"Wait, so Vanessa and I will be going to school at Hogwarts this year?" I asked excitedly.
Mother said, "Yes, they're hosting the Triwizard Tournament. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were invited."
"Technically, only those old enough to enter may go, but we were able to pull some strings," my father said.
I looked at Dylan, who looked just excited. "You both will love it at Hogwarts."
My mother turned to us and asked, "so you'll go right?"
"Yes!" Vanessa and I said at the same time.
I felt giddy with excitement, as I ran to my room to pack for the year.
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I stood outside of the castle. It was freezing cold, and I was annoyed that Dumbledore was making us stand out here just to wave at a bunch foreign students. I crossed my arms, and grimaced as the students around me started cheering and waving at a light blue carriage pulled by horses which flew through the morning sky.
"Look!" I heard someone shout.
I looked to where people were pointing and saw an old pirate ship emerge from the waters below the castle. Everyone around me was cheering, and waving to our new guests for the year. I rolled my eyes, and walked back into the castle as I didn't understand why everyone was so excited.
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"Look! It is zee 'ogwarts!" Fleur said in her French accent.
I looked out the window of our flying carriage to see a huge castle. It was absolutely gorgeous. It was dark, but something about it was welcoming. I looked down into the waters surrounding the castle, and I saw a ship gliding across the surface. As we neared the castle, I saw several students waving.
"Why're they acting like they've never seen another school before?" Vanessa asked.
"Well this whole tournament thing is a pretty big deal. And they're probably excited," I said, "I mean, how could you not be excited? Most of our family goes here."
A few hours later, Madame Maxime led us into the castle for the feast. I stared in awe at the gorgeous interior of the castle. It's old stone walls, and it's warm glow made it feel like home.
"Okay, all of 'ogwarts will be watching. Get into formation my children," said Maxime.
We all lined up in front of the doors of the Great Hall. I stood next to Vanessa in the front of the line. The doors swung open seconds later revealing the Great Hall and the Hogwarts students. We began to walk down the hall, and all eyes were on us. As we reached the end of the hall, we stopped, and faced the Hogwarts students who burst into applause.
A man with a very long beard approached Maxime, greeting her. I recognized him as Albus Dumbledore, the Hogwarts Headmaster.
He then stepped up to the podium and said, "and now the sons of the North! Please greet the proud, young men of Durmstrang!"
The doors to the hall swung open again, and the Durmstrang boys came in. They ran to the end of the hall, and stopped as we did. Their headmaster walked in, and Dumbledore greeted him.
"Lizzie!" Vanessa whispered to me, pulling on my arm
I whispered back, "what Ness?"
"It's Viktor Krum! He's here!" she squealed.
"Hogwarts! Let's greet our friends in the best way we can!" said Dumbledore.
The Hogwarts students began to sing-
"Hogwarts Hogwarts Hoggy Warty Hogwarts
Teach us something please..."
I looked at Cedric who was looking at me and smiling, I smiled back. Dylan sat at the same table, and he was rolling his eyes which made me laugh. I scanned the room for the rest of my cousins, Oliver, Olivia, Ellie, Sawyer, Ophelia, Esmerelda, and Nial.
When the Hogwarts students finished singing, we were ushered to tables, and the feast began.
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I sat in the Great Hall next to Blaise, as we listened to Dumbledore explain that students from other schools were attending Hogwarts this year for a tournament. I had no interest whatsoever in what he was saying, as I knew the foreign students would be just as annoying as all the other students at Hogwarts.
"Now please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons Academy and their headmistress, Madame Maxime!"
The screech of the Great Hall doors swinging open pulled my attention from my thoughts. I looked up to see a gorgeous girl standing in the front. She looked familiar for some reason. She wore a light blue skirt, blouse, and hat like the other girls. Her long, brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, but she had a few pieces pulled out in the front which complimented her face perfectly.
The girls began to progress elegantly down the hall and butterflies and blue glitter surround them as they trotted by the Hogwarts students. As they reached me, I got a better look at the girl and realized it was the girl I had seen at the Quidditch World Cup. She gracefully walked past me, keeping her eyes on the front of the room.
I thought she was my age, so I was confused as to why she was here because the tournament was for those of age only.
Blaise chuckled next to me. "Close your mouth. You're making it obvious that you're staring."
I snapped out of my transe, "Shove off Blaise. I wasn't staring."
"Sure. You do realize that's Elizabeth Rosewood right? Oliver's cousin," he whispered.
"Your point being?" I snapped.
He rolled his eyes. "Rich. Super powerful family. Pureblood."
"Ok? I have no interest in her. She's friends with Diggory anyway," I said, getting annoyed which made Blaise chuckle.
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We sat at our tables as the tournament rules were explained by Mr. Crouch. The room was filled with excited murmurs as he spoke, that is, until he mentioned that only those age seventeen and up may enter. The excited murmurs quickly turned into angry shouts.
"That's rubbish!"
"Booo!"
"No fair!"
Dumbledore silenced the room, and everyone quieted down again, so Crouch continued to speak. When he finished speaking, a large goblet was brought out.
"If you wish to enter, you will need to put your name in here. Champions will be chosen tomorrow night. And remember, these contests are not for the faint hearted."
I turned to Fleur who sat on the other side of me. "Are you going to enter?"
"Of course. I think it'll be fun." she said smiling.
After the feast, Vanessa and I made our way out of the Great Hall where we ran right into Cedric.
"Ced!" I said, wrapping my arms around him.
"Lizzie! You act like I didn't just see you a few weeks ago," he said laughing, as he hugged me back. "I didn't know you'd be here!"
I pulled out of his embrace. "My dad was able to pull some strings so I'll be attending Hogwarts for the year."
"If it isn't my favorite cousins!" I heard a familiar voice shout. I turned to see Oliver, followed by Dylan and the rest of my cousins.
I smiled. "Hi Ollie!"
"I didn't think you guys would be here," Ellie said.
"Father did some convincing at the ministry." said Dylan.
"Rosewood!"
We all turned to see a group of Hogwarts students wearing the same green robes as Oliver. I recognized one of them as the snobby, platinum blonde haired boy from the world cup.
"What do you guys want?" Dylan growled.
A girl with a pug face smirked. "We came to talk to Oliver. Now move out of the way, mudblood," she said, pushing Vanessa.
Vanessa turned on her, eyes blazing. "Who're you calling mudblood?" she snarled.
"You. Now move," the girl said, as she pushed her way to Oliver. "What're you doing hanging out with these blood traitors?"
Vanessa's face turned red. If there's one thing she hated, it was being called a mudblood.
"Hey Ness, calm down. Parkinson doesn't know what she's talking about," Dylan said, trying to pull Vanessa away.
"Awe, do you need your mudblood brother to protect you?" the girl laughed.
"Pansy, st-" Oliver started, but before he could finish, Vanessa had punched the girl right in the face. I heard satisfying crack, and a loud thump sound out as the girl hit the ground.
"Vanessa! What're you doing?" I cried.
"Are you kidding me? What were you thinking?" Dylan cried, grabbing Vanessa, and holding her by the shoulders.
The group of Slytherins that had approached us stood there smirking, and some of them laughed. I looked up to see the silver eyed boy. I glared into his cold eyes, but he looked away as he noticed I was looking.
I heard a stern voice behind me. "Miss Rosewood. Come with me." Olivia, Vanessa, Ellie, Ophelia, Esmerelda, and I turned around to see a man with black hair, who was wearing all black. "The one who punched Miss Parkinson," he clarified.
I looked down at the girl on the ground, who was in tears. Her nose was bleeding and looked to be broken.
Vanessa proudly stepped forward, with a sly grin on her face. "That would be me, sir!"
"Follow me," the man said sternly. "One of you bring Miss Parkinson to Madame Pomfrey," he ordered at the group of Slytherins.
One of the boys nodded, and scooped up the girl bridal style, and Vanessa followed the man down the hall.
"That girl," Sawyer said.
Dylan laughed. "Father is going to kill her."
I turned to Cedric who was standing behind me. "Are you entering the tournament?"
"Yeah, I think so," he said, his brown eyes twinkling down into mine.
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I stood with Blaise, Crabb, Goyle, Pansy, and some other Slytherins outside the Great Hall when Pansy noticed Oliver surrounded by his family. Elizabeth was standing with them.
"Why is he standing with all those mudbloods?" she sneered.
Blaise started to speak, "Pansy, they're n-"
But before he could finish she started talking again. "Poor boy, we should get him away."
Blaise tried to speak again, "Pansy. That's his fam-"
She started to walk off, and everyone else began to follow. Blaise and I held back. He gave me a look, and reluctantly followed. I wouldn't have followed Pansy's orders, but the truth is, I just wanted to see Elizabeth again.
I walked over and heard Pansy say, "We came to talk to Oliver. Now move out of the way, mudblood." She pushed one of the girls out of the way. She looked like Elizabeth; I believe it was her little sister, Vanessa.
I couldn't help but cringe at what Pansy was doing. Did she not realize who she was talking to? I glanced over at Elizabeth who was biting her lip nervously as her eyes shifted back and forth from Pansy, to Vanessa, when all of a sudden, Pansy was on the ground, wailing. Vanessa was smirking, and everyone was laughing, except for Dylan and Elizabeth.
"Vanessa! What're you doing?" Elizabeth cried.
I glanced at her face again. She looked up at me, and I quickly glanced away. I felt my cheeks get red, and I prayed nobody noticed.
"Miss Rosewood. Come with me," I heard Snape bark. Vanessa proudly stepped forward, and followed Snape while Goyle carried Pansy to the Hospital Wing.
Oliver approached our group. "What do you guys want? And Crabbe, stop staring at Elizabeth," he jeered.
"Parkinson thought the mudbloods were giving you trouble, and I was not staring at Elizabeth," Crabbe said defensively.
"Well tell Pansy she can screw off, and as for you guys...go find some actual mudbloods to harass," Oliver hissed. He turned sharply on his heel, and walked back over to where his family stood.
I stood staring at Elizabeth for a moment longer. She once again stood with Diggory. They were talking about something, and she had the most gorgeous smile on her face.
"I never thought I'd see the day where Draco Malfoy fell in love," I heard Blaise say.
"Will you quit it? I'm not in love!" I snapped.
"Okay, whatever you say," he said, chuckling.
I rolled my eyes, and stomped towards the stairs which led to the Slytherin common room - why can't he just accept the fact that I am not in love with a girl I met at the tournament.