The remainder of the last day before the other schools arrived went by slowly for Harry. He finished up with his lessons, but he couldn't stop thinking about the duelling.
Or the flying.
Or the fact that in just a few short hours delegations from foreign schools would arrive at Hogwarts and the first Triwizard Tournament in an age would begin.
"Do you think we should be doing more practise?" Harry asked Tracey as they watched, along with their other friends in Slytherin, several of the teaching staff erect new statues in one of the inner courtyards. "The Tournament starts on Hallowe'en..."
"We can always be doing more practise," said Tracey, "but I think we're alright to leave it for tonight. There's always tomorrow, isn't there?"
"The Tournament doesn't even start until Hallowe'en anyway," said Blaise, "and I doubt they'll put on a proper event for the opening. Will they?"
"Probably not," said Theodore. "I don't think that's how they do things. You might find out when your first events are, though."
"I hadn't thought of that," Tracey said. "Oh, I do hope they announce that tonight—or on Hallowe'en. The suspense is killing me!"
"They'll announce it when they announce it, won't they," said Millicent with a shrug.
"Brilliant observation," said Blaise. "Truly, one for the ages."
"Oh, don't be like that," said Daphne. "You know what she meant."
Over the next few hours the teachers and other members of staff continued to get the castle ready for the arrival of the other two schools. Everywhere Harry went after lessons finished for the day, all he could see were preparations for the Triwizard Tournament, from the disused corridors to the Great Hall itself and even on the grounds, where the groundskeeper Hagrid made all sorts of last-minute checks and alterations.
Suits of armour which usually stood tarnished and dented in their alcoves now gleamed, resplendent; frayed tapestries with dulled colours and sluggish animations now fluttered gently to an eldritch wind, perfectly and artfully restored; while an absurd number of plants – magical and otherwise – had suddenly appeared to decorate the hallways, fussed over by Professor Sprout, her apprentice, and the rest of the Herbology department.
Theodore had been chased out of the library, not by Madam Pince but by a horde of snapping books angry at having their massage interrupted, as the librarian had decided to dust and freshen up all of the shelves and books. Portraits all over the castle now sat chattering in pristine frames, and all sorts of trophies, awards, and strange artefacts had been placed around the school in little display cases, trotted out from wherever it was things like that sat when not on show. In the castle's Great Hall, where the Welcoming Feast would be held, Harry had even seen house elves working before they noticed him and popped away, no doubt mortified at having been seen by a student.
The only place safe from Triwizard preparations were the House Common Rooms, and even in those, it was still the only topic of conversation. The students had all been told that morning at breakfast to assemble in the Entrance Hall an hour before dinner dressed in their nicest and cleanest school robes, complete with their hats, to welcome the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. About an hour before dinner Harry and his friends made their way to the Entrance Hall for the arrival.
Inside the Hall Professor McGonagall sorted groups of students into the proper places. She had each House line up in front of its banner and colours, which were attached to huge flagpoles that floated near the back of the Entrance Hall. She put fifth years at the back of the Entrance Hall and the first years at the very front, all the while checking for uniform infractions and general presentation.
"So, what," said Harry as he fidgeted with his hat, "we've just got to stand here for the next hour waiting for the other schools?"
"Probably," said Blaise. "Not everyone's here yet, anyway. That first year, Rookwood, is missing from our lot, and fuck knows where Draco's got to because I haven't seen him all day."
"And Daph's late because she can't get her hair right," said Millicent. "I don't know why she's worried, she always looks pretty, and she's got to wear the hat all night anyway."
"She won't be long," said Tracey confidently. "The new spell she's using for her buns is really tricky and it takes a bit of extra time, that's all."
A few minutes later Daphne arrived, her hair done up into a dozen or so neat little roses which ringed her pointed hat.
"I know I'm late but I had to get this right," she said once she slipped into place between Tracey and Millicent.
"You're not the latest," said Theodore. "Draco's still not here, and I think half of the Gryffindors are running late as well."
Harry glanced over and saw that the Gryffindor column looked a little threadbare.
"I wonder where they are," he said.
"Probably just late," said Blaise.
With about fifteen minutes left until the usual start time for dinner, Draco arrived, paler than usual and not as well-groomed as Harry had expected. McGonagall gave him a stern look as he got into place, although said nothing as many of her Gryffindors had yet to join the waiting students. When the missing Gryffindors finally arrived and got put into their spots by McGonagall, she directed all four columns of students out of the huge Entrance Hall doors to reassemble on the lawns in front of the castle with a good view of the lake.
McGonagall spent a few moments to explain what the students would have to do return to the castle – a little choreographed retreat to the castle starting with the Hufflepuffs – although there was only a little time allowed for them to practise.
"Why'd we have to do all that in there just to do it all again out here?" complained Blaise as McGonagall checked over everyone once again.
"You know what teachers are like," said Theodore. "Anyway, at least it was warmer in there."
Once all the students were in place, the teaching and other staff members flooded from the castle to assemble behind them. From what Harry could see after sneaking a look while McGonagall wasn't watching, they were all clustered together in departments, which he supposed made sense. The entire institution of Hogwarts had been laid out on the lawns to present itself to the foreign schools, and even Dumbledore stood, dressed in his usually flamboyant manner, in front of the students in a spot that had no doubt been chosen to have a particular effect.
Dinner's usual start time came and went while the Hogwarts students and staff stood outside waiting for Beauxbatons and Durmstrang to arrive. After about half an hour of waiting, Harry started to get frustrated and hungry.
"How are they getting here, then?" he asked. "Train? Or are they walking and that's why they're so late?"
Theodore shrugged.
"I don't think they'll be taking the train here," he said. "Maybe Portkey? But with that many…"
"I think they're trying to make an entrance," said Daphne. "You know, to be fashionably late."
"If by 'fashionably' you mean 'nearly an hour,'" muttered Harry, "they've definitely managed it." The elves were usually quite good at timing dinner and feasts, but if they'd started cooking under the assumption the delegations would be on time... although Harry did suppose they could keep the food hot and fresh with magic.
Still, that wasn't the point.
Then one of the Ravenclaws shouted, and Harry's attention was drawn away from his complaints.
"The lake!"
A great big whirlpool appeared at the centre of the lake, growing larger and larger until it covered most of the visible surface. Then a massive wooden ship which Harry thought looked like a Spanish galleon with gleaming white sails and two masts emerged from the whirlpool draped in seaweed and shells and all sorts of other bits and pieces. The water and seaweed and everything else gradually drained or fell away from the ship as it glided across the surface of the lake and came to rest right at the shore. Then, a wooden ramp extended from the deck, and the first students appeared.
They walked down the ramp in two columns, arranged oldest to youngest, and stood opposite each other once they had all disembarked the ship. Harry reckoned there were at least fifty students lined up in front of the ship, maybe more, ranging in age from second years like Harry, to fifth years who presumably wanted to participate in the Gauntlet itself. They wore dark red robes, fur hats, and thick fur cloaks, and stood in total silence as they waited.
Then, after a few moments, a tall and thin man clad in sleek, silver fur-lined robes appeared at the top of the ramp. He had cold eyes and a little beard, and a smile that to Harry, looked false. Two others came out behind him, a short, squat witch in bright purple robes and a brawny wizard with a great big beard.
"Dumbledore! What a wonderful welcome you've arranged! Truly, we are all honoured to be welcomed so well," said the man with his arms outstretched as he approached Dumbledore. "On behalf of all the students and staff at Durmstrang Institute, we are very pleased to be here! Positively ecstatic, in fact." His voice oozed with the sort of charm that set Harry on edge, like when his uncle tried to impress important clients by showering them in false compliments and flattery.
"Igor," said Dumbledore, his tone even and polite but lacking its usual geniality. "I should like to extend a warm welcome from myself and all of Hogwarts to your students and colleagues after their long journey. It is truly a pleasure to have them here." Dumbledore paused, and then added, "and yourself, of course."
"Have you heard of him before?" whispered Harry to Theodore, who'd gone pale and started to mutter once the Durmstrang headmaster had appeared.
"Sort of," Theodore said in reply. "Igor Karkaroff—he was a Death Eater. Professor Moody brought him in, he was one of the ones who—who named—"
"Right," said Harry. The man – Igor Karkaroff – had been a Death Eater, and one of the ones who'd named Theodore's father as among that number. Or such was the implication of Theodore's distress. And who had, apparently, got off entirely free and gone on to become the headmaster of one of Europe's most respected magical academies – just coincidentally the Darkest of Europe's premier schools.
Funny how these things just happen, Harry thought.
"We are the first to arrive?" asked Karkaroff as he looked around the lawns.
"Indeed," said Dumbledore. "The delegation from Beauxbatons has yet to arrive, although I daresay they shall not be very long now. You are both, after all, late."
"Ah, a small thing, Dumbledore," said Igor with a wave of his hand. He turned towards his waiting students and barked an order at them in some language Harry didn't understand – he thought it might have been German, but wasn't sure – and they immediately formed into a single column behind him as he directed them to stand across from the Hogwarts students to await the arrival of the students from Beauxbatons. "I do hope Maxime isn't too long," said Karkaroff, "as poor Viktor has a head cold and it would be a terrible thing for us to be held up too long."
"I am sure all will be well, Igor," said Dumbledore.
Harry glanced over at the Durmstrang students and realised he recognised one of them – the Viktor that Karkaroff had gestured to was none other than Viktor Krum, the Seeker for the Bulgarian national Quidditch team.
Harry nudged Blaise.
"That's Viktor Krum, look!" he said. "I didn't know he was still in school…"
Blaise shrugged. "Oh, yeah, he is still… I didn't know he'd be here, though. I guess you'll have some competition in the flying after all."
Harry frowned at that, considering, but he didn't have much time to think on it. After only a few minutes Harry spotted something odd over the horizon, silhouetted against the moon – what appeared to be a flying house drawn by massive, winged horses. The strange flying vehicle grew larger and larger as it got closer, and Harry saw it was a gigantic horse-drawn carriage painted in a pale blue, with delicate windows arranged at its sides. Twelve elephant-sized winged horses pulled the carriage through the sky, and Harry was amazed that it all came to a smooth and delicate stop on the lawns in front of the castle.
"Abraxans!" said Blaise. "Bloody magnificent ones, too!"
The doors to the massive carriage opened and a stream of silk-robed boys and girls poured out of it, about as many as had come from the Durmstrang ship, followed by the tallest woman Harry had ever seen. She was perhaps the tallest ever person, as he couldn't be sure she wasn't taller than the groundskeeper Hagrid without a more direct comparison. Behind her, although it was hard to see them given the headmistress's large size, were another witch and a wizard wearing what Harry thought could only have been a peacock as a hat.
The well-dressed Beauxbatons students formed up into three columns behind the imposing headmistress as she marched across the lawn to greet Dumbledore. She stopped a few feet away from him, although Harry supposed that was still less than a single stride away.
"Dumblydorr! It is so good to 'ave arrived!" She stepped forward and knelt down so that Dumbledore could kiss her cheeks. "There is someone who can 'andle my Abraxans? They require forceful 'andling, and only drink single-malt whiskey!"
"Olympe, my dear, it is wonderful to have you here with us this evening!" declared Dumbledore with much more warmth than he'd had for Karkaroff. "I extend, of course, a warm welcome to all of your students, your fellow members of staff, and your marvellous steeds as well. I should note, Headmistress Maxime, that your students appear unused to the rather bracing Scottish air." Dumbledore glanced towards the Beauxbatons students who stood, almost to a man, shivering in their thin blue robes.
Harry didn't think it was that cold, but then the Hogwarts robes were made of sturdier stuff than thin bits of silk, and he was used to the weather.
"Now that we have all finally arrived, perhaps it would be best to retire to the castle where we have arranged a welcoming feast for you all?" continued Dumbledore.
With a closer look at the headmistress from Beauxbatons, Harry thought she her a beautiful woman – clear, olive skin and large black eyes, her features accentuated by her jewellery, with a look Harry couldn't quite place. She moved with an elegance and grace that belied her massive size.
"Of course," said Maxime smoothly. "And my Abraxans? Who will tend to them?"
"Mr Hagrid shall find appropriate lodgings for them, I can assure you," said Dumbledore. "He is quite well versed in the accommodation of exotic creatures, even ones as particular as your Abraxans. Now, to the castle."
Dumbledore turned on his heel and strode back towards the castle. As soon as the elderly wizard had done so, McGonagall followed, with the Hufflepuffs behind her. The rest of the Houses followed in the manner they'd been told to, although they didn't quite manage the perfect synchronisation that the other schools had evidently practised over and over.
Still, Harry didn't think they'd done badly as they marched in silence back to the castle. The Beauxbatons delegation followed on behind the Slytherins, and the Durmstrang students went along after them.
When they reached the Great Hall Harry saw that it had been totally transformed by the house elves, over and above the preparations that had been going on all day. The usual banners, flags, and colours representing the four Houses at feasts had been placed above each of the respective House tables, along with a selection of banners with the combined crest and coat of arms of Hogwarts behind the staff table. Intermixed between them all were the colours and banners of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, and another which Harry assumed was meant to represent the Tournament itself. All of the school's ghosts – or at least those which were cognisant enough to realise the occasion – floated at the far sides of the Great Hall watching the proceedings.
The Hogwarts students immediately moved to sit at their House tables, where they had been told to leave gaps between groups, and it quickly became apparent that each table had been extended to accommodate the foreign students. Karkaroff and Maxime directed small groups of their students spanning the entire age range of the competition categories to sit at each of the four House tables, and each House received what looked to Harry to be a more or less representative sample from each delegation.
A group of Durmstrang student sat in the gap at the Slytherin table nearest to Harry, who was somewhat disappointed that it didn't include Viktor Krum, and an equally sized contingent of Beauxbatons students filled the space opposite.
The Hogwarts staff members filled the Head table, which had also been extended, as every member of the teaching staff and their apprentices had been required to attend the opening of the Triwizard Tournament – even Binns, who floated awkwardly at the far end of the table, the lone ghost amongst all the corporeal forms. The four members of staff who had accompanied the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang headteachers had been sat further along the table, mixed in and sat next to their Hogwarts counterparts. Several Ministry officials also sat at the Head Table, and a strange wooden chest sat between the Head Table and the House Tables.
Next to Dumbledore were two empty seats which Karkaroff and Maxime soon filled. Once the foreign students had all slipped into place at the House tables, and the Hall had settled down, Dumbledore stood to commence the feast.
"I shall not take long—I am not overly fond of long, droning speeches—but it would be remiss of me not to say a few words at this, the commencement of the first Triwizard Tournament in generations," said Dumbledore. "This competition between the three premier schools of magic in Europe has a long—and often bloody—history which I shall not recount this evening. It is hoped that, in the spirit of international co-operation and friendship, this renewed competition shall restore and strengthen the bonds between the many and diverse communities represented by our three schools. To that end the coming months will not only serve as a method for our competitors to seek glory, but for all of us here to experience the cultural delights and new perspectives friends from other countries can bring—the first of which being the truly magnificent feast our kitchens have prepared this evening drawing from all of the culinary traditions represented at our schools. So to finish I will say—bon appetit and mahlzeit!"
Dumbledore sat down, and the feast appeared on the tables.
True to Dumbledore's words, many of the dishes that appeared on the platters and in bowls and tureens and everything else were entirely new to Harry, whose culinary horizons had never been especially large. Some were variations on things he already knew, such as the sausages and hearty stews that had appeared in front of him, although others, such as the fishy-smelling soup with bits and pieces of fish stuck in it were new – and not entirely welcome.
Most of the students around Harry stuck to the foods they knew and liked already, although some were much more adventurous and tried bits and pieces of the unknown dishes. Blaise appeared quite at ease with the whole range of foods, whereas Theodore spent most of his time searching for foods he already liked.
Harry tried an approach between the two and picked out some things he knew he liked already along with some others that seemed like they would be tasty enough. Once he was satisfied with the food he'd chosen – at least for his first go at it – he glanced around to get a good look at the students from the other schools.
Most of them, as with their Hogwarts counterparts, stuck to their groups and talked with each other in whatever languages they usually used at school. Some, though, had branched out to chat with students from other schools. Draco spoke with a blond Beauxbatons boy – in French – while Blaise chatted to the pretty girl in the red Durmstrang robes sat next to him in what Harry assumed must have been Italian.
"I've never heard this many languages at once before," said Harry to Theodore, who'd been sat quietly next to him since the start of the feast. The closest he'd come was when he'd been in Spain and he'd heard smatterings of Spanish and Catalan and the odd bit of German from some other tourists.
"Me either," said Theodore. "I only speak English—my dad's not one for anything too 'continental'—so I've got no idea what anyone's saying." He paused. "Although, I think Draco's only talking to one of his distant cousins, so I'm not sure it really counts."
"Looks like Blaise is doing well," said Harry quietly, with a little smirk. The pretty girl sat next to Blaise seemed quite enamoured with the tall, handsome boy - she kept laughing at his jokes and playing with her hair, anyway.
"He's a smooth bastard mind, isn't he?" said Theodore. "Sat next to her for five minutes and already…"
"I know," commiserated Harry. "He always knows what to say…"
After a few more minutes Blaise turned towards Harry and nudged him.
"Harry, I think you need to meet someone." Blaise gestured towards the girl sat next to him. "Harry, this is Giovanna. She's from Durmstrang, obviously. Giovanna, this is Harry Potter—he'll be flying against you."
"A pleasure to meet you, Harry Potter," said Giovanna in lightly accented English. She sounded Italian to Harry, but she had obviously learned English from an Englishman. Giovanna held out a hand to Harry, who shook it awkwardly. "You are the one who lived, yes? An interesting story—we know it even in Italy."
"Oh, er, yeah," said Harry, suddenly self-conscious about his scar. He resisted the urge to flatten his hair over it. "That's me," he said.
"I think everywhere there are wizards they know this story," said Giovanna. "It is a strange event, you know. But I am not so interested in that. You are flying in the free competitions, yes? So am I. Blaise tells me you have a Firebolt!"
"Oh, er, it's lovely to meet you, too," said Harry, careful not to trip over his words. "I did qualify for the standards as well, but I'm mostly just in the frees—can't let my Firebolt go to waste, after all. I am doing one of the standards though." Harry felt like it was important that Giovanna know that he could have done all of the standardised events if he'd wanted to.
"I understand," said Giovanna. Then she smiled a wicked smile. "But I'm really looking forward to the frees—it is so much better flying on your own broom, yes?"
"Oh, er, definitely," said Harry. "What broom do you have? If you don't mind me asking…"
"Oh, well, not a Firebolt, Harry," said Giovanna.
Blaise sniggered.
"She's being coy, Harry. She told me she's on a Hayami—what was the model? '92?"
"It is the '94," said Giovanna.
Hayami brooms were unusual to see in Quidditch at any professional level, although Japanese teams did sometimes use them. But Harry had heard of them before, and they were a very popular sport broom for other broom-based sports such as hazard flying. And possibly Quodpot, that weird American game.
With similar technical specifications to the Firebolt it was difficult for Harry to say which broom was better. The Firebolt was faster, but the Hayami was better at turning. And the Hayami '94 – new out that very year – was widely considered to be the company's best ever broom.
"How's it fly?" asked Harry, very interested in the answer. It was one thing to read about the specs, and he had read about near enough every top-flight broom on the market, and another to get a personal evaluation from a rider.
And an even better thing to get a ride on it, Harry thought.
"It is very nice to fly," said Giovanna. "But, you'll see this soon!" She grinned. "Of course, we will have competition from Viktor—Krum, you must have seen him. He is flying in the frees also, and he has a Firebolt of his own." She glanced down the table at where Krum had sat with the other older students, and then lowered her voice. "I should not say this, perhaps, but we are all at Durmstrang hoping he will be our Champion. So maybe he will not be flying, although I know he hopes otherwise."
Competing against Krum in the flying competition was a dream Harry hadn't known he had, but now that it seemed in sight, he wanted it to happen. Of course, Harry was barred from the Gauntlet on account of his age, but the flying was where all levels could compete…
"He doesn't want to be Champion?" asked Harry. "Why not?"
"Ah, sorry, I think I did not say it right. He wants to fly, but there was a… a difficulty, yes? When he tried to join the competition. With the Bulgarian national team. He used to play Quidditch at school, you see, but when he joined the team, they told him to stop," said Giovanna. "I know he did not want this, but…" She shrugged.
Harry nodded.
"Right, yeah. That's rough," said Harry. "It makes sense but I wouldn't like it either. What's Durmstrang like?" Having their star player injured due to a school match would be something any national team would want to avoid. Most teams would avoid it by not picking a schoolboy to play, but then Krum was a rare talent...
Harry had heard many very mixed things about Durmstrang. Some of the more traditional Slytherins heaped praise on it – apparently Draco's name had been down for it at one point – but Harry knew that they taught the Dark arts to a level unheard of at Hogwarts. And with a former Death Eater as its headmaster, it didn't seem especially appealing. Giovanna seemed nice, and nobody said Krum was a Dark wizard, but the stories about the school did little to calm Harry's worries.
"We are not supposed to give away the secrets of the school," said Giovanna carefully, "but it is a castle, like this one, only not quite so magnificent. It is very far north—so it is very, very cold, especially as I am from Napule. But it is a very good school, better than the ones in Italy, so…" Giovanna shrugged.
Harry knew nothing at all about the schools in Italy, so he just nodded along. Harry thought that Durmstrang, which apparently didn't admit muggleborns and which taught the Dark Arts, would have to be leagues better than the alternatives for him to attend it, but Harry wasn't Giovanna.
"My grandfather wanted me to go to L'Accademia," said Blaise, "but my mother… well, we moved here, instead. Why not Beauxbatons, though? I know they take a fair few students from Italy."
Giovanna smiled.
"I speak German but not French. Italian is similar, yes, but… not the same. So, Durmstrang is better." She paused. "Better library, better facilities and equipment… If you are worried about Durmstrang's reputation regarding the Dark Arts… you should not be," continued the pretty Italian girl. "Yes, we learn more than they teach at Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, but it is not without reason or merit. To understand a thing, you must know it. It is not, ah, gratuitous."
"I wasn't worried about the Dark Arts taught at Durmstrang—it's not like they're breaking international laws with it, are they? But most people I know in Italy who don't go to school there go to Beauxbatons, that's all," said Blaise smoothly.
Harry couldn't say he'd taken the same relaxed view to the Dark Arts taught at Durmstrang as Blaise had, but he supposed that if it didn't break international law, it couldn't be that bad. Unless the laws were insufficient, which Harry supposed was possible.
"I was just interested in Durmstrang," said Harry. "I've only been to Hogwarts—well, and my muggle schools—so I wanted to learn more. You know, cultural horizons and new perspectives and all that Dumbledore was on about." He ate some of his meal, careful not to make a mess in front of his new acquaintance.
"You went to a muggle school?" asked Giovanna immediately. "Why?"
"I live with my muggle aunt and uncle," said Harry, "so I went to school there."
"I did not know this," said Giovanna eventually. "It must be so difficult, living as a muggle! At least you are here now! Durmstrang does not have, ah, muggleborn wizards, so you are the closest thing to it that I have ever met! I've never met a muggle. What is it like?"
"I mean, I don't really… Er…" Harry wasn't quite sure what to say. For one thing, he wasn't muggleborn, although he supposed he was the next best thing. Many of his experiences had been the same, at least. "Well, both of my parents were magical, even though I didn't—well… so it's not really… but… it was a bit strange, yeah." He did feel a bit put on the spot, as if he suddenly had to act as an ambassador for all of mugglekind. "Magic is brilliant, but living as a muggle isn't really that different, honestly, just a bit harder and things are … slower, usually. And there are some things muggles just can't do, but you don't miss what you don't know, really, so…" he trailed off.
There wasn't too much he could really say. If Giovanna had never even met a muggle before nothing Harry said could mean anything.
"Well, it is a good thing that you are back in the right place to learn about your heritage, and safe from harm of course," said Giovanna, clearly impressed that Harry had managed to survive the muggle world. Amusingly, it was the wizarding world that worried Harry more – since at least in the muggle world he didn't have to worry about Dark Lords and prophecies. Although, the food wasn't quite as good, he supposed.
The red-robed girl sat next to Giovanna nudged her and said something in rapid German to draw her attention away from Harry and Blaise. Giovanna nodded a few times, then turned back to the two boys.
"I am being called away," she said. "But it was very nice to speak with you both. Thank you, Blaise, for introducing us—and Harry, I look forward to racing with you in the flying. I will speak with you both again, I am sure." Giovanna turned away to chat with her friend.
"I think that went alright," murmured Blaise to Harry once Giovanna was reengaged with her friend. "I thought she was going to get offended when she said about the Dark Arts stuff but I reckon we pulled it back—nice move, mate." He paused. "She's pretty though, isn't she?"
"Very," agreed Harry, sneaking a little glance at the attractive Durmstrang student. There were a few girls at Hogwarts Harry thought much more attractive than Giovanna, but they were all quite familiar and sometimes, different was better. "But to be honest I'm more interested in her broom—I've never flown against a Hayami before. And she's doing the same events I am, I think she said…"
Blaise rolled his eyes.
"Who cares about her bloody broom!" he said. "Honestly, mate, you need to get your priorities right. Have you even thought about the Yule Ball yet?"
"Oh, er, sort of," Harry mumbled. "I was kind of just hoping something would come up…"
"Well, something will definitely come up if you pick the right date," sniggered Blaise.
Harry groaned.
"That was awful," Harry said. "Too obvious."
By that point the feast had been replaced with an array of different dessert dishes, so Harry took a good look at the offerings and tried to decide what to pick. The house elves had clearly outdone themselves with the offerings—Harry wondered how they would manage to pull off something more impressive for the upcoming Hallowe'en Feast.
Blaise shrugged.
"Well, I thought it was funny," said Blaise. "That's what matters. Anyway, try out this for dessert—you've probably not had it before, but it's delicious," he said, and dumped a large piece of an intricately decorated cake onto Harry's dessert plate.
"I wanted one of those French twirly things," protested Harry, but he kept the cake anyway – it did look very nice. He grabbed one of the French cakes as well, and decided that was probably enough food, since he didn't want to end up like Dudley.
After the opening feast wound up and the remains of the desserts disappeared from all of the tables, Dumbledore stood to make another announcement. Harry noticed two of the Ministry officials had got up from their seats to stand next to the heavy wooden chest that had sat at the front of the Hall all night.
"We are all, I hope, full of good food and good feeling after that magnificent feast," said Dumbledore, "so I will be brief. The Triwizard Champions will be selected on Hallowe'en Night after the Hallowe'en Feast by an ancient and powerful magical object known as the Goblet of Fire." Dumbledore gestured to the Ministry officials who opened up the chest to reveal an unremarkable, although quite large, wooden cup. "To prevent underaged students from attempting to enter their names into the Goblet I will erect an Age Line—as well as other measures—around the Goblet as it sits in the Great Hall this weekend. But I must say, and say firmly, that entering one's name into the Goblet of Fire constitutes the signing of a binding magical contract. Those students of age who enter will be required by law, magical and wizarding, to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. I will now declare the Triwizard Tournament open. The Goblet will be moved to the Entrance Hall tonight, ready for entrants tomorrow morning. A good night and sweet dreams to you all."
The Ministry officials closed the wooden chest back up, and Dumbledore left the Great Hall through the little chamber directly behind the Head Table. After a few moments, Karkaroff and Maxime followed after him.
Once the headmasters and headmistress had gone, the students and the rest of the teachers all left their tables, too. The students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons returned to the grounds, and Harry spared a little wave to Giovanna and her friends before he too left for the dungeons and the sweet embrace of sleep.