Chapter 81
The train, that had left Platform 9 3/4 from King's Cross Station in London, traveled northwest, through Preston and on north around the west side of what Muggles called the Cairngorms National Park, traveling on the edge of Loch Inish where Harry had sent Hedwig out with his letter to Sirius. The Hogwarts Express continued on, passing to the east of Aviemore and over the River Spey toward what Hermione knew would be Hogsmeade and later Hogwarts Castle. Many of the students of Hogwarts didn't know this, but they actually lived nearly side by side with Muggles, with only the charms of Hogwarts to protect them. In fact, she had learned fromHogwarts: A History, that the lake she and her fellow students knew as The Black Lake, many Muggles also visited, and called Loch Pityoulish. The whole trip on the Hogwarts Express from London took a little over eight hours.
In her research over the years about Hogwarts, she learned that to avoid detection of Muggles, The Hogwarts Express, which was shielded by charms that only wizards could see beyond, left the station at Kings Cross at off hours to the Muggle trains where they shared a track, and some times, deviated to their own track, going places that Muggle trains didn't. It was because of this off hour travel, that the Hogwarts Express left King's Cross Station atpreciselyeleven o'clock on the first day of term. This allowed them to avoid any Muggle trains on their shared tracks. This allowed them to arrive at Hogsmeade Station at approximately seven o'clock in the evening with the exception being last year when they had arrive much later due to the Dementors that stopped the train in search of Sirius Black.*
It was nearly dusk when they arrived up at the castle from Hogsmeade where they were informed by Professor McGonagall that they still had time before the Welcome Feast was to be served and that they were welcome to free time out on the grounds, and directed them toward the courtyard that led out onto the grounds and down toward the lake.
Curiously, Hermione wandered down with Harry and Ron in tow, while Ron groused about being hungry and having to wait for dinner. Hermione rolled her eyes, and it was then that her attention was caught by something in the sky that zig zagged their way, coming closer, and she squinted trying to decern what it was.
"Clear the runway!" Hagrid shouted, and Hermione looked over noticing he had large paddles in his hands before her attention was drawn back to the sky at a shrill whinny and she saw seven large flying horses zig zagging closer pulling a carriage that looked like it belong in Cinderella. The flying horses, if she rememberec correctly, were called Abraxans, though Muggles called them Pegasi, or singularly, Pegusus.
Hagrid gave a shout and dove out the way.
"Well, that's something you don't see every day," George said nearby and looked over to see him not to far away with Fred laughing, before Fred pointed out to the lake and she looked out upon the water to see what appeared to be a small raft with a rather long, billowing banner. As it drew closer, the raft suddenly shot straight up and she realized that it was a crow's nest on what looked to be an old pirate ship. With the sounds of awe around her, she was sure that she wasn't the only one that wondered what was going on, and about the presence of these newcomers. The bell chimed for dinner then, and they headed inside.
"Now that we're all settled and sorted," Professor Dumbledore said a short time after the sorting. "I'd like to make an announcement."
The door creaked open and Mr. Filch ran up the center isle toward the teacher's table on the dais where Professor Dumbledore stood addressing them from the owl podium.
"It is my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
"What?" Harry shrieked, looking to Fred and George whose mouths fell open. Hermione just shook her head and rolled her eyes at them.
"This is due to an event that will be held throughout the school year and will take up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely."
"So that's why Mr. Crouch is here," Hermione murmured, staring up that the teacher's table, recognizing him from the Quidditch World Cup.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, and Hermione pointed the man out. Then, looking at the rest of the teachers, she murmured. "I wonder who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be. I don't see anyone else new, unless..."
Harry and Ron shrugged.
"*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 - yes,what is it?" he broke off when Mr. Filch reached the podium after his high stepping run to the podium that reminded Hermione of the Paso Fino horses her parents had taken her to see on one of their vacations when they traveled to Spain, except lacking their grace and obviously their stamina as well since he seemed to be panting for breath by the time he reached his goal. Hermione wasn't able to discern the conversation, but saw Professor Dumbledore shake his head as Mr. Filch ran back across the hall in the same high stepping gait.
"So," Professor Dumbledore continued, drawing their attention again. "Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event: The TriWizard Tournament."
"Brilliant!" Fred and George said grinning and Hermione looked at them in confusion, wondering how they could go from one emotion to the other so quickly.
"For those who do not know," Professor Dumbledore continued. "The TriWizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school, a single student is selected to compete. Let me be clear, if chosen, you stand alone, and trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint-hearted. But more of that later. For now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and their Headmistress, Madame Maxime!"
The door to the great hall opened and all turned with interest to see a parade of elegant girl dressed in powder blue cut in the French style, and Hermione remembered researching the school on her trip to France with her parents before starting school last year. She was rather disapointed that they had already been on summer break then, and she'd not been able to visit, but seeing them in action now - if you could call it that - as they entered with dramatic sighs and butterflies, one girl tumbling up the isle like a gymnast, Hermione was glad she had not gotten to visit them. They were much too flowery for her taste.
"Bloody hell," Ron muttered as they passed them at the table and Hermione glared as the boys seemed to fall all over themselves. It was absolutely disgusting.
"Blimey," Seamus Finigan said and Hermione rolled her eyes as Madame Maxime passed. "That's onebigwoman."
"And now," Professor Dumbledore said, returning to the podium after greeting the French Headmistress. "Our friends from the north, please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang, and their Highmaster, Igor Karkaroff!"
If the girls from Beauxbatons had enchanted the boys of Hogwarts, so Hermione noticed, the boys of Durmstrang did for the girls of Hogwarts - well,mostof them. For when the door opened again, the boys marched into the hall in two precision lines. They were carrying long staves that they twirled as they marched, and pounded against the floor whenever they stopped. Hermione thought the last boy, who walked in next to the Highmaster looked familiar, but wasn't sure why.
"Blimey," Ron said in awe as the boy came closer. "It's him. Viktor Krum."
They turned to watch, Hermione realizing that Viktor Krum had been the seeker from the Quidditch World Cup that Ron had idolized, and saw several boys showing off their agility as the French girl had done, one ran toward the dais exhibiting his speed also before his tumbling, ending with an exhibition in fire breathing, the flame of which transformed into a dragon before becoming a phoenix and disappearing.
Professor Dumbledore greeted the Highmaster with a hug.
"I wonder if one of them will take the post this year," Hermione mused, looking between Madame Maxime and Highmaster Karkaroff, but then she started to doubt it because Professor Dumbledore made no such announcement.
During the Welcome Feast, the Beauxbatons students sat at the Ravenclaw table, while the Durmstrang students joined Slytherin. Hermione was surprised by how quiet the hall was, everyone seemingly curious about their guests, so the conversation at the teacher's table on the dais was easily heard, even if they couldn't see everything clearly.
"Professor Dumbly-dorr," Madame Maxime said. "My horses have traveled a long way. They will need attending to."
"Don't worry, Madame Maxime," Professor Dumbledore assured her. "Our game keeper, Hagrid, is more than capable of seeing to them."
"But you know, Monsieur Hagrid," Madame Maxime said, looking down the table to him. "They drink only single malt whiskey."
Suddenly, Professor Flitwick let out a cry in pain and turned to glare at Hagrid.
"You idiot!" he shouted. Hermione looked up and realized that Hagrid had unintentionally stabbed his hand with a fork when it clattered against the table.
After dinner, the students took notice of a smaller platform being set up in front of the teachers' table in the center of which stood a tall, ornate tower that three men had brought in.
"Your attention please," Professor Dumbledore said, stepping up on the new platform beside the tower. "I'd like to say a few words. Eternal glory. That's what awaits the student who wins the TriWizard Tournament. But to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks."
"Wicked," Hermione heard Fred and George mutter, and rolled her eyes.
"For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule," Professor Dumbledore said, and Hermione's attention was drawn to a man entering the hall from the antichamber near the teachers' table. "To explain all this," Professor Dumbledore continued. "We have the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Mr. Bartemius Crouch."
Hermione turned her attention back to the dais, trying to ignore the man that entered the hall late, and watched Mr. Crouch come forward. Just then thunder crashed throughout the hall, and lightning flashed. Never before had they seen a storm like this. It sounded to Hermione more like it came from inside the castle, and several students cried out in fear. Turning around, she saw the man she'd noticed enter the hall late step forward and draw his wand, pointing it at the enchanted ceiling, and cast a spell that appeared to have the effect ofMeteolojinx Recantoas the weather displayed on the enchanted ceiling cleared almost immediately, leaving Hermione wondering what happened.
"Bloody hell," Ron whispered. "That's Mad-Eye Moody."
"Alastor Moody?" Hermione asked, clarifying as she recalled reading about him during her studies of the first Wizarding War. "The Auror?"
"Auror?" Dean Thomas asked.
"Dark Wizard catcher," Ron explained. "Half the cells in Azkaban are filled thanks to him. He's supposed to be mad as a hatter, though, these days. Dad was talking to Mr. Diggory this morning. Told dad that Moody's muggle neighbors heard bangs and shouting so they called those -"
"Police men," Harry supplied.
Ron nodded and then continued, "Mr. Diggory told Dad that Moody said he heard intruders in his yard, says he was creeping toward the house, but was ambushed by his dustbins."
"What'd they do?" Hermione asked.
"Made a lot of racket and threw rubbish everywhere from what Mr. Diggory said. Told dad that they were still doing it when those Muggles showed up. They had to involve the Improper Use of Magic department."
Hermione turned, watching Mad-Eye Moody to find him looking around like he was paranoid.
"My dear old friend," Professor Dumbledore said, shaking Moody's hand. "Thanks for coming."
"Stupid ceiling," Moody grumbled.
Hermione watched, but as no one else showed up, she wondered if Mad-Eye Moody was to be their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She and her friends watched as he took a drink from a hip flask.
"What's that he's drinking, do you suppose?" Seamus asked.
"I don't know," Harry replied. "But I don't think its pumpkin juice."
"After due consideration," Mr. Crouch said, stepping up and drawing everyone's attention again. "The Ministry has concluded that, for their own safety, no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the TriWizard Tournament. This decision is final."
Hermione looked relieved, but she sighed when she heard everyone protesting.
"That's rubbish!" Fred yelled. "That's rubbish! You don't know what you're doing!"
"Silence!" Professor Dumbledore yelled, his voice carrying throughout the hall.
"They're not too happy about that then," Hermione murmured.
Everyone watched as Professor Dumbledore stepped up to the tower and withdrew his wand. As they watched, the ornate golden tower melted away to reveal a large stone goblet that ignited with a blue flame.
"The Goblet of Fire," Professor Dumbledore said. "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."
After his speech, Professor Dumbledore dismissed them, and the hall was emptied. The Hogwarts students returning to their dorms, while the Beauxbattons students went back to their carriage, and the Durmstrang students headed to their ship on the Black Lake. Hermione's thoughts were spinning, but as she climbed the stairs to Gryffindor tower with the others of her house, she had to wonder what the twins were going to do. She didn't put it passed them to try something foolish, and she vowed to keep an eye on them, relieved for once that it wasn't Harry she needed to be concerned about. Exhausted, she decided to write to Oliver in the morning, and yawning, pulled on her pajamas and slid into bed, sleep claiming her the moment her head touched her pillow.