Chapter 5. Triwizard Tournament
The rest of the holiday flew by unnoticed. When they returned to The Burrow, Mrs. Weasley's eyes were moist from what had happened. After breakfast, gathered together in one room with their friends, Harry told them about the incident with his scar. The reaction of his friends was predictable and entirely matched Harry's expectations.
The following week, there was a sensational article in the Daily Prophet by the well-known journalist Rita Skeeter, in which she gleefully dissected every detail to the entire Ministry. Harry then thought that Mr. Crouch was lucky to have managed to bury the story about his house-elf just in time, otherwise Skeeter's article would have been even more explosive.
On the last day of the holidays, Ron's mom dressed the boys in their best robes for the journey. Harry's robe looked much more respectable than Ron's, which caused him to argue with his mom, adamantly refusing to wear it out of fear of embarrassing himself in front of the whole school.
The next morning, Harry felt a little sad about the end of the holidays. Ahead of him was his return to Hogwarts, and now with a new acquaintance. He didn't know which house Jeanne would end up in, but her eyes burned with eager interest. She couldn't wait to be at the famous "Hogwarts," and such an opportunity awaited her that evening.
At the breakfast table, there was a discussion this time about the unexpected nighttime attack on Mad-Eye Moody. Mr. Weasley had urgently left the house to help the old Auror.
Throughout that day and the entire journey to Hogwarts, there were strange and mysterious hints about an event that was supposed to unfold at the school this year. Even the usually sneering Malfoy, after laughing at Ron's robes to his heart's content, hinted at an upcoming opportunity to make money.
The arrival of the Hogwarts Express at Hogsmeade station was accompanied by thunderous claps of thunder. A storm was approaching the castle. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jeanne, and Neville eagerly climbed into one of the horseless carriages from which they could comfortably watch the raging weather, internally sympathizing with the first years whom Hagrid had to transport across the lake in boats, following a long-standing tradition.
Upon arriving at the castle, Jeanne met Professor McGonagall. She immediately recognized her as a new student.
"Hello, Jeanne of Ark, I am Professor McGonagall and I will be teaching you Transfiguration," the professor greeted her. "Since you are entering our school for the first time, you will have to go through the sorting process. Stand here with me and wait for the first years to approach. You will be sorted with them."
She glanced at Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville, who were still wet from their encounter with Peeves - the mischievous ghost who had filled several bubbles with water and threw them at the students.
"Why are you still here?" the professor asked them. "Do you want to try on the Sorting Hat again?"
The Great Hall was magnificent and richly decorated for the start of the new school year. Despite the bad weather that had even spread to the indoor sky of the Great Hall, it was still beautiful. Golden goblets and plates shimmered in the light of thousands of candles hanging above the tables. The students took their seats at the tables. Upon entering the hall, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville sat as usual at the Gryffindor table.
By a remarkable coincidence, Harry had only been present at his own Sorting Ceremony before, even though first-year students were admitted to Hogwarts every year. Now he had the opportunity for the first time in three years to see how new students were sorted.
There were several empty seats behind the teacher's table, as Hagrid, who had been struggling with the weather on the lake with the first-years, Professor McGonagall, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor were absent.
Ron was very worried about his empty stomach and expressed a desire to eat a hippogriff when the long-awaited event finally took place. The doors swung open, and Professor McGonagall entered the Great Hall with the first-years. Walking behind them at a leisurely pace was Jeanne. Delight never left her eyes and only intensified as she looked around the Great Hall.
When the Sorting Hat finished its song, Professor McGonagall made an announcement:
"I would like your attention, dear students! Today, we not only have new first-years joining us but also a new student from France who will be joining you in the fourth year and will also be sorted. I hope you will help her settle into the new school."
Ron thought the Sorting was incredibly long, but the list of first-years didn't seem to end. Professor McGonagall continued to call out new names, and the Sorting Hat shouted out the names of the Houses. Finally, the last first-year went through the Sorting.
"Jeanne d'Arc," McGonagall called out the last name.
Jeanne approached Professor McGonagall and sat on the stool. McGonagall then placed the Sorting Hat on her head. No one could say for sure what happened next. Some claimed that Jeanne sat under the Sorting Hat for an eternity, while others said it lasted only seconds. Harry noticed that she closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath as if talking to the Hat. Seeing this, he remembered his own Sorting, which had also seemed agonizingly long. Sometimes, the voice of the Hat still echoed in his head.
"Not Slytherin, eh? But you could be great in Slytherin..."
He remembered how the Hat sorted him into Gryffindor simply because he had asked for it. In those moments of agonizing anticipation, Harry clenched his fists under the table, hoping for something he didn't even know.
- Gryffindor! - the Sorting Hat exclaimed.
Jeanne opened her eyes, and her usual self-satisfaction returned to her face. The Gryffindor table welcomed Jeanne with applause and congratulations. As she approached, the other students made room for her, and she took her place next to Harry.
- Why did it take so long? - Ron asked, dissatisfied.
- The hat wanted to put me in Slytherin. - she replied. - I told it no.
After a hearty and delicious feast to celebrate the start of the new school year, Professor Dumbledore stood up from his seat. He gave a speech in which he announced that there would be no Quidditch competitions this year. The hall immediately filled with protests and astonished exclamations.
- This is related to the events that are set to begin in October and continue throughout the school year - they will require all the teachers' time and energy, but I am confident that it will bring you true enjoyment. I am pleased to announce that this year at Hogwarts...
Accompanied by a particularly loud thunderclap, the doors of the Great Hall burst open and a stranger entered. With an artificial leg, an artificial eye constantly rotating in different directions, covered in scars, wearing a traveling cloak, and carrying a loudly clicking walking stick, he walked through the entire Great Hall to the teacher's table, approached Dumbledore, and shook his hand in greeting. After exchanging a few whispered words, he hobbled to an empty seat, picked up a sausage, brought it close to the remnants of his nose, and sniffed it. Satisfied with its smell, he moved a plate of sausages closer to himself.
- Allow me to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. - Dumbledore joyfully announced in the ensuing silence. - Professor Grum.
Dumbledore and Hagrid applauded, but the students did not join in with their applause, which had never happened in previous years. Previously, no Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher had been greeted within the castle walls so coldly and suspiciously.
Dumbledore smiled at the students, who were watching Grum attentively, and continued his speech.
- As I mentioned earlier, in the coming months, we will have the honor of hosting an extremely exciting event that has not occurred in this century. With great pleasure, I announce that this year at Hogwarts, the Triwizard Tournament will take place.