act two: little dark age
chapter twenty-six

The train ride went smoothly. Students filled the compartments for the most part and made their movements to change before they arrived at school and upon arriving, they all piled into the carriages and walked into the school together. Well, they made their way to the beginning of the court yard before noticing how Hagrid was conducting in the carriages. Shock and glee filled over most faces.

Daphne's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion as she watched these unfamiliar carriages land before watching as a ship emerged from the deep water outside of Hogwarts. Everyone stood in a sort of awe, not understanding what was happening but finding themselves entranced by these situations.

There seemed to be a lot coming to Hogwarts this year, and it seemed that everyone was about to learn what was really coming their way this year. Maybe, it wouldn't be dangerous. Not likely, Daphne thought to herself as she leaned against the concrete, what in the wizarding world isn't dangerous for kids?

The beauty of it all was that maybe they'd meet new people. But the thought of meeting new people for some reason made Daphne sick. She wasn't sure what had changed in her over the summer since their third year, but the thought of new people around her or her friends made her want to grab her wand and wreak havoc on the world.

"Well there's something you don't see everyday!" One of the twins exclaimed.

The boat finally fully emerged as the water drained from it, falling back into the ocean while the students cheered and roared. Daphne rolled her eyes as she ran her hands through her hair while leaning more against the column in front of her before following the other students into the Great Hall.

"Well, now we're all settled in and sorted I'd like to make an announcement," Dumbledore stood in front of his podium while reading from the paper in front of him, "This castle will not only be your home this year, but home to some very special guests as well."

"What's he doing?" Daphne whispered to Ron who shrugged his shoulders.

"I dunno," The two watched as Filch ran down the rows trying his fastest to get to Voldemort, Ron and Daphne simply looked at each other before falling into a fit of laughter.

"You see, Hogwarts has been chosen..." Dumbledore's speech went on a halt as Filch finally made it up to the podium as the two elderly men began to whisper to each other, "Yes, what is it? What is it? Tell them to wait. Tell them to wait. Wait," Filch began to run away again causing more laughter, "So, Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event: The Triwizard Tournament. For those who don't know..."

"Brilliant!" The twins looked at each other before looking back at Daphne who rolled her eyes.

"The Triwizard tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests, for each school, a single student is selected to compete. Now, let me be clear. If chosen, you stand alone," Daphne felt as if something in the air had shifted as Dumbledore spoke, "And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint of heart. But more of that later. For now, please join me in welcoming... the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their headmistress Madam Maxine."

Daphne looked over as the doors to the Great Hall opened. She noticed how all eyes had fallen on the stunning ladies who adorned blue silk gowns while walking gracefully in. Making swift and graceful movements with their arms as they sighed. Catching the attention of all of the males in the room.

"Good Godric," Daphne muttered as she tore her gaze away, nudging Harry as if telling him not to look before sighing when Ron did.

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed while looking in an area that he shouldn't have been.

Daphne watched as the girl's reached the ends of the tables. Swaying once more before a whirlwind of blue butterflies released from their arms while they smiled. Almost as if they were enamored with their own works of art.

They then turned to see as the headmistress followed behind, "Blimey. That's one big woman."

Applause soon followed as the women of Beauxbatons finished their little show for the people of Hogwarts while Daphne tried to ignore the feelings that harbored within her. Grabbing her goblet which was full of pumpkin juice and gulping it down without a second thought.

Dumbledore went down and took Madam Maxine's hand as he placed a kiss to her knuckles before quickly running back to his podium as he held his arms high in the air, "And now our friends from the North. Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and their High Master Igor Karkaroff."

Everyone turned and watched as the Bulgarians entered. Daphne's eyebrows raised as she caught sight of one who looked amazing. She quickly got over herself as she kept her eyes on the man who was hitting his cane against the ground as it burned the floor.

"Blimey, Daph. You're drooling!" Ginny exclaimed as she laughed at the girl.

Harry looked over at his friend who didn't even bat an eyelash, his face growing slightly red, "What happened to hating Bulgarian's?"

"Yeah yeah," She muttered as she continued to stare off at the other guy, barely paying Harry any attention.

She watched as they continued to make their way down the hall as they passed their staff between their hands while making swift and sharp movements as they twirled them around and chanted. Maybe she would hear others out about the Bulgarians. Cocky, but hot.

They watched as they dropped a staff before running to the front and doing multiple flips and movements, "Oh my! Godric, I might hear someone out - I'm weak at the knees," Daphne stood up on the table just to keep her gaze locked.

"Get down," Harry seemed a little annoyed by her actions while everyone else laughed.

"Blimey it's him, Viktor Krum!" Ron then went pink as he watched the Quidditch player walk down with his Headmaster.

Daphne rolled her eyes as she forced herself not to look at the Bulgarian any longer as she smirked at Harry's anger, "What?"

Harry simply rolled his eyes at the girl before repeating, "What happened to hating Bulgarians?"

"I dunno," Daphne responded sarcastically while raising an eyebrow at Hermione who had an expression of knowing, "What?"

"Nothing," Hermione was quick to dismiss it as she shook her head before grinning at the table as she let out a small laugh, "Nothing."

"Obviously, it's something Mione," Daphne repeated as she adjusted her posture, "And I'd like to know, wouldn't you, Harry?"

"Oh, loads," Harry mimicked Daphne's tone as he grinned cheekily at her.

Daphne shook her head at her friend as she adjusted herself in her seat before adjusting the tie of her uniform. She had missed Hogwarts. It had been a great summer but being with her friends all of the time? That was definitely a plus.

"Someone's staring," Ron nudged Daphne as he looked back at the slytherin table, "What's going on with you two?"

Daphne looked back and noticed how Atticus' gaze remained hard on her. Prick, she thought to herself. After everything that had happened, she was surprised that even after her Uncle had written to him about what had happened at the Cup that he made no efforts to check on her or talk to her. He didn't care about how she was.

Daphne refilled her pumpkin juice before taking a small swig while looking at Ron over the glass, "He's just being a bitter prick."

"Does he know... about what happened?" Hermione then asked as she furrowed her eyebrows, "I know you two have been rocky but surely you had the decency to tell your brother."

"Uncle Moony did," was all that Daphne responded as she sat her glass back down onto the table while her attitude took over her tone, "He doesn't care."

Harry frowned at her words, looking over at her before shaking his head, "I'm sure he does. He's just going to be a prick about it, don't beat yourself up for what he's doing."

"Oh, I won't," Daphne had a slight grin as she looked at her best friend, "I've learned not to care."

Daphne looked up near the teacher's table as she watched them place down the giant gold statue. Glimmering with jewels as it stood in the center of the space. Everyone's eyes catching it out of curiosity. Daphne couldn't help but wonder what it was and what it was used for as she sat there.

"It's so... out there," Daphne made a face while looking at Harry, "Sorry, mate. Forgot you're kind of blind, can you see it?" She teased as Harry rolled his eyes while Ron nearly choked on his chicken.

"Very funny," Harry's face was pink as he tilted his head to the side.

The two grinned at one another while Daphne felt a shift in herself before Dumbledore yelled, "Your attention, please! I'd like to say a few words. Eternal glory, that is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard tournament. But to do this, the student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks."

"Oh, so like our school years so far?" Daphne whispered to Ron who shook his head while laughing.

"Enough, Daph," Ron muttered while trying to stop laughing.

"Wicked," The twins spoke in unison as they stared dreamily ahead.

"For this reason, the Ministry has seen it fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this... we have the heads of the International Magical Cooperation... Mr. Bartemius Crouch and Mr. Lucerys Black."

"My father didn't tell me he was going to be here," Daphne looked slightly hurt as she watched the two men walk around the table to stand beside Dumbledore.

The crackle of lightning sounded through the Great Hall as the sky began to boom and giant flashes of bright lights filled. Daphne was quick to duck her head down, almost believing that she was having a vision before feeling both Harry and Ron grab ahold of her as if trying to protect her as she sat between the two.

Screams erupted as rain poured down from the enchanted ceiling onto the students who went into a sort of a panic. Once the flashes of light were gone, Daphne peaked up as she shook the boys off of her as she felt the rain prick at her face. Sliding down her cheeks almost as if they were tears.

Everyone jumped, seeing the flash of light that hit the sky before calming it down, as a man who looked ragged stood near the door as he scanned his surroundings. He had a fake eye. Daphne couldn't get a good look to see who he was as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her stomach is sinking down slowly.

"Bloody hell, it's Mad Eye Moody," Ron muttered as he looked over the girl's head, horrified.

"Alastor Moody? The auror?" Hermione questioned from across the table while she looked between the three before looking forward.

"Auror?" Dean Thomas questioned as he looked beyond confused.

"Dark wizard catcher, half the cells in Azkaban are filled thanks to him," Ron leaned over Daphne's shoulder as he whispered an explanation, "He's supposed to be mad as a hatter these days, though."

Everyone watched as he walked through the door. Heavily relying on his thick wooden cane that nearly shook the ground with every step he made. Daphne noticed how Barty and Lucerys looked at each other as if they were trying to figure something out. No one seemed to have known that this man was coming.

Daphne made a face as he locked eyes with her, she grew rather uncomfortable with his gaze as he slowly moved down the steps before looking at both her and Harry. The two shared an uncomfortable look as Harry instinctively moved more in front of Moody's view of Daphne which caused the girl to raise an eyebrow.

"My dear old friend, thanks for coming," Dumbledore greeted Moody with a handshake and a smile as he placed a hand on the other arm.

"Stupid ceiling," He hissed out as he quickly shook Dumbledore's hand in return as his eyes moved from Harry and Daphne.

"Thank you," Dumbledore nodded before walking back over to his old spot as Moody moved, Harry watched him instinctively as he stood in the corner.

They watched as the man stood on the wall, near the corner by one of the fire pits that hung off of the walls. Reaching into his coat before pulling out a flask, flipping open the top with his hand before quickly turning and downing it as he shook his head before placing it back into his coat once again.

"What that he's drinking, you suppose?" Seamus leaned over the table as he whispered this to the other Gryffindor's who were just as confused.

Harry looked over at the boy before looking back at Moody, "I don't know, but I don't think it's pumpkin juice."

Everyone's gaze continued on Moody as they watched him curiously before Lucerys cleared his throat and Barty nodded before talking, "After due consideration, the ministry has concluded for their own safety... no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard tournament. This decision is final."

This seemed to cause a lot of discord, "That's rubbish! Rubbish!" Students yelled and roared in protests of anger for the age cut off.

"LET ME ENTER A DEATH TOURNAMENT! I PROMISE I'M NOT SUICIDAL!" Daphne yelled jokingly which caused her father to give her a stern look before Ron and Harry pulled her back down.

"You don't know what you're doing!" Fred yelled furiously.

"Oh for Salazar's sake," Lucerys' anger was evident as he looked back at Dumbledore.

Daphne tried to lift off of the bench a little, trying to get a better view of her father. He was in nicer clothes than usual. Daphne didn't think that he worked with the Ministry anymore, but then again, the Black's always had their ways into whatever they wanted. But why would her father want to be in the Ministry?

"Silence!" Dumbledore then yelled upon seeing the man's clear anger.

"They're not happy about that, then," Hermione whispered to another Gryffindor as she had a shy smirk.

Dumbledore raised his wand towards the statue before letting his hand fall. The gold and jewels melted away to leave behind a dodgy looking goblet the size of the man which had a blue light erupting from the top before it turned into a flame. Daphne looked at it as her lips parted in awe.

"The Goblet of Fire!" Dumbledore yelled as he looked back at Lucerys, "Anyone wishing to submit themselves into the tournament, need only to write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it into the flame before this hour on Thursday night."

"Do not do so lightly," Lucerys took over as he now walked over to Dumbledore's side while the blue flame illuminated part of his face, "If chosen, there is no turning back. You will be submitted into this tournament all on your own. You will have no friends. You will be lucky if there is any mercy. You will fight like never before if you wish to live. For life is not guaranteed after this tournament. Now, as of this moment, the Triwizard tournament has begun."

Whispers erupted across the Great Hall as everyone looked at each other. All pausing from their food while Lucerys backed away from the Goblet while bowing his head down at Dumbledore and Barty while he went to take his seat. Daphne felt as if her chest had tightened while listening to her father's words, not having a good feeling about any of this.

"Your father didn't tell you any of this?" Hermione asked softly as she looked at Daphne, "You look rather pale."

"I'm fine," Daphne reassured the girl as she rolled her head around causing her neck to pop, "No, I wasn't informed about any of this. I didn't even know that he was coming this year."

Ron furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the girl, "I wonder why that is."

"I dunno," Daphne shrugged her shoulders while she looked down at her plate of food, "But let's not dwell on this right now. I'd like to eat in peace for one night, especially after everything that has happened."

"You're the one who makes this all dark," Ron muttered with a grin before Daphne hit his arm, "Sorry! Sorry!"

"Blimey, you still haven't learned?" Harry leaned over the table as he looked back at Ron while Daphne grinned, "She's ruthless when it comes to us."

Daphne raised an eyebrow as her grin only widened. Finding this situation very funny, glad to have her friends back to being the jokesters and the sassiest little shits she had ever met. She understood why she didn't want other friends, these two plus Hermione gave her enough trouble for a lifetime.

"She is! It truly hurts my feelings, what about yours?" Ron seemed to have taken the twin's flare for dramatics as he spoke.

"Oh, she destroys mine," Harry smirks before laughing as he leans back, "I don't see how she sleeps at night."

"Oh knock it off," Hermione was laughing as she looked at her friends, "If anything you two have it coming. You start all of it."

"Yeah, you both aggravate me to the point I have to say something," Daphne bats her eyelashes between the boys as she erupts into a fit of laughter.

"You little!" Ron exclaimed before stopping, "You know what? I say she deserves the silent treatment. Don't you, Harry?"

"Oh she does," Harry agreed before the two went dead silent.

"I'll cut your hair in your sleep and leave you bald," Daphne retorted as she grinned while kicking both of their legs under the table, "Now, you wouldn't like that, would you?"

"Oh, that's evil," The twins seemed to have joined the conversation as they leaned against the table, "What did you two do to the lovely Daphne, here?"

"Nothing," Ron protested as he looked annoyed by the accusation while grinning.

"What have we done? I think the question should be directed towards her," Harry made a face as he laughed, leaning into Daphne.

Daphne rolled her eyes before pouting, "This is why Hermione's my favorite."

"I win! Ha!" Hermione yelled as she pointed at Harry, "I told you!"

Harry looked at Daphne while acting hurt, "Are you serious?"

"You two have fought over this?" Daphne asked, clearly amused while biting back laughter.

"Loads," Ron muttered while acting hurt.

"Hey! We thought we were your favorite!" The twins exclaimed before muttering, "We're so hurt, love. Can't believe this betrayal..."

Daphne grinned as she drank some of her pumpkin juice, "I guess we'll see who wins the contest of my heart, my number one, by the end of the year."

"Challenge accepted," The table seemed to agree, Daphne knew this was going to be a fun year.