If You've Got the Nerve

Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie were exchanging annoyingly curious comments at each other the whole way to the platform. It seemed they knew something we didn’t. It also seemed highly exciting as Bill was pouting about not being able to “see it.”

“What have you all been mumbling about?” I asked Bill testily as we stood beside the familiar scarlet train with all of our things packed on board. He only grinned at me.

“You’ll see soon enough. I expect Dumbledore will explain it all this evening, in fact.”

“Explain what?”

“You’ll see,” he repeated with another knowing smile. I huffed and crossed my arms childishly.

“Just make sure the twins stay in line, will you?”

“That’s impossible,” I snorted, “Even I can’t manage that, Bill.”

“Well, keep an extra eye on them. They’ll need it. Even if the rules are changed, I imagine they’ll get themselves killed one way or another.”

“Rules?” he shook his head then pushed me towards the train.

“Maybe I’ll try to visit. Christmas would be a good time,” he nodded to himself slightly.

“What are you talking about, Bill?” I stepped quickly up the steps and took Lee Jordan’s hand. He’d been waiting for me to get on the train so we could get a compartment with Fred and George like usual. Bill didn’t bother to answer my question, but shot something else at me, “And Nox?”

I turned to face him with my hand still in Lee’s firm grip. The train was beginning to move slowly and I thought Bill would just wave off his call to me as nothing. But he seemed to realize that I wouldn’t hesitate to jump from the train and throttle him if he kept any more secrets from me. “Go for it, okay?”

I stared blankly at him until Lee tugged sharply on my hand. “Nox!” I snapped out of my daze and pulled myself fully aboard with Lee’s help.

“Sorry. Where are Fred and George?”

“I lost them. They looked upset and started yelling out the window.” He made a confused face then led me down the aisle to an empty compartment near the middle of the train. I collapsed on one of the seats and stretched out comfortably. Lee went off to search for the old witch with the cart of sweets. I leaned my forehead against the cool glass of the window. Before long, we were speeding past a rain washed countryside.

“Reckon we could have pulled it out of Bill’s head; if we’d had more time.”

“Should have slipped him a few more drinks at the Cup.” I looked up as the door to the compartment slid open with a bang. Fred and George entered in quiet a huff and took their seats across from me.

“Did you get anything out of him?” George asked me suddenly.

“Your brother?” I returned his nod with a shake of my head, “He only told me to keep an extra eye on you two.” They both grinned at this.

“Loads of help that will be. No matter what the reason.” I agreed completely with Fred. Nothing was going to keep them out of trouble.

“Is Lee here yet?”

“He’s gone to get some sweets.”

“We’ll be going hungry then?” George groaned while kicking his legs up on one of the other seats. “He won’t be sharing with us.” Fred complained in a similar tone to George while copying his brother’s shift in position.

“He’ll share with me,”

“That’s because you’re you,”

“Well put,” I said with a scrunched face, “So logical.”

“Exactly,” They chorused with identical grins. Lee returned moments later with an armful of treats that he shared with all of us. The train ride was almost silent except for the twins sneaking off every so often to cause a disruption among the first years.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal – ”

“Over reaction, really.”

“Just a spider – ”

“Tarantula. Rather large.” I bit off the head of another chocolate frog as Fred and George went on about setting a bewitched tarantula lose at the end of the train. It had scattered a group of screeching second year girls.

“Ever consider being quiet for once?” I asked curiously while letting the chocolate melt in my mouth. It gave me a tickling sensation since the frog was still trying to reach freedom even without his head as a guide.

“Ever consider not torturing the things you eat?” Fred shot back with a raised eyebrow. I shrugged while chewing the rest of the chocolate.

A loud clap of thunder shook the skies outside followed by a flash of purple tinged light and another boom. I sighed and turned over where I lay on the stiff seats. We had all changed into our robes not long before and the ride was beginning to get tiring. Most of the time was spent with exchanging guesses at what would be happening this year that would be so exciting. George had “accidentally dropped” a dung bomb in Draco Malfoy’s path as he walked up and down the aisle exclaiming his superior knowledge of the coming events. Of course he only shoved away every eager first year that thought he would be willing to distribute the information. He hadn’t returned to our section of the train.

“Nox, Fred, George! We’re pulling into the station.” Lee stopped by our open compartment door before hurrying off to get a clear path to an exit.

The twins and I moved as quickly as we could through the pouring rain to try and catch an early carriage. Fred and George jumped down from the carriage when we had made it through the gates. I jumped off but didn’t splash into the deep mud. Instead I chose to jump on Fred’s back and let him carry me up to the castle doors. He stumbled slightly at the sudden addition in weight but didn’t throw me off. The warmth of the castle was a welcome treat. Most of the students that were seated in the Great Hall were caked in mud and grass from the trek up to the castle.

“Wait until the little ones arrive,” Fred mumbled in amusement. I smiled lightly as the words rumbled lowly out of his throat, the vibrations tickling my arms that were fixed securely around his neck. Images of the small children stomping into the room soaked to the bone and looking extremely frightened seemed to bring certain warmth back to my shivering form.

Fred finally swung me off his back to take a seat next to me when we reached a spot near the front of the hall. The ceiling which was enchanted to show the sky outside of the old castle walls showed stormy clouds swirling around each other angrily. A flash of lighting shot across the sky with a loud burst of noise that made me jump slightly.

All the noise running down the house tables faded as Professor McGonagall marched into the hall with a group of soaked eleven-year-olds. Lee and the twins let out small laughs as the last of the kids ran in tripping over what was unmistakably Hagrid’s giant coat. He looked positively delighted about being the wettest of the entire group.

McGonagall set down a familiar old stool and an even more familiar old hat with more patches than original fabric. There was a sudden hush choking the entire room. The first years looked terrified while half of the older students looked bored. The other half wore curious looks.

The Sorting Hat broke into a shining new song. Applause roared when it finished its lament for the four houses and their founders. My mind fell out of concentration as the sorting began. I jolted every time the hat shouted its decision. By the time the fifth Slytherin was sorted, Fred and George were in fits of laughter at my jumps. “Shut up,” I muttered, whacking the closest twin on the head with a golden spoon that had been placed neatly on the table. George groaned and fell silent as he rubbed his head with a grimace of pain.

After what seemed ages, the sorting had been completed and Dumbledore had given his own words. Food filled the platters running up and down the table. All of us poured food onto our own plates and stuffed our faces. After the feast, Dumbledore stood to address all of us.

“…the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs…”

“Nox,” Fred whispered eagerly in my ear, “I know what I want for Christmas.” I could just imagine the grin on his face and rolled my eyes.

“I’ll get right on that,” I whispered back with sarcasm.

“It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year.” I jolted as George almost stabbed me with the fork he had been carelessly twirling in one hand. All of the Qudditch team sat with their mouths hanging open, apparently trying desperately to form words of anger.

Dumbledore’s explanation of this turn of events was interrupted by a particular loud bang of thunder. The door banged open to reveal a roughed up looking man just as another flash of lightning illuminated the many faces of the hall. Every head turned to stare as the stranger clunked up to the teachers’ table without regard to anyone else. There were more than a few stifled gasps as another branch of lightning cast the new arrival’s face into sharp detail. Mine was included.

“Is that…Mad-Eye Moody?” Lee hissed in amazement.

“The Auror?” I asked, staring at Fred in pure astonishment as if he was the one who had just announced Moody’s appointment as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

“Ex-Auror, ain’t he?” Morgan Callen added in her thick Irish accent, “Not bad though, is it? Me dad’s told me all about him. A genius, he is.”

“Was a genius. Now he’s a barking mad loony, ain’t he?” Fred muttered to George who only nodded his agreement.

“As I was saying,” Dumbledore cleared his throat then smiled at the sea of students. Most of us were still staring at Mad-Eye who seemed unfazed by the attention and lack of welcoming.

“It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year.” My attention immediately snapped back to the aged Headmaster as did everyone else’s.

“What!?”

“You’re joking!” If I hadn’t almost fallen out of my seat because of my own shock, Fred’s
scream surely would have pushed me onto to stone floor. Everyone around us was whispering fervently to each other about the news.

“So that’s what mum and Bill and Charlie were muttering about all day.”

“And no doubt what Perfect Prefect Percy was dragging on about all summer.”

“We’ve got to go for it,” Fred was practically bouncing in his seat. George looked just as eager.

The Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts.

A broad grin had been plastered on my face. This was going to be an enjoyable year.