—— ϟ ——
Noel was in the Owlery visiting Asra. She noticed that he and Hedwig were cuddling together. She pet Asra gently letting him peck her affectionately.
Harry was making his way up the stairs spotting Noel with her owl who was nestled with Hedwig.
"Why is she so angry at you?" Noel asked amused, when she saw that Hedwig had turned her tail to Harry.
"I got a letter yesterday from Sirius and I sort of snapped at her," Harry huffed. Noel raised her eyebrows looking at Asra who looked offended for his friends.
"It's okay Az I won't ever be mad and grumpy at you," she laughed as the owl hooted.
"What are you doing here?" He asked her, he noticed she didn't have a letter.
"My dad sent me a letter yesterday, sending me some galleons, he told me everything was good back at home."
"Oh?"
"Yep. He finally sent my permission slip so I can go to Hogsemead this year. I told him not to because then he would have to send money that he needs for his potions but you know he feels guilty for some reason that I don't try to comprehend, because he always gives me a face when I tell him I don't want any money that we need for food and things but..." She trailed off, shrugging.
"With my dad being registered now it's impossible for him to get a job in the wizarding world and in the muggle one he needs sick days every month, no one wants to have a sick employee."
She dragged a hand through her hair tugging a little at the roots, Harry gave her a pitiful look which she glared at, not wanting any pity from him.
"I don't want your pity, I'm just saying, it's hard."
Harry pretended to look around, not knowing what to say to make the situation better. "Are you going to send the letter or are you heading to breakfast?" Noel asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Hedwig stuck her foot out letting Harry tie the letter and she flew off.
"Why did Sirius send you a letter?' Noel asked as they walked down the path.
"My scar was hurting during the summer, and I had been having weird nightmares. I had written to Sirius telling him but now he told me he's coming back, and he can't come back because he's still wanted. I don't want him to be in danger."
"Has your scar hurt before? Did you write to him before or after the quidditch cup?' she asked curiously.
'It has hurt before. During first year when Quirrel had Voldemoret on the back of his head. I wrote to him before the cup. Why?" Harry asked when he saw the concentrated look on her face.
"Your scar is related to Voldemort obviously and it can't be a coincidence it's started to hurt again. You told me what Trelawany told you last year Harry. Seerers are no joke. I know she's quite batty but don't underestimate her. This could mean that Voldemort will rise again."
Harry had never heard her that serious.
"So, I'm not imagining my scar hurting?" He said anxiously.
"I don't think you are Harry. I think it was good that you told Sirius. I mean, he would have answers for you, it's not like Dumbledore will tell you anything." Noel muttered.
Harry frowned, not thinking that the situation was this grave.
"Harry, your scar was hurting before the cup. Death Eaters were at the cup, they wouldn't just show up because it was a fucking play day for them. They knew the risks if they showed up especially with so many Ministry workers. They wanted to make a statement. They wanted people to know that they're back." Noel said.
She had started to pace, something that Harry had grown used to, knowing she was deep in thought working everything out in her head.
"Noel, it's okay," Harry tried but she was already freaking out.
"No Harry! This is serious, you can't just say everything is fine because everything is not fine! This is bad. If he is back everything will go to shit. I mean another war!? We are not prepared for that." She said shrilly.
Harry scratched his head, not knowing what to do when Noel's anxiety sparks up. Impulsivly he moved to hug her, very tightly. Noel clutched the back of his robes, needing to ground herself. She felt his breath on her neck and his hair tickled her cheek.
She took deep breaths, calming herself.
"Christ. This is really embarrassing." She muttered.
"I don't think so, you're just a very anxious person, can't really help it can you?"
Noel giggled, "No but doesn't mean I like embarrassing myself."
Harry bit his lip, not knowing if it was the appropriate time to express his worries. "What is it?" She asked, tilting her head to the side to look at the grounds, a little far away she spotted the willow.
"Have you been avoiding me?"
He felt Noel tense in his arms, "I haven't been avoiding you specifically. I just... removed myself?"
"What?"
"I don't think your friends like me very much. So I just... removed myself. I like hanging out with you Haz. I don't need to hang out with the rest. And don't deny that you haven't been including me because I know you have. I'm already shy, a shy person doesn't do well with feeling unwanted."
Noel stepped away, wrapping her robes tighter around herself. "We should head in, it's getting cold."
She didn't give Harry a chance to respond; she was already racing up the to the castle.
A week later Noel had arrived at the entrance hall where there was a large group of students surrounded by a large sign. Noel pushed her way through and noticed it was an announcement.
TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT
The delegations from Beauxbatons and
Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock
on Friday the 30th 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.
The morning of the 30th it looked like the Great Hall had been decorated undernight. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts House: red with a gold lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin. Behind the teachers' table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms: lion, eagle, badger, and snake united around a large letter H.
Noel made her way towards her table and sat next to Luna who was reading the Quibbler. "Anything interesting?" Noel asked.
"Moon Frogs have been spotted near the coast after the meteor shower." Luna said wistfully.
Noel nodded. "Completely understandable."
"Ah will you take a look at that, it's Loony and Loopy. We have to talk extra slowly so they can understand us. We all know that Loopy was raised by an animal, it must be difficult to communicate with real humans. Is that why you're friends with Loony? Because she would understand any nonsense you spew out?"
Malfoy had walked up to them. Crabbe and Goyle laughed loudly, catching the attention of the Ravenclaws sitting nearby and a few other students.
"Professors, are you sure you want Loopy to be here when the schools come? We don't want her howling at them." He continued. Directing the question to the staff table who had stopped conversion once they heard the commotion.
Noel had turned bright red. Luna shifted uncomfortably next to her.
"C'mon Loopy, have nothing to say? Or did that werewolf of a father not teach you how to talk to people, huh?" Malfoy had gotten closer to her. Michael Corner and Cho had gotten up when he made way to touch Noel.
"Mr Malfoy!" Said a furious voice who belonged to Professor McGonagall.
"Telling it like it Professor, I think it's about time we discuss that we still have an animal living among us." He sneered.
"Then I guess we ought to discuss your living arrangements after I take some notes out of Moody's book and turn you into a ferret again." Noel said, as she stood up. Malfoy turned pink as people laughed at the memory.
Noel grabbed her bag as Professor McGonagll directed her out of the hall and into her office.
"I taught your father when he was here. He was an excellent student. Very kind and gentle. No one knew of his condition of course and once or twice he was picked on by other students because of his living status." McGonagall started.
"I know Remus did an excellent job with you Noel. I know it must be difficult with his unemployment and now with his registration. I have to admit that I have seen how you deal with the bullying and I have to applaud you."
Noel sniffed as she looked down at her hands. "I will never blame him, you know. It's hard and I know he's trying his best, I would never trade him for anything but sometimes I wonder what it will be like if I can afford new robes every year." Noel said firmly.
"Noel, I know. I suggest you carry onward with your chin up and in the far future be the change you want to see in the world because by the looks of it it won't be changing anytime soon."
"Thank you, Minnie." Noel gave her a small smile and munched on the biscuit that the professor had given her.
Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang; even Potions was more bearable than usual, as it was half an hour shorter.
The Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines.
They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent looking moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest. Noel stood next to Michael and Luna. "How do you think they'll get here?" She asked Luna, who was looking at the starry sky.
"I don't know... maybe by flying?"
Dumbledore called out from the back row where he stood with the other teachers —
"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"
"Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions.
"There!" yelled a sixth year, pointing over the forest.
Something large, much larger than a broomstick — or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks — was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time.
As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powder blue, horsedrawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.
After the arrive of Madam Maxime the Hogwarts students stood shivering slightly as they awaited the arrival of Dumstrange.
"The lake!" yelled Lee Jordan, pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!"
Some disturbance was taking place deep in the center; great bubbles were forming on the surface, waves were now washing over the muddy banks — and then, out in the very middle of the lake, a whirlpool appeared, as if a giant plug had just been pulled out of the lake's floor...
Finally, with a great slosh ing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide toward the bank.
Ron took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit.
The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads.
Noel sat next to Beauxbatons student who was shivering like crazy.
"J'appelle Noel et toi?" My name is Noel and you?
"J'appelle Fleur." My name is Fleur.
"Veux-tu ma robe?" Would you like my dress robe?
"Si ce n'est pas trop?" If it's not to much to ask?
"Bien sûr que non!" Of course not!
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and — most particularly — guests," said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."
"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," said Dumbledore. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"
Noel sat down and saw that they didn't have many options for her so she settled with what she could and continued to talk with Fleur who instead on speaking in English so she could learn. She looked around the table looking for a specific dish, having spotted it at the Gryffindor table she excused herself and sauntered over.
"Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?"
Ron went purple. He stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise.
"Yeah, have it," said Harry, pushing the dish toward the girl.
"You 'ave finished wiz it?"
"Yeah," Ron said breathlessly. "Yeah, it was excellent."
The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Ravenclaw table. Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses.
"She's a veela!" He said hoarsely to Harry.
"Of course she isn't!" said Hermione tartly. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!"
But she wasn't entirely right about that. As the girl crossed the Hall, many boys' heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron.
"I'm telling you, that's not a normal girl!" said Ron, leaning sideways so he could keep a clear view of her.
"They don't make them like that at Hogwarts!"
"They make them okay at Hogwarts," said Harry without thinking.
He spotted Noel at the Ravenclaw table, laughing with one of the girls who she was sat next to.
Noel felt someone looking at her and her eyes immediately landed on Harry. She sent him a wink and went back to her conversation.
Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now.
"The moment has come," said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation" — there was a smattering of polite applause — "and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."
There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand.
"The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."
Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old.
There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways . . . their magical prowess — their daring — their powers of deduction — and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."
At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.
"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament," Dumbledore went on calmly, "one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."
Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall.
"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.
"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line.
"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end."
The next morning when Noel went down for breakfast the entrance hall was ready full with students eagerly watching as people put their names in.
She walked over to where Harry was standing and greeted him good morning, "Anyone from Hogwarts yet?" She asked them
"Not yet."
Someone laughed behind Harry. Turning, he saw Fred, George, and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase, all three of them looking extremely excited.
"Done it," Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Noel, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Just taken it."
"What?" said Ron.
"The Aging Potion, dung brains," said Fred.
"One drop each," said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. "We only need to be a few months older."
"We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," said Lee, grinning broadly.
"I'm not sure this is going to work, you know," said Hermione warningly "I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this."
Fred, George, and Lee ignored her.
"Ready?" Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement.
"C'mon, then — I'll go first —"
Noel shook her head amused as the twins crossed the line and threw their names in. Everyone watched in the hall and after a few seconds the twins yelled in triumph thinking it had worked.
Just then there was a loud sizzling and both twins were thrown out of the circle. They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards.
The entrance hall rang with laughter.
"I did warn you," said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. "I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours."
The 4 of them moved into the Great Hall for breakfast which was decorated once more for Halloween.
"Want to take a bet Harry?" Noel said her eyes twinkling.
Harry turned his body so they were now facing each other, "Alright."
"Pick a Hogwarts Champion."
"Angelina obviously."
"I pick Cedric."
Harry rolled his eyes at her choice. "The winner gets 5 galleons"
Noel stuck out her hand and Harry shook it. "Ok but the loser has to swim in the lake."
Noel laughed and nodded her head. "Fine."
Noel had spent the whole day holed up in the library. Harry had asked her to come with them to Hagrid's hut but Noel still felt a little iffy about her hand so she politely declined.
She spent most of her time reading and doing homework so when it finally hit dinner time she packed her things away and made way to the hall for dinner.
When she entered the candlelit Great Hall it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table.
Everyone was anxious to see the results of the champions nobody was really in the feast.
After what seemed like an eternity the plates and goblets finally disappeared and Dumbledore rose from his seat.
"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" — he indicated the door behind the staff table — "where they will be receiving their first instructions."
The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it.
Dumbledore caught the piece of paper and unfolded it, "The champion for Dumstrange will be, Viktor Krum." Loud applause filled the hall as Viktor walked out to the chamber.
The Goblet turned red again, Dumbledore caught the second piece of paper, "The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"
Now cheered for Fleur. Fleur smiled wildly and gave Noel a kiss in the cheek as she passed by.
When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next... and the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.
"The Hogwarts champion," he called, "is Cedric Diggory!"
There was an uproar from the Hufflepuff table. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers' table.
Harry groaned thinking about the bet he had with Noel. "I owe Noel five galleons."
Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him.
The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.
Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out —
"Harry Potter."