Gossip {Sherlock Holmes/Harry Potter}

Chapter Five

"Warning, if you have to take a piss, don't."

Pierce looked up as Julius returned, his hair damp, along with the upper part of his shirt.

"Um..did you fall into the toilet head first?" Pierce asked him.

"No, Peeves thinks it's funny to drop water balloons today." Julius grumbled. "This year is just starting off great for me. Being trampled and then getting soaked, exactly what I needed. Definite confidence booster."

Pierce offered a sincere smile. "Relax, friend. It's going to be a good year." he said.

"Easy for you to say."

The two watched as the Sorting Ceremony began. They clapped and welcomed the new Ravenclaws and clapped for the other first years being sorted into the other houses.

"That went quicker than normal, didn't it?" Julius said lowering his hands after the last student was sorted.

"The Sorting Hat didn't seem to really stall on anyone this year. It sorted everyone in less than a minute." Pierce said.

The Start of the Term feast began, allowing the students to begin eating when Nearly Headless Nick entered claiming that Peeves was causing trouble in the kitchens.

It didn't seem out of the ordinary for Peeves, but as Pierce looked up, he saw Hermione at her table listening intently.

She seemed upset by Peeves' actions or something that Nick reported, quickly placing her food down and refusing to eat for the remainder of the feast. He looked on with concern before Julius nudged him roughly.

"What?"

Julius motioned towards the stage where Dumbledore stood. Professor Dumbledore began his usual announcements of the year, warning first years about parts of the castle that were off limits. But his announcements took a different turned as he announced that the quidditch season was canceled. Protest and groans filled the hall until everyone caught sight of a peculiar looking fellow entering the Great Hall from a side door.

"Who's that?" Julius answered. Pierce didn't even get the chance to say anything as Dumbledore welcomed the man.

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, a famous retired Auror, was announced as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

Pierce swallowed and looked down at the table. He knew who the auror was, even before Dumbledore had introduced him, thanks to his lovely mother as she spoke about it the same morning before he departed with Watson.

The Auror had been involved in some incident involving Arthur Weasley and some enchanted dustbins, but Pierce didn't know anything else of the matter. But he was sure he was going to find out when his mother posted her next article. 

He was a peculiar looking fellow, a face full of scars, which made one believe that each scar contained a back story to it. His hair was disorderly giving him an even more menacing look paired with his one electric-blue eye that seemed to have a mind of it's own as it moved around freely from the other. With the addition of a wood leg, Mad-Eye Moody was definitely the most eccentric looking Dark Arts professor they had so far at the school.

But the excitement did not stop with Mad-Eye Moody's introduction, Dumbledore had more to say.

"As I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that 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."

"Triwizard..what's that?" Julius asked him.

Once again, Pierce didn't have to answer as Dumbledore went on to describe the tournament as a competition between three wizarding schools, one being Beauxbatons, the other Durmstrang Institute. A competitor would be selected from each school to compete for the prize of one thousand galleons and the chance at achieving eternal glory.

The schools would arrive at the end of October where the champions would be selected to compete. However, it was expressed that no student under the age of seventeen was allowed to enter causing another stir of discontent among the students.

Shortly after, the students were sent back to the dorms for bed.

"First day back, and it's already turning out to be quite the exciting year."Julius said. "Shame about not being able to enter the tournament though."

"Would you even enter it even if you were of age? Be honest." Pierce said.

"Well, one thousand Galleons is a decent amount of money, not to mention eternal glory sounds pretty fancy. Might help me pick up some ladies along the way with a title like that."

"You know the tournament would probably involve incredibly dangerous tasks that involve moving right?"

"Like..rapid moving or move at my own pace?" Julius inquired.

"Rapid moving, Julius, rapid moving."

"Oh well..never mind then. Eternal glory will have to wait."

"You are so lazy, I swear."

"It's a beautiful lifestyle, Pierce. I'll live a long relaxing life. You'll see. You should try it sometime."

"Yes, you and your pillow will live a nice happily ever after." Pierce chuckled heading up the stairs of the Ravenclaw tower.

"I'm okay with that. My pillow is soft and fulfills my needs!" Julius called after him.

Pierce turned around and gave him a bizarre look.

"Oh gross, Pierce! Not like that! That's sick and twisted."

"I'm not the one who said my pillow fulfills my needs, you did."

"But I didn't mean it like that!"

"Sure you didn't! Tell me, does this special pillow have a name?"

"Shut up, Pierce!"

"Is it a girl pillow or a boy?"

"I said shut up!"

"When is he or she going to meet your parents?!"