It was a quiet night at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had just called a meeting to gather all of the fifth years and higher into the dining hall for meeting ten minutes before dinner. As the Gryffindors walked down the halls, Harry, Hermione, and Ron slowed down a bit until they were near the end of the group.
"What do you think this is all about?" Hermione asked.
"I dunno," answered Ron, "but I think it has something to do with more privileges for the fifth years."
"You mean like that permission slip we had to give to our parents?" inquired Harry. "They wouldn't allow us to look at that for it was a surprise."
"Most likely."
When the Gryffindors reached the dining hall, the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were already there. Unforunately, the only seats left at the Gryffindor table were the ones near Draco and his "chums."
Ron groaned.
As soon as the Ravenclaws came and sat down, Dumbledore stood up.
"My fellow fifth years," he began, "you may be wondering what this meeting is about, for I have sent home with you all a permission slip in which only the guardian is allowed to read, and I have not mentioned it just a few months ago when school just started. Most of you probably know about the wizard city of Dragon Valley and its annual Dragon Dueling Tournaments. Well, they have allowed the fifth years and up of Hogwarts to come like how we did with Hogsmeade. We can begin trips just the weekend before the duelings, which is Saturday, tomorrow. The tickets are the same price, though: 5 Sickles. That is all I wish to speak of. Thank you, and happy eating!"
The students present in the hall were excited that they could go see the tournaments live! Harry was a bit confused because he has never heard of a Dragon Valley or a Dragon Dueling Tournament.
"What's this about Dragon Valley and Dragon Dueling?" Harry asked.
Draco heard him and turned around. "Why, the city's famous for the things it has. But, of course, it is known only among REAL wizards." He shot a glance at Hermione. "And the Dragon Dueling Tournaments are what they are: dueling tournaments. People compete and duel with magic for the Dragon or Dragoness title."
Just then the rest of the students of Hogwarts came in. Food suddenly appeared.
"Food!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I thought you were against anything made from elf labor," Draco said sarcastically.
"Um...I was, I mean, I am," Hermione answered with a full mouth and shifting eyes. She swallowed the mouthful and hesitated a little before taking another bite. "Pass the gravy!"
"Uh, okay," Harry said, a little awed at Hermione, too. She dunked the whole lot on her turkey and mash potatoes.
"I find this weekend trips a little frustrating," Hermione with another mouthful, this time spitting food everywhere.
"Geez, say it, don't spray it," Ron said, wiping his shirt off. "Why frustrating?"
"Because (she swallowed) we'll miss all the fun stuff while we're gone."
"Such as...?"
"Work!"
"It figures."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing."
Hermione shoves another mouthful into her mouth. "You just see me as a control freak, don't you?"
"Everyone does."
Draco breaks in. "I'd hate to admit this, but I agree."
"Oh, shut up you dumbass," shot back Hermione.
"Make me, and by the way, nice comeback."
"Why you little..." Hermione plunges herself at Draco.
Harry was daydreaming during this fiasco about the dueling tournaments and what kinds of things Dragon Valley would have. He kept wondering until Ron shook him.
"Harry, you gotta watch this!"
Harry turned around and saw Hermione fighting off Crabbe and Goyle as she pinned Draco to the floor with everyone saying, "Fight, fight." She kept at it until Snape put the Leg-Locking Curse on Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle but the Petrifying Curse on Hermione.
"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Little Smartypants. Although I wouldn't have guessed it was you (he shot a glance at Harry and Ron), I would have guessed it was a Gryffindor. Ten points off for you."
"But what about Dra-," Ron started, but Harry elbowed him. Ron turned to Harry. "What gotten into Hermione?"
"I dunno," Harry answered.
"She's gotten some pretty nice muscles over the summer," said Neville, who was seemingly admiring Hermione as she struggled against the hands that was taking her back the to Gryffindor dorms.
"Neville!"
The next day, most of the fifth years and up prepared to go to Dragon Valley. When they got there, Draco seemed to have told the truth. Dragon Valley DOES have everything there: from cultural restaurants, to entertainment theaters, to Madame Stoven's Cookery. They even had a giant arena where Harry figured the tournaments were to take place.
"Well," Ron said, "where shall we hit first?"
"I'd say the Around-the-World Restaurant, first," Harry replied, pointing to the Around-
the-World Restaurant across the street.
Around-the-World Restaurant was divided into numerous different sections, each representing a different culture with different pictures and artifacts of the culture. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat at a booth at the French section. They had already ordered food (they were allowed to order food of a different culture than the one their sitting at) about a few minutes ago. As soon as the food appeared on their table, they dug in.
"Oh geez," Hermione suddenly said. "I specifically ordered Spanish rice, NOT MEXICAN!!!!!" She stood up and threw the plate of Mexican rice at a passing waiter.
"Hermione!" Ron and Harry chorused. They pulled her down.
Near the back of the restaurant, the door to the kitchen was opened with an elf's head sticking out. He saw Hermione yelling.
"Oh no, oh no, Wizzy bad, Wizzy very bad..." the elf (supposedly named Wizzy) said to himself. He started banging his head on the door. "Wizzy used Mexican powder instead of Spanish..."
Harry saw Wizzy and ran over to comfort him. Ron was outraged.
"What's your problem?!" he exclaimed.
"You!" Hermione yelled back.
"Thanks. Could you quiet down? You're making a scene."
"I'M NOT MAKING A SCENE!" Now everybody was staring at her. She suddenly calmed down. "I d-d-don't really know what exactly my probem is. Something's going on with me.... it's driving me nuts...."
"Of course something's wrong with you! You have mood swings at the weirdest times, which is all the time. You seem to be on crack or something."
"You know about crack?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
"I figured that because you grew up in a wizarding family, you wouldn't know about drugs."
"Drugs? What's a drug?"
"Never mind."
Harry came back and sat down. "Geez, Hermione. You really killed that elf's feelings. I find that ironic."
"Hermione said that something's driving her nuts. It's as if something inside is trying to take over," Ron said.
"I didn't say anything about something taking over me," Hermione said, "but it is like that. How did you know?"
"Educated guess."
"You seem very incapable of educated guesses."
"Oh, you be quiet."
They left the restaurant.
"Maybe some laughter will help," Harry suggested to Hermione. They headed for the Wizardo Theatre. Ron picked up a schedule.
"Hey, they're having a comedian special with some guy named Gale in about five minutes. And it's free."
They decided to go to the comedian special for the laughter. The place wasn't even half-filled, so the trio didn't have a hard time find any seats. As they sat down, a man walked onto the stage and sat on a stool.
"So I was walkin' down the street when I saw a Muggle put a coin into a parking meter and just stood there," the man said, his voice magically enhanced. "I went up to the Muggle and asked, 'Why are you standing there for?' and the Muggle replied, 'I'm waiting for the gumballs to come out." The punch line drums played. The auditorium was silent except for a few coughs. Harry could see the man on the stage sweating. Someone asked, "What's a parking meter?"
The man was literally drenched with sweat. "Uh, is the Voice Enhancement Charm working?" Everyone stared with boredom. "Um, ok. How 'bout another joke? Let's see..." People were leaving the room. "Ah, I know. There's this reporter guy, see? He didn't have a story to work on, so he decided to jump off a cliff. As he was about to do so, a man walked by and asked, 'Whatcha doing?' and the reporter answered, 'I'm gonna jump off a cliff cuz I don't have a story.' The other man said, 'Can I join?' and the other guy said yes. So as they were about to jump, another man asked, 'Whatcha doing?' and the reporter answered, 'We're gonna jump off a cliff cuz I don't have a story.' He asked, 'Can I join?' and the other guy said yes. This happened two more times. So all but the reporter guy jumped and the reporter guy said, 'Wow, what a story.'"
More silence.
"Geez, tough crowd. Another joke coming right up! Um...let's see. There's this Irish guy-" Everybody else that was left in the building stood up to leave. The man pleaded, "Please! Stay, stay! I have a wife and two kids!" By this time he was on his knees. "I beg you! This is my last chance to earn money!" Somebody yelled, "Go back to the streets, Gale!" and threw a tomato at him. "Oh boy...a smashed tomato for my family..." He quickly gathered the remains of the tomato.
Harry, Ron and Hermione left the Theatre quickly.
"Now we know why that the show was free," Hermione remarked.
"What do you think this is all about?" Hermione asked.
"I dunno," answered Ron, "but I think it has something to do with more privileges for the fifth years."
"You mean like that permission slip we had to give to our parents?" inquired Harry. "They wouldn't allow us to look at that for it was a surprise."
"Most likely."
When the Gryffindors reached the dining hall, the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were already there. Unforunately, the only seats left at the Gryffindor table were the ones near Draco and his "chums."
Ron groaned.
As soon as the Ravenclaws came and sat down, Dumbledore stood up.
"My fellow fifth years," he began, "you may be wondering what this meeting is about, for I have sent home with you all a permission slip in which only the guardian is allowed to read, and I have not mentioned it just a few months ago when school just started. Most of you probably know about the wizard city of Dragon Valley and its annual Dragon Dueling Tournaments. Well, they have allowed the fifth years and up of Hogwarts to come like how we did with Hogsmeade. We can begin trips just the weekend before the duelings, which is Saturday, tomorrow. The tickets are the same price, though: 5 Sickles. That is all I wish to speak of. Thank you, and happy eating!"
The students present in the hall were excited that they could go see the tournaments live! Harry was a bit confused because he has never heard of a Dragon Valley or a Dragon Dueling Tournament.
"What's this about Dragon Valley and Dragon Dueling?" Harry asked.
Draco heard him and turned around. "Why, the city's famous for the things it has. But, of course, it is known only among REAL wizards." He shot a glance at Hermione. "And the Dragon Dueling Tournaments are what they are: dueling tournaments. People compete and duel with magic for the Dragon or Dragoness title."
Just then the rest of the students of Hogwarts came in. Food suddenly appeared.
"Food!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I thought you were against anything made from elf labor," Draco said sarcastically.
"Um...I was, I mean, I am," Hermione answered with a full mouth and shifting eyes. She swallowed the mouthful and hesitated a little before taking another bite. "Pass the gravy!"
"Uh, okay," Harry said, a little awed at Hermione, too. She dunked the whole lot on her turkey and mash potatoes.
"I find this weekend trips a little frustrating," Hermione with another mouthful, this time spitting food everywhere.
"Geez, say it, don't spray it," Ron said, wiping his shirt off. "Why frustrating?"
"Because (she swallowed) we'll miss all the fun stuff while we're gone."
"Such as...?"
"Work!"
"It figures."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing."
Hermione shoves another mouthful into her mouth. "You just see me as a control freak, don't you?"
"Everyone does."
Draco breaks in. "I'd hate to admit this, but I agree."
"Oh, shut up you dumbass," shot back Hermione.
"Make me, and by the way, nice comeback."
"Why you little..." Hermione plunges herself at Draco.
Harry was daydreaming during this fiasco about the dueling tournaments and what kinds of things Dragon Valley would have. He kept wondering until Ron shook him.
"Harry, you gotta watch this!"
Harry turned around and saw Hermione fighting off Crabbe and Goyle as she pinned Draco to the floor with everyone saying, "Fight, fight." She kept at it until Snape put the Leg-Locking Curse on Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle but the Petrifying Curse on Hermione.
"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Little Smartypants. Although I wouldn't have guessed it was you (he shot a glance at Harry and Ron), I would have guessed it was a Gryffindor. Ten points off for you."
"But what about Dra-," Ron started, but Harry elbowed him. Ron turned to Harry. "What gotten into Hermione?"
"I dunno," Harry answered.
"She's gotten some pretty nice muscles over the summer," said Neville, who was seemingly admiring Hermione as she struggled against the hands that was taking her back the to Gryffindor dorms.
"Neville!"
The next day, most of the fifth years and up prepared to go to Dragon Valley. When they got there, Draco seemed to have told the truth. Dragon Valley DOES have everything there: from cultural restaurants, to entertainment theaters, to Madame Stoven's Cookery. They even had a giant arena where Harry figured the tournaments were to take place.
"Well," Ron said, "where shall we hit first?"
"I'd say the Around-the-World Restaurant, first," Harry replied, pointing to the Around-
the-World Restaurant across the street.
Around-the-World Restaurant was divided into numerous different sections, each representing a different culture with different pictures and artifacts of the culture. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat at a booth at the French section. They had already ordered food (they were allowed to order food of a different culture than the one their sitting at) about a few minutes ago. As soon as the food appeared on their table, they dug in.
"Oh geez," Hermione suddenly said. "I specifically ordered Spanish rice, NOT MEXICAN!!!!!" She stood up and threw the plate of Mexican rice at a passing waiter.
"Hermione!" Ron and Harry chorused. They pulled her down.
Near the back of the restaurant, the door to the kitchen was opened with an elf's head sticking out. He saw Hermione yelling.
"Oh no, oh no, Wizzy bad, Wizzy very bad..." the elf (supposedly named Wizzy) said to himself. He started banging his head on the door. "Wizzy used Mexican powder instead of Spanish..."
Harry saw Wizzy and ran over to comfort him. Ron was outraged.
"What's your problem?!" he exclaimed.
"You!" Hermione yelled back.
"Thanks. Could you quiet down? You're making a scene."
"I'M NOT MAKING A SCENE!" Now everybody was staring at her. She suddenly calmed down. "I d-d-don't really know what exactly my probem is. Something's going on with me.... it's driving me nuts...."
"Of course something's wrong with you! You have mood swings at the weirdest times, which is all the time. You seem to be on crack or something."
"You know about crack?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
"I figured that because you grew up in a wizarding family, you wouldn't know about drugs."
"Drugs? What's a drug?"
"Never mind."
Harry came back and sat down. "Geez, Hermione. You really killed that elf's feelings. I find that ironic."
"Hermione said that something's driving her nuts. It's as if something inside is trying to take over," Ron said.
"I didn't say anything about something taking over me," Hermione said, "but it is like that. How did you know?"
"Educated guess."
"You seem very incapable of educated guesses."
"Oh, you be quiet."
They left the restaurant.
"Maybe some laughter will help," Harry suggested to Hermione. They headed for the Wizardo Theatre. Ron picked up a schedule.
"Hey, they're having a comedian special with some guy named Gale in about five minutes. And it's free."
They decided to go to the comedian special for the laughter. The place wasn't even half-filled, so the trio didn't have a hard time find any seats. As they sat down, a man walked onto the stage and sat on a stool.
"So I was walkin' down the street when I saw a Muggle put a coin into a parking meter and just stood there," the man said, his voice magically enhanced. "I went up to the Muggle and asked, 'Why are you standing there for?' and the Muggle replied, 'I'm waiting for the gumballs to come out." The punch line drums played. The auditorium was silent except for a few coughs. Harry could see the man on the stage sweating. Someone asked, "What's a parking meter?"
The man was literally drenched with sweat. "Uh, is the Voice Enhancement Charm working?" Everyone stared with boredom. "Um, ok. How 'bout another joke? Let's see..." People were leaving the room. "Ah, I know. There's this reporter guy, see? He didn't have a story to work on, so he decided to jump off a cliff. As he was about to do so, a man walked by and asked, 'Whatcha doing?' and the reporter answered, 'I'm gonna jump off a cliff cuz I don't have a story.' The other man said, 'Can I join?' and the other guy said yes. So as they were about to jump, another man asked, 'Whatcha doing?' and the reporter answered, 'We're gonna jump off a cliff cuz I don't have a story.' He asked, 'Can I join?' and the other guy said yes. This happened two more times. So all but the reporter guy jumped and the reporter guy said, 'Wow, what a story.'"
More silence.
"Geez, tough crowd. Another joke coming right up! Um...let's see. There's this Irish guy-" Everybody else that was left in the building stood up to leave. The man pleaded, "Please! Stay, stay! I have a wife and two kids!" By this time he was on his knees. "I beg you! This is my last chance to earn money!" Somebody yelled, "Go back to the streets, Gale!" and threw a tomato at him. "Oh boy...a smashed tomato for my family..." He quickly gathered the remains of the tomato.
Harry, Ron and Hermione left the Theatre quickly.
"Now we know why that the show was free," Hermione remarked.