Anne Marie's POV

Ally and I got into a carriage with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville. The carriage splashed through the mud on the trail up to the school. I looked over at Ally, whose face had a red tint to it every time the carriage bumped and she and Harry's (who was on her left) shoulders collided.

When the carriages finally reached the great oak front doors of Hogwarts, we all jumped out, making a run through the downpour, holding the hoods of our robes over our heads. We had scarcely gotten inside before a large water balloon fell onto the floor in front of us, barely avoiding our heads. I looked up just in time to jerk Ally out of the line of fire of another water balloon from Peeves the Poltergeist.

"Peeves! Stop!" I yelled.

"Hee hee hee!!" Was his only reply as he rocketed another balloon at me. I dodged and looked furiously about for a teacher. Thankfully, Professor McGonagall emerged from the Great Hall.

"PEEVES!" Yelled an angry voice. "Peeves, come down here at ONCE!"

I took that oppurtunity to make a run for the doors to the Great Hall. I tried my best to smooth out my ponytail and squeeze some of the water out as I walked toward the Hufflepuff table.

Ally's POV

After excaping Peeves' waterballoon attack, Anne Marie went on to the Hufflepuff table, looking for another fifth year, and I continued on with the others to the Gryffindor table.

Harry, Ron, and Neville went to the other side of the table, while Hermione and I stayed on this side. We finally found a place that all of us could sit together, Ginny was already sitting there.

Hermione sat beside Ginny and I sat down beside Hermione. On the other side, Neville sat down in front of Ginny, Ron in front of Hermione, and Harry in front of me.

After the sorting, Dumbledore got to his feet and said, "I have only two words to say to you, TUCK IN."

The huge first of term feast appeared on the tables. All of us happilly started eating.

"Ahhh, 'at's be'er." Ron said with his mouth full.

"You're lukcy there's a feast at all tonight." Said Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier."

"Why? Wha' 'appened?" Harry asked, his mouth full, like Ron.

"Peeves, of course. The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast-well, it's quite out of the question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghosts' council-the Fat Friar was all for giving him a chance- but most wizely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down." Nick explained.

"Yeah, we thought Peeves seemed off about something." Ron said.

"So, what did he do in the kitchen?" I asked.

"Oh, the usual, wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the House-elves out of their wits-"

There was a clang from where Hermione dropped her goblet, staining the white table cloth orange with pumpkin juice.

"There are house-elves HERE? Here at HOGWARTS?" Hermione asked, horrified.

I mouthed 'Oh-NO!' to Harry, and he nodded.

"Certainly, the largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred." Nick said.

"I've never see one!" Hermione said.

"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they? They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning...see to the fires and so on...I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?" Nick asked.

"But they get PAID?" She asked. "They get HOLIDAYS, don't they? And-sick leave, and pensions, and everything?"

"Sick leave and pensions? House-elves don't want sick leave and pensions!" Nick said, laughing.

Hermione then put her silverware down and pushed her plate away from her.

"You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself." Ron said.

"Slave labor, that's what made this dinner. SLAVE LABOR." Was all she said, and did not eat another bite.

"Hermione, the house-elves are very happy and treated well here." I said.

"How would you know?!" She snapped.

I lowered my voice to a whisper and said, "What is the fun of being invisible if you can't go get a midnight snack every once-in-a-while?"

"Ally! You bother poor little house-elves for food?"

"No! No, of course not! They just give it to you freely!"

"How did you find out where the kitchens are?" She asked.

"Followed Fred and George there my second year."

Anne Marie's POV

My eyes scanned the table for a familiar face. I fleetingly noticed Cedric chattering with the other seventh years, well, all but Noah anyway.

'He's probably forgotten all about me...' I thought. What kind of a person as wonderful as Cedric would remember a pathetic fifth year anyway?

I finally spotted one of the other fifth year Hufflepuff girls, my best Hufflepuff friend, Nicole. She waved at me and I smiled back. I walked down the table and slid onto the bench beside her. She gave me a quick hug.

"How was your summer?" She asked.

"...stupendous. I have to tell you about the World Cup!"

"I read in the papers! It sounded awful...oh goodness...good thing I didn't know you were there...I would have been worried sick."

"Yeah, me, Ally, Noah, all the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione were there together. But guess who else I saw."

"I have no clue..."

"You know that person that I've liked since second year?"

Her eyes got big and she put her hand to her mouth. "CEDRIC was there?!"

"Keep your voice down!" I snapped. "Yes, he was there...we walked to the Portkey toghether."

Nicole smiled and winked at me. "And..."

"And..." I sortave wanted to tell her about what had happened all that night, but then decided against it. I hadn't even told Ally yet. "And nothing."

"Liar!" She said. I must have blushed. I always blush when I lie...

"Drop it!" I giggled. "I'll tell you later."

Then, Professor Dumbledore clinked his glass, and all heads turned to watch a bedraggled and extremely wet group of first years enter the Hall for sorting. One very scrawny-looking one was wrapped in Hagrid's huge moleskin overcoat, giving him the appearence of a wet, headless bear.

We watched as the new students were sorted, and I could not help but think of the night Ally and I were sorted.

Being Muggleborns, we had been terrified and inseperable, unfamiliar with all the magic we'd already been exposed to on the train and then saw in the enchanted cieling. Noah had been expecting both of us to get into Hufflepuff with him, but he should have know we were so different, there was no way that both of us would be in the same house. Nevertheless, it was heartwrenching for me to have to watch her go to the Gryffindor table and not be able to follow her like I always had before.

I snapped back into reality as Professor Dumbledore stood again.

"I have only two words to say to you," He said, deep, raspy voice booming through the Hall. "Tuck in."

The plates before me filled full, as usual, with delicious-looking food. I began to eat.

After dessert had been served, I turned my attention back to the front for the usual speech.

"So!" Dumbledore said, smiling. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices." For a few minutes, Dumbledore made the announcements of the usual extentions to the list of items forbidden inside the castle, and the reminders that the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade(to first and second years) are out of bounds. Then, he continued.

"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

Every Quidditch member in the school and the many loyal fans all let their mouths drop open in shock, and I watched Cedric glance at each member of the Hufflepuff team quickly to see their reaction. He finally looked back at me, and I gave him an upset look to show I didn't approve.

"It'll be OK." He mouthed down the table to me. I nodded my head and smiled at him. He smiled back, and then turned to hear the rest of what Dumbledore had to say.

"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 all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"

But then, the entire student body in the Hall jumped as the Great Hall's doors slammed open to reveal a mangled, one-legged man with wet, stringy hair and a peg leg. The entire school's eyes bored into him, mainly on his glass eye that seemed to be constantly turning in its socket.

Dead silence rang through the Hall, all I could hear was the wind, rain, and 'step-clop, step-clop' of his real leg alternating with his wooden one as he made his way to the front. He sat down and began to eat, as if there weren't hundreds of students and teachers starring at him.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Dumbledore said brightly, trying to relieve some of the thick tension. "Professor Moody."

'That was the name of the man Mr. Weasley left to sort out this morning...' I thought. No doubt now I was curious.

After there was no applause, Dumbledore cleared his throat, picking up where he had left off earlier.

Ally's POV

After all the food had vanished, Dumbledore stood to give the normal notices for beginning of term. But to every Quidditch player's horror, after he finished the usual things, he said, "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"WHAT?!" Harry and I gasped at the same time.

"They can't do this to us!" I said.

Harry and I then looked up the table to where Fred and George sat. Their mouths were moving like they were arguing with Dumbledore, but no sound came out.

Anne Marie's POV

"As I was saying...we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that 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!" I heard from the Gryffindor table, I knew it was either Fred or George, and laughed with the rest of the Great Hall.

"I am NOT joking, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore laughed.

Ally's POV

Dumbledore then went into an explanation-the Triwizard Tournament. But it was stopped shortly by the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Then he went back to his explanation.

I was deep in thought, I knew that I had heard something about this tournament...but where?

"Death toll?" Hermione whispered beside me.

"That's it!" I whispered.

"What's it?" Hermione asked.

"In my first year, I read a lot of books about the history of the Wizarding world. One of those books talked about the Triwizard Tournament. They stopped having it because 100 years ago, all three competitors died." I whispered. "Anyone would have to be crazy to enter unless they were a seventh year."

Anne Marie's POV

He spent a large amount of time then explaining what the tournament was and what it involved. It was, in fact, very interesting, nothing I would want to do, but interesting, nonetheless. The whole school seemed extremely excited to say the least, I could see a sparkle in Cedric's eye. My heart skipped a beat at the thought of the danger, but then, if he wanted to enter, it could bring the kind of glory and respect that Helga Hufflepuff's house had never been bestowed.

Then, the age limit was brought up. Almost every non-seventh year boy started an uproar, and no-one silenced until Dumbledore demanded it.

Ally's POV

Dumbledore went on and then brought up the age restriction. There were a few furious roars, but Dumbledore went on.

"I think it's a great idea." I whispered to Hermione, who nodded.

Dumbledore then told us to go to bed. Everyone stood to leave, that is, everyone but Fred and George. Hermione finally got them up and we all started out of the Great Hall. I waved at Anne Marie, then thought, 'As much as I hate Herbology, I'm happy we have it with Hufflepuff.'

As we made our way up the stairs to the seventh floor, behind me I could hear the boys going on about the tournament. I rolled my eyes, 'Of course Fred and George would want to enter, they're nuts! Should I tell them the Judge is NOT a person but a Cup? No, they will find out soon enough.'

We made it to the picture of the Fat Lady. I yawned and said "Balderdash." The portrait swung open and we stepped into the common room.

Hermione rushed to the girls' stairs, and was saying something about "slave labor" before she dissapeared into her dorm. I rolled my eyes again and started up the stairs.

"Goodnight, Ally." Came a voice from the common room below.

I turned to see Harry smiling up at me, while the other boys were still talking about the tournament.

I smiled at him and said, "Night, Harry." Then continued on to my dorm. I could feel his eyes on my back the whole way.

I walked into my dorm and shut the door behind me, leaning back on it. I looked around the dorm, three of the other girls I roomed with were already asleep.

Katie Bell, one of the other Chasers on the Quidditch team, sat on her bed smiling at me. Katie was my best friend that was my age in Gryffindor (Hermione and Anne Marie were my best, best friends).

"Ally...you're blushing!" She said, standing up.

I let myself slide down the door, and put my face in my hands.

She stood in front of me, already in her PJ's with her hands on her hips.

"Who have you been talking to?" She asked.

"Does 'Goodnight' from a boy you like count as talking?"

"Yes! Now tell me who!" She demanded.

"Harry..." I whispered.

"What? I can't hear you." She said, even though I knew she had.

"Harry..." I said louder.

"Awwwwww..."

I started banging my head on the door. After a moment, I stopped and asked her, "So, how was your summer?" I stood up and put on my PJ's as she told me about her summer. Then, I told her about mine, not about my powers or the Dark Mark thing, but about Harry holding my hand. We talked about Quidditch being canceled, and then went to bed.

Anne Marie's POV

With a curt goodnight, Dumbledore sent us off to bed, there had never been a more chatty first night at Hogwarts. I noticed Ally leaving the Great Hall with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a couple people in front of myself. I waved quickly, we knew we'd see each other in Herbology the following day.

The crowd drifted apart as the seperate houses headed toward their common rooms and dorms. The Slytherins veered toward the dungeons, the Ravenclaws toward the West end of the first floor, and the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs up the grand staircase.

I walked up with my arms folded in front of me, Nicole blabbering about her summer at my side. I was only hearing about 50 of what she said. Another 30 was whining about Quidditch, and 20 was thinking of Cedric.

As if called forth by my pondering, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and turned to see none other than Cedric himself.

"Hey." He said, "How are you?"

"Fine." I replied, not looking at him. "And you?"

"Alright, I suppose. Why didn't you come sit with me and the rest of the team?"

"You were talking...and I'm only a fifth year, I figured you'd want to stick with people your age."

"That's not true." He said, laughing. "You can talk to me whenever you like."

"OK, I'll try to remember that, next time." I still refused to let myself look at him. By next week, he would have a girlfriend, and it would only hurt me more to let myself fall any deeper into this than I already was.

I could see him ringing his hands out of the corner of my eye, it must have worried him that I wasn't making eye contact. We finally reached the third floor and entered the common room with a quick "plum pudding" to the Tapestry that covered the door to the Hufflepuffs' dwellings.

I turned right immediately, toward the girls' dormitories, and I had almost made it to the stairs when Cedric grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked, innocently.

"No..." I said, locking my eyes on the portrait to our right.

"Then why won't you look at me?!"

"Let me go, please."

He did, reluctantly, and ran his left hand through his hair in exasperation. I turned and went up the stairs to my bed, leaving it at that.