Chapter 3: A New Term Begins
After the Quidditch World Cup ended, Vernon Dursley was driving his wife and his son home. Harry's Godfather Sirius Black could have just apparated himself to his own home, which wasn't the same one, but he wanted to take the time of the car ride to talk to his godson and only then apparate home. "Prongslet, did you see that Wronski Feint Krum pulled after the fifth Irish goal?" Sirius excitedly asked.
"No, Sirius." Harry calmly answered. "I missed it because I was reviewing the goal. Dad was right about the Omnioculars being a bad idea after all."
"Don't worry, Prongslet." Sirius comforted his godson. "You'll have a lot to look forward to tomorrow."
"You're right, Sirius!" Harry exclaimed. "I may become the new captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team!"
"What happened to the previous captain, Harry?" Petunia asked out of mild curiosity.
"Oliver Wood graduated last term, Mum." Harry explained.
"Actually, Harry, I was talking about the Triwizard Tournament." Sirius explained and then started describing the tournament. Once every five years, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Durmstrang Institute of Magical Learning and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic sent a student each to compete on dangerous events and the overall winner got eternal glory and one thousand Galleons.
"How come I never heard of this tournament being held back when my sister attended?" Petunia asked.
"It had been discontinued because of the high mortality rates." Sirius explained and then noticed their horrified expressions. "Don't worry. As a new safety measure, students under seventeen won't be allowed to enter. Sorry, Prongslet."
"I wouldn't enter anyway." Harry commented. "I'd rather play Quidditch."
"Unfortunately, Prongslet, because Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament this year, there won't be a Quidditch championship." Sirius sadly replied. "Anyway, when this year's Hogwarts list arrives, don't be surprised if you're required to buy a formal set of dress robes. With the Triwizard Tournament being held at Hogwarts, there'll also be a Yule Ball and every students fourth year and above and their escorts will be allowed to attend."
Later, during September, 1st, Hogwarts students were aboard the Hogwarts Express. Harry was happily chatting with Ron, Hermione and Neville when Draco Malfoy and his goons entered their compartment. "So, Potter, will you be in?" Malfoy asked.
"In what, Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"You don't know what's happening at Hogwarts this year?" Malfoy arrogantly asked.
"Well, I know about the Triwizard Tournament but you can't be talking about that since we won't be allowed to enter because we're underage. You know that, right?" Harry asked with a smirk.
That comment caught Malfoy off-guard. "O-of course I know. I just thought you didn't." He, Crabbe and Goyle then left Harry and friends alone. "Good one, Harry!" Ron commented. "But what's this Triwizard Tournament?"
"Honestly, Ronald?" Hermione asked in exasperation. "Am I the only one who reads 'Hogwarts, a History'?" She then told them everything she learned about the tournament from the book.
"And they're reinstating that?" Neville asked in shock. "Are they crazy?"
"Well, the deaths in the past are probably the reason they're not allowing underage wizards and witches to enter this time." Hermione reasoned.
"I wish I could enter." Ron commented. "I'd not say no to that thousand Galleons."
Later on, they took carriages to the castle and pay attention to the sorting ceremony. A Dennis Creevey became a Gryffindor. Dennis is Colin Creevey's younger brother and happily joined him at the Gryffindor Table. After the sorting, Dumbledore announced there'd be no Quidditch Championship that year. After the students' anger over that announcement (eventually) faded, Dumbledore announced the revival of the Triwizard Tournament. Everybody cheered until he announced the rule prohibiting underage students from entering. "Lucky adult students." Draco Malfoy bragged. "I would have won it with ease."
Malfoy wasn't the only one to moan. "Stupid rule!" Ron exclaimed. "I could use the money to buy new robes and a new broom. As if it wasn't bad enough not having Quidditch. I wanted to become the new Keeper!"
Harry was shocked at himself for forgetting the fact that Oliver leaving meant not only the team would need a new Captain but a new Keeper as well.
The day the guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang arrived was a day people at Hogwarts wouldn't easily forget. A huge ship emerged from the Great Lake bringing the delegation from Durmstrang. "Sirius says Durmstrang is headed by a Death Eater whose time at Azkaban had been shortened because he revealed the identities of other Death Eaters as part of a plea bargain." Harry commented.
"My Dad said the same thing, Harry." Ron replied. "He also said Karkaroff didn't know many names of Death Eaters who hadn't already been captured or killed back then. How come Headmaster Dumbledore allows him to come?"
"It shouldn't surprise you, Ron." Harry commented. "He allows Snape to teach us."
"Professor Snape, Harry." Hermione corrected Harry. Ron interrupted that discussion upon recognizing one of the Durmstrang students. "Look! It's Viktor Krum!"
Everyone looked and it was indeed the young Seeker from the Quidditch World Cup. "What's he doing here?" A student asked. "I thought he had already finished his education!"
Upon approaching the Golden Trio, Karkaroff recognized the Boy-Who-Lived. "Is that… Harry Potter?"
"Stay away from him, Karkaroff!" Somebody demanded and Karkaroff was horrified upon recognizing him. "Alastor Moody?"
"I see you remember me, Karkaroff." Moody grunted. "I'm keeping an eye at you. One step out of line and you're back in Azkaban."
Karkaroff walked away in fear. After that, several flying carriages brought the Beauxbatons delegation. Given her size, it was clear to everyone who knew about magical creatures Beauxbatons Headmistress Olympe Maxime was a half-giant like Hagrid. Speaking of the devil, Hagrid was instructed on how to care for the Beauxbatons horses.
Headmaster Dumbledore then showed everyone the Goblet of Fire and announced that each student desiring to enter the Triwizard Tournament must write their name and the name of the school they attend in a piece of parchment and throw it into the goblet. Two days later, the goblet would pick one student from each school to attend. The goblet was a magical binding contract, so everyone adding their names to it should take it seriously. Dumbledore also drew an age line around the goblet so the new rule against students under seventeen entering would be followed. Some students (Fred and George Weasley among them) were already thinking of ways around the line.
End chapter.