Y/Ns POV

A couple of days after the attack by the Death Eaters, we arrived at Kings Cross Station. Before we left however, Uncle Thomas gave something to me, which happened to be a very nice pair of dress robes.

"What are these for?" I asked.

"You'll see." Uncle Thomas smiled as Dad landed on his shoulder in eagle form.

Mrs. Weasley had done the same for Harry and Ron, Ron had complained about this, which I couldn't blame him. His robes looked hideous.

"There is no way I'm wearing that!" Ron exclaimed. "I'll go naked before I put that on."

"Merlin, Ronald, nobody wants to see that." Heather grimaced in disgust. After we departed on the train, she would be starting her year at Beaubaxtons.

"That'll be hilarious." I laughed.

"Don't be silly," Mrs Weasley said. "You've got to have dress robes, they're on the list!"

"Harry's look okay!" Ron complained. "Why couldn't I have something like that?"

"Because....well, I had to get yours second hand, and there wasn't a lot of choice!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed.

"I'm not wearing them. Not happening."

"Fine! Go naked! I could care less!"

"Don't encourage him, Mum." Ginny laughed.

As we arrived at the platform, we were greet with the presence of the crimson steam engine itself, The Hogwarts Express.

Charlie and Bill even came to see us off with Mrs. Weasley.

"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," Charlie said to us as he hugged Ginny.

"Why?" Fred asked.

"You'll see." He smirked. "But don't tell Percy I mentioned it....it's classified information, until the Ministry sees fit to release it' after all."

"I kind of wish I was back at Hogwarts this year." Bill continued.

"Again, why?" George asked.

"You're going to have an interesting year." My Uncle said. "I might even get some time off to come watch."

"Okay, stop the secretive nonsense." I said. "What is happening."

"You lot are going to be seeing a lot more of me this year." Heather winked before walking off with her brothers.

"Can't say I mind that." Harry whispered to me.

"Oi! That's my sister mate." Ron said.

The clock struck 11 and the train was now boarding. As we went on, Hermione turned to Mrs. Weasley and said, "Thank you for letting us stay Mrs. Weasley."

"Yes, thanks for everything." I added.

"Oh, it was my pleasure, dears." Mrs. Weasley smiled. "I'd invite you for Christmas, but.....well, I expect your going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what, with.....one thing and another."

I am so confused.

"Mum!" Ron cried. "What do you know that we don't?"

"You'll find out this evening, I expect. It's going to be very exciting-mind you, I'm very glad they changed the rules."

"What rules?" We asked.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you.....now behave, won't you, Fred? And you, George?"

"Tell is what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out the window."

"Goodbye kids!" Uncle Thomas waved as he walked away with the other Weasleys with Dad.

"What rules are they changing?" George asked us as the train started to move.

We made our way to our usual compartment and took our seats, just like every year.

"Bagman wanted to tell us what was happening at Hogwarts," Ron said grumpily. "At the World Cup, remember? But my own Mother won't say. Wonder what-"

"Shh!" Hermione interrupted. She pointed towards the compartment next to ours, motioning for us to listen closely to what the voices were saying.

"Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster, you see. Well you know his opinion of Dumbledore - the mans such a Mudblood lover- and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riff raff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defense rubbish we do..."

Hermione then stood up towards the compartment door, and quickly shut it to block the daft idiots voice.

"So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he?" Hermione said angrily. "I wish he'd gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him."

"Durmstrangs another Wizard school?" Harry asked.

"Yes, and it has a bad reputation." I replied. "In An Appraisal of Magical Europe, they focus a great amount on the Dark Arts."

"I think I've heard of it," Ron said. "Where is it? What country?"

"Well, nobody knows, do they?" Hermione said.

"Bulgaria." I responded, but it seems like nobody had heard me.

"There's traditionally been a lot of rivalry between all the magical schools. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons like to conceal their whereabouts so nobody can steal their secrets."

"But we already know Beauxbatons is in France because of my sister." Ron said. "But Durmstrang's got to be about the same size as Hogwarts, how you going to hide a dirty great castle."

"Its bewitched." I said. "If a Muggle looks at it, all they see is an old ruin with a sign over the entrance that says: DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE. It's all in Hogwarts a History."

And for a brief second, I could see Hermione blushing and smiling widely as I spoke.

The Trolley Witch eventually came around and asked if we wanted anything from the trolley.

"Packet of drewbals and a liquorice wand, please." Ron said as he checked his pockets. "On second thought, just the drewbals."

"It's alright." A voice came from outside the trolley. "I'll pay."

Laura Bennett walked up to the trolley, payed the witch for Ron's licorice wand, and got some cauldron cakes for herself. With Ashley coming behind her to sit with us.

"H-hi, Laura." Ron blushed as he began stuttering uncontrollably.

"Hi, Ron." Laura laughed as she handed him his licorice wand. "How was your summer?"

While Ron was talking to Laura about our time at the World Cup, Ashley had given us some cookies from a jar that she brought on the train.

I will never understand how she always has a jar of cookies with her, but I will never complain about it.

Eventually, Tom came to join us but was looking pretty glum. Apparently, Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass had gotten together over the summer, and even went on holiday together.

"Cheer up, mate." I said. "There's plenty of things to be upset about more than this."

"You don't understand." Tom said. "He's boasting about it every chance he gets."

"And right on cue, Theo came by with Daphne under his arm. Right in front of our compartment.

"Holiday in Bora Bora was amazing!" He said loudly, most likely to attract Toms attention. "Spending it with my girlfriend was even better! How was your holiday, Rosewood?" He smirked.

"Okay, mate." I stood up. "Why don't you go boast about your holiday to people who actually give a shit."

"And what if I don't." Nott stood up to me as Hermione grabbed my hand.

"Theo, calm down." Daphne said quietly. "Don't get yourself in trouble."

"Stay out of this." He turned to her then back to me.

"I said leave, or else I will put your head through the compartment door." I said. "And if you remember what I did to Malfoy second year, you'd know not to test me."

"Whatever." He scoffed before grabbing Daphne's hand and walking away.

Tom still looked a bit upset at Nott's appearance however, so we did our best to cheer him up.

"Here's what I would do." I said. "Just act like you don't care about their relationship, and maybe somebody new will come."

Tom seemed to feel a bit better, so we went on talking about the World Cup and everything that happened over the summer. Ron wasn't looking too happy with us conversing with Tom, as he wasn't the biggest fan of Slytherins.

Selena even came by our compartment looking for the trolley witch, with her and Harry staring at each other for a few minutes, something we all teased him about.

"This is horrible." Hermione said as she read an article of the Daily Prophet. "How can the Ministry not know who conjured it if it wasn't Winky? Isn't there any security?"

"Loads according to Dad." Ron said. "That's what's worried them so much. Happened right under their noses."

We continued to talk with each other until the train finally reached Hogwarts.

———————————————————————————

Hermione's POV

We entered the Great Hall to get ready for the start of term feast. The sorting was to begin shortly, but Ron was complaining that he was hungry. Something that wasn't too surprising to any of us.

Nearly Headless Nick approached us as we sat down.

"Good evening." He said.

"Says who?" Ron spat. "Hope they hurry up with the sorting, I'm starving."

"When are you not starving?" Kieran said from across the table.

"F*cking pig." He mumbled.

"Hiya, Harry!" Colin Creevey came up to Harry.

"Hello, Colin." Harry said nervously.

"Guess what?" Guess what, Harry? My brothers starting! My brother Dennis!"

"Er—thats great?"

"He's really excited!" Colin said to us. "I just hope he's in Gryffindor! Keep your fingers crossed, eh, Harry?"

"Er—yeah, yeah," Harry said as he ran to the Gryffindor table. "I've never seen him with this amount of energy in the past 2 years that we've known him."

"Come on, Harry." I said. "He's just excited!"

"He can go be excited somewhere else." Ron remarked.

"Brothers and sisters usually go into the same houses, don't they?" Harry asked.

"Not necessarily." I said. Parvati Patil's twin is in Ravenclaw."

"Where's the Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher?" Harry asked.

He wasn't wrong, there were three empty seats at the staff table. Hagrid was most likely helping the first years cross the river, and McGonagall was probably getting the sorting hat ready for the first years. And there was one empty seat where the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor would normally sit."

"Maybe they couldn't get anyone." Y/N said as we shrugged.

And just then, the Great Halls doors burst open to reveal Professor McGonagall leading the first years to the front of the hall. They were completely soaked due to the horrible weather outside. One of them looked completely drenched, as if he fell into the lake upon arrival.

McGonagall dropped the hat onto the stool at the front of the hall. For a few seconds, there was no movement, but then the tear opened up in the mouth and began to sing.

A thousand years or more ago,
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School began.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favorites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!

The Great Hall then erupted in applause as the hat concluded its song.

"That's not the song it sang while it sorted us." Harry said while clapping.

"Good thing too." Y/N replied. "Shake things up a little."

"It's got to be a pretty boring life, hasn't it?, being a hat? I suppose it spends all year making up the next one."

The Sorting began, and each shivering student stepped forward to try on the sorting hat.

McGonagall didn't even make it to the 'Ks' when Ron began to complain.

"Oh, hurry up." He said.

"Now, Ron, the Sortings much more important than food," Nick said.

"Course it is, if you're dead."

"I do hope this years batch of Gryffindors are up to scratch. We don't want to break our winning streak right?"

"Oh, we won't Nick." Y/N answered.

Eventually, the Sorting ended, with Professor McGonagall clearing away the hat and stool. Most of the first years were happy with where they were placed. I even saw Laura and Ashley making friends with a Hufflepuff first year who looked very lonely.

Dumbledore soon stood up, and opened his arms to welcome all the new and returning students.

"I have only two words to say to you," he said. "Tuck in."

"Hear, hear!" Harry and Y/N yelled while clinking their glasses together.

"Ahh, that's much better." Ron said as he grabbed two chicken legs at once.

"You're lucky there's a feast tonight, you know." Nick said. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier."

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Peeves, of course. The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast-well, it's quite out of the question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghosts council - The Fat Friar was all for giving him a chance - but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down."

"What did Peeves do in the kitchens?" Y/N asked.

"Oh, the usual. Wrecked havoc and mayhem. Lots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house elves out of their wits-"

I accidentally knocked over my goblet of pumpkin juice, but at that point, I didn't care, I was too appalled.

"There are house elves here?" I exclaimed. "Here? At Hogwarts?"

"Well, certainly." Nick said. "The largest dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred."

"But I've never seen one!"

"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchens by day, do they? They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning....see to the fires and so on....I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house elf, isn't it? That you don't know it's there?"

"But they get paid?" I asked. "They get holidays, don't they? And—sick leave, and pensions, and everything?"

"Sick leaves and pensions?" Nick laughed. "House elves don't need sick leaves of pensions!"

I then pushed my plate away from me

"Oh, c'mon, Er-my-knee." Ron said as he continued to eat. "Oops—sorry 'Arry-" he swallowed. "You won't give them sick leave by starving yourself."

"Slave labor." I said. "That's what made this dinner. Slave labor."

"Ron is actually right, Mione." Y/N said. "I get your upset about Winky, but you need to eat."

"No." I said. "I refuse to eat any of it."

"Well, it's a good thing Ashley had extra cookies." He said as he gave me a few cookies, and a package of Pumpkin Pasties.

I smiled and side hugged him as I took the package.

"Thank you, Y/N." I smiled as I began to eat.

"Anything for you, Mione." He replied.

Y/Ns POV

The puddings eventually came out after our feast. Hermione still wasn't eating any of the food provided, so I gave her my stash of snacks from the train.

"So!" Dumbledore rose from his feet after the puddings had disappeared. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must now ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices."

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year, been extended to include Screaming Yo-Yos, Fanged Frisbies and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises of four hundred and seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anyone would like to have a look."

Why would anyone bother to check it?

"As ever." Dumbledore continued. "I would like to remind you all that the Forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to 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?!" Fred and George exclaimed.

"What the hell!?"Luke yelled.

"This is bullshit!" Mia yelled once more

Guess the Firebolt won't be coming out this year after all.

"Any other year, I would have to agree, Ms Blackwood." Dumbledore smiled. "However, this is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, 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-"

Before anything else could be said, Thunder booked over us and rain began to leak. Someone from the corner came out and casted a spell which stopped the water from leaking down.

It was a man who had a weird mechanical eye. He walked very strangely with a large staff. Ron seemed to recognize him.

"Mad-Eye Moody." Ron said.

Now it clicks. I remember my Uncle saying Mad Eye Moody was the one who trained him.

"Half the cells in Azkaban are full thanks to him. He's supposed to be as mad as a hatter these days, though."

"My dear old friend." Dumbledore greeted Mad-Eye. "Thanks for coming."

"That stupid roof." Mad-Eye mumbled as he took a swig from a flask.

I wonder what he's drinking.

Maybe Pumpkin Juice?

I don't know.

"May I introduce our new Defenses Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody," Dumbledore announced.

But nobody clapped.

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

"You're joking!" Fred shouted.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore chuckled. "Though, now you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer—"

Mum then cleared her throat.

"Not the time, yes." Dumbledore said. "What was I saying? Ah, yes! The Triwizard Tournament...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 established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry-Hogwarts, Beaubaxtons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions would compete in three magical tasks. The schools took turns to host the tournament every five years, and it was generally agreed upon to be an excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities."

Well that sounds nice.

"Until that is, the death toll mounted so high the the Tournament had to be discontinued.

That does not sound nice.

While most people seemed excited about the news, me and Hermione were pretty worried.

"Death toll?" Hermione whispered to me.

"Why the hell would you bring this back if the death tolls were so high?"

"Right?"

"Won't catch me wanting to be a champion."

"There have been many attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament." Dumbledore continued. "None of which has been successful. However, our own Departments of International Game and Sports has decided it's time for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find him or herself in any mortal danger.

Couldn't have put more work into the last few years?

"The Heads of Beaubaxtons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short listed contenders in October , and the selection of the three champions will take place on Halloween. An impartial judge will decide on which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand galleons in personal prize money."

"Count me in!" George yelled.

"I'm sure you are eager to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts, 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 of age— that is to say, seventeen years or older — will be allowed to put their names in for consideration. This is a measure we feel is necessary, given the tournament tasks are difficult and dangerous, and it is highly unlikely students below sixth or seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student will hoodwink their way past our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion."

"The delegations from Beaubaxtons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October, and will stay with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all give 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 chosen. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is for you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

We all departed the Great Hall after that, to make our way toward the Gryffindor Common Room, as we entered the Common Room, me and Hermione bid each other goodnight with a hug as I kissed her on the forehead.

"Goodnight lads." I said to the others as I plopped on my bed, Gracie curling up the ground.

"Goodnight, Y/N." The others said as they went to sleep.

Before I could go to sleep myself, I pulled out my crystal ball from my trunk.

Some this been bothering me the entire summer, and it's the same vision I see of the graveyard.

"KILL THE SPARE!"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

What does all of this mean?

And why am I seeing this?

I put the crystal ball back into my trunk, before plopping onto my bed and trying to get some sleep myself.

Nonetheless, it feels pretty good to be back.

A/N: Several people make their appearances next chapter. Some old faces, some new faces, and some people we won't like very much.