I'll Take My Chances

“Of all the times to rain, why now?" Hermione complained, hopping off the train.

I turned my eyes towards the sky, where grey rain clouds swirled around and were dumping what felt like buckets of water onto the earth. “I like the rain.” I shrugged, grinning over at Hermione.

"I don't mind it either." Emily agreed with me, climbing off the train.

I nodded. To me, the rain was always something kind of poetic. It was like the rain was washing away all the mistakes made that day and leaving a clean slate for tomorrow. Of course I had never told anyone I thought that. I wasn’t sure anyone else would really understand and I was almost positive Harry or Ron would laugh at me.

"Okay, I get you guys like the rain, but let's catch a carriage. I don't fancy standing out here forever." Harry voiced, shivering slightly as he nodded towards the horseless carts carrying other students towards the school.

"Alright, alright. Let's go." I sighed in mock defeat.

Harry began leading the way through the throng of students, obviously eager to get out of the rain and into the dry carriage. He climbed into the nearest empty one and held out a hand to help me inside. I plopped down onto an empty seat, Emily climbing in and sitting beside me. Hermione and Ron piled in after us.

Ron still looked completely uncomfortable, his eyes shifting towards Emily every now and then. I tried to hide my grin, noticing Emily kept her eye's downcast. They both made their feelings obvious to everyone else but each other.

I caught Hermione's eye and we both shook our heads. If they didn't do something about this soon, I knew Hermione and I would have to step in as cupid.

It was a short, but bumpy ride and I was more than thankful when the carriage finally pulled to a stop and we were able to exit back into the rain. The look on Hermione's face suggested she wasn't very excited about that.

I grinned. "Oh come on Herms...It's just rain. You're not going to melt." I teased her.

Hermione rolled her eyes before making a face at me and jumping out of the carriage. I followed her example and hopped out. The rain had let up a little, but water still drizzled slightly from the torrents of grey clouds in the sky above. The castle looked extremely warm and inviting and I could not wait to get inside and head to the feast.

I followed my friends up the stone steps and into the giant entrance hall. After all these years, it still never ceased to amaze me just how big Hogwarts was. One of my favorite parts was the sky ceiling in the Great Hall. It was absolutely amazing, especially when it rained or stormed. It was like there wasn't even a ceiling at all and the hall opened right into the heavens.

"I'm starving." Ron moaned, grabbing his stomach and plopping down onto the bench at the Gryffindor table.

I rolled my eyes and sat down next to him. "You're always hungry, Ron." I reminded him, which was a true fact. Ron ate more than anyone I had ever met in my entire life. Next to me that was.

"I know. I can't help it." He grinned sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders.

We had only been seated for what felt like a few moments when, suddenly, the doors to the Great Hall opened once more and Professor McGonagall appeared, leading a line of timid first years into the room. I smiled, stifling a laugh. I wondered if I had looked that terrified during my sorting. Probably not, though, I remember nearly falling off the stool when the hat started talking to me.

Ron groaned next to me. "Now we have to wait to eat even longer." He whined.

I elbowed him in the side. "Shh....Stop crying about it." I whispered, giving him a grin. Ron scrunched his nose before laying his head into the crook of his arms, obviously planning on ignoring the entire sorting.

I did have to agree with him, though. It did grow a little tiresome to watch after so many years. I propped my elbows up onto the tabletop and rested my chin in my hands. My eyes wandered restlessly around the room, taking in the floating chandeliers, the ghosts, the colorful banners, and of course the rest of the house tables. I was an avid people watcher and I found the sorting was always a good time to check out what everyone else was doing. People were extremely entertaining to watch when they had no idea anyone was looking.

For example, over at the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was bewitching a fork to poke some poor Second Year in the arm whenever he wasn’t paying attention. Pansy Parkinson was staring at him longingly and Crabbe was picking his nose. At the Ravenclaw table, Roger Davies was checking his reflection in a spoon and looked a little like he was lost in some sort of daydream. I had almost no doubt in my mind that the daydream was about himself. At the Hufflepuff table, Ernie Macmillian was snoring onto the table top. And just a few seats down from where he sat was Cedric Diggory. He really wasn’t doing anything out of ordinary, just looking extremely bored. I was sure I wasn't the only one looking in his direction at the moment. About half the female population in this school swooned over him. I guess I could see why....He was handsome. He had really strong features, and though I never wanted to admit it out loud, his eyes were a really fantastic grey color.

Before I could snap myself out of it, I found myself looking right into those exact grey eyes. Cedric gave me a curious expression before sending a smirk my way. My mouth gaped open, frozen, before finally I remembered I should look away. I quickly averted my eyes towards the wooden table top, willing myself to stare at that and nothing else. I could still feel his eyes on me, though, and glanced up to catch him still gazing at me curiously. I shook my head. Why was I such an idiot? Cedric Diggory had just caught me hardcore staring at him. Who knew what kind of thought were roaming through that thick head of his now?

“Good evening and welcome back to Hogwarts, my dear students!”

I recognized Professor Dumbledore's voice, which meant the sorting was over. It also gave me an excuse to look somewhere besides staring at the table top like an idiot. I turned my gaze towards the old, eccentric looking man. I smiled slightly, noticing the length of his beard seemed even longer this year. I always thought it was impossible not to like the headmaster. He was so...strange. But in a completely good way.

"I would like to make a few beginning of the year announcements. A reminder to both old and new students, the Forbidden Forest is completely off limits. A few of you seem to have trouble remembering this.” Dumbledore paused here and his eyes flashed towards the Gryffindor table where Fred and George Weasley were trying to look completely innocent. “And we have a new staff member this year! I'd like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Please help me in extending a warm welcome to Professor Alastor Moody!" Professor Dumbledore began clapping his hands and half the school joined in politely.

"I know who that is!" Ron said suddenly, peering excitedly towards the man who I now knew as Professor Moody. He looked like he had been through hell and back again. He had a limp and I noticed one of his eyes seemed to swivel wildly in his socket. A glass eye. My stomach twisted slightly and I glanced back at Ron.

"Who is he?" I asked in a whisper. Hermione, Emily, and Harry were also now looking curiously at Ron.

"He's an Auror...A dark wizard catcher. Completely mad, but also one of the best." Ron explained. “They call him Mad Eye Moody down at the ministry.”

I nodded, glancing back at the strange man. I had been right, then. This man most likely had been through hell and back again.

"And I think that about sums it up for now. Let’s eat!” Dumbledore clapped his hands and the empty plates and platters in front of us suddenly filled with the delicious food that always made coming back to Hogwarts even more worth it.

“Finally!” Ron groaned and began piling his plate high with nearly anything and everything. I rolled my eyes, but moments later I was stuffing my face as well. I always ate way too much at every single feast. I didn’t want to waste anything and it didn’t matter if my stomach started to hurt. I ate through the pain just because I couldn’t help it. Everything tasted so good. Plus my mom wasn’t much of a cook and neither was I. So if I wasn’t at school or at the Weasley’s, I lived mostly off of boxes of macaroni and cheese and frozen TV dinners.

Over half an hour later, I wasn’t surprised to feel my the usual swollen pain of a stuffed belly. I moaned and rubbed it, wishing I would have paced myself or at least refused the last piece of pie Harry had offered me. “I do this to myself every year.” I sighed.

Ron nodded next to me, looking just as full as I felt. “You’re not the only one.”

Hermione and Emily were both snickering with laughter, while Harry finished the last bite of a treacle tart and joined Ron and I complaining about our eating habits. I was beginning to feel warm and sleepy and my thoughts drifted towards the four posted bed I knew was waiting for me in the Gryffindor dormitory.

My daydream was interrupted, though, as Dumbledore stood yet again. “Well now that we are all fed and watered, I have one last very exciting announcement to make.”

I exchanged curious glances with Emily, wondering it could possibly be.

“This year, at Hogwarts, the Tri-Wizard Tournament will be held! It is a test of wits, of courage, and of pure ability. Three wizards from three different schools will be chosen to compete. That means one of you could be the next Tri-wizard champion!" Dumbledore announced. The rest of the school erupted into whispers. My eyes lit up with excitement. I had heard about this. They hadn't done the tournament for a while...too many deaths.

"Beaxbatons and Durmstrang students will be arriving in the next month. I expect you to greet them with kindness and respect and show them as much hospitality as possible. For those of you wishing to enter the tournament, you will write your name on a slip of parchment and place it into the Goblet of Fire." He waved his wand and a box that had been standing in front of him unfolded to reveal a gold, jeweled cup. Green flames erupted out of it, causing ‘oooh’ and ‘ahhhs’ out of the entire Great Hall. "There will be another rule added to the tournament this year. No students under the age of seventeen will be allowed to enter for safety reasons. And to prevent that, I will be drawing an age line around the cup."

"What!" I demanded. "Not fair!" I could hear Fred and George complaining down the table and couldn't agree more.

"I do apologize, but rules are rules." Dumbledore continued, his blue eyes twinkling. "But now that we have had much excitement, I think it is safe to say it is now time for bed. Goodnight students!”

I forgot how tired I was, my mind occupied with thoughts of the tri-wizard tournament. How cool would it be to become the champion for Hogwarts? Although it was impossible. Still...the tri-wizard tournament. Here. My thoughts slipped into daydreams of being in the tournament, performing dangerous stunts, and winning all the glory imaginable.