A/N thank you for taking the time to read my story. Its been an idea for years and now im making it happen! Let me know what you like or dont like! Ètoile is French so anything underlined and in italics is meant to be in French. But for your sake dear reader I wrote it in English! I have all of the story written in a rough draft i just need to finesse it a bit. I'll be posting as best as I can on Tuesdays and Thursdays by midnight EST. Rated T. I will label the chapters that arnt and maybe change the rating later.
Chapter One: From France
Ètoile sighed as she looked out the window. It had already been an hour of flying and another 45 minutes to go. Fleur was anxious, and had been the whole trip, as had all of the students putting their names in for triwizard champion, 10 girls and 3 boys in total. She had to admit their method of travel left nothing to be desired. The carriage looked normal or as normal as a sky blue flying carriage with gold detailing could look. But then again that was quite normal in the Wizarding World. The inside was another story, it had several undetectable extension charms placed within. Inside was a roomy seating area for travel, followed by a living room, several dormitories shared by the travelling students. Though they had been informed all dining arrangements would be provided by the hosting school, the carriage had been additionally outfitted with a kitchen and dining area.
Fleur chatted away with her sister, Gabrielle, as Ètoile pulled out her bag and flipped through her potions book. It wasn't long before she saw the rolling hills and the lush greens of scotland her breath seemed to rub away from her as she gazed over the rich shades of green and brown covering the Scottish highlands. Never had she seen something so naturally beautiful. She was used to the grey streets if Paris and the overwhelmingly decorated chateaulin palace that served as her school, beauxbaton. It was indeed beautiful, everything prim and proper, not a single leaf out of place. It was exhausting trying to be so pretty and perfect.
Ètoile had a preference for the more simple things a more natural type of beauty. She had seen pictures and paintings of hogwarts but nothing could prepare her once the school came it to view. It took up the twilight sky as they neared both intimidating and welcoming in one glance. It was truly magical.
The castle came fully into view, it was everything she pictured, tough and old but full of life. Candles flickering in the old stone windows. She saw at least a hundred students lined up on the grounds and courtyard. They were wild and excited, breathing more life into the old stone.
The carriage landed as gracefully as it had taken off, Madam Maxime exited, she was a large individual and captured they attention of anyone she wanted, Ètoile had a theory it was because everyone was scared she would lop their head off though madam swore it was because she had the grace and presence of a proper lady and that's what she wished to teach to her girls. She and Gabby watched from the window as Madam had a conversation with a man nearly as large as her. She could hear Madam Maxine instructing who she could only imagine was the groundskeeper on how to care for her Abraxans, single malt whiskey only, and strong handling. Etoile rolled her eyes.
They were instructed to remain in the carriage until supper. Most took the time to practice their entrance, it was a grand thing the seventh years had put together to showcase their skills. Ètoile really didn't care for it. She was here for educational purposes, and educational purposes only. She instead took this time to set up her room. She and Gabrielle were close in age; they shared a room, Ètoile being a fourth year and Gabby a second, and as Gabby was Fleur's sister, Fleur Opted to share the room with them instead of with her peers.
Fleur was unnervingly beautiful, all around smart, effortlessly strong, and naturally charming, everything Ètoile was not. But Etoile supposed she would rather share her rooms with Fleur than anyone else. Ètoile was tall and lanky, her green eyes too big for her face. She was athletically built, her torso square and lacking the soft curves of the other girls at school. Though she was 14 she was a head taller than most girls in her class and nearly eye level with most of the boys, even the older boys. The reason Ètoile was there despite her age was because of her skill in potions and charm work. She was merely a 4th year student and was gifted in both. It had been determined by her teachers that it was far easier for her to travel with the 7th year's advanced potions and charms professors and take the remainder of her classes with the Hogwarts 4th years than to find a substitute or bounce back and forth.
They lined up just outside the grand doors to the great hall. What little she had seen of the castle simply took her breath away. She heard the cue to enter; Headmaster Dumbledore had just introduced them as competitors in the triwizard tournament. They had practised this hundreds of times by now, their grand entrance. They pranced in, little blue birds fluttering from their hands and into the crowd. Ètoile wove intricate lines on silvery blue threads using a charm she created. It had no other function except to produce whispers of light that dance around and follow the weave of the caster. Gabrielle and Madam Maxine were the last to enter, Gabrielle flipping and bending her way through the great hall exhibiting her gymnastics and ballet skills. Ètoile, so engrossed in her charm work, neglected to see a dark eyed professor choke on his wine and another professor clear his throat with slap on the back.
Ètoile was getting a bit overwhelmed. She had never been good in large crowds. Being an empath had it's advantages and it's disadvantages. She could never sense everyone's emotions all at once but she could feel all of the strongest emotions. She felt lust from several students directed to the older girls, jealousy in others, but flickering through her mind was betrayal, and a grieving so intense that nearly moved her to tears. She took a couple deep breaths, calmed herself, and schooled her face, just as her mother taught her.
Ètoile and all the other beauxbaton students were invited to sit at one of the tables in the centre, Ravenclaw was the house she had heard. As they settled, Durmstrang was announced. The rhythmic thumping of their metal staff's clunking on the stone floors seemed to the pace of her heart. She was nervous. Durmstrang was every bit as intense as she had been warned and she felt bad for the students competing against them. Then again she also felt bad for whomever would have to face Fleur. Ètoile could hear the whispers of one of the girls beside her as one of the Durmstrang boys winked and flashed a broad smile, she herself couldn't stop her heart from jumping right out of her chest. The last to walk in threw himself into a summersault and breathed fire toward the students. No one moved or even made a sound. Finally they were seated at the next table over.
The hall fell silent as Professor Dumbledore stood at his gold podium. "Welcome to all! Let the feast begin.'' As soon as the words left his mouth the tables were filled. Every possible food she could think of was in sight. She was struck with amazement, even after years of practicing magic it always seemed to amaze her.
Ètoile helped herself to a bowl of beef bourguignon. She finished and spotted savoury crèpes. She was thankful for whomever had cooked the meal and included some dishes from home. She even tried a spoonful of a dish she didn't immediately recognize topped with the most delicious potatoes she had ever had. Just when she thought she could not eat any more, deserts appeared. She saw student after student serve themselves what she could only imagine was pudding. She had heard of this dessert, her father said it was served everywhere when he and her mother had lived in london. She debated trying it when a voice chimed in, "The chocolate one is the best.'' to her left was a petite girl with white blonde hair and a pair of glasses that seemed to have their own cartoonish eyelashes.
"Thank you." she said with a bow of her head and helped herself to some pudding. She took a bite and with a watering mouth took several more. "Thank you!" she said a bit louder. The girl giggled.
"Im Luna Lovegood, most call me Looney though. I suppose, they think I'm odd." she frowned for a second. Ètoile pushed into her mind and felt loneliness, Luna missed her father just as Ètoile missed her own parents.
"Ètoile D'argent Auclaire." she held out her hand for Luna to shake. In the best English she could she added "I don fit in eider I never av." Luna gave her a shy smile and shook her hand.
"You have very few Nargles" Luna said quite matter of factly in her dreamy voice and began to eat again.
"Thank you, I suppose." she mumbled to the indeedly odd girl and shovelled (as gracefully as she could so as not to get a reprimand from her headmistresses) several more spoonfuls of chocolate pudding in her mouth. Soon the food disappeared just as suddenly as it had appeared and professor Dumbledore cleared his throat from his podium once again.
"I would like to say a few words. As I was saying before this fine meal," he said smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad Eye Moody whose entrance had been quite spectacular. Something about him however had set Ètoile on edge. "We are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which 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."
"You're JOKING!" a boy a few tables of yelled
The tension that had filled the Hall ever since the foreign school's arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed, and even professor Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.
"No I am not joking Mr. Weasley," he said, "Though I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar –"
A stern looking teacher cleared her throat, issuing him to continue.
"Er – but maybe this is not the time… no..." said the headmaster. "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 for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely. The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry – Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. 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 the 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.'
'The Heads and several handpicked students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang have already arrived, and on Halloween we will have the Champion Selections. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school and a thousand galleon personal prize money.'
'Eager though I know all of you will be able to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said, "The heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an agreed 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"
Dumbledore raised his voice slightly because several people had made noises of outrage at these words, mostly that boy and his twin brother it seemed who had shouted earlier once again was yelling calling the rule rubbish. "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 Hogwarts champions. Therefore I beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.'
'The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be staying 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 Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. But, before you go I must add: Eternal Glory, that is what awaits the student who wins the triwizard tournament. But to do this that student must survive 3 tasks, 3 extremely dangerous tasks.'
'From each school, a single student is selected to compete. Now, let me be clear! If chosen, you stand alone, and trust me when I say, these contests are not for the faint hearted. 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 of this moment, The Triwizard Tournament has begun!'
'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!"
The following morning began with a frantic Gabrielle tossing her clothes about "I can not find my lucky blue sweater Ètoile." she exasperated. Ètoile chuckled.
"You're already wearing it Gabby" she replied. Gabby sighed in relief. Ètoile could speak several languages, Latin, Swedish, German, Norwegian, Icelandic, her father was slowly teaching her danish and Dutch. French was her first Language however, and the one she spoke the best, Swedish her second as that was what her mother spoke. English being more of a struggle for her. She managed to speak it well enough. She had vowed, as soon as she was told she would be going to Hogwarts, that she would spend the year bettering her English.
The two girls left the carriage. They were in separate years but decided to stick together as much as possible between classes. They made their way to the great hall, where breakfast was being served. She and Gabbrielle were giggling when she noticed Madam Maxine was there already talking to a Hogwarts professor. He was tall, thin and wore all black, his black eyes obscured by black hair that hung in his face. Her eye caught his and his scowl deepened. And she remembered that grief she felt the night before as if flooded over her. This man was grieving. A silent tear rolled down her cheek in sympathy at whomever this man had lost had been greatly loved indeed.