Another short chapter, just a filler really, but in the next chapter the tournament really starts!
Disclaimer: It really does pain me to admit it, but I still don't own Fairy Tail or Harry Potter. Not even one. Little. Character.
When they walked in, all of the Sabertooth members looked up at once, and Hermione squirmed slightly under their gazes.
Rogue led her to one end of the large oak table that everyone was sat at, and they sat down next to each another. Sting stood from his position at the head of the table.
"Right, first thing's first - introductions." He pointed at Hermione. "This lovely young lady is Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire and temporary member of our guild." Hermione looked around and gave a shy smile, which was returned by all the Sabertooth members.
Sting pointed at each member in turn. "Orga Nanagear, lightning god-slayer and amateur rapper. Rufus Lore, memory-make mage and wannabe poet. Minerva Orland, spatial-manipulation mage and spawn of Satan. And last but certainly not least, Yukino Auguria, celestial mage and most adorable girl in Mahoutokoro." The silver-haired mage blushed at Sting's words, and Hermione raised an eyebrow at Rogue in a silent question. She's very shy, he mouthed at her, and she nodded slightly in acknowledgement.
Sting sat back down and steepled his fingers. "Now, the important matter must be addressed. All of you know that Rogue here was selected as one of Mahoutokoro's champions for the tri-wizard tournament. The tournament is deadly - even fatal to some. I have spent the last few days reading through the rule books and attending meetings, so I can give you a vague run-down on how this is going to work. As there are two champions for each school, they will be doubling up; so, for example, Rogue and Erza are the Mahoutokoro team. They will participate in 3 events that will occur between now and the end of June. The teams are awarded points for the order in which they complete the tasks, and how fast they can do it. These points will be tallied up for the final event, which is always some sort of race, and the team with the most points will have a head start. Whichever team comes first will win. However, this is where it becomes more complicated. Throughout the tournament, participants will be awarded individual points for things such as skill, team-work, creativity and so forth. So whilst there will be a winning school, the true tri-wizard champion will be the one with the most individual points at the end of the tournament." He leant back in his chair. "Any questions?"
Minerva stood up. "As far as I can understand, teachers aren't allowed to help the pupils from their schools. Is that correct?"
Sting nodded. "So whilst I can explain the rules to Rogue, I am bound by a magic oath to not assist him in any way that could affect the outcome of the tournament." Minerva sat down again, nodding, and Hermione frowned.
"If a teacher from another school helped Rogue, would that be allowed?" She asked, and Sting looked thoughtful for a few minutes.
"Yes," he said finally. "That would be allowed, but I don't think any of the teachers would help the 'enemy'."
Hermione grinned. "Well. You are in luck today, because a certain potions master has just offered to become my tutor. I'm pretty sure he isn't as mean as he seems, but he really does hate Harry, so if he thinks helping you will make Harry lose, he'll do it." This piece of news made the other members of Sabertooth grin, and Sting high-fived his brother.
"That will give us an advantage over the other schools, as Professor Snape can't help Hogwarts, and Headmaster Karkaroff wouldn't permit his students asking for help from outside sources. However, we still have to talk tactics." Rufus spoke up for the first time, and Minerva nodded in agreement. The rest of the meeting was taken up by planning and strategising.
After they left, Rogue pulled Hermione aside. "Are you okay with this, 'Mione?" He asked. "Helping me win, I mean. Harry's your best friend and-"
Hermione cut him off with her hand. "If I didn't want to help you, I wouldn't. I want Harry to stay alive - not win. I mean, it'd be great if he did, but I mean with everything that's happened so far at Hogwarts...his survival is my top priority, not boosting his ego. Besides, I'm not sure he could win, I mean, there are a lot of stories surrounding the 'Boy-Who-Lived', but in actual fact, his magic levels and skill are only average. Plus, he already has Cedric to help him, and they have the home-turf advantage," she said, and Rogue smiled.
"Okay, 'Mione. See you at dinner?" He asked as he walked away, and Hermione nodded.
After Rogue had left, Hermione started walking down the corridor, but stopped when she saw a shock of silver hair sat in an alcove. She slid in next to Yukino, who looked up in surprise.
"Hey," Hermione said. "Sting introduced me in the meeting, but I don't think we've properly met yet. My name's Hermione Granger, nice to meet you." She stuck out her hand and Yukino shook it.
"Yukino Auguria. I don't suppose you could show me around?" She said softly, and Hermione grinned and leapt to her feet, pulling Yukino with her.
"Of course! You've already seen the Room or Requirement, which was Rowena Ravenclaw's little pet-project. She was one of the four Hogwarts founders..." Hermione gave Yukino a very thorough tour, and a brief history of Hogwarts as well.
By the time she and Yukino made it to dinner, a new friendship had been formed, and the two girls were smiling and laughing together as if they had know each other for years.
Hermione dragged Yukino over to the Gryffindor table where they sat down next to Sting and Rogue. Soon afterwards, Lucy, Erza, Natsu, Happy and Gray joined them, and it became more of a multi-house table. Lucy smiled brightly at Yukino.
"You're the new celestial mage from Mahoutokoro, aren't you? I heard about you but didn't have a chance to introduce myself before we left. I'm Lucy Heartfilia, is it true you have three zodiac keys?" Lucy asked, and Yukino smiled shyly.
"My name's Yukino Auguria. And yes, I have contracts with Pisces, Libra and Ophiucus. But if what I've heard is true, and you have ten zodiac spirits, you are definitely more impressive than I am," the silver-haired mage replied.
Lucy grinned. "What can I say, I'm just lucky! My spirits are the best friends a girl could ask for!" She said happily, and Hermione nodded.
"Hell yes! Cancer is a hair-styling god, and Virgo's taste in clothing is amazing!" She said enthusiastically. "Hell, they even made me look good!"
Lucy rolled her eyes at this. "Hermione, you always look good. Kinda cute in a bookworm-ish way. Cancer just made you look hot as hell," she said with a wink, and the girls all started laughing, even Erza smiling over her strawberry cake.
It took Hermione far longer than normal to finish her dinner due to the interruptions from not just her new girl-friends, but Natsu and Gray as well, or as Lucy called them, the Idiot Duo. When glanced at the large clock on the wall, she gasped and ran to the dungeons, throwing a quick goodbye over her shoulder.
"Snape," Harry clarified to the rest of the table, his lip curling in disgust. The Sabertooth members grinned in amusement, but didn't say anything about Hermione's little secret.
"Sorry I'm late, sir. I lost track of time," Hermione said breathlessly. The snarky potions master simply quirked an eyebrow at her and motioned for her to begin preparing the ingredients he had gathered.
"I will ignore your lateness for today, but please refrain from doing it again, Miss Granger," he said softly.
"Hermione, remember? Call me Hermione," she said firmly, and Snape grinned.
"Only if you stop calling me sir. Don't tell anyone this, but I actually hate it; it makes me feel so old! Severus will do," he said grumpily, and Hermione couldn't help but snort.
This lightened the atmosphere, and the next few hours were spent making Natsu's potion and talking about Severus' 'dunderhead' students.
Hermione presented the finished potion, absorbed into a specially modified Storing Stone to Natsu the next day, and started choking when he hugged her, grabbing the Stone before jumping around with glee.
"I'M GONNA GO ON A TRAIN! I'M GONNA GO ON A BOAT! I'M GONNA GO OM A PLANE! I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING! I'M INVINCIBLE!" He yelled at the top of his voice, shooting flames everywhere whilst Hermione giggled.
A/N - Yukino meets Hermione and Natsu becomes immune to motion sickness... Anyway, Hermione, as a member of Sabertooth, has a duty to the guild to help Rogue out. Plus, she liiiiikes him. Sorry, Harry, you can have Cedric. Wonderful readers you are, please review, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy when I read them •^_^•