Future Nostalgia / Harry Potter Fanfic

Arrival of Drumstrang and Beauxbatons

"We don't take the O.W.L.s till fifth year!" said Dean Thomas indignantly.

"Maybe not, Thomas, but believe me, you need all the preparation you can get. Only Miss Granger and Miss Dumbledore remain the only students in this class who have managed to turn a hedgehog into a satisfactory pincushion. I might remind you that your pincushion, Thomas, still curls up in fright if anyone approaches it with a pin!"

Hermione, who had turned rather pink again, seemed to be trying not to look too pleased with herself while Estella shrank in her seat. She didn't want everyone knowing her almost try-hard care for her education.

Harry and Ron were deeply amused when Professor Trelawney told them they'd received top marks for their homework and vowed to return the favor to Estella if she ever needed help on an assignment.

Professor Binns had them writing weekly essays on the goblin rebellions of the eighteenth century. Professor Snape was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this one seriously, as he had hinted that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked. Professor Flitwick has asked them to read three extra books in preparation for their lesson on Summoning Charms. Estella was grateful she'd already learned that spell which spared her that assignment.

From Arithmancy, she'd gotten five parchments worth of equations, and in Ancient Runes, she'd been assigned two papers on rune formation and fluency in rune creation. Even Hagrid added to their workload. The Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at a remarkable pace, given that nobody had yet discovered what they ate. Hagrid was delighted and, even as a part of their "project," suggested that they come down to his hut on alternate evenings to observe the skrewts and make notes on their extraordinary behavior.

When they arrived in the entrance hall, they found themselves unable to proceed following the large crowd of students conjugated there, all milling around a large sign that had been erected at the foot of the marble staircase. Ron, the tallest of the three-although only an inch taller than Harry, stood on tiptoe to see over the heads in front of them and read the sign aloud to the other two.

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Drumstrang will be arriving at six o'clock on Friday the thirtieth of October. Lessons will end half an hour early. Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the Castle to greet our guests before the Welcoming Feast."

"Only a week away!" said Ernie Macmillan, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him..."

"Cedric?" said Ron blankly as Ernie hurried off.

"Yeah, he's entering the tournament," Estella said, recalling their conversation in the library.

"That idiot. Hogwarts champion?" said Ron as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd toward the staircase.

Estella hit Ron's shoulder harshly as Hermione said, "He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch. He's a really good student; he sat with us while I was making S.P.E.W. and helped Estella with ideas. He's also a perfect."

She spoke as though this settled the matter.

"You only like him because he's handsome," said Ron scathingly.

"Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome, and neither does Estella!" said Hermione indignantly.

Estella heard Harry silently chuckle as he grabbed hold of Estella's hand.

Ron gave a long false cough, which sounded oddly like "Lockhart!"

The Castle seemed to be undergoing an extra thorough cleaning. Several grimy portraits had been scrubbed. The suits of armor were suddenly gleaming and moving without squeaking.