Lindsay POV
The next morning I awoke to the sound of a tea kettle going off and a busy bee named Hermione. Groggily I wake up and get dressed in the bathroom that way I get all the other stuff done too and then leave to the sound of Hermione waking Harry. Downstairs Lance is up; dressed, fed and looking as impeccable as he can be and compared to him I think a muskrat has a better chance at a beauty contest. Better make that a muskrat and a beaver in a tutu.
Not even dawn yet and we get shoved out of the house, with barely any breakfast and with our heavy bags into the forested area and if that isn't enough our tour guide Mr. Weasley hasn't the foggiest idea of where we are going. Well none of us do either, so between one of us or him leading. I still choose him. Sad isn't it?
"So Lindsay where is that knock yourself out friend of yours?" Fred asked moseying up to me. His brother was walking on the other side of me with a similar smile of interest.
"Yes, the one who brings new meaning to the words Oo la la." Oh what lovely teenage hormones the two wolves have. They even came with sound effects.
"She has business in Milan, but don't worry she is visiting again during the school year. The two of you have plenty of time to embarrass each other around her. Just saying it might be enough." I skip ahead and move to Harry's side on the other was Ron, but look back to see the boys' faces. Confusion then the oh yeah we'll see about that faces.
"Already hounding you about your friend?" Ron asked. "Because they won't shut up about getting answers from me. Even bribed me with licorice wands."
"They have been asking you about Celesta? Why? You only met her for what two minutes?"
"At least, but they think that just because I am closer to you than them that means that I am closer to her too. Thinks you talk about her around me. What am I a girl?"
"Even though Celesta doesn't have that much of an opinion on the two of them, this is bound to make her feel complimented." Which it will. If there is one way to get on her good side it will be to give her a genuine honest compliment. Sometimes I think she likes those more than her designs for her fashion lines. "And no Ron you aren't a girl. Otherwise you'd have better hair." He actually looks at his hair to see what is wrong with it. I tell him I was kidding but he still doesn't look convinced. I fear I may have given the twin's reason to invent gag balding or hair color changing formula.
"Arthur!" A voice sounded towards our group. A man in a hat carrying a walking stick and heavy back pack waved towards us in the grove of trees. He must be the other party we were to accompany. "It's about time, son."
"Sorry Amos, some of us had a sleepy start." Ron, Harry and I were the ones included into that some. "This is Amos Diggory, everyone. Works with me at the Ministry." Right when he said that a pair of feet dropped down from the tree. A boy little bit older than us. He was a bit tall, not lanky in anyway. He had a strong nose (not like Snape's in anyway) and strong cheekbones that did well to compliment his face. Typical high school cutie. "And this strapping young lad must be Cedric, am I right?"
Cedric Diggory? Sounds familiar. Where have I heard of him? Oh right school. We go to the same school. Is he the guy that most of the older girls go gaga over? Mr. Weasley shakes his hand and then we follow on. On and on to a clearing whereas Harry put it best a manky old boot rested. It was this boot that was going to take us to the grounds of the Quiddtich World Cup. We gather around it with Lance takes a firm hold of my arm and then we grip it. Pinwheels have got nothing on the spinning we did holding on to that thing. Round and round we went stopping and falling where everyone knows. Except for Mr. Diggory, Mr. Weasley and Cedric they float down with little trouble. We have landed on a smooth grass clearing with hundreds of tents staked into the ground and a huge arena farther down.
"Well, kids, welcome to the Quidditch World Cup!" It was a sight. There were jugglers juggling these jellyfish looking things, people playing music, at least one guy had a sitar and others were flying on broomsticks one came in a bit too close forcing us to duck, except Lance who pulled me out of the way like a car was going to gun us down. Normally I would ask him to tone down the whole body guard thing, but today it didn't matter to me as much since the atmosphere was taking my attention. We parted ways with the Diggorys to find our tent it was a modest tent from the outside that Harry was confused about how we were going to fit. Once we entered that was a different story. It had enough room for all of us. We chose our bunks, unpacked our bags and had a little something to eat. With a little time left before the first match we went out and explored. Ginny and I stuck close together and met up with some friends of mine.
"Eily!" I shout to the red head. She turns around and her face lights up as she walks over towards Ginny and me.
"Lass! I didn't know I would be seein ya here after all. Now who is this, a school horse?" I nod and introduced Ginny. Confused she asks.
"Horse?"
"Horse is Irish slang for friend. I explain to Ginny. Eily O'Hara is a family friend for the Emerald Isle. No doubt the biggest supporter of the Irish team." Eily beams.
"Especially tonight when my team wins. We'll be havin a big old hooley."
"Not unless my team wins first." Bulgaria said his chest out in pride like a lion's. Should have seen that one coming.
"Oh really now? Would ya be willin to makin a wager to that remark?" Ireland stared him down and Bulgaria not even thinking about it tells her to bring it on. The bet is set that whoever's team loses has to be the waiter at the winner's victory party tonight. Including what they had to wear. This was so going to be photographed for the next World Meeting. The conversation quickly gets into a mine is better than yours argument giving Ginny and I the leave way to make like a banana and split for the stadium to rejoin the others.
The stadium was packed with thousands of people and the energy was ripe with electricity. People covered in paint, wearing the colors of their teams chanting out words of victory and encouragement. Too bad it didn't help us as we marched up the stairs and stairs of steps we had traveled to get to our seats. We were I think on our three or four thousandth step when one of us finally voiced something.
"Blimey Dad, how far up are we?" Thank you, Ron.
"Well put it this way: If it rains…you'll be the first to know." All of turn to the voice. It was Mr. Malfoy with his same annoying award winning way into myself smug face and trailing right behind him was the runner up. Draco. Lance was the only other person outside my friends and boyfriend (I love calling Neville my boyfriend) who knew about what Draco did. He was not happy to see him. And what was the worst about that was his eyes were getting lighter. A sign he was tapping into his inner power.
"Father and I are in the minister's box…by personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge himself." Draco added to rub salt in our faces. His father did something I didn't expect. He butted Draco with the end of his cane. The one that I knew contained his wand. First year of Hogwarts taught me that.
"Don't boast, Draco." He was scolding his son for boasting? The world must be ending! "There's no need with these people." And false alarm guess the world is save another day. I turn and find something is not right. Wait a minute where's Lance?
"These people as you put it are decent compared to your son." Lance came out of the shadows as if he had been formed from them as he approached Draco and his father. Confusing the others in our group as to how he got down there so fast without anyone seeing him. But me he was tapping into the source. Mr. Malfoy assesses my brother. His eyes trail and I can see that there is a spark of disproval. Nothing new since he seems to disapprove of most things.
"Lance don't bother they're not worth it. You can see them." Both parties chose to ignore me. Why am I not surprised?
"And to what do you refer to as decency? People who associate with certain…" He looks up at us before looking back to Lance. "…undesirables."
"Undesirable, you say? Well what do you have to say about someone who forces themselves on another?"
"I would say they have ill-bred parents." Lance chortles the way of well breeding. Mr. Malfoy cocks his brow in annoyance ready to roll his eyes at the first thing Lance had to say next. "I fail to see the humor. Care to explain what allows you laughter?"
"Your choice of words, Mr. Malfoy. You commented on yourself." His eyes widen to owl's envy and his temper was starting to show.
"How dare you. You insolent pup Insulting me like this will not be taken lightly."
"Mr. Malfoy to clarify I have not insulted you as you have insulted yourself. I asked you what you thought of someone who forces themselves on another and you were the one to say they had ill-bred parents. Not I. I merely pointed out that you are talking about yourself. Since your son forced himself onto my sister." Lance has lost the laughter and has it out for the slaughter.
"What the devil are you talking about?"
"Ask your son. He trapped her and forced a kiss from her. Something that he as a member of the Malfoy should never have done." Mr. Malfoy turns to his son a sneer was seen.
"Is this true Draco?" Draco did not meet his father's eyes or answer at first. His eyes went to mine. He then answered.
"She wanted it."
"I what?!" I shout.
"Rubbish!" Shouts Fred and George.
"He's lying." Lance says calm, eerily calm.
"If you do not mind I shall deal with my son accordingly. The rest of you do enjoy the show, won't you? While you still can." He pushed Draco away and Lance came to rejoin us. He was unhappy about the ending of the confrontation, but was willing to put on the backburner to enjoy the game. I mentally told him thank you for at least trying before we made it to our seats. Which were actually really good. We could see the whole show from here. The Irish team zooms past us in green and white smoke. Fireworks blaze to form a river dancing leprechaun. The Bulgarians zoom in through the fireworks display at the head was Krum. He zooms through the air and does a handstand upon his broom exiting the crowd with his aerial acrobatics.
Fudge releases a glowing light that signals the beginning of the game. Oh and what a game it was. Bulgaria came so close to winning and Krum, what a seeker the way he moved was like an eagle with sights on a rabbit. Didn't hurt that he was nice and hunky too. I was entranced with the whole show but half way through I was starving. So I had to leave, which was harder than it sounded, and get some food.
"I'll have some popcorn, a pumpkin juice and ah…Do you have any candies?"
"Yes, Mam. We have Spindle's Lick 'O' Rish Spiders, chocolate frogs, salt water taffy and jelly slugs."
"Give me a chocolate frog then." The concession stand employee puts together the order while I put the money together to pay him. While I was counting it out someone made an unscheduled appearance.
"I should have guessed you would be here." I jump at the sound of his voice almost dropping my coins.
"Like you know anything about me Malfoy." I roll my eyes and pay for the snacks so I could leave his presence. Should have known that it wasn't going to be that simple with a Malfoy around. He cuts off my path and I divert to the side and he goes the same way. Then back and forth for a while till finally I break down and ask him what he wanted.
"Nothing but the chance to…to…to."
"To do what? To insult me or perhaps my friends? To try and humiliate me? To what?" He looks away from me looking upset and then back again.
"I want a chance to apologize." Does this guy think I have stupid written on my forehead? "I know you don't believe me but I do wish to say that I am sorry about the incident from last year." He says it so posh and without feeling that I knew it was not sincere.
"Really. You had all the rest of the year and the summer to apologize and you pick now after your father found out about what you did to apologize? Don't be surprised that I don't believe you and I don't accept your half thought apology." I brush past him and his arm encircles mine, but his touch isn't harsh.
"Please just listen to me. I am sorry about the kissing you against your will. It was just irritating me that you and Neville were getting closer and…the rumors about the two of you being closer…"
"Why do you care if Neville and I are close? It's not like you have any interest in…" The dawning came to me. "Oh my goblin days! You mean that you…that you…like me? I'm leaving." His grip tightens to keep me there.
"It's not that hard to believe."
"With the way you insult me, yes it does."
"I'm serious though. I do find you rather attractive." Note the slight blushing. "And just think about the benefits of dating me." Nothing was coming to mind. "The elevated social status, the numerous parties, wider social circle and you will be dating Hogwarts most desired bachelor."
"Not according to your age and Pansy. She says she is your girlfriend and if you are dating her then I have no interest with being the second girlfriend."
"I only went on one date with her and she thinks we are together. But it isn't the case. Don't be jealous. She's nothing compared to you." He said pulling me into his arms and I shove him away to get out. Nearly dropping the delicious popcorn.
"Draco, stop it! I have no interest in dating you or forgiving you at this moment. Since all that you have shown me is how much of an immature dunce you are." I trot off a good distance before giving him the final blow. "And you should know this. Neville. Is. My. Boyfriend. Get used to it." I didn't look back to savor the victory after I went off to rejoin my friends. Now that I had the Spindle's Lick 'O' Rish, jelly slugs, chocolate frogs, salt water taffy and half a pumpkin juice. It was a long trip back and I was still hungry. It was just getting down to the final death mode when I made to my seat. Quickly Ginny filled me while helping herself to a jelly slug or two. I could hear Ron rooting loudly for the Bulgarians. They may not have won but they did a bang up job.
At the end of the match we returned to our tent to enjoy the victory of the Irish and poke fun at Ron with a song about him and Krum. I wondered if I should crash Ely's party with the others when noises outside the tent caught all of our attention.
"Sounds like the Irish have their pride on." Fred stated as we heard the loud sounds from outside the tent. That a few seconds ago Mr. Weasley went out to see about.
"If Eily is a part of it, then it is possible." I tell the Weasley twin. Mr. Weasley returns.
"Stop! Stop it! It's not the Irish." He moves towards the back with Ginny, Hermione and Me. "We've gotta get out of here. Now!" We dash out the door and into the crowd of screaming running people. Despite all the screams one line we heard. Get out, it's the Death Eaters! "Get back to the Port key, everybody, and stick together! Fred, George! Ginny is your responsibility."
"And you are mine." Lance said taking hold of my arm and beginning his way through the river of people. If he could he would have carried me across the way to safety. Thankfully he doesn't. I can see fires have started and have already burnt down a few tents. There was a group of long hooded people covered with face masks marching in box form chanting something I didn't even want to know. They must be the death eaters I thought. We run faster from them. But I find myself slipping from Lance's grasp from each person knocking into me. I run faster to make up for it. Then I hear Hermione scream for Harry. I turn around and see that he has fallen way behind. That was the last look I had at him for some time.
Harry POV
Time ticks on and the fires have burnt most of the tents to the ground. Barely anyone is here. I rise from the ground still feeling disoriented from before. Still I can make out the form of a man in the distance. He conjures something in the air. A green light that forms and changes to skull and out of the skull comes the slithering serpent. A sign that this can't be good. I can hear shouts in the distance and run towards them. I can see two people running together; upon closer inspection I see it is Ron and Hermione coming towards me.
"Harry, are you alright?" He was looking at the sky. I look back and find that the man is gone.
"What is that?" I ask before I find myself griping my forehead in pain. Suddenly the field is alight with the points of wands as voices order Stupefy! We duck to avoid the bow of the wands and stay down as magical charges go off around us.
"Stop! That's my son!" Mr. Weasley runs towards us at stop speed. "Ron, Harry, Hermione, you all right?"
"We came back for Harry." Ron explained.
One of the wizards, the leader of the group, comes over towards us with his wand at the ready and starts accusing us of conjuring that sickening thing in the sky.
"Do not lie! You've been discovered at the scene of the crime." He accuses again with his wand at the ready. He would probably have shot at us at the sound of a squeaking mouse.
"Barty! They're just kids." Mr. Weasley explains to him.
"What crime?" I ask. Even though it did sound stupid to me as crimes such as aggressive vandalism has been committed, but we could hardly be blamed for that. Hermione explains that the image in the sky is the dark mark and that it is the mark of you guessed it Voldermort.
"The people in the masks, that were here tonight, they're his too?"
"The Death Eaters." Mr. Weasley answers. Barty begins to go off after he learns of the man I had seen. We on the other hand are escorted by Mr. Weasley to a haven for the rest of the night. When we arrived I see Ginny, George and Fred, but not Lindsay or her brother. Strange? Shouldn't they be here with us?
"Where are Lindsay and Lance? Did they get caught up in crossfire or something?"
"It was nothing like that Harry. But they were escorted somewhere. We don't know where. We tried asking but no one would tell us anything. They kept telling us it was ministry business." Hermione said it as if they had implied to her that they were involved somehow. How ludicrous could they get if they thought Lindsay and her brother had something to do with what happened.
"Oh don't sound so worried over it. I'm sure it's just a precaution to see if they are alright. They are American citizens and no one wants this to become an international issue. She'll see all of you soon and she will be on the train to Hogwarts with all of you before you know it." How Mr. Weasley was both wrong and right at the same time. Right that Lindsay was on the train with us to Hogwarts, but wrong about seeing her soon as we found out. It started when the three of us were on the Train and Hermione had picked up the latest Daily Prophet. The Front page was divided into two stories one about the Quiddtich World Cup and the other was…
"Hidden Rulers: Quidditch World Cup Disaster Nearly Takes Lives of Royal Heirs?!" All of us converge over the paper to see the headline for ourselves. At first to find out whom the royals were, but then we saw the pictures and other questions came to mind.
"Bloody hell." Ron had picked the perfect words. It is not every day you find out that someone you call a friend for nearly three years is in fact an heir to a royal family. I urge Hermione to read what the article had to say.
"The Quidditch World Cup an event normally held to show the best of the best in the sport so beloved by the wizarding world. Found itself hoisting a variety of problems with the radical actions of the Death Eaters. Putting not only innocent civilians at risk of death. But the lives of two heirs to a royal family not seen in public eye in perhaps thousands of years. The two heirs were taken to a safe area and stayed there for a number of days under the strictest and best of security. The royal family is identified as Jareth, not just a royal of rock and roll, but as the king of Underground the Kingdom of the Fae. His Queen of course is famed novelist Sarah Williams King. The royal heirs are Lance Tristan King and Irida Lindsay King. Irida or Lindsay, as she tends to go by, is a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. To which she shall be tending this year as a fourth year student. In both Celebration of the upcoming and newly reinstated Triwizard Tournament and of the Fae rejoining the Wizarding World, Princess Irida shall be teaching classes to both Hogwarts and tournament participating students about the rich culture and history of the Fae people and kingdom."
"Bloody hell."
"You said that already Ronald." Hermione said rereading the article again.
"Well what else could I say? Our friend is a princess? A princess of a kingdom of fairy tale creatures? Lindsay or Irida or your highness? A princess."
"It's not as glamorous as it sounds." In the doorway was our friend in question. A shy away look on her face. She brushed a strand of hair from her face as she entered our compartment. "I know you guys have questions so fire away."
"You bet we have questions! Why didn't you tell us about being a princess?" Hermione threw her Daily Prophet up to emphasis her point. Showing the picture of our friend in her crown. She looked embarrassed at the photo.
"It's not like I could if I wanted to. I wasn't really allowed to tell anyone. Besides would you have believed me if I said that I was the princess of a group of beings no one has seen in public since the Middle Ages?"
"Still you could have hinted at it." Ron pointed out.
"My people have done that for a long time. No one really notices except for maybe a few. Like Lewis Carroll, he even hinted at it himself. But he did have quite a few liberties with the stories."
"What stories?"
"Really? Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Through the Looking Glass, so on and so on. The Red and White Queens are my Dad's sisters. My aunts. If you really want to hear something that will blow your mind then listen to this. My mother's book series Heart of the Labyrinth is based on my Mom's and Dad's romantic life."
"So that part in the first book where Carol wishes away Freddy is actually real only your mum and uncle Toby are them? And the whole what no one knew was that the goblin king had fallen in love with the girl and had given her certain powers, is also a reference to your mother and father?"
"The whole book is more of a biography or autobiography for my Dad. Kind of like Virginia Woolf wrote Orlando for her lover. But way less overblown with detail and more factual than Orlando was."
"So now that you are revealed to be a princess do we have to address you as your highness or Princess Irida?"
"No, Harry. Please don't do that. Just call me Lindsay. Like you guys have done for three years. I mean your my friends it would be way wrong to have you guys call me your highness."
"Why don't you go by your first name?" Ron asks.
"It's simple to explain. When my parents were deciding names for Lance and I they each thought of one and arranged the names to sort of fit in this scenario of one is for royalty's sake hence Irida and Lance. The others were for us to just live with Lindsay and Tristan. But with Lance he preferred his royal name and that was not the case with me. Any other questions that I can answer? Keep in mind certain ones you will have to wait for when my class begins." She had a bit of trouble with making her seem alright with teaching a class.
The trip to Hogwarts didn't continue with a load of questions but instead went back to what usually happens on the way to Hogwarts. The trolley came by where I ran into Cho Chang, she looked as beautiful as the first time I saw her at the quidditch match of Gryffindor verses Ravenclaw. Unfortunately Lindsay caught me staring and started humming the song we used on Ron at the Qudditich World Cup when he was going on about Viktor Krum. Till I asked her to stop it then everyone joined in.
Fast Forward to when the schools began to arrive.
Celesta POV
The two other schools arrived. One was inside a handsome carriage pulled by Abraxan horses and the other was a ship that shot itself out of the water showing how large and vast it was. Typical of males no?
The school with the handsome carriage is well known to me and I cannot yet wait to meet up with the headmistress of the school. Sadly with all this work I shall arrive later than intended. I have to check in with the ministry's security force to see if they have done their rounds and then I can go to the Great hall.
"Come on Celesta let's get you to the party." My cousin, sing songed as she pulled me by my arm up onto my feet. Her blond curls bouncing with each movement in willowy form.
"Not yet. Mon Cusine. I have got to zee the Ministry men." Was not going to be as much fun as it seemed, not that it was fun in the first place.
"No need. Took care of it for you. Right now our important job is to see that our friend is safe and sound and to mingle with the other schools. Perhaps you will hook up with one of those masculine Drumstrang Boys? Their performance was quite heart pounding. If you catch my drift."
"I am not interested in dating right now. Even if they do show 'big' features." Jena blushes at the hinted meaning. I have had my share of lovers but I have been hurt too much to try and find one at this time. The last paramour was more than a failure. It was something that I shall never admit to.
"I just think you need to date a nice guy. Perhaps even that Weasley boy you mentioned." I stopped moving about. "I heard that he wanted to see you at the Quidditch World Cup. Actually I think there were two who were interested in seeing you."
"Which one? There are two of those boys and both found me appealing. But as I have said before I do not have time for such things. I don't even have time for security work. What was the king thinking?! I am a fashion designer?! Not a Charles's Angel!" Jena takes my shoulders and steers me away from the cumbersome papers that lined my desk.
"Come on. Let's head into the Great Hall. Lindsay hasn't seen us yet since she arrived here and don't forget your old friend from the Academy."
"How could I forget her or the girls?" I say playfully. Together we exit the room and head to the Great Hall; already there was the ruckus of three schools getting to know each other. We enter and find already my old friends are glad to see me. One, the princess I greet quickly as I have another dear old friend to see. I walk with perfect posture and graceful gait to the table for the Headmasters and Mistresses and other teachers. One I am very happy to see. She stands to her full height and holds out her arms.
"Celesta! C'est Magnifique!" We hug and kiss each other's cheeks. "Look at you still ze designer a la mode!"
"And you ze cream de la crop."
"How are you mon bon Amie?"
"I would be tres bien, if ze king would just let me stick to fashion. I have to be security now too."
"Dommage."
"Don't I know it. But I am glad to zee the uniforms I designed are still as lovely as I remember them."
"Pardon me, Ms. Celesta, but you designed the Beauxbatons uniforms?" Madame McGonagall asked.
"Mai oui. I was but a student under my great mentor when I designed them though. Still I consider them one of my true successes before leaving my apprentice hood."
"But the uniform has not changed in over sixty-five years. I know because I was thinking that our uniforms could do with a little change and wanted the designer, but she would have to be in at least her late seventies."
"Well that is flattering, but I am eighty-one years old."
"How can that be?"
"Madame you do not know?" Madame Olympe said turning to the professor. Madame McGonagall replied that, no she did not know what she was referring to. "Why Mademoiselle Celesta is a half-vampire. Born from a human merchant from Orleans and a vampire military expert of Russian descent."
"I do not believe I have ever heard of a half vampire. I thought that due to the living dead state that they are incapable of having children? I mean past the biting thing."
"It is so for some. For others it is not so hard. But still quite rare, I understand your confusion. It has been lovely but I must return to looking after my princess."
"Of course. But do come and visit while we are here. I would talk to you about a gown."
"Any time for you Olympe. Au revoir." I wave goodbye to them and head back to where Lindsay was sitting but I get stopped by two very persistent boys.
"Hello." They both say to me.
"Hello to ze to of you." Each takes up a side.
"Good to see that you are talking to us again. By the way Fred wants to ask you out." Fred was about to strike his brother but the smarter twin went dashing off before a blow could be received. Leaving Fred looking like a blushing baboon with a half posed swing.
"Please forget what my brother said and if you will excuse me I have a problem to sort out." I nod and he went off and if George was smart he had already left the hall. I take a seat near my friend and my cousin. Already she was having vision issues. By that I mean her visions were going off without a sudden stop. I do feel bad for Jena she will have a massive headache in the morning after this.
Irida/Lindsay POV
Since starting school things have been different, not that unexpected seeing as I have been revealed to the world as a princess. But it was just odd how some people who have known me for almost three years were starting to act like they were meeting me for the first time. Even Seamus, he even called me Mam. I haven't even heard him call any of the professors' mam. Neville I was sorry to see acting like that too. Well he didn't call me mam. But he was being far more formal around me than he should be. I mean we are dating. But the weirdest reaction came from pug face, Pansy. She was being nice to me. Saying she would be glad to have me hang out with her and her friends one day. Boy I had a feeling there would be brown noses popping up when I came back. I just never thought it would be from Pansy. I always thought that even if her and her group knew who I was she would still hold me in the same regard as before. But I guess I was wrong.
Anyway the Triwizard Tournament was in full buzz at Hogwarts as the schools had been introduced in some rather entertaining ways I might add. I know the boys were star struck by the girls of Beauxbatons. The opening ceremony was soon to begin. Everyone couldn't wait and were ready to see when they could enter. I could hear the twins already boast about how they would win the tournament. I believe Fred was doing it more to impress Celesta. Yes, it was obvious that he was twitter patted with her. Celesta was well hard to figure out with relationships. She did date often at least she did some time ago. But since her dating pool has dried to a desert it seemed to become.
But worrying about her will have to come later right now I had to see if there was anything that I can do to get Jena to derail from the vision express. She was shooting off visions that were coming to her stronger and quicker if she didn't break her connection to the inner eye now she could go into deep slumber for at least a month.
"Jena. What's forty two times eighty nine dived by a hundred and fourteen times the sum of a weasel's average weight?" That does the tick. Math always distracts her from vision searches.
"3770.789473684211 is the answer." Her eyes aren't the size of saucers anymore so she is out of her vision palooza.
"I zee coming over here to stop Jena for going overboard with visions is now pointless thanks to you." Celesta said standing behind us. I invite her to sit with us, but she declines saying something about her being behind in work and that she was having hunger pains for a different substance and left the Great Hall. It was after she left that they brought in the Triwizard Tournament Cup out for all to see Dumbledore began the ceremony.
"Your attention, please." He called out to the hall and silence out of respect followed. "I'd like to say a few words. Eternal glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks." Glad I am not evening thinking of attempting to sign up for this tournament. I already will have my hands full teaching the class and adding possible death to the busy schedule is not a wise move. However the twin's think it is wicked. "For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this...we have the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Mr. Bartemius Crouch." I saw a man try to weave through to get to where Dumbledore was standing and I recognized him as the man who kept reassuring us that everything was being taken care of and they would see to our safety at the Quidditch World Series. After the whole Death Eater's incident that is. But right when he was about to come forth a huge bolt of lightning started to go berserk from the enchanted celling. Two wizards who were part of the protection squad dog piled on me should the bolt come at me. I pushed them away in order to see what would happen next and saw a flash reach to the ceiling and calm the storm. I shove away the goons and look like everyone else to the mysterious man.
"Bloody hell. It's Mad-eyed Moody." Ron said as if dazed.
"Alastor Moody? The Auror?" Hermione asked to clarify.
"Auror?" someone asked couldn't see who, Goons still too close for comfort.
"Dark wizard catcher." Ron explains for once and not Hermione. "Half the cells in Azkaban are filled thanks to him." Ron went on to further detail the man known as Mad eye. "He's supposed to be mad as a hatter, though, these days." In silence the room watches as he hobbles about with an obvious limp. Dumbledore greets him warmly as his friend before they part. We couldn't help but notice that he was taking a swig of something. To which I believe that Harry is right about. It does not seem to be pumpkin juice. Finally Crouch says what he came to say.
"After due consideration the Ministry has concluded that, for their own safety no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard Tournament." Already the roars of upset youths filled the room. The twins were very vocal about saying how much rubbish it was. "The decision is final."
"Silence!" Bellowed Dumbledore and that calmed everyone down a bit. Though some in the room looked ready to start seething again. Dumbledore removed the golden hue to show a simple goblet in the center. That soon bellowed forth a flame of bright blue fire. "The Goblet of Fire. Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament need only to write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly." He warned. "If chosen there is no turning back. As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."
The rest of the night was mostly filled with talk of the tournament and the whole rule about the age to enter was hogwash. Courtesy of the twins for a good part of that. After the meal was finished the schools each went their own ways to the dorms. Which thankfully I have both Hermione and Ginny as roommates again. But before I could get some sleep was derailed to meet up with Professor McGonagall. I had to wait at least thirty minutes till the hall was empty of all other students and teachers till the professor came to me.
"What do we have to talk about Professor McGonagall?" I ask her as she looms over me. Expecting some sort of message from my parents. But no she said to follow her and not make a sound. We walk along the corridors and down stairs into a room filled with goblets and chalices and awards I think of some kind. Not just the trinkets lied in this room there were other things in there. Or should I say other people in there. There was of course the Professor Dumbledore as he made the most sense to be there. And there was also the headmaster Karkaroff and the headmistress Maxime. What did they want with me? Did I already cause some kind of wave? Like serving food that both Greece and Turkey claimed to have invented and won't budge about who is wrong? Okay I'm sure I haven't gotten to that point yet.
"Welcome Princess Irida. I will keep this short as it is time for students to head for bed." Professor Dumbledore starts off. To which I thank him for saying this would be quick.
"Mousier Dumbledore are you sure it is wise to involve her in this? She is herself still a child and her age goes against the requirements of the Ministry." Were they going to suggest I enter the tournament? Because there is no way in all of Tarrant's hat designs that I am going to enter that tournament.
"It is not like we are putting into the completion." Headmaster Karkaoff clarified. Though not to the best degree since I still had no idea what it was that they were talking about.
"Let me clarify for you what the three of us are getting at, your highness." I was starting to get sick of the formal address. "The three of us ask that you as a representative of your country play the part of a referee of sorts in the Triwizard tournament." I answer as to best that I could manage.
"I'm lost already. What is it that you want me to do, exactly?" Dumbledore's half-moon glasses began to do a twinkling effect as he was about to answer.
"It is quite simple Lindsay we wish for you to act as referee of the tournament."
