Before The Start of Year 4

Dumbledore called a meeting of all the staff only 3 weeks into the summer holiday. This had never happened before and had quite a few of the teachers nervous.

Charity Burbage and Aurora Sinistra were chatting at the corner of the table set up in the Transfigurstion classroom about what the sudden meeting would be all about, while McGongall and Flitwick were talking about what their summer had been like so far. Dumbledore was the last one to show up, showing at 11 o'clock on the dot, accompanied by the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge and Ludo Bagman.

Many of the teachers looked at each other with furrowed brows.

"Hello, hello everyone," Dumbledore clapped. "I am so sorry to bring you out of your holidays but we have some important news to share with you all."

"And the sooner you are informed, the more you're prepared," Fudge interjected. He handed them each a parchment, the top of which read The Triwizard Tournament. "We have decided that it was time to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament."

A few of the teachers who have read about it looked quite worried, while others looked confused, but no one said anything. Fudge and Bagman explained the tournament, the decision to bring it back and which schools would be participating.

At the sound of Durmstrang, Snape's eyes narrowed and he placed a hand on his left arm.

Once their speeches were over, Bagman with a heightened enthusiasm, clapped his hands, "Any questions? Yes, Professor McGonagall."

"These tasks you're bringing are extremely dangerous! There's a reason the tournament keeps getting cancelled. How can you guarantee this will be any different?"

Dumbledore spoke at this, "We will not allow anyone under the age of 17 to participate, and we'll have ways of pulling out of the tasks if the champion decides it is to dangerous."

"Other years, interference was forbidden, even to save a life. This year, we are changing that."

A couple more questions floated around, then, The Minister and Bagman left, but not without their excited encouragement about the tournament.

Flitwick shook his head, "So, we will be hosting many more students. this will be interesting..."

Or annoying... Snape thought, thinking about Karkaroff.

"Classes will be normal, I guess," Burbage muttered, thinking. She pulled out the parchment with all the information on it. "Ooh, but there will be a ball! How splendid, that'll be fun."

A couple (most loudly, Severus) groaned.

"Aren't we allowed to have just one, quiet year?" Sprout asked. "I'm all for building relationships with other schools, but a year of peace would be nice."

Snape snorted, "I wouldn't expect that any time soon, especially with Potter here."

"He does get mixed up in a lot of things, I will agree..."

Dumbledore called everyone back to order, "I would also, since we are all here, like to announce the new defense against the dark arts teacher. Happily, Alastor Moody will be taking on that role! He couldn't be here for the all of this, but should be seeing him at the start of term."

Flitwick smiled, "Well that's great! I do hope he doesn't make the students too paranoid, though..."

Snape closed his eyes. Karkaroff and Moody. If there was a worse combination of people to bring his past... sins... to life, he didn't know it.

Everyone began scrambling out of the room, heading back to their holiday. Snape took his time and once everyone was out, he pulled back his left sleeve and examined it, seeing a very faint, but definitely there, outline of the Dark Mark.