competition but also an exchange, and a chance to reach understandings about each other."
Tamblin raised his hand. Flitwick nodded at him. He was tempted to stand, in imitation of Ernie, because he knew it would make Cascata smile but he didn't like the attention it would cause, and it might hurt Susan's feelings.
"Sir, will we be allowed to see and talk to the faculty from Durmstrang?"
"Certainly, certainly! Make no mistake, this is an opportunity which you simply must avail yourselves of. Talk to the students and faculty from the other schools. Learn about them, and teach them about Hogwarts. I'm very curious to inquire about their methods of making homunculi myself." Flitwick grinned, "Of course I rather expected the Beauxbaton students to be of more interest than the Durmstrang faculty to most of you."
The hour was reached before he could explain this statement and the students started reluctantly filing out of the classroom.
