Fourth year begins

Once again their new defence teacher had enlarged their train compartment. But unlike last year Sirius had decided to leave them alone while he patrolled the train. Still, the compartment quickly filled up when first Daphne and Tracey arrived, this year they were followed by Daphne's younger sister Astoria. A few minutes later Luna Lovegood drifted inside again, and just before the train left Ron and Ginny also joined them. The three third year girls immediately started a discussion about their new subjects, while the fourth years formed their own group.

Daphne had to ensure everybody that she was perfectly alright again. Of course, she added that she was worried about keeping up with the others in their new training regime. To which Tracey snorted and explained that Daphne had been working out like crazy during the last few weeks. They quickly moved on to less important subjects. Every now and then they were interrupted by other students that walked in to say hi. Most of them said a few things about the quidditch world cup before leaving again, only Hannah Abbot stayed a bit longer because she asked: 'Oh, by the way. Do any of you know what is supposed to happen at Hogwarts this year? My father keeps mentioning that the ministry is planning something big.'

Daphne shook her head: 'So does mine. But he doesn't want to tell us about it. It's frustrating really. Do you know anything about it Susan?'

Susan blinked a few times and eventually replied: 'My aunt didn't tell me anything, same for Sirius.' Which was true, but she had studied William's foretellings together with Harry, Hermione and Neville. So she knew perfectly well that this year Hogwarts would host the triwizards tournament. Of course, Hermione was the only one who had actually read up on it. She was also the worst liar of their group, at least when it was between friends. So it was a good thing that nobody was going to ask a muggleborn if she knew anything about it. Even now, Hermione already looked a bit guilty.

Hannah shook her head: 'That's a shame. I really expected you guys to know more.'

'I'll guess Dumbledore will tell us at the feast this evening.' Harry commented and Hannah nodded. Then she shot him an odd look before finally leaving again. Confusingly enough Daphne and Hermione exchanged a grin before Hermione suddenly returned to their earlier talk about what to expect from Sirius as a teacher. He happily joined them though, it was still an odd idea to imagine the most crazy and often immature marauder as a teacher.

When they arrived at Hogsmeade they left the train into a veritable thunderstorm. Ice cold rain was pouring down so fast that Harry wanted to look up and see if anyone was throwing down buckets of water. Hermione commented: 'Oooh, I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake in this weather.'

The others just agreed in silence while sprinting to one of the horseless carriages. Once they arrived at the castle they sprinted inside where they were welcomed by Peeves and his ice cold water balloons. Professor McGonagall stormed out of the great hall to stop the poltergeist, but she skidded on a wet spot of floor and almost strangled Hermione while trying to stay upright. All together, the group that entered the great hall did not look too happy. Although they looked much better than the group of soaked first years that entered a few minutes later.

One of them, Dennis Creevey, actually joined the Gryffindor table and told his other brother Colin, a nice but sometimes too hyperactive third year, that he had actually fell in the lake. Apparently the great squid had pushed him out. Strangely enough both brothers seemed to think it was exciting…

All of them enthusiastically worked their way through the feast, every now and then one of them talked to nearly headless Nick. And soon enough even the last treacle tarts disappeared. Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again. The buzz of chatter filling the Hall ceased almost at once, so that only the howling wind and pounding rain could 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. Most importantly, I should introduce our new defence against the dark arts professor, Mr. Sirius Black.' Next to him Sirius stood up and bowed to the loud cheers from the students. Harry noticed that all DA members looked rather excited about their new teacher.

Dumbledore waited for the cheers to die down before he continued: 'Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been 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 viewed in Mr Filch's office, in 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 in 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?' Harry gasped. He knew about the tournament of course, but nobody had told him it would be in the way of quidditch. He looked around for his fellow members of the Quidditch team. Soon he found Fred and George, they were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak.

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 enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts we will be hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not 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.'

'You're JOKING!' said Fred Weasley loudly.

Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

'I am not joking, Mr Weasley,' he said, 'though, now 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 ...' said Dumbledore. 'Where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament ... well, some of you will not know what this Tournament involves, so I hope those of you 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 a friendly competition between the tree largest European schools of wizardry - Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions 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 the most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities – until, that it, the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued.'

There were some shocked looks at this. But that sentiment did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly with each other, and Harry himself was far more interested in hearing more about the Tournament than in worrying about deaths that had happened hundreds of years ago. Of course, he had read up about it. Or, better, listened to what Hermione had read about it. But he guessed it would be different this time around.

'There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the Tournament,' Dumbledore continued, 'none of which have been very successful. However, our own Department of International Magical Co-operation 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 short-listed 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.'

'I'm going for it!' Fred Weasley hissed down the table, his face lit with enthusiasm at the prospect of such glory and riches.

He was not the only person who seemed to be visualising themselves as Hogwarts champion.

At every house table, Harry could see people either gazing raptly at Dumbledore, or else whispering fervently to their neighbours. But then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more. Privately Harry thought he would be more than happy to simply be an onlooker. 'Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts,' the headmaster said, '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-' Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious – '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.' His light-blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred and George's mutinous faces.

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 all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted 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.'

Dumbledore sat down again and turned to talk to Sirius. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet, and swarmed towards the double doors into the Entrance Hall.

'They can't do that!' said George Weasley, who had not joined the crowd moving towards the door, but was standing up and glaring at Dumbledore. 'We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?'

'They're not stopping me entering,' said Fred stubbornly, also scowling at the top table. 'The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!'

'Yeah,' said Ron, who had also stopped walking to the exit near the twins, a faraway look on his face. 'Yeah, a thousand Galleons ...'

'Come on,' said Hermione, 'we'll be the only ones left here if you don't move.'

Harry, Neville, Hermione, Susan, Ron, Fred and George set off for the Entrance Hall, Fred and George debating the ways in which Dumbledore might stop those who were under seventeen entering the Tournament.

'Who's the impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?' said Harry.

'Dunno,' said Fred, 'but it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of ageing Potion might do it, George ...'

'Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though,' said Ron.

'Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?' said Fred shrewdly. 'Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names.'

'People have died, though!' said Hermione in a worried voice, although Harry was quite sure she wasn't really worrying about that. Instead, she was once again thinking if he could end up in the tournament somehow. It was a shame that they had no idea how it was supposed to happen, so it was difficult to avoid it. Harry didn't really worry about it though, Sirius had told him about the impartial judge in private. Apparently it was some kind of magical artifact and Sirius would guard it with his life as soon as it arrived at Hogwarts.

'Yeah,' said Fred airily, 'but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk? Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?'

'What d'you reckon?' Ron asked Harry. 'Be cool to enter, wouldn't it? But I s'pose they might want someone older ... dunno if we've learnt enough ...'

They made their way up to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which was still protected by the portrait of the fat lady. 'Password?' she said, as they approached.

'Balderdash,' said George, 'a prefect downstairs told me.'

The portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall, through which they all climbed. A crackling fire was warming the circular common room, which was full squashy armchairs and tables. Hermione and Susan only looked around once before bidding them goodnight, and disappearing through the doorway to the girls' dormitories. It was still a bit early, but tomorrow they would wake up before breakfast for a run around the lake together with the other members of their new inner circle. And the four of them had to make a good impression.

Surprisingly Ron immediately followed Neville and Harry when they climbed up the last, spiral staircase until they reached their own dormitory, which was situated at the top of the Tower. Five four-poster beds with deep crimson hangings stood against the walls, each with its owner's trunk at the foot. It was even more surprising that Dean and Seamus were already getting into bed; Harry guessed it had been a long day. But without his plans for the early morning he would have stayed in the common room a bit longer.

Seamus had pinned his Ireland rosette, which still occassionaly shouted the name of an Irish player, to his headboard, and Dean had tacked up a poster of Viktor Krum over his bedside table. Apparently both of them had a good time at the world cup as well. His old poster of West Ham football team was pinned right next to it.

Harry, Ron and Neville got into their pyjamas and into bed. Someone - a house-elf, no doubt - had placed warming pans between the sheets. It was extremely comfortable, lying there in bed and listening to the storm raging outside.

'I might go in for it, you know,' Ron said sleepily through the darkness, 'if Fred and George find out how to ... the Tournament ... you never know, do you?'

'S'pose not ...' Harry rolled over in bed. Of course, there was no way that he was going to enter. In fact, he would try to stay out of it by all possible means. But he could not help imagining himself in a glorious scene. He was standing in the grounds, his arms raised in triumph in front of the whole school, all of whom were applauding and screaming ... he had just won the Triwizard Tournament... Daphne's face stood out particularly clearly in the blurred crowd, her face glowing with admiration...

Harry grinned into his pillow, exceptionally glad that the others couldn't see what he could. Beside that, he hardly thought Daphne's face would be glowing with admiration for something silly like winning a tournament. And according to William's foretelling, his participation in the tournament would lead to the untimely death of another champion. So, no, he was definitely not going to enter. Not even if Fred and George offered him the opportunity.

A/N: I took about half of this chapter from canon and slightly edited it. So, if it looks familiar to you, that's true :D Bit of a short chapter, but next one will be longer again (and more different from canon as well).