The Wrong Twin

49

<3rd POV>

It was storming by the time they reached Hogwarts. Cold, heavy rain pattering against the carriages that made their way towards the giant castle. Lightning flashed by every now and then, closely followed by the rumble of thunder. Harry was lucky that they had gotten one of the first few carriages, to prevent getting too soaked.

The carriage ride was quiet the entire time, the only sound coming from the surroundings and the soft padding of the dead horses. 

Hurrying into the castle, their little group of friends made it in safe and sound, albeit a little wet. 

"The  lake will definitely overflow at this point. If the rain keeps up that is." Blaise muttered to himself, spelling himself dry. A dandy spell that Sirius and Remus have taught during the summer break.

"Well, it's lucky, that we aren't first years anymore. I bet that one of them will certainly fall into the water." Draco snickered at the other students who had just gathered into the front hall, completely soaking wet.

"I'm willing to bet on that. I say 2 students will fall. 5 galleons?" Harry asked. 

"Definitely, Daphne want to join in?" Draco grinned at the offer.

"I have better things to do with my money than bet on some flimsy first years." Daphne swatted Draco's offering hand away from her. 

Alec laughed at the solemn and taken aback face on Draco. Draco's ears tinged red, before turning away from Alec.

A sudden scream from one of the students echoed across the hall. Harry looked up, just in time to cast a shield above him and his friends to avoid a red water balloon from dropping on them and soaking them.  

However, the screamer was less than lucky. It was no other than Potter, whose entire body was soaked till the bone. 

"PEEVES! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!" McGonagall shouted at the criminal, who was floating about above them. 

"Not doing nothing!" the poltegerist cackled as he threw another water balloon at two Ravenclaw girls who were just making their way in.

"I'll tell the headmaster about this!" 

Peeves stuck his tongue out before floating away.

The students then headed into the Great Hall. 

The new students lined up against the front of the hall, 2 of them clearly soaked. Harry nudged Draco in the ribs, and the blonde groaned as he slapped 5 of the precious gold coins into the open palm. Quickly, the sorting started and finished, with a handful of students getting into Slytherin.

Harry refocused his attention to the head table, and the seats where Sirius and Remus once filled were replaced with a lady dressed in pink (who looked oddly like a toad), and a man with a rather mangled face and a magic eye that can see through things. He recognised the man as Mad Eye Moody, or Barty Crouch Jr. The woman remained unknown.

Dumbledore finally stood up and started his boring and long speech. 

Harry didn't even realize that he had tuned out the speech until Blaise clapped his shoulder. 

"This year, we would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. Alastor Mad Eye Moody will be teaching the 1st to 3rd years, while Professor. Umbridge will be teaching the 4th to 7th years."

Umbridge. A horrible name for a horrible person. 

"I am pleased to announce that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year." 

Silence.

"You're joking!" Fred Weasley shouted from his seat at the Gryffindor table.

Loud laughter erupted from all around the hall, especially from the Gryffindor table, Hufflepuff table, and Ravenclaw table. 

"I am not joking, but this is probably not the time to talk about it. Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament . . . 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. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities — until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued." Dumbledore continued to explain.

"But this year, the Ministry of Magic, decided that this year would be successful." 

Many students immediately started muttering about wanting to join the competition.

"However, there will be an age limit. Only students of age, 17 that is, will be allowed to join." Dumbledore finished, earning lots of protests from the students. 

"The delegations will arrive by October. For now let us enjoy the meal." 

The golden plates were immediately filled with food. By the time it was nearing bedtime,  the plates were all wiped clean from any traces of food.