Savior's Seeker

Chapter 2 Foreign Guests

*WORDS IN ITALICS IS BULGARIAN*

On the train to Hogwarts, Harry, Holly, Hermione, and Ron sat in their carriage talking about what had happened at the World Cup, Archimedes and Crookshanks curled around each other sleeping next to Holly.

“This is horrible; how can the ministry not know who conjured it. Isn't there any security or?” Hermione asks.

“Loads, according to Dad, that's what worried them so much. Happened right under their noses.” Ron tells her.

Hermione notices the twins rub their scars, though Holly tries to be more discreet about it.

“It's hurting again, isn't it, your scars?” Hermione asks.

“It's fine,” The twins answer.

“You know Sirius and Remus will want to hear about this. What you saw at the world cup, how the Death Eaters chased you, and the dreams.”

The twins look at each other and agree that they need to write their godfathers.

Holly writes the letter to Sirius and Remus, the Harry gives the message to Hedwig and lets her out the window. A few hours later, they all change into their robes and arrive at Hogsmead. Getting off the train, Holly looks up at the castle and sighs. Harry puts his arm around his sister.

“Feels like coming home, doesn't it, Holly?”

“Yes, it does.”

The quartet shares a carriage with Neville, Dean, and Seamus. They all talk about how their summer went and how they think this year was going to go. The group arrive at the castle and make their way into the Great Hall and takes their seats at the Gryffindor table.

Outside, a flying carriage is seen being pulled by four enormous horses coming in for a landing at Hogwarts, Hagrid is directing them. He barely has enough time to dive out of the way as the carriage lands. In the Black Lake, a large ship emerges from under the water and approaches too.

Inside the Great Hall, Professor Dumbledore addresses the students, “Now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some exceptional guests as well. You see, Hogwarts has been chosen..”

Filch comes running up the aisle toward Dumbledore and whispers something in his ear then leaves.

“So Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event. The Tri-Wizard Tournament. Now for those of you who do not know, the Tri-Wizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school, a single contestant is selected to compete. Now let me be clear; if chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint-hearted, but more of that later. For now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of magic and their headmistress Madame Maxime.”

A group of girls dressed in blue dance up the aisle and release butterflies into the air, they bow, and everyone applauds, especially the boys. Holly and Hermione look at each other and roll their eyes.

“Blimey, that's one big woman,” Seamus says.

The headmistress makes her way towards Dumbledore; he takes her hand and kisses it.

“And now, our friends from the north, please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and the high master Igor Karkaroff.”

A series of older boys walk up the aisle brandishing bo staffs,  twirling them around and periodically stomping them into the ground with a spark effect.

Ron starts freaking out when he spots Viktor Krum, “Blimey, it's him, Viktor Krum!”

When the boys reach the front of the Great Hall, one of them blows fire in the shape of a Phoenix.

The headmaster greets Professor Dumbledore warmly, “Albus!”

“Igor.” The two embrace.

Now that the other schools have joined them, the feast begins. The ladies of Beauxbaton sit at the Ravenclaw table while Durmstrang sits with at the Slytherin table. A variety of different dishes are served that Harry and Holly have never seen before, obviously from the other school's home countries to make them feel more at home. After dinner, Professor Dumbledore goes on with his announcement.

“Your attention, please! I would like to say a few words. Eternal glory that is what awaits the student who wins the Tri-Wizard Tournament. But to do this that students must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks.”

The Weasley twins are excited at the prospect of entering the tournament.

“For this reason, the ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this, we have the head of the department of international magic cooperation Mister Bartimus Crouch.”

Thunder roars overhead, rain begins leaking through the roof and screams break out. A strange man stands in the doorway, he casts some magic upwards and seals the roof. Peace is restored. Ron comment that it's Mad-Eye Moody that has just come into the Great Hall.

“Alastor Moody, the Auror?” Hermione asks.

Harry and Holly look at Ron, confused.

“He was a Dark Wizard catcher. Half the cells in Azkaban are full thanks to him. He's supposed to be mad as a hatter though these days.”

Mad-Eye enters the room, his magical eye swirling around, focusing on Harry and Holly. The ex-Auror makes his way up to Professor Dumbledore and shakes his hand.

“My old friend, thank you for coming.”

Moody nods and takes his seat; he then takes a drink from a flask he's carrying.

After Moody takes a seat, Bartimus Crouch stands up, “After much deliberation, the ministry has concluded that for their safety, no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their names for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. This decision is final.”

There's an uproar among the stupids; they begin booing. Fred and George were among the loudest.

“Silence!” Professor Dumbledore bellows.

Dumbledore casts magic over a box that melds into a goblet containing a blue flame.

“The goblet of fire. Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the tournament merely writes their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly; if chosen, there's no turning back. As from this moment, the Tri-Wizard Tournament has begun.”

When the students were dismissed to go back to their dorms, Viktor quickly stood up along with his friends. He didn't want to linger in the Great Hall as he was already being stared at by several giggling girls. But when he stood up, Viktor noticed a group of red-haired students sitting at the Gryffindor table. His eyes widened when he saw one redhead in particular. It was the girl Viktor had saved at the World Quidditch Cup. Viktor thought that he would never see her again, and that thought had disappointed him. Now she was there at Hogwarts.

Viktor was going to make his way over to her table when his headmaster came over to him and ordered him and his friends to go back to the ship. Viktor glared at Igor but did as he was told, tomorrow he would talk to the red-haired girl.

As they walked back to the ship, Viktor's friend and roommate Aleksandur put his hand on Viktor's shoulder, *What's the matter, Viktor, you look like you've seen a ghost.*

*Do you remember me telling you about the girl I saved at the Quidditch World Cup?*

*Da, the little red-hair girl, what about her?*

*She's here at Hogwarts. She was sitting at the Gryffindor table.*

Aleksandur smiled, *Perhaps you will get to talk with her.*

*Perhaps I will.*

With that, Aleksandur put his arm around his friend's shoulder, and the boarded their ship.