A/N: Sorry for the painstakingly long wait, I have been doing my exams and have been revising/taking exams, as it were, this chapter may be a little different 'cuz I could only write a bit every so often when I had free time, sorry about that :/ they should be over either next week or the week after, and then I can get back to my normal schedule :) this chapter is more about plot, and probably the one after that, but action will come here soon, promise! After all, you've got to build the house before you knock it down... muhahahahaa :) Hope you like.
Disclaimer: Same as usual, and I took Dumbledore's speech from the book, I didn't really know how else to put it than how JK did herself :)
The next morning was a blur for Anna, she remembered waking up with a huge grin and racing to the bathroom, beating both Rapunzel and Merdia. When she was out in record time, her hair was flawless and her grin had somehow managed to grow. Merdia took in her expression and rolled her eyes jokingly.
"Hey, three guesses where she's going?"
"Yeah, and the first two don't count…" Rapunzel mumbled back, her head buried in her pillow. They both shot their hands out and air high-fived, making a smack sound as they did. Anna rolled her eyes at the pair and left with a barely put together 'goodbye!' slamming the door as she went.
She was down the stairs and spinning past Flynn, waving back at him and jumping out of the portrait before he could even reply. She tripped over the edge of the portrait and started to fall, a scream barely pushing past her lips when strong arms caught her. She grinned and looked up at the owner of the cool arms, Elsa smirked back at her.
"We go on one single date and already you're falling all over me."
"Oh shut up." She smacked Elsa's good arm and was rewarded with a chuckle before being placed back on her feet.
"So, what are we doing on this fine Sunday?" the redhead asked, Elsa smirked and intertwined their hands, tugging gently and walking down the corridor with her.
"Well, I thought we could go to breakfast, and then just see where the halls take us."
Anna tilted her head.
"Isn't it a bit early for breakfast?"
"That's why I'm taking you to the kitchens Anna." She grinned down at the shorter girl and with a giggle they ran to the kitchens to have an early breakfast.
~Ax~
Sunday passed perfectly, Anna had met many House Elves who she had not known about and had bonded with them considerably. They spent the day together out on the grounds, away from prying and curious eyes. Anna felt on top of the world at this point, thinking that nothing could bring her down.
That was until the following day.
She knew there was a reason why she hated Mondays.
It started out quite normal, she walked in with Rapunzel and Merida and they sat on the side of the table facing the Slytherins, they greeted Kristoff, Hiccup, Olaf and Sven, who now always ate at their table, and then she glanced up at the Slytherin table, locking eyes with Elsa. This time, instead of looking away with a blush, she smiled, gaining a wink and a small grin in return. Rapunzel elbowed her and cocked her head with a smirk, flicking her eyes to the blonde girl sat with her blonde companions across the hall with a knowing gleam in her gaze.
"Shut it Punzie."
"I didn't say anything."
"Yeah but you were thinking it."
"You're not psychic Annie Bennett."
"Wait, so she's an eleven year old orphan now?" Hiccup frowned and rubbed his head in mock confusion. Olaf gasped and reached for Anna's hands suddenly, causing a yelp from the older girl.
"I am so sorry! I didn't know that you were an orphan!"
Anna huffed and pulled her hands away, "I'm not an orphan, and you," she pointed to Rapunzel, "need to get some new nickname ideas."
"Well you need to stop being so damn picky woman!"
"What's taking the food so long?" Sven whined, staring at his plate longingly.
"True… normally its here by now."
As if it had been timed, Professor Dumbledore tapped his golden goblet, immediately silencing the students' talking. He stood and made his way to the front of the staff table and faced the students with a cheerful smile.
"Later today some special guests shall be arriving at our school; I would hope that you all will treat them with the respect and dignity that they all deserve. They shall be arriving shortly before dinner, so if you would like to see them then be sure to have a good view of the Hogwarts grounds, now, on with your breakfast." He send them all another blast of his smile and went to sit at his chair. Anna frowned a little when he looked over to Elsa and gave her a look, nodded his head and tipped his goblet. Elsa seemed to grit her teeth and clutched her fork a lot tighter now.
Mumbles overcame the Hall then, questions like 'who are they?' 'special guests?' 'I wonder if they'll be good looking…' were repeated around the large room, excitement buzzing, Anna was grinning in excitement as she spoke quickly to Rapunzel and Merida, sharing their enthusiasm, until she looked across to the Slytherin table, then her happy expression faltered. Elsa looked annoyed, annoyed and agitated. Astrid was speaking expressively with large arm movements and gestures, a scowl on her features as Jack nodded along in grim agreement.
Wonder what's got them all down… she thought to herself, her thought process being cut off when Sven yelled with joy as breakfast appeared before them, she along with the rest of her friends laughed at his antics and also prepared some breakfast.
~Ax~
"…Soooooo what are we meant to be looking for exactly?" a seventh year asked as he searched the sky.
"Dunno, headmaster said look at the grounds, and we are." A sixth year girl replied, frowning at the grounds. Anna sighed and let her hand flop to her side, scowling in boredom at the empty land. Just then she felt a presence slip next to her and a cool hand subtly slip into her own. A smile stretched across her face and she turned her head to the side, beaming at Elsa who gave her a wink back.
"Having fun?" the blonde asked sarcastically, perfectly sculpted eyebrow rising in humour.
"Don't even go there Arendelle."
"I was only asking." Elsa defended herself; Anna smirked and squeezed their hidden hands gently.
"Are you doing better? I noticed that you were a little down this morning."
"I'm fine, I just realised what the school was planning and I disagree with it completely."
"Why? What are they planning?"
Elsa sighed and looked up, rolling her eyes and nodding to the sky. When Anna looked, several other students also did, and there was a collective gasp. There was something in the sky, and if they had not known better, many would have thought that it was an airplane. It got closer and closer and that was when distinctive features made themselves present. The spread wings moved up and down, it rocked a little in its flight, the sides rippled as it was caught in the wind.
Anna's eyes widened when she realised what it was.
Astrid, who was stood behind them, rolled her eyes and elbowed Jack while clicking her tongue.
"Typical."
"Oh, I know right?"
It then let out a cry, the sound echoing. Then, the large golden eagle, the size of a ship, set down the coach it had been carrying and flew up in the air again to circle around a few times.
The carriage door opened and a man with slicked black, if slightly greying, hair, dressed in a dark blue suit with a white shirt, black shoes and a darker blue tie, a walking stick held proudly in his hand, stepped out of the white door. He scanned the ground, a grin stretching onto his tanned face and showing his white teeth. Then he found who he was looking for and let out a bark of laughter, walking towards Dumbledore.
"Albus Wulfric! As I live and breathe!" he yelled out, hugging the man and laughing quite obnoxiously.
"Quite Headmaster Johnson, it is lovely to meet you once more." The man batted his hand about and chuckled.
"Please, that was how they greeted my grandfather! Call me Stanley, my friend!"
Elsa smirked when she saw McGonagall roll her eyes and sigh to herself at the man's antiques.
"Indeed Mr Stanley, if you would please escort your students inside the school and a house elf will take you to your resting quarters. It has been a long trip."
As Dumbledore was speaking several students piled out of the carriage with varying expressions. Anna noted that all the students seemed to be in seventh year, and were apparently quite athletic. They all wore dark purple blazers with the school logo embroidered over their left breast, opened to show their long sleeved white polo shirts. The boys had skin tight trousers with black polished shoes. The girls had shorter shirts that stopped just above their knees, socks pulled up to just under their knees with black shoes. They all had a purple and dark blue tie at various stages of being tied around their necks, some even having it left completely undone. Some were looking at the castle in awe, while others were moaning about the cold weather, and that's when Anna noticed that they all shared the same American accent.
"What school are they from?"
"The Salem institute for young Witches and Wizards. Its relatively new and isn't as well known as Hogwarts, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute."
Anna yelped at Hiccup's sudden appearance at her side, his facts shooting out of his mouth faster than she could register his presence. Elsa chuckled and ran here thumb over the back of Anna's hand to calm her.
"But what confuses me," Hiccup continued, "is what they are doing here."
"Take a guess Baruchel, what happened last time schools appeared here?" Jack drawled, Hiccup frowned, then gasped, eyes widening with both worry and excitement.
"No way! After what happened last time?!"
His question was answered when another chariot, this time pulled by large winged golden horses flew down from the sky, flapping their huge silver wings and neighing. The door opened and a woman, taller than even Hagrid, stepped out.
"Bonjour, 'edmaster Dumblydor, eet is good to see 'ou again."
Anna saw the crest on the side of the chariot and the uniform of the boys and girls exciting the small space, that had clearly also been enchanted to be larger on the inside, and she grinned.
"Beauxbatons?!"
Elsa nodded, a little preoccupied by an attractive brunette member of the students who had locked green eyes with her own, Elsa raised one of her eyebrows and the other girl smirked, sending a wink her way before turning back to her giggling friends.
"Really Elsa?" Astrid elbowed her with a smirk.
"Who said I'm gonna act on it?" Elsa hissed back, making sure Anna did not hear her.
"Never stopped you before…" Elsa glared at Astrid, who quickly found that she wanting to stand with Jack now.
The rest of the students were hustled inside, followed quickly by the Hogwarts students, most of them chatting quickly about the new schools and why they could be at their school.
~Ax~
"Well now that we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. You see, Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event: The Triwizard Tournament. The Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school a single student is selected to compete. Now let me be clear. If chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say, these contest are not for the faint-hearted. But more of that later.
The hall had a blanket of silence as all three schools, Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, sat with Ravenclaw, and Salem, sat with the Gryffindors, listened to the powerful wizard at the front of the room, some of their eyes wandering to the magnificent blue and silver cup that was positively glowing with magic at the front of the hall, in front of Dumbledore's large golden throne like seat.
"Eternal Glory. That is what awaits the Student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this the Student must survive three tasks. Three, extremely, dangerous tasks."
Anna fidgeted in her seat, while the idea of money, eternal glory and fame did seem like a good prize, something worth winning, those three words kept on repeating in her mind.
Extremely dangerous tasks.
It wasn't worth it for that.
As soon as she thought this, a single emotion washed over her body, pride. It was not her own feeling; she had no reason to be proud at that moment. Then there was a smaller hint of shock and the feelings were gone. She frowned, and looked up across the hall, eyes being drawn to Elsa, who was staring determinedly ahead, a furrow on her brow.
Just then another man stood up, his eyes tired. He had white hair that was combed over his bald patch and a silver monocle over his right eye. He cleared his throat and dragged his gaze over the students.
There was a nudge to her left and she shot a questioning look at Merida who nodded towards the mousy man.
"'e's from the Ministry. I remember ma mum complainin' abou' 'im."
The man cleared his throat, again, and spoke in a high pitched voice.
"Considering the results of the last tournament held, we have had to up the safety measurements around both the school and the arenas. As such, there will be aurous patrolling the grounds corridors and the goblet. If anyone tries to sabotage the tournament then they will be charge accordingly. At the same as last time, only those who are of the age of seventeen will be able to compete in the tournament, as a matter of safety and precation-"
The hall erupted with boos, people yelling out in anger and frustration, Dumbledore raised his wand and silenced them all.
"It's the same as last time…" he mumbled to himself with a small smile hidden behind his beard. He then nodded to the ministry worker who sniffed and sat down in a huff, receiving a joint effort of both McGonagall and Snape's eye rolls.
Dumbledore flicked his wand again and out of the ground a goblet rose, he once again flicked his wrist and a deep burning red flame sparked to life, instantly lighting up and dancing in a none existent breeze.
"The Goblet of Fire! Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly! If chosen, there's no turning back. As from this moment, The Triwizard Tournament has begun!"
~Ax~
Over by the Slytherin table, the only ones not to cheer and yell with excitement were three blondes. They were tense in their seats with jaws clenched.
"I can't believe they are trying this again…" Jack hissed. Elsa and Astrid nodded in agreement, the latter huffing while the first spoke up.
"Especially after the attack."
"What did Dumbledore tell you anyway? When he saw you in the infirmary?" Jack asked, Elsa sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
"Not much, he knows I know more and I feel like he wants to know what it is. He tried to use Occlumency, but I was able to block him out. He told me to be careful, and if I had anything I wanted to tell him."
"And what did you tell him?" Astrid asked, a little bit of mirth coming into her steely eyes.
"That I fancied some Honeydukes chocolate and some Bertie Bots Beans."
"Oh, so that's where all that food came from."
Elsa nodded and sighed to herself, glancing across the hall to the red head who was sat at the Gryffindor table chatting excitedly with her friends. She could feel the excitement flow over her and she shivered, fighting the urge to send something back. But she couldn't, she was almost caught because of her stupid slip up.
"When are you gonna tell her?" Astrid asked, Elsa shrugged and got up off of the bench and walked out of the hall, forgoing the rest of dinner. She heard the bench move as Jack and Astrid followed her.
"I don't know, when are you finally going to admit you fancy Hiccup?" she responded casually. Jack snorted as Astrid stood there, mouth agape.
"W-what? I- I don't like Baruchel!" she spat out his last name, trying to sound disgusted. It didn't seem to work too well however, as she still somehow had a caring look in her eyes.
"Suuure you don't Trid."
Astrid yelled out in anger, and it echoed down the corridor along with Elsa and Jack's laughter as they made their way to the Slytherin common room.
A/N: OoohhHhhOOhhhooo... Trwizard Tournament time! Hehe, I love that book/film :L the plot won't be just like it was in the book/film, but some things will be the same :) please tell me what you think in a review! :P