CHAPTER SEVEN
TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT
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I had met back up with Harry, Hermione, and Ron for the last ten minutes of the train ride. Harry basically bolted off the train when he saw Hagrid waiting outside, dragging us with him.
"Hi, Hagrid!" Harry grinned as we hopped down off the train. I wave with a smile.
"All righ' Harry?" Hagrid asked, waving. "See yeh at the feast if we don' drown!" He laugh, gesturing to the first years.
"Oh, I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake in this weather," Hermione shivered in the chilly air. A few raindrops scatters my forehead as I looked up at the dark clouds.
I watched a first years get into the rickety boats to cross the river and shrugged. "Eh, sucks to suck. Come on," I waved my friends over to the carriages. The rain got heavier as we get into a carriage.
The drive goes by painfully slow as we trudge through the pouring rain and thunder. We all eagerly exited the carriages and hurried quickly into the great hall. "See you guys later," I said goodbye to the three Gryffindors and crossed over to the Slytherin table. In my usual spot across from Draco, and in between Eli and Pansy.
"Eli!" I cheered, hugging the boy tightly. I pulled away, tears filling my eyes.
"Woah there, bitch, why're you crying?" He grins and I laugh through my tears.
"You're a seventh year, I won't see you again." I wipe my tears and hug him again.
"I'll visit you every year, darling. I know Im charming, don't miss me too much." Eli flipped his imaginary hair, since his was short, obviously.
"Okay, you'd better. Let's just enjoy this year, though." I smiled a little as Eli wipes my tears away.
And with that, the sorting ceremony began.
Dumbledore began to make his announcements and I wasn't really paying attention until quidditch was mentioned. "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
I instantly jumped to my feet. "What?!" I exclaimed, angry. Eli jumped up to and said, "Hey, bro, Professor, Dumbley, it's my last year. What the heck?"
Anyone else would've gotten in trouble, but Dumbledore knew it was Eli. "Mister Jones, if you must, you may come back next year as an assistant coach to the Slytherin team with Madam Hooch."
Eli nodded. "Fine. Deal." And sat down, dragging me with him.
Dumbledore continues. "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teacher's time and energy. But I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely."
"There's not much I enjoy more than quidditch," I mutter, still bitter about not being able to play this year. Or play with Eli again.
"I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-" Dumbledore was cut off by the doors being busted open. We all turn to see a cloaked figure.
The light shone on his face and I instantly knew who it was. "That's Mad-Eye Moody. What's he doing here?" Moody marches towards the staff table.
Dumbledore speaks up, silencing the students. "May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Professor Moody."
"That's what he's doing here." Pansy mumbled, and I nodded.
"He's bonkers, why would he become a professor?" I asked in wonder.
Pansy shrugged. "You're asking the wrong person."
"As I was saying, " Dumbledore says, smiling at the students around him, "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 yells from the Gryffindor table, making everyone laugh. I knew George and him had always wanted to go to one of them.
"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore smiles. "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." He briefly explains.
"Yes, yes, but then the death toll became too high and it was discontinued." I sigh, already having heard this story.
"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament, " Dumbledore continues, "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. 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."
"Risking your life for money?" I look around at my Slytherin friends. "Where do I sign up?" I smirk.
"All the Weasley's are thinking of joining. You can see it one their faces." Draco smirks, and his goons crane their necks to look over at the gingers. I shoot Draco a glare and his quiets.
"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts, " Dumbledore says "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-"
He was cut off by loud 'boos' from the crowd. Some of which I couldn't help but participate in. Eli sat there smirking, though. I smacked him.
"-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. 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!"
"Merlin's beard," I sigh as my group stands and begins to make our way out of the Great Hall and down to the dungeons. Eli's smirk was still playing on his face. "What are you planning?"
"Oh, I'm joining." He smirked again.
"Fine. But when you win you'd better thank your favorite person in this school." I told him.
"Oh yeah? Who's that?"
"Me, of course!" I laugh and jump onto his back for a piggy-back ride. As we pass Draco he looks up at me.
"Why do I have a feeling you'll be much more depressed when Jones leaves?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Because I'll be much more depressed when he leaves." I answer, and then Eli takes off down the hall.
"Move, midgets! Out of my way, slaves!" He yells to the first years as we race by them. The Head Boy and Girl don't say anything, due to the fact that they're Eli's friends. And the prefects are too scared or in awe to say anything, either.
"Eli, you're the best." I sighed.
He smirked. "I know."