After the carriage ride the trio waited in line to get into the castle. Razor was shivering "If this keeps up the lake's gonna overflow-AHH!" a red water balloon just hit his head. Another one hit Silver, people started screaming and shoving to get out of the line of fire. It was Charmy, hovering above them with an armful of water balloons "CHARMY!" Echo yelled running down the stairs. She slid on the floor and was forced to grab Coral by the neck to stop herself from falling "Sorry, Ms Coral" "That's okay, Professor" Coral gasped as she massaged her throat. Echo glared up at Charmy "GET DOWN HERE NOW!". Charmy stuck out his tongue before disappearing "Well, move along" the exasperated Echo told the students. They entered the Great Hall, a rush of warmth as they moved to the Shinobi table. Barney waited there for them "Good evening" "Says who?" Silver said. They hoped the sorting didn't take too long as they knew the feast could make up for any bad weather "Hi, Silver". Silver sighed and turned to see Skye standing behind him "Hi, Skye" "Guess what. My brother's starting this year. Jimmy" "Uh, that's great". Skye was practically bouncing "He's really excited. I just hope he's in Shinobi! Keep your fingers crossed, eh, Silver?" "Er… Alright". Skye went back to his seat as Silver looked to Coral "Don't siblings end up in the same house?" he was thinking of Razor's family. Coral shook his head "Not always. Leeta and Lyco are in different houses and their twins". Silver looked up at the staff table. There were a few more empty seats than usual. Big apparently still hasn't finished fighting his way across the lake, Echo was supervising the students still coming in and finally the Defence Against the Dark Arts seat was empty "Have they not found anyone this year" "Maybe they haven't arrived yet" Coral said. Then the large doors opened with Echo leading the First Years inside. If you told Silver the first years swam across the lake he'd believe you, they were absolutely drenched. As usual Echo then brought out the stool and leaned Caliburn against it. His face formed and he sang.
A thousand years or more ago,
When I was newly made,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are yet to fade:
Bold Shinobi, from wild moor,
Fair Gossamer, from glen,
Sweet Yagyu, from valley broad,
Shrewd Raiju, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Soleanna began.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By Shinobi, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Gossamer, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Yagyu, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And cunning Raiju
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favourites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas Shinobi who found the way,
He whipped me off his belt
The founders put some brains in me
To see what it was I felt!
Now hold me tight and wait to see,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!
The hall rung with applause "That's not what it sang for us" Silver said as he had missed the previous two years' sorting. Razor shrugged "It's sings a new one every. Must be pretty boring life as a sword. Must spend the whole year coming up with a new song". And so, the usual process of putting the new students in their houses began. When Skye's brother Jimmy finally had his turn Caliburn yelled "SHINOBI!". The table cheered as Jimmy ran and sat next to Skye beaming "I fell into the lake! Then this giant tentacle grabbed me and put me back in" "It was probably the Xorda" "Wow!". Jimmy looked as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope for more than being thrown into a storm-tossed, fathoms-deep lake, and pushed out of it again by a massive sea monster. When Echo was on the Ls Razor was shaking "Come on! Get to the feast already". Barney shook his head disapprovingly "Razor, the sorting is far more important than the feast" "Easy to say when you're dead" "Oh, very funny. I do hope this new batch are up to snuff. We don't our winning streak broken". Finally, the Sorting finished, and Locke approached the podium "I have only two words… Tuck in" "Hear, hear!" Silver and Razor yelled as the food appeared on their plates. Barney stared at the food longingly "You're lucky there's a feast tonight. There were problems in the kitchens" "What happened?" "Charmy of course. The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast. Well, it's quite out of the question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghost's council. Bellok was all for giving him the chance, but most wisely, in my opinion, King Boo put his foot down. And then Charmy threw a strop. Threw pots and pans everywhere. Scared the Marmolims out of their wits" *Clang*. Coral had dropped her plate "What? Marmolims? At Soleanna?" "Of course" "But I've never seen one".
Barney shrugged "Well they're doing there job well then" "But they get paid, right? Sick leaves? Holidays?". Barney looked at her as if she was insane and then rolled his eyes "Not another one. I've been telling Locke this for years. Marmolims don't want payment or holidays". Coral pushed her own plate way from her as if it contaminated. Razor rolled his eyes as he swallowed the food in his mouth "You're not gonna help anyone by starving yourself" "Slave labour. That's what made this food. Slave labour" and she didn't eat another bite for the rest of the feast. Razor seemed to be enjoying it as he kept intentionally waving desert in front of her face as he put it on his plate. Eventually Coral threatened to hex him and with her knowledge of hexes this quickly made him stop. Once everyone had their fill (Except Coral) Locke approached the podium again "I must ask once more for your attention while I give a few notices. Mr Rykor has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended. The full list is on the door to his office if anyone should wish to read it. I must also remind our new arrivals that the Deep Woods and Spiral Hill Village are off limits to all students unless given permission. I also regret to inform you that the Sky Chase House Tournament will not be taking part this year" "What?" Silver gasped. He looked over to Mighty and Ray who were equally shocked. Locke continued "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy. But I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Soleanna-". Thunder rumbled from one of the doors that suddenly burst open. Standing in the doorway was a figure in a black cloak. The figure walked up to the staff table, using a trident as a walking stick. He then removed the cloak placing it on an empty chair. Coral gasped at the sight of the man. It was a red Mantis Shrimp wearing a green cape and a horrible grimace on his face. What struck most people about his appearance was his missing right eye which was covered by an eye patch. His left eye was the scary one though. He had a piercing look as he scanned the hall. He then approached Locke and the two shook hands muttering to each other about something that Silver couldn't hear. After a few moments Locke gestured for him to sit at the free chair he had put his cloak on.
The stranger sat down and sniffed the food in front of him before eating it. In reverse of the students Locke seemed overjoyed to see the stranger "May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Striker the Mantis Shrimp". As usual the staff all applauded this new teacher, but the students didn't. Striker didn't seem to care that he wasn't being given a warm welcome. Silver leaned closer to Razor "Striker? Is that the guy your Dad was asked to help?" "Must be". Striker ignored a goblet in front of him and instead drank out of a flask he had on him. Seemingly to break the silence Locke continued "As I was saying we are to have the honour of hosting a legendary event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the The Emerald Championship will be taking place at Soleanna this year". The silence that filled the Hall since Striker appeared was broken "You're joking!" Mighty yelled. Locke chuckled "No, I am not joking, Mr Mighty. Though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a Kraken, a hag, and a Guardian Shark who all go into a bar-". Echo cleared her throat loudly, "Eh, yes, but maybe this is not the time… yes… Where was I? Ah, yes, the Emerald Championship. Well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation and allow their attention to wander freely. The Emerald Championship was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between three schools of wizardry: Soleanna, Sylvania, and Grimm. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities. Until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued". "Death Toll?" Coral said alarmed.
Her anxiety wasn't shared by most of the students who were now whispering to each other excitedly. Silver was intently listening as Locke said "There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament, none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger. The heads of Sylvania and Grimm will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Emerald Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Gold Ring personal prize money". Mighty along with a lot of other students suddenly proclaimed they were going to be Soleanna's Champion. But then Locke said "Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Emerald Cup to Soleanna the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age that is to say, seventeen years or older will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This…". He had to raise his voice slightly over the shouts of outrage "… Is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Soleanna champion". His eyes twinkled as they flickered over Mighty and Rey's mutinous faces "I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Sylvania and Grimm will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us and will give your whole-hearted support to the Soleanna champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop".
As the students all rose to their feet Silver spotted Ray glaring at Locke "They can't do that. We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?". Mighty agreed "They're not stopping me entering. The champions will get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Rings prize money!" "Yeah" Razor said. Coral noticed the five of them were the last at the table "Come on. Before we get in trouble". As they left Mighty and Ray started planning "This impartial judge wouldn't be from Soleanna, so they won't know our age. So, he's the only one we have to fool. Once he's decided Locke won't be able to stop it" "I can get some ageing potion from Infinite's stores". Coral tapped their shoulders "Did you not hear people have died?". Ray waved her off "That was years ago. Besides where's the fun without a bit of risk? What about you, Razor. You entering?". Razor looked to Silver "What do you think? Be cool to enter, wouldn't it? But I s'pose they might want someone older". Silver couldn't help imagining himself holding a giant trophy as the school cheered "It'd be cool". They arrived at the Common Room and separated to their dormitories. Larry was already in bed and had hung up his Sky Case Souvenirs. Marcos had hung up his old football poster "Mental" Razor said staring at the stationery football players. They all got into bed. Their beds had warming pans in them after what happened earlier Silver was slightly distracted by the thought that it was probably a Marmolim that placed it there. Razor spoke through the darkness "Seriously, do you think we should go for it? You never know, we could manage it" "Maybe". Silver again imagined himself as Soleanna Champion, holding the cup, crowds cheering, Amy kissing- "Wait, no, get out of here!" Silver thought to himself. He was glad Razor couldn't read minds.
