"So, pup, are you excited?" A voice asked as Harry landed, swinging himself off his broom with the ease of practise.
"Excited?" He asked as Remus walked out onto the Quidditch pitch, Sirius bounding around him in dog-shape.
"You have a chance to witness the Tri-Wizard tournament." Remus smiled as Harry moved past him to rack the broomstick. "It's being brought back."
Harry frowned, then looked round as Jor-El materialised.
"The Tri-Wizard Tournament is a long-abandoned competition between the three oldest Schools of Magic, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute. Each school has a champion selected via an artifact known as the Goblet of Fire and they proceed to undertake a trio of high-risk challenges in which fatalities are not uncommon.
"The first Tournament was held in 1294 and was designed to test magical ability, courage and intelligence. The Tournament was held every three years, with the winning school being known as the Greatest School until the start of the next tournament. However, the Tournament was abandoned after the incident in 1792 where all three champions died and three judges were injured, two of them permanently, by an enraged Cockatrice under the influence of an engorgement charm. Hogwarts was deemed to be the winner as their champion was not simply ahead on points at the time, but also lasted longest, sacrificing himself to buy enough time for the Audience to begin their evacuation.
"Of the 167 Tournaments that have been held, Hogwarts has wone 63 of them with Beauxbatons claiming victory in 62. The remaining 42 were won by Durmstrang. It is important to note that in only seventeen tournaments did all the champions survive without crippling injuries."
"Wow." Sirius said in awe, having resumed his human form during the recitation. "I hope that they've put safety protocols in place."
"Jorel, may I have a printout of that summary, please?" Remus asked.
"It will be ready momentarily, sir."
"Why is it being brought back?" Harry asked curiously and Sirius shrugged slightly.
"I heard that it came from the Minister's office."
"I'll check with Minerva when I get to Hog… what?" Remus trailed off as Sirius stared at him.
"Minerva?" Sirius repeated. "Does she know you call her that?"
"She gave me permission." Remus shrugged, then he smirked. "You know, she still wants to hex you for calling her Minnie on your last day as DADA teacher."
"Why do you think I waited until then to do it?" Sirius shot back as he stepped out of Harry's way. "Well, it's time to head out, pup, another year of boring study awaits you."
"Some of us actually like to learn new things." Harry riposted and Remus chuckled at Sirius' betrayed expression.
"Come on, let's leave this old dog to contemplate the horrors of new tricks and get you to the platform." Remus joked. "You don't want to miss the train."
"No." Harry agreed. "I don't… I wonder what game Neville will have for us to play this time?"
.
.
"Cluedo?" Hermione reached out to help Neville set out the board. "I like this game."
"It seems fun." Neville allowed as he finished distributing the implements around the floorplan of the mansion. "So, who wants to be whom?"
"I'll be Miss Scarlet." Ginny stated instantly and Luna giggled.
"I'll be Mrs White, then."
"Mrs Peacock for me." Hermione tapped the blue piece.
"I'll be Mr Plum." Neville decided.
"Colonel Mustard." Harry stated with a grin. "Shall we throw to see who starts?"
.
"…I suggest it was Colonel Mustard, in the Kitchen, with the Revolver." Ginny said, moving Harry's piece from the corridor between the library and the Billiards room to the room where her own token had landed. Luna glanced at the cards she was holding, then shook her head, as did Neville.
"Ginny…"
Ginny looked at the card that Hermione had placed, face-down, in front of her, then ducked to peer at what the card was without letting anyone else see.
"…thank you." She finally grumbled and Hermione reclaimed the card.
"My turn!" Luna chirped, rolling the dice. "Three… yes! I suggest it was… Mr Plum, with the Spanner, in the Dining Room!"
Neville shook his head, as did Hermione and Harry pulled out the card showing the room, passing it to Luna so that she could see it.
"…poot!" Luna cursed genteely, causing Ginny to start giggling.
"My turn." Neville scooped up the dice and rolled. "Two. Well, that doesn't get me anywhere."
Hermione rolled the dice and moved her token into the Conservatory.
"I suggest it was myself, in the conservatory, with the dagger."
A round of headshakes caused Hermione to look smug but she didn't follow up with an accusation. Harry narrowed his eyes as he considered which of the three suggestions Hermione was holding. Was it just one, two or was she running a complex bluff by holding all three and setting things up to make everyone else waste several turns trying to get to the Conservatory to prove/disprove that it was the room in question?
Just how sneaky was Hermione?
.
"…so I accuse Mrs White of performing the fell deed, using the Candlestick in the Billiards Room!" Luna declared, reaching out for the trio of cards in their envelope. Pulling out the cards, her triumhant expression crumbled.
"Well… poop."
Replacing the cards back in the envelope, she returned them to the center of the board with a pout as Neville picked up the dice. Rolling a three, he moved his token to just outside the kitchen, then Hermione spoke.
"I accuse Mrs White, who used the lead pipe in the conservatory."
Picking up the envelope, Hermione pulled out the cards, then laid them flat to show that her accusation had been correct. A moment later, she flipped over her own cards and showing that she had the Billiards Room as one of her cards. Harry flipped the Candlestick card onto the table and Luna stuck her tongue out at him, then at Hermione who hid a smirk behind a hastily-raised hand.
"Okay, you are sneaky." Harry admitted as he started to collect the cards and sort them while Neville returned the dice and tokens to their relevant compartments in the game box.
"That was fun." Ginny stretched in her seat as Luna folded the board up and handed it to Neville. "I…"
Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by a knock on the door and everyone turned to see Draco standing calmly on the other side of the door, his normal shadowswaiting to one side. Getting up, Harry slid the door open.
"Lord Apparent Malfoy." He said politely.
"Lord Potter, Heir Longbottom, Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, Miss Lovegood." Draco gave them a nod verging on a bow. "I came to ask if you have heard about the upcoming Tri-Wizard Tournament."
"I have." Harry replied, motioning behind his back for the others to let him take care of it. "Given the high amount of fatalities in the past, I have no interest in trying to enter and I doubt that my friends will seek to either."
"I also intend not to enter and I have suggested to my friends that they avoid it too." Draco nodded. "I have others I need to contact, so I bid you all good day."
With another nod-verging-on-a-bow, Draco strode off, Crabbe and Goyle falling in behind him.
"…that was strange." Neville finally said.
.
"Zabini."
"Malfoy."
Draco waved his followers away and stepped into the compartment, closing the door behind him.
"Zabini… I have received a message."
"From Crouch Jr?" Blaise asked, earning a surprised stare. "My mother Obliviated several of her former husbands whenever they caught her doing something like re-writing their wills. I have a resistance to it as a result of being caught in the edge of the spell several times. While it still affects me, the effects do not last more than a month. I remember what happened… and how it was your plan that saved us from Azkaban."
"This… makes things easier." Draco nodded. "Your mother has contacts, yes?"
"She does." Blaise agreed.
"And you can use them yourself?"
"Most of them, yes. What do you need?"
"Someone to perform a job… and maybe even remove a threat to our future."
"…I'm listening."
.
.
"…so, anyone else want to say anything before our students get here?" Minerva asked.
"If I may?" Horace Slughorn said diffidently and Minerva nodded for him to continue. "I know that I have only just rejoined Hogwarts, and I must thank you all for making me feel welcome, but regarding the other two schools... where are we going to put them?"
"They are bringing their own lodgings with them." Minerva replied. "Headmistress Olympe Maxine has informed me that the carriages they are using have been equipped with Wizarding Tents while Headmaster Theseus Scamander Jr has written to me, explaining that he will be bringing his students on a ship which has been significantly expanded on the inside."
"Theo has told me much the same thing." Albus confirmed. "It will be good to see him again. Did you know that he is the youngest Headmaster that Durmstrang has ever had?"
"Didn't he take over after Karkaroff was killed?" Snape asked and Albus nodded, his jovial expression slipping.
"Yes. They still don't know who was responsible, or how."
"Moving on." Minerva interjected. "Professor Slughorn, you have my permission to re-start your Slug Club, but with a few caveats. One, all guests from outside Hogwarts are to be approved of by myself or Deputy Headmaster Lupin. Two, you will be assigned a room for your club. I believe that the classroom next to the one you will be teaching in is available. Three, Saturdays only, preferably after lunch and finishing by nine in the evening."
"More than acceptable, Headmistress." Horace smarmed. "Thank you."
"I will include it in the announcement at the opening feast." Minerva added and Horace beamed at her.
"I've also been informed that the noticeboards in the common rooms should be fully operational now, meaning that any list put in the Library noticeboard will be duplicated in the common rooms." Minerva gave a nod to Madam Pince, who was sat in the corner with a faint scowl. "This will help our students find out what they need to know without needing to crowd around the noticeboard in the library."
"Noisy brats." Madam Pince sniffed.
"…if any of the boards do not work for any reason, Remus is the one to contact."
Remus nodded.
"Finally, for the Heads of House who have… problematic students, please impress on them the need to not show up Hogwarts in front of the other schools."
"I'll speak to the Twins personally." Septima Vector stated firmly. "We will not have a repetition of the Custard Incident while I have anything to say about it."
"I shall ensure that the few of my snakes who may decide to act up are given reason to rethink their potential actions." Snape added as Horace looked confused.
"Thank you." Minerva looked round. "Any other business at this point? Then you are dismissed until the Feast."
Horace made sure that he left beside Albus, who had held back as the younger (and more spry) members had filed out.
"Albus, what can you tell me about Lord Potter?" Horace prompted as the door closed behind them and the stairs started to carry them down.
"Hoping to add him to your club, are you?" Albus chuckled.
"Can you blame me?"
.
.
The squealing of brakes echoed through the carriage as the train slowed to a stop by the Hogsmead station. Hermione leaned out of the window, looking round curiously.
"The station's been upgraded!" She announced as the train stopped with a final jolt. "The lights are new, the roof stretches over the carriages… and there are new flagstones on the platform!"
"I know." Harry said and Hermione turned round, ducking back into the carriage.
"You do?"
"It was part of the upgrades in Hogsmeade," Harry explained as he led them into the corridor. "Took a while to set up, but there's now a Switching Room connecting to Hogsmeade itself and the path for the first years has been totally re-laid and the illumination improved."
"Hagrid must be happy," Ginny noted as the Care of Magical Creature Professor's voice echoed across the platform.