Emma Potter

93: The Triwizard Tournament

Through the gates, flanked with statues of winged boars, andup the sweeping drive the carriages trundled, swaying dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale. Leaning against the window, I could see Hogwarts coming nearer, its many lightedwindows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain. 

Lightning flashed across the sky as our carriage came to a haltbefore the great oak front doors, which stood at the top of a flightof stone steps. People who had occupied the carriages in front werealready hurrying up the stone steps into the castle. Me, Zoe, Nicholas, and Draco jumped down from our carriage anddashed up the steps too, looking up only when we were safelyinside the cavernous, torch-lit entrance hall, with its magnificentmarble staircase.

 "Blimey," said Draco, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, "if that keeps up the lake's going to overflow. I'm soak —ARRGH!"

A large, red, water-filled balloon had dropped from out of theceiling onto Draco's head and exploded. Drenched and sputtering, Draco staggered sideways into me, just as a second water bombdropped — narrowly missing Nicholas, it burst at Zoe's feet,sending a wave of cold water over her sneakers into her socks. People all around us shrieked and started pushing one another intheir efforts to get out of the line of fire. I looked up and saw,floating twenty feet above them, Peeves the Poltergeist, a little manin a bell-covered hat and orange bow tie, his wide, malicious facecontorted with concentration as he took aim again.

 "PEEVES!" yelled an angry voice. "Peeves, come down here atONCE!"

 Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor House, had come dashing out of the Great Hall; she skiddedon the wet floor and grabbed Zoe around the neck to stopherself from falling.

 "Ouch — sorry, Miss Anderson —" 

"That's all right, Professor!" Zoe gasped, massaging herthroat.

 "Peeves, get down here NOW!" barked Professor McGonagall,straightening her pointed hat and glaring upward through hersquare-rimmed spectacles. 

"Not doing nothing!" cackled Peeves, lobbing a water bomb atseveral fifth-year girls, who screamed and dived into the GreatHall. "Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Wheeeeeeeeee!" Andhe aimed another bomb at a group of second years who had justarrived. 

"I shall call the headmaster!" shouted Professor McGonagall."I'm warning you, Peeves —" 

Peeves stuck out his tongue, threw the last of his water bombsinto the air, and zoomed off up the marble staircase, cacklinginsanely. 

"Well, move along, then!" said Professor McGonagall sharply tothe bedraggled crowd. "Into the Great Hall, come on!" 

Draco,Zoe, Nicholas and I slipped and slid across the entrancehall and through the double doors on the right, Draco mutteringfuriously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off hisface. Is it weird I find that attractive?

The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for thestart-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the lightof hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables inmidair. The four long House tables were packed with chatteringstudents; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifthtable, facing their pupils. 

It was much warmer in here. Draco,Zoe,Nicholas and I walked past the Gryffindors, the Ravenclaws, and theHufflepuffs, and sat down with the rest of the Slytherinss at the farside of the Hall, next to Bloody Baron, the Slytherin ghost. Pearly white and semitransparent, The bloody baron was dressed in chains and was always sombre. 

"Good evening," he said, expressionless. 

"Says who?" said Draco, taking off his sneakers and emptyingthem of water. "Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'mstarving."