Ah, finally Sixth Year. We're almost to the end of our happy little pack's journey through Hogwarts. Let's see what these last two years have in store for our protagonists, shall we?

Chapter 18: The Visitors

"Stiles?" Derek asked tentatively, sliding the door of the compartment open, swaying with the motion of the train.

Stiles didn't look up, his eyes focused on a picture of their mothers laughing together, cooing at the sight of a new born Stiles cradled in Claudia's arms. He fingered the ring beneath his shirt, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. His head was tilted, resting on the window, headphones pressed into his ears. Carefully, he turned the page, flashing a picture of Derek and Paige in Derek's face.

Lydia, Scott and Danny were on their feet in a moment, pushing the silent Derek gently from the compartment. "Hey, now's not really a great time for you to be coming back into Stiles' life after being gone all summer," Scott said, glancing back over his shoulder, making sure Stiles was still focused on his photo album.

"Yeah, because you were off finding yourself, this summer was worse than a trip through Tartarus," Lydia snapped irately, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. She had to resist the urge to press a manicured finger into his chest. She also had to resist the urge to find out what that stubble on his face would feel like beneath her hands. He'd grown up over the summer, but so had all of them.

Confusion contorted Derek's newly, very handsome face. "What do you mean?"

"What do I-" Lydia's words cut off with a growl of frustration, her fingers arching to create a cage that she would have liked to wrap around his throat. "Boys are so stupid!"

"Well, you kind of left us to deal with all of these werewolves for three full moons. Stiles was really the only one out of the three of us who ever managed, or even could, keep them under control," Danny explained, staring at Lydia, "You kind of left your mate to deal with all of it. It hasn't been the easiest summer."

"My mate?" Derek asked, the confusion only growing.

Before Lydia could blow her top at him, Stiles slammed the compartment door open, eyes wide. Lydia, Danny and Scott jumped apart. "Derek?" he questioned, staring at the boy across from him. He threw himself at Derek, wrapping his arms around his throat. "Derek!"

"Stiles," Derek breathed, pressing his nose into his hair.

Pulling himself higher against Derek's chest, Stiles pressed their mouths together, melting into him like a drowning man gasping for air. Laughter spilled into Derek's mouth. Stiles finally felt whole again. "Fuck, I missed you so much." When he pulled away, he punched Derek in the nose. "As much as I missed you, I'm still pissed that you left me with all of them. That's for letting me almost die."

Holding his nose, speaking through the blood dripping down his lips, Derek mumbled, "I'm sorry. I should have come back with you guys."

Arms crossed over his chest, Stiles asked, "Did you figure out what you needed to while you were wherever you were?"

"I figured out that I can't live without you," Derek replied, still holding his nose.

"Sap," Lydia coughed, turning her eyes away from the pair.

Stiles suppressed a grin. "Apology accepted."

"I didn't apologize though."

"It was as good as one."

Cora jerked the door open, grinning as she looked down at her brother. "Oh Stiles, did you do that? That's fucking awesome. At least someone finally did it!" With a roll of her eyes, Lydia flicked her wand at Derek's nose. There was a sharp crack, a cry of pain, and Derek surfaced with his nose straight again. "Aw, you're no fun, Lydia," she whined.

"That's not what you were saying last night," Lydia quipped back at her.

"Gross," Danny sighed, returning to the compartment. He dropped down beside Ethan, ripping a large chunk from his pumpkin pasty.

…..

"Back at Hogwarts!" Stiles shouted as they tore off the train and up the paths to the carriages. He spun around, trotting backwards, "Just this year and then one more year! We're almost graduated! Can you believe it? And you know what else is going on this year?"

"What?" Scott asked, jogging after him.

Wiggling his eyebrows, Stiles sang, "The Triwizard Tournament."

"Ah, hell yeah!" Cora shouted, pumping her fist in the air, "I am totally entering my name! No one is going to stop me, not even you, Derek!"

"What about me?" Lydia asked, trotting up next to her. She puckered out her bottom lip, batting her lashes at the younger girl.

Cora dropped back to her, sliding her arm through Lydia's. "I'd do anything you asked me to." They slowed to a stop for Lydia to place a chaste kiss on her lips.

Danny passed them, muttering, "No, really, you two should have just stayed in the closet. No one needs this level of affection from the two of you. If you two were someone else, maybe you'd be able to get away with this, but seeing as you two are the cold hearted witches you are, you can't." He threw a smile over his shoulder at Lydia, threading his fingers together with Ethan.

"How do you know this year is the Triwizard Tournament year? Hasn't it been inconsistent since Voldemort used it to kill Cedric Diggory and come back from the dead?" Isaac asked. He walked beside Boyd, Erica and Erica's cat which had stretched itself languidly across her shoulders. Despite not needing the cat to sense her seizures anymore, and most cats not liking her, Erica couldn't seem to part with the friendly feline.

Stiles shrugged. "I heard Mama McCall explaining what it was to my dad last night."

"Didn't someone go literally out of their mind, and started slaughtering students last time? At the one they tried after Harry Potter's?" Aiden spoke up from the back of the group.

Stiles shrugged again. "Only those who were there know."

"Wait, what did you call my mom?" Scott asked, laughter in his words.

"No time for that!" Stiles shouted, catapulting himself onto Derek's back. He wrapped his legs around his waist, grabbing onto his shoulders. "We've got a feast to get to! Onward, noble stead, there are pies to be eaten and spells to be cast!"

…..

The first years had all been sorted and seated, shifting anxiously as they always did every year. The only difference this year was that everyone else in the hall was also like those first years, whispering and shifting and laughing and resisting the urge to make sure their wand was still in their pocket. When Headmaster Deaton stepped up to his podium, a forced smile on his lips, the Great Hall went deathly silent.

Blinking at his podium for a long moment, taking a large breath, he turned a smile to the students, "Welcome for those who are new, and welcome back for those who are returning. Before we begin the feast, there are a few announcements to be made."

Stiles jumped in his seat, excitement poisoning his blood. Derek put a hand on his knee, but that only had his knees jump more.

"After the tragedy last year concerning Professor Laura Hale and the incidents with a few students, no student is allowed in the woods, Forbidden or otherwise. Professor Rafael McCall will be taking Professor Hale's position as Flying instructor." He held out his hand as Scott's father stood, nodding to the students, before taking his seat once more.

'What the fuck?' Scott mouthed to Stiles, glaring at his father before looking at his mother sharply. She shrugged at him, as surprised as he was.

"The role of Grounds Keeper will be filled by Professor Deucalion, our Care for Magical Creatures instructor, and the Gryffindor Head of House will be taken over by Professor Chris Argent." As Rafael had done, Chris and Duecalion stood, his hand slipped into Morrell's elbow. When they were seated again, Deaton clapped his hands. "Once the feast is over, there will be one more announcement. Eat, be merry, the most exciting is yet to come."

Stiles rolled his eyes at the rest of the pack. Somehow, they'd managed to steal the back of the Slytherin table without any of the teachers saying anything about them not being with their houses. Grumbling at his plate, he grabbed for a pie at his elbow before the rest of the pack could devour it, but there was no need. All save for Jackson, Lydia and Danny who were already deep in conversation, the rest sat with their hands in their laps, patiently looking at Stiles and Derek. Setting the pie back down, he asked, "Hey, eat up, guys. What are you waiting for?"

"They're waiting for us to get out food first," Derek explained.

"Why?"

"It's a pack thing," Ethan said quickly before the others could open their mouths, "It's a sign of respect. The alphas eat first, then the betas. It's more than just to show respect though, it's something in our genetics."

Though confusion still twisted his features, Stiles shoved Derek's plate at him. "Here, get your food. They shouldn't have to wait for us even if it is a pack thing."

"Stiles, it's fine. You eat like a bird anyway," Scott said, watching them get their food.

Stiles rolled his eyes again, pulling his plate towards him. "Just eat, idiots." Their banter rose, and as the night wore on, they were the only ones who never lagged or quieted. It was only when Deaton stood once more at the end of the feast that they stopped talking.

"It appears that our guests have arrived," Deaton called through the hall, his voice full of trepidation despite the smile on his lips.

Without another second, the doors to the Great Hall burst open, inviting a flood of bodies through. They danced along the center aisle in their sapphire silk dresses and suits, their skirts and jacket tails fluttering around them. Smiles, wide and inviting, warmed their faces. Small blue birds and butterflies fluttered out of the folds of their clothing, flying towards the ceiling before bursting into blue petals that alighted in the hair and on the shoulders of the other students.

Scott's mouth dropped open, his eyes focused on the girl at the head of the procession. She had dark hair that brushed her shoulders and confidence to kill. On either side of her, Kate Argent and the acting Headmaster strode. When the girl reached the steps leading up to Deaton, she stopped and bowed low to the floor.

"We welcome our sister school from France to our home," Deaton called grandly.

The blue clothed students clumped together against one wall, watching the door with raised brows. Smirks twisted their lips in a rather unkind way.

"I thought that the Beuxbatons were an all-female school," Erica whispered, eyes focused on the new arrivals.

"Apparently, not anymore," Lydia replied.

A new flood of students entered the Great Hall. They wore simple skirts and trousers with white button-ups tucked into the waists. As one, they stopped in the entrance to the Great Hall, and as one, they raised their wands. Fire, crimson and gold, swirled from their wand tips, coalescing into the head and body of a dragon. Opening its maw wide, a roar to rival an alpha's shook the Great Hall. The fire dragon shot forward, flying towards the head table. When it reached the exact place the girl had bowed, it burst into blinding light and golden dust.

With the fading of the light, the second school found themselves across the hall from the first school. Between them, a stone goblet lit with flickering flames stood on a pedestal.

Scott's mouth had dropped further, his eyes darting between the two schools, focusing on the first girl he'd noticed and a quieter girl with long black hair from the second school. No one noticed his preoccupation.

"We welcome our sister school from Japan to our home," Deaton called just as grandly as before.

It was Danny's turn to comment. "I didn't know there was a wizarding school in Japan."

"They don't get into the politics of the Wizarding World as much as the others do, and they're not as large," Lydia explained.

"For those who do not know, this is the Goblet of Fire, the chooser of our champions for the Triwizard Tournament. Those who wish to enter may enter, but be warned, once you are chosen, you are bound until the end of the Tournament. Let the Triwizard Tournament… Begin!"

The Grand Hall burst into applause and shouts and hoots of excitement from the three schools.

…..

"I am so jazzed for this year!" Stiles shouted, jumping around on Scott's bed. He pumped his fist in the air. Grabbing Scott's shoulders, he shook his best friend violently. "The Triwizard Tournament, Scottie! I am so there!"

Scott grinned, allowing himself to be shaken. "This is going to be an awesome year," he agreed.

"This year is going to kick ass!"

Jumping harder, Scott said, "I might actually get a girlfriend this year! The girls, Stiles, did you see the girls?"

"What girls?"

"The girls! How could you miss them? They were right there! They were beautiful!"

A grin split across Stiles face. He shook Scott harder. "Scott, my man! You'll do great, and if you get chosen for the Tournament, it'll be even better! Even if you don't, who could resist your Quidditch skills?"

"Yeah!" Scott shouted, Stiles' enthusiasm infecting him like the plague, sending them into a frenzy.

Stiles let out a shout of surprise as he stumbled over the edge of Scott's bed, plummeting towards the stone floor. Arms caught him, and suddenly he was being thrown into the cushion of another bed. He left out a gasp of laughter, sitting up just in time to shout a good night to his best friend before Derek shut the curtains around his bed and cast a silencing charm around them. Grinning, he pushed Derek into the bed, straddling his hips. "Alone at last."

"Sort of."

"Relatively," Stiles agreed, leaning forward to rest his body over Derek's, "It's good to have you back."

"And you," Derek breathed, wrapping his arms around Stiles' waist.

Grinning into Derek's shoulder, he asked, "Do you realize how handsome you got over the summer? I'll have to fight girls off tooth and nail to keep their hands off of you, and guys too. This year is going to be eventful, I can already feel it."

"Well, do you know how pretty you got over the summer? It's like you're part Veela, you're so beautiful. If anyone is going to be having to fight people off, it's going to be me. I'll have to fight off the girls because they'll want to rip your skin from your bones and wear it, and boys because they won't be able to keep their eyes off of you," Derek told him, tightening his hold on him.

"That's a very vivid picture you just painted," Stiles said, shaking his head, "I guess we'll just have to watch out for each other."

"I guess so."

Turning his face into Derek's, Stiles stole that kiss that was waiting on his lips just for him.

Yes, that is right, I am doing the Triwizard Tournament. Since I'm doing a lengthy Harry Potter AU, I might as well try my hand at it, right? Right. Well, I had fun with everything. We'll see everyone introduced this year, well, pack wise, I think. Just like Stiles said, this is going to be an eventful year, at least by my standards. I think I am going to have a lot of fun with it. I hope y'all will too.