Triwizard Mechanics

Chapter 1: Hogwarts

Chapter 1

                “Oh, sorry! I wasn’t paying attention. Are you trying to get around the crowd, too?” Leo sat up and looked at the boy he had run into. He was scrawny with untidy black hair. He wore a pair of round glasses, and strange black robes.

                “Nah, it’s okay,” Leo said. His eyes flickered to the boy’s forehead. “Whoa! Wicked tattoo, man!” There was a lightning mark on his forehead.

                “Oh, um thanks, but it’s not a tattoo. It’s a scar.” The boy instinctively put a hand on the mark. “It’s from the night Voldemort killed my parents.”

                “Volde-who?” Leo chuckled. “What kind of a name is Voldemort? Hey, you know I think we got off to a bad start. My name’s Leo. And you are?”

                The boy looked a little confused. “I’m Harry. Harry Potter. Haven’t you heard of Voldemort? You know, he was kinda the darkest wizard of all time that killed a whole bunch of people?”

                “I think you might have hit your head a little hard there, buddy. What do you mean wizard? Wait!” Leo gasped. “Am I dead? Did I pass out when we crashed?”

                The two boys kept talking, and Harry got more and more impatient. Was this kid crazy? How does he not know who Voldemort is? Harry explained everything about Hogwarts. “You know, you kind of rode the train here. And got a letter inviting you…” He supposed it could be possible that this kid was a Muggle. He had to have missed the sorting ceremony again. He had never seen a sorting ceremony, except for when he was being sorted. This Leo kid seemed pretty weird, too. What did he mean he crashed here with his girlfriend? Maybe they were in a plane and crashed here.

                Leo explained to Harry about them crashing, leaving out that the thing they had crashed in was actually a mechanical dragon named Festus. He didn’t want to seem crazy. But this kid seemed pretty crazy, so it may not matter.

                “Look, I need some help. I need some tools to fix the um…” What should he call it? “The um… plane we came in. I’m… uh… I’m the youngest person to ever fly a plane. Anyway, my girlfriend has a broken wrist, and she’s pretty strong, so she’s toughing it out, but we really need a doctor. We could also use a place to sleep if your, uh, principal would be willing to let us stay. What was the name of this school again? Pigfarts? No, no, that’s not right. Uh, Pigzits maybe—“

                “Hogwarts,” Harry said, exasperated. “Just come with me. I’m sure we’ve already missed the feast,” he grumbled, “but I can take you to Professor Dumbledore. I’m sure he can find you guys somewhere to sleep. Let’s go get your girlfriend.”

                The two boys headed into the woods together. They found Calypso making a splint with a couple of sticks and cloth from her dress for her wrist. “Finally, your back! Who’s this?” she asked nodding in Harry’s direction.

                “This is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Calypso. He’s gonna take us up to that castle we saw. He says there are people there that can help us.” Leo took Calypso’s hand. “C’mon, let’s go.”

                As Harry turned his back on the pair to lead them to the castle, Leo whispered to Calypso everything Harry had told him. “I think he may be crazy. He said he was trying to get around the crowd, but I didn’t hear or see anyone. But, I think there could be some demigods somewhere. I saw a centaur. He looked different, though. Much calmer.”

                Soon, the castle came into view. It was gigantic. Harry grinned. “Welcome to Hogwarts, guys.” Harry showed them inside. It was well-kept, even though the outside looked a bit worn down. Harry began looking around. “I guess everyone has headed upstairs to the dorm rooms. Let’s head to the Great Hall. Some of the staff might still be in there.”

                Harry led Leo and Calypso into a giant room with four long tables. At the end of the hall was another long table where a few people sat. A thin, old man with a long beard sat at the middle of the table in a fancier chair than the others. On one side of him sat another thin man with greasy black hair and a crooked nose. On his other side sat a frightening man covered in scars. A chunk of his nose was missing. From under the table, the two could see a wooden leg. The strangest thing about the man was that one of his eyes was normal, looking at the old man, but the other looking everywhere around the hall, even behind him. In front of the table, a lady in emerald robes was pacing back and forth. When she saw the trio, she gasped and came running toward them. Sitting at one of the tables going down the hall were a boy and a girl. The girl had very frizzy hair and wore a very worried expression. The boy had bright red hair, and though he had his back to them, Leo and Calypso could tell he was worried. The frizzy-haired girl looked up.

                “HARRY!” she exclaimed and came running to him. The red-headed boy looked up quickly and came running after her. “Harry, you had us worried sick! Where have you been?!” The girl suddenly noticed Leo and Calypso. “Oh, hi… Harry who are these two? Are you first year—“

                “Potter!” The lady wearing emerald robes had walked up to them. “What, pray tell, have you been doing that is worthy of missing the feast?”

                “Well, Professor, this is Leo and Calypso,” Harry gestured toward the couple. “They crashed here, and they need a place to sleep and some tools to fix their plane.”

                The professor’s eyes widened. “Oh, my goodness! Potter, you brought them here?!” She noticed Calypso’s wrist. “They’ll need to be taken to Madam Pomfrey immediately. As for sleeping arrangements,” the professor looked at Leo. “You can sleep with Mr. Potter in his dorm. We will make—I mean—move a cot into the room for you to sleep on Mr.—“

                “Valdez,” Leo said. “ And this is Calypso um…”

                “Uh, Sanchez,” Calypso said quickly.

                “Well, Ms. Sanchez, you can sleep in Ms. Granger here’s dorm room. We will move another cot in there.” The professor turned around. “Professor Dumbledore, will you come with me to take Mr. Valdez and Ms. Sanchez to Madam Pomfrey? Potter, you had better come, too.” The professor looked over at the pleading faces of Harry’s friends. “Oh, for goodness sake. I suppose you two can come as well.” The two kids grinned.

                The old man stood up and came toward them. “Well, I see we have a few late arrivals. Haven’t been up to anything, have you Harry?” Dumbledore smiled and look at the lady in emerald robes. “Shall we go, Professor McGonagall?”

                “I’m Hermione, by the way, and this is Ron.” The frizzy-haired girl shook hands with Calypso, and the red-headed boy waved.

                As they walked down the corridor, Leo and Calypso noticed the paintings were moving… and talking. This was definitely going to be a very interesting few weeks.