On September 1st, Analeigh side-Apparated with her father, Altair, to Platform 9 3/4 after a long goodbye from her mother, Grace. It included countless paragraphs in French as she told her daughter to behave as always and reminded her of the little things she would most likely forget.

Analeigh's father gave her daughter a quick kiss on her temple before speaking to her in his fatherly tone, emphasizing that what he was relaying was important.

"Now, like your mother said — well, I didn't understand half of it because of the French — you should write more often."

"Yes, Dad," said Analeigh, tapping her foot impatiently. The clock on the wall across her read 10:56, so she had to get inside the Hogwarts Express soon and find her friends.

"Also, try not to get into anymore trouble. You could imagine our surprise when Dumbledore told us how you met Sirius Black and —"

"Dad, it's not like I meant to," Analeigh reminded him. "I was out for a stroll at the wrong time and happened to find Ron getting bitten by Sirius' Animagus form."

Altair Heart didn't know much about the whereabouts of Sirius Black at the moment despite their history with one another, if you could call it that. Analeigh didn't even know about this, either, because Altair didn't find it fit to tell his daughter about it. He deemed it unwise to overload her with such information, and it was much more complicated than simply telling her that he knew Sirius Black, and even more, that he could still be considered to be associated with him. There was much more at stake, and he felt it wasn't appropriate to tell her — not yet, at least.

"Okay, okay, I need to go now, Dad," Analeigh told her father, walking backwards on her way to the steam train. "I love you and I'll see you during holidays."

"Well, you might not want to come home for Christmas this year."

Analeigh halted and stared at the man in confusion. "What? Why?"

He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "There's a special event this year that you certainly wouldn't want to miss."

"What—" And then the train hooted, signaling that it was almost time to leave. "Ugh, broomsticks," she cursed.

Altair chuckled at his daughter, "Get in the train, Analeigh. I love you and see you in... er, I'll see you when I see you!"

Analeigh sighed and hurried into the train, jumping in as it began to move.

"I'm gonna write you and force you tell me when I get to Hogwarts!" she told her father. But Altair just shook his head in amusement as he watched the train pick up speed, his daughter riding away with it.

Analeigh walked down the train, saying hi to some familiar faces, mainly Gryffindors. She spotted the unmistakeable head of ginger a few feet away from her, and that's when she finally reunited with Ron, Hermione, and Harry since the Quidditch World Cup incident took place.

★ ★ ★

"Leigh, stop. You're gonna make Ron spit food again."

In response to Hermione's orders, Analeigh just continued to laugh with Ron and Harry. She had been on a roll with a load of jokes for a few minutes, and though Hermione was entertained, too, Ron had been eating and she was afraid that the boy would end up spitting some of the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans he was devouring.

"Lighten up, Hermione," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Oh, whatever, we're here anyways," she gave up, instead resorting to gazing at the window. There was nothing much to look at though, considering the whole view was blocked by the rain and fog that they couldn't even see the castle yet.

A few minutes later, the Hogwarts Express stopped and it was time for the students to file out. Despite the gloomy weather, Analeigh was ecstatic to be back, more so than the rest; perhaps it was because it was only her second year at Hogwarts.

By the time everyone had reached the castle, they were all soaking wet. Analeigh noticed that some seventh years were smart enough to put a charm on themselves to repel the water.

"Hermione," Analeigh whined. "We should've used an Impervius Charm."

Hermione gasped in realization and slapped a hand on her forehead. "I completely forgot!"

Analeigh laughed at her frantic friend as they walked through the doors and into the entrance hall where the students dripped water everywhere. Filch surely won't be pleased at all with the mess they were creating.

"Blimey," Ron said from behind the girls, shaking his head wildly. "If the rain keeps up, the lake's gonna overflow. I'm soak — argh!"

A large, red balloon had all of a sudden come falling from the ceiling and hit Ron right on the top of his head. It exploded and splashed the people surrounding him, mainly Harry, Hermione, and Analeigh. When Analeigh looked up and realized it was Peeves the poltergeist, she scowled.

"Peeves!" Ron yelled in annoyance.

"Peeves, please go away," Analeigh added through gritted. She learned last year that he was a menace, and he even teased her when she got lost in the castle especially since she wasn't a first year. Still, she always tried to be nice to him because showing your irritation provoked him even more.

"Please go away," Peeves mocked Analeigh who just sighed, giving up. He then stuck his tongue out at the four of them before floating away, his cackles echoing down the hallway.

"Alright, so we're twice as soaked as everyone in here," Ron grumbled, looking at the other students attempting to dry themselves up. "Great."

"Then we just use a charm to dry ourselves," Hermione announced, whipping her wand out. With one swish, her robes seemed to squeeze the water out of themselves and she was freed from the rainwater she was drenched in.

Analeigh decided to follow Hermione and took her wand out of her robe pocket. Right before she could say her incantation, though, she felt a sudden warmth all over her body, and when she looked down to scan herself, she was all dry, too.

"Hermione, you didn't have to do that," Analeigh told her friend. But the bushy-haired girl was currently busy drying Harry and Ron up and looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You know, use the charm on me, too."

Hermione frowned. She didn't cast the spell on Analeigh, knowing that the girl was skilled enough to do it on her own.

"I didn't cast the charm, Leigh." Analeigh mirrored Hermione's frorwn at those words and spun around in place, curious to find out who did it.

Cedric Diggory smirked as he walked past the fourth year girl and her friends. He had cast the drying charm on her when she wasn't looking. He didn't know why, but it was entertaining to  him to see her so puzzled. Eventually, Analeigh's eyes locked with his as he walked towards the Great Hall and she raised her eyebrows questioningly as if to ask if it was his doing. In reply, Cedric waved merely waved his wand a just little to confirm her thoughts. Analeigh turned back to her friends with a small smile on her lips.

"So?" said Hermione. "Who cast the charm?"

Analeigh shrugged and acted as if she wasnt sure. She didn't know why, but she didn't feel like sharing it.

"Not sure," she replied, the corners of her lips still turned up.

After everyone had settled inside the Great Hall, Headmaster Dumbledore greeted the students with open arms, welcoming them all for another year at Hogwarts. He then announced that it was time for Sorting.

The Sorting this year felt much more longer than Analeigh thought it would take. She supposed it was because she was Sorted just last year that she didn't notice how boring it could actually get. When it finally ended, Dumbledore announced that it was at last time to eat, and that was all he needed to say for the plates and goblets to magically fill up with food and drinks in all four house tables as well as the staff table.

Small talk was passed all around the table. Analeigh was sitting next to Seamus and Dean, so they told each other about their summers. Neville was across those two boys, so he joined in the conversation as well. Analeigh was glad that she was finally beginning to truly feel at home at Hogwarts.

After everyone had had their fill of steaks and roast chickens to treacle tarts and pumpkin pies, everything disappeared. Dumbledore stood up again to give another announcement. As if on cue, a hush fell across the hall as the students quieted down to listen to their the headmaster making his way to the podium.

"So!" he began cheerily. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I have a few announcements to make. It is my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What?" Harry and Analeigh gasped and the hall was filled with protests and groans. Of course, it was given that Harry absolutely loved the sport, having played it ever since he was eleven years old. As for Analeigh, she may not be a Quidditch player, but she certainly enjoyed watching it — it bummed her out that she wouldn't get to do that this year.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy — but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts —"

At that exact moment, there was a low rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall burst open. The sudden noise startled the students, causing gasps and tiny yelps to echo all around. Everyone turned their heads and directed their attention. to where the sound came from. At the end of the Great Hall, a man with shaggy hair, a wooden leg and cane, and a large artificial eye — very disturbing, Analeigh thought — came walking in, silencing everyone just by his mere presence. He limped all the way to where Dumbledore stood, the old man seemingly the only one pleased with this stranger person's arrival. He greeted him like an old friend before he faced the audience again.

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

Analeigh had learned before that the Defense Against the Dark Arts post was always empty by the end of every school year, meaning a new teacher had to constantly be appointed for the position. Last year, it was Professor Lupin, and though Analeigh had no other Hogwarts teacher to compare him to until now, she found him to be the best teacher she's ever had. He wasn't too strict and let his students enjoy, but he was also so evidently skilled and intelligent that the class would automatically pay attention to him without being asked. Analeigh wondered how this new teacher would change Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Whereas the students had applauded Lupin for his arrival the previous year, nobody made a move (except for Dumbledore who was clapping proudly) after Professor Alastor Moody was introduced. Eventually, the staff followed the headmaster, and then a small number of students did as well out of respect. Most would think that the applause was out of politeness, but in Analeigh's opinion, it was out of fear. She herself was intimidated by Moody's appearance, so she wouldn't be surprised if there were others who were actually frightened.

Professor Moody finally made his way to the High Table where he sat at the empty seat for him. After Dumbledore watched him carefully, he turned back to the students and continued his speech.

"As I was saying," he continued. "We are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for 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 Weasley said. The tension that hung in the air broke when he spoke, and everyone couldn't help but laugh.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said, bemused. "Though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar..."

Professor Mcgonagall cleared her throat loudly and caught Dumbledore's attention.

"Er — but maybe this is not the time... no... Where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament. Well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely."

Dumbledore began a separate speech about the history of the Triwizard Tournament. Analeigh listened intently, excited about this event — this must've been what her father was talking about. Even when Dumbledore mentioned the death toll which caused the traditional Triwizard Tournament to be stopped, she was still intrigued by it.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore went on. "None of which have been very successful. However, our own Departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger. We have decided that only students from the ages fifteen and above will be allowed to compete, and that instead of a single champion, each school representative will come in pairs. Thus, there will be six champions. The Heads of Beauxbatons —"

Analeigh felt a nudge from her right at the mention of her past school, coming from Seamus.

"— and Durmstrang will be arriving with their shortlisted contenders in October, and the selection of the three pairs of champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

Dumbledore paused, and Analeigh thought hard. Ages fifteen and above, he said... she would be turning fifteen later on this year, hence why she was still in her fourth year and not fifth. But, that still meant she was a contender for the Triwizard Tournament. The thousand Galleons prize money wasn't the only thing that caught her attention. It came with glory, honor, and power — who wouldn't want to achieve all of that? To represent your school as you battled your opponents, proving just how worthy you are. Dumbledore also mentioned that instead of one representative per school, it would be two this time around, ensuring the students' safety and hopefully preventing any more deaths.

"Now, it is getting late. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

At once, the Great Hall was filled with a buzz of excitement as the students filed out and made their way to their respective dormitories. Just like everyone else, the topic of conversation among the group of Gryffindors as they made their way up the stairs to the seventh floor was about the upcoming Triwizard Tournament.

"Leigh, when do you turn fifteen?" Seamus was asking Analeigh, who had trailed slightly behind the trio while Seamus and Dean walked next to her. The two boys were some of the other Gryffindors she became rather good friends with when she entered Hogwarts.

"In a few weeks," she replied.

"That means you can enter the tournament!" Dean said enthusiastically.

"Bloody hell, I'm still turning fifteen next March," Ron groaned. "Since you girls are gonna be fifteen anyways, are you going for it? Hermione, Analeigh?"

The trio didn't seem to notice that Analeigh had strayed away from them until she said a distracted, "Sorry, what?"

All three heads turned to her. "Are you gonna enter the tournament?" Ron repeated as Seamus and Dean bid them goodbye, walking ahead to get to the common room before them.

"Oh, I don't know. I... I think so. It sounds exciting."

"Lucky you," sighed Ron.

"Leigh, I know you're a great witch," Hermione began hesitantly. "But don't you think it's dangerous?"

Analeigh bit her lip. "It wouldn't hurt to try. Besides, the tournament will be by pairs, and chances are they'll get older students who are more experienced."

"Well, I support you, Leigh," Harry said kindly.

Hermione shot him a disapproving glare but Analeigh smiled kindly at the green-eyed boy. "Thanks, Harry."