1Now I Have A Reason To Look Forward To Class

Sept. 2

This was going to be quite the year. George and I were wandering the hallways before lunch looking for some fun when we heard something outside. We ran over to the window and saw six flying horses guiding a carriage that resembled a blue pumpkin.

"What have we got here brother?" George asked me.

"Hmm."

A large crowd of students stood around us and we all watched in wonderment as the carriage flew towards the school. The horses nearly took Hagrid out.

"Never seen that before." I said to George.

Before he could comment we saw something peak out from the lake. Before our very eyes what was once just the very top of a boat became the biggest ship I've ever seen…not that I've seen many ships mind you but you get the point. By this point quite a crowd had drawn to the windows. Hermione was next to me and then Harry and Ron.

"What do you think is going on?" Hermione asked peeking over the window frame.

"I don't know. Let's go find out." I grabbed her hand and ran off to the dining hall. She gave me a weird look but I could have sworn she smiled at me.

I don't know why I did it. Grabbing her hand I mean, I've never done that before. But the last few weeks I can't help but view Hermione in a different light. The last three years I've seen her as a sister sort of but now…now…she's a friend. A friend that gives me goosebumps when our fingers brush or causes butterflies when she looks at me but yeah a friend.

Anyway we reached the Great Hall (still holding hands) and took our seats with the rest of the students. Everyone was talking excitedly about the carriage and the ship wondering what on earth was going on.

"Um Fred?" Hermione whispered.

"Yeah?"

"You can let go of my hand now." She blushed.

"Oh right." I said quickly letting go and blushing as well.

Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat, "Welcome students I assume from all the excited chatter that you have gotten your first glimpse of our new visitors. I am pleased to inform you that Hogwarts will be playing host to the Tri-Wizard tournament. For those of you who don't know the tournament is a competition between three wizarding schools: Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and ourselves. A champion will be selected from each of three schools to compete in three challenging tasks. Winning the Tri-Wizard tournament would guarantee eternal glory to whoever won. Now before I go on, let me introduce you to the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons and their headmistress Madame Maxine."

The doors opened and in came the most beautiful girls I've ever seen. There were all wearing blue dresses and little blue hats. Every guy in the dining hall got to his feet as they walked by. I'm not sure what it was but I felt like spell had come over me and I couldn't stop watching them. Behind them walked the tallest woman I've ever seen; she could have very well been Hagrid's sister.

"And now the strapping young men of Durmstrang and headmaster Karkaroff."

Our attention was quickly diverted from the beautiful girls to that of these angry looking guys wearing red coats trimmed in a tan fur. They all walked sternly up towards the head table between Hufflepuff and our's tables. They carried long wooden sticks and once they reached the center of the dining hall began to spin them around magically. Everyone-including the girls this time-stood up eagerly and watched their presentation. Their presentation ended and in walked none other than Victor Krum…and yes I mean the Victor Krum. Behind him was some straggly looking fellow with a thick beard.

"And now that you have met our guests I will let Barty Crouch finish telling you about the tournament."

A small fellow stood up and cleared his throat, "Ah yes the Ministry of Magic has determined that due to the extreme nature of these tasks an age limit has been set. No student under the age of seventeen may enter."

At this an eruption occurred. Students began to complain loudly-myself included. It was completely absurd that there should be an age limit. It's not like I'm a kid like Ginny I'm sixteen. What would being a few months older change?

"Silence." Dumbledore called out and immediately the room fell silent once more.

"Thank you Dumbledore." Barty said smiling, "Now everyone who does meet the age requirement has one week to put their name in the Goblet of Fire." A silver cup was revealed, "This will be placed in the atrium and any student may put their name in at any time."

Students immediately began buzzing about who should put their name and what it would be like to have "eternal glory". I began to brainstorm a way for George and me to put our names in the Goblet. We were just shy of seventeen after all. After dinner we all headed up to our common rooms. Surprisingly I was actually going to do some of my homework, not all of it but some. After grabbing some of my books in my room I went back down to the common room where Hermione was at a table furiously writing. I walked over to her, "Mind if I join?"

Hermione looked up in shock, "Oh um sure." She said shifting some of her books over so that I could sit across from her.

"What are you working on?" I asked opening up my Transfiguration book.

"Just finishing up my Ancient Runes essay before working Transfiguration." She said calmly.

"You're finishing an essay on the second day of classes?" I said in wonderment, "You never cease to amaze me."

Hermione smiled and blushed and whispered, "Thank you."

I winked at her and began scribbling on my parchment. After a few minutes of silence Hermione said, "This tournament should be exciting. I've never met wizards from other countries before."

"Yeah, same year…well except for last summer when me and the family went to Egypt. So…so I guess I have met wizards from other countries." I laughed.

Hermione chuckled, "I suppose you have."

"Say did you wanna go to the kitchens with me? A bit of an after dinner snack." I grinned.

Hermione looked at her watch, "It's only been an hour since dinner." She laughed, "But I guess a little snack couldn't hurt."

"Wicked." I said shutting my book and rolling up my parchment. Hermione put her books in her bag and hoisted on her shoulder, "Here let me." I said taking the bag much to her surprise.

"Oh you don't have to. It's quite heavy."

"Nonsense." I said hoisting the bag over my shoulder and nearly collapsing under the weight, "Geez Granger what do you carry in here a hippogriff?"

Hermione stuck her tongue out, "I told you, just let me carry it." She said reaching for her bag.

"You're going to kill yourself if you keep carrying this." I argued.

"I'll be fine." Hermione said grabbing her bag.

"I'll do it Granger." I said starting to walk towards the portrait. She yanked the bag and caused me to fall back and the bag flew open.

"Oh my God Fred I'm sorry." Hermione said rushing over to me.

"Ugh." I said sitting up. There were books all over the place she had to have put at least nine good-sized books in that bag.

Hermione reached over and brushed a piece of hair out of my face, "Are you ok?"

When her fingers brushed my face I could feel myself turning red, "I'll be fine."

Hermione smiled, "Sorry, I owe you one."

I waved my hand, "Next time just let me carry the bag." I winked.

Hermione smiled and blushed and began to pick up her books. There was one lying next to me, Muggle Studies. "You're taking Muggle Studies? You do know you are a muggle right?"

Hermione took the book, "But it will be fascinating to see it from the wizarding point of view."

"Well, I've thought of how you can make up for this incident." I said smiling.

"I thought you said I would just have to let you carry my bag." Hermione smirked.

I got up and grabbed Hermione's hand to help her up, "I did hurt my bum so you can owe me two things."

Hermione chuckled, "Alright what is it?"

"You have to sit next to me in Muggle Studies."

"You're taking Muggle Studies?" Hermione was shocked, "I would have never thought."

I shrugged, "After you've lived with my father for sixteen years you can't help but be slightly interested in muggles."

Hermione smiled, "It's nice that you've taken an interest in what your father does."

I grinned, "Plus I heard it's easy."

Hermione rolled her eyes but grinned nonetheless, "So, are we ready for our after dinner snack then?"

Sadly, our trip was not as pleasant as I had hoped. It wasn't a complete lost but it did take an unexpected turn. Hermione was unaware of the house elves who worked at Hogwarts. Once we stepped into the kitchen and she saw all of them her eyes burned passionately. She refused to eat anything and when I was about to take an éclair she glared at me and I quickly withdrew my hand. She dragged me out of the kitchens and marched back to the common room.

"I can't believe Hogwarts would have house elves." Hermione was fuming, "I would have never expected to see slaves."

"But Hermione, they like working here." I pointed out quietly. This was obviously the wrong thing to say because she turned on me, "No one enjoys being enslaved."

"Well-well I mean they're not exactly enslaved are they? I mean they have beds and everything."

Hermione's eyes flared even more, "They have beds? What about money and vacations and proper work hours? Don't they deserve the same rights as us?"

Hermione had backed me up to the wall and even though I was scared shit I was kind of turned on seeing her so passionate, "You're right." I said quietly. Hermione took a deep breath and backed away. I breathed a sigh of relief as well if she had come any closer I'm not sure what I might have done. Hermione grabbed her books and headed off towards the portrait hole, "Well, I'm off to the library. Good night."

"See ya in class." I said with a little wave.

She turned and smiled before disappearing behind the portrait. I headed up to my bedroom to find George on his bed working on some ideas to get us past the age line. He looked up at me as if to ask where I had been all night but just shook his head instead and mumbled something about not finding anything worthwhile. I sat on the edge of his bed and we brain stormed for a couple hours before going to bed.

Well I figured you guys were expecting a chapter narrated by Harry so I thought I would throw you off by throwing Fred into the mix lol. Don't worry though Harry fans he will in fact be narrating the next entry. I don't think the entries will be organized into a specific order of narrators basically I'm just going with my gut instinct on who I think would have an interesting perspective for that given day. Well, hope you enjoyed this last entry )