Chapter 142 - 142- Durmstrang and Beauxbatons

HARRY's POV

In the week that predated the arrival of the delegations from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons the teachers became incredibly tense and snarky, saying all kinds of things like "Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that you can't even perform a simple Switching Spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!"

And as they continued to behave like children that hide dirty laundry under the bed instead of just making sure to clean it, Harry felt his last bit of patient gone.

Since first year most of his classes weren't contributing anything to his life, sure, potions helped with practice, and both runes and COMC were the helpful somewhat, yet the true reason he is stayed in school was the books, the ROR and his friends.

Well, he copied all the books and can live without the ROR, which means the only reason he is in school were his friends, and while he love them, he wasn't willing to keep going to class, not if there was an alternative, and luckily for him, there was for this year, the tournament.

The way the entire castle was beaming with energy made the students duel more and more, and with both rich purebloods and muggleborn buying their own disks, Harry knew it was just the beginning, making him smile as he saw the magical energy that is kept in the ROR grow more and more.

Standing outside the main door with the rest of the school as they were waiting for the delegations, Harry and Luna talked about the different ways they would have made an entrance.

"I would have Apparate into the castle."

"You can't Apparate in Hogwarts."

"That's what will make it so impressive"

Before they could make another sound, Dumbledore called out from the back row where he stood with the other teachers -"

Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

"Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions.

"There!" yelled a sixth year, pointing over the forest.

"It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first years, losing her head completely.

"Don't be stupid. . . it's a flying house!" said another one.

"NO, IT'S SUPERMAN." The Weasley twins said together.

He knew it was coming, he was the one to show them comic books, but still....

The entire school looked at them weirdly, the ones who didn't know what Superman is looked at them in confusion and muggleborns, especially those who knew the Weasley trait to not understand and mispronounce everything Muggle related, in complete shock, so much so, that most of them missed the entry of the French delegation.

The horse-drawn carriage, which was the size of a large house, which was pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, each the size of an elephant, landed with a thrust to the ground.

Madame Maxime got out of the carriage and went to the teachers who were at the front of the students, with her students right behind her.

They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks. Of course, if they had any brain they would have cast a warming charm, but what can you expect from wizards?

Madame Maxime made small conversation with Dumbledore before taking her students inside to warm themselves.

The second they walked in the entire students body started talking about their entry and what would Durmstrang's entry would look like, though they didn't for long, as a loud and oddly eerie noise was drifting toward them from out of the darkness, a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though an immense vacuum cleaner were moving along a riverbed.

As a mast raised from the lake, Harry couldn't help but be impressed, even if he knew what it was going to be, seeing that someone made an underwater sailing boat, something he knew would take either year or hundreds of people, as you need to create multiple rune scams on every meter of the place and have them not messing with one another, not to mention the fact it can move similar to a portkey.

"Dumbledore!" Karkaroff called heartily as he walked up the slope, his students right behind him. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

As he has a small chat with Dumbledore and brought Krum up front, before walking toward the grand hall with his students behind him, the Hogwarts students fallowed as they whispered among themselves, with the most notable topic being Krum.

Walking toward the Slytherin table, Harry looked back to the front door, which had the two delegations waiting for someone to explain to them where to sit.

A few seconds later Harry decided that being nice to the guests had some benefits, specifically have them talk about their school and their secrets, so he can have Remus steal them of course.

Walking back to the door, Harry talked to one of the French students.

"Hey, I see you are cold, and that you have no where to sit, how about you sit with us?"

Apparently, more then one of the foreigners was listening, and all they needed was an invitation, because all the students from the two schools went with him to sit in the Slytherin table, making Harry glad that the Hogwarts tables were charmed to expend base of need, as otherwise, with the extra 20 students, it would have been crowded.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests," said Dumbledore, beaming at the foreign students, making Harry feel uncomfortable, as he looked toward the Slytherin table more then he did the last three years. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable. The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"

He sat down, and Harry saw Karkaroff lean forward at once and engage him in conversation.

The plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Harry had ever seen in this school, though, at this school all there ever was, is English food, so it didn't phase him very much.

"Hey, I'm Charlotte, thank you for offering your table." A student from Beauxbatons said to him as he chose his food.

"Harry," he offered his hand for a shake, which she gracefully took. "and think nothing about it, me and Luna wanted to have a conversation with you all."

"Oh really?" Charlotte said with interest. "What about?"

"Magic of course!" Luna said with excitement. "Even if schools around the world has mostly became the same in their curriculum, there must have some difference between your school and ours!"

"You are the most energetic person I've ever met." Charlotte said with a laugh. "Well ask away!"

That started some intense conversation, to which some of the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons' students joined, including Krum, who looked like he escaped from Malfoy.

It was only when Crouch senior came in with Percy Weasley and Ludo Bagman and sat in the teacher's table, that they stopped, and only because a loud voice stopped them, a voice Harry activated.

"Hello, students of Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons." the voice belong to Tommy the illusion. "With the two schools coming in grandly, we wanted to also make an impression."

The illusion of Lucius was talking now.

"We thought of multiple ways of how to do it, we could have told you about the unofficial, official game of Hogwarts- Duel cards, but when asked in a letter it's creator said they are about to do it themselves and that they are going to sell it also outside of Hogwarts."

This time it was the illusion of Bella that took charge of talking. "We could have sing the song of Hogwarts, but it sucks!" This made many Hogwarts students nod as the foreigners laughed.

"So we decided to make a new song for Hogwarts," Severus's illusion said "we hope you enjoy it.

(Tommy)

I'm a Gryffindor

This girl is a Hufflepuff

We take the Hogwarts train going all

the way

(Tommy)

Here come the Ravenclaws

Chilling with some Slytherins

We take the Hogwarts train going all

the way

We hangout in our common rooms (Tommy)

With chocolate frogs (Bella)

And pumpkin juice (Lucius)

If you got magic you can live this life (Tommy)

It goes on, and on, and on, and on (Tommy)

Wizards (Severus)

Snogging (Severus)

Up and down the Hogwarts halls (Bella)

Professors (Lucius)

Searching in the night (Lucius)

Watch out (Bella)

For Snape (Bella)

Living just to give detention (Tommy)

I (Severus)

Hate (Severus)

Gryffindors (Severus)

Making elixirs in Potions Class (Lucius)

Casting spells (Bella)

And kicking ass (Severus)

Sneaking out in the dark of night (Tommy)

Just because we can (All of them)

Sometimes we win (Tommy)

Sometimes we lose (Bella)

Monster duel ain't no game for fools (Tommy)

But if you have enough magic it goes (Lucius)

On, and on, and on, and on (Lucius)

Wizards (Tommy)

Snogging (Tommy)

Up and down the Hogwarts halls (Bella)

Professors (Lucius)

Searching in the night (Lucius)

(Tommy)

And the

Pranksters

Peeves and Weasley twins

Will make sure

You won't feel down

We are from Hogwarts

Wands up!!!!

Strong and united

We are from Hogwarts

School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Strong and united.

As the song ended there was applause for half a minute, before it died down, even there was once again quiet, Tommy once again talked. "We hope you enjoyed the music, and we hope you enjoy the food, our next song will be at the request of the Weasley twins on the first duel tournament of the year, come on up and tell us more about that!"

Both Fred and George went near the illusions before starting to talk.

"First of all, I've got to say, I love your singing." Said the one that was obviously Fred.

"I prefer the pianist, though you could have chose different face." George said.

The illusion winked before disappearing.

"Anyway, for all the foreigners, who probably has no idea what monster dueling is," Fred said as George took out of his pocket a purse before starting to take out disks and decks. "we prepared a few borrowable duel disks and a beginner's deck for each of you, with the deck being a present. Now, the rules are simple..." as Fred explained the rules, George went to the Slytherin table and gave each of the guests a duel disk and a deck.

Fred who finished explaining the rules said "As for the tournament, the next one would be in three weeks, and it would be one that anyone can join, so practice, buy new cards, and create your own decks, and most importantly, have fun!" With it the twins both went down.

"Well," the headmaster raised from his chair, "this was lovely performance and I hope the game will bring us all together. Now, The moment has come, the Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation" - there was a smattering of polite applause - "and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."

There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced.

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts.

The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. Harry couldn't help but wonder what is special about the box, and if it was worth stealing it.

Dumbledore continued to talk as Filch put the box on the table before him.

Dumbledore took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket, opening it, Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.

"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line."

So Harry was correct, it isn't illegal to put your name in the Cup, nor is it forbidden, it is just a friendly advice.

As the dinner was done Harry didn't return with Luna to the common room, instead he left to the ROR where he called for the one who can help him the easiest.

"Dobby!"