A/N: thanks for all the reviews, people! First of all: let me wish you a HAPPY EASTER! (at least to those who celebrate it :)

Mikey: sorry, I didn't know how to write pierogies. Did I forget the Polish? Uhhh, sorry! I feel really ashamed, I shouldn't have forgotten you, given the old friendship between Poland and Hungary… stupid me! About Dumbledore's brother – Albus says the following in GoF, chapter 'Rita Skeeter's Scoop': 'My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practising inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery.' Anyway, I kind of taught Aberforth to read, I thought he had to be able to read in order to learn all the magic, didn't he?

The Face of Evil and Kit Cloudkicker: read my answer to Mikey.

X_Tow_Naga: fighting between Albus and Aberforth? Hm, you'll see :) No, Harry doesn't feel comfortable in the skin of a sentient creature, but he isn't going to buy a new fur coat, of course. Even if the Russian government didn't have ministries, there could be a Russian Ministry of Magic – why not? I didn't say the British government had any role in organising the Triwizard Tournament. The Russian Ministry of Magic did it (but everything isn't settled yet, so Harry will help a bit, you'll see). All the British Ministry of Magic did was buy a school bus for Hogwarts. Why not 14 year olds? Because I think they are still too young – Harry is Harry, of course, thus he was an exception, but remember: he wouldn't have been able to go through the tasks, had he not been helped by Moody. According to Rowling, Albus is 150 years old in book one, so now he is about 160. I suppose that his brother is at least 20 years younger. (I decided that he is twenty years younger). Rowling also said that wizards lived much longer than Muggles.

jeanine23Dr: Latin? Where are you from?

Notebook Girl: Krum will be trying, of course… you'll see :)

LisaQT3: Tatyana… you'll get to know all about her in time. No, Aberforth isn't Santa, just likes dressing up like him :)

LupinsLover: thanks for your help – now I will have to re-write the whole Christmas chapter :( Anyway, don't feel offended, but I like calling the dragon Vladi, so I'm not going to change it. I used some of the meals you mentioned – thank you very much. It is a bit of problem for me not to call the professors 'professor's, so in some cases they remain Professor XYZ, because I don't want to make up names and middle names for every single Russian character. I hope you don't mind. Don't expect anything bad in connection with Aberforth – he's a charming guy (IMHO). Oh, could you help me with another thing? How do you spell the name of those typical Russian dolls that don't have arms and legs, can be taken apart and have smaller dolls in them? Are they called matrioshka?

zzxm: Albus only said he wasn't sure whether Aberforth could read – I think he should know how to read in order to learn magic, right? I suppose he had to be at Hogwarts where he had to study from books :)

bucky: don't worry about Harry getting none. (There's still something called condom, LOL:)

ILOVELINKINPARK222: oh course I remember you, what made you think that I didn't?

Nikkianna: no, the weird teacher isn't in love with Harry. Yes, there is something MORE going on here – or rather will be going on :)

GinnyPotter387: actually Harry is still hurt by the fact that his son is a squib – he just wanted to show Ginny that he didn't mind – while he DOES mind. You know, he wanted to seem strong and everything, however, even he isn't that strong. More about it later.

Crazycutee831: I don't think that Hermione had ever been Vicky's girlfriend. Viktor wanted that, of course, but Herm never really liked him. Of course you'll see more of Ginny, but not right now. (Don't worry, she'll remain a main-character.) About Aberforth read my answer to Mikey and zzxm. Well, I don't think the judges have to be ministry members by all means. Anyway, Aberforth has good relations with the Russian Ministry of Magic – he'll talk about it in this chapter.

Almah: read my answer to Mikey and zzxm.

Artesima: updating? Twice a week, usually in 3-4 days. Thanks for finally reviewing :) And no, I'm not going to tell you what is going to happen to H and G.

AmandaPanda: Aberforth on the Dark Side? Noooo! Yes, he's the guy with the goat.

Mage: can't answer either of your questions. Sorry :(

star queen: no, I'm not going to write J/L fics, because I don't want to make up stories about the past, only about the future.

Rab: Ivan Ilyich's death? Well, read Tolstoy's 'The death of Ivan Ilyich', LOL. (it's a terribly boring and depressing book, I had it as a set book in the high school, yuck! I'm kind of taking revenge on Tolstoy in this fic :) Anyway, I'll be referring to Ivan's death. In which chapter will the Potter kids meets David? Well, 17, I guess.

Irish Immortality: you'll get to know everything about the mystery woman in time.

Sean Mulligan: There's nothing wrong with Slytherin. My second choice for a house would be Slytherin, after Gryffindor, of course. I've read the first four chapters of J. L. Matthew's story, but I realised that there was no Harry Potter in the fic at all!!! I never read HP stuff if there's no HP. And I don't like stories in which the most of the main characters are made up by the author – for example Luella, Marlene, Rianna, Deanna and the other girls. Sorry, I don't want to offend you or your 'idol', J. L. Matthews, she still can be a wonderful author, maybe it's just me who doesn't like Harry Potter stories that aren't about Harry Potter.

Owl Twrite: how long until the entire fic is uploaded? Well, months… it may take until July or something.

Ronniekin's Sweetheart: I'm glad you don't really hate me :)

PepsiAngel: have I really helped you develop your writing skills? Wow, I would never have thought! *AgiVega congratulating herself*

Ginny house 3: you said you didn't understand the chapter title – "Santa" referred to Aberforth, who arrived on a sleigh, had reindeers and wore red robes just like Santa. Harry has taken your advice and will be sending his wife an owl.

LilGinny: so, you already like Aberforth? Good, then you'll definitely become an Aberforth fan – I myself enjoyed writing him the most of all characters :)

Scratches: what does *XD* mean?

apple-pie: yes, the pogrebins will have a role later as well. About the potions teacher… be patient, you'll get to know everything about her.

thebiggesthpfan: I always have something up my sleeve :)

Okay, enough of me, enjoy!

Chapter 6

McGonagall's grudge

Harry couldn't believe that there could be two brothers so alike and so different at the same time. He hadn't had time to really get to know Aberforth Dumbledore that night, but the first impression suggested that Aberforth was just as eccentric as Albus – but in an annoying way.

After having improvised Madame Maxime a self-written poem about her beauty, Aberforth deigned to give some attention to Krum as well – but his attention only concerned asking Viktor about his room and dinner.

Finally he noticed Hermione, too, and that was the point when Harry felt that he'd either yell at him that: "enough is enough!" or start rolling on the floor laughing. Aberforth, namely, dropped to his knees, grabbed Hermione's hand and proposed to her.

She blushed and muttered that she already had a husband, only making Aberforth stand up, wink at her and say: "Shame that polyandry isn't exercised in civilised worlds, my dear."

McGonagall rolled her eyes, her lips silently moving – Harry assumed she was praying to God to rid them of this lunatic.

They got to their rooms shortly before midnight.

Harry, Hermione, McGonagall and Abertforth's rooms were on the same floor, Madame Maxime's was one floor under them.

Harry was very grateful to the Durmstrang house-elves (or whomever who looked after the castle) that there was a workable fireplace in his room.

At last he could take off his fur-coat (before hanging it into the wardrobe, he looked around to make sure that no pogrebins were lurking in his room).

When he was totally certain that he was alone, he dropped himself into the bed and fell immediately asleep.

* * * * *

It was about five in the morning when he was awoken by someone loudly singing "Good morning, sunshine".

He groped around for his glasses, put them on and – still half asleep – stumbled to the door. Barely had he opened it when a ruddy face appeared in the door-frame.

"Aaaa-berforth?" Harry yawned.

"That's right, kid!" the old man slapped him on the shoulder so hard that he almost fell. "Just been out for a nice run."

"Run?" Harry blinked.

"Yes, nothing like a run in the snow before sunrise, barefoot!" Dumbledore's brother replied.

"Barefoot?" Harry suddenly felt very awake, his gaze wandering down to Aberforth's feet. He really wasn't wearing any type of shoes or boots.

"Exactly. Makes a man healthy and resilient to all diseases! Well, of course at first you have to count with a couple of flues, pneumonia, even frequent visits to the bathroom, but believe me, it's worth it! My reindeers earlier catch a cold than me!"

"Um, Aberforth, do you really travel by a flying sledge?" Harry asked.

"Well, actually I do."

"And… may I ask what you are doing here in Russia? I thought you lived in Great Britain."

"I used to live there, kid, but that was decades and decades ago. You know, something unpleasant happened and I decided to leave."

"Oh! The inappropriate charms on a goat!" Harry nodded.

"Goat? Er…" Dumbledore laughed. "You know, the journalists pretty eagerly packed the papers with articles on me and the goat, that's true, but I never really cared for it. The real reason… well… Albus and I had a row. That crazy old scoundrel… why do you think he didn't want to come and represent Hogwarts? He knew I'd be here… oh, never mind." he sighed. "So, after the row I left the country and made a journey around the world. I visited all places you could think of, from the Easter Islands to Las Vegas, and finally I came to live in Russia. A couple of years ago I happened to save the Minister for Magic from a pair of rampaging graphorns. To show how grateful he was, he gave me this sledge with eight reindeers and now he asked me to be one of the judges which I gladly accepted. That's my story, boy. Shall we go down to the kitchens and nick some pre-breakfast food and talk? I hope I can count with your help in the organisation of the tournament."

"Oh, of course you can. That's why I'm here." Harry replied.

"No, actually you're here because you've been invited as the guest of honour."

"But I don't want to be just that. I'd like to help you. I want to be useful."

"Don't like idleness, do you?" Aberforth grinned at him. "I know the feeling. Well, dress up and we'll discuss the first task, okay?"

"Okay, see you at breakfast." Harry replied.

Harry closed the door and heard Aberforth singing a Tiroler yodel. Five seconds later he heard a door creak open and the screeching voice of an infuriated McGonagall shriek:

"Are you crazy, man? It's five in the morning! How can you think of yodelling?"

"Oh, extremely sorry, charming lady." Dumbledore's voice sounded apologetic. "I never wanted to disrupt your sleep, madam."

"Still you did!" she spat.

"Should I sing you a lullaby so that you can go back to sleep?" Aberforth suggested.

"Lullaby? Do you think I'm a baby or what?"

"Well… if you insist I could call you 'baby', Minerva…"

"You… you impudent brute!" Minerva shouted and banged the door closed.

Harry couldn't go back to sleep after the incident at dawn. It was still dark out there, but he lit a candle and started writing a letter to Ginny.

My dearest Ginny,

We've arrived at Durmstrang without any difficulties. The castle is a bit smaller than Hogwarts and much creepier. Not to mention how cold it is. Without the fur-coat you gave me, I'd surely catch a cold – oh, imagine, I almost got killed because of that coat! Remember telling me about the pogrebins? Well, two of them recognised my coat as their uncle and cousin's fur. We have seen ghosts dancing Kalinka and drunk vodka (I think I'd rather stick to butterbeer).

The greatest sensation (or should I say disaster?) of the day was the arrival of the fifth judge, who – you won't believe me – is Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth! He is rather… strange. If I didn't know Albus Dumbledore, I'd think his brother is totally crazy, but knowing Albus I can only say that Aberforth is only a bit stranger than him. Anyway, he can sing wonderfully.

I can't wait for the Goblet of Fire to select the champions, and I'm also very excited about the tasks. I guess Aberforth will tell me about them today, and I'll help him and Viktor with the arrangements.

I hope you and the children are all right. Give my regards to Sirius.

love,

your Harry

* * * * *

Breakfast would have been pretty uneventful, had it not been disrupted by a loud bang coming from outside. Every student ran to the windows to peer down into the park and started to giggle in chorus.

Harry and Hermione also got curious and hurried to the windows, followed by Viktor Krum.

"Oh, no!" Krum groaned, slapping his forehead.

"What happened?" professor McGonagall, with her always strict face, asked.

"Better see it for yourself." the headmaster replied.

McGonagall gazed down into the park, then took off her rectangular glasses, cleaned them and put them back on. She blinked, took them off again, knitting her eyebrows.

In the garden before Durmstrang castle, there was Vladimir the dragon standing, wearing a bowler hat, bow tie and tuxedo. He was holding a huge bouquet of roses in one of his small front paws. In his other hand there was a huge board with the words 'I BEG YOUR PARDON, MINERVA' written on it. The snow around Vladi was molten and smoking. Aberforth Dumbledore was standing next to the dragon, waving frantically as he saw McGonagall appear in the window.

"This man should be put into a lunatic asylum." Minerva shook her head and turned away from the sight.

"Bet Aberforth likes her." Harry whispered to Hermione. "I have to tell this to Ginny." he hurried up into his room to add a postscript.

After having finished the letter, he tried to find his way to the owlery to find an owl to carry it to England. He didn't have Hedwig with himself, since Sirius had set her up with a male owl called Henry, without asking for Harry's consent.

It took Harry half an hour to find the owlery, but on his way back he hopelessly got lost.

On a corner he bumped into (or rather walked through) Yevgheniy Anegin's ghost, who only snapped "How impolite!" at him and glided away.

Three floors and sixteen staircases later he asked Catherine the Great (the inhabitant of a large painting on the third floor) how he could find his way back to the hall or his room. Catherine, who was deeply immersed in brushing her long brown hair, seemed rather reluctant to give him instructions. She placed a diadem on her head and told him that one of her lovers was waiting for her at a ground-floor painting, so she had to hurry. And with that, she left.

"Lost, Mr. Potter?" came a voice from behind his back.

He turned around to see the same woman who had been watching him during previous evening's feast.

"I fear so." Harry nodded. "Professor Fiodrovna, if my memory serves me well."

"Exactly, Mr. Potter." she smiled at him – a cold smile it was. "Just to inform you, here in Russia no one calls anyone professor – call me Tatyana Fiodrovna… Could I help you find your way back to your room?"

"Yes, that would be nice."

"Or rather… I'll take you to the second floor where the headmaster is right now giving the grand-tour to the other guests. You missed the beginning. Follow me."

Harry let the woman lead him through a maze of corridors. She didn't seem to be a talkative person, but Harry tried to start a conversation, no matter what.

"Um, professor er, Tatyana Fiodrovna, the headmaster mentioned to me that you were teaching potions."

"That's true." she nodded, barely looking back at him.

"He also told me you were a wonderful teacher… my potions teacher wasn't. I mean I'd never question his competence in the area of potion-making, but he is just not the teacher type. A teacher who hates children should never teach, in my opinion."

"Had my headmaster shared your opinion, I would have been fired long ago." she replied coldly. "There. You can already see them." she pointed at the group of Krum, Hermione, McGonagall, Olympe and the Hogwarts and Beauxbatons students.

"Thanks." Harry said, but she had vanished.

"Oh, Harry, you're here at last!" Hermione beckoned him to the group of guests. "Viktor has just showed us the staff room and now we are going up into the astronomy tower that is combined with the owlery."

"What? I've just come down from there!" Harry groaned. "Oh, well, let's go."

And they went.

In the astronomy tower they got to know Professor Zwezda, astronomy teacher, who couldn't be older than twenty. She cast a curious glance at the newcomers, and her eyes finally stopped on a young blonde man from Beauxbatons. She let out a dreamy sigh. The young man looked good. Way too good. However, the young man didn't care for her – he, as all the guests – only cared for the view. From the tower they had a wonderful view of the Durmstrang grounds.

"I see Vladi!" Dennis yelled. "Hey, Vladi!" the students started to wave at the dragon.

"No use, kids, he is almost deaf." Krum said.

"I see you also have a lake." Harry perceived, looking at a small round lake near the edge of the pine-forest.

"Yes, actually we do. The ice layer is thick enough to skate on it, so I suggest we try it tomorrow. It'll be Saturday, after all."

"All right. I haven't skated yet and always wanted to try." Harry nodded, then stepped closer to Viktor, whispering: "But only if Aberforth doesn't come. He is dangerous enough without skating shoes on."

"I share Harry's opinion." Hermione smiled. "And Viktor…" she said with an almost inaudible voice, "Convince Madame Maxime not to try to skate with us. I believe the ice is thick, but not that thick."

* * * * *

The rest of the day dragged by and everybody had the feeling that someone had deliberately slowed down time. Everyone was on tenterhooks to get to know the names of the three champions.

The only persons enjoying themselves were Harry and Aberforth who spent hours talking about the tasks. Harry told the old man his own experience with the tournament, that – in Aberforth's opinion – was very useful, especially concerning security. This time there could be no dangerous portkeys and no traitorous teachers. The two men drew sketches of the three places where the tasks were to be accomplished and drew signs on the 'map', indicating the places where security charms needed to be implemented. Harry – this time not being participant but organiser of the tournament - enjoyed thinking up all the security measurements. He hoped that the three champions wouldn't get into trouble this time. The Triwizard Tournament needed to be exciting, but not dangerous.

Next morning the dozen students of Hogwarts, Beaxbatons and all volunteering Durmstrang pupils who had already reached the age of 16, placed their names into the Goblet of Fire.

Krum took a leaf out of professor Dumbledore's book, drawing an age-line around the Goblet – and this time no one needed to be thrown out of it – Durmstrang didn't have any Fred and George Weaselys, after all.

Aberforth couldn't be seen during the morning, to everyone's great satisfaction.

Harry enjoyed skating thoroughly, although he slipped and fell a couple of times. He expected his knees to be blue and green with bruises by the evening.

Hermione decided not to skate, so she rather built a snowman with Natalie McDonald and Eleanor Branstone. The snowman got a nice carrot for a nose, a shabby old, pointed wizard hat and an old, useless broomstick that didn't have enough magic in it to fly anymore. The snowman got the name Ronniekins. Next to Ronniekins, Olympe also built a snowman – a twelve feet high one – named Rubie, after Rubeus. Rubie even got a beard of wood-shavings.

"Come on, professor McGonagall!" Harry yelled to Minerva, who was standing on the shore of the lake, shivering in her thick coat. "Come onto the ice and skate a bit! It'll warm you up very nicely!"

"But Mr. Potter…" Minerva shook her head. "I couldn't imagine myself on those ridiculously thin pieces of metal. No, I'm old for this."

"Old?" Krum laughed. "You are young and fit, professor! Prove us!"

"I bet she's chickened out." came a voice from behind her. She turned around to see Aberforth, wearing skating shoes and a wicked smile.

"I haven't chickened out." she put up her nose, and tapped her boots with her wand. Her boots immediately turned into skating shoes, and she almost fell. Somehow she managed to balance herself and stumbled onto the ice. "Who's chickened out, Mr. Dumbledore?" she snapped and found herself on her butt in the next instant.

Aberforth slipped to her, elegantly stopped and offered a hand to pull her up.

She didn't take it.

"I can get up alone, if I want to, Mr. Dumbledore." she gritted her teeth and stood up, wiping snow off her coat.

"Are you sure you don't want to go off-ice? It seems to be rather dangerous for an old lady." he put an emphasis on the word 'old'.

"Who's old?" she hissed. "Albus told me his brother was twenty years younger than him, so you must be about 140! And you dare call me old?"

"Now, now, sister…" he smiled.

"Sister???" she cried. "I'd truly feel compassion for any woman related to you!"

"Aren't we a bit premature with these assertions, dear Minerva?" he grinned. "You might become my relative, after all!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about, you crazy old brute!" she retorted and turned on her heels to glide off the ice – only to find herself on her butt again.

"Skating is clearly not your sport." Aberforth perceived. "Maybe you should try something else… say, chess."

"I bet I'm much better at chess than you are, Mr. Dumbledore." she spat and tried to stand up.

"May I help you?" Aberforth asked.

"No."

"May I help you?" Harry asked.

"Yes, thank you." McGonagall accepted Harry's offered hand and let him lead her off the frozen surface of the lake.

As McGonagall headed for the castle, Harry's glance fell upon a window of the Western Tower. A dark shadow – that had been standing at the window – now vanished. Nevertheless, Harry was sure whom the shadow belonged to.

"Hey, what are you looking at like that?" Krum asked.

"I just thought I saw Professor Fiodrovna." Harry shrugged. "Um… is she always so… bitter?"

"Quinine couldn't be bitterer than that ugly old rook!" came the unasked comment of Aberforth.

"But… she isn't old at all." Harry said. "Neither ugly."

"Well, maybe not that ugly." Dumbledore shrugged. "But still… there's something creepy about her. I've been trying to persuade our friend, Viktor, to sack her, but he insists that she's a very competent teacher. Codswallop. I tell you, kid, women of this sort never do good to anyone. Dangerous beasts."

"I only wonder why she became so cold." Harry replied.

"Cold? Grave understatement! She's so frigid that polar bears start to shiver at the pure sight of her! Not to mention that blood freezes in my veins whenever she looks at me. I tell ya, nothing but a good kiss could warm up this icicle of a woman! But who the hell would kiss her?"

"Yeah… who'd kiss her?" Harry echoed Aberforth's words.

* * * * *

Tatyana Fiodrovna furrowed her brow, looking at her crystal orb. "One of them has to be the one…" she whispered, seeing the orb glow. "This is the sign… the Spheara Inferi cannot be wrong… it started to glow when the Hogwarts guests arrived. One of them will help me… finally, the time has come!" she stepped back to the window, looking once more at the cheery crowd on the lake's surface. "I just hope that the one is a male. If it's a female, then I can't do anything… Please, let it be a male!"

* * * * *

As Harry and the others entered the castle, they saw a pudgy little man madly swinging his wand, fervently cleaning everything in the entrance hall.

"That's Andrey Alexeyevich Stahanov, our caretaker." Krum replied. "A bit over-enthusiastic guy, but at least he's not a squib like your Filch."

Harry flinched and hoped that Krum didn't notice it.

"There is a squib in the castle – he helps the house-elves in the kitchen and takes care of Aberforth's reindeers in the stalls…" Viktor carried on.

"C'mon, let's go up and change." Hermione cut in to stop Viktor rambling about squibs. It was hard enough for Harry without having to hear it every day. She squeezed Harry's arm with a benign smile and he felt grateful to Hermione for her encouragement. She always knew how to cheer him and Ron up… just this one thing – his son being a squib, and always being reminded of it – was a problem that not even Hermione could solve.

Andrey Alexeyevich Stahanov must have done a thorough work, because the great hall looked perfectly clean – much cleaner than it looked on the evening of their arrival.

Dinner – Selidka fish, potatoes and pickled gherkins - was delicious, and Harry didn't even mind drinking vodka – he started to get used to it. Hermione, on the other hand, insisted on drinking tea.

Finally the great moment had come: the remains of dinner had vanished from the plates and everyone's eyes fixed on the Goblet of Fire, waiting with bated breath.

Krum spoke up: "In a couple of minutes the goblet will choose the three – and this time I hope really only three – champions. I ask the chosen ones to kindly gather in the adjacent room where they'll get their instructions about the first task."

Harry cast a side-glance at McGonagall, who was wringing her hands in nervousness.

The Goblet's flames turned red, and the first parchment flipped out of it.

Krum caught the parchment in mid-air, cleared his throat and read aloud:

"The champion of Beauxbatons is Guillaume Etienne Pierre Louis… my, what a name… um, Louis Eugéne de Lochar."

Everyone clapped politely and Harry saw that Madame Maxime looked very satisfied.

As Guillaume Etienne Pierre Louis Eugéne de Lochar rose to his feet, Harry gasped – he hadn't given much attention to this boy before, but now he did, for the Beauxbatons champion looked a spitting image of Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Hermione?" he whispered.

"Yes?" she whispered back.

"Does the Lockhart family have relatives in France?"

"Don't know." she shrugged. "Could be… the French champion's name resembles Lockhart a lot. Maybe the two families have common roots."

"Maybe." Harry nodded and directed his attention back to the goblet that spat out the second parchment – the name of the Hogwarts student.

"Dennis Creevey." Krum read out.

Dennis jumped up, amidst the thunderous applause of his schoolmates, McGonagall, Harry and Hermione (only the Slytherins weren't applauding). As he passed the staff table, Harry gave him the thumbs-up sign.

"I'm really happy he is the chosen one." Hermione told Harry, who nodded eagerly.

Only one champion was left: that of the host, Durmstrang.

The flames of the goblet turned red again, and Krum caught the third parchment. A huge smile spread on his face as he read it – a proud smile.

"Mileta Krum." he read out.

"What? Krum?" Harry whispered.

"Shhh!" Hermione hushed him, as a black-haired girl, with black eyes and quite bushy eyebrows walked past them, casting a superfluous glance at Harry.

"Krum's sister?"

"Must be. Looks like him a lot." Hermione replied as the third champion also left the hall. Then she turned to McGonagall: "What do you think the tasks will be, professor?"

"I don't know." Minerva shrugged. "We aren't supposed to know it."

"But surely there's a way to find it out?" Hermione asked, grinning.

"But Granger! I mean Weasley!" McGonagall sounded flabbergasted. "That would be cheating!"

"When the Triwizard Tournament took place at Hogwarts, Madame Maxime and Karkaroff got to know about the dragons by cheating." Hermione replied. "They told Fleur and Viktor."

"So… they knew in advance?" Minerva furrowed her brow.

"'Course they did… as did Harry."

"Harry?" McGonagall furrowed her brow, giving Harry a side-glance.

"Yes. He got to know about it by accident… and told Cedric, so that he wouldn't be the only one who didn't know."

"That's… that's quite noble, I guess, but I don't want to hear about cheating this time!" McGonagall stated. "We are playing fair!"

"Sure." Hermione smirked. "I can imagine how fair Beaxbatons and Durmstrang will play this time."

"I'm just wondering what the tasks might be." Hermione mused. "Any ideas, Harry?"

"Well… ice-hockey, polar-bear hunting and igloo-building seem pretty possible." said Harry with a wink, standing up and following Krum, Maxime and Aberforth out of the hall to talk to the champions in the adjoining room.

A/N2: Minerva might be behaving a bit strangely, and I'm apologising for that, but for the first time I wanted to show her lose her temper :) Now review, please!