Shortly after Harry and Rose made the bet, Professor Dumbledore stood up, ending any chattering among the students.
"So, now that we are all fed and watered," Dumbledore started, and Hermione let out a small humph at his words.
"I must ask for your attention for some notices. Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that there is a list of banned items on his door and he asks that you read them and dispose of any items properly," Dumbledore began. Fred and George snickered at Mr. Filch and Rose knew that their trunks were probably full of banned items. "Another reminder that the Forbidden Forest is... well, forbidden."
"Also, it is my painful duty to tell you that the inter house quidditch competition will not happen this year," Dumbledore said, growing serious. Shouts quickly erupted around the hall and Harry muttered a small 'what'. Rose wasn't too upset at the proclamation.
"This is due to an event that will be starting in October of this year and continue until the end of the year, taking up a lot of time and energy for the students and teachers. I am pleased to announce that the-"
Dumbledore was interrupted by the doors of the great hall banging open. The hall was quieter than it ever had been as they watched a man enter the room. The man walked across the room to the professors table, a dull clank echoing across the room, signaling that the man had a wooden leg. A flash of lighting illuminated the man's face and gasps were heard across the room. He had multiple scars, a chunk missing from his nose and one of his eyes was obviously fake as it was rolling around wildly in his head. The stranger and Dumbledore shook hands before the man sat down and started eating food, using his own knife instead of a fork.
"Students, this is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Alastor Moody," Dumbledore announced. Not a single student clapped, but Moody didn't seem to care. He just took a sip from his flask and looked around the room. His eyes landed on Rose and Harry and he smirked a little. Harry didn't seem to notice as he was talking to Ron but Rose did. She went to talk to Harry when Dumbledore started to talk again.
"As I was saying, we have the honor of hosting a very special event that hasn't been held in over a century. Hogwarts has the honor of hosting the Triwizard Tournament."
"You're JOKING!" Fred yelled. Nearly everyone laughed and Dumbledore smiled.
"No, I am not joking Mr. Weasley, although I did hear an excellent joke about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun in a bar-" Dumbledore responded. Mcgonagall cleared her throat behind him.
"Maybe not the time...where was I? Oh, right! The Triwizars Tournament was established around 700 years ago to encourage friendship between the three largest wizarding schools in Europe: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was chosen from each of the schools and they were given magical tasks to complete. Each school hosted the competition until the death toll became too high and it was discontinued."
"Death toll?" Hermione whispered, looking alarmed. Most students in the hall were excitedly whispering, seemingly not having heard the last part of what Dumbledore had said.
"There have been several attempts to reinstate the tournament but none of them were successful. We have worked very hard to ensure that no harm will come to any competitors this time. The representatives from the other two schools will be arriving in October and the selection will take place on Halloween. An impartial judge will choose the competitors. They will be the most worthy to represent their school, earn honor, and win 1000 galleons."
"I'm going for it!" Fred hissed. Rose saw multiple other people nodding at him.
"I know that some of you will want to bring the honor of the tournament, but we have all agreed to impose an age limit. Only those who are 17 by Halloween will be able to enter their names. This is a necessary edition to the tournament. So please do not enter yourself unless you are 17," Dumbledore said. Fred and George were huffing and seemed to he already whispering about how they could get in anyways.
"Please prepare for the delegates from the two schools in October. Until then, bedtime!" Dumbledore finished. The students all swarmed to the doors to head to their dorms.
"They can't do that! We're 17 in April, we should have a chance!" George yelled.
"That's not stopping me entering! Think about it...a thousand galleons!" Fred told his twin.
"Yeah...a thousand galleons..." Ron said dreamily. Rose agreed that that was a lot of money, but the tasks didn't seem like they were worth it.
"Come on, we're too slow," Hermione huffed, grabbing Rose's wrist and walking much faster. Rose almost fell and grabbed Harry's wrist too. Harry, in turn, grabbed Ron's wrist. The four formed a chain that caused other students to move out of their way. Within a few minutes, they were in the common room, sitting in front of the fireplace, Fred and George joining them.
"Who will the impartial judge be?" Harry wondered.
"Dunno but it's them we'll have to fool. I bet a few drops of aging potion will work, George," Fred said.
"Yeah, but Dumbledore knows you're not of age," Ron pointed out.
"Yeah, but he's not the one choosing the winners. It seems like someone will choose the winners and Dumbledore will have no say," George guessed.
"People have died, though!" Hermione reminded them, sounding worried.
"Yeah, but that was years ago, plus what's like without a little bit of risk?" Fred asked.
"It would be fun to enter," Ron said. "But I doubt we've learned enough."
"I definitely haven't," Neville said, walking over to the group to sit. "But my gran would want me to enter. She's always telling me I should hold up the family honor."
As Neville said this he tripped over the edge of a rug. A portrait on the wall started laughing and Neville blushed.
"Oh, Neville. You are just as good as any of us...you just need to be more confident," Rose assured the boy as he sat on the couch next to her. Neville smiled at her.
"I'd suggest we all go to bed. We have classes in the morning," Hermione suggested. Everyone agreed and the common room emptied. Rose and Hermione were the first people in their room.
"So how's your dad? What's it like having your mum back?" Hermione asked Rose as they laid in their beds.
"Umm...my dad is good. He said he's going to go into hiding soon but I gave him the bracelet I got at the world cup so we should be able to talk," Rose said, purposely not answering the second part of the question.
"And your mum?" Hermione asked slowly.
"It's...weird. She's trying really hard and I want to try just as hard but...I spent 13 years of my life without a mum and I...I'm struggling with it. I don't know what to do. It was weird enough to get a dad and now a mum...I dont know. And everything about the prophecy.." Rose responded.
"Rose...maybe you should talk to Mcgonagall or Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.
"I'm just tired...goodnight," Rose said. She turned her back to Hermione who sighed but didn't say anything else. Rose heard her start to snore a few minutes later and a few minutes after that Lavender and Parvati entered the room. Rose stayed awake as they all went to sleep. Her eyes didn't close until the sun came up, thinking about what Hermione said.
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"Rose, get your head off the table and eat some food," Hermione sighed. Rose groaned but picked her head up and ate a piece of toast.
"Why are you so tired?" Harry asked.
"I couldn't sleep," Rose said simply. Harry nodded but Hermione sent her a look.
"Our schedule isnt that bad," Ron said, not paying attention to Rose, although she was glad to not have attention on her. "We're outside all morning...herbology with the hufflepuffs...man, Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins."
"Double divination this afternoon," Harry groaned. Rose checked her schedule and saw that it was true. She also let out a groan.
"You should have given up the class like me," Hermione sang, looking proud of herself. She reached forward and grabbed some toast.
"I see you're eating again," Ron pointed out. Rose sent a look at Harry who was sitting next to her.
"That'll be 5 galleons please," Rose smiled.
"Nope. You said this morning and something to protest house elves at Hogwarts," Harry said. Rose narrowed her eyes.
"We'll see," Rose hummed, tuning back into the conversation as the mail birds entered the room. Harry looked for Hedwig, but she didn't show up. As an owl landed and gave Rose three letters, Harry leaned over.
"Did Sirius mention my letter at all?" Harry asked, looking anxious.
"I don't think so. But I did see him write a letter to Dumbledore but that could be because I-" Rose said but stopped herself when Hermione kicked her ankle.
"You what?" Ron asked.
"I nothing," Rose said simply. Harry and Ron both looked at her suspiciously. The bell rang and the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs all walked down to the greenhouse. Harry and Ron were successfully distracted.
"Bubotubers," Professor Sprout said. "Squeeze them and collect the pus-"
"The what?" Seamus Finnigan asked, looking disgusted. Rose agreed with his sentiment.
"Pus, Finnigan, pus," Professor Sprout said. "Very valuable pus. You will collect it and put it in these bottles. Now, be careful because the pus can be dangerous."
Squeezing the pus was horrible in Rose's opinion. At one point, some pus almost hit her arm and she had to jump back quickly. Harry and Ron had laughed at her until she threatened to pop one on them. They shut up after that. Rose rushed out of the greenhouse as soon as the bell rang, barely listening to the conversation about the uses of the pus.
Care of Magical Creatures was just as bad. Hagrid had breeded something he called blast-ended skrewts. Rose, and everyone else, left the class with minor burns. They all agreed that the skrewts were better off dead, even though Hermione had defended them against Malfoy.
When they got to the great hall for lunch, Hermione ate very quickly. She was almost done before Rose could even take her first bite.
"Is this your first stand for elf rights? You're going to make yourself puke instead?" Ron asked.
"No, I just want to get to the library," Hermione explained, somehow with dignity despite the fact that she had food all over her mouth.
"What? Hermione, it's the first day!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione just shrugged and finished eating quickly, shouting a quick goodbye before running off.
"She's going to create an organization and you're going to owe me 5 galleons," Rose told Harry in a sing song voice. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Just eat," Harry muttered, although he thought she was correct.
"You guys bet on her?" Ron asked, disbelief in his voice.
"Yes, but don't tell her," Rose said. Ron chuckled but nodded.
"Come on, let's go to Divination," Harry muttered. Rose and Ron both groaned but followed after Harry.
The class was as horrible as Rose thought it would be. Trelawney announced that they would be studying the planets, but she also told Harry that he would experience something he feared and soon. Rose rolled her eyes at the woman, ignoring the glares from Lavender and Parvati.
"Harry!" Ron hissed, breaking Rose and Harry out of their daydreams.
"What?" Harry asked.
"I was saying that you were born under the influence of Saturn," Trelawney said.
"Er-what?" Harry asked.
"Saturn dear! All the signs point to it...your dark hair...tragic losses so early in life. Am I correct in saying you were born in midwinter?" Trelawney asked, looking as if she had never been more correct.
"Umm...no. July," Harry answered. Ron and Rose had to turn laughs into coughs.
The professor gave them all a chart for position of planets.
"Oh no... I've got two Neptunes," Rose muttered. Ron teased in Trelawney's voice causing Seamus and Dean to snort. Rose just shook her head and tried to find her mistake.
"Ohh Professor! I've got a new planet! Which is it?" Lavender asked.
"That, my dear, is Uranus," Trelawney answered.
"Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?" Ron asked with a snicker. Ron left the class with a mean bat-bogey hex courtesy of Rose and a large amount of homework for the whole class. It was fair to say that the whole class was unhappy with Ron.
"Miserable old bat," Ron muttered as they joined the crowd to the great hall for dinner. "And you didn't have to hex me!"
"Yes I did," Rose said as Harry said "yes she did."
Rose sent a smile to Harry as he smiled back.
"Gross," Ron sneered at the two. Rose rolled her eyes, but couldn't find it in herself to care.