Chapter 5: Surprises
They heard the whistle blow from the red steam train.
"Bye mum we have to go." Ron Weasley said to his mother.
"Ok kids. Have you seen Ginny?"
"No Mrs Weasley- but we'll tell her you said goodbye." Hermione replied. The three teens boarded the Hogwarts express and started looking for an empty compartment. They reached the end of the train compartmentless.
"Hey here's and empty one!"
"Good find Ron!" Harry said as he slid the compartment door open.
"Oh God!" He yelled and covered his eyes. "What is it Harry?" Ron asked, pushing past Harry and Hermione.
"Neville!"
"Lucius darling shouldn't you be getting back to your wife, she might suspect something."
"Will you just shut up! I can't believe I freed you from Azkaban for this! All you do is talk, talk, talk and mess things up!"
"I only thought it would help, I mean if your wife found out you were having an affair she would go blabbing around and surely you don't want your reputation ruined do you?"
Lucius did not reply but grabbed his hat and left the room. Bellatrix heard him mutter, "Stupid woman," just before he apparated back to Malfoy manor.
"Neville how could you? She's my sister!" Harry, Ron and Hermione had just caught Ginny and Neville snogging each other senseless in the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express. Harry and Hermione were pleased that Neville had found someone but Ron on the other hand, was furious.
"Excuse me Ron I don't see why you should be meddling in my personal life even if you are my brother." Ginny huffed, "lets see of anyone feels the same way. Harry?"
"Hey don't drag me into this."
"Ok then what about you Hermione?''
"Well I think you should work it out yourselves, but if you really want my contribution, I think you'd be great together. Ron you should really stop meddling unless she could be put into serious danger, and does Neville seem dangerous to you?"
"Um… no I guess not." Ron finally replied.
"Excellent. Now that we've gotten that sorted lets just sit down and enjoy the ride." And that was what they did.
When the sweets trolley came past Hermione was sitting in Harry's lap chatting about leprechauns. They heard the trolley come past and Harry offered to pay for all their sweets together. He ended up buying twenty chocolate frogs, five liquorice wands, three packets of Bertie Botts every flavour beans, and a dozen new tongue dancers, a sweet that would tap dance around in your mouth.
They spent the rest of the train ride stuffing themselves with sweets and talking about the wizarding world (all Ron talked about was quidditch).
"Come on boys, get your robes on we're almost there!" Hermione said. The boys hadn't bothered to change and were still in their Muggle clothes.
"Ok then, but turn around." Harry said. Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes as they turned around to face the wall. Harry slipped off his shirt and Hermione couldn't resist temptation to look around and take a peek. She almost squealed in delight when she saw Harry's toned muscles and chest.
She quickly turned back to the wall giggling to herself. Harry put on his robes along with the other two boys. "Hermione, Ginny you can look now." They turned around just as the whistle blew for them to get off the train.
"Good thing I told you to get your robes on."
"Yes how clever of you Hermione." Harry teased. Hermione went to poke him but he was too fast for her. He grabbed her waist and hugged her tightly, not letting her move.
"Aw Harry, you just can't stand being away from me for one minute."
"So true." He said and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Neville, Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Ron squeezed into one of the floating carriages that took them up to the castle. They all walked to the Gryffindor table.
"Is that Hermione Granger with Harry Potter?"
"No it can't possibly be-"
"She's so plain-"
"He's too hot-"
Whispers and pointing fingers followed them all the way down the great hall until they reached their seats next to Seamus Finnigan and Lavender Brown.
They watched the sorting, ate, and then Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Excellent to see such lovely new faces at Hogwarts. Now I have a few start of term announcements. Firstly the Quidditch house cup had been cancelled-" At this there were shouts of disapproval and moans throughout the Great hall. "SILENCE!" he boomed, "It has been cancelled to make way for the Tri Wizard Tournament!"
All over the Hall there were cheers and grinning faces. Harry was confused. "Hey Hermione what are they talking about?"
"Search me." Before Harry could ask Ron he was interrupted by Dumbledore. "And now to participate in the Tournament, the lovely ladies from the Beauxbatons academy, with their headmistress Madame Maxime."
The doors of the great hall opened and out walked around fifteen girls dressed in periwinkle blue robes walked out to the front hall. They reached and conjured a banner that had 'Beauxbatons' written across it. The great hall exploded in cheers and some wolf whistles were heard from the boys.
Madame Maxime walked up to Dumbledore and he kissed her on the hand. She was an enormous woman, taller than Hagrid, yet she was elegant and filled with grace.
"Let us welcome the sons of Durmstrang and their Headmaster Igor Karkaroff."
Once again the doors of the great hall opened and fifteen boys ran to the front. Harry felt a tapping on his shoulder.
"What Ron?"
"Harry, it's Victor Krum." Ron said, hi mouth wide open. Sure when Harry looked around there was Krum, walking next to who he assumed was Igor Karkaroff. The boys at the front had blown fire into the shapes of the letters that spelt 'Durmstrang'.
Dumbledore shook hands with Karkaroff. "The two schools will be staying here as guests until the tournament ends at the end of the school year. And to explain the rules is the head of the International magical cooperation department, Barty Crouch!"
A small man wearing a black bowler hat and a Hitler moustache stepped forward. He spoke with a French accent. "After much deliberation we have decided that only those over seventeen will be eligible to enter."
"No way!"
"Come on"
"BOO"
"That's rubbish!"
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore shouted. "Go on Barty." Instead of speaking Barty waved his wand and an enormous golden goblet appeared from the ground. A blue flame flickered from it.
"This is the Goblet of Fire. To enter the tournament you must simply cast a piece of parchment with your name and school on it into the flame. The Triwizard Champions will compete in three very dangerous tasks. The winner will receive 1000 galleons and the Triwizard cup to their school. The champions will be revealed this time on Thursday night. From this moment the Triwizard Tournament has begun."
There was a flash of lightning outside. The lightning bolt came through from the enchanted ceiling. Everyone screamed in panic. There was a flash of red and the lightning bolt was gone. They looked to see who had fixed it and saw a short fat man with many battle scars criss-crossing their way along his face. He had several chunks and carried a staff around with him to support his limp.
"Ruddy ceiling." He muttered. "Good evening Albus sorry I'm late." He whispered to Dumbledore.
"That's mad-eye-Moody" Ron whispered to Hermione and Harry.
"You mean Alastor Moody? The Auror?"
"Yeah. And a bloody good one too. Half the cells in Azkaban are filled because of him. Then he just disappeared and went nuts."
"What do you suppose he's doing here then?" Harry asked.
"I dunno."
Dumbledore continued speaking, "This is Alastor Moody, he will be your new defence against the dark arts teacher for this year. Another addition to the Hogwarts staff is Georgio McHinely, he will be our new potions assistant." Sirius or Georgio stood up and gave a small wave from the staff table.
"Now we will all meet here at this time on Thursday night. I hope you all have a pleasant sleep. Goodnight all." The Hall emptied itself pretty quickly and soon Ron, Harry and Hermione were sitting in front of the common room fire.
"How great would that be Harry? Eternal glory." Ron mused.
"Rather you than me, I think I've had enough excitement already."
"Mm. I guess. Still it would be great. Anyway I'm getting tired so I'm going to bed. Harry you coming?"
"Um yeah I'll be up in a minute."
"Well night guys."
"Night Ron" They said together.
"Yeah Ron's right we should be getting off to bed."
"Ok. Night Harry." Harry walked over to Hermione and kissed her on the forehead.
"Goodnight Hermione."
Harry watched the old man hobble up the stairs, shining his torch light at the door at the end of the long corridor. He turned the torch off as he neared the door. It was ajar, letting a sliver of light illuminate the corridor. He heard a quivering voice come from the room.
"Master the plan is all going successfully."
"Excellent Wormtail," a second, icy voice said, "now I will summon Nagini, then you will milk her for I must be fed." The man whispered in a different language hissing and spitting.
The old man froze as he watched a giant serpent slither past him hissing in return to the man's summon.
"Ah Wormtail, Nagini tells me that the old Muggle gardener is listening to every word we say. Open the door so I can watch him die." The door opened and a flash of green came towards the old man hitting him square in the chest. The man slumped to the ground, lifeless.
Harry woke with a start, drenched in a cold sweat, his scar tingling.