Everybody Party Till the Gasman Comes

Time went by quickly after the Cup and it was soon time for us to be heading back to school. I stood with the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione on Platform 9 3/4 after putting my things on the train with the twins. The train was to be leaving in only a few moments, and everyone was saying their last goodbyes for awhile.

I gave a great big hug to Bill, and Charlie, who was in the process of hugging Ginny goodbye, said, "I might be seeing you all sooner than you think."

During the entire duration of the summer holidays Bill, Charlie, and Mr. Weasley had been sliding around a topic that had to do with something that was going on at school. They refused to give us even the slightest details. It really bugged us, but we hardly questioned it until then.

"Why?" Fred asked.

"You'll see," Charlie said, grinning.

"Yeah, I sort of wish I was back at Hogwarts this year," Bill said.

"Why?" George tapped his foot impatiently on the platform.

"You're going to have an interesting year" was all Bill said to us.

The whistle blew and Mrs. Weasley ushered us all towards the train. I climbed up the steps and stood at a window beside the twins, waving at the three remaining Weasleys on the platform as the train began to move. Once they'd vanished, I was hurried down the aisle to a compartment in the back of the train where our friend Lee Jordan was waiting for us.

"Sam!" he exclaimed upon seeing me.

I grinned at him. "Hey, Lee."

I plopped down on the seat across from him, while Fred sat next to Lee and George took the spot next to myself. I leaned into him and readied myself for the coming conversation and long journey to one of my favorite places, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

***

As I walked into the Great Hall with George, Fred, and Lee, a smile painted itself across my face. Words can't describe how much I loved going to Hogwarts. It was my home away from home. Everything about it was inviting. The warmness that it exuded, both in temperature and emotional feeling; the noises that sounded from every corner of the building.

I looped my arms with both of the twins' and skipped down the aisles between our table and the one beside it. We reached an empty space that was large enough for the three of us and sat down. A stupid grin was plastered across my face and George noticed it. He flicked my nose to get my attention.

"Happy?" He grinned.

"I'm so excited," I exclaimed. I looked down and poked my vest-covered stomach. "And I'm hungry. I want some chicken!"

Fred laughed from his place at my left. "You're always hungry, Sam," he chuckled.

I pouted. "Not always, I'm not. Only most of the time."

The twins were both about to say something, when I held up my finger to silence them. Professor McGonnagal was up at the front of the room, placing the old Sorting Hat on the stool. The rip on the front of the hat opened up and it 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 hall erupted in applause at the end of the hat's song. I turned to George and smiled. He knew I loved to watch the first years being sorted. Professor McGonnagal took out a long scroll and began reading off names. I watched very carefully as the children climbed up on to the stool and were sorted. I remembered the day that I'd been sorted and laughed to myself.

"Foster, Samantha!" Professor McGonnagal's shrill voice rang through the Great Hall.

I took a deep breath and turned around to glance at the twins, who were sitting beside each other at the Gryffindor table. They gave me identical grins. I walked up the few steps to the platform that the stool and hat were located on. McGonnagal picked up the hat and placed it on my head after I'd sat down on the stool.

"Oh," the hat said, causing my cheeks to heat up. I was glad that the brim was covering my eyes so that I couldn't see everyone looking at me. "I remember when I was placed on your mother's head. She was just as hard to place as you are proving to be."

It was silent for a few moments and I prayed that I would be placed in the same house that my mother had been placed in; the same house that I knew all of my friends would be in.

"Hmmm." I heard a smile in the hat's voice and was terrified that it was going to voice something aloud that I didn't want anyone to know. "Gryffindor!"

I let out the breath that I hadn't realized I'd been holding and grinned at the students sitting at the table with Fred and George. My eyes locked with George's and when I met him at the table, he gave me a hug.

Professor Dumbledore had stood up. He looked around at all of us students, a smile on his face. He opened his arms wide in welcome. "I have only two words for you, tuck in."

One of the plates in the middle of the table filled with chicken and I wasted no time and filling my own plate with the food. I tore into a leg and sighed contently. As I chewed, I looked around at everyone. George was stuffing his face with mashed potatoes, Fred's cheeks were puffed out from the two rolls he'd shoved into his mouth, and Lee was simply looking back at me, while eating his own chicken.

"You 'ave good taste, Sam," he smiled.

I swallowed my food and grinned back at him.

After everyone had been fed and all of the food had been cleared from the table, Dumbledore got back up to make his start of term announcements. "Mr. Filch," he started, "the caretaker has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has been extended to include Screaming Yo-Yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs."

I looked on either side of me at the twins, who were both sporting identical maniacal grins. I shook my head at them and returned my attention to my headmaster.

"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

At this news there was a collective murmuring around the hall. Harry, who was a few feet down the table from us, leaned over to look at Fred and George. The two boys were mouthing silent words at Dumbledore, too taken aback to voice them.

Dumbledore continued. "This is due to an event that will begin in October, and continue throughout the school year. I'm sure you all will enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year-"

Professor Dumbledore was interrupted when the doors to the Great Hall banged open, producing a man who was leaning against a great tall staff and was wearing a dark traveling cloak. He walked, or hobbled rather, up to the front of the hall and stood beside Dumbledore. He said something to the man before sending him to sit in the empty seat up at the staff table.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody."

"Moody?" I asked, glancing back and forth between Fred and George. "As in Mad-Eye?"

They only nodded. I turned away from them to study the scarred face of our new teacher for awhile, until Dumbledore began speaking again.

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

"You're joking!" Fred yelled from beside me.

Almost the entire hall broke into laughter at Fred's outburst. I grinned at my friend and the look that was in his eyes.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said. "Some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those that do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation. In the Triwizard Tournament, three students from three different schools compete in three magical tasks. It was generally agreed to be a most excellent way to establish ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until the death toll mounted so high that it was discontinued."

My eyes widened at the professor. "Death toll?" I mumbled. Even to my own ears my voice sounded worried.

"We have worked very hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger. The Heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their shortlisted contenders in October, and the selection of the champions will take place during Halloween. An impartial judge will select the champions deemed most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons prize money."

"I'm going for it," Fred hissed down the table. His face was alight with enthusiasm, the same enthusiasm that was on his twin's face, and the faces of half of the students in the school.

I stared at them both incredulously.

Dumbledore began speaking once more, silencing all chatter that had started up. "Eager though I know all of you will be 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 the contenders this year. Only students who are of age will be allowed to put forth their names for consideration."

Fred and George's faces immediately fell from excited to furious. I silently thanked the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang Heads and also the Ministry for imposing the age restriction. I would never allow them to partake in something so dangerous. Death toll and Fred and George were two things that should never be in a sentence together. I knew, though, that the two would try something in order have a chance at being chosen.