Keeping Secrets || Oliver Wood

Chapter 7

I found the trio, and stood behind them. Hermione was in front trying to see ahead of her. Ron and Harry were standing there talking amongst themselves moving along with the line as the line moved slowly. I looked at Hermione before tapping her shoulder.

"Qu'est-ce que vous faitez?" I told her.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"What are you doing?" I repeated my question, but this time in English.

"There are other schools here." Hermione replied looking 

"How come? For what?" I asked curiously.

"I think it has to do with the Tri-Wizard tournament." Hermione said.

"The what?" I asked. I knew what it was, sort of. My mum always talked about it with my dad, though I never really did pay much attention to it, I only payed attention when they spoke about quidditch and the world cup thing.

"It's this tournament that happens, apparently this year it's a Hogwarts. Dumbledore must be quite excited for it." Hermione said. 

"Oh I see." I said as the line picked up and we finally arrived inside the grounds.

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After about 20 minutes of standing in a line, going in to the Great Hall, Professor McgGonagall started calling out all the first years and those who are starting here their  4th year. Which meant that I had to go up there. I followed the group and stood again, in another line.  Waiting again, for another 20 minutes, my turn finally came up. I sat on the brown stool chair and took a deep breath waiting for the almighty, powerful, and all-knowing hat to come down upon my head.

"Strong, Determined, Loyal, Brave, Courageous," The hat spoke, "Speaks her mind. Better be GRYFINNDOR!" The hat yelled.

'Yes.' I thought to myself smiling. I turned around to face the hat and said, "Merci."

I walked back over to the table on to which Hermione, Fred, George, Harry and Ron were. All of which were clapping for me. Oliver was sitting among a group of girls. One of them is probably his girlfriend, or future girlfriend. I thought, whatever. I sat down beside Fred, gave him a small smile, and turned my gaze over to Professor Dumbledore who walked up to the beautiful podium and began to speak.

He explained how there were two schools visiting Hogwarts for the tournament, and we would be competing against them. As he did so, a man came up to the podium somewhat trotting over to Dumbledore and spoke to him huffing in between. He, then, went back to the Great Hall's doors and exited the Great Hall. After that, he spoke.

"Let us welcome the ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and their headmistress, Madame Maxime. " Dumbledore said.

A group of filles in blue dresses came into the Great hall first walking, sighing to the left, then to the right, then jazz running their way to the front and splitting to the left and right. There was an older fille behind the group of filles jazz running too, and a younger fille in spandex, I believe, doing backhand springs making her way to the front as well. After the younger one reached the front, the older one and her bowed. The headmistress was very tall. Taller than the gate keeper, Hagrid I believe. Never thought there was anyone taller than that man. I was wrong.

"Now let's welcome the proud sons of Drumstang and their headmaster Igor Karkorov." Dumbledore spoke once again.

The group of filles and the headmistress all sat down at their appropriate destinations, after them, a group of garçons came through the Great Hall doors banging their big sticks on the floor. They weren't bad looking, but as my brother would say, they seem like b-boys to me. Though they were excellent dancers and the fire dragon thing that one of them made near the end of their entrance was impressive.

"Bloody hell, it's Viktor Krum." Ron said to Harry.

"Who is Viktor Krum?" I asked him.

"Bulgaria's seeker." He said.

"Wasn't he at the Quidditch World Cup? Bulgaria verses Ireland, right? I went to that. Front row seats. Mum got them from Minister Fudge. Said something about working at the ministry at the Defensive Strategic Order." I told Ron.

"What? No way. I wish we got front row seats." Ron said disappointedly.

"Next time yeah? I'll take you guys with me?" I said with a light smile.

"Your attention please. I'd like to say a few words. Eternal Glory. That is what awaits the Student who wins the Tri-Wizard Tournament. But to do this the Student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks." Dumbledore spoke up, causing Ron and I's conversation to be over.

Fred and George looked at each other and said slightly aloud, "Wicked."

Dumbledore went on, about how the tournament is not for those who have a weak heart, and can't take pain, horror well. I looked at Fred and George worried at the fact that they wanted to enter into the tournament.

"To explain all this we have the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Mr. Bartemius Crouch... " He continued, turning his head to a man with a funny looking mustache above his lip. 

I didn't really pay much attention to what Mr. Crouch said, but I could tell the Fred and George didn't approve of it because they boo-ed and yelled out, 'that's rubbish'. I laughed silently at their reaction towards it and listened to Professor Dumbledore.

"This year the Tri-wizard Tournament will be held here, Hogwarts will be home to two other schools until this is over." Professor Dumbledore said.

"That's really cool." I said with a smile, "We get to meet other people from other schools."

"Yes, it really is." Hermione said.

     

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*Filles- girls
*Fille- girl