"A WEEK! A WEEK TILL THE SCHOOLS COME! A week till I try to charm every Veela I see. I need all the practice I can get," Dean announced, jumping onto the couch Cassie had been sitting on, writing something exciting. 

"And why, in the name of Merlin, would you even attempt to do that?" Cassie scoffed, knowing perfectly how well this plan was going to flop. Dean couldn't even keep his mind straight with Delilah around. Goodness knows what power a Veela would hold over him. 

"Seamus and I had a bet,"

"Of course," Cassie scoffed.

"You don't think I can do it?" Dean gasped, bruising his broken heart, "You have no faith in me,"

"Have you heard yourself talk to Lilah? I think that's proof enough," Cassie reasoned, Dean accepting it begrudgingly. 

"Fine. What are you reading anyway?" he asked, changing the topic. 

"My mother sent me a song that Neville's mother wrote during their time at Hogwarts. It's kind of like an upbeat, cooler, rewritten version of our school anthem. And knowing how ecstatic Hogwarts is about hosting the competition, we have absolutely no performance to showcase. Word from the owls and my secret sources say both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons have spent months practising their welcome performances and what was my intel over Hogwarts' performance? Us singing a karaoke version of the school song. Absolutely, positively, engaging and entertaining, isn't it?"

"That is blasphemy!" Dean exclaimed, alarmed, "This is disrespect and a violation of the artistic talents of the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

"Precisely, which is why I have come up with a plan to save the day," Cassie smirked evilly. 

"Prithee, do indulge me in thy devious thoughts," Dean chuckled, moving in closer to peep into Cassie's notebook as she detailed her idea. 

"Oh there you are!" a cheery voice came from the portrait door making Dean and Cassie look up from mid-discussion.

"Lilah! Hello! Is it four already? I'm so sorry," Cassie began rambling, completely forgetting about their plan to study together for their test the day after. 

"It's quite alright," Delilah brushed off, "Hello Dean!"

"Lily! It's a pleasure to share your company," Dean greeted back formally. 

"Does he always talk like that?" the Hufflepuff mouthed to Cassie who was struggling to hide her amusement.

"Oh, do join us!" Dean continued, failing to notice his posh aristocratic lingo, "We were just discussing our plan to save the reputation of the school,"

"I didn't know the reputation of the school was in danger," Delilah said, surprised at the turn of events.

"With mass murders and Voldermort coming to pay a visit every year, who would ever question such a thing?" Cassie sassed, making Delilah chuckle at the reality, "Anyway, here's the deal ..."

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ⁅ - ෴ - ⁆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE of that one week. Dean, Cassie and Delilah managed to convince Blaise Zabini to help them in their master plan (after much emotional blackmail from Cassie's end, they finally managed to get him in); Neville almost burst into tears when Cassie gifted him his mother's song and told him how they'd honour her legacy in front of the greatest schools of magic in the world; Harry tried to persuade Sirius and Julia into not coming to Hogwarts as he 'reckons he'd imagined the whole thing' which quite obviously failed; Cassie heard from Delilah (and later Cedric himself) that the latter was planning on competing in the tournament (much to her displeasure but once Cedric had convinced himself of something, it was very hard to persuade him out of it); and Fred and George thanked Cassie for not making them waste their entire savings during their bet with Ludo Bagman as the man had cunningly handed them the fake Irish coins that disappeared the night after. 

But now it was finally Friday. There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air that day. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang; even Potions was more bearable than usual, as it was half an hour shorter. When the bell rang early, Dean and Cassie hurried up to Gryffindor Tower, deposited their bags and books as they had been instructed, pulled on their cloaks, and rushed back downstairs into the entrance hall.

The Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines.

"Weasley, straighten your hat," Professor McGonagall snapped at Ron. "Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing out of your hair." 

Parvati scowled and removed a large ornamental butterfly from the end of her plait.

"Follow me, please," said Professor McGonagall. "First years in front ... no pushing ..." They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle. 

It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent-looking moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest. Cassie, standing behind Ron, Granger and Harry, besides Dean in the fourth row from the front, saw Dennis Creevey positively shivering with anticipation among the other first years. She turned around to catch a glimpse of Fred who had also been using his height to his advantage to search for Cassie. The two grinned and waved at each other happily but Fred got distracted when George started making smooching sounds beside him. 

"How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?" Cassie heard Ron ponder. 

"I doubt it," said Dean laughing. 

"How, then? Broomsticks?" Harry suggested, looking up at the starry sky. 

"I don't think so ... not from that far away ..." Granger replied.

"A Portkey?" Ron suggested. "Or they could Apparate - maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?" 

"You can't Apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds, how often do I have to tell you?" said Granger impatiently.

They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing was moving; everything was still, silent, and quiet as usual. A shiver ran down Cassie's spine and was no sooner than later met with the familiar feeling of a sweater on her shoulder. She looked over to see the silver embroidery and green emblem dawning its sleeves. 

"Don't tell me Cassandra Black will refuse to wear my sweater because of my house," Blaise laughed, seeing her hesitation. 

"Oh you know how Gryffindor's can be," Cassie argued while simultaneously wearing it without another moment to waste. 

"It looks good on-" Blaise began.

"Don't even try," Cassie cut him off, stamping his foot in the process. 

"Coming," Blaise called out to no one in particular but not before leaving Cassie a wink. 

Cassie grunted at his behaviour but then sighed at the comfort of his sweater. Dean judged Cassie for a split second before succumbing to her death glare and justifying her actions by faking a shiver. 

And then 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. Something large, much larger than a broomstick - or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks - was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time. 

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

"Don't be stupid...it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevey. 

Dennis's guess was closer ... As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powder blue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.

The front three rows of students drew backwards as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming into land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Neville jump back onto a Slytherin fifth-year's foot, the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery red eyes. 

A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully. Then Cassie saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage — a shoe the size of a child's sledge — followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman she had met only once in her life — Madam Olympe Maxime, headmistress of the Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

Dumbledore started to clap; the students, following his lead, broke into applause too, many of them standing on tiptoe, the better to look at this woman.

Her face relaxed into a gracious smile and she walked forward toward Dumbledore, extending a glittering hand. Dumbledore, though tall himself, had barely to bend to kiss it.

"My dear Madame Maxime," he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts." 

"Dumbly-dort," said Madame Maxime in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?" 

"In excellent form, I thank you," said Dumbledore. 

"My pupils," said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her. About a dozen boys and girls, all, by the look of them, in their late teens, had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madame Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing any cloaks. A few had wrapped scarves and shawls around their heads. From what everyone around Cassie and Harry could see of them (they were standing in Madame Maxime's enormous shadow), they were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces. 

"As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked. Cassie grimaced at his name. She wasn't the biggest fan of that man. 

"He should be here any moment," said Dumbledore. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

"Warm up, I think," said Madame Maxime. "But ze 'orses -"

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," said Dumbledore, "the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation that has arisen with some of his other - er - charges."

"Skrewts," Ron muttered to the group, grinning.

"My steeds require - er - forceful 'andling," said Madame Maxime, looking as though she doubted whether any Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts could be up to the job. "Zey are very strong...." 

"I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job," said Dumbledore, smiling. 

"Very well," said Madame Maxime, bowing slightly. "Will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey?" 

"It will be attended to," said Dumbledore, also bowing. 

"Come," said Madame Maxime imperiously to her students, and the Hogwarts crowd parted to allow her and her students to pass up the stone steps. 

"How big d'you reckon Durmstrang's horses are going to be?" Seamus said, leaning around Lavender and Parvati to address Harry, Ron and Dean. 

"Well, if they're any bigger than this lot, even Hagrid won't be able to handle them," said Harry. "That's if he hasn't been attacked by his skrewts. Wonder what's up with them?"

"Maybe they've escaped," said Ron hopefully. 

"Oh don't say that," said Hermione with a shudder. "Imagine that lot loose on the grounds...."

They stood, shivering slightly now, waiting for the Durmstrang party to arrive. Most people were gazing hopefully up at the sky. For a few minutes, the silence was broken only by MadameMaxime's huge horses snorting and stamping. But then - 

"Can you hear something?" said Ron suddenly. 

They all listened; 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.... 

"The lake!" yelled Lee Jordan, pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!"

From their position at the top of the lawns overlooking the grounds, they had a clear view of the smooth black surface of the water - except that the surface was suddenly not smooth at all. Some disturbance was taking place deep in the centre; great bubbles were forming on the surface and waves were now washing over the muddy banks - and then, out in the very middle of the lake, a whirlpool appeared, as if a giant plug had just been pulled out of the lake's floor.

What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the heart of the whirlpool and then they saw the rigging ...

"It's a mast!" Harry exclaimed.

Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It had a strangely skeletal look about it, as though it were a resurrected wreck, and the dim, misty lights shimmering at its portholes looked like ghostly eyes. Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide toward the bank. A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank. 

People were disembarking; they could see their silhouettes passing the lights in the ship's portholes. All of them seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle ... but then, as they drew nearer, walking up the lawns into the light streaming from the entrance hall, their bulk was really due to the fact that they were wearing cloaks of some kind of shaggy, matted fur. But the man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort: sleek and silver, like his hair.

"Dumbledore!" he called heartily as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

Cassie turned to Cedric, who'd stationed himself near to her after the mast revealed itself, and gagged, making the boy chuckle. Karakaroff was a sort of inside joke between the Ministry Kids. 

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied. Karkaroff had a fruity, unctuous voice; when he stepped into the light pouring from the front doors of the castle, they saw that he was tall and thin like Dumbledore, but his white hair was short, and his goatee (finishing in a small curl) did not entirely hide his rather weak chin. When he reached Dumbledore, he shook hands with both of his own. 

"Dear old Hogwarts," he said, looking up at the castle and smiling; his teeth were rather yellow, and his smile did not extend to his eyes, which remained cold and shrewd."How good it is to be here, how good ... Viktor, come along, into the warmth ... you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold..." 

Karkaroff beckoned forward one of his students. As the boy passed, Cassie caught a glimpse of a prominent curved nose and thick black eyebrows. She instantly recognised the boy and yelled out his name with an excited wave. He seemed to have heard her as he sent a polite smile towards her direction before his eyes brightened with recognition and his smile turned into a friendly grin. Viktor seemed to have turned around to whisper something to another boy beside him, who peeked his head out of Viktor's shadow and wave at Cassie. The girl and Cedric ecstatically waved back at Simon and watched them enter the castle.