"I don't understand those horseless carriages," Bella sighed as they got off of them at the Hogsmeade station. "They get creepier every year." Aly pulled the hood of her robe up above her head as the rain continued to fall harder and harder. Bella was a transfer student from Beauxbatons. She was pretty, with golden blond hair and blue eyes. She transferred last year and they met while on the carriages.

"Definitely." Bella and Aly jumped down from their carriage and hurried up the stone steps into the castle.

"AH!" Bella exclaimed as a water balloon exploded on her head. Aly looked up to see Peeves zooming around with an arsenal of water balloons, throwing them at every student.

"Watch it," Aly said as they ducked around students to get into the Great Hall. They skidded and slipped along the wet floor and then made it to the Hall. It looked like it usually did, golden and brilliant, even with the rain pouring outside. They walked over to the Gryffindor table and took their spots. Aly sighed with happiness.

"It's good to be home," she said. Bella and Aly continued talking about their summers as the other students piled in slowly. Aly waved to Harry, who waved back. He took a seat on the opposite side of her.

"Hello, Aly," he said amicably. "I looked for you."

"Well, I had to fight some first years to get a compartment, so I was probably in the other train." Hermione took a seat next to Aly and Ron, next to Harry.

"This sorting had better go by quick," Ron said angrily. "I'm going mad."

"Poor Ron," Bella said sympathetically. "I'm sure that it hasn't been five minutes that fast." They laughed. Aly turned her attention to McGonagall, who had arrived with the first years. The Hat broke into song like usual, and then the sorting began.

"Did you guys get out all right?" Harry asked, lowering his voice. "I heard the lot of you got caught by some death eaters." Aly tore her attention from the sorting and looked at him hesitantly. She sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, we got out all right."

"Not what from I heard," Ron added, lowering his voice. "My dad said that you got caught in particular..."
"Would you be able to outrun a death eater when he's got you cornered?" Hermione asked angrily. Aly smirked with satisfaction. Ron quieted down as Kevin Whitby was sorted into Hufflepuff. McGonagall took away the hat and stool. Dumbledore stood up.

"Tuck in."

"Hear, hear!" Ron and Harry said loudly as the plates of food appeared before their eyes. Aly smiled and dug into some turkey legs.

"Best food I've ever tasted," Ron said, looking as if he were in heaven.

"Come off it, mate," Harry said rolling his eyes. "It's not like you were about to die."

"How do you know?"

"Bella, did you go back to France?" Hermione asked as she drank her pumpkin juice.

"Of course," Bella grinned. "My parents would kill me if I didn't."

"Why did they send you here?" Aly asked as finished eating her mashed potatoes.

"Well, we're Protestant, my family. And Beauxbatons wouldn't have it."

"They don't stress religion?" Aly asked, appalled.

"Well, no...But they did hold a kind of religious thing...um...Oh! A mass is what it's called."

"And you didn't participate," Aly stated.

"No. And apparently, that was a problem." She sighed. "So, my parents decided to send me to Hogwarts. At least there are no religious restrictions here."

Bella grinned. "Did you know that Beauxbatons is coming here? To Hogwarts?" she asked excitedly.

"Why?"

"It's a tournament," she said excitedly.

"I'm sure that Professor Dumbledore will explain all about it," Aly said. The first course disappeared and was replaced with desserts. "I'll take a bit of that pudding, if you don't mind..."

"We have all been fed, I presume?" Dumbledore asked as he stood, his deep voice echoing throughout the hall. "Good. I must give out some notices."

"Mr. Filch, as always, reminds you that the list of objects forbidden here have been comprised into a list, some 437 items, posted in his office. As always, the forbidden forest is out-of-bounds to all students."

He coughed. "And finally, the real news."

"Firstly, the Quidditch cup will not take place this year."

"Excuse me?" Harry and Aly said in unison.

"However, a more wondrous event will occur-"

Boom. The Great Hall doors banged open.