Tri-Wizard Tournament
Once they reached the great hall after checking on Hermione in the hospital wing they were surprised to find that the students and staff were not already chowing down. They could tell that they had already missed the sorting due to the new faces at the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron sat beside Fred and George who were huddled around a piece of parchment that probably was another order form for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop that they had been planning to open for a long time. Their last order form had been confiscated by Mrs. Weasley in her furry about Dudley and the ton-tongue toffee. Dawn and Denise sat beside Ginny and another Gryffindor student who seemed to be soaked head to toe. "Why are you all wet?" Denise asked as soon as she sat down.
"Peeves was throwing water balloons as we entered the castle." She shivered and Denise offered her coat. "No thanks it wouldn't do any good I am already wearing three others." She showed the layers of coats.
Over at the Slytherin table they seemed to be having a ball laughing and sneering, probably poking fun at all the wet Gryffindor students. "Malfloy tell us again how that mud-blood Granger feinted. It must have been hilarious!" Tessa Atwater couldn't go on as she burst into a fit of laughter.
Malfloy looked over at her appreciatively, "Tessa there is no way that I could describe it in fuller detail then when she fell the tangled mess that she apparently called hair flew above her head making her look mad." Tessa laughed even louder at this, kissing Malfloy's cheek after.
"You always seem to make me laugh."
Denise had stood up her fists clenched and her face turning red. "I'll have you know that if you found out what she did then that smirk wouldn't be on you ugly face." She stopped testing her effect. Tessa stood up a sneer on her lips.
"What did she find out? That it wasn't possible for her to get any uglier or we would all die." She burst out laughing in Denise's face. That was the last straw Denise unclenched her fist and looked as though she was going to walk away but held her ground and lifted her hand smacking Tessa in the face. Malfloy stood up grabbing Denise's hand since she was about to slap Tessa again.
"How dare you!" Malfloy looked as though he was going to punch her or worse, but Harry ran over pulling Malfloy's hand off of Denise who rubbed the spot gently.
"You lay one hand on her again Malfloy and it will be your last." Harry dragged Denise back over to the Gryffindor table just as Dumbledore walked in. Malfloy was stroking Tessa's cheek kissing it every now and then.
"I will get that Potter!" He swore under his breath.
Dumbledore walked in his head held high and his white beard flowing behind him. Once he reached the front of the great hall Filch came stumbling in his hand clutched over his heart merely as a precaution. "One moment Mr. Filch," Dumbledore said. "This year Hogwarts will not only be your home but home to the students of Beauxbatons and Drumstrang. This year Hogwarts will play host to a most legendary event," he paused for dramatic effect leaving everyone guessing until he continued "The Triwizard Tournament." People gasped throughout the hall and Fred and George yelled above the noise excellent. "Silence! The doors at the back of the hall burst open as Dumbledore yelled, "The lovely ladies of Beauxbatons along with their headmistress Madam Maxime!" Lead by their headmistress the most beautiful girls walked in dressed in a fine blue silk following the curves of their bodies and making the boys of Hogwarts drool over them. Madam Maxime was dressed in a light wool coat almost the pattern of leopard print. They made their way towards the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables showing off a few acrobatics along the way. Not only was their fashion sense what set them apart from everyone else but the fact that Madame Maxime toward over everyone in the hall including Hagrid.
The doors once again burst open as Dumbledore announced, "Next we have the proud sons of Drumstrang led by their headmaster Igor Karkaroff!" A tall man with long bony arms and legs led the way towards the Slytherin table showing an air of arrogance not even glancing at the other tables. The students were toned and their muscles could be seen even through the thick leather coats which they wore.
As the students seated themselves food appeared before them on the golden platters. There were dishes from all schools including the desserts. Baffled at first Harry and Ron stared at the brownish yellow pudding in front of them until Denise scooped up some of it and dug in smiling, in between bites. "This is good." She said trying to maintain some of her dignity with a mouth full of food. The food cleared fast once everyone was finished and once again Dumbledore took the floor. He silenced the room by the raising of his hands and motioning toward the door to his left which many would never have noticed as it was partially hidden by staff table. Two men came out from the door carrying a large and strange looking box that stood well over Dumbledore's head. One of the men was one of Ron's brother's, Charley. He worked with the dragons in Romania.
"Why is he here?" Harry asked Ron who looked equally baffled.
As soon as the box was placed in front of the staff table Dumbledore spoke, "This is the Goblet of Fire." Another loud eruption of talking arose, but was instantly silenced by Dumbledore. He waved his wand down the side of the engraved stone box and it instantly melted away slowly revealing a large Goblet engraved with runes and pictographs that no doubt told a story, which at the time was not important. Once the box had completely melted away blue flames stormed from the mouth of the goblet almost touching the ceiling before slowly shrinking. "The champions, whoever they may be will enter their names in the Goblet throughout the next couple of weeks and at Halloween the champions for the three schools will be announced. I shall warn you that this is not to be taken lightly and that you all should think about what you would embark on if you were to enter."
Barty Crouch approached Dumbledore who handed over the floor, "This year in order to secure the safety of our students an age limit of seventeen will be made and no one under may enter." He left quickly as many boos and hisses followed him off the floor.
"SILENCE! Now that we all know what is going on and are fed we shall all retire." Dumbledore stepped down from the podium and headed back to the staff table where he began a conversation with Karkaroff.
At this silent dismissal everyone rose and headed back towards their common rooms eagerly talking about the Triwizard tournament and the Goblet of Fire. "It would be cool if one of us could enter the tournament." Ron said as they headed back up to the Gryffindor common room.
The next couple of days the Triwizard Tournament was the main topic of discussion in class and out. "Why did Dumbledore have to set an age restriction?" Ron asked Harry in back of potions one day as Snape once gain rambled on about poisoning them the next lesson. Denise sat down next to them a slight limp in her ankle. Harry passed his notes over to her as she pulled out her manual. She had been in a meeting with McGonagall causing her to miss the first ten minutes of class. "Anyway how did the meeting with the Professor go, Denise?"
Both Harry and him had no idea what the meeting was about but were anxious to know. "Apparently Dawn passed out in class yesterday and decided not to tell any of us." She told them slicing a root particularly hard.
"Dawn, What?" Ron had moved around to the empty chair on Denise's left.
"Yesterday in Moody's class…" Ron cut her off.
"When did she have Moody? I thought we had it together on Thursday." He sounded angry and quizzical.
"She changed her schedule," she said nonchalantly. "Anyway when I confronted her she told me that it was nothing. NOTHING! If this is like what happened at the world cup then…"
Harry interrupted her, "Did she have another vision?" Her face went red and she tried to ignore him. "Denise!"
"Yes, okay it was a bad one! It was about you Harry and…" She couldn't go on and stormed out the classroom with Snape yelling after her.
Harry started after her but was stopped by Snape. "Potter, Weasley sit down!" His voice cut through the air. "Ten points from Gryffindor for interrupting my class." Harry retook his seat feeling defeated and worried.
They didn't see Dawn or Denise till lunch the next day and both were cryptic. "Dawn," Ron strolled over to her where she was seated between Parvarti and another girl who both left as Ron neared. "You feinted?"
Dawn blushed, "Yeah." She turned away trying to start up a conversation with Hermione who sat across the table from her.
"How could you not tell me? I…You…we kissed." Until now he had not confronted her about this. Again she blushed this time in anger as Cedric happened to walk by as Ron had said this. He stopped a look of confusion and hurt on his face.
"Cedric…"Dawn jumped up from the table her face contorted in rage at Ron. Before she could get another word out to him Cedric stormed out of the hall with all the dignity he could muster. "RON! How could you do this to me?" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stormed out of the hall following after Cedric. Hermione and Denise got up to follow.
"Denise can we…"Harry had jumped up also trying to talk to Denise.
"I can't Harry…Dawn." She followed Hermione out looking hurt.
"Ron we need to get to the bottom of this." Turning he noticed Ron wasn't standing beside him, but sitting slouched on the bench with his head in his hands and tears in his eyes.
"Harry I screwed up."