Chapter 233: Triwizard Tournament
Chapter 233: Triwizard Tournament
The last piece of news left the students in the Great Hall stunned into silence.
Until one voice broke the silence in disbelief.
"Are you kidding, Professor!"
Fred asked the question everyone was thinking. A few light laughs rippled through the hall, easing the tension slightly.
Dumbledore's face was filled with an appreciative smile.
"I'm not kidding, Mr. Weasley. However, I did hear a rather amusing joke just now about a troll, a hag, and a pixie who all walked into the same pub."
His joke was cut short by a light cough from Professor Mcgonagall.
"Perhaps it's not the best time for that", Dumbledore said with a resigned smile. "Let's get back to the Triwizard Tournament. It's a historic competition held jointly by the three European magic schools—Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. Each school will select one contestant through a fair process to compete in three magical challenges. Normally, it is held every five years."
"However, due to the high number of casualties, the Triwizard Tournament was discontinued several centuries ago. The Ministry of Magic has attempted to revive it many times, but without success. This year, the Ministry believes the time is right for a new attempt, and the Triwizard Tournament will be hosted at Hogwarts."
"In October, students from the other two schools will be visiting Hogwarts as guests and will stay for a while. I hope you all will be welcoming and friendly. Also, to ensure safety, this year's Triwizard Tournament will only accept students who are seventeen years old or older. Those who do not meet this requirement will not be considered."
The semester's opening feast concluded with that.
But clearly, such a major announcement wouldn't leave the young wizards quiet for long.
They left the Great Hall excitedly, still discussing the Triwizard Tournament with their friends.
"Because of the numerous fatalities, it was discontinued. Why didn't any of you notice Professor Dumbledore saying that?"
Unlike Harry and Ron, who were eagerly discussing how to participate, Hermione looked serious as she repeated the statement.
Ron dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
"It's starting again now, isn't it? With all the professors around, and Professor Dumbledore watching, there won't be any problems this year."
Harry muttered to himself.
"At least it wasn't Professor Forrest who said that."
The two of them shuddered at the thought. They couldn't imagine what the Triwizard Tournament would be like if Sherlock had said it.
Meanwhile, the Weasley Twins brushed past them, grumbling about why Dumbledore had set the age limit at seventeen. They were just a few months shy of being eligible.
But these mischievous twins weren't about to give up. They were already scheming about how to fool the judge and make themselves a few months older.
When Harry and the others returned to the Gryffindor common room, the new Prefect, who had taken over from Percy, handed out the semester's class schedules. Hermione, staring at her new schedule, said happily,
"Tomorrow we have Arithmancy Divination. I think I'll be able to catch Professor Silke's first class."
Harry and Ron could only look at her with envy.
Arithmetic Divination is an elective, and neither of them had signed up for it. When Hermione had Arithmetic Divination, they had to attend Divination with Sybill Trelawney.
Harry could already predict that tomorrow she would spend the entire class prophesying his doom before she would let up.
In the common room, students were still discussing the Triwizard Tournament. Most of them were not eligible to enter, and they had no bold ideas about sneaking past the judges to qualify. They were mostly talking about who might represent Hogwarts and what the students from the visiting Beauxbatons and Durmstrang magic schools would be like.
"Beauxbatons' headmistress is a robust witch, like Hagrid. Her name is Madame Maxime, and I've met her once", Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione.
Ron looked at him in surprise. "When did you meet her?"
"You forgot. I told you about it. During the summer after second year, Professor Forrest took me on a trip to France. We visited Beauxbatons magic school and toured around. Their school is built in the mountains, but it's not a castle. It's more like an estate, with beautiful scenery and a huge fountain."
Harry described it to them, and Hermione's face lit up with envy.
"Did you visit their library? Is it as well-stocked as Hogwarts'?"
Harry shrugged.
"Professor and I were on a trip. Why would we go to their library? But their cafeteria's onion soup is really good. I had several bowls."
Hermione looked disappointed, as if she would have emptied Beauxbatons' library if she had been there.
They chatted in the common room for a while longer. Soon, it was almost curfew time. Harry and Ron parted ways with Hermione and headed back to their respective dorms.
The storm outside the castle had not let up. After a long day of travel, the students were exhausted. Soon, Harry's dorm was filled with the steady breathing of his sleeping roommates, and the occasional snore from Neville.
Harry wasn't having trouble sleeping; he was waiting for everyone else to fall asleep so he could carry out his secret plan.
He pulled the curtains around his bed closed, then sat up and gently touched the famous lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.
A ghostly figure, with long auburn hair and a beautiful face, slowly materialized in front of him.
Lily, upon appearing, noticed that the surroundings were no longer the Weasley family home.
"Is it the first day of school today?"
She smiled gently at Harry.
Harry relaxed the moment he saw her, but he still complained a bit.
"The rain was so heavy today. When we got off the carriage and back to the castle, everyone was soaked."
"That's quite normal", Lily said with a smile, recalling, "It usually rains on the first day of school at Hogwarts. I remember one year, your father accidentally slipped and fell into a mud puddle, rolling around in it. When he first entered the castle, he startled Professor Mcgonagall, who thought some new magical creature had invaded Hogwarts."
(End of Chapter)
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