The carriages pulled through the gates, which were flanked with statues of winged boars, and up the sweeping drive the carriages trundled, swaying dangerously in what was quickly becoming a gale.
"You know, I always thought carriage rides were supposed to be romantic, but this is something that's for Halloween," Mandy said.
Hailey looked out the window, to see Hogwarts was coming closer. The many lighted windows were blurry and shimmery behind the thick curtain of rain. Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before the stone steps, which led to the great oak front doors that rested at the top. They jumped down from their carriage and dashed up the steps too.
Hailey looked up when she was safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit entrance hall, with its magnificent marble staircase.
"Blimey," said Ron, shaking head, sending water drops everywhere. "If that keeps up, the lake's going to overflow. I'm soak—argh!"
A large, red, water-filled balloon dropped right onto Ron's head and exploded. Ron, now drenched and sputtering, staggered sideways right into Hailey, just as a second water bomb fell—narrowly missing Hermione, Michael, and Mandy. The water bomb burst right at Hailey's feet, sending a wave of water right onto Hailey's combat-boots. People around them shrieked and started pushing one another in their efforts to get out of the line of fire, or water in this case. Hailey looked up to look at Peeves the Poltergeist. Peeves was a little man in a bell-covered hat and he wore an orange bow tie. He had a wide, malicious looking face, and he was holding a water bomb and looking like he was concentrating as he took aim again.
"Peeves!" an angry voice shouted. "Peeves, come down here at once!"
It was Professor McGonagall, the deputy headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House. She came running out of the Great Hall and she skidded right on the wet floor. She grabbed onto the nearest thing to stop herself from falling down and the nearest thing that she grabbed onto, happened to be Hermione's neck. "Ouch—sorry, Miss Granger—"
"That's all right, Professor!" Hermione gasped as she massaged her throat.
"Peeves, get down here, now!" ordered Professor McGonagall, straightening her pointed hat and glaring upward through her square-rimmed spectacles.
"Not doing nothing!" cackled Peeves, throwing a water bomb at several fifth-year girls, who screamed and ran inside the Great Hall, to get away. "Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Whee!" He aimed another bomb at a group of second years, who had just walked through the front doors. They screamed as they got hit by the water bomb and they shoved their way towards the Great Hall to avoid getting more wet.
"I shall call the headmaster!" shouted Professor McGonagall. "I'm warning you, Peeves—"
Peeves stuck out his tongue, threw the last of his water bombs into the air, and flew up the marble staircase, cackling madly. Hailey got hit with a water bomb and she screamed in surprise, jumping backwards. She slipped on the wet floor, and stumbled backwards again and backed right into Michael, nearly causing them to fall to the ground.
Ron was laughing, probably at the sound Hailey made or when she almost sent her and Michael falling to the ground.
Hailey noticed Colton Taylor, who was wearing a bronze and blue kilt, got hit with a water bomb. Unfortunately, Luna, a scraggly blonde haired girl, and Ginny also got drenched with the water bomb. Luna started laughing good-heartedly, Colton chuckled, and Ginny seemed slightly amused by the water bombs.
"Well, move along, then!" said Professor McGonagall sharply to the bedraggled crowd. "Into the Great Hall, come on!"
Hailey, Ron, Hermione, Mandy, and Michael slipped and slid across the entrance hall and through the double doors on the right. Ron was muttering furiously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face.
The Great Hall was its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the candlelight of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair. The four long House tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in the Great Hall. Ron and Hermione walked past the Slytherins, the Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuffs to sit with the rest of the Gryffindors. The two Gryffindors sat right next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. Hailey, Michael, and Mandy walked right past the Slytherins to the Ravenclaw table, and sat across from the Grey Lady, the Ravenclaw ghost.
"Good evening," the Grey Lady said.
"Good evening," Mandy greeted, smiling.
Hailey squeezed her hair, trying to get rid of the water. "Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'm starving."
The Sorting of the new students into Houses always took place at the start of every school year before the feast, but due to very unlucky circumstances, Hailey hadn't been present at to a Sorting since her own, three years ago. Hailey couldn't help but actually look forward to the Sorting.
"I wonder where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's at, because they're not here," Mandy said looking at the head table.
They never had a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor last more than three terms. Qurriell was pathetic and turned out to be harbouring Voldemort under his turban. Lockhart was a fraud who stole accomplishments from people who actually did the accomplishments and Lockhart wiped their mind after they told him. Hailey's favourite so far had been Professor Lupin, who had to resign last year, because he was a werewolf and Lupin had been competent enough to actually teach them.
"What if they didn't get anyone?" Michael asked, looking at the table.
"They got someone," the Grey Lady replied, "He's just running late."
"Are we ever going to get a female professor?" Mandy wondered.
Hailey looked at tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms professor and Head of Ravenclaw House. He was sitting on a large pile of cushions beside Professor Sprout, the Herbology professor. Her hat was askew over her flyaway grey hair and she was talking to Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy professor. On Professor Sinistra's other side was the sallow-faced, hook-nosed, greasy-haired Potions master, Snape—Hailey's least favourite person at Hogwarts. Hailey loathed him as much as Snape loathed her. Next to Snape was an empty seat, which Hailey guessed was for Professor McGonagall.
In the center sat Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster. He had sweeping silver hair and beard, which was shining in the candlelight. He wore magnificent deep green robes embroidered with many stars and moons. The tips of Dumbledore's long, thin fingers were together and he was resting his chin upon them staring up at the ceiling through his half-moon spectacles as though lost in thought.
Hailey looked up at the ceiling. It was enchanted to look like the sky outside, and she had never seen it look this stormy before. There were black and purple clouds swirling across it, and as another thunderclap sounded outside, a fork of lightning flashed across it.
"I wish they would hurry. I think I could eat two hippogriffs, Fang, and possibly Malfoy over there" Mandy said, glaring at Malfoy. Fang was Hagrid's pet boarhound.
Michael and the Grey Lady looked repulsed at what Mandy said.
The doors to the Great Hall opened and all chatter stopped at once. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first years up to the top of the Hall. The first years looked like they swum across the lake rather than sailed. They were all shivering probably from the cold and nerves as they filed along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school. There was one boy who appeared to be the smallest with mousy hair, and he was wrapped in Hagrid's moleskin overcoat. The coat was so big that it looked as if he was draped in a furry black circus tent.
Hailey watched Professor McGongall placed a four-legged stool on the ground before the first years and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty, patched wizard's hat.
Hailey stared at it, and for a moment there was silence. A long tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth and started to sing a song about how the four founders of the Houses came together to educate young sorcerers. It also sang about how the four founders created Houses after themselves and the traits they chose. Gryffindor chose bravery, Ravenclaw chose cleverness, Hufflepuff wanted hard-workers, and Slytherin chose ambition. It also sang about when the four founders were still alive, they chose which people they Housed, but since they didn't know how to chose students if they died, Gryffindor took off his hat and then they created the Sorting Hat to continue picking students.
After it finished singing, the Great Hall rang with applause. Professor McGonagall unrolled a large scroll of parchment. "When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool," she told the first years. "When the hat announces your House, you will go and sit at the appropriate table." She called out the first name, "Ackerly, Stewart!"
A boy walked forward, trembling from head to foot. He picked up the Sorting Hat, put it on, and sat down on the stool.
"Ravenclaw!" shouted the hat.
Hailey applauded with the others as Stewert Ackerly took off the hat and hurried into a seat at the Ravenclaw table.
"Baddock, Malcolm!"
"Slytherin!"
The table next to the Ravenclaws erupted with cheers.
"Branstone, Eleanor!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Cauldwell, Owen!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Creevey, Dennis!"
Hailey's eyes widened. She knew Dennis's brother, Colin. Colin was a fanboy of hers, who wanted an autograph and took pictures of her. He was also a victim of the basilisk in her second year. Dennis Creevey staggered forward, tripping over Hagrid's moleskin overcoat, just as Hagrid sidled into the Hall through a door behind the teachers' table.
Dennis put on the Sorting Hat and it shouted, "Gryffindor!"
Hagrid clapped along with the Gryffindors as Dennis Creevey, beaming widely, took off the hat, placed it back on the stool, and hurried over to join his brother.
Emma Dobbs went to Ravenclaw. She sat next to Stewart and smiled widely at him.
The Sorting continued; sorting boys and girl who looked terrified. The line was dwindling as Professor McGonagall passed the L's.
Madley, Laura went to the Hufflpuffs and then a McDonald, Natalie went to the Gryffindors.
Pritchard, Graham went to Slytherin and Quirke, Orla went to Ravenclaw. Whitby, Kevin went to Hufflepuff. After him, the Sorting ended. Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and the stool, to carry it away.
Professor Dumbledore got to his, smiling at the students. He spread out his arms in welcome, "I have only two words to say to you," his deep voice echoed around the Hall. "Tuck in."
"Hear, hear!" Mandy and Hailey said loudly as the empty dished filled magically before their eyes.
Hailey happened to look up at the ceiling to see that the rain was still drumming heavily against the high, dark glass. Another clap of thunder shook the windows, and the stormy ceiling flash, illuminating the golden plates as the remains of the first course vanished and were replaced, instantly, with puddings.
Hailey took some treacle tart and reached for some chocolate gateau. Michael reached for it too, and their hands collided. Mandy seemed amused. Hailey and Michael looked at each other. Hailey slapped Michael's hand and tried to get the biggest piece. Michael pushed her hand away and tried to grab it. Hailey slapped Michael's hand away and Mandy seemed amused but she grabbed the slice.
"Hey!" Michael said sounding offended.
"You're both too slow." Hailey glared at her. Mandy was the only one who knew that Hailey fancied Michael.
After the pudding too had been eaten, and the last crumbs faded off the plates, leaving them sparkling clean, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again.
The talking in the Hall ceased almost at once, and it was so quiet that howling wind and pounding rain was the only thing that can be heard.
"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered, 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 list of objections forbidden inside the castle has this year extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be view in Mr Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."
The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
"What?" Hailey gasped and she looked around to see that Mandy looked surprised. She also saw that Roger Davis, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain had looked stunned at the announcement too.
Dumbledore continued, "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—"
There was a deafening rumble of thunder right as the doors of the Great Hall banged open.
Hailey turned to see a man standing in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff. He was shrouded in a black traveling cloak and he was illuminated by a flash of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark grey hair, and then began to walk up toward the teachers' table. With every other step he took, there was a dull clunk that echoed through the Hall. He reached the end of the top table, turned right, and limped heavily towards Dumbledore.
There was another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling, which had illuminated the man's face. His face looked as if it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who didn't know what human faces looked like and that person wasn't skilled with a chisel. Every inch of the man's skin seemed to be scarred and the mouth looked like a diagonal gash and a large chunk of his nose was missing. One eye was small, dark, and beady and the other was large, round as a coin, and vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly, without blinking, and it was rolling up, down, and from side-to-side, quite independently of the normal eye—and then it rolled right over, pointing into the back of the man's head, so that all they could see was whiteness.
The strange reached Dumbledore, stretched out a hand which was badly scarred like his face, and Dumbledore shook it, muttering words that Hailey couldn't hear. The stranger shook his head, unsmiling, and replied. Dumbledore nodded and gestured the man to the empty seat on his right-hand side.
The stranger sat down, shook his mane of dark grey hair out of his face, pulled a plate of sausages toward him. He raised the plate to what was left of his nose, and sniffed it. He took a small knife out of his pocket, speared a sausage on the end of it, and began to eat. His normal eyes was fixed upon the sausages, but the blue eye was still darting restlessly around in its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.
"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."
It was usual for new staff members to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students clapped except Dumbledore and Hagrid. The sound echoed dismally into the silence, and stopped quickly.
"Moody?" Hailey muttered to Michael, "Mad-Eye Moody? The one that Ron's dad went to help this morning?"
Michael nodded, looking to stunned at Moody's appearance.
Moody seemed totally indifferent to his less-than-warm welcome. Ignoring the jug of pumpkin juice in front of him, he reached again into his traveling cloak, pulled out a hip flash, and took a long draught from it. As he lifted his arm to drink, his cloak was pulled a few inches of carved wooden leg, ending in a clawed foot.
"Uh…" Mandy dragged the word out. Her eyes were wide and she was grabbing at a lock of her hair to play with it.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "As I was saying," he was smiling at the students. "We are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has 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."
Hailey jerked in her seat from shock and Fred yelled, "You're joking!"
Hailey couldn't help but laugh, along with nearly everyone else in the Hall. Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively. The tension that had filled the Hall since Moody arrived had broken at that.
"I am not joking, Mr Weasley," Dumbledore said, "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 cleared her throat loudly. "Er—but maybe this is not the time…no…Where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament…well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope that those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.
The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three championships 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."
"Did he just say 'death toll'?" Mandy asked in a high-pitched voice.
Hailey nodded, feeling sick to her stomach. Why were they bringing the Triwizard Tournament back? Especially because it was discontinued due to the death toll?
"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore exlained, "none of which has been very successful. However, our own Departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time; no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.
"The Heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their shortlisted contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."
"This should be fun to watch," Hailey said. "I refuse to join in for this. I want a normal year for once."
"Good idea," Mandy said, looking pale and she whispered, "Death toll."
"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," Dumbledore continued to explain. "The Heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age—that is to say, seventeen years or older—will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This," he raised his voice slightly because several people had made noises of outrage at those words, "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion.
"I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will extend every courtesy to out foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-heated support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop, chop!" He sat down again and turned to talk to Mad-Eye Moody. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet and swarmed toward the double doors into the entrance hall.
Hailey felt better knowing that she wouldn't be able to be a part of the Triwizard Tournament, but she wouldn't have joined if she could anyway. She couldn't help but be feel giddy about it, though. "This is going to be a great year. I wonder who's going to join anyway and who the impartial judge is going to be." Michael and Mandy exchanged looks. Apparently Hailey trying to sound perky was a little freaky to them. She didn't care at the moment. "I wonder what the three tasks are. I know that a former task involved a cockatrice." She frowned. "I could look through a book and see if there might be something in there."
"I don't know how you can be excited about it. There's a death toll," Mandy said.
"You heard Dumbledore," Michael said. "They fixed it so no one's going to be in any serious danger."
Mandy reluctantly nodded, "I guess. I think Fred and George might consider trying to sneak their ways past the judge."
"Of course they are," Hailey said. "We all know that they're going to do it. I wonder how they're going to do it, though."
"You seem…happy," Michael said.
"It's because I can finally have a normal term. I plan on watching whatever it is with you, Mandy, Ron, and Hermione," Hailey said. "I can relax and just…have a normal term."
"I bet that'll anger Malfoy," Mandy said. "He won't have anything to complain about. What's he going to say? 'Damn that Potter. She's doing her homework in the library. Again.'"
Hailey laughed at the thought as they went up the spiral staircase to Ravenclaw tower. After answering the riddle to get inside the tower, Hailey couldn't help but look around the common when she entered. It was a wide, circular room and airy. There was graceful arched windows that punctured the walls. The walls were hung with blue and bronze silks. By day, they would have a nice view of the mountains. The ceiling was domed and painted with stars which was reflected on the midnight-blue carper. There were tables, chairs, and bookcases. In the niche opposite the common room door was a white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. There was a door beside the statue which led to the dorms above them.
They went to the door and opened it. "I think this is going to be a good year," Hailey couldn't help but blurt out, because she was feeling to excited at the thought of having a normal, safe year for once.
Michael said, "A good year to be normal?" They went to the separate staircases for the boys and girls.
"Yes," Hailey said, "A good year to relax and watch the tournament. We certainly can't be a part of it. So, what's the worst thing that can happen?"
Mandy said, "Besides someone dying during it?"
"Dumbledore won't let anyone die during the tournament," Michael called to them from where he was at on the staircase.
Mandy rolled her eyes as they went to the door that had a sign on it that said: Fourth Year Ravenclaw Girls.
Mandy opened the door and they stepped inside the dormitory. There were five poster beds with sky blue covers and drapes for privacy. There was a door off to the side with shower, sink, and toilet. The sound of wind whistling through the turrets was very relaxing.
There trunks had been brought up already and Hailey went to her trunk, pulling out the overly-large grey shirt. She pulled the drapes around her as got changed in the shirt and into bed. There were warming pans between the sheets, but it was actually cozy.
She listened to the storm raging on and the wind whistling through the turrets. It was relaxing enough to the point where she fell asleep.