Chapter 27 - The New Students
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Potter universe… JKR owns all!
AN: Well I was feeling extra nice and decided that I should post the next chapter already! Thanks to Turnlach for his beta work!
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The next week went along normally; Malfoy had not said a word to them and many of the Gryffindors had congratulated Ron when they found out that he had beaten Malfoy to a pulp.
Harry had decided that they should start their training again and now they were back in the Room of Requirement two nights a week learning many spells and duelling tactics. Harry had even made them work their way though simulated situations where they were under attack by Death Eaters. Ron had frozen the first time he had seen them and passed out when one of them cast the killing curse at him only to have it hit him and do nothing. The part that Harry found the most amusing was how Ron instantly felt his forehead.
The three of them walked into Defence with the rest of the class and took their normal seats waiting for Professor Moody to begin the lesson.
"Right, today I will be seeing if any of you can resist the Imperius curse. I will be placing you under the curse and you will try and fight it" Moody explained.
"B-But, but isn't it illegal?" Hermione asked wide eyed, "You said if you use it on another human it's…"
"Look Dumbledore wants you to know what it's like, if you would rather learn the hard way its fine by me." Moody said.
Moody then started to call up the students one by one and put them under the Imperius. Harry watched them a small smile on his face as Dean hopped around the classroom, Lavender acted like a squirrel and Neville did a number of amazing flips and tricks that he would never normally be able to do. So far no one had shown any signs of being able to resist it at all.
"Potter! Your turn, come up here." Moody called. Harry hid a smirk as he walked up to the centre of the room.
"Imperio!" Harry felt the feeling like he was floating though he quickly pushed it away, already defeating the curse.
Jump onto the table
Harry smirked and winked at Hermione, the whole class was watching waiting for Harry to start doing something.
JUMP NOW!
Harry grinned at the class which was now totally confused. Harry turned around and faced the Professor.
"I think your spell needs a little work." Harry said with a smile.
"Now that's more like it!" Moody barked out. "Potter fought and beat the curse, that's what I want you to be able to do!"
Harry took his seat and Mad-Eye went thought the rest of the students, the only other people that showed any signs of being able to resist it a little were Ron and Hermione who hesitated on Mad-Eye's first order but followed it when he commanded more firmly.
Most of the class left, still with a bit of the light and fuzzy feeling that the Imperius curse caused.
"You have to help us Harry! I want to be able to block it out too." Hermione said when they were leaving the classroom.
"You're kidding right?" Harry asked eyeing her like she had gone insane.
"Why would I be kidding?" Hermione asked, she was now rather confused with the way Harry was acting.
"Um… Hermione you do know that if I cast that spell on you… and someone finds out I would go to Azkaban for life right?" Harry asked.
"Oh… yeah… forgot about that part." Hermione said, her cheeks turning a little pink. Harry laughed softly before wrapping his arms around her waist. Hermione instantly melted into his arms, loving the feeling of them around her. When a couple of third years glared at her she simply raised an eyebrow… oh yes… it was funny to tease them.
"You know Hermione, teasing them is a little mean." Harry said, as if reading her thoughts. Hermione looked at him amazed.
"What? How did you…" Hermione said Harry chuckled again; he then leaned forward and kissed her ear.
"Look it up." he said simply before giving her another soft kiss.
"Eww… come on guys, stop that before I throw up." came Ron's voice from behind them. Harry smiled and looked at him.
"What's up?" Harry asked. Ron then pointed to the large notice on the notice board.
The students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at six o'clock on the 30th of October.
Lessons will end half an hour early so that students have time to return their books and bags to their dormitories.
All students will then assemble at the front of the castle to welcome our guests before the welcoming feast.
"Brilliant isn't it." Ron said, "Snape won't have time to test us all with the poison tomorrow."
Harry nodded his head and put up a fake grin, "Yep perfect timing." They then left and headed down to dinner.
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The next morning Harry, Hermione and Ron headed to the Owlery, Hermione wanted to send a letter to her parents and Harry also happened to have one for Sirius and Remus. When they entered they found Fred and George talking in whispers to each over.
They were only able to hear a couple of words, "Avoiding us" and "can't forever". Harry wouldn't have said anything but Ron always seemed to want to know secretes.
"Who's avoiding you?" Ron asked. Fred and George quickly sent the owl off before turning to Ron.
"Wish you would." Fred said. Ron knew from experience that he wouldn't get anything out of them.
"So any idea's on how to enter the tournament yet?" Ron asked, while Harry and Hermione were tying their letters to Hedwig.
"We tried to ask McGonagall but she just yelled at us and told us to get on with our work." George said a little bitterly.
"I wonder what the tasks will be." Ron said. Fred and George nodded.
"No idea… we read about some of the past tournaments, the tasks are always different." Fred said.
"I recon we could do it…" Ron said. He then turned to Harry and Hermione, "What do you think? We have been in dangerous situations before." Ron asked.
"Yeah but we have always had the three of us, plus I'm guessing you have to do this in front of judges and spectators." Harry said.
George nodded, "Yep, you have to do it in front of judges, they award you points on how well you did." Fred said.
"Any idea who the judges are?" Ron asked.
"Well there are the heads of each school on the board… and I'm guessing a couple of people from the ministry." Hermione said, she noticed all of them were looking at her in that 'how the hell do you know that' way, well all except Harry who was looking at her amused.
"How do you know that?" Ron asked. Hermione huffed and was about to answer but Harry got in before her.
"You need to read Hogwarts; A History mate." Harry said seriously.
Harry nearly laughed when Ron's eyes went wide and he started to imitate a fish out of water.
"Wha... mate y-your turning into Hermione!" Ron pointed out horrified, Harry just grinned. Hermione glared at Ron, which caused him to flinch a little.
"Is that a bad thing Ronald?" she asked. Ron knew she was mad; she only called him 'Ronald' when she was pissed.
"I… err… no..." Ron said weakly, Hermione huffed once more before dragging Harry down to breakfast, leaving a rather terrified Ron in her wake.
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The rest of the day went quickly, unfortunately for Ron, Snape said that they would still be testing the potions during their next lesson. The Gryffindor were now standing in a group while McGonagall walked around inspecting them.
"Weasley straighten your robes, and Potter put on your hat!" McGonagall ordered, Harry grumbled and put on the pointed hat, god he hated these.
"Miss Patil, take that thing out of your hair." McGonagall snapped. Harry watched as Parvati glared at McGonagall while taking the butterfly clip out of her hair.
"Ok, now first years in front, then seconds years and so on, stand up straight!" McGonagall said snapping out more orders.
"It's six." Harry said, looking down at the watch Sirius had got him.
"Wonder how they are getting here?" Ron asked.
"Don't know." Harry said, he then pulled Hermione into his arms, she didn't complain at all.
"Watch above the forest" Harry whispered in her ear. Hermione smiled and started to scan above the trees.
"Maybe they will apparate." Ron suggested.
"Can't apparate to Hogwarts remember." Harry said, even though he knew that he could if he wanted, something about being the direct heir of a founder… in fact the only reason Voldemort couldn't was because Salazar Slytherin had been banished from the castle.
"Ah I think I see our friends from Beauxbatons approaching." Came Dumbledore's voice. Most people were asked where when Hermione gasped as she saw the carriage just above the tree line.
"Over there!" Dean yelled out and everyone's heads turned to the carriage that was just above the tree line.
"What are they." a second year asked.
"Dragons!" someone else called out.
"It's not dragons, it's some kind of horse." Colin yelled out as he quickly took pictures of them approaching.
When they finally landed Harry looked at the magical beasts, they were beautiful. When Madame Maxime stepped out of the carriage most of the people gasped as Dumbledore greeted her. Harry smiled as he watched Hagrid's future bride exchange pleasantries with Dumbledore.
Harry watched as the students slowly emerged from the second carriage, they were all shivering since they were only wearing robes made of thin silk and none had any cloaks. Harry couldn't help but feel sorry for them.
After Maxime finished talking with Dumbledore she led her students into the great hall so that they could warm up.
"I wonder how big Durmstrang horses will be?" Dean asked.
"Don't know but if they're bigger than that Hagrid wouldn't even be able to handle them." Ron said.
"That's if they come by horses." Harry whispered softy in Hermione's ear, he then pointed towards the lake. As if on cue the waters started to ripple, then the top of a ships mask slowly emerged.
"Look at the lake!" Ron called out. Everyone turned to watch as the boat fully emerged from the water, once the ship was finally out it slowly sailed over to the waters edge. The sound of a dropping anchor was heard followed by a plank being dropped to the shore.
Slowly the people started to emerge from the boat, from this distance they all looked like they were the size of Crabbe and Goyle but once they got closer people finally realized that they looked that big because of the large fur coats that they were wearing.
The one leading them, Igor Karkaroff, walked right up to Dumbledore and shook his hand.
"Dumbledore! How nice it is to see you again! How have you been?" Karkaroff said happily. Harry watched as Dumbledore shook his hand, his eyes twinkling away.
Harry smirked slightly, knowing full well that Dumbledore was currently reading his thoughts, "As good as ever Igor, shall we head inside, Maxime has already arrived." Dumbledore suggested.
"Yes great idea. Victor come up here." Igor called, "Victor here has a slight cold, best to get him in fast." Dumbledore nodded and they entered.
"It's Krum!" Ron exclaimed! Hermione turned to look at Harry, and watched the dark clouds that quickly passed over his eyes at the mention of Victor's name.
"Yes I see… well let's head inside, I'm freezing out here." Harry said. He gripped a little more tightly onto Hermione and the students all went back inside to enjoy the welcoming feast.
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Wow… well that's it for now, since I was really nice I think all of you should be to and leave me a review :D, oh and I have also made a new website for my stories, even the ones not posted anywhere else. It also has a forum so you can ask questions and a blog where I will post regularly so you know what's going on with updates. Come check it out and join the forum, the link is: http://www.freewebs.com/hhr_fanfics
So tell me what you think!
Luke