September 1, 1994
Grace woke up in the morning with a slight sadness. It was the end of another summer vacation and the beginning of another year at Hogwarts. Since her last time at school a lot has happened. There was the Quidditch World Cup, where Grace went with her friends and cheered for the winner team, Ireland. Soon after this, Death Eaters appeared near the stadium and started attacking various people and tents nearby. And lastly, the most important and complicated situation, the Dark Mark that appeared in the sky just after the Death Eaters invaded. That was the reason that made Grace most distressed. Harry and the Weasleys were staying in the tents and were involved in the whole mess.
Grace put on her clothes as a heavy rain fell. Soon after, she went downstairs to the kitchen and had breakfast with her father, as usual.
"Good morning, honey." Severus said when he saw his daughter.
"Good morning." Grace said, still tired.
"Don't worry. Whoever made the Dark Mark will be captured and taken to Azkaban. You will be safe at Hogwarts and no worries like that." Severus said.
But he did not trust his own words, but he could not show insecurity and fear to his own daughter.
Breakfast was quiet. After a while, Grace finished packing her suitcase and the rest of her things, took the cage with her owl, and Apparated with her father to King's Cross.
"We'll meet at Hogwarts." Severus said, hugging his daughter and then hurrying back home.
Grace, now with her things in the stroller for ease of movement, went over the 9 3/4 platform. She put her things in the train and started to look for some available seat or one of her friends. As she was looking, she felt her hand being pulled gently, and when she saw it was Blaise Zabini, the boy who was studying in the same year as Harry.
"What's up, Grace? Don't you want to sit with us?" Blaise asked.
Grace looked at who was with him. There were Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy and Draco.
"Are you sure?" Grace asked.
"Come in, Snape." Draco said.
Grace walked in the cabin and sat between Pansy and Blaise.
"We haven't met yet. I'm Grace Snape, nice to meet you." Grace introduced herself to Pansy.
"I'm Pansy Parkinson." they both shook hands.
"So... what were you talking about?" Grace asked, trying to make small talk.
"Dad works at the Ministry and told me about the surprise we are going to have this year!" Draco said.
"Really? What is it?" Pansy asked.
"We'll have the Triwizard Tourment! Isn't that cool?" Draco said.
" I bet it will be epic!" Blaise said.
"It will!" Draco said.
"Wasn't this tournament banned?" Grace asked.
"Yes. In other tournaments some students disappeared, or died, I think?" Draco said. "But it will still be awesome!"
" Yeah, it will be nice to have something different." Grace said.
After a while, all the students arrived at Hogwarts and sat down at their tables. Grace was now next to Astoria and Ella, and in front of Megan and Melia.
The Sorting Hat sang a song and then the selection of the first-year students began.
"Ethan Avery!" McGonagall called.
"Megan! I forgot it's your brother's first year!" Ella whispered.
Ethan went to the chair and the teacher put the hat on his head.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Everyone at the Slytherin table applauded.
"Stuart Ackerley!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Malcolm Baddock!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
Grace talked about the news with her friends and paid attention to who was selected.
"Eleanor Branstone!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Owen Cauldwell!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Denis Creevey!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Laura Madley!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Natalie McDonald!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Graham Pritchard!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Orla Quirke!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Kevin Whitby!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
And then the sorting was over. Professor Dumbledore stood up, about to speak.
"I have only two words to say to you," he told them. "Tuck in."
And the food appeared on the tables. Everyone was eating eagerly, because a rumor was circulating about a surprise that would happen this year.
After everyone finished dinner, Dumbledore stood up and spoke again.
"So!" he said. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirtyseven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it.
And then he went on, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year."
Grace and her friends were very anxious that this year they would be able to attend Hogsmeade.
""It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
Dumbledore waited for a while as everyone started to freak out, then continued.
"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy — but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts —"
But a loud thunderclap interrupted Dumbledore's speech and the doors of the hall opened. From there came a man leaning on a long staff and covered by a black traveling cape. Everyone turned to him. A strange metallic noise echoed in the hall as he walked. When he got close to the teachers, he limped over to Dumbledore. The man wore a fake eye, blue in color.
"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Dumbledore said. "Professor Moody."
The man sat down in a chair next to Dumbledore and then the principal continued. "As I was saying, we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that 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!" Fred Weasley screamed.
Nearly everyone laughed.
"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said. "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 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."
Everyone paid attention in silence.
"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," he continued. "none of which has 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 Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."
"I'm going for it!" Fred hissed.
"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said. "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. This 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 champion. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen."
And finally, Dumbledore added, "The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining 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. 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!"
And then all the students went to their Common Rooms.