"Gosh Peeves, cheer up," Lawson said, slapping Peeves on the back. "You can't act all depressed forever. You have to get used to not having Sherman around. It's been practically a month, for goodness sakes!"

Peeves drew his knees up closer to his chin and stared emotionlessly into the fire.

"You need to get back to your old self, I miss you, Peeves! I haven't seen you get Sourdine upset in forever!" Peeves sighed and looked over at his friend.

"Man, Lawson. I don't wanna be in that dumb Tournament anymore. Why'd I wanna be in it in the first place?" Lawson didn't say anything. Just then Sean entered the common room, shivering.

"Those halls get so cold," he shuddered and walked briskly over to the fire, rubbing his hands together. Lawson stood up suddenly.

"Anybody want to join me in a snowball fight?" he said, looking at Sean and Peeves. Both shook their heads no. "Aw, come on Peeves. You need to get out." Peeves sighed and stood up also.

"I said no, Lawson. Thanks anyways. I'm going down to the Great Hall," he said and walked quickly out of the room, glad to get away from his friends. He knew they were trying to cheer him up, but it was annoying. Peeves trudged down to the Great Hall as he had said he would, glancing around at all the statues and pictures in the lonely hallways. The fortress was so cold that Peeves' breath froze. Drawing his cloak tighter around his neck, Peeves stepped off the bottom step into the entrance hall. Here and there Beauxbatons students were mingling in the corners, talking and walking to various destinations. Peeves headed into the Great Hall, welcoming the warmth inside. Gazing over the sea of heads of students just finishing their supper and the glistening candles and silverware, he looked for a side place to sit. Spotting an empty table, Peeves headed over to it. Dodging past students, he walked with his head down. Halfway across the hall Peeves was startled by a voice right in front of him.

"Monsieur Radley?"

Peeves looked up in surprise. A small house elf dressed in the Beauxbaton uniform with big blue eyes and a short thin nose was looking at him beadily.

"Uh, uh, yes?" he stuttered. The house elf pulled something out of her uniform.

"This just arrived for you," she said, holding up a thick white envelope. Peeves took it awkwardly.

"Thanks," he mumbled, watching the house elf dart away. Sighing, he finished his way to the empty table and sat down. Pushing a crystal plate out of his way, Peeves tore open the letter and read...

Dear Peeves,

How's it going out there? How's Sourdine been treating you? Not very well I suppose. Well, anyway, I'm writing to tell you I'm all right and my parents didn't kill me for being expelled (although they were very close to it). I'm only grounded for a couple centuries. It was worth it. I want you to know that I'll try to write more often (I'm grounded from the owl so that's why it took me so long to write. Don't mention to Mum that I am or she'll really kill me). Even though I'm not there, keep the place hoppin' for me. I feel much better knowing you're probably making Sourdine's life miserable right now. Write to me in detail. I'm pretty bored in the room I've been restricted to by Mum and Dad.

Peeves, I'm really worried about the tournament. Sure you did awesome during the first task, but...well, people have died. Buddy, you just can't die on me, I'd have nothing to look forward to. Be careful. Tell Lawson and Rene that I miss them (and you could tell Sean too, the old Bag), send me lots of letters, put toothpaste on Sourdine's pillow, and try not to get killed. Is that too much to ask for? I hope not.

Your lonesome and bored partner in crime;

Sherman Tilford

Peeves grinned. "I think I can manage that, Sherm," he whispered.

₪

Professor Sourdine sat back in a cozy chair next to the warm fireplace in her room and sniffed deeply her steaming cup of herbal tea.

"Life has been so easy since I got rid of Sherman and Peeves isn't up to his usual tricks. I just might get used to this," the headmistress mumbled happily and raised her cup to her lips, taking a sip. Suddenly her eyes bulged. Sourdine spit out the tea and it sprayed out everywhere.

"SALT!" she sputtered. "WHO PUT SALT IN MY—"The headmistress stopped suddenly.

"PEEVES RADLEY!" she roared.

Peeves Radley was back in business.

₪

Even though they weren't at Hogwarts, the students still had to have their lessons. Nobody minded that much, however, mainly because they weren't stuck in the boring Hogwarts classrooms. Beauxbatons had loaned the Hogwarts students one of its empty classrooms in which to study in. Sourdine, unfortunately, lead the classes. The thing that made the lessons less dull was that the Beauxbatons' classrooms were unbelievable. The particular room the Hogwarts students were assigned was large and comfortable. The desks were big and spacious, the chairs had beautiful, overstuffed periwinkle cushions, and two whole walls in the room were covered from ceiling to floor with sparkling windows. The other two walls held many astonishing portraits of yawning landscapes and beautiful sunsets. Even if a lesson was particularly boring, there was always something to look at.

At the beginning of one day at the beginning of December, Peeves and the other nine Hogwarts students walked dutifully into the classroom. Peeves quickly slinked by Sourdine's unoccupied desk, dropping something on her chair, and trudged casually to a seat in the way back, next to Lawson. Leaning back in his chair, Peeves waited patiently with the other students for Sourdine to enter. They didn't have to wait long. Within a couple of seconds, Sourdine whisked into the room and sailed over to her desk at a surprisingly graceful speed for one of her age.

"Get out your History of Magic books!" she hollered, before sitting down at her desk. There was a big bang and Sourdine jumped to her feet. Looking at the seat of the chair, she angrily picked up a smoldering Dr Filibuster's Fabulous No-Heat Wet-Start Firework. "Peeves Radley!" she moaned. Peeves looked up in surprise.

"Yes?" he asked in his usual innocent voice.

"I thought I told you last time this happened that if it happened again you would be punished!"

Peeves had a puzzled expression on his face. "I don't believe I remember you saying that," he said airily. Sourdine sighed heatedly.

"Oh, I said that alright! And have I got the perfect punishment!"

"Uh, may I remind you that you can't expel me—"

"I know that!"

"Then I'll be sure to show up tomorrow morning with mop and pail in hand—"

"No, no, Radley! This one's really going to hurt!"

Peeves rolled his eyes.

"Sure."

Sourdine grinned.

"Class, I have an announcement that I was intending to tell you after class, but I think I'll tell you now. Beauxbatons Academy will be hosting a traditional Triwizard Tournament Christmas celebration... the Noël Soirée!" she said grandly. Several of the girls squealed.

"The Noël Soirée is a great party that includes dancing and merriment and much anticipation, and you, Peeves Radley, will not be attending." Peeves looked up in disbelief.

"Why not?"

"I just told you why."

Peeves glanced around awkwardly at the other students. "Well...I didn't want to go anyways."

"Sure," Sourdine said, a smile sliding across her lips.

"Who wouldn't want to go," whispered a Slytherin from the other side of the room. Peeves glared at her. Sourdine, still flashing a smile, dusted off her charred chair and sat down with a flourish to begin the lesson.