IT HAD BEEN nearly two months since the initial announcement of the tournament and foreign guests. The end of October had arrived.
The sun was currently streaming through the glass windows of the Gryffindor dormitory as Arden woke, slowly sitting up.
"Morning Ard," Giselle said. Arden shared a room with three other girls; Giselle, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet. The four girls became quick friends their first year, but Arden and Giselle became closer than the others.
"Good morning to you too, Giselle," she yawned.
"Are you ready for today?" Giselle asked excitedly, quickly making her bed and running over to Arden's. It took a few moments before the girl remembered that the foreign guests were arriving today.
"Yeah, I am," she smiled before smirking, "Are you?" Giselle, a girl who had never seen a quidditch match, surprisingly had a massive crush on the Bulgarian seeker, Viktor Krum. She somehow knew, too, that he attended Durmstrang, and thus, had been counting down the days until his arrival.
"Shut up," Giselle mumbled, forcibly chucking a pillow into her friend's face. Arden snickered before getting out of bed and making her way to the window. It was truly beautiful, mornings on campus. The way the sun was rising into the darkened sky, lightening it, and how the forbidden forest was barely visible under the blanket of fog. "Up for some breakfast?" she asked, breaking the comfortable silence. Giselle nodded as she got up from the bed and pulled on her robes.
The four girls (Arden, Giselle, Alicia, and Angelina) and the Weasley twins were descending the marble staircase near the Great Hall. While Fred and George were conversing privately (though every now and then they added to the girls' conversation), the girls were discussing mainly of Mad Eye Moody, who, since the first day, had piled pages upon pages of homework.
"There's a reason he's called Mad Eye," Angelina said in a low voice, glancing around as if she was making sure the corridor was clear of the Professor. "He's completely mad."
"Great choice of word play," George butt in, briefly glancing at Angelina. Arden giggled at the interaction, watching as Angelina rolled her eyes at the boy, who, in return scrunched his face.
"He's not wrong, you know," Giselle snickered. As the five of her friends began to jokingly snip at each other, Arden detoured from the group and headed to the bathroom. However, as she was walking, she heard the sounds of jogging footsteps growing louder and louder in her direction. She turned around and smiled at the sight of her bestfriend making his way towards her.
"Arden, hey," Cedric called out, gracefully jogging his way to the girl. Once he stood in front of her, he grinned back, showing off his perfect teeth.
"Good morning Diggy," she greeted, linking their arms. He chuckled his angelic laugh before replying.
"Are you excited about today?"
"Well yeah, of course. Are you? Though you'd have to be mad to not be, no offense. I wonder how they're arriving though, you know? Brooms, floo powder, portkey. . ." She began to use her spare hand to list the possibilities.
"Don't strain yourself, yeah?" Laughed Cedric, noticing how her expression became pensive. They had reached the Great Hall by now, arms still linked.
"I wasn't straining myself," she snorted, "I was merely thinking." They sat down next to each other at the Gryffindor table once again, only this time it was nearly empty (besides Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia, and Giselle.)
The two began to fill their plates (and stomachs) as the hall began to fill, most students chatting eagerly about the arriving schools.
"What's it like being a Gryffindor?" Cedric thought aloud, catching her off guard as she chewed on a fried tomato. "You know, being known for bravery?" She let out a small laugh once she swallowed, unable to think of a serious answer.
