A Year to Remember

by Izzy

The events of the 1997-98 year at Hogwarts. Being edited on and off;part 5 has been revised, and part 14 has been partially rewritten. The R rating is just to be safe, the rewriting contains a scene on the borderline between PG-13 and R.

5. The Three Schools

A Year to Remember
By Izzy
Part 5:The Three Schools

As it turned out, Dobby could indeed drive, just not very well. By the time they were on the highway, Dumbledore has wisely conjured them all seat belts. The other drivers did not seemed bothered by thier presence, making Harry suspect the bus was enchanted to look like a simple truck to Muggles. He couldn't help but notice Hannah was still clutching a letter, making him wonder more and more who it was from. He wasn't the only one wondering. So was Lavender Brown, and she could keep quiet only so long. She bit her lip several times before asking, "What's in the letter, Hannah?"
Hannah didn't seem bothered. "It's from Alfred Fadton-"
Sally-Anne Perks giggled. "Your boyfriend?"
"No," said Hannah. "He's just a friend. He's from America. And he goes to New York State Wizarding School."
"Ooh, can we hear the letter?" asked Lavender.
So Hannah read out loud:

Dear Hannah,

I'm delighted to hear you'll being going to Beauxbatons, because I'm going too! And you'll be able to introduce me to Ernie and Justin, and I'll be able to introduce you to Max, Francisca, and Sappho. A pity you couldn't meet Hector, but he didn't make the final cut. I'll make sure you meet him next summer.
Anyway, I'd tell you how we're coming over to France, but you'd probably tell the other Hogwarts students, and it's calculated to impress, which it probably won't if they know beforehand. You wouldn't believe how much fuss Professor Bobwhite is making. Not I'm blaming him. We've all gone berserk with excitement. I was quite sure something was going to explode the minutes before Bobwhite announced the twelve students to go.
Well, anyway, better send this now if it's to get to you in time, I'm afraid I don't have any rush-delivery owls to rent out like you do. Can't wait to see you.
Love,
Alfred

"So, have you known Alfred for a long time?" asked Hermione.
"Since we were nine. He's Muggle-born, you see, and in America the births don't get recorded, so all the Muggle-borns have to be found by hand. We've developed a very efficient way of finding them; we're able to find an estimated 98% in time to start learning magic right along with the pure-blood children. And most of them are found by witch or wizard classmates, who attend Elementary School with Muggles. Almost always the wizard befriends the Muggle-born, who relates the symptoms. When they think it's likely the child is a wizard, they invite the child over and do a final check. I originally found Alfred when he tranferred into my school."
Just then Fleur, who had spent the entire journey clutching the armrests very hard, her face screwed up, started to say, "Elf, if you can drive any more calmly-"
"Dobby is driving as well as he can!" Dobby replied from the front. "Dobby is very sorry."
"Oh yes, I'm so sorry, I forgot." Tecmessa suddenly got out of her seat. How she managed to remain standing without being thrown to the back of the bus noone knew, but she made her way over to Fleur and handed her a bottle. "This is for motion sickness. I thought I might make some, just in case."
Fleur gulped it down without a second's hesitation. "Thank you," she murmered. She looked a lot better. "You're pretty good."
"You accepted it from her?" Pansy looked shocked. "Don't you know what she *is*?"
"A very good potion-maker?"
Pansy pulled herself out of her chair far enough to yank on Tecmessa's sleeve, exposing the Dark Mark on her arm. "A Death Eater!"
"Not willingly." shot back Harry.
"That's right," said Tecmessa, but she said it in a pleading manner, and collasped back into her chair looking like she was going to cry.
"Oh, and what do you know about it?" demanded Pansy.
"Miss Parkinson, that will do," said Dumbledore warningly, and Pansy collasped back into her chair, fuming.
Several minutes later, they took a sharp turn off the highway, and Dobby muttered, "Dobby must figure out-ah, Dobby has got it!" BANG! They were on a deserted road.
The bus took several turns, and they were on another highway, and they were heading downhill into some sort of tunnel.
"The Chunnel." said Ernie. "We learned about it in Muggle Studies just last week. It's a tunnel that goes under the Channel. One of thier most amazing accomplishments."
They pulled out of the Chunnel into France. Fleur twisted herself around in her seat to gaze eagerly out the window at her home country.
Dumbledore checked his watch. "Right on schedule. Pull over, Dobby, she should be here any moment."
Dobby did so, and seconds later, there was a small pop, and a blond witch in white robes Apparated into the bus.
"I take you ze rest of ze way," she explained.

Hours later...

"We're nearly zere," announced the witch, and the thirteen Hogwarts students twisted around in thier seats. The witch had led them along a lot of twists and turns, and it was quite impossible to tell where in France they were.
Through the rapidly falling dusk, they could just make out a large dark shape. It became still bigger and came into focus. Beauxbatons was nearly twice as big as Hogwarts, with wide sweeping grounds. They went through a pair of wide gates, and came to a stop in front of a pair of door that looked like they were made of gold. They were currently open, and in front of them were assembled the students. Madame Maxime was easy to spot behind them.
The witch in white robes stepped out first. Dumbledore got up and moved to the door. "Harry, Miss Delacour." Harry and Fleur moved to his side. The others lined up behind them. Outside, the sea of blue robes parted for Madame Maxime.
"'Ogwarts, Madame," announced the white-robed witch.
"Merci, Baud," replied Madame Maxime, and she stood there as the bus emptied of all its passengers(except Dobby). "Dumbly-dorr. Welcome to Beauxbatons. And Madamoiselle Delacour, Meester Potter."
Harry could clearly hear the crowd in front of the door murmer, "Potter? 'Arry Potter?"
"Bless you, Madame Maxime," said Fleur, removing her hat for her former Headmistress.
"Is Professor Bobwhite here yet?" asked Dumbledore.
Before she could answer, the sound of pheonix song filled the air, and everyone craned thier necks, looking for its source. Then they saw it:a silver airplane carried by three pheonixes, one at the nose and one at each wing.
"I do believe zat is 'im now," replied Madame Maxime.
The airplane placed out landing wheels and settled itself onto the ground. A small square door opened near the front, and two men climbed out. The first spoke, "New York State, Madame,"
The second man was clearly older then the first. He looked middle-aged, with grey hair, but no beard. He was wearing dark purple robes.
Madame Maxime went over to greet him. "Professor Bobwhite. Welcome."
"Thank You." He took in both her and Dumbledore, and looked overwhelmed.
Behind him a boy in a spring green cloak and robes jumped down from the plane. He reminded Harry of Bill Weasley. Tall, with dark brown hair in a ponytail. He also had a beard. He turned and helped a short blond girl in similar robes out, with the aid, Harry saw, of a second boy, who had light brown hair and a rather cheeky expression, who then climbed out along with a girl who looked Hispanic.
"Alfred!" Hannah ran over, and she and the boy with the ponytail embraced.
"Hi Hannah! How are you doing?" he asked in what was clearly an American accent, much as Hannah herself had sounded when she had first come to Hogwarts. His ponytail and beard looked rather odd next to Hannah's pink face and severe bun, and when she replied, her accent, which had never quite matched that of her classmates, sounded very English indeed.
"Great! Who are these people you wanted me to meet?"
"Okay, this is Max Greene, my roommate." He gestured to the second boy, who now had his arms around the second girl. "That's his girlfriend, Francisca Martinez, and this," he gestured to the blond girl, "is Sappho Linnett, her new roommate. She's also the only Junior amoung us." Meanwhile, the other students, all twelve of whom had now exited the plane, were staring up at Beauxbatons with unabashed amazement.
"You know this girl already, Fadton?" asked Professor Bobwhite.
"Known her since Muggle school. So, where are Ernie and Justin?"
"Over here." Hannah led him over to the other Hogwarts students. "Ernie MacMillian, Justin Finch-Fletchley. Terry Boot, Lisa Turpin, Sally-Anne Perks, Lavender Brown, Harry Potter, Ron-"
"Wait! Hold the phone!" Alfred cut her off. "Did you say Harry Potter?"
"Uh, yeah-" started Hannah. The other American students hurried over, talking amoung themselves.
"So," Alfred turned to Harry. "You're the one who gave You-Know-Who the bust twice?"
Harry merely nodded. It was slightly difficult to keep up with what Alfred was saying.
"He's also Seeker for his House Quidditch team," Hannah was telling Sappho.
"Wonderful!" she knocked Alfred aside and also shook Harry's hand. "So am I. For the school team."
"Just about the only reason she's here," commented one boy with overgrown blond hair.
"Oh shut up," snapped Sappho.
"You shut up, Junior," he shot back.
"What's a Junior?" asked Lavender.
"A Sixth-year," replied Hannah. "Seventh-years are Seniors, Fifth-years are Sophmores, Fourth-years are Freshmen. I don't think they have names below that."
"And that," added Max at the blond boy, "is Romulus Metlik. Snobbish, pure-blood and a little too proud of it, Death Eater claiming to have been under Imperius curse-the usual."
"What happened to Francisca's first roommate?" Justin asked as they headed inside.
"Same thing that happened to Sappho's roommate." answered Francisca. "Mysteriously dissapeared last year. You-Know-Who suspected. So they put us together. Oh wow..."
This last sentiment seemed shared by the other American students. They were now in the Entrance Hall, which was magnificent enough to impress even the Hogwarts students.
Fleur seemed rather amused by this. "Wait until you see the Dining Chamber." she told them.
"'Cuse me," said one of the Beauxbatons students, a handsome blond blue-eyed boy. He appeared to be talking mainly to Lavender. "Ees zat 'Arry Potter?"
"Why yes," replied Lavender, smiling sweetly.
"Ees 'e your friend?" asked Paul.
"Well, we're in the same House."
"And what ees your name, pretty?"
Lavender giggled. "Lavender Brown. And yours?"
"Paul Gautier."
"Gautier!" Suddenly several young-looking Beauxbatons girls ran up, and began asking something in French. Then one of them said, "'Arry Potter," and Harry attempted to hide himself behind Ron and Hermione.
It was to no avail. One of the girls spotted him and ran over, the others following. "Meester Potter! Autograph?"
"Yes, yes!" suggest another. "Sign my-"
Harry was moving towards the Dining Chamber as fast as he could, getting seperated from the others in the process. This helped him little, as his black robes and hat stood out all too clearly amoung the sea of blue. In no time he was dodging more students, even as he moved into the Dining Chamber, barely noticing it was the most magnificent room yet. There it seemed the Beauxbatons students lost interest, and Harry rejoined Dumbledore and Fleur as they, along with Professor Bobwhite, followed Madame Maxime across the Dining Chamber.
Harry now noticed it contained two round tables made of some sort of crystalline material, one much smaller then the other. Behind the large table stood a chorus of wood-nymphs Fleur had talked about. They reached the smaller table, where the teachers were seated. There were five seats free, one much bigger then the others. Madame Maxime took this seat. Professor Bobwhite sat to her left, and Dumbledore to her right. Harry sat down next to Dumbledore, and Fleur took the seat on his other side. The Hogwarts and New York State students settled down together with the rest of the students at the large table.
Most of the students now removed thier cloaks. Fleur followed suit. "I've forgotten how warm it is here. It's always so cold in England."
Madame Maxime rose, and the students, the teachers, and Fleur all jumped to thier feet. Dumbledore quickly got up, and the Hogwarts students followed his lead. The Americans looked about nervously before also standing up.
"Good evening, everyone. I 'ope you will all enjoy your stay at Beauxbatons. Ze Tournament will open after ze feast, wheech will begin now."
She sat down. Everyone else followed. Many dishes appeared in the center of the table. As Harry watched, several of them flew towards various people. He turned towards Fleur as one of the dishes reached her.
"Focus on the dish you want, then tap the table." she whispered. "When you're done with the dish, tap the table again to send it back."

At the student table...

At the student table, the Beauxbatons students were quickly showing the foreign students how to summon food. Hermione of course quickly mastered how to do it. Ron was next with food. Lavender also got food but didn't seem very interested in it. Within a few minutes, so did everyone except Tecmessa. Then Max and Sappho started a game to see who could send the dishes back and forth the fastest, sampling all three of American, English, and French dishes while they were at it. Then Francisca joined in(but did not sample any dishes). Then so did Alfred and Hannah. After her first Justin joined in, then Ernie, then Sally-Anne, and then everyone from the two schools was merrily sending dishes back and forth-except Hermione, who watched while scowling with dissaproval and trying to stop Ron, causing them to get into an arguement, and Tecmessa, who was still struggling to get a dish to come to her.
Finally a dark-haired girl leaned over and tapped the table for her. The dish that flew to Tecmessa was French, but Tecmessa was so hungry she dug in anyway.
"Fanks," she murmered after a moment or two.
"Don't mention eet, Meess-"
Tecmessa hesitated. What would the girl say? Would she find an excuse to stop talking, and avoid her from then on? Maybe she wouldn't recognize the name. Yes, Tecmessa concluded, she was too insignificent to be known by a random French witch. "Nott. Tecmessa Nott."
"Madeline Claudel. Pleased to meet you."
"You too." Tecmessa continued eating, relieved she had not been recognized, or so she thought...
Finally the dishes cleared, and Madame Maxime stood up again. So did everyone else.
"Before ze Triwizard Tournament officially opens, we must pay respects to zose champion 'oo, sadly, are no longair wiz us. A moment of silence, please, for Cedric Diggory, of 'Ogwarts, and Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang."
The three Hufflepuffs lowered their heads. So did Hermione. She felt Ron place a comforting hand on her shoulder, and was more greatful for it then she could say.
"And now, to introduce ze other judges. Formair Beauxbatons champion, Fleur Delacour." There was applause. Several of the older boys seemed to take a special interest. "Formair 'Ogwarts champion and winner of ze last Tournament of, 'Arry Potter." The Hogwarts students clapped much louder then anyone else, and the applause was loud enough to make Harry turn pink. "'Ead of ze Deparment of Intairnational Magical Relations at ze Ministry of Magic, Jean Delacroix. And 'ead of ze Deparment of Magical Games and Sports, Claude Hugot." Hugot got more clapping then Delacroix did.
"Eet ees time 'o bring in ze Goblet. Madame?"
Madame Baud had exited during the dinner, and now returned carrying the casket. Madame Maxime took the casket in one hand and opened it, and pulled the Goblet out with the other hand. It was filled with flames.
"Ze Goblet of Fire. With eet, ze Triwizard Tournament ees officially open. Anyone wishing to compete must write zier name and school on a piece of parchment and place eet in ze Goblet within ze next twenty-four 'ours. Tommorrow night ze Goblet will choose ze champions and return zier names."
"Ze Goblet will be placed in ze Entrance Hall. Zere will be an Age Line around ze Goblet to prevent underage students from entering, and an Authenication Charm 'as been placed on ze Goblet, so you can submit noone's name but your own."
"They really should have thought of that last time," Harry muttered to himself.
As he left the Dining Chamber, Harry noticed several Beauxbatons students staring at him, but they must have been too tired to chase him. At the door, Fleur took leave of them, heading for the edge of the grounds to Apparate back. Both the plane and the bus had been moved, and slowly the two adults and 25 students made thier way across the dark grounds to where they were parked side by side.
Dobby was gone, Harry noted, when they entered the Bus. He had likely returned to Hogwarts.
On the second floor stood eight curtained four-posters, each with a tiny table next to it. "The girls sleep down here," Dumbledore explained. He started up towards the top floor, the boys following.
Tecmessa yawned loudly. She stepped over to a four-poster with a black chest in front of it and fell through the curtains, then pulled herself out of sight. Seconds later, her robes fell back out of the curtains. But either Tecmessa slept naked or she was simply too tired to find her nightgown, because there was no more movement from her bed. Lisa followed suit.
Sally-Anne, on the other hand, didn't seem tired at all. "Hey, Hannah! Are you sure Alfred's just a friend?"
"Yes." said Hannah very firmly. She had already found her four-poster, and was rummaging through the suitcases she carried her stuff in.
"So you're not in love and seriously in denial about it?"
"We're not," said Hannah. She pulled out her nightgown and pulled herself through the curtains.
Sally-Anne did not let off. She paused for several seconds before asking, "And you're sure about that too?"
Hannah, now in her nightgown, pushed the curtains aside and tossed her robes down. "Yes, I am very sure. Now be quiet, I want to write." She grabbed her diary and quill and dissapeared behind the curtain again. There was the sound of pages flipping, then a quill scratching.
Hermione found her trunk and was just pulling out her nightgown with Sally-Anne started again.
"What about you, Hermione? What's with Ron's hand on your shoulder?"
Hermione ignored her and slipped behind her curtains.
Outside, she heard Sally-Anne say something to Lavender. She changed by the light of her wand, shoved her robes out of the curtain, pulled herself under the covers, and feel asleep instantly.

The Fat Lady eyed them suspiciously. "She's a Ravenclaw."
"She's with me," he insisted. "Water Lily."
The Fat Lady didn't move. "You aren't going to be having sex in here?" Well, he had to admit, this was a prime opportunity to do so, since everyone else was gone for the holidays, even Ron and Ginny.
Well, it wasn't as if he had to mention that. "Water Lily." he repeated firmly, and the Fat Lady sighed and swung open. "I'm changing the password tommorrow. Can't have a non-Gryffindor knowing it."
They stepped into the Gryffindor common room, and sat down on the couch by the fire.
"So," he asked, "what was with that owl you got this morning?"
"The owl..." she paused. "It was from the Holyhead Harpies. I've been accepted as a reserve."
"That's wonderful!" but there was pensive look on her face. "What's wrong?"
"Well...I don't know what I'll tell my parents. They don't want me to be a Seeker."
"They don't?!" In the ten months, now, they had been together, she had never mentioned that.
"They've never said it outright, but they've hinted so much, ever since I first made the team in my second year. I think my becoming a Prefect placated them somewhat, but not entirely. I was never able to tell them about Cedric, I even made up a story about an unsucessful relationship with another Prefect to explain why I was so upset after he died. I've been terrified it'll leak to them."
"They don't mind you dating me."
"Well, that's because their delight at my dating a celebrity outweighs thier horror at my dating another Seeker. But now, they might think you're pushing me into a career as Seeker. And then if they found out we were having sex, which they probably will somehow, sooner or later-"
"It's your life." He cut in. "Not theirs."
"I know. But it's one thing to know that. It's another to tell them. They call you rebellious, they call you ungrateful-I mean, your parents are dead, and you never cared about those relatives of yours, you can't know what it's like."
"Well..."
"Oh listen to me, going on." Cho shook her head and smiled.
"It's okay. I don't mind. And I do think it's wonderful you're acheiving your dream. Who says you'll never play for England?"
"The fact that you probably will. Not that I'm not going to beat your this year." she added teasingly.
"Oh I'm not so sure about that," he replied in the same teasing tone.
"But I'm faster," she got up and began running.
"No I am," he was after her. Round and round the room they ran, laughing, until he tripped and bumped into her, and they both tumbled down onto the floor." She was still laughing. "Did anyone ever tell you what a great cure you are for depression?"

Harry awoke, and was filled with great sadness. He tried, as he often had since she had died, to release the tears that welled up behind his eyes, but they refused to come, as they always did, blocked out by the surge of hatred towards Voldemort that always came when the tears were on the verge of escaping his eyes.
Voldemort had called to him again. He had woken up in the middle of the night to hear his voice in his mind, much stronger then it had been the previous time. How he had managed to ward him off without crying out and alerting everyone, including Dumbledore, he wasn't sure.
He pushed aside the curtains. Dumbledore's bed was empty, and he was gone. There was no movement from Ron's or Ernie's beds. Terry Boot and Justin were up and playing a game of chess in their bathrobes, and Harry noticed several of the pieces had been gagged to avoid waking everyone else. They both looked up as Harry climbed out of bed.
He pushed aside the curtains added to the Knight Bus. It was very early in the day.
Harry was just pulling on his own bathrobe when the bus shuddered and they heard a loud whoosh. He looked at Justin and Terry.
Terry shrugged. "We've been hearing those whooshes for nearly an hour. Probably part of the terrian."
"I'm going to make sure," Harry replied. He started down the stairs, hearing thumps on them as the other two boys followed.
They exited the Knight Bus, and it was misty on the ground. Through the fog, Harry saw an unmistakable gold glimmer. Then a spring green blur whooshed past, and seconds later, Sappho, holding the snitch, flew over, and landed. She was wearing spring-green Quidditch robes, and looked like she'd been out awhile. "Morning." she said cheerfully.
They all gaped at her. "You're out early." Justin finally managed.
"So are you."
"We heard you wooshing," explained Harry, "and came to investigate." He noticed her broom was a Firebolt.
"Well, I gotta practice more, because I can't practice with the team as often. Professor Bobwhite has arranged for me to Portkey back to America weekly, and then for the games."
"You're continuing to play for your team?" asked Terry.
"No Drake deserts his or her team. I suppose you cancelled all your games."
"No, we found replacements," answered Harry.
"That's a nice broom," commented Terry.
"Thanks. Mom and dad insisted when I made the team as a Sophmore that I have the best broom they could get. They were so proud I'd made it so early."
"Early?" demanded the three boys at once.
"First-year is early." said Harry. "Fifth-year is late."
"Best time to start is second-year." added Terry. "That's when I started anyway."
Sappho smiled and shook her head. "Maybe it can be that way at Hogwarts, but at New York State and at all the schools I've played, the team's made up of Juniors and Seniors and the occasional Sophmore. Though New York State's a lot looser in this regard then most schools. But even so, I became famous throughout the school when I made it. Got crowned Sophmore Homecoming Princess-"
"Crowned Sophmore what Princess?" repeated Justin.
"Homecoming. The first Home Game of the year. In thoery its supposed to be the first Quodpot game of year, but the Quodpot season for the East Coast is always being cancelled. It's a time to boost school spirit. There are usually weird displays from various groups shown before the game, and after the game they crown the members of the Homecoming Court, which consists of Princesses elected from the first, third, and fifth-years, Princes elected from the second, fourth, and sixth-years, and a King and Queen from amoung the Seniors. Francisca's up for Homecoming Queen this year. Then there's a ball in the evening."
She took a look at thier dazed faces as they tried to take all this in, and chuckled, "Well, the Triwizard Tournament's supposed to be about cultural exchange, right?"
"Right," said Terry, "though for one thing, details could be exchanged by speaking slower..."

Later in the morning...
Madeline Claudel entered the Hall just in time to see the New York State students exit into the Dining Chamber. "Ils y ont mis leur noms?" she asked one of the students there.
"Oui." she replied. "Tu y mets ton nom?"
Madeline nodded. She pulled out a piece of parchment labelled Madeline Claudel-Beauxbatons. Then she stepped over the Age Line and dropped the piece of parchment into the Goblet as the other students in the hall applauded, watching as it let off sparks, then dissapeared amoung the blue-white flames.
Madeline had known she would be trying for the championship from the second she heard Beauxbatons had been selected to host the Tournament. If there was one thing she loved, it was adventure and excitement. And intrigue. She loved intrigue too. She knew the testimony of the Death Eater Trials by heart, and had been nothing short of delighted when she discovered herself to be talking to Tecmessa Nott. She had sympathized with the girl when reading her testimony and that of Snape. Now all she wanted to do was befriend Tecmessa Nott. That and get Harry Potter's autograph, and of course compete in the Tournament. Maybe even win it.
So she joined the other students milling about to wait for the Hogwarts students to arrive. "Quelqu'un d'autre a y mis?" she asked one of them.
"Paul Gautier se a reveille de bonne heure. Je crois que il y a mis son nom avant quelqu'un d'autre a pu."
"Paul Gautier?" She definitly could not see Paul Gautier as Beauxbatons champion. He was the heartthrob of many of her female classmates, but not Madeline, and that, as far as she was concerned, was all he was good for, in other words, he was good for nothing.
"Pourquoi la heure?" added one of the boys. "Pourquoi il n'a pas se etale?"
"Peut-etre il voulent seul l'attention d'une fille de l'Hogwarts." suggested a third boy. "Il a flirte avec une fille. Elle va etre du terrain nouveau pour lui."
"Pas de personne d'Angleterre veut obtenir Paul!" declared one girl defiantly.
"Ils ont arrive!" yelled another girl. Professor Dumbledore had just entered with his students. The other students watched as they lined up and dropped thier names into the Goblet one by one, except Harry Potter, who stood with Dumbledore, watching.
Nott was last to put her name in. Madeline caught up with her as the group entered the Dining Chamber. "Good morning."
"Morning."
"Sit with me?"
"Okay." She sounded very pleasantly surprised. Already Madeline had noticed she seemed to bear the status of outcast in her group. Even better for Madeline, since it meant she could make a difference in the girl's life.

That evening...

The day had gone by awfully slowly. Fleur had arrived early in the afternoon, and, having learned her French had turned rusty, spent almost all the time with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Late in the afternoon she had excused herself, then returned half-an-hour later with three bottles of French butterbeer, which, she warned, was much stronger then English butterbeer.
They drank them while alone on the first floor of the Knight Bus, offering Dobby, who had come back, a sip, which he hastily declined. Feeling utterly relaxed, they slouched in thier seats and talked about anything that came into thier slight mussed minds.
"Did I tell you about the time I broke Dudley's radio?" Harry was saying as evening fell outside.
"No," said Ron, "Do tell us."
"I was seven years old. Was Dudley's eighth birthday, and I made the mistake of catching a cold...can't have a boy with a cold on Duddykin's birthday, oh no...by breakfast I had a lump on my head, courtesy of Aunt Petunia...I was a little angry...Dudley threw a tantrum, because his new radio wasn't quite big enough...he hit me...I got angrier...I wished his radio would break...I really wished the radio would break...and you know what happens when *that* happens..."
"Oopsie," giggled Hermione. She had previously related to them about the time she had drained the strength of the school bully.
"The radio just shriveled up and began smoking something awful...I was black and blue by the time the day ended...spent several weeks in the cupboard...Dudley had a new radio by the time I was out...but the look on his face..."
"Ze end!" said Fleur brightly, and they all laughed.
Hermione laughed so hard, she fell down in her seat. Her head landed next to Ron's, who was lying down over two seats. Suddenly he decided to tell her how he felt. "Hermione, I-"
"Hello" said Dumbledore's voice. All four of them hastily pulled themselves up and looked at the entrance, where he was standing, looking amused.
He pointed his wand at them. "Sobriate. The mussiness vanished from thier minds. "Come along, up to the feast."
Off they went, joined by Professor Bobwhite and several of the New York State students. Harry spotted the three Hufflepuffs with Hannah's friend and his three companions.
"Our students are getting along very well," commented Professor Bobwhite. He was obviously still made very nervous by Dumbledore. "I saw another one of them with Metlik. There were two with him, but they told one of them-the big girl-to go away."
Meanwhile Hermione asked Ron, "What were you going to say back there?"
"Nothing important." he replied. Or at least, nothing he was about to say when he was sober in front of Dumbledore, Fleur, and a bunch of Americans.
The Goblet had already been moved from the Entrance Hall. They saw Tecmessa with a dark-haired Beauxbatons girl hanging near the entrance to the Dining Chamber. They were halfway across the hall when they heard giggling, and Lavender appeared with Paul Gautier. They passed into the Dining Chamber together. As they passed Tecmessa and the dark-haired girl, the girl leaned over and whispered something, and Tecmessa nodded her agreement. From thier expressions, it was not complimentary.
"I really hope you get it, Ron," Harry said as they parted ways within the Dining Chamber, and Fleur voiced her agreement. Ron turned pink, then joined Hermione and the three Ravenclaws. The Hufflepuffs and thier companions came in a few minutes later and sat nearby with the other American students. Tecmessa and the dark-haired girl had followed them in, but sat in another part of the table. Pansy Parkinson was already sitting with Romulus Metlik near the far wall. Likewise Lavender followed Gautier into a seat. Millicent Bulstrode wandered in and sat down next to an annoyed Pansy.
The Goblet of Fire now stood in the center of the staff table. The dishes appeared around it, and Harry found it difficult to focus on a dish enough to summon it. Fleur, he noted, was having the same problem, so were several of the teachers, and Professor Bobwhite was having so much trouble Mounsier Hugot finally had to summon a dish for him.
The dishes dissapeared. Madam Maxime tapped the table one final time, and the Goblet flew into her hand. She handed it to Harry, and they both stood up. Silence swept the hall.
"Ze Goblet will return ze names at any moment. When eet does, ze Champions will proceed into ze next room." She pointed to a door, behind the wood-nymph choir, which had stopped singing.
The lights lowered, until the Goblet was the brightest thing in the hall. Harry closed his eyes against the brightness. Then the Goblet became almost too hot to hold, he opened his eyes, and stared into the flames-a piece of parchment shot out, his eyes followed its journey into Madame Maxime's hand.
"Ze Champion for Beauxbatons Academy of Magic," she announced, "will be Paul Gautier."
The reactions were very mixed. A large portion of the hall cheered, but Harry could hear just as many people, including Tecmessa and her companion, booing, and another girl was crying. Paul drew himself up and paraded through the door.
He had barely gone when once again the Goblet went unbearably hot beneath Harry's fingers, and the flames turned red again. Don't let go don't let go don't- Madame Maxime caught another piece of parchment.
"Ze Champion of New York State Wizarding School will be Alfred Fadton."
"That Mudblood?" demanded Romulus Metlik, but he was drowned out by Hannah, Max Greene, Francisa Martinez, Sappho Linnett, Ernie, and Justin, who had all burst into wild cheering. Max clouted Alfred on the back so hard he winded him, and Alfred smiled broadly as he walked up to the staff table and into the next room.
The Hogwarts champion next...when the Goblet turned again Harry didn't even noticing how hot it was. He tried to see what was written on the piece of parchment as it flew, to no avail, he put down the Goblet, to clap if it was Ron or-
"Ze Champion for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be 'Ermione Grangair."
"Her?!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, but noone cared. Harry was clapping as hard as he could, he could hear Fleur cheering behind him and Ron congratulating the very flabbergasted Hermione, and Lavender let out a whoop from across the student table. Hermione was too stunned to move, until Ron and Sally-Anne finally hollered, "Go!" and shoved her up from either side, causing her hat to fall off. With it forgotten, she staggered across the chamber and through the door. Harry had never seen her so delighted.
"We'll wait," said Madame Maxime, "and see if zere are any extras." The Chamber rippled with laughter, and Harry good-naturedly picked the Goblet up again.
Several minutes passed, and then she said. "Well, zere don't seem to be any more. We are done."
Everyone got up, talking about the Goblet's choices. Harry stood there, still holding the Goblet, as Dumbledore, Madam Maxime, Professor Bobwhite, and Mounsiers Delacroix and Hugot passed him on thier way to the chamber. He wanted to wait until the Goblet went out.
Fleur stood up. She walked over to Harry. "We have to go," she reminded him, placing her owns hands apon the Goblet. They meet his.
And then they felt the spark, even as the Goblet between them went out, the shiver of a slowly growing attraction...

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To Be Continued...

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Translations:

Ils y ont mis leur noms?-Did they put their names in?
Tu y mets ton nom?-Are you putting your name in?
Quelqu'un d'autre a y mis?-Anyone else put their name in?
Paul Gautier se a reveille de bonne heure. Je crois que il y a mis son nom avant quelqu'un d'autre a pu.-Paul Gautier got up early. I think he put his name in before anyone else could.
Pourquoi la heure? Pourquoi il n'a pas se etale?-Why early? Why didn't he show off?
Peut-etre il voulent seul l'attention d'une fille de l'Hogwarts. Il a flirte avec unefille . Elle va etre du terrain nouveau pour lui.-Perhaps he only wants the attention of a Hogwarts girl. He was flirting with one girl. She'll be new ground for him.
Pas de personne d'Angleterre veut obtenir Paul!-Noone from England can get Paul!
Ils ont arrive!-They've arrived!