When they entered the Great Hall, Hermione sat with the rest of her fellow Gryffindors, next to Harry and Ron. For her, they were like her brothers since their first year at Hogwarts. When she was little she always had wanted a sibling, but when she met them, it was like getting two instead of one.
While the sorting ceremony took place, her eyer wandered around the rest of the Hall. She found Luna sitting at the Ravenclaw table, looking around her. She always thought her to be an odd creature. Then she went on to look at the Slytherin table, were it wasn't hard to find Pany, sitting next to Draco. They were laughing at one of the new year's sorted into Huffflepuff who had tripped over his own robes.
Hermione rolled her eyes at her antics and took her eyes off of her. She despised Pansy. Or at least people like her, she wasn't sure anymore. What she did know was that she could never be friends with her.
When the Sorting Ceremony ended, Dumbledore walked to the podium to announce something.
"This year, Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry is going to host the Triwizard Tournament. Two other schools, apart from Hogwarts itself, are going to be participating". Everyone around her started talking is shushed voices. Hermione frowned, as she had never heard of said competition, and she didn't like not knowing something that happened in her school. She thought she knew everything from what she read on Hogwarts: a history, but she couldn't remember anything relative. Dumbledore's voice sounded again and she looked up at him "The schools attending will be Beauxbatons Academy og Magic and the Institute Durmstang. Both will come with a champion of their own, as will Hogwarts. I hope yor are able to recognize this stage in your education as an oportonity to learn more about the magic world out there and how it works in other parts of the world. Without question, there is a lot more to learn beyond the walls of this castle. Now, without further delay, let the feast begin!".
Everyone around her launched themselves towards the food that had just appeared in front of them with the last words of their Headmaster. Ron, hands full and face already dirty, nudged her on the side to grab her attention.
"Pass me the mashed potatoes" Ron said looking directly at it. The young witch rolled her eyes and complied. She then caught part of the conversation her friends were having. "As I was saying Harry, Krum is the best seeker there is right now, no doubt bout that. You should have seen him at the World Cup, he was incredibly fast".
Harry looked at his friend while he too ate (with better manners, granted) and nodded at his comments. Apparently, Viktor Krum was on the Bulgarian Quidditch team as well as on his last year at Durmstang.
"What about Beauxbatons? I haven't heard much of them" Hermione asked, curiously.
"I head that's an all-girls school". It was Ginny who replied to her question. Hermione looked at her, sitting in front of the trio right next to Neville. "At least that's what I think".
"Yeah, and they say one of the requirements is that you have to be some kind of godess to get in. 'Theyon't' accept ugly people" Hermione snorted at Ron's antics and lack of manners, speaking with his mouth still full. But what unnerved her was the fact that everyone seemed to know more than her about that topic. She would have to make a stop at the library before going to the common room. She wanted to know all she could before their arrival so she could make a good first impression for her school. She was sure she couldn't leave that to Ron.
The feast ended and the teachers announced it was time to leave for their common rooms. All the houses got up and followed their prefects, but Hermione took a detour towards the big library. Harry looked at her and frowned, but she dismissed him with her hand and went on her way.
After a couple of minutes, Hermione was walking down the hallway when a voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Miss Granger, I'm afraid that is not the right direction to get to your common room". Professor McGonagall was standing behind her with her unreadable expression on, the one she always carried with her.
Hermione sighed, knowing she had been caught doing something wrong, but she hoped her professor would understand her will.
"Professor, I felt I had to look more into this tournament and the other schools before they arrived, and going to the library is normally the most fruitful". Hermione observed her Head of House's reaction, but her expression was as stern as ever.
"I'm afraid, miss Granger, that you will have to wait until tomorrow. Tonight you must go back to your common room with the rest. Be grateful I am not retrieving points from your house". Hermione, hearing this, nodded her head and forfeited for now. She walked before her professor, and she could feel her eyes burning into her scalp.
Once at the Gryffindor Tower, McGonagall stopped next to the portrait of the Fat Lady and watched her go inside after giving her the password. Hermione was received by the voices of their friends and other students, perched around the sofas and chairs in their Common Room. She picked out her two best friends sitting on the floor close by the fire with Neville and Ginny. She walked towards them, a smile plastered on her face. She could wait until tomorrow to go to the library, she decided.
"Hey 'Mione, where were you?" Harry was the first to notice her, and scooted over on the ground to make room for her. She gladly sat between him and Ginny and sighed before answering.
"I wanted to go to the library, but McGonagall saw me and made me come here". She watched as her friends tried to stiffen their laughs miserably, and frowned at their reaction.
"Only you couldn't wait until tomorrow morning to pay a visit to the library. Honestly, it doesn't surprise me though" Ginny said to her right. She looked at them amused for a couple of seconds before rolling her eyes and smiling too.
"I happen to like my education. And so do you, as you always seem to ask me for my notes and my help for your papers" Hermione directed a look toward her two best friends while saying the last words. They smiled and laughed a bit more and their conversation continued on like that.
Soon after, it was time for bed. They parted ways and Hermione found herself in the dorm room she shared with Parvati and Padma, who were talking loudly about the boys in their house. She rolled her eyes and changed her clothes quickly before getting in bed.
She had missed Hogwarts, she always felt safe in the castle, even though that was rarely the case with Harry Potter close. Still, she could bear with it as long as she got her two best friends close.
With that in mind, she fell into a peaceful slumber and dreamt of dragons and feathers.
"Fleur!" the blond turned around after hearing her name. She recognized her little sister running after her. Once she reached her and her mother, she was panting "Don't leave yet" she pleaded.
Fleur looked at her with sorrow, and she gently took her sister in her arms. "Don't be afraid, I will be back before you know it. Meanwhile you will have to take care of Bugul Noz for me, ok?" The witch knew that would lighten up Gabrielle's mood, as she always seems to have had a connection with the creature living in their forest. Some of her ancestors found Bugul centuries ago, and took pity on him and invited him to the Delacour's Cheatau. Since then, he had been living there, occasionally coming closer to the gardens and, eventually, making friends with the girls. "Someone will have to look after him and make sure he doesn't get to sad. Will you do that for me?" she grabbed her sister's shoulders and pecked each of her cheeks sweetly.
Grabrielle looked down and sniffled before looking at her once again. "I will, but we will both miss you. Come back, ok?" Fleur could see she was holding back tears, and she found it hard to hold back her own.
"Don't worry, I'll come back to you. I love you Gabrielle" she hugged her one more time before turning around and getting into the carriage that had been waiting for her. Her mother said some words to her sister, but she couldn't hear them. Instead, she focused on the window sill of the carriage, suddenly becoming very interesting.
It wasn't until her mother got in and the Therestrals took flight that she closed her eyes and let out a sigh.
"You need not worry about her" said Apolline, sitting in front of her daughter. Fleur just nodded as a response. "We should go over your plan one more time, to make sure we are not missing anything" Said the Veela. They had gone over it over a hundred times already and the young witch was starting to feel agitated. She didn't look at her mother, but started talking instead.
"I will travel with the Beauxbatons students to Hogwarts, and three other Veelas will be with me at all times. Once there I will observe the other champions for weeks, I will have to know what they're reactions are going to be. I will do all I can at the tasks. If I win, this will be over in less than a year and I'll come back home. If I don't, well... depends on the outcome. In the best of the scenarios, if I just lose, I'll come back and I'll be disowned from the title of heiress and will have to leave the clan" Fleur finished with sadness in her eyes. Her mother took her hand from her lap and stroked it with her thumb.
"You will not lose. You are a Veela, the heiress of the European Clan. When you come back, you will be ready to start looking for your mate, and once you find him, you will be the new leader of us all. This is your trial, Fleur, what you have been waiting for all your life. I know you won't disappoint us. You won't disappoint me". With that, she stopped her motion on Fleur's hand after giving her one last squeeze.
Fleur still hadn't looked at her mother once since they left their home. She knew every Veela leader had to prove themselves before receiving the charge, but it was overwhelming for her.
There were other implications as well to this tournament. She really had to think for the best strategy once she got to know all her competitors. It was the freedom of the magical creatures that was at stake, she couldn't mess it up. If she went down early on the tournament, she would make them look weak, too manageable and docile. If that happened, would wizards think it was their chance to chain them? That wouldn't end well.
And if she lost, that would mean the end for her. For starters, she would have to flee her home and look for a clan that would accept her, if there were any. She wouldn't be able to see her family or friends anymore.
But if she ended up crushing them, wouldn't that be worse? Everyone would think of them as dangerous beings, and surely humans seems to always react the same when they thought them in danger. Another war would start, one involving all magical creatures. That would never work for any of the parties.
And on top of that, if she ended up exceling in her mission and came back home in one piece and the magical worlds still held peace, she would have to start looking for her mate, and in all honesty, that thought terrified her.
Veela's tradition was very important, and the heiress of a clan could not step up if they hadn't found their mate, to ensure the protection of the whole clan. A mated Veela was stronger willed than the others. The need to protect their mate made it obvious in their eyes that would make them better leaders. When she was a child, she dreamt of the day she would meet her mate, but as of lately, the dream turned into a nightmare every time she thought about it. It was becoming more real for her and the feeling made her dizzy. And how would she know she had found him? Apolline and Arlette always told her she would just know, but that didn't make sense. And it's not like she could ask anyone else.
It was rather difficult for a Veela to find their mate, and only leaders were obliged to find them. Fleur knew this, of course, but the prospect of never finding them pulled at her heart in a painful way. She really was confused about the mating part, and the pressure about the tournament didn't make it any easier.
She snapped out of her thoughts when the carriage landed with a thud, and looked out of the window. She was at entrance of the Academy of Magic. She could see all of the students outside, next to a bigger carriage pulled but twelve beautiful Therestrals. She looked at her mother, who gave her a reassuring smile before hoping off their carrying.
Her mother went straight to a very tall woman in front of the students. She wore a heavy coat and a look only manageable by the strictest woman in that part of the world. Madame Maxime was the Headmistress of their school, and her wrath was fearsome. However, in front of the leader of the Veela she looked almost hesitant. They exchanged a few words regarding the expectations Apolline had in her, which Madame Maxime took in pridefully. She wasn't a Veela, but was the closest to a confidant the clan had, as most of the young Veelas attended her school.
Fleur then sensed her mother soberly call for the Veelas in the group with her Thrall. They all took a step forward and bowed their heads in a respectful manner.
"The three of you must make sure that the needs of my daughter are covered once you arrive at Hogwarts. Do not leave her side and make sure she has anything she needs to keep focused on her tasks. I expect the best of you". With that, she watched the girls nod. Content with their reaction, Apolline turned around and started walking to the carriage, slowing down next to Fleur to give her a curt nod, and resuming her way.
Fleur clenched her jaw and walked confidently towards the rest of the students. Immediately, the other three Veelas were with her, not saying a word. She was used to being surrounded by Veelas, so that wasn't new for her, but she knew the orders her mother had given them were going to end up giving her a hard time. After all, she wouldn't be able to be alone in nine months.
"Hello Fiona, Zelia, Eloise" She greeted them formally, although they already know each other. It was what was expected of her after all.
Some minutes later, they were all inside the carriage, after being informed by Madame Maxime that's where they would be living until they came back to France. Fleur took in her surroundings; everything looked expensive, and the high ceilings reminded her a bit of her home. The girls had to share bedrooms, except for Fleur. Her room was like all of the rest, but instead of bunkbeds it had a queen sized bed in the middle of the room and a fireplace by its feet. She was relieved she wouldn't have to share a bedroom with the Veelas, too.
After taking off, everyone scampered around and started conversation between them. The Veelas, once out of the leader's reach, relaxed a bit and talked amongst them lively. Fleur retreted to her room, and when it seemed they were going in with her, Fleur stopped and with a stern look told them to wait until they arrived at Hogwarts, as that was her mother's orders.
They noticed the foul mood she was in, so they quickly went back with the rest of the students, at least until they reached their destination.
Fleur, once the door was closed, sat on the bed and before she could realize it, tears were staining her cheeks. She sobbed a little before recomposing herself, blinked the rest of the tears away and took in a huge breath. This was going to be harder than she may have thought.