A/N This one will be split up into 3 parts. This is rated M due to language and some spicy scenes.
Enjoy!
I slung my bag over my shoulder and called out, "Hurry up, Neville, we've got to go!"
"I can't find my jumper!" He shouted back, sounding a bit frazzled.
My hand waved it in the air, "I've got it here!"
Neville's head poked out of his room and he grinned, "Should've known."
He met me at the bottom of the stairs, his own bag slung over his shoulder lazily. We were running a bit behind, but I was confident we would still arrive with enough time to get our things settled. We were joining the Weasleys for the World Cup, with our own tickets of course. Gran insisted on pitching in the cost after we begged her. I was going to be sharing a room with Hermione and Ginny, while Neville bunks with Ron and Harry.
"Should we say goodbye to Gran first?" He asked while we walked towards the door.
I shook my head, "She left earlier to get our things from Diagon Alley. Said it'd be easier than lugging us around."
Truthfully, I was glad not to have to hear another rant of hers regarding my OWLs. While I had done very well- much better than I had anticipated, she'd been disappointed in my failure at Potions and Care of Magical Creatures. I knew Potions was destined to be a failure, but I'd only taken the latter to fill in my Ruins spot that I'd dropped. Still, I had received Outstanding's in Charms and History of Magic, Exceeds Expectations in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Transfiguration, and one Acceptable in Muggle Studies. I shuddered to think what Mrs. Weasley had to say about Fred's OWL results.
We walked to the end of our walkway and stopped at the gate. I adjusted my bag and grabbed his hand.
"Hold on," I told him.
I apparated us to the fields, remembering the destination that Mr. Weasley had sent me earlier. I'd passed my Apparition test a few days ago, thankfully, and I seemed to be alright at it so far. I'd went almost as soon as I turned seventeen, after much instruction from my uncle.
When we arrived, Neville bent over and threw up near a tree. I winced at that and grabbed his bag that he'd dropped. Once he was alright, we set off towards finding the others. I'd never seen so many wizards in one place and it was actually quite amusing. It seemed to take hours when we finally arrived at the tent and I was grateful that Mr. Weasley was outside of it speaking with what I assumed to be his eldest son, Bill.
"Edith!" Mr. Weasley beamed at me, "I was beginning to worry that you'd gotten lost."
I shrugged, "Only when I arrived. Sorry, we're a bit late."
The eldest of the siblings wasn't anything like I'd imagined. I'd assumed that Bill would be a lot like Percy, but it became very obvious he was not. He was tall and lanky like Ron and Percy, but his hair was quite long. It had been pulled back in a low ponytail. And he'd had a fanged earring in one ear. His clothes were quite muggle-ish actually.
He smiled and held out a hand, "You must be Aggie. I've heard a lot about you-"
"From Fred," I guessed, shaking his hand politely. "So everyone keeps telling me. This is my brother Neville."
Neville had started looking less green now and he quickly shook his hand before addressing Mr. Weasley, "Are the others inside?"
He nodded, "Yes, they should just be finishing up their lunch. Edith, you and the girls are using this second tent."
"I'll get my stuff settled then," I told him.
I walked inside the tent, happy that we all seemed to have our own beds at least. Seeing Hermione and Ginny's stuff on a couple of them, I claimed one of the last beds and pulled out my Irish colors. Once I had my clothes in place, I pulled my hair back in a high pony tail and made my way to the boys tent.
Hermione was sitting with Harry and Neville, the three of them speaking about the things they'd seen at camp. Ron was reading what I assumed was a Quidditch paper. Fred and George were speaking with Charlie at the table, but all of them glanced up when I arrived.
"Edith!" Ginny greeted me with a bright smile, wearing her own Irish colors. "Neville said you got a bit lost."
"It wasn't my fault!" I insisted. "Everyone's tents looked the same."
Fred waltzed up to me with a grin, "You have a terrible sense of direction-unless you're flying of course."
I mocked glared at him, but it quickly turned in a bashful smile when he kissed my cheek sweetly. I hugged him tightly, and then laughed when he swung me around rather ridiculously.
"Please stop, you'll make me sick," Charlie teased.
"Hello, Charlie," I greeted him after pulling away from Fred. "How is Romania?"
Though I'd only spent my first year at Hogwarts with Charlie attending school, he'd left a lasting impression on me. He'd been the Quidditch Captain and an amazing seeker. He was also the only brother who resembled the twins. He had the same kind of stockier build and was a little shorter than they were. I'd also had a massive crush on him during that year.
He smiled, "I fight for my life during the day and heal my wounds at night. It's fantastic." He quirked a brow, "But I've heard you've become a bit of a Quidditch star."
My face felt hot, "Ah, I wouldn't say that. I got struck by lightening this past year."
"In a very classy way," George reminded me.
"Rode your broom all the way to the ground," Fred added proudly.
There was a loud gong sound and the Mr. Weasley stuck his hand through the entrance.
'It's time! Come on, Let's go!"
...
"It's starting!" I squealed with excitement, slapping at Fred's arm.
"I can see that for myself!" he exclaimed, rubbing at the spot I'd hit.
"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!" Ludo Bagman's voice called out around us.
To my surprise, women started coming out onto the field in a sort of dance. I'd frowned at this and realized they weren't just women. They were Veela. I groaned in annoyance at this and watched as my boyfriend practically drooled at the sight of him.
"Oi, cut that out!" I scolded him, slapping the back of his head.
He winced and shook his head just as the music started to die down, "Sorry, Aggie. Lost myself for a moment."
"Don't be too mad," George laughed, coming off of the affects himself, "He couldn't control it."
I hmphed at that.
"And now," Ludo continued, "Kindly put your wands in the air for the Irish National Team Mascot!"
We all roared with excitement at the rainbow that formed above us, the golden coins scattering when the little Leprechauns tossed them. It was falling on our heads and onto the fields. Many were trying to stuff them into their pockets, thinking they were galleons. I laughed at the skeptical. I'd been to an Irish game before and had been sorely disappointed when my coins had disappeared after the game.
They announced the players from each team and the referee joined the field. The game started without delay and it was the most exciting thing to witness. I'd been to a few professional games growing up with Uncle Algie and each time it had felt like this. Ireland had scored first, and kept scoring much to the annoyance of the Veela mascots on the ground.
When Bulgaria finally scored, I grabbed Fred's face and kissed him, much to his surprise.
He blinked at me when I pulled away, "What was that for?"
"Just wanted to remind you where your priorities are," I replied sweetly.
George laughed and slapped his twin on his back, "Poor widdle Freddie, no Veela dancing for you."
The tips of Fred's ears turned red, but he flicked my nose playfully in response.
The game continued, with a bit of excitement resulting from Victor Krum causing the Irish Seeker, Lynch, to plough right towards the ground. When he was declared fit to return, the game was back in motion. It continued on, Ireland taking the lead to one hundred and thirty points to ten. A foul occurred when Bulgaria's Keeper flew out to harm a Irish Chaser.
The Veela's got a bit enraged and started to dance to occupy the field. The twins had stuck their fingers in their ears this time and I started laughing when I realized the referee began trying to gain the attention of the Veela. The mediwizard had to intervene and kick him in the shins. The referee declared the Veela were banned from the field which caused a bit of a fight with the Bulgarian teammates. This resulted in another penalty to Ireland. Not even a few moments later, there was another foul.
The Veela went berserk at a taunt from the Leprechauns. They started launching fire at them, their face changing from the beautiful women...into ugly beasts.
"And that boys," Mr. Weasley shouted, "Is why you should never go for looks alone!"
Fred nudged my side playfully, "I think you look rather lovely when you're angry."
"You better," I teased him with a grin.
There was a bit of chaos with the referee, because his broom had caught fire from the Veela's. During the commotion, everyone started yelling as it looked like Lynch and Krum were both on the verge of going for the snitch. For the second time, Lynch hit the ground and Krum was raising a fist into the air.
"IRELAND WINS!" Luda Bagman roared.
It was bloody chaos. Everyone was screaming and jumping, the shouts blasting into my eardrums.
"WE'RE RICH! WE'RE RICH!" Shouted the twins, hugging each other with much excitement.
I blinked at the two of them, "What do you mean? What did you do?"
Fred beamed at me, "We bet all of our money against Ludo Bagman, that Ireland would win but Krum would catch the snitch!"
"YOU DID WHAT?!" I screeched at him.
...
I felt as if I'd just fallen asleep when I was being woken up by Mr. Weasley telling us to get dressed quickly. I'd only managed to get my sweater pulled on over my pajama shirt when I stumbled outside with the girls. When I saw what was going on, I felt sick to my stomach.
"It's Muggles," I croaked out, watching the shapes contort in the air. They were being tortured by black hooded below them who were laughing at the scene.
"It's the campsite manager and his family," Hermione whispered in horror.
The boys joined us and George quickly grabbed Ginny's hand. The crowd was growing any people were pushing as we made our way to the woods. Fred held my hand tightly with his own and I was frantically trying to keep up with Neville, who had been walking with his friends.
"Neville!" I shouted, realizing his blonde hair had disappeared from the crowd.
Fred tugged me harder, "He'll meet us in the forest, Edith, don't panic!"
I was already panicking. There were so many people. And the masked figures were coming this way. If it hadn't been for Fred, I'd have been frozen in place with shock. We finally made it to a safe spot where a lot of others had started to disapparate. I couldn't leave with so many people, having only side alonged Neville before. So we stood there, hoping for the others to join us.
Ginny whimpered, "Where is Dad?"
"Don't worry," George told her, wrapping an arm around her tiny shoulders, "Bill and Charlie are with him. They'll be here soon."
There was a blast of smoke that started filling the sky. A green grey color. All of us were frozen at the look of the skull and the serpent that came from the mouth. Others, including myself let out screams at the sight of it. Fred's arm wrapped tightly around me and I clung to him, digging my face into his chest.
"It's okay," he whispered to me. "I've got you."
All I could think about was my mum and my dad. I was terrified.
...
"I thought I might find you here," a gentle voice said.
I looked up from where I was looking into the window. Uncle Algie stood there with a small smile, the mustache on his face barely twitching. I used to pull on the ends when I was younger and once he'd tricked me by charming the hair to disappear. I cried when I saw his clean shaven face and wouldn't come near him until it was back.
My eyes flickered back to the window to see my parents walking around inside. A nurse was walking with them for their exercise.
Uncle Algie asked, "Did you come alone?"
"Neville is still getting his trunk ready," I replied. "I didn't want to leave until I saw them."
"Augusta said you've been to see them twice since the Cup," he told me. "I wanted to see you off before you left for school. Are you alright?"
I sighed, "I'm...ashamed. I saw that mark in the sky and I was afraid. I've never known fear like that, Uncle Algie."
He nodded at this, "Even older wizards tremble at the sight of it. I...I'll never forget seeing it above a neighbor's house once. The sight still haunts me to this day." He gestured to the two of them inside, "Your parents courage that night...I've never known anything else like it."
"I want to make them proud," I told him, feeling my eyes fill with tears.
Uncle Algie smiled, "You already do, Edith."
...
Platform nine and three-quarters was full by the time we arrived. Neville was trying to peer above the crowd to find his friends and for once I was grateful that he'd grown taller than me. In fact, Neville had taken quite a growth spurt over the summer. I, however, had remained short to my annoyance. Gran said I'd taken after my mum's side and would likely stay short.
"I think I caught sight of a bunch of red heads," Nev finally stated. "Yes, I see Harry now. They're over there."
His pace quickened and I hurried after him, feeling relieved at seeing the familiar sight of the Weasleys gathered around together. Harry stuck out among them, but I'd never seen him so relaxed before. I knew he'd been looking forward to some time away from his Muggle family. Fred and George were chatting with Bill while Mrs. Weasley hugged each one of them one by one.
"Oi!" I called out just as we approached them.
Fred turned just in time to catch me when I launched myself at him. He steadied us quickly and grinned down at me from where I had my arms wrapped around him.
"Hello, Aggie dear," he greeted me, squeezing his arms around me in return. "You didn't reply to my last owl. Did you not like my poem?"
My lips quirked in a small smile. I'd nearly pissed myself laughing at the 'poem' in question. It was ghastly and an obvious attempt at cheering me up after the events at the World Cup.
"Can we talk about it later?" I asked him quietly.
He immediately nodded, "Absolutely. I want detailed reactions at every line."
I pulled away from him and turned to his mother, "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Weasley. I was sorry to miss you at the cup."
"Oh, I had so many things to do," she pulled me in for one of her famous hugs, "I'm glad to see you looking well."
Charlie hugged Ginny and grinned, "I might be seeing you all sooner than you think."
Fred startled at this, "Why?"
"You'll see," his brother replied tauntingly, "Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it...it's classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it, after all."
Bill sighed, "Yeah, I sort of wish I was back at Hogwarts this year."
"Why?" demanded George.
"You're going to have an interesting year," Bill replied with amusement. "I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it..."
"A bit of what?" asked Ron with annoyance.
The whistle to the train blew and we all boarded the train, leaning our heads out of the windows as we said our final goodbyes.
"Mum!" Ron snapped, "What do you three know that we don't?"
Mrs. Weasley smiled, "You'll find out this evening, I expect. It's going to be very exciting- mind you, I've very glad they've changed the rules-"
"What rules?" Most of us asked at once.
"I'm sure Dumbledore will tell you...Now, behave, won't you? Won't you, Fred? And you, George? Edith, try to keep them in line."
I couldn't help but laugh at the idea that either twin would listen to me.
The train gave another whistle and started to move.
"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred shouted. "What rules are they changing?"
But we were too far gone now.
...
We were seated at our table, and I rung the last bit of water from my hair. Of course it had to be raining and it was only made worse by Peeves dropping balloons on our heads as we entered the castle. Thankfully he'd left us alone after he realized Fred and George were with me. He had a strange way about him, but he likes the Weasley twins.
"Look at the table," Lee said suddenly. "Doesn't it look like there's something missing?"
We all looked up to scan it and at first I didn't realize anything was amiss. I recognized all of the teachers present and there didn't seem to be any miss-
George blurted out, "Where's the Defense teacher?"
There wasn't one, I realized. We'd become accustom to having a new one each year, but there weren't any new faces among the table.
"What do you think it means?" Alicia wondered. "Maybe they couldn't find one?"
I frowned at this, "They had to get someone. There's not an extra teacher to have swapped."
I shivered to think about what would happen if Snape ever got the job.
The usual things began taking place. The Sorting Hat sang its song and the first years were sorted into their houses. The feast took place followed by Headmaster Dumbledore standing to make his announcements for the year. It was rather boring until he recited:
"...It is my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
My stomach sank to my feet almost immediately. No Quidditch?! But-but-
"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teacher's time and energy- but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely." His eyes took om a bit of twinkle in them, "I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"
His words were broken off when there was a loud clash of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall swung open.
In walked a man who hardly seemed human at all. He was heavily scarred, dripping wet as if he'd taken a tumble into the lake himself. And then there was the matter of his eye...His real one must've been blasted off, because in its place was a glass magical eye. It moved the various directions, as if taking in every bit of the room around him.
He walked forward with a heavy cane thudding against the floor, stopping when he reached Dumbledore, who shook his hand while speaking to him.
Finally the man took a seat, filling his plate with sausages while Professor Dumbledore began speaking again, "May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody."
The words were met with silence, most of us too stunned to do anything. Granted, he did look like the sort of man who had defended himself against some rough wizards, but still...He hardly looked like he did a very successful job from the looks of him.
"As I was saying," Dumbledore cleared his throat, "We are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting 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 Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."
Beside me, Fred hollered, "You're JOKING!"
Everyone laughed, myself included, though I did elbow him pointedly.
"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he stated, causing Fred's cheeks to redden a bit in embarrassment. Clearly he hadn't meant to get the headmaster's attention in that way. "Though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar..."
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.
"Er- but maybe this is not the time...no..." Dumbledore seemed to get himself back on track, "Where was I? Ah, yes, the Triwizard Tournament...well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me giving a short explanation and allow their attention to wander freely."
I didn't have to listen very much. Of course, I knew what the tournament was. They're tried reinstate the tournament back in 1910s, but all of the competitors ended up dying in the first task.
"...compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."
My mouth dropped at that. To think of what could be done with that...
"I'm going for it!" Fred hissed beside me. I could hear him discussing this with George, both of them talking animatedly. I was trying to listen to Dumbledore over their chatter, but it was drowned out until he said the most shocking thing.
"Only students who are of age- that is to say, seventeen years or older- will be allowed to put forward their names for considering."
It wasn't long before they dismissed us, only not everyone was so eager to go to bed.
"They can't do that!" George cried. "We've seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?"
Fred huffed, "They're not stopping me entering. The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never get to do normally. And a thousand Galleons price money!"
I rolled my eyes at them while we got up to leave the hall, "Is a thousand Galleons worth your life? You heard what he said- the task has been dangerous since the first time it was ever implemented."
They ignored me completely, rambling about how they were going to trick the judges into entering.
"People have died, though!" Hermione finally butted in when we started up another staircase.
"The last one was held in Beauxbatons," I told her. "A third year from Hogwarts was selected and was cut in half."
Everyone paused midstep at that.
"Well," Fred finally broke the silence, "that was years ago, wasn't it? Where's the fun without a bit of risk, eh? Hey, Ron, what if we-"
We'd started continuing our way up to the tower and to my surprised, my brother blurted out, "What about Edith?"
Again, everyone stopped walking and looked at him this time.
"What about her?" George asked curiously.
Nev gestured to me, "She's seventeen- that means she can enter."
I blinked at that. It never really occurred to me. I was still reeling from the surprise of the tournament being done in the first place.
Fred's eyes widened at this, "Aggie, you could put our names in for us!"
"Oh, come on," I rolled my eyes at him, "I'm not stupid enough to try that- Dumbledore would give me detention for the rest of the year."
Ron was practically jumping up and down, "But you really could enter, you know. Nev says your smart and Fred- well we all know how he brags on you."
I grimaced a bit, "I dunno, it's a lot to think about. Besides, I'm not that much of a dueler..."
"There's bound to be other tasks that you'll be good at," George told me. "You wouldn't be a terrible option- provided that Fred and I don't get picked."
Fred slung his arm over my shoulders, "You would still cheer me on, right? Because I will find a way to enter."
"You'd still have to be picked," I reminded him with a laugh.
Although, I was a bit miffed that he didn't take me seriously as a possible entry.
...
Classes began without much delay and I was rather enjoying the small break we would have this year after last year's grueling tests. I was still at a loss for what I really wanted to do with my life once I graduated next year, but I couldn't let myself dwell on it. There were more important things to think about.
"What do you suppose they'll be like?" Alicia wondered.
I shrugged, "Like us, I suppose. Though Durmstrang is known to be a little...old fashioned in a way. They still teach dark magic there according to rumors."
Angelina shuddered, "I hope there won't be any issues between us students. I imagine their dueling skills are different than ours."
"And that, Miss Johnson, is why we must always remember this line," Professor Moody interrupted us rather gruffly, "Constant Vigilance!" He roared the words, angrily writing them on a board for us all to see.
I had no idea when he arrived in the room, and I was a little freaked by his eye swirling around at all of us. It was the first class we'd had with him and with it being the very first day of classes, none of us knew what to expect. I'd written to Gran about him, but I'd yet to receive a reply.
But as I listened to him rant just a bit, I didn't think an owl reply was necessary. Clearly the man had a lot of experience with dark wizards, and he had a way of speaking about them...I couldn't be sure if he'd admired some of their tactics or was just stressing the various ways they could have an advantage over us. It was unsettling and enlightening at the same time.
"...even the most talented auror can fall victim to curses that have no defenses," he told us. "Can anyone guess their names?"
My mouth went dry and I felt like a statue sitting in my seat. Surely, he couldn't be insinuating the-
But his hand went to writing, scribbling on the board with heavy strokes of the chalk. 'Unforgivables'. He underlined it twice and stepped back rather pointedly.
"Not only will you be will be learning about these this year, but witnessing as well. How else can you defend yourselves against them?" Professor Moody, turned back towards the class, "Can anyone name one of the curses punishable to the highest extent of Wizarding Law?"
Hands raised up in the air almost immediately. I kept my own firmly tightened in my lap.
He called on a Hufflepuff who surprisingly answered, "The killing curse."
One of the most famous, for obvious reasons.
"Ah yes," Moody nodded, "The worst of the three by far." He reached behind him on his desk and pulled out a jar of spiders. He didn't hesitated to pull one out and then he let it crawl upon his desk. "Avada Kedavra!"
We all jumped in shock at the green light that struck the spider, which died instantly. A couple of girls squealed in shock at the display.
"There's no counter curse," the professor explained, "No blocking it. Only one person in history has been known to survive it."
Harry Potter. I shuddered at the thought of Neville's friend having gone through something so horrible.
Professor Moody continued, "But don't kid yourselves- you would need powerful magic behind this. Not everyone can cast it and I doubt any of you here would give me any more than a nosebleed. What's another one?"
Fewer hands went up this time. I assume, because most everyone had known the killing curse.
Lee was called this time and he confidently answered, "The Imperious Curse."
I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.
Again, Moody reached into the jaw for a spider. He quickly caused Imperio on it, and we all watched the spider leap around the room in random tumbles. It looked as if it were dancing. Most everyone began to laugh at the spider.
"Well done, spider!" The twins clapped for it animatedly.
"Would you like it if I did it to you?" Moody asked gruffly. Everyone quieted, even the twins. "This curse gains total control over the victim. I could make it jump out the window- drowned itself. And it would listen to my every command."
No one was laughing now.
He let out a harsh laugh, "However, this curse can be fought and I will be teaching you how, but it'll take real strength of character. Many of you will fail." He gave us a moment to think it over and then asked, "Last one?"
My hands fisted in my lap.
"The Cruciatus Curse," George answered to my surprise. His eyes had darted to me with a frown and I realized that he knew. Fred must've told him.
My stomach sank a bit at this revelation. While I hadn't forbid Fred from saying anything, I thought it had been implied that I didn't want my parents' story getting around school.
I had tuned out a bit of the explanation, already knowing what the curse did. But when I saw the spider grow in size, I realized he was pointing his wand and saying the words.
"Crucio!"
The moment the spider started twisting and rolling, I'd gotten to my feet so roughly that my chair had been knocked over behind me. A few students looked up at me, the professor included. The spell stopped as quickly as it had began.
"Is there a problem, miss...?" His eyes whirled on me quickly, scanning me almost.
"Longbottom, sir," I choked out to my horror. "I need to be excused, please."
There was a slight curling sneer to his lip and for a moment, I was terrified he'd make me sit back down and continued the lesson. But he simply gestured for the door and then cast the curse on the spider again.
I ran out of the room.
"Edith?" A small voice asked.
I looked up from where I'd been perched in the window. After leaving the classroom, I got as far away from my classmates as I could- determined not to explain myself yet. I didn't want to hear the questions and I wasn't sure if I was angry at Fred or not. Thankfully they hadn't found me, but Harry was looking around as if waiting on them to appear at any moment.
"Hello Harry, done with classes?" I tried to smile a bit, but it felt incredibly forced.
Judging by the wince on his face, he knew it, "Yes, I was just about to head to the Great Hall."
I blinked at that, "It's dinner already? I must've been studying longer than I thought..." I glanced down at the book in my lap, then let out a small laugh at the pages being upside down. I obviously didn't do a great job of looking distracted with school work.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked. "Neville and Fred were looking for you earlier. They seemed concerned..." He shifted a bit awkwardly where he stood. It was clear he wanted to help, but wasn't sure how to go about it.
I closed the book in my lap, "Just have a lot on my mind. We had our first class with Moody today...it was a bit intense."
He seemed to light up just a bit, "Ron grilled his brothers about it. It sounds like he's the real deal- according to what they said."
"He definitely knows his stuff," I agreed carefully. "A bit scary though."
He cracked a tiny smile, "Can't be worse than what we've had so far."
I laughed at that and jumped down from the window sill, "No, I suppose not. At least this one isn't a werewolf...probably anyways." I grinned at him, "Better brush up on your skills though- in case you have to fight this one too."
Harry's cheek reddened and he quickly pushed his hair back from his face, "I'd rather not. This year looks the safest for me so far."
"Oh?" I quirked a brow at him, "Not interested in slipping your name in?"
We both had started walking now towards the hall.
He shrugged, "It sounds...interesting. But I like the idea that I can blend into the background this year. I want someone else to have the attention at Hogwarts for a change."
"I understand," I told him. "I'll be glad to cheer anyone on- as long as it isn't a Slytherin of course."
"Of course," he agreed with a grin. "Neville really wants you to enter. I reckon he thinks you could win."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, "He has too much faith in me. Still a thousand Galleons would be nice, wouldn't it?"
His grin widened.
...
I could feel questioning eyes on me when we walked to the Gryffindor table, but no one said anything when I took my seat in between Angelina and Alicia. I could see Fred's eyes furrowed in confusion, but he continued his conversation with George and Lee.
"We thought you were going to miss dinner," Alicia stated casually. "Get much studying done?"
I nodded while filling my plate up, "Surprisingly, yes. Peeves belted into song when Filch made his rounds, but he left me alone for the most part."
Angelina's brow quirked at me, "Do you want to talk about it?" She'd kept her voice low, but I could see how Fred's head tilted in my direction as if waiting on me to answer.
"Not really." I replied gently. "How'd the rest of the lesson go?"
"Professor Moody is going to teach us defense against the Imperious Curse," Alicia replied immediately. "Wants to teach us to resist commands."
I shuddered, "Godric help us if he tries to make us dance. I don't think my feet know how to tap."
"I'm sure you're an excellent dancer," Fred cut in sweetly.
I didn't reply. His face fell slightly. Next to him, George frowned at the two of us and whispered in his twin's ear.
Then he stood, "We're going to head on up. Catch you lot later."
Fred looked as if he wanted to say more, but he finally settled for a forced smile before leaving the table. I picked at my food, forcing myself to stare at my plate. I wasn't very hungry all of a sudden.
"What was that all about?" Angelina asked. "Are you two having a row?"
I ground my teeth and pushed my plate away, "No...but I told Fred something in confidence and he told George. I'm not sure how I feel about it."
Alicia sighed, "Edith, you know they share everything. It probably didn't occur to Fred that he wasn't supposed to. Did you ask him to keep it a secret?"
"No," I answered, "That's why I'm struggling with how I'm feeling. I shouldn't be upset, but I feel...disappointed in him."
Perhaps I was being a bit dramatic by the whole thing. If Fred told him, I knew George wouldn't say anything to anyone. So why did it bother me so much? I suppose the real issue was that I felt like I was acting like Neville in a way. It was as if I were ashamed by my parents. It made me feel guilty. It wasn't their fault what happened to them and I shouldn't be trying to hide their bravery from the world.
"Then tell him so," Alicia told me. "Give him a chance to explain himself and apologize. You'll both be miserable otherwise."
Angelina snorted, "Yes, the only thing worse than seeing you both sickeningly in love is seeing you mope. It was ghastly to watch and the exchange only lasted five minutes."
I blinked at her, "In love? We're..." I blushed, unable to say the words out lout.
Both of the girls gave me a pointed look as if they thought I'd went mad.
"Everyone knows," Angelina smirked. "I'm only surprised neither of you have physically said the words out loud yet."
I chewed my lip at that, "Let's change the subject. Are you going to enter the tournament, Ange?"
...
I wasn't surprised to see Fred still in the common room when we got back from supper. He immediately stood when I arrived and grabbed my hand. There was no time for protest when he pulled me back through the portrait and down the stairs. We came to the statue of the One-Eyed-Witch and stood there. Fred pulled out his wand and tapped it, revealing what looked to be a hidden passageway.
"What-"
He pulled me through and quickly shut the entrance behind us. Luckily, there were a few lamps already lit to give us light.
"Fred-" Again, my words were cut off when he threw his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. My face buried there comfortably and I carefully wrapped my arms around his waist.
Neither of us spoke for a few minutes and I was grateful. I hadn't realized how much I needed this moment to just...relax.
"I'm sorry," Fred finally whispered. "I should've recognized how difficult the class would be on you."
I stilled, waiting on him to continue.
He did, "I got caught up in the excitement of meeting someone who wanted us to actually learn- really learn useful things...I shouldn't have raised my hand. I should've let someone else give the answer."
I felt as if a bucket of water splashed over my head. Fred had answered? Not George?
I burst into tears.
Alarmed, he pulled back from me and grabbed my face, "Edith, please forgive me. I'm so sorry. I-"
"I'm such a fool," I sobbed. "I let my own cowardice get the better of me, Fred. I was so terrified the entire lesson- so wrapped in my own thoughts." I wiped at my eyes roughly, "I thought George had answered. I thought you told him about...I'm the one who should be sorry."
Fred looked a bit relieved and grabbed my hands tightly, "So that's what the cold shoulder was about? You were bound to mix us up eventually- our own mother can't tell us apart." He grinned a bit, "Just be sure in case you surprise me with a snog. Wouldn't want to scare George, would we?"
I laughed through my tears, "No, I wouldn't want that." I wiped at my face again, "So you really didn't tell George?"
"No- not until tonight," he winced. "He was concerned when he saw us at dinner. I had to explain what happened- or what I thought had happened. I'm sorry, I never planned on telling him without your permission."
"Don't apologize," I told him. "I understand why you had to. Truthfully, I feel ashamed at myself. I don't know why I keep trying to hide them from my friends."
I bit my bottom lip roughly when it started to wobble again.
Fred wrapped his arms around me once again and I felt him place a kiss to my hair, "You're protective over them. The fact that you make time to see them as frequently as you can proves it. You love your parents, Edith. I have no doubt of that."
I closed my eyes and clung to him, breathing in his scent. He knew just what to do to cheer me up, and I loved him for it.
My eyes snapped open at this and I looked up at him, alarmed at my realization. He frowned at me a bit, searching my eyes for the change in my demeanor.
"What's-"
I slid my hands up to his face and kissed him. He froze a little bit, probably unsure of what I was doing. I pressed my lips to his harder, using the tip of my tongue to glide over his bottom lip. Fred groaned and opened his mouth to kiss me back, his arms tightening around me in a way that I knew wasn't supposed to be comforting. His tongue glided against mine in a sort of dance. One of his hands traveled down to my thigh and pulled me tighter against him, lifting my leg just a bit. A shocking heat went through my body and I could feel something hardening against my stomach.
Fred suddenly jerked away from me, "Fuck..." He turned away from me and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
"Are you okay?" I asked, unsure if I should reach out to him.
"Just...give me a moment," he huffed out, sounding as if he were in a bit of pain.
I bit my lip nervously, "Did I do something wrong?"
His head jerked towards me and his eyes were wide, "Of course not! Why would you think that?"
"Eh...well you pulled away like I'd hurt you," I mumbled. "Did I...snog you sloppily or something?"
To my surprise, Fred laughed and leaned back from the wall, "No, you were perfect. I just..." his face reddened a bit and he scratched the back of his head, "I lost myself a bit and got a bit...erm, excited."
I stared at him for a moment until it dawned on me what he was talking about. I'd given Fred an erection.
My own face felt warm now, "Oh. I'm...sorry?"
"Sorry?" He laughed again, this time with his whole body, "There's no reason to be sorry. Clearly I enjoyed myself- just a bit too much." He reached out for me and tucked my hair behind my ears, "You've never kissed me like that before."
I smiled up at him, "Well I only realized just now that I love you." I held my breath a bit, curious of his reaction.
Fred grinned, "Only just now? I've known for ages, Aggie, dear."
"Fred," I pouted, "You're supposed to say it back."
His brow quirked, "Didn't you know? I've loved you since the moment I met you."
...
I stomped through the corridor, slinging my bag with me and managing to knock a few bystanders out of the way. My classes had just ended for the day when I ran into Hermione, who promptly told me they had just finished their DADA lessons. Apparently sixth years weren't the only ones who were learning about the Unforgiveable Curses.
Without thinking, I barged into the classroom to see Professor Moody and Neville walking out of his office. Professor Moody looked at me with a sour expression and Neville looked a bit relieved to see me.
"Edith, what are you doing here?" He walked towards me with a book tucked underneath his arm.
I glanced at the professor and then back to my brother, "I heard about your lesson. Are you alright?"
Neville's face turned a bit pink, "Uh, yeah. Just a bit shaken up, but I'm okay now."
"Mister Longbottom isn't harmed," Moody growled at me. "I had a feeling I'd be seeing you here after that disastrous lesson."
My brother looked at me with wide eyes and I gestured to the door, "I'll catch you later, alright? I'd like a word with Professor Moody."
He clearly didn't want to leave me, but he rolled his eyes and did as I asked.
My head whipped back to the professor, "Sir, there was no reason for my brother to have been subjected to that...awful display. Surely Headmaster Dumbledore-"
"Dumbledore gave me his own permission for the class," Moody informed me with a harsh laugh, "And I think that your concern for your brother, Miss Longbottom, is entirely unwarranted. In fact, I'd say he handled the lesson far better than you did."
I flinched as if he'd smacked me.
He walked towards me, his peg leg thudding against the floor, "He was a bit shaken up at the end, but nothing the boy couldn't handle. He, at least, managed to stay for the entire lesson."
He stood in front of me with amusement, as if waiting on me to continue my inquiry to his teaching methods.
I gritted my teeth, "Sir, with all do respect, I have my reasons for concern. I don't wish to insult you-"
"I'm well aware of your history, Miss Longbottom," his eyes whirled over my face while he spoke and the tiniest smirk settled on his scarred mouth. "I worked with your parents many times in their career. Their demise was rather...tragic. I was sorry to lose them."
He sure didn't look sorry to me.
I took a deep breath and nodded, "Of course. I'm sorry to bother you, sir. I'll take my leave now."
Before I could make it to the door, I heard his voice call out to me.
"Your parents were in Gryffindor too, Miss Longbottom. I wonder what they'd think of their daughter's...concerns."
I slammed the door behind me in response.
...
"So now what are you going to do?" I asked Fred while making our way to the Great Hall.
Today the delegates from Durmstrang and Beauxbaton were arriving. The entire castle was buzzing with excitement and things had been decorated to the extreme. A lot of students were excited about it, but I was a bit unsure of how everything would go.
Fred and George were in good spirits about it, despite their rather unfortunate news regarding Ludo Bagman. After seeing the twins whispering in secret over and over again, I finally managed to get Fred to tell me what was going on. Apparently their 'little' bet had ended up with them being robbed of their winnings and their original money as well. Leprechaun gold. Pfft. Should've known.
"We're going to send everything in a letter," Fred admitted. "It'll be a bummer not getting it all out in a meeting though."
"It's a bummer, all right," George said. "But if he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all."
I took my seat while the two continued their conversation, bringing in Ron as well who was being a bit nosey. The conversation changed to the Triwizard tournament and I didn't have much to input. I was still toying with the idea of entering. Entering shouldn't be such a big decision, I tried to reason with myself. The chances of being picked were slim. But I was trying not to enter out of anger at Professor Moody for practically saying I didn't belong in Gryffindor. A coward, he was calling me. I felt like one.
When I tuned back into the conversation, Hermione was going on about her new S.P.E.W. project. One I'd managed to avoid having to hear about before.
"Listen, have you ever been down in the kitchens, Hermione?" George asked her.
She looked appalled, "No, of course not! I hardly think students are supposed to-"
"Well, we have," George stated while gesturing to Fred, "loads of time, to nick food. And we've met them, and they're happy. They think they've got the best job in the world-"
"That's because they're uneducated and brainwashed!" she argued hotly.
"And-" George continued pointedly, "Fred said that Aggie's house elf-"
"YOU have a house elf?!" She screeched at me in surprise.
I glared at George and Fred, both of which shrunk from my face. Harry's owl swooped down to the table and while he tried to get her attention, Hermione still glared at me with accusation.
I huffed, "Yes, we do have a house elf- and it's the most loving and happy being in the world."
"Brainwashed!" She stated. "How could you do such a thing? Enslaving-"
"Millie is not brainwashed or enslaved!" I told her. "In fact, she's not even technically owned anymore. Gran gave her freedom years ago, but she still stays with us out of love."
Hermione pursed her lips, "And you pay her?"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "I've never really thought about it."
"Slave labor," she stated again, crossing her arms.
...
It was the only place I'd ever seen the entire school- staff and all- in one place before. Everyone was eagerly waiting on the Grounds of Hogwarts for the new students to arrive from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons.
"Fred, fix your tie," I scolded him while smoothing down the front of my robes yet again.
He groaned beside me, "Not you too. It's bad enough McGonagall is going around nitpicking. I don't need my girlfriend doing the same." But still, he did as asked even if it was with protest.
"Aha!," Dumbledore called out, "Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"
We were all looking into the sky, trying to catch a glimpse of it. And then it finally came into view at incredibly speed. A huge horse drawn carriage being pulled by Abraxans. It was the biggest carriage I'd ever seen. It wasn't until the door opened that I realized why.
"Bloody hell, get a look at the size of her," George said with amazement.
There was a clapping noise which we quickly participated in. The two Headmasters joined in conversation and my eyes zoomed in on the students that were exiting the carriage now. Boys and girls are dressed in very fine blue clothes made of silk. All of them share a look that told me they weren't impressed by us.
"They all look so proper," Alicia said from in front of me. "I hope they're friendly."
Lee clasped the twins on the shoulders, "I've never seen so many pretty girls in one spot before. Reckon we have a chance?"
"No," I immediately responded, quirking a brow in Fred's direction.
He grinned at me and tapped my nose, "I only have eyes for you, Aggie, dear."
"The lake!" Lee shouted, "Look at the lake!"
Our eyes darted over to the Black Lake to see something coming out of the water. My mouth dropped when I realized it was an actual ship. It was no surprise to see the students from Durmstrang exit the thing, but when I realized who was accompanying them I shook Fred's arm so hard that he almost fell over.
"It's Krum, Fred! Right here at Hogwarts!"
"Oi, don't you have only eyes for me?!" he joked, trying to steady the both of us.
I squealed when he passed us, "Do you reckon he'll do some flying while he's here? George, do you see?!"
"Mate, I think you have some competition," he said to his brother.
"Didn't realize she liked him so much," he grumbled.
I rolled my eyes at the two of them, "I like his Quidditch skills. Oh, how could they cancel Quidditch at a time like this?" It was awful. Seeing Harry up against Krum would've been amazing. Maybe if we introduced ourselves, they would have time to do sort of a scrimmage match?
We piled into the Great Hall, seating ourselves at a table. The two schools had chosen the Ravenclaw and Syltherin Houses to sit, Durmstrang going to the latter unfortunately. There wasn't any changes to our usual dinner except for all staff being present. It reminded me of the feast on the first day at Hogwarts and both of the new Headmasters sat next to Dumbledore, who seemed to be enjoying the extra company immensely.
There was a bit of commotion when a girl from Beauxbatons came towards out table to get one of the foreign dishes that was sitting near Ron. Lots of the boys had gaped in her direction while she spoke and I heard Ron insisting the something was different with her just after he'd been drooling in her presence.
"They don't make them like that at Hogwarts!" he insisted.
"They make them okay at Hogwarts," Harry commented.
At my side, Fred, snorted, "Guess our brother has his first crush."
"About time too," George added, "I was beginning to worry he was a late bloomer."
Angelina rolled her eyes, "Who was your first crush?"
His reply was automatic, "Madam Rosmerta, of course. Snuck into Hogsmeade our second year and I was smitten immediately."
I smirked at the crestfallen look on her face. While they hadn't officially admitted to being together, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before George and Angelina made it official.
"Well, we all knew my first crush was this beautiful bird right here," Fred said while slinging his arm over my shoulder. "Hasn't waivered since."
I giggled and hid my face in his shoulder, "Fred..."
"You're both sickening," Alicia complained.
"Who's that?" Lee asked.
Our eyes looked to the two newcomers who had just taken seats with Dumbledore and the other headmasters. Both familiar, of course. Barty Crouch was the one Percy had taken a job with in the Ministry. And next to him.
"It's Bagman," George whispered to the two of us.
I squeezed Fred's arm at that. They could finally speak to him in person!
Dumbledore stood to his feet, "The time has come. The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket just co clarify the procedure that we will be following this year."
He introduced everyone respectively and informed us that the five of them would be the judging panel. It was unsurprising. They brought in the casket which was a chest heavily decorated in jewelry.
"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," Dumbledore stated. "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways...their magical prowess- their daring- their powers of deduction- and of course, their ability to cope with danger."
I shivered at this. it was real now. The tournament was actually happening.
Dumbledore continued, "As you know, three champions compete in the tournament- One from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will will the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."
His wand appeared and tapped the casket. It opened and Dumbledore reached his hand inside to pull out a wooden cup with dancing blue flames. The casket was closed and he rested the goblet on top.
"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," Said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete." He gave a small pause, "To ensure that no underage students yields to temptation, I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line."
He made sure to stress how serious entering was. Insisting that we be absolutely sure, since we wouldn't be able to back out of the tournament if chosen. It weighed on my mind when we got up to leave the Hall. I could hear the twins excitement over something as simple as an aging potion in order to get their names into the tournament. My eyes flickered up at the staff's table to see Professor Moody making his way down. His whirling eye met mine and a curved smirk came across his lips.
Coward. He called me a coward.
...
I walked up on the scene just as Fred and George were leaving, the two of them sporting very long white beards. They were laughing a bit with Lee, who had apparently not decided to step over the line.
"Aggie, I look quite dashing, don't I?" Fred grinned with his hands on his hips.
I scrunched my face up, "I don't know, I'm partial to clean shaven hair, I think."
He slumped, "Why didn't you want to walk down with me?"
"I was just taking my time to think," I started before pulling out my piece of paper, "I'm going to enter my name."
George bounced with excitement, "Oi, that's good news! Isn't it, Fred?'
But Fred didn't look as excited. In fact, he looked a bit confused. And a bit comical with that beard.
"I thought you didn't like the idea of the tournament?"
I shrugged, "It is a bit scary, but I am a Gryffindor." I smirked, "What kind of lion would I be if I didn't take a little risk?"
I could tell he didn't look entirely convinced, but he smiled, "Okay. Good luck, we're headed to the Hospital Wing." He kissed my cheek and made me giggle from the beard.
When they walked away, I made my way to the goblet which was surrounded by Hogwarts students. And was surprised to see Angelina standing there with her own slip of paper.
She waved it in the air at me, "Have you decided then?"
"I'm ready," I waved my own back. "On the count of three?"
"One," she said.
"Two..."
The both of us reached forward, "Three!"
Both papers fell into the goblet which flared with the fire. A round of applause filled the air and the both of us quickly scrambled inside the Great Hall for breakfast.
Neville grinned at me when he saw me, "Did you put your name in?"
"We did," I confirmed with a grin.
"You're kidding!" Ron beamed at both of us.
"I knew you'd do it, Edith," Harry said. "I didn't know you were seventeen, Angelina?"
She nodded, "I had my birthday last week."
"Well, I'm glad someone from Gryffindor's entering," said Hermione. "I really hope one of you get it!"
I felt myself blush while Ange thanked her.
Part 1 of Book 4!
