Rosabella's Point Of View:
We changed into our robes and five minutes later we exited the train. It was thundering down with rain. The worst I've ever seen.
"Hiya, Hagrid!" I yelled when I saw his gigantic silhouette at the far end of the platform.
"All righ' you four? See yeh at the feast if we don' drown!" Hagrid bellowed back, waving.
"I wouldn't like to cross the lake in this weather." Hermione said, shivering.
Hermione and I linked arms as we headed towards the carriages, Winter following behind us. Hermione and I whispered about boys and who we liked. No one had really caught Hermione's eye yet, but I was telling her I wouldn't mind going out with Dean Thomas. Harry and Ron were having their own conversation but kept looking suspiciously at us, probably wandering what were were being so secretive about.
When the carriage stopped, Hermione and I got out first and with our arms still linked made our way up the stairs to the Entrance Hall. The boys weren't far behind us. We all dashed into the Entrance Hall to get out of the heavy rain.
"Blimey, if this keeps up, the lake's going to overflow. I'm soak-, ARGH!" Ron said, but was cut off by a red water ballon that had dropped from the ceiling.
Ron staggered into Harry to avoid the second one that narrowly missed Hermione and me. People all around us shrieked and started pushing each other in their efforts to get out of the line of fire. I looked up and saw Peeves holding lots of balloons.
"Peeves! Peeves, come down here at ONCE!" Professor McGonagall yelled, running out of the Great Hall.
Professor McGonagall skidded on the wet floor and had to grab onto Hermione and mine's necks to stop herself from falling.
"Ouch. Sorry, Miss Granger, Miss Black." McGonagall said.
"That's alright, Professor." Hermione said, as I helped Professor McGonagall right herself.
McGonagall managed to stop Peeves by threatening to get the Headmaster.
"Move along now all of you! Into Great Hall, come on!" Professor McGonagall said sharply to the crowd.
Hermione, Ron, Harry and I entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table next to both the Weasley and Black twins. I grinned at my twin brothers, Fred and George. They grinned back at me and nodded their heads, silently saying it's all ready.
"Oh here we go again." Hermione said, warily.
I just smiled innocently at her.
"Hope they hurry up with the Sorting, I'm starving." Harry said.
I nodded in agreement and was about to say something when a high pitch voice beat me to it.
"Hiya, Harry!" Colin Creevey said, as he looked at Harry with awe.
I smirked at Harry, knowing he hates being hero worshipped.
"Hi, Colin." Harry replied, warily.
Colin was saying how his younger brother was coming. I nearly laughed at Harry's almost horrified expression. Two Creevey brothers to worship him.
"Brothers and sisters usually get into the same houses, don't they? I mean look at Ro and her brothers. And Ron and his siblings." Harry said to us.
"Not necessarily." I said to Harry.
"Parvati Patil's twin is in Ravenclaw and they're identical." Hermione said.
"My brothers and I just happen to be similar to each other, along with Ron and his family." I said to Harry.
It took longer then usual for the new students to get here because of the storm. Ron was getting impatient with hunger. Then McGonagall finally led the first years in and the Hat sang another song about Hogwarts. When it finished we all applauded.
"That's not the same song it sang when we were sorted." Harry said, clapping with everyone else.
"Sings a different one every year. Must be a boring life being a hat. Suppose it spends the year making up a different one." I said to Harry.
The Sorting then proceeded and Dennis Creevey was indeed a Gryffindor. For some reason he was wearing Hagrids coat. Dennis threw himself into a seat next to his brother. The mystery of the coat was soon solved when Dennis said to Colin that he fell into the lake on the way over. From what I heard it sounded like the squid grabbed him and pushed him back into the boat. The squid was a total sweet heart. I was worried about Dennis, he was shaking like mad and his teeth were chattering. Hagrids cloak wasn't helping as it was wet from the rain. I grabbed my wand and did the hot air charm on Dennis so he was dry.
"Better?" I asked kindly.
"Yeah, thanks. What's your name?" Dennis said cheerfully, his teeth no longer chattering.
"Rosabella Black, but you can call me Ro. Welcome to Gryffindor. " I said, smiling kindly.
I turned back to the trio and Ron was smirking at me.
"What? I've got a soft spot for kids." I said defensively.
The trio chuckled and we watched the rest of the Sorting.
When the sorting was finished and Dumbledore stood up to start the feast, my older twin brothers, Fred, George and I grinned in anticipation.
"I have only two words to say to you. Tuck in." Dumbledore said and he sat down again.
"Hear, hear!" Harry and Ron said loudly as the empty plates filled up.
My grin widened along with Jason's, Jacob's, Fred, and George's. Everyone now was starting to drink out of their goblets.
3
2
1
Numerous animal noises burst out in the Grear Hall. Everyone was now making animal noises, even the Weasley twins, my twin brothers and I. I looked over at the staff table and saw Snape doing a monkey impression. I got the trio's attention, who were doing animal impressions of their own, and pointed towards Snape.
We all started crying from laughing so hard. After a few minutes the animals noises and impressions were replaced by roaring laughter. Dumbledore even joined in and Flitwhick looked amused, as did Hagrid and few other Professors found it amusing but most looked angry, none more angry then Snape. Snape was glaring furiously at me. I just smirked back at him.
"Ah, another wonderful prank. Very amusing Mr Weasley, Mr Weasley, Mr Black, Mr Black and Miss Black. I do hope you find your detention with Professor McGonagall as amusing." Dumbledore said, smiling.
We all laughed and continued with the feast.
"Aaah, 'at's be'er." Ron said, with his mouth full of mashed potatoe.
"You're lucky there's a feast at all, you know. There was trouble in the kitchen earlier." Nearly Headless Nick said.
"Why? Wha' 'appened?" Harry said, through a sizeable chunk of steak.
"The both of you please stop talking with your mouths full." I pleaded to them.
Nearly Headless Nick then told us about the usual argument between the ghosts on whether Peeves should be allowed at the Feast. The agreed no and Peeves didn't like the answer and terriozed the HOUSE - ELVES?
Clang.
Hermione had knocked over her goblet and we both stared at Nick with shocked expressions.
"They're are house - elves here?" I said in disbelief.
"Here at Hogwarts?" Hermione said, also in disbelief but I could hear anger boiling on her voice.
"Certainly. The largest number in any dwelling in Britain. Over a hundred." Nick said, surprised at our reaction.
"I've never seen one!" Hermione said, her anger becoming more clear.
By the end of the conversation Hermione pushed her plate away and refused to eat another bite. Ron tried to get Hermione to eat to no prevail. I looked around to try find Lucas. He could be very persuasive and hard to argue with. He was laughing and talking with Fiona and his friends.
Lucas and Fiona were Head Boy and Girl this year. Lucas looked so carefree, more then I ever remember seeing him. I didn't want to bother him and this is his last year, I better learn to not rely on him so much.
"Hermione, you won't improve there lives in anyway by starving yourself." I said softly.
"Slave labour. That's what made this dinner. Slave labour." Hermione said in a deadly voice.
I blinked in surprise. When she put it that harshly, my appetite evaporated. I looked at her for a second and then down at my plate. I pushed my plate away, no longer hungry.
"Please, Ro, not you too." Harry groaned.
I just sat there staring impassively at him.
Ron tried to get us too eat by shoving pudding towards us. I just threw them back at him, with a look that I had seen a Professor McGonagall face all to often. Ron eventually gave up.
Dumbledore then stood up to give the notices.
"Now that we are all fed and watered," Dumbledore started to say.
"Hmph!" Hermione said.
"I must give you the notices." Dumbledore said.
It was the usual.
No going into the forest.
Done that. Multiple times.
No magic in the halls.
Do it at least once a week.
All the things Mr Filch has banned.
Done them all.
"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quiditch Cup will not take place this year." Dumbledore said.
I'm sorry but WHAT?!?!
"WHAT?!?!" I yelled as I looked at my fellow quiditch team mates.
Harry and I looked at each other, both about to die from shock.
"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the School year, taking up most of the teachers time and energy. I am sure you will enjoy it immensely. I have the great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -" Dumbledore said but was cut off when the doors of the Great Hall banged open.
A strange man entered the hall. He had a fake magical eye, a chunk of his noise missing, many scares and it looks like his leg is missing. There was a dull clunk that echoed through the Hall on his every other step. The stranger made his way to the High Table and shook hands with Dumbledore. The stranger then sat down at the High Table.
"May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Moody." Dumbledore said, happily.
My eyes widened. I looked excitedly at my brothers, who stared at Moody in shock.
I clapped along with Dumbledore and Hagrid. We stopped fairly quickly as no one else in the Hall clapped, too transfixed at Moody's unusual appearance.
"Moody? Mad-eye Moody? The one your dad went to help this morning?" Harry whispered to Ron.
"Must be." Ron said in a low awed voice.
"What happened to him? What happened to his face?" Hermione whispered.
"Dunno." Ron whispered back, watching Moody with fascination.
"Well he is the best Dark wizard catcher. That's probably the aftermath of his dedication to capture and not kill them. Moony, told me that during the wizarding war, when Voldemort was still powerful. Oh get a grip Ron. During the war Aurors were given permission to use unforgivable spells, like the killing curse against Death Eaters. Moody rarely, more like never, did. Always preferred to let them rot in Azkaban for the rest of their lives then just kill them quickly." I whispered, eagerly to the trio.
They all looked impressed.
Moody seemed indifferent to the less then walm welcome. Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"As I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my great pleasure to announce to you that this year we will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament." Dumbledore said.
NO WAY! I felt my jaw drop.
"You're JOKING!" Fred said loudly.
Everyone laughed, even Dumbledore chuckled.
"I am not joking Mr Weasley." Dumbledore said and continued to explain the Triwizard Tournament to those who didn't know what to was.
It was then I remembered that the Triwizard Tournament stopped being put on because of the death toll. I looked around at my brothers. They all looked eager. They would all enter. Even Michael who was usually the sensible one. Ron looked eager to, along with Fred and George. What if they get chosen and die? I started to panic. Hermione noticed and grabbed my hand.
"Death toll?" Hermione whisper alarmed, when Dumbledore got to that part himself.
Hermione then looked at me with a knowing look as she realised why I had started to nearly have a panic attack.
Dumbledore then moved in to say how there have been many attempts to reinstate the tournament. Now it was finally achieved.
"We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that, this time, no champion will find themselves in mortal danger." Dumbledore said.
What he said relaxed me a little but not a lot.
Dumbledore then said something about Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with some of their students in October and the champions will be chosen on Halloween by an impartial judge. Who ever won would win glory for themselves and their school. Aswell, as a thousand galleons prize money.
"I'm going for it!" Fred hissed.
George and my twin brothers nodded eagerly in agreement.
"Please tell me your not going to enter, Mike?" I whispered to Michael who was a few seats down from me.
Michael just shrugged and smirked at me. Thanks for the reassurance, Michael. What Dumbledore said next nearly had me pass out in relief.
"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts, the Heads of the participating schools and the Ministry have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders. Only those of age can enter." Dumbledore said.
I grin broke out across my face. Now, I only have Lucas to worry about. But he's known as one of the best in the school for a reason. He could win. I laughed at the furious expression on my brothers faces, as well as the furious expressions of the Weasley twins. Dumbledore had to raise his voice over the noises of outrage that broke out in the Great Hall.
"This is a measure we feel is necessary, given the tasks will be extremely difficult and dangerous. It is highly unlikely that any student below sixth and seventh year will not be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts Champion." Dumbledore said.
I was so relieved I couldn't help myself.
"Thank you so much, Professor Dumbledore!" I yelled, cheerfully.
Everyone laughed apart from the Weasley twins, Jason, Jacob and Michael. Lucas was looking at us and laughing. Dumbledore, even chuckled.
"Your very welcome, Miss Black. The delegation will be arriving in October and will remain with us for the greater part of the year. I know you will all make them feel welcome. Now it is late. Bedtime! Chop chop!" Dumbledore said.
"They can't do that!" Fred said angrily.
"We're seventeen in April! Why can't we have a shot?" George said angrily.
The twins shot up and were glaring at Dumbledore.
"Try January, mate!" Jason said angrily, also glaring at Dumbledore.
Jacob just glared at Dumbledore.
"Well that's disappointing." Michael said, but he wasn't glaring at Dumbledore, as a matter of fact he looked amused.
We all made our way to our common room. The boys were discussing who the impartial judge was and ways to hoodwink them. Ha! Good luck out smarting Dumbledore. Ron sounded like he would want to enter. Harry didn't seem bothered by it. Good. He's had his fair share of near death experiences.
George said the password for the common room. It was Balderdash. We entered the common room and Hermione and I said our goodnight to the others and went up to bed. I fell asleep while hugging Winter and I drifted into a dreamless and peaceful sleep.