October 27th, 2006

British Ministry of Magic

London

Hermione knocked on the office door for the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Mister Peter Newkirk.

"Come in, Miss Granger!" Newkirk yelled.

Hermione opened the door and asked, "How did you know it was me, sir?"

"You're the only one that knocks." Newkirk, an older gentleman in his mid-eighties, leapt up from his desk with the grace of a man half his age. "Now, as you know, tonight is the unofficial beginning of the Tri-Wizard Tournament."

Hermione nodded "Yes, sir."

"Miss Granger, I have a very important favor to ask of you. You know this Tournament better than anybody in this Department. I am asking you to be my Representative tonight at Hogwarts."

Hermione froze. "But, sir... Isn't that usually the Head of Department's job?"

Newkirk nodded. "Normally, yes. However, I have a pressing engagement tonight in Paris. One of my old war buddies, it's his birthday."

"War buddy?" Hermione looked thoroughly confused. "Which war?"

"The big one, of course." Newkirk smiled before doing an impression of Winston Churchill. "Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'"

"Y- Y- You served in the Second World War?" Hermione's eyes looked as though they were about to pop out of her head.

"Indeed I did! I got captured by the bleedin' Krauts and stuck in a prison camp until 1944. I tell you, if it wasn't for the Colonel, that war would have gone on a lot longer."

"Sir, what did you do in that camp?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that, a few small acts of sabotage to destabilize the Reich," Newkirk replied airily. "Most of it's still classified Top Secret. Can I count on you tonight, Miss Granger?"

"Of course, sir. I won't let you down."

Newkirk clapped his hands together. "That's what I like to hear!" Newkirk grabbed his cloak from the hook next to the door and added as he opened his office door, "Oh, and Mister Malfoy is going to be representing Games and Sports tonight. Be on your best behavior!"

With that, he winked and left the office.

Hogwarts

The day seemed to drag on. The entire castle was on pins and needles, and Ari, working alongside Ducky during the last class period of the day, was treating a sudden outburst of colds among the students. Most were able to be set on their way after a Pepper-Up Potion, but three so far had needed something stronger, and were currently resting comfortably. Healer and apprentice were going over common magical ailments when the doors burst open and in walked Ziva, clutching her arm. Ari jumped from his seat and hurried over to his sister.

"What happened?" Ari asked, already drawing his wand to perform a diagnostic charm.

"We were practicing," Ziva winced in pain, "In Defense. We were practicing Shield Charms. I was paired with Michael. He... He cast a Blasting Curse instead of a Jelly-Legs Jinx like we were instructed."

"בן זונה הזה." Ari started on the healing charms and setting her arm before he addressed Ziva again. "I will deal with Rivkin later. You, meanwhile, are to relax here until Healer Mallard or myself see fit to release you... Which should be some time in the next few hours. You should be out in time for the arrivals of Beauxbatons and Ilvermorny." ("That son of a bitch.")

"Toda." Ziva used her good arm to hug Ari before stretching back on the bed she occupied. Ari, meanwhile, went back to the desk he occupied, and continued with his studies. A cup of tea suddenly appeared next to him.

"Thank you, Ducky."

"Is your sister alright?" Ducky asked.

Ari smirked, taking a sip of the tea. Huh. an Israeli blend. "She should be fine in a couple of hours, which is more than I can say for the prat that broke her arm."

"This wouldn't happen to be the same young man whose tongue you glued to his mouth, would it?"

Chuckling, Ari took another sip of his tea before answering. "It could be. Don't worry, I solemnly promise that I will set anything I break."

Ducky smiled behind his cup. Oh, to be seventeen again. The bell echoed throughout the castle, signaling the end of lessons for the day. Ari finished his tea before collecting his things and making his way to the Heads' Dormitories. The chaos in the corridors was absolutely maddening, with students tripping over each other. Ari walked past two students that seemed on the verge of dueling each other, so he silently cast a Shield Charm between them. He made it back to his dormitory and dropped his bag before making his way to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Ambition," Ari muttered to a blank stretch of wall, twenty minutes later. A door materialized and he entered the Slytherin Common Room. All conversation ceased immediately. He composed himself before addressing his Housemates. "Please place your bags in your dormitories. Prefects, please escort everyone to the Entrance Hall in an orderly fashion."

There was a great deal of commotion as students moved to drop their bags or to leave the Common Room. Rivkin was among them, and Ari noticed, grabbing the younger student by the scruff of his neck and pulled him away from the queue.

"What are you playing at?" Rivkin snapped.

"I had an interesting talk with Ziva this afternoon," Ari replied. "She told me that you two had a slight mishap during Defense Against the Dark Arts today."

Rivkin scoffed. "Is that what she told you?"

"Well, she came into the Hospital Wing with a broken arm and said that you hit her with a Blasting Curse instead of a Jelly-Legs, as you were instructed."

The sneer on Rivkin's face was becoming more pronounced. "So what if I did?"

Ari could feel the vein in the base of his neck begin to throb. Rivkin was playing a dangerous game. "Choose your next words wisely."

Rivkin smirked. "Perhaps she should have been more careful."

With a wave of his wand, Ari hit Rivkin with another Silencing Charm. "We'll leave that applied until I see fit to remove it."

With 7pm drawing nearer, the entire student body was gathered outside on the castle lawn, brimming with anticipation.

Almost as soon as seven o'clock chimed, there was a loud flapping overhead, drawing the students' attention. Some gasped, some pointed, and some screamed as a powder-blue carriage, pulled by four giant Abraxan Horses, began its descent onto the Hogwarts Grounds. The carriage landed, the doors opened, and two students stumbled out, placing a set of stairs at the carriage door. They stood to the sides at the position of attention as the largest woman any of the students at Hogwarts had ever seen stepped out, followed by more students. Professor McGonagall stepped forward and greeted the woman.

"Madam Maxime, welcome back to Hogwarts."

"Eet eez good to be 'ere," Maxime replied, ushering her students into the Entrance Hall. "'as the Ilvermorny delegation arrived yet?"

McGonagall shook her head. "No, but they are expected soon. In fact, I believe..."

McGonagall was cut off by what sounded like an air-horn in the distance, followed by several explosions, determined to be coming from what looked like a flying charter bus barreling towards Hogwarts. From the sides of the bus erupted fireworks, taking the forms of stars, bald eagles, the American Flag, and lastly, the Ilvermorny crest. Several Hogwarts students applauded as the bus came to a landing right behind the Beauxbatons carriage. The door on the bus opened and the Ilvermorny delegation stepped out, led by their headmaster, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. His fifteen students followed behind him as he greeted McGonagall.

"Headmistress," Gibbs simply said. "It's been a few years."

"Gibbs," McGonagall replied. "It's wonderful to see you. I presume that all of your students made it?"

"Yeah," Gibbs nodded. "Only fifteen signed up."

"Very well. Mister Haswari!" Ari appeared almost immediately as McGonagall turned to Madame Maxime, addressing her and Gibbs. "If you and your students would follow our Head Boy, Mister Haswari will escort you to the Great Hall."

"Follow me," Ari told Gibbs and Maxime. "Prefects, take charge of your Houses!"

The Prefects led their Houses into the Great Hall, with Ari and the foreign delegations following.

Upon entering the Great Hall, Ari said, "Madame Maxime, Headmaster Gibbs, you will be seated at the Staff table at the front of the Hall. Your students may choose whichever House table that they would like to sit at."

Ari left to go sit at the Slytherin table, while the Beauxbatons students moved to the Gryffindor table, and the Ilvermorny students sat with the Hufflepuffs. Ari could see Ziva, with her arm still in a sling but seemingly in good spirits. His eyes moved along the table to the Ilvermorny students, and suddenly, his gaze stopped on a brunette sitting a few seats down from his sister. His gaze didn't leave her until Malachi elbowed him sharply in his ribs.

"You're drooling, Haswari," Malachi joked. "Did one of the Ilvermorny students draw your attention?"

"Shut up," Ari replied, a faint pink tinge appearing on his cheeks.

Meanwhile, at the Hufflepuff table...

Kate took her seat, sandwiched in between Tony on her left and Abby on her right. Her immediate gaze was on the ceiling above, enchanted to resemble the skies outside. She looked around the Great Hall, amazed, before a gentle nudge from Abby got her attention.

"What?" Kate whispered.

"That Haswari guy was checking you out," Abby replied. She used her head to indicate where Haswari was sitting, and Kate looked up just in time to see him take an elbow in the ribs and divert his gaze.

"He's cute," Kate confided in a whisper, thankful that Tony was talking to a couple of Hogwarts students and not paying attention to her.

Abby froze. "Hold on. Did Kate Todd just admit that a boy was cute?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

At the Gryffindor table, Pierre LeBeau was not impressed. The House that his classmates had chosen to sit with was filled with loud and obnoxious swine, disturbing him and keeping him from eating the meal in front of him. Of course, he recognized that the food was made by House Elves immediately, no matter how heavy and under-seasoned it was.

Once the food had cleared away, leaving the plates as spotless as they had been earlier, Professor McGonagall rose to her feet. "If I may have your attention."

The Hall quieted, and she continued. "Eternal glory. That is what awaits the three Champions chosen to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The chosen three will be tested in every way possible, physically, mentally, and potentially emotionally as well. But only one will stand above the others as Tri-Wizard Tournament Champion." McGonagall waved her wand, and a wicker casket materialized in front of her. With another wave, the casket dissolved, revealing a silver goblet. With one final wave of her wand, the goblet ignited. "The Goblet of Fire. Those wishing to compete in the Tournament must put forth their names no later than Halloween night. On that night, the Champions will be chosen. At this time, to further explain the rules of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, allow me to introduce, representing the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Miss Hermione Granger, and representing the Department of Magical Games and Sports, Mister Draco Malfoy."

Hermione and Malfoy made their way to the front of the Hall, with Hermione leading (Not that Malfoy would be complaining). When they reached the front of the Hall, Hermione spoke first.

"As I'm sure you have all been told, to ensure the safety of all students involved, nobody under age seventeen will be allowed to compete. Furthermore, if you are selected to compete, you must do so, as the Goblet of Fire represents a binding magical contract. Lastly, along with the eternal glory that was mentioned by Headmistress McGonagall, the winner of the Tournament will also receive a prize of 2,000 Galleons." Every student eligible to compete turned their heads when the prize money was mentioned. "Do you have anything to add, Mister Malfoy?"

Malfoy shrugged. "You covered everything. Que les jeux commencent." ("Let the games begin.")