As the compartment filled up with our friends the World Cup had become the topic for discussion.  "We saw him right up close, as well, " Ron says, "We were in the Top Box--"

"For the first and last time in your life, Weasley. " Draco Malfoy sneers with Crabbe and Goyle. 

 "Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy, " says Harry coolly.

 "Weasley... What is that?" Draco says, pointing at Pigwidgeon's cage. A sleeve of Ron's dress robes was dangling from it. Ron rushed to grab it but Draco got it first. "Look at this! Weasley, you weren't thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean--they were very fashionable in about eighteen ninety..."

"Eat dung, Malfoy!" Ron yells. I roll my eyes at the boys. I had learned to give up trying to stop the fighting on either side. Nothing would stop them from their chest thumping. "So... Going to enter, Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know... You'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won... "

"Hey! No!" I exclaim, "stop it."

"What are you talking about?" snaps Ron. 

"Are you going to enter?" Draco repeats, "I suppose you will, Potter? You never miss a chance to show off, do you?"

"Either explain what you're on about or go away, Malfoy, " says Hermione testily, over the top of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4. 

"Don't tell me you don't know?" he says delightedly. "You've got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don't even know? My God, my father told me about it ages ago... Heard it from Cornelius Fudge. But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry... Maybe your father's too junior to know about it, Weasley... Yes... They probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him... " They leave Ron goes to the door. Slamming it so hard the glass shatters.  

"Ron!" Hermione says reproachfully, and she pulled out her wand, mutters "Reparo!" and the glass shards flew back into a single pane and back into the door. 

"Well... Making it look like he knows everything and we don't... " Ron snarls. "Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry. '... Dad could've got a promotion any time... He just likes it where he is..."

"Of course he does, " Hermione says quietly. "Don't let Malfoy get to you, Ron--"

"Him! Get to me!? As if!" says Ron, as he picks up one of the remaining Cauldron Cakes and squashing it into a pulp. I hand Ron a chocolate frog box and he takes it. Chomping down on the chocolate as he fumes.

"I like your dress robes," I offer, "very Retro. Very chic."

"They're nice," Hermione says, "they mean more."

"Whatever," He huffs.

*****

    "Hi, Hagrid!" Harry yells as we get off the train. I look to see the large figure of Hagrid. I wave quickly with a smile.

"All righ', Harry?" Hagrid bellows back, waving. "See yeh at the feast if we don' drown!" I watch as the first years collect around Hagrid. They traditionally got to go across the lake first year. While now we go on the carriages. 

"Oooh, I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake in this weather, " Hermione says fervently, shivering as they inched slowly along the dark platform with the rest of the crowd. 

  "Poor first years," I say, "lets hop they can swim." As we reach a carriage we quickly get inside with Neville joining us.  The carriages speeding as the harsh raindrops burst around us. Once we reach the castle we jump out hurrying to shelter.

"Blimey, " Ron says, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, "if that keeps up the lake's going to overflow. I'm soak--ARRGH!"A large, red, water-filled balloon had burst on Ron's head. I chuckle as they fall around us.

 "PEEVES!" yelled an angry voice. "Peeves, come down here at ONCE!" She almost runs into Hermione as she slides. "Ouch--sorry, Miss Granger--"

"That's all right, Professor!" Hermione gasps, massaging her throat. 

"Peeves, get down here NOW!" barks Professor McGonagall, straightening her pointed hat and glaring upward through her square-rimmed spectacles. 

"Not doing nothing!" cackles Peeves, lobbing a water bomb at several fifth-year girls."Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Wheeeeeeeeee!" 

"I shall call the headmaster!" shouts Professor McGonagall. "I'm warning you, Peeves--" Peeves throws the last of the balloons. Then speeds off. "Well, move along, then!" Professor McGonagall says  sharply to the crowd. "Into the Great Hall, come on!" We follow her inside and I wave to the others. 

"I'll hopefully see you after dinner," I tell them. They nod and wave as I slip off to the Slytherin table. I take my usual place in between Pansy and Draco.  "Hey," I say to the group. Pansy scoffs then turns away to talk to some rather bitchy 2nd years. The sorting ceremony begins and once again. Gryffindors got the most, then Slytherin, Then Ravenclaw, Then finally Hufflepuff. Poor hufflepuff.

****

 At the feast ends Professor Dumbledore stands at his podium. "Now that we are all fed and watered,I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can beviewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it. " Dumbledore announces, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year. "

"What?" I ask Draco who sighs.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year," Dumbledore says, "taking up much of the teachers' time and energy--but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts--" The doors to the hall burst open to reveal a dark cloaked figure. A man with strainy red hair and a buldging blue eye.

"Thats Mad Eye Moody," I mumble, "the bloody hell is he doing here?" Moody marches towards Dumbledore shakes his hand mutters something then sits in one of the empty seats. 

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Dumbledore  says brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."

"Are you kidding me?" Draco asks.

"Why would Moody become a professor?" I ask Draco, "What's going on?"

"As I was saying, " Dumbledore says, smiling at the students around him, "we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year. "

"You're JOKING!" Fred Weasley  screams loudly. Laughter fills the room.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley, " he say, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent oneover the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar. Er--but maybe this is not the time... No... where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament... Well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely. The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities--until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued. "

"Oh great Death Toll. Fun," I say sarcastically.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament, " Dumbledore continues, "none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger. The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

 "Who is dumb enough to risk their lives for money?" I ask.

"All of the Weaslebees over there are talking about entering," Draco says, "you can see it on their faces." I face palm.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts, " Dumbledore says "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age--that is to say, seventeen years or older--will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This-" The boos and screaming crowd interrupting him, "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hog-warts champion. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!" 

"Dear god," I sigh as Draco and I stand up. I take Draco's hand.

"Crabbe! Goyle! Come on," Draco demands. We pass through the hallways and kids. The infamous Draco Malfoy scaring people off from us. I keep running my thumb over the ring I gave him on his pointer finger. 

******

   "Hey guys," I wave to the group as they join me. Hermione sitting beside me as the boys pair off. Moody stomps in looking as frightening as ever.  "You can put those away, " he growls as he sits at his desk, "those books. You won't need them." We put away our books. "Right then, " he said, when the last person had declared themselves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures--you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves, is that right?" We all mumble an agreement. "But you're behind--very behind--on dealing with curses. So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark--"

"What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurts out. Dumb ass. Moody stares at Ron then smiles,  "You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh? Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago... Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favor to Dumbledore... One year, and then back to my quiet retirement. So--straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you counter curses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I 'm talking. ...So... Do any of you know how many unforgivable curses are there?"

"3 sir," Hermione answers.

"And they are?" He asks. Several hands were raised and surprisingly Ron's was one of them. 

"Er, " Ron says tentatively after Moody points at him, "my dad told me about one... Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"

"Ah, yes, " says Moody appreciatively. "Your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse. "Moody pulled out three class jars from his desk and stands up. "Imperio!"The spider leaps from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backwards and forwards as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance. People were laughing without understanding the curse. "Think it's funny, do you? You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you? Total control." The spider balls itself up and rolls over and over, it was sick, "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats... Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse,  Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will. The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody places the spider back in the jar.  "Anyone else know one? Another unforgivable curse?" 

"Yes?" Moody says pointing to Neville's raised hand. 

"There's one--the Cruciatus Curse, " Neville says in a small but distinct voice. Moody staring at Neville.

"Your name's Longbottom?" Moody asks. Neville nods and Moody turns back to his desk. He reaches into the jar and grabs another spider.  "The Cruciatus Curse. Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea, " he says, "Engorgio!" The spider swells and Ron backs away "Crucio!" The spider jerks and twitches. You could tell it was in immense pain. "

Stop it!" Hermione say shrilly. I look at Neville who's fist were clenched tightly horror in his eyes.

"Seriously Moody knock it off!" I say. He looks at me and raises a brow at me.

"Its bothering him! Stop it!" Hermione yells. Moody stops and the spider relaxes.

 "Reducio, " Moody mutters it shrinks and he slips it back in the jar

"Pain, " says Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse... That one was very popular once too... Right... Anyone know any others?" Hermione's hand  went in the air slowly, shaking. s"Yes?" 

 "Avada Kedavra, " Hermione whispers. Hearing the words leave her mouth made me want to puke.

 "Ah, " Moody says, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth. "Yes, the last and worst. Avada Kedavra... The Killing Curse. "He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as though it knew what was coming, the third spiders frantically  run around the bottom of the jar, trying to escape Moody's fingers, but he trapped it, and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle frantically across the desk. "Avada Kedavra!" Moody roars there was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound and the spider goes still. I grab my bag and toss it over my shoulder as I run out of the classroom.

"Miss Cultven!" I hear Moody scream as I run down the hallway.