Chapter 25 - The… Tournament…
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Potter universe… JKR owns all!
AN: Some of this was copied from GoF, just the hat song and also the part where Dumbledore explains about the tournament.
AN: Thanks once again to Turnlach for his BETA work!
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Harry, Hermione and Ron made it into the great hall and took their seats with the rest of Gryffindor house. Seconds after they sat down Colin Creevey came rushing up to them.
"Hi Harry!" Colin said. Colin was now in his third year and ever since he had started at Hogwarts he had followed Harry around… along with his damn camera, though to be fair his photos did come in handy every now and again.
"Hey Colin, how was you summer? Harry asked happily.
Colin seemed happier than usually, it was then that Harry remembered that Dennis was starting today.
"It was great! But guess what Harry, Dennis my brother is starting! He's getting sorted today!"
"That's great news." Harry said, a smile on his face.
"Yea, I hope he's in Gryffindor, keep your fingers crossed!" Colin said before making his way back to his seat.
The first years were then led in by McGonagall. Harry spotted Dennis and watched as he mouthed something to Colin, most likely about the fact that he fell into the lake.
McGonagall then placed the sorting hat on the old wooden stool, for a moment it did nothing, but every so slowly the hat's crinkles seemed to make a face that began to sing.
A thousand years or more ago,
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fin.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School began.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favourites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!
The great hall broke out in wild clapping and whistling when the hat finished its song.
One by one the new students were sorted into there houses, about forty minutes later Slytherin now had 10 new students, Hufflepuff had twelve and Ravenclaw and Gryffindor each had thirteen new first years.
Dumbledore stood. His eyes were twinkling away, "I'm guessing that instead of an old man boring you with speeches… you would like to eat first." he said happily, "So I have two words for you… Tuck in!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the four house tables were magically filled with food. Ron instantly started pilling food onto his plate, eating it before he had even fished. Hermione and Harry just shook their heads and started to fill their own plates
"'Bout time, the sorting took ages." Ron said between mouthfuls. Harry was about to respond when Nearly-Headless Nick came floating over.
"You're lucky there is even a feast tonight." He said, coming to a halt in the middle of the table, in between the trio.
"What do you mean by that?" Ron asked. He seemed to be terrified that something had nearly ruined the feast that he was now consuming.
"Peeves of course, reeking havoc, scaring the house elves…" Nick said, there was a clanging sound as Hermione dropped her knife and fork onto the table and stared up at Nick.
"There are house elves here! I've never seen them before!" Hermione said.
"Hogwarts has the most house elves in Britain, about one hundred and twenty I believe. And as for you not seeing them, well of course you haven't, it's the making of a good house elf to not be seen." Nick said.
"But they get paid and have holidays and sick leave right?" Hermione asked.
Nearly-Headless Nick just looked at her weirdly, "Paying, Holidays and Sick leave? House elves don't what any of that." he said in a confused voice.
Hermione put her fork and knife on her plate and crossed her arms, "Slave labour!" she said angrily. Harry just sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist; he then leant closer to her and whispered in her ear.
"Love… I know you mean well, but you have to listen to me now… do not, do not go and try and free all the elves…" Hermione looked at him angrily.
"And what?! Leave them as slaves?" Hermione hissed softly at him, Harry again just sighed.
"You remember what I have done right?" Harry whispered again, Hermione seemed to relax and she nodded, "Good, now… the house elves don't want to be freed, they are happy to work. What you need to work on is improving their care… the house elves at Hogwarts would be treated well, what you have to try and stop is people abusing them, like the Malfoys did to Dobby, understand?"
Hermione nodded softly, she then turned her head and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, which to Hermione's surprise brought a couple of glares from the female side of Hogwarts.
"I see some people are jealous of you." Harry whispered softly to her. Hermione just giggled before going back to her meal, her mind racing with ways that she could help the house elf race.
When the feast was finally finished Dumbledore once again stood up, a large smile on his face.
"Welcome! To another year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore said happily, the students cheered.
"Now I have some announcements! Mr Filch would like me to remind you of the banned items, see his office door for the full list of items. A reminder, the Forbidden forest is just that, Forbidden to everyone, also Hogsmeade is only for third years and above." Dumbledore paused for a bit, and Harry could swear that the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes grew.
"Unfortunately I must also inform you that the inter-House Quidditch Competition will be cancelled this year." Instantly the hall broke out in noise, the only one that seemed to be calm was Harry. Hermione looked at Harry, expecting him at least to be disappointed, but the blank look she got was confusing.
Harry could feel Hermione looking at him, he turned to her and gave her a warm smile and Hermione raised an eyebrow at this. Harry only winked in return before turning back to Dumbledore.
"The reason for this is because Hogwarts will be hosting a tournament…" Dumbledore's speech was cut off by the Great Hall's doors banging open. Mad-Eye Moody walked slowly up to the head table, his wooden leg clanging on the stone floor. When he reach the head table Dumbledore leaned over and shook the man's hand. Moody then went and sat down in his seat.
"Oh… Yes I would like to introduce our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody." Dumbledore said, a few people clapped but a lot were still in shock.
"That must be Mad-Eye Moody, the guy Dad went to help." Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione. Harry nodded in agreement.
"Did you see his face, I wonder what happened?" Hermione said and Ron shrugged in reply.
"Well he's an ex-Auror, apparently he's was one of the best, so I dare say when Voldemort was all powerful that's when it happened, battle between him and Death Eaters most likely." Harry suggested. Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Now as I was saying," Dumbledore said, gaining everyone's attention once again. "Hogwarts will be hosting a tournament known as the Tri-Wizard tournament."
At this the hall broke out in excited whispers, the people that knew what it was told the people who didn't and in less than half a minute the whole hall knew basically what it was.
"You're JOKING!" rang the voices of Fred and George Weasley, causing most people to laugh.
Dumbledore chuckled softy, "No, I assure you I am not joking, now some of you may know what the tournament is, so for those of you that don't, allow me to explain." Dumbledore said.
"The Tri-wizard 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 a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."
"Death toll?" Hermione whispered, looking alarmed.
But her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly to one another, and Harry himself was far more interested in hearing again about the tournament he'd already won once than in worrying about deaths that had happened hundreds of years ago.
"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore continued, "None of which have been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.
"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Tri-wizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."
"I'm doing it!" Fred hissed down the table. Hermione looked at him like he was crazy.
"Are you insane?! Didn't you hear Dumbledore? People have died!" Hermione said.
Harry slipped his arms around Hermione's waist again, which made her calm down a little, "Don't worry love, I'm sure Dumbledore will have something so that no one under qualified can enter." Harry said, giving her a soft kiss on her temple. Hermione relaxed, knowing that he was right.
As if on cue Dumbledore spoke up again, "The heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration." Dumbledore had to raise his voice to get over the not so happy voices of the students.
"I will personally see to it that no one under seventeen will be able to enter their name." Dumbledore's eyes flicked to the Weasley twins.
"See, told you he would do something like this." Harry said softly. Hermione nodded and gave Harry a soft kiss on the lips, which once again earned her a few glares.
The hall then emptied out, Fred and George were talking about different ways that they would hoodwink who ever chose the champions, while Harry was inwardly rolling his eyes. Once they entered the common room, Hermione gave Harry a goodnight kiss before heading up to her dorm. Ron and Harry headed up to bed also.
"I think I'm going to enter… a thousand galleons." Ron said almost dreamily.
"Why? And don't give me the money stuff Ron, Sirius gave you fifteen thousand galleons remember." Harry pointed. Ron nodded,
"Well that's it; Sirius gave it to me… I want the money for something I did. I have always been the youngest Weasley male… I want to do something I will be known for." Ron said. Harry nodded, knowing full well that Ron felt like a no one.
"What about you Harry? You going to try and enter?" Ron asked, though by his voice Harry could tell that Ron really, really didn't want him to.
"Nah… I think I have found my self in too many dangerous situations already." Harry said with a soft chuckle. Ron nodded and smiled as they then went to bed.
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AN: Ah another chapter :P, well I hope you all enjoyed it! Leave a review and tell me what you think, it only takes a couple of seconds and each and everyone makes me want to write more!
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Luke