Fighting Fate // Mattheo Riddle ♣️

Chapter Six - The Triwizard Tournament

Word Count: 1,624

Warnings: None. 

"Mad-Eye Moody?" Draco asked, astonished. "What the bloody hell is he doing at our school?"

"Notice the empty chair at the teacher's table." I told him, watching the tables gazes move to the long wooden table.

"The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Theo muttered.

"That psycho can't be teaching us, can he?" Pansy asked.

"He's an accomplished Auror and definitely qualified for the job," I told her.

"But he's bonkers. Why would Dumbledore hire him?" Theo muttered.

"Maybe because he's bonkers too," I offered.

The stranger sat down in the chair that belongs to the DADA teacher and pulled a plate of sausages towards him. He then took a small knife out of his pocket, speared a sausage on the end of it, and began to eat. His normal eye was fixed upon the sausages, but the blue eye was darting restlessly around in its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Dumbledore said brightly, into the silence. "Professor Moody."

"Merlin, Lyra, how did you know who he was from one look?" Draco asked. I kept my gaze fixed on the new teacher.

"I saw it in a newspaper somewhere. He's a hard face to forget."

The stranger reached again into his travelling cloak and pulled out a hip-flask and took a long draught from it.

"Is he drinking on the job?" Pansy asked, letting out a small laugh.

"He should at least wait until he meets the students before considering day-drinking." I heard Blaise reply.

"It's probably just pumpkin juice." It was Theo this time.

Dumbledore cleared his throat again. "As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "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 very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" I heard one of the twins shout.

"Holy shit!" Nika's voice followed.

The tension that had filled the Hall ever since Moody's arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed at the pair's outburst.

"I am not joking Mr. Weasley," he said, "though, now you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar –"

Professor McGonagall clearly her throat loudly.

"Er – but maybe this is not the time... no..." Dumbledore muttered. "Where was I?" Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament... well some of you will not know what this Tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation and allow their attention to wander freely."

"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 the 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."