Welcoming Newcomers?

The next morning, Harry awoke in a bright room.

His head felt as if he had hit the Hogwarts Express head on.

There was a continuous hissing sound.

But there was also that feeling of relieve. It was the relieve of not feeling pain.

He could feel his mind repairing its structure. It was not growing back to what it was before. There was a regularity and a … 'thickness?' to it that was new to Harry's thought. He noticed that his memory patterns were different. They were streamlined. But they were also behind beginnings of walls, of fortifications. Harry wondered how this would affect his personality.

Harry opened his eyes. He could sense the soft fabric of the bed. But with his eyes he could not see.

No, that is not correct. Harry could see, but he could not make out what he saw.

Familiar shapes and forms were all around him, but he could not label them appropriately.

"You already woke up. You really should sleep another few hours. Here is a 'Dreamless Sleep' potion." A white clad … thing interrupted his thoughts. He could not identify what put some container into his hands. After downing a liquid, which he remembered tasting before, but could not name, Harry again drifted of to sleep.

HPU

When Harry awoke the next time, a … human … girl sat next to his … the cushiony flat, but compressible, surface that he was laying on. She was reading a box, … no a book.

He sifted through the strange fog that covered everything in his brain.

What was her name again?

"Gr … Granger? Is that you? Why are you here?"

When Harry stirred, she promptly placed the book into her bag and jumped to his side.

"Of coarse it is me, Potter, are you still tired? I know we can't be seen together too much, but I worried when I heard that you had a bad fall. How did you do that? You have been here for over three years now. I thought I'd let you know that today the other two schools, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are coming. We are supposed to get ready for the welcoming ceremony. Do you think you can get ready for that? Don't worry nobody but Madam Pomfrey knows that I am here. I just really had to visit you when I heard that you were injured. But you don't look injured? Did you get a concussion. They can really be bad if not treated. If you get too many concussion you can have severe long term problems. At least in the Muggle world. Healers probably have a potion for it, I will have to look at this next time I am in the library."

Harry knew she was worried. Granger was only this scatter-brained when she was worried.

Madam Pomfrey step to the bed. "Ms. Granger, no need to get upset. Mr. Potter is as good as new. He is still a bit confused but I think that he will be able to recover quickest by finding his old routines. Next time, Mr. Potter, watch the stairs. You really should know by now that they like to move when it is most inconvenient. Go now, welcome the two schools properly."

With that Harry was released from the infirmary.

As they walked to the little plaza in front of the school, where they were expecting to meet the other schools, Granger asked Harry, laughing: "You got so badly lost on the stairs that you had to spend the whole morning in the infirmary! What was really going on?"

"I must have forgotten the stairs strange behavior in the summer. I guess I was tired after Snape's detention. All I remember is going down the stairs and then waking up in the hospital wing." Harry lied.

Granger stared at him for a few moments. "Fine then, if you don't want to share with me. Don't!"

Granger was clearly angry. Harry did not know what to do. He had rarely had the occasion to lie to Granger. But he also didn't know why she was so upset. Yes, they were secretly friendly, but that didn't mean he needed to tell her everything! Granger was behaving uncharacteristically irrational.

They exited the court yard and separated to join their respective houses. The four houses were arranged in four separate squares. Harry had no idea why they were arranged in such a military fashion.. Some wizard must think it will impress the visitors.

Beauxbatons and Durmstrang arrived with suitably impressive magical means. Beauxbatons came with a giant flying carriage, and Durmstrang popped out of the lake in a submersible sailing boat.

Both contingents found living quarters in different abandoned wings of Hogwarts. The different modes of travel disappeared in the same manner that they came. They would return in the spring to take them back.

The ceremony was rather short, as it was evident that the schools had traveled far. The students looked tired. The short ceremony gave all, including a still befuddled Harry time to rest before the welcoming feast.

HPU

That evening, once the guest had settled in, there was a second opening feast. It was strange to have another feast in such a short time frame, just a week apart. Harry mused that it must have been to not mix local events, the sorting for example, and international events. This Opening Feast of the Triwizard Tournament was completely different from the regular opening of the year feast.

For one, the Great Hall had been reorganized. It would be rearranged for the remainder of the year.

The open space between the great entrance and the four House Tables had been cut in half. The four long house tables had been moved closer to the door.

In the space that this opened up between the four tables and the Head Table, there had been added two smaller tables. These tables where parallel to the Head Table, and they roughly seated twenty to thirty students each. This was plenty of space for each contingent.

The Head Table had also been rearranged. Instead of the long table where all the professors sat on an equal height, three new tables had taken its place. In the center, elevated by another podium was a table that seated five. To the left and right of this smaller table where two tables at the regular height. On it sat mainly the Hogwarts professors, but some professors from the visiting schools where among them. They did not bring many professors, since the majority of their students had to remain at home, with their deputy-headmasters.

On the central table sat in the center three seats, the three headmasters.

Flanking them, were two ministry officials. Harry had seen the pictures of them in The Daily Prophet in the last week. The taller, skinnier man was Bartemius Crouch, Sr. the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. The shorter muscular man, with a beer belly, was Ludo Bagman, the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. The two had, upon the promptings of the Minister himself, worked extensively in order to revive the tournament.

In front of the central table on a little podium, stood a goblet. The podium stood at the center of a five stared pentagram, which emitted a soft greenish glow. The goblet was made out of polished wood. It was roughly two feet tall. In the goblet, where there usually would be some sort of liquid, there was a pool of flames. Even though it was wooden, the goblet did not burn up. There was no visible damage to it, despite the flames it contained.

The decoration of the Great Hall had also been greatly changed. Gone were the four house colors. Instead the red, white and blue of the Union Jack and the French Tricolor as well as the red, white and green of Magical Bulgaria dominated.

Once everyone was seated, Professor Dumbledore stood up. "Friends from Hogwarts, Friends from far away places. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the first Triwizard Tournament Welcoming Feast in over a hundred years. I remember fondly sitting on the Gryffindor bench and fretting over who would become Hogwarts' Champion. … mmm … of course I remember less fondly how they all died, but you know, you win some, you ..."

"Thank you Albus," Director Crouch, interrupted the Headmaster, "It is with great pleasure that the Ministry of Magic welcomes the other two great magical schools of Europe, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. The traditions of the Triwizard Tournament originate almost seven hundred years ago. For various reasons, it has been discontinued for too long, but now, under the inspiration of Minister Fudge's leadership, we have again succeeded in bringing our three preeminent schools together in the hopes of showcasing the international character of magic once more. This is the core purpose of the Tournament, to bring together wizards and witches from distant countries and to foster the kinship all wizarding kind should have for one another. With this end in mind, Director Bagman and myself have worked tirelessly for the last months in order to revive this venerable tradition.

"We of the Department of International Magical Cooperation hope that over the the next year not only great magical feats would be accomplished, but also that you, the students of all three schools, would form lasting bonds, that will help you see past our British horizons.

"Professor Dumbledore has mentioned that in the past, Triwizard Champions died. This is sadly the case. In order for such circumstances to not trouble this Tournament, there have been various attempts to make the competition safe. First and foremost, the participants are required to be of legal age. Only if you passed your seventeenth birthday, by the day of the selection, October thirty-first, will you be able to pass the age line that Professor Dumbledore has placed upon the goblet.

"The Goblet!" Crouch dramatically waved at the wooden, flaming cup, "As is tradition, the Goblet of Fire will find the most worthy Champions for each school. I must warn you, however, whomever the Goblet chooses is bound by a magical contract. There is no backing out without loosing your magic."

With this dramatic statement, Crouch sat down. The Great Hall exploded into discussions. Everyone wanted to know who was going to place their name into the Goblet. Gryffindors were not to be beaten in bravery, several stood up during the feast and placed their names into the Goblet.

No Slytherin did so that evening, but Harry was sure that a number of snakes would add their name by the next day.

"So what are the odds that you will be adding your name, Potter?" Zabini asked.

"Considering I am fourteen, I think they are zero." Harry mused.

"Yes, but Halloween is when you always get into sticky situations. I bet you one Galleon that you will be one of them."

"Deal."

HPU

The common room of Slytherin was three stories tall. The main entrance to the room was a floor above the main floor. There was a big balcony all around the main floor. Underneath it were many little side rooms, open to one side to the common room. On the balcony, there were a lot of group seating areas as well. This left the open area in the middle of the room, where there was space for house meetings. The open space was also used for in-house balls or other social events, if the prefects of the year were enterprising enough.

A few days after the welcoming feast, Harry was in one of the little coves that opened into the big common room of the Dungeons. He was memorizing the five spells for Moody's homework. He could not practice them here of course, but he memorized the wand movement and practiced pronouncing the incantation here. He would later go down to the dueling rink, to really practice and perfect them.

Harry was fully concentrated on the wand he held in his hand, as he slowly moved it about following the description on the page.

He was totally absorbed in this task, to the extend that he did not notice a shadow enter the cove.

The person grinned for a moment at the contorted face.

"Boo!" Mafalda exclaimed.

Harry winced back, startled by the sudden appearances of Mafalda.

Mafalda giggled, but then became more pensive, "Hi Potter, I was looking for you, you said I could talk to you about any problems I might have…"

"Of course, what is it, is anyone in your year?"

"Originally, all in my year were cool. But Malfoy is constantly calling me a weasel and keeps me from getting to class on time. He makes some of the boys in my year do pranks on me. They steal my books and slippers. I still cannot find my Herbology book. Can you help me?"

Harry slammed his book shut, "Revelio Mafalda's Herbology book."

A bright yellow arrow pointed right above them.

HPU

Despite the spell, it took them a half hour to find the book. This was because the spell pointed directly at the target, ignoring any obstacles that where in the way. This left them unable to easily find the path to the book.

Nevertheless, they had been able to find the book. It was on the top of a random closet in an abandoned classroom on the second floor. Harry had no idea how they would have found it without the spell.

After this, Harry had sent Mafalda back to study charms. If she got the basics of charms, he would be able to teach her the revelio spell. It was a generally useful spell, that didn't show up in the textbook until second year, even though the basics of charms was enough to understand it.

Harry was now at the base of the Gryffindor tower. He spied Lee Jordan walking towards the tower.

"Hey, Jordan," Harry shouted across the hall. Then when they were nearer to each other, "do you know where the twins are? I need to speak to them. It's about their cousin."

Jordan left and not ten minutes later the two trouble makers were in front of Harry.

"Weasley, Weasley, I was hoping you could help me with a little trick. Your cousin needs to protect her stuff. I was wondering if you had any ideas."

For a moment the two silently stared at each other.

Then the left one, began, "How severely do you want to treat any one who tries any funny business? We could make them get a nose bleed ore they could go to Madam Pomfrey for a week."

"I think a lighthearted warning would be better for a while. I imagined that turning their hair pink or lime green would do. We can always bring heavier spells in later." Harry said."

"That is easily accomplished. You have to combine charms and transfiguration. …" The two proceeded to explain how to create a spell that transfigures hair into a garish color, and how to tie it to objects. They further explained how to 'key in' some people, so that the spell did not have to be constantly lifted. Mafalda presumably wanted to be able to put her shoes on, and read her books, without her her turning lime green.

Harry took notice that the twin on the left explained the transfiguration part of the spell very well, while the one to the right focused on the charms part.

Both were very exited to explain how to remove all traces magic that could identify the caster. Harry was particularly impressed about this knowledge. It went far beyond the sixth year curriculum.

HPU

A.N. I know my dialogue sucks, any recommendations on how to improve it? I am also not pleased with the pace. Any thoughts?