Into a new world

Disclaimer: None of the characters you recognise or that are from Harry Potter world are mine. All belong to the fantastic JK Rowling. The bits highlighted are taken from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

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Chapter 12: The Announcement

1st September 1994

Through the gates flanked with statues of winged boars, and up the sweeping drive the carriages trundled, swaying dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale. Leaning against the window, Harry could see Hogwarts coming nearer, its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain. Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before the great oak front doors, which stood at the top of aa flight of stone steps. People who had occupried the carriages in front were already hurrying up the stone steps into the castle; Harry, Ron, Draco and Neville jumped down from their carriage and dashed up the the steps too, looking up only when they were safely inside the caverious, torch-lit Entrance Hall, with its manificent marble staircase.

"Blimey," said Ron, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, "If that keeps up, the lake is going to overflow."

"Be glad you aren't Lauren and Tyler," Draco replied, "if we are soak- Ron watch out!"

Ron moved just in time, before a large red, water-filled ballon dropped out of the ceiling onto the floor narrowly missing his head. The movement caused Ron to knock into Draco, who accidently pushed into Harry, putting him in the firing line for the second water-bomb, exploding onto his head. Spluttering and Drenched he blindly fell into Hermione who had just arrived at his side. This caused the people all around them to shrie, and they started to push each other in their efforts to get out of the line of fire – Harry looked up and saw, floating twenty feet above them, Peeves the poltergeist, a little man in a bell-covered hat and orange bow-tie, his wide, malicious face contorted with concentration as he look aim again.

"PEEVES!" Yelled an Angry voice, "PEEVES, come down here at ONCE!"

Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress and Head of Gryffindor house, had come dashing out of the Great Hall, she skidded on the wet floor and grabbed poor Neville around the neck to stop herself from falling, Ouch – sorry, Mr Longbottom –"

"That's alright professor!" Neville gasped, Massaging his throat.

Although Peeves ignored the professors warning, he threw his last water bomb on an unsuspecting second year. Harry noticed his brothers looking very excited to talk to the poltergeist which was concerning.

Well, move along then," said Professor McGonagall sharply to the bedraggled crowd. Cutting the Potter and Weasley twins a warning glance (George was still ignoring Fred, and Fred was trying hard not to show his distress, and failing badly. "Into the great hall, come on!"

The five friends, slipped and slid across the Entrance Hall and through the double doors on the right, Harry was muttering to himself still sodden.

The Great Hall looked it's usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in mid-air. The four long house tables wereh table, packed with chattering students, at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. Harry found himself staring at his mother and Remus sat next to each other talking. He was knocked out of his stupor by Hermione shoving him lightly forward. They found the room much warmer, and Harry thankfully was already was beginning to dry. The friends walked past the Slytherins, and Draco looked longingly at it just for a moment, so fast Hermione thought he had imagined it. When they reached the Ravenclaw table, Draco sat next to Blaise and Theo who were already sat down. Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione, sat down next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. Pearly white and semi-transparent, Nick was dressed tonight in his usual doublet, with a particularly large ruff, which served the double purpose of looking extra festive and ensuring that his head didn't wobble too much in his particularly severed neck.

"Good evening," he said, beaming at them.

"Says who?" said Harry, talking off his trainers and emptying them of water, "Hope they hurry up with the sorting, I'm starving."

The sorting of the new students into houses took place every year, but by an unlucky combinstion of circumstances, Harry hadn't been present at one since his own. Well this Harry anyway, but although he was looking forward to it, he had to keep up the pretense of it being utterly boring. He looked up at the staff table. There seemed to be more empty seats than usual. Hagrid, of course, was still fighting his way across the lake with the first-years, Professor McGonagall was presumably supervising the drying of the entrance Hall floor, but Remus and his mother were no longer sat at the table, neither was Severus Snape.

"Where are all the teachers?" Neville questioned his expression confused. "I swear they were there a few moments ago." Harry scanned the table more carefully. Tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher was sitting on a large pile of cushions beside Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher (and Neville's favourite), whose hat was askew over her flyaway grey hair. She was talking to, Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department. On the other end of the table sat the seat belonging to Hagrid, Next to his seat was Remus', and next to his was Lily's. Lily's seat was next to Severus' who was on one side of Dumbledore. Not all the teachers were usually present for the feast (like the arithmancy, the muggle studies, the flying instructor or the ancient runes professor). In the very centre of the table, sat Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster, his sweeping silver hair and beard shinning in the candlelight, his 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 celiing through his half-moon spectacles as though lost in thought. It was enchanted to look like the sky outside, and he had never seen it this stormy. Black and purple clouds were swirling across it, and as another thunderclaop sounded outside, a fork of lightning flashed across it.

"Oh hurry up," moaned Ron, "I could eat a hippogriff."

"I wouldn't recommend it." Neville replied just as the doors opened and silence fell on the great hall. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first-years up to the top of the Hall. If Harry, Draco, Ron, Neville and Hermione were wet, it was nothing to how the first-years looked. They appeared to have swam across the lake rather than sailed. All of them where shivering with a combination of cold and nerves as they field along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school – that was exc ect for a small boy with brown hair, deep brown eyes with a mischievous glint in them, and who looked like a smaller version of Neville. "Tyler, of course he looks like he is enjoying himself," Neville muttered next to him, "He is wearing Hagrid's coat like a badge of honour." Harry looked more closely at the boy and had to agree with his friend. Tyler looked way too happy to be the most soaked out of all of them. Neville would get the story out of him later.

Professor McGonagall now placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first years, and on top of it, an extremely old, dirty, patched wizard's hat. Just as she was about to call the first name for the sorting, the great hall doors opened yet again, taking everyone's attention off the trembling first years. Professors Potter, Snape and Lupin walked in with 5 children. Three looked exactly the same, the only difference between two of them and the final one, was that she was a girl. They all had a calm present that reminded Harry of Byron. They had the classic Black, brown hair that was the almost black, and bright grey eyes. The remaining other boys, had the same blue green eyes but the older one had the Black hair and the younger one had dark blond hair. They were led to the front of the hall (which fell into stunned silence) by Remus and Lily at the front and Severus brought up the rear.

"Perfect timing," Said Dumbledore cheerfully, as if he expected this, "Professor McGonagall if you would sort the Black children first please." At this the silence finally broke, and whispering started up all around the hall.

"Of, of course," McGonagall said struggling to keep her composer. She waved her wand at the piece of paper she held and nodded in satisfaction. "Alija Black, you will be in going into," she looked down at the piece of paper in confusion "4th year? I thought you were triplets."

"We are," Alija said calmly his voice carrying over the whispers, "I was born on the 31st August, just before midnight, my siblings were just after midnight into the 1st September."

"Very well, come and sit down."

Alija obeyed and the hat fell over his eyes, he visably tensed under the hat, and after a few moments the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" He looked surprised but walked over to Slytherin table who cheered loudly.

"Cian Black you will be in 4th year."

Cian looked slightly more nervous than his cousin but walked to the hat with sure footing.

"SLYTHERIN!" Cian looked relived to be with Alija.

"Cierra Black, you will be in 3rd year!"

"RAVENCLAW!" That was a surprise, no Black had been sorted into Ravenclaw for many years.

"Jarlan Black, you will be entering 3rd year!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"And lastly, Quillian Black, you will be entering 3rd year aswell." Quillian held himself different to the others, in a way that reminded Harry of Lyas, or Sirius.

"GRYFFINDOR."

Harry cheered as Quilian joined them, sitting next to Lyas who introduced him as his cousin.

After that, the sorting carried on as normal, (Tyler was sorted into Hufflepuff and Lauren was sorted into Ravenclaw)half way through Harry realised how boring the sorting actually was. Once Kevin Whitby was sorted into Hufflepuff Professor McGonagall carried the sorting hat and stool way.

Professor Dumbledore had got to his feet. He was smiling around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome. "Well after that excited and slightly unexpected sorting, I only have two words to say to you," he told them his deep voice echoing around the hall.

The food appeared in front of them, and they had a debate with Hermione and Nick about house elves, and whether it is ethical for them to serve the witches and wizards or not.

Once everyone (including even Ron but excluding Hermione who refused to eat as she said called it slave labour) was full, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again. "So!" said Dumbledore smilling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered," ("Hmph!" said Hermione), "I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a new notices. 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 of some 437 items, I believe and can be viewed in Mr Flich's office if anyone would like to check it."

The corners of Dumbeldore's mouth twitched. He continued, "As ever I would like to remind you all that the Forbidden 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 was holding out that at least Quidditch would be the same. Fred and George were mouthing soundlessly to 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 teacher's time and energy – but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have the great pleasure of announcing, The Triwizard Tournament.

"That's what you've been hiding?" Megan hissed from beside Ginny. "That's what all the hints where about?"

Harry smirked and nodded in response, Dumbledore, went on describing the tournament, and how three champions one from Hogwarts, one from Durmstrang and one from Beauxbaton's. He told how the tournament was cancelled due to the death rate being so high, but the powers that be had decided to give it another go.

"The heads of Beauxbaton's and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three Champions will take place at Hallowe'en. 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.

Lyas nodded his agreement, "I'm going for it too. Just to say, I've done it"

"That's boring." Fred complained.

Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quietened once more. "Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said, "the Heads of the participating schools and 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 able to put forward their names for consideration. This' – Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, including Fred, "It's 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 students hood-winks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. I therefore beg you to not waste your time, submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.

The delegations from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang will be arriving in October, and remaining with us for the greater part of the year. I know you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests wile 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. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

Harry tuned out all of the talk about the Triwizard tornament. He was wondering if this would have happened in his world, and how this family and friends back their and the other version of him, would react.

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Authors note: This is a filler chapter, which sets up for the rest of the story. Obviously there isn't much change in this to the original chapter, because I have to add the descriptions that are necessary. Some of the convos I have skipped across because it feels redundant. I hope you are enjoying this story so far. I have so many ideas that are forming and driving me crazy cause I can't add them into the story just yet. I have mostly decided on pairings now, but a lot of them won't be apparent for a while yet, and some characters aren't even introduced just yet. Please review, and let me know what you think. And lastly, thank you for your support and patience. Much love to you all, Abs xxx