Selcouth | Golden Trio Era

Chapter 13 - "I'm used to it!"

She sat down at the Gryffindor table, she was close to a few people, closer than she cared to be, but they didn't speak to her, and she didn't speak to them. She watched as Durmstrang makes its way over to the Slytherin table and she waited for Dumbledore's speech.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests!" Dumbledore announced. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable!"

Polaris was scamming the hall, when her eyes landed on a familiar looking girl. Of course, she had never seen the French girl before, but she felt a sense of nostalgia when her eyes landed on her. But, she shook off the feeling and concentrated on the speech.

"The Tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast!" Dumbledore said. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"

Suddenly, food appeared before all of them, and she saw that here were quite a variety of dishes. There were all kinds of food in front of all the students and teachers. There were the normal ones, and she spotted food that was most definitely foreign. She spotted a few French, and a few what she guessed must be Russia, maybe.

But she settled for her usual, which was either Pie, or Sausage and Mash. She wasn't very fond of French food to be honest, she thought it was too fancy. She liked her clothing French, her food, not so much.

Halfway through eating, she spotted none other than Ludo Bagman and Mr Crouch arrive, and take their seats up at the professors table. She noted that Moody gave Crouch an odd look, but it was gone almost instantly. She decided to just write it off, for now.

It seemed the food would just keep coming, and she may come from a ridiculously rich family, but that was way too much food for them to be consuming. If she had to guess, there was at least a thousand pounds of food. And, finally she saw that Dumbledore was about to carry on with his speech, she could tell from the way the professors looked at one another.

"The moment has come!" Dumbledore announced at he smiled at all the excited faces upon him. Though, he noted one student didn't look too bothered at all, and that student was Polaris Malfoy. He knew she was a strange young woman, and carried on with his speech. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket. Just to clarify the procedure which we will all be following this year. But firstly, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Co-Operation!"

There was polite and kind applause for the strict looking man. "And Mr Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports!" There was slightly more eager applause for him, Polaris guessed it was because he looked more likeable than Barty Crouch.

"Mr Bagman and Mr Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament,"Dumbledore continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime on the panel which will judge the champions' efforts!"

At the mention of 'champions' everyone seemed to listen closer to what the man was saying. She was sure Dumbledore noticed the sudden stillness of everyone, for he smiled. "The casket, then, if you please, Mr Filch!"

She watched as Filch carried in a wooden chest, with grand jewels encrusted upon it. A murmur of excited whisper rose from the watching students, upon them seeing the ancient looking chest.

"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr Crouch and Mr Bagman," Dumbledore said as the wooden chest was placed in the table before him, "and they have the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways...their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger!"